About Rie Sheridan Rose

Rie Sheridan Rose has been writing professionally for the last ten years or so — though she has just added the “Rose” on the end. After putting up with her for the last eight years, she figured her husband deserved the recognition. Prior to last year, her work appeared under “Rie Sheridan.”

In that decade, she has published 4 novels, 1 short story collection, 2 chapbooks of collected stories, and five poetry collections as well as contributing to several anthologies.

Her stories have also been published in The Eternal Night, ShadowKeep and Verge ezines, as well as the EOTU and Planet Relish websites.

Her poetry appeared in the print magazines Mythic Circle, Dreams of Decadence, and Abandoned Towers as well as the Electric Wine and Tapestry ezines.

The Half-Price Books 1999 “Say Good-Night to Illiteracy” Anthology contained her children’s story “Bedtime for Benny”.

Both her short story anthology RieVisions and poetry collection Dancing on the Edge were finalists in the 2003 EPPIE awards. Poetry collection Straying from the Path and Young Adult novel The Right Hand of Velachaz were finalists in the 2004 EPPIE awards.

Her most popular stories to date are the Adventures of Bruce and Roxanne, humorous horror shorts several of which have been collected into two print chapbooks by Yard Dog Press.

She has also written the lyrics to several songs for Marc Gunn. Their “Don’t Go Drinking With Hobbits” CD is due out in August.

Her latest book is The Luckless Prince, published by Zumaya Otherworlds.

Rie lives in Texas with her husband Newell and several cats, all spoiled rotten.

You can visit her website at www.riewriter.com.

Connect with Rie at Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/riesheridanrose.

The Interview

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

My book is a quest fantasy about a restless prince and his squire who go on a routine trade mission that winds up being the adventure of their lives. There are sword fights, elves, shapeshifting, hidden identities, lost treasures, and many more tantalizing tidbits in store for the reader.

Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?

Well, that depends on how you look at it. This book is a complete re-envisioning of my first novel that was published in 2001. If we are talking about the first version, I no longer remember…I took about 30 years to write that version. The current version came about because I just knew I could do better. I’d learned so much in the intervening timeframe, and I didn’t feel that the story had gotten its best presentation. Now, it has.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?

Just a general love of fantasy. None of the characters in this one corrolate to any real people. I think this is just the adventure I’d like to have, and since I can’t, I’ll dream about it.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My husband. He is my enabler…lol. And my parents, who have always encouraged me.

Your biggest critic?

Also my husband. He really knows how to put his finger on a problem, which has let to trauma at times…but between him and my writing partner, I’m kept on the straight and narrow, and my plots make more sense.

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

I think the cause I am most passionate about is gay marriage. I have many gay and lesbian friends, and I hate to see them unable to share the same rights — and responsibilities — my husband and I do just because of whom they choose to love. I don’t think it is any business of the government to regulate the matter. (But I know that isn’t a popular opinion with everyone.)

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?

I think I’ve learned a lot about what to look for when self-editing, and improved my description somewhat. Especially describing actions. This has always been a weak spot for me, but I think I am getting better.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

Not really, though I am likely to take myself out for a steak when I feel it is finished.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

Throughout my career…? Hmmm. Andre Norton was a big influence for me. Tolkien, of course — when I started my book originally, my elves were of the shoemaker variety…when I read The Lord of the Rings, they got taller. C.J. Cherryh’s Rusalka trilogy taught me a lot about description, as did Anne Rice’s early vampire novels. Lynn Flewelling taught me a lot about emotion and relationships. I am still finding new influences daily. Seanan McGuire is my current find. I am learning a lot about weaving of exposition into the plot from her.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

My marriage. I love my husband dearly, and I want to provide a nice home for him…which is hard for a pack rat.

What are you currently working on?

Most recently, I’ve been going in a new direction and writing lyrics for a friend of mine, Marc Gunn. We’ve got an album of Hobbit Drinking Songs coming out later this summer.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

I’m not going to say “write daily”, because that doesn’t work for everyone. And I’m not going to say “write what you know”, because a speculative fiction writer — by definition — “speculates” on events. I think I would say “write from your heart”, because you have to feel engaged with what you are writing. If you don’t, the readers will be able to sense your lack of enthusiasm.

For readers, I would say expand your comfort zone. Choice something in a genre you’ve never read before now and then. You might find a new passion. Explore the world vicariously. Don’t always read the same type of books. Try a foreign writer now and then. Books give you wings — unfurl them.

Is there an author that inspired you to write?

I grew up surrounded by Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, and Agatha Christie. I think that I wanted to be Ray Bradbury from a very young age. His short stories were some of my favorites. But I also grew up with Hans Christian Anderson, the Brothers Grimm and Andrew Lang, and it was easier to write fantasy and fairy tales for me.

What are some of your long term goals?

Long term, I have a couple of WIPs I really want to finish someday. One of them is a space opera that I have gotten to a conclusion three or four times now, but never been satisfied with, and the other is a fantasy about a blind gypsy mandolin player. I want to see those two projects finished even if I don’t finish any of the other twelve things that are in progress…lol. I’ve got enough to do to last a lifetime. Even if I never start another project, which seems unlikely.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

The fact that I have actually finished several projects. The biggest hurdle a new writer faces is finishing something. I have proven that I can. That’s a big step forward. Of those projects, I am most proud of this latest book, The Luckless Prince, and the Don’t Go Drinking With Hobbits CD.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

I think my dialogue is my biggest strength. I have a considerable theater background, and I feel pretty good about my ability to write natural dialogue.

Biggest weakness?

My biggest weakness is definitely procrastination. I am terrible about it. I hope to get more disciplined someday, but only time will tell.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

What I hope will set this book apart is that the characters are people first and types second. While I can see the archetypes beneath the characters, I think they have enough individuality to make them interesting, and people you will want to know better.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

Could I take my Kindle? No, probably if I could only have one book, it would be my anthology version of The Lord of the Rings which has all three volumes in one, because there is always something new to discover, no matter how many times you read the story, and by the time you get to the end of the third book, you will have forgotten some of the details of the first one and can start over.

If you could go back and change one day, what would it be?

I really can’t think of a one, because every day together has brought me to where I am, and I really love that place.

Are you a different person now than you were 5 years ago? In what way/s?

I hope so. If you aren’t growing a little each day, you are stagnating. I think I am a great deal more self-confident these days than I used to be. The convention panels and book-signings have made it easier for me to interact with people in general. I’ve always been shy, even with a theater background, and I am not as uncomfortable meeting new people any more.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

Believe in yourself and never accept “It can’t be done.”

Is there anything you regret doing/not doing?

I regret not starting my professional career a lot earlier. I think I let early rejection slips cripple me for awhile. I should have believed in myself and kept trying when I was younger. I might be further along today.

What is your favorite past-time?

Besides reading and writing? Playing videogames with my husband. We don’t always, or even often, play the same game at the same time, but we each are playing at our computers at the same time and sharing back and forth. That and photography.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

I love feedback. If you read anything of mine, don’t be afraid to drop by www.riewriter.com and leave a comment, or drop me an email at riewriter@gmail.com. And I’m always looking for new Facebook friends and fans.

About The Luckless Prince

The Luckless Prince is an epic quest fantasy. Prince Roland and his squire, Stefan, journey downriver to negotiate a fur deal for his father. But the seemingly innocuous mission becomes a nightmare as the raft is attacked by a band of raiders. And their troubles are only beginning.

As Roland tries to return home and reassure his father of his safety, he finds himself taken prisoner by the mysterious elves of legend. And, in the end, only by forming an uneasy alliance can their common enemy be defeated.

About Jennie Helderman

Jennie Helderman broke the glass ceiling at age ten by becoming the first girl page in the Alabama State Legislature. That surge of girl power wouldn’t be the last time she saw a need to put women’s issues at the forefront. Years later, after she helped set up a crisis-call center in an old house, a cry for help at the other end of the phone line resounded in her head. That call was the catalyst; eventually, the empty bedrooms upstairs served as the community’s first shelter for victims of domestic abuse.

From there, Helderman began work with women’s issues and leadership, community development, public relations and communications, beginning in Gadsden, Alabama, and reaching to national levels. She has championed women’s and children’s issues and worked with child abuse victims. From 2000 until her term expired in 2006, she presided over the six-member board of the Alabama Department of Human Resources, which serves 520,000 clients each month and oversees all family abuse issues in the state.

A 2007 Pushcart Prize nominee, Helderman coauthored two nonfiction books, Christmas Trivia and Hanukkah Trivia and writes profiles for magazines. Previously she chaired the editorial board of the 120,000 circulation alumnae magazine of Kappa Kappa Gamma, The Key.

Her latest book is As the Sycamore Grows.

Helderman is married to a retired newspaper publisher; is the mother of two and grandmother of three; and has recently moved from Alabama to Atlanta. Her website address is www.jenniehelderman.com.

The Interview

Could you please tell us a little about your book?

As the Sycamore Grows is a true story about Ginger, who escaped the isolation and poverty of a cabin hidden in the woods to become a powerful voice for all victims; and Mike, who admitted all the abuse and would do it all again. God made women to serve, he says. It’s their job.

Think of it as Foxfire living while Sleeping with the Enemy in the woods when the enemy totes a Bible and packs a .38.
Both Ginger and Mike speak, as do family and friends. Thus, Ginger is revealed as a flawed heroine. Mike ran away from his father’s fists but later glimpsed himself in his father’s coffin.

The story winds from south Texas to a sycamore tree in Tennessee with the couple spiraling downward into poverty—by Mike’s choice. Threading through the story is loss: the alienation of families; a spiritual void; and death. The death becomes the wedge that sets Ginger free and she becomes an official in the court system and advocate for victims of abuse. And for batterers. People can change, she knows. And she can forgive.

Your biggest critic?

Me! I review and revise constantly, always ready to make it better.

In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?

Wow, have I! How long a list…?
I formed my own company last May, had a book on the market by October, and am now reissuing two earlier books. What a learning curve I’ve overcome! I know about colophons, interior design, derivatives, remainders, speaking in sound bites…you don’t want the list to continue.

Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?

Not when I finish but when I’m writing. I spread notes, files, photos, all my resources on the floor in a semi-circle around my swivel chair. That way I can swing around to whatever I need, then back to the keyboard. What I’ve done is build a nest with me in the center.

What are you currently working on?

Right now I’m preparing manuscripts of two earlier books for reprint. I’ve reclaimed the rights and revised them. Now I’m hurrying to get them into the holiday market. Christmas Trivia and Hanukkah Trivia, the perfect under $10 gift books. After there’re done, then it’s back to the loads of stories in my head.

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

For readers, bless you! Just keep reading. Paper or e-books either one. For writers, submit your work. Nobody’s going to knock on your door begging for your manuscript, so send it out. Again and again.

What are some of your long term goals?

I’ve got many stories in my head and I’m determined to put them on paper. The funeral stories may be next.

What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?

Sycamore isn’t my story. I was entrusted with it and I felt burdened by the duty to get it right. Ginger opened heart and soul to me, yet she didn’t read one word of Sycamore until the book was complete. I breathed a long sigh when she gave it her nod. Then I began to hear from others in the book, all granting their approval. Getting Sycamore right is my greatest achievement to date as an author.

What do you feel is your biggest strength?

People tell me things. I think it’s because I know how to listen. Everybody wants to be heard, and I can hear. Thus, I get a story that goes more than skin deep.

Biggest weakness?

I’m a slow writer. I reread and revise as I go. If I’m going to tell all those stories stuck in my head, I have to learn to write faster.

What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?

Three things. First, Mike and Ginger are real and raw, not two-dimensional paper dolls or goodie-two-shoes. Readers will like Ginger, after they forgive her. They won’t like Mike, but they’ll feel something for him.
Second, the abuser speaks for himself, is not apologetic, nor is he demonized.
Third, the story goes beyond abuse. Ginger’s escape from the padlocked gate left behind hardship and abuse in the woods. It opened her to hope, power and fulfillment. Sycamore’s a story of courage and resiliency of the human spirit. Especially when one can forgive.

You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?

Rather than a book, I’d take Ginger along. I’ve already informed my husband. Ginger would get us home. Or at least she’d keep us alive. She’d dig a well, build a hut and devise a way to signal GPS satellites.
Of course, if we had e-books, we wouldn’t be limited to one book while on the island.

Are you a different person now than you were 5 years ago? In what way/s?

There’s more of me, for sure. I’ve learned my way around Atlanta one restaurant at a time.

Five years ago I lived in a small town five hours west in Alabama, in a house that overlooked a two-mile expanse of the Tennessee River. Today I’m a city-dweller, whizzing through freeway traffic, living in a down-sized townhouse that overlooks brick walls. At times I long for that peaceful view and small town way of life. I especially miss friends left behind.

But have I changed as a person? I don’t think so. My beliefs and values are the same. I’m comfortable in my own skin. The woman who smiles back at me from the mirror looks familiar.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

To eat more ice cream. Savor life’s little pleasures. Enjoy the good that comes your way.

Is there anything you regret doing/not doing?

Oh, yes. I could make a list: not setting out a career path; not starting my writing career earlier; not starting the publishing of this book sooner; not spending more time with my mother in her older years; which reminds me to add not practicing the piano to this list; not learning Spanish. I could keep going. I acknowledge regrets but I don’t dwell on them,

What is your favorite past-time?

Is online Scrabble addictive? I think so. I waste entirely too much time on Scrabble and Lexulous. I also enjoy playing bridge and gardening but seldom do either.

About As the Sycamore Grows

As the Sycamore Grows is a true story about abuse, loss, redemption and hope.

Think about Sleeping with the Enemy out in the woods when the enemy totes a Bible and packs a .38. Mike slapped and shoved, but his primary tools were isolation and economic abuse. Until he discovered the power of the Lord as another means of control. Ginger was brought up to pray and obey, but she escaped the isolation and poverty of the cabin hidden behind a padlocked gate.

Both Ginger and Mike speak, as do family, friends, in-laws and exes. Thus Ginger is revealed as a flawed heroine, a rebellious teenager who abandoned her baby. Mike ran away to escape his father’s fists and yet, years later, he glimpsed himself in his father’s casket.

From south Texas to a Foxfire lifestyle in Tennessee, they spiraled downward into poverty by Mike’s choice, and abuse enforced by religion and a gun.

Undergirding the abuse is loss: the alienation of families, the spiritual void from betrayal of church, and the death of the son Ginger abandoned. This boy’s suicide as a teenager, symbolized by the sycamore tree, became the wedge that allowed Ginger to break free and ultimately to work toward ending the legacy of abuse.

Paperback: 268 pages
Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (September 25, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0595437192
ISBN-13: 978-0595437191

Book Synopsis:

Filled with anecdotes, lessons learned, and an inspirational message for everyone, who believes that hard work breeds success, this moving autobiography shares the remarkable story of Angus Munro.

Munro is just three when he suffers from appendicitis and spends several weeks in a Vancouver hospital as his family struggles to survive the Great Depression. After finally arriving home, Munro asks his sister, “Where is Mummy?” and is promptly told his mother doesn’t live there anymore. It is this traumatic event that changes the course of Munro’s life forever. His father is suddenly a single parent while simulataneously turning into Munro’s mentor and hero. He teaches Munro the motto, “Always do the right thing,” while raising his children in an environment that is at the very least hectic, and more often completely chaotic.

Through a potpourri of chronological and heartfelt tales, Munro reveals how he learned to view incidents in life in terms of responsibility, recognition, personal conduct, and consideration for others. Despite dropping out of school at a young age, Munro perseveres, eventually attaining professional success.

Munro’s memoir is a wonderful tribute to his father’s legacy and the greatest lesson of all – Whatever you do, follow through.

This book hit home very early on for me. At the age of 3, Angus suffers from appendicitis which causes him a lengthy hospital stay. Once released from the hospital, he returns to a home that his mother has left, without so much as a goodbye. Even though Angus’s father is not perfect (by a long shot), I applaud the fact that he raised his children during the Great Depression and they never wanted for anything. I too was raised by a single parent who worked hard her entire life to provide for me, and like Angus’s father, she isn’t perfect but I admire her more than she knows. There is nothing harder, I imagine, than trying to raise a child by yourself when food and money are scarce.

In this autobiography, Angus takes you down the path of his life – a path strewn with obstacles many of us can only imagine. Yet, in the end his conviction and strength carries him through it all. To say he had a hard life would truly be an understatement. After he drops out of school at 14, he isn’t sure what his life will become. He holds various jobs, and has some time to visit relatives on both sides of his family that he had never met. The descriptive tone used is so nice to read, it makes you feel like you are sitting there with Angus, experiencing the things he is describing. I also love the way he draws on the positives of each experience and tells us the lesson he learned, whether good or bad. It is something I think the world needs more of today – we all have bad things happen, try to learn from them and move on, there’s always tomorrow.

One of the other amazing things is the detail this story is told in. Many of these events happened MANY years ago, yet you never feel as if you are lacking for information. The only thing I would have liked to heard more of was some of his personal life experiences as he got older. Otherwise, this is truly and excellent read, and something that has a lesson in it for all of us.

A FULL HOUSE BUT EMPTY VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ’08 will officially begin on September 2, ’08 and end on September 26, ’08. You can visit Angus’ tour stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in September to find out more about him and his new book!

As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author with a recent release or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors’ blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available. The winner will be announced on our main blog at www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.wordpress.com on September 26!

Angus Munro’s virtual book tour is being brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion and choreographed by Dorothy Thompson.