Stitching Words - - Francene Stanley
A writer's blog.
7 Jun 2014
Cookin' with Miss Havana: Review of Tidal Surge by Francene Stanley
Cookin' with Miss Havana: Review of Tidal Surge by Francene Stanley: Not at all what I expected from the title, Tidal Surge is a paranormal tale of a woman who enters the thoughts of another and, once ins...
7 Feb 2014
Author Interview: Alesha Escobar
As part of the Addicted to Heroines blog tour, Alesha Escobar
is my guest today. She's answered my questions about the way she writes her
stories.
Go to Amazon to see this. |
Go to Amazon to see this. |
You're young,
compared to me, Alesha. When did you start writing, and what prompted you to
write?
I started writing at the age of seven. I began with short
stories, which I’d also illustrate with pencil and crayon, and it grew from
there. What really fascinated me about writing was the humor, wonder, and means
of expression I could make use of through stories.
You must have a rich imagination
to begin writing at such a young age. Some ideas come from day dreams. Have you
ever woken with the urge to write down what you remember of a dream?
Yes, several times! I remember reading some advice that you
should never turn a dream into a story--but I disagree. Inspiration can come
from anywhere, right? Why not our subconscious?
Tell me about your
current work, and who’s the heroine of the story.
I recently finished Circadian Circle, the final book of my
Gray Tower Trilogy. The heroine is Isabella George, a wizard and spy who’s
helping the Allies against Nazi occultists. However, she encounters enemies of
her own, and must forge her own destiny before others do it for her. Anyone who
loves a blend of history and fantasy, of magic and suspense, will love the Gray
Tower Trilogy.
I see that the first
book in the series, The Grey Tower, is offered for free on Amazon at the
moment. Readers could take advantage of that. Tell me, what makes your spy heroine
special, or interesting?
Many of my readers have said that they identified with
Isabella and understood her desire for a “normal” life. I think that’s what
makes her interesting, because she’s not jumping into the fray the hero--she
gradually becomes one by refusing to abandon who she is and what she stands
for.
Can you share with
readers what to expect when they pick up (or download) your books?
An exciting, action-packed reading experience woven in a
story of magic, espionage, humor, and with a dash of romance.
That sounds good--a
mixture of real life with a touch of the magical. If you were only allowed to
read three more books the rest of your life, which would they be, and why?
The Bible, because I would always want to seek God (and it’s
technically a collection of books, so that’s a lot of reading to occupy me).
Paradise (The Divine Comedy), by Dante Alighieri, because it is utterly
beautiful, and the final lines are magnificent. As for my third, it would have
to be something humorous--I love laughter.
You're blessed with a
sense of humor. Where can readers find you online?
My blog
http://www.aleshaescobar.com
If you had the chance
to invite anyone to lunch (living or dead) who would it be and why?
My mom. I lost her in 2011, and I’d give anything to spend
time with her again.
Sad. But loss is part
of life. Although we never forget our loved-ones, everyone should appreciate
them fully while they are still with us. But back to fiction. Who is your
literary hero(ine) and why?
Britomart, from Edmund Spenser’s “The Faerie Queene.” She’s
the sole female knight at court, and not only is she brave and virtuous, but
she’s also able to prevail against the villains where several of the other
knights fail. I truly enjoyed her as a literary character!
I see you love a
female character who steps out of the expected role. Fiction takes the reader
away from their cares. And you love to write about heroines. What would you do
if you could no longer write?
I love making things, whether it’s baking a dessert,
stringing together a necklace, or mixing my own hair conditioning concoction. I
would definitely get serious about one of these.
Thank you for taking
the time to share your thoughts, Alesha.
4 Feb 2014
There are so many un-praised heroes and heroines in
the world. Now, characters jump out of the page to reflect reality.
The
Heroines are back, Feb. 3rd to the 14th.
On
the Addicted to Heroines Blog Tour, four writers share insights about their novels
and the way they write. Our stories feature strong women characters with brains,
wisdom, beauty and humor.
Meet our heroines Holly, Elsa,
Isabella and Liliha. Evildoers don’t stand a chance. Last year, we authors went
on the Heroines Blog Tour. Now, we're back with new books and more fun.
We'll spurt around cyberspace again,
dropping information at locations for you to read book excerpts, participate in
discussions, enjoy author interviews, enter contests and win fun prizes. Visit
- ATH headquarters, http://heroinestour.blogspot.com/
- find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/heroinestour
- track us down on Twitter. Look for hashtag #ath1.
- catch us on GoodReads and Pinterest, too.
Plus, enter a GIVEAWAY for a chance
to win a book by your favorite ATH blog tour author, or to discover a new
favorite. Visit the giveaway page at blog tour headquarters to enter.
Tweet it, share it, re-pin it and
Like it on Facebook. A pleasure shared lifts everyone's spirit so pass the
word along.
1 Feb 2014
Come and join the team for the beginning of February.
February 3-14, 2014 Celebrate with us the heroines of fantasy and urban fantasy! Giveaways, Contests and Prizes, and an intro to hot new indie fantasy titles.
The team:
Alesha
Samantha
Devorah
and me, Francene.
We'll be telling you about our books and how we write on the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th February.
See us here:
http://www.heroinestour.blogspot.com
Or our official facebook page http://www.facebook.com/heroinestour
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