Erica Mimran Sherlock: The IAN Interview

Erica Mimran Sherlock

Erica Sherlock, a retired teacher of 23 years, spent the better part of her life in the trenches with adolescents, empathizing with their joys and their strife, their hopes and their angst. Inspired by the hundreds of students who taught her more about life than she did them, and fueled by her lifelong dream of becoming an author, Erica has channeled her experiences into her debut book, Through Quick and Quinn. When she isn’t snuggling with her dog, talking to her garden plants, or feeding all of the neighborhood critters, she is surely enjoying a cup of coffee and meaningful conversation with her family and close friends.

IAN: Please tell us about Through Quick and Quinn.

Erica Sherlock: Flashbacks. Guilt. Self-Loathing.

Quick is a teenager drowning in the aftermath of an unspeakable tragedy. Estranged from his dysfunctional parents and disconnected from peers, he numbs his pain with endless distractions, struggling through each agonizing day.

Meditations. Crystals. Self-Awareness.

Quinn, a self-imposed outcast, seeks refuge in the spiritual world. After a heartbreaking loss, she immerses herself in energy healing, embracing nature's solace and striving to move forward with positivity and gratitude.

Both uninterested in forming connections, Quick and Quinn are shocked to discover a bond that propels them on parallel journeys of self-discovery. Grappling with traumas that shattered their childhood innocence, they muster the courage to uncover truths behind their circumstances. Delving into research and introspection, they unveil a cascade of questions about the world around them, navigating through a perceived web of lies. Their unexpected friendship ignites a desire for discourse, prompting them to challenge the status quo and invite others to do the same, despite the risks.

Quick and Quinn were bold enough to share their tale. Will you be brave enough to read it?

Just know this:

Their story challenges the narrative.
Their story exists in the uncomfortable.
Their story says all the quiet parts out loud.

IAN: Is Through Quick and Quinn published in print, e-book, or both?

Erica Sherlock: Through Quick and Quinn is offered in both print and e-book, and the audio version is expected to be available in Summer 2025.

IAN: Where can we go to buy Through Quick and Quinn?

Erica Sherlock: Through Quick and Quinn is available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

IAN: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

Erica Sherlock: I have always wanted to be an author.

Always.

You know the movie Inception, where it’s like a dream within a dream? Well, I carry with me a distinct memory within a vivid memory. It was my senior year in high school and I was sprawled out on my bedroom floor, surrounded by markers, magazine clippings, and glue. As I was creating the vision board for Mr. Worley’s class and emboldening the word AUTHOR with thick marker, I experienced a deja vu moment when I recalled doing the exact same thing for a project way back in elementary school.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamed of creating with the written word.

Tucked in a dusty box that rests high up in our spare bedroom closet are notebooks upon notebooks of random story ideas and mediocre attempts at poetry. But you know how it goes. Life unfolds, the family grows, the priorities change. It wasn’t until recently that I was able to dedicate myself to chasing the dream, and I thank God each day for the opportunity.

So, no. I do not recall how or when my love for writing began. It predates my memory.

IAN: Did you use an outline or did you just wing the first draft?

Erica Sherlock: I utilized an outline of sorts, one could say. After attempting to write in different places and settling into what became my preferred space, I used the nearby wall as the home base of my organization. Taped to the wall were color-coded index cards that I used to map out the path of the story, plan the timing of the subplots, and track the character contributions to the novel. Sticky notes of ideas and snippets further adorned the window, also color-coded of course. Additionally, I kept three different notebooks within arm’s reach at all times: one for keeping track of particulars, one for my ongoing brainstorm regarding Quinn’s LL, and one for the handwritten database of possibilities for Quick’s digs. (LL? Digs? You’ll have to read the novel to find out!)

IAN: How long did it take to write Through Quick and Quinn?

Erica Sherlock: It took approximately eight months to write Through Quick and Quinn, after about seven months of sporadic mental note-taking.

IAN: Do you have a specific writing style?

Erica Sherlock: Through Quick and Quinn is a split first-person narrative, told through a variety of segments that oscillate between past and present. There are formal chapters, letters to family members, journal entries, text strands, flashback memories, and online forum posts. The segments vary in length and in style, making for an easy “storytelling” type of read.

My writing technique depended on the task at hand. Not only does Quick’s voice differ greatly from that of Quinn, but the reader will notice that his voice evolves over the course of his journey. I relied heavily on role immersion, beginning all writing sessions with a visualization exercise to help me channel the essence of the character as best as I could.

Honestly, if I were to answer this question simply, I would say that I write the way I speak!

IAN: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Erica Sherlock: Absolutely. Through Quick and Quinn is so much more than just a book to me. It’s the culmination of decades of beautiful experiences in the classroom, combined with lonesome years of late-night, passion-driven, independent research. Every page is extremely personal to me, as the elements within were all inspired by someone or something in my life.

IAN: What do you hope your readers come away with after reading Through Quick and Quinn?

Erica Sherlock: This book is chock full of numerous life lessons, but they all boil down to two fundamental messages: Be authentic and think for yourself.

Quick and Quinn’s journeys are riddled with events that shape them, just as it is with each and every one of us. Both characters are highly relatable, even if only in the smallest of ways, and it is my hope that this reader-to-character connection reminds us all of four truths:

H - Hard times are temporary.
E - Even though self-awareness can be uncomfortable, it is vital.
A - Accepting and loving the self is imperative.
L - Love, peace, and joy are gifts that come with authenticity.

The other take-away would be the importance of thinking critically. Not only is it okay to question things we are told, but it is our duty to do so. Other people’s versions of the truths might not be the truth. Intuition is real and we should listen more carefully to the answers that rest within. We must be brave enough not just to seek the truth, but to speak it as well!

IAN: How is Through Quick and Quinn different from others in your genre?

Erica Sherlock: I would consider this book a work of principled fiction that can be read on different levels. On the surface, sure, it’s a remarkable coming-of-age story that will capture the hearts of many readers. There are deeper levels, however, that will hopefully entice the reader to try something new, ask something new, discover something new. You see, this book has a mission.

Through Quick and Quinn is a realistic young adult fiction novel, with the majority of the plot taking place during the protagonists’ final two years of high school. It was written with the high schooler in mind, with adolescent voices for the adolescents themselves. Why that age group? Well, here’s the way I see it: High schoolers today are incredibly bright, but they’re bored. They haven’t been encouraged to ask questions about the world around them, and yet they sense that things are off kilter. They’re intuitive. They’re underestimated. And they’re starving for truth. This book aims to address that boredom and those inklings, but in a way that encourages them to think critically, ask questions, and find answers before determining their own opinions. And in my own humble opinion, the whole world will benefit if this up-and-coming generation asks some really important questions.

After all, questions spark conversation.
Conversations spark action.
Action sparks change.

The topics that are addressed throughout Through Quick and Quinn are real. They affect you and your loved ones every single day, no matter what age you are. But these issues are the tough ones that nobody wants to talk about. They’re the ones that make us uncomfortable, the ones we want to avoid, the ones we want to brush under the rug.

Dozens and dozens of these tough topics are merely alluded to or just briefly mentioned in the book, and for a great reason: to pique the readers’ curiosities enough that hopefully they’ll do further research. There are, however, two primary issues that go beyond just a mention; they are boldly tackled from the first page to the very last. Addressing these two particular topics became a major passion of mine several years ago, so much so that it became difficult for me to converse with friends without bringing up the issues. As a result and understandably so, my social circle shrank, but my urge to raise awareness did not. This novel allowed me to engage with these two topics. To process them. To personalize them. To honor their significance.

And that is where the mission comes in.

To be completely honest, I crafted Through Quick and Quinn with the intention of forcing our hand. I wanted to remove the possibility of avoidance and make the reader uncomfortable. I wanted us to start talking about the issues that we’re all aware of, but rarely discuss. The ones that deserve to be examined and explored, and even more so, to be righted. This was the inspiration. This was the idea behind the book.

The entire mission of this novel is to provoke discourse.

IAN: Tell us about your next book or a work in progress. Is it a sequel or a stand-alone?

Erica Sherlock: Initially, I intended for Through Quick and Quinn to be a stand-alone novel. Even when I wrote the last page and throughout the months that followed, the story ended in my mind with the final chapter. Recently, however, I was blessed with another idea download. There just might be more to Quick and Quinn’s journey than I originally anticipated!

IAN: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Erica Sherlock: God. No question about it.

Dianne Astle: The IAN Interview

Dianne Astle

Dianne Astle has worked at a variety of jobs in her life. She has been a draftsperson, a news correspondent for a radio station, a teacher’s aide, and most recently had the opportunity to practice servant leadership in a faith community. Dianne loves fishing, riding horses, and walking with her dog. She lives with her husband Doug, his three cats and her beloved dog Thomas.

IAN: Please tell us about your latest book.

D.A.: The release date for Ben and the Watcher of Zargon is September 25^th.  This is the write-up from the back of the book. Grade ten isn’t turning out the way Ben hoped. His best friend is no longer Ben’s roommate, but has been replaced by a strange boy who follows him everywhere. Jealousy awakens the dragon fire within Ben when the girl he likes returns to school with a boyfriend. That fire and the scales peeking out from under his shirtsleeves are making it difficult to keep his secret. Ben needs to go to his mother’s home world to learn how to transform into a dragon. If the training comes to late Ben is in danger of becoming something that is neither human nor dragon.

IAN: Is Ben and the Watcher of Zargon available in print, ebook or both?

D.A.: Ben the Dragonborn and Ben and the Watcher are available as print and ebooks.  They are or will be available through Amazon and I hope to have them available through IngramSpark soon.

IAN: Will Ben and the Watcher of Zargon be available for Pre-order at Amazon?

D.A.: Yes, it is now at this link.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The+Six+Worlds+by+Dianne+Astle

IAN: What motivated you to write?

D.A.: I went for a walk with a friend and we both said we would like to write a novel one day. When I said this I didn’t think I would ever do it. My life was rich and full. I wasn’t looking for something more to give it meaning.  However, one day the idea for a story came to me. Once I started to write the characters into existence it was too late to turn back. I was in love with them and the world they lived in. I needed to let them live. Sometimes they come and speak to me in the night and I wake up with a smile on my face.

IAN: How long did it take you to write your books?

D.A.: My first book took me seven years to write.  After it was finished, I sent it out to traditional publishers and got some very encouraging rejection letters. More than one publisher kept it for a long time because it was on their ‘maybe’ pile. When I moved and took a new job, I put Ben the Dragonborn on a shelf for another seven years. My second book took me only seven months to write. I am still editing it, but it must be finished by September 15^th. 

IAN: Who designed your book covers?

D.A.: The current cover on both my books was designed by photographer and artist, Sean Sherstone. I originally asked Sean to do a Youtube video for Ben the Dragonborn. He did an awesome job and then very kindly volunteered to set up a web site for me.  When I was thinking of a new cover he was the first person I asked.

IAN: Do you have a specific writing style?

D.A.: I do not have a specific writing style.  I start at the beginning and write with a vague idea of where I’m going. If I have any writing style it is that I spend a lot of time rewriting and editing.

IAN: What were you hoping your readers would come away with?

D.A.: I was not thinking of what I wanted my readers to come away with when I first wrote Ben the Dragonborn.  All I was interested in doing was telling a good story.  However, one of the major themes in the book has been a major theme in my life. A central theme of my life is the importance of being an original and not a copy.  I have often been heard telling others to seek the treasure of their own true selves. In Ben the Dragonborn, Ben must discover who he truly is to help a world in need of peace. In the second book, Mack must accept who he is and the destiny that is his and his alone for the sake of all six worlds. In the third book the brownie is on a journey of self-discovery and change which will have an impact on all brownies and two of the six worlds.

IAN: What books have most influenced your life?

D.A.: One book that had a profound impact on me was Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s Gulag Archipelago.  In Solzhenitsyn’s story of being a prisoner in the Russian Gulag there were people who were true to themselves and the call to love. They often died rather than sacrifice who they were. Other people were willing to do whatever it took to survive. They lived, sometimes at the expense of others, but also at the expense of their own self-respect. They lost an important part of themselves. The Gulag Archipelago communicated to me that the most important thing I can do is be true to myself and what I believe. 

IAN: What was the hardest part of writing?

D.A.: The most challenging aspect of my writing is that I had learning disabilities in school. Not only that, but I was a dreamer off in my own little world when important things were being taught, like where a comma belongs. Correct grammar is still a struggle for me even though I now have a Master’s degree. In my first book I felt that I could by-pass hiring an editor. That was a mistake. The second book has had the benefit of two editors and a creative writing circle. Recently, I took the step of having Ben the Dragonborn professionally edited by Ashee Enz of Clean Edits. I did this even though it was getting glowing independent reviews. I made most of Ashlee’s suggested changes.

IAN: What book are you currently reading?

D.A.: I am currently reading Kathy Huth Jones most recent release. I am really enjoying Mercy’s Prince. I had to put it aside for the time being because of publishing deadlines, but I can’t wait to get back to it.

IAN: What new authors have you discovered?

D.A.: For a long time my favorite authors have been Terry Brooks, Stephen Lawhead, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling. In the past two years I have discovered wonderful authors among  the self-published.   Sudan by Ninie Hammon was a particularly powerful and moving story based on real life events.  I also really enjoyed Hubris by P.A Wilson, Flight of the Griffin by C. M. Gray, and Aranya by Marc Secchia. It is impossible to name every excellent independent author I have read in the last two years. I need to say that twitter works for promoting books. I would never have considered reading a book about Amish vampires; however, Barbara E. Brink was so creative in her tweeting that I picked up her books and loved them.

IAN: Tell us about your next book. Is it a sequel or a stand alone?

D.A.: My next book will likely be entitled Moses and the Dragonborn.  I have laid the groundwork for it in Ben and the Watcher of Zargon.  Ben, his uncle Zinc, Allison, and a brownie named Moses are chosen to go to Farne to rescue Ben’s dragonborn grandfather.  If Moses and the Dragonborn unfold as I expect it to, then the most important story line will be about Moses and the brownies.  I hope to have this book out by the summer of 2016. 

Space Orville by Jeff Whelan

Science Fiction, Young Adult, Humorous, Adventure 

The universe is restless. A brilliant inventor has been kidnapped by a group of diseased refugees seeking a cure for their malady. Meanwhile, two agents are in pursuit of a dangerously powerful and deranged scientist who has escaped from prison with a device that can alter reality and enslave every living mind. When an innocent young man just discovering the freedoms and responsibilities of his teenage years is thrown into the mix, the plots collide with thrilling and often surreal results.

Meet Space Orville and his band of intergalactic misfits, monsters and mutants. Dare to see if one teenage rebel can hold a bunch of grown-ups together long enough to save the universe and rejoice in the merry chaos that is his world.  Amazon





Jeff Whelan was born near Chicago and did his growing up in the smallish town of DeKalb, Illinois. Taking time to travel up and down the east coast with a carnival in his teens and spending a good part of his 20s living and working in San Francisco, Jeff returned to DeKalb and, to his surprise, found himself settling down and starting a family. Jeff worked 20 happy and fulfilling years in the field of special education. Then, thanks to the high cost of day care, he became a happy and fulfilled stay-at-home parent. Now that his children are both full-time schoolers, he has made his triumphant return to work by day as a special education paraprofessional and remains, by night, a home-based medical transcriptionist.

From an idea born in 1982, Jeff's first full-length novel was finally completed in 2001. Ten years later, he discovered the wonders of e-book self-publishing and is delighted to have a way to share his story with readers hungry for a departure from adolescent wizards and teenage vampires. Matters of life and death, it turns out, don't have to be so serious all the time.

Jeff hopes you will enjoy his work and ask for more. He'll be happy to oblige. 

Space Orville and two hundred other indie published ebooks are included in the IAN Christmas Kindle Fire Giveaway! For contest info and to enter to win a Kindle Fire HD 8.9 CLICK HERE

IAN Christmas Kindle Fire contest is sponsored by 
The Wardstone Trilogy

Jeff Whelan: the IAN Interview

Jeff Whelan was born near Chicago and did his growing up in the smallish town of DeKalb, Illinois.  Taking time to travel up and down the east coast with a carnival in his teens and spending a good part of his 20s living and working in San Francisco, Jeff returned to DeKalb and, to his surprise, found himself settling down and starting a family.  Jeff worked 20 happy and fulfilling years in the field of special education.  Then, thanks to the high cost of day care, he became a happy and fulfilled stay-at-home parent.  Now that his children are both full-time schoolers, he has made his triumphant return to work by day as a special education paraprofessional and remains, by night, a home-based medical transcriptionist.

From an idea born in 1982, Jeff's first full-length novel was finally completed in 2001.  Ten years later, he discovered the wonders of e-book self-publishing and is delighted to have a way to share his story with readers hungry for a departure from adolescent wizards and teenage vampires.  Matters of life and death, it turns out, don't have to be so serious all the time.

IAN. Please tell us about your latest book. 

JW. Space Orville, a young Earthman of 16, is relishing his new life as an independent "grown-up".  He has just been accepted as an apprentice with Morphean Gaming Systems and has moved into an Earth-orbiting apartment with his companion, NeutroFuzz, to test holographic video games.  As a result of a questionnaire he answered in the back of a magazine, Space Orville finds himself recruited by the Universal Protection Service to rescue a brilliant inventor who has been kidnapped by a group of diseased refugees seeking a cure for their malady.  But these exiled aliens may have more nefarious plans for this inventor's device.  Initially perplexed, Space Orville becomes thrilled at being recruited for this dangerous mission.  He is therefore bummed to find himself partnered with a warrior dwarf.

Meanwhile, two agents from the OmniCosmic Alliance are in pursuit of a dangerously powerful and deranged scientist, one Bizmo the Inconceivable, who has escaped from prison with a device that can alter reality and enslave every living mind.  When these two missions collide, Space Orville must find a way to work with this new team of real "grown-ups" while maintaining a hold on his newfound independence. 

"Space Orville" is not only a rollicking, interstellar adventure loaded with mind-altering concepts and wordplay, but an exploration of how learning to work with others is a large part of learning to be one's self.

IAN. How long did it take to write the Space Orville?

JW. About 18 years. A very early version was started in high school, back in 1982.  The story continued to grow in the back of my mind until, around 1999, I decided to take a crack at finishing it. Two years later, there it was.

IAN. What inspired you to write the Space Orville?

JW. I was originally inspired by the brilliant writings of Douglas Adams, most notably his "Hitchhiker's Guide" series. I also found inspiration in the sci-fi concepts of Doctor Who and the zany comedy of Monty Python. I was inspired to polish up and finish the book by my beautiful wife, who always believed I could do it.

IAN. Talk about the writing process. Do you write at night or in the morning?

JW. Oh, I am most definitely a night writer. That seems to be when my mind turns on. I don't work well at the computer, though. First drafts are done in longhand. Revisions begin at the keyboard. 

IAN. Did you use an outline or do you just wing the first draft? 

JW. A little of both. What passes for an outline is usually a page or two of incoherent notes and non-sequiturs scrawled down as they occur to me in notebooks or on whatever scraps of paper I have handy in my back pocket. Mostly, however, after staring at those notes for a minute or two, I put them away, pick up the pen and let the story take over.

IAN. How is Space Orville different from others in your genre?

JW. I think that the humor, the inventive language and philosophical concepts and, especially, the young adult protagonist help to set it apart from traditional science fiction.

IAN. Is Space Orville published in print, e-book or both?

JW. Currently it is only available as an e-book.

IAN. What do you hope your readers come away with after reading Space Orville?

JW. My biggest hope is that they come away with a smile on their face, a new idea or two and a desire to read more.

IAN. Where can we go to buy your book?

JW. Space Orville is available through Amazon US (http://amzn.to/GP7Eps), and UK (http://amzn.to/QRN75H), Barnes & Noble (http://bit.ly/H95HR4), Smashwords (http://bit.ly/GSUSVJ) and Lulu (http://bit.ly/KVEVkX). 

IAN. Tell us about your next book or a work in progress. Is it a sequel or a stand alone?

JW. There is definitely a "Space Orville" sequel in the works with the working title "Methuselah's Cradle". I have also been asked to expand on an autobiographical short story I wrote called "Greyhound", which concerns the year I left home and found myself travelling with a carnival for 8 months. "Greyhound" is about the night I left. People who have read the story on my blog have been asking what happened next.

IAN. Any other links or info you'd like to share?

JW. I do have a Wordpress blog at http://bit.ly/H2U4cH which has many excerpts from Space Orville as well as some of my short stories and poetry. I have a Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/H435Ia and Space Orville has one at http://on.fb.me/HIgvVB (visits and likes are appreciated). My Twitter profile can be found at http://bit.ly/LQUTON and I have a page at Goodreads at http://bit.ly/K7qF4F.  Also, Lia London recently asked me to guest blog on the use of nonces and inventive language at http://bit.ly/Nc4pG3. Finally, I have had two other author interviews, one with Joey Pinkney at http://h1t.it/MwLb10  and one with Kevin Rau at http://bit.ly/Hhw3Pu. Reviews of "Space Orville" can be found at Amazon or on Goodreads.

SPACE ORVILLE by Jeff Whelan

About 237 pages (Kindle edition)

Humorous, young adult, science fiction adventure

       A sudden chirping whistle from behind him on his right made him whirl around in surprise.  It was the VisoPhone.  Not a sound he actually heard very often.  Contact with the outside had been mostly limited to reports to Morphean on his gaming research and the obligatory calls home.  But rarely did the VisoPhone ever ring on his end.

Hmm, thought Space Orville.

“Hello?” he said, his voice silencing the ring and activating the screen.

A wholly unfamiliar face came slowly into view.  It was a man; quite possibly what one might call a gentleman.  His face was rather dark and hawkish with a sharp, angular nose beneath unusually large, widely set eyes.  A pencil-thin moustache traced his thin upper lip and his jet-black hair lay plastered back on his round skull.  His clean chin came to a severe point.

Space Orville thought: Now who on Earth is this?

“Space Orville,” the man addressed him in a neat, British tone.  “And NeutroFuzz.”

NeutroFuzz zippled quizzically.

“My name is Dr. Lunchwrap.”

Well, Space Orville thought, that explains everything.

“Dr. Who?”  Space Orville asked.

“No, no.  Dr. Lunchwrap,” the man replied, peering from the VisoPhone into Space Orville’s Digimatic kitchen.

“I’m terribly sorry to interrupt your breakfast, but we must speak at once.  It’s a matter of universal security.”

Space Orville looked at NeutroFuzz.  “Am I still dreaming?  Why am I feeling less and less coherent about all this?”

Dr. Lunchwrap continued.  “If you’ll allow me, Space Orville, I can explain.  But I must do so quickly.  The clock is watching.  First, I’ll have to secure this line.”

The image of Dr. Lunchwrap faded for a moment.  Then, there was a bright flash from the VisoPhone screen accompanied by an ear-splitting, eye-flinching snap.  Dr. Lunchwrap now appeared nearly three-dimensional, a quality standard VisoPhones didn’t normally allow.

“Now then,” the doctor began.  “You have no idea who I am, do you?”

“I’m really trying to get there,” Space Orville said.

“I am Preeminent Yoo-Hoo of the Universal Protection Service.  We are a covert agency whose sworn duty is to keep the universe safe for all life forms.  We have agents in every layer, most acting as emissaries to promote peaceful conflict resolution.  Sometimes, however, we do encounter crises.  That’s where you come in.”

“Oh I do, do I?”

“Based on your more remarkable attributes, you have been selected as our newest agent.  Your first assignment involves considerable risk and concerns nothing less than the safety of the entire universe.”

The doctor paused for dramatic effect while Space Orville stood slack-jawed and frowning at the screen.

Dr. Lunchwrap went on.  “The Candy-Apple Weezle Bums have kidnapped the noted Novean inventor and philanthropist, Miles O’Teeth.  O’Teeth is the owner and inventor of the universe’s only Irreplaceable Fog Napkin, a device capable of stopping whatever it comes into contact with.  These Weezle Bums are afflicted with Mylorrhea and have been exiled from their home planet, Brox.  Our sources indicate that the Weezle Bums have kidnapped Miles O’Teeth, along with his Fog Napkin, in an attempt to halt their own decrepitude.  However, should the Weezle Bums misuse the Fog Napkin, the results could be catastrophic.  And, if their minds have already begun to rot, they may have more nefarious plans in mind.

“Space Orville, will you rescue Miles O’Teeth and retrieve the Irreplaceable Fog Napkin from the sticky and uncertain clutches of the Candy-Apple Weezle Bums?”

Space Orville’s jaw now hung closer to the floor and his brow was one huge knot over his wide, unblinking eyes.  Even NeutroFuzz could only hover silently in the air.

Dr. Lunchwrap politely cleared his throat.  This got Space Orville’s eyelids working again.

“Waitaminute,” he said, pushing up his glasses.  “Is this some new Morphean game?”

“It is no game, Space Orville.  We recently received . . .”

“You’re spouting off about candy coated fruit and some guy with big teeth who has a magic hankie.  I’m supposed to take this seriously?”

“It is very serious, Space Orville,” Dr. Lunchwrap said.  And then something quite odd began to happen to the VisoPhone.  A solid square of iridescent purple slowly replaced the doctor’s image.  Odder still, the bright purple color began to ooze from the screen in a luminous blob.  It spilled down off the counter and onto the floor, where it made a beeline for Space Orville’s G-boots.  Behind the purple came a layer of pink, followed by orange and then green.  The colors began to form translucent bands that proceeded to crawl up Space Orville’s legs.  He scooted and danced around the kitchen, but the liquid light followed, enveloping Space Orville from the boots up.  Dr. Lunchwrap’s now disembodied voice continued.

“As I was saying, we recently received your application and we found you to possess many ideal qualities.  You have volunteered for duty, Space Orville.  The universe now depends on you.”

As the liquid light, now in bands of brilliant yellow and white, crept up toward Space Orville’s neck and shoulders, the doctor concluded.

“We’ll discuss further details of your assignment at Morova.  The Lethelight coming from your VisoPhone will see you safely there.”

Lethelight, Space Orville thought.  Why not?  He felt tingly and strange all over; ticklish pins and needles vibrated along his entire body and his head began to feel hollow and floaty.  And what about my breakfast, he thought, sleepily.

NeutroFuzz was slowly spinning in place, also wrapped in the Lethelight’s seeping glow.  The numbing bands soon closed over them both and, as the voice of Dr. Lunchwrap had vanished, so too did Space Orville and NeutroFuzz.

Eileen Granfors, The IAN Interview

IAN. Hi Eileen. Please tell us about your latest book.

EG. Stairs of Sand is a novel about a strict mother, Jolene, and her free-spirited daughter. Suzanne, who now calls herself Zoozle. The daughter is a dancer, and she has gained success as a university professor of dance. But she feels empty inside. She undergoes a late stage of rebelliousness, getting involved with drugs and a friend who is willing to try anything, especially if it’s illegal. Zoozle tries to find her way back to a self that is truly her, not an imitation of her mother or this drugged-out zombie she has become. She is helped by a therapy dog and his owner, Phllip McKillop, her good Grandpa Joe, and a whole team of new friends from Grandpa’s hospice. This is a work of hope and strength and the emotional ties that bind us to family.

IAN. How long did it take to write Stairs of Sand?

EG. This was the first book I tried to write in 2006. I found it difficult to tell the story through a single point of view and put it away while I wrote other things, including a first novel, Some Rivers End on the Day of the Dead, a YA. Once I decided on using two narrators in Stairs, it took another two years to finalize the book.

IAN. What inspired you to write Stairs of Sand?

EG.  The struggles of parents around me as well as my own struggles to be a better parent to a new generation of kids who don’t buy “be seen and not heard” influenced me to try to tell Zoozle and Jolene’s story.

IAN. Talk about the writing process. 

EG.  I write every morning from 8:30 to noon. I walk my dogs first, thinking about what I am going to write.

IAN. Did you use an outline or do you just wing the first draft? 

EG. I have learned to have an idea of where the book is going but to write in a free-flowing manner. If I don’t like something later, I cut it and put it into a file for another use.

IAN. How is your book different from others in your genre?

EG. Unlike a lot of women’s fiction, this book does not center on shopping, baking, or homemaking. It focuses on the careers these women have chosen and the anguish that secrets between them cause. Most families don’t have the communication skills they need in house. They may have them at work or school, but not in their most beloved relationships.

IAN. Is your book published in print, e-book or both?

EG. Both!

IAN. What do you hope your readers come away with after reading your book?

EG. As my reviews show, most readers come away with the certainty that honesty in family is important and that kids are not a reflection of their parents’ deepest wishes. That child is going to grow up to become somebody the parent may never have expected to meet. Freedom to be yourself and be loved unconditionally for yourself is a huge theme in the book.

IAN. Where can we go to buy Stairs of Sand?

EG. My book is available on Amazon. I also have my own web site, http://www.authoreileengranfors.blogspot.com. 

The Independent Authors Network and the World Lit Café are also helping to get the word out on Stairs of Sand.

IAN. Tell us about your next book or a work in progress. Is it a sequel or a stand alone?

EG. Stairs of Sand is a stand alone title. I have just completed Sydney’s Story, a prequel to A Tale of Two Cities. I am very excited to have finished this book, which has been a niggling idea for thirty years!

IAN. Any other links or info you'd like to share?

EG. I have had a lot of fun making trailers for my books. Here is the link for the trailer to Stairs of Sand. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SnDv4THmmo

I have a review web site for other authors’ books. I call it Word Joy.

http://www.eileengranfors.blogspot.com   Even though I am a writer, I read like a fiend too.

IAN. When did you decide to write?

EG. I found that writing helped me through the grief of my mother’s death. After the summer of 2001, I decided I would write novels once I retired from teaching.

IAN. Who is your favorite character in Stairs of Sand?

EG. This is a really difficult question because I love so many of the characters. Zoozle’s strength astounds me, her friend Chloris gives such loving advice and is a good role model, and Grandpa Joe supports his granddaughter with unconditional love. Grandpa is pretty funny, so my final vote goes to Grandpa Joe.

IAN. This book is about family. Is it a true story?

EG. All stories are based in the author’s perception of truth. But the adventures of Zoozle and her mother are based only on my imagination.

Stairs of Sand by Eileen Granfors

272 pages

Women’s fiction

         Chapter 1: Zoozle 

      The Whidbey-Port Townsend ferry carries few passengers this late on a July night. The nearly empty ferry mimics my completely empty me. I lost my job last week, and everything else before that. 

    I’d meditate, but Mel is singing, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” trying too hard to make me laugh. She’s serious about us making some Internet porn for cash, pronounced with a long a. I’ve told her no way a million times, that I’d rather be homeless and starving or dead.

    A crewman walks by, giving us a lecherous leer, calling out, “Hey, you girls. Haven’t you heard of curfew?” We’re both in our late twenties, and we both look twelve. Mel flips him off and slides closer to me. I push her away. 

   “Zooz, girl, I’m freezing,” she says. As one, we look at her feet in terry-cloth flip flops. She moves over and touches the hollow in my throat, right where a lump of misery is clogged. She tries to zip my windbreaker across my tank top. “You feel like ice. Let’s sit in the car. Quit trying to be Wonder Woman.” That’s how I mock my mom’s self-perception of perfection. I shake my head.

    “Take the keys. Get warm. I need the air.”           

   Mel wanders back and huddles in the car. I pass by her as I walk to the ferry boat’s stern, riding low to the water. Mel has wrapped a blanket across her bony shoulders, head tucked into her chest and the blanket is up like a hoodie. She often looks vulnerable, like someone I should protect. It took me a while to learn that was her act. Everybody acts a role. I’m totally tired of mine, and it’s only been 168 hours since I was atop a shining star, dance teacher at Port Townsend University, now placed on leave,  basically code for fired.

    I study the waves, watching the ferry’s wake in the darkness.  That’s like me, one bubble among millions. My heart aches more because it’s a foggy night, and I can’t see that far ahead. I love our rare sunny days in Washington. If I close my eyes on a sunny day, I can make myself believe I’m still a little kid, surfing in California with my Grandpa Joe.

    As the ferry chugs into the channel, a tall, skinny, old man in a tweed sports coat comes to stand near me. His Newfoundland retriever, huge, black and white and unbelievably furry, sits between us, wearing a pink halter. “Guardian Angels” is scripted across the back.

     Lately, I don’t much talk except to Mel. I make an exception since he has a dog. “May I pet your dog?” I ask him.

     “We’d love that, wouldn’t we, Jacques?”  He rubs his dog behind the ears. 

     I sink to my knees to pet the dog, who is tall enough to look me in the eyes when I do. His gaze is direct and soft with affection. Though he’s wet in the misty air, it feels wonderful to put my head on his. My heart uncurls one nanometer.

     “Hi Jacques,” I say.  Jacques smiles. He licks my face, my new short hair, spiky with hair gel. I push my hair with my fingers, then rub the dog’s slobber and my hair gel on my jeans, and I smile back.

   “His full name is Frère Jacques.  But we cut it short.” The old man grins with the pride of a father. “I’m Phillip McKillop.” He takes off his hat and sweeps it across his heart. 

   I scratch the dog some more. “Hello, Phillip. I’m Suzann, Suzann Zimmerman.” I don’t know why I don’t tell him Zoozle. “I used to have a dog, a little guy, part spaniel, part Pomeranian.  My ex has him now.” Javier has Boo, Javier has a house, Javier has a new life.  Me, I’ve got Mel. I’ve got a roof over my head with Big Daddy, Mel’s meth-making friend, which was cool until I stopped doing meth. Now, I wouldn’t want a dog around Big Daddy. I don’t want me around Big Daddy. 

     “Bye Phillip.  Bye, Jacques.” Holding the dog has tightened the knot in my throat. I can’t swallow it down. Despair claws with more powerful digs into my stomach. I look off into the dark night, back towards the car where Mel is tracing patterns on the fogged windows. What escape route should I take from this huge mess I’ve made? I can’t run home again. My mom wouldn’t want me there and she won’t come here, she’s made that clear enough. Life with Mel is all I’ve got, and now I am certain I don’t want that either.

     I am through with do over’s.

   I walk to the other side of the boat, away from the crewman and Mr. McKillop. I unzip my boots, aligning them underneath the life preserver ring. The boots are the right size for Mel. 

    I clamber over the chain guard and dive away from the ferry into the sea.

    The cold water burns my skin, and numbness makes my body feel as heavy as my wet clothes. The current is strong, pulling me south. My ribs hurt from where I hit the water so flat, and it’s hard to lift my arms.  It’s even harder to keep my head up with the chop of the waves. I sink and swallow water. Floundering, I pop back up again. In the distance, there’s the ferry.

     Then, I see Jacques. He has followed my leap and is paddling towards me, maybe ten yards away.  

   I sink again, the waves and tide working together to push me under.  Something in me tries to begin swimming towards him, as if I am suddenly awake. I remember it’s better to lean back to float and conserve my strength against the cold. I’m grabbed by the neck of my windbreaker. It’s Jacques!  I reach for his vest straps, and he pulls me with sure, steady strength against the current. 

Amazon

Martha Bourke is the Author of Jaguar Sun

Martha Bourke grew up in Burlington, Vermont, often considered a hub of "free thinking.” She was encouraged to write, act and be creative at a very young age. An accomplished Spanish teacher, Martha has spent the last fifteen years creating Spanish programs for elementary schools. For most of her life, she has had a fascination with languages, culture and mythology – a passion that now colors and enriches her stories. She has written novels, short stories and poetry. But she admits to being totally “hooked” on YA Paranormal Romance.

Martha and her husband of thirteen years have carved out their own little piece of Vermont in the Massachusetts countryside. When not writing, Martha loves spending time with their animals, listening to good music, taking photographs, and adding to her Converse collection. She is currently working on book two of the Jaguar Sun Series, Jaguar Moon. She has three to five books planned for the series. 

Martha Bourke

Jaguar Sun (Jaguar Sun Series Book 1) 

Young Adult Paranormal 


DECEMBER 21, 2012. Will that fateful day destroy our world, or did the Mayans have something else in mind?

Maya Delaney knows. Unfortunately.

JAGUAR SUN is the story of Maya Delaney, a typical sixteen-year-old high school junior of Mayan descent. She’s busy dealing with exams, her soon to be ex-boyfriend and fitting in. But Maya’s got bigger problems. She’s hiding a major secret from her dad and having strange visions she can’t control. In her struggle to figure out who she is, she learns that she is meant to fulfill an ancient Mayan Prophesy and bring forth a New Age on earth. Maya finds herself at the very center of a plot over the transition to take place when the Mayan Calendar ends on December 21, 2012. And on top of that, she and her friends are beginning to develop strange powers. Faced with learning to harness her new abilities in time to bring the world to a positive transition, Maya must reevaluate her relationships, identity, and her place in the world. But will the spirit magic she wields be enough to defeat Toltec, an evil society bent on keeping Maya from her destiny? Or will that destiny destroy her? 


Amazon.com 

Book Review: Memory's Wake by Selina Fenech

Fairies and Fantasy Pty Ltd (July 3, 2011)

978-0987151117

328 pages

Looking for a young adult urban fantasy with enough adventure, romance, and page-turning excitement to keep even the most easily distracted teen captivated? Then look no further than Memory’s Wake by Selina Fenech.

Imagine being dropped into a strange world with nothing more than the clothes on your back. From the opening pages, this is our heroine’s reality as she finds herself in a land called Avall. Her body is bruised, she is confused about how she got there, and she cannot remember anything about her life, not even her own name. She meets a beautiful yet timid human named Eloryn who has the ability to cast magic spells.

Eloryn’s unauthorized use of magic has her on the run from the wizard hunters who will not rest until she is arrested. Despite her own predicament, Eloryn decides to help this lost girl with pink-streaked hair, piercings, and ripped jeans find her way home. First, Eloryn gives her the name Memory. Memory and Eloryn must learn to trust each other if they’re going to survive as there is no shortage of danger in Avall. The wizard hunters, fae, dragons, and even the King of Avall, all want a piece of Memory.

Roen, the son of a Duke, joins the group after a failed attempt to steal from the girls. Roen fills the role of the handsome prince to Eloryn’s beautiful princess. Playing the part of the mysterious stranger and love interest for Memory is Will. Fenech gives all four characters turns as the POV narrator to paint a clearer picture of who Memory is, and does a remarkable job of giving each character their own perspective and unique voice. 

Fenech keeps us guessing throughout. There is non-stop action and new perils to keep readers hooked. Fenech has a knack for setting up cliffhangers at the end of each chapter to make sure we can’t put down her debut offering. The setting is vibrantly described and the writing flows well; however, it’s the character development that sets Memory’s Wake apart. Memory is a strong yet flawed, believable heroine. Young readers will easily identify with the problems she faces.

If the vivid description in this novel is not enough, the author has included dozens of her own skillful illustrations. The story is wrapped up with an ending that won’t disappoint and readers will desire a sequel. Frequent POV changes may distract some readers in the early chapters, but overall, this is an exceptionally entertaining novel that I would highly recommend to tweens, teens, and adults alike. Reviewed by E.R. Hynd

Available at Amazon.com

The author.

Born in 1981 to Australian and Maltese parents, Selina lives in Australia with her husband, her baby girl, an unnamed cat, and a lorikeet who’s far too clever. During her life Selina has found ancient Roman treasure, survived cancer, had knights joust at her wedding, been mugged for doughnuts, made a living as a visual artist, and shared her imaginary worlds in paintings and now in her novels.

http://www.selinafenech.com