SISTERS OF THE VINE, by author LINDA ROSEN

Housewife and mother with a loving husband to take care of her – that’s all Liz, a Fifties gal, ever wanted. Over her father’s objections, she drops out of college to marry Rick, who dreams of living off the land. They buy a farm on a verdant hillside in the Hudson Valley, but can’t agree on what to plant. When they discover French-American hybrid grapes, Liz is confident they’ll be happy. Grapes are classy.

As the rich soil sinks into her soul and the vines begin to thrive, the marriage grows rocky. Refusing to disappoint her father again, Liz is determined to make her marriage work . . . until she discovers a photograph hidden in the old barn.

Faced with impossible decisions, Liz is desperate. She has a vineyard ready to harvest and no idea how to accomplish the task. Does she have the moxie to flourish? Or will she and the land turn fallow?

Reviews

"... not only a beautiful tale of self-discovery and reinvention, but one of female triumph, too." -Hannah Mary McKinnon, bestselling author of Sister Dear

"For those who love a story of sisterhood with a strong female protagonist, pour a glass of wine and immerse yourself in this well-written novel." -Sublime Book Review

"A novel about vineyard life and family, Linda Rosen's delightful and poignant Sisters of the Vine is for wine-lovers." -Laura Dave, author of Eight Hundred Grapes

"If you enjoy sistership stories, great domestic fiction, or wine, you'll relish Sisters of the Vine - an uplifting story that kept me engaged throughout!" -Lainey Cameron, award-winning author of The Exit Strategy

Q & A with Linda:

Tell us a little about yourself and how you started writing.

Thanks, Jill, for inviting me to your blog and the opportunity to meet your readers.

I’m what’s called a snow bird. I live in New Jersey, where I grew up, with my husband of almost 49 years. Sam and I have two sons, one living in Arizona (where I get to visit and see gorgeous mountains) and the other living less than a mile away from us, with his wife and two boys. The months I spend in N.J. are wonderful simply because my grandsons use my house as their second home. Even the dog does and the yard shows it! But when I have to swap my sandals for shoes and socks, we say goodbye to the northeast and head to our home in Florida. I’m not a fan of snow and ice. I like to be outdoors all year swimming, playing tennis or pickleball, walking along the water, whether the ocean or lake, and reading in the shade of a tree or beach umbrella.  

For the past forty years, I’ve been a fitness professional leading group exercise classes and working with private clients. As I was nearing my sixtieth birthday, I felt a pull to do something more. I had always been creative choreographing aerobic dance routines, playing with photography, gardening, crocheting and many other needlework activities, but they weren’t enough anymore. So I perused a local adult school catalogue and found a listing for a writer’s workshop. An avid reader, I always thought it would be fabulous to pen a novel though I never thought I actually would – and then I took the class and characters started talking to me, sitting on my shoulder when I swam or pulled weeds in the garden. My fingers found the keyboard and here I am over ten years later with two published novels. It’s all so surreal. Sometimes I look in the mirror and say, “yes, you are an author.” It’s been a wonderful journey and I’m happy to share it with you.

Do you have a go-to first reader after you feel your manuscript is ready?

Shortly after I took that writers workshop, I created a writer’s group with a few women, all members of the NYC chapter of The Women’s National Book Association. Over the years, we honed our craft, (and still are) and helped each other develop characters and story lines. Eventually the group disintegrated though I still share my work with one of the women. In Florida, I am part of another writers group and am so thankful for their friendship and expertise in story. Their questions and suggestions made both of my books the novels they are today.

Is there a particular author or book that influenced or inspired your writing or decision to write?

I have to say, every writer I’ve ever read has influenced me. That may sound odd, but it’s true. All the way back to Carolyn Keene, author of the Nancy Drew series I read as a young girl, I was in awe of the ability to write a novel. As I mentioned earlier, I thought it would be fabulous to do so, though I never believed I would. And when I did, when I got my contract to publish my debut, The Disharmony of Silence, I silently thanked all the authors I’ve enjoyed. There are a few today who, unknowingly to me at the time, influenced that book. The story is written in dual time-line and I am a huge fan of Susan Meissner, Kristin Harmel and Fiona Davis who do that so well.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published (or this book?)

Absolutely. It’s actually a story that reminds me to never give up. I had been querying agents for my debut novel, getting some requests but never getting an offer of representation. When I saw that other members of The Women’s Fiction Writers Association were published by small presses, I researched some and found Black Rose Writing. They had an online form which I filled out and submitted. Two months later, I hadn’t heard a word, which wasn’t odd, though I casually mentioned it to my editor one day and found out she was published by them! And, to top it off, I learned they had redone their website and my submission probably got caught in the transition. It was lost in cyberspace. 

Pamela, my editor, told me to fill out the query again, on the new website. The day after I hit send, I got an email from the publisher asking for my manuscript. I was dancing! And then, a month later, I opened my inbox to find another email from him. Braced for a rejection, I read his words with my heart pounding. I had an offer! It was a dream come true. I do believe if Pamela hadn’t simply asked how my querying was going, I would have assumed Black Rose wasn’t interested. I wouldn’t have contacted them a second time. Now I have two books published by Black Rose Writing and I’m working on my third.  

Is anything in your book based on real-life experiences?

My second novel, Sisters of the Vine, was influenced by a high school friend of mine. When I reconnected with her many years after graduation and learned about her life, I knew aspects of it would be perfect for a novel. When my friend’s husband walked out on her, she was left with thirteen acres of grapevines, full to bursting, ready to be picked, and had no idea how to get the daunting task done. So, one day, she walked down her mile long road and knocked on neighbors’ doors asking stay-at-home moms, with no knowledge of winemaking, to come and help. The women came in droves and, as in my novel, they formed a sisterhood and broke into the all-male fraternity of winemakers. 

Do you have a favorite character?

I imagine most writers might say their favorite character is their protagonist. In Sisters of the Vine, I do adore Liz, but my favorite character is Bobbi, her assistant. She’s a bit younger than Liz and is much stronger emotionally, and wiser. And I love Liz’s dad. Every girl needs a dad like Lou. I imagined my own father when I created him.

What was the most unique research you had to do for a book?

Sisters of the Vine takes place on a hillside vineyard and winery. I had to learn every detail of the winemaking process from planting, pruning and picking to crushing and pressing, all the way to the final sip. It was fun visiting vineyards, feeling the plump grapes in my fingers and smelling the heady scent of them fermenting in their stainless-steel tanks – and tasting the final product

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Yes, read. Read everything. Read in your genre and outside your comfort zone. Hone your craft. Take workshops, read craft books, find a writing partner. Never give up. But, most of all, have fun. Enjoy the journey. It’s a long one.

What are the downfalls of your writing career? The best parts?

I’m happy to say, I haven’t experienced any major downfalls. A disappointment now and then, yes, when an agent rejected my manuscript, before I found Black Rose Writing. On the other hand, there have been many great parts, the best being the community I’ve found. In the few years since I signed my first contract, I have met so many wonderful writers all ready to support each other, like you, Jill. Being part of this community has enriched my life.

Place you’d like to travel?

I always smile when I’m asked where I’d like to travel because my desires are not the usual. I am not interested in visiting Southeast Asia or climbing Machu Picchu, seeing the penguins in the Galapagos. The trip I’d like to take is following the settings in Jane Austin’s novels and sitting over a cuppa in a charming inn, re-reading Pride and Prejudice. Another on my bucket list is the coast of Oregon. I love coastlines and I’ve not been to this one. When there, I’d go inland to Portland to see the roses in bloom. A rose lover and one who buys many from a Portland company, this has been a desire of mine and I have no idea why I haven’t done it yet. I will. Maybe I’ll make it a setting in a future book so I’ll have to go for research.

Is there anything you’d like to say to your readers and fans?

I want to say a huge thank you to all my readers, those who’ve read my books and those who plan to. My dream was to pen a novel that readers would devour curled up in a comfortable chair with a cup of tea, or glass of wine. Now I have two out in the world and I so appreciate everyone who has joined me along the way and those who I’m now meeting. I love to meet my readers. If you are in a book club and would like me to join you, at no charge, to chat about either book, The Disharmony of Silence or Sisters of the Vine, contact me via my website www.linda-rosen.com. I can join you virtually or, if possible, in person. It’ll be fun. And, if you’d like to hear from me again, sign up for my newsletter, Linda’s Tea Room, also via my website. I promise not to invade your inbox.

Thanks so much, Jill. I’ve enjoyed your questions and being here with you.

 To connect with Linda ~

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lindarosenauthor

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lindarosenauthor/

Twitter https://twitter.com/lrosenauthor 

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/linda-rosen

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5265706.Linda_Rosen

                                                           

THE SOUND BETWEEN THE NOTES, by author BARBARA LINN PROBST

What if you had a second chance at the very thing you thought you’d renounced forever? How steep a price would you be willing to pay?

Susannah’s career as a pianist has been on hold for nearly sixteen years, ever since her son was born. An adoptee who’s never forgiven her birth mother for not putting her first, Susannah vowed to put her own child first, no matter what. And she did.

But now, suddenly, she has a chance to vault into that elite tier of “chosen” musicians. There’s just one problem: somewhere along the way, she lost the power and the magic that used to be hers at the keyboard. She needs to get them back. Now.

Her quest—what her husband calls her obsession—turns out to have a cost Susannah couldn’t have anticipated. Even her hand betrays her, as Susannah learns that she has a progressive hereditary disease that’s making her fingers cramp and curl—a curse waiting in her genes, legacy of a birth family that gave her little else. As her now-or-never concert draws near, Susannah is catapulted back to memories she’s never been able to purge—and forward, to choices she never thought she would have to make.

Told through the unique perspective of a musician, The Sound Between the Notes draws the reader deeper and deeper into the question Susannah can no longer silence: Who am I, and where do I belong?

Praise for The Sound Between the Notes:

“The climax, on the night of her performance, is a tour de force steeped in suspense, and Susannah’s subsequent revelations are satisfying and authentic. A sensitive, astute exploration of artistic passion, family, and perseverance.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“The Sound Between the Notes is so beautiful, so lyrical, so musical that it was hard to put down. . . . This is a wonderful story from a skillful writer, one that appeals strongly to the heart. It features awesome characters, a twisty plot, and gorgeous writing.”
—Readers’ Favorite 5-star review

“In her second novel, Barbara Linn Probst delivers yet another powerful story, balancing lyrical language with a skillfully paced plot to build a sensory-rich world that will delight those who loved Queen of the Owlsand win countless new readers. Offering a deep exploration of the search for identity and connection, The Sound Between Notes reminds us to embrace everything we are—and everything that’s made us who we are.”
—Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA TODAY best-selling author of Perennials

“Beautifully told, The Sound Between the Notes, is the story of tragedy and triumph, of the push and pull of family, of the responsibility we feel to ourselves and those we love. Once I started the book, I couldn't put it down until I reached the last, gorgeously written note.”
—Loretta Nyhan, author of The Other Family and Amazon best-seller Digging In

Q & A with Barbara ~

We loved hearing about Queen of the Owls last year, and congratulations on all the awards it won!  In a nutshell, what’s your new book about?

Thank you!  The two books share the theme of a woman’s search for self, framed around art. In Queen of the Owls, painting and photography framed the story. In The Sound Between the Notes, it’s music—the piano.

The Sound Between the Notes is about what happens when a woman who’s always struggled with identity is given an unexpected chance to restore the self she thought she’d lost.

Susannah, the book’s protagonist, is a pianist. Her career has been on hold for sixteen years, ever since her son was born. But now, suddenly, she has a second chance. There’s just one problem: somewhere along the way, she lost the power and the magic. She needs to get them back. Now.

As her now-or-never concert draws near, Susannah is catapulted back to memories she’s never been able to purge—and forward, to choices she never thought she’d have to make as she struggles to do right by those she loves and to fulfill, through music, her deep longing for identity and a place in the world.

How did you get the idea for the book?

I can actually remember the specific moment that the idea took hold!  I had gone back to studying piano a few years earlier, after abandoning my studies for over twenty years when my own son was born.  I’m nowhere near the level of Susannah, of course—I’m what’s called a “serious amateur, which means that I study for the love of it, not professionally.  

I had just switched to a much more rigorous teacher and a whole new level of playing, a whole new possibility, was opening up for me—and there I was, standing in front of the bathroom mirror, reaching into the cabinet, when I felt an odd stiffness in my left hand. And I thought, “No! Not now, of all times!”  That was the moment when the story idea took hold. A new possibility, and a new threat.

What do your characters have to overcome? What challenge do you set before them?

Susannah is struggling with so many things! At the most obvious level, it’s time itself—the looming concert date that will make-or-break the career she never thought would still be possible, and the disease that proceeds in stages whose pace can’t be predicted. She’s also struggling with her need to balance doing right by those she cares about—husband, father, son—and doing right by herself. 

Susannah also has to overcome her doubt and misbelief that she’s not good enough to be “chosen.” It’s a common theme for adoptees, all the more so because of her adoptive mother’s insistence on a “chosen baby” story that always felt, to Susannah, as if it sanitized her struggle and swept it under the rug.

The other characters have struggles, too.  Her husband Aaron has to grapple with his need to be the one who knows what to do and fixes problems, and his feeling of being brushed aside in Susannah’s quest for a kind of fulfillment that he can’t provide.

The challenge that threads through the journeys of many of the characters in The Sound Between the Notes —Susannah’s birth mother, her adoptive mother, her grandmother—is the quest to understand what it means to be a mother and a daughter.

It sounds as if the story has two intertwined themes. One is Susannah’s quest to restore her “lost magic” at the piano, and the other is her quest for her birth family, her roots.  You’ve mentioned that you play the piano. What is your own relationship to adoption? 

I’m a mother by adoption—twice—and have been able to be an intimate participant in my daughter’s complicated journey to understand where her birth family fits into her life. Through that journey, I’ve been able to understand that adoption is complex, profound, and different for different people.

My own training as a clinical social worker also helped me to understand the perspective of each person in what’s known as the adoption triangle, including members of the birth mother’s family. For example, when I wrote the character of Beryl, the birth grandmother in The Sound Between the Notes, and had her express dismay that Corinne was “giving away my first grandbaby,” I drew directly on my own experience.  

However, the story itself is entirely fictitious. The characters “came to me” easily, but none of them are real people.

Did the book pose any special challenges for you?

Every book has its challenges, but The Sound Between the Notes posed two, in particular.  One was the task of navigating dual timelines, because each transition to the past—the supporting timeline—had to be natural and necessary, with something in the front story to serve as a portal. I tried to structure it in different ways, in my early drafts—for example, labeling each chapter by place or date or a tag like “sixteen years earlier.” Eventually, I settled on Then and Now.

Another challenge was the protagonist’s character and motivation.  In early drafts of the book, Susannah was much too angry. It took me a long time to understand her in a deeper, more nuanced way. You could say that I needed to find the love and kindness in her—and that really had to do with my own journey as a pianist. I had to understand music more deeply before I could depict Susannah as she needed to be depicted. I had to see, through music, that there was no way that a person who loved the piano could be as bitter and self-absorbed as I’d written her! You could say that I had to be a better pianist before I could be a better writer—though I had no idea of that when I started out.

What do you hope readers will take away from the book?

The Sound Between the Notes is about embracing everything we are—and everything that’s made us who we are. The message it offers is about integrating all the influences we’ve received, all the experiences, and all the parts of ourselves—nature and nurture, self and others, individual identity and a sense of family and connection.

Was there something you deleted from the book?

In an earlier draft, the book had two extra scenes at the end—one from the point of view of Dana, Susannah’s adoptive mother, and one from the point of view of Corinne, her biological one.  Ultimately, I decided to delete them and let Susannah have the ending to herself.

Was there a special piece of research you had to do for the book?

I actually got to talk with Misha Dichter, the world-famous pianist mentioned several times in the book, who had the same hand ailment that threatens Susannah’s playing. I wrote to his agent, explained my request, and was stunned when my phone rang and it was Dichter himself calling me!  He couldn’t have been kinder.

What inspired you to become a writer?

I actually wrote my first “book” when I was seven years old, ten chapters, complete with illustrations!  Seriously, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing, although I did other kinds of writing for many years before returning to fiction. The first novel I wrote as an adult—which, fortunately, will never be seen by anyone but me—was my way to work through certain events in my own life.  I think it’s that way for a lot of novelists. You have to get that out of your system before you can create a truly fictional world.

Can you tell us a few surprising things about yourself that we never would have guessed?

Here are five: 1.    I’ve lived in a former jail cell, a former sauna, a former firehouse, and a cabin in the redwoods without heat. 2.   I’ve been a therapist, researcher, college professor, advocate, director of a nonprofit organization, elementary school teacher, and fulltime mom. 3.     In the course of my travels I’ve been inside a glacier, a lava tube, a monastery, and a mosque. I’ve seen the Whirling Dervishes, the Mona Lisa, the rain forest, the Outer Hebrides, the Venetian canals, and the Egyptian Sphinx. 4.     My eyes change color, depending on my mood. 5.     My best writing ideas come to me in the shower.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned, as a writer?

What I’ve learned, over the course of two books, is that I need to love my characters much more generously than I thought. I need to listen to them, feel their humanity, and find the thing in each of them that’s worthy of love and respect. And that goes for secondary characters too!

Any writing advice for aspiring writers?

There is so much advice out there, but I think there are three essential principles that span genre, temperament, and the whole notion of “plotter-versus-pantser” (I do both).  Here are my three essential bits of advice:

First, have a really good story that you are burning to tell. Let the story lead. Listen to the characters, rather than worrying about how to please agents and publishers, or conform to any of the writing templates out there.

Second (and this is the essential complement to the first principle), find a couple of really smart people whom you trust, and listen well to what they have to tell you about your work. Be open, not defensive.

Third, read up. Read books that are really well written to see how the authors did it. Write books that you would love to read.

Where can we find you?

Website:         https://www.barbaralinnprobst.com/

Facebook:       https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011410511548

Instagram:       https://www.instagram.com/barbara_linn_probst/

 

 

 

THE FAMILY SHIP, by author SONJA YOERG (debuts February 23rd!)

From the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of True Places comes a disarming and emotional novel about a family in distress and a daughter’s mission to keep it from going under.

Chesapeake Bay, 1980. Eighteen-year-old Verity Vergennes is the captain of the USS Nepenthe, and her seven younger siblings are her crew. The ship—an oyster boat transformed into a make-believe destroyer—is the heart of the Vergennes family, a place both to play and to learn responsibility. But Verity’s had it with being tied to the ship and secretly applies to a distant college. If only her parents could bear to let her go.

Maeve and Arthur Vergennes already suffered one loss when, five years earlier, their eldest son, Jude, stormed out and never returned. Now Maeve is pregnant again and something’s amiss. Verity yearns to follow her dreams, but how can she jump ship now? The problem, and perhaps the answer, lies with Jude.

When disaster strikes and the family unravels, Verity must rally her sibling crew to keep the Nepentheand all it symbolizes afloat. Sailing away from home, she discovers, is never easy—not if you ever hope to find your way back.

Reviews~

“This richly-drawn and insightful story demonstrates an exceptionally deep understanding of family relationships.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Families, like ships at sea, sometimes founder on hidden rocks and begin to break apart. Which is exactly what happens to the Vergennes family in Sonja Yoerg’s luminous The Family Ship. Only a heart of stone would be immune to the charm of the Vergennes children, all nine of them. Yoerg offers this large, disparate crew to the reader with the wisdom and compassion of a consummate storyteller. And she tops off the tale with one of the most exciting finales I’ve read in years. I recommend this book with my whole heart.” —William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author of This Tender Land

“With both wit and wonder, Sonja Yoerg navigates The Family Ship through choppy waters. This novel is completely immersive and highlights the enduring power of story in both our lives and our families. Yoerg’s prose and imagination are the strong currents that bring this fabulous tale to life.” —Patti Callahan, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis

“Sonja Yoerg’s The Family Ship is a fearless, timeless story of a family in crisis. Join the Vergennes family on the shores of the Chesapeake and you’ll be rewarded with an emotionally charged page-turner of a story, but also with a cast of beautifully rendered characters who each will find a different way into your heart. Rising tides of grief, hope, and loyalty will sweep you away!” —Kelly Harms, Washington Post bestselling author of The Overdue Life of Amy Byler 

Q & A with Sonja ~ 

Tell us a little about yourself and how you started writing.

First, huge thanks to Jill for inviting me to chat! It’s always a pleasure to meet new readers,especially if they are friends of Jill.

My first career was an animal behaviorist. I studied learning in blue jays, kangaroo rats, and hyenas, among other creatures. Writing had always come easily for me and immediately after I left academia, I wrote a non-fiction book about animal intelligence, Clever As a Fox. Years later, I became a novelist almost by accident, having put aside a memoir I was working on and literally googling “How to Write a Novel.” I wrote my debut, House Broken, in five months, then spent longer than that finding an agent, who sold it pretty quickly to Penguin Random House. In the subsequent six years, I’ve published six novels. What a ride!

What are some things you enjoy when not writing?

If you take a look at my Instagram account, you’ll see that my love for books is completely overshadowed by my obsession with growing food and cooking it. When we moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia several years ago, I could finally have a garden as large as I pleased, and it is very large indeed! My other obsession is traveling—when there is not a pandemic raging. My husband and I share an adventurous spirit and love nothing more than to hike the world. I guess you could say I’m a nomadic homebody.

Do you have a go-to first reader after you feel your manuscript is ready?

My husband. He’s an avid reader and is unfailingly enthusiastic about my projects. Luckily for our marriage, he is also largely complimentary. I usually get feedback on my fresh manuscript from two or three trusted writers before sending it to my editor, but for The Family Ship, I skipped the critique partners. With six POVs, it was a complex and lengthy undertaking, and I just wanted to get it off my desk. It was risky, but it worked out just fine. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that every book is different.

Do you have a favorite chapter or scene?

My favorite scenes tend to be ensemble pieces, usually later in the book. Most of the main characters are present, and the tensions are high. The way the dialogue and the action ricochets around is exciting for me, and those scenes tend to write themselves, as if everything I know about the characters and the story is there on the head of a pin.

Because The Family Ship is about a family of eleven, there are many ensemble scenes. It was a real challenge to orchestrate those scenes without overcomplicating them.

Is there anything you’d like to say to your readers and fans? The last year has packed a wallop, but there is nevertheless so much to be grateful for. We still have books, which means we still value stories, and lives, and each other. It’s something to hold onto, and to cherish. Thanks for reading my stories, and for sharing them. 

 To connect with Sonja ~  

To purchase this book: bit.ly/thefamilyship 

Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/SonjaYoerg

https://www.instagram.com/sonjayoerg/

https://www.twitter.com/sonjayoerg/

https://www.sonjayoerg.com/

book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zHLW8KkA2Q

Link for Goodreads (100 e-book giveaway - all of February: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_kindle_giveaway/316944-the-family-ship  

 

JOYOUS LIES, by author, MARGARET ANN SPENCE

Maelle, a botanist, believes plants communicate and nurture their young. Raised on her grandparents’ commune, Joyous Woods, after her mother died, she imbibed the commune’s utopian beliefs of love for all.  

Maelle meets Zachary, the first man she’s cared for. But when Zachary tells her their parents perished together in his father’s medical research laboratory, Maelle is devastated.

Searching for answers just as a filmmaker arrives to make a movie about the last of the hippies, probing the commune’s secrets, Maelle must pierce a wall of silence to find the truth. What really happened in that lab – its role in her mother’s violent death and the commune’s possible complicity – challenges all she’s been led to believe, forces her to find strength she never knew she had, and to ask the question, if plants can protect their young, why can’t humans do the same?

Review:

Joyous Lies is a wonderfully written, heartfelt exposition of the way in which families will often bend the truth or outright lie to protect reputations or to soften the blow of mistakes for those who follow behind. Author Margaret Ann Spence has touched an exposed nerve with this story.

—Grant Leishman, Readers’ Favorite

Q and A with Margaret ~ 

Tell us a little about yourself and how you started writing:

Jill, I am delighted to be here on your blog. I love the way women writers support one another. I am particularly thrilled to talk to you today because my novel, Joyous Lies, launches today!

I did not get off to a good start. The first day of kindergarten, Miss Reid gave each child a scrabble rack with our names spelled out in the little wooden squares, a piece of paper and a crayon. She asked us to write our names, copying the tiles. I scrambled mine up. My friend Margie, who had exactly the same name, Margaret Ann, looked sideways at me and said, “You’re supposed to write them in a straight line.” I replied bossily, “No, you can put them any way you like.”

But gently corrected by Miss Reid, I soon got the hang of it. I always wanted to work with words. My first job was with Penguin Books (Australia) as a sales rep and over-the-transom reader. A few years later I earned a master’s in journalism from Boston University and worked in public relations, then did freelance reporting while my kids were small. At the time I didn’t read much fiction (no time!) let alone think I could write it. It is only now, looking back on a lifetime of experience, that I feel confident enough to draw on it to create fictional stories.

What are some things you enjoy when not writing?

I love to travel, but when I’m home, really get into it. Cooking, baking, crafting and gardening feature in my novels, too, as do different locations I’ve lived in and traveled to.

Where do you get your ideas?

I loved writing my first book, Lipstick on the Strawberry, imagining the life of a frazzled caterer. I loved even more writing Joyous Lies, especially learning about the latest scientific research on plant biology. Trees do communicate! Michael Pollan’s book, The Botany of Desire, about the amazing power of plants, sent me on a quest to learn more. Richard Powers’ The Overstory made me think about how we carelessly destroy forests, which, emitting oxygen, we need to breathe. 

All kinds of thoughts bounced around in my head about idealists who want to make a better world, and the cost of doing so. And thus my book was born. My first viewpoint character is Maelle, a young botanist, and the other is her grandmother, Johanna, an old hippie, actually the driving force that turned a commune into a working organic farm. The story is set in Northern California. I researched that through some wonderful road trips.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published (or this book?)

Like many authors, I have a first novel in a computer file and am thankful it never saw the light of day. However, I learned to pitch that novel, and subsequent ones, at the San Francisco Writers Conference in 2013. I submitted to agents, and while waiting for the call that never came on that first book, started writing what became Lipstick on the Strawberry. I’m pleased to say this manuscript won a novel contest in 2015 which surely helped me land my publisher, The Wild Rose Press. I do strongly recommend attending writing conferences, if you can. They usually offer pitching opportunities to agents and publishers. I never did get an agent. I’m an older writer, and agents are young. I decided that I would rather submit to a small but reputable publisher than wait years for an agent to (a) offer representation and then (b) try to sell the book. There’s no guarantee of that. I’ve been happy with my decision.

If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you’d change?

Only that I wish I’d had the courage to start when I was younger. Then again, I do have fragments of writing from earlier days and they sometimes make their way into my current work. I’ve kept an intermittent journal over the years, and that helped clarify my thoughts. As far as the process of getting it published is concerned, each person’s experience is unique, and we can’t learn except by going through that experience. I feel grateful I didn’t have to go the self-publishing route. That would be hard and lonely, I feel. My experience at Penguin Books showed me that publishing a book is like an inverted funnel. But hats off to anyone who actually completes a book and has the courage to show their work to the world!

What are you working on now?

Each novel I write is different (and I have another percolating away) but the basic theme always seems to be, “family ties, family lies.” Don’t ask me where that came from. It’s not autobiographical! But the difference between private thoughts and actions and the public façade is a rich vein of human behavior to explore, don’t you think?

Is anything in Joyous Lies based on real-life experiences?

When I moved to Phoenix, I took the master gardener course offered by the University of Arizona Maricopa Extension to learn to garden in the arid desert. It offered wonderful classes on botany, about which I knew nothing when I started. I met so many dedicated gardeners who loved the challenge of producing food in the desert, and I learned about organic farming and perma-culture.

Do you have a favorite chapter or scene?

One of the truths that came to me as I researched and wrote this book is that life will go on, despite what we as humans might do to straitjacket it to our own ends or to destroy it. In the first chapter, Maelle meets Zachary, and, as a habitual loner, is startled by her attraction to him.

She twirled her fork in the salad bowl. A piece of radish and a vibrant red beet nestled amongst the arugula under goat cheese and a dusting of nuts. Nature’s vibrant colors, created to attract pollinators. The libidinous plants, sluttishly exposing themselves for fertilization by any passing bee. Good grief, what a thought to strike her. How embarrassing.

Do you have a favorite character?

As I started writing Maelle, I needed to know how she became like she is. Since she had lived on the commune, Joyous Woods, since the age of ten when her mother died, the commune’s visionary, counter-cultural beliefs were drummed into her. But what is the cost of Utopia? So, the character of Maelle’s grandmother, Johanna, came to me. Johanna had left Berkeley with her boyfriend Neil when his draft number was called in 1970, and ever since they and their friends had lived a hard-scrabble life up in the far reaches of Northern California. Johanna’s idealism, her strength and also her blindness unfold through the story.

What was the most unique research you had to do for a book?

The first thing my editor at The Wild Rose Press asked me was for verification of the scientific research behind the botanical claims made in the story. I am no scientist, but thanks to the internet, I had volumes of material. The Authors’ Guild, to which I belong, offers members a discounted membership to JStor, an online reference library for academic researchers.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Keep going and don’t give up! Then again don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t succeed when you set yourself an artificial deadline. Persistence, which means both writing every day and submitting through rejection after rejection, is the key. This is a very competitive business. Keep your day job. 

It will stimulate you and get you out of your own head, as well as pay the bills. Also remember that while writing is a solitary activity, it doesn’t have to be a lonely business. I have been blessed to be a member of a critique group for about ten years, and belong to several writing groups, local and national, including the wonderful Women Fiction Writers Association. Their encouragement has been invaluable.

What are the downfalls of your writing career? The best parts?

If I tried to write novels to earn a fortune, I would be sadly disappointed. On the other hand, I get to do what I most love to do, each and every day. I write to know what I think, I write because if I don’t I feel frustrated. It’s sort of like hunger, it needs to be satisfied.

Bio:

Margaret Ann Spence is an award-winning essayist and writer of Women’s Fiction. Her debut novel, Lipstick on the Strawberry, published by the Wild Rose Press, won the Romantic Elements Category in the First Coast Romance Writers 2015 Beacon Contest. It was a finalist for the 2019 Eric Hoffer Book Award and in the 2019 Next Generation Indie Awards. Joyous Lies, her second novel, also published by The Wild Rose Press, released on February 15, 2021.

After working in publishing, as a journalist, as a consular officer and as a real estate agent, Margaret found that writing fiction was much more fun. Born in Australia, she's lived on three continents and both coasts of the United States. These places find their way into her fiction. Though she loves to travel, the theme of home is central to her fiction, and when she is not at her desk, she tends an unruly garden, cooks up a storm in the kitchen, and cherishes time with her family. A believer in the sisterhood, Margaret reviews books by women on her blog and elsewhere, and when inspired, sends a favorite recipe to her subscribers.

To connect with Margaret:

https://www.margaretannspence.com

https://www.facebook.com/margaretannspence

https://www.twitter.com/margannspence

https://goodreads.com/margaretannspence

https://www.amazon.com/author/margaretannspence

To Purchase Joyous Lies:

https://books2read.com/u/me7RoR

                                                         

 

 

 

THE REUNIONS (book #3 in Tammy Mellows series) by author TINA HOGAN GRANT

Would time be on their side? A mother’s wish. A daughter’s determination. Which one, if any, would be fulfilled first?

Tammy, Donna, and Jenny were separated by divorce and divided by an ocean for decades. Their mother, Rose, had one wish—to see her girls together one more time.

For Tammy, it would have to wait. She’s living out her dream as a commercial fisherwoman on the Pacific Ocean. But when a fishing trip goes wrong, she questions her future with the fleet.

After two devastating deaths in the family, and when Tammy finds herself fighting for her own life not once but twice; the family takes center stage. She wants to make her mother’s wish come true.

But did the sisters wait too long? Their mother’s health suddenly takes a turn for the worse. Will she get to see her girls together one more time?

Q & A with Tina ~ 

Tell us a little about yourself and how you started writing.

I am originally from England and moved to the States in the late 70s. After living all over California I now reside in a small mountain community at 5000 ft elevation where we get plenty of snow most years. 

I’ve always loved to write. Many years ago I used to keep journals. I think that is where my joy for writing began. My father was also a huge influence who was a successful science fiction author. When I had a message for other women my writing hobby took a turn and I began to treat it more like a career. 

What are some things you enjoy when not writing?

I am a tomboy at heart and love the outdoors. When I’m not writing I’m outside reading on the grass or hiking with my two dogs, a Britney named Tess and Miss Elie our Jack Rusell with an Attitude. I also enjoy kayaking at the nearby lake or discovering the many trails that we are surrounded by on my quad. Other interests include, fishing, growing my own vegetables, and camping when time allows.

Do you have a ‘day job’ as well?

I spend most of my time writing and marketing my books which is a full-time job in itself lol. I also do professional organizing and help my husband with his falconry business. No I don’t  fly the six falcons that we have - I help with their care and  the care of the hundred plus pigeons we have. 

Where do you get your ideas?

My debut novel, Reckless Beginnings was supposed to be just the one book and is based on my life. It is now a three book series titled The Tammy Mellows Series. Each  book holds a strong message for women from lessons I have learned from some poor decisions I have made on this journey we call life. 

Is there a particular author or book that influenced or inspired your writing or decision to write?

I love anything Jodi Picoult has written. I love her style of writing and how raw she writes. She writes about delicate social issues from both sides and touches every emotion. It’s how I wrote Reckless Beginnings. Raw, emotional, honest with no fluff.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

Oh my where do I begin. The easiest part was writing the book but that took twenty-five years, but when I finally sat down to write the story it just flowed.  I am now a self-published author but my first book was published through a publisher and took over a year to bring it to life on the book shelves. I was mortified when I discovered I had no control over the book and any slight changes took up to six weeks. I knew my next book would be published by me and the last 4 have been.

If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you’d change?

Yes I would not have gone through a publisher and I would have begun promoting it much sooner than I did. I think I began talking about it just a few months before it was published.

How do you market your work?

Anyway I can LOL - Facebook is great for marketing, I have a great reader’s group with over 1700 members and they are fantastic people. I do takeovers in other groups,

Facebook and Amazon ads, Newsletter swaps , live book signings and group book promotions with other authors. But they say the best way to promote a book is with a new book so I keep writing. 

Is anything in your book based on real-life experiences?

All three books in The Tammy Mellows Series are based on my life. Names and places have changed.

Do you have a favorite chapter or scene?

Each book has scenes  that I really enjoyed writing and then there are some that were hard to write because they were of times when I was struggling in my life. I think one of my favorite scenes is in the second book Better Endings which is the challenges I faced when I became a commercial fisherwoman. One chapter describes an ocean crossing back to the mainland and we sudden;y find ourselves in a terrifying storm that puts our lives at risk.

Do you have a favorite character?

In Better Endings, Dwayne is based on my husband. It was fun to put my thoughts on paper and have him read how I saw him and describe his moods, personality and habits. Things he wasn’t aware about. He read the book and approved everything I wrote.

What would your job of choice be if you didn’t write books?

Commercial fishing was my dream job before I began to write. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. It was exhilarating, adventurous and no two days were ever alike.

What was the most unique research you had to do for a book?

I wrote about what I had experienced and knew so not much research was needed except to pull out all those memories buried in my head,  whether they were good or bad.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

I always tell aspiring writers to read, read and read some more and write every day. Learn from the best. Don’t just read a story, read it like you wrote it. Stop and reread paragraphs that you enjoyed. Ask yourself why you liked it. Study the story, did it pull you in right away. Did it keep you fully engaged? How did the author accomplish that? Write everyday and never give up. Make your next work better than the last.

What are the downfalls of your writing career? The best parts?

Writing will constantly have it’s ups and downs. Words may not flow, books may not sell or a poor review will question your ability to write. What matters is that you push through these downfalls and keep writing. Believe in yourself and own your work. My downfall was My dad passing a year before Reckless Beginnings was published and my mom sick with dementia so neither got to see my first book published. The best part was seeing my name on the book of a cover and readers telling me how much they loved it. Priceless.

Favorite band or music?  Favorite book and/or movie?

I’m a country girl who loves country music, Luke Bryan and Chris Young are at the top of my list. Favorite movie and I don’t know why is Escape from Alcatraz with Clint Eastwood. We went to Alacatraz last year. Such a fascinating place. 

Place you’d like to travel?

My favorite TV show is deadliest Catch - and I would love to see the boats from the show and visit Dutch Harbor where they are docked.

Is there anything you’d like to say to your readers and fans?

It is the readers and their kind words about my books that keep me writing. I appreciate every single one of them and without them I would not have gone on and written four more books after Reckless Beginnings. So thank you . 

To connect with Tina:

(links listed in this website):   https://linktr.ee/tinahogangrant