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Interview with Author Carol Sveilich
Today, SDP author, Sahar Abdulaziz, is speaking with Carol Sveilich—an award-winning author and blogger featured in many newspaper articles and television reports. Carol, a recipient of the 1994 ABC News Leadership Award, has also been a counselor for over 20 years, conducting large community seminars and support services for people living with persistent health challenges and chronic pain. Sahar: First off, Carol Sveilich—major congratulations and blessings on your newest publication, Reflections From A Glass House: A Memoir of Mid-Century Modern Mayhem! I recently listened to your memoir on Audible, and what fun! The narrator’s execution of your story was brilliant, and I loved how she brought your account and…
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BLOG POST FROM SHAGGY DOG AUTHOR SUSAN MOORE JORDAN
And This Shall Be for Music, my new novel, had been “percolating” for some time. I had begun the tale in 2017, but soon realized the book needed to be put on the back burner for a while. Four years and eight mystery novels later, the protagonist, Lindsey Cameron, reminded me she was waiting to tell her story. This time, even though it took a nearly a year and many re-writes, Lindsey was able to complete her journey. In my new blog post, read more about what this author experienced and learned from her characters and what happened to them. And how music, the center of their lives, never failed…
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Beneath the Surface Lurks Truth Masked as Fiction
The Gatekeeper’s Notebook is a psychological thriller/suspense. It’s a bold and poignant story full of misplaced love and loss, a past colliding with the present, and the unimaginable devastation caused by spitefulness, arrogance, deceptions, and buried lies. The story is about a beautiful young widow named Kalila Rahim. After the sudden death of her husband, Bashir, Kalila finds herself without life insurance, a mortgage in arrears, a neighbor from hell, all the crushing responsibilities and upsets of single parenthood, and a woman claiming to be her husband’s second wife and mother to his newborn baby. Kalila’s heart is shattered, but grief can’t put a stop to the bill collectors. Upon…
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THE BOOK THAT ALMOST WASN’T
The fifth book I wrote, Memories of Jake, dealt with two brothers who served in Vietnam in the late 1960s-early 1970s, and the impact their service had on them and their families. Andrew, the older by two years, an artist and musician, enlisted from a sense of duty after his first year of college. His rakish younger brother Jacob, an athlete and ladies’ man, enlisted immediately after high school from a desire for adventure. During Jake’s time in Vietnam, where he served as a Green Beret, a helicopter crash resulted in severe retrograde amnesia. He could remember a great deal about the world, but almost nothing of his past life…
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The Unforeseen Impact of Book Reviews
Authors and book reviews, book reviews and authors—the never-ending entanglement of conflicting emotions, eliciting everything from exuberance, passion, and pleasure to sadness, fury, and sometimes humiliation. No author, no matter how well received, is safe from the biting sting of the disparaging critique. “The unflattering reviews are painful for short periods of time; the badly written ones are deeply, deeply insulting. That reviewer took no time to really read the book.” Toni Morrison The wide range of emotions generated by having your work and creativity publicly judged can make some authors cringe while others jump for joy. “For me, one of the most challenging aspects of being a published author…
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Interview with Kelly Jensen
The word “prolific” definitely applies to the Shaggy Dog author we’re talking with today! Kelly Jensen thus far has over twenty books released, and several more will soon be joining them if I’m not mistaken. Some are available as audiobooks as well as e-books and/or in print, and I see on her Amazon page a few have been translated into German! Impressive. Most are contemporary romance, and I’ve enjoyed reading several of them. SMJ: If I’m not mistaken, you didn’t begin your writing life as a novelist, but rather by writing non-fiction articles. What made you decide to venture into fiction? KJ: Fan-fiction, which I didn’t even know was a…
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Interview with Sahar Abdulaziz
Today we have an opportunity to speak with Shaggy Dog author Sahar Abdulaziz, who writes in a wide variety of genres. I would say from dark psychological thrillers to warm-hearted satire covers quite a range! Sahar, I’ve read many of your excellent books and enjoyed them immensely. Most recently, the third volume in your Abernathy and Crane series. SMJ: One thing I appreciate about your books in any genre is how alive your characters become to your readers. Since I mentioned the series, where did Irwin Abernathy come from? He’s truly an unforgettable character! SA: Thank you. My stories are all character-driven, for sure. If I can make them…
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The Origins of The Case Of The Missing Monarch
Life became pretty lonely when the pandemic lockdown began in March 2020. But the birds began arriving a few weeks later, and escape to the Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge became my sanctuary and link to the outside world. I teamed up with a fellow birder who remained as diligent as I about masking and social distancing. The Case of the Missing Monarch started out as a serial sent to a select two to lift all our spirits, and document some of our nature adventures at the Refuge. I added a murder mystery plot and a couple of interesting leading characters who go to a lot of trouble to find…
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Writing Blocks
Like most writers, I enjoy talking about my craft. Much of my process is patched together with tips from friends, writers’ blogs, workshops, and books. So, it’s my hope, when I post an article like this, that my tips will help someone else refine their process—or at least give them something new to try. This post is about what I call Writing Blocks. When I first added the topic to my list, I tried to think of a clever way to tie my title into what is often considered a writer’s greatest nemesis, the dreaded block. Perhaps you’ve landed here thinking just that! If so, this post might help, because—for me—the easiest…
