Liana Metal lives in Greece,
on the island of Corfu.
She is an EFL teacher(MAEd -Applied Linguistics), book reviewer and freelance writer.
Liana is also an artist. Her drawings/paintings can be found both online at www.aggelia-online.gr and at several shops in Corfu town. To contact the artist visit http://LianaMetal.tripod.com
or her blog at http://LianasKerkyra.blogspot.com
Η Ηλιάνα Μεταλληνού διδάσκει Αγγλικά στην Κέρκυρα, γράφει άρθρα και ιστορίες για έντυπες και ηλεκτρονικές εκδόσεις σε όλο τον κόσμο και ζωγραφίζει. Μπορείτε να την επισκεφθείτε στην ηλεκτρονική διεύθυνση http://toasprosaligari.blogspot.com και
http://www.coffeetimecorfu.com
Henry Melton’s latest novel is no less exciting than all his previous ones! Focused on believable scientific issues, this story is a gripping read for all the family. Learn more about the author’s work at http://HenryMelton.com
Pixie Dust is the story of Jenny Quinn, a graduate student who takes part in a disastrous lab experiment. To make matters worse, her professor gets killed unexpectedly just after this, leaving Jenny disorientated.What’s more, she has to cope with a strange change in her own body. But Jenny is determined to solve this mystery before she ends up getting killed too.Will she succeed?
The first chapter of this novel is extremely captivating, increasing the adrenaline level of the reader as they try to understand and then ‘see’ the result of the lab experiment.The scenes move rapidly as if in a movie, making the reader turn the pages eagerly to see what’s next!The characters are quite believable and real and the dialogue, fresh and modern. There is a lot of mystery and suspense, subtle romance and casual lifestyle description. The author’s descriptions are never boring to read, as his writing is concise and focused mainly on facts and action. These are elements that both teenagers and adults may appreciate!
To sum up, Pixie Dust is an interesting and exciting read that will entertain the whole family as well as educate it.It is the latest of Henry’s work that shows clearly his constant development as a science fiction writer. The more he writes the more exciting his work becomes! Henry is a prolific writer full of scientific concepts that are appealing to everybody-after all, who is Not interested in the future? It may be categorized as science fiction, but to me it is pure science, and it is worthwhile reading it!
It’s a great book and you can get it from www.wirerimbooks.com and all online stores.
Today we are going to meet Kari Wolfe! Kari Wolfe is a writer and a blogger at Imperfect Clarity (http://www.imperfectclarity.net) in whatever time is left over from being a stay-at-home-mom to a very precocious and energetic three-year old. She blogs on a number of topics including writing, book reviews, interviews, and setting and meeting goals.
Currently, she is on a mission: to combine fiction writing articles with and articles on how she’s trying to live her life to the fullest and she’s going to bring you on that journey with her through her blog.
Here's an exciting interview with Kari to know all about her and her books. Enjoy!
Hi Kari, tell us a little bit about your background.
Well, I’m originally from Huntington, West Virginia, and currently live in Colorado Springs, CO. Before moving to Colorado, I received my bachelor’s degree in science, majoring in physics and mathematics from Marshall University in my home town.
It’s always been my dream to write. And, by dream, I mean I have written my entire life but always have been told that I should do something else.
That and I’ve had setbacks, mostly in school.
During middle school, I wrote erotica—not the most appropriate topic for a pre-teen—and my writing was confiscated by the guidance counselor who pulled me into her office for a good talking to. I don’t remember what she said but I remember the embarrassment I felt. I don’t write erotica anymore.
In high school, I co-wrote a book with my best friend, Mikie—my character would flirt with his character, his character would tell mine no and that we were just really good friends, etc. So on and so forth.
As an adult, I kept a journal that was used against me by an ex-boyfriend who threw anything negative I wrote about him in my face. Same guy who would take me to a secluded spot, make me feel guilty for whatever he was upset at me about and once I cried, he’d take me home.
When I married my husband, it took me a while to finally realize that I was safe. If I didn’t want anyone to read my writing—regardless of what it was—no one would. He wouldn’t go through what I’d written without my permission. I participated in NaNoWriMo in 2008 and, with his encouragement, I won.
For my blog, Imperfect Clarity, I’ve interviewed some awesome people: Seth Godin, Peter Straub, Conrad Williams, Christopher Moore, Les Edgerton and more.
Tell us about your current book. Give a short summary and also how you got the idea for this book.
Realizing there is more than to life than observation, a voyeur kidnaps a struggling stay-at-home mother and her children only to fight the trapped evil spirit of the house they are hiding in through his possessed partner-in-crime.
For this work, I combined several different ideas.
First, the newest Tool album has a song called “Vicarious” about how some people watch the news and the worse the news is, the better they like it. The idea is they are “living vicariously through the eyes of others,” a phrase criminologist Jack Levin used in a personal conversation with me about why people are so fascinated with the idea of serial killers. The song reminded me of our conversation which gave me Jake, the story’s protagonist.
Second, I wanted to try my hand at a novel about a haunted house. Easy as that. As to what the house actually does… I took a subject I was interested in, memory, and started asking myself questions about what I could do with that subject.
Last, the overall theme of the story is forgiveness of self. It probably took longer to come up with the overall theme than anything else. Plotting out the book’s main points and what I definitely wanted to have happen helped a lot in discovering this. What is a typical writing day like for you?
I have a three-year-old daughter who is autistic, so in some ways, I really don’t feel like I ever have a typical day. On Monday and Wednesdays, she goes to preschool and, after my own physical therapy, I have an hour before picking her up. Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have hippotherapy and speech therapy.
Fortunately she takes a nap most afternoons—or, at least, I’ve instituted a rule of quiet time where she plays in her room. This is when I do most of my writing.
After Natasha goes to bed, I have some time available then, but I use it for reading and relaxing mostly. My husband is home, so it’s more difficult for me to concentrate on writing fiction. What do you enjoy most about writing?
I love to talk. You can ask my husband ;)
Seriously, I love to create. I love to come up with an idea and to work it out on the page. Recently, I’ve been inundated with new ideas and I keep jotting them down. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to get to them all! J What is the most difficult part of writing?
Sometimes it’s just DOING it. I freewrite, to get my hands flowing across the keyboard and to kickstart my brain.
Sometimes it’s just time—there are days I have no energy to focus on fiction and I only focus on nonfiction, blog entries, that type of thing.
And sometimes it’s focusing on the here and now. Daydreaming about having your books in bookstores and name on the publishing lists is great—but you have to do the work first. Do you have a website? Yes, Imperfect Clarity at http://www.imperfectclarity.net/
From the About Me page: (http://www.imperfectclarity.net/?page_id=4) Imperfect Clarity is a detailed look at the thought processes of a fiction writer trying to improve her life and become successful by living her life to the fullest. The idea here is to combine fiction writing articles with my own fiction and articles on how I’m trying to live my life to the fullest that I can. I am learning how to do this not only from different websites I have found talking about motivation but also by actually DOING these things I talk about. I’m in the process of branding it and hopefully will be able to institute those changes within the next month. I’m really excited about it.
Including The House (my fictional work-in-progress), I am currently working on a four or five-post series for my blog about resistance and procrastination. I have several nonfiction ebooks in the works as well as a guest posting position.
Thank you, Kari, for sharing all this interesting information with us! And Good luck to your life journey!
OC Christian Writers Conference Call for Submissions
April 1 is the Deadline for
WestBow Press Writing Contest & Beverly Bush Aspiring Writer Award
At the OC Christian Writers Conference on May 1, 2010, deserving writers will win several awards. Check the deadlines for submission.
Christian Manuscript Submission Awards -- Drawings -- Deadlines
WestBow Writing Contest -- Winner will received a Bookstore Advantage Publishing Package. Submissions must be postmarked by April 1.
Beverly Bush Smith Aspiring Writer Award -- Wiinner will be recognized for their excellence and receive a cash prize. Submissions must be postmarked by April 1.
ChristianManuscriptSubmissions.com -- Two subscriptions for their submission service will be awarded by drawing to everyone signing up by March 31, 2010.
Logos Bible Software -- Win a Leaders Library valued at $320. Drawing will include every one signed up by April 25, 2010.
See www.occwf.org for more details.
The OC Christian Writers Conference is now in its 26th year and will host a wide variety of editors, authors and literary agents. With three keynote talks and twenty-four different workshops to choose from, it's one of the best one-day writers conferences in California. For more information go to www.occwf.org
REQUIREMENTS: To win any of the prizes offered at the OC Christian Writers Conference just register for the conference, submit manuscripts according to the rules stated on the website, and be present at the event on Saturday, May 1, 2010 at Mariners Church in Irvine, California.
For information:
John DeSimone Conference Director Orange County Christian Writers Conference
Jason Miller has been studying magic for the last 20 years and in this book he tries to offer readers practical magic to change the real world. Visit him at www.inominandum.com
The Sorcerer’s Secrets is a guide book that can ‘change the readers’ life for the better’ the author claims.“Magick should be used for spiritual evolution and mystical insight” Jason says on page 9.The readers can learn all about Meditation on page 46 and find the chapter about Love and Lust quite interesting.The author even teaches how to use magic to attract a mate, and the chapter about Meditation and Healing is nevertheless very interesting to read.
This book is easy to read and is enhanced by occult sketches by the illustrator Matthew Brownlee who is an occultist. You can visit him at www.bakerstreettattoo.com
It caters to those who love spiritual and occult themes and those who wish to study magic.Get this book from www.inominandum.com or www.amazon.com
This month, we are going to read about a special author, Magdalena Ball! Enjoy her interview!
Interview with Magdalena Ball , the author of
Repulsion Thrust
Tell us about yourself first.
That's rather an open ended question! I could define myself any number of ways, but I'll focus on my publications here -- I run the website The Compulsive Reader (www.compulsivereader.com), and am also the author of the poetry book Repulsion Thrust, the novel Sleep Before Evening, a nonfiction book The Art of Assessment: How to Review Anything and three other poetry chapbooks Quark Soup, and, in collaboration with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Cherished Pulse and She Wore Emerald Then. She also runs a radio show, The Compulsive Reader Talks. Of course I'm other things too! I'm a mother to 3 gorgeous children, I'm a wife, I'm an information manager for a big company, I'm doing a Masters degree in Marketing, I'm working on another novel and a few other poetry books. I'll stop there, although I could probably keep going!
When did you start writing?
Around about the same time I started reading -- somewhere between 3 and 4. Writing is something that has always been with me. I think I wrote my first story when I was little and just kept doing it. I only really began to get quite serious and send out work when I was an older teen and then stopped for some time under the spell of academia. I picked it up again seriously just after my first child was born, some 13 years ago, when I decided that bits and pieces wouldn't satisfy me -- I needed full scale books in hand.
What genres have you written?
I tend to write in lots of different genres, but definitely prefer literary fiction (as a reader as well as a writer) when I'm writing fiction, and poetry will always be my first love (there are those who have classed my poetry as 'sci-fi' poetry, and although I think that's probably not true, there is plenty of science in my work, and I welcome all readers and all promotional opportunities, so am happy enough with the classification. For nonfiction, I probably would be comfortable writing in any genre at all.
Is Repulsion Thrust your first book?
Repulsion Thrust is my first full length book of poetry. I've had other chapbooks (short poetry books) published, and a novel and nonfiction book (see "tell us about yourself" above), but I have to admit, it's always exciting to hold a full length, traditionally published book in the hand.
Tell us about your book. What is it about?
Repulsion Thrust is a poetry book that tends to tackle big subjects not often the fodder of poetry: quantum physics, astronomy, time travel, ecological destruction, and technological singularity, viewed through the lens of the human condition. It's poetry about the universe and about the way we (that's humans) fit with it - I've tried to be fairly large in my scope, reasonably topical, and to say something comprehensive about what it means to be alive (to me anyway) in the 21st Century.
What inspired you to write this book?
I've always wanted to write a full length poetry collection. I was inspired by the success of my novel Sleep Before Evening, and felt it was time to plot out a full scale poetry book, but each individual poem was inspired by all sorts of things, from the news, to a plethora of great books I'd read, to New Scientist. I think the biggest influences/sources of inspiration were, aside from emotional responses, the work of Stephen Hawking, the work of Richard Dawkins, the work of Ray Kurzweil, and the work of Charles Darwin. I thanked all of these people in my acknowledgements, and Kurzweil even endorsed the book (much to my delight), but there were many other sources of inspiration, including, of course, my own family.
How long did it take you to write it?
About a year, which is relatively quick for me. I take much longer (about 3 years) for fiction. Who is the publisher of your book?
Bewrite Books at www.bewrite.net They're utterly wonderful and also published my novel Sleep Before Evening.
Where is it on sale?
Good bookstores everywhere! But those reading this can go directly to Amazon: www.budurl.com/RepulsionThrust or to Smashbooks at:
Tell us about your other books/work.
Sleep Before Evening is a coming of age novel about a teenager teetering at the edge of reason. A death in the family sends her brilliant academic career and promising future spiraling out of control until resentment towards those who shaped her past leads her on a wild and desperate search for the truth about herself. On the seedy side of New York, she meets Miles, a hip musician busking the streets and playing low-rent venues in a muddled bid to make his own dreams come true. In her new life, she finds anarchic squalor, home grown music and poetry, booze, drugs, sex, violence, love, loss … and, above all, exhilarating freedom on her troubled journey from sleep to awakening.
Quark Soup is also poetry, which, as the title suggests, has a strong astrophysical theme.
The Art of Assessmentis a guide to book reviewing.
The Celebration Series of chapbooks is my collaboration with Carolyn Howard-Johnson that looks at specific holidays and provides chapbooks designed to replace a greeting card - providing real poetic sentiment. More can be found at my website: www.magdalenaball.com
What are the major challenges that you have faced in your career? Time is always an issue for me. I try to squeeze so much into each day, but it isn't always possible to get to everything on my list! Making time for the big, longer term projects amidst the everyday urgencies is definitely my biggest challenge.
Has the Internet helped you in your writing career?
I really cannot imagine working without the Internet anymore. It colours everything I do, from providing me with an accessible, global, working community of readers and writers, to providing promotional platforms, social networking, writing challenges, and even changing the notion of the way a book works (with multimedia, electronics, and so on). Of course great words haven't changed a bit since the pen and ink (or quill) days, but the ability to work in a global, rather than a small scale regional venue is wonderful.
What do you advise new writers to do?
To keep writing of course (BOS - bum on seat), but also to read a lot of what you want to write, to keep raising the bar on yourself, and to continue to grow as a writer, trying new things and working to find the words to say what you want to. Never be satisfied with the easy cliche - always go deeper.
Orphaned Rebekah becomes a servant in her uncle’s house in Bethany. Traded from relative to relative, she suffers neglect and abuse. When a Roman soldier assaults her, she flees in fear of her life and hides. Rebekah is discovered and Lazarus becomes her kinsman redeemer. Can Jesus redeem her soul? Can she forgive or break the chains of her past?
Interview with Dianne G. Sagan, the author ofShelter from the Storm
Tell us about yourself first.
I’ve lived in several places around the U.S. including the Northwest, but have spent the last 20 years in the Panhandle of Texas. For those of you who aren’t sure what the “panhandle” is – it’s that part that sticks up farthest to the north, between Oklahoma and New Mexico.
Both my husband and I are writers. He writes a regular column weekly and in addition is a freelance editor. I love having an editor in the family when it comes time to polishing manuscripts for submission. We have six children, a dog, and four grandchildren.
I absolutely love being a writer and enjoy the process.
When did you start writing?
I first got the bug to write from a high school English teacher. I’m one of those odd people who enjoyed and preferred essay questions on tests all through high school and college. My writing was sporadic for years but when I became a Mom I wrote stories for my children and inserted their names as characters. After years of working in offices, I was in a car accident that stopped me cold. I spent time thinking about what I should do after I was back to my full capacity again. I thought about all the things I love to do and finally settled on getting serious about writing. While the youngest of six children was in high school, I started writing as a freelancer for the regional newspaper on a rotation as part of Amarillo Voices. I did that for about five years.
Then, I got really serious. I started ghostwriting and working on ideas I’d been mulling over for a long time.
What genres have you written?
Aside from ghostwriting, I write Christian and historical fiction, as well as women’s fiction and suspense. I have always considered myself a fiction writer and then one day in the middle of a book I was ghostwriting I realized that most of my published work up to that time was nonfiction. I enjoy writing both.
Is Shelter from the Storm your first book?
My first published fiction book was released earlier this year, Rebekah Redeemed, a Historical/Christian fiction novella – the first in a series.
Tell us about your book. What is it about?
Shelter from the Storm is the story of a woman who must find shelter for herself and her children from a volatile husband. The story is set in Seattle during the worst snowstorm in 50 years. It is unlike other fiction about abuse. There is actually little violence and most of it takes place in her memories. It is her story as well as the story of many women who find themselves in that situation all too often. Brittany Camp, the protagonist, makes her way through the shelter, the legal system, and manages to stay one step ahead of her ever vigilant husband. Readers will follow the changes in Brittany as she emerges from her cocoon and finds out who she really is again and hopes for a better life.
What inspired you to write this book?
Domestic Violence is on the upswing again as a result of a troublesome economy but the problem is an old and enduring one. It is a way of helping people understand the situation better and to raise awareness. As a survivor of a violent first marriage, I want to help others make a new life.
How long did it take you to write it?
The ideas for the book were in the back of my mind for years. I combined my experiences and those of four other women in the fictionalized story. I focused on writing the book for about 4 years. I’d write some and put it away. I did numerous revisions before it was accepted for publication by a royalty publisher.
Who is the publisher of your book?
My publisher is WordWright.biz of Alpine, Texas. Joan Neubauer is my editor and she has been amazing. She challenged me in edits and helped me become a better writer. She and her husband Steve Neubauer also operate what they call a “writer’s incubator” to help new writers develop their craft and the skills needed to be a successful author besides publishing two or three lines of royalty books.
Where is it on sale?
Shelter from the Storm is on sale at amazon.com, my website http://dgsagan.tripod.com, and through the “Spirit of the Season” online catalog at bit.ly/1QzJX8 When you get to the catalog, go to “Book Marketing”
I’ll be holding a book signing in the Seattle area with proceeds to go to the Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County. It will be Saturday, December 12, 2009 at their thrift shop, New and Again, 3116 Rucker Ave, Everett, WA 98201. The book signing is between 12noon and 2pm. I’d love for anyone in the area to stop by and say “hi” even if you don’t purchase a book.
Tell us about your other books/work.
Rebekah Redeemed is the story of the daughter of a shepherd who saw the Christ child that first night, Rebekah is thrown into a life of servitude. Traded from relative to relative, she suffers through hard labor, neglect, and abuse. What will become of her? No one cares until a kinsman redeemer reveals himself. Who is this Nazarene? Can Rebekah forgive the past?
In addition, an anthology of flash fiction that I contributed to with four other women I was in a critique group with is also being released today. Flash Tales: An Adventure in Words is a fun book for when you only have a minute to read. These multi-genre stories are as different as the five of us who wrote them. Each contributed 20, 100 word stories with a set of required words chosen by the group. You’ll also have a chance to try your hand at it if you want. It is also available at amazon.com, http://dgsagan.tripod.com, or in the “Spirit of the Season” catalog. (link above)
What are the major challenges that you have faced in your career?
When I was younger and still had children at home and a single mom, I found that I didn’t write much and decided to wait until they were grown. If I had it to do over, then I would make time to write. Some health issues still get in the way sometimes. I also am challenged to balance writing, researching, speaking, promotion, and all the business details of being a full-time writer. In addition, my husband and I own a business consulting firm and I am a facilitator. As with all of us, budgeting time is really important to me and I don’t always do very well with that.
Has the Internet helped you in your writing career? How?
I think the internet has helped me enormously. I attended Lea Shivas’ first Muse Online Writer’s Conference and the people are wonderful, talented and inspirational. It was a great place to feel like I was constantly in touch with other writers and people in the publishing world. From that group I started building my website and started a blog. They are the stepping stone and foundation of my internet network.
Our VBT – Writer’s on the Move has been a wonderful way to help each other promote and meet new people and readers. You can’t beat sitting in your jamies and bunny slippers taking a book tour around the world. Using the internet can be done on a shoe string if you need to or you can spend quite a bit if you choose to. My books can get international exposure.
In ghost-writing, it has enabled me to work with clients all over the world.
What do you advise new writers to do?
Don’t give up. Keep writing. If one of the first things you think of when you wake up in the morning is writing or the plot you’ve been working on, then you are truly a writer. Persevere. Get into a critique group and go to conferences. Develop a thick skin for feedback about your work and don’t take it personally. Use what works and discard the rest. Read writer’s magazines and get involved in local writer’s organizations as well as online groups. Most of all enjoy the process and love the craft of writing.
Today we are going to learn more about Margaret's work.
Her book, The Angry Little Boy, is going to be published in the near future. Here is a taste of it:
Chapter 1: At Grandma's House
Alvin’s eyes burned and his chest felt tight. The last time he'd visited Grandma he'd driven there with Mom and Dad. Now Mom was dead and Dad still in the hospital. Alvin peered out the window of Grandma's car as they passed through Millbank and down the tree-lined road leading to Pine Crest Point. As Grandma drove past the lake with the community beach, down the street, and into her driveway, Sam, Alvin's collie mix, put his front paws on Alvin's lap and barked.
"Yes, Sam, we're here," Alvin said, ruffling Sam's soft ears as they all climbed out of the car. He turned and noticed how thin and frail his grandma looked from the last visit. Her once vibrant gray curls were now faded and wispy looking.
Sam bounded down the hill ahead of Alvin and Grandma. They followed him down the flagstone path, down the hill, past the rock garden. The marigolds, petunias, and geraniums lifted their faces to the sun. Alvin's nose tickled as he breathed in the spicy scent of the flowers, and remembered how Mom loved to work in the garden whenever they'd visit.
The stained brown ranch came into view once they'd cleared the large trees. Sam waited by the porch.
Grandma unlocked the door, and Alvin followed her into the big living room. Paneled in pine, it had windows on both ends, a dining table to the left, couches and chairs on the other side, and a large fireplace in the middle.
Sam trotted up and dropped a ball at Alvin's feet.
"Grandma, Sam found a ball."
"Sam always manages to find a ball." Grandma stared at Sam, who opened his jaws and grinned a doggy grin. "You two go outside if you want to play catch. No playing ball in the house."
"That's what Mom always said." Alvin's throat felt tight. He frowned and rubbed his eyes.
Alvin pushed open the door and went outside. Standing on a flat spot in front of the house, Alvin threw the ball up the hill and Sam chased after it. An hour later, Grandma called, "Alvin, time for dinner. Come in and wash your hands." By that time the now deep red sun hung just over the horizon. "Grandma, when will me and Dad have our own house again?" Alvin said, when seated at the dining table.
"I don't know, Alvin. I don't know whether your father will try to rebuild your old house when he gets the insurance money." Grandma handed Alvin a hamburger and put one on her own plate. Alvin took a big bite. His throat felt almost too tight to swallow.
"I miss our house. I miss Mom and Dad. I wish everything would go back the way it was." Alvin's lips trembled. He swallowed hard to get rid of the big lump in the middle of his throat.
Grandma looked at him. "Alvin, you're nine years old. That's old enough to know your mother isn't coming back."
Alvin ate a few more bites. Grandma put down her half eaten hamburger and stood up. "I guess we aren't very hungry tonight. Let's clear the table and wash the dishes. Then you can brush your teeth and get ready for bed." Alvin picked up his plate and glass. He followed Grandma into the kitchen, Sam at his heels.
Grandma put the dishes on the kitchen counter. "Scrape the hamburger into the trash and then put the dishes into the dishpan. I'll wash and you can dry." "We could give the hamburger to Sam. I'll bet he's still hungry." Sam sat by Grandma's feet and panted hopefully.
"Hmmph," said Grandma. She broke the hamburger into pieces, put them into a bowl and placed it on the floor. Sam grinned, then started to eat.
"At home Dad always did the dishes. All I did was clear the table." Alvin looked out the kitchen window at the front yard. He could feel the soft breeze through the open window. The sky was a dark blue with a few fluffy white clouds. Grandma's flowers swayed back and forth. It looked very peaceful. "I wonder if Mom can see the flowers from Heaven?"
Grandma didn't say anything for a long time. Finally, she said in a brisk voice, "I'm sure she can.”
Then Grandma continued, “Here we both clear the table, I wash and you dry." She handed Alvin a blue and white striped dishtowel. "Stack the dishes on the counter and you can put them away when we're finished. You're as tall as I am now so you won't have any trouble reaching the cabinets.”
"At home Mom always left the dishes in the dish drain and put them away in the morning."
"I like my dishes in the cabinet," Grandma said as she pressed her lips together. Alvin remembered when Grandma came to their old house she always dried and put away the dishes and Mom would get annoyed. It made him smile to remember. Dad always used to stay out of the kitchen when Grandma visited.
"All I have is one pair of pajamas, Grandma," Alvin said later when they walked out of the kitchen.
"We'll go shopping tomorrow," Grandma said. It made Alvin feel funny to think that his beloved quilt and all his clothes and books were gone forever.
"Mom used to read to me every night. We'd just started The Fellowship of the Ring." Alvin glanced at the full bookshelves as they passed through the living room.
"We can buy you another copy. Or I might have an old one of your father's around somewhere."
"No thanks, Grandma. It wouldn't be the same. When we stopped, Mom said we'd read more tomorrow. That was the last thing she said to me. Except goodnight and stuff." The image of his Mom sitting beside him in bed reading to him made his chest tighten again.
This month we have with us a multi-talented person, Margaret Fieland!
Margaret is a computer engineer, a musician, a poet and a writer.
Enjoy her interview!
Tell us about yourself first.
I'm a native New Yorker, born and raised in Manhattan, though I've lived in the Boston area since June of 1978, just after the big blizzard. I live with my partner and our seven dogs in the suburbs west of Boston. I play the flute and the piccolo, write primarily poetry and children's stories, and earn my living as a computer software engineer.
When did you start writing?
I started writing poetry as a teen, then continued on, writing poetry for friends, family, and significant others for pretty much any occasion I could think of. I enjoyed (and still do) rhyming, and developed my own algorithm for generating rhymes. I make frequent use of my thesaurus when writing, but rarely resort to rhyming dictionaries.
What genres have you written?
Poetry, nonfiction articles, children's stories, one or two stories for adults, technical documentation .. pretty much everything, though my first love is poetry, and now writing for children.
Is The Angry Little Boy your first book?
My book, "The Angry Little Boy," is unpublished as of now.
Tell us about your book. What is it about?
It's about a little boy who loses his mother in a fire, and he and his father go to live with his grandmother.
What inspired you to write this book?
Many years ago now, a close friend lost his wife and four children in a fire. He was pretty much of a mess after that, and while there was nothing I could do to change the real, horrible, outcome for him, I could and did decide that I would write a story where the father and the child survived. I didn't want any dead siblings, so my main character is an only child.
How long did it take you to write it?
The first draft was 5000 words and I wrote it in a weekend. It's been over a year since I wrote that first draft. This is probably the third major revision.
Who is the publisher of your book?
Where is it on sale?
It's not -- yet.
Tell us about your other books/work.
I have a collection of poems about mathematics that I've started sending around seeking publication, and I'm most of the way through the first draft of my second novel, also for children.
What are the major challenges that you have faced in your career?
As a writer? Taking myself seriously, and making finding time for my writing a priority.
Has the Internet helped you in your writing career? How?
In several ways. I started writing for publication because of the internet. As a computer professional, one who's had to deal with lost data in my professional life I'm paranoid about losing documents, so I keep copies of my work online, currently in Google documents, which I love.
Several years ago, when I first started keeping my stuff online, I was home alone over Christmas vacation.. All the rest of the family was out, and I was reading a favorite ezine, when I noticed it had a poetry contest and that I had a poem which fit the parameters of the contest. I submitted it, and it was one of four finalists. It didn't win, but I was tremendously encouraged, and started working on my poetry. I joined a couple of websites with poetry forums. In one of them I learned about the Muse online writers conference. I joined another forum as a result of the conference, and started writing fiction.
What do you advise new writers to do?
Write, write, write. And keep backups of your documents, and keep them somewhere it's easy for you to get at them. I can't emphasize enough the benefits of being able to get your hands on your work, and to be able to look back over it. When I was scribbling in notebooks, I never reread my work, in large part because my handwriting is so awful even I have a hard time rereading it.
Interview with Joel Huan, the author ofOver Mount Fuji
Tell us about yourself first.
I'm a graduate with a commerce degree, but find novel writing far more creative and exciting. I began
seeking out knowledge just the same as novelist John Gardner said, ‘Fiction seeks out truth.’
When did you start writing?
Well, that was about ten or eleven years ago. I started to moonlight when I was working full time as an accountant for the hotel industry. But accounting work is boring . . .
What genres have you written?
sort of science fiction but with a literary hint.Perhaps you might not be aware of a strange sound in the South Pacific call the bloop. I am a research writer, and I have being rather intrigued by this mysterious phenomenon, but I write this mystery in fiction.
Is Over Mount Fuji your first book?
for fiction, yes.
Tell us about your book. What is it about?
The book is sort of science fiction, but extrapolates a very unique reason for a researched phenomena of deep ocean earthquakes, ship disappearances, volcanic eruptions, and the mysterious bloop sound in the South Pacific Ocean. You might like to watch the video below
A long story. We had all thought that knowledge could only be learned from textbooks or from other works of texts, and nothing from fiction. But then again, we had unknowingly set our minds squarely in the box. We need to break into the unthinkable. Sometimes it requires only a small effort; sometimes some sheer imaginations beyond the ordinary are needed.
Take for example, in the field of science fiction. A science fiction writer would need to accumulate vast amount of knowledge in order to write another work of science fiction. The writer must be able to think hard through the various problems to make his or her fiction cohesive to work. Heinlein was one of the greats of hard science fiction; he wanted to be scientifically accurate. And Destination Moon seems a serious attempt to present a realistic version of how we might reach the moon, filmed nearly a decade before any human being could achieve orbit.
For sure we wouldn’t be able to know all the technical details, or how precisely things will come to pass. As Arthur Clark claimed, “No one can predict the future,” but he couldn’t resist drawing up timelines for what he called “possible futures.” Yes, about all the possibilities out there. Of course most fiction writers would never be compared to Arthur C. Clark or Heinlein, but then again, fiction writing is elaborate, tedious and complex, but the general consensus is the same: that fiction explores the minds, explode our imagination and open a range of possibilities that cannot be expressed in textbooks.
It is precisely this reason that Over Mount Fuji is written.
Who is the publisher of your book?
Youwriteon -- It is a new upstart publisher based in London, and is partially financed by the British Arts Council.
Where is it on sale?
both in Amazon and Barnesandnoble
What are the major challenges that you have faced in your career?
finding time to work and then write whenever I am free. While members of my accounting profession would be taking more courses and networking to further their careers, I was alone working on my writing.
Has the Internet helped you in your writing career?
How?
Well, some of my research were done via the internet, but most information were not there. I still need to research the libraries and crack my head and imagination to create a scenario that is suitable to the theme and ideas I wish to expound.
What do you advise new writers to do?
Be aware that novel writing doesn't pay, and you must be able to enjoy long hours alone. Often I rose up in the middle of the night to jot down a few points before going back to sleep. So be willing and able to sacrifice before jumping into it.
Interview with Joan Cartwright, the author of 9 books:
In Pursuit of a Melody (memoirs, 350 photos, 35 poems, 40 songs, 2 lectures)
GaiaMind Poems
Rhythms of the Heart (poetry)
The Moon, Sun Showers, Rainbows and Whipped Cream Clouds (spiritual poetry)
Songs for my Children (4 songs with full-color images)
Joan Cartwright Song Book
Amazing Musicwomen
So, You Want To Be A Singer? A manual for up-and-coming Divas, Musicians and Composers
A History of African-American Jazz and Blues (3 essays)
Questions:
Tell us about yourself first.
Diva Joan Cartwright has toured 5 continents and 15 countries including the U.S.A., 8 European countries, Brazil, Mexico, Ghana, Gambia, South Africa, China and Japan, with her swinging brand of jazz and blues. She is a composer and her book, IN PURSUIT OF A MELODY contains 40 songs and lyrics to standard songs: "A Night in Tunisia" by Dizzy Gillespie, "Blue Bossa" by Kenny Dorham, "Tune Up" by Miles Davis and "Bessie's Blues" by John Coltrane.
Joan's book also contains two lectures that she's given to over 5,000 children and college students, in U.S., Switzerland, Sicily, China and Japan: WOMEN IN JAZZ and SO, YOU WANT TO BE A SINGER? Her workshops are dynamic and educational, highlighting the pitfalls and benefits of the music business. She contends that, "Knowing music theory is a step in the right direction for any singer who truly wants to excel in the world of music!"
Diva JC names any ensemble of musicians she works with "Jazz Hotline". Why? Because the music swings and it's always HOT! Her most famous Blues are "Nobody's Husband", "OH, Baby!" and "Treat Me Right And You Don't Have To Marry Me".
Known as the "Hip Hop Mom of Atlanta", Joan performs "Jazz Meets Hip Hop" with her daughter's hip hop/soul group - Caustic Dames, in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Italy, France and England. Hear Joan on "Atlanta Has Spoken", a compilation of spoken word artists at www.cdbaby.com/cd/causticcomp. Be sure to hear her track "Talkin' That Jazz" and also visit www.causticdames.com.
Joan Cartwright is available for bookings around the world. Her knowledge of music and her professional attitude enables Joan to travel alone and work with professional jazz and blues musicians, wherever she is contracted to perform.
During her 30-year career, Joan has performed with Lou Donaldson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Freddie Hubbard, Dorothy Donegan, Philly Joe Jones, Shirley Scott and hundreds of musicians in the U.S., Europe and Asia!
This talented lady is bound to bring a smile to your face with her swinging jazz and blues! Don't miss the opportunity to enjoy her performance when she comes to your side of town!
TheWhiteSnailincludes an exciting story and educational material appropriate for young readers.It is the first of a series of books that aims to encourage childrento read stories while, at the same time learn about nature.At the end of each book there are educational activities.
TheWhiteSnail’sbasicthemeisself-esteem that develops from early childhood.Theheroofthisstorybelievesthatheisnot equaltotheothersnailsjust because he is different.This story is about the differences among people or peoples generally.It caters not only to young kids but also to adults, parents and teachers.
This series also aims to highlight some of the small miracles of nature, that we usually take for granted.TheWhiteSnailencouragesthereadertonoticesnailscloselyandlearnsomefactsaboutthemvia the educational activity at the end of the book.
BILINGUALΤΕΧΤ: GREEK/ENGLISH
This book can be read both in Greek and English.Thus, it caters to Foreign Language education as well as to readers all over the world.
Available at V.Savvanis Publications, Corfu, Greece, www.aggelia-online.gr local bookstores and kiosks and from the author via paypal. The White Snail
Virtual Book Tours is a yahoo group of authors who help one another promote their books and increase visibility. Our ONGOING tours are the 1st of each month. We use other promotional strategies also.
To find out more, contact Karen at: karenrcfv@yahoo. com.Please put VBT-AME in the subject box.
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