Tag: Author interview

Interview with Dan Costinas, alias Dan Quijote #Shakespeare #reading #reviewing The Last Folio

I am delighted to welcome my guest Dan Costinas to my blog for an illuminating and interesting interview.

Interview with Dan Costinas
(aka Dan Quijote among social media users)

  1. What matters to you other than the bard?
    Metaphorically speaking, William Shakespeare is everywhere, and his influence is felt far beyond the plays or the poems he wrote centuries ago; he is as immortal as his work. He is still able to transcend time and frontiers, and to speak to people of all cultures. Literary speaking, the entire Universal Literature matters, all Classics matter. Modern authors matter too. Both lists are too long, and I do not want to mention just a few, and unjustly let anyone out.
  2. Why Shakespeare? Tell us about your books.
    I was barely a teenager when I got a hardback copy of Tales from Shakespeare, by Charles and Mary Lamb. It was back then when and how I started to read, understand, and love Shakespeare. After many decades now, I still have that Lambs’ Tales edition, and I carry it with me, like a precious token, everywhere I go to live.
    My admiration for everything the Bard-upon-Avon wrote has no limits today, but I have to admit that there is also something else that caught my attention during the years: the unlikely history of one certain book, sold with £1.00 four hundred years ago, and with $9.9 million in 2020, within an auction at Christie’s in New York: “Mr William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies” – commonly referred to by modern scholars as the First Folio. Half of the well-known plays had never been published before, and masterpieces like Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, Macbeth, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, The Taming of the Shrew, Measure for Measure, and others might not have survived, and would have been probably lost forever.
    Three years ago, around the month when we moved to Portugal, I decided that 2023 could be the right time to pay my own tribute to the Big Book. I strongly believe that Mr Shakespeare’s universal storylines are still relevant in the twenty-first century, and one of the reasons is the huge collection of adaptations and distinct rewrites of his plays. This idea was the foundation for my building, for what I tried to do in The Last Folio: a brief collection of so called pseudo-essays, focused on the universality of the plays. My book’s declared intention is to encourage reading at all ages, together with providing enjoyment and inspiration to the youngest of the readers around the world. Reading this book help us keeping the essential stories alive! The Last Folio is the eleventh book I published, but the very first one written entirely in English. The other ten are mainly translations, from/ and into more than one language, including Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, and English.
  1. What kind of books do you like reading?
    I know it sounds weird, but I own three thousand books, and I read everything and anything; I love reading. Of course, I have preferences, and right now I dig deep in historical fiction. Maybe also because my next literary project is to rewrite (or better say complete) the missing years of Don Quixote’s story. In my book, he is Don Miguel de Cervantes’ stepbrother, and I send him to follow the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés traces, while the latter overthrew the Aztec empire in the first half of the 16 th century. It’s really amazing and intriguing to research that period of time, and all those heinous crimes committed in the name of Christianity .
  2. Favourite quote and meaning to you.
    As Jerry Seinfeld says, “A book store is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking.” Both writing and reading require the brain to make connections, to visualize, to ask questions, to try finding answers, etc. – all of these are connected to active thinking. And to misquote Rene Descartes: we think, therefore we are; we are, therefore we live.
  3. A bit of background if you don’t mind, where you live, or have moved to. Why Portugal?
    Why Portugal? Well, I shall try to cut the long story short, but I warn you that it will be a subjective answer: we like and enjoy warm/hot weather (even if the temperatures can get up to 70° in direct sunlight), then all those inviting 517 miles of Atlantic coast, the friendly locals, the quality of life, and the outstanding gastronomy. I’ve just told you that they were subjective; I am convinced that they do not resonate with all of you, the great variety of readers of this blog. After an early semi-retirement in 2020, we picked Algarve as the new adoptive place to live in. More or less 1,000 days later, we decided to move a bit north, and closer to the Spanish border. A wise move, since we wanted to experience a slower pace of life, in a completely different (and genuine) Portugal, somehow off the beaten path.
  4. Tell us about your contributor role to Tomorrow Magazine.
    In the friendly jungle of Portuguese English speaking media, being impressed by the exquisite quality of the content and the very small team managing the monthly “Tomorrow Algarve” magazine, I decided to offer them a permanent column containing book reviews, and they said yes. Every now and then, I sent them one of my unorthodox interviews with authors or just interesting settling in the Algarve stories, and they said yes.
  5. You are passionate about the community of writers and encouraging others to fulfil their potential. Who have you met along the way in this process? And in so doing, have you discovered more about yourself?
    Many decades ago, the books saved my life and sanity, (but this is another long story,) so I feel that I owe them a lot. That’s how I explain my commitment to discover and help the other writers to fulfil their dreams. I think it was in the early 2000s when I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend a conference on semiotics held by Professor Umberto Eco at the University of Bologna. I remember his words every now and then: “The good of books lies in them being read. Without an open mind to read them, the books contain only graphic signs that produce
    no concepts; therefore they are dumb and purposeless.” That was when I started doing my best to find potential hidden gems in each and every writer I met, and tirelessly promoting and encouraging reading.
    Speaking about the last three years, I had the honour and pleasure to meet a dozen of very talented foreign authors who decided to settle in the sunny (Portuguese) Algarve. Then I “crossed the border” and found another dozen of very talented foreign authors who decided to settle in Spain. So I made up my mind and quickly opened an online agora for all of them, where they can communicate and meet their readers. That was how and why the FB group “Authors for Hispania” was born. And yes, I discovered that I could help, and my contributions were many times worthwhile.
  6. Would you rather attend a dramatic performance, and/or read the corresponding
    book?
    I am always doing my best –after or before attending a stage performance/ watching a movie dramatization– to find also the corresponding book. Just two examples: I have attended (at least) twenty different staged-Hamlets in my life, and I have read all the nine (so far) novels of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander.
  7. Do you prefer comedic, love, or tragedy stories?
    In the 17 th century France it was a yet famous saying: “Life seems a comedy if you think about it, but a tragedy if you feel it.” I like to believe that the meaning of any story stays mainly in the eye of the beholder. I read everything, but I very much prefer fiction, especially when it is spiced with good humour.
  8. For fun… Perhaps you have been reincarnated come back to entertain us in present day. Or time travelled. Yes, or no, or maybe?
    A few years ago, maybe four or five, it was an online hearsay about Adam Shulman, the American actress’ Anne Hathaway’s husband, that he was a reincarnation of William Shakespeare. The gossip drew some physical similarities between Shulman and Shakespeare, including that the Bard wife’s name was Anne Hathaway as well. Funny, but completely nonsensical. Scientists say that travelling into the future is achievable, but travelling into the past is either wildly difficult or absolutely impossible. If you ask me, I have a dilemma with both: time travel and reincarnation. I only believe in what I can see with my own eyes, in what I can touch, or what I can experience myself. So, more likely is a no than a maybe or a yes.

My review of the Last Folio:

One gets a sense of Dan Costinas’s great love of Shakespeare’s dramas, comedies and tragedies in this 400th anniversary work of essays to commemorate the publication of Shakespeare’s first folio.

Costinas reminises about his first introduction to Shakespeare:

“I clearly remember, like it happened yesterday, my first contact with the Plays: I was ten years old and I was completely captivated almost three hours watching Ariel, Ceres, Iris, Juno, Caliban, and their magical story on the stage.”

Costinas writes with flair, knowledge, humour, and enthusiasm bringing Shakespeare’s undoubted dramatic skill to the modern reader. So many Shakespearean topics are still pertinent today: fortune hunters, love, hatred, jealousy, seduction, the war of the sexes, adultery, absurd foolishness, mankind’s flaws, power, the common man, battles, court life, etc.

Costinas also discusses (within the Shakespearean context,) topics such as racism, homophobia, misogyny, and antisemitism and his opinion on how Shakespeare viewed women. A debate I found particularly interesting.

This book is for those who enjoy Shakespeare, literature, philosophical discussion and history. And it is evident, his intention to encourage Shakespeare to be read and enjoyed by future generations, with this easily understood insight into the bard and his remarkable works.

Highly recommended. Well done, Mr. Costinas. 5 stars

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Folio-p…

Read with kindle unlimited subscription.

@Marje, It has been an absolute pleasure to chat with you, and thank you very much for
giving me this opportunity to answer your questions. Also, please allow me to wish
you, your family, and all your readers the best Christmas ever, and a new year at
least 2024 times better than the previous ones!

@Dan thank you so much for being such a wonderful guest. I really enjoyed finding out more about you! Your extensive book collection comes as no surprise, I guessed that. And love that quote, “A book store is one of the only pieces of evidence we
have that people are still thinking.” Jerry Seinfeld.

All the best to you and your family, for a happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year, 2024.

Dan Costinas – prosaist, poet, aphorist, literary evaluator, and (Amazon Vine Voice) unbiased book reviewer

“I was born and raised in the last European country plagued by a nightmarish dictatorship; back then I escaped into reading, and the books managed to keep me sane. Today I am one of the richest persons in (the same) Europe, having everything I need and love: a bonnie lass as partner, a silly black poodle called Winston, a vast Western culture to immerse into, and definitely so many new
books to read and enjoy on each and every sunny day and every single starry night.
When I do not read, I write. Or translate. Or attempt to quit smoking. Or travel. Or I regret there are only twenty-four hours in a day.”

Main Links:

https://shorturl.at/chvF9 (Book)
https://shorturl.at/rHUZ5 (Mr Shakespeare’s Mates)
https://shorturl.at/bdyST (Authors for Hispania)

Author Interview: MJ Mallon | The Glorious Outsiders @chanatkins #authorinterview #review

Thank you so much to fabulous author Chantelle Atkins for inviting me to her blog for an author interview about my latest release Do What You Love. We talk about my inspirations, favourite types of poetry, and what I am working on next.

In the blog she also shares her review. Here is a short review quote from that:

“As other reviewers have said, this is an overwhelmingly sweet and positive collection that will not fail to make you smile during these tough times.”

Chantelle

Do pop over to her blog to read at source and while you are there find out more about Chantelle and her range of books too.

Source: Author Interview: MJ Mallon | The Glorious Outsiders

MJ Interviews @AlexBPearl #author #interviews

Hi Alex welcome to my blog. It’s great to be able to return the favour, and to thank you for the lovely feature interview you did for me recently on your blog.

Alex Pearl is an extremely shortsighted copywriter, author, ghost writer, travel writer & artist.

MJ: I love the premise of your YA novel Sleeping with the Blackbirds – a darkly humorous modern fairy tale story – which tackles many important topics: bullies, homelessness, single mums and abusive parents. How did you get the idea for the story?

ALEX: That’s a tricky one. The story came to me gradually, and the circumstances in which it was written was fairly bizarre. I was working for an ad agency at the time that was going through a global merger, and work dried up while this was all going on. So I had time to think about my first book. Strangely enough, the title came to me before the story became fully formed. And the rough outline of the story involving the schoolboy Roy Nuttersley leading a miserable life with awful parents and school bullies looming large in his life, and of course, the birds who try to assist him – these were ideas that I had in my head before I started writing the thing. I think the idea of a young boy and birds may have come to me because my son at that time used to imitate seagulls, and he was quite brilliant at it. And it’s no coincidence that we have a 400 year-old-oak tree that towers over our own garden, just as one does in Roy Nuttersley’s. But the details of the story evolved as I wrote it. That said, the ending to the story, which many people didn’t see coming and seem to have enjoyed, came to me before I’d started writing it. So it was a case of knowing how it started and how it ended but not knowing much else until I started to write.

MJ: I believe your debut was published in 2011. Are you surprised at how your writing path has changed/developed since then?

ALEX: Not really. I’m a bit of a chameleon, probably because of my background in advertising and the fact that copywriters are always briefed to adopt a certain tone of voice that is suitable for the audience they are addressing. So for instance, you’d write in a certain formal style when talking about an investment trust to readers of The Telegraph, and a very different lighter tone of voice when talking about Smarties to children and mums. And my approach to writing books is the same. I’d like to have a go at any genre.

MJ: On your Amazon profile, I was amused to read that you are perhaps the only human being on this planet to have been inadvertently locked in a record shop on Christmas Eve. How did this happen? And did you manage to have your Christmas dinner?

ALEX: To this day, I’m not entirely sure how it happened. All I can remember is stepping into the shop in broad daylight. I think it must have been about 4.00 in the afternoon. So it wasn’t even normal closing time. I don’t remember hearing people locking up or anything like that. But that’s what they obviously did. And strangely enough, all the lights were left on. So when I finally found the record I was wanting to buy and discovered nobody behind the till my first reaction was one of mild annoyance. Then when coughing loudly and profusely still produced no results, I went behind the till myself and into a back room that was empty. At this point I gave up all hope of spending my pocket money and marched over to the front door and on yanking it hard to get out, nearly pulled my arm off. It was locked. Only then did I realise the full horror of the situation. But thankfully, I’d spotted a telephone in the back room (this was well before mobile phones had been invented), and I called my father who duly called the police, who in turn tracked down a caretaker who lived in Mile End and took over an hour to finally show up with keys to unlock me from my temporary prison. So in answer to your question, yes, thankfully I did get my Christmas dinner. But it must have been a miserable Christmas for the staff who I learned later, were fired.

MJ: Since you were an advertising copywriter, if I were to ask you to write your own slogan, what would it say?

ALEX: Aha! The advertising slogan question. I actually hate slogans. The best ads don’t actually have them. But that’s a subject for another day. I’d settle for something funny. There’s a lovely piece of graffiti that I’d love to have written: ‘Smile they said. Things could be worse. So he did. And they were.’ It doesn’t say anything about me exactly, but its delicious, deadpan irony is the kind of thing I love. So it does tell you something about me indirectly I guess. I suppose I haven’t really answered your question. Hey ho, or ‘La-di-da’ as Dianne Keaton says in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall.

MJ: You mention that you are a slow writer, I relate! Is that because you get distracted? What is the slowest aspect of the writing process for you, or perhaps the most difficult part.

ALEX: I get distracted, I procrastinate, I put things off. I’m just generally a bit shambolic and disorganised. And then when I write I tend to take time; writing and rewriting. I’ve read that Douglas Adams used to go backwards and forwards like this and used to end up with mountains of screwed up paper in his bin, which I find reassuring. The hardest and slowest part for me is the planning stage. For my first book ‘Sleeping with the Blackbirds’ planning took up almost as much time as writing. For my second ‘The Chair Man’ planning and research took me for ever – far longer than it took to write the thing. This said, ‘Blackbirds’ didn’t require any research at all. With ‘The Chair Man’ I had to look into the ways terrorists communicated in 2005. It’s not an easy subject to research as you can imagine. But I did find an obscure book written by academics in America that delved into this. I also had to find out about GCHQ and MI5, which again are difficult subjects to research for obvious reasons. Then, of course, I had to get the politics right. So all in all it was something of a challenge.

MJ: I love your book covers. Do you get much input into choosing them? And are you swayed by enticing covers yourself? What are your favourite cover/s and book/s.

ALEX: I’m glad you mentioned that. I’m very fortunate to have a good friend who is a serious, professional advertising photographer. He photographed and designed both my covers. I love his work, so it’s a bit of a no-brainer using John because you know whatever he produces is going to be fantastic. For ‘Sleeping with the Blackbirds’ he took an atmospheric shot on Hampstead Heath and used an excellent typographer to design a special typeface for the title.

And for ‘The Chair Man’ he created this strong silhouette in the studio and again used a special typeface to create the title. Interestingly, John used a similar silhouette technique for the film poster he shot for Guy Ritchie’s ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.’

MJ: Awesome! I love the black and white style that you use on your blog to platform so many authors. How did that come about? What made you choose that style?

ALEX: Thank you, Marjorie. I wanted to keep the style of the website simple, consistent and stylish. So I deliberately kept the typeface reasonably large sans serif in grey, which always looks classy, and decided that all portraits should be in black and white. Besides creating a distinctive house look, it also gives the books the prominence they need, as they are always reproduced in full colour. Many people have commented on the look of the site, and some love the fact that it’s so very readable. There’s nothing worse than having to squint at tiny type on the screen that you have to blow up.

SLEEPING WITH THE BLACKBIRDS

Eleven-year-old schoolboy, Roy Nuttersley has been dealt a pretty raw deal. While hideous parents show him precious little in the way of love and affection, school bullies make his life a misery. So Roy takes comfort in looking after the birds in his garden, and in return the birds hatch a series of ambitious schemes to protect their new friend. As with the best-laid plans, however, these get blown completely off course – and as a result the lives of both Roy and his arch tormentor, Harry Hodges are turned upside down – but in a surprisingly good way.

“Wonderful images and thought-provoking scenes.” Bramwell Tovey, composer & broadcaster

“The strength of the author’s voice held me captivated long after turning the last page. With the wit of JK Rowling, Alex Pearl has definitely earned his place in the young adult fiction hall of fame.” Lisa McCombs, Readers’ Favorite

“A delightful fairy story that deals sensitively and compellingly with modern-day issues like homelessness, single mums and abusive parents.” George Layton, actor, screenwriter and bestselling author.

THE CHAIR MAN

Michael Hollinghurst is a successful corporate lawyer living a comfortable, suburban life in leafy North West London. But on 7 July 2005, his life is transformed when he steps on a London underground train targeted by Islamist suicide bombers. While most passengers in his carriage are killed, Michael survives the explosion but is confined to a wheelchair as a result.   Coming to terms with his predicament and controlling his own feelings of guilt as a survivor conspire to push him in a direction that is out of character and a tad reckless. In a quest to seek retribution, he resorts to embracing the internet and posing as a radical Islamist in order to snare potential perpetrators. Much to his surprise, his shambolic scheme yields results and is brought to the attention of both GCHQ and a terrorist cell. But before long, dark forces begin to gather and close in on him. There is seemingly no way out for Michael Hollinghurst. He has become, quite literally, a sitting target.”The nearest I ever got to a “terrorist incident” was in East London, when I heard the IRA bomb go off in Docklands in 1996. I cannot predict my reaction were I to be caught up personally in such events, but I hope I would not go the same way as Michael Hollinghurst, the central figure in this entertaining and elaborately plotted novel. It is a gripping thriller that repays careful and close reading (and I will certainly read it again).” Graham Smith

MJ: If you could share your experiences and thoughts whilst writing The Chair Man?
ALEX: Once I had worked out the story in some detail and written a synopsis, and had taken copious notes from research sources both online and from books, I felt able to start writing. And the writing process is far more enjoyable and liberating than the planning and research, which I don’t especially enjoy. But it’s the ammunition I need – a kind of road map if you like. Without it I just don’t know where I’m going and I simply don’t have the confidence to write. I envy people who are pantsters and can just sit down and write. I just can’t do it. I tried it once and after 15,000 words I dried up. I still have the unfinished manuscript somewhere. My daughter nagged me for ages to finish it, so I wrote ‘Sleeping with the Blackbirds’ instead.
MJ: I believe The Chair Man is your thriller debut. Have you any plans to write any more thrillers and if so what topic/backdrop do you plan to use?
ALEX: I knew you’d ask me that. I really want to write a sequel to ‘The Chair Man’ but am struggling to come up with a storyline that I’m happy with. I know how the first half of the novel kicks off, but it’s the last two thirds that have so far eluded me. Perhaps I’ll resolve it. We’ll see.
MJ: How did you become an author? And do you think it has changed you?
ALEX: It just happened. I suppose I’ve always toyed with the idea of writing fiction, but never really had the confidence that I could do it. But once you have an idea in your head, writing it isn’t actually that difficult. Has it changed me? No. Not one bit.
MJ: Have you a favourite character in The Chair Man? Or a particular character that you had great difficulty developing, or who altered in a way you did not expect.
ALEX: That’s a really good question. And the answer is yes. Surprisingly, I ended up liking one of the terrorists Qssim who is a very complex character. I originally intended him to be pretty nasty, which he is initially. But as the book develops his character develops, too and he becomes a much more sympathetic character that you can relate to. It’s interesting that some readers find him more likeable than the protagonist who is a victim of a terrorist attack. 

MJ: What are your writing plans for the future? ALEX: If I can plan a sequel to ‘The Chair Man’ I will definitely write it. Time will tell. I’m also planning to get back into painting, which I haven’t done for many years. I used to paint large abstract paintings on glass and exhibit them. I’m hoping to produce enough new pieces for an exhibition in the next year or two. You can view some of my work here: http://glasspaintingsbyalexpearl.weebly.com

Wow, I’m impressed! And so jealous, I wish I could paint.

MJ. Is there one marketing tip you would like to share?
ALEX: I’m no expert at marketing. But I have found that offering a free ebook and using services like The Fussy Librarian to promote it can be quite effective. I have seen around 800 copies downloaded in one day. But services do vary. Ereader News Today managed to shift 1,000 copies on one occasion and only 300 on another. I was rather pleased with myself when I placed a free ad on Nextdoor.co.uk for residents of NW3 which is the postcode where my thriller is set. Doing so led to 100 downloads in a day and three reviews. And that cost me nothing.

Author Bio

Alex’s first novel ‘Sleeping with the Blackbirds’, a darkly humorous urban fantasy, written for children and young adults, was initially published by PenPress in 2011. It has since become a Kindle bestseller in the US. In 2014, his fictionalised account of the first British serviceman to be executed for cowardice during the First World War was published by Mardibooks in its anthology, ‘The Clock Struck War’. A selection of his blog posts is also available in paperback under the title ‘Random Ramblings of a Short-sighted Blogger.’ In 2019, his psychological thriller, ‘The Chair Man’ that is set in London in 2005 following the terrorist attack on its public transport system, was published as an ebook by Fizgig Press. The paperback followed in 2020.
Alex lives in NW London with his wife and two children who are far smarter than their old man.
He is quite possibly the only human being on this planet to have been inadvertently locked in a record shop on Christmas Eve.

This is Alex’s Linktree link:

https://linktr.ee/AlexPearl

Alex Pearl Linktree QR code:

You can visit his website at http://booksbyalexpearl.weebly.com

Love the sound of Alex’s books.

Do comment below would love to hear whether you’ve read Alex’s books.

Special Feature: Chantelle Atkins – @Chanatkins Chasing Driftwood Writing Group #author #writing #group

I’m pleased to welcome Chantelle Atkins to my blog to chat about her writing group Chasing Driftwood. Recently, I submitted a poem to her writing competition and won joint first prize, winning a 1 to 1! It’s been really helpful getting 1 to 1 feedback on a short story idea I am developing. More about that soon.

In the meantime, here is the Q and A with Chantelle.

I’m curious about the origin of the name of your writing group: Chasing Driftwood? Why did you decide to set this group up?


I decided to set it up because at the time I had been writing and self-publishing for a while and had learnt so much in the process that I wanted to be able to help other writers with their own journeys. Also, I had never been able to find a writing group locally that fit in with having a family, so I set up the adult group first to fill that need and it went from there. I used to be a childminder and really missed working with kids, so putting on creative writing workshops for children was the next natural step and this eventually grew into after-school writing clubs, adult workshops, online courses and more! I think it comes from a passion for writing. I want to help other people start writing and keep writing. I had a long period of time where I lost writing entirely because life was so busy, so I know what it’s like to not have the time or the energy to devote to it. But I want to show people that you can make time and that it is definitely worth it! The name came from two old indie songs that were in my head one day when I was trying to choose a name for it. Chasing Rainbows by Shed 7 and Driftwood by Travis. I’d been stuck for a name for ages as so many have already been taken that use the word writing or write for example, so I went with Chasing Driftwood Writing Group and thought it sounded unique.

I’d love to find out more about your writing journey. Please elaborate…How long have you been writing for? And when did you start the group?


I’ve been writing my whole life. I still have lots of the stories I wrote as a child. I was totally obsessed with reading and writing. It’s all I ever wanted to do. I always found it so incredibly exciting and magical. Through my teens it saved me and my stories grew into novels. I also wrote a diary back then religiously every day. I then had a ten-year period where I did not write at all. This coincided with finishing University and having my first child. I then had another very soon after and decided to become a childminder so that I could earn money while looking after my own children. Then I had the third one…and I was exhausted, happy, but exhausted! There just wasn’t time for writing and I thought I had left it behind me and missed the boat. When my then third child started school, I had a sudden panic that life was slipping me by and I hadn’t fulfilled my childhood dreams. So I quit childminding, started dog-walking and got back into writing. Once it started, it just refused to stop and that was ten years ago now! When the fourth child came along, I hung onto my writing with all my might and these days I am very strict about making time for it. I will never let it go again. I published my first novel The Mess Of Me in 2013 and set up Chasing Driftwood in 2015. We then became a CIC in 2017 and in 2020 I gained a business partner!


In your opinion, what demons and obstacles are there to overcome in order to progress and be successful in writing?


Oh my gosh, so many, and that’s the saddest thing, because so many people start writing and give up, or want to write but never dare to do it…Time is the biggest hurdle for most people I work with. Lots of people come and go within the adult writing group for example, and life gets in the way for them. Busy jobs, young children; there just isn’t enough time and energy for writing. I’m always offering advice and tips on making the time and sticking with the discipline needed. The next biggest one is self-doubt, I think. People have a story in their heads but don’t think they can do it justice. I think all writers suffer from self-doubt to some degree. It comes and goes and you are constantly battling with it and trying to drown out the self-criticism. The other hurdle I think is other people. Sometimes because they are the reason you are busy and tired, and don’t think you deserve to devote time to writing…and sometimes because people look down on it, tell you it’s a waste of time, not a real job and so on. I know this happens to a lot of writers and I had to put up with that myself when young. I want to encourage people to do it anyway!


Tell us a little about the Chasing Driftwood group and the writers who are part of the group and the services you offer to adults and children.


The adult writing group is quite small at the moment as several of the long-
termers cannot or do not want to do it via Zoom, which I perfectly understand. We used to meet in a community hall where we had a cosy room all to ourselves every other Monday evening. The group varies in size between three to five people, or seven to ten. People do come and go, as life gets busier and they get less time to write, but there are a few who have been with us for several years now. Some have gone on to finish novels they are now trying to find publication for and some have written novels and gone on to secure publishing deals. They are a real mix of people, genders and ages, and I don’t think they will mind me saying that we are probably all classic introverts! The group is running monthly at the moment via Zoom, using more of a workshop style format to get them writing, as many of them have really suffered with the pandemic and not being able to write. As well as the adult group, we offer adult workshops. These used to be in venues such as halls and libraries, but are currently via Zoom. For children, again we had after-school clubs but cannot go into schools right now because of Covid, so these are all on Zoom. We also have three clubs for home-educated children, and online courses for children

Has it been more difficult and challenging to manage the group throughout the pandemic?


Yes, definitely. During the first lockdown a year ago, I didn’t do anything. I was so shocked and scared and so concerned with helping my children through it, I just couldn’t get my head around the writing groups carrying on. I knew there was Zoom and Skype and all sorts, but I just couldn’t do it. I stayed in contact as much as possible via email and I set challenges and prompts on the Facebook page but that was all I could manage. I felt really sad and scared that I would lose my business by not moving it online, but at the same time, I just didn’t seem to have the emotional energy needed to keep it going. That all changed once the kids started going back to school. I finally had the time to organise myself, set up Zoom and try it out and it all took off quite well. Now I am really pleased we have so much online and we will always offer online workshops, courses and clubs now, even when we can return to physical ones. When we had the latest lockdown and school closures again, I managed to work through it this time, juggling my clubs etc with home-schooling! It was tough, but we managed.

I’ve read The Mess of Me which I’ve been meaning to read for some time. I knew I would like it! From your writing style, I get a sense that you are a character driven writer. This is also apparent in the chosen name of your blog The Glorious Outsiders. What a great name for a blog! How did you decide upon the names of your books/blog? Would you agree that you are a character driven writer? And why?


Thank you! The name for the blog came from my characters. When I first set up a blog, I had not published anything and just used it to share snippets on. I then picked up a few tips from another writer about rebranding the blog, making it speak for you, letting people know who you are and what you do. I thought about my characters and realised that all of them are outsiders in some way, and none of them really care that they are. The Glorious Outsiders seemed perfectly apt for them and for me. The names of my books have come from various places. Some come to me really quickly, even before I’ve written the books, for example, The Tree Of Rebels and Elliot Pie’s Guide To Human Nature. The Boy With The Thorn In His side came when I was half way through writing the first book and I realised that for me at least, the lyrics of that song by The Smiths really made sense for the story. This Is Nowhere comes from a Neil Young song called Everyone Knows This Is Nowhere. The story offered the title up as one of the characters played Neil Young records, so of course I had to play Neil Young while I was writing it and when I listened to the lyrics of that song, I knew I had a perfect title. And yes, I would agree that I am very much a character driven writer. It’s always characters that come to me first, and they start talking about their lives and worlds and problems and then eventually a plot comes from that! I love creating characters, it’s so much fun, and with reading too, I am much more drawn to character driven stories.

Link to my review of The Mess of Me: https://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.com/2021/03/25/book-review-the-mess-of-me-by-chantelle-atkins-chanatkins-book-review-ya/

I believe you’re working on a new project, a supernatural YA series with  co-author  Sim Sansford. What’s the process of writing a novel together.How does this work and would you recommend it?

Yes, I never, ever thought I would write with another author! I’ve read books by others who have tried this and was in complete awe as to how they achieved it. I’m quite a control freak about my own writing, my style and choices and characters, so I didn’t think I would ever be able to co-write something. Sim became my business partner in November 2020 and brought to the company exactly what I needed: an injection of youth, enthusiasm and ideas! It’s brilliant to have someone to bounce ideas off and to share the workload. We got on really well with it, so when he suggested writing something together my instant reaction was, why not? I had no idea how it would work or where it would go. Sim had a loose idea and we decided to write it in first person from alternating character points of view. He created a character called Darcie Duffield and I created JJ Carson. We knew it would be a supernatural/super abilities style story and again, this was something I had never imagined I would write, but it has gone so well. We finished book one in about six weeks I think and rolled straight into book two, which we have just finished! We have started to edit book one and have ideas to start book three. It worked by one of us writing a chapter, sending it to the other, then they responded with theirs and so on. We message lots throughout the day with ideas and questions and somehow it has just worked out! It’s been really exciting and fun and I would definitely recommend if you can find the right author to work alongside.

What does the future hold for Chasing Driftwood?

Hopefully, we will continue to grow. At the moment, I feel like we are putting lots of things in place that will benefit the CIC later on. So there is a lot of unpaid work going on right now as we work towards future goals. We have set up copy-editing and proofreading services to compliment the writer’s groups, workshops and courses. We intend to keep adding new online courses to the site for adults and children. We are putting together our first collection and it will be the first thing we publish under Chasing Driftwood. It’s a pandemic themed collection we hope to have ready by the start of the summer.  It will be testing the water really as we would love to evolve the CIC into an indie press at some point. Again, we might cut our teeth on this idea by publishing our co-written series with Chasing Driftwood, but it is early days, so we will see! We have other projects in the line for when covid finally frees us all…A nature-based project for young writers and a community writing project among others.

Authors Links:

https://chasingdriftwoodwritinggroup.org/

https://about.me/chantelle.atkins

https://chantelleatkins.com/

I think you will agree that has been such a fascinating chat with Chantelle.

Author Interview and Excerpt Sally Cronin #Author #Interview #Excerpt #Shortstories #Poetry

Welcome to Kyrosmagica! It is wonderful to have you over for a chit chat, Sally.


Lovely to be here Marjorie and thank you for the invitation.


MJ: I’m delighted to be reading Life is Like A Bowl of Cherries, Sally, the title is so beguiling, particularly as I do love fruit, and cherries are a favourite!

MJ: Sally, I’d love to hear more about your nomadic life. I believe you have lived in many countries. Which of these places has a special place in your heart and why?


My father was in the Royal Navy and was posted overseas several times. On occasion we were able to travel with him as a family, including my first trip at age 18 months to Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The first year was documented in photographs and I don’t really remember as I was too young, but certainly by the time I was three I was aware of my surroundings and the people in my life. We lived in a house on the edge of the jungle and we had a cook and an amah or nanny for me. My two sisters were 13 and 14 by this time and when they came back from school I was handed over to them. Anything they did I did too, and I was swimming every day in my rubber ring which I loved and still do today, but without the rubber ring!! On one memorable occasion, I followed my eldest sister up a steep ladder during a diving competition. She completed her dive and surfaced expecting applause to find a stunned silence and groans from the crowd. I had crawled to the end of the diving board, stood up and jumped off. Apparently I surfaced and told my sister ‘again’.


After Sri Lanka we returned to the UK for two years followed by two years in Malta which were amazing, and after another two years in England we moved to South Africa. My memories of our time in Cape Town are very vivid as I was ten years old by this time and well aware of the situation at that time with apartheid for example. As a family we had to attend an induction day so that we knew what we could say and what the rules were for segregation. I found it very difficult as I had friends at school in England from the West Indies and the Middle East and it felt very uncomfortable being unable to be friends with anyone because of their colour.


David and I have lived and worked in several countries over the last forty years and certainly our experiences, and the people we have met, have provided us with amazing memories. As a writer all of my travels have left me with memories that are wonderful to dip into and use for stories.


They say that ‘home is where the heart is’, and for me that is certainly the case, and wherever we might be living, as long as David and I are under the same roof it is a special place.

MJ: Oh, how lovely.

MJ: Writing short stories and poetry takes a special skill. Can you summarise the way you approach writing them – any rituals you have, or methods you use?


The stories start out life a great deal longer than they end up. I tend to write in my head first when walking or exercising, then come back and dash it out on the computer. I spend a lot of time revising and editing down to a point where I feel it reads aloud well. And I always ask myself, would I enjoy if I read the story for the first time.


I tend to stick to the Japanese poetry which is constrained by the number of syllables. I love the various formats and experiment depending on the theme. After the first draft, I usually end up changing the words within a certain syllable count to find the one that expresses the most action or emotion.

With everything I write, I use David as a sounding board and he is brilliant with suggestions that might enhance or improve the piece.

MJ: You feature so many authors on your wonderful blog Smorgasbord. This must be a labour of love as I’m sure it must take up so much of your time. As an indie author you give so much to the community in features, reviews and the like. How do you manage your time? And do you ever feel overwhelmed?


One of the key elements I learned early on in my management career was project planning and this was vital when dealing with major construction, installation or sales and marketing campaigns. I carried this over to when I was running my own business for the next twelve years and then as a blogger.


For me blogging is a full time occupation and a business despite the blog itself not being monetised. I am an indie author with 14 books to sell and nobody else is going to do that for me. With 20,000 new titles added to the shelves on Amazon each week, it is tough to get noticed, particularly in the popular genres.

Twenty years ago I was helping authors get their books noticed in a very different way with book launches, radio interviews, press releases and my own first book got some great publicity nationally. However, it is very different now, and the focus is on local physical marketing and global online promotion.


As an author of six books in 2012, I needed a platform to market my own books and that involved creating an online presence across other areas of social media. I began building Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn systematically over the years. I don’t belong to any other social media because as you say, it is time consuming to maintain, and these three are the most consistent referrers of visitors to the blog after WordPress Reader.


I had a project plan in place to achieve my vision of how I wanted the blog to develop. To market my own books, I felt that the content on the blog needed to appeal to a varied market. I set out to develop a magazine style platform with a number of topics. I began with health which I have been involved in for over fifteen years by that time, and slowly added the other areas I have been involved such as book marketing, music and humour as the followers and my confidence grew.

After three years I felt that there was a strong enough following to offer free book marketing to other authors, which is when the Café and Bookstore came into existence. There are now over 150 author promotions, two book fairs featuring all the authors in the Café, and around 50 individual author spotlights a year. My hope is that I can help in some small way to showcase an author and their work within our writing community, whilst also promoting my own.


As to finding the time to post in the way I do… I always schedule ahead by at least a week and usually two. In the case of a series I schedule all the posts at one time. This creates time for me to maintain social media, spend time on my own writing projects, and read and review books.


The project plan is not completed, and in the blog’s 9 th year I hope to continue to find new ways to get all of us noticed and sell some books.

MJ: You are an inspiration, what a wonderful goal.

MJ: The title of your latest release: Life Is Like A Bowl of Cherries. How did you choose the title and what were you trying to convey?


My life experience has been one of highs and lows as is the case for so many people. The reason I appreciate what I have right now, is because of the tough times in the past. Nobody has a perfect life and that is what makes it so fascinating. I wanted to reflect this in the stories I write, but I try to end each of them with a hopeful outcome.


As to the name of the collection…I bought a punnet of cherries last year and could not believe how they looked the same but some were bitter and some were sweet. When I was looking for a title it came to mind.

MJ: That’s so cute!

MJ: After eight years blogging what advice would you impart to new bloggers starting their blogging journey?


Everybody has a different reason for beginning their blogs and there is no right or wrong way to go about it. I do dislike the term Hobby Blogger which is used for anyone who does not commercialise their blog. Whether it is one blog a week, one a day or more, it takes time to prepare, format and market. Various skills are required and whilst it should be enjoyable, it takes work, not just to create the posts, but to get noticed.


I do suggest that anyone thinking about blogging visit a load of other blogs first to get a feel of what is out there, the format, the response in terms of followers and comments. That is usually a solid indicator that people enjoy the content.


A good place to start with your own blog is with your passions, which might be cooking, music, writing, etc. Start with one blog a week and sprinkle with some reblogs of other people’s posts that you are following and enjoy. They will appreciate the gesture and return the favour.


Follow and comment on other blogs and share on social media by clicking one of the buttons at the end of the post. Just saying ‘I enjoyed that thank you’ with your name is very welcome. One thing I do suggest is that you don’t put the URL of your blog in the comment as that should come up with your name, and most blogs block comments containing URLs.


Follow bloggers you enjoy on Twitter and Facebook and retweet their pinned tweets…and if you are an author this is particularly important. I do have a pdf of Book Marketing for authors, including set up for blog and social media and if anyone would like a copy then they just need to email me on sally.cronin@moyhill.com

MJ: Has your writing mojo stayed the same during this unprecedented time of covid?


Like all of us we have had to adjust to several lockdowns and still having to get on with life in the most hopeful way possible. I felt it was very important for my own wellbeing to ensure that the blog continued as normal during the year. More than ever being online and staying in contact was crucial, and authors were still writing books that needed to be marketed. Music and laughter are important in my life, particularly at the moment, so there was no thought of not carrying on as usual.

MJ: You live in Ireland now, what made you settle there? And do you ever see yourself moving?


My husband is Irish and despite leaving for work when he was 18 years old we have visited family regularly and lived here for five years in the mid-1990s. We loved living just outside of Madrid and periodically on the south coast of Spain for my time on radio, but we got to our mid-60s and felt that it would be a good idea to return to Ireland. We are in good health but even if you are relatively fluent in a language you would still find it difficult coping with illness, or possibly being left on your own to cope with it.


It has been nearly five years now and I miss our friends and the sunshine, having swapped 300 days of blue skies for 300 days of rain! But the warmth of the people here certainly makes up for that. Additionally this last year, there has been a sense of feeling less exposed as we live in a rural area on the coast. Without the usual holidaymakers arriving from Dublin this summer, the incidence of the virus has been much less than it has been elsewhere in Ireland and in the UK. Obviously we are sorry for all the small businesses dependent on this annual influx but it is better to be safe than sorry.


We love our house which took four years to renovate, with some work is still needed in the garden, which is weather dependent. There is enough room to move in some help as we get older, as neither of us are care home material…so the answer is we probably are here for the duration! For the time being lol…


Thank you again Marjorie for inviting me over and I hope that I didn’t outstay
my welcome… I do love to chat… Happy 2021 everyone.

Excerpt from The Scratch Card

Elsie Thompson attended the morning service at St. Cuthbert’s and dropped in to the coffee morning in the church Hall to catch up on the gossip in the parish from the last week. She also wanted to share the good news with her friends that she had won twenty pounds on a scratch card the day before, and she had four crisp five pound notes in her purse to prove it.

Mr. Singh the owner of the corner shop where she always bought her tickets, had beamed at her as he handed over the cash and commented it would not take her far sadly. She laughed and spent one of the fivers on another card, in the hopes another win might get her somewhere with a lot more sunshine than Liverpool. To be honest, even enough for a day out in Southport would be lovely for the both of them, and her husband Frank would enjoy a stroll down Lord’s Street, and she would treat him to a posh tea at the Prince of Wales hotel.

Elsie paid for five cups of coffee and a biscuit for herself and her four friends with one of the remaining fivers, and they sat in a corner happily sharing their news and plans for the following week. It was money well spent, and an hour later, Elsie walked home to get the roast lunch prepared, looking forward to their son Tom’s monthly visit with his wife Steph and their two boys.

As she crossed the main road, she saw a young lad sitting on the pavement outside a closed charity shop, he was playing the guitar, and at the moment the only audience seemed to be his dog leaning up against his shoulder. Elsie paused in her mental preparation of the roast pork with crackling, roast potatoes, carrots, cauliflower cheese and peas, followed by apple pie and custard. The boy’s face was pinched, and he shivered in the cold breeze that had picked up in the last couple of hours. His music was actually not half bad, and he had a nice voice, which drew her closer to hear more clearly. He smiled in recognition of her attention and the dog stood up and wagged its tail.

Elsie looked into the open guitar case and saw a few coppers were strategically scattered to entice further contributions. She had appreciated her own little bit of luck, and a few shillings wouldn’t be missed. She took her purse out of her handbag, opened it and realised she only had some pennies. Shaking her head she pulled out one of the remaining two five pound notes and tucked it beneath some of the coppers to stop it flying away. She looked up into the boy’s face when he suddenly stopped singing and saw tears running down his face into his dirty scarf.

MJ: I’ve read this story and it is one of my favourites!

Author bio.

Sally Cronin is the author of fourteen non-fiction and fiction books published over the last twenty years. After a nomadic life living and working around the world, she and her husband now live on the Wexford coast in Ireland. As an indie author she began blogging seven years ago as a way to promote her own books and then created The Cafe and Bookstore to promote other authors and their work. Smorgasbord Blog Magazine is also home to health, food, music, life stories, poetry and humour.

Latest book: Life is Like a Bowl of Cherries, Sometimes Bitter, Sometimes Sweet

Sally’s links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08QCQ4VVV

Blog: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com

http://uk.linkedin.com/in/sallycronin1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sgc58

Always so lovely to feature Sally who is such a wonderful supporter of the indie community and a kind friend.

I’m looking forward to reviewing Sally’s new book soon. In the meantime, do pop over to read my 5 star review of Life’s Rich Tapestry:

https://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.com/2020/08/08/book-review-lifes-rich-tapestry-by-sally-cronin/

Much love, happy reading, and writing!

Author Interview with M J Mallon: 7 Questions about Book Publishing Process & Mindset » Huma Zuellah Ahmed

Need some insights about book publishing? Check out my latest author interview for some awesome tips.

Source: Author Interview with M J Mallon: 7 Questions about Book Publishing Process & Mindset » Huma Zuellah Ahmed

And the previous author interview link is: https://zuellah.com/author-interview-m-j-mallon-book-writing-mindset/

Author Interview with M J Mallon: 5 questions about Book Writing Process & Mindset » Huma Zuellah Ahmed

Thank you to Huma for this author interview.

Pop over to her blog to discover my answers to these five engaging questions:

#1 Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

#2 Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice?

#3 What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?

#4 Does writing energize or exhaust you?

#5 What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?

Source: Author Interview with M J Mallon: 5 questions about Book Writing Process & Mindset » Huma Zuellah Ahmed

Meet the Author: M J Mallon @Marjorie_Mallon

Thank you so much to Chelle for this feature on her blog and lovely short intro:

Morning my lovelies. Hope you’re all keeping safe and well.  Today I’m delighted to welcome M J Mallon over to chat with us.  We’re discussing the emotions of a first time author, paranormal activity, how her superpower would help humanity, mythical creatures, which one of her characters she’d love to bring to life, her most recent book, This is Lockdown and more.

Do pop over to read and comment at Chelle’s blog, Curled Up With A Good Book – link below:

Source: Meet the Author: M J Mallon @Marjorie_Mallon

Author Interview: Camilla Downs #Poet #Writer #WordsofAlchemy #Nature #Inspirational #Family

Photo by Kaboompics .com from Pexels
  • Where are you from and in which area of the world do you live now?

I have lived in Reno, Nevada, USA for the past 14 years, moving here from the Seattle, Washington area in 2006. I spent my first 18 years in Jackson, Mississippi and Houma, Louisiana.

  • Tell me about the inspiration/s for your new book “Words of Alchemy.”

About six years ago, I visited Fallen Leaf Lake in South Lake Tahoe, California. The beauty was quite overwhelming, bringing me to tears. As I drove home, I made several stops along Lake Tahoe, sitting to take it all in. While doing this, poetic words bubbled to the surface of my consciousness. This was the beginning of a six year journey of being inspired by nature with poetic words, then later, inspired by life events.

Here’s that first poem and a few photos from Fallen Leaf Lake and Lake Tahoe.

Earth Dance

As the sun’s rays dance upon you like stars twinkling in the night sky, so shall our souls dance upon this Earth. As you are who you are with ease, so shall we no longer struggle to be who we are. As you adjust to the World around you without struggle, so shall we go with the flow of life. As you release your beauty, power, and love for us to enjoy and learn from, so shall we drop the facade of our bodies and identifying with materialism and what we’ve accomplished … And so shall we become vessels of love, joy and peace.

Fallen Leaf Lake with Mount Tallac
Lake Taloe
Camilla hugging a tree Fallen Leaf Lake

  • How did you decide on the title?

What a great question! I like to get ideas out of my head, onto “paper” (in my case, on the computer) as I’m a visual type person. I have to see ideas and concepts to know whether or not they work. I also look at the content to see what I can pull from within the content, that also encompasses the entire book. Shortly after deciding on “Words of Alchemy” for the title, the idea to replace chapters with alchemy sections was born. Synchronistically, this also helped me with organizing the poems as I was stuck with that part of the process.

Here’s a photo of the “Chapter” page.

It‘s lovely to see that your children are also involved in publishing books. How did this come about? You must be very proud of their books: your son Thomas’s Biggest Little Photographer, and your daughter’s debut book Where Would You Fly and Other magical Stories. 


When Lillian was 4 years old, I had a knowing that she (and I) would write books. Due to her chromosome deletion, she has difficulty articulating words so she is not easily understandable when she speaks. However, she has (and had) all of the words in her mind, struggling to articulate them. I began researching how to self-publish, collecting information for when the time was right. This was around 2005. My dad bought her a mini laptop in 2007, and I set up a blog for her. We began writing stories together, and soon after she took it from there, writing and creating artwork.
When Thomas was 8 years old, a friend shared an article with us about a professional photographer who had taken a photo a day, for 365 days, of a LEGO mini figure taking a photo. Thomas was inspired and asked me if he could do the same. I responded that he could, and also told him that if he stuck with it, we’d publish it as a book. It was published in 2016, and Thomas is 14 years old now.


Next, it was time for Lillian’s book. I gathered her writings from 4 years old through 16 years old, categorized them, and we created a book, published in 2018. Thomas chose the title as he said it would be good for marketing. It’s also the title of one of the stories in the book.

The cover photo is a picture I took of Lillian.

  • What is the hardest challenge you have ever had to face?

The hardest challenge I’ve had to face began with one extremely hard decision, that opened the door to 13 years of healing. I divorced in 2007, beginning a journey of single parenting two kids, 1 year old and 5 years old at the time. One having special needs, the other with undiagnosed special needs. I had no idea how I would manage, as I was the sole parent, no weekends or holidays off. I made all parenting decisions alone. I spent the first year, sitting in the garage sobbing my eyes out (with a bottle of wine), whenever my kids went to bed. I had to let myself grieve over the life I thought I had, and thought that I would have in the future. 
Once I moved through the grieving, I began a path of admitting to myself that I was not okay. Deep down I didn’t respect myself, didn’t think myself worthy, didn’t unconditionally love myself, and didn’t know what it meant to be in a healthy, loving relationship with a partner. So began the journey of diving deep into myself, my past, and current situation, allowing myself to feel emotions and process events from long ago. All of this so that I could emerge a healthier person, knowing my worth, loving myself, and loving my kids as they should be loved …. unconditionally. Although I received care and affection as a child, I had never experienced unconditional love. On a wider scale, the past 13 years have been about halting familial patterns, doing my part to reverse unhealthy patterns, starting anew. 
It has not been fun, it has been deeply challenging. In fact, there were many times I considered just ending it all. The split second that thought would enter my mind, my kids faces would appear, reminding me that ending it was not the solution. I persevered, teaching myself that I can trust myself to be strong, courageous, peaceful, and compassionate when the situation calls for it. It sure as hell wasn’t easy, but it sure as hell was worth it.

  • As a single mother of two children, one of whom has a significant chromosomal disorder what advice would you give other single women in a similar position.

I can think of three suggestions. 
One is not to let anger and pride get in the way of making decisions that are in the best interest of your kids. I did that in the very beginning, not asking for the type of financial support we really needed from their dad. I was angry and held an “I can do this my myself” attitude. 
The second is to find a way to let go of guilt and shame, and ask for help. There are those who want to help, and will do it with loving kindness. 
The third is to find a support group, online or in-person, that has to do with your child’s differences. These people will be a life-line and offer endless support. I discovered the Chromosome 18 Registry & Research Society the night of Lillian’s diagnosis in 2004. This group and its members are like family to us, and it has been invaluable, with the relationships we have built and with the materials presented at the yearly conference.

  • When did you start writing and why?

I kept a diary as a young girl, from middle school through junior high school. I discontinued when reaching adulthood, picking it up again during my separation and divorce, continuing through to this day. The diary writing as a young girl was mostly written to share the dysfunctional family life I had, with my complaints, and about friendships and crushes. 
Later in life, I took up journal writing once again for some of the same reasons, yet, with a difference. Writing, getting things out of my head, helps me to see situations differently, helps me to process life experiences, and to discover solutions. Writing is deeply therapeutic for me, allowing my creative and imaginative nature to come out and play as well.

  • I’d love to know what you are working on next.

I’m currently working on marketing my latest book, as well as Thomas and Lillian’s books. 2020 is the year of rejuvenation for me, the year of pressing the reset button. I’ve been on a 13 year journey of deep healing connecting with feelings and events from my past, letting myself feel emotions, and working through much internal upheaval. It has been incredibly exhausting!
I reached a tipping point with that journey in the beginning of 2020, and am now ready for some rest and leveling out. I’m not working on writing projects currently. However, I do feel several projects brewing. I never really know what the next one will be until I focus on it. I hope to one day have a book written by all three of us. We shall see.

  • What is ‘beauty’ to you?

Beauty is seeing and knowing one’s own beauty, when it is reflected back to oneself from nature, from other people, from life experiences. 

  • What are your favourite genres?

I have made shifts throughout my reading years. As a child and teenager I was all about fiction and horror. As an adult I shifted to mysteries, reading every book Agatha Christie had written, ending with her autobiography. Then I shifted to only business books, autobiographies and biographies of successful people. Reading then shifted to non-fiction books in the self-help, mind, body, spirituality type books. With  the latest shift being opening back up to the fiction genre, along with creative non-fiction, memoirs and books about writing.


What books are you reading currently? 


I’m just finishing two books that I have thoroughly enjoyed. One is “The Library Book” by Susan Orlean and the other is “all about love” by bell hooks. They won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but, if the topic sounds interesting, I highly recommend them.

  • Have you a favourite quote or saying?

It’s difficult to pin down just one quote or say. However, I have found this one to be a great reminder, many times: “You’re intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.” -Ray Bradbury

  • Which season is your favourite and why?

I can’t choose just one. I love each season for the differences they bring in nature, and within myself. 

  • What other hobbies do you have apart from writing?

I love reading, having a once a week movie night with my kids, going for walks, creating art when the mood strikes (usually with items found in nature), keeping our online journal, TheTeamTLC.com, up to date, and working on MeetingtheAuthors.com. Thomas and I are currently watching the Marvel movies from beginning to end. I am deeply enjoying sharing this with him. We’ve been at it for almost a year, watching about one per month. Next up, Spider-man: Homecoming. 
I’m also a practitioner of meditating. However, I’m taking a break during this year of pressing the reset button. For six years, I meditated nearly every day. It was a beautiful experience and helped me to process life events. About two months ago, I just had a knowing that I was to take a break. I’d been going hardcore with the healing and mediating. It was time.

  • It must be wonderful to be the founder and host of Meeting The Authors. I expect you have ‘met’ many new fascinating authors? 

It is absolutely wonderful and inspiring. This is one idea I am grateful to have listened about, and then took action! About a year ago I joined an amazing book group that connects authors and bloggers. I saw the tremendous need for authors to have more online exposure. 
I’m one of those people who gets ideas for new endeavors constantly, sometimes daily. I’ve learned to get the ideas out of my head, on paper (my laptop) so that I can “see” the idea. I let it marinate for a week or two or more, while I research what it would take to make it happen. I did that with Meeting the Authors. I hadn’t even launched it when I asked a question about launching it in the book group. I had over 100 authors comment on the post, requesting to be interviewed. I knew it was needed. I’m also thankful that I don’t act on every idea, letting most fall away. I’d never sleep!
I am a networker at heart. I love meeting new people, sharing ideas, getting to really know one another. I used to attend in person events to network and meet like minded people. Now, I network online. I like to be authentic with networking. I want people to know the true me and vice versa. 

MeetingtheAuthors.com has turned into a huge online networking event. HA!

  • It’s nice to see you are also featuring book bloggers. How did this come about?

Another idea that came to me as I networked in the book group, while at the same time going through lists of book bloggers, emailing ones that were a fit for my book. I thought, wouldn’t it be lovely to interview the book bloggers, asking them the questions an author would need to know before contacting them. Plus, throwing in a few personal questions to help us get to know them better. I’m having great fun shining the spotlight on book bloggers. They are a hard working group of people, simply because they love reading and books. Many of them are authors, too, or aspiring authors. It’s a win win for all.


Thank you Marje for having me on your blog. I deeply appreciate the thoughtful questions you’ve asked. I enjoyed answering each one as it caused me to dig deep and really think about my answer. 

It’s been my pleasure Camilla, you are a delight and I am so looking forward to reading Words of Alchemy. I have a feeling (and my feelings are normally right!) that I will love it. I reckon you and I are kindred spirits!


Words of Alchemy:The poetry of nature, the poetry of healing, the poetry of appreciation, the poetry of love … in one beautiful book.

Book Blurb: In Words of Alchemy, Camilla Downs invites you to walk with her to share her love of Nature and Life through a heartfelt free-verse poetry memoir.During her daily strolls she is mindfully present as she delves into life in the raw and experiences her heart’s observations.Camilla embraces what happens when she opens her heart and invites the written words to flow. The Alchemy of Love and Healing is what happens.

Praise for Words of Alchemy

“Words of Alchemy, a heartfelt new collection by Camilla Downs, lives up to its namesake in numerous ways. Downs spans the broad range of nature, healing, love, and parenting, while making sure we have a little fun along the way. And the bridge she creates from the mindfulness of how we see the world at large to the poetry of everyday life is certainly worth a stroll or two across its borders.” – Thomas Lloyd Qualls, Award-winning author of Painted Oxen

“This poetry collection offers contemplative words, soothing thoughts and peace to the reader.”

– Sue Bentley, Bestselling author of Second Skin

“Camilla Downs shares truth, vulnerability and wisdom in her Words of Alchemy collection, inviting readers to be inspired, contemplate and dive into her world of self-awareness and growth.” –

 G. Brian Benson– Award-winning author, actor and spoken word artist

“These poems take you on a calm and loving walk through the verses of the author’s thoughts. Alchemy is a perfect word for the title as Camilla Downs understands nature; connecting with its magical, medicinal qualities and beauty which she conveys throughout her poetry.”

– Ailsa Craig, Author of The Sand Between My Toes

“Words of Alchemy is a chronicle of hope. These poems are an encouragement, especially when we are feeling at our lowest, to keep seeking the light that is our way forward, and focus on the real. This collection is a walk through the positive nature of life. Camilla Downs is to be commended.”

– Frank Prem, Author of free-verse memoir Small Town Kid

About Camilla: Camilla Downs is a bestselling author, indie publisher, mentor, and mom. Nature and life experiences are a constant source of inspiration for her writing. She enjoys living a minimalist lifestyle, practicing meditation and mindfulness, reading, going for walks, and capturing nature’s essence with photographs. Camilla is the founder of MeetingtheAuthors.com and lives in Northern Nevada, USA with her two kids.

Author Links:

Website: http://camilladowns.com/

Family Website: http:/theteamtlc.com/

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CamillaDownsAuthor/

twitter: https://twitter.com/camilladowns

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CamillaDowns/

pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/camilladowns/

Amazon Author Central:

  amazon.com/author/camilladowns

Meeting the Authors:

 http://meetingtheauthors.com/

Where to Buy:

Words of Alchemy: If you’re in the U.S. and would like a personalized, signed book – free shipping! (I will ship internationally, if the reader would like to pay the international shipping fee): 

http://camilladowns.com/books/words-of-alchemy/

Amazon – Words of Alchemy: mybook.to/WordsofAlchemy

Amazon Author Central:  amazon.com/author/camilladowns


All of our books: http://camilladowns.com/books/

Thank you so much Camilla for visiting my blog Kyrosmagica.

I feel as if I have been transported to such beautiful places – Lake Fallen Leaf and Taloe – gorgeous. Made me so happy!

I think you will agree Camilla is a fascinating, resilient lady to be admired. I loved the photo of her hugging a tree. Wish I could have been there to give the tree and her a hug too!

Please do comment below.

Have you read Words of Alchemy? Can’t wait to read it.

Social Media Links

Authors Website: https://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.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/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/m-j-mallon

Collaborations:

The Spiritual Sisters are:

Adele Marie Park Author & Personal Blog: Firefly465

Annette Rochelle Aben Author & Personal Blog: Annette Rochelle Aben

Colleen M. Chesebro Author & Personal Blog: Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry colleenchesebro.com

Debby Gies (aka, D. G. Kaye) Author & Personal Blog: D. G. Kaye, Writer

Marjorie (MJ) Mallon YA/Paranormal Author: mjmallon.com

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://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.com/2019/10/24/marywoldering-ghostlywriters-ghostlyrites2019/
https://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.com/2019/10/26/author-interview-wendy-steele-ghostlywriters-ghostlyrites2019/
https://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.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://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.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/