Today we welcome author Danele Rotharmel to The Diamond Mine! The third book in her Time Counselor series is out now! It's called Time Search and continues her riveting saga. Be sure to leave a comment for Danele to be entered in a drawing for a free copy of her book!
A nameless evil lurks in the shadows!
Now it’s a race against the clock! –Time
Search
In the wake of a
recent wave of violence, TEMCO employees are left reeling. While some of the
staff are put into hiding, others are left behind to discover the true identity
of the mysterious nemesis who is determined to destroy them all. While Crystal,
Marc, and Zeke search for clues to unravel the mystery of his real name, their
enemy is lurking in the shadows searching for TEMCO’s missing leaders. It’s a
race against the clock! And as the hours and seconds tick away, it’s anyone’s
guess whose search will be completed first. It’s a classic battle of good
versus evil, and the stakes couldn’t be higher!
Hi Danele!
Nancy, thank you for having me on the
Diamond Mine! It is such an honor to be here!
Do you write in short or extended bursts, or do you have time set aside each day for writing?
When I first began writing, I was very
ill and in quarantine. Because I was trying to distract myself from pain, I
wrote in huge, extended bursts. Sometimes, I would spend as many as 18 hours a
day at my computer. I became so engrossed in my books that I would forget to
eat and sleep. Later, as my illness subsided, I would spend the mornings
writing new material and the afternoons editing my previous work.
So you really poured your whole self into your work, coming from a challenging, vulnerable place. No wonder it's so compelling! I'm glad you found a productive outlet at such a time.
When
you begin a story, do you jump right into the writing, or do you have an outline
you work from?
The
Time Counselor Chronicles simply flows from one chapter to the next. I just
follow where the story leads. However, I do have a basic outline that entails how
I envision concluding the series. This outline constantly changes because I’m
continually surprised by my characters—they sometimes misbehave and throw
curveballs that tend to disrupt my outlined plans. Because I write to entertain
myself, I basically go with the flow and enjoy the process.
Oh, I like that. It's such a fun way to write!
During
the writing of your stories, do you find yourself thinking constantly about
your characters and plot, or are you able to easily leave the story and focus
on other things?
When I wrote the first six books in the
series, I was in quarantine, and TEMCO literally became my life. Because I
didn’t want to think about my health, I focused on my imaginary world. Now that
I’m feeling better, TEMCO isn’t my primary focus anymore. That being said, I
still have a tendency to get lost in my stories. When I start writing, I have a
difficult time stopping.
It's hard to control the creative process sometimes! It has a life of its own.
Do
you ever experience writer’s block, and if so, what do you do about it?
One of the most intimidating things in
the world can be a blank page. When I can’t figure out what to write, I turn
off my computer and lay down. I close my eyes, and try to imagine my scene
unfolding like a movie. I ask myself what the scene looks like, what it sounds
like, what the characters are wearing. Then, with my eyes closed, I compose
dialogue in my head. For some reason, getting away from the computer always
seems to help.
Wow, that's a really creative way of moving forward! Very helpful way to deal with those potholes in the writing road. :)
What
made you decide to do a time travel series?
I’ve always been fascinated by the
concept of time travel. The first book in my series, Time Tsunami, began as a short story for a college creative writing
class. At the time, I was a cadet teacher working in a middle school. As I
looked at my students, I wanted desperately to help them become the best they
could be. Naturally, this desire became tangled up with my imaginings about time
travel. Soon, I began thinking about TEMCO, a future organization that would
send counselors back through time to help children and teens make the right
decisions. When I composed my short story, my professor told me that I had a
“sellable” idea. Later, when I became ill, I reread Time Tsunami and decided to craft it into a novel.
That's so cool! Your idea came out of a desire to help students. I love that, and it shows what a big heart you have!
Your
third book of the series is releasing. Have the second and third books been
easier to write than the first one, or more challenging?
Time
Trap
and Time Search were easier to write
than Time Tsunami because I had
“conquered the dragon.” In other words, I knew that I could write a book and most of my insecurities about being an
author had been overcome. They were also easier to write because I’d already
created my characters and fallen in love with them. I couldn’t wait to continue
telling the TEMCO team’s adventures. Sometimes while writing Time Search, I was typing so fast that
my fingers seemed like blurs on the keyboard as they attempted to keep up with
my rapid thoughts. I would literally go to bed with numb hands.
And now you have these great books to show for it! Bravo!
Which
characters have you most enjoyed creating?
I love all of my characters, but my
favorite is Crystal Stuart because she always makes me laugh. She is so much
fun!
And I'm so glad you're sharing her with the rest of us!
What
do you like best about your time series?
There are three things that I like
equally well about my series. I love my books’ suspense, my plot twists, and my
characters. My goal has always been to craft exciting books that keep readers
on the edge of their seats. And I’ve always wanted my characters to come to
life and feel like friends.
And they sure do!
Do
you write in other genres besides science fiction?
On my blog, https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/, I write short
devotionals. These articles discuss the spiritual lessons I’ve learned down
through the years—especially the lessons I learned during quarantine.
And your blog is a blessing to everyone who reads it.
What
are you working on now?
Right now, I am editing the fourth book
in my series, Time Awakening. Time Awakening was one of the six books
that I wrote during my illness, and I’m enjoying polishing it up. I’m especially
enjoying the funny scenes between Marc and Crystal. Sometimes, I spend my days
giggling while I edit.
That's a great visual. Writers have more fun than people realize!
I want to thank you so much for being here and sharing yourself with us!
Thank you for allowing me to talk about Time Search, Nancy! I’ve had such a
great time!
Me too!
Okay readers, here's an excerpt from Time Search:
Taking a deep breath, Crystal
entered Drake’s apartment with Marc and Agent Ruthford. Her mind kept flashing
back to that horrible moment when she’d regained consciousness and realized she
was locked inside a burning building.
“We’ve already searched the
premises,” Agent Ruthford said, walking to the center of the room. “We didn’t
find anything.”
Attempting to forget that Drake had
tried to burn her alive, Crystal replied, “We’re searching for different
things. I’m sure Drake left us clues to his identity. With his ego, he would’ve
thought it amusing.”
Studying her surroundings, she
shuddered. Although at first glance, Drake’s home was like many other student
apartments—something was a little off. It was as if she could feel an undertone
of evil oozing from the walls.
Marc came and stood by her side.
“What’s bothering you? What do you see?”
“It’s what I don’t see,” she
replied. “This room is twelve inches shorter than the living room.”
Moving to the northern wall, she
spotted a blotch of ink. Her mind recoiled in horror. Springing back, she
stuttered, “T-this is a false wall. Drake’s hiding something behind it.”
“I think you’re right about the
dimensions of the room,” Agent Ruthford said. “I’ll have my team check it out.”
As Agent Ruthford contacted his
agents, Marc touched her arm. Crystal jumped nearly out of her skin.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “You look
like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Can’t you feel the evil in this
room?” she replied. “It’s oppressive.”
Marc looked around. “Everything
looks normal to me.”
“Everything is a lie.” Running her
hands over her arms, she whispered in a voice full of horror, “I don’t want to
be here when that wall comes down.”
“Why? What do you think is behind
there?” he asked.
“Nothing good.” She pointed at the
tiny, black stain on the wall. “That says it all.”
Kneeling down, Marc studied the
blotch. “It seems like an ordinary stain to me.”
“It’s not ‘ordinary’ at all,” she
replied. “Look closer. It’s a black half-circle with one short line and one
long line dangling down. It’s the ancient Egyptian symbol for Amenta. It was used to represent where
the Egyptians buried their dead.”
Oh boy! We're in for another great story from Danele!
Here's a short bio from her, as well as her social and purchase links, and a preview of her blog tour for Time Search!
Danele Rotharmel’s life took
an unexpected turn when a mysterious illness brought her close to death.
Eventually, she learned that a carbon monoxide leak from a faulty furnace was
poisoning her. This poisoning triggered Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, causing
her to be put in quarantine. For seven years, she could only talk to friends
and extended family through a windowpane. During this time, she wrote the first
six books in The Time Counselor
Chronicles. Although her journey
back to health was difficult, it provided her the opportunity to grow closer to
God and write her books. For that, she’s forever thankful. To learn more about
Danele, visit her blog: https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/
Social Media Links:
Time Search Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MY7RGFJ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484259046&sr=8-1&keywords=danele+rotharmel+time+search
Time Search’s Blog Tour: https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/2017/01/12/time-search-book-launch-20-stop-blog-tour/
