Thank
you so much for being here, Pat.
1:
Standard questions, what genre do you write?
I dabble in a bit of everything. Most of my stories contain elements of fantasy, alternate history,
action/adventure, paranormal, sci-fi, and romance. Glancing Through the Glimmer, my first Young Adult novel, is no
exception.
2:
Sounds fascinating. So how long
have you been writing?
For as long as I can remember. My
family included some talented storytellers. My father made up the bedtime
stories he told me and my siblings. His tales often kept me awake for hours,
they left me so enchanted. I wanted to tell enchanting stories too. I’ve
attended writing classes over the years, but my own children were in college
before I started putting ideas on paper seriously.
3:
So you get it honestly. One of the questions I’m asked most often -What do you like the most
and least about writing?
I enjoy
research, learning new ideas, and I love being in control of the worlds I
create, devising impossible situations and happy endings. I’m sure I’m not
alone in stating that I’m not fond of the marketing aspect of writing,
necessary evil that it is.
4:
Nope, you’re definitely not alone.
When you’re
not writing, what do you for fun and relaxation when not writing?
When I’m not writing, I’m usually reading or cooking.
Cooking is one of my favorite activities. I even have a cooking blog called
Kitchen Excursions. My Irish-American family served basic, simple food, but
I’ve learned there’s more to supper than meat and potatoes. I enjoy exploring
different ethnic cuisines. I also love hiking, reading, and traveling,
especially to Ireland.
5:
What I’d
give to go to Ireland. So tell us, which
authors do you like to read?
Hard to pick a few with so many wonderful authors out there, but here are some of my favorites:
Edward Rutherford, Leon Uris, and Diana Gabaldon have drawn me into their
historical worlds, John Sanford and John Connolly into their crime scenes, and
William Trevor and Sebastian Barry into the joy of phrasing words to create
vivid images. I love the adventures of Clive Cussler, L.A. Meyers, and Jack
Higgins, and I enjoy the writing styles of Roddy Doyle, Penelope Lively, Kate
Atkinson, Dean Koontz, Kate Thompson, and Helen Simonson. I also admire Simon
Winchester’s ability to impart scientific and historical facts in an easygoing
way that seems more like fiction than nonfiction.
6: A
bit more on the personal side, what’s the one thing you’d most like people to know about you?
That
I do not and never have suffered from empty nest syndrome. Let’s go!
7:
You’re the first one I ever heard say that. Okay, tell us about your current
novel, where we can find it?
Glancing Through the Glimmer is a young adult alternate history adventure set in
modern Ireland that’s still a monarchy, one in which the present King Brian is
a descendant of High King Brian Boru. Seventeen-year-old Prince Liam is the
hero, Janet
Gleason the heroine. When Janet’s grandfather becomes the new U.S. Ambassador
to Ireland, the sixteen-year-old orphan must leave Boston and her friends
behind. Janet is lonely in Dublin and unused to her grandparents’ stuffy social
life. An invitation to a royal ball terrifies her. She can’t even waltz and
dreads embarrassment. The King of the Fairies, learns of her fervent wish to
dance. Fancying a new dancing partner, he sends his fairy witch after her.
Prince Liam loathes the idea of escorting another spoiled American girl
to a ball. In fact, he detests most of his royal duties. He dresses down to
move through Dublin unnoticed and finds himself on his royal backside when
Janet crashes into him. Intrigued, he asks to see her again, and she willingly
agrees. Unaware of each other’s identities, they arrange to meet, and when they
do, the fairies steal Janet away.
MuseItUp Publishing will release the book on November 11, 2011. Here’s
the link to the
Bookstore Page:
8:
Sounds like something my grandchildren would love. Another question I’m
frequently asked - Do you have any tips for aspiring authors?
You’re the only one with the ultimate vision of the story you’re trying
to tell. Don’t let anyone talk you out of it. Join a writers' group, take
classes or workshops, and never stop reading. Go out on a limb and read books
you wouldn’t ordinarily read. To paraphrase an Oliver Wendell Holmes quote, a
mind stretched by a new idea never returns to its original dimensions. Don’t be
afraid other authors will influence your personal style. And exercise those
writing muscles! The more you write, the easier it is to get your vision onto a
printed page. Set goals and deadlines for yourself, and meet them. Persevere in
your quest to become a published author, and enjoy the ride!
9:
Great advice. Another question most authors get asked - Do you base your
characters on real-life people?
Absolutely not, at least not consciously. To me,
writing is an escape from real life. I may have a personality type in mind, or
use bits and pieces to create a “role” in my story, but I’d never risk hurting anyone’s
feelings by basing a character completely on someone I know. I need wiggle room
to develop a character’s good and bad traits without having to look under my
car at night. Besides, if I did base my characters on folks I know, they’d all
want to be in my stories!
10:
Isn’t that the truth. I’m curious, how did you come up with the idea for this
book?
Glancing Through the Glimmer is the young adult “prequel” to my “Band of Roses”
trilogy (A Band of Roses, Fiery
Roses, and Salty Roses) coming in
2012 from MuseItUp Publishing. I’d already written the trilogy when an
acquaintance suggested the YA angle, and I found I loved writing about my
characters as teenagers.
11:
What a
great idea. So what are you currently working on?
I’m
putting the finishing touches on Autumn
Glimmer, the sequel to Glancing
Through the Glimmer.
12: Again, getting a little personal
- Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?
That I really hate green beans? Seriously, most folks are surprised to
learn that before the kids came along, I spent a few years as a guitarist and
lead female singer in an Irish-American folk band with three very talented
guys. I still enjoy traditional Irish music and love the fresh slant the new
generation of musicians has put on it.
13: Multi-talented. Tell us where can we find you? Website? Blog?
My Web Site: http://www.patmcdermott.net
My Writing/Travel Blog (Put
the Kettle On): http://pat-mcdermott.blogspot.com
My Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pat.mcdermott1
Facebook page for Glancing
Through the Glimmer: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/www.patmcdermott.net
My MuseItUp Author Page: http://museituppublishing.com/musepub/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=168&Itemid=82
MuseItUp Bookstore Page for
Glancing Through the Glimmer:
My cooking blog (Kitchen
Excursions) Provided just for fun, and not necessary to include by any means: http://kitchenexcursions.blogspot.com/
Excerpt:
The first time
Liam slipped and fell, he cursed the rain-damp grass. He blamed his second
tumble on his haste to catch up with Janet. What on earth had possessed the
girl to run off like that? She couldn’t possibly want to find music that badly.
Music only she
could hear.
The third time
he lost his balance, he’d swear someone had pushed him, but no one was there.
He landed on his hands and knees and cursed again. He might not be a muscleman,
but he was far from a clumsy dolt. A lifetime of sports and outdoor treks had
surely left him fit enough to climb a scrubby little hillside.
Something
strange was afoot.
I’m being
ridiculous. The breeze must have kept him from hearing the music she heard.
She’d likely gone after the owner of whatever was playing the tune to learn its
name.
Yet the Nose
of Howth seemed deserted. How odd for a sunny Sunday morning. Even if Janet had
gone off seeking the source of the music, no amount of rationalizing could
explain why she’d left so abruptly. The chilling sense that she was in danger
had Liam’s heart thumping high in his throat.
Should he call
his cousin? If Kevin was still on the pier, it would take him a while to get
here. And practical Kevin would surely think Liam astray in the head.
Maybe he was,
but something told him he had to find Janet, and fast. Keeping close to the
ground as if he were dodging radar, he clambered monkey-like up the hill. This
time he reached the top of the rise. Lumps in the landscape surrounded him,
clumps of rock and rolling masses of heather and gorse that encircled the level
spot where he stood. He knew the place well. Except for the curious lack of
weekend hill walkers, nothing seemed amiss.
“Janet!”
He listened
hard. A seagull cried in the distance. Otherwise, all was silent. No, wait!
Music drifted toward him, a plucky harp tune he might have enjoyed under
different circumstances. Was that what Janet had heard?
Where was it?
He turned in a circle, squinting in the sunlight, scanning, straining to hear.
When he returned to the spot where he’d started, a jolt of fear set his pulse
racing.
A round stone
hut had appeared on the highest part of the clearing. Its low thatched roof
rose to a ridiculously high point. It resembled a roundhouse, the sort of
dwelling that belonged in a prehistoric ring fort.
Or a fairy
fort.
Liam swallowed
hard. He’d seen replicas of such huts in Ireland’s folk parks. He’d also viewed
ruins of the original ring forts, all that remained of the structures built by
the mysterious peoples who’d lived and died in prehistoric Ireland thousands of
years ago.
Where had this
one come from? Why was it on the Nose of Howth? Liam had never seen it before,
nor had he heard of any gimmicky tourism plans for the cliff walk. Of course,
he didn’t know everything. Convincing himself that he’d failed to see the hut
at first because the sun had blinded him, he ventured toward the structure.
He spotted a
doorway and relaxed. Janet was there, speaking to a woman wearing a period
costume, medieval or older. That’s what it was, he thought: tourism come to
tarnish Howth. How could Uncle Peadar have allowed such nonsense?
Liam called
Janet’s name again, but neither she nor the woman showed any sign that they’d
heard him. The wind must have carried his voice away. He stalked toward the
roundhouse. As he approached, the costumed woman placed a necklace over Janet’s
head.
The roundhouse
flickered, faded, and reappeared. Alarmed, Liam stopped. This was no tourist
gimmick. As his thoughts scrambled for an explanation, the woman grabbed
Janet’s arm and pulled her into the hut.
“Janet, no!”
His ferocious roar proved useless. Unbelievably, the roundhouse began to
dissolve. No longer doubting his horrified senses, he dove at the hut and
charged through the disappearing door.
The world around him melted away.
