Great
loves come and go, profound ones mark your soul, in ways that take the rest of
your lifetime to comprehend.
What if you were
given up for adoption NOT because your mother didn't want you, but because she
was trying to protect you from a curse?
A mysterious package
is delivered by Richard’s solicitors one year after his wife Autumn’s death.
What he expected to find, he didn’t know, but he would never have guessed in a
million years what was about to unfold.
A beautiful
leather-bound diary written in his wife’s hand contains many secrets; that his
lonely empty-nester wife’s life changed profoundly after a purely-by-chance
meeting in, of all places, a normal, mundane, corner grocery store. She embarks
on a voyage of discovery with the spiritualist, Summer, to find new meaning to
her life, that, once commenced, transports her to realms and dimensions she
never knew existed.
He also learns of a
heart-breaking secret she kept from him until after her death.
Wild
Women Authors features Autumn’s Summer a recent release by author Felicity
Talisman. Accompanying the author today is Autumn who will go first.
Good norming, Autumn. Let’s
begin with where you are from. Sammamish Lake, Washington State.
Tell
us a bit about Autumn’s Summer. Unexpected
moments come, sometimes once in a lifetime. Unfortunately, not when planned or
expected. That’s the magic and the beauty of them. Moments that can change your
entire outlook on life and your self. That is what happened to myself when I
met Summer.
What
did you think the first time you saw her? Something inside jumped as I turned to stare for the first time into
soft blue eyes of her oceanic depths like she had reached into my soul and
pulled out everything that had been there unclaimed, unwanted and possessed it
with her passions. I stared into her eyes as rivers ran into me, through me,
waves thundered into the cliffs of my existence. Journeys never traversed in
this lifetime, but I’ve dwelled in others, calling to this life in the serenade
of water splashing on my canoe or the dust of an old country road humming along
the heat of a summer’s morning. As you can tell, I was literally stunned.
What was your second thought? I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t talk
or visit her again. My life had no meaning at the time. I was an empty nester,
with no use to my life except to live up to others needs. By meeting her she
would change my life in ways I had absolutely no conception of. It scared me to
the core. Only did I really want to be like the old couple I saw in the store,
miserable with each other and not wanting to change their lives to find deeper
love or meaning?
Do you
feel it was love at first sight? Yes,
later I did. But realizations come later in moments of quietness and solitude. Also,
the realization that I didn’t want to admit I was attracted to another woman
hit rather hard and nor did I truly want to admit to it.
What
do you like most about Summer? She
was everything I wasn’t. Everything I wanted to be. Open, fulfilled and knowing
what my life purpose was and living it.
How
would you describe her? She looked
radiant and wore that soft red lipstick, the kind that begged to be kissed, and
those deep blue eyes that stunned me like someone seeing the pyramids for the
first time or staring down at Machu Picchu, marveling at the engineering amidst
the stunning backdrop of nature’s regal majesty or looking into the eyes of a
Madonna like the painting of Mona Lisa. Long blonde hair with only part on one
side braided. Begging me to touch it asking why only the one side?
How
would Summer describe you? Closed,
kind, sincere, yet like that oyster shell begging to be opened to find the
pearl within and coaxing it out. Knowing it was there waiting to stun all
before it.
What
made you choose motherhood over a career outside the home?
I had
no career. I wanted to become a journalist, only I got pregnant and looking
after my two kids, who I loved more than anything else took over. Their love
for me also rewarded me in ways that made feel fulfilled. My husband was very
successful and looked after our and my needs very well. Only once the children
were gone did I realize I’d give up everything I said I wanted to be and simply
made others more important than myself.
What
is your biggest fear? Finding out who
I am and what I truly want.
How
do you relax? Usually by taking our
dog for long walks around the lake.
Who
is your favorite fictional character? Red
Sonya by Robert E. Howard. A woman that could battle and challenge men and
surpass them in cunning and skill. Confident in herself and her sexuality.
What
is the best piece of advice you ever received? This from Summer after our first meditation session
together.
“There’s
a question in your soul.”
“Yes,
I’ve had dreams. How do you know?”
“I said
this last time. That’s why I call myself psychic and that’s why you are here.”
She
probably said that to everyone, I thought. A sincere smile spread across her
face as if she’d just read that thought and I could feel a blush crossing mine.
What was it about her that attracted me beyond the fact that she was
self-confident?
“I see
skepticism in your soul. Now give me your hand and I shall remove any doubt
that I can enrich your life.”
Thank
you for that, Autumn. Now we’d like to chat with Felicity.
What
movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? For movies, I’d choose Out of Africa, the
profound journey of this woman who meets a man that goes against everything she
believes in, yet compels her to become a stronger, better woman than she
thought possible. Also, the way she viewed the native Africans and their
beliefs and way of thinking so different from hers. And, Finding Forester,
about a black man who tries to hide what he loves, which is writing and that
goes against everything in his community. He is struggling to become a great
basketball player. So tries to hide it until he befriends a man that has
written a best-selling classic but is a recluse. They eventually help each
other, become friends and better people in order to fulfill their lives.
As for books, I love Robert E. Howard,
how he weaves you into his stories, setting mood, tone, pitch. Almost in the
first line or paragraph. Also Alan Burt Akers, a great fantasy writer and
Charles de Lint, same. And Bridges Of Madison County, by James Waller.
How he weaves love, almost like poetry and lovemaking into his work, still
leaves me breathless.
Is
there an event in your private life that you were able to bring to this story
and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I did the Context series which is about finding meaning in your life
and your driving needs. It also opens your eyes to finding out what different
personality types there are out there and I use that when writing a new
character in my novels.
Tell
us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced
your decision to submit to them? I
had been with three different publishers before and choose to self-publish this
novel after several publishing houses didn’t accept it. I also had an idea of
what I wanted the novel to be about and what the cover should look like.
What
book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I have several non-fiction books on the subject of unexplained
phenomena. One of the four novels I’m working on is going to be my first
non-fiction book titled, “Trust Me, I Didn’t Make This S**T Up.” About profound
unaccepted archaeological discoveries.
Last, what's up next and
when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I have
an erotica novel to be released in January by The Wild Rose Press, titled, “What’s A Lady
Got To Do To Fulfill Her Life?” I’ve also finished Book Two in my Seeds
Of Ascension Series: Gateways. That should be out by the end of the year.
I’m also working on a life history novel about my sister Debbie’ battles with schizophrenia,
called, “Please Don’t Call Me Crazy”. And I’m in the middle of Book
Three of the Ainsworth Chronicle: Into The Darkside, about female lead
detective, Carol Ainsworth and her quirky, psychic helper Agnes Van Lunt,
better known as Ms. Teak. This will be out next year.
To
purchase Autumn’s Summer go to: https://www.amazon.ca/Autumns-Summer-Felicity-Talisman/dp/1738658376
To learn more about
today’s feature author, Felicity Talisman, aka Frank Talaber, go to:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrankTalaber/
Website: https://franktalaberpublishedauthor.wordpress.com/
Facebook Short Stories Page:
https://www.facebook.com/franktalaberpublishedauthor/
Twitter: @FrankTalaber https://about.me/ftalaber
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Frank-Talaber/author/B00UC407R0
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx5ki4gpdokN-9KAIZzu53w
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franktalaber
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8092362.Frank_Talaber
Ebooks on Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Frank38
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/franktalaber58
tictoc
https://www.tiktok.com/@franktalaber
Ko-gi Funding Page
https://kofi.com/franktalaber?ref=onboarding_email_founderwelcome
Medium Site
https://medium.com/we-paw-bloggers/the-doctor-to-the-rescue-byline-frank-talaber-b5aa29203065
