Thursday 17 November 2016

Author Interview: The Year of Loving by Traci L. Slatton



The Year of Loving
Traci L. Slatton

Genre: Commercial women’s fiction

Publisher: Parvati Press

Date of Publication: October 10, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-942523-06-2 (print)
eBook 978-1-942523-07-9
ASIN: Coming Soon

Number of pages: 360
Word Count: 114,000

Cover Artist: Brandi Doan McCann

Book Description:

Art gallerist Sarah Paige’s world is crumbling. One daughter barely speaks to her and the other is on the rails. Sarah is struggling to keep her gallery afloat in a tough market. Then she learns that her most beloved friend has cancer. In the midst of her second divorce, two men come into her life: an older man who offers companionship and stability, and an exciting younger man whose life is as chaotic as hers.

Sarah’s courage and spirit strengthen her, but how much can she bear, and what sustains her when all else falls away? Sarah finds herself on a journey that tests her more than she could ever have imagined.








About the Author:

Traci L. Slatton is the international bestselling author of historical, paranormal, and romantic novels, including IMMORTAL (BantamDell) and BROKEN; the award-winning dystopian After Series which includes FALLEN, COLD LIGHT, FAR SHORE and BLOOD SKY; the bittersweet romantic comedy THE LOVE OF MY (OTHER) LIFE; and the vampire art history romp THE BOTTICELLI AFFAIR. She has also published the lyrical poetry collection DANCING IN THE TABERNACLE and THE ART OF LIFE, a photo-essay about figurative sculpture through the ages. Her book PIERCING TIME and SPACE explores the meeting ground of science and spirituality.



Twitter: @tracilslatton



***

Thanks for interviewing me, Books and Tales!

Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?

Excellent question. I do both. I am both a “pantser” and a “plotter.” I start a novel with a rush of inspiration, swept along by the oceanic forces of creation. I have a few ideas about what I want to write, and I am smitten with my main characters. It’s thrilling. Then, a chapter or two into the story, I have to sit down and write out an outline. Structure matters! The discipline of writing comes in and I have to think carefully and thoroughly through the story.

Do your characters ever want to take over the story? 

Sometimes they want to, those tricky bastards. Then I must ask myself: Why is Character X stronger than the Protagonist? There is usually some subconscious reservation, transference, or agenda that is undermining my Protagonist. Perhaps it’s something I’m afraid of revealing or perhaps I haven’t done all the work necessary to flesh out the Protagonist. I track it down the way a dog takes scent of a deer.

What is your favourite food? 

Chocolate!

Are you a morning person or a night owl? 

Morning person. I love my cup of coffee and the hopeful dawn of a new day.

Where do you dream of travelling to and why? 

I love to go to Italy. My husband Sabin Howard is a classical figurative sculptor, and his mother is Italian, from Torino. Sabin grew up in both Italy and the US and he speaks fluent Italian. It’s magical to travel through Italy with him, looking at the art in The Uffizi or the Vatican museums.

Do distant places feature in your books? 

Sometimes. BROKEN is a historical novel set in occupied Paris from 1938-1942; IMMORTAL is a historical novel set in Renaissance Florence. THE YEAR OF LOVING is set in New York City. In fact, Manhattan is a character in the novel.

Do you listen to music while writing? 

I wish I could, but I find it distracting. Even Mozart whom I love. Sigh.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release? 

THE YEAR OF LOVING is the tale of a woman in a love triangle with an older man and a younger man—while she’s navigating a horrific year. Sarah’s gallery is failing. One daughter doesn’t speak to her and the other is off the rails. Her best friend has Stage 3 pancreatic cancer.

The book blurb asks, “What sustains her when all else falls away?” I think this is the essential question of the human condition, and Sarah must face it. She has her humor, her spirit, and her courage as allies, but ultimately, she must grapple with loss and loneliness.

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

I’ve learned to be persistent, creative, flexible, and resourceful. I’ve learned that “No” doesn’t mean “No,” it means “Find another way to do it.”

Is there anything you would do differently? 

I would write more and second-guess myself less.

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing? 

This is a big question. Everything is constantly influencing my writing. Of late, I’ve been reading Joseph Campbell, who delved into the big questions about story, and Dave Richo, who writes about the human heart, psyche, and spirit. But in a very real sense, everything I read, hear, see, do, feel, and experience influences my writing. My life is raw material for my work. In fact, I say that anyone who comes into a novelist’s life is fair game for character-mining.

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft? 

Persist! Writing is a marathon, not a sprint.

What are three words that describe you? 

Persistent, creative, and wry

What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer? 

My favorite novel is an obscure book called WHOM THE GODS WOULD DESTROY by Richard Powell. It’s a wonderful tale set during the Trojan War. I highly recommend it.

List of previous books if any

IMMORTAL: A rags-to-riches-to-burnt-at-the-stake story of an orphan boy in Renaissance Florence

BROKEN: Paris, 1939-1942. A fallen angel is trapped in the web of German occupation. The deadly noose of Nazi control grows ever tighter, ensnaring her and two of her lovers, a bullfighter and a musician working in the fledgling Resistance. Can she save them and the Jewish widow and her child that she has come to love, or will betrayal take them all?

The After Series, Books 1 -4: FALLEN, COLD LIGHT, FAR SHORE, BLOOD SKY: In a time of apocalyptic despair, love is put to the test. Lethal mists have scourged the planet, killing billions of people. As chaos and madness descend, one woman with mysterious healing power guides eight children to safety. Charismatic Arthur offers her and her wards a haven. Slowly Emma falls for him. At the moment of their sweetest love, he reveals his devastating secret. A mystical odyssey, a haunting romance.

THE ART OF LIFE: with Sabin Howard. A photo-essay of figurative sculpture through the ages.

Any websites/places readers can find you on the web.

I have a website: www.tracilslatton.com




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