Sunday, June 29, 2008

Of Melodramas and Mountain Storms

The last week of June, our small church congregation puts on an old timey melodrama for the surrounding communities. It's a lot of fun, and I've enjoyed my participation onstage in the past.

This year, I was content to take part in the background: distributing free tickets for the four performances, and playing the piano for "The Old Cookie Shop, or Nellie Was a Baker 'Cause She Kneaded the Dough." Soon I'm sure I won't be able to play "Sweet Annie O'Grady" in my sleep, or wake up hearing a barbershop arrangement of "Coney Island Baby" playing in my brain. I'll simply revert to Marsha Ward, the community hermit and writer.

And I'll be turning off my computer a lot more than in other seasons. How is it that I forgot our summer lightning storms that seem to blow up without warning? To preserve my data and prevent a catastrophic computer wipeout, I'll be closing down all my programs early each afternoon instead of leaving my baby running for weeks at a time. I'll have to write down on a pad what I was working on, or my ADD will keep me from remembering what tasks I need to complete. Oh well. That's just one of the complications of summertime in the mountains.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Time Off

I'm taking a break from Author Interviews this week, but come back next week for a great month of exciting Interviews.

Al Past, Angela Hallstrom and John D. Nesbitt are offering copies of their novels to winners from among the commentors on their interviews, so don't miss that opportunity.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Author Interview: Nadine M. Rosin

My Author Interview today is with a multi-faceted Southern Arizona resident, Nadine M. Rosin. Nadine recently published a unique book, The Healing Art of Pet Parenthood.

Welcome, Nadine! You are involved in a lot of creative things, including your career as an artist. How long have you been writing?
You’re right, Marsha! It wasn’t until my 30’s that I began to paint, but I have been writing since I learned how to write.


Writing has always been an outlet of creative expression, and sometimes therapy, for me. I wrote my first song lyrics when I was 10 and had a huge crush on our babysitter’s older brother who lived next door. “I love Mark...but I don’t think that he loves me. I love Mark...what use could I be to him? To him I’m a child, to me he’s an angel in the dark- ohhh-oh, I love Marrrrrrrrrk.” LOL!!! Believe me, it’s no better with the music! ;-))

Throughout high school and college, I kept journals and wrote poetry and short stories. I always knew that someday I would write a book.

What compelled you to start?
When my dog, Buttons, who was my “adopted” daughter and an 11-year cancer survivor on all natural remedies, died in my arms at the age of 19, I found no pet loss books that fully addressed the depth of my pain. What I did find was a poll conducted by Purina, concluding that 47 million people in the U.S. consider their pets to be their children or family members. I was obviously not alone in the way I felt.

Mine was a profound loss and I knew my healing wasn’t going to occur simply by getting a new dog in a couple of months the way most pet loss books suggest. So instead, I started reading books written by parents who had lost human children. Those books spoke to my deep grief, but of course, had nothing to say regarding the issues particular to the fact that the daughter I’d lost was of the canine persuasion. How does one handle the fact that many people do not understand, let alone respect or honor how devastating the death of a family pet can be?

Eventually I went to the internet, where I found thousands of sites dedicated to pet loss. Almost every one of them had a tribute, or memorial page with hundreds of posts written by people, a surprising amount of which were men, saying things like, “Skipper, it’s been 10 years since you died and I still miss you everyday. I’m so glad to finally have a place where I can say that. Joe S.”

I realized then that the world is full of people afraid to admit how much they miss a pet that has passed away. I now had a mission: to get those grieving pet parents out of the closet with their pain... and to help begin to remove the phrase “it’s just a dog” from the lips of non-pet parents.

So the intellectual answer to your question, Marsha, is - I wrote the book because I saw a need for it. But the REAL answer...the answer from the heart, is found in the story itself, where it becomes apparent to the reader that the book’s unfolding was inevitable and orchestrated - it was all Divine intervention, and I really never had any other choice than to write this book.

You won a contest in 2005 sponsored by the Society of Southwestern Authors. What was your entry about?
I was “a” winner - one of several. My entry was in the poetry division. It was a verse I wrote called “Skyride”. For a few months in my early 20’s, I worked as a bartender in a place called the Skyride Lounge. It was under the el tracks in the Chicago Loop. Next door was an old, cheap hotel with permanent residents: old men living on Social Security checks. Most of them spent their entire day nursing a shot and a beer at the Skyride. The poem is about them: the shells of men whose dreams are long dead, waiting for death to claim them fully.

What type of writing schedule do you have?
Since I am self-employed, my schedule is pretty much my own, so it’s relatively easy for me to arrange time to write. However lately, I spend most of my writing time marketing this book, instead! My favorite time to write is late at night.

How do you handle life interruptions when you are writing?
I like to block out an entire day to write - a day where I have no errands or appointments. I unplug the phone, leave my email program closed, brew a big pot of green tea, and ban myself from YouTube.

Do you write with music playing in the background? If so, is the music likely to be songs with lyrics or only instrumentals?
Only when I can hear the next door neighbors (I’m currently an apartment dweller). In that case, to drown them out, I go to Slacker Radio online and click on soothing New Age Music (no lyrics).

What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?
When I am able, with just a few words, to paint an entire picture that can evoke emotion, I feel completely connected to my Source. That feeling of connection is what I love most about writing. There’s nothing I don’t like about writing - even creative blocks offer a way to grow and become more self-aware.

Do you have another writing project in the works? If so, what can you tell us about it?
Yes! I am a licensed, nondenominational wedding officiant and so one of the things I do for a living is write and perform spiritual wedding ceremonies for couples who don’t belong to a particular church. My focus is on providing very meaningful, heart-opening ceremonies with a lot of symbology and family involvement. My next book’s working title is: 50 Ways To Have a Wedding Without a Church. I’m hoping it will show couples that just because they are not affiliated with a specific church or religion, they are not automatically relegated to having a civil, non-spiritual ceremony. It will contain all the ceremony “secrets” I’ve developed over the past 9 years of officiating for approximately 500 weddings.

What is your advice for other writers?
Go as deep inside yourself as you can. People will relate to what you have written even if you’re writing about situations they have never personally experienced. At the deepest levels of ourselves, we are so alike. Be as honest with yourself and your writing as you can be. When the truth you or your character is telling feels uncomfortable for you, or has you feeling too vulnerable- then you’re being honest enough.

Tell us about your book, The Healing Art of Pet Parenthood.
The book is a memoir...a story. It is my journey, from a highly abusive, upper-middle class childhood that left me shattered, armored and too terrified to love, to the open-hearted, spiritually-aware woman I became through my relationship with a miracle dog named Buttons. She was there for me when my fiancĂ© announced he was ending our relationship. I was there for her when she was diagnosed with cancer and given 6 weeks to live. Our story will take you from the Chicago city lights to the mountains of Tucson, from the Santa Cruz Redwoods to the millionaires of Pebble Beach. It is a narrative about healing cancer naturally, holistic pet care, hope and hopelessness, finding one’s self, and spiritual connection after death. It is the odyssey of two resilient beings as they travel a rocky road into vibrant health and joy. It is a must read for every person who has ever loved an animal, lost an animal, or knows someone who has.

How can readers buy this book?
It is available everywhere books are sold: Directly from the publisher at
http://www.wheatmark.com/, all online booksellers (Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com, etc.), or you can order it through any brick and mortar bookstore in the world.

More information, photos and video can be found on my website:
http://www.thehealingartofpetparenthood.com/

What other work of yours has been published?
The Story Teller, 2005 - The Society of Southwestern Authors

Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Nadine.
It is an honor to have been invited here, Marsha. Thank you for providing this wonderful forum.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

The Crayon Messages

This is the first novel I read for the Summer Book Trek 2008. The author is Christine Thackeray, and Cedar Fort published it.

Cath Reed’s life is in a turmoil. She has just moved to a new city, her husband travels constantly, she feels like she is losing touch with her daughter, and she can’t seem to make any friends in her new ward.

Then she is delighted to be assigned a visiting teaching route—until the Relief Society secretary commands her not to visit any of the sisters. This is a letter-writing route composed of inactive sisters, the secretary explains. Also, Cath isn’t supposed to contact her companion, Gwen, who lives in a home for the elderly. The secretary only put down Gwen's name because the computer program forced her to fill in the “companion” blank.

In an attempt to reach out for human companionship, Cath decides to make contact with the ladies on her route anyway. She calls the home where Gwen lives and makes an appointment to visit her. Then she gets reluctant agreements from the teachees to meet her at the home to make Gwen’s day brighter.

Gwen, it turns out, is asleep when Cath arrives. She tells the nurse she’ll wait until Gwen wakes up, but that may be for several days, as Gwen has an illness that makes her drop off for days at a time!

I was intrigued and satisfied by this tender novel that recounts Cath’s struggles to connect and thrive in a new and sometimes hostile environment. The characters are well-drawn and memorable. The plot moves at a fast pace, with twists and turns and plenty of obstacles. I’m looking forward to Christine’s next work of fiction.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Winner: J. Adams' The Journey

Congratulations! The winner is dan and wendy. Please send your mailing address to me at mw1 AT theriver DOT com.

Author Interview: Irene Bennett Brown

Irene Bennett Brown, a tremendously talented and multi-published author of children's, young adult, and adult novels, is my guest today. What a joy it was to see her again last week at the Western Writers of America convention in Scottsdale Arizona!

Her children’s books in the national marketplace include hardcover editions by Atheneum, E.P. Dutton, Thomas Nelson and David McKay, and paperback book club editions by Viking Penguin, Scholastic, and Junior Literary Guild. Awards and honors include a Spur Award from Western Writers of America, Inc., and nomination for the Mark Twain Award for Before the Lark; the Evelyn Sibley Lampman Award for significant contribution to children’s literature; and inclusion on several best books’ lists.

The Plainswoman, published originally by Ballantine, was Irene’s first novel for adults and a Western Writers of America, Inc. Spur Award finalist. Other novels include her “Women Of Paragon Springs” series from Five Star Publishing: Long Road Turning, Blue Horizons, No Other Place, and Reap the South Wind. A love story set in Oregon’s Hells Canyon, Haven, a single title, was also published by Five Star. Irene’s most recent historical novel, The Bargain, was released by her own company, Riveredge Books, in 2007.

Irene is beloved by her peers in Western Writers of America and Women Writing the West. She lives in Oregon with her husband, whose birthday is today. Happy Birthday, Bob!

Welcome, Irene. How long have you been writing? What made you start?
I've known since I was twelve years old that I wanted to be a writer, like Jo in Little Women. In my twenties, I began to publish newspaper feature articles and on-going columns, and children's short stories. I believe I was born to write, as some are born to sing, or excel in math. I simply couldn't not write. This is who I am.


When did you sell your first book?
To Rainbow Valley, a children's book published in 1969, was my fourth book to write and my first to sell. Thirty-two years later, the book was picked up by Perfection Learning Corporation and brought out as an Easy Reader. It is still in print, in hardcover and paperback.

What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead/plot or do you simply fly by the seat of your pants?
I plan my books, from a paragraph of what I believe it will be about, through research, character sketches, outlining, refining the outline, refining it some more, and then the first draft -- which comes easier for me because of the preliminary work.

How do you choose your characters' names?
This is embarrassing. Often I find them in obituaries. I choose a first name from one deceased person and pair it with the last name of another. Names that appeal to me and suit my characters. I also use name-your-baby books and a book called What's In A Name that has over 7,000 surnames with origins and meanings.

What is your daily schedule like?
When I'm working on a book, I try to get at it as soon as breakfast is finished and the dishwasher and washing machine are humming away. When my children were still home, I kept what I called "school hours", writing from around nine in the morning until three in the afternoon. I didn't write in the summer when the kids were out of school. My first published book was written with my youngest in a bassinet next to my typewriter. No excuses!

How do you handle life interruptions?
As much as my writing is important to me in being "healthy", my family always comes first. Life happens -- weddings, family reunions, illnesses. School events, phone calls, overnight visitors. You name it. Somehow it works out. Life may take me away at times, but the book remains in place, waiting, the characters in limbo, primed to continue where we left off.

Do you write to music? If so, with lyrics or only instrumentals?
No music. I'd be tempted to waltz away from the computer and just dance, not write.

What food or snack keeps the words flowing?
Apple slices spread with chunky peanut butter, or iced tea and a graham cracker. Sometimes, if the writing is really intense, a piece of Baker's Semi-sweet cooking chocolate.

What one thing do you like most about writing?
I like pretty much everything about writing but enjoy those final revisions most. It's really satisfying after a year or two of work, to have the book down and only in need of the fun stuff, polishing to make it my absolute best.


Tell us about your new book.
The Bargain is a historical novel set in 19th-century New Hampshire and Kansas and revolves around a privileged young woman who must choose between her own happiness and aiding her troubled family. It is a love story, although not traditional romance in that it deals equally with family relationships. I also explore themes of mental deficiency and misjudgments. The novel is based on fragments of my family history and was a joy to research and write.

What is your next project?
Heaven help me, I'm writing my first mystery! Gore and violence scare me, so naturally this novel will be a cozy, light, funny, contemporary. My main character is a walking-tour guide (based on a real person) in a small historic town struggling to survive on the tourist trade. Title is Where Gable Slept and important to the plot is a historic house where the actor, Clark Gable, (really) lived for a time. And so on, and so on. I'm having a whale of a good time, even though I really don't know what I'm doing.

What is your advice for other writers?
Write, read, and believe.

What other work of yours has been published?

CHILDREN'S AND YOUNG ADULT:

To Rainbow Valley, 1969 - David McKay. Hard and soft reprint, 2000 - Perfection Learning Corporation. Audiobook coming soon - Books In Motion.

Skitterbrain, 1978 - Thomas Nelson. Bookclub edition, 1978 - Scholastic Books. Trade paper reprint, 1992 - Blue Heron. Audiobook coming soon - Books In Motion.

Run From A Scarecrow, 1978 - Concordia. Audiobook coming soon - Books In Motion.

Willow Whip, 1979 - Atheneum. Bookclub edition, 1979 - Junior Literary Guild. Trade paper reprint, 1993 - Blue Heron. Large Print, 1991 - Five Star. Audiobook coming soon - Books In Motion.

Morning Glory Afternoon, 1981 - Atheneum. Trade paper reprint, 1991 - Blue Heron. Large Print, 1999 - Five Star. Audiobook, 1997 - Books In Motion.

Before The Lark, 1982 - Atheneum. Bookclub edition, 1982 - Junior Literary Guild. Trade paper edition, 1992 - Blue Heron. Large print, 2002 - Five Star. Audiobook coming soon - Books In Motion.

Just Another Gorgeous Guy, 1984 - Atheneum. Mass market paperback, 1985 - Fawcett Juniper. Audiobook coming soon - Books In Motion.

Answer Me, Answer Me, 1985 - Atheneum. Bookclub edition, 1985 - Literary Guild. Mass market paperback, 1987 - Fawcett Juniper. Trade paper, 2000 - Authors Guild Backinprint.com. Audiobook coming soon - Books In Motion.

I Loved You, Logan McGee!, 1987 - Atheneum. Paperback reprint, 1988 - Viking Penguin. Audiobook coming soon - Books In Motion.

ADULT NOVELS:

The Plainswoman, Mass market, 1994 - Ballantine. Audiobook, 1997 - Books In Motion. Large print, 1996 - G.K. Hall & Co. Library edition, 2000 - Five Star. Trade paper, 2003 - iUniverse.

Long Road Turning, Women Of Paragon Springs Series, Book One, hardcover, 2000 - Five Star. Audiobook, 2002 - Books In Motion. Trade paper, 2004 - Five Star.

Blue Horizons, Women Of Paragon Springs Series, Book Two, hardcover, 2001 - Five Star. Audiobook, 2002 - Books In Motion. Trade paper, 2004 - Five Star.

No Other Place, Women Of Paragon Springs, Book Three, hardcover, 2002 - Five Star. Audiobook, 2003 - Books In Motion.

Reap The South Wind, Women Of Paragon Springs, Book Four, hardcover, 2002 - Five Star. Audiobook, 2003 - Books In Motion.

Haven, hardcover, 2003 - Five Star. Audiobook, 2004 - Books In Motion.

The Bargain, trade paperback, 2007 - Riveredge Books. Audiobook coming soon - Books In Motion.

Thank you for the Interview, Irene.
I appreciate it.

Monday, June 16, 2008

What I've Been Up To

Last week I attended the annual get-together of Western Writers of America, whose member produce much of today's Western Literature, both fiction and nonfiction. WWA is made up of historians, novelists, writers of short fiction, juvenile authors, magazine writers, journalists, and everything in between. We take tours of sites of historical significance; listen to panelists expound on topics from researching and writing military history to how to write Western music; eat very well; and grant the Spur Awards in 17 or so categories of literature, film writing, poetry, and song lyrics.

It is great fun to reconnect with old friends and to make new ones. I lined up several outstanding writers for future Author Interviews. I spoke to a potential publisher for my WIP. I gleaned a lot of information, hugged a lot of people, and came home, as I mentioned, exhausted.

What did you do last week?

Friday, June 13, 2008

Author Interview Shirley Bahlmann

My Author Interview today is with my dear friend, author Shirley Bahlmann. Among other works, she has written a popular non-fiction series of tales from Mormon Pioneer days. Her latest book is entitled The Pioneers: A Course in Miracles.

Shirley is one of the most energetic self-promoters I know. She lives in Utah with her family.

Welcome, Shirley! I'm so glad you could be here today. What made you start writing?
Oh, didn't you hear? I was born with a pen in my hand. My younger sister came out smarter because of all the graffiti on the walls! Seriously, I wrote my first novel of 25 pages at the tender age of 10. Before that I plunked out short stories on my mother's old Underwood typewriter. I was probably 8 years old, and spelled things wrong, but I didn't care.

How long have you been writing? When did you sell your first book?
I've been writing since I could put pencil to paper. My first book sold when I was 42 years old. (I didn't have enough faith in myself to persevere to publication earlier than that, more's the pity.)

You have published a lot of non-fiction works. You also write fiction. Do you prefer one writing type over the other?
So far I prefer non-fiction, mainly because it sells the best! I have lots of fiction ideas that I would like to develop, but I still have lots of non-fiction ideas, too. I don't really prefer one over the other for creativity's sake. I like to write about a lot of things!

How do you decide what to write about?
I write whatever bubbles to the surface, is most compelling, or screams the loudest to get out of my head. One summer, I pushed everything aside and wrote a novel that wouldn't let me sleep. That was eight years ago. Even though it hasn't been published yet, I still don't regret making the time to write it, as it was cathartic for my soul.

How do you research your topics?
Lots of ways: by reading books, Internet searches, asking people on Internet groups, and with personal interviews. A funny thing about interviews on historic topics is people's selective memories. I once asked two sisters about an event that happened to their father when he searched for a cave where his ancestor went into hiding while being sought for polygamy law violations. One sister said he flew over the site in a small plane, dropped a roll of toilet paper, later found the roll and went into the cave. The other sister insisted that Dad never found the cave. I really like it best when I find first hand accounts, so write in your journals, you slackers! Some future historian may be dying to know what you know.

What type of writing schedule do you have?
Not one. Sad to say, my current writing schedule is catch as catch can, which is very unsatisfactory. I used to write early in the morning or in the afternoon, but in a huge effort to fit in exercise and scripture and prayer, my mornings often slip away from me and my afternoons are usually filled with family needs. My husband prefers I not stay up late, saying he can't sleep until I come to bed, so what's a writer to do? I catch minutes here and there and take paper everywhere with me to scribble ideas on.

How do you handle life interruptions?
Not very graciously. I've learned to be patient with family, but sometimes I wish telephones were never invented. It doesn't help that I seem to have a hard time saying, "No" to requests for help. I really like my answering machine, but it doesn't do much good when my 8-year-old is so eager to answer the phone. Basically, I just keep plugging away.

Do you write to music? If so, with lyrics or only instrumentals?
I LOVE to write to music. Both lyrics and instrumental work for me, but what doesn't work is when someone in my family complains about the music and I end up turning it off because I don't think it's worth arguing about and I don't know where the headphones are, because someone BORROWED THEM and DIDN'T PUT THEM BACK. I find that various music works for different parts of the book, such as energetic music for the exciting parts and slower music for the romantic or introspective sections.

What have you always dreamed of writing, but haven't yet?
Young Adult ghosty stories. I seem to have lots of spirit-influenced story ideas, meaning spirits, like ghosts, of people watching over or interacting with loved ones, but I haven't finished any yet. (I even think I have some begun on 3x5 floppy discs! Guess how long ago that was!)

What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?
What I like most about writing is that it feeds a hunger in me. When I don't write, I tend to get cranky and feel spiritually anemic. Writing makes me content, like all is right with the world, and it helps to soften the voices and poundings in my heart from all the books that want to get out of my imagination.

What I like least about writing is that there never seems to be enough time to write as much as I want. It's a catch-22, because I tell myself if I'd write enough books, then I'd make enough money that I wouldn't have to work, but while I'm working to earn money, I don't have as much time to write books.

Tell us about your new book, The Pioneers: A Course in Miracles.
Miracles are all around us. You can find them in scriptures, folktales, in lives of people you know and even in your own life. I found miracles from the olden days that range from a 4-year-old boy who made it home from a mountain sheep camp after his father tied him to a horse, to a starving missionary who prayed for food. When he looked up, there on the ground was a loaf of warm bread wrapped in a dishtowel that had come from his own wife's kitchen thousands of miles away. Ooo, I just got goosebumps!


What is your next project?
After I finish writing a blind man's life story for him and helping my 14-year-old son re-write his fantasy novel, I plan to finish my first ghosty Young Adult novel, titled Witch's Heart. It's a really cool story about a healing woman from the Civil War era who was wrongly accused of being a witch. She is accidentally burned to death when her house goes up in flames from one of her taunter's careless campfires. Her story from young adulthood to death is interwoven with the cry of an orphan after World War I, which stirs the ashes to life. In an effort to save the toddler from a kidnapper, the witch's ashes slide into windows through open curtains, copying people's body parts. The cool thing is, when the ashes cover arthritic hands or crippled legs or burned torsos and come away, the hands and legs and torsos of the original owner are healed, and the witch's body goes away with crooked fingers, crippled legs, and burn scars. So the witch is healing people while creating a body for herself to save the baby before it's too late. When at last the "witch" picks the grieving child up and holds it to her chest, the child's heart beating against the witch's chest heals the witch's heart.

It's an awesome story, and I'm very excited to finish it.

What is your advice for other writers?
If you don't love writing just because it's writing, then you should find another hobby. I haven't gotten rich, even after seeing 17 books published. But I still love to write. I hope for better sales in the future, but if that doesn't happen, I will still write. You have to like what you do before publishers will like what you do. One thing that has occurred to me about my many books and low royalties is that I write such a variety of things that people are not sure what to expect from me. I've gotten the impression that those who write a "brand," or certain type of book and stick to it, have a better run because people know what to expect from that writer. If they write in a different genre, they use a different name. That may be a good idea after all. Also, wrap yourself in rhino hide. I've got one, and it helps me take criticism without batting an eyelash. I appreciate my proofreaders telling me what they don't like about my books. Then I can figure out a way to make my stories even better.

What other work of yours has been published?
The "Odd" series:
Against All Odds: Amazing Pioneer Stories of Courage and Survival. Cedar Fort, Inc. 2001
Isn’t That Odd? Strange and Unusual Pioneer Stories. Cedar Fort, Inc. 2002
Unseen Odds: Spiritual Happenings, Ghostly Tales, and Spooky Pranks from The Olden Days. Cedar Fort, Inc. 2004
Even Love Is Odd: True Old Fashioned Pioneer Stories of Love and Romance. Aspen. 2002
Odd People: Friendships and Feuds Between Pioneers and Native Americans. Cedar Fort. 2005
Oddly Enough: Humorous and Touching Stories From the Olden Days. Cedar Fort. 2007
Fiction:
Walker’s Gold. Aspen. 2002
Fool’s Gold. LDStorymakers, Inc. 2005
Other Inspirational Non-Fiction:
Led By The Hand Of Christ. Spring Creek. 2004
Through The Window of Life. Spring Creek. 2006
Life Is Like Riding A Unicycle: Fun Ways to Keep Your Balance When Life Gets a Little Bumpy. Spring Creek. 2007
Friends From Beyond The Veil: Firsthand Accounts of Interactions With the Supernatural. Cedar Fort. 2007
The Pioneers: A Course in Miracles. Cedar Fort, Inc. 2008

Thank you for the Interview, Shirley.
It's been fun.

Be sure to visit Shirley's website and blog at:

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Author Interview: Cindy R. Williams

Today's Author Interview is with Cindy R. Williams, a new author who writes children's picture books. She lives in Arizona with her family.

Welcome, Cindy. I'm glad to talk to you. How long have you been writing? What made you start?
I believe I was born a story teller. I wrote my first book when I was five or six about being a Mermaid Princess. I cut art paper in eighths and stapled them together to make a book. I used pencils and crayons to illustrate it. As time went by life events would trigger a spark and a huge desire to write. A story would just flow out, sometimes rhyming, sometimes not. Then I would get back to my daily life.

I created numerous series’ of bedtime stories for my children. I didn’t know what to do with my tales so they sat in my private collection for years, until it was finally my season to take the next step. I realized life is too short, so I’d best make my dreams happen now.

What is your first published book?
Chase McKay Didn’t Get Up Today was published in April 2008 by Goodfellow Publishing Services, of Mesa, Arizona. I will never forget selling the first copy of Chase McKay Didn’t Get Up Today, through my website,
cindyrwilliams.com. I was so thrilled that I looked at the sells confirmation a bunch of times, to make sure I hadn’t imagined it.

Do you have any authors that inspire you?
Oh yes. Many members of American Night Writers Association (ANWA) inspire me. I see so many creative women writing and doing a million other things. They are truly incredible. I love to read. I think two authors that gave my love for magical worlds an identity as a child were L. Frank Baum, the author of the “Wizard of Oz” Series and Marian Cockrell, the author of Shadow Castle. There really are so many others. I have a list of books and their authors that inspire me on my website,
cindyrwilliams.com, on the “About me” page.

What is your daily schedule like?
I am psycho for being organized. I hate to waste time. I plan my days to streamline and maximize my priorities and to reach my daily goals. My day starts with family scripture study usually at 6:15 am. After scriptures, I often write for about an hour, then get my last child off to school and do my exercises and morning chores. I take care of my various responsibilities as Mommy, Wife, House Keeper, Financier, and run my errands, practice my harp, visit teach, work on house and financial projects, volunteer at my children’s schools, and rescue people and animals . . . all before lunch if possible. Then I try to spend several more hours writing until my children get home from school. I put on my “Mommy” hat again until the children are in bed. I put on my “wife” hat for awhile after that. When all are nestled in bed asleep, I usually get into my “Writing Place”. This is a special place I set up with all my dragon and fairy props around me. I write until I can’t keep my eyes open anymore.

Sounds good on paper, but we all know “Life Happens”. One little trick that helps tons is I take my lap top with me almost everywhere. I write as I wait in doctors and dentist offices, concerts, as I am waiting for my children in the car when I am the family chauffeur. It is surprising how much time we waste waiting. Instead of being frustrated, I accomplish something rewarding by writing. If I don’t have my lap top with me, I often think about my stories, and create scenes in my mind.

How do you handle life interruptions?
Sometimes I do okay with interruptions and other times, not so well. I really try to write when all my other responsibilities are fulfilled. I don’t put my writing last, but I must take care of pressing tasks or my creative side isn’t free to fly. I decided a long time ago, that no matter what, my family and my church callings come first, so I try hard to take care of those things, then get right back to writing. Sometimes I ignore the phone, unless I see it is one of my children calling from school, which means they really need me. If I am on a roll, and the story is flowing, I do find I get frustrated by being interrupted. I try to take care of the situation quickly and get right back to where I was. I go back a few pages and reread what I last wrote, and more often than not, the story starts to flow again. If not, then I put it aside and take care of whatever tends to be the squeaky wheel at the time.

You mentioned that you play the harp. Do you write music?
Yes, I write music primarily for my harp, and some for guitar. Both can be played on the piano as well. I tend to write songs that are a bit eerie, like being out in the shadowy night on a fairy hill dancing in the moonlight. That is why I love the harp so much. It is mystical and magic. I usually start with the melody and harmonies first, and if it strikes me, I will add lyrics. But I have found that more often than not, harp music speaks directly to the soul and words are not necessary.

I am working on my harp CD project along with my books. My goal is to have the release date coincide with the publication of Thundertail’s Tale. Many of the songs I have written for my harp are a bit Celtic, and go back to my Scottish and British heritage. The Harp CD will fit well with my magical dragons and fairies, and will also be a great lullaby CD to play at bedtime for children and tired parents too.

What food or snack keeps the words flowing?
CHOCOLATE! I also love ice water, which I try to sip it often, and save the chocolate for rare occasions or I’m sure I would turn into a grand chocolate mound.

What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?
I love story telling. I love to do presentations on my book and my harp. I love to create names and backgrounds of characters. I love to write bantering dialog. I love to create tough situations then mull them over and figure out how to get my protagonist through them. I do not like to rewrite drafts. I find it so much more fun to let my imagination run free and write rather than fix things.

What is your advice for other writers?
Write and write and write and write and write. Take classes, attend seminars, take advantage of a critique group. Being a member of ANWA is a great opportunity for LDS women writers for learning and critiquing if you get in a group that understands the process. As far as writing classes go, I have been taking a series of creative writing classes locally and it has changed my world. If you live in the greater Phoenix area and are interested in taking Creative Writing Classes, email
me and I will give you the information on these classes. I feel it is important to never stop learning.

We each have to believe that we have something worthwhile to say, because the world needs wholesome voices. And did I mention to write and write and write and write and write . . . .

Tell us about your book.
Chase McKay Didn’t Get Up Today is what I call a “Snuggle, Giggle Book.” It is a rhyming story inspired by the youngest of my five children playing possum when it was time to get up for Kindergarten. It begins with; “Chase McKay would not get up, so Mama made his bed. She straightened the covers and pulled them, right over his head. Chase McKay cannot play; he didn’t get out of bed today.” The story goes on to include; “his breakfast is cold, soggy and old. His chores are undone, no time for fun.”

It’s so nice to cuddle up with a little one and share the story. The book has a catchy rhythm, and the original illustrations by Seattle artist Donald Jenny are charming.

What is your next project?
I have several children’s picture books completed. Naptime (working title) is currently being illustrated. My publisher has requested two more books in the “Chase McKay” series. I also have Good Doc Flo, The Prankster, The Hero, and Ruffle Buns. Some are completed and others are in the final editing stage. However, I spend most of my time on my novel, the first book in the trilogy of “Thundertail’s Tales”, about a boy and a dragon, magic and choices. I do have one serious novel waiting to see the light of day. It is called Alzheimer’s Antics, from the Viewpoint of a Daughter. It is a sometimes humorous, often bittersweet book about my father, and how he and my family handled this ever-so-sad disease.

Thanks for letting me interview you, Cindy.
Thank you, Marsha, for this opportunity. You do so much to teach, lift and support authors!

Monday, June 09, 2008

Book Signing, Friday, June 13

On Friday, June 13, 2008, I will be signing copies of my novels, The Man from Shenandoah and Ride to Raton, at a joint event with other members of Western Writers of America, Inc.

This event will take place from 7 to 9 PM, at Barnes and Noble Booksellers, 10500 North 90th Street in Scottsdale, Arizona. That's on the southwest corner of Shea Blvd and 90th Street, just off the Pima Freeway (the 101).

I hope to see you there!

Lest We Forget


Last Saturday I went into town with a friend and visited "The Wall".

"The Wall" is an 80% scale replica of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC – “The Wall” – is 370 feet long and stands eight feet tall at the apex. The Tribute Wall contains the names of all 58,219 Unites States service men and women killed or listed as missing in action during the Vietnam War.

This is the first time I had visited such an exhibit. Apparently there are several traveling Walls, sponsored by various groups. This one came through the American Veterans Traveling Tribute & Traveling Wall Foundation.

I didn't know what to expect, or how I would react. No family members had died in Vietnam, although my husband served there before we met and married. I knew of one classmate from high school who had served there and died. I'm sure there were several more, but the only name I could recall was that of Joe Lyons.

I didn't know Joe well; he was just one of the many good-looking guys at my high school. I don't recall having any classes together, but I did know who he was. He had a cute blonde girlfriend, and they married during their senior year. I don't know if they had children. He joined the Marines, and began a tour of duty in Vietnam on January of 1968. On June 5, 1968, he was killed by small arms fire in Thua Thien Province. I didn't know about his funeral, or I might have gone.

This is the first stanza of the poem "White Gloves," by Mary Anne Russell. Her mother's reaction describes very much what happened to me once I received a printout of the location of Joe's name:

Mother paged through the names,
In the book of names
And then, businesslike
Read aloud;
“Robert S. Bagnall,
Bloomfield, Connecticut.”
And I read too, but silently,
Remembering
High school basketball
And yearbook photos.
“January, 1968 –
Date of Casualty,” it said.
Impersonal words for death.
“Row 34E,” she said
And stiffened.
“Line 40,” she said, and turned away
As it struck.
“I will not cry,” I thought,
Remembering
A boy I hardly knew,
We all admired
Healthy, handsome, easygoing,
Clean cut.
His hands in such white gloves, folded.

My throat closed and tears welled up. It's been forty years, and I still wept for a classmate I only knew in passing. Freedom is not free, and my acquaintance Joe paid the price of it a long time ago in a far-away country.

Let's not forget him and the countless others who defend our freedoms around the world.

Friday, June 06, 2008

Author Interview: J. Adams

My Author Interview today is with lovely and talented J. (Jewel) Adams. She was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. Her hard childhood spurred her imagination and later on those imaginings fueled her love for writing. Jewel is a wife, and the mother of eight children. When she is not home schooling her children or writing, she loves to curl up with a box of chocolates and read, her favorite books being romance and fantasy novels.

Jewel frequently speaks to youth and adult audiences. She has a great love for the youth and because of her own painful childhood, she is always anxiously engaged in helping them to understand how marvelous and special they are. She also loves doing signings and meeting new people. Jewel and her family live in Utah.

Jewel is sending me a copy of her newly published YA Fantasy novel, The Journey. I'll hold a drawing for that book from among the commentors, and pick the winner out of a hat on Monday, June 16 (I'll be out of town between now and then). The winner shall provide me with their mailing address by Friday, June 20, or I'll pick another winner.

Welcome, Jewel. It's lovely to talk to you again. How long have you been writing? What made you start?
I started writing in 1989 right after I moved to Utah. I've always loved to read and I wrote a lot of poetry in high school. I met an author when I first moved here and she kind of inspired me to give writing a shot. After the first book I was hooked.

You have chosen self-publishing for many of your books. Can you tell us why you've made that choice?
Well, at first it was because I felt strongly about certain books that I had written and really felt the need to share the messages in them. I couldn't get them accepted by a mainstream publisher after tons of rewrites, so I decided to do them myself. Now I choose self-publishing because I love it. I have more control over the whole process. It's a little more work, but to me, it's worth it.

You've been published before as Jewel Adams. Why is your pen name now J. Adams?
Since I am now writing for a national audience, I thought it best to use a different name for my non-LDS works.

What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead/plot or do you simply fly by the seat of your pants?
You know, sometimes an idea for a story will just jump out at me. The ones that stick with me and won't let me forget them are the ones I usually write. There have been a couple of times that I have gone on vacation and while I'm sightseeing a story will come to me, so now I always carry a notebook in my purse. I write down my thoughts, which tend to be many at times, and then I begin. Sometimes it drives me crazy when I *can't* shut my mind off (like when my husband and I are on a date). :o)

How do you choose your characters' names?
Actually, my oldest daughter comes up with a lot of them. I usually do okay with choosing original ones, but when I hit a blank, she comes to my rescue.

What is your daily schedule like?
I home school, so writing time is usually after I clean the house (which is an all day job), school the kids, run the errands, take the kids to activities, and did I mention clean the house? Writing time is usually at night when the house is quiet. In the summer time, I get a lot more of it done.

How do you handle life interruptions?
I've learned to just go with the flow. If one of the kids has an appointment or need me to take them somewhere, I usually take my laptop with me, or a notebook. There is always a lot going on and my schedule is never set. My writing is important to me, but I also love to live life and not miss out on things. There's a time for everything.

Do you write music? If so, with lyrics or only melodies?
I've written a lyric or two, but nothing major, and the tune is only in my mind. And no, I won't sing it :o)

What food or snack keeps the words flowing?
Sugar-free Reese's, butter-pecan ice-cream, and orange tic-tacs.

What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?
I love escaping my world for a little while and getting into the world of my character, but I hate not being able to shut my mind off when I need to.

Tell us about your new YA fantasy novel, The Journey.
This book was definitely a labor of love for me, as I'm sure the whole series will be. It talks about the importance of choice and how every choice we make affects something or someone, and there is always a consequence. It teaches that agency is a gift that we need to use wisely.

The story takes place in another world, and Ciran, the main character, must leave her home in the kingdom of Krisandor and go on a journey. She doesn't truly understand the importance of choice until she enters a kingdom that many have traveled to, but from which only a few have returned. She faces evil forces at every turn and encounters a darkness that makes her wonder if she will ever find her way back.

That sounds so exciting. What is your next project?
Right now I'm working on the sequel entitled Place in This World.

What is your advice for other writers?
Don't let anything stop you from reaching for your dreams. If you're not published, don't stop until you are. Einstein said, "Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions." I firmly believe that. So, I'm imagining "Best Seller in the future". :o)

What other work of yours has been published?

Elise's Heart/YA Romance - 1996 : Granite
A Heart That Endures/YA Romance - 1998 : Self-published
Dreams of Venice/Romance - 2003 : Self-published
Dreams and Blessings/Romance - 2004 : Self-published
Mercedes' Mountain/Romance - 2005 : Cedar Fort
Against the Odds/Romance - 2007 : Self-published
The Journey/YA Fantasy - 2008 : Self-published/Jewel of the West Publishing

Thanks for the Interview, Jewel.
Thank you, Marsha. It's been fun.

Be sure to read Jewel’s blog at http://www.jewelsbestgems.blogspot.com and visit her website at http://www.jadamsnovels.com. She loves hearing from her fans. You can write to her at: jewela@netzero.net

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Life is Good

My email is arriving into the Inbox on my computer, just as it should. It only took three days to fix whatever bug or broken link messed things up on the provider's end.

I'm happy.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

New and Improved?

I think if we didn't have adversity in all things, we certainly wouldn't appreciate the times when everything goes smoothly.

The latest adverse factor in my life is one that hurts me where I live--in my email inbox.

I didn't get the heads-up message from my provider that they were upgrading the email system on Monday. I did notice that the incoming posts were few and far between--and then they just STOPPED!

If you're not an email junkie, or someone who checks their incoming messages more than once a day, you won't understand the angst such a condition brings. For someone who lives tucked away in a rural forest, email is a lifeline. It's also the means of communication for several projects I have going on. When email stops coming in, I don't get the feedback, or the notification, or the answers to my interview questions. Or the pictures and bibliography information for the websites I update. Or the critiques from my CPs.

The sad fact is that I can email out, but not receive.

I finally checked with someone who shares my Internet provider. As writers, we both have alternative email addresses, and thankfully, our Internet connection still functions. She's not able to send out with her regular email, but can receive.

We've both sent in trouble tickets to the support crew. I got an email back (on my other email addy) that had an address to try that I wasn't familiar with. When I clicked on it, I was able to find a new webmail spot for me, and there were my messages, along with the notice that the upgrade would take place. Also, the website is offering alternative spots for logging in, so it's not just me. Something really isn't working right in the new system.

I still can't download messages to my computer, and I don't function well without my voluminous address book, but at least I can read and answer my email now. Eventually someone will figure out what went wrong and fix it. I hope I don't use up the capacity in my mailbox before then!

The moral of the story? When you hear the phrase "new and improved," or the word "upgrades," it's time to quake with fear!

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Author Interview: Celia Hayes

Today's Interview is with historical novelist and book reviewer Celia Hayes. She is the author of To Truckee's Trail, a fictional retelling of the all-but-unknown real-life adventure of the Stephens-Townsend Party on the California Trail.

Celia says she was brought up in an eccentric, baby-boom family, and earned a degree in English before a thirst for adventure led her to enlist in the USAF. She trained as a radio/television broadcaster, and served in a wide assortment of duties. She is currently working on her next novel.

Welcome, Celia. It's good to have you here. What made you start writing?
What really kicked off writing for a large audience was volunteering to contribute to a military-oriented blog, Sgt. Stryker’s Daily Brief, along in about 2002. (It’s now “The Daily Brief” at
www.ncobrief.com) I was an Air Force veteran, and had worked in Public Affairs and military broadcasting, so I was used to ‘writing to order’, but I first found a wide readership through that blog.

How long have you been writing? When did you sell your first book?
I’ve been scribbling since I was about eleven or twelve, making up stories – mostly for my own amusement. I loved to read, and it just seemed like a natural segue to writing my own.


My first finished and published book was a memoir that I cobbled together in 2004 from some of the nostalgic pieces that I wrote about my oddball family; it’s called Our Grandpa Was an Alien – and it’s still available. I sold it to fans of the website, mostly.

What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead/plot or do you simply fly by the seat of your pants?
I am a very organized one: I have a rough chapter outline and a fairly good idea of what is supposed to happen within the chapter. In that framework, of course, all sorts of wondrously strange and creative things do happen. Whole conversations and characters do appear out of the blue, and some of the more strong-minded personalities try and take over.

I do lots of reading and research first, almost always with contemporary accounts of what I am writing about. I make notes of incidents and accidents that I keep circling back to and try and incorporate a story that will take them in. My current project is a generational saga, covering about 50 years, so I have this huge Excel spread-sheet, tracking two interlinked families, three romantic couples, four wars, two cities and three small towns, and national events.

Whew! That's a large undertaking. What is your daily schedule like?
I work part-time a couple of days a week, but my writing days are roughly: get up at 6-ish, turn on the computer and surf the news sites while I have a cup of tea, run with the dogs at 7-ish, shower and have breakfast, then sit down and start writing about 8:30 – on blog entries for various book and review sites, whatever article is the big project – or the current book. Work on those until noonish, when I stop for lunch and to check the mail. When I start again after lunch, I try and carry on until 5.

How do you handle life interruptions?
Probably not very graciously – but since I only work part time, and my daughter is an adult, those interruptions are kept to a minimum.

Do you write to music? If so, with lyrics or only instrumentals?
The local classical music statiference was, how they managed to hang together and endure under extraordinarily trying circumstances, and to tell their story.

FYI, I have a book signing in San Antonio on June 13th. Since the book is about rather decent people, and presents most of the male characters as honorable and upright men, devoted to their families - the manager thought it might make an absolutely divine Fathers' Day present!
It sounds ideal for a Father's Day gift. What is your next project?
Another unknown frontier adventure; the story of the German settlements in the Texas Hill Country – a terrific story that hardly anyone outside of Texas has heard of! It started as a single book about the settling of Gillespie County in the 1840s, when 7,000 German immigrants, straight from Europe, were essentially dumped onto the frontier and pretty much left to their own devices. It turned into a trilogy, carrying the story of one of these families through the Civil War and into the boom years of the cattle industry. As I did the research, I just kept finding more and more great stories, terrific drama and fascinating people. I simply had to carry the story forward; one of my blog-fans calls it Barsetshire with Cypress Trees and a Lot of Sidearms. It’s called "The Adelsverein Trilogy" and Book I, The Gathering, will be out in December.

What is your advice for other writers?
Think of it as your job – it’s what you do. Sit down and do it, and don’t be afraid to show it to other people and to handle criticism and suggestions.

What other work of yours has been published?
Besides To Truckee’s Trail, there is the memoir, Our Grandpa Was an Alien, (Booklocker, 2004) and The Gathering, Book I of the Adelsverein Trilogy, which will also be published by Booklocker this coming December. There’s about six years worth of blog entries at “The Daily Brief” also. I’m not writing as much for them as I was, though, since I became diverted into writing historical fiction!

You've created some fascinating work, Celia. I look forward to reading your books. Thank you for the Interview.

I enjoyed it. Thank you.

Monday, June 02, 2008

Author Interview Schedule

Because I've been pretty snowed under with requests from authors for interviews on this blog, I'm going to revise the schedule to post interviews more frequently.

Next week I'll be out of town, so I haven't scheduled any interviews. However, Blogger has a new feature that will let me upload posts and assign a date and time for their release. That could work to ease my backload.

That's good for me, the authors, and you readers, too!

Look for an interview tomorrow morning with historical novelist Celia Hayes.

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Summer Book Trek 2008

In the past, I've resisted signing up for the many and varied book-reading challenges that pop up every season. Not that I'm anti-reading. Just the opposite. I read constantly, so I haven't seen the need for taking up a challenge to read. I seldom feel that I need to proclaim the details to the world.

Except once, I published my 2007 "Books I Read" list here.

Now I've succumbed to the siren song of a reading challenge.



The LDS Fiction blog is sponsoring a no-pressure reading challenge. I can list ONE book by an LDS author to read this summer, if I like. If I want to win a prize, I'll need to post at least one review on my blog and link it to the LDS Fiction blog, but that's it!

Although I have a lot going on this summer, I think I can handle that.

There will be four books on my initial list, as I believe I can manage to read at least one book a month and an extra. In no particular order, they are:

  • Season of Sacrifice, by Tristi Pinkston
  • Heaven Scent, by Rebecca Talley
  • The Crayon Messages, by Christine Thackeray
  • Traitor, by Sandra Grey

I can add more books, if I read the whole list before the time runs out. I'll let you know how it goes.

Why not join me? Get the details here. As they say, "Reading is FUNdamental!"

Thanks for pointing me to this reading challenge, Stephanie.

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