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Here we are near the end of May. I can't believe this weekend is Memorial Day. Way back in the olden days when I was born, May 30th was Memorial Day. That's my birthday. Little D. thought the parades were for her. A lot of parades have passed since then. But everyday is a gift and its own adventure. One of those adventures of mine was living on a dairy farm in Minnesota. Today's guest is from the Land of 10,000 Lakes also known as the North Star State and even the Gopher State. Please help me welcome a new to The Fire author. Joie, welcome to the fire. I have the coffee pot on but I'm going to grab us some waters. While I do, will you introduce yourself? Tell us who you are other than your bio? I am an observer of life. When a person first meets me, I may be quiet. It’s not that I’m an introvert exactly because to be honest I love meeting new people and I love to talk. The truth is I learned the art of observation as a child. I enjoyed listening to my mother and her sisters talk about their lives growing up in Minneapolis during the decades long before I was born. I learned about the 30s, 40s and 50s and it fed my creativity and influenced my writing. Even now, during my times of quiet observation, I continue to learn and experience life through other peoples’ perceptions, reactions, and actions. You sound like me. I'm a fly on the wall until I get the feel of the room. I also have learned to ask questions and then sit back and listen to the answer. What do you do for fun besides writing ? For instance, what do you read or hobbies you have?I am a lifelong reader. I simply love to lose myself in a story and always have. Without my love for reading, I would not be a writer. I also am a novice ukelele player and by this means, I’ve been learning how to play for the last 4 years. My husband did restring my ukelele for me last year, so I think I should get the hang of it one day soon—maybe. Which leads me to say, aside from books, one of my biggest interests is music. I have an eclectic taste but my favorite to listen to by far is indie rock—80s and current. Who or what books or authors are your inspiration? When asked this question, The Mirror by Marlys Millhiser instantly springs to my mind. While it’s my favorite, I can also honestly say this story has had the biggest influence on me as a writer. My older sister introduced me to it when I was sixteen in 1984. From page one, I hooked. I was excited that the story evolved from a writer’s imagination. Marlys Millhiser’s words awed as they transported me to the 1900s Boulder, Colorado and back again to 1978 with the help of a cursed mirror. Through the words, I lived vicariously through the two main characters. I loved it and knew this was the kind of story I needed to write—someday. I had to look it up and now I've added it to my TBR. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book? My intent is to do both. I write each book to stand on its own but there are definite connections. For instance, one scene in my WIP—a 1960s ghost story—takes place in the beach side town where my mermaids live. (See below where I talk about having finished books awaiting their next draft.) How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have? Oh wow. When it’s put that way, I have to go count-- Okay. So, I currently have eight books that are in various stages of completion with four finished awaiting their next draft edits. Research is one of my favorite tasks when writing a book. I can get lost in it. What kind of research do you do? My research happens in tandem with my writing. Since many of my stories are historical and set between 1900–1970, I spend much of my time listening to the music, watching documentaries or motion pictures along with reading voraciously. I take an immersive approach in order to feel as if I’m there throughout the entire writing process. What did you edit out of your upcoming release, The Passenger? Initially, it was the first seven chapters from the earliest draft. While I cut those chapters, I didn’t abandon the parts of the story they told. No, I then challenged myself to take those elements and weave them into the chapters that remained. My goal was to show the friendship between my ghost whisperer, Elizabeth Reilly, and the spirit she sets out to help. In my later final draft, I decided to cut an opening scene where Elizabeth says goodbye to her late husband, Patrick, a WWII soldier who died in battle. Here again, I just leave Patrick’s goodbye by the wayside. Instead, I weaved this element into the Chapter One. Here’s an excerpt to show how I incorporated this deleted scene: When her husband was on his way to her to say goodbye, she’d sweated through the cries of soldiers falling into the mud around her and the deafening noise of battle. Don’t go there, Elizabeth. You couldn’t help him. She’d known the only help she could provide was to help him pass on in peace. Elizabeth had expected Patrick’s ghost to visit her. For weeks, she braved the early spring chill to await his arrival. Bundled in layers, she waited on the beach for him. Their special place. When he finally came, he met her there. Patrick sat next to her on the blanket he’d given her as a birthday present when they were younger. The one with the purple daffodils. When she thought of his final goodbye, she thought of the daffodils she’d stared down at while he talked—as if the color of the flowers were the most important detail of the day. Yet the broken dead man who sat beside her was. Patrick’s once handsome face wore sadness like a caul. He’d wished she would remember him as the whole and healthy man who she clung to and kissed before he shipped off to war. When she pictured the delicate purple flowers imprinted on the fabric, she overlooked the bloodied gash in his side where he’d taken the bullet. If I time traveled I think I'd optimistically go into the future. What about you? Where would you go and when? Why? I would go to the 1940s and travel from Boston to California. Why? Because I have spent so much time there in my imagination with Elizabeth, Gio, Paolo and Adriana. In my mind’s eye, I’ve spent countless hours picturing the clothing, hearing the music and the way people interact with one another. I would revel at the chance to see how my imagination matched up with the real thing. Would you rather have unlimited international first-class tickets or never have to pay for food at restaurants? I would definitely rather have unlimited international tickets. They wouldn’t even have to be first class. They would just need to fly me to all the destinations I dream of going to. The first place I would jet off to would be Madeira, Portugal! If someone came up to you and said, “Hey, do that thing you do!” what thing would pop into your head first? It wouldn’t be a thing that I actually do. No, for me it would be a moment in time and a movie--That Thing You Do and watching it after a dinner of gluten free pizza and coffee ice cream on Thanksgiving in 2022 before my taste and sense of smell diminished due to Covid-19. Joie, thank you so much for spending time Around the Fire. You must be so excited for August to get here. Congratulations on your book. Will you leave us some information about it? The Passenger by Joie Lesin Coming August 21, 2024 Publisher The Wild Rose Press About the book. She's a 1940s ghost whisperer. He's the son of a ghost. Burdened with her empathic gift, Elizabeth Reilly wants to be free of it and fit in with normal people. Nevertheless, when the spirit of an old man asks for her help, she travels across the country to help him return home. Gio Clemente is still angry with his father who abandoned him as a child. To help the father pass on, Elizabeth must persuade Gio to let go of his anger. Though he resents her intrusion, they are both stunned to find themselves fighting a profound attraction. Elizabeth can accept his headstrong brand of love, but can Gio accept her gift—and believe in her? The Passenger, a 1940s ghost story set in the California wine country, tells a tale of family connections, life-changing choices, and love—lost and found. AUTHOR BIO:
Minnesota-based author, Joie Lesin is a life-long fiction writer and the author of The Passenger. She has long been fascinated by anything otherworldly including ghosts. She loves to write a good ghost story—especially when it includes a touch of romance. Originally from Massachusetts, at six years old, Joie moved to her mother’s birthplace, Minnesota. By eight, Joie lost her New England accent, however, it's gradually returning as the years go by. She grew up in Minneapolis but now resides in St. Paul with her husband and their blended family—which includes a rambunctious grand-corgi. Joie misses the ocean, but she often finds herself walking by one of Minnesota’s many lakes and travels to one of the coasts as often as she can. In fact, she considers California her home away from home. When she’s not writing, reading, or walking, you can find her listening to music. She absolutely loves music—especially live—and songs have sparked most of her story ideas. Follow Joie Website: https://www.jlesin.com Linktree: https://linktr.ee/joielesin Book Page: https://www.jlesin.com/thepassenger 6/1/2024 08:21:43 am
Looks like a wonderful story. I'll be adding it to my TBR. Comments are closed.
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Your Host D.V. StoneAward winning multi-genre author and blogger. Fantasy, romance, mid-grade. Nothing better than a campfire, book, and glass of wine. Okay maybe there is.📚 Follow Me!
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