Saturday, October 13, 2018

Interview with author Stephanie Waters



Ghosts Legends & Lore of the Rockies 

For more info, please see: Manitoulegends.com 


1. What really inspired you to write your book, to force you from taking an idea or experience and conveying it into a book?
Victorian era Journalist Charles Fort, became world famous for investigating ancient mysteries like fish falling from clear blue skies. In fact, the word ‘Fortean’ was spawned by his paranormal investigations. Like Fort, I dreamed of becoming famous for exposing truth about mysteries long forgotten. So, I delved deep into ancient newspaper archives in search of unsolved mysteries. Readers won’t be dissapointed, because I found a wealth of the unimaginable! But this book of historical mysteries is also tempered by some funny tales suited to tickle funny bones. 

2. What is it about and whom do you believe is your targeted reader?
Not to toot my own horn, but I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t enjoy reading this book, as it has something for everyone. I deliberately adjusted the reading level so that older children could read without content being over their heads. Of course haunted history buffs should truly appreciate these sorted tales. And I think Steam Punkers and Science Fiction Geeks will also enjoy the ride, as there are tales about time travel and time warps. Not to be forgotten, Big Foot fans will love the little known story about Canadian Albert Ostman, being kidnapped from Bishop Mountain! And UFO geeks will love the incredible story about Sheep Mountain, where pioneers were abducted by spacecraft! I like that you can actually visit the places I wrote about! Nobody likes reading a ghost story about a place they’ll never be able to investigate for themselves! In a nut shell, this book was written by a weirdo, for weirdos. 40 true supernatural stories, as taken from historical archives. If you know it was published in the newspaper then it had to be true ... because they didn’t have fake news back then! Bahaha! 

3. What do you hope will be the everlasting thoughts for readers who finish your book? What should remain with them long after putting it down?
 Well, it’s true that I come from a notable clan of outlaws and litterbugs, being that I’m a direct descendent of Windy Jim. My great great uncle became a published writer after his exploits with the Jesse James Gang. I’m also a distant relative of Old Western author Frank Waters. My home town of Colorado Springs was were Frank grew up and we have a park named after him. I suppose being related to famous writers of the Old West is what got me interested in Old Western legends and lore. It’s my hope that readers will gain interest in researching their own family histories. The book’s conclusion is especially touching, because there’s a love song that was written by my great great grandmother to her long lost husband, who never came home after the Pikes Peak Gold Rush. Gramps had written home saying he’d struck gold and that for generations to come, that our family would never want for more! I guess grampa’s crumbling bones are lying at the bottom of hole somewhere. Claim Jumpers got the gold mine ... while gramps got the shaft. I hope this final tale inspires readers to think about secrets of their own past family history. Every family has a historical Skelton in the closet ... 

4. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers?
It was baptism by fire when I became a writer. I had no idea what to do. Bahaha! I’m a professional storyteller. So, my writer friend told me to write how I talk! And he also said that every writer should write what they know or what they are interested in. For example, I don’t think I could write a very good book about Football because I’m simply not interested. I’ve been seeing spirits and talking to dead people since I was knee high to a grasshopper! So, of course my early interest in the paranormal led me into reading ghost stories as a kiddo. And the rest as they say, is history! 

5. What great challenges did you have in writing your book?
This is my 5th book at about 60,000 words. My other books were 38,000 words and so I wanted to challenge myself. This project took much longer then expected! But, I’m really glad that I took my time because this book turned out really beautiful. I loved working with Dinah, who was very kind and patient with me. Thanks to you all, very much! 

6. If people can only buy one book this month, why should it be yours?
Because this book is amazing in that it’s timely for Halloween Season. I like that theses tales are supposedly true and so even if you’re not a believer in the supernatural, then the historical nature of the times should be of interest to many. This would be the absolute perfect book for school teachers to read to classrooms. Good book for story time hour. Each tale only takes 5 min. to read and reading each tale is like taking a mini vacation. These tales are told as they supposedly happened and so the reader is taken on a little five min adventure into the past with each passing page. And there’s some outright funny tales too. I like how spooky tales and funny tales are all mixed together like fruit salad and so the reader never knows where each story will take them. 

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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2017©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs 

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