Maria Hammarblad's Blog, page 54

Interview with Shaunna Gonzales

I have had the opportunity to interview author Shaunna Gonzales, whose book Dark Days of Promise will be released September 21. Shaunna is a fascinating person, and her book is definitely on my TBR pile. She'll be back here October 11, with a character interview or some other fun stuff, so keep your eyes open! :-)

Welcome Shaunna Gonzales!


Have you always been writing? If no, what got you started?

I thought I wanted to be a writer right out of high school but my older sister, an English Major, shared with me that she had just been rejected. At that time, I didn't know or understand the road to getting published. I knew I had no intention of being an English Major and I remember thinking "If she can't succeed, how can I?"

Fast forward to 2005 when my youngest started school. I had to find something to fill a lot of free time and still be able to stay at home. I started reading novels.

After reading most of J.K.Rowlings Harry Potter series I craved more great reads and went to the local library. I spent months wading through awful fiction, one touting its prize winning status, I threw it across the room. (In my weakened condition it only made it to the bed for a soft landing.)

"I could write better than this!" I grumbled. My hubby, ever understanding of my turbulent moods answered with a calm, "Then why don't you?" It wasn't long before I set out to do just that!


I love that! Do your characters develop on their own, or do you have their lives planned out in advance?

I am a "write by the seat of your pants writer." That means that if I plan too much, even my characters, I get bored. This makes it extremely difficult to write Trilogies or Series. It takes me a good hundred pages of the rough draft to know a character and as my characters are always learning and growing on their own, they take on lives of their own, even after I stop writing the story.


Do you base any of your character's personalities off people you know? (If "yes," do you tell them?)

Hmm... that is a toughy. In Dark Days of Promise, Victoria is very much her own self. I keep asking myself if there is any of me in her, probably.  Her best friend, Janine is a combination of several ladies, all deceased but very much alive on the page. I doubt their children will recognize them. And Janine's son, Kelly Chase. Kelly is partially based a a group of men, veterans that I know. Whether it is his description (physical or emotional) his injuries, or his PTSD, yes, I've told the guys in a round about way and given them credit in the acknowledgments. But the third in the love triangle would not be pleased if I told him that the character is based on him, so that one I'll keep to myself.


So... Kelly suffers from PTSD. That's an unusual but interesting subject. Is there a reason you wanted to write about it, or did it just fit into the story?

I wrote a scene to fix a boring mess and loved it. Loved the suspense it brought to the story and had to figure out where the idea came from.

It took until after the book was finish to completely understand and in the mean time I had to learn why that character would do what he did. My only lead took me back to the early seventies when I met a veteran as a child. Back then I don't think they even had a name for Post Traumatic Stress and if the military did, they didn't use it, at least not openly and the veterans dealing with the disorder were labeled. As I understand it, they were considered weak and in some circles worthless.

As I got deeper into my research and became friends with the veterans that I have, I developed a real affinity for the men who allowed me into their tightly knit brotherhood, albeit on the fringes. Will I ever be an equal? No. Will I ever completely understand? I hope not. But I respect what they and all veterans have done for their country. I also feel strongly that we, their co-habitants need to be aware. PTSD is more than a military acronym and one does not have to be a veteran to suffer from this disorder. I have been told, although I do not have the facts to back it up, that even an infant can suffer from PTSD.

The man I spoke of earlier is still able to kill. But he is not a killer today. Today he is a father of a very large family and a grandfather as well. I've lost touch with him, but I will not soon forget the cautions when playing with him. He would bounce me on his feet in the air or let me use his huge muscular frame as my personal "jungle gym" as long as he was on his back and invited me to do so. He loved children and still does. Never, ever could I touch or try to tackle him from behind. Today I know why. Then I didn't.


That's a fascinating story. I imagine that doing research for the book was a challenge?

Yes, but not in the way you might think. I invested a lot of time and patience in developing real friendship.


Did you find information on PTSD readily available? 

I'm not thinking it would be that hard even if you want a clinical approach, but if one went to a psychiatrist you wouldn't get information on a particular case due to doctor/patient confidentiality.


Good point. I'm guessing it was difficult to get people to talk about it?

I went to veterans who I knew (if only vaguely) through my church. From there I developed a genuine interest and friendship and a sensitivity to not push too hard. I had to learn body language, unique to the individual that let me know I was getting too close. Talking in a small group, just the veterans and myself, without spouses present also helped as I'm not sure these guys wouldn't like their wives to hear the things I did.

When a veteran says something like, "I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you." He very likely is being very honest. It also helped to let these people know why I was asking and get them involved in my project. Those that were not invested didn't share as much as openly and that is fine too.


Now I'm more curious than ever, and I really look forward to reading the book. Thank you so much for stopping by, Shaunna!


Blurb:


Thirty-four year old Vicki Laramie must learn to trust before she can love, but she might die trying.

While Vicki’s children grapple with the death of their father -- a man whom she’s successfully fabricated as loving, a lie her rebellious teenager recognizes -- she must find a way to support her family and find a role model for her boys. She never intends to fall for Staff Sergeant Chase, her best friend’s son, who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She’d much rather choose a safer man to love, but her children have a voice in the decision she makes.

With two deaths to deal with, a suitor after her money, a rebellious son, and Sergeant Chase’s repeated attacks, she can only hope to survive the danger she faces. If she doesn’t, her children will be left without either parent.



ISBN: 978-1-61252-218-0  


Link to buy: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-345/Dark-Days-of-Promise/Detail.bok 

Read Shaunna's blog: http://shaunnagonzales.blogspot.com/

Find Shaunna on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shaunnagonzales

Book trailer for Undercover

I am counting down to the release of Undercover - it's only a couple of days left until September 11 - and to celebrate I made a book trailer. I'm thinking of making another one as well, one that's narrated. Maybe... :-) 

Doggie greeting

I've seen this picture on Facebook lately, I don't know who originally made it, but it's so true. I do it when I come home, but at other places too.

One of my colleagues sometimes brings her little dog to work. I'll walk through the building on the way to my room and say, "Hi" to everyone I meet. If doggie is there, I'll fall down on the floor and squeal, "Look who's here, it's Mila! I'm so happy you're here, I've missed you sooo much, did you miss me too? Where's the tummy? Ooooh, there's the tummy! Love the little cutesie tummy!"

By then everyone's looking at the crazy dog lady and I'll glance up. "Oh yeah, I'm happy to see you guys too..."

Hot Pursuit

One of my author friends - Jillian Chantal - has a brand new release today. The book is called Hot Pursuit. I haven't actually read it - yet - but from the looks of it, it's interesting. Jillian will stop by my blog with a guest post in a couple of days, so keep your eyes open!

Blurb: 
Racing across the globe to help a client isn’t part of corporate lawyer Evangeline Fleet’s normal legal services, but this is no ordinary client. She’s the beloved daughter of an old family friend. In her efforts to save the girl, Evangeline gets in over her head when sexy Interpol agent Cecil Waugh enters the picture in hot pursuit of her client. He follows the lawyer on an international chase from New York City to Rio de Janeiro, where they forget their differences long enough to fall into bed. Before the sheets can even cool Evangeline makes a daring escape, leaving her lover behind.
Relentless in his quest to find Evangeline’s client, Cecil continues the chase across Europe. But it soon becomes unclear who his main target is—Evangeline’s charge, or the spitfire of a woman herself. Only time will tell how hot this pursuit will become.








Read an excerpt: http://www.jasminejade.com/productspecs/9781419941238.htm 
Buy the book: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-10324-hot-pursuit.aspx

When the auto-pilot kicks in

I tend to spend a lot of time in my own head. It's appealing up there - all these fictional people living their fictional lives, struggling with fictional adventures... You get the idea. ;-) I have, however, started to suspect portions of my mind keeps playing with itself even when I think I'm paying attention.

Sounds weird? Let me give an example. I had the pleasure of attending a wedding the other day. At the reception, I shared a table with a very pleasant young woman, who said, "We've had a class together."

"We have?"

She flashed a smile. "Yup. The Novel."

I instinctively jumped to the last literature class I took - it was just a couple of months ago, so it still exists in my memory - and exclaimed, "Wow, that teacher was hard." Hard wasn't the right word - the teacher was a bit snarky and we almost got into a fight. Turned out she too was working on a book and stressed out of her mind, and once we came to terms with that, we ended the semester as friends.

"Oh yeah, but I liked the group projects."

Something wasn't right with the picture. The last lit class was online, so I shouldn't know anyone in it. Some of my online classes have group projects, but I couldn't recall one about literature. Besides, the name of that class wasn't "The Novel," it was something supernatural, paranormal, something... I also remembered a class in creative writing at my old school. That wasn't it.

She said, "It's okay you don't remember me. I was very quiet."

I wanted to slap myself. Maybe that would make my brain work better... She was such a nice person and I wanted to remember her. "I talked a lot, didn't I?"

"Yes, but that was a good thing. Most of us didn't read the books."

A vague memory was surfacing. The professor's name was Priscilla Glanville, and I sat between Francesca and Roxy. I haven't met either in real life for quite some time, but we're friends on Facebook. (How did you ever keep in touch with people before Facebook?) Was this "The Novel?" It must be. I don't remember the details, but I think I enjoyed it and took another class with professor Glanville.

The disturbing part is that this happens to me on a regular basis. People come up to me and say, "We've been in class together." I can't even remember taking the classes, which is pretty bad if you spend four months doing something. Once I start thinking about it I can invoke foggy memories of most of them, and I remember many of the teachers, because they're kind of what you look at in school.

Mikey said, "It's okay sweetie. Their brains are still young and can retain information. You've reached the age where you forget something every time you learn something new."

That was a laugh-out-loud comment, and oh so true.

Seriously though, my body walks around and interacts with people. I write assignments and discuss, but I'm still on auto-pilot. A major part of my brain keeps examining other problems. Like, how will the hero save the heroine when she's kidnapped and locked up in Afghanistan? I'm pretty sure this is what I brooded over while taking The Novel - I was writing the first draft of Flashback at the time. (TBR June next year with Desert Breeze Publishing.)

I think I remember her now, about two days too late... In the group projects she mentioned, my character was supposed to have red shoes, and mine were dark red instead of bright red. I think she asked to see my shoes, and was a little disappointed they weren't brighter. I wish I had remembered that at the time, and been able to say, "Hey, didn't we talk about the red shoes?"

Shopping for dinner.

I don't eat mammals. A lot of people find this weird, but meat grosses me out. If I look at a hamburger I see a cow, and the smell of raw meat makes me queasy. It might not be normal, but... Normal is over-rated anyway, right? I was a complete vegetarian back home, but Mike and I needed to compromise when I moved to the US, so I now eat fish and birds, from time to time. (If they come in forms that don't resemble the animal.)

Mikey loves meat. He's a skinny man who usually only eats once a day, and it's usually pizza. I'm overjoyed when he wants to eat something that's not pizza - I'm suspicious of the nutritional value of dough and cheese... Thus, I do my best to cook meat for him. Anyone watching me would probably roll on the floor laughing; I hold a chunk of beef between two fingers, trying to touch it as little as possible so I don't get anything on my hands, while grimacing and holding my nose with the other hand so I won't smell the raw ickyness.

Grocery stores around here offer a smooth solution to the problem. There's a kit with a roast, a bag of spices, potatoes, and vegetables all in one. All I have to do is put it together in a pot, cover it with foil, and shove it in the oven. The meat comes conveniently packed in plastic so I don't even have to touch it. I cut the bag open and slide the meat into the pot.

Anyway, I walked around the store with one of these kits the other day, muttering, "You're sticky, why are you sticky? And you smell, even through the plastic. This is soooo gross."

A young woman came up to me and asked, "Is that good?"

I should have said, "Yes" like a normal person would. The answer, "I don't eat meat" still popped out.

It sounded stupid as I said it. The roast was big enough to feed a family, and the woman looked puzzled, clearly trying to ascertain if I was crazy. I hurried to say, "My husband loves it."

That cleared up some of the confusion, and she asked how I cook it. This, I could answer without confusion: put everything in a pan, stir the spice mix out with 1.5 cups of water and pour it over the meat, cover everything with foil and let it sit in 350 degrees for three hours. Now I sounded like a walking cook book. She ended up buying one. I hope she liked it.

Me on Radio Ear Network

I am a member of the Florida Writer's Association. I say that with pride, but truth be told, I'm probably the most passive member they've ever had. Both the Bradenton and Sarasota chapters seem very friendly and keep inviting me to all sorts of events and critique groups. During 2012 I have attended a grand number of... zero.

I blame being busy, which is kind of true considering I have a daytime job and study full time besides being a wife, doggy-mom, and writer, but my lazy-bone has a lot to do with it too. I could rearrange my schedule to get an evening free each week, but my time at home is too precious to want to leave. There is a writer's conference in Orlando in October, and I do plan to go there; I'm a finalist in the Royal Palms Literary Awards, and if I win an award I intend to be there. LOL!

Anyway, the FWA provides monthly newsletters and I open them eagerly. In early spring I read about a writer's radio show on the Radio Ear Network and promptly signed up for an interview. I was really nervous after signing up, and nervous again when I went to record the interview. You would think an old musician would be immune to stage fright, but playing in front of a lot of people is different from sitting alone with a microphone.

When I don't restrain myself I talk very quickly and with a funny Swedish accent, and I was sure I would forget English completely when faced with a microphone, questions, and the challenge to speak slowly and not sound too horribly foreign. On the upside: I didn't forget English. On the downside: I babbled. Someone clearly pressed the talkative button in my head, "Blah, blah, blah, blah, and then, blah blah blah..." I'm hoping they edited it at least a little.

Failure or success, the interview is on tonight at http://www.radioearnetwork.com/. I share the timeslot between 11-12 PM Eastern Time with another author, I don't know if my interview will be first or second, but I hope you take a moment to listen in.

I've gotta start answering my phone.

I have horrible phone manners. If I'm expecting a call from someone I keep my phone close, but most of the time it sits in my purse. I'm on the no call list, but it's still usually someone wanting to sell insurance or something. Or, someone from the daytime job. For the longest time I got calls wanting to collect debts from someone named Jeff. They would call early in the morning, and I was patient for over a year before I snapped and hollered, "Do I sound like a man named Jeff? This time, write down that Jeff doesn't have this number anymore."

I'm a little smart about it; I have assigned ring tones for people I usually talk to. Anyway, the phone rang with the generic tone for, "not in my phone book" this fine evening, and I huffed, "Who calls at six on a Friday night?"

I considered getting up to see who it might be, I really did. Then, I heard the voicemail chime. If the caller was interested enough to leave a message, maybe I should check it...

A friendly voice said, "This is Denise Gossett from Shriekfest. I'm calling to say your script is one of the semi-finalists."

I stared at the phone. If I hadn't been so lazy, I could have talked to a real Hollywood moviestar. Then, I ran for the door to go find Mikey. He speaks 'Maria' really well, but it still took him a while to make sense out of my incoherent babble about scripts and Los Angeles and semi-finals.

My script is a semi-finalist in an international screenwriting competition. That's a sentence one has to say several times before it sinks in. Tomorrow or in a week or so I might understand that I have a chance to be a finalist, maybe even a chance to win, but for tonight, all my thoughts are drowned by a happy, "Squeeeee!!!"

How many lives do we live?

From time to time, people ask what my favorite author/book might be. Christy Elkins and her novel Parallel are definitely high on the list. I had the honour of reading an early version of the book, and even though I don't usually stay up reading at night, Parallel kept me on the edge of my seat until three in the morning.

The book was released by Silver Knight Publishing yesterday, and I'm expecting to get my copy in the mail today. I can't wait to see what the final version is like.

What is it about? The blurb kind of tells it, but doesn't show the whole truth. The story is beautiful and thought-provoking, and handles the questions of life after death and the very fabric of our existence in an appealing way. I wouldn't call it religious - most books with a strong theme of any religion become too evangelical for my taste and bore me to tears - but it is spiritual. Parallel is also inspirational in the sense that it's positive and optimistic even though it handles some big questions.

Blurb:

Luha Quibodeaux never had much support from her mother. When a tragic event occurs, Luha's mom makes a stand, reaching out in an attempt to protect her daughter. For the first time, Luha feels the love of her mother. Moments later, as Luha's life slips away, she comes face-to-face with a woman who appears all too familiar. She soon realizes that this woman is -- herself.

Everything in Luha's world suddenly changes as she discovers that nothing is what she thought. In order to truly understand, Luha must let go of all prejudice, and come to terms with the deepest secrets in her own heart.

What does the future really hold? Is there life after death? Luha asked herself these very same questions; but the answers she found exceeded any comprehendible reality.


Parallel for Kindle is only $2.99. Take a chance on it - odds are you will love it, and if you don't, you lost less money than a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

Parallel in paperback is currently $9.95. In my opinion, this book is a keeper, and I look forward to placing it in the bookshelf.

If you want to read more about Christy Elkins, I interviewed her not long ago. Check it out!

iFreeze

Remember I talked about my new neighbours the other day? Well, he managed to surprise me back pretty good the other day. I moseyed out to the back yards with the doggies in the morning and roamed around there with them for a bit. We have a six feet privacy fence, and the yard feels pretty much like a room in the house.

All of a sudden, a voice calls out, "Good morning, neighbour!"

If surprise was an Apple product, I'm sure they'd call it iFreeze. The voice was clearly talking to me, but from where?

Raising my eyes, the neighbour stood on the roof, waving, looking very happy. I waved back and managed, "Good morning!"

He seemed a bit too amused. I wonder if I did something funny while he was watching - if so, I hope it was something innocent, like scratching a butt-cheek. LOL!