Name:

Hometown: Grove, Oklahoma

Book Title: Stuff In The Cornflakes

Genre: Nonfiction

Dorrance Publishing (DP): Describe your book in 10 words or less.

Stephen Helm (SH): Childhood memories of a loving brother and very abusive parents.

DP: What made you want to write your book?

SH: Time and again the boy wanted to tell someone about the beatings, the terrible conditions, and the sexual abuse by both parents. He was just a kid. He was unable to tell. It was an impossibility for his young mind to deal with. At the age of seven, after his adoption, his mother told him to forget all. He could not and vowed one day to tell the truth. A lie must be wrapped in a nice box with a fancy ribbon. The truth, however, can run naked through the streets.

DP: How long did it take you to write your book?

SH: It took me 6 months to write.

DP: How do you choose the names of your characters?

SH: He was called the “boy” the same way a person would name a dog “dog”.  He simply did not count. “Lonnie” was his brother’s real name. “Leon or old Leon” was his old man’s real name.  “The woman with the long blonde hair,” just could never be called mother on this or any other planet.

DP: What do you do when you have writer’s block?

SH: I sit in our kitchen and talk to my wife. She gives me suggestions.

DP: What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

SH: Once they asked Mozart (I’m not comparing myself to Mozart), don’t you think your music has too many notes? He said his music had exactly the right amount of notes. Not one more, or not one less.

I think of my book the same way.  I can’t take this or that part out and say it’s perfect. That’s like asking a mother which part of her newborn baby does she like the best…this arm or that one.  I gave birth to the book, I like it all equally.

DP: If you were stuck on an island and had to have one person from each category with you, who would they be and why:

a. One character from your book:

SH: The doctor who treated the boy. For his kindness and courage.

b. One fictional character:

SH: There are no fictional characters in the book.

c. One famous person (living or dead):

SH: Will Rogers. Picturing him in sandals is what I hope Jesus is like. Someone else already said that.

DP: Besides writing, what are your other interests?

SH: Spending time with my eight grandchildren. And working on another book, “Shoot East Of The Smoke”.

DP: Do you keep a journal?

SH: No, but everyone should.

DP: How did you celebrate the publishing of your book?

SH: I hugged my wife.

DP: If your book was made into a movie, who would play the main characters?

SH: Very hard for me, for the two kids.  Don’t know very many young child actors. For “old Leon” I would suggest the head guard in the “Shawshank” movie. For the “woman with the long blonde hair,” I would suggest Ann Chapman. Would have little in the way of dialog. I hope she would not have an accent. She would really need to be a serious dramatic actress.

To play the doctor, I would suggest Sam Waterston, the star of “Killing Fields”. The boy who would play Lonnie would need to have Native American features with jet black hair and be muscular. The “boy” would need to be skinny and have platinum blonde hair. For the junk dealer: Graham Green. The grandmother would be played by a Native American woman in her sixties.

Her husband, “Burt” would be played by Bob Balaban. Semi coherent, but when lucid fun to be around. The “boy” loved him. The “Angel in the Sun” would be played by an attractive, slender Cherokee woman with jet black hair, which is styled like the late 30’s or 40’s. She wants to hide from everyone the fact that she is Indian. She would not want to openly discuss her relatives or her heritage. The slightest embarrassment to her becomes monumental. Appearance to her is everything.

DP: What did you enjoy most about working with Dorrance Publishing?

SH: Dorrance contained the most honest and direct people. Absolutely professional. Really enjoyed working with them.

DP: Five favorite books of all time?

SH: Any by James A. Michener. The favorites would be “Alaska”, followed by “Hawaii”, “The Source”, “The Covenant”, and then “Texas”.

DP: One sentence of advice for other writers:

SH: Never ever give anyone advice, even if they ask for it. That’s a load too heavy to bear. Try to appear to be the last person anyone would want advice from.

Are you ready to publish your book? Contact us today!

The post Author Spotlight: Steven Ralph Helm appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Name:

Hometown: Portmore, St Catherine, Jamaica.

Book Title: True Reflections

Genre: Spiritual

Dorrance Publishing (DP): Describe your book in 10 words or less.

Latoya Harris (LH): It is engaging, it’s realistic, and relatable. It is an enthralling compilation of God’s goodness.

DP: What made you want to write your book?

LH: I was faced with multiple afflictions and the inspirations kept coming. I normally write my thoughts and people also encouraged me to write.

DP: How long did it take you to write your book?

LH: It took approximately 3 hours on and off.

DP: How do you choose the names of your characters?

LH: I wrote about real-life events with real characters.

DP: What do you do when you have writer’s block?   

LH: I normally just take a break from writing.

DP: What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

LH: My favourite chapter is “Learning to Love”. It is my favourite chapter because I had to revisit my past and I also spoke about my mother. I’m her only child and we had problems expressing our love. Sometimes in life, you will have to revisit your past to pave the road for the future.

DP: If you were stuck on an island and had to have one person from each category with you, who would they be and why:

a. One character from your book:

LH: Joan Campbell.

b. One fictional character:

LH: No fictional character.

c. One famous person (living or dead):

LH: None.

DP: Besides writing, what are your other interests?

LH: Well, I am a Registered Nurse. I love my work because I love to see people being restored to health. I love to sing even though I am not gifted to sing. I do very well at encouraging people and also enjoy cooking a lovely meal.

DP: Do you keep a journal?

LH: Yes.

DP: How did you celebrate the publishing of your book?

LH: At first, I was in a place of denial. I had problems with English Language and now I am a published author. It is like I am still dreaming. I am now waking up out of the dream. Everyone is happy for me and helping me to see and believe it’s a great accomplishment. December 13^th is my birthday and I celebrated by hosting a birthday party and book launch on December 14^th, 2019. In Jamaica, my story has been placed in the Newspaper and the Caribbean News as well. It is all over the world via Facebook. It is a great feeling, but I am humbled.

DP: If your book was made into a movie, who would play the main characters?

LH: I would be one of the main characters because of the title: True Reflections. These are my reflections. In addition, my mother: Joan Campbell.

DP: What did you enjoy most about working with Dorrance Publishing?

LH: The employees of the company are easy to talk with.

DP: Five favorite books of all time?

LH:

1. Rules of Engagement by Dr. Cindy Trimm

2. Woman Thou Art Loosed by T.D Jakes

3. The Lady, Her Lover, And Her Lord by T.D Jakes

4. Crushing by T.D Jakes

5. Woman by Myles Munroe

DP: One sentence of advice for other writers:

LH: We should remember that people will always remember what we say, so we should remain positive.

Are you ready to publish your book? Contact us today!

The post Author Spotlight: Latoya Harris appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Whitby Abbey: Dracula

Located in Yorkshire, England (yes, not the infamous Transylvania) is the Whitby Abbey which provided the inspiration for the classic novel Dracula. Bram Stoker was visiting Yorkshire in 1890 when he stumbled upon the crumbling ruins of the 7th Century Christian Monastery and he found the gothic architecture so haunting that it inspired this classic tale. The structure still stands today and as the fog sets into the town looming below and the waves of the North Sea crash against the shore… well, one can see why he chose it.

Top Withens: Wuthering Heights

This decaying farmhouse in West Yorkshire, England is said to have provided some inspiration for the novel Wuthering Heights. Although physically the farmhouse doesn’t bear much resemblance to the family home in Emily Bronte’s novel, there is a plaque affixed to the ruins indicating that the farmhouse bears an association with the book. This countryside is said to have inspired many writers also including Bram Stoker.

Mark Twain Cave: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

In Mark Twain’s hometown of Hannibal, Missouri there is a small cave that provided the inspiration for McDougal’s Cave from the novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Formerly known as the McDowell Cave, the location was renamed in honor of the renowned author after it provided inspiration for a pivotal location in his book.

Bath, England: Persuasion

Jane Austen resided in Bath, England from 1801 to 1806 and this town became the inspiration and setting for her novel Persuasion. Not only was the town the center of fashion and nobility in the early 19th century, but it also became the location where her characters socialized, attended balls, and attempted to arrange marriages. Many of Bath’s addresses are included in the novel and Bath itself still honors Austen with events like the Jane Austen Ball and the Jane Austen Festival.

Sands Point, NY: The Great Gatsby

Sands Point, NY, a small village along the north shore of Long Island, provided the inspiration for Easter Egg in the famous F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, The Great Gatsby. The area is home to a French Normandy-style mansion, which was once owned by Fitzgerald’s friend Mary Harriman Rumsey, is said to have inspired the lavish mansion parties featured in the story.

Stanley Hotel: The Shining

Stephen King’s inspiration for his haunting novel The Shining came in the form of a precarious hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. A member of the Dorrance family recently visited The Stanley Hotel and thought it best to share the story with fellow writers: “Finding inspiration for a story that will capture an audience’s attention can be a writer’s biggest battle. Inspiration will not find you, you have to go out into the world and find it yourself. A change in scenery and pressure will likely be the key to creating an award-winning story. In Stephen King’s case, he drove north for a few hours, climbing treacherous winding roads leading to an eerie place named the Stanley Hotel. Not only did the ghostly hotel, surrounded by the steep mountains of Colorado, fuel his inspiration, but the pressure to perform had him on edge to create a masterpiece. He was under a self-imposed deadline due to the fact that he had to pay for his room each additional night in which he did not find the right idea. The fact is, that this combination of stress and inspirational atmosphere was the perfect concoction in order for him to create one of the most notable novels in history.”

The post Places That Inspired Famous Books appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Name:

Hometown: Wetumka, OK

Book Title: Darkness

Genre: Fantasy

Dorrance Publishing (DP): Describe your book in 10 words or less.

Crystal Nix (CN): Darkness is a vampire story where Lauren is trying to find love.

DP: What made you want to write your book?

CN: I have always loved writing since I was young. I wrote poetry for a while.

DP: How long did it take you to write your book?

CN: It took about six months.

DP: How do you choose the names of your characters?

CN: They just come to me when I am working on the story.

DP: What do you do when you have writer’s block? 

CN: I work on other stories or works I have or I just start typing anything that comes to mind and go from there.

DP: What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

CN: The ending, I am a sucker for happy endings.

DP: If you were stuck on an island and had to have one person from each category with you, who would they be and why:

a. One character from your book:

CN: Magdalene, being a witch may be handy.

b. One fictional character:

CN: Acheron from Sherrilyn Kenyon books, then we wouldn’t have to be stuck…haha!

c. One famous person (living or dead):

CN: Ian Somerhalder, he just seems so down to earth. It might be an interesting adventure.

DP: Besides writing, what are your other interests?

CN: I love spending time with family and friends or working with my dogs.

DP: Do you keep a journal?

CN: Yes, I have always journaled.

DP: How did you celebrate the publishing of your book?

CN: Pizza dinner with family.

DP: If your book was made into a movie, who would play the main characters?

CN: Not really sure, I’d just hope that they could be good actors with characteristics similar to descriptions of characters.

DP: What did you enjoy most about working with Dorrance Publishing?

CN: The publishers were very forthcoming so I knew what to expect.

DP: Five favorite books of all time?

CN: This is a hard question as I love to read. I love Nora Roberts, especially the series about the Quinn brothers. I am also a huge Sherrilyn Kenyon fan and love all the Dark Hunter novels.

DP: One sentence of advice for other writers:

CN: Never give up!

Are you ready to publish your book? Contact us today!

The post Author Spotlight: Crystal Nix appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

1) What is a frame narrative?

A frame narrative, to put it briefly, is like a story within a story- story-inception! There are a few different versions of a frame narrative or frame story. First, it could involve a narrator or main character of a story relaying various smaller stories over the course of a book like in the novel The Book of the One Thousand and One Nights. On the other hand, it could be a specific character from a story selected to relay the events of the novel as opposed to simply telling the story objectively. In this second option, it may be a specific character that has a connection to another character or characters. An example of this would be Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, where the story is told from the perspective of Robert Walton as the information was relayed to him by Doctor Frankenstein. On the other hand, the framing could simply be that the story is told from the protagonist’s perspective, but after the events of the story have already taken place. Using this perspective allows the protagonist to relay information with insight as (s)he is an older and wiser version of him/herself.

2) Determine the purpose

When used well, a frame narrative creates an incredibly fascinating and multifaceted tale with many perspectives to delve into. If used incorrectly, however, this can create a confusing and continuity-impaired story. Therefore, a writer should employ this technique only if it will truly benefit the story to do so. Before you go any further, ask yourself honestly, how will a frame narrative better my story? The main benefit of a frame narrative is to tell a story (whether it be the entirety of the book or individual stories throughout) using the voice of a specific character who exists outside the confines of the story. Whether that’s a future version of your own protagonist or a side character who would give good insight to the story’s events, ask yourself, how would this structure strengthen the events or themes of my story?

3) Choose a narrator

As stated previously, the main purpose of the frame narrative is to use a specific character’s voice to convey the events of the story as opposed to using an impartial narrator or first person present perspective. Once you’ve decided to use the frame narrative structure, you must first choose who will be telling your story (or stories). Think about what your goal of using the technique is and who will be the best voice to accomplish that goal. Possibly the most popular version of this structure is using a future version of the protagonist to tell the story of what they’ve gone through. One of the major setbacks of employing this technique, however, is that it completely does away with a lot of the suspense created in a story. When your reader is hearing a story from someone years in the future, it lets them know right away that your protagonist survived the events of the story. However, remaining aloof about the protagonist’s present circumstances can allow a certain amount of suspense to remain.

If you choose a narrator who isn’t your protagonist, you must ask yourself what connection this character has to the events of the story. What unique perspective will they be able to provide that no other character can? For example, in William Goldman’s The Princess Bride, William uses himself as a frame narrator, but a fictionalized version of himself who is simply editing a pre-existing story that another author, S. Morgenstern, already wrote. This creates a unique reading experience because you’re reading this swashbuckling tale and suddenly you get a little note from Goldman telling you ‘this part was too long, so I cut it,’ or ‘this was always my favorite part.’ It creates a strange line between the editing and writing process but also allows you to feel like you’re reading the story along with its biggest fan.

4) Get organized

As we’re sure you can imagine, creating a story employing this technique can be extremely confusing. Since the story will be told using one person’s perspective as opposed to an omniscient narrator who can jump perspectives, you have to make sure each character’s arc is thoroughly plotted before you even begin the writing process. If done correctly, the stories will likely intercept with one another, so make sure you know where in each person’s timeline each interaction takes place.

Once you have all of this thoroughly organized, the next step is to make sure your narrator is believably privy to all of this information. He/she has to be the piece of the puzzle that fits all of this together. Is the story being told this because the narrator happened to be there to witness all of this as it unfolds? If it’s not believable for the character that you chose to be in every single scene you’ve mapped out (and it likely won’t be), how will they be getting this information in order to relay it to the reader? Did they receive a letter, text, or phone call from someone who relayed the information to them?

5) Allow your narrator to interject and have opinions 

One of the most important and advantageous aspects of writing from a frame narrative is the character’s voice. When using this technique, allow your narrator to interject on the events as they occur. Allow them to reflect on them, have opinions, and be angry or happy or annoyed. Use them to foreshadow the climax of the story or have them give their opinions on the nature of certain characters. This is where you create intrigue. Imagine you’re using a future version of your protagonist to tell the story. The future version shows a lot of animosity towards the current protagonist’s best friend, and this allows the reader to wonder, what did that character do? thus creating suspense that wouldn’t otherwise exist.

Another aspect that you may want to consider playing around with is the reliability of your narrator. Perhaps the narrator of your story clearly hates a certain character (maybe even the protagonist), but as the story unfolds, you start to see that the character is actually really kind and harmless. Or maybe the narrator is really down on him or herself, but as the story continues, the audience can see that they’re actually just being too hard on themselves. Or perhaps the narrator doesn’t remember how a certain event took place, and instead just gives the reader the gist of it. This creates another added layer to the story and allows the reader to form opinions and judgments of the narrator and their role in the story as a whole.

The post How to Write a Frame Narrative appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

Standalone

A standalone novel requires a lot of preciseness. It is a self-contained story so, for readers, it will feel clean and complete within itself. However, because the story will be contained within the confines of a single book–rather than several–not a single moment can be wasted. Every scene has to be important and purposeful, you don’t have the liberty of being able to write cute or heartfelt scenes that don’t advance the plot or develop your characters…it’s crunch time. When writing a standalone novel, every scene needs to answer the questions: How does this further the character arc? How does this further the plot?

This also means preciseness in terms of charting out the plot strands as a whole. A standalone novel must have a main thread that is being followed clearly, so don’t make the plot too complicated. There can be side plot points as well, but there has to be a clear narrative structure. If things get too complicated, you most likely won’t be able to come to a satisfying resolution by the end. Speaking of which, with a standalone novel you absolutely need a satisfying ending. That doesn’t mean a happily ever after per say, but because there won’t be another book you can’t end on a horrible cliffhanger. You have to give the readers–and the characters–the ending that they deserve.

Series

A series is a completely different beast. Think of it in terms of the cinema: a standalone novel is like a movie whereas a series is like a TV show. Because you have multiple books to fill, you’re given a lot more freedom in certain ways. You can have super complicated and intricate plots with overarching themes that will be revealed by the end of the series. Readers will also be able to spend more time with your characters and thereby grow to love and care for them more. However, because you have more time, readers have higher expectations. They want plot points that relate back to the first book of the series: they want continuity and consistency and surprises. You’ll need to do a lot more work charting out your series as a whole, rather than just letting it happen as it goes along and seeing where you end up.

Because a series is longer, you have the freedom to write those little funny or sentimental scenes that may have got the ax in a standalone novel. However, be warned: your pacing must remain consistent. How many times have you heard the phrase, “The second one wasn’t as good as the first one…”? We’re guessing quite a lot. Authors tend to exhaust their ideas in their first book to win over readers and then the pacing of the second book ends up way slower because they’re using filler info. Make sure each book in your series is comparable in terms of pacing, plot/character developments, and payoffs.

What’s right for you?

When deciding whether your idea should be a series or a standalone novel, focus on how complex or simple your book idea is. For example, fantasy and sci-fi books typically work best as a series because those ideas are really complicated and take longer than the length of a single book to tell the full story. On the other hand, contemporary novels typically work best as a standalone. This is obviously not true in every case, so make sure you think through your idea and how long you’ll need to tell the full story. If you feel like it’d be hard to condense the idea into one book, go with a series. And if you feel like it’d be hard to figure out how to expand your idea into multiple books, a standalone is probably your best move. Don’t force your idea to be something it’s not.

Are you ready to publish your book? Contact us today!

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The post Standalone or Series? appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.

If you’re a proud pet parent, you understand just how wonderful it is to have a pet of your own. Our furry, four-legged friends can be blessings in our lives because they offer us happiness, solace and a friendship like no other.

Dorrance author, Mary Wattle, knew this to be true, and that’s why she came to Dorrance Publishing with a book idea that she wanted to turn into reality.

Her idea came to fruition when Your Dog’s Best Friend: The Dog Sitter was published!

In this 158-page book, readers are taken through a journey filled with stories that will hit close to home for those with dogs.

For 17 years, Wattle was a “dog sitter.” Her calling to the job was prompted by her desire to take care of dogs that were left at home while their families went on vacation. It was this willingness to lend a helping hand and to take care of these pets that so lovingly take care of their families that led Wattle to turn her passion into a profession.

Her time spent at home with these selfless and loving dogs taught Wattle a lot about life and the importance of relationships. In this novel, Wattle touches on the idea the more time you spend with a dog, the more you begin to connect and interpret their thought processes and needs. Time spent playing, walking and living with them forms a bond that’s almost unbreakable. Dogs play an important role in our lives, and to them, their owners are their whole world. But, as Wattle describes, for most people, their pet has become the light in their life as well.

It truly goes without saying that dogs are man’s best friend, and for Dorrance author Mary Wattle, her experiences with dogs reaffirm this idea. So, in celebration of National Pet Month and the love and happiness that our dogs bring us every day, week, month and year, grab a copy of Your Dog’s Best Friend: The Dog Sitter, today!

The post Your Dog’s Best Friend: The Dog Sitter appeared first on Dorrance Publishing Company.