Archive for June 29th, 2015
Mrs. N.N. Light Takes Over the Elfyverse…(AKA “Time for a Guest Blog”)
Folks, I’m very pleased to have Mrs. N.N. Light back for a second guest appearance. She and I are doing a blog-exchange today — that is, I’m guesting at her blog, and she’s guesting at mine on the very same day.
(Yes, we thought we were being clever. So?)
Now, how do I know Mrs. N.? She and I became friends on Twitter, mostly because we’re both big baseball fans (she loves the Minnesota Twins, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Chicago Cubs; I’m a Milwaukee Brewers fan and also follow the San Francisco Giants, as they were my late husband Michael’s favorite team). Then we started talking writing and editing, as writers and editors tend to do when we’re alone in order to avoid scuffing up the furniture…but I digress.
In this interview (which I didn’t conduct, but enjoyed reading very much), Mrs. N. talks about many things, including her love for author C.S. Lewis. (Yet another thing we have in common!)
So, take it away, Mrs. N.!
When did you begin writing?
I began writing stories and poems when I was ten years old. I had such an active imagination when I was young and was very shy so writing stories was an outlet for me. I loved creating new worlds and travelling using my imagination. As I grew older, I discovered I had a God-given talent for writing. I could inspire people with my words and that is a blessing.
What/Who is your biggest influence in writing?
C.S. Lewis has been one of the biggest influences on my writing. I first discovered him through reading The Chronicles of Narnia. I had the whole series and I read them repeatedly growing up. He brought Narnia to life for me and I would peek in my closet hoping for a secret entrance into Narnia. In my teens, I read The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce and The Four Loves. His writing style drew me in and I started to dream about becoming a writer. The more I delved deeper into C.S. Lewis’ writing, the more I wanted to inspire people with my own writing. C. S. Lewis doesn’t hit you over the head with his message but is subtle. I have tried to do the same thing with my writing.
What is your favorite topic to write on?
I love writing inspirational/self help thoughts. I have been blessed with the gift of encouragement and I try to help others. I started my blog as an outlet for not only talking about my book, Princess of the Light, but also encouraging others. Whether it was about kindness, school, work, believing in your dreams or helping others I wanted to share my message.
What are your biggest challenges as a writer?
One of the biggest challenges for me as a writer is getting down all the ideas that pop into my head so I don’t lose them. I walk twenty miles a week and usually my best ideas come to me when I am out walking. They appear almost like a You-Tube video and I have to try to convert it to a text message so I can write it later. If I wait until I get home, I may lose the idea.
Do you have a day job? If so, what is it?
I am an author, editor, book promoter, book reviewer and a social media marketer for the largest coin dealer in Canada. I spend my day tweeting about new products and services. It’s a great way to hone my writing as I only have 140 characters including a link.
Where are you from? Tell us about yourself.
I grew up in Minnesota, spent a decade in Southern California before meeting my beloved husband, MR N. I left the Pacific Ocean for chilly Ontario and have never regretted it. I am blissfully happy being married to my soul mate and living life to the fullest. In my free time, I love all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports and baking.
Do you prefer fiction work or nonfiction?
I am a fiction girl all the way. Sure, I read a lot of non-fiction but I have a soft spot for fiction. I love reading books that take me on an adventure and captivate me.
What is your favorite book and why?
I get asked this a lot and to be honest, it is so hard to decide. It’s like asking a woman to pick just one pair of shoes as her favorite. *laughs* One of my favorite books of all time is The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. It’s totally fiction but at the same time made me wonder what would happen if it was true. I love books that make me think. I have read this book at least twenty times and each time I read it, I discover something new. It blends mystery, intrigue, religion, art, adventure and family.
What inspired you to write your book?
I knew from the time I was little, the gift of writing and encouragement was given to me by God. I wasn’t sure what He wanted me to write but I knew He would reveal it to me when the time arrived. Three years ago, I was out for my morning walk and I saw a homeless man sitting in front of a gas station. I looked at him; head uplifted to the sun, and wondered what his story was. I had seen him before but he was different from other homeless people. He didn’t ask for money or hold up a sign. He walked the length of our town and avoided contact.
A voice entered my head, “What if you could help him? Would you? What if you were chosen by me to help him?”
I stopped walking and searched my heart. After a moment, I replied aloud, “Yes, I would.”
The voice echoed in my heart, “This is what you were called to do.”
I went home that day and started writing Princess of the Light. Every day I would see the Walking Man and as Miriam would help her Walking Man, I would help mine. I started small by smiling at him and saying “Good morning”. I soon got my husband involved and we started leaving food, clothing and blankets for him.
I promised myself that when my book got published, a part of the proceeds would go to helping people like the Walking Man find food, clothing and shelter. Spread the Light is my mantra and together we can inspire others to spread the Light.
Title: Princess of the Light
Author: N. N. Light
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Christian Fantasy, Inspirational Fiction
Release Date: September 2, 2014
Tagline:
Inspiring spiritual growth one person at a time
Blurb:
Gabriel, the Archangel and Messenger of God – yeah, that Gabriel – visits Mary Miller. He tells her, as the key, she is destined to spread the Light and vanquish the Darkness. Her first assignment is to restore the soul of the Walking Man. Sounds simple enough — until she’s thrown into the face of evil. And then, Joe Deacons enters her heart. This battle just got a lot more complicated. She must complete her mission without losing all she loves.
Excerpt:
“Can I help you with something, sir?” The woman’s voice quivered slightly and she leaned a little, as if she suddenly needed the wall for support.
Whoa, I couldn’t help but think. I frankly felt like a moth to the flame. All I wanted to do was have a reason to get closer to her. The fact that her eyes seemed to shine with an actual light didn’t help matters. I had never felt such an automatic attraction before, and I wanted to lean closer and see what was going on with her eyes.
She was either looking at me like I was the only man in the world—and quite possibly the sexiest one—or else my open gawking had freaked her out. Either way, I couldn’t have told her which it was, because my mouth felt like a cotton ball container.
“Yes,” I managed to rasp to her. “Where is your Architecture section?”
“Are you looking for anything in particular?” Yes. You, I wanted to say. “I could look to see if it is in stock.” Oh. Are there more of you somewhere?
The sound of her voice was starting to make my heart pound.
She had an earthly beauty about her. There was nothing extraordinary in her features, yet something about her just seemed to glow.
I felt my breath quicken. Joe, what’s the matter with you? Get a grip. You’ve seen girls before.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts without worrying what I looked like and said, “Please forgive my manners, but what is your name?”
“Mary.” That just became my favorite name.
“I’m very pleased to meet you,” I said as I extended my hand to her. “I’m Joseph. Please call me Joe.”
She hesitated for a moment before she shook my hand. Electricity bolted up my arm that I wasn’t prepared for. I wondered if she could hear my heart beating. Pretty sure these emotions weren’t winning me any bro-code points.
Her face was flushed and her eyes brightened with interest. Let go of her hand, Joe, I tried to coach myself. If I didn’t let go of it soon, I might never be able to.
So I quickly let go of her hand but immediately regretted it. The whole room suddenly seemed cold and empty.
She probably thinks you’re some kind of wacko. Stop staring. You’re a logical guy… Be reasonable here. Besides, she’s probably married. I ran my fingers through my hair and tried to remember what we were just talking about. I looked up to see her glance towards the entrance. If she asked me to leave, I wouldn’t blame her.
I tried to act composed, while I glanced down at her left hand. I didn’t see a ring, so I cleared my throat and tried to act like a reasonable man again.
“Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Mary.” Even to me, my voice sounded unnaturally thick and hoarse. I cleared my throat and looked back at her.
“Yes, it’s great to meet you, Joe. Let me show you where the section is.” She turned and simply pointed to the far left corner of the store.
Just when I thought she was through with me completely, she motioned for me to follow her.
As she led me to the back of the store, I tried to switch off my desire and concentrate on the task at hand. Focus, Joe! Decorum! The inner jokes weren’t helping. They just wanted to make me giggle like a schoolboy, and I doubted that would help matters much.
I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment while I tried to remember the books I came for.
She was driving me crazy! I shook my head like a wet dog for what seemed like the twentieth time and asked God for some help.
Suddenly she sidestepped and tripped. I reached out and caught her. As soon as my fingertips touched her, my whole being seemed to be on fire. You’ve gone completely insane, Joe. Maybe, I really had been working too hard lately.
Mary blushed and stammered, “I’m so, so s-s-sorry about that. There was, um, a stroller blocking the aisle.”
“Yes, I saw that.”
I knew I had to let go of her. When I did, she whirled around, stammering more of an apology. It took every ounce of my willpower not to bend down and kiss her. I should have taken that nap.
To keep from kissing her, I made a joke. “And here I thought you just wanted me to catch you in my arms to break the ice.” I hesitated and then added, “It worked.” Her light-hearted laugh made me wish I knew more jokes.
She cleared her throat, and turned back to where they were heading.
Once in front of the architecture books, Mary said, “If you need any further assistance, please don’t hesitate to ask.” Then she stepped back and smiled politely.
“Thank you for your help,” I said, and wished I could think of something else to say to stall her.
As she walked away, I thought, I could watch you all day. I didn’t realize I was grinning until my cheeks suddenly felt sore.
Buy Links:
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/469480
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/princess-of-the-light-nn-light/1120170709?ean=9781502438454
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Light-N/dp/1502438453
Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/Princess-Light-N-ebook/dp/B00N19FDKO
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Princess-Light-N-ebook/dp/B00N19FDKO
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/princess-of-the-light-1
iTunes/ iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/princess-of-the-light/id913013798?mt=11
Paperback: https://www.createspace.com/5008419
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23009005-princess-of-the-light
Newsletter:
If you would like to sign up to be an exclusive member of #TeamPOTL, send me an email:
info [at] princessofthelight [dot] com
You’ll get a free short story and you’ll get sneak peeks into what I’m working on. Plus, every Friday, you’ll get a special shout-out on Twitter. 🙂
Author Bio: N.N. Light has been creating stories ever since she was little. Her grandfather remembers when she was two years old, she would stand at the top of the stairs and tell him a story filled with emotion (and in a language foreign to him) with her hands on her hips. Let’s just say she was a born storyteller.
She was born in Minnesota, lived in Southern California only to move to chilly Ontario, Canada to marry her beloved husband MR N. She is blissfully happy and loves all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports and baking. Her mantra is to spread the Light.
Most of the time you can find her on Twitter or getting new ideas on how to spread the Light on Pinterest. She is a proud member of ASMSG, Independent Author Network and Marketing for Romance Writers.
Part of the proceeds of Princess of the Light will go directly to food banks in order to feed the hungry and help those in need. With only 7,500 books sold, N. N. Light will be able to set up a monthly endowment for the local food bank.
In addition to being an author, she’s also a book promoter/reviewer and social media marketer. She loves books, has ever since she was young. Matching up books and readers is something that gives her great pleasure.
She’d love to connect with you either via email or via these various social media sites:
Website: http://princessofthelight.com
Blog: http://princessofthelight.wordpress.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/nnlight
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NNP_W_Light
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nnlight
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/n-n-light/90/1a7/902
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/118060034268079734144/posts
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/nnlight
Independent Author Network: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/n-n-light.html
iAuthor: http://www.iauthor.uk.com/princess-of-the-light:10294
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