Beth Sorensen's Blog, page 2

An Interview with Author Smoky Trudeau Zeidel

It has been my great fortune to meet Smoky Trudeau Zeidel online through mutual friends. She is a beautiful writer who has become an inspiration to me. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Smoky for my blog in celebration of her latest release On the Choptank Shores. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

On the Choptank Shores is a re-release. Can you tell us about its original publication and how it came to have new life as your latest release?

 The book's original title was Redeeming Grace. It's a romantic suspense novel, but because of the title, people assumed it was a Christian Book. It isn't. In fact, the book is rather critical of patriarchal religion. Because of the misleading title, the book simply didn't sell as well as both my publisher and I would have liked.

 Why the title change for this release?

 Because both the publisher (Kimberlee Williams of Vanilla Heart Publishing) and I both really believe in this book. It received fabulous reviews when it was originally released. For example, Malcolm Campbell of Campbell Editorial wrote that the book is "a beautiful and inspiring novel that portrays without rancor the hell of  that old time religion en route to the heaven of unfettered love and trust." Vila Spiderhawk, author of the Forest Song trilogy, wrote that the book "drew me in so that I felt Grace's emotions and found my breath catching in anticipation of the next segment." 

But the book is so much more than that. On the Choptank Shores is a love story. The love between a young wife (Grace) and her decidedly middle-aged husband (Otto), and the love of a big sister for her abused baby sister (Miriam). It is the story of the love for an aging, grief-stricken father (Luther) who is spiraling into a dark world of insanity, and the love of a kind and benevolent God whom Grace knows must exist, despite the crazed ravings of her father, who paints a picture of a vengeful, angry God as he spouts biblical verse to defend his abuse of both Grace and little Miriam. It is a story of the land on which they live, and the power of Mother Nature. Most of all, it is a story of love conquering all.

Tell us about writing normal day in the world of Smoky Zeidel.

I like to get us very early, before my husband and daughter are stirring, before even the sun has peeked over the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains across the valley from where I live. I feed my three cats and dog as the coffee is brewing. I do some simple yoga stretches, then take my French press into my studio, which is a tiny porch-like room slapped haphazardly onto the back of our cottage. (And I do mean haphazardly! The room is barely six feet wide, and has a two-inch slope in the floor. I've had to be very creative, leveling my desk and keeping my chair from rolling downhill when I write!) I check my email, attend to any business I have for the day, like answering interview questions like I'm doing here, or posting blog posts on my own blogs (there are four of them). Then, I pull up whatever project I'm working on and write. I always set a little timer on my computer for 45 minutes. When it goes off, I get up and stretch, do shoulder rolls, touch my toes a few times, get a drink of water. Then, back to my desk, set the timer again, and back to work. I write as long as I feel fresh and the ideas are rolling, usually until about noon or one o'clock. Then, I stop and turn to the editing projects that are my bread and butter.

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

That I am able to do what I love. Words are my life: not just my writing, but my job as a freelance editor as well. I love helping aspiring writers turn their manuscripts into something that is lovely and fit to publish. Of course, I'm not always successful at that. Some people simply cannot write, and the best editor in the world can't fix that.

I also love being able to tell people I'm a writer. They look skeptical at first, and say, "Have you published anything?" When I rattle off my list of publications, I love watching that skepticism turn to awe.

What is the hardest thing for you to write?

Hmm, that's a tough question. I've written everything from nonfiction to graphic sex scenes. I'd have a tough time writing a computer instruction manual, I guess. I'm techno-challenged. Any other writing comes pretty naturally to me.

I do have a hard time writing the first scene of a book or short story. I learned a long time ago to just sit and start writing. Once I've reached "The End" I usually know where I need and want the story to start. I can then go back and write the opening scene.

How do you feel about the massive changes in the publishing industry? (The recent closure of Borders, the rise e-books, etc.) How do you think it will affect the next generation of writers?

I have mixed feelings. I remember feeling so outraged that Borders and Barnes and Noble put so many independent book stores out of business. Now, Amazon has put Borders out of business. Karma? I don't really think so.

I hated eBooks at first, and swore I would never buy a Kindle or other eBook reader. I hated that my publisher put my precious books—my babies—into eBook form. I was, quite frankly, a book snob.

But then, my best friend got a Kindle. I took one look at it and cried, "I want one!" My husband got me one for Christmas last year, and it took about five minutes to fall absolutely, totally in love with it. I love being able to adjust the size of the print, for example. Too many books have print that is hard for middle-aged eyes like mine to read. And I love being able to carry so many books with me when I travel. Now, with few exceptions, I prefer reading on my Kindle to reading a print book.

But, I still love print books. I like the feel and smell of the paper; I love holding my own books in my hands, the pride I feel of bringing that book into existence. I can't wait until On the Choptank Shores is released in print.

The only problem I see with the rise of eBooks is that anyone can publish a book these days and sell it on Amazon. Some of the books I've downloaded, or people have sent me to review on my Smoky Talks Books blog, are simply awful. Just because you can publish a book doesn't mean you should. I've had to instill a policy of not reviewing self-published books, because there is so much crap out there.

People don't seem to understand that writing is an art, like painting, or playing the cello. Leonardo DaVinci didn't paint the Mona Lisa without studying the human form for many years. Yo-Yo Ma took cello lessons as a child; he didn't sit down at a cello and immediately play a perfect rendition of Beethoven's "Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Major." Writers, like DaVinci and Ma, have to study their craft, too.

Where can readers find you on the Web?

The best place to start is at my home page, which can be found at: http://smokyzeidel.wordpress.com/

That's where you'll find "Smoky Talks…", my blog about my writing life. From there, you can link to my other blogs: "Smoky Talks Books", where I do book reviews, "Smoky Talks Authors", which is author interviews, and, finally, "Observations of an Earth Mage," which is my blog about my experiences with the natural world.

 You can also find me at Goodreads, on my Amazon author page, and on Facebook—look up Author Smoky Trudeau Zeidel, and "like" my page there!

 Could you share an excerpt with my blog readers?

 I'd be happy to:

 [Luther] was mucking out the stalls when Grace found him in the barn.

"You will never, ever, hit Miriam again, or lock her in that frightful closet, do you hear me, Papa?" she said, never raising her voice yet nonetheless unnerving Luther with her cold tone.

Luther put down his shovel and picked up a pitchfork. "'Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.'" He tossed a forkful of straw into the stall. "'He that spareth his rod hateth his…'"

"Stop it, Papa. I've heard the speech before, and I'm tired of it. There is no excuse—none, do you hear me?—for beating Miriam until she's a bloody mess."

Luther continued pitching straw to the horses, not bothering to look up at his daughter. " 'Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.'"

Grace yanked the pitchfork out of his hands and sent it flying across the barn. "What have you taught Miriam other than to be afraid of you?" She spat the words at Luther as though they were bits of rotten meat in her mouth.

"What I am teaching her is to respect the authority of her father, something you attempt to thwart at every opportunity." Wiping a trickle of sweat from his brow, Luther brushed past his daughter and headed for the barn door.

Who does she think she is, talking to me like that? His mind raced, a jumble of thoughts pounding him as unmercifully as floodwaters pound a dam. She is my daughter. I am the head of this household. I am the authority. I make the rules. I enforce God's laws. I am the authority. I… am… the… authority…

He stopped cold in his tracks. Shaking with anger, he turned back to face Grace. The dam burst, unleashing a rage he had never known.

"Perhaps the problem here is that I spared you a few too many whippings for your own good, you impudent wretch," Luther roared, lunging toward his daughter.

The first blow to her face sent her reeling backwards, and she hit the side of the stall with such force the horses reared up in fear. Luther grabbed her by the wrists, yanked her to him and struck her again. The awareness that Miriam had come into the barn and was now standing in the doorway, screaming, enraged him even more, and he raised his arm again.

This time, it was Luther who went reeling. A force stronger than his own grabbed his upraised arm, jerked it painfully behind him, then slammed him into the wall. His spectacles slid from their perch and shattered, piercing his left cheek with shards of broken glass.

"Take your filthy, pious hands off of my wife."

"She's not your wife. She's my daughter. And if beating her is the only way to knock sense into her, that's my right and holy duty." Luther winced, as Otto tightened his grip and gave his arm a sharp twist.

"She's not my wife at the moment." Otto leaned heavily into Luther, his breath hot in Luther's ear. "But she will be by sundown, if she'll have me that soon. I came here today to ask for your consent, but I've reconsidered that idea. You're not fit to ask. And judging from what I'm seeing here, I don't think there's any question she'll come with me right now, do you, brother Luther?"

 "Take your hands off of me. Grace will not consider going anywhere with you without my blessing."

"Oh yes I will." Grace struggled unsteadily to her feet; Otto loosened his hold on Luther to assist her. "I've already consented to be his wife. Furthermore," she glared at Luther, the red handprint on her cheek glowing like a flame, "we're taking Miriam with us. That's what I came out here to tell you—you will never lay one hand on her again because she's coming with me, with us." She turned her attention to the sobbing child, pulling her into the protection of her arms.

"Fine. Go on then," he snarled, picking a shard of broken glass from his cheek and hurling it to the barn floor. "You're no daughter of mine; you're the spawn of Satan himself. But Miriam stays, you hear me? Miriam stays right here where she belongs."

He redirected his verbal barrage toward Otto. "Mark my words, Otto, you'll regret this some day. 'A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.' That's from Proverbs, Chapter Fi…"

"'A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.' I can quote scripture too, Luther." Otto helped Grace to her feet, never taking his eyes off Luther. "Go pack a bag, and one for Miriam, too, Grace."

"Not the little one. Miriam stays." Luther made a lunge toward Miriam, but Otto was quicker, stepping between Luther and his daughters.

"I don't think you want to do that, Luther." Otto slammed him against the wall a second time. "Go on Grace. I'll be right behind you."

Luther watched as Grace shepherded Miriam out of the barn, murmuring soft words he couldn't quite make out as they disappeared into the bright sunshine.

"Don't you move from that spot until we are packed and away from here, do you understand me, Luther?" Luther nodded, understanding the implied threat in Otto's words. "Good. We'll be out of you way shortly. Good day, brother Luther."

Ten minutes later, Luther heard the pickup truck doors slam, then the crank of the engine. He stood in the barn door and watched until the truck disappeared down the dusty road.

They hadn't even said goodbye.

Smoky Trudeau Zeidel is the author of two novels: On the Choptank Shores and The Cabin; short stories, and two nonfiction books especially for writers: Front-Word, Back-Word, Insight Out and Left Brain, Write Brain, 366 Writing Prompts and Exercises; and a photo/essay collection about the beauty of the natural world, Observations of an Earth Mage, all from Vanilla Heart Publishing. She has published short stories and poetry in literary journals such as CALYX and online e-zines such as The Foundling Review, and was a 2003 Pushcart Prize nominee. She was the lead editor for Vanilla Heart Publishing's 2010 Nature's Gifts anthology.

 Finally succumbing to her bohemian spirit and need to live near the mountains and the ocean, Smoky moved to Southern California in 2008, where she lives with her husband and daughter in a ramshackle cottage in the woods overlooking the San Gabriel Valley and the San Gabriel Mountains beyond. An ardent outdoorswoman with a deep reverence for nature, when she isn't writing, she spends her time hiking in the mountains, camping in the Sierras, splashing in tide pools, and fighting the urge to speak in haiku.

Divorcing a Dead Man – First Chapter

CHAPTER 1

The moment I opened my eyes, my head began to pound and I became aware something had gone terribly wrong. The air smelled of stale cigarettes and as I strained my neck to look around, I realized I was in a motel room but had no idea how I had gotten there. My first thought was that I had to get out of this place, but when I tried to sit up, I couldn't and found I was pinned down in a spread eagle position, flat on my back. My wrists and ankles were bound to the bed. The filthy bed sheets made my stomach turn and that's when I realized I was wearing nothing but a black lace bra and matching boy shorts.

I looked at the nightstand and saw a phone. Even if I could have reached it and make a call, I had no clue where I was or how I had gotten there. I closed my eyes and tried to remember anything that would have brought me to this place, but my head throbbed so hard I couldn't think clearly.

From out of nowhere I realized who was responsible for this and that he was probably still in the room.

"Hello?" No answer. No footsteps. Nothing. Silence.

I noticed the sun shining through an opening in the draperies. And then I saw him. A single beam of sunlight spotlighted my estranged husband, Tony, lying face up on the floor. His eyes open, his body motionless, and it didn't appear he was breathing. Clutched in his right hand was a scalpel and as I looked up, I noticed more surgical knives on the dresser. They were laid out haphazardly next to a cooler of partially melted ice.

I decided not to wait around to see if Tony was dead. I stretched my left arm as far as I could, managed to reach the phone cord, and pulled until the phone and receiver were next to my hand. I awkwardly dialed 911 and pushed the receiver toward my ear.

"Willow Creek, 911. What's your emergency?" a voice asked.

"I've been kidnapped," I said. "I need to talk to Detective Hayes immediately."

The operator lowered her heavily-accented voice and spoke softly. "What's your name dear?"

"My name is Cassandra Martin. I was in Lucky Shots when I was taken. Brian was at the bar when it happened."

The operator gasped. "Oh thank God you're alive. The whole county is looking for you. Where in the world are you?"

"I'm not sure. I think I'm in a motel room somewhere."

"Hold on. I'll trace the call while I put you through to Detective Hayes. Officers will be on their way as soon as I have your location nailed down."

There was a moment of silence and clicking while the emergency operator patched me through to Brian's cell.

"Hello?"

I knew he would recognize my voice. "Brian, don't let anyone know it's me. Is Edward with you?"

"Y-yes." He spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Your operator is tracing this call. Please come get me, but don't tell Edward. I don't want him to see me like this."

"O-okay."

I could hear Edward's voice on the other end asking if it was news about me. When I heard the first word leave his mouth, tears began to run down my cheeks. I heard Brian tell Edward there might be a lead and told him to stay put in case someone called the house. Then I heard the door close behind him.

"Are you alright?" Brian asked. "We were all beginning to think …" He let his voice drift off and failed to complete the sentence even though we both knew how it should end. Everyone had begun to believe I might be dead.

"I know. I'm half-naked and tied to a disgusting bed in a filthy motel room. I don't know exactly where I am or how I got here but my head feels like it's about to explode."

"Okay, the emergency operator just texted me your location. You're in Bay Grove at the Ocean Breezes Motel. I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Brian, you're gonna need some help. I think Tony's dead."

I hung up the phone and lay there, waiting to hear the sound of sirens and trying to remain calm, wondering how my life had gone from bliss to total insanity. Somewhere along the way I had lost control of everything. And after a moment, I remembered exactly how it all began to unravel. It was the same way most major events in my life began, with a phone call. Actually, this time, it was a series of phone calls.

Book Signing – The Palette & The Page

Beth Sorensen will be signing copies of her latest novel, DIVORCING A DEAD MAN, at The Palette & The Page's popular First Friday event in November. Come out to historic Elkton, Maryland on Friday, November 4th from 5pm until 8pm and check out beautiful art and novels by local artists and authors!

A Quick Update

I haven't posted anything new lately, but those of you waiting for a new release from me will be happy to know I've been very busy working toward DIVORCING A DEAD MAN's publication date. It should be available next month!

In the next few weeks I'll be posting a lot. Cover art, website updates, upcoming events, reviews for the new novel, a book trailer for CRUSH AT THOMAS HALL, as well as some interviews of emerging authors. I'm pretty sure I still owe my followers at least one more blog about Turkey as well. So if you haven't subscribed to my blog yet, be sure to do that. Also, feel free to follow me on Facebook and Twitter as well.

At the moment, I'm putting together a Blog Tour and will release the dates and web addresses of my postings on it soon. I plan on giving away some books on the tour as well. So be sure to check it out!

Hope everyone is having a great summer. It's been a hot one here on the East Coast, but we have enjoyed the lack of school schedules and homework at the Sorensen abode. Lot's of reading and creative thinking going on here, but I think Labor Day and the return to a set schedule will arrive just in time. Who knows, maybe I'll even start blogging on a regular basis!

Author's Tea at A Novel Idea, Chapter 2

Call to reserve your seat for A Novel Idea, Chapter 2′s August 20th event. Their Iced Tea Party will feature Beth Sorensen, author of "Crush At Thomas Hall". Romantic, suspenseful and sometimes funny, this novel is set in the hills of a Virginia vineyard…Read it now and be ready for the sequel out this September!

RSVP:  (856) 451-3142

Winding Down and Gearing Up

I haven't posted in a few weeks and I could make up some lame excuse but I won't. I've just been living the good life as my kids are out of school for the summer. Those who know me well know that I love summer. No school, no homework, no mom's taxi duty. Don't get me wrong, school and after activities are important, but I do enjoy the down time. Okay, so enough about my personal life.

I've been getting a lot of questions about my writing life. At this moment, it is a contradiction. It is both winding down and gearing up. I am thrilled to announce that Divorcing a Dead Man is currently in the hands of my publisher, Chalet Publishers. My writing journey with this project is nearing an end and all that will be left soon are pre-publication details and promotion. While I have struggled with this novel (but that's a different story), I am thrilled with the final result and can't wait to share it with you soon.

On the flip side of this coin, I'm gearing up for a new project. It is not an installment of the Thomas Hall series. (Don't panic, there will be more.) This means new characters, new settings, new plot arc, new everything. It's a creative time for a writer, but very time consuming. I'd love to say this is the perfect season for this because of the extra time summer brings, but we travel a lot so it will be a slower process than it should.

I'll be posting a lot of events and updates in the next couple of months, so if you haven't signed up to receive updates now might be a good time. Trust me, you don't want to miss a minute!

Sneek Peek of DIVORCING A DEAD MAN – The First Chapter

So many of my fans have asked and even begged to read the sequel to Crush at Thomas Hall, entitled Divorcing a Dead Man. The new novel will be out later this year, but I thought I'd share the first chapter with everyone today. I hope you enjoy it. 

The moment I opened my eyes, my head began to pound and I became aware something had gone terribly wrong. The air smelled of stale cigarettes and as I strained my neck to look around, I realized I was in a motel room but had no idea how I had gotten there. My first thought was that I had to get out of this place, but when I tried to sit up, I couldn't and found I was pinned down in a spread eagle position, flat on my back. My wrists and ankles were bound to the bed. The filthy bed sheets made my stomach turn and that's when I realized I was wearing nothing but a black lace bra and matching boy shorts.

I looked at the nightstand and saw a phone. Even if I could have reached it and made a call, I had no clue where I was or how I had gotten there. I closed my eyes and tried to remember anything that would have brought me to this place but my head throbbed so hard I couldn't think clearly.

From out of nowhere I realized who was responsible for this and that he was probably still in the room.

"Hello?" No answer. No footsteps. Nothing.  Silence.

I noticed the sun shining through an opening in the draperies. And then I saw him. A single beam of sunlight spotlighted my estranged husband, Tony, lying face up on the floor. His eyes open, his body motionless, and it didn't appear he was breathing. Clutched in his right hand was a scalpel and as I looked up, I noticed more surgical knives on the dresser. They were laid out haphazardly next to a cooler of partially melted ice.

I decided not to wait around to see if Tony was dead. I stretched my left arm as far as I could, managed to reach the phone cord and pulled until the phone and receiver were next to my hand. I awkwardly dialed 911 and pushed the receiver toward my ear.

"Willow Creek, 911. What's your emergency?" a voice asked.

"I've been kidnapped," I said. "I need to talk to Detective Hayes immediately."

The operator lowered her heavily-accented voice and spoke softly. "What's your name dear?"

"My name is Cassandra Martin. I was in Lucky Shots when I was taken. Brian was at the bar when it happened."

The operator gasped. "Oh thank God you're alive. The whole county is looking for you. Where in the world are you?"

"I'm not sure. I think I'm in a motel room somewhere."

"Hold on. I'll trace the call while I put you through to Detective Hayes. Officers will be on their way as soon as I have your location nailed down."

There was a moment of silence and clicking while the emergency operator patched me through to Brian's cell.

"Hello?"

I knew he would recognize my voice. "Brian, don't let anyone know it's me. Is Edward with you?"

"Y-yes." He spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Your operator is tracing this call. Please come get me, but don't tell Edward. I don't want him to see me like this."

"O-okay."

I could hear Edward's voice on the other end asking if it was news about me. When I heard the first word leave his mouth, tears began to run down my cheeks. I heard Brian tell Edward there might be a lead and told him to stay put in case someone called the house. Then I heard the door close behind him.

"Are you alright?" Brian asked. "We were all beginning to think …" He let his voice drift off and failed to complete the sentence even though we both knew how it should end. Everyone had begun to believe I might be dead.

"I know. I'm half-naked and tied to a disgusting bed in a filthy motel room. I don't know exactly where I am or how I got here but my head feels like it's about to explode."

"Okay, the emergency operator just texted me your location. You're in Bay Grove at the Ocean Breezes Motel. I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Brian, you're gonna need some help. I think Tony's dead."

I hung up the phone and laid there, waiting to hear the sound of sirens and trying to remain calm, wondering how my life had gone from bliss to total insanity. Somewhere along the way I had lost control of everything. And after a moment, I remembered exactly how it all began to unravel. It was the same way most major events in my life began, with a phone call. Actually, this time, it was a series of phone calls.

Interview with FATHOM author Ashley L. Knight ~ Part 2

As promised, I am thrilled to post the second half of my interview with Ashley L. Knight. I hope you enjoy this third and final day of FATHOM Fest, my blog's celebration of the release of FATHOM.

As a wife and mother, do you find it hard to balance your writing life and your family life?

It can be a juggle at times. I think it would be much harder for me if I had a conventional "job" rather than being a "stay at home Mom". Frankly, I don't know how those ladies do it – they're superwomen! I try to write when the children take their naps or when they go to bed at night. My husband is a very understanding and patient man. He also knows when I have to write, I HAVE to write, or I'll lose it. So he knows what I'm doing when I throw back the covers of the bed and flee from the room to attack the laptop. When the kids are up and I have the urge to write, I just turn on their favorite movie. They love movies so that's always helpful!

What advice can you give to people who say, "I have this great idea for a book, but I don't have the time to write it."?

I would say, make time. Even if it is for ten minutes a day, get it down on paper, on your laptop – anything. It starts with one foot in front of the other. Once you start the process, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to keep moving forward. I love the saying from Nemo "Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming!" - only change it to writing. If you don't start, you won't go anywhere and then one day you'll be eighty saying "If only I'd done something"! Don't live with regrets.

Do you hear from your readers much and what kind of feedback do you get from them?

I LOVE hearing from my readers! I hear from some of them in the most unusual ways at times. For instance, once I received a phone call while grocery shopping from a lady who had picked up one of my business cards while at a book signing. She just wanted to talk! It was really sweet. She asked me to hold another signing in that particular town when Fathom was released and begged me to keep writing because she loved Fins. It was really touching. Another fan sent me a Christmas card which I still have and will never throw away because the gesture meant so much to me.

 My readers have really enjoyed the new concept of merpeople being able to control when they phase and when they don't. The fact that each one has several different powers and different colored tails has been eagerly accepted. They love that there are Halfling merpeople that have the choice to be human or a merperson. It's quite interesting hearing the dialog between readers – I really enjoy it! It's always such a surprise and so emotional for me when people are so engaged in the book that they cry about it or they want to know back history of the characters or they feel so intensely about one of the characters – it's such an honor to have a reader be so engaged in your story! I've had people get teary eyed at book signings which touches my heart because my simple little tale made them feel something and really, that's all an author could ever ask for!

What would you like to tell your readers?

I love quotes; I have kept a book in which I write quotes I hear and enjoy for years now. Some of the quotes I just heard and don't have the original person who came up with it because it was never announced. But I'd like to share a few of my favorites with my readers because they mean so much to me:

"Failure doesn't come from sinking – it comes from letting your fears stop you."

"Just because people say no to you doesn't mean you should say no to yourself." – Heidi Klum

"Failure? I've never encountered it – All I ever met were temporary setbacks." – Bill Marriott

"Courage is not the absence of fear – it's doing what it takes despite one's fear."

"Don't let anyone steal your dreams – follow your heart no matter what!"

I truly believe the last one with all my heart – I believe it was Ty Murray the PRCA Champion Bullrider who told me that one way back in 1993!

Review of Ashley L. Knight's FATHOM

In Fathom, Ashley Knight's sequel to her debut novel Fins, Morgan and Thayde are attempting to lead as normal of a life as possible. However, dark forces are determined to destroy Morgan before she has begun her predestined role as "The Link" for her kind.

As the novel unfolds, the reader discovers the journey Morgan must take. She is forced by powers beyond her control to push to her physical, psychological, and spiritual strength to their limits, and sometimes beyond. In doing this, Fathom addresses many issues that young adults face; heartbreak, self-doubt, despair, love, loyalty, and the quest for a higher power to guide their lives. Mrs. Knight addresses these issues with grace and compassion through the eyes of her main character.

Fathom, the second book of the Fins series, is a must read for the young adult who loves well-developed characters who find a way to triumph, even in the most desperate situations. This rollercoaster ride carries the reader into the dark mysterious world Morgan must conquer if she is to save a nation that depends on her existence, the man she loves, and even herself. Mrs. Knight has, once again, taken mermaids to places no one could ever imagine!

Interview with FATHOM author Ashley L. Knight ~ Part 1

My good friend and writer Ashley L. Knight is celebrating the release of her latest young adult novel, Fathom, today. In honor of this event, I took a moment to ask her about Fathom, writing, family, inspiration, and life. Our interview ran a little long, so I've split it into two blogs. Enjoy!

  Can you tell us a little about Fathom, your newest release?

Fathom is a lot darker than Fins. Morgan is now eighteen and has been "Blessed" with the powers of being "The Link". She thinks she's far too young to be able to deal with all the issues of the entire merpeople race and she begins to psychologically suffer. I know many teenagers go through dark times during that stage of their life and I wanted it to be relatable to them. It is a time of darkness versus light for Morgan and more of an inward struggle than an outward one. Sometimes she feels that it shouldn't be called a "blessing" at all! This book is mostly about overcoming your fears and insecurities and facing them knowing that you were born completely equipped with what it is you are supposed to be doing with your life. Nothing in your life is arbitrary – it's all for a purpose.  

 Fathom, is the second novel in a trilogy. Can you tell us why you chose to write three different books opposed to one massive novel, like those that seem so popular in YA these days?

I wanted Fins to be a trilogy from the beginning. The Fins Trilogy is Young Adult Fantasy Fiction – it is not serious adult literature and should not be judged as so. In my opinion, YA literature should not be the length of Tolstoy's War and Peace; it's just too demanding. I'm not stating that teenagers are not able to handle the length, but with the amount of homework, school activity, outside school lessons, etc, reading gets put on the back burner sometimes. In speaking with several teachers, they really liked the length of Fins. They said it was long enough for their students to be able to write a book report but not so long that they became bored with the book, or were not able to complete it in the time allotted. That was a big concern of mine.

  What was your process for writing Fathom and the other two novels? (Fins is the first book of the trilogy and Forever is the yet to be released third book.) How was this different from other things you've written?

In university, many of my writing professors made me write a list of where I wanted the story to go, or a collage of ideas, or something. I hated doing that and yet I was forced to do it. I don't enjoy writing like that and as a result, a lot of stories I wrote were, what I considered, junk. I wrote a lot of poetry because those professors allowed me to be "free" and some of my poetry was published.

When I write, it is as if a tidal wave hits me and I have to write. I write until the wave leaves and then I have nothing left in me. Sometimes, only twenty minutes pass until another one hits and I have to write again. Other times, days go by and there is nothing. I wrote Fins in six months. Two of those months were filled with basic editing simply because nothing came to me. Fathom was much the same. There was a lot of re-writing with Fathom because I felt as if I was not getting my point across properly at times. It is a darker tale, and I'm used to writing light, happy tales. The third book will be wrapping things up, so it won't be as heavy, but this needed to happen with Morgan to show growth.

 What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

The phrase "If you don't use it, you lose it" REALLY is true. In college, I wrote all the time; that was my major. Ten years later, I decide to start writing again, and I felt like a stick in the mud! The creative juices just lagged! Finally, about a quarter of the way through Fins, things started to flow and little by little things picked up. Now, idea after idea is coming to me and I'm a bit overwhelmed with the creativity that's been pouring out. I need a bucket or two!

  What do you think makes a good story?

I know what makes me want to continue reading a story. The first beginning lines have got to grab me. If they don't, frankly I'm not interested in reading the rest of the book. I've probably missed out on a number of worthy books because of that, but I've always wanted a book to whisk me away from the beginning and blow my mind. There are millions of books out there and I want to read the ones that will take me on an adventure immediately – not on page 75.

As far as what makes a good story, I think that it is very important for the writer to be able to make their readers visualize the world you create for them. If you can get them to do that, you're gold. People want to be taken away to another world and if you're able to do that, you've written a good story. It's all about transporting my readers away for me.

 The covers for your books are gorgeous – who designed them?

I was fortunate to run into an old high school friend of mine by the name of Ken Koeberlein on Facebook. When I began chatting with him and saw some of his beautiful artwork, I asked him if he would be willing to design the cover of Fins. He was very excited to do so and took on the challenge. I gave him Fins' synopsis, and he presented me with the cover which was just lovely! I didn't think it was possible for him to exceed my expectations, but he did with Fathom's cover! It's fabulous and I can't imagine what he's going to come up with for Forever. I'm really looking forward to seeing what his artistic mind reveals! If you're interested in seeing more of his work or perhaps hiring him, please visit his website at: www.koeberdesigns.com

 I'll post the second half tomorrow. If you have any questions for Ashley, leave them in the comments section and she'll answer them for you!