Bestselling Author Holly Chamberlin

Holly Chamberlin pens stories about growth and rising above whatever obstacles life places in our path. An NY University English Lit grad, she worked for years in publishing as an editor and ghostwriter, honing her own storytelling abilities along the way. In 2002, she made her literary debut with the finely crafted novel “Living Single,” the story of four women and their individual, albeit rocky, paths to self-fulfillment and happiness. 

Now a resident of Portland, ME, Holly and her husband (an architect, photographer, and food writer – though why anyone would want to write on food instead of paper escapes my logic) enjoy the company of their independent dependent cats. With several novels and anthologies to her credit, Holly authored “Summer Friends,” a tale of two nine year old girls whose friendship blossoms and traverses decades of life’s hills and valleys. 

Once again returning to the Maine coastal setting of “Summer Friends,” Holly’s soon to be released “Last Summer” combines the elements of youthful curiosity and seemingly insurmountable dilemmas with the adult problems of raising a teen while trying to maintain a foothold on life’s slippery slopes. This is the story of two teens and their mothers, friends all, and the divisive events that will damage imagined unbreakable bonds. But it’s also the story of how hope shattered, can be pieced together, one fragment at a time.

http://www.hollychamberlin.com/ 

Q) You have lived in a variety of locales besides Maine, including New York and Boston. Do you believe such varied lifestyles have added to your storytelling? 

A) I grew up in New York City, moved to Boston when I was thirty-three, and then to Portland, Maine when I was in my early forties. But before you asked this interesting question, I’m not sure I ever gave any thought as to how living in these various environments might have made me a better storyteller. But now that I think about it, yes, I think that the particular friends I made in each place, as well as the particular dynamic of each community in which I’ve made my home, certainly provided (and continues to provide) me with a wealth of information I’ve used in my work in a variety of ways. The more you experience, the more you can imagine various lives into existence. 

Q) Your novels regularly focus on the discovery of the inner strengths of women. What is it about this topic that brings you back to it? And, have you considered other genres? 

A) Everyone’s heard that old bit of advice: write about what you know. I suppose that for me writing about girls and women and their journey to (one hopes) strength and peace of mind, is in some ways a no-brainer. That said, as I certainly haven’t experienced first hand half of the adventures my characters have lived through, there is a good deal of empathetic and sympathetic imagination required in my work – meaning, I’m often writing about what I don’t know - yet! 

As for considering other genres, well, I’m not sure I have the talent to write in many – if any – other genres. For example, I love reading mysteries, especially historical ones, but the very idea of what it would take to plot a mystery causes me to black out. My friend Brenda Buchanan is a writer of contemporary mysteries based here in Maine and when I review her plotting strategies I’m in awe. 

Q) In “The Trouble with Witchcraft,” a novella in the “Sex and the Single Witch” anthology, you unveiled a delightfully crisp and sexy humor. Will we see that side of your writing style again in the future? 

A) First, I thank you for your kind words about the writing in “The Trouble with Witchcraft”. It’s one of my favorite pieces! And yes, I’d love to try my hand again at the kind of – to quote you! – “delightfully crisp and sexy humor” – found in that novella. Now, the opportunity just needs to present itself. 

Q) Broken friendship such as in “Last Summer” isn’t a light subject, but one many of us have suffered through. What inspired you to broach this theme? 

A) Yes, the subject of broken friendships certainly isn’t a light one. I’m not entirely sure why I decided to write about a damaged friendship at that particular point in my career, but I’d be lying if I said that I haven’t done some emotional damage to others once close to me, and that I haven’t been the recipient of some emotional damage, as well. Another big theme in SUMMER FRIENDS and in many of my other books, especially in LAST SUMMER, is forgiveness. I think I was most interested in writing about forgiveness and renewed understanding between the main characters. I hope that in the end readers find the story to be an uplifting one. 

Q) Why cats and no dogs? We have both, though I swear the cat’s dyslexic because it says “Woem” instead of “meow.” 

A) Well, the jig is up. I’m a crazy cat lady and there’s no denying it. One of these days I’ll be coughing up a fur ball. Don’t get me wrong. I love dogs, too. In fact, I go mad over most all animals. But there’s something about cats . . . I don’t know. Maybe I was a feline in a former life. Still, I promise to try to introduce a canine character very soon! 

Q) What recharges your batteries so you’re prepared to write your next novel? 

A) The easy – and true – answer to that is: sleep, sleep, and more sleep! If sleeping were a paid profession I’d be a millionaire. Also, and coming in a close second, reading is another very good way to recharge my batteries so that I’m (eventually) ready to tackle the next book. And did I mention sleep? 

Q) Any parting comments for those who have yet to discover your wonderful stories? 

A) Once again, I thank you for your kind words about my work. I try really hard to write books that touch people’s hearts and that challenge them to be, as I mentioned above, forgiving and open-minded. And, of course, I try really hard to entertain people, too. So, I certainly hope that anyone in the mood for a story that will make her laugh and cry, as well as a story that will in the end leave her feeling better for having read it, will consider picking up a book by Holly Chamberlin.

DA Kentner is an author and journalist. www.kevad.net

The Readers' Writers 2nd Anniversary Edition

Thanks to you the readers, the (Freeport) Journal-Standard, and GateHouse News Service, this column has been coming into homes for two years now. Again, thank you all very, very much for allowing me to share some time with you, and for the fun I’ve had interviewing a wide range of authors. I wasn’t sure what to do for this edition, so, I asked my friend romance author Evanne Lorraine for some advice. She said I should talk about me. 

Nah. I didn’t want to carry on about myself. However, not one to miss an opportunity to hawk my books, I told her to do it. Evanne gulped and said she’s not a journalist. I said, “You are now.” Ladies and gentlemen, here’s Evanne Lorraine: 

On a road outside Freeport, Illinois, five acres of rolling lawn surround a well-kept house and a barn stuffed with antiques. This is where David Kentner lives with his beautiful wife Virginia. He mows grass, sneaks off to fish, deals in the above mentioned antiques, and interviews famous and soon-to-be famous authors for this column. In his spare time, he writes romance and mystery under the pen name KevaD (Dave K backwards). 

When I first met David he mentioned he was a writer and author (the two are not necessarily the same thing), blazing a path to where he had no clue, spinner of tales, purveyor of misfortune, U.S. Army vet, retired cop, former auctioneer, son, brother, uncle, father, and grandfather, commentator on anything that strikes a chord in a moment of passion, and willing to share his trials and tribulations as he blindly plodded his way through the swamp toward literary success…or failure. 

As time passed, I became familiar with a slightly different man. He’s an author of poignant, funny, and gripping tales. He’s generous with his time, gentle with his insight, and incredibly brave. Confronting armed drug dealers is nothing compared with the hazards of having dreams sliced, diced, and left to bleed out on the cruel pages of critiques by ruthless women and red pen wielding grammar Nazis. (Uhm…please remember Evanne said that - not me)

http://www.kevad.net/

Q) Your first published novella “Out of the Closet” remained a best seller at Noble Romance Publishing more than a year after its release. What’s makes this romantic comedy stand out from the crowd? 

A) I wish I knew. At some friends’ urging, I brought together two unlikely characters and a sadistic cat, and turned them loose. They played havoc in my mind, grabbing every punch line I’d ever imagined until their story took shape. Fortunately, my wife didn’t call the men in the little white coats, and readers apparently have enjoyed some of my outlandish foolishness. The story was a total departure from what I ever thought I’d write, and at the same time, a complete joy. 

Q) “Whistle Pass” from Dreamspinner Press is your newest release. It’s already showing signs of becoming a perennial favorite. What inspired you to write this unique story set in 1955? 

A) The 1950s was a dangerous time for minorities in this country. I wanted to present a tale unlike what we as readers have come to expect from that era. The horrors inflicted because of skin color can never be nor should ever be ignored, minimized, or trivialized. What many aren’t aware of these days were the court ordered lobotomies and placements into insane asylums for the “offense” of being homosexual. Again, at the urging of friends, I decided to tell the story of Charlie and Gabe, two war veterans caught up in a time they didn’t want to be a part of, and a series of events that would plunge them into a mystery they would either solve, or die in. I also elected to give their story a small town setting instead of the usual major city fare such as LA, and yet provide the political corruption, illegal gambling, and backroom maneuverings that were so commonplace in 1955.   

Q) “Kantu’s Heart” will be releasing this summer from Decadent Publishing. Please share a little bit about the characters from this time travel romance. 

A) Decadent has a line called Western Escape. The stories range from the 1700s to modern day, all surrounding the fictional town of Freewill, WY. When I was approached about writing a book for this line, I decided to take their concept a step further and created Kantu, a cave-dwelling warrior and clan leader who makes a mistake that costs his clan their lives, including his heart and mate, Sanda. What Kantu doesn’t know is the means to correct his mistake lies 50,000 years in the future. He’ll have to find that means, win back his heart, and then return to his own time so he and Sanda can birth and guide their people to the tribe’s ultimate destiny. 

Q) Is there a common thread that runs through everything you write? 

A) I have to include a few unexpected twists and turns as well as a love story, regardless of whether the book is a comedy, romance, or mystery/suspense. 

Q) Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers? 

A) Only to say thank you once more for keeping this column in existence for two years, and I hope you’ll pick up a copy or six of my books. Thank you, all!

Evanne Lorraine is an author who never wanted to work as a journalist. http://evannelorraine.com/

Inspirational Author Al Dickens

Al Dickens created “Uncle Yah Yah: 21^st Century Man of Wisdom,” which was also Dickens’ solo debut on the literary scene. Now, Volume II is set to be released. This second installment ends on a hook imbedded in the future third book of the series. 

Yah Yah the series is an amalgamation of theory, religious beliefs, mythology, porch conversation, and questions you never asked, maybe because you didn’t want to know the answers. Uncle Yah Yah himself is a combination guru, mystic, theologian, and horseback preacher minus the horse. Filled with proverbs - some familiar, many original - Vol. II reunites the protagonist, reporter Rudy Hawkins, with the man changing Rudy’s life and spirituality, Uncle Yah Yah and his increasing flock. 

Hawkins’ life is falling apart, but Yah Yah’s complexly simplistic viewpoint of being grounds Hawkins and provides him focus. Through Uncle Yah Yah, the author melds his own view of his past, present, and hopeful future to the wisdoms imparted upon humankind from the beginning, and presents an offering of opinion that at a minimum will cause brows to rise, fingertips to tap closed lips, and occasionally, eyes to roll. But isn’t that the purpose of shared thought and meaningful inspiration? To create individual thought, regardless of whether or not the reader agrees with the material presented. 

Al Dickens isn’t some literary scholar bent on changing the world. His prose is basic, not gardens of flowery phrases. His message is undisguised and undiluted, just like the man himself. You see, that’s the true beauty of this series. Al Dickens has a tested IQ of 72. He spent the last fifty years of his life in prison for a string of bank robberies, studying the writings of those who came before us in order to understand his own failings, his mistakes, and how by improving his lot, he might inspire others to broaden their lives as well. What he has learned he shares with us through Uncle Yah Yah.

http://wclarkpublishing.com/pubauth 

Q) How did the character Uncle Yah Yah come to be? 

A) In prison, Al, spent a lot of his time reading books. He kept a notebook to save things he found inspirational. After saving notes for 13 years, his notebook was very large. He wanted to share this knowledge, so he created a fictitious character, Uncle Yah Yah, and made the notebook the teachings of Yah Yah. 

Q) There were those who did not believe you were capable of creating such profound opinions. Did those people detract you, or cause you to dig even deeper inside for the will to persevere? 

A) At the age of 22, Al started serving prison time. He was considered border line mentally retarded. He started school at Trenton State Prison, N.J. He started on a third grade level of grammar school. By the year 1973, he had 74 college credits and was writing books. Most folks in prison, inmates and prison officials were encouraging and helpful. 

Q) Of all the faiths and practices you studied, what one do you believe had the greatest impact on you personally? 

A) Islam; the Spiritual Teachings. 

Q) If you had to choose one message of love and hope to inspire readers, which one would that be? 

A) What you look for, you will find. What your hands plant will grow. Don’t plant apples and look for oranges. What goes around comes around. If you do good-good comes back to you. 

Q) Love of family, holding family together, is hugely important to you. How supportive has your family been in your endeavors? 

A) After all my family has been through, they are very happy with the outcome . . .  from prison to respectability. 

Q) Any parting thoughts for those not familiar with your work? 

A) There is no God, outside of man, and no man outside of God.

DA Kentner is an author and journalist. www.kevad.net

NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author Wahida Clark

Wahida Clark has been called the “Official Queen of Street Literature,” “Queen of Thug Love Fiction,” and credited with the creation of the Thug Love Fiction genre itself, a sub-genre of street lit fiction. Wahida’s storytelling abilities initially grabbed readers’ attentions with “Thugs and the Women Who Love Them,” her first bestseller. “Thugs” is the story of three women rising within the educational system to become a lawyer, psychologist, and a doctor. What they share is a magnetic attraction to men who can destroy not just their ambitions, but their very essence. 

“Thugs” evolved into Wahida’s first series and a recipe for raw, in your face prose and characterization that the author has become renowned for. Her latest novel “Payback Ain’t Enough” is the third installment of the Payback series, the first being “Payback is a Mutha.” Ironically, Wahida hadn’t intended on creating this series. The concept took form during a ten month stint in isolation during the author’s 10 ½ year incarceration for money laundering and mail fraud. Yes, that’s correct. Wahida knows the characters and stories she pens up close and personal. In fact, seven of her eleven novels were written behind bars. 

Wahida emerged from the prison system a dynamo of energy and vision. Capitalizing on her literary success, she founded Wahida Clark Presents Publishing, and has since become an integral part of several not-for-profit organizations including Phoenix Academy Inc, which provides assistance to groups and mentors for at-risk children. In other words, she’s paying it back tenfold. 

“Payback Ain’t Enough” is the story of lies and deception in the midst of Detroit’s blood-drenched drug turf where lives can rise to success, only to fall to ruin in the jealous pull of a trigger. This novel jerks the reader inside the nightmarish realities of life on the edge, of hurried footsteps on a darkened street, futures buried within hidden compartments in cars, and never fully trusting those your next breath depends on. Yet, through Wahida’s skilled plotting, dreams never die, and hope reigns supreme even when the odds of a tomorrow are stacked against us.

http://wclarkpublishing.com/ 

Q) You developed the idea of your publishing company while in prison. There, you also met with fellow inmate Martha Stewart. More as curiosity on my part, did she offer any advice that reshaped your plan, allowing it to materialize faster upon your release? 

A) No she didn’t. The prison allowed us to do a woman’s empowerment workshop. Her session was on business trends and mine was on writing and getting published. Her business was running on all four cylinders while she was locked up. It was only logical to show her my business plan and she gave it a nod of approval. 

Q) You are crazy busy. How do you make time for your family? 

A) My husband and two daughters all work for my business. We all arrive around the same time and leave late around the same time. My daughters alternate traveling with me, so we are always together. Quiet as it’s kept, I value my time away from them. J 

Q) As time goes on, the personality that wrote your early books has to erode and reveal more and more of the astute businesswoman underneath. It’s part of your personal evolution. How do you balance those traits, or have you reached a point where you need to yet? 

A) Oh, I’ve reached that point, and of course, there are those who don’t like it.  And I have to agree with Martha Stewart when she said that you basically have to be a bitch to run a company. 

Q) Any plans for an autobiography? 

A) I’ve completed the first draft, submitted it to the editor and have not picked it up since. 

Q) There are critics and detractors of street fiction. What do you believe incites some to not give the genre credibility? 

A) Their detachment from a culture that they prefer not to acknowledge and some just want something to stick their noses up at. However, I can’t find one major publishing house that doesn’t have a Street Lit imprint. 

Q) Any parting thoughts for those who have not read your work yet? 

A) I write to entertain. So if you are up for a good read, visit my website www.wclarkpublishing.com I am excited about expanding my audience and creating more awareness to the genre. Street Lit books are the same as mainstream books. They are just written from the urban, or as we like to say ‘hood’ perspective. My characters in Payback Ain’t Enough want revenge, romance, and to live a comfortable lifestyle. I write using intricate plots, suspense, and everything else that is in mainstream novels. Payback Ain’t Enough is a gift to be shared with the world.

DA Kentner is an author and journalist. www.kevad.net

Author Brigid Kemmerer

Brigid Kemmerer is making her debut on the Young Adult (YA) book scene with a four-part paranormal series entitled The Elemental Series. The first novel “Storm” revolves around sixteen-year-old Chris, one of four brothers each gifted, or cursed depending on whose perspective we’re viewing, with subtle power of an element. Chris’s power is over water. 

That subtleness is what gives these stories a unique edge. The brothers cannot beckon the forces of nature to right the world’s wrongs or bring a city to its knees. Each young man must deal with all of the good and bad of life while coming to terms with their not-so-normal abilities. They aren’t wealthy and in fact run their parents’ landscaping business. What they do have is a bond of brotherhood and everyday yearnings to find happiness. They also have some not so average enemies, and in Chris’s case, a challenger for the teenaged Becca who becomes embroiled in Chris’s life and troubles. Becca, too, comes with her own suitcase of problems she has yet to overcome. 

Brigid is married with three sons, works outside of the home, and has managed to put together this intense, yet charming, story of high school, coming of age, finding love, and dealing with all of the inner and outer issues youth must contend with on a daily basis. 

“Storm” isn’t atypical YA reading. Not at all. By centering a different brother in each novel, Brigid has assured readers of new characters, storylines, and well-conceived plots in this series. “Spark,” the tale of the brother with the gift of fire, is set for release this August.

http://www.brigidkemmerer.com/

Q) You once stated the greatest difficulty in writing these stories was to write from the perspective of a teenaged boy. How did you overcome that obstacle?

A) The funny thing is, I just had to stop overthinking it. I spent so much time trying to figure out what teenage guys would worry about, or how they’d feel about girls, or how they would relate to each other. I kept throwing hypothetical questions at my husband about how boys’ minds work. Finally, he said, “Hon, stop worrying about all guys, and worry about this guy. He’s your character. Just write him.” So I did. And it worked.

Q) Which leads us to this question. Why four brothers and not sisters?

A) I could give you the teacher’s pet answer and say that I’m fascinated by family dynamics overall, but am somewhat mystified about the complexities of how brothers interrelate, but I can see your eyes glazing over already. Instead, I’ll give you the honest answer: I first wrote about these four brothers when I was in high school. When I was sixteen, the idea of meeting four hot, supernatural brothers and getting caught up in their lives was … well … awesome. When I decided to rewrite the story featuring the same four brothers, I still remembered the magic the characters had for me then.

Q) You keep the characters grounded with topical issues such as bullying and harassment. What caught my eye was cheating in school (“Spark”). Why include something that is so wrong, yet occurs so frequently that some people have come to erroneously accept it as expected behavior? And, how did you avoid making the subject ‘preachy’?

A) Teenagers make mistakes. All of them. Including me. I could never preach to anyone, because it’s just not my style. When I set out to write The Elemental Series, I wanted these characters to have supernatural problems, but real life problems, too. Sometimes my characters get away with cheating or bullying or assault or whatever. Sometimes they don’t. Either way, they have to deal with the fallout from that in addition to the elemental powers they have to control.

Q) You obviously have a preference for paranormal and urban fantasy. What is it about these genres that attracted you?

A) When I was a little girl, I always liked to imagine that there was something … more out there, just waiting to be discovered. Who am I kidding? I like to imagine that now. I’m so glad that urban fantasy has really gotten a lift over the past few years, because it was my favorite genre to read as a child, and there was so little of it. What’s better than slapping something supernatural in the middle of real world belief systems and methodologies?

Q) You will soon begin the book signing tours and required marketing personal appearances for your novels. These absences can wear on a family. What steps have you taken to ensure your family stays intact?

A) I read this question out loud to my husband and he laughed. Seriously, we have a great marriage. He’s my best friend, and we’re a great support system for each other. He came up with a plan for “study dates,” where we make a pot of coffee at night after the kids are in bed, and I can work on the book stuff while he works on finishing his degree. We work together and bounce ideas of each other. It’s the best thing we’ve ever done to strengthen our relationship.

Q) Any parting thoughts for the readers soon to be introduced to your work? 

A) I hope they love Becca and the Merrick brothers as much as I do! I love hearing from readers. Please don’t hesitate to follow me on Twitter @BrigidKemmerer.

DA Kentner is an author and journalist. www.kevad.net

Author Eve Marie Mont

Philadelphia’s Eve Marie Mont teaches high school English and Creative Writing. Though happily married, Eve has a timeless crush on Edward Rochester of Jane Eyre fame. 

So, how does a person visit a fictional flame who non-existed in the 19^th century? If you’re a skilled storyteller such as Eve, you create the contemporary teenage character Emma Townsend and have her fall into a leather bound copy of “Jane Eyre” and then into Jane herself. Stop right here. While this time jumping, body leaping scenario is indeed a part of Eve’s novel “A Breath of Eyre,” this is neither the meat of the plot nor even the surface of the depths contained with this story. 

The heroine Emma is a teen trying to come to terms with all the darkness and defeatism life can throw at her. Emma is shy and insecure, but possesses a strength she has yet to fully understand. Her gift at book travel connects Emma to the strengths and passions Jane Eyre possessed. “A Breath of Eyre” is exactly what the title suggests; a breath of Eyre, not a recast of the characters and original Charlotte Bronte tale. 

Emma, thanks to Eve’s skillful hand, comes across as a memorable friend we all have or had at some point in our lives. She draws us into her world to the point where the reader genuinely cares about what is happening to the young heroine as she struggles to understand and overcome her present while negotiating a fictional past. Eve Marie Mont did not create an easily traversed writer’s path with this story. She did however weave two worlds into one in a manner which will leave readers satisfied and looking forward to Emma’s next adventures. 

And yes, there is more of Emma’s story to be told. “A Breath of Eyre” is the first offering in a trilogy. Adventures involving “The Scarlet Letter” and “The Phantom of the Opera” are soon to follow. Designed as a young adult (YA) story, “A breath of Eyre” contains modern dilemmas teens face and methods for overcoming those problems. This book could easily become an open line of communication between adults and their teenagers. Yes, it’s that good.

http://www.evemariemont.com/ 

Q) Be honest. Did your interest in Rochester partially inspire this story? 

A) Well, maybe just a little… Seriously, I know of few Jane Eyre fans who didn’t have a crush on Rochester at some point in their lives. Sure, some women get over their attraction to a brooding, romantic hero, but for me, Rochester still has tremendous appeal, which I think translates well into young adult literature. Girls will always be drawn to the mysterious bad boy who hides a vulnerable side. My protagonist has several stand-ins for Rochester in her real life—one of them, her English teacher—but it isn’t until she actually meets Rochester in the flesh that that she begins to give up her desire for an unattainable hero and open her eyes to the real love that may be standing right in front of her. 

Q) Obviously, you have an affinity for time periods without cell phones or gas powered machinery. What first pulled your imagination into life more than a century ago? 

A) Believe it or not, I still don’t have a cell phone I use regularly. I’m tied to my laptop enough as it is; I don’t need or want another gadget to isolate me further in my personal bubble. Obviously we live in a global, technologically advanced society, and I don’t mean to stick my head in the sand. But every year, I see people becoming more detached, less empathetic, and we see the ramifications of this in our levels of stress and unhappiness. I’ve always been drawn to stories in which human connection is valued above all, like those of Jane Austen, E.M. Forster, and of course, the Brontës. I think the pendulum has swung almost as far as it can go before we see a backlash against technology. Personally, I’m hoping for a back-to-nature movement to rival that of the romantic era! 

Q) In “A Breath of Eyre,” you actually take the reader to the brink of changing the ending to “Jane Eyre.” Gutsy, considering the thousands of devoted Jane Eyre fans. What made you decide to trespass on what to some is hallowed ground? 

A) Honestly, this did scare me a bit, but that scene you’re speaking of is so vital to Emma’s growth that I knew it was right for her story. And I made it very clear that while Jane still gets her happy ending, Emma has to tear herself out of Jane’s story in order to find her own.  

Q) The loss of your mother-in-law to ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) partially inspired “Free to a Good Home” in that her passing challenged you to ponder the heartbreak if you lost your husband. Emotion is powerful inspiration. What emotional well did you draw from for “A Breath of Eyre”? 

A) I’ve heard from some readers of A Breath of Eyre that they were surprised by how serious the story gets at times—they were expecting a more light-hearted romp through Victorian England and a little forbidden romance with Rochester. And believe me, I love those escapist stories, too, but I guess I use my fiction to explore my fears and to try and make sense of the world and my place in it as Emma does. Jane Eyre treads on a lot of thorny issues like identity, abandonment, class, gender, morality, autonomy. I wanted to echo some of those themes in a modern context. For this book in particular, I drew on my own sense of loneliness and insecurity as an adolescent—a time in which I knew deep down I had something important to say but hadn’t yet gained the confidence to think anyone would listen. 

Q) Teaching and writing can’t leave much time for yourself. How do you and your husband stay connected? 

A) My release month nearly brought me to the brink of insanity in terms of pressure and stress, but thankfully it was followed by spring break! While I have revisions for Book 2 and a first draft of Book 3 on the horizon, it’s important to take some time for myself—both to fill the creative well and to reconnect with family and friends. Friday nights are almost sacred to my husband and me—we try to keep the TV off, go out to dinner, and reconnect after the busy week. And the return of baseball season means another bonding ritual for us—watching the Phillies! 

Q) Any parting thoughts for readers yet to pick up one of your books? 

A) I guess I’d just say, try not to go into my book with any preconceived notions of what kind of story it’s going to be. While the cover may suggest historical romance, what’s inside the pages is a strange hybrid of sorts—contemporary, retelling, paranormal—but my hope is that you’ll allow yourself to get lost in the story just as Emma does.

DA Kentner is an author and journalist. www.kevad.net

Author, Illustrator Nan Rossiter

Artist Nan Rossiter, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, created art for internationally recognized companies such as Viking, MasterCard, and UPS. Eventually, she opted to pursue her love of writing and combined that passion with her art to become an author-illustrator. She quickly gained national attention with “Rugby & Rosie,” an American Bookseller Pick of the Lists and winner of Nebraska’s Golden Sower Award, “The Way Home,” one of Smithsonian Magazine’s Notable Books for Children, and “Sugar on Snow.”

Not yet content, this housewife and mother of two sons made the decision to spread her literary wings and penned the heralded fiction novel “The Gin and Chowder Club.” Don’t let the title fool you. The story is a deeply moving tale of family, surrendering to temptation, and the emotional canyons and bridges only a family can create.

Nan’s second novel is “Words Get in the Way,” the story of Callie, the single mother of an autistic child, and her return to the small New Hampshire community she was raised in. The tribulations Callie once left behind in New Hampshire remain, and she has to face her past as well as build a future for her son who refuses to speak.

“Words Get in the Way” is a story of humble, everyday people caught up in decisions with lingering effects and the curveball changes life throws at us. This is also a romantic story of hope, love, and how answers can be found where we least expect them. Uplifting and yet at times dramatic, “Words” is a journey through life and all its sadness and laughter. And, I have to admit, the author kept me guessing to the final pages whether the love interests would come together or not.

Refusing to turn her back on her love of illustration and children’s books, Nan’s new children's book, The Fo'c'sle, Henry Beston's "Outermost House", will be published in May, 2012.

http://www.nanrossiter.com/

Q) With your children’s books receiving such high praise and popularity, why write adult fiction as well?

A) Before I dreamed of being a writer, I was an illustrator. I worked in the freelance field for several years before I decided to try to write a children’s book. Between 1997 and 2002, I was blessed to have three children’s books published, but after sales of my third book were disappointing, I had trouble selling another story and, to make matters worse, one by one, all of my books went out of print. I struggled for several years and received countless rejections after that but I’m a firm believer in perseverance, patience and prayer and I refused to give up! 

In 2005 I jumped in with both feet and started writing the novel that had been in my head for several years. Around the same time, a small publisher in Boston expressed interest in reprinting one of my children’s books in paperback. My relationship with that publisher blossomed and I approached him with an idea for a new children’s book. Soon, I was painting illustrations for a new children’s books and writing a novel at the same time. In the end, I endured nine long years without publishing any books…but now my cup overflows!

 Q) I have to ask this question. Why did you decide to create an autistic character, and where, or who, did the inspiration come from?

A) Autism has become much better understood in recent years and it seems to be in the news all the time, but that hasn’t always been the case. I was inspired to create a character with autism because I wanted to help raise awareness and I also wanted to understand autism better myself. Oftentimes, we see kids misbehaving in a store and we immediately think it’s a parenting/discipline issue but maybe there’s something else going on – maybe we’re too quick to judge. Parents of kids with autism struggle on so many levels and perception is one of them. I wanted not only to help raise awareness but also to reach out to those overwhelmed parents and write a story that’s uplifting.

Q) What I find encouraging and important is the fact mothers of autistic children have been praising not just your attention to the child, but your capture of the true emotional rollercoaster, struggles, and joys that befall and hearten parents of autistic children. How did you come to so accurately portray Callie?

A) I’m thrilled by the positive feedback the book has received from moms who struggle with kids that have autism. When I was writing, it was very important to me to be as accurate as possible; I think I was able to portray Callie’s feelings accurately simply from being a mom and knowing how a mom feels. Every parent hopes their child will be happy, successful, and accepted - and if anything threatens those hopes and dreams, a parent’s heart breaks for their child.

Q) “The Gin and Chowder Club” has sequel written all over it. Can we look forward to a sequel or series?

A) There are no immediate plans for a full length sequel to The Gin & Chowder Club (although there is already a short sequel in the Fern Michaels Christmas anthology, Making Spirits Bright, 2011). My contribution, Christmas on Cape Cod, focuses on several of the characters from G&C and tells about Asa’s first Christmas being a dad. Readers who are familiar with these characters will also discover that they make cameos in Words Get in the Way - and that the cabin in Words is the cabin Asa built at the end of Gin & Chowder!

Q)  Two very different novels revolving around family. What’s next?

A) Currently, I’m writing another novel that revolves around family! It’s about three sisters whose mom – stricken with Alzheimer’s – has passed away. The sisters return home to New Hampshire to begin the sad task of planning her service and the overwhelming business of sifting through her cherished belongings - trying to decide what can be discarded and what should be saved. In the process, they discover a surprising secret that their mom kept for many years.

In addition, my aforementioned new children’s book, The Fo’c’sle, will be available this June!

Q) Any parting comments for those who have yet to read your books?

A) As I wrote on the acknowledgement page for Words Get in the Way, when I first began writing my novel - and praying that it would be published - I promised God I would always try to write uplifting stories that make a difference. I’ve been blessed with that wonderful opportunity and that’s just what I hope to do. I also hope readers will find their way to my books (through interviews like this one!) and come away with a positive message and a good feeling.

  DA Kentner is an author and journalist. http://www.kevad.net/

Author and Photographer T. Greenwood

T. Greenwood has authored seven novels to date. Her work in literature has taken her into the classroom where she has taught creative writing to students at the University of California San Diego, George Washington University in Washington, D.C., at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Maryland and for San Diego Writers, Ink. A Vermont native now residing in San Diego with her husband and daughters, Greenwood still returns to Vermont each summer. She is also an avid and aspiring fine arts photographer whose passion for understanding and capturing the elegance of light and dark has melded to her writing.

“Grace” is Greenwood’s latest release and a classic example of how two arts – photography and literature – can come together to create a poignant and creatively detailed journey inside a contemporary family on the brink of self-destruction. Within this dramatic novel, Greenwood infuses what on the surface may seem to be a cacophony of issues; such as hoarding, bullying, shoplifting, parental bias, and loss of control. Yet, Greenwood masterfully intertwines the individuality of the characters, their personal crises, and the mental life preserver each finds to stay afloat as their world plunges into murky depths.

“Grace” is at times a dark tale of a family on the abyss of desperation. But this is where Greenwood’s artistic eye captures the light and manipulates her prose to unveil that even in the shadows live beauty, hope, understanding, and triumphantly…love.
On a personal note, I think “Grace” is an amazingly written tale.
http://www.tgreenwood.com/

Q) One question that seems to arise in some readers’ minds regarding stories like “Grace” is how much of the author’s personal life was infused into the work. So, how much of T. Greenwood’s life is in this story?

A) This novel, like all of my novels, arises from an inherent curiosity about the world rather than a need to articulate my own personal experience. The spark of a novel for me is always some sort of question, and I write the novel to find the answer to this question. In the case of “Grace,” the question was, What would bring a man to the point where he would be aiming a gun at the back of his own child’s head? Obviously, the opening scene of “Grace” is not one that I have ever experienced firsthand. However, my own life does inform everything I write. I am a parent, and so much of this story is about motherhood (and fatherhood). The empathy I feel for each of my characters comes as a direct result of my ability to relate (in even the smallest ways) to each and every one of them. Lastly, the setting (while fictional) is based on the area in Vermont where I grew up. I have returned to this setting again and again in my novels.

Q) Hoarding, bullying, shoplifting for attention or to counter insurmountable anguish, and the character Trevor’s use of photography as a cry for help are a myriad of issues. Why did you incorporate so many topical problems into “Grace”?

A) This was not a conscious decision. These issues grew from the characters all having a shared need to possess something. Elsbeth shoplifts because she feels deprived of things; stealing trinkets relieves her (if only momentarily) of this sense. Pop hoards things because he is really trying to hold on to his past. Kurt too is trying desperately to hold onto his life (his house, his wife, etc…). Crystal has lost something she can never, ever get back. And for Trevor, photography allows him to capture the fleeting beauty he is able to find in his dark world.

Q) While I see “Grace” as a watershed for your passions, how do you view your melding of these two arts into your story?

A) I have always wanted to incorporate photography into a novel. And I truly believe that art has the power to save people. Art, for Trevor, validates his perception of the world. It gives him a lens through which to understand it as well. I care deeply about my own photography, and I wanted to be able to give this gift to one of my characters. Trevor was the perfect (and most deserving) recipient.

Q) You once referred to “Grace” as an “ensemble novel.” What did you mean by that?

A) “Grace” does not belong to one character. It is really the story of four people: Kurt, Elsbeth, Trevor, and Crystal. But it is also the story of a family.

Q) You have a preference for using small towns as the backdrop for your stories. In fact, Two Rivers, where this story takes place, is a return to the town where the novel “Two Rivers” took place. Why smaller, rural communities?

A) I grew up in a very small town in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. I find small towns to be fertile ground for fiction. There’s a sense of connectedness in a small town that doesn’t seem to exist in larger cities. There is also less transience. People stay in small towns. This has allowed me to create a credible fictional world for my characters. I have now set five of my novels in Vermont. And many characters make repeated appearances in these books.

Q) Any parting thoughts for your fans and those yet to discover your books?

A) I think that my novels offer a glimpse into a place that not many people know well. And the characters who live there are as real to me sometimes as my own family and friends. I am eager to share their stories with anyone willing to listen to them. And that is why I continue to write.

DA Kentner is an author and journalist. http://www.kevad.net/

Word Rocker Cyndi Dawson

While exploring the raw and magnetic music of Babs Martin, I came across a video titled “Magus” by Cyndi Dawson. The work is Dawson’s poetry set to a calming melody.

“This is the dream of the holy man, of the man of sorrow, who waits by the split sea like Moses.”

I wanted to know more about the author behind the words and visual concept, which led me to Dawson’s book of poetry “Outside Girl.”

In “Outside Girl,” Dawson takes us into the off-the-grid NYC club scenes of the eighties, into the filth of bathrooms with junkies feeding their habits, false bravado thumped by those needing to fit in, the genuine lost souls, the hopes and dreams that will be left behind, and the beautiful hearts of those who will emerge from that era a little tattered, but all the wiser and stronger for the experience.

Dawson shares that world from her own experiences, her own viewpoint of the life she was living. As a “word rocker,” Dawson has performed her poetry to music in clubs around the world, always growing, always – in her terminology – evolving.

I think that’s one of the things that made her word artistry stand out for me. Dawson views life as a personal evolution. Because, after all, if we aren’t evolving, we’re stagnating.

A rocker at heart, Dawson (from the Cynz’s Facebook page) “and longtime musician friend Henry Seiz joined forces, grabbed fellow musicians Matt Langone, Bob Stockl and Patrick Schoultz, and put together what is being talked about as 'the closest thing to the sound of 1977 CBGB's since 1977'” - the band Cynz. Cynz is a hard hitting stage from which Dawson’s lyrical prose melds with skilled guitar licks, a solid bass foundation, and Stockl’s percussion perfection.

One of their most popular songs to date? “Evolution,” of course.

‘Actress’ Cyndi Dawson has appeared on Law and Order, Advil commercials and other film and TV projects. Her poetic prose has appeared in over fifty anthologies and magazines, as well as two other collections she published, “Dream Sequences” and “Inside of Outside.” As a performance artist, Dawson has enthralled international audiences. And yes, “artist” most accurately describes Dawson. She is a painter of words, and life is her canvas.
http://www.myspace.com/insideofoutside
“Magus”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ftd8zSp7hA&feature=related

Q) You founded the poetry and music venue 'Poets and Angels Music and Poetry Series.’ Would explain for our readers what that venue is?

A) I wanted to create a safe space where people could explore their work without having to be a 'professional' writer. I found a perfect cafe in town where i live and they gave me free reign to start the series up. Since I worked with musicians doing my poetry pieces, it evolved into a poetry AND music series. It was very organic. We all allowed it to become it's own animal, so to speak, and it was a beautiful one.

Q) I read a blurb that you once stood in for Madonna. When and why?

A) I was an actress in the 80's, and my agent called me one night and said I was to be on set 6am for a movie as a stand in. I asked for who, and she said, 'Madonna'. Well, you know Madonna was HUGE at that point. I was a dancer so our bodies were very similar at that point, though I look nothing like her in the face. But as her stand in they could use me to set up shots and to do shots where she would have been filmed from behind or running, etc. This film was 'Who's That Girl'.

Q) You truly are a language artist wielding a verbal brush sometimes caustic, other times graceful and serene. Poetry isn’t known for its ladders to success. Why devote so much of your life to it?

A) Art yields little financial success, almost as a rule for most. I can only say that, like breathing, it is essential for living to someone like myself. I've written poetically since I was a child. I think my thoughts in poetry. I have mild aspergers so learning how to outwardly reveal my emotions in a safe way made writing the same as oxygen for me. I am very comfortable writing or moving my body physically as a mode of communication.

Q) Which leads us to this question – in your mind, what is “success”?

A) Success is when something you do that connects you in a positive way to the world gives you great satisfaction. It's obviously not about the money to me, although how I admire those who DO make their living doing what it is they love. That's a bonus, but not necessarily success.

Q) Performance art and small clubs allow for interaction with the audience. Do the people who come to your Cynz’s performances inspire your work, and if so, how?

A) Absolutely. The interaction with the audience can make or break a performance. It's an alchemy of energy. You try and bring everything you've got to every show. I've never experienced a dead audience at any of our shows so far, whether we had 100 or we had 20 people. They all move towards the stage and you can see it in their faces. We are definitely experiencing some shamanic exchange of purge during our performance. I often think the audience NEEDS me to cut loose and get that scream out. It's OUR scream, together!

Q) Any parting thoughts for readers not yet familiar with your poetry?

A) Jair-Rohm Parker Wells wrote that gorgeous music for 'Magus'. I've worked with some wonderful musicians over the years.

As for my words, I think the one thing I try and create is a set of 'unrules'. Craft is important. I hope more young writers learn how to edit and workshop. I am a 'street poet' but I still try and make sure every line is essential, that the piece doesn't go on too long just for my own ego, and that it isn't so written for myself that a reader couldn't grasp any of it. In that case, keep a journal of your work, but don't necessarily post it places. I find younger writers posting 2-3 times a day just to get comments and the work wasn't well thought out in regards to editing or crafting to make it really great. So- yes, no rules in terms of free style poetry, but having said that, at least take more time on your work to make sure it's not the best expression of the message you want to speak and/or share with readers. I write from where I live. Not every word is in chronological order, but most of my work is gleamed from my life or thoughts pertaining to bits of mine and/or another's.

I find if you write from a place of truth, there's a sense of urgency in the words you just can't fake. And the reader knows this.

DA Kentner is an author and journalist. http://www.kevad.net/