 Today I'm helping friends over at Patchwork Press celebrate their new anthology and the super-secret announcement of an upcoming anthology! But, here's the catch: we're not going to just tell you what it is, we're gonna make you hunt down the letters of the upcoming anthology's theme. And guess. But first, more about this cool locket:  Forged with magic, the locket's mission is to find it's family. The anthology follows the locket from 1630s India to Spiritualist 1890s America, then to the roaring 20s in New York. Ever seeking it's roots--the family of the old jewelcrafter who forged it--the locket resurfaces in 1945 Manila, present day, then the 2020s. Released this week by Patchwork Press, the Lost Locket of Lahari features authors Erica Crouch, Terra Harmony, Janna Jennings, Ruth Silver, and Kellie Sheridan. Pick up a copy here! Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks Without further ado, the authors of the locket: Erica Crouch, The EmpathErica's novella The Empath in the Lost Locket anthology surrounds the spiritualist movement of the 1890s in America. Seances, ghost hunts, and more! What did you enjoy most about writing this story? Some of my favorite scenes to write of The Empath were the creepy scenes. I did a lot of research into spiritualism — looking into both the skeptics and those claiming to have supernatural abilities. I learned how to read palms, which is really cool, and I also learned a lot about tarot. I really enjoyed writing the scenes where Odessa reads someone’s fates, either in the cards or on their palm, and of course the séance scenes were fun to write. Anything that’s a bit dark is right up my alley. Do you have any strange writing habits? Too many. For this story in particular, I found myself writing and editing on the ground more than normal. (Is there a normal amount of time to be writing/editing on the ground?) Sometimes sitting at a desk or on the couch just doesn’t do it for me, so I’ll set my laptop on its side, lie down next to it, and start working. I don’t know if it works because it gives me a new perspective of what I’ve written, or if it shakes something loose in my brain, but it works. It looks weird (and is weird), but it works! Do you have any themes that you return to again and again in your stories? Why? I hadn’t even thought about it until now, but I think I continue to return to themes about fate and destiny in my writing. Some of my stories and characters assert that there is no such thing as fate and that we write our own path, while others are all about embracing what we are meant to do and become. I’ve always been interested in the idea of fate, and I guess I just like debating it out with myself across multiple books. Terra Harmony, The DreamerTerra's story of the Locket, called The Dreamer, is in the exciting world of 1920s New York. Yet it shows us both extremes of those living at the time--poverty and excess. What was the hardest part of writing this story? The hardest part about writing 'The Dreamer' was the time period – the 1920's. I have never written in this era before, and haven't read very many books from this era. To get in the mood, I watched The Great Gatsby (twice – because, well – Leonardo DiCaprio). I also watched plenty of 'Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries' (on Netflix – I highly recommend). I definitely fell in love with the roaring '20s and look forward to writing more in this era! What book do you wish you could have written? My gosh – The Outlander series for sure! What I admire about Diana Gabaldon's books is the research effort that is evident within them. Military history and medical know-how combined with romance, action, and a touch of fantasy – these books are my all time favorites! Three things I learned by writing from character Olivia's point of view.
Janna Jennings, The ConfidantIn Janna's novella, the locket takes us to 1945 Manilla and into some deep, rich history. How did you become involved with the subject or theme of your story? I’ve always had a fascination for the time period that Emma’s story takes place. World War II touched so many peoples lives in so many ways, the stories that come from those years seem endless. So the era of the story was easy. The only other requirement I had was a strong female character. I started looking at what kind of young women would have those characteristics under the circumstances of war, and found a surprising number of woman spies operating in a time where women were barely allowed to wear pants. Emma’s story began to take shape from there. What were your goals and intentions in this story, and how well do you feel you achieved them? I wanted a story that would work well within the structure of the anthology, but with a distinct voice and flavor. A story that illuminate an important but little-known bit of history. I was very excited with how the short story turned out, especially since it was a point of view and genera I hadn’t worked in before. Are there underrepresented groups or ideas featured if your book? I think there is a lot written about the extermination of the Jewish people and the Nazi occupation during this time period. And that is how it should be, the atrocities should be brought to light. Less is known about the war in the Pacific, in particular about the liberation of Manila, and the deplorable conditions the people and POW’s endured during the long years of occupation. Even less is brought to light about women and their role in world wide conflict, from the Rosie’s that riveted their way through the war to Virginia Hall, the American spy who parachuted behind enemy lines in France to organize the resistance there, all with only one leg. What book do you wish you could have written? The Time Traveler’s Wife. I envy Audrey Niffeneger’s ability to not only keep the back and forth of time travel straight, but to write it in a way the reader can follow it too. Three things I learned from writing a story set in 1945 Manilla:
Ruth Silver, The AdventurerRuth's story takes us into a present day adventure where the locket reemerges! Now for some insight into Ruth's writing and dreams: Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)? Well I’ve never tried standing on my head to write! I do however find myself thinking up new ideas before I fall asleep. I keep a notebook handy and jot them down so I don’t forget it. Where is one place you want to visit that you haven't been before? I would love to travel to Paris. The closest I’ve been is Paris in Las Vegas and it’s not quite the same thing. What secret talents do you have? Well, it’s not a huge secret but I used to be a professional photographer. I’d photograph weddings and ran my own business for a few years. And finally, a Clue: That's it! To find the rest of the clues, meet us at Janna Jennings' blog tomorrow! And if you missed the first three posts, you can find them here:
Lost Locket of Lahari Scavenger Hunt on the PWP Blog Playlists on Hannah Davies' blog Moodboards on Erica Crouch's blog
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