standard ishue–Katie

Are you ready to meet more authors? This is the third post in a series of interviews with fellow authors of the Second Chance for Love anthology. In honor of Mother’s Day, our publisher, Melange Books, LLC, will have the eBook available for free on Amazon from May 7-9!

Today, I’m going to interview the delightful and accomplished Nancy Pennick!

After a great career in teaching, Nancy found a second calling as a writer. Ohio is her home but she loves to travel the U.S. Her debut young adult novel, Waiting for Dusk, was a surprise to her as much as it was to her family. Watching a PBS series on National Parks, her mind wandered to another place and that is where the characters of Katie and Andrew were born. Call of the Canyon and Stealing Time continue their story. The Swedish influences found in the books came from her mother whose parents emigrated from Sweden.

Born and raised in Northeast Ohio, Nancy currently resides in Mentor, Ohio with her husband and their college-age son.

http://www.nancypennick.com

http://www.facebook.com/nancypennickauthor

Twitter: @npennick

Instagram: Nancy Pennick

The Perfect Beginning by Nancy Pennick

Tracy DeMarco hasn’t been on a date with a man in five years. She has a child to raise and a job she likes. Her daughter says she needs to get a life. Tracy thought hers was fine until a vampire shows up on her doorstep one Halloween night.

STANDARDISHUE INTERVIEW

Katie: Would you share a special moment from another story you’ve written?

Nancy: This is an excerpt from Second Chances – released the same day as Second Chance for Love! (April 26, 2016)

Kate placed her bag on its surface and slipped out her laptop, setting it in front of the chair. The computer looked a little out of place. “I have to make this desk feel like my own.” She switched on the desk lamp. The antique light had been restored to its full glory.

The shelves behind the desk seemed like a good place to start. She turned to study the books behind her. I need something to keep my place as I go through the books. Maybe there’s a ruler in the desk.

She moved the chair aside and slid open the long desk drawer. “Oh!” Her hand flew to her mouth. A small handgun sat in one corner. “Is that a sign you don’t want me in your office?”

A loud thud caused Kate to jump. “What the—?” She took a step back and checked the room. “Who’s there?” She glanced around, looking for a clue. It’s nothing. Stop scaring yourself. She backed away from the desk and tripped over a hard object on the floor behind her, grabbing the side of the chair to catch her fall.

Kate gazed down, spotting a book. “Did you fall off the shelf?” She reached down to pick up the hardback and set it on the desk. She shuddered as she read the title. The Works of Edgar Allan Poe.

Katie: What is your very favorite part of the day?

Nancy: My favorite part of the day is morning. The sun rises in my backyard, and I love how it shines through the trees. It gives the yard a mystical glow, and a great way to start the day of reading and writing. When the sun isn’t out? I hold a steaming cup of tea in my hands, enjoy the aroma and settle in for a morning of writing.

Katie: You have to wear a t-shirt with one word on it for the rest of your life. Which word do you choose?

Nancy: Dream. No matter how old you are, you should never give up on your dreams. Big or small, dreams come in all sizes. You don’t have to climb Mt. Everest, invent a new product or become a famous singer. You may want to learn to swim, drive the length of Highway 66 or start a cupcake business.

When I started my career as a teacher, my mom bought me a fun mug to keep in the teacher’s lounge. It said, “Don’t let the turkeys get you down.” I’ve thought of that many times as I went through life. Yes, there will be obstacles, and you’ll want to give up. That’s the easy way out. My Waiting for Dusk series didn’t get published overnight. It took time and patience. I’m glad I didn’t stop dreaming.

Katie: If you were to perform in the circus, what would you do?

Nancy: Oh, that’s a good one. If I could perform in the circus, I’d pick something I could never do. I’d love to be one of those beautiful women in the colorful sequined costumes who ride and perform on those horses that continue to run around and around the circle.

Katie: What will you do if you have a time machine?

Nancy: Being a fan of Doctor Who, I know there are far-reaching wonderful places to visit. But, if I had a time machine, I’d travel to the Grand Canyon in 1927 to actually see it for myself. My main character in Waiting for Dusk wakes up in that time period, thinking it’s all a dream. She loves the people and the era. I’d love to see the fashion worn at the canyon, the food that was served and walk the grounds.

Katie: What is something you cannot live without? 

Nancy: Chocolate. Because, what would the world be like without a little chocolate in it?

Who says love doesn’t come around again? Second Chance for Love: Seven stories of single parents finding love, free Mother’s Day weekend (May 7-9) on Amazon!!