LINDA KATMARIAN & LAUGHING HAWK

I'm thrilled to introduce Linda Katmarian, author of Dreaming of Laughing Hawk, and a member of the Write, Edit, Publish community.  Meet Linda!

Thanks for the opportunity to share a blog post with your readers. I am a first-time, self-published author. When I finally quit my full time career as a technical writer, I chained myself to my desk and finished my novel, Dreaming of Laughing Hawk. (You can find a brief bio at the end of this article.) Before I get to your interview questions, I would like to invite you and your readers to give my novel a try. I think you will find it a book you can inhabit. As a reader, I want to be able to be able to fully experience a story so as a writer I strive to give that to my readers.  Following is a brief synopsis of DREAMING OF LAUGHING HAWK.

In 1964 Elizabeth Leigh is looking forward to college, escape from her unhappy home, and the fulfillment of her dreams. Adventure. Love. Her place in the sun. On a restless afternoon, she leaves school early and discovers her mother is packing to run off with a lover, abandoning Elizabeth and her stepfather. Worse, she learns her mother has squandered the college money her grandfather left her.

A fortuitous invitation from her cousin Melina to come to Los Angeles rescues her from an uncertain future. In Los Angeles, Elizabeth finds security in the embrace of her aunt’s family and is introduced to the man who soon becomes her fiancé, Collin Greenslade, an ambitious, up-and-coming real estate developer. Life could not be more perfect.

When her cousin’s boyfriend, a civil rights activist, has his Thunderbird vandalized in Mississippi, he enlists his roommate, Mark Laughing Hawk, to tow his car back home. Melina insists that she and Elizabeth should come along for the ride, but what starts as a fun romp across the country becomes a journey of the soul that complicates love and endangers lives.

Q:  You say your goal is to pursue creativity in all its forms, and your blog posts show that to be true. Do you have a favorite art or do you follow whatever muse wherever it may lead? And if given proficiency in any of the arts, which would you chose?

A: Well, I probably feel most comfortable about my skills as a writer, but I also have taken up watercolor painting. They are both very challenging in their own ways. I am first and foremost a writer. I just wish I was a more disciplined writer. I find it very easy to be distracted by painting, gardening, cooking, home remodel projects, and any number of other creative interests.

Q:  What is the most exciting thing to have happened to you because of your creativity and, if fame and success were yours, how would it change you and your plans?

A:  Hmm. A most exciting event due to my creativity? . . . that’s hard to say. Well, I gave birth to two wonderful daughters. That’s certainly creative and it’s exciting to see them be successful in their lives. Self-publishing my novel Dreaming of Laughing Hawk was a creative milestone.  If fame and success were mine, it wouldn’t change anything. I would still be wondering about the next story or idea for a painting.

Q:   Blogging has changed. I even read a blog that asks the question: have authors ruined blogging? What is your opinion of the direction and subject of current blogs? What do you enjoy, in regards to blogs, whether reading or writing one?

A: It seems everybody has a blog these days. We are inundated by so much information in the form of blogs that no one could possibly have the time to read them all. To be a successful blogger you have to offer something unique and useful to the reader but the crowd is so huge that it’s hard to stand out. I try to primarily offer short stories (flash fiction) on my blog. My goal is to entertain. I don’t claim to be a wildly successful blogger, but I try to stick mainly to storytelling. If I want to offer up a recipe or a gardening tip, I tuck that away on my main website:  www.lindakatmarian.com. Storytelling is the focus of my blog, Scheherazade’s Journal. The kind of blogs I follow reflect my eclectic interests in literature and self-publishing, film, cooking, gardening, travel, politics, and watercolor painting. And I’m a lover of all things French—in love with the country, the cuisine, the language and the way of life. If I didn’t live in California, then I would want to live in France.

Q:  If you could visit any time period, would you go back or forward and why?

A:  Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Philippa Gregory’s historical novels of 15th century England. I am happy to inhabit that time period. I have no idea why. (Some unresolved issues from a past life?) There is just something about that historical period that intrigues me—the extreme fragility of life, the difficult challenges of survival. 

Q:  If you were one of the characters in your book, which one would you be and why?

A:  I am all of my characters, good and bad, but I suppose I would prefer to be Hawk. He’s romantic and cynical, courageous, humorous, free-wheeling, dark and dangerous.

Q:  What entices you to buy a book—the cover, the blurb, the writing, or the author?

A:  The writing—a  story that paints a world I can inhabit with believable, fully-developed characters.  I am an impatient reader, more so now than when I was younger. I cannot tolerate boring dialog or implausible plotting—or a lot of typos and clumsy language.

Author Linda Katmarian grew up in the Midwest and graduated with a Master’s Degree in French literature from Illinois State University. She has studied under Sol Stein, prolific author and former owner of Stein & Day publishing company in New York, and Louella Nelson, an experienced romance writer and teacher of fiction writing. In 2012, after a long career as a technical writer, Linda committed herself to writing fiction full time. She lives in Southern California. Dreaming of Laughing Hawk is her debut novel.

Find Linda Here: 

Author page:   http://amazon.com/author/lindakatmarian

Website:  http://www.lindakatmarian.com

Blog:  http://www.scheherazade-thewritinglife.blogspot.com/

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/LindaKatmarian

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorlindakatmarian

Pinterest:  www.pinterest.com/lkatmarian

Buy her Book Here:

Link to ebook: http://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-of-Laughing-Hawk-ebook/dp/B00B2NWZRK/

Link to print book:  http://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-Laughing-Hawk-Linda-Katmarian/dp/0988297205/

If you're curious about where the question on blogging came from - the Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh posted the question on a recent blog. Follow the link if you want to get in on the discussion.  Are Authors Killing Blogging?

READ AROUND THE WORLD

A CHALLENGE FROM THE NAKED WRITER

Calling all able-bodied men, women, children, pets, aliens pretending to be humans, lycanthropes, vampires, various other things that go bump in the night, and all their friends.

I’m currently embarking upon a social reading experiment called READ AROUND THE WORLD designed to encourage reading, literacy, global community, and plain old goofy fun.

I’m asking people to read an excerpt (which I'll assign) from my novel, DEATH, THE DEVIL, AND THE GOLDFISH, on camera and post it to YouTube. This will eventually result in the entire book being read out loud, on camera, all over the world! While the experiment is underway I'll be donating 50% of my royalties to the World Literacy Foundation. 

The experiment has been running since October 15^th and so far so good. But I need some help to keep it rolling. While I have enough people signed up for the next month I still need around a 100 more people to complete the project so here is what I’m asking:

  1. That you sign up yourself.  It’s dead easy, just click the following link: http://www.planetkibi.com/read-around-the-world.html

And/or

    

2. That you share this information with your friends/family/local sewing circle and using your considerable powers of persuasion to get them to sign up. Or on a more serious note, just share it with one person, that should do the trick too :)

 

You can check out the videos so far here: 

READ AROUND THE WORLD 
 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5JbFYD4op2Q4oc8P49KnEQ

If you can help in any way I’d certainly appreciate it! :) 
If you have any questions please comment below!

Web: www.planetkibi.com

Podcasts: Write Out Loud, Fairytales Out Loud & Trilogy

Follow Me: Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Goodreads

Available now! My new novel Stiltskin

My debut novel... Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish

Also in audiobook format from Audible.com

 

HOLLOWS AND WITCHES

How far into the hollow would you go? 

“After losing her parents in a terrorist attack on the Twin Towers, fifteen-year-old Honoria escapes New York City to Arnn—a farming town with more legends than residents, and a history of witchcraft and secrets best left buried.

Everyone in Arnn knows the story of Witchwood Hollow: if you venture into the whispering forest, the witch will trap your soul among the shadowed trees. In the lure of that perpetual darkness, Honoria finds hope when she should be afraid, and a past of missing children and broken promises. To save the citizens of Arnn from becoming the witch’s next victims, she must find the truth behind the woman’s madness. How deep into Witchwood Hollow does Honoria dare venture?”

ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW is Jordan Elizabeth’s first novel. This young adult fantasy, published through Curiosity Quills Press, is now available for purchase at CURIOSITY QUILLS
 

https://curiosityquills.com/books/escape-witchwood-hollow/

Jordan Elizabeth, formally Jordan Elizabeth Mierek, can’t get enough of the woods, be it splashing through a stream, sitting beneath an ancient oak, or following a path up a hill. Some of those adventures have led to abandoned foundations. Exploring the rocks and crumbling bricks sparked Jordan to imagine who might have lived there before, and that train of thought carried her to a wicked legend and an enchanted hollow. 

You can contact Jordan via her website, www.JordanElizabethMierek.com.

Facts about Witchwood Hollow

As told by Honoria

1) Before we get to Witchwood Hollow, let me tell you about Arnn. The first European settlers ventured here around 1670.

2) Arnn began with a fort – it is gone now – and the people spread out into neighboring farms.

3) Arnn became an official town in 1798. I’m not sure what official means. It’s just what the social studies teacher told us in class.

4) Witchwood Hollow consists primarily of maple, oak, apple, and pine trees.

5) When you venture into Witchwood Hollow, the witch traps you.

6) Some adults don’t want to talk about Witchwood Hollow; others are more than happy to. I guess that isn’t really a fact.

7) Local records show that Witchwood Hollow has “consumed” 175 people.

8) Teens come from all over New York State to see how far into the hollow they will go.

9) I, Honoria, have ventured into Witchwood Hollow the farthest.

10) The witch is supposedly gone now. I want to bring her back. 

Jordan Elizabeth is offering up a free eArc of ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW. To enter for your chance to win a copy of ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW, you will need to share the cover. 

This can be on your blog, Facebook, Twitter… Each time you share the cover image, log it into Rafflecoper to record it. It will give you more chances to win. There are other ways to enter. You’ll have to take a look to see what those are! 

The drawing for the winner will be held on November 16.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

GEARS OF BRASS!

Gear up for GEARS OF BRASS!

A world like ours, but filled with gears of brass, where the beating heart is fueled by steam and the simplest creation is a complex clockwork device.

Within this tome, you’ll find steampunk fairy tale re-tellings, as well as original stories that will send your gears turning.

Welcome to the steampunk realm, with eleven authors guiding your path.

GEARS OF BRASS is a steampunk anthology published through Curiosity Quills. It will be available for purchase on November 10, 2014. Within the pages, you’ll come across clockwork inventions and steampunk-ified fairy tale retellings. Eleven authors will guide you through worlds filled with airships, top hats, and corsets.

Meet the authors:

Jordan Elizabeth writes young adult fantasy for Curiosity Quills, including ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW which was published in October and the upcoming TREASURE DARKLY; she’s represented by the Belcastro Agency.

J. Million is the author of Last of the Giants and can always be found reading or writing.

Lorna MacDonald Czarnota is a professional storyteller and author of several books including, Medieval Tales That Kids Can Read and Tell, Breadline Blue, Legends Lore and Secrets of Western New York, Wicked Niagara, Native American and Pioneer Sites of Upstate New York, and Dancing at the Crossroads: Stories and Activities for At-Risk Youth Programming.

SA Larsen is represented by Paula Munier of Talcott Notch Literary and is the author of published short stories, community-interest stories, and magazine articles focused on children.

Grant Eagar is an Engineer who would take the tales he told his children at bed time, and transform them into fantasy stories.

Clare Weze is the author of The House of Ash (forthcoming) and the co-author and editor of Cloudscapes over the Lune.

Eliza Tilton: gamer, writer and lover of dark chocolate; author of the YA Fantasy, BROKEN FOREST, published by Curiosity Quills Press.

Heather Talty's stories have been featured in Enchanted Conversation, as well as her own fractured fairy tale site, Mythopoetical (www.Beatrixcottonpants.com).

W.K. Pomeroy is a third generation writer who has published more than 70 short stories/articles/poems across many genres and styles, which now includes Steampunk.

Christine Baker is the author of Lana's End, The Guild of Dagda, and many more.

Natalia Darcy: a bookilicious reader, tea drinker and Zumba aficionado who enjoys playing cards against humanity and washing her hair with ice cold water.

You can get your steampunk fix before GEARS OF BRASS is released in November. To enter for your chance to win a copy of GEARS OF BRASS, you will need to share the cover. This can be on your blog, Facebook, Twitter… Each time you share the cover image, log it into Rafflecoper (#insert link) to record it. It will give you more chances to win. The drawing for the winner will be held on October 27th.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

THE DECEMBER PEOPLE

Introducing a new dark wizard family drama, Destruction by Sharon Bayliss, Book One in The December People Series.

BUY NOW

THE BOOK SPOT

An independent family-owned bookstore. The ONLY place to buy signed copies!

BOOK PEOPLE

A locally owned book store in Austin, Texas.

AMAZON

BARNES AND NOBLE

David Vandergraff wants to be a good man. He goes to church every Sunday, keeps his lawn trim and green, and loves his wife and kids more than anything. Unfortunately, being a dark wizard isn't a choice.

Eleven years ago, David's secret second family went missing. When his two lost children are finally found, he learns they suffered years of unthinkable abuse. Ready to make things right, David brings the kids home even though it could mean losing the wife he can’t imagine living without. 

Keeping his life together becomes harder when the new children claim to be dark wizards. David believes they use this fantasy to cope with their trauma. Until, David's wife admits a secret of her own—she is a dark wizard too, as is David, and all of their children.  

Now, David must parent two hurting children from a dark world he doesn’t understand and keep his family from falling apart. All while dealing with the realization that everyone he loves, including himself, may be evil.

The Author

Sharon Bayliss is the author of The December People Series and The Charge. When she’s not writing, she enjoys living happily-ever-after with her husband and two young sons. She can be found eating Tex-Mex on patios, wearing flip-flops, and playing in the mud (which she calls gardening). She only practices magic in emergencies.

www.sharonbayliss.com - @SharonBayliss - https://www.facebook.com/authorsharonbayliss

ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW

 HOW FAR INTO THE HOLLOW 

WOULD YOU GO?

“After losing her parents in a terrorist attack on the Twin Towers, fifteen-year-old Honoria escapes New York City to Arnn—a farming town with more legends than residents, and a history of witchcraft and secrets best left buried.

Everyone in Arnn knows the story of Witchwood Hollow: if you venture into the whispering forest, the witch will trap your soul among the shadowed trees. In the lure of that perpetual darkness, Honoria finds hope when she should be afraid, and a past of missing children and broken promises. To save the citizens of Arnn from becoming the witch’s next victims, she must find the truth behind the woman’s madness. How deep into Witchwood Hollow does Honoria dare venture?”

ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW is Jordan Elizabeth’s first novel. This young adult fantasy will be published through Curiosity Quills Press on October 29, 2014. 

Jordan Elizabeth, formally Jordan Elizabeth Mierek, can’t get enough of the woods, be it splashing through a stream, sitting beneath an ancient oak, or following a path up a hill. Some of those adventures have led to abandoned foundations. Exploring the rocks and crumbling bricks sparked Jordan to imagine who might have lived there before, and that train of thought carried her to a wicked legend and an enchanted hollow. You can contact Jordan via her website, JordanElizabethMierek.com.

You don’t have to wait for October 29th to explore Witchwood Hollow. Jordan Elizabeth is offering up a free eArc. To enter for your chance to win a copy of ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW, you will need to share the cover. This can be on your blog, Facebook, Twitter… Each time you share the cover image, log it into Rafflecoper to record it. It will give you more chances to win. The drawing for the winner will be held on October 20th. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway