Saturday, September 18, 2021

The Nineteenth Issue

 



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

https://www.phyllischerry.com

 

                                          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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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