Tag Archives: writers

Oct31

Ghostly Rites Anthology 2019 – meet the author Marjorie Mallon

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Ghostly Rites Anthology is here!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghostly-Rites-2019-Plaisted-Publishing-ebook/dp/B07ZQV2Y4Q

And for my friends across the pond…

https://www.amazon.com/Ghostly-Rites-2019-Plaisted-Publishing-ebook/dp/B07ZQV2Y4Q

Today, I’m welcoming Marjorie Mallon onto my blog to chat writing and to find out a little more about the author of dark and scary stories…

1 How do you write? Is everything plotted, planned to perfection? Do you ever change tack as you go along or always stick to a pre-made plan?

I don’t tend to plot much at all. Instead, I rely on my crazy imagination to create and form the story. The only problem with this approach is a fair amount of editing is required.

But it’s exciting though! I love allowing my characters to tell the story for me.

2 Do you have a writing ritual? Meditation, certain cup for your tea, writing trousers?

Not really, but, I sometimes get ideas when I’m out walking.  For instance, on my usual route to work I’ll notice an unusual passersby with a striking aspect to their personality, or a distinctive dress sense that catches my eye. Also, I might wake up with a Eureka moment, when I know instinctively what to write. When that happens it is very exciting!

3 Aside from writing, what makes you tick? Tell us 5 things about yourself we probably don’t know.

  • I’m fascinated by the Zodiac and Chinese Zodiac, crystals, myths and magic.
  • I love trees, (I believe they have a wonderful magical energy,) and my favourite flower is an orchid. I write about various topics: crystals, magic, the wonder of trees and nature, the paranormal, on our collaborative blog The Sisters of The Fey: To find out more follow the link: https://sistersofthefey.com/
  • I have qualifications in Reflexology/Aromatherapy but now devote all my spare time to blogging and writing. But, alternative therapies continue to intrigue me – I collect crystals and write stories infused with crystal magic.
  • My father is a Scotsman with a heart that longs to travel and my mother is a Malaysian lady who’s grown to love Scotland! Due to my mixed heritage I grew up with a very varied diet and open cultural outlook.
  • I like chilled out activities such as tai chi and yoga but recently I’ve been going to the gym to try to tone up!

Fascinating insights, thanks so much for sharing.

4 If you were stranded on a desert island with shelter, food and water, what 5 items would you want with you?

  • Lots of crystals
  • My favourite lipstick
  • Jewellery, I can’t be without my special pieces, especially my earrings and crystal bracelets.
  • Pen and paper, notebooks, or means to write or doodle.
  • A fire to keep me warm – I hate to be cold and a book to read, see no. 5 below!

 5 On said island, what 5 books would you take and why?

My favourite fantasy author: Jay Kristoff, The Nevernight Chronicles. Crime:  Any of Clare Macintosh’s novels, Something heart-warming: The Italian Chapel by Philip Paris. This one I loved: The Book Thief by Markus Zuzak. I’d have to bring my own debut book. I’ve only written one – The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone and it is very dear to me!

Of course you should take your own book! Great choices!

 6 Off the island now, which famous person would you like to have dinner with?

 Oh, probably a musician – in spirit or alive… so David Bowie, Prince, Jon Bon Jovi, or Joe Bonamassa. ­

 7 Your current writing projects?

I’m currently working on Book Two in my YA fantasy/paranormal series: The Curse of Time Book 2 Golden Healer. I hope to be published in several anthologies this year:  Ghostly Writes 2019 (Plaisted Publishing House,) and also Nightmareland (a horror anthology,) via best-selling author Dan Alatorre.

8 Share with us your published work and links to where we can find you…

Amazon author page https://www.amazon.co.uk/M-J-Mallon/e/B074CGNK4L

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Curse-Time-Book-Bloodstone-ebook/dp/B074CDJPY9

The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone.

Lovely chatting to you, Marje! Don’t forget, Ghostly Rites Anthology 2019 is out now! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghostly-Rites-2019-Plaisted-Publishing-ebook/dp/B07ZQV2Y4Q

https://www.amazon.com/Ghostly-Rites-2019-Plaisted-Publishing-ebook/dp/B07ZQV2Y4Q

 

Oct30

Ghostly Rites Anthology 2019 – meet the author Lynn Mullican

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The Ghostly Rites Anthology 2019 (and the name has changed!) is almost here! I’ve invited one of the authors, Lynn Mullican, to share a little of her writing life and inspiration on my blog, and I’m looking forward to finding out how another writer writes! Welcome Lynn…

1 How do you write? Is everything plotted, planned to perfection? Do you ever change tack as you go along or always stick to a pre-made plan?

I do not outline my stories. I have a plot and story line but as my story progresses, my characters tell me and show me what they are going to say and do. I do, however, have a set ending for every story, otherwise, my story would just continue to grow.

Other writers often ask, are you a planner or a panster, so it’s great to meet another author who is half and half!

2 Do you have a writing ritual? Meditation, certain cup for your tea, writing trousers?

I usually start out with a cup of coffee in my skull mug. I keep my office fairly dim when I write, that way I can create a slightly darker atmosphere, since my most of my writing is on the darker side.

3 Aside from writing, what makes you tick? Tell us 5 things about yourself we probably don’t know.

Hmm, I’m a bit OCD, nothing to the extreme but there are a few things I’m particular about, double checking locks on doors, putting my remote controls together in a particular way, and I’m sure there’s more. 😉 My due date was on October 31st, Halloween but I was born two days later on the Day of the Dead, November 2nd. My day job and my writing are both a bit on the darker side. I have to research and investigate fatalities. I enjoy archery and the outdoors. I studied martial arts with my family. I was studying for my brown belt in Kenpo when I had to step out of it due to a couple of reasons, primarily because of a knee injury I sustained several years prior. I was born with a disability and had to wear braces on my legs because of it.

I wonder how much your birth date has influenced your writing? Fascinating stuff. Gutting you’ve had to give up martial arts but archery, especially outdoors, sounds like fun!

4 If you were stranded on a desert island with shelter, food and water, what 5 items would you want with you?

My bow and arrows, pen and paper, and a boat. 😉

5 On said island, what 5 books would you take and why?

  1. The Green Mile by Stephen King, as a reminder that even through the difficult times, you can always find a friend, even if it is a mouse.
  2. Boys Life by Robert McCammon because it’s always good to remember where you came from and to persevere.
  3. Edgar Allan Poe’s Complete Collection because I don’t think I read the entire book. Plus, there are some great stories in there.
  4. The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by Anne Rice because I haven’t read the series and I was told they are good books.
  5. Lightning by Dean Koontz. I’ve read this book three times and it will continue to be a favorite of mine.

Interesting choices. Thanks, Lynn.

 6 Off the island now, which famous person would you like to have dinner with?­

 Anthony Hopkins

Fabulous actor, and I bet he has great tales to tell about Hollywood and the stars.

 7 Your current writing projects?

I’m currently working on many projects, one of which I feel is way overdue, my novel The Shadow of Evil. I’m also working on the fourth book in the Bad Elements series, Rise of the Underground. I have also started a spinoff of the Bad Elements series, Immortal Blessings.

 I have several short stories in the works, The Awakening III, Raven’s Hill III, and a few others.

Wow! You are a busy lady!

 8 Feel free to share with us your published work and links, so we can find them…

 

My short story, Where the Streets Have No Name, will be coming out in the Ghostly Rites 2019 Anthology. I also have two more short stories, From the Pen to the Grave and From the Dance to the Grave, which will be coming out soon. These two short stories will only be available in E-Book format.

Some of my other books include; the Bad Elements series, Crystal Dragon, Blood for Blood, and The Hybrid Unleashed.

My short stories series include; Raven’s Hill and Raven’s Hill’s: The Ritual, The Awakening, and The Awakening II: Nexus. My Raven’s Hill stories can also be found in The Ghostly Writes Valentine’s Anthology 2017 and the Ghostly Writes 2017 Anthology.

 Other short stories include; Sacrificial Blood and Zero Sixx.

 https://www.facebook.com/Author.LynnMullican/?fref=ts

http://lynnmullican.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/lynnmullican

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4842137.Lynn_Mullican?from_search=true

https://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Mullican/e/B0055WRN3U?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1572037482&sr=1-1

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/lynn+mullican?_requestid=2596149

https://books.apple.com/us/author/lynn-mullican/id1302690845?ign-mpt=uo%253D4&mt=11#see-all/books

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=lynn+mullican

https://www.24symbols.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&search=lynn+mullican&commit=

https://www.scribd.com/search?content_type=books&page=1&query=lynn%20mullican&language=1

https://play.playster.com/search?text=lynn%20mullican&filters=books%26audiobooks

https://www.bookbub.com/search?search=lynn+mullican

Thank you so much, Lynn for joining me on the blog. It’s really lovely to meet you.

Don’t forget, the Ghostly Rites Anthology is nearly here! Look out for more blog posts in the next few days!

Here’s the first link to the anthology https://books2read.com/b/mv2Vvz?fbclid=IwAR26KQhAcEmRWTNWSzJ-Bz9dLYGf2KwNxYKj9g2H9fRxIMnbMXrY3NRYRZc

 

Oct11

Life Begins at Fifty – Healthy Life #15 – Everything is changing

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Finding the perfect, balanced vegan diet for my body is taking time, but I’m enjoying the challenge. Abandoning calorie restriction was the best move I made, as I’m loving eating bowls of plant based whole foods and feeling full and energised…and I’ve lost another two pounds.

Due to my daughter asking to come and live with us in June this year, everything has changed, and that’s one reason I’ve not been posting as much. I’ve taken my books to book fairs…

But there’s been little time for writing as I’ve been lime mortaring and painting to get a room ready for my daughter.

My eldest son married this year too, so it’s been a summer of family love.

The biggest change is the best one, and I’m going to shout about it….I’VE MORE ENERGY THAN I’VE EVER HAD! Eating a whole food plant based diet keeps me fuller for longer and nourishes my body so well. I’ve enjoyed my dance so much this year too, now I bend in the middle again! I’m not the same shape as I was, that’s definitely changed, but I don’t care…I can fit in my jeans and I feel well and healthy.

My lack of novel writing made me sad and angsty for a while, so I started writing short stories again and had a few published…

Witch Lit: Words from the Cauldron was produced by myself and the rest of the Witch Lit Admin team, Laura Perry, Sheena Cundy and Ruth Aitken. All proceeds go to Books for Africa https://www.amazon.co.uk/Witch-Lit-Witches-Who-Write-ebook/dp/B07SCVXR88

Zimbell House publishing brought out 1969, and my story is the first one in it. https://www.amazon.co.uk/1969-Zimbell-House-Anthology-Publishing-ebook/dp/B07S2L2HQX

But as the Wheel turns, making its way into autumn, I’m back writing ‘The Able Witch’, the fifth book in the Lizzie Martin series. Once its finished, I’ll continue with the final book, before publishing four, five and six for your enjoyment. You can start the series here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Naked-Witch-Wendy-Novel-Book-ebook/dp/B06W5D6GVV

or here for my friends across the pond https://www.amazon.com/Naked-Witch-Wendy-Novel-Book-ebook/dp/B06W5D6GVV

Don’t forget, you can listen to me reading you stories on my Welsh riverbank at Phoenix and the Dragon on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw3ee9CuNdek9ZC1Im8I_iA?view_as=subscriber

Plus I’m talking books and everything magical on the Witch Lit Podcast, as well as interviewing other magical writers https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHtAJO5uh6c9TSai1lhwF7g

I’ve continued my daily walks and using Dr Gregor’s Daily Dozen App, but I don’t worry too much about my activity levels anymore. I know that if I eat whole food plant based, and take my B12 supplement, I’m taking in all the nutrition and goodness my body needs. If I want a berry, banana and spinach smoothie, I’ll have one! I drink two or three mugs of hibiscus tea daily, which I love, boosting my antioxidants and keeping the colds away. I dance a minimum of six hours a week, not including performances, and I’ve been barrowing, chopping wood, fixing barns and moving stuff outside….

So I won’t be joining the gym anytime soon!

Apologies for my lack of posting, but I’m starting to create a new routine out of all these changes, and I’ll be back soon trying out new recipes and sharing useful and informative posts and videos to inspire you to eat well, nourish your body and live your life to the full. Bright blessings xx

 

 

 

Mar25

Meet the Author – D Hart St Martin

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I haven’t done many interviews lately, but I’m excited about this one! May I introduce you to D Hart St Martin, a wonderful, magical writer from the US, who has kept me transfixed for many years with her Lisen of Solsta series. She’s also written a paranormal romance called ‘Soul Doubt’ which will keep you guessing until the very end.

Welcome Hart! Lovely to have you with us. Let’s start with an easy one…

How do you write? Is everything plotted, planned to perfection? Do you ever change tack as you go along or always stick to a pre-made plan?

I mostly pants my way through. I used to put every scene on 4 x 6 inch cards. That way I could play with them. But the more I write, the more I enjoy the challenge of letting it come as it comes. That is not to say that I don’t make notes. I make copious notes, and I’ve finally learned how to organize the “clutter” of them in a notebook (along with diagrams of various settings for individual scenes or chapters). My notebook is my little bible.

I love my notebooks! Do you have a writing ritual? Meditation, certain cup for your tea, writing trousers?

I get up in the morning, and after giving a nod to social media on my phone, I sit down at my kitchen table with my computer and attack the assignment for the day. I have my water and often an apple with me, and I work for a couple of hours. My cat, Calypso, often reminds me to pet her by rubbing against my leg and chirping at me. Of course, I must obey.

Our feline friends love to help, don’t they? So, aside from writing, what makes you tick? Tell us 5 things about yourself we probably don’t know.

I watch way too much television.

I’m a political junkie (one of the reasons I watch so much television).

I have a sister who’s a much better writer than I am.

I’m a tree hugger.

I’m a lousy housekeeper.

I’m going to add no 6, you’re always way too hard on yourself…and who needs housework? Too many better things to do, IMHO. Another question, if you were stranded on a desert island with shelter, food and water, what 5 items would you

want with you?

My computer, my cat (if one can dare to call her an “item”), a deck of cards since I’m assuming a cell phone would be out of the question, some way to listen to music (maybe I’d take that cell phone after all), and a way to charge the computer.

And on said island, what 5 books would you take and why?

The Lord of the Rings, Dune, the Harry Potter books (I’m counting series as one book), Octavia Butler’s two Earthseed books. And my own Lisen of Solsta series because I keep promising myself to pick it up and read it as a reader, not its creator.

 

Off the island now, which famous person would you like to have dinner with?­

J.K. Rowling. I’d love to ask her questions about how and when certain aspects of Harry Potter’s story became clear to her.

 

Tell us about your current writing projects?

I am in the middle of rewrite of book 1 in a new YA fantasy series. The book is called Into the Forsaken Forest. Fifteen-year-old Mari Spencer (her name rhymes with “sorry” and she’s an apology in motion) lives in a rural town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Her mother is a first-class narcissist who can see no good in Mari. One day Mari sneaks into a mysterious forest of sequoias where she meets a woman who transports her to a different world. I’m exploring my own psyche in this one, giving Mari both my attributes and my flaws as honestly as I can. It’s a huge risk, but if I succeed in resolving some of her issues, I’ll be satisfied.

Sounds exciting, you must keep us posted as it develops. Tell us about your books and where we can find you and them.

 My web site is a good place to start. https://dhartstmartin.com  Links to all my books on Amazon as well as descriptions of them are there.

To learn about my Lisen of Solsta series of 6 books, go to https://dhartstmartin.com/lisen-of-solsta/

I also have a paranormal romance called Soul Doubt which you can discover here https://dhartstmartin.com/soul-doubt/

Thanks so much, Hart. I look forward to reading more of our books very soon.