MONDAY 19th MAY 2014
I would like to wish a warm welcome to the lovely Michelle Weidenbenner – Amazon bestselling author of SCATTERED LINKS and CACHE a PREDATOR. Scattered Links is only 99 cents to buy today on Amazon!
~Author Bio~
Michelle grew up in the burbs of Detroit with five brothers. No sisters. Each time her mom brought the boy bundle home from the hospital she cried, certain her mom liked boys better than girls. But when her brothers pitched in with the cooking, cleaning, and babysitting, without drama, she discovered having brothers wasn’t so bad. They even taught her how to 
take direct criticism without flinching, which might come in handy with book reviews.
When she’s not writing she’s winning ugly on the tennis court. She’s known as “Queen of the Rim Shots.”
No joke. It’s ugly.
Her debut novel, Cache a Predator is a geocaching mystery and an Amazon bestseller in the thriller/crime category.
Scattered Links (initially titled Love is Just a Word) was the winner of the 2013 Aspiring Writers Competition, sponsored by Write on Con and The Reading Room.
Michelle blogs at Random Writing Rants where she teaches and encourages writers how to get published
~Scattered Links~
Book Description:
Scattered Links is a novel that pulls its characters from the gutters and, in the end, celebrates the tenacity of the human spirit.
Thirteen-year-old Oksana lives on the streets of Russia with her pregnant mama and abusive aunt—both prostitutes. When Mama swells into labor, Oksana makes a decision to save herself from abandonment, a decision that torments her forever. When her plan fails and her aunt dumps her in an orphanage, she never has the chance to say goodbye to her mama or tell her the secret that haunts her.
Scattered Links is a story of family and the consequences that come from never learning how to love, of a girl’s inability to bond with her adopted family and the frustrations that follow.
How can a child understand the mechanics of forming a healthy relationship when she never had a mother who answered her cries, held her when she was frightened, fed her when she was hungry, or loved her unconditionally?
Only when the child meets a rescued abused horse, and recognizes the pain in his eyes, does she begin to trust again.
Now grab that cuppa and get settled as we chat to Michelle Saint-Germain Weidenbenner …
Hi Michelle and welcome today!
Where did the inspiration behind ‘Scattered Links’ come from?
In 1997 we traveled to Russia to adopt our daughter from an orphanage, so some of the story came from what I saw and the families and therapists I interviewed since then.
How would you compare writing this book with anything that you have written previously?
It’s totally different. My debut novel, CACHE a PREDATOR, was a thriller. The other books I’ve written are about kids—some with super powers. This novel is multi-cultural and reads like nonfiction.
How did you start writing? Was there a particular book or moment in your life that spurned you on?
My parents often encouraged my writing. After we adopted Olivia I didn’t want to go back to work full time so I decided to try my luck at writing for magazines. That was more difficult then I thought. So I attended Taylor University in Ft. Wayne, Indiana—an hour from my home. I had a bachelor’s degree in business, but I wanted to learn more about how to write fiction, too. It was a blast. I love going to college. One of my friends once called me a consummate learner. I want to learn something every day.
How do you organize your writing time?
Honestly? Not very well. Ha! It’s always a struggle because I work at home and my family thinks I can cook, clean, and wash their dirty underwear. Sometimes all that living invades my writing time. I’m better if I make goals for myself. During NaNoWriMo I rock the words out, but my family suffers.
Where is your best ‘writing space’; the place where you feel comfortably locked away from the world and able to let your creative juices flow?
We recently moved into a home that has a large room over the garage. It was used as a play room by the previous owners, but I’m going to make it into my cave so I can go in and shut the doors (there are double ones) and pretend I’m not at home, but in some far-away place where no one can find me.
Also, I’m going to paint one large wall with paint that can be used as a dry erase board. I can scribble with markers on it and wipe it off when I change my mind. Have you heard of this type of paint? It’s different than a blackboard/chalkboard. Won’t that be cool? I will plot my story line on the wall. I love visuals. It’s going to be a blast once I get it all going.
And finally, tell us an interesting fact about yourself that not many people know.
I can be mechanically inclined. When I was a teenager my dad made me learn how to change a tire, my oil and filter, and the spark plugs in my car. Back then spark plugs had to be checked and I couldn’t afford someone else to do it for me. (What can I say? I’m old.)
Now when I have to put something together I’m not intimidated. Plus, there’s You Tube Videos that can show you how to do just about anything. I love that!
However, I do have my tech ‘tard moments, but when I look at how far I’ve come in the social media world I think I’m doing better than others. I’m proud of that. We’re never too old to stop learning.
Thanks for being here today Michelle – I love the idea of your dry erase board for a wall it sounds amazing!
~Where to find Michelle Saint-Germain Weidenbenner~
Teaching adults and teens how to get published
M. Weidenbenner
Young adult contemporary, multi-cultural
Pages: 256
ISBN: 978-1494366957
Ebook: ISBN: 978-0-9894049-3-8
Cover artist: Avalon Graphics
Random Publishing LLC
Buy on Amazon today for 99 cents!
~Endorsement~
“CAPTIVATING!
SCATTERED LINKS takes you down the street of nearly any Eastern European town, arm-in-arm with the orphaned. Michelle has captured the beauty and horror millions of children live everyday. The attention to detail is impressive. Having lived in a post-Soviet country for a time, visiting orphaned children, this fictional account rings with truth, from the heart-wrenching pain of abandonment to the realization of self-worth, and the love family and faith brings. Thank you for such an uplifting book, appropriate for the young reader, as well as adult. May your heart be encouraged, as mine was.”
Kim de Blecourt, speaker and award-winning author of “Until We All Come Home: A Harrowing Journey, a Mother’s Courage, a Race to Freedom”
Check out the fab Book Trailer for ‘Scattered Links’ here:
You can also check out the Book Trailer for ‘Cache a Predator’ here too:
Love Missuswolf xxx
Missuswolf 
Hi Gemma –
Thanks for sharing a part of my writing life with readers. I wish you all the best with your writing and look forward to seeing your chick-lit book published soon! Have you read, “What Would Oprah Do,” by Erin Emerson? She’s another #GoTeamPIF writer. It’s a fun chic-lit read.
Thanks again for taking time for me and my work. I appreciate you!
Michelle
Hi Michelle,
No problem at all it has been a pleasure hosting you and getting to know you. I will certainly add ‘What Would Oprah Do’ to my to-read list. Thanks again for being here today and wishing you all the best with your writing.
Gemma