Interview with Coleen Patrick, Author

Posted by 4amWriter

Whitney Denison can’t wait to start over.

She thought she had everything under control, that her future would always include her best friend Katie… Until everything changed.

Now her life in Bloom is one big morning after hangover, filled with regret, grief, and tiny pinpricks of reminders that she was once happy. A happy she ruined. A happy she can’t fix.

So, she is counting down the days until she leaves home for Colson University, cramming her summer with busywork she didn’t finish her senior year, and taking on new hobbies that involve glue and glitter, and dodging anyone who reminds her of her old life.

When she runs into the stranger who drove her home on graduation night, after she’d passed out next to a ditch, she feels herself sinking again. The key to surviving the summer in Bloom is unraveling whatever good memories she can from that night.

But in searching for answers, she’ll have to ask for help and that means turning to Evan, the stranger, and Kyle, Katie’s ex-boyfriend. Suddenly, life flips again, and Whitney finds herself on not only the precipice of happy but love, too, causing her to question whether she can trust her feelings, or if she is falling into her old patterns of extremes.

As she uncovers the truth about her memories, Whitney sees that life isn’t all or nothing, and that happy isn’t something to wait for, that instead, happy might just be a choice.

* * * * *

Greetings, Coleen. Welcome to 4am. Hope this isn’t too early for you. I’m having coffee. What do you like?

Hey Kate. Do you have soy milk? I like to mix a cup of that with half a cup of coffee.

While I add some, er, coffee to your milk, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into the writing gig.
I’m a wife, and a mom. I’ve had a variety of jobs here and there—from working at a library to setting appointments for gutter sales—but in between I was always writing, and trying to fit in creative writing classes. As my kids got older, I felt the pull to do something more with my writing, and set aside dedicated writing time. I did that for a couple of years before realizing that I needed some sort of online presence. I started blogging in 2011, and it’s been great. I’ve learned so much from the friends I’ve made through the online writing community.

And I’ve been enjoying your blog. What ignited your idea for your YA contemporary story, Come Back to Me?
The idea first came to me around three years ago. I was driving (this seems to be an idea generator for me), and Pink’s song, Sober, was on the radio. I pictured a guy and a girl in a car. All I knew in that moment was that she was confused, but projecting a tough exterior—and this guy, who seemed to be a stranger, calls her out, gets her to think about things she’d been avoiding. The story evolved over the next couple of years, but there is an important scene between Whitney and Evan that takes place while he’s
driving. It’s a nod to that first glitter speck of idea.

I love how book ideas come to us when we’re driving. If you could be transported into your book, what scene would you want to experience?
Whitney’s first date with Evan. Whenever I got stuck with her story, I would always go back to this scene to get unstuck.

If you could have an evening out with any 3 authors, who would they be and why?
Judy Blume pops into my head first, except I see myself sitting across from her frozen and unable to speak, and well, that would be a waste. So, I’d pick Susan Beth Pfeffer because her book, Life As We Knew It, still stays with me. I’d like to pick her brain about that series. Then, Beverly Cleary, because I loved the Ramona books so much when I was a kid. I’d also like to hang with Meg Cabot, because I think I’d like her sense of humor.

I think you should have your evening out with all of them together. Then it’ll be easier to talk to Judy. Just hide behind the other 3. One of my favorite questions to ask authors is about the balance of writing and life. How do you fit writing into your daily schedule?
My house is almost always quiet between 8:30 and noon, so that’s the time I use for writing. Morning seems to be the best writing time for me.

Judy Blume would be proud. She’s a morning ’till noon writer, too. See, you could talk to her about that! Okay, one-word answers only:
Writing or reading? reading
Wolf or crocodile? crocodile
E-book or print? print
Salty or sweet? salty
Drama or Action? drama

You got 2 wrong out of 5. Not bad. You live in a world where you get to make the rules for writers, and everyone must obey. Name 5 rules.
This is hard! I assume if someone is a writer, they want to write. So my rules would be about those things that might get in the way of that desire.

No internet during writing time.
Need to move, recharge, and stay healthy.
Read.
Find a way to connect with other writers. Helps you feel less crazy about being a writer.
And since I’m making it up, there will be no dusting or vacuuming. Someone else will do it.

Those are great rules. I’d love to live in your world. Thanks for hanging out at 4am, Coleen. Wishing you much success!

Coleen’s book is available for purchase at Amazon and Smashwords. (Paperback and other venues coming soon.)

Interview with Author K.L. Schwengel

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Today I am interviewing indie author K. L. Schwengel. She recently released her fantasy novel, First of Her Kind: A Darkness & Light Novel.

Everyone, it seems, wants to dictate what Ciara does with her life: Serve the Goddess, destroy the Goddess, do as you promised your aunt. All Ciara wants is to keep the two magics she possesses from ripping her apart. And that won’t be easy. Not only are they in complete opposition to each other, blood ties pull her in divergent directions as well. And then there’s Bolin, the man sworn to protect her. There’s no denying the growing attraction between them, but is it Ciara he wants? Or her power? None of which will matter if Ciara can’t overcome her fear and learn to use her gifts.No one knows the depths of the ancient power she possesses, or what will happen if it manages to escape her control. Will she lose herself entirely? Or be forever trapped between darkness & light?

• • • • • • • • • •

Tell us a bit about yourself, Kathi.

Ergh…um…let’s see, I’m the youngest of nine children. Everyone thinks that means I was spoiled being the “baby of the family”. Yeah. Not so much. I didn’t get spoiled until I was in college and all my siblings had moved out. My mother was a librarian, and that’s probably the reason I love books. I always wanted to be a writer, it just took me a while to get here. Although I always wrote, other things took my life over. You know, falling in love, getting married, pursuing an art degree (BFA) which led me down a couple different paths, most of them creative, some not. I have what has been termed a dry sense of humor, and have been told I wield sarcasm and non-verbal communication like weapons of warfare. I raise Australian Shepherds and Katahdin sheep, pine for a horse of my own, and would really love to actually learn how to use a sword.

A sword! That would keep competitors on their toes. What ignited your idea for First of Her Kind ~ A Darkness & Light Novel?

This line: “There was nothing for it. In another turn of the glass, Meriol would be dead.” It popped into my head one day and I ran with it. I’m a pantser so I had no idea where it would lead me. That original line didn’t make the final cut, but what an adventure it’s led me on!

Isn’t it interesting how a germ of an idea turns into a full-length novel. In your heroine Ciara’s words, please tell everyone why they should read this book.

In Ciara’s words, “Look, I can’t make you read it — well, I probably could, but I don’t want to. You should read it because then you’ll understand how absolutely frustrating certain individuals can be.” Glares at Bolin. “Oh, and because it’s a tale of coming to grips with who we are, and accepting that. Something I’m still working on.”

I like Ciara already. She’s fiesty. As an aspiring novelist myself, I’m always interested in how other writers balance writing and life. How do you do it, Kathi?

Sometimes not very well at all! Thankfully I have a husband who doesn’t need a lot of constant attention so long as he’s equipped with the couch and a remote. That helps. He knew I was the independent type when he married me. I write on my breaks at work, and ONLY on my breaks. <cough> I try to write every day but, honestly, it just doesn’t pan out that way.

Not only is there the day job, I’m very active with my dogs and competing in herding trials throughout the spring/summer/fall as well as teaching others to do the same. My laptop is pretty much my constant companion. But I have many, many, many stacks of post-its, scrap paper, napkins (seriously), with scenes, notes, etc. written on them.

If I’m deep into something, I tend to get annoyed by distractions. I’ve learned to take a deep breath, put myself in the other person’s shoes (usually my husband’s, and coincidentally, we wear the same size), and hold up a finger. (See, non-verbal communication.) It means, “Give me just another minute to finish this thought, then I’m all yours.”

During the winter months I have all evening to write. During the rest of the year I usually write in the late afternoon. There’s a 2-hour window between when I get home and my husband gets home. That’s the time. Weekends tend to get gobbled by everything else.

Oh boy, you are a busy gal. Maybe you can use that sword to bushwack through your day. What writing projects are you working on currently?

I have a short story that will be published in an anthology due out this spring. And, of course, there’s book two in the Darkness & Light series, tentatively entitled Emergence. I’ve actually got bits of book three written as well. Crazy characters won’t let me be. I also have an urban fantasy/romance on the back burner. I diddle with it when I’m stalled on book 2.

I’m thrilled that you’ll have more books for us to read. Why did you decide to go the indie route?

I believe in the story I’ve written. That’s what it boils down to. That, and I’m a control freak. The idea of being in charge of the entire process from start to finish is too much for me to pass up. I just read an excellent article about self-publishing. The author likened it to being an artisan. I like that. The fact is, I created First of Her Kind from scratch, just like a painting. And now I’m sharing it.

Your reasons make sense, and I’m excited that you took the plunge. Thanks so much for hanging out at 4am, Kathi. I wish you all the best with your novels. And sword.

First of Her Kind is currently available in print at Amazon & Barnes & Noble, and in e-book formats at Amazon & Smashwords. Kathi is also offering autographed copies.

Being Brave as Writers

Posted by 4amWriter

Wonderfully talented and friendly Laura Stanfill is my guest blogger today. She is the editor of the soon-to-be-released Brave on the Page: Oregon Writers on Craft and the Creative Life.

• • • • • • •

Writing takes a certain amount of bravery.

Even if nobody knows you write, even if you never leave your house proclaiming “Behold, I am a writer!” to your friends and neighbors, the very act takes courage.

As writers, we must ignore other priorities in order to spend time trying to fill the blank page with our own imaginings, observations and how certain words can rub against each other in interesting ways.

Note I said “try.” Some writing sessions are slow, bogged-down, heavy-hearted slogs that, by the end, make you wish you had tackled the laundry instead of your novel. That’s where the bravery comes in again. It takes a lot of effort to get back to the page after a session like that.

There’s also another kind of bravery associated with fiction: being able to live vicariously through your characters. We may not come up with the perfect zinger when someone is rude, but we can create people who have the last word, who say what we wish we said. Our characters can challenge the status quo. Rise above their circumstances. Make choices we would be too afraid to make in real life.

Author Kristen Forbes discusses this topic in her essay, “Brave on the Page.” Her piece lent my collection of author interviews and essays its title, Brave on the Page: Oregon Writers on Craft and the Creative Life.

Brave on the Page

The book will be released on October 8, and as of yesterday, has become available through your local Espresso Book Machine or online.

Espresso Book Machine

As the editor, I waffled over titles for a while until I realized I should ask my critique group for help. They, unanimously, chose Brave on the Page from my list of possibilities.

It amazed me, after choosing the title, to discover that the word “brave” appeared nine times in the book, including in the foreword I had already written. “Fear” appears four times; “afraid,” fourteen times. “Shame,” seven times, all in Yuvi Zalkow’s interview about A Brilliant Novel in the Works, which features a writer-protagonist named Yuvi who’s afraid of writing a novel.

Because writing takes a certain amount of bravery.

• • • • • • •

Laura Stanfill—novelist, freelance editor, award-winning journalist and Vassar grad—loves to promote other writers.

Laura Stanfill, editor of Brave on the Page

She is the founder of Forest Avenue Press, an independent publishing company based in Portland, Oregon, and the editor of the new writing book Brave on the Page: Oregon Writers on Craft and the Creative Life.

UPDATE : Check out Laura’s book release announcement for prizes and fun!

The value of pith

Posted by 4amWriter

Welcome the fifth article by my guest blogger, Tony Cappasso. He is the author of a self-published travel narrative, America’s Highway: A Journal of Discovery Along US Route.

CAUTION

WATCH FOR MOOSE ON HIGHWAY

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word pith as meaning the “essential part,” or the “substantial quality, as of meaning.” In simpler words, it means the nub of the thing.

The words from the highway sign are a case in point. What could be closer to the “essential part,” than that warning? If you are driving a car on the highway, watch out for large ungulates wandering into the path of your vehicle.

As a newspaper reporter, pith was very important to me. There was always more to be said on a subject than there was space available in which to say it. Old reporter joke: I meant to write short but there wasn’t time.

Pith could be difficult to come by. Finding just the right word required a level of thoughtfulness not always possible in the hurried environment of a daily newspaper.

Writing a book, on the other hand, should have allowed plenty of time for pith. Alas, my urge to be descriptive, to paint a picture for my reader, sometimes overwhelmed my admiration for brevity. The members of my writing group (among whom was numbered the creator of this blog) were ruthless in their pruning of my written excesses.

Another hoary newspaper adage: “Everyone needs an editor,” was proven again and again in my case. Descriptive passages that seemed admirably brief to me struck others as wordy.

“Try reading what you’ve written aloud to yourself,” an editor once suggested. Good advice that I followed, even though it produced some strange looks from my fellow reporters.

I’ve discovered new computer software that allows me to hear the printed page spoken aloud. Sometimes it makes me cringe, but when I hear how wordy my writing is, it encourages me to search carefully for just that right combination of words to get my point across.

And that brings me back to that road sign. I took a picture of one of those signs on my Route 1 trip. I saved it as one of my screen savers. It reminds me to keep an eye peeled for purple prose. And those damn moose on the road, too.

Do you have trouble keeping your writing short, sweet, and pithy? What are some tricks that you use to help you from overwriting?

To read Tony’s other posts, click on the following links:

In Search of the Elusive Right Word

Keep the Spark

In Search of Elusive Facts

Tony Cappasso