Welcome to Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established authors and their books.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Stevie Turner. Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
Go ahead and Introduce yourself. Tell us your name and where you’re from.
I’m Stevie Turner, born and bred in London, but now live in the East Anglia region of England.
How many siblings do you have?
None, unfortunately. I am an only child.
What songs have you completely memorized?
I’m very musical, and find it easy to memorize the lyrics to songs. Therefore, there must be hundreds that I can sing from start to finish, but probably only if they were a hit before 1990!
Lol. What’s your favorite color?
Yellow.
Yellow is beautiful. What was your childhood dream?
To become a doctor, but as I’m virtually number illiterate, that was never going to happen.
As you know, we be in here jamming it out on Throwback Thursday so I have to ask, what kind of music do you like?
Rock, reggae and blues, probably in that order. Also like some classical, but not opera or jazz.
Not Jazz!? What is wrong with you Stevie! Lol. Let’s get a little serious, what do you think of this world we live in?
Technology has advanced so much since I was a child in the 1960’s. It has now given us people addicted to social media who are looking down at their phones all day. What with online bullying of schoolchildren these days who are afraid to play out in the street, global warming, and terrible ‘music’ that just sounds like people shouting, I’m glad I was born in the late 1950’s, that’s all I can say.
Man, you are so right. I love hearing stories from that time. It is also why I loved your memoir. Can you tell us about some of the major differences you see between let’s say 1960 and 2017 that you haven’t already mentioned?
There were no mobile phones and microwave ovens in 1960, and not all homes even had washing machines or a landline phone (I was 18 before my parents got a landline phone and a washing machine). Our TV in 1960 had 3 channels, and the last program finished at 10pm, when the National Anthem played. However, children like myself didn’t watch a lot of TV. I played outside for hours in the streets with friends, roamed around my local area unsupervised, walked to school on my own, and stayed at home by myself from the age of 9 during school holidays while my parents worked, making my own decisions, right or wrong. Children were free. My granddaughters are guarded 24/7, and if the 11-year-old even goes across the road to call for a friend, her mother is constantly ringing her phone to make sure she is okay. My granddaughter complains to me that she is given no freedom. I feel so lucky that I was a child in the 1960’s!
Wow. I asked my in-laws this same question and my mom-in-law gave the same answer. She said that when she was little it was safer for her to go out and play. My dad-in-law said people treated each other better. I love hearing stories about the 50s and 60s. I will sit and ask you questions all day lol. What TV channel exists but really shouldn’t?
MTV.
In your own words, what is truth?
Truth is how we are meant to live, to live true to ourselves. If we are living a lie it will make us unhappy. Truth is being able to sleep with a clear conscience. Truth is the way forward.
“Truth is the way forward.” I like that. What do you hate most about writing advice? What do you love?
I hate reading blogs about writing where the blogger has stated advice that is common sense and doesn’t really need to be stated, obviously because he / she cannot think of anything else to write about. Stop it! However, I love it when I actually read some great advice and learn something from it.
But common sense is anything but common, right? What if what is common sense to you is confusing and unclear to someone else?
Yes, you have a good point Yecheilyah. What is common sense to me might not be to somebody else. As with all the other answers, I have given my own opinion. However, there are some blogs which I read and I think to myself…does this really need to be said?
True, true. You’re right. Speaking of blogging, does it help you to write?
No, it distracts me from writing. Time has to be taken ‘building up a platform’ and that includes publishing a blog every day to gain a wider audience. It has to be done, but I’d rather be writing a novel.
Interesting. What skill would you like to master?
To play the piano. I could only master up to Grade 4.
I would LOVE to play the piano. What would your favorite writing / reading room look like?
A view out to open fields, air conditioning, and total silence. Hey, it seems I already have that in my front room!
What takes up too much of your time?
Marketing and promoting my books. A necessary evil I’m afraid.
I feel you. If you had unlimited funds to build a house that you would live in for the rest of your life, what would the finished house look like?
At least 6 bedrooms for the children and grandchildren to stay in when they like, three or four bathrooms, a swimming pool, a gym, and a huge room for parties. My house would be in the arse end of nowhere in the countryside, all on its own. I’d have my own writing room as well!
What’s your favorite drink?
Water, closely followed by green tea.
Yea, I have to admit, green tea is the bomb.
Stevie, we learned a lot! Thank you for spending time with us!
Stevie Turner retired early from her post as a medical secretary in a busy NHS hospital to concentrate on writing suspense, women’s fiction, and humorous novels. She won a New Apple Book Award in 2014 and a Readers’ Favorite Gold Award in 2015 for her book ‘A House Without Windows’, and one of her short stories, ‘Checking Out’, was published in the Creative Writing Institute’s 2016 anthology ‘Explain!’ Her psychological thriller ‘Repent at Leisure’ won third prize in the 2016 Drunken Druid Book Award contest, and her thriller screenplay ‘For the Sake of a Child’ won a silver award in the Spring 2017 Depth of Field International Film Festival, and it will now be read, along with the other winners, by a major independent film production company in Los Angeles.
Stevie lives in the East of England with her husband Sam, and she signed a contract with Creativia Publishers in 2016. She has also branched out into the world of audio books. ‘The Daughter-in-law Syndrome’, ‘A House Without Windows’, ‘No Sex Please, I’m Menopausal!’, ‘The Noise Effect’, Lily: A Short Story, ‘A Rather Unusual Romance’, and ‘Waiting in the Wings’ are all available as audio books. Some of her books have also been translated into German, Spanish and Italian.
Welcome to Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established authors and their books.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Patty Fletcher. Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
Go ahead and Introduce yourself. Tell us your name and where you’re from.
My name is Patty L. Fletcher, and I am from a town in Northeast Tennessee in the United States called Kingsport.
Nice to meet you Patty! What would your perfect reading/writing room look like?
It’s funny you should ask. I am currently redoing the home I live in. Even though it is a rental, I feel very much as if it were my forever home, and thanks to a special grant I have recently received due to being Multiply disabled, the owner and property manager have given me a free hand. My perfect reading/writing room is going to have soft comfortable furniture for lounging, so that when I have free time or I’m working on a book review for another author, I’ll have a relaxing place to sit and read. I am also going to put in a desk for writing which will have plenty of room for my computer, Bluetooth keyboard, and other writing implements. Of course, I’ll have a big dog bed because I have a big beautiful beast of a Labrador from The Seeing Eye and he will need a place to hang out while Mommy works. There are two wonderful windows in the room, and I’m going to put in new shades so that when the sun is shining and temperatures allow, they can be open wide to let in the light, and breezes that seem to always blow through. I’ll have a big rag rug on the floor and even a bean-bag chair. I’m excited to be designing this room, and cannot wait until my dog and I can hang out in there all the time.
Wow! I think it’s so cool that you get to design your perfect room now. Congratulations on the grant too! You’re winning Patty. What is the most annoying habit that you have?
I believe the most annoying habit I have is that I obsess about things. If I get something stuck in my head like a problem that has not been resolved, I cannot let it go until it is resolved in some way. This can affect my writing because if I have a passage of a book, or blog post that I’m working on and it doesn’t feel right to me I’ll work, and work on it until it does. Thus, leaving other tasks undone.
In your own words what is love?
Love is being able to give all of yourself to another, yet still retaining your individuality. It is knowing all there is to know about another and still being able to be with them no matter what. It is being able to dislike something they do, say, or are, and still being able to find room in your heart for them, and it should always be unconditional.
That’s beautiful Patty. I LOVE it. Favorite line: “Love is being able to give all of yourself to another, yet still retaining your individuality.“ You mentioned blogging, does blogging help you to write?
Yes, Blogging Helps me to write. When I discovered blogging I realized I had a way to connect with those who had read my first published book, Campbell’s Rambles: How a Seeing Eye Dog Retrieved My Life, in a whole new way. Recently I was interviewed for a podcast, and they asked me about my blogging. I told them I called it “Reality Blogging” because I didn’t necessarily plan my writing. I just wrote what happened as it happened.” I write what I see and do. I write what I feel. I write what others do to me, for me, and with me, and how that works or doesn’t work in my life. I use it to publish excerpts of things I’m working on. Someone asked me why I do that, and I said, “Because I can get feedback from the ones who are going to buy my books, and find out what they like, or dislike about it. It is my way of sharing who and what I am. It has helped me to grow in all ways as a person, thus it has helped me grow as an author as well.
Indeed. So, Patty, what’s your favorite food?
Well, that’s hard. I suppose there are many reasons that I was matched with a Labrador for a guide, because just like a Lab I’ll just about eat anything that won’t eat me. I suppose if I had to name a food I really love it would be fried shrimp. I could eat my weight’s worth of the stuff. Just give me a big mountain of Fried shrimp and a large cup of dipping sauce, along with a large jug of Micro-Brew and watch me go!
Nooo. Not Shrimp! Lol. Who is your favorite writer?
My favorite writer of all time is Stephen King. Not only do I love to be scared silly, but I find his books, such as, The Dark Tower Series, 11/22/63, The Bill Hodges Trilogy, The Talisman, Black House, and Joy land, have helped me learn things about myself in ways that nothing I have ever read before has done. I love how he writes notes to his, “Constant Reader” and although his books aren’t Nonfiction, they touch on reality in a unique way.
I loved King’s On Writing. If you could shadow your favorite artist who would it be?
This answer is the same as above. ‘Laughing’ 😊 Stephen King. It is my Dream to meet him. Sit and talk with him, and have him read my book.
Lol Hee hee. OK. Now, as you may know The PBS Blog loves music. What kind of music do you like?
I love Classic Rock! From the 50’s 70’s and 80’s as well as heavy metal. I was a teenager in the 80’s and got really into the Big Hair Bands.
OK, I see you. Heavy Metal. Lil wild there huh Patty? Lol. When did you publish your first book? What was that like?
I Self-Published my first book in 2014. It was a thrill like nothing I’ve ever experienced, and probably will never experience again. It had always been a dream of mine to do so, and when I was finally able to accomplish it I was never so happy or proud. Oh! Yeah! I was terrified, because I wrote about my life, and the people in it, but I had to. The story was just too good to keep to myself.
Nice. I love it that I’m meeting all these memoir writers! Ya’ll are gonna have to give me a lesson or two. Patty, I sense you have a good heart. Who is your best friend?
My very best friend in the whole wide world is King Campbell Lee Fletcher Super Seeing Eye Dog A.K.A Bubba. He goes everywhere with me, doesn’t care that I’m thin or fat. It doesn’t bother him that I am blind, and he is ever happy. He can lift me out of the muck of depression like no other. He keeps all my secrets, and listens no matter what I have to say, and he answers all my questions and never cares how many I ask. He is always there for me, and you remember how I said love should always be unconditional? Well, he’s got that down pat! There won’t ever be a friend like him in my world again after he’s gone. Even though I’m sure I’ll have more guides, he’s absolutely the best friend ever ever ever in my life.
Patty, I understand that you’re blind. Can you share with us some insight into how that impacts your writing? What is it like being a blind writer? What makes it special?
I guess I don’t think of it much. The most challenging thing I think for me as a Blind Writer are the different methods of Technology, and how compatible they’re going to be with my Operating System, and Screen Reader, or Iphone Voice-Over.
What makes it Special? Well, the telling a story in such a way so that the Sighted Reader gets a glimpse into the World of a Blind Person. I have been Complimented many times in Topic Specific Social Media Groups that unless a Specific Topic came up, most did not know, or if they did, had forgotten that I was Blind. This means I’m functioning as “Anyone else would.”
I simply love to write. I want everyone to feel as I feel, Hear as I hear, and experience with all my senses, and how they work.
A Reader came to me one day and taking my hand said, “I read your book! I loved it! I cried, laughed, got angry, and scared, all in the same moment.” I laughed, squeezing her hand and said, “Of course! A Bipolar wrote it” Turns out for her, my Blindness wasn’t the Amazing part, and if that is so, I really did my job! 😊
Ms. Fletcher paints a vivid picture of her experience in training for a guide dog under difficult personal circumstances. A must read for those contemplating the move from a cane to a guide dog, as well as those interested in the physical and mental obstacles faced by the blind. – Amazon Customer Review
That’s amazing. I hope you’re listening writers! Patty is blind and still writes books. You, my writer friends, have no excuse. 🙂 ….Patty, what do you think of the world we live in?
Right now, the world we live in, in my opinion needs a big kick in the ass. There is too much hate. Too much negativity, and entirely too much judgmental behavior going on. We need more love. More peace, and more acceptance, but as a whole, I know there are still lots of great people places, and things left and I want to find each and every one of them. Draw all them out, and help make the rest of the world a better, and brighter place to live.
Lol! I know that’s right *pumps fist* What is the most thought provoking book you ever read?
The most thought provoking book I’ve ever read has thus far been Wolves of the Calla Book Five of The Dark Tower Series. It helped me to define allot of fears I have wrestled with for many years in my life, and I was able to begin to address them, and overcome them after having read it.
Why is writing important to you?
Writing is important to me because it allows me to express my whole self. If I’m writing SF (Which I’m finally getting the nerve to do) I can allow myself to come out in my characters in ways I haven’t yet been able to do. If I’m writing about something that hurts me I can express it fully because if I’m writing about it, rather than speaking directly to another I can say all I have to say without being interrupted, scolded or made to feel small. It allows another to read my thoughts, digest them and then react. Some call this being non-confrontational. I don’t know? Maybe it is, but for me it is the best thing on earth.
Patty, it was truly a pleasure. Thank you for spending time with us!
Patty L. Fletcher lives in Kingsport, TN, where she is a nonprofit consultant, the creator of The Neighborhood News, and writes full time.
Her autobiographical book is Campbell’s Rambles: How a Seeing Eye Dog Retrieved My Life (C 2014). There, she tells how she obtained her first guide dog from The Seeing Eye® in Morristown, NJ: what motivated her, the extensive training she had, and the good friends she made.
For more details about her and her book, including where to purchase the book in e-book or print format go to: www.dvorkin.com/pattyfletcher/
Welcome to Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established authors and their books.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Brenda Scruggs. Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
What is your name and where are you from?
Hello, my name is Brenda Scruggs and I live in the Volunteer State -Tennessee.
Cool. My in-laws are in Memphis. Are you married? How long?
I will be married 24 years this April.
Hey! Gone head witcha bad self then. Happy anniversary! Who is your best friend?
I couldn’t ask for a better friend than my husband. His support and encouragement is more than I than I could ever imagine.
Awwue. Yaass. I love it. If you had unlimited funds to build a house that you would live in for the rest of your life, what would the finished house be like?
It would be a Mediterranean Style house. I love the openness of the floor plans. And, the house frames are different than a traditional house.
Nice. Are you employed outside of writing? Tell us about your job.
By day, I work as a Merchandiser for Foster Grant and American Greetings, by night, I am a finger typing writer, as my husband would call me.
In your own words, what is love?
Love is more than words, its action. My definition of Love would be Selflessness – putting others above yourself.
Protector by Brenda Scruggs is Coming Soon. Image Used with permission.
I LOVE that definition! Selflessness. Yes. What genre do you write in, why?
At the moment, I’ve written Christian Fiction Romance/Suspense. One that is currently in print, “The Chocolatier,” a story that downloaded in my head one day when someone asked me if I wanted a piece of chocolate, my response was, “I’m not fond of Chocolate.” Which is true, growing up, I remember, I always chose any other desert before I picked chocolate. (Crazy, I know). Another “Protector,” is to be released soon. But, my work in progress, is Historical Romance. I believe with Romance/suspense gives the reader a little edge wondering how the twists will turn out. The reason I began writing historical fiction is when I started doing research on the area that I’m from. I immediately thought of 1876, and the way the country could’ve appeared. Tennessee has a rich history in horse racing which peeked my interest.
Not fond of chocolate?! Whhaat.
Speaking of works, when did you publish your first book? What was that like?
The feeling an author gets when they first open the box of their printed book is almost indescribable. For me, it was a mixture of jumping up and down then wanted to hug it as if it had been a lost puppy returning home.
I think you’ve just described every writer reading this post! Jumping up and down and hugging the book is definitely a must. What do you hate most about writing advice? What do you love?
Honestly, I don’t hate any writing advice. I can’t grow in my writing if I can’t receive any advice. Proverbs 9:9 “Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.”
Uh oh, she dropping scripts yall! I love it. Prov. 9:9 is one of my favorites.
Does blogging help you to write?
I do believe blogging helps me write. I have two blogs an author blog and Many Hats of a Lady blog. On one, I post and reblog about writing and the other, I have more freedom of posting different subjects. So, I’m continually, thinking and writing something along with my manuscript.
Awesome. Thank you, Brenda, for spending time with us today!
Branda is leaving us with a little treat! Here’s a blurb from The Chocolaiter. Enjoy:
Would her heart learn to trust again? Would she be able to love again? Charlene Callaway finds herself far from home after finding her fiancé with another woman on their wedding day. She moves to San Francisco when her friend convinced her to start a new beginning. But, when she goes to work at a Chocolate Company, she wasn’t ready for her new boss. She wouldn’t let her heart get broken again. Charles Riveria an heir to huge Chocolate Company was content as Director of Marketing. Charles’ passion is to represent Riviera Chocolate making it the best empire in the industry until he literally bumps into Charlene Callaway. When a stalker abducts Charlene, Charles finds himself doing everything in his power to find to her even if it took his cousin, the leader of a black opt team to find her.
Bio. Brenda studied journalism in high school which stirred her imagination into putting words on paper. Years later, she read an author’s interview that awakened the creativity that laid inactive. She gathered her thoughts and laid her pen to paper and hasn’t stopped.
Brenda loves to create stories in either Contemporary or Historical settings that take the reader on travels of conflict and suspense with a flavor of romance. Her characters are strong and determined while facing oppositions that could alter their way of life.
She is married and lives in Tennessee. She takes pleasure in watching television with her husband, eating Mexican food and scribbling her thoughts on paper.
Its that time of the week again! Welcome to another edition of Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established authors and their books.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Hope Destiny. Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
What is your name and where are you from?
My name is Latisha. I write under Tisha as well as the pseudonym Hope Destiny. I live in Orlando, Florida.
The Sunshine state. I love it. Your pseudonym is beautiful. What made you decide on this name in particular?
I was airing out my dirty laundry to the world about what I did when I was younger that I shouldn’t have been doing. As well as the violations I endured and my feelings about my parents. I just didn’t want any family members to know it was me or read it so as I was writing it the name just came to me. I questioned it at first and tried to change it, but God already had planted that seed so it was no way around it or giving it up.
Photo: Latisha “Hope Destiny”. Used with permission.
OK. Tell me, what would your perfect writing / reading room look like?
Quiet. No sound.
To the point, I like it lol. I enjoy silence myself. I understand you are employed outside of writing? Tell us about your job.
I am a Controller at a telecommunications company.
Cool. What’s your favorite color?
Baby blue.
If you could shadow your favorite artist, who would it be?
Eminem.
OK OK, I see you. Cleaning out my closet was my jam back in the day, Lol. Seems like a lifetime ago. Speaking of music, what kind of music do you like?
Slow throwback R&B.
Yaass! Me too. You’ll love PBS Throwback Thursdays. Let’s talk about writing. When did you publish your first book? What was that like?
Part One chronicles my life from a child to the age of 18 years old with the subsequent books from the age of 18 and up. It was heartbreaking to write. I cried a lot. It was hard to recall memories that I had locked up in the attic of my memory to forget and to move on. Then I realized how that only caused the anger that shrouded my heart which in turn lead to failed relationships and failed marriages. I had a wall up. I didn’t love anyone. Not even my own children so it was sad. I gave them things in place of love sort of like I was given growing up. It was an endless vicious cycle that needed to be broken and I wanted…no, needed to break it.
You Don’t Know My Story sounds like a gripping read. I like that cover too. I’m gonna have to check you out as soon as I find the time to read all these books! Hope, how long have you been married?
Almost one year.
Awwue! Go ahead Newlywed Lol. (alright now fellas, you heard it here first, Hope is married, tee hee). Children?
Yes. One girl and two boys.
Total preciousness. What takes up too much of your time?
Life obstacles.
Can you explain that?
There is always something that keeps you from doing things that you want to do. I would love to write every day all day but I can’t. I have a job. No. I have a career. While my imagination runs wild with stories and ideas all day, I crunch numbers as it does. I am the main breadwinner in my entire family. So many responsibilities. My parents. My children. Nieces and nephews and etc always needing things and I have to be the one to give it. Granted…everyone (my siblings mainly) had the same opportunities that I had but no one wanted the responsibility of doing what it took to get it. I am the responsible one. Everyone depend on me so I can’t live in my fantasy writer world that calls me. I have to live in the now so what really takes up a lot of my time? The need and want to put others before my own needs and wants. Other people problems take up a lot of my time.
Yea, I can imagine that’s a huge responsibility and some serious stress. Praying for your strength. Speaking of life, what do you think of the world we live in?
As noted above….time is what I have so little of with a demanding career and family as I have so that is just it…so much to do…so little time….that is my mantra.
Once I do finish a novel, it is euphoric. I have completed a task (a most difficult one) that I had set out to do. It is always exciting to complete a difficult task with very little time.
Indeed. And speaking of finishing, why is writing important to you?
I am always thinking about stories all day, everyday and scenes and such or an idea pops in my head and I always wrote poetry as a child to deal with a lot of anger and hurt of growing up with parents that were there but not there so writing became an outlet as it has now.
Thru all the hurt and pain I endured from a child and on, I learned that writing takes me places and gives me that release I yearn for. A release from pain and misery and I can make it continue or end.. in a story. In a story, it is a life I really control. The characters life is in my hands and they don’t have to be miserable like I was. It is wonderful.
Thank you for spending this time with us. I am sure you’ve given many new authors some Hope today!
Welcome back to Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established authors and their books.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Colin Guest. Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
What is your name and where are you from?
Colin Guest, from England.
What would your perfect writing / reading room look like?
I like writing while sitting on the sofa, which I find less stressful than at my computer desk.
I feel you. I love the big comfy couch in my reading room. What is the most annoying habit that you have?
Working at a Wild Animal Rescue/Rehabilitation Center.
Aww. I love animals. I really really want a dog. Do you have a dog? Any animals?
Until moving to Istanbul when I married age 72, I have had several dogs, and three parrots. As dogs are not allowed in apartments here in Istanbul, I had to leave my dog Oscar with a friend back in Kemer, nr Antalya, where I used to live. I see him each time I go down there, and pay his vet bills. I have adopted a Tiger named Jasper from Care For the Wild/ Born Free for the past ten years, with my wife and I having a cat here in Istanbul.
A Tiger? Wow! What skill would you like to master?
Writing.
There are so many aspects, right? What skill do you think you’ve mastered?
Quality control of inter fit-outs to high-class projects.
Cool. In your own words, what is love?
Love is something you feel when you meet that someone special in your life.
Awwue. I’m definitely feeling the love up in here! If you had unlimited funds to build a house that you would live in for the rest of your life, what would the finished house be like?
Eco-friendly.
I know that’s right. Gonna get a little personal here, what’s your favorite drink?
Vodka Tonic.
Alright now! I’m scared of you. Now, blogging, does it help you to write?
I like to think so.
What’s your favorite color?
Blue.
Who is your favorite writer?
Le Child.
What kind of music do you like?
Many, but I like Jazz.
Ohh me too! Give me a glass of wine with some Jazz in the background and I am good. Now, inquiring minds wanna know, when did you publish your first book? What was that like?
Lol! Wait, how you gonna butter her all up like that then come back with this. I hope you not sleeping on the couch tonight Mr. Spending time with your wife, sheesh.
What do you wish you knew more about?
Writing and good books.
What small things makes your life easier? What makes it difficult?
Being able to phone and have meals delivered to the house. The over-crowded roads.
I feel you. Home delivered meals sounds nice. Colin, are you a political man?
Not really, but I am more of a Conservative.
What’s the most difficult thing about being a writer? The most exciting thing?
Getting publicity for what I write. Satisfaction on completing, having it edited and publishing my books.
Why is writing important to you?
By writing, it gives me satisfaction that others might learn something by reading my books.
I love it. What do you love about yourself?
My understanding of what’s what.
What don’t you like about yourself?
I get angry about the lack of thought by others.
Lol. Whew, Colin you’re something else. What genre do you write in?
Fiction & Non-fiction.
In your own words, what is truth?
Truth is what too many people and politicians don’t know the meaning of. You cannot trust a liar.
I know that’s right.
Thank you, Colin, for spending time with us today, we enjoyed you!
Colin Guest, a retired Englishman, is married and living in Istanbul Turkey. Colin has written three books: An Expat’s Experiences of Living in Turkey, Follow in the Tigerman’s Footsteps, sub-titled the Adventurous Life of an Expat, a memoir and Terror Holiday. He is presently working on a short fiction book and a romantic novel.
Colin also enjoys writing poetry, with several of his poems doing well in contests. As a result of one poem read out at a festival, he was so taken by the reader that he is now working on preparing an audio version of his memoir.
When Colin has the time, he enjoys reading books by Le child, Tom Clancy, Clive Cussler and Eric Ludlum.
You can find out more about Colin at https://colinguestauthor.com and htps://tigerman74.wordpress.com and the other links below! Go show him some love.
Welcome to Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established authors and their books. I am so excited to get started and boy do I have some writers to introduce to you! I have decided to make this a weekly feature and so I’ll be introducing one author a week as long as the spots stay booked.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Paige Addams. Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
What would your perfect writing/reading room look like?
Wall to wall books. Like the library from Beauty and the Beast. Big windows to let in lots of light. A comfy couch and probably a papasan. Inspirational trinkets – geeky and fantasy type things like little pewter dragons or replica weapons from video games and movies I love – on some of the shelves and on my huge desk in the middle of the room. In the rare parts of the room where there’s actual wall instead of built in bookshelves, the paint would reflect the fantasy theme – and I tend to like darker colors in blues, purples, greens, and reds. Something interesting with those colors.
Lol, in theory it would be orderly and maintained, and I’d know where everything is. (notice in my above description that I never mention any kind of filing system… and did not go back to edit that as I’m writing this, because that would be a big fat lie, lol) In reality, it would probably look like a hurricane went through. Bookmarked novels piled up on different surfaces, and my notes strewn around in seeming chaos. But I seem to have magical chaos spider senses or something, because I still somehow know where everything is in the catastrophe that is my writing/reading space.
Wow! I love your writing / reading room! I’d have to invite myself over ; ). Are you employed outside of writing?
Yes – I’m a licensed massage therapist, and I absolutely love it! Originally, I thought I wanted to be a nurse. The medical field fascinates me – the body is amazing when you sit and think about all the things it does on a daily basis, and all the ways each individual system affects the whole. There was always a thought in the back of my mind that I was interested in alternative medicine, but I always kind of ignored that for some reason. I think maybe I wasn’t really confident in what I wanted? Lol, I think what you’re really supposed to be doing keeps coming around to poke at you though. After a couple years of nursing school, I finally switched to massage therapy. Now I can help people without needles, which is awesome. 😊 I do some relaxation work, but most of what I do is focused on things like injuries, headaches/migraines, TMJ, whiplash, carpal tunnel, plantar fasciitis, sciatica, and frozen shoulder. I also do hot stone, and will be continuing my education in fibromyalgia, work with cancer patients, and thai massage. Lol, I’m a bit biased, but I think I have the best clients ever! 😊
That is so cool. I went for Medical Assistance but Massage Therapy sounds way more cool. I always wished I did that instead! Speaking of likes, what do you hate most about writing advice? What do you love?
Lol, if I had to say I hate something about writing advice, it would be the overwhelming feeling that I’m not doing it right – whatever “it” may be for the day. That’s not the fault of the person giving the advice – advice that someone takes the time to sit down, put thought into, and write out to help others is never something I could hate – it’s really more a me and my own insecurities thing. I struggle with confidence, so sometimes when I’m reading advice I can’t help but think I should just scrap everything and start over. I feel like I break a lot of writing rules, so when my confidence is low there’s a danger of me getting stuck in an over-editing loop and accidentally gutting the soul out of whatever I’m working on.
What I love most about writing advice is that I can get a different perspective on things. I spend so long looking at my own writing that I become blind to it. Because I’ve already mapped everything out in my head, and I know where the story will end up, I will automatically fill in any plot holes without really seeing them. I’ll have that sinking feeling that something’s wrong with a scene somewhere, but I just can’t find it. Also, my grammar is not always the best and I have a comma problem – I either sprinkle them haphazardly around like confetti or forget they exist. Lol – I need advice on those things especially. Lots and lots of advice.
Lol. I am terrible with commas! I’m definitely the sprinkle type. I feel you on the not doing anything right thing and I think you’ve just spoken to the heart of all the writers reading this. Insecurity is real so thank you for being genuine. We ALL experience that for sure. Now, what skill or skills would you like to master?
All of them. I think I’m like a jack of all trades, master of none. I’m interested in mastering all kinds of things, and have started learning several. But to actually master them? Lol, that’s another story entirely. I’ve been working on getting my black belt in Tomiki style Aikido – been practicing since 2010-ish I think? This is the skill I’m most passionate about trying to master. I absolutely love this martial art. It’s more about blending with the person, redirecting them, and using their own energy against them. So you don’t have to be bigger or stronger necessarily. It’s considered a “softer style” of martial art. It’s not something I’ll ever master, but I’ll happily work on it the rest of my life though and see how far I can get. 😊 Some of the other skills I want to learn are contact juggling, belly dancing, art (like being able to do portraits of my characters and landscapes of the scenes, maybe in colored pencil?), Ninjutsu, Iaido, and learning other languages (especially Japanese and Polish).
Wow. Gone on ahead then witcha bad self! Belly dancing huh? Don’t get any ideas guys. What would be the most amazing adventure to go on?
In a more peaceful time, I would love to see the world. There are so many beautiful places I would love to go. Gorgeous places in nature I’ve only looked at in National Geographic magazines with my mom. Cities with amazing architecture. Ideally, I’d like to take my mom to see it all too. She’s all about adventure. And the food! Seriously, the food though. I would eat all the things. Like Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, vegan edition.
Cool. If you had unlimited funds to build a house that you would live in for the rest of your life, what would the finished house be like?
First, I would have my own library/writing space. It would be both, and it would be big, lol. I would fill it with books and geeky things. My husband would have his own gaming room (we’re both gamers), also probably with more geeky paraphernalia of various kinds. We’d have an entertainment room for watching movies and setting up my gaming systems because me and the husband don’t share games well, lol. Or we could play together that way too. We’d have several bedrooms, for when we have guests, and a large kitchen with an island and different cooking tools I would learn how to use so we don’t starve or eat out all the time.
There would be a nice big garden where I would grow fruits and vegetables. Maybe a greenhouse for the winter? And a hedge maze, because it sounds fun and why not? Stone paths and archways with vines growing over them.
The house would be built around a private meditation courtyard right in the middle, with shade tolerant plants. The only way to get to it would be through the house. The house would be made of stone on the outside, and have some kind of wrap around porch. I would live just close enough to civilization to easily get to a hospital or the grocery store, but far enough away that I couldn’t see my neighbors. Don’t get me wrong, I like neighbors, but I want a place more like my grandpa’s – kind of out in the country a little. It’s peaceful there.
Wow! Your descriptions are amazing. I can just imagine your books! Lol at geeky paraphernalia. Let’s change the script a little bit. Have any songs memorized?
Lol, I listen to a lot of music, and do a lot of full-volume car singing. Some of them are: every song David Bowie sang in Labyrinth. “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera. “Footsteps” by Pop Evil. “Sally’s Song” from The Nightmare Before Christmas. “Radiator” by Family Force 5. The soundtrack to Queen of the Damned. “My Demons” by Starset. “Holding On To You” by Twenty One Pilots. “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons. “In The Shadows” by The Rasmus. “Star of the County Down” and “Perfect Song” by Enter the Haggis. “Free” by Switchfoot. “Here” by Alessia Cara. “Blossom” by Kerli. “Sleep to Dream” by Fiona Apple. “Kiri” by Monoral. “Duvet” by Boa. There are tons of songs I have memorized, much to my husband’s amusement. Lots of car concerts going on, and random serenading as we pass in the hall.
Car concerts are the absolute best. Sounds like you got a nice mix here far as music then huh?
Lol, I’m kind of an entertainment junkie. I listen to all kinds of music, but my favorites are usually rock and alternative. I really am all over the board though. I love Lindsey Stirling, Gackt, Korn, Linkin Park, Rhianna, Buck-Tick, Celldweller, Elle King, Anberlin, Beyonce, Switchfoot, Flyleaf, The Weeknd, Family Force 5, The Glitch Mob, Poe, and many, many more, lol.
When did you publish your first book? What was that like?
My first book will tentatively be self-published 4/7/17. If not, then the following Friday, definitely. I say “tentatively” because I’m having an issue converting the fantasy map I included in the book on Amazon. My amazing editor has been helping me, and the fantastic designer that did my cover is going to format it for me. Lol, I generally always refer to them as fantastic and amazing because they are genuinely great at what they do, have been endlessly patient with me, and deserve all the praise I can dish out.
I’m both excited and terrified to self-publish. Lol, it’s a scary thing putting a story out there and not knowing how it’ll go. I know my writing won’t be everyone’s cup of tea – maybe they don’t like my genre, or just my particular style of writing. Or maybe I should have re-read some of that advice on grammar, and calmed down on the rampant comma abuse, lol. My editor cleaned it up big time and made it readable though, so I’m thinking it’ll come down to: have I managed to write something that’s entertaining/interesting? We shall see. 😊
I’m feeling more excited and optimistic than scared though. Even if only my mom and close friends buy it, it’ll feel good to finally be doing something with my writing. I kind of feel like I’ve accomplished something. Writing is as important to me as my job as a massage therapist, and to be able to put it out there is a dream come true.
COMING SOON!
Congratulations on the book! Author to be in the house ya’ll! That cover is nice!
Now, if you could live in a movie, which would it be? Why?
That’s a tough one. Maybe Harry Potter? The Sorcerer’s Apprentice? Somewhere I could use magic! Or maybe a marvel movie? Basically, anywhere I could have superpowers or magical abilities or something along those lines. As for the why – lol, because I’m chaos and would spend my time levitating everything around my house and snapping my fingers to clean so I don’t have to dust anymore. Plus, superpowers are just awesome!
Aren’t they? So, Paige, married? How long?
Yes – I’ve been married for 8 ½ years, but we’ve been together for a little over 16 years. We were high school sweethearts. We met in social studies class, when I was a sophomore and he was a junior. I feel like we were really lucky. We got to go off to college together, live together, and have some healthy fights before we got married. Lol, the man knew exactly what he was getting himself into – brave soul that he is. I really am blessed – he loves me and all my weird little quirks.
Brave soul lol. That’s awesome. I feel like marriage don’t get enough play these days and I am always excited to meet couples who’ve been together a lifetime. Speaking of time, Paige, what takes up too much of your time?
YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and video games. Not always in that order. I am amazingly skilled at procrastination. The one skill I’ve already mastered, lol. Right now, I’m playing Mass Effect: Andromeda, and loving every second of it.
Lol! You’re a gamer for real. What do you wish you knew more about?
As far as knowledge goes, I wish I knew more about computers, history, and math. Those are my biggest weaknesses, knowledge wise. My brain just doesn’t work in any kind of logical or orderly fashion. If you hand me a math book I’m pretty sure my brain would force quit, and I’d just start hearing elevator music.
I wish I could say it’s because I have trouble concentrating, but I seem to have no issue playing the same video game for 8 hours straight, or watching Netflix all day. I think this is just a shining example of what people call left brain vs right brain. My left brain is always sleeping I think.
I love you for hating math. So do I. Lol. Speaking of Netflixin it, what’s your favorite TV show? Movie?
I watch way more TV and movies than is probably healthy. Here are my current favorites: TV (I’m including anime series in this) – Blindspot, The Blacklist, Lucifer, Game of Thrones, Sense 8, Castle, Stitchers, Forever, Bleach, Yona of the Dawn, The Twelve Kingdoms. Movies (also including anime movies here) – The Illusionist, Divergent (and the sequels), Warm Bodies, Excess Baggage, He’s Just Not That Into You, Pride and Prejudice (all of them, including the one with zombies), The Matrix (only the first one), Beastly, Scrooged, Ladyhawke, Beautiful Creatures, Jupiter Ascending, Legend, Unleashed, Labyrinth, Alien (all of them), Knight and Day, The Princess Bride, Penelope, Blood and Chocolate, Kubo and the Two Strings, The Shack, Appleseed (2004 version), Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away.
The only thing from this list I can agree with is Matrix and Lucifer. Although, I kinda fell off Lucifer and probably can’t tell you about the last ten episodes? Anyway, what is the most thought provoking book you’ve ever read?
I’ve been reading these books by John Eldredge, and one he wrote with his wife, Stasi. They’re books about exploring Christianity in a different way. I’ve always considered myself a Christian, but I have been told I don’t Christian correctly, lol. I have a different way of approaching some things, I guess.
I think the reason I find them thought provoking is because they approach faith in a way that is more relatable to me. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way to approach faith – it’s subjective to each person – but I do think there’s a way that fits my own relationship with God the best. I like the idea that he’s not some unreachable being, and you aren’t expected to be perfect, or follow a prayer recipe. I can just be myself.
I’ve read Wild at Heart, Captivating, and am currently reading Beautiful Outlaw. The main theme in all of these is getting to know God on a more intimate level. Wild at Heart and Captivating talk about the masculine and feminine parts of God you can see in everyday life, and in yourself and others. The wildness of storms, a man storming the castle for a woman, fighting battles and going on adventures. The beauty of sunsets, a woman’s desire to be pursued, the fierce protectiveness of a mother or a sister or a bestie. And Beautiful Outlaw is about getting to know the personality of Jesus. He got angry, joked with the apostles, and showed His human side. It’s a way of looking at Jesus that I’ve never thought of before. The author also suggests there can be a difference between religion and faith, which I thought was really interesting. Even if you aren’t Christian, I think these may be interesting reads if you like exploring this kind of subject. 😊
Interesting. I can definitely agree there’s a difference between faith and religion but that’s another story. What’s the most difficult thing about being a writer? The most exciting thing?
Lol, I think the most difficult thing about being a writer, for me at least, is corralling all the crazy ideas I have into something that makes sense. My mind is generally all over the place – I’ll write scenes for the middle of the book before I write the beginning or end, and sometimes write parts of the end before the beginning too. Then I’ll write scenes for the fourth and eighth books, because all the plots are touching each other like spaghetti.
My writing space is chaos. My writing process is chaos. Lol, I’m pretty sure I am chaos. My husband would probably agree.
I think the most exciting thing about writing is that it’s okay to be chaos. 😊 It’s a crazy, unorganized mess – but it works for me. When I try to be too structured, I can run into trouble. But when I’m just letting it all go, and just putting down whatever is in my head, I get a lot done. I feel like the characters have a life of their own when I let them do what they want, lol. Even if it’s not used in the story I’m currently working on, I have something to consider later. A lot of my secondary characters end up as primary characters later in the series. So the spaghetti method ends up working for me, lol.
Why is writing important to you?
Writing is important to me because I think it can be a form of escape. Life is not always butterflies and daisies, but when I sit down to write it can be. I also think it can be therapeutic in some ways, depending on what you’re writing. Either way, whether you write fiction or nonfiction, whatever genre is in your heart, you’re putting your creativity and pieces of yourself into it. I mainly write paranormal romance – full of magic and happiness, lol. But I have written some more personal, serious things too.
“Life is not always butterflies and daisies, but when I sit down to write it can be.” I love that. I’d have to feature you in a quote one day. You’ve spoken about a few things. Tell us, what genres do you write in? Why?
I write paranormal romance for two reasons. First, it’s my favorite genre to read. And second, I can run amuck and really do whatever I want with it. I enjoy being able to create whatever I like, with very little restriction. So much chaos, lol. But part of the fun for me has been starting from the ground up – creating the races in my fantasy world, their history and traditions, their language (I got a book on language creation), and their different forms of magic. Winding all the plot lines together has been fun too. I’ve enjoyed mapping everything out. The more I branch out, the more opportunity I have to build the world up even more.
Paige, it’s been an amazing journey spending this time with you! Thank you for stopping by.
Photo Credit: Paige Addams. Used with permission.
Paige Addams is a pseudonym. She lives with her very patient and amazing husband and their dog in Ohio. When she’s not writing, she’s growing her business as a LMT, practicing Aikido (and trying not to kill herself in the process) and trying to learn contact juggling (like that scene from Labyrinth). Otherwise, she’s generally procrastinating with video games and far more YouTube than is probably healthy. Paige will be self-publishing her first novel in the coming weeks, and there will be many more!
I love the warm weather! The flowers are blooming and everything is just abounding with life. What a perfect occasion to introduce something new.
Last week I announced the start of a new series on The PBS Blog and boy have you all responded!
So, this post is to remind you that if you want in this summer you may want to go ahead and submit your questions. Spots are filling up fast! I’ll be introducing our first author tomorrow, Monday, April 3, 2017 and then every Monday afterwards we’ll meet a new author (just as long as the spots stay filled). I am booked up through April and there is only ONE spot left for May so again, if you want to be featured this summer, don’t wait.
The PBS Blog 