Today we’re chatting with my fellow Wild Rose Press author Jean M. Grant about her new contemporary women’s fiction novel Will Rise from Ashes.

Jean’s background is in science and she draws from her interests in history, nature, and her family for inspiration. She writes historical and contemporary romances and women’s fiction. She also writes articles for family-oriented travel magazines. When she’s not writing or chasing children, she enjoys tending to her flower gardens, hiking, and doing just about anything in the outdoors.

AJ Sinclair is a young widow, on a cross-country journey with her autistic/Asperger’s 9-year-old son in the wake of the Yellowstone supervolcano eruption. Her other younger son is missing after the eruption and she needs to find him. Along the way, her son and a stranger she meets show her a world that she’s almost forgotten…that living is more than mere survival.

Excerpt:

Even from far away, I recognized the man’s plaid long-sleeved shirt and the large backpack, but now he was walking alongside a bike on his approach.

“Hey, look! It’s that guy you drove past this morning!”

 I shuddered inwardly. Well, karma just bit me in the butt.

“How did he catch up with us?” Motherly instinct took over as I rose, my legs wobbly. “Will, stay there. Here, take this,” I said, handing him the tire iron.

 “We already tried that, Mom.”

“Not for that, Will.”

He scratched his brown hair, which was overdue for a cut, and looked at me, confusion wrinkling his brow.

“Be my wizard, Will. It’s your sword.”

“Wizards have wands.”

“Will…”

The circuit connected. “Oh…yes, Mom, I’ll protect you!”

I smiled faintly. “Thank you, honey.” I didn’t want to explain further that it was me protecting him. I didn’t want to say that if something happened, to run and hide in the woods. Because he would run and hide. Then what? Who would come help?

I shoved my hand into my front jeans pocket to nestle my fingertips around the pocket knife I had given Harrison for our wedding anniversary. The man slowed his bicycle as he drew nearer. He gave me an understated, yet significant, nod. The nod of understanding, of kindness. I didn’t buy it.

“Hello, again,” he said.

Ouch.

Buy links:

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~ GooglePlay

Feel free to follow Jean on her BLOG TOUR, April 18-June 6. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Let’s meet the author.

1. Tell us about your inspiration for this story.

My own family and our ups and downs inspired this story. People say write what you know, so I did, then I fictionalized the heck out of it! Version 1 versus the final book are quite different stories. I’ve dealt with loss and grief in my life and I needed to get it down on paper. My autistic son inspires me daily and I knew I had to write a story inspired by him. And our family is filled with science-love (okay, obsessions) and writing about the Yellowstone supervolcano (my son’s obsession) just seemed to fit well. Volcanoes are fascinating, as is the human element…what would become of our world if faced with a natural disaster of this magnitude? Will we survive? Will humanity survive? Meanwhile, I’ve got this mother on her own emotional journey.

2. Do you write in other genres?

I write both romance (historical with a paranormal bent and contemporary) and women’s fiction. At the heart of all my stories are the elements of heartache, healing, and hope. I’ve enjoyed the HEAs in romance but also the deeper struggles of women in women’s fiction.

3. What do you do for fun when you’re not writing?

I love nature! Hiking, kayaking, traveling. All of it. Nature is my zen, with my family (of scientists and nature-lovers) by my side. I also love to garden and I probably baby my flowers almost too much. I inhale coffee, love to visit new places (from bookstores to lighthouses to national parks), bake (and eat), learn history, and just explore. I’m an extroverted introvert who also loves to be a homebody, too, and indulge in TV or movies.

4. Any advice for aspiring writers?

My motto is Writing by the 3 P’s: Patience, Perseverance, and Putting in the Time. Add to that list: make time for yourself and try to not let self-doubt find too deep a residence in your mind. This biz is discouraging but also inspiring. Keep on keepin’ on (I must remind myself of this a lot).

5. Authors always seem to have a teetering To Be Read pile. What’s in yours?

Always! I just finished the second book by CJ Fosdick in her “Accidental” series. Just when I think I’m almost done, more creep in. I have two more in the Deerbourne Inn series [Love Calls You Home by Donna Simonetta and Love Proof by Luanna Stewart], a beta read for my writer friend (a YA Fantasy), a mystery I swapped with a local author at a book fair, and an ARC read for a new author [Birth of the Bacchae by Stephanie Mirro]. I usually have an audio book in the car, too.

6. I love all sorts of fiction and nonfiction, but I can’t abide a protagonist who keeps making dumb, self-destructive decisions. What makes you put down a book without finishing?

Oh good question! When it comes to characters, the ones that drive me nuts have too much self-confidence and ego (and no flaws or humility). The ones who are a bit too tart and sassy and assured of themselves. It’s okay to have some tart, but don’t overdo it. Other reasons I struggle with a book: subject matter (I’ve *tried* to read some books for a book club and there was one that was just awful!), not engaging enough, too much introduction and little plot, not well-paced (dragging), odd voice/style, or many grammar mistakes. I do try to make to page 50 with each book at least. Even with a few pet peeves, some books have still shined bright to the end. I think as authors we get more critical about what we read and we look at it with a red pen. Hard to step away!

Follow Jean M. Grant on social media:

Website ~ Twitter  ~ Facebook ~  Goodreads ~ Bookbub ~ Amazon Author Page ~  The Wild Rose Press