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Even More Fun and Unique
The Grate Adventure of Lester Zester follows a young kitchen tool that wants to understand his purpose and feel wanted. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Lester Zester was created in an instant of playful family holiday baking. My wife and son were making some delicious scones, and I was acting as their sous-chef. Someone called out for a zester to grate some lemon peel. I retrieved it from a kitchen drawer and pronounced it “Lester Zester”! The rhyme stayed with me, and I began to consider how a kitchen tool might feel, waiting in the drawer with anticipation until required by the chef.
The art in the book is cute and eye-catching. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Julia Pelikhovich?
Julia Pelikhovich is a talented professional. She worked on the book from her art studio in Russia. Her creative style and colors brought Lester and his kitchen pals to life! It was amazing to watch the development of each character. You may have noticed that each illustration is a hand-painted, watercolor drawing which is placed onto a real photographic background (kitchen, Christmas tree). This mixed media technique makes the story even more fun and unique!
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I wanted to create a likable character that young readers could easily identify. Lester Zester is hopeful, anxious, friendly and naïve. He wants to know that he is loved. His personality helps the story to address important themes of self-esteem, diversity and inclusion, and friendship. These elements are evident in the illustrations, as well.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Lester Zester and his friends from Chef’s kitchen are excited to be on a new adventure together next summer! In the second Lester Zester book, there is unexpected trouble, lots of new characters, and some great fun! Of course, Julia Pelikhovich will add her artistic gifts to the story.
Author Website: lesterzester.com
The Grate Adventure of Lester Zester is the heart-warming story of a young kitchen tool that longs to understand his true purpose and know that he is wanted. Can Lester discover the secret to having a grate life and hope to live in the Everyday Drawer with the rest of Chef’s helpful things? This whimsical tale reminds children of all ages that they are loved and have a special place in this world. With a little help from some funny culinary friends, Lester shows us that life can be a grate adventure if we simply believe!
Sparks Will Inevitably Fly
The Elusive Smuggler follows two people determined not to give into one another while a diabolical enemy plots revenge. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Well, of course, the story line is nothing new, but what is under the sun?! Anyone who loves swashbuckling heroes full of ‘je ne sais quoi’, feisty heroines and evil villains, and a good romance never runs smooth or it’s boring, will tell you that! However, to delve a bit deeper…outward appearances can be very deceptive, and people’s characters in reality are often very different from the face they put on to the world. Also, a lot of people have events in their past that have made them what they are… either one wrong decision has changed the direction of their life, or the way they were brought up has coloured their personality, ambitions and view of life and, sometimes, the opposite sex. Those themes figure a lot in all my stories, historical and contemporary.
In addition, I suppose that particular period of history has always fascinated me. Enormous social upheaval – radical in France – and the repercussions it had across Europe as new discoveries and inventions went hand in hand with radical thought. I just looked at it all, especially the anarchic situation in France, and it was just perfect as background for someone clever, unscrupulous and brutal to take advantage for personal gain, knowing there was little in the way of law and order to pay much attention and interfere. As for the hero and heroine in The Elusive Smuggler… they were influenced by their pasts in different ways, and their families, and when you have two very strong willed, determined and passionate people, sparks will inevitably fly.
Your characters are intriguing and well developed. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
No one is perfect, we all have our faults… but being able to see one’s failings and try to improve them, is a challenge, and not everyone succeeds… as is the ability to admit one is wrong and apologise. Just because someone is headstrong, brave and determined doesn’t mean to say they can’t be humble too. I just think people with complex personalities are so much more interesting. It allows them to make mistakes, take wrong decisions, and that creates twists and turns in the storylines.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
To be perfectly honest, I never really set out to have any theme or ideas for characters when I first started writing, nor a plotline. It all just evolved the more I wrote and got involved in each story, and I chose this period of history as it was familiar to me so I didn’t have to do too much research. Given I started writing on a long daily train commute to work and home again, that was quite important! However, as I wrote I always thought about what I would do, or feel, or how I would react if I was in that situation, if I was that character. And I wanted characters with depth, who would make mistakes, but come through adversity somehow, rising to the challenge. Not only that, I wanted other interesting characters threading through each story other than the hero and heroine and the villain, so there were more side plotlines and other people involved in them, to give the whole tale more breadth and interest. I always enjoyed reading stories like that in my youth and loved escaping into them, keeping me engrossed for days, unable to tear myself away I was so involved in the story, full of suspense and impassioned romance… and that’s what I wanted to reproduce when I started writing. Most of us secretly yearn to be something we’re not in some ways… slimmer, fitter, better looking, cleverer or more accomplished at something… fantasy is a great escape from the dreariness or struggle with everyday life and we all do it one way or another at some point. So my stories are simply escapism for romantics!
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The Elusive Smuggler is only the first part of the whole story of Francis and Cat – Behind The Shadow.
The remaining three parts of Behind The Shadow are available now. 2: An Unusual Courtship, 3: The Determined Duchess, 4: The Dangerous Harlot. They’re full of drama, suspense and plot twists until all the threads of the tale finally resolve themselves in part 4.
Then, there is the 5 part sequel, Pride of Lions, set some twenty years later during the latter part of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. Its central character is someone who appears in Behind The Shadow (part 2 onwards) an aristocratic French refugee who has grown up in England and is now an undercover agent working for the Duke of Wellington in his campaign against Napoleon…. a sort of James Bond in every way… except he hasn’t got an Aston Martin, just a black horse called Shadow (of course!) The action moves from London to Spain and to France, and includes action at the epic Battle of Waterloo, and finally a thrilling climax with another crazed villain. And a lot of the characters from the first book reappear in this sequel so you get to find out what has happened in their lives… and The Shadow has his final hurrah. It’s all compelling and engrossing stuff!
Pride of Lions, parts 1 and 2 are due to be published at the beginning of November with the remainder in December and January.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
![The Elusive Smuggler: Part One of Behind The Shadow by [Antoinette George]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41TqadGW1aL.jpg)
Compelling romance and swashbuckling thrills. The dramatic and gripping story of one man with two lives and the woman he craves, but cannot have. He was the handsome aristocrat and charismatic adventurer who created a dynasty and she was the feisty, unconventional woman he loved. He was English and she was French, two strong-willed people determined never to give in to each other, and a devious, diabolical enemy determined to exact revenge on the smuggler who had constantly evaded him and thwarted his nefarious plans.
Set at the end of the 18th century when France was on the cusp of a bloodthirsty Revolution, this is an exciting and unputdownable tale of daring escapes, broken promises, distrust and misunderstandings, all threaded through by a passionate and turbulent love affair, a scorching romance that wouldn’t be denied.
Part One: The Elusive SmugglerFrance 1790. A country in turmoil and you’re desperate. Your family has been unjustly thrown into a fortress prison for reasons nothing to do with the Revolution and it’s down to you to rescue them, if you can, before they meet a grim fate. So what to do when you only have a crippled brother to aid you? With law and order breaking down and justice gone missing, you decide only someone with a ruthless reputation can help, a devious and cunning criminal, if you can find the man you’ve heard about. The brutal and corrupt Regional Governor has been trying for years without success, but that won’t discourage you because you’re an exceedingly determined woman, wilful and somewhat eccentric, and you’ll pay or do anything if this man can help facilitate an escape from the fortress and get your family out of France.
Marie-Catherine de Mornay had always got her way and done what she wanted, and succeeded, but that was before she met The Shadow. However, Edgar Bernheim, the venal Governor, had his own private agenda, for which the Revolution was merely a front, and was an exceedingly vengeful man people took on at their peril…
Trying To Hide A Dead Body
A Labyrinth for Loons follows a man who’s stuck in Malaysia during a COVID lockdown and begins to question his own identity. What was the initial idea behind this story and how did that transform as you were writing the novel?
This story was unique in that I really had no idea where it was headed. At first, I was simply going to chronicle daily life, as I was genuinely stuck in KL (from February to September of 2020) and couldn’t return to Japan—as I had to babysit the cat. The daily diary turned stale, though, and since I do write fiction, I began running ideas through my head on how to turn this predicament into something more adventurous than it actually was.
The set-up for the story, the characters, the location—it’s all true, as that’s where I was living. The cadaver that comes along, of course, is fiction. I’m not sure if this qualifies as an “idea” but I’d simply always wanted to write about a protagonist trying to hide a dead body—one that would not cooperate. I mean, what writers, don’t, right?
The chaos with the travel visa was inspired by a novel I read in May of 2020 called Transit by Anna Seghers. The issue of identity that plagues the lead, Leonard Smith, may have developed some from another novel I read that summer, The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith. And all the nihilism that permeates the story—well, that’s just me. But I’d be grossly misleading if I also don’t mention the impact of House of Leaves by Mark Daneilewski. (Hence, the minotaur.)
Leonard Smith goes on a transformative journey. Is this intentional or incidental to the story you wanted to tell?
I’d say that Smith’s journey is the story and everything else is incidental. As he struggles with the act of assuming the identity of someone who has died, he slips into a kind of psychosis, exacerbated by his isolation. He begins to see the cadaver that he’s agreed to store in his living room cupboard as not dead at all. What’s really happening is that he’s questioning his own reason for living, and this question must be answered by his metaphorical minotaur. His understanding of the influences of religion impacts his journey, too—the Islam of his host country and of the other characters; the Buddhist ideas within the Donovan song There is a Mountain, and his attempt to understand why the mountain disappears and then returns—a realization that comes from an understanding of oneself.
I find that authors sometimes ask themselves questions and let their characters answer them. Do you think this is true for your character?
Yes, definitely. Leonard Smith’s questions are mine. He’s on a journey, and his inner struggles with identity and core beliefs lead to a kind of psychotic crash. He survives it and comes away with a more contemplative outlook on his world.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next book is a sequel to my first novel called The Cuckoo Colloquium. I’m not sure what we’re going to call it, but it’ll be out on Amazon in January of 2022.
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
![A Labyrinth for Loons by [Michael Greco]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51cWaFEBBFL.jpg)
Writer Leonard Smith wants to go home, but he’s stuck in Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur during Covid lockdown, and the airlines seem haphazardly selective about who flies and who doesn’t, based on the type of travel visa one holds.
While waiting for the opportunity to get out, Leonard agrees to look after the belongings of another tourist—the Kiwi—who’s committed suicide. The dead man, also a writer, has written a bizarre manuscript concerning real-life accounts of a brutal minotaur housed within a labyrinth. Before he realizes it, Leonard finds himself in custody of the embalmed corpse, storing the dead man until he can be transferred for burial in another city.
Through a bureaucratic screw-up, Malaysian authorities confuse Leonard with that of the deceased Kiwi—who possesses just the right kind of visa. Is Leonard capable of assuming the false identity of the dead man for a chance to go home?
Getting desperate while holed-up with a wily cat, a 13-year-old house guest who could possibly be homicidal, and a dead man in the closet—that at times doesn’t seem all that dead—Leonard slips into profound questions of his own identity.
The only way to find answers is in the labyrinth—where the minotaur waits.
I Will Never Forget That Day
Knights of New York provides a detailed account of the FDNY along with your years of experience in the department. Why was this an important book for you to write?
The FDNY’s greatest asset is the men and women who work for the agency. I felt compelled to tell their stories. Knights of New York is about ordinary people who perform extraordinary tasks.
What is a common misconception you feel people have about fire departments?
I am not sure if people realize that the New York City Fire Department is tasked with so many roles. The department responds to a wide array of incidents and its personnel require a breadth of knowledge across many fire life safety disciplines.
You share a lot of experiences in the book. What is one experience in the book that stands out for you personally?
9/11, I will never forget that day and the days that followed. I will never forget the courageous acts I saw others perform and I will never forget the support provided by so many. The country, especially in New York, was one nation with one shared purpose – support each other.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?
I hope others recognize that there are brave men and women in New York City who stand on a wall and say, not today, not on my watch, no one is getting hurt today.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
![Knights of New York by [Eugene Ditaranto Jr.]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51BLxVS0eJL.jpg)
The New York City Fire Department, better known as the FDNY, is one of the most storied organizations in American history. Their longstanding traditions and acts of bravery are well documented, from their sacrifices on 9/11 to how they handled the Covid-19 pandemic. These brave men and women are the example for others to follow. Knights of New York is a detailed look into the leadership, management, and commitment to service taught by the greatest fire department in the world. Not just for firefighters, this one-of-a-kind book is the definition of what it means to put the needs of the people before yourself.
The views within the book are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of the City of New York or the FDNY.
While The Galaxy Falls Apart
Black Matilda follows the crew as they race across the stars looking for Luli as war and dark rumors brew. What inspired the setup to this thrilling novel?
At the end of Twistin’ Matilda, Jacquie and the crew of the Matilda were left in dire straits. The past raised its ugly head and tore the crew apart. Furthermore, Luli Qing was gone, and no one knew why or where. The only thing holding this fragile group together was their desire to find Luli and rescue her.
But would Jacquie want them all back on the ship if Luli was rescued? How far was the crew willing to go to find a lead, any lead on Luli’s whereabouts? With all that has happened since they broke Anton off a prison ship, can they learn to trust each other while the galaxy falls apart? Can they come together as a family? That was the story I wanted to tell.
In what ways have your characters development surprised you over the course of the series?
One of the aspects I really enjoyed was the dynamic between the characters as they paired up in search of Luli. Barney and Anton working so well together even after Anton had been gone for years. The ease with which Jacquie and Galena flowed, interrupted with bouts of dread when Galena was… not herself.
The sheer strength of Luli’s will astonished me. Luli comes across as a fun, lighthearted person. But, throughout the journey of her long life, she’d never been tested as she was in this story. No matter how dark the moments were, she refused to give up. This made me love her all the more.
But my favorite part was getting to see a different side of Derain. How he was more relaxed and less on edge while talking with an old childhood friend. Also getting to see him in his element where he can control all the pieces like a chess match. But the biggest shock to me was Derain deciding to rescue Luli instead of vengeance for those he’d left behind.
On top of all that is Mr. Leon! I don’t really know what he’s planning. He’s been an enigma from the very beginning and probably will remain so all the way to the end.
I enjoy the world that your story has created. What were some new ideas you wanted to add to your world in this book?
The universe of Consortium-controlled space is huge. So far, I’ve only been able to show a smattering of planets and systems. I wanted readers to understand how vast it is. How different groups of people live, survive, and under what conditions. Be it on a well-traveled space station, a run-down mining colony, or a derelict ship, the Consortium is failing its citizens by simply not caring. That is the breeding ground for change with or without the blessing of those in charge.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The latest book in the series, Secret Matilda was just released on September 14th, 2021!
In the meantime, I am busily writing the fifth and final book in the series. It’s set to be released in late 2022 and it’s a doozy of a ride! I’m also working on a compilation of short stories that take place in The Matilda Universe. I still have so much story left to tell!
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Bounty Hunter. Ex-Freedom Fighter. Fugitive. Smuggler. Butcher.
Far off into the future in a distant part of the galaxy, the Consortium controls the human colonies held together by the jump gates. Where the Consortium doesn’t hold sway, crime flourishes. Through the use of a hellish engine that goes where no one should, the crew of the Matilda slips its way between the two. But everything has fallen apart since they arrived on the planet Mithuna.
Luli Qing’s been abducted and the only clue left behind is a corpse. Tales of deep spacers disappearing pepper the feeds. Old secrets have cut to the quick and torn the crew asunder. Caution is thrown to the wind as they scatter across the stars chasing rumors. All the while, the tides whisper of war against the Consortium.
Is Luli still alive? What do the entities from beyond want with them? Will Galena survive the foreign substances within? Can Jacquotte Delahaye bite the bullet and bring them all home?
Clip your ‘breather on and suck in a few breaths for the third book of the series, Black Matilda.
Catapulted To An Alien Planet
The Sphere of Destiny follows a medieval alchemist who finds a sphere in a pyramid that takes him on an odyssey through time. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Ans: The pyramids are the ancient wonder of mysterious and mystical origin. I have been quite interested in pyramids since early childhood and have watched many documentaries on Egypt. In my view, Egyptian pyramids are much older than the date purported in textbooks. The idea is based on the writings of Egyptian historians. According to ancient Sabians (star-worshippers of Egypt), pyramids are pre-flood monuments. I crafted the story on those accounts and made the central protagonist catapulted to an alien planet, thus blending ancient knowledge and science fiction.
Al-Khidr is an intriguing and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Ans: Al-Khidr has many facets. First, he is a Berber orphan, and he belongs to the non-Arabic culture of north Africa and is connected to Africa itself. Second, he spoke Amazigh, which is also considered an ancient language far older than English. Third, he has an interest in chemicals, compounds, acids. I read an exciting novel, The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. That inspired me to cast another alchemist character that goes to pyramids and finds something interesting. The milieu and era did the rest of the magic. Later in an alien world, he realized that it was his destiny to move from one planet to another.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Ans: The antiquity of pyramids, the Sphinx, and the zodiac of Dendera — these monuments were the major themes – these are mentioned in book 1 with different names, for example, Sphinx is a greek mythology character, of course, those who had made Sphinx they didn’t call it Sphinx. I called it the monument of Anpu (or Anubis). This theme is discussed more in book 2 (releasing soon). Also, the Hathor-Osiris and Seth, Egyptian mythology is weaved into book one in their original names – Hathor, Usir, and Seth, as in ancient Egyptian pronunciation. Ehsis is Isis in an ancient Egyptian accent. So the mythology is weaved with the story.
This is book one in The Sphere of Destiny Trilogy. What can readers expect in book two?
Ans: Book 2 is historical fiction plus sci-fi. It will show Egypt at Napoleon’s occupation, as humans struggle to reach the herbs. He has to save himself from French forces, an alien killer, Egyptians resisting French occupation.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website
![The Sphere of Destiny (The Sphere of Destiny Trilogy Book 1) by [Nassim Odin]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51msfv8rE3S.jpg)
A daring alchemist. A rogue alien. A battle of nerves and emotions.
Giza, Egypt, 832 A.D.
Al-Khidr is awestruck when he finds a mysterious metallic sphere inside the Pyramid of Giza. As a long-time medieval alchemist, he has seen his fair share of interesting finds, but this discovery is like none other. Unbeknownst to him, the relic will change his life in unimaginable ways.
The curiosity catapults an alchemist through space and time to an alien planet, but his efforts prove futile when he comes head-to-head with the aliens who viewed him as a curse.
With danger looming, a short time frame, and his life on the line, Al-Khidr has to do what he thinks is correct and just.
Because I Love It
At the Chameleon, Turn follows a Hollywood superstar to a small Australian town where he meets a woman that changes his life. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Adelaide is a small city in comparison to many, however it is the capital of the state of South Australia; it is also where I live and have lived for the past 46 years. My family moved here when I was 14 from rural Victoria, another Australian state. I chose to set up the story in Adelaide, firstly because I know Adelaide, and because I love it, and I hoped my readers would become curious about it and perhaps want to visit Adelaide someday, or at least become interested enough to look it up online. It seemed the perfect place to begin Ethan’s journey, as Adelaide is contrary to the huge bustling metropolises his character is accustomed to, too. Drawn to Adelaide via a strange dream, the quaint city, known for its many churches, begins as somewhat of a mystery to him, which Ariel, the woman he subsequently meets during his short stay in Adelaide, adds to, as like the city, she is contrary to the women he — due to his success and status — has become familiar with, and have in turn become the norm for him.
Ethan is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind his character’s development?
I wanted Ethan to depict the part of ourselves most of us struggle with — knowing our true self — and what better character than an “actor” to do this. On a relative scale we each play many roles in our lives, which can be confusing as well as challenging and confronting. I wanted my readers to be able to relate to Ethan on that basic level: the human level. Yes he is a superstar, but he still struggles with that very human side of himself: That voice of doubt the majority of us are daily afflicted with. He is flawed, and the perfection others see in him is something he finds difficult to accept, making him mistrustful of most. The ideals that drove the development of his character were simply: life at a raw, honest level.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Some of the themes I explored were: the importance of trust, the essentialness of truth and honesty, especially with one self… the value of listening — as in to hear what the other is saying, and not simply listen in order to respond; the natural benefits of family… the forgotten connection/unity of us all, the very real need for forgiveness… the idea that fame and success by the world’s standards does not necessarily bring one happiness… And the healing influence of love of course. Without love, would any of us even be here?
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
As a wife, mother, grandmother, carer of aged parents (unfortunately both deceased now) friend, author, and proprietor of a small family-run jewelry shop — just to mention a few of the roles I play — it took me 10 years to write “At the Chameleon, Turn” Therefore, I am taking a break from writing, as I’d poured every minute I could spare from my other daily roles into it. This is my first novel, and sheer determination
got me through to the end. That, and I fell in love with my characters and wanted to give them a voice. At this stage I do not have another book planned, but if I did, it would more than likely be a sequel.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
And so begins an unexpected new obsession…
Drawn via a bizarre and compelling dream to the small capital of South Australia, Ethan Farrell, Hollywood’s latest superstar, and exceedingly sought-after bachelor, encounters a young woman unlike any he has ever come across.
Why, although he tries, and knows it would simplify matters, can he not rid his mind of this child-like woman? What is this mystifying hold she seems to have on him? His minder, Scott, acquires his own answers, while Ethan’s sister, Lucy–duly obliged to reveal a long-kept secret, inherent to her–concludes she must journey far to unravel the unexplained: as her brother’s ensuing, and confounding refusal to provide any clarity, leaves everyone wanting.
Does Ethan learn to listen; will he allow himself to hear… see beyond his own deceiving thoughts? Or does his past keep him deaf and blind. And who or what is the Chameleon?
This story is about discovery; it touches on recognising, understanding, and facing the fears hidden within. It is about betrayal, loyalty, love, and remembering who we are. It speaks of valuing what many take for granted.
Written in an unconventional style, the author’s foremost wish is that her readers develop an intimate connection with her much loved characters; that they enjoy and feel at ease with the undemanding narrative, and that with a little introspection, they can relate to and draw on the deeper message she is endeavouring to convey.
Joyful and Excruciating
Moony McNelly Author Interview
Goin’ Through the Motions is an intriguing memoir of John Henry Shields. Why was this an important book for you to write?
John Henry Shields is closely modeled on my own father. In fact many of the events chronicled in the novel have been taken from conversations with him during the last few years of his life. Many other episodes derive from my eyewitness accounts along with those related by relatives and friends. He was a complex individual who at times could be charming, engaging and thoughtful, but at other times annoying, aloof and thoughtless. As was true of many southerners of his generation, his stubborn neck was weighted with a number of albatrosses such as prejudice and misogyny, although as he began to gain the upper hand on some of his demons as he aged. His alcoholism, coupled with his what is now termed PTSD from having served in the 82 Airborne Division during WWII were his most formidable foes. Our relationship, which I will oversimplify as love-hate, has never been far from my mind, even more so as I aged and began to reflect. I realized that I too had the need to try to rid myself of the albatross hanging from my neck. Therefore, in an attempt to explain it to myself, I attempted to explain it to the world. I chose to mimic the duality of life, so I constructed it from both the factual and the fictional.
What surprised you the most about John Henry Shields life?
One of the most surprising aspects of developing the character John Henry Shields was my willingness to continue an exercise that, frankly, was both joyful and excruciating. The novel has taken me some fifteen years to complete because I left it and return to it many times. In addition, at the risk of sounding cliche, the work acted as a catharsis for me, and I am now certain that was what I wanted and needed. I will remain thankful to Virtual Bookworm accepting John Henry (my manuscript) and for helping me through the tedious process of self-publishing. That too was a surprise after more than a few “dead ends” while tramping with John Henry down publishers’ row.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
There are numerous themes and motifs in the novel, some major, others subordinate. They are life’s old conflicts, none of which are new to art: father and son; humans and war; male and female; humans and nature; humans and their “multiple selves” and of course, the most prevalent–humans and death.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from this book?
I suppose every writer believes one minute and doubts the very next that readers will find something in his or her work with which they can connect. Artists who claim they are creating only for themselves best stay clear of lie detectors. If I must be specific, to me, the idea of searching for some truth is universal. Perhaps readers of Goin’ Through the Motions: Last Renderin’s from a Quester and Rounder will find in the efforts of John Henry Shields, whether they be judged a success, a failure, or somewhere in between, a universal call to live a “real” life.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Goin’ Through the Motions: Last Renderin’s from a Quester and Rounder, most of which is interior monologue, employs a stylized dialect best described as “Southern Mountain English.” In 1984, terminally ill and confined to a VA hospital, John Henry Shields reviews his life.
Prelude, a dialogue between John Henry’s son Martin and his wife in 2012, opens the novel. The Prologue to Part One, presents John Henry on a day in 1932, when he undergoes an epiphany that sets him on his life’s quest to live a “true life.” In Part One, John Henry recollects various events in his life and begins to question if his life has been worthwhile. The Prologue to Part Two is set in the Airborne training camp in Fort Benning, GA, 1942, where on his first jump from a C-47, the awakening he experienced as a boy in 1932, is resurrected. In Part Two, John Henry continues to recall events in his life as well as choices he has made, some of which please him, while others fill him with regret. After his death, his wife Myra closes the action from 1984. The last section of the novel, Fortuitous Epilogue, recounts the dreams of John Martin Shields. In Prelude, Martin mentioned these to his wife Peggy as having occurred on six successive nights, before the Sunday marking the 28th anniversary of his father’s death.
LITERARY TITAN 