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Kathryn Mattingly

~ edgy words unleashed

Kathryn Mattingly

Tag Archives: Winter Goose Publishing

Priceless Goals

10 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by Kathryn Mattingly in Blog Post

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

academia, achievement, awards, Benjamin, college students, creative writing, education, goals, Kirkus reviews, New Year's resolutions, priceless, Winter Goose Publishing

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Here it is – January. Change and enthusiasm describe it well. New beginnings. New challenges. New opportunities. Coming on the heels of a time for reflection (December) I am certain all of us, whether we consciously make resolutions or not, want to assess our goals.

Last year I had the wonderful opportunity of running a book club where we relished discussing our selections and did so in a way that enriched us all. Some of those books have become my all time favorites, and some have caused me to examine why I cannot connect with certain authors.

This year I plan to continue reading books that jump out at me as most appealing for my preferred genre. But I have also decided to read my fellow Winter Goose authors. Perhaps my local independent publisher does not have any New York or LA Times best sellers, but they do boast a lot of writers who have won awards.

Since my passions of writing and educating have coincided my whole life, I fully respect peers who have had literary works of any kind from poetry to fiction, nonfiction, short stories, essays or articles rise to the top like cream. I will boldly admit I admire them a lot more so than those who have managed to find fame and fortune with the craft.

This is not surprising when you consider how monetarily poor those of us in academia are in comparison to other careers that require graduate degrees. You might surmise that what motivates us is excellence alone.

My personal journey in education began with running my own school for the creative expression of young children on the Oregon Coast. (Learning through hands-on art and acting out plays.) Not coincidentally, I did this while my own children were young.

I continued from there with a few non-conventional jobs at private institutions such as Oak Hill in Eugene, OR, where outdoor learning was the norm. The school was located on a 70 acre estate that had once kept horses and was overrun with foxes. It wasn’t a typical morning if I didn’t see one eye to eye out my classroom window early in the morning before students arrived.

After that I taught at another kinesthetic-forward school based on Gardner’s Theory of Eight Intelligences in Vancouver, WA. Here in California I spent a few years running my own after school program for the arts while freelance writing. I finally settled into the private art college that was my last (and longest) job until a bad economy caused the design school to irreversibly suffer. 

Currently I am poised to teach creative writing, literature, and visual arts at University of Phoenix and I am thrilled to be part of their Humanities Department, eagerly awaiting my first class, which would have started today but has been cancelled due to low enrollment. My guess is that the university scheduling it for a Friday night did not fair well for enthusiasm.

Those fortunate enough to be hired by U of P, which I have heard only employs half of those adequately credentialed and carefully selected for the 5 week training course, could wait up to 6 months for their first class. This is because you need a mentor for it, and mentors apparently are hard to come by.

The good news is that once past that first course, if you have received high marks from both the students and your mentor, you are then able to teach as much or as little as you want and can transfer to any campus in the country.

I don’t plan to get rich teaching college so waiting for that first paycheck is not what motivates me to do this. Interacting with and instructing young adults on subjects that matter most to me in life – writing, literature, and art – is priceless.

Although disappointed I have to wait a couple months to teach the class I have excessively prepared for, it does give me more time to finish editing my next novel, edit manuscripts for my clients, and read more books by Winter Goose authors – one of which (Theory of Remainders) recently was awarded Best Independent Book of the Year (among others) by Kirkus Reviews.

I am reading Scott Carpenter’s Theory of Remainders as I write this, and I couldn’t be more pleased to belong to the same flock as he. I am sorry I did not have Benjamin reviewed by Kirkus. I might not have won. Maybe they wouldn’t even have liked Benjamin, but now I will never know and that’s regrettable.

I hope that Scott, myself, and all the other authors in this Winter Goose flock are able to soar above our wildest imaginings this year in terms of literary success. May the New Year allow each of you to also soar high and accomplish an important goal. One that is priceless, regardless of monetary gain.

Bejamin_FlatforeBooks

Visit Amazon’s Kathryn Mattingly Page

Visit Kathryn Mattingly at goodreads

Visit Benjamin at Barnes&Noble

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Fractured Hearts is coming soon…

03 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by Kathryn Mattingly in Blog Post

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

award winning author, Dark Discovery Magazine, Elizabeth Engstrom, Face in a Book bookstore, fiction, Fractured Hearts, Jon Reitan, Kathryn Mattingly, new release, short story collection, Tina Ferguson, Winter Goose Publishing, Writers Digest Magazine

Fractured-Hearts

Winter Goose Publishing would like to announce the upcoming release of Fractured Hearts, a collection of short fiction by Award Winning Author Kathryn Mattingly.

“Not for the faint of heart, these timeless tales deal with every type of love that drive us to do what we do—for better or for worse. Whether whimsical ghosts in love with art or cats transformed by the full moon, you’ll wonder if even the most unbelievable is somehow true. From a gypsy child in Rome to a widow in Aruba, the stories transport you to faraway places.” ~Winter Goose Publishing

Kathryn will be at Face In A Book in EDH Town Center Saturday February 8th from 4-6pm signing copies of Fractured Hearts, which includes 5 pieces recognized for excellence as outstanding literature.

Her love stories are guaranteed to pierce the heart and move the soul, and would make a perfect Valentine’s Day gift for the avid reader in your life or a unique offering for someone you’d like to impress romantically.

Stop by to browse the exceptional bookstore Tina Ferguson manages through her love and passion for reading, whilst nibbling chocolate, regardless of whether you indulge in purchasing Kathryn’s witty, whimsical, and wisdom-ridden words as told in the tales of this original volume.

Kathryn would like to give a special thanks and recognition to her good friend Dr. Virginia Simpson and daughter Sasha Mattingly for helping edit this collection to shine in its Sunday best, and to her long time friend Ladd Woodland, who created the cover art for Fractured Hearts.

Here is what other authors, publishers, editors, and professional reviewers are saying about the pieces in this collection:

From the Editor of Writer’s Digest in reference to award winning short story Cheating Paradise: “This year’s contest attracted close to 18,000 entries. Kathryn Mattingly’s success in the face of such formidable competition speaks highly of her writing talent and should be a source of great pride.”

From Best Selling Author Elizabeth Engstrom in reference to Kathryn’s body of work: “Kathryn Mattingly’s fiction has always shown great depth of character and emotion, with simple, yet clever plots. Her characters live and breathe in my mind for a long time after reading about them. I hope she keeps writing short stories and novels forever.”

From James A. Beach, Editor in Chief of Dark Discoveries Magazine in reference to several stories from the collection: “Kathryn Mattingly’s story Half Moon Cay is wonderful, and very moving. Her stories make me feel as if I am there. Skyward from the reading at Powell’s bookstore and Light of the Moon from Ghost Writers weekend are two such stories.  Kathryn’s writing is very powerful.”

From Eldon Thompson, Author of the Fantasy Trilogy Series Legend of Asahiel in reference to Kathryn’s body of work: “Kathryn Mattingly weaves sensory magic with her words. Whether writing about vengeful ghosts, forbidden love, or motherly sacrifice, her elegant prose offers seamless transport into the lives and hearts of her characters. Once swept away, you may not want to come back.”

From Jonathan Reitan’s book review in Dark Discoveries Magazine regarding the story Morney, which has been reprinted in Fractured Hearts: “Kathryn Mattingly’s Morney in the anthology Ghosts at the Coast stands out as being superb and highly original. It is a spooky tale about a mysterious gypsy girl in Rome.”

From Tracy Saville, CEO of Possibility Publishing and Editor in Chief of The Possibility Place in reference to Kathryn’s body of work: “Kathryn Mattingly’s writing has an elevated literary aesthetic ‐ a kind of obvious writerly quality that critics point to as gold standard.”

For a sneak preview of the stories within this collection, visit the Edgy Fiction page http://penpublishpromote.com/short-fiction/ of Kathryn’s website penpublishpromote where a few pieces from Fractured Hearts have been displayed, or peruse her WGP author page at: http://wintergoosepublishing.com/authors/kathryn-mattingly/

Face In A Book is located at: 4359 Town Center Blvd, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762

Visit Amazon’s Kathryn Mattingly Page

Visit Kathryn Mattingly at goodreads

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In the Light of Madness

16 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by Kathryn Mattingly in Blog Post

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

crime novel, Hemmie Martin, new release, Winter Goose Publishing

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A fellow member of my Winter Goose Publishing flock, Hemmie Martin, has a new crime novel out called, In the Light of Madness. Just the title alone makes me want to read it!

Recently I asked Hemmie some questions beginning with – have you always been a writer or is this a new passion? I began writing in earnest in 2007 after a personal issue unbalanced my life. I was an ardent writer of a diary in my youth, but my adult life had become too busy to nurture my passion for writing.

What inspired you to write a novel? I began writing for therapeutic reasons, but once I’d finished the novel, I decided to approach literary agents. Of course, looking back the novel was in no way ready to be read by someone else. I was so naive. However, I received several positive comments from agents, who then also gave me some useful advice such as join a writer’s group and re-write until your eyes bleed – or words to that effect!

How did you then go about perfecting the craft of writing? Preparation to be the best writer I can be has taken the form of reading a variety of authors and genres, focusing extensively on the crime genre. I read a lot of publications regarding the art of writing and chat with other authors on social networking sites. I liaise with a Detective Inspector in the London Metropolitan Police Force, with regards to the police procedures in my novels. He has been a very patient man!

What compelled you to write about crime? I used to be a Forensic Nurse dealing with young offenders. I worked alongside the police and would frequently visit prisons. I have always been fascinated by this world, so writing a crime novel made sense.

What next? I am actually writing a series, following Detective Inspector Eva Wednesday and Detective Sergeant Jacob Lennox. I signed a two book contract with Winter Goose Publishers, and the second in the series is coming out in 2014. I am currently writing the third one. I decided to write a series as I came to enjoy being in the company of Wednesday and Lennox, and I wanted to know how they would develop as time went on.

Do you have a day job? Currently I work part-time in a primary school helping a five-year-old boy who has Autism. The rest of my time is dedicated to writing and running a family home.

Who and what has inspired you along the way? I grew up in Marlow Bottom, Buckinghamshire for the first 9 years of my life, then Chesterfield in Derbyshire. As I previously mentioned, I wrote a daily diary for years and thoroughly enjoyed studying English language and literature. I was intrigued by true war stories, and read many books about strong female characters, such Vera Brittain who lived from 1893 to 1970. Her memoir, Testament of Youth, still lives in my heart today, and on my bookshelf. Testament of Friendship and Testament of Experience were equally devoured by me.

Another author whom I read voraciously was Anita Brookner. Her moody writing and intricate character details left me hungry each time for her next book. She brought out one a year. Louise Doughty and Mark Haddon appease my thirst for quirky and sometimes dark characters and plots. I thoroughly love and admire Val McDermid, Ian Rankin, and P.D. James, who write in the crime genre.

You can read more about Hemmie and her novel on her author page: http://wintergoosepublishing.com/authors/hemmie-martin/

In the Light of Madness is only £1.88 and $2.99 on Kindle and Ebook for the month of December. It’s also available in paperback. Here are the links:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/In-Light-Madness-Hemmie-Martin-ebook/dp/B00H6QKONE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8

http://www.amazon.com/Light-Madness-Hemmie-Martin-ebook/dp/B00H6QKONE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1386878933

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The Unsung Heroes

31 Thursday Oct 2013

Posted by Kathryn Mattingly in Blog Post

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Benjamin, But I Digress, debut novel, Ed Goldman, Eldon Thompson, Face in a Book, Legend of Asahiel, Tracy Saville, unsung heroes, Winter Goose Publishing

In the new year I am hoping my recently acquired publicist, who came to me highly recommended by my publisher, will build a solid presence not just for Benjamin, but for my books coming out on his coattails…. so to speak. A short story collection called Fractured Hearts will be released in January, and later in the year, my second novel Journey. Beyond that, without a solid nationwide readership there will be little hope for my novels yet in the wings or just now being written.

I am thankful I have found the right person to help me accomplish this, but I feel a need to thank those unsung heroes in Benjamin’s life up to this point. Besides my amazing family that has been there for me every step of the way, just a few true friends top the list. First and foremost, those brave people willing to stick their name out on a limb and endorse my book via back cover quotes.

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Ed Goldman

Ed Goldman for one, who is an author himself and has a wonderfully witty column every day in the Sacramento Business Journal. As if back cover blurbs weren’t enough, Ed has written an article on me in his column and included it in his selections for his book But I Digress at Amazon.com. He has graciously mentioned Benjamin and me at least one other time since then.

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Tracy Saville

Tracy Saville for another, whose company I left in order to focus on, well, getting published and needing her quote for the back cover. Tracy made my launch party extra special after hours, with champagne flowing for everyone in order to toast Benjamin… many times! It is a perfect memory of special friends gathered around to launch my career as a novelist, which I have been seeking for a decade. Possibilitycompany.com

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Eldon Thompson

Eldon Thompson for a third, is a true Round Table Knight in this modern day world. Having Eldon in your inner circle is like having Sir Lancelot live in your home court. In addition to his fantasy trilogy The Legend of Asahiel out with HarperCollins http://www.eldonthompson.com/ Eldon writes and sells screenplays. I hope he will write the screenplay for Benjamin. (; Eldon flew in from LA just to be at my book launch, which is well beyond the call of duty for any friend.

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Jennifer Harrison

I also had incredible support out the gate from Jennifer Harrison who singlehandedly did the initial press release and other prelaunch preparations. jennifer@JHarrisonPR.com

For that matter, Jessica and James at WGP Home are still up there on my pedestal as two of the most amazing and supportive people who believe in my work. Tina Ferguson at Face in a Book has also been an avid supporter of not just me, but all local authors. http://www.getyourfaceinabook.com

The diligence of this inner circle now has the book spreading out beyond distant relatives and friends of friends. They have done more than any girl could ask for. All I can say is thank you thank you thank you because your love and support leaves me speechless.

All any writer really wants is someone to say job well done and to be your unconditional fan. That, after all, is what friends are for. There is a big, critical public out there, and at some point in my new novelist life, they will be happy to tell me through their reviews exactly what they didn’t like about my work. Some of the most treasured books I have read were given 1 or 2 stars by hundreds of reviewers. Really? Welcome to the world of writing, where everyone is entitled to their opinion.

We all bring a different expectation to a book, and different baggage, the contents of which we have gathered over our lifetime and help form our very diverse opinions. Understood. So one person’s life changing book will be another person’s nightmare. Exactly the way it should be. Varying opinions and perspectives are what make it all so interesting to begin with.

It is this brutal reality of our highly critical world that makes unconditional love and enthusiastic support from family and friends so valued. They, in my opinion and from my perspective, are the unsung heroes that keep us daring to dabble in the world of words.

Bejamin_FlatforeBooks

Visit Amazon’s Kathryn Mattingly Page

Visit Kathryn Mattingly at goodreads

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World of Words

09 Saturday Feb 2013

Posted by Kathryn Mattingly in Blog Post

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Benjamin, editing manuscripts, Kathryn Mattingly, penpublishpromote, Winter Goose Publishing, writing workshops

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Recently I had an epiphany similar to what most of us must address at several bends in our road of life. Nothing really worthwhile, after all, comes without determination and focus, and possibly a good deal of sacrifice. If JK Rowling had relegated her dreams to the ‘someday’ scenario, Harry Potter wouldn’t be a household name. Imagine if while sitting on that train she’d been jotting down possible job opportunities instead of developing Harry into a character that can magically wand away some of life’s scummier foes such as – poverty.

JK’s story teaches us about more than just mere magic. It teaches us that passion is the driving force behind however you define success, which for me comes down to one word – words!  I have determined that words are my passion – reading words, writing words, deleting, rearranging and well, cleaning them up to be presentable. It’s a big world of words out there, you know, waiting patiently to be penned, published and promoted.

Equipped with this exciting and at the same time disturbing news regarding my somewhat narrow scoped passion in life (words) I daydreamed (and had a few nightmares) about how to use this revelation toward paying the rent in our new-normal economy of extended unemployment. Thus the birth of my new entrepreneurial adventure penpublishpromote.

I know every single excruciating step toward penning something worth penning, and every muscle cramping step toward getting it published, followed by the mind boggling power steps you must then make to promote what you have painstakingly penned to perfection to place before the public… and hope they will purchase. That’s a lot of P’s! It’s also a lot of perfect timing and fortuitous opportunities to hope for. (More P’s.) But one must master these steps to be a professional wordsmith. I believe I have done that, and my first novel, Benjamin, will be out this May, followed by my short story collection and another novel in 2014.

Bejamin_FlatforeBooks

I owe Winter Goose many thanks for allowing me to call their publishing house my home, and am humbled to be among their family of gifted authors. Helping others reach publishing success by editing their manuscripts is a joy I diligently embrace. I am thankful to Possibility Media Group for allowing me to gain a lot of editing experience through perfecting the work of their clients.

In conclusion just let me say that should you get hit by a fluke meteorite falling from the sky one day soon and have a few last thoughts other than ….why me? Will they be thoughts of regret for some passion you never got around to pursuing? Some unfinished work in your heart and soul of inner truths that will make you wish someone else had been smashed flat by a falling object from the sky, so that you could retrace your unfortunate steps on life’s road?

This is why I now edit manuscripts for those wonderful crazy writers out there with dreams of being published, and why I lovingly rephrase and rearrange my own words as well – when not teaching creative writing at a local college.

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Click here to Visit Amazon’s Kathryn Mattingly Page

‘Literary Fiction Lovers, Meet Kathryn Mattingly’ Feature Article by Lori Anderson

Editorial Services: http://penpublishpromote.com/

Author page: http://wintergoosepublishing.com/authors/kathryn-mattingly/

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