Leta P. Hawk's Blog, page 17
February 14, 2016
Nicole Sorrell Author Interview
Nicole Sorrell
Author interview
The Art of Going Home
Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Nicole Sorrell, author of The Art of Going Home, book 1 of The Art of Living series.
Nicole, if you were in a box of crayons, which color would you be, and why?
I’d have to say a blue-green, like the color of the ocean. That’s because you get green by mixing yellow, (a warm color) and blue (which is a cool color). Adding a little more blue gets teal. I’m introvert, which I associate with cool colors. But I do have my moments of gregariousness, which I think correlates to a warm color, like yellow sunshine. And I’m also drawn to water. It’s very peaceful and cleansing.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I currently live in a rural area of the mid-west in the United States. After living in various parts of the U.S. and traveling abroad, I recently moved into the very same home where I spent my first 18 years. I enjoy country living: ours is a small community and everyone knows everybody. I also appreciate the culture of the city: the shopping, dining, and the opera and ballet.
I love travelling, especially to other countries, and I speak Spanish. I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Hispanic Literature, and a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising. Home decorating is one of my favorite things. Of course I love to read, and I’m a published poet. I like baking pies. Oh, and I like playing cornhole, and I spend way more time than I should playing computer games.
My constant companion is a tiny Yorkshire terrier named Georgie Doodlebug. I call her GiGi.
Tell us a little about your series, The Art of Living.
The series is a duology. Book 1 is called The Art of Going Home, and book 2 is titled The Art of Retribution. The novels are equal parts contemporary romance and mystery. They’re about the personal journey of a young woman named Maddie Chandler. The story begins when she must return to her small home town due to the untimely death of her surrogate mother, “Aunt” Ceci. To deal with her overwhelming grief she finds herself relying on her high school crush, local attorney Zac Redondo. Though she scolds herself for depending on him so much, she can’t seem to find the strength to resist their mutual attraction.
During her visit, Maddie is haunted by childhood memories of her twin sister Angeline, who was killed five days after their tenth birthday. She is persuaded to investigate the unsolved murder only because she fears refusal will threaten her sanity. Her mother eventually succumbed to mental illness after Angeline’s death, and Maddie is terrified she will also slide into madness. Her inquiries into the case uncover years of deceptions that were maintained to safeguard her from the brutal truth. Not only are lives threatened by her pursuit of justice for her twin, it ultimately causes her world to shatter.
Sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, Maddie struggles to face her vulnerabilities and to accept the love of a man who holds the key to her future happiness. And while coping with the hostility of her estranged father, she discovers the true meaning of family from a boisterous clan that is not linked to her by blood and unwittingly strengthens the fragile bond with the one relative she was determined to say goodbye to forever.
What was the inspiration for this book?
I can’t point to one particular thing that inspired it. Since I was fifteen I’ve wanted to write novels. But I never could dream up a plot line. Then one day, this idea struck. It’s completely fictitious, not based on any experience I’ve had in my life.
The more I thought about the storyline, the more I details I added. And the novel took shape. Why it took so many years to come up with an idea, I can’t say. I guess I’m just a late bloomer!
Besides the hero and heroine, who’s your favorite character in The Art of Going Home, and why?
It would have to be the Madisen’s best friend, Tabitha. She plays an important role in The Art of Going Home because she has always been there to provide emotional support for Madisen. Tabs, as her friends call her, grew up in Alabama until the age of ten. She has a pronounced drawl, and often uses sayings common to the south.
Here’s a short excerpt from the book. Madisen is talking to Zac about the first time she met Tabs:
“It was the first day of fifth grade, and she’d recently moved to town. We were in the bathroom, washing up for lunch. Elaine had her cornered, trying to monopolize the new girl. You know how she liked to have minions to lead around by the nose? Elaine pointed at me and told Tabs, ‘Watch out for that one. She murdered her twin sister during summer vacation. Held her under the water until she drowned.’
“Tabs inspected me carefully. She told Elaine she didn’t believe it. Said I was too scrawny to be able to hold anyone under water ‘til they drowned. I was astonished that anyone would stand up to Elaine like that. She turned her back on her, walked up to me, and said, ‘My name is Tabitha Lynn Strayer, but I’ll let you call me Tabs.’
Telling her my name was the first word I spoke since…” I stopped and lowered my chin.
“Since Angeline died?” Zac said softly. I nodded, not correcting his assumption that her death was the reason I’d stopped talking. In reality, it was because I’d been blamed for it. I quickly swallowed the traitorous tears that formed.
“She took my hand,” I said, staring at my lap. “And we left the bathroom together. I guess you could say that, in a way, she hasn’t let go of my hand ever since.”
What is your favorite scene in your new release?
One of my favorites is the scene where Maddie has drunk too much wine when she’s having dinner at Tabitha’s house. Zac, the guy who wants to be her boyfriend is driving her to her hotel. When he drops her off, he tells her she needs to get used to the idea that they’re going to be lovers. Because she’s tipsy, she’s too slow to protest before he lays a big kiss on her. Then when he . . . well, if I say anymore, I’ll give too much away.
What is your favorite motivational phrase?
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”–Mahatma Gandhi
I like it because it’s about getting an education, which is invaluable. Its importance is never underestimated. An education is not confined to the classroom. Be a student of the world. Don’t stop learning, and don’t limit yourself to the point of view you agree with. Weighing all sides of an issue is required for growth and wisdom.
What are the top 3 things on your bucket list?
The first one is travel the world.
The second would be to travel more.
Third would be to travel to all the places I haven’t seen yet!
How can readers find you and your work?
Here’s my links:
Website: https://www.nicolesorrell.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Nicole-Sorrell/e/B00QVRHZD6
Amazon Book Links:
US: http://www.amazon.com/Art-Going-Home-Living-Book-ebook/dp/B01AAXOWCS/
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Going-Home-Living-Book-ebook/dp/B01AAXOWCS/
Australia: http://www.amazon.com.au/Art-Going-Home-Living-Book-ebook/dp/B01AAXOWCS/
Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/Art-Going-Home-Living-Book-ebook/dp/B01AAXOWCS/
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-art-of-going-home-nicole-sorrell/1120863991
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-art-of-going-home/id1072843544
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10220384.Nicole_Sorrell
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nicole-Sorrell/738100142937466
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnicolesorrell
February 12, 2016
Oh No! Oh No! I’ve Killed Barry Manilow!
Well, no. Not really.
But something awful has happened, and I fear it’s all my fault.
Wait, let me start at the beginning.
I have loved Barry Manilow since I first heard “I Write the Songs” played by DJ Ron Drake on WHP-580’s Ducky Drake Morning Show sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Then I heard “Mandy” and “Can’t Smile Without You” and so many other songs, and I was hooked. His Manilow Magic was the first record I ever bought, and I played it to absolute death. While my friends were swooning over Shawn Cassidy, Leif Garrett, and other teen heartthrobs, it was Barry Manilow that I wanted desperately to see in concert.
Lo and behold, he came to Hershey one year; I think I was nine or ten. I begged my parents to take me to see him. They refused, for all kids of reasons: It was a school night. It was too expensive. I can’t stand to look at him, let alone hear him sing for two hours. I don’t want you around the kinds of people that go to concerts–druggies and drunks and who knows what (Um, Dad, it’s Barry Manilow, not Metallica).
Needless to say, I didn’t go to that concert. Or any other concert.
Years passed, and I have missed so many other opportunities to see him, for many reasons. Money, work, school, health issues. It just never worked out, and I resigned myself to the fact that I will probably never see him live in concert. That thought became even more ingrained when he announced dates for his final concert tour.
Yesterday, I got a PM from a Facebook friend saying that Barry would again be in Hershey, as part of the final tour of his career. I decided to check it out, even though I knew I probably couldn’t afford tickets. I’m currently a stay-at-home mom, and my husband has to have surgery in a couple weeks, which means he’ll be out of work for six weeks. Money’s tight, and the tickets will probably be outrageously priced.
To my absolute shock, there were tickets available for under $20! I texted my husband to tell him about it. He texted back, “If you want to get tickets, you’d better get them soon.” Wait, WHAT?
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I ordered tickets (in the nosebleed section, of course). As I stared at the tickets I had just printed off, I kept pinching myself. Was this really real? Was I really holding BARRY MANILOW TICKETS in my hand????
I called my best friend to tell her. She was so happy for me, but she quipped, “Is that why we’re getting freezing temperatures here in Florida?”
I joked back, “Yeah, I’ve always said, if I get tickets to see him, he’ll probably drop dead a couple days before the concert, and I’ll never get to see him.”
I know, I know. Awful thing to joke about in any situation. Now, imagine the heart attack I had this morning when this popped up in my Facebook news feed. All I could think was, “Oh no, now I’ve done it! If anything happens to Barry, it’s all my fault. I bought tickets, and the universe is smacking down my good fortune.”
I’m sure he will be all right. But it just makes me wonder…
February 8, 2016
Revisiting Who I Am
This post is actually the first assignment for a Blogging course I signed up for; this assignment involves introducing ourselves and telling a bit about our blog. For those of you who have been with me for awhile, please bear with me. For those who are taking the blogging course with me, welcome. I post a little of everything–my writing process, news about my books, my thoughts on newsworthy (or not-so-newsworthy) current events, or just whatever I need to get out of my head.
Who Am I?
For the purposes of this blog, I go by Leta Hawk, which is my pen name. Since today is the anniversary of my mother’s passing (nine years ago today), I really feel a pull to share the story of my pen name. My mother’s name was Aleta. The name Aleta means “birdlike,” and if you would have met my mother, you’d probably think her name was appropriate, as she was quite the petite woman. There’s an old song by the title “Five-Foot-Two, Eyes of Blue.” That was my mom, short in stature, and extremely thin. She was also very much a mother hen, always hovering over her brood, sometimes to the point of being smothering.
Anyway, I digress. When I was trying to come up with a pen name, I played around a lot with online name generators–those things are SO addictive! One of the names that popped up as a first name was Leta. At first, I dismissed it, but then I realized that name could actually be short for Aleta. Oh, how perfect! A family name, and one that held special significance for me. When I was a child, one of my mom’s friends ALWAYS commented how much I resembled my mom, and she called me “Little ‘Leta.” So it seems I was destined to have that name.
Finding a last name wasn’t quite as difficult, as I decided to choose something from my father’s side of the family tree. I chose Hawk, my great-grandmother’s maiden name. Sadly, I know nothing of Annie Hawk-Reisch, but her name struck a chord with me. Ha, and I just now realized that both Leta/Aleta and Hawk are bird-related, so it seems I have a theme going here.
My Blog
As I stated above, this blog is a bit of a mish-mash of topics, whatever strikes my fancy on a given posting day. This is not my first blog; I’ve had other blogs on other sites. Those blogs were pretty much what this one is, random posts about random topics. When I first started this one, I intended it to be more focused on my books, my writing process, my publication journey, etc. To be honest, I quickly got bored with such a limited subject area. I feel like there’s only so much I can share about that without boring those who really aren’t interested in writing.
My goal is to become better at blogging, to post about topics that reflect who I am but are still interesting to my readers. As a fairly-recently published author, I want to use my blog to build my author brand, to let my readers know who I am and what I write, to just connect with them and be open.
February 6, 2016
COVER REVEAL!! THE DEMONIC PACT BY MAJANKA VERSTRAETE
New book by my fabulous Book Manager.
Heyy!! If you might not know, Demonic Pact is the second book in the Angel of Death series. I have read the Soul Thief and here is the review if you want to see that.
Enchanted Book Promotions are having a cover reveal blitz for the sequel!
Its gorgeous!! Love the colours!! :D
Title: Demonic Pact
Author: Majanka Verstraete
Series: Angel of Death, Book Two
Publication Date: March 2016
Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Halfling Angel of Death Riley Scott is on a dangerous mission. To save her friend’s life, she must make a pact with the man who just tried to kill them both and break him out of the Celestial Prison, guarded by Angels of War—fearsome warriors who can squash her like a fly. If caught, she’ll be sentenced to eternity in that impenetrable prison. Riley will have to make deals with demons and her number one enemy, turn her back…
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January 30, 2016
30 Days In The Word – #BibleJournalingChallenge
I’m looking for ways to get excited about Scripture again. Since I consider myself creative, I thought this was a cool idea. I also like the idea of doing this in a group, maybe even something similar to those find-raising paint nights.
See my follow up post:
30 Days Later — #BibleJournalingChallenge #FCJournaling
30 Days In The Word
#BibleJournalingChallenge August 3rd-September 2nd
Getting into the Word, meditating on it, letting it permeate our souls – that’s what this is about. An outward sign of our inward reflection, transformation, and worship.
THE CHALLENGE:
For 1 month you will pledge to read the Word everyday (any book) and also to create one piece of #biblejournaling worship art each of the 4 weeks. Along the way we will share our art and what God has laid on our hearts.
SHARING:
I invite you to submit 1 photo of your scripture/worship art and a blurb (150 words or less) describing why you chose a particular portion of scripture. To be published in a blog post during September – following the challenge.
OR
Add your works and a description to the Pinterest board I’ve set up exclusively for the Challenge…
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January 29, 2016
Recurring Dream
Last night I had one of those dreams that I know I’ve had many times before, and as always, I woke up just feeling…right about it. I wish I had a better word, but that’s the one that resonates with how I felt.
In my dream, I travel along this long, winding road to Schulkyll Haven, PA (I’ve only ever been there once, so I can’t tell you for certain whether or not the particular house in my dream actually exists or not—maybe I need to scout around Google Maps or realtor.com). I had someone with me this time, and for some reason I feel it was Rupert Young (Sir Leon in Merlin—how odd).
Anyway, we’re traveling along this road and come in to Schulkyll Haven, and the roads are all hilly, and the way the houses are situated reminds me of the streets of San Francisco, another place I’ve never been. We come around a bend on the main street, and we stop at a corner, in view of a huge brick Victorian house (yes, the house is always Victorian). The really weird thing is that at this point I realize I am dreaming, and I tell Rupert that this is the house I always seem to dream about. It’s always in the same town, always on the same road, and always has the same feel when I go inside.
We continue on the road, walking now, and go inside the house. The atmosphere is very welcoming, as though the house recognizes me and is glad I’m home. Even sitting here typing this, I can still smell the somewhat-musty old-house smell of plaster, old wallpaper, and wood, and it is comforting. Even in the dream, I told myself, “Of course the house remembers you; you’ve been here so many times before, in so many dreams before.”
Nothing major ever happens in these dreams. There is never any real action, beyond me traveling along this familiar road—although there is sometimes an alternate route that I take—to this same house. I usually go inside the house and walk around a bit, but I never stay for very long. It may be a strange dream, a boring dream, but I love it. I love traveling that road and visiting that house. I love the feeling I get while I’m inside that house, and I wish I could locate it and visit it in real life.
I’m not much of a believer in reincarnation. I love the idea of it, and I love reading and writing stories that involve past lives, but it’s not an accepted part of my belief system. Still, things like this always make me wonder if there’s not a part of my soul that has seen things from other times, other places. And it’s that kind of wonder that makes me write.
Danielle Ione, Becoming (Limitless novel #3)
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Author: Danielle Ione
I’m a mama of an amazing set of twins, and a wife to a pretty cool dude. I live off of coffee, books, and sarcasm. I mean, there’s no other way to live, is there? I’m not a romantic person, not really anyway. So I always find it humorous that I only read and write romance, as if it were ingrained in me. My addiction to reading turned into a love for writing. And in all reality, writing is what keeps me sane. Any spare moment I have in my entirely too crazy life, I spend spilling the words from my head onto paper.
Blog
January 25, 2016
Release Day Blitz***The Packing House
Paperbacks & Wine is pleased to bring you G. Donald Cribbs- THE PACKING HOUSE virtual book tour January 18-31.
Title: THE PACKING HOUSE
Author: G. Donald Cribbs
Publisher: Booktrope
Publication Date: 1/18/16
Pages: 261
Genre: YA
~Blurb~
When sixteen-year-old Joel Scrivener has a raging nightmare in study hall and someone records it on their phone, he awakens to a living nightmare where everyone knows the secret he’s avoided for ten years. Reeling from a series of bullying incidents posted on YouTube and an ill-timed mid-year move, Joel takes to the woods, leaving the bullies and his broken home behind. However, life as a runaway isn’t easy. Joel finds it difficult to navigate break-ins, wrestle hallucinations, and elude capture. He races to figure out who his dream-world attacker could be, piecing clues together with flashes of remembered images that play endlessly inside his head. Besides these images, the one constant thought…
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Jonas Aftermath
Well, we survived Winter Storm Jonas here in Dillsburg, PA. Best measurement, we got around 30 inches, but it was really hard to tell because of all the blowing and drifting. It was definitely one for the record books. Thankfully, we didn’t have any power outages or building collapses at our place, although the boys’ swingset took a bit of a hit from the winds.
The snowplow went through once on Friday night, once on Saturday, and a couple times yesterday, but our road is still pretty bad. From what I hear, the main roads are good, which is a good thing, since my son came down sick over the weekend with what is likely strep again.
I had hoped that with all the snow and not being able to go anywhere, that I’d get a lot of writing done, but that really didn’t happen. I did a little bit of work on Witch of Willow Lake, but not as much as I would have liked. I should have used the snow as inspiration to work on my Christmas story, but I just wasn’t feeling it. Go figure, I spent the weekend writing a 4th of July picnic scene.
How about you? How did you fare with the storm? Let me know by leaving a comment.
