September! A time to enjoy the changes Mother Nature has
in store for us. Here in The Mitten, as many natives refer to Michigan, we’ll
be experiencing the wonders as leaves turn colors, the air gets a little
cooler, the arrival of caramel apples, cider and donuts. The days will get
shorter. It’s time for football in all it’s athletic splendor. So here’s my take on writing, my latest work
in progress, an interview with another author, and music. Yes, there must be music. Time to kick this
one off.
Writing
A few years ago, I facilitated a writer’s workshop that
morphed into a writer’s group. We would meet twice a month and discuss
different aspects of writing. Each participant was encouraged to bring
something they’d written that would be read aloud. Constructive criticism was
encouraged.
One fellow would always sit back, listen to the others and
then ask, “How long did it take you to write that?” It gave me the impression that he expected
you to slave over the four or five pages that had just been shared for at least
several days. When he tried his standard
question on me, I asked “Why is that important?”
I explained that in addition to my time spent at the
keyboard, I will often be thinking about the story while I’m driving or on a
walk, doing yardwork or working out.
Yes, I can indeed multi-task!
He was baffled. “But that’s not actually writing!”
To paraphrase the late General Norman Schwarzkopf, “That response is bovine scatology.”
To
me, it’s all about writing. All thoughts
about the story, whether actually typing out the scene and the dialogue or
working out details in my head, are part of it. There are some authors I know who are able to
set aside a specific time each day, whether it’s an hour or ten, to focus on
their writing. I’m lucky to squeeze in
an hour or two most days on the computer.
But that doesn’t mean I’m not working on segments of the story outside
of that time.
As I told the pesky participant, “It’s all writing.”
Work
In Progress
The fourth novel in the Jamie Richmond series continues to
evolve. A few new twists have found their way into the story. More interactions with Malone, Linda and Ian
continue to help flesh out the subplots.
Two
characters who have been frequent players in the Jefferson Chene mysteries have
weaseled their way in here as well. This
must be what happens when I leave an imaginary door open and they just wandered
in.
And
to complicate matters, I’ve had the urge to dust off an old novel and see if I
can bring that back to life with a little editing and updating. Notices about new publishers seeking
manuscripts have caught my eye. Maybe this
other story will appeal to them.
Time
will tell.
Author
Interview
It’s
my pleasure to introduce you to another writer who is part of the Inkspell
family. Our tribe continues to grow.
Let’s find out more about Phyllis Cherry.
Welcome, Phyllis. Tell us a little about yourself
I
recently retired from a career in the hospitality industry and living the dream
in Florida with my husband of thirty-nine years. Our children are grown with
children of their own. This year we welcomed our first two great-grandsons.
Discovering the ability to own my own time is the greatest gift I’ve ever
received.
Any favorite hobbies?
Travel,
both at home and abroad continues to be my favorite pastime, and there are
still places I want to explore.
Reading
is my favorite pastime. In grade school we swapped comic books, series like
Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys as well as fantasy and folk tales, mystery and
romance. I joined a several writer’s groups hoping to learn the secrets of
writing and publishing a book.
How long have you been
writing?
My first attempt to write a short story was a
disaster, ripped apart by my critique group leaving me in tears. I didn’t write
anything for a long time afterwards but continued to be a member of a few
writing groups.
I
wrote several food and travel articles for trade magazines and newspapers and
self-published two books. I signed my first contract for publication with Inkspell
Publishing in 2019. White Feathers Academy was published in May 2020 and
the sequel, Mystery at Camp Esther, is scheduled for publication in
October 2021.
Are
you able to write full time?
I don’t have the
discipline to be a full-time writer. My favorite part of the process is
developing the story, plotting the chapters and scenes, and getting to know the
characters. Of course, the story and plot continue to change during the writing
and editing, or when an unexpected character shows up.
Is
there a particular genre that you write?
My
two published books are Young Teen and Young Adult. My self-published book, The
Preacher Lady is a Coming-of-Age Romance.
Do you use friends or
family as characters in your books?
No,
I like my friends and family too much to use them as characters.
Has anyone in your life
influenced you or encouraged you to pursue your interest in writing?
I've had friends along the way who knew I wanted to try a new career. A few years ago, I met Desiree Holt, a wonderful friend and best-selling author. She gave me great advice, answered my questions, and has been a mentor to me as well as other want-to-be authors.
What aspect of writing
would you like to improve on?
Revealing
the character’s feelings using descriptive body actions.
Is there anything you
must have while you’re writing?
Black
coffee or green tea always.
How did you decide on
your story’s plot?
I’ve
been thinking about a mystery involving a summer camp for a long time. The camp
is a great setting for this story. It’s all about the young angels first
mission to Earth and the dangers they face.
Tell us about your latest
work.
Mystery
at Camp Esther is scheduled for release October 2021.
Halo’s life changed the day she flew up to study with the
angel academy. Now she has wings of her own, and so does Midas, the big golden
dog and her best friend. They are ready for their first real mission--a
dangerous one that could cost them everything.
Arriving at Camp Esther, Halo and Midas become the target of
a killer after helping an injured man. But they are determined to fulfill their
mission, even if they are not sure what it is. Could it be helping Marie,
a lonely teenager confined to a wheelchair?
Marie’s dreams often come true and foreshadow the danger
surrounding Halo and Midas. Things are further complicated when Halo questions
the sincerity of Marie’s new crush. Could he be the person who hurt Midas? Halo
doesn’t know who to trust.
At the camp, accidents, sabotage, and death threats happen, and everything points to the new girl and her dog. Someone wants them to fail their mission and will kill to get rid of Halo and Midas. Will they survive return to White Feathers Academy as failures, or will this mission cost them their lives?
Here’s an excerpt:
Shortly
after we returned to our cabin my wrist link buzzed. “Hi this is Marie Lee. I
hope it is alright for me to call you.” I heard her sweet soft voice, but
before I could say a word, she continued to talk.
“I
would like to be your friend. Do you have many friends?”
“No,
I’m new here,” but she kept talking before I could answer her question.
“How
old are you? I’m sixteen. I don’t have any friends either. I like to sketch
things and I have a blog.”
“What’s
a blog?” I asked quickly, before she had time to interrupt me again.
“It
is a secret blog. A lot of people read it. Do you have a computer?”
“No.
Maybe Miss Bird will let me borrow hers. How do I find your blog?”
“It’s
easy. I’ll write the web address down for you, but you can’t share it with
anyone,” she emphasized. “The real creator of Free Marie is a secret”. She
lowered her voice to tell me “Sometimes I see things at night while I’m
asleep.”
“You
mean like a dream?” I wanted to know.
“No,
I’ll tell you a secret if you promise not to tell. Sometimes I dream things that are about to
happen or see people who lived a long time ago.”
“Like
a ghost?” I asked, but she interrupted again.
“Sometimes
I draw things while I’m still asleep and I don’t remember drawing them at all.
It’s scary. I’m afraid to tell father or Topps because they might think
something is mentally wrong with me and make me talk to a doctor about seeing
things. You won’t tell anyone my secrets, will you?” She talked without
stopping to take a breath. I had trouble following her conversation.
“Did
you see something today?” I asked.
No.
Sometimes the things I dream happen later, but I saw something new last night.
I sketched it on the board as soon as I got up this morning. Please don’t tell
anyone.”
“Will
you show it to me?” I asked. Then I heard Mr. Lee’s voice say “Bedtime Marie.
Goodnight.” It sounded like he was speaking from another room in the house.
“Goodnight,
Father.” She clicked off and a few seconds later the message light on my wrist
link lit up.
“My website is FreeMarie@Leespot.com. Open the tab on the computer to see last night’s sketch.
Buy Links
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FN72QSM
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/mystery-at-camp-esther
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1140140486
APPLE: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1584858005
You can learn more about Phyllis and her books on these links.
Facebook
/phyllischerrybooks
Music
Variety
has been rocking my speakers for some time now. One popular act is Brian
Setzer. This founder of the Stray Cats has spun his tunes for years, even
building up to a nineteen-piece band that breathes fresh life into those old
classics from the swing era.
Setzer
has won more than 3 Grammy awards and received the Gibson Guitar Lifetime
Achievement Award for his innovative style.
Here are my top five favorites.
Jump
Jive and Wail: https://youtu.be/aHWcN5YxuYc
Rock
this Town: https://youtu.be/0RxBHRZpIdg
House
is Rockin’: https://youtu.be/heclluJwOzU
Let’s
Shake: https://youtu.be/xQaSBw_LEtM
In
the Mood: https://youtu.be/pUWP8d930mg
