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Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour.
It is my pleasure to feature Marsha A. Moore and Lost Volumes: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Three.
Marsha has joined us for an interview!
? How long does
it take you to write a book?
It takes about
two months for me to write a clean first draft. Then I allow about two more
months for revisions with beta readers and my editor.
? What would you
say is your most interesting writing quirk?
I enjoy writing
at the beach or outside in the lanai. I can focus better with the sounds of
nature around me. I’m glad we live in Tampa, so I can take
advantage of that year round.
? Do you have a
routine that you use to get into the right frame of mind to write?
Through the
years, I’ve varied my routine a lot. During my first couple of books, I wrote
more methodically as part of my normal day. It was a good technique to develop
discipline and keep my mind focused on writing. When I began my fourth book, I
changed to writing in concentrated periods, usually making writing my main
event for several weeks. My novels are written over 3-4 of those concentrated
sessions. I’ve found my writing is best when I submerge in my story and live
with my characters. It’s definitely more fun to spend a week playing “Let’s
Pretend” in my elaborate imaginary worlds than grinding out a couple of pages
per day. I always look forward to my writing “vacations,” and eagerly clear out
the household chores. In fact, my house is about to get cleaned in a quick way since
I feel the need to spend a week writing. That writer’s muse can’t be denied!
? Where do you
get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?
Reality always forms the
framework of how my characters interact in my stories. Actually, since this is a
five-part series and I’m currently writing book four of five, the more I look
at this story, the more of myself I see. My heroine, Lyra, is very much
connected to me. Even in the first chapter of the first book, the childhood
memories brought to her mind by Cullen’s magical tea are actually all mine. How
Lyra interacts with her Aunt Jean has been a way for me to work through my own
issues with my mother’s failing health. Some scenes intentionally connect to my
own experiences, like those, and others surprise me much later when I’m
polishing my draft to send to my editor. I shake my head and hope no one other
than my crit partners can identify the similarities.
? How do you
decide what you want to write about?
I’m influenced
by all sorts of things I encounter—nature, movies, books, art. I mentally tuck
away impressions that captivate me and assemble a collection into a setting or
group of characters that I want to spend time with.
My Enchanted Bookstore Legends are basically a fantasy lover’s dream,
being able to step into a favorite book as a character. I know my initial
inspiration came after watching the recent Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland
movie. From that, I wanted to work with parallel worlds and have a heroine who
must save the fantasy world from danger.
I envisioned a series with the
magical complexities of the Harry Potter world, but for grown-ups, with
characters who faced more complicated life issues. I had strong opinions about choosing my heroine’s age.
I wanted her to have experienced enough hard times to be able to truly
appreciate true love, honor, courage, fairness, all that is good. In this way,
she can truly commit to whatever obstacles lie in the path to happiness. She
knows herself and is determined. As the series progresses, I admire her
strength.
? What books
have most influenced your life?
I loved Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift. The symbolism is amazing; the
more you read, the more layers you find. Inspired by that, I like to hide
things in my stories.
From the present, picking one
book is too hard. The Harry Potter
series is one of my all-time favorites. Again, the layering of hidden plots,
which spin to completion later in the series, really captures my imagination.
The last few books that really pulled me in were Natasha Mostert’s Season of the Witch and Erin
Morgenstern’s Night Circus. In both
of those, magic caused mental effects for both the giver and receiver. I enjoy
the complexity of that theme and employ it myself in a very different way. My
heroine, Lyra, must learn to mentally control her vast inherited powers as the
new Scribe. That is something she struggles to master through the series.
I love Sarah Addison Allen’s
magical realism. She’s one of my favorite authors. The way her characters spring off the page
while the magical elements seem so natural really influences me.
? What are you
reading right now?
I’m currently
reading The White Forest by Adam
McOmber, Peace is in Every Step by
Thich Nhat Hanh, and Quiet Mind by
David Kundtz. I almost always read some fiction and non-fiction simultaneously.
? What do you
like to do when you are not writing?
I like to
balance my quiet writing time with exercise and spiritual growth. I’m a yoga
addict and am enrolled to begin teacher training for all of next year. Every
week, I also make time to bike and kayak. These activities keep my mind clear
to encourage my imagination for writing.
? What is your
favorite comfort food?
I love potatoes and am always looking for a new way to prepare
them. My latest passion is a roast potato recipe that makes them crispy and
golden on the outside and moist inside. Yum!
? What do you
think makes a good story?
I love a setting that tempts me to visit with colorful visual
details. Also, characters I can root for are important. They need to seem real,
with quirks or weaknesses that work against them. I also like a complicated
plot. There needs to be some action taking place to balance character
introspection.
Fun random questions:
·
Coffee or tea? tea
·
Dark or milk chocolate? Dark chocolate
·
Rocks or flowers? Flowers
·
Night or day? My favorite time of day is dusk.
·
Favorite color? green and purple
·
Crayons or markers? crayons
·
Pens or pencils? Pencils
Thanks lots, Beverly,
for taking time to interview me today!
More About the Author:
Marsha A. Moore is a writer of fantasy romance. The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing. Her creativity also spills into watercolor painting and drawing. After a move from Toledo to Tampa in 2008, she’s happily transforming into a Floridian, in love with the outdoors.
Crazy about cycling, she usually passes the 1,000 mile mark yearly. She is learning kayaking and already addicted. She’s been a yoga enthusiast for over a decade and that spiritual quest helps her explore the mystical side of fantasy. She never has enough days spent at the beach, usually scribbling away at new stories with toes wiggling in the sand.
Every day at the beach is magical!
Lost Volumes: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Three by Marsha A. Moore
Genre: Fantasy romance
Release date: October 30, 2012
Description:
When Lyra McCauley learns residents of Dragonspeir’s Alliance are suffering with a deadly plague, she doesn’t heed the warnings of her fiancé, wizard Cullen Drake, to remain safe in her human world. After all, she’s the present Scribe—one of five strong women in her ancestry who possessed unique magic, each destined to protect the Alliance against the evil Black Dragon of the Dark Realm. With Cullen dependent upon Alliance power to maintain his immortality, the stakes are doubled for Lyra.
She leaves her college teaching and puts herself at risk for the community afflicted by black magic. To find a cure, she and Cullen travel into the vile, lawless underworld of Terza to strike a bargain with an expert. Their efforts further enrage the Black Dragon, vowing to decimate the Alliance and avenge the murder of his heir.
Lyra must secure the three lost volumes of the Book of Dragonspeir. Written by the three earliest Scribes, each book contains energy. Possession of the entire set will enable overthrow of the Dark Realm. Following clues into dangerous lands, Lyra and Cullen seek those volumes. His assistants, Kenzo the tiger owl and Noba the pseudodragon, prove invaluable aids. Only if they succeed, will the Alliance be safe and Lyra reach closer to the immortality she needs to live a life with Cullen.
The Enchanted Bookstore Legends are about Lyra McCauley, a woman destined to become one of five strong women in her family who possess unique magical abilities and serve as Scribes in Dragonspeir. The Scribes span a long history, dating from 1200 to present day. Each Scribe is expected to journey through Dragonspeir, both the good and evil factions, then draft a written account. Each book contains magic with vast implications.
Lyra was first introduced to Dragonspeir as a young girl, when she met the high sorcerer, Cullen Drake, through a gift of one of those enchanted books. Using its magic, he escorted her into the parallel world of Dragonspeir. Years later, she lost that volume and forgot the world and Cullen. These legends begin where he finds her again—she is thirty-five, standing in his enchanted bookstore, and Dragonspeir needs her.
When Lyra reopens that enchanted book, she confronts a series of quests where she is expected to save the good Alliance from destruction by the evil Black Dragon. While learning about her role, Lyra and Cullen fall in love. He is 220 years old and kept alive by Dragonspeir magic. Cullen will die if Dragonspeir is taken over by the evil faction…Lyra becomes the Scribe.
My thoughts:
Don't miss out on this series! Wonderful characters, creative and interesting worlds and action will keep you turning the pages as you live the stories written by this fabulous author.
Giveaway!
Tour giveaway of 3 sets of the three released Enchanted Bookstore Legends: Seeking a Scribe (book 1); Heritage Avenged (book 2); Lost Volumes (book 3).
