Hello friends and fellow writers
The last two years of Covid concerns have put a damper on in-person writer groups here in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia and elsewhere. I did manage to attend a retreat at lovely Capon Springs this past September and met several interesting writers. With that inspiration, I submitted a poem to the Anthology of Appalachian Writers sponsored by Shepherd University. I'm pleased to announce my entry entitled "Homecoming" will appear in the next issue scheduled to be released in April, 2022. As part of the celebration, best-selling author Barbara Kingsolver will be the author of note. I've read several of her books and loved all of them. I'm currently reading UNSHELTERED. The story alternates chapters in a dual narrative, a technique I enjoy.
Both 2020 and 2021 Florida Writers Association conferences were virtual with many fine presenters and lots of great information and inspiration. One that stood out for me in the 2020 conference was a presentation on Dual Narratives by author Sarah Penner. Sarah's book THE LOST APOTHECARY was released in March 2021. Fox Entertainment has reportedly signed this mesmerizing story for a television series. Read the description on Sarah's website for this must-read story.
My own dual narrative story is my historical fiction ghost story: BEYOND THE STONE EAGLE GATE.This technique works especially well for historical fiction when a writer connects to a present-day character. My two narrators were separated by a shorter span of time than Sarah's two hundred years. Since my story is a ghost story, I had to tell the story of the ghost as well as the orphan boy. Read to find out their connection.
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As many of you know, I am now living near Shepherdstown, WV, a beautiful, historic town on the Potomac. Softcover print copies of my historical fiction ghost story BEYOND THE STONE EAGLE GATE are available at the Four Seasons Bookstore in Shepherdstown, WV. Digital copies can be obtained on Amazon, Kobo, Tolino, Baker and Taylor, Scribd, and Barnes and Noble. If you're not near Shepherdstown, you can order print copies from On-Line stores such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
My middle grade story THE WHISPERING CHIMNEY had its debut Nov. 28, 2019. In this story eleven-year-old Bethany discovers a mysterious stone chimney on a ridge behind her family's rented farm. What happens there opens her eyes to both the past and the present. The question is: can crossing back in time kill her? |
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Four Seasons Bookstore's anthology of ghost stories was released October 2020. My submission "The Water's Edge" was included.
For my fellow writers: I am now available for editing help. See my Contact page for more information.
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Jeremiah Lucky and the Guardian Angel
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Review of The Whispering Chimney
A story of love and courage, The Whispering Chimney enthralled me from the first page until the last. Set amidst the well-described beauty of rural West Virginia, eleven-year-old Bethany discovers the ghosts of a bygone era still walk along the hills. This window on the past becomes clearer, and draws the reader deep into struggles once endured. Recommended for young readers as an interwoven tale of the long-past and challenging present. Sharon Keller Johnson author of Milky Way Rising and Lure of the Grove. |
Review
A tale of betrayal and courage, told with eloquence and beauty, BEYOND THE STONE EAGLE GATE traces the footsteps of David, a runaway orphan, to his ultimate victory over treacherous circumstances in rural 1893 Tennessee. Nancy Stewart, author of BEULAH LAND. |
