Tag: women’s fiction

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Meet the Author: Belvedere Crescent by Misha Herwin

Today we travel to Stoke-on-Trent to chat with Misha Herwin about how being a teacher, Potteries, being a trailing spouse, writing in short bursts, staging a fight with teddy bears, and draining rods come together as part of Misha’s past and current life.

Tell us something about yourself.

I’ve been a teacher, a stay at home mum and a trailing spouse, i.e. a wife/husband who follows their partner when they go to work abroad. I’ve moved house thirteen times and now live in Stoke-on-Trent with one husband and no pets. Not quite what we planned after we came home from Jamaica, but having no jobs and owning a house in city, which we’d bought for the son to live in and look after our stuff, this is where we’ve ended up. To my surprise I’ve grown to love the Potteries, though I do wish we were closer to the kids.

In which genre do you write?

I write Women’s Fiction, Time-slip and books for kids.

How many published books do you have?

So far there are two Time-slip books, two that would be classed as Women’s Fiction and seven children’s books. I’ve also published several short stories and plays.

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

I’ve always made up stories and once I started to read I tried my hand at writing them down. With my younger sister I would produce magazines, where I wrote the stories and she did the illustrations. She’s now an artist and I’m a writer. We started young.

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

That I write in short bursts and then go and do something else, like making the bed, while the words are bubbling around in my brain. That seems to give me another burst of creativity.

It’s lovely to meet someone else who works in bursts! I do this, too. Not just writing, but anything I’m doing. I’ve never thought about giving it a name. 

What does your ideal writing space look like?

I write in our smallest bedroom, which is done up as my office. The walls are crammed with bookshelves, photographs of the family and pictures I find inspirational. The desk, which I mean to tidy every night, is usually a mess. Puzzle the bear sits on one side of the PC looking at me soulfully.

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

The inspiration for “Belvedere Crescent” came from a gloomy row of Georgian terraced houses in Bristol. Once I’d been down that street I knew there was a story there, although it was years before I knew exactly what it was.

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

I read; spend time with family and friends; try to keep my garden in order and bake. Muffins are a speciality but my scones are pretty good too.

I’d love to meet up for a fresh baked muffin or scone. Sounds divine! Perhaps one day I’ll get to visit Stoke-on-Trent.

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

Being able to step out of this world and into another where I have some sort of control over what is happening.

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

Staged a fight with teddy bears to work out the moves that my characters would make.

What is the craziest thing that has ever happened to you?

Meeting an ex-pupil on an island in Thailand. We walked in to a beach café to have lunch and a voice piped up. “Hello Miss.” We both lived in Shropshire at the time and I was on holiday and she was on her way home from a gap year in Australia.

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 don’t listen to music. I practise my piece over and over again to make sure that it will sound interesting, so that people will want to buy the book.

What do you miss about being a kid?

Nothing.

List 3 interesting facts about yourself.

1 English is not my first language.

2 I once had five cats living with me.

3 I love cleaning out blocked drains. Give me draining rods and I am so happy.

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

Own up to being a writer and expect success. If you believe in yourself others will too.

Wow! I love this advice. Powerful words, Misha!

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

I’d be Letty Parker in “City of Secrets” one of my books for children. I’d love to be in her alternative Victorian Bristol, to experience the sounds and smells of the city, the threat of the Dark Ones and know that I’ll be home safe in time for tea.

Do you believe things happen for a reason?

No. Life is random and you do the best with what you are given. None of us can expect a pain free ride.

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

That is definitely determination plus a strong dash of patience. Without them I’d have given up on my writing career a long time ago.

What are you currently working on?

I’m writing the fifth book in “Adventures of Letty Parker,” a series for 8-12 year olds set in an alternative England with a dash of magic.

Tell us about your most recent book.

“Belvedere Crescent” is a Time slip novel. It is set in Bristol and is the story of twin sisters and a family curse that has repercussions through the centuries.

Abandoned as babies, twins Sadie and Thea have been brought up by Great-Aunt Jane and when she dies, they inherit her house in Belvedere Crescent. They plan to sell the only home they have ever known, but the house and its past will not let Thea go.

Haunted by the woman with the red-hair she is drawn into half understood secrets and the more she probes the greater the danger.

As everything fractures around her, she slips back in time where she finds herself alone and fighting for her very existence.

To save herself she must come to terms with her family history and let go of the person she loves most in world.

Yet the bond between sisters is one that not even time or tragedy can break.

It was lovely to have you on MTA, Misha! I really enjoyed getting to know you better. Wishing you all the best! – Camilla

Where to find the book:

The book is available at https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Belvedere+Crescent+Misha+M+Herwin&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss

And other digital booksellers. It can also be ordered from any bookshop.

Connect with Misha:

https://www.mishahewin.wordpress.com/

FB page is http://www.facebook.com/misha.herwin

Twitter @MishaHerwin

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Meet the Author: Gina’s Therapy by Silvia Sbaraini

Today we travel to Canterbury, Kent, in the UK to chat with Silvia Sbaraini about how answering questions, ideas in the middle of the night, an elephant, an attic bedroom, listening to the radio, transcendence, tarot-reading workshops, advice from Grandma, sand martins, and chocolate truffles come together as part of Silvia’s current and past life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hello! My name’s Silvia and I live in Canterbury, Kent, in the UK. I’ve lived in the same house for over twenty years and feel I know it like an old friend (and occasional enemy, when bits of it go wrong). It’s 7 pm on a Wednesday evening during lockdown: Grown-up Daughter Number 2 is downstairs assembling dinner, complete with swearing and the radio turned up loud; my husband is in the front room watching reruns of old football matches because there’s no live sport; and I’m sitting at my desk looking at lists of all the life admin I need to do, but still haven’t got around to. And deciding to answer Camilla’s great questions instead …

Sounds wonderful. Everyone doing their own thing, with a bit of swearing and procrastination thrown in! HA!

In which genre do you write?

I write women’s fiction.

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

Ideas or beginnings, particularly for short stories, wake me up during the night. Then I have to get up and start writing, otherwise I’m guaranteed to forget them. I don’t know how many stories I’ve lost because I didn’t want to get out of bed at 4 am!

What would you choose as your spirit animal and why?

An elephant. Aren’t they amazing? Their size, their build, how they live in their social groups. I wouldn’t fancy being pregnant for twenty-two months though.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

Light, bright and uncluttered, with a great view. Sometimes I write upstairs in the attic bedroom, which has a view of rooftops, the cathedral and an expansive sky. It’s a lovely place to work.

What are you currently reading?

I’m just about to begin The Gyspy Bride by my friend and fellow author Katie Hutton. It’s a romance-cum-family saga set in Oxfordshire between the wars. I’m really looking forward to this one as Katie writes the most beautiful, evocative descriptions. I’m not sure I’d have the confidence to write historical fiction – I’d be too afraid of getting the period details wrong!

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

Well, it’s about a woman in her forties who is just getting on with her life – like we all do – when she receives a serious health diagnosis out of the blue. I’d been listening to the radio and they were talking about living with serious illness. And I thought: how would you cope? What would be the impact? Would it make you live life differently? This was the spark for the story.

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

Being a bit of a perfectionist/obsessive is quite helpful. To do anything creative well, it’s actually positive to have these characteristics – the desire to makes something as good as it can be, even if that means rereading and re-writing the same sentence a hundred times.

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

Escape or transcendence. When fully in the flow of writing I’m transported into that other world. It’s totally absorbing – nothing else exists and I lose track of time. My husband always says I’m happiest when writing. Also, I get a tremendous amount from reading, whether that be entertainment, being immersed in a completely different world or a sense of not feeling alone. Words have such power.

I absolutely agree with you … Words have incredible power!

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

Well, one of the central characters in the book I’m currently writing is an eighty-three-year-old psychic who reads tarot cards. So, in the interests of research, I’m taking part in regular tarot-reading workshops. I have to say, I’ve met a lovely, welcoming bunch of people, and I’m becoming much more familiar with the meanings of the cards. I haven’t discovered any latent psychic ability though (I think I was secretly hoping I would).

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

I love the way you’ve reversed this question! When I was a teenager, I’d ask my grandma what she’d learnt about life, what advice she’d give about how to live it. All she’d ever reply was, ‘Enjoy yourself while you’re young.’ Now, this might seem to be advice that my Old Self should give my Young Self, but, seeing as Grandma classed everyone under retirement age as ‘young’, it’s still advice my Young Self could give my Old Self. I’m fifty and not one of those people who ‘still feels twenty inside’. No. I feel every one of my fifty years but, sometimes, it would be good to remind myself that fifty is young to an eighty-year-old.

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

I initially chose a female character I’m writing at the moment, but – do you know what? – I think I’d choose Olly, a male character in my most recently published book: Gina’s Therapy. He’s the hopeless ex-husband of the eponymous heroine; he’s handsome, an artist, popular with the ladies and, unfortunately, Gina is still in love with him. I’m choosing him because I think it would be amazing to experience being the opposite sex. Would I find it actually made little difference to my sense of self, my drives and outlook or would I feel fundamentally different?

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

I absolutely love where I live – Canterbury, in Kent. We’ve been going for lots of walks in local woods due to lockdown, and it’s been wonderful to see them gently unfurling into new life – with wild flowers dotting the undergrowth and a fresh canopy of vibrant green leaves. There’s a great coastline walk from the local town of Herne Bay to Reculver. Here, the grassy cliffs meet the pebbly beach and your eye is drawn to the twin towers of a ruined church. At this time of year (May) there are lots of sand martins nesting in the cliffs, darting over the tuffty grasses and scrubby, sea-loving plants catching insects. Canterbury itself is an historic city with the cathedral at its heart and the River Stour winding through it. There are ancient churches, beautiful public parks and secret gardens, not to mention fab shops and a brilliant theatre. I’ll stop now, as I’m beginning to sound like a tourist brochure!

It sounds amazing. Now you’ve got me adding this to my bucket list!

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

In bed with a book. Maybe with a storm lashing at the windows and howling down the chimney, removing any guilt about retreating into bed. And a box of chocolate truffles …

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

My most recent novel is called Gina’s Therapy and it was released in April 2020. As it came out during lockdown, it’s currently primarily available as an ebook on Amazon. But, when lockdown eases and book distributors and bookshops begin to operate again, the paperbacks will be available. I think the blurb on the back cover sums it up best:

Gina has enough to deal with for one week: a disapproving daughter, her ex-psychotherapist living next door and a hopeless ex-husband she’s still in love with. Without a diagnosis of cancer.

Catapulted into the unknown territory of surgery, chemo and support groups, Gina faces her predicament with strength, wit and a faithful pair of elasticated-waist trousers. As treatment progresses, Gina finds herself asking surprising questions. Will she ever be able to concentrate on what her oncologist is saying, without being distracted by his enormous moustache? Should her best friend’s thirty-year love of David Essex prevent her advice from being taken seriously? And how will she explain her bald bonce to her seven-year-old granddaughter?

Blessed with the ability to delight in life’s absurdities and contradictions, Gina’s Therapy is a warm-hearted exploration of the things that matter most in life and the power of stories to transform our experience.

Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to take part in Meet the Authors – it’s been an absolute pleasure!

It was great having you on MTA, Silvia. I truly enjoyed your interview, laughing out loud! And, now I know what a bonce is … I had no idea and thought you had made a typo. Decided I better look it up before “fixing” it for you. Ha! – Camilla

Book Trailer:

Connect with Silvia:

www.silviasbaraini.com

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

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Meet the Author: Grace & Serenity by Annalisa Crawford

Today we travel to Cornwall, in the UK, to chat with Annalisa Crawford about how Doctor Who, being a fitness instructor, William Shakespeare, writing long-hand, being stubborn, Yesterday, and hot chocolate come together as part of Annalisa’s present and past.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m Annalisa. I live in Cornwall, in the UK. It’s a great place for inspiration – from angry waves on a winter’s morning to the haunting calmness of Dartmoor, or my daily dog walk around the nature reserve at the end of my road with views across a beautiful river. In my spare time (by which I mean, my day-job) I’m a fitness instructor at my local gym, and a bit of a Doctor Who geek.

In which genre do you write?

I hover around women’s/contemporary/literary fiction with a hint of paranormal. Sometimes the hint is so subtle you might miss it, but I know it’s there.

How many published books do you have?

I have four books published at the moment – ranging from flash to novella-length. My fifth book, Grace & Serenity, is my first novel and will be published in July.

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

I’ve always written, and I’ve always known I was going to be a writer. I started writing seriously when I was about 13, submitting stories to Jackie and Just 17 although I never had anything accepted. My dad bought me a subscription to a writing magazine when I was about 15, which is when I realised there were journals out there devoted to short stories without the annoying posters and articles about boy bands. This was before the internet, so my access to that kind of information was limited. My first two short stories were published when I was 20.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

It would be a cozy room with a view of the sea. I’d have a wall completely covered with bookshelves, a sofa for reading and writing my long-hand first drafts, and an antique desk. It wouldn’t be tidy – I love a bit of chaos!

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

Grace & Serenity is about a teenage mother, domestic abuse, and homeslessness. I always start with a character – in this case I saw Grace standing in front of her boyfriend, telling him she was pregnant, and him rejecting her. I don’t plan, so from then on I was guided by Grace – some parts of the story came as a surprise to me, a couple of characters that I thought were just popping in became a little more important.

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

My usual response to this type of question is Margaret Atwood, so today I’m going to say William Shakespeare. I’d want to know if he was the true author of his plays and if not, who was? That info would be worth a lot!

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

I act out the facial expressions of my characters – sometimes I can’t tell what they’re feeling, but I can see it on their faces. So I make the face. Sometimes I forget where I am, and do it in public!

What is the craziest thing that has ever happened to you?

When I was doing my A-Levels, I’d have free periods when I didn’t have to be in school. One day I was walking to school and realised that the street was completely silent – it was a quiet town at the best of times, but this was overly quiet. Not a single bird, cat, car, bird. Nothing at all. So I was a bit spooked when I arrived. I walked in, and all the classrooms were empty. I went up to the sixth form area – no one. I peeked into the staff room. No one there either. I went right the way through the building and out through the back doors, where everyone was lined up for a fire drill. I had never been so relieved in my life!

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

I watched Yesterday with my family. We saw it in the cinema last year, and it was on TV recently. I love this film because I love the Beatles, it’s a quirky idea, and they don’t try to explain it. If you like to laugh and sing Beatles songs, I highly recommend it.

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

I’m stubborn. I think there are probably many traits that can be useful for a writing career, but being too stubborn to listen when someone says writing isn’t a proper job, or to look at piles of rejections and think “I know it’s good enough to keep trying”, has served me well.

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

I’m spoiled for beautiful places where I live, but my favorite is Plymouth Hoe. It’s a wide bay, with headlands hugging either side, and it’s so tranquil despite being 5 minutes from the city centre. If I’m shopping in town, I’ll often sit up there with a hot chocolate and just stare out towards the horizon – it’s quite meditative. I love it so much, it’s the setting for my new novel!

What are you currently working on?

My current WIP is based on a short story I wrote about a woman who wakes up and her town is deserted. It’s inspired by an incident from the question above. It turned itself into a novel when I read an article, completely unrelated, that I thought entwine nicely with the idea I already had.

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

Grace & Serenity is about a teenage mother whose life spirals out of control at the hands of an abusive husband. She ends up homeless and desperate, and does whatever she needs to to survive.

It was wonderful to have you on MTA, Annalisa. I loved the movie, Yesterday. It was such a feel good movie. Wishing you all the best! – Camilla

Blurb for Grace & Serenity:

Living on the streets is terrifying and exhausting. Grace’s only comforts are a steady stream of vodka, and a strange little boy who’s following her around.

At nineteen, Grace has already had a child and endured an abusive marriage. But she’s also had her baby abducted by her vengeful husband and been framed as a neglectful mother. Even her own parents doubted her version of the story. So she did the only thing that made sense to her—run away.

The streets are unforgiving. Winter is drawing in. And Grace isn’t prepared for the harsh realities of survival. At her very bleakest, a Good Samaritan swoops into her life and rescues her. With a roof over her head and food in her stomach, she longs to see her baby again.

But nothing ever comes for free.

Book Trailer:

It is being published by Vine Leaves Press on 7 July, and is available for pre-order now.

Connect with Annalisa:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annalisacrawford.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnalisaCrawf
Website: https://www.annalisacrawford.com/

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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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Meet the Author: Everything She Wants by D A Nelson

Today we welcome D A Nelson as we travel to Loch Lomond Scotland to learn how a big desk, a blackbird, knitting, Wacky Races, and Edith Nesbit play roles in D A Nelson’s life and imagination. Stretch out, get comfortable, and read on …

Where do you live and which genre do you write?

I live near Loch Lomond in Scotland.

I write both fiction and non-fiction for adults and kids. My kids’ books are the fiction fantasy trilogy DarkIsle, DarkIsle: Resurrection and DarkIsle: The Final Battle plus my non-fiction book, A Children’s History of Glasgow. For adults, I’ve got my adventure romance, Dusting Down Alcudia (this is the first in a series of novels starring a female archaeologist, the second one is due out this year), and the dark comedy, Everything She Wants.

How many published books do you have?

Six so far. Many more to come!

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

The simple answer to that is when I learned to read. I’ve always loved books and reading, and have wanted to be a writer since I was about eight and realised this was something a person could do. As a kid I used to write and illustrate my own books. I’ve kept them all and they are funny to read. Let’s just say I am a much better writer than an illustrator!

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

Ooh, that’s an interesting question. Let me think. Well, I have a lovely big desk to write on, but don’t use it. Instead I prefer writing on our dining room table. I think it’s because there’s more room to stretch out – if you know what I mean. Plus I can keep a better eye on the kids!

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

My spirit animal would be a blackbird because I think they are such funny little birds with a beautiful song. We have some that nest in our garden and I love watching them as they hop about the garden.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

A huge library in an ancient castle packed full of leather bound books, large comfortable leather reading chairs and a huge fireplace where I would sit to stare into the flames and make up stories. My desk would be one of those large, antique desks with a comfortable chair. On top of the desk would be a bell which I would ring for the butler to bring me tea.

What are you currently reading?

A World Gone Mad, Astrid Lindgren’s wartime diaries. A really good and interesting book.

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

I take my dogs out a walk, I look after my kids. I’m currently doing an Open University degree in English Literature and Creative Writing, which I am loving, so that takes up a fair bit of time. In the evening, I like to knit in front of the television.

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 would want a date with Edith Nesbit and I’d ask her where she got her energy from to write all the stories, articles and books she did. I loved E Nesbit books as a kid, I think I’ve read them all at least twice! I’d love to chat to her about reading and writing.

Do you journal write or keep a personal diary? 

No, but I do keep an ideas book, which has some crazy ideas for stories in it.

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

I won the 2018 Royal Mail Book Awards for Scottish Children’s Books in 2018. It was for DarkIsle. I was really, really pleased to have won it, not just because of the winning, but because it was an award voted for by kids. I could hardly speak when I went up to collect my award, I was that surprised and emotional. Anyone that knows me will tell you I am never short of words!

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

I get very, very nervous. I really don’t like being in the limelight like that, so I do a lot of deep breathing to calm my nerves.

What do you miss about being a kid?

Having no responsibilities and being able to read all day, every day.

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

Wacky Races because I always wanted to be Penelope Pitstop. I thought she was so pretty when I was wee.

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

I would turn into Morag from DarkIsle for the day because she’s immersed in a world of magic, with talking animals and wizards and witches. I think that would be fascinating.

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

The new How to Train Your Dragon. I watched it because me and my kids love the series of films. I love the idea of dragons, so much so that there’s a dragon in my DarkIsle trilogy.

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

He would check the address with me and once I told him he was in the right place, he would whistle to his companions and all the Penguin Mariachi Band would enter my house. They would be there to provide the music for my Mexican themed party,

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

Do you love me or are you just sucking up because I feed you? What is it that you dream about? Is dog food as rank as it looks?

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

My imagination because without it I couldn’t write books. I have a pretty healthy imagination, which is why I don’t watch horror films or tv series – I would never sleep again if I did. Every bump, creak and swishing sounds would be a zombie or a serial killer trying to break into my house.

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

Glen Coe because it’s truly amazing and awe inspiring. You learn just how insignificant humans truly are when you are standing in the glen looking up at those huge mountains. You should go there some day, it’s beautiful.

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

I would take myself to Sir Walter Scott’s house in the Scottish Borders and spend a happy day wandering around his house. I’m a big fan of his novels. I’d then go for a nice lunch where I’d eat a delicious two course meal (three course would be just too much for me) and wine with a companion who loves books and reading as much as I do. So, we’d sit and discuss novels we were reading and finish the day with wine in front of an open fire at a five star hotel. Sorry, I know you said a solo date, but I hate to eat alone.

Tell us about your most recent book.

Everything She Wants is a new dark comedy starring the bored and put upon housewife, Susan. She decides there’s more to life than housework, her bullying husband and selfish teen daughter, so she runs away to join a Wham tribute act. There’s the chance of happiness with a new man, if only she could get around his huge ego.

Thank you for joining us on MTA! It was an incredible pleasure to learn more about you and your books! – Camilla

Where to find the book:

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/2HDB0v1

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

Connect with D A Nelson:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1351494.D_A_Nelson

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Meet the Author: A Daughter’s Truth by Laura Bradford

Today we welcome Laura Bradford as we travel to New York and learn how candy corn, Multiple Sclerosis, Walt Disney, and sea lions play a key role in Laura’s writers life. Grab some paper, crayons and sharpened pencils and get comfortable …

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m what you might call a geographical mutt. I was born in New Jersey, but have also lived in Connecticut, Ohio, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, and now, New York.  I’m a mom (best job ever), a doorman for the family cat, a baking enthusiast (and fruits-of-my-labor eater), and a lover of all things chocolate. My “happy places” include Walt Disney World, the beach, and a small town called Tie Siding, Wyoming.

In which genre do you write?

I have written most extensively in cozy mysteries (amateur sleuth whodunits), but have found my way into Women’s Fiction, as well.

How many published books do you have?

To date? Thirty-three.

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

Oh, I remember that day well. I was ten years old and playing at my friend’s house. It was raining outside and we’d exhausted all of our favorite go-to activities (Barbies, and back-up dancers–don’t ask). My friend pulled out a stack of paper, a box of Crayola Crayons, and some sharpened Number Two pencils in anticipation of the children’s books she suggested we make.  A few hours later, armed with my first self-written book in tow, I walked in my front door and told my mom I was going to be an author when I grew up.

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

When I’m in the final push of a book, I crave a bowl of Brach’s Candy Corn and a tall glass of milk.  Not sure why, but if I don’t have those two things, the book isn’t going to get finished.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

It would be a big, bright, sunny room with long billowing curtains (billowing because of the ocean breeze coming through the window of my ocean front writing room). There would be built-in bookshelves on the non-window walls–stuffed with the books I’ve written, my favorite books to read, and pictures of the people who make me happy.

I’d have a big desk to accommodate my laptop, my notes, and my bowl of deadline candy corn. Next to–and facing–the big floor to ceiling windows would be a big, comfy oversized/overstuffed chair where I’d actually spend most my time writing, plotting, dreaming…

Now let’s contrast that to my actual writing space, shall we?  Me, jammed into the corner of my old, tired living room couch with a stack of notebooks beside me and the cat curled up on top of the notebook I’m trying to consult.

But hey, a gal can dream, can’t she?

List 3 interesting facts about yourself.

*I was one of 13 kids in my very small elementary school who had their appendix out within a 2 week time period.

*Thirty of my thirty-three books published to date, have been since I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

*I can recite the old Big-Mac ingredient list (1970’s era commercial slogan for McDonald’s) backwards. Fast.

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

The nugget that grew into A Daughter’s Truth, came to me in a flash while driving around Amish Country in Pennsylvania. I passed a quiet cemetery and found myself picturing a young woman, standing over a family member’s grave, staring down at a locket someone had left beside the simple gravestone. Right away I had to know who was buried there…who the girl was….what was inside the locket…and who put it there.   I simply had to write this story to find out.

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 would have a coffee date with Walt Disney. And more than actually ask him anything (although it would be fun to pick his brain), I’d like to show him (via pictures) how much joy he’s brought to families (including mine) by way of his imagination. I’m seriously in awe of everything that man set in motion.

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

That I’m not as much of an introvert as I once thought–or once was. I always thought the life of an author was just about writing. That’s it. How wrong I was … When my first book was published, I was asked to give a talk at a library. I was terrified and it felt like I had a bag of cotton in my mouth the whole time I was speaking.  But somehow, along the way, I’ve actually come to enjoy getting out and talking at libraries and other reader events.

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

Ha!  Where do I start? 1) Would you like a breath mint? 2) We have guests–can you lick your nether regions somewhere else, please? 3) Do you really not get the notion that if you trip and kill me on the way to get your food, there will be no one to feed you?

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

Wow. Tough question. If I’m craving fun, I’d say Walt Disney World (with the kids–who, by the way are now in their 20’s). If I’m in need of slowing things down a wee bit, I’d say Lancaster County (Amish Country) in Pennsylvania. In the late fall.   And if I’m in need of utter peace, I’m going with my friend’s home in Tie Siding, Wyoming. There’s something about standing on her back deck, looking at the mountains that makes you realize how really small you are and I think that’s a worthwhile reminder for us all sometimes. It’s very quieting.

Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on …

This is an easy one as I do this, from time to time, when I need a break.  I head down to NYC (it’s about a 50 minute train ride along the Hudson River) in the morning. I have breakfast at a favorite haunt on West 72nd Street, and then I trek across Central Park to the zoo and watch the sea lions do tricks for their food.  I know the names (and can tell them apart) of each sea lion they have and I not-so-secretly dream about getting out on the rocks with the trainers and tossing a fish into a sea lion’s mouth (and trust me, that is the only thing that could ever make me hold a fish–alive or otherwise–in my bare hands).

Tell us about your most recent book.

 A Daughter’s Truth is my 2nd Women’s Fiction novel, and it’s the book I’ve been getting the most reader written letters about. People are telling me it’s making them “feel all the feels.”  I think a lot of that is because at some point in life, we all find ourselves at a crossroad. Maybe we’re there because of illness, or a big change in life, or via other people’s choices (like Emma is in the novel).  But no matter why we’re there, we all have the same choice in that instance: will the moment define me or will I define the moment.

Thank you Laura for stopping by Meeting the Authors. It was fun and interesting to learn more about your background. I look forward to adding A Daughter’s Truth to my to be read pile! –Camilla

Book Blurb for A Daughter’s Truth:

Emma Lapp tries to be the perfect daughter, to earn the loving embrace of her family and her Amish community in Pennsylvania. Yet she can’t quite win her mother’s smile—or her forgiveness for a transgression Emma can’t quite place . . .

Emma knows she’s a reminder of her mother’s greatest sorrow, having been born on the same day Mamm lost her beloved sister. The one bright spot has been the odd trinkets anonymously left at her aunt’s grave each year on Emma’s birthday—gifts Emma secretly hides because they upset her parents. But the day she turns 22, a locket bears a surprise that sends her on an unexpected journey . . .

Searching for answers, Emma travels to the English world and finds a kinship as intriguing as it is forbidden.  But is this newfound connection enough to leave behind the future she’d expected? The answers are as mysterious, and as devastating, as the truth that divides Emma from the only family, and the only life, she’s ever known . . .

Where we can find it:

A Daughter’s Truth is available in print, digital, and audio. It can be purchased via Indiebound.org, Barnes & Noble, KOBO, Apple Books, Amazon, and more.

Indiebound.org:  https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=a+daughter%27s+truth

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/2G1VGfH

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/2YI2Cpi

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-daughter-s-truth-2

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41734713-a-daughter-s-truth?from_search=true

Connect with Laura:

Website:  https://www.laurabradford.com/

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

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/laurabradfordauthor/

Twitter:  @Bradfordauthor

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/laura-bradford

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: A Single Woman by Maggie Christensen

Today we welcome Maggie Christensen to Meeting the Authors as we travel to Australia on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and learn how teaching in the sun, a mortar board, ironing, and happily ever after come together to help Maggie create the heroines and heroes of her stories. Grab your iron and let’s go …

Tell us a bit about yourself.

After a career in education, I began writing contemporary women’s fiction portraying mature women facing life-changing situations. I write about mature heroines coming to terms with changes in their lives and the heroes worthy of them – heartwarming tales of second chances.

In my mid-twenties, I was lured from my native Glasgow to Australia by the call ‘Come and teach in the sun’ and a poster of a sexy man wearing swimmers, gown and mortar board. Once there, I worked as a primary school teacher, university lecturer and in educational management.

Now retired, I live with my husband of over thirty years on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. My days are spent surrounded by books, either reading or writing them – my idea of heaven!

In which genre do you write?

Mature Women’s Fiction – heartwarming stories of second chances.

How many published books do you have?

Eleven, one of which – A Brahminy Sunrise – is a novella. I write the sort of books I enjoy reading. My heroines are all in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s –women who have life experiences to draw on. They are real people – ones I hope my readers would like to become their friends.

Although all my books can be read as standalone, many of my characters reappear in other books, like old friends. My books are set in places with which I am familiar – Florence on the Oregon Coast, where my mother-in-law lived for many years, Scotland where I grew up, Sydney where I lived when I first came to Australia, and Queensland’s Sunshine coast where I live now.

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

I always wanted to write but became caught up in work – writing course materials, conference papers, reports and submissions. It was only when I was close to retirement that I made time for my true love – writing fiction.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

I share an office with my lovely husband who is also a writer – he writes non-fiction. Our desks face each other and I often ask his help when I’m searching for the right word. When I get stuck on a plot, I can often find answers by doing ironing – a task which I hate – or moving to write on my laptop in another part of the house.

What are you currently reading?

I’m making my way through Lucinda Riley’s Seven Sisters books. I discovered her through her latest book, The Butterfly Room and love her writing.

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

Read – I’m a voracious reader. And I enjoy walking along the beach with my husband or having coffee with him overlooking the ocean or the river. I also volunteer at our local library and select and deliver books to the housebound.

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

I’d love to meet three of my favourite authors who have inspired my writing – Liz Byrski, Joanna Trollope and Marcia Willett. I would ask them for any advice they have to offer.

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

Girl in a Café – I discovered the DVD in our library and saw it featured Bill Nighy who I like. It’s a great movie.

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

In my late thirties, I was teaching in a regional college of education which was being amalgamated with another some distance away. I did not want to move and was worried about losing my position so was madly trying to find a position in the city and buy a house there. It was when I did make the move that I met the man who became my husband. – my own Happy Ever After story.

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

Perseverance. Once I start something, I don’t give up.

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

Any place on the ocean. I love where I live close to several beautiful beaches.

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

A Single Woman – This is the third in my Scottish collection and while it can be read as a standalone, it is a sequel to Isobel’s Promise

“The thoughtful and touching story of the developing relationship between two rather damaged people.”

Thank you Maggie for joining us on Meeting the Authors. It was most lovely learning about the pieces of your life’s puzzle and how they fit together perfectly for you and your writer’s life. – Camilla

A Single Woman Book Blurb:

Isla Cameron, headmistress at an elite girl’s school in Glasgow, is determinedly single, adroitly avoiding all attempts at matchmaking by a close friend.

Widower Alasdair MacLeod is grieving for the wife he lost two years earlier, struggling as the single father of two teenagers, and frustrated by the well-meaning interference of his in-laws.

When a proposed school trip to France brings Isla and Alasdair together, they find a connection in the discovery that each is suffering the loss of a loved one, but neither is interested in forming a relationship.

As their friendship grows, Alasdair struggles with his increasing attraction to the elegant schoolmistress, while Isla harbours concerns about the complications a relationship with him would bring.

Can Alasdair overcome his natural reserve, and can Isla open her heart to love again?

Learn more about Maggie and her books:

Available on all digital platforms: books2read.com/ASingleWoman

UK Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Rkpw3r

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

UA Amazon-Kindle: https://amzn.to/2FeMljW

Website: https://maggiechristensenauthor.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaggieChriste33

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggiechriste33

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8120020.Maggie_Christensen

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2Lt8fkL

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