author – Page 2 – Jennifer's Journal

Blogger Bouquet #53

Published on June 21, 2018February 12, 2020 by J. Kelland Perry

wordpress blogger bouquet

I was pleased this month to discover Milly Schmidt and her blog, The Cat’s Write.

A writer and a cat person – could I have picked a better blogger to follow?

From her About page:

“I’m a writer, blogger and crazy cat lady living in the New England, Australia. Some bloggers mistakenly think I’m from the New England in the US, but I really don’t mind, any way to bond is fine by me!

I’m currently working on my first crime novel, When She Goes, a psychological thriller set in rural NSW. When not writing or blogging, I work in the human resources sector and I have a Bachelor of Criminology from the University of New England. I am also a member of the New England Writers’ Centre and the Australian Crime Writers Association.”

I’m sharing a post where Milly tells about an exceptionally mean rejection letter she received for an article she submitted to one of her favourite online writing magazines. That same article that was criticized, 9 reasons why you should self-publish, went on to become one of the most popular she has ever written.

The Subjective Nature of the Creative World

Comments are closed here but you can leave a comment on the blogger’s page.

Have an inspired weekend, everyone.
❤

Blog Hop: Born in a Treacherous Time by Jacqui Murray

Published on June 10, 2018June 15, 2018 by J. Kelland Perry43 Comments

FYI: Sunday Snap will be back as usual next week.

Today, I’m delighted to welcome author and tech teacher Jacqui Murray from over at WordDreams. She has a brand new release out now in an unusual and fascinating genre.

Book Info:

Title: Born in a Treacherous Time
Series: Book 1 in the Man vs. Nature series
Genre: Prehistoric fiction
Cover by: Damonza
Available at: Kindle

Jennifer: Good morning, Jacqui. Born in a Treacherous Time sounds intriguing! Can you tell me a bit about it?

Jacqui: Thank you for having me, Jennifer. Here’s a short summary:

Lucy and her band of early humans struggle to survive in the harsh reality of a world where nature rules, survival is a daily challenge, and a violent band threatens to destroy everything Lucy thinks she understands.

If you like Man vs. Wild, you’ll love this book. If you ever wondered how earliest man survived but couldn’t get through the academic discussions, this book is for you. It will bring that world – East Africa 1.8 million years ago – to life in a way never seen before.

Jennifer: I can’t wait to read it. I’ve never read prehistoric fiction before, but it has been of interest to me ever since I saw the movie Quest For Fire. What prompted you to write the book, and your switch to this niche genre?

Jacqui: Born in a Treacherous Time is a spin-off of my previous book, To Hunt a Sub.
More specifically, it is a spin-off of Lucy, the ancient female who mentored Kali Delamagente, the female protagonist of that series.

Jennifer: Lucy was such an interesting part of that story. But why did you write a book in such a tiny niche?

Jacqui: Born in a Treacherous Time is written in the sub-genre of historic fiction called prehistoric fiction, a time before recorded history. There aren’t a lot of readers in this genre but they are devoted!
Because the only records are rocks, world building has proven difficult but Lucy (the heroine) really didn’t give me a choice. She nagged me to tell her story from my first page twenty years ago to my final draft. Now maybe Lucy will leave me alone!

Jennifer: You have a couple of noteworthy reviews you’d like to share with our readers, including a Kirkus review. Here they are:

Kirkus review: “Murray’s lean prose is steeped in the characters’ brutal worldview, which lends a delightful otherness to the narration …The book’s plot is similar in key ways to other works in the genre, particularly Jean M. Auel’s The Clan of the Cave Bear. However, Murray weaves a taut, compelling narrative, building her story on timeless human concerns of survival, acceptance, and fear of the unknown. Even if readers have a general sense of where the plot is going, they’ll still find the specific twists and revelations to be highly entertaining throughout.
A well-executed tale of early man.” (Click here for the entire review)

An early reader’s review: “Born in a Treacherous Time sheds light on a period of time that gave birth to the human race, and allow us to bear witness to the harshness and tenacious spirit that is uniquely human—to survive and endure. Readers with a thirst for knowledge and who enjoy historical fiction, this is a must read. I am looking forward to reading book 2 when it is published. I devoured the book in 2 sittings.”– Luciana Cavallaro, author of Servant of the Gods series and webmaster of Eternal Atlantis

Jennifer: Those are wonderful reviews. I love that this book has a strong and unique female lead. Thank you so much for this, Jacqui!

To learn more about my guest today, check out the following:

Author Bio: Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers, and the Man vs. Nature series. She is also the author of over a hundred books on integrating technology into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice, a columnist for TeachHUB, monthly contributor to Today’s Author, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. You can find her books at her publisher’s website, Structured Learning.

Social media links:
http://twitter.com/worddreams
http://linkedin.com/in/jacquimurray
https://worddreams.wordpress.com
https://jacquimurray.net

Book Review – Encounters: Relationships in Conflict

Published on May 29, 2018 by J. Kelland Perry24 Comments

I’ve been reading various collections of short stories lately, the latest of which was written by Fred H. Rohn.
Encounters: Relationships in Conflict is a unique, insightful and entertaining read.

The preface alone is a treat, where Rohn explains how he came to create this collection from accumulated notes and short stories over the years, and how each of them exhibit relationships and the “conflict between people resulting from differing perceptions, often between men and women and between different generations.”

In his preface, he also sets forth the belief that creativity does not have to end as you age, and that many seniors like himself are productive in a variety of artistic and creative endeavors. After all, they’ve lived through some pretty tough experiences which, I surmise, affords them a better grasp and understanding of the human condition. Reading this book only further convinces me of that!

As I began each short story selection, I found myself immediately engaged by the author’s sublime writing style and smooth but compelling narrative and voice. Each piece has its own charm, but I do have my favourites. The Piano Recital, Reunion Deals, Jennifer (!), Doc Brunner (that one brought a tear) and Harry particularly resonated with me, while others, such as The Old Man, made me chuckle.

This book offers clever insight to young readers and familiar life experiences for older readers. I highly recommend this lovely collection.

Review has been published on Amazon.ca and Goodreads.

Readers: do you enjoy short story collections?
Do you have any recommendations for a short fiction fan?

What’s It Like To Be An Author?

Published on April 5, 2018September 6, 2021 by J. Kelland Perry15 Comments

I recently accepted an invitation to the blog of fellow author Connie Lacy for an enjoyable Q & A. Connie’s latest book is A Daffodil For Angie, a historical coming-of-age novel set in the sixties. I loved it and I highly recommend it.

What’s It Like To Be An Author?
Taking a Peek Behind the Curtain
with Jennifer Kelland Perry

Connie: One of the unexpected pleasures of being an indie author is making author friends around the world. Not that I’m flying off to far-flung places. I’ve made friends through online writer groups, including Jennifer Kelland Perry … read the rest here.

Jennifer Kelland Perry, YA Author

Happy…and Busy!

Published on January 10, 2018January 10, 2018 by J. Kelland Perry

It’s a cold and snowy day here at home, but the following warms me down to my toes.

I’m thrilled to see another powerful 5-star review on Amazon for Calmer Secrets!

Take a look:

“Calmer Secrets is a fascinating and mature, well-written second look into the lives of the Cross girls which takes place some four or five years after the events of the first book. The time gap and the substantial content in each novel support Jennifer Perry’s decision to split this story into two books.
Samantha is all grown up, Ben is gone, and against her self-centred, irritating sister’s advice she tumbles into a relationship with old friend Kalen – who has turned into a hot rocker. Their mother continues to wrestle with her issues, and the charming Henry, Veronica’s four-year old boy, is Samantha’s darling. The scene is set for a gritty, realistically told and engrossing unravelling of events, and old secrets, which will change everyone’s lives.
The gripping story kept me helplessly reading on, late into the night. Hints are dropped, with a thud, or a tickle of the mind, and I yelled at Samantha not to be such a fool, at Ronnie for her attitude, at Kalen, at Ben, at Darlene, at Cash… the only one I didn’t yell at was little Henry.
*Much* is explained as the final secrets are revealed and the ends of the story are resolved, and one begins to understand the complexity and depth of these beautifully crafted characters.
This is an excellent novel of family, love, and the damage that secrets can do. Highly recommended, but you have to read the first book first. Together, they make an epic story of ordinary life.”

https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R1D4NN653C42PN

*Comments are closed because I’m feverishly writing this week and trying to minimize distractions. See you on Sunday!

Blogger Bouquet #49

Published on November 2, 2017March 1, 2018 by J. Kelland Perry

Annika Perry – no relation to yours truly – is a writer, wife and mother who was born in Sweden and lives in the UK. She is busy finalizing edits on her first short story collection, and is also working on the last edits for her debut novel, Island Girl.

From her About page:

“Writing has been a passion since childhood although it is only in the past year that I have seriously started to write fiction.

In Spring 2014 I won First Prize in the Writing Magazine Short Story Competition which was a joy. Furthermore, I was short-listed for Inktears Short Story Competition in 2014.”

I’ve highlighted the following post of Annika’s where she shares the highs and lows, as well as the distractions, of the editing process. For example, how does a breakfast bowl end up in the bathroom? Check it out:

CHIPPING AWAY!

Comments are closed here but you can leave a comment on the blogger’s page.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

❤

The Marathon of Novel-Writing

Published on October 14, 2017 by J. Kelland Perry7 Comments

I’m guest-posting on A Writer’s Path today, sharing my experiences as a novelist.

Come on over for a visit and check it out!

The Marathon of Novel-Writing

Guest Post: Connie Lacy

Published on September 8, 2017September 9, 2017 by J. Kelland Perry30 Comments

“From a novelist’s perspective, the Sixties, itself, is like a character – so rich was that period as a decade of change.” ~ Connie Lacy

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming author Connie Lacy to my blog as a special guest. I hope, dear friends and followers, those of you who read or write fiction would kindly say hi or leave a comment for her below.

Connie writes speculative fiction, climate fiction and magical realism, all with a dollop of romance. Having worked for many years as a radio reporter and news anchor, her experience as a journalist shows up in some of her novels.

Connie’s post today is about 1960s music, stemming from her research for her latest novel due out this fall. I am a huge fan of the music from that era, so I jumped at the chance to share it with you. Take it away, Connie!

The 1960s – when social consciousness hit the airwaves

When you think of music of the 1960s, what pops into your mind? The Twist by Chubby Checker? Ricky Nelson’s Hello, Mary Lou? Maybe it’s Come Together by the Beatles, or Bob Dylan’s Like a Rolling Stone. All of those songs were popular in the 1960s. But the first two were in the early sixties. Dylan’s Like a Rolling Stone hit the charts in 1965 and Come Together was released in 1969. Needless to say, the volatile decade of the 1960s saw a huge transformation in the music everyone heard on the radio. Looking back, the first few years of that decade seem like a continuation of the 1950s, while the middle and late sixties come across as a new era with a more complex sensibility.

I’ve been re-listening to some of those songs as I write my latest novel which comes out this fall. The story is set in 1966-67 as musical tastes underwent a tectonic shift. It’s surprising now to think that the actual top forty playlist as my novel opens in September of 1966 included such varied songs as: Sunshine Superman by Donovan, Summer in the City by The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine, Land of 1000 Dances by Wilson Pickett and Stevie Wonder’s version of Bob Dylan’s Blowin’ in the Wind, all in the top ten. Then at #11 was Wouldn’t it Be Nice by The Beach Boys and #12 was Lil Red Riding Hood by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs.

The Sixties, of course, was a time of great social upheaval, with opposition mounting to the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement gaining momentum, growing demands by women for equal opportunities, and the gay rights movement picking up steam. The music we listened to incorporated or reflected growing social consciousness. Some popular songs were overt political statements. It’s amazing when you realize we went from Brian Hyland’s 1960 hit, Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, to James Brown’s Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud in 1968… and from 1961’s My Boomerang Won’t Come Back by Charlie Drake to Barry McGuire’s 1965 anti-war anthem, Eve of Destruction.

This musical evolution took us from silly novelty songs like 1962’s Monster Mash to 1965’s My Generation by The Who – a teen rebellion anthem if there ever was one. But the airwaves were also filled with anti-war songs. Think Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Peace Train by Cat Stevens, Universal Soldier by Donovan and the very powerful War by Edwin Starr – “War, huh, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing.” There were songs calling for equal treatment of black Americans such as A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke and Southern Man by Neil Young. There were also songs that became anthems for women, like Aretha Franklin’s Respect, Lesley Gore’s You Don’t Own Me, and on the Country and Western side, there was Dolly Parton’s 1968 hit, Just Because I’m a Woman.

From a novelist’s perspective, the Sixties, itself, is like a character – so rich was that period as a decade of change. Our country was undergoing a dramatic transformation and our music was changing as well. What a gift for me as a writer. And I make use of popular songs the characters listen to in my novel to help create that Sixties vibe.

If you’d like to be notified when my new book comes out, you can sign up for occasional, brief author updates here. And you can find my other novels on my Amazon author page or my website www.connielacy.com.

This article was originally posted on the author’s website here.

Thanks so much for visiting, Connie!

Readers and Writers, did you live through the Sixties?
Have you ever written a story set in that decade?
What are some of your favourite songs from the era?

Blogger Bouquet #41

Published on January 6, 2017March 1, 2018 by J. Kelland Perry

blogger bouquet spring

Audrey Kalman is one of several experienced writers I follow here on WordPress.

From her About page:

I have been writing professionally for more than 35 years. I published newspaper and magazine articles in the days when such things still involved ink on paper, wrote a database how-to book when such things were popular, and now offer writing and editing services as a consultant.”

In the following post, Audrey shares her reasons for writing in a 12-point list, which she says are “perfect for matching up one with each month of the new year…whether you are a writer or not.”
I think I will refer to this list when I need extra motivation and inspiration to continue in the pursuit of “the solitary, frustrating, and often painful occupation of writing.”

My Top 12 For 2017

Comments are closed here but you can leave a comment on the blogger’s page.

Have a great weekend, everyone!
❤

Author Interview with Lisa Montanino

Published on July 15, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry4 Comments

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Hello, Lisa! So happy to have this opportunity to interview you.
Tell us a little about yourself and your background.
Born and raised on Long Island, NY to two extraordinary parents. The rest is your typical… boring history.

Were you good at English?
I was a great English student, honors classes and even minored in English Literature at University.

Which writers inspire you?
I could shoot off some of the great novelists of our time but lately I’m super impressed with English and American opinion journalists that can make me laugh and I can agree with, like The Independent’s Grace Dent, Evening Standard’s Faye Maschler, Time Out NY’s Jillian Anthony, and Robert Levin of AM NY to name some.

Give us a blurb for your latest book.
Feedback, a novel by Lisa Montanino, takes you on a yearlong journey in the life of Claire Convenzionale—a prominent radio deejay in New York City who breaks off an engagement with her fiancé and feels like her world has fallen apart. Little do her fans know of the turmoil behind Claire’s voice as she bravely broadcasts Monday through Friday. With the arrival of two interns—Shane Salinger and Jared Parker, Claire finds that they are surprisingly funny and inspiring forces that will help her regain her optimist spirit. As time goes on, Claire faces serious issues, requiring her to make difficult choices. All these trials help her build the self-awareness and the courage she will need to silence the sabotaging Feedback she hears in her head.

Give us an insight into your main character. What does she do that is so special? Despite all her sub-conscience and conscience faults, she’s got a lot of heart and she is excellent at her job despite the hell she’s under.

What are you working on at the moment?
Oh, let me think about this. 1. keeping up with my blog. 2. writing a novella and sequel to my first novel, Feedback (this technically counts as 2, right?). 3. working hard at my day job and 4. contributing as a writer for The Revew Review Magazine. And 5. trying to have fun with life as well. Safe to say the books will be out no time soon and there just isn’t enough time in a day!

Which actress would you like to see playing the lead character from Feedback?
Two actresses come to mind, either Michelle Pfeiffer in her heyday – she’d play Claire brilliantly or second choice, Scarlett Johansson though Claire is way taller than this petite chick.

Ooh, I love Scarlett Johansson!
How much research do you do?
Oh loads, I love researching. Guess you could call it an occupational hazard.

Do you write full-time or part-time?
Currently part-time but planning on being a full-time writer when I retire from my day gig.

What is the hardest thing about writing?
I wish I could say anything other than editing.

Do you read much, and if so, who are your favourite authors?
I do, especially daily periodicals like the New York Times, Time Out NY, and countless others. I also love reading anything nutritional or medical as well (I studied these subjects at University). As far as prose writers go, I’m always impressed reading noteworthy ones like John Irving, Chuck Klosterman, Stephen King, Harper Lee, J.D. Salinger, and Agatha Christie.

For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?
I like them both, but I’m more partial to a paperback or hardcover book because no matter how savvy we are in this tech age, nothing beats old school tangibility.

I fully agree!
Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit?
Wish I had done that, but no… I was on a tough time crunch to release it so everyday editing agony for roughly a year.

Which social network worked best for you?
As for marketing and book exposure, definitely Twitter and Facebook. Anything related to writing on the internet can help fellow writers as well.

How do you relax?
When weather permits, one of my ideal ways of chilling out is in front of a fire pit filled with music and laughs with loved ones.

What is your favourite quote?
One of my favorites… “Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.” J.D. Salinger

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Great question, Jennifer. A few things. 1. Love yourself more. 2. You should’ve believed that rockin’ friend of yours was being sincere when he asked you out to date. 3. Savor today instead of wishing for tomorrow. 4. You’ll thank your younger self for taking care of your health and wearing sunscreen – and I do!

Special thanks to Jennifer for interviewing me, she’s an amazing talent and I’m very grateful.
You are more than welcome, Lisa! It was a pleasure; thanks again.