Author Update: Roz Morris

I love doing author updates. It makes me feel the vitality of the writing community. This time we're catching up with author Roz Morris. I interviewed Roz back in January. Now her new book is out, so let's find out what it's about.

Welcome back, Roz! Tell us about your new release.

It's called My Memories of a Future Life. It's contemporary fiction with a
twist - reincarnation from the other end of the telescope; a sort of Time
Traveller's Wife for the Derren Brown era. It's already been called groundbreaking by one reviewer - the link is here.

Here's what the novel's all about.


If you were somebody's past, what echoes would you leave in their soul? Could they be the answers you need now?


The main character, Carol, is a concert pianist. She's a gifted musician who needs nothing more than her piano and certainly doesn't believe she's lived before. But forced by injury to stop playing, she fears her life may be over. Enter her soulmate Andreq: healer, liar, fraud and loyal friend. Is he her future incarnation or a psychological figment? And can his story help her discover how to live now?


A novel in the vein of The Time Traveller's Wife, Vertigo and The Gargoyle, My Memories of a Future Life is much more than a twist on the traditional reincarnation tale. It is a multi-layered story of souls on conjoined journeys - in real time and across the centuries. It's a provocative study of the shadows we don't know are driving our lives, from our own pasts and from the people with us right now. Like Peter Shaffer's plays The Royal Hunt of the Sun and Equus, it asks questions about what we believe, what we create and how we scare and heal each other.


Above all, it's the story of how one lost soul searches for where she now
belongs.

Tell us the good and the bad: What was the hardest thing about writing this book and what was the easiest?

The easiest? The research! I thoroughly enjoyed immersing in some fascinating, rich subjects. For instance, the world of classical music, where The language of music on a score is so dictatorial, with instructions for how long you play a note, in fractions of a second, which requires immense dexterity and control. Professional players are like Olympic athletes.


And playing is almost like a form of spiritual possession. There are instructions for expression - for instance, amoroso, which means 'play it lovingly'. That's awesome - they tell you how you feel while playing the music.


I got a strong sense of music as almost being like channelling the spirit of the composer. Of course, it's not always like that, but I wondered what it would be like for a character who felt it was.


A lot of this fed into what music means to my main character Carol - and what she loses when she can't play. Literally, it's her way of feeling alive.


Also I had to research hypnosis and past-life regression. This is a rich subject indeed. The person undergoing it is put into in a highly suggestible state and asked to describe where they are and what they're doing. They come up with incredible stories - sometimes very traumatic. I was interested in what really happens under the surface - who was pulling strings, what it means, but a lot of it defies logic. No matter how you look at what's going on these people are going through profound and changing experiences.


I also became aware of how many unscrupulous people there are in that part of society. While many of them want to help others, there are also a lot of cheats and charlatans. Inevitably they make interesting characters...


The hardest thing was writing the end. I had to decide at what point we could cut and leave the characters to get on with their lives. I wrote several different endings and always had a clenched feeling in my stomach that I'd been hard on a character, or had left something important unsaid. When I finally got the right one, I knew - but it took a lot of soul searching.

You knew this was coming -Quick Writing Test! Use these words in a sentence: masquerade, Tupperware, and liquid nitrogen.

As the hypnotist spoke the Tupperware party disappeared; in its place appeared white clouds like liquid nitrogen, and a mysterious masquerade. 

(Did you design those words specially for me, Dorothy?! I forgot to put that scene in the book!)

Spooky! LOL. Where can our readers find your book?

The Kindle store - US http://www.amazon.com/Season-Memories-Future-Life-ebook/dp/B005IZJTTA/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1
and UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Season-Memories-Future-Life-ebook/dp/B005IZJTTA/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1
A print edition will follow but there's no URL for that yet.

Anything else you'd like to add?

I'm releasing the novel first of all as 4 novellas on the Kindle, of roughly 25k words each, one a week, 0.99c each. This is, of course, an experiment, but it seemed to work pretty well for Mr Dickens. And with the Kindle offering new ways of reading, it's about time someone did it again. My agency Sheil Land are watching keenly to see if this is a model they should use for their own ebook releases. Very exciting times!


Thank you, Dorothy, for having me back - and for all you do with this website. I've discovered some terrific authors on these pages and I'm thrilled to be here too.

I'm so glad. Thank you for telling us about your new book. I'll be keeping my eye out for it.

Interview with Milva

Hello, everybody. I hope all the mothers out there had a fantastic Mother's Day.

Today we have a special interview from across the pond. Well, across the pond from most of you—I live in Germany so it's more like right next door to me. We're talking with Holland-based Milva.

Welcome, Milva. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Milva (Chin Tjauw Yin). My husband's name is Dave van der Vinden and we have two children, ages 11 and 14. In real life I work in a store which sells diverse items from mugs to furniture. I started in the administrative field, but since my youngest arrived, I needed a part time job and I ended up in the store.

Let's talk about your writing. What is the name and genre of your manuscript?

The name of my book is Verloren Liefde, which translated in English is Lost Love. The genre is historical fiction, but I like to call it a historical chicklit.

Here’s the part where you pitch it. What’s your story about?

The story is about two people: The female character Maria Lynn lives in Amsterdam as a medical secretary. As long as she can remember, she has had vivid dreams about a past life. On the other side of the world is a doctor in India, Ray Agrawal, who also has the exact same dreams. They meet at a medical convention and when events move further they find out they have a connection, the connection of their previous lives together.

At the same time the story goes back in the time. In 18th Century India, Englishman Lawrence and the lovely princess Amala meet in unusual circumstances. Their love is forbidden, because she belongs to another man. It’s a story where love overcomes time. From past to the present. Can they retrieve their love in the here and now, the love that was taken away from them?

So it's a reincarnation story. Very interesting. How did the idea of the story come to you?

The time the story came to me, I watched a lot of Bollywood movies. With the setting of India, the idea of reincarnation began to grow on me and at one point the story began to come alive for me.

I understand you are published. Can you tell us about how that came about?

I entered a writing contest and the prize was you could win a contract with a publisher. I didn’t make it to the short list, but a few months later the publisher called me and said they wanted to publish my story.


It’s a print-on-demand publisher. That means if an order for the book is placed, they will print it. They have no stocking place. The only catch is you have to promote yourself. A lot. That’s a bit of a problem for me, because I’m actually too shy.

Do you have any plans to have your book translated into English and have it sold in English-speaking countries? Is so, what are your plans to accomplish this?

It’s a dream of course to get my book translated into English. Dutch is not a language everybody speaks around the world. I still have no idea how to accomplish this. I guess if I can get enough readers, it will get to the point where I can take that step. My ultimate dream is to get it adapted into a movie. I secretly already have a cast…hahaha.

That would be amazing. So do you have a critique group or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

At this point I do have some critique beta readers. Some are for spelling, others are simply reading the story. Is it exciting enough, that kind of stuff. When I wrote Verloren Liefde, I had just one beta reader and one corrector. I think I’ve grown since then.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Writer's block. Sometimes I’m in a flow and I can’t stop writing. There are also months I just can’t write, and several storylines are battling in my head, so I don’t know where to begin.
As for now, the research is getting in the way of writing. It’s important to get the research right, so readers will believe the story.

Any tips you’ve learned about writing you’d like to share?

The thing I’ve learned about writing is that you have to re-write, and that the story should be written in the past or the present tense. I just wrote and I had no idea about all the rules. It’s important you know that, it will save you a lot of trouble.

Who are your inspirations?

My favourite author is Stephen King, but I also read other genres like Fantasy. Lord of the Rings is also my absolute favourite read. Chicklits are also a great read and the queen of chicklit, in my opinion, is Sophie Kinsella. I get my inspiration from history. I just love history, from ancient Egypt to French royalty before the revolution.

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. Can you name three things about yourself people may not know?

Three things that people don’t know about me? That’s a hard question to answer.


I guess that I’m a complete nerd (proud of it). I’d like to stay at home with a good book and get totally lost in it.


Second one is, I hate to admit it, but I’m addicted to little black dresses, shoes and bags.
Especially little black dresses, I have a total of 5. Shocking! I won’t even mention the shoes and bags.


Third, I love Fantasy and Sci-fi movies. But my favourite movie is the Sound of Music.

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Who would you like to give a shout out to?

I'd like to thank by beta readers, but especially Jolanda who was there at the beginning of it all, and my corrector and online friend since 10 years Brenda.

And finally, where can people find you online?

People can find me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1240267268
If the link doesn’t work, just look for Milva Chin.
On Twitter http://twitter.com/milva7
I’m working on a website, but I’m a complete doofus..oops can I say that?

You can say it, but I bet it's not true. *wink* Thank you so much for chatting with us, Milva. I'm sure if we have any Dutch readers they'll be looking out for your book, and please let us know once it's translated into English.