27 March 2014

Author Interview: Alan Porter, author of GM



Its time to meet another author and learn from their successful publishing journey. Today we meet Alan Porter, author of GM.


Geneticist Rachel Whitelock escaped the war in Zaire with a secret that could change the lives of millions. Now, eighteen years later, she is going back to oversee covert trials of the genetically modified crop that resulted.
But someones waiting for her, and hes been waiting a long time for her to return what she stole from Africa.
Hunted across the jungles of Bengara, Whitelock must pull off a daring plan that could make or break her career... and change the course of a nation. 

D.O: Thank you for joining us today on Authors' Curtilage book talk Alan Porter, and welcome.

AP: Thank you, Darmie, its great to be here.

D.O: What obstacles did you face in trying to tell the GM story?

AP: For me, any work of fiction works best where there is enough telling detailto make it convincing. For GM I needed to do huge amounts of research - everything from the possibilities of genetic engineering to how to fly a Schweizer 330 helicopter; from west African street cuisine to the weather in Goma at the end of August 1996. Most of that research only gets a fleeing mention - it acts as the spice of the novel rather than its main ingredient - but it is vital to get it right. So, getting those details sorted out was quite an obstacle to getting the book into a form that it could go to my editor.
Of course, research can have its up-side. Flying a helicopter fifty feet above the rainforest is a whole lot of fun!

D.O: Mm. I'm impressed by the efforts you put into this. Quickly let us meet Dr. Whitelock in GM?

AP: Rachel Whitelock is an entomologist and geneticist. That is, she works with insects and tries to modify their behavior through genetic engineering. In GM she has developed a strain of rice that causes pest locusts to destroy each other rather than surrounding rice crops.
Rachel is one tough cookie! She lived and worked in Africa in the 1990s and got caught up in the horror that was the Rwandan civil war. There she met someone who put her on the path that ultimately leads to the events of GM.
There are surprisingly few genuinely strong female leads in books and films right now. I did not create the character of Dr Whitelock as a deliberate attempt to redress this balance, but she does her bit anyway. She does not rely on the help of a man, she is probably the most unromantic woman you could meet and she can hold her own with some of the most dangerous characters in west Africa!

D.O: What is her mission in the GM story?

AP: She wants - needs - to use her talents to empower indigenous African farmers and make the kind of difference to the lives of people in the third world that financial-based aid rarely does. But creating the GM crop is only the beginning. She has much bigger plans, and she has to dodge a lot of bullets to bring that plan to fruition! Whether she goes about it in the right way is for the reader to decide.


D.O: How rounded is this story & how many years did it take you to tackle it?

AP: The story is rounded in the sense that we see Rachel following a path that she has been driven to follow for nearly eighteen years. She has one goal in mind, and nothing is going to stand in the way of achieving it. I think the reader is taken along that path very effectively - especially as her back-story is revealed gradually and we see that she almost has no choice but to act as she does.
The end, however, is not rounded at all! Originally I took Rachel to the point she had been aiming at all those years, then showed some of the aftermath of the decisions she had made. But that insulted the intelligence of my readers. So I cut the end. Now we follow her as far as her goal - that is up the point Rachel herself has calculated - but no further. She did not give a great deal of thought to the aftermath, and I wanted to leave the reader to make up their own mind whether what she does is right or not.
The book took a year to write from its initial conception to agreeing the final draft with my editor.

D.O: A year? That wasn't long compare to some story which will just refuse to get up for many years. Anyway, what changes has this story formed in your life as its writer?

PA: I used to write psychological horror novels. GM does have some horrific moments, but it is a much more conventionalthriller. This is a genre I will continue with now.

"They are meant to turn cannibal to defend their food supply, but they are not feeding anymore. Their sole driving force is to destroy. This is way beyond anything we predicted."


D.O: Who said this in GM? What is she referring to?

AP: This is Rachel Whitelock observing the first large-scale test of the GM rice crop in a hangar in Surrey. In small-scale tests the locusts that ate the baited rice turned cannibalistic, but only when Whitelock sees the experiment scaled up to tens of thousands of insects does the true effect become apparent. She knows for sure now that the crop she helped to develop will be able to make a significant difference in Africa.
This scene also hints at things to come once Whitelock arrives in Africa to run field tests, but to say any more would give too much away!

D.O: [Smiles] Okay then, hold it right there. Briefly tell us what the underlying theme of this story is about?

AP: Let me start by saying this book is not really about genetically modified crops at all! They feature, and they kick the action off, but the underlying theme is more about the clash of Western power with third world need. For decades the developed world has poured financial aid into Africa. And yet war and famine are still rife, partly because millions of dollars of that aid is siphoned off by corrupt governments to buy weapons and displace inconvenientpopulations. Rachel Whitelock is convinced there is another way. It is left up to the reader to decide whether she is right!

D.O: Is this story based on someone experiences or a pure work of fiction?

AP: It is pure fiction, although I have spent time with aid workers in Africa and some of the events in the book are derived from stories they have told me. The genetically modified rice is pure fictionprobably!  Already cotton plants have been modified with Bacillus toxins to make them lethal to bollworms; cabbages have been genetically laced with scorpion venom to kill caterpillars; and tests have been run to develop hep-b and cholera vaccines administered through modified bananas. So a rice strain that can alter the behavior of locusts? Not yet, but it is only a step or two away...

D.O: What genre is this story?

AP: Broadly it is a thriller. That is a very wide genre, but it fits alongside writers like Michael Crichton and Frederick Forsyth.

D.O: Okay. What draws you to this genre?

AP: Its what I like to read; I like to see and explore strong characters in tough situations. I am also committed to giving readers something a bit different. The first decade of the new millennium has seen commercial books and films become very bland and uniform. I enjoy tackling controversial subjects.

D.O: Okay. What do you hope people will take away from GM?

AP: First, they should enjoy it! If it makes the readers think in a different way about the third world, and the developed worlds attitude to it, thats good. If it shows that theres a whole lot more to a female lead character than her need for a man, perfect. But above all, enjoy it: it is a fast-paced adventure novel, not a political polemic!

D.O: All right then, Alan Porter, thanks for choosing Authors' Curtilage for your book promotion. I hope you'll stop by again for future promotion.

AP: I would be delighted to. Thank you.





GM is available worldwide in paperback and ebook:




 

20 March 2014

Author Interview: Morgan Straughan Comnick, Author of SPIRIT VISION



If God gave you a mission, would you answer His call?
The Lord has given Stary, a high school freshman, a mission: extinguish the evil residing in the murderer of two teens--Maren and Umbra. Stary never imagined that her strange visions meant that she was the Spirit Warrior for God and now with her powers activated, she must train to use them and try not to get caught by the murderer who has the ability to hide and conjure up the dark powers from the fallen angel himself--Lucifer. If Stary fails, not only will she lose her life, but Maren and Umbra will lose their entry into heaven and the world will be exposed to the madness of the murderer for the next forty years until the new Spirit Warrior is born.

Buy the book at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes | Smashwords

Interview with Morgan Straughan Comnick
Darmie Orem: What's your style of writing?

Morgan: I like to write using a lot of descriptive terms and imagery. I know I write a lot, but I try to make it flow so it is effortless, like how you breathe. I personally like books that have a little bit of everything, so I write that way as well; something for everyone. :)


Darmie Orem: What did you do before coming into the literary life? Make it very brief.


Morgan: I have dreamed of being a teacher since I was ten and I am still one and will always be in some form or fashion, no matter where my path takes me. They coincide fairly well most of the time.


Darmie Orem: What types of genre do you work within?


Morgan: Spirit Vision is a paranormal romance with mystery, high school life, and humor in it as well. I do not limit myself to one genre; I have way too many ideas for books all over the spectrum, but I like writing for young adults. I can bet that 90% of my books to come will be young adult, but I would like to compose an intermediate or juvenile work and write a few children's books as well in my life time


.
Darmie Orem: How did Stary's story begin? Was it an event which gave you the idea to write it, a character, or an image?


Morgan: Stary's story itself started after I decided I wanted to take a crack at writing a book, but I did not decide on the topic at first. I was exploring my school, observing things from the point of view of an author for the first time and it is amazing what I uncovered! I knew I wanted to write from the point of view of a freshman girl in high school since I was one; it made narration simple, relatable. I was into spiritual/ghost stories where humans helped them with a task at the time (I go through phases), so I knew that was my genre. I was in the bathroom and I was thinking of powers for Stary's powers and then I joked, saying, "Duh! Of course she can see spirits and see spirit writing; she would have spirit vision," and the title was born! The rest of the plot came to me in a rush within the next weeks. It was a pretty surreal experience, but I get ideas on a whim a lot.


Darmie Orem: How many years has the first chapter been growing in your mind?


Morgan: I have to write in order so chapter one was originally written close to ten years ago! 0.o Dang! Now I feel old! >.< It came to me fairly quickly. I watched anime where the heroines had symbolic dreams often, so that is what I intended for Stary to start off with. I have vivid dreams too, so I wanted to make it as detailed as possible, but the original version is much tamer than the one I have now! I added some more dark elements to it, but with the theme, it fits. Still, the three main parts are all the same.

Darmie Orem: What's the theme of SPIRIT VISION?

Morgan: "Hold on to what if." Maren and Umbra never give up to find a way to enter heaven even when it seems near hopeless. Stary never gives up on tracking a murderer, a task that could end her own life, in order to help her new friends. This pops up a lot in the book and this quote is so dear to me, I use it as my author quote on my business cards!

Darmie Orem: Do you make it a conscious choice to identify your theme before you start writing the novel or is it something which develops as the characters evolve?

Morgan: I think the characters reveal the theme to me. They lead me on every path the book takes. We fight over it and sometimes, they pout when I am stubborn, but it is like having your children in your head! You NEED them and in the end, it is THEIR tale you are sharing to the world. 

Darmie Orem: What is not quite right that your lead character has to fix? Please, briefly tell us.

Morgan: My lead character and narrator, Stary, finds out she is the chosen Spirit Warrior for God and she has the ability to see, communicate, and aide spirits and ghosts. In this case, she has been asked to track down the murderer of Maren and Umbra so she can take the evil out of the murderer and the spirits can move on into Heaven. This is a rule of Heaven to help save other innocent lives. This is a huge problem; I am not sure I could handle the task, although I would try!

Darmie Orem: Is there anything you wouldn't write about within your genres?

Morgan: Using religion and religious lore, I had to be careful because I did not want to offend anyone. This is a work of fiction after all. I was just careful with my wording. I also get red thinking about my characters in... 'adult situations...' Romantically, I know, as they age, things may happen and I will not deny it, but I will not go into graphic detail because, well, I get so...*blushes* Yeah, this is why I stick to young adult fiction and not the adult books with Fabio on the cover that my grandma loves! -_-;;

Darmie Orem: What are the elements in SPIRIT VISION that will keep a reader stay up all night reading, that will whisk him or her to faraway places and times, that will expand minds and inspire?

Morgan: How nicely put! :D Like I said, I put a little bit of something in there for everyone and I like putting twists and turns that the reader may not expect. I am told by many that the ending, although to me it was obvious, was real shocking! I think that is good. ^^ I also have different events going on, but they do tie together in the end: there is the mystery of the murderer, there is Stary trying to live a normal life and failing, there is Stary and who her romantic interests will be... A movie in your head I hope.

Darmie Orem: Shortly, what's the climactic end of SPIRIT VISION?

Morgan: Wow! I really do not like spoilers! But, I can tell you Stary, Umbra, and Maren do confront the murderer in an epic, to the death battle and several things are revealed. The ending also opens up the story to another book, which I am currently working on and plan to have out this fall! :)

Darmie Orem: Do you wish to be synonymous with fame and fortune in the publishing field?

Morgan: I am not going to lie; I would like to be a well-known writer and I could always use more money, but that is not my goal in writing. I want to share my stories with the world, have Stary's story loved by more people than myself, and inspire others to see that you should never give up on your dreams. If I get some fame and fortune from it, I will not complain. ;)

Darmie Orem: How many books do you plan to write & publish before you get off the ride of 
 literary life?

Morgan: For Spirit Vision, I have plans for a five book series, and I have ideas for at least three side books and a fan book. I have an anthology coming out this year as well and plan on another one in the not too distant future. I also have numerous ideas for other stories, all written down! If they ALL get published, I would say I am looking into over 200 books being published! 0.o It is a lot and I think I will write until I physically cannot any more or mentally, but I pray that never happens.

Darmie Orem: Morgan, will you write for us a short encouraging quote? [Smiles]

Morgan: :D Of course: I was always a super shy kid, a kid who worked hard at everything, but I always got second no matter what. It was never about a prize or praise, but I wanted to be good at one thing, I wanted someone to clap for me, I wanted to shine, just once. I wrote this poem a while back and I repeated it often like a mantra when I needed to get myself out of a tough spot and say, "You are good enough!" I want everyone to know they are good at something, they shine in their own way; we just have to find it and support each other's light.

"Someday...It'll be time
My time to show my light
Let my feelings glow in the night
and prove my heart can shine."

Darmie Orem: Hmm. Concise and sweet. Have you enjoyed this interview?

Morgan: Very much so! Thank you so much for having me, supporting my tour, and asking such excellent questions! :)

Darmie Orem: Thanks for choosing Authors' Curtilage for your Tour Stop for SPIRIT VISION presented by Paper Crane Books.


About the Author: Educator of young minds by day, super nerdy savior of justice and cute things by night, Morgan Straughan Comnick has a love for turning the normal into something special without losing its essence. Morgan draws from real life experiences and her ongoing imagination to spark her writing. In her spare time, she enjoys doing goofy voices, traveling to new worlds by turning pages, humming child-like songs, and forcing people to smile with her "bubbliness." It is Morgan's mission in life to spread the amazement of otaku/Japanese culture to the world and to stop bullying; she knows everyone shines brightly.
Follow the author at: Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube


19 March 2014

Author Interview | Spotlight: Jessica Dall, Author of THE COPPPER WITCH

It’s time for another awesome author interview  and spotlight — Anybody who reads this blog knows that I love illuminating the pathway of authors & novelists who work really hard to get their books published. Blog interviews like these are designed to show how well writers crafted their stories, how their books came to life. Today we meet Jessica Dall and her book THE COPPER WITCH.

Jessica Dall finished her first novel at age 15 and been writing ever sense. She is the author of such novels as Grey Areas and The Bleeding Crowd and a number of short stories which have appeared in both literary magazines and anthologies. When not writing, she works as a freelance editor and creative writing teacher in Washington, DC.






D.O: What inspired you to write it?

J.D:There were a few different things that inspired The Copper Witch, though I tend to point to the main one being a boring weekend and access to a free trial of ancestry.com. I’ve always been rather interested in genealogy and lucky for me my maternal great-grandparents were both from huge families meaning there has already been a lot of research done into that side of the family that is available online. Following one line way, way back, I ended up running into some British nobility and a direct ancestor with the name “Adela”. For some reason, the name stuck with me and it got me to thinking what had happened to all these generations of people. Especially the ones where family connections were everything, but you ended up as the seventh son or were so far removed from the “important” line of your family that all you really had was your pride. From there, Adela just stuck around and everything began to take shape.

D.O: How does it feel to be published author?

J.D: At the moment, a little stressful. I have a total of three books that are lined up to be published this year, so I have a lot of edits and marketing and all that fun stuff in the works for 2014. I have to say I am still incredibly excited. I can’t I’m quite up to Stephen King-levels of books coming out, but there really is something incredible about being able to get your hands on your own book. It certainly makes all the stress worth it.

D.O: Are you a mainstream author, an independent author or a self-published author?

J.D: The Copper Witch is out through 5 Prince Publishing which is a small press based in Denver, Colorado. While not one of the big publishing houses, they are a traditional press (and absolutely wonderful to work with). I suppose that would make me either an independent author or mainstream? I don’t think I have the gumption to take on publishing entirely alone as a self-publisher at the moment.

D.O: I wish you all the luck you need to succeed in the Literary Markets.

J.D: Thank you and thanks for hosting me!


Book short blurb: Adela Tilden has always been more ambitious than her station in life might allow. A minor nobleman’s daughters on a failing barony, Adela’s prospects seem dire outside of marrying well-off. When Adela catches the eye of the crown prince, Edward, however, well-off doesn’t seem to be a problem. Thrown into a world of politics and intrigue, Adela might have found all the excitement she ever wanted—if she can manage to leave her past behind.


Find Jessica Dall online

Website 

Twitter 

Facebook  


The Copper Witch

by Jessica Dall

Adela Tilden has always been more ambitious than her station in life might allow. A minor nobleman’s daughter on a failing barony, Adela’s prospects seem dire outside of marrying well-off. When Adela catches the eye of the crown prince, Edward, however, well-off doesn’t seem to be a problem. Thrown into a world of politics and intrigue, Adela might have found all the excitement she ever wanted—if she can manage to leave her past behind. 

 The Copper Witch is Available: 
Amazon
Smashword
B & N

10 March 2014

Interview with Roy and Jeff Authors of “Saving our Pennys”



Ever feel like you aren’t getting everything you want out of life? A man on a bus smiles or a stranger radiates happiness and you wonder, why isn’t that me? A child runs giggling across your path and reminds you what pure joy looks like, causing you to stop and ask… where is my joy?

Saving Our Pennys, a new release by Roy Dimond and Jeff Leitch is the book you need to read, to wipe that aged frown off your face – to find confidence in your abilities, to be happy, and to fearlessly embrace all of life's magic to the end, regardless of the difficulties you may encounter.

This book tells the story of a teacher, who facing a crisis, searches for answers to some of life’s most difficult questions. He is overwhelmed with the everyday burdens of life, yet must be there for others. He sees someone who walks in harmony with life, joyfully embracing the moment, and is inspired to begin his hunt for a mentor. During his search, it is revealed to him that the universe seldom takes a gentle path. Yet, if he has the courage to embrace his quest, he may discover that a hero’s journey will take him to the strangest of places. True enlightenment always leads to the unexpected. Growing from a “shadow” into a person of “substance,” he realizes that the sacred moment always waits patiently. By embracing the now, he grows into his true nature, the state called, “spirit” where balance and peace of mind exist, the place where wondrous joy has always been.



D.O: Forever, I've been wishing to write an inspirational book like Saving Our Pennys. But forever, I remain a terrible creator who uses lies to tell greater truths. Now that Roy & Jeff are here, I hope they will teach me to write one.

[Smiles]

I welcome the two of you on the site. Thanks for choosing Authors Curtilage for your book promotion. Thanks to Madi Preda your publicist, for sending you over here.


D.O: Is Saving Our Pennys your first co. authored book?

Roy… First Darmie, let me take a moment and thank you for interviewing us. It is greatly appreciated. Yes, this is the first time that I have worked with another writer on a book.  It’s been quite the experience and one I hope to repeat.

Jeff… (laughing)… and my first baptism into writing.  It’s been a fantastic ride so far…. And yes, this is my first experience as a published author.  It’s been great co-writing with Roy on this story.  I would co-write again in a heartbeat as well.  And before we go any further, as Roy said a moment ago, thank you for interviewing us both.  We sincerely appreciate you taking the time.


D.O: Roy & Jeff, what event in your life or career had a strong influence on you to write this soul lifting inspirational book, Saving Our Pennys?

Roy… As a Youth Worker in schools for over thirty years I met so many inspirational teachers, administrators, students, and parents. It’s a wonderful environment to work in. Everyday, there is somebody, somewhere in the school, helping someone. To have those situations around you, all the time, makes it a pretty special place to go to work.

Jeff… Couldn’t agree with Roy more.  It is amazing the amount of goodwill that is demonstrated every day.  I have been teaching for almost twenty years and you can’t help but feel fortunate to witness this daily ‘slice of life’.  It’s a fantastic job; people are incredible. 


D.O: Saving Our Pennys takes the reader on an odyssey through one man's life as he comes to terms with his life and his own ability to be happy. Is this book based on true a life experience?

Roy… Oh yes, Penny was a real student and a true inspiration. We describe her at the end of the book, although we changed many details to fit the larger story that we wanted to tell. Lab, the dog we mention, was also real and his role is prominently mentioned in the book. Lab inspired many, usually to laugh, and often to feed him, but he was indeed very real.

Jeff…And many of those details were based on our collective experiences as well.  We also infused some of our educational experiences into the story, when needed, to really try and capture the life messages that have hit us each day and over the course of a career.


D.O:  Hmm. That’s fascinating! How did the two of you begin writing and start gathering materials for the book Saving Our Pennys?

Roy… Jeff and I had worked together with at-risk students and I was moving from the area, so before I left, he and I hiked into an area called Golden Ears Mountain to reminisce. Along that hike we stopped at a bench and started talking about writing down some of our experiences. Twelve years later here we sit being interviewed. It has been a grand journey.

Jeff…During our time working together we both discussed how great it would be to write a book.  We both had a similar vision and questions about education and after some great talks, we knew we had something.  As well, I was pretty new to the profession, and Roy had seen a lifetime (laughing)… but it was very vindicating for me to have similar questions at the beginning of my career and just prior to Roy’s retirement.  We knew we had a story to tell.


D.O: I know that Jeff is the writer of focus of a Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children with Special Needs series called, Toss of a Coin written by Ted Kuntz.  And Roy is the author of The Singing Bowl and The Rubicon Effect. Who are you guys? Quickly before we come back to Saving Our Pennys, let's meet you.

Roy… Well Jeff’s the smart one. I’m the good looking one. Seriously though, I love traveling, love experiencing different cultures. I love being immersed in a culture where just getting dinner is a major effort. From Japan, to South America, to Europe, I travel with my wife and find it enriches our souls. We live in a little harbor on the west coast of Canada called Garden Bay and from our log home we look out at the Pacific Ocean. I try to walk around the lakes near my home everyday and of course to write.

Jeff…(laughing) The definition of smart just got downgraded.  Well, I’m a proud Dad of three and happily married to my wife Linda.  We live in Maple Ridge, British Columbia and are near many parks and streams.  Life consists of teaching full time with students and adults in both Day and Night School, as well as living at the hockey rinks and sports fields.  We’re extremely busy as a family but I always try to find time to read, to go for a run, and enjoy a great slow dinner with our busy family.  Right now, it’s an incredibly busy time for our family but Linda and I are really doing our best to enjoy the moments.


D.O: How hard was it to create the teacher in Saving Our Pennys and fleshed him out between the two of you?

Roy… Of the two of us Jeff’s the teacher and I think there was a lot of him in the story. Especially the caring and enlightened side of the character. Having worked together in that environment it was pretty easy to know what we wanted from the teacher in our book. I also based some of him on my mentor so we did not lack for good role models to base the character on.

Jeff…To me, it seemed the teacher voice came from both of us, as well as the myriad of conversations we had with our colleagues.  The feedback from many is how well they were able to understand and sympathize with the “teacher voice” as well as the everyday frustrations of those who go to work, and through life, uninspired.   But as well, many will see myself as the teacher in the story and Roy as the Scottish Teacher for obvious reasons.  Roy has been leaned on by thousands for his perspective on life; there is a reason for this.  I believe Roy’s and his mentor’s voice is truly one of the magical components of Saving Our Pennys.



D.O: How are characterization, plot, settings, imagery and theme fully and authentically realized in the story Saving Our Pennys?

Roy… Publishers so often ask writers, “What gives you the right to write this book?” For Saving Our Pennys we have spent a combined fifty years in the environment we wrote about. So we know that world well, how it feels, the pressure and the strains. The characters, plots, etc., it was all around us every day. To paraphrase from one of our characters, “We just had to have eyes… and use them.”

Jeff… Agreed… I don’t think I could answer that question any better.


D.O: Hmm. OK. What are the most wonderful things our readers will take away reading Saving Our Pennys book?

Roy… Great question. I hope there are many things people can come away with after reading our book… the importance of ‘the moment’ being one of them. That the fundamental need to change may start a journey more grand than anyone could ever imagine. Those who may inspire us are everywhere, IF you have the energy to look.

Jeff… I would also add that you can never, ever give up.  Our hope is that Saving Our Pennys will give people the courage to act on this message. 

D.O: What have the two of you learned creating this book?

Roy… I learned a lot about my friend Jeff. His insights and wisdom. I also learned how to have patience with another writer when he’s wrong. Sorry, just kidding Jeff. I learned that if you care about your story enough and work hard enough, you will find the real story you want to tell.

Jeff  (Laughing) We never doubted this story would not be told.  Roy and I also come from a healthy background in sports.  I believe that our team experiences groomed us for this.  Sometimes on a team you have to let others lead and there were times that this needed to happen.  Not because of ego, but passion for the message.  I’ve also learned that inner instincts are rarely ever wrong.  We acted on our impulses in many aspects of Saving Our Pennys.  I really believe Roy and I went the distance and left no stone unturned.


D.O: Any last thought for the readers of Authors Curtilage?

Roy… Just if you have a story in you, make sure you get to experience it, either through writing, music, or play. And if you can share that experience with a good friend it will be all the richer.

Jeff… Absolutely…. the world needs these messages.  With all the shared pain on this planet, we need each other’s stories to maintain and reinforce the magic of the common and uncommon in each day. 


D.O: Do you have a few suggestions to help anyone become an inspirational writer? If so, what are they?

Roy… It may sound trite but it is accurate. If you want to be a writer, sit down and write… every day. If you want to be an inspirational writer then you must allow others to inspire you. Jeff inspired me every day that we worked on this book and I will be forever grateful for that.

Thank you for taking the time to interview us Darmie. It’s a wonderful thing you do, supporting writers.

Jeff… Yes…. Write, and read….as much as you can.  Start a blog, write a diary, go for walks and runs - to let your world slow down so your words can accelerate.  You will absolutely amaze yourself at how fast your story emerges.  My Mom and Dad instilled the wonder of books.  My Dad always dabbled in the written word and inspired me to put pencil to paper.  By the time I had the great fortune to meet and get to know Roy, I knew this book was inevitable – published or not.  Pretty incredible to meet and work with someone who never breaks a promise, let alone to call ‘friend.’  It can’t be said enough…Thank you Roy.

And Thank you Darmie.  I am continually amazed at the writer’s world and the people who cherish the written word like yourself.  This is such a great experience.  Thanks so much.


D.O: [Smiles] thank you so much Roy and Jeff. It’s been an honor interviewing you. Dear readers, thanks for reading this interview. Purchase your copy of Saving Our Pennys soon. It is the best protection you need for your heart if you ever feel a hole in it is opening like a dark door.

Roy and Jeff, I wish you all the luck you need to be best-selling authors. Once again, thanks for stopping by.



Saving our Pennys is Available in: Paperback $11.45






Author’s social media links:  

Roy 

Jeff