Interview and Giveaway with Emily Paige Skeen!!

Popular and beautiful, Cora Stephens has it all - including the perfect football-star boyfriend - until one fateful afternoon. Facing heartache and betrayal, Cora turns to long-time friend, Landon, for comfort. While his love for her grows, she does everything in her power to avoid getting hurt again - including flinging herself into the arms of another boy.

            Then, just as Cora’s shattered world starts putting itself back together, life throws something her way that’s more horrific than she ever could have imagined. Through the emotional and physical pain, she begins to lose hope and abandon her faith. Will this once light-hearted, happy prom queen find her way back home?  

Emily Paige Skeen

Let's welcome Emily Paige Skeen to The Diamond mine today!! She's written a lovely YA romance: Magnolia Lake, published by Prism Book Group! Be sure to leave a comment for her after the interview for a chance to win a copy of her book. Now here we go with the interview!

Hi Emily!! Good to have you here on The Diamond Mine.

Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Nancy! I’m excited and grateful for the chance to share a bit about myself with you and your readers!

As authors, we often come up with lots of story ideas. What was it about this story that prompted you to focus in on it and write it?

It’s been such a long time since I began this particular story that it’s hard to remember the initial pull! But I think a big reason I chose to pursue it is because I really connect with the characters. A lot of the experiences Cora has are reminiscent of my own adolescent trials (though not exact and certainly not the abduction part). Writing Magnolia Lake took me back to that time in my life and helped me to express some bottled up emotions.

Writing can transport both the writer and the reader! What do you like best about your main characters in Magnolia Lake?

Cora has a lot of admirable qualities. But probably my favorite of those is her sweet nature. She always thinks of others and there are several times throughout the story when she takes someone else’s feelings into consideration over her own.

And Landon...well, what’s not to love about him? He’s the ultimate good old-fashioned country boy! He’s kind, considerate, patient, and romantic - all while being athletic and a bit rough around the edges. He also makes a mean fried chicken dinner!

My nephew's name is Landon! I hope he ends up with some of those qualities, too. Do any of your characters share qualities or experiences with you?

Like Cora, I was pretty naive in my teens years, completely unaware of the evils that exist in our world. Cora’s entire perspective shifts after her abduction as she realizes that not everyone is who they seem and that people are capable of truly horrifying things.

A hard lesson to learn for all of us, and often difficult to accept, too.

What’s your favorite part of crafting a story: the character developing, the plot, the setting, the struggles? Explain why.

It’s all pretty amazing, watching an entire world unfold before your eyes. But for me, writing the struggles is the best. That’s the time when I get to really dig deep into the emotions of my characters. It feels the most intense.

I so agree with you on that! Do your characters become real to you before you write, or as you go along?

Before I put pen to paper (or more accurately, fingers to keyboard), I create detailed outlines of each of my characters. I include things like personality traits, occupations, fashion style, etc. The more detailed the character descriptions, the more thoroughly I can connect with them. But even after doing that, I find they become more real as the plot develops and they encounter different situations.

Sounds like a good method. What’s your favorite genre to write in? Why?

Romance - any kind of romance! Whether it’s Young Adult, Contemporary, Historical...whatever the case, I thrive on creating heart-stopping, soul-searing love stories. I suppose I’ve always been a romantic at heart. You could say my head’s a bit in the clouds.

Nothing wrong with that. I like it up there, too! What were your favorite books as you were growing up?

It depends on what age we’re talking about! As a youngster, I really enjoyed the Goosebumps series and the Sweet Valley Twins/Sweet Valley High books. (Don’t laugh!)

I’ve also always had a place in my heart for the classics. All the books they made you read in high school that other kids grumbled about? I loved them!

Ah yes, the classics. What's not to love, right? What kind of movies do you favor?

You can probably guess, but for me nothing beats a good romance. Though I do enjoy having the wits scared out of me on occasion. But when it comes to horror movies, I prefer suspenseful and maybe paranormal, not gory.

I have to cover my eyes with anything gory or scary! My sons think it's funny. Is there an underlying theme in your stories, or a concept you try to convey within them?

I think of my writing as a way to honor God. My sincere hope with every story I create is that at least one person will come away feeling inspired or encouraged. 

Amen to that! What are you working on now?

I currently have two works in progress. The first is part of the “Christmas Cowboys” series with Prism Book Group. It follows a young, newly divorced woman as she attempts to manage the ranch that she won in her split from an abusive husband.

The other, For Better or Worse, is part of Prism Book Group’s “Love Is” series, which has already begun releasing. My story detailing the marriage of a young couple who has lost a baby to miscarriage will be out in February 2017.

That sounds great! I've got books coming out in those series, too. Prism Book Group is a wonderful publisher! I look forward to reading both of yours when they're released. Thanks for the interview!

Okay readers, here's an excerpt from Magnolia Lake:

I changed clothes and made it just in time to plop down on the hard floor and get into a stretching position before the coach noticed.

Valerie must have seen something in my expression. “Looks like somebody’s been up to no good.” She winked as we stretched.

My eyes were wide with innocence as I asked, “What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on, Cor! Your face is all flushed,” she whispered, “and you were the last one dressed. I may not have a boyfriend right now, but that doesn’t mean I forgot how to read the signs. You managed to fit in a quick make-out session and still get here with one minute to spare!"

Although her accusations made me blush, the corners of my mouth turned up into a mischievous grin. There was no use trying to lie to her. She had a strange sixth sense about these things. “Well, maybe a quick one,” I answered. “But, in my defense, there are only so many unsupervised hours in a day. Jeff and I don’t get much alone time.”

Lacy overheard us and chimed in. “Oh, you are so lucky! To have such a hot, manly guy. Mike won’t even kiss me on the cheek at school. He’s so worried about what his friends will think. It drives me crazy! I need a little action, ya know. A little adventure.”

Coach Rivers shot us a stern glance. Not wanting to be on the wrong side of one of Coach’s endless tirades, I focused on the hardwood floor, spread my legs, and continued stretching.

After two hours of running, dancing, and stunting, my friends and I walked lethargically to our cars. When we reached Lacy’s car, she hurriedly jumped in with only a quick, “See ya later,” before speeding off.

I looked at Valerie, who gave a quick shrug of her shoulders before asking, “So, Cor, wanna ride together tomorrow and go to the mall after practice?”

“Yeah, sounds good. I need new jeans. We can look at prom dresses too! Just for fun,” I answered with excitement. “I’ll call Kayla and Lacy tonight. Maybe they’ll wanna meet us.”

We stood in the parking lot, talking about our shopping trip and which stores we wanted to visit. When we finally finished our conversation fifteen minutes later, I decided to put up the top on my car since the sky promised a downpour.

I was proven right just as I exited the student parking lot and the bottom suddenly fell out of the sky, producing sheets of rain that caused me to immediately let my foot off the gas and turn my windshield wipers up as high as possible. It had been perfectly clear for most of the day. Where’d the sun go in such a short amount of time?

As I came to one of the streets I would normally take home, I noticed it was closed due to a wreck. Detour signs were set up a few feet before the crash site, so I turned down an unfamiliar dirt road.

That’s when I noticed Jeff’s truck parked on the grass to the right of the gravel. My heart started to pound. I knew it was his by the University of Georgia sticker on the back glass. There was no sign of him, but no sign he’d been involved in a crash, either—no other cars, no tree limbs sticking out, nothing. But also no Jeff.

With my stomach in knots, I jerked the steering wheel and rolled to a stop behind the truck. My imagination ran wild as I pictured Jeff being robbed at gunpoint or something else horrific. I just knew he was in a ditch somewhere, left for dead. I practically flew out of my car and around the front of his truck. There was mumbling and gasping coming from the woods several feet away.

I started to panic, my mind racing. A million thoughts ran through my head. Was he hurt? Who was that talking? What happened? Had someone dragged him from the car?

I didn’t even notice the wet grass sloshing under my feet and spraying my ankles and calves with mud. It was a good thing I hadn’t changed back into my school clothes. I was still wearing shorts and tennis shoes, much better to run in than the high heels I’d sported earlier.

The mumbling noises were getting closer. I saw a path I hadn’t noticed before. A car was parked at the end of that path in the woods. I walked closer to the car and peered inside. Through the fog of the windows, there was Jeff. And there was Lacy pressed against him.

Sounds like an awesome read! Here's a short bio on Emily, followed by her social and purchase links! Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance at the drawing!

Born and raised in a small Georgia town, Emily Paige Skeen takes from her own life experiences to create real, relatable characters for her novels. She loves to intertwine small-town charm with deep emotion and intrigue, creating stories that inspire readers.

            When she’s not writing or chasing after her two youngsters - both under the age of five - you can find Emily reading, soaking up the sun whenever possible, or shopping. She, her husband, and their kids make their home in a tiny little town an hour south of Atlanta, on a five-acre plot of land right off a bumpy red-dirt road. Emily loves to sit and listen as the ever-present crickets and frogs perform their harmonious concerts in the still, quiet evening hours.

            Writing has always been Emily’s passion, ever since she crafted her first sloppily hand-written story plastered over spiral notebook paper at the emotionally-charged age of thirteen. Now, she strives to encourage and inspire girls and young women with her writing. She believes that with a little bit of faith and a whole lot of love, anything’s possible.

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

Blog: http://emilypaige-author.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmiPaigeS

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Magnolia-Lake-Emily-Paige-Skeen-ebook/dp/B01CIKESIO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458771070&sr=8-1&keywords=magnolia+lake

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/magnolia-lake-emily-paige-skeen/1115340536?ean=9781530434596

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/620085

Interview and Giveaway with debut author Linda Shew Wolf!!

It’s 1968 and Melanie is turning thirteen. It seems like everyone is growing up faster than she is, but that doesn’t stop her from being an incurable romantic. When a gorgeous new boy shows up in her boring, small town, she’ll do anything to be noticed by him.

When an unexpected sequence of events lands her the job of trusted babysitter for his unusual little sister, Melanie is thrilled to be admitted to his inner circle. But then she has to figure out what really matters—a chance to be around him or staying true to her family and her best friend.

Read this dramatic coming-of-age story and be immersed in a time of turmoil and change in the heart of one memorable young girl.

I’m so incredibly thrilled to welcome debut author Linda Shew Wolf to The Diamond Mine! Not only is this her first interview about her debut novel, but she is my awesome, precious older sister who is so dear to me. So this interview is very special indeed! It’s hard to know where to start, but here we go!

What’s the first thing you remember writing, and how did you feel about it?

When I was about six or seven, I remember writing a simple poem for Mom and marveling that I could make words connect with each other as if they were people singing together.  Just in case anyone reading this doesn’t know already, this interviewer is none other than my beloved sister Nancy. It gives me such pleasure to have my first author interview with you, Nance!

The feeling is definitely mutual! When did you know you wanted to write a novel?

I think I always viewed myself as writing novels, ever since I fell in love with Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books and (blast from the past), the Honey Bunch series. Now I’m really dating myself, but in defense of my true age (62), these books were published in 1928, so I’m sure they were originally Mom’s. Anyway, I loved all this little girl’s adventures, and I wanted to be just like her.

You know me, I’m a huge fan of the Little House books, too!

Since you’re a musician, how is writing different from music in terms of expressing yourself?

It’s funny. One of the things I value most about music is its immediacy. You play some notes, express yourself, it hits the air and it’s gone. Like the wind. And that’s what makes it so compelling. Even when I’m recording, I am inside this sacred sense of the moment, and I usually object to any excessive editing, autotuning, or processing of anything I’ve played because I want to honor that. Writing, however, is loaded with layers of effort. Being an editor by trade, it is often difficult for me to achieve that same sense of the moment when writing, so when a story really takes off and gives my editor-head a swift kick in the tush, I couldn’t be happier.

I have to admit that I just love the fine-tuning part of writing, especially going back to lay down more support for the actions and feelings of the characters. Some of my favorite scenes were added later to round out the picture I see in my head while I’m writing. It’s a lot like song development. The core of the song is there, raw and beautiful, complete in its own way, and then I get to add textures, harmonies, and rhythms to enhance it.

Wow! What a wonderful, thought-provoking answer! I love it!

How did you get the idea for this novel?

I dedicated it to our daughter, Julie, because I started writing it when she was about 12 and starting to have her first big crushes on boys. I was a romantic young lady myself back in the day, and I wanted to write something for her about how powerful these attractions can be—so powerful that you can lose yourself in them, as well as lose track of people, ideas, and beliefs that are important to you. This power needs to be respected and understood, as it can be a real game-changer.

The weird thing is, this novel started out as a simple exercise in a small writing group I belonged to: “Write a paragraph or two about a person who reminds you of an animal.” My original paragraph is still the opening paragraph of the book:

“The lion boy stood waist-deep in the pool. There was no other way to describe him.

“Melanie’s magazine dropped to her lap and the watery racket of children’s voices around her faded to a soft hum. The boy held his back and neck with regal straightness, surveying his surroundings with fierce disdain. His eyes flickered at various points around the pool. He was an exotic, caged animal looking for a way out.”

  

That’s a powerful opening, and really grabs the reader’s curiosity. Are you a seat-of-your-pants writer, or do you work from an outline?

Definitely seat-of-the-pants! If anything, it feels as if the story and its characters are piloting a plane and I’m trailing behind gripping a bit of flimsy rope, trying to hang on.

I know exactly what you mean! Pretty wild ride sometimes! Give us a thumbnail description of your main characters.

Melanie, the central character, is a 13-year-old “late bloomer” with the romantic imagination of a much older teen. In 1968 in a small town in upstate New York, she is the only white girl at her school who is best friends with a black girl. That’s not the only thing that sets her apart. Though she wants desperately to fit in with the more mature-looking and mature-acting girls in her grade, she holds true to her integrity and uniqueness and helps hold her family together, too. Until Jonathan comes along.

Jonathan, even at 13, is a natural-born rock star, gorgeous and charismatic. He’s suddenly a very big fish in a very small pond when he is plucked away from his life in New York City by his mother’s remarriage and deposited in Melanie’s little town. Jonathan has many plans for his big escape from Nowhere, USA, and to his delight, he finds a willing accomplice in lovestruck Melanie.

Josephine (Jo) is Melanie’s best friend. Smart, no-nonsense, and with big plans of her own to become a history professor, she takes a dim view of Melanie’s deepening crush on Jonathan. Her vibrant family life and church community have always been a source of strength and comfort to Melanie, and Jo finds it hard to believe that Melanie would risk losing all that and their close friendship over a boy.

Melanie’s Grandma, Grandma G, is her favorite person in the whole world. She’s great at keeping secrets, only giving advice when asked, and never judging—plus she makes cookies and hot chocolate for their late-night Scrabble marathons whenever Melanie sleeps over. Melanie respects her Grandma’s devotion to her church and to lots of prayer, but when Melanie begins to doubt, she isn’t sure if Grandma G will accept her or approve.

Tracy is Jonathan’s 6-year-old sister and is autistic. In the 60s, not much was done for children with autism besides placing them in a separate room at school with other disabled children, and Tracy was used to being misunderstood. Baffling her mother, her teachers, and other babysitters, Tracy finds a kind, compassionate ally in Melanie. Despite Melanie’s original intention of worming her way into Jonathan’s life by becoming Tracy’s babysitter, Melanie finds herself drawn to this unusual, endearing child.

You’ve got some mighty interesting characters and conflicts there. Sounds marvelous! Is there an underlying message you hope readers will take from your book?

Well, I hope readers will see that our feelings, at any age, are valuable and need to be understood, and that God is there even though he seems far away when situations are complicated. I tried to portray a complex character going through a tumultuous time in her young life, making choices and having reactions we can relate to. 

How much of yourself is in your characters?

There’s a lot of me in Melanie, certainly, though I wish I had her feistiness. I know I painted some of myself into Melanie’s mother as well.

I’m glad they contain some of your sweet, warm character! This is your debut novel. What are your feelings on becoming a published author?

Giddy, totally giddy. I don’t think it’s quite set in my head yet that this lifelong wish is becoming a reality. It’s pretty cool, and of course, I have you to thank for all your encouragement, as well as Jacqui and Joan at Prism for theirs!

What are you working on now?

I’m busy on a novel dedicated to our son, Chris, about an 18-year-old boy who spends most of his time and nearly all his energy dreaming. This one has more of a psychological, almost scifi, twist to it and poses the questions: What if God uses the best part of us while we’re sleeping to help others across the world who are awake (and vice versa)? What if we are much more connected to each other in our dreams than we could ever imagine?

What a unique premise! I can’t wait to read it! Thank you, dear Linda for this interview. I’m so thrilled for you!

Linda’s book release date is August 7^th. If you leave a comment for her, you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a copy of “A Firefly Life.”

Here’s an excerpt from her book:

Well, at least today, she wouldn’t have to worry about propping her eyelids open in class. Just before the bell rang, the new boy sauntered in and headed for the last empty seat at the back of the room. He acted like he didn’t notice the way the buzzing in the room swelled to a crescendo, or the way all the heads turned toward him like starving flowers groping for the sun.

The air became electric. Melanie felt as if her hair was standing on end. She clamped her fingers around her composition book and willed all the blood in her body to flow away from her face and down her arms. Thank God, he was sitting behind her and couldn’t see her face!

This is all in Your hands now, God. You’ve got to get me through this!

Melanie had a hot-cold relationship with God. Most of the time, she barely thought about Him. She had even nodded in agreement once when Barry Muldoon explained why he was an atheist. Some of his arguments did make sense. But at times like this, when her heart was threatening to slam a hole through her chest any second, she remembered how many times God had certainly rescued her in the past.

Now here’s a short bio and Linda’s social links:

Linda Shew Wolf grew up in Ithaca, New York. She graduated from Cornell University and went on to play saxophone in an R&B band in Chicago, where she met her husband, Bobby, a fellow musician. After raising two children, they both returned to performing, and she also rekindled her lifelong passion for writing fiction. She now works as a curriculum consultant for elementary and middle school students in Chicago, sharing her love of writing and music with young people of all ages.

blog: https://belonging2all.wordpress.com/    

twitter: @LindaShewWolf

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007781806053