Author Interview L.H. Stone

 L.H. Stone is the author of two Holly Bender Escapade novels. In a cross between a Maeve Binchy and a Steven King novel, L.H. Stone combines small town goodwill, comic misunderstandings, and a chilling murder mystery. Cozy mystery or women's fiction, this series will keep readers guessing and laughing. 

Into The Bend

Stone recently released Follow The Bend, the second novel in the series. In this novel, Holly Bender learns she is about to lose her job and takes action by purchasing a building. She's always wanted to own a bookstore. Her loyal friends in W.A.K.S., Women Always Knitting, Society, try to protect Holly from her own scheme, but she has plans for them! When the furniture starts to move and dead bodies appear, they must join together to keep their new venture from collapsing.

Follow The Bend

L.H. Stone is a close friend and integral member of my writing community. I am thrilled she agreed to answer my questions about her latest release.

Adkins: How would you describe Holly Bender and where did you come up with her as a character?

Stone: Holly Bender is in her thirties now. She’s of the generation who’s not afraid to go out and try things, explore to find out where she fits, or wants to fit. I came up with her as I was writing in my journal (I love pen and paper) and I had nothing new to add to the page. So I invented someone to write about. I have a daughter about the same age, so in my journal I started writing about a young lady, gave her a few friends to talk to, and some moms and set them out into the world to see what would happen. I did this all tucked away in the safety of my journal. I added to it everyday. Just for me.

Adkins: Did you always see your Holly Bender Escapade books as a series? 

Stone: No, I didn’t see it as a series. It was only after people read Into the Bend and started asking when the next book would be coming did I start thinking of what it could be.

Adkins: What do you love about writing? 

Stone: I love the what ifs, or what could be of writing. A lot of the time it surprised me what comes onto the page.

Adkins: What are your biggest hurdles in writing and how do you overcome them?

Stone: Doubting myself and ability. I try and get brave and write like no one will read it. I write for me, for my eyes.

Adkins: I love the word "Escapade" to describe your books. I would describe them as a quirky combination of humour, mystery, and adventure. How do you do this?!

Stone: Life should be, or we can dream, that life can be an adventure, that we will laugh and wonder and have fun stepping into it all because we can watch Holly step out but always be surrounded with her safety net of the W.A.K.S. Women Always Knitting Society and wish we were a fly on the wall or sitting there knitting with them. I know I do.

Interview with Jo-Anne Sieppert: Writer and Cover Designer

I met Jo-Anne Sieppert at a reading and book a few years ago. I was impressed by her wide range of writing interests and her personability. I then had the pleasure of getting to know her better through different writing groups and events and have worked with her on a number of cover projects. Thanks to Jo-Anne for agreeing to an interview on my blog.

Jo-Anne created the cover for the audio version of Expectations. You can find her design page here Coversanddesign

Cover by Jo-Anne Sieppert

She also created this cover for Taking Comfort.

Cover by Jo-Anne Sieppert

Samantha Adkins: How did you come to be interested in both writing and designing book covers?

Author Photo:
Courtesy Jo-Anne
Sieppert

Jo-Anne Sieppert: I’ve always been a writer, cliché I know. I was just never good at talking that much. Growing up in England you don’t talk about feelings or emotions, so I wrote stories or poems. I never thought I would do anything with them. My first book was just a little story I would tell my youngest at bed time to help him sleep. I used his nightmares and turned them into adventures he and his brother went on. When they would ask me to tell them again I knew I needed to write them down because I’d forget. Eventually the little stories turned into 110,000 words, 

then 4 books.  

           

When my first book was released (Nytstars) back in 2008, the cover the publisher selected was awful! It didn’t represent the story in anyway. So, I tried making my own cover, which the publisher excepted. This represented the story but was equally as terrible. I was embarrassed to show my book to anyone. I knew I had more books to write and that if I wanted them to look as good on the outside as I knew the story was on the inside that I needed to learn how to do them right. I went to school for web and graphic design. I discovered I really loved making book covers and I wanted to help other authors love their covers as much as I did.

SA: How are the two crafts similar and different?  

JS: Writing and cover design are similar because they both tell a story, only one uses words, it has sentences, paragraphs, pages and pages to get the whole story out. You have time to describe things, grab a hold of your reader and take them on an adventure. Cover design tells a story in images. Not the whole story, just enough to make you want to read more. Sometimes, you get to use images to draw the readers in and entice them. Other times you only have a design and title to catch their attention. Just as in a writing, it’s all in the details.

SA: Do you have a favourite book cover? (One of your own)

JS: My favorite book cover is for my book Brother. I love the way it tells the story from the face in the background looking over the silhouette of the couple.

  

SA: Where do you find inspiration for book covers? Does this differ from your writing inspiration?

           

Brother available on Amazon

JS: When I come up with a book cover idea for my own books it often comes to me as I’m writing. There’s a certain spot in the story, which varies for each book, and that’s the part that needs to be the cover. When I do them for other authors I ask them first if they have an idea that they want to see as the cover. If they don’t I ask them about the book. The part that they get the most excited about, that’s the cover. That’s the part that they wrote the story around.

SA: What is the best thing about being creative? What is the worst? 

           

JS: This is a loaded question. How long do I have? Lol. If I have pick just one, I’d say it’s having an outlet. A way to release all the thoughts, images, colours, and noises that swim around in our head all the time. It’s hard to focus on day to day with all the extra chaos in there. Being creative means we get to release all that into to something brand new, something that has never been seen, heard, or read before.

           

The worst part, there’s never enough time for it.

Here's a video of Jo-Anne reading from her book Aberrant:

Youtube Channel: It's My Story and I'm 

Sticking to It

An Interview with Liz Winstanley, Narrator of Expectations

Expectations on Audible
Cover by Jo-Anne Sieppert

In June 2017, ACX began offering its services to clients in Canada.
ACX is a company which helps authors turn completed novels into audiobooks.

Shortly after hearing the news, I submitted Expectations: A Continuation of Pride and Prejudice to ACX in hopes of finding a narrator with a British dialect. I was beginning to wonder if it would ever find such a producer when I received an audition from Liz Winstanley performing the first 15 minutes of my book. I listened several times, enjoying the warmth of her voice and her talent for voices. Then I made sure my husband and children approved and sent her an offer to record my book.

It has been a delight working with Liz over the past six months. She was dedicated to perfection and a pleasure to correspond with. She graciously suggested a few alterations based on her own knowledge of Regency and British customs. She was also a lovely person and so I asked for an interview which reveals a little more about this talented producer.

Sam: Tell me a little about yourself.

Liz: England was my home until I married an American in 1954, but I'm still a British subject.  Fearful of my acquisition of a North Country accent whilst at boarding schools there, I was given elocution and drama lessons which have served me very well, because in the workplace my so-called 'English accent' has secured employment, where other skills have been singularly lacking.

Sam: What made you interested in becoming a narrator for ACX?

Photo Courtesy of Liz Winstanley

Liz: ACX provides marvelous opportunities for bringing all authors and genres to the world via Audible books so the challenges and rewards offered appealed to me.

Sam: I believe Expectations is the first book you've narrated for ACX. How did you come to choose Expectations?

 Liz: The many movie interpretations of Pride and Prejudice gave me a great insight to the various characters, so I was delighted when I was accepted to be the narrator of this remarkable continuation of their pursuits! I couldn't have asked for a better book to be my first effort!

Sam: How were you introduced to Austen's works?

Liz: Jane Austen's house is located in a small village just miles from where we used to live, so naturally it was top of the list for us to explore. Her characters are so finely drawn and her careful descriptions of the mores and expectations of the genteel young ladies of that time continue to both enlighten and to entertain.

Sam: Do you have any future narration projects you can share?

Liz: I'm planning to try my hand - voice - at narrating some of the well known classics that are now in the public domain, for instance 'Alice through the Looking Glass,' which remains one of my all-time favourites.

We hope you enjoy the result, available now on Audible.

Anemone, Barnacles, Muscles too . . .

My daughter Julia just returned from a four day trip to Bamfield Marine Science Centre.  I told her I would interview her for my blog when she got back, because I know a lot of our friends and family will want to hear all about it.  Here she is, answering my questions.  The photographs are hers as well.

1.  How did you get to Bamfield?
First, I went on the ferry to Horseshoe Bay.  It was 20 minutes long.  Then I went on the Nanaimo Ferry.  It took about one and a half hours.  Then I took a charter bus to Bamfield.  It took four hours.  For two hours, I got to watch a movie called The Spy Next Door.  On the way back, I watched Gulliver's Travels.

On the ferry to Nanaimo

2.  Where did you eat at Bamfield?
I ate in a cafeteria that looked small on the outside, but big on the inside.  It always took a long time if you were last in line, so you had to get their quickly.  When I first got there, I ate pork, glazed carrots and potatoes.  They had a lot of beverage choices like milk, and a lot of different kinds of juices.  There were two coloured juices that were blue and pink.  Someone found out how to make purple out of it by putting pink and blue together!  It was very popular, even some of the adults there did it!  The food was marvelous!

Main building at Bamfield

The cafeteria is in the back

3.  What did you do there?
The first time I went on the boat was when I first got there.  We tested the water to see the temperature higher up and lower down.  We also collected plankton to look at in microscopes.  A couple days later, after we collected the plankton, we looked in the microscopes.  It was creepy at first, but then I got used to it.  They looked like little aliens and bugs.  I showed a picture of them on the television.

Plankton on T.V.

Microscope we used

Plankton in a petri dish

At Brady's Beach:  We had to take a boat to get to the second part of Bamfield.  We had to take a one-kilometre hike.  We had to do an activity where you had to go to a tidal pool and look at all the creatures in it and make a little song or rap about it.  My group made a little rhyming song about what we had in our tidal pool.  It went like "Anemone, Barnacle, Muscles too.  If you don't like that, then Boo Hoo Hoo!"

The coolest part about the tidal pool was the Sea Anemones.  We touched them and they stuck to us a bit when we tried to pull away.  They were cute!

Where we crossed the water to Brady's Beach

Thank you Julia for your excellent pictures and answers.  I'm sure glad you got back safe and sound!!

Meet Simon Rose: Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer

This year, I have been working on a fantasy novel because my son told me he wanted me to write a “boy book”.  While I’m not giving out too many details just yet, I am starting to look for publishers.  I’m also beginning to notice fantasy writers. 

I met Simon Rose through my writing group connections.  He has published 7 science fiction/ fantasy books for middle grade readers.  He is also Canadian, which is exciting and I will be reading one of his books as part of the Canadian Reading Challenge.  He kindly agreed to answer a few of my questions regarding writing.  Here is what I learned from Simon:

From www.simon-rose.com

1.  Why did you become a writer?

I've probably always had ideas for stories and was often writing, although I was never sure if anything would come of it. Once I had children of my own, I came into contact with children's books again for the first time in many years. Picture books initially, of course, but then early chapter books and novels. Some were very impressive and influential, others far less so. When I decided to try my hand at writing novels and stories, I found myself drawn to the types of things I used to read as a child in the science fiction and fantasy genre.

www.simon-rose.com

2.  You have published a good number of titles.  Do you have a common theme in your books?

My books are in the science fiction and fantasy genre for middle grades, around ages eight to twelve. You can see full details of each of them, including excerpts and synopses (and you can even listen to recording of my readings) at simon-rose.com.

The Alchemist's Portrait is a time-travel story, in which Matthew journeys through the centuries using magical paintings which act as doorways into the past, in order to save the world from the clutches of an evil alchemist. The Sorcerer's Letterbox, another time-travel tale, is based on the famous mystery of the Princes in the Tower about Edward V and his brother Richard, Duke of York, who were supposedly murdered on the orders of Richard III in 1483. 

The Clone Conspiracy is a science fiction thriller involving clandestine laboratories and secret experiments, while The Emerald Curse, based on my own reading of comic books while growing up, concerns Sam's adventures in a bizarre, and at times deadly, superhero universe. The Heretic's Tomb is set in the medieval period once again, this time during the Black Death in 1349.
The Doomsday Mask is in the science fiction and fantasy genre. It's a fast-paced adventure about ancient civilizations, World War II, mysterious artifacts, and shadowy secret societies.
The Time Camera is a science fiction adventure about advanced technology.

www.simon-rose.com

3.  I noticed you cross over between fiction and non-fiction as well as between middle grade and young adult books.  Is this mainly because of your own interests?

The novels have been in the science fiction and fantasy genre mostly because I'm interested in that, I guess. I usually choose non-fiction projects based on interests or if it's something that I think I'd enjoyed writing and researching about. The non-fiction titles I've completed so far have been on a wide range of topics such as science, biographies, animals, architecture, history, the military and culture  

 4.  Who inspires you to write?  

One of the best things about writing for kids is that I can write about the kinds of things that fascinated me when I was young. Stories can be very imaginative if they are for children, which makes writing them so much fun. And, of course, in science fiction or fantasy, more or less anything you can imagine is possible, as you craft stories involving ancient mysteries, the unexplained, the paranormal, science fiction, time travel, parallel universes, alternate realities, weird and wonderful characters, and a multitude of "what if" scenarios.

I read lots of science fiction, as well fantasy writers and ghost stories while growing up. I also read a tremendous number of comic books, in which the stories took me across the universe, into strange dimensions, into the land of the Norse gods or had me swinging from the New York rooftops. At high school, I studied a lot of history and have retained my interest in the subject up to the present day. I also read voraciously about ancient civilizations, mysteries, the supernatural, and the unexplained. 

5.  What is your favourite part of the writing process?

I'm not sure, but perhaps when that initial spark of an idea becomes a full story and you can't get the thing typed up fast enough. There are also times during the writing process when, after struggling with certain parts of the text for a while, it suddenly all comes together and you then read it over and realize its pretty impressive.  

 You can learn more about Simon Rose through these links:

Website

Blog

Meeting Meg

from http://www.blubellpublishing.com/

Meg Kerr is the author of Experience, a continuation of Pride and Prejudice.  After reviewing her book for my blog and for the Jane Austen Society of North America Calgary website, I asked her a few questions about her work.

Samantha Adkins:  How did you come to know Jane Austen and her work? 

Meg Kerr:  I was one of those kids who always had her nose in a book. I was about twelve when I first read Pride and Prejudice, and as a teenager I re-read it every year. That of course led to the rest of Jane Austen’s novels (Persuasion is my next favourite, followed by Emma) and then to other 19^th century novelists. Their stories are still easy for us to identify with in the 21^st century, even if the details now seem exotic (candlelight, coaches-and-four), and their prose has rarely been equaled by later novelists—and NEVER equaled if we’re speaking of Austen!

SA:  Why did you decide to write a sequel to Pride and Prejudice?

MK:  Just as every reader does, I wanted to know what happened after Pride and Prejudice ended. And I wanted to have a visit with all the characters simply because I like them and wanted to see more of them! They really turn into friends after a couple of readings. Who wouldn’t want to live at Pemberley? And although we might not want to stay at Rosings or Hunsford Parsonage for a month, we’d even like to drop in on Lady Catherine and Mr. and Mrs. Collins for an evening.

P&P takes place in a world all its own, almost untouched by contemporary events in England. I love history, and I wondered what would be the result if the real world leaked a little into the story; so some of the things that happen in Experience are based on current events. (Little things like the Napoleonic Wars….)  But others are based more on the personalities of the characters—what they would do if they found themselves in new situations. I’m one of those people who firmly believe that Elizabeth and Darcy lived happily ever after, so I’ll say right now that they don’t drag each other around by the hair,  divorce or die in Experience.           

SA:  What do you enjoy about the writing process?

MK:  Thinking up stories is fun. And I love playing with words—maybe that’s something I picked up from early exposure to Jane Austen.

SA:  What part of Canada do you live in?   

MK:  I live in Toronto, although as a little girl I lived on my family’s farm north of Port Hope, Ontario. That branch of my family emigrated from Ireland between 1820 and 1830 (they would have been fairly close contemporaries of Susannah Moodie and Catherine Parr Traill, who also settled in the general area). I mention this because I put a Canadian connection—a historically natural one--into Experience.

SA:  Do you plan to write other novels related to Jane Austen?

MK:  I’m working on a sequel to Experience that tells Georgiana’s story. (Of course several other characters’ stories are in it as well.) Poor Georgiana is a cipher in Pride and Prejudice. Not even any speaking lines! I was sure something interesting would happen to her, and better than her little adventure with Wickham at Ramsgate.

SA:  Where can we find out more about your work?

MK:  I am taking part in this summer’s Austenesque Extravaganza http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/more-about-austenesque-extravaganza.html--or I should say that someone from Pride and Prejudice is taking part. For a little treat, have a look at Meredith Esparza’s blog on Austenesque Reviews on August 13.

The website for Experience is at http://www.bluebellpublishing.com/.

Interview with Bonnie Mae, writer and director of A Modern Pride and Prejudice

I joined the Calgary chapter of the Jane Austen Society of North America just over a year ago.  One of the benefits of joining is receiving regular updates, via their website and newsletters, of what is happening in the Jane Austen world.  It was through one of these newsletters that I first learned about Bonnie Mae and her soon to be released movie A Modern Pride and Prejudice.  The movie stars Maia Petee, Caleb Grusing, Christina LaFon and Mark Mook.  Although she is in the midst of editing, she had a few minutes to spare for my questions on her soon-to-be-released film.

Samantha:  Is A Modern Pride and Prejudice your first movie?

Bonnie Mae: No, this is not my first Feature Film.  Since and before A Modern Pride and Prejudice I have directed several other films.

S:  How did you get into directing?

B:  I've been directing movies and theater since high school and it is something that I always wanted to do since I was a little girl.  Most little girls had pink rooms filled with Barbies and dress-up stuff; I had a Directors Chair, old film posters of Ron Howard, James Cameron, S.S (Steven Spielberg) and more plastered on my wall.

S:  Why did you decide to make a modern version of P&P?

B:  I have been a HUGE fan of Jane Austen since high school and really started to think about it and write it down a couple of years later. It has been a ton of years in the making. I wanted it to be modern because there were so many period adaptations and I wanted it to be fun and fresh, so I decided to make it modern, but still use the language of the period, society, estates etc...It’s a very different version :)

S: Tell me about the process of turning Jane Austen's work into a modern script?

B:  Doing the screenplay was fun because I got to insert my own modern day flare into the script. The challenge was trying to put modern day into the script but also keeping the period version of the dialogue.  I (kept asking) myself, "What Would Jane Austen Do?" The most fun of the script was the last proposal scene.  In the book they walk off and then they are married. I added my own period dialogue with an extremely intense and romantic proposal scene.  It turned out great!  We actually filmed it two different ways with and without rain...you have to wait and see what we ended up using :)

S:  What was the process for selecting your cast?

B:  The cast process was LONG.  Even though it was only six days worth of auditions and call backs we had a ton of people to audition that came from Colorado and as far as the UK.  Everyone wanted to be a part of this film and we went through thousands of auditions live and via the internet.

S:  Was one character more difficult to cast than the others?



B:  The hardest part was casting Elizabeth because I wanted a modern day girl but also someone that could do period dialogue, (be) feisty and passionate. I also wanted a girl that was the same age as the Elizabeth in the book. We ended up casting everyone the same (age) as in the book, even Darcy. I didn't plan on everyone but it just happened that way so that was pretty interesting. I was fortunate enough to have a great cast.  We had a blast on set and off set as well. There was a very abundant amount of laughing! The film is filled with a ton of Love.

S:  When do you hope to release your movie?

B:  We are hoping we can release the movie very soon but I want to post the trailer first, which I'm hoping will be done within the month of May. Keep Posted:)

S:  How can people keep posted on your movie?

B:  Find us on facebook at: www.facebook.com/AModernPrideandPrejudiceMovie or on the official website: www.janeaustensprideandprejudice.com

S:  What do you plan to work on next?

B:  I'm hoping to do Persuasion next as a part of a modern series with JA novels.

I already finished the script for "Persuasion" which is my favorite novel of JA so I'm hoping to do that JA novel next.

For right now I'm working on some other feature films and trailers that I hope to have out in the future. I've also been hired as a Director to do some local things and one Giant thing in LA which I will be a part of at the beginning of fall, if everything goes as planned.

S:  Why did you start with Pride and Prejudice?

B:  I have a ton of people ask me why I did P and P first if I love Persuasion more.  The answer is P and P is more well known and I hope to have great results from A Modern Pride and Prejudice (so I can) do "Persuasion." (Fingers and Toes Crossed).  

S:  Is there anything else you’d like to say to your readers?

B:  I also want to say Thanks to all the fans that have supported this version and this vision. I also want to give a BIG shout out THANK YOU to everyone in front of and behind the camera that worked on this film. We spent three months together and I had a blast!!

If anyone wants to send Fan Mail to any of the actors or crew they can send it to: PaperCut Studio Productions PO BOX 7069 Woodland Park CO 80863 Please send a self addressed envelope for cast pics. Thank You!