As a younger avid reader, I figured I’d be too busy reading for the rest of my life to ever write a book. After all, there are so MANY books to read, and so little time! God had other plans, and here I am with a second series published, much to my own astonishment.
I’ve had the honor of being interviewed by AllAuthor, an organization in which I have a lot of confidence. They’re a great resource for authors and I highly recommend them.
Here it is!
P.T.L. Perrin grew up in Europe as a military brat and developed a love for languages, cultures, and diverse perspectives. She is the author of the TETRASPHERE tetralogy, written for teens and young adults but loved by readers of all ages. Her award-winning DRAGON GUILD series blends fantasy, dragons, strong heroines, and a touch of romance, captivating fans who enjoy adventurous storytelling. Read full interview…
Growing up without a television fueled my love of reading. I had no electronics to occupy my downtime between homework and supper, or when I wasn’t adventuring elsewhere. Books transported me into new worlds, filled my head with dreams and my heart with longings.
Books like Black Beauty, National Velvet, and My Friend Flicka, awoke a terrible yearning in me to have a horse of my own. I wasted no thought on the practicality of caring for, housing, and transporting one from place to place as my dad moved our family to wherever the Army sent him. Horses became my obsession.
Until Anne McAffrey’s Dragon Riders of Pern changed everything. I needed a dragon. One who communicated with me, understood me, empathized with me, and took me flying anytime I wanted to escape. As time passed and I matured (and not always willingly, I might add), the impossible dream faded. Rather, life, marriage, jobs, and kids of my own trampled it into the unyielding ground of reality.
As the kids grew lives of their own and pandemonium settled into the background, reality became less rigid. If I couldn’t have a dragon, I could certainly give life to the one I’ve wanted for so many long years.
What if Gabri, a character from the Tetrasphere series who refused to grow up quietly, found herself in an impossible situation? What if a baby dragon longed for her person as I had once longed for a dragon? Would magic happen if the two found each other? You can find out by reading Sanctum, the first book in the Dragon Guild series.
In fact, pick up your copy today!
Is there anything you wanted so badly as a child you thought of little else? What was it? Did you get it? Let me know about it in the comments below.
Military Brat, voracious reader, and now writing books in her favorite genre, P.T.L. Perrin grew up in Europe and speaks several languages. Her stories range from inspirational to native cultures, new worlds, mysterious places, aliens, and dragons.
If you’ve ever crafted a story, whether an essay, a short story, or a novel, and whether you’ve published or not, you know the satisfaction of having completed a work and put your name (or pseudonym) to it. Some gifted writers are also gifted marketers, who know how to reach the readers who will purchase and love their work.
I am not one of those.
I’ve recently published and released two books of a three-book fantasy series, the Dragon Guild. They have received glowing editorial reviews and both are recipients of the Literary Triton Book Award. The award isn’t a selling point to readers but it’s chum in the water for sharks posing as “marketing experts”.
I nearly fell for one of the first such emails. The sender claimed to have read the book and offered to help market it. The person sounded legit in every way. I was ready to sign up, until I received an invoice from Nigeria. I may be gullible, but I’ve heard of “Nigerian prince” scams. Thankfully, I ended that conversation. I did not expect the flood of emails that followed.
Here’s an article that describes exactly what I encounter daily. Like all scams, it’s insidious in its approach, convincing, and totally deceitful. Protect yourself! Read this article!
Return of the Nigerian Prince: A New Twist on Book Marketing Scams
Marketing scams have always been plentiful. Over the past year or so, though, they’ve really surged.
I’ve written about one type of marketing scam–the “friendly author” social media scam, in which someone impersonating a real (and often very well-known) author reaches out with a direct message, ostensibly because they’re interested in your books or your writing, but actually in order to refer you to some sort of shady marketing service.
Now there’s a new type of marketing scam… Read More
Written by Nicholas C. Rossis, this article can be applied to any work of fiction, although it’s vital for a fantasy/scifi writer. What a great way to approach your story!
A few weeks ago, CanvasRebel Magazine contacted me for an interview. Another friend had recommended me to them, so I checked them out. They impressed me with the diversity of small business owners, artists, and other creatives they have featured, and, quite frankly, I almost didn’t respond. After reading some of their excellent interviews, I wasn’t sure my story was something they’d be interested in.
Overcoming my reticence, I queried them with a short version of my story. Did they think I was a good fit? To my surprise, they answered, “Yes.” What a joy to open my inbox only to find the story has gone live. And now, I’m sharing it with you! https://canvasrebel.com/meet-patty-perrin
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been confused about keywords and how to use them in marketing my books, not to mention my blog. Prolific author and editor, Karen Black, has made them easy to understand. She’s provided tools and has given me the confidence to use them. Check out her informative article, printed in the Fall, 2024, issue of The RRBC Pipeline Magazine.
After reading this article by Lauren Sapala, I have a better understanding about why plotting, or outlining, a novel has never worked for me. And yet, I’ve published four books in a series that have gotten good reviews, and I’m working on three more in a second series, all without getting mired in a plotless mess. I know some fantastic authors who outline their plots and write wonderful books, and I’ve sometimes wished I could write that way. Now I know why I write the way I do.
(5) Tickets into RRBC’s WC&BE Raffle for (7) $100 Amazon Gift Card Gift Baskets
Please leave the author a comment below for your chance to win one of these awesome prizes!
Welcome, Shirley! Let’s get right into reading your post for today…
I had to produce a sample piece for a writing class and this post is it. I had a problem with keeping the past, present and future tense in its proper place. This sample is supposed to address those problems, but I wonder …
A Writing Sample – Past Tense, Fiction
Mom is sitting on the couch rubbing her stomach constantly, feeling miserable. The doctor said, “You are carrying twins!”
I am really feeling her pain. “OMG! We’re expecting twins! Mom, is there something I can do to make you feel better?”
“No darling. There is nothing anybody can do. We must wait until they get here.” Mom said. I am seven years old, and this day will forever be etched in my memory. Even now I can feel her as if the pain is mine.
Mom couldn’t do housework anymore, so dad brought in a relative (Mama Anita) to stay with us. I was forced to share my bed with this obese woman. Because of her size, I wound up on the floor more than once. She got on her knees to pray every night before going to bed. Boy, did she preach up a storm. At least 15 minutes. I lay still, watching her, and wishing I could be somewhere else.
She had her hair braided and her drab clothes hung on her because of her size. She wore heavy duty black shoes. Her persona was easygoing. I could not see what she did for us because our hair is not kept up, and our clothes are wrinkled. I remember getting teased at school about it. She didn’t take care of us the way mom did, and it became so evident. Things changed right before my eyes, and the twins were not even here yet.
———
The identical twin boys were born on October 30, 1963. It was the day before Halloween and life was never the same. It forced me to grow up fast. There they were in two baskets with handles for carrying. I still remember the cries because the sound was so unique. The incessant crying. Over time, I grew concerned about it because it didn’t seem normal. They cried all the time. It was like something was frightening them. One night the crying didn’t stop, and mom ran into the bedroom to find smoke billowing out of the room. A rag over the lightbulb hanging from the ceiling got too hot and caught fire. Mom placed it there so the glare wouldn’t disturb the babies. Dad and mom got the babies out quickly. The firefighters came but luckily there was no major damage, just a lot of smoke. I wondered if the smoke did any harm to them.
The twins were the talk of the town. They generated excitement everywhere my parents took them. They rode in a baby buggy built for two. I would describe it as all gray and very wide – enough room for two little ones. They were named Dwight Gregory (the right-handed twin), and Dwayne George (the left-handed twin). The first photo had the two of them lying face up for the shot. They looked like mirrors of each other. They were so perfect.
Mom needed a lot of help to handle and care for the babies. Dad regularly went to work and came home and that’s about it. He was not involved in the day-to-day activities of the newborns. Mama Anita takes her leave after a couple of months and I was glad to get my room back.
Things kind of fell to me. I don’t remember if my sister would have been capable of helping much. She was only six years old at the time. My duty was to always keep the diaper pail clean and fresh. Mom taught me how to wash baby clothes and diapers in the washing machine. Hanging them out to dry was next, as we didn’t own a dryer. I used to love the smell of the diapers after the sun dried them out. Only wealthy people had driers alone with color TV sets, and cars.
Cooking is another chore I learned how to do out of necessity, starting with breakfast. This is my life now. Getting up, eating breakfast, running out to play is now a thing of the past. I long for those carefree days again.
My new rule. I’m never going to have kids when I grow up.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the new additions to our family. It was just so much work to do because mom was still trying to recover from the whole ordeal. I know she is glad to be rid of the load because she was huge while pregnant, and in so much pain.
Mom yells, “Leslie Lee, come here.” I shout back, “Coming!” “I want you to sit next to me while I try to pump the milk from my breast. The babies won’t breastfeed. We’re going to have to make up formulas.” My eyes were popping out of my head as I watched her trying her best to produce the milk, but enough of it was not coming, so she experienced a lot of pain. I remember her telling me once that we (my siblings and I) would not take her milk either. We rejected it too. I always thought that was so strange because babies need that first healthy start in life.
I would really appreciate your feedback on this writing sample.
Please leave a comment below and thank you so much for visiting my blog stops.
BOOK BLURB:
Mama could tell a joke. Next thing you know, you are rolling on the floor from one of them. She loved to play the lottery and religiously purchased tickets every chance she got. If you fail to buy her tickets when she asks you, she will tell you that was the winning number … “If you had done what I asked, I would have won.” It was classic!
She was just as passionate about her faith and could quote passages from the bible all day long, which she did. She was a good mother and made huge sacrifices for her children.
She was the woman who wanted to be an actress but never got the chance. She was the woman who worked at a naval air base in Alameda County, California, screwing rivets in wings of airplanes. They were called “Rosie the Riveter” during World War II.
She was the constant in our lives.
This is how I remember my mama!
AUTHOR BIO:
Shirley Harris-Slaughter is the author of Our Lady of Victory, the Saga of an African-American Catholic Community which was written to address a need to preserve Catholic history in her local community. She mentored four freshman girls at the local middle school in the Winning Futures Mentor Program. She is active in her church and Rave Reviews Book Club a virtual book club community where she has added another biography and fiction to her repertoire. She is married to Langston and is a Michigan Native.
And now, Slaughter has written a memoir about her mother, Joyce Winifred Harris-Burkes: How I Remember My Mama. It talks about memories regarding her life, and her works. The theme is about how the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. Slaughter is an activist just like her mother.
PLEASE FOLLOW SHIRLEY THROUGH ALL HERSOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
To follow along with the rest of the tour, please visit the author’stour pageon the 4WillsPublishing site. If you’d like to schedule your own blog tour and have your book promoted in similar grand fashion, please clickHERE. Thanks for supporting this author and her work!
Be sure to leave Shirley a comment below for a chance to win an awesome prize!
Was there something your mom did that you’ll never forget? Our mother was an unforgettable character. This is the time she delivered a sermon at church that no one expected and no one understood a word of! Enjoy the story and leave a comment on the RWISA page for a chance to win a bundle of ebooks along with an Amazon gift card!
After Mom left Spain and moved to Naples, Florida, she and my sister Margie would sometimes visit Bill and me on the Atlantic coast of our state. They both enjoyed coming to church with us, and our church family loved them. We believe the gifts of the Spirit the Bible talks about are as alive and vital today as they were in the early church. The Holy Spirit is in us when we become Christians, but there’s an additional empowerment available for us as described in the book of Acts, chapter two.
As our pastor says, “We’re Spirit-filled, Charismatic, Bible believing, tongue-talking, Pentecostal Christians.” So, what happened to Mom one Sunday came as no surprise to anyone. The delivery was unusual, but so typically Mom.
After our worship music, Pastor singled Mom out and called her up for prayer. In her mid-seventies…
PTL Perrin Writes... 