A Mother's Dance Review and Author Interview

How does one measure the depth of a mother’s love? Pattie never thought it possible until she experienced every mother’s worst nightmare—twice. With all three kids in college and thriving, Pattie is excited about embarking on her new career as community relations manager at Barnes & Noble. That is, until she receives word that her nineteen-year-old son has been admitted to the Medical University of South Carolina and tagged “John Doe” after he suffered a traumatic brain injury. Now her sole concern is to get to Charleston, 250 miles away, before he takes his final breath. Although Casey is given only twenty-four hours to live, Pattie clings to her faith and refuses to accept her son’s death sentence. During Casey’s long and arduous healing, Pattie takes a hard look at the past—the kid’s tender childhood memories, their challenging teenage years, the skeletons in the closet, and the circumstances that have formed her into who she has become. When tragedy strikes again, Pattie must make a choice—to remain stuck in her grief or to step into the life she’s meant to create. Moving and heart-wrenching, A Mother’s Dance, is a story about hope, perseverance, self-discovery, hard choices, and most importantly about love. . .the sad and the wondrous. “I wrote this book in hopes it would bring healing to others,” Hall says. “Instead I discovered that I was the one who healed."

Available for Preorder now!

Pattie's Website    Buy on Amazon 

My Review:

It can be challenging to read a memoir about a person of different faith than you. My beliefs are rooted in the idea that I ask of and believe in nothing but God. When the author brought up that she was catholic (who pray to saints and Mary, dividing their attention between God and Not God) it wasn't a big deal. I live in a Catholic-dominant city. Then she brought up something along the lines of healing energy that comes from your hands. Also not a stretch, as hands are the natural place for people to think the power of prayer comes from, to those who may not have a full understanding of the soul. But when she brought up divination crystals, reincarnation, and tarot cards I had to put the book down and remind myself to be patient to get to the root of the story.
While I understand the use of flashbacks to reveal more information and the emotional conflict of letting a scene fall to the editing room floor, a lot of it felt like unnecessary filler. Ultimately it took away from the main story line of Casey and Patty.
Overall, I'm impressed with Pattie's strength and how she used her faith to get through a tough time. But I'm not bowled over by the execution of the story.
Thanks to Pattie and NetGalley for the free e-copy in exchange for an honest review

Pattie Welek Hall is a former teacher, realtor, community relations manager, interior designer, small business owner, and director of volunteers. She’s been published in International Brain Injury Association 10th World Congress scientific journal, “Brain Injury,” and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries. Her first children’s book Believe was translated into Spanish, a tribute to her son. Her second book and memoir, A Mother’s Dance: One Step Back, Two Steps Forward, Full Circle, will be released by WriteLife Publishing November 6, 2105. She is currently working on her third book (fiction), teaches an after school program that helps kids develop emotional and social skills for a happy and successful life, and host an Internet talk show, Joy Radio. Pattie enjoys running, bike riding, family and girlfriend time, dabbling in the arts -watercolor and sketching – and reading. Hall is the proud mother of three and lives in Charleston with her frisky lab, Emme.

The Interview:

How sure are you that the figure you met in the parking lot was an angel?

For me, the parking lot Earth angel was real. I felt it in my heart…my core…my center…my truth, at least that’s how it works for me. Throughout Casey’s recovery, whenever I hit my lowest lows and plummeted to the depths of despair, God sent me a sign that He was with me, and provided the strength and courage I needed to carry on. Since it’s rare for God to make a personal appearance, I believe He sends His messengers to do His work. For me, faith isn’t built on the tangible; it’s built on the intangible, the unseen.

How would you describe your religion? Many traditional Catholics in my town don't believe in tarot cards, for example, and the 'catholic plus' members (who  practice candle and herb magic) to my knowledge don't work with crystals or tarot either.

For me, embracing each day as if it were my last—being kind to others, sharing the joy and love in my heart with everyone I meet, standing in my truth, finding the positive in every situation, respecting others and their views without judgment, embracing the unlimited possibilities that life has to offer, exploring the unfamiliar, living authentically, staying in gratitude with every breath, and honoring my God, The Infinite, All That Is (however you describe your Higher Power)—has become my foundation. I’m not sure you would define it as religion: for me, it’s a way of living. 

How did your family react when you mentioned writing a book?

I am blessed to come from an extremely loving and supportive family. My children and siblings were thrilled and have been my greatest cheerleaders throughout the process.

What advice would you give people who are going through similar situations, or people who aren't as blessed as you were to get time off of work for so long?

Let love become the lens through which you see and embrace life, and allow gratitude to always be your silent prayer.

How is your family now?

Grief isn’t something that gets erased from your heart. Healing takes times. And even though the family has come to terms with our new normal, it doesn’t mean that we don’t ache for what was. Yet, we have accepted what is, moved forward, and embraced with wonderment the sweet miracles of life. 

You attended the international brain injury association conference last year. Has your son's experience inspired you to pursue an education in neurobiology/brain trauma?

Being more right brained than left brained, my son’s traumatic brain injury did not inspire me to pursue an education in neurobiology/brain injury. But it did inspire me to step out of my comfort zone and submit my abstract—A Mother’s Perspective: “A Ture Transdisciplinary Team”—at the International Brain Injury 10^th World Congress in 2014.  It was important for me to share from a mother’s point of view the combined efforts of all parties involved that created “A True Transdisciplinary Team”—members of different professions cooperating across disciplines to improve patient care through practice and research. In my case, my son’s recovery was based on the doctors and nurses: (1) administering the highest quality of care; (2) embracing the family’s nontraditional healing modalities; and (3) providing a powerful, positive, and supportive environment that enabled Casey to thrive. My abstract was well received by scientist and neurologist worldwide at the conference, who mentioned that the combined efforts (three points mentioned above) were vital to a patient’s overall healing process. Now, that’s inspiring!

Will there be more books in the future?

Yes. When you write a memoir, you have to stick to the facts. There is no wiggle room for creativity. My next book will be a novel. I am looking forward to stepping out of the box, knocking down the walls, and diving into the depths of my imagination, and beyond.

What else do you want readers to know?

I don’t believe any person leaves this world without enduring storms in life, some mild and some treacherous—loss of a job, divorce, terminal disease, addiction, and loss of a child or loved one… Yet it’s not the size of the squall that matters; it’s how we handle it that counts. Even though my dreams had been tossed and blown, I knew I had a choice—to surrender them or fight to keep them alive. I chose the latter. As difficult as it was to blaze through the gales blinded by the pelting rain, while dodging lightning bolts quaking at my feet, I marched on with hope in my heart. Cloaked in courage, faith became my guiding light. But at the end of the road I had another choice to make –to stay stuck in my grief or step into the life I was meant to create. I hope that my story of a mother’s love, the sad and the wondrous, can inspire others to brave their storms.

You host Joy Radio. Would you say that, or your writing career is more fulfilling?

I don’t believe there is one road to fulfillment and happiness. There are many forks in the road that present themselves in life, filled with unlimited opportunities that can stretch a person to become more than they already are. If that happens, I say, follow that road, and the next… Joy Radio has allowed me to be of service to the world by promoting authors and others that inspire, educate, and empower through their life stories. And writing has allowed me to strengthen my creative muscle while having fun. Both enrich my life beyond my expectations, bringing great joy. And for that, I’m eternally grateful. 

Interview with Michael Spradlin

In the Spirit of giving away the first Spy Goddess novel, I've interviewed Michael Spradlin about the series. Enjoy! ^_^

1. How did you come up with the titles? All of the Spy Goddess titles were my attempts at a humorous take on the titles of the James Bond films. And since my 'spy' was a teenage girl, Live And Let Die became Live and Let Shop, The Spy Who Loved Me became The Spy Who Totally Had A Crush On Me and so on.
2. Is there a message in your series that you want readers to grasp? I go out of my way to never write a 'message' book. If there is a 'message' in any of my books, it's that I hope the reader really enjoys it and wants to read all of my other books, tell one hundred of their closest friends and start on online petition for me to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize. That said, at a school visit once a student asked me what the main 'theme' was in all of my books, and I answered 'I really don't know.' And the librarian scolded me and said "Oh don't be ridiculous, all of your books are about the true meaning of friendship.' And thinking about it she may be right. My characters usually start out alone with the world against them or abandoned by those they thought were friends, only to learn that a real friend stands besides you when things are at their worst. 
3. Can you share a little of your current or most recent work with us? My most recent novels were the Youngest Templar novels. They're historical fiction set during the Third Crusade. The protagonist is Tristan a young Orphan raised by monks in England. He becomes squire to a Templar night and starts a series of adventures culminating in a dangerous quest. Along the way he also discovers the true meaning of friendship. Maybe that librarian was right. I also have a new picture book coming in August called The Monster Alphabet. And in September I have my first book for adults coming called Blood Riders. 
4. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? There are a million ideas out there. Practically every story you can think of has been told before in some shape or form. Narrowing down the idea and executing it successfully is the trick. 
5. Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work? My favorite author is John Steinbeck. There are a variety of reasons. Mostly because Steinbeck had a tremendous range to his work. Most don't know this because all they've read is Of Mice And Men or The Red Pony. But if you read Cannery Row or Sweet Thursday you find he could be very funny. And he had a love of people, especially for the most downtrodden among us. His humanity shows through in his writing.
6. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? All I want my readers to take from anything I write is enjoyment and entertainment. And to please read all my books! :)
7. How did you come up with the idea for the Spy Goddess Series? I actually was watching television late one night and saw an ad for a "Private Investigator School." And I thought how we have schools for everything in this world, what if there was a school for spies. Next thing you know Rachel Buchanan is off to Blackthorn Academy.
8. Who is your favorite or least favorite character to write? All of my characters become very real to me. Villains are of course a lot of fun. But I think my favorite is writing the hero or heroine. I don't think I have a least favorite. Every character has to serve a purpose. 
9. There were a couple scenes in your book that made me want to cry (particularly in the third Spy Goddess Novel). Were there any scenes you didn't want to write? Not really. I think as a writer your characters tell the story and they put themselves in positions only they can get out of. 
10. On the other hand, were there any scenes you liked that didn't make it to the final revision? I think there are always things you wish you could keep or maybe you want to keep. But you have to try and develop some objective distance so that a scene or chapter that really isn't driving the narrative forward has to go. 

Fun time!

• In the point of view of any character you choose, answer these:

Rachel Buchanan

1. What is your dirty little secret? I can't find my Jimmy Choo's
2. You're walking along and a dragon appears in front of you. What do you do? Are you kidding me? A dragon, I'm so taking him on our next mission. Hey Simon Blankenship, eat a little dragon fire, why don't you?
3. What is your heart's desire? Alex...I mean Brent...I mean Alex...no wait. Definitely Brent...or Alex. Doh! I can't decide..

Bonus round!
Is there one last thing you want to tell your readers? Visit my website at www.michaelspradlin.com
And lastly: Where can we all follow you?

There's a lot of places...

Website: www.michaelspradlin.com

Twitter: MSpradlinAuthor@twitter.com

Facebook Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-Spradlin-Fans/108160165908422

Youngest Templar Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Youngest-Templar/28625351406

Spy Goddess Facebook Fan Club: http://www.facebook.com/groups/247907160117/

Author Page on Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/1/s/Michael%20Spradlin%20Author%20Page

When Copper Suns Fall - The Dark Seraphine Tour and Interview

 

Welcome, Ladies and Gentlemen, to the Dark Seraphine Tour. This tour is all about the wonderful Kasonndra Leigh and her Copper Suns series. I reviewed her first book, When Copper Suns Fall, quite a while back. If you want the summary: "Buy it and read it now. Stop wasting time."

Before giving you the details on how to win all sorts of envy-worthy prizes, I got the chance to Interview Kasonndra! So have fun reading that below. 

 

1.      How did you come up with the title? The title changed almost a million times! No, but seriously though, it was hard. My story was different and I knew that. But my readers had also confirmed that what made it unique was also what made it so memorable. The title had to fit the story and vice versa. So it came to me one day as I stood in the Barnes & Noble that your story is actually about what happens after the copper suns fall. I said all that without spoiling too much, didn’t I? Haha.

2.      Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?Absolutely. I explain a little about the message on my goodreads website, but I’m happy to mention it again. It’s a story of choices and possibilities and all of the wonderful things that can happen when you put your mind into validating something you believe in. 

3.      Can you share a little of your current work with us?The story follows Chela, a young girl who lives in a rebuilt society. She has recently learned that both she and her sick brother have certain powers. In Chela’s society, a place created from an apocalyptic war between good and bad nephilim, any type of supernatural power is illegal. Anyone thought to be related to a celestial creature will either be killed or exiled. So imagine Chela’s shock after she learned her father, a leader in the governing body, has been hiding his children’s secret. But in defense of Chela’s dad, I’ll say he had a reason for keeping them both in the dark. It’ll be up to Chela to save her brother without being discovered. Enter handsome, dashing demon slayer along with a best guy friend who’d walk the wire for her and Chela is all set!

4.      Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?Pegging the voice/style in a book that crosses genres has been tough. Seriously, I had my friends and family calling me for sanity checks. I also had a hard time being disciplined about the process. I kept wandering away, doing yard work, filing my nails, anything to keep from writing. It took me six magical years to get When Copper Suns Fall's voice right. So to all of you struggling with your first novel and learning your writing style, I'll just say stick with it. Don't give up. Writing takes time to get right, and it doesn't come wrapped up in a writing course, either.

5.      Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?Oh I have so many favorite authors. This question is always hard. But I'd have to say Elizabeth Kostova. Her book, the Historian gave me the guts to go for the MFA myself. I also thought it was pretty cool to see a woman writing horror. That's different. I remember saying, "Wow. I can do something like that." I can be different and give the readers in my genre a fresh type of story, and have people accept me for my, eh-em...oddness. But strange in a good way, though.

6.      Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?Yes! Read. Read. Read. Write. Write. Read. Review. Review. Read. Write. I’m not kidding. Follow the percentages in this formula and you’ll see what I mean. Writing is a subjective business. If you want to survive in it, then you must know what makes your voice unique. It took me a very long time to find that voice. But by following the formula above I eventually got it right. And you will too. :-D

7.      How did you come up with the idea for copper suns?When I sat down and began writing When Copper Suns Fall, the story was a standard in your face, super-high fantasy. It came complete with blue creatures, unicorns, princes, and all that. Chela’s name was Cara and Faris had a name that has been overused lately.  I wasn’t trying to be fad girl or the Lady Gaga of the writing world. But rather, I was trying to write the story I always wanted to read. One that came to life when my oldest son asked me: “what if angels that looked like people lived in a dystopian society?” The seeds were planted, the lights in my muse’s apartment lit up. The challenge was on. I asked myself: “how do I stick to an urban setting with fantastical elements, but bring my love of dystopia into play?”

8.      Who is your favorite or least favorite character to write?Seth Alton, hands down, was my favorite character. I mean, the guy is sexy, cocky (in a good way, though) poetic, smart, strong, vulnerable…and did I mention sexy? Anyone who calls themselves the alpha and the omega when you ask him to describe himself is somebody to pay attention to right?

9.      There were a couple scenes in your book that made me want to cry. Were there any scenes you didn't want to write?Aww. My betas said the same thing. I probably know which scene you’re talking about because when I go back and read it I feel the same way. There were three scenes I didn’t want to write. And even though I can’t mention them without spoiling the fun, I’m sure you can figure out which ones those are. Being a writer can sometimes be hard. When you live with your character babies and you have to send one of them into angel land for real then it can really be tough. (Don’t be laughing at me now). 

10.  On the other hand, were there any scenes you liked that didn't make it to the final revision?There were tons of scenes that didn’t make it into the final revision. At that point, I knew that this was going to be a series versus a one-shot deal. Some of those scenes are going to show up in the sequel When Silver Moons Rise, so I can’t talk too much about them. But I will say you get the chance to get in the head of a hot guy in the next installment. LoL

Fun time!

In the point of view of any character you choose, answer these:

1.       What is your dirty little secret?My dirty little secret. Hmm. Where shall I begin. LOL. No, seriously though. I have a short story that I’m writing under a pen name. It’s for adults and you’ll find it to be not your typical goody girl story. I have a LOT of adult fans and betas who helped me get to this point. This story is my thank you to them.

2.      You're walking along and a dragon appears in front of you. What do you do?

I pull out my fireblade (a nifty little thing that aims itself…hehe) and let it rip!

3.      What is your heart's desire?

To purchase an Italian villa that’s as close to the Mediterranean as I can get.

And now what you've all been waiting for! *Drumroll*

Join When Copper Suns Fall as it tours through various blogs over the next couple weeks. This is a mini scavenger hunt.

Can you find the answer to this question: Who is the Dark Seraphine?

If so, then you can enter to win a prize package that includes a paperback copy of the book, a bookmark, an item related to the story, and a $40.00 gift card from either Amazon or Barnes&Noble. Plus, the bloggers get a chance to win something too. Tell us where you first learned about the Dark Seraphine Tour (KaSonndraleigh.com not included) and your favorite blogger could win a prize as well. Simply comment on this blog post, head over to http://kasonndraleigh.blogspot.com/ and fill out the form to be entered for a chance to win on February 24^th.

Most of all, have fun and enjoy the hunt!

Clue for Dark Seraphine hunt: The letter K

Open Minds: Author Interview with Susan Kaye Quinn

When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.

Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.



Susan Kaye Quinn grew up in California, where she wrote snippets of stories and passed them to her friends during class. Her teachers pretended not to notice and only confiscated her stories a couple times.

Susan left writing behind to pursue a bunch of engineering degrees, but she was drawn back to writing by an irresistible urge to share her stories with her niece, her kids, and all the wonderful friends she’s met along the way.

She doesn’t have to sneak her notes anymore, which is too bad.

Susan writes from the Chicago suburbs with her three boys, two cats, and one husband. Which, it turns out, is exactly as a much as she can handle.

1. How did you come up with the title?

Titles either come to me in a flash early in the process, or fight me every step of the way. This one was easy, being a spin on the telepathic nature of the world as well as its closed-mindedness.

2. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I firmly believe that everyone takes their own meaning from a story. But I also intentionally wove in strong themes about intolerance and its impact on individuals and society in general. Whatever the reader takes from the story, is what they’re needing to hear at that time. And I’m good with that. J

3. Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I’m working on Closed Hearts, Book Two of the Mindjack Trilogy. I just sent the second draft off to my critique partners. While I wait for that, I’m drafting a detailed outline for the As-Yet-Unnamed Book-The-Third.

4. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

All of writing is challenging. I had to conquer a lot of fear about my writing in order for it to really flourish, and I still occasionally struggle with fears – that it won’t be good enough, that people will judge the work, or simply not like it. Once my fears are beaten into submission, writing is like an addiction. I can truly say there’s no part that I dislike (except maybe for fixing commas. I just stink at that).

5. Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I’m a serious Scott Westerfeld fangirl. He’s brilliant, he takes chances with his work, his writing and imagination are fantastic. Simply brilliant! Did I say brilliant? The guy is wicked good at his craft.

6. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Let me know what you think of the books! I always love hearing from readers. #makesmyday

7. How did you come up with the idea for Open Minds?

I wanted to enter a 1^st paragraph contest online, but I didn’t like the 1^st paragraphs in my current novels. So I made one up for a novel that didn’t exist. The idea of it captured my imagination and I was pretty much forced to write the novel from there.

8. Who is your favorite or least favorite character to write?

I love all my characters. Seriously. Although I have a teensy crush on my bad boy characters, which you can probably tell from reading the stories.

9. There were a couple scenes in open minds that made me want to cry. Were there any scenes you didn't want to write?

I cry while writing all my novels. Partly because I’m a mush, and partly because I try to put my whole soul into writing. That makes really tough scenes very difficult to write sometimes. There’s one in particular in Open Minds that took me several months to finally push through and write (you can probably guess which one, if you’ve read the book). I kept trying to find a way around writing it, but the story demanded that it be there, so I had to write it.

10. On the other hand, were there any scenes you liked that didn't make it to the final revision?

Oh lots! In fact, I rewrote the thing so many times, I’ve lost track of the scenes that were cut or rearranged beyond recognition. But just because I really liked a particular kissing scene (hm, they always seem to be kissing scenes), doesn’t mean that it needs to be there in the final cut. I’m a big fan of only having what is necessary for the story.

Fun time!

• In the point of view of any character you choose, answer these: In the POV of Simon.

1. What is your dirty little secret? I’ve got a lot of secrets. It’s hard to pick just one. Not that I would tell you, in any event.
2. You're walking along and a dragon appears in front of you. What do you do? Slay it with my awesome mind powers. Or mindjack someone else into running slower than me.
3. What is your heart's desire? To have Kira choose me, even if she finds out who I really am.

Bonus round!
Do you have any questions for me?  

What was your favorite scene in the book? 

 My personal favorite has to be towards the end, when everyone is having nightmares and them *ahem* suddenly start having good dreams. I think it was really sweet.

Which one made you cry?

*Spoilers* It's a tie between when they took Laney and when Simon never made it out of the camp. Thinking about it now, it's definitely when Simon died. That was just cruel. ;) 

Is there one last thing you want to tell your readers? There’s a short prequel story to Open Minds called Mind Games coming out in an anthology on Valentine’s Day. It will be free on Smashwords, and the story gives you a taste of Raf’s POV, and what it’s like to be a mindreader in love with the only girl in school that doesn’t read minds. You can add it to your TBR here. 

And lastly: Where can we all follow you?

Here’s all my online deets: blog, twitter, facebook, Mindjack website. You can also subscribe to my author newsletter to get information about giveaways and upcoming releases