Steampunk Granny's Interview with J. Keller Ford

                                                            

Yep, it's time for an interview with another author featured in our group's new anthology, Reading Glasses. J. Keller Ford's story is "The Passing of Millie Hudson.

                                                                           

I’ve been following J. Keller Ford’s blog for some time now and I truly enjoy her writing. Ms. Ford is a Young Adult and New Adult fantasy author, freelance editor and book reviewer. Her short stories, “The Amulet of Ormisez” (Make Believe Anthology) and “Dragon Flight” (One More Day Anthology) are published by J. Taylor Publishing. Two of her non-fiction short stories, “Baby” and “Five More Minutes”, won reader’s choice awards at www.midlifecollage.com. Her first YA fantasy novel, In the Shadow of the Dragon King—the first installment in the Chronicles of Fallhollow trilogy— is complete and seeking representation. You can find J. Keller Ford at these sites: www.j-keller-ford.com Blog: YA Scribbles and Scoops Twitter: @jkellerford.

                                                            

   

Marie Gilbert: Jenny, I’m so happy to have you as a guest and I would like to jump right in with the interview. Welcome and would you tell us a bit about yourself. What is the inspiration that drew you to writing?

J. Keller Ford: Where do I begin?  Would it make sense if I said I was born writing?  I really can’t pinpoint one thing that inspired me to write. It’s always been a part of me like breathing.  I can’t remember a time I wasn’t writing. Of course, my parents influenced me a lot.  My mom always read to me and my dad would tell me fantastical stories of brave and gallant knights.  Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been around books.  In fact, one of my favorite outings as a child was going to the library (shh, it still is).  Being surrounded by books has always been a magical event for me.  There wasn’t a single place I couldn’t go, whether to a deserted island, a space colony, or up and down the Mississippi River on a riverboat. I spent time with a certain Velveteen Rabbit. I discovered the well kept secrets of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh. I soared high with Jonathan Livingston Seagull, saw the future in 1984 and I shipwrecked on Treasure Island.  Of course, living in Germany and traveling around to all the castles contributed to my love for fantasy and dragons. I guess you could say my inspiration for writing comes from everywhere: my own experiences, my family, life, and the deep-down desire to tell a tale that hasn’t yet been told.

 

Marie Gilbert: What type of stories do you like to write and why?

J. Keller Ford: I’ve written tons of stories, but I seem to gravitate toward Young Adult, primarily fantasy, whether it is urban or epic, or as is the case with The Passing of Millie Hudson, paranormal.  I think my brain goes that direction because after dealing with the realities of life on a daily basis, I want to write something that is in no way connected. I have always wanted to create my own reality, my own spaces where things work out the way I want them to.  I also like the Y.A. aspect because I can finally vicariously do all the things I wanted to do as a teen through my characters and settings.  It gives me a chance to let go of that ‘conservative’ side of me and just let go.

Marie Gilbert: I checked your website and see that you’ve been published in a few anthologies, what are your plans on future publications? Do you have a novel in the works? If yes, give us a brief synopsis.

J. Keller Ford: Right now, I’m putting a hundred percent effort into my Y.A. Chronicles of Fallhollow trilogy.  The first novel, IN THE SHADOW OF THE DRAGON KING, was just picked up by Month9Books for publication in the Spring/Summer 2016 and I am currently writing on books 2 and 3 in the series. What is the first novel about? 

A seventeen-year-old squire with knightly ambitions reluctantly joins forces with a sixteen-year-old overachiever to slay a dragon, save a realm from ultimate destruction, and maybe even win the forbidden girl in the process.

Marie Gilbert: I enjoy reading your blog and would like your opinion on why blogging is important for writers in all stages of their career?

J. Keller Ford: Blogging is a great way to connect with people.  I am amazed sometimes when I think of all the people my blog has touched all over the world.  I love talking to people.  I love sharing things with people.  So many times I see people flip out on Twitter or Facebook when a well-known author answers questions posed to them on a blog, website or social media.  I see comments all the time like “OM Gosh, I didn’t think you’d really answer!”  The 30 seconds of time the author took to answer that fan or reader does amazing things for the author and his or her ‘brand’.  That reader will now go and tell everyone about that personal interaction, and we all know what word of mouth does.  There is no better way to grow an online presence or create a brand than by helping others and being nice.  That’s why you’ll see a lot of cover reveals, blog posts by other authors, and book reviews on my blog.  Blogging isn’t all about yacking about ourselves.  It’s about connecting on a personal level with others.  Sometimes we fail. Sometimes we succeed.  The main thing to remember is to be yourself and have fun.  The rest will follow with time.

Marie Gilbert: What convinced you to join our kickstarter?

J. Keller Ford: One of my fave author buddies and dear friend, Jennifer Eaton, told me about the anthology. She’d read The Passing of Millie Hudson before and suggested I submit it, seeing as the SJWG had opened up the submissions to everyone.  Since Millie Hudson is one of my favorite short stories I’ve written, I thought, “Why not?” I was thrilled when Amy and Jessica informed me that it had been accepted for inclusion out of close to a hundred submissions.

Marie Gilbert: Do you belong to a writers’ group? Why if yes, Why if no.

J. Keller Ford: I belong to a local writers group and also to a writers group at Scribophile.com called The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pens.  Both groups are awesome in different ways.  The local writers group is set up in such a way that everyone reads from their latest work in progress and gets immediate, live feedback.  It’s a great way to meet other authors, personally get to know them.  Put a name to a face.  It’s live interaction. It’s positive, and it helps to grow a local fan base.  It’s a great way to team up with other authors for meet and greets, book signings, panel discussions, etc.  The online writer group is filled with the most supportive group of women I’ve ever known.  They are all in different stages of publishing. Some have been published by big name publishers, some by Indies, some self-published. We all pour out our hearts over achievements, disappointments.  We rant and rave over personal and professional issues.  There is a wealth of information and some of the best beta readers EVER!  And if you think you don’t need beta readers, think again.  These gals have been through the publishing scene with professional publishers.  They know what to look for. They aren’t just writers to me.  They are my friends. I have already met one in person and plan on meeting many more.

Marie Gilbert: Would you consider the route of self-publishing one of your books? Why if yes, why if no.

J. Keller Ford: At this time, the answer would be no.  For one, I don’t have the funds and it can be quite expensive to produce your own book.  Another reason is I’m simply not marketing savvy.  I’m learning but I’m such a novice, I wouldn’t know where to begin.  I don’t have the connections to get me where I want to be.  I dream of NYT best-seller lists.  I dream of movie deals for my novels, with action figures.  I don’t know how to do any of it except set up blog tours and promote book covers.  Besides, I like having my work vetted by publishers.  It’s so easy to think our work is awesome and amazing.  It adds a whole new level when a highly sought after publisher likes your story enough to pick it up and say they want to publish it.  For me, that makes me very, very happy.  That’s not to say that someday I won’t publish a book of my poetry or a collection of my short stories, but for now, I’ll leave the publishing and marketing to the big guys so I can focus on writing the best stories I can write.

Marie Gilbert: I want to thank you for your time, Jenny and I know our readers will love your story just as much as I did.

You can find my book, Roof Oasis, the first in an apocalyptic tale with a twist on Amazon. com and on kindle.

                                                                      

 

You can find Reading Glasses on Smashwords, for Kindle, Nook, iBook downloads and more.

Steampunk Granny Reviews The Drop

                                                          

                                     

My husband and I love the late and great James Gandolfini. We were big fans of The Sopranos on HBO and never missed a show from its start in 1999 to its finale in 2007.

                                                                  

 Dan and I enjoy gangster shows especially over the edge gangster shows. For our thirty fifth wedding anniversary, we decided to go see The Drop which is directed by Michael R. Roskam and stars Tom Hardy as Bob, Noomi Rapace as Nadia and James Gandolfini as Cousin Marv.

We were not disappointed in the film which tells about the sequence of events after a neighborhood bar is robbed by two masked bandits. This was no ordinary bar but a place where the mob’s money is kept until it can be moved or laundered.

                                                                    

Cousin Marv (James Gandolfini) has to make up for the money stolen from the cash register with his own funds. The Russian Mob is way nastier than the Italian Mob ever was. There is no loyalty with this new breed of mob leaders and Marv and his bartender cousin, Bob (Tom Hardy), fear for their lives as they try to make things right.

                                                                   

The situation is made more impossible when the quiet and introverted Bob finds an abused pit ball puppy in a trashcan belonging to a waitress with a dark past. Nadia (Noomi Rapace), like the puppy, have been brutally abused and the abuser has been recently released from prison. Bob’s tender care of the injured puppy and his friendship with Nadia is the focal point of the film as all hell breaks loose.

                                                                  

The acting is superb as is the script. This film is a “sit on the edge of your seat” drama that catches you by surprise and takes you to the dark side, but the ending was totally unexpected. I give it a five star rating. So let me make an offer that you can't refuse! Go see the film. Capish?
                                                                    

                              You'll be missed James Gandolfini 1961-2013

Steampunk Granny's Interview of Bruce Capoferri

                                                             

 

                                 

As you all know, I've recently published my first book, Roof Oasis. It's the first of a series and it's a love story that takes place during the apocalypse. As one of my friends from the South Jersey Writers' Group, James Knipp explained during a book signings for our group's first anthology, "Marie's story is Romeo and Juliet meets "The Walking Dead" done by Jules Vern." 

 

                                                                             

 

But I'm not the only one with good news! Hypothetical Press which was edited my Amy Holiday and Jessica A. Walsh has published their first anthology, Reading Glasses. Hypothetical Press is the publishing arm of The South Jersey Writers' Group and I'll be interviewing all the authors featured in Reading Glasses here on my blog.

 

My first guest is Bruce Capoferri. Bruce Capoferri sells automobiles, but enjoys writing stories and songs in his spare time and is currently working on a novel. He has four autobiographical stories published in Primo Magazine and one in Buona Salute. He lives with his wife, Barbara, and cat, Krikat.

                                                             

Marie Gilbert: Thank you, Bruce, for taking the time to do this interview. I’m happy to meet you and we have a few questions for the people out there. What got you started in writing? What was your inspiration to take pen to paper? What authors inspire you?

 

Bruce Capoferri: I have always been a story teller.  But I have to thank Miss Shepherd, my eighth grade English teacher, for recognizing it and encouraging me.  I wrote a short story entitled The Paradise Lost Affair that she edited and submitted to a teacher’s magazine and got published.  I wish I had gotten a copy of it, because it was the first time I was recognized for having some talent.  I must also blame - I mean, thank - my fantastic coach and brother-in-law, Glenn Walker, for coaxing me into putting my stories down on paper and submitting them to magazines. I have to thank my wonderful wife, Barbara, for introducing me to HP Lovecraft, Phillip K Dick and a host of other fantasy and science fiction writers. Barbara is a children’s librarian and constantly supplies me with a wide variety of fodder for my imagination.

Marie Gilbert: What type of stories do you enjoy writing about?

Bruce Capoferri: The first few stories I got published were autobiographical.  I truly enjoy documenting my slightly askew memories of growing up next to my Italian grandparents in Elm, NJ.  But fantasy and science fiction is right up there as well.  I guess it’s because I can make my characters say and do whatever my devious mind dreams up.  I am in the process of finishing the last few chapters of my first novel and I’m enjoying wreaking mayhem and chaos so much I’m having difficulty reaching the conclusion.

Marie Gilbert: Where did you get the inspiration for this story?

Bruce Capoferri: The inspiration for ‘The Malocchio’ sprang from the Italian belief that someone can impart bad luck upon a rival or enemy with a malevolent glance. Over the years I have also heard this curse referred to as ‘The Maloiks’ or ‘The Maloikies’.  But, no matter how you may pronounce it, my story takes this old world superstition to a more deadly level.

Marie Gilbert: Amy mentioned that you are working on a novel. Could you tell us a little about that?

Bruce Capoferri: “The Children of God and Men” sprang from a conversation I had with my cousin, Sandy Core, at a family reunion.  She mentioned that a short story I had written and shared with her titled “Hitching a Ride on Borrowed Time” reminded her of an excerpt from the book of Genesis in the Bible. It portends that Angels (known as The Watchers) were sent to Earth by God to supervise the development of man-kind.  But finding the women of men attractive, the Angels took as many of the women as they wanted for wives resulting in the births of giants and men of renown (also known as Nephilim). In my research I discovered the banned ‘Book of Enoch’ and then really became intrigued. The book allows me the opportunity to explore comparative religions and how world-wide myths and legends have shaped multi-cultural beliefs. If you enjoy reading stories about conspiracy theories, ancient alien influences and Native American prophecy mixed with apocalyptic action, you will love my book.  By the way, did I mention it is also a dark comedy?

Marie Gilbert: Do you belong to a writers’ group? If so, why and if not, why?

Bruce Capoferri: I'd like to consider myself a member of the South Jersey Writer’s Group because it is the only one who has recognized me. It will also be the first entity to publish one of my stories in a hardback book. The difficulty I have is time to attend meetings.  This is because I am a full time automobile salesman and work most evenings.  I do my best to keep in touch with what is going on, however, and read Writer’s Digest and similar publications. 

Marie Gilbert: Was this the first kickstarter that you ever participated in? What was it about our kickstarter that made you want to help out?

Bruce Capoferri: Although I have submitted my manuscripts to various contests, this was the first one of this type.

Marie Gilbert: Thank you Bruce for doing this interview

Bruce Capoferri: I want to thank everyone at South Jersey Writer’s Group and the Hypothetical Press for making my dream a reality.

 

I hope you enjoyed learning about Bruce Capoferri and in a few days, I'll be posting another interview with J. Keller Ford, another author featured in Reading Glasses.

                                                                        

 

You can find Roof Oasis  on Amazon. com and on kindle.

You can find Reading Glasses on Smashwords, for Kindle, Nook, iBook downloads and more.

Our group will be doing many book signings over the next few months. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by and say hello. We'll have plenty of books to choose from: Tall Tales and Short Stories from South Jersey (our group's first anthology) What to Expect When You're Dead by John Farquhar, Reading Glasses (A collection of speculative short fiction by Hypothetical Press), and Roof Oasis by Marie Gilbert.

 

                                                                          

Steampunk Granny's review of The Grand Budapest Hotel

                                                           

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Last year, my friends and I headed over to the matinee showing of a new movie at the Cinemark Theatre. We had watched the trailers and were curious as to what the story was about. My friends and I were hooked within the first ten minutes of the film. I shared my review of the movie with Go Jane News and now I’m happy to share my review of The Grand Budapest Hotel here on my blog. Did it live up to my expectations?

 
Plot

The story takes place in the fictional Republic of Zubroska, an alpine state. The author stays at the Grand Budapest Hotel during the late 1960’s. Suffering from writer’s block an author (Jude Law) hopes a vacation will help to spur the juices of creativity. The hotel, which was once a gem among the elite, is now rundown and faded due to war and poverty.

                                                                    

                                                                  
He meets the hotel’s elderly owner Zero Moustafa (F. Murray Abraham). Interested in the history of the hotel and curious as to why the owner is unwilling to close the hotel, Law’s character makes plans with Zero for dinner.

The movie pulls us deeper into the story starting in 1932 when the young Zero, played deliciously by Tony Revolori, is working as a bell hop under the guidance of the hotel’s concierge, Monsieur Gustave H. The hotel is in its prosperous and glory days and the rooms are all booked by wealthy people, who are ignoring the upcoming war.

                                                              

Monsieur Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), takes Zero under his wing and teaches him everything about the hotel business. When not attending to the needs of the clientele, Gustave is seducing the elderly women, all who just happen to be blond and rich.

So good at pleasing these women, they only come to the Grand Budapest for him. Madame D played by Tilda Swinton formed such a close bond that she promised to leave him a valuable painting called, Boy with Apple. When Madame D is found dead under mysterious conditions a few days later, the plot turns up the heat.

                                                      

                                                             

As Gustave and Zero stop by Madame D’s mansion to pay their respects, they encounter Madame D’s son, Dmitri (Adrien Brody), who will do everything in his power to keep all of his mother’s wealth, even murder.

When Gustave and Zero steal the picture we are treated the escapades of both Gustave and Zero as they are hunted down by Dmitri’s paid assassin played devilishly by William Dafoe.

Conclusion

The acting is superb. The story is as tasty as the deserts made by Zero’s sweetheart, Agatha (Saoirse Ronan.) The imagery of the Grand Budapest Hotel with its beauty and ambiance tugs at your heart and makes you want to book a room for the chance to live in pure decadence.

                                                           

Side note: When I was very young and I’m going back to the late 1940’s and early 50’s, my mother, grandmother with my three siblings and me would spend a few weeks every year at the Jersey Shore. We stayed at this grand hotel on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, which may have been the Traymore.

I remember the bell hops and how everyone dressed up in their Sunday clothes for dinner.

If you have similar memories, watching the Grand Budapest Hotel will transport you back to those times down the shore. Get it on Netflix or watch it on cable when it shows and let me know if you love it as much as I do.

Bookstores, Weddings and Steampunk, Oh My!

                                                           

 

This was a great weekend because I spent it doing fun things with friends. Friday night my husband Dan (the silent partner who wears many hats: audio, video and computer tech for his tech-challenged spouse along with playing chauffer whenever I need to get somewhere without getting lost) were in the charming town of Millville, New Jersey. I was there to do a book signing at Bogart’s Bookstore and Café.

                                                               

I’ve mentioned many times on my blogs that there is something magical about this town, the residents and especially the bookstore. There are many ghosts that dwell in that town and it may be because of its rich history and the fact that there is a river nearby. Water is conductive to spirits. There is a story that Millville had an underground railroad at one time that was used to fight the horrid practice of slavery. There are ghosts in that town. I sense them and I’ve written about several of the ghosts that stay at Bogart’s Bookstore & Cafe. My guess is that the owner, Amy, has such a pleasant and welcoming personality that people, living or dead, want to be around her.

                                                           

Today Millville has an arts district named the Glasstown Arts District. A public art center with galleries and studios is the hub of activity, and is open six days a week. Seven full-time galleries and ten part-time galleries and studios are open mostly on weekends and on the third Friday of each month. Wheaton Arts and the Creative Glass Center of America includes a major collection of early American glass with contemporary glass from CGCA Fellows and working glass artists in a restored 19th century glass factory. The Levoy Theatre successfully re-opened on September 9, 2012. You need to visit this town on their Third Friday and Third Saturday events and if you do, stop in and say hello to Amy.

                                                          

I had fun at my book signing and per tradition took a photo with the first person to buy a book. Thank you, Glenn Lillie.

                                                               

On Saturday, my husband and I headed to Chester and the New Hope Baptist Church for the wedding of friends, Cynthia Cain and Geoff Bilbow.  Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Bilbow.

                                                               

 

                                                                             

                                       Me with Cynthia's oldest daughter, McKenzie

                                                                              

Saturday night was the grand return of Gil Cnaan’s Dorian’s Parlor. It was held at the William Way Center at 1315 Spruce St, a beautiful building. I convinced my friend and fellow author, Loretta Lombardi of “You’re Hot, I’m Hot” a cookbook for lovers, to join me in the celebration of Dorian’s return.

                                                                           

Gil Cnaan on stage

            

We met such wonderful and talented people and enjoyed the endless parade of Steampunk fashions and were entertained by such acts as The Wandering Cellist

                                                                       

 

                                      and Eli August & the Abandoned Building Band.

                                                               

Thanks to Montague Jacques Fromage, I have a few pictures to share with you.

                                                                           

                                                              Montague on left

You don’t need to dress up in Steampunk to attend one of these events, but once you’ve visited an event, I’m sure that you’ll be dying to get yourself an outfit.

                                                              

Jane and Marie

                                                          

 

 

 

In the News

                                                         

I had met Rita Manno, reporter and also in charge of her own Public Relations Business, when she did a story on the South Jersey Writers' Group's first anthology Tall Tales and Short Stories from South Jersey. She mentioned me in that article because she was interested in what made a grandmother of nine write about zombies.

                                                         

Over the past year, Rita discovered that I was also into Steampunk and that I was known to all my friends as Steampunk Granny at Dorian's Parlor: https://www.facebook.com/DoriansParlor


But what really interested her was  my ghost investigations under the guidance of the South Jersey Ghost Research/ Sanctuary Paranormal Team that worked out of the Ghost Hunter Store in Burlington New Jersey. You can learn more about Dave Juliano, Marti Haines and Jeanne Butler- Lee here: http://theghosthunterstore.com/about/

                                                            

Although my family has been experiencing paranormal events most of our lives; it's an inherited talent, I got involved with professional ghost hunting through friends Rita and Jean. We each have our own unique ways of sensing the spirit world. We took several classes with Dave's team and went on several investigations with them.

                                                             

This past year, my friends and I became friends with another ghost investigative team, Keystone Spirit Seekers. Check their site here: http://keyss.webs.com/  We went on a very productive investigation at the Selma Mansion this past year.

                                                           

Thanks to Rita Manno's interest in my book, Roof Oasis, which is the first in a apocalyptic series with a twist, I have been featured in the Burlington County Newspaper. Thank you, Rita Manno. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamanno


Here is the article featuring me.

http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/life-style/local-feature/she-s-a-trained-ghost-investigator-a-writer-and-a/article_ac22af22-283f-55cf-af4e-0ecd753f4e93.html


The phone has not stopped ringing with friends and family calling to congratulate me about my book and my being in the newspaper. I'm still in shock. I work very hard at writing, sometimes spending many hours interviewing people, writing recaps for television shows, movies and books and just trying to keep up with my blog and completing  book two of Roof Oasis called Saving Solanda.

                                                          

I have met the most talented people and made many life long friends because of my writing. I love what I do, but I don't travel this road alone. We never do. I have a support system with my family, friends, and fellow writers that keeps me going even when I think I can't write another word. My poor husband, Dan, has been anointed the job of agent, video, audio and tech person along with the job of chauffeur. Thank you, honey.

So the reason for this post is to thank everyone who has helped me reach where I am now and where I'm going in the future. You know who you are. Love you all.

Marie Gilbert aka Steampunk Granny