Monthly Archives: October 2014
RACHELE BAKER: I FOUND MY MOTHER’S JOURNAL TWENTY YEARS AFTER HER DEATH
Rachele Baker’s emotion were put on one place at her book Eighteen Months To Live. She wrote a memoir about her mother, who was diagnosed with cancer. How tough is to remember once again all those moments and to combine them into a novel? Let’s hear from the author herself. I must warn you that the following lines are extremely touching.
– What is your book Eighteen Months To Live about?
– Eighteen Months To Live is the real life story of my mother, Midge Rylander, in her final months of life after being diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is cancer of the lining of the lung from prior exposure to asbestos. After her diagnosis, my mother decided to keep a daily journal to document her experiences so that her experiences could help other people. Eighteen Months To Live is the transcription of my mother’s handwritten journal as well as letters that she wrote to me during that time.
INTERVIEW FOR PATTY J SMITH’S BLOG
I was invited to do interview for Patty J Smith’s blog after she was my guest at Ognian Georgiev’s space. Check below our conversation or visit her blog, where you may find many interesting articles and authors presentations.
– What inspired you to become a writer?
– My job is related with writing. I am working as a sports reporter in “Bulgaria Today” daily newspaper. In the last 15 years it was a daily routine for me. However, writing a real book is something very different. The main character of my first novel “The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski” was the reason that I was inspired to put everything in one big story. My editor-in-chief encouraged me to write the story and this was just the beginning.
– Which of your books do you consider your pride and joy? Why?
– Easy answer, because I’ve got only one book “The white prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story”. For now it’s my pride. I gave a lot in order to produce the final output. It was a joy as well, because the adrenaline during research and writing period was very high. Sometimes I had some problems with the sleep, because I was thinking non stop about the book and how to pave the readers’ road.
– Do you have any preparation rituals before you begin to write?
– I need silence. Because of my daily assignments in the newspaper, I don’t have much time to focus. This is why I worked on the novel after my work. Sometimes I was staying until 3 at the night in my office to develop the story chapter by chapter.
– If you had to come up with a book title to describe your life, what would it be?
– The Angel Who Saved My Life. I’ve got many risky situations since I was born. Thanks to my personal angel, I am still alive and in good condition. Now, at the age of almost 34 (next Monday is my birthday), I started to realize many things, that before were just passing by my mind without paying enough attention.
– If you had a chance to have dinner with any author who would it be?
– I will give you Top 3, ok? The first one would be Karl May. The German writer was my favorite during my child years. He describes by incredible way his characters and is a real teacher of the best human qualities. Number two would be Raymond Feist. He is my favorite fantasy author. I was very deep into his Midkemia world and all his great personages. Number 3 – Michael Connelly. He is a great master of crime literature and a person who I would like to interview one day.
– We all have family, work and other obligations…how do you maintain balance while in the middle of a writing project?
– The sad thing is that my family suffered when I wrote my book, because not much time left for them. Sometimes I feel kind of guilty about that, but my girlfriend and my daughter always supported me. They were very happy when the book finally was published and I would like to thank them once again for all the hugs they gave to me, when I had some bad moments during writing and publishing period.
– What is the one piece of advice you received about writing that helped you the most?
– Probably when I read somewhere that I need as much as possible eyes to take a look on my script before being published. I am very grateful to all test readers, who helped “The White Prisoner: Galabin Boevski’s secret story” to become better novel.
– Where can we purchase your books and how can we keep up with you?
– You may order the print version of the book here
– Last, but not least…..What and when is your next release? Provide a brief synopsis….
– I started recently with the research for my next book. Once again it will be a non-fiction sport book about the last man who beat the richest athlete in the world, Floyd Mayweather, and his incredible fate. Plans are the Bulgarian version to be published at the beginning of 2015 and the English version to be ready for the start of the next summer.
LYDIA RODRIGUEZ-CLEMENT: THE GUARDIAN STORY CAME TO ME IN DREAMS
Lydia Rodriguez-Clement is probably the best example of the indie publishing phenom. We are not speaking about the sales, but about the desire to have a complete novel, without relying on publishers. Our next feature author is very busy, but still finds time to write, edit, self-publish and market her novel. Lydia is a very strong woman and a real fighter. Check out the interview about her last book The Guardian and you will see why the word respect must be added to her profile.
– What is your last book The Guardian about?
– Well, The Guardian is a story about how Sarah’s spiritual beliefs are reaffirmed when the existence of Angels and Demons are horrifically revealed. Never had she dreamt that her mundane life would be caught in not only a struggle to stay alive in this clash of worlds, but also in a sadistic plan by the Dark Angels to lure Jacob, her own Guaridan, to fall. It is also about finding love and acceptance under extraordinary circumstances.
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BRYAN MURPHY: THE POINT OF MY WRITING IS PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL DRAMA
Bryan Murphy had a chance to travel a lot during his life. His stories are gathered from earned multinational experience. You may check his sense of humor at the end of the interview. Enjoy!
– What is your latest novella, Goodbye, Padania, about?
– On the surface, it is about an extraordinary woman struggling against heavy odds to become ordinary in very hard times. At a deeper level, it is about the stupidity of racism.
– How did you decide to write the story?
– As a foreigner living in Italy, I was disturbed by the rise of a racist political party, to the point where it became part of the governing coalition and its leader was put in charge of the country’s immigration policy. I wanted to suggest politely that a racist state in the heart of modern Europe was not a viable proposition. And I wanted to have fun with my character, Daria.
– What was the biggest challenge during the writing process?
– Keeping track of the timeline, because the story dips into the past as well as the future.
– Tell us something more about your main character. Is it close to someone from your real life?
– I first named my main character Dario, after my boss of the time. Then I thought, “Why not make the killer a woman?”, and so Dario became Daria. A teenage victim of a predatory priest, her emotional detachment and single-mindedness allow her to flourish as a professional assassin. She gets fed up with killing people she does not personally hate, and tries to develop an alternative, but still finds herself having to choose between killing and being killed.
– How much time did you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– I wrote the novella as a series of short stories over a couple of years. Most of these appeared in an online literary magazine, The Hiss Quarterly. I published the novella as an e-book in 2012.
– What can you say about the Linehan series and your book Murder By Suicide?
– Linehan is an anti-hero, a sort of negative Candide. He, too, arrives in “Padania”, and what he encounters reawakens his long-dormant conscience. A second adventure sees him in China, trying to be good in the face of multiple temptations.
Murder By Suicide suggests how our secret services manage to kill with impunity.
– Who are you?
– An international vagabond, born in England and now happily retired in Italy.
– What are your writing habits?
– When I was still working, I wrote in the evenings, when inspiration struck me. Now that I’ve retired, I write during the day and keep the evening for other pursuits. Working on my first novel has made me more reliant on planning and less dependent on inspiration.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of the book, and do you plan another one?
– All my publishing efforts so far, namely this novella and a number of short e-books, have been preparation for publishing and marketing my novel, Revolution Number One, now in its second draft. I think I have learned a satisfactory amount, without unduly inflating my bank balance.
– What are you doing to promote your book in the best possible way?
– I belong to an authors’ mutual cooperation group and post on its blog, The Write Room. I also post on social media and I’m about to start a newsletter. However, the best sales tool that I have found is old-fashioned word of mouth (allied to new-fangled word of mouse).
– You have worked in many fields during your life. Which one of your jobs did you do with the greatest pleasure?
– I’m a soccer fan, so my best job was working as a translator at the Media Centre in Rome for the 1990 World Cup. The Olympic Pool was drained to house the Media Centre, and we could enjoy a swim in the training pool before and after work. I also got in to see the Final on a service ticket.
– Your books are in different genres, such as speculative fiction, psychological drama, poetry, short stories. How do you manage to switch between different themes and styles of writing?
– The point of my writing is psychological and social drama. I concentrate on that and let the “genres” take care of themselves.
– What is your Top 3 of the best places in the world that you have visited?
– The Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, Halong Bay in Vietnam and Inle Lake in Burma. I’d also like to say that although Sofia is not the most beautiful city in Europe, I really enjoyed the year I spent living and working there, in the late Nineties.
– Ask yourself a question (And don’t forget to answer!)
– How can a writer with a tight deadline go eight days without sleep to meet it? By sleeping at night.
Check out more about Bryan Murphy at his Web page or Twitter
Take a look at his books
Murder By Suicide
Linehan’s Trip (Sean Linehan Book 1)
Goodbye, Padania (Daria Rigoletti Book 1)
RICKI WILSON: I WOULD RATHER DELAY PUBLICATION THAN INSULT READERS WITH A MEDIOCRE EFFORT
Ricki Wilson’s only novel Maggie’s fall received very positive feedback (av. 4.4 stars from 28 Amazon reviews). She is teaching English in a high school as her main profession. Let’s hear more about the book and the author in our next Q&A.
– Ricki, What is your book Maggie’s fall about?
– Maggie’s Fall is about Maggie McClellan, a single and single-minded woman whose sole purpose in life is to protect the M-Bar Ranch and the M-Bar Ranch family: her son, T.J., Martha and Jonah (who have lived on the ranch as long as Maggie), the M-Bar horses, and one stray dog who knows all Maggie’s sorrows.
Maggie is smart. She knows how to run a ranch and how to keep her guests happy; she knows when to stay out of Martha’s kitchen and not to leave Jonah’s tools lying around; she knows how to soothe a frightened colt, and that T.J. worries too much for a little boy, but she doesn’t know how to stop an anonymous investor from buying out her leases. Maggie will not lose everything her parents built. Saving the M-Bar is the only way to keep her parents’ memory alive. When the pressure of holding everything together weighs too heavily, Maggie breaks a long-standing rule: she rides off alone across the M-Bar pastures without telling anyone where she’s going.
Witt McCreigh has been Maggie’s best friend her whole life. When Maggie never returns to the ranch, Witt saddles Maggie’s best mare, abandons the formal search party, and follows his heart. Witt rides with one hope—to find Maggie alive, and one regret—that he has never told her how much he loves her.
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CHARITY ANGEL: HEALING IS MUCH LIKE AN ONION
Charity Angel’s last book Mending Angel’s Wings was released in July. The novel was based on a true story. It was her second book. Let’s make another Q&A adventure with our next feature author.
– What is your last book Mending Angel’s Wings: Based on a True Story about?
– My latest book Mending Angel’s Wings is based on a true story. This book is the first book in a series. Each book in the series will take the reader deeper into the life and experiences of “Angelica”. Angelia is on a journey, much like the one that each and everyone of us is on. She is trying to discover what her destiny is. She is looking for the man that will be her equal in all things. On her journey, she encounters many trials, tests and tribulations. She is given the gift of her inner voice and a spirit guide by the Creator to make through this life. Whether or not she will make it through everything that lies in front of her or not is the question that still needs to be answered.
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CHRISTINE FINLAYSON: IT’S SO MUCH FUN TO CREATE, WHETHER THROUGH WRITING, ART OR MUSIC
Christine Finlayson is a professional editor and author of mystery novel Tip of a Bone (4.7 av. stars from 26 Amazon reviews!). She worked as water scientist, but now is concentrating more on writing. Our next feature author is avid photographer, but let’s hear from her more about the book.
– What is your last book, Tip of a Bone, about?
– Tip of a Bone is the story of a young woman who finds her brother in dangerous waters:
Hidden bones, a missing eco-activist, and a deadly fire? It’s not what Maya Rivers expected when she moved to the coastal town of Newport, Oregon, seeking a fresh start and a reunion with her brother, Harley. Yet when Harley is accused of an unthinkable crime, Maya insists on playing amateur sleuth. She soon discovers an eerie clue . . . but the closer she gets to the truth, the closer a murderer follows.
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RICK SOPER: I STARTED WRITING BECAUSE I WAS FRUSTRATED WITH CERTAIN “POPULAR” AUTHORS
Rick Soper is kind of guest that every interviewer would like to have. He loves to answer deeply to all kind of questions. The author of The Rock Series was a TV producer, who turned to a financial adviser. To write is kind of hobby for him, but with so many published books, he is developing as one of the quality members of the indie authors industry.
– Hi Rick, what is your book the Stage about?
– The Stage is the third book in my Rock Series of novels. There are multiple story lines in the Rock Series and the Stage is where everything comes together. The band formed in The Rock Star is playing the concert that will be hacked across the world. The Russians are working to make sure the concert goes off without a hitch. Gabriel is striking back against the secret group.
FBI Agents Stevens and Harris are working with local Sheriff Ken Dalton to make sense of the murders, kidnappings, and shootings that have been destroying the calm of vacation destination Monterey, California. While behind the scenes strings are being pulled that will bring it all to a shocking conclusion.
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AMY METZ: THE BOOK CHARACTERS ARE BASED ON MY FAMILY MEMBERS
Amy Metz published her book Murder & Mayhem in 2012. The mystery crime novel became a big hit. Now she is relaunching the book as a self-publisher. For the quality of her writings speaks 125 reviews in Amazon with average rating of 4.3!
– What is your book Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction about?
– Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction is based on a murder from the 1930s that was never solved, so Tess, my main character in the present day, tries to solve it. Most chapters in the book start in the 1930s time frame and segue to the present day, where Tess has moved into the former house of the murder victim (who, coincidentally, was her boss’s father), and she finds a mysterious key. Murder & mayhem ensue as she investigates the unsolved murder. There’s a mystery, a little bit of romance, and a lot of southern humor.
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CAMERON CONAWAY: MALARIA KILLS 627,000 OF US EACH YEAR
Cameron Conaway is a very unique combination of poetry author and MMA fighter. His book Malaria, Poems was dedicated to the global problem. Let’s learn something more about Cameron and his works!
– What are your last two books — Until You Make the Shore and Malaria, Poems — about?
– Until You Make the Shore grew from my experiences teaching creative writing in the Pima County Juvenile Detention in Tucson, Arizona. I studied criminal justice at Penn State Altoona and knew fairly well the absurdities of our system, so when I went to graduate school to study poetry I felt the need to help our youth by using whatever tools I had. Writing had been transformative in my life so I tried to extract those lessons and share them. The book, told through the voices of four fictionalized female juveniles, seeks to expose some of the madness while layering it with hope.
Malaria, Poems was a result of working with the Wellcome Trust in London and with the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit in Bangkok. Again, it was a matter of recognizing a global problem and seeing if I was in an environment or had any tools to try to help in some regard. After much pondering around the question, Can Poetry Help End Malaria?, I decided to go for it. The result is the first contemporary book of poetry about malaria’s impact on the world.
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