• Pathways to Healing (Author Interview)

    carmencarrol.com Pathways to Healing looks like a personal story.  What can you tell us about it? Pathway to Healing is my journey of recovery from years of experiencing childhood trauma and adult pain from emotional and verbal abuse from the age of 6 years old. As a result, my life was full of rejection, low self-esteem, and feelings of condemnation and periods of depression. No-one wants to talk about abuse because it can take on so many different forms, and unfortunately can start in our families. No matter how you may have experienced it the pain goes deep. To the point that it can consume your life and you walk around under a dark cloud and unfortunately others see your vulnerability and you get misused over again. I experienced abuse from some of those people who at the time we're supposed to care for me, so the title, Overcoming Childhood Trauma and Adult Pain of Sibling Rivalry capture some of what the book is about, but there is so much more in there. I refer also to two well-known characters from the bible whose life amplifies the hurt and the victory that comes from sibling rivalry, and that is the story of Joseph and Jesus. I explore the comparisons of their life experiences and the beauty that could only be expressed through the pressure that was placed on them. Their stories bring about unconditional expressive love, redemption and forgiveness. I'm still on my journey to healing, which has taken years to walk through. Even though I'm a Christian, I questioned God as to why was I going through so much pain?  At first, I just had to draw strength from reading the bible. It helped me to get back up and to start showing all be it a flickering light of hope again in the middle of the darkness. I was angry that I was in a battle that I was not prepared for and didn't know I had to fight! Over time, God let me know that it was going to be a process to my healing and that there was a purpose for ALL the pain I had gone through!  I didn't know why, but could it be that the process was pushing my greatness to come to the forefront, and it is preparing the beauty of a new character in me, and a more compassionate heart. There is always a cost to greatness and pressure is always required for something beautiful to be birthed. I know it sometimes just seems that the waiting is so long. It's in the dark places that a seed has to die to live again, and when it bears fruit. It's in those moments in life that the pressure is so intense, that if one more thing happens, you're going to lose it. So much can happen to us in life that something dies inside. Could it be that God is after the hidden treasures that are buried under our hurts, our pride or the things that take our focus from him? God does want to bring a turn around to the pains we've gone through. He does want to restore us to a place of living a full life. This can take time and can start with first having a personal... Readmore

  • It Gives You Strength (Author Interview)

    https://www.philipraymondbrown.com/ It Gives You Strength looks like an exciting story. Can you tell us a little about it? When asked that question I usually have a short version and a longer version. So I’ll give you both. The short version is that the book is set in 1926, New York. An alien on the primitive planet Earth is trapped in the middle of a gang war for the NY/Canada rum-running market. “Star-man meets Boardwalk Empire”. The longer version is as follows: On a rescue mission to the distant planet Earth in 1926, an alien scientist, Tashan Zho, is transported into the dying body of bootlegger Ryan Costello. Upon his death, Costello’s body is reanimated by the alien, and endowed with supernatural powers. Unfortunately, the body is so damaged from years of alcohol abuse that the alien’s memory and his vital files are corrupted. All that remains of his mission plan is one phrase: “Find the one called Mike Kelly.” Complicating matters, the alien soon discovers that Kelly is the leader of a criminal gang of World War veterans, who are battling mobster Jack “Legs” Diamond for control of the lucrative Canada/New York rum-running market. Upon recognizing Costello's enhanced abilities and physical strength, Kelly forces the alien into the mob. Since Kelly is his only chance of discovering and completing his mission, the alien agrees. Costello soon learns his crucial task - to free an alien child from the infamous Craig Colony before his home world dispatches its “rescue armada.” A force so massive that its mere entry into the Earth’s atmosphere would devastate the planet. The story, a mashup of historical fiction, science fiction, and fantasy, is set in upstate New York during prohibition. The fictional characters interact with actual historical figures, including mobster Jack “Legs” Diamond, heavyweight champ Jack Dempsey, and World War heroine Edith Cavell. As a writer was it easy to mix science fiction, history and fantasy? Science Fiction Alternate History is actually a burgeoning genre. Many novels pose ethical and moral questions about humanity. Science fiction alternate history should strive to highlight the injustices of our collective past. I tried to meet this duty by setting several pivotal chapters of the novel in the infamous Craig Colony. As difficult as it is now to believe, New York State institutionalized or ”warehoused” its citizens with seizure disorders at the Craig Colony from 1894 until it was finally closed in 1968. Men and women who had committed no crime were essentially held like prisoners. They were forbidden from having relationships, falling in love, or marrying. Since they were considered too weak and feeble to hold challenging jobs, from childhood, they were taught vocations like brick making and sewing. The physicians at the Craig Colony even lobbied the N.Y. Legislature to make marriage and cohabitation with Epileptics illegal under NY state law. As a writer, my challenge was to in... Readmore

  • Whisper in My Ear

    www.amazon.com/dp/B012YMFVNC/ It's the 1960s, and cultural and political unrest is sweeping across America. In the midst of this turmoil, three young Americans find themselves on a path that sends them to join the war effort in Vietnam;Dion Murphy, a handsome football player from Georgia; Cathy Addison, a pretty young nurse from Minnesota; and Norman Coddington, a young man from a wealthy but dysfunctional Boston family. While in Vietnam, all three, along with a beautiful young nurse from the Philippines, must confront enemies from their pasts while walking into an uncertain future.  Set against the backdrop of minor skirmishes and culminating in one of the Vietnam War's longest and bloodiest battles, Whisper in My Ear is a story of two loving couples--with ordinary desires and passions--who are called on to bear witness to an extraordinary time as they serve in the US Marine Corps and the US Navy, and strive to fulfill their duties and follow their orders, whether they agree with them or not, while a gruesome and bloody war rages all around them.  This novel also emphasizes the important role women play in all wars, whether they remain at home or serve abroad, and the debt of gratitude the wounded owe to the critical and angelic care of a combat nurse. The insane torture of captured and or wounded American Marines by the Apache woman is almost unbelievable but true, as are the facts about the Vietnamese culture and the war itself. The Vietcong women were also adept spies and snipers, and the male sniper characterized in the story is based on the life of a famous North Vietnamese mercenary. The story also depicts the exploits of the Vietnam War's most famous American sniper, Marine Sergeant Carlos Hathcock, and the torment suffered by Americans in the prison camp known as the Hanoi Hilton. You will also learn about the unsung heroics of the "Brown Water Navy" and the "Blue Water Navy", and the major impact they had on the war effort and in saving American and South Vietnamese lives. The contributions of our allies, particularly those of Australia, Canada, Sweden, the Philippines, and South Korea, is acknowledged in this story and gratefully appreciated! Readmore

  • Electric Pulse (Publication Review)

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PCLJMYS/ Phantom Knights Series: Electric Pulse By KD Bond HUGEOrange Publication Review Phantom Knights is a well-written fantasy series with everything you want from romance to the paranormal.  It has a gritty urban element, and the characters are well developed.  I found the premise unique, and I think the author does a good job of keeping the scenes smooth and the tension high.  The main character, Katrina Throne, is a Phantom Knight; her purpose is to protect people against otherworldly creatures.  Think Men in Black mixed with some Underworld.  The first book in the series is promising.  The focus is on world-building and character development and it does the job.  The plot starts with Kat being bored with life, which is hard to wrap my head around, given her history and job.  But she isn’t human and the author does a great job making her behavior unique but still relatable. In comes an unlikely and shy character, Lucas. The dynamics between Katrina and Lucas are fun to watch.  The contrast is enough for some interesting scenes. She reached over slightly causing her hand to casually brush up against his, as she palmed her glass. "So, what do you do, Lucas?" Seeming to notice the mild spark, he glanced down at their hands briefly before looking back up to proceed with his response. “I’m a data consultant for Fall Heights." Ahhhhh, so she was right. Nerrrrrd alert! Kat smiled inwardly. Banking her humor, she replied with earnest. "Sounds interesting." Overall, a strong first book in what will be a great fantasy series—highly recommended. Readmore

  • After The Storm (Author Interview)

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086SJSKWC/ref=nodl_ After the Storm looks like a great biography, what can you tell us about it? After The Storm is a story written about the aftermath of the worst “life storm” I’ve ever been through. It begins from the moment my fiancé died and ends with how I met my current boyfriend. How long did it take you to write After the Storm? It took me two years to write this book. I began writing it after I finished my first book Fourteen Day Fiancé. I always knew that I wanted to write about how my life improved, so I started writing even when I couldn’t see how it would. What will readers get out of your book? Hopefully readers will get a lot of out my book, but the most important thing I want them to get is that all hope is not lost. No matter how bad any situation is in your life it can, and will, turn around if you have faith and never give up. Did anything stick out as particularly challenging when writing After the Storm? I think the hardest thing to write in this book was describing my past traumas. They were harder to relive than I imagined, but in the end it did help me heal and it was worth it. What do you like to do when not writing? My favorite thing to do when I’m not writing is researching my family tree. It’s a fun little hobby I’ve picked up over the years! I also enjoy playing music and traveling. Where can readers find out more about your work? Readers can find out more about my work by following me on Instagram and Twitter (@nataliepjenkins) and my website www.nataliepjenkins.com Readmore

The Secrets of a Phoenix (Author Interview)

 




https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B88XFSFR/

Any plans to turn it into a series?
Not necessarily into a series but plans to continue and write another book. The plan for the next book is to write an entire book of reverse poems about life and experiences from the mind of a woman.


How long did it take you to write The Secrets of a Phoenix?
This question is one I tend to have a tough time answering. I wrote the poems as I was going through the experiences, but compiling them, adding the narrative before each poem, and all the additional within the book took about 6 months.


What inspired you when writing The Secrets of a Phoenix?
What inspired me when writing was the real-life experiences I was going through each time. Experiences ranging from being 16 and pregnant, falling in love, falling out of love, being a single mom, and making a comeback through all the tough times finding me again.


How did you come up with the title to your book?
When I was thinking of a title, I was trying to think of something that would represent what these experiences were to me. There were all of these experiences that changed my life, the person I was, and I was starting new again as the new me who had come from those. The Pheonix represents being reborn through its own ashes, which is essentially what I was doing. The secrets part came from exactly what these poems were, my own secrets and feelings tucked away in a notebook in my room.


What will readers get out of your book?
My hope is that my book will help people not feel so alone and will also give them the power to keep pushing because things will get better. We are all fighting our own battles and I hope they will find comfort in knowing that.


What part of the book was the most fun to write?
The part that was the most fun to write was the last few pages of the book. The parts that represent finding myself again and taking my life back. The rainbow after the storm you could say. I had written those words in a notebook previously but writing them again filled me with the emotions I felt while creating them, reinforcing just how far I had come.


What was your hardest scene/section to write, and why?
The hardest sections to write were the ones that involved other people. I was worried about their feelings when sharing these deep feelings from experiences shared with them.


What do you like to do when not writing?
When not writing and not working, my best times are spent with my 3 kids, family, and friends. We enjoy our movie nights, living room dance parties, and camping trips.


Where can readers find out more about your work?
My book is available on Kindle and Amazon, with more to come. I am also on Tik Tok, Instagram, and Facebook. I can be found under Lexi Sweet.
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