Welcome Author Catherine T. Horn

 It's been over three months since the last blog post and I apologize for that. I hope you enjoyed reading about my last guest whose books and career are very fascinating. In the interim between the last post a lot has happened. The best thing is I won a silver award from Reader's Favorite for my Young Adult novel: If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor.  During the summer I took part in some book festivals and though I didn't sell a ton of books I got great feedback about the book. At one of these events a woman came up to me and said that her daughter would not forgive her if she didn't tell me how much she loved the book and that she wanted to read the second one. And at one of them recently, a teen bought the book and started reading it immediately. These things tell me that it was worth writing my book. These days people don't read very much but I am happy that my book is getting the kind of attention you want from readers. 

The happy news is that I am publishing a second book and it will be out very soon. We are deciding on the cover and that is the main problem. Hopefully, this will be solved and it will be coming out within the next month, fingers crossed. It is called: Who Is Jennifer Taylor and will be published by Griffin Publishing. I will be revealing the cover as soon as it is completed.

This month my guest author is someone I know and she is a member of my Letters critique group in Greenwich Pen Women as well as a member of the Poetry Group there. Let's meet Catherine T. Horn, author, poet, and friend.

BIO:

Catherine Horn, an Active Letters member, is the author of Taking a Ride on Butterfly Wings. A retired Educator/School Psychologist whose greatest passions in life are her family, children and writing, she believes that, for her, there is no better form of creative expression than writing; no greater joy than to find the right words, phrases, and sentences to integrate ideas, thoughts, and feelings that converge to create the stories of our lives. 

Catherine has been writing for as long as she can remember, beginning with diaries and journal entries, lovesick poems with the kind of angst only teenagers can exude, and high school and college newspaper articles. 

As an adult, Catherine has written numerous stories for children, countless Psychoeducational Evaluation Reports, articles and presentations for parents, and eulogies for far too many family members. Catherine’s poetry writing has continued and has evolved into more mature, current themes including the pandemic and social injustice. In recent years, Catherine has ventured into writing memoir which she finds fascinating and rewarding. She is also working on a novel. 

Education:

Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.)/6th Year in School Psychology, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, 1988

Master’s Degree in School Psychology, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, 1984

Bachelor of Arts in Special Education, Wheelock College (now Wheelock College of Education & Human Development at Boston University), Boston, MA, 1978

Work Experience:

School Psychologist Greenwich Public Schools, Greenwich, CT 1988-2016

Special Education Teacher Greenwich Public Schools, Greenwich, CT 1980-1988

Special Education Teacher Eagle Hill School Greenwich, CT 1978-1980

Professional Memberships:

Greenwich Pen Women (Active Member)

National League of American Pen Women (Active Member)

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (Full Member)

Connecticut Education Association – Retired

National Education Association – Retired

Publications/Recognition:

• "I Stand Alone" (poem and photograph) – Third Place, The Greenwich Tree Conservancy’s Awesome Tree Contest, Ode to a Tree Category, June 2025 

• "Taking a Ride on Butterfly Wings Finally Emerges" (article) - National League of American Pen Women (NLAPW), The Pen Woman Magazine, Spring 2025

• "Taking a Ride on Butterfly Wings: My Pathway to Publication" (article) – Dynamic Aging 4 Life Magazine, 1/20/25

• "Greenwich Pen Women Inspire Each Other" (article) – NLAPW, The Pen Woman Magazine, Winter 2024

• "Peregrine Falcon Inspires Poetic Creation" (article) – NLAPW, The Pen Woman Magazine, Spring 2024

• "Waterfall" (Poem and Photo) – NLAPW, The Pen Woman Magazine, Spring, 2024

• Taking a Ride on Butterfly Wings (children’s picture book, fiction), August 2024

• "The Thrill of Writing a Blitz Poem Together "(Article) – Written by Catherine Horn and Linda Hortick – NLAPW, The Pen Woman Magazine, Fall 2022

• "Challenging the Soul" (A Blitz poem) – Written by Catherine Horn and Linda Hortick – Featured Poem –NLAPW website, Fall, 2022

• "I breathe because I can" (Poem) – The 2020 Joan Ramseyer Memorial Poetry Anthology Sunbeams

• "A Moment in the CV19 World – Greenwich Pen Women Newsletter, July 2020

• Independence Day (Photo) – Greenwich Pen Women Newsletter, July 2020

• Pandemic Pondering (Poetry Collection) – Archived at Greenwich Historical Society

• A Moment in the CV19 World" – Greenwich Historical Society COVID19 Project, April 2020

• "A Moment in the CV19 World "– Greenwich Free Press, April 13, 2020

• "A Seared Memory – Your Place Squared", Bruce Museum, Spring, 2019

• Taking a Ride on Butterfly Wings – Honorable Mention – Children’s Fiction – Writer’s Digest Magazine Writing Competition, 1997

I was able to interview Catherine and here it is:

INTERVIEW:

 Where were you born Dobbs Ferry, NY and where do you live now? Greenwich, CT

·      Who or what influenced you to begin writing? 

Life! I have expressed my thoughts, feelings and ideas through writing for as long as I can remember - starting with diaries as a child, poems as an adolescent (and still today), children's stories as a mother, and memoir/personal essays as an older adult. Two English teachers I had in high school were positive and encouraging. 

·      Besides writing do you have any other occupation? 

Not another occupation, but I spend most afternoons caring for my two granddaughters while my daughter and her husband work. 

Do you have any hobbies and what are they?

Playing with and reading to my granddaughters! When I am not writing, I am often reading fiction or critiquing the work of other writers. My husband, Bill and I love to travel. 

·      Why did you decide to become a school psychologist? 

After working as a self-contained special education teacher for several years, I decided to further my education to become a school psychologist. Teaching for ten years, led me to want be more more involved in diagnosis and treatment plans for children with special needs. I was fascinated by evaluating students and actually enjoyed report writing which allowed me to analyze all of the information and data and synthesize it so that parents and teachers understood and knew what it all meant in terms of how best to support the child. 

·      How has your work in this field influenced your writing? 

Working with children throughout my career has kept me inspired. Experiencing life through the eyes of children (my own, my students, and now my granddaughters) has kept me focussed on joy, love, and laughter.

·      What inspired your latest book: Taking a Ride on Butterfly Wings? 

When my children were young, at bedtime we would talk about things they could think about as they were trying to fall asleep. That inspired me to write a poem that, at the time, I called Sweet Dreams. My favorite phrase from the poem was Taking a Ride on Butterfly Wings so I changed the title to that and focussed on that as the lead image for the book. 

·      Please describe the story of Taking a Ride on Butterfly Wings for our readers. 

Taking a Ride on Butterfly Wings follows Lulu and Lainy on an imaginative journey traversing the seasons in New England as they explore peaceful and calm places and activities with their family and friends. 

·      You also have written a memoir. Are you planning to publish this? 

I started writing the memoir pieces after I retired in 2016 and took a class at Greenwich Library called Crafting Life Stories led by Joan Motyka. From the first prompt ("I was one of those kids who...") my pen hit the paper and I haven't stopped yet. I realized how much a house fire at our family home when I was a child changed our family significantly, so I suppose that is a central theme - the idea of home, what it means, and how to rebuild and move forward when everything seems lost. I am writing it for my children and granddaughters, as a way of capturing my life stories and the strength of endurance but other writers have said it may have a wider appeal. I'm not sure that my life experiences are vastly different from any one else's, made up of love and loss, but I'll consider it when I am finished. My message, and the title is Love + Loss = Life©.

·      How is writing poetry different than writing prose? 

Writing poetry provides a certain structure within which to formulate thoughts, ideas and feelings. In some ways, that can be helpful but at other times, it is a hindrance. When trying to write something that rhymes, the thoughts and feelings can become compromised when trying to force a rhyme. Most of the time, when I have something that I've been thinking about, grappling with, and/or trying to process, I sit down to write about it and the form evolves on its own. 

I have found that to be true myself as a poet. The poem creates its own form and also your frame of mind at the time helps.

Would you say your poetry has influenced your children’s story? 

The book was always written in rhyme, but the poetic verses and rhyming has improved over time making it a better story and a fantastic book. 

·      Has your work with children as a school psychologist influenced your writing in any way? 

Definitely. Children tell you what they are thinking and feeling before they learn social graces and the idea that what you say and do can impact other people, often in ways unintended. Being aware of the issues children face every day keeps me current and in-the-know so that my children's stories reflect those ideas. 

·      Does your story teach a lesson? 

Not a lesson per se, but it does offer children things to think about when they are trying to fall asleep which is often the time of day when fears and anxieties come to the surface. The book is an example of Guided Imagery, a mindfulness strategy that can be calming. I have also added an activity page for families to create their own list of what to think about at night. 

Do you think children’s stories should always have a lesson to teach? 

No. Educational stories are important but so is entertainment, fun and humor. 

·      How have you incorporated things in your new book that will delight children? 

I made sure to write about places and activities that are calm, enjoyable, relaxing, and peaceful. There isn't anything scary, disturbing, or even problematic in my book.

·      How important are the illustrations of your book to the understanding of the text? 

I think that more so than helping readers to understand the text, the illustrations enhance the ideas and bring them to life. They are critically important and I was lucky to find an extremely talented and creative visual artist, Martha Ratcliff, who brought my vision forward.

Yes, the illustrations in your book make you want to read it. I was at your book launch and saw the joy in the faces of the children and even adults who saw the cover. They grabbed it immediately.

·      What are you currently writing and are you thinking of publishing it? 

I am still writing memoir pieces and poems all the time. I hope to publish a collection of poems in the future. I have many more children's stories finished and I would very much like to publish some of them. I am also writing a novel that I think is timely and relevant, deserving to be out in the world as a catalyst for discussions around the impact of social media addiction on people everywhere.

·      How has your experience with Greenwich Pen Women Letters influenced your writing? 

All aspects of my writing have improved. I have learned new forms of poetry through our Poetry Group and now also write about nature in addition to people and relationships which were always my focus previously. 

·      Please tell our readers where they can find your book and you.  

Taking a Ride on Butterfly Wings is available at many local independent stores in Greenwich (Diane's Books, Athena, Bush Holley House/Greenwich Historical Society Museum Store, Christ Church Dogwood Bookstore) as well as on Amazon and barnesandnoble.com. For more information see lululanepress.com

·      Will you be doing any in person or online events in the future and where will they be? 

None scheduled at the moment. A highlight for me has been when I was lucky enough to be invited to Bush Holley House/Greenwich Historical Society as a featured speaker during their Local Author Showcase series this past spring. 

·      Finally, my last question I always ask my guests. Are you a plotter or a pantser? In other words, do you outline or do you just write? 

I am a tried and true, well-established pantser. Words flow through my fingers to the pen or keyboard and I am often amazed by what appears. An outline seems too restrictive and confining. For me, writing is the best and my favorite form of communication. 

I'd like to add that the reason this book finally became a reality, 32 years after I wrote the poem, is perseverance. After 11 rejections from traditional publishing houses, I decided to self-publish. I hired Martha, then a book formatting and publishing company, and then a website designer (Michael Murray, my brother, owner and founder of Baliwick Marketing). I have done all of my own marketing and promoting, all without the use of social media. I want my granddaughters to know the power and strength of pursuing goals and dreams regardless of obstacles and/or how long it takes. With our endless imaginations, we can all envision Taking a Ride on Butterfly Wings and who knows where we will land...

And one final, most important note is to thank my family once again - I could not have accomplished this without the love and support of my amazing husband, Bill, and the inspiration from our children, Kelly and Rob, our son-in-law, Neal, and our precious granddaughters, Eliza and Cassidy (represented in the book as Lulu and Lainy). 

Thank you, Catherine T. Horn, for the very thorough answers you gave to my questions. Your perseverance should show anyone who wants to be an author that you should not give up. Your story reminds me of my own struggle to republish my Young Adult novel and how I wound up self publishing. It is important to keep that belief in yourself when you want to publish your book. Also, thank you for the additional information about how you published this book. It will help all who are in the same situation. Publishing is not easy but not giving up is the answer! Lots of luck with this very beautiful book that young children will love. And now you have an online presence with my blog.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This interview will run for a month. Please comment here so the author can see how you felt about this. I do moderate comments so please no spam and be courteous. So if you comment and don't see it right away no worries. It will be there when I see it.

Until the next time when my guest will be another friend who is a poet, teacher, and an author. Her name is Cynthia Sharp. Hope you all have a great October. Here the leaves are changing and I leave you with a poem I just wrote about October:

                                    October Yellow

Is there anything more amazing than the yellow of the trees in October?

When the air and all around them turns the environment a bright yellow

As sunlight touches the leaves and creates a magical paradise

from a simple forest lane

The yellow almost blinds you as you gaze in wonder

At this fairyland created by leaves and sunshine

Your eyes take it all in as a serendipitous moment

When sky, trees, and air came together

To form this beautiful tableau

Only seen in October.

Copyright 2025 by Barbara Ehrentreu

Welcome Leigh Grant, Author and Illustrator

 

Hello everyone.  It seems that I haven't changed the post in two months. Chalk it up to being busy and also the author who was supposed to be on had some technical issues that were finally fixed. I hope everyone is enjoying the warmer weather and that you haven't had to deal with any disasters as of yet. I was very excited to find out that a branch of our Stamford Library is in walking distance of my home. I haven't used a library in awhile but today I got a book for book club. Planning to read continuously, since it has a lot of pages.

My guest author for the month is Leigh Grant, who has two fiction books in a series and is also the author of many other non-fiction books and illustrator of numerous children's books as well as author and illustrator of her own book. Her bio is here:

BIO:

LEIGH GRANT has degrees in art history and fine art as well as a certificate in appraising fine and decorative art from NYU. She attended Hollins University and during college, studied and lived in Paris for a year. After graduating from Pratt Institute, she worked in London for another year. A former illustrator, with over thirty books to her credit, Grant is currently a writer and an appraiser of fine and decorative art. As a writer, she is fascinated by the Italian Renaissance and the Venetian Empire and has written two historical novels: the award-winning Mask of Dreams and its sequel,her new book, Artimon. She has two children and one grandson and lives in Norwalk, Connecticut. Website: maskofdreams.com.

Ms Grant is too humble about her writing to include these but if you go on her website you will see this very long list of books with accolades. She is the kind of author who is not always promoting herself. Yet her accomplishments are varied and significant. I have known her for years as a member of Greenwich Pen Women and she has served as a president of this group. So I was very happy when she agreed to be a guest author on this blog. I know once you learn more about her you will want to read her books. She writes Renaissance novels now. Having read both of her books I can say they are different, exciting, and educational in a way you don't realize. The research on each of them was impeccable. With this in mind here is the interview with Leigh Grant.

INTERVIEW:

Where were you born and where do you live now?

I was born in Greenwich, CT and live in Norwalk, CT today - didn't get very far.

Besides writing, what is your occupation? Do you have any hobbies?

I was a children's book illustrator until 2008 and that year, I changed professions to appraise fine and decorative art - and write.  My hobbies have to do with collecting art and reading books.

Who or what influenced you to begin writing?

I read a series of books by the Scottish writer, Dorothy Dunnett. There were six in each series and I had never read anything that so thoroughly immersed the characters in the time. Often, she dealt with three languages. You knew what the places looked like, the politics of the time, the songs, the verse. The Hilary Mantell books about Cromwell would be comparable except that Dunnett’s hero was fictitious. 

That's fascinating. I have never heard of either of these authors. But I think if you're writing historical fiction attention to detail about the period is essential to create the right background atmosphere of the period about which you are writing.

Please describe a typical day of writing for you.

I don't write on a fixed schedule but I usually work on something whether it’s one of several projects or researching and taking notes. You can’t write historical fiction on the Venetian Empire and the Balkans at the end of the 15th century without reading everything you can lay your hands on.

What made you decide to begin your career in London? Do you have any interesting stories about that time?

A friend was going to the Cordon Bleu cooking school and needed a housemate. In London, I fearlessly (or perhaps I should say fearfully) marched up to E. P Dutton and other English publishers with my portfolio and for some reason they gave me jobs. I loved London and England and couldn’t get enough of both. We had English friends and I’m afraid to say when I was there, to fit in, I developed a pseudo English accent. (When we got home, the first thing my mother said was “Get rid of it.”)

One day I had an appointment at HarperCollins and my friend, who went with me, noticed an old lady sitting in a wing chair. They were making something of a fuss about her, bringing her tea, etc. (didn’t bring me tea), and we realized she was the grand old dame of mysteries: Agatha Christie. I was overawed but my friend went right up and introduced herself and shook her hand. (I missed my chance. Phooey.)

Wow! I would say that was a brush with greatness. At least you got to see her. And I think it's hard to live in a place and not develop an accent. I lived in upstate New York and when I got back to New York City my friends and family told me I had an accent. 

 How did you start illustrating books?

When I went to apply for college, I had a talent for art and wanted to go to art school. The head of the academy where I went to school discouraged that idea as not giving me a good education. So, I made my parents promise I could go to art school afterwards. Poor souls: they did promise and kept their word.) Actually, the college was wonderful and included an entire twelve months living in Paris and traveling in Europe in the summer. I then went to Pratt Institute which was an entirely different experience – every man for himself – BUT people like Maurice Sendak came by to give talks. So, I got a BFA in two years and embarked on illustration.

I was lucky to meet Maurice Sendak at a violin concert for Midori and other musicians. I got a free copy of his last book, though it wasn't signed. But I did speak with him for a few seconds and that was awesome.

You hold a certificate in appraisal. What made you decide to do this?

I collected art and antiques. I have always liked things that are either beautiful or beautifully made and have a history. They don’t have to be American. I live in a part of Norwalk, Silvermine, that hosted an artists’ colony around 1908 and I became very interested in that.

I have read both of your books, Mask of Dreams and Artimon. How did you get the idea to write books like these?

It’s a strange story. When I was still illustrating children’s book and had written one that did pretty well, someone, I no longer remember who, sent me a Chinese tale about a thief who tried to gain the emperor’s daughter through masking and disguise. I really liked the story because it had an interesting twist but I had no wish to compete with the Chinese in a medium in which they excel. Eventually, I realized the story was a love story and children tend to attach love to their parents, animals or friends. That realization took about a year to show me I needed to change direction – so I looked for a similar philosophy being “the beauty of the soul is reflected in the beauty of the face.” I found it in the Platonists in Italy in the 15th century. So, I wrote that story and my thief became a brigand who came from the Balkans and I added some Magic Realism to deal with the mask. The ending is different but you’ll have to read the book to find out.

The second book is a sequel and deals with an on again/off again relationship and the French invasion of Italy in 1495.

Please describe the amount and kind of research you did for each of your books.

If you look around my house, even without the articles I read online or copied in the library, I  have at least a thousand books. So probably about a third of those went into writing these two books. However, I do try to stay within my time period so I often read just that part.

You worked as an illustrator for many years. What made you decide to give this up?

I suffered two disasters. At the time, I was working on these popup books on Ancient Rome and Ancient Egypt and the economic downturn came along and my English publisher lost not only his business but his house. And I lost my husband, Tony, very suddenly to a brain tumor. I just didn’t want to work in illustration anymore.

That is very sad. I can see why you might want a change. Sadly, we have both lost our husbands. Though this must have been a terrible shock.

Please describe the path to publication for Mask of Dreams.

Well, it was a long path in the company of a wonderful agent without any results with publishers. All my illustrated books, including those I wrote were with recognized publishers but these two were printed by Amazon. Mask, in particular, has won some awards so it isn’t all in the dark. Artimon is relatively new.

How did being a member of a professional critique group help you to write your books?

The group gave me a sounding board and I knew if anything was repeated as criticsm, I needed to work on it. But, it also provided support.

Yes, I agree. This group, to which we both belong, has critiqued both of the sequels to my novel. We always have to sift through criticism and change what several people felt was necessary. It's a great place to find objectivity for your writing. 

Are you working on any new books for publication? If so, what are they? 

Right now, I’m researching a possible third book in the series but haven’t written much yet. I am also writing up some family stories so that those people in my family won’t be forgotten. (I see this as family only.) Lastly, I’m working on a proposal for an exhibition of art at a Connecticut Museum.

All of this sounds very exciting. I am looking forward to seeing your third book. It's funny how writing a book sometimes triggers another one. That's why I have three books in my series. You are never really finished with some stories.

Please give our readers your website and any social media you are on.

      maskofdreams.com

      Leigh Grant Author – Facebook

https://www.amazon.com/Mask-Dreams-Leigh-Grant/dp/B0BM3YZZQ8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=31F6EFY64OQH9&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._YpkhhmC6NYWodDE9_eOjfJuhjnXudRkwDeD0rOHpDZjtv_WzFX-HjMYpvwxoYBhevaKxv-ACe0O8nW1LD_9MgKq0TW4WLFIA3DIhDNVaV4.Bfxn3xAyw1i7jEdOh-aAUJADaSLt__Bo7McZ50pKNys&dib_tag=se&keywords=%22Mask+of+Dreams%22&qid=1748650409&s=books&sprefix=mask+of+dreams+%2Cstripbooks%2C65&sr=1-1

https://www.amazon.com/Artimon-Montenegrin-Leigh-Grant/dp/B0DBL8YYW9/ref=sr_1_1?crid=30Q6T3APNYNHC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.v2UzqdqdU_8GHZxhZzMtkvy0j2T9Q4lfjwrnmU3_TQj32jObTrfsIDB1sfjuKD77.yXUrYx7BpDGDSMT0omz8uxDD0cOSgW-Y2mWE-OmelVA&dib_tag=se&keywords=%22Artimon%22&qid=1748650526&s=books&sprefix=artisan+%2Cstripbooks%2C87&sr=1-1

Leigh Grant's website lists all of her books that are too many to put here.

Do you have any in person or online events scheduled for your books? What are they?

I’m working with Nutmeg Lit on that. Just started. Thinking about audio. I need to be more like you, Barbara.

Right. I try not to promote too much. I just joined this group but their events are too far away for me. I think being a part of a group like this is excellent for local authors. I am thinking about doing an audio book but the cost is high.

Finally, my last question is always this. Are you a plotter or a pantser? In other words, do you outline or do you just write?

PANTSER!!!

Leigh, it has been a pleasure having you on the blog. I wish you lots of luck with your future projects. Please come back again for your third book. And as I said, your books are a treat to read. Especially, if you like historical novels with lots of action, danger, and romance. 

"Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn from the depths of his heart, and the mask is torn off."

― Titus Lucretius Carus, De Rerum Natura

In 15th century Venice, Caterina struggles against the inevitability of an arranged marriage to a man old enough to be her father. Powerless, she is consumed by dread as the process spins out of control. The betrothal fails. A letter meant to manage future suitors goes astray. Out of the violence of the Balkans comes Rade, a lawless, charismatic Slav. Having won the letter―containing a belief that the soul's beauty is reflected in the beauty of the face―in a card game, he sees it as the hand of fate.

Though scarred, Rade attempts through the artifice of a lifelike mask, to enter her world of mercantile wealth. To protect Caterina, her father negotiates a lengthy agreement. The mask, meant to be a temporary ruse, becomes, of necessity, permanent. To further complicate the situation for Caterina, a new love interest appears. From fairs to shipwrecks, bull-baiting to rescues, noble house to villa in the hills, the time arrives when Rade is hopelessly entangled in her life. Desperate, he finds he can no longer continue the deception. A choice must be made.

"Every new beginning comes from another beginning's end." 

                             - Lucius Annaeus Seneca

In late 15th century Venice, only four people are aware and accepting of the subterfuge of his undetectable mask, and Rade's true scarred face behind it. His father-in-law urges him to leave Venice and immerse himself in the French invasion of the states of Italy. Create a story. Get rid of the mask. Come back as who you really are - so the rest of the world will accept your scars. He presents Rade with an unruly cavalry horse named Artimon. A gift Rade doesn't want. Rade departs, accompanied by his manservant and friend, Alberico, along with a mule train loaded with grain to sell to the French. Things start going wrong early on. Crossing the Apennines, an accident separates Rade from Alberico and Artimon. Bereft, his young bride, Caterina, struggles to reorder her life and Rade makes the acquaintance of Maria. Thus begins a journey that culminates in the notorious Battle of Fornovo - for Rade, a struggle for survival. His marriage, strained to the breaking point, falters.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Until the next time, this interview will be here until July 5th. If you liked this interview please leave a comment here or on the Facebook post. Comments are moderated so they won't show up right away. 

My second book in the Mill Valley High series, Who Is Jennifer Taylor, is coming out as soon as we can agree on a cover. I am excited to say it will be published by Griffin Publications with Mousumi Sachdeva as the publisher.  Check on Facebook for cover reveal when it happens. In the meantime, my first book, If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor is getting great reviews and kids love it. 

Welcome Rohit Prasad, Author, Banker, and Caricaturist

 

Hello everyone. It's a little late for the next guest but though February was a short month it was packed with things to do.  And March has also been filled.  With three other people I participated in a poetry reading set to music. If you are a poet you should try having a pianist play while you read.  

But I am very happy to present to you my guest author for this month: Rohit Prasad. I met him through a mutual friend and immediately thought he should be on this blog. After you learn about him you will be very happy I introduced you.

Here is the interview we had:

Where were you born and where do you live now?

I was born in Bareilly, a small town in India where my maternal grandparents lived.

I now live in Manhattan.

I can see why you might move if you are in international banking. 

 

Besides writing, do you have any other occupation? Do you have any hobbies?

I have been an international banker for the last 29 years.

I love reading books, drawing caricatures and watching sports. 

Who or what influenced you to begin writing?

I am a voracious reader and a regular traveller. These experiences have heavily influenced my writing.

 

What inspired you to write your first book?

I always knew I had stories inside me. Once the idea of the book popped up in my mind, I knew I had to put it on paper. 

Please tell us a little bit about this book: The Pilgrim: Inferno Redux.

Roy Aron goes on a journey, physically and mentally, on the fateful day of 9/11. He descends the bowels of hell, following in the footsteps of Dante Alighieri, as he witnesses the nine sins. He comes upon intriguing sagas showcasing the sins’ corroding powers. The reader accompanies him through the heart of darkness, lives through the transformational incidents, and emerges in the sunshine of hope.

 

What made you decide to write your second book, Mood Swings?

After I wrote about the nine sins, my mind started thinking about the reasons why man sins. It led me to the realization that we are prisoners of our emotions. So, I felt I needed to write about emotions and the decisions that they make us take.

 

I am interested to know how you got into drawing caricatures. Have you put any in your books?

I have been drawing since I was small. I gravitated towards caricatures and cartoons on politics and sports as an avenue to comment on current affairs. I have included sketches depicting imaginary beings personifying the nine sins in The Pilgrim: Inferno Redux.

How are you planning to promote your second book? I know you have already had an online book launch. Did you have an in person one too?

I have conducted book reading sessions in New York and New Jersey.

 

Where can our readers find you? 

https://cynicseyeview.wordpress.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Moods-Swings-Rohit-Prasad/dp/9391813925 

Finally, my last question I ask of every guest. Are you a plotter or a pantser? In other words, do you just write or do you outline before you write?

I always think of my storylines and make notes on my iPhone. Once I have most of the points covered, I sit down to type out my book.

And now you have provided us with some excerpts from your book. Here they are:

From short stories in Mood Swings:

From Story #9:

It was a short drive from her hotel. They reached an unassuming single-floor building whitewashed in white and light green. On entering through the iron gates, they come across a courtyard and a prayer hall to the right. They found a large empty hall with three decorated tombs in the middle of it. The walls were decorated with sepia-tinted photographs and framed Urdu poetry in exquisite calligraphy.

It was strange to see an Islamic establishment in such a broadly Buddhist nation.

Arjun commented, with an undertone of disappointment, “I am neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed. Just about whelmed. You are losing your touch, Super Star.”

Joyita admonished him with her best impersonation of Q, “Patience, 007, patience. Now pay attention. I will say this only once. Do you even know what this is and where we are?”

Arjun shrugged his shoulders.

She explained, as if to a child, “This is the tomb of Bahadur Shah Zafar.”

He was taken aback, “Like The Bahadur Shah Zafar. THE last Mughal emperor.”

She nodded, happy at having pulled out a rabbit from the hat.

Still not sure about what he had heard, he asked, “But what the heck is he doing all the way here in Yangon?”

She settled in for the backstory, “When in 1838, he ascended to the throne, while his title of Emperor was very grand, his power was actually quite limited to mostly Delhi and neighboring territories. But after the 1857 Sepoy Revolt..”

He interjected, “The First War of Independence, please.”

Chastened a little bit at herself for using the Western title instead of the preferred Indian version, she carried on, “After The First War of Independence, the British considered Bahadur Shah Zafar a potential rallying point for the freedom struggle and banished him to Rangoon in 1858. 

Do you know, in his exile, he wasn’t even allowed a pen and paper to write fearing that he would secretly use them to pass on messages to his supporters in India?”

Arjun was astounded at the new things he was learning every day on this trip.

She added, “Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, died in 1862 miles away from his home and his subjects. Do you know the irony of it? I had read somewhere that, after losing the Third Anglo-Burma War in 1885, King Thibaw Min, the last Burmese monarch, and his family were exiled to a remote corner of India where they remained till his death.”

Arjun was just standing there with his mouth open. 

“Well, this is quite a change from the pagodas!” he said aloud after closing his gaping yaw. 

Joyita explained further, “The Britishers were determined not to make them  martyrs. So they buried Bahadur Shah Zafar in an unmarked grave here to make sure his supporters would have nowhere to mourn.”

“Then how was he found?”

“Quite by chance, it seems. In 1991, during construction work in this prayer hall, the laborers came across these graves. Upon excavation, they found skeletal remains of Bahadur Shah Zafar wrapped in a silk shroud. 

Realizing the importance of the discovery, the local community supported by the Myanmar government and the Indian government restored the graves.”

Arjun was left devoid of words by the moving story.

He thought out aloud, “Such is fate. In one moment, you are the king of the world. Literally the Shah Jahan. And the next, you are dying alone miles away from your loved ones, buried in an unmarked grave, unmourned in a far away land.”

Joyita, “Makes you appreciate history. Understand from the past. Prepare for the future.”

Arjun stressed, “For me, I think it makes you appreciate the present. Make the most of today, as we don’t know what the future will bring.

Carpe Diem. Seize the day. Get out of the rat race. Stop and smell the roses. Discover something new…

…Fall in love with someone.”

He said the last sentence looking intently at her. 

He then grabbed hold of her hand and guided her gently out of the building. Once outside, he pulled her close and kissed her with passion. She also seized the day, and him, and kissed back with feeling.

They went back to her hotel and had brunch together, but did not let go of each other’s hands or break eye contact. 

From Story #3 Mood Swings:

Susan whipped around, like a whirling dervish, every morning between 6am to 8am. Today was no different. It was that small window in the day when she had to get the two men in her life out of her life, literally. 

The day started a bit earlier for her as she needed some caffeine in her to clear the cobwebs of sleep. By the time she had brewed her second cup, her husband of 22 years, Drew, attempted to get out of bed after an unsuccessful fight with the alarm clock and his duvet. This was a battle he tended to win only on the weekends. He muttered nonsensical admonitions at the preening alarm clock and lumbered to their bathroom to kickstart his engine. 

Two cups of coffee, sundry strips of bacon and a buttered piece of toast added fuel to his simmering engine. He rumbled through his breakfast, keeping one eye on the newspaper headlines while the other checked the clock on the mantle every five seconds. He had an unhealthy relationship with the clocks in the house. 

Drew was the typical middle-aged man, with half a balding head and a healthy beer belly. As a standing party joke, he would pat his few hair, caress his protruding stomach and murmur mirthfully, “Recession. And inflation. Can’t get away from them.”

Though Drew always wore his uniform of a suit, a white shirt, a striped tie and Oxfords every working day, as he did today, on weekends he loved wearing jeans and printed T-shirts with funny quotes on them, such as “Oh! The element of surprise” and “Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear T-shirts.” He got a kick when people saw them and giggled. He had half a mind last week to tell a young lady, who was intently gazing at his T-shirt, “Hey, my eyes are up here.” He wasn’t sure whether he wore those T-shirts to show that he was funny beyond his dad jokes or due to his deep seated need for validation.

He could not miss his train today as he had an important meeting in his office first thing in the morning. He kept multitasking when he heard the first signs of activity from his son’s bedroom.

Normally, their son, Colin, had to be dragged kicking and screaming from his bed. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. The morning routine consisted of Susan shouting in Colin’s direction every few minutes to check if he was awake and had not fallen asleep in the middle of brushing or putting on his pants. Colin took great joy and satisfaction in snatching the tiniest moments of sleep wherever he could squeeze it in.

Today seemed different. 

Colin, fresh eyes and bushy tailed, came bounding down the stairs two steps at a time. He was fired up and ready to go. He did not want to waste precious moments today on mundane matters such as sleep or breakfast. He had much to do today and miles to go.

Susan and Drew stared at this unrecognizable avatar of their son. 

Susan exclaimed, “Who are you and what have you done with our son?”

Susan reached out to touch Colin’s forehead to check for his temperature, pretending as if he was ill. 

Colin brushed off her hand and spoke in an irritated tone, the default state of any teenager with its parents, “Mom, really?”

She could feel his nervous energy jump off him. She put her hand on his shoulder and slowly guided him to the dining table, “At least have something to eat before we go.”

Colin was in no mood for any morning nourishment and was antsy to go.

Susan admonished him, “It is not even 7am. The school does not open for another hour. What will you do at school so early?”

Colin had a couple of witty reposts, but thought better of them. He grabbed a buttered toast and started stuffing his face.

“Slow down, slow down,” warned his father. 

He was as amazed by his son’s transformation as his wife. But he had other matters on his mind. The clock on the mantle fired the starter’s gun and he had to be off. He kissed his wife’s cheek and his son’s head and was out of the backdoor before either could shout their goodbyes to him. 

They heard the car start and rumble out of the driveway. He was up, up and away, joining the ranks of a thousand other gnomes, off to slave in the goldmines of New York.

Wow, both of these excerpts make me want to read the whole story. This is a book filled with these kinds of short stories about different emotions. 

Thank you so much, Rohit Prasad for being my guest on this blog. I have really enjoyed getting to learn more about you and your writing.

I wanted to let everyone know about this wonderful magazine: Wildfire Magazine. I have become a staff writer and have an article in it this month as well as a poem. The magazine is beautiful and filled with excellent writing. Check it out here:

Until the next time, which will be April 8, 2025, when my guest will be Leigh Grant,  author and illustrator, who has written two outstanding historical fiction novels. I hope you enjoy the month of March. It is Women's History Month, and I want to end this blog with the poem I wrote about being a woman:

Being a Woman

We as women are too close to ourselves

to see anything but the flaws and scars

But women are beautiful in every way

We are the ones who power the world

With our strength and perseverance

to continue to strive when men might falter

We go on in the face of adversity

And we make sure our children

Are given the best life they can have

Yet many women suffer from not being enough

They are always wanting to have more or do more

Women are the backbone of society

We nurture and protect our loved ones

And in times of crisis it is a woman

who shows up with the chicken soup and love

To make sure her friend or loved one is okay

We are the makers of dreams for our men

And so many of us do not get to have our own

As we pave the way each day for everyone else

We sweep our dreams to the side

Until we have the time and sometimes never fulfill them

But many now do follow their dreams

Regardless of time or ability to focus

They write their books and excel in their subject

And they lead the way in both local and national government

Women are the strength of a nation

We are the ones who worry about the little things

And we face whatever comes our way with grace most of the time

Sometimes we hide the abuse and suffering 

Since we have to continue with our lives

Some live in this silence for an entire lifetime

Never letting others know their pain

Biting their tongues to keep from letting you know

Women are mothers, daughters, grandmothers, wives, widows, mayors, governors, Congressional representatives, Senators, and now Vice-Presidents and in some countries leaders.

We are at the forefront of everything including music, TV, and movies.

Women are firefighters, teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, construction workers, architects 

Women are a strong force, and we are over one half of the population

Yet men continue to hold the lead

Like the king of England now sits in that position

Men want the world to think they run it

But look closely and you will see a woman is there behind them

When our last President gave his speech he gave it to his wife

who was beaming down upon him

the strength to say the words he had to say

Women are there for their husbands, sons and daughters

And we will continue to be there

For our goal is to make sure our loved ones

Are safe and happy in this very chaotic world.

Copyright 2025

by Barbara Ehrentreu. All rights reserved.