Angie Skelhorn is the Writerly Wednesday Guest this week. Welcome!
The interview that follows is not in my usual Writerly Wednesday format. The questions most likely come from Blazing Trailers. Enjoy it and come back next week when Margot Finke drops in.
Why don’t you begin by telling us a little about yourself?
Merry We Meet, I am a Canadian author, practicing Witch and Spiritualist. My interests include tarot, runes, and other forms of divination, astrology, spell-casting, healing and spirituality, mythology, folklore, fairy tales and harness racing.
Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.
On the Edge is a novel marketed to young female adults and women.
Carm a whole-some farm girl marries her first love, and then abandoned everything she knows. After six weeks of marriage, when a devastating storm kills her husband, she’s a widow. In a strange city, torn by her loss, young, scared and no resources she begins to live a life she wasn’t ready for. Her emotions extremely low, and to make it comfortable to live in her own skin she turns to drugs and alcohol to self medicate. She is pushed to the edge as her relationships become tremulous. Haunted by her deceased husband and an introduction to Gretchen, a witch becomes a blessing. Carm learns secrets about her past, present, future and potential. Joan Kennedy, a very successful psychic from my home town, was my inspiration to put pen to paper. She encouraged me to write the unique story.
Why did you choose the title On the Edge?
The title was inspired by the Fool Tarot card. The Fool stands at the edge of a steep cliff and is able to think of their actions and motives in any given situation. The book cover is symbolic of Carm who will journey forward between the positive and negative opportunities as she sorts through her emotional and mental confusion to forever alter her life. The cover artist Anna Bird fueled by her creative mind diligently worked to create a work of art. You can view more of her portfolio at http://www.forbiddenwhispers.co.uk
Please share with us an excerpt of the story.
Sure, I hope you are intrigued to read more.
C
ARM SLEPT THE REST of that day, that night, and most of the next morning. She woke to unfamiliar voices. “After Lizzy left the bar, he stayed till closing. He walked me home,” a female said.
“Do you have a date?” another female asked.
“I‘m working on that. When he pulled me close to kiss me goodbye, I turned away. Need to leave him wanting more,” she said, laughing.
Carm sat fatigued and stiff. Her neck ached from being propped against the arm of the couch.
“You want a coffee?” Paige called from the kitchen.
“Sure,” she answered, wiping the sleep from her tired eyes.
These are my friends Lizzy and Roxy. Girls, this is Carm.”
Lizzy slid her way to the edge of the recliner, leaning to flick the ash from her cigarette into the ash tray. Her long, bleached-blonde hair framed her face. The foundation, spread unevenly, did not match her skin tone. A shiny blue eye pencil outlined her sober grey eyes. The voluminous black lashes wore numerous coats of clumping mascara. “Are you alright, Carm?” she asked.
“Yes, thanks.”
“Paige explained what happened to you. I understand how you feel. My brother died in a car accident a few years back. Nothing has been right between my parents since.”
Roxy, more attractive than Lizzy, with an athletic body and stunning bronze skin, spoke. “Death is a mystery to me and life can seem pointless. You’re born, live, then die.”
Carm looked at Paige. She poured a shot of Bailey’s into their mugs and then carried their coffees to the living room. She placed the hot drinks on the table. Lizzy passed her the cigarette she smoked. Paige turned, pulling a chair out from the two-piece kitchen set, faced her company, settling in the seat. “Life is simple if you don’t worry about every little thing. Shit happens. That’s just the way it is,” she said. She passed the hand-rolled cigarette to Carm.
“What is it, Paige?” she asked, sniffing the strange aroma.
“Pot. It’s alright to try it.”
She hesitated, holding the joint.
“Well, do you want it or don’t you?” Roxy said, sounding tense.
Carm looked over her shoulder at her scowling.
“Go ahead, Carm, a toke won’t kill you,” Paige coaxed.
Carm inhaled, and had difficulty breathing, coughing a husky cough. A calming sensation filled her entire body; a tingling feeling she had never experienced that relaxed her from head to toe.
How important is it to you to create likeable characters?
I portray the characters inner characteristics and emotions as they struggle with issues of their own. The characters are realistic that the readers will believe. Tough and practical Paige takes command; Roxy under a watchful eye intimidates; always helpful Lizzy goes with the flow and Carm is consumed with sorrow and mental anguish. To add support and conflict to the story are Thomas a friend everyone wants to deserve and Philip is certainly not safe to trust. I admit I am pleased if someone finds the characters likeable and that they can reach them physically, intellectually and emotionally.
What do you most hope that readers will take away from the book?
In this book I provide a unique insight into the drug world and mysticism – addiction and the belief that direct knowledge of ultimate reality is attainable through intuition and the unseen world. I hope the reader will begin to believe if you change your choices while guided by Spirit you can change your life for the better.
Can you give us a sneak peek into the next book, Til Death and Beyond?
Released by Club Lighthouse Publishing http://Clublighthousepublishing.com Till Death and Beyond – location present, early 1800’s. Zoe, inexperienced in witchcraft, ventures into the woods. She cast a spell to attract a love she feels is lost to her. Careless with her words, she summons a Spirit. Zoe is escorted by the Spirit on a trip back in time to a previous lifetime in witch country and discovers even with heavy losses love conquers all.
Location present, early 1800’s.
Where can readers contact you on the web?
You can reach me online directly via the comments section of my blog at http://Witchskel.com or http://Witchskel.blogspot.com Also you can visit me on Facebook and post on the wall. For a glimpse into my writing life at http://AngieSkelhorn.com My book trailers can be viewed at http://Youtube.com/user/TheWitchskel I also can be found on Good Reads, Author Nation, Fiction Factor Form, The Witches Voice and Shelfari.
What is your advice to aspiring writers?
The best advice I can give is to write what you love. Write the story that you want to tell, no matter what others say about its marketability.
Whether you are self-published or have a contract, you can’t expect that your promotion will be done for you. It takes time and often takes personal cash expenditure as well. Figure out in advance what you can afford, and devise a detailed marketing plan around that budget.
Thank you, bloggers for having me as a guest.
YFA, paranormal romance, magic realism Author
WEBSITES: http://Witchskel.com http://AngieSkelhorn.com
BLOG: http://Witchskel.blogspot.com
UPCOMING BOOKS: Severed Ties – After Frankie and Sandra give much thought to Candice’s disappearance, they believe they could effect and cause change to occur in conformity to their will and bring her home.