Many Strange Women
by Parker J. Cole
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Interview:
Crystal: Today as part of this Write Now Virtual Book Tour, I have the pleasure of asking Parker J. Cole a few questions. Welcome Parker, I'm so happy to have you here today. Would you share a little bit about yourself with us today?
Parker: I am a diehard Star Trek fan and all around sci-fi fan. I love old movies and nature documentaries. I think people are interesting and I love meeting and talking to people. I am a radio show host as well.
Crystal: Do you have a favorite scene in the book that you would like to share with us?
Parker: I have many scenes I enjoyed in the book but one that stands out to me is when the love triangle forms. My two characters were friends but when a woman comes into play, it stretches their friendship. I like it because love triangles always cause a great deal of tension and the decision of who’s going to pick who makes for wonderful storytelling.
Where did you come up with the idea for Many Strange Women?
I started the second book of the series and I intended for it to be the first. However, Celeste and Solomon tapped me on the shoulder and it made sense to introduce their story. I realize it was the right decision to make.
Crystal: What are you currently working on?
Parker: I am working on book two of the series. After that, I have a couple of dark stories I want to work on.
Crystal: Do you have any special routine that you follow when you are writing?
Parker: My day is packed but when I write, I tend to write with some kind of music in the background. However, I find myself writing with paper and pen because I get too distracted with social media, internet browsing, etc. I’m almost tempted to buy an old fashioned typewriter so I can focus.
Crystal: Did you have to do a lot of research for this book or any other?
Parker: I did do research for the book. My main female character, Celeste, likes to dress up in period pieces. While I didn’t want the entire focus to be on the style of her clothes, I did want the reader to understand that Celeste lives in a fantasy world. Also, I admire people who know how to use their hands for crafts like sewing, knitting, crocheting and the like. I admire them and I hope that shows in the book.
Crystal: Who are some of your favorite authors?
Parker: I have way too many authors that I like; so I will name just a few: Ted Dekker, Frank Peretti, Ruth Axtell, Darlene Mindrup, Roystonn Pruitt, Mary Twomey, Pauline Creed, David Johnson, and so many others. My shows have also led me to meet a number of indie and traditionally published authors too.
Crystal: Is there a genre you haven't written that you would like to try?
Parker: I’d like to try my hand at a high-tech science fiction story. Although I love sci-fi, I hesitate because there’s a lot of world building involved. I do have an outline for a setting but I need to do some more research before I make an attempt to turn into a full length novel.
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About The Book:
Solomon Greene made a deal with God--If He'd send him an unattractive woman, he'd marry her on sight and do what was spiritually right by God. After all, he needed an ugly wife to help him escape from his sordid past. Celeste Martin made a deal with Solomon. She'd be his ugly wife. All she wanted in return was his name. She was in love with her sister's fiancé and he would be the only man she'd ever love. Solomon had no idea that he'd find his wife fascinating. Celeste didn't know that one taste from her husband's lips would have her wanting more. Yet many strange women were between them. Could Solomon ever escape from his past? Could Celeste ever love her husband?
Released: January 27, 2014
Paperback: 337 Pages
Publisher: eLectio Publishing
ASIN: B00I3GGSTU
ISBN-10: 0615951635
ISBN-13: 978-0615951638
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Sneak Peak:
MR. AND MRS. SOLOMON GREENE
The thought of kissing her husband was repugnant. The idea had the attraction of eating an apple with a worm in it. The longer Celeste Greene thought about it, the more distasteful it became.
“I hope you don’t intend for me to actually kiss this man, Reverend,” Celeste bit out in a carefully controlled voice.
The minister was a short black man whose gray hair had receded until his head looked like a polished teak wood surface. Dark rimmed bifocals rested on his nose and gray bushy eyebrows lifted in surprise.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Grane?” His voice was deep and rumbled like gravel shifting at the bottom of a fish tank.
“I refuse to kiss this man.”
The minister closed the Bible in his hand and pressed it against his Santa Claus belly. He cleared his throat.
“Mrs. Grane, I have married couples for a good many years. I can honestly say I’ve never heard a wife speak so about her husband. Although, the decision is yours, may one ask why you choose not to kiss your husband?”
“Because I don’t know him.”
Celeste could see the minister’s confusion as he glanced over at the tall silent man by her side. She looked at him too but only saw his profile. Her new husband reeked of unwashed body odor and alcohol, although his clothes didn’t display any hint of those noxious smells. In fact, his clothes were perfectly tailored to him, the dark blue suit with its sharp cut and the pastel colored green shirt under it gave her husband a handsome appearance.
Too bad the clothes could not do anything about his stench.
Celeste had no idea her husband had spoken until she realized his mouth moved. He still chose not to look at her but directed his statement to the minster.
“The name is Greene.”
“Greene?”
“Yes, my wife’s new name is Mrs. Solomon Greene. With an ‘e’.”
“Indeed? Well, I do apologize for the mistake.”
Celeste folded her arms and turned fully toward her husband.
“Solomon, are you ready to sign the papers so we can get back to the hotel room?”
“Yes, Celeste. Let’s get this over with.”
A scant fifteen minutes later and Celeste felt the sun warm her face as she stepped out of the small church. Of course the June sun blazed brightly in the sky on this, the most unexpected day of her life. The snow shrouded Rocky Mountains in the Denver skyline only added to the physical perfection of the day. Why couldn’t it be rainy and gloomy? Why couldn’t lightning and thunder shake the ground to mirror the feelings that swarmed inside of her? Why should the sky be the bluest she’d ever seen it and the sound of the birds that twittered from tree to tree create a song to accompany her discomfiture?
“I appreciate that you married me, Celeste Greene,” her husband said from somewhere behind her.
She turned, her arms still folded. “It’s the least I could do.”
Gratitude welled inside Solomon’s heart as he once again realized his wife had none of the attributes he found sexy in a woman. He had hoped the woman he married would have the beauty of a gargoyle but a plain face would do just as well.
He studied his new wife. The top of her head reached his shoulder. She held her body stiff and her face remained devoid of expression. It emphasized her unattractiveness. If she never smiled at all, it would be wonderful.
She wore a peculiar outfit—a blue skirt that brushed the tops of her shoes, a blouse buttoned to her neck with long sleeves buttoned at her wrist and her hands were encased in plain white gloves. It had an old fashioned look to it, like something from the pioneer days. It obscured her figure and Solomon breathed a sigh of relief. His belief in God had been restored.
The Lord had sent an unattractive woman to be his wife. His eyes began to water and he blinked furiously. He could hardly break down and cry a bucket of tears in joy right now.
“I’ve called my driver,” he told her as a metallic glint caught his peripheral vision and he whirled his head to see a sleek black limousine Hummer turn the corner and stop in front of them.
Celeste didn’t respond. Her silence made him want to click his heels. A woman who didn’t talk incessantly had to be a godsend. Perfect!
Moments later, he sat by her side as the vehicle moved. The scenery passed and Solomon appreciated it as the light of the sun beamed on the ground. The leaves rustled as a gentle breeze wafted through them and the sight of birds as they flew by lifted his spirits. It was a lovely June day and he’d found his wife.
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About The Author:
Parker J. Cole is a writer and radio show host who spends most of her time reading, knitting, writing, cooking, and concocting new ideas for stories. Her first novel, Dark Cherub, won Best of Spring Reading 2013 from eMediaCampaigns. She lives in Michigan with her husband and their beloved dog, Sarah.
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Social Links:
Email Address: parker@parkerjcole.com
Website http://www.parkerjcole.com/
Twitter link: https://twitter.com/ParkerJCole
Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/parker.j.cole4125
Buy Links:
Amazon ebook: http://amzn.to/1gCQiKu
Amazon paperback: http://amzn.to/1cQZVpM
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1hpC9SG
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Author Tour Schedule: http://wnlbooktours.com/parker-j-cole/
Tour Hosted by: www.wnlbooktours.com
Thank you so much for the interview and spotlighting my book on your blog. Parker J
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the interesting interview and the excerpt. I imagine it is REALLY difficult to write a science fiction story because of all the details to get right...and I am sure that there is always someone out there willing to argue about your logic, lol.
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