Monday, October 7, 2024

"Immortal Abyss" by Katherine Briggs -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: Immortal Abyss (Duology Book 2)

Author: Katherine Briggs

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release date: September 17, 2024

Seize the throne. Seek the legend and conquer the Abyss.

Nations rise and fall in the aftermath of war over the Eternity Gate. The corrupted desert throne stands empty, and the Immortal Abyss awakens. Drought ravages the continent, and people long for the rebirth of a starpalm, who will rise from among mortals and end their judgment.

Orphaned at birth, Tol grew up hiding in the farthest corners of the desert, training under powerful rebel fire wielders. She now dedicates her life to the Rebellion’s cause to seize the throne and Abyss from the surviving dynasty and deliver both to the coming deity.

Chosen as the Rebellion’s messenger, she travels to reach sympathizers capable of identifying the starpalm. Familiar figures haunt her dreams, and her path twists with every step she takes. Can Tol fulfill her purpose and summon a legend? Or will her country perish under the judgment of the twin gates?

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1. What is your favorite part about writing?
First off, thank you so much, Becky, for interviewing me!

My favorite part about writing is probably brainstorming, writing a really fun scene,
or seeing the story come together into a cohesive whole while editing. Is it okay if I
have three favorites? ;) If I had to choose one of those, I would go with editing. I find
that my characters and world sharpen and begin to breathe with life at this stage,
perhaps because of the opportunity to hone details, deepen character actions, and add
layers to how they react to story events.

2. Do you have a way to keep track of your story ideas?
I used to keep all my ideas in one notebook and then transfer these scribblings to
computer files. I still do, but I finally began giving story ideas their own notebooks.
These days there are up to three small journal notebooks nearby at a time, each
focused on a different idea. This is working much better for me than putting
everything into one big notebook. Of course, some pages hold the random “Where
does this belong?” idea, and I trust those musings will get their own notebooks
someday too.

3. When did you become a writer?
I became a writer when I was three years old. I colored pictures of animals and their
adventures—even made-up monsters—into spiral notebooks with crayons and then
asked my mom to help me write down the words. That was such a gift.

4. Where do you get your ideas for your books?

My book ideas usually come from seeing or experiencing something in my own life
and then asking, “What if?” If a “what if” question helps me see our real lives more
clearly or with greater perspective, then I know I’m on to something good. Those are
the ideas I tend to chase, those and ideas that are just plain fun or hold meaning that is
immediately apparent, usually some truth that I can visualize being displayed in a
way that is fresh to me.

5. Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters?
Yes. I know some writers seek this intentionally and some writers promise to never
base any parts of their stories on people they know. I think including aspects from our
real lives into our stories is inevitable, and the key is to be as aware as possible when
we do so. That way, we can treat things with respect and nuance, helping whatever
we’ve experienced in real life to flow smoothly with the rest of the story world. For
example, I enjoy learning new languages and traveling. In The Immortal Abyss, the
main character Tol is also learning a new language and must travel across her country
Celebrate Lit – The Immortal Abyss – Becky Dempsey
and to new lands to accomplish her quest. Tol also has an incredible gifting in fire
that she struggles to control, and this was inspired by watching my sister, a talented
professional ballet dancer, battle to overcome a muscle weakness associated with
hyper flexibility in her knees. My sister is an overcomer, and so is Tol.

Thank you for the interview opportunity, Becky!
~ Katherine Briggs

About the Author

Katherine Briggs crafted her first monster story at age three. Since graduating from crayons to laptop, she continues to devour and weave fantasy tales while enjoying chai tea. She, her coadventurer husband, and rescue dog reside outside Houston, where she classically educates amazing middle school students, teaches ESL to adults, and enjoys studying other languages.

More from Katherine

Hello friend!

Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t overcome something difficult in your life? Maybe it was a bad habit you wanted to outgrow, a closed door you wished to open, or a choice you needed to make.

Within God’s will, Jesus in Matthew 19:26 says, “With God, all things are possible.” (ESV)

This is why I wrote The Immortal Abyss. Like you, I have felt stuck in my limitations and circumstances. My protagonist Tol, an orphan, strives to carve a new life for herself by joining a rebellion and bringing reform to her corrupted country. But how can she serve her cause if she can’t overcome her weakness in her fire gifting?

Like Tol, we can’t rise above challenges alone. So, what do we do?

Ask God for help and thank Him for promising to never abandon us.
Seek friends who will reciprocate spurring one another on to persevere.
Remain focused on our purpose.

If you’re looking for an adventure fantasy that will encourage you to never give up on what is good, please enjoy The Immortal Abyss, sequel to The Eternity Gate and conclusion to The Threshold Duology.

Cheers to journeying across forbidden lands, meeting new friends, taming dragons, and overcoming the impossible!

~ Katherine Briggs

P.S. If this encouraged you, please join my story newsletter by visiting my website. As a welcome gift, you also will receive my science fiction and fantasy short story collection, Experiments and Enchantment.

Blog Stops

The Lofty Pages, September 28

Artistic Nobody, September 29 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 30

Inspired by Fiction, October 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 2

A Reader’s Brain, October 3 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, October 4 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 5

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 6 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, October 7 (Author Interview)

Min Reads and Reviews, October 7

Inklings and notions, October 8

Fiction Book Lover, October 9 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, October 10 (Author Interview)

Denise L. Barela, October 11 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Katherine is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card and a hardcover copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5451/

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

"Collision Course" by Millie Norwich Inman -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: Collision Course

Author: Millie Norwich Inman

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release date: January 17, 2024

The shocking death of the popular Prince of Wales launches his young heir from innocent childhood into a roiling caldron of jealousy and intrigue. Set in all the glory of eighteenth century England, the young crown prince is urgently prepared for his aged grandfather’s throne. Under the wing of his godly mentor, the prince staggers through a minefield of hazards.

Parallel to the prince’s journey, is the story of a down-and-out firebrand statesman, considering retirement from the House of Commons because he’s under the king’s extreme disfavor. An alliance between the two ensures the prince’s safe ascension. It also renders his godly mentor and the statesman, the two most powerful men in Great Britain. Then, in the face of escalating war, a shocking twist changes everything.

Collision Course is a slice of real history with real people fleshed out and facing the real challenges of living in a fallen world. It shatters stereotypes as it treks through England’s finest gardens and dines with kings and statesmen all the while peering into the universal nature of the human soul and the heartbeat of corrupted constitutional government. This is the true, untold story of alliance, ambition, betrayal, war, loss, and recovery that set the world stage for the American Revolution.

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1) Do you consider yourself a pantster or a plotter?
I’m more comfortable as a plotter. This is my first book and it’s based on a true story so the plot
is inherent. Only the scenes are fictionalized. I tend to have a destination in mind. When I wrote
nonfiction articles freelance, an idea was queried and developed before I wrote it.

2)What is your favorite part of writing?
I think teaching. I’m didactic by nature. Writing is a platform that offers the verbose a satisfying
mic. We just pray we have great editors and something worthy to convey. I think my favorite,
favorite part of writing is conveying word pictures and pulling off real humor. But my favorite,
favorite, favorite part of writing is conveying eternal messages couched in a real-life story. I’ve
had the joy of experiencing all my favorites while writing Collision Course. This story has
passages to evoke the awe in creation, passages to make you laugh, passages to inspire the saved,
passages that should convict the unsaved, and several mentions of judgment that should frighten
the wicked.
Oh my Gosh, I almost forgot how much joy I had writing the love story between William Pitt
and Hester Grenville. It always brings me to tears. Which reminds me, I also took pleasure from
being able to convey the excruciating reality of a battle scene in Hanover and the agony of the
Commander-General the Duke of Cumberland, the king’s son. The two graphic war chapters
were cut. But I guess I just love writing.

3) What is your least favorite part of writing?
Marketing. And bookkeeping:( I never thought about that while I was having all that fun writing.

4) What is your writing space like?
I’ve had to adapt my writing space to several places. What I need is my laptop, silence, and a big
window with lots of natural light and trees. At home, we have mighty, inspirational oaks out
every window.

5) Do bits of yourself or your friends show up in your characters?
My characters are all real people in fictionalized settings. So, I do my utmost to keep everyone’s
integrity. That said, I found myself completely identifying with the third Earl of Bute in
Collision Course. We share the same devotion to Christ and the same commitment to virtue. We
have the same didactic nature, schoolmarm written all over both of us. Like Bute, I was inspired
to gardening by several family members. Furthermore, the things Bute said in letters, I might
have said. I felt free to speak for him when the occasions arose. My dad and his dad were
dairymen so I felt right at home in Bute’s milking barn at Hampstead Heath. And I have a Scot
great-grandfather that put me in the mood for tartan plaids, a brogue, and bagpipes. Neither Bute
nor I have much political ambition, but both of us would pick the same mountains to draw a line
in the sand and die on.
The differences I found between us, were, Bute was handsome, and a brilliant intellectual.
Degrees from Utrect were more venerated than from Oxford. And he was shier than I am, and
undoubtedly more dramatic. Of course, he was painfully aware of the bias against Scots.

About the Author

Millie Norwich Inman holds a Bachelor of Arts cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis. She taught school and raised a family before dabbling in freelance for periodicals. A fair measure of success added to profound sorrow over the loss of Western Civilization culture and history, launched her into extensive research for this engaging slice of pre-American Revolution history. On two trips to England she read at the British Library and Richmond Records Office, and traipsed through fabulous architecture and scrumptious gardens. At home in Texas, she took advantage of the Trinity University, Rice University, and University of Texas San Antonio Libraries, as well as the amazing Inter-Library Loan System from her hometown Boerne Library. Similar to the research style of NYT bestseller, America’s First Daughter, some of the wittiest dialogue in Collision Course has been lifted and adapted from original letters.

More from Millie

Collision Course is a walk in the park to smell the roses compared to an all-nighter-adrenalin-rush. And the third Earl of Bute is a reluctant hero-protagonist. He’s far more interested in creating calming garden vistas than in jumping into the heart of a rough-housing political fray.

Lord Bute is John Stuart (b. 1713), a descendant of the Stuart kings of Scotland on his father’s side and the powerful Campbell Clan on his mother’s. Branches of the Campbell Clan were still known as the fiercest of highland fighters when Bute was in his twenties. The Highlanders identified as Catholics but knew little of Jesus, and I dare say, never seemed to have heard of the Bible. So, their war-like tendencies really went berserk, after the Bloodless Revolution of 1688. Whenever the banished Catholic heir, the debauched “Bonnie Prince Charlie,” felt sufficiently resentful to sail back from France and contend for the crown, he’d swing by Scotland and enlist belligerent Highlanders. On these occasions, the Campbells would take a respite from murdering the MacDonalds and bludgeoning Lowlander Presbyterians, to gleefully enlist for a bloody tromp into England.

However, by the third “Bonnie Prince” invasion in 1745, Lord Bute’s branch of the Campbell Clan had experienced a come to Jesus. Godly education had become a family priority. Since Lord Bute’s godly father had died when he was nine, his godly mother had tucked him under the wings of her two godly Campbell brothers. Bute’s Campbell uncles were entrenched in the Edinburg intelligentsia. Intellectuals were Christians. Enlightenment academics followed Christians. Bute’s Campbell family branch were Scotland’s civic leaders, innovators in banking, business, jurisprudence, and republican statesmanship in addition to their stellar reputations in science, theology, medicine, and literature.

Lord Bute’s Campbell uncles, along with his Stuart father, were instrumental in the forming the United Kingdom and in installing Protestant royalty, to act in the interest of all their subjects, on the throne of England. The value of the common man was a novel idea. Bute’s uncles ran the elections for nineteen Scottish representatives to Parliament in Westminster. So, it’s really no wonder, that in the third invasion of Prince Charlie tyrants, three contingents of militia from the Campbell Clan fought for British liberty under George II’s favorite son, the Duke of Cumberland. Campbells fought Campbells.

It was in this third invasion that the young protagonist prince’s uncle, the Duke of Cumberland, became feared as “The Butcher.” After Cumberland led the government’s final victory, and as the “Bonnie Prince” slipped away on his ship back to France, the Duke of Cumberland ran a genocide campaign of the most war-like Highlanders (30 something Campbells). That ended the north Britain invasions and turned thoughts to a walk in the park-like gardens. Let Collision Course begin.

Blog Stops

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 20

Simple Harvest Reads, September 21 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 21

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 22

Artistic Nobody, September 23 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 24

Fiction Book Lover, September 25 (Author Interview)

Lots of Helpers, September 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 26

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 27 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 28

Vicky Sluiter, September 29 (Author Interview)

Betti Mace, September 30

Blossoms and Blessings, October 1 (Author Interview)

Beauty in the Binding, October 2 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, October 3 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Millie is giving away the grand prize of a copy of the book and a $75 gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5446

Thursday, September 19, 2024

"Ronnie" by Jennifer Lynn Cary -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: Ronnie

Author: Jennifer Lynn Cary

Genre: Sweet Romcom

Release Date: June 12, 2024

She’s literally stuck in her engagement…

…He’s trying to keep her there.

But when you take the couple out of Texas, is the romance lost too?

Ronnie Webb has broken her engagement to the love of her life, Carlos (Cal) Garcia, or would have if the stupid ring would come off her finger.

To find the space to get over him and the rest of what is going wrong in her life, she leaves her dad’s Texas ranch to visit her aunt and family in Kokomo, Indiana.

But hanging out with the Weather Girls, especially with their cardinal in the sycamore legend sending out strong vibes, Ronnie’s love life may not be as dead as she thinks.

Carlitos can’t believe the letter Ronnie left him right before Christmas—his last one at home before his enlistment starts. However, his broken wrist might just be the break he needs to get Ronnie back before it’s too late.

But what does this native Texan know about mid-western Hoosier romance?

And can he learn, or is this the end?

Ronnie: A Sweet, Quirky Romantic Yarn is book five in the Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series. Inspired by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ 1960’s song of the name, this charming tale with a bit of western influence finishes off 1972 and brings you into the New Year in Kokomo, Indiana.

You will enjoy this sweet and wholesome romcom with a touch of western flavor because everyone dreams of their own cowboy romance.

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)?

I’m more of a pantser than a plotter, but I’ve had pantser friends say I plot more than they do. Does that make me a hybrid? I don’t know. What I like doing is getting to know my characters. I use several things to help me explore. First, I go to One Stop for Writers and use their program to make very full profiles. Then I use Jennifer Crosswhite’s Novel Blueprint in Scrivener to set up a framework. Jen likens it to using a blueprint to make sure the structure is sound. I think it’s more like putting those bumper guards in the gutters at the bowling alley. I can bob and weave all over the lane, but I’m kept on target and not lost down a rabbit hole. (I know, mixed metaphor. Sorry.) Don’t get me wrong, rabbit holes are fun, but they’re also a time suck, and if you write a really fun or moving one, it hurts all the more when you have to take it out because it doesn’t move the story ahead.

What is your favorite part about writing?

Brainstorming. Really. Ideas are fun to explore. (See why I need protection from the rabbit holes?) Lately my ideas have come from 60s music with a girl’s name in the title. I give myself the perimeter of setting—early 1970s in Kokomo, Indiana and it must include the Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue and the legend of the cardinal in the sycamore. That’s the box I need to stay in. But other than that, I let the mood of the song, or how I envision someone with that name, or maybe even what I was thinking about back in 1970 something guide me and run with it. Then I think about what trope might go with that, and I have some direction, ready to begin the process.

3. How long does it usually take you to write a book?

Once upon a time, I could crank out a book in six weeks. Those days are gone, I think. I don’t have the stamina nor brain creativity to handle that pressure any more. Nowadays I aim to be done in three to four months. Sometimes that includes the editing process and sometimes that’s only for the first draft. I guess, though, if I’m still moving forward, then it’s a win.

4. Where do you get your ideas for your books?

As a general rule, I start with a title. Not always, but usually. I play with the title in my head. What does it sound like? What could it mean? How can I put a twist on it? Since the Weather Girls and its spin-off series the Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue all have a girl’s name in the title, that also introduces me to a character. I enjoy listening to the music. Sometimes my ideas go off in a way that hasn’t anything to do with the song. On the other hand, sometimes I find character traits to include. It’s fun for me, and I’ve got so many more ideas for this current series. Right now I’m writing on Tracy (friends to more). Then comes Shilo (hippie turned Jesus person and a lawyer), followed by Bernadette (with a hidden identity trope). But I’ve also been thinking about using songs like “Pieces of April,” “Take a Letter Maria,” “Walk Away, Rene,” “Julie, Do You Love Me?” and a lot more. I’d like to eventually bundle them into groups of four, following the four seasons, and label the set by the year they fall under—like Class of 1972, or Class of 1973.

I have enough ideas to take me through the Class of 1977 (or until Jesus comes back 😊).

5. What is your work schedule/routine when you write?

I like to write Monday through Friday and save business stuff for Saturday. Sunday I do my best to honor the Sabbath by staying away from anything writing related. I’m successful most of the time with that. However, sometimes we get called to babysit our grands, and it’s hard to write when I’m trying to be entertaining. If I end up missing a writing day, I attempt to make it up on Saturday. When I stick to this schedule—and can get at least one scene done per day—the book comes together fast.

6. Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters?

Of course. Sort of. Actually, I’ve included people who really lived in Kokomo at the time in some books. Like in Sylvia’s Mother, the deans mentioned in the book really were Mr. Stucker and Miss Winslow. I never got to know Mr. Stucker that well since he was Dean of Boys at KHS. But I even corresponded with Miss Winslow after we moved to Arizona. She was a great lady. In Ronnie, I didn’t have any actual Kokomo residents making cameos, but I did do the research for who might be on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. Turns out, that new year—1972-73—was the very first episode. I didn’t know that, but I learned who all were guests on the show. Three Dog Night and Helen Reddy and Billy Preston. So that was a bit of accuracy, though I can’t say as I’d call them friends. Ha!

I put a bit of my husband into the heroes. Maybe it’s something that he says, or something he likes (favorite band, music, food, car), or maybe it’s how he stands or reacts. It’s rarely the same thing since each hero is different, but if you put all those guys together, you might get a glimpse of my hero. Carlitos is a rancher and hubs grew up on a farm, so there’s a little carry over there.

About the Author

Historical Christian Romance author, Jennifer Lynn Cary, likes to say you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take the Hoosier out of the girl. Now transplanted to the Arizona desert, this direct descendant of Davy Crockett and her husband of forty plus years enjoy time with family where she shares tales of her small-town heritage and family legacies with their grandchildren. She is the author of The Crockett Chronicles series, The Relentless series, and The Weather Girls trilogy as well as the stand-alone novel, Cheryl’s Going Home, her novella Tales of the Hob Nob Annex Café, and her split-time novels The Traveling Prayer Shawl and The Forgotten Gratitude Journal. Her current spin-off series, The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue, contains standalones with a common thread.

More from Jennifer

In the first chapter of Ronnie, Carlitos comes home to his mom making his favorite, Pozole. It is a Mexican soup, and the first time I had it was at my neighbor’s house. She has given me her recipe and permission to share it with you all. Two things to keep in mind: first, she and I had to work to translate this from Spanish to English. We did our best, but if you don’t understand something, just give it your best shot—or ask me. I might be able to figure it out. Maybe. Two, she usually makes big batches of this, and she cut it back for a “normal” size. So feel free to adjust as needed.

Most of all, though, enjoy!

Pozole Recipe by Araceli Estrada (my amazing neighbor and friend)

Ingredients:

For meat pot-

4 lbs. of bone-in pork loin

½ white onion–diced

1 head of garlic—clean off the paper

2 bay leaves

1 T oregano

1 T ground cumin

1 T powdered chicken bouillon

1 large can of hominy

For chili sauce-

10 chili pods

10 Ancho chilis

10-15 black pepper corns

4 cloves of garlic

For garnish—

Shredded cabbage

Diced onion

Sliced radishes

Chopped cilantro

Chunked avocado

Lime wedges—to squeeze over

Directions:

Place in a Dutch oven, the pork loin, the half onion, the head of garlic, the bay leaves, the oregano, and cumin. Add enough water to cover up to ¾ of pot. Bring to a boil and then heat. Simmer for 2 hours stirring often and skimming off the foam.

Slice open chilis and remove seeds and membranes. In a second pot, add chili pods and Ancho chilis. Cover with water and bring to a boil. After two minutes, turn off heat and allow chilis to rest in hot water for at least ten minutes. The chilis should feel soft and pliable.

Remove from water and put into blender with black peppercorns, 4 cloves of garlic, and a cup of water. Add water a little at a time, careful to not add too much. Puree until smooth. Then pour through a strainer into the meat pot.

Strain the hominy and add it plus the chicken bouillon to the meat pot. Salt to taste. Allow to simmer while preparing the garnishes.

Set garnishes out so guests can choose. Serve with warm tortillas.

(From Jenny: Not sure home much this will serve, but it is so good!)