Ingrid Hall's Blog, page 46

Interview with John Phelps

 

Afternoon John, apologies for my absolutely appalling time keeping.  Let’s kick things straight off: Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a grey-haired, pot-bellied grandfather impatiently waiting for retirement. I have a great wife of 33 years, 3 grown children plus 3 grandchildren. Unfortunately, we live where the weather is nice (Arizona) and they all live where the weather is not nice (Central NY).

Yes, but it must be wonderful catching up with them! Tell me, Is writing your full time career?

In my day job, I manage a Software Quality Assurance team in Tempe, AZ. We’re responsible for testing software used by large enterprises to ensure compliance with various federal and state regulations. I spend about 2-3 hours a day commuting to and from that day job which leaves me little time to write.

I can see how that would be a challenge! What is the worst job that you have ever done, and why?

I once sold vacuum cleaners door to door. I quit after failing to convince my parents to buy one.

I have sold many things door to door, but thankfully vacuum cleaners isn’t one of them! If you could have written any other book by any other author, what would it be, and why?

Probably Misery or Cujo by Stephen King. It manages to scare the hell out of the reader without asking you to believe in ghosts or demons.

Anyone who knows me will know that Stephen King is one of my all time favourite authors! How would you think your parents would describe your book? Does this differ from how you would describe it?

Neither of them finished it; my father described it as a ‘Dirty Book’. He said the same thing about The Sopranos.

Never seen The Sopranos, but my husband loves it! What Genre is your work – Do you have any plans to work outside of it?

Some reviewers have described Visits as a psychological thriller so I’ll go with that. As far as working outside that genre, I probably will but won’t stray too far.

Visits is on our list…What inspired you to write your first book?

I’ve always wanted to write a book. When I was a teenager, my parents bought me a portable Smith-Corona manual typewriter on which I pounded out what I thought was bound to be a classic. I don’t remember what it was about but I do recall using a lot of white-out.

Do you have a structure when you are writing, and if so what?

Nope, I just write. Sometimes I know what I want to happen but not how to write it so I just stick random notes in the manuscript.

Yeah, I used to write notes in the manuscript a lot and then go back to them, however  with The Tunnel of Love, the Novella that I am currently working on, I am making myself go over and over each section until it flows at least sort of coherently. Which was your favourite character to write, and why?

I’ve only written one book so far and that had one main character. But even if I write dozens more, Tony Lansing will always have a special place in my heart. You’ll have to get a copy of Visits to find out why.

Left or right and why?

Right handed conservative. Although, I have heard a few decent ideas coming from the left.

Great answer! What is your favourite movie and why?

The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I’m not usually into fantasy but I read these books when I was younger and the movies reminded me how good they were. I have watched each of the three 10-12 times and will watch them again.

Do you have an opinion on life after death, and if so what?

I believe we go somewhere; not sure where. I hope it’s a better place.

When you eat out would you choose Chinese, Indian or Italian, or other, if so what?

How about Buffalo Chicken Wings? Hot with a few cold beers.

Well, I am a veggie so the chicken wings wouldn’t work for me, the beer sounds good though! What do you have in the pipeline?

A couple things; both are stuck behind a case of writers block. One is somewhat like Visits with a female villain. The other is a first-person account of three best friends doing something that they quickly regret.

If you are blocked with those two ideas work on a something else.  I always find that if I am struggling with one thing I can crack on with a different project.  At least that way I feel like I am being productive and I don’t end up ripping my hair out (Well, not too much, anyway!) What inspired you to be a writer?

I’m not sure; I’ve always wanted to write and have had many stories running through my head. I finally sat down and wrote Visits a few years back. But there are still a few stories floating around in the grey matter.

What is your earliest childhood memory?

I remember playing in the backyard when I fell on a rock and opened up my knee. I thought I was going to die but all I needed was a band-aid and a kiss from Mom.

Aw. If only life were that simple when we grew up!  Where would you like to be in 5 year time?

Well, I hope I’m alive in 5 years and if so, I wouldn’t mind doing another author interview. Perhaps on the Tonight Show.

If you only had 60 seconds remaining on this planet, what would you say, and who would you say it to?

I’d thank my wife for spending the best 33 years of my life with me.

What advice would you give your 18 year old self?

Don’t buy that ’68 Firebird!

Do you have a football/soccer team that you are passionate about and if so what?

Arizona Diamondbacks in baseball; they’re the hometown team and we go to 15 or so games a year. For football, it’s a toss between the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills (born there) and the New York Giants (grew up in Central NY).

John, you are a sweetheart! Thank you so much for talking to me today and I am sure there are a few surprises rattling around in that grey matter of yours waiting to come out!

Visits by John Phelps is available by clicking the following link:

http://www.amazon.com/Visits-John-Phelps/dp/1468176188/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

You can also find him at http://www.john-phelps.com

Review of Dead College by Kent Reaper

Kent Reaper apparently loves thrillers, horror and above all, good stories. Like any regular guy he goes to college and produces music in addition to his writing.

It struck me yesterday as I was playing around on my IPhone that I have been very naughty.  I constantly download books on kindle just because they are free with the vague intention of reading them “sometime” and then never actually get around to doing it.   I know from conversations with other authors how frustrating this can be and I can remember thinking how bizarre it was when I ran my own free kindle promotion when Granny Irene was first published back in January and hundreds of people downloaded it in one weekend and then only a handful ever reviewed it.  I eventually figured this was because the vast bulk had never actually read it!

So, I am now on a mission to work through all of the titles I have downloaded (There are hundreds) in my spare time and by spare time I mean bed time when I can’t be bothered to fire up the laptop but I am perfectly happy to play on my phone.  If the books are half decent I will review them…So that brings me nicely to DEAD COLLEGE by KENT REAPER…

First of all WHAT A NAME!!!!  Kent Reaper…writer of horror stories…Sincere apologies if this is REALLY your name Kent, but I thought it was an ingenious choice.  This is a reasonably written (there are a few grammatical glitches and typos) short story about a college kid battling a bunch of zombies and the plot is so cliched and corny that it makes for bloody brilliant reading.  I honestly can’t say when I last laughed at a “horror” so much, or indeed when a story amused me so much.   There is quite a bit of swearing and cursing throughout, perfectly understandable I suppose when you are being chased around your high school by zombies who are out to kill you!  With that in mind, I would say that whilst the book is in no way suitable for young children, it would, I think definitely appeal to teenagers, especially teenage boys and it certainly brought out the inner child in me.

I have checked and DEAD COLLEGE  is still free to download on kindle.  If you are the type of person that likes to read on the bus/train or on the way into work…are able to regress to a teenage mentality like I can…or just fancy a quick, entertaining but not at all intelligent read then download it.   I truly enjoyed this.  Thank you Kent Reaper! 

The Widow’s Warning by Jamie Tinker – Review by A.C Haury

REVIEW BY A.C HAURY

When I received my copy of The Widow’s Warning by Jamie Tinker, I couldn’t wait to dive in. I love a great fantasy, especially one that makes you think outside of the box and I certainly was not disappointed with The Widow’s Warning. From page one, you are sent headlong into an exciting and highly intriguing story and you shouldn’t expect to come back up for air until you’ve closed the book. No, not for the night… as it is one of those books that you will want to read until you are done. I finished The Widow’s Warning in approximately two days. As a fiercely and often times ridiculously busy working mother of three, I barely have time to tie my shoelaces, let alone read a book in two days. When I find a good book, I don’t want to stop reading, and I’m very happy to say that The Widow’s Warning is one of those books. Take a look at this short but effective synopsis and you’ll see exactly what I am raving on about:

A young woman on the run for murder finally reaches the only asylum that might save her from the Interrogator, just to refuse its protection. Faced with magic she never believed existed, she must find the truth while her lifelong friend searches for answers and a way to save himself– from her.

I am certainly looking forward to reading more works by Jamie Tinker and I definitely encourage fans of mystery and fantasy to check out The Widow’s Warning. Best of all, this book is free on Kindle from September 2, 2013 – September 6, 2013. Be sure to support this talented author, I’m sure this is not the last we’ll hear of him.

You can find Jamie Tinker at:

http://www.jamietinker.com

and A.C Haury at:

http://achaury.blogspot.com

In case you missed it you can also find Ingrid’s Interview with Jamie here

Winners of the Jamie Tinker Giveaway announced!!!!

 

Hi everyone

I recently announced that Jamie Tinker had very kindly offered up 3 free E Copies of his book The Widow’s Warning and asked people to email me with details of Jamie’s favourite beer in order to be in with a chance of winning.

Well, the answer in case you missed my interview with him was Kilkenny and the winners of the free E book are as follows:

Stephen Boka

Linda Dutil

W Ziehr

I will shortly email each of the winners details of how to claim your free copy and it is my understanding that you will be able to choose the E format that is most suitable for yourself.

Don’t worry if you haven’t won though, because The Widow’s Warning is currently free to download on kindle from the 02nd September through to the 06th September.

A.C Haury’s review of The Widow’s Warning will follow very shortly…

 

LOVE INGRID xxx

Winner of the August Flash Review Giveaway announced.

 

Morning everyone. Last month I launched our Flash reviews (Reviews of the first 1000-2000 words of a novel)) with the aim of making it a little easier to give author’s a little extra publicity and exposure.  We have more flash reviews coming later this week so watch this space…

I also promised to randomly giveaway one of the books that we flash reviewed in that month to one of our flash reviewers, now, because Never the Dawn by Grey Wolf has not yet been published I will be giving away a copy of one of his other works THE MAILED FIST to DEBORAH DAVIDSON.

Deborah, please email me your home address so that I can arrange for one to be sent to you.

We are constantly looking for books to flash review.  You don’t have to review any books in order for your book to be reviewed however will only be eligible to receive books in the monthly giveaway if you have flash reviewed for us.  You can find further details here.  The email address as always to contact me is ingrid@grannyirene.com

I am also looking for regular reviewers to join our team and you can find details of the incentives that I am offering here.

Bye for now

INGRID xxx

Interview with Jnana Hodson

Hi Jnana, lovely to meet you and what an unusual name!! Why not kick things off by telling us a little bit about yourself.

After growing up and going to college in the American Midwest, I accepted a job offer in New York state and began what’s been a zig-zag journey across the country and back, finally landing in New England. Along the way I lived a year-and-a-half in a yoga ashram, where I was given the name Jnana – usually pronounced “jah-na” – in recognition of my emerging spiritual nature. In moves after that, I became a member of the Society of Friends, or Quakers, not knowing that had been the faith of my Hodson/Hodgin/Hodgson ancestors. More than a dozen years ago I remarried and gained two stepdaughters along with the inevitable surprises that go with that.

Lenora would probably love to spend all that time at a yoga ashram, I am not sure that I would cut it! Is writing your full time career? 

I recently retired from a full-time career as a newspaper editor, where I worked largely behind the scenes editing the reports by others, writing headlines, selecting stories, cropping photos, designing pages, and coordinating production functions. Thus, with the exception of a one-year sabbatical I awarded myself between jobs back in the mid ’80s, my literary career, done in my hours away from the office, has been entirely part-time. The two sides have been quite distinct; in fact, I’ve often felt the literary practice was essential to both keep my writing sharp and my sanity what it is. As for the other way around? I’m always demanding a factual, well-grounded element in anyone’s literary writing: it must ring true.

What is the worst job that you have ever done, and why?

Perhaps it’s simply been good luck, but despite all the frustration that has accompanied my journalism career – especially in the face of increasingly stringent budget cuts and the usual long hours and low pay – I’ve largely loved the shared sense of mission and many of my talented colleagues. To that I would add the year-and-a-half I worked as a social sciences editor for a team that included a future Nobel Prize laureate and two years on the road for a major newspaper syndicate, with all of the growth that came with them.

Certainly sounds like you have led a fascinating life! If you could have written any other book by any other author, what would it be, and why? 

This is a dangerous question. The list could be very long, indeed, because writers always find much to respect in others or even emulate, as well as much to criticize. And those who write closest to your own style or subject matter are the most difficult to accept openly. To play along, though, I’ll pick Andre Dubus’ Finding a Girl in America. Short stories as a form are something I’ve steered away from, so I’m free to admire his technical skill here, achieving more in a few pages (as others have already noted) than many authors accomplish in entire novels. His prose is lean and polished, filled with sharp observation and well-turned phrases. I’m not the tough-guy kind of character he was, so he also takes me places I wouldn’t otherwise visit, even though he lived only a few dozen miles from where I now dwell.

I am afraid I have never come across Andre Dubus.  I will have to add him to my list of writers to check out! How would you think your parents would describe your book? Does this differ from how you would describe it?

They would have been baffled. In her later years, my mother would have preferred Romance – and Hippie Drum simply has too much free love and searching for her moralizing lenses. The generational gap was one she couldn’t fathom. My father was a more open, especially to the humor.

What genre is your work? Do you have any plans to work outside of it?

Contemporary or literary fiction or even, in places, experimental are the most likely “genre” descriptions, although considering that the events took place four decades ago, historical might also fit. I’ve long had an aversion to genres as such because I find many of the marketed volumes to be minor variations on a theme or form. We’ll have to see where things lead in the future.

What inspired you to write your first book? 

My first novel, Subway Hitchhikers, was galvanized when I sighted a gang of workers alongside the commuter rails in Brooklyn, New York, while I was travelling with a heavy backpack right after leaving the ashram. The image prompted me to consider the counterculture we were exploring and to draft a much longer novel than was published (Fithian, 1990), but two large sections I excised have led to related manuscripts. One of those then grew into Hippie Drum.

I love the title “Subway Hitchhikers” Do you ever get ideas at random moments, and if so how do you hang onto them?

Of course! Some pop up while I’m driving or in the shower or taking a walk, and I often have a notebook at hand to jot them down. Meditation, too, is a great source as you clear your mind and allow whatever sensations to float free. Journaling is another way to collect them.

Do you have a structure when you are writing, and if so what?

Since so much of my work is an attempt to explore life as I’ve encountered and recorded it, structure has usually been low on my list of priorities. But that does present its own difficulties, and I’ve come to admire authors who work from an outline. More recently, I do have a few manuscripts that are built on an overarching structure, and I imagine my “late” works will begin with a clearer sense of direction.

Which was your favourite character to write, and why?

The “guardian angel” Anita, who came to the fore in the final major revision. She’s an acknowledgement of individuals who’ve had similar roles in my own life; some have been mentors, while others have simply been at the right place at the right time to point me in a new direction. She’s also a “people person,” fascinated with the lives of others without losing her own sense of identity; it’s a rare skill to have, one that leads strangers to reveal their deepest personal struggles and desires freely. (Let me confess it’s not one of the gifts I possess, although I could name a few blessed friends who do.) And having her talk the way she does was great fun as I recast the dialogue to fit her own voice and outlook.

Anita sounds like a character I would like to get to know! Tell me Jnana, do you read for pleasure or out of habit?

Ah, sometimes it’s also out of duty (a sense of duty, alas, is deeply engrained in my psyche). You know, “I ought to read …” Or worse yet is “ought to finish.” Or, especially when working on a non-fiction project, “need to read material that applies to what’s at hand.” Maybe these are all reflections of habit? But then I get swept up in book, especially a novel, and that’s all pleasure – the real reason for reading in the first place.

What are you reading at the moment, and why?

I have a trio of Nicholson Baker found at a bookstore halfway across the state a few months ago: A Box of Matches, U and I, and The Size of Thoughts. He’s become one of my favorite authors, and each work is quite distinct from the others, a quality I hope I embody. His sharp mind, both in his novels and his non-fiction, is both quirky and disarmingly candid, seemingly unafraid of probing whatever’s before it. These three volumes fill in my collection.

I’m also enjoying Philip Pullman’s Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm, with its wonderfully fresh translations and the footnotes regarding related versions and the usually repressed social and sexual undercurrents.

Meat eater or vegetarian?

These days, it’s back to meat, although hardly as much as most Americans devour. Our household has some incredible cooks, and their leader insists flavor is carried by a touch of fat – just not too much of it, mind you. But if you look at our meals, more than half are vegetarian, especially when our garden kicks in.

Left or right and why?

Politically? Here I thought you were talking about driving. Just remember, the hippie movement was a reaction to the military-industrial complex, and you know where that falls on the spectrum.

Indeed I do LOL What is your favourite movie and why?

Again, this could be a long list. Of the relatively recent releases, though, Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris would be a leader. I love the way it melts the borders between “reality” and fantasy, and the cinematography – including the opening credits – is superb.

Do you have an opinion on life after death, and if so what?

It will be a lot like a great Quaker meeting for worship, except that our bodies won’t ever get restless. (OK, for some folks, that sounds like a description of hell. Maybe that’s why to start practice?) Seriously, any attempt to describe a hereafter is bound to be beyond our comprehension, and I’ve decided to wait to see what follows when it happens. Still, I’ve come increasingly to see my religious practice as a matter of attempting to live this life more fully and faithfully in the here and now rather than as an insurance policy for eternity or in line with a punishment/rewards system. That’s enough to keep me occupied for a long, long time.

I think most people are guilty of living either in the past or the future but ignoring the present! Totally changing subject When you eat out would you choose Chinese, Indian or Italian, or other, if so what?

Yes, plus Greek, other Mediterranean, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Tibetan (that was just a week ago), oh, let’s not forget French. We enjoy it all. Don’t overlook North Carolina barbecue, either, or fresh seafood.

I don’t do French food.  Never have and never will.  When my husband and I went to Paris many years ago I lived for the whole weekend on omelette because I couldn’t face any of their food. London, Paris or New York and why?

New York, because I’ve been there enough to have some familiarity. Besides, it’s not all that far from New Hampshire. On the other hand, London and Paris are still on the dream list, especially for the art and music. London also has some genealogical archives that may hold answers that have long eluded me, foremost those “this page is too faint to microfilm” entries from Ireland.

What do you have in the pipeline?

As a consequence of a lifetime of writing and the obstacles faced in the increasingly constricted publishing industry, I’m delighted by the new opportunities available through the digital alternatives. I have several novels set in the Pacific Northwest I’m hoping to release, as well as the inevitable newspaper novel (even if I turn the table) and a Quaker tome, among others. There’s also a poetry chapbook due out any day now. In addition, blogging at Jnana’s Red Barn and three related sites, has been great fun. I hardly expected to connect with readers in seventy-two countries in my first year.

Sounds like you have a heck of a lot going on Jnana! What inspired you to be a writer?

I’ve always been a reader – classic fiction, history, science, early on – but a very demanding English teacher my sophomore year of high school instilled in me a love of the mechanics of the language and the many ways it could operate. She encouraged me to add a journalism course the next year, and I was soon addicted.

Do you write poetry or short stories as well?  If so what?

I’ve had nearly a thousand poems accepted by small-press journals on five continents.

WOW! I think it’s safe to say that I won’t ever be releasing a single poem, ever! What is your earliest childhood memory?

I was barely two, standing on the ferry in the mist at the foot of Niagara Falls. The raincoats were black.

How do you overcome writers block?

Writers block is what I get when people put a get-well card in front of me and ask me to add to it. Usually, I already have a draft or a bit of something in process and can simply keep picking at it until a direction emerges.

Where would you like to be in five year’s time?

Like any writer, I’d love to have a significant readership. Not necessarily a blockbuster, but at least a community of shared thoughts and dreams.

If you only had 60 seconds remaining on this planet, what would you say, and who would you say it to?

“Read my work!” (to those who haven’t). And “Thanks, thanks, thanks! I love you,” to those who have. On second thought, it’s more likely to be along the lines of what’s recorded in an airplane black box, even if I’d rather my last utterance be a prayer of praise or at least thanks to those who have loved me.

Do you have any pets – If so what?

Rabbits. They have the run of the house during the day. At night, as my wife says, it’s “go to jail.”

Ah bunny rabbits, that is just too cute! What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

As I look at the scene facing today’s youth, I’m really baffled by the economy they’ll have to navigate. So it won’t be career advice. What I would encourage is deep spiritual practice – self-discovery and nurture, in a circle of kindred spirits.

Do you have a football/soccer team that you are passionate about and if so what?

I live in New England, where it’s Patriots football, Red Sox baseball, Celtics basketball, and Bruins hockey. A few feckless souls here dare deviate. After becoming a stepdad, I came to appreciate baseball for the fact that a player with a .250 batting average can be considered respectable. When you look at that closely, you discover he can miss the ball up to eleven times out of every twelve times at the plate in gaining that average. (Purists would temper that by calculating fly balls and the like, but I’m going for the optimal case here.) I like those odds when dealing with life around me.

Where was your best ever bucket and spade holiday, and why?

You mean trip to the beach? Trip, or holiday (vacation!)  (That’s where I’m headed when I finish this; we’re a half-hour from my usual pebble stretch in Maine, with its opportunities for tide-pooling as well as unrestricted swimming.) Well, there was a camping trip on the Olympic Peninsula along the Pacific, which would be toward the top of the list. We spent three days by the mouth of a tidal river and a Native American village on the opposite bank.Or the jaunts to the kids’ grandfather on Cape Cod, where I could walk a mile to the sandy cliffs overlooking the Atlantic and then stroll endlessly on the beach below or be buffeted about in the surf, even before we ventured off to Provincetown with its legendary stores and restaurants.

I’ve always wanted to go to Cape Cod, it’s one of those places that you hear and read about over and over from being about 10!  Jnana it’s been lovely talking to you today and I am looking forward to discovering more about you when we finally get around to reviewing your book! 

You can find Jnana at:

http://jnanahodson.net

Update on my writing

Don’t you just love it when everything falls into place?  This time last week I was quite literally ripping my hair out because I felt like I had a reached a road block within the Tunnel of Love which I couldn’t clear.  Cue a heavy night’s drinking with Lenora during which time we discussed (amongst other things) the problems that I was having with the story line and hey presto, one week on not only have I written the troublesome scene but I now have a very clear road map to the end of the novella.

Because of the way in which I write the story will inevitably take on a mind of it’s own again and I will allow it some rope BUT now rather than just having the slippery stepping stones that I had before I now have satellite navigation, GOOGLE maps, the works!  Anyway, long and short of it is I am REALLY hoping to have the first full draft completed within the next 2-3 weeks which is only a couple of weeks off my original target and given the changes that are going on at home, then I can live with that and with a bit of luck it should be published by the end of this year.

Beyond the Tunnel is a “How to Guide” for indie authors which I have already started work on and which I am hoping to have a first draft of by end of October/beginning of November and which should therefore be on sale early 2014.  I am not going to say too much more about this at this stage, you are just going to have to watch this space…

After that you can expect the second part of Granny Irene’s Guide to the Afterlife which is already half written and then the first Luna Ballantyne novel.   I had originally intended for Luna’s novels to be pure  contemporary erotica however I have had a re-think and whilst everything that I write as Luna will be of an extremely erotic nature and will still be set in the heart of Newcastle Upon Tyne there is now going to be a strong paranormal slant.   I have figured that I am in my comfort zone when I am writing about ghosts and witches etcetera so it makes sense to incorporate that into Luna’s works.   The characters and plot are already bubbling away nicely in the cauldron that is my mind so fingers crossed you should all get your fix sometime next year.

Bye for now

LOVE INGRID xxx (OR MAYBE I AM LUNA XXX)

Review of Summer Sleep-Away by Ofer Aronskind

Ofer Aronskind  is the author of several Young Adult books, he is also an attorney (that would be lawyer to us Brits!) His primary goal in his writing is to write books that boys will want to read and Summer Sleep-Away is apparently loosely based on adventures at a summer camp that his family ran in Western Massachusetts.

I will be honest and say that I knew absolutely zilch about this author prior to reading his novel and I had no idea what genre it was going to be or what to expect.  The first thing that caught my attention was the copyright notice because I was expecting a recently published novel whereas in actual fact it dates back to 1995.   The second thing to REALLY grab my attention were the chapter headings because up until this point I kind of had it in my head that it was going to be a novel aimed at adults and so when I saw things such as THE LONG SMELLY BUS RIDE and THE FOOD SUCKED BUT THE GIRLS WERE CUTE my first random thought was that it was going to a first hand account by some sex crazy young man on his first jaunt around the world.  It soon became apparent that the main character was MUCH more interesting and endearing than that and I have to say for me, Matthew Kleinfield rocks!

Summer Sleep-Away is written from the view point of the main character, it is beautifully written, witty and sharp and whilst the direction of the story is a little predictable, the plot itself, littered as it is with funny anecdotes and a deliciously self-deprecating humour had me chuckling away to myself.  The characters are all very well rounded and believable and the author deals effortlessly with ALL of the issues facing a young boy of Matthew’s age.  Everything from leaving home for the first time and being sent against his will to the Summer Camp, to making new friends, overcoming hurdles and obstacles and falling in love…which brings me nicely onto Nicole, Matthew’s girlfriend…It was refreshing reading about two young people falling in love for the first time from the boy’s point of view and I was incredibly impressed by the fact that the author managed to tell it exactly as it was for Matthew whilst also successfully capturing the spirit and character of Nicole.  (Something which sadly in my experience a lot of male authors fail to do)   Their relationship developed beautifully throughout the novel and definitely felt like the falling in love for the very first time type of thing, but (and I am not normally renowned for my prudishness) on an emotional level it felt more like the kind of relationship that a sixteen/seventeen year old rather than an eleven/twelve year old would embark upon.

Maybe boys grow up quicker in Massachusetts than they do over here in the U.K or maybe I am just squeamish because I have a fifteen going on sixteen year old son and the thought of him being so emotionally attached at such a young age gives me the shudders…That said I loved so many elements about this book.  I loved the fact that the kids got to be kids in the outdoor activities that they did.  I loved the SBD (Silent but deadly) farts.  I loved the postcards written in Matthew’s own handwriting which he sent back home to Mum (Mom) and Dad.

I would have no hesitation recommending this book to young teens, or dads that still haven’t grown up, or anyone who likes the YA genre with a timeless twist.

You can find Ofer Aronskind at:

https://twitter.com/oferaronskind

https://www.facebook.com/oferaronskind

Review of Open the Mind Exercise the Soul – Life from a Psychic Point of View by John Cappello

Wow!  Talk about the universe dropping something straight into your lap.  In my last review of For the Love of Spirit by Liz Winter I talked about wanting to develop my psychic abilities but not having the time to go to a class and then the very next book I happen to open to review just happens to be about developing your psychic skills!

I found the preface of the book interesting because the author states quite firmly that he felt the need to have a frank and honest platform for psychic abilities that steers it’s perception away from being something evil or inappropriate and I would definitely like to know more about the author’s own life experiences as whilst undoubtedly some people think my own beliefs are a bit “mad” or “eccentric” the vast majority are at least tolerant of my opinions and I have never felt that it was a particular issue. (At least with people that I know!)

Because the author is a medium and because I have very recently read For the Love of Spirit I will admit that I went into this book looking for comparisons and whilst Liz Winter’s book offers up a very frank account of her personal life as well as her work with spirit, John Cappello focuses from the offset on his work as a medium and I immediately got the impression that I was going to get a very detailed account of his work with spirit and was instantly hooked.

The book is written in clear, accessible language which most people will understand.  The first chapter concentrates on the author’s recollections of some of his readings and he then moves onto exploring the arguments for the validation of psychic abilities versus the scientific explanations that are available.  He also looks at Religious beliefs and how whilst some faiths actively harness psychic power other religions choose to operate a parallel belief system to explain the existence of the psychic phenomenon and others expressly forbid the use of psychic abilities in the practising of their faith and I have to say that I think this section is incredibly well thought out and well written.

Whilst discussing the impact of philosophy on mankind’s understanding of the non-physical world Cappello also touches briefly upon the Elysian Fields which were written about extensively by the ancient Greek poet Homer in his Odyssey.  Having only ever read extracts previously from The Odyssey I am now very much on a mission to read the whole thing.  LENORA HUGE HINT – I WOULD LOVE IT IF SANTA COULD BRING ME A COPY FOR CHRISTMAS!!!  I was also previously unaware of the differences in opinion between Aristotle and Plato on the nature of the soul and very interested to read about St Anselm, whom I will confess to knowing absolutely nothing about prior to reading this book. Indeed, I found this entire section both informative and thought provoking.

The author then moves onto the subject of self-development.  The book is very much aimed at beginners and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I was already familiar with a lot of what the author was discussing and I found his section on awareness and control particularly helpful.

Clairsentience, Clairvoyance, Intuition, Clairaudience, Clairgustus and Clairfragrance are all discussed at length in subsequent chapters.  I will DEFINITELY be buying a physical copy of this book as I want to revisit each of these subjects individually and at my leisure. The book also covers working with spirit and explores the difference between psychics and mediums and is an absolute MUST for anyone either considering embarking upon their own spiritual journey or developing their psychic abilities.

My only one tiny gripe about the PDF that I received was the presentation and layout and if this is identical to the actual book then I would suggest that the text should be fully aligned/justified as some readers may comment upon this.

Open the Mind Exercise the Soul – Life from a Psychic Point of View can be found at Amazon.

You can also connect with the author via Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/OpenTheMindExerciseTheSoul

or at his website:

http://www.johncappello.com

Interview with Jamie Tinker and Giveaway!!!

I announced in a recent post that Jamie Tinker has kindly offered up 3 E copies of his book to readers of this blog and never one to disappoint here is the question that you need! (You will find the answer that you need in my interview with Jamie)

“What is Jamie’s favourite brand of beer?”

The first three people to correctly answer will win.  It’s as easy as that!  Simply email your answer to Ingrid@grannyirene.com  The winners will be announced when we publish our review of The Widow’s Warning…

A huge hello to the fabulous Jamie Tinker, thank you so much for your patience Jamie, I really appreciate the fact that you have been understanding about the fact that our interview was slightly delayed…Why not start by telling us a little bit about yourself?

Hello to you too Ingrid, well, I’m a US Navy sailor originally from Bangor, Maine, where my family owned a small independent bookstore. I’ve lived in Italy, Iceland, Japan, and Cuba, and seen about 20 other countries along the way. I’ve been lost in more countries than I care to admit (Austria twice!), and maybe asked for directions in two of them (not Austria). I think my best writing is influenced by the adventure of travel and learning about a new culture and landscape every time. I started writing in 1998 and kept with it as the Navy career has allowed, and am finally ready to publish. The Widow’s Warning is my debut novel. When not out to sea for the day job, I live on my boat in sunny San Diego.

Where were you in Iceland? Were you anywhere near Mount Hekla? I am only asking because I have a big scene coming up there in the second part of my Granny Irene series…

I was actually in Keflavik, the south-western corner of the island. I travelled the southern coast while I was there, but I didn’t go all the way inland to Mount Hekla.  If you haven’t been to Iceland, it’s definitely worth a weeklong trip. I drafted The Widow’s Warning while I was living there. The geography and history were a big influence.

Iceland, indeed all of the Scandinavian countries are SO on my wish list of places to visit.  My mind is positively crawling with ideas and a lot of them stem from that region. It’s probably as well that you haven’t actually been to Mount Hekla, because if you had then I would have been just so jealous that I might have had a big strop! So, writing isn’t your full time career then?

No. I’ve been in the Navy for over 20 years. The big plan for a long time has been to wait until I can retire from the day job before trying to publish. I could have retired last year, so it’s time time to give the writing it’s chance.

What is the worst job that you have ever done, and why?

I’ve had the same job my whole adult life, so I don’t have a worst job, but I’ve moved every few years and can think of some pretty crappy locations where it was hard to keep a positive attitude. Unfortunately, I’d probably get in some trouble if I named a bad location I was stationed at. I can make the best of a lot of places, but some are a real challenge, espcially the areas that are just blazing hot all the time with nothing but insane sunlight. I burn really easy, so the farther from the equator, the better.

Being fair-skinned I burn very easily too. Okay, let’s re-phrase that seeing as you have travelled so extensively. Where is your all time favourite place that you have visited/toured?

Japan was my favorite. The people are nice, it’s safe, travel is easy, and there’s no end to what you can see and do.  I’d be willing to be stationed there again.

Japan doesn’t really appeal to me as much as China.  I would love to see the Great Wall…Changing the subject, If you could have written any other book by any other author, what would it be, and why?

Stephen King’s The Gunslinger. That’s a great start to a great series, and a perfect mix of fantasy, great characters, and a lot to look forward to as a reader. Oh- one more. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. Writing humor is hard. I may never get it right, but Bill did in this book. It’s a lot of fun to read, especially if you’ve ever done a bit of hiking.

I LOVE the Gunslinger and I think it’s an ideal introduction to Stephen King because it’s not too long. Who is your all time favourite King character and why?

Roland remains my favorite from the Gunslinger series. He’s a great character, he’s well written, and the challenges and changes in him make him a lot of fun to follow.  My all time favorite is probably Pennywise the Clown. He scared the bejesus out of me as a kid.

Yeah, King has habit of doing that to you with his characters and I agree that Roland is great because he is mean and moody but there are also moments when he is vulnerable and I like that in a character. What Genre is your work – Do you have any plans to work outside of it?

The current is fantasy, but I’ve also tried a collection of horror short stories, two horror novels, and two military-themed ones. Some I finished, some I didn’t, but all were good for me to poke at, and they’re all collecting dust somewhere. If I go outside fantasy, horror will probably be next.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I think the idea itself was enough to get me started. Writing was always on the wish list, but I think it took a while for me to get creative after joining the Navy and going through the training I needed. When the first idea came, I decided to see if I could do it. I could, but it was pretty darn bad.

Do you ever get ideas at random moments, and if so how do you hang onto them?

I get new ideas all the time, from major plot points to just pieces of dialogue. It’s the worst when I’m brainstorming, which is the time I really let my brain run wild. During that phase, I write it all down in a notebook. When ideas kind of sneak up on me, I make a quick note of them on my phone and transcribe them when I can. I know I don’t get them all, but I get a lot of them. I think if the idea is good enough, it will come back when I’m actually writing.

I use my phone all the time for jotting down ideas…Lenora thinks I am insane! Do you have a structure when you are writing, and if so what?

I can only commit to working on a first draft when I’m back in the US off deployment, so I usually try to start brainstorming a month or two before we get back. Once we’re home, I have enough ideas that might make a book. From there, I put each individual idea on a notecard, just one idea on each card. It gives me time to think about the idea, but no ideas are thrown out.  Then the fun part: I lay all the cards out. I live on my boat, so the cards cover just about every flat surface I have. From there, I kind of walk around and take the ideas as I think they’ll happen, and put the whole book in some sort of order. This is as close as I come to an outline. With all the cards in order, I start writing the book one card at a time. When I really get in the groove, I don’t let the cards dictate the story, but when things are slowing down, it helps to turn the next card.

That is a really amazing way of doing it and even though I don’t know you from Adam, I can actually visualise you laying out your cards! What do you do with the cards that don’t make it into the story? Are they saved and re-cycled for future use or are they discarded?

Every card is saved. I also keep every passage I edit out of drafts. Most of the cards and ideas I have to edit out are good, but they’re often hints to future stories I plan to tell. Ideas I cut from books one and two are now strong starting points for book three.

Which was your favourite character to write, and why?

That’s a hard question. I think each one has it’s fun and challenge as a storyteller and writer. I had a lot of fun writing things from the prophet’s point of view, but I had to edit it all out. It gave away too much instead of letting the main characters figure things out. It was really fun exposition, but didn’t move the story forward the right way. With any luck, I’ll find the right balance for him in future books.

Do you read for pleasure or out of habit?

I read for both. I’ve always been a big reader, so it’s mostly pleasure, but making it a habit to fit reading in my day somewhere is important when I’m underway. There’s not a lot of privacy, so being able to relax and read keeps me sane and able to deal with everyday stress.

What are you reading at the moment, and why?

I’m reading Found Objects by Peter Gelfan. Peter has been my editor for a few projects, and I’ve learned a lot from him. He’s a talented editor and writer, and it’s nice to try something out of the fantasy genre once in a while.

 Meat eater or vegetarian?

Meat eater and beer drinker.

What is your favourite kind of beer and how many cans/bottles does it take to get you drunk?

My favorite beer is Kilkenny, which is almost impossible to find on tap here in the US. Luckily, I seem to be able to find an Irish pub that has it just about anywhere else I go, so I still get my fix. Unfortunately, I’m not a cheap date. I’m usually just getting warmed up around my fifth or sixth pint.

Ah, I’ve had some fab nights in Irish bars.  They REALLY know how to let their hair down! When you eat out would you choose Chinese, Indian or Italian, or other, if so what?

Indian! I love curry. Oh, and Thai

London, Paris or New York and why?

New York, definitely. I like being in the states, so that’s really the deal breaker. I haven’t seen as much of the US as I’d like, and I’ve never experienced New York. Someday…

What do you have in the pipeline?

The Widow’s Warning has just been published. I’m hoping to get some momentum with that. Wanderer’s Prayer, book 2 in the same series is on it’s way to line editing this year. I’m about 40 pages into the third book, which I might not get to write this year before I deploy again.

What inspired you to be a writer?

I think being from Bangor, Maine is the biggest part of it. My parents and I are big readers, and having Stephen King as a regular sight in town still stands out to me as a kid. He used to walk a lot, and I’d see him from the school bus every morning with a book in his hand. His book It was another big influence. It was the work written almost entirely in Derry (Bangor), and seing all the same sights in town; the path I used to walk, the parks I played in, and the water tower I lived next to, in a work of great fiction opened my eyes to the possibilities. I think I saw the world a little differently after reading that book.

Stephen King a regular sight in town?  OMG how cool is that?  I don’t think I would have been able to contain myself!  Do you write poetry or short stories as well? If so what?

I started with a lot of short stories, mostly horror. I was living in Italy at the time and I traveled a lot, so I tried to write one story everywhere I went. I’d like to get back to some short stories when I have the time.

 How do you overcome writers block?

I don’t think I’ve had a real case of writer’s block yet. More often than not, I can’t get in the right environment or have too much of the day job to handle. I Like routine, and sticking to a routine is what keeps me writing. When I lose the routine, usually because of a deployment of transfer, I just have to find and commit to a new one. Once that happens, the writing starts up right where it left off.

Routine is SO important.  I was fortunate that I had a good routine whilst writing Granny Irene but life changes and throws curve balls at you and I am having to adapt to new routines and new ways of finding time which I agree is blooming challenging! Where would you like to be in 5 year time?

I’d like to be in Bangor, or still in San Diego and be about to retire from the military. Sooner or later, I’m going to have to go home. I think 5 or 6 years will be about right. With any luck, I won’t need another day job and will be able to focus more energy on writing.

Do you have any pets – If so what?

I wish I could have pets. I can’t say I’m a dog or cat person. I just like both. I had cats once but had to give them away when I transferred. That sucked, so I decided to never put myself or the pets through that again. I haven’t had pets since. Not only am I out of the country half of the year, but I don’t think a boat is the best environment to have a pet. I hope to have pets when I know I’m not moving around any more.

What advice would you give your 18 year old self?

Save your freaking money and listen to your parents. They’re always right.

That may indeed be true, but at 18 no-one wants to admit that their parents are right! Where was your best ever bucket and spade holiday, and why?

When I get a vacation that I don’t dedicate entirely to writing, I always go home to Maine. My family deserves my time, and I like being there in the summer. I have a home there, so I enjoy getting dirty some landscaping or puttering around doing some small projects. It’s nice to do things with my hands and be outside. Maine summers are perfect.

Jamie you are an absolute SUPERSTAR.  Make sure you stay safe in your future deployments and I am looking forwarding to publishing a review of your book right here very soon!