Kathleen discussed how to create a character for a story and her own narrative style. Her most well-known book, “the promise,” was well-read and admired by many people. We spoke about her writing routine and writing tips in this interview. She writes every week. Finding out what your characters are doing is always intriguing. So for every writer, preparation and revising are really necessary. Continue reading to learn why developing characters is important in both fiction and non-fiction writing.
If you ever get a question or stuck somewhere while writing, I highly recommend you to read what Kathleen does. Well, how to create a character for a story, all writers have to keep faith in their writing. However, Kathleen advised to embrace each error you come across is one of the keys to success.
how to create a character for a story | Learn character growth from the author “the promise”
“There is a lot more to this story than its genre would suggest. There are touching, honest love stories set against the uncertainty and horrors of WWII, but there is the deeper pull of relationships of all kinds that really drew me in and held my interest. The author went to great care to flesh out the key players in this drama that ultimately spans decades. What starts as a benign, happy look inside post, World War I subtly begins to take on a wary expectancy as England’s Prime Minister declares war against Germany. Suddenly, the sheltered youth who only knew of wartime horrors second-hand are now faced with the possibility of losing everything their predecessors had worked so hard to recover. Young love and the prospect of family and a future are now put on hold indefinitely. Hearing from the key players in this rich historical drama in their own words is what really hooked me. The insights the author has for each of her characters is truly remarkable. Nothing about this story was pat or standard; everyone in this drama comes across vividly, with their own unique mindsets. Watching as they grow and adjust to the impacts of war is eye-opening and refreshing, and most of all authentic. I think this is a wonderful story and I look forward to reading more by this insightful author.” — Cynthia Hamilton
About Author
Kathleen Harryman is a storyteller and poet living in the historically rich city of York, North Yorkshire, England, with her husband, children and pet dog and cat.
Kathleen first published a suspense thriller in 2015, The Other Side of the Looking Glass. Since then, she has developed a unique writing style which readers have enjoyed and is now a multi-published author of suspense, psychological thrillers, poetry and historical romance.
How to create a character for a story
In 2015, you wrote your first suspense thriller. Tell us your author journey from the beginning to until now.
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to write. Stories have always been an integral part of who I am, it just took me a while to find the confidence to write and submit my first novel. Like all important events in life, there are joyous highs and extreme lows. Moments that propel you forward, my first novel, The Other Side of the Looking Glass, did that for me. The book reviews have been lovely, providing me with the confidence and zest to write my second book. The conception for each book is different. My second novel came to me from a single line: What's wrong with being a psychopath... While The Promise is a book that sat inside me for a long time, waiting for the right time to grow.
Research is an integral part of any book, even when writing fantasy, there has to be an element that makes events believable. There have been times when I have even tried some of the escape methods my characters have used, to ensure it is possible. When Darkness Falls is based on the internal dialog of the serial killer, so, it was important that I understood what drove the character to do what she did. There was an immense amount of research on serial killers as well as forensic science and profiling, to keep the book as real as possible.
I've often read that writing is a lonely journey. This makes little sense to me. My head is filled with characters, battling for a chance to be heard. When writing, the story sweeps me away, and time melts. I never see the loneliness, just the visions that flicker in my mind, where the story takes me and what is to come.
From concept, I know the beginning, and the end, everything else is malleable. The ending may change slightly, When Darkness Falls, is one example. I'd always planned the end as I've published it. It was the Epilogue that was the biggest change, and I'm so happy it's there, the book would never have been complete without it.
Self-doubt is a huge part of writing, and there have been many times when I have written a book, and edited, and edited it, that I begin to wonder if it's strong enough. We all make comparisons, it's part of human nature, it is also what opens the door to self-doubt.
By the time I have finished a book, I will have read, and edited it, at least ten times, sometimes more. I need to connect with each story I write, to feel an emotional pull, which I can hopefully pass onto the reader. An author isn't a singular person, it is the story, the characters, and the reader. This connection is important, if the reader doesn't feel the story or become part of it, the story becomes lifeless.
There are no shortcuts in my writing journey. It's about hard work, embracing errors, self-doubt, and always having faith in my writing.
What is the name of your favourite writer of historical romance novel you ever read before you start writing, and what take way from the perspective of beginners (writers)? Read further how to create a character for a story.
The first historical book I read was “The Sunne in Splendour” by Sharon Penman. I'm not sure, if you would class it as a love story, but there were essences of real life romance enfolded within the story. Sharon Penman captured my imagination, changing my perceptions around Richard III and lighting my hunger for historical fiction. For this gift, Sharon Penman will remain my favourite historical author.
For me, The Promise highlighted the difficulties historical authors face. Research isn't based only on surroundings, life, machinery, etc, but also on dress, behaviour and speech. When writing an historical novel, you are entering a world that cannot easily be accessed. I was lucky when I wrote The Promise because I had access to the 1930s and 40s from stories told me by my father and great uncles. There was still a lot of research, even though I was plunged deep into WWII.
Tell us more about your novel, “The Promise” and what triggers you the ideas about making it live.
The Promise is based around stories told me by my family who lived through WWII, it is a story I longed to write, but also one I put off for too long. It was Lucy Marshall, (co-author) who came to me asking if I would write a book with her, that made me write The Promise. Some of the characters are based on Lucy's acting friends.
Like all the books I write, I knew how the story was to begin and end. But the night I met Lucy's friends, as we sat round my kitchen table talking, that's when the characters became real. Character relationships were forged from that night. Circumstances surrounding Tom Amitage and his father came into fruition. My brain works in strange ways, and I could see Tom's darkness and pain, as well as Sergeant Micheals strength and confusion.
Lucy was fantastic. When I told her some of the stories bestowed upon by my family, she would say, 'the hairs on my arms are standing up, Kathleen…' that's when I knew those stories would become part of The Promise.
I cannot tell you how much I cried when writing The Promise, and how much it touched me to write it. The Promise is my way of honouring my grandfather, James Chappell, who never returned from the war. My great uncles have kept his memory alive for me, and The Promise has allowed me to retell some of those stories. Though circumstances have been changed, the integral nature of those stories remain in The Promise. The Promise was a privilege to write, and I owe Lucy so much for asking me to write it with her.
The Promise was also a gift to my dad, Neville Chappell, who died in 2018. He never got to see The Promise published, but I was able to make hime smile and give him the knowledge that James Chappell would live on within The Promise.
What hard work you put in creating the protagonist and the other characters in the “The Promise” and ideas that you would like to share.
The Promise is told from multiple points of views, each character's thoughts, desires, and fears are laid bare as the story unfolds. It was my meeting with Lucy's acting friends that really drove each character's storyline, a lot changed for me that night. The interaction between them was inspirational, I do believe that the best characters are born from watching human interaction. While this isn't always possible when writing psychological thrillers, I can still get a favour of their essence from interviews, etc.
How to create a character for a story?
An important factor for me is allowing character growth, without the character becoming too dominant. Characters, even main characters, shouldn't suppress character growth, or you loose interactions you are going to rely on to knit the story together.
How do you plan your week if you are writing in your busy schedule? Would you like to give some tips to aspiring writers on character growth?
One thing I have learnt is that plans are never ridged, allow for outside factors, and so long as you write something daily, the weekly plan is a success. There are days when I'm not there creatively. However, I still aim to write something. Those are interesting days. When I go back and read what I've written the next day, that is when I notice how the story is evolving. If there is nothing imaginatively coming, I focus on a particular feature, like hair or eye colour, or even a dress, by picturing this in my mind. And writing it down, I find it frees up my headspace, allowing imagination to take over without conscious thought. Get fixated on something, and you lose everything because there is no way of moving past that point.
I hope Kathleen covered pretty much on character growth and many other things. Now it's time to explore more topics. Check out below interviews.
Julie has unique ways of telling the stories, in this interview with i'mBiking Magazine, she talked about her book, “The Poetry Mouse” and for her readers, she read her favourite poem. Moreover, there is good news for writers who love to write about horror and suspense. She talked about how her books ends leaving the readers astonishing, in a twist. Kusma also put her thoughts on difference between thriller and suspense according to her. Thus, she believes, unknown outcomes create a tension in any story. Therefore, learn from her why both, thriller and suspense are correlated to each other.
Her paranormal, supernatural, and horror stories contain simple truths about our human experience, and she shines a light on shadows with weird situations, unexpected themes, and twist endings. She holds a Master of Health Education, a Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness, and a Master in English, Creative Writing, fiction.
No matter what medium art takes; canvas, clay, or words on paper, the message isn’t so much what it means to the artist, but rather what the piece says to the observer. I hope my work speaks to you.
Julie Kusma
Moreover, every writer has his own way of gathering ideas. However, Julie get inspires is something unique.
What made you write about the book, “The Poetry Mouse”
The idea for “The Poetry Mouse” emerged in a conversation with my writing partner, Derek R. King. He shared several poems he wrote about hedgerow creatures and the idea of a mouse, Evie, anthropomorphized, took hold of me. I saw her living her ordinary life of doing what others thought best for her, and I realized this story had the potential to speak to children on so many levels. It is a story about authenticity and pursuing our talents and passions.
What was the first thought came to you before you begin to write the book?
For me, my first thought was the visualization of Evie holding her notebook with Derek’s poetry written on each page. I then formulated a storyline and wove Evie’s tale around his poems. At the end of the story, Evie sends her work to a publisher in the city, so there’s a sequel underway.
How many books you have written until now?
Wow, I’ll have to look… I have short stories in three anthologies: one with two stories that won publication in a contest, one with a horror story from a contest, and the third with four horror short stories. I also have two meditation CDs, three solo children’s picture books, two children’s picture books written with Jill Yoder (my amazing editor), three children’s picture books written with Derek R. King, eight more collaborations with Derek, and finally, three horror collections of my own.
So, the short answer is, I currently have 22 published works and 2 CDs. Additionally, three collaborated children’s picture books are slated for publication yet this year, along with another Keepsake book, Our Halloween all in collaboration with Derek, and a solo project of mine, The Crooked Crone & Other Mystifications, all scheduled for 2022 publication.
Does each of the books reveals the suspense at the end? Would you like to share your experience behind writing the suspense?
I do fancy a twist ending. My solo work, which is mainly paranormal or psychological horror, quite typically ends in this manner. I love taking the reader along on a ride and making that sharp turn at the end which reveals the destination is somewhere entirely unexpected. I love that.
For me, writing suspense is about layering your story, and this is accomplished through the writer’s voice and the literary tools and devices employed. Diction, syntax, figurative language, and the tone in which the story is told, offer many layering options for themes and symbolism— all creating the story’s motifs. So, with diction, for example, when writing horror, choosing words that are morose and macabre pull the reader in. All part of setting up the story’s suspense.
How do you distinguish between thriller and suspense?
Thriller is a genre where danger is present from the onset of the story: The thrill of the ride, reading the story. Suspense, although categorized as a genre, is really a technique where the unknown outcomes create a tension, a suspensefulness as the reader anticipates what happens next. Any story can be suspenseful, but not all stories are thrillers.
Are both of them correlated to each other?
Sure, a great thriller is suspenseful, and in a non-genre definition way, suspense is thrilling.
Are you currently writing any book? If yes, would you like to tell us more about it?
I am. This week, I will write the final chapter of The Crooked Crone, which began as a solo short story. I’ve expanded this into a novella by the same name, and it will release yet this year. Other than that, I always have at least a dozen projects going at the same time. Current open projects include two children’s books, a keepsake book— Our Halloween, and the above-mentioned solo project of mine, and dozens more just waiting to materialize. I seem to work best this way, as I can perform various tasks for the different stages of progress as suits my mood on any given day.
How do you get suspense ideas, what are the major sources, and why?
Just depends on, really. Sometimes, nature inspires. Other times, it’s people. The things people say and believe are excellent fodder for stories. For example, I saw an appointment reminder card stuck to a drain pipe with cobwebs, and Derek took a picture of this for me. A creepy horror story began to emerge as I asked myself how long has that been there and why. Additionally, my current stay in Scotland has inspired an entire series of micro fiction pieces titled Scottish Gothic and is available on my website here.
What is your favorite poem you ever wrote?
Probably “A Lover’s Silence.” I love the voice of this piece. It has been recorded for me by Jacqueline Belle and a video to compliment by Daniel Lacho of Guru Art Official. You can listen to this on my YouTube channel at A Lover's Silence or for all of my recordings, visit YouTube.com/c/juliekusmaauthor
But I’d love to share one of my published 50-word micros from my Scottish Gothic collection. This piece, along with a few others, is available to read on my website.
Do you love travel and meeting people?
I would have answered no before, but last year I met my amazing writing partner, Derek R. King. He lives in Scotland and I visited him last December. We have an amazing creative spark and exchange between us that is very easy and enjoyable. I believe this is why we are able to produce so many books in such a short amount of time. I’m currently in Scotland, and have been here since the end of March. I head back to the states in September, but while I’ve been here, I have travelled, met many people, seen a lot, embraced new ways of living and being, as well as created a volume of writing.
Would you like to tell us about your travel experiences that occurred funny, relevant to your writing or any sort of it, and eventually helped you a lot?
I don’t know if I’ve had anything particularly funny, but that’s subjective, right? I find life in generally humorous, so there’s that. However, walking through a grocery store in Scotland is quite entertaining for me. Seriously, no salad dressings to speak of. No pickle relishes. What? Pancakes are freshly made in the USA, not precooked and sold in a package on the bread aisle. And ice, don’t get me started on drinking soda room temperature without ice. Lots of funny stuff regarding food and lifestyle tickle my mind while staying in a foreign country. I highly recommend venturing outside one’s known territory and truly seeing how others live, especially if you’re a writer.
Every writer enjoy book on their weekend and on any occasions. Therefore, reading books teach us every day, and that is a time when most of our learnings occur. Every day is a new and special for us.
However, in case of Jackie, her education actually happened when she joined IBM. In 1972, during her schooling, everywhere was violence, the protesters, and the Vietnam War. Jackie also shared how her mother used to read romantic novels and enjoy her life. Jackie has also written a poem, “Out from the Shadows” accidentally, upon reading, it brings power to the one's selfness.
She believes, marketing is writing and selling an idea. Therefore, she took one more step and started investing more in writing romance as an endeavour to get lost in love stories.
About Jackie Lynaugh
Jackie's passion is writing, and her favourite place is the ocean. Besides, she loves painting landscapes, collecting sunglasses and crave sunshine like there's no tomorrow. She has worked as a marketing manager at IBM, writing technical spec-sheets for computer engineers. Now retired from the corporate world and writing fiction, family saga, and romance full-time. She is currently living in South Carolina.
Tell us when did you find interest suddenly evoked in you for reading or enjoy book, and at what age you got your first book and its name?
The first book I read at a young age was “Gone With the Wind”, by Margaret Mitchell. I read it again in a different mindset at 40 years old. The genre I gravitate to is romance and family saga. I also write in that genre. I don’t write historical romance. I write what I know.
My mother was a romantic bookworm. I watched her get lost in her paperback romance novels growing up. Some of her books, she would tape a brown paper grocery bag over the book cover. I remember the first time I pulled off the brown paper to see what she was hiding on the cover. It was like unwrapping a present. I would read her romance books when she was out of the house. From then on, I dreamed of riding off on a white horse with the shirtless hero my mother was hiding on the cover of the book.
Reading books for enjoyment is a luxury I never had while raising my children and during my corporate career, and as a business owner. Life was too busy to just relax and get lost in a great novel. I know I missed out, and I am making up for lost time reading for pleasure.
Where did you finish your schooling, and what experiences of life counted in your writing career, loving and enjoy book?
I don’t believe we ever finish our schooling. Life lessons happen every day. I dropped out of high school in 1972, went to night school, and later took the General Educational Development Test (GED), which took me nowhere. In the ’70s, racial tension and school dropouts were high, and the Vietnam War and protesters were on every corner. The world was on fire as peace signs, tie-dye t-shirts, and standing up for our rights were the thing. The '70s is a future novel in the making I hope to write someday. Life lessons in a small southern town are on my bucket list for my seventh novel.
Fast-forward to the 90s, I returned to the classroom at Winona State University in Minnesota. Short-lived but productive. In 1994, I began my corporate career with IBM in marketing. This is where my education began. I learned more on the job than I ever learned in a classroom. Later IBM relocated us to North Carolina where I wrote technical spec sheets for computer engineers. The documents were online and sent with the product for the customer to read and learn how to use their new computer and software.
Would you like to tell us when did you write your first poem and read it for us?
I fell in love with poetry in college. In the summer of 1993, I wanted to add credit toward my marketing degree and took a poetry class. It felt beautiful to hear words flow, and Walt Whitman turned me on to poetry. The first poem I wrote was by accident. I was writing notes for my novel, At Her All. The main character Lara Faye Edison is a college student. I was trying to get inside the main character's head. In my past novels, if I wanted to get into character, I would paint with oil on canvas the location's scenery.
Also, I sketched the scene on paper with a pencil and the character’s faces helped my creativity flow. It was like I could talk to the character, and they could talk to me. I am a visual writer. By doing this, the story would flow out of me like turning on a faucet, and the characters came alive. The poem in the novel At Her All is about Lara and her hovering parents.
Poem, “Out from the Shadows” by Jackie Lynaugh
“I wasn’t born to spoil under anyone’s shadow
and rot like an unhatched egg.
I wasn’t born to follow orders.
I wasn’t born for boredom.
I wasn’t born to satisfy someone else’s needs,
to take care of them
or they take care of me
or hide in their arms
or to be taken for granted.
I wasn’t born to follow ideas of what truth is
or to live according to someone beliefs
or to think along their lines
or to learn their facts.
I was born to think independently
I was born to find my own truth
and make my own rules
and find my own way.
I was born to meet life full throttle.
Walk the Appalachian trails.
To be seduced by an alpha male.
Kissed a thousand times
and loved for a million years.
To meet different faces, travel,
and learn other cultures.
Watch the stars at night.
Take long walks
dance on the beach
be swept off my feet
be taken by storm
to be heartbroken.
Stunned.
Shocked.
Devastated.
Lost
and found again.
I was born to get my hands dirty and
plant a garden and watch it grow.
To get sand between my toes.
Mud on my face.
Sand spurs under my feet.
I was born to jump into the ocean.
Pick up seashells and find starfish.
To go beyond time and space.
To welcome miracles.
To share a wishbone
and make a wish.
To totally lose myself.
I was born to feel everything
and to experience everything.
The bitter taste of sorrow.
The foul taste of hatred.
The sweet taste of love.
I was born to learn how to be grateful.
I was born to know the truth
and learn how to give to I have nothing more.
To work hard and play hard.
To pray.
I was born to learn how to speak the language of love
and unlock my heart.
How to take care of my health.
Learn how to let go of all expectations
and let the future unfold like unwrapping a present.
I was born to learn how it feels to lose everything
except for the things that matter.
I am born to spread my wings
fly towards the sun
burn into ashes
fall to the earth and rise again.
I will be proud of my scars and my wrinkles.
My stories.
My memories.
My wisdom.
My freedom.
I was born to be free
and therefore, time will let me live my
life out from the shadows.”
What circumstances made you to choose career into the field of marketing than going for writing? Could you please share with us in detail?
I’ve been in business for many years, and I was always marketing something. Marketing is writing, elaborating about a product, service, retail, wholesale, or selling an idea. In any trade, you have to write to market. It’s a labor of love.
Writing romance is one of the unlimited endeavors to get lost in a love story. To be invited into another human’s world of romantic thoughts and read stories about falling in love is the greatest triumph for a romance writer. I want the readers to question, cry, laugh, hope, feel emotion, fall in love, and dream you are the one and only. An overall feeling you belong in the story rescues optimism. Romance starts with an invitation into the most beautiful thing, love. Writing about love is personal.
The first manuscript I wrote was about health, and I mailed it to a publisher in New York in 1987. Motivated by the women who exercised at my health salon called Slender You in Winona, Minnesota. As a business owner of an exercise salon, I learned how important it was for women to support women. The manuscript was written to inspire women to exercise, with motivational quotes, and a diary to track success and healthy recipes. Six months later, it was rejected.
I filed the manuscript in the closet for safekeeping. I sold my business in 1989. The computer industry took off, and I knew IBM would change my life. I kept writing stories and frequently drew inspiration from my own experiences in the corporate world and private life. My career ended with a buyout at IBM. I reinvented myself and did something I had dreamed of for years. I took the real estate test and got my license to sell homes in North Carolina. I found success in real estate for 23 years. I am now a retired broker and writing romance and family fiction novels full-time.
I witnessed my son pass away tragically at the age of 45, in 2017. I learned he was also a closet writer, and he loved writing about his hunting and fishing trips. Heartbroken by my son’s death I learned writing was helping me with my grief. It was time to be the author I dreamed of being. In 2018 I wrote romance while working full time and as a caretaker for my mother who died at my home under the care of hospice.
I self-published my first novel, Plantation Hill in October 2020. Never planned to write a series, but I just kept writing. The next novel, Nectar (2021 second series) and then Hart to Hart (2022 third series) in Plantation Hill. The novel Inside Glass Towers was published in May 2021. I began writing Inside Glass Towers when my beloved husband was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer and treated with radiation and chemo at UNC Cancer Center. My latest novel At Her All was published in February 2022 and the story would never be complete without At His All (second series) out in 2023.
Life squeezed every ounce out of me. My books have been my recovery from life’s blistering truths, turbulent trials, inner turmoil, overwhelming grief, and a maze of absolute chaos through the healthcare industry during the pandemic. I am a caretaker's survivor and I came out on the other side stronger and wiser. It was time to come out of the closet, and share my novels with the world.
Today, my husband is cancer free. A comeback story all in itself for a future novel. Since retiring in 2020, I have published five novels in two years. Stories that have been buried in my brain for years came alive. To write and publish you cannot be a wimp.
Do you currently write as a full or part-time, and why?
I write full time. I am currently writing the novel At His All, the second series in At Her All, a bottle of lies. A Her and His (ladies come first) family saga. I have been patiently waiting for this stage in my life to open up and be who I was born to be, a storyteller. I came from a long line of storytellers.
Over the years, I was inspired by all the characters I met while growing up in a small, close-knit agricultural town in Belle Glade, Florida. The Glades motto is, Her Soil is Her Fortune. My grandfather Walter and my father Douglas were both incredible storytellers and role models for my future craft and my desire to write stories.
Which book you have written for the first time? It is fiction real life inspiriting? Moreover, tell us which character is your favourite one from the book and its journey, creating the character making it to live.
My first book is Plantation Hill. A Florida location from 1990-1992. Inspired by a southern family in the citrus business growing oranges. The family lives in an old southern white mansion tucked behind large oak trees with Spanish moss hanging from the trees that looked like an old man's beard. A typical Florida scenery of the old south.
My favorite character is Tee Hart. The readers tell me they fell in love with Blossom Hart, Tee’s daughter. The Hart family goes on different journeys, but with this family, blood is thicker than orange juice. And money grows on trees.
What struggle aspiring writers face? Could you please share your journey with us, when you were being an aspirant, what learnings you got as a first-time writer?
I was born an aspiring author. Two years as a self-published author have been exciting and challenging. If you are not ambitious, curious to learn, and thin-skinned, I’d find another industry to tackle. If you don’t like marketing yourself, social media, technology, and the ever-changing secret world of publishing, it might be a better option to work on your craft and keep writing and keep your day job.
The World Wide Web is still the Wild Wild West. The publishing industry has been like stepping back in time to find the secret code. To me, the most important thing is to entertain the readers.
When we see the life closely, we can opt to stay back and fight or leave it forever. Preparing for the worst is always a better option than leaving the situation. Therefore, it is an experience that save us. The connecting dots of Bill from his real life experiences in his book, Baghdaddy teach us different surviving modules. Therefore, everyone should be aware of and those who are the witness to the Cold War, they may be living again in life through his book.
The experiences make the man perfect. The childhood of Bill was horrible that one never expect to have. He couldn't read when he was a kid. However, he won the award for his debut book. Explore more about Bill and his writing career in the interview below.
Bill Riley is an award-winning author of memoir and fantasy. He is a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel who has worked with intelligence agencies and special operations professionals around the world. Because of his background, his stories require U.S. Intelligence Community approval before publishing and—he is obligated to say—the fantastic events depicted in his fantasy books did not actually happen, and the world was never truly in danger.
Bill lives in Eagle, Idaho, USA, with his wife and two sons. You can find him online at billrileyauthor.com, and on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @billrileyauthor.
What was your inspiration and purpose behind writing your memoir, Baghdaddy?
I witnessed the effects of Saddam’s rape of Kuwait and his failure to honor the terms of his surrender. Later, I was stationed in Iraq and experienced the unique challenges of trying to rebuild that country while some of its people were trying to kill me. My father tried to prepare me for the worst that life could throw at me. He taught me hard lessons that often hurt, and I resented them. After he passed away, I tried to put things into perspective. I realized that there wasn’t a lot of difference between the skills I needed to survive my childhood, be a father, and go to war. I met amazing people along the way, and connecting those dots brought me to Baghdaddy.
Baghdaddy: How Saddam Hussein Taught Me to Be a Better Father
My father once said, “One definition of adult is surviving your childhood,” and I never forgot it. I think Baghdaddy is successful because it’s a story of family, friendship, and love at its gritty core. Baghdaddy was a story I had to tell. It captured my father’s death and how I came to put what I learned growing up into perspective during my missions in Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, and in my life.
I’d say the purpose of Baghdaddy was twofold. The first, to share my experience with being a dyslexic kid in an abusive home who couldn’t read. And how I clawed my way out, grew with the help of friends, and not only had an intense military career, but in the end made a family for myself. That I could only dream about when I was a boy. Ironically, this kid who couldn’t read won awards for the first book he wrote. I’m proud of that. The second purpose behind Baghdaddy, was to give readers a look behind the scenes of a war most people only knew through television and a chance to meet amazing people who made a difference in our beautiful, sometimes terrifying, world.
Could you please share details about your intelligence activities during the Cold War and through your military career?
I wasn’t a special operator or in clandestine services. I didn’t have the passion for the first or the stomach for the second, and my non-disclosure agreements significantly limit the stories I can tell.
I can say that I have supported nearly every US special operations unit and intelligence agency and several friendly foreign governments, and that the CIA let me tell the story of two clandestine service officers on two of our missions. I’m grateful to the CIA for that. Furthermore, I loved them both. One like a father, the other saved my life and I very nearly married her. They were mentors and dear friends. They are no longer with us in the world, and Baghdaddy is the only place they still exist beyond the hearts of those who knew them.
I relate a few important intelligence collection and counter IED missions in Baghdaddy, and I can say that professional spies are exceptional people.
They are hand-picked, cultivated, forged, used, and, if they survive ops and politics, they are curated until either they’ve got nothing left to give or they become the next generation of curators. Some come from military backgrounds, others from academia; a few still come straight off the street, but one hallmark they all have in common is they’re unparalleled at building trust that they betray.
I can also say with confidence that if you took the hard classes at an elite school, work advanced IT at a top company. Work as a scientist or defense contractor in defense research, are successful in biotech, genetics, or any other highly profitable. Proprietary field, or if you’re at the decision level of government—you’ve probably already met a spy. Don’t believe me? Then they did their job right.
Do those intelligence and military experiences really help you in writing?
Yes. The decades of discipline formed supporting intelligence and military missions, both as a military member and later as a civilian, definitely help with my writing. I could argue that writing is the discipline of getting one’s imagination on the page, so others can experience it. My background has given me the skills to turn ideas into books by breaking down complex operations into achievable tasks on a deadline. Writing and publishing a novel is an act of perseverance.
Many talented writers give up along the way because writing is the deliberate sacrifice of your hard-earned time to share your dreams. But if you don’t finish your story, you won’t get read. For me, that sacrifice is worth it. I want to be heard. And I promise you, your sacrifice to be heard will turn into an investment in yourself. Writing is a self-determined, self-employed apprenticeship. No one can make you write your story. It’s a voyage of discovery.
Especially at first, we all share the same exhilaration and exasperation as we learn to write and tell our stories because we’re building an airplane as we’re flying it.
I’ll give you an example of how my background helped me write my new fantasy novel, Ashur’s Tears. Everyone has secrets. The difference is that a big part of my work meant I had to carry secrets that weren’t mine to tell. They still aren’t. I was an intelligence analyst who later specialized in communications, strategy, and cyberspace operations. I agreed to safeguard missions, sources, and people from any harm that might come from any disclosure of something classified.
I gave my boys enough truth to cover my absences, but not being there still disappointed them. The problem is: Kids start to sense there’s more to the story—especially when keeping secrets meant I was away from home for extended periods of time. That father/son tension is reflected in Ashur’s Tears. Secrets are tearing the Cypher family apart. Toby and his dad argue over it. Katie ignores it. Both strategies fail.
What was your inspiration behind writing your new fantasy book, Ashur’s Tears, and why?
I’ll start with why? When I was a boy, writers like Tolkien and L’Engle, Heinlein and Silverberg, filled my head with wondrous adventures that took me worlds away from my troubles. As a man, I’ve seen war first-hand, travelled to exotic lands and operated within different cultures. . . Often in secret places. Now that I’ve told my story, more than anything, I want to give readers the escape the authors of my childhood gave to me.
I spent years in Iraq helping to return sovereign control back to the Iraqi people and in combat. Several missions took me through the ancient Mesopotamian ruins that still punctuate the desert and dot the hill tops south of Baghdad. And there I was, standing atop the great ziggurat of Ur and the day was over. Below me, the Iraqi city of Nasiriya was hazy and distorted by smoke and sand hanging in the air.
Then the sun set like a goldfish swimming down a fuchsia river. Afterward, city lights flickered, and the ziggurat radiated an orange glow until the moon was a bluish sickle above my head. We were still doing cultural support missions to help protect national treasures after widespread museum lootings, and I happened to cross paths with a legit Iraqi archeologist. This was rare because the only “archaeologists” who worked at night back then were grave robbers. We drank tea at his camp. His English was way better than my Arabic. He told me stories about the ziggurat, the Sumerians, and the moon goddess Nanna. That night left an impression on me that served as my starting point for the Cypher series mythos.
But the idea for Ashur’s Tears started with the goddess Tansy, and my inspiration for her started with a cat I rescued from a tree on a thoroughbred horse farm in Florida. I named her Smudge because she had a gray marked nose on her otherwise caramel and white face. When I found her, she was a little thing that bolted into a petite predator pound for pound, fiercer than a lion. One day, she was sitting on the paddock fence, minding her business, grooming herself.
We had a stallion with excellent bloodlines, just back from the track, kicking and throwing a fit in a field. He was dark, 16-hands big, and meaner than a smacked hornet. Until his tantrum was over, no other horses were allowed with him in the paddock because he would hurt them. He noticed a Smudge on the fence pole, galloped straight at her, then turned at the last second, and spun back around, snapping his teeth. When she didn’t even flinch, he reared up and came down on top of her.
And Smudge sank a paw-full of claws into his nose. The big horse froze, and my nine-pound cat held that thousand-pound horse in abeyance, until she finished grooming. Then she hissed, and when she unsheathed her claws from his nose, that racehorse jumped back, fled, and never came within ten yards of Smudge again. Seeing her grace in action — and unflappable disdain for anything or anyone who wasn’t me — inspired the cat-goddess Tansy. The rest of the story grew around her.
In your opinion, how much research does one need to write a memoir?
People are curious about what happened behind the scenes of interesting events. It could be something as simple as overcoming a difficult moment because powerful, relatable moments make for a good memoir. Or, it could be as complex as an all-access pass to an event that changed the world. For both, readers want to be in the moment, and feel the highs and lows of what happened and why. Often, as the reader and author are both trying to make sense of it all. They go along for the ride together, and if they can learn something they didn’t know or visit a place they’ve never been—they will take away those life lessons as if they were their own.
Research, for me, is important because reviewing the facts and timelines and settings is always valuable as we humans tend to remember things out of order and differently than they may have occurred. Framing those recollections with facts is useful. A memoir is ultimately your story of what you saw, heard, and felt, and that should drive your story forward. There is no perfect memory of an emotional situation. Just ask any police officer gathering the facts in the aftermath of an accident. The stories of witnesses will vary widely. But how that accident or tragedy impacted YOU is real, and more human for its imperfection and emotion. Those are important stories to share. I’ve kept journals since I was a boy. They helped me capture key moments of my life and helped me make sense of what I was feeling and why.
I reviewed them and researched the world events going on around me for the timeframe of my book Baghdaddy and that was extremely valuable for both reliving childhood memories, accurately depicting wartime and political moments, and for reframing my experiences from a more distanced, and hopefully, mature perspective to scaffold the story for my readers. I might not have been aware of something as a child or in the moment of a firefight, but research helps provide facts and details to help put those moments in context and in perspective for my readers. Don’t forget the amount and type of research required is determined by the story you’re telling. A grandmother teaching her adopted granddaughter how to bake and bond as they get to know each other and to show how those moments affected them both may require research in recipes, events, and different timeframes, whereas a behind-the-scenes story about launching a political campaign in a corrupt government will require extensive evidence for both authenticity and protection from litigation.
Why did you choose hybrid publishing? What is it, and why not go the traditional publishing route?
Hybrid publishing is a form of independent publishing that lies somewhere between self-publishing and traditional publishing. You pay for services like editing, covers, and production. But your book can be more widely and directly distributed to stores and receive greater marketing, media, and event opportunities like traditional publishing. My publisher, Brown Books, has extensive experience publishing military books. In fact, many of the professional books I used during my military career were published by them, and I didn’t realize it until I met their President at a writer’s conference. So, I knew they produced high-quality books.
I liked that I got to keep all rights to my work, and my royalty payout is much higher than a traditional publishing house. I also get to leverage tradition publishing expertise and can work with editors and experts that would be difficult to reach if I self-published. Prior to contracting with Brown Books, I did have two agents, who after reading Baghdaddy, wanted to sign me. They were people I really wanted to work with, and their client lists left me starstruck. The sticking point was both wanted me to break Baghdaddy into two books. One a hard life story, and the other a more pumped-up military mission story that would be inspired by true events rather than a memoir. Honestly, I had worked hard for that moment, and I would have made good money upfront when they placed those books.
They even offered to fly me out to New York City to sign the contract, but Baghdaddy tells a story that would have been lost by disentangling its threads, and books are about risk management for agents. Agents don’t get paid until they place your book, and these are agencies that represent popular culture icons, presidents, and legendary writers. I could take the deal, or we couldn’t work together. I wasn’t tall enough, yet, for the ride that would let me do it my way. Their principals sent super nice notes. One day, I’d like to work with them, but Baghdaddy wasn’t the right book to make that happen. So, I went with Brown Books and Baghdaddy went on to win a lot of awards, and hopefully, it will get another printing next year.
Later a different agent read my new book Ashur’s Tears. He said he wanted it, but after four months of hearing nothing, Brown Books offered me a deal. They wanted to expand their juvenile titles, and they liked my new book. It was still hybrid publishing, but they kicked in a big marketing push and a few perks. I liked working with them, and since this was my first fantasy book, I knew I would need a development edit to reach a different, younger audience. After Ashur’s Tears started production. I did finally get a call back from the agent to discuss signing with them, but by then, I was well into my contract with Brown Books. And once a series is independently published, no agent will sign you unless you have a breakout hit, or you have a different story not attached to your series to bring to market. Then the process starts over. Ashur’s Tears released this week. It’s already on a few summer-reading lists, and my book tour kicks off in July.
What are the cons of hybrid publishing, an author should know?
The two biggest downsides to hybrid publishing are the upfront cost and the fact that you will have at least a small print run of books sitting in a warehouse. I had the benefit of a successful previous career and a good platform, and for being recognized in my field, and that translated into enough speaking gigs to make it worthwhile. As an author, if you’re with a good hybrid publisher you can get the very best author services money can buy, but you pay for it. It’s not a good fit for everyone. It’s a business and your return on investment is up to you and the market. Which can be a frightening thing. While a self-published author, on a tight budget, may only need to sell dozens of books to break even, a hybrid author may need to sell a few thousand copies. That’s a big commitment. You get all the control as a hybrid author, but you absorb all the risk, and even most traditionally published books don’t sell through. Check out all the coverless books in the dumpster behind a bookstore at the end of every quarter. Those were the books that didn’t sell. For most authors, print-on-demand offers the most advantages with little to no upfront cost and no print run risk. For me, it worked out, and I now have two hybrid published books, one self-published book, and additional income from ghostwriting. Follow the path that’s best for your book and you.
What is your strategy of promoting your books? Do you believe word-of-mouth publicity after reading the book is best?
My publisher has a catalogue they pitch to book buyers around the country and a small team that manages international rights. Usually, meetings start the season prior to book release to socialize what will be available. Press kits and advanced reader copies start to go out about four-six months in advance of book launch. With press releases and more Press Kits going out about a month in advance of launch.
If you’re trying to pitch articles to magazines that have a theme complementary to your story and want them to come out around the time of your book launch, the lead time could be more than a year. My social media follows my life as a writer, and I’ll do art and cover reveals the month leading up to my book release. For Ashur’s Tears, I did a big prelaunch conference event to meet librarians and sign advance reader copies in advance of their summer programs. Before and after release, I’ll do a few Amazon and social media ads to see what works and figure out how I want to continue supporting the book. Also, after launch I’ll do as many book events as I can and now, I’m starting to schedule events from Fall to the end of the year.
Is word of mouth the best advertising? I think so. No one is going to buy the next book in your series and sell your story to their friends harder than someone who loves your book, but that ties into reviews and book events and building your mailing list of fans to keep growing your reader base. And there’s a learning curve to figure out what works for your personality and what works for the types of stories you’re telling. For Baghdaddy, I spoke on war and conflict and different military and intelligence operations at museums and veteran’s groups. For Ashur’s Tears, I’m working school festivals this year. This is new for me, but I must get my new book in front of as many parents and kids who will love it as I can. So, I have to go where my audience, or their parents, are.
If you’re starting out or working to grow your audience, I recommend making friends with other writers, participate in writers conferences and see what other local authors and writers are doing to spread the word. Stress comes from fear of the unknown and knowing there are about a thousand things we should be doing to write and sell our books, but not knowing where to put our time, effort, and resources. No one can do everything, but anyone can try new things that might interest them and see what works.
What is your daily target of writing? Are there any strict routines you follow?
I get most distracted when working out first drafts. I do plot and outline, but my stories usually change along the way. Revisions and edits are easier for me to schedule, but I need to take my laptop somewhere quiet, where I can hear my thoughts and live in my imagination without distraction. I try to spend six hours a day on writing, editing, and marketing tasks. I find that if I wake up early, get coffee, and head straight to my office, I can usually write for a couple of hours before everyone else wakes up. When that happens, I move on to editing or the business side of writing. There’s always something that needs to be done.
My friends swear by writing sprints for first drafts, and I see the value, but I’m more of a walker than a sprinter. Until I build up my writer endurance, I find the more I schedule time to write, the more I get done. I can rewrite and edit for much longer amounts of time once the main story is on the page, but getting it out is like trying to get a toddler into clothes they don’t want to wear.
In the early phase of writing, a good day of writing for me is three good pages. In the later phases, I can revise 1-2 chapters or more a day. When I was in combat zones, my goal was one page over the course of a day. I’d think about what I wanted to write the night before. I’d set aside fifteen minutes to write during breakfast. I’d print it if I could and revise the page over lunch. Over dinner while catching up with other people, I’d make the changes. Incoming rocket and mortar fire would give me other things to think about, but when I was confident the attacks were over, I would look forward to thinking about what happened next in my story.
So do what works for you. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but carve out writing time for yourself where and when you can. Fence it off. Guard and defend it. Otherwise, that time will go to everything else, your frustration will grow, and your story will stagnate. Writing doesn’t have to be all day every day. Our lives are complicated, and we have other commitments, things to do, and needs. But be honest with yourself and the moments you know you can write, draw a well-marked line of death around yourself. Revel in the moment you made for yourself and write.
Was it difficult transitioning from adult non-fiction to upper middle grade/tween fantasy?
From a creative perspective, my transition to upper middle grade fantasy wasn’t all that hard. While memoir is tied to real events, fiction is more flexible and offers ways to explore the unreal. Figuring out my approach to this audience was the challenge. Many adults love tween and middle-reader stories and will like this series, but Ashur’s Tears is written primarily for 12-15-year-old readers whose lives are in a state of change. The physical changes are intense. They’re transitioning from grade school and again to high school. Everything in their lives is becoming different, including them. Tween readers have a lot going on.
As I edited Ashur’s Tears, I found myself refocusing my imagery and revisiting my word choices in ways that would be meaningful for both adults and a younger audience. Those changes helped me show Toby, Katie, and Tansy’s journey through their upended world in a way younger readers could relate to and enjoy. That part was challenging, but so worth it.
What was your approach to bringing the different character arcs in Ashur’s Tears together?
In Ashur’s Tears, Toby is driven by logic and science. Katie starts out lonely. She feels things so intensely it hurts. Katie feels like she’s different and missing something, but she doesn’t know what. She intuitively understands things Toby doesn’t, like when she observes that he trusts the system too much, but Katie doesn’t know the hole she’s trying to fill in her life is magic. Not until she meets Tansy. Toby and Katie are driven by who they are and how they approach their ever-changing world. Like all of us, they are works in progress as they discover their missing pieces and grow. Along the way they each have epic fails and hero moments, but they must learn to trust each other, come together, and become the family they need to survive.
My dear friend Lucy once told me, “A scar you learn to never get again is progress. It means you got to live another day. It’s proof you’ve grown.” Things hurt. If we survive and learn from them, we grow. I think that approach, more than anything else, is how I brought Toby, Katie, and Tansy’s different paths together at the end.
What would you like for your readers to take away from this interview?
There is enough room in the world for both technology and magic. If you never give up, you have the power to change yourself, your fate, and maybe the world.
Gillie talked about her interest, story behind her book and the most important thing is enjoy yourself being a writer. Read why her thought about writing is intriguing.
About Gillie Bowen
Gillie Bowen was born in Nakuru in Kenya and have travelled the world extensively over the years. She is a retired British journalist, now living with her husband in the Loire Valley in France. Gillie loves to write, cook, to entertain and to travel.
In her book, “Beneath African Skies” She has brilliantly explored the young people's challenges lived in 1820. She believed writing saga fiction, inspired by true events, required a family who can provide deep information about the subject. On other hand, an internet help for more information.
How did you find the story about your book, “Beneath African Skies”
Beneath African Skies is a true story about my ancestors who left England in 1820, as part of a British scheme, to emigrate and become settlers in Southern Africa. I was always aware of Hougham Hudson’s story, but I became more interested as I investigated more about the Hudson family. Hougham Hudson was my great-great-grandfather and my mother Molly was born on his grandson’s farm in 1919.
What are the genres you love to write. However, “Beneath African Skies” what message you wanted to send to your readers writing this fiction?
I love to write historical fiction, based on true stories. Beneath African Skies is fiction based on a true story. As well as my mother’s memories and my own research, my uncle, George Hudson, self-published his life story before he died and that was a very useful source of information, too. I wanted to get across to my readers what brave young people the 1820 settlers were, and the challenges they faced over the years.
Therefore, writing thriller, how much struggle one required? What is your strategy to get onto collect the evidences for pursuing the ideas?
Beneath African Skies is not a thriller, but more of a family saga based on a true story. I research all my books very thoroughly, using the family information I already have, and exploring the internet for more.
How many other books you have written, are they based on real life inspired? Tell us more about your favourite writers and their books.
I wrote the sequel to Beneath African Skies several years after it was published. Entitled Breaking African Ties, it takes the reader from the end of the Second World War to Kenyan Independence. My family lived through these times and their lives are well documented. I wrote Breaking African Ties after a number of my readers said: ‘And then what happened?’ Always interested in genealogy, I turned my attention to the Bowen family and research showed that my husband’s great-great-aunt, Emily, had emigrated from London to Australia in 1882, leaving her five-year-old daughter, Lilian, behind. That fascinated me. Why would any woman travel to the other side of the world, leaving her daughter behind? The Lost Seed of the Pomegranate is Emily’s story, and I loved researching and writing it. I was next to discover, through my genealogy research, that I too had a famous aunt on my side of the family. My seventh great-aunt, born in 1728, was a brave young woman who saved hundreds of sailors’ lives by going out with the rescue boats from her hometown in Kent, England. She went on to design the forerunner of today’s lifeboat, and to this day, the RNLI in England name a lifeboat after her. The Mary White was first published in October 2020. The sequel White on Wight is the story of her nephew, Thomas White, who went on to become the biggest shipbuilder on the Isle of Wight. It will be published this month.
I have also written a modern-day, romantic drama trilogy, The Ville Rose series, which is a family saga, covering three generations of an English/French family. It is based in Toulouse and London. Favourite writers? Ian McEwan is a favourite British writer. I have read most of his books and have recently finished ‘The Chldrens Act’, which I found very moving. McEwan writes about people and their emotions. His genre varies. I love historical novels and I like Marius Gabriel’s writings. I particularly enjoyed ‘Goodnight Vienna’ which is based on a true story during the German occupation of Austria at the beginning of World War 2.
What is your daily target of writing? Number of pages, words, or finishing a particular scene and settings?
I don’t have targets. I like to write in the early morning before my family is awake. I write as much as the mood takes me, but I usually try to finish a scene before I stop for the day. I usually write or edit every day of my life.
Do you write a plot first or decides your characters before you start putting them on Papers?
On the whole, I write by the seat-of-my-pants, but I always have a basic plot before I start a book. I draw a graph, to remind myself of where the story is going, and when things happen. I keep a checklist of all the characters as they come into the story and the page number on which they first appear. I find this very useful when I need to refer back to a Character.
Would you like to say something in your voice to your readers about writing and crafting?
Writing is an addiction to most authors and if you have a craving to put your story into words, then do it! It doesn’t matter how well you write; you will improve as you develop your craft. The most important thing is to enjoy yourself. If you find it a trial, then writing is not for you.
Conversation with Bonnie K.T Dillabough upon various aspects of writing. Therefore, I talked about her books and writing habits. However, how book editing and rewriting is important for any aspiring writer and author, explained well here. Read what beta readers does in the process of writing and its benefits, according to Bonnie.
At what age did you complete your first novel?
Bonnie: I published the first book in my series, The Dimensional Alliance, two weeks before my 64th birthday, but I had wanted to write a novel since I was 16 years old.
Tell us what was the experience of writing and rewriting?
Bonnie: I think, like most new authors, I was unprepared for all of the work that had to happen after you type “The End”. I knew I would have to edit the first draft, but was unaware how much was involved. I edited the first book 9 times with the help of a number of beta readers. We still found little errors. So, I sent it to a low-cost proofreader. It was better, but even after it was printed, we found an occasional typo.
After that, I found a professional copy editor, Lynette M. Smith. Even then, I knew from being an avid reader that small mistakes still can creep into a book. Obviously, my favorite part is still the writing, but I feel a lot more confident to produce a professional book and I have gotten compliments from people who know the publishing industry.
Who helped you the most in this process?
Bonnie: Once again, it really comes down to the idea that no author is an island. Enthusiastic and honest beta readers are a must, and I can’t stress enough the importance of engaging a competent copy-editor. It made all the difference for me and frees me to do a lot more writing.
All the books you have written were self-published or traditional one? If it has been self-published, what processed it involved, its merit and demerit?
All of my books are independently published. I use Ingram Spark to print and distribute my paperback books which can easily be found in online stores all over and many independent and franchise bookstores now carry them. As a matter of fact, I have done bookstores in local stores and will be doing a book-signing event at our local Barnes & Noble in a few weeks.
As I considered which publishing track to take, I considered the fact that I am getting on in years and that taking the traditional route would require more time than I might have. This required me to learn and study the publishing industry and its ins and outs. It’s a lot of work.
Traditional publishers provide a lot of services for the authors they accept, like cover design and editing and a limited amount of publicity when you launch your books.
Publishing independently allows you a lot of freedom in cover design and is significantly faster. It does mean you need to educate yourself. There are a lot of scams out there aimed at writers, so you have to be careful. This is one reason that one of the things I do is volunteer my time helping aspiring authors to avoid the pitfalls and make good decisions on which of these to choose.
As an author, where do you want to see yourself in the next five years? And do you intend to stay in the same niche?
Bonnie: There are 9 books planned in this series. With 4 books published and a 5th one being published in November 2022, I pretty much have my work cut out for me. After that, I am considering perhaps doing some non-fiction writing or some historical fiction.
Could you please tell the readers that you have born into writer's family, or is there no connection to writing in your blood relations?
Bonnie: I have no published authors in my family, but I was encouraged to write from a very young age. I was writing poetry and short stories from the age of 8. That being said, my grandfather was a brilliant storyteller. I remember we used to go camping a lot and in the evening he would tell us stories about his childhood.
Also, there was never a birthday or holiday when I didn’t get a new book for a gift. As a teen I was called a “library nerd” which didn’t hurt my feelings, because most of the time the library was my favorite place at school. I had the dewey decimal system memorized in high school.
Who are your favorite authors and a quote that always inspires you?
Bonnie: That’s a really difficult question. I have read thousands of books over my lifetime. Some of the authors I most enjoy are Tolkien and Anne McCaffrey.
Probably my favorite quote is when Gandalf is speaking to a fearful Pippin. It goes like this:
GANDALF: “End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.” PIPPIN: “What? Gandalf? See what?” GANDALF: “White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.” PIPPIN: “Well, that isn't so bad.” GANDALF: “No. No, it isn't.”
Furthermore, kindly let us know your evergreen books you have on your shelves.
Bonnie: Not so many on my physical shelves, alas. I can no longer read regular books due to vision issues. However, I have hundreds of ebooks. Probably the most evergreen is the fact that I have a library card and our library participates in ebook loaning, so my choices are limitless. I still go back and reread The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, and The Ender Saga by Orson Scott Card. It’s actually a pretty long list, and there isn’t room or time enough to describe them all.
Tell us more about your book, “The House on Infinity Loop” how the ideas triggered you and the inspirational story behind it.
Bonnie: First, as I said earlier, I wanted to write a book since I was 16 years old. Around that same time in my life, I started having a recurring dream that seemed to haunt me all of my life. I would have it at least one a year, sometimes more often. It went like this:
In the dream, I was at a house-warming. My house-warming. In my new home were many of my friends, helping me celebrate and oohing and ahhing over all the cool things about the house. At some point in the dream, someone would ask me for something. “Oh sure,” I said happily, “it’s in the other room, I’ll go get it.”
On my way down the hall, I notice a door I hadn’t noticed before. “I didn’t know there was a closet there,” I said to myself. So, I open the door and realize this wasn’t a closet…not even close. It was a room, the size of a warehouse. In it were all kinds of weird and interesting things: a small jet airplane, a luxury car, a grand piano, statues and sports equipment, clothing and toys…even a swing set!
“Wow!” I knew it couldn’t possibly fit into my little house and after gazing around in astonishment I rush out the door to my friends.
“You’ve got to see this!” I cry and lead them down the hallway, only to discover that the door isn’t there anymore.
As you can tell, the dream was disconcerting even to have one time, but to see it over and over again with only slight variations throughout my life was even more so. I asked people over and over again, what can it mean? And they would just shake their heads.
Then one day a friend told me to write it down, so maybe it would get out of my head, and I wouldn’t have the dream again. I did so.
About that time, I was hanging out with a lot of authors on a video editing project and kept thinking… “I think I could write a book. I’ve always wanted to.” About this same time, I got the honor to interview Mercedes Lacky, a favorite very prolific writer of science fiction and fantasy. It was a total fan-girl moment for me, but she was gracious enough to speak with me for about 45 minutes after the interview. I finally got up the courage to tell her, “I’m thinking about writing a book.”
Her reply? “So put your butt in the chair and write!” So I did.
When I decided to finally get down to it, I took the dream story, altered it significantly and thus was born The Dimensional Alliance series.
The Dimensional Alliance series is the story about a young woman who inherited a house, a cat, and a key from an aunt she had only met twice in her life. It turns out that the house has a room in it that couldn’t possibly be there. The cat is not a cat and the key doesn’t fit any of the rooms in her house, but unlocks adventure beyond the known universe in adventures that teach her things about herself she never thought were possible.
Science meets fantasy in this coming-of-age adventure. There are robots AND dragons. I’m so confident that lovers of science fiction and fantasy will love this series that I am offering the first book at no cost on all e-book platforms. The House on Infinity Loop is where Jenny’s adventure begins, but I’m betting you’ll want to see what happens next. There will be 9 books in the series, and the first four are out in paperback and all e-book formats. The fifth book will come out in November and I can’t miss that deadline, as my fans are already asking over and over when it will be out.
My inspiration is God: In conversation with Sabrina Hughes on writing her debut book, “Experiencing God’s Power and Miracles” she gave advice to aspirant writers that nobody should let others redefine your voice whichever genres you are in. Read her full interview.
LU: When did you realize that you should write about the book, Experiencing God’s Power and Miracles?
SH: One evening in 2021, I was relaxing in my favorite chair and watching the news on CNN. A few new books were discussed during that time. The pandemic afforded many people the opportunity to write books that they never had time to write in the past. These authors had some form of notoriety so, I was discouraged briefly. It was God himself who nudged me and said that a lot of books are being written but they are not about me. It was at that point that the framework of the book began to form. The name of the book emerged first.
LU: Why did you choose only this spirituality, do you have any other provision for writing fiction about romance or thriller?
SH: My inspiration to write this book came from the Lord. He rekindled every truth/event that is in my book into my spirit and filled in every gap. The purpose of this book is to assist others in developing a relationship with Jesus Christ or nurturing the one they have which ideally will foster spiritual growth. My book is therefore a self-help book designed to cause the reader, to reflect, self-exam, and then respond.
This is why spirituality is at the heart of this book and will be at the heart of my next book as well. Through my lenses, one has experiences of true romance and thrillers organically during their Christian journey or a quest for spirituality. Romance and thrillers are intertwined in my book, but they are non-fictional! Thus, the reader gets the benefit of all three. Aside from being an author, my experiences as a Christian, pastor, and an evangelist attest to the same belief. I could easily write a book that is categorized as a romance or thriller, but I do have an interest at this time. I do see myself writing some short stories and books for kids that are fictional.
LU: To become an author, was a dream, or it was an accidental from sacred incident.
SH: I would not say that becoming an author was a dream for me. I have had an interest in writing a book for several years relating to a number of subject matters that were not of a Christian origin. Reflecting, I guess I would say that it was something that I desired to accomplish. However, I did not have a burning desire to write one until the end of 2021.
LU: How real life characters inspired you in the process of book writing your debut
SH: The actions and outcomes of every person/character identified in each chapter of my book really opened my eyes! I was inspired, became introspective, and gained momentum as the book progressed similar to an adrenaline rush. The inspiration gained through the characters heighten my creativity and thinking which led to intriguing plots, suspenseful twists, unexpected climaxes, and smooth transitions to the next chapter.
LU: How many days you took to craft the novel and describe to us the most inspirational moment in your life which drives you as an author
SH: It took me 137 days to write this book. My key driving force and inspirational moment as an author is the desire to respond to a need in a meaningful way.
LU: What message you would like to give to fellow wannabe authors?
SH: My number one message to aspiring authors is to stay true to who you are and the genres you are passionate about. Do not let others redefine your voice.
Babasaheb Purandare (29 July 1922 – 15 November 2021) was a famous historian who was known for his writing and leadership. Purandare has directed, a well-known theatrical play, Janata Raja. The play became famous not only in Maharashtra, but in some other states of India as well.
Childhood of Babasaheb Purandare
From the beginning of his childhood, he was fond of travel, meeting people and visit the historical places in Maharashtra. He was born in Pune, Saswaad, Maharashtra to a well established, Brahmin family. The family of Purandare was in the field of art and social service. He married to wife Nirmala who she was a social activist and his multi-talented daughter, Madhuri Purandare, is an author, singer, and painter.
Babasaheb Purandare' interest
Babasaheb had a kin interest in history since he was very young. He used to visit forts, ancient temples with his father or grandparents and ask their unanswered questions them about the history of the place. Purandare had abundance of urge for writing for the great king Shivaji Maharaj.
A Maratha king of the 17th century who established the Maratha Empire. Hence, his writing got noticed and since then, he was called as Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare (Bard of Shivaji) he wrote many notable works includes, Kesari, Thinagya, Raja Shiv-Chhatrapatietc.
Babasaheb Purandare in his one of the Interviews
In one of the interviews, he said that while his research in history about Raje (Shivaji Bhosale) he found many fake stories, people aggravated about the history of the king Shivaji which had no sense in his research. In one of the interviews, he narrated a story of the queen of England and his post-card. He explained that how he learned from a small mistake “how to give respect” to a nation, its people and learned a way to value it.
A story in London when Babasaheb Purandare was traveling
While he was staying in London, he wanted to send a letter to his family, so he went to a post office, already late. He quickly asked a ticket to a lady at the ticket counter. He could quickly post it on the letter and submit to them. It was a time of clearance of the letterbox.
As soon as the ticket landed into this hand, he pulled his tongue out and put enough of the saliva on the ticket and stuck on the letter in hurry. Thus, he handed it to the lady. Upon a positive node from the next person, Babasaheb Purandare turned back and started to leave.
Hello Mr!, Baba heard before he could take his third step. He returned to the counter and said what happened? The voice he heard was not familiar in tone. She handed the letter back to Babasaheb, “correct it”. He looked up into her eyes and said, I paid all the amount, and it does not matter that much if the ticket is upside-down. … and what if I placed the letter into the letter-box? Nobody could have noticed it.
Babasaheb Purandare in 2004
Babasaheb Purandare | i'mBiking credit to Wikimedia Commons
“Yeah, I can see that, whatever you are saying all is fine, but I cannot accept disrespect of my queen.”
Babasaheb Purandare said that it was the Queen of London on the ticket, which he had placed upside down. The spit was still there, he put his thumb and turned, and then the head of the queen was back to her place.
From the story he narrated, he learned how she was conscientious about her culture, people, values, and the respect for their nation. This incident taught him as well as us a valuable lesson. Thus, learning from every person, incidence, or things teach us something vital. The one who teaches us is our leader. We should never ignore small things, from these things that we get educated in our day-to-day lives.
