Showing posts with label Iris Blobel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iris Blobel. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

My Favorite Aussie Girl Stops By

They say to write what you know, and authors have made bundles off of doing that very thing.  My idol, Stephen King (bow and scrape) writes about his hometowns in Maine almost reverently.  And so does my friend Iris Blobel.  This Aussie Girl, transplanted though she is, embraces her adopted home country in her newest book and I just had to have her here on the blog to tell everyone about it.  Hey Iris!


Hi everyone – I’m grateful for Samantha’s invitation to talk about my newest release “Innocent Tears”. The story is set here in Australia, mainly in Melbourne – according to Wikipedia the city was the second after Edinburgh to be named a UNESCO City of Literature. Perfect for my story where two worlds collide – Flynn, business lawyer, and little Nadine, six years old and has just lost her mother.

This is one of my favourite scene

“Flynn? Flynn!”
He dipped his head and shook it regretfully. “Yes, Mum, I’m still here.” He paused for a moment and then continued. ”Sarah’s parents came for a visit.”
The surprise was obvious by the moment of quiet. “Teresa and William?” she asked in disbelief, her voice an octave higher than usual.
His hand was holding the bottle of beer next to him like his life depended on it. “Mum, I’ve got a young daughter.”
Silence.
“Flynn, have you been drinking?”
“Mum, I’m serious as serious could be. Remember Sarah not wanting to live in Melbourne, and then saying she had someone else in her life?”
He heard her sigh. “How can I forget? I don’t think I’d ever seen you so upset and depressed.”
“Well…” He took a deep breath. “That someone was a baby. I’ve got a little girl, Mum.”
More silence. His mouth curved into a grin when he heard his mother whisper to his father, “Get me a stiff drink, Carl. We’ve just become grandparents.”
She lifted her hand off the receiver and rattled out questions. “How old is she? What’s her name?”
The grin disappeared and he rubbed his face. “Six, and Nadine,” he murmured.
Jenny screamed into the phone. “Si-i-i-ix?”
Flynn almost dropped the bottle. “Good grief, Mum. Keep it down.”
He heard her sipping her drink – whatever it was. “How am I supposed to keep it down? Flynn, why on earth… why the… Teresa and William… and where’s Sarah–“
“Mum!”
Silence.
“Jenny Rose McCormack.”
She sighed. “Yes?”
“Ask Dad for a glass of water.”
“Oh my goodness gracious, Flynn.” He heard her holding her hand over the phone. “Carl, he says I need a glass of water.”
Flynn shook his head. Carl wanted to talk to his son as well – of course, because so far he was just serving her with drinks and listening to outbursts of disbelief and questions. “Not now… in a minute… It’s my turn”
“Mum?”
“Your father is a bit of a pain here.”
“Mum?” he said more firmly.
“Yes?” she replied flustered.
“Saz died just after Christmas last year.”
Silence.
“Mum?”
“Flynn? It’s your dad here. What just happened? Your mother is pale as a ghost.”
“Hi, Dad.” Flynn felt his stomach turning upside-down. This was more like a comedy than him trying to tell his parents about his last forty-eight hours. “Dad? I’m a Dad as well. Sarah died last Christmas. Teresa and William have been in Melbourne, and in Teresa’s subtle and gentle way, she told me about the young daughter I have. Nadine’s her name, and they want me to take over custody and look after her.”
Silence.
“Son? That’s a lot to take in. How are you going?”
Flynn rubbed his temple with the heel of his hands. How he was going? How was he going?

Thank you all for stopping by. I appreciate your time!

Blurb:
Becoming a parent can be daunting at the best of times, but for Flynn, a business lawyer in Melbourne, it almost pulls the feet from right underneath him. He’s become a father to six-year-old Nadine literally overnight! He had no idea about her existence, and the news throws him into chaos, even more so when he is asked to take over custody.
With the help of Emma, an employee at the hotel where Nadine and her grandparents are staying, and his parents, Flynn tries to do the right thing. Yet, the right thing in his eyes differs from his parents’, and Emma is voicing her opinion as well. And right in the middle is little Nadine, still grieving the loss of her mother and finding a wonderful friend in Emma. There’s no doubt she’s afraid where and with whom she will settle.
But in the end, it’s a letter Flynn receives that helps him figuring out what to do

Where you can buy “Innocent Tears”

Where you can find me online:
Twitter @_iris_b:

Monday, August 6, 2012

The Kid Interview Series - #3 - Iris Blobel, as interviewed by her daughter, Carleigh

Welcome to the third installment in the series.  I'm happy to introduce you to my awesome Aussie friend, Iris Blobel.  She is a fellow author at my sweet publisher, Astraea Press and writes heartfelt and touching romances.  We are all looking forward to her upcoming release, Innocent Tears, coming out in late 2012.  Her daughter, Carleigh, took on the interview.

THE KID’S INTERVIEW

Carleigh Blobel, age 11, interviews her author mom, Iris Blobel

1.       Can you name all your Mom’s books?
      A.   Sweet Dreams Miss England & Journey to her Dreams
      2.       Which is your favorite and why?
      A.   Sweet Dreams Miss England because it was mums first book and it was really special to me .
      3.       When does your Mom write?   Where in the house?   Describe her writing area.
      A.    Mum writes when ever she can especially at night when she is on her laptop.  She usually    writes in the living room or sometimes in the kitchen area, her bedroom or outside, if it nice weather.
      4.       What are you doing when Mom is writing?
      A.   Most of the time i would be playing with my sister (Tara) or watching TV at night
      5.       If Mom got rich and famous, what would you want her to do with the money?
      A.   I would like you use some of my money towards a house and starting a family or extending my bedroom
      6.       Do you read your Mom’s books?
      A.   I read a little but because they're romance I'm not really interested 
      7.       Do you think you do better in school because Mom is a writer?
      A.   No not really .
      8.       Do your friends know what your Mom writes?  Do you tell them?
      A.   My friends know a lot about my Mums books because I like to brag about it 
      9.       Do you want to be a writer when you grow up?   If not, what do you want to be.
      A.   I would like to be a writer and follow in my Mums footsteps, but I wouldn't do romance i would probably do kids books. I would also like to be a teacher or a police officer
    10.      If you could dedicate a book to your Mom, what would you say?
      A.  To my Mum for inspiring me to write to write my own books

 Iris Blobel
Author
and "Innocent Tears" coming out late 2012
Presenter @  www.voicefm.com.au

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

New Interview I Did!

I am reposting a terrific interview I had the pleasure of doing with a fellow author Iris Blobel from over at Astraea Press.  Her book is Sweet Dreams, Miss England, found on the Astraea Press website and Amazon. Check it out!


Interview with Author Samantha Combs

As many of you know I have recently signed up with Astraea Press. One reason for my excitement was that I am now amongst a wonderful group of very, very talented writers.
Today I have the pleasure to introduce you to Samantha Combs, author of "Spellbound". The blurb reads:

Logan Daniels has always led a sheltered life in sleepy, predictable Lancaster, New Hampshire. But when beautiful Serena suddenly appears at school one day, his comfortable existence becomes anything but as he finds himself falling in love with her. There’s something special about Serena Starr. He realizes what it is when he sees her unleash her spells. Soon, a mysterious and foreboding presence settles over his placid home.

Logan and Serena find themselves battling darkness and evil with an ominous mission: it wants Serena and will stop at nothing to have her. Tearing apart Logan’s town, threatening his friends, even causing harm to his family, the demon will spread its doom over every facet of Logan’s once placid life. Logan matures in ways he could never have imagined as he struggles to protect those he loves, including Serena. But he can't do it alone.

Serena hails from a long line of able and powerful women who will aide in the battle and perhaps settle a score of their own. The strength of the coven and Serena's love will be behind him, but ultimately this is Logan’s fight to win. But, will he?


Q: Tell me about your book. How did you come up with that?

A:  My five year old kept telling me she wanted to marry Edward the vampire! LOL. I got tired of hearing that so I asked her what if mommy wrote a book, what should I write about? Without hesitation, she goes “Witches, momma!” So I sat down and intended to write her a little story for bedtime. I guess the muse was lurking and waiting to pounce. Once I started writing, she grabbed me, unleashed the characters, they all got in the car and took over.


Q: How did you get interested in writing this particular genre?

A: I don’t feel like a forty-something mom. In my head I feel like a teen so I guess that's why the genre, YA, comes to me naturally. Also, there is absolutely nothing paranormal ANYTHING in my life, so the idea of something supernatural and fantastical is so delicious, its so fun to write about it.


Q: Did you have to do any kind of research for this book?
A: This book is set in Lancaster, New Hampshire and I visited there once (to visit an old boyfriend, whatever, move on), so the only research I actually had to do was remembering the names of some of the places and street names. Most of the rest of it I have personally visited. And I have actually been to the Old Man in the Mountain before the natural accident caused the face to fall off. (now those of you from the Northeast know I am telling the truth about my age!)


Q: What is the hardest part of writing for you?
A: Sometimes it is giving myself over to the idea that I don’t know where the story arc is going. I am what is called a “pantser” writer, or a seat-of-the-pants writer, meaning I don’t outline or plot my story. I basically think I know where I want the story to go, sit at the laptop, then sort of come to a couple hours later. I read over what I wrote and am amazed the story went NOWHERE where I thought it might, yet I am thrilled with the direction. Sometimes I think that sounds slightly insane, but aren’t all writers a bit nuts anyway? As solitary an endeavour as writing is, don’t we all pace, and mutter to ourselves and celebrate our victories when no one is in the room? (Please all say yes!)

Q: What’s the best thing about being an author? 
A: Having a thought or feeling or idea and being able to express it so perfectly in words that it almost brings you to tears.

Q: What are you working on now? 
A: Two YA paranormals at once, one about a vampire hunter (not done to death yet!) and one about a girl whose father was a sea creature. I write in whichever one I feel like. It’s like shoes. I decide which one I want to put on that day. Otherwise I get bored and start to hate the one pair.

Q: What advice would you give aspiring writers?
A: If you don’t write every day, don’t beat yourself up. It means you’re not supposed to. If you force it, you will just end up deleting it the next day and be that much farther behind. I write when I am moved to. Happily, I am moved to a lot. My muse is a bitchy, slave driving sort. LOL

Q: Do you have any favorite authors or favorite books?
A: I love Stephen King. My current favourite book is Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, by Beth Hoffman. I screamed with laughter.
  
Q: What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?  

A: I always wanted to be asked in an interview what would be the most wonderful thing to happen to you as an author? Here is the answer: To be in a book reading attended entirely by children and have a mom come up to me and say “My child never liked reading until he/she read your book. Thank you for introducing my child to books.”

Thank you very much, Samantha, for taking the time to take part in this interview. I love your last answer - it is so true!

Samantha Combs' "Spellbound" is available at Astraea Press, Amazon and other online bookstores. Please spare a few minutes to check out this wonderful book - I'm sure you won't regret it!

I would also like to congratulate Samantha on her second book (WIP - Juice and the High School Ghost) which is going to be released with Astraea Press as well and selling another book to Aspen Mountain Press, through their new imprint Aura Spec-fic.