Book Blitz: Fated Memories
Fated Memories by Joan Carney
Publication date: April 15th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Time-Travel
A woman, a war, a vision of the future past…
Burdened with the scars of a tortured childhood and a shattered romance, Kitty is being forced to resign from the dull, anonymous job she’s been hiding behind. With her life in shambles and her friends moving on without her, she jumps at her cousin, Maggie’s, invitation to visit. However, Maggie’s new boyfriend, Simon, has a secret that accidentally hurls the trio a hundred and fifty years into the past. Trapped in the midst of the bloodiest war in American history, the events that unfold will require more mettle than Kitty’s ever had.
EXCERPT:
Kitty’s hands shook and her vision blurred with tears. It didn’t matter. After having read the short note three times, the words ‘… transfer to the second floor’ had been engraved on her brain. She’d found the letter in her mail slot at the hospital where she worked, just this morning. That’s Richard’s floor! The wound from their breakup still scarred her heart. What do I do now? Quit my job?
The elevator doors opened and Richard Delaney stepped off surrounded by his physical therapy staff, who were tittering at one of his clever quips. Kitty wheeled around, making a beeline for the restroom. She couldn’t let him or those bitchy nurses see her cry. In her haste to become invisible, she miscalculated the corner of the wall and, smacking her shoulder against it, bounced back flat on her ass. Silence washed over the unit as everyone’s eyes turned to her.Flushed with embarrassment, she scrambled to her feet, faced her audience and curtsied. “I’m here all week, folks, don’t miss the show!” Then she burst through the lady’s room door.
Kitty locked herself in the stall, working to salvage her dignity while dialing her cell phone for her pillar of strength; the one who always knew what to do.
“Ma?” Despite her efforts to control it, her voice still shook.
“Kitten, honey, are you crying? What’s the matter, are those silly boys in school teasing you again? Should I go speak with the principal?”
“Funny, Mom, no I only need to talk to someone. Remember when I told you the hospital makes the ward clerks reapply for their jobs every few years so they can weed out the ones they no longer want? Well, it’s that time again. I got my take-it-or-leave-it offer today and it says they’re bumping me from the step-down unit, to the pits of the med/surg dungeon. If I don’t accept it, I’ll be out of a job. I don’t know what to do.”
Silence.
“Mom, are you still there?”
“Yes, I’m here.” She blew out a long breath. “Kitty, you’re a smart lady, but if you don’t respect yourself enough to stand up and take charge of your life, you’ll always be at the mercy of others. Remember, the choices we make follow us and decide our fate.”
“I know, Mom, but…”
“The best advice I have for you, sweetheart, is to move home with us so you can go back to college and learn more marketable skills.”
Kitty had battled with them before over this. In her mind, living with her parents at her age was the same as having a big red letter “L” tattooed on her forehead. “I see, okay. Um, I have to get back to work now. I’ll talk to you later, Ma. Thanks for listening.”
As she washed off the mascara tracks from her tears, she studied her reflection in the restroom mirror, mulling over the misery that was her life. You’re almost thirty years old, Kitty Trausch, what have you got to show for it? A man? Not since Richard dumped me last year. A career? More like a crappy job that’s become unbearable.
Kitty remembered her mom’s mantra “When the world gets rough,” she’d say, “remind yourself of the good things you have.” She thought hard for a positive slant, but only came up with her prized closet full of shoes and salvation from her acne plague. Great, at least that and two-seventy-five will get me on the subway. Oh, and one more good thing. Rooming with Sonia allowed her to walk the short distance to the hospital and not have to ride the train from Tuckahoe to Manhattan. Wow, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude.
Author Bio:
A transplant from the Bronx to San Diego, Joan’s lucky number is four. She has four children, four grandchildren, drinks about four cups of coffee a day, and is now enjoying her fourth career as a novelist. When not planted in front of the computer writing or doing genealogy research, Joan enjoys spending time with family and friends and volunteers at the local church.
Interview
with Time Travel Romance author Joan Carney
I welcome Joan Carney to my blog today.
Though she and her five siblings were born in New York City, Ms. Carney and her
family now enjoy living in the sunshine of Southern California. When not at her
computer writing or revising a story, she can be found sipping espresso at the
local coffee house or browsing her local bookstore’s shelves. For more about
Ms. Carney, visit her website at joancarneyauthor.com
Fated Memories is the story of a
beleaguered woman forced to field the curve balls life has thrown her, and to
discover her hidden inner strength.
Burdened with the scars of a tortured childhood and a
shattered romance, Kitty is being forced to resign from the dull, anonymous job
she’s been hiding behind. With her life in shambles and her friends moving on
without her, she jumps at her cousin, Maggie’s, invitation to visit. However,
Maggie’s new boyfriend, Simon, has a secret that accidentally hurls the trio a
hundred and fifty years into the past. Trapped in the midst of the bloodiest
war in American history, the events that unfold will require more mettle than
Kitty’s ever had.
Tell us about your book? How did it get started?
Fated Memories is a story of time
travel, romance and one woman’s journey to self-realization. When I researched
my father’s family tree, I was thrilled to find ancestors who had fought in the
Civil War. After reading everything I could find on the daily lives of the soldiers
and their families, I wondered how a woman of our time—albeit a neurotic,
emotionally scarred one—would fare if dumped there, unprepared. Coming from a
society of empowered women, could she survive in a world where women have no
status? With a transport method devised, two companions to keep her on track,
and a few opportunities for romance, a novel was born.
Where do you write? Is there something you need in order to
write (music, drinks)?
The window in my office faces a serene
lake with ducks and seagulls squawking in the distance. When I’m stuck for the
perfect word or phrase, I gaze out at the light sparkling on the water and
allow the alpha brain waves to flow. If that doesn’t work, I do the opposite
and munch on chips, crackers, anything chocolate or high in carbs to stimulate
my creativity. The calories are balanced out with long walks around the lake
or, if I’ve been especially brilliant, I reward myself with a couple hours
trolling the department store racks.
The female protagonists in this novel are strong and outspoken.
Did you take any of their characteristics from your own relatives or circle of
friends?
Whether born that way or
forced by circumstance, nearly all the women I know, including my two
daughters, are strong and independent, with dynamic personalities. Those are
the same traits I relate to the most in the books I read and the movies I
watch. My characters are a conglomeration of all of them with a few quirks of
my own thrown in for good measure.
What would your advice be for authors or aspiring in regards to
writing?
Jot down every idea for a story that
comes into your head so you don’t forget it. Your list will be invaluable when
you come up dry or just need inspiration.
I wrote my first draft entirely by the
seat of my pants and wound up having to slash off about a third of the
manuscript. From this experience I can tell you to outline as much of the book
as you can. It’s worth taking the time up front to ensure a well-developed and
structured book in the end. Once the outline is complete and weak points and
any areas where the pace lags are defined, the story practically writes itself.
What novel do you wish you had written?
I love to read. My
favorites are mysteries, spy stories, and anything by Stephen King, although
sometimes his endings frustrate me (So it was just a spider after all,
really?). But “The Bridges of Madison County” by Robert Waller cultivated my
appreciation for fine prose like no other. It is the most beautifully written
book I’ve ever read. The words flow with such precision, I have to wonder if
some divine intervention took place. That is the mastery I strive for.
How much research was
involved in writing your book? How did
you go about it?
It
was important to get the circumstances of the era right, so I used a variety of
resources. I read books and consulted old newspapers on the conditions of the
camps and battle strategies as well as personal accounts from Civil War nurses
and soldiers. The internet provided a wealth of material on medical practices,
battle maps, uniforms and the exploits of the Bucktails unit that Simon joins.
An excellent resource turned out to be the genealogy websites where people
posted letters and newspaper accounts of their ancestors depicting their daily
routines and special accomplishments.
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