Author Ellen Lindseth shines with her debut novel "A Girl Divided"

I can’t tell you how excited I am to introduce you all to my friend, critique partner and debut author, Ellen Lindseth. I’ve been waiting a long time for the world to get to read Ellen’s book A GIRL DIVIDED from Lake Union Publishers. I’m slightly biased because I’ve been reading this book from its beginning stages and pages, but I know you all are going to fall in love with this unique and lovely story. Help me welcome Ellen Lindseth.

A two-time Golden Heart finalist, Ellen writes emotional and romantic WWII women’s fiction. A world-traveler and small plane pilot, she lives in Minnesota with her husband, three rescue cats and an elderly bearded dragon.

A GIRL DIVIDED

Rural China, 1942. Twenty-two-year-old Eugenia Baker exists in a bubble as yet untouched by WWII. Content to help her father with his missionary work, Genie sees her future as a straight, if narrow, road—until an American pilot arrives, warning them of the approaching Japanese army.

Lieutenant Ted Younan is one of the Flying Tigers, volunteer fighters protecting China from aerial attacks. After rescuing Ted from his downed plane, Genie’s father asks the flyboy to get his daughter across the mountains so she can escape to the United States. To leave her beloved home—much less chaperoned by her father’s overbearing assistant, Nathan—is the last thing Genie wants, but she reluctantly agrees.

Ted is unlike any man Genie has known, and he opens her eyes to the idea of determining her own fate and chasing her dreams. But Genie has her doubts when tragedy thrusts responsibility upon her and the war creates unexpected opportunities, challenges…and temptations. Now, a world away from the woman she was, Genie must discover the woman she wants to be.

STORY EXCERPT

Ted held her gaze for a long moment after the dance ended. She felt as though she could fall into the mahogany depths, never to resurface. “We should probably go back to the table. Our drinks have arrived.”

Genie leaped back, mortified by her behavior. It’s embarrassing how you throw yourself at him. Nathan’s words sank like a dagger into her chest.

“It looks like Joe ordered us some food, too.” Ted gestured for her to lead the way. “Good man!”

She started for the table when she caught sight of George by the bar. He was chatting with a dark-haired woman in a green dress that left little to the imagination. Unexpectedly, his hand slid down the woman’s back to rest familiarly on her buttocks.

Actually, he was doing more than resting his hand on the silk-clad cheek; he was actively massaging it, the emerald fabric bunching under his fingers.

Genie slowed. “Ted . . . um . . . does George know that woman?”

Ted turned to follow her gaze. After what sounded like a muffled expletive, he immediately redirected her movements, cutting off her view. “Forget you saw that.”

“But he was . . .” A curious tension curled deep in her body as she sought the words to describe the scene, her mind’s eye caught by the sensual ripple of silk as it caught between his fingers, the displacement of the woman’s soft flesh beneath the fabric. Heat climbed up her neck, leaving her flushed, shaky.

“Doing nothing you needed to see. I guess they’ve lowered their standards since the last time I was through.”

“What do you mean?”

“Never mind. They’ll be leaving soon enough.”

Joe stood politely as she reached the table. “You kids have fun?”

“When did they start letting birds in?” Ted asked angrily before she could say a word.

Joe looked around the club. His eyebrows rose when he reached the bar area. “Well, well . . . so that’s why he sent a waiter back with the drinks.”

“Warn me if he starts to bring her this direction,” Ted growled as he pulled out her chair.

“No worries about that,” Joe said, resuming his own seat. “They’re heading toward the door.”

“What . . .” she began, and then the pieces began to fit: Ted’s discomfort, George’s hand so low, the tight dress, “birds” . . . birds of paradise, her father had once called them. “That woman was selling herself? She was a prostitute?”

She knew about prostitution, of course. The world’s oldest profession was mentioned several times in the Bible, and missionaries everywhere worked to stop the trade. She just hadn’t seen a fallen woman in the flesh before.

Her gaze flicked to the bar again. George and the girl were indeed gone. Her stomach clenched, but not with disgust as she had expected. Her emotions weren’t nearly that uncomplicated. To her shame, beneath her discomfort also lurked a certain fascination.

Picking up her fork, she couldn’t stop herself from wondering what would happen next. Where would the two conduct their business? In a room with a bed? An alley? Would they both disrobe? Or only the girl?

Would she, the girl, like it?

At that thought, she forgot to swallow and breathe separately, and choked.

Ted smacked her on the back. “You all right?”

She managed a smile over her glass. “Fine.”

FIND A GIRL DIVIDED ON AMAZON

Q&A WITH ELLEN:

LIZ: What was your favorite book as a child?

ELLEN: Wow, that’s a tough one! I would say the one that has stuck in my imagination the longest is The Island Stallion by Walter Farley. A wanna-be archaeologist on a pristine Caribbean Island with gorgeous wild horses … who wouldn’t be swept away? There was even a kind of HEA plot: would the hero win the stallion’s love and trust?

LIZ: How did you come up with the idea for this book? 

ELLEN: I’ve always been fascinated by the nooks and crannies of history, the things that get overlooked or overshadowed. In this case, it was China’s experience of WWII and the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) here in the United States. I also have to thank my childhood friend, Heather, for having a grandfather who was a missionary that traveled through China, and inspired the creation of my heroine’s father in the novel.

LIZ: If you described your book in three words, which would you choose?

ELLEN: Adventure, self-discovery, independence, I guess. Oh, and plot-twists, but that would be four, so never mind.

LIZ: You’ve been granted one superpower for one week. Which power would you choose, and what would you do with it?

ELLEN: I suppose it would come as no surprise to anyone who also knows I’m a pilot, but I would love to have Supergirl’s ability to fly. I’ve had more dreams than I could count about jumping into the air and then just floating there, completely defying gravity. It’s such a rush, even in my dreams.

LIZ: Name three things on your desk right now.

ELLEN: Two beanie baby cats (different colors) and a cross-stitch project I’ve been working on for nearly 20 years, but don’t tell anyone, or they’ll think I’m a procrastinator.

LIZ HAS GOTTA ASK: What’s the most personal thing you’ve ever put in one of your books?

ELLEN: The most personal thing in A GIRL DIVIDED is the terror Genie feels when she botches her first solo landing attempt. I’ve had my own hair-raising close calls, as has any pilot. We just rarely mention them to anyone other than other pilots, who would nod their heads in sympathy.

ELLEN’S QUESTION FOR YOU:

In A GIRL DIVIDED, Genie lets her friend talk her into swim lessons even though she’s terrified of water. When I turned 50, I challenged myself to earn my private pilot’s license, even though I was terrified. What’s the most challenging thing you have every done?

I have a $10 Amazon gift card for one lucky commenter today!

WHAT’S NEXT?

My next book is Violet Exposed (tentative title), to be released October 2019.

CONTACT ELLEN:

E-mail:   authorellenlindseth@gmail.com                  

Website:          www. Ellenlindseth.com

Facebook:        https://www.facebook.com/EllenLindsethAuthor

Twitter:           https://twitter.com/EllenLindseth

Goodreads:     https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15289905.Ellen_Lindseth

Get Lost In The Jericho Resistance Series from Award-Winning Author Mimi Milan

The Fires of Faith, book three in The Jericho Resistance series.

Trapped within the walls of the Jericho saloon, Lupita Belmonte struggles to free herself from her father's oppressive rule - never realizing that there are others there with far worse fates than her own. When an American doctor rides into town to treat her wounds, he makes a deal with her to escape in exchange for her help. Will she have faith to trust him, or succumb to her father's will once again?

It's neither money nor kindness that spurs Gabe Sante to answer the call of treating a notorious saloon owner's daughter. An army doctor serving as a spy, he's the most qualified to collect the information they need to determine if the saloon is a haven for Nazi soldiers. The last thing he expects is to find his loyalty tested when he meets a Mexican senorita with enough sass to turn his head. 

The Fires of Faith are ignited with hearts set ablaze in the underbelly of 1918 Mexico. Here's an excerpt!

She felt silly all of a sudden. Here she was asking this doctor something that even he probably couldn’t explain. After all, he too was a man. It probably had never crossed his mind that she would be anything other than a patient. She looked away. “No, I suppose you don’t.”

“Perhaps if you would explain?”

“There’s nothing to say, really. I don’t think you could help.”

Gabe didn’t appreciate people telling him what he could or could not do. “Well, maybe I could, I tried. I am a doctor and that’s what I do – help people, that is. So, if you would just speak plain as to what ails you, then I could give you my best plan of treatment.”

She gave him her full attention again. “Alright then. However, you have to swear not to tell a soul. I know what everyone around here is like and there would be bromas all day long. I’d never hear the end of their laughter and the gossip would continue indefinitely. So, swear it to me. Swear it!”

He grew solemn. “I do not swear, but I will promise that anything shared between you and I will be completely confidential. That means anything ever. Agreed?”

“Good.” She forged on, “I would like to become a woman.”

“Wha—” Gabe sputtered. “Perhaps I gave you a little too much morphine.”

“Why?”

“Señorita, I’m the one who performed the surgery. I can guarantee you that you’ve already reached maturity. That’s why your father requested my services. Remember? There was fear that you wouldn’t be able to marry one day and bear children. Rest any fears you may have had, though. For as far as I could see, there was no extensive damage to the womb. Provided you follow the treatment plan for recovery, you should be just fine.”

“Do others know?”

Gabe shrugged. “Perhaps. I did inform your father and your friend, Amorina, who was in the room to assist me.”

“And were there no flowers? No visitors to wish me well?”

The doctor seemed at a loss.

“I’m sorry, there were not.” He suddenly appeared agitated, pacing the room as if being chased back and forth by el chumaco. “Is that what concerns you? That your many admirers have not come to pay their respects? Is that what it takes to make a woman happy? It cannot be enough for her to have one man who truly cares for her, she must have many that will act like fools only to prove their sanity later once they’ve found someone more to their liking.”

Now Lupita was confused. Was he referring to her?

“What are you talking about? I never said I have many admirers. In fact, I’ve never had a single one!”

Her declaration caused him to still. He stared at her as if he wasn’t sure whether or not he could believe her. He let out a slow sigh.

“I’m so very sorry. You are the absolute last person I should be raising my voice to. Not only are you my patient, but you’re own who just underwent an extensive procedure… and after such a terrible ordeal to begin with.” He looked at her with remorse. “Forgive me?”

It was the first time a man – anyone for that matter – had asked for her forgiveness. Usually, it was she who begged pardon for looking (or smelling) offensive, accidentally spilling a drink or serving a tortilla that had cooled too long.

She studied him for a moment, curious as to what she had said to offend him to begin with. Maybe if she knew, then she could decide if she should forgive him.

“Why did you yell at me?”

He fidgeted with his collar, pulling at it as though it had become a noose or something else equally unpleasant. “Your request for flowers and visitors reminded me of someone I once knew.”

Ah, that was it! She may not have had much experience in the way of love, but she certainly had seen others act foolishly when they believed they were being replaced by another.

“Did you lose someone you loved? Did she leave you for another?”

Gabriel scoffed. “Those are hardly appropriate questions. Besides, I don’t think it’s something we should be discussing as part of the doctor-patient relationship. It has absolutely nothing to do with your treatment.”

“Maybe not, but it helps me decide if you can help me.” Lupita placed a finger to her chin, carefully considering him and her options. “The more I think about it, though, the more I think that you cannot help at all. Not in the way I was thinking. However, perhaps I can help you.”

“How so?”

“I could help you get over your last love.”

Meet Mimi Milan

Mimi Milan is an award-winning, bestselling author of both historical and contemporary fiction. She is a candidate for the MFA in Creative Writing at Queens University. When she isn't staring at a computer screen, she can be found spending time in the suburbs of North Carolina with her family, two black cats and her imaginary friends. 

Contact Info

https://www.amazon.com/Mimi-Milan/e/B011O65CQU/

www.mimimilan.com

www.facebook.com/MimiMilanBooks

www.twitter.com/thewritingMimi

E.E.: What's your favorite cartoon character? 

Mimi: My daughters have gotten me hooked on Monster High. 

E.E.: What's your favorite movie of all time? 

Mimi: Amelie

E.E.: Is writing or storytelling easier for you? 

Mimi: I'm a natural born talker, so storytelling is easier hands down. 

E.E.: If you couldn't be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up? 

Mimi: Talk show host or radio DJ. 

E.E.: What would you say is your most interesting quirk? 

Mimi: I sweep the floors when I need to clear my head or really concentrate on something.

E.E.: Cast your book using a fairytale. 

Mimi: Snow White all the way. 

E.E.: Which era would you have liked to live in fashion wise? 

Mimi: It doesn't exist. However, I would be a Steamer all the way if it did. 

Today Mimi will be giving away a signed print copy of A Rebel in Jericho.

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Kristina McMorris, The Pieces We Keep

Welcome back Kristina McMorris!

Kristina McMorris’s works of fiction have garnered more than twenty national literary awards and appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestsellers lists. Inspired by true personal and historical accounts, her novels include Letters from Home, Bridge of Scarlet Leaves, and most recently The Pieces We Keep.

ABOUT:  THE PIECES WE KEEP

A young boy’s violent, recurrent night terrors unseal a trove of family secrets tracing back to the Second World War, forever altering the lives of those around him. 

In this richly emotional novel, Kristina McMorris evokes the depth of a mother’s bond with her child, and the power of personal histories to echo through generations…

Two years have done little to ease veterinarian Audra Hughes’s grief over her husband’s untimely death. Eager for a fresh start, Audra plans to leave Portland for a new job in Philadelphia. Her seven-year-old son, Jack, seems apprehensive about flying—but it’s just the beginning of an anxiety that grows to consume him.

As Jack’s fears continue to surface in recurring and violent nightmares, Audra hardly recognizes the introverted boy he has become. Desperate, she traces snippets of information unearthed in Jack’s dreams, leading her to Sean Malloy, a struggling US Army veteran wounded in Afghanistan. Together they unravel a mystery dating back to World War II, and uncover old family secrets that still have the strength to wound—and perhaps, at last, to heal.

Intricate and beautifully written, The Pieces We Keep illuminates those moments when life asks us to reach beyond what we know and embrace what was once unthinkable. Deftly weaving together past and present, herein lies a story that is at once poignant and thought provoking, and as unpredictable as the human heart.

Kensington Books
Release date: November 26, 2013  (Lead title December 2013)
ISBN: 978-0-7582-8116-6
Women’s Fiction, Original Trade Paperback, 464 pages
Price: $15 U.S./$16.95 Can.
Special features: Discussion Guide and special Author Note

Advance praise:

"The Pieces We Keep gripped me from the first page and didn't let go."  —Alyson Richman, bestselling author of The Lost Wife

“The past collides with the present in this sensitive and multilayered story where the discovery of long-held family secrets leads to healing.”—Beth Hoffman, New York Times bestselling author of Looking for Me and Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

“An utterly absorbing novel…this is a beautifully woven story, at once gripping and uplifting.” —Margaret Leroy, author of The Soldier’s Wife

“A compelling tale with memorable characters, written in McMorris’ elegant and captivating prose. I didn’t want this novel to end.” —Erika Robuck, bestselling author of Call Me Zelda

"A haunting read…it is a perfect combination of historical fiction and modern mystery." —Amy Hatvany, author of Heart Like Mine

BEHIND THE BOOK:

A friend once shared with a Kristina a news story about a young boy troubled by night terrors involving a plane crash during WWII. Eventually, his detailed knowledge convinced his skeptical parents that in a past life he had been a pilot who perished in battle.

Kristina's eldest son, often referred to as an "old soul," had also once suffered from night terrors and used to speak of a grandmother who didn't exist. Reflecting on this, Kristina wondered: how would she react if her son, too, suddenly spouted historical facts that logic dictated he couldn't yet know? What if those "memories" linked back to secrets people strove to keep buried?

From there, a true account of Nazi spies on American soil inspired the final threads of Kristina's story, raising challenging questions of courage, faith, and loyalty.



ORDER THE BOOK:

Amazon: www.tinyurl.com/TPWK-Amazon1
B&N: www.tinyurl.com/TPWK-BN
Powell's: www.tinyurl.com/TPWK-Powells
Indiebound: www.tinyurl.com/TPWK-Indie
Books-a-million: www.tinyurl.com/TPWK-BAM

ABOUT KRISTINA MCMORRIS

Kristina McMorris is the recipient of more than twenty national literary awards. A host of weekly TV shows since age nine, including an Emmy® Award-winning program, she penned her debut novel, Letters from Home (Kensington Books, Avon/HarperCollins UK), based on inspiration from her grandparents' wartime courtship. This critically praised book was declared a must-read by Woman's Day magazine and achieved additional acclaim as a Reader's Digest Select Editions feature, a Doubleday/Literary Guild selection, and a 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist for Best Historical Fiction.

Kristina’s second novel, Bridge of Scarlet Leaves, was named a 2013 nominee for the prestigious RITA® Award and is frequently an official reading selection among book clubs, universities, and libraries throughout the country. Most recently, her novella, “The Christmas Collector,” appeared in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling anthology A Winter Wonderland. Her novelette, “The Reunion,” will be featured in the forthcoming anthology titled Grand Central (Berkley/Penguin, July 2014).

Named one of Portland's "40 Under 40" by The Business Journal, Kristina lives with her husband and two sons in the Pacific Northwest. The Pieces We Keep is her third full-length novel. For more, visit www.KristinaMcMorris.com

GET TO KNOW KRISTINA MCMORRIS

Maureen: What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever done to research a book?
Kristina: I can easily say it was flying in a restored B-17 from WWII. After takeoff, the ten passengers were allowed to roam the aircraft at will, and I jumped at the opportunity to sit in the nose gunner’s seat, where there’s nothing but Plexiglas beneath your feet. Needless to say, it was an unforgettable experience!

Maureen: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Kristina: As a movie buff, I have a lot of favorites. But if I had to name just one, I’d say Dangerous Beauty, an incredible story set in the Venetian courtesan era. I’m always amazed it’s not a more widely known film.

Maureen: What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?
Kristina: Historical fiction, without a doubt. Nothing pulls me into another world like a period piece with high stakes—typically involving war, love, tragedy, and hope.

Maureen: What’s the first book you remember reading?
Kristina: Hmm, I think that might have to be Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Seriously, who doesn’t remember reciting the bust chant at some point?

Maureen: Do you believe in ghosts?
Kristina: I do. Mainly because, when I was a little girl, our family home was haunted for a brief time, even requiring the help of a pastor who blessed the house, room by room.

Maureen: What sound or noise do you love?
Kristina: The heartwarming sound of my sons giggling while playing together.

Maureen: What book would you want with you if you were stranded on a desert island?
Kristina: The most comprehensive survival guide in existence. For pure pleasure reading? The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It’s the only novel I’ve ever wanted to immediately start rereading the minute I finished it.

Maureen: What’s your favorite dessert?
Kristina: Tiramisu. My husband and I are on a perpetual hunt to find the best tiramisu in the world.

Maureen: Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?
Kristina: I’m from Oregon, so of course it’s coffee! And of course it’s as complicated as a chemistry experiment: a half-caff, tepid, nonfat vanilla latte with an extra pump of caramel. Now, say THAT ten times fast!

Maureen: What’s your favorite kid joke?
Kristina: Why did the football coach go to the bank? To get his quarterback.

Maureen: **rolling on the floor laughing**

GIVEAWAY! 

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Is it Dystopian or Historical? Or both

MEET URVE TAMBERG

As the daughter of immigrant parents, Urve grew up in Toronto hearing stories about the history and culture of Estonia. She led a double life for most of her childhood. She was a normal Canadian student during the day, and an Estonian at night and on weekends. Her “Canadian” friends didn’t understand why she had to go to Estonian school on Friday nights, or rhythmic gymnastics on the weekends. And where exactly was this tiny country that had been forgotten by the world for decades after the Soviets occupied it?

Urve didn’t realize that she wanted to be a writer so she pursued a career in physiotherapy, followed by a career in management which spanned both the public and private sectors of health care. Along the way, she developed and implemented business plans, marketing plans, and strategic plans for a multinational corporation, as well as hospitals.

Urve has always been inspired by little-known stories of ingenuity, bravery, and stubbornness, so a few years ago she started writing historical fiction for teens.  Her first book, The Darkest Corner of the World, is based on true stories of the Estonian people and their struggle to survive during the Soviet and Nazi occupations during World War II.

THE DARKEST CORNER OF THE WORLD

ISBN 978-1-77086-214-2

Who can you turn to for help, when your only choice is between two evils? 

In 1941, Estonia is under the iron rule of the Soviet Union. Fifteen-year-old Madli is struggling to understand why she can't raise her country's flag, why soldiers are waiting at every corner, and why her father was taken away in the middle of the night. Her annual vacation to Hiiumaa Island for the Midsummer celebration is the one thing she has to look forward to.

But in the midst of the celebrations, the Nazis invade the Soviet Union, and are on a path that will take them through Estonia. When Madli hears about a band of forest-dwelling freedom fighters determined to overthrow the Soviets at any cost, she is forced to decide whether she'd rather live under the evil regime she knows, or help another evil regime in hopes her father will be freed and her nation's story heard.

The Darkest Corner of the World is available at Indigo-Chapters locations, and independent bookstores across Canada, as well as on-line at Chapters and Amazon.ca.

An excerpt can be found on www.thedarkestcorneroftheworld.com

PRAISE FOR THE DARKEST CORNER OF THE WORLD

From CM magazine, Volume XIX, No. 3. September 21, 2012: Highly recommended (***1/2 out of 4)

http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/cm/vol19/no3/thedarkestcorneroftheworld.html

With a focus on the Baltic nation of Estonia, Urve Tamberg's debut novel, The Darkest Corner of the World, offers intimate insight into what is generally an overlooked and unrepresented subject in the annals of World War II history: the plight of Eastern Europe under Soviet occupation. 

In the tradition of well-written historical fiction, Tamberg has managed to strike a healthy balance between fact and fiction throughout; the incorporation of the former is used appropriately not so much as a device to develop or drive the plot forward, but more so as a means to provide richness and authenticity to the time and proper context to events discussed. And while the evidence of research is clear, it does not manifest itself directly in the form of dates, places, and historical people per se. Wisely, a great deal of effort is invested in building up Estonian culture, customs, and traditions, much of which is lovingly dispensed through the advice and folklore of Madli's grandparents. In a similar manner, Tamberg's development of physical setting, that of the Estonian countryside and wilderness, works wonderfully to breathe life into the story. The rugged landscape and environment of Hiiumaa Island (the location of Madli's summer retreat) captures perfectly the resiliency of the Estonian people during the war and, by extension, that which is inherent in all humanity when confronted with crisis. Tamberg is able to impart this beautiful message throughout the story right up to the very last words.

  A worthy addition to the historical fiction collection of any library, The Darkest Corner of the World may also be an appropriate selection for use in the classroom, ideally as a supplement to more traditional materials and teachings of World War II history. 

For photos of the locations where the book is set, please visit Urve's Pinterest page.

http://pinterest.com/utamberg/the-darkest-corner-of-the-world/

WHERE TO FIND URVE ONLINE:

www.utamberg.com

www.thedarkestcorneroftheworld.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/utamberg/the-darkest-corner-of-the-world/

Twitter: @utamberg

Facebook: Urve Tamberg - Author News

GET TO KNOW URVE TAMBERG

MAUREEN:  What’s your favorite holiday?

URVE:  Thanksgiving. I love to cook, eat, and socialize. We spend it at the cottage with family and dogs, so it's a wonderfully relaxing day filled with eating, drinking, and merriment. My kind of day.

MAUREEN:  Where do you most like to read and how often?

URVE:  In the car waiting for my kids, in the kitchen cooking dinner, in line-ups at the supermarket. Pretty much everywhere.

MAUREEN:  What’s next for you as an author?

URVE:  A mystery set in the Soviet Union in 1990. This will also be a YA book.

MAUREEN:  What’s your favorite hobby?

URVE:  Cooking

MAUREEN:  What’s the best vacation you’ve ever been on?

URVE:  Costa Rica with the family a few years ago. We ate breakfast everyday in the open air restaurant and only few feet away, monkeys would be swinging from the trees. It was such a beautiful country with amazing wildlife. We saw a sloth on the ground. Apparently sloths come down from the trees every couple of weeks to, ahem, do their business. We basically swarmed the poor thing and watched him navigate a chicken wire fence. Being a sloth, it took him quite a while and I have dozens of pictures of him.

MAUREEN:  Cats or dogs?

URVE:  Definitely dogs.

MAUREEN:  What’s your favorite cartoon character?

URVE:  Bugs Bunny. He's smart, clever, and a bit snarky.

MAUREEN:  What turns you off like nothing else?

URVE:  Rudeness, ignorance, an unwillingness to learn new things, close mindedness, bullying. Shall I go on?

MAUREEN:  What sound or noise do you love?

URVE:  Rain

MAUREEN:  Vanilla or chocolate?

URVE:  Chocolate. What's vanilla?

MAUREEN:  Ha! What’s your favorite dessert?

URVE:  Interesting...I'm skipping to all the food questions. Chocolate. Maybe chocolate cheesecake.

MAUREEN:  Did you belong to a clique in high school? Which one of the standard high school stereotypes did you best fit in to?

URVE:  Nerdy only child. There was no clique for that group, especially in a neighbourhood with large immigrant families.

MAUREEN:  What is your favorite tradition from your childhood that you would love to pass on or did pass on to your children?

URVE:  Talking. It may sound weird, but with technology, our conversations seem so much shorter. My kids want me to answer questions, not discuss topics. When I was growing up, there was no other way to communicate so we talked. I remember the phone rang constantly. Now the only time it rings is if it's a telemarketer. I enjoy all the instant communication of e-mail, and Facebook, and Twitter, but nothing beats a good face-to-face conversation .

MAUREEN:  Salsa or guacamole?

URVE:  Guacamole

MAUREEN:  What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?

URVE:  I love communicating ideas, and stories to people. And then hearing their feedback and thoughts. For me, the writing is one side of the conversation. The other side of the dialogue is hearing from my readers.

GOTTA ASK -- GOTTA ANSWER 

MAUREEN:  How do you pronounce your first name, and what is its origin?

URVE:  "Ir-va" for my English friends. It's pronounced slightly differently in Estonian, and I'm not sure those sounds exist in English. Both my parents were immigrants from Estonia. I used to hate my name but now I love it. I think I've grown into it. As an author, it makes me easy to find on the Internet. It also means I need to behave myself since I can be traced so easily. :)

A QUESTION FOR READERS

URVE ASKS:  Lately, I've been thinking about the similarities between dystopian novels and historical fiction? Let me give you a few thoughts, and then I'd love to know your views.

I'm intrigued by the similarities between some of concepts in dystopian literature, and the reality of living under communism in the twentieth century. Teens may not realize that events they perceive as dystopian actually happened in the twentieth century. Fear of deportation, arrest, and torture were all tools that communist dictators have used to keep the population in line.

Are the following statements fact or fiction?

•  Fifteen nations are controlled by a centralized political structure. Most of these nations were forcibly occupied.
• Citizens are not allowed to travel outside their country. 
•  Possession of food is a crime.

Sounds a bit like The Hunger Games, doesn't it? Panem is a post-apocalyptic nation where the countries of North America once existed. The Capitol exercises political control over the rest of the nation.

But all these statements are true.

For most of the twentieth century, the Soviet Union was controlled by a centralized bureaucracy based in Moscow. The USSR was comprised of fifteen nations including the former republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania which had been forcibly occupied by the Soviets.

The people of the USSR were rarely allowed to travel to the West, and if they did, members of their family were held back as insurance so that the person would return. If they didn't return, their family faced arrest, torture, and deportation.

In the early 1930's, millions of people starved to death under Stalin's rule. In August 1932, a law came into force that stipulated all food was state property. Possession of food became a crime. Peasants were not allowed to take food home from the fields.

There are many more examples and I hope talking about these real-life scenarios might pique people's interest in history. I think it's a good way to start a discussion. 

What do you think?

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