INTERVIEW with Margaret Chatwin

INTERVIEW with Margaret Chatwin 

--The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less.

An unforgiving justice system imprisons two teens for the crime of defending themselves. Escape isn’t an option, but survival may not be one either.

-How did you get the idea for the story?

Three things factored into that, really. The first was a book. Although 101 has nothing to do with religion, I actually got part of the idea from a religious based history book. The story followed two groups of people that were constantly at war with one another. The one group just wanted to live their lives in peace, but the bullies living across the way couldn’t seem to leave them alone.

The stories of war, the way they prepared for, and executed it, has always intrigued me, so I let that play into 101.

The second thing, and the thing that helped me come up with the idea of the NAO, (which is a new form of justice system) is that I’ve always been fascinated with the concept of mercy and forgiveness. Some people lack it and I started to wonder what life would be like if everyone jumped to conclusions. If no one ever got a chance to explain, and if we were instantly punished for our crimes.

The third thing is that I’ve always believed in the power of one. One person CAN make a difference, either for good or bad. Take Thomas Edison or Hitler for example. Each was only one person but look what an impact they had on the world.

You may think you’re just some little nobody, but you’re not. You have amazing abilities. I just wanted to illustrate that in my book 101.

--Which character would you most/least like to have dinner with?

From my book 101? Humm, I’m thinking I’d most like to have dinner with Riker. Because, although he’s a bit of a side character, he’s the one most like me. I just think we’d get along great. But I really like the main character, Trigg, as well. It would be a toss up. I guess it would come down to who was doing the cooking. :)

--What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?

I never have read much. As a child I wasn’t a very fluent reader. As a teen I had a very difficult time finding books that matched my style and could hold my interest. Then, as a young adult I developed some issues with my eyes that left me with headaches if I read too much. My eyes are getting much better, now, and I’ve found myself reading more and more, but still not a lot. Probably just because I never formed the habit. I do love books though! I love to have them near me even if I can’t or don’t read them.

Out of the books I have read, my favorite children’s book is: Pig Pig Grows up, by David McPhail. A cute, cute story with a really great ending.

My favorite YA book will always be The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton. That was the first novel I ever connected to and also the one that gave me the most inspiration to write.

As far as an adult novel goes, I really like The Night Watchman, by Mark Mynheir. It just has some really witty one-liners that I got a huge kick out of.

--Do you have any other works in progress? Any teasers or release dates?

I’m always working on something, even if I don’t finish or publish it. I’m addicted to writing and I do it day and night. Currently I am working on revamping and rewriting one of my old manuscripts about a young man who’s on the self-destructive path of addiction. To be honest, I’m not sure if I’ll publish it, or not. I think it’s a great story, but I write what the character drives me to write. They get so inside of me that I become them, and in this story, my main character, Dane, is a pretty big jerk. I’m just questioning whether a reader will be able to connect and love him with his many faults.

Besides that, the story contains descriptive drug use and other illegal activities. And Dane has a pretty foul mouth. In some ways I’m just a little embarrassed to have my name attached to that type of story. Don’t want to offend anyone. I’ve debated about taking out the cussing, but it just never feels right because of who he is.

Here’s a little taste of Dane’s attitude. (He overdosed the night before, scared the sense out of his sister and parents who do not know he uses, and he’s currently in the hospital. His doctor is speaking to him.)

(DR) " . . . and the tissue in your nose is being destroyed by whatever it is you snort all the time. What is it, cocain, meth?"

"I don’t snort anything." What did he think I was going to do, admit that shit to him? Bare my soul so that he could turn me in? No way!

"You’re only nineteen and you run an extremely high risk of having a severe stroke, a major heart attack, or maybe straight up heart failure the way you nearly had last night. Dane," he said in the most serious tone anyone had ever addressed me in. "Some people can use for twenty plus years and manage to survive, you aren’t one of them. You’re deterioration rate is much too high for that. If you don’t stop doing whatever it is you do, you’ll be dead in a year. Maybe less. I guarantee it."

His words didn’t alarm or scare me in any way. I honestly thought, oh what the hell do you know?

--If a fairy godmother told you your life could be like a favorite book for 24 hours, which book would you pick and why?

 I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, "not one of mine." I always end up creating issues that I certainly wouldn’t want to deal with, even for 24 hours. I’d have to look around and find a book about flowers and butterflies, and choose it.

--Do you need anything to write (music, coffee, etc)? Are there any songs on your playlist- songs that inspired you or that were playing while you wrote?

Quiet! It has to be very quiet when I write. I get so deep into my thoughts that it’s almost like I’m dreaming and if anything from the real world cuts in – well, there goes the thought or feeling I just had. Can’t snack on chips while I’m writing because of that obnoxious, crunch, crunch, crunch rattling past my own eardrums.

I do get a lot of inspiration from music, though. But I don’t listen to it while I’m actually writing. Usually I’ll put on the song, gather the vibes it’s omitting then shut it off and run for the computer.

--If you could have any superpower what would you choose?

I’d be a mind jumper. I’d want to be able to hop inside someone’s brain for a bit. I’m totally intrigued by what makes a person do what they do, think what they think, and say what they say. I’d like to have all the behind-the-scenes action. What makes you you? What thoughts, feelings and emotions govern all that you are, and do? I want to know the things that people can’t really bring to light through words. Those things that have to be felt, not heard, in order to truly understand.

--Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?

I’m a pretty big home-body. I love to just be home hanging out with my loved ones. I also like to garden, both flowers and vegetables. This year, thanks to some help from Youtube, I’ve been learning how to harvest the seeds from my flowers. I’m going to try to plant my own next year and see how it goes. With any luck I’ll never have to buy flower packs again.

--Is there anything else you want to add or say to your readers?

I just want to thank all the people that have taken the time to read my books and give me feedback. I’ve been writing since I was 13. I’m now 40 and until last year I’ve been too afraid and too embarrassed to even let people know I write. I decided to finally go for it and because of my kind readers and their honest remarks, I’ve not only improved on some of my writing faults, but my confidence has grown. I know I’m not even close to being the best writer in the world. And I know I’m far from perfect in many areas, but I’m very grateful to those who’ve overlooked that and enjoyed my books anyway.

Margaret Chatwin
Author
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5342646.Margaret_Chatwin

Margaret Chatwin here LIVE!

GUEST POST by Margaret Chat win

Control Freak, or just a Freak?

Don’t you just hate it when your in line at the supermarket, and after what seems like days of waiting, you finally have a visual on the conveyor belt – but then, the person in front of you strikes up a conversation with the cashier? The sanity saving beep, beep, beep, of the bar code scanner has stopped altogether because she’s now ceased doing her job to talk. She’s just standing there holding a jar of Mayo and laughing about something that, even with your imagination stretched to the brink, you don’t find the least bit funny.

Okay, maybe it’s the blazing temperature of the store that has you feeling so pent up and edgy. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the relentlessly screaming child in the cart directly behind yours. Yes, of course it’s directly behind yours.

And as you stand there, roasting in the bowels of that place down under, (not Australia) you can only think two thoughts. One; I wish I’d remembered to pick up some Calgon from aisle fifteen so it couldtake me away. And two; I wish this was a scene in the book I’m writing, because I’d delete it and start over.

Ahh, the beauty of being a writer. It let’s you enter a world where you have The Control Factor. Where you are IT! The top dog. The big kahuna. A place where every word that falls from someone’s mouth is because you put it there. Every sharp inhale of air, every gaze that rises to meet another, and every flicker of a smile is all because of you. Heck, even the weather obeys your every command.

Well, it’s no wonder writers spend so much time tapping away at the key board. Each stride enhancing the undescribable connection they have with the place and the character they’ve created then molded into precisely what they want.

But writing isn’t always a walk in the park. Good writing can be quite a challenge, in fact. It’s very multi-dimensional, and force the writer to become – well – a little schizophrenic. What I mean by that is this, first and foremost the writer has to be a writer. He/she has to turn letters into words. Words into sentences and sentences into flowing, comprehendible paragraphs.

At the same time, the writer must become the character. Must totally disconnect from themselves in order to feel and think as if they were that person. Throw in another character, do that same block out maneuver, and on top of that, make him/her distinct enough in word and action that when bouncing between the two characters there’s a notable difference.

Want a really good time? Toss a third or fourth character into the scene.

And lastly, but also simultaneously, the writer must become the reader. They must forget all the millions of details that didn’t get written into the story, take a step back and see if it makes sense without them.

For me, that is the hardest part and I sometimes have to walk away from a story long enough that I actually can forget. Then, when I have a clear head and a fresh mind I can more fully become the reader.

I for one, have loved being a writer. For all it’s joys, friendships, sorrows and challenges, I have loved it. It has kept my mind and emotions keen, and it has been very therapeutic. Which is good, because writing will drive you crazy! :)

7 tips on becoming a better writer by Liz Schulte

7 Tips for Becoming a Better Writer

All writers want to write great books. None of us set out to be cliché or mediocre we set our sights on the sky and attempt to lasso the moon with each new book. However as I write/edit each new manuscript, I learn things about my craft that I didn’t know before. My writing matures and my style settles. This is what I have learned from my experiences on how to write a better story. 

1. Show don’t tell. I know, I know, they’re the three most dreaded words to an author. The problem is most people give the advice without explaining what they mean or how to do this. When I finish a manuscript, I have a list of common key words, which I use, that almost always indicate I am showing something rather than telling it. I do a search and correct as many as those parts as I can so my books can be more engaging for readers. Words like felt, thought, heard, saw, etc. are telling words. Ex. Edgar heard a knock on the door —TELLING.   Suddenly there came rapping as of someone gently tapping, tapping upon my chamber door.—SHOWING (by the ever wonderful Edgar Allen Poe). 

Showing puts the reader in the scene, telling is like the reader is listening to their coworker recount their weekend on Monday morning. 

1. Eliminate unnecessary words.  As a writer our job is words. Every word you choose to put in your manuscript should have a purpose, a function. If it does not, then get rid of it. All those extra words do is make your sentences heavy and tiresome. Words like that, had, just, etc. will bog down the sentence and keep your writing from having that smooth, polished flow. 
2. Moderation in all things—especially adverbs.  This goes hand in hand with the above tip. While you are being conscious of your word choices you should also be certain you are not over using words, phrases, and ideas. Imagine if Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind had said “tomorrow is another day” 50 times. Would those words at the end have been as impactful? Would her steely determination have lived on as it has? Absolutely not. Don’t repeat yourself because it lessens the impact, which brings me to adverbs. A few well place adverbs can strengthen your sentences and meaning, but if you riddle the manuscript with adverbs you are not doing yourself or your writing any favors. 
3. Clichés are boring. Everyone knows them and has heard them a million times. I am going to repeat myself, words are our jobs. A cliché might very well fit, but you are a writer. If you can come up with a better phrase then you will grab the reader’s attention, paint a vivid picture in their mind, and leave your mark on them. 
4. Back story balance. This point in particular always reminds me of my mom. She will tell me about a movie or a book she read. While she is telling it, she will interrupt herself and give me back story that she failed to mention while she was recapping. Her retellings are often long and hard to follow. Don’t let that happen to your book. So you have some back story in your character’s life that you need to share, don’t dump it on the reader in a great big heaping pile that they have to dig their way out of. That invites skimming or worse putting the book down. You spent the time writing the words make people want to read them. Find creative ways to introduce as much back story as necessary with what is currently happening in your story. Keep it short, succinct, and as unobtrusive as possible. 
5. Utilize all of the senses. One of my favorite writing exercises in my creative writing classes is to write a paragraph describing something that utilizes all of my senses. It is a great way to bring to life a moment of a scene. 
6. Read more. Reading will improve your vocabulary, open your mind, and expand the scope of your abilities. Words are our job and hopefully our passion.  

Introducing Liz Schulte, author of CHOICES

Liz Schulte:

Many authors claim to have known their calling from a young age. Liz Schulte, however, didn't always want to be an author. In fact, she had no clue. Liz wanted to be a veterinarian, then she wanted to be a lawyer, then she wanted to be a criminal profiler. In a valiant effort to keep from becoming Walter Mitty, Liz put pen to paper and began writing her first novel. It was at that moment she realized this is what she was meant to do. As a scribe she could be all of those things and so much more.

http://enteringbatcountry.blogspot.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/liz.schulte 

http://twitter.com/lizschulte 

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4755336.Liz_Schulte 

Link to Tour on Main Site -  http://www.virtualbooktourcafe.com/3/post/2012/03/choices-by-liz-schulte-guardian-trilogy-book-two.html 

Hearts break. Loved ones are lost. Life keeps moving.

Olivia Martin’s afterlife was more dangerous and confusing than her life ever was. She thought she was ready to come back, to forget about Holden and to let go of the rage consuming her. Fulfilling her destiny as a guardian was all that mattered—the past could stay hidden in the crevices of her mind. However, when guardians are murdered and the evidence points towards jinn, she has to do something. To save anyone’s future, Olivia will have to confront the one person from her past she is terrified to see.

Holden waited for Olivia with the hope he would see her one more time. But when she didn’t return, he found salvation in darkness. The black and twisted road made it easier to forget what he lost than to live with the memory of what he had. An unexpected promotion shoves him into a world of intoxicating power and influence. Holden will have to choose between his new life and the woman he thought was gone forever.

From the ashes of Secrets, Choices are born that will change everything.


This book will be available for review at the end of March.

While Olivia Martin observed life through her camera, the abyss gazed back at her. She discovers mysterious men follow her around, people close to her are dying, and her dreams are no longer her own as she falls head over heels for a perfect stranger. A chance encounter leads to an obsession that could destroy everything she has ever known or loved. Olivia is about to find out there is a lot she doesn't know and sometimes what you don't know can kill you. 

Excerpts From Choices : 

#1

I don't know what I expected—certainly not the pain that tore through me when I opened my eyes. Feeling Holden immediately saturate my mind nearly shattered me and made me want to scream—or go back. I struggled and finally managed to shove him into a closet deep in my subconscious, where hopefully he’d stay until he disappeared forever—forgotten which was still better than he deserved. 

Why did I agree to this?

Better yet, why didn't my heart understand what my brain so clearly explained? Holden didn't want us. He ... No, I wouldn’t let myself do that. I would not think about Holden. He was dead to me. It was the only way it could be, the only way I could do this.

Quintus was waiting for me, all dimples and kindness—the traitorous bastard. Where was he when I needed him? Why didn’t he save me? The accusations running through my mind fell aside, as I noticed how weird things were.  

Everything looked different making me sad that my camera would never be able to capture what I now saw—not that I had a camera anymore. Lights and colors shimmered through the air and the trees, like I was inside a snow globe that someone was relentlessly shaking. How had I not seen all the things around me? It was incredible. 

The more Quintus spoke, the more I realized I had a lot to learn and plenty to distract me from the person I wasn't thinking about. I was also not thinking about the fact that I’d been running around the forest stark naked giving Quintus quite a show until he made a crack about what we needed to do first. 

I didn’t think it could get worse until Quintus made some god awful dress appear on me.  

"So what now? Do we walk?" I squished my bare toes into the soft leaves beneath my feet. All I wanted was to not think about the past. The past was where he was and where I was angry at Quintus.  I could only look forward now, because hindsight offered no solace, no future. 

"Do you know where we are?" 

"I assumed you knew. I mean you came here. I just appeared." I frowned at him. 

"I was sent the same as you."

"So we're lost? Great! What kind of operation is this?"

"Guardians are never lost." Quintus flashed me his ridiculously deep dimples, but I felt no appreciation for them. There was only one smile I wanted to see— 

Needing to keep moving, I trudged through the woods in the direction I was facing. I heard Quintus walking behind me. How could he come to get me without a better plan than this? How did I get stuck with the person who’d abandoned me to a demon? My afterlife sucked.

#2

Philip Pemberton come on down, you’re the next contestant on Sorry I Destroyed Your Life. 

Damn it all to hell, I felt bad for old Phil. He made his deal with the demon and was well on his way to avenging his family and becoming cursed to this cruel and Godforsaken existence. And because of yours truly. What did she ever see in me?

I walked away from the warehouse where I’d taken Phil to meet his destiny. All hope was gone for him now. I glanced at my watch, not even 11:00 pm—the night was just getting started. What else could I do this fine evening? Anything that could possibly squash this surge of humanity, I was up for trying. 

It hit me like a tidal wave. One moment I was walking down the street, planning on having a little fun and the next moment I was nearly knocked over by a crushing light that washed over my mind and blinded me to anything in front of me. I staggered, fought to gain some sort of control, then I heard her voice. She said my name—I tried to reply, but she was gone as quickly as she came. It was like I’d been struck by lightning. Her voice rang in my ears. 

I’d warred to forget the sound and timber of her voice. I’d battled to obliterate the memories of the smell of her skin and the taste of her lips. This one word from her and all that I tried to forget flooded back.

Could Olivia be alive? Was it a fluke, a coincidence? Did I finally reach her on the other side? Or had I lost all grip with reality? Instead of going out, I caught a cab home. I walked into my empty apartment and stripped the sheets from my bed before collapsing onto it. I searched my mind for any change, any clue that she was really there, and I wasn’t just losing my sanity. 

Please don’t let this be a hallucination, I begged the universe.