Samantha Clark meets with a monthly group to delve into subjects of interest. They dabble in meditation, dream work, and hypnosis — just friends having fun. But lately Sammi is feeling off-kilter and plagued with poor sleep. Searching for a natural solution, she discovers a bitter herb known to induce slumber, whips up a concoction to sweeten the herb, and imbibes. Unbeknownst to her, these areas of experimentation are whirling together to form the perfect storm, one that will blow open an entrance in Sammi’s mind that leads to another world, a door that can never again be closed.She becomes enmeshed with two friends in a tug of war between life and death: Melissa is dealing with a complicated pregnancy and Julie is wrestling with cancer. Adding to this turmoil is Sammi’s disconnect with her career as a psychotherapist; her life doesn’t seem to fit any longer. Into the drama walks Todd, a handsome, laid-back guy who lightens up her days. Trouble is, Sammi is having a hard time getting close, and a nagging sense of doubt and fear. Like so many times in the past
But the topper to all this is the dreams. They begin innocuously…but quickly morph into mind-blowing spiritual adventures. The crazy nocturnal activity appears to be related to a soulful character trying to make himself known. In a quest to uncover the truth, Sammi researches clues discovered during her nighttime romps. What she finds is another facet of herself…all wrapped up in post-colonial 18th-century clothes. Sammi flies off to New England, and with the aid of the Reverend Clark, her skeptical father, she embarks on an adventure, revealing a tragic, centuries-old mystery. One only Sammi can solve.
The DSM. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. A voluminous, invaluable tool used by psychotherapists the world over to diagnose individuals with mental illness. Referenced by Samantha Clark countless times throughout her career, never suspecting that one day it would save her life.
Samantha receives a seemingly innocent but anonymous letter, and overnight her world changes forever. She becomes a victim in a frightening game of cat-and-mouse, a nightmare that begins when her boyfriend, Todd, fails to return to the wellness retreat they own in the woods of Florida. Working closely with police, Samantha and two trusted friends discover that Todd’s disappearance is linked to a series of murders occurring in a nearby county. They soon find themselves prey to a mentally ill patient from Samantha’s past, bent on revenge. With time bearing down, they must weave together the clues found in a succession of ominous letters and the DSM to save Todd. Their mission to unravel the mystery behind the kidnapping plunges them into a terrifying maze of danger, deception, and madness.
AUTHOR
INTERVIEW WITH KATHRYNE ARNOLD
TELL US A LITTLE
ABOUT YOUR WRITING JOURNEY.
Throughout my
school years, I dabbled in poetry and short stories, purely for personal
self-expression. I experimented with a creative writing class in college, but
never pursued my secret desire of a writing career, feeling the vocation was
too self-indulgent, not sensible enough for my German blood. Over the next
twenty years, I concentrated further on my work in counseling and social
services, later becoming a licensed practitioner. Several years ago, due to a
deep yearning to express my feelings in a more artistic manner, I literally sat
down one day and began writing my first novel. The resultant book, The
Resurrection of Hannah, (published in 2011) had been born out of a series of
powerful dreams, along with compelling and coexisting experiences that inspired
me to create a story that would capture the strength of my emotions. Once bitten
by the writing bug, I could not help but pen my second work of fiction, The Fear of Things to Come, which was
published in the summer of 2012. I am
now in the process of writing another novel in what I consider a unique
collection of adventure stories, the third in the Samantha Clark Mystery
Series. I occasionally write thought-provoking, inspirational blogs, which are
published on my website and other social media sites.
WHAT DO YOU
ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
That I can turn
into myself and get in what is termed “the flow”- an emotional and creative
space where time melts away. I become one with my writing space and the written
word, hours fly by without a notice. I had a longing to shape a tale based
around individuals in my life that I believed would make engaging characters. I
had a strong desire to experience a higher level of creativity, to literally
produce something out of nothing– a fascinating and challenging endeavour I
could not ignore.
WHAT IS THE
HARDEST ASPECT OF WRITING?
Finding a block
of uninterrupted “me time”to engage in writing when I’m not mentally drained,
or too physically tired. I work at a demanding full-time job, and being single
means I have to take care of every other aspect of my life, leaving little energy
left over for creative undertakings. I’ve been very fortunate in that I never
experienced the dreaded “writers block”. I’ve been fleetingly stuck here and
there, but mostly because something else was going on in my life that was
taking precedence. But usually a good night’s sleep or some fun clears my fuzzy
brain, and I can get right back into the work of writing.
HOW MUCH
RESEARCH GOES INTO YOUR STORYLINE?
Quite a bit of
research and study goes into formulating the plot/subplots, overall theme of
the novel, character development and any historical elements that might be of
importance. I want any subject or activity mentioned in my books to sound
realistic, and that I am relatively knowledgeable about that which I write. For
example, when writing about the incredible garden at the manse in Gableton
(based on Gloucester) Massachusetts where the character Hannah lived, I
researched extensively the flowers, greenery, trees, etc. that would have beenindigenous
to the area back around 1785. It was then important that I describe every
aspect of the garden in a convincing manner, and it was necessary to find
pictures/drawings of everything that was to be in this garden in order to be as
accurately descriptive as possible.
HOW DO YOU PLAN
YOUR STORYLINE?
I don’t really
sit down much and plan a storyline. I have a rough draft in my head and start
documenting a major theme, some characters, plot(s), point of view, etc. I use Microsoft
Word and make files for characterization, research, short descriptions of
chapters, etcas I’m developing them. I’m big into organization and prioritizing
generally in life, so this goes also for reviewing and editing. With the
initial writing, often I’m just sort of daydreaming about my book, questioning
where it might go, or I sit around, clear my head, and think about difficulties
with the writing that I want to hash out. I let ideas flow in and out and try
not to censure myself too much, keeping my mind open to new thoughts and
possibilities of where the book might go. I became aware along time ago that
the writing is not following me, but I am following the writing. The story
takes me where I need to go, the path it should naturally take. It’s exciting
and fun to see where my mind and ideas lead me. Often this is when I write my
best work and it usually makes sense to the story, and if for some reason I
later discover that it doesn’t, I can just delete it!
WRITERS ARE
SOMETIMES INFLUENCED BY THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN LIVES. ARE YOU?
What inspired me to write my first
book took place over many months after much curiosity with alternative health
practices and treatment modalities, which I was always interested in,
especially since I work in one of the healing professions as a mental health
therapist and hypnotherapist. I met with a group of counselors and nurses that
met monthly who had a collective interest in talking about and experimenting
with a myriad of subjects, such as meditation, hypnosis, dream interpretation,
reincarnation, and the like. Our lives were becoming more intertwined and
closer because of our group meetings and the intimacy of some of the topics we
discussed, so that played into the book as well.
Several of us were working at a hospice
at the time, so we talked a lot about practices used there, such as reiki,
aromatherapy, therapeutic touch. We talked often about our experiences at the hospice
working with dying patients and their families. I personally had a lot of
existential questions, such as the meaning of suffering, what was our purpose
here on earth, what about an afterlife, those sorts of things. At the same
time, I was also frequenting health food stores and started researching and
using more herbs and supplements to help increase my energy level, improve my immune
system and sleep, etc.
Well, all of these events and
relationships seemed to come together at the same time in my life when all of a
sudden I had my first overpowering, I guess you would call it a “dream”
experience, which was way more than just a regular dream. It was very surreal,
full of color, depth and texture, where I felt I was watching it at the same
time I was experiencing it, what one would term an out-of-body experience. I
couldn’t ignore what had occurred because of its impact and intensity. I didn’t
know or understand what had happened, which sort of shocked me and pushed me
into questioning even more about the “here and now”, alternative levels of
existence, the way energy manifests itself, and so on. I truly believe, and
always will, that I was blessed to have had several extraordinary dream events
and know that they happened for a reason, primarily I think to wake me up, to
move me along, to help me better reach my potential. So after all these events
I mentioned occurred over a period of about 18 months, and upon the urgings of
one of the group members to write a book, I just sat one day and began writing.
TELL US ABOUT
YOUR PUBLICATIONS/AWARDS IF ANY?
I’m pretty new on the writing scene, so I
haven’t won any awards, but I’m hoping to submit some of my work in the future
when I have the time. I’ve written the sequel to The Resurrection of Hannah,
which came out several months ago. I was pleasantly surprised when The Fear of
Things to Come hit the Amazon Bestseller list during a giveaway; it was #16 out
of the Top 100 free ebooks in all of the Suspense category. In December 2012,
Chique Travel Books published the Chique Travel Anthology 2012, titled “The Beauty
and Inspiration of Travel”. I’m proud to say that I was asked to be one of the
co-authors for this delightful, uplifting book by a group of wonderful authors.
WHAT IS THE MOST
SURPRISING THING ABOUT WRITING/PUBLISHING THAT YOU HAVE LEARNT?
Just how much
work goes into both. I used to think that you wrote a book and zap, it was out
there and people would just want to read it. It is infinitely more difficult
than that. You have to really put your work out there, stand behind it, be open
to marketing and publicizing your books. I used to be humble and shy talking
about my book/blogs, but that doesn’t get you anywhere. People want to hear
about your work, your life, how you write, how the heck you got published, etc.
So even though I’m still a bit hesitant to talk so openly about my books, it
has helped tremendously with public speaking and learning to use the internet
to create buzz and exposure for your writing.
DO YOU HAVE ANY
TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS?
Follow your own
voice, your own intuition and style. Develop your own method of putting words
to paper, listen and pay attention to your inner callings. Don’t be swayed by
others. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. This also holds
true for editing, promotion, developing presentations, etc. Learn to really
know yourself, and then to believe in yourself. It is obviously important to
pay attention to experts in the field, and those that have you in their best
interest. Be open, but cautious. Trust your instincts and follow what is
important to you. Try not to be influenced too much by other writers that you
admire, stay true to yourself. You will hear a hundred different ways you
should do something. When overwhelmed or unsure of which road to take, and
trust me, this will occur many times in your writing life, I suggest that you
stand still, breathe, lighten up and guide yourself toward what feels genuine
and honestto you.
OTHER THAN
WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LOVE?
I love the
outdoors, walking and exercising when I have the time, especially on the beach.
After work, I love sitting on my porch and staring at the wide-open bay, a cool
breeze flowing over me, with the wind chimes clinking around, just decompressing.
I love baking cookies, and of course, eating too many of them. I love to
travel, which I never seem to have enough time or money to really indulge. I
like to spend quality time with my friends and family. Of course I adore my toy
poodle, playing and cuddling with her. And movies, can never get enough of
them!
WHO IS YOUR
FAVOURITE AUTHOR AND WHY?
This is
definitely a hard one! Don’t think I can boil it down to one author, but I
would have to say Eckhart Tolle. His books are so clarifying and enriching,
they feed my soul. Makes me want to be a better version of myself, to strive
for excellence, to open myself up more to the universe, to understand and
relate to others on a higher, more spiritual level.My favorites are A New Earth:
Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose and because I am an animal lover, Guardians of
Being: Spiritual Teachings from Our Dogs and Cats.
WHAT FIVE WORDS
BEST SUM YOU UP:
Adventuresome
Inquisitive
Genuine
Youthful
Persistent
HOW CAN WE LEARN MORE?
A good way to get a general overview is to visit my website at
www.kathrynearnold.com. See the Author tab to read my
autobiography, which will allow you to know me on a more personal level. The
Books tab lists a brief synopsis of both novels, as well as links that will
take you to each of their first chapters. You may check out my Blog page,
showing both my recent or past blogs, which are kept in the Blog archive. The
Guestbook page allows readers to view or write a review or comment, which I
strongly encourage. Please view the Events tab to keep up with my current book
appearances as well as all the events I have engaged in since
The Resurrection of Hannah launched in Spring, 2011. Lastly, you can use
the Contact page to access my various social media sites or to reach me through
my confidential email address.
I have quite an active FB fanpage,
website and Twitter account, which I utilize daily, and I’m always welcoming
new followers with whom to connect. I have profiles on Goodreads, Amazon Author
Central, and LinkedIn. The links to my websites/profiles are listed below. I
would love to hear from you!
Website: www.kathrynearnold.com
Fanpage: facebook.com/arnoldauthor
Twitter: twitter.com/KathryneArnold
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4901656.Kathryne_Arnold
LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/pub/kathryne-arnold/2a/440/69
SheWrites: www.sheWrites.com/profile/KathryneArnold
Amazon Author Central:
www.amazon.com/-/e/B004U2W0XE
I was raised in the northeastern United
States, in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and resided in a half-dozen
homes or towns throughout my growing up years. My father was a reverend with a
flourishing career, moving the family to various parishes as his calling
dictated, which I view in a positive light as I was exposed to different
communities and lifestyles. After graduating from high school at the age of
seventeen, I shook off my less worldly roots when I moved with my father to
Massachusetts, a seemingly more sophisticated and progressive state. It was
there that I embarked on a learning journey, thrilled at living so close to the
sea in the artsy and historic fishing village of Gloucester, the hex signs and
covered bridges soon a fond memory.
Thrilled to begin college in New England, I jumped in with both feet
and managed to excel in biological and psychological studies, despite majoring
in dating. Throughout my school years, I dabbled in poetry and short stories,
purely for personal self-expression. I experimented with a couple of creative
writing classes, but never pursued my secret desire of a writing career,
feeling the vocation was too self-indulgent, not sensible enough for my German
blood. I remained focused on psychology and received a Bachelor of Arts degree,
upon which I secured my very first “real” job as a Senior Psychiatric Counselor
at a group home for adults with mental illness. Wanting to further my learning,
I attended Suffolk University in Beacon Hill in Boston, and graduated two years
later, obtaining a Masters degree in Counseling and Human Relations.
Soon afterward, feeling weighed down by too many sunless days and
frigid winters, I decided to move to a much lighter state, and settled in
bustling Pinellas County in southwestern Florida. Over the next twenty years I
concentrated further on my work in counseling and social services and became a
licensed practitioner. During these years, my career included being a social
services director for a nursing center, program manager for a rehabilitation
agency, social services consultant for nursing centers, program director of an
Alzheimer’s unit, and a hospice counselor.
Several years ago, due to a deep longing
to express my feelings in an alternative manner, I literally sat down one day
and began writing my first novel. The resultant book, The Resurrection of
Hannah, had been born out of a series of powerful dreams, along with
compelling and coexisting experiences that inspired me to create a story that
would capture the strength of my emotions. I had a yearning to shape a tale
based around individuals in my life that I believed would make engaging
characters. I had a strong desire to experience a higher level of creativity,
to literally produce something out of nothing– a fascinating and challenging
endeavor I could not ignore. It was during this time that I moved for a short
duration to Houston, Texas where I became a clinical hypnotherapist and a
nationally certified counselor, as well as starting a private practice as a
psychotherapist.
But I grew “antsy” as my father used to
say and decided to move back to friends and family in Florida and worked again
at the local Hospice, then more recently in community mental health. Once
bitten by the writing bug, I could not help but pen my second work of fiction,
The Fear of Things to Come. I am now in the process of writing another novel in
what I consider a unique collection of adventure stories, the third in the
Samantha Clark Mystery Series.
Sharon x
http://www.beckvalleybooks.co.uk
http://www.beckvalleybooks.blogspot.com
Great interview! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWanda