Here Is Your Awesomegang Authors Newsletter
Published: Sat, 12/24/22
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Jules Larimore
Interview With Author Jules Larimore
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a debut author of the new novel, "The Muse of Freedom: a Cevenoles Sagas novel" with works in progress for two more in the first series. I enjoy writing emotive, literary-leaning historical fiction to inspire positive change for the oppressed and refugees, and to encourage an intimate relationship with the natural environment.Influenced by a background in freelance travel writing, I uses captivating historical settings as characters. Then distill and blend them with a dose of magic, myth, and romance to bring to life hopeful human stories where courage, tenacity, transcendent vision, and the power of love are called upon to overcome oppression and dangerous divisions. A previous career in marketing offered an outlet for creative writing used to romance brands with mystery, excitement, and remoteness from everyday life.
With a Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University, I studied medieval history, ancient Greek culture, anthropology, folklore, narrative composition, and architectural design. I've trained under writing geniuses Libbie Grant (Libbie Hawker/Olivia Hawker) and Roz Morris, and collaborated with award-winning author Janet Wertman as a critique partner and notable editor Laurie Chittenden. I am also a member of France’s Splendid Centuries authors’ collaborative and a board member of the Historical Novel Society of Southern California.
I live primarily in Ojai, California, with time spent around the U.S. and in various countries in Europe gathering more treasures in a continued search for authenticity.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
"The Muse of Freedom: a Cevenoles Sagas novel" was just released in September, and was inspired by the true story of Jean Pierre Bondurant dit Cougoussac.I find that a historical adventure to carry the reader through a thrilling and obscure slice of history is often the best way for people to learn about the past. With a rising global trend toward authoritarian rule, draconian policies, and often violent divisions and aggressions among nations, peoples, and families, I felt the calling to tell a story inspired by Jean Pierre Bondurant, a French Huguenot ancestor and refugee to colonial Virginia.
“The Muse of Freedom” shows the evolution of a traumatized young man in search of freedom of conscience who comes to learn that, only with tolerance and compassion for all, will he truly be free. The novel illustrates alternatives for today’s people who have fallen into inflicting “othering” and bigotry of their own, and it features previously unexplored areas concerning Cévenols—voices of those with stolen childhoods and women in search of agency. Once I dove into the research, I became utterly fascinated with this overlooked period in the late 17th century that led up to the Camisard War. I blended it with Cévenole magic lore into a coming-of-age story and family saga of courage, tenacity, and the power of love.
My hope is that this book will inspire right action and positive change. Despite the history, many descendants of French Huguenot immigrants into America are passionate about protecting their own freedoms, but often try to prohibit the freedom of others. Perhaps this novel may enlighten them to what their ancestors faced and inspire some change of heart.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My writing habits are not so much out of the ordinary, but I love to get up early and write with a good cup of oolong tea by my side. I sit either in a chair located next to a bookshelf with a view out the window, or I sit at a table in my outdoor "living room", a covered patio that, thanks to living in a temperate climate, I can use all year round. Oh! And Lilly's Extra Dark chocolate perks me up if the tea doesn't.What authors, or books have influenced you?
The author that most impacted me was Victor Canning with his book, The Crimson Chalice. It was the first historical fiction that I read as a young adult that provided a lesson in history, my first love, and drew me in with its incredible prose. It’s an extremely well-researched novel that enlightened me with an immersive and realistic Arthurian retelling of the late Roman period. After that, I decided I was hooked on historical fiction.What are you working on now?
I'm currently working on the second novel featuring Jehan BonDurant and Amelia Auvrey. I can't go into too many details or I'd be giving away spoilers to the readers of The Muse of Freedom. Suffice it to say it is the continuing saga of their mutual passion for knowledge of ancient spiritual wisdom and healing techniques, and their ongoing efforts to champion for freedom of conscience and compassion for all.What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find that the best methods for promoting my books are via my own social media pages on Facebook and Instagram, with links to my website. I set up my social media platform about three years in advance of the release of my first novel, and my followers have been gradually increasing. I also interface via France's Splendid Centuries, an author's collaborative on FB, where we share our scholarly writings on French history and other interesting photos and mentions about the "splendid" sites in France.Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write from the heart and turn off all the voices that tell you what you should and shouldn't do. Of course, proper grammar is essential as well as style and story structure. And there are many helpful experts and authors who blog that have some great tips to share, but beware the onslaught of bloggers who either don't know what they are talking about or just like to repeat the same nonsense.I don't think you should ever worry about "writing to the market" and following the trends in traditional publishing. Those trends change, and by the time you finish your manuscript, you may end up like all the authors currently who were told to write WWII novels only to find the market totally glutted and readers bored with the subject matter.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
For self-publishers, create a book that is just as professionally done as any traditional publisher would do. Invest in a great editor and a professional book cover design. Both are critical to your success.What are you reading now?
The Fallen Angels by Bernard Cornwell & Susannah Kells and The Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson.What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to continue to write novels of the Cévenols — the people from the Cévennes mountains of southern France. Yet, I plan to switch up the time periods. After I complete #2 and #3 in the Jehan BonDurant and Amelia Auvrey story, I plan to write stories set in the Merovingian period and in the early Middle Ages at the time of the Troubadours, and Cathars, and Aragonese Jews training at Montpellier medical school.If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
How to Thrive on a Tropical Deserted Island: A Primer for the Shipwrecked Sailor Or Living off the Land in Paradise by Mike Riley
The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pages
Church of the Wild: How Nature Invites Us Into the Sacred by Victoria Loorz
The Creation Frequency: Tune In to the Power of the Universe to Manifest the Life of Your Dreams by Mike Murphy
Talking with the Animals: How to Communicate with Wildlife by Bill ThomasAuthor Websites and Profiles
Jules Larimore’s Social Media Links
Author Interview Series
To discover a new author, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors around. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring!
If you are an author and want to be interviewed just fill out out Author Interview page. After submitting we will send it out in our newsletters and social media channels that are filled with readers looking to discover new books to read.
If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.
Barbara Ann-Marie Vorel
Interview With Author Barbara Ann-Marie Vorel
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first book. I am the mother of a child with special needs seeking to help other moms grow as people and as parents with their special child.What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My son is the inspiration for Mom's Place 4 Grace.Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I create my rough draft in my head. Once it is on paper, revisions are mostly for grammatical structure rather than content.What authors, or books have influenced you?
No one in particular in this genre but I have always had a love of the written word.What are you working on now?
I'm working on developing my blog and possibly a children's book as well as brainstorming ideas for more inspirational writing.Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up. Believe in yourself because you have something of value to offer.What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If it is something that is not in your control, you can't do anything about it so it's not worth being upset about.What are you reading now?
I'm currently in between mystery novels. Looking for a good one to sink my teeth into.What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing. Hopefully more books and bigger exposure.If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
North and South by John Jakes
The Holy Bible
Love and War by John JakesAuthor Websites and Profiles
Barbara Ann-Marie Vorel Website
Barbara Ann-Marie Vorel Amazon Profile
Author Interview Series
To discover a new author, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors around. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring!
If you are an author and want to be interviewed just fill out out Author Interview page. After submitting we will send it out in our newsletters and social media channels that are filled with readers looking to discover new books to read.
If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.
Heather Chambers
Interview With Author Heather Chambers
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
When I'm not practicing martial arts, going to conventions or rolling around in the grass with my golden retriever, I dedicate my time to raising awareness through my writing.
Armed with search histories that’d pique the FBIs attention if ever discovered (for writing purposes I swear) I bring rich dystopian worlds to hungry upper young adult readers.
I've written five books so far, two of which are out in the world: the dystopian survival Earth Sucks, and its prequel novella The Mercenary and the Hissing Woods for newsletter subscribers!What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I was inspired to write Earth Sucks and its prequel The Mercenary and the Hissing Woods because of three things: I loved the video games The Last Of Us, the show The 100, and the tumblr threads What If Humans Were The Scary Ones?
In all of them, the apocalypse setting was nature-based. Muted animals, nature taking back the reins of civilization, the creative cultures that emerged from the question: "What if technology was gone?"
The main character is named Feng, and I poured a lot of my younger self into him, the good and the bad. He's a boxer like me, loyal to a fault, and has people problems haha! That developed into turning him into a mercenary, willing to do anything to find his family. Anything. His smart mouth gets him into a lot of trouble, which he finds more annoying than anything else because he can fight his way out of most things.
Since I'm bisexual, I made sure that whenever he was around someone he has feelings for he turns into useless mush. I dive more into his bisexuality as the Earth Sucks series goes on, so keep an eye out!Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I'm actually lucky enough to be able to sit 9 to 5 in my home office and crank out words. I supposed that in of itself is unusual!What authors, or books have influenced you?
I grew up reading Kelley Armstrong and Rick Riordan. I've definitely picked up their sassy prose and Kelley's grumpy x sunshine love triangles!What are you working on now?
I actually have Earth Sucks's sequel completed. I'm about to work on three things at once: the third instalment, a book about going through college while trying not to let gay crushes show or being murdered by the local serial killer (It's in a publisher's hands right now) and another manuscript for NaNoWriMo!
Busy bee…. busy bee….What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I'm discovering that now, actually. I mostly use tiktok and instagram since I have a knack for graphic design.Do you have any advice for new authors?
Everything will take twice as long as you think it will. Setbacks are not the end of the world. It feels like it, I know. But give yourself wiggle room for deadlines, give yourself a break. You will encounter many bumps in the road and that's okay, it's never anything you can't pick yourself up from.What are you reading now?
I'm reading Skyhunter by Marie Lu! And copious amounts of fanfiction…What’s next for you as a writer?
Tackling the world of traditional publishing! I've gotten my foundations with indie publishing, now I want to try a hand at approaching the big leagues. There's room for everyone, and everything I'll learn will only make me grow.If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
How to build a raft.
Living off the land.
Sea survival.
LOLAuthor Websites and Profiles
Heather Chambers Amazon Profile
Heather Chambers’s Social Media Links
Author Interview Series
To discover a new author, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors around. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring!
If you are an author and want to be interviewed just fill out out Author Interview page. After submitting we will send it out in our newsletters and social media channels that are filled with readers looking to discover new books to read.
If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.
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