Welcome Tracy Krauss -- Author of Wind over Marshdale

As a special treat today, author Tracy Krauss is joining us to tell us a little about herself and her new release Wind over Marshdale. Thanks, Tracy! It's great to have you today. :)

Q: Who is Tracy Krauss?

A: Besides an author, I am an artist, drama director, worship leader and teacher. I’m all about the creative process, so everything I do has that bent to it. When I’m ‘making’ something – be it a painting, directing my vision for a play on the stage, playing an instrument, or writing a book – I feel energized. Sometimes I tend to burn myself out because I don’t rest much, but I like to be busy and I love all my creative pursuits, so it’s hard to drop anything.

I currently live in beautiful Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, known for its many waterfalls. However, my husband and I have moved around a lot in our nearly thirty years of marriage, and many of the places we’ve lived have been in the far north. Places like Churchill, Manitoba — the ‘polar bear capital of the world’; the Yukon, which is next door to Alaska; and the North West Territories – all north of the 60th parallel. This has given me lots of fodder for my stories.

Q: When did you start writing?

A: I first started writing when my eldest was just a baby. I could hardly wait for her to go down for her nap so that I could pound away at my mother’s old typewriter. That was more than a quarter century ago. Four kids, plus homeschooling for nine years, plus going back to work as a public school teacher full time, and I finally signed my first contract in 2008. (This was after many, many rejections and a lot of hard work revising, querying, and revising some more.) My first book AND THE BEAT GOES ON released in 2009, followed by MY MOTHER THE MAN-EATER in 2010, PLAY IT AGAIN in 2011, and now, WIND OVER MARSHDALE in 2012. I’ve also had five plays published or contracted in that time with various play publishing houses.

Q: What authors have inspired your own writing?

A: Frank Peretti is still my favourite author. To me he is a groundbreaker. He’s tackled subjects that were previously considered taboo within Christian circles in such a compelling and thought provoking way that his writing is almost revered as truth. For instance, THIS PRESENT DARKNESS has almost become a manual on spiritual warfare, even though it’s fiction. I try to include some of this ‘edge’ in my own writing. Francine Rivers is another that comes to mind. She has written about some pretty controversial topics as well, and her characters are always believable; they aren’t perfect in other words. Again, this is what I strive for with my characters.

Q: Tell us about your current novel.

A: WIND OVER MARSHDALE takes place in a small prairie town where, on the surface, everything seems quaint and happy. Underneath there are some serious issues, especially with racism, sexual promiscuity, and the occult. Thomas Lone Wolf is a Cree man on a mission to build a heritage site near the town based on some ancient archaeological evidence. He and his children aren’t prepared for the level of prejudice they begin to face. Rachel Bosworth is the new Kindergarten teacher, fresh from the big city and running away from a hurtful past. Con McKinley is a local farmer, who also happens to be single and good looking. A love triangle of sorts develops, with the two men unwitting participants. As well, eccentric twin sisters bombard the town; one with her legalistic religious views and the other as a practicing witch. The local pastor has little effect trying to keep his parishioners in line since he is involved in some unsavoury business of his own. The lives of these and many other unusual characters weave together into a surprising climax. Beneath it all is a thread linking everyone’s problems to the spirit realm; an ancient curse from the past that must be dealt with once and for all.

Q: What’s next?

A: I have two more finished novels and several works in progress. I’m just in the process of polishing up CZECH OUT, about a hockey player who defects to North America during the cold war, and THREE STRAND CORD, a romantic mystery about three friends. Once they’re ready for submission I’ll be pitching them to my agent. I’m also always pitching plays as well, since I write most of my own material for my drama troupe. Finally, I’m publishing an illustrated children’s book. I just finished all the artwork and it should be ready fairly soon.

BLURB:

Marshdale. Just a small farming community where nothing special happens. A perfect place to start over… or get lost. There is definitely more to this prairie town than meets the eye. Once the meeting place of aboriginal tribes for miles around, some say the land itself was cursed because of the people’s sin. But its history goes farther back than even indigenous oral history can trace and there is still a direct descendant who has been handed the truth, like it or not. Exactly what ties does the land have to the medicine of the ancients? Is it cursed, or is it all superstition?

Wind Over Marshdale is the story of the struggles within a small prairie town when hidden evil and ancient medicine resurface. Caught in the crossfire, new teacher Rachel Bosworth finds herself in love with two men at once. First, there is Thomas Lone Wolf, a Cree man whose blood lines run back to the days of ancient medicine but who has chosen to live as a Christian and faces prejudice from every side as he tries to expose the truth. Then there is Con McKinley, local farmer who has to face some demons of his own. Add to the mix a wayward minister seeking anonymity in the obscurity of the town; eccentric twin sisters – one heavily involved in the occult and the other a fundamentalist zealot; and a host of other ‘characters’ whose lives weave together unexpectedly for the final climax. This suspenseful story is one of human frailty — prejudice, cowardice, jealousy, and greed — magnified by powerful spiritual forces that have remained hidden for centuries, only to be broken in triumph by grace.

BUY LINKS:

Publisher : Astraea Press 

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

AUTHOR BIO:

Tracy Krauss is an author, artist, playwright, director, worship leader, and teacher. Originally from a small prairie town, she received her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Saskatchewan. She has lived in many places in northern Canada with her husband, a pastor, and their children. They currently live in Tumbler Ridge, BC.

Published works include four romantic suspense novels: AND THE BEAT GOES ON, where archeological evidence for creation comes at a heavy cost; MY MOTHER THE MAN-EATER, the story of a ‘cougar’ who takes on more than she bargained for; PLAY IT AGAIN, about an unlikely match during the 1980s rock n’ roll scene; and WIND OVER MARSHDALE, where strong spiritual forces rock a seemingly peaceful prairie town. She also has several stage plays in print. Visit her website for more details.

The Perfect Word

Probably one of the most overused phrases writers hear from their editors is "Show, don't tell." I've heard it a million times. I've said it a million times. Sometimes it just makes you want to throw something across the room.

I do this lesson with my students on choosing the best word in their writing in order to improve their understanding of that trite, overused phrase. It teaches them the difference between the denotation and the connotation of a word and the powerful effect one word can have on the tone of any communication.

For example, the words smell, odor, and aroma have the same basic denotation. They mean smell (as a noun). But if someone walks into the room and says, "What is that odor?" you know he or she probably walked into 8th period, because those students just came from P.E. It reeks; somebody open a window!

If someone walks into the room and says, "What is that aroma?" you know he or she is enjoying the fragrance (oooo! Another good connotation word!). Mmmmm! Did Mrs. Johnson bring in chocolate chip cookies again?

If someone walks into the room and says, "What is that smell?" well, the meaning can only be determined by assessing the body language and voice inflection, those pesky nonverbal cues that are so difficult to capture in writing. Why? Because he or she didn't choose the word that best captured the essence of the intended meaning.

As writers, it is important that we select the words we use for their connotation. They should offer the most complete picture of what we want the reader to sense.

This goes for verbs too. In fact, the use of strong verbs is one of the most important things for a writer to implement. Strong verbs create rich imagery. The man didn't just walk out the door... that captures nothing of his attitude, his physical or emotional state. SHOW how he did it. And there's no need to adverb that. Use a strong, visual verb.

The man stalked out the door.

The man sauntered out the door.

The man hobbled out the door.

The man swaggered out the door.

The man strolled out the door.

The man ambled out the door.

The man stormed out the door.

The man slipped out the door.

I could go on, but I think you get the picture. And that's really the point, isn't it?

You want your readers to "get the picture"? Show them. Don't tell.

Sweet Saturday: All We See

The party was a bust. Aaron had no idea how his parents could possibly know so many excruciatingly boring people. The only excitement the evening held for him was the anticipation of how the next person he met would outdo all the others by achieving new heights of monotony.

After enduring an exhausting hour of tedium, he started to search for an avenue of escape. His mother, seeming to sense his desire for flight had posted a vigilant watch over the stairs. Aaron would never be able to sneak by undetected.

His father, on the other hand, had made himself comfortable near the back door leading into the kitchen. Aaron considered it as an option for a moment, but he knew what his father's response would be. "I feel your pain, son. I really do. But if I have to endure it, you sure ain't getting out of it. Besides, you remember the old adage — That which does not kill you only makes you stronger." Aaron didn't know which would be worse, the party or the lecture. At any rate, the back door was not his best exit strategy.

There were the French doors in the sitting room which led out to the veranda, but to get there he'd have to run the gauntlet of senators' wives — all of whom were certain they knew of the perfect eligible young woman for him. Another escape route hardly worth the trouble, sounded like a torture straight out of the pages of one of those Regency novels Mom loved so much.

You know, for such an impressive house, there were surprisingly few exits. The front door was out of the question — his mother had a full view of it from her post by the mahogany staircase. That left only Dad's office. The buffet table was strategically situated next to the entrance. If he acted nonchalant, like he was going for the hors d'oeuvres, Aaron might be able to manage a stealthy spin move and duck in under the radar. He just prayed it wasn't locked.

Yes, he had promised his mother he would be sociable, but he had put in a good hour, and even Bobby, Mr. Social, had disappeared after only twenty minutes. Knowing Bobby, Aaron realized his escape plan had probably been worked out days in advance. After all, Bobby had been to several of Mom’s parties, and all of them more recently than Aaron’s latest subjection. Why hadn’t Bobby warned him to get out quick? Well, that was just Bobby. Not a whole lot mattered if it didn’t affect him directly.

Aaron began his journey to the food table, careful to seem purposeless as he sauntered with his hands loosely in his pockets. He smiled and made casual conversation with a few of the guests as he passed them.

“Enjoying yourself, Senator Abel? – Looks like you need a refill, Judge Williamson. – Secretary Tavish, I didn’t know you were back in town!” His parents’ circle of friends had included politicians and high-ranking officials for so long, Aaron had long since developed his own art of polite and diplomatic avoidance.

Finally he arrived at his destination. He lifted a small plate from the side table and began selecting a few of the more appetizing offerings. If he was going into hiding, he would need provisions. He caught his mother’s glance while he piled his plate with crab-stuffed mushrooms and mini-quiches, so he offered her what he believed to be an irreproachably innocent smile and pretended to inspect the fruit tarts.

When he was satisfied she had stopped watching him, he made a quick scan of the area for surveillance and then made a covert escape into his father’s office. Phew! It was unlocked.

Ah! Sweet freedom, he thought as he made his way through the unlit room to the outside door. Aaron could see through the glass it was only beginning to get dusky outside. He opened a door and stepped out onto the deck.

The evening breeze was a welcome relief in the July humidity. Of course, the climate in D.C. was nothing like his desert post, so he sure wasn’t complaining.

It was a little stuffy in the house – or was that just the guest list? Aaron leaned his forearms on the deck rail and looked over his parents’ grounds.

Connecting the Dots

One of my least favorite things about writing -- connecting the dots. The more I think about it the more I realize that is my least favorite about any artwork I do.

If I'm painting a mural I'd much rather do the focal parts first -- like the animals or the people, then I lose interest when all that is left is the background scenery. When I'm sewing baby quilts (I don't do anything bigger because it takes too long and I get bored with the pattern), I love to design and piece the top, but the quilting gets tedious really fast.

It's the same with writing, I'm afraid. The big scenes come easily. I know what I want to have happen, and I craft those scenes with ease. Those are the "dots". Those scenes that are the focal points of the story. I get in the zone for those, and when I finish, I step back and admire my work. Ahhhhh! I love dots.

The problem comes when I'm trying to get from one dot to another. The hoursI spend and the anquish I endure on the tedious transitions from one big scene to the next. I mean, it has to be there, but... UGH!

What's In the Box?

Sometimes I get stuck.

Actually, it happens a lot. I'll be writing, making good progress, when all of a sudden I'll come to a roadblock and the roll I'm on comes to a screeching halt.

For example, a character opens a box and says, "If you're going to join the search, you'll need these." But I have no idea what is in the box. I just know that whatever it is, they need it.

I know I could just skip to the next part and start writing and eventually it will come to me, but for some reason, most of the time, I just stop writing for awhile and worry about what is in that box. That stupid box taunts me and keeps me awake at night.

When you're co-authoring something, the solution is easy. Let someone else take a whack at it. While writing The Parting Gift I would leave holes and move on. I knew that if I couldn't fill in the gaps, Rachel would. But leaving holes when I'm writing on my own makes me nervous. Not sure why, but I just gotta know:

WHAT IS IN THAT BOX!?