I am a writer inspired by nature and human nature.
I love people, nature, art, music and literature.
I advocate for kids and families, childhood literacy and for the protection of monarch butterflies and their threatened habitat in my books, my poetry and on my blog. My blog supports Indie and traditional authors, features great books and poetry and provides tips for writers and readers as well. Be sure to check out the tabs at the top of my blog and leave a comment or two. Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit. I look forward to chatting with you. — Bette A. Stevens
Brief Bio: Stevens is a retired elementary and middle school teacher, a wife, mother of two and grandmother of five. Stevens lives in Central Maine with her husband on their 37-acre farmstead where she enjoys writing, gardening, walking and reveling in the beauty of nature. She advocates for children and families, for childhood literacy and for the conservation of monarch butterflies—an endangered species (and milkweed, the only plant that monarch caterpillars will eat).
Stevens is the author of AMAZING MATILDA, an award-winning picture book; The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too!, a home/school resource incorporating hands-on math and writing; and PURE TRASH, the short story prequel to her début novel, DOG BONE SOUP, a Boomer’s coming of age novel. MY MAINE, inspired by The Pine Tree State —Maine’s diverse landscape, natural beauty, rural communities, and independent people—the author’s 150 haiku poems, along with her photographs, reflect the Maine she knows and loves.
BOOK BLURBS:
“My Maine, Haiku through the Seasons takes readers on a poetic journey through the state’s four distinct seasons. Whether you’re a native Mainer or from away, Stevens’s short story poems and photographs will resonate. The collection opens with Maine Pines and People. The journey continues with the rejuvenating spirit of Spring Awakenings and Summer Songs; then on to more of Maine’s extraordinary places and people in Autumn Leaves and Winter Tales. In addition to its poems and photographs, My Maine includes state symbols and interesting facts about The Pine Tree State.”
“DOG BONE SOUP is not only a fabulous title for a novel, it’s also the staple diet of the young hero, Shawn Daniels . But it takes more than an impoverished family life, exacerbated by a drunken father, to keep our Shawn and his brothers and sisters down.” Survival, struggle and the human spirit rising above it all—a 1950s and ’60 coming of age adventure.
“PURE TRASH is an emotional and soul-searching short story read. Compassion is a beautiful thing.” A single day—a lifetime of lessons.
Inspire the kids to follow their dreams with AMAZING MATILDA, an award-winning Monarch Butterfly picture book adventure! (ages 4-11).
CLICK, LOOK & LISTEN as author Pamela Beckford reads AMAZING MATILDA for United Way’s Childhood Literacy Program:
Encourage the kids (elementary and middle-graders) with THE TANGRAM ZOO & Word Puzzles Too!—a great resource for home or school. Puzzles, poetry, reading, research, writing and projects too!
I would love to hear from you (comments below).
Find out more about author Bette A. Stevens and take a “Look inside” her books atYOUR AMAZON.
Paperback copy of THE TANGRAM ZOO & WORD PUZZLES TOO!—Yvette M. Calleiro
Welcome to Rave Reviews Book Club’s “BACK-TO-SCHOOL BOOK & BLOG BLOCK PARTY” at author Bette A. Stevens’s website/blog 4writersandreaders ONLINE! Location: Hartland, Maine where five (5) awesome prizes will be giving away today—September 10th!
Hi and thanks so much for visiting my blog and joining RRBC’s September “Book & Blog Block Party” today. To ENTER today’s GIVEAWAY, simply read along and leave a comment at the bottom of this post. You’ll get a glimpse into my books and find a short author bio too. As a writer inspired by nature and human nature, I continue to advocate for children and families, for childhood literacy and for monarch butterflies and their environment. To find out more about my books and poetry I invite you to explore my blog. I feature fellow authors and their books, share helpful writing tips and inspirational posts from my writer/blogger friends too. I hope you enjoy your visit! ~ Bette A. Stevens
Prizes Bette’s giving away today!
One $10 Amazon Gift Card
One e-Book copy of DOG BONE SOUP
One e-Book copy of PURE TRASH
One Paperback copy of AMAZING MATILDA
One Paperback copy of THE TANGRAM ZOO & WORD PUZZLES TOO!
Number of winners for this stop: 5!
BOOK BLURBS:
“DOG BONE SOUP is not only a fabulous title for a novel, it’s also the staple diet of the young hero, Shawn Daniels. But it takes more than an impoverished family life, exacerbated by a drunken father, to keep our Shawn and his brothers and sisters down.” ~ Charles Bray (MG/YA/Adult coming-of-age historical fiction)
“PURE TRASH (Short story prequel to DOG BONE SOUP) is an emotional and soul-searching short story read. Compassion is a beautiful thing.” ~Amazon reviewer
“How can so much imagery fit in such a small space? A host of human emotions and an entire era are crammed within a handful of pages. What’s even more impressive, is that it’s all accomplished from the point of view of a simple boy.” ~ Nicholas Rossis
Inspire the kids with AMAZING MATILDA, an award-winning Monarch Butterfly picture book adventure! (ages 4-11)
CLICK, WATCH & LISTEN as “Blossom” (author Pamela Beckford) reads AMAZING MATILDA—with permission from author Bette A. Stevens—for United Way literacy campaign.
Encourage the kids (elementary and middle-graders) with THE TANGRAM ZOO & Word Puzzles Too!—a great resource for home or school. Puzzles, poetry, reading, research, writing and projects too!
“I’ve used The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too! in my classroom with students(grades 4-8))—The Zoo is a great resource for integrating research and creative writing into a math or science curriculum. One of the project ideas included in the book is for the kids to create their own tangram animals to add to The Zoo… and write their own rhyming riddles. It’s hands-on learning that’s creative and lots of fun!” ~ Bette A. Stevens
Author Bio:
Inspired by nature and human nature, author Bette A. Stevens is a retired elementary and middle school teacher, a wife, mother of two and grandmother of five. Stevens lives in Central Maine with her husband on their 37-acre farmstead where she enjoys writing, gardening, walking and reveling in the beauty of nature. She advocates for children and families, for childhood literacy and for the conservation of monarch butterflies—an endangered species (and milkweed, the only plant that monarch caterpillars will eat).
Stevens is the author of AMAZING MATILDA, an award-winning picture book; The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too!, a home/school resource incorporating hands-on math and writing; and PURE TRASH, the short story prequel to her début novel, DOG BONE SOUP, a Boomer’s coming of age novel published in January 2015.
You’ll find all of my books on YOUR AMAZON. Once again, thanks for stopping by—don’t forget to share your thoughts and comment below to enter the giveaway. Good luck on winning one of the five prizes! I’ll see you at the next stop of this awesome Rave Reviews Book Club “BACK-TO-SCHOOL BOOK & BLOG BLOCK PARTY” ~ Bette A. Stevens
To read excerpts from Bette’s books, find her poetry and some excellent writing tips or perhaps learn more about monarch butterflies and download some cool freebies about them (top of blog tabs), simply click the link below and explore her blog…
Author Jan Hawke is on tour with her novel Milele Safari and she’s stopped by to tell us a bit about her book today. Hawke has included a fascinating excerpt from her novel as well. Welcome to 4writersandreaders, Jan. The page is yours and we’re looking forward to finding out more about you and Milele Safari, An Eternal Journey.
Part 5 – Zimbabwe
It’s almost a fairy tale really. Regrettably it’s mostly a Grimm one in terms of extremes of human rights, white on black and vice versa, black on black, economic, political affiliations—you name it, Zimbabwe’s most likely had a problem with it, or will have. From a safari point of view however, Zimbabwe’s almost peerless. A pearl of a tourist destination, even though it’s land-locked. Actually, scrap that— it doesn’t matter that it has no coastline, because Zimbabwe has the Zambezi and its ‘baby’ Lake Kariba. My third safari trip was to Zimbabwe and, a year after our hairy Tanzanian adventure, it was one that I had reservations with, which were more or less evaporated on starting out at Lake Kariba with our own private game guide. Harry Burton isn’t entirely based on that engaging young man, his backstory is an amalgam of several safari guides we met, as are his experiences, but the ethos for ‘high end’ quality safaris is right up there with only the decade being totally different. Our Zimbabwe holidays took place at the start of the 1990s ten years after the civil war ended and while there was still a reasonable amount of interracial amity about, before the program of white evictions began. To this day the safari trade still goes on regardless so ‘my’ Zimbabwe is still there, although some of the National Parks, like Gonarezhou remain mostly off the main tourist track (in the late 1980’s and 90’s it was still heavily mined and definitely a no-go area). Zimbabwe and its wildlife is truly beautiful though, and Harry’s Africa really needs no further embellishment from me in here. Lake Kariba remains high on the list of places I love most in this world and, if you’re prepared to live with the political exigencies and are careful who you travel with, I’d definitely recommend the country as one of those places to see before you die. From a wildlife perspective it’s still ‘last chance to see’ territory, as it’s one of the few countries to have black and white rhino in any significant numbers and, like other parts of southern Africa, it is enjoying some notable success with sustainable eco-tourism involving the indigenous people, and in running limited licensed hunting franchises to support conservation areas. Long may that continue…
Milele Safari back blurb—Milele Safari – An Eternal Journey …twines around a single day, in an unremarkable border village that snuffs out the lives of four people and shatters many others, only to draw the survivors back to a different time and, perhaps, a hope of atonement and peace. Step out on the journey and discover an Africa that could have been, is and might one day come to be.
Excerpt from Trophies
It was money for old rope almost and the client paid through the nose for literally everything – the pro hunter’s fee being almost the least of it. Silly prices, and paid at source, where it did most good and everyone, including the precious animals, benefitted in some way. Gun hunting was just not something he enjoyed doing anymore, however great it was for easy money. It was too crude and if the client was a bad shot it could get very distressing, especially if they didn’t miss but botched the shot and hit a non-fatal area… … He was swearing under his breath as he tried to balance himself to take yet another shot at this bloody buff. Bloody client more like! Big Mr. ‘I am’, and he was ‘gonna git himself one of them big motherfuckin’ Cape bufferloes’… Flaming idiot! He should have listened to his instincts and refused to go out with Marjulies today – the amount the man’d put away last night it was a wonder he made it to lunch, let alone breakfast, but there were only two full days left of their stay here and the old dugga bull they’d found down by the river should’ve been feeling sluggish so late in the day…… ‘Shit!’ The blasted animal had literally charged and nutted the tree trunk so hard he’d nearly fallen out and his shot had missed by miles. Harry reloaded quickly, his face grim. He’d have to chance it and get back on the ground because he sure as hell wasn’t going to get a good killing shot in sitting up in a tree bole with this useless clot of a client, who’d managed to drop his weapon even before they’d both had to take shelter from the maddened buff in this ruddy tree. He looked up at Marjulies, who was rustling the leaves on the next branch up he was so shit-scared. ‘Stay put and try to be quiet – I’ll have to get down if it backs off again.’ Dear God, the man was actually crying now… ‘I mean it! Stay there.’ The old bull was puffing and blowing again. This one wasn’t going to let things lie and not because by rights it should be lying dead several yards off. All they’d done so far was get it so pumped up with adrenalin it was literally running on spite now. It had moved off a little at last, but was still glaring up at them in the tree. Harry raised his rifle and used the telescopic sight to assess the damage he’d inflicted so far. Despite himself he was impressed – there was blood everywhere down the forequarters, so he’d got it in the chest at least once and judging from the way it was spurting blood he’d hit a major vein, if not the heart. That was buffs for you – mean as hell and long on retribution. This old boy wasn’t too far past his prime either. He’d hate to meet up with the new guy who kicked him out – must’ve been bloody monstrous.Very, very slowly he put his weight on the right leg and slid his left down and behind the trunk until his foot rested on the stub of an old branch, still looking at the bull. Finally it turned away and trotted off for fifty yards or so, breathing hard now. He only needed those few moments to drop lightly to the ground with most of his body hidden by the tree trunk. The buff had stopped, its chest heaving with the effort of its final strength, but it looked back at them, angling around so he had a choice of a head shot or one more to the chest. He had four shots and those should do it he thought as he raised the Browning.‘Burton! Behind us!’ Marjulies hissed at him loud enough for the buff to bellow out its anger and turn full on again. Harry slewed his head towards the slight movements from nearby mopane brush in time to see a battery bird fly away. ‘Shut the fuck up!’ he growled viciously as he swung back and revised the low shot he’d contemplated in favour of the head. The wounded buffalo snorted aggressively and its muscles bunched in obedience to its final crack at vengeance. Hold tight Harry… Keep your focus… but this had gone beyond rationality now. He let off two shots in quick succession and still it came, even though both times he saw skin and blood flying away and the white of bone between the buff’s eyes. Another shot, another hit, into the eye itself this time and at last it stumbled as he began to lower the Browning. There was a scream above him from Marjulies that joined the echoing gunshots reverberating in his ears as, unbelievably, the animal heaved itself back into the charge. Harry inhaled and held it in a mixture of fury and fear as he took careful aim with his last shot, knowing he’d need to be bloody lucky to have time to reload if it didn’t go down this time. Wait. Wait. Make it count. Let it get close. He fired.He breathed out and stood his ground as the old buffalo finally crumpled forwards onto its knees and slowly fell onto its side as the rear legs splayed and faltered and then were still. It was about two yards away from him. He could smell its blood and sweat, saw the ever-present flies rise up with a buzz, then fall back onto its face, feasting on fresh blood and brains. His legs were shaking now and he breathed in sharply, squatted down on his haunches and bowed his head, trying not to throw up.‘Why’d ya shoot the bastid inna head! Ya could’ve spoilt ma trophy!’ The punch he landed on Marjulies’ ugly yellow mug smashed his nose almost to a right angle. It was worth breaking two of his own fingers and the mocking laughter back at the Lodge when the trackers asked him which one of them had really shot the buff’s tail off… ‘First rule in the Pro Hunter’s manual – follow up the client’s shot PDQ and be prepared to say yours was the one that missed, if you want your tip.’
Other Zimbabwean chapters
Perfect Day – Harry hosts a full day’s game excursion by boat and open land cruiser to view bathing elephants, threatened rhino, buffalo, not to mention a wealth of birdlife and crocodiles. The Gathering of Water – the group are dropped off at the lake and dam where they hear the strange tale, half myth, half mystery of Nyaminyami, the Spirit Guardian of the Zambezi and meet Harry’s nephew, Luey who explains the legend more prosaically.
MEET THE AUTHOR: Jan Hawke
I live near Launceston in Cornwall, UK with Toby and Benji the Springer Spaniels – it’s a tie between us all as to who’s maddest, but as I outrank them in being weird anyway it’s not open to debate really. I’m physically lazy with things that don’t hold much interest for me (so that’s mostly housework and, increasingly, cooking…), but I love where we live, mainly because I chose it for being so quiet and off the beaten track, very close to the moors and quite near to the sea. I also love books, both to write and to read, the latter of which can be very eclectic (I enjoy Julian Barnes, Kate Atkinson, Jeanette Winterson and will happily admit to Jilly Cooper too) but in the main I’m heavily into SF&F, particularly Tolkien, Terry Pratchett and Julian May, although I can pass on Zombie Apocalypses fairly easily… …how I’ve chosen to write about Africa for my first novel may be something of a surprise to my friends, but if you read it you may find that all of the above information manifests in there somehow! Future projects include a futuristic fantasy series, loosely grounded in Celtic myth – The Shadow Chronica (http://havenlands.blogspot.co.uk/), which is kind of stalled at present, but I’ll be dusting it off as summer gets in full flood with the first novel hopefully available at the tail end of 2016.
Thanks for stopping by, friends. Jan and I would love to hear from you (comments below). Milele Safari is now on my TBR list and I’m definitely looking forward to the read. ~ Bette A. Stevens at http://www.4writersandreaders.com
Bette A. Stevens is an indie author and DYI-er (mostly) who has written and self-published four books—The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too!, Amazing Matilda, Pure Trash and Dog Bone Soup—since 2012. You can out more about the author and take a ‘Look Inside’ her books on YOUR AMAZON.
From the author
I’m an author whose first book was published in 1997 by Windswept House, a small regional press in Mt. Desert, Maine. When the company went out of business and the original rights to the first edition of The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too! were returned to this author, I decided to check out local publishing houses and self-publishing as well. In the process I discovered CreateSpace—a self-publishing affiliate of Amazon—and decided to give it a whirl. I had been an editor and desktop publisher for several years before embarking on a teaching career. Self-publishing doesn’t have to be a ‘go it alone’ experience. There are abundant resources available locally and online (excerpt and article link below) to help you get your own book(s) in print and on the way to readers. ~ Bette A. Stevens
What exactly is an Indie author anyway?
“Indie authorship and self-publishing are not quite synonymous but an independent author will have self-published at least one book.”
“Dog Bone Soup takes place in the fifties and sixties, but it could be anytime America as poverty, alcoholism, abuse, integrity, and ingenuity still abound” ~ Linda Loegel
“This kid has grit. Determination. A solid grip on his own worth.” ~ Marilyn Armstrong
DOG BONE SOUP by Bette A. Stevens is the saga of the coming of age of a poor boy in New England. Set in the 1950s and 60s, Stevens’s debut novel tells an American story…
I’m often asked why I wrote a book about a poor kid growing up in America in a dysfunctional family in the 1950s and 60s.
As a retired teacher, I have a deep concern for kids living in poverty today—these children are often bullied and looked down upon by other kids and even by some adults, all because of the social status of their families. Poverty and prejudice appear linked through the generations. The bullying I’ve seen isn’t simply relegated to kid stuff. Adults can and should make a difference for the better in the lives of these children—of all children. Many of these kids continue to suffer, and are often traumatized, throughout their lives because they’ve been bullied or intimidated simply because they’re poor. I know, I’ve met many of them. DOG BONE SOUP is a fictional story of the survival and the triumph of a boy who overcomes the odds of repeating the pattern of poverty in his own life back in the 1950s and 60s, an era when most families were living The American Dream.
Unfortunately, DOG BONE SOUP is as relevant today as it was in the 1950s and 60s. Fortunately, we do have the opportunity to change these statistics today. As caring and concerned adults, we can all make a difference—one child at a time.
THE DAYS WE SPENT TRIMMING TREES and typing over at Mrs. Ashley’s flew off faster than a sweet dream, as Mum would say. What Mum couldn’t do with her moccasin, Mrs. Ashley took care of with her typewriter and adventure stories. The three of us took turns reading chapters in ‘The Jungle Book’ together after Saturday dinners that fall. Mrs. Ashley always had chocolate ice cream to go along with her fancy desserts. I liked to chomp on the fancies while Willie gorged himself on ice cream. Mum couldn’t believe it when Willie started working on his spelling and even read a book every now and then at the house.
Uncle Ted took me out to the lake fishing on Sunday afternoons a couple of weeks after we finished our Favorite Things lists. I’m sure that had something to do with Mrs. Ashley, too. Dinner times, she’d be talking to Uncle Ted about her mahogany row-boat. She told him it would be nice if he had a son to take out fishing with him. “You know I hate to see that boat just sitting out in the shed, knowing how much you love your bass fishing,” she’d say.
School never changed much. I still hated it. But, I did find out that Timmy didn’t want to join Buddy that day out on the playground.
A few days after the sing-songing, Timmy came over by me at recess and asked if he could shoot marbles.
“You just go over and play marbles or anything else you like with your best friend Buddy Wentworth,” I snapped.
“Buddy’s not my friend. He’s always mean to me. You hear him. Buddy’s mean to everybody. I just try to stay out of his way. Buddy made me sing with him that day. Said if I didn’t, he’d beat me to a pulp after school. I hate recess and I hate Buddy Wentworth. You’re the only friend I’ve got. You never make fun of me when Buddy gets something going. Can I please play?” Timmy begged.
“Sure. Where’s your marbles?”
He snatched them out of his pocket and I got my only real friend back that day.
If anyone thought that Timmy Doyle was a little slow had watched us play marbles, they’d have known that was nothin’ but a lie. Timmy took to playing marbles, quick as a baby chick takes to peckin’ for its grain.
I kept my grades up to all As and Bs. I sure didn’t want Mum’s moccasin on my butt. Willie was getting Cs on his report cards. Mum was just fine with that. I suppose getting Cs was lots better than the Ds he’d been bringing home before Mrs. Ashley.
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DOG BONE SOUP by Bette A. Stevens
A fresh slice of “The American Pie” Paperback $9.80 Kindle/eBook $3.99 OR
Purchase paperback and download kindle version for FREE Grab a copy of DOG BONE SOUP today onYOUR AMAZON!
The Rave Reviews Book Club SPOTLIGHT is shining on Maureen K. Howard—pen name of mother/daughter writing partners, Maureen Kovach and Brigette Howard.
How do they do it? The dynamic duo is here at 4writersandreaders today to fill us in… plus, they’ll share an excerpt from their book SUNNY SIDE UP by Maureen K. Howard, of course! ~ Bette A. Stevens
“Here’s How the Magic Happens”
~by Brigette Howard
Have you ever had a paper to write for school or a letter to compose, and you wished you could just write down all of your ideas, go to sleep, and wake up in the morning with a perfectly formatted and beautifully finished document? Me too. I am lucky enough to have this dream come true when working with my writing partner, who is also my wonderful mother.
People are always very curious about how two people can write a book together. I don’t know how others do it, but in our team, we have come up with a great system that works for us. It also helps that I often feel like we share a brain.
My mom and I live only about a mile from each other in Findlay, Ohio, but our writing is almost always done in separate locations using Google Docs, text messages, and phone calls (or book talk) as we like to call it. Our basic practice is to start with an outline that may or may not have a fully-planned ending. Character names and personalities always seem to be the first thing we try to define. We chat on the phone or over a glass of wine until our cast of characters really take on their own lives. And then the fun begins.
This very rough outline is posted into a new Google document that each of us can access at any time from our own personal computers. From here, we expand from the outline to form our first draft.
Since we both worked at full-time jobs and the business of everyday life while writing Sunny Side Up, we were hardly ever able to dedicate the same time in our schedules to write, but that was alright because we each fell into our own roles in the creative process.
Personally, I am an idea person. My head is filled with plot twists and zany situations that I can’t put into words fast enough. I get frustrated when I have to worry about punctuation, grammar or finding just the right phrase. My mom, on the other hand, is a word wizard. She has multiple degrees in English language and literature as well as over twenty years experience as a high school English teacher.
On most nights, I sit at my computer sipping a glass of red wine, much as our characters, Francie and June, often enjoy, and I just pour out onto the screen everything I can without worrying about the technical stuff. I often write in bullets, change tenses in the middle of chapters, sometimes adding tons of dialogue, and sometimes realizing that the characters haven’t spoken in six pages, but I get my thoughts down on paper. This is where the magic happens.
When I wake up in the morning or log on to my computer the next afternoon, my three-page jumble of nouns and verbs and scattered punctuation has transformed into a perfectly polished six- to eight-page masterpiece. It is so exciting to see my ideas transform into so much more, and Maureen (Mom) gets the same fun seeing more of the story develop each time she logs on. It has been a great system for us so far and has given us something great to share. (Psst…I can’t wait to see what she does with this piece. I better go take a nap so the elves can do their magic)!
Author Bio:
Maureen K. Howard is the pen name of mother/daughter writing partners, Maureen Kovach and Brigette Howard. They both live in Findlay, Ohio. Maureen recently retired from a long career as a high school English teacher and now focuses her time on spoiling her three granddaughters, spending long weekends at the lake with her husband and their golden doodle, and making friends with fellow mystery writers and readers across the globe via social media. Oh yeah, she also writes books.Brigette works full time managing multiple national restaurant franchises. She enjoys taking her charcoal lab on running adventures and spends her free time reading, gardening with her husband, cooking, and planning the perfect murder.
Read an excerpt from SUNNY SIDE UP by Maureen K. Howard:
CHAPTER TWO
Did I leave my vibrator on? Oh wait, I don’t own a vibrator, so what was causing the riotous pile of clothes on my bedroom floor to buzz with such urgency? The mundane truth was that I’d switched my cell phone ringer off so I wouldn’t lose focus while trying to assemble my weekend wardrobe. Obviously that wasn’t working out so well for me.
I located the gyrating devil under some discarded tank tops and swiped the answer button on the screen just before the call was switched over to voicemail. “Hello?”
“Francie! Is it a go? Did you get the hubby to agree to run us over to the island in the boat this weekend?”
“It’s good to hear from you, too, June. And no, I haven’t even gotten around to asking him yet. He’s downstairs whipping up one of his gourmet meals, and I sure don’t want to distract him from that. I was trying to figure out what I should pack. How do you prepare for freezing cold mornings, balmy afternoons, torrential downpours and high winds—and fit everything into one suitcase? At least I don’t have to worry about bathing suits. After the winter we’ve just had, the lake probably won’t warm up until August.”
“Sorry. I’m just anxious to get to the island. My editor is jumping down my throat to get this story in before the official start of the season.”
June’s passion was hard to resist. She was like that about everything she did—she took off running and didn’t look back. I could feel myself being lured in to the promise of fun and adventure. It wouldn’t be the first time.
My best friend was a freelance writer. She worked for a consortium of specialty magazines running the gamut from Fruit Aficionado to The Neighborhood Cigar, to my favorite, Lady Sings the Tools. Two years ago she gave up her high-profile job as an investigative reporter for WCLV, the major network news channel in Cleveland. After her divorce, she bagged up all her corporate outfits, chopped off her hair, and set off on a new career path that didn’t hamper her free spirit. Her new job now requires her to spend time with all kinds of interesting people from every walk of life instead of digging up dirt on the lowest of low-life criminals.
Recently, I even got to meet Christie Browne, the beautiful model, while June was working on a story about the latest beauty product the star was endorsing. In our enthusiasm to prove our support for the much-touted self-tanning lotion, we doubled the recommended amount as well as the recommended usage time. Our skin turned a frightening shade of burnt pumpkin, and wouldn’t you know it, I had to accompany Hammond to a formal dinner party given by his firm that same evening. June, on the other hand, was able to postpone her face-to-face interview, and by the time we met Christie, we both looked sweetly sun-kissed. She got rave reviews on her piece. I got put on a prayer list.
“I get that you’re under a deadline, but if I don’t approach Hamm in just the right way, I’m fried. Let me call you back in a little while.”
“Okay, but let me know soon. If I don’t take this assignment, I’ll be stuck documenting the mating behaviors of ferrets for the next two weeks.”
The “Rave Reviews Book Club SPOTLIGHT” is a great place to meet new authors and discover great new books. Today, the SPOTLIGHT is shining on Tim Hemlin, author of “The Wastelanders.” ~ Bette A. Stevens, 4writersandreaders.
The New
We thrive when the creative spirit pulses through our mind, body and soul and the new suddenly springs to life. And I fully admit that’s me. I love writing first drafts. If I had my way I’d only write first drafts for the rest of my life and they’d magically edit and revise themselves. When I first wrote The Wastelanders it took on a life of its own, surprising me at many turns. The Poet Theodore Roethke wrote, “Those who are willing to be vulnerable move among mysteries.” This is what I thought of when slowly I developed my little Time Witch in The Wastelanders. Si-Ting has prescient powers and discovers she can “bend time.” Think of the cat in the Matrix. Neo sees it then sees it again and comments he’s had a déjà vu. Instead it’s a glitch. Time has changed. Si-Ting can make changes, though they must be immediate and she is limited to the shadow of the present. It makes her strong, yet it also makes her vulnerable, open to danger. It is a powerful tool for good. Or evil, should this knowledge fall into the wrong hands. I’d not originally planned this for Si-Ting. But I allowed her to grow as the story unfolded, and she showed me the power she had. That’s what the new does for me. This is why I find the new delightful.
Author Bio:
Tim Hemlin is a marathoner, teacher, and has his master’s degree in counseling, but his passion for the environment sparked him to write The Wastelanders, a dystopian-clifi published in both e-book and paperback by Reputation Books. He is represented by Kimberley Cameron of Kimberley Cameron & Associates Literary Agency. Hemlin has also published a Wastelanders short story called ‘Black Silence’ as a bridge between the first book and its sequel. He is currently in the notes and brainstorming stage for the Wastelanders sequel. Recently the Muse has kindly allowed TIm to tap into that creative magic and pen a young adult urban fantasy. If all goes well with the edits and revision, the final draft should be completed by early summer. Finally, in the late 90s Ballantine published the Neil Marshall series of culinary mysteries set in Houston, Texas. These include If Wishes Were Horses, A Whisper of Rage (nominated for a Shamus Award), People in Glass Houses, A Catered Christmas (the one I most enjoyed writing), and Dead Man’s Broth. He has recently gotten the reversion rights and is planning on reissuing them under an elite publishing house out of New Orleans.
Hemingway liked running with the bulls. Tim enjoys running with dragons (that’s what he calls his grandkids).
Comments to Tim’s post are most welcomed and appreciated. Happy writing and reading, friends! ~ Bette A. Stevens, 4writersandreaders. (Member of Rave Reviews Book Club)
Sharon K. Connell is the author of Christian/romance/drama fiction and it’s a pleasure to have her with us today at 4writersandreaders.
What readers are saying
Christian/romance (fiction) novels by Sharon K. Connell
A Very Present Help by Sharon K. Connell
This book is artfully written and creatively weaves the plot from beginning to end. It is a great reminder that God is still involved in our lives. This is a must read and leaves the reader filled with hope! ~ Jennifer
It’s wonderful to have you with us today, Sharon. I can’t wait to find out more about you and your books. First of all, tell us a little about yourself.
Meet Author Sharon K. Connell
I was born in Wisconsin, grew up and went to school through College in Illinois. In 1988, I moved to Florida and graduated from Bible School in 1995. For most of my adult life, I have worked full-time in the clerical field. In December 2012, I decided to retire, and in March of 2013 moved to Houston, Texas. Since then I have been enjoying every minute of retirement from the clerical/business world and I have been writing full-time.
Today, I spend my time doing many things, which I never had the time to do before retiring. This includes at least one or two hours daily writing stories about people who discover (as I have) that God will only allow those things into your life that will help you grow and/or increase your faith.
At the age of twelve years old, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. There has not been a day that has gone by where I have been disappointed in that decision. Many trials have crossed my path, most of which I brought on myself. Nonetheless, God has been with me every step of the way. I have never once felt that He deserted me or does not love me.
How long have you been writing and what type of writing do you normally do?
The genre in which I write is Christian/Romance/Drama. I could possibly add Mystery to the end of that list with the publishing of my fourth novel sometime this year.
While still working full-time, I began my first book around the year 2000—A Very Present Help.
In my stories, I try to bring out some promises in the Bible. Humor always is added for entertainment, along with a good love story. Then there is the villain who adds drama and sometimes mystery to the lives of my hero and heroine.
Can you give us a brief synopsis of your book?
My latest book published in December of 2014—There Abideth Hope deals with the life of a former Navy nurse, Lieutenant JG Lynne Temple and the man she meets in Florida, a youth pastor by the name of Nick Livingston. They run into a treacherous villain who recognizes Miss Temple from a murder trial during her college days, one in which she was the prime witness. While the couple is trying to get to know each other, they wind up dealing with kidnaped teens from a local Rave gone bad, drugs and human trafficking, not to mention attempted murder. The story goes from Chicago, Illinois to the war in Afghanistan to Pensacola, Florida.
What prompted you to write your novels, Sharon?
This is an easy one to answer. My dear friend, Alan J. O’Reilly, author of Sound of Battle and Desired Haven, talked me into it. I call him my adopted brother. We have known each other since shortly after 1990. Through the years, we have corresponded, although never met. When I would relay a story about something that had happened, he would always tell me, “You need to write a story about that.” After Hurricane Ivan hit Pensacola, Florida and I went through it all alone, I told him every detail. Again, he told me that I should write about it. This time I took him seriously. However, I did not write about the hurricane. A story about a girl being lonely came to mind and I was off and running. That story actually became my second book, Paths of Righteousness, but stemmed the writing of the first, A Very Present Help.
Do you have a favorite line from one of your books?
“You came within a gnat’s eyebrow of going for a swim with those dolphins, and you’re worried about your heel?” from There Abideth Hope. (The heel is a high heel and the line is spoken by the hero to the heroine, after she almost fell into the water trying to get a better look at her first live Florida dolphins).
Who is your favorite character and why?
I guess my favorite character from my books is Kathryn Kendall from Paths of Righteousness. She is the heroine I first thought up and started writing about. She is honest, faithful, gentle, beautiful, and sensitive; yet with an air of pride that gets the better of her at times.
What was the hardest part about writing your books?
Keeping all the events in the lives of my characters in order and consistent.
Do you do anything besides write?
Yes, besides all my normal house duties, I paint, sketch, blog, take pictures of nature, am a spectator at RC racetracks, I am an active birder (amateur), exercise (mostly by walking the Houston Bayous viewing the many birds that live there) and do some moon and star gazing.
How can readers get copies of your books?
My books are sold on Amazon and Kindle. If you look up my Author Page on Amazon, you will find all three novels.
What’s next for author Sharon K. Connell?
Currently, I am working on my fourth novel—His Perfect Love— about a young woman who has lived a self-centered life, to the point that her family has all but given up on her. God starts dealing with her by allowing things from her past to catch up with her causing fear and doubt. She bounces from Illinois to Minnesota, back to Illinois and winds up in Houston, Texas. You will have to read the book to find out the rest.
After I finish this story and it is ready for all of you readers, I will be begin my next book about a young woman trying to keep her family’s farm in Nebraska from winding up in the wrong hands after her parents pass away.
Sharon, it has been wonderful having you with us today. I’ve already checked out your books and videos. I’ve purchased and downloaded “A Very Present Help” to my kindle and can’t wait to read it. I’m a fan of Christian fiction and your books all sound great. Happy writing!
Dear Readers,
Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit. Sharon and I would love to hear from you, so please feel free to join the conversation (comments below) and be sure to take a look inside Sharon’s great books on Amazon. I think you’ll want to grab a novel or two.
I’m delighted to have Fia Essen here at 4writersandreaders today and can’t wait to find out more about the author and her latest book:
Meet author Fia Essen and find out about her lastest novel, ARIEL.
Nicholas Blomfield talks about Fia Essen’s latest novel
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Fia’s work about Ariel and her struggle to find and develop herself.
Fia has a staggeringly strong descriptive style that I personally loved. It felt as though she had spent a great deal of time considering the characters, their lives, history and personal ups and downs. The vivid and life like descriptions of things gave the story a fantastic atmosphere helping to shape Ariel and her eventual triumph over life’s obstacles. I shall not spoil the plot or give too much away, I strongly advise reading it!
A truly wonderful piece of literature and well worth immersing yourself into Fia’s creative work. I have no doubt this is the start of a long and fruitful writing career – watch this space! — Nicholas Blomfield
To begin our interview, tell us a little about yourself, Fia.
I was born in Sweden in 1983. My passport claims I’m still Swedish even though I left Sweden more than twenty-five years ago. I grew up in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. And I spent my teenage years living in a stable. Literally. Horses were my next door neighbors. When other girls my age were perfecting the art of applying makeup and discussing boys, I was either mucking out stalls or on horseback, having the time of my life. Now I live in Athens, Greece with Taxi Driver, my Yorkshire Terrier.
How about your family life?
There’s three of us—me and my parents. We’re a small group of nomads. I’m an only child and Taxi Driver is my only child.
How long have you been writing and what type of writing do you normally do?
I’ve been making up stories for as long as I can remember. I have an active imagination. But I didn’t get serious about writing until 2010. What I write now fits into the Contemporary Fiction genre.
Can you give us a brief synopsis of your book?
Ariel is about a half-English, half-American, lifelong expatriate who was born in Hong Kong and now lives in Singapore. At the age of thirty-four, Ariel is in debt and out of luck. She used to have a career, a penthouse, and a group of fun friends. Now she has a dead-end job, a rented hovel of a home, and a rising stack of unpaid bills to keep her company. Just when she is starting to fear she will never be able to get her life back on track, she is contacted by the mysterious Muse Agency. And, suddenly, she is forced to question everything she thought she knew about herself and those around her.
What prompted you to write Ariel?
Every writer has heard the phrase “write what you know” at some point. So that’s exactly what I did. I wrote what I knew. On a personal level, I know what it’s like to be stuck in a rut.
One reader called Ariel“self-help turned fiction”… That’s a genre you don’t see a lot of but it describes Ariel well. What most self-help books fail to mention is that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to self-help. Every person on the planet is a unique individual. So I began picking bits and pieces of self-help that helped me, advice that suited my personality. And then I put that into Ariel, hoping readers of the story would find something that could help them in their own lives.
Do you have a favorite line from the book?
“Think big, start small, and keep going.”
Who is your favorite character and why?
Ariel is my favorite character. The story is told from her point of view. So, as peculiar as it sounds, she and I became very close while I worked on the manuscript.
What was the hardest part about writing?
I love writing. Writing isn’t hard. The only hard part about being an author is gaining an audience. I’m working on it! I have a long road ahead of me but I’m committed to giving it my all. It’s all part of being an author.
Do you do anything besides write?
I’m the Company Administrator at Essen & Essen, which is a family owned company with interest and ownership in various companies and organizations. We specialize in activities related to business & personal growth, management consulting and interim management services.
How can our readers get a copy of ARIEL?
Ariel is available on Amazon, B&N, and from my publisher’s website.
More writing! Solstice Publishing will release Anna this summer. And I’m currently working on a story called Amanda, which will come out in time for Christmas. Ariel, Anna, Amanda… I have a thing for As.
Fia, thanks so much for joining us today. ARIEL, the story of a young woman caught in a rut, has me tap-tap-tapping my kindle to turn the pages to find out just how she’s going to climb out!
Readers, thanks so much for joining us today. Fia and I would love to hear from you. You’re invited to chat with us (comments below). Be sure to take a look inside Ariel on Amazon and dive right into the pages of a great new book. ~ Bette A. Stevens
“Hi, Bethany. It’s great to be part of your Rave Reviews Book Club Spotlight Tour. Can’t wait to find out more about you and about ‘pay it forward’ too!” ~ Bette A. Stevens
Welcome to Rave Reviews Book Club’s “SPOTLIGHT” Author Blog Tour, featuring Bethany Turner.
Author and Rave Reviews Book Club member BETHANY TURNER.
I don’t know that I have had many experiences throughout this whole publishing journey of mine which have meant as much to me as the introduction of Rave Reviews Book Club’s Pay It Forward Week. Or, to be precise, Bethany Turner Pay It Forward Week. I was humbled and moved to learn my name would be associated with something so spectacular. I was not, however, at all surprised that Rave Reviews Book Club was choosing to take on something so supportive and groundbreaking.
That is just what RRBC does.
And though Pay It Forward Week may include my name in the title, it should be known that in principle, Pay It Forward Week has always been a product of Rave Reviews Book Club (RRBC).
I’m very open about the fact that I am not a fan of self-promotion. I don’t mind when you do it, I just personally hate to promote myself. However, I know it is necessary if I ever hope for anyone to read my work – and I am proud of my work. But do you know what I love? I love promoting my friends. I love to find something I am passionate about and then shout it from the rooftops, determined not to give up until everyone is as passionate about it as I am. I love that! For that reason, and a million others, I have found a home at RRBC. I work hard to promote my work, but I also get to work hard to promote the work of a group of people I care about. And guess what? They help me promote my work.
One week in particular—while I was having a big promotion—some of my friends at RRBC went above and beyond in their support. All the while, I promoted myself like crazy. By the end of the week, I thought I was tired of promotion and marketing, and I considered taking a week off. But then I realized…I wasn’t tired of promotion. Only self-promotion. Rather than take a week off, I took a week to promote some of the authors who had helped me out, and put aside my own self-promotion for the entire week. And it was the most wonderful week! I enjoyed every moment of it. And guess what? Unsurprisingly, most of the authors who had been the most supportive are members of Rave Reviews Book Club.
I’m incredibly proud to be a member of RRBC. Promoting myself will probably never be easy for me. But promoting RRBC and its amazing members? That’s something I am passionate about, and I intend to shout it from the rooftops, determined not to give up until everyone is as passionate about it as I am.
Welcome to 4writersandreaders
I’m a writer inspired by nature and human nature. You’ll find great books, authors, writing tips and more right here. I advocate for kids & families, childhood literacy and the protection of monarch butterflies and their habitat.Happy reading & writing!~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author
I am a writer inspired by nature and human nature.
Bette A. Stevens, Maine Author 
Written
on 09/11/2015