Interview with authors of "Mind Me, Milady" Ann Rothman-Hicks and Ken Hicks

On Writing had fun interviewing Jane Larson form the novel "Mind Me, Milday"

Tell us a little about yourself? Where do you come from?

 I was born and raised on the Upper East Side, before it became gentrified. In those days, it was a far more gritty place to live. There were Irish bars on every other corner of Third and Second Avenue. Small businesses lined the streets. I remember we had a store where the guys fixed TVs and would lend you one until yours was done (before cable of course). And there was a lawyer who sat in a flannel shirt in his storefront office on Third Avenue, selling insurance and doing notarial work to make a buck. No nail salons. God, I wish it were like that today.

Tell us a little about your home, what are your feelings towards home?

I’m a bit conflicted on the subject. My mother, Martha, was a lawyer with a storefront office on 92^nd Street in the same building where we lived on the third floor in a rent-controlled apartment. She was a crusader for women’s rights, and she represented women who needed support for themselves or their children, or were battered by men, or otherwise victimized by the system. Growing up, I was always the daughter of Crazy Martha, when I just wanted to be a kid and fit in. Plus, these types of people can pay almost nothing, but she took their cases on anyway and worked all kinds of hours. I often felt I had to make an appointment to see her. Sometimes women slept on our floor because they could not go home. I swore I would never be like her, but then life happens. I quit my job in a major law firm where I was doing very well (check out Weave A Murderous Web). Now I am working out of Martha’s old office and representing some of the same people she once did.

What motivates you along your journey?

Wow. Paying the rent. Buying food. I’m not the crusader Martha was, but when I see someone down on their luck or who just had been dealt a bad hand by life, I feel the urge to help them. There is a lot of injustice in the world. Martha used to say that she could not fix the world, but that she would not tolerate bad things happening to good people within her reach. It’s sort of like Voltaire telling us to mind our own garden.

How do you see yourself/ how do you see yourself in relation to the rest of the world?

One thing I learned from Martha was that I should not worry about what other people thought. She taught me to think for myself, examine a problem thoroughly, and if I felt I wanted to fix the problem, to let nothing and nobody stand in my way. She was a bull in a china shop. One day, I hope to write about some of her cases.

What is most important to you in this world?

Being able to sleep at night without the ghost of Martha perched on my bed in the middle of the night, waiting for me to wake up and realize that I’ve done something that is not right. It used to happen a lot when I worked for a big firm and made lots of money. Not so much anymore. It seems she might like the way things have turned out.

What characteristics do you consider important in a person? What kind of people do you try to surround yourself with?

Loyalty, honesty, and the capacity to love. I’ve found that a few times, but again, life intervened. I will keep looking.

What do you see for yourself in the future? Where will you be? What kind of person do you want to become?

It’s getting a little late for me, but I think I would like to have a kid. If a man came with the package, that would be okay, as long as he was loyal, honest and loving. If I just had the kid, that would be okay too. Martha raised me as a single parent. In fact, she never told me who my father was. It used to bother me. It still does.

To learn more about the writing duo of Ann Rothman-Hicks and Ken Hicks, click here.

To purchase their book "Mind Me, Milady" click here.

Interview with author of "A Light Within" Ann Nolder Heinz

On Writing caught up with author Ann Nolder Heinz to talk a little bit about what writing means to her.

What inspired you to start writing?   

I grew up in Waterloo, Iowa, where life flowed as deep and tranquil as the Cedar River that divided east from west and the neighborhoods were safe for children to play outside until after dark. I was fortunate enough to be born into a family where books were collected and revered. My earliest memories are of the sublime pleasure to be had from reading, first cuddled next to my grandmother in her big stuffed rocking chair as she read the children’s classics aloud, then curled up on my own as I graduated from story collections and Little Golden Books to Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and finally to the contemporary and classic novels in my mother’s library. I was already a lifelong book junkie, the first step on the road to becoming a writer.

I discovered the allure of writing in the fourth grade. I was blessed with teachers who encouraged creativity in their students and required us to write several stories every year. 

I enjoyed the process so much that I soon began writing stories for my own pleasure. I confess that in the early days I was better at conceiving and starting a story than I was at following it through to conclusion, as is proven by the numerous “Chapter 1’s” in the box of my juvenile writing stored in our attic. But the appeal was irresistible, and it found me again as an adult. Rather than a conscious choice, it was an itch I had to scratch regardless of whether the end result were judged as a success or failure by others. As it happened, I experienced much more of the latter than the former through the years, but I discovered that to feel truly happy and complete, I must soldier on.

What does your writing process look like?

Desire was just the catalyst for my writing career. Learning and perfecting the skill necessary to produce a publishable manuscript required years of hard work. Through trial and error, I have developed a process that involves three phases: concept and planning, first draft, and editing and polishing. Once I have settled on an overarching idea for a book, I begin fleshing it out with the main characters. I give each one physical and emotional attributes and backgrounds that are interesting and fraught with possibilities for conflict. I do whatever initial research is necessary. When my internal instincts tell me it is time to move past the theoretical, I begin writing. I allow my characters to determine the scope and direction of the plot, adding in minor characters and subplots as they occur to me. When all threads have been tied up in a satisfying conclusion, I move on to the difficult task of being my own worst critic. I pore over the writing with the goal of tightening the prose until it is crisp yet effective, looking for redundancies, awkward phrasing, loquaciousness, overuse of “telling” rather than “showing,” and anything else that interferes with the readers’ willingness to suspend disbelief and immerse themselves in the story.

This process is very much like riding a virtual rollercoaster. Conceiving an idea and carrying it through into the book’s initial chapters provides an emotional high that is impossible to describe. There comes a time in every manuscript, however, when my momentum slows and I must grind out the progression of the plot. This is the work’s most vulnerable time, and I must call on sheer determination and persistence to continue on. Excitement returns when the final climax and denouement are clear to me, and I often cannot write fast enough to get it all down. This energy carries me into the editing phase, and I am usually able to sustain a steady pace through several read-throughs until I am satisfied the manuscript is as good as I can make it. Although the process is grueling, I can say without hesitation that I never fail to find joy and immense satisfaction when I finally make it to those final words: The End.

What is your favorite genre and why?

I began writing what I most like to read: mystery and psychological suspense. I wrote in these two genres for many years, my last four novels being set in the delightful little river town where I live. A few years ago, a fortuitous happenstance pulled me away from this genre and into historical fiction. I participated in a tour of Underground Railroad sites in the small town of Jacksonville, Illinois and was deeply impacted by the narrative of our guide, a young black journalist who had made a study of this subject. By the end of the day, I had conceived the idea for a novel about the Underground Railroad entitled Last Stop Freedom with two female protagonists, one a black slave, the other a white woman oppressed by the men in her life. Thus began a writing adventure such as I had never experienced.

I discovered that much has been written about the Civil War but very little about the decade preceding it when the seeds of that horrific war were planted and grew. It was a period of time vital to fulfilling the values and ideals set forth by our founding fathers but left only half realized by them. My research took me into every facet of mid-nineteenth century American life: social, political, religious, and economic. I ended up writing three books spanning this period, each one taking a minor female character from the previous book and developing her story in a different direction. All three spotlighted the themes of oppression, rebellion and the freedom to determine one’s own destiny.

Do you model characters after real people? Do you have favorite characters?

The role of a character is to advance the storyline. If a character is modeled on a real person, the plot must fit that character rather than the other way around, which raises boundaries that restrict the scope of the story. On the other hand, creating characters out of the author’s imagination gives him or her delicious power. I am able to give my protagonists qualities that make them the women I would like to be or the men I would most like to befriend or love. Likewise, my antagonists can be every bit as conflicted and wrong-headed as most flawed human beings are. Then I have the ability to manipulate events so the outcome reflects my ideal world. Great fun!

That is not to say that real people cannot play a part in a story, particularly one set in a historical context. But that person’s presence in the story must coincide with the overarching reach of the plot. It is also important to adhere to historical truth. Using a historical character incorrectly will only interfere with the readers’ ability to fully immerse themselves in the story.

As for my favorite characters, I truly enjoy them all and am always sad to leave them when the story is done. That being said, Julia and Fanny from Last Stop Freedom are far and away my most beloved. Julia has the gift of faith and the tenderhearted capacity to love unconditionally. Fanny has the stoic wisdom to accept what she cannot change and the courage to risk everything to find a better life. I admire them both.

What would be your advice for aspiring authors?

WRITE BECAUSE YOU CAN’T NOT WRITE.

It is that simple. For me, the lure of writing is an itch I have to scratch regardless of whether the end result is judged as success or failure by others. I have experienced much more of the latter than the former through the years, but I discovered long ago that in order to feel happy and complete, I must soldier on.

That said, I acknowledge it is not always easy. For me, the most challenging aspect is managing the emotional fluctuations I experience when I write. The highs come when an idea is blossoming and the plot path forward is clear. The lows come when the writing does not flow and I am uncertain of the mission I have set for myself. The trick is to keep working regardless. Then there is the dreaded “writer’s block,” which is a common malady from which I am not immune. My cure is to place myself in a situation of total relaxation in order to allow my subconscious to work on the problem and come up with a solution. My favorite setting is a deep hot bath. Another big hurdle is managing the rejection letters once the work is complete. Nothing is more depressing for a writer than receiving this kind of news ─ and I have received more of it than I care to remember. My policy has always been to permit myself to mourn for a short time then force myself back to work. Recovery is easiest when there is a new project in the pipeline.

Bottom line, get to it. Decide on a project, let the words flow, then dissect and analyze what you have written. Take a class, join a writers’ group, read any advice you can get your hands on. My own contribution is a set of writing tips on my website www.fictionbookmates.com. Regardless, the best idea in the world is useless until it is communicated to others. So write it! You will never regret that decision.

To learn more about the author click here.

To purchase "A Light Within" click here.

Character interview with Christine de Pisan Daniel of "Spellcaster"

On Writing had the pleasure of interviewing Christine de Pisan 

Daniel from "Spellcaster"

In a turn-of-the century England steeped in steampunk and magic, Christine learns her life-threatening illness stems from her paranormal visions. During the London Season, Allie, her beloved sister and the family heir, seeks a noble match while she searches the occult underground for answers. But the only witch who can help will not do so unless Allie marries her beau, an impoverished aristocrat, so that the illicit pair can share Allie's wealth.

Tell us a little about yourself? Where do you come from?

·         I am Christine de Pisan Daniel. I consider myself as much an American girl as a citizen of Provence, where I was born to professional parents who left me in this world all too soon. Fortunately their good friends, the Kotts, took me in and have been as much of a family to me as they.

Tell us a little about your home, what are your feelings towards home?

·         Home is wherever my sisters Natalie, Alison, our other adopted sister Marie, and their parents Mr. And Mrs. Kott are. In America we spent far too much time trying to infiltrate the upper echelons of society so resistant to the noveau riche. In England we've been made to feel more welcomed by the impoverished lords who want to marry into our money.

What motivates you along your journey?

·         My family's happiness is everything to me, even if the somewhat wild Marie and the somewhat incautious Allie tend to see me as overprotective of their virtue, a real killjoy.

How do you see yourself/ how do you see yourself in relation to the rest of the world?

·         I believe the measure of a person is how much she is loved by her friends and how much she gives to them. I am a scholar who has a few waves among my set with my translations. I hope to be an example to my sisters in this new, English world of temptation and I watch out for them even when this exasperates all of us.

What characteristics do you consider important in a person? What kind of people do you try to surround yourself with?

·         Kindness, intelligence, compassion, resillience, courage. The people I surround myself with teach me these virtues every day.

What do you see for yourself in the future? Where will you be? What kind of person do you want to become?

·         want to see my sisters happily married and my adoptive parents ecstatic about it.                   Curiously I haven't envisioned my own future, perhaps because if I don't find a way to         end these visions causing my illness, I won't have one

To learn more about the author, George Bachman, click here.

To purchase the book "Spellcaster" to learn more about Christine, click here.

Interview with the author of "Dambuster" Susan Ottaway

On Writing had the chance to talk with author Susan Ottaway 

What inspired you to start writing?

We always had lots of books in our family home and were encouraged to read. I was fascinated with those about the Second World War and read many belonging to my father, one of which was called Enemy Coast Ahead and was by a young pilot called Guy Gibson. It told of his time in the Royal Air Force, the raids in which he took part and the people he met. I really enjoyed it and he became my childhood hero. I was distraught when I discovered that he had been killed returning from a raid over Germany just a month after his twenty-sixth birthday. When I searched for more information about him I discovered that, apart from his role as leader of what became known as the Dambusters’ Raid, there was very little to be found. Eventually I gave up looking but many years later decided that I would research and write a book about him myself.

What is your favourite genre to write? Why?

I only write non-fiction books and my favourite subjects are twentieth-century history and aviation. I think these were my favourites because I grew up hearing stories about the two world wars from my grandparents and parents and because my father was an aircraft engineer. I worked for airlines for twenty years and have never lost my love of aviation.  I am now concentrating on telling the stories of some of the agents of the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War.

What does your writing process look like? Did it take you a while to develop?

When I first started writing I really had no idea how to go about it. I had already signed a contract with a publisher before a single word had been written. His confidence in me came from the enthusiasm I had for the subject but, more importantly, from the support I had received from aviation author, Chaz Bowyer, who had also been published by the same company. I remember lying awake at night full of anxiety about my ability to write at all and for several weeks after receiving the contract still hadn’t managed to get a single word on paper. Then, in the middle of one of these sleepless nights, I thought of an opening sentence, leapt out of bed and typed it on my ancient computer. Even though those first few words were eventually discarded, they helped me to get the book started. For the past few years, I have had a brilliant agent, Andrew Lownie, who makes me write proper proposals which I usually have to revise several times before he is satisfied.  Although they require a lot of work to get right, they make the actual writing process so much easier.

Do you take criticism hard or do you have a thick skin? Have you ever received criticisms that you felt were unjustified or too harsh? Are you your worst critic?

Many of the subjects about which I write have had their official records closed until recently and some people aren’t willing to have their long-held beliefs about a person or event dispelled by my work. This sort of criticism used to bother me but now it doesn’t, because I always research my subjects thoroughly and, wherever possible, check facts from more than one source so, if people don’t want to believe the truth, there is not a lot I can do about it.  I have been fortunate to have received more good reviews than bad and understand that ‘you can’t please all the people all of the time’ so am not too upset if a few people don’t like what I have written.

How do you keep motivated to finish a writing project?

Knowing the date that the typescript has to be with the publisher usually keeps me quite focused.

If I find it impossible to write anything worth reading on a particular day, I go and do something else and usually find that I’m back on track the following day. It helps to have written a proposal at the start because it shows the direction I want the book to go. The first half of the book is the most worrying time as there is still so much to do but I’m always surprised how the second half just seems to fall into place.

What do you wish people knew about life as an author?

It’s hard work, the hours can be very long, it can be quite lonely and very few authors earn a fortune for their efforts. It’s also difficult to have a satisfactory social life when you have tight deadlines.  On the other hand, when all the work is finished and you see your book in print for the first time, it is magic. 

To learn more about Susan Ottaway, click here. 

To purchase "Dambbuster; The Life of Guy Gibson VC" click here. 

Character interview with J.D. from "Drip"

On Writing were able to interview J.D. from the novel 'Drip'

"A hand wearing a fancy watch parted the office blinds, and J.D. felt nauseous with despair: suddenly he knew—even though he could not explain how—that all of his mojo had been permanently taken away."

J.D. and George: thick as thieves since the fourth grade. J.D., the troublemaker, the stud: the alpha. George, the sidekick, the misfit: the loser. Upon graduating college, J.D. has convinced the only job creator in rusty Middlestop to hire them. BrewCorp, the hot new coffee and retail chain, is offering a vice presidency to the employee with the boldest plan for growth, and J.D. is determined to be the guy. When not sleeping with co-workers, he hatches his pitch for a one-of-a kind data pipeline. He is unbeatable--until George grabs the promotion. Now J.D. wants answers. His quest to find them—and to deal with the monstrous truth—is the subject of indie filmmaker Andrew Montlack's wry debut novel, which features the same biting satire that made his mockumentary, The Devil's Filmmaker, a cult classic.

Tell us a little about yourself? Where do you come from?

I come from the planet Krypton; I was sent here to rock your world (laughs).  Ok, ok.  I’m from Middlestop—born and raised.  I’ll be with BrewCorp for a year, year-and-a-half, get my promotion, then I’m gone.  I’m already having drinks with headhunters.  Figure one to two years in a Boston or New York financial house, then off to Dubai.  And I will rock your world.

Tell us a little about your home, what are your feelings towards home?

Boring.  Next.

What motivates you along your journey?

Ascension.  Next.

How do you see yourself/ how do you see yourself in relation to the rest of the world?

You sound like a guidance counselor.  You know what?  I don’t feel I have to do good works and starve; the world was in trouble before I got here and it will still be in trouble when I leave.  Maybe if people focused on where they wanted to get to instead of whining about where they were stuck, the world would improve.  Ever think about that?  Carry on.

What is most important to you in this world?

I believe I’ve answered that question already.

What characteristics do you consider important in a person? What kind of people do you try to surround yourself with?

Are you asking me if I have friends?  Yes, I have friends.  You’ve met George, right?  Well he’s my right-hand man—ever since the fourth grade.  There’s nothing George wouldn’t do for me.  I can’t tell you how many times I lit off a pipe bomb in the bike rack in front of the school and George took the heat.  He’s never turned me in.  Not once.  Now, you’re talking buddies?  Or you’re talking girlfriends?  ‘Cause I am currently sleeping with three—count them—three hotties from the same department.  The temptation is to keep each one secret, right?  Wrong.  You play them off one another, then you don’t need to keep track of what you said to whom and they try extra hard to hold your interest.  You know the thing about a slap?  It doesn’t scar.

What do you see for yourself in the future? Where will you be? What kind of person do you want to become?

So here’s the thing: I actually have a geek side.  That’s why I’m not going to let my engineering degree go to waste for more than a couple of years.  I think the world seriously can be made better; there are incredible technologies just over the horizon—faster-than-light travel, next-generation robotics, global smart grids, terraforming.  But it means focus; it means letting nothing get in your way—not your boss, not your pets, not your…not your mom…and not your friends.

To learn more about Andrew Montlack, click here. 

To purchase 'Drip' click here. 

Interview with author of "Spellcaster" George Bachman

On Writing had the chance to interview author George Bachman about his writing process and all the things that go along with writing a book like Spellcaster

In a turn-of-the century England steeped in steampunk and magic, Christine learns her life-threatening illness stems from her paranormal visions. During the London Season, Allie, her beloved sister and the family heir, seeks a noble match while she searches the occult underground for answers. But the only witch who can help will not do so unless Allie marries her beau, an impoverished aristocrat, so that the illicit pair can share Allie's wealth.

What inspired you to start writing?

-                All the books I’ve read since I could read. I wanted to do what my heroes do, and my heroes       have always been writers.

When did you complete your first piece of writing? What was it? How was that process?

-                Grade school. It was supposed to be an essay assignment on Moses and the burning bush,           but somehow it ended up being a very florid retelling of that story. Fortunately, my teacher         liked it and gave it a high mark, though he warned me to stick to the brief next time.

What is your favourite genre to write? Why?

-               Fantasy. It has the fewest rules and encompasses everything from M.R. James restrained            stories and Peake’s Dickensian fantastique to David Lindsay’s total immersion in a world            completely of his own invention.

      What kinds of sources do you take inspiration from?

-               Nonfiction seems to send me off into flights of fancy, oddly enough. Music does the same.            And fiction of every genre. A recent trip to the Cloisters set off a dozen story ideas in my            head. It might be easier to enumerate the things that don’t inspire me.

Do you model characters after real people?

-               Never. This or that person’s traits may find their way in, but never whole persons.

What does your writing process look like? Did it take you a while to develop?

-               It took a while for me to not overthink it, but otherwise the process emerged right away. My      next story bubbles up over the others, and that is the same as my increasing desire to do it.          Just two different ways to say the same thing. Once it does, it starts to organize itself into an      outline I eventually write down when it’s settled down a bit. Each subsequent draft of the            outline yields greater detail until it eventually becomes the text itself, which I refine the way        you would do any manuscript draft, until it is done.

What does you editing process look like? Do you allow others to read your writing?

-              Editing is simply the last process of refinement, getting out the dross until I can read a story        all the way through with pleasure. My only external editors weed out any stray punctuation        and spelling anomalies that slipped through even this final filtering.

Do you take criticism hard or do you have a thick skin? Have you ever received criticisms that you felt were unjustified or too harsh? Are you your worst critic?

-               If the criticism convinces me of something I’ve overlooked and the critic is in sympathy with      a story’s basic aim, then no, I never take it hard, though I may feel a bit embarrassed at not        catching the flaw myself. If a critique chastises the story for not being something it isn’t              meant to be, the words simply roll off my duck’s back. I am at once my own harshest and            most sympathetic critic.

Have you ever felt like quitting writing? If so how did you overcome those feelings?

-               No, never.

Do you have favourite characters from your own writing? What made them so special to you?

-               Christine from Spellcaster amazes me with her warmth, determination, occult book                      knowledge, and self-effacement.

How do you keep motivated to finish a writing project?

-               Anticipating my own satisfaction is usually enough, and the hope of a reader, any reader out      there, whom a story may touch in solitude.

Have you ever written something you didn’t like, but felt necessary for the overall story?

-                No any element that doesn’t give me as much pleasure as the whole does not make the final        cut.

Is there any question you are tired of getting as an author?

-                I haven’t gotten enough of them yet to get tired of any one.

What do you wish people knew about life as an author?

-                I would rather they focus on the stories and regard me as invisible.

What would be your advice for aspiring authors?

-               Read, write, read, read, read, write

Is there anything you wish you knew before you became an author?

-                I’m still finding that out.

    To learn more about the author click here. 

    To purchase the book click here.

Interview with author of "Grains of Truth" Elizabeth Ferry-Perata

On Writing had the pleasure of interviewing Elizabeth Ferry-Perata about her experiences writing

What are the lies we tell ourselves to stay sane?

In the world of a Texas feed store, the line between reality and truth blurs when love and friendship are at stake. Meet Sarah and Zoe, two best friends who work in a family-owned feed store. Their lives begin to unravel when love sparks between Sarah and the feed store owner’s only heir, Tom. Patriarch Otis quickly makes it known that his only son’s future won’t include the feed store “girl”. The clash over Tom’s love life erupts in a family feud where business is expected to trump love. In the meantime, a romance also ignites between Zoe and the local town physician whom she nicknames “Dr. Sex on Two Legs”. The women are quickly caught up in a family feud that leads to unexpected consequences, loss and tragedy.

Grains of Truth is an intense, emotional and passion-filled story about two best friends looking for that one thing everyone wants — love. It’s a story about friendship and accepting what you can’t change. Grains of Truth will move you to tears and leave you astonished. It’s a must-read story with an unexpected twist.

What inspired you to start writing?

I always had one eye on my children and one eye on my career. I worked a typical Monday through Friday 45+ hours a week job. I was well respected in my field and still am. But, funding got cut one year and I was one of the unfortunate people to get laid off. It was devastating because I thought what I am going to do? However, I had this opportunity to do something that has always been on my “bucket list”. I had the opportunity to write. As I began to spend time with my children, this idea formed into my head, so I began to write it down. Then I began to write every day.

When did you complete your first piece of writing? What was it? How was that process?

My debut novel, Grains of Truth, just got completed this year, July 30^th, 2017 to be exact. My book was a labor of love. Blood, sweat and tears went into this project. At first, I thought the story was going to be a basic story about boy and girl who meet, fall in love, and live happily ever after. However, as I got into the story, I realized that I wanted to write something that will intrigue readers and get them to think about how they would deal with certain situations if they were faced with them. When I made the characters, I derived them from real-world people and situations. Thus, Grains of Truths happened.

For me the process took 2 years. However, there were some personal bumps and obstacles along the way that hindered the release date. However, with much perseverance, I was able to accomplish this great task of writing my debut novel. I worked closely with my book coach/publisher who was my advocate and helped me develop the story and make my dream into a reality. By blocking off days on the calendar that were just devoted to writing, it helped me stay on task along with meeting my book coach once a month.

What is your favourite genre to write? Why?

My favourite genre to write is contemporary romance/drama. For me as an author I want to create stories where people escape from the hustle and bustle of life and fall in love with characters and places. I want the readers to feel alive emotionally and tell others about their experience after experiencing my stories. I enjoy telling my stories, and I get to spend time with my “families”. I feel like I have the best of both worlds.

Do you model characters after real people?

I do model my characters after real people. I find that many people carry traits that are relatable for others. When I wrote, Grains of Truth, one of my main characters, Sarah was a hybrid between two of my really good friends. I took some of their characteristics and made one character in which others were able to relate to that character. They enjoyed her sassy ways and the way that she just tells it how it is. When people learned about Sarah, they laughed because it was someone that they knew. Now, I didn’t ask if was them or not, but I loved hearing how relatable she was for the readers.

                

When I meet people, I get inspired because I love people watching. I find that it helps bring the readers closer to the story and they feel like they are in the story and meeting my characters as if they were actual people.

-        Do you have favourite characters from your own writing? What made them so special to you?

To me every character is my favorite because this is my baby – my first book, and a labor of love. But, if I think more deeply, Sarah and Zoe are my two favorite characters. I see parts of Zoe in me. She loves her family, and is driven and very focused. For Sarah, it is how she looks at things and tells you how it is.

To learn more about the author Elizabeth Ferry-Perata, click here. 

To purchase her book "Grains of Truth" click here.