WRITER'S SPOTLIGHT—MICHAEL OFFUTT AND STEPHEN TREMP

But words are things and a drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought and

produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.

~Lord Byron

There are many reasons for starting a blog but in our community most have started their blog because they’re writers. It gets a writer used to meeting deadlines, choosing interesting topics to write about, and writing on a regular basis. Blogs help with getting one accustomed to being a presence in the cyber world. It’s a practical way of learning the promotion ropes and builds a following. Blogging is also a great way to find support and encouragement and that’s important when you’re that odd duck called a writer. J

No matter where you are on the road to publication there are common issues that face all writers. Those who aren't published have this perception, somewhere in the back of their brain, that those who are published no longer face problems in their writing. That’s not so. True, published authors have more experience and more confidence in their abilities but they still have tough days when the words won’t come. They still have jobs and families that eat up their time when they’d like to be writing. They still have things they struggle with. 

And that common denominator is one of the reasons I started my blog with the theme: 

Sharing the tears and laughter, the glitches and triumphs, authors face in the pursuit of their ambition to write.

Periodically, over the next few months, I want to highlight writers from my writing community published and unpublished. I want to share some of their struggles and triumphs. Really we aren't all that different in those areas. Michael Offutt and Stephen Tremp were both willing to answer a few questions for me.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

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Michael Offutt 

What excites you about the genre you write? 
I think it's fun writing about people who live extraordinary lives in fantastic worlds.

For you, what’s the best part of writing a story?
The beginning, hands down. It's easy to get excited about a new project.
What do you still struggle with as an author? 

You can find Michael: 
Website/blog,
Twitter, Goodreads.

Writing conclusions.

Give me a triumph/strength—something you’re proud of or something you've overcome as a writer? The feeling that I'm a special snowflake. I think feeling that one is "special" is dangerous to anyone because it can cause a person to overlook opportunities because they are waiting for something else that will never happen.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Release Date March 10, 2014

Stephen Tremp

What excites you about the genre you write?

That it’s as real as science fiction can be. Remember, shows like Star Trek used futuristic science concepts that are today common technology. And science is unlocking the secrets of our universe in an exciting, and alarming, pace.

What amazing breakthrough discoveries will we see in the next twenty five years? What will our world be like? What cures will we have? Will we be mining asteroids and terraforming portions of Mars? The stuff if science fiction of today could be reality in a very short time. 

For you, what’s the best part of writing a story? 

Working with my editor. This is where we put it all together and add that additional Wow Factor! I can see the fruit of my labor about to come to pass. And I can spend much more time with the family.

What do you still struggle with as an author? 

Time. I can write two to three really good books a year. I just need to the time to do it. So this year I will write a couple novellas about 150-200 pages each.

Your can find Stephen:
WEBSITE/BLOG,
GOODREADS

Give me a triumph/strength—something you’re proud of or something you've overcome as a writer? 

Researching and finishing a trilogy. Originally, my story was a screen play that turned into a book. But as I filled out the outline, it soon became two books, then three. I’m proud I stuck with it through all kinds of trials. It wasn't easy. But I stuck with it.

Thank you Michael and Stephen for taking the time to answer my questions!

• Have you read Michael Offutt or Stephen Tremp's books? If you haven't stopped by their blogs lately, pop over and say hi!

MONDAY MUSINGS—STORIES THAT DRAW ME

I read more than one genre. I lean toward a good story with an element of romance. I do enjoy various sub-genres of romance. I like sci-fi and thrillers. Danger and adventure is great escape. I love stories where good wins over evil and the hero gets the girl, or vice versa.  I read for entertainment. I want something that gives me a break from day to day cares and concerns and makes me feel good.

I got to thinking about some books I read recently and what is was that drew me to them. It wasn't a new concept. I've been reading paranormal for sometime and trust me there is no ‘new’ idea out there, just a fresh way of presenting those ideas. And all three of these authors did that. Still, that wasn't it. What was it about these stories that drew me and even made me want to visit their worlds again (I've now reread two entire series and part of the third)?

What made these different? Upon reflection, there were several things made the series special.

One of the biggest draws for me was a sense of community and a well-developed world. That’s a big one for me. I want the world to feel real enough that if I could arrange a trip I would recognize it. Real enough that I would want to visit if I could. That doesn't require ad nausem pages of description but it does take some well place phrases to give me a sense of place. Carolyn Brown nails that sense of place and community very well. Anne McCaffrey does as well. Her Pern series is excellent because of it. Another is Alex Cavanaugh with his world, community, and friendships. Jennifer Ashley with her Shifters series is also outstanding in realistic world building. It gives a feeling of a mini vacation when I read the worlds these authors create. And, I can reread them more than once (and have) with the same sense of wonder and enjoyment as I did the first time.

Another is the characters themselves. I don’t need comedy skits but I do like humor and sass. Good repertoire between characters (Thea Harrison does a great job with banter and adding fun zingers between friends and family—love her Elder Races series). I like seeing and feeling the friendship and if there is feeling of distrust and measuring prior to becoming friends or allies, or a lack of friendship and trust, I want to understand why. A sense of dimension and scope in their personalities so they feel real. I want a clear enough picture of them as a person that I can determine why do what they do or like or dislike what they do. I need an understandable picture of their goals and motivations. Realistic actions and reactions.

Sense of family is another draw. I want to see and feel the bond between family members. Family doesn't always agree with one another. Regardless of the love there is still squabbles and disagreements. It’s a natural thing. So, strong and realistic interactions and reactions are important. That sense of family isn't limited to blood. As the wise man once said, there is the companion that is closer to us than a brother. What that means is that strong bond of love can be between friends and those friends can be a family.

There are several authors that do both well. I've always admired Nora Roberts for her ability to create a tight bond of love and friendship. She also creates a realistic picture of family by blood. I think that’s why, aside from a good story, I like reading her trilogies. She nails family and friendship so well. Donna Grant and Jennifer Ashley do, too.

When I stop and analyze the books I really enjoy it helps me look at my own writing more critically. Am I hitting those benchmarks? Do my stories have strong family connections and the sense of community and place? What can I do to add more depth and atmosphere to my world or people? What layers can I go back and add to give my story so it has more impact?

• What components draw you to your favorite authors?

THE BLISS OF PEACE AND QUIET

My guest is historical fiction author, Alison McQueen. She spent twenty years in corporate advertising and now writes fascinating stories set in India. Alison's topic highlights the frustration of many writers trying to write while balancing a job and raising children.  It's never easy to find time. Recently, she discovered the bliss of writing in a quiet house sans children.

The holiday season is over, the house now empty, and I feel as though I’ve been waiting for this moment for over 20 years. Every writer out there who is also a mother, perhaps a wife too, will understand what I’m talking about.

I always knew this day would come, although I didn’t quite believe it. That’s the trouble with raising a family. When you’re right in the thick of it, it feels like it will never end. And if you’re trying to write a novel while simultaneously making the dinner and refereeing arguments about who broke the hair straighteners and why you can’t go out looking like that, then you have my deepest sympathy.

My daughters are now in their twenties. They still argue, but these days it doesn’t usually involve throwing things at each other and slamming doors so hard that the house shakes. One of them now lives an hour away with her boyfriend, so the other one has nobody to yell at most of the time anyway. From where I’m sitting, it’s bliss. I can actually hear myself think.

Right now the loudest thing in the house is the tap-tapping of my keyboard. There is a little part of me that is still in deep shock. I keep waiting for a problem to come marching in, or for someone to demand to know where their favourite jeans are, or why there’s no food in the fridge.

Friends say to me, “Don’t you miss the kids?” and “I just don’t know what I’ll do when mine grow up and leave.” And I find myself making noises which can be interpreted either way. It seems so wrong to punch the air and give a victory whoop. There were times in the past when I used to get so frustrated at not being able to write that I would shut myself in the bathroom for a cry. Those days seem far off now.

I live in a small English village with thatched cottages, narrow country lanes and an old parish church with a towering spire. Nearby are miles of canals, ancient woodlands, stately homes and historic family seats, including that of the Spencer family at Althorpe, two villages away. It’s a peaceful place, perfect for writing.

So all I have to do now is write the new novel. There is no excuse not to. No noise, no distraction, no interruptions, yet I find myself staring at the page and wondering what the next sentence is, the next word. It’s torture, and I do it to myself every time. The draft is still at an early stage which means that my house is awash with scraps of paper and cryptic messages that I will have no hope of understanding when they eventually surface.

I’d like to complain to somebody, to sit with a cup of coffee and have a good old moan about how lonely and agonizing the business of writing can be, but there ain’t nobody here but us chickens.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

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CHAPTERSINDIGOca

UNDER THE JEWELLED SKY

A breathtaking story of forbidden love and devastating consequences...

The moment Sophie steps onto India's burning soil, she realizes her return was inevitable. But this is not the India she fell in love with ten years before in a maharaja's palace. This is not the India that ripped her heart out as Partition tore the country in two. That India, a place of tigers, scorpions, and shimmering beauty, is long gone.

Drawing on her own family's heritage, acclaimed novelist Alison McQueen beautifully portrays the heart of a woman who must confront her past in order to fight for her future. Under the Jeweled Sky deftly explores the loss of innocence, the urgent connection in our stars, and how far we'll go to find our hearts. Excerpt

                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Born in the sixties to an Indian mother and an English jazz musician father, Alison McQueen grew up in London and worked in advertising for twenty years before retiring to write full time. In 2006 she was selected from an impressive longlist to join The Writers' Circle - a group of 8 top writers chosen to be groomed by the UK film industry as the new generation of British screenwriters. An award-winning blogger, she is also the author of a series of popular novels (published by Macmillan) under a pseudonym. Alison lives in a quiet English village with her husband and two daughters. Her novel, The Secret Children, was selected by The Independent for their alternative 2012 Booker list. You can find Alison: Website & Blog, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook. 

MONDAY MUSINGS—LOVE AND DEVOTION

Gidget, one of my Great Danes, and Callie. Typical sight of an evening.

A funny thing about love and devotion is those qualities are not reserved to two legged creatures. 

Observation, over the years, has taught me there is a strong bond of love and devotion

Part of my pride of cats. Callie is in the right rear of the
group.

between animals. I know there is a pecking order among animals (and between people, for that matter) and that's true whether they're cats, dogs, horses, even chickens. There are animals that tend to draw together in groups like horses and dogs. There is a lot of affection between pack members of dogs and in herds of horses. Cats are a bit more solitary, but even cats are affectionate toward one another, especially when large numbers live together. If you watch they touch and groom one another. There is a greeting ritual—certain sounds and body language. I suspect it’s a way peace is kept between them, renewing the bonds of belonging. 

In almost every group, I've seen the buddy system. Certain personalities are drawn together and you see love and affection develop and when they lose that companion to death there is a true grieving period over the loss. Certain pairings who draw close to one another and spend time with one another. Where you see one you see the other. It's not exclusive to same species.

Something to keep in mind when you write about animals or if you write paranormal and you write about animal shifters it’s important to maintain some reality in the animal side of them and their interactions and reactions.

Callie, as a kitten, about to groom Gidget's face.

Callie still grooms Gidget. January 2014

My Dane, Gidget, is very close to one of our cats, Callie. This affectionate bond developed shortly after they met. Gidget was almost two when tiny Callie came to live with us as a kitten. Gidget was fascinated with this little furball. Callie loves Gidget and while careful because Gidget is huge and when she moves she’s a force to be reckoned with—especially that tail of hers. It’s like a whip when she’s happy and wagging it. I know because it’s stung my leg on occasion not to mention knocking things off of low surfaces. While Callie is aware of Gidget when she’s on the move, she’s never shied away from Gidget. Callie waits for Gidget to lie down and then she comes over and talks to her and loves on her. She tends to curl up on Gidget’s back or her shoulder. Gidget hold very still while Callie gets comfortable and has learned not to drench her with her tongue. J They’re buddies. They’re also my office companions. Gidget tends to stay within four feet of me wherever I am and Callie is usually right there.

Callie as a three month old kitten.

   

Gidget, as a 2 month old pup. She's watching
a bird fluttering around the bird feeder.

Isn't love something to behold?

LOOK WHAT THE HURRICANE BLEW IN: CHRYS FEY

What I like about my guest, Chrys Fey, is she's had to reinvent herself as a writer several times. She's faced a major writing block and overcome it. Chrys has learn much about writing and applied those lessons to her writing. She's faced some tough obstacles and while she may have felt like giving up, she didn't. Instead, she decided she wanted to help and inspired other writers to overcome those problems and started Write With Fey blog in 2012. If you get the chance, do take a look at some of her writing tips from lessons she's learned. 

Chrys, thank you for being here today. Tell me a bit about you.  Love of your life? Kids? Day job?

I don't have kids, maybe someday, but the loves of my life are my nephews.  They are seven and six years old and stole my heart the moment I met them as newborns. [you can read more about Chrys' nephew here.]

Cole and Clover

Milo and Otis

I live in Florida with my recently adopted four kittens. My day job is writing. Although that doesn’t exactly pay, I am blessed with the situation I have that allows me to write freely.

You've been writing for some years, how long have you had the goal to be published? 

I was seventeen when I seriously started to pursue publication, but ever since I was twelve I dreamed of being an author.

How did you go about making that a reality? 

First, I immersed myself in research to find out exactly what I had to do to get published. Then I went on the long journey to build my publishing credentials; a must for all first-time writers. I sent short stories to dozens of magazines and ezines, received countless rejections, and was lucky enough to have a few short stories published online. I also focused heavily on blogging and Facebook, working hard to build some kind of following. Finally, I decided I would have to break into publishing with one of my romance stories, instead of the supernatural-thriller series I was querying, and shortly after I sent my manuscript to The Wild Rose Press I was awarded with a publishing contract.

What's easiest (or hardest) for you-dialogue, plot, character, or something else?

All of the above are pretty easy for me. Whenever I get an idea for a story, the full plot quickly follows. My favorite part is definitely character building. The hardest part would have to be editing, because it’s so extensive and involves several rounds that become tiresome.

As a writer, how do you deal with doubts and setbacks?

I freak out. haha Then I talk it out with the two people who I know will listen: my best friend and my mom. After that I take a long, deep breath, say a prayer, give myself a pep talk, and then push forward with even more determination than before.

What is it about this genre that draws you in?

Hurricane Crimes is a romantic-suspense and everything about this genre draws me in! I love heart-pounding suspense and the intoxicating buzz of romance. For me, it’s the best of both worlds. 

Without spoiling the story, what was your favorite scene? Or what draws you to your two main characters? 

My favorite scene in Hurricane Crimes is when Beth Kennedy goes outside, into the harsh wind and rain of a category 5 hurricane to rescue Donovan Goldwyn.

I’ll answer your other question as well. :) Beth’s unbelievable strength and Donovan’s mystery, which could be a killer, drew me to them the moment the story idea for Hurricane Crimes touched down in my mind.

What’s coming next? When will be see it?

I am coming out with my second romantic-suspense, a novelette, titled 30 Seconds. When a woman finds herself in the middle of a war between police officers and a mob, 30 seconds is a long time. You can expect to see it come out on Amazon sometime this summer.

Chrys, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions and let us get to know you a bit better!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

BUY: AMAZON

HURRICANE CRIMES 

After her car breaks down, Beth Kennedy is forced to stay in Florida, the target of Hurricane Sabrina. She stocks up supplies, boards up windows, and hunkers down to wait out the storm, but her plan unravels when she witnesses a car accident. Risking her life, she braves the winds to save the driver. Just when she believes they are safe, she finds out the man she saved could possibly be more dangerous than the severe weather. 

Donovan Goldwyn only wanted to hide from the police, but the hurricane shoved his car into a tree. Now he's trapped with a beautiful woman while the evidence that can prove his innocence to a brutal crime is out there for anyone to find.

As Hurricane Sabrina wreaks havoc, Beth has no other choice but to trust Donovan to stay alive. But will she survive, or will she become another hurricane crime?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Chrys Fey’s debut, Hurricane Crimes, was published by The Wild Rose Press. Mid 2014, she will be coming out with her second romantic-suspense eBook, 30 Seconds. She created the blog Write with Fey to offer aspiring writers advice and inspiration. She lives in Florida where she is ready to battle the next hurricane that comes her way. You can find Chrys: Blog, Facebook, Goodreads 

WHAT I WANT AND WHAT I GOT...

Due to circumstances beyond my control this will be a late Monday Musings and early IWSG (click to get a list of other participating blogs) I just combined the articles. I'll be visiting blogs over the next few days and cracking the whip to get back into blogging after some much needed time off.

WHAT I GOT THIS MORNING AT THE FEEDERS AND
WHAT I WANT IS THE LAST PICTURE.

I've noticed a difference in what I'd like to see happening and what is happening—what I want and what I got. For instance, my editing tasks. I've been helping hubs edit his book. It's a good story but lord have mercy, the man is heavy into he said/she said. That drives me nuts. He's actually very good with dialog but when he wrote these stories they were done with old school tags. Pulling his mind from then to now has been...a struggle. Magnum PI and Spencer meeting Burn Notice. Don't get me wrong, Magnum had some great story lines and some great oddball humor (and my husband loves oddball and corny humor) and Spencer did as well, but if they were written for today's market they'd have to have some major updating to grab the audience. Same genre different methods of telling. 

What I want is someone who likes to read those sorts of detective stories read for story content and word usage. What I got is me. 

Then there is my writing. Talk about insecurities and frustrations. I have two manuscripts completed in a series I wrote. Mine had to go on a major word diet. In fact the first in the series lost 10k. I was very proud of that. Now it's in pieces—kinda like Humpty-Dumpty with all king's horses and all the king's men at the ready to put it back together again but they've all gone into stasis waiting for the orders to proceed. Sigh....

What I want is free time to concentrate on that and what I've got is itty-bitty sound bytes of time to do it.

Then there is the weather. 

What I want is green and flowers. Like my brother Rob’s house in early May.

What I got is the heaviest snowfall in our area since 2002 and minus 2 this morning.

Hey, the sun is shining on this bright Monday and that’s good. It’s actually beautiful but wicked cold even with the temps up to almost 15 degrees, but the wind bites hard.

Hubs is bundled up in multi-layers of clothes (he loses 10 lbs and 10 inches once he peels that bundle off) and you can see how much we've accomplished after a couple hours of work. We haven't even started on the driveway to the road—which is also unplowed and likely to remain so, unless our neighbor decides to run his tractor over our road a mile down to the blacktop which is also not plowed. They rarely plow it. Getting anywhere is problematic.  

Then there is the driveway. 

What I want is a nice cleared driveway. What I got is this—can you even tell where the driveway is?

Uh, no. 

Just in case you're curious, curves around the little oak tree and out the break in the hedges. I'm standing in the cleared area to take this shot. 

We've already been out two hours this morning and barely have made a dent in clearing the snow from the garage so we can open the doors. It’s several more hours of shoveling time to get down to that break in the hedges.

And then come Wednesday afternoon we get more snow and sleet (I much prefer the snow over icy slush) and again over next weekend.

There you have it. The battle of wants and gots. I suspect it will be an ongoing battle this year, especially with writing.

What's your ongoing battle right now? 

Happy New Year!

WHAT I WANT TO SEE. TOMORROW WOULD
BE GOOD 

MY WISH FOR YOU

I'll see y'all in the New Year!

Wishing the very best to you and your family! 

May love's warmth surround you

May the joy of laughter be shared

May peace hold you close.

~Sia~