Multi-talented author Debra Holland and her Montana Sky Series!!
July 2, 2021 by Jann Ryan in category Jann says . . . tagged as historical romance, Montana Sky Series, sweet romance
Psychotherapist Debra Holland, Ph.D is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of the Montana Sky Series, sweet, historical Western romance. She’s a three-time Romance Writers of America Golden Heart finalist and one-time winner. In 2013, Amazon selected Starry Montana Sky as a top 50 greatest love stories pick. Her latest book is Beyond Montana’s Sky.
Dr. Debra is also the author of The Gods’ Dream Saga (fantasy romance) and the nonfiction books, The Essential Guide to Grief and Grieving and Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude: a Ten-Minute eBook. She’s a contributing author to The Naked Truth About Self-Publishing.
Learn more about her at https://debraholland.com
We’re here today with the multi-talented author Debra Holland, who will be talking about her award winning Montana Sky series and her writing.
Jann: You may have had a slow beginning, but when Wild Montana Sky made its debut in 2011, your writing career took off like a shooting star that is still shinning!! There are more than 28 books in this award-winning series. What is your secret to creating these wonderful characters and books?
Debra: Wait, there’s a secret? Haha. I don’t know the answer. I’ve had a lot of Montana Sky stories in my head for a long time, years in some cases. I’d often write the first scene of a book long before it was time to write that book. Then I keep a file on each story idea and add snippets as they come to me.
By this time, my town of Sweetwater Springs and the people in it are very real to me. That helps when creating new stories.
Jann: Do you think this series could someday come to an end?
Debra: Luckily, I have plenty more Montana Sky stories in my head. Getting them on paper…that’s always the hard part. I do plan to move to Montana Sky contemporaries at some point.
Jann: Do you have plans to write additional novels for The Gods’ Dream Saga 
or the Twinborne Trilogy? These fantasy romance novels have been well received by readers.
Debra: Yes and yes. The problem is that the fantasy series (The Gods’ Dream Saga) doesn’t sell nearly as well as the historical series. So it makes more sense to write Montana Sky stories. In fact, I priced the ebook of Lywin’s Quest book one of Twinborne Trilogy at $9.99, because I’m hoping no one will buy it. I don’t want to feel guilty for not (yet) finishing that series.
Jann: You have a busy schedule as Dr. Debra Holland, psychotherapist and corporate crisis/grief counselor. How do you keep your life balanced?
Debra: I don’t do anything full time. Pre-Covid, I spent a day at my office seeing psychotherapy clients, and the corporate crisis/grief work would drop on me any time and last for a few hours to several days. I’d write on the days I wasn’t working as a psychotherapist. (During Covid I’d saw people on Zoom.)
But I also carry around my laptop or hardcopy pages of my book, so I can write or edit between seeing clients.
I’ve been working almost full-time at a hospital since February, which is unusual for me. The job is supposed to last until the end of July. Unfortunately, the hospital staff are busy, work long shifts, and have a mentally tough mindset, so they haven’t really been coming to me for counseling in the way they should. So I’ve had a lot of time to write.
Jann: Tell us about Montana Sky Publishing? How did it come about?
Debra: Amazon approached me to open up a Montana Sky Kindle World, where authors wrote in my “world” and uploaded the books to the Kindle World portal. The authors would have a contract with Amazon, and I wouldn’t have anything to do with the editing or publishing process. So I invited many of my friends to write MSKW stories. Then, after a few years, Amazon closed down Kindle Worlds, stranding my authors.
So, feeling guilty, I opened a publishing company for those books as well as for new ones. A lot of my authors are from OCC—Louella Nelson, Linda Carroll-Bradd, Kristy Phillips, Alexis Montgomery, Patricia Thayer (Pat Wright,) Shauna Roberts (a former member,) and the late Linnea Alexis (Joyce Ward).
I’m slowly putting the books into audio, starting with Louella Nelson’s Harper Ranch Series, and OCC member Mary Castillo is our awesome narrator.
Jann: You have a great website. How involved were you in its creation?
Debra: Very involved. The same company has done all my websites–my writer’s site, my professional site, and the Montana Sky Publishing site. The graphics were done by another OCC member, Lex Valentine.
Jann: What are you working on now?
Debra: It’s been a year since I published Beyond Montana’s Sky. I’m jumping around between a novella trilogy and two other novellas and a contemporary short story.
I’ve also written three long nonfiction articles for medium.com.
But what I’ve really been working on since December is adapting both the Montana Sky Series and The Gods’ Dream Saga into television streaming series. Writing a pilot involved a whole new learning curve. So it’s been a lot of work (about four drafts each) but also a lot of fun. I’ve been working with industry mentors (a different one for each series) and the pilots are ready to go out.
But before that, I’ll have to put together a pitch document, which is almost as much work as writing the pilots and not nearly as much fun. Actually, not fun at all!
I have Sower of Dreams in a screenwriting contest and so far it’s moved through being a semi-finalist to a quarter-finalist. Luckily, if it actually becomes a finalist, I can exchange the script for the latest one, which is a lot different than the original.
Jann: Do you find yourself returning to certain themes in your stories? What? Why?
Debra: As a grief counselor, I have a lot of themes of loss and grief and moving through painful challenges to find love and happiness.
Jann: What’s the worst writing advice you ever received?
Debra: The worst advice is an author or guru who tells you to write a certain way. (I’m not talking issues of craft, which is something all writers need to learn.) I think everyone has their own writing style and what works for one person won’t work for another. That doesn’t mean you can’t experiment to see if something will work for you. But stay true to yourself.
Jann: Have you ever suffered writer’s block? If so, how did/do you get past it?
Debra: Not really. There might come a part in the story where I’m stalled, mostly because I’m missing what comes next or how to make the story work. Sometimes, I just skip that section and keep on writing. I’ll go back and finish it when I figure it out. Other times, I’ll stop and take a day or two to think through what comes next, sometimes brainstorming with another author or authors.
Jann: Where can we get your books?
Debra: All my books are on Amazon.
Jann: Do you have a website, blog, twitter where fans might read more about you and your books?
Thank you Debra for spending time here on A Slice of Orange. It’s been a real pleasure. Have a Happy 4th of July everyone!!
A Few of Debra’s Books
(Click on the cover for more information. Hover over the cover for buy links.)
Author Justin Murphy: A man of many talents!
June 2, 2021 by Jann Ryan in category Jann says . . .
Born November 26, 1985 in Dothan, Alabama. Whether it be Fiction or Non-Fiction, Justin Murphy has always tried to explore many themes in his work. One is probing into the darkness of pure evil with The Original Night Stalker: Portrait of A Killer, a fictional story based on a real life murderer Joseph James DeAngelo. He also enjoys exploring obscure figures often forgotten in entertainment. Such as with his most recent success Gene L. Coon: The Unsung Hero of Star Trek. It profiles the ex-Marine, pharmacist, and journalist who did the actual heavy lifting on The Original Series.
We’re here today talking with writer Justin Murphy. So let’s get started!!
Jann: At what age did you want to be a writer?
Justin: Was always told I was creative, imaginative, and lived in a fantasy world (for better AND worse)! But the moment of realization came on my 15th birthday, the desire to write hit me like an ocean wave! It was both terrifying and amazing.
Jann: What’s your favorite genre and why?
Justin: For a long time, I would’ve said Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Both for the spectacle and the idea of being transported to another world.
Yet in the years since I’ve started writing and been published, I’ve begun to prefer crime, detective, mystery. They pose questions and raise issues about our every day reality.
Jann: Your book Gene L. Coon: The Unsung Hero of Star Trek has been well received. What inspired to write about Gene L. Coon?
Justin: Read an article a few years ago announcing the documentary Batman and Bill creator Bill Finger. Read a comment on the article, saying “Someone should do the same thing on Gene Coon”. And I figured “Why not?”. Researched the online newspaper archives and every other resource I could about him.
In addition to his work on Star Trek, he sang on the radio in Omaha, Nebraska at age four. Was a Marine who served in Korea. He even ran a pharmacy for five years until becoming a screenwriter. Also did radio reports on the Atomic Bomb tests in Yucca Flats, Nevada.
Jann: I understand you are writing on a single mother detective series. Can you share a little about this series?
Justin: Been writing installments this past year. Working on the latest one, nothing published yet. But I’ll give you a teaser. It’s about a woman who balances work and family life to an extreme by investigating missing child cases while dealing with her own special needs kids.
Jann: Do you find yourself returning to certain themes in your stories? What? Why?
Justin: With the above-mentioned series, there are quite a few themes I keep returning to. Such as the main character’s struggle to balance single motherhood and investigating missing child cases. Of course, the issue of missing children is a recurring theme in of itself. As well as dealing with children who are disabled, as both the character’s kids are.
Jann: What kind of writer are you? A page a day? Or are you a burst writer?
Justin: For many years, I wrote four hours a day (based on the advice Stephen King and several other well-known authors publicized). In the last year or so, I write more whenever the mood hits, but I still try to remain consistent. Although my writing is somewhat limited by current cross-country travel.
Jann: Do you have a website, blog, or twitter where fans might read more about you and your books?
Justin: Here are the links to my Amazon, Audible, Facebook, and Twitter pages:
Jann: What’s your all-time favorite book?
Justin: Possibly Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. It’s the book that really got me paying attention to words, phrases, and sentence structure. Though I’m still not perfect. Also learned not to use the same word in a paragraph twice. There’s such a flow to the way Bradbury wrote that we may try to emulate, but never fully capture. It seems we as author tend to emulate the greats until we find ourselves.
Thank you Justin for talking with us today on A Slice Of Orange!
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Author Judy Duarte talks about her Rancho Esperanza Series
May 2, 2021 by Jann Ryan in category Jann says . . . tagged as contemporary romance, Judy Duarte
USA Today bestselling author Judy Duarte has written more than sixty books and novellas for Harlequin Special Edition and Kensington, earned two Rita® finals, won two Maggies and received a National Reader’s Choice Award. She lives in Southern California with her personal hero.
When she’s not cooped up in her writing cave, Judy enjoys traveling with her husband and spending quality time with her grandchildren who refer to her as Memaw because she reminds them of Young Sheldon Cooper’s spunky grandma.
I have the pleasure today to be speaking with multi-published author Judy Duarte. Her romance novels always leave the reader wanting more!
Jann: What does romance mean to you? Has it changed since Cowboy Courage, your first book, was published in
2002 by Silhouette Special Edition.
Judy: The industry has certainly changed, and so has technology, but romance is eternal. And so is a happy ever after. Life can be rough and painful, and I believe a lot of readers want to be reminded that there’s always hope, that the night is always darkest before the dawn.
Jann: You have published over 60 novels. Does it get easier?
Judy: Yes, it gets easier, especially when you have an acquiring editor working with you to make a book stronger and more marketable. But I’m always open to learn more about the craft and to apply what I’ve learned to my books.
Jann: Your books focus on families, second chances, true love and have lots of babies J. How important is the setting, theme and plot in your stories?
Judy: They’re all important to me. I grew up in a small town, where yards were big enough to have horses and pets, and where people tend to know each other. So I tend to gravitate to those settings. And I like creating real-life characters who could be your best friend or your neighbor. Take, for instance, a single mom or a single dad. Raising a child on one’s own implies that there’s been some grief of stress in the past. And who else deserves to fall in love and be happy?
Jann: What inspired you to write your latest series, Rancho Esperanza?
Judy: Two years ago, my husband and I vacationed in Big Fork, Montana. We’d barely gotten into a rental car in Kalispell, and I was already swept away by the beautiful, big sky country. And I knew the setting of my next books. So I created the town of Fairbrook, Montana.
Jann: Book One, A Secret Between Us, with main characters Callie Jamison and Ramon Cruz, and Book Two, Their Night to Remember, with characters Alana Perez and Clay Hastings, in the Rancho Esperanza series have received great reviews. Would you share with us how you develop your characters?
Judy: 
I create a flawed character. Then I ask myself, given that character’s fears and flaws, who would be the worst possible person for them to fall in love with. The built-in conflict will help both characters learn and grow—and earn their happy-ever-after.
Jann: Starting Over with the Sheriff, Book Three in the series makes its debut on May 25th. What is the premise of this novel?
Judy: A woman running from her entangled past finds herself attracted to a single father of twins, but when the by-the-book-lawman learns the truth about her, she fears their romance will be doomed before it ever begins.
Jann: What do you hope readers will take away from this series?
Judy: That everyone deserves a second chance and that love is worth fighting for.
Jann: Will there be a Book Four or will you be starting a new series?
Judy: Yes, I’m working on book 4 now, and book 5 is simmering in my mind.
Jann: I see that you were included in the Harlequin Special Edition March 2021 Box Set 2 of 2 with Marie Ferrarella and Christy Jeffries. What was that like?
Judy: As an author, I can’t imagine a greater thrill than to be matched with Marie Ferrarella, the queen of Harlequin romances, and my very own daughter, Christy Jeffries!
Jann: Do you have any writing rituals? Schedule?
Judy: I write or edit every day, even if it’s just a few pages. At the end of a writing day, I print out the scene/s I wrote and set them in the kitchen, next to the coffee pot. The next morning, I make a cup of coffee then pick up a red pen and edit those pages. Next, I sit down at the computer and input my changes. That’s usually all it takes to jump back into the story and write the next scene. I’ve also learned not to end my writing day at the end of a scene. I always push on and write a couple of paragraphs of the next one. That usually gives my muse a jumpstart.
Jann: Are there any words of inspiration on your computer, in your office or in your mind when you write?
Judy: My daughter, Christy Jeffries, gave me a plaque that sits next to my computer. It says: Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were written in a book! – Job 19:23
Jann: What are you working on now? Can you tell us about your next project?
Judy: I’m writing the third book in the 2022 Fortunes of Texas series. I love working on continuities, especially this one. It’s the third romance in the series and will be released in March of 2022.
Jann: Where can we get your books?
Judy: My books are available at online in print or e-format. You can find them at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the Harlequin website.
Jann: Do you have a website, blog, twitter where fans might read more about you and your books?
Thank you for spending time with us her on A Slice of Orange. Your novels have inspired so many readers. Good luck with the debut of Starting Over with the Sheriff on the 25th of this month!!
Some of Judy’s Books
Hover over the covers for buy links. Click on the cover for more information.
Author Leslie V. Knowles debuts The Wolverton World of Regency Romance!!
April 2, 2021 by Jann Ryan in category Jann says . . . tagged as dogs, historical romance, Leslie V. Knowles, Regency Romances
My husband and I met, married and raised our two children in Southern California where we still live. Our oldest is married and has three grown sons. The other is an aerospace engineer who made watching The Big Bang Theory seem oddly familiar. I started writing when a co-worker challenged me to write my own book after I complained about a disappointing story. At the urging of friends and critique partners, I entered the Golden Heart Contest for Unpublished Writers, and Silent Song was one of six finalists in the short contemporary category. It eventually sold to Kensington Publishing. Between my day job as a high school teacher and family obligations, writing was put on hold for several years. Once I retired, however, characters and story ideas began dancing in my head again, but now they danced to Regency music. The Wolverton World is the result of letting them dance onto the manuscript page.
Jann: Tell us about your road to publication?
Leslie: My road trip was long, winding, and a bit rocky at times. My first book (a contemporary), Silent Song, took 10 years from first concept until Kate Duffy bought it for Meteor Publishing, then for Kensington when Meteor was sold off. By that time, my day job and growing family obligations pretty much took over and I set aside my writing for several years. When I retired, I had time to immerse myself in reading for pleasure, and it wasn’t long before the “what if” ideas started popping up again. I rejoined RWA to get caught up on the changes in the market and started writing once more. I completed Scandalizing the Duke and Chasing Scandal before I started submitting to the traditional houses. The long waits between submission and check-backs, the almost-but-not-quite editor nibbles from contest entries and the black hole of Covid lockdowns finally made me decide that I didn’t want to wait another 10 years to see my book in print. I researched all the “new” stuff and asked lots of questions, then uploaded Scandalizing the Duke through Draft2Digital and set my release date. I’m still learning, but I’m back on track.
Jann: What motivated you to write Regency romance?
Leslie: I decided to focus on historical in general, and Regency in particular, for their unlimited shelf life for readers. Contemporary stories quickly lose their freshness which can limit their appeal to new readers. Readers of historically set stories embrace the time warp instead of being distracted by it. I also write what I like to read, and I love historical fiction.
Jann: Historical romance readers look for accuracy from the author. What are your favorite sources for research and how much time did you spend on research? Do you research before, while you write a first draft or after?
Leslie: I tend to research as needed while I write. I usually begin with overview information off the internet for key events for the time period when the story will be set. I use historical study sites like universities and English history sites that I come across, then cross check for accuracy. I look for events that might impact my characters or move the story in a particular direction. I’m also a member of Regency Fiction Writers and we share a lot of links and sources, so I can often verify information that way. One of our members (Kristine Hughs) has recently completed an exhaustive research book on Waterloo in which she has read reams of primary source letters and dispatches, etc. to include. I know I’ll be able to rely on the accuracy of that book for both facts and flavor of the time period. My third book, Scandal’s Choice has an amputee hero, and I read the biography of Lord Oxley as well as researched recovery times, the history of prosthesis, and interviewed a man about the actual sensations of using and wearing one. Every story has a different research component, so I use whatever seems appropriate at the time.
Jann: Where did the idea come from for this series? Did you think of character, plot or theme first?
Leslie: I always think of people first. My first concept for the series was a what if–what if a widower returned to London with three daughters to launch and one was a bluestocking, one was a rescuer, and the third an intuitive, and what if the mother of one of his suitor’s mother caught his attention?
Once the writing/plotting began the bluestocking, Elizabeth, became a woodworker and enters a marriage of convenience, the rescuer became Charlotte in Scandalizing the Duke, and the intuitive has yet to emerge from the schoolroom. The widower papa doesn’t show until Scandal’s choice (Elizabeth’s story) and he has remarried when he does. First concepts never make it past research and revisions.
Jann: How long did it take you to write Book One?
Leslie: About 6 or 9 months initially. I think of book like babies: 3 months of trying, 9 months to delivery.
Jann: Book One, Scandalizing the Duke, from your new series The Wolverton World, debuted in February of this year. How did it feel?
Leslie: Fabulous, exciting, and scary.
Jann: Tell us about your main characters, Lucien, Duke of Wolverton and Charlotte Longborough. What major conflicts did you set for Lucien and Charlotte to work through on the way to their HEA?
Jann: Charlotte is a compulsive rescuer whose determination to rescue her former neighbor’s wife from his abuse will surely spell disaster and scandal if she is caught.
Lucien is determined to see that scandal never again attaches itself to him, or anyone under his roof.
Charlotte can’t achieve her goal without help, and Lucien can’t take the chance that she’ll act on her own.
Jann: I see you have Book Two, Chasing Scandal and Book Three, Scandal’s Choice, set to publish soon. Can you share what these two books are about? Will you have more books for this series?
Leslie: Book 2, Chasing Scandal, is about Lucien’s illegitimate brother Tristan who is an agent of the Crown. His mission to uncover a traitor is complicated by an abducted child and the woman who believes he is the kidnapper. To protect the child, the two of them must work together though their journey leads to unexpected discoveries and rewards.
Book 3, Scandal’s Choice is Charlotte’s sister Elizabeth’s story.
Known among the ton as the odd sister, Elizabeth has decided two failed Seasons are as much as she can tolerate. But her plan to return home and run her father’s household is shattered when he remarries, and an unfortunate incident at a local assembly limits her prospects even more.
Faced with war injuries that resulted in amputation, Major Warleigh hates the idea of being dependent on anyone, especially his brother and sister-in-law. Their overwrought sympathy and plans for his invalid care make him shudder. Neither of them like the prospect of returning home, nor do they have many choices in the matter. What began as a flippant remark grows into a genuine proposal for marriage of convenience. They discover loyalty, honor, and love are more than ideas, and marriage is more than spoken vows when a woman claiming to be his fiancé arrives, unannounced, at their door.
One on my beta readers asked for Anne’s story (Lucien’s sister), and I had originally planned on her book being book 2, but I realized I didn’t know her fears and secrets yet. Her personality is a lot like the heroine in my current work in progress, but her background and goals don’t fit, so she’ll have to wait.
I do want to do a book for the Duke of Everham (I affectionately call him the doggie-duke). There is a good reason he prefers dogs to people.
Jann: What do you hope readers will take away from this series?
Leslie: Satisfaction. I want the reader to like the people in the stories and root for their journey to happily ever after. I don’t begin with theme as my goal, but certain ones tend to show up. Family is always a part of my stories since the support or absence of family impacts how we deal with life and the goals we form for ourselves.
Jann: You also have a new series, Hazardous House Parties, coming out in the future. What can you share with us today about the series?
Leslie: Several guests at Lady Kirkwood’s birthday house party deal with accidents a bit more frequently than normal. The first book is currently titled Braxton’s Vow and is a second chance trope that evolved from friends to enemies to lovers.
Jann: In your books, who is your favorite character and why?
Leslie: My favorite character is the one I am developing at any given time. Charlotte was eager and hopeful, Julia was braver than she realized, Elizabeth is a creative who cannot deny her drive. In Braxton’s Vow, Arabella is clever, inquisitive, and daring.
Jann: What’s your all-time favorite book?
Leslie: Only one?? How does anyone pick just one? I’ve read Pride and Prejudice every other year since I was in the 4th grade, so I guess that’s it, but I cherish so many stories and the authors who’ve written them. It is like asking who’s your favorite child. Always for different reasons, but always equally.
Jann: Where can we get your books?
Leslie: You should be able to get my books at all the major vendors by typing in the title of the book. This lets you select the vendor you prefer to make your ebook preference. The paperback should be able to be ordered from any of the vendors. (Editor’s note: see below for buy links.)
Jann: Congratulations Leslie on The Wolverton World!! It’s been a real pleasure talking with you today. Take care and stay healthy!!
Author Nancy Brashear debuts her Psychological Thriller!!
March 2, 2021 by Jann Ryan in category Jann says . . . tagged as debut novel, Gunnysack Hell, Nancy Brashear, Psychological Thrillers, Suspense
Nancy Brashear lives in Orange County, California, with her husband, Patrick, and their rescue dog, Goldie, where her grown children and seven grandgirls have supported her writing adventures. A professor emeritus in English, she has published short stories, poems, academic articles, textbook chapters as well as website content and writing projects with educational publishers. Gunnysack Hell is her debut fiction novel and was inspired by a true-crime event. And, yes, she did live off-grid with her family in a homestead cabin in the Mojave Desert when she was a child.
We’re here today talking to author, Nancy Brashear, about her debut psychological thriller novel. Gunnysack Hell has received fantastic reviews. So let’s see what all the excitement is about.
Jann: Tell us about your journey to publication?
Nancy: I’ve always loved to write. I vividly remember the experience of writing a poem about sitting in the fog on a bench and searching for just the right word to express a specific feeling when I was only about-eight-years old. In more recent times, as a professor in Education and English, I’ve published many academically-related writings along with occasional short stories and poetry. However, Gunnysack Hell is my first full-length published novel, and I’ve had to learn much about the craft of writing longer works of fiction to get this debut novel published.
Jann: Gunnysack Hell made its publication debut in February. How did it feel?
Nancy: It felt great! I signed my contract with The Wild Rose Press in April 
of 2020 (with a big thanks to Ally Robertson, my editor, for being my advocate and steward), and, now, less than a year later, it’s been released world-wide. It’s been exciting to introduce my “baby” to the world during the pandemic, and I’ve gotten a lot of support from my writing communities, especially my critique group, Serious Scribblers.
Jann: How long did it take for you to write this story?
Nancy: I began writing Gunnysack Hell when I was working at a more-than-fulltime job and had to set it aside. Once I picked it back up in calmer times, I worked on it, on and off, for about three years including taking it through beta readers, multiple edits, and the publishing process. I’ve learned a lot through this process about how to write, polish, and publish a book. I have a few other projects backed up in the pipeline waiting for the same treatment—but on a quicker timeline!
Jann: Will you give our readers the premise of the story? I understand the idea for the book came from a childhood stint in the desert.
Nancy: My story was inspired by a true-crime event in my family when I was young and our family lived in my grandmother’s homestead cabin in Apple Valley. A predator who had been terrorizing our desert community stopped my sister and me when we were walking home, a mile and a half down an isolated, dirt road. Needless to say, this led to a lot of drama in our family!
Jann: Why multiple points of view?
Nancy: It didn’t start out that way. I began writing this story from a 3rd person POV, focusing on the young girl, Nonni. About a third of the way in, I discovered she had her own story she wanted to tell in 1st person. However, after I made this conversion, I discovered that her limited perspective was too restrictive to tell a full story. Other characters were bursting with their own secrets. In the long run, I think it made for a much richer story to have rotating 1st person POVs—but it wasn’t an easy task for me to accomplish, and it took a lot of rewriting to get it right.
Jann: Which character has the biggest arc?
Nancy: Although there are several adult characters in the novel, Nonni, the older child, probably experiences the most dynamic growth in this thriller, which was definitely not written for children. Through her personal epiphany, the truth will set you free, she emerges a much wiser young woman who finally finds her “voice” and can finally take action.
Jann: In your acknowledgment you mention your mother, Peggy Powell. Do you mind sharing with us today about her and how she inspired you?
Nancy: Although my mom had a challenging childhood, throughout her life, she fully embraced the idea that life was an adventure, even the gruddy parts, and, with a little faith, you could get through anything. This attitude embodies Claire, the mother in Gunnysack Hell. At my website (www.nancybrashear.com), my free prequel short story, “Dare to Wish Upon a Star,” is based upon Claire, as a ten-year-old living in Santa Ana with her mother, a singer in a 40s girl-band who also runs a boarding house out of a Victorian mansion. This backstory was also inspired by my mom’s young life, and provides insight into Claire’s personality.
Jann: What motivated you to write Ready or Not, A Creepy, Retold 
Fairytale for Grownups?
Nancy: I enjoy writing twisty things with elements of psychological suspense, and this short story for adults was inspired by “Hansel and Gretel.” At this point, I’m planning to continue this series with short-story retellings of “Little Red Riding Hood” and “The Little Mermaid.”
Jann: What’s next?
Nancy: I have a couple of rough draft novels completed, awaiting some tender, loving care. Probably the next one out will be Love on the Fly, a psychological thriller about a flight attendant who becomes agoraphobic after losing part of her family in a mysterious housefire. That’s all I’m saying for now.
Jann: What’s the best thing about being an author?
Nancy: I love letting my mind run wild as I create the interior landscapes of characters and put them into impossible situations in which they have to use all their resources to survive.
Jann: How can we learn more about you and your writing?
Nancy: Please sign up for my newsletter and blog (author interviews, reviews of books for children and adolescents, and other topics) at my website; follow me on social media! Email me if you’re interested in featuring Gunnysack Hell in your book group (as a SoCal-based thriller) and/or would like to do a Zoom author talk with me.
Jann: What sound or noise do you love?
Nancy: Bird songs (lots of them in our back yard)
Jann: What sound or noise do you hate?
Nancy: People chewing.
Jann: What profession would you hate to do?
Nancy: Politician
Jann: What is the one thing you have never been asked, but you wish someone would?
Nancy: What it was like to live in a UFO commune, as a child, for six months
Jann: What‘s on your To-Be-Read pile?
Nancy: The psychological thriller, You Should Have Known, by Jean Hanff Korelitz (the novel that inspired the short Netflix series, The Undoing)
Jann: Favorite song?
Nancy: “I Can’t Stop Loving You” by Ray Charles
Jann: What is the craziest thing you have ever done?
Nancy: I taught for a month in Zimbabwe during a period of deadly civil unrest, and my family and I were almost kidnapped on our return to the airport afterwards.
Jann: If you could travel back in time with whom would you like to meet and why?
Nancy: I’d like to meet Christopher Wren (1632-1723, distantly related) and talk to him about his contributions as an architect in the rebuilding 52 churches in London after the Great Fire of 1666, his anatomical and autopsy work, and his connection to other events that happened in Great Britain during those years. (And my son’s name is Christopher Wren Brashear.)
Thank you Nancy for your time here today. It’s been an adventure getting to hear about Gunnysack Hell and your exciting life. Stay well!!
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Gunnysack Hell
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