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Meet the Author: The Fifteen by Michelle Kidd

Today we travel to Suffolk to chat with Michelle Kidd about how working as a legal executive, dust under the bed, working for NHS, a tabby cat, Enid Blyton, writing long-hand, getting ideas on the treadmill, gardening, Nelson Mandela, and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm come together as part of Michelle’s current and past life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m Michelle Kidd – I currently live in Bury St Edmunds, a sleepy little town in Suffolk, although I was born in Cambridge. I worked as a legal executive for ten years, specialising in civil and criminal litigation, but have worked for the NHS for the last 12 years. I still work full time so writing is squeezed into whatever spare time I can muster! I like reading, wine and cats (although not necessarily in that order!)

My first book, The Phoenix Project, was written in 2008, but it spent the best part of the next ten years under my bed gathering dust! It wasn’t until 2018 that I decided I would publish it, and it’s a decision I’m glad I made!

I have an adorable cat called Livi – she’s a tabby cat and we rescued her from a stray cat centre when she was 7 months old. She loves it when I write – if she’s not sitting on my legs, she is trying to crawl across and sit on my notepad. She does make a few cameo appearances in my books…..

In which genre do you write?

Crime/thrillers

How many published books do you have?

At the moment there are three – all in a series (DI Jack MacIntosh series). I am just finishing the editing on the fourth – hopefully to be released in January 2021.

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

I’ve wanted to be a writer from a really really young age. I always had my head in a book as a child – I blame Enid Blyton! I loved the Famous Five books, and also the St Clare’s and Mallory Towers books. Boarding school looked such fun didn’t it?? Then I got all ‘horsey’ for a while and read anything that had a pony on the front! I began writing my own stories around eleven or twelve years of age. I remember showing my best friend my first completed full length story when I was about twelve and it made her cry – I think in a good way, or at least I hope so!

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

I write long-hand! I scribble away in a succession of notepads and then type it up onto my laptop. I find that my head churns out words so much faster than my fingers can type – but I can scribble really quite quickly. The only problem comes when I try to decipher what I’ve written….. But the story has the advantage of having its first edit when I do that first typing session, so I find it works for me.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

I mostly write on my bed with my cat sitting on my legs! I think she does it to make sure I don’t move and keep writing…because everyone knows you never disturb a sleeping cat….

What are you currently reading?

I am just about to start The Flanders Panel by Arturo Perez. It’s a new one for me – recommended by someone in a little book club I belong to.

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

The most recent book I have published is The Fifteen. It is the third book in my DI Jack MacIntosh series. By book three, I feel I know my central characters pretty well. As for the ideas for the storylines, they seem to come to me when I least expect them. Mostly it is when I’m doing something else, like working out at the gym, walking to work, or even washing up. Ideas float into my head and I quickly have to try and find a way to write them down (not easy when you’re striding away on the treadmill!)

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

I work full time for the NHS at my local hospital. It is a 5-6 day working week, so finding the time for writing is quite difficult. When I do get some free time I like going to the gym and do some gardening.

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

I would like to invite Nelson Mandela to tea! I saw him when I was 17, at the Nelson Mandela concert at Wembley Stadium. It was just after he had been released from prison. I remember walking through the streets of Wanstead with a friend from college, at lord knows what time of night, making our way to where my dad was going to pick us up in Redbridge. This was before mobile phones (giving away my age there…!) and it makes me shudder to this day!

I think Mandela would make the most fascinating afternoon tea guest – just thinking about all the experiences he has had. I would like to ask him how he managed to keep his strength and optimism, and whether he believed he would finally be released one day. And what books does he like to read??

What is your favorite time of day and why?

Early mornings! And I never thought I would ever say that! I love being up in the quiet hours when nobody else is around. Except the cat -she’s always up.

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

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (ie Borat 2). My daughter made me watch it, and although I didn’t really think it would be my thing, I did actually find it to be quite amusing and very clever in the end!

Camilla: This is on my list to watch! Thanks for the reminder.

What are you currently working on?

I am just finishing the editing for the fourth book in my DI Jack MacIntosh series. It is called The Bishop. Hopefully it will be ready for publication in January 2021 – fingers crossed.

Tell us about your most recent book.

My most recent book is the third book in the DI Jack MacIntosh series – called The Fifteen.

It was great having you on MTA, and learning more about your writing style. Wishing you all the best, with much success! – Camilla

Blurb for The Fifteen:

The Fifteen

When the past finally catches up with you, is it murder? Or justice?

When a bedbound, defenceless man is found dead in his London nursing home, nobody saw his killer.

But the killer left their mark.

Detective Inspector Jack MacIntosh soon discovers that this was no random killing; this one was personal.

And it was just the beginning.

As the case unfolds, Jack is forced to think the unthinkable as the evidence begins to point disturbingly close to home.

Revenge – how long would you wait?

The Fifteen is the third book in the DI Jack MacIntosh series.

Where to find the book:

Amazon: https://books2read.com/u/bMP00A

About Michelle:

Michelle Kidd is a self-published author known for the Detective Inspector Jack MacIntosh series of novels.

Michelle qualified as a lawyer in the early 1990s and spent the best part of ten years practising civil and criminal litigation.

But the dream to write books was never far from her mind and in 2008 she began writing the manuscript that would become the first DI Jack MacIntosh novel – The Phoenix Project. The book took eighteen months to write, but spent the next eight years gathering dust underneath the bed.

In 2018 Michelle self-published The Phoenix Project and has not looked back since. There are currently three DI Jack MacIntosh novels, with a fourth in progress.

Michelle works full time for the NHS and lives in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. She enjoys reading, wine and cats – not necessarily in that order.

Bibliography:

The Phoenix Project (DI Jack MacIntosh book 1) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07HVXMDM5 https://www.books2read.com/u/bW1Np1

Seven Days (DI Jack MacIntosh book 2) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08413GDYQ https://www.books2read.com/u/bMp5zX

The Fifteen (DI Jack MacIntosh book 3) – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08FH5WH9L https://books2read.com/u/bMP00A

Social Media links:

www.michellekiddauthor.com

www.facebook.com/michellekiddauthor (Facebook)

@AuthorKidd (Twitter)

@michellekiddauthor (Instagram)

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Book Shelf: The Cake Fairies by Isabella May

The Cake Fairies by Isabella May

First of all, I absolutely LOVE the cover of this book. Also, I stepped outside my typical favored genres to read this one. The title and the cover hooked me, and then I won this beauty through an online Meet the Authors event. YAY!

I had a wonderful and fun time following along with two master baker cousins who get transported from 1969 Somerset to 2019 London! Their mission while there is to possibly find everlasting love, and to become Cake Fairies, whipping up delicious treats, dropping them off in the wildest of places, all in the hopes of distracting people from the overuse of technology. It’s got me wishing there were real Cake Fairies! Great read!!

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To support this website and the author’s interviewed, visit Support MTA for suggestions. Thank you! – Camilla

 

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Book Shelf: The Orchid Thief – A True Story of Beauty and Obsession by Susan Orlean

The Orchid Thief – A True Story of Beauty and Obsession by Susan Orlean

After reading Orlean’s book titled, The Library Book, I just knew I wanted to read this one. Fascinating history of the state of Florida, educating me on entire topics I had no idea about. The passionate world of orchid collectors, and those that will do anything, pay any price to have the orchids they feel are beautiful and unique. Looking forward to watching the movie, Adaption. It’s on my list!

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“Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.”

To support this website and the author’s interviewed, visit Support MTA for suggestions. Thank you! – Camilla

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Meet the Author: A Mystery of Blood and Dust by Danae Penn

Today we travel to south-west France to chat with Danae Penn about how pilgrims, Argentina, an enormous garden, medieval life, giving lectures, going for walks, red herrings, traveling alone, and avoiding buffaloes come together as part of Danae’s current and past life.

Tell me a bit about yourself.

I live in south-west France, halfway between Bordeaux and Toulouse, in a small town called Condom which is where I base my novels. It is on the Way of St James pilgrimage track from Le Puy to Santiago de Compostela and there are thousands of pilgrims walking through the town every year. There were many pilgrims 500 years ago too, and some of them have walked into my novels.

In which genre do you write?

I write historical mysteries with a Gascon woman detective called Belina Lansac who helps her husband William. He has to hide the fact that he is English so he is always known as Guillaume, the Bishop’s Inquirer.

How many published books do you have?

I have just published my second book, A Mystery of Blood and Dust. Book 1 of the Belina Lansac Murder Mysteries is called False Rumours and that was translated into French by David Manson, with the title of Les Princes et le Pelerin. David is translating Book 2 into French now, and I am already plotting my third book which is about Basque sailors reaching America before Columbus did – but keeping that very secret. I have (with difficulty!) found a reason for these sailors to be travelling through Condom and getting involved in a murder mystery.

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

I wrote my first book when I was 22 and living in Argentina but I did not bother to revise the text – so I ended up with rejection slips! My teacher/lecturer husband became an author of topographical guides to England, France and Spain and I helped him a lot with that. I decided to try to write a novel again, bought several how-to books on creative writing, and half way through doing the first draft of my novel I bought a book which I can really recommend: The Weekend Novelist Writes a Mystery by Robert J. Ray and Jack Remick. They advise working out the characters first: the Killer, the Victim, the Sleuth, and the Catalyst. Only after that should you start on the plotting, and then the crime scene, dialogue, action and setting. That gets the Weekend Novelist to Weekend 13, and the rest of the year is spent on writing and revising drafts.

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

I spent most of 2020 at home, locked down in my house and enormous garden. This was beneficial for the garden as well as for making progress with A Mystery of Blood and Dust. Previous years have been very different. I have given lectures in English and French about medieval life, wearing a gown borrowed from the local dramatic society, and borrowing ancient objects found in friends’ attics and barns to give some idea of the difficulties of life in previous centuries. For example, for my medieval cooking demonstration I piled some logs on the church/museum floor, but did not light them of course, and showed a variety of ancient blackened cauldrons, ladles and mortars. The audience and the local journalists love my lectures. I go to many history meetings and visits, all in French, learn about Gascon history, and sell my books, each one signed and dedicated to the buyer. Every Sunday I come back into the twenty-first century and walk with the local rambling club for three hours, and twice a year we spend a week somewhere in France or Spain and walk all day, every day. It is very healthy!

What is the most enjoyable thing you’ve found through writing?

Creating characters, especially those who are red herrings. I try to make them all different and slightly quirky, with plenty of hidden background to their lives. At least, they try to keep it hidden, but I know their qualities and their faults. I also enjoy signing and dedicating my books and talking to journalists about them and then seeing their friendly reviews in newspapers and magazines.

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

I usually travel to far-away countries and by myself, although organised by English tour operators. Rather too often something crazy happens, and a friend of mine once sent me an email wishing me ‘Bon Voyage Danae, but don’t do anything excessively adventurous.’ She had in mind the time I hiked up a remote mountain in Myanmar with two Burmese guides and they insisted I came down it on the back of a motorbike instead of walking down the rocky track among swerving motorbikes, avoiding buffaloes, children and chickens. I thought that was a very dangerous idea and insisted on wearing a crash helmet. The following day I learned that at dusk there was a worse danger: bandits moving into the area and kidnapping me.

Tell us about your most recent book.

A Mystery of Blood and Dust – A Belina Lansac Murder Mystery was published in November 2020 and is the second book of the series, the sequel to False Rumours (and its French translation by David Manson, Les Princes et le Pelerin). Both novels show how my Gascon heroine-detective takes over the murder investigations which her husband William/Guillaume should be doing, but he has to leave Condom in a hurry. I include a town map of Condom at the beginning of each book so that readers can follow Belina as she walks through the medieval town full of pilgrims, pie-sellers, animals, smells, yells – and people trailing Belina.

It was wonderful having you be a part of MTA and to learn more about you and your writing style. Wishing you all the best, Danae! – Camilla

Where to find the book.

All three books can be found as paperbacks and ebooks on Amazon and in bookshops world-wide, and the first chapters can be read as previews on the Home page of my website https://belinalansac.com which has links to Amazon, Facebook and Linkedin and which gives plenty of info about medieval life for all the readers who have time-travelled back 500 years when reading my Belina Lansac mysteries.

Blurb for A Mystery of Blood and Dust:

Gascony 1483. Why is a consul’s daughter lying dead in the Sainte Eulalie chapel when she should be in a mansion attending her betrothal banquet?

Bishop’s enquirer Guillaume Lansac is tasked with solving the mystery – until he is called away by a danger that threatens English King Richard III’s nephews who are travelling to safety in Portugal. He must ride fast to Navarre to save them, leaving his wife Belina to solve the murder alone. But she is more worried about the dangers facing her family. One of her brothers has returned wounded from the war in Granada, bringing a Moorish girl with him, while the other risks being turned out of his mill and robbed of his livelihood and family home. Belina finds herself surrounded on all sides by enemies who seem determined to destroy her.

How can she survive in Guillaume’s absence, let alone solve the crime?

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To support this website and the author’s interviewed, visit Support MTA for suggestions. Thank you! – Camilla, Founder and Host

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Book Shelf: Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

The first book I’ve read by Audre Lorde, and I plan on reading more of her writings. Originally published in 1984, the book touches on racism, being Black and how that intersects with feminism and lesbianism. I found the writings to be incredibly informative.

Quotes from the book: “I give the most strength to my children by being willing to look within myself, and by being honest with them about what I find there, without expecting a response beyond their years. In this way they begin to learn to look beyond their own fears.”

“We can sit in our corners mute forever while our sister and our selves are wasted, while our children are distorted and destroyed, while our earth is poisoned; we can sit in our safe corners mute as bottles, and we will still be no less afraid.”

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“Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.”

To support this website and the author’s interviewed, visit Support MTA for suggestions. Thank you! – Camilla

 

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Meet the Author: Murder at Macbeth by Samantha Goodwin

Today we travel to Leeds, England to chat with Samantha Goodwin about how being a Marketing Manager, handwriting all first drafts, being inspired by a newspaper article, superstitions surrounding Macbeth, a tarantula, and The Lord of the Rings come together as part of Samantha’s past and current life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a crime author from Leeds, England. In my day job I’m a Marketing Manager for a national charity and I’m married with a two-year-old son who likes to keep me on my toes.

In which genre do you write?

I’m a crime mystery author and Murder at Macbeth is my debut novel. It’s a classic whodunnit that centres around a talented young actress who unwittingly stabs herself live onstage after a prop knife is tampered with. Suspicion soon falls on her eclectic castmates, but who had the motive to kill the leading lady…

A lot of reviewers have likened it to a modern-day Poirot (high praise indeed!) and said it reads like a really good episode of a prime-time crime series, like CSI or Person of Interest.

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

I’ve wanted to write a book since I was about 5 years old. I used to write short stories and poetry all the time when I was younger and it was my husband, Chris, who finally convinced me to take the plunge and write my first novel.

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

I write all my first drafts by hand! I find the ideas flow so much better with a pen, rather than sitting and typing on my computer.

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

I was actually inspired by a newspaper article about a London West End actor who was accidentally stabbed live on stage. That got me thinking; what if that had been intentional? What a dramatic way to murder someone and believe you could get away with it.

I’ve always been fascinated by the superstitions surrounding Macbeth about it being cursed and the fact the play itself is about corruption and deception provided an interesting parallel to the murder mystery. Plus, I found the concept of interviewing suspects who are also actors really interesting; they could so easily be playing a part to hide the truth.

List 3 interesting facts about yourself.

I love musical theatre and have met Jonathan Groff (Hamilton/Glee/Spring Awakening fans will appreciate this!) I love Marvel movies and my favourite superhero is Spider-Man. I’ve held a tarantula.

(Spoiler Alert: If you have not seen Endgame, do not watch this trailer.)

At this stage in your life, what advice would your young self give to your more mature self?

Don’t worry about trying to please everyone. When it comes to writing, inevitably not everyone will love your book and that’s okay. If I’ve learned anything from being in a book club it’s that it is impossible to write a book that everyone enjoys. Focus on the people who enjoy your genre; they are your target audience.

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

Me and my husband have been rewatching The Lord of The Rings movies. Such timeless masterpieces. I find it so inspiring so think that all of that originated from one writer’s imagination!

Do you believe things happen for a reason?

Absolutely. This was actually my Dad’s catchprase, “Everything happens for a reason.”

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

I’m very conscientious, which has been a really helpful personality trait when it comes to writing and editing my books. That attention to detail is definitely useful to ensure that everything I release is of the highest possible standard.

Tell us about your most recent book and where we can find it.

This year I’ve been working on a collaborative non-fiction book called Indie Writing Wisdom, which was released on 1st December 2020.

With the aim to inspire the next generation of writers, this book was written by eleven well-respected indie authors who all came together to share our expertise about our own self-publishing experiences and the useful approaches we took to ensure our books stood out effectively in a marketplace that has millions of books vying for attention.

It includes lots of practical advice on different elements of the publishing process from crafting interesting characters, writing motivation and plotting to editing, formatting, book marketing and much more. Our hope is to encourage fellow writers and answer the question we all get asked most frequently, which is, “How did you write and release a book?” And the best thing is that all the profits will be going to the Encephalitis Society (the brain inflammation charity).

It was wonderful to have you on MTA, and to learn more about you and your writing style. Wishing you all the best!!! – Camilla

Biography

Samantha Goodwin has written professionally for her business career as a Chartered Marketing Manager for over a decade before turning her hand to fiction. As an avid crime fiction fan, she regularly participates in the renowned Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate and completed their prestigious Crime Writing Creative Workshop. She also relishes attending literature festivals across the country as well as engaging in numerous online writing communities.

Keen to support upcoming authors, Samantha recently launched the #IndieWritingWisdom initiative on Instagram to collate and share inspiring, original writing quotes and does a weekly #IndieBookSpotlight to showcase indie books.

When she is not writing, Samantha enjoys reading, countryside walks, movies, musicals and almost all chocolate (but controversially not Oreos). She lives in Leeds, England with her husband, Chris, and son, Jack.

Murder at Macbeth is her first novel and was longlisted for the international Flash 500 Novel Award, has won a Gold LIterrary Titan Award, Chill With A Book Award and is an Indie Author Central (IAC) Approved 5 Star Read.

Her collaborative non-fiction book, Indie Writing Wisdom, is released on 1st December 2020. It provides practical advice and inspiring insights on writing and self-publishing from successful indie authors from all over the world. All profits will go to the Encephalitis Society (the brain inflammation charity).

Murder at Macbeth – Book Blurb

Something wicked this way comes…

When a talented, young actress unwittingly stabs herself live onstage after a prop knife is tampered with, suspicion immediately falls on her eclectic band of castmates.

But who had the motive to kill the show’s leading lady?

As the insightful, yet disillusioned, Detective Inspector Finley Robson and his shrewd partner, Detective Sergeant Nadia Zahra, interrogate the seven key suspects, secrets unfold to unveil a web of scandal, blackmail, and deceit.

Bitter rivalries, secret trysts and troubled pasts are just the beginning of the story…

Gold Literary Titan Award / Chill With a Book Award / Longlisted for the International Flash 500 Novel Award / Indie Author Central 5-Star Approved Read

Website: http://samanthagoodwinnet.wordpress.com

Instagram: @samanthagoodwinauthor

Goodreads Link: http://bit.ly/murderatmacbethgoodreads

Amazon Link: http://bit.ly/murderatmacbeth

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To support this website and the author’s interviewed, visit Support MTA for suggestions. Thank you! – Camilla, Founder and Host

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Friday with Friends: Trending Toward Wellness with Nita Sweeney

Trending Toward Wellness with Nita Sweeney

I hadn’t planned to become a mental health advocate. For two decades, while I struggled with my own writing, I taught writing to adults. I also published a monthly email newsletter for writers in central Ohio, USA, and blogged about the writing process. People reached out for writing advice and I coached those who asked. The work brought some joy, but never felt completely “me.” I continued, knowing it helped others and because my clients praised my work.

Things shifted with the release of my award-winning running and mental health memoir, Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink (Mango, 2019). After I wrote openly about my struggle with anxiety and depression from bipolar disorder, and how running helped me find more stability, most of the people who contacted me weren’t interested in writing. Instead, they wanted to hear more about how I hauled myself off the sofa, took up running, and saved my life. They were trying to save their own lives, or the lives of their friends and family. Their questions launched my next adventure: wellness author.

But the work I’d done in the years leading up to this wasn’t lost. During the decades I blogged about “writing” I was actually chronicling my emotional struggles. Distorted thinking, self-doubt, and recurring nightmares brought on by bipolar disorder often made it hard for me to publish even one post a month. Other times, in a manic spree, I would post every day. My struggle with consistency felt like failure and I was often ashamed. So, I wrote about it. As I grow into this new role as an advocate for emotional wellness, I see that I was always writing from a mental health perspective. I had simply miscategorized my work.

When my editor at Mango Publishing Group invited me to co-create the writing journal, You Should Be Writing (Mango, 2020), offering quotes from our favorite authors as prompts, we included chapters on self-care (Writing as Medicine) and on helping others (The Role and Responsibility of the Writer). Given the emotional struggles of many writers, the quotes in these “wellness” chapters are just as important as those that address the sound of language or the craft of writing. Writers need them all.

When I think too long about moving from writing teacher to wellness author, the anxiety resurfaces. When it does, I think back to a day years ago when depression, once again, had me paralyzed on the sofa. A high school friend’s social media post inspired me to pick up a kitchen timer, leash up our dog, and jog for sixty seconds. The journey that culminated in my first book being published began when I thought “If she can do it, why can’t I?” So now, when I feel afraid about the shift in my writing focus, I search for others who have made similar transformations. Stories of people who change directions mid-career give me the same courage I felt that first day I leashed up the dog to run.

These days, when people reach out for writing advice, I’m more likely to ask about their mental health than their writing. I talk and write about the need for a strong support system, meditative practices, and joyful movement to feed heart and mind. Each of us, writer or not, needs these to fully pursue our passions.

What emotional stability tools do you have in place? Do you move every day, even a little? Do you write as a practice, recording the wild patterns of your mind? And do you sit or walk in meditation to feed the deepest part of you?

Every tiny tool counts. If you need to build a kit, reach out. I’m happy to help you begin.

ABOUT NITA SWEENEY

Nita Sweeney is the award-winning wellness author of the running and mental health memoir, Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink and co-creator of the writing journal, You Should Be Writing: A Journal of Inspiration & Instruction to Keep Your Pen Moving. A long-time meditator, three-time marathoner, and former assistant of writing practice originator Natalie Goldberg, Nita founded the Facebook group Mind, Mood, and Movement to support mental well-being through mindful meditation, exercise, and writing practice. She lives in central Ohio with her husband, Ed, and their yellow Labrador retriever, Scarlet. Sign up here for wellness tips and information about Nita’s activities.

To see Nita’s previous interview on MTA, go here …

Meet the Author: Depression Hates a Moving Target by Nita Sweeney

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Book Shelf: Butterfly Tree by Sandra Markle

**Throwback to 2016** – From the time Thomas and Lillian were born (2005 and 2001) 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.

Butterfly Tree by Sandra Markle

Great story of the wonder and mystery of the migration of monarch butterflies. Made it into a great mystery! Cool!

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“Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.”

To support this website and the author’s interviewed, visit Support MTA for suggestions. Thank you! – Camilla

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Meet the Author: The Black Fire Chronicles by Kim Rigby

Today we travel to Raymond Terrace in Australia to chat with Kim Rigby about how the Royal Australian Navy, Lupus, tropical fish, the realms of spirituality, Billy Connolly, a sense of community, roller skating, singing, Monet, and Sydney Harbour play roles in Kim’s current and past life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m Australian, and I live in a small town called Raymond Terrace, near Newcastle in New South Wales (approximately two hours north of Sydney). Raymond Terrace has been home for the past two years, but I’ve lived in many places in Australia, thanks in no small part to twelve years in the Royal Australian Navy. I’m married for the second time, with no children as I have the autoimmune condition Lupus. I’m the doting fur mum of a grey cat called Max, and of numerous tropical fish!

In which genre do you write?

For the past few years, I’ve written a fantasy adventure series called The Black Fire Chronicles. It started off being middle grade, but it seems my stories are ageing along with the readers, and they are now aimed at young adults and adults.

How many published books do you have?

There are currently five books in the series, plus a novella prequel.

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

I was young, probably eight years old. My brothers were much older than me and not interested in playing with their little sister, so life at home was filled with books. I also had a wonderful school teacher who read to us all the time. I caught up with him 20 years ago, and he presented me with a story I wrote in 1979. It was a blatant rip-off of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but it was the start of all my scribbles!

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading The Healer’s Awakening, an ARC historic women’s novel by the lovely Helen Pryke. This is the third in the series, and I love the gentle overlapping of time and place in each of the books, and the growing story of the healers, their triumphs and tragedies.

I’m also reading The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig. This man has a stunning writing style, and he’s my new idol.

Camilla: I’ve got The Midnight Library on hold at the library. Can’t wait until it’s my turn. 

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

My books revolve around hero Andrew Adler, his extraordinary pets Ralph (and Winston in my work-in-progress), and his human guardians Dorothy, Patrick, and Angus. I wrote Patrick the War Man in 2020 about a man who experienced nearly all theatres of war in the 20th Century through a trick of time. Patrick believed war was the answer to his own anguish. Instead he discovered, friendship, loss, and love. The book is part homage to my own grandfather, who fought at Gallipoli, and part homage to the men and women who have silently served in the defence force.

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

When I’m not writing or reading, you’ll find me in the garden, or pursuing knowledge within the realms of spirituality and self-help. I strive to become a better person, as I feel change must start within ourselves.

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?

I’d love to sit down with Billy Connolly. He’s the consummate storyteller, famous but with immense humility, and now a certain fragility due to Parkinson’s Disease. I could learn a lot from him, and have a laugh along the way!

What is the most enjoyable thing you’ve found through writing?

A sense of community with other writers. I’m a fairly shy person, so finding myself in a number of writer’s groups and pages has made all the difference. I’m deeply grateful to Helen Pryke Domi, Sarah Northwood, Kayleigh Louise Brown, and many others who have extended an extremely long arm of friendship all the way to Australia!

Camilla: I agree with you about the sense of community and the lovey group that Helen and the other ladies have created. That’s how you and I met, too! 

List 3 interesting facts about yourself.

I learned to roller skate when I was five, but I’m still absolutely rubbish at riding a bike.
I was a soccer goalkeeper at university, because no one else wanted to do it!
I love singing! I had a good voice, but if fails me sometimes, as my vocal chords were damaged when my thyroid was removed in 2011.

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

Hands down I’d turn into Andrew Adler’s kooky neighbour, Dorothy Jordan. Dorothy’s childhood was my childhood, but I envy Dorothy’s ability to time step and visit Monet in his glorious garden, and Vita Sackville-West in her famous White garden at Sissinghurst.

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

My favourite places always involve some form of history, so for me it’s Sydney. You’ll find Sydney popping up in my stories again and again because there are many places where you can stop and imagine yourself stepping into the past. This overlap of time and history has always fascinated me, and you’ll see examples of this in The Rocks area, the older suburbs like Balmain and Paddington, and down by the water on Sydney Harbour.

What are you currently working on?

My current WIP is a continuation of hero Andrew Adler’s story. In The Black Fire Chronicles – The Hag, Andrew discovers he is a key figure in an ancient prophecy. Meanwhile, his personal life is torn apart by the reappearance of a dark and devious character, the Hag. Who is she, and why does she plague Andrew and his guardians? And who is her new and dangerous henchman? If you like a fantasy adventure with love, loss, time travel, and history, The Hag will be out early 2021.

Which book should we read first in the series?

Start reading The Black Fire Chronicles – Origins.

It was lovely learning more about you and your writing style, Kim. Wishing you all the best and I look forward to our blossoming friendship! – Camilla

Where to find the book:

Amazon: http://mybook.to/BFC1

Connect with Kim:

Website: https://kimrigby.com/

Social Media:

facebook: https://facebook.com/kimrigbywriter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimrigby27/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimrigby27
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Posted on

Meet the Author: Christmas Island by Natalie Normann

Today we travel to Oslo, Norway to chat with Natalie Normann about how hygge, living in Spain, watching dubbed TV, dragons, Viking ships, writing a book in English, and book treasure hunts come together as part of Natalie’s current and past life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi. I’m in Oslo, Norway, where it’s getting darker and colder by the minute. We have a saying in Norway – well, it’s a line from a Christmas song – that Christmas will last until Easter, and with the year we’d all had, I wouldn’t mind. I need all the cosy and hygge I can get.

In which genre do you write?

I write contemporary romance in English and historical romance series in Norwegian.

How many published books do you have?

I had to use a calculator for this. By the end of 2020, I will have published 63 books, and finished another that will be out early next year.

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

When I was twelve we moved to Spain and I had to live without books for three years. I went to a Norwegian School and I had read all the books in the tiny school library already. The public library only had books in Spanish, which didn’t help me at all.

We had a TV, but everything on it was dubbed, we couldn’t understand a word, but that didn’t stop us from watching. We would guess what the characters said and have a grand time trying to figure what the story was, and from there I started writing what would now be called fanfiction.

Later, when I saw movies that I had only seen dubbed, the story was usually very different from what I had imagined. Three years later we returned to Norway, but by then I was in the habit of writing and I wrote my first novel at 14. It was not very good, but it was a whole story.

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

I have the TV on while I write. It keeps the restless and unfocused part of my brain occupied, while I write. That usually mean I only see bits and pieces of a movies, but I can live with that. It works best if it’s something I have seen before, so I don’t get engaged in the story.

What would you choose as your mascot, and why?

A dragon, no contest. Viking ships had dragon heads, my grandfather carved dragon heads that he put on his garage roof, and I loved the dragons in Cardiff when I lived there.

Dragons are awesome.

What are you currently reading?

One Kiss Before Christmas by Emma Jackson. It’s lovely.

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

It showed up when I was writing Summer Island. Throughout the story, Jack, my British main character, talks to his sister Holly on the mobile. She’s fascinated by his adventure on a Norwegian island. So, of course Holly needed her own story. It grew from there.

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

I’m basically a lazy person, and I’m really good at thinking about doing things, and not so good at following through. When I became a full time writer – with a contract to write six books a year – and I actually managed to find the self-discipline to do that, nobody was more shocked than me. But it was fun and it was paid work, and I had a great time writing. Still do.

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

I got to write a book in English. That’s pretty crazy and something I never thought I would be able to do. And now I have written two!

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

I’m very confident and calm before something like this, especially if it’s not happening for a while. And then, about half an hour before it starts, I have an anxiety attack, and if there’s nobody there to either introduce me or ask me questions, I freeze like a deer in headlights. It’s really embarrassing and so annoying, because I would like to do well, I love talking about books and writing, and I keep hoping I’ll get used to it. Maybe one day.

What do you miss about being a kid?

I miss all the reading time I had, the wonderful excitement of discovering new books and new writers. It was like a treasure hunt. I would read everything I could get my hands on. Now, I have to manage my time and that’s not fun at all.

At this stage in your life, what advice would your young self give to your more mature self?

I would tell myself not to take everything so serious and to have more fun.

Tell us about your most recent book.

It’s the story of Holly, a very stressed, just graduated doctor, who has an episode at the hospital where she works. She is suspended while the hospital tries to figure out what to do with her. Her brother suggest that she comes to the Norwegian island where he lives, for a change of scenery, cozy surroundings and good food.

It was great wonderful to have you on MTA, Natalie! I very much enjoyed learning more about you and your writing style. Wishing you all the best! – Camilla

Book Trailer:

Where to find the book:

Christmas Island is published on the 30th of November as an ebook.

It will be available everywhere they sell ebooks.

Connect with Natalie:

Twitter: @NatalieNormann1

Instagram: natalienormann

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/NatalieNormannAuthor

Pinterest: Natalie Normann

http://mybook.to/ChristmasInNorway

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To support this website and the author’s interviewed, visit Support MTA for suggestions. Thank you! – Camilla, Founder and Host