The Hitler Dilemma Blog Tour - Author Interview

Carolyn Frank's new historical fiction is out and she's here to share some interesting info! Let's first find out what The Hitler Dilemma is about:

“We’re Nazis, Max. Everybody in Germany is Nazi—if they want to be safe.” Papa pulled up a chair and sat down, crumpling the newspaper in his hand. “We don’t have to think like them, son, but we’ve got to act like them—at least on the outside. Try to remember that. Okay?”

Saarbrücken, Germany—1938 Change is in the air in Max Adams’s small village: The censorship of classic literature, the elimination of math and science courses, the addition of extra physical education classes. Along with thousands of other young men, he is forced into the Hitler Youth and is being groomed to become the next generation of Nazi soldiers. But as a faithful Latter-day Saint, how can Max serve the villain who destroyed his younger brother in his effort to create a Master Race—a man who is bent on tearing apart not only a single nation, but also the entire world? From the horrors of battle and the sorrow of separation from family to the privations of a prisoner of war, Carolyn Twede Frank’s groundbreaking novel The Hitler Dilemma is a poignant chronicle of one remarkable young man’s struggle to reconcile his sense of duty with his staunch opposition to the evil tyrant destroying the country he loves.
Interview:

1. How did you pick this topic from the Hitler time period?

Carolyn: While I was working on an earlier historical novel, based on the life of my husband’s grandmother who grew up playing among the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon before it became a national park, I shared my writing research with my employees. One particular employee, Connie Adam expressed her fascination with my grandmother-in-law’s story and then said, “You should hear the story of my father-in-law.” She proceeded to give me a glimpse of some of Max Adam’s amazing experiences. I knew immediately that was a story I wanted to bring to life in the form of a novel.

Me: Interesting, I love personal connections! I read that earlier novel, Promises, and loved it, btw.

 

2. How long did it take you to research and write?

Carolyn: The book took me a year to complete. I did most of the research simultaneously while writing it and I got a lot of information from Max Adam directly and from his memoirs.

Me: How lucky to have access to memoirs!
 

3. Anything special you want to share about writing this book?

Carolyn: This is my debut novel in the world of traditional publishing. The fact that a publisher liked my writing enough to invest their resources into producing my book validates the last eight years I have spent learning and honing the craft of writing. This amazing story that I have been privileged to retell also has served to whet my appetite. I itch to discover more untold gems of history and write their stories as well.

Me: I'm happy for your success, Carolyn. Thanks for joining me today.
 

The new-to-me blog of the week comes from the blog tour list below. Visit Suey for It's All About Books. Great stuff about books and blogging. Lots of tabs to check out specifics.

Check out what others are saying about this book or view the book trailer below:
May 24th. www.franklycreative.blogspot.com

May 25th: annadelc.com/blog

May 26th  http://www.fayklingler.com/

May 27th: lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com

May 28th: sueysbooks.blogspot.com

May 29th: themusingsofabookaddict.com

May 30th: ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com

May 31sth: http://www.tarynataylor.com/

June 1st: Julielcasey.com/blog

June 2nd: renaeswritespot.blogspot.com

June 3rd: thewriteblocks.blogspot.com

June 4th: maryanndennis.blogspot.com

June 5th: whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com

June 6th: donnakweaver.com

June 7th: www.lisaswinton.blogspot.com

 

Author Interview and a Gratitude Contest

Let me introduce you to my talented friend, Lori Nawyn. I'm grateful for friends who inspire. You will certainly be touched by this heartfelt interview. Lori 'taught me the ropes' as a member of my first critique group. Meet Lori:

The wife of a fireman, mother of four, grandmother of four, and mentor to three opinionated dogs she's training for urban mushing, Lori enjoys running, hiking, kayaking, and reading, and growing tomatoes, peppers, and herbs for her fresh salsa.

2. What does gratitude mean to you?

Lori: To me gratitude means seeing with my heart; consciously seeking to understand the purpose in all I experience and determining to appreciate the wonderful times as well as the difficult and challenging times for the opportunities they afford me to learn and grow.

3. Eloquently said. Please name something you are grateful for.

Lori: I am most grateful for the examples of friends and family members who have taught me that the quality of our lives has everything to do with our attitude, not our material possessions or social status. In particular the example of my Grandma Esther is a beacon in my life. I recently wrote about her for one of my publishers (http://familius.com/3-simple-ways-to-model-gratitude#.UoDvbvna8lP)

4. I'm big on attitude myself. Great article, BTW. Tell me about the Gratitude Journal Project.

Lori: Three years ago, I was going through a very difficult time. It seemed the harder I worked, and the more success I attained, the more miserable I became. I realized I was trying to fill some deep voids left by my growing up years. I felt inferior in many ways, that I would never measure up or be of value. In my childhood, a trusted adult had often expressed to me that I should never have been born. I came to see how much, throughout my lifetime, I had subconsciously internalized that sentiment, and how to a frightening degree I had embraced it as truth.

A good deal of soul searching led me to see that I needed to consciously shift my focus away from feeling and acting like a victim. Indeed, I saw I was blessed: I had physically survived many circumstances that others had not. Following the example of my Grandma Esther and those I knew like her, I determined to find something to be grateful for in each day.

At the time, a couple of relationships in my life were unraveling. Betrayal and distrust left me feeling vulnerable and hurt. In addition, I needed to deal with emotions I had not processed when I lost both my grandparents (who were effectively my parents) in 2006, and the deaths of many close friends–several who had committed suicide. Every stress, worry and fear in my life seemed amplified. When my husband, a fireman, responded to emergency calls, I became obsessed with feelings of trepidation that he wouldn't return.  Often it would take much conscious effort to surmount emotional challenges and find the strength I needed to face each day.

I kept a spiral notebook–my gratitude journal–with me at all times. I wrote down anything and everything I could remotely think of to be thankful for. Sunlight, my own breathing, the bite of cold on my face on a snowy day, challenges that had reinforced my determination to do my best, the love of friends and family who I could trust, the power of love, the hope of healing. One day I focused on the tedium of household chores, the certainty of aging, and my fear of making mistakes (Renae, see attached) and came to understand that it was my privilege to choose happiness. Over weeks and months, writing down what I was thankful for became habit. I began to see my stress and worries lift. I felt happy and hopeful. The practice of gratitude has become a life-sustaining influence that I never want to lose sight of again. 

 

5. Wow! So glad you pulled through. This gives personal meaning to the effort in this book. Lori graciously shares one of the Gratitude Journal pages with us. How does it feel to be inspirational and give encouragement to others?

Lori: I meet those who tell me, "It must be so cool to see your name in print." Or, "It must be great to be famous." Really, what is wonderful about being an author and illustrator is the chance it gives me to share what I've learned with others and hopefully touch their hearts and lives for the better. Just last night a dear friend, a great-grandmother in her nineties, related to me how the book I recently illustrated (Love, Hugs, and Hope: When Scary Things Happen) has helped her. Her daughter died unexpectedly a few weeks ago. "I know you illustrated that book for children," she told me, "but I picked it up and went through all of it. I held it close to me. I embraced the message of hope." Hearing that meant more to me than words can express.

6. Can you leave a writing tip for us?

Lori: Don't give up! I used to think that if I couldn't turn out award-winning writing in the first draft I should quit. But writing is like painting. You do some sketches, you move things around, rearranging the composition. You put down some bold strokes of paint; you add subtle nuances, fine details. You work to find a pleasing balance of contrast and color that feels right to your heart, mind, and eye. It's the same with writing.

7. I'm grateful she didn't give up on me as a new writer! She has such a way with words and many wonderful books out. Please tell us what you are working on now and how to contact you.

Lori: Right now I'm working on compiling a book of pear recipes. I'm also writing a children's picture  book about my grandfather and rewriting a middle grade novel. In between I'm working on layouts for a line of gift books. 
Here is the brand new cover of her book coming out in January. So pretty!

Website: www.lorinawyn.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gratitudejournalproject

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLoriNawyn

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lorinawyn/

Twitter: @LoriNawyn

Thank you, Lori. More warm thoughts: Enter to win this wall hanging. Contest ends November 22.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Interview - Circle of Sisters

Welcome to JoLyn Brown, whom I am interviewing today. JoLyn is the author/compiler of the new inspirational book, A Circle of Sisters: Inspirational Stories from Latter-day Saint Women. These are fun, inspirational stories gathered from LDS Relief Society sisters. I happen to have an entry in this book. *Cheesy grin* JoLyn and I connected as a result of having similar projects where we were both collecting inspirational stories--hers about LDS women, mine about LDS bishops. I know by experience how hard it is to get the word out and personally ask people to submit. I am pleased to see her project completed. And such a lovely cover, don't you agree? You can enter the Goodreads giveaway thru June 21 for a copy of this book through this link.

Look into the lives of ordinary Relief Society sisters as they share 50 stories of love and service. Whether it is facing a new calling or dealing with the sickness or loss of a loved one, these
stories testify of the very real power of women devoted to God and His work. In trial and doubt, in faith and in joy, sometimes all it takes is a circle of sisters to change a life for the better.
Purchase from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Circle-Sisters-Jolyn-Brown/dp/1599928825/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370897041&sr=1-11&keywords=a+circle+of+sisters 
OR from Desert Book: http://desertbook.com/Circle-Sisters-Jolyn-Brown/i/5111685

Let's find out more about author JoLyn Brown:

Me:   Please tell us something about you. What do you do for fun (besides writing)? What is your favorite snack? Where would you like to travel? 

JoLyn:   I like to make things, sewing, scrapbooking, or anything like that. I also like gardening and reading. My favorite snack is Oreo cookies. If I could travel, I’d like to go back East to see my husband’s family or to Hawaii. Australia would also be cool.

Me:   Cool indeed! I'll see if I can find us some Oreo's while we chat. What made you want to take on the Circle of Sisters project? Tell us about the journey.

JoLyn:   I think all along seeds were being planted in me to do this, but until fall of 2011, I didn't really see them. After the first idea came to me, I spent about two weeks doubting myself. I mean, honestly, what was I thinking? There are countless women out there much more qualified, why would I feel a prompting to do something like gathering Relief Society stories? Darkness settled on me. Nervous anxiety made me irritable and emotional. I went to my mother. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. We talked a long time about everything else in my life. Finally, I let out a little bit about this idea I’d had. “Why wouldn’t you do it?” My mom asked. All of the darkness faded. It wasn’t much, but I loved the Relief Society and a testimony was burning in my chest that God has a great work for his daughters. Whatever happened, even if all I ended up with was a folder of stories to keep in a sock drawer, I needed to do this.

Me:   Glad your mom helped you sort that out. How did you go about collecting these stories?

JoLyn:   I started out by asking for stories online. It soon became clear, though, that God didn’t intend for this to be as easy as that. Some of the stories arrived through the call for stories I made. The rest where gathered one by one as I personally approached women. I’m not really that comfortable doing things like that, but I’d be sitting there in Church, and see a sister I felt like I should talk to about the project. One time, the sister sat there stunned. “I don’t think I have any stories.” She told me. A moment later, her expression changed, “but there was this one time . . .” Her beautiful story ended up in the book. I have no doubt it was inspired.

Me:   Of course it couldn't be easy! (That part made me laugh--I really get it.) But I think the process is what endears each story that someone makes the effort to submit. Do you have a favorite?

JoLyn:   I spent about a year with these stories before Walnut Springs picked them up. By the time I signed the contract, each one had made a difference to me in some way. Stories I didn’t relate to became my story as I went through different challenges. I don’t have a favorite, but if you asked me about specific experiences, I could tell you which ones made a difference when I needed it.

Me:   Cool, but sounds rather personal. I'll move on to what you are working on now.

JoLyn:   I’m trying to find a publisher for a contemporary LDS Young Adult novel I’ve written. I’m also almost through the first draft of my first attempt at YA fantasy.

Me:   Awesome. Anything else you care to share?

JoLyn:   I think the main thing I learned through this is to never doubt that you can be a part of the Lord’s work. One sister in the book mentions how it doesn’t matter how inadequate you feel, when you desire to serve the Lord, he will make you equal to whatever you face. I couldn’t agree more.

Interview with Author Rachelle J. Christensen

I really enjoyed reading Wrong Number, a Whitney finalist, and thought I'd have a chat with Rachelle Christensen, award-winning author of "Wrong Number" and "Lost Children: Coping with Miscarriage". I like to ask authors three critical fundamentals in writing. Let's start with . . .

Plot—Your plot kicks off strongly from page one. Did you struggle to keep the momentum going? How much of the story was plotted out or outlined before you started writing?

Rachelle: My character, Aubree Stewart, sometimes had a mind of her own and that led to more tension. But I also went back through each chapter during revisions and looked for plot development, tension, etc. to make sure the pacing of the story would keep the reader turning pages.

Character—I liked how you showed character growth from a wife dependent on her husband to a woman who takes charge of her situation. Was this something you strengthened during revisions or did you plan her character arc from the beginning?

Rachelle: Thank you! It was fun to see Aubree’s character development. A lot of that happened naturally with the paths she took in the novel, but I also tried to refine that during revisions. Something I tried to keep in mind was that the character needs to have faults and flaws so they are progressing with the plot as well.

Renae: It was fun to discover who Aubree could or couldn’t trust. Any tips on keeping a secondary character mysterious while showing their development?

Rachelle: Red herrings are a wonderful tool to make anyone seem mysterious. I’ll admit I find it tricky to keep the bad guy a secret because obviously I know who he is while I’m writing :) so I’m always double-checking my writing and asking myself, “Are they going to figure out the bad guy?” and then adding in subtle movements, red herrings, and foreshadowing to keep the reader guessing.

Conflict—There were lots of conflicts along the way culminating to the biggest one where there was no escape. Where do your ideas come from?

Rachelle: My ideas usually come from something that sparks my interest like a news story and then I start asking, “What if?” For example, we all get wrong numbers and I’ve had plenty where people just start talking (this especially happens on my voicemail) and I’ve had to correct them and tell them “I’m sorry you must have the wrong number.” So what if someone called the wrong number by accident and gave out information about a murder?

Renae: It always exciting to win awards. How different was the final product from what you submitted to contests?

Rachelle: Wrong Number won second place in the LDStorymakers contest in 2007 and I had another novel (one of my many work-in-progress) win first place in 2009. The first chapter didn’t change much, other than being tightened up a bit and some extra scrubbing and polishing. But the first draft of my novel was right around 50,000 words. By the time I finished re-writing and revising for several months, the final word count was nearly 72,000 words and that doesn’t account for all the words I cut during revising.

Renae: Did your marketing or publishing strategy change by going from a non-fiction book to suspense?

Rachelle: Definitely. I found it much easier to market my fiction book because it was for anyone. Whereas my nonfiction book was written for a specific niche of readers.

Renae: What else would you like to share about yourself?

Rachelle: I’m a stay-at-home mommy of four beautiful kids. I love to play the piano and sing. I enjoy anything creative, especially making cards, creating photobooks, sewing, and gardening. And right now I’m counting down the days until sunny weather when I can go running any time of day while listening to my iPod and thinking of ideas for my next novel.

Renae: What are you working on now?

Rachelle: I’m currently revising the spin-off from Wrong Number. The working title is Caller ID and I’m excited about the plot in this story. I came up with the idea by combining the elements of two different stories I saw on the news a few years ago. I think my readers will be excited to see who the main character is in Caller ID. I’ll give a hint, it’s not Aubree.

Renae: Do you have any advice for other authors?

Rachelle: If you’re serious about writing, attend writers conferences and classes, join a great critique group, read novels in your genre of interest, and write, write, write! Also, learn how to take criticism and know when to apply it to your writing and when to chuck it out the window.

Renae: Where can we find your books? (BTW, I can personally recommend Wrong Number!)

Rachelle: Anywhere books are sold. If you don’t see it, ask for it and they can order it in. Available wherever books are sold, including Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Amazon
If you’d like to get a sneak peek at Wrong Number, check out the book trailer—it’s awesome!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg5X0T59a9E Stop by my blog, www.rachellewrites.blogspot.com  to see what I’m up to. Thank you so much for this interview! Happy reading and writing.

Renae: Thanks, Rachelle. I invite readers to stop by tomorrow for my book review of The Peasant Queen by Cheri Chesley as part of her blog tour. I'll tell ya what I think!

Big Week Ahead for Author Tristi Pinkston

I first met Tristi Pinkston at the 2010 LDStorymakers Conference. She was my Boot Camp Sergeant, offering kind advice to a table full author wannabes. Because of this, I increased my awareness of her writings and have read two of her books. With the launch of Dearly Departed this Friday, I thought it was a good time to interview Tristi.
Let's talk about Character, Plot, and Conflict as we get to know her better.

1.  Your RS presidency characters are delightful. Did you pattern them after anyone in particular? 

Tristi: Thank you!  I’m glad you’re enjoying getting to know them.  

I didn’t have a lot to do with their creation – they just popped into my head fully formed.  They each have different aspects that remind me of someone—mostly me—but no, they’re pretty much individuals.

2.  Ida Mae, the MC, is my favorite. How do you get a reader to connect with a character like Ida Mae from the get-go? 

Tristi: She took over in that department.  She just started talking, and I wrote down everything she said.  She has so much personality that she made my job easy.  

I would have to say, though, that when it comes to writing a character, to be sure to include a lot of emotion and internal thought so the reader can really “get” where the character is coming from.  Someone like Ida Mae could come across wrong if it weren’t for those moments of internal thought and peeks into her motivation.

3. The plot stems from real life in the LDS world and takes it to a humorous, entertaining level. Did you find this to be easier to write than your earlier historical novels? 

Tristi: It was so much easier, I can’t even tell you.  When you’re writing historical novels, there’s so much research that goes into it, and you have to watch your timeline to make sure that everything is happening right when it’s supposed to.  You can’t throw in a war where you want one – you have to work with the war that already happened.  With Secret Sisters, I just gave the characters their head and ran along after them, taking notes. 

4. What did you do to add plausibility to the silly choices these ladies make? 

Tristi: I’m not sure I did add plausibility.  The whole book is one comedy of errors and you’ve got to prepare to go along for the ride.  But I did try to leaven it with a little bit of seriousness from time to time, again dictated by the characters.  For instance, I didn’t know that Ida Mae’s own family situation was so troubled until she told me.

5. Several people spying on a family in the ward made for humorous situations, but was this also the best way to add tension to the story?  

Tristi: This aspect of the story came with the package—it chose me, rather than me choosing it.  In fact, that’s how the series came to be.  I overheard someone make a comment that they felt as though their home teachers and visiting teachers were sometimes a little too nosy, almost like they were spying on their assigned families.  My brain being what it is, it took off from there—what if they really were spying on their assigned families?  And then Ida Mae, Tansy, and Arlette appeared in my head, and I’ve been having a ton of fun ever since. 

6. Can you share a tip on adding conflict to a light-hearted mystery? 

Tristi: In this story, it was a matter of finding the conflict that already existed and then just bringing it to the forefront.  You’ll always have conflict whenever you get a group of people together and ask them to work on the same project, and there’s always conflict within the boundaries of a ward.  Because Ida Mae was the Relief Society president, she knew about certain issues in the ward that wouldn’t be immediately obvious to the other members.

The main thing you want to do is make sure that the elements you emphasize are already present, or that they occur naturally. There are some genres in which you can throw in an elephant attack or a zombie apocalypse and no one bats an eye, but in this type of writing, you need to take the situations that already exist and then just build on them in order to make them believable. It is a lighthearted story, but every character has their trials, and that’s where you find the conflict.

           7.What do you want readers to get from this series? How many more are coming?  

      Tristi: There are a total of five books in the series.  Book #2, Dearly Departed, just barely came off the press over the holidays, and I’m so excited to get my author copies in my hot little hands.  I have nearly finished the final editing phase of book #5, and then I’m starting a whole new series, which promises to be just as much fun. 

As far as what I’d like readers to get … well, first, I want readers to have more options when it comes to clean fiction.  It seems it’s becoming harder to find.  I also want them to enjoy the little quirks of our Mormon culture.  We are a peculiar people—in a lot of ways, and not just in our religion.  We’re fascinated by potatoes.  We won’t shop on Sunday, but we’ll head out to the store at 12:01. It’s fun just to step back and say, “You know, we are quirky, but we’re so loveable.” I hope my series accomplishes that—a greater sense of contentment of who we are, while appreciating our quirks. 

8. You seem pretty organized. Care to explain the headless chicken thing? What else would like us to know about you? 

Tristi: I’m laughing right now. I am not organized.  Right now, my Christmas tree, which is still up, is jabbing into my left hand from its place next to my desk.  There are Legos all over the living room, I have no idea what’s for lunch, and I keep getting distracted by Facebook.  But I’m determined, and so I keep pressing on. 

We all know the expression, “running around like a chicken with its head chopped off.”  Well, that’s me—I am the headless chicken. I run over here and write a chapter, then I run over here and wash some dishes, then I run over here and tie a shoe.  And I lose a few feathers along the way.  I might even lay an egg.  You just never know with me.

It's good to keep us guessing! Thanks for sharing with us today. Please leave a comment.
The Amazon purchase link is: http://www.amazon.com/Dearly-Departed-Tristi-Pinkston/dp/1935217895/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294239810&sr=8-1  Or check bookstores.

Join me next Monday for the first entry about my writing journey. Have a great week!