I must confess, I have been on absolute pins to listen to the next chapters of “Discovering Aberration” as this is seriously the first time I have listened to a novel and become enraptured with an itch to know what comes next! Mind you, if I were to be fully truthful I have only listened to bits of an audiobook in the past, but I never could lay the story out in my mind’s eye properly to continue listening. I had a bit of a disconnect then that I do not appear to be experiencing now; except to say, that as I jot down the thoughts & notes as I listen to Mr. Barrus narrating the chapters, I find myself picking up on things I first feared I might not be able to catch! I am quite sure that if one day I go to sit down with a print copy of this novel, my impressions will eclipse and the entirety of the world will fuse together. I’m still a newbie to ‘audiobook reading’ and I welcome the challenge and the joy to carry-on forward ‘listening’ and seeking out a ‘story’ in a medium I have not yet had the pleasure to experience in length. Besides who wouldn’t want to listen to a dapper author reading his very own work of fiction!? He has a wicked style, no?!
An ancient map stolen. A lost civilization discovered. A terrible secret unleashed.
Thaddeus Lumpen’s archaeology career is near collapse, thanks to the machinations of rivals who would kill to claim a discovery for themselves. In desperation he turns to Freddy Fitzgerald, a rebellious writer who still maintains connections from his days as a street hooligan. For Lumpen to get ahead of his even less scrupulous competitors he must steal an ancient map and forge a path to an island where a lost civilization waits to be found. For Freddy, it’s a chance to sell the story of a lifetime.
But nothing is as simple as it appears from halfway across the world. Old acquaintances become enemies, professional rivalries turn violent, and a notorious gang lord wants his map back. The island itself holds dangers that Freddy and Lumpen couldn’t have prepared to face–and horrifying secrets that might be better left buried. Beset by wild beasts, cutthroat competitors, and dangers darker still, the two men fight not for glory, but their own survival… before the island pushes them past the brink of insanity.
S.C. Barrus writes strange and thrilling literary adventures including the novel Discovering Aberration, a steampunk adventure novel. Born in Canada, he grew up in the Pacific North West where he skipped school in favor of swimming in the local rivers.
Raised on a hefty selection of books, video games and movies, he grew to love story telling from a young age. He received his degree in creative writing from the University of Washington and began writing fiction in 2011.
Throughout the years, S.C. Barrus has been inspired by a wide range of authors and genres. A fan of literary fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy and sci-fi. But perhaps the easiest influences to identify in his writing comes from authors such as Edgar Allen Poe, Jules Verne, H.P. Lovecraft and Robert Louis Stephenson.
I have been wanting to listen to audiobooks for quite a long while now, and although this is technically not a traditional ‘audiobook’ per se, it is an author reading his novel aloud via live video feeds on YouTube! Therefore, its a non-traditional audiobook sequence of events! What drew me into wanting to listen to the story as it evolves each Friday, is the fact that one of his tweets about his book series caught my eye in my twitterverse feeds! I’m always searching for Steampunk authors & titles that I have not stumbled across as I have blogged about my sojourn into this realm previously; specifically my exploits at my local library!
I felt perhaps this might be an excellent way to get to know a new-to-me author & his story! Each Friday, I’m taking the chance on listening to a story I’ve only read the premise about and the author’s note on behalf of his novel on his book’s listing page. Perhaps on Fridays, you will join me!? I cannot be the only nightowl blogger!?
On a side note: I joined his newsletter as an “Adventurer” and cast my hat into the running to win a hardback copy of his novel! I did this the first time I saw his tweets, which was over a week ago!
Considering the fact I am more or less going into listening each Friday night @ 10:30pm PST (technically, this is 1:30am Saturday morning!) a bit blind to knowing about the author, his writing style & voice, as much as his characters and narration makes this quite the exciting treat! In fact, it recollects to mind what it must have been like for generations who grew up listening to radio broadcasts of their favourite fictional heroes and characters! Instead of telecasting via radio signals & waves, we have the age of the internet and the ability to have an author set up live feeds on YouTube! What bookish bliss, eh!? Noting that his inspirational authors include one mutually respected author (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle); one deeply curious about author (Jules Verne); one on the fence about author (Robert Louis Stevenson); one author I’ve changed my opinion of (Edgar Allan Poe: Read my “Mrs. Poe” review); and one author I’m curious about due to what I have heard of his works (H.P. Lovecraft) you may already denote an itching of excitement growing inside me to hear his voice share the opening bits of his Steampunk novel!
The fact that he wrote an unorthodox novel which does not specifically fit within the perimeters of modern tales of his respective choices of genre, delights me to no end! I love it when authors give a rambling narrative voice to their stories, to where we have to read the whole of the novel and story in order to understand the exact heart of what they stitched into their character’s lives! I love character-centered stories as much as I like the deft hand of a wordsmith who has the eloquence to build a world that we want to absorb inside and spend time navigating the finer details and points he has etched into the atmosphere of the world itself. I like slow-moving stories which allow the words to flow through us rather than over us, and have the tangible glistening of an evolving picture emerge out of the well of what is inside the chapters.
I am nearly on the edge of my seat in full expectation of a narrative journey about to begin!
And, of course the mere fact that my dyslexic math skills projected the start time @ 7:30pm EST rather than 1:30am EST, clearly proves my dedication! The YouTube channel designated for tonight’s broadcast has been counting down the hours in earnest since it was a bit past 7 hours left to go! Laughs with mirth. Sometimes you just have to find the cheeky irony in your life!
a professor is in the middle of class, relaying bits of a book and reading to his class when the story begins. given a degree, a grant, and a residency on publication of a book based on the character’s journey to the Orient. bored beyond repair. the status que was found wanting rather than exciting as the opportunity had felt when given. ms. Olivia Newton is a cheeky student with questions that test the Professor’s patience. taxidermy ensembles attached to the clothes in the gathered crowd of students. a curious attention to elephants. survival of the fittest and cunning independence. a battle of classes. (“Gangs of New York” flashed through my mind, which made sense lateron!)
missed a bit when his voice went mechanised. (as i wrote ‘mech’ all I could think of was Midsummer!)
@SCBarrus Your voice is mechanised and breaking up! :( It is not coming through as clear as it was; & then it evened out.. hmm,… wonder ?
an interruption when someone interrupts the class. protesters are in the background in the streets. atmospheric setting. an urgency to know something that is most important. a humble home of a Professor in a mixed neighbourhood of residences.
missed a bit more when he read the words too quickly for me to hear them properly. the quicker he reads the more the mechanised effect happens.
@SCBarrus Slow down — your reading a bit too fast; the action & dialogue is running a bit together; the technology is mumbling it a bit :(
pitched to write a book about his friend. crime lords & black markets. antiques. money to be had. an out of print book. parchment which was actually a map with writing which was particularly precise. an intricacy of details. an island. a key. a lost civilisation. a dead language. a mathematical connection of origin. a gypsy spirit of adventure pulls at the heart of the lead character. an adventure begging for him to embrace. a tempestuous proposition. an implorous consideration. a stolen map from a sailor who was dying & whose belongings thus belonged to a beguiling and foul man.
Chapter 2 Notes:
a back-story history of a particular place. a broad stroke of how one particular country and area progressed forward and slid backwards through time of it’s people. a particular empathsis on how violence threaded through the young persons and grew from there. this chapter is to explain a history of who the Professor’s friend stole the map from and to draw the reader into an understanding of the larger scope of the evolving picture being painted into full view. describing the hierarchy of the gangs and who became the crime lord to be feared by all.
@SCBarrus Your reading of Chapter 2 was still a bit fast, but your voice came through clear and could be understood. Just don't rush! :)
Sharp and crisp descriptions are given to purport his imagery and connective tissues of his novel, allowing the reader to be placed directly into the scene at hand. Sharp as glass, cuttingly convincing, and precise, his narrative voice is glistening with a bluntness and an honesty of where his characters are taking the reader on the journey about to be taken as his narrative bespeaks of a clarity of a writer’s pen for detail oriented story-craft. The manner in which he opens the novel and of which it is thus told, gives me the impression that the blunt strokes are mindful of a bloke’s approach towards relying a particular turbulent slice of history, whereas a lass might soften the edges a bit. The story eludes to being set within the perimeters of an adventurous historical fiction, half fantasy, and equal measures psychological suspense. As I have not yet heard where the dialogue nor the narrative broaches into horror. He does have an eloquent descriptive voice, and for the rougher characters and rougher bits of prose delves into stronger language as it is warranted, but not overtly so, nor unnecessary.
Despite the fact this novel is clearly outside the scope of what I regularly read, I cannot deny that it has me curious to hear more bits and bobbles of its full essence! I am most surely marking down the next ‘Friday Chapter Series’ event, in order to partake of another rousing night of wickedness, rebels, rogues, and the lot most likely found in Captain Jack Sparrow’s crew! I might be a lass who is bent more on the cosier side of literature, but even I found a heap of joy in the revelry of Sparrow & the crew in which boggled the mind half the time of their exploits!
I appreciate the notations he gives to clue the reader in on his classical literature roots of inspiration, and how he attempts to pay homage to the story-tellers that most likely will eventually knit together on my tCC List! I always knew Oliver Twist would be an interesting novel for me to read, and perhaps between now & a fortnight thence when we recommence to listen to Chapters 3 & 4, I can make a bit of headway into the story! I’d learn a bit more about the gangs of the street & the layout of power, and perhaps get my head to wrap around the gist of the story without asking too many elementary questions! I was most appreciative of his kindness and attention to his ‘readers & listeners’!
I do suppose its a sign, that I happen to have a pocket edition of Oliver Twist staring at me from my bookshelf?
Afterthoughts from the Author:
Scuttlters (All I could envision were the pirates from ALL the Caribbean films I adore so much!) were based on Victorian gangs & were based on historical facts, including the crime lord in the story. He showed to camera a deck of cards, which looked most curious! I missed a bit about why the deck was being shown to camera as I was attempting to compose my thoughts; going back and forth between YouTube & my blog! All I could think of in that moment is what a conversation piece that deck would be! I love playing board games & card games; like Hand & Foot or Shanghai Rummy? I’m most definitely a ‘vintage gamer’ both for traditional games and for video games alike! And, technically speaking I’ve been collecting ‘card decks’ since I was quite young! I always wanted to collect & gather interesting decks of cards because I felt that they would help open a conversation when you sit down to play!
Fictitious country in a real world: (artistic license) Franklin P. Fitzgerald (Freddie) and his sidekick friend Thadeus Lumpkin. Early Victorian Era as advanced technology is beginning. (for me, this sort of felt Neo-Victorian rather than straight-up Steampunk, as it has a curious alter-history feel to the world.)
Originally wrote the story without the crime lords, and turnt into a quick story full of satire. Shelved the novel and re-wrote the novel. Twenty pages turned into sixty pages, with research into the time period. Fell in love with the characters and wanted to expand the story. Developed the criminal underworld into the story, and fleshed out a bit too much, to where it had to be cut out. Based on “The Gangs of London” a non-fiction book out of print where the scuttlers were based upon in the story.
Other listeners had trouble tuning in to the broadcast.
Another reader asked about how the first book ties into the second: a complex story he doesn’t want to discuss the plot if we haven’t read the first book as it would be a spoiler for us. PC (I need to ask how to proper have that title spelt!) takes place in the same world, but ten years before the first story. The Scarlets are a gang featured in “Discovering Aberration”, and goes into how the structure of their gang works. A mixture of “Oliver Twist” and “Ocean’s Eleven”. Freddie is not a protagonist, but the sequel after PC has Freddie return.
@SCBarrus Thanks for answering my Qs! How would you explain the story to someone who is approaching it for the first time!?
He gave me an ‘on air’ thank you note of gratitude for tweeting out the word leading through the countdown. He appreciated my tweet about his voice. He listens to more audiobooks than he reads books, and always felt he did not have the voice for it. He’s listening to Harry Potter (Order of the Phoenix, I believe!) at the moment and felt that the voice on there is better than his. (I disagree!) He is going to take a break from next Friday, and join up again the following Friday instead. He’s going to a convention – will note be able to return for a fortnight. If its the convention where we purchased the bowler hat for then I can only hope he looks as dapper as the hat he’s wearing in his author’s photograph! (via his website biography) I personally fell into the Steampunk genre by way of the artwork & fashion long before I entered the fictional worlds set around them! Laughs.
@SCBarrus That's alright! I was composing it as you were talking — and I had no idea you were going to be talking 'to me' as I was tweeting
My goodness! I cannot wait for the next installments of this live author event! I am hopeful that if I made any grievous errors, the author will be kind to let me know either through PM or in the comment threads! I am so happy that I ‘caught’ sight of that tweet about “Discovering Aberration” on Twitter the other week! IF I had not seen it, and I might not have, as I’ve been taking a break again from hitting the ‘Home!’ button! (your aghast I can tell!) There enters a bit of a kismet factor to reading & the discovery of authors & their works. There is a season for everything in life, and I always felt that the timing of stories has a particular curiosity about when they are revealed! For me, I am properly full of gratitude for being caught up in this unique event and for being the winner of a giveaway I did not even know was happening! How delightful! And, may this post inspire you, dear hearts to stay up later than late and listen to the next chapters of this tale that simply bewitches you to listen! Please share your thoughts!
Discovering Aberration Kickstarter Intro via S.C. Barrus
I decided to share this because I should have known to scope out his previously uploaded videos to find out more information about his novel once I had read it originated by a Kickstarter Project! Whoopsie! He mentions a bit about the plot and how it evolves forward! I can say, that listening to his first two chapters was an adventure in of itself, and I do not regret going in ‘blind’ without understanding a few of the finer points ahead of time! Enjoy!
This post is part of:
{SOURCES: Audiobook Review badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Post dividers & My Thoughts badge by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Tweets embedded due to codes provided by Twitter. The intro video for “Discovering Aberration” via S.C. Barrus had either URL share links or coding which made it possible to embed this media portal to this post, and I thank them for the opportunity to share more about this novel and the author who penned it. The Friday Night Reading Series badge created by Jorie in Canva.}
Jorie interviews Ms. Krupa ahead of the 5:30pm (EST) live commenting blog event which will take place in the comment threads of this post! IF you are unable to drop back during the time in which Ms. Krupa will be responding to reader comments, questions, and compliments please make sure to leave your response *early!* in order for her to respond! All comments are still moderated by Jorie, who will be on hand during the live event making sure all comments get through! Once approved you will have the ability to post a direct response without waiting. Readers and visitors of Jorie Loves A Story can easily leave a comment by using Email, WP, Google+, Facebook, & Twitter interfaces without the stress of captcha as I do not use that service! *Remember!* return back to this page in the early evening hour of 5 o’ clock to make sure you do not miss Ms. Krupa! I do recommend subscribing to the comments in order to keep in the loop!
Short Biography for T.S. Krupa: T.S. Krupa was born in New Haven, Connecticut. Raised in a Polish household with a blended American culture, she is fluent in Polish. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree from Franklin Pierce University, where she also played field hockey. She earned her Master’s from Texas Tech University and plans to graduate with her Doctor of Education from North Carolina State University in 2014. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and dog. This is her first novel.
My path crossed with Ms. T.S. Krupa whilst checking Twitter, seeing what was new and finding that a wicked sweet Indie author had found me! She asked me to check out her website and the premise of her début indie novel “Safe & Sound”. I was offered to receive the novel in exchange for an honest review as well as host a special feature to coincide with the book if I elected too. I thought it would be a smashing idea to host an Author Interview, as she’s just getting her feet wet in publishing, and I know I always appreciate reading interactions between authors and book bloggers myself! Therefore, this particular extra feature became quite enhanced when her publicist Ms. Bauer suggested a *live Q&A* where readers could pitch questions and Ms. Krupa could answer live at a scheduled time! I’m happy to have found a new way to bring an author to my blog, and offer such a unique event to my readers as well! Let us pause now whilst the conversation commences!
Book Synopsis for Safe & Sound: When great love is lost forever, what does it take to find the courage to move on?
When Jill met Jay Greenfield she knew she had found her forever love. She was a kindergarten teacher, he was a high-powered attorney and their lives were perfect. But when a tragic accident takes Jay’s life, this young bride is left to pick up the pieces.
Jill finds herself a young widow facing multiple decisions she thought she had a lifetime to decide. With support from her childhood best friends, Lanie and Stella, Jill attempts to piece her life back together. With nightmares plaguing her dreams and the struggles of constant grief over Jay’s passing, Stella and Lanie keep near constant vigilance over her. In the process of settling the estate, Jill learns that her husband was not quite the man she thought he was. She finds herself transported to the small beach town of Oak Island, North Carolina. But the fairy tale ending she envisioned no longer exists. She must face the reality that Jay is gone as she finds herself having a chance at love one more time.
Safe & Sound follows a yearlong journey of love, loss, friendship, and conquering the unexpected.
I gathered from your biography you come from a strong Polish background. Did grow up in a family full of story-tellers?!
Looking back on my childhood I would say that is an accurate statement. As a kid I always gravitated towards adults. I would sit at the table and listen to them talk about the various challenges or indulgences of life. I don’t think it was meant to be story-telling but to a young kid, they were stories that let my imagination run wild.
I think its exactly how you said it is when we are children. All the stories we overheard from our family members were quite dear to us, even if they were only imparting sage advice befitting the day or hour we were with them in conversation. Each of those nuggets of inspiration have a way of incorporating into our writing life down the road!
What do you feel shifted your mind towards taking writing out of your personal journals and into a full novel?
Journal writing is very personal about specific thoughts, emotions, feelings that are only relevant to you. Whereas, I find novel writing is about story-telling. I had less and less to say in my personal journal and more and more to tell in forms of a story. The biggest push though came when I just couldn’t sleep anymore because I had this story running through my thoughts.
I oft find myself with the opposite problem; where I excel in writing fiction or poetry, I am not always as apt at conveying what I want to impart on behalf of a personal journal! I have started and stopped journalling so many times during my life, that sometimes I wonder why I keep attempting to maintain one! I suppose in the back of my mind, I always would hope I could bridge the gap between fiction and antidotes of my real experiences. I’d like to have those to share with my future children. Alas, every writer I think falters on that one note: what to do when the stories are eager for you to write them down!
When did your writing from worrying about what others thought to caring more about your own personal thoughts and processes!?
To be honest, I don’t know if I am there yet. The first book is easy to write in regards of expectations because there aren’t any. With the second book it will be very much, can I live up to the expectation of the first, and will it be as relatable without telling the same story. But I find that once I get into my comfortable space and start writing I can tune most things out, it’s in the editing process that I can ‘over-think’ the details.
I think as long as you are comfortable in your own writing voice and the characters which speak to you as you write feel wholly true to your own spirit as you write their stories; you’ll do just fine when your second book is released! Afterall, at the end of the day, the writer has to be confident and happy with what they have cast out into the world. Long before the audience of readers ever sees their work, they have to own what they created. I think its a process and the day will arrive without notice when you feel your not second-guessing yourself anymore. Confidence grows in quiet hours.
What are your earliest memories of books and authors? Which stories were your favorite companions? And, why?
I ‘wrote’ a book when I was like 5 or 6. It was mostly a poorly drawn collection of stick figures put together in book form but it was my first attempt. From there I can always remember excelling at story-telling assignments about Paul Bunyan, Camelot, Pilgrims and even the Egyptians. I liked the realm of make-believe and story-telling but it never occurred to me as a career. I was also drawn to reading. I would fly through books in a night and it would drive my mom crazy as she didn’t want to keep buying books that would take me no time to read. But I loved ‘The Babysitters Club’ series by Ann M. Martin and even tried to start my own club (it failed). I also read R.L. Stine and Judy Blume.
I enjoyed listening to you as a budding writer and publisher, binding together your creations, thoughts, and stories in such clever ways! I must confess, my Mum & Da didn’t mind how long the stories were which appealed to me, because I went through a difficult moment in school where the mere fact I was reading at all was a celebration! Short, long, or in-between the lengths varied at different ages throughout my childhood, but if my heart were committed to the story, my parents never dissuaded me from reading them. For instance, going to the bookshoppe to collect more “Babysitters Clubs” was a regular weekly occurrence and more oft than naught, more than once a week!
Where were you on your life path when writing started to become the central focus?
Ha! I was in the middle of writing my dissertation for my doctoral degree when I started writing Safe & Sound. It was a completely unscheduled side adventure in my life path. I had been so focused on scholarly articles and writing that writing for fun was a welcomed diversion.
Oh, I love learning how a writer unexpectedly became a writer! As though they had this bubbling little voice inside itching to reach out and find light! It sounds as though Safe & Sound started out as a pet project but soon became a central focus with a heart of its own?! Its interesting isn’t it? How life reveals a hidden piece of our paths right in the middle of another moment just as important!?
I oft disclose on my blog how music is my muse as it evokes the ink onto the page. Are there specific pieces of music which evoke your muse? Or, does it change with each new story? Perhaps even it is simply for ‘background’ whilst you create?
I do agree that music is so important to me in all aspects of my life. I listen to it to when I clean, run, work, drive that it was only natural for me to listen to it while I wrote as well. I mostly just played my iTunes songs which are extremely eclectic and can range from Frank Sinatra, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Zac Brown Band, Adele, Jay-Z, Nelly etc. I would put in my ear buds and start a song and usually (on a good day) but the time the second or third song played I was completely zoned out and focused on my story. I would use music to set the mood. For example, in Safe and Sound the beginning was very sad and heartfelt so I listened to songs that dealt with loss of a relationship or losing love.
Eclectic is surely the word for me as well — I vary a bit from your choices, but I always had a penchant for the songs and songwriters of the early 20th Century; including Old Blue Eyes! Adele belts out such strong ballads as to make my heart quake and wish I had a startling vivid romantic drama to pen! I only listen by earphones if I am not in my study, as generally speaking what helps me write is having the music go through the stereo’s speaker system to where its barely noticeable once I get into the muse! I believe I am more of an atmospheric writer, as I cannot listen to all musical varieties as I write but rather have to opt for music which befits the character I am creating.
I noticed inside your Author Q&A, you only write from places you visit. Do you ever research outside these realms, and write whilst borrowing from your imagination?
I start with places as I visit for structure and then the locations within the story are imagined. If you try to go to Oak Island and look for Rusty’s it sadly does not exist, although I think it should! I think with each future story, I will venture a little further and further from what I know but I don’t think I could ever make up an entire world with new words and creations like J.K. Rowling for example. It’s not the way my mind works and I greatly respect her for the way she was able to create that!
Hmm,… I found this to be quite remarkable actually because I tend to lean more towards Rowlings! I love creating and envisioning worlds which are just outside the reach of the naked eye! I am always inventing words, phrases, locales, and places of interest! Even creating new combinations of names fascinates me! I think your strength is through seeing the world as it is and reflecting that back through narrative which strikes a chord with readers as though they had sat down with a person’s memoir. Whereas I like to jump outside the scope of our living realities a bit and explore a realm not readily as well known. Thankfully literature has as many portals to travel through as there are writers to pen the stories!
Did you have any repercussions from studying writing at University!? Did you need ‘down time’ to resume where you had left off before your studies?!
So I was in a spot in my dissertation where the pace was completely my own and writing Safe & Sound did not slow me down. I in fact just successfully defended my dissertation at the beginning of this month and will be graduating in May. It does take me a little bit to switch from scholarly writing to novel writing because the styles and expectations are so different.
My hat is surely off to you, then! I am not sure if I could have juggled a dissertation AND completing my first novel, much less launch my debut! I completely congratulate you on graduating from grad school and by having your story out in the world ahead of ending this chapter of your educational journey! Your home is surely lit aflame in celebratory remunerations! I appreciated the insight into shifting gears in writing styles as well.
Did you meet your husband through field hockey? And, what encouraging words can you impart on those still seeking their forever love?
I did not meet my husband through field hockey. He didn’t even really know what field hockey was until he meet me! I met him at Texas Tech University while we were working on our Master’s degrees; me on Sport Psychology and him on Sport Management.
If you go out seeking forever love it will be hard to find. It has to find you and you have to be open to it. I was told that when I moved to Texas I was going to find a ‘cowboy’ and I rejected all those ideas. I didn’t find a ‘cowboy’ but I found my husband when I wasn’t looking.
Actually, I was re-iterating what I had read on your website?! Perhaps, I misunderstood but it seemed to have been writ to elude that you both met somehow through field hockey! I also took inspiration from your novel being an exploration on the fundamentals of ‘forever love’ and the ability to transcend out and in a state of love after tragedy. Either way, the best news is that you both found each other, worked towards degrees within the same field, and fell in love! Love is always a blessing to celebrate no matter how it alights in our lives or when our season for love arrives! Oh, I don’t know! I wouldn’t mind meeting a cowboy! Between the fact I love riding horses & I’ve heard great stories about cowboy families who are natural bourne story-tellers,.. as I wink a nod to an author I know who married her own cowboy!
Being that New England was your home, do you have any musings of settling a story in the town in which “Safe & Sound” was originally set? (Cape Cod, Massachusetts)
I do eventually want to set a story in Cape Cod! I have so many wonderful memories from there growing up that I would love to share those with my readers. However, based on my current thoughts and outlines it might be a couple stories before I can get my characters there but you never know what will happen during the writing process!
The battle of the stories! Laughs. Is it not grand that we all have a deep well of inspiration to pull from to where we never quite know where we’re headed off next, but we have a delightful time sorting out the map of where our characters lead us!? I’m not an outliner, but I do like sketching out ideas and then, seeing where I want to venture based off where my inklings and ideas are merging!
How do you think readers will process the heart of the story being hinged on the proposition where writing a will not only is a safeguard on our mortality but is a process of accepting our mortality?
I hope that they process it as an unfortunate but necessary part of the process. I still struggle very much with mortality and I don’t know if I have fully accepted it. BUT in life there are no guarantees and trying to prepare for every outcome is part of my process and acceptance.
I have a completely different take on this part of life. Mostly I would suppose because I grew up having lost my loved ones throughout my younger years, but also, because I never feared mortality because I was constantly surrounded by the peace of this chapter ending and the next one beginning. Death never felt like an ending or a moment of finality but rather, by extension the next step in our journey.
Your main protagonist is caught up in a life shift and choice of undertaking the idea of a second chance at love. Do you feel you could brave the sails and try to recapture love after its lost?
That’s a tough question! It’s hard to see outside the lens of your current life and imagine different scenarios but I would like to hope that I would be able to ‘brave the sails’ and be able to find happiness again whether that be new love or on my own. It’s about not forgetting those who you lose but being able to take those memories and build upon them. To be cliché ‘if it doesn’t kill you it only makes you stronger!’.
Again, I differ a bit in this regard as well. My faith has carried me through the pain of my loss on the previous vein of thought, but in this one, as love is always eternally tied, I suppose I never quite felt as alone as I could. On the other hand, I grew up knowing my great-grandmother lost her husband at a very young age, and although she was definitely strong enough to live alone, I oft wondered how her life would have been a bit fuller if she had accepted love again. I suppose I take the “Love Comes Softly” side of love; where the Grahams were an example of how when a door closes, a window will always be left open.
What has been your greatest blessing as an Indie Author?
I have found many blessings during this process and many were very much unexpected. The extremely supportive nature of the Indie Author/Novel community is AMAZING. I have met so many wonderful people through social media that it is at times overwhelming. The second is that as an Indie Author everything you read in Safe & Sound is mine for better or worse; the names of the characters, the locations and the title. That was all very important to me as a story-teller.
I completely agree with you on the liberty and rights of authors to not only create the stories they feel are a part of their heart and creation, but to have the ability to decide on the fullness of the stories contained therein! I never understood fully why authors rights are limited in scope and do not always envelope the naming of characters, the titles of books, and other little aspects of writing & our process as writers that many readers might not be as aware of themselves! Afterall, as far as marketing is concerned, half the time I question their choices after I heard ‘original’ ideas by the authors! Surely one can market a title no matter what it is if the author is convinced its a truer vision of their story!?
I can imagine social media is similar to opening the floodgates and sorting out how to keep your balance between meeting new readers and contacts, with your personal life! I know I felt blessed when our paths crossed and I was thankful how keen you were to allow a book blogger to receive your novel! I have found the book blogosphere (which is an extension of the publishing world!) to be interconnected as much as you have found the Indie Author community! I think those who are bookish tend to remain close-knit to each other!
What are the tools of your trade? Can you describe your writing process and the tools you use in which to create your stories? Do you write at a specific hour of the day?
Right now I work full time so I am limited on my writing time. Safe & Sound was written pre-dominantly between the hours of 7 p.m. and 2 a.m. during the week and maybe 4p.m. to 2 a.m. on the weekends. Usually I sit at my husband’s desk in the office located in our house. I turn off the overhead lighting and just use a desk lamp and then I stare at my laptop listening to music through my earbuds until I can pick up my place on where I left off. My writing process was not very fancy. I would sometimes scribble ideas, names, and locations in my notebook to reference but otherwise I just used WORD on my computer. I used my husband as my initial editor and close friends as my ‘beta-testers’.
I give you credit for not only being a night owl, but for working straight through into hours which I know must have undercut your work day! Your dedication to your craft and to the process of discovering your writing voice as you went along is a credit to your work ethic as a writer. I loved how you said ‘beta-testers vs. beta-readers’, as I oft felt early readers were ‘testers’ as they are tasting the words right off the page after they were initially birthed into being! Tasting to see how they sound and reflect back the story and the characters who hold the story together!
Describe your perfect day.
The perfect day would be some variation of this: Waking up on a beautiful warm sunny day and heading out for a run. Coming back and having breakfast with my husband in hopes he made his wonderful banana pancakes. We would then spend the day doing something outside with friends/family like hiking, hanging out by the pool, etc. The day would end with us grilling outside and eating on the deck as the sun sets. Later in the evening I would probably write for a couple house once the house settle down until it’s time for bed.
The perfect day is really about being able to spend time with people you love and being able to put technology away!!
I cannot think of a better way to spend one’s hours than in the comfort of family and friends! Being in nature or leisurely enjoying the comforts of relaxing at home are a mighty fine way to spend the day! May you always find the hours and moments to step away from technology and have the balance between what is necessary and what is elective not override your everyday joys!
I’d like to thank Ms. Krupa for such a rewarding Interview which gave us a keen insight into her writing life and the way in which she came to love the craft of writing! I am looking forward to seeing the comments coming in below & look forward to the lovely conversations which will emerge out of this wicked sweet live event! I want to thank Ms. Krupa for her time in being with us today and to Ms. Bauer for providing such a wonderful press kit to make blogging about the event such a delight! I look forward to meeting new readers as well!
This beautiful blog event banner badge was created by Caitlin O’Brient Bauer of http://www.royalsocialmedia.com!
*Exclusive Event on Jorie Loves A Story* starting at 5:30pm EST in the USA! Everyone is welcome! Drop in & return!
**Readers & Visitors: After the #livechat concludes, please be assured that your notes, questions, & compliments left in the comment threads will be seen by the author! Continue the conversations! And, thank you!**
{NOTE: Similar to blog tours, when I feature a showcase for an author via a Guest Post, Q&A, Interview, etc., I do not receive compensation for featuring supplemental content on my blog.}
{SOURCES: Author photograph of T.S. Krupa, author biography, book synopsis, and Author Q&A banner badge for Live Q&A event provided by Royal Social Media and used with permission. Jorie requested an Author Interview with Ms. Krupa, to coincide with her book review of Safe & Sound. The questions were submitted to the author directly & returned. Author Interview badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs.}
I have an exciting announcement to make today, for my dedicated readers of Jorie Loves A Story and new visitors alike, I have the absolute pleasure of announcing Ms. T.S. Krupa will be dropping by JLAS at 5:30pm Monday, 24th of March 2014 for a *LIVE!* Author Q&A! The entire blog event will be taking place underneath her Author Interview which will post earlier in the morning of the 24th! Readers and visitors are encouraged to leave their Questions for Ms. Krupa in the comment threads which will be actively monitored and accepted as each Question, Comment, or Thought is posted to Jorie Loves A Story!
Although comments are moderated by Jorie, comments are captcha-free and can easily be added by using your Email and/or WP, Google+, Facebook, or Twitter accounts to converse openly and freely during the event! I never believed in hindering a reader’s ability to leave a comment, and only moderate the comments to prevent spam! I will be present throughout the event making sure each comment goes live and that everyone has a great time interacting with Ms. Krupa!
Ms. Krupa will then start to respond to each comment she finds starting in the early evening giving you the opportunity to chat with her about her Indie début novel “Safe & Sound”!
This beautiful blog event banner badge was created by Caitlin O’Brient Bauer of http://www.royalsocialmedia.com!
When great love is lost forever, what does it take to find the courage to move on?
When Jill met Jay Greenfield she knew she found her forever love. Together their lives were perfect. But when a tragic accident takes Jay’s life, this young bride is left to pick up the pieces. With support from her two childhood best friends, Lanie and Stella, Jill attempts to piece her life back together.
Meanwhile, in the process of settling the estate, Jill learns that her husband was not quite the man she thought he was. She finds herself transported to the small beach town of Oak Island, North Carolina. But the fairy tale ending she envisioned no longer exists. She must face the reality that Jay is gone as she finds herself having a chance at love one more time.
Safe & Sound follows the yearlong journey of love, loss, friendship, and conquering the unexpected.
I will be reviewing this lovely book on Friday, 28th March, 2014! Therefore, this is an opportunity to get to know the author personally before I reveal my thoughts and impressions of Safe & Sound!
Kindly help spread the word via your social media connections online & through your network of bookish friends offline!
I am looking forward to this *exciting new way of connecting readers with authors* on Jorie Loves A Story! This particular blog event was inspired by the serendipitous conversation spun around Cover Reveal “Love’s Promises”!
{Sources: Promotional badge/banner for Live Author Q&A with T.S. Krupa created by Ms. Krupa’s social media publicist Caitlin O’ Brient Bauer of Royal Social Media; used with permission for cross-promotion of blog event. Book Synopsis provided in the Press Kit via Ms. Bauer. Post dividers were provided by Fun Stuff for Your Blog by Pure Imagination.}
Today’s cover reveal features the second book in the Road Ghosts series, starring ghost hunters Brett and Liz, along with good ole “Uncle Gonzo”. This time, instead of being chased by ghosts, they’re on a cross-country race to save a poor little ghoul who’s been kidnapped. Lots of surprises await, including Vampire LARPers (live action role players) on a beach!
This book also features the début appearance of Skye, the main character of the spinoff series Tipsy Fairy Tales (to be published by SSP in 2014/2015).
The artwork was created by the award-winning Bonnie Wasson, who has been the artist for covers and interiors on the Road Ghosts series.
Artwork Credit: Bonnie Wasson
Did you see the mirror-image reflection of the ghoul?
What thoughts came to mind as to explain the hidden depths of truth
revealed in that one snapshot of proof?
This is another example of why I appreciate the illustrators of Seventh Star Press! They intrigue your curiosity to venture ‘into the story’ by giving a cursory glimpse of what you dare to find inside, once you allow your eyes to sink into the story which awaits you!
Synopsis of Book Two {Sinking Down} of the Road Ghosts series:
Poor Little Ghoul
Paranormal investigators Brett and Liz find themselves back in over their heads when a forest hunt for a roadkill-eating creature offers up a little surprise. Back home with their ghoulish house guest, it becomes clear there’s more to this investigation than either of them thought. Worse than that, Brett’s own fate is linked to the little ghoul’s.
So it’s back out on the road, with plenty of time for pit stops with a greedy ex, a convention of ghost hunters, partying with fake vampires, and even drinking and fighting alongside good ole Uncle Gonzo. But as the investigation goes deeper, and unseen connections come to light, Brett finds there’s much more at stake than getting through a rough patch with Liz.
A rescue mission. A race for a cure. New friends and old adversaries. Unbreakable bonds and supernatural danger. It’s going to be a wild ride. Can the friends save the nearly undead tween? Can she and Brett stop themselves from …Sinking Down?
AUTHOR BIOGRPAHY:
Eric Garrison is active in the writing community in Indianapolis, Indiana. He lives in the Circle City with his wife, step-daughter and a cabal of cats. He also enjoys gaming, home brewing beer, and finding innovative uses for duct tape. Eric’s novel, Reality Check, is a science fiction adventure released by Hydra Publications. Reality Check reached #1 in Science Fiction on Amazon.com during a promotion in July 2013. Seventh Star Press is the home of Eric’s supernatural fantasy series, Road Ghosts, including Four ’til Late, Sinking Down, and the upcoming Me and the Devil.
Tonight @9pm(EST) Garrison and I will be featured on Episode Two of The Star Chamber! A weekly podcast hosted by Seventh Star Press, which spotlights and features authors, writers, book bloggers, musicians, and other creative economists who come together to celebrate the creative arts! Tune in each *Wednesday Night* at 9pm(EST) to hear what is happening next! Each podcast is archived and available for the listener to listen too after the show originally airs! Do not fear if your time zone is out of sync with The Star Chamber! Tune in as your time allows you to listen!
Tonight, I step back from behind the veil of “Jorie Loves A Story”, and open up the mic to answering questions pertaining to my bookish life as much as why I undertook the journey towards book blogging! As I have given free rein to the hosts & hostesses to ask me questions that surround my diverse array of interests (some parallel to science fiction, fantasy, & horror &/or book blogging and reading) you might tune in and be a bit surprised by what we are discussing! One of the hostesses and I, share a combined passion for knitting, which I am hoping we get to talk a bit about as well! Prior to when I come on the line, Mr. Garrison will be discussing his new book which is revealed in this post as much as what is on the horizon for him at Seventh Star Press as the New Year: 2014 shifts into view! This is a great chance to get to know a book blogger &/or author you have been following alongside to see a more personal glimpse into who they are!
Remember: Tweet your Qs to myself @JLovesAStory and to Mr. Garrison @erichris in order for us to answer your enquiries! I will be *live!* tweeting tonight as the show starts to get underway!
Afterthoughts of the Chamber:
As I was saying during the podcast, there are moments in our reading lives where we read about the premise of a story thinking that we are not going to have a genuine resonance with a particular book or author. Only to have our perception of what could be inside of a book change, whilst we’re given the opportunity to become further acquainted with said author. For me, I started to dig a bit into the ‘writer’ of Mr. Garrison via his personal blog, whereupon I learnt key insights into how much heart and wickedly cheeky humour he stitches into his stories! My first impression of a story isn’t always bang-on, and I purposely keep an open mind & ear for a day to come along to where I might re-visit a book &/or author I had previously taken a pass on being introduced too! One day I look forward to giving his first “Road Ghosts” book “Four Til’ Late” a bit of a whirl, seeing where the story inspired to take him as it hinges to fond memories & an admiration of who originally inspired him to take up his pen! As much as a bit of a smirking nod to his wife, of whom shares his passion for ghost hunting and paranormal investigations! What more can you hope for? Then, a road trek which leads you into the paranormal! Writ by an author who gives a proper nodding to the creatives who came before him as much as tapping into the museful realm of dreamscapes, by which all writers aspire to draw out a measure of creativity!
Similar to blog tours, when I feature a showcase for an author via a Guest Post, Q&A, Interview, etc., I do not receive compensation for featuring supplemental content on my blog.
{SOURCES: Book Cover Reveal materials (Book Cover, Author’s photograph & biography, etc) provided by Seventh Star Press. The Star Chamber logo badge used with permission to help advert the show. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination.. Cover Reveal badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs.}
Footnote: I’ve kept this post in-tact as it was written originally however, the author is now known as E. Chris Garrison or Ms Chris as I refer to her on my blog posts wherein I am featuring one of her stories or hosting her as a guest author. The reason I kept this post in-tact is because I wanted to keep the memory of how our paths crossed and remember why saying ‘Mr Garrison’ was not quite as endearing as I had meant it to be as this was before I realised he was a she. Since that day, I’ve referred to the author respectfully as Ms Chris but acknowledge there was a time I did not realise she was transgender as I was not privy to that information when we first went live on The Star Chamber Show. I am a big supporter of Ms Chris and I cherish the memories of how we originally formed our friendship, even if as said, back then, I was missing an important bit of knowledge.
I’ve updated the biography for my review of “Blue Spirit” replacing the old biography you see on this post. All my reviews moving forward will be with Ms Chris’s biography as this biography is of her previous pen name and not her real name as reflected on all my future posts. This will include my reviews of “Restless Spirit” and the Trans-Continental series during Sci Fi November 2016, as well as all forthcoming releases I will be reading or reviewing. I did switch over to calling her Ms Chris when I reviewed her short story within the anthology “A Chimerical World: Tales of the Seelie Court” as that was the earliest time I could share what I knew about the author’s transition.
Blessedly tonight, I learnt via the author’s website (see this post) both Seventh Star Press and Hydra Publications are going to re-release Ms Chris’s series with the new biography and name change on the covers to reflect the author’s lineage of stories as her authentic self. I was overjoyed when I found out about this as I was hoping this could be done as it felt right to have the covers and interior biographies updated. This is why I respected Ms Chris and left her old pen name off my blog – except for this post. It’s a deadname on #JLASblog – except our path crossing on The Star Chamber Show. I’ll always hold that moment as a treasured joy, as I loved our conversation. It was one of my favourite memories as a guest outside of the Christmas Show where I conversed with Mr Allen.
Speaking of which, we each updated our Twitter accounts – as I just noticed I still have links to my original Twitter ID on my blog! lol What an incredible three years… I really should write down the fond memories I’ve had as a book blogger, there are so many lovely moments of joy I’ve been blessed to embrace and experience. My blog itself is a footprint of my travels but I have a reserve of memories and moments I think I should work on chronicling during my next year as a blogger offline – as a way to journal my path and remember everything that’s become a part of my life since I took that leap and blogged my first review.
Photo Credit: Mle Jayne Photography http://www.mlejaynephotography.com
When great love is lost forever, what does it take to find the courage to move on?
Synopsis of Book Two {Sinking Down} of the Road Ghosts series:
