Tuesday, August 1, 2017

The Making of a Trilogy with Carole Anne Moleti #Giveaway

Posted by Susan B James on 3:00:00 AM with 3 comments
Carole Ann Moleti's latest release is Storm Watch: Book Three in the Unfinished Business Series
A Cape Cod Paranormal Romance


One last chance, their only choice.
  
Mike and Liz thought they'd gotten control of the specters haunting the Barrett Inn. But things get very complicated when they're the ghosts from your past life. The Category Five Hurricane bearing down on Cape Cod appears to be headed directly for them--or has it been spawned from inside them? Knowing it’s their last chance to end the hauntings, they face an impossible choice. Will they survive the storm?


 I have trouble enough coming up with a stand alone book. I asked Carole how 
The Unfinished Business Series began like most of my projects—when I was not even thinking of writing a story. While opening up a summer cottage, pulling dust covers off furniture and vacuuming up flies, I had the sudden inspiration to write a story about a woman who finds a trunk of old clothes and learns sad truths about the person who they once belonged to. It was a quick hop from that to a ghost story, and I missed all the barbecues and parades over that the Fourth of July weekend in upstate New York while immersed in writing a paranormal fantasy set on Cape Cod. The series combines my love of the beach and boats with a fascination about paranormal activities, and how past life experiences influence our fears, fantasies, and choices. 

I grew up on the waterfront and on boats of all sizes. My family has been vacationing on the Cape since I was very young, and I have been intrigued by the history of the Brewster sea captains and their wives. What better place than to situate this trunk in a dilapidated Victorian, that just happens to be haunted?

I started writing the first book in the series, Breakwater Beach, that long weekend. The short story version was done before it was time to pack up and go home. Over the next several months, it expanded into a novelette—and then into a novel. Breakwater Beach is Liz's story, and the novel delves more deeply into Elisabeth's and Edward's stories.  

I never intended to write a series, but the story line presented itself in another moment of inspiration—with a focus on a key feature of Victorian architecture. The Widow's Walk, is primarily Mike's story, though he shares the spotlight with his very troubled new wife. 
Both Books One and Two required research into Victoriana, maritime history, and the social and legal climates of the late 1800s in Britain and the United States. I am fortunate to have many British writing associates to help, but I made a trip to London and Surrey in 2014 that helped immeasurably to nail down the details of the setting.
 I want to make another trip to London to research anything! I haven't been back since 1966.
 About a year later, I was siting on Breakwater Beach in Brewster and there was a fisherman in his beached boat, waiting for the tide to come in. I remember doing the same when I was a kid, while my father was cleaning the bottom. I dashed the opening scene of Book Three, Storm Watch off the same day. There is a scene in the book reminiscent of a harrowing experience on Long Island Sound. Plus, I’ve prepared for and recovered for several major hurricanes, so there wasn’t too much research to do for Storm WatchI grew up on the east coast when hurricanes were regular events. I remember all the preparation fun. I actually researched hurricanes for a children's book. 
Tying up not only the Storm Watch, but also all the other plot-lines took some doing. I’m delighted with the way it turned out and think the cover is just perfect.

I love the cover. Wren Taylor did a beautiful job.Thanks you for being here, Carole Ann and for sharing the development of a series.

I’d love to offer a chance for anyone who leaves a question or a comment to win an ebook copy of BreakwaterBeach: Book One in the Unfinished Business series. 

Simply leave a comment or ask a question on this blog. I will announce the winner over the weekend so everyone has a chance to post.

And everyone that subscribes to my newsletter (link) gets a gift: a PDF download of Haunted: Ten Tales of Ghosts.
That sounds like fun. I will do that now.

Link to subscribe to newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bfNver

 I did it. That was easy. Looking forward to a shot of ghostliness.

 Carole Ann Moleti Links:

Pinterest Boards for each Book: 



3 comments :

  1. What's the most interesting thing you found in your research?

    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great question. There are so many interesting things but the most dramatic, for Storm Watch, was researching spirit journeys. Fortunately, I have many friends who are knowledgeable about the process and some who have been on them. Their insights were very helpful. I try to do everything I write about to make it realistic, but spirit journeys are not for the inexperienced. I did deep meditation and combined with other mystical and spiritual experiences I've had I believe I was able to capture it for the story. Thanks so much for asking. I do have several posts on my blog about Researching the Paranormal.

    ReplyDelete
  3. BN100, I sent you an email about your prize. Thanks so much for your participation!

    ReplyDelete

I love reading comments! Please do.