Any title with the word “wildchild” in it sounds like my kind of book, and from my interactions with author Feather Stone I think she might have a bit of wildchild within her too! Today kicks off her blog tour.
Sidney Davenport is known as Wildchild to her Guardian mentor, Greystone. She rebels against rules. Wildchild is gifted in the paranormal, but carefully conceals her powers from the world. Even in the crises that threaten her life, she refuses to use her powers of telepathy, telekinesis, space/time travel. If her enemies discovered the truth of who she is, her Guardian people would be destroyed. She calls upon her spirit guides, Seamus and Celeste, to guide her through a mine field of the insane – Madame and Captain Butchart.
Sidney leaves her home on Hawk’s Island to help the underground stop two people who are about to cause worldwide madness. Unskilled in espionage, she is arrested and sentenced to death. But, God help Sidney, she can’t deny her attraction to the man who has orders to perform her execution – the tall, dark eyed Captain Waterhouse. He’s meticulous, disciplined and lives by the strict rules expected of an officer of the American navy.
Captain Waterhouse is about to scrap his higher morals to bust out of his hell. When a female prisoner is delivered to his ship, he has no idea she is capable of turning his disciplined life into a storm of unimaginable experiences. His prisoner’s enemies, he discovers, are also the ones who hold his life in the palm of their hands.
Through stunning imagery, an intricate and adventurous plot, and a strong cast of characters, Feather Stone gives readers a fast paced story woven with murder and magic.
And now it’s time to welcome the creator of Wildchild, Author Feather Stone!
Jennifer Lane (JL): Welcome to the blog, Feather, and congratulations on The Guardian’s Wildchild! I’m just getting into this novel and I’m very intrigued–it’s a smattering of science fiction, spiritual exploration, military thriller, and romance. I read somewhere you thought “Paranormal Romance” wasn’t a perfect fit. How would you describe its genre?
Feather Stone (FS): Genre? Perhaps “Beef Stew” might be the best answer. It’s all kinds of stuff in one meaty and tasty dish. And who doesn’t like a good beef stew, except a vegetarian. But, of course, you’re looking for a conventional genre to slot The Guardian’s Wildchild into. I was surprised to discover that the word “paranormal” is currently synonymous with vampires and evil witches. In my world, vampires are in the genre of horror and “don’t read at bedtime” books.
Mysticism is one word that comes to mind but that is closely related to religious connotations, which I avoided in the story. The story introduces the Guardians who are highly evolved human beings and have god-like powers, but seldom interfere with the plight of the human race. The story takes off from there and becomes a murder mystery. Enter Sidney Davenport, a rebellious Guardian known as Wildchild. It’s only fitting that she is thrust into the world of Captain Waterhouse, a man devoted to the rule book and about to fall into the dark world of his enemies. Immediately, Sidney feels a connection with him. Both resist the murmurings of passion. I can only guess at what point the reader is thinking, “Kiss her, you idiot!”
JL: How did you decide to write a novel taking place in the future?
FS: It wasn’t my decision. None of the storyline was my choice. I didn’t even sit down to write a book. I experienced time/space travel spontaneously one evening ten years ago. I was with an officer at the railing of his ship. He was deeply troubled. He was real. And he followed me, telepathically, for the next several days. I would ask him the why’s and how’s. I decided to write about it hoping that the energy would dissipate. Instead the energy grabbed hold of me and I became a slave to describing scenes and dialogue.
Now, don’t be alarmed. I wasn’t a mindless doll at the keyboard. But the visions and feelings were crystal clear in my mind. The dialogue rolled on. Anytime I questioned the flow of the story and told the story my way, the visions would stop. Frustrated, I obediently went back to point where my ego intervened and hit the delete key. The visions resumed.
It was an incredible experience. I was never alarmed or felt threatened. Instead, the hours of bringing the Captain’s story to life was invigorating. It went on for five years, followed by another three years of editing and developing the characters’ full personality, gifts and demons.
JL: To what extent do you believe we have guardians watching over us?
FS: One hundred percent, Jennifer. It is difficult, probably impossible for some, to believe that each of us has guardians that are at our beck and call. They watch us with love that has no limits or conditions. In my youth, I experienced the paranormal – the Light. I met my spirit guide when I was very young. That was a day that lives on as a sacred event and has given me strength to go on during times when I would have gladly hit my “Delete” life button.
One of my most profound experiences with the “guardians” occurred when I was nineteen years old. I went swimming with some friends. Not a strong swimmer, I quickly found myself in deep trouble. I was too exhausted to swim back to shore or to the raft where my friends were. After trashing in terror, I gave up and sank to the bottom of the lake. As darkness overtook my vision I heard, “If you stand, you can breathe.” I obediently responded to the familiar voice. My nose was just above the level of the water.
Yes, everyone has a guardian or spirit guide or whatever you wish to call the beings of Light. It doesn’t matter what religion you practice or don’t practice, your morals, your beauty or brains, wealth or poverty. There is a guide who is waiting for you when you are released from the physical world and who walks alongside your every step while you are here.
But don’t take my word as gospel. Each of us must find our own way, our own truth in our own time. If anyone wishes to seek out their guide, it is easy if one adopts an open mind. The truth lies within you. In quiet meditation, follow your inner compass.
JL: You posted a lovely painting of your horse on Facebook–it appears you are quite creative! Tell us about your creative endeavors.
FS: Everyone has creative talents. I believe it’s in our physical DNA, a gift from our connection with spirit. We are always creating, even when we are unaware of it. We are creating our future with our thoughts. Our thoughts manifest in the physical world. My favorite saying is, “Change your thinking, change your life.”
My ability to do crafts and paint is largely due to my difficulty in speaking. In order to find a way to express myself, I turned to other ways that reflect my feelings. None of the things I do have come easy. I’ve had to take courses and practice. I’ve been fortunate in that my instructors have been gifted in seeing my potential.
JL: What’s one thing that’s surprised you about the publishing process?
FS: All of it was surprising as this was my first experience with publishing. However, the best surprise was the community of authors at Omnific Publishing. The camaraderie has been a delight. The support and humor from all the Omnific authors has given me the courage go beyond my comfort level in marketing my book to the rest of the world.
JL: I love your author name. How did you choose Feather Stone?
FS: I smile at remembering how this came about. When Omnific Publishing inquired about the author name for the book, I was skeptical about my ability to market The Guardian’s Wildchild. The vision of it plummeting like a stone was clear. And yet I had the belief the book was special, well written, and could fly. Then it hit me. The name of the author should be Feather Stone.
JL: Thanks for stopping by, and good luck with the blog tour!
FS: The Kick-Off Party is going to be a grand affair! I can hardly wait to meet all the cruisers. You know my party has a nautical theme as the setting for The Guardian’s Wildchild was on the Pacific Ocean. So many prizes. The best part for me will be to meet and chat with all the cruisers.
Thank you, Jennifer, for everything. You’ve been an inspiration.
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Check out Feather’s BLOG to enter the grand prize giveaway!
Jennifer Lane Books 