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I'm absolutely thrilled to welcome an author who wears many hats to the blog today to help celebrate the release of their first adult book. Check it out...  photo credit: Lou Abercrombie Photography I started out as a picture book editor at Macmillan Children’s Books and went on to be an editor at HarperCollins. I have freelanced over the years for several publishers including Bloomsbury, Puffin, Chicken House and Hachette. I proofread the last Harry Potter book, The Deathly Hallows! The most glamorous proofread ever… My memoir A Place for Everything is my first book for the adult market, published July 2020 by HarperCollins. My writing career began twenty years ago with a picture book, published for very young children. Since then I have published over 50 books for children and young teens including picture books, short stories, poems, fiction series and non-fiction titles. My books have been chosen for World Book Day, the Richard and Judy Book Club and been shortlisted for the Hull Libraries Award, the Lancashire Book of the Year Award and most recently the ALCS Educational Writers’ Award. I was a tutor and Associate Lecturer at Bath Spa University for seven years. I also have extensive experience in running writing workshops in schools. I am a tutor for the Arvon Foundation and for London Lit Lab and The Writers’ Block which is part of a Cornish initiative run by Kernow Education Arts Partnership.  “A Place for Everything – my mother, autism and me” is a memoir about my mother’s late diagnosis of autism at the age of 72. In writing it, I found myself unpacking my childhood and young adult years, re-examining them in the knowledge that Mum had autism and that she could therefore not help the way she behaved. It is a story of a life lived with undiagnosed autism, about the person behind the disorder, those big unspoken family truths, and what it means to care for our parents in their final years. I grew up in a house that was loving and secure – my parents’ marriage was solid and reassuring and I got on well with my sister. However, Mum’s behaviour was at best a little eccentric, at worse out of control and scary. My sister and I knew that if we kept things clean and tidy, stayed quiet and were ‘good girls’ for the most part everything would be all right. On the days when things started to get ‘a bit much for Mum’ we would go to Grandma’s and she would smooth over the ruffled edges and make things better again. So we coped, and mostly we were happy. When Mum reached her 70s, and I and my sister were living far from her with families of our own, the cracks really started to appear. Mum became more manic. More irrational. More detached from the world. And when my father, the man who had calmed and cajoled Mum through her entire life became unwell, the whole world turned upside down. The book has been described as: ‘Painful, raw and with an honesty that rings clear as a bell’ Catherine Simpson, author of When I Had a Little Sister ‘Wilson’s first adult title is a vividly told and profoundly affecting memoir’ – The Bookseller ‘A superb, lyrical and raw account of love and loss - will be especially helpful for anyone with a late-diagnosed family member on the autism spectrum’ – James Cook, author of In Her Room  The Interview... Who are you and what do you write? My name is Anna Wilson. I write for children and adults and have been a published author for twenty years. I write mostly humorous picture books, poetry, short stories, chapter books, early readers, middle-grade fiction, young teen fiction, young non-fiction. My main themes are family, animals and friendships. I am now writing for adults too – both non-fiction and fiction. My main focus for this market is family. Families hold an endless fascination for me. As Tolstoy said, “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” – this provides the basis for everything that I enjoy investigating and writing about. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? I started writing when I was four years old and was given my first diary. I wrote little poems and cartoon-strip stories heavily influenced by the Beano and Peanuts! I have kept a diary ever since and have used material from my diaries in quite a few of my books. My first published books were for children and were written when my own kids were born. I had my first book – a picture book – published when my daughter was one. My writing has always been hugely influenced by my son and daughter and by my wider family too. Perhaps because of this I have had books published for every age from 0-100! How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? It has been a steady journey – I have been lucky in that regard. I have had two to three books published every year for 20 years. That said, I was doing really well with middle-grade fiction about ten years ago, and since then sales have been hit by a number of factors. I have had to supplement my income by teaching and editing, whereas at one point I was making most of my money by writing. The publishing industry has undergone huge changes since I started work. Books have to sell really well in the first few weeks of publication and if they don’t, authors may find it hard to sell another book to their publisher. This happened to me – I was one of the most popular authors for Macmillan Children’s Books ten years ago, then a couple of books suddenly didn’t sell so well and so they dropped me from their list. I was heartbroken but had to pick myself up and find other publishers. Sadly this coincided with my parents both falling ill, so it was a tough time. But out of that has come my memoir, A Place for Everything, so in the end something good has come from that difficult time. I very much hope, with this new venture into the world of adult publishing, that I might make new contacts, connect with new readers, and have the chance to publish more for an adult readership. You have to keep optimistic in this business! What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? The hardest part of my publishing experience was being dropped by Macmillan. I had poured my heart and soul into a book for young teens called Summer’s Shadow which is set in Cornwall in a place that is very dear to me. Everyone who read the book loved it (I still get lovely comments from readers about it) but by then I was out of favour as an author, I didn’t get any publicity or marketing support and so the book bombed. I lost confidence in myself as a writer and felt I had wasted two years of my life writing a book that no one seemed to care about. Since then I have realised that the people who managed to get a copy really did care about it, so I know now that it was nothing to do with my writing and everything to do with not having the support I needed to get the book out there. I have learned since then that authors must work hard to do a lot of their own publicity and that we can’t all rely on the publisher. Their resources only go so far and they have a lot of other authors to support.
Would you go back and change anything? I would have taken Summer’s Shadow to a new publisher and not given it to Macmillan! I had misgivings at the time, but I loved my editor there and wanted to give her first dibs. I should have gone with my gut as it was a book that was very different from anything I’d written before and it could have been sold to a new publisher as a “debut” which would have given me more prominence and better marketing and publicity. You live and learn! Where would you like to be in 5 years’ time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future? In 5 years I would like to be here, in Cornwall, writing more books for both children and adults. I would very much like to publish a novel for adults, as that is what I am currently working on. I would also like to have a few more picture books for children out there. In ten years I would love to be well-known, able to make all my money from writing – and of course I would like to win prizes… (Told you you have to be optimistic!) What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? Don’t give up. Write a little every day, even if it is just a few lines in your diary. Set yourself small deadlines and challenges, such as, “Today I will write for 20 minutes without taking my pencil off the page/my fingers off the keyboard.” And read. Reading feeds writing. You can’t be a writer if you’re not a reader first. (OK, that’s two pieces of advice…!) And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? - BOTH! Night or Day? - DAY Inside or Outside? - OUTSIDE Dogs or Cats? - BOTH! Twitter or Facebook? - TWITTER e-book or Paperback? - PAPERBACK Sun or Rain? - SUN SUN SUN! Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? - BOTH! But pencil and notebook always begin every book and keyboard finishes it Comedy or Drama? - BOTH! Depends on my mood… Chips or Chocolate? - CHOCOLATE! But if there’s no chocolate, then chips…
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I'm pleased to welcome a multi-published writer to the blog today to talk all things writing! Check it out...  Born and raised in East Texas. Born with kidney failure and living off of dialysis treatments left me lots of time to be creative. Few hundred poems, few dozen short stories, a few novels, and 33 years later I still live in East Texas writing for the love of writing. I am releasing book 6 of my series but if I told you about that book…spooooilers. So, the series in general is about a guy, Gabriel, who solves murders with the help of the victims. He struggles balancing life with work and then a serial killer strikes and he realizes what’s important. The series takes off from there!
The Interview... Who are you and what do you write? My name is Gregory Coley and I write a bit of everything, honestly. Poems, short stories, and novels. As for genre…same thing, lol. I’ve written all kinds, but my favorite is Fantasy/Scifi. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? Oh wow…history, eh? I have been writing in some form since I was fourteen! I was born with kidney failure and have battled medical issues my whole life. I never felt different until I hit high school. Being in a wheelchair I didn’t go out, or get invited places. I found my niche by writing lyrics for my friend’s bands. That evolved into poetry. I wrote poetry until I was 19 or 20…and still do at times! In college I began toying with short stories and then after college into my first novel. How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? As I said, I began writing lyrics for local bands and poetry around the age of fourteen. It wasn’t until college I tried some short stories but didn’t really commit myself to prose. Then one day after college I told my dad about a dream I had about a detective who solves murders with the help of the victims. My dad told me if I didn’t write it then he would find somebody who would, lol. That turned into book 1 of my 7 book series. Book 6 of which is about to drop through self-publishing. What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? The toughest part has been learning that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. I released the first 5 books of my series way too soon and ended up having to take them off the market to overhaul them and find a cheaper publisher. I’ve learned it’s better to take it slow and get it write. (ha, see what I did there?) The most enjoyable is by far holding my finished book in my hand. There’s absolutely nothing like that feeling of accomplishment! Would you go back and change anything? I would go back and focus more on networking before releasing my first book. As for the writing? No. My mistakes helped me improve and that made them worth it.
Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future? I would love to be a New York Times bestselling author and make a good living from writing, what author wouldn’t? Being more reasonable… I would like a following. I want to know that there are people out there looking forward to my next book and that consider my book one of their favorites. What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? Ground your expectations in reality. No writer is successful out of the gate. Even some of the most successful writers of all time got hundreds of rejections. Don’t get discouraged. Write for the love of writing and stick with it. You’ll find your audience eventually. And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? - Gonna get grief for this…but MAYO! You can have a burger without ketchup but you can’t have a sandwich without mayo! Night or Day? - I have been a night owl for as long as I can’t recall Inside or Outside? - I’m Texan and summers hit 110 here. Staying inside ALL THE WAY! Lol Dogs or Cats? - This is tough but…BOTH! I’ve always been partial to dogs but I have a kitten now that is my copilot attacking my screen as I write. So yeah, both. Twitter or Facebook? - Twitter. I feel I can reach more people, and meet more people. I reserve Facebook for people I grew up with. ebook or Paperback? - Paperback. No question. Despite what people say, paperbacks have a soul. A smell. A substance. I know eBook has a place and I release my books in that medium, but it just isn’t for me. Sun or Rain? - Rain. It’s relaxing and makes the best writing weather! Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? - Keyboard. I love the feel of laptop keys. The clicking. So much so I have a mechanical keyboard, lol. Comedy or Drama? - They both have their appeal, but I prefer Comedy. Nothing like a good laugh the improve you day. Chips or Chocolate? - Chips! Specifically anything flaming hot or spicy!
I'm welcoming back a VERY special guest today to celebrate the recent release of their new book! So exciting!!!!!! Here we go...  Niki Lenz lives in Kansas City, Missouri, with her husband and children. She studied elementary education at Southwest Baptist University and taught kindergarten for six years. She enjoys reading, travel, glamping, polka dots, red lipstick, and oldies music. She is the author of BERNICE BUTTMAN, MODEL CITIZEN and THE STEPMOM SHAKE-UP. Follow her on Twitter at @NikiRLenz or visit nikilenz.com.  THE STEPMOM SHAKE-UP (June 16, 2020, Random House) Filled with reverse Parent Trap-like pranks, The Stepmom Shake-Up is a hilarious and heartfelt look at what it means to be a family. After Grace's mom died, she and her dad grew extra close. They have special nicknames and are always busy with new projects- like building a puppy condo for their dog, Potus- and they love learning random facts about US presidents. Grace thinks her little family of two is perfect. Then some committee members at church suggest it's time for Dad to start dating again. And Dad agrees! Grace knows that adding a new member to the team will end in disaster. No problem! She and her best friend have a plan. Operation: Stepmom Shake-Up! But what if a little shake-up is exactly what Grace's family needs?  The Interview... Why middle grade?
I never get asked this question by people who know me personally, because it is pretty obvious if you’ve spent more than ten minutes with me that I am basically still a twelve-year-old at heart. I like writing things that make me laugh, and I guess it’s fun that my stories amuse other people too. I remember well the feeling of not quite fitting in when I was that age (and heck, sometimes now as an adult) and I think that theme of belonging resonates in pretty much all middle-grade writing. Why humorous books? There’s already plenty of sadness and fear in the world. I’d like to contribute something happy. Do you write for different age groups and in different genres? I have attempted to write a few YA novels in my day, but I am afraid to say I am just not very good at writing all that kissing. Yuck. And adult problems really bore me. So, I’ll probably just stick to middle grade. Although I wouldn’t mind writing a picture book or a chapter book series. Favorite part of the writing process? I always start a writing project by making a Pinterest board and then staring out of a window for hours at a time. This is my favorite part because literally anything can happen! There are no wrong answers! You can just think about whatever kind of story makes you happy. The hard work begins when you have to start writing it all down. Strongest writing skill? I think I am good at capturing a middle-grade voice that is authentic and not too syrupy sweet. I am a substitute teacher, and I have two children of my own, so I am around kids a lot. Pretty much the only thing that will make me put down a middle-grade book and never pick it up again is when the kids don’t sound like kids. Weakest writing skill? I, unlike many of my writer friends, am not a visual person. When I write a scene, I hear the words in my head, instead of seeing a movie in my head. Therefore, I often forget to describe the setting. I always have to add that in when I do edits. Favorite genre to read? I read pretty broadly, anything that is recommended to me really. I love sci-fi, fantasy, contemporary for all age groups. The only thing I don’t really like is scary stuff (sorry Kate!) I am a big wimp and I will have nightmares. Got any party tricks or unusual skills? My best party trick is asking every adult at the party what books they have been reading and then watching them look at me like I am an alien from another planet. Awkward. But I can also play the guitar and the ukulele, and I know the words to like every song ever written. Most embarrassing moment you can share? Oh, I’ve got a really good one, but I’m saving it for a future book. Sorry. No spoilers. Coolest moment as a kid? We used to live near a lake and my Dad taught me to sail. We had a tiny yellow sailboat with a sunset-colored sail and my Dad and I spent many a summer afternoon drifting across the lake together and getting hit in the head with the boom. If not a writer, what's your dream job? I think I would make an amazing cruise boat activities director or professional ice skater. I'm excited to open this brand new sparkly week of interviews chatting with a soon-to-be-published debut author whose book comes out on July 9th! Check it out...  Charlotte Levin has been shortlisted for the Andrea Badenoch Award, part of the New Writers North Awards, and for the Mslexia Short Story Competition. Charlotte lives in Manchester and If I Can't Have You is her first novel.  The Interview... Who are you and what do you write? I'm Charlotte Levin and my debut novel If I Can't Have You is a story about loneliness, obsession and how far we go for the ones we love. Constance Little is a damaged young woman who can't let go of a relationship and so we follow her descent into an obsession that could almost happen to anyone. It's not a standard thriller. In fact, I never thought that’s what I was writing. Though it does have thriller elements, it’s also very much a human condition piece about what circumstances could make someone act in this way. I wanted to tell a story that felt realistic and was more character driven than plot driven. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? I feel like I’m a bit different from most authors who knew from being young that they wanted to write. The only writing I did as a child was skits for my drama classes. But I used to think of it in terms of the parts I’d like to play rather than the writing itself as I was hell-bent on becoming an actress. Then, in my early twenties, I attended an acting course at the Royal Court Young People’s Theatre. I wrote the scene for my end of term performance, and the Artistic Director who was in the audience sent a message through to my tutor to tell me that I should keep up the writing. That did plant a seed but I didn’t write anything for years until I attempted a play, which when finished, I pulled from the typewriter (yes, I am that old) and posted it off to the National Theatre without any editing or even reading it back (as you do) and amazingly I not only got a response but it had been passed from the initial reader on to the director. The rejection letter said I could write, but it was ultimately a no. As it should have been! Later down the line I completed courses and was a member of a writing circle, but I never took it or myself seriously despite dabbling with the idea for my novel. Then, when my parents died within the same year in 2015 I both needed something to distract me from the grief and had a real sense of my life passing me by. I knew it was time to give writing a proper shot, and it was at that point I started the novel afresh and my attitude towards writing changed. How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? It’s been a rollercoaster! There were indications that I was on to something with the premise early on - such as winning a couple of pitch comps and an editor whom I'd met at a festival being interested in reading (I’ve still not heard back from her by the way!), but when I started submitting, although I was getting quite a few full requests, they were all rejected. A common theme was that it didn't fit into a specific genre and therefore they couldn’t sell it. Or that it didn't have enough twists and turns for a psychological thriller - but in my mind, I wasn't writing a psychological thriller and I wanted to remain true to my vision. But I was also getting responses saying that although I had something, it was a total mess - and that I could do something about! So, I spent another six months working on it day and night. Once I knew it was much improved, I re-sent it to a couple of agents that had shown interest but said it needed work along with some others. This led to three more full requests within a few days. I posted about this on Twitter and my now lovely agent, Jo Williamson at Antony Harwood sent me a DM asking if she could read it. She liked it and we had a chat and instantly got on. She made an offer, so I followed my gut and accepted. With regards to submitting to publishers - Wayne Brookes my wonderful publisher at Pan Macmillan got back with a positive response within a day and seemed to really get what I was trying to do with the novel. He eventually made a pre-emptive offer, and although it was still out with other publishers, I knew for certain I wanted to go with him. And I was so glad I did! What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? I think it's the up and down element of it all. The constant uncertainty and gut-wrenching rejections but somehow having the will to carry on regardless. Writing a book is so much harder than I'd ever thought. I often worked obsessively to the point of not looking after myself (I don't advocate this). Even once you get the agent and a deal, there are still umpteen more drafts. But with each one, you can see it getting better and better and that is the payoff. The most enjoyable is also all of the above. It’s my choice of drug. Would you go back and change anything? I’d have more faith in myself. People told me I had talent but it’s hard to believe sometimes and I wish I’d applied myself and taken it more seriously years ago. For some reason, I was convinced that being an author wasn’t a possibility for the likes of me. Which I now realise is ridiculous. Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future? I want to be proud of my work and be lucky enough to continue to be published. Awards and accolades are the dreams of all writers but being in a position to write for a living is the ultimate gift. And of course, for people to want to continue reading your work. I'm sure I'll never stop learning about this craft and so I'm hoping that each offering will be better than the last. What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? I’d say discover what it is that you do well and do that. A lot of writers try to emulate authors they admire, but I think the key is authenticity and finding your voice. And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? Vegan Mayo Night or Day? Day Inside or Outside? Inside Dogs or Cats? Cats (but I love dogs too) Twitter or Facebook? Twitter by a mile! Ebook or Paperback? Paperback Sun or Rain? Sun Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Keyboard Comedy or Drama? Comedy Chips or Chocolate? Chips (I don’t know whether you mean fries which are chips in the UK or crisps but it’s the same answer either way.) It's a very happy book birthday to today's author guest! I'm thrilled to welcome this multi-published and all around fabulous person to talk about their writing journey and latest title! Here we go...  Clare is a children’s author living in the UK and writes both fiction and non-fiction picture books, plus early readers, too. She is passionate about using creativity and the arts to promote a love of learning and emotional well-being. Her newest book, with Asa Gilland and Little Tiger, is about ‘homes from homes’ and finding ‘shelter’ in difficult times. ‘The Perfect Shelter’ is based on Clare’s personal experience with cancer and publishes on 25th June. Clare is represented by Alice Williams of Alice Williams Literary.  Illustrated by Asa Gilland and publishing with Little Tiger Press. The Perfect Shelter is a powerful and uplifting story, exploring the complicated emotions we feel when someone we love is diagnosed with cancer. ‘At first nobody knew. Then they told me my sister was sick. But together we’ll ride out the toughest storms. Because today is the perfect day to build a shelter… and be together.’  The Interview... Who are you and what do you write? Hi! I’m Clare – a children’s author and primary school teacher living in the South West of England. I write picture books, sometimes funny and sometimes lyrical, but I always hope to bring a little added something to story time. I also write early readers and reading scheme books – my teaching experience comes in very handy here. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? I’ve always been creative and experimented with mosaics, sculpture, collage, painting and almost every kind of craft over the years. I even got into lampshade making a few years ago! I didn’t fall in love with writing until I became a teacher. It was then that I started being creative with words; using books and the power of imagination to teach children about the world. Plus, I read many, many books aloud, which gave me a good idea of what children love (and what they don’t). How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? Joined SCBWI, found a brilliant critique group, won a Margaret Carey Scholarship to attend a SCBWI Conference, got chatting to a publisher, got my first publishing deal, returned to the conference, met my agent…. and everything snowballed from there! (With hard work and determination, of course).  What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? To be honest, I’m relatively new to the industry so I feel very grateful and lucky to be a small part of it. Of course, it isn’t very nice when manuscripts don’t get picked up… but there’s usually a good reason and I’m always striving to create my best work. The most enjoyable? That’s even harder to answer! There’s SO many good bits for me. One of my favourite parts of the process is seeing something I created in my head come to life in illustrations. Would you go back and change anything? Nope! I’m happy as a pig in mud! Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future? I know it sounds cheesy… but it would be a dream to be doing exactly what I am now! Creating books that people want to publish and read, with healthy and happy family and friends to share them with. What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? Don’t. Give. Up! (But do take breaks when you need to) And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? Neither Night or Day? Both! Inside or Outside? Outside Dogs or Cats? Dogs Twitter or Facebook? Twitter Ebook or Paperback? Paperback Sun or Rain? Sun Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Keyboard Comedy or Drama? Drama Chips or Chocolate? Chocolate I'm pleased to welcome a mystery writer to the blog today to discuss her journey to publication! Check it out...  Jen Pitts is a lifelong mystery reader who turned her obsession into writing cozy mysteries of her own. When she isn’t plotting fictional murder and mayhem, she’s chugging coffee, traveling, reading, and enjoying life with her children and husband in the Pacific Northwest.  Samantha thought following a mysterious diary around the French Quarter of New Orleans would be a harmless way to learn about her new hometown until it became about murder. Discover the places and people that make New Orleans unique through the eyes of newcomer, Samantha Richardson, in the first book in the French Quarter Mystery Series, The Key to Murder. Looking for a fresh start as well as clues to her past, Samantha is thrilled with her furnished apartment even with its strange diary and key left on the living room bookshelf. Sammy, as her new friends call her, explores the city’s French Quarter by following the riddles in the anonymous diary. It was fun until it led to a body. Now Sammy must find out who wrote the journal before the murderer strikes again. Sammy moved to New Orleans for answers and a new life, but is a murderer going to keep her from her future? The Interview... Who are you and what do you write? I'm Jen Pitts and I'm a mystery writer. My first novel, The Key to Murder, a mystery set in the French Quarter of New Orleans, was published in March 2020. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? In college, I wrote for my school newspaper and majored in English. After college, I entered the corporate retail industry. My writing consisted of advertising copy and corporate communications. I left the industry to raise my children, but it wasn't until my children were in elementary school that I returned to my real love, creative writing. How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? I must admit it was a slow start! I had ideas, but I had a hard time getting focused. After moving to an area which has an incredible artist community, I began to take the time to write. Taking classes and joining a critique group were important steps for me to take my writing career seriously. Once I committed to making writing my career, I started calling myself a writer. I am a writer. I'm even a published writer now. What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? The hardest part is knowing when your book is really finished. You can edit and revise your work to death. Letting go is hard, but necessary.  Would you go back and change anything?
I wish I started writing earlier! I always had excuses for not taking the time to write, but there will always be excuses. Even if its just five minutes, writing time is writing time. Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future? I plan to keep writing! My children will be going out into the world in the upcoming years, so my husband and I hope to travel. I intend to write about more places as we see more of the world. What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? Keep at it! You can always edit bad writing, you can't edit nothing. And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? - Both! Night or Day? - Day if it's sunny. Night if it's rainy. Inside or Outside? - Outside, especially if I'm at the beach. Dogs or Cats? - Cats, but I love dogs, too. Twitter or Facebook? - Both! e-book or Paperback? - I love e-books, but I admit I still love a paperback in my hands. Sun or Rain? - Sun every day! Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? - Keyboard, but when I'm stuck, I go back to pen and paper. Comedy or Drama? - Both! Chips or Chocolate? - Both! (Can you see a pattern here? Ha!) I'm pleased to welcome author Carmel Bendon to the blog today who has written an interesting piece on how exactly she came to write her book! Check it out...  Some important things to know about Carmel... Ketchup or mayo? - Mayo, especially with a little lemon and garlic in it. Night or day? - Both, depending on my mood. Inside or outside? - See previous answer. Dogs or cats? - Dogs, dogs, dogs. Twitter or Facebook? - Twitter Ebook or paperback? - I’m happy for my readers to purchase either. Sun or rain? - See answer to “night or day” question. Keyboard or pencil & notebook? - Both Comedy or Drama? - Refer to “night and day” answer. Chips or chocolate? - Neither. Coffee & pastry please.  Grasping at Water is a marvellous mix of mystery, history and discovery that will prompt you to wonder about the way you see life. 'In this intriguing and original mystery, Bendon’s fine, nuanced understanding of medieval spirituality is woven deftly into the fabric of our contemporary world and concerns.' ROBYN CADWALLADER, AUTHOR OF THE ANCHORESS & BOOK OF COLOURS ‘Carmel Bendon’s superb novel takes the reader from the most intriguing premise into a world of mysterious possibility … a world where nothing can ever be certain. This is a tremendously playful and richly poetic book that speaks to the storyteller inside all of us.’ -WALTER MASON, AUTHOR OF DESTINATION SAIGON & DESTINATION CAMBODIA ‘Grasping at Water beguiles with its strong sense of mystery, history, character and place … as truth morphs into a voyage of self-discovery.’ -MICHELE SEMINARA, VERITY LA ‘Finely written historical mysticism entwined with a modern mystery, Carmel Bendon's stunning debut sizzles with originality and intrigue. Grasping at Water is the thinking-person's thriller.' -AMANDA HICKEY, JOURNALIST & DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER How I came to write my novel My novel ‘Grasping at Water’ was born of an idea that just wouldn’t go away. For some years I was a lecturer in medieval literature in the Department of English at Sydney’s Macquarie University. My PhD, completed in 2000, was on the writings of a group of medieval mystics and this topic became my research specialty, leading me to produce many articles, a successful academic book, presentations to academic and general audiences, and even a radio series. The ‘facts’ of these mystics and their medieval world were fascinating to me but the thing about them that really captured my imagination was their strangeness. These were women and men who believed that they had experienced a direct communication with the Divine and that, as a result, it was incumbent upon them to share the insights and revelations they had received.
And over the years a little voice inside my head started to ask “What would happen if someone like one of those mystics surfaced today in a metropolis like Sydney?” The voice kept getting louder and, when in late 2015 I found myself with four months off work, I sat down and gave the voice free rein. Well, almost. I was very aware that the mystics’ messages and experiences are not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’ and, in fact, the very idea of some kind of out-of-body, spiritual communication does not sit well in our scientific age when proof is paramount. And right there I had the conflict of my story: the (seeming) reality of individual experience vs. scientific objectivity. I wanted readers to come away from my novel asking themselves: “What would I do if I experienced something unusual or extraordinary? Would I trust in myself or would I dismiss the experience because it wasn’t rational, wasn’t amenable to proof?” It’s sounds a bit heavy but, actually, (hopefully) the characters are textured enough to show their lighter sides and human frailties. Kathryn, the psychiatrist called in to assess the strange young woman, for example, has her own secrets as does the Margery, a whisky-drinking nun in her eighties, who inherited millions and has established a luxury resort for those who have nowhere else to go. Here’s a short overview of the novel: When a young, unidentified woman is pulled alive and well from Sydney Harbour in 2013, the connections to another woman – found in similar circumstances forty years earlier – present psychiatrist Kathryn Brookley with a terrible decision as the events of the present and past begin to mirror each other and the gap between truth and illusion shrinks. When the young woman goes further and declares that she has lived continuously since coming to ‘understanding’ in the 14th century, her vivid accounts of life, love, childbirth, and loss in the Middle Ages seem so authentic that they test Kathryn’s scientific objectivity to the limit. As Kathryn delves she discovers that she is not the only one whose habitual assumptions about life have been torn asunder by an apparent experience of the miraculous in connection with the mystery woman. But it is the emotional, spiritual and mystical insights that emerge from the linking of all the facets of this mystery that affect Kathryn and others most profoundly, reflecting the commonality of human experience across the ages and the deep yearnings within all of us. With its mix of mystery, history and big questions, I knew I was taking a risk in bringing the book to attention but, thankfully, I found a publisher (Odyssey Books) also willing to take the risk, and I’ve found readers who really “get” what the book’s about (and of course, quite a few who don’t, but that’s the chance we all take in putting our ideas out in the world, isn’t it?) I am delighted to welcome an award-winning author to the blog today, who tells me all about her journey to publication and plans for the future! Please meet Jenney Egertson…  Writing has been a significant part of every professional job I’ve had: as an English teacher at a St. Louis alternative high school in the 1980s; as a freelance writer and later as a corporate executive in the 1990s; and since then, as I’ve worked myself in and out of several corporate communications jobs, with happy periods in between as a freelance communications strategist, writer/editor, and meeting facilitator. I began writing Before I Leave in 2000, after meeting an 80-year-old woman I couldn’t forget. For the next 18 years I interviewed, came to love, and wrote about a total of six women, all over the age of 80 at the time I met them, and most in their mid-to late 90s by the time they died. My final subject—my mother, Edith—still lives with my dad in St. Louis, Missouri. I’ve lived in Minneapolis for 33+ years. These days, I divide my time between writing about the topics I explored with the women I interviewed for Before I Leave, working part-time for a North Minneapolis nonprofit and a few fabulous clients, traveling with my handsome partner, caring for my beloved greyhound and an adorable chihuahua, spending time with my extended family, and fishing—either alone at a city lake or with anyone who will take me to a new and different lake or river or stream. I also set aside time every day for my favorite pastime, reading great fiction. In 2019, Before I Leave won the Silver Medal for the Aging/Death & Dying Category of the INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER Book Awards (IPPY Awards).  In July of 2000, Jenney Egertson met 80-year-old Maude Kelly. The following day, Jenney had an idea that felt more like a command: give Maude and a diverse group of women over the age of 80 a voice by writing a book to capture their stories and advice. It was the first step in a journey that would span decades. As Jenney interviewed and wrote about her subjects during the fifteen turbulent years that followed, she learned about aging, parenting, facing adversity, navigating systemic racism and sexism, and accepting community. As she grew to know and love these women, they became her mentors and friends. In the end, these powerful relationships gave Jenney the courage she needed to reclaim a precious gift: her voice as both a woman and a writer. The Interview... Who are you and what do you write? I am a former teacher, corporate communications executive and consultant who wrote for everyone else—teachers, employees, corporate executives, clients—until I was in my mid-40s. That’s when I met an 80-year-old woman whose demeanor, style, wisdom and advice was so instantly compelling that I had to find a way to see her again and record her story. Nearly 20 years later I published Before I Leave, which captures stories, advice and wisdom from six women over the age of 80. Now I’m working on my second book, about the people I met in Selma, Alabama, some of whom knew Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. personally during the Civil Rights movement in the mid-1960s. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? I discovered writing in 1961, the first time I wrote a rhyming poem. I still have it. The next milestone came in fifth grade, when my teacher wrote at the top of my essay, “You are the cleverest cutie.” I am still in touch with her and she still likes my work at age 85. I’ve always kept a diary and enjoyed writing school papers before I began writing and editing for a living. But I’ve stayed away from writing classes, workshops and peer groups, opting instead to work with a few trusted mentors. When deeply moved, my first response is to write a short story—about the death of my daughter’s beloved hamster, for example, or an impossible relationship between my alcoholic brother-in-law and his beautiful, empathetic friend. These aren’t published. My longest-term writing project was Before I Leave; it took 20 years and the first edition was published in 2018. How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? I was lucky to have clients who valued my work, and friends and family who encouraged me. But the process of writing the book was long and hard. I couldn’t figure out how to structure or connect the chapters. I doubted my decisions for the first 15 years of the process until a gentle, talented editor showed me how what I had written would actually look as a chapter. Meanwhile, I listened to my mentors and took most of their advice, but not all of it. And finally, in late 2017, I took seriously the horror stories about losing control to publishers and decided to hire a fabulous independent publisher. That was an expensive decision but one I will never regret—I maintained total control throughout the process and am very happy with the result. What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? By far the hardest part has been marketing and promoting the book. When I can afford to hire help I do, but for new authors who haven’t earned fame some other way—as an actor, journalist or public figure—selling books requires continuous attention. It’s hard to identify a “most enjoyable” part of writing—I’ll never forget those first moments of inspiration, the same day I saw the title of my book in my mind. And later, getting to know my subjects, earning their trust, writing their stories … those moments are priceless. But I’ve loved taking myself on writing excursions, too: once to a lake house that I rented for an entire winter; another time to a tiny house in the Missouri wine country; and the weekend I took my mom to a B&B, where we ate delicious food, drank good wine and talked about her life for two days straight. (Her story is chapter six!)  Would you go back and change anything? No. As frustrating as it’s been, I believe my life as a writer has evolved exactly as it should. When I have something to say in writing, I say it. When I don’t, I sharpen my skills by reading as much as I can, as often as I can. And I still write for others who need my skills. Where would you like to be in 5 years’ time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future? By the time I retire from my current nonprofit and freelance work (within five years), I hope to have published a second book and established a consistent way to promote my work. I’m updating my website and social media strategy, but that world changes so fast that who knows what might work two years from now? My goal is to be an author who hands off the marketing to a pro! What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? Make sure you have something to say before you publish your work—I think readers sniff out and ultimately abandon contrived writing. In the meantime, practice writing about topics that give you pleasure—via diaries, letters, articles, stories, poetry—whatever gives you joy, as that will be your best work. And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? - Mayo Night or Day? - Day Inside or Outside? - Outside Dogs or Cats? - Dogs Twitter or Facebook? – FB (just getting to know Twitter) Ebook or Paperback? – Paperback Sun or Rain? - Sun Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? – Pencil and notebook for taking notes but keyboard for writing Comedy or Drama? - Drama Chips or Chocolate? – Hard choice, but I probably reach more often for chocolate, even though I prefer savory food to sweet. I'm pleased to welcome another awesome author to the blog today who talks a little about their journey to publication so far! Here we go...  Eva was born in Jacksonville, Florida. She left that humidity pit at the age of three and spent the next twenty-one years in California, Idaho, Kentucky, and Washington before ending up in Oregon, where she now lives on a homestead in the western foothills with her husband and five children, two of whom are human. Eva cannot remember a time when she couldn’t read, and has spent her life devouring books. In her early childhood years, she read and re-read The Boxcar Children, The Trumpet of the Swan, anything by Johanna Spyri or A A Milne, and any issues of National Geographic with illustrated articles about mummified, skeletonised, and otherwise no-longer-viable people. As a teenager she was a huge fan of Louisa May Alcott and Jane Eyre. As an adult she enjoys primarily historical fiction (adult or YA) and nonfiction on a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to, history, disaster, survival, dead people, and the reasons people become dead. Audiobooks are her jam, and the era of World War One is her historical pet. Eva began writing stories when very young and wrote almost constantly until she was 25, after which she took a years-long break before coming back to pursue her old dream of becoming a published author for real. She loves crafting historical fiction that brings humanity to real times and events that otherwise might seem impersonal and distant, and making doodles to go with them. When Eva is not writing, she is teaching her human children, eating chocolate, cooking or baking, wasting time on Twitter, and making weird shrieky noises every time she sees her non-human children.  France, 1916: Estelle Graham faces a nightmare. Expecting to meet her beloved husband and bring their newly adopted daughter home to Scotland, she instead finds him gravely injured and unconscious in a casualty station. As she fights for his care, she takes solace in his journals and letters. In a farmhouse in Somme, Captain Jamie Graham is forever changed when he meets young Aveline Perrault. Both of them broken and walled off from the cruel and cold world around them—made even crueler and colder by the Great War—the pair form an unlikely bond. She finds in him the father she never had, and with her love, he faces the pain from his own childhood. Discover the depth of love and faith in the face of brutality and neglect as they learn to live while surviving World War I. Grab your copy here! Paperback: Amazon BN Powell’s Book Depository Ebook: Kindle Nook Apple Kobo Scribd Audio: Scribd Libro.fm The Interview... Who are you and what do you write?
On my Twitter bio, it says: “#HurricaneWriter. Self-DXed #Autistic. her/she. I go spelunking down historical rabbit holes and emerge with stories.” I’ll break that down a bit: -My writing style is fast and furious and all-consuming. I completed The War in Our Hearts from first words written to query-ready in nine months, which is about average for me, although I’ve had extra time to work on two others whilst I’ve been cooling my heels looking for an agent. (I found one!) -I don’t have an official diagnosis, but I don’t think there’s any question, really. I think my autistic-ness is largely what enables me to focus so obsessively. One of my WIPs has a couple of autistic characters in a historical setting, which poses challenges because nobody understood autism then. (Who are we kidding, most people STILL don’t understand.) -Research is one of my favourite things. It can be overwhelming, and a lot of times I end up down completely irrelevant tunnels in the rabbit hole, but I just LOVE IT SO MUCH. I never know when one of those facts will come in handy, and sometimes I find little things that are so uncanny it freaks me out a bit. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? The first story I remember writing was about a dad losing his wallet. I was probably about 8. I was notorious for beginning stories and not knowing how to finish them (my executive dysfunction goes waaaaayyyy back), but when I was 16 I completed a novel and I was SO proud of myself. I was sure it would be an instant smash success. (Spoiler: The wider world was spared the most melodramatic piece of trash everrrrr) Later in my early 20s I completed another novel that wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t until I began writing what turned into a novel-length fanfic in 2017 that I felt I formed the discipline and focus and critical skills needed to write something really successful. I wrote The War in Our Hearts in late 2017/early 2018. Why historical fiction? I’m obsessed with history. Most people think history is boring, and I hope I can help readers learn that history is just people like us dealing with problems like ours, but with the limitations imposed by past societies, lack of technology, what-have-you. History is my setting, but my characters are The Thing That Drives The Story. If you want to dip your toes into a historical novel that has been hung on well-researched fact but doesn’t feel weighed down with details, you might like my writing. What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? Waiting. I feel like Ötzi in his glacier most of the time. Considering how fast I can churn out a novel, it is maddening to have to wait for results. I do keep writing in the meantime, but it’s hard to do that when you don’t know quite what will be most wanted next. And of course the virus of doom has fritzed my focus (and a lot of other authors’, according to the twitter...) Would you go back and change anything? When I recorded The War in Our Hearts for the audionook last October, there were a lot of things I wished I could change—wording, mostly, and my mistake of twice referring to Lord and Lady Livingston as “the Livingstons” instead of as “the Moncrieffes”. But nothing major, and I actually took a good deal of pride in the fact that with each WIP, my writing has gotten stronger. I love TWIOH, but I love my WIPs even more. I can’t wait to share them with the world! What is next for you? I have a middle-grade novel we’re getting ready for an editor right now. The working title is The Summer I Found Home, and it has some of the same characters from The War in Our Hearts. It’s set in 1925 Oregon, about an hour from where I live, so I was able to do a lot of on-site research, and it was SO MUCH FUN. Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future? I’d like to be a bestseller (what author doesn’t?) but even modest success with a new book out every year or so would be good too. Mostly I just want to know my books are resonating with my readers and filling a need! And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? - Mayo Night or Day? - Night Inside or Outside? - Inside Dogs or Cats? - Cats Twitter or Facebook? - Twitter Ebook or Paperback? - Audio Sun or Rain? - Rain Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? - Both Comedy or Drama? - ALL THE DRAMAZ Chips or Chocolate? - Chocolate I'm pleased to welcome a fab author to the blog today who is introducing a trio of talent and their new project that's out this week! Check it out...  Benjamin Emory Larson is a writer, lyricist, songwriter, and composer. He’s written operas, musicals, plays, books, and short stories, and his work has been performed in nine states throughout the U.S. He currently lives in the beautiful Twin Cities with his wife, Erika, and their fur babies, Zelda and Leo. Reed Reimer is a media composer working on projects in film, web, and videogames. He lives in Minnesota with his wife and two daughters. A nice cup of coffee, and his library of instruments in front of him is a good day  Mat Kaminski grew up fantasizing about being able to create the art he’d see in video games. Over time, that passion led him to university where he received degrees in Graphic Design, Multimedia, and a degree in Illustration from Memphis College of Art. He works as a freelance artist and collaborates on projects with his fiancé as well as commissions from commercial customers.  Part short story, part graphic novel, and part concept album, Codeburst is a dystopian science fiction fable about Aubrey--a programming genius in search of her lost creation--and Jamie--a man struggling to regain control of his life from the artificial intelligence that has taken him over. The Interview... Who are you and what do you write?
I’m Reed Reimer from Minnesota, and I write stories. Generally, I tell my stories with music, and I also write stories in musical/opera form. With CodeBurst, this’ll be my first effort towards traditional prose. For a lot of my projects, I work with my long time collaborator and friend, Ben Larson, and CodeBurst is no exception. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? I’ve always had creativity flowing through me, and I began playing instruments at an early age. Creating new music to help reinforce a mood, or tell its own story was always at the heart of my playing. Life, taking many different directions finally led me to pursue my Music degree from PSU. Luckily, I met my writing partner Ben, who was pursuing a degree in Theater, in one of the music classes. It was his musical talents and fun attitude that helped me ask him to partner in the creation of an operetta I wanted to write, and that’s what led to Maelstrom - The Zombie Opera… and everything since. How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? Since graduating university, professional projects have been sporadic, and I’ve had an unrelated professional career, which still supports my art. The projects I have worked on, have been mightily fulfilling. One short film I wrote the music for was given quite a few awards from various film festivals, including “Best Film” at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con, which afforded me my first SDCC experience. I’ve also received “Best Music” awards from different festivals, which is also nice. More So than anything else, it’s the ability to create that really keeps the serotonin flowing. Since 2018, my day job has allowed me to be in a creative position that I could spend an increasing amount of time on my art, so I’ve been writing music for different web-series, marketing campaigns, and even created a concept Christmas Album: “A Movie Trailer Christmas” to exercise some different creative muscles. Now, the stars are aligned. I randomly met an artist (Mat) on Twitter who’s creative passion inspired me to gather the troops to begin work on a multimedia project: CodeBurst. What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? Because we’re self-publishing the project, the most difficult parts that we’ve encountered include the fact that we had originally planned for the project to release in April, then COVID-19 essentially shut down everything. Since then, the difficulty has come in coordinating all of the different project parts and contributors to complete everything in quarantine. While Ben, Mat, and I have been able to work on the story and art on schedule, we have five different artists who are singing or playing on the concept album who would normally have come into the studio to record. Thankfully, we’ve been able to handle everything whether through home recording solutions or other methods, but that adds time. The most enjoyable part of the project has been collaborating with these amazing artists, and creating something in a medium that we haven’t typically worked in. Would you go back and change anything? No. I have a hard time looking backward. There are so many projects and things to do, that unless I’m constantly pushing forward, then nothing gets done. I don’t even have time to procrastinate, HAHA. Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future? In 5 or 10 years, the dream would be to have my art be my primary source of income. It would be amazing to work on some very large budget projects that would allow me to hire and work with professional orchestras. On the writing side, if the format of CodeBurst is successful (by our own metrics) I imagine we would have a series of projects just like it, including exploring the CodeBurst universe, and other genres that we absolutely love! What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? The thing that has kept me sane, is that I love what I do. When I begin to focus on trying to create to attract fans or followers, I begin to get discouraged, and have to remind myself that I’m really doing this for me, and hope that there are others out there who will like it as well. I do this because I love it. And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? - Ranch… lol. Night or Day? - Day Inside or Outside? - Inside Dogs or Cats? - Cats Twitter or Facebook? - Facebook ebook or Paperback? - ebook Sun or Rain? - Rain Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? - Keyboard, although i LOVE the romanticism of pencil and paper Comedy or Drama? - Comedy Chips or Chocolate? - Chippers… a wonderful chocolate covered ripple potato chip from Widman’s Candy Shop in ND. |
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