Interview: Jean Mckie-Sutton

  

Thanks for visiting me for my stop on The Fruits of Our Sins blog tour, hosted by Virtual Book Tour Cafe.

Please help me welcome Jean Mckie-Sutton, 

author of

The Fruits of Our Sins

  

Genre: Fiction; Ethnic Fiction
Websites: www.redlotuspress.com
Purchase Links: www.barnesandnoble.com; www.amazon.com
Publisher: Red Lotus Press
Release Date: June 4, 2012

Book Synopsis:
The lives of Madeline and Sybil become intertwined in heated confrontation by the birth of a child - a child that each claims to have a right to. For one woman, possession of the child represents redemption; for the other, the repetition of generational sin.
The Fruits Of Our Sins chronicles the deeply flawed relationships these women have with their parents, the impact of those relationships on the direction of their lives and ultimately the lives of their children as they attempt to flee from, yet reconcile, the betrayals and abandonment of their youth.


The Interview:


1) Tell us a bit about The Fruits of Our Sins

This novel tells the story of two young women, Madeline and Sybil, who experience abandonment and betrayal within their own families at a very young age. Their lives soon become intertwined in heated confrontation by the birth of a child - a child that each claims to have a right to. For one woman, possession of the child represents redemption; for the other, the repetition of generational sin.
The Fruits Of Our Sins chronicles the deeply flawed relationships these women have with their parents, the impact of those relationships on the direction of their lives and ultimately the lives of their children as they attempt to flee from, yet reconcile, the abandonment and betrayals of their youth.

2) What inspired you to write this story?

I’d have to say I was inspired by my family. Although this novel is not at all biographical, developing the story lines of the characters helped me reconcile and understand some of the troubling, life-changing decisions made by the matriarchs in my own family.

3) Tell us about Red Lotus Press

I formed Red Lotus Press earlier this year solely to publish, market and promote my own work.  But since its inception, so many people have inquired about utilizing Red Lotus Press for their own books I’ve decided to promote other authors in their quest to become published. Red Lotus Press will specialize in novels, novellas, short stories and poems that are true to life with a focus on the theme of confronting and overcoming hardship or adversity, specifically in regard to parent/child relationships. We will be open to submissions in 2013.

4) What is a typical day in the life of Jean Mckie-Sutton like?

A Typical day? What’s that? I’m still in the midst of raising kids so every day is different and full!  In between carting my kids to baseball camp, swim lessons, basketball summer league and pre-season soccer, we manage to get some down time at the neighborhood pool. There, I sneak get in a few hours of writing time, otherwise, life doesn’t slow down until the evenings after everyone is settling down for bed or early mornings before the house awakens. At dawn I head out to the gym for a quick workout then rush home to check email, and update facebook, twitter, linkedin and my website.

5) Do you have any specific quirks or "rituals" while writing?

I have a few oddities. First, the house must be completely quiet while I’m writing. This is quite a feat with three kids, a husband, and a dog and cat in our tiny house. I have a colorful collection of ear plugs I use to block out all the noisy chaos, otherwise I wait until the evenings to write when everyone is already asleep.
Second, I often wake up in the middle of the night for no reason at all. It is during these moments that I experience my most creative insights. I keep a pen and table bedside so I can capture the rush of ideas that seems to come for nowhere.

6) What advice can you give the aspiring writers reading this interview?

Read as much as you can. It will help you get a feel for the techniques and styles of great writers, and ultimately assist you in developing your own unique writing style.
Write! Ideally you want to write daily, but this is not always possible given the demands of daily life. Set your time frame and stick to it. For example, if you decide to write four days a week for four hours each day, then stick to it and allow nothing and no one to impede on your time.
And last, but certainly not least, be open and look for advice everywhere.

7) What's next for you?

I’m in the middle of a collection of short stories focusing on family relationships - mostly mother/daughter relationships that involve transformation after overcoming steep obstacles. I hope to finish the collection later this year.
The second project I’m considering is a sequel to The Fruits Of Our Sins. I hadn’t initially planned on writing a sequel, but so many people have asked, I feel the need to at least consider the possibility.

8) Let us know where to find you.

Amazon Author Profile
Amazon Print
Amazon Kindle
Barnes and Noble Nook
Website: www.redlotuspress.com
Email: jmckiesutton@gmail.com

Check out the other great stops on this tour...
July 3 -      Introduction at VBT Cafe' Blog
July 6 -      Guest Blogging at Wise Words
July 10 -    Review & Guest Blogging at The Lucky Ladybug
July 12 -    Reviewed & Interviewed at A Book Lover's Library
July 16 -    Interviewed at My World
July 18 -    Interviewed at Reviews & Interviews
July 20 -    Reviewed at Books, Books, and More Books
July 23 -    Reviewed & Guest Blogging at Words I Write Crazy
July 25 -    Guest Blogging at AZ Publishing Services
July 27 -    Guest Blogging at Reading, Writing, and More
July 30 -    Reviewed & Interviewed at Nita Bee's WebBlog
August 1 - Guest Blogging at Mocha Girl Reads
August 3 - Reviewed at The Story of a Girl...
August 7 - Interviewed by Louise James
August 9 - Interviewed at Mass Musings