As a pantser I’m always looking for new ways to write my stories and keep my ideas fresh but on track. I think I like storyboarding. It gives me a chance to plan my story without over doing it. How do you write? Do you plot, plan, pants your way through? I usually fast draft which works a lot like an outline but it’s also my first draft. I go back through it and add, move, fill in until the story is what I want it to be. But even as a self-proclaimed pantser, I have learned the importance of making a few plans. With my holiday story, I decided instead of writing out all the details I’d try something different. I’ve done some of this before but this is my first complete view of my story in this form. What do you think?
Maddie doesn’t have time for men, especially not one named Cole Harrell. Men are what got her in this trouble to start with. Between her cheating ex, her conniving cameraman and Cole’s brother, Trent…she’d had her fill of men and so has her sister. Even if he does look good in a beard and a tool belt, she is not interested in any one with last name Harrell.
Getting to know my main characters, what makes them tick, how they think. It’s not just about how they look but who they are, their pasts, their families, all their baggage.
The immediate conflict: damage to the inn caused by the hurricane. Immediate affect: until the inn is repaired Maddie’s aunt is homeless and without income. It also affects the economy of the community of Teach’s Island.
The hurricane is devastating and overwhelming. The islanders are a tough lot but they just need someone to guide them, get them started. Maddie tries but they associate her with the child she once was and the woman on the YouTube video whose boyfriend was getting his jollies with the realtor while she was trying to show off their renovation via live video.
Cole’s encouragement is what sparked 3Ms. Maddie’s All-Female Construction Crew. He is also the one who suggested they video their reconstruction of the inn. Slowly Maddie begins to get her courage and confidence back.
Trent finds out about Cole’s work on the island and stirs up trouble. Maddie thinks Cole told his brother about the renovation and tells him she no longer needs him. The town turns against Maddie believing Cole was the brains behind the rebuild, she blames him for that also. She and her sisters go back to finish the inn to prove the town wrong.
Cole returns to find the island all dressed up for the holidays. Maddie did it, she got the inn ready in time for the Christmas season and saved the island. They’re not quite done, she needs his help to finish the project.
They celebrate the first of the holidays with guests and neighbor with a “Giving Tuesday” neighborhood feast?
December Daily Holidays and Observances
December 1: Rosa Parks Day, World AIDS Day, Eat a Red Apple Day, National Pie Day, Giving Tuesday* (Tuesday after Thanksgiving)
December 2: Special Education Day, National Mutt Day
December 3: Make a Gift Day, National Roof Over Your Head Day, Let’s Hug Day, National Apple Pie Day
December 4: Santa’s List Day, National Cookie Day, Wildlife Conservation Day
December 5: Repeal Day, International Volunteer Day, National Communicate With Your Kids Day
December 6: Mitten Tree Day, National Microwave Oven Day, Coats & Toys for Kids Day* (first Saturday), National Gazpacho Day
December 7: National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, Letter Writing Day, International Civil Aviation Day, National Cotton Candy Day, Walt Disney Day* (first Monday)
December 8: Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day, National Brownie Day, National Christmas Tree Day
December 9: Christmas Card Day, National Pastry Day
December 10: Human Rights Day, Nobel Prize Day, First Night of Hanukkah* (varies, sometimes in November), Dewey Decimal System Day, National Lager Day
December 11: First Day of Hanukkah* (varies, sometimes in November), National App Day
December 12: National Poinsettia Day, Gingerbread House Day, National Ding-a-Ling Day
December 13: National Violin Day, Ice Cream Day, International Children’s Day* (second Sunday), National Horse Day, World Choral Day* (second Sunday), National Cocoa Day
December 14: Roast Chestnuts Day
December 15: Bill of Rights Day, National Cupcake Day, International Tea Day
December 16: Boston Tea Party Day, National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
December 17: Wright Brothers’ First Flight Anniversary, National Maple Syrup Day
December 18: Bake Cookies Day, National Twin Day, National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day* (third Friday)
December 19: Look for an Evergreen Day, National Oatmeal Muffin Day, Holly Day
December 20: Go Caroling Day, Games Day, National Sangria Day, National Wreaths Across America Day* (third Saturday)
December 21: First Day of Winter/Winter Solstice* (date varies), Crossword Puzzle Day, Humbug Day, Look on the Bright Side Day, National Flashlight Day, National Hamburger Day, Forefathers’ Day, Don’t Make Your Bed Day* (first day of Winter), National Short Story Day* (first day of Winter)
December 22: National Date Nut Bread Day
December 23: Festivus, National Roots Day, National Pfeffernüsse Day
December 24: Christmas Eve, National Egg Nog Day, National Chocolate Candy Day
December 25: Christmas Day, National Pumpkin Pie Day
December 26: National Whiners Day, Boxing Day, National Candy Cane Day
December 27: National Fruitcake Day, Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day
December 28: National Card Playing Day
December 29: Tick Tock Day
December 30: Bacon Day
December 31: New Year’s Eve, Make Up Your Mind Day
The end of a decade. As we prepare to ring in the new year and the new decade, I find myself looking back over the past ten years. So much has happened in such a short time.
After winning the Ann Peach Award in 2009 and joining Romance Writers of America, I started truly thinking about being a published writer ending the last decade on a creative high.
In January 2010 we lost our home to fire. While this was mind-numbingly devastating it wasn’t the worst that could have happened. It may seem that this decade started with tragedy but with every bad blow we were also given a blessing.
The night after the fire I went with my daughter-in-law to the hospital, it was the last chance she’d have to tour the hospital before our grandson Harley was born. My son, and her husband (at the time) was stationed overseas and trying his best to get home before the birth of his son. We lost nearly everything in that fire, but we walked away with our lives and a few short weeks after, we gained a grandchild.
When I think of all we lost, it’s not the Christmas presents we haven’t replaced that fill me with regret but those items that can never be replaced: the horse whip that belonged to my husband’s grandfather from his time in the wild west show, or the quilt his maternal grandmother made, my baby sister’s baby shoes, my children’s baby books, photo albums and high school annuals.
But both sons who were living with us at the time, are still alive. The youngest whose room was in flames had to leap from his bed to the stairwell, became a firefighter. Our other son has always been someone we could call if we needed anything. The fire was devastating but many blessings came out of it.
We stayed a few months with my parents. It was stressful at the time. I wasn’t sleeping good. I was having nightmares and the added stress of trying to conform to someone else’s schedule made it more difficult. Adding to the stress was the fact that my daughter-in-law wasn’t happy living in such a rural environ with two small children. She was ready to get back to Savannah and her life and friends. I was thankful for the time with my family but there were days I was barely functioning.
Our community were a great asset to us. People brought us clothes, household goods, and money to help us during this time. Moving into our present home that spring was thanks in large part to the physical help of my sister-in-law and her family and to the financial help of our friends, family and community. With each blow there has been a blessing, most times the blessings have outweighed the trauma.
On New Year’s Day 2011, my dad was found dead in his bathroom. The EMTs believed he suffered an aneurism and died suddenly. His death was followed by the birth of our granddaughter Ava. My son calls the day of the funeral, he’s not going to be able to be a pallbearer, he’s on his way to the hospital with his wife. He tried to convince us that as soon as she had the baby, he’d come to the funeral, but I knew my daddy would prefer he stay with his wife and child.
In the spring of 2011, Mom, my youngest son, oldest grandson and myself went to Savannah to visit. We spent a week with my Army son and his family. We explored downtown, Tybee Island and went on a ghost walk. I want to go back again.
Late in the season, we had our first hurricane. It was the first since my daddy died and I insisted my mom come stay with us. It didn’t seem all that bad, it was down to a category one. Hurricane Irene destroyed my parent’s home with flood waters and devastated our community. We had several rescues the night of the hurricane, our niece and her family and a couple of friends. When mom and I went to check on her place I was shocked to see the damage. The tide waters had been pushed ashore through two high tides, flooding even the church which was on the highest piece of land in the community.
My sons came with a generator and began helping us sort through the salvage in Mom’s house. The fire was easier, there was nothing left to sift through. This loss was probably harder than any other because everyone was going through something at this time and there was no one to offer comfort. Everyone was overwhelmed and exhausted.
Just when we’re returning to some sort of normal, later that year, my mother, who was living with us at the time, fell and broke her hip. 2011 was not a very good year for us but we did get a new granddaughter.
2012 Vietnam Homecoming with my father-in-law and started writing articles for the Pamlico News. My first stories were interviews of Vietnam Veterans and their families. I was also able to follow my youngest son around the track for track and field and use my role as reporter to promote my community and special interest. Many of the stories I covered while writing for the paper inspired my fiction.
The next few years were a blur of babies, weddings, separations, divorces and graduations. Blake graduated from Pamlico High School. Dustin got his master’s degree from East Carolina University. Aries graduated from Pamlico Community College. My in-laws, Wayne and Verna’s celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary 2014
.
In the past ten years we’ve been blessed with Trinity whose big sister Alijah came along when her mom married into the family. Sophia, followed in close succession by two sisters, Sabrina and Carol to parents Chris and Shannon also married in this decade. Conner whose brother Cody and sister Hailey joined the family just ahead of him, along with their mom Brandi who married my soldier son, Jason, who is now a civilian. We have another Brandy, making three Brandies for one family (my niece Brandy informs me she was the first and our first baby girl), and a Sherry (spelled with an I) but then I do work at the ABC store. What does ten years look like? Well, coming into this decade we had five grandchildren, only one a granddaughter, and at the close of this decade we have 20 grandchildren, standing about half and half. The third Brandy in the family just gave birth to a handsome little boy, Jessie David and he was greeted by big sister Sylvia who is two and half years older but rules the roost. Our youngest son, Blake married Katelynn Scott and they have two boys Elijah and Kaysen.
I met Louise Penny at a book signing in Fearington Village when I went on a girls’ trip with Marni Graff and friends.
Became chairperson for the Pamlico Writers’ Group in 2015.
2016 I had my first stories published in a book, the Pamlico Writers’ Anthology, “A Carolina Christmas,” and had my first book signing.
Published my first book in 2017, “Chrome Pink” and had my first solo book signing.
Went to my first Comicon in 2017. I even dressed up. We had a lot of fun.
In 2018 I published my second book, White Gold and in 2019, I’ve published two books, Titanium Blue and Evergreen Crystals. I’ve also had two novellas published with The New Romance Café anthologies, Love in Bloom and a historical in Kisses and Other Scandalous Pastimes.
Gave my first writer’s talks in 2019 and published my fourth book.
So much more has happened in the past ten years. We’ve lost good friends. Buried friends and husbands of friends, my great aunts and a few cousins. We’ve gained weight, lost weight, turned gray and turned loose. Some of us aren’t as mobile as we were before but those that are left keep marching on. As difficult as the first of this decade was, I still believe it’s been a good one. I miss my dad and friends who have passed on. I mourn them but life goes on and I don’t think they would want us to stop living.
As 2020 peers around the edge of 2019, I’m working on my next novel, Red Steel which is part of the Leeward Files series and a bridge for my new series, The Harrell Family Chronicles. I’ve also had a historical series on the back burner for years I want to start working on. It’s going to be a busy year but I’m looking forward to it. I plan to spend as much time as possible with grandchildren and family, writing and reading good books, and just enjoying each day. Remember we are not guaranteed tomorrow, the past is done, today is a gift that is why it is called the present. Have a happy new year.
I love our community Christmas parade. From the time I was in high school until my children were grown, there were very few parades I did not participate in. I have been a clown and a beauty queen. I have marched with the Aurora Woman’s Club, rode on floats with clubs and my church. I have led the parade and even acted as pooper scooper behind the horses (not my favorite thing to do). I have been on a float with Cub Scouts and marched along behind rescue big strong boys from frightening clowns. I love standing on the sidelines waving at friends and neighbors. Seeing old friends in the crowd and being reunited if only with a wave and a smile. I love the feeling of Christmas, unity and joy the fills the air. The excitement of the children as they rush forward to grab candy and gifts tossed from floats and cars. I love a parade but especially our hometown Christmas parade.
Christmas lights and decorations. I love when the town-works guys bring out the cherry picker and start hanging the snowflakes about town. They are so delicate and pretty. Maybe, if we lived someplace where we had snow on a regular basis, not every two or three years, the snowflake wouldn’t be such a wonderful thing. But here in the south where snow is a luxury that shuts down everything, the pretty little snowflake lights are wistful and fun. I also love to see Ms. Lib’s window displays. She has the best window displays for every season, but she goes all out at Christmas. Ms. Lib, a local hair stylist has a salon on Main Street. Her window displays are legendary. She also has lovely decorations in her yard. The library rivals Ms. Lib for window designs and the museum decorates the fossil park.
I love Christmas cards. I love giving them and receiving them. It is one of the reasons NaNo messes me up. I enjoyed doing NaNoWriMo this year but with it being in November, it makes me too tired to do some of the other things I enjoy doing for Christmas, like my large volume Christmas card/letter writing. I used to love to do a newsletter with highlights of what the kids and I have been up to but now that we’re up to twenty grandchildren I can’t keep up.
I don’t decorate a lot at home because of work and it seems there’s just no time anymore. With a fulltime job, chairperson of the Pamlico Writers’ Group and trying to launch my writing career, something has to give, my poor house needs a friend. I do just what has to be done. Maybe a few days off after the new year will help. My favorite decorations are the snowflake Christmas lights my husband bought to go on our porch. I want to keep them up all year because they are so pretty. The first year, I think I convinced David to let them stay up to almost Easter, telling him the snowflakes could pass for flowers. I really liked those lights, especially coming home from work and the porch being lit up. I love putting the Christmas cards up on the doors, their varied pictures a kaleidoscope of Christmas. But when we put the Nut Crackers on the mantle, unwrapping each one and placing it just so, the love we feel because they were a gift from David’s sister to replace the ones he lost when our home was destroyed by fire. Somethings, no matter their price, have a value greater than money because the heart of the person who gave them. I have ornaments made by a child’s hands and collector’s items, the ones made by the children are more precious than anything money could buy.
Christmas Eve we’ll have a party with the whole Hollister family and a few extras thrown into the mix. Children will run around squealing and laughing, the adults move a little slower but laugh and sing and play. We exchange inexpensive gifts, sometimes gag gifts, sometimes stuff we’ve made, but always something from the heart. We eat, each year we do something different from quiches to soups to this year, we’ll have pizza. It’s all about being together.
Christmas morning, what children who will come and open gifts. My husband and I love filling the stockings. He buys a hundred dollars-worth of chocolate for me and the daughters-in-law. I have fun stuffing gifts into each one’s stocking, making their stocking as much delight as the rest of their gifts. We open gifts, have a big breakfast, usually it is French toast casserole, but we’ve had waffles and ice cream, and monkey bread. This year we’ll go to my uncle’s house for lunch and back home for sandwiches and a couple of games of cards (my husband and sons cheat).
What are some of your favorite things about the holidays? Do you celebrate Christmas or another holy day? What are some of your traditions?
I am a child at Christmas. No matter how old I get, I am still excited by the Christmas lights adorning houses and stores, intricately woven onto boats and stylishly fashioned on business marquees. I stare in wonder and awe at displays of homemade ornaments and family heirlooms, delicate glass balls, wrought metal sculptures, paintings, and nature crafts.
I hum along with familiar songs, belting out the chorus and breaking into dance. I twirl around light poles like Fred Astaire and imagine myself kicking like a Rockette on Broadway. I watch classic Christmas movies and gorge on Hallmark and Lifetime’s sweet romances. I inhale the scent of pine, cinnamon and brown sugar, cocoa and warm apple spices, and I feel the years slip away until I’m a little girl waiting for Santa to arrive.
Christmas, to me, begins at Thanksgiving. It is a reminder of what is truly important, family and friends. Thanksgiving gives us a moment before the hustle and bustle of the rest of the holiday, to stop, thank God for all that he has given us and rejoice in our blessings. It is also a time to reflect on those who are no longer with us.
During the holiday, I find myself thinking of my Granny Berry and my Aunt Martha. These two women were the matriarchs who influenced my life. My dad’s mother, Grandma Anna died when I was six, Aunt Martha became my surrogate grandmother. From our church program on Christmas Eve to our family dinner on Christmas day, they taught me Christmas was more than presents. It was about Christ’s birth, death and the gift of life. It was about our duty to church and family, about community. Christmas was a celebration of love, a wish for peace, and a dream of hope. Some of that is missing from my Christmas this year. I have gotten so caught up in buying gifts and sending cards that I have forgotten to be thankful for God’s greatest gift, his son, Jesus, the reason we celebrate Christmas. I am also thankful for my own sons, my husband and family, my friends, my community, I know that I am blessed to be able to celebrate Christmas and remember the Christmases of my past. I am so thankful for all who have taught me the true meaning of Christmas.
As you swim through the chaos of last-minute shopping, wade through ribbons, wrappings and decorations, stop a minute and look around at the reason you are celebrating. Reach out to a friend or neighbor who doesn’t have family or the blessings you know. Share a little of the love and joy of the holiday with a card, a gift or a just a smile. Let this time of year reflect in how we treat others. That is what Christmas means to me.
Silver tinsel shining bright Carolers singing Silent Night Bells clanging, pealing ring Peace on Earth the Angels sing Chaos, confusion , heartaches abound There is no Peace on Earth to be found I pray for a calm, quiet place God whispers, “Child I give you grace.” Wadded paper, twists of tape Knotted ribbon, the hour late So much to do no time to pause Children touting Santa’s cause Alas upon my bed I rest I know in truth that I am blessed For Peace on Earth at last I find Quiet rest for a weary mind.
Welcome
to my virtual café, Kathryn, I’m so glad to have you here today.
Kathryn: Thanks, Sherri! So happy to
visit you in your cozy café. And feel free to call me Kate.
Sherri:
Thank you, Kate. I’m excited to have you here for the holidays. You really go
all out with decorating and baking, don’t you?
Kathryn:
Oh, I do. In addition to a couple “faux firs,” we always have a live
tree we decorate with treasured family ornaments we’ve collected over the
years. Two ornaments feature photographs of my parents so, even though they
have passed away, their spirits join us in our celebration. In addition to
honoring our beloved family traditions, I have a creative itch that demands
attention on a daily basis and, one way of satisfying it, is celebrating with
decorations and baking. As a matter of fact, last year I combined decorating
and baking with a Buche de Noel. So much fun to create, and we all enjoyed
eating the fruits of my happy labor.
Sherri:
I follow you on social media and I love the posts you share of your home and
how you have it decorated for each season.
Kathryn:
Thank you! Decorating for special days is one of my joys and our sweet, old
cottage is the perfect setting for it.
Sherri:
We met at one of the Pamlico Writers’ Conferences several years ago, is that
correct?
Kathryn:
Yes. I was introduced to Pamlico Writers’ Group in 2017 when I received second
place in creative non-fiction for their anthology, Reflections. I had the pleasure of meeting you at the March
conference and have enjoyed following you through social media. Speaking of
writers’ groups, I must give a shout-out to my own special critiquing group
family: Wordsmiths of the Inner Banks. We are a small group that meets twice a
month to share and critique each other’s work. Their suggestions and support
have been invaluable to me.
Sherri:
2017, truly, we’ve only known each other a very short while and yet I feel we
are great friends. You are so supportive of me, my writing and the Pamlico
Writers’ Group on social media, I guess that is what makes it seem like we’ve
been friends longer.
Kathryn:
Absolutely! It’s amazing how social media allows kindred spirits to connect,
even when we don’t often have the chance to meet in person. We can follow one
another’s life journeys and be there for each other in a very real way.
Sherri:
You were born in Washington, North Carolina where we host our annual conference
but where did you grow up?
Kathryn: Lots of places, actually. My
father’s varying job opportunities had us move from eastern North Carolina to
one snowy winter in Utica, New York, to Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Virginia (several
moves within those two cities,) to a two-year stint in New York City, and back
to Virginia. I changed schools seven times in seven years. But when I hit
seventh grade, I remained in the Virginia Beach/Norfolk, VA area, graduating
from Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach and Old Dominion University in
Norfolk, until I moved to Edenton, NC seven years ago. Hmmm, that’s a lot of
“sevens,” isn’t it?
Sherri:
Wow, you’ve moved around even more than I have. How has growing up on the east
coast influenced your writing?
Kathryn: From the sandy beaches and
historic lighthouses of the blue Atlantic, to the Spanish moss-shrouded coastal
forests and swamps, I’ve been surrounded by story-telling inspiration my whole
life. The history, mystery, and rich culture of the region form a deep
reservoir of writing material.
Sherri:
Your first book, Sea Snow is a paranormal, historical romance? Tell us a bit
about it.
Kathryn: I think of it as historical
fiction with a supernatural twist. Sea
Snow- the gentle haunting of a 19th century lighthouse has romantic
elements between the main character and her husband but cannot be cast in the
traditional romance genre. It’s written in journal form by Rose, a young, 19th
century woman from Norfolk, Virginia who falls in love with and marries a young
man as he leaves the U.S. Navy and becomes the keeper of a lighthouse one mile
off the Massachusetts coast. Throughout her journal, Rose prefaces several of
her entries with excerpts from the work of one of her favorite poets, Christina
Rossetti. As Rose experiences the joys and challenges of lighthouse life in the
late 19th century—facing storms and illness, new and surprising friendships,
New England village life, and the excitement and concerns of first-time
pregnancy—she discovers their lighthouse is haunted (quite literally) by the
sad but gentle spirit of a former occupant who needs her help.
Sherri:
Was any of this story based on real people or events?
Kathryn: Not real people or events, per
se, but based upon my extensive research into lighthouse life and New England
at the turn of the 20th century. One of the challenges, as well as
opportunities, of writing historical fiction is the research necessary to
ensure accuracy in the details. You have to be certain that any references to
books, music, clothing styles, terminology, etc was in use at the time,
especially when the book is written in the protagonist’s own words. For
example, you can’t have someone zipping up a dress prior to 1913 and you can’t
refer to young people as teenagers until the 1940s!
Sherri:
I love doing research but can often get lost in it. But I agree that to make it
more authentic, you have to know it even if you don’t use it.
What
are you working on now?
Kathryn:
I’m very excited to announce that I have a completed Middle Grade contemporary
supernatural mystery, Zephyr Stone and
the Moon Mist Ghost, under contract with Raleigh publisher, Blue Ink Press,
due to be released in 2021. It’s about a 12-year-old girl from the Outer Banks
of North Carolina who encounters the three-hundred-year-old ghost of a Native
American woman paddling her canoe in the midnight mists of the Great Dismal
Swamp. While the grieving spirit begs for Zephyr’s help in finding her
long-lost child, the spirits of the ghost’s cat and Zephyr’s beloved dog
exchange places and cannot resume their natural (supernatural) existences until
Zephyr returns with an answer for the distraught spectral mother.
Currently,
I’m 62,000 words into an approximately 80,000-word adult contemporary fantasy
based in Edenton and Scotland that has a working title of Murmuration. And, yes, I’m having a blast with it!
Sherri:
I understand that one of your passions is photography, in fact, you have won
awards with your photos. Would you share that with us?
Kathryn: I love how photography trains
the mind and eye and heart to see the beauty and intrigue around us every day.
After several years of actively selling and exhibiting my photographs in art
shows and galleries and picking up many awards along the way, my creative
energies are now focused on my writing. I’ve had many chapters in my life
story. Some open and close pretty quickly, while others linger on in some form
for many years. Photography is certainly one of my more enduring chapters. I
think it’s because I see photography as another form of story-telling. And I
just love a good story! By the way, my husband is also an award-winning
photographer and my book cover for Sea
Snow is based on one of his photographs, which I altered with Photoshop to
reflect the look and mood of my fictional lighthouse.
Sherri:
I understand you are also a newlywed. I believe you got married shortly before
we first met. How has marriage changed your life?
Kathryn: Bill and I married in Edenton
on June 16, 2012 on the front porch of our newly purchased1895 home we dubbed
“Buttercup Cottage.” The ceremony was graciously performed by the
minister of the church across the street from us. Having both been through
problematical marriages in our pasts, we were—are—so grateful to have found one
another. The wedding present I gave Bill is a sign that hangs in our living
room: “It’s Never Too Late To Live Happily Ever After.” I believe
this, with all my heart, and that realization has extended to every part of my
life, including my career as a writer.
Sherri:
I love your philosophy. I believe in happily ever after, as well.
You and
you husband love to travel, and you share your pictures on social media. I love
seeing all of your adventures. Do any of the places you visit influence your
writing?
Kathryn: Yes. Every place has a magic of
its own and I’ve sought to capture that magic in my photography. In turn, those
photographs spanning North America from North Carolina to Alaska and across the
Atlantic to Scotland, stir memories and emotions that play directly into my writing.
Sherri:
What is something people might not know about you that you’d like to share?
Kathryn:
I’ve worn many hats in addition to writer and photographer. Teacher. Social
Worker. Television re-enactment actress. Church choir soloist. Nationally
certified massage therapist. Enthusiastic home baker. Check out my favorite
tried-and-true baking recipes on my “Kate’s Giving Plate” Facebook
page!
Sherri:
You know I love recipes. I’m a Food Network junkie. With the holidays
approaching, do you have a recipe you’d like to share?
Kathryn:
Yes! In Sea Snow, Rose prepared an 1890s version of a festive confection
and called it “Red Cupid Cake,” since she baked it for Valentine’s
Day. My recipe is for a classic Red Velvet Cake, but I went for a red and green
Christmassy combo and called it:
• 2
cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons unsweetened, cocoa powder
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil such as canola
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-2 oz food coloring of choice, more or less depending on how deep you want
the color
• ½ cup plain hot coffee, prepared
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
Instructions:
1.
Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. Generously grease and flour or line with baking parchment paper, two 9-inch
round cake pans. Set aside.
**If
you wish to make two different colored cake layers, simply divide all the
ingredients in half, using a different food coloring for each layer, and use
separate mixing bowls for each layer. All of the ingredients easily divide by
two.**
3. In a
medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder,
and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and vegetable oil.
5. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and food coloring until combined with
the sugar and oil.
6. Stir the hot coffee and white vinegar into the wet mixture.
7. Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, a little at a time, mixing
after each addition, just until combined. Batter will be thin. (Over-mixing
makes for a denser cake.)
8. Pour the batter evenly into each pan.
9. Bake in the middle rack for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in
the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it. Do not over bake as the
cake will continue to cook as it cools.
10. Let pans cool on a cooling rack until warm to the touch.
11. Slide a knife or offset spatula around the inside of the pans to loosen the
cake from the pan.
12. Gently remove the cakes from the pans and let them finish cooling on racks.
(The warm cake will be very delicate.)
13. Frost the cake with cream cheese frosting after the layers have cooled
completely. I leave the sides bare so the colorful cake layers can be seen.
(I
garnished the top frosted cake layer with cracked peppermint candy pieces.)
-8
ounces cream cheese, room temperature
-8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
-1 cup confectioners’ sugar (yep, that’s all!)
-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl and beat until smooth
and soft. Gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth and well
blended. Sift in confectioners’ sugar, and continue beating until smooth. Add
vanilla, and stir to combine.
Sherri:
This is beautiful and sounds delicious. I’ll have to bring my daughter-in-law
over and see if we can make on ourselves.
I hate
to say goodbye, but I know you are a busy woman. I look forward to spending
time with you again soon.
If you
enjoyed this interview with Kathryn Louise Wood, check out her book on
Amazon.com and follow her on social media, the links are below.
Best
wishes Kate, I’m excited to see what you do next.
Kathryn:
Thank you, so much, Sherri. I’m honored to have been interviewed by you. Warm
wishes of the season to you and yours!-
Biography
Kathryn
Louise Wood was born in Washington, North Carolina and received her BS in
Education from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Having spent her
life on the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia, she grew up with the ever
present beauty of regional lighthouses: the twin lights of Cape Henry in
Virginia Beach, Virginia, the Old Point Comfort Light in Hampton, Virginia, the
Assateague Light on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, and the Cape Hatteras, Bodie, and
Ocracoke Lights on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Having developed a
particular fascination with lighthouses as stalwart guides to ships at sea, and
as timeless sentinels of mystery, adventure, and romance, they were the natural
inspiration for her first novel, Sea
Snow- the gentle haunting of a 19th century lighthouse .
Another of Kathryn’s interests is the supernatural, born of her own experience
and the experiences of friends and family. She has always held a soul-deep
feeling that there is more to life than what is obvious to our physical senses.
As a life-long learner, Kathryn has worked as a teacher, social worker,
television re-enactment actress, nationally certified massage therapist, and
writer, and is an award-winning photographic artist.
She lives with her husband and kindred spirit, William Francis Ahearn, in a
little turn-of-the-20th century cottage (that makes up in quirky charm what it
may lack in size) in the beautiful, historic town of Edenton, North Carolina.
They share their home with their dogs, Minna and Sophie, and the memories of
loved ones with whom they shared their lives, there.
Kathryn has a Middle Grade supernatural mystery under contract with Blue Ink
Press and is currently working on an adult contemporary fantasy set in Edenton
and the Highlands of Scotland.
Sea Snow- the gentle haunting of a 19th
century lighthouse
On her
wedding night, Rose Martin, the young bride of a 19th century lighthouse keeper
is awakened by a phantom fragrance, compelling her to leave her sleeping
husband’s side and climb the 102 steps of the light tower. What she encounters
there startles her, but is just the beginning of the unnerving experiences that
guide her through the unlocking of a secret that haunts not only the
lighthouse, but many of the nearby villagers, as well.
In Sea Snow, we open Rose’s journal
and read the words of a southern woman transported by love and distance to a
rocky island lighthouse, one mile off the Massachusetts coast. There, we
discover the details of daily life at the turn of the 20th century: the
challenges, the joys, and, in Rose’s case, the love and supernatural forces
that part the veil between the living and the dead.
I am thrilled to welcome Hannah Meredith to Creekside
Café, my dream job if I ever win the lottery or get a million-dollar movie deal,
for now, the café only exists on my website. Hannah and I are both members of
Romance Writers of America and our local Heart of Carolina RWA. We met at local
meeting and became friends. I have learned as much from riding in a car with
her as I have from classes I’ve attended. It’s so good to have you here, Hannah.
Hannah: Thanks. It’s great to be here. Your café is so
warm and friendly, it’s a great place for a chat.
Sherri: I have been blessed to have met some wonderful
writers and interesting people through RWA and HCRW. You are one of my favorite
people. You came into writing romance from a little bit different angle, tell
our readers about your interesting path to publishing.
Hannah: Well, first of all, I’m honored to be included
in your “favorite people” group. 😊 And
I think my wandering journey to publication is pretty typical. Few of us seem
to arrive there in a straight line.
Since I was a child, I’ve loved making up stories and
have always been an avid reader, but like most of us, these impulses were
overshadowed by just living life. I got a couple of degrees in English from
SMU, married, taught at the high school and university level for 15 years, and
then switched to a career in Real Estate for about 25 more… and then, finally,
life slowed down enough that the characters who lived in my head could be heard
screaming to get out.
Since I was still working, I figured writing short
fiction was the way to go, but the market for short stories was quite limited.
The one genre that still had a number of active magazines was science fiction
and fantasy. I’d long been an enthusiastic reader of C.J. Cherryh, David Brin,
Anne McCaffrey, etc., and so decided to give it a try. This pursuit was greatly
advanced when I won the grand prize for the Writers of the Future Contest—which
I highly recommend for those writing sf&f. It’s free to enter and has
decent cash prizes and an excellent workshop. I went on to sell over a dozen
stories to many of the major science fiction and fantasy magazines before
switching to romance.
Now, if you add up all the years before I began
writing seriously, it’s obvious that I was not a spring chicken when I got
around to putting words on paper. But this is one of the joys of most any creative
pursuit – age provides no barrier and instead brings a better knowledge of the
world. I have a saying painted on my kitchen wall, “Some of the most
interesting flowers in the garden are Late Bloomers” and I hope that applies to
me.
Sherri: Well, I hope it applies to me as well, since I’m
new to publishing and not quite fresh as a daisy myself.
I’ve been a fan of yours for several years. You
started writing science fiction but when I first read your work you were
already writing historical romance. How did you make the switch to romance?
Hannah: After writing short stories for a while, I
wanted to expand my ideas into a fantasy novel. Alas, I must have been
channeling George R.R. Martin as I wrote and wrote and wrote. After about
200,000 words, I realized what I had was—a mess. I’ve always read broadly and,
consequently, had enjoyed a number of historical romances along the way. I
recognized that this was a genre where I was not expected to fill such a large
canvas, so decided to give it a try. The transition to romance was not easy,
however. The reader expectations were very different, and the contacts I had in
ss&f didn’t transfer to another genre. I was now sailing on uncharted
waters. In this, the advice of other romance writers was really helpful, and
the support and programs offered by the Heart of Carolina Romance Writers were
priceless.
Linda Johnson, Hannah Meredith and me at 2019 HCRW Writers Workshop, photo by Donna Steele
Sherri: You started self-publishing early, how and why
did you make the decision to self-publish?
Hannah: Submitting to a romance publisher was very
different from sending a manuscript to a magazine editor in a genre where I had
a track record. Now I had to start from scratch. The process was totally
different. There were pitches and log lines and all sorts of dance steps I
didn’t know and wasn’t sure I wanted to learn. And then, if I were successful,
I would be looking at potentially a year before anything would make it to
print. Okay, I am not getting any younger. I simply did not want to go through
the process and take the time. Especially when self-publishing had become a
viable option.
I also found self-publishing appealing since I’m a bit
of a control freak. (I must admit here that my husband of 52 years would
probably question the “a bit” part of that last sentence) I like the fact that
I have control over what my covers look like. I like the fact that my stories
don’t have to conform to what a given publisher thinks readers want rather than
how I think a story should be told. I
like that my books will come out on a schedule of my own making.
I happily embraced self-publishing—and I’m glad I did.
Sherri: What changes have you seen in publishing since
you first started? Do you think it is easier or more difficult for new writers?
Hannah: There’s been a consolidation in publishing
caused by a lot of mergers and, unfortunately, by a number of disappearances of
excellent mid-sized and smaller lines. All the Big Five New York publishers are
now just a part of some bigger conglomerate. Penguin Random House is owned by Bertelsmann
(German) and Pearson (British), Hachette by Lagardere Publishing (French), HarperCollins
by News Corp (Australian), Macmillian by Holtzbrinck Publishing Group (German),
and Simon & Schuster by CBS (American). Big conglomerates tend to
streamline and so the number of editors has been reduced and their work load
increased. If it seems to you that many traditionally published books aren’t as
carefully edited as they have been in the past, this is the reason. But this
has also reduced the number of slots for new authors. The best way to get a
“foot in the door” is now through the eBook only imprints and these seldom pay
an advance. So, while I have no personal experience, I would say finding a
publisher is probably more difficult.
Sherri: You do it all, write, publish, design your own
covers, what advice would you give to other indie-authors who feel they don’t
have a lot of money to invest in their first book?
Hannah: Yeah, doing it all is the control thing again.
😊 And I’m also afraid proves that I
tend to be frugal. But anyone can put out a book without it costing a lot of
money. Just remember that while everything you do yourself saves money, it
takes up more of your time and adds to frustration. You need to determine what
is important to you.
If you can use MS Word, or its cousin available on
Apple products, you can produce a manuscript that can be made into both an
eBook and a print file. If you follow Smashwords’ Style Guide, you can upload
your manuscript directly to KDP and you should end up with a good product. I
use Smashwords to upload all the other venders, and if I’ve followed the Style
Guide, it will obviously upload to all the other places just fine. Now, this
will be perfectly readable, but it will not have anything “fancy” on it. The
plus is it costs you absolutely nothing. You can see what it will look like by
emailing the manuscript to your Kindle. If there is anything weird, you didn’t
follow the Style Guide. Alternately, you can pay someone to format both mobi
and epub files to upload, Or you can use various purchased software, the most
lauded being Vellum, which unfortunately for me, only works on a Mac. You’ll be
able to personalize these.
You can use the same manuscript to build a print book.
KDP has a template or you can make one using just Word, which is my choice.
It’s more work, but I can make it prettier.
KDP also has templates on which you can build both an
eBook and a print cover. These have worked well for many people. I use
Photoshop to make my own. I took a $25 online class on Cover Making and got a
Photoshop Elements on sale, so there was some initial outlay, but I’ve made a
lot of covers for both myself and others. Now these are not award-winning
covers, but I think they look professional. Or at least, professional-enough.
If you need costumed people, you can buy them for about $10. For backgrounds I
just use one of the stock photo places. I like Deposit Photos because about
once a year they run a sale with 100 downloads for $39-49. I just finished the
cover for an almost-completed Christmas story (I make covers when my brain is
too tired to write) and it cost me $1.47. Yep, it’s made from pieces of three
downloaded photos. 😊
If messing with covers is not your thing, there are a lot of sites where you
can get a lovely pre-made cover personalized with your information for as low
as $50.
One place you do not want to get cheap is with
editing. Yeah, we all think we don’t need it, but this is usually the reason we
see a bunch of not-ready-for-prime-time books appear from Indy authors. To get
a comprehensive edit can be pricy, so you need to train yourself to do decent
self-editing. Then also develop a group of “wise readers” who will give you
honest feedback on where the book may go off the tracks. I’ve teamed up with
some other authors I have confidence in, and we edit each other’s stories. I
sometimes trade off book covers for editing. But before I developed this
support group, I paid for edits. Again, this is one place to spend money.
The last potential cost is for an ISBN. You can get
these for free from both KDP and Smashwords. I however, have purchased my own
because I have my own imprint, Singing Spring Press. I think we’re back to
control… I bought 100 from Bowker because they’re much cheaper that way. Of
course, I’m in my 70’s and still bought 100. I think this is the definition of
optimistic. 😊
Sherri: You have recently made a bit of switch into
fantasy? What is the biggest challenge you face with changing genres?
Hannah: Changing genre makes finding readers a little
trickier, but that’s the only difficulty. Song of the Nightpiper is a
medieval-based, fantasy romance, so it was still in the same overall genre. The
Christmas story I hope to publish shortly, The Last Gift, is also a
fantasy romance.
Sherri: You and a few of you writer friends have been
publishing an annual Christmas anthology for several years. Tell us about it.
How did it start? How do you manage three other writers?
Hannah: Back in 2014, over lunch before the HCRW
meeting, Kate Parker and I decided it would be fun to do a Christmas anthology.
We each asked someone we thought would be a good fit, and the group was formed.
Thus, Christmas Revels was born. We have just published Christmas Revels
VI, and this simply has to be the last. I’m the cover maker and I can’t
tweak any more semi-Christmasy colors out of the background file. 😊
I’m very proud of all our volumes. Each of
the stories is interesting and unique and covers some aspect of Christmas in
Regency England. Here’s a quick look at this year’s content –
Come Revel
with four award-winning authors for Christmas tales filled with laughter,
tears, and love…
Her Ladyship Orders a Christmas
Tree – A pagan
custom leads to an unexpected attraction.
“The Play’s the Thing…” – Going off-script prompts a
surprise ending.
Yuletide Treachery – Two lonely people find a
traitor—and love.
A Perfectly Unexpected Christmas – An accident brings redemption
and a homecoming.
The heat level varies by story, but this year, totally by accident,
all the stories are PG-13. As far as riding herd on three other creative
people, most of the time it is delightful… occasionally, not so much. 😊
Sherri: You and Kate Parker, one of your partners in
crime helped me get started. Who helped you? Who were your mentors, support or
influencers?
Hannah: This is an impossible question since there
have been so many who have been helpful along the way. I was lucky to find Kate
as a critique partner at HCRW many years ago. Anna Allen, one of the anthology
contributors, has exchanged manuscripts with me since we met at Writers of the
Future about 17 years ago. She can be quite brutal, but her comments always
improve a book. Back in my SF days, I was fortunate to attend four different
residential workshops that each lasted at least a week. This is where I had a
lot of bad habits thrashed out of me. And the entire HCRW group has always been
knowledgeable and supportive.
Sherri: You enjoy traveling, what are some of your
favorite places to visit? Have you used any of these as settings for your
stories?
Hannah: My husband and I promised ourselves we’d
travel when he retired, and we have done so with a vengeance. We’ve been to all
the continents except Antarctica. And we’re not really wanting to go there. Too
cold! We’ve been to the UK quite a bit, and we’ve spent a lot of time visiting
historic houses where my character will live. We’ve also returned twice to Australia
and New Zealand, but so far I have no stories for those countries. Almost two
years ago we visited India, where I do have pieces of some tales taking place.
Our most unusual venue was Mongolia, and I have a crackerjack story idea placed
there, but it will probably never exist. I have more stories in my head than I
can get written.
Sherri: What are you working on now?
Hannah: I’m trying to get The Last Gift
finished so it can come out in November. It would qualify as a contemporary
romance except the hero is half Fey, so there is some magic involved. I’d
planned on it being light holiday fare, but it is turning out to be bitter
sweet and at times tugs at the heart. I’m really liking it. But I could be
prejudiced. 😊 I’m
hoping to get two historical romances finished for 2020, Fortune’s Promise,
a standalone story set in the early Victorian period and The Color of Night which
follows Tremaine from Kaleidoscope. Both of these are well on their way.
I have three more stories to follow in what will be a Kaleidoscope
series, and these will hopefully appear in 2021-22. I’m basically a slow
writer.
Sherri: Well, I hate to say good bye, but you know
what they say, leave them wanting more. Speaking of more, tell us how we can
find you on social media and how can we buy your books?
Crucible by James Rollins, Narrated by Christian
Baskous (Audible)
Y’all know I’m
addicted to audiobooks and James Rollins books are great to listen to, they’re
like an action adventure movie without the picture.
I’m not sure
what I enjoy most, the Sigma Force story or the author’s notes at the end of the
book. James Rollins is one of the most interesting authors of our time. I don’t
want to give too much away but I will say this, what do you get when you add an
ancient book from the Spanish Inquisition and modern technology with a holy
religious relic and the possibilities of technology to come? What you get is James
Rollins Crucible.
Celebrating
their first Christmas as a couple and expecting their first child, Commander Gray
Pierce returns with his partner Monk to find the woman he loves missing along
with Monk’s daughters, and Monk’s wife, Kat near death on the kitchen floor.
At least two
separate factions are trying to get their hands on the new technology recently
demonstrated in Portugal. Technology someone was willing to kill for. Before
going offline, a distress signal was sent to Sigma.
After saying
goodbye to his wife, Monk promises to rescue their daughters. He joins Gray to
find out if the murders in Portugal are connected to the attack on Commander
Pierce’s house.
A manuscript
from the Spanish Inquisition, Malleus
Maleficarium, the Hammer of Witches, two
religious orders on opposite ends of the faith, a snow witch rebuilding the
unit she inherited, and the promise of advanced technology the world isn’t
ready for yet.
This is
another edge of your seat thriller as Christmas in Paris takes on new meaning. Gray
and Monk must work against the clock to save the ones they love and face the very
real facts that for some, it may already be too late.
This isn’t
just another Christmas story, but it is one I’d love to see made into a movie. Awesome
book, fantastic characters, James Rollins rocks.
Dead of Winter by Wendy
Corsi Staub, read by Melanie Ewbank
Bella Jordan never planned to be
an amateur sleuth. She was just a widow trying to survive being a single
parent. Raising her seven-year old son, Max and trying to do whatever she can
to see he gets a happy Christmas, Bella doesn’t have time for the dead body
that has washed up from the lake.
The Valley View Inn and Lily Dale
have become their home, and despite or maybe because of the weird things that
happen there, Bella’s sharp wit and logic are often at war with the mystical
and magical side of her community. A sceptic, Bella really doesn’t believe in
visions or talks with the dead, even though a magical cat brought she and her
son to Lily Dale, and they have offered the mother and son their protection,
Bella refuses to allow herself to trust her other sight.
A scream in the night and a body
on the shore have Bella rethinking her ability to be logical.
When Max’s friend, Jiffy goes
missing, Bella believes it is linked to the murderer.
Magic and logic team up to help
locate the missing boy, catch a murderer and retrieve priceless artifacts.
This is a delightful story of
love, hope and possibilities mingled with mystery. If you like a good cozy
mystery with a little twist, check out Wendy Corsi Staub’s Lily Dale Mystery
series.
sherrilhollister.com/Suspense She Writes Bookstore Dismiss
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