A.L. Sowards's Blog, page 15

Author Interview with Braden Bell

Attention all fans of middle school magic, today’s blog guest is Braden Bell, author of The Kindling. Here’s the tag line from the book’s cover: Homework? Of course. Crushes? Sure. But who knew seventh grade included superpowers? Braden teaches theater and music at a private middle  school in Tennessee, so he knows teenagers. He’s also the author of The Road Show and blogs frequently.

List five movies you LOVE:

It’s a Wonderful Life—it reminds me of what’s important. I’m a school teacher with a large family, so material things are not among my blessings. This movie reminds me of the blessings I do have. Plus, Jimmy Stewart is a hero of mine.

Candleford Technically not a movie—a BBC mini-series but the writing is brilliant and the acting perfect.

Casablanca The scene where they sing La Marseilles in defiance of the Nazis gives me chills. And Bogart and Bergman—can’t beat it. They had class then, style, panache!

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World Not perhaps the greatest art in the world, but it’s a multi-generational family tradition. It’s a fun way to kill three hour and makes me laugh every time I watch it.

The Scarlet and the Black It’s a little known movie with Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer about a fearless priest in the Vatican during the Nazi occupation of Rome and his incredible efforts to save Jews and escaping Allied soldiers. True story of incredible courage.

It’s a Wonderful Life was a Christmas tradition at my parent’s house, and I love Casablanca. I’ll have to add The Scarlet and the Black to my to-see list.

List four books you’re read recently that you liked:

Dispirted by Luisa Perkins

Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens

The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

I’ve been so busy writing and critiquing that I fear I’ve not had much time to read!

Favorite book from when you were younger?

Anything with the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew.

Favorite Shakespeare play:

There is something so wonderfully creepy about Macbeth that captured my imagination in high school.

“Wonderfully creepy” is a great way to describe Macbeth. I really like that play.

List three people you admire and explain why.

Winston Churchill: His absolute, unflinching determination, unconquerable spirit pulled a country through impossible odds and quite literally saved Western Civilization as we know it. He drank too much, smoked incessantly, and slept in far too long. He conducted much of the business of the war from his bathtub. He had a wicked wit and quick tongue. And we have a similar physique.

George Washington: I really believe he’s one of the best people that’s ever lived. His decency, modesty, and self-control were unique. He could have been a dictator or king, but chose not to be. He gave up power in a way few people would have and served at tremendous sacrifice, during the war and again as president.

Margaret Thatcher: I haven’t read as much about her as the other two, but she is a fascinating person. One of the strongest leaders of the 20th century. She had an enormous impact on the outcome of the Cold War and stood consistently on principle. A very strong person.

Writing advice you’d give to others?

Just do it. Do it the way it works. Learn from other people, seek honest feedback, but just do what works for you.

When did you start writing?

When I was young—perhaps 9 or 10?

What are you working on now?

The sequel to The Kindling and also a YA novel.

What process do you go through as you get a book ready for submission?

I have wonderful critique partners. Then I have as many readers as I can. I do lots and lots of revisions and try to have as many honest critics read my work as I can. Since I’m a teacher, I am fortunate in that I can draw from my students to get a lot of readers who give me honest feedback and excellent suggestions.

Here’s the back-cover blurb from Bell’s latest book: All thirteen-year-old Conner Dell wants to do is pass pre-algebra, play lacrosse, and possibly kiss Melanie Stephens. He didn’t mean to set anyone’s gym shorts on fire or make school lunches explode. But now that the strange powers inside him have been ignited, Conner’s normal teenage life is about to go up in flames!

To learn more about Braden or purchase The Kindling, visit his website. Thanks for being part of my blog today, Braden! Keep scrolling down to see the book trailers:

Filed under: Author Interviews

Book Review: Carnival Girl

Today I’m doing something I’ve never done before: I’m reviewing a book on my website. I often enjoy mid-twentieth century memoirs, so when this opportunity came up, I decided to try it. I received a copy of the book for free in exchange for my review. I value my readers enough that I’ll be completely honest with my opinion.

First, the book’s synopsis (from goodreads):  The only life little Sonja Francesco has ever known is traveling the carnival circuit and living with her five siblings in a tiny caravan home. The family never stays anywhere long enough for Sonja to make friends or develop roots. The only one in her family, Sonja always believed in God and wants to belong to a church.

At fourteen, Sonja meets the Mormon missionaries and develops a strong testimony of the truth of the Gospel. But can she live the commandments while traveling with the carnival and running one of the attractions every Sunday? Will it be possible for her to leave her family’s life behind and live the life she has always dreamed of?

This story is told as a series of flashbacks to Sonja’s childhood. Each chapter begins in the present, with Sonja and her mother, Magot, then changes to the past and paints a picture of Sonja’s early life. Sonja’s family lives in a caravan and travels from town to town to put up a merry-go-round and other carnival attractions for local festivals. Like many people in post-war Germany, the family struggles with poverty.

Margot, the mother, joined the circus during WWII to hide from the Nazis. I would have liked to know more about her history (I guess I’ll have to readWalk on a Wirewhen it comes out). I was curious how Sonja’s parents met, and about what made Margot lose her faith. She seemed to have liked the circus, but I guess living through WWII as a half-Jewish woman would have been traumatic enough, even if no one ever questioned her hiding place. Knowing more details might have helped me like Margot more than I did. As it was, Margot was a bit of a Scarlet O’Hara type character: beautiful, hardworking, and determined to survive, but not very kind. Margot didn’t ruin her sister’s lives (like Scarlet did), but she did call her children derogatory nicknames and had some marriage difficulties.

Sonja’s character was much more likeable. We’re introduced to a child who just wants to be a good girl. She wants her family to like her, but her family is under a lot of stress. She had a pet dog that helps her feel less lonely, and eventually begins to learn about God. Readers that love conversion stories will enjoy Sonja’s dream, her introduction to the missionaries through English classes, and her determination to join the church despite her parent’s disapproval.

Sonja gradually beings to yearn for a more normal life. She’d like a home—or at least an apartment. She’d like to make friends and keep them for more than a week or two. And she’d like to be able to attend church on Sunday instead of working at her parent’s carnival. Eventually she gets that, but it comes at the cost of a broken family, and that made me sad.

I’d classify this as a coming of age story and a conversion story. It’s a book I’ll remember, and I think it will give me extra encouragement to make sure my children know they are loved. It’s a good reminder that people can overcome hardships and still find joy with life. Don’t pick Carnival Girl up expecting it to read like a fast-paced novel. And for you history buffs, this book does take place during some interesting times (from the end of WWII to the early 60s), but global events are far in the background. Sonja’s family wasn’t involved in the cold war. But if you want a poignant read about a girl growing up in a different time with a very different lifestyle, you should give this book a chance.

Carnival Girl: Searching for God in the Aftermath of War

Published by Cedar Fort Books, 2012, 216 pages, available for purchase on Amazon.

Visit Sonja online at her website, booksite, blog, or facebook page.

Filed under: Reading

Author Interview with Sonja Herbert

Today and tomorrow I’m featuring author Sonja Herbert on my blog. She recently released a memoir, Carnival Girl: Searching for God in the Aftermath of War (I’ll be reviewing the book tomorrow, so come back and visit again). I’ll focus on the book tomorrow, but today, here’s an interview with this extraordinary woman.

List five movies you LOVE:

The new Star Trek, Galaxy Quest, Conspiracy Theory, Somewhere in Time, Independence Day

If you were stuck in an airport with nothing else to read, would you rather have a copy of Twilight or Hunger Games?

No question, Hunger Games, even though I found Twilight well written, too. Sparkling vampires are just not my cup of tea.

Item(s) you’re willing to splurge on:

Anything electronic. I’d love to have an iPad or a Fire Kindle.

Can you tell us a funny story from your childhood?

I remember how my mother learned to drive a car. It was funny, and it’s also a chapter in my memoir!

That chapter made me really, really grateful for my washing machine. Do you have any hidden talents?

I love to knit and crochet. Don’t tell anyone, but I even have a knitting machine!

OK, we’ll keep the knitting machine a secret. Best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Write every day, even if it’s only one sentence!

When did you start writing?

At 24. I had just immigrated to the U.S. and send a real life story to a women’s magazine. Naturally, it was rejected.

What are you working on now?

A middle grade fantasy about a German boy and a Navajo boy finding the silver mine on the reservation.

How do you come up with ideas for your books?

They’re almost always something I experienced, or read.

Pick a character from one of your books and tell us about him or her:

Margot Edel, my mother. She’s not only a big presence in my memoir, Carnival Girl, but she’s also the main character in my historical novel, Walk on a Wire. Margot is half-Jewish (she’s still alive at 91 and lives in Germany), and she survived the Nazis by hiding in a circus. I was born in a circus.

You can visit Sonja online at her website, booksite, blog, or facebook page.

Filed under: Author Interviews

Hitler and Revenge

You’ve probably heard the saying “revenge is a dish best served cold” (often attributed to the Klingons). Apparently, it’s something Adolf Hitler missed, and today I’m going to make the wild assertion that Hitler lost WWII because he went for revenge too soon.

The first example is the Battle of Britain, in the late summer and fall of 1940. The Luftwaffe outnumbered the Royal Air Force dramatically, so the British had to fight smarter. And for a while it worked, in large part because of radar (which Germany didn’t have yet) and the RAF’s sector stations that relayed the latest radar information to their fighters, allowing them to attack where they’d be most effective. But eventually the Luftwaffe figured out that all the chatter they were hearing over the airwaves was working against them, and they attacked, causing significant damage to six of the seven sectors in southern England. The RAF pilots were outnumbered, overworked, and were suddenly without their secret weapon. The tide of battle started to turn against them.

Then a group of German bombers, out to bomb aircraft factories and oil stores, got lost. They bombed downtown London instead. The British assumed it was deliberate, that Germany had purposely bombed civilians. So they retaliated and bombed Berlin. The raid didn’t cause much damage, but it weakened the German people’s faith in Hitler and Air Marshall Goering, who had promised Berlin couldn’t be bombed. Hitler was furious. So rather than finishing off the RAF by attacking airfields, radar and section stations, and aircraft factories, Hitler focused on English cities. The civilian causalities were awful, but British public opinion stiffened against Germany and the Royal Air Force lived to fight another day. Germany never achieved complete air superiority over Great Britain, and the planned invasion of England never occurred.

The second example occurred the next spring. German diplomats battered the government of Yugoslavia into signing an alliance. When the Yugoslav diplomats returned home, they were quickly overthrown by the Yugoslav military, backed by popular support. The new Yugoslav regime revoked the treaty, but offered to sign a nonaggression pact. That wasn’t enough for Hitler. His military was gearing up for a massive invasion of the Soviet Union, but he postponed it so the German army could punish the Yugoslavs for being so uncooperative.

Germany subdued Yugoslavia in the month of April, 1941. It was a successful military venture, but it delayed the attack on the Soviet Union by at least four weeks. When interviewed after the war, most members of the German military with insight into the Barbarossa attack estimated that they’d only needed an extra three to four weeks to finish off the Red Army before the cold of winter halted their Eastern progress. In essence, Hitler lost Russia because he was busy taking out his revenge on Yugoslavia.

Hitler could have finished off the RAF and then bombed England as much as he wanted. He probably could have invaded (and won). And Yugoslavia could have been humbled after the Red Army was defeated. But in some ways it’s a good thing Hitler was so quick to anger. Can you imagine how the war would have played out if Britain had been invaded and the Soviet Union defeated? I have a hard time believing that a D-day type invasion launched from Iceland could have been successful.

Aren’t we glad Hitler didn’t watch Star Trek?

Filed under: History

Author Interview with Rachelle Christensen

Today I’m delighted to have Rachelle Christensen on my blog. In addition to being the author of two suspense novels and a nonfiction work, Rachelle is an avid reader. She likes running, cooking, volleyball, music, and card-making. She is married and has four children: two girls and two boys.

Favorite book from when you were younger?

The Chronicles of Narnia which I’m reading to my girls right now and it’s so fun to watch them get excited about the story!

If you were stuck in an airport with nothing else to read, would you rather have a copy of Twilight or Hunger Games?

The Hunger Games. I want to read that one again—it’s amazing.

Favorite quote:

I love inspirational quotes! I do a Thursday thought section on my blog so it’s hard for me to choose one favorite, but I’ll try.

No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.

–Eleanor Roosevelt

What have you read lately?

I’m having fun getting some summer reading in with Under Oath by Margaret McLean, Daughters of Jared by H.B. Moore, Caribbean Crossroads by Connie Sokol, Surrender by Elana Johnson, and next on my list is an advanced review copy of After Hello by Lisa Mangum!

Best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Keep writing what you love and write because you love it.

Writing advice you’d give to others?

Find out what works best for you. Just because a NYT best-selling author shares his/her proven method to write doesn’t mean it will work perfectly for you. For example, I have young children so I have to write in snatches or try to get up earlier than my boys who wake at 6am right now. I know some writers who say you shouldn’t even bother unless you have 2 hours to write. If I had followed that advice, none of my books would have been written.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on book two of my new series about a wedding planner who solves mysteries. I’m having a blast with this cast of characters and can’t wait until I can announce news about book one!

How do you come up with ideas for your books?

Well, I just went on a beautiful trip to Kauai and researched for book two—I know, rough, huh? You can see my travelogues on my blog.

Here’s the book trailer for Rachelle’s most recent release, Caller ID.

[image error]

Filed under: Author Interviews

The 68th Anniversary of D-day

Today is the 68th anniversary of D-day. In honor of the men who fought so hard to secure our freedom, I’m posting some pictures from the World War II memorial in Washington, DC. I hope you enjoy them.

“We don’t build memorials to war – we build memorials to those who fight wars, to the millions who wear their country’s uniform, to the even greater numbers on the home front who support them with their labor and their love, and to the precious freedom we fight to preserve.
“War represents the ultimate failure of mankind. Yet it also summons the greatest qualities of which human beings are capable: courage beyond measure, loyalty beyond words, sacrifice and ingenuity, and endurance beyond imagining.” Bob Dole

The memorial was built to honor “the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S. during World War II, the more than 400,000 who died, and the millions who supported the war effort from home… Above all, the memorial stands as a symbol of American national unity, a timeless reminder of the moral strength and awesome power of a free people united and bonded together in a common and just cause.”

The field of stars represent Americans killed during the war, with each star representing 100 deaths. There are 4048 stars.

“Here we mark the price of freedom”

During the war, you could see banners hanging in the homes of many Americans. On the banners were stars to represent family members in the service: blue for those living, gold for those who had died.

The memorial includes two arches:

to reprepresent the Atlantic Theater

and the Pacific Theater.

Inside the arches are sculptures of eagles holding up wreathes.

Surrounding the memorial are 56 columns.

The 56 columns represent the 56 US states and territories involved in the war.

The pillars are joined with sculpted rope to show unity.

24 bas reliefs decorate the memorial,

depicting scenes from both theaters and from the homefront.

“Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifice.” President Harry S. Truman

Today I am remembering those brave men who fought on the beaches of Normandy, marking the beginning of the end to Hitler’s reign. And today I have a special thank you for all who served during WWII, during our other conflicts, and those who serve our country now.

Pictures and information on the memorial courtesy of my sister Melanie (she deserves a big thanks too!).

Filed under: History

Interview and a book giveaway

Today Linda Weaver Clarke is posting an interview with me on her blog! She’s also hosting a giveaway for a copy of Espionage, so if you haven’t read it yet, or if you think someone on your Father’s Day list might like it, leave a comment on Linda’s blog. While you’re there, check out the information on her latest book, Desert Intrigue.

Filed under: Espionage, Me, Elsewhere on the Web

Author Interview with Sherry Ann Miller

Sherry with her husband.

Today’s guest is Sherry Ann Miller, author of over a dozen books. She grew up in Utah and California and now lives in Washington. She has seven children and lots of grandchildren! Welcome, Sherry!

 

Five movies you LOVE:

I’m a Jane Austen fan, so any of the movies made from her novels. I also like the Harry Potter movies, the Twilight saga, especially Breaking Dawn Part 1. I like the fact that Bella Swan Cullen would give up her life for the life of her child, a concept I totally understand because I’m the mother of seven and grandmother of twenty-seven, and I would gladly give my life for any one of them.

Items you’re willing to splurge on:

Tuscan melon. Filet Mignon.

List three people you admire and explain why.

Rachel Ann Nunes inspires me to be a better writer than I am, and to never give up. J.K.Rowling inspires me to be a better writer. Russell M. Nelson, who told me I am an excellent writer, gave me the courage to believe in myself.

If you had a time machine, when would you like to visit?

1700-1900 England, specifically Cornwall and Devonshire.

What household chore do you have the hardest time keeping up with?

Laundry and bathrooms in equal proportion.

Writing advice you’d give to others?

Never give up. Believe in yourself. If you don’t feel you’re good enough, take a class (or a dozen classes, if need be). But, never give up.

What are you working on now?

Listing to Port is the tender and touching tale of Natalia Chamberlain, a registered nurse working at a hospital in Seattle, and the impact two men will have on her life as she struggles through an unusual illness that leaves her stronger than it can ever weaken her. A love triangle like no other, Listing to Port will impact your life forever as you strive to become a better person.

What is your favorite thing about writing?

It allows me to “do” things I’ve always wanted to do, and it gives me an abundance of opportunities to research topics that interest me. I love doing the research necessary to write a convincing novel.

What process do you go through as you get a book ready for submission?

I have two favorite editors who do a good job of ripping my WIP to shreds. I’m thankful for their insight and tenacity to details.

Here’s the first chapter of Sherry’s most recent release, Victoria’s Lullaby. Thank you, Sherry, for being part of my blog!

Filed under: Author Interviews

Interview

Today Joan Sowards is featuring me on her blog! You can read a little about my writing and the story of why I don’t like deviled eggs.

Filed under: Me, Elsewhere on the Web

Author Interview with Jaclyn Hawkes

Today’s author interview is part of a blog tour for Jaclyn Hawkes’s latest book, The Most Important Catch, an LDS romantic suspense novel. Jaclyn M. Hawkes grew up in Utah with 6 sisters, 4 brothers and any number of pets.  (It was never boring!)  She received a Bachelor’s degree, had a career, and traveled extensively before settling down to her life’s work of being the mother of four magnificent and sometimes challenging children.  She loves shellfish, the outdoors, the youth, and hearing her children laugh.  She and her fine husband, their family, and their sometimes very large pets, now live in a mountain valley in northern Utah, where it smells like heaven and kids still move sprinkler pipe. I’m happy to have Jaclyn on my blog for an interview today!

Favorite quote:

“Don’t listen to that mocking little voice telling you to be more realistic. Ignore it. You can either accept reality as it is, or create it as you want it to be.” Michael Hyatt

What household chore do you have the hardest time keeping up with?

Windows. Definitely windows. My husband has a new hunting puppy that conspires against me.

3 people I admire.

My husband. He’s the greatest man I know. He’s wise, competent, adorable, and incredibly patient, thank goodness!

My mother. She raised 11 kids and is aging so graciously. That can’t be easy.

And my oldest daughter. She’s all the things I’d love to be. I can’t even believe she came from me. She’s amazing and I definitely admire her.

Best writing advice I’ve ever received.

The same as the best life advice I’ve ever received, never give up. If it truly matters, never, ever give up!

When did you start writing?

I started randomly writing in May of ’08. In the first year I wrote 9 books, which at the time, I didn’t realize was bizarre. Now, even I’m amazed. I’d never wanted to be a writer before that. In fact, I hated English all the way through college. But there were these ideas in my head that kept picking at me. Now I realize that this is truly what I’m supposed to be doing, but finding that out was an adventure. Who knows?

What are you working on now?

Oh my! I have 9 other books in the pipeline, 4 in the rough writing stage, and a handful of outlines waiting for me to find the time to write them. Not to mention all the ideas knocking around in my head. The writing isn’t the problem. It’s this marketing that makes me nuts. My next published project will be out in late September. It’s a great love story with some action and suspense thrown in! You’ll have to read it to find out what it’s about!

What process do you go through as you get a book ready for submission?

Nothing is regular because I have 4 children and a husband and earth life calls, but I do have a process. Initially, ideas begin to roll around in my brain. When a story begins to come together, I’ll start to jot things down. At some point, I’ll organize everything into an outline that is usually about 4 or 5 pages long. (My outlines include my character sketches.) Then, I’ll start to write and sometimes I don’t follow my outline. I keep adding ideas as I go and do some minimal editing. When I’m finally finished with the first draft, I’ll do between 3 and 8 edits—some right away and some after it has “rested” for awhile. I also have a final checklist that includes fixing my funky writing foibles, (the ones I’m aware of anyway), taking out the extra thats, correcting dialogue tags, etc. Then it goes to critical readers, after which I incorporate any ideas I agree with. Next, I send it to a professional editor. While it’s being edited, I get started on the other “preflight” stuff. Back blurb, ad copy, approving cover design, lining up endorsements, and the whole MARKETING project. (Bleck! The big ugly for me). And don’t forget the victory dance when I first hold my new book in my hand and try not to squeal.

You can find Jaclyn at her website, on twitter (@JaclynMHawkes), or on facebook. If you’d like to see more posts in this blog tour, you can visit the schedule at The Book Bug. Here’s the synopsis for The Most Important Catch:

She knew too much, and she’d seen too much. And the police refused to help. Knowing that she was to be the next scheduled death, Kelly Campbell hid under head to toe black leather and a tinted motorcycle helmet and ran for her life.

When the weather turned cold, she turned south. She ended up in North Carolina, home to one of the most famed and eligible NFL football stars in the whole league; only she didn’t know that. She thought he was a businessman. Not being a huge fan, all she knew was that he was incredibly attractive, kind, generous, and that she was safe with him. Or was she?

His brand of fame proved to be all but deadly, but his fame wasn’t nearly as lethal as his attraction. He kept her safe and protected. All except her heart.

Filed under: Author Interviews