Allan Hudson's Blog, page 27

Award winning Author Rachael Tamayo of Houston, Texas.

 

The Scribbler is pleased to do a series of guest appearances in conjunction with Creative Edge Publicity of Saskatchewan, Canada.

This week you will meet Rachael Tamayo, all the way from Texas. A bio and excerpt from her latest novel, Carnal Knowledge.

Rachael Tamayo is a former 911 emergency operator and police dispatcher. After twelve years in those dark depths, she’s gained a unique insight into mental illness, human behavior, and the general darkness of humanity that she likes to weave into her books. A formerly exclusive romance author tried her hand at thrillers in her award-winning novel, Crazy Love, and loved it so much that she decided not to turn back. Born and raised in Texas, Rachael lives in the Houston area with her husband of almost fifteen years, and their two small children.

Excerpt from Carnal Knowledge

(Copyright held by the author. Used with permission)

CHAPTER ONE

 

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THE RED ROOM

 

 

 

It isn’t long afterI pick  up  my  drink  from the table that I feel it. Something is wrong. It’s only been one drink; was it extra strong? When did I eat last? My head grows fuzzy and spins, the thumping music in the club soundingfar away. I grip the ta‐ ble, struggling to focus as I searchthe crowd for my friend Lily, but I can’t find her. I can’t focus on faces. I close my eyes, stumbling on my high heels. I wasn’t supposedto be drinking; I figured no one would know as longas I don’t drive.

Where is Lily? Probably off dancing. She was supposedto be watching my drink.

I stumble again,but this time a strongarm catches me. I catch a whiff of cigarettes, beer, and a strong cologne.Must be a man. The thought is vague yet matter-of-fact.

Even as my thinkingprocesses dull and slow, I realize I’m not drunk.This is something else. This is wrong.I’m too fuzzy to be scared,yet I feel my heart pounding. I should be afraid. Ididn’t come with a man tonight.I don’t know any men here. No one should be touching me.

D on’t touch me.

Itry to make my mouth form the words, but I can’t.The muscles just won’t cooperate. I try to look at him, but my eyes won’t focus. My head is just so heavy.

Imake out his shape, vague and dark. “Whoa there, beautiful.” His voiceis laughing andstrange. I don’t know him, nothing thereI recognize.

Ishe laughing at me? I don’tcare. Suddenly so, so sleepy. I open my mouth to speak again,but only slurred, stuttered speech comes out that makes no sense even to my own ears.

Heholds me up, leaningclose to my ear. “It’s okay. I’m not going to let you fall, baby.”

 

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The tears  blur my  vision, but I can still see the red stain on the floor muddled by the water that drips from my eyes. I drag my hand under my nose, looking at the splattered mess around me. Standing, I stare at the sheets—more red. The blankets are ripped, the sheets half off the bed. The bedsidelamp is on the floor.My phone screen is shattered.

Not knowing whatelse to do, I gatherthe linens from the bed and walk them down the hall,stuffing them into my washingmachine before startingthe load. I gather the Clorox bleach spray and a wad of paper towelsto clean the wood laminate floor.

Ittakes a while, but now it looks normalagain. The blood is gone. Normal except for the bare mat‐ tress and the bleach smell. By this time, I’m almost brave enough to look down. My tears are gone, my vision clear. I’ve been terrifiedto look, scared that I’m the source of blood, a wound I can’t face or

maybe can’t feel somewhere that might have caused this mess.

I look down at my body, naked, spattered. I see no cuts, no anything that would suggest blood loss of this magnitude. My head hurts now, so much that I can't concentrate enough to be afraid, or think on what the last thing I remember is, or how I got here, who I might have brought home with me. The an‐ swers to the questions that the police would ask, if I were to go to them,which I won’t.

Blood is drying on my thighs.I didn’t go to bed naked. I don’t even remembergoing to bed or coming home. But that’s where I woke up, though I didn’t even know I went to sleep, or passed out, or whatever the hell this is. I gingerly touch the back of my head, feelingthe growing lump there. My blonde hair feels matted,tangled; it must be the source of the headache.

The blood is mine… I think. The pain I have tells me that at least some of it is probably mine.

I have no idea what happened. 

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You really don’t know how you feel about some thingsuntil they happento you. You can guess. You can pretend you’d be strong, that you’d stand on the rooftopsand shout your indignation as you shake your fist to the skies, but those are only guesses. Hopes. What we think we know about our‐ selves. They say no one ever reallyknows anyone. I think it’d be a safe bet to say that we don’t really know ourselves either.You think you do. The “Oh, I’d never do that!Look at how she’s acting. If I were in her shoes….” butyou don’t.No one does.

I said the same things to myself when I walkedout on my husband,Ricky, months ago. Those thoughts went throughmy head as I closedthe door behind me for what I told myself was the last time. I wouldn’t let myself cry as I said goodbye to him, only feeling the first tears fall when I heard the click behind me, the locking of the door to what used to be our home together. When he didn’t chase me and beg me to stay.

I wept in that moment, wondering how much pain a person couldtake.

Over the days that followed,it faded into some‐ thing more akin to numbness as I found an apart‐ ment and got a new checkingaccount. As I arranged to find movers to get my things while he was at work, all while thanking God that we had no

children.

Now I find myself in that place once more, though for an altogether different reason. Some‐ thing has happened to me, something that leaves my body sore and my head feelingas if I have a hang‐ over. Theseare the momentsthat tell you who you really are, leavingyou exposed to your own darkness.

I found that out about myself.No one ever imaginesthemselves in this position. You’re not pre‐ pared.No amount of self-defense can prepare you for the shock that is the next morning, waking up in a bloody mess, knowing you’ve been sexually as‐ saulted.

I can’t even say it out loud. I won’t. I refuse to do it. It makes it real, and I don’t want it to be real. I want it to be some horrible nightmare that I can wake up from.

But it’s not.

www.rachaeltamayowrites.com

Author & Poet Lynn Davies of Fredericton, NB.

 

I met Lynn online through a mutual author friend when she announced her newest work So Imagine Me: Nature Riddles in Poetry.  Lynn is the author of three collections of poetry and her work has been short-listed for a Governor General’s Award, as well as the Gerald Lampert Award.

It’s always a pleasure to have another New Brunswick author on the Scribbler. Lynn has generously agreed to a 4Q Interview and is sharing some of her work.

 

 

Lynn Davies is the author of three books of poetry, and most recently, her first book for children, So Imagine Me – Nature Riddles in Poetry. Her poems have been broadcast on CBC, translated into French and Spanish, and nominated for a Governor General's Award. She is the proud mother of two grown children, Josie and Patrick, and she lives in Fredericton, New Brunswick with her partner, Dave Macfarlane.

 

 

4Q: Let’s talk about your recent release, So Imagine Me. You recently had a book signing and I understand it went quite well. Tell us about the book.

 

LD: So Imagine Me is a picture book of riddle poems about the natural world, published by Nimbus Publishing in Halifax. Some of the riddles are easy, and some are tricky! The vibrant illustrations by the Fredericton artist, Chrissie Park-MacNeil give colour, texture, and setting to the poems, and add some extra clues. I wrote the poems over a period of ten years or so, and the manuscript, in various forms, visited fifteen publishers, before finding a happy home with Nimbus.

 

 

 

4Q: There are other collections you have published. Can you tell us a bit about them?

 

LD:  My first collection of poems, The Bridge That Carried the Road, was published by Brick Books in 1999, went through three printings, and was nominated for several awards. When I wrote those poems, I was a mother of young children, and the only time I could write was early, early in the morning with a thermos of coffee before anyone else was up. My second book, Where Sound Pools, was published by Goose Lane Editions in 2005. It's now out of print, and I think was a more confident book than the first. Then life got in the way, and my third book, how the gods pour tea, emerged eight years later, again with Goose Lane. One huge plus working with these publishers was the attentive editing my poems received from other fine poets, John Donlan, Brian Bartlett, and Ross Leckie.

 

 

 

4Q: Please share a childhood memory and/or anecdote.

 

LD:  When I was growing up, we lived in Newcastle, New Brunswick for five years. I remember visiting The Old Manse Library, often carrying overdue books, and Dr. Louise Manney peering down at me over the front desk and saying something like, “you owe us money again”. If she wasn't checking books in and out, she was in her office of many windows by the front door, maybe writing. She was the first writer I knew. I loved that library, and I remember the room at the end of the hall to the left with its shelves of books for young readers. I remember the shelf with my favourite books, the heft of those hardcover books, even the texture and smell of the thick and worn pages.

 

 

 

4Q: You write poetry and stories for children. I imagine this to be quite difficult. What draws you to this genre?

 

LD: I read a lot of novels for young readers, especially when I tire of the world we've made for ourselves as adults. And I love and admire picture books; the good ones are as condensed as poetry and a big part of the telling is in the artful pictures. When I can't sleep at night, I often look at picture books. Dennis Lee once said that he wrote for the layers of kid inside him. I can't think of a better line for explaining why I enjoy writing for children.

 

 

 

4Q: Please tell us about your workshops.

 

LD: I often hang the writing on an activity like walking or making something with our hands. The cutting, folding, and sewing of a simple book is like an entry-hall, a place where the chit-chat of the brain is shed and space opens up in our heads for stories or poetic lines. So, we make a book and begin to write, sometimes with prompts in a three-hour workshop. Likewise, cutting, arranging, and pasting images for a collage involves the hands and invites new and unusual connections that can generate writing that feels fresh, again in a three to four-hour workshop. And walking . . . well, walking is a big one and many writers have written of how they've walked themselves into stories and resolution, out of messes and projects that didn't work, into the perfect word for that eighth line, out of that paragraph or stanza that needed to be abandoned. So I run a day-long workshop that toggles back and forth from walking to writing, from observation to working with what we find in the world we walk through. A walk can beckon writing and can inhabit our writing. Of course, these days of the frisky virus, it's hard to offer in-person workshops, and I'm working at moving my school presentations into an online format.

 

 

 

4Q: Favorite authors, poets or books?

 

LD: Lately I've been rereading old favourites like The Hobbit and Emily of New Moon. These books still work for me. Last week I finished Watership Down, and I'm still missing the company of rabbits. Last summer it took me three and a half months to get through Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy; I loved that thick, marvellous book and the world it laid out for me. I'm often reading non-fiction and enjoyed Walking Home by Simon Armitage. Favourite poets are always changing for me, but ones I return to often are George Herbert, George MacKay Brown, Eric Miller, Anne Compton, and Sue Sinclair.

 

 

 

4Q: What’s next for Lynn Davies?

 

LD: I'm often working on several projects at a time. Right now, I'm writing a series of essays. And new poems. And I've started a book-length bus-poem for very young children.

 

 

 

4Q: Anything else you’d like to share with us?

 

LD:  Thanks for asking questions! I'm grateful for your interest, Allan.

 

**You are most welcome, Lynn.

 

 

 

 

Copyright is held by the author. Used with permission.

 

 

 

Thank you, Lynn, for being our guest this week. Wishing you continued success with your writing.

 

 

For all you wonderful visitors wanting to discover more about Lynn and her writing, please follow these links: 

 

website: www.lynndavies.ca

email: lynn@lynndavies.ca

Bibliovideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAxcdUGUpeA&ab_channel=Bibliovideo

favourite bookstores: www.westminsterbooks.com

                                     www.tidewaterbooks.ca

What are you thankful for?

 

Myself – I’m thankful for today… and the possibilities of tomorrow.

Photo by Becky Magnolia.

 

Why Today?

I’m a morning person so I like the quiet of the start of each day, watching the sun come up if it’s not too cloudy, and even then, I’m thankful for the clouds. They’re a reminder that even when the sun’s not shining, it’s still there, just hiding behind bunch of “aerosols consisting of a visible mass of minute liquid droplets or frozen particles” – you know, clouds!

I don’t worry about the clouds.

Photo by Gloria Hudson

 

Another thing about today is that it’s fresh, new and open to many choices of how I’m going to spend it. Maybe I have plans. Maybe I don’t. Regardless, it’s an awakening. Another chance to do something better, or more meaningful than yesterday. A chance to greet my neighbours, say hello. Do something nice for someone. Create something.

 

Anyone visiting this blog on a regular basis knows I love to write. Today I’m going to spend a few hours at the keyboard, make stuff up. I hope today, I find a new reader for my stories, maybe two.

 

Today I’m working on two stories at the same time. The second volume of The Alexanders and the third installment of the Jo Naylor series. Let me take a minute of your time and tell you about them.

 

Volume 2 – The Alexanders. Starting in 1921 through to 1930, it’s going to be fun. The roaring twenties, the prosperity after World War 1, goodbye to the corset and hello to more  liberated ladies, speakeasies and bootleggers, The Charleston and the Great Depression. Wow!

 

Shattered Dreams – the third novella in the five part planned series. Jo Naylor is still on the run. Living off an inheritance, she travels to Europe, France in particular. Hopes to settle down for a while. Won’t happen! Jo is a cop through and through. Doesn’t need a badge to know right from wrong. The old lady she befriends has too many secrets.

 

So, let me tell you a few other things I’m thankful for.

My family for sure. My partner, Gloria, the boys and their families. My siblings, nephews and nieces, and in-laws (the outlaws, too)They’re good people. Kind, funny, caring… what more can I ask for?

I’m thankful for books… lots of books.

 

I’m thankful for the writing friends I’ve met on this journey. Their stories. Their support.

 

The ones I can’t wait to read their next books – Chuck Bowie, Steve Eston, Beth Powning, MJ Labeff and Ian McKinley come to mind first. Authors I respect and know how to tell a tale. (There’s a lot more but these, I’m getting anxious about)

 

The ones that go above and beyond to support their writing friends, their fellow authors – Sally Cronin, Debby Geis, Susan Toy – relentless - my heroes.

 

The people that are not authors, but readers and supporters – James Fisher of The Miramichi Reader, Gracia and Allen Williston, Gail Brown, The Hachey clan, Dr. Julien Dastous…

 

I’m really thankful for all the folks that read my stories and there are so many to mention… you all know who you are and… THANK YOU!

 

I’m thankful for a roof over my head, food on my table, a coat for when it gets cold and shoes for my feet.

 

 

Now what about the possibilities of tomorrow. I’ll leave you with a few quotes:

 

“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” H Jackson Brown.

“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” Eleanor Roosevelt.

“The timelessness in you is aware of life’s timelessness. And know that yesterday is today’s memory and tomorrow is today’s dream.” Kahlil Gibran.

“Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it?” L.M. Montgomery.

 

 

Oh, and another thing I’m truly thankful for - YOU! 

 

Thanks for visiting the Scribbler.

Now, what are you thankful for?

Authors Pamela MacDonald & Valerie Sherrard of Miramichi, NB.

 

 

 

Another unique post for the Scribbler. Mother and daughter team collaborate on Pamela’s debut novel.

Valerie Sherrard is no stranger to our readers. This is her third visit and this time she is participating in a 4Q interview with her daughter Pamela. They are sharing an excerpt from Finding Avalon. As an added extra, Valerie will share an update on her newest work, The Rise and Fall of Derek Cowell.

Valerie’s first visit can be found HERE. Her second posting can be found HERE.

Finding Avalon is an association best described by their publishers, Chocolate River and Nimbus Publishing.

Pamela authored the voice of Avalon, who is the primary character in this story. Valerie contributed the minor voice of Avalon’s mother.

 

Pamela MacDonald was born and raised in New Brunswick, and returned to those roots after completing her education in other parts of Canada. She shared these thoughts with the South Branch Scribbler:

“I grew up in Miramichi, NB, in a loving home, with my mother, father and brother (as well as foster siblings). My parents divorced when I was in elementary school, and I gained two loving step parents and three more siblings. After I graduated high school, I did my undergrad in psychology in Ontario and my masters in counselling in Alberta. I became a registered psychologist, moved back to New Brunswick and opened a practice. I now live in Miramichi, NB, with my wonderful, supportive husband and 2 amazing boys, age 3 and 4. “

 

Valerie shared a few details about herself in an earlier SBS visit here.

 

4Q: Congratulations Pamela on your novel. Please tell our readers what to expect when they pick up their copy of Finding Avalon.

 

PM: This story is a journey with the main character, Avalon, who is flawed, but has good qualities too, as she navigates some unique situations.

 

4Q: What inspired the story?

 

PM: My mom brought up the idea years ago of us writing a story that included letters back and forth between mother and daughter. We developed it from there.

 

4Q: Please share a childhood memory and/or anecdote.

 

PM: Rather than one memory, I will share a collection of memories. A pattern. I was a fairly free child when with my parents, a dreamer, often lost in imagination. I wasn't good at everything, in school or otherwise. I was strong at math and poor at French. I was often praised for efforts and accomplishments, but my failures were not dramatized.  I was allowed to be me. My parents didn't make me feel like it was a big deal if I did poorly on a test or assignment. I suppose it was that pattern that made me not fear failure. If I wanted to accomplish or try something, I was never afraid to give it my best shot, even if the risk of failure was reasonably high. That has opened many doors for me, including writing.

 

VS: I’m not sure how old I was when this happened, but definitely under 10. My family used to go for drives now and then, and on one such drive we encountered a man—he seemed elderly to me as a child but thinking back I realize he was probably in his mid to late 40’s. He was wearing socks, but no shoes, and we picked him up to give him a drive. The details are unclear, but I know shoes were provided for him somehow. And despite the haziness of the memory, I know the lesson was a powerful one and helped shape my world view. 

 

 

4Q: How did it feel Valerie, to work closely with Pamela on this story?

 

VS:  More than anything else it was interesting. When Pamela was younger, she wouldn’t share any creative writing with me, and so this was actually the very first time I had the opportunity to see her writing style. She sometimes discussed the storyline with me and while she was open to considering the occasional suggestion, she had a definite vision for the novel, and she stayed true to that. My contributions in providing a distinctive voice for the mother’s letters were guided by her concept.

 

4Q: What is the most difficult aspect of working as a team on a singular venture?

 

PM: Editing was more complicated, I imagine, than with one author, as we had to discuss and send back and forth with track changes. Although, for me this was also part of the learning experience, so even though it took more time it was very beneficial.

 

VS: Finding time was always a challenge. Pamela is busy with her practice and with two small boys at home, so opportunities to collaborate on storyline and so forth weren’t easy to manage. In fact, the story was begun several years ago and sometimes months went by without any progress. But we persevered, albeit slowly, and finally there was a draft that was ready to submit.

 

4Q: How did Valerie’s extensive experience with manuscripts, covers and publishing assist you in the development of Finding Avalon?

 

PM: That part was a huge benefit to me. She was able to say approximately how many chapters we would be looking at, how many pages/words per chapter, so we were able to write something that was appropriate for the publishing world, for this age group.

 

4Q: Are there more joint projects planned for the future?

 

PM: Yes. We do have an idea for another joint project. I also plan on doing some solo books.

 

VS: We’ve definitely talked about that, and have briefly discussed a story we might like to work on together, but there’s nothing planned for the immediate future. I think it’s likely Pamela will take on a solo project or two before we move forward with another collaboration.

 

 

4Q: Anything else you’d like to share with us?

 

PM: I would like to say, to anyone who wants to write books, do it. It may be a big learning curve to become the writer you can be, and most probably won't write a masterpiece their first draft, but edit, and edit again. Join a writing group (we joined kidcrit early on to assist in my learning). If your first story isn't published, do it again. Each time is a learning opportunity. 

 

VS: I was pleased when Pamela first expressed interest in writing a novel, and I was happy to be part of the project as she worked on Finding Avalon. IT was particularly gratifying for me because it so happens that she played a pivotal role when I was writing my first young adult story. That story is called Kate, and, never having written a novel before, I experienced many doubts partway through. What made me think I knew how to write a book for teens? I was probably wasting my time. And so on.

Then, it occurred to me, Pamela is the right age for this story, and she enjoys reading. So one day I asked her to read the first chapter—and let me know if she found it even a little bit interesting. I can’t say she looked excited about it, but she took the printed pages and disappeared into her room. A while later she returned, put that chapter on the table, and said, “More!”

It was the biggest boost anyone could have given me, and the exact prompt I needed to finish writing that story, which was published in the fall of 2003. (While it was my first novel for young people, it ended up being the third one published.)

 

 

 

An Excerpt from Finding Avalon.

(Copyright is owned by the author. Used with permission)

 

By 8:30, the place is vibrating with music and movement. Best turnout ever. Pip and I have been trying to talk but it’s difficult over the noise. I’m pretty sure he’s been flirting with me, and when he suggests we find a spot where we can talk without yelling, my pulse quickens. Upstairs is off-limits, but we go halfway up the steps and sit side-by-side.

The conversation starts out on a promising note.

“Have you noticed we’ve been introducing each other to family members?” he asks.

“We have?”

“Sure. You’ve sort of met my mom, and I’ve met your dog,” he says.

I laugh.

“Has Winston mentioned whether or not he approves of me?”

“I haven’t had a chance to ask him,” I say.

“Once you get the go ahead from Winston, I should probably meet your mom and dad too,” Pip says.

His voice is light and teasing but it’s easy to see where this is going. It makes me slightly giddy, but I manage to match his tone.

“Of course. Although, actually, it’s just me and Dad.”

“Oh?”

I give him the story I’ve been telling anyone who doesn’t know the truth.

“My mother has been pretty much out of my life since she moved to California with her boyfriend a few years ago.”

“Oh. Sorry.” His voice is soft and kind.

“That’s okay. I'm used to it,” I say, hoping he will drop it. I don’t want sympathy that comes out of a lie.

“I get that,” he says, and I remember about his father being gone from his life. Only, his story is true. Then he speaks again.

“Having something like that in common might be one of the reasons we kind of click, if you know what I mean.”

I’m about to respond when more guests arrive. I recognize the guy from a group picture I’ve seen on Lana’s phone. He has a girl on his arm, but not just any girl.

It’s Sherry Rudder.

My stomach clenches in panic. Before Sherry has a chance to see me, I jump up, dart up the rest of the stairs and race around the corner. All without a word to Pip.

I stand there in the hall, trying frantically to figure a way out of this, but the wild thudding of my heart is drowning out everything else.

Of all people. Not only does Sherry know the truth about my past—the one I’ve just now lied to Pip about—but I know, without the slightest doubt, that she’ll blab it as soon as she sees me.

The strange thing is, we used to be friends at my old school. Close friends, in fact. I could never have predicted that she would turn on me. She wasn’t the only one who did, but her betrayal hurt the most. I didn’t understand it at all. I still don’t.

I remember, with a fresh burst of panic, that she’d worked at Party Portal just before I did, which means she must know Pip. What if she sees him and tells him anyway, without even seeing me?

No, that doesn’t make sense. She’d have no reason to mention me to him unless she saw us together. As long as I stay hidden, there should be no danger of that.

Forcing myself to calm down, I try to figure out the best plan of action. I can stay up here until the party is over, or try to sneak out without Sherry seeing me. If I stay here, there’s a risk I’ll be exposed. Also, Pip will think I’m a nut-job if I never come back down. Which only leaves one option.

I go back to the top of the stairs and peek around the corner. Pip has to be puzzled about my sudden disappearance, but at least he’s still sitting there.

“Psssst. Pip!”

He looks up and as he sees me, his face goes into a “what-the-heck?” scrunch.

“Come here,” I whisper, waving him upstairs.

He joins me. “I thought no one was supposed to be up here.”

“I know, but listen. I’m really sorry about this, but I have to go home.”

“Seriously? How come?”

“I feel sick all of a sudden. Maybe I ate too much junk.”

“That’s too bad.” His face is instantly sympathetic. “At least let me give you a drive.”

“That would be great. Thanks.”

I grab my jacket from Lana’s room, and we head downstairs. The Katy Perry hair is coming in handy. I use it to cover as much of my face as possible and make sure Pip is ahead of me in case I need to duck behind him. As we get near the main floor, I scan the living room. No sign of Sherry, so I move past Pip and hurry toward the door. I’m almost close enough to grab the handle when Pip says, “Avalon, is this you?”

I swing around to find him holding a framed picture of me and Lana when we were about six, dressed for Halloween in identical Cinderella costumes. (Back then, we thought dressing alike was cool!) She had dug it out earlier and perched it on a table in the entrance for tonight’s party. Naturally, it caught Pip’s eye at the worst possible moment.

“Did I hear someone say Avalon?”

And there, of course, is Sherry. Coming straight at us from the kitchen.

 

(End of excerpt)

 

 

Valerie is also happy to announce the recent release of her humourous new middle grade novel, The Rise and Fall of Derek Cowell. From the back cover:

 

Hi, my name is Derek Cowell.

You might remember me from when I was popular.

Before that, I was invisible. And after … well, that’s a long story.

I never expected to become popular. It just sort of happened. An accidental photobomb, a chance encounter with a real live celebrity, and suddenly, I was somebody.

These things never last, though, unless you help them along.

That’s where I ran into trouble.

 

(From Lisa Doucet’s review in ABT: Sherrard has created another captivating tale of family life and middle-school angst, filled with humour and heart.)

 

Read the first chapter 

https://www.dcbyoungreaders.com/rise-and-fall-of-derek-cowell-excer

 

 

 

 

Thanks to you both, Valerie and Pamela for being our special guests this week. Wishing you each continued success with your writing.

 

For all you devoted readers wishing to discover more about Pamela and Valerie, as well as their writing, please follow these links:

Valerie: http://valeriesherrard.blogspot.com/

Author Liz Butcher of Queensland, Australia.

 

The Scribbler is pleased to do a series of guest appearances in conjunction with Creative Edge Publicity of Saskatchewan, Canada.

 

We are pleased to have Liz Butcher as this week’s special guest. When you visit her website, one of the first things you notice is this headline:

 

Author of horror, dark fantasy and speculative fiction.

 

For all you fans of these genres, you’re in for a treat. Her novels have garnered excellent reviews and many accolades. It’s a real pleasure to have Liz share her thoughts with a 4Q Interview and is sharing an Excerpt from her new release – LeRoux Manor.

 

 

 

Liz Butcher resides in Australia, with her husband, daughter, and their two cats. She’s a self-confessed nerd with a BA in psychology and an insatiable fascination for learning. Liz has published a number of short stories in anthologies and has released her own collection, After Dark, in 2018. Her debut novel, Fates’ Fury released September 2019, soon followed with LeRoux Manor in September 2020.

 

 

 

 

4Q: Lets talk about your newest work, released September 1st – LeRoux Manor.  What can readers expect when they pick up a copy?

 

LB: They can expect a story that’s not what it seems and will keep them guessing until the very end. LeRoux Manor is not your normal haunted house tale…

 

 

 

4Q: What draws you to horror, dark fantasy and speculative fiction?

 

LB: I’ve always held a deep fascination for the paranormal and for the things we cannot see or explain. I’m also intrigued by the subconscious mind and so I think the love of the two is what draws me to these genres. I love delving into the shadows of both.

 

 

 

 

4Q: On a more personal note, please share a childhood memory and/or anecdote.

 

LB: When I was around five years old, I started waking in the middle of the night to voices. Only everyone else was fast asleep. It used to terrify me, and I’d always try to wake my mother, but no matter what I did she would never wake up. So, I would turn every light on in the house and not fall back asleep until the sun came up. It then progressed and happened while staying at other people’s houses. My parents wrote the experiences off as bad dreams, but I knew I was awake. While I never worked out what it was or why it happened, I think this was the beginning of my fascination with the paranormal.

 

 

4Q: Your stories have been featured in many anthologies. I assume these are short stories. What do you enjoy about them and maybe you could tell us about a couple of your favorites?

 

 

LB: Writing short stories is such a great way to hone your skills, especially when adhering to limited word counts. It helped build my confidence while I worked away on my first novel. Out of all of them, I think my favourites would be Gethen (a possession story told from the perspective of the entity), Sail Away (a surreal tale of a sailor seeking Valhalla) and Amber (the dark truth about the prosperity of a small village).

 

 

4Q: You have two other novels to offer our readers – After Dark & Fate’s Fury. Can you give us a brief synopsis of them?

 

LB: After Dark is a collection of my short stories, including the three mentioned above. Fates’ Fury is a mythological thriller about The Fates returning to our realm to destroy mankind as punishment for the way we’ve treated the planet and each other. Before they can eradicate us for good, they must locate the hidden Tablet of Destinies. Three friends find themselves at the center of it all and have to uncover who they really are, while an alliance of ancient gods return to help fight against The Fates and help man save themselves—assuming they can find a reason why we’re worth saving.

 

 **** Fabulous covers!

 

4Q: Favorite authors? Novels?

 

LB: I’ve always been a huge fan of both Stephen King and Anne Rice.

 

 

 

4Q: What’s next for Liz Butcher, the author?

 

LB: I’m currently querying my next novel, Never, Never, which is a modern retelling of Peter Pan, where Wendy Darling is all grown up and a local detective haunted by her childhood abduction at the hands of the mysterious Pan. I’m also working on the first installment for a series about a character named Luna Zimmer, a highly intelligent, hot mess of a woman, embarking on a new pursuit as a paranormal investigator as she tries to get to the bottom of what really happened to her family. Then I’m almost finishing plotting my next book, Sunrise, which is dark fantasy/horror.

 

 

4Q: Anything else you’d like to share with us?

 

LB: Watch this space!

 

 

 

 

 

An Excerpt from LeRoux Manor.

(Copyright is held by the author. Used with permission.)

 

MENA SAT ON the soft green grass, shaded by the old oak tree against which she rested. The long skirt of her sky-blue, satin party dress—now ruined—billowed out around her. A smile danced across her face as she stroked the cat in her lap, listening to the sounds of her parents’ party drifting with the breeze. The melodic tunes of the string quartet mingled with the steady flow of conversation. Friends and family had travelled far and wide to see the grandest house in the province. Completed at last—an architectural marvel, her father called it. Many of the guests were residents from local towns, and most of them Mena had never seen or heard of before.

 

Raising her hand, she pressed her thumb to her finger, marvelling at the stickiness of the blood. She found it fascinating how it changed from warm and fluid to thick and cool in such little time.

 

“Here you are,” her father said. “We’ve been looking all over for you. Everyone’s asking after you. That nanny of yours…” He stopped when he realised what she was doing.

 

Mena grinned up at him. “Hello, Papa. Kitty and I are having our own party. The grown-ups were boring.” She wiped a stray piece of her ebony hair off her forehead with the back of a hand, leaving a streak of blood in its wake.

 

“No. Not again…” Her father’s voice trembled with anger. Mena could see the weight of the sadness in his eyes, but she felt nothing for it. He stepped forward and grabbed his daughter by the wrist, yanking her to her feet.

 

Mena gasped when the dead cat tumbled from her lap. “Kitty!” she cried. Her father stormed off, pulling her along behind him.

 

“Wait, Papa. I want my kitty!” she wailed, hot tears spilling down her cheeks. In her distress, it took her a while to realise they weren't headed back to the house. Instead, her father led her toward the woods behind their estate. “Papa? Where are we going?”

 

“Somewhere I should have taken you sooner.”

 

Confused by the unsuspected turn, Mena soon forgot her tears—and her Kitty—and hurried along after him. Her tiny feet scurried across the grass as she struggled to keep up.

 

They slowed when they entered the woods so her father could better navigate his way through the trees. He paused here and there, as though unsure of his bearings. Mena took the time to marvel at her surroundings. Her parents had always forbidden her to enter the woods, but now, she knew it was the perfect place to play with her animals.

 

Her father came to an abrupt stop, causing Mena to run into the back of his legs. When he didn’t move, she peeked around him to find a wall of rock before them. She blinked at it with wide eyes; it rose quite high—at least twice as high as her Papa—before curving at the top. It made her think of a giant, sleeping monster hibernating in the woods. Moss and plants spread out across the stone in patches of damp greenery, and a small stream trickled down the front. She wondered where the water came from; it hadn’t rained in weeks. As she followed the water downwards, she noticed a narrow opening in the rocks.

 

“Papa, is it a cave?” she exclaimed, looking up at him. He stared straight ahead, unmoving for so long, Mena was unsure if he’d heard her. Only when she tugged on his hand did he give a small nod.

 

“I do love you, Mena.” His voice trembled, and he released her hand. She ignored his sentiment and dashed toward the cave.

 

Without hesitation, she got down on her knees and poked her head into the darkness. When her father gave no further protest, she took it as permission to explore and scurried into the cave.

 

The darkness enveloped her. Mena wondered what kind of animals she would find inside. Then something shoved her from behind, her hand slipped forward, and she lost her balance. Before she could call out, she was falling.

 

Falling…

Falling…

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, Liz, for being our special guest this week. Wishing you all the success you deserve.

 

 

For all you fantastic visitors wanting to discover more about Liz and her stories, please follow these links:

 

Website: https://lizbutcherauthor.com.au

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lunaloveliz

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lunaloveliz/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Liz-Butcher-1394868604152823/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13845425.Liz_Butcher

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/lizbutcherauthor/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00X6XN5O6

Returning Mystery Author Chuck Bowie of Fredericton, NB.

 

Chuck has been a regular guest on the Scribbler and he's always welcome. He writes mysteries and does it well. Today he tells us about what's new in his writing journey.

The Scribbler is happy to have him back as he chats about his new novels. The fifth in the Thief for Hire series- Her Irish Boyfriend -  is due out soon and Death Between the Walls is a new series which has been well received with great reviews. See below for the links to his other visits.

Apples…or Guns; What do You Research?

-         Chuck Bowie

I write Thrillers. I love writing thrillers; I think it may have something to do with experiencing something that I wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to. Also, if a story arrives in your brain, you want to see where that story goes, right? As an intuitive writer, I will just be sitting around (or sleeping, or driving) when an idea hits me, often quite clearly defined. It may be a character, a scene, or the germ of an idea for a new novel. At my stage in the writing continuum, I peer deeply into this germ of an idea, and if it isn’t about some sort of mystery, I am wont to dismiss it, because, as I mentioned, I like thrillers.

        

  My first novel: Three Wrongs arrived as a rough but fully-formed story. I didn’t intend at the outset to extend it into a series, but again, I wanted to see where Donovan’s story would take him: to redemption, or someplace else. Along the way, From AMACAT through to my upcoming thriller Her Irish Boyfriend, I discovered if I was to tell a complete story, I needed to brush up on objects and events with which I was less familiar. A visit to Trinity College in Dublin illustrates the wonder of research to enhance a story. Guns being another, for instance. Having owned but one pistol in my life—a pellet gun—I needed to do some homework on weaponry. What’s the difference between a Turkish Akdal Ghost and a Glock Gen 16? In fact, what’s the difference between a Glock Gen 14 and a Gen 16? Readers want to know, and experienced, discerning readers will be offended if I get it wrong. So homework has to happen.

Long Room at Trinity College.

          Research must be conducted, regardless of the genre, or sub-genre. And if God is in the details (and evidence suggests it is) a writer’s work improves with the quality of their research. I’m going to argue that ameliorating the research will improve the writing, including the character’s behaviour (psychology), the setting (which way is west, when the sun sets), exposition (how does an anechoic chamber actually feel like, to the user), and the tools of the sub-genre (including weaponry).

          So here I am, tooling along as a writer of Suspense-Thrillers, when, late one night after a great dinner of red wine, pulled pork tacos with refried black beans, a thought occurred to me. Here comes the part where I self-identify as a word nerd, or Logophile. I awoke with a fairly advanced storyline for a Cozy Mystery. Here comes my fancy word: I am usually comfortable in being visited by the idea for a new story and successfully fighting the notion off. This is called a ‘Velleity’.You may recall I think, or thought, of myself as a Thriller writer. But the idea of a new series wouldn’t go away. Around this time, my life got a bit interrupted, and while I was off-track, I wrote my first Cozy Mystery: Death Between the Walls, and it didn’t hurt a bit.

          But there were growing pains to the creation of this new series.

          I knew from the very beginning that I wanted to write it as a series. And I wanted the little town to feel almost as if it, too, was a character. This I knew would require research. And it seemed as if I may have to refresh my notion of what constitutes applied research. For instance, I probably would no longer need to Google ‘guns’, but I may in fact need to know which apples ripen in August. (Ginger Golds in Eastern Canada, as it turns out.) And my new protagonist was a woman! And a younger woman, at that. Part of my support system would be my female editor, and part of my research entailed reading cozys (sic). The surprise, for me, was that it would be necessary to return to the small town in which I was raised, and look around. This helped immensely; a refamiliarization, as it were.

          Areas of commonality between the Thriller series and the Cozy series were easy to spot: the narrative arc was similar: Intro-Challenge-Quest-Rise-Crisis-Denouement. The development of the protagonist had to be paced, in both cases. The crisis and concurrent tension had to be there. And getting the reader to actually care about the outcomes of the characters was still critical.

          I remain fascinated by this need to get the details right. You don’t shoot someone at 5 o’clock, and then have someone see them in a tavern at 7:00 that same night. But more than that, what does a thirty-four year old woman wear to dinner? And can they engage in a chase scene wearing flip-flops? Would the tiny GM pickup she drives have a V-6, or a V-8? Who would know how to disable ABS braking on that truck, if they weren’t a mechanic? If you see a wolf in rural East Coast New Brunswick, is it in fact a wolf, or might it be a coyote? Are their eyes the same colour?

          As I said; I love Mysteries, and it remains a mystery as to which kind of mystery I prefer: Suspense-Thriller, or Cozy Mystery. I guess I’ll just have to keep writing both until I decide.

 

Chuck Bowie writes out of Fredericton, New Brunswick, and so does his pseudonym, Alexa Bowie.

**Note from The Scribbler: I thoroughly enjoyed Death Between the Walls and if you are into cozy mysteries, this one won't let you down. 

I've followed the TFH series and am anxious for the release of Her Irish Boyfriend.

A review for Death Between the Walls:

Loved the mystery itself besides the "local flavors" incorporated into the story. Great writing definitely makes for a page turner. Looking forward to Emma's next adventure and meeting more of the interesting characters that surround her.


To view Chucks earlier visits, follow these:

July 7, 2018 February 11, 2017 August 20, 2016


To buy Chuck's books, go HERE.


To discover more about Chuck and his writing, follow these links:

https://www.chuckbowie.ca/bio

https://www1.gnb.ca/0003/Pages/en/NB_...

https://wfnb.ca/member_profile/chuck-...

https://museituppublishing.com/bookst...

Thank you Chuck for being our guest this week. Wishing you continued success with your stories.

Author Michelle McLean & Illustrator Sophie Arseneau of Bath, NB.

 

Another first for the Scribbler!

 

Michelle and I met online through several author friends we follow on Facebook. There is excitement in the air for Michelle and Sophie – a mother and daughter team– with their first collection of children’s poems – When Pigs Fly. The book was launched September 19th in Woodstock, NB.

Michelle is an award-winning poet and her work has been featured in many publications. Sophie is an artist, writer and competitive dancer.

The Scribbler is lucky to have the ladies as our guest this week. A 4Q Interview and an excerpt from the new book.

 

Michelle McLean is a clinical social worker, educator, poet, and mother of two fabulous, big-hearted daughters. Her work has appeared in a variety of publications, including Quills, Ascent Aspirations, Understorey, Other Voices, Peacock Journal, JONAH, and others. She lives with her family in the village of Bath, New Brunswick.

Sophie Arseneau, now 12, completed the majority of the illustrations for this collection between the ages of 10-11. Sophie is an artist, writer, competitive dancer and grade 8 student at Florenceville Middle School. 

 

4Q: Michelle – how did this project come about? What inspired you and Sophie to create this work?

 

MM: The majority of these poems were actually written when Sophie was in utero.  I was thrilled when the unpublished manuscript won second place in the Writer’s Federation of New Brunswick’s annual competition in the “Writing for Children” category (2007).   Despite receiving encouraging feedback about the collection over the next couple of years, I wasn’t able to find a publisher at the time and I basically sentenced the manuscript to life in the back corner of my closet amongst the dust bunnies, my too high/never worn heels, and photo boxes filled with outtakes, snapshots of old boyfriends and regrettable 80s hair.  This is also where I housed my rejection letters – out of sight, but never quite out of mind.  Yet all of those kindly worded (and often personalized) rejection letters invite reconsideration of the previously-scorned-as-platitude “things happen for a reason”, since this deferral allowed the opportunity for my daughter to illustrate the poems and for the two of us to collaborate on this project together.  I was also delighted that we were able to include a gorgeous artistic contribution from my youngest daughter, Lily.  It’s a pretty special project to me – a collaboration that never would have happened had the book been accepted for publication all those years ago.

 

I’ve long admired Sophie’s artistic talents and how much animation and life she brings to her drawings.   I’ve always loved the humor and joy in her artwork and it would never fail to make me smile and chuckle.   When Sophie was around 9 or 10, I remember thinking “how cool would it be if she wanted to illustrate the poems in When Pigs Fly?”  Luckily, Sophie was on board with this idea, and Chapel Street Editions was willing to take the plunge with us! 

 

 

 

4Q: Sophie – please tell us about your illustrations. Was it difficult to portray the words into a drawing?

 

SA:  It was a little difficult, but some poems were easier to portray than others.  For instance, some of the shorter poems took less time to draw than some of the longer or more complicated ones.  I completed some of the illustrations at home, and others in my art classes with Brigitte Rivers.  Each illustration usually took between 1-2 classes, but some of the more complicated drawings might take up to 4 classes.  The words in the poems affect a lot of the outcome of the drawing.  Most of the poems in the book are written in a silly or funny style so that drawing would be different than maybe a more serious poem or a love poem.

 

 

 

4Q: Now tell us what to expect when we pick up a copy.

 

MM:  One of my fondest descriptions of this collection came from my publisher, who called it “delightfully quirky”.   I’m thrilled when I share the poems with folks and they laugh out loud.  That’s my favorite reaction.   I think when people pick up a copy, they can expect to be impressed and delighted by the illustrations (I am admittedly biased, but I still think it holds true), and to have some laughs and to enjoy a little goofy foolishness, whimsy and wordplay, with the occasional dash of something extra.    

 

 

 

4Q: Please share a childhood memory and/or anecdote. Michelle & Sophie.

 

MM:  Sophie has been writing and illustrating since she was a very little girl.  I can remember her as young as age three, crafting books out of construction and printer paper, carefully hole- punching and binding them with ribbons – titles such as The Canary Merry Christmas, The Yicky Sticky Ick, Tommy the Tow Truck, ABCDE Animals, The Horse and the Flea, The Fuzzy Wuzzie Bear, and her five-volume series, Hey Abby!  Sophie would always include an “About the Author” section on the back, and the whole process and production at that age was pretty adorable, but also just really impressive.   I also fondly reflect on the newsletter Sophie created years ago to share around town, entitled “Chit Chat and all That”.  Staff at our local convenience store, Mark’s the Spot allowed Sophie to display them on their newsstand for folks to take home with them.

 

Over the years, I have rescued various pieces of writing and artwork from the trash – pieces which didn’t meet Sophie’s standards in some way.  I just couldn’t bear to see them thrown out.  I know I’m biased, but I think everything she creates is pretty special.  Who knows – maybe she’ll publish the “outtakes” someday!

 

SA:  Like my mom has said, when I was quite young, I was often writing my own little books and stories.  I threw a lot of my writing away, but mom ended up rescuing half of my art pieces and books from when I was little.  I’m glad she did, because now I can see them again and remember when I wrote them.  

 

 

 

4Q: Please tell us about your other writing Michelle and especially your award(s).

 

MM: I continue to search out a home for my unpublished manuscript, Tesserae, but have published a number of individual poems from this collection.  Tesserae was awarded an honourable mention for the Alfred G. Bailey Prize (2017).    I was twice awarded honourable mentions for the Dawn Watson Memorial prize (2015), (2018). 

As an unpublished manuscript, When Pigs Fly was awarded second place in WFNB’s annual contest in the “Writing for Children” category (2007).   I was also a grateful award recipient in the Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg poetry competition for “young writers of unusual promise” (2007).

I have received a number of other honourable mentions, as well as second and third place awards in various contests from Ascent Aspirations, Open Minds Quarterly, Toward the Light, and the Ontario Poetry Society.

While part of me feels a little obnoxious listing these recognitions, I have to say that these awards have been quite helpful in buoying my faith and optimism in the midst of the inevitable swamp of rejection letters one often finds themselves slogging through as a writer.

 

 

 

4Q: Sophie – When did you start drawing and when did you start competitive dancing. Tell us a bit about both.

 

SA: I have been drawing for my entire life because it was always something I really enjoyed doing.  I started competitive dance three years ago but I have been dancing recreationally since I was three.  What I love most about drawing is that there is no “right way”. You can just do whatever you want and there’s no rules.   What I love most about dance is everything, honestly, – the costumes, the music, being on stage – I love everything about it!

 

 

 

4Q: Favorite authors, novels or artist?

 

SA: I don’t exactly have a favorite author because I usually pick out any book and if I like it, I read it. I don’t usually pick out books by a specific author.

 

 

 

4Q: What’s next for you ladies? Another project to work on together?

 

MM: I would absolutely love to work on another collaboration with Sophie at some point, but I suspect she would enjoy a little break to move on to other things in her life right now.   My youngest daughter Lily has expressed interest in working on a project together, so perhaps that will be something to look for in the future.

 

SA:  Although I did enjoy this project a lot, I agree that mom and my sister Lily should work on the next project together and that way we would both get a chance.

 

 

 

An Excerpt from When Pigs Fly.

(Compliments of Chapel Street Editions. Copyright is held by the author(s). Used with permission)

 

 

Thank you both, Michell and Sophie, for being our guests this week. Wishing you much success with your future endeavors.

 

For all you fantastic visitors wanting to know more about Michelle and Sophie, please follow these links:

 ****Please note that when you visit Amazon, you may see that the book is "temporarily out of stock". This is not so if you are ordering a paperback. Because it is print-on-demand, you can order your copy.  

Purchasing links:

http://www.chapelstreeteditions.com/when-pigs-fly.html?fbclid=IwAR2_Ke3iC1zSYuPTFo2aVZniZ-TkHO7idAClezhL7oHHXsVA8dVqW_m2BJg

https://www.amazon.ca/When-Pigs-Fly-Michelle-McLean/dp/1988299292/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=when+pigs+fly+michelle+mclean&qid=1599001672&sr=8-1

 

 

Other links and contacts:

https://wfnb.ca/member_profile/michelle-mclean/

https://understoreymagazine.ca/author/michelle-mclean/

http://peacockjournal.com/michelle-mclean-three-poems/

https://www.creekvillagegalleryandcafe.com/sophie-arseneau

https://www.facebook.com/events/646604956061308

https://www.facebook.com/creekvillagegalleryandcafe/photos/a.1069569733070172/3918585064835277/

 

Michelle’s email contact:    mclean.michelle@outlook.com

 

Sophie would also like to invite you to follow “Gruffy the Puppy” on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/gruffythepuppy/

 

 

Award winning Author Jennifer Irwin of Los Angeles, CA.

 

I had the pleasure to become acquainted with and follow Jennifer on Twitter when I noticed the exceptional cover of her debut novel – A Dress the color of the Sky. What was also striking is the amount of awards the novel has garnered, as well as exceptional reviews. Most impressive. After visiting her web site, I hoped to share her work with my readers.

She has graciously accepted my invitation to be this week’s guest to participate in a 4Q Interview and the book summary.

 

A native New Yorker and captivating storyteller with a flair for embellishment, Jennifer Irwin currently resides in Los Angeles with two cats, a dog, and her boyfriend. After earning her BA in Cinema from Denison University, she worked in advertising and marketing, raised three boys, and ultimately became a certified Pilates instructor. Jennifer’s short stories have appeared in numerous literary publications including California’s Emerging Writers, An Anthology of Fiction. A Dress the Color of the Sky is her first novel. Since its release, A Dress the Color of the Sky has won seven indie book awards, received rave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and been optioned for a feature film. Jennifer is represented by Prentis Literary.

 

 

 

4Q: Let’s start by telling our readers how you chose the intriguing title A Dress the Color of The Sky and then we’ll share the book’s blurb.

 

JI: I came up with the title after reading the fairy tale, Donkeyskin which was written by Charles Perrault and originally published in 1695. I refer to the fairy tale in my novel which helps to align the title with the premise of the book.

 

 

4Q: How thrilling to be recognized for your work. Of the seven awards received for your novel, I am most fascinated by the three awards given by The Feathered Quill. Wow! Please tell us about this experience.

 

JI: The first award I learned about winning was the Feathered Quill book award in which A Dress the Color of the Sky was awarded medals in three categories. It was the most exciting moment for me as a debut novelist—to be recognized as an award-winning author and to have my work chosen against my peers was the best feeling. I was actually in a restaurant when I received the email and I felt like jumping up from the table and screaming, “I won!”

 

 

4Q:  After reading The Story Behind the Story on your website, we note there are experiences in your life and those close to you that inspired your story. Would you care to share a bit about this?

 

JI: I began writing my book when I was going through a divorce and felt like I had failed at one of the biggest commitments of my life. It was important to me to dig deep and try to understand why I had chosen this person as my life partner when I knew he was an alcoholic. What I realized was that I had been carrying around a great deal of pain from my childhood and the fact that my father was an alcoholic and I married one must have had some correlation. This was one of the reasons I dug deep into the process of healing from childhood trauma which is the underlying theme of my debut novel. I also was fascinated by the huge impact that Fifty Shades of Grey had on women and the reawakening of their sexuality so I decided to make my protagonist a sex addict as well.

 

 

4Q: Please share a childhood memory and/or anecdote.

 

JI: It’s funny that you are asking this question since some of my book is loosely based on my life. While writing A Dress the Color of the Sky I dug deep into my childhood to understanding how I ended up the way I am but more importantly what processes needed to happen in order to unwind the unwanted baggage I had carried into my adult life. If I had to pick one memory from my childhood it would be spending time with my mom. She had a great sense of humor and a contagious laugh which was like a burst of sunshine in even the toughest of situations.

 

 

4Q: Your website mentions your follow-up novel, yet to be published, A Dress the Color of the Moon. What can you share about this novel with us?

 

JI: I recently submitted the final draft of A Dress the Color of the Moon to my literary agent who is in the process of putting the pitch package together. I’m hopeful that the stand-alone sequel will be picked up by a publisher and perhaps they will also pick up my first book, re-cover and re-release. The sequel begins when Prudence checks out of rehab and follows her and a few of the characters from the first book as they journey through their post-rehab life. The story moves from third person to first person and back and forth in time so I definitely took on a complex story structure for my second book! There are a lot of unexpected twists and turns as the reader learns more about a few of the characters including who stays on course, and who doesn’t. There is a movie called The Big Chill in which a few old college friends gather for a funeral. In Moon there is a similar premise in which the characters all gather for the funeral of someone who committed suicide in rehab which happened in book one. I dig deeper into who she was and how the suicide affected each of the characters.

 

 

4Q: Favorite authors or novels?

 

JI: Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt. I love a good story about overcoming hardships and the strength of the human spirit.

 

 

4Q: Anything else you would like to tell us about?

 

JI: I would like to thank you for helping indie published authors like myself spread the word about our books!

 

** You’re most welcome, Jennifer. Talented authors, like yourself, are what makes the Scribbler so interesting.

 

A Dress the Color of the Sky.

Book Summary:

 

For too many years, Prudence Aldrich has been numbing the pain in her life with random sexual encounters. Her marriage to cold, self-centered Nick is, not surprisingly, on the rocks. But after several dangerous experiences with strangers, Prudence finally realizes she needs therapy to stop her self-destructive behavior, and so she checks into the Serenity Hills rehab center.

                          

Prudence blames herself for her irresponsible behavior and is filled with self-loathing. She’s convinced she is completely at fault for Nick’s manipulative attitude and believes with therapy, she can return their relationship to its idyllic beginnings. However, her therapist and the other members of her rehab group see the person behind the pain. As Prudence learns for about herself and the reasons for her behavior, including startling revelations about her childhood, she begins to understand the basis for her lack of sexual self-respect. She also learns she is not entirely to blame for the failure of her marriage. With the positive reinforcement of everyone at Serenity Hills, Prudence learns not to define herself by her past. But moving forward would mean letting go of Nick for good, and Prudence isn’t sure she can.

                                          

 

 

 

Thank you, Jennifer, for being our guest this week. Wishing you continued success with your writing.

For you readers that would like to know more about Jennifer and her novel, please follow these links:

 

http://jenniferirwinauthor.com

https://twitter.com/jenirwinauthor

https://www.facebook.com/Jennifer-Irwin-author-1553230351572292/

 

Don't be shy, 

Award Winning Author Edward Willett of Regina, Saskatchewan.

 

The Scribbler is pleased to do a series of guest appearances in conjunction with Creative Edge Publicity of Saskatchewan, Canada. (See below for more of Creative Edge) 

This week you will meet Edward Willett, an award-winning author of science fiction, fantasy, YA novels and non-fiction. With over 60 title published, he has something for all ages.

He also features fantasy and sci-fi authors on his podcast – The Worldshapers.

If that doesn’t keep him busy enough, he also offers the following on his website:

Looking for an editor or mentor? I offer developmental and copyediting services as well as writing mentorships.

The Scribbler is fortunate to have Edward participate in a 4Q Interview and he is sharing an excerpt from The Moonlit World.

Edward Willett is the aware-winning author of more than sixty books of science fiction, fantasy, and non-fiction for readers of all ages. His latest is The Moonlit World, Book 3 in his Worldshapers portal-fantasy series for DAW Books. He also hosts the Aurora award-winning podcast The Worldshapers, featuring conversations with science fiction and fantasy authors about their creative process, and recently Kickstarted an anthology, Shapers of Worlds, featuring authors who were guests on the podcast during the first year, many of them bestselling and award-winning. The anthology releases in ebook September 22 and in print in mid-November from Shadowpaw Press, Willett’s own publishing company. Willett began his career as a journalist, and his nonfiction includes science and history books and biographies, many of them for young readers. He lives in Regina, Saskatchewan.

 

 

 

4Q: From visiting your website, I notice that the Anthology – Shapers of Worlds – is your newest release. What can you tell us about this collection?

 

EW: Shapers of Worldsgrew out of my podcast, The Worldshapers, where I interview other science fiction and fantasy authors—many of them international bestsellers and major award-winners—about their creative process. A couple of years ago I started my own publishing company, Shadowpaw Press, and as a result, became a member of SaskBooks, the professional association of Saskatchewan publishers. At our annual meeting last year, someone from Winnipeg gave a presentation on her successful Kickstarting of an anthology, and I thought, “Hey, I know some authors.” I reached out to (to limit the numbers) my first-year guests to see who would be interested in either writing an original story or providing a reprint, if the project funded. I had a wonderfully positive response—even those who couldn’t commit were very positive about the concept—so I went ahead. The Kickstarter ran in March—just as the pandemic was taking hold! —and funded to the tune of $15,700 CDN from 366 backers. The final book, which features original stories from Tanya Huff, Seanan McGuire, David Weber, L.E. Modesitt, Jr., John C. Wright, D.J. Butler, Christopher Ruocchio, Shelley Adina, and Edward Willett, plus fiction by John Scalzi, David Brin, Julie Czerneda, Joe Haldeman, Gareth L. Powell, Dr. Charles E. Gannon, Fonda Lee, Derek Künsken, and Thoraiya Dyer, is now out in ebook, with a commercial print release coming in mid-November.

I’ve already reached out to my second-year podcast guests for a Shapers of Worlds Volume II, and am getting great response again, so look for another Kickstarter campaign around about February!

 

 

4Q:  Please tell us about your podcast – The Worldshapers.

 

EW: I’ve thought for years about starting a podcast, because I’ve hosted my own local radio and TV programs and, as a journalist, have conducted a lot of interviews during my career. When my book series, Worldshapers, began, I decided it was the perfect time to finally try my hand at podcasting, and put my interview skills—and the connections I now have in the field of science fiction and fantasy—to work. So, in August 2018 I launched with interviews with Robert J. Sawyer, John Scalzi, Tanya Huff, and Julie Czerneda, and the podcast has been going ever since.

Each episode is roughly an hour long (some have gone longer—Orson Scott Card’s ended up being a two-parter!), and follows the same general format: I ask how the author became interested in science fiction and fantasy as both a reader and a writer, how they got started writing, and how they broke in to professional writing, and then, focusing on a particular title of their choice, discuss their creative process, from idea generation through planning and outlining through writing the first draft, revision, and editing. At the end, I ask the “big philosophical questions”: “Why do you write? Why do you think any of us write? And why write science fiction and fantasy in particular?”

It’s been great fun and I’ve been gratified by the willingness of so many amazing authors to chat with me. I was honored to receive the 2019 Aurora Award—Canada’s fan-nominated-and-voted-on science fiction and fantasy award, the Canadian version of the Hugo Award—for Best Fan Related Work for the podcast, and honored that it was shortlisted for the same award again this year.

 

 

4Q: Can you share a childhood memory and/or anecdote?

 

EW: I have a clear memory, at the age of about five, while we were living in a little house on the corner of a farm outside of Lubbock, Texas, of learning what a “light year” was—that it was a measure of distance, not time, and an immense distance, at that—and being excited to tell my mother what I’d learned. Clearly, my future interest in science fiction was being foreshadowed.

 

 

4Q: I’m most intrigued by your World Shapers series. Your website states: From an Aurora Award-winning author comes a new portal fantasy series in which one woman’s powers open the way to a labyrinth of new dimensions. What can you tell us about it?

EW: The Worldshapers series is set in an interdimensional Labyrinth of Shaped worlds: worlds that exist only because a Shaper, trained in our world by the mysterious Ygrair (who has her own Shaped world at the center of the Labyrinth) has entered the Labyrinth and created the world from the raw material available there. In other words, it’s a bit like authors getting to live inside their books!

In the first book, Worldshaper, my main character, Shawna Keys, is living a nice, ordinary life in a small Montana city. She’s just opened her new pottery studio. She has a good friend, Aesha. As far as she knows, her world is the only world there is. But then, there’s what seems to be a terrorist attack. Aesha is killed. The leader of the “terrorists” touches Shawna’s forehead, and then is about to kill her. But she rejects that this can be happening—and just like that, it isn’t. It hasn’t. Time slipped back three hours. But Aesha is still gone—worse than dead, because no one else even remembers she existed!

Enter Karl Yatsar, who tells Shawna she’s the Shaper of that world, even though she doesn’t remember being a Shaper—a thing he’s never encountered before and can’t explain. He tells her her world is lost, that the Adversary—the leader of the “terrorist” group—has stolen her knowledge of the Shaping of her world and will now begin to turn it against her. Her only hope is to escape her world into the next world in the Labyrinth. As well, he thinks, from the power she showed in setting time back three hours, that she has the power to do what he has been sent into the Labyrinth to accomplish: gather the knowledge of the Shaping of as many worlds in the Labyrinth as possible and convey that knowledge to Ygrair, before the Adversary can make his way to Ygrair and kill her, destroying the Labyrinth utterly in the process.



The first book is basically a chase across Shawna’s world as she flees the Adversary and she and Karl try to get to where he can open a Portal into the next world. Her world is a lot like ours, with a few differences (which I had fun with—in her world, for example, The Da Vinci Code was made into a not-very-successful Broadway musical starring Hugh Jackman.) She escapes into the next world, where Book 2, Master of the World, is set. For much of the book she’s on her own, having left Karl behind, and has to navigate a world inspired by the works of Jules Verne—so, it’s full of submarines and strange airships and weapons and mysterious islands.

The Moonlit World, Book 3, takes Shawna and Karl into a world Shaped by someone who really likes vampires and werewolves, so the title in my head for it for a long time was actually, “Werewolves and vampires and peasants, oh my!” I had a lot of fun playing with (and subverting) some of the vampire/werewolf tropes, and (as I do in all three books) indulging my penchant for making geek-culture jokes.

4Q: Favorite authors? Novels?



J.R.R. Tolkien, of course. I’m a fan of Harry Potter, too. Robert A. Heinlein was a huge influence on me, growing up, as was Andre Norton. C.S. Lewis. Isaac Asimov.

Non-genre, and maybe overall, my favorite author as a kid was Arthur Ransome, who wrote a series of sailing-focused books for children called Swallows and Amazons. In Worldshaper, there’s a yacht named Amazon for that very reason!

Modern authors: I never miss a David Weber book (and he’s been on the show!) or one of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files adventures. V.E. Schwab (also a guest) is someone I enjoy a lot, and I devoured Peter V. Brett and Kevin Hearne’s series (and they’ve both been on the show, too—this is why I love doing the podcast!). After that, there are all kinds of authors whose work I appreciate. Most of my reading currently is me delving into the books by the authors who are going to be guests on The Worldshapers!





4Q: What attracts you to sci-fi and fantasy writing? 

EW: It’s the ultimate playground of the imagination. There is no idea you can come up with that you can’t find a way to tell in science fiction and fantasy. In science fiction, all of time and space is your mental playground. In fantasy, you’re not even limited by our reality. I can’t imagine limiting myself by not writing science fiction and fantasy.





4Q: You are the recipient of many awards for your writing. Which one(s) thrills you the most?

EW: The Aurora Award I won for Marseguro, my second book for DAW Books, was a huge thrill. My publishers, Betsy Wollheim and Sheila Gilbert, were both at the awards dinner (held in conjunction with the World Science Fiction convention in Montreal in 2009). And I got kissed on the cheek by Robert J. Sawyer. How many authors can say that?





4Q: Please share a bit about your editing and mentor services.



EW: I’ve worked as a writer-in-residence for both the Regina and Saskatoon Public Libraries, taught off-campus university writing classes, run many workshops, taught teen writers, edited books and literary magazine...in other words, I’ve spent a long time trying to help other writers. I’m happy to help authors with book editing at all levels, and as a mentor, to work with authors on a longer work they might be working through, offering my suggestions regarding story, characterization, and, of course, language. I had very little access to any kind of mentoring or editing services when I started writing, and I’m thrilled to be able to help other writers now.





4Q: What’s next for Edward Willett, the author?

EW: My next big project is a sprawling space-opera book called The Tangled Stars, which DAW will publish in 2022. I’ve also got a young-adult novel called Star Song coming out soon from my own Shadowpaw Press. This is a book that almost sold in the early 1990s to a major publisher, but the fellow who ran the company died, his son took over, and the son promptly decreed, just as the editor (as she later told me) was about to make on offer on my book, that the company would no longer publish science fiction. It never found a home. I’ve rewritten it completely, start to finish, and look forward to finally bringing it out.

Shadowpaw Press will be bringing out other of my backlist and never-before-published titles as well. It’s also possible, if Worldshapers Book 4 isn’t picked up by DAW, that I’ll continue the series under my own imprint. Book 4 is planned: it’s set in a film noir world.





4Q: Anything else you’d like to share with us?

 

EW: I’d really encourage everyone to check out The Worldshapers podcast. If you love science fiction and fantasy, and you’re interested in writing, you’ll find an amazing wealth of information there about how the books that have enthralled you come into existence.

 

 

An Excerpt from The Moonlit World

(Copyright is held by the author. Used with permission)

 

Snarls and howls and bloodcurdling shrieks pursued us up the steep, rock-strewn slope, which I guess was better than being pursued by the things making the snarls and howls and bloodcurdling shrieks...although I was pretty sure they wouldbe pursuing in short order.

My breath came in short gasps as I struggled uphill in Karl’s wake. The trees were sparse and the flat black rocks—shale, I guess—shifted beneath us, sliding downhill with an almighty racket that ensured the creatures below knew we were above them.

The sounds of battle dwindled to nothing. Silence reigned behind us. It wasn’t as comforting as you might think.

At least there’s moonlight, I thought, glancing up. Here, there’s always moonlight. The stars around the moon looked normal, the constellations the ones I knew from my world, presumably the same as those in the First World...though from what Karl had said, these stars weren’t really stars at all, just a very-large-scale stage backdrop to give this pocket universe, this cosmological cul-de-sac, the illusion of infinity.

My thoughts returned abruptly to Earth…this version of it, anyway…as a rather large boulder dislodged by Karl came bounding toward me. “My apologies,” he said over his shoulder.

“No worries,” I said, with a soupçon…perhaps even a dash…of sarcasm. The rock leaped and crashed down the slope behind us for a good fifteen seconds.

And then, suddenly, the slope eased. Ahead of me, Karl straightened, walked a few paces, and stopped. I scrambled up onto the level ground where he stood. Together, we looked at what lay beyond the ridge.

“Wow,” I said at last.

“Succinctly put.”

We stood just a few feet from a sharp drop-off. Spread out before us was more of the valley—a lot more of the valley. It stretched as far as I could see, which was pretty far in the omnipresent moonlight. Fields, forest, rivers, ponds, and hills tumbled away into the indistinct distance.

Directly below us lay a lake, smooth as glass, reflecting the brightest stars and the moon back at us as though it were a mirror. Fields surrounded it and, unlike most of those we’d passed through, appeared cultivated. We could only see half of the lake from our vantage point—we’d have to get closer to the edge to see the rest.

Karl reached for my hand, which surprised me; and I took it, which surprised me even more. “For safety,” he said.

“I’m all for safety.”

Together, we edged forward until we stood at the lip of a cliff that might not have been perfectly sheer but was within spitting distance of it: said spit would fall a long, gut-clenching distance before it hit anything. Directly below us, on the near shore of the lake, stood a village, a cluster of buildings surrounded by a wall of pale stone that shone in the moonlight. A few yellow lights burned here and there.

Other than the castle, it was the first inhabited place we’d seen since entering this world, and considering what had come out of the castle, I thought it reasonable to worry about what might live in the village.

But a howl sounded behind us, and was answered by one of those weird, blood-chilling screams. The werewolves and maybe-vampires were still abroad, and they had to know we’d climbed the ridge. The village had a wall around it. Behind a wall sounded exactly like where I wanted to be. So...

“There is a path,” Karl said. I glanced at him. He wasn’t looking at the village, and following his gaze, I saw what he had seen: two wooden posts, with a gap between them and, sure enough, what looked like the beginning of a trail.

He released my hand and walked carefully over to the posts. I followed. He held on to one post, and I held on to the other, and together, we peered over the edge.

The path descended a couple of hundred feet, switched back, descended another hundred or so, and continued in that fashion on down the rock face. Trees rose between the switchbacks. It looked steep, but not too terrifying...

Another howl.

At least, no more terrifying than whatever was coming up the slope behind us.

“I think we should take our chances with the village below,” Karl said. “Do you agree?”

“Fervently.”

We started down.

You might think, if you have never been pursued through the mountains by monsters, that going down a hill is easier than going up one. You would be almostright. It’s less wear and tear on the heart and lungs and more wear and tear on the legs, which start to ache in short order, and keep on aching. It turns out holding your body back to keep from tumbling headlong is hard work. But that’s what we had to do, because the slope of the path we followed definitely did not adhere to building-code requirements for a wheelchair ramp.

After ten minutes, I would have welcomed a mountainside to climb. After fifteen, I would have welcomed a sharp blow to the head to put me out of my misery. But the path went on and on...and on. Every once in a while a howl or a shriek rent the air, but far enough in the distance they were only mildly alarming, as opposed to breathtakingly terrifying.

Not long after we began the descent, I realized it wasn’t as dark as it had been, that the sky had begun to lighten and the stars to dim. On the one hand, that was a relief, because as day began, based on the previous night’s experience, the maybe-vampires would disappear. If the howling things were werewolves, presumably they’d run off as well.

Of course, if they weren’t werewolves, but just regular (if somewhat oversized and glowing-eyed) wolves, they might actually prefer the light, in which case, we were about to be exposed to everyone...or everything...in the valley.

Including whomever was in the walled village. Smoke now rose from buildings inside the walls, one of which had the unmistakable cruciform shape...not to mention tall bell-tower...of a church. Which was interesting. Did this world have Christian churches?

I hope so, I thought. In the last world, Robur, the Shaper, had set up a religion that worshiped the Shaper...which was all kinds of ick, for my taste.

However, Robur as not only merely dead but really most sincerely dead, so it wasn’t like pretending to be a god had translated into actual godhood. In my world, I’d copied over all the religions of the First World. I myself had grown up going to Sunday School. If this world had some version of Christianity, I’d feel right at home.

Also, a village with a church seemed unlikely to be friendly to either undead bloodsuckers or flesh-eating lycanthropes, so there was that.

We paused to rest our aching...or at least, my aching...legs. I looked back the way I’d come. Nothing. I looked down at the village. “They’re stirring down there,” I said. Traditionally, people seen from a height are said to look like ants, but we weren’t quite that high, so I thought they looked more like cockroaches as they moved the streets and the village square. There was no sign they had seen us.

Karl looked up at the brightening sky. “Between the devil and the deep blue sea,” he said, almost to himself.

“Rock and a hard place,” I put in. “Out of the frying pan, into the fire. Torn between two lovers...”

Karl gave me a look I was becoming accustomed to, equal parts annoyance and...well, annoyance. A touch of amusement would have been a nice change, but I suppose the last of my examples, though it pre-dated my birth, had post-dated him by decades. “Since we’re pretty sure the things chasing us are on the side of the devil,” I hurried on, “I suggest we opt for the deep blue sea. Or at least the smooth black lake.” I pointed down.

A bloodcurdling shriek came from behind us...and above us. I twisted my head around.

Two of the winged things burst into sight, black cutouts of giant bats against the pale sky. “Run!” Karl shouted, leaping to his feet.

Below us, I heard faint shouts: the cockroaches...villagers...had obviously spotted the vampires, too, if that’s what they were. Karl and I charged down the trail, or charged as fast as we could without tumbling head over heels and either breaking our necks or plunging to our deaths...which, unfortunately, wasn’t very fast at all. Certainly not fast enough.

Another shriek, almost on top of us. Karl glanced up. His eyes widened. Then he twisted, grabbed me...and pushed me off the ledge.

 

Thank you, Edward, for being our guest this week. Wishing you continued success with your stories.

 

For all you wonderful readers that want to know more about Edward and his writing, please follow these links:

www.edwardwillett.com

www.theworldshapers.com

www.shadowpawpress.com

Twitter: @ewillett

Facebook: @edward.willett

Instagram: @edwardwillettauthor

Returning Author MJ LaBeff of Arizona, US.

 

MJ’s is an award-winning author and her stories are gripping, fascinating thrillers. 

I’m a big fan of MJ LaBeff. It’s an honour to have her return for a guest blog this week. 

Her first visit was in 2019 and you can read her 4Q interview and an excerpt from Cold Case #2 HERE.

 

 

MJ LaBeff is an American author best described as the girl-next-door with a dark side. She’s drawn to writing suspense novels, featuring complicated characters and twisted plot lines that will keep readers turning page after page. (quoted from MJ’s website – mjlabeff.com)

  

Thank you so very much for having me as a guest Allan. It’s always nice to have an opportunity to share what goes on behind the scenes before I start writing a book. This gives you a look into the mind of a thriller writer— mine!

 

Truth or Dare?

It’s a harmless game played with friends. How many of you remember it? I do. At nearly every sleepover I went to in grade school and high school we played Truth or Dare. The stakes got higher as we got older, more brazen and adventurous. What’s that expression? Young and dumb. How about? Live fast, die hard, leave a beautiful corpse. Hey, we were kids who thought we were cool, invincible. We also had another saying. Take it to the grave. A simple pact- innocent enough, right? I mean, what could a group of high school kids really do that was that bad? Let me tell you.

Last Spring’s Stranger book 4 of the Last Cold Case series explores exactly what happens when a prank goes horribly wrong.

Have you ever heard of Pack Mentality in humans? It’s a scary but interesting phenomenon. I’m reminded of a pack of coyotes, and how they operate in the wild, luring, cornering, and then ripping their prey to shreds. Pack Mentality occurs when people make decisions based on the actions of others. A person can also be lured into Pack Mentality when he/she want to fit in. Things that otherwise rational people would not do- get done. Consequences, be damned. Take it to the grave. Remember the pact, or dare I say pack. But, the truth always finds a way of coming out. Doesn’t it? Humans also have this thing called a conscience.

These are the thoughts that ran through my head while plotting Last Spring’s Stranger. People often ask me where I get my ideas so I thought this might lend a bit of insight. The game of Truth or Dare isn’t in the story, but it initially spawned the idea for it. That, along with some myths from the small town I grew up in.

There was the legend of Albino Man. He lived in the woods and was frighteningly tall, bald and ghostly white. I remember being a little girl and a bunch of us gathered in the neighborhood, wanting to go into the woods in search of him. We were at an age where defying our parents still scared us as did going in search of a person as scary as Big Foot. So, we requested that one of the girl’s ask her dad if he’d take us hiking through the woods. Eh, eh, eh, sneaky little girls that we were, it wasn’t until we were walking the trails did we tell Mister Whitney the truth. I’m sure our squeals, giggles and loud whispers never tipped him off, ha, ha, ha. We never did see Albino Man.

Thinking of that adventure had me drawing on others, including pranks. Often meant to be harmless but could be hurtful too. Remember what it was like being a teenager. You gave and you got.

It starts with a prank that ends in death. There was my premise. Next, I began thinking about fictitious myths and legends. The Legend of Verch’s Hollow was born. It’s a separate piece of writing that I thought would be fun to share here.

 

 

 

The Legend of Verch’s Hollow

        The untimely demise of the Verch family occurred forty five years ago. Legend has it that their restless souls rise up and haunt the property every year during the spring equinox. Despite the no trespassing signs, teenagers cross the covered bridge to the overgrown mound where John Verch sacrificed his family in a grisly murder and then resurrected their slaughtered bodies like scarecrows before taking his own life days later.

   

The property remains vacant until 1999 when one of Verch’s descendents, Lenny Verch decides to reclaim the land. A decision he and his wife Ursula will regret after their teenage daughter Tina is brutally murdered. Her death fuels the legend of Verch’s Hollow. Teenagers hold séances. Young and old alike believe that every year during the spring equinox Tina Verch rises from the thawing ground seeking revenge for her death.

 

It’s been over twelve years since her brutal murder. No evidence. No suspects. No arrests. Case closed.

 

Then another teenage girl is murdered in the hollow. Laurel Adamsen is on the school newspaper staff, an athlete, and liked by her peers.  Who hated this young girl so much to have wanted her dead? Is this a sick copy cat crime? Why would someone want to kill an innocent fifteen year old girl? Was this a teenage prank gone wrong?

 

Don’t ask me why the character’s name is in red. Maybe I was thinking about changing it. I don’t know. This is the original piece and as you might’ve guessed it’s hard to say what was going on in my head. Such is the life of a writer.

 

So, what’s it gonna be? Truth or Dare?

 

I do hope you and your readers have enjoyed this peek into my writer’s mind and that I’ve piqued your interest about this story. Last Spring’s Stranger it is available for preorder. The book release is January 12, 2021.  

 

 

 

Thank you MJ, for sharing your thoughts and an Excerpt from your new novel. I’m looking forward to reading your story. Wishing you continued success.

 

 

For you wonderful visitors wanting to discover more about this talented author and her stories, please follow these links:

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FKMRYY8

Apple

https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1527136329

Kobo

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/last-spring-s-stranger

Barnes and Noble

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/last-springs-stranger-mj-labeff/1137460833?ean=2940164659028




For more about the Last Cold Case series please visit www.mjlabeff.com. I can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.