Ginger Simpson's Blog, page 7

Spotlight: Paula Martin, Author Interview By Connie Vines #Paula Martin, #Author Interview, #BWLPublishing, #Family Secrets

 I'd like to welcome author, Paula Martin, to "Dishin' It Out today.

Paula, tell us about your current release.

My current release is ‘A Family’s Secrets’, a historical family saga covering a period of about twenty years, and set in the mid-19th century in the port of Liverpool and the Isle of Man.

 

What was the inspiration for this story?

The story was inspired by my great-great-grandparents, John and Elizabeth (Betsy) who were both born and brought up in Liverpool and married in 1844. John became a captain with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, and they lived on the small island (in the middle of the Irish Sea) for many years.

What would you like to see more/less of in the historical genre?

More about ‘ordinary’ working-class people in the 19th century, who may have struggled to make ends meet but who were not living in abject poverty or at the mercy of some (clichéd) evil landlord or cruel factory owner.

Less about upper-class heiresses and/or titled nobility!

What, in your opinion, makes an excellent historical writer?

Someone who can bring the characters to life as true products of the era in which they live i.e. not ‘modern’ characters deposited into a historical setting.

Also, someone who is prepared to thoroughly research into the period about which they are writing. I have seen a lot of anachronisms in historical novels, including words that wouldn’t have been used at the time e.g. Victorians would not say ‘okay’! Also, I feel there is no excuse for incorrect facts when it is so easy to find information on the internet. One example I have seen was someone in 1840 hearing the chimes of Big Ben – but the clock tower was only completed in 1859!

Do you have a favorite paragraph/line of dialogue in this novel?

It’s difficult to pick out just one, but here’s a short extract which happens after John has rescued Betsy from an assault by a drunk on the street and takes her into his mother’s corner shop:

“After the man closed the shop door, she had her first proper look at him in the flickering light from the wall-mounted oil lamps. Tall and nearer to thirty than twenty, she guessed. He was clean-shaven apart from dark side-whiskers which reached to about an inch below his earlobes, and he wore a navy-blue jacket with two rows of brass buttons and a loosely knotted white cravat. When he removed his woolen peaked cap and dropped it on the counter, his thick, wavy hair fell forward, half covering his broad forehead.

Her stomach performed a weird kind of contraction as she studied his handsome features, and an even weirder jerk when he gave her a reassuring smile.

‘I hope you’re recovering from your fright, Miss—uh?’

‘Roberts. Elizabeth Roberts – but everyone calls me Betsy.’

If you were forced to live the rest of your life as one of your characters, who would it be?

It would have to be Betsy. She has a strength of character that enables her to cope, usually calmly, with all the problems life throws at her and gives her the courage to defy her father in order to follow her heart. Her love for John is steadfast, and she is a caring, loving wife to him throughout the tragedies and difficulties they have to face. The only thing I wouldn’t like about her life is the lack of modern conveniences in her home – not to mention the lack of phones and internet access!

What are your hobbies? Do any of your characters share your hobbies/interests? Do any of your hobbies play a part in your novels?

One of my hobbies is researching my family history, which I’ve been doing for over twenty years, and which provided the basis of ‘A Family’s Secrets’. I knew a little about John from what my great-uncle (John’s grandson) told me many years ago, but found out much more from census and birth, marriage, and death records. Also, during a visit to the Isle of Man, I was able to study the minutes of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company directors’ meetings, some of which mention John. More recently, I’ve found Isle of Man newspapers online, which contain several articles praising John’s skillful and confident response to whatever mechanical or weather problems he had to contend with, as well as his unfailing courtesy to his passengers.

Perhaps I should also add that, as a high school history teacher for twenty-five years, history is one of my interests! Although ‘A Family’s Secrets’ is my first historical novel, various aspects of history have tended to creep into my contemporary novels too.

What is your work schedule like when you are writing?

I usually write in the evenings. I’ve always been a night owl – and so is my ‘muse’! I find I can edit during the daytime, but the first draft is definitely evening work.

Please tell us more about your novel.

‘A Family’s Secrets’ is my 16th published novel. Most are available on Amazon, including my ‘Mist Na Mara’ series of six contemporary romance/intrigue novels set in Connemara in the west of Ireland.

I’m currently writing the second in the ‘Follow Your Heart’ series, which takes place twenty years after the first book. The main character is Lizzie, who is Betsy and John’s daughter. It is set in the 1870s and features Lizzie’s fight on behalf of people whose homes are threatened with demolition, as well as her dilemma about which of the two men in her life she can trust.

Book Blurb 

Seamstress Betsy Roberts falls in love with Liverpool mariner John Hughes but is shocked to discover that her father’s contempt for sailors stems from a long-hidden event for which he holds John’s uncle responsible. When he insists on her marriage to a childhood friend, does he simply want her to stop her from marrying John, or is he hiding another secret? And if Betsy defies him, how will the past affect her and John in the future? Can their love survive despite the secrets and tragedies which threaten to tear them apart?

Please share links for your website/buy links, etc.  👀 

Amazon author page: author.to/PaulaMartin

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

Paula, thank you for visiting "Dish'n It Out !

Connie

XOXO

Spotlight: Paula Martin, Featured Author Interview By Connie Vines #Author Interview #Historical Fiction, #BWLPublishing

 Today's featured guest is: Paula Martin

                                                                                                        

Thank you for stopping by today 😀

Connie:  Please tell us about your current release. 

Paula:  My current release is ‘A Family’s Secrets’, a historical family saga covering a period of about twenty years, and set in the mid-19th century in the port of Liverpool and the Isle of Man.

 Connie:  What was the inspiration for this story?

Paula: The story was inspired by my great-great-grandparents, John and Elizabeth (Betsy) who were both born and brought up in Liverpool and married in 1844. John became a captain with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, and they lived on the small island (in the middle of the Irish Sea) for many years.

 Connie: What would you like to see more/less of in the historical genre?

Paula:  More about ‘ordinary’ working-class people in the 19th century, who may have struggled to make ends meet but who were not living in abject poverty or at the mercy of some (clichéd) evil landlord or cruel factory owner.

Less about upper-class heiresses and/or titled nobility!

 Connie: What, in your opinion, makes an excellent historical writer?

Paula:  Someone who can bring the characters to life as true products of the era in which they live i.e. not ‘modern’ characters deposited into a historical setting.

Also, someone who is prepared to thoroughly research into the period about which they are writing. I have seen a lot of anachronisms in historical novels, including words that wouldn’t have been used at the time e.g. Victorians would not say ‘okay’! Also, I feel there is no excuse for incorrect facts when it is so easy to find information on the internet. One example I have seen was someone in 1840 hearing the chimes of Big Ben – but the clock tower was only completed in 1859!

 Connie: Do you have a favorite paragraph/line of dialogue in this novel? 

Paula:  It’s difficult to pick out just one, but here’s a short extract which happens after John has rescued Betsy from an assault by a drunk on the street and takes her into his mother’s corner shop:

“After the man closed the shop door, she had her first proper look at him in the flickering light from the wall-mounted oil lamps. Tall and nearer to thirty than twenty, she guessed. He was clean-shaven apart from dark side-whiskers which reached to about an inch below his earlobes, and he wore a navy-blue jacket with two rows of brass buttons and a loosely knotted white cravat. When he removed his woolen peaked cap and dropped it on the counter, his thick, wavy hair fell forward, half covering his broad forehead.

Her stomach performed a weird kind of contraction as she studied his handsome features, and an even weirder jerk when he gave her a reassuring smile.

‘I hope you’re recovering from your fright, Miss—uh?’

‘Roberts. Elizabeth Roberts – but everyone calls me Betsy.’

Connie: If you were forced to live the rest of your life as one of your characters, who would it be?

Paula: It would have to be Betsy. She has a strength of character that enables her to cope, usually calmly, with all the problems life throws at her and gives her the courage to defy her father in order to follow her heart. Her love for John is steadfast, and she is a caring, loving wife to him throughout the tragedies and difficulties they have to face. The only thing I wouldn’t like about her life is the lack of modern conveniences in her home – not to mention the lack of phones and internet access!

Connie: What are your hobbies? Do any of your characters share your hobbies/interests? Do any of your hobbies play a part in your novels?

Paula: One of my hobbies is researching my family history, which I’ve been doing for over twenty years, and which provided the basis of ‘A Family’s Secrets’. I knew a little about John from what my great-uncle (John’s grandson) told me many years ago, but found out much more from census and birth, marriage, and death records. Also, during a visit to the Isle of Man, I was able to study the minutes of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company directors’ meetings, some of which mention John. More recently, I’ve found Isle of Man newspapers online, which contain several articles praising John’s skillful and confident response to whatever mechanical or weather problems he had to contend with, as well as his unfailing courtesy to his passengers.

Perhaps I should also add that, as a high school history teacher for twenty-five years, history is one of my interests! Although ‘A Family’s Secrets’ is my first historical novel, various aspects of history have tended to creep into my contemporary novels too.

Connie: What is your work schedule like when you are writing?

Paula: I usually write in the evenings. I’ve always been a night owl – and so is my ‘muse’! I find I can edit during the daytime, but the first draft is definitely evening work.

Connie: Is there anything else you'd like to tell our readers?

Paula: ‘A Family’s Secrets’ is my 16th published novel. Most are available on Amazon, including my ‘Mist Na Mara’ series of six contemporary romance/intrigue novels set in Connemara in the west of Ireland.

I’m currently writing the second in the ‘Follow Your Heart’ series, which takes place twenty years after the first book. The main character is Lizzie, who is Betsy and John’s daughter. It is set in the 1870s and features Lizzie’s fight on behalf of people whose homes are threatened with demolition, as well as her dilemma about which of the two men in her life she can trust.

Blurb:

Seamstress Betsy Roberts falls in love with Liverpool mariner John Hughes, but is shocked to discover that her father’s contempt for sailors stems from a long-hidden event for which he holds John’s uncle responsible. When he insists on her marriage to a childhood friend, does he simply want her to stop her from marrying John, or is he hiding another secret? And if Betsy defies him, how will the past affect her and John in the future? Can their love survive despite the secrets and tragedies which threaten to tear them apart?

Paula, please share links for your website/buy links, etc. so our readers may follow you and purchase your current release. 

Amazon author page: author.to/PaulaMartin

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

Thank you for stopping by today, everyone!

Connie

XOXO

Saturday Photo (Things that Make Me Smile) #6 By Connie Vines #SaturdayPhoto, #BWLAuthor, #BWLPublishing, #ConnieVinesAuthor, #RanchoCucamonga

Sometimes, to quote Dorothy. of Wizard of Oz 🌪fame, 
"There's no place like home."  🏡


Snow topped mountains 2019 taken during my drive to the market



Simply, breathtaking!

Winter of 2019, driving to the market--and it is as cold as it looks here in SoCal! (Notice the Palm Trees) 🌴🌴🌴❆⛄

Happy  Saturday!
ConnieXOXO

Spotlight: E. R. Yatscoff, Featured Author Interview By Connie Vines # #Author Interview, #MG Fiction, #BWLPublishing

Today's Featured guest is E. R. Yatscoff

Thank you for stopping by today. Please tell our readers about your current release and why you enjoy writing for Middle-Grade readers.😀

E. R.: I like writing MG because it's generally a smaller word count. There tends to be a less intricate background so it’s simpler. I’ve chosen THE FAR BANK as a favorite of mine as there are so many elements of it I’ve lived through.

 Connie::What was the inspiration for this story? 

E.R.: My blue-collar hometown was full of reckless boys who swam the Welland Canal in summer. I was in awe of many of them. Many drowned. The great accomplishment was to swim straight across to the far bank for bragging rights. The massive Great Lake boats would go back and forth along the canal, so timing was everything—no dilly-dallying. We even put rocks in our bathing suits to touch the bottom.  🏊

 

Connie::  What would you like to see more/less of in the MG/YA genre? 

E.R.:  Actually, I’d like to see more crime and less magic/dystopia. I don't follow the genre much. I write about incidents and people when I was growing up and string them together in a novel. The elements and issues of boys during that time are much the same today. Although the pressures on a boy can be even higher now.

 Connie:. Do you believe writers are born, taught, or both? Which was true for you? 

E.R.: Writers can be taught, but the storytelling talent in a person is a big factor. I always was a storyteller and had to be taught to write. I find it easy to write about something, anything and wish I didn’t have to edit. The devil is in the details. My adult crime writing is based on my firefighting career.

 .

Connie: Do you have a favorite paragraph/line of dialogue in this novel?

E.R.: I  love the twisted logic in this. ‘Drowning is one thing, but it’s the propellors that’ll really kill you.’

.

Connie: Did you love scary stories as a kid? Can you tell us some of your favorites? Books or authors? 

E.R.: I read sci-fi mostly as a kid but gave it up when a super ray gun or escape pod would magically appear. I loved Edgar Rice Burroughs Tarzan of the Apes series. So much so, I entered a Tarzan Father’s Day contest at a mall and won a trip to California! My Tarzan call rocked the mall.🎤

Connie: E.R. That was quite a prize!  

How do you come up with names for your characters? 

E.R.: They are childhood friends or enemies. Everyone had nicknames.

 

Connie: Could you tell our readers about your current release

E.R.:  The Far Bank has a lot of elements: bullying on the paper route from hell, courage, cheating, morals, and of course, action. Many of my MG novels deal with bullies and my protagonists handle them quite well without violence by humbling them. 

Connie: E.R.. thank you for visiting "Dishn' It Out Blog" today.  I've enjoyed our visit, and I'm confident our readers welcomed a look into your writing life! 

E.R. Yatscoff BWL Publisher's Page

Amazon

https://books2read.com/Final-Response

Flawed Characters in Your Story--What's Their Backstory? By Connie Vines #RR#93, #BWLAuthor, #WesternHero, #CowboyRomance, #HappilyEverAFter

This month's Round Robin Topic: Describe a flawed  character you might use in a story. What part will they play in the story, and what will happen to them? How did they become so flawed?

Thank you, Rhobin, for this month's topic.

I'd like to begin my post by stating that everyone is flawed--including an author's story characters.  

The flaw may be physical, or a character may have a 'fatal flaw': a temper, stubbornness, act-with-out-thinking, or lack of self-esteem-all of which can lead to your story character's doom.

The flaw is part of the character arc, the path to self-growth. And, in a romantic novel, the way the main characters, and often the secondary characters, close the story with a HEA (happily ever after).

Yet the path is always bumpy and uncertain for the Hero and Heroine. It is often a secondary character or a 'villain' who usually has the most interesting/unexpected backstory. 

I take full advantage of secondary characters and villains who reveal, little by little, unexpected details of their past. 

This is especially so in my YA novel, Tanayia--Whisper Upon the Water.

Of course, that is all I can say because I never print 'spoilers' for my novels; or any books I review.

What Is an Example of a Character Flaw?

This is an extreme character flaw but also an excellent example.

Though you may have not read the novel, most are familiar with the movie or the storyline of the Thomas Harris novel The Silence of the Lambs (and its subsequent film adaptation by director Jonathan Demme). Hannibal Lecter has a personality disorder: A cannibal and a sadomasochist. Lecter's character flaws, however, are somewhat offset by his brilliant mind, which he uses to help the main character, Clarice Starling, apprehend a serial killer tormenting Appalachia. 

Lecter is an example of how in fiction, even characters with the most severe personality flaws can embody a degree of three-dimensionality.

The opening to my novel, Brede, Rodeo Romance, Book 2:

Thunder rumbled across the remote New Mexico sky as unforgiving wind shoved low gray clouds against a craggy mountaintop. Brede Kristensen tugged the brim of his Stetson lower on his forehead. The threat of a storm didn't faze him;  nothing fazed him anymore. The worst had already happened.

(the elements can also take on a life of their own--evolving and changing, influencing and affecting the characters in your story).

Thank you for stopping by,

Visit the talented authors participating in this month's Round Robin Blog Hop.

Connie 

XOXO

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea

Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-2yB

Marci Baun http://www.marcibaun.com/blog/

Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/

Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com

Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/

Rhobin L Courtright http://www.rhobincourtright.com

Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/ 

Spotlight: Joan Havelange, Featured Author Interview By Connie Vines #Author Interview, #Cozy Mystery, #BWLPublishing

Today's featured guest is Joan Havelange

Thank you for visiting "Dishin' It Out" today. 

Please tell our readers about your current release 😃

Joan:  Book four is my latest Cozy Mystery, ‘The Suspects.’ 

The hilarious adventures of Mable and Violet. These intrepid amateur sleuths make their way through the European capitals to end up smack in the middle of murder in Moscow.

Connie:  Wow! Sounds like a great setting for a mystery story. What was the inspiration for this story?

 Joan: On tour to Russia, my tour guide related a story about a tourist in her care who died in a Moscow hotel. And all the hoops she had to go through with the authorities. Of course, the cause of death in ‘The Suspects’ is murder.

Connie: What would you like to see more/less of in the mystery genre?

.Joan: As long as there is a puzzle to solve, I’m happy.     

Connie: What, in your opinion, makes a good mystery writer?

Joan: A writer, who can weave a story with twists, with no plot holes.

Connie: Do you have a favorite paragraph/line of dialogue in "Suspects" published by BWL?

The Suspects.

Mabel bit her lip as she looked at the white waxy face of the dead woman lying on the bed. The life force that was Hilda drained away, her eyes wide open, sunk back into her skull, jaw slackened, and lips pale.

 “Come on, we have to get the hell out of here.” 

“Shouldn’t we look for clues first?” asked Violet. 

“Clues, what clues? We just erased them.” 

“But don’t you want to find out who killed Hilda?” 

“We’re in a foreign country.” Mabel started for the door. 

“That never stopped you before.” 

“This time, we are in big trouble.” 

“Why? We didn’t do anything wrong.” Violet insisted. 

Mabel paused, grim-faced; she looked back at the dead woman. “Really! We haven’t done anything wrong? We moved a dead body and interfered in a crime scene."

Connie: Why did you choose this location for your mystery novel?

Joan:  The mystery begins on a Nordic tour that ends in Moscow. I took that tour. It was amazing. I would recommend it to anyone who loves travel: Saint Petersburg, The Hermitage, the Summer Palace. And Moscow, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Red Square, to name just a few of the sights. I wanted to share some of the fabulous tourist attractions with my readers. And, of course, weave a mystery around it all.

Connie: Joan, you are certainly a world traveler! If you were forced to live the rest of your life as one of your characters, who would it be?

Joan: It would be a toss-up between my main protagonists, Mabel and Violet. Mabel jumps into the middle of things with no fear. Violet is the opposite but a friend who always has Mabel’s back.

Connie: What are your hobbies? Do any of your characters share your hobbies/interests? Do any of your hobbies play a part in your novels?

Joan: I’m an avid golfer. Both of my ladies golf. My first novel’Wayward Shot’ takes place on a golf course. Violet is the better golfer.

Connie: Joan, do you have another novel in the works?

Joan:  I’m working on my next mystery, ‘Murder Exit Stage Right.’ I directed little theatre for many years, so this mystery is a joy to write. The publishing date is in October of this year.

Connie; Sounds like another great story! Joan thank you for sharing your adventures within your novels and with our readers 📙🕮🕵🔎

Readers, please click on Joan Havelange's links. 

https://www.facebook.com/mabelmysteries

https://books2read.com/Wayward-Shot

https://books2read.com/Death-and-Denial

https://books2read.com/The-Suspects-

https://www.bookswelove.com/havelange-joan/

https://twitter.com/JoanJhave

https://www.instagram.com/joanhave/

https://books2read.com/The-Trouble-With-Funerals

Joan Havelange - Russell, MB, Canada (107 books) | Goodreads

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-suspects-joan-havelange/1140139468

Thanks for stopping by today,

Connie

XOXO

Saturday Photo (Things That Make Me Smile): Photo # 5 By Connie Vines # Navajo Nation, #SandPainting, #FourCorners, #Dine, #Native American Art

My family and I have vacationed throughout the United States. The Native American artwork (featured today) was created by Navajo artists on the Reservation. 

From My Personal Art Collection

Sandpainting is the art of pouring colored sands and powdered pigments from minerals or crystals or pigments from other natural sources onto a surface to make a fixed or unfixed sand painting. 

Because the symbols are sacred, the Navajo artist makes respectful changes to the symbols to the original sand painting (which is destroyed after the healing ceremony).

From My Personal Art Collection From My Personal Art Collection

An Art of Healing: For the Navajo (Dine), the sand painting is a dynamic, living sacred entity that enables a transformation in the mental and physical state of the patient. The sand painting is considered toxic and destroyed because it has absorbed the illness or problem.

Navajo word for Sand Painting is

 iikaah ("ee-EE-kah").

Wood Box  a gift from a friend
Thank you for stopping by today!

Connie

XOXO

Poodle Talk Sunday: Treats! By Connie Vines #Poodles, #Poodle Talk, #Life is Better with a Poodle #connievines-author

 

Treats!
This one may not be specific to only poodles, as virtually every dog loves treats. With that being said, poodles seem to tend to be a little more discerning when it comes to their taste buds than a lot of other breeds. 
Why?
Because they love those special treats that you pick up at the pet store or specialty shop for dogs. 
"Run-of-the-mill treats for me?" 
My poodle will poke her nose in the bag, but it's not a winner!
If you have problems while training your dog, it is essential to keep this in mind. 
While I don't bake dog treats, I switch up the selection.
My current poodle is a toy, and she weighs 8 lbs. In her case, she prefers soft treats. I purchase the organic variety, min-training treats, shaped into a tiny bone - which I break into half, so she doesn't swallow it whole.  
I alternate between: Chicken, Salmon, and Duck. Since the Duck flavor is the most prized, those are not doled out too often. 🦆  She usually receives a Salmon treat 🐟when she responds quickly when called or stays in a sit position without creeping forward (Yes, she's wigglier). 
Of course, verbal praise and pets are always appreciated. As is a 🐔 treat or toy my poodle has forgotten about (with a loud squeak).
And of course, my gentle companion is silly, playful and my sweet protector receives hugs and praise 'just because' 🐩!
Happy Poodle Sunday,
Connie
XOXO

Photo Posted on Pinterest



.

Saturday Photo (Things that Make Me Smile) # 4 By Connie Vines #LiveOakCanyon #Photo, #PhotoSaturday

 My year-long plan is to post a photo each Saturday about things that make me smile. 😀

Many things make me smile, so you will find different photos pop up. Of course, my pups, and friends of my pups, will be posted.  

Yes, it is January, but I found this photo of three of my granddaughters during a family outing at the Live Oak Canyon Pumpkin Patch. 

Why is it that the tallest child (middle-child) scrunches down, while the shortest (the baby) teeters on top of a ladder to position for the photo session?  The eldest child (to whom I can relate) just steps up and attends to business. 😉🦇📷

liveoakcanyon.com/pumpkin-patch/

Good Times!

Connie

XOXO

I'm at BWLAuthor Blog Today: Too Many Books and A GREAT Tracking App! By Connie Vines

Happy Friday! 

On the 28th of each month I 'appear' on my Publisher's website.  So I'm in the spotlight this week  😎🎥🎤🎬

Topic:

"Why You Can (Almost) Never Read Too Many Books"

👉I'm also sharing a new phone appt to track and sort your personal library (past/present and future reads). Fast, accurate, and simple to use, too!

 https://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/