Today, we're doing something a little different. Fellow author Vicki-Ann Bush is stopping by to talk about her book!
Hi, Marie! Thanks for having me.
My pleasure, of course! So, let me ask a few questions since you're here...
All right.
Can you tell us a little about your latest book? When did it come out and where can we get it?
The Garden of Two is a historical romance that is set around World
War I. It centers around a young couple who live in Long Island, New York. Lillie
is from a wealthy family and Charlie is less fortunate when it comes to
financial means. But both have grown up in loving homes. Their romance blossoms
in the very unique garden where Lillie's dad had planted everything in sets of
two as an homage to his late wife. Their love and strength is tested when
Charlie abruptly enlists to defend his country overseas after a series of
tragic events.
The Garden of Two has actually been available for a couple of
years. It is my first novel, but not the first story I submitted for
publication. Because it is loosely based off of the feelings I had as
a young girl, it is very dear to me and I hesitated before sending it in to a
publisher. It is currently available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Sounds great!
So, what inspired you to write your book? How did you get into writing YA fiction?
Sounds great!
Years ago I was sitting in my
backyard and my husband was planting two vine plants on the back
wall—Firethorns. He had placed one at each end of the wall with the goal that
over time, they would fill it in and come together. From there, the garden was
formed for the story and the romance, as I said earlier, was mine.
I actually started
writing children’s books and my publisher at the time noticed the growing trend
of YA fiction. They asked me to give it a try and afterward, I was hooked.
I started with a novella series, The Dusk
Chronicles, which eventually was combined into one novel.
Wow! Isn't it wonderful how the muse works? ;)
So, tell us...what, do you feel, sets your book apart from other books in the genre?
I am told by those who have read
the story, that it takes you to a time that is often no longer seen. Where love
can be innocent and yet passionate. The garden is not only a sanctuary, but the
very core that grows and binds the relationship to create an unbreakable bond.
Something so simple evolves into the most intricate and entwining emotional
journey.
I am told by those who have read
the story, that it takes you to a time that is often no longer seen. Where love
can be innocent and yet passionate. The garden is not only a sanctuary, but the
very core that grows and binds the relationship to create an unbreakable bond.
Something so simple evolves into the most intricate and entwining emotional
journey.
Lovely!
Give us a teaser or two of the book if you can.
Charlie
Murphy was running faster than he thought possible. Everywhere he looked there
were bodies, and the yelling—they were the wails of the damned. Some men
surrounded him, shooting, while others were also trying to avoid the incoming
bullets. But most frightening of all were the soldiers who wandered in a blank
haze, unaware of the flying bullets or any form of attack. He’d barely finished
high school a few months ago—how could life change so much in such a short
time? His days of comfort in Long Island, New York had come to an end. He could
only hope it wasn’t permanent.
Charlie
could not stop to help; he searched for life-saving cover and waited to advance
on the enemy. He spotted a disabled truck a few yards away. He dodged and
dropped, trying to keep low. When he got there he was frightened; his
adrenaline was in overdrive and he was short of breath. He lay on the ground,
furiously searching through the haze of apocalyptic chaos.
What
he didn’t notice were the three German soldiers still trapped under the truck,
or their buddies, who were running his way to see if they could release them. A
patch of land to his left seemed
clear. Cautiously he got up and looked around before firing. As he pivoted, he
heard a hailstorm of fire and something incredibly hot hit his chest.
He
looked down. A pool of red seeped through the hole in his shirt. He had been
shot. He grabbed his chest and tried to keep running, but the mud was slippery.
Pain seared through his body and consumed him, a branding iron pressed against
the gaping hole in his flesh. He fumbled through the pocket in his coat for the
compass. His hand clasped it, squeezing it tight and close to his body.
Collapsing,
he sank into the mud. His eyes, clear of the muck, looked skyward, where he
thought he saw Lillie’s face. The very last thing Charlie could remember was
the hazy vision of the woman he loved and the compass that would get him home.
Then his world went completely black.
Riveting!
Let's try another question, okay?
I'm sure readers are curious about your next writing project. Can you
tell us what you've got cooking up now or is that a secret?
Because of events that are
touching my life in a very personal way, my current project brings me back to
the genre I write the most. It's a YA paranormal with a romance sprinkled in.
But the difference in this book, which will eventually be a series, is that the
lead teenager and main character, is transgender. I wanted to create a story
line where transgender was there, but not the focus. Create a more "Oh, by
the way" sense of feeling to the story. It will not be directly addressed
in the emotional sense, rather just mentioned from time to time in the mechanics
of the daily life adjustments that are being made. The focus is the ghosts they
encounter and the cases that he (the lead character) and his friends come
across.
Because of events that are
touching my life in a very personal way, my current project brings me back to
the genre I write the most. It's a YA paranormal with a romance sprinkled in.
But the difference in this book, which will eventually be a series, is that the
lead teenager and main character, is transgender. I wanted to create a story
line where transgender was there, but not the focus. Create a more "Oh, by
the way" sense of feeling to the story. It will not be directly addressed
in the emotional sense, rather just mentioned from time to time in the mechanics
of the daily life adjustments that are being made. The focus is the ghosts they
encounter and the cases that he (the lead character) and his friends come
across.
Interesting!
Well, we certainly look forward to your next book!
Thanks so much for stopping by to tell us about The Garden of Two, Vicki-Ann!
Of course! Thanks for having me here.
You're welcome! It's been an honor!
Readers, you'll just have to pick up a copy of this fascinating YA historical romance! ;)
Here is the blurb.
Charlie Murphy and Lillie Whitman are surrounded by the innocence of
young love, and the guileless early twentieth century. They fall deeper
into each other, intertwining their very different worlds to create a
bond that no one can break.
Or so they thought.
When the dawn of World War I comes to their Long Island town, and
personal tragedies begin to spiral the lovers into an abyss of darkness,
they must fight to hold on to their love. Knowing their bond will be
the only ties that will get them through. From the horrors of Germany's
front lines to the emotional battlefields fought at home, Charlie and
Lillie must find a way to stay strong, and navigate a path, back into
each other’s arms. And how a garden, a very special garden, can
withstand the coldest of winters and give the ultimate symbol of hope.
***
Ms. Bush other works include, The Dusk Chronicles trilogy, featuring
these five star reviews— "SUPER cool story that had me hooked!" "A Clever
Time-Travel Adventure"
Purchase Links:
Amazon Universal: http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00P8AX5F4
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-garden-of-two-vicki-ann-bush/1116998573
CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/5087890
Books-A-Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Garden-Two/Vicki-Ann-Bush/9781625261489
Publisher: http://solsticepublishing.com/the-garden-of-two/
This sounds like a great read!
About the Author:
I am originally from Long Island, New York, but now reside in Las Vegas, Nevada. Living in the desert has given me inspiration for several of my books.
For many
years I wrote various short stories and poems, but never tried my hand at the
publishing process. In 2008, on the suggestion of my two daughters, I began
submitting. The first positive response was from Salt of the Earth Publishing
for a short children's story. Winslow Willow the Woodland Fairy was beginning
of my adventure. Since then I've written another story for children, The Queen
of It, before settling into Young Adult fiction. My first release was the
novelette/novella series, The Dusk Chronicles. It is a supernatural romance set
in Las Vegas.
Currently
from Solstice Publishing, I have the historical romance novel, The Garden of
Two. It is about the perils of World War I through the eyes of a young Long
Island couple. And the paranormal romance novella, The Fulfillment, which is
centered in Boulder City, Nevada and the first of the series. My latest novel,
Room 629, is a sci-fi and my third partnership with Solstice. It takes place in
Primm, Nevada and follows a group of friends as they uncover a life altering
truth.
And coming
soon … Procurement, the second book in The Fulfillment series.
Author Links:
Website: http://www.vickiannbush.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VickiAnnBush
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Vicki-Ann-Bush/e/B004I4ZQWG/
Vicki-Ann's Books:
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