Author Lynn Sholes and Native American Historical–Woman of the Mists

Welcome Lynn Sholes, who shares her writing journey and the inspiration behind her NA themed historical novel Woman of the Mists. Lynn is giving away the eBook to someone who leaves a comment. The winner will be announced Monday morning. So you have the weekend.

Lynn: I was a senior in high school when I attended an assembly that had an enduring impact on dreams of my future. I remember hearing the introduction of the guest speaker, James Michener. I was totally mesmerized. In my mind this man seemed to consume the entire stage with his presence. I had read Hawaii and there, right before me, stood the man who had written it. I recall looking at him with such wonder and thinking, wow, that’s what I want to do. I want to be a writer.

Years crept by filled with excuses for putting off my aspiration. First it was I’m going to write a book when I get out of college and then it was when I settled into my marriage and my new job, when the babies were out of diapers, when I wasn’t running carpool everywhere, when the kids were no longer in organized sports, when I could afford to quit my day job. And then I had a birthday that got my attention, and with it came the reality that the time to write was never going come on its own. I had to make the time.

The first attempt was an experiment to see if I could sustain 100,000 words. I did. I stored the completed manuscript in a box where it still remains for my eyes only. During that time I learned a lot about myself as a writer and also that the typewriter thing wasn’t working out for me. I needed a computer. So, on the way home from work one day I stopped at a computer store, told the sales person I wanted one of those (an Apple IIc), a printer, and software. I was nervous all the way home because I’d never made a major purchase without discussing it with my husband. My whole family was in shock when I unboxed it and set it up in the dining room. It was obvious they believed I had lost my mind. That night when everyone had gone to bed, I planted myself in front of the tiny green screen excited to begin my book. To my horror I realized I didn’t have anything to say, no story to tell.

Luckily, I was participating with the Broward County Archaeological Society in digs and salvages. One day as I scraped away layers of black muck with my trowel, I uncovered an interesting artifact. Often while we worked on the Indian sites we made up stories about the artifacts. The find that intrigued me that day was a lovely polished columella pendant (the columella is the center spiral of a conch shell). I created a story about how a man had given the pendant to the woman he loved. As I spun the story, I realized this was the seed of the novel I was going to write. At last I had a something to say. The result was WOMAN OF THE MISTS.

Story Blurb:

Long before the arrival of Columbus to the new world, a magnificent and brave people flourished in a verdant tropical land. Their culture, steeped in spiritual life and tradition, provided them sacred wisdom and strength that survived generations.

In this land of abundance, a young a woman, Teeka, surrendered her heart to the shaman’s son, Auro. But when a raiding rival tribe invaded their peaceful village and she was stolen away by their leader, her life changed forever.~

***Amazon Link for Woman of the Mists:

About Lynn Sholes:

As a native Floridian, Lynn became intrigued by the prehistoric people of Florida as she researched their history and took part in excavations. It was this that birthed the seed ideas of her first six novels, writing as Lynn Armistead McKee. Now writing as Lynn Sholes, she has teamed up with Joe Moore writing international bestselling thrillers. Lynn has presented numerous fiction writing workshops and has been a writing trainer and coach for schools in Broward and Citrus County, Florida. She now writes full time from her home in the Sunshine State.

Visit Lynn Shole’s Amazon Author Page