In addition to her critically acclaimed novels, Joan Hall Hovey's articles and short stories have appeared in such diverse publications as The Toronto Star, Atlantic Advocate, Seek, Home Life Magazine, Mystery Scene, The New Brunswick Reader, Fredericton Gleaner, New Freeman and Kings County Record. Her short story, "Dark Reunion" was selected for the anthology investigating Women, Published by Simon Pierre.Ms. Hovey has held workshops and given talks at various schools and libraries in her area, including New Brunswick Community College, and taught a course in creative writing at the University of New Brunswick. For a number of years, she has been a tutor with Winghill School, a distance education school in Ottawa for aspiring writers.
She is a member of the Writer's Federation of New Brunswick, past regional Vice-President of Crime Writers of Canada, Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.
www.joanhallhovey.com
Award-Winning Suspense!
The Abduction of Mary Rose
Night Corridor
Chill Waters
Nowhere To Hide
Listen to the Shadows
http://tinyurl.com/4yv4mww
Non-fiction: Write Your Novel ~Audiobook
Welcome back, Joan.
Thank you, Susan.
What books came along at just the right time to influence your reading/writing?
Impossible to remember the times, but there’s no question Grimm’s Fairy Tales had a big influence on my future as a reader and as a writer. I had a vivid imagination, and these stories provided the stimulation I needed. Jane Eyre was a big influence on what I would read and write, as did the writings of Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, Steinbeck and so many more. Writers’ books like Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down The Bones was helpful. Writing by Dean Koontz, Patricia Highsmith and last but very definitely not least, ‘On Writing’ by Stephen King, another favorite writer for many years. I was lucky enough to attend a writer's workshop in London, England where Stephen King was one of the celebrity panelists. A great experience. There's a photo of the Kind and I -J on my site:
I am indebted to a myriad of writers who have gone before me and carried me on their shoulders while I wrote my own novels.
A suspense novel interwoven with threads of romance and paranormal.
Imagine discovering everything you believe about yourself to be a lie. And that the truth could stir a killer from his lair.
Following the death of the woman she believed to be her mother, 28-year-old Naomi Waters learns from a malicious aunt that she is not only adopted, but the product of a brutal rape that left her birth mother, Mary Rose Francis, a teenager of Micmac ancestry, in a coma for 8 months.
Dealing with a sense of betrayal and loss, but with new purpose in her life, Naomi vows to track down Mary Rose's attackers and bring them to justice. She places her story in the local paper, asking for information from residents who might remember something of the case that has been cold for nearly three decades.
She is about to lose hope that her efforts will bear fruit, when she gets an anonymous phone call. Naomi has attracted the attention of one who remembers the case well.
But someone else has also read the article in the paper. The man whose DNA she carries.
And he has Naomi in his sights.
Reviews:
"…Ms. Hovey's talent in creating characters is so real, you feel their emotions and their fears. You want to yell at them to warn of the danger . . . and you do! Your shouts fall on deaf ears . . . and you cry! The best suspense writer I've ever read! Beth Anderson, Author of Raven Talks back
"...Alfred Hitchcock and Stephen King come to mind, but JOAN HALL HOVEY is in a Class by herself!…"J.D. Michael Phelps, Author of My Fugitive, David Janssen
"…CANADIAN MISTRESS OF SUSPENSE…The author has a remarkable ability to turn up the heat on the suspense… great characterizations and dialogue…" James Anderson, author of Deadline "
…Can compete with any mystery,suspense novel on the shelves..." Linda Hersey, Fredericton Gleaner, NB
Yes, I know that I am a better writer today than when I wrote my first book. I've also lived longer and I like to think the years have made me more perceptive and insightful. At the same time, the reviews for ‘Listen to the Shadows’ are heatwarming, and some readers tell me it's among their favorite books. But the writing itself is smoother now, I think, and my own writer’s voice is stronger and more distinctive. But the difference may be subtle enough that I’m the only one who’s aware of it. But it’s important to me that I continue to grow both as a writer and as a person, and I hope I’ve done that.
Usually, I write in the early morning, when the mind is freshest and the day’s demands have not yet had a chance to intrude upon the muses. Since I also work as a tutor for a major writing school in Canada, it’s often a balancing act. But all in all, a noble and satisfying way to spend one’s life. At least it works for me.
Is there another book on the horizon?
There’s always another book on the horizon. At the moment, it’s but a dim little speck against the blue. I’ll keep looking at it until it reveals itself. And it will, not all at once, but gradually, over the next weeks and months. Sometimes it needs a little coaxing.
Reading is something I do to unwind, but then I read myself to sleep most every night. Sometimes I read to 3:00 a.m. or into the morning. Of course the next day is shot. When the weather is nice, I like to go outside in the back yard and play with my dog, Scamp. I also enjoy playing the piano, even though I'm not very good. And of course it's always a pleasure to spend time with my husband, grown children and grandchildren. They are the center of my universe, from which all good things flow. Or at least have a chance of flowing. -J
Where can we purchase these books and get more information about you?
amazon.com http://tinyurl.com/4yv4mww
Barnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/6xykd3g
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=Joan+Hall+Hovey
Coninued success, Joan!
