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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!

image provided by author

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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EC: Giovanni's Angel Fun Hops

Wined, Dined, and Read Blog Tour and #FreeBook Giveaway!

I was invited to this, pretty cool, blog tour by the lovely M.C.V. Egan, author of the powerful novel, The Bridge of Deaths. She knew this food themed tour would be right up my alley. I actually have an intimate relationship with food and always find ways to slip it into my stories. So, without further ado, here I go comparing my book, Eternal Curse to food…Be sure to check out the giveaway at the end.


About the book:

1) If your main character were a glass of wine, which one would they be?

I think that if Giovanni was to be compared to a glass of wine, it would have to be something rare and exotic, perhaps something made from a very small and exclusive vineyard. He’d definitely be a dry red. The wine would have undertones of currant, sage, and perhaps even Rosewood (or some other strong wood). He’d be a drink to take with caution, not something to sip daily, but something to savor in desperate moments or in celebration of great triumphs.

2) Describe your book in one meal:

This is the question I’d hope to be asked. I believe meal time is important to the human condition. The way people cook their food, prepare their plates, and then gather or commune around a table or a circle on the floor says a lot about the character of the people and the relationships they develop. In Eternal Curse, I describe a few meals that my characters partake in as they develop their “family unit”. The one that I feel embodies the overall tone and message of the story, goes like this:

Three Green Pea Soup (an original recipe written for this book), Grilled turkey and mozzarella Panini’s with sun-dried tomatoes, and a pear tart for dessert. A great deal of planning, time, and love went into this meal and it was shared by my characters at a time when their bonds were just beginning to form.

3) What candy would your book be?

I know it sounds cliché, especially if you’ve read the book, but I’d say semi-sweet dark chocolate. It’s a great representation of the light and dark elements of this story.

4) What does your book smell like?

This is another easy question to answer considering the abundance of smells that appear in my book. In the olfactory sense, I’d describe this book as: a cup of green tea-coco (a drink designed for this story) being sipped in a garden just after dawn when the morning dew is still fresh.

5) Your book’s snack would be:

I actually had to think about this one or a while. I don’t think my characters do a lot of snacking in this story and I’m not a big snacker myself, so this required some extra thought. Then I considered a very small but important part of my story’s setting and then thought of one of the few things I do actually like to snack on. In the book, Giovanni’s home, Sinclair Manor, has apple trees leading up to his house and I adore eating apples. So, there you have it. It’s a healthy snack.

About the author:

1) Describe your most memorable meal:

I could go on for days describing countless meals that have stayed with me for positive reasons, but there is one that reminds me of home and family. My mother isn’t a bad cook; she just never cooked a lot. It’s not her thing, but she did make this one thing on a regular basis during my childhood. It’s a vegetable stew infused with rice and southern cornbread. Just thinking about it, doesn’t necessarily make me hungry, but it does make me long to be with my family. I may have to call my mother when I finish writing this.

2) One food word to describe your writing style:

Filling: I pack quite a bit into a relatively small portion.

3) What will someone find you eating/drinking when you’re really into a good book?

I’m probably drinking tea unless it’s really cold outside and then I switch to coco. I don’t usually eat while reading, but when I do it’s usually some kind of fruit or toast.

4) Sweet or Salty?

Both: homemade trail mix with sesame sticks, peanuts, crasins, and banana chips


For next week, I’ve passed the baton to two wonderful authors you’ll definitely want to check out.

Be sure to see what Glynis Rankin, Bridget Straub,  and Andrew Hess will be sharing, next Friday, September 12th.

Win a Free paperback copy of Eternal Curse.

Share this post with one of the options listed below and then leave a comment letting me know how you shared. Please also, tell me why you’re interest in a copy of this book.

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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Author Insights Videos

It’s a brand new day on You Tube!

So, last year I launched my You Tube channel unsure of what I was going to do with it. I knew I wanted to interview authors and help support their books, but it’s crazy how many authors are afraid of video interviews. Not that I love being in front of a camera myself, but I’m not exactly camera-shy either. I really wanted my channel to be a way to connect with people, but it seemed to just be a little lacking.

I’ve been working hard all summer trying to find a solution to this problem and I think I have some ideas that could really work, if only I can find an audience to embrace them. I will continue my efforts to interview authors whenever I can find some brave enough, but I’ll also be adding in some purely entertainment content that I find interesting. I will continue my book snippets “Toi Reads” whenever the mood strikes and will continue to promote my own works whenever an opportunity is appropriate, but I’d like this channel to be less about me and more about everything around me.

I’ll be making efforts to reach out to friends, family, colleagues, and strangers to both guest host and sponsor videos. Guest hosting is a free endeavor that helps me and whoever participates. It provides my audience with some variety and keeps them from having to stare at me constantly. For the guest hosts, it’s just like being on TV. People get a chance to know you a little better and you get to promote yourself in a passive manner. Sponsorship is whole other issue; click here to learn more about both.

So here’s what I’m planning. I’ll be sharing movie and book reviews, discussing writing, creative, and other working techniques and methods, talking about music and vinyl records, and even sharing some silly opinions on greeting cards. (This one you’ll just have to see to understand.)

So there you have it. I’m putting myself out there in yet another way. I can’t wait to see what comes of this.

This is an unofficial Author Insights post.

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