Guest Posts

Guest Post with Jill Mansell, author of A Walk in the Park & Giveaway (US/Canada)

November 6, 2012 by Darlene

Let’s welcome Jill Mansell, author of A Walk in the Park, to the blog today! I’m excited to have Jill here because she is my favorite British author and I adore her books! I just reviewed A Walk in the Park yesterday (my review) and it was another really great read from Jill. I can’t wait for her next book but luckily enough I still have quite a few on her backlist to catch up on! Today Jill joins us to talk about her Inspiration for A Walk in the Park…

Hello, and many thanks for inviting me to chatter away on your fab blog! Ah, inspiration and real life influences, it’s one of those great questions that are actually quite hard to answer because I’m never sure of the answer. Or rather, there isn’t a definitive one. Inspiration can strike anywhere and at any time, and it can come from the most unlikely places. I may use situations that have happened to me or to friends and family, but I would NEVER use those same people in my books. For a start, it would be wrong. Secondly, it would be incredibly hard work, trying to figure out how people I know would actually react to every single thing that was said or done to them.

The joy of fictional characters is that I’m in charge of them, I can make them say and do anything I like. All writers know that they spend their lives being accosted by acquaintances saying, “Are you going to put me in your next book?” and “The handsome guy in your last novel – was that me?” The answer is always no. We may take aspects of their personalities, their traits, things that have happened to them or their annoying habits, but we wouldn’t create an entire character based on them. Probably because they wouldn’t be interesting enough. We prefer to create patchwork fictional characters based on lots of different people’s personalities. Also, doing it this way means we don’t get sued!

In the case of A Walk in the Park, many different situations and memories and contributed towards the events in the book. Walking in our own local park one day, I saw two teenagers carving their initials on the trunk of a tree. Further up the tree was another set of initials inside a heart shape, obviously very much older. I immediately wondered who had carved the original set, where they were now and if they were still happily together…

Another sub-plot was inspired by one of those TV shows where people take along their most treasured possessions for valuation. A lady produced a precious family heirloom, her late mother’s diamond ring. The expert then had to break the news to her that the huge central diamond in the ring was in fact a cubic zirconium. (I mean, can you imagine? The possibilities are endless. Who exchanged the diamond for a fake – a previous jeweller? The woman’s late father? The mother herself? Her gambler brother? An errant son? WHOOOOO??????!!!)

One other aspect of the book is the relationship between Lara and her eighteen year old daughter Gigi. While I was writing it, my own daughter was eighteen. Now, I’m not Lara and my daughter Lydia isn’t Gigi but obviously aspects of the mother-daughter relationship are based on our own lives. We get on very well together, Lydia is very untidy, she’s incredibly bossy towards me…she actually types my books for me and loves to correct me when I’ve made a mistake. But I still couldn’t base a character on her, because then my book wouldn’t be fiction. It’s all a matter of blurring the edges. And making sure you don’t have legal action taken against you by your own daughter…

So, it’s over to you lot now. Have you ever seen or heard of an intriguing situation that has fired your imagination and made you wonder what led up to it and what could possibly happen next? And if you have, were you tempted to write about it? Because if not, maybe you should give it a go. You never know, it could change your life!

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Thanks for the great guest post Jill! I could imagine writing about several things that I’ve seen or heard happen but I doubt I could make it as interesting as you do! LOL. It’s certainly something to think about though as I think most people who love books or blogging have dreams of writing their own book. Thanks for a great read in A Walk in the Park – I loved it!

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About A Walk in the Park

No one could have planned for this…

Lara Carson left her family and boyfriend Flynn eighteen years ago without a word to anyone. Why has
no one heard from her since? Does it mean anything that she’s suddenly reappeared in Bath just in time
for her ex–best friend Evie’s wedding? And what about Flynn? Even the most eagle–eyed observer can’t
tell whether he’s happy to see her, or just stunned.

While secrets pile up on secrets, and the gossip mill wings into high gear, the brand–new life Lara’s
searching for becomes ever more elusive. There’s a lot of catching up for everyone to do, and Lara’s
return is going to be anything but a walk in the park.

Buy at: Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, B&N

About Jill Mansell

A New York Times, USA Today and international bestseller, Jill Mansell has written over 20 funny,
romantic novels, and has sold millions of books around the world. Jill lives with her family in Bristol,
England.

Jill’s website
Follow Jill on Twitter

GIVEAWAY DETAILS (US/Canada)

I have one copy of A Walk in the Park by Jill Mansell up for grabs to my readers. To enter…

For 1 entry leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
For 2 entries, follow my blog. If you already do let me know so I can pass the entry on to you as well.
For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway!

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for a winner on Saturday, November 17/12. Good luck!

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Guest Post with Benjamin Berkley, author of Against My Will & Giveaway (US/Canada)

October 31, 2012 by Darlene

Today finds Benjamin Berkley, author of Against My Will, here at Peeking Between the Pages. I reviewed Against My Will last week and while the book deals with difficult subject matter it is also a really good read (my review). I’m going to tell you a bit about the book and Benjamin as well as giving away a copy of the book at the end of the post. In the meantime enjoy Benjamin’s thoughts on his inspiration for Against My Will…

My inspiration for the character of Irene came from my representation of Irene Opdyke. Note, several years ago, Mrs. Opdyke came into my office seeking my legal representation. She had written a book but her English was very poor as was her writing. The book was about how she harbored and saved Jews during the war while working as the housekeeper for a German commandant.

Never the less, a publisher wanted to publisher the book but with a coauthor. I negotiated a contract for her and eventually 20/20 did a story about Irene. And alter she was recognized by Yad Vashem in Israel as a Righteous Gentile.

About Against My Will

AGAINST MY WILL is the life changing novel about Danielle, a victim of marital abuse, who finds the strength to leave her husband and pursue a career in law.

Danielle Landau knows she should feel lucky, but she can’t feel anything but dread. Not only did she pass the New York Bar, but she married the man her father says is just right for her and lives in a fashionable new loft in Queens. But the man who seems like the perfect catch is a perfect nightmare at home. Jacob tries to control her career, her daily routine, and even what she eats. He ignores her desires and belittles her every chance he gets. Soon, Danielle doesn’t recognize her husband or herself, and she struggles to find a way out.

Danielle tries to talk to her father but he dismisses her marital problems. But she can confide in her Nana Rose, a Holocaust survivor who lost her entire family at the hands of the Nazis. Rose helped raise Danielle and her brother when their mother died when Danielle was only three. Having faced death, Rose is Danielle’s source of security. But while Danielle holds on to the fragile belief that her father’s prince charming will change, she is raped by her husband on the night of their one year wedding anniversary.

Now, Danielle has to escape. And with the help of her beloved Nana, Danielle moves across the country and starts to rebuild her life. But will she be able to escape her past? And when one of her clients finds herself in the same terrible situation, will Danielle have the strength to help her?

As we follow Danielle on her journey of terror and recovery, we see her story intersect with the diary entries of her Nana as a young girl held captive in a concentration camp. The entries begin with Rose waking up in a hospital after the liberation of the Mauthausen Concentration Camp. Graphically she recounts the train ride to the camp and the emotional separation of her from her family upon arrival. And the full weight of the family’s secrets becomes clear. This is a story of survival, self-discovery, justice, and ultimately, it’s about love.

Check out the other tour stops at Premier Virtual Author Book Tours
Buy at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, B&N

About Benjamin Berkley

“Against My Will” is Benjamin Berkley’s fifth book and debut novel. He is also the author of four self-help books: “My Wishes, Your Plan for Organizing Your Family’s Needs” (Sourcebooks, June, 2006) “The Complete Executor’s Guide” (Sourcebooks, June 2007) “Winning Your Social Security Disability Case” (Sourcebooks, February, 2008) and “Before You Say I Do Again, A Buyer’s Beware Guide to Remarriage.” (Frederick Fell Publishers, September, 2009).

And though writing is his passion, for over 34 years he has conducted a busy law practice in which he has seen many interesting clients come through his door. One in particular, an older woman with white hair, the kindest smile, and an amazing story became the inspiration for one of his characters for “Against My Will.” Berkley lives in southern California with his wife Phyllis and their cat Riley. He has two grown children and is always bragging about his most beautiful grandson and granddaughter.

Benjamin’s website
Find Ben on Facebook
Follow Ben on Twitter

GIVEAWAY DETAILS (US/Canada)

I have one copy of Against My Will by Benjamin Berkley to share with my readers. To enter…

For 1 entry leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
For 2 entries, follow my blog. Let me know if you already do so I can pass the extra entry on to you as well.
For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway.

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Saturday, November 17/12. Good luck!

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Guest Post with Mary Sharratt, author of Illuminations & Giveaway (US/Canada)

October 30, 2012 by Darlene

Please help me to welcome author Mary Sharratt, author of Illuminations, to Peeking Between the Pages today. I reviewed Mary’s newest book Illuminations yesterday (my review) and it was another fantastic novel written by one of my favorite authors. Today Mary joins us with a great guest post entitled The Triumph of Hildegard von Bingen…

Born in the lush green Rhineland in present day Germany, Hildegard (1098–1179) was a Benedictine abbess and polymath. She founded two monastic communities for women, composed an entire corpus of sacred music, and wrote nine books on subjects as diverse as theology, cosmology, botany, medicine, linguistics, and human sexuality, a prodigious intellectual outpouring that was unprecedented for a 12th-century woman. Her prophecies earned her the title Sybil of the Rhine.

An outspoken critic of ecclesiastical corruption, she courted controversy. Though women were forbidden to preach, Hildegard embarked on four preaching tours in which she delivered apocalyptic sermons warning her male superiors in the Church that they must reform their dissolute ways or suffer divine wrath. Late in her life, she and her nuns were the subject of an interdict (a collective excommunication) that was lifted only a few months before her death. Hildegard nearly died an outcast, her fate hauntingly similar to that of the contemporary sisters and nuns of the Leadership Council of Women Religious as they face the current Vatican crackdown.

873 years after her death, Hildegard will finally receive the highest recognition for her considerable achievements. On May 10, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI canonized Hildegard. In October 2012, she will be elevated to Doctor of the Church, a rare and solemn title reserved for theologians who have significantly impacted Church doctrine. Presently there are only thirty-three Doctors of the Church, and only three are women (Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Ávila, and Thérèse of Lisieux).

For twelve years I lived in Germany where Hildegard has long been enshrined as a cultural icon, admired by both secular and spiritual people. In her homeland, Hildegard’s cult as a “popular” saint long predated her official canonization.

As a writer, I was particularly struck by the pathos of her story. The youngest of ten children, Hildegard was offered to the Church at the age of eight. She reported having luminous visions since earliest childhood, so perhaps her parents didn’t know what else to do with her.

According to Guibert of Gembloux’s Vita Sanctae Hildegardis, she was bricked into an anchorage with her mentor, the fourteen-year-old Jutta von Sponheim, and possibly one other young girl. Guibert describes the anchorage in the bleakest terms, using words
like “mausoleum” and “prison,” and writes how these girls died to the world to be buried with Christ. As an adult, Hildegard strongly condemned the practice of offering child oblates to monastic life, but as a child she had absolutely no say in the matter. The anchorage was situated in Disibodenberg, a community of monks. What must it have been like to be among a tiny minority of young girls surrounded by adult men?

Disibodenberg Monastery is now in ruins and it’s impossible to say precisely where the anchorage was, but the suggested location is two suffocatingly narrow rooms built on to the back of the church.

Hildegard spent thirty years interred in her prison, her release only coming with Jutta’s death. What amazed me was how she was able to liberate herself and her sisters from such appalling conditions. At the age of forty-two, she underwent a dramatic transformation,
from a life of silence and submission to answering the divine call to speak and write about her visions she had kept secret all those years.

In the 12th century, it was a radical thing for a nun to set quill to paper and write about weighty theological matters. Her abbot panicked and had her examined for heresy. Yet miraculously this “poor weak figure of a woman,” as Hildegard called herself, triumphed against all odds to become the greatest voice of her age.

Mary Sharratt’s Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen is published in October by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and is a Book of the Month and One Spirit Book Club pick. Visit Mary’s website: www.marysharratt.com

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About Illuminations (from Mary’s website)

Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), Benedictine abbess and polymath, composed an entire corpus of sacred music and wrote nine books on subjects as diverse as theology, natural science, medicine, and human sexuality—a prodigious intellectual outpouring that put many of her male contemporaries to shame. Her prophecies earned her the title Sibyl of the Rhine. An outspoken critic of political and ecclesiastical corruption, she courted controversy and nearly died an excommunicant. Her courage and originality of thought continue to inspire people today.

Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen reveals the unforgettable story of how Hildegard, offered as a tithe to the Church at the age of eight, triumphed against impossible odds to become the greatest woman of her age. Combining fiction, history, and Hildegardian philosophy, Illuminations presents an arresting portrait of a woman of faith and power—a visionary in every sense of the word.

Illuminations will be released in October 2012 to celebrate Hildegard’s long awaited elevation to Doctor of the Church.

Check out the Illuminations blog tour stops
Buy at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, B&N, and IndieBound

About Mary Sharratt (from Mary’s website)

Mary Sharratt is an American writer who lives with her Belgian husband in the Pendle region of Lancashire, England, the setting for her acclaimed 2010 novel, Daughters of the Witching Hill, which recasts the Pendle Witches of 1612 in their historical context as cunning folk and healers.

Previously she lived for twelve years in Germany. This, along with her interest in sacred music and herbal medicine, inspired her to write her most recent novel, Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen, which explores the dramatic life of the 12th century Benedictine abbess, composer, polymath, and powerfrau.

Winner of the 2005 WILLA Literary Award and a Minnesota Book Award Finalist, Mary has also written the acclaimed novels Summit Avenue (Coffee House 2000), The Real Minerva (Houghton Mifflin 2004), The Vanishing Point (Houghton Mifflin 2006), and co-edited the subversive fiction anthology Bitch Lit (Crocus Books 2006), which celebrates female anti-heroes–strong women who break all the rules. Her short fiction has been published in Twin Cities Noir (Akashic Books 2006).

Mary writes regular articles for Historical Novels Review and Solander on the theme of writing women back into history. When she isn’t writing, she’s usually riding her spirited Welsh mare through the Lancashire countryside.

Mary’s website
Mary on Facebook

GIVEAWAY DETAILS (US/Canada)

I have one copy of Illuminations by Mary Sharratt to share with my readers. To enter…

For 1 entry leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
For 2 entries, follow my blog. If you do let me know and I’ll pass the extra entry on to you as well.
For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway.

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Saturday, November 17/12. Good luck!

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Guest Post with Susan Wingate, author of Spider Brains & Giveaway (US/Canada)

August 17, 2012 by Darlene

I’ve got something a little different from my usual fare to spotlight for you today. It’s a Young Adult book called Spider Brains by Susan Wingate and it sounds really good! Every once in a while I love to read a book that is just enjoyable and easy and I think Spider Brains fits the bill. I can’t wait to read it! Today Susan joins us here at the blog with a guest post entitled Why I Decided on Spiders for My Characters to Deal With…

This is sort of funny story because I used to be dreadfully frightened of spiders. You could even go as far as saying that I was arachnophobic. In fact, when I was around 30 years old, in 1990, the movie Arachnophobia came out. In an attempt to try getting over my fear of spiders, I asked my niece and nephew, Sonja and Thomas, if they might join me to go to the theatre to see Arachnophobia. My sister told me they had wanted to but refused to take them herself. She’s eon’s more intelligent that I am.

Anyway, we’re about 15 minutes into this film when a spider drops menacingly and fatally onto the hand of an old woman who is simply turning on a table lamp. Well, call the police because I screamed bloody murder!

The entire theatre audience turned to see who had freaked out and then, as if looking at me like I was something straight out of a circus sideshow, all began to point and laugh. I slumped low into my chair trying to hide between the small frames of my sister’s children–a 14-year old and a 10-year old. Within two minutes another spider flashed onto the screen making me lose my mind again. But, this time, instead of sitting and taking their jeers and guffaws, I jumped up and bellowed out, “I canNOT believe someone made such a STUpid movie.” And then stamped out of the theatre like some insane movie critic.

After shaking off an extreme case of the heebie-jeebies just outside the theatre room, I headed for two glass exterior doors. I guess, in order to get farther away. When I opened the doors a dime-sized down feather wafted just before my eyes making me go all wacky, yet again, but this time injury ensued. I lifted my hand up fast to avoid what I initially presumed was a spider and when I did, my thumbnail connected squarely with my right nostril tearing it open and giving me a bloody nose. Brilliant.

I believe it was at this point that I decided I needed to reconcile with spiders. And, I’m happy to say that twenty-some years later, the arachnid kingdom and I have come to a very amicable relationship.

However! This is how the idea for SPIDER BRAINS: A LOVE STORY emerged (or, really, how the idea landed in my lap)…

One night in bed, I noticed something strange. It was very early in the morning. My husband had gotten up for work and flipped on the bathroom light switch. The brightness shone against the ceiling and there, not too far from the bed, was a spider making its way across the ceiling. I thought about retrieving it and then setting it free outside but before I could set one foot on the floor to do so, a story flashed across my mind. For about an hour I wrote notes covering the over-arching idea which resulted in the novel SPIDER BRAINS.

Thank you for allowing me to tell you about spiders and my book for your wonderful blog.

About Spider Brains

If one were to bake the story SPIDER BRAINS into a cake, they should sprinkle in Charlotte’s Web, toss in one Jellicle Cat, then stir in a little Spiderman—but as a girl and not in that goofy latex outfit! A tale of hope, transformation, transition and inspiration.
After her father’s death last year and, now, in the throes of a gnarly teacher’s whim as she thinks ahead to college (or really just dreams of getting into college), a small black arachnid bites fifteen-year-old Susie Speider on the finger. The bite sends her nights into fantastical dreams about taking revenge on a teacher who, ultimately, holds her college aspirations in the palm of her cold calloused hand. But, after Susie figures out the dreams are real, she ups the ante by visiting the teacher regularly… as the spider! And, oh, by the way! Who is that boy spider munching on flies, hiding over there in the corner? A story of loss and forgiveness, tolerance and kindness, Susie Speider deals with the death of her father while Matt Ryder–the new neighbor boy–has just lost his mother. Ultimately, SPIDER BRAINS poses some important questions about how to treat Attention-Deficit-Disorder.

Buy at: Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and B&N

About Susan Wingate

Most recently, Susan Wingate’s novels, SPIDER BRAINS and DROWNING each reached Amazon Bestseller status in 2012. DROWNING won the 2011 Forward National Literature Award for Drama. She would love for you to read her books. You can find them all under the tab on this site labeled “Books”. SUSAN has written eleven novels, two short story collections, a few plays, one screenplay and tons of poems. Her latest 2011 novel DROWNING (contemporary women’s fiction), won 1st place in the 2011 Forward National Literature Award and also won a finalist award for the category of Women’s Fiction/Chick Lit in the 2011 International Book Awards. A vibrant public speaker, Susan offers inspiring, motivational talks about the craft of writing, publishing and marketing, and how to survive this extremely volatile (e-)Publishing industry. She presents these lectures for private groups and at writing conferences, libraries and bookstores around the country.

Susan’s website
Find Susan on Facebook
Follow Susan on Twitter

GIVEAWAY DETAILS (US/Canada)

I have one copy of Spider Brains by Susan Wingate to share with my readers. To enter…

For 1 entry leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
For 2 entries, follow my blog. If you already do let me know so I can pass the extra entry on to you as well.
For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway.

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Saturday, September 1/12. Good luck!

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Guest Post with Maria Geraci, author of A Girl Like You & Giveaway (US only)

August 10, 2012 by Darlene

Today we have Maria Geraci, author of A Girl Like You, visiting Peeking Between the Pages with a guest post. A Girl Like You which released on August 7 sounds like a really good summer read – something to pack in your bag to go to the beach or enjoy out on the deck. I have to admit I like pretty pink covers like this one too – I’m girly like that. I’ll give you some information on the book and author below as well as a giveaway but for now enjoy Maria’s guest post…

First off, thank you to Darlene for inviting me to guest blog here today!

A few months ago I was at my local writers’ meeting where I read aloud the first chapter to my work-in-progress in order to get a critique. Normally, I don’t let anyone read my rough drafts until they’ve been smoothed out a bit but I wanted some feedback on my new story idea. I was more than a little surprised when one of the writers present called me out on my opening. You see, my main character mentions that the first thing she notices about a person is their shoes. And while there’s nothing terribly wrong with that, the thing is, I write chick lit. And let’s face it, chick lit has gotten a bum rap.

Most people associate chick lit with single girls living in the big city obsessed with their Manolo Bahliks. But chick lit is so much more than that, and most times it’s not even that at all. Yes, sometimes our female protagonists live in a big city, such as my main character, Emma, in A Girl Like You. But a lot of the action in the novel occurs in Emma’s small fictional hometown of Catfish Cove, Florida. And while Emma doesn’t mind donning a nice pair of stilettos, that certainly isn’t the focus of her life. She’s a regular girl who works hard at her job, struggles with her self-image, and wouldn’t mind finding a nice guy to settle down with.

My novels are about woman, and the relationships in their lives, and trying to make the world a better place for themselves and others. They’re about family and friendship and love. And yes, occasionally, there might be a mention of shoes. But it’s not even the tiniest bit of importance in my stories. So, needless to say, I cut out most of that shoe bit from my work-in-progress.

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Thanks so much for being here at the blog today Maria and for this guest post! I agree that chick lit gets a bum rap and I don’t know why. I enjoy reading it mixed in with all my other reading. I find it to be a great escape from everyday life and it never fails to cheer me up when I read it. I look forward to reading your novel soon.

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About A Girl Like You (from Maria’s website)

What if you found out you were the ugly friend?

Emma Frazier is smart, hardworking, and loves her job as a journalist for a Florida lifestyle magazine. Emma knows she’s no great beauty, but she’s pretty certain she has a shot with her handsome new boss, Ben Gallagher—until Emma overhears a mutual acquaintance refer to her as the “ugly friend.” In an effort to reclaim her battered self-esteem, Emma decides to impress Ben at work by promising an exclusive interview with NASCAR legend, Trip Monroe.

Emma and Trip went to high school together and although it’s been fourteen years since they’ve spoken, Emma is certain she can score an interview with the elusive super star.https://peekingbetweenthepages.com/wp-admin/post-new.php But connecting with Trip turns out to be harder than Emma imagined. Her quest for the interview leads her back to her tiny hometown of Catfish Cove, where old secrets and a new romantic interest shake up Emma’s views on life and teach her that maybe the key to finding true love is as simple as accepting yourself for the person you were always meant to be.

Read an excerpt
Buy at: Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, B&N and Indiebound

About Maria Geraci (from Maria’s website)

Maria Geraci was born in Havana, Cuba, and raised on Florida’s Space Coast. Her love of books started with the classic, Little Women (a book she read so often growing up, she could probably quote). She writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction with a happy ending. The Portland Book Review called her novel, The Boyfriend of the Month Club, “immensely sexy, immensely satisfying and humorous.” Her fourth novel, A Girl Like You, will be released August, 2012 by Berkley, Penguin USA.

Maria’s website
Find Maria on Facebook
Follow Maria on Twitter
Maria on Goodreads

GIVEAWAY DETAILS (US only)

I have one copy of A Girl Like You by Maria Geraci to share with my US readers. To enter…

For 1 entry leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
For 2 entries, follow my blog. Let me know if you already do as well so I can pass the extra entry on to you as well.
For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway.

This giveaway is open to US residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Saturday, August 25/12. Good luck!

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Guest Post with Cassie Stocks, author of Dance, Gladys, Dance & Giveaway (Open Int’l)

August 8, 2012 by Darlene

I’ve got a great guest post for you all today from Cassie Stocks, author of Dance, Gladys, Dance which I reviewed yesterday (my review). I really enjoyed this novel about a great group of quirky characters and a woman trying to find her way in life with the unusual help of a ghost. It was the perfect summer read for me. Cassie joins us today to talk about Ages and Stages in Dance, Gladys, Dance…

One of the things people have commented on since the publication of Dance, Gladys, Dance is the age range of the characters in the novel – from sixteen to eighty. I didn’t really think about the ages of the characters as I was writing, for the most part, people are people to me, young/old, rich/poor makes no never mind to me. There are characteristics of each age group though, that can add something to a story, or to a life.

Frieda, the main character in her late twenties, is questioning her current life path. At some point in all our lives, usually more than once, we evaluate the path we’re travelling. These assessments tend to occur somewhere in the early to late middle stages of our lives. These can be momentous and difficult decisions and the “in-between bits” when we are neither here nor there can be bewildering.

Girl, the sixteen-year old character in the novel has the teenage invincibility and devil-may care attitude that can lead to both trouble and adventure. Sometimes I wish I still had the impetuousness of youth. A bit of deliberation can save a world of troubles, but once in a while I feel like there can be too much calculation and not enough action.

Gladys is the ghost who appears at several ages throughout the novel. To me, she represents lost stories. There are those in our lives and throughout history who’s stories are never heard. As Gladys says to Frieda, “No one knows. I never got to tell my story to anyone…No one heard us. Who was there to listen?” Everyone has a story, a tale to tell, a past hidden to most of us. Those that are lost to history take their stories with them. That, to me is one of the greatest values of fiction, as a writer and as a reader, I have the opportunity to tell and to hear the stories of lives long since past.

Mr. H. and Miss Kesstle, the older characters in the novel represent the wisdom and the sorrows that can come with age. Children believe that adults are strong, that as they grow, their tough adult skin will render them impervious to the small slights and pains of life. As they age, they find, to their surprise, that at thirty, forty, seventy-five they still feel the throes of embarrassment, shyness, hurt, any of the gamut of messy human emotions. I tried to represent that in the novel, from Miss Kesstle trying to keep up with the terminology she hears on talk radio, to Mr. H.’s regrets about his relationship with his son, that, no matter their age, they are still real people, evolving and dynamic.

Every stage of life has its distinguishing characteristics, but throughout, there are fewer differences than we might think. No matter what our age, we all share the vulnerability and vigor of our essential humanity.

About Dance, Gladys, Dance

BEAUTIFUL old phonograph for sale. 78 record player. Excellent condition. Gladys doesn’t dance anymore. She needs the
room to bake. Bring offer. Ph. 254-9885.

27-year-old Frieda Zweig is at an impasse. Behind her is a string of failed relationships and half-forgotten ambitions of being a painter; in front of her lies the dreary task of finding a real job and figuring out what “normal” people do with their lives. Then, a classified ad in the local paper introduces Frieda to Gladys, an elderly woman who long ago gave up on her dreams of being a dancer.

The catch? Gladys is a ghost.

In Dance, Gladys, Dance, Cassie Stocks tells the uplifting story of a woman whose uncanny connection with a kindred spirit causes her to see her life in a new way—as anything but ordinary.

Read an excerpt
Buy at: Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Chapters, and B&N

About Cassie Stocks

Cassie Stocks was born in Edmonton, Alberta. She’s been a biker chick, a university student, an actress, and a rich
man’s gardener; she’s worked as a waitress, an office clerk, an aircraft cleaner, has raised chickens, and has even been the caretaker of a hydroponic pot factory.

In 2002, she completed the Writing with Style workshop at the Banff Centre. Upon her return to Edmonton, she quit her job at a steel fabrication plant and applied to the Grant MacEwan Bachelor of Applied Communications in Professional Writing.

Cassie currently lives in Eston, SK, with her son Julian. Dance, Gladys, Dance her first novel.

Cassie’s website

GIVEAWAY DETAILS (1 copy -Canada only, 1 copy – Int’l)

I have two copies of Dance, Gladys, Dance by Cassie Stocks to share with my readers. One copy is open to Canadians only (please let me know you are Canadian as entries will be separate) but the other copy is my ARC and it will be open to any reader of my blog. To enter…

For 1 entry leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
For 2 entries, follow my blog. If you already do let me know so I can pass the extra entry on to you as well. Also let me know if you’re Canadian as your entries will be separate.
For 3 entries blog or tweet this giveaway.

This giveaway is open for 1 copy to Canada and 1 copy international and I will draw for the winners on Saturday, August 25/12. Good luck!

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