Author Spotlight no.406 – Katharine Hamilton

Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the four hundred and sixth, is of children’s and adult fantasy novelist Katharine Hamilton. If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at author-spotlights.

Katharine E. Hamilton was born and raised in the state of Texas, where she currently resides on a ranch in the heart of brush country with her husband, Brad, and their two furry friends, Tulip and Cash. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in History, and she finds most of her stories share the love of the past combined with a twist of imagination.

Katharine’s journey as an author started in 2008 with a simple gift to her niece, Taylor. Creating Taylor a story all her own for a Christmas present, and seeing her reaction to a unique story made Katharine start thinking about diving into the writing world. How simple a spark that would then lead to her first published work, The Adventurous Life of Laura Bell. Each story has a story all its own, based on people she loves and special memories she shares with them.

Laura Bell hit the shelves in 2009 and Katharine quickly began work on her next book, Susie At Your Service. While working on this one though, she had several minor setbacks. Computers failing, an apartment flood that soaked her illustrations, you name it, it happened. So what she thought would take a few months ended up taking her a year and a half to rewrite and redraw the illustrations and another year to push the publication forward.

While working on Susie, Katharine had an idea for another book, Sissy and Kat. Let’s just say the year of 2012 was a busy year. Two books, changing jobs, moving to three different cities, and planning a wedding… really add up! 🙂 But perseverance paid off, and Susie hit the shelves, officially, in January of 2013 followed by Sissy and Kat in March 2013.

In August 2014, Katharine decided to make the transition into Adult Fiction, where she quite fittingly, landed within the Fantasy Fiction genre. Her new novel, The Unfading Lands, hit the shelves April 3, 2015.

The Unfading Lands is the first book in a series of three, and looks to be the crowning work in Katharine’s career so far.

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And now from the author herself:

Author Spotlight no.405 – S E Zbasnik

Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the four hundred and fifth, is of fantasy novelist S E Zbasnik. If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at author-spotlights.

S.E. Zbasnik is the author of the ‘Dwarves in Space’ series – think Tolkien and Hitchhiker’s merged in a horrific transporter accident – as well as a bunch of other fantasy novels.

You can find her on twitter as well as facebook, and hopefully not standing right behind you.

She has a degree in genetics, which means there may or may not be a horde of monkeoctopi doing her bidding to take over the world.

Bringing that scientific approach to the fantasy world is her game, trying to put some common sense into magic and magic into common sense.

S.E. currently lives with her husband and beloved dog, who dress up like Sherlock Holmes and solve mysteries in their spare time.

She spends nearly of all her time in Nebraska but that’s because it is impossible to leave without finding the lamppost.

She lives in a house that has at least four walls and there are some other souls wandering forlornly calling to their lost lives within.

She loves and hates writing as she both loves and hates herself.

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And now from the author herself:

Author Spotlight no.404 – Kathleen Andrews Davis

Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the four hundred and fourth, is of middle-grade writer Kathleen Andrews Davis. If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at author-spotlights.

Kathleen Andrews Davis lives in the mountains of central Pennsylvania, USA, with her husband and a horde of white-tail deer who insist on annihilating any attempts at gardening.   She and her husband are empty-nesters with two grown daughters and two beautiful grandchildren.

​During her varied working career, Kathleen did business writing with everything from press releases to policy and procedure manuals. She served a year as managing editor of an in-house newspaper where she enjoyed every aspect of production including writing, photography, and dummy layout. From there, she moved into marketing pieces and business plans.

Kathleen tells me her favorite venture was fourteen years in the Bed & Breakfast industry of which seven years were spent managing properties for other owners and seven years owning their own B&B in Wildwood Crest, NJ. “When we left our lovely, old Victorian it left a hole in my heart, and I found myself with an indistinguishable yearning to be more and do more. The little wheels in my head started turning and it dawned on me, if I liked commercial writing, why wouldn’t I like creative writing?”

Becoming a grandmother was the fuel that fed the fire, and Kathleen decided to leave her grandchildren a legacy of words that would outlast any other inheritance she could give.  “My goal was to write an entertaining novel entwined with family history. I also wanted to emphasize common sense and moral integrity. If my work encourages youngsters to read more, that’s the icing on the cake.”

Many readers have likened the Emerson’s Attic series to historical fiction because of the geography, vocabulary, and period objects Kathleen researches in depth.   “I’m a firm believer history is more fun when it can be taught in an entertaining way,” says Kathleen.

Emerson’s Attic, The Blue Velvet, the first in her self-published series for middle-grade readers was published in July 2013. Smoke and Mirrors, the second in the series, was published in July 2014. The third, Quiet Heart, is expected to be ready for publication by the fall of 2015.

Kathleen has also finished an adult novel that is currently making the rounds in search of an agent. “I love stories about smart, mature women, and the characters in this novel simply had to come out. Much different from the Emerson’s Attic series, it was unexpected and completely different genre which has given me great satisfaction. I have finally found what I want to be when I grow up…an author.”

Kathleen admits there are not enough hours in the day, but when she gets any free time she spends it reading, doing needlework, walking, snow skiing, and fly-fishing. Gardening has fallen to minimal maintenance only, at least until the deer find better feeding grounds.

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And now from the author herself:

Author Spotlight no.403 – Heather Kirchoff

Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the four hundred and third, is of YA and paranormal novelist Heather Kirchhoff. If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at author-spotlights.

Heather Kirchhoff lives in a small town in Missouri with her three parents, siblings, a dog, and three cats. She became a bookworm back in sixth grade when her teacher suggested the Phantom Stallion series by Terri Farley and instantly fell in love.

Heather loves reading paranormal stories, plus some love ones here and there. Honestly, she’ll read anything as long as it’s good.

Writing is her passion – it helps her escape the world for a while, as well as reading—she doesn’t know what she’d do without it. She just loves it.

When she isn’t writing, Heather is doing odd jobs, reading, editing, promoting, taking walks, or spending time with her boyfriend and animals / family. Heather is currently a senior in high school.

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And now from the author herself:

Author interview no.692 with novelist M.L. Gardner

Welcome to the six hundred and ninety-second of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, biographers, agents, publishers and more. Today’s is with historical / YA / romance novelist M.L. Gardner. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further.

Morgen: Hello, M.L. Please tell us something about yourself, where you’re based, and how you came to be a writer.

M.L.: Hello and thank you for the opportunity for an interview. I’m a wife, mom and cat lover who loves to write. I’m based in Northern Utah, USA. I have written stories for my own entertainment since I was 12 or so and after taking a lengthy break to raise my family, am back writing full time. I work closely with two other women in the process of bringing novels to the world. Lisa is something of a co-plotter and I give her credit in some of the creative force behind the series. She also helps with the editing before it goes off to my main editor. Monica is the marketing maven behind the series. She keeps the digital house neat, orderly and productive. I refer to them frequently as I could not do this without them.

Morgen: Second opinions / pairs of eyes are so important. I’m also a freelance editor and many of my authors have said how I pick up on things that wouldn’t have occurred to them, and I hire a freelance editor for my writing, and it’s all the better for it. What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

M.L.: I write mainly historical fiction. During the Great Depression more specifically. I have published one Young Adult novel and will soon release a Contemporary Romance novel as well.

Morgen: It’s good to have variety – it keeps our writing fresh and the readers don’t pigeon-hole you (something actors try to avoid). What have you had published to-date? Do you write under a pseudonym?

M.L.: I have published the novels ‘1929’, ‘Elizabeth’s Heart’, ‘1930’, ‘Drifter’, ‘Short Stories from 1929’ and ‘Simply, Mine’. ‘Simply, Mine’ is my Young Adult novel and was published under the pseudonym Jane Carrington. I am currently trying to merge those names for simplicity. My main pseudonym is a combination of my first name, Molly, and the best friend, Lisa’s initials and my grandmother’s maiden name.

Morgen: The important thing I’ve found about an author’s name is being found on search engines. I don’t suppose it does Geoffrey Archer any harm having a name like Jeffrey Archer. Maybe I’ll interview him one day and ask him. Have you self-published? If so, what lead to you going your own way?

Author Spotlight no.340 – Lou Honderich

Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the three hundred and forty-first, is of children’s author Lou Honderich. If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at author-spotlights.

Lou Honderich is a former teacher and life-long horsewoman. During her teaching career she taught Kindergarten, first grade and elementary PE. Her hearing loss as an adult led her to the deaf community, sign language, and a new direction in teaching. She began to work with deaf and hard-of-hearing students in self-contained classrooms, mainstream situations, in summer camps and therapeutic horseback riding programs.

Lou and her husband live on a small farm in northwest Arkansas with their horses, dogs, cats and chickens.  They have five children and seven grandchildren.  Lou Honderich continues to enjoy riding as well as writing, and is currently at work on her next book.

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And now from the author herself:

H.E. Bates Short Story Competition closes 4th Nov!

The H.E. Bates Short Story Competition, run by one of my writing groups, Northampton Writers Group, closes tomorrow, Monday 4th November (midnight UK time).

This year we have Della Galton as our Head Judge (as Chair of the Group, I see and mark all the entries).

If you have a short story (up to 2,000 words) that you’re proud of, take a look at https://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/competitions-calendar/he-bates for details.

Author Spotlight no.337 – Jim Sellers

Complementing my interviews, today’s Author Spotlight, the three hundred and thirty-seventh, is of multi-genre author and interviewee Jim Sellers. If you would like to take part in an author spotlight, take a look at author-spotlights.

Jim Sellers is the author of the newly released YA book “Jacky the Brave”. Although he had written works in most genres, he was surprised and happy to see his first publishing success was in YA. His writing in that genre is based mostly on events in his own life with some inspiration from friends and other family members. “Jacky the Brave” is just such a collection of his experiences.

Born in Edmonton in north-west Canada, Jim spent a lot of time reading and imagining exciting adventures as a kid. That was the favourite pastime of boys who didn’t play hockey and lived before the age of video games. Like most writers, he has been creating stories since his teen years and found the pen and paper to be a regular companion on long trips and quiet days. He also doubted that any of his work would be published – it seemed unlikely after watching other writers he knew trying so hard. So he set his sights on film and TV. During his 20 years in that business he learned the process of writing screenplays for drama and documentaries as well as advertising and corporate communications before retiring from that industry. For the last 10 years he has been working in communications management for non-profits groups and universities.

He continued to write screenplays as show pilots or spec film scripts, most ending up in the rejection files. It was after he decided to get his Bachelor’s degree (at 50) that he learned to appreciate the sheer joy and freedom of writing fiction. It was this appreciation for fictional writing that caused him to re-evaluate all the abandoned stories he had filed away and all the adventures he had logged in his notes. In 2004, he made a project of writing a series of YA stories based on his previous writing. Each of these stories (4 in all) received different levels of interest from publishers and agents, with results ranging from boilerplate rejections to requests for full manuscripts (followed eventually by rejections). During this time he established a variety of websites about writing, posted his short stories and wrote a serial novel.

After repeated rewrites and editing, his first Young Adult novel was accepted for publication in 2013. He is working on a sequel for the book, a short story collection and a novel.

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And now from the author himself:

5PM Fiction 285: The photo that no-one else can get

Welcome to the two hundred and eighty-fifth in this series that is ‘5pm Fiction’.

Late April 2011 I discovered StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011. I have since published (as eBooks) the 2012 and 2013 collections, detailed on https://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/books-mine/short-stories/story-a-day-may.

I was nearing completion of the 2012 project when I decided that I didn’t want to stop at the end of May so 5PM Fiction was born. I put a load of prompts on the 5PM Fiction page and today’s was to write a story in second person-viewpoint from the keyword prompt of ‘chase’. Here is my 356-worder.

The photo that no-one else can get

You’ve been chasing her for days, to get the photo that no-one else can get. She knows you’re there. There’s always someone there.

It’s a lifestyle she’s had to become accustomed to, only you don’t think she ever will. It’s not one you’d want, except she’s become your job, your life.

When she emerges out of the building, you reach over to your camera, on its dashboard tripod, and set it to continuous.

You follow her car through narrow streets, wide streets – her executive to your jalopy, the only thing you could get at short notice. You’re used to this place, she’s been here a lot.

Most of the shots are of the back of her head but you know she could look round. She has before.

As her car gathers speed so does yours. It complains but it’s not yours so you’re not bothered.

As she heads into the tunnel, she edges forward and you floor the accelerator, a little too close for comfort but you decide to go alongside, get level, no other cars in sight, so you swivel round your camera in anticipation, a momentary lapse in concentration.

Flash Fiction Friday 109: Watcher by Angela Sturm

Welcome to Flash Fiction Friday and the one hundred and ninth piece in this series. This week’s is a 467-worder by freelance writer, blogger and book reviewer Angela Sturm. This story will be podcasted in episode 34 (with two other stories and some 6-worders) on Sunday 1st December.

Watcher

I can see him making his way up the stairs. No one else appeared to notice. I called to him and he smiled. I took his outstretched hand and in an instant we were walking through the cornfield, talking laughing, knowing. I suspect this will be our last outing together. I want to cry but for some reason I can’t. I am strangely happy, content to say nothing.

I know what he is doing and why he’s doing it. He loves me. He wants me to be the first to know. I can hear crying in the background and people talking in hushed tones, moving about, but I can’t see anyone. “Can you see them?” I ask. “Yes, I can,” he said. You will see them soon enough.”

We continued to walk and although our lips weren’t moving, our conversation carried on. I am having trouble remembering much of anything said, I only know how peaceful this is and I never want to leave. I held tightly to his hand. Memories of early morning fishing expeditions, milk toast and that awful smell of head cheese he loved to make, filled my mind and made us both laugh. I remember him clothing and feeding the homeless and that silly dance he did every morning while singing the wake up song, pulling at his hair and making it stick up. I was laughing so hard I barely noticed that we’ve stopped walking. He is looking at me now, time standing still. He looks so serious, gently placing his hands on my cheeks, searching deep into my eyes. I think I saw a tear trickle down his face. I have only ever seen him cry once, and it was when he told me stories about the war and how no man should have to endure what he witnessed. War killed his spirit. I can feel my tears now. Our journey has come to an end.

The fields have disappeared. He’s not holding my face anymore. Desperate, I call out his name. “I am right here princess, do not be afraid.” I can barely see him. I call out again, “Why are you so far away?” “It is time,” he said. “I am going home.” Then a soft white light… well, more like a white cloud, appeared. He drew closer and smiled at me for the last time, then disappeared into the white fog.

A door opened somewhere, more crying. I hear my name. Something has my shoulder. “Ava, Ava, wake up, honey.” I turn to look at the clock. It’s after midnight. “Dad and I need to talk to you.” My room is filled with family. They are staring at me. “Grandpa died in his sleep,” they said, “in heaven now,” but I already knew this.

I watched him go.

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I asked Angela what prompted this piece and she said…

My grandfather and I were very close. I remember like it was yesterday when he passed. I was sixteen, eating a tuna sandwich watching the wheel of fortune. My grandma called and simply said, “I think Grandpa is dead. Can I talk to your dad please?” Calm as could be. I know now she was in shock, but back then, I kept wondering how she remained so composed.

The flash fiction piece I wrote is based on actual events, but fictionalized. I miss my grandpa as much today as I did those many years ago when he died. I think about him often, the impact he had, and continues to have, on me, so I decided to memorialize him. “Watcher” was written with him in mind.

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Thank you, Angela. It was very moving, and having lost my father September 2001, I feel just the same.

Angela Sturm is a freelance writer, blogger and book reviewer currently working on a novel.

Angela lives in Minnesota, is mother to three children and one grandchild, and blogs at http://insideasanemind.com.

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If you’d like to submit your 6-word or 500-word max. stories for consideration for Flash Fiction Friday take a look here, or up to 1,000 words for critique on my Online Short Story Writing Group (links below).

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I welcome items for critique directly (see Editing & Critique) or for posting on the online writing groups listed below:

Morgen’s Online Non-Fiction Writing Group

• nonfictionwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• facebook.com/groups/335526669896374

Morgen’s Online Novel Writing Group

• novelwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• facebook.com/groups/508696639153189

Morgen’s Online Poetry Writing Group

• poetrywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• facebook.com/groups/388850977875934

Morgen’s Online Script Writing Group

• scriptwritinggroup.wordpress.com
• facebook.com/groups/319941328108017

Morgen’s Online Short Story Writing Group

• shortstorywritinggroup.wordpress.com
• facebook.com/groups/544072635605445

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