Tagging guests...

Last week’s hostess: Carol Anne Malone’s blog: http://carolmalone.net/?p=903 and Bio:

Carol Malone has found a magical key for successfully combining her three passions – romance, sports, and writing in her highly rated book, “Fight Card Romance: Ladies Night.” http://amzn.to/1kI4dVo With “Ladies Night,” she became the first woman to punch her way into the suspenseful, male-dominated genre of pulp boxing with a tender love story. Since then she has written numerous stories to entice readers to scramble into a front row seat for a power-packed thrill-ride of romance and sports action.

Look for her novella “Hot Corner Magic” to be published in a pulp sports anthology in the next month or two and a Christmas visit to “Ladies Night” at Christmas time.

If not hammering out new tales, Carol is reading, watching sports or the Food Network on TV, or hanging with her sci-fi author husband on the Coast of California. Come visit her website and chat with her about sports and amour.

Website: http://carolmalone.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolmalonea...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarolAnneMalone


JULIE’S Q & A: Thank you for tagging me, Carol.

Meet Skillet Hamilton, from MORNING AFTER MIDNIGHT, published by museituppublishing.com in 2014.

My main character, Aaron's best friend, Skillet is totally fictional, although I should thank my husband’s southern business associate for Skillet’s name. They named their son after Saint Pancras, who distributed the Host to the people hiding in the catacombs during the reign of Constantine. Pan was born at Phrygia in 290 AD, converted to Christianity. He was beheaded in 304 AD.

My contemporary Skillet is returning to Atlanta after his education took him all over the world.

2) WHEN AND WHERE IS THE STORY SET?

Skillet grew up during the fifties and sixties, a time of turmoil for the Deep South.

SKILLET: “My mama was a Cajun lady; Daddy was black. We moved to Tilson, Georgia when I was four. They both worked hard. Aaron and I met when Mama babysat Aaron and brought me along. I cain’t remember a time when my parents didn’t have at least two jobs each. But we were a real happy family.”

3) WHAT SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT Skillet?

Integration of the schools changed Skillet’s life—and the country’s future. Aaron and his best friend had to hide their friendship. Coming from his solid family, Skillet was able to take advantage of his opportunities, while his friend, Aaron, was left to fight his own more personal battles with his dysfunctional family.

4) WHAT IS THE PERSONAL GOAL OF THE CHARACTER? WHAT INTERFERRS WITH HIS GOALS?

Prejudice slows his progress. I’ll let Skillet fill you in with his story. This opening scene frames the novel starting in 1995 and flashing back to 1958 when the boys were seven. The middle years span almost 40 years.

We catch up with Skillet as he returns to his home state for his first assignment in the U.S. after becoming an Episcopal priest missionary. He'd been conflicted as a Catholic priest who wanted a normal family, so he “switched sides” -- with his usual lack of fanfare.

SKILLET: “In the early days, Aaron and I hid from his family, who thought I wasn’t worthy of their favorite son. I’ve loved that boy since we were chil’ren, and I’m looking forward to seeing him again.

“Sitting here on the shiny MARTA train heading through Atlanta, I can’t help thinking about the past and wondering how much my South has changed since I’ve been gone. My name is Skillet Hamilton, and I’m coming back to Georgia where it all began, at least for me.

5) WHAT IS THE MAIN CONFLICT?

Troubled times and culture changes conspire to impede Skillet’s progress.

SKILLET: “Bein’ home gives me a happy heart. Makes me laugh at the memories that phrase conjures up. During our unsettled times, whenever Lyndon Johnson addressed the nation he had a heavy heart. We knew more about his heart back in the day than what he was doing to our country.

“Believe it or not, between Aaron and me, I was the lucky one. My family was loving and hardworking with a clear set of values. Poor Aaron, his values changed daily. His capricious womenfolk, grandma and mother, couldn’t make up their minds about anything—‘cept me. I was off limits once we started school. They weren’t wishy-washy ‘bout that. They were—to put it nicely—confused. Ella, the old lady, was stuck in the past, not embracing the new ways. Her daughter, Lonnie Jo, Aaron’s mama, was down in the bottle or some other pleasure pit. I left, but it was harder for Aaron.

“The MARTA train's pulling into my Decatur stop. Grabbing my carry-on bag, I leapt off. The remaining luggage is boxed up to come by freight. I check the parking lot for the familiar blue and white shield with its cross and the words: THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH WELCOMES YOU.

An elderly priest waving a cardboard sign spots me. The sign swaying in his shaky hand reads, FATHER HAMILTON.

“Over here,” the priest motions in my direction and makes his way between the cars. He sticks out his hand, which I take. Some things have changed, I'm thinkin'.

“Thanks for picking me up, Father. I’m Pan Hamilton, they call me Father Pan.”

“Delighted,” the cherubic faced priest intones. “I’m Father St. John. Don’t take the saint part too seriously.” He chuckles. “It came with the birth certificate. I’ll be orienting you before I leave St. Paul’s for retirement. So, my boy, this is a good day for both of us.”


READ MORE ABOUT MORNING AFTER MIDNIGHT
And purchase it from multiple online vendors such as …

http://bit.ly/1gpaO4R MuseItUp Publishing
http://bit.ly/1aOo3oR Barnes & Noble
http://amzn.to/OxSPOy Amazon
http://bit.ly/1aM3892 Sony

Tagging Elizabeth Fountain for September 2,2014 Introduction:

“Liz” left a demanding job as a university administrator in Seattle to move to the small town of Ellensburg, Washington, and pursue her dream of writing novels. Her first book, AN ALIEN'S GUIDE TO WORLD DOMINATION, was released by BURST Books in 2013; and YOU, JANE, her second novel, was published in June, 2014. On her breaks from writing, Liz teaches university courses, spends time with family and friends, and takes long walks in the diabolical Kittitas Valley wind. Her quirkily humorous view of humanity is well-suited to tales of aliens and angels, love and death, friendship and dogs.

http://lizfountain.wordpress.com/