Interview with Fantasy Author Janalyn Voigt

Janalyn’s unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and fantasy creates worlds of fiction for readers. NY Times bestselling author Eric Wilson described Janalyn Voigt as a fresh voice in the realm of fantasy. Tales of Faeraven, her epic fantasy series beginning with DawnSinger and continuing with Wayfarer, carries the reader into a land only imagined in dreams. When she's not writing, Janalyn loves to discover worlds of adventure in the great outdoors. Author Site: http://JanalynVoigt.com

Welcome back to my blog, Janalyn. These books are part of a trilogy. Please tell us about them.

Thanks for hosting me, Linda. Tales of Faeraven is the story of a land divided by suspicion and intolerance, of an unlikely princess called upon to step up to the throne, and of a mysterious wayfarer who if given the chance could bring salvation and healing. 

This book sounds intriguing. Where did you get your inspiration for this trilogy?

It began as a story to entertain my bored young daughter while on a car trip. Long after she’d forgotten the tale, it remained lodged in my mind. I made many attempts to write the story, but it was years before I wrote Tales of Faeraven. I actually turned away from writing, but the story wouldn’t leave me alone.

Haha. That’s what happens to many authors and they just have to give in and write their story. What age group are these books for?

My stories attract both men and women. The main focus group is adults but my audience ranges from about 16 on up. Precocious readers in the middle-grades have also read and enjoyed my books.

You love to write fantasy. What intrigues you most about writing these stories?

I blame it on Peter Pan, who taught me to fly with nothing more than my courage and a pinch of pixie dust. Who wouldn’t want to soar through the air into adventure in Neverland? I find it interesting that one of the most beloved rides at Disneyland is still Peter Pan’s Flight. I’ve always had an overactive imagination, and early in life when I got in trouble for fibbing, I learned its disadvantages. However, when I turn my creativity toward writing, it becomes an asset. With fantasy, I can invent entire worlds. While that might make some writers blanch, for speculative fiction writers, it’s a welcome task. 

I totally agree. Thanks for this wonderful interview, Janalyn. I hope my followers check out your fantasy books.

Thanks for stopping by. Visit my blog often and get to know new authors. I have an author interview and book giveaway every week on my blog.

Interview with Author Sarah Dunster

Sarah Dunster is wife to one, mother to seven, and an author of fiction and poetry. Her poems have appeared on the online LDS poetry blog Wilderness Interface Zone as well as in Victorian Violet Press, Segullah Magazine, Dialogue: Journal of Mormon Thought, Psaltery and Lyre and Sunstone Magazine. She has published two novels with Cedar Fort under their Bonneville Books imprint: the award winning historical fiction novel Lightning Tree, and Mile 21, which is a contemporary fiction/romance novel. When she is not writing Sarah can often be found cleaning, cooking vegetarian or international meals, holding small people in her lap, driving kids to soccer and piano lessons, singing in local musical productions with her family or taking long walks after dark, especially in thunderstorms.

Welcome back to my blog, Sarah. Please tell us about Lightning Tree.

It’s a mystery-pioneer-history story, set in Utah in 1858 just after the Utah War ended. Maggie, my main character, is an orphan whose parents died on the pioneer trail, and she and her sister have been adopted/taken in by a family and they all now live in Provo. The book opens as she discovers something troubling that leads her to believe her foster family might be keeping some terrible secrets from her.

What genre is this novel and where did you get your inspiration for it?

Historical Fiction, Y/A.  I just love history, and so to write about it means I get to do a whole lot of research for a good reason. But also I’m fascinated by Mormon Immigration stories. This girl is from Italy, and she was part of a French/Italian Christian sect that was persecuted for centuries by the Catholic Church. They were called Vaudois, or the Waldensians. Lorenzo Snow and Thomas B. Stenhouse converted several Vaudois families in 1854, and when those families started being persecuted by their neighbors, they immigrated to the United States and to Utah. They are very special people.

What kind of research did you do for this book?

Oh, I’d say I do a couple hours of research for every hour of writing. I know that sounds like a bit much, but I love research so much, why not? Why not get every detail right, you know?  And I hope it creates a real feel for the time, the people, the town, the way life was back then. I have deep sympathy for readers who love to immerse themselves in another time. And I’ve always loved the books that provide me with an incentive to do some research of my own, like… did that really happen? Was that place real? Etc. So that’s what I wanted to write.

I think it’s interesting when authors add real life situations to their stories. Did you put real experiences in this book?

In a way, yes. The story at the beginning of the book, where Maggie discovers the surprise that leads to her doubting her foster family, is straight from my own family history. I have a relative who ran away at 15 years old because of what he found. And it’s a bit of a heart-wrenching family history story, but his story (like Maggie’s) turns out happy in the end. 

Thanks, Sarah, for this great interview. I appreciate all the hard work that you have put into this book. I hope it touches many lives.

Interview with Author Jill Vanderwood

Jill Ammon Vanderwood is an author and speaker from Utah. She is best known for her award winning, nonfiction books, What’s It Like, Living Green? Kids Teaching Kids, by the Way They Live and Drugs Make You Un-Smarter, co-authored with her teenage granddaughter, Savanna Peterson. This book was the winner of the Mom’s Choice Award. Jill is an active fundraiser, taking on environmental and literacy causes. Along with her husband, who is a professional Santa Claus. Jill, as Mrs. Claus, visits with hundreds of children during the Christmas season.

Welcome back to my blog, Jill. You have a very interesting book here. Please tell us about it.

Shaking Behind the Microphone is an anthology with stories from people who suffer from the fear of public speaking, and those who have overcome this fear and found more success in business and everyday life. I also include stories from those who perform and have experienced stage fright. I have included several experts in the book who give great advice for those who suffer from the fear of public speaking and the last section of the book is Nontraditional Treatments for the Fear of Public Speaking. I have an interview with a Certified Nutritionist who found that changing your diet can help you handle anxiety; and a Certified Hypnotist who claims a 90% success rate in treating the fear of public speaking. 

Wow! You really researched this subject, didn’t you! Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

I have suffered from the fear of public speaking since elementary school. It wasn’t until I was a grandmother that I started writing books. As a member of the League of Utah Writers, I would enter my stories in contests and then say over and over, “Please don’t win!” Because I knew that if I won I would have to get up and read my piece in front of a group.

In Shaking Behind the Microphone I tell about my struggles in dealing with the fear of public speaking and the path I took to overcome this fear, which had held me back most of my life. I now teach workshops for the League of Utah Writers, speak at schools, including assemblies, Boys and Girls Clubs, drug rehabs, church groups and many more. I have been on TV, and many radio shows and newspaper interviews.

One of the first things I decided was to never turn down an opportunity to speak. I volunteered to teach my first workshop and then I panicked and joined Toastmasters. I had six months to learn to speak in front of a group. I also contribute much of my success to what I call my “Leap for Literacy.” I went skydiving from 12000 feet to raise funds for the Literacy Action Center in Salt Lake City. After that, I could always say to myself, “You’re not afraid of these people. You went skydiving.”

Although, I’m not recommending skydiving or any other risky behavior to anyone, I think facing something else you are afraid of will certainly help you face your fear of public speaking. Go to the top of a tall building and look down. Hold a snake or let a tarantula crawl up your arm. Any of these should do the trick.

Wow! Jumping out of a plane sounds like it would do the trick. What kind of research did you do?

While I was suffering from the fear of public speaking, I looked for articles and books on the topic but didn’t find one that helped me, so I decided to write a book that told how others handled their fear. First I looked up the statistics on the fear of public speaking. Glassiphobia.com says that three out of four people suffer from the fear of public speaking. I then wrote a free ad on HARO which read: “Are you among the 75% of people who suffer from the fear of public speaking?” I got a great response to that ad and interviewed the people who contacted me. My next ad asked for public speaking experts. Altogether there are stories from 20 contributors.

I think it’s interesting when authors add real life situations to their stories. Who were the contributors of your book?

The stories are from a law student; a woman who’s first speaking experience was at TED Global; Rabbi Manis Friedman; several businessmen including Baron Canon, who swore he’d never take a job which required public speaking; Rocky Finseth, a lobbyist for Carrera Nevada whose job was in jeopardy unless he learned to speak in public: Dan Nainan decided to take a comedy class to help overcome the stage freight he experienced while doing product demonstrations onstage for Intel Corporation. He did so well as a standup comedian that he left his job. He has since performed comedy for President Obama and Donald Trump. We have advice from four-time Emmy Award winning news anchor, Jan Fox who has interviewed four presidents. She started her own business as a public speaking coach. We even have a story from SAG nominated actor and producer, David Barckhoff. Each time I would finish an interview, I would say, “This one is my favorite.”

Wow! I think this book is a must for authors who hate public speaking. Thanks, Jill, for an awesome interview.

Interview with Sweet Romance Author Anita Higman

Best-selling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has thirty-seven books published. She’s been a Barnes & Noble “Author of the Month” for Houston, Texas and has a BA in the combined fields of speech communication, psychology, and art. Anita is married with an empty nest. She loves good movies, traveling with her husband, and brunch with her friends. Please visit her website at www.anitahigman.com and drop her a note by clicking the “Contact Me” button.

“This was a delightful story full of humor with three love stories intertwined together. It was fun to follow the lives of six different characters and see what direction their lives would take them. Immediately I knew that one couple was mismatched and I wondered how Anita Higman was going to get the right ones together. She developed her characters very well and it was hard to put down the book. She really knows how to weave a love story together with beautiful descriptions of love.” –Review by Linda Weaver Clarke, Author of Sweet Romances

Hello, Anita. Please tell us about your sweet romance, A Marriage in Middlebury.

Charlotte Rose Hill, who loves serving up country delicacies and uniquely blended teas, discovers that while she's been faithfully caring for her tearoom customers, she'd also been quietly turning into an old maid. Charlotte did fall in love with a young man, Sam Wilder, when she was 18, but his family forced her to walk away from their relationship. Now, more than a decade later, Charlotte finds that she still has feelings for her first love. Initially thrilled to learn that Sam has come home to Middlebury, Texas, Charlotte is then devastated to learn that he's brought someone with him: his fiancée. But all is not lost when one of the loveable but meddlesome townsfolk decides to get involved. Will the next marriage in Middlebury be for Sam and Charlotte?

Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

The idea for this book came from my absolute love of tearooms in Texas. In fact, here’s my note to readers on that very subject: More than a decade ago I met a woman named Linda Becker who opened a tearoom in the Houston burbs called, Tea for Two. Her eatery and gift shop did so well, she opened a second shop. Over the years I’ve enjoyed her wonderful tearoom fare as well as the quaint ambiance. Linda’s tearoom isn’t just a café—it’s a gathering place for friends, a place to eat home cooked food, and a place so cozy you don’t want to leave. As a writer I thought it might be fun to create a heroine who owns a tearoom similar to Linda’s and set her shop in a small town on the gulf coast of Texas. So, that’s how the novel, A Marriage in Middlebury, was born. Even though my story, the characters, and the town are fictional, Linda’s tearooms are real places you can visit and enjoy. Thank you, Linda, for the great food, and the fellowship, and the inspiration.

I love it when authors tell what inspired them while writing their stories. What kind of research did you have to do?

I didn’t have to do a great deal of research for this novel, because I had a knowledge of small-town life. You see, I grew up on a farm near a small town. I also knew about Southern tearooms, since I’ve been a big fan of them for decades!

So you’re a country girl, huh. So am I. I was raised in southern Idaho on a farm. Who is one of your favorite characters in this story and what do you love about him or her?

I like the heroine, Charlotte Rose Hill, because she is the kind of big-hearted woman I want to be when I grow up. She is generous and caring to a fault, but that’s why the townsfolk adore her so. They don’t just go to her tearoom for the food, but also for the love.

I feel the same way about Charlotte. I have read your novel and enjoyed it very much. You put a lot of personality and humor in your characters. Does humor come naturally for you?

I’m not totally sure. I don’t think I’m all that funny in person. In fact, some people might say I come off pretty serious, but when I write a scene I suddenly see the humorous side to what the characters are thinking and doing. That part does come naturally. So glad you enjoyed it!

Thank you, Anita, for this wonderful interview and for sharing a part of yourself with us.

Interview with Children’s Author Millie Vigoren

Millie Vigoren lives in Utah’s Dixie, also known as Sunny St. George. She was born in New England where she grew up and moved west in her early teens. She is married and has 7 children, 25 grandchildren, and 25 great grandchildren (plus one “in the oven”).

Millie has written about 8 children’s books. Her first book Bikini Zoo Review was published in 2013. Her second book, Branson Time With Ant Millie has just recently been released. There are more stories waiting for illustrator’s magic to be worked. Her illustrator also lives in Utah’s Dixie.

Hello, Millie. Congratulations on some wonderful children’s books. Please tell us what your book is about.

Bikini Zoo Review is about Ant Millie, who loves to travel, and finds herself in Las Vegas, where she is suddenly stopped by a kangaroo in a bikini hopping down the highway in front of her. More animals follow in bikinis who parade two by two down the street, which becomes the Parade.

I always read Dr. Suess to my kids and I loved the goofy rhymes and silliness that makes kids want to laugh.

Where did you get your inspiration for this series of books?

I wanted to write books for children for many years, but just started about 8 years ago, when my daughter went to Seattle for a visit and found a pink stuffed animal (an ant) wearing a tutu with a photo pocket sign that read “Ant Millie”. When she gave that to me, my daughter said, “Now you have no excuses.”

I have always felt that if children not only learned to read but had fun doing it, then they would read more, which would benefit them all around.

What age group would enjoy this book?

Mostly pre-school and elementary school age children.

Who is your favorite character in this story and what do you love about him or her?

Ant Millie, of course! She is a great traveler and goes all over the country finding animal friends that turn into wonderful adventures. Some adventures find Ant Millie at the beach having a ball; then there’s the one where she finds I Saw A Camel In Kentucky, But It Wasn’t In The Zoo. Or the time she came across Max the Moose who was in tears because he couldn’t find his friend Bud, the Buffalo who left without a hug in Where’s Bud Now? The stories also include Ant Millie meeting up with her cousins in New York City to perform at Radio City Music Hall just like the Rockettes. More fun everywhere with Ant Millie.

Your books sound so much fun to read to our children. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

I love life. I grew up in a very loving family and had a wonderful childhood. I was always encouraged to create. My Dad was a skilled carpenter who had his work previewed in the late Look Magazine. Love spending time with my children and their families. I’m always looking for a new adventure for Ant Millie – and I keep finding them everywhere I go.

Thank you, Millie, for this wonderful interview. I’m so glad that you met my husband and he recommended an interview with me. I know my readers will enjoy this children’s series. I hope everyone will check it out. It's available at Amazon.

Children’s Bedtime Stories: Shadows In My Room

Bedtime stories are fun to read to our children as they settle down for bedtime. They’re even fun to read during the day. As we tuck our children in bed, how many times do we address the fears they have at night? This book helps our children to talk about those fears.

Shadows In My Room & What’s That Noise

Two Bedtime Stories: In each of these stories, a mother helps her little girl understand her fears at night.

Shadows In My Room: Kayla sees shadows in her room that disturb her. Her mother answers all her questions about each shadow that she points to, and helps her to calm down and go to sleep.

What’s That Noise: Amber hears noises that disturb her such as the wind and thunder. Her mother teaches Amber to use her imagination by turning something fearful into something fun.

Cheryl Larson wrote: “These two adorable stories address children's nighttime fears. My 4 year old and I had fun reading them together and imagining how the shadows and noises in her own room could be understood. She thought the idea of the wind tickling the branches of the trees was hilarious. We enjoyed a good laugh together and I am sure any fear she had of the shadows and noises produced by the wind in the trees has been put to rest. Linda helps explain shadows and teaches how our imaginations can quiet our fears of nighttime noises. This is a great read for children and their parents to enjoy together!”

If you choose to purchase a book at Amazon, let me know and I’ll email you six e-books of your choice from my website at Make Believe. I have sweet romances, mystery/adventure, and non-fiction to choose from. You may purchase the children’s book at Amazon.

Interview with Children’s Author Sherry Frith

Sherry Frith is a simple person who enjoys simple things in life. She has many writings that she is working on, but has published this one book. She is the mother to 3 handsome boys, Kyle, Kevin, and Kory. When her time is not consumed with her boys, she enjoys the company of delicious food and intriguing conversation.

Hello, Sherry. I didn’t know what cystic fibrosis was until I read your book. I learned something new. Please tell my friends about this children’s story.

Sticky Icky Booger Bugs is the story of a young boy who has inherited this disease that has currently no cure. However, by doing his daily medical routine Kory reduces his chances of hospital stays and improving his quality of life. Cystic Fibrosis causes all the mucus in the body to be thicker. The result is repeated infections within the respiratory system and digestive complications.

Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

My sons Kory and Kevin inspire my writing. Children have a wonderful innocence; their questions and answers can bring tears of laughter or sorrow to a conversation. When Kory was diagnosed 6 years ago with cystic fibrosis doctors explained cystic fibrosis to Kory in medical terms. However, as we walked out of the building Kory asked “What does this mean for me?” I told him that he had sticky boogers that wanted to stay in him and we had to get them out. When the medical equipment arrived to help improve Kory’s quality of life we gave them all names so he could understand them and not be so overwhelmed. My heart broke knowing the challenges he would be facing with this incurable disease and felt the need to convey them in terms that he could relate to.

My heart goes out to you and your sons. What kind of research did you have to do for this book?

First hand research, I have lived each day battling this disease with Kevin and Kory. This book is a brief synopsis of what Kory does on a daily basis. I have done hours of reading and Internet searches for this disease.

What age group would enjoy this story most?

This is a book for young readers, the age is 1 year to 7 years of age. The beautiful crayon illustrations add so much to the story.

What do you hope your readers will learn from this book?

I want readers to feel empathy. You never know what is happening in a person’s life. My theory is that just when I feel my life is rough, someone has it rougher. I hear their story and stop the poor me woes and appreciate another day of life.

You are absolutely right. My daughter recently found out that her 3-year-old son has a heart disease, marfan syndrome, and will have to have heart medication for the rest of his life. Our hearts went out to the family but we are grateful that something can be done so he can live a long and happy life.

Book Release Celebration with Fantasy/Romance Author Serena Clarke

Serena Clarke lives in beautiful, sunny St. George, Utah.  She received a Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design and is a member of the Red Mountain Shadows Publishing team.  She has loved writing since she was young and is so excited to share her books.  Serena also enjoys designing her own book covers as much as writing her books.

“I am quickly becoming a huge fan of Serena's. I loved this book even more than the first one in the series.  I am always intrigued by stories of arranged marriages and how they turn to marriages filled with love.  These two characters had so much to overcome, coming from different cultures.  Yet, they bravely took on the challenge because of the love they had for the people who they ruled over.  There is plenty of action and intrigue in the storyline. I lost quite a bit of sleep reading way too late into the night.  I love the characters.  I want to know even more about their lives.  I can't wait for the next book in the series!!!!!!” --Cheryl Larson

Welcome back to my blog, Serena. This is the second book in The Isian series, which is a delightful fantasy. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book.

War is coming and all the kingdoms must choose a side. Isian decides to make an alliance with their long time enemies in order to defeat a common enemy. So Isian sends a proposal, offering their daughter to the prince, in order to ensure an alliance. Princess Gabrielle and her new husband, Prince Alec must learn to work together and trust each other in order to triumph in the approaching war.

With a mysterious beast attacking the kingdom, their lives in danger, and overcoming their vast cultural differences, will love grow despite their trials or tear them apart? Enjoy the fantasy, danger, mystery, and romance!

Where did you get your inspiration for this particular novel?

I have always been intrigued with the idea of arranged marriages.  In many of the books I have read where there is supposed to be an arranged marriage, the princess is usually in love with someone else and at the last minute gets out of her arranged marriage.  Or perhaps she meets her intended beforehand and they fall in love before they even get married.  But what would happen if the princess did not get out of the marriage?  And she really did end up having to marry the prince from the enemy kingdom to form a treaty?  

People are more complex than they seem.  A person is not typically good or bad.  Everyone is raised differently and has different beliefs, ideas and quirks.  When you really love someone, you accept their faults.  But what if you were married to someone you did not know and were raised to believe was your enemy?  Could you ever learn to accept their faults?  Could you ever grow to love them or trust them?

Those are very interesting questions, Serena. I think that fact is what makes this book so intriguing to me. Most authors fall in love with their characters for different reasons. What do you love the most about the two main characters?

I absolutely love both of my main characters. Princess Gabrielle is strong-headed, prideful, loyal, and determined.  Though she hates the idea of not only marrying, but also putting her trust in this man she thinks is her enemy, she loves her people so much that she is determined not only to marry the prince, but also to bring their people together.  

Prince Alec is loyal, brave, and surprisingly understanding of Gabrielle’s situation. 

Both characters are admirable and yet they have their flaws.  I think this is why I love them so much.  They need to get past themselves and learn to understand each other and put their trust in each other before they can save their kingdoms. 

Serena Clarke has developed her characters very well. It’s easy to see them in your imagination. I read this book and totally fell in love with the main characters. This is my review:

“The Alliance of Isian was one of the best fantasies I’ve ever read. Why? I’m not a fantasy reader…far from it. This book was enchanting and very difficult to put down. Gabrielle is a strong character and I could feel the emotions she was experiencing. I could feel her frustration in being forced to marry someone she did not know, and whose background was totally so different from her own. Alec is likewise a strong character and has his definite opinions, but he is also very sensitive to Gabrielle’s feelings of inadequacy in marrying a stranger. As time passes, I could see the respect they gradually develop for each another and how they learn to understand one another’s differences. They learn to accept one another’s faults and failings. I noticed the change in both characters, a change for the better, as Gabrielle and Alec fall in love. I found myself wishing the story would never end. That’s really saying something for a non-fantasy reader.” Reviewed by Linda Weaver Clarke, Author of Sweet Romances and Mysteries

You may buy a hard copy of The Alliance of Isian at Amazon here or an e-book at Smashwords here.

Interview with Children’s Author Cheryl Malandrinos

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Cheryl is a children’s author from Western Massachusetts. A Christmas Kindness is her second Christmas book, but her first book with 4RV Publishing. She is also a member of the SCBWI. Cheryl is married with two young children and a son who is married. Visit her online at http://ccgevry.com

Welcome back to my blog, Cheryl. Please tell us about this Christmas story.

Thanks for having me, Linda. It’s always great to be here. A Christmas Kindness is the story of an eight-year-old boy named Robert who helps a friend in need while visiting a mall Santa on Christmas Eve. Robert comes with a long wish list, but after meeting Glenn, he decides there is something more special he can ask for.

Where did you get your inspiration for this novel?

Christmas is a time when it’s easy for kids to get caught up in the gifts they will receive. I wanted a subtle way to share the message of thinking of others with my children.

That’s a wonderful message. What age group will be interested in this book?

This is an early chapter reader, so kids 4 to 8 will be most interested; though I hope families will find the book’s message worth sharing with everyone.

I think it’s interesting when authors add real life situations to their stories. Did you put real experiences in this book?

As a Sunday school teacher for the past 25 years, I’m always looking for new ways to share Biblical values with my students. Though A Christmas Kindness is not based upon any real experiences that I know of, it is definitely a story that could take place anywhere.

Thank you so much for this interview, Cheryl. It was really fun to share this wonderful children’s story with my readers. I would encourage everyone to get this book for your children during this Christmas season.

Interview with English Historical Romance Author Debra Brown

The English Historical Fiction Authors Group started working together in September, 2011. They created a blog in which they post one British historical article each day, sharing information they gleaned from their education and research done in preparing novels. The group includes authors who range from mainstream-published authors to Indies, from multi-published to debut novelists.

Hello, Debra. You’re a member of the English Historical Fiction Group and all of you have participated in writing this book. Please tell us about it.

Some of us felt that history lessons in school were boring. I’m sure it depended greatly on the teacher, but in general we had to sit for another hour, listen to another lecture, and memorize more information. Dates seemed to be important—to the teachers. I remembered dates, indeed, but not always what happened that day. School, of course, is important, and the teachers do their best. But with vast centuries to cover, little time can be spent on the humorous aspects or the human-interest details that bring history to life while the turning points of the past must be learned. The EHFA blog and our book were written to bring out many fascinating true-to-life stories which can be read in a leisure setting and stir up thirst for more knowledge. “Truth can be stranger than fiction.”

This book keeps a person’s attention. Each “chapter” is a page or two long, so it is wonderful for reading in short sittings. It would be a great waiting room book, lobby or break-room book, or a book to be read on public transportation. These essays from different time periods would also help to interest high school students in history.

Where did you get your inspiration to write this book?

Shortly after we celebrated the first year anniversary of the blog, one of the authors (wisely) suggested we select posts for an anthology. This idea was received with great enthusiasm, and the work began.

What kind of research did you have to do?

The historical research had been done earlier, of course, and the articles written. It became a matter of selecting, organizing, and compiling. A publisher was contacted, proofing and editing followed, and the book became a reality.

You love to write stories surrounding England’s history. What intrigues you most about writing these stories?

The research is a huge draw. I devour the history itself. England is a beautiful, awe-inspiring country that had a class structure and its related customs that make for situations and conflict that cannot occur in a place where “all men are created equal”.

Writing is also a great pleasure; creativity simply feels good. An author develops a relationship with their characters—“people” who no one else even knows for quite some time. It is fun to see how they take over and add their twist to what I had planned.

Thank you for this opportunity to visit and let your friends know about the recently released Castles, Customs, and Kings!

Thank you, Debra, for sharing this new book with us. It sounds quite intriguing.

Visit The English Historical Fiction Authors blog and The EHFA Facebook Group. You may buy her books at: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble, Kobo.

Celebrating Veterans Day: An Interview with Author Bill Christy

Bill Christy is a Korean War Army Veteran, a retired certified public accountant and a retired financial administrator in higher education. He said, “This is my 3^rd book. The first 2 books were family history books based on my mother’s family name, Burke. Burke is the English spelling of the French name De Burgh. Tommy de Burgh, A Soldier’s Legacy, is my first historic fiction but comes out of about 10 years of research and 2 trips to England and Ireland.”

“A Soldier’s Legacy is a series of letters that Tommy wrote. It tells how he suffered after being wounded in the Korean War, about his release to return home, and how he was honored. This story begins on a hospital ship where Tommy has been taken. With each letter he writes, Tommy is learning to forgive and to survive from being a POW (prisoner of war). When he gets an invitation to the Vatican, he is elated and that is where he begins to heal. This is a short read of only 91 pages.” Reviewed by Linda Weaver Clarke

Hello, Bill. Please tell us about A Soldier’s Legacy: Tommy De Burgh.

Tommy de Burgh is historic fiction about a Kansas youth drafted into the very early days of the Korean War. He is a composite of many of my High School Classmates and the events that they suffered through. This is a different slant of telling their story and their search for faith & hope in a war they felt unprepared for. Many did not survive but those who did were forever changed. Tommy suffers the loss of many friends, my friends, but gains faith and hope from people who reached out to him in mysterious ways.

I’m sure there are many soldiers who understand and feel what Tommy felt. Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

The memories and stories of high school friends and my own de Burgh family legacy research. I wanted to write the history but have found by mountains of research that absolute truth is impossible to come by. Historic writers can’t seem to agree on it or define it and Historic Fiction writers by faithful research and basis in fact can spin a story that touches all the bases in an interesting way and tell the story.

I absolutely agree. I have read some historical fiction books that helped me to understand what the patriots, years ago, really had to go through to get this freedom we enjoy so much. What kind of research did you have to do for this novel?

The military part of Tommy’s service came from my friends and events during the beginning of the Korean War and the startup of the military draft system along with their experiences. Many of these events I still feel emotional about. The Korean War is now the “Forgotten War”. The de Burgh legacy comes from the ten years of research and travel to England & Ireland and family still living in Ireland.

I bet the research was fun to do. When researching your own families, it can feel very personal. Please tell us your feelings about this subject.

We must never forget the service of those who risk their lives for us. I hope we can all take pride in the fact that South Korea is now free and a major democratic and economic power in the world today. America is now prepared to defend our own democracy.

That's right. We, as Americans, need to support the soldiers of our country. Thank you, Bill, for joining us and celebrating Veterans Day.

Interview with Author Shirley Raye Redmond

An award-winning writer and frequent conference speaker, Shirley Raye Redmond has 27 books and over 400 magazine and newspaper articles. Most of her children’s books are nonfiction on American history topics. Even her novels, including Rosemary’s Glove and Stone of the Sun, have a strong emphasis on history. She’s been married for 38 years and has two grown children, an adorable 9-year-old grandson and a “silly” Scottish terrier named Duncan McPiddle.

Welcome back to my blog, Shirley. Please tell us about this sweet romance.

I love my opening sentence: “She’d witnessed a murder—or so she’d been told—and nothing would ever be the same again.” It sets a tone of intrigue, don’t you think? Finding out that she witnessed her own father's murder is a shock, but when April Cortes receives a letter from the grandmother she hasn't seen since she was five, she knows she must make peace with her past. The mysterious summons to her grandmother's sprawling Arizona ranch is irresistible. Collie Cortes relates the family's ancestral history, including the legend of the Stone of the Sun, an ancient Aztec heirloom that was stolen at the time of April's father's death.

Collie also confides that someone—maybe someone on the ranch—is trying to kill her. April hates to believe it's anyone she's growing close to, but she has already lost too much at this ranch and has no intention of letting anything end her new relationship with her grandmother. She will not drop her guard—not even for the handsome Del Spurgeon. If she does, she might not be around to ensure her grandmother's safety.

Where did you get your inspiration for this novel?

When visiting my parents in Arizona some years ago, they took me to see a reenactment of the shootout at the O.K. corral in Tombstone. The gunfire was loud and the injuries appeared realistic. One gunman was stretched out on the roof of a building across from where I stood. He aimed his rifle and shot one of the re-enactors in the street. I thought to myself at the time what a clever way to actually murder someone—during a reenactment when the spectators would be expecting to see people “die.” No one would realize until the killer had escaped, that the “dead person” was not acting!

You’re right. No one would even know. What kind of research did you do for this book?

I did some research on the conquistador Hernando Cortes and his Aztec mistress so that I could come up with a believable back-story for the heirloom, the Stone of the Sun, and I’ve spent considerable time in Sierra Vista, Arizona, where the novel takes place.

I think it’s interesting when authors add real life situations to their stories. Did you put real experiences in this book?

Oh, yes. Everything April does in Tombstone—touring the Wells Fargo

Museum, drinking a sarsaparilla and riding a stagecoach—I did when I was there. And the scene that takes place in Ramsey Canyon while April and her grandmother are watching the hummingbirds actually happened when my mother took me there.

I hope your readers will read the novel and enjoy it. If your readers have any questions or comments, they may contact me at my website at www.shirleyrayeredmond.com. I’d love to hear from them.

Thank you, Shirley, for this great interview. This book sounds very intriguing.