I’m talking to Wendy Steele about my writing rituals and #GhostlyRites #anthology #plaistedpublishinghouse
Author Interview: Michael Lynes #GhostlyRites #Anthology #PlaistedPublishing
A big welcome to my next Ghostly Writer: Michael Lynes who is also a fellow member of the Ghostly Rites Anthology due for release on October 31st.
Interview questions:
Why did you decide to write? I began writing a memoir for my son Christopher Aaron – “There is a Reaper” released in 2015. That project led to a collection of short stories – “The Fat Man Gets Out of Bed” released in 2017 and a Full length novel “Destroyer’s Blood” based on one of the short stories in that collection was released in 2018. My latest novel “First Blood” is the second book of that trilogy and will be out in November of 2019.
What do your family and friends think of your writing life? I think they are both supportive and interested in the various stories I’ve written. Some friends have become fans and I’ve gotten lots of help with story ideas and ‘beta’ readers from my family and other friends.
Tell us a bit about your current writing projects The latest novel in the Blood Series – “First Blood” is Book two of The Adventures of Devcalion. It’s due to be released in November of this year. In this work we pick up from the end of the conflict in Destroyer’s Blood – following Dev and Tray as they come into contact with the true power behind the battles they fought in “Destroyer’s Blood” – the final instalment in the trilogy – “First Blood” will be released in November of 2020.
Do you have a muse? Not specifically. I take my characters from people I know, or people I’d like to know – lol. My writing has been in multiple genre and many different situations and types of story arcs. I find the process itself intriguing.
What do you think of collaborations? Are you a member of any groups for authors that you would recommend? Collaborations are fun and always produce interesting works. I am a member of several author groups but none are focused on collaborations, other than Ghostly Rites of course.
Have you any unusual hobbies? Please tell us about them. I work a lot on cars with my son. It used to be more of a common hobby, but these days people seem more inclined to not be DIY when it comes to their cars. My son and I have rebuilt engines together as well as replaced clutches, AC units etc. Lots of fun (for us) lol…
Do you have a favourite word, phrase or quote? “Fear is the mind killer…the little death” – Frank Herbert “Dune”
Finish this sentence: For me writing is… Fun! And a lot of work too. It’s also very enjoyable, after you’ve finished…
Where do you live and with whom if you don’t mind saying… My wife and I live in the secluded hills of Sussex County, NJ USA
Do you believe in ghosts? Do you have a favourite supernatural being? I can say that I am willing to believe in the spirit aspect of ghosts. Whether or not they truly can haunt is still a question in my mind. I’ve always been partial to the Jersey Devil myself as far a supernatural beings.
The Blood Series
It’s In the Blood – https://www.amazon.com/Its-Blood-Michael-Lynes-ebook/dp/B07FXT8KKL
Destroyer’s Blood – https://www.amazon.com/Destroyers-Blood-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07KCJNS7N
First Blood PREORDER: https://books2read.com/u/3kpDKR
Bio:
MICHAEL LYNES is the Award-Winning Author of The Blood Series. To date, the series has won the New Apply Literary, Indie BRAG Medallion, Readers Favorite for FANTASY and most recently the IAN Book of the Year Selection for Fantasy.
It begins with the novella “It’s in the Blood”. Continues with Destroyer’s Blood and the NEW release Book Two – FIRST BLOOD is due out on November 1st 2019.
Book One – “Destroyer’s Blood”
Reviewed By Christian Sia for Readers’ Favorite
Destroyer’s Blood: The Adventures of Devcalion is the first entry in The Blood Series by Michael Lynes, a gripping fantasy with strong hints of Greek mythology. Meet Devcalion, “Dev,” a demigod, son of Prometheus and nephew of Zeus. He has a telepathic sword and a very close friend called Betrayer, “Tray”. When we encounter Dev, he and his friend are climbing up Half Dome. An encounter with Hermes changes everything, driving Dev to the last place he wants to be — Mt. Olympus. Dev and Tray are pulled into a war they never bargained for, a war against the greatest enemy of Zeus. With the darkest power in the universe bent on wreaking havoc, do they have any chance of surviving?
Destroyer’s Blood has been awarded the Silver Medal for Fantasy in the Readers Favorite Awards for 2019 and has won an Indie B.R.A.G. Medallion for Fantasy. It also won the Solo Medalist in the New Apple Summer eBook Awards for 2019. Book Two – “First Blood” will be released in November of 2019.
His short story collection, “The Fat Man Gets Out of Bed”, was chosen solo Medalist Winner in the 2017 New Apple Summer Indie Book awards.
His memoir, “There Is A Reaper: Losing a Child to Cancer”, was an Indie B.R.A.G. Gold Medallion Honoree in January 2017, a silver-medal winner of the 2016 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards for Memoir, a medalist in the 2015 New Apple Book Awards for Memoir, a winner of the 2015 TISBA (The Indie Spiritual Book Awards), and a finalist in both the Independent Author Network 2015 Book of the Year award and the Beverly Hills Book Awards for 2015.
Most recently Mr. Lynes has been a Contributing Author to the 2019 Ghostly Rites Anthology.
Mr. Lynes was awarded a BSEE degree in Electrical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and currently works as an embedded software engineer. He has four sons, has been married for over thirty years, and currently lives with his wife and youngest son in the beautiful secluded hills of Sussex County, New Jersey.
Our first links to Ghostly Rites Anthology 2019:
Free Universal Buying Link: https://books2read.com/b/mv2Vvz?fbclid=IwAR1QxHsgD-ahPT4jhydWid7IC5bfpmSoV4N34XjEZXeEazQ-s5QJcX4A21k
Please note, it is showing as 99p on Amazon, which take a little longer for it to recognise its free elsewhere.
https://www.scribd.com/book/432606410/Ghostly-Rites-2019-Plaisted-Publishing-House-Presents
https://www.kobo.com/nz/en/ebook/ghostly-rites-2019
I’m really enjoying interviewing my fellow Ghostly Writers.
Do check out my previous posts:
https://mjmallon.com/2019/10/24/marywoldering-ghostlywriters-ghostlyrites2019/
https://mjmallon.com/2019/10/26/author-interview-wendy-steele-ghostlywriters-ghostlyrites2019/
https://mjmallon.com/2019/10/27/interview-mara-reitsma-ghostlywriters-plaistedpublishinghouse/
Do comment below, I’d love to hear from you.
http://mybook.to/TheCurseofTime
Social Media Links
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
Author Interview – Lynn Mullican #GhostlyWriters #GhostlyRites2019 #PlaistedPublishing
A big welcome to my next Ghostly Writer from Plaisted Publishing House – Lynn Mullican.
Interview questions:
- Why did you decide to write? It’s just something I have always done and enjoyed. It’s in my blood.
- What do your family and friends think of your writing life? Most of my family and friends are excited for me. They know it’s something I have always enjoyed, so I have a lot of support behind me.
- Tell us a bit about your current writing projects. I’m currently working on many projects, one of which I feel is way overdue, my religious horror novel The Shadow of Evil. I’m also working on the fourth book in the paranormal Bad Elements series, Rise of the Underground. I have also started a spinoff of the Bad Elements series, Immortal Blessings. I have several short horror stories in the works, The Awakening III, Raven’s Hill III, and a few others.
- Do you have a muse? Yes, this muse lives in my dreams.
- What do you think of collaborations? Are you a member of any groups for authors that you would recommend? If you have the right mix of authors, you can get some good collaborations. The Ghostly Writes/Rites anthologies seem to gather a great mix of authors who work great together. I’m in several groups, some of which I would recommend. My suggestion for authors is to determine why you want to join some groups and then start looking for them on your social media account. What might work for me might not work for another author.
- Have you any unusual hobbies? Please tell us about them… Hmm, I don’t know if it’s unusual but I enjoy archery and I’ve started working on some Halloween DIY projects, a couple of which have turned out pretty good so far. I’m still working on them, though.
- Do you have a favourite word, phrase or quote? I think Marilyn Manson said it best, “What doesn’t kill you is going to leave a scar.”
- Finish this sentence: For me writing is… my life.
- Where do you live and with whom if you don’t mind saying… I live in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. with my husband, Pat, my adult daughter, Cassie, and our two cats, Murray and Wilbur.
- Do you believe in ghosts? Do you have a favourite supernatural being? Yes, I believe in ghosts. My favorites would probably be ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and witches. I don’t have just one favorite supernatural being.
Bad Elements: Crystal Dragon
“Live and breathe your darkest fears!”
Bad Elements: Crystal Dragon – Synopsis
Crystal Bouchard awakens imprisoned in an underground cell with no recollection of how she got there and with no memory of her prior existence. Held against her will, her captors threaten to kill her son unless she fights to the death in the underground fighting circuit. Nicknamed “The Dragon,” she spends the next several years among werewolves and vampires.
Bad Elements: Crystal Dragon – Excerpt
After the commentator announced Kara, the crowd chanted her name. Kara entered the arena. I had to admit, I stood in awe of the woman. She was at least a foot taller than me and exceptionally muscular. I looked like a midget compared to her. Her hair was straight, black, and shoulder length. She looked like she might have been on steroids.
I would have to get the upper hand early in the fight, then go low and take her down. As Kara and I faced off, our fans screamed.
Kara threw the first punch which I was able to dodge. I sidestepped her and caught her in the rib.
She groaned and doubled over.
I moved in, grabbed her by her hair and brought my knee up into her face.
That was when she wrapped her arms around me, and tried to take me to the ground.
Instead, I ran into the wall behind me. An uppercut rocked my head back, banging it against the wall. I groaned. I took a shot to the stomach before I was able to get her off of me.
While we fought, the fans slammed each other against the bars. The commentator made the announcement for the fight to stop. We glanced up at him.
Recognizing it was for the fans to stop, we returned to our business. I rushed her, going low for the legs, and slammed her into the barrier. Even though she struck the concrete wall, she was still able to elbow me in the middle of the back.
I yelped in pain. The riot started above us again. A corpse struck the bars. The snarls and growls escalated, catching our attention as they echoed throughout the arena. Kara and I glanced at each other and then at the chaos above. The bars had been bent.
Kara stood near the barrier, trying to focus in on the crowd. Blood poured out from the bars, drenching her from head to toe. She stared at me, wide-eyed, as if she knew the inevitable. My mouth fell open. Fear set deep inside me, and from this point on everything seemed to happen in slow motion.
Kara stood frozen in place. The bars moaned beneath the massive weight, continuing to bend in multiple areas behind the steel barrier. Fearful that the bars were going to split wide open, I took a couple of steps back, ready to run.
The bars exploded throughout the arena. I threw myself to the ground and covered my head. Steel echoed off of concrete walls, rebounding around me. Two of the bars struck me in the legs. They were heavy, but not heavy enough to seriously injure me.
I glanced behind me at Kara, who had fallen to the ground with a male corpse atop her. It had been torn to shreds. I gasped in horror. Blood soaked the dirt surrounding her and the body.
She barely managed to get the man off of her and stand up when several fans jumped into the arena. I pulled myself up, watching them circle Kara. Covered in blood and guts, she gave me the look which I recognized as defeat.
She was defenseless against the lot of them.
I took one step toward them and then halted in terror. She was shredded within seconds. They devoured her, some still feeding off of her while she fell to the ground. More fans followed the others into the pit, coming towards me. Their lips curled back, revealing their elongated fangs.
I backed up, recognizing the difference between their fangs and Wayne’s. At first, I thought they were werewolves too, but their flesh was white and their eyes darker.
Then I made the connection: they were vampires.
I turned and ran straight for the open concrete door behind me, my heart pounding in my chest. I never ran so fast in my life.
Wayne stood just on the inside of the gate and yelled at me to hurry. There was no sign of Alex. My guess was that he had booked it, for he was mortal like me. He needed time advantage.
Something grazed my back. I screamed. The tiny hairs on my neck stood up. I was no match for these creatures. They were closing in on me. Wayne lurched forward and pulled me to safety behind the wall, gate and door.
Some of the vampires got stuck in the small room that barricaded the corridor from the main arena. This didn’t stop them, though. They tore through the door, blowing it apart. Pieces of it flew in all directions, striking us and the walls. We ran down the corridor.
Vampires shrieked behind us, followed by unhinged metal and something heavy rebounding against the wall. Wayne and I had already passed the commentator and were coming up fast behind Alex.
The commentator screamed. I presumed the heavy object had been the door to his small office. Blood sprayed the wall next to me.
Wayne let go of me and pressed me onward, before transforming into his alternate form.
Two of the vampires jumped him while he was still in mid-transformation. He slammed them into the walls.
I screamed. He received several bites before he fully transformed. His massive body took up most of the corridor, blocking us from all of the vampires except one. I ran through the door to our right, after Alex. The one vampire who was now amongst us jumped Alex just on the other side of the door.
Alex swung the door shut and fought back. He was thrown to the ground, the vampire atop him. I jumped on the vampire’s back, wrapping my arm around its neck. The door broke into pieces around us. Wayne stormed in, still in wolf form, and bared his teeth. The creature threw me off of its back. I struck the wall behind me, my head rebounding off of it. The vampire glared at me. I thought for sure I was dead.
Wayne ran full stride at the vampire. His claws echoed off the concrete floor and drove him into a wall. Alex jumped to his feet, threw open another door, and pushed me into the dark room. Screams and other noises which I associated with being mauled escalated in the room behind us.
As we ran into the room, Alex flipped on the light switch. Wayne mutated into his human form and ran into the room after us. He slammed the door shut, separating us from the vampires.
During the course of searching for her son, she slowly begins to recollect her prior existence before her imprisonment, pushing her deeper within the fighting circuit.
Bad Elements series: Crystal Dragon, Blood for Blood & The Hybrid Unleashed – FAQ’s
Main characters:
Crystal Bouchard AKA “The Dragon” is an amnesiac victim, a martial artist, a prisoner in an immortal world. She is a fighter and a survivor, a lover and a killer. Crystal is a determined mother on a mission to find and protect her family. She is stubborn, headstrong, intelligent, and beautiful. Crystal has unwitting sarcasm to aid and jeopardize her situation no matter what position she’s been put in.
Robert Bouchard is a law enforcement officer with secrets of his own. He is driven to find his mother who has been missing for several years. He’s a young, married man with a “special” wife and three half-bred werewolf children.
Tristan Ayers is a “unique” individual with extraordinary talents and abilities. He’s a special agent investigating unethical practices within the vampire and werewolf communities. One of his current missions is a role as protector. He is rugged looking with handsome features and has multi-faceted characteristics.
Jace Templeton is a strong, powerful and rogue vampire with unethical practices and habits. He is always looking for a new project and relies on his associates for mundane tasks. He is very intelligent, cunning and forceful. He is very passionate about his new venture.
Setting – time period and locations:
The book spans approximately a five-year timeframe from mid-2007 to about 2012. Some of the locations include the forests of Payson, Flagstaff, Munds Park and Prescott, Arizona. Some of the small towns and bars are located in Payson and Flagstaff, Arizona.
Lynn’s links:
https://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Mullican/e/B0055WRN3U/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
https://www.facebook.com/Author.LynnMullican/?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/BadElementsSeries/?fref=ts
http://lynnmullican.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/lynnmullican
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4842137.Lynn_Mullican?from_search=true
Lynn’s teaser for Ghostly Rites 2019:
Well, that was a very fascinating interview and scary teaser. Thank you Lynn for coming over to chat.
I’m really enjoying interviewing my fellow Ghostly Writers.
Do check out my previous posts:
https://mjmallon.com/2019/10/24/marywoldering-ghostlywriters-ghostlyrites2019/
https://mjmallon.com/2019/10/26/author-interview-wendy-steele-ghostlywriters-ghostlyrites2019/
https://mjmallon.com/2019/10/27/interview-mara-reitsma-ghostlywriters-plaistedpublishinghouse/
There may be one or two more… we shall see if anymore Ghostly Writers come to chat!
Bye for now, ghostly peeps.
http://mybook.to/TheCurseofTime
Social Media Links
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
Interview: Mara Reitsma #GhostlyWriters #PlaistedPublishingHouse
Welcome to the next Ghostly Writer, Mara Reitsma, who is here to chat to me today…
1. Why did you decide to write?
I have a rather, overactive imagination. Yes, that is what we shall call it LOL.
My mind is constantly on the go and writing is my way of clearing my head.
Sometimes, the stories or ideas get so intense I can’t concentrate on anything else, so I write them all down and hash out the in betweens. It was all fun and games until I met Mark McQuillen and between his Valkyrie and my Devil’s Daughters, the games expanded. It’s still fun, and we’ve managed to create eighteen full-length novels, most of which are in various stages of writing, editing, and cover revisions; and all of them taking place inside the same Tri-Verse (As in, there were too many stories for just one Universe, so we made three.) Some people write to become rich and famous, some because they need a hobby, and then there are those like me, who absolutely need to write, or we’ll go mad!
2. What do your family and friends think of your writing life?
Just where exactly do you think this crazy comes from? Did you know that the cows you see in the fields as you drive by, are actually T-Rexs wearing cow hats so they can lure people in for a light snack? Neither did I, until I asked my Dad to stop the car one morning so I could go see them. Or perhaps you heard about the Run-Away-Train that sped through my home city in the wee hours of the morning. A train that people could only ever feel and hear, but never see… Boom Boom lived in the mountains behind our old summer cabin and when he got angry, he would pound the side of the mountain with his mighty fists and make rocks roll down into the valley below. And all that, was just from my father.
My mother was just as bad. You learned not to ask what was for supper, or you’d
wind up with Giraffe kneecaps and Alligator toes. She used to swear up and down that there was a receipt in the house somewhere and she’d find it and return us all if we misbehaved. Papa always had a story to tell and Nana was, well, Nana was Nana.
‘Why does Nana whistle?’ We would ask, and Papa would reply, ‘She’s lookin for her broom!’ How were we to know that Nana wasn’t really a Witch? Do you see where I’m going with this? I can’t even escape it during the morning coffee chats with the ladies…
‘This man came through my till last night…’ turned into my story Winged Secrets.
‘We let him stay with us for a while and while we were away he held a party, with a Ouija board….’ turned into my story, Forever Touched.
‘The dryer keeps eating the socks, I swear someone is stealing all my socks’ turned into, The Secrets of Dry’r….
In all honesty, they probably think I’m nuts, but hey, I blame them for it all!
3. Tell us a bit about your current writing projects
Currently, there are seven series on the go. I know, it’s a lot, but it’s what I do when I’m not doodling. I just like to create.
*The Valkyrie Series, including Valkyrie: Darkness Awaits, Valkyrie: Darkness Rising, Valkyrie: Song of Darkness and Valkyrie: Rise from the Ashes. These stories were written by Mark McQuillen and revised to add more story line. They are currently in the process of having covers revised.
*A We Are The Devil’s Daughters Trilogy, including Zahara, Madrina and Euphamia. Written and covered by me in the early days, this series is up for revision too, to remove any oops’ in spelling.
*The Devil’s Daughters Crossover, including Legends, Chronicles, Judgments, Distorted Pasts and Illusions of the Present. Coming soon, What Futures Hold… Written by Mark McQuillen and myself, we see Mark’s Valkyries and my Devil’s Daughters set out on a new journey to bring balance to the Verse. These books are scheduled for revision for new covers!!
*The Sins and Secrets Series includes Ezrianna and coming soon will be the second book in the series, Ambrosia. Written by me, it takes a look at the more, sinful side of the Verse and The Black Rose Guild.
*Tales of the Petals Series includes Way of the Warrior, which has been published
and is up on Amazon already. Into the Shadows and Mask of Darkness are both in for editing and formatting. These stories were written in our Black Rose group and are comprised of parts from a few different authors in said group who enjoy writing
together.
* Various Anthologies: I love anthologies and have taken part in many.
Ghostly Rrites 2017, 2018 and 2019, Ghostly Romance 2017, 2018, 2019, A
Treasure Chest of Children’s Stories, Haven: A Special Edition Anthology and more. Right now, I am editing the book trailer for Ghostly Rites 2019. Should be awesome!
*A Quest Called Motherhood (Pen Name- T.C Creare):
I am a mother and mother’s have stories too; mine are just filled with sarcasm and utter chaos, which I am compiling into a hilarious collection for all to read. Why?
Because mother’s everywhere need to know that they are not alone. Crazy happens,
everywhere!
4. Do you have a muse?
Life is my muse. It’s full of love and laughter, sorrow and pain; and there is a story to be told for every moment. We, as authors, have to grasp that moment and make that story our own. We find the rainbows after the storm, the relief after a narrow escape and the wonder in every adventure. We bring life to the characters and love to their stories.
5. What do you think of collaborations? Are you a member of any groups for authors that you would recommend?
From the moment you sit down with an editor or cover designer, you are
collaborating. You are working together to bring your story to life. It is an essential part of publishing and when you have the right people on you side, wondrous things can happen. I tend to do my own thing and don’t really have many groups that I follow religiously, but I can name a few.
Plaisted Publishing House has been one of my go-to places for EVERYTHING.
Knowledgeable and passionate about what they do, it is always a pleasure working
with them. They have a few groups in which I spend my time, including… Indie Publishing News Group and Ghostly Writes Anthology Group on Facebook. If you have a short Ghostly story to share, then you should pop on over. The people are fantastic and the things you learn along the way could help you in ways you never thought possible. It’s all about connecting!
6. Have you any unusual hobbies? Please tell us about them…
Life, is unusual, and I dabble in it all. Doodling, Painting, Crafting, Clay and Pop Bottle Gnome Houses, Cover Design, Interior Book Illustrations, Crocheting…. The list goes on!
7. Do you have a favourite word, phrase or quote?
If you do not want sarcasm, stop doing stupid!
8. Finish this sentence: For me writing is…
Almost everything!
9. Where do you live and with whom if you don’t mind saying…
I live on the west coast of Canada in a city called Abbotsford, with my husband,
three kids and three cats, which I like to call my Ninjas.
10. Do you believe in ghosts? Do you have a favourite supernatural being?
Did I mention above that I grew up in a house that was over eighty years old and the original dwelling for an old orchard? No, okay, so then I probably didn’t mention the laughter from children coming from the unfinished basement, and the fact that only my sister and my Nana could hear them. Maybe that was why she whistled? Or the old faded man and his dog that roamed the property and drove our West Highland Terrier wonky. They are very real and that house was full of them. My favourite supernatural being would have to be the Will-o-the-Wisps.
Links:
Covered By The Rose- https://www.facebook.com/groups/CoveredbytheRose/
Pages of Insanity- https://www.facebook.com/PagesofInsanity/
Website-
http://itybityqt.wixsite.com/marareitsma
Author Page- https://www.facebook.com/MaraReitsmaAuthor/
Mara’s teaser:
Well, what a fascinating interview. It’s been great having Mara around.
To read about the previous ghostly writers:
https://mjmallon.com/2019/10/24/marywoldering-ghostlywriters-ghostlyrites2019/
https://mjmallon.com/2019/10/26/author-interview-wendy-steele-ghostlywriters-ghostlyrites2019/
Bye for now, ghostly peeps.
Social Media Links
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
Author Interview: Wendy Steele #GhostlyWriters #GhostlyRites2019
I’m pleased to welcome Wendy Steele to my blog today. We are both contributing authors in Plaisted Publishing House’s Ghostly Rites Anthology 2019.
So first of all I am curious to know…
- Why did you decide to write?
I’ve been a lover of words since I could read. During the power cuts in the 1970s, we played word games on scraps of paper by candle light and I’ve loved solving anagrams and crosswords ever since.
After visiting the Tutankhamen exhibition in London when I was ten years old, I came home and wrote a poem, and ever since, I’ve come home from new adventures and committed my thoughts and experiences to paper.
I write fiction when the stories in my head demand to be committed to paper. If I’ve a story to tell, I feel compelled to write it.
- What do your family and friends think of your writing life?
My partner is the best! I like to read first draft pieces out loud, and he suffers them, bless him. He’s incredibly supportive, helping me lug boxes around to book fairs and encouraging me to keep writing and publishing. I don’t know what my friends think; you’ll have to ask them!
- Tell us a bit about your current writing projects
Having written and published the first three books in the Lizzie Martin Wendy Woo Witch Lit Series, I’m writing the next three to complete the series. Book four, The Eloquent Witch is written, awaiting editing, while book five, The Able Witch is more than half way through. I’ve a secret project I’m working on, plus I’m writing short stories, including ghost stories, which is how we met, on the Ghostly Writes group.
- Do you have a muse?
Not as such, but being outside in nature is where I feel supported and inspired. We have a shelter on the riverbank, recently updated, where I like to sit and write if the weather allows.
- What do you think of collaborations? Are you a member of any groups for authors that you would recommend?
I’ve never worked on a book with another writer, but I think it would be really exciting. I’ve worked with the fabulous Claire Plaisted on two previous Ghostly Writes anthologies, and recently had the privilege to work with other magical writers on the Witch Lit group, where we produced our Witch Lit Anthology: Words from the Cauldron, with all profits going to Books for Africa.
I love anthologies! I think they’re a brilliant vehicle for showcasing the writing style of authors, allowing the reader a taster of what an author can do, and if they like a writer’s style, they can read more by that author. My story for this year’s anthology ‘Charlotte’s Ghost’ is set in 1850, as I researched this era for a steampunk story for Zimbell House Publishing earlier in the year, and wanted to explore further.
- Have you any unusual hobbies? Please tell us about them…
I don’t think I do anything I’d particularly call a hobby. I write, I dance, I renovate my home, I cook, I read, I knit and I’ve recently learned to crochet.
- Do you have a favourite word, phrase or quote?
I’m running with this one at the moment…’Let the beauty you love be what you do’ –Rumi.
- Finish this sentence: For me writing is…
My window on the world, allowing me to share my stories.
- Where do you live and with whom if you don’t mind saying…
I live in mid Wales with my partner, my daughter, six cats and a rabbit called Ula.
- Do you believe in ghosts? Do you have a favourite supernatural being?
I believe there is something in our being that allows us to interact with other energies operating on a different plane of existence.
Website: www.wendysteele.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WendyWooauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/destinyofangelsnovel
https://www.facebook.com/WendyWooBooks
https://www.facebook.com/TheStandingStone
Amazon author: http://www.amazon.com/Wendy-Steele/e/B007VZ1P06
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wendy-Steele/e/B007VZ1P06
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-steele-91257660/
Goodreads author:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6548666.Wendy_Steele
All Author: https://allauthor.com/profile/wendywoo/
YouTube: Phoenix and the Dragon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw3ee9CuNdek9ZC1Im8I_iA?view_as=subscriber
The Witch Lit Podcast – Witches Who Write
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZdKsXSo074&t=652s
Book Gorilla
https://www.bookgorilla.com/author/B007VZ1P06/wendy-steele/kcc
Wendy’s Teaser for her story – Charlotte’s Ghost in Ghostly Rites 2019:
It’s been lovely having Wendy round. In case yo missed it I interviewed Mary last time:
https://mjmallon.com/2019/10/24/marywoldering-ghostlywriters-ghostlyrites2019/
Bye for now Ghostly peeps. Next up for the Ghostly Writers interview hotspot it’s Mara Reitsma….
See you soon, Ghostly Peeps!
Buy Book: http://mybook.to/TheCurseofTime
Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’
“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)
Social Media Links
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook #ABRSC: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
Author Interview: Mary Woldering #GhostlyWriters #GhostlyRites2019
Welcome to Mary Woldering, a fellow author in Plaisted Publishing House’s Ghostly Rites Anthology 2019 which will be releasing in time for Halloween. I am inviting fellow Ghostly Writers over for a chat on my blog.
I’m pleased to introduce you to Mary…
Interview questions:
- Why did you decide to write?
I just did. I’ve always written. My big Children of Stoneseries was part of hundreds of chronicles of dreams and reincarnation/past like regression experiments as well as guided lucid dreams into other realms. I novelized it, then went back years later seeking some verification. Oddly enough I found a few bits. - What do your family and friends think of your writing life?
They know it’s an all-consuming hobby and wish it made money. My son Thomas is active in it as my editor formatter and cover artist. - Tell us a bit about your current writing projects
I’m revising the second series book up to about the half way point because it’s fine after that. I’m also struggling to get a decent ending to the fifth and final book in the series. - Do you have a muse? On occasion, a spirit guide drops by from time to time to give me a tidbit or two.
- What do you think of collaborations? Are you a member of any groups for authors that you would recommend?
Black Rose and Robinators. - Have you any unusual hobbies? Please tell us about them… Renovating things. I’m working on a house now. I’ve had dozens more but don’t have a calm enough lifestyle. My adventures into the psychic and spiritualism were the strangest.
- Do you have a favourite word, phrase or quote? Favorite? Not really. Maybe “Keep smiling, have faith: but let me state up front it’s not about religion, just belief in one’s ability to survive.
- Finish this sentence: For me writing is…what I do
- Where do you live and with whom if you don’t mind saying… For now Euclid Ohio but anticipating a move to Mentor, Oh in the spring (10 miles away)
- Do you believe in ghosts? Do you have a favourite supernatural being?
From my previous answers I’d say that was obvious. I guess my favorite would be one who became a character in my series and in quite a few short stories. Prince Maatkare Raemkai. I met him shortly after the place where he was trapped for 50 years burned down. See Ghostly Writes2018 “Raemkai’s Stairs” He lurked and taught me and my friends interesting spiritual things and is one of the reasons we ravenously pursued the research back in the 1970’s. I still get contact now, but it’s decidedly less now that the stories are being published. There are quite a few others but he’s been the stand out and most frequent and true to form a comfort when death of someone is near.
Have you started the Journey?
CHILDREN OF STONE
1)Voices in Crystal 2) Going Forth By Day 3)Opener of the Sky 4) Heart of the Lotus 5) Lake of Memory – coming 2019-20
EMOTIVE, EXOTIC & BEAUTIFUL!!
WALK WITH THOSE WHO ONCE BECAME GODS.
The Mystery of Ancient Egypt RETOLD – in a combo of fantasy, real history, mythology and magic. Like GAME OF THRONES in Ancient Egypt – With ALIENS
Like ancient superheroes, those touched by the Children of Stone wander through the reality of ancient legends, RESHAPING myth and history.
Unforgettable people and their stories of mysticism, magic and never-ending love.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DMvkKJ
Author Page: https://bit.ly/2x1PZJe
Website: https://www.maryrwoldering.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryrwoldering/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7398194.Mary_R_Woldering
Mary’s teaser for her short story in Ghostly Rites 2019 which is entitled The Changeling Princess….
It’s been lovely to invite Mary over, I will be interviewing Ghostly Rites fellow writer Wendy Steele next.
Bye for now,
Buy Book: http://mybook.to/TheCurseofTime
Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’
“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)
Social Media Links
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook #ABRSC: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/