Flying Through Clouds by Michelle Morgan

Today we have a guest post, part of the blog tour for Michelle Morgan's "Flying Through Clouds".

FLYING THROUGH CLOUDS – Blog tour – Day 4

Written by Michelle Morgan

ISBN: 978-0-9953865-0-1

CATEGORY: Young Adult

AGES: 12+

RRP: $18.99 Pbk

PUBLISHED: 2 April 2017

My Writing Process

 

Flying through Clouds is my new historical novel for young adults, and follows on from my first novel, Racing the Moon. Although both novels share the same main character and are set mostly in Sydney in the 1930s, the stories are quite different, and so were my motivations for writing them. Flying through Clouds is about Joe Riley’s dream of becoming an aviator and his problematic transition from adolescence to adulthood. It was inspired by two historical events – the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in March 1932, and the landing and take-off of Southern Cross by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith on Seven Mile Beach in January 1933.

Before writing Flying through Clouds, I immersed myself in research. I wanted to understand how people lived in the 1930s and become familiar with that world before developing my characters and narrative. I read books about aviators, the Depression and Australia in the 1930s; I watched videos, listened to podcasts and searched for old photographs and newspaper articles. To make the story interesting and intriguing, I needed to build tension, create conflict and throw up some challenging situations for my main character. I also wanted the novel to be more than about flying. I wanted to explore Joe’s journey through adolescence and his relationships with his family and friends. To do this, I had to create sub-plots, secondary characters and themes that would resonate with readers today.

An essential element of any story is getting the voice right. This depends on who your narrator is and what perspective you’ve chosen to write from. With Flying through Clouds I chose to tell the story in the first person from Joe’s point of view and mostly in the present tense. I wanted readers to be able to experience the world of the 1930s through Joe’s eyes, to be accomplices in all his well-intentioned but bad choices. But the first person also has its limitations because the narrator can’t possibly know everything that’s going on around them or inside the heads of other characters.

It was challenging to develop the voice, behaviour and personality of a teenage boy growing up in the 1930s. I read widely but also observed significant males in my life, and dug deep to find the rebellious teenager within. Apart from developing Joe’s voice, I had to develop personalities and behaviours for all my characters.

I often use dialogue to reveal character. My enthusiasm for using dialogue springs from my love of theatre and playwriting. When I’m stuck, I read more books or search for old photos or watch videos for inspiration. When I have a good understanding of my characters and the setting, I plot the main turning points of the story. And there’s no story without conflict. But the conflict has to come from the interaction of my characters. I evaluate every scene that I come up with – What impact will it have? How credible is it? Will it drive the story forward and develop the characters?

Each turning point in the novel had to come at just the right time and create tension, as well as propel the story towards the climax. Critical feedback from professional editors is crucial to developing a manuscript towards publication, and I was fortunate to work with two talented editors. A structural edit led to a much tighter plot and a reduced word count. The copy edit a year later picked up problems with grammar, style, voice, punctuation and minor inconsistencies in the text. The copy edit also inspired me to further develop voice and characterisations.

When writing for teenagers, it’s important to have interesting multi-dimensional characters and a strong narrative.  I hope that Flying through Clouds engages readers with its compelling blend of humour, drama and historical detail.

Flying through Clouds is available now at bookshops, educational and library suppliers, and can be ordered on Michelle’s website.

Find out more about Michelle and her books on her website: www.michellejmorgan.com.au

Check out Dee White’s blog tomorrow at https://deescribewriting.wordpress.com/ for Day 5 of the Flying through Clouds Blog tour.

About Glenice Whitting

Author Glenice Whitting is a long-time friend of Affordable Manuscript Assessments, the site which sponsors Promote Me Please. Here she tells us a bit about her life.

Glenice Whitting is an Australian author and playwright and has published two novels. She was a hairdresser for many years before she became a mature age student. It was during an English Literature Fiction Writing course that her great midlife adventure began. Rummaging through an old cardboard shoebox in the family home she found a pile of postcards dating back to the 19^th century, many of them written in Old High German. The translated greetings from abroad introduced the hairdresser to her long hidden German heritage and started her on a life changing journey. She fell in love with the craft of writing and decided to pursue a writing career. Her Australian/German novel, Pickle to Pie, was short -listed for the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript. It co-won the Ilura Press International Fiction Quest and was launched during The Age Melbourne Writers' Festival.

Three years as an on-line editor and columnist at suite101.com introduced her to web writing and resulted in an ebook Inspiring Women. Glenice’s play Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow was produced during the Fertile Ground New Play Festival. Her published works include biographies, reviews, numerous short stories and two novels. Her latest novel, Something Missing, published by MadeGlobal Publishing is about two countries, two women and lies that lead to truth. She completed the journey from VCE to PhD when she gained her Doctorate of Philosophy (Writing) from Swinburne University in 2013. Along the way she was awarded entry into the Golden Key International Honour Society for academic excellence. She currently enjoys teaching Memoir Writing and encouraging other women to write their stories.  Glenice’s blog Writers and Their Journey can be found at her website, www.glenicewhitting.com

To read about Glenice's latest book, SOMETHING MISSING, click HERE.

        

Something Missing - Glenice Whitting talks about her new book

Promote Me Please is delighted to welcome Glenice Whitting to talk about her writing life, the people who have inspired and helped her, and, of course, her new book...Something Missing

There are many momentous life events but there is no greater personal happiness than the moment when you hold your published book in your hands. You hug the feeling around you like a warm blanket to keep out the wintery chills of life. It is a rare moment of bliss, and it doesn’t matter if it’s your first book or fifth.

Recently, with the launch of my latest book Something Missing I find myself humming The Wind Beneath My Wings because it reminds me of so many people who have supported and helped me along the way. All my writing projects have been a team effort and I have a long list of people who have inspired me over many years. How wonderful to have the opportunity to thank them via the acknowledgement pages of my books. To publish is one way of proving to them that their faith in me as a writer is justified. Most writers need to pluck up courage to send their work to others for feedback. However, I’ve discovered that other women writers support, encourage and inspire you to reach for the stars.

Years ago, when I was a budding author and did not realize that my academic journey would take me from VCE to a PhD in creative writing, I sent a chapter of my first novel, Pickle to Pie to Sally for assessment. My mouth was dry and I had sweaty palms waiting for her reply. To my relief she sent me a detailed report of my writing that was not only encouraging but also gave me some insightful ideas of how to lift the work up another notch. Her tick of approval at a time when I was still finding my feet was invaluable. Over the years, many other women have selflessly helped me on my writing journey which eventually became one of self discovery.

My debut novel, Pickle to Pie published by Ilura Press was based on my father’s life. It is about a boy, a great-hearted German Grossmutter and a man caught between two worlds. An unexpected bonus of writing his story was that I finally came to terms with my long hidden German ancestry.

This latest novel, Something Missing published by Madeglobal.com deals with the next stage of my life. It reveals how a chance meeting and thirty-five years of pen-friendship with an older American poet inspired and changed my life.

Tim of Madeglobal Publishing summed up the novel when he wrote, Something Missing is about two women, two countries. serendipity, life and friendship. Diane, a young Australian mother meets Maggie, a sophisticated American poet, in a chance encounter. Everything – age, class and even nationality – separates them. Yet all is not quite as it seems. Maggie is grieving for her eldest daughter and trapped in a marriage involving infidelity and rape. Diane yearns for the same opportunities given to her brother. Their lives draw them to connect. This is the story of two unfulfilled women finding each other when they needed it most. Their pen-friendship will change them forever. This book will appeal to women aged between twenty and ninety-nine years and men who wish to understand them.

 Something Missing is available from www.madeglobal.com or www.glenicewhitting.com,

Book depository (free postage): https://www.bookdepository.com/Something-Missing-Glenice-Whitting/9788494593765,

Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Something+missing+glenice+whitting

Amazon Kindle books: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQKMUZZ?tag=theancom-20

Thank you, Sally for featuring me on your site and for all your support, kindness and sound advice over the years

About Glenice Whitting

Glenice Whitting left school at fourteen to become an apprentice hairdresser. Her journey as a mature –aged student took her from VCE to PhD in creative writing. Her debut novel Pickle to Pie won awards and was published by Ilura Press. Her latest novel, Something Missing was launched at Swinburne University in December and is now available via MadeGlobal in London or at Amazon.com.Connect with Glenice on her website or on Facebook at Writers and their Journey

  

For more about Glenice, check our her longer bio here.

Kristen Holzapfel talks about "Selfless: a social worker's own story of trauma and recovery"

Let's welcome author Kristen Holzapfel to Promote Me Please. Kristen stepped up to answer five questions about her book Selfless: a social worker's own story of trauma and recovery. 

Want to be featured on Promote Me Please? Click HERE to find out how.

Q.1. "Selfless: a social worker's own story of trauma and recovery." This is an explanatory title. Is it autobiographical or biographical?

A.1. "Selfless" is autobiographical. I undertook a fair bit of research about burnout, Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma in order to make sense of my own feelings and behaviours and included many references throughout. I wanted my story to be read as a case study of how trauma looks/sounds/feels as well as the personal and professional impact.

In my case, Vicarious Trauma occurred after several years working in Child Protection Services and the symptoms manifested as an eating disorder (Anorexia). The weight loss occurred very suddenly while I was in my late twenties, eventually leading to hospitalisation a couple of years later. Prior to this time, I'd enjoyed a healthy relationship with food and never believed I was at risk of an illness like this.

Vicarious Trauma blindsided me; I'd had no understanding I was so vulnerable or that the effects would be so pervasive.

Q.2. What motivated you to write this book?

A.2. As I was researching the topic, many helping professionals (nurses, paramedics, police officers, teachers etc) told me they wished they'd read a book like this when they were studying. Others told me they'd experienced something similar. All agreed that there were few books written (honestly) from the helper perspective and that this was probably due to the stigma surrounding Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma.

I researched the topic to gain a better understanding of how the trauma impacted me the way it did. There was so much I didn't know and felt compelled to share what I'd learned as it seemed essential knowledge for all helping professionals.

My goal is to start a much-needed conversation about Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma and how helping professionals can be better supported in the workplace. Helpers are often the last people to ask for help, preferring to focus on those they signed up to help - their clients. There is so much more we can do to support them and their vital work.

Q.3. Did the length of the title cause any problems with the book design?

A.3. Not at all. The cover design is simple and the main title ("Selfless") is short. The subtitle ("a social worker's own story of trauma and recovery") is smaller and so fits in pretty easily.

The subtitle was important as I wanted to:

(a) advertise that this was a first hand account,

(b) name the issue of trauma (in association with social work)

(c) emphasise that recovery is possible.

Q.4. Would you say the experiences of the main character were common among social workers?

A.4. Oh yes. Almost universally, helpers experience too much work and too little time to do it in. They're expected to makes miracles happen and have nerves of steel. When clients realise helpers don't have all the answers, their view of these professionals takes a nosedive. In this way, helpers are often viewed as either super-human or sub-human.

I hope that my book portrays what it's like to be a social worker who is human; no more or less.

Q. 5. How much do the problems of others impact on the main character's own wellbeing?

A.5.  Vicarious Trauma can occur when a helper has a high caseload of acutely traumatised clients and is not provided with the time or support to process/make sense of the emotional impact that is inevitably transferred from client to helper. The symptoms can be similar to those of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

To read more about Selfless, check out this page.

About Promote Me Please

Promote Me Please blog is a service provided by Affordable Manuscript Assessments

Affordable Manuscript Assessments provides assessments, editing, mentoring and help for self-publishers at an affordable price. We also sell a range of how-to books to help authors make the most of their work. 

We do not give marketing advice, because that is a job for an agent. 

This disappoints a lot of clients, so we decided to provide a promotion service. Promote Me Please blog is open to anyone with a creative endeavour to promote. Every promo is given a unique url so readers can find it directly without scrolling down through many other posts.

We ask creators for the following:

1. Choose between a guest post or five questions. 

2. Write something new for your choice. Do not send us to a website or send ready-made material.

3. Provide jpegs and links if wanted.

4. Consider reading and commenting on a couple of other posts on the blog. 

5. Follow us! Remember, the more comments and followers we get, the better chance your post has of attracting new readers.

To request a promo, send an email to sodgers(AT)iinet(DOT)net(DOT)au.

Michelle Somers and Murder Most Unusual

I'm delighted to welcome Michelle Somers to Promote Me Please. Michelle agreed to answer five curly questions about her latest book Murder Most Unusual. Want to be featured on Promote Me Please? Click HERE to find out how.

1.             Q1. Murder Most Unusual is a fine rolling title. What came first, the title or the plot?

A1. Great question! It was a scene that nudged its way into my mind and wouldn’t leave – a woman struggling to lift something in a large, open field, way past midnight, on the first dry night after two solid weeks of rain. She’s tired and muddy and yet, somehow, happy to be there. Then came the questions: Why was she out this late? What was she doing? And what events would immediately follow once she was done and back in her car, heading for home?

The answers to these questions formed the basis of Murder Most Unusual, my opening scene with Stacey and her mannequin counterpart Renaldo, and a fun, romantic rollercoaster ride that was Stacey and Chase’s story.

2.             Q2. What is unusual about the murder?

A2. My tagline says it all: She writes. He watches. He waits. He kills …

Murder Most Unusual is a story of a quirky but loveable romantic suspense novelist, Stacey Holland, who believes the only path to the perfect murder is to enact it. So she finds the perfect location, employs her arsenal of imitation weapons, and with fake blood and a mannequin called Renaldo, she commits fictional murder. Then she returns to her writing cave and writes.

All the while, a sadistic killer is watching, waiting and replicating her murders, but with real live victims. So as Stacey writes, dead bodies litter the path behind her.

And she is oblivious, until the pattern is picked up by none other than Detective Chase Durant – the detective she convinced to help her with research for her first, award-winning novel.

So, now, not only must Stacey cope with the knowledge that she’s inspired a killer to kill, but she has a devilishly sexy, infuriatingly exasperating homicide detective planted quite firmly into her once peaceful life. And nothing from that point on is ever the same again.

3.            Q3. Pretend you are introducing your main character(s) to a potential reader. Who is this person? (people) 

A3. Hi. This is Stacey Holland, a romantic suspense novelist with a difference – she believes committing fictional homicide enables her to pen the perfect murder. And her partner in crime? A mannequin called Renaldo.

Why? Because nothing but the perfect murder will do for her stories.

After divorcing her manipulator ex-husband, Stacey immersed herself in her writing. As a result, she doesn’t have a lot of friends (she’s pretty quiet and unassuming outside her writing life), but the friends she has are as solid as iron ore. The loves of her life are Midnight, her sphinx cat, and a green tree python called Cuddles. And most nights – when she’s not in her writing cave typing up a storm – she loves nothing better than to curl up on her zebra chaise lounge with a good book, a glass of milk and a plate of the best choc chip cookies in the world.

And as for romance? Her ex-husband and her AWOL ex-cop father put paid to any belief it exists outside her books. Writing is her passion and her world. She doesn’t want for anything more.

4.             Q4. Is Murder Most Unusual a stand-alone book, or part of a series?

A4. Murder Most Unusual is the sequel to my debut novel, Lethal in Love. Both books are set in Melbourne, Australia, and both books are written to be read as a stand-alone with characters in common.

5.             Q5. What is the question (point, theme) you wish reviewers and interviewers would ask (note, discuss) that they never do?

A5. This is an interesting question, and, surprisingly, one I struggled over. It took me barely no time to answer your first four questions, but this question… It had me stumped. I’ve been asked a myriad of questions by interviewers over the years, and never once have I sat there and wished they’d ask me something else. I’ve been quizzed about my stories, my characters, my research and my inspiration. I’ve talked about my journey, my mentors, my belief that magic awaits us the moment we step outside our comfort zone. That no matter how terrifying, it’s a wondrous and liberating experience to feel the fear and do it anyway.

The list of questions and topics goes on.

Now, I know that doesn’t answer your question, and I know what a frustrating predicament that can be, so to do that I’m going to put a small spin on your words. For the purposes of this interview, let’s pretend your question read as follows: Michelle, what is the one thing you wish an interviewer had said to you during an interview?

Well, Sally, I’m so glad you asked.

And my answer? Here it is …

‘We’ve just spoken to Ellen and she wants you on her show.’ J

SO... who is Michelle Somers?

MICHELLE SOMERS BIO:

Michelle Somers is a bookworm from way back. An ex-Kiwi who now calls Australia home, she’s a professional killer and matchmaker, a storyteller and a romantic. Words are her power and her passion. Her heroes and heroines always get their happy ever after, but she’ll put them through one hell of a journey to get there.

Michelle lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her real life hero and three little heroes in the making. Her debut novel, Lethal in Love won the Romance Writers of Australia’s 2016 Romantic Book of the Year (RuBY) and the 2013 Valerie Parv Award. She released the sequel, Murder Most Unusual, into the big wide world early February 2017.

MURDER MOST UNUSUAL BLURB:

she writes.

he watches… he waits… he kills…

Romance novelist Stacey Holland doesn’t believe in love; marriage to a manipulator taught her as much. So she hides away in her fictional world, penning the perfect romance, intertwining the perfect crime. Excitement is for her books – worlds where the mortality of her characters is governed by a tap on her keyboard and the heroine always gets her happy ever after.

Homicide detective Chase Durant’s cases are real and gritty and one wrong move could be his last. The force is his life – he doesn’t have room for more. Love and relationships hold no place for a man whose fate is predetermined by the genetic roll of a dice. With uncertainty on the horizon, he won’t promise a future he can’t guarantee.

Then a sadistic killer breathes Stacey’s gruesome murders to life and the pair are thrown together in a sick game of murder and lies.

When tempers flare, and the murders get personal, can author and detective fight their growing attraction all-the-while fighting the killer determined to destroy them both?

Murder Most Unusual is a thrilling seductive suspense set in Melbourne, Australia.

‘Wicked murders, witty one-liners and totally satisfying romance.’

JUANITA KEES

'Michelle Somers doesn't just paint a picture, expecting readers to fill in the blanks – she immerses them in a high definition, surround sound movie experience. A must-read author.'

AMAZON REVIEW

BUY LINKS:

Murder Most Unusual:

iBooks: http://apple.co/2jtM1DZ

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2iGjZEu

Amazon Aus: http://amzn.to/2jSDur9

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2iB9Vcw

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/murder-most-unusual-1  

Nook: http://bit.ly/2iGhqCq

Lethal in Love:

iBooks: http://apple.co/2j2YLyo

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2jZhcbv

Amazon Aus: http://amzn.to/2jiFkCQ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/lethal-in-love-the-complete-book

GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2jiIdTY

Promote Me Please blog is associated with Affordable Manuscript Assessments 
Book your own promo here.

The World of Jeanette O'Hagan

Today Jeanette O'Hagan has a post for us, introducing some of her latest publications. I was immediately drawn to the bright covers, but the stories look pretty enticing too. Check out the links for more information on each title.

Jeanette O’Hagan first started spinning tales in the world of Nardva at the age of nine. She enjoys writing secondary world fiction, poetry, blogging and editing. 

Her Nardvan stories span continents, time and cultures. They involve a mixture of courtly intrigue, adventure, romance, shapeshifters or magic users (some with more of these elements than others).

Recent publications include Heart of the Mountain: a short novella, The Herbalist's Daughter: a short story and Lakwi's Lament: a short story. Her other short stories and poems are published in a number of anthologies including Glimpses of Light, Another Time Another Place and Like a Girl. Jeanette is also writing her Akrad’s Legacy Series—a Young Adult secondary world fantasy fiction with adventure, courtly intrigue and romantic elements.

Jeanette has practised medicine, studied communication, history, theology and a Master of Arts (Writing). She loves reading, painting, travel, catching up for coffee with friends, pondering the meaning of life and communicating God’s great love. She lives in Brisbane with her husband and children.

Heart of the Mountain: a short novella

Heart of the Mountain is YA Fantasy Adventure in the lost realm under the mountain.

Twins Delvina and Retza’s greatest desire is to be accepted as prentices by their parents’ old crew when they stumble across a stranger. Trapped under the mountain, young Zadeki’s only thought is to escape home to his kin. Peril awaits all three youngsters. Will they pull apart or work together to save the underground realm? 
https:/www.amazon.com/Heart-Mountain-short-novella-Under-ebook/dp/B01J74G9I6

The sequel to Heart of the Mountain — Blood Crystal — due to be released later this year.

The Herbalist’s Daughter: a short story

A romance set in the Golden Palace of Tamra

Anna’s biggest concern is whether the sturdy young guard will ever notice her. That is until the mischievous young prince Naetok begins to stir things up at the Palace.

The Herbalist’s Daughter originally appeared in the Tied in Pink charity anthology for Breast Cancer Research.

https://www.amazon.com/herbalists-daughter-short-story-Tamrin-ebook/dp/B01M9IP1O4/

Lakwi’s Lament: a short story

A middle-grade, Princess adventure in the Golden Palace of Tamra

Lakwi would love to read the books in the Royal library, but girls aren’t allowed inside. Her passion for books attracts the attention of her dashing older brother, Prince Rokkan, and her suave cousin, Lord Haka. Will her drive for knowledge lead her into more trouble than she can handle?

Lakwi’s Lament originally appeared in Like a Girl charity anthology, in support of girls’ education.

https://www.amazon.com/Lakwis-Lament-short-story-Tamrin-ebook/dp/B01N5RSW95/ or https://www.books2read.com/u/bQZWRd

Connect with Jeanette:

Links

Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/JeanetteOHaganAuthorAndSpeaker/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9833645.Jeanette_O_Hagan

Amazon Central
 https://www.amazon.com/Jeanette-OHagan/e/B00RBSE85C

Twitter
 https://twitter.com/JeanetteOHagan

Instagram
 https://www.instagram.com/bythelightof2moons/

Jenny's Thread http://jennysthread.com/tag/jeanette-ohagan/

Jeanette O'Hagan Writes http://jeanetteohagan.com/

Email sign-up:  http://eepurl.com/bbLJKT

Promote Me Please blog is associated with Affordable Manuscript Assessments

It is open to anyone with a family-friendly creative endeavour to promote. Comments are welcome. To read other interviews at Promote Me Please, choose from the menu on the right of this post. The direct url for this post is http://tinyurl.com/PMPJeanette