Blog Archives
The Adventure We Felt As Children
Traveling Tootsie follows a cute teddy bear to Washington, DC where readers learn about different landmarks in a fun traveling adventure. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Traveling Tootsie is based on a childhood memory, and we thought it would make a great children’s book. When we were kids, we had a “Traveling Tootsie” that we used to hide in our dad’s suitcase when he traveled for work. We were fortunate to travel throughout our childhood, so when our dad would leave for a business trip, we always wished we could go somewhere fun too! Hiding Tootsie in his shoe was a fun game we played to not be so sad about staying home. When our dad came back from his trip, he would share all about where he had been and tell us all about his adventures.
Our dad also loved photography so after the trip, we would set up the slide projector to look at the pictures that went along with his stories. It was like “Movie Night” at our house!
We wanted to capture the adventure we felt as children. We want this book to inspire a love of learning and experiencing different places through stories and pictures and we hope children and families will want to travel and explore different places.
We chose Washington, DC for the setting because we currently live outside the city in the Virginia suburbs. Our dream is to write more Traveling Tootsie books, so what better place to start than the Nation’s Capital!
What was the collaboration process like between the two of you as coauthors?
The collaboration process went well. We are twin sisters who grew up with many of the same memories, so we had fun remembering different parts of the narrative and putting it together to make the whole story come to life. We tend to finish each other’s sentences at times, so writing together was relatively easy! When one of us was trying to get a thought out, the other one could jump in and help.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun creating?
We definitely had the most fun once we started working with our talented illustrator, Chiara Civati. Seeing our vision brought to life with her talent was amazing. We had specific ideas about how we wanted the pictures to look so we enjoyed getting those just right. We could have added so many more, but we had to narrow down our choices. One of our favorite pictures is the beautiful cherry blossoms surrounding the Tidal Basin with the Jefferson Memorial in the background.
How do you see your book fitting into parents ‘ or teachers’ lesson plans?
We can see Traveling Tootsie as part of many lessons! We have had one author visit at a local elementary school with the kindergarten classes. They had been working on creating their own stories by drawing pictures first and then putting words down on paper.
It could easily coincide with a history lesson of Washington DC with younger children. It mentions and describes many monuments and special landmarks in the Nation’s Capital.
It has also been used as part of an art lesson. The students drew their very own shoes with Tootsie in it along with pictures of where Tootsie went on an adventure.
We have also thought it would be a good book for a counselor to use for a guidance lesson to suggest a child have their own Tootsie to deal with a parent that travels a lot or is deployed or a split family where they are away from their family for extended periods of time.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Have you ever wished you could go away on your parent’s business trip or hide in their suitcase to explore a new city all on your own?
Well, Katie and Steven sure have! They wonder why they always have to stay home when Mommy or Daddy travel for work. Once their favorite yellow teddy, Tootsie, comes up with the idea to stow himself away for Daddy’s trip to Washington, DC, Katie and Steven realize that they’ll be able to travel along, too―but just not in the way they first imagine!
Traveling Tootsie is an adorable children’s book which perfectly captures the authors’ passion for―and love of―travel. Come along on an exciting adventure with Katie and Steven’s beloved teddy bear in the Nation’s Capital! After you’ve traveled with Tootsie, we hope you’ll begin to explore the enchanting world around YOU!
Life Experience And Imagination
Like a Small City is an anthology of poetry sharing dark moments and a celebration of survival from those dark moments. What was the inspiration for this collection of poetry?
While I think the collection as a whole, flows well together, I actually worked on the poems individually only writing the occasional poem in response or juxtaposition to a previously written poem.
So the inspiration for the individual poems was life experience and imagination blended together though not all poems have the same measure of both in them.
Also some of them come out of writing exercises or were inspired by reading other poems or observing things. For example ‘The crumpled people huddle’ was inspired by the rental crisis. While ‘Leaf City’ was inspired by the racial discrimination of dark skinned people.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I suppose because I have a long history of illness and have experienced a lot of violence these themes naturally reared their heads up time and again. Also things about the art of writing popped in too.
But I also like to write a lot of character vignettes too and by doing this I hope to build greater empathy in readers while also exploring other themes in my work which keeps it more interesting for me as I develop as a writer. Which also means I’m not just stuck with my own history. I can explore other things.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this collection of poetry?
I guess the only thing I stuck too was to write regularly. I usually write two to three times a week. And each sitting, I usually write two or three first draft poems. And it’s amazing how it adds up. But not all the poems went in the book.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
While I’m still writing poetry, the next big project I’d like to do is a play. Hopefully this and another collection of poems will be available in about three years.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Although most of her poems seem centred in an urban world, they are infused with an arcadian magic. Buildings, seen from a train, are ‘running like concrete emus’. Pedestrians walk past ‘like speeding skinks’. An abandoned house is ‘all dark windows / and skulking cats’. A white-coated scientist is ‘like a kite stuck in a tree’. The natural world is everywhere in her poems and refuses to be excluded.
De Goede’s poems are intriguing, unsettling, hopeful, and joyful. She writes of ‘scraping ink together / like I know what I’m doing’.
She knows what she’s doing.
The Best Interests Of The Children
Room in the Nest follows a swan husband and wife who open up their nest and hearts to all the bird children in need for as long as necessary. What was the inspiration for your story?
I adopted my son a few years ago, and we stay in touch with his lovely foster carers. We’ve seen several children come into their care, some of whom have been reunited with their birth families, some of whom have been moved into kinship placements. My son understands that we adopted him, so he started to ask questions about why his foster siblings and other children looked after by his foster carers ended up in different sorts of families.
What were the morals you were trying to capture while creating your characters?
The moral is that children need to be kept safe, and the most important theme throughout the story is that all of the adults pictured have the best interests of the children at heart. The social worker character, Caring Goose, seeks advice from the Wise Owl, who makes suggestions to ensure that lots of options are considered before a child is removed from their family. The Wise Owl also ensures that the children are placed with family members when possible, or that a suitable adoptive family is found, but there are recurrent reminders throughout the book that the foster carers are there to help any children who need to be loved and looked after throughout these periods of uncertainty.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
I wanted to help normalise all of these different family structures and help children to understand the basics of foster care, in an accessible way.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next story is created to help children to understand that making a few bad choices doesn’t make them a bad person, to try to help children who find themselves labelled as the “bad kid” at school, to see that they are not intrinsically “bad” and they can make kind choices. I am working on the illustrations now, and plan to publish it this Winter.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Mr and Mrs Swan build a big nest, so that they have plenty of room to help anyone who needs them. Teach children about different kinds of foster care, with this touching tale of fostering placements leading to kinship care, reunification, adoption and long term foster care. This inclusive story can be used as a therapeutic tool to help care-experienced children to process their experiences, or as an effective teaching aid to normalise and explain foster care and other family structures to all children.
The Chaos Reigns Saga
Call of Chaos follows a young half-eleven woman who is trapped in a temple searching for a lost artifact.What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The original inspiration came from a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. It started out with having Kyrianna keep a journal of her travels and I would write the notes up, the characters started to take over the story and it grew from there.
Kyrianna is an outcast but refuses to give up and hide away, determined to find redemption. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Like many of my characters Kyrianna started out as a name with a general description of her background. That general description is generally what is needed to set up the story opening and let me know why the character is facing what they are facing. It is usually the story that helps me develop the character further. They start telling me more about their background in their actions as they move through the story world.
I’m typically what some call a pantster when I write – I develop stories from a general conflict idea, a title and a main character. I might have a general idea of how I would like the story to end – but it’s the characters who take me on the journey to get there.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Most of my stories tend to explore the themes of redemption and hope. While my characters may suffer during the story – I alway want to show the reader the power hope has. That hope and redemption can always be found if you want it and you look for it.
Can you tell us what the second book will be about and when it will be available for fans to purchase?
The second book, Chaos Embraced, finds Kyrianna and her friends trapped in an elemental maze. As they work to find their way out of the maze, we learn more about the reasons why Kyrianna was brought through the portal in the first book and the group will have their first encounter with the Goddess Thynitic.
Chaos Embraced as well the next two books: Road Into Chaos and Chaos Challenged are all available now.
I am currently working on Book 5 – Chaos Bound (tentative title) and hope to release it in 2024. There is 1 more book planned after Chaos Bound – that will be The Artifact of Order and Chaos which will see the group finally collecting and having to work with the artifact that was mentioned in the first book.
There are also several short stories available as ebook stories that try into the Chaos Reigns stories.
Author Links: Facebook | Website
She and her companions, are charged with finding an ancient artifact before the ones guarding the portals out will allow them to leave.
As their search continues, Kyrianna begins to question if there was a specific reason she and the others were brought to this place.
Music Is A Universal Language
I Need a Hero follows a space captain and his crew who are sent on a secret mission to stop a deadly force while back home his wife’s life is in danger. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
When my children were young, I would sing them a bedtime story, then share with them a story based on what I envisioned while listening to the words and hearing the harmony, beat, tenor, and feeling of the song. With encouragement from my wife, I wrote one of these stories for our future grandchildren.
Thumbing through my son’s playlist, I found “Something Like This”, written by Drew Taggart, and performed by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay. I NEED A HERO is the story I heard after listening to the song. An interview Drew Taggart gave concerning depression inspired Jacob’s character in the book in part.
Bonnie Tyler’s rendition of the song, Holding Out For a Hero inspired the conclusion of the book, co-written by Jim Steinman. An article I read on No Words, No Song about Holding Out For A Hero started by concluding that no woman has ever written about “holding out for a shy, slightly introverted, music-obsessed accountant”. I loved that quote. What Bonnie Tyler establishes are qualities which a hero should have: morality, strength, power, and compassion.
I NEED A HERO is the first of the series I have written. Each of the books continues the saga with a minor shift in emphasis. There are many underlying storylines in I NEED A HERO, but the major theme of the first book focuses on one primordial need. Most men have a desire to be the hero of their significant other. In a world of equality and independence, and gender neutrality, many men lose their sense of importance and purpose, their desire to be someone’s hero.
Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing or did it come out organically as you were writing?
The music sets the tone for the book. Music is a universal language that transcends nationality. Most of the western world deems the metric system the most logical means to understand numbers and measurements and is the numerical system used by science. Music is still based on whole notes, quarters, eighths, and sixteenths. The imperial system matches the beat of our hearts and can convey emotions understood and recognized by all.
Besides supplying the storyline, the music also set the tone.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I have already mentioned the need many men have of wanting to be their significant other’s hero. Other themes which are developed over the series concern morality, strength, power, compassion, depression, jealousy, anger, and the tension which couples often must learn to deal with.
Another theme which I play with is the concept of euhemerism, the belief that all mythology is based on historical events, and etiological theory uses these explanations for why something is the way it is today. While I NEED A HERO is not suggesting an alternate history for humanity, it is suggesting that much of the history of humanity is unknown.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out and what can your fans expect in the next story?
Yes, I am writing Book Five in the HERO series, THE PROTECTOR, and editing Book Two, FEEL THE THUNDER, which I hope to release early in 2024. While not wanting to offer any spoilers to the next book in the series, the adventure continues and is full of surprises.
As we follow our favorite characters, I also introduce new characters. Some characters we already know become more important as they come into their own. As the series progresses, we draw closer to learning who the real antagonist is.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Despite his wife Maddie’s objections and the fact that he is nearing retirement, Charlie accepts the mission. With the Obsidians one step ahead and the possibility of never returning home, the crew of the Perseus takes on the monumental task. Additionally, Charlie finds himself making enemies left and right-including Space Command.
Secrets from Maddie’s past are also brought to light, and the rewards on her head soon rival those on the Perseus. She is now alone and on the run, and Charlie, who is lightyears away, must find a way to return to Earth to rescue her and be the hero he’s always wanted to be for her.
It Felt Insurmountable
The Author’s Little Red Guide to Editing shows readers the ins and outs of publishing and editing and helps them understand the process and know what to look for. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I found I’d been posting lots of advice snippets online for new (and newish) authors. As a nine-time author who went from vanity publishing to a traditional publisher to being self-published, I wanted to bring all that I knew out in the open for other authors to benefit from. I remember what it was like to feel like there was too much to learn, and it felt insurmountable.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
To provide great examples that show that finding an editor and all things related to becoming an author needn’t be stressful or overwhelming. I also wanted to present the material in an entertaining way, so rather than employing a formal structure, I served this up with a series of easy-to-read questions and answers.
What experience in your life has had the biggest impact on your writing?
There wasn’t one singular experience. It was slowly realizing that I had all these exciting ideas inside me and wanting to see where my stories could take me.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from your book?
That they can find an editor they can rely on, one who has their back, and one who is responsive and will take the time and care to explain the editing process. This goes especially for after the editor has submitted the manuscript back to the author. Many times, authors don’t know how to incorporate the editor’s suggestions or even how to move forward and take things from an exercise in perfecting a story to making it a real book – the stuff a newbie’s dreams are made of. In this book, I tell people not only how to choose an editor and what to look for, but I also discuss self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, choosing your title, naming your characters, and things like book covers, uploading and formatting – about 95 tips to walk you calmly and easily through the process.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Website
How to communicate with your editor
What to expect during the editing process
Proofreading vs. copy editing vs. developmental (or “substantive”) editing
The synopsis vs. the blurb
Uploading your book
Where to and how to get book reviews and ratings
What to know about book covers
Choosing a book title
Writing dialogue
How to organize plot structure
“Pantsing”
Translations
Writing regionalisms
Genre expectations
Why word count is so important
Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing
Querying agents and publishers
And so much more, presented in an upbeat and anecdotal style. (Note: This book does not offer sample edited text or rules of grammar.)
The author has built her career on news writing, news editing and magazine editing, and is a full-time editor and author coach. For more information, please visit https://queenestherpublishing.com.
The World Is Not About Us
Outside the Lines follows a 23-year-old woman with terminal cancer who meets an old lady that teaches her how to live life to the fullest. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
In the past several years, I have lost four close friends and colleagues to cancer. Each was much too young to be taken from their family. Their dreams were still burning brightly when they said their last goodbye. For me, their passing wasn’t about how they died but how they lived life to their very last breath. They each had a message for the world. Faith over fear. Today, I choose joy. Be the light. And If you want magical things to happen, first, you must believe in magic. I wrote Outside the Lines for them. I also hoped it would encourage others never to give up, enjoy every moment, and leave their mark on the world—just as these women did. So, no matter your challenges, be the light for someone else. This world is not about us. It’s about being there for others.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Most readers would consider the book’s theme to be dying, but I would characterize it more as learning to live even in our darkest moments. The story is heartbreaking yet hopeful and humorous. When you have a woman as flawed and outspoken as 90-year-old Tilly, you cannot help but delight in her unsolicited advice. As the pair grows close, the reader begins to see that family is not necessarily the one we are born into but the one we fall into through fate. This multigenerational and multi-cultural tale helps us to understand that no matter how different others are from us, sometimes, they are exactly who we need.
What was one scene in the novel that you felt captured the morals and message you were trying to deliver to readers?
There is a powerful scene in the book where Bella (the young woman dying of cancer) stops counting the days she has left and, instead, begins viewing her remaining ones as Bonus Days. From that point forward, she is determined to create memories for others—long after she is gone. This is the message I hope readers take from the story. We are gifted with a limited number of Bonus Days. I challenge each person to use them to bring love and light into the world.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am currently working on a book titled THE STORMS OF EDDIE GREER. The story centers around the theme of generational trauma: the effects and how it trickles down through families until someone stands up for change. I would call it a gut-wrenching drama with a sliver of romance. Cross your fingers because, with luck, it should be available by the end of 2023.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Instagram
As an adult orphan facing terminal cancer, Bella flees her home to die in peace, but her new landlady has her own ideas. After all, the old woman is an expert on everything. Just ask her.
Refusing to let Bella wallow in self-pity, Tilly makes it her mission to help the young woman spend her last year living outside the lines, squeezing every experience out of life, and finding the three things she has given up on—God, love, and family.
An Incredibly Lucrative And Cruel Crime
The Orchid Tattoo follows a social worker who uncovers a human trafficking ring while searching for her missing sister. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
As a social worker, I’ve done advocacy to get more progressive anti-human trafficking laws passed, and to educate people about the prevalence of this crime. I met survivors, law enforcement, and advocates and heard countless stories of trafficking right here in my backyard. I wanted this book to entertain but also educate my readers about this crime.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Someone with mental health issues can still live a productive, fulfilling life. The mystery genre has done a huge disservice to people with mental illnesses, so I wanted my protagonist to balance a difficult career and other life challenges with her symptoms. She doesn’t let mental illness define her. Hers is a journey of recovery.
Another important theme relates to human trafficking—an incredibly lucrative and cruel crime. I want readers to connect with the characters, many of whom are victims, and come away with a passion to impact this crime.
What is one thing that people point out after reading your book that surprises you?
The bad guy—nobody suspects who he is! I dropped clues, but he’s still stunning people. That’s a good thing!
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Justice Be Done, crime fiction about a murder that takes place during race riots, will hopefully be out later this year.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Twitter | Facebook
Social worker Georgia Thayer can balance her own mental illness with the demands of an impossible job. Mostly. But when her sister vanishes in the dead of night, her desperate quest to find Peyton takes her into the tentacles of a human trafficking network-where she encounters a young victim called “Kitten.”
Kitten is determined to escape. She won’t be trapped like the others. She won’t sell her soul like Lillian, victim-turned-madam, feeding the dark appetites of international business moguls and government leaders. But the Estate won’t let her out of its lethal grip, and her attempts at freedom threaten her very life.
Aided by Kitten and, at times, by the voices in her head, Georgia maneuvers to bring down the kingpin of Estate and expose its dark secrets, but her efforts place her-and the few people she allows to get close-in grave danger.
LITERARY TITAN 