14th Issue
In a blink of an eye, another month has passed. I’m enjoying the longer periods of daylight,
the warmer temperatures and the opportunity to get outside in the fresh air
here in the land of the Mitten.
Time to continue with my take about writing, my latest Work
In Progress, an interview with another author and of course, music. There must
be music! It’s essential to life.
So, with that being said, let’s get this show on the road.
Writing
Last month I was focused on character
names and described how important they are to my efforts. It’s often my plan to
use distinctive names, or ones that may give the reader a clue as to how the
character will act.
In the old days, I used to peruse the
obituaries and death notices, looking for distinct names, some from different
ethnic backgrounds. I’ll still make a note of a name that jumps out at me, from
an article or a newscast. But sometimes,
the real ones are just too good to be true.
A couple of my students have names
that are distinctive. With their consent, they may just appear in the next
Chene novel. Or they could show up in something else down the road. Olivia is one such person appears in the
second and third book. The character is a
reporter for Channel Four in Detroit and truth be told, she’s based on a young
lady I worked with a few years ago.
The real Olivia was the inspiration
for the character. Her mannerisms, attitude and interactions with Chene are
spot on. There’s a fair amount of good-natured
bantering they share, which is a mirror image of the real Olivia. When I shared pages from the earlier work
with her, Liv was delighted.
Olivia also helped do some research
about prohibition for “Your Turn to Die”.
Modeling a character after her was a great way to express my thanks.
Little did I realize that Olivia the reporter might find her way into multiple
stories.
Something tells me Liv doesn’t mind at
all.
Work in Progress.
The story continues to roll slowly
forward. Since I mentioned Olivia above, it’s a perfect time to share a scene
with that player. Chene and Banks are
meeting with her at the television studio to get some assistance from the media.
Here’s a picture
of what Olivia might look like.
Olivia
Sholtis was waiting at the reception desk. The guard must have alerted her. She
leaned forward and brushed her cheek against mine. I introduced her to Banks.
“Let’s
use this conference room. Then you can tell me all about what’s got you working
with the FBI.”
“Hope
I didn’t drag you away from an important story,” I said.
“Told
my producer I’ve got a hot lead on an in-depth interview with a rogue cop and
his sexy girlfriend,” she said, fluttering her lashes at me.
“You
know, I almost forgot about your wicked sense of humor.”
“Someday,
Chene, you’re going to sit down and tell me everything. By the way, you still
owe me for that spa treatment from last month.”
“Send
me a bill. I’m good for it.”
There
was a small square table in the conference room with four chairs at the sides. I ended up sitting between Banks and
Olivia. On the wall across from me was a
large screen showing the current program the station was broadcasting.
Banks
explained the details on the case. Olivia jotted down notes in some
journalistic version of shorthand. Using a tablet computer, she called up the
details on the discovery and subsequent identification of Charity Gray. There had been little follow up since that
story ran. We watched the reports
together on the big screen. There wasn’t much to begin with. After reviewing her
notes, Olivia looked at me and fluttered her dark lashes again.
“What
do you have in mind, Chene?”
“A
quick interview. Get the public thinking about this poor girl who vanished and
no one’s been held accountable for her death yet.”
A
look of surprise crossed her face. “You’re willing to go on camera? The elusive
Sergeant Chene, being interviewed live on the noon news?”
“Hell
no. You want someone people can relate to. Kids she knew then would be in their
thirties now. They’re probably scattered to the four winds, but some may still
be in the area. And someone may remember her.”
“So,
if you’re not going on camera, who is?”
Banks
piped up. “You’re thinking one of the sisters from the school.”
“Damn
right. The principal, Sister Augusta, wasn’t there when Charity disappeared,
but Sister Mary Margaret was. She was one of her teachers.”
Liv
was adding to her notes. “You think she’ll do an interview?”
“Bet
your cute little ass she will,” I said.
Banks
offered to call the school and arrange it.
Olivia
leaned close and whispered, “You really think my ass is cute?”
I
winked at her. “Yeah, but don’t tell Charlie.”
She
patted the back of my hand. “That will be our little secret. And I won’t
mention it to your new girlfriend when I interview her.”
“You
keep dreaming, kid.”
“Always.
When you crack this case, do I get an exclusive?”
I
had already considered that. “Some of it may have to be off the record, but
I’ll make sure you get solid information.”
“Promises,
promises. You can be such a sweet talker, Chene. Telling me exactly what I was
hoping to hear,” Olivia said with a smile.
Author Interview
Last year my novella “Don’t Mess With the Gods”, co-authored
with Elle Nina Castle, was included in the “Magic & Mischief” anthology, which
included several great authors. Mikael
Lemieux was also part of the group. His tale “The Curse of Cinder Ash” was a
delightful read.
So I invited Mik to stop by for a visit.
Where are you from?
I was born in New Tecumseth,
Ontario. Adopted by French Christian parents, I grew up in Longlac, a small
town in Northern Ontario known as “Nature’s Home-Town”.
What’s your ‘someday’ or dream
vacation spot and why?
My dream vacation spot would be to
spend one week exploring the beautiful city of Copenhagen with my family.
What’s your favorite thing to do for
relaxation?
I like to spend my time relaxing
either next to a campfire or on a lake fishing, taking in nature and spending
time with family.
Any favorite hobbies?
My hobbies including fishing,
hunting and hiking. Experiencing nature will always be my favorite past-time.
How long have you been writing?
I began writing in 2018 and don’t
plan on stopping.
Are you able to write full time or do
you also have a job/career?
I write part time. I am currently
employed by the Canadian Armed Forces as a Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical
Engineer.
Is there a particular genre that you
write? Or more than one? What led you there?
Over last three years I have
exclusively written in the genre of romance. I began writing in this genre as a
gift to my wife. In the future I will be pursuing more non-fiction technical
works.
Do you use friends or family as
characters in your work?
I typically draw all my stories from real world experiences. Family and
friends regularly make it into my work which makes the stories that much more
special.
What authors had an impact on you
growing up and as an adult?
The authors who had the biggest
impact on me growing up were J.K. Rowling and Cornelia Funke. Their enchanting
books full of wonder allowed for an escape from the world and encouraged my
creativity.
Has anyone in your life influenced
you or encouraged you to pursue your interests of writing?
My wife has always been my biggest supporter
in writing. She has helped me every step of the way.
Do you have any “must haves” with you
while you’re writing?
A laptop, water, notepad, pen,
country music and lots of snacks!
What have you learned the most from
being in the writing business?
To be a successful author in this
modern information age you can’t only be an author. You must take all
opportunities to become marketer, business owner and salesperson all in one in
order to succeed. An expert in the writing business is far from exclusively a
writer.
How did you decide on your story
plot?
Inspired by a traumatic car accident
I experienced with my wife. I spent months watching her injuries heal. She was
an inspiration. I was touched and decided that I had to write about it.
Do you use an outline or ‘seat of the
pants’?
I typically sit down and write whatever comes
to mind. The good stuff usually comes to the surface after a few drafts.
Tell us about one of your works:
My very favorite work is titled
Remember Me. A Canada Book Award Winner.
Blurb:
It was their passion…
that’s all people talked about.
True love… it’s
complicated.
Madeline and Elliot's
partnership was the envy of the dance floor. Their story, an unspoken
truth. Star crossed lovers focusing all their emotions into their craft...
like I said it was complicated.
Until the day everything was taken away. Until they fell harder
than ever before. It was always Elliot and Madeline, but now…
What would you do? Would
you fight for true love?
If you're a fan of
Helen Hardt or Sienna Parks, you'll love this inspirational romance! “Remember
Me” gives rare insight into the length people will go for true love.
Excerpt:
Elliot's father waited for Elliot in baggage
claim. He was a bit tipsy and emotional so when Neal pulled Elliot in for a
hug, he broke down. The six to eight hours of not knowing was slowly killing
Elliot and he couldn't figure an outlet for how he was feeling. He wasn't the
type to hit anything or throw something across the room in frustration kind of
guy. He was the I'm going to find something positive in the moment. This time
he couldn't find it. He was lost and the one person who always led him to the
right place couldn't be there to soothe him, to collect him from the chaos and
bring him back to good old Elliot. He couldn't be that same guy because his
other half was missing and hurt.
“How is she, dad?” he asked, not really wanting
to know what the answer might be.
Neal shook his head. Elliot nodded and found
himself under the arms of his father as they walked out of the airport. His
mother was with Madeline's mother, a friendship that was formed nearly twenty
years ago when their children were paired together. Elliot knew that his mother
didn't need to be any other place. Davina's place was right by Wendy and Elliot
didn't expect it any other way.
“Your mother wanted me to take you home
Elliot,” his father told him as they made their way onto the freeway.
Elliot turned his head, “I want to see
Madeline.”
“Not yet son.”
“But...” Elliot stopped when his father looked
at him. Elliot's father was a soft-spoken man. He never really had anything to
say. His eyes spoke more of the things that needed to be said and right now
beside him, his father's eyes bore into him. Elliot knew that his father wasn't
going to let him go near the hospital at this very moment.
“She just came out of surgery this morning so
everything is still in a holding pattern,” Neal told his son, “I, too, say that
you wait. The events are a still too raw. We need to take things slow here. Let
her family...”
Elliot sat in the passenger seat contemplating
about what his father was telling him. He could easily have disregard what his
father was saying but when he looked at his father, he saw the tears forming in
his eyes. They were just as watery as Elliot's was.
“We're her family too,” Elliot whispered.
There was no argument from Neal. He knew just
as much as Elliot that Madeline was part of the family. They had grown up
together, shared everything together. There was no mistake that Neal and Davina
loved the Mullins' children.
Neal looked at Elliot. “I've never asked you do
anything for me Elliot but today I'm asking you for your sake to just wait one
day.”
Elliot turned his head a looked outside the passenger
window. Everything was moving so fast outside as the car made its way to his
mother's home. Elliot nodded in reluctance. “Okay, but I need another drink. I
need one badly.”
Neal looked at his son and nodded in agreement,
“Me too, son. But honestly, we're going to need more than just one.”
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=426630755244177
Is there anything else
that you want to share… feel free!!
I
absolutely love interacting with my reader so please comment, review and
contact me. I will always respond!
You can learn more about Mik at the
links below.
Website
https://www.northernamourwriting.com
Northern
Amour email:
mik_lemieux@northernamourwriting.com
Personal
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/mikael.lemieux2
Northern
Amour Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/NorthernAmourWriting
Personal
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mikaellemieux95/
Northern
Amour Instagram Page:
https://www.instagram.com/northern_amour_writing/
Amazon
Author Page:
amazon.com/author/mikallemieux
Music
Popular
songs from George Michael still appear in the rotation on my sound system. During his career which spanned more than
thirty years, Michael sold more than 115 million albums worldwide and won
multiple awards for his music. George
Michael was a singer, songwriter, record producer and philanthropist. He passed away on December 25, 2016 at the
age of 53.
Here’s my top five favorites from George Michael
Freedom 90: https://youtu.be/diYAc7gB-0A
Faith: https://youtu.be/6Cs3Pvmmv0E
Father Figure: https://youtu.be/m_9hfHvQSNo
I Knew You Were Waiting (with Aretha Franklin) https://youtu.be/fDxzQJaA228
One More Try: https://youtu.be/bG5N3GC-m20
