Week- 4 November 25, 2012 Guest Author | Launa McNeilly Interview & Giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 4 – Nov. 25, 2012  Guest Author | Launa McNeilly

Welcome! Launa, I’m so happy that you are joining this event “Seven Weeks to Christmas Author Interviews & Giveaways.” Thank you so much for taking the time to come talk to us about your book. I wanted to thank you for your generous offer to give away a few copies of  your ebooks to commenters of this blog.

A couple of years ago I met Launa online, at an Amazon forum for Maine Writers. She came back with a big warm welcome! I was born and raised in Maine, but was living in Ohio at the time–We started chatting online through various author circles and stayed in touch. When I moved back to Maine in 2011, it wasn’t long before we had our first personal meeting and luncheon. I already knew we had a bond…I’m certain it wasn’t just because we were both authors, or for us both being Mainers.  Truly I feel that there was a higher power that intervened that day at Amazon to make our paths cross, because soon Launa became family to me. I love her dearly, and I know you will too!  It was important for me to do this interview with Launa, because she truly is an amazing writer!  Please help me in welcoming her to my blog…Give it up for LAUNA MCNEILLY AUTHOR. **Hands clapping-crowd cheering!**

With that said Launa, let’s get on with your interview.

-Virginia

Launa McNeilly Author

1.)   What led you to become an author? I had a story in my head and needed to write it.

2.)   What genre do you write? I write fictional drama/ mystery and paranormal.

3.)  When you write, do you prefer silence or do you like to listen to music or the television? I have written while the TV is on but much prefer silence. Though when the scenes are playing in my head, it doesn’t matter what is going on around me, as the focus is the writing.

4.) Do you have a particular place you prefer to write? I always write in my recliner. I’m comfortable and I can concentrate on  getting the story typed onto my laptop.

5.)  How long did it take you to write your first book? My first book was quick because I had it in my head for so long. It took me three months to write it, but as writers know, in creating a book it’s usually the easy part of the process.

6.)  Where do you get your inspirations from to write? My inspiration for writing comes from the characters that seem to pop into my head and when I listen to them, a story is born.

7.)  Can you describe the feeling you had when you held your first published book? The day I opened the box to see my first novel in book form was unbelievable. I held it, smelled it, opened it, closed it, and stared at the cover with my name on it. I won’t say it was as much a miracle as holding my newborns, but it was close.

8.) What book are you currently working on? I am working now on the third book in my Cami Series, but have finished my fourth book, “In The Shadows Of Boston” which is now in the editing phase and I hope to have it out by the end of the year at the latest.

9.) Please give us a brief synopsis of your newest WIP. I will give you the first chapter of   ” In The Shadows of Boston by Launa McNeilly .” I hope you like it.

10.) Where can people find your books? My books are listed at most online bookstores in paper book or ebook.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Launa-McNeilly/e/B002W05XWQ/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1351623358&sr=8-1

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/launamcneilly

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/launa.mcneilly

Comments are now open!

The Recipe Lady | @The Recipe Weekly

Recipes @ the Recipe Corner

Hi, I’m the author of the children’s books The Princess and the CastleThe Prince and the Dragon, and my newest release “Crying Bear Yes Bears Cry Sometimes Too.” I’m also the author of the non-fiction book: Buzzzzzzzz What Honeybees Do. Buzzzzzzzz is available in Paperback and eBook;
and is a honeybee, beekeeping basics primer for children 4th-grade reading level to adult. I’m currently working on a number of writing projects and my latest release was a romance novel A Christmas to Remember.

Check out my cookbook Ayuh, Another Downeast Cookbook: Recipes From Maine

For ten years, before authoring my books, I was the Senior Writer for Lowfat Weekly, a website, I founded. (If you’ve read my other blogs, then you are familiar with a post that told about why I closed down that website). In brief, while working at Lowfat Weekly part of my job as a recipe developer, included adapting recipes to healthier Low-Fat versions. I LOVED that challenge! As a food blogger, I was known as “The Recipe Lady,” and I enjoyed interacting with our viewers, emails, chats, and such.  The problem I was having is that I didn’t want to only develop low-fat recipes, as it left no room for old-fashioned recipes that make you think of your “Mum and home.” I literally have hundreds of recipes that I’ve developed and adapted before Lowfat Weekly, during, and since working there. My recipes are made from ingredients that I already have in my cupboards, on hand– and trust you do too! They are mostly recipes that you will be familiar with, but in some cases, will be posted with “this cook’s” designer twist. These recipes are also some of “my family” favorites and will become yours too. You will find recipes on my blog that have been passed down from my mother, grandmothers, aunts, sister, friends, and friends of friends. All my recipes (most) are “quick and easy” to make including Old-Fashioned Heirloom Recipes, Low-Fat Recipes, Gluten-Free Recipes, Low Carbohydrate Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes, Italian Recipes, Fish and Seafood Recipes, Desserts, and more. In the search block, you can look up everything from dandelion green recipes to honey butter.

-Virginia Wright                                                                                                                           Queen of Recipe Adaptation

Please visit my blog often for recipes, and to see what I’m cooking up next…

These are my granddaughter’s Abigail and Elisabeth. They were visiting with their grammie, the recipe lady, and receiving a cooking lesson.

Cooking Lesson

Author Virginia Wright Guest Speaker In Machias Maine

Author Virginia Wright

Virginia Wright Author, was guest speaker at the Retired Teachers Group year end meeting, held at the Bluebird Restaurant in Machias Maine. Dinner and a book signing was held after the speaking engagement.

Virginia Wright Author - Book Signing

Author Reading

Peavey Memorial Library in Eastport, Maine was very kind in hosting my author read this month. I read my latest book release “Crying Bear, Yes Bears Cry Sometimes Too.” All children that attended the read received coloring sheets, crayons, stickers, and their choice of one of my books.

Machias News Observer reporter, Ruth Leubecker, sat in on the read and did an interview. A great article and photo went in the newspaper the following week. Many thanks go out to you Ruth for making the trip to Eastport, Maine to do a story on me!

Any school interested in hiring me to do an author visit please contact:

info [at] virginiawright [dot] com

I will be more than happy to go over my fee, and program.

~Virginia

Virginia Wright, Author

 

 

Spring Pollinator Garden– Have You Planted Yours?

Aster © Virginia Wright

THE HONEYBEE – Isn’t it interesting to know, that the honeybee is an “Insect” that provide us with something that we can eat? It’s that golden, sweet, healthy for us food called—honey! With the disappearing honeybee population, our honey supplies are diminishing in the United States. This situation is called CCD or Colony Collapse Disorder: and researchers are trying to figure out reasons for honeybee disappearance; some say chemicals are at fault.

You can help the honeybee population by planting a flower garden with flowers that grow in your local area that honeybees like. I will list a few that I know of that are great fodder when these wonderful pollinators are foraging for food.

*Zinnia’s

*Aster

*Heather

*Black-Eyed Susan

*Cone Flower

No matter what type flower plot you plant for the bees, don’t use chemicals on your garden…this could be detrimental (harmful) to these much needed pollinator’s.

Family Fun

Planting a flower garden for our greatest pollinator is an activity the whole family can participate in!

Buzzzzzzzz What Honeybees Do by Virginia Wright