author interviews

Meet Bruce Bond

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AuthorPicToday I interview Bruce Lee Bond. Bruce grew up in Studio City California at the foot of Laurel Canyon, hitchhiked around the west coast at seventeen and fled the San Fernando Valley at eighteen. He attended San Francisco State’s creative writing department when it was headed by Kay Boyle, the only undergrad in her graduate writing course at the age of twenty-one where he won national awards. He aided in the American Indian Movement’s occupation of Alcatraz Island, and left for South Dakota on an invite from a Lakota medicine man to study the rituals of the Native American Church. He soon found he was a great medicine man but had issues with alcohol and women, and Bruce ran off with the medicine man’s abused girlfriend for the Black Hills.

He came down with double pneumonia due to a ceremony performed by the shaman, had a temperature of 106.7 and almost died, spent time with the Hopi tribe on Black Mesa, helped set-up the first Rainbow Gathering in Colorado, and ended up on an old homestead in Oregon with a tall young lady who ran away at the age of twelve and was sixteen when they met.

He lived in Alaska and met a Nordic goddess on his return, was active in the largest worker owned coop in the Northwest, attended the University of Oregon’s journalism department and with his partner moved to a homestead of an old man in Alaska who wrote the state’s constitution and whose family now has a TV show. He built log homes, raised three kids and owned businesses.

He has written nine novels in the last few years, published five and was a founder and on the board of directors of the Alaska Writers’ Guild.  He has won several writing contests including stories in the University of Alaska’s Cold Flashes, has published stories in US and Britain in anthologies and was involved in a plethora of other legal and illegal endeavors in his youth that spawned many characters in his work. He also does a great deal of historical research with novels in the Klondike gold rush in 1899, the Barbary Coast of San Francisco in the days before the earthquake of 1906, and early Hollywood in 1919. His last two published novels are in the underworld of modern day Alaska, and in the underground counterculture of the early 1970s in the Pacific Northwest about things the larger culture was never meant to know.

For this interview, he’s talking about Hippie Hill Or How I Spent My Vacation. It is 321 pages and was published by Montag Press on April 18, 2018.

Hippie-Hill-cover

Why did you write this book?

I waited for years to write this book about the outlaw counterculture of the 1970’s that few know of and few believe happened. I sat down with the survivor of the gunfight near the end of the novel between the only two blacks in the novel twenty years later over beers to get it right. Hope I’ve kept my promise.

What genre is the book?

This novel is at the top and in the middle of the genre bookshelf of Hippie Outlaw Fiction which is empty otherwise, although most of the events actually happened.

Is it character driven or plot driven?

Got it say it’s character driven since so many of the characters are a novel in themselves, but there is a PLOT.

What makes it unique?

Beginning with two seventeen year old runaways, there is no other book about the psychedelic outlaw culture of the time that uses characters who lived it with the events that happened.

Do you plot ahead of time?

Not with this one so much. The characters experience actual events and react according to their individual natures although I knew how it would end. I actually had to leave out 99% of the things I could have written about and pared it down to a small area of the Siskiyou Mountains in southern Oregon where the major events happened.

How did you develop the character names?

Most of the names were actual people. Who could come up with a better name for a girl living in the woods high on psychedelics wearing nothing but leather bikini briefs, knee-high moccasins, a great tan with long blond braids and a .45 Colt Peacemaker in a bullet filled gun belt than Fauna? Other names like Darla Argyle just popped up. Two of Charlie Manson’s fugitive girls have their real names, as did Black Michael, Abdullah, Rayella and Cindy the runaway Olympic gymnast.

How did you decide on the setting?

That’s easy. In this one the settings were real.

Do you have a writing mentor?

I had a writing mentor a long time ago. Kay Boyle who taught at San Francisco State. She ran away at sixteen and married an Austrian count, was a spy in WWII, spoke several languages, wrote eighty books and had six children by six men.  I was the only undergrad in her graduate writing class and told her I would stay ahead of everybody on assignments but was leaving six weeks early to study the peyote church with a Lakota medicine man in South Dakota. She agreed. Kay lived to ninety-eight years old.

What is your writing schedule?

My writing schedule entails not working any other job when I have a novel project which can clash with making a living elsewhere as once you’ve published a novel that and four bucks will actually get you a latte. My favorite place to write is any space where I can park my laptop without distraction.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I would suggest to any aspiring writer who wants to make money to not be too imaginative or individual as that is what people only claim they want. Most desire the familiar and something that bonifies their own opinions and experience no matter what they say. My path has always been different.

How can readers get in touch with you?

OfAlaska@aol.com

OfAlaska@gmail.com

Meet Jack Strandburg

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Today, I interview Solstice author Jack Strandburg. Jack was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He is a degreed professional with a background in Accounting and Information Technology and recently retired after more than 33 years working for a Fortune 500 company. He has been riting since his teenage years.

He self-published an inspirational titled An Appointment With God: One Ordinary Man’s Journey to Faith Through Prayer, by Trafford Publishing. His first published novel by Solstice Publishing is Hustle Henry and the Cue-Ball Kid, a parody of the movie, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

His third work, a novella titled The Monogram Killer, published by Solstice Publishing, was released in May, 2016. His fourth work, A Head in the Game, published by Solstice Publishing, was released on January 20, 2017.

He is currently working on a novella titled Honor Among Heroes, writing journals for an upcoming inspirational non-fiction book titled The Hand of God; and completed 70% of a first draft for a second mystery novel titled War Zone.

He is an editor for Solstice Publishing, and currently developing a freelance editing business. He has edited over 30 fiction works in various genres.

Jack currently lives with his wife and two grown children, in Sugar Land, Texas. He has three grandchildren.

A Head in the Game is 327 pages long and was published in January, 2017 by Solstice Publishing.

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About the book:

Chicago Homicide Inspector Aaron Randall faces his toughest case while dealing with doubts about his career and the potential of a romantic relationship.

Jared Prescott, a Heisman Trophy winner and Vice President of a large and respected pharmaceutical company, is found murdered at a seedy motel. The investigation uncovers multiple suspects with multiple motives. When the body of his close friend and informant is found stabbed to death in a deserted alley, followed by the murders of two women, Randall suspects a conspiracy.

Randall is hamstrung during the investigation by pressure from the commissioner down the chain of command because the president of the pharmaceutical company, anxious for resolution to Jared Prescott’s murder, is a close friend with a Senator whose sights are set on the Oval Office.

Why did you decide to write this book?

The original idea arose from the following writing prompt: “Imagine that you are downtown in a major city during rush-hour. Suddenly a woman walks toward you, holding a bag. She meets you eyes, smiles, hands you the bag, and says, “Here you go.” Before you can say or do anything, she turns and walks off. (Scott Edelstein – The No-Experience-Necessary Writer’s Course).

I chose the contents of the bag to be a fake head. The exercise led to a short story, but over time grew to a novel, and the idea held my interest enough to seek publication.

What genre is your book?

Mystery.

Do you consider your book character-driven or plot-driven?

Plot-driven – I believe that even if you have the most interesting characters in the world, if nothing happens, you have no story, and in my outline process, I’ve learned that characters will react in different ways to significant events, and even stray from the original character profile.

What makes your book unique?

The antagonist is always at least one step ahead of the protagonist (until the climax), planting evidence to implicate other characters as suspects in the original murder.

Do you plot ahead of time, or let the plot emerge as you write?

Over the years, I tried different approaches to writing, but learned I need to have at least an idea of how the story ends in order to outline events, conflicts, and obstacles in the middle. That’s not to say the plot does not emerge, but at the very least, I need a road map to guide me through the story.

How do you develop the names for your characters?

The more significant the character’s role in the story, the more memorable I try to name them. For example, a name with more syllables will generally make a bigger impression on the reader. Also, a character’s profile sometimes (not always) lends itself to one name v. another. For instance, the original last name of my protagonist in A Head in the Game was Crawford. I changed it to Randall, simply because “Randall” sounded a little like a tougher character to me.

How do you decide on the setting?

Once again, some settings will stand out better – a cemetery v. an amusement park for example. It will also depend on what a character or characters do for a living. A hospital in one or more scenes is likely when one of the characters is a doctor or nurse.

Do you have a writing mentor?

No.

What’s your writing schedule? Do you have a favorite place to write?

I usually do my best writing in the mornings. I like to vary my places to write, but usually will write where I feel most comfortable. A reclining chair v. a chair in my office. I sometimes listen to music (usually nature or New Age).

 

 

Meet Isabella Adams

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X Izzy author pic

Today, I’m happy to host Isabella Adams, AKA Izzy. Izzy was born in New York in the 1970’s. She has lived all over the world, and currently lives and works on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Izzy enjoys her three children (unless they are intent on rupturing everyone’s ear drums in a mile radius), the beach, her husband, and her dog, Isaac. And naps. Izzy loves a good nap.

Favorite Author: Ursula K. Le Guin, close second is FF Amanti
Favorite food: Baklava
Favorite beverage: water

Isabella draws her inspiration from the world around her. The ever evolving, ever surprising, and never boring, rock in space upon which we all sail along.

The book she’s talking about today is called Dancing For A Stranger. It’s 213 pages long and was released on April 2, 2018 by Foster Embry.

Dancing cover from Rachael

About the book:

Donny is looking for The One.

How many women will he kill before he finds her?

Five young dancers are found dead, their windpipes crushed by a serial killer. When Aphrodite, a burlesque dancer, interrupts his latest attack, she becomes his new object of desire. Dr. Andromeda Markos, along with Detective Sean Malone, and their childhood friend, Dr. Anastasia Antoniadis, fight to discover the killer’s identity before more women fall victim to his brutal violence. As they close in, the killer’s mind unravels and the friends must race against his tangled psyche in order to save one of their own.

Why did you decide to write this book?

This is the second novel based on the same characters. The first story came to me in a dream. I wrote it down, and away it went. The second one came to me in a dream as well, and begged to be written. My best friend is a burlesque dancer in France, and I believe the dream stemmed from a conversation with her about a show-gone-wrong. I work in the Greek community every day, and if I don’t write about it I will go nuts. Well, a little more nuts than I already am.

What genre is your book?

Mystery, cozy mystery, women’s fiction, or chick lit, as my husband likes to say.

Do you consider your book character-driven or plot-driven?

Both live large in my brain, so I think it’s hard to tease them apart. If I had to choose I would say character. I could hang out with my characters and write twenty pages about them in the car on the way to a movie, so I suppose I just like spending time with them.

What makes your book unique?

The characters, the setting… not much is out there about the Greek culture in the US right now. We had My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but after that it kind of fell away (until #2, but we won’t talk about that). Physician protagonists have been done to death, in my opinion, but Dr. Markos… well, she’s not just a doc. She’s a single mother, newly in the dating pool; she’s a daughter caught up in cultural expectations; she’s a best friend and confidant. In addition, the friendships in the story are almost as important as the plot. They are based on my own relationships, of course (write what you know, right?), and I wish that every woman in the world had the opportunity to have close friends the way I do, and as Andie does.

Do you plot ahead of time, or let the plot emerge as you write?

I am a super duper pantser. I have an idea and I sit down and see what happens. ‘Oh, look at that, who knew there was going to be a magic bowl in the story!’ (not in this story, of course, but another one). Things show up, twists write themselves in… I remember saying to my best friend, the dancer, “I can’t wait to sit down to see what happens next,” because even I didn’t know. That being said, I often have a general feeling as to what the end is going to look like, but as some of my closest friends can attest, endings have been known to change at the last minute.

How do you develop the names for your characters?

In this story the main names came to me in my dreams. To be fair, I do work with a woman named Aphrodite and a woman named Kaliope every day. Andie’s name likely came from a discussion the night before my dream about the Andromeda galaxy, and Sean, well, that just kind of fell into place. Sophia was my roommate in college, and Sully, while an overused nickname in my estimation, was in the dream as well.

How do you decide on a setting?

As above, most of my ideas come to me in dreams. As far as setting…if I had to think about it I’m sure I would choose a setting that would lend itself well to the theme of the book, or in which my characters would naturally reside. Unless the story was about them being out of place, then it would be in a contrary setting.

Do you have a writing mentor?

Nope. Actually, I face a lot of criticism on a regular basis. Does it count if I have a negative mentor, like I write in spite of something or someone? Because then yes, I do.

What is your writing scheduled? Do you have a favorite place to write?

Ah, yes. I do not have a schedule. I work full time, Monday through Friday, and have three children, AND am married, which is a full time job unto itself. So here’s what I do: I get up earlier than everyone else and pray, do yoga, and make coffee. I then hope for at least half an hour to myself to write something. If not, oh well. If I get it, great. Then, at work, I write on my lunch hour. I do get kind of cranky when that gets interrupted, as it often is the only time I have for my creative expressions. There have been moments, while putting the kids to bed, or standing in line at the grocery store, where a scene occurs to me, in which case I put it in my phone and transcribe it later.

As for place to write, I love my leather armchair at home. My husband’s desk is great too, but that doesn’t happen often. I write at my work station out of necessity, but I could take that or leave it. I have written on the couch watching cartoons, in bed, in a hospital, and in my car. Basically, I write where I can, when I can.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I have to say this: For anyone who has a story that lives loud in their head, write it down. And for those of you who perhaps are stuck, my best advice is this: write. Just write. Don’t censor or edit, don’t listen to the voice that tells you your work is horrible. Just write.

Don’t give space in your life to those that would sap your creative energy. There will always be someone to tell you to “be real,” or “stop thinking you can write, that’s not reality.” I write my own reality, it’s part of what we do as writers. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do this. Just write.

Where can readers find you?

Email: mfamanti@gmail.com

Website: www.izzyadams.com

Twitter: @izzybellaadams

 

 

 

 

Meet Virginia Babcock

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author_photoToday, I’d like to introduce you to Solstice author Virginia Babcock. Virginia grew up in and still lives in Northern Utah with her husband and cat. In college, she started in Engineering and ended up in Art and English, which makes for weird syntax when she writes. The picture of her includes some “yard art” a fellow student made that she bought for her mom. She  likes to walk outside while listening to music. She uses that time to meditate on her writings and work out tricky parts. Virginia’s latest book is Hear Me.

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Page count: 174

Date published: September 26, 2017 by Solstice Publishing

Ebook: click here

 

 

 

About the book:

Maddy has always been different, but lately she’s been lonely. Even those who love her avoid her because of her “gift” and the strange things it makes her do. Then one night, a ghostly visitor warns her to go with the handsome stranger who shows up at her door before dawn.

Jacob needed a change in his life, so he quit his job. Before he could head out on his next adventure, his brother reached out to him for help. Will he ever know why a haunting dream told him to leave to help his brother now? On his way, he meets the beautiful Maddy.

Together Maddy and Jacob help those they are called to help. Through triumph and tragedy they find their own way and try to blend two varying paths into one.

Why did you decide to write this book?

I wondered whether I could write something supernatural. I found I couldn’t. I just couldn’t come up with an otherworldly feel to the story, so it morphed into a story about a “psychic” heroine. I then ran with it based on some personal experiences and memories of my own “grannies.” I also wanted to keep working on romances highlighting how normal guys can be attractive. The hero doesn’t need to be an immortal, a millionaire, or even a cop or FBI agent. Jacob in this book happens to be ex-army, but I know a lot of guys like him.

What genre is your book?

Romance>Action/Adventure

Do you consider your book character-driven or plot-driven?

Both. I find myself telling stories based on what happened, with information about the characters tying it together.

What makes your book unique?

The idea that someone would actually live following the wishes of dead relatives. It’s also set in Idaho and Utah.

Do you plot ahead of time, or let the plot emerge as you write?

I try to plot out major events and a basic timeline for the book. Then I write the events. If it starts going a different way, I will go with the new flow if it’s better. For instance, I never intended to have the heroine in Hear Me get so hurt; it just came out that way.

How do you develop the names for your characters?

I typically look up baby names online. Madeline Lena got her names from one of my grandmas and one of my great-great grandmas. I used Madeline, because that granny was Madeline Udora (like Eudora) and went by Udora, when I’d thought she’d go by Madeline given a choice.

How do you decide on the setting?

I place my characters in places I know or where I’ve been. The first hospital in Hear Me was in Provo, UT, because I’d visited a sick family member there while writing the book.

Do you have a writing mentor?

No, but I’m thinking of getting one. Other Solstice authors recently read Hear Me and rated it on Amazon and Good Reads. They gave some good constructive feedback that I wish I’d had when writing it. I do have a best friend who’s a real bookhound like me. I usually test my plots on her.

What’s your writing schedule? Do you have a favorite place to write?

I try to write when I feel like it. I try to dedicate time to writing each week, and usually write on my huge iPad Pro while being a couch potato in my husband’s recliner.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I am working on a few stories and hope to get a couple of manuscripts done this year. I’m also going to my first writing conference in a few weeks. There I’m hoping to sharpen my skills and strengthen my plots. I’m also doing #TwitterTales flash fiction and am enjoying crafting these mini plots.

Where can readers find you?

@VirginiaBabcockBooks on Facebook

@VBabcockBooks on Twitter

Meet Michael Thal

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Smaller SearsI’m happy today to host Michael Thal. His book Koolura and the Mayans won the Gold at the 2018 eLit Awards in the Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction category. Wow! For more information on this amazing award, see Koolura and the Mayans Wins Gold at the eLit Book Awards.

Michael Thal is the author of five published novels—Goodbye Tchaikovsky, The Abduction of Joshua Bloom, and The Koolura Series—The Legend of Koolura, Koolura and The Mystery at Camp Saddleback, and Koolura and the Mayans.

Moving from the frigid Northeast to comfy Southern California in 1973, Michael taught elementary and middle school for 28 years until a freak virus left him deafened at the age of 50. He reinvented himself as a writer composing over 80 published articles in print magazines as well as novels for middle grade and high school aged students.

You can learn more about Michael Thal on his website and blog at www.michaelthal.com. His books can be purchased on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble in print and as e-books.

Today, he’s talking about Koolura and the Mayans. As a bonus, I’ve read the book and loved it! See my review at the bottom of the post.

About the book:

Koolura, a girl with extraordinary psychic powers, is back again with pal Leila. The duo is off to Mexico for Koolura’s father’s wedding. When touring a Mayan archaeological dig, the girls uncover a mysterious device that hurtles them 2000 years back in time. They soon discover aliens from the planet Aquari living amongst Mayan natives. Are these Aquarians planning to take over Earth? And can Koolura and Leila stop them in time?

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Koolura and the Mayans was published in 2016 by Solstice Publishing and is 131 pages.

Why did you decide to write this book?

Koolura and the Mayans is the third installment to the Koolura Series. Each book can be read independently without pressure of reading the other books in the series. I got the idea for Koolura and the Mayans when I traveled with my daughter to Oaxaca, Mexico for my cousin Adam’s wedding. We took a day trip to Monte Alban, an archeological site of Mayan civilization. That’s when I got the idea that perhaps Koolura could visit this site and be plunged back in time to the age of the Maya.

What genre is your book?

Koolura and the Mayans is historical fiction and science fiction.

Do you consider your book character-driven or plot-driven?

The book is plot driven.

What makes your book unique?

Koolura and the Mayans won Second Place in the 2016 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards. One of its main characters, Leila, is deaf. Koolura met her in book two of the series, Koolura and the Mystery at Camp Saddleback, and learned American Sign Language from her friend. Readers will see that deaf people are smart and resourceful. I think exposing young readers to characters with disabilities is important in broadening their horizons.

Do you plot ahead of time, or let the plot emerge as you write?

The book I’m writing now, The Lip Reader, is a novel in which I’m letting the novel emerge as I write. However, I plotted each chapter of Koolura and the Mayans before I started writing. Of course things changed as the novel evolved and I had to add chapters and throw out others that didn’t seem to work.

How do you develop the names for your characters?

That’s a great question. I gave Koolura her name because she’s very cool. She can read minds, lift objects with a thought, and even fly. Now that’s cool. Leila got her name in memory of my Aunt Lilly.

How do you decide on the setting?

My visit to Monte Alban forced an obvious setting on me. In Koolura and the Mystery at Camp Saddleback I visited a lake in the Santa Ynez Mountains outside of Santa Barbara when my wife and I visited our daughter Koren at college. I thought that would be a perfect site for a summer sleep-away camp, and I was right. There was such a camp nearby, which I toured and took copious notes for Camp Saddleback.

Do you have a writing mentor?

Yes, I have two. Anne McGee, the author of Anni’s Attic and the Cedar Creek Mystery series, looks over my chapters giving me ideas for improvement. Susan Schader, a professional editor, is a huge help in pointing out my errors. Thanks to them, I feel my writing has improved tremendously over the past few years.

What’s your writing schedule? Do you have a favorite place to write?

I make it a point to write one chapter per month. I usually write the rough draft in pencil at my desk, then type it up on my computer as I make changes.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I was a teacher for 28 years until a virus robbed me of my hearing. Getting a good education is extremely important. We never know what life will throw at us and it’s important to be prepared. Not able to understand my students any longer, I took disability and taught myself how to write. Readers can visit my website at www.michaelthal.com where they can learn about my five YA novels and read my blog.

Other books by this author:

The Legend of Koolura: http://tinyurl.com/a63jamp

Koolura and the Mystery at Camp Saddleback: http://amzn.to/1ifKn39

The Abduction of Joshua Bloom:  http://amzn.to/1mTgLGP

Goodbye Tchaikovsky: http://tinyurl.com/bh95ht7

Nancy’s review:

Michael Thal has written a marvelous story. Koolura is off to her father’s wedding in Oaxaca, Mexico. To get there, she uses her superpowers to pick up her BFF, Leila, and magically transport both of them to the Oaxacan airport. Once there, on a harmless tourist trip to Monte Alban, the ruins in the Valley of Oaxaca, the girls stumble into a pyramid and are whisked back in time. They find the ancient Mayans are under the thumb of alien invaders. In order to return to modern-day Oaxaca, the girls have to help.

Both of these girls are great role models. They’re good friends, they’re brave and strong, and they do what’s right even though it’s dangerous. Leila is hard of hearing, and the girls communicate using American Sign Language, adding another dimension to their friendship.

This is the third book in the series. I’ve read the other two, and was glad to discover this one. It’s educational, with the history of the Mayan civilization woven in. In addition, it’s also got a sci-fi element. Michael Thal gives us a glimpse of the society of the alien invaders; not somewhere you’d want to live. But Koolara must travel there in order to save the Mayans, and the arc of human civilization.

This book is one that can be enjoyed by adults as well as tweens. You don’t have to have read the other books in the series to enjoy this one. But warning: once you pick it up, set aside the afternoon, sit back, and hold on for the ride!

 

 

Meet David W. Thompson

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Today I welcome Solstice author David W. Thompson. David is an award-winning author, a native of Southern Maryland, and a graduate of University of Maryland, University College. Prior to retirement from a position with a major Aerospace Corporation, he tried his hand at a variety of occupations – from grocery store clerk to warehousing, shoveling coal to construction. During his four-year stint with the U.S. Army, he was awarded the prestigious Army Commendation Medal (Arcom). When he isn’t writing, he enjoys time with his family and grandchildren, kayaking (mostly flat water please), fishing, hiking, hunting, wine-making, and pursuing his other “creative passion”- woodcarving.

He feels his characters carved little niches in his mind- showing their worlds, and their possibilities. He hopes to honestly convey the stories they whisper in his ears.

Today he’s talking about Sister Witch: The Life of Moll Dyer. It’s Book 1 in the Legends of the Family Dyer series. Click here to view the book on Amazon. (Note the publication date!)

Late breaking news:

Sister Witch: The Life of Moll Dyer has won the prestigious Golden Quill award for the best paranormal novel of the year! See why!!
https://www.goldenboxbooks.com/award-winners.html
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076KR626G

About the book: 

Moll Dyer wants to leave her troubles behind when she immigrates to the New World… but even an ocean cannot keep the Dyer family curse from following her! Wanting only to find peace, she fights injustice in a new land founded on tolerance, but ruled by bigotry. In 1607, the ancient enemy returns, and Moll takes a stand. 300 years later, is the world finally ready for Moll’s story?

Life in the British colonies is tough on man and woman. Hunger, disease, Indian attacks, and drought test the resolve of the settlers daily. But troubles for the Dyers include another threat. In this land of religious fervor, devastating sickness, and persistent greed, can Moll turn back the evil alliance formed against her and her bloodline? Or will hell’s bloody wrath extinguish her dream of a new life in the New World? How far will she go to protect her family and their world?

Faith despite Betrayal. Courage in the face of Injustice. The triumph of love.

The legend of Moll Dyer originated in earliest colonial Maryland. Despite 300 years of civilization, and the advent of scientific reason, Moll’s name is still often heard there, especially around campfires late at night, or as a warning to misbehaving little people. Her spirit is often seen as a wisp of unnatural fog in the swampy woodlands near her homestead, with her half-wolf companion at her side.

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E-book: click here

263 pages

Published October 31, 21017 by Solstice Publishing

 

 

Why did you decide to write this book?

Moll Dyer’s story has intrigued me since I was a child. I’ve heard snippets of her tale for as long as I remember. It seems every local family has their own version of Moll’s life and tragedy. I felt she was maligned for too long. As if her horrid death wasn’t enough, she was cast in legend as a villain. She was a pariah in life and I hoped to give her some semblance of peace and acceptance in death. As it has been suggested to me that my ancestors may have been involved in the tragedy, perhaps I owed her that on a personal level. I hope I succeeded.

What genre is your book?

The way I categorize it is paranormal historical fiction. Magical Realism is a more recent term and Sister Witch won the Editors-Preditors poll as best in that category for 2017.

Do you consider your book character-driven or plot-driven?

Character driven. I love stories with well developed characters whose actions propel the narrative. Characters that make things happen, and not just have things happen to them—that creates a more relatable story to me.

What makes your book unique?

Several things: It is a paranormal story with a strong social conscience. It aligns three distinct cultures- Old World, New World and Native American. It has a strong female protagonist which—although not undone—I still find rare in paranormal stories. I felt my grand-girls needed better examples than that! Although male characters play important parts, there are no fawning damsels in need of a male hero here.

Do you plot ahead of time, or let the plot emerge as you write?

I guess I ‘m weird, as I do both. I start out with a vague idea, then write my main characters intro. By now I know him/her/them a bit better and jot down a very loose outline with plot points I anticipate. These change, and the outline gets fleshed out as the story progresses and my new friends tell me their tale. Moll Dyer became so real to me that I conversed with her in my dreams.

How do you develop the names for your characters?

I switch up my routine depending on the story. With Sister Witch, I was limited with surnames as Maryland was a very small colony at the time. Some I choose from “Baby Names” books that give the meaning behind them. Other names just seem to fit the person I’m writing about and I’ve been known to change the name at the mid-point of the novel when I learn more about them.

How do you decide on the setting?

Thus far, my settings have been areas I am very familiar with or have lived in. I don’t always name them as such but setting is too important to me to rely on descriptive snippets from Google or recollections from a weekend trip.

Do you have a writing mentor?

No, I am a terrible introvert and I think that is pretty common for writers. There’s a bunch of writers who’ve influenced me however: Emerson, Poe, Camus, Thoreau and Tolkien. Don’t think I’m putting myself in the same category and I don’t try to emulate them but I can see their influence in my own writing.

What’s your writing schedule?

I don’t set a schedule in stone and I often take breaks when I hit a snag or a spot in my plot where “I can’t get there from here.” I do set goals (that I sometimes reach)- not for word count but to reach a certain point in the story. I get very single-minded with any project and need to be reminded when the mundane needs of life need to be addressed.

Do you have a favorite place to write?

I keep a pad with me usually and write down thoughts or corrections that pop into my head (at mostly inappropriate moments). I bring it all together on my couch looking out over a massive field with my laptop on my…lap.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you so much for this interview, Nancy! Getting exposure is very important for new writers and your efforts are most appreciated!

Where can readers find you?

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/David-W.-Thompson/e/B076L9CF3W

Website: https://www.dthompsonwrites.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Thompson_DavidW

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorOfParanormal/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15425511.David_W_Thompson

Bonus review!

I didn’t read this book, but read the second in the series, His Father’s Blood, the story of John Dyer, Moll’s great-great-grandson. Loved it! I enjoyed how David W. Thompson took a local legend and has made an engaging series out of it.

The great-great-grandson of Moll Dyer, John Dyer, only yearns for a place to call home. He sets out to homestead on lonely Devils Peak, and when he meets Ada Hartman, the daughter of travelling preacher Earnest Hartman, he has hopes that his dreams might come true. But life is not simple for John; his personal history and family history don’t allow it. He faces is needs invite tragedy. He’s betrayed by Sally Ann, a local woman who manipulates him into helping her. Using John’s teachings and magic, she opens herself to truly evil forces, who are determined to obliterate John and his heritage from the earth.

David W. Thompson has a very natural way of writing and of shifting viewpoints not only between men and women, but also between old and young, friend and foe, and good and evil. He also explored the true meaning of friendship. In addition, by creating Ada as the daughter of a travelling preacher, the author was able to bring up serious theological questions, examining the idea of a ‘Creator’ vs the ‘creations.’

For me, the book flowed naturally from any angle I looked at it: historical fiction, paranormal, horror, romantic suspense, magical realism. It was paced well, and I wasn’t really sure how it was going to end. In fact, I read the last few chapters two times! The first time, because I wanted to see what happened, and the second, to go back and savor the details.

I highly recommend this book.

Meet Sandra Waine

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MyPicThis week, as part of my on-going author interview series, I’m hosting Sandra Waine. Sandra currently lives in central New Hampshire with her cat, Irene. She loves to cycle, garden, take long walks in the woods, travel, take pictures and write. There is nothing more interesting to her than eavesdropping in on a conversation. From this, she can imagine all types of stories unfolding…..

Today, Sandra is promoting Passages: A Trilogy (Touch Me From Afar Book 1). It’s a romantic suspense-time travel story, and sounds like a great summer read.

About the book:

It only took twenty-four hours for Samantha Arnesen’s world to change drastically and there was no logical explanation for it. Divorced, forty and needing a complete change, she ditched a logical, safe world back in England and took off exploring other parts of Europe.

A rather embarrassing circumstance in Venice propels Sam into a bold interaction with a handsome stranger. Had she left things alone her safe little life would have continued. But it was not her destiny. A passionate kiss transcends her right into his world of 1865.

Was it irrational, destiny, or a bump on the head?

With no apparent possibility of returning back, it all simply starts to unravel.

PB1 PressRelease (1)

 

247 pages

Published on January 8, 2017 by Solstice Publishing

Ebook: click here

Print: click here

 

Why did you decide to write this book?

The idea from the Passages Trilogy Book One; Touch Me From Afar came from an ever growing thought pattern about the what if’s. Like, what if there are multiple dimensions around us? What if I could change my life by moving into a different one? What if I could not return from that dimension? As I explored more articles, programs and books on the subject I became fascinated and thought about this trilogy.

What genre is your book?

Romantic Suspense/Time Travel

Do you consider your book character-driven or plot-driven?

Both. My characters are involved in the main plot and sub-plots and weave between quite a lot of ‘stuff’ as time goes on.

What makes your book unique?

Me. I don’t mean that to sound ego driven because it’s not. I am much like Samantha Arnesen. Not clear on my past, what needs to be done today, and what the heck will happen to me tomorrow. Sam’s story, though, is definitely more interesting than mine!

Do you plot ahead of time, or let the plot emerge as you write?

I plot ahead of time and then allow my mind to wander as I start writing. Asking myself along the way things like what else can go wrong? Right? Different?

How do you develop the names for your characters?

I travel all over the place and love to use names that reflect the era and area. That’s normally how I start the process of naming my characters.

How do you decide on the setting?

Yeah, that’s a cool process for me. I do tend to write in areas like England, Scotland, Norway, Italy. Many of the places I have traveled to. While I am there I envelop locals and their customs, often using names I’ve heard along the way.

Do you have a writing mentor?

I do not. But, I have to say I am completely enthralled with the writing styles of Agatha Christie and Jane Austin. I’m not either, but parts of their styles are definitely a part of my writing. Like mystery meets manners.

What’s your writing schedule?

I love to write! So, I make time every single day even though I have a different full-time job. Writing is my pleasure. My release. It’s in my blood.

Do you have a favorite place to write?

Any quiet nook or cranny in or outside of my house will do. I love the way my house feels and looks. It’s cozy. A quaint salt-box style and the colors inside are soft and warm. Inviting. I have many items and articles that I’ve collected from some pretty cool places on planet Earth. So here is my writing haven.

Where can readers find you?

Visit my website at: sandrawaine.com where you can review my latest releases, read my blog, upcoming events list, and also engage all my social media like Facebook and Twitter

Also on my publisher’s site, Solstice Publishing: http://solsticepublishing.com/sandra-waine/

And on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Damazon-devices&field-keywords=sandra+waine

 

Meet Vicki-Ann Bush

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20170209_213407 (2)One of my favorite things to do as an author is meet other authors and get to know them. Today, I’m hosting Vicki-Ann Bush. She’s originally from Long Island, New York, and now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the desert has given her inspiration for several books.

Salt of the Earth Publishing was the first to publish her children’s book, Winslow Willow the Woodland Fairy, followed by The Queen of It, a chapter book for ages six to ten. After settling into Young Adult fiction, her first release was the novella series, The Dusk Chronicles, a  time-travel romance set in Las Vegas.

Currently from Solstice Publishing, Miss. Bush has several titles including the historical romance novel, The Garden of Two about the perils of World War I through the eyes of  young lovers in Long Island, NY.  A paranormal romance novella series The Fulfillment, which is centered in Boulder City, Nevada, and Procurement, the second book in The Fulfillment series. Also featured in the collection is Room 629, a sci-fi book. Taking place in Primm, Nevada, it follows a group of friends as they uncover a life altering truth for everyone on the planet. And the short YA paranormal horror, The Joshua Tree.

Today, Miss. Bush is promoting Room 629.

About the book:

Jesse Marshall and her friends just wanted a weekend getaway. After four years of college, cramming sessions, late night book vigils and the epiphany of finally knowing what you want to do with your life—or not, they needed a few days to let go and relax. Forty-five minutes away from their home town of Las Vegas, Primm Nevada, was close enough for their limited schedule and a few days of celebration.

But their carefree weekend quickly crumbles after they witness a young woman standing in the middle of a casino, screaming and bloodied. After security takes her away, the friends begin to unravel a mystery that none of them were prepared for and a horror that would change everything.

Room 629

 

Ebook: click here

Print: click here

231 pages

Published April 21, 2015

 

Why did you decide to write this book?

It was conceived after a night of too much wine, so I’ll say the alcohol spoke to me.

What genre is your book?

Science Fiction, New Adult

Do you consider your book character-driven or plot-driven?

A little of both actually. It started out character driven and somewhere along the way the plot took over.

What makes your book unique?

Unique is a funny word in today’s society, I think of it more as an idea that has molded itself around others that have come before me.

Do you plot ahead of time, or let the plot emerge as you write?

I have the basic idea, but the plot definitely evolves and takes its own path.

How do you develop the names for your characters?

Most of the time, they come to me as I’m thinking of the character. But once in awhile a name stumps me, and that’s when I take it to Google.

How do you decide on the setting?

I get my inspiration from what’s around me, so the setting comes from there most of the time.

Do you have a writing mentor?

Hmm, mentor sounds personal. As if I should know the person. I don’t have someone on a personal level, but my favorite author and inspiration is Dean Koontz.

What’s your writing schedule?

I try to write during the work week, but occasionally I will sit down and pump some words out on a Sunday morning.

Do you have a favorite place to write?

My office. A.K.A., The Writing Room. Not very original, I know.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Only that I’m fortunate to be able to do what I love. Writing is like breathing air, it feeds my life.

Where can we find you?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VickiAnn.Bush.Author

Author Website: http://www.vickiannbush.com

Twitter: @VickiAnnBush

Silent Pen Blog: http://vickiannbush.blogspot.com

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Vicki-Ann-Bush/e/B004I4ZQWG/ref=sr_tc_2_0qid=1464111289&sr=1-2-ent

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/vicki%20ann%20bush/_/N-8q8

Meet Monette Bebow-Reinhard

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14713803_10154659805058953_111876732222915957_nSo happy to host Monette Bebow-Reinhard today, historian, actress, screenwriter! Ever since the iconic movie, Dances with Wolves, Bebow-Reinhard has been researching native American Indian Cultures. Her grandfather’s great uncle, Henry Bertrand, was in the army from 1862 through 1884 and he said, “We didn’t try hard to catch the Indians. We could see they were good people.”

Bebow-Reinhard earned her master’s in 2006 and has a saying: “The one thing historians need more of is time.” She is compiling a master database of all pre-contact copper artifacts found in the Americas, with nearly 66,000 compiled so far, and envisions a series of resource books. She’s an actress and screenwriter in her spare time, and has two grandchildren. Her sons work for Microsoft and her daughter is a tenured professor. She currently holds a full-time job but hopes to retire and travel with her husband and finish other projects by 2019.

The book she’s talking about today is called Saving Boone: Legend of the Half-White Son, and was published by All Things That Matter Press on October 25, 2017. It’s 228 pages long.

About the book:

n 1853 young Boone Tyler is thrust alone into the rapidly changing and dangerous environment west of the Mississippi. Was his white mother killed by his Kiowa father? His mother refused to let Kae-Gon into Boone’s life, but he told Lynelle he’d come for Boone when he was twelve. She swore she’d rather kill Kae-Gon than see Boone live in a world under constant threat. She made Boone swear to stay white, even taught him Shakespeare to help center him in her world in eastern Kansas.

After her death, Boone seeks out his grandfather, an army general, to help him kill his father. He quickly learns that many in the white world only see him as Indian.

On his adventures alone in the wilds of the western territories, Boone is often saved by the mysterious voice in his head that he thinks is his dead twin brother. Sam’s voice, and the symbols he becomes obsessed with, remind him that he’s more than just a half-white son and to learn more of his father’s world before killing him.

Events keep tangling with Boone’s desire for revenge for Lynelle’s death, including a wife, a cattle drive, thieves, Civil War, and people who continue to see him as Kiowa, not white. By 1874 he comes to understand the meaning of being “half-breed,” but is Sam’s voice enough to save their father’s life?

Saving Boone

Ebook: http://tinyurl.com/y7fdec3f

Why did you decide to write this book?

Back when I was getting my master’s, and doing a lot of research on the time period used, and about the experiences of half-breeds, I wanted to share the realities of their world, and started writing just some short adventures and these were then combined and added to and the full novel developed.

What genre is your book?  

Historical fiction

Do you consider your book character-driven or plot-driven? 

Character driven, definitely. The boy is 12 when his mother is killed and he runs off to grow into a man so he can kill his father, who he blames. Along the way his experiences tell him that there’s more to what happened to her than he thought.

What makes your book unique? 

One of the things I really like is that this is his white-half perspective, that he was raised by his white mother to live in the white world, and she taught him a lot of Shakespeare. So all along the way he is finding different Shakespeare quotes to reflect on what’s happening in his life. And at the end – I swear I never realized this until that moment – his father asks him if he still reads his – and then he shakes his spear. I wanted to be careful in this book to make it appealing, and correct, to a Native audience, as much as possible.

Do you plot ahead of time, or let the plot emerge as you write? 

I generally outline. With this novel, I had a series of short stories first, which form a bit of an outline. In the longer version, I take him into the Indian world to marry, and to try and get whites and Indians to get along, and he dies in the end.  In this version, I end at an earlier, and much more appropriate spot. I like how novels change and become what they need to be, all along.

How do you develop the names for your characters? 

They just come to me. As I think about the character the right name just happens. At least for the major characters – if I’m on the right track. I’ll know I’m not if I struggle with their names.

How do you decide on the setting? 

I have a master’s in history and have done a lot of research on the time period in question, and the location is spread out west of the Mississippi, but ultimately, I needed to be in an area where he’d have the most experiences.

Do you have a writing mentor? 

Not really. I try to find readers, and as my first published novels were Bonanza novels, I’m really honored that a number of them read everything I do. I have a few favorite authors, but I don’t emulate style.

Do you have a favorite place to write?

It’s really hard for me not to write. Just put me down in front of a computer! I’m fortunate to have a job where I have to wait for people to send me stuff, and wait for the phone to ring. As I wait, I can do whatever I want. And I can type fast!

Anything else you’d like to add? 

While I was trying to sell this novel, I called it Saga of a Half-Breed. But some people were incensed that I’d use that word on the cover. I don’t believe we should hide what happened in history. But at the same time, we shouldn’t promote it. So I changed the title on the cover, but I will use historical terms in my work. I also gave a presentation on this topic and have developed a short article for True West Magazine on half-breeds. I need to get back to that and send it to them again. They said they’d look at it when the novel is published. But I’ve had some people ask, what the heck is a half-white son? So I don’t know if I’ve done myself any good with this title, either.

Where can we find you?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mbebowreinhard

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MonetteBebowRei

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monette-bebow-reinhard-11b71ba?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile

Website: http://monettebebowreinhard.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2978055.Monette_Bebow_Reinhard

On The Premises: http://onthepremises.com/issues/issue-27/  Short story “Job as Told in Fortune Cookies”

 

 

Meet Marie Lavender

Nancy Wood Books1 Comment

Marie Lavender LogoI’m really excited to host Marie today! She’s the multi-genre author of Victorian romance, Upon Your Return, and 23 other books. Upon Your Love and The Missing Piece placed in the Top 10 on the 2017 P&E Readers’ Poll. Directions of the Heart was nominated for the 2017 Reader’s Choice Awards. The I Love Romance Blog became a finalist in StartDating DK’s Romance Blog Awards of 2017. The I Love Romance Blog landed on Feedspot’s 2017 Top 100 Novel Blogs and Top 100 Romance Blogs. Directions of the Heart placed in the Top 10 Books of 2017 on Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews blog. Top 20 Authors of 2017 on Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews blog. Mystery Blogger Award for 2017. A to Z Blog Challenge Survivor in 2016. March 2016 Empress of the Universe title – winner of the “Broken Heart” themed contest and the “I Love You” themed contest on Poetry Universe. Second Chance Heart and A Little Magick placed in the Top 10 on the 2015 P&E Readers’ Poll. Nominated in the TRR Readers’ Choice Awards for Winter 2015. Poetry winner of the 2015 PnPAuthors Contest. The Versatile Blogger Award for 2015. Honorable Mention in the 2014 BTS Red Carpet Book Awards. Finalist and Runner-up in the 2014 MARSocial’s Author of the Year Competition. Honorable mention in the January 2014 Reader’s Choice Award. Liebster Blogger Award for 2013, 2014 and 2016. 2013 and 2014 Amazon Bestseller Ranking for Upon Your Return. Top 10 Authors on AuthorsDB.com. Winner of the Great One Liners Contest on the Directory of Published Authors.

Marie lives in the midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for a little over twenty-five years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. Since 2010, Marie has published 24 books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, dramatic fiction, fantasy, science fiction, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. She has also contributed to several anthologies. Her current published series are The Heiresses in Love Series, The Eternal Hearts Series, The Magick Series, The Code of Endhivar Series and The Blood at First Sight Series.

Today, she’s talking about The Heiresses in Love Series.

About the series:

An unforgettable, sweeping saga of romance, passion and history rooted in tales of maritime suspense…

Three heiresses…three novels like no other.

UPON YOUR RETURN

Fara risks her heart every time she’s with him, but she cannot deny him.

UPON YOUR HONOR

Chloe never imagined that the man she deceived would be the one man she can’t stop loving.

UPON YOUR LOVE

Adrienne must decide whether to succumb to desire or fight for love.

…Will these remarkable women at last find what they’ve always wanted, or lose more than they can bear?

HeiressesInLoveTrilogy final cover-2700

Book trailer links:

Upon Your Return: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV_H4hGkHMI&authuser=1

Upon Your Honor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmiYSxJyJL8&authuser=1

Upon Your Love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edRnopNiW8s&authuser=1

Purchase link:  Ebook set

What’s the page count and publication date?

This is a boxed set comprised of three full length novels. The page count comes to 1,178 pages on Amazon. Heiresses in Love Trilogy was released on February 6, 2018 by Solstice Publishing.

Why did you decide to write this book?

The characters wouldn’t shut up! LOL. No, at first it was Fara and Grant wanting their say, and then all the other characters came along and I couldn’t get a moment’s peace until I told their stories too.

What genre are the books?

They are historical romance, but often set in a maritime backdrop in the Victorian era. There are elements of suspense at times as well.

Do you consider your book character-driven or plot-driven?

It’s a combination of both. Though the characters are quite strong and could carry a tune on their own, events also direct the story forward.

What makes your books unique?

I believe they can be set apart from other novels in the genre, simply because the women are as strong in character as the men, and as I was writing it, it literally became a family saga as well as each story being its own romance novel. How many series span so many generations, set from the 1840s to the 1890s?

Do you plot ahead of time, or let the plot emerge as you write?

I let the story flow as organically as possible, and then I start plotting when I feel blocked. Filling in those blanks isn’t strictly from my own imagination, though; sometimes the characters interrupt me if they think I’m heading in the wrong direction.

How do you develop the names for your characters?

Very carefully! There are times I’ll start with the names first whenever I have a story idea. But mostly, I just put he or she (or I, if I’m using first person POV, which is rare for me) until I’ve gotten a feel for the character and I know the best name for that person. I have faith that the muse will guide me to the right name when the time has come.

How do you decide on the setting?

The setting is last, and sometimes it depends on the character’s chosen profession, or their family background. I have a loose idea of the location now and then, but I decide for sure when I’m adding the final touches. Then I can research the sites well and add descriptions. I think a sense of place is so vital to a story. When Fara Bellamont and Grant Hill first came to me, I had no idea of the time period for the book. Upon Your Return just eventually became what it is now.

Do you have a writing mentor?

I can’t say that I have someone on hand, per se. But I count my teachers from high school and my college Creative Writing professors as mentors, of course. They taught me a lot, and I wish we were all still in touch. I do, however, have a trusted critique circle to help me find the issues I can’t, and to look at my work objectively.

What’s your writing schedule? Do you have a favorite place to write?

When I’m fully immersed in a project, I try to work a little on it each day, even if I’m only writing one scene or doing research. I usually find myself writing bigger scenes in my bedroom, at other times I compose at my desk. I think there’s an organic link between a writer’s hand, and a pen and paper, so I write the old-fashioned way sometimes (call me a Luddite, if you will), but I can switch to composing on the laptop when I’m ready. Now and then, though, I like to try new things and maybe write outside or at a café.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Aside from my author website, I host three blogs, Writing in the Modern Age, the MLB blog, and the I Love Romance Blog. You can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

Social Media Links:

Official Website: http://marielavender.com/

I Love Romance blog: http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com/

Marie Lavender Books blog: http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/

Writing in the Modern Age: http://marielavender.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marie.lavender.58

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarieAnnLavender

Twitter: https://twitter.com/marielavender1

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MarieLavender/posts

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marie-lavender/27/187/10a

Amazon author page: http://Author.to/MarieLavender

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938764.Marie_Lavender

Authors directory: http://authorsdb.com/authors-directory/1578-marie-lavender

All author: http://marielavender1.allauthor.com/