Welcome to Theresa Crater, our first Blog Ring of Power guest for 2014! She brings ancient temples, lost civilizations and secret societies back to life in her paranormal mysteries. In The Star Family, a Gothic mansion reveals a secret spiritual group and a 400-year-old ritual that must be completed to save the day. The shadow government search for ancient Atlantean weapons in the fabled Hall of Records in Under the Stone Paw and fight to control ancient crystals sunk beneath the sea in Beneath the Hallowed Hill. Her short stories explore ancient myth brought into the present day. The most recent include “Bringing the Waters” and “The Judgment of Osiris.” Theresa has also published poetry and a baker’s dozen of literary criticism. Currently, she teaches writing and British lit in Denver. Visit her at http://theresacrater.com.
Don’t miss the rest of her five-part interview at:
Part 1 @ Terri Bruce – Wednesday, Jan. 1
Part 3 @ Emily LaBonte – Friday, Jan. 3
Part 4 @ Sandra Ulbrich Almazon – Monday, Jan. 6
Part 5 @ Vicki Lemp Weavil – Tuesday, Jan. 7
PART 2: THE WRITING LIFE
What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine? Do you use pen and paper or computer? Work at home or at the library/Starbucks, etc. It takes me a while to move from one book to the next, but once I do, I like to write at home. Once in a while I’ll go to a coffeehouse and write. It’s kind of fun. But I remember once writing in my journal in the café beneath Elliott Bay Books on Pioneer Square in Seattle. I lifted my head and counted five other people doing exactly the same thing. I felt like a cliché.
How do you balance writing with other aspects of your life? You can do that? I often feel overwhelmed. In fact for my birthday I was given a coloring book of mandalas and told, “You need to just sit and relax and play.” I’m looking forward to retiring—err, writing and traveling. Does that count as retirement?
When do you write? I tend to write in the mornings. My mind is clear and fresh.
How much time per day do you spend on your writing? I find that I can write for about two hours at a time, then I need a break. Sometimes I can come back to it, sometimes not. But when I’m really going, my family has to call me away from the computer.
How do you deal with rejection and/or negative reviews? Sometimes it still gets under my skin, but what I realize mostly is that I have a pretty specific audience and they love what I write. As long as they’re out there, I’ll write for them. Some of the negative reactions come from folks who don’t get my world view or agree with it. I try to find the places where I fit and not worry about the rest.
Is your book in print, ebook or both? Both Paperback
Where can readers stalk you:
Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Amazon Author Page | Smashwords
A secret spiritual group
A recurring dream
A 400-year-old ritual that must be
completed before it is too late
Jane Frey inherits a Gothic mansion filled with unexpected treasures. A prophecy claims it hides an important artifact – the key to an energy grid laid down by the Founding Fathers themselves. Whoever controls this grid controls the very centers of world power. Except Jane has no idea what they’re looking for.
“The Star Family . . . explores the esoteric aspects of a progressive Protestant sect called the Moravian Brethren and weaves their history into a fascinating piece of speculative fiction. What if the Moravians had continued to observe some of their controversial practices in secret? What if their rites and music have played a role in withstanding the malignant forces that threaten to overwhelm modern society? What if one woman who discovers her true ancestry could oppose dominion of darkness through music and erotic spirituality? What if a town in North Carolina holds the key to bringing harmony to the world? Readers who enjoyed The Historian and The DaVinci Code will enjoy The Star Family.”
Dr. Craig Atwood, Moravian College
Director of the Center for Moravian Studies
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