Friday, September 26, 2008

Author Interview: Jean Henry-Mead

Today I have the honor of shining my spotlight on an outstanding author on Western themes, Jean Henry-Mead, and her new novel, Escape. Jean is a novelist and award-winning photojournalist. She began her writing career as a news reporter and photographer in California. She later worked for the statewide newspaper in Wyoming where she also served as a magazine editor, freelance photojournalist and editor. Her magazine articles have been published domestically as well as abroad and have earned a number of regional and national writing awards. Her novels have been published under the name Jean Henry; her nonfiction books and magazine articles as Jean Mead, S. Jean Mead and Jean Henry-Mead. She makes her home in Wyoming. I'm delighted to call her my friend.

Jean is giving away a $40 gift certificate from Barnes and Noble, and a copy of her book to two readers who comment here or on her book's blog. She also blogs and hosts guest writers at the Western Historical Happenings blog. Escape is available in several ebook formats at fictionwise.com and as a paperback book at Amazon.com.

Welcome Jean. How long have you been writing? What made you start?

I began writing professionally in 1968 while editor of my college newspaper and working as a cub reporter for a local California daily newspaper. I was a journalism/English major and the divorced mother of four young daughters. I didn’t like secretarial work but loved writing so the newspaper job was a God send.

When did you sell your first book?

My first book was published in 1981. It was more or less a Who’s Who of Wyoming. I moved here following my second marriage and was interested in everything about the area. I interviewed Governor Herschler, U.S. senators (who were much more accessible then), as well as writers, artists, craftsmen, educators, and media personalities. I traveled all over the state and had some pretty interesting experiences, including getting trapped behind a road stripper all the way through Yellowstone Park during tourist season, and in the middle of a mortician’s convention in Jackson.

What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead/plot or do you simply fly by the seat of your pants?

I’m definitely a seat of the pants writer when it comes to fiction. I sit down with a vague idea of the plot and who my characters are. I then give them free rein. By that I mean I envision them in my mind’s eye, then type as fast as I can to keep up with their dialogue, and dialogue is my forte. I’ve lived in eight states and have an ear for regional vernacular, which comes in handy because you don’t want your characters to all sound alike.

How do you choose your characters' names?

I select names that I like, then look them up on the internet in the “Find People” sections to make sure that no one else has that name, particularly my villains or antagonists. So I’ve come up with some creative last names.

What is your daily schedule like?

I’m up by 7 a.m., sometimes earlier, feed my two rambunctious dogs, water plants in my greenhouse, eat breakfast and am at my computer by 8:00. I then work until noon, have lunch, and am back to work until 3:00, when I feed the dogs again and do my housework, etc.

How do you handle life interruptions?

The phone rings all day. If I’m in a muse I let the answering machine pick up. It’s something I expect and try not to let bother me. Fortunately, we live in the country, so there are few people knocking on the door during the week.

Do you write with music playing? If so, is the music likely to be songs with lyrics or only instrumentals?

I love music and it was a major part of my life when I was younger. I love 60s rock and roll and rhythm and blues, but can’t write when there are lyrics playing. I like to have a good instrumental playing or a soft rendition of Mozart in the background, especially if the writing isn’t going well that day.

What food or snack keeps the words flowing?

It used to be chocolate but I ate so much of it that I’m now allergic to anything faintly resembling chocolate. Usually I have a couple of cups of green tea and a small muffin or a couple of cookies while I’m writing. Sometimes grapes and other fruit.

What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?

The freedom to express myself through my characters, and the ability to solve problems that will hopefully help my readers in some way. I enjoy rewriting even more. Polishing the original draft is pure pleasure. Marketing my work is something I’m usually not comfortable with, but now that internet marketing is available, I enjoy writing advertising copy from home, sometimes in my pajamas. Basically, I’m a shy person and would rather be sitting at my computer.

Tell us about your new novel, Escape.

I spent nearly four years researching a Wyoming centennial book by reading and scanning 97 years’ worth of microfilmed newspapers. The result was a 202-page coffee table book titled, Casper Country: Wyoming’s Heartland. I literally had an 18-inch stack of typed research material left over and I decided to put it to good use by writing a historical novel. I was always interested in Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch and I came across some surprising and little known research about Cassidy and his gang members. So I set the plot in 1896 when the Four-State Governor’s Pact to exterminate outlaws began, and closely followed the actual historical events that ensued for the story’s background. I began the book with a 17-year-old orphaned heiress who is living with her grandparents on a sheep ranch in central Wyoming, when a group of men claiming to be possemen arrive in the midst of a blizzard.

They’re actually members of the Wild Bunch. When the grandmother recognizes a gang member from his wanted poster, she disguises the girl as a 12-year-old boy. The outlaws kidnap Andrea--Andy, as she calls herself--and take her to the infamous Hole in the Wall hideout in the Big Horn Mountains. She manages to hide her gender while listening to the outlaws plan their ill-fated Belle Fourche bank robbery. Tom “Peep” O’Day, an alcoholic horsethief, bungles the robbery and was my favorite character to write about. He provides a lot of humor and nearly stole the book from the other characters.

What is your next project?

I just finished my third mystery novel which is under consideration at a major publisher, and started work on a children’s novel titled The Mystery of Spider Mountain. It’s a dramatized story of my childhood. I also have another mystery coming out in a few months from epress-online and Amazon.com.

What is your advice for other writers?

Read as much as possible, study other writers’ techniques and write what interests you, not what is currently selling in the marketplace. If you feel strongly about a subject, your readers probably will too. I published several nonfiction books before I wrote my first novel, and I studied the works of Dean R. Koontz because I love the way he strings his words together. He taught me the language of fiction. I was also fortunate that Fred Grove encouraged me by reading my first primitive chapters and offering advice. Richard S. Wheeler than read the completed manuscript, offered advice and a nice blurb for the published book. Not every fledgling writer is that fortunate.

What other work of yours has been published?

Wyoming in Profile, 1981, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder, CO
Casper Country: Wyoming’s Heartland, 1987, Pruett
Maverick Writers: Candid Comments by the Best Western Writers, 1989, Caxton, Caldwell, ID
Escape on the Wind, 1999, Pagefree Publishing, MI
Shirl Lock & Holmes, 1999, Pagefree Publishing, MI
What Our Parents Should Know: Advice From Teens (edit); 2003, Medallion Books, Casper, WY
Westerners: Candid and Historic Interviews, 2004, Medallion
Wyoming Cowboy Poets and Their Poetry, 2004, Medallion
Wyoming Historical Trivia, 2005, Medallion
The ABCs of Murder, 2007, Medallion
Escape, 2008, epress-online, Amazon.com

Thank you for the Interview.

Thank you, Marsha!

Escape’s first chapter may be read at: escapewyomingnovel.blogspot.com. I hope everyone will leave a comment. I’ll be giving away a $40 gift certificate from Barnes and Noble as well as a copy of my book to two readers who comment on one of my blog tour host’s sites.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Of Large Mammals and Inner Ears

I almost hit an elk last night.

It was that time of evening when full dark hasn't come down but it isn't really light, either. That time when your driving lights aren't effective and you can't use your brights because of oncoming traffic.

That ghostly, dangerous time of evening when a big bull elk moving across the road in front of you looks like a dun shadow with brown markings, and you hit your brakes and swerve.

And miss it.

Your heart beats a rapid tattoo in your chest and you try to settle your ragged breathing. You pay stricter attention and drive a few miles per hour slower.

~~

I'd been down in the Valley to the doctor's to check out some blood work. The nurse mentioned that I felt warm as she took my blood pressure. I mentioned my itchy ears and scratchy throat to the doc as he took my temp, so he checked them. 99.1 and the left ear and throat both red. That accounts for my logy feeling of late. He gave me a 'script to fill or not, if I prefer to try the rest-liquids-extra vitamins-gargling route. I'm going for the latter, and that's why I'm headed back to bed.

My head feels full of cotton, but a heavy variety of cotton. I'm a bit dizzy, from the ear infection, I'll warrant.

I'd feel a whole lot worse if I'd hit the elk.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Author Interview: Stacy Gooch-Anderson

My guest today is Stacy Gooch-Anderson, author of the newly published Christmas book, The Santa Letters. Stacy is a busy journalist, wife, mother, and surrogate mother to her orphaned brother. She lives in Utah with her family.

I have a copy of The Santa Letters to give away to a lucky commentor to this blog post. I will draw a name from an empty popcorn bowl at noon my time on September 26, so get your comments in so you can win. Here are the conditions:

1) You must have a US mailing address.
2) You must make a comment other than "Me me me!"
3) You must comment before September 26.
4) You must contact me by Wednesday, October 1 with your mailing address when your name is announced. Otherwise, a new winner will be drawn.

Welcome, Stacy! How long have you been writing? What made you start?

I've been writing my whole life but I found a passion for the written word when an elementary school teacher entered some of my poerty into a competiton. Winning gave me a taste of success and showed me that through the written word, I could have a voice that was louder than a mouse's squeak (I was not blessed with a voice that booms like thunder).

When did you sell your first book?

A few months after my 40th birthday, which just goes to show that women in some cases are like cheese and fine wine: with time comes an ageless perfection. ;-) All kidding aside, I focused on my family first and then still had more than enough time to pursue my dreams.

What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead/plot or do you simply fly by the seat of your pants?

Does both count? I kind of plan and plot in my head for eons and then when I do sit down, I kind of go into this haze and type fast and furious. I then put it away for a while. Later I go back to it however many times I need to in order to feel that it is just right - or write - as might be in an author's case. ;-) So when I actually do sit down to write the story, it doesn't take me very long becuase it's been scripted out and played in my head so many times already.

How do you choose your characters' names?

Many times I use the names of people who mean a lot to me - kind of like naming a child after a namesake. But then there are other times when a character names themself and I don't dare change it because they have such a strong will and voice. Like I have a character I am working with right now whose dialogue is in my head. His name is Hannity Caldwell. He was one of those who named himself.

Wow, do I sound crazy or what? I guess most authors will understand though....

What is your daily schedule like?

Right now it's been pretty chaotic since I've been trying to go through my mom's estate and get things wrapped up there so I can get on with life. Usually though, I get the kids off to school, get myself together, and then hit the keyboard for a couple of hours before taking a break, running errands, cleaning up, and then I get back to it before the kids get home from school. And then I'm off to do carpools and play taxi as a soccer, hockey and scout mom.

How do you handle life interruptions?

Like anyone else, one interruption at a time. This is life after all.

Do you write with music playing? If so, is the music likely to be songs with lyrics or only instrumentals?

Nope, I usually write in complete silence so the voices in my head can be heard and inspiration felt. There is enough noise to last me a lifetime when my boys get home from school. ;-)

What food or snack keeps the words flowing?

Food? Much to the dismay of my endless pit we call my third son, I forget what food is when I'm into writing a really good story. It's usually his constant barrage of "What's for dinner? What can I eat? What's can I have for a snack?" that pulls me out of my reverie.

What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?

Having a voice that can be heard and listened to through the thoughtful usage of the English language, rather than having to resort to vile words or screaming matches like some in this world think you need to.

Being neurotic and questioning everything I write, knowing it can make a differance to someone out there.

Tell us about your book, The Santa Letters.

The Santa Letters is about a family who is struggling with the loss of their father after a terrible hit and run accident. They find hope and healing through a series of letters signed simply "Loving Always, Santa" and come to understand the true gifts of the season - the greatest one being a Savior and life eternal.

What is your next project?

It is a companion book to The Santa Letters called The Inmate Letters, which picks up more of Guillermo's life and continues on with his story of healing and redemption through his association with the Jensens.

What is your advice for other writers?

Don't give up hope, and hone your skills in whatever way you can. God gave us talents to use - not to bury in the sand - so use them and prosper them and then share them with others.

What other work of yours has been published?

No other books but I have had my byline on close to 1,500 print articles over the course of the last six years.

Thank you for the Interview.

No, thank you, Marsha. It has truly been my pleasure!

Monday, September 15, 2008

Something I must remember to do

Since I grew up in a place where the seasons are thought of in terms of temperatures--Hot! and Wonderful!--it's taking me a while to adjust to having four of them.

A couple of night ago I discovered that I needed more than just a light bedspread covering me at night. In fact, I was so cold that I had to get up and hunt down a quilt to put on top of me. A few nights later, it wasn't so cold, and I passed the incident off as a dip in the temperature resulting from the rain we've been having.

Wrong.

The lower-temperature-at-night thing is back, and I've even noticed that there are significant cold spots hiding in areas of my house. I've actually retrieved my lambswool slippers from under the bed to wear around the house at night.

Over the weekend I became curious to know if September is actually the month when the temperature turns downward. I found a website that chronicles the daily temps in our area, and searched for the last couple of years. Then I did an analysis.

Yes. September definitely brings cooler temps. I'll have to remember to exchange my electric fans for space heaters when September 1 comes around each year.

And break out the electric blanket!
Lest you get the idea that the above picture of a quilt-on-a-bed is an actual photograph taken in my house, please remember that I am a writer, and that I don't do housework unless it can no longer be avoided. Tables--yea, any flat surfaces--are for holding piles of stuff, not for flower arrangements and such things.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Author Interview: Jessica James

I think one of the most interesting periods of American history is the Civil War, so it's a great pleasure for me to have today's guest with us. She is Jessica James, whose Civil War-era novel, Shades of Gray, was published earlier this year. Jessica lives in the eastern United States.


Welcome, Jessica! How long have you been writing? What made you start?
I’ve been writing for more than 20 years now because I started my career in Journalism as a newspaper reporter. That type of writing is very different from fiction, but it helped from the standpoint of teaching me how to make every word count. Still, it was hard re-training my brain to write in a more emotional, passionate way after writing straight news for so many years.

When did you sell your first book?
My first book, Shades of Gray, was just published in January of this year by Patriot Press.

What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead/plot or do you simply fly by the seat of your pants?
I absolutely fly by the seat of my pants. I enjoy letting the characters take me on a journey rather than the other way around.

How do you choose your characters' names?
Great question! Sometimes my characters' names come easily, and sometimes not so much. I have an entire notebook full of names that I've found on tombstones, in obituaries, or just came across from reading the newspaper. I’m a big fan of old-fashioned, obscure names.

What is your daily schedule like?
Some day I hope to have one of those. If I had a perfect writing day, it would be to sit down at my computer by 6:30 a.m. and not have any interruptions (that’s a pretty big fantasy, isn’t it?) I’m the type of writer that will not get out of my chair once I’m in it—but that's not to say I'm writing all the time. When I lift my eyes, I have the view of a strategically placed butterfly bush and bird feeder—both of which can be mesmerizing. (Right now there are five yellow swallowtails on the butterfly bush and a red fox just trotted across the yard—see what I mean?)

How do you handle life interruptions?
I think I'm starting to get better at this. I used to stress out over every little thing, but now I sit back and compare my situation to someone who has lost a job or everything they own in a flood. I’ve pretty much discovered that I don’t have anything to complain about.

Do you write with music playing? If so, is the music likely to be songs with lyrics or only instrumentals?
No music at all for me--just the birds outside.

What food or snack keeps the words flowing?
I'm not a big snacker. In the winter I will often make a cup of tea in the afternoon to warm me up and keep me going.

What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?
Besides the fact that a writer is creating something brand new from nothing, I like the solitary aspect of writing. Some people may find that strange, but after so many years in a newsroom, I enjoy the peace and quiet.


As for what I like the least… in general, I find writing to be intensely demanding, unbelievably difficult, and excruciatingly hard work.


Tell us about your book, Shades of Gray.
Shades of Gray is an epic love story about a Confederate cavalry officer and a Union spy. The title was chosen to represent not only the color of the uniforms of the Southern soldiers, but more specifically, to make clear that the issues that led to the War Between the States were not black and white, right or wrong issues. It’s not a historical novel full of battle scenes and tactics, but rather a story about everyday people thrust into circumstances beyond their control, and the choices they make to defend their beliefs, their country and their honor.
“Shades” was written with a female audience in mind, since it is a love story, but I've been pleasantly surprised by the number of men who have read it and enjoyed it. I've been surprised as well by the historians and Civil War buffs who have written positive reviews. (They are a very tough crowd).


I’m proud to say the book has won a Gold Medal in the 2008 Indie contest for Best Regional Fiction, and was a finalist in the Historical Fiction category. It also won a Silver Medal in the IPPY Awards contest for Best Regional Fiction.

What is your next project?
I'm working on another Civil War novel, called Above and Beyond, and have also been asked to review a script for a Civil War movie.

What is your advice for other writers?
Just write. I think that was the best advice I ever received. Instead of thinking about it or saying you don’t have time… just write.

Jessica, thank you for the interview.
Thank you so much, Marsha for having me. I hope everyone out there follows their dream of writing and perseveres through the many obstacles that may stand in their way. Writing really is a skill that is developed, so just keep plugging away. Whatever you do, don’t let anyone else decide your destiny. That journey is entirely up to you.

I love hearing from other writers and can be contacted through my Web site at
http://www.jessicajamesbooks.com/.

Shades of Gray is available from the publisher, Patriot Press; from Amazon in both trade paperback and Kindle editions; and from Barnes & Noble online.

Thursday, September 04, 2008

SARAH PALIN ROCKS!!!


My
niece has a daughter with Down Syndrome. She said she sat on the couch, crying for joy, as Sarah Palin gave her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention last night. My niece's daughter was cheering and clapping along with the crowd and having the best time.

What's the title of that new reality show with Geo Beach? Tougher in Alaska? Governor Palin is telling it like it is:

"The American Presidency is not supposed to be a journey of personal discovery." Yeeees! You go, Sarah!

The First Gentleman of Alaska is pretty awesome, too. Hurray for choosing life and family, even in hard times!

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Author Interview - Lloyd Lofthouse

Today's guest is Lloyd Lofthouse, whose debut work of fiction, My Splendid Concubine, was published last December by iUniverse.com.

Lofthouse's historical novel is based on the biography of Robert Hart. It's set in 19th century China during the first few years of his residence there. No Westerner has ever achieved Robert Hart’s status and level of power in China. But in a strange new place, young Robert Hart found different customs and temptations beyond his experience, which gave him deep struggles in body, mind, and spirit.

Readers are advised of brief sexual content, plus graphic scenes of battle set during the Taiping Rebellion.

Welcome, Lloyd. How long have you been writing?
I wrote my first novel length manuscript in 1968. However, around 1955, I used to make my own historical/literature comic books--I researched the history by reading as many books about the time focused on as possible, drew elaborate pictures and added dialogue.

What made you start?
A love of reading came first and somewhere along the way, I started writing and never stopped. I credit Ray Bradbury for priming the pump. Back in the late 1960s, I heard him speak at the community college I was attending and that event motivated me to write my first novel.

When did you sell your first book?
My first book sold on January 7th from Amazon.com. It was a paperback copy of My Splendid Concubine. Since then, Concubine has been selling from local bookstores like Clayton Books, Bay Books, Orinda Bookstore, Barnes and Noble in Walnut Creek along with steady, almost daily sales at Barnes and Noble.com.

What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead/plot or do you simply fly by the seat of your pants?
I start by doing a lot of research before I write up a plot outline and sort of fly by the seat of my pants after that as I continue to research and adapt the outline.

How do you choose your characters' names?
Since I have been writing primarily historical fiction, most of the names belong to real people that lived during the 19th century. However, I did change the names for a few of the minor characters to protect them from the way they are depicted in the novel.

What is your daily schedule like?
I write whenever I have the time to write. Chores and family dictate when that will be. Since Concubine came out in December of 2007, I have been spending more time promoting the novel than working on the sequel.

How do you handle life interruptions?
Most of life’s interruptions are chores and family in nature. I get them out of the way and when time permits, I sit down to write.

Do you write with music playing? If so, is the music likely to be songs with lyrics or only instrumentals?
I have always written without any distractions so no music, TV, or anything of that nature.

What food or snack keeps the words flowing?
I have my own trail mix and hit that now and then. I keep some other snacks in the study where I write so I don’t have to leave.

What one thing do you like most about writing?
I enjoy writing the first, rough draft the most. I don’t worry about grammar or spelling and the story pours out.
Least?
The revisions and rewriting where I spent ten times the time I spent on the rough draft, revising and correcting.

Tell us about your book, My Splendid Concubine.
Concubine is about Robert Hart’s early years in China. Hart kept journals for most of his life but he burned the journals for years two, three and four and left instructions to his family and friends to burn the rest and all of his letters after his death. They didn’t. It is obvious from the facts that survived that Robert attempted to erase those three years from his life. Historians have said that those years were crucial to the man Hart would become--the most powerful foreigner that ever lived in China. He has been called the godfather of China’s modernization. He was behind the building of China’s railroads, the organization of a post office, the reorganization of China’s schools. The list goes on and one. For most of the five plus decades that he lived in China, he worked for the Emperor as Inspector General of Imperial Chinese Customs. Concubine is a love story. Robert had a concubine and they had three children together. What happened to her is a mystery. Even the historians can only guess.

What is your next project?
I have a finished rough draft that is the sequel to Concubine. I’m working on the revisions and hope to have it ready in a few months.

What is your advice for other writers?
Never give up and always work at improving at the craft of writing. There are great writers but even they can always improve.

Thank you for the Interview.
Thanks. If anyone is interested, I've been posting poetry and other work on AuthorsDen.com. There are links to the AuthorsDen page on my Website at
mysplendidconcubine.com. Look at the bottom of the opening page for the first link.

I've also been on a number of radio-talk shows and there are links on the opening page of my Website to podcasts of a few of those. The topic focuses on China.
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