Collecting Book

Interview: Jim Garrison Pens Novel Set in Mekong Delta

Hi! I am Carolyn Howard-Johnson, your trusty New Book Review blogger and author of the multi award-winning HowTo Do It Frugally Series of books for writers. This blog has heretofore been exclusive for reviews but I thought I’d do a special series of interviews after I chatted with Jeanie Loiacono, President of Loiacono Literary Agency – Where ‘can’t’ is not in our vocabulary! I thought sharing the interviews would help the many subscribers and visitors to this New Book Review blog, including authors, reviewers, and, of course, readers who just might find a new favorite author among the featured books and authors.

So, today welcome Jim Garrison.

What is your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction?I mostly write fiction, typically a cross between genre and literary fiction. My first novel, QL 4, is both historical fiction and a literary crime novel set in the Mekong Delta in 1970 during the Vietnam War.
What made you want to be a writer? As long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with books and the doors they open, both in the mind and in life. So I thought, Why not create my own literary canvas drawn from my experiences and observations and render these tales in a way that entertains and informs?
Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? There were many writers of all stripes who inspired me, but Ernest Hemingway is probably the one who gave me the writing bug in my teens, especially A Farewell to Arms.
What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? Going back to when I practiced law, I start with a lump of clay: ideas jotted down on sticky notes and scratch paper, then in a notebook dedicated to the novel. The first part of the notebook may be ruminations about characters or even a story arc. As the concept develops, I begin a list of characters with their descriptions and back story, a timeline, and a chapter outline (based on different scenes). To start writing, I “outline” in a way that usually ends up getting every scene and character down on paper. Next I flesh out the story (description, characters, and dialogue) in long hand until I have a complete novel that may be hundreds of pages. I try to be flexible; writing chapters out of order, revising, deleting, changing course. From those handwritten pages, I type a manuscript, which I deem my first real draft.
Do you write every day? How much? How long? When I’m not travelling, I usually write or edit, every day, but I have no set schedule (and my writing may take other forms than fiction, from poetry to legal documents). When I’m working on a novel, I usually spend no more than two or three hours a day unless I have a deadline.
Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? How can you write without reading: fiction, nonfiction, current events, poetry, comics?The wider your range of knowledge, the deeper your insights into people, the human condition, everything. Also, knowing what the reading public reads helps the author write for his or her chosen audience.
What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? Get something on the page, no matter how rough, inelegant, or incomplete. Keep a journal, write a description of a place or person or event. Observe everything and everyone around you. Listen, eavesdrop. Cancel cable television.
Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? From my scant experience, you must have a platform, including a good website that shows you know your subject.
Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? Certainly conferences can be beneficial. Here and there, I’ve picked up some writing tips, but most valuable has been the interaction with other writers and a few agents and editors. I’ve been to the Pike’s Peak Writers Conference several times, as well as to conferences sponsored by the Houston Writers Guild and the Writers’ League of Texas. I also attended the Maui Writers Conference once in its heyday.
Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? https://jamesdgarrison.wordpress.com/ Johnnie Bernhard with Loiacono Literary Agency represents my novel QL4 (available for acquisition), a brutally honest, unflinchingly poetic, final test for a disillusioned American GI as he searches for an honorable way out of his predicament during the Vietnam War. http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/jim-garrison/

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENTS

Agent Johnnie Bernhard is a former English teacher and journalist whose life’s work has been writing and reading. A published author, her work has appeared in newspapers and magazines, both nationally and internationally. Johnnie believes that good writing has the ability to transform and transport the reader.

Her novel, A Good Girl, a second finalist in the 2015 William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition, is available for acquisition.

Bernhard Events Featured Writer for Gulf Coast Writer’s Association

Genres: Literary Fiction, Women’s Literature, Faith-Based Literature, Southern Literature, Historic Fiction, Memoir, and Nonfiction.

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency

A facilitator of dreams, Jeanie Loiacono represents over eighty authors. Her forte is mystery, romance, thrillers, historical/military/southern fiction, and all quality fiction/nonfiction. Her passion is to see her authors succeed.
“There is nothing more rewarding than to hold one of my author’s books and know I helped bring it to fruition. I am so blessed and privileged to be able to work with some of the most talented writers in the world.” Jeanie.L@llallc.net www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE INTERVIEWS--TO FIND GREAT READING OR TO NETWORK WITH AUTHORS--PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG. YOU ARE A WELCOME ADDITION TO THIS FAMILY WHO LOVES BOOKS! YOU'LL FIND A WINDOW TO DO THIS AT THE TOP OF THIS BLOG PAGE.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Army Wife Pens Fiction in Several Genres

Hi! I am Carolyn Howard Johnson, your trusty New Book Review blogger and author of the multi award-winning HowTo Do It Frugally Series of books for writers. This blog has heretofore been exclusive for reviews but I thought I’d do a special series of interviews after I chatted with Jeanie Loiacono, President of Loiacono Literary Agency – Where ‘can’t’ is not in our vocabulary! I thought sharing the interviews would help the many subscribers and visitors to this New Book Review blog, including authors, reviewers, and, of course, readers who just might find a new favorite author among the featured books and authors.

So, today welcome Jodie Cain Smith.

As a teen in Mobile, Alabama, Jodie Cain Smith listened as her grandmother told her the gripping story of an adolescence spent in 1930’s rural Alabama, the rumors surrounding her parents, and the murder trial that would alter her life. The tale took root in Jodie’s memory until at last it became The Woods at Barlow Bend (Published by Deer Hawk Publications).

While attending the University of South Alabama, where Jodie earned a BFA in Theatre Arts, she met her husband Jay. They began their life on the Army road in 2001 and have not stopped moving since. As an Army Wife, she has lived in six different states spanning from the extreme heat of Texas to the blizzards of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where she earned a MAE in School Counseling at Northern Michigan University, to most recently landing in South Carolina.

Jodie Cain Smith’s feature articles and columns have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Military Spouse’s Soul, The Petigru Review, The Savannah Morning News, and the Fort Hood Sentinel.

What is your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction? My novel, The Woods at Barlow Bend, is fiction and classified under mystery, coming of age, and historical fiction. It is closely based on a true story set in the Great Depression. My second novel, Jubilee Bells, to be released by January 2017, is commercial fiction.

What made you want to be a writer? My life as a storyteller began in 8^th Grade. I loved the free form of storytelling as an oral art. I began seeking out storytelling and speech competitions and then studied acting in high school and college. As an adult, I found writing to be the creative outlet I needed as an Army Wife, facing new challenges, loneliness, and fear. Writing my own stories became my best coping skill. Finally in 2011, after a decade of starting over in each new town we moved to, and starting and stopping too many careers to count, I decided to give fiction writing my full attention. Being a writer allows me more control over this transient, military life, and returning to my storyteller roots feels like the most comfortable, old, ratty sweatshirt I own. It’s not pretty, but it’s mine.

Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? Joshilyn Jackson inspires me constantly. She thanked her writing group in Atlanta in the acknowledgements of A Grown-up Kind of Pretty, which told me even an A-list author needs a trusted inner circle to hone her craft.

What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? I always start with writing an opening, that first moment in which I hear the narrator’s or protagonist’s voice. Then I stop and create a loose outline. I map out scenes and consider Uta Hagen’s Nine Questions (created for actors) for my protagonist and supporting characters in order to get to know them so I can allow their goals to drive the story. Then, I typically travel down rabbit holes and along long tangents before finally figuring out what I want the story to be. Then, I start over. It is a long, maddening process.

Do you write every day? How much? How long? This one I stole from Steven King. I try to write at least three new pages a day Monday through Friday. I rarely write on weekends, unless I am on deadline. Lately, my nine-month-old dictates how much writing I do, so I try to be flexible in order not to drive us both crazy.

Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? Yes. I wish I had time to read more because the more I learn about the craft of writing, the more investigative reader I become. I love discovering other writers’ tactics, devices, and styles. And I don’t think I will ever fully understand this craft, so I have to keep learning.

What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? Seek out industry experts. Don’t let your ego kill your story. If you think a passage is the wittiest words ever strung together in a sentence, it probably needs to be cut. And after all that, trust your instincts. Your story is your story.

Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? Unless you’re a Kardashian, solo signing events are not worth your time. I have found that as a new author, my best sales come from group events such as New Author Night at chain bookstores or library local author events. I know. Telling someone that you will have higher sales at a chain store rather than an indie is blasphemy, but as a new author I have learned that I need to seek out venues with a guaranteed stream of traffic. Once I get them at the table, my pitch usually does the job, but I struggle getting traffic through the door.

Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? Yes, I do. I have gained valuable information and have met many writers whom I now include in my inner circle of writing buddies. At the Columbia Book Festival in 2012, I met an editor from Kirkus. He offered specific advice on getting published, not the generalities so prevalent in the blogosphere. I followed his advice to the letter and eight months later, I had a contract in my hands! At the 2013 South Carolina Writers’ Workshop Conference, I soaked up every tasty morsel of the “Editor’s Pet Peeves” session, and, in 2014, I came home with the tools to revamp my website. Conferences, in my opinion are always worth the time and money, if for no other reason than to be around like-minded individuals in a professional and entertaining environment. Two days to leave my solitary writing cave and nerd-out with 200 other writers over the craft of writing? Sign me up, please!

Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? My books are available online at: Amazon BAM B&N BookWorld COPIA FishPond Powell's Books Shelfari The Book Depository Wheeler's Books Goodreads Angus & Robertson iDreamBooks LitLovers

The Woods at Barlow Bend Reviews The Woods at Barlow Bend book trailer

Local author writes of death and loss, based on a true family story By Julia Rogers Hook

USA alumna hosts release party for first novel

www.jodiecainsmith.com Jodie Cain Smith Events

To learn more about Jodie Cain Smith and her thoughts on ruling, renovating, and escaping her corner of the world visit her blog The Queendom at http://thequeendom.org After what I hope will be our last long-distance move in January, I will update you with future event details.

Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency, Jeanie Loiacono http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/jodie-cain-smith/

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Interview: Author's Admiration of McCarthy and Honoring Mother Inspire Writing Career

So, today welcome Chuck Walsh.

Chuck Walsh, author of Shadows On Iron Mountain, Backwoods Justice, A Month of Tomorrows, A Passage Back and A Splintered Dream is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, and discovered a passion for writing in 2004. Since then, he has written human-interest articles for a dozen publications. He also co-authored Faces of Freedom (featured on Sean Hannity’s book list), a book that recognizes the noble lives of U.S. soldiers who died while fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan.

ENDORSEMENTS

“Chuck Walsh is one of the most committed, passionate, and talented writers I’ve had the pleasure of working with and reading in a long time. [He] constantly seeks new ways to refine his already solid work. Chuck Walsh is one of the best. He writes, not for himself, but for his readers.”

—Thomas Smith, Jr. author, Encyclopedia of the Central Intelligence Agency

“Chuck Walsh is a master storyteller, a writer of extraordinary sensitivity and craftsmanship. Walsh’s fiction shows an uncommon understanding of his characters and their relationships. His writing is both dynamic and economical, with a special energy in dialogue that keeps the reader turning pages.”

— Charles Israel, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of English

What is your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction? Fiction – historical, murder/suspense, literary fiction

What made you want to be a writer? My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer ten years ago, and I wanted to write something to show how much she meant to me. And I decided to write A Passage Back, which is about a man who has an accident after the death of his mother and goes back in time to his childhood. As I began writing the book, something sparked to life within me, making me feel as though my life’s calling had been unveiled.

Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? Cormac McCarthy--no one else comes close. McCarthy is the best fiction writer, in my opinion, of all time. His ability to create stories that pit battles between good and evil, God and Satan, heaven and hell, is beyond anything I’ve ever read. Before I work on my novels, I will pick up one of his books, read about fifteen pages or so, and it inspires me to be the absolute best writer I can be.

What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? I would describe myself as a storyteller. I truly try to create characters that readers will feel they know intimately, and I want those characters immersed in compelling situations. Most of these characters are based on people I have a strong connection to which fuels a great passion to fully reveal the desires of their hearts, their joy, their pain, and their fear. The settings of my books are integral and I love to paint the picture, whether it’s the deep backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains, or the simplicity of a baseball field on a summer afternoon. I do not outline. Each book begins as an idea and it develops on its own. It becomes an entity, growing slowly, and I just try to find the words to put it in print.

Do you write every day? How much? How long? Working full time, it’s impossible for me to write every day. By the time I get home, my mind is so frazzled, there is no creativity left. Therefore I write on weekends and holidays, beginning early where I spend hour after hour getting into the character’s minds, and into the setting. I can go 10 to 12 hours once I begin.

Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? I think reading is vital for an author. It opens him to worlds he might not have ever known, and it inspires, and often teaches, the writer how to develop a story. Not in the sense he can copy or mimic, because I think every writer’s mind works differently, and that they can only write what they know; what their mind creates.

What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? Write about people and places that will fuel a passion within you. If you have a connection to the characters and the setting, it will make you want to expend full effort to make the readers develop a passion for them too.

Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? Work as hard as you can to make the book the best it can possibly be. Believe in yourself. To me, the most successful venues are book signings that I set up. I solicit help from people in that area who I know that will help spread the word. Have signings at places that are fun for the readers. I’ve had signings at restaurants, at sports bars, minor league ballparks (for my baseball-themed novel, A Splintered Dream). If you go in blindly to a location and have to count on strangers to “stumble” upon you, the odds of them buying your book(s) are slim. Be choosy in the literary festivals you attend. It’s tough to sell books, at least that’s my experience, at places where they have no idea who you are. I will sell 5 times more books at a two-hour signing that I have organized and orchestrated, than I can attending a day long festival.

Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? I think for those starting out conferences are beneficial in networking and getting yourself in front of agents and publishers and other writers. Once you have established yourself with an agent, and your books are being published, then you can use online tools to learn ways to help promote your books.

Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? You can find me at www.chuckwalshwriter.com Chuck Walsh Events Facebook Twitter Goodreads Amazon Author Page My books are available on Amazon B&N Fish Pond Book Depository BAM Waterstones IndieBound Google Play Kobo Powell's Books Wheeler's Books Book World Angus & Robertson Copia Scribd Shelfari The Book Depository Waterstones WH Smith Wheelers GoodReads My first book, A Month of Tomorrows, is available also on audible.com.

My next event will be at Columbia College in late January and I will be appearing at two book club gatherings in February. Visit my website for exact dates.

Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency, Jeanie Loiacono http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/chuck-walsh/

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency

Interview: Daniel Lorti Borrows from Background in Arms for Historical Fiction

So, today welcome Daniel Lorti.

A writer of factual fiction, Daniel Lorti has written several works, The Avignon Legacy is his second novel. He is currently working on his third, a romantic thriller.

Lorti has a B.S.E. (summa cum laude) and an M.S.E from Arizona State University. An aerospace engineer with a military sensors, weapons, and intelligence background, he was Chief Radar Engineer for the Northrop Grumman Corporation for many years. In 1995, he was appointed to President Clinton’s twenty-member conference committee for Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland. As an international arms broker he conducted business in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. In 2003, he and his partners sold a highly classified aerospace company to Northrop Grumman. He currently resides in Southern California.

What is your genre? My novel, The Avignon Legacy is a historical fiction.
What made you want to be a writer? I started by writing two movie scripts, after seeing a particularly terrible movie (can’t remember the title). While attending Screenwriter’s Conference and National Film Institute offerings in Los Angeles, I learned producers generally rely on their own screenwriters. I decided to write a novel, hoping to enter the back door that way.
Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? I enjoy action-adventure fiction. I pay special attention to the author’s style. I’ve feasted on Lee Child, Clive Cussler, Tom Clancy, John Sandford, Stuart Woods, Robert B. Parker, Dan Brown and Daniel Silva, to name a few.
What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly, By scene? Why? It’s probably a mixture of John Sandford and Robert B. Parker. I do outline and also rely on a characters list and chapter, section and subsection summaries, as I go along. My outlines are linear, mostly chronological which includes scenes and notes. I found them very helpful with multi-plots, and their integration in the body of the novel is simplified.
Do you write every day? How much? How long? I do try to write every day. The time varies, but no more than three hours at a sitting.
Do you think reading is important to writing for an author? Why? Reading is important to me for several reasons: first, it puts me in a mood; second, I get ideas or identify a variance, which would work in my writing; and third, it adds to my written vocabulary.
What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? Don’t get discouraged and start small. Experiment. Try writing a short synopsis of your concept and then view it from the standpoint of the oft-cited three acts. I started with movie scripts, wrote three novels, penned a two-man play, and even entered a national poetry contest with an original twenty-one-line poem.
Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? I wish. Thank goodness for my agent who sends a steady flow of material on the subject to me. As soon as my book is distributed, I’ll hit the dusty trail.
Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? Conferences and classes are useful when you’re starting out. Find out what the others learned and see if it strikes a chord. After I had written my first novel, I found a terrific novel consultant who critiqued it thoroughly. I grew a thick skin. However, there are excellent publications, Writer’s Digest for one.
Where can we find you, your books, and when is your next event? I reside in Newport Beach, California, working on my fourth novel. I have a great and I’m looking forward to all promotional events. I do have a web site, www.danielclorti.com . Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency, Jeanie Loiacono http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/daniel-c-lorti/

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency

A facilitator of dreams, Jeanie Loiacono represents over eighty authors. Her forte is mystery, romance, thrillers, historical/military/southern fiction, and all quality fiction/nonfiction. Her passion is to see her authors succeed.

“There is nothing more rewarding than to hold one of my author’s books and know I helped bring it to fruition. I am so blessed and privileged to be able to work with some of the most talented writers in the world.” Jeanie.L@llallc.net www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com