YOU HAVE TO WRITE
YOUR OWN FIRST FEW WORDS HERE multi
published author SS Hampton Sr. and his guest outstanding
middle grade author Sharon Ledwith.
Sharon Ledwith, hello! So, who
are you, and where do you come from?
Hey, Stan, glad to be here! Oh, such a complicated question.
How long do we have? Seriously though (and I rarely am!) I’m a middle-aged
broad who writes for the middle-grade/YA genre. Guess you could say I’m going
through my second childhood! I come from my parents—mom still has nightmares to
this day—via Streator, Illinois USA while my father was under contract by the
government to teach meteorology. That makes me a dual citizen. Currently I
reside in the wilds of Muskoka, a tourist area deep in the heart of central
Ontario, Canada. Cue the haunting cry of the loon…
Lol, the loon! So, why did you become a graphic
artist? Was it difficult to give up that career field for writing (I assume you
write full-time)?
Well someone has done his homework! I’ve always loved art
throughout school, and wanted to parlay that into a solid business career. Plus
I didn’t want anything to do with math again! I took the graphic technician
course in college which allowed me to work in the printing trade. This was
before computers took over, so everything was done by hand. Um, yeah, slow
process, but worth it if you applied yourself and worked hard. My hubby and I
started Box Office Graphics in the early 80s and we saw so many changes in the
industry which included fax machines, computers, and the internet. The graphic
businesses that didn’t change fell by the wayside. We sold our business in 2004, and have never
looked back. BTW—our former business is still going strong after 30 years! And
NO, it wasn’t difficult to give up that career at all. Somehow I knew deep
inside I would be pursuing a full-time career as a writer. After all, something
had to be done to stop the voices from talking in my head!
Where and how did you meet your husband? Was he
aware that he was courting a soon-to-be writer with all of her quirks? I
generally assume all writers have their quirks – I know I do.
Poor hubby. I met him at the first job I was hired at
straight out of college—a graphic trade shop that specialized in plastic
container packaging. Call him my soul mate or a misguided fool, I knew from the
moment I met him that we were destined to be together. I believe he was aware
of some quirky karma, ’cause he never gave up the chase, even when the odds
were against us. I also believe writers should use all their quirks to their
advantage!
Any friendly words of advice for writers,
particularly when a future spouse “comes a’calling”? Or perhaps for the future
spouse who discovers their love interest is a writer?
Run, spouse, run! Kidding. My advice would be to never stop
investing in yourself. Invest in the best. That’s in yourself, in your readers,
and in your partner. Your readers deserve the best of what you have to offer
them. Surround yourself with the best possible team (this includes spouses).
Never stop learning. As you grow, so will your readers, so be prepared for
this. Oh yeah, and never give up. That’s a given and should be part of any
author’s credo.
How did your family and friends react to you
becoming a writer?
Say what? You want to be a writer? Good for you! Ten years
later…you’re still writing? Anything published yet? No? Humph. Maybe you should
get a REAL job. Um, yeah, tried it, didn’t like it, went back to writing, and
got published. Yay me! Once I signed the contract, I was cast in a different
light, and everyone was supportive and happy for me. You should have seen the
release party I threw – hot damn it was fun and VERY satisfying!
I find it interesting that the inspiration for The
Last Timekeepers of Atlantis came to you in a dream, that you believe in
Atlantis, and you burn incense when writing. You didn’t mention what types of
music you like, or favorite artists. So, not to resort to labels, but are you
perhaps, something of a “New Ager”?
Yes, very much so. I’m quite a spiritual person and believe
we’re all here for a reason and purpose. This comes out in my stories. I don’t
want to come off as preachy (in fact I can’t stand it when other people try to
shove their beliefs on me) so I try to inject humor whenever I can in my
stories. I think we all learn best when there’s laughter present. And if you
want a real laugh, when I first started out writing I listened to the soundtrack
of Braveheart (sigh) a lot, as well as some native drum
instrumentals, Enya, and Enigma. Now I hardly listen to music while writing.
Braveheart, eh? And Enya and
Enigma—some of my favorite music too. Just a comment here: I like the first
sentence of the opening of your blurb – “Children are the keys to our future.”
Truthfully, I have always believed that. Might that have something do with the
intended audience of Middle Grade/Young Adult readers regarding Last
Timekeepers?
Oh definitely! But it is true – children are the keys to our
future. It’s up to us adults to supply kids with good role models, people to
look up to, and to aspire to. We need to be the best we can be, and offer
children a new hope for a better tomorrow. I mean, how else can we pass along
our knowledge and understanding to a new generation if we don’t show up in this
life?
Would you please share an excerpt from The Last
Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis with us? Or, if you feel
comfortable, perhaps an excerpt from your prequel, Legend of the
Timekeepers?
Would be honored, Stan. Here’s the blurb and excerpt from my
newest release, and the prequel to the Last Timekeepers
series, Legend of the Timekeepers:
There is no moving forward without first going
back.
Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the
final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart.
Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This
strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess
introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.
Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the
Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into
Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and
try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial
before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the
earth’s fate will be altered forever.
“Why are you here?” Lilith asked. “You’ve already got your
life seal.”
“I have more questions for Istulo.” She continued to stare
at the disk.
Lilith sighed. “My name is Lilith. What’s your name?”
Her shoulders relaxed slightly. A hint of a smile broke out
on her face. Her upturned nose wiggled. “She-Aba. I was born here in the Black
Land. Both my parents arrived from Atlantis fourteen years ago yesterday. My
mother gave birth to me the next day.”
Lilith perked up. “That would make today your birthday!”
She-Aba beamed. “Yes. That’s why I’m here. For my birthday
last year, I had my life reading done by Istulo. But recently, there’s been a
hiccup in my plans. It’s like my life seal rearranged itself, and now I’m
confused. I’m here for a reaffirmation.”
“What’s the problem?”
She-Aba traced her life seal with the tip of her perfectly
shaped fingernail. “My lifetime occupation was supposed to be to design
clothing for the people of the various positions in the court and temples.”
Lilith smirked. “That makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right? So why, all of a sudden, would my life seal
change from designing clothing to something completely different?”
Lilith arched a fair brow. “How different?”
“Well, instead of clothing people in lavish robes and gowns
for others to appreciate, the seal suggests that I’ll be doing the opposite by
covering up and hiding the truth. I don’t understand it at all. I thought my
life was all planned out for me.”
“I thought mine was too, until my country blew up and slid
into the ocean,” Lilith muttered.
“Hey, look at the bright side, at least your hair isn’t red
like mine.”
Lilith eyed She-Aba carefully. “What’s wrong with red hair?
My uncle has red hair and it suits him fine.”
She-Aba moved in closer. “If you haven’t noticed already,
there aren’t many redheads around here. The natives think red is magical, and
anyone with red hair is considered a freak of nature.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Lilith said loud enough to cause an
echo down the marble hallway. “Is that the reason why those artists were rude
to you? Because you have red hair?”
“Red is a very powerful color,” a raspy voice said from
behind both girls.
Lilith and She-Aba jumped. They slowly turned to find Istulo
hovering over them.
Wearing the same white gown and orichalcum headband Lilith
saw her dressed in before, Istulo nodded slightly before she said, “Red
represents the essence of life—if we are drained of blood, we are drained of
energy. The people of the Black Land understand this, and therefore red is
reserved only for their gods and goddesses.”
Lilith giggled. “Don’t tell She-Aba that, she’ll think she’s
a goddess.”
Here's the LINK
for more information on the book.
Thank you for visiting with us today! Are there any
parting words you would like to share with us?
Absolutely! I was once asked by another interviewer to share
what inspires me to write, and why am I doing what I do? The truth is that I
want to be the change I would like to see in this world. Yes, I stole that from
Gandhi, but those words have been my mantra, and have guided me to write
stories I would have loved to read as an adolescent. My hope is to give my
target audience (upper middle-grade and lower young adult) the kinds of stories
the world needs now—force readers to ask why they are here on earth at this
time, and what is their major purpose. I guess I’m looking for ways to make the
world a better place. I also want to make people laugh out-loud while they’re
reading my books, and leave them wanting more when they turn to the last page.
Thanks so much for putting up with, er interviewing me today, Stan, and loved
your well-researched questions! Cheers!
Check out The Last Timekeepers series
Facebook
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BUY LINKS
When Sharon Ledwith is not writing,
researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, kayaking, time with family
and friends, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives in the wilds of Muskoka in
Central Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, a water-logged yellow Labrador and
moody calico cat.
Much of SS Hampton, Sr.'s writing is
drawn from his extensive military career, including his historical short story
The Sentinels.
December 1941 – the German offensive has ground to
a frozen halt before an ominous forest encircling Moscow, and a German patrol
seeks to discover what secrets the forest hides…
December 1941, and fresh Siberian troops from the Soviet Far
East have launched savage counter-attacks against the German invaders. The
Eastern Front is torn open with German units driven back, overwhelmed, or isolated.
An exhausted Waffen SS infantry platoon outside of Moscow needs to know what
the Siberians, hidden in a dark forest before them, are up to. A small patrol
is sent into the snowy, otherworldly forest...
To read an excerpt from The Sentinels
please click HERE.
SS Hampton, Sr. is a full-blood Choctaw
of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, a divorced grandfather to 13, a published
photographer and photojournalist, and a member of the Military Writers Society
of America. His military career began in 1974. He retired on 1 July 2013 from
the Army National Guard with the rank of Sergeant First Class; he previously
served in the active duty Army, the Army Individual Ready Reserve, and enlisted
in the Army National Guard in October 2004, after which he was mobilized for
Federal active duty for almost three years. Hampton is a veteran of Operations
Noble Eagle and Iraqi Freedom.
His writings have appeared as stand-alone stories, and in
anthologies from Dark Opus Press, Edge Science Fiction & Fantasy,
Melange Books, Musa Publishing, MuseItUp Publishing, Ravenous Romance, and as
stand-alone stories in Horror Bound Magazine, The Harrow, and River Walk
Journal, among others. He is also a published photographer and photojournalist,
and a member of the Military Writers Society of America.
After 12 years of brown desert in the Southwest and
overseas, he misses the Rocky Mountains, yellow aspens in the fall, running
rivers, and a warm fireplace during snowy winters. As of December 2011 in Las
Vegas, Nevada, Hampton officially became a homeless Iraq War veteran.
To learn more about SS Hampton, Sr. or
read excerpts from his books please click a vendor's name.
4 comments:
Yo, Lizzie! Thank you for your ongoing support and kindness. Before Stan and I step out to grab a slice of pizza and beer, just wanted to thank you for hosting us on your blog today! Hugs. Now...do you like anchovies?
Lizzie and Sharon,
Thanks for having me along. I enjoyed it. Have a great week!
Stan
Wonderful interview, Sharon and Stan! You two are perfect together.
Sloane,
Thanks! And thanks for stopping by. Have a great week.
Stan
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