Welcome
to Kira Adams' Spotlight Saturday! Every week I will be featuring a different
author in the industry. Indie, trad, small press, etc. The point is to help get
the word out about new authors and books they are releasing. Maybe you will
find your next favorite author. Maybe you will find a story that will touch
your soul. Maybe you will participate in the giveaway in hopes of winning a
prize. Whatever the case may be, thank you for being here.
This weeks featured author is Mya
O’Malley.
What
inspired you to begin writing?
For as long
as I can remember, I’ve been writing. I wrote an entire series of mermaid
stories (I still have some) for my grandmother when I was a child. I also enjoyed writing poetry.
As a young
adult, my focus was on college and becoming a special education teacher. I
still kept journals filled with poetry, but those poems were for me and I
didn’t consider publishing at that time.
Years
later, I felt that familiar tug to start writing again. This time, I wanted to write a full-length
novel. The first novel I ever wrote is
titled, Where There is Love. This book
is special to me because of course, it was my first, but also because of my
vulnerable, realistic characters. The plot
involves a mentor and protégé relationship and how both characters learn, grow,
and heal from one another.
Now, I’m
excited to tell you that I just published my tenth full-length novel and have
several published novellas as well.
My
inspiration comes from within, but it also comes from wanting to inspire my
daughter and others to reach for their dreams and to persevere, even if at
times, if that journey is tough. There’s truly nothing else quite like the
feeling of holding your own book in your hands and knowing that somewhere out
there, someone is reading it and becoming part of the story you created.
How
long have you been writing?
As I
mentioned above, I’ve been writing since I was a small child and loving every
minute of it.
When I was
taking post-graduate courses for my master’s degree in literacy, I got back
into the routine of writing. (essays this time) Once I finished my coursework,
I knew I had to keep going– I had to take a chance and write that first novel.
What book inspired you to begin
writing?
As much as
I love writing, I have always enjoyed reading as well. I’ve always devoured
books and I’m a lover of so many different genres.
Growing up,
I read books by Judy Blume, among many other great authors. Later, I enjoyed Dean Koontz and then James Patterson. Patterson’s early books like, Along Came a Spider and Kiss the Girls were such great mystery/thrillers. I also loved reading nearly
ever novel Nicholas Sparks has written. Liane Moriarty is another favorite author of
mine. Her stories are unique and have such relatable, emotional characters.
I guess you could say that the eclectic compilation
of authors I was exposed to helped to inspire me and to create my own stories
as an author.
If you had to choose a fictional
character from one of your books to have lunch with, who would it be and
why?
This would be so amazing.
Among my choices would have to be Liane Moriarty. I adore all of her
books. Liane Moriarty has a way of sucking you into her world as if you were
right there, experiencing everything as if you were the characters. The way her
protagonists think and view the world is so relatable and familiar. Her stories
always have surprising twists and characters and plots that stay with you long
after the story is finished. What Alice Forgot was one of my favorites.
I would love to have lunch with Ms. Moriarty and learn about
how she plots out her books and unforgettable characters.
What has been your biggest
accomplishment since publishing?
I can
remember when I wrote my first book and started the search for a publisher. It
was a dream come true to sign that very first contract. I have been so lucky to
work with amazing publishers such as Clean Reads, Solstice Publishing,
Touchpoint Press, and Blue Tulip Publishing. The fact that I published a book
is something I will always be grateful for, and with each title, I’m still so
thankful. Each book and all of my
characters stay with me and I consider that to be such a wonderful
accomplishment.
My last few
titles have been self-published, and I’ve enjoyed the experience of handling
every aspect of the publishing process on my own. I love the feeling of being
part of a publishing family as well as venturing out there on my own; it’s the
perfect combination.
Do you have anything else in the
works apart from your book/series?
I recently
published The House that Adelia Built,
a paranormal ghost thriller. My plans are to go back in and finish the last
book from the paranormal Maggie series.
It will be the last of the ghost/mystery trilogy and I have so many ideas for
how to finish off this series. These characters have a way of sticking with me–
growing, and evolving.
I might
even give a certain character her own spin-off book once I’ve completed the
trilogy. (If you are familiar with this series, think about a tough as nails
female cop with a major attitude and a big heart.)
What is the one piece of advice you
would give to aspiring authors?
I would advise
aspiring writers to never give up on their dream and keep writing. It’s
important for writers to colloaborate with fellow authors and accept
constructive criticism from a good support system. Writing can be a very
challlenging dream, but there’s nothing like getting your story out there for
others to read and holding your own book in your hands.
Prologue
1876
It was an evening like any other, yet it was to be a night that
she would never forget—for it was a crucial piece of the puzzle that would
ignite the course of Adelia’s destiny.
Sharp, crisp wind bit at every inch of her exposed skin.
Almost completely winded, Adelia spun her head once more, just to be sure she
hadn’t been followed here to the towering cliffs. A darkened sky matched her
desperate, dismal mood.
Augustus never disappointed in stealing any smidgen of brightness from her
mind, but tonight he had pushed until she too had crossed the thin line over to
the brink of madness.
Yes, her husband was going mad.
Insane.
Insane with rage, jealously, control, apparently sparked by
boredom and gin. Adelia couldn’t imagine a worse possible combination. One
could activate a fire sure to burn through and destroy any soul with those
caustic ingredients.
Whenever Augustus would finally place his head on the pillow beside her, Adelia
would wait out the thickness, the raw stench of alcohol and bitterness, until
she could finally allow herself to breathe once Augustus began to snore. It was
only then that her hands would grip the quilt, which rested upon her body. Then
she would cautiously count to fifty. Fifty usually did the trick, but at times
she had added a few seconds more, just to be sure.
Tonight, she had run for her life, not waiting for Augustus to pass out, leaving
before his before his head had even hit the pillow.
Now safely outside, her fists unclenched and her breathing
slowed until she could release the soft wail that fought to escape. As if she
couldn’t control it, her neck craned to spy behind her once more. Augustus had
been at the gin for hours today, starting much earlier than ever before; she
could only hope he wouldn’t give chase, that he would pass out cold.
Recently, she had fooled herself into thinking that, if only she could try hard
enough, perhaps they could get back to that sunny place where they had first
fallen deeply for one another.
Was there such a spell? She frowned, knowing such a magic ceased
to exist. Her trick no longer worked; she couldn’t fool herself into thinking
everything would be okay.
Not now.
Not anymore.
Months of self-reflection had consumed Adelia. She could hardly think of
anything else. At first, she wondered if their downfall could have possibly
been partly her own fault—Adelia may have played a hand at her heart’s
demise. But, no, she had yet to find one shred of proof that argued
against the fact that Augustus had been the one who had changed. Oh, it had
been ever so slightly at first. An offbeat comment here and there, a sideways
look. But after a few months, as surely as the dark tides shifted, it seemed
that once they made the lighthouse on the cliffs their home, the very beacon
which served to steer ships to safety in these treacherous waters diminished
her own brightness and replaced it with a gradual shift to darkness.
She clung to the small sliver of a chance that she could fix this. Yes, she
could throw her shoulders back and help this stranger her husband had shifted
into, before it was too late.
Surely some came back from the brink of madness, right? But then
the horrifying image that haunted her dreams plagued her mind once more. She
shut her eyes tight, pushing the vision out of her head.
Tonight her husband had sunk to a new low, even for him.
Before the hole proved too expansive to dig out of, she told herself she needed
to act—now.
Was that a shadow lurking in the distance? Was it Devon,
arriving early, or had Augustus found her?
Her heart leapt with fear. No, nobody was there. It must have
been the wind or possibly her mind playing tricks, for once she focused her
gaze on the spot, she could see nothing but the trees close behind her.
Adelia purposely slowed her breathing. She would need to put her
plan in place quickly, but for that, she would need to speak with Devon. He
should be here any minute.
But, there was the sound again. This time, she was sure she heard footsteps,
and when she called out, nobody responded. Now she stood, hands clenched in
tight fists, determined to face the unidentifiable figure approaching from
beyond.
There was nowhere to go, of course. No choice but to face the
unknown. Adelia turned her head, her vision lit by the full moon above. She
judged the distance from the edge of the cliff. There was no place else to go
but down.
It all started with
a woman and a lighthouse. The House that Adelia Built spins a tale full of
love, lies, and betrayal at the hands of a man Adelia calls Augustus—her own
husband.
In the late 1800s,
Augustus finds a job as lighthouse keeper on a beautiful, but isolated island.
He can’t wait to bring his new bride home to the lighthouse, set on majestic
bluffs, which have laid claim to many shipwrecks.
Augustus soon
suffers from the effects of self-induced isolation, as Adelia watches him
slowly lose his grip on reality until he turns mad, bringing forth dire
consequences.
Meet Hope, a modern
day quiet, quirky young woman with a case of agoraphobia—or so it would seem.
She feels an inexplicable pull toward the lighthouse and the bluffs beyond.
Hope struggles with her internal battle and seeks to find the truth about her
unsettling, recurring nightmares. Maybe then she can discover why she has
always felt so alone and unusual.
Enter Clooney, a
handsome, unassuming stranger who soon becomes so much more to Hope. The very
woman who has guarded her heart in the past will soon find herself wrapped in a
web of denial, leading to a heart-wrenching reality.
For every truth she
exposes, more heartache is found. Hope must come face-to-face with her worst
fears as she uncovers the mystery surrounding her spellbinding connection to
the lighthouse.
Amazon:
Amazon-
ASIN # B076R3S3P5
Barnes
and Noble:
Kobo:
iBooks:
Goodreads:
You
Tube trailer for The House that Adelia Built:
Smashwords:
Mya O’Malley was born and raised in
the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband,
daughter, and step daughters. The family also consists of a boxer, Destiny, and
a ragdoll cat named Colby.
Mya earned an undergraduate
degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She
works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the
lives of her students.
Mya’s passion is writing; she has
been creating stories and poetry since she was a child. Mya spends her free
time reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She is a romantic at
heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters. Mya likes to
travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica. Mya
is currently working on her eleventh novel.
Amazon
author page: http://www.amazon.com/author/myaomalley
Website:
www.myaomalley.com
Facebook:
facebook.com/myaomalley
Twitter: @MyaOMalley
Instagram: myaomalley
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