Tag: Psychological Fiction

Author Spotlight · Interview with an Author

Interview with an Author featuring Dr. AudreyAnn Moses

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The Literary Vixen presents…

Joining us today is Dr. AudreyAnn Moses! Her book, The Story Of Wade: The Road From Darkness To Redemption (Saved By Grace Series Book 2) released on May 29th 2020.

How long have you been writing?

 I’ve been writing most of my life, however, my first published work was in 2011.

Describe a typical writing day.

 Ha! Ha! My writing happens when I have completed who knows how many other tasks. I try to write in the morning or at night. That is what seems to work best for me.

Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

My father believed that knowledge started in a book. People that do not read, have no desire to advance in knowledge, not even to learn about what’s going on around them every day. As a young child (elementary school), I would check out at least four books from the neighborhood library and finished them all within the two week time period. The librarian knew well enough to have books waiting for me when I came in.

What gave you that push to press the publish button?

I let one of my good friends read some of my writing. She asked me why I have not published my work. I told her I did not think anyone wanted to read my words. She asked me how I would know if I don’t publish. That was in 2016. I published my first know in 2017.

When you’re writing an emotionally draining (or sexy, or sad, etc.) scene, how do you get in the mood?

 I consider my books to be in the genres of Christian Romance / Drama. If I get stuck sometimes, I pray for help. Somethings I take a break and come back later. Sometimes I listen to music that will put me in the mood for that scene. Fortunately, I don’t write obviously sexy scenes in my books, so I don’t have to worry about getting in the mood for that. :-D.

If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Christian, Intentional, Honest.

How do you deal with the emotional impact of a book (on yourself) as you are writing the story?

My books are novels that touch on the issues people have such as family dysfunction, relationship, emotional confusion and identifying their spiritual position, their relationship with God. When I’m writing an extremely emotional scene, it has my feelings and my thoughts in it. People that know me well can here my voice in my books.

Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with me?

Yes, I am working on Book 2 in my The Swing Novelettes. I don’t have a name yet. I am also writing Book 2 in my Earl Grey Chronicles. The title (right now) is State of Affairs. My plan is to have State of Affairs to the printer before Christmas. I plan to start pre-sales in November.  I had a struggle in the last couple years because my daughter-in-law died (before COVID – 2018) and I kinda lost my thoughts for a while. It took me a couple years to pull my thoughts together because I kept changing my deadline. Then I had too much on my plate. So, in two years, I wrote 3 chapters.  I’m better now. I’m praying that I don’t miss my November deadline, but if I do they will be available in January.

What advice would you give to other authors?

(1) Write about what you love. (2) If you don’t know a lot about a topic, do your research. Murder happens when you write a book with incorrect “facts”.  (3) Even though you are Indie Authors (Independent) you still have to make deadlines and stick to them. (4) Start advertising early. (5) Take advantage of every class you can that will teach you how to market. Indie authors don’t have the support that brick and mortar publishing companies provide. (6) Hire an Indie publisher to do you back-door stuff such as editing, ISBN, Library of Congress, formatting, connections with the printer etc.…. It is inexpensive and worth a trillion dollars.

What is the one thing you want people to know about you and your books?

My books are about issues that everyday families and individuals have to deal with every day. Every family has dysfunction. Every family and every individual in the family has relationship, emotional/mental issues and disconnect with God. My books are novels, not self-help books, however, my books will help readers recognize these issues in themselves. Also, per people that read my book, they are fun to read, keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you wishing there was another chapter. This made me want to write more.

 

Thank you Dr. AudreyAnn Moses for chatting with me! I will include her information down below. Check out her book, The Story Of Wade today!

~Synopsis~

“Some become fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities” (Psalms 107:17 NIV)

Wade paced his apartment, waiting for the explosion. Any minute now, they will see who’s in charge. He turned on the television, flip…nothing…flip…nothing…flip…nothing! Maybe he missed a call, so he checked his cellphone. Thumb up…nothing…Thumb down… nothing!
“What is going on? It has been hours. It should have aired by now!!!” The loud voices started laughing – louder! Pounding his head with the palm of his hand, “shut up! Shut Up! SHUT UP! I don’t have time for you right now! I have to figure this out! I have to figure out why it isn’t all over the news.”
Breaking News Headlines…
“NAVY DECORATED LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER IMPRISONED”
“What happened?”
KNOCK…KNOCK…KNOCK…
On the other side of that knock was Wade’s answer.
Wade was arrested for allegedly sending false accusations to the newspaper, falsifying government contract documents and forgery. This time he went to jail for himself. This time there was no one to frame.
The Evil One laughed, “You always thought you were smarter than the average criminal.”
“I’m no criminal! Just shut up!”
The Voices continued, “Gregory tried to tell you, but you were too smart to listen – now look at you, trying to sabotage innocent people and here you are, about to be exposed, naked to the world!”
“Shut up!” yelled Wade, “Just Shut up!”
Wade implicated Joseph McIntosh and Christopher Gregory. Both squealed like little piglets and testified against Wade. Wade begged Antonio to bail him out. When Antonio didn’t, Wade cursed him. He called him all kinds of horrible names that can’t be repeated.
When he was arrested, he was unable to take his medication. Because Wade chose to hide his illness from everyone, his family did not know he was taking medication for a mental illness. By the time his doctor found out Wade had been arrested, he had already experienced several psychotic episodes. Wade’s family was very upset to find out that for years, not only had he been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but he refused to tell them or allow his doctor to disclose any information. However, it explained many bizarre behaviors he explained away, as well as, his overdosing twice because he was using both legal and illegal drugs.
Although Wade was receiving his medication again, while in court, the voices were loud, causing him, on several occasions, to speak out of turn. Antonio asked the bailiff’s permission for he or one of his sisters to sit closer to Wade, hoping that might calm him down. It did.

I am Dr. AudreyAnn Moses. I am a Certified Christian Life Coach and Mental Wellness Counselor. I am the Owner of NeverSayCain’t Christian Life Coach and Consultant and Transition Life Coach 4U. 

I have several passions that  prove to be extremely helpful in my endeavor to help people help themselves.

I believe the whole person is important. I am involved in several community-based programs focusing on personal and professional development. I offer Christian based coaching services for personal, family and groups in areas of transition, self-care, personal growth, substance abuse, loss/grief, relationships and spirituality, with resources available for  support/recovery groups, as well as, professional resources.

I love to teach. I am an experienced speaker, facilitator and program developer for various levels of workshops and seminars.

I love to write, I have written several professional articles on various subject pertaining to personal growth and transition. I have also published several novels which can be found on Amazon or by contacting me.

    1. “The Story of Wade…The Road From Darkness To Redemption. May 2020. (Book 2 of the “Saved By Grace Series”)
    2. “Saved by Grace: Walking through life’s afflictions into God’s Deliverance.” 2017. (Book 1 of the “Saved By Grace Series”)
    3. “Uninvited Memories” 2018 (Book 1 of  “Earl Grey Chronicles”
    4. “The Swing” 2018 (Book 1 of “The Swing Novelettes)
    5. “Lesson from Grandmother’s Lap, 2018
    6. “RITES OF PASSAGE: Does It Give American Black Youth the “Right to Pass?”. (2010).

My hobbies are almost anything. It if brings me and my family joy, relaxation and adventure, I’m ready … especially if it involves traveling, cooking and/or gardening.

My husband, Leonard, and I currently live in the quaint rural community of Cokesbury in Hodges, SC. We have four adult children, twelve grandchildren and one great-grandson which I feel more than qualifies me to write stories of Christian family dysfunction, love and devotion to each other and to God.


To learn more about me please review my website and social media sites here: https://linktr.ee/neversaycaint 

 www.transitionlifecoach4u.com.

To book a coaching session, workshop or speaking engagement contact me on my website or email me at neversaycaint@yahoo.com 

For book tours, readings, signings, to order books or just to see what’s happening in the world of AudreyAnn’s Books you can check out my website or email me at audreyannsbooks@yahoo.com. 

Check out my AudreyAnn’s Book…Chat FB page and join or start a chat about what we are reading or about what you are reading that we might want to read. I’d love to chat with you. Look for AudreyAnn Moses, Author on FB and AudreyAnn Moses on Instagram and LinkedIn. URLs are in the linktr.ee.

Coming Soon · Review

The Nesting by C.J. Cooke – My Review

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Title: The Nesting

Author: C.J. Cooke

Release Date: September 29th 2020

Genre: Psychological Fiction

The woods are creeping in on a nanny and two young girls in this chilling modern Gothic thriller.

Architect Tom Faraday is determined to finish the high-concept, environmentally friendly home he’s building in Norway—in the same place where he lost his wife, Aurelia, to suicide. It was their dream house, and he wants to honor her with it.

Lexi Ellis takes a job as his nanny and immediately falls in love with his two young daughters, especially Gaia. But something feels off in the isolated house nestled in the forest along the fjord. Lexi sees mysterious muddy footprints inside the home. Aurelia’s diary appears in Lexi’s room one day. And Gaia keeps telling her about seeing the terrifying Sad Lady. . . .

Soon Lexi suspects that Aurelia didn’t kill herself and that they are all in danger from something far more sinister lurking around them.

I struggled on how I was going to write my review and also how I felt about the book. I will start with what I liked about it and go from there.

I loved the Nordic folktales. Those stories were not only interesting, they were a bit haunting which added a vibe to the story. I also loved how the local people believed in them and had their superstitions. Gaia was smart and cute. Probably my favorite character.

I truly wanted to like this story but right from start it was kind of doomed for me. I expected a lot more thriller than what I got from this story. The story seemed uneven. It starts off with a pretty strong event. It seemed to be building towards an explosive ending but it fell way flat for me. In no way did I feel this was a thriller. It seemed like a bunch of secrets and points of views that added up to a bunch of nothing. A lot of the story could have been cut down and most scenes taken out. The story didn’t find its way until the end. The end was ok. I didn’t love this story but I also didn’t hate it. I give this 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

Coming Soon · Review

When No One Is Watching: A Thriller by Alyssa Cole – My Review

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Title: When No One Is Watching: A Thriller

Author: Alyssa Cole

Release Date: September 1st 2020

Genre: Urban Life, Psychological Fiction

“From the first page of WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING, I felt like I was right there in the gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood, filled with sharply etched characters and dialogue that zings. Then bam!  I was knocked over by the momentum of an intense psychological thriller that doesn’t let go until the final page. This is a terrific read.” – Alafair Burke, New York Times bestselling author

Rear Window meets Get Out in this gripping thriller from a critically acclaimed and New York Times Notable author, in which the gentrification of a Brooklyn neighborhood takes on a sinister new meaning…

Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block—her neighbor Theo.

But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the push to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised.

When does coincidence become conspiracy? Where do people go when gentrification pushes them out? Can Sydney and Theo trust each other—or themselves—long enough to find out before they too disappear?

Intriguing. Riveting. Chilling. 

These are the words I have to describe this book.This is my first Alyssa Cole read and I was not disappointed. The story is riveting, engaging, and thought provoking. The subject matter is important and relevant in today’s world. 

I went in with no expectations of trying to figure out anything. I wanted to start and see where the story took me and took me it did! One wild ride. Strange and unexplainable things were happening and nothing was making sense. The more she looked into things the more she put herself in danger. 

This book had me on the edge of my seat towards the end. It really had my pulse racing. Many twists I didn’t see coming and appreciated. After I was done I kind of sat there thinking wooooow. Mind blown. It’s safe to say this author has a new fan. 

The writing is excellent as well as the characters. Wonderful and engaging read from beginning to end. I will look into other works by Miss Cole. I highly recommend this book! I give this 5 stars.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

Review

Raven Lane by Amber Cowie – My Review

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Release Date: November 12th 2019

Genre: Psychological Fiction

~Synopsis~

The truth can bring out the worst in the best of friends.

Esme and Benedict Werner have an idyllic life in a tight-knit community until an accident in their cul-de-sac ends in the tragic sudden death of one of their dearest neighbors. After vindicating eyewitness accounts morph into contradictory memories, suspicion, and unaccountable accusations, Benedict is arrested. Esme’s life, too, is changed forever.

As the neighborhood largely turns against her and her family, Esme has time to think about her past and what to do next. Then her fellow residents start looking deeper, questioning one another, and themselves, about hidden lies and betrayals.

Esme has more than her share of secrets. And the consequences of what happened on that fateful late-summer evening on Raven Lane are far from over. When the mask of civility slips, can friends and neighbors recover from seeing the monstrous truths beneath?

~Add To TBR~

~My Review~

What caught my eye about this book, was the cover. Then I read the blurb. Murder and suspense? Yes please! Raven Lane is a somewhat small community. Everyone knows everyone, or do they? Secrets and lies. Then a murder. Not everything is as it seems. 

The characters are twisted. I wasn’t sure I liked any of them and that made me happy. Yeah I’m weird. The story itself had some twists and a dark vibe to it. I loved all the secrets and was pleased with the ending. The beginning was a little slow but as the story progressed, I became engrossed with it. I give it 4 stars.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*

~Buy Now~