Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More


221 BC: Scroll 1 of Narmer War by Kendall Price221 BC: Scroll 1 of Narmer War by Kendall Price and Laura Vosika

Publisher:  Mill City Press, Inc. (January 31, 2018)
Category: Historical Fiction, Ancient Civilizations, Supernatural Powers, Young Adult
Tour dates: October-November, 2018
ISBN: 978-1545626108
Available in Print and ebook, 364 pages

221 BC

Set against the backdrop of the Ptolemaic Kingdom, an alternate history unfolds, linking the power of the pharaohs to magic. Brother is pitted against brother in a race to find twelve amulets, lost with the ancient pharaoh, and unlock their powers. Whoever holds the amulets holds that power; to save the world…or destroy it.

Praise 221 BC: Scroll 1 of Narmer War by Kendall Price and Laura Vosika


“As the debut novel opens, King Ptolemy IV, Macedonian ruler of Egypt, is distraught over the apparent murder of his friend and mentor, Qibo (“Multiple gashes covered his body. His eyes stared at the ceiling, as if he could still see whatever had killed him”). The ancient Taoist master had worked at the Museum of Alexandria for years. This act seems to be the dark culmination to a number of days in which Ptolemy has been plagued with nightmares laced with what appear to be strange signs. He dreams he is the Pharaoh Amenhotep, worrying over his kingdom and suffering from dental pain, the latter of which seems to affect Ptolemy’s waking hours as well. After exhuming the dead pharaoh’s body, experts discover that he did indeed have advanced abscesses in his teeth, which leads head librarian Eratosthenes to posit that someone might be working magic against the king, perhaps to re-create history. The theory is that Qibo was murdered to prevent him from translating ancient tablets that might help Ptolemy unlock the magical powers of a set of 12 amulets that have been in the possession of the pharaohs for untold years, each associated with a different element. Using the artifacts, someone might be able to wrest control of the kingdom. As the story proceeds, Price paints a vivid, intricate portrait of war, juggling a wide array of famous characters, including the notorious Hannibal, and using meticulous research to flesh out this universe, rooted in historical facts and details. The prose is rich and involving, and the twists are carefully designed and executed. An inventive blend of Egyptian history and magic, this dynastic tale opens what promises to be a stellar series.”- Kirkus

“What grabbed my attention was the fact that it was based in Egypt during the time before Christ, about the Pharaoh Ptolemy III and his family struggle to maintain their control of the united Egypt. I love how the story is created with historical facts into mystery of hidden artifacts that hold magical powers and having characters with unusual powers too. It makes for a very entertaining novel and keeps the reader wondering what will happen next.”- Valerie I. Rosica, Amazon Review

“Clearly a great deal of research was done to write this book. It’s also exceptionally creative and engrossing! Hope there’s more to come….”-Kathryn Price, Amazon Review

“Very interesting  take on the Egyptian family the Ptolemy’s and their possible aliens within the ancient world and the invasion of Rome by Hannbal. Historical fiction worth reading!”-Char, Amazon Review

Interview with Kendall Price and Laura Vosika, Authors of 221 BC

Hi Kendall and Laura, welcome to Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus!

TR: Please tell us something about the book that is not in the summary.  (About the book, character you particularly enjoyed writing etc.)

KP & LV: The book is based on years of research in the global ancient world. From Spain to China, all parts included. I picked this time because it is a pivotal year in history often overlooked (new kings/rulers of Egypt, China, Greece, Asia, etc)

TR: What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?

KP : I love the scene at the Delta theater where Xiphos and Hannibal (best friends) foil the assassination attempt against the king. A few years ago we went to San Antonio for my wife’s college reunion and there is a great riverside theater that is the model for the Delta theater.

TR: I always enjoy looking at the names that authors choose to give their characters. Where do you derive the names of your characters?  Are they based on real people you knew or now know in real life? How do you create names for your characters?

KP & LV: Most of the character names are historical and accurate. The only 2 names I made up are Xiphos (Greek for sword) and Cynisca (actual name of different Spartan princess). The name s are a bit crazy but that’s the nature of ancient history J.

TR: How much time and effort went into your research for the book?

KP & LV: About 10 years of off and on research writing and editing. Laura took over about 3-4 years ago I believe.

TR: Where did you get the inspiration for your cover?

KP: Our great formatting and cover folks (DDD (deranged doctor design) suggested a few covers and our kids and I worked on it. The cover is one where Cynisca is doing a healing spell for Magus.

TR: What draws you to this genre? 

KP: I love comics, D&D, scifi/fantasy, and now history. True heroes and villains not too complicated by the world. Laura helped me make it deeper.

TR: Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from 221 B.C.?

KP: I don’t know young actors these days but the Rock and the new Tomb Raider actress are the right types.

TR: You are sitting in a coffee shop. What does your writer mind see?

KP: A lot of nice people eating food that is bad for them but think its ok. Folks think if I just have a little it’s ok when they are really shaping the space-time reality of their body and mind.

TR: What book/s are you reading at present?

KP: Phillip 2 of Macedon (father of Alexander the Great)

KP & LV: What are you currently working on?

KP & LV: 220 BC

TR: Is there a question that you would have liked me or another blogger to ask but didn’t?

KP: I guess my thoughts on Eastern and Western medicine (complimentary, valid, and interesting)


About Kendall Price


Dr. Kendall Price was born and raised in Columbia, Maryland, the third of four children. He attended high school at the Phillips Academy Boarding School in Andover, MA, a place that left him with many fond memories, and that he calls the most formative time of his life. The friendships in 221 BC are loosely based on his time at Andover.

Following in the footsteps of his father and two grandfathers, all doctors, Kendall attended Amherst College in Amherst, MA and the University of Illinois College of Medicine and studied pathology at Stanford University.  While there, he did four fellowships, including medical staff/ autopsy, hematopathology, surgical pathology, and immunohistochemistry.

Doctor Price lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with his wife Michelle and their three children.  It was Michelle’s influence, with her study of Chinese medicine, and a masters degree in Chinese acupuncture, that led Dr. Price to become certified in acupuncture himself.  The magic in 221 BC is based on Chinese medicine.

In addition to writing and Chinese medicine, Dr. Price enjoys exercise, reading, and travel.  He has been to all 48 continental US states, Canada, Mexico, Alaska, and Copenhagen.

Other writing credits include a small booklet, available on Amazon, on healing dental caries by nutritional means.

221 BC: Scroll 1 of Narmer War by Kendall Price and Laura VosikaAbout Laura Vosika


Laura Vosika is a writer, poet, and musician. Her time travel series, The Blue Bells Chronicles, set in modern and medieval Scotland, has garnered praise and comparisons to writers as diverse as Diana Gabaldon and Dostoevsky. Her poetry has been published in The Moccasin and The Martin Lake Journal 2017.

She has been featured in newspapers, on radio, and TV, has spoken for regional book events, and hosted the radio program Books and Brews. She currently teaches writing at Minneapolis Community and Technical College.

As a musician, Laura has performed as on trombone, flute, and harp, in orchestras, and big bands. She lives in Brooklyn Park with 5 of her 9 children, 3 cats, and an Irish Wolfhound.

Website: www.bluebellschronicles.com
Blog: http://bluebellstrilogy.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laura.vosika.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lauravosika

Buy 221 BC: Scroll 1 of Narmer War by Kendall Price and Laura Vosika


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Giveaway 221 BC: Scroll 1 of Narmer War by Kendall Price and Laura Vosika


This giveaway is for 3 winners choice of one print or ebook copy of the book. Print is open to the U.S. only and ebook is available worldwide. This giveaway ends November 30, 2018, midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter onlly.

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Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Oct 2 Kickoff

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Dawn Bound 4 Escape Oct 9 Guest Review

Lu Ann Rockin’ Book Reviews Oct 12 Review

Yari Yaris-Book-World Amazon Oct 15 Review

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This schedule is subject to change.

221 BC: Scroll 1 of Narmer War by Kendall Price and Laura Vosika

Making Peace with Suicide by Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D.Making Peace with Suicide by Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D.


Publisher: White Flowers Press (Oct 28, 2014)
Category: Self-Help, Mental Illness, Grief, Psychology
Tour dates: Oct/Nov, 2017
ISBN: 978-0982117620
ASIN: B00S46SGFI
Available in Print & ebook, 232 pages
Making Peace With Suicide

Insightful, compelling, and compassionate, Making Peace with Suicide: A Book of Hope, Understanding, and Comfort takes a good hard look at the world-wide phenomena of suicide. This book is designed for anyone who has lost a loved one to suicide and felt that sucker punch of grief; for anyone who is in pain, walking unsteadily, and considering suicide as an option; and for anyone who works with, guides, or counsels those feeling suicidal and/or suffering the profound grief from a suicidal loss.

Making Peace with Suicide includes stories of courage, vulnerability, and steadfastness from both the survivors of suicidal loss as well as the unique perspective of the formerly suicidal. It offers shared wisdom and coping strategies from those who have walked before you. It explores the factors leading to suicide and the reasons why some do and some don’t leave suicide notes.

Making Peace with Suicide sheds light on the phenomena of suicide vis-à-vis our teens, the military, new mothers, as an end-of-life choice, and asks if addiction is a form of slow suicide. It provides a seven-step healing process and opens the door to consider suicide and the soul, the heart lesson of suicide, and the energies of suicide.

If suicidality has impacted your life, Making Peace with Suicide is a must-read. You will be guided through the unknown territory, given insights to allow understanding, stories to help you heal, and ways to make peace with a heart wide-open. Making Peace with Suicide is good medicine for the body, mind, and soul.

Praise for Making Peace with Suicide by Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D.


“As a minister/therapist for more than thirty years as well as a wife who lost her military husband to suicide, I have never found a more compassionate, effective book on suicide and its aftermath. This book serves many needs and highlights the myriad ways in which suicide changes one’s life direction. I cannot say strongly enough how powerful and helpful this book is.”–Rev. Colleen E. Brown, Unity minister

“The loss of a loved one by any means is traumatic. When the loss is by suicide, in addition to the grief of the loss itself, survivors are often left riddled with guilt, anger, shame, and endless questioning, by both themselves and by others. In Making Peace with Suicide, Dr. McDowell gently and brilliantly weaves vital suicide survivor education with comforting and inspirational thoughts and quotes, all designed to direct the reader on a path of healing, resolution and peace.  A must-read for anyone who has been touched by the tragedy of suicide and left to answer the question, ‘Why?’ ”—Carole Brody Fleet, award-winning and bestselling author of Widows Wear Stilettos…; Happily Even After…; and When Bad Things Happen to Good Women…

“Finally. A book that explains—in the simplest of terms, in a non-sensational, non-academic manner—the phenomenal, worldwide epidemic we call suicide. If you read one book on mental illness and how it affects our world, READ THIS ONE!”–Ginny Sparrow, Editor, American Association of Suicidology

“No topic could be more timely than suicide. This remarkable book addresses people who have contemplated ending their lives as well as those who have to deal with the aftermath of those who succeeded. But it will also be invaluable to mental health workers and military chaplains, especially those who deal with young people who have been bullied and veterans with PTSD. For such a complex topic, Dr. McDowell’s writing style is reader-friendly and the stories she presents may well evoke tears. Her wise recommendations include teaching self-mastery techniques to help people cope with the stress of a success-oriented society. I have read many books on this sensitive topic, but none with the breadth and scope of Making Peace with Suicide.”–Stanley Krippner, PhD; Co-author, Personal Mythology: The Psychology of Your Evolving Self and Haunted by Combat: Understanding PTSD in War Veterans

Interview With Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D.

Hi Adele, thanks for joining us today!

TR: Please tell us more about yourself and your qualifications.

ARM:

Thanks, Teddy. I am delighted to discuss the unfolding of my book with you.

I have a doctorate (Ph.D.) in psychology and have been a psychotherapist for 35+ years.  I am the author of Balancing Act: Reflections, Meditations, and Coping Strategies for Today’s Fast-Paced Whirl and Making Peace with Suicide: A Book of Hope, Understanding, and Comfort.

In my earlier years, I worked in corporate America, but was always fascinated by psychology. In fact, as a 6th or7th grader, I gave my classmates a self-designed color test predicated on a book I read about Dr. Max Luscher’s psychological color test. Talk about a book that made a difference in my life!

I served as the director of outpatient treatment at an urban drug clinic and was founder/director of The Greenheart Center, a holistic, psychotherapeutic, and psycho-educational non-profit center in Stamford, Connecticut.

I have worked with suicide, domestic violence, and sexual assault crisis hotlines, survivors of Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, the Joplin Tornado, and the Newtown shooting; clients struggling with addiction as well as those moving through profound life changes such as grief and health challenges.

My work focuses on helping clients find hope, balance, and peace in the face of crisis, trauma, abuse, and grief. I look at life through the big view finder, by which I mean a psycho-spiritual-energetic lens.

TR: How much time and effort went into your research for the book?

ARM:

I lost a friend and colleague to suicide in mid-2011. As a consequence, I wrote an article entitled “A Psychologist’s Suicide” to help me make sense of her passing. Shortly thereafter, I was doing dishes at the kitchen sink and was guided to write a book about suicide. Et voila, I began in 2011.

The book was one of the most challenging projects of my life. I interviewed people from all over the world about their loss of loved one by suicide or their own struggles with suicidality. I talked about suicide non-stop. In the beginning, I would be a toast by the end of day. I felt like I had crawled over broken glass and barbed wire, but there came a day when I saw a bigger picture, which was that suicide is one of the all-time greatest teachers about compassion. That understanding helped me turn a corner in my work. It also allowed me to talk about suicide non-stop and without the prior psychic weight.

The book-writing was in fits and starts at the beginning, whereas the end was pretty much non-stop focus. I was tired of the labor pains and ready to birth this baby. It was intense and deeply rewarding. I realized that the writing of this book was a culmination of all of my therapeutic interactions, which makes me so grateful.

TR: How long did it take you to complete?

ARM:

I started in the fall of 2011, and completed the book the end of summer of 2014. It was a three year process.

TR: Tell us about your cover. Did you design it yourself?

ARM:

No, I did not design the cover myself, but I was involved in the process. The cover mattered to me greatly.

I sent an assortment of pictures to my dear friend, big-deal novelist and designer, Meredith Blevins. She had asked me what color palette I wanted and what feeling I’d like the cover to convey.

Meredith chose the exact photo (which I had previously purchased from istock.com) and played with the original photo colors. Then, Meredith did her magic. We played with a few possibilities to birth the final result. I love love love the cover. It is soothing and restful.

TR: What do you do when you are not writing or being the “feel good doctor”?

ARM: Needless to say, I love to read and spend time with family and friends. I also love to play with flowers and dogs (not at the same time). I am a fan of British mysteries in every form and love to travel – can you say London? — when the opportunity presents itself. I also love a good slug day when you can do nothing.

TR: Has the book won any awards?

ARM: Yes, Making Peace with Suicide: A Book of Hope, Understanding and Comfort won the 2015 gold (first place) IPPY (Independent Book Publishers) in psychology and a third place Living Now: books for better living award.

TR: What should we know about suicide?

ARM: We need to understand suicide so it is no longer a topic of shame and taboo.. This is an article that I wrote that I think answers the question.

      12 Things You Should Know about Suicide

 by Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D.        

Suicide is a dirty word, mired in judgment, shame, and taboo. It is often whispered or, even, denied (“Oh, he died of heart attack.”) or avoided (“She died suddenly.”).

Given the staggering statistics, isn’t it time we take suicide out of the closet and bring it into the light? Isn’t it time we begin the conversation so we can help one another and find solutions to help alleviate the enormous amount of pain circling our planet?

The first step is to understand suicide. This helps make sense of the unknown and feared, the tainted and tabooed. As a former suicide hot-line responder and a practicing psychotherapist who has worked with suicidal clients for 35+ years, here are 12 considerations I wish everyone understood about suicide:

  1. Suicide is universal.

Suicide is not a foreign concept. Each and every one of us know someone, or know someone who knows someone, who has considered or acted upon suicide. Further, most everyone would allow when in a dark, despairing place that the thought of ending all of their pain — even in the most fleeting of abstract ways – has crossed their mind.

  1. Suicidality is a global epidemic.

From young to old and across every socio-economic strata, suicide reaches every nook and cranny of our planet. According to the World Health Organization, globally, there is, on average, one suicide every 40 seconds.

And, the number of suicide attempts is astonishingly higher. The National Research Foundation reports that the number of suicide attempts can be 20x greater than the deaths by suicide.

  1. Why do people choose suicide?

Generally speaking, suicide happens because at that moment in time — and with the likely impact of extreme emotional pain, haywire neurochemistry, constricted thinking, trauma, dire circumstances, and/or the influence of substances — it felt like the only response to end the agony of their life.

  1. Suicide has many faces.

Suicide can be a tipping point of pain or shame; a plea for help; a response to mental illness and biological vulnerabilities; the last gasp of despair and resignation; a consequence of hopelessness and isolation; an impulsive mistake; a conscious ending of life; the ultimate act of rage and fury; the result of unabated terror; a response to abandonment; the repercussion of accumulated stressors; as well as collateral damage from violence, addiction, and trauma.

  1. Depression is the strongest risk factor for suicide.

And this makes sense. Deep, intractable, dark-holed depression offers no options or possibilities. It is a tight, cramped, airless space. Individuals feel stuck, profoundly tired, deeply detached and disconnected. They hurt all over. Nothing makes sense. Their thinking is binary and boxed. And they feel utterly despondent and despairing. There is no sense of self.  There is overriding pain which is often expressed as “There is no point. Why should I live?”

  1. Survivors of a suicidal loss are at risk for suicide themselves.

Death becomes tainted and shame-faced when described as a suicide. Suicidal grief is complicated. There are so many mixed emotions (i.e., guilt, anger, heartbreak, confusion, to name a few) that are left in its wake.

Suicidal loss is also traumatic and leaves survivors reeling after the sudden death. They may have witnessed the suicidal act, discovered the aftermath, and/or repeatedly envision the specifics. And as with all grief and trauma, each experience opens the door to the memory of other experience of loss and trauma.

Further, since the taboo of suicide has been broken and the threshold crossed, a surviving loved one may choose to end their own pain in the same fashion.

  1. The majority of people do not leave suicide notes.

When people who attempted suicide were asked why they left no note, they allowed that they were unable to find the right words and felt guilty; were preoccupied with preparing for their exit; felt no once would really care; felt no note was necessary; were too tired and they wanted their family to forget them as soon as possible.

  1. Please don’t say “committed suicide.”

In the Western world, suicide (not assisted suicide) has been decriminalized. It is no longer accurate – and considered insensitive by many – to say “committed suicide.” Instead, you might try “died by suicide.”

  1. Suicide is not an act of cowardice.

Imagine if I were to put a pillow over your face, wouldn’t you try to stop me? Our instincts are to fight for life. Suicide happens for a lot of reasons. Cowardice is not one of them. Pain – physical, mental, psychological – is the predominant catalyst.

  1. Listen if someone talks about being suicidal or makes off-hand threats about suicide, death or dying.

These are warning signs. Suicidal people may express their suicidal feelings before they act as a way of seeking help or connection. Please do not argue, lie, cajole, shame or bully. Do not dismiss or ignore their expressions of pain and despair. Simply listen with an open, non-judging heart. Allow them to air out their dark thoughts and feelings. Fully listening to someone and knowing you are being heard is an enormous, healing gift.

 

  1. If a loved one is on the verge of taking suicidal action, trust your good instincts and act quickly:

Establish physical safety.

Have compassion and create a connection.

Insert a pause to stop the momentum and expand the circle of help with possibilities and resources.

  1. Call the 24 hour, toll-free hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) (English and Spanish).
  2. Text the crisis text line 741-741.
  3. Find online support groups; 24 hour teen crisis lines, and specialized veterans services.
  4. Get professional help.
  5. Go to the Emergency Room of your local hospital.
  1. Ultimately, suicide is a lesson of compassion.

Suicide teaches us to release judgment, extend a helping hand, and remember we are all connected in our humanity. You know the saying, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” Compassion, not judgment, is the only response to suicide.


About Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D.Making Peace with Suicide by Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D.


Described by one of her smaller clients as “The Feelings Doctor,” Award winning author, Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist with 35+ years’ experience who likes looking at life through the big view-finder.

Dr. McDowell has worked with suicide, domestic violence, and sexual assault crisis hotlines; survivors of Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, the Joplin Tornado, and the Newtown shooting; and clients struggling with addiction as well as those moving through profound life changes such as loss and health challenges. Her work focuses on helping clients find hope, balance, and peace in the face of crisis, trauma, abuse, and grief.

Dr. McDowell is the author of Balancing Act: Reflections, Meditations, and Coping Strategies for Today’s Fast-Paced Whirl. The suicide of a fellow psychologist led to the creation of her second book, Making Peace with Suicide: A Book of Hope, Understanding, and Comfort.

Adele — a Texan by birth and pioneering spirit — lives in Connecticut where you will often find her driving along the highways and byways, singing loudly in her car.

Adele is a frequent blogger on suicide and loss for the Huffington Post Canada. She has won two awards for ‘Making Peace with Suicide’:
-IPPY (Gold) in the Psychology category (Independent Publisher Book Awards)
-Living Now Award (Bronze), Books for Better Living from IBPA (Independent Book Publishing Association)

Websites: www.AdeleRyanMcDowell.com
www.MakingPeacewithSuicide.com
www.AdeleandthePenguin.com
www.channeledgrace.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adeleryan.mcdowell
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Adeleheals?lang=en


Buy Making Peace with Suicide by Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D.


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Giveaway Making Peace with Suicide by Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D.


This giveaway is for the choice of print or ebook however, print is available to the U.S. Only and ebook is open worldwide.  This giveaway ends on November 30, 2017 midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Making Peace with Suicide by Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D.

Journey Within by J. Mitchel Baker
Journey Within by J. Mitchel Baker


Publisher: Artistic Origins (April 30, 2017)
Category: Memoir, Adventure, Inspirational
Tour dates: Oct-Nov, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-940385-05-1
ASIN: B071YRHTY4
Available in Print & ebook, 181 pages

The true story of a simple man who has spent his life working amidst the quiet embrace of nature and her animals. Despite the happy normalcy, his soul calls out to him through a series of visions urging him to search for the higher design in his life. His inner voice beckons him out into the wilderness, away from all that he knows and understands, to find the higher meaning of himself.

After nearly a decade of stubborn denial, he removes his self-imposed blindfolds to embark on what is to become his personal journey into the unknown.What he finds will forever change his life.

Instead of meaning, he finds a tempest. Finding courage through his animals he forges onward in search of his own truth.  Is there a greater universal design for each of us? Or is there only chaos and confusion? Your answer lies within, if only you dare to take the journey.

 A Journey Within highlights the duality between both the physical and the spiritual.  It carries a message of courage and inspiration to connect with life and the inner-self, taking the road less traveled, and living authentically.

Praise Journey Within by J. Mitchel Baker


“A good book. A REALLY good book. The author has a way with words. He has you thinking you are right there with him. I enjoyed the adventure Mr. Baker. Thank you!  It reminded me somewhat of “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed. It all goes back to, or starts with, “Why do bad things happen to Good People”? I’ve been trying to figure that out myself. I’ve read so many books in an effort to find an answer that I agree with. Some ideas make sense, some do not. I truly hope Mr. Bakers’ journey (s) help him find the answer.”-Kindle Customer

Interview With J. Mitchel Baker

TR: Please tell us something about ‘The Journey Within’ that is not in the summary.  (About the book, character you particularly enjoyed writing etc.)

JB: The telling of this story is, and has been, an intensely uncomfortable moment for me. It all began easily enough with the wilderness experience practically writing itself, with the constant traumatic replay seared into my visual and emotional memory. But then my editor said “no”. “Not enough.” “Go deeper.” She wanted the reader to know me, to experience the adventure through my lens.

Therein lies my paradox – I am a quiet, introspective observer of life, yet at the same time shouting out to the universe revealing all things highly personal to me. She was right; the story could not be told well without linking the person behind the adventure. But the discomfort remains.

TR: Describe the room you are sitting in as though it was a scene in one of your books.

JB: Slow, stealthy footsteps creep silently across the tile floor. The sun barely sheds light through the windows. The only sounds to be heard in the house are the clock on the wall, the coffee brewing, and the early birds chirping outside. Morning is my alone time. A time to focus. A time to write. Slowly I pull the wooden chair from beneath the table. The long deep moan of the chair echoes loudly throughout the house. I pause with a grimace until silence again settles in. No movement is heard. Quickly sitting, I find myself uncomfortably far from the table. Yet I dare not move the chair closer for fear of waking the family. I am ready. Let the work begin.

My mind has taken me back to that moment: remembering, experiencing, re-living. My words flow freely onto the page.

“Good morning”.

Startled, I look up to find my wife peaking around the corner into my inner-sanctum – the dining room.

“Whatcha doin?”

“I’m writing” I reply.

“Oh. I’m sorry” she says. “I’ll leave you alone.”

My mind tries to go back to that place from where I came as the sounds of pots and pans clatter in the next room. With a great deal of focus, despite the background noise, I’m finally back in my mind once again: visually in the moment, feeling the pain, and again finding my words.

 “Are you gonna mow the lawn today?”

Slowly I close my laptop.

TR: Using only adverbs, describe the writing process for you.

JB: Lightly but deeply; almost always playfully, sometimes sadly, but certainly powerfully.

TR: What writers have you drawn inspiration from? What other inspirations do you draw from?

JB: Having avoided mandatory reading through school as much as possible, I began reading consistently as a young adult, drawn to stories of intrigue from writers such as Uris, Ludlum, and Clancy. They took me to foreign lands and introduced me to dangerous lives. From there, I broadened into stories of Americana from McMurtry, Hillerman, Grisham, and L’Amour. But I found the truly great writers in the classics; of Hemingway, of Steinbeck, of Emerson, of Twain, of Buck, of Tolstoy – powerful writers who seemed to break all the literary rules.

But in the end, great stories don’t need to be only from authors notable in name. As a reader, I simply want the storyteller, any storyteller, to fully take me with them into the story.

TR: How long did it take you to complete ‘The Journey Within’?

JB: 4 months. Most of which was dedicated to wrapping my head around the emotions and thought processes that needed to be shared with the readers. Because my story is based on actual events, I could move forward at a breakneck pace through simple regurgitation.

TR: Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?

JB: Sam Elliot represents the iconic American cowboy. One could only wish he might choose to play a role that is me.

TR: Tell us about your cover. Did you design it yourself?

JB: Designed by Brandon White.

Admittedly, so much marketing emphasis is placed on the cover. This is what initially draws attention to a book. But I’m a rancher first and foremost, learning as I go about the publication industry, and never having travelled this road before, I clearly understand I’m an infant in the field. What I do know is that my budget is limited. I get nervous about potential costs.

So, thinking ahead to the cover, my idea was simply to have a contemplative pose over a campfire, hoping it might appeal to the cowboy/cowgirl in all of us. I told my wife what I was looking for and she took the pictures.

When it came time for cover design, I forwarded nearly every electronic photo I had to my publisher and she chose what I had hoped for – the photo from my early idea – something already paid for.

TR: If you could be somebody else for a day who would you choose and why?

JB: Almost anybody else as long as they were outside. I love the outdoors. That is where I draw my strength. That is where I feel connected to the earth.

TR: What are you currently working on?

JB: I am working on the second book of this story. The story told by ‘A Journey Within’ only tells of the life-altering event that had the power to change the course and direction of my life. I have since then wandered farther into the wilderness to see where that direction leads me. Wouldn’t you like to know what happened?

TR: What book/s are you reading at present?

JB: ‘Spider Woman’s Daughter’ by Anne Hillerman. I miss the Navajo stories once told by Tony Hillerman. But happily his daughter carries the torch now.


About J. Mitchel BakerJourney Within by J. Mitchel Baker


Mitchel Baker is a graduate of Texas A&M University, living in San Antonio with his family. He has dedicated his life to ranching and managing natural resources, and continues to be a student of all things visceral. He is currently working on his sequel to A Journey Within as he stumbles awkwardly toward a higher consciousness.

Website: www.jmitchelbaker.com

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Journey Within by J. Mitchel Baker