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Interview With Inderjit Kaur

by | Feb 8, 2016

A living series talk-Iona Morrison

Posted by Inderjit Kaur on February 8, 2016
Posted in: A living series talk, Interviews, Know your authors. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

I love interviewing writers about their books their thoughts and stories, because their advice and path of publications and writing books is a road map for others who seek to get published –
Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Iona Morrison author of “Not For Sale”

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Hi Iona, thank you for agreeing to this interview.
Tell us a little about yourself?

I began writing a few years ago when my husband worked out of state for ten months. I took a writing class where I fell in love with writing fiction. My instructor encouraged me to write a novel and so the process began. I love everything about writing from the first draft to the finished product. There are moments of struggle, of course, but the story and characters always win. I am hooked and I have to keep writing to see how the story ends.

My first two novels, The Harvest Club and Not For Sale, have been published by The Wild Rose Press and comprise the first two installments of my Blue Cove Mystery series.

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I love the characters so much they have made their way into three more adventures in Blue Cove. The next one in the series ‘The Game Changer’ is under contract and will be published sometime in the spring.

Wow! That sounds great and I do love the title of the series-
Blue Cove Mysteries. Do you write full time or part time?

I work part-time as an Administrative Assistant at a church, which is perfect for giving me plenty of time to write. I try to put in three to four hours each weekday.

Let’s talk about  creative writing process do you work outline for the plot?

I usually have a general idea where the book is going before I start, but having said that, I tend to let my characters take the lead and move the story along.

Hmm… Indeed interesting that you let the characters take the lead. Aren’t writers supposed to be solitary?

Well, if they are supposed to be solitary, then I’m in trouble. I’m a very social person. I enjoy getting to meet folks. I’ve found writing is a great outlet for me because instead of talking aloud I simply talk on paper.

Yes that’s true Iona we do talk on paper and I guess most of us do follow that  routinely, which social network worked best for you? Any tips on what to do and what not to do?

First let me say social media is critical for all authors. There are so many well-written books that don’t sell because no one knows they exist. I use Facebook, and Twitter the most, although I’m on several others including my own blog. Twitter is one of my favorites because it helped me connect with people outside of my country, several of whom have bought my books. I also promote other authors on Twitter on a regular basis. I think you have to do more than just advertise your book. You have to interact.

I agree with you Iona Social sites do connect us to various other alike thinkers and we get to learn so much everyday.
So what you think that giving books away free works and why?

I can’t say if it works because I’ve never given any away other than as gifts. I feel an author works too hard not to be compensated for their work.

Appreciate your thoughts Iona. How can readers discover more about you and you work?

Here are the links where readers can find my books blog articles and know more about me.

Website

https://ionamorrison.com/

Facebook:

https://www. https://www.facebook.com/Iona-Morrison-Author-534319506628681/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/ionacrv

Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/iona-morrison-686a933b?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile_pic

Pinterest:

Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Iona-Morrison/e/B00N39NJIA/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Book Links:

Harvest club – Amazon links

http://goo.gl/qOt75o US

http://goo.gl/f5je5O UK

Not for sale – Amazon links

http://goo.gl/hzS9Lp  US

http://goo.gl/C8n3mn UK

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard

Thanks again for taking the time out of your busy schedule and being a part of A living series talk.
It was absolutely amazing and great to hear from you.
I wish you abundance of success for your future plans and projects.

Thanks Inderjit for having me here I’m grateful as well.

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Love Is The Only Remedy

by | Feb 1, 2016

Sometimes the path to spring is paved with snow and ice. Beautiful but a little bumpy along the way. There are times when winter seem so long, but spring always comes.

“We have shards of truth, and we can gather them up, bits of broken mosaic tile that shine. We know that this is a very dangerous place, that we are an extremely vulnerable species, that Cain is still killing Abel.” Anne Lamott

So I ask why, which is not a useful question or where is grace, which is sometimes hard to see in life’s situations. When the winter of life seems so long, or I see tragedy which once again reminds me just how vulnerable I am as a human in this world; it leaves me wondering once again, what I can do to make a difference in a hurting world. Maybe the only answer is to simply live with love.

Love is the only remedy for hate, but it wouldn’t hurt if I stopped to think before I speak either. It might be a good idea too, if whatever light I have could be used to dispel the darkness and not as a tool of judgment or anger. I know it may sound simplistic to say in the face of the complex problems our world is facing, but it is reduced to this for me. I can impact my world the most by the changes I make and how I treat every person I meet. In the end the only person I can change is me. The process can be scary and beautiful. Something like the process of the earth awakening, blossoming, and growing, after a long cold winter.

Sit and Think

by | Jan 13, 2016

Never be afraid to sit awhile and think.
~Lorraine Hansberry

To think is to use one’s mind actively, to form connected ideas. It is to have an opinion, a belief, or an idea about something. It may also be about changing an idea after hearing other facts on the subject. It never hurts to take a moment to think.

My mother used to say to me, think before you speak. You can’t take the words back once they are out there. A simple idea really, but not always easy to do. More often than not, I would blurt out what popped into my mind, hurting someone else or at the very least walking away embarrassed with my foot in my mouth.

My ideas and beliefs were right after all, and those other folks just didn’t get the truth. I mean, wasn’t my opinion the only one that mattered? To maintain the feeling of being right and superior took a lot of work. I had to hang out with only those who agreed me. I couldn’t listen to someone who thought differently. Wow, what a crazy way to live. I can honestly say that I didn’t start to grow until I challenged myself to listen and to think outside my box.

With age I’ve learned that thinking first, can save you undo misery. It’s not my job to hurl insults at people, or criticize them. I can disagree with their ideas, and still not demonize who they are. The political season is a constant reminder to me of this. Before I’m a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, whether I’m conservative or liberal I’m first and foremost a human. I’ve made it my quest to find good in everyone  that I can and let that good be what I talk about. Okay, I’m not perfect and I can’t pretend that I am. Sometimes I have had to think really hard and  still I couldn’t find a positive thing to say. At that point I take Thumper’s mother’s advice. If you can’t say something nice don’t say anything at all. I do slip up and then I start over again.

I find time out works for me like it does for a child. Alone, on a chair, I spend time thinking, rearranging my thoughts, even changing some of them. In the end I find the old golden rule is still the best of all. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Of course, thinking is good for so many other things. It can get my creative juices flowing, take me out of my narrow world to see the bigger picture, and help me to understand how much I have in comparison to others in the world. Thoughts allow me to dream, consider new ideas, and expand my views. I’ve opened my mind in new ways and amazingly my brains have not fallen out.

Twice Baked Christmas by Alexia Stevens

by | Dec 13, 2015

I would like to introduce you to Alexia Stevens a special friend I met on twitter. I know you’ll enjoy reading about her family Christmas traditions. She is the writer of a great blog which I hope you’ll check out.

Twice Baked Christmas

My favorite time of year is the Thanksgiving / Christmas holidays.  I enjoy watching Christmas movies year round because I like to stay in the warmness of the holiday season; everything from family and friends to the home baked goodness shared between family, friends and neighbors. And NO, I never ever tire of watching the movies year round.

One of our favorite traditions for Thanksgiving is that my father-in-law gives each member in our family a new tree ornament after the meal.  So, it’s like Christmas –twice.

Another tradition we have adopted is to choose one of the two holidays to have the traditional dinner.  During the other holiday, we snack –various crackers, cheeses, olives, summer sausage, etc.  Of course, throw in a good football game and we are good to go.  It keeps us from being burned out on turkey / ham or having too many sweets.  We do this when our extended families can’t join us.

Watching the Christmas movies year round inspires me as a writer.  I have written some children’s Christian workbooks that go with a summer camp I do, but I am venturing out into the creative world of fiction writing.  My two current works in progress are Mystery at Bear Creek Island and Southern Grace.   All of my works will most likely be set during the winter months – holiday time and anywhere from Georgia to the Canadian Rockies.

You can read short samples of my writings at www.alexiastevens.weebly.com and follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/alexiastevens01.

My favorite is YA Mystery, YA Romance, and Earl Grey Tea – Come have a cup with me.