Hello! Hello!
And Hello! How are you all doing today? I'm back and hope everyone is doing
well and happy! It’s so great to be with all of you again. Welcome back to my
writing blog page where I try to share whatever I think may interest you. Of
course, by now you all know how very much I love promoting other authors. Today
I welcome back a fellow writer, but instead of the staid, standard interview,
I’ve asked my guest to write a blog post. After all, aside from an interview,
the best way to get to know an author is through their writing. And without
further ado, let’s welcome back Multi-published author Tierney James, as she
discusses writing and her latest book, Dance of the Devil’s Trill, which was
released on July 14, 2016 from Black Opal Books.
Author Tierney James
As you may
remember from her last visit here in June, Tierney has been in education for
over thirty years. She recently stopped teaching World Geography for a nearby
college to pursue her writing career. Creating a workshop for beginning
writers, speaking at schools and serving as an officer in the writing group
Sleuths’ Ink, are some of the work she does when not writing. With the creation
of Winds of Deception, Tierney is working with one of the crew members of USS
Liberty in hopes of obtaining the Medal of Honor for him. She is also working
with Mission K9 Rescue to create a children’s book about four-footed soldiers
that save lives.
Besides serving
as a Solar System Ambassador for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and attending Space
Camp for Educators, Tierney has traveled across the world. From the Great Wall
of China to floating the Okavango Delta of Botswana, Africa, she ties her
unique experiences into other writing projects such as the action thriller, An
Unlikely Hero, the first in the Enigma Series. Winds of Deception is the second
in that series. Living on a Native American reservation and in a mining town
for many years fuels the kind of characters she never tires of creating.
Besides teaching
and writing, Tierney enjoys family, gardening, reading and music. Other
pursuits involve learning Hebrew in hopes of incorporating the knowledge in a
future Enigma Series. She likes to research and sometimes that has involved
learning new skills, such as being certified with various weapons.
She has settled
in the beautiful Ozarks, but there’s never a dull moment in Tierney’s life. And
that is just the way she likes it. "Life is an adventure! Embrace
it," is her motto. You can find her on Facebook as Tierney James. Her
website is http://www.tierneyjames.com
Welcome Tierney!
Thanks so much for joining us here again. My goodness, lady, you are quite the
prolific writer. You put so many of us to shame, but you also inspire. I know
that you’ve inspired me and I thank you for it. So enough with me. Tierney, the
floor, or my blog is now all yours. Lead
on, Tierney, and please tell us about your latest release. Everything you wish
to tell us in your own words…..
Here’s the BLURB for Dance
of The Devil’s Trill:
Catharina Spokane attempts to care for her ex-Marine brother
who suffers from PTSD after returning home from war. No amount of pleading can
convince him to stay off the streets among the other homeless vets. Between
starting a new coffee business in a luxury hotel and dodging the insufferable
owner, Damien Cruz, she volunteers at a soup kitchen for the undesirables of
the city. When a stranger arrives to listen as she plays the violin for the
forgotten, Catharina learns he is the one they call the Watcher. His mission is
to protect the unfortunate souls of the street and the priest who guides them.
Catharina finds herself drawn into a conspiracy of greed contrived by the
city’s mayor and a dangerous love forbidden by God. The price forces her to
choose between good and evil in a desperate act to save those she has
endangered.
But how did Dance of
the Devil’s Trill Come About?
An excellent question: Meet me in St.
Louis – An Angel’s Inspiration
People continue to ask me, “Where do you get your stories?”
It’s sometimes difficult to imagine your characters in the appropriate setting.
My latest imaginary character spends his time hiding in the beautiful Union
Station in St. Louis. Here an avenging angel helps the homeless and veterans
with PTSD. He shouldn’t get involved in politics or fall in love, yet even
angels can be tempted.
Above Photo Outside the Beautiful Union Station, St. Louis, Missouri.
The first time I stayed in this historic place I was bombarded with color and sound. Voices whispered on the first floor traveled up to my balcony, hinting at stories never told. My companions, knowing I was a writer, started suggesting all kinds of stories I might write. From that first wonderful moment I knew Union Station could weave a spell into my heart and imagination. I just wasn’t sure what that story would be, so I waited for the place to speak to me over the next few visits. Between a few ghosts, some say inhabit the place, the rockin’ light show and romantic vibe which swallowed me whole, the words began to form, much like a baby in a mother’s womb.
The first time I stayed in this historic place I was bombarded with color and sound. Voices whispered on the first floor traveled up to my balcony, hinting at stories never told. My companions, knowing I was a writer, started suggesting all kinds of stories I might write. From that first wonderful moment I knew Union Station could weave a spell into my heart and imagination. I just wasn’t sure what that story would be, so I waited for the place to speak to me over the next few visits. Between a few ghosts, some say inhabit the place, the rockin’ light show and romantic vibe which swallowed me whole, the words began to form, much like a baby in a mother’s womb.
Above Photo Inside Union Station.
People wanted me to write a murder mystery. When I thought about those kind of scenarios, nothing much happened. Then one day my husband came home with a very interesting story he’d heard on NPR. This alone caught my attention because most of the time he is listening to 60’s or 70’s music which makes me crazy.
People wanted me to write a murder mystery. When I thought about those kind of scenarios, nothing much happened. Then one day my husband came home with a very interesting story he’d heard on NPR. This alone caught my attention because most of the time he is listening to 60’s or 70’s music which makes me crazy.
This story involved Giuseppe Tartini who wrote his most
famous work titled The Devil’s Trill. As the story goes the devil visited him
one night and played the music on his violin. The following morning Tartini
wrote those notes down. This one piece of music is what changed the direction
of his career.
My husband loved the story so much he said, “You know, you
should use that in one of your books.” That was like throwing gas on a fire for
me. My brain went into overdrive.
I packed my bags and headed to St. Louis for a few days. And
yes! I stayed at Union Station for inspiration. The staff took good care of me
and offered helpful ideas and even gave me a behind the scenes tour of how such
a big hotel works. It really helped seeing the places my character could hide
from the world.
You never know how your surroundings can affect you. Take
advantage of that uncomfortable feeling or the whisper in your ear that says,
“write me.” It could be an angel. ~ Tierney James.
Feel free to learn more about Tierney James,
her books, and connect with her at her website or one of her social media
links:
Website Lipstick
& Danger: www.tierneyjames.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TierneyJames1
Thank you all for visiting with us. Until
next month...every one please stay safe. Smile. Be happy. Show compassion. Be
nice to others. Put a little love into your heart. Please speak up for those
without a voice, whether it be a dog, cat, elephant or monkey. One person, one voice can make a difference.
May all your dreams and wishes come true for each and every one of you.
Regards,
S. J. Francis
Advocate for the underdog, and cat, et al.
In Shattered Lies: “Good and bad, it's All
about Family." Now available from
Black Opal Books, on-line and indie booksellers.
Available at amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Lies-S-J-Francis/dp/1626943567/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1470086058&sr=1-1&keywords=shattered+lies+s.j.+francis
My Black Opal Books Author Page:
Available at amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Lies-S-J-Francis/dp/1626943567/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1470086058&sr=1-1&keywords=shattered+lies+s.j.+francis
My Black Opal Books Author Page:
My web page:
http://sjfranciswriter.com
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/sjfrancis419
A Book Review 4 U: http://abookreview4u.blogspot.com
A Consumer's View: http://aconsumersview.blogspot.com
One for the Animals:
http://onefortheanimals.blogspot.com
Pinterest:
http://www.pinterest.com/sjfrancis419/
Good Reads:
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/33550975-s-j
And now for some
legal stuff: Copyright 2015 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely
those of the author, S. J. Francis and the guest author and are meant to
entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one.
Thanks, Tierney for stopping by again. It's always a pleasure to spotlight another author!
ReplyDeleteI so appreciate you having me over. You are so supportive. Hope you aren't affected by the hurricane.
ReplyDeleteNo hurricane, but a small storm wrecked enough havoc on its own. Yikes.
DeleteI saw you the last time you were here. Your journeys and jobs alone are very interesting and then you add the books. Thanks for sharing the interesting story on how your book came about. We have family in St. Louis and have been there many times.
ReplyDeleteHello Linda! Thanks so much for stopping by! Your time is a valuable commodity and we're so glad you used it to spend just a bit with us!
DeleteCheers!
S.J. Francis