A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 80
January 13, 2021
Once a Lady Blog Tour – Historical Romance – J R Salisbury
Once a LadyMayfair Series Book 5by J R SalisburyGenre: Historical Romance
CONCLUSION to book 4, Wicked Is The Duke!Lady Caroline has made a mess of her life. She flees not knowing whether her husband, the earl of Carlisle still lives. Luckily, fate has another twist for her.Enter Ewan Drummond, duke of Kirkcaldy. The handsome duke offers her a place to go while she determines what the earl is up to, if he even lives. His mother is in need of a companion. Lady Caroline’s brother, Lord Montgomery accepts on her behalf and they leave for the duke’s home in Scotland.She finds Drummond easy to talk to, but is well aware the man has secrets of his own. Why does he leave the house in the middle of the night, and where does he go?Can he be of assistance or will involving himself sully his reputation? **Only .99 cents!! **
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I’ve always been a creative individual. Writing is just a facet of that creativity…My careers in public relations in and around the entertainment industry, photography, editing, artist management, modeling and special event planning all elevated my passion for writing, not to mention gave me a treasure trove for story lines.I write women’s fiction; contemporary romance (as Jamie Salisbury) and historical romance (as JR Salisbury) which is ever evolving. I am fortunate enough that writing (and marketing of said product(s)) is my full-time job, although I always have one or two other projects going at the same time.I now live in a suburb of Atlanta. Some of my other interests include photography, equestrianism, reading, and of course, travel.I sincerely hope my writing will entertain, enlighten, and inspire others to pick up the pen and pursue their own dreams. I love to be contacted by readers, writers, and history buffs.
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January 12, 2021
Guest Post – Paula Berinstein – Writing an Historical Novel
[image error][image error][image error][image error][image error][image error]Writing a Historical Novel
Paula BerinsteinWhether their work is called time travel or historical fiction, an author who writes stories set in the past needs to deal with history. From the number of stories published in this genre you’d think it was easy, but to me it’s just about the most daunting thing a non-historian can write, whether the tale is drenched in detail or takes a broad brush approach. If you get it wrong people will scream, and chances are the story won’t work.
Photo Credit: Bernhard Rode, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Clio makes being a historian look easy—and elegant
When I began planning the Indigo series I had zero confidence that I could write an entire historical novel. In my Amanda Lester, Detective series for tweens and teens I do laborious research just to get minor details right, and it’s set in the present! I’m not sure anyone can tell, but I don’t just make up Amanda’s world. There really is such a thing as acoustic levitation (lifting things with sound waves). A person with two DNA identities really can exist: they’re called a chimera. There really is an old sugar manufacturing plant alongside the Thames. But writing an entire novel based in a place and time I know little about? That’s a tall order.
Photo credit: OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
A chimera really does exist! It’s a person with two sets of DNA.
When I decided to try my hand I got hold of a few books about South Carolina in the colonial period and began reading. Yikes, they were so dull and so packed with information my head hurt. I was absolutely sure I would never retain a thing and would have to scuttle the project.
But little by little the facts began to stick, and eventually I understood enough to concoct a basic story. I had to stop constantly and look things up—still do—and that’s not only tedious but sometimes nearly impossible. When you begin writing a scene that takes place in Charles Town in 1751 you need to know how the city was laid out, whether there were sidewalks, whether slaves were allowed to stay in inns with their masters, what kinds of boats the planters used, and a million other details. Of course you can never find them all in one source so you have to go running around looking for needles in haystacks, even when, as I did, you’ve joined the South Carolina Historical Society. (They charge for custom research, so costs can add up quickly, but if you do the work yourself it can take forever. Needless to say I’ve opted for the latter despite its drawbacks.)
Photo credit: gillingsham6 from Pixabay
Good luck finding out how Charles Town, South Carolina was laid out in 1751
As I do this work I wonder about all those writers who publish regency romances, stories set in old Scotland, and World War II adventures. How much research did they do and how long did it take? How much of what they wrote is accurate? Are they just smarter and faster than I am? I have no idea. Surely they’re not all Hilary Mantels, but you don’t have to be, do you? Imagine if that were a requirement to publish a time travel romance. They wouldn’t exist.
Photo Credit: Alina Kuptsova from Pixabay
Writing about knights is easy if it’s fantasy. Not so much if it’s history.
Photo Credit: GregoryButler from Pixabay
How much do you know about battleship engine rooms? I know diddly squat.
Photo Credit: Pete Linforth from Pixabay
The Pyramids are romantic but what do the insides look like? How do they smell? Is it hot or cold in there? Do you need a key to open the door?
If you’re a writer of historical fiction, I’d love to hear from you. Do you worry about every little fact or do you gloss over some details? Do you have a degree in history? Do you read a hundred books before getting started? How long did it take you before you felt you had a good grasp on the time and place? No matter what you say I won’t stop writing, but it would be fun to swap stories. If you’re not an author, I’d still love to hear what you think. We story lovers need to stick together.
Indigoby Paula BerinsteinGenre: Time Travel Romance, Adventure
What would you do if you suddenly found yourself mistress of an 18th-century plantation? Esther Rubens is looking forward to getting to know her new community in South Carolina and repairing her troubled marriage. But as soon as she arrives in Charleston her life begins to diverge from the idyllic picture in her mind. Her physicist husband, Melvin, is arrested for driving while black, she inherits a strange English property from a cousin she didn’t know existed, and she learns that her great-grandmother Sophie, a brilliant scientist kidnapped by the Nazis, discovered the secret of time travel of all things. Intrigued by Sophie’s cryptic journal Melvin begins to experiment with time travel, but his anger at the police makes him careless. The process backfires, killing him and throwing Esther back to 1750. Attacked by an unknown assailant the moment she arrives, she seeks protection at an indigo plantation belonging to a dashing planter with a dangerous secret, negotiating a deal that guarantees her safety. But she soon realizes she’s made a terrible mistake. What she discovers on the plantation is far more horrific than anything she could have imagined. Overwhelmed, she attempts to flee just as the planter’s mysterious, handsome brother arrives from England seeking refuge-and offering an opportunity that’s too compelling to turn down. But can he be trusted? And are the two of them strong enough to vanquish the evil that’s pervading the lowlands? Only time will tell. The first title in the Indigo series.
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Paula Berinstein (Paula B) is the author of the Amanda Lester, Detective middle-grade/YA series, which features a descendant of the Sherlock Holmes character Inspector Lestrade and is set in the English Lake District. She is also the author of a new time travel series for adults, Indigo. From 2005 to 2012, Paula produced and hosted the popular podcast The Writing Show (http://www.writingshow.com). She holds degrees in English literature and librarianship from UCLA. Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
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for special content and a giveaway! $25 Amazon giftcard– 2 winners!a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
January 11, 2021
Love and Magic – A Fantasy Romance Bundle
Love across time and space, in lands of magic and mayhem, sizzling sorcery, fairy-tale retellings and classic twists, lonely fae, passionate Vikings and demigods searching for their magic in a land of mortals. Love, passion, and magic in a fantasy/sci romance/paranormal romance bundle from:
Robert Jeschonek
Kathryn Kayleigh
Charlotte E English
A J Tipton
Kristine Grayson
A L Butcher
Barbara G Tarn
Meyari McFarland
Alexa Lynsey & Belle De Ver
Links
https://books2read.com/LoveMagicBundle
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/love-and-magic-5
Amazon https://amzn.to/3s8Ycaa
Apple Books https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1548175688
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-and-magic-kristine-grayson/1138594941
https://bundlerabbit.com/b/love-magic-fantasy-romance
A Simple Job – Blog Tour – Literary Fiction
A Simple Job
A Simple Job Series Book 1
by Kelly Kenyon
Genre: Literary Fiction
A Simple Job is a story about a family man struggling to get back on his feet financially after COVID 19. After stumbling across a secret society that may be able to help, he has to decide to continue to struggle or take a leap of faith.
Eli Asher is in hot water. He’s not sure which one is adding up faster, the lies he’s told his wife or the past due notices they are getting. He needs a job, a good job with benefits so he can take care of his family.
He thinks he has one, but loses it to a member of some secret society that he wants no part of, until his hot water starts to boil and he has no choice but to take a leap of faith. That leap takes him away from his family and on a cross country adventure where he does a series of simple jobs, working with some incredible people. He learns more about what really matters every step of the way adding depth and breadth to his understanding of himself and the world, transforming his very life.
This is an easy read that will leave you feeling good and glad you spent the time, so go a head and click the buy now button.
**Only .99 cents!!**
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Hi, I’m Kelly. I am originally from the Pacific Northwest. I’m a life coach and author. When I’m not writing I love to travel anywhere, but especially around the U.S. with Reyna my blind wiener dog and travel companion.
I recently partnered up with my friend Kirtideva Peruman (and a third private partner) in a fledgling publishing company, Eboundbooks.com. I have loved to read my entire life and after reading thousands of books I have to say the author that inspired me the most was Richard Bach. His work has had such a huge impact on my life starting in my teens. One, Bridge Across Forever, Illusions and the Ferret Chronicles are my favorites. I also love stories like Pay It Forward. I think fiction can and should do more than entertain and these are some books that did that for me.
It is my deepest desire that my stories impact readers in the same way the aforementioned stories impacted me. My goal always is to write about a diverse range of characters and challenge the reader’s views of what is possible, through quality stories that are uplifting and entertaining.
Website * eboundbooks * Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
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Excerpt
As the day wears on, Terrance is working steadily when Eli interrupts, “How do you breathe here without scuba gear?”
Eli wipes the sweat from his face for the hundredth time in the last hour. Terrance carefully lifts the tarp, looks around the cooler and slowly pulls it out. He opens the lid and reveals it’s full of partially melted ice, bottled water and Gatorade.
“I guess they make them fragile up there in the Northwest. Help yourself, if you need more, we can go get some later on.” Eli grabs one of each, opens both, then alternates between the water and Gatorade taking deep gulps of both trying to quench his thirst and replace all the fluids he has lost.
“Talk about making them fragile. You look like a kid scared of a monster under their bed moving that tarp.” Eli looked pretty pleased with himself holding his own with the big man’s ribbing.
“That’s because you reach under things without looking and you’re liable to get bit by a rattlesnake. I should’ve warned you of that from the start. We’ve got a couple different types but the one you especially do not want to cuddle with is the Eastern Diamondback. They’re much less common than they used to be but they do enjoy a nice place to catch some shade, and since humanity hit pause for a while, they’ve been around more in areas that they normally wouldn’t.”
“I’d think a guy your size could just say boo and the snake would slither off crying.” Terrance smiles at him.
“I thought you said there were great schools out there in the Northwest.” His smile turns into a Cheshire grin.
“There are, I never said I went to one.” Eli parlays back, “Can I ask you something?”
“We’ve been through this.”
“Fine, fine, what did you mean when you said you think life is challenge by choice? It’s been challenging for me lately and I sure didn’t feel like it was a choice.”
“There are always going to be challenges. A lot of times you can choose your challenge.”
“How so?” Eli interjects.
Terrance slowly ambles back over towards the work area bringing a Gatorade that he sets by his feet. “Look at how most people eat these days; they eat a bunch of stuff that’s easy. Fast food, processed food, a quick fix. Then they don’t feel good or their kids get sick all the time. Or another example school; that’s not easy paying for college and doing all the work to graduate but it’s not easy to work low-paying jobs and struggle your whole life. It seems to me like a lot of folks would be better off choosing a little more challenge up front for a lot more easy down the road.”
Eli sets an empty water bottle next to the cooler and reaches inside for another water and takes that and his half-full Gatorade back to the work area. Deep in thought, he almost trips on his hammer he had left on the ground.
January 8, 2021
NN Light Book Series Starter Event
I’m so excited to be a part of @NNP_W_Light’s Book Series Starter Bookish Event. Check out all the must-read books and enter the giveaway: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/book-series-starter-bookish-event
Giveaway Info
Enter to win an e-book bundle of all 46 books featured in the Book Series Starter Bookish Event:
https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92db775093
Open Internationally.
Runs January 12 – January 21, 2021.
Winner will be drawn on January 22, 2021.
Rafflecopter Direct Link –
https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92db775093
All spotlights will be grouped together at this link.
https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/book-series-starter-bookish-event
#bookseries #seriesstarter #books #bookish #giveaway
January 7, 2021
The Last Forest – Audio Edition
The Last Forest is now available in Audio format, narrated by Lesley Dessalles.
When humans come to fell the last forest, they are in for a nasty surprise.
A short dark fantasy tale of the wrath of nature.
January 6, 2021
Chasing Xander – Blog Tour – Contemporary #Romance
Chasing Xander
The Collins Brothers Book 2
by Lexi Lawton
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Kylie Quinn is positive nothing could be more embarrassing on her first day of college than having her unmentionables go sprawling across campus. She was wrong. Very wrong. Having a super-sexy co-ed twirl them around his finger like he’s privy to all of Victoria’s Secrets is so much worse.
Xander Collins has met his match with Kylie—she’s gorgeous, smart, sarcastic as hell, and doesn’t give a damn that he’s loaded. She’s also a virgin. And he doesn’t do virgins. Been there, done that, and he’s still paying for it. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be friends, despite the fact her flirty moves leave him with balls a shade of blue he never knew existed.
Kylie is special, and she deserves more than his typical “one and done” routine. But as his life implodes and his not-so-brilliant plan to take things slow blows up in his face, he’s at risk of losing everything—including Kylie. Now he must decide if everything he’s been fighting so hard for is worth it without her by his side.
**Only .99cents!!**
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Born and raised in Central New York, Lexi Lawton is an only child who found companionship in books. When she was old enough to put pen to paper, she began writing her own stories of love, suspense, and heartbreak. The Collins Brothers Series is her first publication—but it won’t be her last! She also writes young adult novels under the pen name Kara Leigh Miller .
Today, Lexi lives in Michigan with her husband, a herd of kids, and what could probably be considered a zoo of dogs, cats, and fish.
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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$15 Amazon giftcard,
Signed Copy of Trusting Tanner
– 1 winner each!
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January 4, 2021
Bridge of Magic Tour – Guest Post Robert E Balsley Jr. #Author Interview
Welcome to Robert E. Balsley Jr.
Author of Salvation of Innocence
The Bridge of Magic Trilogy Book 1
by Robert E. Balsley Jr.
Genre: Fantasy
What are your top 10 favorite books/authors?
The Dragon Riders of Pern series/Anne McCaffrey.
The Sword of Truth series/Terry Goodkind
The Foundation Trilogy/Isaac Asimov
The Game of Thrones series/George R.R. Martin
The Belgariad and the Malloreon/David Eddings
The Deryni series/Katherine Kurtz
The Black Company series, Garrett P.I. series/Glen Cook
Destroyermen series/Taylor Anderson
The Dresden Files/Jim Butcher
Drizzt series/R.A. Salvatore
What book do you think everyone should read? I’d like to say The Salvation of Innocence, but that’s kind of selfish. In truth, I can’t think of a book that has had, or has, more of an influence on people than the Bible. If this is a standard answer, then that would be because it’s the truth.
How long have you been writing? Books? Since late 2014. Dungeon and Dragon games? Since the mid-nineties.
Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write? Most come to me as I write. Mostly because the storyline demanded it.
What kind of research do you do before you begin writing a book? I haven’t really done any research before I write. Since I write in the fantasy genre, there’s not a lot of fact checking I need to do before I start. However, I do research as I’m writing. For example, in The Salvation of Innocence, a sea voyage was required. Instead of glossing it over, I research the construction, parts of, and manning of ships from the 1700’s, particularly British ships of the line. I studied combat strategy and envisioned how to apply that past philosophy to fight off a dragon. I also researched land combat tactics from the medieval age as well as the different types of army units and their strengths. As for the Marines I have in my trilogy, I pretty much use modern-day U.S. Marines as my guide.
Do you see writing as a career? No. The people who are successful writers have several things in common… they have talent and they either have connections or provided a story that caught the public’s imagination. I call that catching “lightning in a bottle”. I don’t think my talent level is on par with successful writers, though I may be selling myself short.
What do you think about the current publishing market? Hard to crack. I consider myself lucky that Dove and Dragon Publishing decided to take me on. But that doesn’t mean my chances at success are guaranteed… just somewhat better. Demand dictates how well my novels are received… and there’s a lot of material out there to satisfy that demand.
Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre? I do, though not as much as I used to. Too many other things to occupy my time. My favorite genre is fantasy, but I also enjoy science fiction, horror, sometimes crime, and books about WWII.
Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why? If I understand the question, I write with noise. I love writing with new age music (like Enya) in the background. Most weekdays, however, I write with FOX Business in the background. When I was writing games for my D&D sessions, I listened to classical music on my CD player. Sometimes the music inspires, sometimes it calms, sometimes it picks me up, particularly if I need to figure just exactly where I want my storyline to go (or how, which is just as important).
Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time? My books seem like they are several going at one time. I use many different storylines and characters to get from Point A to Point B. But the direct answer is one at a time.
If you could have been the author of any book ever written, which book would you choose? I think it would be the Lord of the Ring series. Those books pretty much set the standard for future fantasy books and D&D games and books.
Pen or typewriter or computer? Definitely computer. It spell checks as I write, allows me to cut and paste if and when I decide a particular storyline, paragraph, or sentence, allows me to save my work using several different formats, allows me to insert illustrations, checks basic grammar, etc, etc, etc. I know that some writers consider pen as the only pure form… but all that ever does for me is hurt my wrist, not to mention it’s slower which means my mind is always three ideas ahead.
Tell us about a favorite character from a book. I love ‘em all, but perhaps the one character I like writing about best is probably is Azriel. He’s a dwarf turned sylph who’s a bit outlandish. What I like about him is his lack of filter on both his thinking and his talking. He’s brash, short-tempered, and very opinionated. Yet he has a good heart and is willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good.
What made you want to become an author and do you feel it was the right decision? I’m retired, so I’m not earning a living with my writing, so there isn’t the financial pressure. But the decision to write was definitely the right decision. I enjoy it immensely.
A day in the life of the author? Up at about 0800-0830, depending upon when my dogs decide when it’s time. Prepare for the day, get the dogs out and make the coffee. At 0900 I turn on the FOX Business Network (Varney and Co.) and watch while getting caught up with emails and Facebook. At 1000, downstairs to my space… man cave… where I surround myself with dragons, spaceships, castles, D&D miniatures, airplanes, etc. Turn on the TV (back to FOX Business) and get started writing. I stop around 1230 for lunch and some afternoon TV. (I’m gotten to where I like to watch old-time westerns like Gunsmoke, Big Valley, Bonanza). Break for time on the treadmill, then back upstairs for a shower. Feed the dogs, watch evening TV while reading or, too my horror, get on Facebook. I call it a day around 0100. (These are just the days I stay home, which, I must admit, I really, really like.)
Advice they would give new authors? Don’t quit your day job. Being a successful writer (money wise), regardless of talent, isn’t a guarantee. It’s a fact of life. Take care of your fam
The Salvation of Innocence
The Bridge of Magic Trilogy Book 1
by Robert E. Balsley Jr.
Genre: Fantasy
A young woman embarks on a harrowing journey to save her world’s last vestige of magical healing in Robert E. Balsley Jr.’s epic new fantasy novel, The Salvation of Innocence.
Althaya, the goddess of healing, wishes to share her ability to help those in need, providing “empaths,” which give clerics the means to magically heal others-a means that some people fear and wish to destroy. In response, a dark magic known as the Purge is created to seek out and eradicate all empaths.
But one lone survivor remains, spirited away by Althaya and hidden in a magical stasis field. There, the last empath must remain alive until the time comes for rescue-but the Purge will not rest until the last empath is found and killed.
Three thousand years later, Kristen Rosilie Clearwater is only beginning to realize her destiny. Having been brought to the island of InnisRos as an orphan, she has long felt a “tug” toward something she can’t quite understand. But when she begins experiencing the dreams of a young child, Kristen knows that the two are somehow connected-and that the fate of the world, and the future of healing magic, rests on.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25928961-the-salvation-of-innocence-a-bridge-of-magic-novel
Buy Links
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KZuFPB
The Struggle For Innocence
The Bridge of Magic Trilogy Book 2
In this suspenseful sequel to The Salvation of Innocence, the war against evil rages on. This time good must fight on two fronts to stop a great evil-one strong enough to commit genocide-or their world will be changed forever.
After barely escaping death at the hands of the vampire Lukas, Emmy still faces an even greater threat. The Purge is approaching. Emmy and her comrades’ only chance is to get help from the sentient city of Elanesse and commit the first assault.
Far way, another conflict is brewing. Father Horatio Goram must face off against the power-hungry First Counselor Mordecai Lannian, whose demonic concubine pushes for war, but the odds are against him. Emmy’s fate rests on this struggle, and this determined priest will do anything to win.
In a realm where healing magic relies on a single emissary’s ability to commune with the gods, Emmy’s death would have wide repercussions. This sensational thriller reveals the destructive power evil will use to achieve its dastardly ends-and the depths to which good must go to stop it.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33906479-the-struggle-for-innocence
Buy Links
Amazon: https://amzn.to/38b53bo
The Loss of Innocence
The Bridge of Magic Trilogy Book 3
War has come to InnisRos!
The Ak-Séregon Stone, stolen by the demon Nightshade, has been used to force open a corridor between Aster and the Svartalfheim, the home world of the Dark Elves. The Dark Elf army, led by Nightshade’s father, Aikanáro, marches on InnisRos. Only Father Goram and his allies, with Queen Lessien’s army, can close down the corridor and break the stranglehold the Dark Elves have on the island of the Elves of Light.
But the Dark Elf invasion of InnisRos is only one phase of Nightshade’s design. To ensure InnisRos’ human allies stay on their side of the world, she blackmails Lord Ternborg, leader of the Draugen Pesta, the Black Death, to invade the mainland from the east. Forced to collaborate with the mercenary cities of HeBron and Madeira, Lord Ternborg reluctantly leads three armies into the Forest of the Fey and the surrounding valley to capture the sorcerer stronghold of Havendale. Tangus, Kristen, Emmy and the humans now have their own war to fight on the mainland.
Meanwhile, deep below the surface, a new threat arises. The sylph are awake and moving from the depths with one goal in mind… destroy all life on Aster.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55884064-the-loss-of-innocence
Buy Links
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3hBnQQb
Legacy of the Mask Tales – On Tour 11th Feb – 11th March
If you would like to sign up to host me and my Legacy of the Mask series please use the link below. https://www.silverdaggertours.com/tour-sign-ups/legacy-of-the-mask-tour-sign-ups
I will update with further details nearer the time.
January 3, 2021
Dirty Dozen Author Interview – Rebecca Miller
Welcome to Rebecca Miller
Please tell us about your publications/work. My writing credits include being a freelance journalist for The Inquisitr, The Weekly Register-Call, The Daily Camera, and the Earthkeeper. My books include Libertine Awakenings: A Psychosexual Odyssey under my pen name, Cat Ravenelle, and Being Max’s Mom under my birth name. These were self-published through IUniverse and KDP, respectively. I also did transcription work for President Obama. The Whisper is my latest novel.
Do you think the written word (or art) bring power and freedom? Absolutely. Writing The Whisper was incredibly empowering for me and helped me heal from the traumas I’d witnessed as a hospice nurse as well as attending my brother’s death. Writing shapes history facilitates change, educates, and informs. It’s cliché, but the pen is mightier than the sword.
What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you started your publishing journey? Buy a she-shed and hide from your family members. Seriously, if I had a nickel for every time I’ve been interrupted….
What’s your greatest networking tip? The Power of Three. Tell three people three times a day about your book. That can be in a post or a conversation—it’s a bit exhausting, but it works.
If you could have dinner with any literary character or author, who would you choose, and what would you eat. Judy Blume. I’d take her to Le French and have some wine and a Salade Nicoise.
How much research do you do for your work? What’s the wildest subject you’ve looked at? WELL, since you asked. For this book, it was my life, so that part was easy, BUT for my erotic fiction, I actually went to swingers clubs and observed. I had a notebook in my purse. It was pretty interesting, and no, I didn’t participate. I’m too much of a germaphobe for that type of behaviour. I found the lack of hand sanitizer and protection disturbing.
How influential is storytelling to our culture? It’s essential to the survival of us as a species. We are doomed to repeat history…as evidenced by our current situation. We need to tell our ancestors’ stories to continue that lineage and tell our own stories. As I’ve aged, I’ve noticed how life does spin in a bit of a spiral. Right now, I’m having my students read part of The Decameron and thinking about how they’ve survived our recent lockdowns. We are not that different from our peers in 1300 in how we deal with forced isolation and an invisible enemy.
What’s the best advice you’ve received about writing/publishing? Don’t give up. And don’t be afraid. You can’t please everybody. Like I’ve told my friends, I’m not everyone’s cup of tea, but I am someone’s double vodka.
What’s the worst piece best advice you’ve received about writing/publishing? Just publish and don’t worry about being perfect—it was referring toward just barfing words on a page and hitting send. Whereas I can get behind the idea of writing drunk, edit sober, you need to edit again and again—but not get crippled. Finally, letting go of my manuscript and giving it to the world is…was…right this moment, terrifying.
If you could be any fantasy/mythical or legendary person/creature, what would you be and why? Wonder Woman. Spin in a circle, and BAM. Outfit changed.
Which authors have influenced you the most? Judy Blume was the first author who I blame for my desire to become a writer. I read a TON of feminist lit in college. Books by Ram Dass and Pema Chodron sit on my shelf. All hail Virginia Woolf.
What is your writing space like? I have a desk in a shared home office, and I literally have a screen I put up in a vain attempt to send the message to leave me alone. It doesn’t work. I have headphones, and I have to listen to low-fi to block out the noise. I can track my writing sprints by how many coffee cups, diet Coke cans, and wine glasses are balanced around me. I’ve tried writing in coffee houses, my bedroom, even sat on the floor in my bathroom, but they STILL find me. Hence, the request for a she-shed. Might have to put up an electric fence. Too many kids….
Tell us about your latest piece? The Whisper is a story about love and absolution. More than that, it’s my story. I worked as a crisis hospice nurse for four years. I am Rose McWhorter. Everything in the story is true but written in a way that protects my patients’ identities. In The Whisper, I tell the story about what it’s like to be a hospice nurse and what happens when we die. While it’s not intended to be a religious book, it is spiritual. The whisper I heard to become a nurse, to the final whisper that told me my work was done came from God. I didn’t know it at the time, but my life profoundly changed. I learned self-forgiveness, trust, regained my family and fell in love with being alive.
What’s your next writing adventure? Probably try to work on Book 2 of Libertine Awakenings. I have it on jump drive but never continued.
What are your views on authors offering free books? Do you believe, as some do, that it demeans an author and his or her work? Nah. It’s like dark chocolate. If I get it for free, I’m still going to appreciate it. And, if no one eats it, no one gets to experience the sweetness of it. Which reminds me, I have some in my desk drawer.
My son and I do art shows showcasing young people with autism. The thrill these kids get having their art up for display reinforces my stance on the free book. If no one sees your art, no one can enjoy your art or be influenced by it. I’m delighted to have my work shared.
What are your views on authors commenting on reviews? Depends. If someone is a troll, I think you have the right to defend yourself.
How do you deal with bad reviews? Weep bitterly and grab my voodoo doll.
Sort these into order of importance:
Good plot 2
Great characters 1
Awesome world-building 3
Technically perfect 4
With the influx of indie authors, do you think this is the future of storytelling? I think it’s great. It’s freeing. The idea of the “vanity press” is an act of, well, vanity is long gone. I think it helps contribute to the diversity of authors and that diversity can show us the world through someone else’s eyes.
Is this the age of the e-book? Are bricks and mortar bookshops in decline? As long as there are dinosaurs like me and hipsters like my son, the bookstores will survive.
Are indie/self published authors viewed with scepticism or wariness by readers? Why is this? It’s all about myth-busting. So I didn’t get picked up by Penguin. Does that make me any less than a writer? Usually, if I get this type of snark, I’ll ask them about their latest publications. Crickets. To write, and then to publish takes guts. And time.
What is your greatest success? Being Max’s mom—he is the light of my life. He’s changed me in ways that I cannot monetize. I learn from my son every single day, especially now during COVID. He’s taught me how to use Google Classroom so I can teach my students.
How important is writing/art to you? During this crisis I have learned that art and music are essential. Writing kept me going. The arts are what makes us human.
What are your hopes for the coming year? Try to survive the last push of COVID19 and all its trimmings, attempt to salvage my son’s senior year of high school, and hopefully get a couple trips in once it is safe to move. I’m not sure what my next move is writing wise. 2020 taught me that plans can change, so go with the flow.
Tell us a silly fact about yourself. I still compete in beauty pageants and I’m a highland athlete. Weird combo.
What did you want to be when you ‘grew up’? Not a nurse! I wanted to be a writer. I ended up a hybrid, that’s ok.
Links to book
Links —I think you already have them.
Bio I live in Denver, Colorado and I work as adjunct faculty for my local community college teaching nursing arts, anatomy and physiology, and medical terminology. Writing is my side job while I’m on sabbatical. My love, Dennis, and I share our home with three boys, two cats, and have adopted a feral cat named Darryl who lives in our backyard catching mice and chasing bunnies.
For fun, post-COVID, we look forward to traveling overseas, skiing, taking the kids to Disney, supporting the local arts, but during the pandemic, we love working in our garden, supporting local biz via takeout, and firing up the smoker. We are grateful.
