Do you ever struggle with writing a character that has different religious or spiritual beliefs than your own?  Secondary characters are one thing, but what about your lead? 

Let’s say your heroine believes in reincarnation but you, the author, do not.  In your story, the heroine tries past life regression to find an answer she [...]]]>

Do you ever struggle with writing a character that has different religious or spiritual beliefs than your own?  Secondary characters are one thing, but what about your lead? 

Let’s say your heroine believes in reincarnation but you, the author, do not.  In your story, the heroine tries past life regression to find an answer she seeks, but you are afraid to have her find it through this method because you do not want your audience to believe you are endorsing it.  It is against your beliefs.  What do you do? 

If you read tarot cards and speak with spiritual guides during your daily meditation, are you able to write characters who believe that these practices are a sin against God?  Are we able to fully step away from our own beliefs in order to fully express another’s? 

As writers, we can create monsters, killers, evil doers of all kinds but we do so believing that our audience’s idea of right and wrong is similar to our own.  We all know that killing is wrong, right?  The readers don’t think the author is a killer just because they’ve written about one.  But when it comes to religion or spirituality, can we assume that our readers will separate the views held in the book from those held by the author?  Do we care?

When we create a fantasy world with a complete set of rules all its own, a different belief system raises no eyebrows.   There is usually a war between good and evil in most fantasy stories, but the methods of producing either are up for grabs.  

Many would say we should give our readers credit for being able to pick up a book, enjoy a great story, and leave it at that.  Who says they’re going to receive a message from that story and apply it to their lives?  Others would disagree and say we must be responsible for the message we put out there. 

(Art by Elena Ray)

~ Pamela

Hi everybody! I’m excited to bring you an interview today with Laura Benedict, the talented author of Isabella Moon. Enjoy!

~Jane

***

JJ: Hi Laura and welcome to Textyladies! I want to thank you again for doing this interview. Why don’t you start by telling us a little about you?

LB: I was born in Cincinnati, [...]]]>

Hi everybody! I’m excited to bring you an interview today with Laura Benedict, the talented author of Isabella Moon. Enjoy!

~Jane

***

JJ: Hi Laura and welcome to Textyladies! I want to thank you again for doing this interview. Why don’t you start by telling us a little about you?

LB: I was born in Cincinnati, but spent much of my life in Louisville, Kentucky, so I consider both my hometowns. (And I’ve given birth to two Virginians to solidify my Southern creds!) I didn’t start out to be a writer—in fact, I have a degree in business administration. I’m a mother and wife, first, and my family is the most important thing in the world to me. (If it weren’t, I’d probably have way more than two books!) My fiction is dark, full of sex and secrets and suspense. I spend much of each day imagining disasters and crimes, making sure my doors and windows are locked, and warning my children about the dangers of talking to strangers and not washing their hands. But I’m actually a very cheerful person.

JJ: I read that you wrote fiction for nearly twenty years before selling to Ballantine books. What kept you from getting discouraged about being published? Obviously you never gave up

LB: Even though I consider Isabella Moon my third first novel, I don’t think I ever considered giving up being a published novelist. I had published essays, short stories, (bad) poetry, then book reviews for about twelve years—so I was published, just not widely. I think I just wanted it so badly, and I always suspected that the novel would be the form that suited me best. I have a hard time writing shorter! Also, my husband Pinckney is a terrific cheerleader. He wouldn’t let me give up!

JJ: Tell us about Isabella Moon

LB: IM is a kind of love story to small town life. Okay. Maybe it’s a creepy kind of love story. When the ghost of a little girl who has been missing for two years appears to a young woman with secrets of her own, it sets off a series of terrifying events that threaten to destroy the town.

*

JJ: And Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts

LB: I’m tickled every time I read the catalogue copy that Random House put on Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts’s page! “The devil comes to Cincinnati in this dark and gripping thriller that is as scary as classic Peter Straub and as sexy as Nora Roberts.” (I think Nora Roberts is quite attractive, but don’t you thing they mean her work?) I hope it’s both those things. It’s the story of three young women who find their lives crumbling when the young priest whose career they ruined years before takes his deadly—and supernatural—revenge.

JJ: What was it like for you when you had your first novel published?

LB: It was totally surreal! I had no idea how to respond when my dream finally came true. So I spent several months promoting and doing the Happy Dance. The promotion was critical because I was a first-time author, but I needed to spend more time writing.

JJ: Who are some of your favorite authors?

LB: So many: Margaret Atwood, Patricia Highsmith, Joyce Carol Oates, Elizabeth George, Luanne Rice, Richard Matheson, Jim Thompson, Stephen King, Shirley Jackson, Cormac McCarthy….

JJ: Do you remember the first thriller/mystery book you ever read?

LB: Nancy Drew’s Mystery of the 99 Steps.

JJ: Have you always written thrillers, or did it take you awhile to discover that this would be your genre to write?

LB: It took me forever to discover this—I’m such a slow learner and enormously hardheaded. I thought that I had to be a “literary” writer like my husband Pinckney, but my so-called “literary” books were terrible and didn’t sell. Then, one day, I discovered a Joyce Carol Oates story in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and it reminded me that what was important was that the quality of the writing be good whatever the subject matter. I had always loved Joyce’s darker work, and I’m a huge Shirley Jackson and Patricia Highsmith fan. Still, it was a kind of revelation to me that I, too, could explore that material. It only took me thirteen years of writing to get the clue!

JJ: Has your husband Pinckney, also a writer, influenced your writing?

LB: I had a very hard time accepting criticism from him early on, so he stopped looking at my work so we could stay married. But he is such a superb teacher; I’ve learned a lot just by watching him and taking in the critiques of his students’ work. He often bounces his theories about writing off of me as well. I love to read his stories, but we don’t critique each other’s work at all. He didn’t even read Isabella Moon until it was in galleys!

JJ: What are you working on now?

LB: Reading submissions and finishing up a short story of my own for Surreal South 2009, the next edition of the short fiction anthology series I edit with Pinckney, getting my new website together, and reading a lot in preparation for my next novel.

JJ: Do you have a writing schedule you stick with?

LB: I keep telling myself that I need to do this, but I never stick with one for long. I have to be flexible because my family comes first. Of course, it always happens that when I’m in the thick of a project we end up eating out a lot and the kids wander around looking for clean socks/jeans/underwear. (Note to self: Kids really need laundry lessons!)

JJ: What is different than you thought it would be about being published?

LB: I thought that with every publication, I would be satisfied. At first, I just wanted to have one story published—but when I finally did, the thrill only lasted for a day or so, and then I wanted to do it again. I remember feeling that way when I used to ride roller coasters as a teenager. I was always a little afraid, but I always wanted one more ride. I fear I may be addicted to seeing my work in print!

JJ: I’ve read that you’re shy; does that make it difficult to do book tours and signings and workshops and all the other public things you have to do?

LB: Yes, it is a hard sometimes. Isn’t it funny that writers—who must spend most of their lives engaged in a necessarily solitary activity—must learn to be very social, visible people? But the first time I got up to read and speak in front of a group of readers I was stunned to discover how much I enjoyed it. I feel so blessed that anyone would want to meet me or hear what I have to say, and I always meet so many wonderful people. But it’s critical for me to balance that visible time with time spent reading, reflecting and, of course, writing.

JJ: What are you least favorite and most favorite parts about writing and being published?

LB: Least favorite—Being away from my family. Most favorite—Having the excuse to buy new clothes for when I go to conferences and on tour! (Did I say that out loud?!)

JJ: Give us five random facts about you

LB: I am a Project Runway junkie. My most vivid memory of hanging out with my favorite cousin was when we stuffed a clear-lidded plastic box so full of worms that they started to burst. I can’t whistle. I consider dark chocolate a necessary food group. I’ve never seen a dead person who wasn’t already embalmed.

JJ: Do you have any links you’d like to share?

LB: I love to have everyone check out my website: www.laurabenedict.com. I’ll have a whole new site with a trailer for Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts up very soon. (Though the Isabella Moon trailer that opens the site is awesome, too. I have great web guys!) But I’m at my blog, Notes From the Handbasket (www.laurabenedict.blogspot.com) nearly every day, and that’s the best place to know what I’m up to at any given time and to pick up some goodies, too! I have lots of fun things planned for Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts in January.

JJ: Is there anything you’d like to add?

LB: To all the budding writers out there: Have hope! Just sit down in that chair and do it every day and wonderful things will happen!

I’ve loved doing this interview, Jane. Thank you so much to all the Textyladies for having me here! And I love to hear from readers. My email is laura@laurabenedict.com.

JJ: I so enjoyed interviewing and getting to know a bit more about you, Laura. Thank you very much!

***

Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts and the paperback version of Isabella Moon both go on sale on December 30th!

Buy Isabella Moon

***

Laura’s First and Last Lines blog. Here you’ll find an excerpt from Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts, coming soon, and each day that she works on CMLH, she’ll post the first and last lines she writes. How cool is that!

Surreal South

***

Review for Isabella Moon from Romantic Times:

This debut thriller shines, boasting evocative writing and a well-integrated mix of ethereal supernatural phenomena and gritty violence. Benedict employs that literary novel trademark of a somewhat ambiguous ending, but it works for this lush gothic-tinged potboiler.

***

Review for Isabella Moon from Fresh Fiction:

Ms. Benedict’s debut is a darkly edgy thriller depicting small-town life. She creatively weaves supernatural elements as Isabella’s spirit drives the finely drawn characters to a startling conclusion. The effective combination of supernatural and thriller increases the suspense as layer upon layer peels away revealing the rotten core within the heart of the community.

Read the full review here!

***

Excerpt from Isabella Moon:

Mary-Katie.

The voice is a whisper, calling a name that doesn’t belong to her anymore.

Mary-Katie.

Kate struggles as though she’s escaping from a troubled sleep, her movements slow and exaggerated, as in a dream. But if it is a dream, why does she slip some nearby shoes onto her feet as she gets out of bed? Who thinks of shoes in a dream?

The hillside outside her window is bathed in silver light, and there, beneath the hickory tree shading the back porch is a girl.

Mary-Katie.

The voice doesn’t seem to be coming from the girl, but from inside Kate’s own head. Her breath fogs the glass as she watches, knowing that the girl wants her to come outside.

Suddenly she is following the girl over the hill and across the open pasture on its other side. Her feet are light as she runs—yes, she is running!—through the brittle stubble of the winter grass. The few lights of the town are ahead of her. She doesn’t often go into town this way, usually preferring to stick to the familiar road that runs in front of her own little cottage. But the ground is firm and fast under her and she wonders why she doesn’t come this way every day.

The girl disappears into the dark stand of trees at the edge of the pasture but Kate knows she is still there, waiting. Even if she has run on ahead, Kate understands that she will find her. She is meant to find her.
There she is, standing in the street beyond the trees, her brilliant yellow coat vibrant as a balefire in the night.

Kate runs faster and the girl turns her back and leads her on toward the town, through the grounds of the old medical college, where the buildings stand mute and shuttered, through the backyard of the crumbling president’s house, where a single rusting bulldozer sits as testimony to someone’s forgotten plans.

As the girl runs out into Main Street without pause, Kate’s heart jumps, but there are no vehicles at all, not even a straggling log truck or sheriff’s cruiser. As they pass Main Street’s glassy storefronts, Kate is racing her own mirror image, but she can’t stop, won’t stop, because the girl will not slow now. They cross over to Bridge Street and follow it until it ends in a blinking yellow light. Will the girl go left or right?

When she goes left at the corner and disappears behind a tall hedge, Kate keeps going. As she passes the Methodist parsonage with its stiff wrought iron fence, Kate wishes that she had a stick to hit against its spindles and realizes at the same moment that yes, there is a stick in her left hand. But when she reaches out with it as she runs, there is no satisfying plunkplunkplunk of wood against iron. In fact, there is no sound around her at all except the sound of her feet striking the pavement: no dogs, no sirens, no night birds. She’s not afraid. She is certain once again that she is dreaming.

The girl reappears in the light from the streetlamp at the next corner.

Isabella! Kate calls.

How does she know the girl’s name? She hadn’t seemed to know it when she looked out her bedroom window to see the girl standing in beneath the hickory tree like someone’s lost shadow.

The girl pauses at her voice, but doesn’t turn around. Kate sees that her dark hair is shot with glimmering strands of silver. But she knows the girl can’t be more than ten years old and the silver is just a trick of the light from the streetlamp’s broad halo.

Isabella!

The girl begins to run again.

Kate drops the stick, thinking it might speed her progress. In the next block there is a Rottweiler who growls when she passes on her regular evening walks and she has often carried a stick as a sort of talisman, thinking she would use it on him if she had to. But still there are no animal sounds, no lights on in any of the houses she passes, no cars slowing down to see why a woman is running through the streets in the middle of the night in her pajamas, wearing a scuffed oxblood loafer on one foot and a tan and white nubuck slip-on on the other. She is safe from the dog, at least.

They approach Birchfield Avenue, where Kate’s friend Lillian lives. But instead of going down Lillian’s street, the girl enters the first road, one where there are no streetlamps. This road—Kate doesn’t know if it even has a name—twists through a set of woods for a distance to finally end at the town’s water processing plant. No one lives back here in this no-man’s land, the unofficial divide between Carystown’s small black community and the rest of the town. Amazed that she is not winded—it’s a dream, after all, so why should she be?—she catches up with the girl, who has finally slowed. Without streetlamps, the road is black at their feet and the trees around them are like walls reaching to the sky. But Kate can see well enough; the silver in the girl’s hair is its own light, and Kate follows her easily.

Isabella must want her near. As they slow to a walk, Kate realizes that the girl is as silent as everything else around them. If it weren’t for the scuffing of her own feet, Kate would think she’d gone completely deaf.
Without warning, the girl leaves the pavement and heads across the road’s shoulder.
Wait! Kate calls after her.

As Isabella pushes her way through the brush, Kate tries to keep up. But the girl seems unhindered by the brambles and tangle of slender branches that whip against Kate’s arms and face. The brambles sting and Kate laughs to herself that it must be a pretty pitiful dream if she can’t even keep from getting scratched up in it.

Now they are in a clearing that Kate can’t remember ever seeing before. Part of its ragged circle is made up of an expanse of brick that shines a brilliant white even in the dim moonlight. Kate has the feeling that if she were to put her hand against the wall and push, ever-so-lightly, that it might disappear. She has that feeling, too, about the tall cedars that rise around them, their uppermost branches drawn together in soft, wavering points against the sky. Beneath her feet the ground is spongy and she is surprised to realize that the clearing, though silent, has a distinct smell. She covers her mouth with her hand.

She thinks about those times when she wakes herself to use the bathroom in the night, turning on the light, even pinching her thigh as she sits down to urinate to make sure that she is not dreaming, that she is not about to drench herself and her bed. Now, she resists pinching herself because she has begun to suspect that she is not dreaming. She knows that if she rests her fingers against her thigh and squeezes, the pain will be just as real as the smell of decay filling her nostrils.

She calls to Isabella, who stands in the center of the clearing. But the girl only sinks to her knees, her silvered hair falling forward over her yellow coat.

As Kate approaches her, the wind picks up around them and the smell intensifies. Unafraid, Kate reaches out thinking to touch the girl, to stroke her young head, to reassure her that someone is there, that someone wants to help her. But her fingers touch nothing and Kate is alone in the clearing.

She stands there for a moment as the sounds of the woods and beyond reveal themselves: a screech owl in some distant barn, a rabbit or raccoon hurrying through the brush, a truck downshifting out on Route 12. Suddenly cold in the pajamas that had been fine for a March night spent beneath a down comforter, Kate wraps her arms around herself as though it will make a difference and begins to think about the long walk home.

***

What’s being said about Isabella Moon:

“ISABELLA MOON is a book of secrets and dark miracles. Laura Benedict writes with such tender power and understanding, filling the pages with characters whose mysteries and longings will matter to every reader. She has written an exquisite, closely observed novel that happens to be a great thriller.  It captivated me instantly, and haunts me still.”
–Luanne Rice, Bestselling Author of THE EDGE OF WINTER

***

“Like digging up an unmarked grave in the gloaming, ISABELLA MOON is a tense and creepy hunt for the truth about what lies beneath.  With a missing child, a reluctant medium hiding secrets of her own, and a picture perfect Southern town resting on a foundation of sex, drugs and lies, Laura Benedict’s debut will definitely have readers sleeping with the lights on — if they sleep at all.”
–Lisa Unger , New York Times and internationally bestselling author of BEAUTIFUL LIES and SLIVER OF TRUTH

***

“Told with intelligence, precision, and an essential artfulness, Laura Benedict’s haunting and sharp ISABELLA MOON is not unlike THE LOVELY BONES, but bigger, faster, and with a much broader scope.  You won’t forget these characters, nor the story that fuels them. A joy to read from first to last.”
–Fred Leebron, author of OUT WEST and SIX FIGURES

***

For more, go here

***

What’s This All About Then?

Terry Pratchett, author of the bestselling Discworld novels, has been diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer’s. He has donated half a million pounds (approx $1 million) to Alzheimer’s research and appeared in the media highlighting the low levels of research funding Alzheimer’s receives.

Match It For [...]]]>

What’s This All About Then?

Terry Pratchett, author of the bestselling Discworld novels, has been diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer’s. He has donated half a million pounds (approx $1 million) to Alzheimer’s research and appeared in the media highlighting the low levels of research funding Alzheimer’s receives.

I, Pamela, am one of the luckiest girls in town!  I have had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Kathy Ostman-Magnusen, a magnificent artist and poet. Kathy has worked in a variety of styles in many mediums.  Her work can be wildly passionate, mystical, serene and all the shades of emotion in-between.

Kathy’s work focuses primarily [...]]]>

I, Pamela, am one of the luckiest girls in town!  I have had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Kathy Ostman-Magnusen, a magnificent artist and poet. Kathy has worked in a variety of styles in many mediums.  Her work can be wildly passionate, mystical, serene and all the shades of emotion in-between.

Kathy’s work focuses primarily on women; their lives, dreams, fears and desires.  Her use of bold color and exquisite line clearly expresses the passion, strength and spirituality in women.  Kathy’s interest in the mystical world is evident in her paintings of fairies, angels and mermaids.

Kathy’s poetry is like magic and just as open and honest as her paintings.  I hope you’ll take a few moments to read some of her poems by clicking on the links at the bottom of this post.

Without further ado, let’s move on to the interview…

(The first ten questions are reprinted from one of Kathy’s squidoos with her permission.  The second ten are from my interview with Kathy.)

When was the first time that you remember realizing that you are a creative person?

When I was around 4 years old. My parents drove from State to State discovering America or maybe just chasing rainbows. I sat in the back seat of the car drawing, singing and looking out the window, imagining. I didn’t speak one single word until I was over two. My Dad always said it was because I had nothing to say. Debatable of course. I may have been somewhat Autistic. As I got older and went to school, I was put in the back of the room often with my back towards the class. Another teacher put me in a dark closet. I was always being told to stop daydreaming.

When did you know that this was what you wanted to do with your life?

I never understood it could be an option to do art for my life until I was out of high school. I was never encouraged in that direction and so I guess I just thought it was something to do alone in my room.

What traits, if any, do you think that creative people have as compared to people who are not creative?

Sensitivity. I tell people all the time that desire is talent and the rest is practice. I don’t believe in the notion that people cannot draw a strait line. They were never taught how, that’s all. I feel that if someone ‘wishes’ they were an artist? They are. So they better get to work on their dream.

Do believe that your training has influenced what you create?

I am self taught. I think anything we need to know is in books or practice. I have taken some sculpture classes though. I do feel that by being self taught I have found my way to my style, where with someone’s outside influence I may never have. I paint and sculpt by instinct, not rules. I am not sure that you can teach the emotion that it takes to ’see’ and implement, what it would take to bring breath to a painting or sculpture. It all goes back to desire.. and an inner voice.

How have you dealt with any criticism you have gotten because of your creative endeavors?

With inside criticism I tend to retreat and cry. It takes me awhile to recover and then I pick myself back up again and move forward. For me? Art is all there is, so it is a lot like making up with a boyfriend after a fight.

With other people it depends on who they are. If they have clout or know what they are talking about they can take me to my knees. If not? Screw em.

Do you ever feel that you have to censor your creativity because you don’t want to offend anyone?

Oh gads.. yes! Big problem in American especially. I am working on an erotica series now because my gallery in New York that represents me, Monkdogz Urban Art, is going to do a show on it. They have guts and of course that is New York. I have done several paintings of erotica prior to that but most galleries want fluff and freak out with even a nipple.

Do you do anything special to get your “creative juices” flowing? Please explain.

Music.. that is huge. I sing my lungs out.. the louder the better. My husband always encourages me to meditate, even light candles.. but I tend to just plunge in. I think about art all of the time, so I figure that is enough meditation to get me there. When I get frustrated I tend to uncork a bottle of champagne or wine from time to time. People might not agree with me, say what they will, it works for me. I also totally mess up the canvas to start out.. everything from that point is an improvement.

When are you most creative and why do you think this is?

The mornings are good for me. I am very sensitive to what the moon is doing too, it creates havoc or bliss. Creativity comes in waves. I paint for a couple of weeks non stop in a frenzy and then recover… but.. I still paint even after the bliss of it has left me. What brings these tangents on is unclear to me. It just comes over me.

Do you think it’s important that art gives something to society?

No. This doesn’t mean though that I don’t dream of being an ‘Art Star’, but I am not sure that has anything to do with ‘contributing to society’. If you want to contribute to society.. what society exactly? There are so many factions, it feels impossible to please them. If I think that way I will find myself only painting fluff I think.

What are your words of wisdom for someone starting out in your field?

It goes back to what I said in the beginning.. if you want to be an artist? YOU ARE! Desire is talent and the rest is practice. Believe in yourself.

Outside of your Self-Portrait series, is there any one piece from your work that you feel especially close to?

I feel close to a lot of them for different reasons. I use “Flight” in just about everything I post because it was a breakthrough painting or at least one of them after I finished up the last piece from my “Victorian Series”, “Have You Ever Read Anything So Beautiful”.  I like that painting too because it feels so hopeful and triumphant.

Do you ever feel sad or bereft after finishing a piece of art or a poem?

Yes I do often with the paintings especially, funny you should ask.  I tried having small celebrations after I finished a work but that has not worked.  I try to paint several works at one time and that helps the let down not feel so harsh.  I don’t feel much either way after writing anything which is strange.  I just print them out after posting them here and there and then put them in a pile with the rest of what I have written.  I have boxes of watercolors, pastels, drawings, silks too that I kind of just do and forget about.  It is all just an exercise of doing I guess.

Will you tell us more about your process for writing?

I normally come up with a line or two while I am doing something else.  I write down thoughts all the time and keep them till I feel ready to put some of them  together.  Sometimes I read them and have no idea of what I am talking about. lol.  I look at my paintings the same way, I am not sure how I did them and fear I can’t again.    I  keep a list of keywords  that I know google will like and try to gear my thinking towards them so I can get ‘read’.  Sometimes that wrecks what my original feelings were so I keep one that is pure and one that has been adjusted for googles sake.    I enjoy writing the most  when I can actually place myself in the story or poem.  I try to feel how my subject is feeling and BECOME them… humm same exact thing I do with my paintings.

Do you write every day or only when something inspires you to write?

I write and paint everyday.  After 20 years in production pottery I am of the mentality that I have to see something at the end of the day or I feel defeated.  Some days are inspired and others not so much but I don’t think you can wait for inspiration, it takes being active in something to make it grow… that’s how I feel anyway.

Do you ever exhibit your art with one of your writings?

I did a story booklet for my “Lost At Sea” series along with a musical tape.   My “One Woman Show”, “ke ala o Pele” had a printout of my poem, “I Stood Inside a Rainbow” that was handed out.  I have thought a lot about showing art with words… thanks for the reminder!

Is there any other medium you’d like to explore?

I have done silk, metal forging, glass etching, sculpture in clay, oils, watercolors, … on and on.  I would like to do airbrush and learn more about casting for bronze or acrylics.  I have an unfinished sculpture just because I can’t find someone in Hawaii to make a mold for me.  There is soo much that can be explored.

Have you ever collaborated with someone else on a particular painting, poem or other writing?

I have let people use my images of my paintings for their books, etc.  I have also done a book cover for an author that was interesting.  I had to get into his head to figure out what he hoped to see.  I have been approached quite a bit about collaborating but just feel that I can do a work on my own with both the illustrations and the writing so why hassle with someone else… unless they had a publisher and agent, that would be a different story.

What part of your work gives you the most joy?

I honestly enjoy writing more than I do painting or sculpting.  I think that is because I don’t anticipate as much judgement with writing and I allow more freedom for myself.

What will you be working on next?

I am working on my “In Search of Klimt” series with less inferences to Klimt like the little squares and gold leafing.  I am experimenting with abstract, just to lessen my inhibitions while painting; I continue to work on the “Primal Series” ;  I am also writing a book/story about the “Mermaid Baby” and trying to work my little character One Fairy in;  I am working on a website just for greeting cards, posters and giclees that has a broader audience; my husband and I have been working on ‘Our Story’, re-uniting with each other after 27 years,  as well.  I tend to get scattered because I keep too many things going at once but,  ’so what’,  I think.. do what works and then move on.

Do you ever get to the Midwest?  I’d love to meet you!! 

Ohhh that is just so nice!  It would be lovely to meet you as well.

~~*~~

SOME THOUGHTS FROM KATHY:

On How To Stay Creative

“Do you struggle with how to motivate yourself towards creativity, because at times it does feel flat? I believe there are things we can do, as artists, to stimulate the process. Sometimes those things might be more simple than you might think.

I write a lot. I write poetry or stories or articles and post them on ezines. I also post articles ‘about art’ … getting out there, how to deal with not being accepted in juried show and things like that. I feed the process.

I keep things around me that make me happy. Sometimes those things are kind of dumb.. I like dolls and tea sets and things that make no sense but who cares I like them.

I join artists groups and enter shows. I volunteered for ‘everything’! I was shy at first but I knew that if I volunteered in art clubs, to do anything at all, I would get busy and come out of it. I have.

I go online a lot and look at what other people are creating. I have a MySpace and that is the place that continually surprises and makes me happy because of all the amazing work people do.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!! Keep doing what you love.! You can only get better.. I do.. I get better every time I go to my canvas or put my hands in clay.

DON’T decide you stink based on one thing or one effort. I do that sometimes. If I am shut down somewhere I decide I stink about everything. Stupid but you know how your mind can get going right?”

DO ART.. I saw a blog today where an artist posts one new work a day. What a great thing to do! I am thinking about it too.

Lastly, if you are an artist in your heart.. be sure an say so. If people ask you what you do… tell them, “I AM AN ARTIST” … because you are! Mythical and magical journey’s to enchantment are right there within your reach, how cool! Slay the dragon and don’t limit yourself, stay inspired by the mermaids and fantasy fairies of youth.

On Mature Women Aging Gracefully

Products are designed to appeal to youth unless they are specifically geared toward the aged, like special wheelchairs or meds or reverse mortgages, stuff like that. With all of this around me I know it is all the more important to ‘feel’ and understand my reason for being. I am not a hot flash, I am a woman having a hot flash. I may feel that I am no longer sexy but I must remind myself that sexy is an attitude. It is all about looking ‘outside’ of oneself, feeling energized by living and acting on that passion. Oh and there is soo much to see that I missed in youth.

As women get older they need to connect to their spiritual side more and I think they do. I find that I am able to look outside myself more and not worry as much about other women in the room. Who is the fairest of all and who shines the brightest. It is a time that holds visions and introspection and a time that should be embraced.

So go out as a mature woman, find those beautiful older women galleries, create your own lyrics to music that lost them. Shine!

Kathy’s Artist’s Statement

“Passion has a sense of violence about it, it is strong and it survives aggression. I do not paint passive art.. I paint passion. Within passion one finds a boldness full of enticing ambitions to grasp on to, that piece of your heart that presses you to go past the mark of a bystander, the spot you may have been told to stay put on. No, it is not possible to feel passive when standing next to passion. I don’t paint landscapes to hang above someone’s couch, paintings meant to be a resting place for the mind? I paint feelings that one cannot just walk past. I hope to stir up emotions within the viewer. It is not my goal to feel nothing but a sunny day or peacefulness, shiny trinkets that rest on walls that can be walked away from. I paint women who feel something. Strength, sexuality, pain, power, a force of intensity, emotional qualities that generate a reaction. I don’t paint the sky, I paint the dominance of the wind that caused it to be felt on ones skin, in the form of a woman. I pick up my brush or clay between my fingers and consider a certain belligerence, an attitude of confidence that meets the power I need to form an energy outside myself and I welcome it in. I paint or sculpt until I hear them breathing and their breath becomes my own.”

Thank you, Kathy, for being so generous with your time and information.  You’ve been so sweet to me! ~ Pamela

~~*~~

Kathy is represented in New York by Monkdogz Urban Art, Inc. She has an International group show coming up and this link reflects that as well as talks about her and other artists.  She especially featured Jean Marc Calvet who showed with Picasso in Paris this past Summer.

Monkdogz Urban Art|New York Gallery|New York Art|International Art

For Kathy’s thoughts on creativity and how to get there:

Fantasy Art Woman|Fairies in Art|Beautiful Women Goddess Art|Beautiful Older Women Galleries

Much of Kathy’s writing is at Ezine.

Kathy’s Website and MySpace.

More about Kathy Ostman-Magnusen here.

TGIF, folks!  Here’s the update for next week:

Our Monday Mix and Wild Wednesday will post as usual.

Jane will bring you Tuesday’s interview with the very witty and talented author Bettie Sharpe. 

In Thursday’s column, I’ll continue the comics thread with Vol. 1, Issue 2 of A Case for Comics.  Please continue to bring on the [...]]]>

TGIF, folks!  Here’s the update for next week:

Our Monday Mix and Wild Wednesday will post as usual.

Jane will bring you Tuesday’s interview with the very witty and talented author Bettie Sharpe. 

In Thursday’s column, I’ll continue the comics thread with Vol. 1, Issue 2 of A Case for Comics.  Please continue to bring on the fabulous comments! 

We plan to launch our continuing story next Friday, May 23rd.   Pulling this together has been a challenge due to our crazy schedules and different time zones.  Pray for clear signals and strong coffee!

Also ahead:

My interview with artist and writer Kathy Ostman-Magnusen will post Tuesday, May 27th.   I absolutely adore her work and just know you will, too (if you don’t already)!

Watch for information to be posted about our next contest! 

Have a fabulous weekend! 

Pamela

“Hey, that does sound like a good book.  Who wrote it?”  “Neil Gaiman.  It’s a comic book.”  “Oh, you mean those superhero stories?  Nah, I don’t read that stuff.”  This is the overwhelming response I receive from other women after holding a conversation like this.  Heck, I’m fairly certain I gave a similar response [...]]]>

“Hey, that does sound like a good book.  Who wrote it?”  “Neil Gaiman.  It’s a comic book.”  “Oh, you mean those superhero stories?  Nah, I don’t read that stuff.”  This is the overwhelming response I receive from other women after holding a conversation like this.  Heck, I’m fairly certain I gave a similar response to my husband when he first broached the subject with me.  “I’m not really into superheroes,” I must have replied in fear that I’d be asked to read one.
 
It may be true that there are plenty of stories with two dimensional alpha male heroes who fight and conquer two dimensional supernasties from outer space.  However, there are also just as many stories that appeal to the non-fanboy/girl in all of us who appreciate a little something more. 

My first real venture into the more mature comic book world began with Transmetropolitan by writer Warren Ellis.  Transmet is a political post-cyberpunk series where gonzo journalist Spider Jerusalem battles corruption and abuse of power in the not too distant future.   I read this in trade paperback form and learned a lesson in patience while waiting for each new collection of monthlies to be released.  It’s brilliant writing and definitely deserves a look.  MEK, a three issue mini-series about mechanical augmentation, and Two-Step, a futuristic romantic comedy described as “Pop meets Zen,” are two more fun reads by Ellis.
 
Author Terry Moore, recently wrapped up his Eisner Award winning serialized story Strangers in Paradise, in which he portrayed real women in real relationships.  Ellis’ Transmet opened my eyes to the world of comics, and Moore’s SIP is what kept me there.  The characters in SIP think and talk the way I do, have misunderstandings, and cope with self-doubt.  If I‘ve done my job and you‘ve decided to try at least one comic book, make it this one.  You can thank me later. 

Influential English author Alan Moore was one of the first to bring us adult themes with challenging subject matter.  His acclaimed graphic novels V for Vendetta, about an anarchist who fights a future British fascist government, and From Hell, which examined the Jack the Ripper murders, are certainly not kids fare.  Moore’s highly influential Hugo Award winning Watchmen depicts superheroes in as real people.  They’re neurotic, struggle with personal and ethical issues, and fail like the rest of us. 
 
Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, winner of nine Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards and three Harvey Awards, is a cult DC Comics classic about Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams.   It’s difficult to summarize Sandman quickly but let’s just say it is about how Morpheus begins to question is past actions and what happens as a result of his questioning.   It is interesting that more than half of its readers have been women.              
 
Maus:  A Survivor’s Tale, by memoir by Art Spiegelman, recounting his father’s struggle to survive as a Polish Jew during the Holocaust, won a Pulitzer Prize Special Award in 1992.  The characters are all written as anthropomorphic animals.  This is a multi-faceted important read.
 
Another one of my favorite comic book series is another Eisner Award winner.  Queen in Country, an espionage drama published by Oni Press and written by Greg Rucka features Tara Chace, a Special Operations Officer with the British Secret Intelligence Service, and a fascinating character to watch.   Rucka writes about real people in real and extraordinary situations.  These books are thrilling spy lit at it’s best.

If you’re worried about sticking out like a sore thumb while perusing the aisles of a comic book shop, have no fear, your neighborhood large chain booksellers now carry a wide variety of comics and graphic novels.  Warren Ellis has some interesting words to say about the comic store culture.

“That means getting rid of the talking Jar Jar Binks stand-up in the doorway.  It means racking he T&A stuff somewhere else.  It means focusing more on graphic novels than back-issue bins.  It means displaying your comics in the window, not the bloody toys, and making your standalone floor displays out of comics and graphic novels, no those stupid pewter figures for pretending to be sodding elves in role-playing games with.  It means talking to customers, not just standing idly by or peering over your till with an air of false superiority.  It means talking to the people who work in and run the shop, telling them what you think works, telling them what you want to read.  It means call-out sections where you rack by creator, and all the comics shops I know of that have tried it have discovered that it works very well indeed.  Because people who don’t come from the comics-store culture will walk into stores and look, not for a title, but the new Neil Gaiman, or the new Alan Moore, or the new Frank Miller.

Basically, if we’re going to attempt to drive new potential readers into comics store, we don’t want them retching from man-stench and cheap porno-manga the minute they get into the store.  We need to provide a mature environment in line with bookstores and record stores.  We need to provide a mature environment in line with bookstores and record stores.  A sense of relaxed professionalism.  An environment that’s proud to sell its wares, as opposed to covering them up with miles of Magic boxes or brazenly (or sloppily) leaving he ugly and ephemeral mainstream stuff in front and hiding the good stuff in back.  Newsflash; if someone newly interested in comics enters a comics store for the first time, odds are good that they’re not going to want this month’s AMAZING FROTTAGE-MAN.”

My hope is that at least a few of you out there reading my column will take a chance and run to your nearest bookseller, or better yet comics store, and pick up at least one of the titles I mentioned here.  Give it a whirl and report back to me with your thoughts.  I’d love to hear them.  Hey, maybe I’ll even be surprised by the response I receive during my next comic book conversation!

Popular books being adapted to comic book form:
 
Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter by Laurell K. Hamilton
Dark Hunger in manga form by Christine Feehan
The Dark Tower by Steven King 
The Dragonlance series

Great websites:

Journalista
DiamondComics

I’ll talk more about women writing comics and comic book artists in a future column.

Happy Tuesday! Pamela here. This week’s interview is with talented author Jacquie Rogers. My deepest gratitude to Jacquie not only for the great interview, but for allowing us to hold a contest along with it! She’s supplying some fabulous prizes which are listed at the end of this post.  The instructions on how [...]]]>

Happy Tuesday! Pamela here. This week’s interview is with talented author Jacquie Rogers. My deepest gratitude to Jacquie not only for the great interview, but for allowing us to hold a contest along with it! She’s supplying some fabulous prizes which are listed at the end of this post.  The instructions on how you can enter and win are also listed there. Now, on to the interview…

1. Will you tell us a little about yourself and when you first began writing?

JR: I’m a country girl at heart (born and raised in Owyhee County, Idaho), even though I love living in the Seattle ‘burbs. Something about not having to get up at 3am and break ice off baby calves’ noses . . . Still, those days on the farm gave me lots of story material, and the people where I grew up are wonderful, so I draw from their strong characters. A storyteller couldn’t ask for better.

As for writing, I’d sworn off writing forever; after all, my mother wanted me to be a writer. I wanted to be a baseball announcer, and ended up working in retail, politics, accounting, and software consulting. So not only did I have no aspirations to be a writer, neither had I ever read a romance novel. My daughter, however, was an avid romance reader and read probably a book a day all during junior high and high school. I had no idea that romance novel contained sex scenes. I was just happy that she loved to read as much as I did. Anyway, with my lungs under siege from pneumonia, I was bedridden and had read every book in the house (we have thousands) and my daughter wouldn’t buy me another one until I tried reading one of her romance novels. I didn’t care for the first one, but the second, Fire and Rain by Kathleen Eagle, hooked my on romance forever. I still love that book. A couple months later, I dreamed a story and wrote it. I’ve been writing ever since. 

2. Did you have another vocation before writing?

JR: I milked cows, was an office manager, a campaign manager, a bookkeeper, a deli clerk, a photographer, and a computer consultant, among other things. Short attention span, ya know.

3. Has your environment or upbringing colored your writing in any way?

JR: Absolutely. I had no idea that Idahoans spoke with colorful colloquialisms until I started writing. My critique group was often baffled, laughed where they weren’t supposed to, and didn’t laugh when they were supposed to. Growing up on a farm outside of Homedale gave me a tremendous amount of story material, though. In fact, my next release, Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues is set in Grasmere, which is in the desert south of our farm (75 miles, which is not considered far). The culture is rich with the history of the Old West, mining, rodeo, ranching, farming, as well as interesting characters, both past and present.

At the same time, living in Seattle, and for a while smack-dab in the middle of Seattle, has given me a whole different perspective, and more history and interesting sites to use.

4. Where do you get your information or ideas for your stories?

JR: Oh, boy. I have enough ideas to keep me busy for the next 200 years, but then I’d probably get more ideas, so add another couple hundred onto that. I walk down the street and see a father trying to put his toddler in a car seat, totally baffled by all the straps, and flummoxed as the child starts wailing for his mommy. Or I overhear a snippet of conversation in a restaurant or park. Often ideas come for two very different sources, and meld into one.

For instance, the first story in Faery Special Romances is Faery Much in Love and is about the faery Shaylah, who has a really hard time controlling her magic. Her character came from an instance where I was debugging a program and just couldn’t get it to work—ended up finding an errant semicolon. What I took from that is we can be pretty darned close to the mark, yet things still don’t go the way we expect them. Shaylah is a sexy faery, so she needed an equally sexy hero. Enter Sir Darian. He’s actually extrapolated from genealogy stories of my family, where a knight who rode with Richard the Lionhearted was granted land and the general’s daughter (he was 50, she was 18!!!). I always wondered how a fighting man could turn into a family man.

I tell everyone around me that I consider everything I hear, see, smell, and touch to be fair game for my stories.

5. What do you think makes a good story?

JR: Great conflict, and a character who cares. I want to root for the hero and heroine, and be happy to journey through 400 pages of trials, tears, and laughter with them. And I’m addicted to happy endings.

6. What was your first publication experience like?

JR: My first experience was with Highland Press’s anthology to benefit breast cancer research, No Law Against Love. All the stories were based on silly or archaic laws still on the books. I wrote two stories. The first one was Faery Good Advice, using the law in Auburn, Washington, that men who deflower virgins, regardless of age or marital status, may face up to five years in jail. This story stars Keely, who since went on to star in her own book, Faery Special Romances. The second story is called Single Girls Can’t Jump and is based on the silly law in Florida that prohibits unmarried women from parachuting on Sundays. It’s a time travel 1,000 years into the future.

Starting in an anthology was a wonderful experience for me because all of the authors learned about publicity together. I forced me to get my website into shape and explore other internet space where I could get exposure for my stories. So it was a tutorial for me on how to put a PR machine together. Plus, I found out that my daughter (not the one who forced me to read a romance), Mercedes, was a PR whiz, and we named her Hurricane Mercedes. She managed to get publicity in several local papers as well as booking some successful book signings. All these things helped to give me a soft landing in the whirlwind world of selling books, which isn’t easy.

7. How do you come up with titles?

JR: If I can’t come up with a good title, I beg and whine to my friends and critique partners. So far, I’ve been blessed with good titles that really tell what the book is about. Both my published books were titled by Deborah MacGillivray (who also did the cover art for Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues). Some of the story titles from Faery Special Romances came from a play on the word “very,” so Faery Much In Love, Faery Hot Date. Most of these titles come from brainstorming with Judith Laik, Sherrie Holmes, and Celia May Hart.

8. Who or what has influenced or inspired your writing?

JR: Both my daughters and my sister are romance fans—and my staunchest supporters. Then of course, there’s my hero husband, who encourages me every step of the way, and often does my proofreading.

9. Do you face any challenges when writing? If so, how do you overcome them?

JR: My biggest challenge is to write a scene that’s exactly what I see in my mind. No, I’ve never succeeded yet, but I’m working on it. Another challenge is convincing myself that writing is my job. I feel guilty if the dishes aren’t done or the laundry is piled up, probably because I’m home. When I worked outside the home, those things didn’t bother me so much. Then again, I use mundane chores to procrastinate. You can tell if I’m having trouble with a scene by the sparkling kitchen counters. When it gets down to cleaning toilets, well, that’s some serious avoidance, right there.

10. What are your hobbies?

JR: Fantasy baseball! Last year, my team took third in the league. I would have been champion, but my players all decided to take a vacation during the second week of play-offs. I also do crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and, of course, I love to read.

11. Who designs your covers?

JR: Faery Special Romances was designed by Monika Wolmerans. Deborah MacGillivray designed Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues. I love both book covers! I designed the short story cover for The Duchess and the Dirtwater Faery when it finaled in the P.E.A.R.L Awards, which taught me how truly difficult designing a good cover is.

11. What publisher(s) do you work for?

JR: Highland Press.

12. Are there any other genres you’d like to write in?

JR: I’m seriously considering YA fantasy, or straight fantasy. I love westerns, too. Actually, I’d like to write in several genres and time periods. Faery Special Romances takes place in ten different time periods from Medieval to Futuristic. That was a LOT of work, but I loved the research.

13. What’s your idea of the perfect romantic evening?

JR: An evening on the beach, a little wine, a little cuddling . . .

14. Will you talk a little about Faery Special Romances?

JR: Faery Special Romances stars Keely. Keely was originally in Faery Good Advice, in No Law Against Love. I don’t know if she’s strong, bossy, lovable, or what, but she ended up with her own spaces on myspace, bebo, squidoo, as well as her own blog and her own network space on ning called Faery World. My editor wanted an anthology of faery stories, so I decided to chronicle Keely’s life as a matchmaker. Faeries live a very long time, and I determined that she was born around 1150AD, which would make her a mere 50 years old—a kindergartner, for the first story of Shaylah and Sir Darian called Faery Much In Love. Anyone who has herded kindergartners could appreciate the challenge of a 5-year-old who doesn’t quite know how to use her magic yet.
In the second story, Much Ado About Faeries, Keely has her first pre-pubescent crush on Caedmon, Chief of Portal Police, but she’s completely dismissed by him, much to her annoyance. In Faeries of the Caribbean, Keely tries her hand at being a faery godmother. All the subsequent stories show her in a more mature state, and in the final story, which takes place in the future, she finds her own heart vulnerable.

15. I understand you are involved with the Children’s Tumor Foundation. How so?

JR: I’d always intended to donate the royalties from my first book to neurofibromatosis research. My daughter has NF1 by spontaneous mutation, and her oldest daughter has it, too. We’re not sure about her younger daughter. Anyway, when I told my daughter of my intentions to donate anonymously, she said absolutely not! And said that no one knows about neurofibromatosis even though it’s more common that cystic fibrosis or muscular dystrophy combined, and my best contribution would be to promote awareness of this painful and disfiguring genetic disorder. She told me to give her a little time and she’d hook me up with an organization, which turned out to be Children’s Tumor Foundation.
John Reisner, CTF President, has been wonderful to work with and we, with airtime donated by Internet Voices Radio, made two two-hour podcasts to educate the public. Guests include doctors and scientists as well as people who life with NF every day. They’re wonderful shows, and I’ll have them up on my website soon.

16. What has been your favorite book to write so far?

JR: My favorite book is one I’ll probably never sell because it’s a western historical romance that is more realistic of daily life, it’s humorous, and doesn’t follow the B-western mythos.

17. What projects are you working on right now?

JR: I have several open projects. One is a novella called Faery Merry Christmas. It’s another Keely story set in 1956. I’m also in the brainstorming stage of a fantasy, plus I’m halfway through another fantasy romance that’s a bit off-kilter, with princesses, dragons, magic, and swordfights.

18. Do you have any suggestions for becoming a better writer?

JR: Practice makes perfect. I took lots and lots of classes, plus I was newsletter editor for two years so I read probably twenty writing articles for every one I included. Our critique group gave classes to ourselves, with the assumption that teaching is the best way to learn, and it worked. Plus, I’ve used some of that material for subsequent workshops I’ve presented. So learn, learn, learn, then let your hair down and write, write, write. I do this in cycles. Right now, I can feel that I’m heading back into the learning stage again.

19. Are there any books, classes or websites you would recommend to the beginning writer:

JR: I’ll just give a few of each. There are so many excellent resources available, but the following books, websites, and classes have helped me get started and make steady progress. Also they’re all very upbeat and encouraging.

Books:

You Can Write a Romance by Rita Clay Estrada & Rita Gallagher, ISBN: 0-89879-862-0
GMC: Goal, Motivation, & Conflict by Debra Dixon, ISBN: 0-9654371-0-8
Scene and Structure by Jack Bickham, ISBN: 0-89879-551-6

Websites:

Stella Cameron’s Writing Tips
Karen Harbaugh on Writing

Classes:

Laurie Schnebly Campbell
Mary Buckham

Thanks so much for asking me to participate in your new blog. You’ve done a wonderful job with your site and I’m really honored to be included here. Best of luck to you!

 Jacquie’s Faery Special Contest

To enter Jacquie’s contest, just comment on any of our posts though Saturday, May 10, and we’ll put your name in the drawing for first and second prize.  Names will be drawn and announced on Monday, May 12.  If you’re a winner, we’ll need you to send us your address by using our Contact page.  Here is what you can win: 

                      First Prize                                                     Second Prize

Faery Special Romances, autographed copy            Faery Special Tote Bag
Faery Special T-Shirt                                                  Faery Good Bath Salts
Princess Keely Pen

Thanks for being so generous, Jacquie!  You’re the best!  Good luck to all and bring on the comments!

Jacquie’s Website                                                      To Purchase FSB

Jacquie’s MySpace                                                     Keely’s MySpace

Jacquie’s Blog                                                            Keely’s Blog 

Hurricane Mercedes (Jacquie’s daughter/publicist)   Mules Blues

Today, for the Monday Mix, we decided to survey our audience on their preferences in books and the publishing biz. 

1.   Who is your favorite author?

2.   What genre do you read most?

3.   Have you ever purchased an ePub?

4.   Who is your favorite ePub to buy from and why?

5.   What is your favorite eBook reader and why?

6.   Do [...]]]>

Today, for the Monday Mix, we decided to survey our audience on their preferences in books and the publishing biz. 

1.   Who is your favorite author?

2.   What genre do you read most?

3.   Have you ever purchased an ePub?

4.   Who is your favorite ePub to buy from and why?

5.   What is your favorite eBook reader and why?

6.   Do you prefer reading stories in the first or third person?

7.   What takes you out of a story?

8.   Do you find any storylines tired and out of date?

9.   Do you need a happy ending?

10. What keeps you visiting a blog?

Thanks for taking part in our survey!  Please stop back tomorrow for our interview with the very talented author Jacquie Rogers!  You won’t want to miss it!

~ Pamela