Martha Reynolds Writes

Rhode Island Authors Showcase – Featuring Deb Zannelli!

Martha ReynoldsNov 4The Rhode Island Authors Showcase is back! Each day in November, I’ll be featuring a different RI author. Each post features a giveaway – a book, an anthology, or something else! All you have to do to be eligible for the daily drawing is leave a comment on the blog post. I’ll use a random number generator to pick a winner one week after the blog post (to give you time to catch up).By commenting on each post, you’re also entered to win our bigger prizes: GRAND PRIZE is a $250 Amazon gift card, BONUS PRIZE is a $100 Amazon gift card, and the CHEER UP YOU WON SOMETHING PRIZE is a $50 Amazon gift card. The big prizes will be chosen, again using a random number generator, on December 7.Debra ZannelliI wanted to know more about Deb. I asked the usual questions!Where is your hometown? Exeter, Rhode IslandWhat have you written? Darkness and Light series: Dark Night of the Soul (2016), A Darkness Descending (2018), Where There was Darkness (2019), Darkness and Light, Hunter (2021), Darkness and Light, Vampires (2022). Sister World trilogy: Sister World, The Arrival (2019), Sister World, The Fight for Earth (2020). Peacedale (2018).And what genre(s) are your books? Horror, Science Fiction, FantasyWho are your favorite authors? Ken Follett, Stephen King, M.M.Kaye, Colleen McCulloughWhat were your favorite books growing up? A Tale of Two Cities, Lord of the Rings, The Far PavillionsWhat do you like best about writing? Examining the emotions of the characters I write, it makes me examine mine. I love research and including facts with fiction. For example, my science fiction contains lots of science facts. I’ve worked with a physicist, the director of emergency management for the town of Charleston, and an expert on indigenous plants of various climes, just to name a few. What do you find most challenging about writing? Setting aside time, and finding a way to put my very real emotions into situations others will understand and feel a connection to.Where do you draw your inspiration? From my own experiences, the dreams hopes, disappointments of my youth  and the challenges and victories of the life I’ve lived. I use fiction to bring these things to life. I watch the world,  especially the young, looking for what motivates and determines both our actions and responses to the actions of others, and adding a good sized helping of what brought me to where I am now.You’ve just been given the chance to collaborate on a book with Stephen King! What’s the title going to be? The King’s BetrayalFind out more about Deb and her writing at her website: https://drzannelliauthor.com/Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debraroseauthor Deb has generously offered a copy of the anthology Green, published in 2021 by the Association of Rhode Island Authors. Her very poignant short story is included in this compendium. To be eligible to win a copy, just tell us your favorite green thing.

I spoke of this before, but it’s been on my mind a lot lately. It could be due to the too quickly passing of time. Finding out I had a brain tumor brought more than fear. In some ways, it was a gift. Waiting for surgery was easier than you might think. I was sure I’d wake but then, when I did, I wasn’t sure I wanted to. I heard the doctors. They were concerned I hadn’t opened my eyes, or answered their questions. I was awake. I knew the answers. I just wasn’t ready to leave the hazy freedom of not having to answer them. I thought about living forever. Would I want to? How could I watch everyone I love grow old and die. What would I do with the power to decide who should live and who should die? Marcus, the main character in my Darkness and Light books was born with my eyes closed, ignoring the too bright lights of the recovery room and the questions of those standing beside the bed. I’d spent many years listening to others, working so hard to be what they expected. Marcus, like must of us, was trying not to be what he’d been told he was. His path, his choices, are far more difficult than mine, yet in many ways they are the same. When I opened my eyes, I became the person I’d always wanted to be. The person I was died that day. If you have the time to read Dark Night of the Soul, I hope you see the part of us all buried within the heart of a tortured soul. Remember, we can’t do this alone.

It’s almost here. Please stop by and walk on the wild side. You can visit me any time you choose to come.

Halloween means different things to different people. To me, even though it’s been a long time, Halloween means candy my family couldn’t afford, a night spent with the most important people in my life and my cousin joining us always dressed as a bum. My sister and I wore different customs crafted by my talented mother. Chocolate was a special treat and we made sure those candies lasted past Christmas. My father would drive us to the new housing development where the candy was more forthcoming and the roads less dark. The candy was plentiful, the smiles few. A few non-smiling adults suggested we stay in our own neighborhood. There were less than ten houses we could walk to in ours. When our pillow cases were almost full we’d head to Central Falls, join my cousin and see what the poorer people could provide. There wasn’t a lot to expensive candy but there was candied popcorn, caramel apples which we ate before getting back into the car, and little toys that broke in a couple of weeks. All the goodies were given with love, always accompanied by the oohs and aahs we hoped our costumes deserved. When the darkness was too consuming and the voices of other kids faded away, we’d drop off my cousin and head home, always lying about how much candy we got. We had to have some mom didn’t know about.

I don’t remember thinking about how much money we did or did not have. What I remember is my sister’s giggles, my cousins full throated laughter and my love for them both.

Though times have changed and I’m a lot older what I wish for those who’ll trick or treat this year is not candy. I wish them the company of those around them, smiles at their costumes bought or hand made and the comfort of knowing they’re with the people they love, and who love them in return.

Does any other author cry when they kill off one of their characters. (I’m not telling you who, there are 7 books and plenty of characters to kill). Please don’t tell me I’m alone. I miss the characters I no longer write about, hoping to find someone I like/hate or both, as much as the ones I left behind. Then I get a review like this and I find myself smiling. “Started reading Dark Night of the Soul last night. I was ‘hooked’ in the first pages.” I can only hope that’s true for all my readers. The reviews I’ve gotten have all been good. Please keep reading and sending in those reviews. I’d like you to know there’s a lot of talk about making Dark Night of the Soul into a movie. The problem is it’s only me and my husband doing the talking. He wants the Ferrari I told him I’d buy him, if it were a hit. Me, I just want to see Marcus brought to life.

The first of the Darkness and Light Series is now available through Amazon in hard copy format. I know my mother’s smiling, just wish she could see it. I got my love of books from her. I’d watch her caress the hard bound book as she read to my sister and I, and I knew I would love books forever.

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup water 2 eggs

1 cup butter (2 sticks) 1 tsp vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

and approximately 3 1/2 cups flour.

Mix all ingredients except flour. Add flour a little at a time, until dough is stiff, amount varies.

Roll dough onto a waxed paper and cut into circles. Place on slightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until edges are golden brown. About 10-20 minutes. Cool completely.

Topping

Orange icing One – fifty count black candy, many use licorice, but my favorite is black candy melts.

Cut some of the candy into V’s

Spread icing to the outer edge of the cookie . Using candy V’s make jack-o-lantern mouth and nose, use rounded candy for eyes.

Eat the remaining candy

I’M SURE YOU’VE ALREADY MARKED YOUR CALENDERS, BUT JUST IN CASE:

I’ll be at the RHODE ISLAND COMIC CON on the 4th, 5th and 6th of November. It’s a fun way to meet some of the authors from the Association of Rhode Island Authors. Shopping from other vendors, meeting the attending stars, and seeing the visitors with their original costumes is a real treat. I hope to see you there.

THE RI AUTHOR EXPO is a great way to either start or finish you Holiday shopping. I’ll be there, I hope you will be too.

I will soon be releasing a hardcopy version of Dark Night of the Soul. I’ll let you know when the process is complete.

It’s almost here. September 24th is the date of the Exeter Fall Festival. It’s held at Yawgoo Valley Ski Area, Exeter, RI. It starts at 10am and ends at 3. For entertainment there’s Matt Roberts, famous RI magician, music provided by the RI Bluegrass Alliance,Balloons by Bjorn, Kool Kat Face Painting, Pumpkin Painting and a K9 Demonstration. Hungry? Visit Nonnie’s Kitchen, Joes’ Snack Shack, The Cupcakery or The Milk Cafe. Baked goods will be provided by the excellent bakers of Job Corp. Vendors include local RI authors, Thom Ring, Mary Catherine Volk, and Gary Benassi. They’ll be signing and selling their original works. There’s LJ’s Jams and Jellies,Newman Candle Co., Simply Stitched by Lou, Tastefully Simple, J & T’s Seaside Treasures, Sewing for Infants and young children, Never Enough Purses,Lighthouse Fiber Arts, Bent Bow publishing, Cindy’s Workshop, Lavender Waves Farm, Harry Here Farm, and Simply Fun Games. There’s carnival games with prizes. The state is sending a representative of the Unclaimed property department, Renewal by Anderson, the Rythmn Dance Center and the Exeter Fire Station will be represented. Then there’s the friendly people of Exeter. All proceeds go the support the Exeter Public Library and it’s community program. Come for fun, come to support and since it’s my 43rd wedding anniversary, stop by and say hello. Please forgive me if I missed something. My son is getting married this weekend and I’m a bit flustered. I hope to see you there.