INTERVIEWWelcome! Thanks for sharing this Q&A with us!! Tell us about your current release – Nora’s Wish
Nora's Wishis a story of loss and love, indifference and hope, with a healthy dose of the fantastic thrown in. It's an unassuming romance told from the perspective of Ben Jameson, a bitter reclusive resident of Willow Manor, who manages to reclaim his humanity through the love of another resident.
What does your significant other and family think of your writing career?
My wife and family are very supportive. Being primarily a horror writer, my wife says most of my material creeps her out, but she especially loved Nora's Wish. If anything, she thinks I should be writing more pieces that are similar in genre to the book.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned while writing your books?
The amount of work involved. I didn't begin writing with any preconceived notions, but I had no idea how much work goes into a manuscript. From the initial creative process to the finished story, and everything in between, hours and hours are needed. And even with that, I think what surprised me the most was that while you're doing it, it doesn't seem like work. I can spend endless hours not only writing, but editing and polishing, and never find it dull.
How do you develop your plots and your characters? Do you use any set formula?
Typically, I get an idea for a plot and jot down a few lines in a notebook. The characters come to me later, but it's the initial idea that drives whatever the story is about. I build upon that first idea, elaborating and fleshing out the details. It's only after I have a lot written down long-hand that I even sit behind the keyboard to write an outline. In the case of Nora's Wish however, it was Ben that came to me first. Nora quickly followed, and the plot unravelled thereafter.
Describe what it’s like to be an author in three words.Dedication, frustration, imagination
Use no more than two sentences. Why should we read Nora’s Wish?
Nora's Wishexplores the ambiguity of love and old age with a small dose of Celtic magic. My faithful readers will recognize the humor I interject into all of my storytelling, and new readers might find a voice that transcends typical genre tropes.
Is there one passage in your book that you feel gets to the heart of your book and would encourage people to read it? If so, can you share it?
He smiled as he looked at her. She was radiant in that moment. The wrinkles of her face melted away as she beamed at him with their newly found hometown commonality. Her infectious smile pleasantly made Ben's insides thaw and his heart stutter. He felt young again in that moment, that most special of moments when you first become aware of a burgeoning affection for someone and dare to hope they feel the same. That rarest of all moments in your life when the tenderness you suddenly feel is tempered by a delicious fear of trepidation that the object of your affection may be someone more than just special. That they've reached past your facade and touched your soul. You begin to feel your heart race with itself in your chest and all you want to do is hide somewhere – anywhere – because you fear that what you're feeling is somehow magically written on your face for the whole world to see. Because magical is exactly what it is - magical and wonderful and scary all at once. Ben felt that particular magic as he gazed at her. He could smell the subtle scent of her lilac perfume, hear her gentle throaty laughter and knew no matter what happened in his life, he would always hold dear this most special, magical moment.
What are your hero and heroine of Nora’s Wish like?
Ben is cynical, bitter, and resolved in his belief that life has passed him by. Nora is strong, optimistic, and resolute that while the end might be near, hope still exists—if one only believes.
ABOUT THE BOOKNora's WishJohn Mc Caffrey
Ben Jameson is a bitter retiree residing at Willow Manor, a home for the aged or those in need of care, and has nothing more to do than await the inevitable conclusion of a life wasted. Forgotten by his family, his days are marked by the solitary existence of books, loneliness, and regret.A chance meeting with a terminally ill resident named Nora, and her unshakeable optimism in the face of her eventual demise, rekindles emotions he was certain were gone forever. Nora reawakens his ability to love, and with her compassion and her companionship, he comes to realize that even a life as wasted as his own can be salvaged and, given the right incentive, is still worth living.As Nora's health declines, they both dare to hope that the magic of a strange pendant Ben purchased from an antique shop as a gift for Nora will overcome the odds, offering them more time with one another.
Nora’s Wish is available on:
Amazon:US|UK|Australia|Canada|Germany|Italy|France|Spain|Japan|Mexico|Brazil|India|The NetherlandsAmazon Print:US|UK|Canada|Germany|France|Spain|Italy|Japan|Mexico|Brazil|IndiaBarnes & Noble(Print & eBook)KoboiTunesSmashwords***
