Hello Readers and Welcome Back to our Virtual Author Visits!
As you already know, from 5/3/20 to 6/7/20 I'm changing things up a bit. In addition to my weekly Wednesday post, I will play hostess to one of my fellow authors, as well as be a guest on their blogs. So, feel free to stop by each Sunday, read about these incredible authors, and follow me around as I visit one of their blogs. Join us on our blog tour, and at each stop you will learn a little bit more about these fantastic wordsmiths and their wonderful writings. You won't want to miss the fun!
As you already know, from 5/3/20 to 6/7/20 I'm changing things up a bit. In addition to my weekly Wednesday post, I will play hostess to one of my fellow authors, as well as be a guest on their blogs. So, feel free to stop by each Sunday, read about these incredible authors, and follow me around as I visit one of their blogs. Join us on our blog tour, and at each stop you will learn a little bit more about these fantastic wordsmiths and their wonderful writings. You won't want to miss the fun!
Without further ado, I'm pleased to introduce to you my guest this week, fellow author Dana Skornia!
Dana Skornia lives in Jacksonville, FL with her husband and
two children, and this is her first venture into writing fiction. She wrote the
book with her father, JL Broxson, who lives in Milton, FL, where Dana and most
of her relatives are from. She and her father have always been interested in
the family history and genealogy of the Broxson family, and he’s always told
her stories of the many people who have graced their heritage and of the
friends who made their lives interesting fodder for the book.
Blog URL: https://awinterssecrets.blogspot.com/
About A WINTER’S SECRETS
Publication date: January 2020
Publisher: Kindle Direct Publishing
Genre: Historical Fiction
This is a post-Civil War family saga, based loosely on the
author’s ancestral heritage and other historical accounts of rural life in
Florida after the slaves had been freed. The story follows the emotional
journeys of each person involved in a love triangle and develops gracefully and
powerfully as they adapt to each other, and come to terms with new family dynamics
– for better or for worse. The plot has several interesting twists, a few tense
moments where things could go either way, some emotional turmoil, and many kind
deeds and encouraging moments.
A Winter’s Secrets
has been submitted to Florida Writer’s Association Royal Palm Literary Awards
Competition
Buy the book: A Winter’s Secrets
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-winters-secrets-jl-broxson/1136126633?ean=9781078779517
Interview with Dana
Skornia
Why did you start
writing —what triggered your writing?
Dad called me one day and asked if I had a novel in me, and
I said I thought I did. He and I have always been interested in the histories
of the people in our heritage and he’s told me many stories over the years
about how he grew up, people he knew, and what their lives were like. We agreed
that I’d record him telling about those stories, and I used them to create a
fictional tale, using many of the circumstances but envisioning what might have
been, and crafting a plot and story line around them.
What does the act of
writing bring into your life? Why do you want to write?
In the beginning I had an audience of one, because the only
person I was writing for was Dad. I wanted him to have a story that he would
enjoy reading, one that would have meaning and relevance for the time and
people that he grew up knowing, and would resonate with what he knew to be true
about the era and the people who lived in the early 1900s. As I continued I
hoped it would be one that anyone might enjoy, and I wanted to share the story
with others.
How long did it take you to write your book?
How many rewrites did it go through?
I sent chapters to
Dad as I finished them, and it took a few re-writes of the first three or four
chapters to really feel as though I had something worth continuing. Once I got
started, though, I found that the characters didn’t always behave the way I
thought they should, but they also became more real to me as I started fleshing
them out and determining who they really were.
Is this your first book? Your first fiction
book?
This is the first
book I’ve ever tried to write, although many people have told me I need to
write a book and I had a blog going for a few years when my children were
younger. I enjoyed writing it and wish I could afford to do nothing but write,
as I thoroughly enjoyed the process and feel like I’ve got a few more “novels”
in me.
What is the message of your book? What do
you want readers to come away with after they read your book?
I’d like to hope
they enjoy it as a good read, something that’s uplifting but also something
that makes them think. Most of the characters are flawed in one way or another,
as we all are, and yet most of them come through the struggle, perhaps with
scars but better for the experience. I think we are all going through a
struggle in one way or another, and hope that the effort of perseverance makes
us better on the other side.
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