GUESTOPIA: YA Author Taryn Bashford

Woohoo! It's the last GUESTOPIA of 2017! And we're going out with an explosion as we've invited an Aussie debut author to answer our questions. Here we go ...

TARYN BASHFORD

At five year's old Taryn declared she would be an author. She’s been an English Literature Honours student, an advertising rep, a Media Sales Manager and a CEO of an internet company, but now she plans to write inspiring, engaging novels until the day she can no longer type--or no-one takes her seriously (whichever comes later). She’s also the creator of Jeans Teen Army, a campaign to address the seemingly universal feeling teens have about themselves -- that they're not good enough.

Is this your first published book?

Yes

What’s it called?

The Harper Effect

Which genre?

YA Contemporary

Which age group?

The marketers say 12 – 18, but I like to think no one’s too old to read this one, so 12 - 120

Is it a series or standalone?

It’s standalone, but there’s a companion novel about to be submitted.

Are you an agented author?

Yes – I’m with Curtis Brown in Australia, and Jill Grinberg Literary Management in the USA

Which publisher snapped up your book?

It’s two publishers for me 😊 Pan Macmillan in Australia/NZ and then Sky Pony Press in the USA/Canada and they’ll also distribute to the UK and all British Commonwealth countries.

How involved have you been in the whole publishing process of your book? 

I’ve only been involved in the editing process – which was very in depth. And then I was able to put in my book cover preferences and have a say in that too. I was pretty lucky. I have worked on a lot of publicity for the novel too.

Do you have another job?

Not anymore. I used to run a media recruitment consultancy, and before that, I was the CEO of an internet company connected to a TV station in the UK, a bit like NineMSN. I’ve mainly worked in advertising, but I’ve also been a nanny, a chalet chef, and a freelance writer.

Did you receive many, if any, rejections prior?

Oh yes. Many. But each time I got a rejection, I took on board the advice/feedback and improved my manuscript. Then after several months, in a period of 2 weeks, I suddenly had 2 agents and very soon after that, a publisher. So never give up – that’s a really tired phrase, isn’t it? Maybe this is more accurate: always give 100%, have faith in your book, and never lose hope.

What created/what were you doing or watching when the first idea for this book sneaked up on you? 

That’s a long story. I actually wrote the first draft of this novel when I was 14. It was called Proud Now Ma? and focussed on playing tennis to please the parents. My brother was a tennis player on the international circuit, and I was training for the Olympics. I got to wondering about teens who surpass the norm in an activity, and decided to look into this topic. But the novel then spent some time in a trunk when I emigrated to England, and then again 20 years later to Australia. I was writing, but I was writing adult novels – and not finishing them. I had a stressful career in the world of media, and getting published got lost in all that. But at least I kept writing. I finally began writing full time five years ago, and the first re-draft of the novel was actually an MG. It was re-named BELIEVE. It was pretty awful. I had the voice all wrong. An agent said she didn’t like anything about it. The problem was I hadn’t done my research into this market – I’d been reading adult novels. The poor manuscript got top-drawered while I researched the market. It was Susanne Gervay’s, That’s Why I Wrote this Song that got me hooked on YA. After reading her book, I knew that had I read her book when I was 15, it would’ve helped with some dad issues I was facing as a teen. I knew then that I wanted to write books for teens, to be that helping hand, or that metaphorical hug, they might be in search of inside a book. I wrote three other YA novels (unpublished) before I got back to what is now The Harper Effect, and by then I’d read over 200 YA novels. It really helped!

How long did you plot/plan until you started writing it?

If I think back to the re-write from MG to YA, not long at all. I fixed on a scene with Colt in my head and just sat down and wrote.

Once you started, did the story flow naturally or did you have to step in and wrestle it into submission?

I wrote the first draft in about 2 weeks. I tend to writer feverishly when in the early stages, about 18 hours a day. I believe they call it the vomit draft! I am happy – and lucky – to say that I’ve never had writer’s block. I think that’s because I write the first draft so quickly. I find that I’m so absorbed in it that the characters take over the story and I’m just writing down what they want me to say. In fact, I need to learn to type faster!

How many drafts did you write before you let someone read it? Who was that someone?

At least 6. That someone(s) was my writer’s critique group called SWiG (it’s a long story but we swigged on tea more than anything else). I find that I write the first draft quite accurately in terms of structure – surely down to all that reading. Then with each draft I focus on one thing so there are always lots of drafts. i.e. the pace/plot, the characters, the layering of themes, the subplot, dialogue and so on.

Did you employ an editor/proofreader or did you have a critique partner/beta readers before you started querying?

I never did employ an editor/proofreader. I find I’m a pretty good editor, but I did have my critique group as well as online CPs – for this book about 12 in total – to highlight convoluted sentences or issues with pace/character.

Roughly how many drafts did it take before you sent the manuscript off into the real world?

Probably 8.

How many drafts until it was published?

The publisher took me through a big structural edit, then two more nitty gritty edits. I thought we’d take out wordcount, but we actually added about 8k words – to deepen a plot point.

Has the book changed dramatically since the first draft?

Since the first draft when I was 14? Yes, absolutely. It went from an MG to a YA and the sisters were twins back then. But from the time I began writing it again five years ago? Not so much. It’s pretty much the same story, but certain areas have been improved – for instance the Purple Woods weren’t in that first draft. It was more about adding depth.

Are there any parts you’d like to change even now?

Don’t get me started…I think every writer will say that each time they read a draft they can see something they’d change.

What part of writing do you find the easiest?

The first draft. I love that stage. It’s like being in a whirlwind, but a good one. It’s exciting and I’m meeting new characters and wondering what’s going to happen. Yes, I’m a pantser.

What part do you find hardest?

The waiting. Even after you have a book contract, there’s a lot of waiting on edits, waiting on publication dates, and book covers and so on. I love all the edit stages as each time I re-draft I can feel the story tightening and clarifying and at the proofreading stage it then feels like a ‘real’ book..

Do you push through writing barriers or walk away?

Once I have that first draft down, which always happens before I can get stuck, the pressure is off so there are no barriers or blocks. However, if I’m then contemplating a way to improve or change something and can’t reach the answer, I go to bed thinking about the issue. Without fail, I’ll wake in the early hours and in that half asleep/half awake few minutes, the solution comes to me. I get up and write. 4 am is my favourite writing time, when the world is still and calm and it feels like it’s just me and my keyboard on the planet.

How many projects do you have on the go at the same time?

One. Always one. I get so involved and my mind is so taken up with the novel I’m writing, that I always stay with one project until it’s finished. The plots will expand and layer up, the characters will deepen, as I go about my day – cooking dinner, showering, going for a bike ride, swimming…it’s in those moments that some great creative moments can hit me.

I’ve had to adapt now though, because while I’m receiving edits for The Harper Effect, they interrupt the project I’m working on – the next book. That’s been a new struggle because I dislike being pulled out of a story mid-draft.

Do you think you’re born with the talent to write or do you think it can be learned?

I think you’re born with the qualities you need to write – a love of writing, reading and words and the ability to see stories in everything – and that you’re born with the qualities you need to get published – determination, tenacity, a thick-skin, self-belief, a strong work ethic, and intrinsic motivation. But the actual writing can be learned. I can prove that: when I look at draft one five years ago, compared to three years later (after writing 3 more novels, attending workshops, working with mentors and critique partners, reading the books in my market), the book I re-wrote was so much better.

Some say you can teach people to love reading, but it’s not been my experience. With both my children, from the day they were born, I read to them, and then we read together as they grew older, and then we shared my king-sized bed while we all read our own books before bedtime. Today my daughter treats reading like slow torture, while her younger brother loves to read. Go figure.

How many future novels do you have planned?

Two more planned that are linked to The Harper Effect, but they’re not a series. They’re companion novels. And each time I get an idea for a new novel I grab a hardback A4 lined workbook (a hangover from my teens), and write down the idea/scene that comes to me. I may add a few more thoughts and character descriptions as time goes by. I currently have 36 of these books. I think I should’ve started writing earlier in my life!

Do you write other things, such as short stories, articles, blogs, etc?

I don’t write any other fiction items, but I have written articles and have my own blog on www.tarynbashford.com.

What’s the highlight of being published so far?

Having someone else believe in me, and love my story and characters as much as I do. Writing is a lonely occupation!

Give me one writing tip that worked for you.

Write every day. Everyone’s heard this gem, but it’s because it’s true. It keeps writer’s block at bay, it keeps that creative pathway flowing with ideas, it ensures your characters keep talking to you, it helps you write the story on a deeper level because it’s so much a part of your psyche that the writing almost becomes a subconscious act. This is most true of the first draft, and I’d get up at early-o-clock to write on weekends and write at night to fit in family time. It’s less important on later drafts, or when you’re editing. I also have a separate writing room as I find my creative brain turns on in there. When I sit at my desk in the office, where I manage emails and the minutiae of life, my creative brain goes splat.

And one that doesn't.

Drinking umpteen cups of coffee does not enable you to keep writing all night. But seriously…many writers put their books in a bottom drawer for several months claiming that it needs space and distance. I find that three weeks is enough space. Any longer, and I lose touch with where my headspace was with the story. More importantly, if you’re writing your next book for a publisher, there’s no way there’s time to leave it for a few months. Best get into the discipline of not doing that.

Can you give us a clue or secret about the next book?

Sure thing. I’m about to submit the second book that Pan Macmillan contracted – in the same month that the first book is published. The second book is a companion novel to The Harper Effect. The Harper Effect tells Harper’s story, and the second book tells her neighbour, Jacob’s story. The third companion novel will probably be Aria’s story (Harper’s sister). They’re not meant to be read in any order.

What question have you always wanted to be asked but never have? What would the answer be?

Question: So getting your novel published is a dream come true, but do you haven any other dreams you’re chasing?

Answer: Yes. Seeing my novel adapted into a film is my next dream. To see my story and my characters come to life on the big screen, and to be involved in that process, is something that really excites me. If I weren’t a writer, I’d want to be a movie star – but I’m a terrible actress (I mean really awful), so I’ll have to stick to being behind the scenes.

Fantastic! Thank you, Taryn, for joining us today and for your insightful answers. It's so good to share other authors' journeys. We wish you heaps of luck with The Harper Effect and her companion novels. 

If you would like to follow Taryn on her journey or purchase your copy of The Harper Effect, these links should help! 

Website
Booktopia
Goodreads 
Instagram 
Twitter
Facebook

And that's it! Happy New Year, YAtopians! I can't wait to bring you more author interviews in 2018!

Book Reccomendations

In the spirit of the Holidays and being festive, I would like to recommend my favorite Young Adult books that I’ve read in 2017 in case anyone is looking for books to buy.

TIMEKEEPER by Tara Sim

This book came out in November of 2016, but I didn’t read the novel till January 2017. It’s a steampunk novel about clock towers in Victorian England, and Danny Hart—a clock mechanic—is the main character, and a relationship ensues with clock spirit Colton. The book is a breath of fresh air because of the organic LGBTQ diversity in addition to having a unique premise. As a result, I can’t wait till the sequel CHAINBREAKER comes out on January 2, 2018.

PROJECT PANDORA by Aden Polydoros

This book also has a creative premise. The book is about teen assassins —and therefore contains a Jason Bourne like premise. The novel is also told through four points of view, and there’s never a dull moment because of rotating between Hades, Shannon, Tyler, and Elizabeth. The novel contains gorgeous descriptive writing that adds lot of color and brings the scenes to life as well. I don’t want to give away too much, but the book kept me on the edge of my seat, and is bound to do the same for others.

FROSTBLOOD and FIREBLOOD by Elly Blake

FROSTBLOOD came out in January 2017, and FIREBLOOD came out eight months later in September 2017. FROSTBLOOD is about a teen girl (Ruby) who is a girl born with fire powers in a world where people are usually born with ice powers if they have powers. A frostblood (Arcus) trains Ruby in hopes of taking down the Frost King, in addition to how a slow burn romance develops between Arcus and Ruby. FIREBLOOD builds on FROSTBLOOD, and Arcus is king now and is romantically involved with Ruby. The worldbuilding also gets bigger to when Ruby must travel to another land. As a result, I can’t wait for the trilogy’s conclusion (NIGHTBLOOD) in June 2018.

FIX ME by Lisa M. Cronkhite

I’m still reading this book, but want to include it on my list because of the creative premise and descriptive writing. The book is about teen girl—Penelope—who is hooked on Fix, which is the latest drug. Penelope gets visions of a guy—Nate—while doing Fix, in addition to how the novel contains a mystery. Inventing a drug makes the novel creative. Doing so requires more effort than say mentioning something that’s real—like the opioid crisis.

VIOLET GRENADE by Victoria Scott

This book is about teen girl—Domino—who begins working for Madame Karina at an entertainment house to get bail money for a friend. The reason this book is on my list is because the novel gets grittier and grittier until its explosive conclusion. But it’s dark in an organic way since the darkness never feels forced. The book also deals with mental illness in a great way because that fact isn’t a random twist. Readers know about Domino’s mental illness upfront, and it therefore isn’t a gimmicky twist that deprives readers of a good story.

FOLLOW ME by Sara Shepard

This book just came out last month, and is the sequel to THE AMATEURS. I got an e-ARC of FOLLOW ME last May, but plan on reading the book again. This is book is a perfect mystery because the characters know who the villain is, and the book there becomes a cat and mouse game between the characters and the killer. Knowing who the villain is by the end of THE AMATEURS, which sets up FOLLOW ME, is a great choice. Mysteries are often predicated on a big revelation at the end, yet readers never get to enjoy what happens after a twist. Ultimately, the description is a little vague on purpose. It’s hard to talk about THE AMATEURS and FOLLOW ME without giving away spoilers.

HISTORY IS ALL YOU LEFT ME and THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END by Adam Silvera

HISTORY IS ALL YOU LEFT ME is a standalone book told in dual timelines, and deals with the grief when Griffin’s ex-boyfriend Theo dies. This book is awesome because Griffin is out from the beginning of the book. However, the book gets messy. Griffin must sort through his grief over Theo in addition to dealing with his best friend Wade and Theo’s new boyfriend Jackson. As a result, boundaries get blurred since people hookup who you wouldn’t expect. This book was also an improvement over Silvera’s debut MORE HAPPY THAN NOT. HISTORY IS ALL YOU LEFT ME ends on a hopeful note despite its dark subject matter.

THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END is a contemporary novel with a slight speculative twist. People get a call from Death Cast on the day they die. Well, that happens to Mateo and Rufus. They are the main characters in the novel. The novel rotates between them, and their paths cross. Ultimately, this book is darker than HISTORY IS ALL YOU LEFT ME, but not as dark as MORE HAPPY THAN NOT.

            

Feeling festive

Today, I'd like to talk to you about festivities. Whatever your culture, religion, or faith, we all have our own festivities (and at various times of the year), and I think those are to be shared and enjoyed, understood and respected, throughout each community. Evidently, as it's December, most will notice that I, personally, celebrate Christmas. But, aside from that, I adore learning about all the other festivities that occur around the world throughout the year, whether it's Eid Al-Adha, Eid Al-FitrEid, Imbloc, We Tripantu, Hanukah, Christmas, The Chinese New Year, or one of the other many festive celebrations our great world has been gifted with.

So what does that mean for YA writing? Simply put, I'd love to see more of these wonderful, unique, individual expressions of faith in our young adult books. The understanding and knowledge that books can give us is important. Why do others believe differently than you? What gives us all a human commonality despite our own, individual faith?

In my own home, we have conflicting beliefs, but they unite us, rather than divide us. I'm compelled to find out more about this faith that isn't my own. To respect it, see its own truth, see the world through different eyes. Does it make me change my own belief? No and yes. No, my belief didn't change. However, what did change is that I could a) empathize and understand the other faith, and b) I am giving myself room to explore. After all, who says change is bad? Perhaps something will strike a chord with me one day, and I'll find my faith evolving. Who knows?

So here is my challenge to myself, and please feel free to play along - whenever there is a big religious festivity from a faith I don't know about, I'm going to put a book in my hands that tells me about it. Educates me. Enlightens me. Brings me further knowledge of our humanity. And if I'm lucky, it's going to come in the form of a YA novel.

GUESTOPIA: MG Author Stacie Haas

So, I’m a bit late with this month’s GUESTOPIA interview – I blame NaNoWriMo, the excitement of Pitch Wars, and all the other things that life throws at us at this time of year. But, I’m here! I’m back! And, best yet, I have a wonderful middle grade author who I’m delighted to introduce you to today.

STACIE HAAS 

Stacie Haas is an award-winning professional and creative writer with background in business communications, public relations, and reputation management. She has been repeatedly honored with national MarCom Platinum and Gold awards for writing corporate social responsibility reports for a Fortune 500 company. 

Her writing has appeared in national magazines like St. Anthony Messenger and Skipping Stones. She has degrees in English and American History and is a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature.

Stacie's debut novel, Freedom for Me: A Chinese Yankee, was published in November 2017 by Melody Press, an imprint 5050 Press. She is currently hard at work on her next project. Stacie resides in Northern Kentucky with her husband, Michael, their three children, and chocolate lab mutt.

And off we go with the interview! 

Is this your first published book?

Yes!

What’s it called?

Freedom for Me: A Chinese Yankee

Which genre?

Historical Fiction

Which age group?

Upper middle grade/young adult. It’s written for ages 10 and up.

Is it a series or standalone?

Standalone (for now).

Are you an agented author?

No.

Which publisher snapped up your book?

Melody Press, an imprint of 5050 Press (www.5050press.com).

How involved have you been in the whole publishing process of your book?

I feel I have been involved every step of the way, but am certainly grateful that I had the guidance of my publisher and its owners, Stephen Hall and Megan Cassidy Hall. 

Do you have another job?

Yes. I am a senior public relations manager for a Fortune 500 company.

Did you receive many, if any, rejections prior?

It was about 10 between publishers and agents. The agent rejections were hard to take, but those that took the time to tell me why were helpful in retrospect. I didn’t receive responses from any of the publishers I originally queried. I waited and waited for a response, but didn’t receive one. Those are the worst, I think. I understand the sheer number of queries they receive, but to hear nothing is a rejection without closure. It’s hard to take.

What created/what were you doing or watching when the first idea for this book sneaked up on you?

My novel is based on a real-life Chinese Yankee named Joseph Pierce. I first learned of him many years ago when a friend of my father’s gifted me an old stack of his Civil War magazines. I have a degree in American History and have always loved studying the American Civil War. Being of Chinese heritage, I was thrilled to learn about a Chinese Civil War soldier because I’d been under the mistaken impression that the Chinese didn’t come to America until after the war was over. I was fascinated and started researching deeper.

A few years later, I decided to pursue my love of creative writing and started taking courses at the Institute of Children’s Literature. My third course was designed to help with writing a first manuscript. I decided to give it a go. 

How long did you plot/plan until you started writing it?

Not long, but I had many starts and stops. I originally intended to write a non-fiction book. Once I got started, I realized that I simply didn’t have enough historical facts to do justice to a non-fiction work. My instructor at the Institute suggested that I turn it into a fiction story. I jumped at the chance to base my story on the real soldier, and to fill in the historical gaps using my experiences as a person of Chinese heritage. I did plot out the story chapter by chapter originally. The general direction of the novel is the same today, but there were many changes and additions to the story along the way. 

Once you started, did the story flow naturally or did you have to step in and wrestle it into submission?

It flowed very naturally in the first draft. The words appeared on paper, but the writing wasn’t very good at that point. As a first-time novelist, I had a lot to learn about the process of writing. I started with a major issue, which I’ll call adverb-itis. I wrote with too much filtering and got bogged down in historical details that slowed the pace of the story. Then, in later drafts, I worked on dialogue and tagging properly and so forth. I found that editing with one particular issue in mind made a huge difference for me. 

How many drafts did you write before you let someone read it? Who was that someone?

With my first draft, I was writing as part of a class assignment so my instructor read every chapter along the way. Once I graduated from that course, I had an unpolished manuscript that was complete but nowhere near submission ready. Of course, I didn’t know that at the time. I submitted to my first publisher shortly after the course was over and didn’t get a response. After that, I ended up getting a test edit done on my first few chapters and learned a great deal. The most significant thing I learned was that the editing I’d done to tighten my language actually took me way below the standard word count for my upper middle grade/teen audience. What a rookie mistake!

Did you employ an editor/proofreader or did you have a critique partner/beta readers before you started querying?

Yes, and across several years. After the initial test edit and a rewriting, I had some beta readers give me feedback, which proved invaluable. Several years and several drafts later, I felt I was getting close to a submission-ready manuscript so I had a professional critique done. It ended up being very encouraging because the issues identified were minimal and easily fixed. Prior to submitting my novel the final time, I employed a proof reader who was able to find those little errors that my eyes had simply stopped seeing.  

Roughly how many drafts did it take before you sent the manuscript off into the real world?

I honestly don’t know, but my best guess is five. And that doesn’t include revisions to individual chapters along the way, of which there were many.

How many drafts until it was published?

At least five, maybe more.  

Has the book changed dramatically since the first draft?

Yes, and some of the changes were quite significant. The first major change was the addition of a key character. I was several drafts in before I realized that I was writing a book about the war to end slavery and didn’t have any slaves in the story. The character of Sam is integral to the book. I love the character and can’t imagine the story without him now. 

The other big change was to the opening scene of the first chapter. The content didn’t change dramatically, but how it was written did. I knew I didn’t love it, but it took me quite a while to figure out how to make it better. Once I did, the rejections stopped and I got my first requests for a full manuscript in a matter of weeks. Never underestimate the power of your opening scene!

Are there any parts you’d like to change even now?

Now that I read it as a published book, I still wonder about little ways to make the story stronger. I suppose that will always be the case.

What part of writing do you find the easiest?

Writing after I have a plotline established.

What part do you find hardest?

Plotting.

Do you push through writing barriers or walk away?

Both. When I actually have a chunk of time to spend on writing, I will push my way through because that uninterrupted writing time is rare and priceless. When I struggle in those instances, I’ll pick a chapter and do some polishing to get me back into a writing mode.  If, on the other hand, I’m trying to sneak in some writing time and it doesn’t happen, I usually let it go and revisit it later. 

How many projects do you have on the go at the same time?

For most of the time writing Freedom for Me it was just one major project, although I participated in Flash Fiction contests for fun. I love the challenge of creating a complete story in 250 words. I am always writing, however, for my day job. Currently, I’m working on another middle grade novel. 

Do you think you’re born with the talent to write or do you think it can be learned?

From an early age, I enjoyed putting pen to paper. I don’t know if I was born with any natural talent, but I had a need to write to understand how I felt about things. It was always a natural thing for me to do.

However, writing can definitely be learned and improved. My twelve-year-old son doesn’t believe me when I say that practicing writing really helps. It’s just like anything else. In the process of writing just this one book, I think I’ve grown significantly as a writer. My early drafts of Freedom for Me are cringe-worthy, but I treasure those drafts because I didn’t stop there. I tried to hone a new skill—filtering, pace, characterization—with every re-write and edit. And in the end, I know I gave it my best effort. 

How many future novels do you have planned?

Two as of right now. One is in the works; the other is in the idea stages.

Do you write other things, such as short stories, articles, blogs, etc?

I maintain a blog on my website, staciehaas.com, and I enjoy Flash Fiction contests. I also write every day for my day job—press releases, feature articles, and annual reports. 

What’s the highlight of being published so far?

Holding the book in my hand and simply knowing how many drafts (and years) it took to get it there. 

Give me one writing tip that work for you.

Writing when the mood strikes and not stopping until it ends. 

And one that doesn't.

Trying to write within a set timeframe like NaNoWriMo. I absolutely love the idea of a daily word count to accomplish the monumental task of writing a novel in a month, but it doesn’t work for me or in my daily life. It makes writing too much like work, and I already have a day job. Writing for me is a purely enjoyable exercise and I don’t like to add the pressure of that. I feel it stifles my creativity. (But, boy, am I impressed with writers who can do it successfully!).     

Can you give us a clue or secret about the next book?

It’s a middle grade novel about a nine-year-old boy who is obsessed with impressing his dad with his baseball skills. An unfortunate injury and a diagnosis that puts him in occupational therapy forces him to adjust his plans and his definition of success.  

What question have you always wanted to be asked but never have? What would the answer be?

Now, that’s a good question! I don’t know. I suppose the question I always want the opportunity to answer is why I like studying American history, and the Civil War, specifically. And my answer is that war brings out the best and worst in people. It’s the perfect time to learn and understand a country and the mindset of its people because of those two extremes. Plus, I’m a patriot at heart and always have been. If you want to understand why a country is worth fighting for, I feel strongly that you should “ask” those people who are willing to stand up and serve. They never fail to teach us if we’re willing to “listen” to them.  

Fantastic! Thank you so much for joining me today, Stacie, and I, and everyone else at YAtopia, wish you all the best with your book. 

If you would like to follow Stacie's journey and connect with her, these links might help! 

Website 

Publisher's Website 
Twitter
Facebook

Freedom for Me: A Chinese Yankee debuted in November 2017 from 5050 Press. Buy it on Amazon.com in paperback or e-book:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077BSB7RP/