Well it has been a crazy week for me. Everything from the man in the wheel chair who followed me down the street barking and growling at me, to the nude tweaker I had to help herd out of the street so he wouldn't get hit by a car to the lady who informed me that two of her personalities weren't talking to one another, made for one very special week.
The sad part is, the full moon isn't even until next week. Well at least it might provide material for a sequel to "Life is a Circus Run by a Platypus," right?
Well, luckily, my week had a good point too. I had a chance to read a wonderful book by Denise Greenwood called "Temptation."
Denise Greenwood's darkly humorous and poignant work, "Temptation," is a captivating read. The book immerses the reader into the lives of the characters as they both deal with their own inner struggles and find themselves intertwined in the stories of others.
Denise's characters feel distinct and authentic, not just in their personal battles and desires, but in the way that they talk, react to one another and think. "Temptation" holds a reader's attention as each character's unique story unfolds to reveal new and deeper details that lend to a larger, compelling story. I would recommend "Temptation" to anyone who truly wants to lose themselves in a book for a while, I promise you will find yourself forgetting about the outside world entirely.
I not only got to read and review this work, but I also snagged an interview with Denise!
What inspired you to start
writing?
It was a childhood dream, like
some kids want to be ballet dancers or astronauts, I always wanted to write but
found I had nothing to say. My life became geared to a career and family, then,
after a traumatic couple of years I found I had experiences and events I had to
get out of my system and an idea came to me. The storyline for my first book "Temptation" slowly formed in my mind and I thought about it for a year before
I finally sat down one day to see if I could write. To my surprise, I wrote the
first chapter in one sitting and knew then that I had to continue. I was
compelled.
You have a plethora of unique
characters in "Temptation," how did come up with not only your
characters, but their distinct stories?
Characters are an amalgamation of
people I know, once knew and myself if split into several personalities. Some
of their very distinct stories are based on actual events doctored to fit the
storyline and character. For example the chapter ‘A Kiss for Bobby’ actually
happened but it was told as an important aspect of one of the character’s
lives.
Which of your characters was
your favorite to write?
Reverend Jacob Alecks who appears
in both ‘Temptation’ and ‘Star Keeper’ has to be my favourite. His suffering, confusion,
decline into semi-madness in full public view and then surprise at the
consequences was like watching a child grow up. He matured and evolved as I
wrote.
How many of your characters
are based on people you actually know? How many of those people, if any,
realize that you've based characters in your book after them?
Each character is a mixture of
traits, conversations and experiences of people I know mixed with a sprinkling
of self and then a spoonful of imagination. I would be very amused if any of
the people recognized something of themselves in any of my books and that is a
luxury only a writer, actor or film maker can enjoy.
What was your favorite part
about the whole writing experience?
The whole process is cathartic and
releases ghosts and demons that would otherwise be without a voice. As I write,
I come to terms with personal events and the crazy things people say and do. If
I had to compare it with anything, then it is like Mr Hyde being able to
release Dr Jekyll on a leash.
If you could open a
restaurant with any literary character (from your book or not) who would it be?
Tommy Knight from ‘Temptation’
goes on into my second book ‘Star Keeper’ and opens my ideal restaurant, a
bistro-bookshop. He combines fine dining and wine with reading and debate.
But, if I could choose someone I would run it with then it would have to be
Annie Kinsella from the adaptation of W.P. Kinsella’s ‘Shoeless Joe.’ I love
free spirits who will stand up for what they believe in even if it’s
unconventional.
What kind of a response from readers has "Temptation" been receiving?
I loved a review that described
"Temptation" as “unique and risky” but quite a few readers have told me that they
“laughed out loud” at some of the chapters. My story lines are often quite
serious at heart and characters deeply layered but by using humour I diffuse
otherwise tense and shocking scenes. It has been personally gratifying to hear
my books described so.
If you are interested in finding a copy of "Temptation" it is on Amazon, Kobo and Barnes and Noble.
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