Please welcome Misty J. Thurmond to my blog. Good morning, Misty.
Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.
The awkward silence, the moment I realize that I must say something clever or pull a literary degree out of my butt. To be honest, I don’t enjoy talking about myself, but here goes.
I grew up living in the country in which going barefooted, fishing, camping on the river, riding horses and playing sports was the norm. The solitude of my childhood memories is still ingrained in me and influence my writing style. Over the years I had a fulfilling and successful career as a registered nurse, until health issues forced me into early retirement. “A real oxymoron, but multiple sclerosis doesn’t care if you’re tending to people’s boo boos or saving lives.”
*By the way, doctors have the worst penmanship. Learning to dance like Beyoncé would be easier than deciphering some doctor’s writing. *
Once I lost everything, it was just me and my thoughts. I began to journal them, and the journaling turned into a novel.
Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?
I enjoyed spinning tales growing up and recall the nervousness that came with it whenever the teacher called upon me to read my short story, but my most time was spent in the medical field.
How difficult was it writing your first book?
My first novel was awful. It had good bones but lacked flesh. Who am I kidding, it was garbage. One thing I’ve learned about myself, “Practice makes better.” I’d say, “Perfect”, but that’d be absurd. No one’s perfect.
Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?
Absolutely! When my father suddenly passed away and my mom followed him three months later, I was devastated. Picking up the pieces of my life and the aftermath took me a while, but out of it all I remembered one thing, “Life goes on.”
Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?
Honestly, myself. My father was a late blooming author who wrote westerns, and he encouraged me more than anyone. God, I miss him, but I know he’d be proud of this new novel.
Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Never give up on yourself or the love that drives you.
What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?
It’s okay to stand in someone’s shadow for a while, but sooner or later you’ll have to take that step into the sunshine and embrace your future. That’s a lesson from experience.
What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?
Readers 18+ with an interest in the supernatural and metaphysical genres.
There are written scenes in my books which are not suitable for younger audiences; adult language, darker topics that may trigger anxiety in people with PTSD or childhood trauma and LGTBQ scenes. However brief, or detailed, these topics are frequently used in my novels.
Writing in the metaphysical fiction genre means I must look past myself and explore many aspects before writing a story. It’s a “world building experience”, except the world is ever evolving and shifting in my mind.
Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?
Honestly, I wanted something with more pizzazz and flare, but the deadline for Saku Binder of Voids prevented it. My publisher and I worked together on it.
What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?
I’m working on the sequel to Saku Binder of Voids. As hinted in the novel, “Saku is handed a scroll as the Book of Gogyo evolves into the Blue Crystal, and a vision of a city with twin suns”. I’m cutting it short. I can’t release the title because it’s extremely unique.
Links below and book link below:
amazon.com/author/mistythurmond77
@AuthorThurmond (Twitter)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216127766
https://a.co/d/gHY7xZP
When Angels Fly 