Transcript Of Live Chat With Authors & Editors Peter Joseph Swanson, Tracy Fabre, & Shirley Ann Howard

Thank you Connie I hope I can be there. I haven't been feeling well. Peter is a great writer.

I noticed you had not been here much lately. I hopw you are feeling better soon. :)

If you are feeling better, we would love to see you at the chat. All three are great authors.

I own all of Tracy's books in my personal library. I love them.

~ THERE WILL SEVERAL FREE BOOKS GIVEN AWAY AT THIS CHAT~

~ YOU DO HAVE TO ATTEND THE CHAT TO WIN~

~ I WILL ANNOUCE WINNERS AT THE END OF THE CHAT~

thanks for sharing

Larry,

I hope you can make it to the chat. All three of the Gather members are great authors and a lot of fun to be around in the community.

~ THERE WILL SEVERAL FREE BOOKS GIVEN AWAY AT THIS CHAT~

~ YOU DO HAVE TO ATTEND THE CHAT TO WIN~

~ I WILL ANNOUCE WINNERS AT THE END OF THE CHAT~

I will try to make it

cool

Stephannie,

I hope you will be able to make it to the chat. All three of these Authors are very active in the Gather community.

~ THERE WILL SEVERAL FREE BOOKS GIVEN AWAY AT THIS CHAT~

~ YOU DO HAVE TO ATTEND THE CHAT TO WIN~

~ I WILL ANNOUCE WINNERS AT THE END OF THE CHAT~

I truly hope I can remember, or make it to the chat. Depends on what I'm doing tomorrow night.

Angela,

I just found out that:

~ THERE WILL SEVERAL FREE BOOKS GIVEN AWAY AT THIS CHAT~

~ YOU DO HAVE TO ATTEND THE CHAT TO WIN~

~ I WILL ANNOUCE WINNERS AT THE END OF THE CHAT~

Hope to see you tonight.. I miss you.

Thanks connie, I will try to remember.

Tina,

I have just found out that:

~ THERE WILL SEVERAL FREE BOOKS GIVEN AWAY AT THIS CHAT~

~ YOU DO HAVE TO ATTEND THE CHAT TO WIN~

~ I WILL ANNOUCE WINNERS AT THE END OF THE CHAT~

I have also posted a review of Shirley's books if you are interested. I added the link in the comment area of this post.

Hope to see you tonight at the chat.

Is it tonight, or tomorrow night connie?

thursday the 5th; cinco de mayo

Thanks Kathryn, what does cinco de mayo mean?

Yes it is tonight.

Yes Kathryn, What does that mean?

Let me get the article I wrote about it last year. It is in Spanish, the Fifth of May, literally, so let me get the history,. Most people are misinformed, if they know at all, and I certainly did not have the right idea. But first I will get a beer to celebrate. brb.

I deleted my article from last year, but here is the Wiki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_Mayo It is the celebration of victory over the French in the state of Puebla. Many think it is Mexican Independence Day, but it is not. In Mex, it is celebrated only in Puebla; in the US, it is celebrated in California, many states in the Southwest and In Minneapolis, where a number of original Mexican immigrants have lived for some time. Here in Boston, and in other places in the US, people drink Corona and have Mexican food.

On May 5th1862, the tiny Mexican David squashed the French Goliath. More of a symbolic victory, but is very important.

Wow three great authors at one time.

~ Veronica,

I have posted my review of Shirley's book. I hope you will come back to this chat to find the link in the comment section.

~THERE WILL SEVERAL FREE BOOKS GIVEN AWAY AT THIS CHAT~

~ YOU DO HAVE TO ATTEND THE CHAT TO WIN~

~ I WILL ANNOUCE WINNERS AT THE END OF THE CHAT~

I will try to make it...

Kerrell,

~ THERE WILL SEVERAL FREE BOOKS GIVEN AWAY AT THIS CHAT~

~ YOU DO HAVE TO ATTEND THE CHAT TO WIN~

~ I WILL ANNOUCE WINNERS AT THE END OF THE CHAT~

Roll Tide, Kerrell!

I'm hoping to make it, but Angela has dance....I'll be at the studio...will be home after 9.

This chat will last for one and a half hours. :) You will be home in time. :)

~ THERE WILL SEVERAL FREE BOOKS GIVEN AWAY AT THIS CHAT~

~ YOU DO HAVE TO ATTEND THE CHAT TO WIN~

~ I WILL ANNOUCE WINNERS AT THE END OF THE CHAT~

You Can Read My Review of Shirley Ann Howard's books by following the link below:

"Tales From Home" - "Tales Out Of School" - "Tales From College" ~ By Shirley Ann Howard ~ Book Review

I'll be there, Connie. Thanks for the nice post, and I'll be happy to offer a free book.

Shirley,

I am so sorry that the book reviews were not done up separately. I promise to do a better review of all three books after surgery. Right now I am just under so much stress.

I will annouce the winners of the free books after the chat. There will be one of yours. Tracy will be giving away books as well.

See you tonight.

Hope you feel relief soon.

Thanks Shirley,

The Neurosurgeon said this surgery will help me.

We have plans for this evening so I may not get a chance to take part in the chat. We'll see.

~Rose~

This chat will last for 1 & 1/2 hours tonight. Have fun with whatever you have planned but if you have time to come to the chat, we would love to see you. I am so glad you are back. :)


~THERE WILL SEVERAL FREE BOOKS GIVEN AWAY AT THIS CHAT~

~ YOU DO HAVE TO ATTEND THE CHAT TO WIN~

~ I WILL ANNOUCE WINNERS AT THE END OF THE CHAT~

I'll be theeerrreee!! Thanks, Connie!

I did receive your email. You may have even told me before now but I am getting ready for surgery on Monday and I am stressed to the max!

See you tonight.

No stress! You are the future Gather Person of The Year. :-)

LOL I read those wonderful comments and I am afraid to go back because LOL I know there will be some negative comments about me as well. The good comments made my day! :)

I am getting ready for brain surgery on Monday. That has me stressed more each day.

...I'll be praying for you about the surgery on Monday Connie. Relax, it will go well.

Thank you Rene,

I really appreciate it.

You will do well...

Connie, I will be Praying for you as well.

~ THERE WILL SEVERAL FREE BOOKS GIVEN AWAY AT THIS CHAT~

~ YOU DO HAVE TO ATTEND THE CHAT TO WIN~

~ I WILL ANNOUCE WINNERS AT THE END OF THE CHAT~

I hope to be there! :)

We will be looking for you Kimberly. :) It will be a busy and exciting chat. :)

I do have three questions, below, in case i am asleep by the time the chat goes on. i got up at five so it feels like bedtime already.

I remember the days of getting up at 5 Am and you are so right, you get exhausted by this time of day.

I passed out and fell early this morning (about 2 AM) I could not get up and had to wait for my husband to get home from work to help me. He took me to the ER and I am just now getting woke up from all the pain shots they gave me.

oh my oh my.... hope you will be okay... and you are having surgery?...

Yes, I am scheduled for Surgery on Monday morning.

You will do fine...

Connie, you are amazing for being here tonight.

Tracy,

I told you I would be here. :)

Tracy:

1. What age did you start writing? What did you write?
2. What age did you decide to become a writer?
3. Did you ever want to be other things besides being a writer? Deep sea adventurer? Movie star? Spy? Comedian? Homebody? Scientist? Have you been some or all of these vocations, if only in your books or imagination?
4. How did these vocations work out for you?
5. How would you describe your special gifts?
6. Did anyone encourage or discourage you in your writing? How did you feel about their encouragement or discouragement? Any special stories to share?
7. If you had to do it all over again, would you have chosen the same path/s as you have chosen?
8. Any other final words? Shut up Kathryn is a common phrase I hear a lot.
Thanks for your help and participation. You can send flowers after this is published. I cannot accept bribes before publication.

Kathryn,

I can't wait to read the responses to your questions. Thanks so much for adding them to the chat page. These will keep them busy for a while.

Kathryn ask some of the questions I was thinking about

Hellooooooo Kathryn ... I'm going to answer these in separate windows. (And yes, I am starting TWO MINUTES EARLY!!!)

1. What age did you start writing? What did you write?

My mother would tell you I always wrote, but my first recollections of it came from early high school, and I think those writings were dabblings in mystery and horror. But I was terrible. :-)

2. What age did you decide to become a writer?

I still haven't decided that!

3. Did you ever want to be other things besides being a writer? Deep sea adventurer? Movie star? Spy? Comedian? Homebody? Scientist? Have you been some or all of these vocations, if only in your books or imagination?
4. How did these vocations work out for you?

I was fairly ambitionless; I was interested in libraries but it wasn't so much a burning need as a "oh yeah that sounds okay" and then sticking to it for 30 years!

5. How would you describe your special gifts?

Interesting phrasing. I don't know that I'm sure about calling anything of mine a special gift, but I know that I can write decent dialogue and can, most of the time, amuse people in the telling of a tale.


6. Did anyone encourage or discourage you in your writing? How did you feel about their encouragement or discouragement?

Truthfully, when I was in my teens, encouragement made me more nervous than anything else. I didn't write for many years (anything of substance, anyway), and when I took it up again, I kept it private for 6 or 7 years - until I was sure I really didn't suck, and didn't have to worry about whether anyone else liked it or not. I knew enough that what mattered was that *I* liked it! How arrogant is that?

7. If you had to do it all over again, would you have chosen the same path/s as you have chosen?

Most likely! I don't have many dramatic regrets, especially not regarding writing. I had to be ready to do it, and I know I wasn't ready as a teenager.


8. Any other final words?

Write! Thanks for the questions, and good luck with YOUR writing. I am still going to send you the edits I promised you!

i will work on these answers

i think you would be great at horror -

ambitionless? hmm i\well okay if you say so but doesn't seem to describe the trace i know!!


storytelling is more important than bootiful writing -
and i think that if we like ourown writing - that is enough !!

everybody i have ever asked if they would change things of they had to do it all over again- everyone i know said they would do the same thing. i can understand - i would do the same too- but i was hoping someone would say they would dot all differently. typing with left hand cheddar has my right arm

The Crazy girl in Evans Castle could have easily been turned into a horror story. LOL She scared me. LOL

ha

Peter:

1. What age did you start writing? What did you write?
2. What age did you decide to become a writer?
3. Did you ever want to be other things besides being a writer? Deep sea adventurer? Movie star? Spy? Comedian? Homebody? Scientist? Have you been some or all of these vocations, if only in your books or imagination?
4. How did these vocations work out for you?
5. How would you describe your special gifts?
6. Did anyone encourage or discourage you in your writing? How did you feel about their encouragement or discouragement? Any special stories to share?
7. If you had to do it all over again, would you have chosen the same path/s as you have chosen?
8. Any other final words? Shut up Kathryn is a common phrase I hear a lot.
Thanks for your help and participation. You can send flowers after this is published. I cannot accept bribes before publication.

It is a good think this chat will be lasting for an hour and a half. It will take them that long to type in the answers to just your questions. LOL

Kathryn, here’s my answers:

1. What age did you start writing? What did you write?

Always. I wrote my first novel in college. I didn’t take any writing classes there, it was just something to do. Ha ha.

2. What age did you decide to become a writer?

I first wanted to be a film maker and artist. WHEN did that turn into the novel writing that I’m doing now? I’m really not sure. I’m 47 now so the current state of fabulousness that I’m in now evolved over decades. Woot! Ha ha

3. Did you ever want to be other things besides being a writer? Deep sea adventurer? Movie star? Spy? Comedian? Homebody? Scientist? Have you been some or all of these vocations, if only in your books or imagination?

I want to be a Joan Crawford movie star, LOL. (and she was nice – don’t believe her rotten kid)

4. How did these vocations work out for you?

Didn’t. ha ha

5. How would you describe your special gifts?

I write about topics most people don’t, or write about them in a way others don’t.

6. Did anyone encourage or discourage you in your writing? How did you feel about their encouragement or discouragement? Any special stories to share?

I’ve known Tracy Fabre since high school. I sent stuff to her before, before I was published. She was always very encouraging, and it only takes a little bit of encouragement to get through the deserts.

7. If you had to do it all over again, would you have chosen the same path/s as you have chosen?

Yes! I adore being fabulous! I love telling grand stories!

8. Any other final words? Shut up Kathryn is a common phrase I hear a lot.
Thanks for your help and participation. You can send flowers after this is published. I cannot accept bribes before publication.

I love you Kathryn! MUAH!!!

i love you too muahahh don't tell my husband...loll

you are fab and i think it is great you and tracy have known each other since high school..


i can see you as a joan crawford movie star and as a film maker and artist...

blame the hollywood screenwriters if they didn't work out...

Peter,

Do you paint on canvas as well?

Connie, I have! Oil paint smells groovy, LOL

i love oil paint and linseed oil yummy

Shirley:

1. What age did you start writing? What did you write?
2. What age did you decide to become a writer?
3. Did you ever want to be other things besides being a writer? Deep sea adventurer? Movie star? Spy? Comedian? Homebody? Scientist? Have you been some or all of these vocations, if only in your books or imagination?
4. How did these vocations work out for you?
5. How would you describe your special gifts?
6. Did anyone encourage or discourage you in your writing? How did you feel about their encouragement or discouragement? Any special stories to share?
7. If you had to do it all over again, would you have chosen the same path/s as you have chosen?
8. Any other final words? Shut up Kathryn is a common phrase I hear a lot.
Thanks for your help and participation. You can send flowers after this is published. I cannot accept bribes before publication.

Thanks for adding these questions for the authors. They will answer them during the chat. Have a wonderful night Kathryn. :)

This is a long assignment, Kathryn. I'll write out the answers after the chat.

kk

Shirley,

Where are those answers? LOL I think this chat kept everyone on thier toes. I bet all the authors fingers are sore. LOL

It was an amazing chat. These there authors work well together.

Shirley:

1. What age did you start writing? What did you write?

My first serious writing was in junior high school. My English teacher covered sports for the local paper and he asked me to help him. I covered Girls' sports and other school news. I had a blast and to this day, I consider him my most influential teacher. Sadly, he had a heart attack and died a few years ago. I never got to show him my first completed novel.

2. What age did you decide to become a writer?

I always loved writing, but mostly prepared non-fiction pieces and press releases in connection with my work as a teacher, school counselor, and administrator. I delved into serious fiction in 2004 and the last seven years have been the best in my life.

3. Did you ever want to be other things besides being a writer? Deep sea adventurer? Movie star? Spy? Comedian? Homebody? Scientist? Have you been some or all of these vocations, if only in your books or imagination?

I always wanted to and still want to be a famous, fabulous personality sought by talk show hosts in the entire English-speaking world.

4. How did these vocations work out for you?

I did just fine in education and learned a great deal--both good and bad--about people.

5. How would you describe your special gifts?

I have excellent attention to detail. I care. I love and respect language.

6. Did anyone encourage or discourage you in your writing? How did you feel about their encouragement or discouragement? Any special stories to share?

My junior high school English teacher encouraged me, and I've never forgotten it all these years later. A few people laughed at and ridiculed me, but I'd rather not talk about that. It's pretty painful.

7. If you had to do it all over again, would you have chosen the same path/s as you have chosen?

I have no regrets. I've actually led quite a charmed life. Then again, my husband and I have excellent attention to detail, so.... as they say... Fortune favors the well-prepared. But we have been richly blessed and are grateful for our health, each other, our children, and the full life we've made toghether.

8. Any other final words? Shut up Kathryn is a common phrase I hear a lot.
Thanks for your help and participation. You can send flowers after this is published. I cannot accept bribes before publication.

Thanks so much for your participation in the chat. Without supporters like you, we'd be holed up with our computers and fictional characters.

okay i am working on these...

Shirley:

Wow. What an amazing experience: "I covered Girls' sports and other school news. I had a blast and to this day, I consider him my most influential teacher"

" I delved into serious fiction in 2004 and the last seven years have been the best in my life." WTG!

"I always wanted to and still want to be a famous, fabulous personality sought by talk show hosts in the entire English-speaking world."

Let's set up a youtube channel and you'll be famous! ...

I can interview you!

You do have a great attention to dtale. Not evrybuddy hz dat.

'My junior high school English teacher encouraged me, and I've never forgotten it all these years later.' aww...

'I have no regrets. I've actually led quite a charmed life'. ...I can tell. You were a child bride and a princess bride...

I'm a big huge fan !! I am reading one of Peters book now !

Vivian,

I hope you will make it to the chat. We always have fun at these chats.

What one of Peter's books are you reading now?

I'm a fan of VIVIAN's!!

I am a huge fan of TRACY's!!

I shall try try try to attend. Stuff, keeps stealing my time. I really really really want to win one of Peter's books. I'm in love with Peter. LOL!

Everyone is in love with Peter. LOL He is a barrel of fun. He will probably shoot himself out of cannon when he arrives at the chat. LOL

Have you read Tracy or Shirley's books?

i am so sorry that I will be missing this chat with three fabulous authors. I'll be looking forward to catching up with the transcript ASAP.

Marge,

We will miss you but you can read the transcript. Have a wonderful night.

The reviews all sound great on the books I read them.

Sally

I loved Tracy's books so much that I bought all three for my personal collection.

I loved Shirley's books as well. I have all three of her books in ebook form.

I ordered one of Peter's books but it never did arrive. Amazon just canceled my order. Strange. I need to reorder it.

See you in half an hour.

There will be FREE books given away at the chat.

Yes, free free free and thanks again Connie for your positive feedback. :-)

Tracy,

You gained a loyal reader with me. I loved all three of your books.

Where do I go?

Sandy,

The chat will be right here in this post. It will start in about half an hour.

ok

I am so glad I saw your post about this Connie ~ This looks wonderful, and you know I will be back to read the Final Transcript!

I'll be here (in and out) of the Chat ~ I did have one question for each of the Authors ~

Who are you most grateful to in terms of launching your writing career?

I'll be back to hear the responses!

Hello, Rene ~ if by launching you mean getting in print, I have to say I'm grateful to Peter, because he led me to Stonegarden, and that publisher took a chance on me. If you mean just getting started in writing at all, I really don't remember! I didn't talk about it much so even as a teener, no one knew to encourage/discourage me.

HUGS to you Tracy ~ I am glad you answered the question. You know I am a FAN of yours ~ speaking of which, I need to get myself back into your FAN CLUB on Gather.

Peter is such an inspiration.

You may not have talked about your writing much as a teenager Tracy, but did anyone notice how much time you spent writing or typing?

Sometimes, I find it odd that the ones who are close to us (as in FAMILY) never really take notice of our most profound "gifts" and "talents" ~ or at least they are rarely the ones to encourage us, inspire us, or propel us in place. Many singers who really make it, can remember being told to "shut up", or that they "could not sing" ~ hummmm.... (maybe that is the strongest sign to JUST DO IT! ~ lol)...

How about your English Teachers? Did any of them suggest to you that you become an Author?

My mother tells people now that I always wrote, and I have some school friends from the 70s who say they remember that I always wrote -- but I have no recollection of it, really, or of sharing anything with them. Then when I took it up ten years ago, I really didn't tell anyone at all for years.

I do remember that my grandmother and one or two teachers gave me praise, but I can't imagine what for. :-)

...maybe they were paying attention to you more than you thought Tracy ~ LOL!

You are very humble Tracy ~ You deserve PRAISE, because you've just got it like that!

Too kind you are... rackin' up good karma!

Rene is a great judge of character. :)

The link to Shirley's Gather page is actually to Tracy's page... :(

Thank you Peggy, I will correct that right now.

The live chat with Authors Peter, Tracy and Shirley will begin in 35 minutes.

My question is about agents. Do any or did any of you use an agent to sell your manuscripts? If so, please share more about it. If not, do you pitch your manuscript yourself or do you share that task with one another?

Please share your experiences with agents, pro and con.

Hello, Susan! I tried very half-heartedly to get an agent, before Evan's Castle was picked up by Stonegarden, but I was pretty pessimistic about my chances, and after a few "no way get lost" responses (I could be exaggerating), I gave it up. Since then, I've simply been too lazy to make the effort.

An agent doesn't want you unless you're already so rich you don't need one.

....loving your response Peter!

Right -- I wrote about this HERE.

oh boy Tracy ~ I've got to check it out!

Thanks, Tracy. I'll check your link.

Peter,

'An agent doesn't want you unless you're already so rich you don't need one."

And by that point, I've noticed, they'll let you fire all of your editors as long as your books sell well.

Ann,

Are you a published author as well?

Tracy what made you write sending Rupert home? It sounds like a great book I would love to read.

Helloooo!!

In a way, you have Peter to thank for that. He suggested I write horror, but I'm not wired that way. I came up with a modified idea of just writing about a friendly, garrulous ghost on a mission, and the rest just took care of itself!

Most women are not into horror books.

But you'll love this book, Sally.

...now I'm going to have to read Tracy's book -- this sounds interesting!...

"...a friendly, garrulous ghost on a mission..."

A really interesting theme Tracy.

I'm not much into horror, true -- but I loved Stephen King during his heyday because I loved his characters & dialogue. They seemed real, and I CARED about them, and that made all the difference.

I agree with you Tracy ~ me too, but I would buy a Stephen King book in a heartbeat and scare myself silly ~ ahah!

He has a very interesting mind.

Rene,

I loved all three of Tracy's books. They are referred too as Romance but they did not seem like normal romance books to me.

Tracy's humor comes through in all three books but if I did not know the same author wrote them, I would have quessed they were all written by different authors.

They are sometimes referred to as Mainstream with Romantic Elements.

The Live Chat With Peter Joseph Swanson, Tracy Fabre And Shirley Ann Howard will begin in 19 minutes.

Did you know that Peter designed the bookcover for Tracy's book "Sending Rupert Home"?

Yes it is true. Peter has been designing several book covers for the publishing company that published Peter"s, Tracy's and Shirley's books.

He does awesome work.

Peter is really really really visually talented. Wait until you see the cover for my June novel, Callie By The Bay!

I bet its beautiful

Did Peter design his own BOOK COVERS?

I think Peter did Rene

Hey Sally ~ I think WE had a CHAT a while back that Connie did where Peter talked about his book covers, but I wasn't quite sure -- THANKS!

Peter needs to come back and answer this question for you Rene.

I think he will be back again tomorrow to check for more questions.

Here I am!

Yes, I did my own book covers! The publisher lets authors do their own covers if they want (if the boss approves what it is) and I started doing that until the boss finally asked me to join the art department and do some other authors' covers as well!

I made it!

Really looking forward to this chat!

4 more minutes Shannon!

Hi, Shanny.

Hi John. How are you this evening?

Top notch.

Glad to hear it!

It was beautiful here in Michigan today, was lovin' it!

Tracy Reasons sounds like a great book to read as well.

Reasons is a novel I began back as a teenager and abandoned (rightfully so) until I actually knew how to write. The plot for it always stuck with me, and eventually I had no choice but to write it out.

I highly recommend it!

Tracy that book sounds great.

O'John, your check is in the mail! :-)

LOL ~ Tracy and John ~ you two are very funny!

Peter I own your book The Joan Crawford murders.

...I was curious about that book Sally...

How did you like it?

I liked the book Rene. He is a good writer. I did a review on his book a while back.

Hey Sally ~ I'll have to read your Review of Peter's book -- where is the link?

I will look for the link for u.

I can't find it for some reason.

oh god Sally! ~ You'll find it....

Peter are you writing anymore new books?

Yes, I have a new one coming out next year, a vampire novel that takes place in 16th century England!

I bet that one will be a good one.

Shirley Tales from home sounds like it would be a wonderful book to read. Can you tell me more about it?

TALES FROM HOME is the third book in my TALES series. Sandy is a teacher, Lenny is a scientist. They have a special chemistry and make a life together... despite some boiling hot fights, troubles with Mother Nature, and other various disasters.

And Shirley is an AWARD WINNING NOVELIST!!!!!!

Sounds like something I would read.

Tales from Home is very good-- I could be biased, as her editor, but I'm not!