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Saturday, December 23, 2017

Spotlight Saturday: Mya O'Malley

Welcome to Kira Adams' Spotlight Saturday! Every week I will be featuring a different author in the industry. Indie, trad, small press, etc. The point is to help get the word out about new authors and books they are releasing. Maybe you will find your next favorite author. Maybe you will find a story that will touch your soul. Maybe you will participate in the giveaway in hopes of winning a prize. Whatever the case may be, thank you for being here. 

This weeks featured author is Mya O’Malley. 








What inspired you to begin writing?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been writing. I wrote an entire series of mermaid stories (I still have some) for my grandmother when I was a child.  I also enjoyed writing poetry.

As a young adult, my focus was on college and becoming a special education teacher. I still kept journals filled with poetry, but those poems were for me and I didn’t consider publishing at that time.

Years later, I felt that familiar tug to start writing again.  This time, I wanted to write a full-length novel.  The first novel I ever wrote is titled, Where There is Love.  This book is special to me because of course, it was my first, but also because of my vulnerable, realistic characters.  The plot involves a mentor and protégé relationship and how both characters learn, grow, and heal from one another.

Now, I’m excited to tell you that I just published my tenth full-length novel and have several published novellas as well.

My inspiration comes from within, but it also comes from wanting to inspire my daughter and others to reach for their dreams and to persevere, even if at times, if that journey is tough. There’s truly nothing else quite like the feeling of holding your own book in your hands and knowing that somewhere out there, someone is reading it and becoming part of the story you created.

How long have you been writing?
As I mentioned above, I’ve been writing since I was a small child and loving every minute of it.

When I was taking post-graduate courses for my master’s degree in literacy, I got back into the routine of writing. (essays this time) Once I finished my coursework, I knew I had to keep going– I had to take a chance and write that first novel.

What book inspired you to begin writing?
As much as I love writing, I have always enjoyed reading as well. I’ve always devoured books and I’m a lover of so many different genres.

Growing up, I read books by Judy Blume, among many other great authors.  Later, I enjoyed Dean Koontz and then James Patterson.  Patterson’s early books like, Along Came a Spider and Kiss the Girls were such great mystery/thrillers. I also loved reading nearly ever novel Nicholas Sparks has written.  Liane Moriarty is another favorite author of mine. Her stories are unique and have such relatable, emotional characters.

I guess you could say that the eclectic compilation of authors I was exposed to helped to inspire me and to create my own stories as an author.

If you had to choose a fictional character from one of your books to have lunch with, who would it be and why?
This would be so amazing.  Among my choices would have to be Liane Moriarty. I adore all of her books. Liane Moriarty has a way of sucking you into her world as if you were right there, experiencing everything as if you were the characters. The way her protagonists think and view the world is so relatable and familiar. Her stories always have surprising twists and characters and plots that stay with you long after the story is finished. What Alice Forgot was one of my favorites.  

I would love to have lunch with Ms. Moriarty and learn about how she plots out her books and unforgettable characters.

What has been your biggest accomplishment since publishing?
I can remember when I wrote my first book and started the search for a publisher. It was a dream come true to sign that very first contract. I have been so lucky to work with amazing publishers such as Clean Reads, Solstice Publishing, Touchpoint Press, and Blue Tulip Publishing. The fact that I published a book is something I will always be grateful for, and with each title, I’m still so thankful.  Each book and all of my characters stay with me and I consider that to be such a wonderful accomplishment.

My last few titles have been self-published, and I’ve enjoyed the experience of handling every aspect of the publishing process on my own. I love the feeling of being part of a publishing family as well as venturing out there on my own; it’s the perfect combination.

Do you have anything else in the works apart from your book/series?
I recently published The House that Adelia Built, a paranormal ghost thriller. My plans are to go back in and finish the last book from the paranormal Maggie series. It will be the last of the ghost/mystery trilogy and I have so many ideas for how to finish off this series. These characters have a way of sticking with me– growing, and evolving.

I might even give a certain character her own spin-off book once I’ve completed the trilogy. (If you are familiar with this series, think about a tough as nails female cop with a major attitude and a big heart.)

What is the one piece of advice you would give to aspiring authors? 
I would advise aspiring writers to never give up on their dream and keep writing. It’s important for writers to colloaborate with fellow authors and accept constructive criticism from a good support system. Writing can be a very challlenging dream, but there’s nothing like getting your story out there for others to read and holding your own book in your hands.



                                                          Prologue
                                                              1876

It was an evening like any other, yet it was to be a night that she would never forget—for it was a crucial piece of the puzzle that would ignite the course of Adelia’s destiny.
 Sharp, crisp wind bit at every inch of her exposed skin. Almost completely winded, Adelia spun her head once more, just to be sure she hadn’t been followed here to the towering cliffs. A darkened sky matched her desperate, dismal mood.
            Augustus never disappointed in stealing any smidgen of brightness from her mind, but tonight he had pushed until she too had crossed the thin line over to the brink of madness.
            Yes, her husband was going mad. 
Insane.
Insane with rage, jealously, control, apparently sparked by boredom and gin. Adelia couldn’t imagine a worse possible combination. One could activate a fire sure to burn through and destroy any soul with those caustic ingredients.
            Whenever Augustus would finally place his head on the pillow beside her, Adelia would wait out the thickness, the raw stench of alcohol and bitterness, until she could finally allow herself to breathe once Augustus began to snore. It was only then that her hands would grip the quilt, which rested upon her body. Then she would cautiously count to fifty. Fifty usually did the trick, but at times she had added a few seconds more, just to be sure.
            Tonight, she had run for her life, not waiting for Augustus to pass out, leaving before his before his head had even hit the pillow.  
Now safely outside, her fists unclenched and her breathing slowed until she could release the soft wail that fought to escape. As if she couldn’t control it, her neck craned to spy behind her once more. Augustus had been at the gin for hours today, starting much earlier than ever before; she could only hope he wouldn’t give chase, that he would pass out cold. 
            Recently, she had fooled herself into thinking that, if only she could try hard enough, perhaps they could get back to that sunny place where they had first fallen deeply for one another.
Was there such a spell? She frowned, knowing such a magic ceased to exist. Her trick no longer worked; she couldn’t fool herself into thinking everything would be okay.
            Not now.
            Not anymore.
            Months of self-reflection had consumed Adelia. She could hardly think of anything else. At first, she wondered if their downfall could have possibly been partly her own fault—Adelia may have played a hand at her heart’s demise.  But, no, she had yet to find one shred of proof that argued against the fact that Augustus had been the one who had changed. Oh, it had been ever so slightly at first. An offbeat comment here and there, a sideways look. But after a few months, as surely as the dark tides shifted, it seemed that once they made the lighthouse on the cliffs their home, the very beacon which served to steer ships to safety in these treacherous waters diminished her own brightness and replaced it with a gradual shift to darkness. 
            She clung to the small sliver of a chance that she could fix this. Yes, she could throw her shoulders back and help this stranger her husband had shifted into, before it was too late.
Surely some came back from the brink of madness, right? But then the horrifying image that haunted her dreams plagued her mind once more. She shut her eyes tight, pushing the vision out of her head. 
            Tonight her husband had sunk to a new low, even for him.
            Before the hole proved too expansive to dig out of, she told herself she needed to act—now.
Was that a shadow lurking in the distance? Was it Devon, arriving early, or had Augustus found her?
Her heart leapt with fear. No, nobody was there. It must have been the wind or possibly her mind playing tricks, for once she focused her gaze on the spot, she could see nothing but the trees close behind her.
Adelia purposely slowed her breathing. She would need to put her plan in place quickly, but for that, she would need to speak with Devon. He should be here any minute.
            But, there was the sound again. This time, she was sure she heard footsteps, and when she called out, nobody responded. Now she stood, hands clenched in tight fists, determined to face the unidentifiable figure approaching from beyond.
There was nowhere to go, of course. No choice but to face the unknown. Adelia turned her head, her vision lit by the full moon above. She judged the distance from the edge of the cliff. There was no place else to go but down. 





It all started with a woman and a lighthouse. The House that Adelia Built spins a tale full of love, lies, and betrayal at the hands of a man Adelia calls Augustus—her own husband. 

In the late 1800s, Augustus finds a job as lighthouse keeper on a beautiful, but isolated island. He can’t wait to bring his new bride home to the lighthouse, set on majestic bluffs, which have laid claim to many shipwrecks. 

Augustus soon suffers from the effects of self-induced isolation, as Adelia watches him slowly lose his grip on reality until he turns mad, bringing forth dire consequences.

Meet Hope, a modern day quiet, quirky young woman with a case of agoraphobia—or so it would seem. She feels an inexplicable pull toward the lighthouse and the bluffs beyond. Hope struggles with her internal battle and seeks to find the truth about her unsettling, recurring nightmares. Maybe then she can discover why she has always felt so alone and unusual. 

Enter Clooney, a handsome, unassuming stranger who soon becomes so much more to Hope. The very woman who has guarded her heart in the past will soon find herself wrapped in a web of denial, leading to a heart-wrenching reality. 

For every truth she exposes, more heartache is found. Hope must come face-to-face with her worst fears as she uncovers the mystery surrounding her spellbinding connection to the lighthouse.







Amazon:

Amazon- ASIN # B076R3S3P5

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You Tube trailer for The House that Adelia Built:   

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Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter, and step daughters. The family also consists of a boxer, Destiny, and a ragdoll cat named Colby.

Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students.

Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child. Mya spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters. Mya likes to travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica. Mya is currently working on her eleventh novel.

















Twitter: @MyaOMalley
Instagram: myaomalley













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