Memories by Deanna Lynn Sletten is an emotional and gripping read. Michael DeCara came home with physical and mental scars from Vietnam. After a failed marriage he lost himself in caring for his daughter and a string of short term relationships. Danielle Westerly has lost herself in work and a few close friendships, ever since a relationship that left her deeply wounded. How could a mutual friend know that the cause of Danielle's pain and Michael could be related? After they are back in each other's lives they each need to come to terms with the past, and just maybe look toward the future. They each journey through heartache, tragedy, and understanding. See my review and enter to win a signed copy here. Friday is the last day to enter!
1. Was there a
specific moment or idea that inspired writing Memories?
Not really. The
idea for this love story rattled around in my head for quite some
time until I actually sat down and started writing it. That is
usually how my stories start, as a small idea that grows the more I
think about it. I knew that I wanted to write a story that included a
man who had returned from the Vietnam War and was struggling to get
back to being "normal". The rest of the story just
blossomed from there.
2. As a reader I
felt like I was joining the characters of Memories on an emotional
roller coaster, did it feel the same as you wrote and edited the
book?
I know it sounds
odd since I'm the one who wrote this book but there are parts of it
that still make me cry when I read it. I wanted the readers to feel
what the characters were feeling and I wanted Michael's war
experiences to be heartfelt and even heart-wrenching. Even though
this book makes me cry, I was still surprised when readers responded
so strongly to the emotions in this book. It's rewarding to know that
the readers are feeling how I did when they read this novel.
3. Do you see
bits of yourself, your family, your friends, or your life in your
characters that surprise you?
There really
aren't any characters in this novel that are a reflection of me or
people I know. These characters really are just from my imagination.
Although I did do research, reading true stories of soldiers who were
in the Vietnam War, I didn't base Michael's experiences off of any
one person. I read their stories to get a feel for what the war was
like and how the soldiers felt and then created scenarios for
Michael's nightmares. And of course, as a child of the 1970s, I have
known many Vietnam War Veterans, but I didn't base Michael off of any
one person I knew.
4. Did you always
want to write, did your characters or a particular story just need to
be written, or were you brought to writing in a completely different
path?
I have always
loved reading and the idea to write a book did cross my mind many
times while I was growing up, but I never really thought of it as a
career path. When I was in college, I had two separate English
teachers tell me that I should be majoring in writing and this was
enough encouragement for me to start writing my first book. Of
course, I didn't publish it for years, but I was on the right path.
For many years I was a freelance writer and wrote non-fiction
articles for magazines, blogs and websites and in that time I
completed three novels and started several others. I don't choose my
stories, they choose me. When characters and stories start rattling
around in my head, I have to write them down.
5. Do you have
any set writing routine or rituals, or do you work as inspiration
strikes?
I think if I
waited for inspiration, I would never actually sit down and write. So
instead, I make myself sit down at certain times of the day and night
and I write. I usually write a couple of hours during the day and
then between 10 and 2 at night. My only "ritual" is to
re-read what I had written the day before so I can get back on track
with where I have been with the story and where I am heading.
6. What was your
favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
In Memories, my
favorite parts to write were Michael's nightmare sequences. Not
because I liked torturing the poor guy, but because they had to be
descriptive and as true to life as possible. I think the nightmare
scenes showed why Michael was traumatized and really gave readers an
insight into why he had acted the way he did in the past.
7. Are there
certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme
or idea you’d love to work with?
Generally, when I
am finished with a novel I feel I'm done with those characters and
that situation. However, I do have another idea for a novel which
will be set in the 1960s and involves another Vietnam War Veteran. I
also plan on finishing another novel I've started that includes the
real-life characters of Etta Place, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance
Kid (characters from my kid's novel, Outlaw
Heroes). This one, however, will be
written for adults.
8. If you had to
go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of writing Memories
or getting it published that you would change?
No, I love this
story exactly as it is. If I could have found a traditional publisher
for it, that would have been nice (I have dozens of rejection
letters, but that is another story), but I am very happy with being
able to self-publish my novels.
9. What do you do
when you are not writing?
Lately it feels
like all my spare time is spent on promoting my writing when I'm not
writing. But that's okay; it's all part of being a self-published
author. For fun, I like getting outside and walking the forest trails
with my beautiful Aussie, spending time out on the lake in our boat
in the summer, going to the movies and reading. Now that winter is
coming, I will certainly be doing less outdoor activities and,
hopefully, writing even more!
10. Is there
anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
First, I'd like
to thank you for taking the time to read my novel and sharing your
wonderful review of Memories with your readers. And also for the
opportunity to share my thoughts with your readers during this
interview. I'd like to thank all the wonderful readers who have read
my books and left reviews. It is so great to know that people are
reading my books and enjoy them, and I appreciate each and every one
of you.
About Deanna:
Deanna Lynn Sletten is a novelist who
writes women's fiction novels and also has written one middle-grade
fiction action/adventure novel. Deanna started her writing career as
a freelance writer for parenting publications in the early 1990s and
transitioned to writing for blogs and websites until
she made the leap to novelist. Deanna's latest novel, SARA'S
PROMISE, will be released December 10th in paperback and
on Amazon Kindle. She is currently working on her fifth novel.
Deanna is married and has two grown
children. When not writing, Deanna enjoys walking the trails around
her northern Minnesota home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd.
Connect with Deanna:
Blog: http://www.deannalynnsletten.com
Twitter: @DeannaLSletten
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/DeannaLSletten
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/555634.Deanna_Lynn_Sletten
Bedtime for Monsters by Ed Vere is a bedtime story for the braver kids. A monster is ready for bed, but first he needs something. He licks his lips and begins a long journey to get a little closer to you, all snug in bed. Could he be looking for a bedtime snack, and could that snack be you? worried phrases implying your likely-hood of being a treat for the monster might have you worried, since his belly seems to be rumbling. however, you might think what the monster really wants is worse than being his snack; a sloppy, monster kiss!
