I remember when Place Ville Marie was no more than a hole in the ground. As a child, I watched in awe as it soared to the heavens.
I gazed at the iconic McGill University Medical Sciences Building as it took its shape. And spent many hours in its three-story library as an undergraduate.
I watched as Expo ’67 was constructed, and spent every spare moment exploring every one of its pavilions and displays during the World’s Fair.
I marvelled at the originality of Habitat ’67, the housing complex that began as architect Moishe Safdie’s graduate thesis.
I listened as Mayor Jean Drapeau promised the ’76 Olympics could not run a deficit ‘any more than a man could have a baby.’ And cringed at all of the jokes as the costs spun out of control.
I walked the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal many times over the years.
Climbed the steps to St. Joseph’s Oratory more than once, though never on my knees.
And hiked to the cross at the top of Mount Royal.
Little wonder that I decided to set a portion of The Chocolate Labradoodle Caper in the city of my birth. Although it has been many years since I have called it home, Montreal remains the city of my heart.
Categories: Memoir | Tags: Damien Dickens Mysteries, Expo '67, Habitat '67, Montreal, Old Montreal, Place Ville Marie, The Chocolate Labradoodle Caper | Permalink.
After two years of exposure as a published novelist, I have become somewhat inured to the reviews posted for my Damien Dickens series on Amazon, goodreads, and other on-line book sites. Some have been excellent, others so-so. I’ve even received a verbal raspberry or two.
Earlier this evening, my second novel, The White Russian Caper, received its thirteenth review on Amazon.com.
The review, posted by JB Richards, starts out with, “The One Where Milly (sic) Becomes Wonder Woman!” and keeps on getting better.
To celebrate this Sunday Spectacular, I am running a flash 72-hour sale of The White Russian Caper on Amazon. From now through Wednesday evening, you can purchase The White Russian Caper for 99¢.
Interested in reading JB Richards’ review? You can find it at JB Richards’ blog or on Amazon.
My June spotlight falls on award-winning author E M McIntyre, friend and fellow member of Independent Authors United.
E M McIntyre is the author of the Red King Trilogy. Her first novel, The Phantom of Faerie Mountain won 1st place in YA Fiction for the 2016 Purple Dragonfly awards and Silver placement for YA Mystery in the 2016 Readers’ Favorite awards. E M is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She lives in Nebraska where she works as a Pediatric Cancer research lab manager. When not daydreaming of magic, mystery, and mischievous characters, E M enjoys gardening and spending time with her crazy pack of Italian greyhounds.
I am always eager to learn how other authors find their inspiration, and I asked E M how she arrived at the idea for the Red King Trilogy.
E M: The Red King Trilogy evolved from the combination of a distance-learning writing class I took through the Institute of Children’s Literature (ICL), and a prior once-in-a-lifetime adventure in the Highlands of Scotland. I was fortunate to spend eleven days in central Scotland during the summer of 2001. I fell instantly in love with the Highlands and, well, everything about that land so far from my home. I didn’t know it then, but a day-trip I made to climb Ben A’an (a popular miniature mountain) would shape my future goals.
GW: Sounds like an amazing adventure. Did you start in right away?
E M: Only if you consider a lapse of eight years to be ‘right away’.
GW: Please tell us more. What prompted you to start writing?
E M: The final assignment for my writing class at the ICL allowed me to begin a novel.
GW: Did you know from the outset where you would set the novel and who the main characters would be?
E M: There was no thinking about it; my story, my life-long dream of authorship, would take place in Scotland. A YA fantasy, aimed toward younger individuals in the spectrum became my goal. I knew I wanted my protagonist to be strong, intelligent, and perhaps a bit stubborn, but she would need an indigenous sidekick as well as a mythical companion.
GW: I know you have completed the first two installments in the Red King Trilogy. Can you share anything about your progress toward completing the third book?
E M: This final assignment for the ICL writing class led to the creation of my award winning THE PHANTOM OF FAERIE MOUNTAIN. I recently published the second installment in the trilogy, THE SECRET OF BERRY BRAE CIRCLE, and am in the planning stages of the conclusion, THE TALISMAN OF DARKTREE HOLLOW.
E M has been kind enough to share samples of THE PHANTOM OF FAERIE MOUNTAIN and THE SECRET OF BERRY BRAE CIRCLE with us.
A telepathic dog. An ancient prophecy. Two devious faeries. 14 yr old Abby Fletcher must unravel their connection when she is thrown into a world of unknowns after receiving a mysterious message from a frightening beast: The Red King must set me free. Determined to discover the meaning of this puzzling phrase, Abby sets off to explore a nearby Scottish mountainside in search of clues. What Abby doesn’t realize, however, is that it’s not a matter of where she will find her answers but when. Whisked back to the early 14th century, Abby must find the courage to solve the mystery of the Red King and save not only herself but a group of powerless captives wrapped up in a faerie plot.
A gruff, deliberate voice entered her mind: The Red King must set me free.
“Wha, what?” Abby choked in a whisper.
The beast blinked, entering her mind once again. The Red King must set me free.
Abby sat transfixed, hypnotized by the creature’s piercing gaze. She wanted to scream or cry or close her eyes, but she couldn’t look away. After a few moments, the creature raised its head, turned with a snort, and strode back toward the road. Disappearing into the thick fog, it paused for one purposeful glance back at Abby.
The Red King must set me free.
Abby stared in disbelief out the window. Did that really just happen?
A kidnapped father. An ancient tome. A mystical gem. When 14-yr old Abby Fletcher returns home to present day Scotland with the help of her magical dog, Finlay, she receives a disturbing message: the Book of Shay in exchange for the life of her father. Pressed for time, Abby and the young Scotsman, Rory, set off in search of the mysterious book. In a whirlwind adventure filled with time travel, frightful adversaries and enchanted beings, their path leads to a time-worn stone circle. There, with Berry Brae’s secret revealed, Abby must make a life-changing decision in this second installment of the Red King Trilogy.
Categories: Author spotlight | Tags: fantasy, YA | Permalink.