Sunday, March 22, 2015

Tour Kick Off: Chasing Shadows by Wolters & Williamsen #giveaway



A Brita Madison Paranormal Mystery

Paranormal Mystery/Crime Drama/Police Procedural
Date Published: January 26, 2015


"Only the living are so persistent. The dead seem to understand that time is no longer an issue for them."

Brita is at best a reluctant psychic, and Chief of Police James Weston is the "poster boy for conservative." Can he accept the unimaginable?

Brita Madison has found a sanctuary in Williams, Arizona, a refuge from the multitude of visions and voices that have chased her all her life. Then one vision touches her soul, and she finds herself embroiled in the middle of a missing person's case with a woman’s life at stake. Little does she know that this is only the beginning.

Brita's visions uncover a trail of murders centered around the historic Route 66. As Brita steps deeper into the world she has been trying to escape, she and Weston are in a race against time to identify the serial killer. This journey threatens to tear apart their lives as well as those closest to them.
"Chasing after the shadows left behind by sick minds is damaging to one's soul when you are just following the clues. Vicariously experiencing the trauma through visions like Brita's would have to tear at the very fabric of your being." – Chief of Police James Weston






#1 – Do You See Writing as a Career?
Dannye: At this stage in my life, 66 years old, I don't suppose that I think of it so much as a career as I once thought of a career. It is more something I do that makes me feel good and keeps me on top of my game. Of course, having people invest in your books means that your passion will inevitably become a career, but it will always be about doing what feels good to me.

Sandy: I’ve never really thought about writing as a career.  With me, it’s more of a compulsion, something I have to do no matter what is going on in my life.  For me, writing is a very personal thing.  If I go too long without writing, I feel out of sorts.  It’s a way for me to express myself and my emotions and has become a necessity for me. It’s like breathing.   

#2 – What was the Hardest Part of Your Writing Process? 
Dannye: Writing only becomes hard for me if I try to force a story in a particular direction. Once I let the characters write the story, everything goes quite well.

Sandy: The dreaded blurb.  I go into a cold sweat just thinking about it.

#3 – Did you have any One Person Who Helped You Out with Your Writing Outside of Your Family? 
Dannye: Although many writers seem to have mentors, I didn't. I guess that as an Aries, it is typical to be a self-starter. I wrote in different capacities over the years until I decided to try my hand at writing fiction and nonfiction books.

Sandy: Dannye helped me immensely with my writing.  I worked in the legal field for many years where everything had to be written short and sweet.  Just the facts.  Let’s face it; no judge wants to read a novel when they are reading a pleading.  They don’t care about emotions.  They just want the bullet points.  That was a hard habit to break.  Dannye helped me by showing me how to capture the emotion of a scene and put it down on paper.

#4 – What is next for your writing
Dannye: I am finishing up a nonfiction book titled "MindSlap!" I am working on a fantasy titled "The Elyrian Emergence."

Sandy: I’m getting back to my comfort zone and currently working on a new romance.  As with most of my work, there are elements of the paranormal involved, namely ghosts and psychic abilities.

#5 – Do you have an addiction to reading as well as writing? If so, what are you currently reading?
Dannye: Yes, I was addicted to reading long before I began to write 18 years ago. Currently, I am reading a book called "Cyberdrome."

Sandy: I think most authors are addicted to reading.  I certainly am.  My tastes are very eclectic and I enjoy reading most genres.  Currently, I’m reading “Pigeon River Blues,” a very good mystery by Wayne Zurl.

DESCRIBE Your Book in 1 Tweet:
Dannye: A psychic & a cop race against time to identify a serial killer before their lives are torn apart. http://ow.ly/JbpZv

Sandy: "Only the living are so persistent. The dead seem to understand that time is no longer an issue for them." http://ow.ly/JbpZv

This or That?
#1 - iPd or Mp3?  Dannye: MP3  Sandy: iPod
#2 – Chocolate or Vanilla?  Dannye: Both  Sandy: Both
#3 – Mashed Potatoes or French Fries?  Dannye: Mashed potatoes (with gravy)
Sandy: Mashed with white gravy.
#4 – Comedy or Drama?  Dannye: Drama  Sandy: Both
#5 – Danielle Steel or Nicholas Sparks? Dannye: Neither  Sandy: Both
#6 – Fantasy or Reality? Dannye: In books, fantasy. In life, reality.  Sandy: Fantasy
#7 – Call or Text? Dannye: Call  Sandy: Text
#8 – Public School or Home SchoolDannye: Public School  Sandy: Public School
#9 – Coffee or Hot Chocolate?  Dannye: Hot Chocolate  Sandy: Hot Chocolate
#10 – eBook or Paperback?  Dannye: Paperback  Sandy: I love the feel of a paperback but because my vision is so poor, I’ll have to go with eBook.


Paranormal abilities related to the mind intrigue me because they draw attention to the possibilities that lie outside the acceptable range of thinking for most people. Stories that embrace the paranormal make the reader want to dig deeper and reach higher to partake of such miraculous experiences, to step outside the humdrum of one's normal life. Whether the stories are mysteries, suspense, or romance, the paranormal element allows a writer to present a unique perspective.



As an empathic writer, I experience an altered state when I sit down to the keyboard. I am not able to daydream about my story or work it all out in my head when I am away from the keyboard. Once my fingers are on the keys, I step into the characters emotionally. In writing the story, I experience intensely personal relationships with them, despite their being fictional. I feel their pain, their joy, and allow them to lead the way in unfolding the story. In writing all my books, including the nonfiction, it has been a dedicated investment of energy, and I am truly grateful for the experiences.
  

I started writing paranormal romance relatively late in life. I was fifty-years old when I published my first book. Many would ask why it took so long to start a writing career that I was so compelled to do, and I really only have one answer. Life experiences finally brought me to the place where I felt I had something to offer. 

The romantic influence of my writing career came easy because I married my high school sweetheart, and we’ve been together ever since. I thank the stars above for him every day of my life. I’m living the romantic dream, people, with the man I was destined to be with, and it feels wonderful! Every romance I write, he is right there in the forefront of my mind. 



The paranormal influence of my writing also came at a young age but was much more subtle. My books have always contained hints of the supernatural, anything from ghosts of loved ones to psychic abilities. My personal experience with the paranormal started at a young age and blossomed over the years.







Goodreads





March 25 - Texas Book Nook
March 26 - Mommy Makes Time
March 27 - The Indie Express
March 28 - Perfectly Unperfect
March 31 - Steamy Side 
April 2 - Readsalot
April 3 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up


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