Interview with novelist Catherine MacDonald

A new week starts with an interview with Catherine MacDonald. She’s chatting with me about her historical coming of age story, A Modern Woman: A Jazz Era novel.

Welcome, Catherine. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a former school teacher and currently I run a large RV dealership. I have written ten books. Frankly, writing keeps me sane in this crazy world we live in. I am a wife, mother, and nana.

Please tell us about your current release.

A Modern Woman is set in Reno, Nevada in 1923 during Prohibition. Lily is a beautiful young woman who finds herself caught between the old-fashion values of the past and the new emerging values of the modern era. She is still a virgin and has promised she will wait for true love and not give herself to every man like Marie. Lily wants a career, to wear a smart suit, and earn her own money. As soon as she’s old enough to vote, which just became reality three years prior, she will. She does not want to be meek and timid like her mother.  She finds herself serving illegal liquor in a speakeasy involved with murder and corruption. She meets handsome Joe Caponi and her haunting eyes seem to look deep within his soul and see the man he hopes to be one day. Against society and family constraints, fate intervenes and brings two people who are destined for each other, together.

What inspired you to write this book?

The entire medical marijuana situation is similar to prohibition. Did you know there was a loophole in the law that allowed doctors to write prescriptions for alcohol during Prohibition. History certainly repeats itself.

Excerpt from A Modern Woman:

There was a commotion at the front entrance and Lily looked that way. The door burst open and a swarm of police rushed in swinging their black clubs in the air and yelling, “Raid!” A tall portly officer blew his whistle and yelled, “No one leave the room. You’re all under arrest.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

A fable entitled The Buddha and The Bear.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

As a young girl. I used to write plays and perform them for my neighborhood.  I wrote in college, but did not become serious until after my children were older.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

No. I run a business during the day. I have learned to write in the corners of my life.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I like to write with my feet on my de-tox salt rock. It gets all the negative stuff out of me.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a performer. In fact, I did that growing up. I wanted to be a teacher, and did that for twenty-five years. And I wanted to own my own business. Some days I wonder what was I thinking!!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Thanks for listening and I hope you read the story. Lily Diamond is an interesting girl!

Links:

Website | Amazon | Facebook

      

Thanks for being here today, Catherine!

Interview with author Heather Harlow

Welcome, Readers. Happy Thanksgiving if you're in the US!

Today's special guest is Heather Harlow who is chatting about her novel, The Argon Factor.

Bio: Heather Harlow has wanted to be an author since adolescence. The Argon Factor is her first book in a series about aliens from the planet Argon.

She’s always been a fan of superheroes: Batman and Robin, Spiderman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Six Million Dollar Man, and the Bionic Woman. 

She likes sci-fi movies and series, like Star Trek and Battle Star Galactica. More recently, she’s been enjoying the Avenger movies. In addition to her sci-fi interests, she’s a romantic. Therefore, it was natural for her to write about science fiction and combine it with a human interest story that has sex and romance in it.

Heather graduated from University of Memphis (BBA) and Tennessee Technological University (MBA).  She currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with her dogs, Mickey (13), a Golden Retriever, Jack (5 mos), a black lab/shepherd mix, and two cats, Smokey and Cali.

She loves wine, good music, great food, the beach, swimming, football (college and NFL), World Cup Soccer, and NHL Playoffs.

Welcome, Heather. Please tell us about your current release.

The Argon Factor is my first book in a series called, The Argonian Series. The first book introduces you to the aliens from planet Argon and Grogan of the Baldracon Universe, which was destroyed when one of their suns exploded into a super nova and eventually became a black hole. The story takes place 165 years into the future, where men and women seldom get married and most all parents are single parents. 

Susan is an independent young woman of the future planning her family and starting a new job in the recovering world economy and cities when her new job propels her into danger due a code breach. She finds herself in life threatening danger and due to a "chance" encounter in a deli, she find herself having to rely on somebody else. Christoph is not only the CEO of the firm where Susan works, but he's also the Argon Alien Commander on Earth. He must protect Susan from Grogans, while protecting his secrets. He must decide whether or not to pursue Susan as a mate. Susan has no idea what is about to happen and the feelings he's going to stir. Feelings, every woman in modern society has learned to suppress and ignore. All the while she has to allow a man to protect her. It completely goes against all she's been taught. But her instincts tell a different story.

What inspired you to write this book?

My friend, Beth, signed us both up for a class about writing your bestseller and another class about self-publishing. I was so ready to start writing books and from these classes, it's been only 8 months, and I've published my first book. The inspiration for this story and series of books hit me back in about 2003, I'd guess. I was living on St. John, I had moved there to be a writer and write books. While that never happened while on St. John, I did come up with this story and ideas for many more. They all just kept hitting me so fast, it would really overwhelm me and I would never get past the idea or outline.

An excerpt from The Argon Factor can be found on my website: www.TheRealHeatherHarlow.com

What exciting story are you working on next?

My next story is a continuation of your introduction into the aliens that have come to take Earth as their planet, the Grogans. While the Argons are just an advanced species of human, they only want to co-exist and integrate with humans. You'll learn about the Grogans and how their extremes are truly extremes of the worst nature. Susan is still in danger and must rely on Christoph while dealing with losing her independence and to an ALIEN no less! Her struggle is real because her instincts tell her to trust him and love him and be open the possibilities. All the while, due to the Grogan threat, the Argons must decide how to save Earth and the humans without revealing themselves and alerting the humans to the very real danger.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I think I've always considered myself a writer. When I was young eleven years old, I wanted to write books. My first true pursuit to writing a book and becoming an author came in 2001 when I moved to the Virgin Islands to do just that. I started considering myself an author in May of this year, 2015, when I wrote my first book. LOL... that doesn't mean I finished with all the edits and revisions in May! That takes some time.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I plan to one day write full-time. But unfortunately, I have to pay my bills. I work as an IT program manager for a major telecomm. I telecommute, but I work from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm every day. When I take my 20 min breaks, I walk my dogs down the street and back (no matter the weather). Otherwise, I sit in my library/office in front of a computer screen where I instant message, email, and talk on conference calls all day long. I write my books after dinner and on the weekends. During my lunch breaks, I deal with my author marketing and the business side of being an author ---- sometimes that flows into the early evenings too. Although, during the day if an idea hits me for a blog, it's easy to take a 15 min break and type it out of my head. I go back later to edit, but the key is just getting it out.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I do not know if it is a quirk or not, but I write my best after having really great sex. One absolutely, terrific lovemaking session can fuel and start me writing for days.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I seven, I was taking ice skating lessons and I wanted to win an Olympic gold medal like Dorothy Hamil, but we moved to a small country town when I was 10 and there was no ice rink for miles.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I like to write funny blogs. Well, at least I hope they're funny. I have a series called, "Are You Kidding me?" on my website. These are real life experiences that are to leave you shaking your head, smiling, and saying to yourself, 'are you kidding me?'' Here are some current titles: 'Rick Springfield's Ass,’ 'Spanish Hangover Fireworks,’ 'Toilet Paper,’ 'My Legs are Broken' (part 1 of plane crash).

Thank you for being here today, Heather!

Interview with debut novelist Cheryle Boyle

Today's special interview focuses on debut novelist Cheryle Boyle who is here to chat about 538: Murder, Suicide, and a Mother’s Love.

The novel is a faction about family dysfunction and the prevailing love that sustains a mother. Lilly, happily marries and is full of life as she births five beautiful children. Life takes a drastic turn and she finds herself in a place that she never had dreamt of being. The jowls of life keep a tight rein on Lilly as she suffers great loss, but her strength in God and the love for her children push her forward.  There are days that she lives by simply putting one foot in front of the other. The drama that unfolds, at times, is unbelievable. From the eldest child to the youngest, the anxieties are obvious. Lilly finds herself at times unable to interact and is often heard reciting cliché’s, words she lived by, ”When it rains, it pours, A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush, It’ll All Come Out in the Wash.”  Lilly is strong, resilient and loyal, and her inner strength causes her to persevere. 

Bio:

Cheryle Boyle is a wife, mother and grandmother. She enjoys experiencing life and making memories with her family. Cheryle lives in Georgia and enjoys sewing, cooking, embroidery, reading and shopping with her granddaughters. She loves writing and shares some family interactions in her book, thus creating this faction (Facts + Fiction = Faction).

Please tell us about your current release.

My current release, 538: Murder, Suicide, and a Mother’s Love is a faction of a dysfunctional family where the mother, Lilly, is the main character, and all that befalls her. She falls in love and has a wonderful marriage, five beautiful children, and then tragedy strikes. The family is never the same. Lilly tries her hardest and her loyalty, resiliency and perseverance keep her moving forward. The love she has for God and her children propels her to withstand all the turmoil. She births more children and the chaos continues. Lilly stumbles upon her youngest child’s diaries and this affords her a unique opportunity. 

What inspired you to write this book?

I was inspired to write 538: Murder, Suicide, and a Mother’s Love due to the fact that so many children experience dysfunctional families. I wanted to draw attention to the dysfunction and the effects that it has. You ask any adult, at some time in their childhood they experienced dysfunction; some worse than others.

Excerpt from 538: Murder, Suicide, and a Mother’s Love:

Eventually seven children were going to have to grow up without a physical father; the eighth child would grow up without an emotional father. They would never know the warmth of a male shoulder to cry on, the warmth of having a daddy to talk to or to tuck them in at night. Some would remember him, but most were too young. The babies, would never realize the lines in his face or the sound of his voice. The eldest would carry the last memories in his broken heart forever. The youngest would carry a scared little girl. This would affect them all with every endeavor that would come before them. This was not what Lilly had wanted for her children that she loved more than life itself.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I have a lot of stories I am mulling around. I would like to develop the character, Sadie, from my current book and see where else she goes on her journey. I am also working on a psychologically twisted story with narcissism and paranoia which involves a stalker and Sadie is caught in the middle. I would love to also explore the world of children’s literature. I need to write at least a few children’s books for my 12 grandchildren.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I have always been a writer. From my late adolescence, I felt I was a writer because everyone always responded well to my stories. I just never took the time to develop them into something other than short stories until now. I had carefully categorized and organized my writings throughout the years, (this was a blessing) and I sat in my office one day after taking a sabbatical from writing for about six years, and read over my works. I was so emotional at the voice these writings had, I knew at that very moment, I owed it to myself to pursue this further.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

Yes, I write full time. I usually get up in the morning and grab a banana and something to drink and then head to my computer. I try to write every day for about 4-6 hours. More if I am lucky. I love writing. I do have to admit that marketing some day’s does gets in the way. I usually write for a while, put a load of laundry in or do some housekeeping chore, and then back to writing. Otherwise, my legs go to sleep and I can barely stand.

When not writing, I try to interact with my grandchildren as often as possible by way of letting them tag along on some of my errands or just getting our nails done together. They have such faith in me and offer me inspirational ideas. I also enjoy sewing, quilting and machine embroidery. I try to sneak that in as much as possible.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

In order to get seriously into my writing, I have to put on headphones and listen to a soundtrack for background. This eliminates all outside interference. I can then tune the world out and go within and just allow my characters to develop. It’s amazing how they just show up on the page. The deeper and more focused that I go, the faster I type. It’s hard for me to stop when it all flows like this.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I always wanted to be a teacher and everyone thought for sure that I would be. I played teacher all the time as a child. But mostly I just wanted to be a wife and mother, and that I did.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the readers for taking the time to peek at my interview and allow me to be a part of a moment in their lives.

Links:

Website | Book trailer | Amazon

Thank you for being here today, Cheryle!

Interview with poet and author Floriana Hall

Floriana, welcome to Reviews and Interviews. It's a pleasure to have you stop by. I'd like to introduce you to my readers with a few questions.

When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
I was inspired at the age of 68 in church as a poem literally popped into my head while the pastor was speaking. I had written some poems and stories earlier but never entered them anywhere. This time, I entered the poem LOVE NEVER DIES in the National Library of Poetry and won the Editor's Choice Award. That started the whole writing process.

What do you enjoy about each type of writing: poetry, short stories, and nonfiction books?
I have always loved poetry since I listened to nursery rhymes read to me by my mother. My favorite is rhyme, which is fun for the tongue. I write all types of poetry, though, and teach it. I founded and coordinate The Poet's Nook which is a group of twenty local poets who meet once a month at the Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, library. It is the only group like it in the Akron area. I have edited and published four books of poetry for them. The Poet's Nook is a nonprofit organization who has a charitable mission each year and holds an annual Children's Poetry Contest in April.

Short stories are easy to write. I have a book of inspirational short stories that have a subtle message as do all my short stories published online. The purpose is to help people realize positive morals and/or to laugh. Laughter is the best medicine, for sure.

When writing nonfiction books, I tend to write about actual happenings in my life or others I am close to. I do not think I would want to write a novel because I write about things I know and believe that truth is stranger than fiction. A book takes at least a year to write and at 82, I have one more in mind but have not started writing it as yet. I am currently waiting for a young children's book to be published titled SIMPLE PLEASURES.

My daughter who is a fifth grade teacher, asked me to write my first book, SMALL CHANGE, revised later to THE ADVENTURES OF FLOSSIE, ROBBIE, AND JUNEY During The Great Depression. She was looking for a book that contained history, prices, and an exciting story. She and other teachers read it to their classes and the students write letters to me telling me that they learned to appreciate what they have after hearing it. It is in many libraries of schools in my area.

What type of research was involved in writing FRANCIS, NOT THE SAINT, and how long did it take to write?
I checked history books, but I remembered most of it myself. It took a year to write.

Would you change anything in FRANCIS, NOT THE SAINT?
No, but perhaps I should have included more poetry and short stories in SELECT SANDS OF RHYME AND REASON.

Do you have a day job?
Yes, I take care of my husband who had a stroke last year but has recovered nicely. His slight dementia is not as bad as it was before the stroke and he is now able to take the trash out and actually cleared the walk yesterday of snow. He is 88 and I do most of the work and all the driving now. It is a relief that he is doing better, but no matter what, I always find time to write.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
My writing quirk is that I tend to do my own thing when it comes to writing poems. Sometimes I use different combinations of style.

Besides writing, what do you do for fun? What are you hobbies?
I love being with my great-grandaughters and my children and all my family. We celebrate birthdays and there are many. Wholesome movies are entertaining. I go to water exercise at least three times a week at the Cuyahoga Falls Natatorium. I used to love to sew, but cannot thread the needle now. I used to love to hike, but cannot walk far now. And last, but not least, I love to read, especially biographies. Teaching poetry is fun, too.

Can you tell us a bit about your next project?
My next exciting project will be another book POEMS OF BEAUTIFUL OHIO by The Poet's Nook. Judging the Children's Poetry Contest is enlightening and brings a lot of laughs. One of my (The Poet's Nook) books TOUCHING THE HEARTS OF GENERATIONS is compiled with winning poems of children.

Do you have a website where writers can learn more about you and your writing?
My websites are: www.alongstoryshort.net/FlorianaHall.html
www.LSSWritingSchool.com
www.BooksofExcellence.com/hall.html

Interview with Teresa Burrell, child advocate

Teresa, welcome to Reviews and Interviews. I'd like to introduce readers to you and your fiction writing, so have a few questions.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I've always enjoyed writing, but I didn't know that I could. I didn't know that I couldn't either so a few years ago I just sat down and did it.

What inspired you to write your first book?
The book itself is inspired by a case I was involved in as an attorney in juvenile court. But I wanted to write about the horrendous child abuse problem we have in this country. I was concerned that people would not read it if I wrote a non-fiction book because it is a very difficult thing to read or talk about. By writing a legal suspense novel, I can get information out there to the public and entertain them at the same time. Is The Advocate your first book, or the first one to be published? The Advocate is my first book. I haven't written the sequel which will be released this year.

Please tell us a little bit about The Advocate.
In The Advocate, Sabre Orin Briown's job is to protect her minor client. Her obsession is to solve the mysterious disappearance of her brother. When her search for her brother and her career as a juvenile court attorney collide, she has to protect herself and her the child from the obscure and treacherous truth.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
I learned a lot, not the least of which is that I love to write.

How long does it take you to write a book?
The first took only about six months, but then it was followed with many rewrites. The second about nine months but with far less editing.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I try to write first thing in the morning. I wake up around 5 or 5:30 in the morning. That's when I like to write best. Sometimes though, when I get on a roll, I'll keep writing all day.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
In order to keep writing and not lose ground even when I'm not sure where I want to go with something, I cross-examine myself without leading. And I will type out very basic (often boring) things that I later take out of the story.

Besides writing, what do you do for fun? What are you hobbies?
I love to go to movies and eat the popcorn. I will often treat myself to a movie when I reach goals I've set for myself. Other than spend time with my family I don't seem to have much time for anything else besides work. But I love my work. I enjoy not only the writing, but the marketing, so I'm a happy camper.

Do you have any advice for other writers?
Keep writing. Whether you are published or not, keep at it. If I can do it, so can you.

Do you have a website and/or blog where writers can learn more about you and your writing? What are the links?
My website is http://www.teresaburrell.com. My blog is http://www.teresaburrell.blogspot.com, and I also have a facebook fan page. It is Teresa Burrell Fan Page http://tinyurl.com/yzlfncv.

Right now I'm offering a free book to any library if they get 10 people to join my Facebook fan page. All someone has to do is join my fan page, let me know the name of the library they want to host, and then get nine others to do the same. Once I have ten for any particular library, I'll send a free autographed copy directly to the library.

Thank you for your time, Teresa! That's a great offer for readers and fans, I hope folks take advantage and pull for their favorite library.
Thank you.

Interview with Rick Banks, divorce attorney

Hi Rick, welcome to Reviews and Interviews.

I'd like to introduce you to my readers, so I have a few questions for you.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
A few years ago I began shifting my focus from primarily being a divorce attorney, to doing more and more mediations, where I help people work through their divorces with as little trauma as possible, rather than going through the typical court-fought divorce. I realized that having a "Friendly Divorce" can save people thousands, and often tens of thousands of dollars that could be better spent elsewhere (e.g., like their children's college funds, or vacations, or purchasing a home, etc.). So, that's when I knew I needed to get the word out to as many people as possible that there is an easier way to divorce, and that I needed to write a book teaching people how to do that.

What inspired you to write Friendly Divorce: The Definitive Guide to A Stress Free Divorce?
I decided to become an attorney to help people get through what is probably the hardest thing they'll experience in their lives - a divorce! However, after 10 years I've come to learn that the legal system often makes divorces harder than they have to be - both financially and emotionally. And, although there are some good, ethical attorneys, there seem to be equally as many that don't put ethics, or what's best for their clients, in the forefront of the case.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
You mean besides the fact that it's a heck of a lot harder than one might imagine? Yes; I learned that for a non-fiction book, tons of research is a must. In my situation, I had to sift through the laws of 50 states and then write in a way that, no matter where you live, you can benefit from my book.

How long did it take you to write the book? Are you writing another?
Well, when I made the decision to finally write my book, I set a goal to have it completed in 6 months. However, reality set in after a few months and I realized that, for me, that wasn't enough time. As it ended up, I finished right at the two year mark. And no, I'm not writing another one just yet, but I'm getting pretty jazzed about some other ideas I have.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing? Was it a challenge to balance it with your day job?
My work schedule while I was writing was what caused me to take two years to complete my book. My typical work day is spending 10 - 12 hours at my office taking care of my day job (being a solo practitioner attorney does not lend itself to lots of free time). I would then spend a few hours with my family before going off to my quiet room to write. I usually get up between 3 - 4 a.m. and start writing again. As twisted as this may sound to many who don't consider themselves "morning" people, these are the best times for me - no phones, no televisions, no interruptions.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I guess I would have to go back to the time of day I spend writing so early in the morning. Once I get up, get a little bit of coffee running through my system, I can go for hours without stopping because it's go quiet and peaceful at that time of the day.

Besides writing, what do you do for fun? What are you hobbies?
I like scuba diving, camping, spending time with family, and traveling to different places with my wife to listen to Blues Music.

Do you have a website where writers can learn more about you and your writing?
It's www.HowToDivorceAsFriends.com

Thank you for your time today, Rick. I wish you all the best with your book!

Interview with Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein - fiction for women and girls

Welcome, Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein, to Reviews and Interviews. It's a pleasure to chat with you.

Let's start with some introductory questions.

Where are you from? I live in New Jersey and grew up in Connecticut.

Do you write full-time? Part-time.

If you have a non-writing job, would you tell us a little bit about it? I am a psychologist in private practice.

What made you decide to tackle the genre(s) you write in? As a positive psychologist I have been focusing on helping women and girls recognize their talents, strengths and potential for years. I am truly invested in rekindling and renewing in people of all ages a sense of excitement about their lives and themselves. One day I just kind of woke up and knew that I wanted to stimulate women and girls to passionately connect with the best of themselves and that the way to do it was through a fictional girl.


Now we’ll focus a bit on your published writing.

Please tell us about your current release. The Truth (I'm a girl, I'm smart and I know everything) is a girl's fictional diary. She is 10 and 11 in the book. You never learn her name, but you identify with her instantly. She is in her heart and being one of us. She speaks for all of us, as she writes about her first crush, her upsets at school, her concerns over her parents fighting, her anxieties over moving and her efforts to find a way to hold on to the best of herself as she grows up.

What inspired you to write this book? My work with girls and women in my psychological practice. Also, my own life and the stories of my friends and relatives.

Did you enjoy the research process? What did it entail? My original research for my first book, The Enchanted Self, A Positive Therapy, involved case study interviews with women not in my practice. I loved doing it and compiling the research. It was that research that confirmed for me the latent talents and potential that we all have and how fragile those capacities are in terms of being wounded or dismissed.

What was the hardest part of writing your book? As far as The Truth, the hardest part was proofreading and editing.

Did you learn anything from writing your book? If so, what was it? I learned that I am a good fiction writer. That was an amazing switch for me from my earlier writings, which were often inspirational and told a story, but not designed as fiction.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book? Only a couple of pages which I plan to change in the new printing.

What can we expect to see from you in the future? The next book in the series is already written. I have an agent and I'm looking for a publisher. It is called Secrets and the girl is a year older in it.

What ways have you found effective for promoting your book(s)? The best is Virtual Tours and constantly talking about my book on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Also, local public speaking and Girl Scout troops.


And now for a few fun questions.

What have you read for fun lately? Actually, not much. I loved Eat, Pray, Love.

Besides writing, what do you do for fun? What are you hobbies? Walking, dancing, socializing, movies, plays, travel.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? I like to write late at night.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? I wanted to be an actress, a doctor, a mother of six kids (I have raised two), I wanted to have a ton of pets, (I've had seven cats so far as a grown-up).


And to wrap up…

Is there anything else that you would like to share with the audience? My wisdom: Laugh as much as you can. Be good to people and animals. Don't make fun of others.

Do you have a website where writers can learn more about you and your writing? www.enchantedself.com, www.thetruthforgirls.com. www.positivepsychologyforwomen.com

How can people to get in touch with you? drbarbara@enchantedself.com or 732-571-1200


Thank you, Barbara, for your time in answering my questions. It's nice learning more about you and your writing.

Please feel free to leave a comment for Barbara, she'll be stopping in today to chat with visitors.

Interview with Jill Nelson - biography co-author with Jennifer Sugar

[Note to readers: This interview contains adult content.]

Welcome, Jill Nelson, to Reviews and Interviews!

What made you and co-author, Jennifer Sugar, decide to tackle the biography genre?
JN: This biography is a first book for both of us. The adult entertainment industry is a field that neither one of us knew anything about prior to embarking upon co-writing. It wasn’t something that I’d initially set out to do, or was even looking for, but when Jennifer extended me the offer to collaborate with her on this project, I jumped at the opportunity, partly because I knew that it would be a fascinating and engrossing world to explore. I also thought that there was a good likelihood we might even find a publisher.

Please tell us about John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches, published by Bear Manor Media.
It is the first and definitive biography on the world’s most famous (and infamous) male porn legend and pop culture icon, John Curtis Holmes. Presented as an oral history with narrative segments interspersed throughout, our 584 page book is an in-depth, unbiased, and balanced look at the late John Holmes and his entire life.

Inches includes interview quotes from over 60 people who knew John professionally and personally. In addition to being a biography that details all facets of Holmes’ turbulent life, the book also contains three photos sections (including rare frontal nudes), a 21-page filmography, 114 feature film reviews and 86 loops synopses, all watched and written by Jennifer and myself. John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches highlights John’s difficult childhood in rural Ohio, John’s film career, his connection to one of the most gruesome multiple homicides in California history (dubbed, the “Wonderland” murders), his murder trial, his two marriages, his relationships with his many mistresses and girlfriends, his career comeback and finally, his death from AIDS.

Inches is an ideal choice for discriminating readers who enjoy biographies, true crime, retro, and erotica. It is also a chronological account of the history of the erotic film industry. Our book definitely has something for everyone, even if you are not necessarily interested in the adult film medium.

What inspired you and Jennifer to write this book?
JN: Jennifer had gone to the movie theater to watch a film in 2003, but it was sold out. The film Wonderland, starring Val Kilmer in the lead role of John Holmes, was also playing, so Jennifer decided to go and see it since she’d heard her local radio station make the joke, “Our sets are longer than John Holmes.” Understanding the intimation, she was intrigued to see the movie that actually entails a robbery that John had helped to orchestrate in 1981, which led to the brutal murders of four people. John was addicted to cocaine and freebased at this stage in his life and career and he had fallen in with some unsavory characters. Wonderland is about that very dark period in his life.

After having seen the film, Jennifer was surprised to discover that there wasn’t a biography about John, so she decided to write it herself. Both of us were interested to learn more about John, the man, in addition to finding out about the specifics of the “Wonderland” or Laurel Canyon murders.

Interestingly, two years later, in 2005, my husband and I rented the film Wonderland and afterwards, I was also very curious about John, as a person, since the film didn’t shed much light on his personal life except that it revealed that John had been married for 19 years to a registered nurse, Sharon Holmes (played by Lisa Kudrow), and that he’d had a mistress at the time of the murders, Dawn Schiller (played by Kate Bosworth). The three seemed to be quite amicable so that really piqued my attention and interest. I began to do a little research about John online and discovered a forum for the film, Wonderland, where I first connected with Jennifer. We had not known one another previously.

About a month after participating on the forum, Jennifer offered to send me some interview transcriptions she’d done that were derived from several audiotapes John had made a few years prior to his death in 1988. (He had been planning to write an autobiography but died before he had a chance to finish it. John’s widow, Laurie Holmes, later finished the book and Porn King was published in 1998.)

Privately, Jennifer disclosed to me that she was writing the first and complete book about John Holmes. We continued to communicate together through e-mail and it was about a year after that when Jennifer (a biography and math major studying at MSU at the time) realized that the project was a monumental task and asked me if I would become her co-author. From the time of the book’s official inception in August 2004, it took four years for us to complete.

Did you enjoy the research process? What did it entail?
JN: We both very much enjoyed the research process as it enabled us to meet and interview many diverse and intriguing people -- mostly veterans of the adult entertainment industry such as Ron Jeremy; Johnny Wadd, creator and director; Bob Chinn; and John’s widow, Laurie Holmes, to name only a few. Also, we interviewed two former L.A.P.D. homicide detectives, Tom Lange and Frank Tomlinson, who had been lead investigators on the Laurel Canyon murders and had actually arrested John in Florida in December of 1981, after he’d been on the lam for a period of about 5 months.

Over a four year period, Jennifer and I eventually interviewed 35 people in person, over the phone, and via e-mail, who had known John in various capacities throughout his life and career. The process meant that we needed to transcribe all of our interviews and then find a way to compile the information so that it would fit together in a compelling and concise format. We both wrote narrative segments that were incorporated into the story to help smooth out the transition between interview quotes.

In addition, because we wanted to ensure that the book would be comprehensive, between us, we watched over 200 of John’s feature films and loops, so that we could write our own reviews and synopses. We borrowed VHS tapes from directors in the industry, we watched VOD at various adult-related websites; we purchased some of John’s work on Ebay, and joined a website so that we could view a portion of John’s earlier black and white stag films, made mostly in the 1960s.

Prior to doing the research for our book, we found that John’s filmography at various websites was riddled with errors regarding years of film releases, cast lists, film titles, etc., so we worked diligently to generate the most current and up-to-date John Holmes filmography available anywhere. We accomplished this task by talking to some of the directors of the films we included in the book, but we also watched film credits to verify dates – it took some doing, but it was necessary and important to be as accurate as possible.

Jennifer and I e-mailed our chapters, our film reviews, and our filmography data back and forth, editing one another’s work until we were satisfied and knew that everything was complete. We also required permission(s) to use additional material and images in the book that were not our own. That part was a little bit stressful and took some time, but we were relieved when it all came together for us. People were absolutely wonderful -- right down the line. We are very pleased and proud of the finished product in every respect.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?
JN: Probably the hardest part of writing the book was trying to separate fact from fiction, but we are confident that we were able to overcome this challenge to the best of our own or anyone else’s ability. John was notorious for spinning stories about his life and about his career and his stories generally involved numbers. He liked to embellish and inflate numbers, particularly when related to the size of his penis, the amount of films he’d made, and the number of women he’d slept with. We found that one of the key elements to creating a legend is that some stories improve with time and it isn’t always necessary or critical to try to corroborate each and every one of them, but we were pretty successful. In John’s case, he did, in fact, have an extremely large penis, he’d made over 1000 film appearances in a career that spanned 20 years, and he slept with thousands of women, so his legend has certainly outlived him and it will continue to do so for many years to come. He knew how to promote his asset by creating some of his own folklore, so it was a fun challenge to research some of the legendary tales and learn new ones along the way. We soon realized that John didn’t need to invent anything about his life, because it was already stranger and more incredible on many levels, than any fictional account could ever hope to portray.

Did you learn anything from writing your book? If so, what was it?
JN: I learned that John Holmes was a chameleon; he was a world class hustler, he was a ladies’ man and a gigolo, and he was a lot smarter than many people have probably given him credit. John was also talented artistically. He sculpted, he wrote beautiful poetry, and he liked to build and refinish furniture. He was a loving godfather to three children and he was a step-father to Laurie’s (his second wife and widow) son. He had many components to his character, but despite many of the negative things that John was involved in, mostly everyone we spoke to seemed to cherish some positive memories of John. He definitely touched and impacted several lives in own way.

I also learned that it was a very positive experience to be a co-writer of a book of this nature - a biography - because it allowed Jennifer and I to bounce ideas off of one another and also, offer support to each other when things got to be a little overwhelming or hairy. That didn’t happen often, but there were a couple of occasions when we needed to sit back and take a deep breath because there was just so much information to sift through and assimilate. Both Jennifer and I recognized, however, that we were working on something quite special and unique, so that really helped to motivate and propel us along the way.

The people we encountered throughout the process of working on this book were very helpful as they opened up their lives and memories to us. For many, their memories are bittersweet so we really appreciated their involvement and their encouragement of our project.

I’ve also learned that if a writer or an individual is passionate about an idea or a subject and believes that they can share a story with the world that is engaging, go for it and don’t let other people dissuade you from your dream or your idea.

What can we expect to see from you in the future?
JN: We are currently working on interviews and research for a book that will showcase the ladies of the Golden Age of Adult films. While talking with people and conducting interviews for Inches, I had an idea that it would be interesting to learn more about the women who had decided to enter adult movies and perform in hardcore (real sex) scenes at a time when the XXX-rated industry was in its infancy stage, just after the onset of the sexual revolution during the 1960s.

We are currently talking to them about their childhoods and what had later inspired them to enter adult films, along with their years as actresses within the adult market. Also, we are learning about their lives and interests today and what they have been doing since their careers came to a close.

What ways have you found effective for promoting your book(s)?
JN: Jennifer and I have been somewhat fortunate that the adult media were interested in writing about our published work immediately after it was released. We had our book launch in Hollywood on the Sunset Strip on August 8, 2008 (John’s 64th birthday). Several people who write for adult publications were in attendance, in addition to many of the industry veterans and insiders. It was truly a great night.

I’d say that we have learned to embrace every avenue we can in order to promote our work because the media and book critics do not generally pursue published writers, unless the author is represented by a major publishing house. Then there are provisions in place for publicity and promotion built into their contracts. We have been proactive in pursuing contacts/media/reviewers that will hopefully pay attention to our work. We have done live radio interviews, blog talk radio interviews, and online interviews. We’ve done several book events and even travelled to Las Vegas to attend the Adult Entertainment Expo in January 2009, where we were at a booth talking about our book to fans of the adult genre who were in attendance at the Expo. We contact newspapers prior to our book events and request that they write a blurb, a piece or an article, and we have been fairly successful in that regard. We keep our website, our blog, our Myspace page(s) updated and also, we utilize Twitter and Facebook, to announce news and/or happenings.

Recently, we uploaded two of our live radio interviews to Youtube and set them to a montage of photos of Holmes, which has proven to be a great plug for us, because anyone who searches John Holmes on Youtube will eventually find our video-clip(s).

If a person can afford to hire a publicist, that’s always another added benefit. It’s very important to maintain the book’s profile and particularly, if you are an author of a biography, you’ve already got a built-in fan base to tap into, draw from, and build upon.

Is there anything else that you would like to share with the audience?
JN: I’d like to thank anyone who has read John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches or who might consider purchasing our book after reading this interview. I’d also like to thank everyone who has favorably reviewed our bio so far – it is extremely gratifying.

I’d like to send kudos to my (extremely busy) co-author, Jennifer, for being instrumental in providing me with an opportunity to share my hobby with readers, in tandem with her talent as a writer. This experience has added a wonderful new layer to my life as we move ahead with another book in the works. At 52 years of age, I’d say that I am in the midst of a mid-life awakening. It’s fantastic.

For those of you who don’t know who John Holmes is, but would like to read a highly compelling and emotional story of the trials and tribulations of one man’s life, I’d like to encourage you to read our book. You won’t be disappointed.

Do you have a website where writers can learn more about you and your writing?
JN: At present, I don’t have my own website, but our book’s website is at: www.johnholmesinches.com where it can be purchased in addition to Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/John-Holmes-Life-Measured-Inches/dp/1593933029 or any other major online book retailer.

We have a blog for the book at: http://johnholmesinches.blogspot.com/ and we also have a myspace page for Inches at: www.myspace.com/johnholmesinches.

People can also look me up on facebook and again at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/jnelson4 - where I post regular blogs that mostly pertain to our work.

How can people to get in touch with you?
People can get in touch with me or with Jennifer at sugar.and.nelson@gmail.com


Thank you for taking the time to answer my interview questions. I wish you the best with this book, and with your future projects.

Interview with J.M. Cornwell, fiction and non-fiction writer

Welcome, Jackie Cornwell, aka J.M. Cornwell, to Reviews and Interviews!

Let's warm up with a little introductory information.

Where are you from? That's not an easy question to answer. I was born in Columbus, Ohio, but I'm from a lot of places: Germany, Panama, and 46 of the 50 states.

Do you write full-time? Yes and I also work full time.

Can you tell us a little bit about your non-writing job? I am a medical transcriptionist for a network of acute care hospitals in New York and New Jersey, which is the long version. The short version is that I type operative reports. I've been doing it for about 25 years, which sounds like a long time even to me, but, with the advent of the Internet and home computers, I am able to work at home, which gives me more time to procrastinate on writing by worrying about laundry, dishes and cleaning the house.

What made you decide to tackle the genres you write in? I started out writing nonfiction because I had, and still have, a lot of questions. It's the same reason I write fiction. I don't stick to any one genre and let the characters lead me where they want to go. I get them started and they do the rest of the work.


Now we’ll focus a bit on your published writing.

Please tell us about your current release. Past Imperfect is about a woman in a near fatal accident that required a lot of plastic surgery to her face, giving her a new identity. She decides to go back and convince her ex-boyfriend that they are right for each other, but it isn't as easy as pushing characters around in a novel; she's a writer. Her best friend, and handyman, John Logan, who knows about her plans for Adrian Cahill, decides she's making a mistake and can't see what's right in front of her so, he lets Diana Palmer know that she has another choice.

What inspired you to write this novel? I had just broken up with someone who said I wasn't his soul mate and yet when he described his soul mate it was the same way he described me. I decided to write a different ending to our story.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? It's the same message that ends The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy's revelation. Sometimes your heart's desire is right in front of you.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book? I chose a very narrow point of view and focused on Diana, so the only thing I'd consider changing is getting more into Adrian's and Logan's thoughts.

What kind of research do you do to make your novel(s) realistic? It depends on the novel. With Past Imperfect there wasn't much to research because I had lived and dreamed most of the book. I have flown planes and I'm a writer. I've known men like Adrian and Logan and I've been to almost all the places in the book, with the exception of Kelly's Island. For that, I did a lot of reading and looked at thousands of pictures and then talked to people who had been there. The rest of the places in the story are places I know intimately.

What can we expect to see from you in the future? I have two novels that will be published in 2010. Among Women is about a woman who is put in jail for someone else's crime and gets lost in the system for six weeks. She considers most women silly and not worth knowing and is locked in with over 50 women, so it's a nightmare from many angles. She connects with her own voice and in turns gives the women a voice.

The other novel is called Whitecastle Hearts and is a twist on Jekyll, Hyde, and Jack the Ripper. The one thing that has always been missing from the story of Jekyll and Hyde is motivation, so I provided it by finding the motivation in a woman named Delilah Makepeace and Victorian morality. The dates that Hyde appeared in the original story were almost identical to the times The Ripper killed, so it seemed like a natural connection.

I'm also working on a post-apocalyptic vampire story and more stories for the Chicken Soup and Cup of Comfort anthologies. So many stories and so little time.

What ways have you found effective for promoting your books? I'm a novice when it comes to promoting my books, so I hired a publicist. I know my limits and I don't have a lot of time, so I put promotions in the hands of someone who knows more than I do, Linda Barnett-Johnson.


And now for a few fun questions.

When and why did you begin writing? When I was eight years old and living in Panama. Drunk on Homer and Edgar Rice Burroughs and having an active imagination, I wanted to create my own stories and put make my dreams real. My first book was about a little girl lost in the jungle who finds a lost city.

What have you read for fun lately? I read a lot of books for reviews, but the most fun I've had is reading a story by a fellow writer, Mary Ann Peden-Coviello about a wealthy southern family who resurrected their grandmother to find out where she hid her money. The voice and the situation were wonderful even though the story was very short. Even though I had to review Green by Ted Dekker, I thoroughly enjoyed it and rushed through it as quickly as possible to find out what would happen next.

Besides writing, what do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? Well, I used to cross stitch and draw and paint portraits, but I haven't had much time for that. My favorite way to have fun is to write letters to friends, the kind with fountain pen and paper and envelopes and stamps, and to watch movies. I don't watch television and gave up cable because it took too much time away from writing, but I do love watching movies, especially those that are based on novels and short stories. Other than that, I am a licensed amateur radio operator, ham radio, and a sometime gardener.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? I'm not sure how to answer that. I've been told my stories seem very real to people and they feel like they're actually there because my descriptions are so vivid. I do use all the senses when creating scenes and I love being able to tie in little tidbits of information from history and personal experience.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? Do you want them in order? A writer and a ballerina at the age of eight, a Supreme Court Justice, a world traveler and a writer. Three out of five isn't bad.


And to wrap up…

Is there anything else that you would like to share with the audience? Past Imperfect was contracted by two publishers before L&L Dreamspell published it. The first publisher quit publishing three months before my novel debuted. Two weeks after the contract was signed, the second publisher decided she didn't like the book after all and wasn't going to honor the contract. Six months later I had another publisher and crossed my fingers, which makes it very difficult to type. L&L Dreamspell followed through and the proof is between the covers.

Do you have a website where writers can learn more about you and your writing? I keep a blog where I write about whatever comes into my head called Cabin Dreams at http://fixnwrtr.blogspot.com. It's a mix of personal observations, all the forbidden social subjects (sex, politics, and religion), using tarot cards to help create stories and characters, and the occasional grammar column that has moved to Suite 101.

How can people to get in touch with you? I'm easy to find through Cabin Dreams or just by emailing me at jcornwell@peoplepc.com.


Thank you for your time with this interview. It's been fun. I wish you luck with your writing endeavors. Thank you for inviting me to talk about my favorite subject. No, not me, writing.