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Book-Fiction

Fleischerhaus Interview with author Melissa Bowersock

Greetings readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors and welcome to The ToiBox of Words. I’m your host Toi Thomas, author of Eternal Curse, and today I’m sharing a special interview with author, Melissa Bowersock, about her fiction book entitled, Fleischerhaus. Enjoy!

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Where did the idea for Fleischerhaus come from?

Interestingly enough, I had a friend who once told me she had been touring a concentration camp in Germany and had had a vision (or whatever you want to call it) of people hanging. This idea rolled around in my head for the longest time, but I would add bits and pieces to it from time to time. Finally it got to the point where it was developed enough to begin writing.

How did the title of this book come about?

Fleischerhaus is the name of the small concentration camp where the murder takes place. Fleischer in German means butcher, so basically House of the Butcher.

What genre is this book and why did you choose to make it so?

This book is hard to pigeonhole. Because the main thread of the story is the issue of reincarnation and how the lead character is affected by that, I consider it a paranormal. It’s also suspenseful and has a strong romance, so I include those in its genres, as well.

What would you say is the overall message or the theme of this book?

I find the issue of reincarnation to be infinitely interesting, and since more people in the world believe in it than don’t, I think others will, too. I’m also a hypnotherapist and I specialize in past-life regressions, so I’ve witnessed about 20 of my own past lives and have helped numerous people view their own. It’s a fascinating experience, and viewing our past lives can give us uncommon insight into the challenges and strengths we have in our current life. While this particular book doesn’t focus on the psychological aspect as much as the theme of justice, it will give readers an idea of how lives can intertwine and how actions of the past can be rectified in the present or future.

Tell me about the experience of writing this book; how long did it take.

This book has a checkered past. I had it about half done when I came up against a brick wall. For a while I floundered, not sure where I wanted to go with it, where it needed to go. I finally surrendered to the fact that I needed to put it aside and I began working on another book I’d had an idea for. That book, Stone’s Ghost, quickly took over. I wrote that one, then immediately got an idea for another ghost story, and that book, Burning Through, poured out like a river. After that one was done, then I returned to Fleischerhaus and found that I suddenly knew what direction I needed to go with it, and the rest of it just followed. All of the action takes place in Germany (where I’ve never been), so I did a lot of online research of Bavaria, the towns and countryside, the folk festivals, all of which I intertwine throughout the story.

Tell me about the main storyline within this book.

The book is about a young woman vacationing in Germany following her divorce. Because she had been blindsided by her husband’s infidelity, she is already questioning her own grasp on reality when she tours a small concentration camp and experiences a past-life memory of being murdered in that very camp during the Holocaust.

Who is the protagonist of this story?

The main character is Julia Martin, a 30-year-old elementary school teacher from Southern California. She’s smart, pretty and very capable. When this horrific memory crops up, she is determined to investigate it, even though her friends encourage her to forget it.

Who is the antagonist of this story?

The antagonist is the murderer. While the murder took place in the past life, there’s still a sense of impending danger and a need for justice.

What is the major conflict in this story?

Although it seems crazy, Julia is convinced that her murder in the past life was/is real, and she can’t simply let it slide. She’s driven to ferret out the details of the past life, then to address the crime in a way that gives meaning to the person she used to be.

Where and when is this story taking place?

The story is contemporary, set in 2003, in Bavarian Germany. The area is mostly rural with only small towns, and is a pastoral contrast to the gritty, desolate world of the concentration camp seen in the past life.

Who is your favorite character in this book?

Julia is my favorite, particularly because she doesn’t shy away from this memory or the concept behind it. She doesn’t consider herself particularly strong or brave, but the memory provides a flashpoint where she needs to take a stand, and she steps up to the challenge. I also like her friend, Maggie, who is very grounded and down-to-earth and has a wicked sense of humor.

Are there elements of your personality or life experiences in this book?

As a hypnotherapist, I have conducted past-life regressions numerous times and my own experience goes into that aspect of the story. When Julia undergoes hypnosis to find out more about her past life, the process–although abbreviated in the book–is very real and true to life. For those who have never been hypnotized or might think past lives are a fantasy, I can assure you this is exactly how it happens in real life.

What is one thing from this book you wish was real or could happen to you?

I’ve never experienced a spontaneous past-life memory like Julia does, and I think that would be interesting. I wouldn’t necessarily want one as dramatic as hers, but I’d like to know what it would feel like to have evidence of a past life wash over me.

What is something you wish wasn’t real and hope doesn’t happen to you?

Well, I certainly hope I never get murdered. Although I have encountered murder in one of my past lives, it was by poisoning and was not as dramatic or traumatic as the one in my book. That’s one area I don’t really want to do any true-life research for!

Do you have any special plans for this book in the near or far future?

I’ve got a couple of events coming up where I’ll be featuring the book. In August (after this post is published), I’ll be at an author’s forum in Cottonwood, AZ, and in October I’ll be at the Sedona (AZ) Book Festival. September is my birth month and I always like to give birthday gifts to my readers, so I’ll be running specials throughout the month on various books, including this one. Check out my webpage (www.newmoonrising.net) for more info.

Okay readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors, that’s all for today. Be sure to follow this blog to see who will be visiting next time. To obtain your copy of Fleischerhaus, please visit the links provided.

Amazon.com | BarnesandNoble.com

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Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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Excerpts Spotlights

Author Spotlight: Bruce Jenvey 1.1

spotlight

Bruce Jenvey is the award-winning author of Angela’s Coven and other tales of the paranormal. Here is an excerpt from his soon to be released third book in the Cabbottown Witch series, The Ragtime Coven, telling the story of the coven through the days of WWI and the Prohibition Era.

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The sounds of Aaron’s motorcycle had barely faded down the road when Aunt Maddy started hauling a large collection of jars and storage containers out of the back pantry. With the help of Andrea and Angela, it didn’t take long to bring all the pertinent stores out to the dining room table.

“Alright, ladies,” Aunt Maddy began, “It’s inventory time! What have we got? What’s still good? What are we missing?”

“I can’t thank you all enough for your help with this project,” Angela said as she set the last of the large sealed jars down on the table.

“Nonsense!” objected Celia. “This is what we do.”

“And to do it for family is certainly no hardship,” Evelyn added as she started shuffling through the smaller Mason jars at the far end nearest the windows.

“Our goal here,” clarified Aunt Maddy, “is to come up with a protective talisman for Aaron and we have got to do this before he leaves for Europe.”

“Are we even certain he’ll be drafted?” asked Andrea with a ray of hope.

“Don’t think with your head, girl,” Maddy corrected her. “Use your gift.”

“Use your ability as a Sensitive, sweetie,” Evelyn encouraged her in a less gruff tone than Maddy’s. “He’s young, he’s strong… smart. Even I can sense he’ll be among the first to go, and I’m a Finder.”

“Sorry…”

“No sorry about it,” Maddy stepped in again. “You may well be the best Sensitive I’ve ever seen, bar none. But you got to start drawing that card first instead of thinking things through like regular people. Here, try this. Sit down and close your eyes.” Andrea reluctantly took a seat next to Celia. “Now, they closed?”

“Yes, they’re closed…”

“Keep ‘em that way, now.” Maddy took one of the sealed jars from the center of the table and placed it in front of the younger woman. “Keep ‘em closed, and put your hands on this.” Andrea wrapped her hands around the Mason jar. Almost at once, a faint smile crossed her face. “What you got there, hon?”

“It’s… Milkweed Extract!”

“Mixed or straight up?”

“There’s Pudding Plant in there, too!”

“Exactly!” Maddy congratulated her. “Here’s another.” She traded the jars in front of Andrea.”

“This is… ground oak bark.”

“You’re not peeking now, are you?” Evelyn teased.

“Nope! Aunt Maddy’s right, I can feel it!”

“Well, try this one.” Maddy placed another sealed Mason jar before her.

“This is…” but Andrea’s face fell in confusion. “This is… Marinara sauce.”

“No it’s not,” Maddy objected. “That’s Egg Plant Puree with Sprig Weed in it.”

“No, it’s Marinara sauce!” Andrea insisted. She opened her eyes and looked at the label on the bottom of the jar. “See?”

“Well, how the heck did that get on the wrong shelf…” Maddy puzzled aloud as she took the jar from Andrea.

“Well,” Celia piped in, “That explains the other night’s lasagna disaster.”

“Hush up, Celia. At least you won’t have to worry about constipation for a month!”

Suddenly, Evelyn could no longer contain her laughter though she tried to stifle it with her hands. It was contagious around the table.

“It’s not that funny, Evelyn!” Maddy protested.

“Yes it is!” Evelyn laughed through the tears in her eyes. “Aaron had seconds!”

“Oh my God!” Angela put her hands over her own mouth as she laughed aloud. “He did!”

“Well then, he can thank me for two months. But we’ve got to go through all this stuff and see what’s good and what’s gone bad.”

“This jar of St. Isaac’s Root is cracked,” Celia announced, holding up one of the smaller containers. “Look, they’ve even started to turn that brownish-blue around the top edges.”

“Just toss that one right into the trash bin, there,” Maddy said with a furrowed brow.

“There’s something black growing in the bottom of this one.” Angela handed one of the smaller jars to Aunt Maddy.

“That’s okay, this is just some Queen Ann’s Lace seeds mixed in with Web Dew. It’s supposed to do that… but this one will be a couple years yet before it’s ripe.”

“A couple years?” Evelyn said in surprise.

“I told you guys it was a pretty weak harvest last fall. Probably because of the cold summer we had. It’ll get there, just taking its time.”

“But we don’t have a lot of time,” Angela said, biting her lip.

“Why are we going at it this way, Maddy?” Celia protested. “We’ve made talismans before.”

“And they’re all based on mustard seeds, too,” Maddy tried to explain.

“Best ones are,” Evelyn threw in.

“So why aren’t we going that route?” Andrea asked.

“Listen, Talisman 101 for all of you. A talisman works by repelling things, not by shielding or any kind of avoidance, it’s just a repellant, that’s all.”

“And mustard seeds are the best at that, right?” Celia’s patience was thinning.

“Yes, normally. But there’s a problem this time. The Germans have weaponized mustard seeds into their latest form of poison gas.” Looking at the blank looks around the table, Maddy continued. “Mustard gas is their latest, craziest way of killing each other in mass over there. I read all about it in the papers. It’s worse than anything they’ve used so far. Almost makes me think they’ve had someone like us helping them out, if you know what I mean.”

“None of our kind would ever do that!” Evelyn said indignantly.

“It’s a new world, Evelyn, you just never know. Anyway, we can’t make a talisman based on mustard seeds, not if it’s the same dang thing we’re trying to protect him from. It mostly likely would be useless.”

“Only most likely?” Celia questioned.

“What’s more than most? And anyway, it’s a risk I know we don’t want to take.” Maddy’s words brought silence around the table and tears to Angela’s eyes. It was Celia that spoke first, trying to lighten the moment and bring the focus back to their work.

“We could always send the Huns some of your Lasagna.” Celia’s words worked and a ripple of laughter rolled through the room.

“What about…” Evelyn’s smile suddenly faded away. “What about Golden Rod Buds?” At this very mention, Maddy’s face brightened and the twinkle returned to her eye.

“Yes! They got many of the same properties as Mustard seeds, but they aren’t from the same family at all!”

“And last year was a great year for Golden Rod,” Andrea interjected. “We were picking it for days.”

“And we’ve got lots of Druid Dust and Thistle Milk to go with it!” Maddy said as she quickly picked up and inspected several of the sealed jars. “Oakie Doakie, that’s our way in! Girls, put a couple fresh pots on to simmer, big ones, and start heating the water. Evelyn, you and Celia start measuring out the Golden Rod Buds from the dry bin in the pantry. And let’s clear this table in the process.”

With a clear direction to proceed, the women went to work and Aunt Maddy’s kitchen was busy indeed.

To read more from Bruce and get copies of the first two books in this powerful series, click here.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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Spotlights

Author Spotlight: Bruce Jenvey 1.0

spotlight

Today I would like to welcome Bruce Jenvey to the ToiBox of Words. He is here today to share with us the tales of his Cabbottown Witches. Enjoy!

image provided by author
image provided by author

Angela’s Coven:Reggie Sinclair is an aging British rock star living in New York City who has just found out he is terminally ill. He also has a very dark secret: When he was still an undiscovered teenager, he sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his great fame and success. As his life draws to an end, he prepares to face the inevitable until he stumbles upon a very enchanting, modern-day witch named Angela, and her untraditional coven.

This is a story of the struggle between good and evil with a cast of characters that ranges from guardian angels to young witches-in-training. Together, they have to come to terms with the uncertainties of love, loss, and life decisions to save Reggie from an unbearable eternity. Here is a plot filled with unexpected twists and surprises to the very last page that will also cast an entirely different light on anything you may have ever considered as faith!

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The Great Northern Coven:J.R. is a bush pilot who drifts into small town, Haines, Alaska and signs on with the local flying service. He’s looking for a fresh start and a place to hide from the painful past that literally haunts him. What he doesn’t realize is the local Inuit Indians believe he is the missing piece in an ancient prophecy they have been waiting centuries to unfold. His arrival sets in motion a series of events that risks everything for everyone, right down to their very souls. It also brings forth a great evil and the only one who can save them all has to draw on her long-forgotten heritage of witchcraft.

This is the second book in the Cabbottown Witch Novels and is a story of the struggle between good and evil with a wide range of characters from Lucifer and his minion, to pilots, barmaids and the ladies of the Tsonokwa Lodge… and of course, one very important Eagle-Man. But where Angela’s Coven centered on starting over and second chances, The Great Northern Coven is a story of letting go, moving on and taking that next step forward in our lives.

The Ragtime Coven: (Coming late 2014) The third book in the Cabbottown Witch series is a prequel to Angela’s Coven and ties all three books together in an unforgettable history of The Coven through the uncertainties World War I and the rough and tumble days of the Prohibition Era.

Benny: Benny Shapiro prays every day to be released from the pain and the indignities that have become his daily existence in the Good Sheppard Nursing Home. And, every night, he dreams of being a hero with super-human powers… But are they just dreams?

Kevin: Kevin Andrews is dead. Having lived a short but privileged life, he had not yet accomplished anything to define himself as good or evil in the hereafter, and is devastated to find himself rejected by Heaven and seated in Hell. Unfortunately, Lucifer doesn’t think Kevin is ‘his’ kind of people either…

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Bruce Jenvey is the award-winning author of Angela’s Coven and other tales of the paranormal. He was raised in rural Michigan with a great interest in history, popular culture and the paranormal. After twenty years in the advertising industry, he spent the next decade traveling the Great Lakes region as a journalist Now, Bruce has turned to fiction and shares many of his real-world experiences through his Cabbottown Witches.

Jenvey’s other works include: Heroes and Haunts of the Great Lakes, The Gun Primer (A Writer’s Guide To Firearm Facts For Fiction), The Complete Stupid Boat Ticks, and Christmas Eve At Shorty’s.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords