Author: Camilla

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Meet the Author: Horseshoes & Hand Grenades by S.M. Stevens

Today we welcome S.M. Stevens to Meet the Authors. We’re headed to Massachusetts and New Hampshire to talk about how PR and Marketing, a run of “bad luck”, the #MeToo movement, the Boston zoo, the USS Constitution Museum, and the Jetsons play a role in S.M. Stevens life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a born and bred New Englander, from Maine originally and currently splitting my time between Massachusetts and New Hampshire. I have lived in Italy and in the U.K. (twice).

While I love reading all kinds of books, when it comes to writing, I want my stories to be thought-provoking but “accessible” reads. I don’t like it when I can’t figure out what the author intended to say. I’ve read V by Thomas Pynchon twice and still don’t get it…

When I’m not writing fiction, I provide PR and Marketing to solar energy companies.

How many published books do you have?

Five. Horseshoes and Hand Grenades (Women’s Fiction/New Adult) will be released by TouchPoint Press in Sept. 2019. I have self-published a Middle Grade novel for animal lovers, and three Young Adult novels for musical theatre lovers.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

Writing was always the favorite part of my PR and marketing work, but a full-time job and two daughters made trying my hand at fiction unrealistic. Then, in 2009, I broke my pelvis in three places in a horseback riding fall, and was couch-ridden for three months. That injury was the catalyst for the first novel I published.

What is the most crazy thing that has ever happened to you?

I had a run of “bad luck” a few years back. First, I broke my pelvis, as I said above. Almost a year to the day later, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. And less than a year after that, my car was rear-ended at high speed on the Massachusetts Turnpike.

But I chose to see myself as lucky. After all, I didn’t get a head injury during the fall from my horse. Surgery and chemotherapy cured my cancer. And I was not severely hurt in the car accident. Plus, it was something of a miracle that my car was pushed across three lanes of traffic without hitting any other vehicles!

What does your ideal writing space look like?

I feel quite fortunate that I can write almost anywhere, in any situation. I attribute that to my years as a business writer, when my train of thought was constantly interrupted by phone calls and people stopping in my office. I learned to write in five minute spurts, which came in handy when I was writing my first novels and watching children at the same time!

If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?

What was your first year of life as a street dog like?

Do you cry incessantly in the car because you’re on sensory overload, or because you’re hot, or for reasons even you can’t explain?

What are you thinking right now?

What are you currently reading?

Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham. Not sure how I feel about it yet; I’m about halfway through. But I found it on my bookshelf — I think I bought it during college — and decided it was time to actually read it!

Where did the idea for your most recent book come from?

The #MeToo movement, when it began in earnest in 2017. As I watched the news coverage of Harvey Weinstein etc., it hit me that society was asking the same questions of workplace sexual harassment victims that it asks of incest victims: Was it partly your fault? Why did you wait so long to speak up? And was it severe enough to really count? I hope that Horseshoes and Hand Grenades answers some of those questions.

A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?

“I know you’ve always wanted to see penguins in the wild. But you best hurry. It’s getting so warm at the South Pole that I need this hat to stay cool. Oh, and can you do something about climate change please?”

List 3 interesting facts about yourself.

1 – I worked at the zoo in Boston for several years. The highlight of that job was helping move gorillas from sub-par accommodations into a new, multi-acre, indoor/outdoor rainforest exhibit. It was very moving. That scene is actually in my new book.

2 – During a job at the USS Constitution Museum, I worked with National Geographic on a story about the first dry-docking of Old Ironsides in 20 years.

3 – I lived in Italy and commuted to my job in London for seven months so my two dogs wouldn’t have to be put in a kennel in the U.K.

If you could have a fantasy tea or coffee date with an author or famous person from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Toni Morrison. I would ask: Do you consciously reach for the poetic/musical language you use in your novels, or do your words just fall onto the page without conscious effort?

If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?

A tie: The Jetsons, because I loved their futuristic gadgets. Every time a new app or smart phone capability is introduced, I think we’re one step closer to living like the Jetsons. But I also loved The Bugaloos, because they were a band and had wings like fairies.

Tell us about your most recent book.

Horseshoes and Hand Grenades is, to my knowledge, the first story with a #MeToo theme that features women in their 20s. Plenty of YA novels introduce girls to sexual assault-related topics. I don’t know why more novels don’t focus on young women starting out in the workforce, because that’s when we first experience the corporate hierarchies and power plays that lead to harassment.

Here’s a brief synopsis:

Fragile but practical 22-year-old Shelby Stewart is damn sure “mild” childhood sexual abuse by her stepfather—a respected teacher and revered coach—didn’t change her. She succeeds at her new PR job in 1980s Boston but sucks at romance, sabotaging relationships with men her friends insist are not good enough for her.

Shelby’s co-worker, ambitious and confident Astrid Ericcson, says she wrote the book on How to Get Ahead by Flirting. But when her boss’s innuendoes escalate to not-so-subtle touching and under-the-table footsie, she finds both her career and her safety at risk.

Together, the women build their careers, friendships and romances while facing their respective demons.

I’d like to add that, despite the heavy themes, my early reviewers tell me the book is entertaining, funny and a “safe” place to deal with sexual trauma. Another great compliment came from a reviewer who said the book inspired her to tell her husband about a workplace incident she’d been keeping secret. I hope this book inspires more such conversations!

This was a deeply meaningful interview to host as I am part of the #MeToo movement (although not in a workplace setting). I had always mistakenly thought if I ignored what happened and just “forgot” about it; it would go away. Which means I never truly processed and felt the wide range of emotions concerning what happened. I never shared as I was ashamed, thought I had done something wrong, and feared getting into trouble (at the time).

I spent 2017 and some of 2018 allowing myself to process, feel, and let go of much from my childhood, young adult, and teenage years, including the #metoo incidences. I’ve pretty much processed and felt what I needed to feel at this point. I am grateful to see this book be published as it may assist those who are still in need of healing.

I would love to join the coffee date with Toni Morrison too!! Thank you S.M. Stevens for joining us. It has been a pleasure! – Camilla

Blurb:

Horseshoes and Hand Grenades touches on #MeToo subjects, wherein women reach new highs and lows in life, work, and romance, while struggling to make sense of the abusive relationships that haunt them.

Where to find the book:

US Amavon: https://amzn.to/2m4Mosh

UK Amavon: https://amzn.to/2m50rOv

TouchPoint Press: https://bit.ly/2K8nMYY

Connect with S.M. Stevens:

Website/Blog: https://authorsmstevens.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSMStevens/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SMStevens17

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.m.stevens/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/s-m-stevens/

And if it feels the thing to do and you are inspired to do so, I would be deeply grateful if you’d like to “Buy Me a Coffee” … Camilla – Founder and Host of Meeting the Authors …

Buy Me A Coffee

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Meet the Author: Embracing Life After Loss by Allen Klein

Today we welcome Allen Klein as we travel to San Francisco, California to learn how short poems, a messy desk, gardening, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and New York City are part of Allen’s past and current life. Call upon your inner Jollytologist®, we’re gonna be more playful with this one ….

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I live in a Victorian house in San Francisco where I write books that show readers how to use humor and positive thinking to deal with not-so-funny stuff. In addition, I am an award-winning professional speaker as well as a TEDx presenter and blogger on happiness. Comedian Jerry Lewis has said, “Allen Klein is a noble and vital force watching over the human condition.”

In which genre do you write?

Non-fiction / Self-Help / Inspiration

How many published books do you have?

Twenty-Eight (28)

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

I used to write short poems in grade school, so I suppose my writing started there, but my real writing started when I had a passion to write about how humor helped me get through the loss of my wife when she was 34-years-old.

What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?

Sometimes I put things that interest in a folder, never knowing if I will ever use them again. When the folder gets real fat, I use those articles and notes to write something about that subject.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

Messy desk, computer on it, me facing the wall to avoid distractions. Sometimes ear-plugs to avoid outside noises.

What are you currently reading?

The Energy Code. It has a lot of what I’ve believed in for years…that we are all energy, all connected.

It is very much aligned to the principles taught by Unity, which is a worldwide new-thought spiritual organization and which is my spiritual home.

What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?

Walk my dog, garden.

If you could have a fantasy tea or coffee date with an author or famous person from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Woody Allen. I love his quirkiness and wonder if that is his persona or is he really that nutty and neurotic. I’d want to know if he was happy.

What is the most inspiring thing that has ever happened to you?

Although it has happened to me so many times, I probably should not be so surprised by it now, but I am. I have been able to create amazing things in my life, things that many might call mini-miracles. Some of them are:

-Wanting to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and getting to do so.

-Drawing pictures of Victorian houses and getting one when I moved to San Francisco.

-Having no place to stay when I vacationed in New York City and being offered a free apartment when I go there each year.

-Having a division of my publisher close their doors, thus stop publishing my books, and finding the ideal one by affirming “The perfect publisher will find me.”

-Adding that I wanted to do a TEDx talk in January to my bucket list and being asked to do one the following month.

What do you miss about being a kid?

I was a very serious kid, so I don’t miss much. I try to make up for it now by being more playful and having more fun. And also helping people to get more laughter and joy in their life. I’ve branded myself a Jollytologist®, so now I’m forced to come up with jolly stuff.

A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?

Since the publisher of my first book, The Healing Power of Humor, is now part of the Penguin publishing empire, the penguin is there to tell me that my book will be made into a major motion picture and to hand me the million-dollar advance. The sombrero is a fun way to indicate that the movie will be made in Mexico.

Do you believe things happen for a reason? Do you have an example from your own life to share why you believe this?

Definitely. My wife died at a very young age. I certainly didn’t want that to happen but her wonderful sense of humor, even during her illness, lead me to investigate the therapeutic value of humor, even in loss. As a result, I started writing about it. My first book, The Healing Power of Humor, is now the quintessential book in the field and has helped scores of people. I know there was a reason why my wife was in my life and why her death was instrumental for me, and as a result of my writing, to so many others too.

If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?

I’d ask my dog, what it’s like to be a dog, how does she handle never knowing exactly when I’ll return after I’ve left the house, how did she get so cute?

Tell us about your most recent books.

Two most recent books are:

Embracing Life After Loss, and Positive Thoughts for Troubling Times

Thank you Allen for joining us on MTA! It was great to learn more about you and your books. –Camilla

Embracing Life After Loss

Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult things you can deal with in life whether it is a spouse, a parent, a child, or a friend. Winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, Jollytologist® Allen Klein knows how it feels—just like you, he’s lost loved ones. Inspired by Klein’s experience with the loss of his wife, Embracing Life after Loss will help you recover from grief and loss—just like author Allen Klein did. You never forget the people you lose. But you can grow stronger, wiser, and more appreciative of life as you move forward. And, believe it or not, you can even laugh again. Embracing Life after Loss will show you how to navigate the difficult times—how to take a break from the pain of your loss and find joy in life again.

Available on Amazon in both hardcopy and Kindle.

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lbzisT

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/2mkTw3q

Positive Thoughts for Troubling Times

The words in this book are the prescription you need for a daily dose of the positive. Words can warm our hearts and fire us up or clam us down when we are worried and stressed.

The inspired ideas and power thoughts in this book will provide you with hope, a renewed spirit, and a new perspective in which to view our worrisome times.

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/2mKu1sP

Connect with Allen Klein:

AllenKlein.com

Social media links:

Facebook: facebook.com/allen.klein

Twitter: @allenklein

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/allenklein

Instagram:  allenklein22

If it feels right and you have the time (and you enjoy the interview) please like or comment or share it. The nature of the online world … the more eyes that see it the more it will spread and benefit the author and the website! Thank you!

And if it feels the thing to do and you are inspired to do so, I would be deeply grateful if you’d like to “Buy Me a Coffee” … Camilla – Host of Meeting the Authors …

Buy Me A Coffee

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Book Shelf: The Right Word – Roget and His Thesaurus

The Right Word – Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant

**Throwback to 2015** – From the time Thomas and Lillian were born I read to them nightly before going to bed; leading to some time in 2017 when we all decided to discontinue doing so. Their tastes in what interested each of them had solidified by this point. We all continue to be heavy readers, reading daily.

Just another great book I read to Thomas and Lillian – Wonderful book of the life of P.M. Roget and how Roget’s Thesaurus came to be. –Camilla

“Measured on the vast scale of the universe, the globe we inhabit appears but as an atom; and yet, within the compass of this atom, what an inexhaustible variety of objects is contained; what an endless diversity of phenomena is presented; what wonderful changes are occurring in rapid and perpetual succession!” – P.M. Roget

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/352eh6c

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/34Z4RIu

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Meet the Authors: Not the Life You Imagined by Anne Pettigrew

Today we welcome Anne Pettigrew as we travel to north Ayrshire overlooking the lovely Firth of Clyde, learning how Glasgow University, a career as a GP, The Herald, a meerkat, Judi Dench, Snow White, Ailsa Craig, and the Exuma Cays in the Caribbean come together to form Anne’s past, her present and her writer’s life. Come in closer, we’re sharing all the secrets in this one …

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am Glasgow-born, haunted local libraries as a child, graduated in medicine from Glasgow University in 1974 and enjoyed a career as a GP in Greenock for 31 years. I also dabbled in homeopathy, acupuncture, BMA media stuff, wrote columns in The Herald and medical press (mostly funny) and tried to improve patient care by serving on many (tediously un-funny) committees up to EEC level.

In 2001 at a crusty old 52, I shot off to Oxford for a sabbatical MSc in Medical Anthropology looking for new ideas for health promotion. To my surprise, I found the best thing you can do to improve a society’s health is to educate its girls past 12, hence my sponsorship of girls in India and the channelling of funds from my novel into PlanUK who aim to help the 130 million denied schooling.

My other passions are travelling (although mosquitoes find me so attractive my husband doesn’t need insect repellent), painting wonky landscapes, gardening and my writers groups: one local, of inspiring, if bonkers, people, and one in the city, of candid editors.

The novel would never have seen light of day without them and the Creative Writing tutors at Glasgow Uni, where the undergrads egged me on to write of a life before mobiles, the internet and the pill (unavailable for the unmarried on the NHS in the 60s). How did we manage? Not sure I’m managing now with all this web/social media stuff – see my blog post at https://annepettigrew.co.uk/social-media-can-do-your-head-in/

I live in north Ayrshire overlooking the lovely Firth of Clyde and am the proud owner of a new titanium knee (never jump off a boat in Kerala).

How many published books do you have?

My debut novel Not The Life Imagined has been published by Glasgow non-profit Ringwood Publishing as ebook (December 2018) and paperback (January 2019).

I also had some award-winning short stories published in a 50th anniversary Anthology by Greenock Writers Club in 2018. My second novel Not The Deaths Imagined is in editing.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

My first novel was written age eight: an illustrated medieval whodunnit called Bridget’s Key. Sadly I knew little about the Middle Ages and couldn’t draw for toffee!

But by ten, I’d decided on being a doctor and didn’t start Not The Life Imagined until retirement. This book was ignited by the discovery that there were no books about UK women doctors, only pioneers, pathologists and the odd Mills & Boon. I felt the struggles of female medics in the 60s was worth recording, though decided it had to be fiction, not memoir, since I was reluctant to write about living people without seeking their permission; doctors of course, are taught to keep secrets.

The first book concerns an arrogant womanising surgeon; the second has a Shipman villain, also unmasked by the main protagonist Beth. I discovered writing about complete monsters can actually be quite fun.

Is there an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?

I am prone to ‘tics’ as my tutor called them, first drafts are awash with excess ‘just’ ‘seem’ ‘merely’ ‘very’ ‘somehow’ ‘maybe ‘and ‘quite’ which need ruthlessly eliminated.

What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?

An albatross; they can fly for hundreds of miles effortlessly out to sea, mate for life and are the longest-lived bird by far. Or maybe a meerkat… they are very cheeky and bossy.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

See attached photo – Big desk with wireless keyboard and mouse, hate the narrow laptop one. Behind laptop I have a propped-up pinboard with teaching prompts eg ‘Hook -Move- Intrigue- Paint a picture- Pace- Perspective – Voice’ to remind me what I am meant to be doing as I write- not ambling endlessly through Twitter or checking my emails.

What are you currently reading?

Just started Middlemarch by George Eliot after being told it’s one of best novels ever written.

Love eg Joanne Cannon, Joanne Harris, Martin Walker, Peter James, Andrea Camilleri, Anthony Horowitz, Chris Brookmyre, Daphne Du Maurier, Philippa Gregory, Taylor Caldwell, John Le Carre, Douglas Kennedy etc

What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?

Cook, walk or snooze in front of Scandi-noir TV… do lunch.

If you could have a fantasy tea or coffee date with an author or famous person from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Judi Dench- ‘What would you like to drink?’

What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?

I can be wide awake at 2 am if on a roll with an idea.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve experienced to help create a scene or plot?

For my second book I Google-searched ‘Where are the saunas in Edinburgh?’ for my seedy villain, and the next night around eleven I was playing solitaire on my iPad, when up popped an Ad showing a well-rounded young lady in suspenders offering a hotline for her services in my locality. Big Brother Google indeed watches us!

Do you journal write or keep a personal diary? 

Never- the girls in my book, however, keep them.

If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose?

The only one I remember is Snow White- of which I was terrified! Not going there ever again, I mean, those red pointy talons on the Wicked Stepmother? I was taken out of the cinema screaming by my Dad when I was 4.

If you could turn into one of your characters for a day, which one would it be and why, what would you do? 

Rosie maybe- she doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. She is also very smart and doesn’t need to study as hard as I did!

What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?

Wild Rose – about a Glasgow girl who follows her dream to become a country and western singer. I liked the parallel to Beth in my book following her dream to be a doctor; Rose’s life turned out not to be the life she imagined either. I enjoyed it, but felt it but it had scope for more humour.

A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?

I don’t give him a chance but shut the door immediately: all that ‘inspirational’ Sauvignon is obviously giving me DT hallucinations. I will go and have a wee lie down and some vitamins .…

What’s your favourite place to visit in your country and why?

The cliff walk at Culzean Castle down the Ayrshire coast from here; wild sea, distant misty island on the horizon (Paddy’s milestone aka Ailsa Craig- halfway between Ayrshire and Ireland): tall grasses whisper in the breeze beside my bench beside the path, purple and red wild flowers dance, seabirds cry as they whirl overhead and dive off the cliff. There may be a seal or two on the beach. No traffic. Of a morning, usually no people either.

Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc.

A seaplane trip down the Exuma Cays in the Caribbean, obviously best if it’s not hurricane season. Lunch time? Calm azure blue sea and cloudless sky- solo picnic on a deserted island- iced fresh lemonade and today-caught prawns barbecued with crusty bread. Sitting under a palm tree with pink crabs scurrying past. Mind you, I couldn’t be completely solo- there would have to be a pilot since I can’t fly a plane! Tom Hiddlestone would do.

Tell us about your most recent book.

Not The Life Imagined is a darkly humorous, thought-provoking story of Scottish medical students in the sixties, a time of changing social and sexual mores. None of the teenagers starting at Glasgow University in 1967 live the life they imagine.

Beth Slater is shocked at how few female medical students there are and that some, like Conor Towmey, think they shouldn’t be there at all. Devastated by a close friend’s suicide, Beth uncovers a revealing diary and vows to find the person responsible for her death.

Struggling with the pressure of exams while supporting friends though disasters, Beth charts the students changing, often stormy, relationships over two decades against a contemporary backdrop of Free Love, the Ibrox Football Disaster, the emergence of HIV and DNA forensics. In time, indiscretions surface with dire consequences for some. A Ten-Year reunion is a watershed: devastating crimes past and present are exposed.

Relevant to present-day narratives concerning mental health and #MeToo, this award-winning novel (runner-up in the Constable Award 2018) has wide appeal and already has attracted 5 star reviews (see below).

Thank you Anne for joining us on MTA! I had a great time getting to know you and learning more about your debut book and upcoming book! –Camilla

Where to find the book:

Available from Amazon, Ringwood, and Waterstones.

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/2NqslAW

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LDrF95

Connect with Anne:

Email: [email protected]

Website and blog: https://www.annepettigrew.co.uk

Facebook @annepettigrewauthor

Instagram anne.pettigrew.author

Twitter @pettigrew_anne

Amazon and Goodreads reviews:

***** Superb ***** difficult to put down

***** Cracking read ***** such a great book

***** A Must read … ***** a whirlwind of wit and emotional ups/downs

***** Entertaining tale ***** a really good read

***** Up market rite of passage *****a good picture of sexual discrimination

***** The light and dark lives of medics  ***** A great read, super pace

***** Medics with a twist ***** A compelling read ….

If it feels right and you have the time (and you enjoy the interview) please like or comment or share it. The nature of the online world … the more eyes that see it the more it will spread and benefit the author and the website! Thank you!

And if it feels the thing to do and you are inspired to do so, I would be deeply grateful if you’d like to “Buy Me a Coffee” … Camilla – Host of Meeting the Authors …

Buy Me A Coffee

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Meet the Author: Sea Babies by Tracey Scott-Townsend

Today we welcome Tracey Scott-Townsend, traveling to Kingston-Upon-Hull, East Yorkshire as we learn how a writer’s shed, a camper van, making her own clothes, determination, and the Outer Hebrides unite to form the roots and day to day of Tracey’s life. Collect your thimble, needle and thread as we’re sewing our way through this one …

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I live in Kingston-Upon-Hull, East Yorkshire – the “Gateway to Europe”, if you like, and I do. (That feels rather sad now.)

In which genre do you write?

I write Literary Fiction.

How many published books do you have?

I have five novels published with two different small presses (Inspired Quill Publishing and Wild Pressed Books). The books are: Sea Babies, The Last Time We Saw Marion, Of His Bones, The Eliza Doll and Another Rebecca, as well as poetry pamphlets So Fast and Postcards from the Van. My novels have been described as both poetic and painterly – apt, as I did practise for more than twenty years as a visual artist.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

Reading and being read to as a child must have ignited my writer’s flame. My earliest memories are of my mum reading to us, and I remember being six or seven, and understanding that I could actually read by myself, and lose myself in the world inside the pages of a book. Sometime after that I began my first attempts at writing my own books. By the time I was ten, I knew I wanted to be a writer.

What is an interesting quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?

I make a lot of my own clothes and I cut my own hair.

What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?

I think I would choose a white Collie-shaped dog, like my own beautiful rescue-girl, Luna. She just seems to look directly into my eyes and connect, it feels as if with my very soul.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

My ideal writing space looks like a shed, and for much of my writing life it has been a writer’s shed, in which I would hang rugs on the walls and make it feel like my own special cave. However, the only shed I have at the moment is on my allotment, and I barely have the time when there to do any writing other than some musing in a notebook. Between my job as an editor for the small press I run with my husband, and various marketing activities, and posting books out, I tend to leave my desk in our shared office and take sanctuary in the spare bedroom to do my own writing.

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading Transcription by Kate Atkinson. I’m not far enough in yet to be able to say whether I love it as much as her previous books. (Edit: I’m further in now and I do!)

What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?

I love making my own clothes, reading, and working on my allotment or in my small garden. I also love going on trips in our camper van – getting away from it all.

What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?

I’ve learned that I can and will commit to a task and see it through. I think I gave up on so many things when I was younger, and I’m proud of the way I’ve developed my self-discipline over the course of my writing career.

Do you journal write or keep a personal diary? 

I’ve kept a personal diary, on and off, since about the age of thirteen, but the only ones I still have in my possession date from the age of eighteen. I don’t specifically write a diary now, but there are aspects of personal journalism scattered in my notebooks, of which I have many. I regret that the advent of my computer use, in the 1990s, began to impinge on my dedicated diary-writing. So many of my noted-down thoughts, whether in emails or personal notes, have been lost now as the technology developed and became discarded at such a fast pace.

What do you miss about being a kid?

I miss how long the summer seemed to be, and that there was no feeling of urgency about getting things achieved. There seemed to be all the time in the world!

Which of your personality traits has been most useful and why?

My resourcefulness and determination have seen me through a lot of difficult times. A health professional recently remarked “I get the feeling you’ll do things the way you want to, anyway,” as though it was an insult. I’m happy that I’m self-reliant and able to think ‘off the hook’, but I sometimes do feel like a bit of an alien in a world of boxes that I don’t seem to fit into.

What’s your favourite place to visit in your country and why?

The Outer Hebrides, without a doubt! I love Scotland in general but I’m particularly fond of the Western Isles. We’ve travelled there often in our camper van and went there again in June, to promote my latest novel, Sea Babies.

Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc.

I’d go and find myself a comfy rock to sit on, on an isolated beach, at the foot of a forest on the slope of a mountain. There would be an ultramarine-blue sky and it would be warm but not boiling hot. It would be a long late afternoon rolling into evening. I’d gaze out to sea and allow random thoughts and feelings to wash over me…

Tell us about your most recent book.

My latest book is Sea Babies, a Women’s Lit Fic novel set between Edinburgh and the Outer Hebrides. In the novel the main character, Lauren Wilson, has a chance encounter with someone from her past while on the ferry to Stornoway. Both of them are about to begin new jobs on the Isle of Lewis: Lauren as a social worker and Neil as a GP. Lauren has been involved in a recent, terrible accident, but meeting Neil again has also awoken memories of the tragic event in their past which finished their relationship.

Lauren settles in a cottage in Uig, overlooking the white sands of the bay. The scenery, nature and people of the area begin to heal Lauren’s emotional wounds, along with the reawakening of her relationship with Neil and the burgeoning affection she feels for a young client whose family own the cottage in which Lauren is living.

The history of the island and the former inhabitants of Lauren’s home play a part in the resolution of her story. But it could be either the past or the future that determines what happens next.

Thank you very much for interviewing me, Camilla, I’ve really enjoyed answering your questions.

You’re welcome Tracey! And, thank you for being a part of MTA! It was incredibly interesting to learn more about your life. –Camilla

Where to find the book:

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/2AvIY5r

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/2M3jyl2

Connect with Tracey:

https://twitter.com/authortrace
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTrace/

If it feels right and you have the time (and you enjoy the interview) please like or comment or share it. The nature of the online world … the more eyes that see it the more it will spread and benefit the author and the website! Thank you!

And if it feels the thing to do and you are inspired to do so, I would be deeply grateful if you’d like to “Buy Me a Coffee” … Camilla – Host of Meeting the Authors …

Buy Me A Coffee

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Meet the Author: Last Orders by Bill Todd

Today we welcome Bill Todd as we travel to Brighton, on England’s south coast, to learn how being a journalist, travel writing, Solitaire, birdsong, Shakespeare, and Superman come together as part of Bill’s learning experiences and writer’s life. Pack your travel gear, let’s board this Bill Todd interview …

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I live in Brighton on England’s south coast and have a daughter and a magic grandson who celebrated his first birthday in June. I’ve been a journalist on local and national newspapers for most of my working life apart from brief bursts doing house removals, teaching and freelance photography. Travel writing has taken me to more than 40 countries and has been a fantastic learning experience.

In which genre do you write?

Mainly crime thrillers but I’ve also written three short military histories based on family papers.

How many published books do you have?

My Danny Lancaster crime thriller series about a wounded ex-soldier is currently seven titles with the latest, a novella called LAST ORDERS-Trapped in a pub with a killer, published in August. I have a full-length novel as a work-in-progress, possibly a standalone, and keep tinkering with a book based on my travelling experiences.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

I don’t know when it began. I was making up stories in my head long before I started writing them down. My grandfather was an inspiration. He wrote stories for my brother and I about the country adventures of two cave boys. The pages are yellow and fragile now but I still treasure them.

What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?

I play a few games of Solitaire as fast as possible as a litmus of alertness before I start writing.

What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?

I find birdsong very calming and often take a keyboard break to listen so a bird with a good voice would be my choice.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

I used to spend long hours in a rather gloomy upstairs back room with a PC, keyboard and two big monitors. Now I’ve gone miniature and mobile with my Samsung S8 phone and trifold Bluetooth keyboard so my office is everywhere.

What are you currently reading?

I’m working on several other projects and tend not to read when writing in case I unconsciously soak up someone else’s ideas.

What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?

I enjoy walking, nothing too vigorous as I like to stand and stare at interesting things along the way.

If you could have a fantasy tea or coffee date with an author or famous person from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Shakespeare, I’d love to know how he came up with all that cracking dialogue. I’m with Hamlet, words words words.

What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?

Sleep is optional, up to a point.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve done or experienced to help create a scene or plot?

I try to be as accurate as possible without risking life and limb too much. One Danny Lancaster scene came from a travel writing trip. We were rocketing along a deserted African beach in a twin-engined aircraft. When I asked the pilot our altitude he said, ‘8 to 12 feet’. Crime thriller research can be very wide-ranging. My internet browser history would be a psychiatrist’s treasure trove.

Do you journal write or keep a personal diary? Has this helped with your published writings? If so, how?

I kept a very intimate diary as a teenager. Still have it, locked safely away. Over my travel writing career I’ve written a detailed account of people and places and have drawn on this in my novels for scenes set outside the UK including Florida, Africa, Berlin and Gibraltar.

What is the most inspiring thing that has ever happened to you?

Impossible to choose between the birth of daughter Zoe and the birth of grandson Theo.

You are about to speak publicly to a group and read from your latest book. What do you do to prepare yourself?

I’m not a natural speaker and struggle with public events. My usual technique is to stare, unseeing, at some distant point till someone calling my name snaps me back to the now.

What do you miss about being a kid?

Not sure I’ve matured enough yet to miss anything.

If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?

Has to be Superman. I’ve always been fascinated by flying and super powers would avoid all that queuing.

If you could turn into one of your characters for a day, which one would it be and why, what would you do?

I rather fancy an ordinary day in Brighton as my lead character, Danny Lancaster. We’re similar in many ways but Danny lacks my insecurities.

What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?

Bruce Willis in Tears Of The Sun. I have quite a few movies I watch regularly, often in the morning while I’m doing my digital paperwork and drinking coffee. They’re entertaining but don’t need my undivided attention as I know them so well.

A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?

He or she is recently returned from a vacation in a hot climate, has no food at home and would like to borrow from my well-stocked tinned fish cupboard.

Do you believe things happen for a reason? 

Back to Shakespeare for this one. Hamlet: ‘There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will’.

If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?

What’s your real name? Do you actually like that tinned stuff? Where are my socks?

Which of your personality traits has been most useful and why?

Sticking at it regardless although some family members think it sometimes Borders on obsession.

What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?

South Shields at the mouth of the River Tyne in the north east of England. My father’s family came from there. The locals are known as Sanddancers and the fish and chips are the absolute best.

Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc.

Sossusvlei in Namibia’s Namib Desert, dawn as the rising sun turns the cloudless sky a brilliant blue and the giant sand dunes glow brilliant orange.

Thank you Bill for joining us on MTA. It was incredibly interesting to learn more about your history and writer’s life. –Camilla

Where to find Last Orders:

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/32Qgtf7

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Q9QihQ

Godlefe’s Cuckoo is Bill Todd’s sixth Danny Lancaster crime thriller. Here’s the
blurb:

Danny Lancaster has been missing since the fishing boat exploded. Police are closing their inquiry but Wanda Lovejoy continues her campaign to find the truth. An evil man kept alive by machines nurses a corrosive hate. As drugs and disease pull his dying mind apart he throws his crime empire into a scorched earth quest to find one man. If Danny Lancaster isn’t dead he soon will be.

DANNY LANCASTER crime thrillers on Amazon:

THE WRECK OF THE MARGHERITA –https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007OVUG6Q

DEATH SQUAD – www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0085V9HL4/

ROUGH DIAMOND – www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DK7F6I6

ROCK HARD – www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00GXDU5DA

GARGOYLE PIXIE DOG –  www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B010T2CHK4

GODLEFE’S CUCKOO – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079Z7Z4MW

MILITARY BIOGRAPHY

GUNNER, a soldier in WW2 Europe, 1944-45: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LGSZQTU

A CROCUS FROM JERUSALEM, Fighting in Palestine, 1917:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077P9DR7T

PIGTAIL PILOT, a young woman who almost became the RAF’s first female pilot: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B019H916OI

Connect with Bill:

Website: www.billtodd.co.uk

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreadscom/author/show/5804102.Bill_Todd

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/williamjtodd – @williamjtodd

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/@DannyLancaster3 – @DannyLancaster3

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/billtodd_writer/ – @billtodd_writer

If it feels right and you have the time (and you enjoy the interview) please like or comment or share it. The nature of the online world … the more eyes that see it the more it will spread and benefit the author and the website! Thank you!

And if it feels the thing to do and you are inspired to do so, I would be deeply grateful if you’d like to “Buy Me a Coffee” … Camilla – Host of Meeting the Authors …

Buy Me A Coffee

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Book Shelf: Aunt Dimity & the Buried Treasure by Nancy Atherton

Aunt Dimity & the Buried Treasure by Nancy Atherton

It was in the 90’s when I became nearly obsessed with reading every Agatha Christie book ever published. I’m pretty sure I reached that goal (perhaps minus 1 or 2 hard to find books) and ended the obsession with reading her autobiography.

This book drew me in with similar feelings I remember having about Christie’s books … minus the always present mysterious deaths/murders. After I began reading the book, I realized that it was a part of the “Aunt Dimity Series”. I thought, oh no, if I like this, I will just have to read all of them!! Hahaha! Hopefully, I won’t like it.

Well, I did like the book, loved it, and deeply enjoyed it. I find I love traveling a journey of discovery, locating clues, putting them together, and ultimately finding what one set out to find. I just prefer that the mysteries don’t have to do with murder or mysterious deaths.

This did not disappoint as the main character, Lori, discovers an extravagant jeweled bracelet in the attic. This is the spark that lights the way for unravelling the truth behind the bracelet. Love, love, loved it!

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/2O5ucu7

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/2AnP8EF

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Meet the Author: Where Rivers Meet by P.J. Roscoe

Today we welcome P.J. Roscoe as we travel  to North Wales to uncover how Shrewsbury castle, Ann Boleyn, night terrors, Micheal Fassbender, and a dog and three cats come together as part of Roscoe’s imagination and writer’s life. Make sure your footing is secure, let’s get acquainted ….

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am known as P.J. Roscoe in the writing world and Paula Roscoe in everything else! I live in North Wales and I am wife to my husband of 26 years, walker to my dog, Sid and butler to my three cats. We have a daughter with autism and dyspraxia who left home nine months ago to live in supported living and we are adjusting accordingly which ranges from night terrors to mad drinking games, from tip-toeing into her old room to touch her stuff left behind, to mad drinking games – well, you get the idea!! (Parents with children left home will get it!)

In which genre do you write?

I write in three genres. My main subject is supernatural/historical fiction because ghosts and I have been aquainted for the majority of my life.

I write historical fiction because I’m adopted, so I don’t have any history, so I delve into everyone else’s.

Children’s book, I write faerie books with morals for young kiddies to teach them how to live in this world and nature, or else!

How many published books do you have?

I’ve just launched my fifth novel, I have three children’s books out and we’re working on the fourth in the Adventures of Faerie Folk series. I am finishing my first non-fiction book titled, Thirteen Haunting’s, which is my first step into my biography as a medium who is called into various ‘haunted’ locations to help spirit.

I am also nearing completion of my sixth novel, moving into the supernatural/fantasy genre.

If you could have a fantasy tea or coffee date with an author or famous person from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Gosh, so many!! I’m going to be cheeky and answer this in two parts.

Past – Ann Boleyn – second wife of Henry Tudor  – I’d ask her what the hell was she thinking? Surely, she could see what a monster he was? I’d talk to her about how women love a ‘bad boy’ which Henry obviously was, and i ask her about his looks, was he letting himself go by the time he wed her? I’d ask her about her own dreams? Her own wishes and if she could change anything, would she? I mean, she must be proud of her daughter, Elizabeth. Then I’d chat about all the places she ‘supposedly haunts’ and ask her why? Then I’d order more cake, more prosecco, ( cause it’s become an afternoon tea!) and I’d try on some of her dresses!

Present – Micheal Fassbender – Gorgeous! Obviously, but I tried to contact him via his agent because he is perfect for a character in Echoes if ever it became a film. I’d discuss the character, James, and what he could bring to the role. I’d fight him for the last chocolate éclair and remind him he doesn’t need it because he has to look, ‘fit’, for the role! I’d ask him about all his other characters and discuss the film, ‘Frank’, which is absolutely brilliant and a definite favourite. Perhaps he could re- enact scenes from Jayne Eire to me while I ‘swoon’!

What’s the strangest thing you’ve done or experienced to help create a scene or plot or to help you remember something if writing a memoir?

I research pretty thoroughly when writing so I can be sure that if my readers visited the places within the books, they couldn’t complain that it isn’t possible. I want them to have the full immersion experience!

So, if a scene requires some extensive research then that is what I’ll do for my fans.

Echoes – I had to work out how fast it would take a woman to run down some pretty uneven steps at Shrewsbury castle – so yes, I ran up and down those suckers till I could barely breathe!

Where Rivers Meet – I had to act out a scene with my husband to see if it was viable that the character could lose her footing in a certain part of the mountain – for the record, yes it is!

As we have to keep it PG, lets just say, the love scenes in my books are thoroughly researched too!!

When I research, I interview anyone who has the knowledge i need to be sure I get it right. Doctors, hypnotherapists, police, archaeologists.

You are about to speak publicly to a group and read from your latest book. What song do you listen to before speaking? Or, what do you do to prepare yourself?

I get nervous before talking to groups, and I do a fair share of them. I give a talk based on my historical novel, Diary of Margery Blake. A fictional novel, set in Victorian England seen through the eyes of a young, reluctant bride. Women had no power, no voice, no rights and I use this book to show how life is not so different for women in this century. What has actually changed for women since we won the vote? How far have we really come?

I pace, a lot! And sweat, bad stomach from nerves and I do breathing exercises to try and calm my nerves whilst clinging to various crystals.

Song wise, I’ll listen to something soft, perhaps sing along to an All About Eve song, I like to sing, it also opens the throat chakra and lets me speak my truth.

What do you miss about being a kid?

The agility! I could move like a whippet, climb like a cat and run as fast as…Well, actually, I was terrible at running, but I could if I wanted to! Now, it hurts to get up off the couch, I look at trees and feel terror just contemplating stepping up to the first branch that is a few feet off the ground and running? Well, my breasts have rather a lot to say about such a notion!

What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?

I watched, The Magnificent Seven, the 2018 version. I love it! I love Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, heck, I love all of them. It’s a great story of men saving themselves and others. It’s about sacrifice, honour, togetherness and tough men caring about other people. Good versus evil. Definitely recommend it. I have seen it four times now. If I like a film, I can watch it again and again.

Do you believe things happen for a reason? Do you have an example from your own life to share why you believe this?

Yes, I believe things happen for a reason. I believe we meet the right people at the right time and have the conversations we’re meant to have at the right time. I have had too many experiences happen to me where I didn’t listen to my gut and it went wrong, but allow the natural unfolding of something, listening to my gut and it’s been amazing how synchronicity happened to get me where I needed to be.

Our son died just before he was born. His name is Jac. He had a rare genetic condition which meant his chances of survival were slim, he should never have survived past 10/12 weeks if that, but somehow he survived to 36 weeks. His strength to live, gave me the courage to keep going when I wanted to give up. His death began my journey into writing. My first novel, Echoes was written and it went on to win awards. That was meant to happen, regardless of how traumatic it was at the time, I am grateful for it now 22 years later, I am still going.

If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?

Eric, (black cat) Do you have to sit on my face every morning just to wake me up? Tabitha (tabby cat) Do you have to join Eric by sitting on my head to wake me up in the morning? Morganna (black & white cat) Do you have to join Eric and Tabitha by sitting on my chest in the morning to wake me up?!

Tell us about your most recent book.

Where Rivers Meet, A paranormal romance set in North Wales amidst the 19th century copper mines of Beddgelert, where injury, starvation and even death, are stark reminders of the time.

Abigail, a grief stricken young artist, returns to the Welsh village of her childhood to start a new life, but she finds an old suitcase from her past that pushes her beliefs to the limit.

Cain is in love with Abigail and will do anything to be with her. He has never questioned the dark tunnel that takes him forward in time as it brings them together.

Thank you Paula for joining us on MTA! It was interesting to learn more about you and great fun too! –Camilla

‘Where Rivers Meet’

Abigail Lloyd, is a talented, grief-stricken young artist, who returns to the Welsh village where she had spent many happy years with her beloved Nan. A home she had always felt loved and safe. A place she hoped she could begin her life again and find her own destiny; but on her return, she finds secrets that were long forgotten, locked away in an old suitcase. Secrets from her childhood that will push her beliefs to the limit.

Cain is in love with a woman he knows he can never possess. He has watched her grow into a beautiful young woman, but in his harsh world, she would never survive. He has never questioned the dark tunnel that allows him glimpses of another time, because it led him to her. It was their destiny to meet.

Set amongst the Welsh mountains and the ruthless reality of the 19th century copper mines where life is in the hands of the elements and injury, starvation, and death are stark reminders of the time.

‘Where Rivers Meet’ is a supernatural romance

Where we can find the book:

Available at Amazon, B&N, Waterstones, Crimson Cloak Publishing, and local book shops.

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Q4FTUC

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Aip6CK

Connect with P.J. Roscoe:

https://viewauthor.at/PJRoscoebooks
www.pjroscoe.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/storyladyauthor/?ref=bookmarks
Twitter – derwenna1
Instagram – derwenna45
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRGCNBK4Kqq8DbkGxtFRuQA

If it feels right and you have the time (and you enjoy the interview) please like or comment or share it. The nature of the online world … the more eyes that see it the more it will spread and benefit the author and the website! Thank you!

And if it feels the thing to do and you are inspired to do so, I would be deeply grateful if you’d like to “Buy Me a Coffee” … Camilla – Host of Meeting the Authors …

Buy Me A Coffee

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Meet the Author: Apple Island Wife by Fiona Stocker

Today we welcome Fiona Stocker as we travel to Tasmania to learn how River Cottage, a sloth, The Time Traveller’s Wife, and Four Weddings and a Funeral are a part of Fiona’s business, life, and writings. Get ready to get in the zone ….

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m an Englishwoman living in Tasmania. We moved here for a slower lifestyle. Last year I had a travel memoir Apple Island Wife – Slow Living in Tasmania, released by an independent publisher in the UK. It’s kind of like A Year in Provence or Driving Over Lemons, but in Australia. I live on five acres with my husband, two children, Alice the incompetent collie, Charlie the killer cat, and around thirty-five pigs.

In which genre do you write?

I have just published a travel memoir, about living in Tasmania – think A Year in Provence and Driving Over Lemons, and then add breastfeeding. It’s the wife’s tale. Long overdue.

How many published books do you have?

This is the first book I’ve had published in my own name. A couple of years ago I was commissioned to write a book for a women’s farming group here in Tasmania, which is jollier than it sounds. Farming women are full of grit, and their lives make for great stories. I’ve also worked as ghost writer and editor on a book of short travel stories about women traveling solo, and a couple of other books too.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

When I was sixteen my English teacher Mr. Warnett put a comment in red pen on an essay I wrote saying I had a particular way with words and would do well to nurture it. There wasn’t a big tradition of encouraging one’s children in my family or even talking to them and I spent a lot of time alone in my bedroom listening to Dire Straits. Mr Warnett’s comment was the first time anybody had taken an interest, and gave me a hint of what might be. (My parents are very loving, they were probably downstairs watching Morecamble and Wise. Parenting has changed a lot in the space of one generation, we’re all a lot more interested now.)

What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?

I gaze furiously at my laptop screen when writing and if I’m in the flow with a deep frown on my face, my husband knows he must not interrupt me for fear of severe consequences.

I also think that good writing comes with practice. I’ve written professionally as an advertising copywriter, and write freelance journalism and press releases and other communications in my work now. I can do what I do quickly and efficiently and I know immediately and instinctively whether something is working or right, or not.

What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?

I’d possibly have a sloth, as they get a lot of sleep, which I love, but they’re not good communicators and I’d find that frustrating. I have a teenage daughter, she’s fifteen, and doing a lot of internal adjustment which requires a lot of sleep. She reminds me of a sloth, another reason for choosing said creature, because it would remind me of the miracle of her.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

If I’m in the zone, I can write anywhere. I’ve written in the back of my car, in my very untidy office with piles of notebooks around me, in the foyer of a local college while my daughter and son do band practice with their college wind instrument band (think trumpets). If I’m below par, I write in bed. I channel Roald Dahl for this. He wrote in a shed at the bottom of his garden, but I dress it up the same way, woolen blanket, one of those breakfast trays for my laptop, a pile of paperbacks for my mouse to sit on, the curtains drawn, the cat at the bottom of the bed, and the electric blankets set on ‘toasty’.

What are you currently reading?

Anna Funder’s book All That I Am, about a small group of artists and writers fighting fascism in the second world war. It’s intense. Also Flesh Wounds by Richard Glover, an Australian journalist. This is his memoir. It’s very revealing and also very funny. I admire a man who can write personal detail unflinchingly. I believe a lot of men think they’re too important to do that, that the domestic and the familial is women’s realm and we should be left to it. Those men need to be given lots of the housework to do, have their pocket money taken away, and stick to a 5pm curfew until they shape up. (Removing self from soap box now.)

If you could have a coffee date with an author or famous person from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?

I’d have an afternoon coffee date with Henry from Audrey Nifenegger’s book The Time Traveller’s Wife. I’d ask him how his day has been. And I’d most definitely sleep with him.

What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?

That I’ll do pretty much anything to make my writing and my book sell.

Do you journal write or keep a personal diary? Has this helped with your published writings? If so, how?

When I began writing Apple Island Wife, it was as a blog. That really helped pull the book together because I had this huge bank of material – 135 posts. It had to be rewritten because the voices for blog and book are very different. That was a very long exercise which required a bit of discipline and determination. You’re in it for the long haul as a writer. Since then I’ve made sure I keep notes, some in notebooks, and sometimes for the next book I just collect info that’s relevant and shove it into a file in Word, with a well key-worded file name.

What is the most amusing, crazy or inspiring thing that has ever happened to you?

I met the man who is said to be the world’s sixth best chef last year. I interviewed him for eleven minutes for a newspaper article. He looked a bit scary during the research phase – he’s a serious, Brazilian ju-jitsu master. He turned out to be insanely genial, generous and completely absent of ego. I was completely smitten and loved the piece I wrote. The bloody editor who had commissioned it then never got back to me so it remained unpublished. So I put it on my blog recently. Shooting Star: Alex Atala Does Tasmania.

You are about to speak publicly to a group and read from your latest book. What song do you listen to before speaking? Or, what do you do to prepare yourself?

I always have a water bottle with drops of Rescue Remedy in it. That stuff is magic.

What do you miss about being a kid?

Nothing! My life gets infinitely better as I get older, know more and am prepared to sweat the small stuff less.

What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?

I watched Four Weddings and a Funeral the other day, for the umpteenth time. It’s brilliantly written. The dialogue is tight, it has fantastic running gags, and great characters. So clever the way Hugh ends up saying ‘I do’ – that’s very neat narrative making. I like the swearing too. And it was the first movie that depicted a gay couple respectfully. So much to like, and it never fails to amuse.

Which of your personality traits has been most useful and why?

I’ve got quite strong willpower. Every so often I mess up and offend somebody,usually by saying something unguarded. I used to agonise and beat myself up and spend hours in deep self-recrimination. Now I just think this is me and I’ve got to like myself anyway, live with myself, forgive myself and get on. People forget things, and they get over things, and maybe they needed telling. Nobody is perfect, and this is what’s meant by that saying. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to hold the view that there’s not much time left. It certainly keeps you on a straight path to what you really want to wring from life!!

Thank you for joining us on MTA Fiona. It was interesting to learn more about you and your book! – Camilla

Where to find the book:

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/2N9fqmJ

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/2UMBynH

UA Amazon: https://amzn.to/2UItt3A

If it feels right and you have the time (and you enjoy the interview) please like or comment or share it. The nature of the online world … the more eyes that see it the more it will spread and benefit the author and the website! Thank you!

And if it feels the thing to do and you are inspired to do so, I would be deeply grateful if you’d like to “Buy Me a Coffee” … Camilla – Host of Meeting the Authors …

Buy Me A Coffee

Posted on

Meet the Author: People Who Hurt by Celia Micklefield

Today we welcome Celia Micklefield as we travel to Norfolk on the east coast of England to discover how writing short stories, growing vegetables, complex characters, narcissism, a barn owl, and curiosity are a part of the fullness of Celia’s human experience. Slip into the gardening shoes, let’s go …

Tell us a bit about yourself.

My real name is Celia Smith but I write in my maiden name: Celia Micklefield. I used to think that was a good idea but now I know how difficult it is to fit such a long surname on the book cover!

I was born in the county of West Yorkshire in the north of England where folks call a spade exactly what it is. I’ve lived in Scotland, near Aberdeen, where for the most part I couldn’t tell what people were saying at all and for nine years I lived in southern France where my schoolgirl French improved considerably. Now I live in Norfolk on the east coast of England. It’s a wildlife wonderland with its inland waterways, wooded areas, windmills and quaint villages. I often use inspiration from nature in my short stories. That’s how I began: writing short stories for a UK women’s magazine. Since then I’ve published two short story collections, three novels and one non-fiction book. I’m currently working on my fourth novel with another two in the pipeline.

Leisure time is usually spent in my garden. I love growing vegetables but have to make sure the deer can’t get at them or they’d eat the lot.

In which genre do you write?

I suppose you could call my work Women’s Fiction but they’re all different.

How many published books do you have?

I have six self-published books. I used to have an agent but it didn’t work out so I went ahead by myself.

My first novel, Patterns of Our Lives, is a UK saga set partly during World War Two.

It’s essentially a multi-generational story about love and the sacrifices people make in its name.

My second novel, Trobairitz – the Storyteller is harder to classify. Trobairitz were female troubadours in France during the 12th and 13th centuries. My Trobairitz is a contemporary woman entertaining other truck drivers at an overnight stop in Languedoc by telling them a story. Her main character is an ex sex worker, now in her seventies who has a running battle with the current mayor of the village and his grandfather.

My third novel, The Sandman and Mrs Carter is a psychological mystery. Narrated by five main characters the story of Wendy Carter unfolds through their different points of view.

All my fiction is character-led. I love stories with multiple threads and complex characters with problems to solve. There’s usually a mystery woven in and maybe a tragedy or two. Life isn’t all sweetness and light so I hope to reflect the fullness of human experience in my work.

My two collections of short stories feature work that isn’t suitable for women’s magazines as they prefer, if not a happy ending, at least a hopeful one. Women’s magazines fiction tends to shy away from difficult subjects too but I love to jump into the dark stuff every now and then. In Arse(d) Ends you’ll find dark comedy, sexual harassment and sibling rivalry. In Queer As Folk the story Lemon Meringue captures sisterly love when one suffers from dementia, for example.

My sixth book, People Who Hurt is non-fiction. Part memoir, part informational the book outlines covert, passive aggressive narcissism and the abusive patterns of behaviour individuals with this personality disorder inflict on their partners. I make this book free as often as Amazon allows and I’m pleased to know it’s helping others realise that not all abuse is physical.

What is an interesting writing quirk you have that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?

I’m slow. In everything I do I’m slow. In 2013 I was hit and knocked down by a careless driver. My bones mended but my central nervous system didn’t and I’m in pain all the time. My condition’s been diagnosed as CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) so on low pain days I write as much as I can. On other days my energy is used up by just getting up. It’s taken me a whole week to fill in this questionnaire. I can’t sit in one position too long or my muscles spasm and my joints lock. That’s how slow I am.

What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal or avatar and why?

The barn owl.

After I’d left the abusive relationship I lived with friends until the legalities were finalised. It took three years to get my money out of the property we’d bought together because of his delaying tactics and spurious claims against me. I began looking for a place of my own but was anxious it should be the kind of home where I could find peace.

As I drew up in preparation to park outside the cottage I wanted to view, a barn owl flew low over the roof of my car. I watched it fly down the lane ahead of me. Its wings were majestic, beating slowly, calmly. It wasn’t in any kind of rush. I felt it was an omen. If a beautiful creature like that was happy meandering along this country backwater then this was the place for me.

What does your ideal working space look like?

Ah, it’s beautiful. Deep in the forest there’s a hidden clearing beside a lake. Distant mountains rise in misty mauve beyond the tree line. There, like Snow White surrounded by cute animals, I sit in my cottage and the words flow like magic.

In reality I’m in the spare bedroom with my trusty iMac up against the window. I can see cute animals, though. Except for when they’re eating my vegetables. They’re not cute then!

What are you currently reading?

Currently I’m not reading anything other than research for my next book but I have The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan on my Kindle ready to begin.

What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?

Not a lot. I like a quiet life. But I do like visiting foreign countries when I’m able. I usually pay for it afterwards and have to rest but I love the Greek islands in particular. I can look at that turquoise water for hours!

If you could have a coffee date with an author from the past or present, who would it be and what would you ask them?

I’d choose Daphne du Maurier. I keep a copy of Rebecca near my work station to remind me of the power of character. I’d like to ask her what she’d change about the book for today’s readers.

Do you believe things happen for a reason?

I do now. Everything is a learning experience. I like to think we are spiritual beings having a human experience. If I hadn’t experienced loss, grief, betrayal, bereavement, etc. how would I know what it felt like? I want to write well about how these emotions affect my characters and the things they do. My research following time with an abusive partner opened my eyes to a hidden world of domestic abuse and it pleases me that my story is helping others in similar situations to come to an understanding of what happened to them.

Which of your personality traits has been the most useful and why?

I think I must name two things:

Curiosity. I have to look things up. I want to know the reasons, meanings, backstory, processes, outcomes etc. etc. I love learning. Very useful for writers.

Patience. Without it there’d be no number one!

What is your most recent work and what is your work in progress?

My most recent book is People Who Hurt and the link is above. My work in progress is A Measured Man, an unsentimental, passionless romantic comedy aimed at mature readers. At the rate I’m going it could be finished in 2020!

Please drop in and say hello at my website or facebook page. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

Thank you for being a part of MTA Celia. It was wonderful learning more about you and your writing style. –Camilla

Where to find Celia’s books:

People Who Hurt:

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ZP5LaA

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/31dYw9C

Patterns of Our Lives:

getBook.at/POOL

Trobairitz:

getBook.at/TTS

The Sandman and Mrs Carter:

getBook.at/TSAMC

Arse(d) Ends:

getBook.at/AE

Queer As Folk:

getBook.at/QAF

Website: www.celiamicklefield.com and Celia has an author page on Facebook also.

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And if it feels the thing to do and you are inspired to do so, I would be deeply grateful if you’d like to “Buy Me a Coffee” … Camilla – Host of Meeting the Authors …

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