Guest of the week: Author Montrée Whiles

Author: Montrée Whiles

Genre: Fiction; Across Multiple Genres

Content Rating: Mostly PG-13, some contain content rating above that due to adult situations or humor, but contains no graphic sexuality nor inappropriate language.

We live in an age where the average person (in the USA) is literate enough to compose a story and education doesn’t necessarily have a bearing on the quality or reception of that story. The former coupled with the arrival on the scene of the ereader, has already made tremendous changes in the publishing, writing and reading worlds. I suspect it will become more common for people to carry their reading (and writing) around with them to have a go at during those moments of idleness between tasks, while having a coffee alone or even taking a meal alone. For some, this may equate to loneliness, but we’ve all heard the adage about being lonely in a crowd. The greater value, I think, is in those moments spent in quality encounters with true friends rather than being able to count the numbers of people one has collected to take up space in one’s life.

As far back as high school, I can recall belonging to the school publication group as well as doing a bit of writing myself. Since then I’ve penned the occasional story here and there. My first publication, A Voice from An Outer World, is a collection of some of the short stories I’ve done over time. Of course, I have my favorites. The story in this collection that stands out as well loved by me is, “Fireworks.” I’m sure you’ll find your own favorites as you read the various stories.

Reading, oddly enough, doesn’t provide fodder for my stories. Many times a chance encounter will spark an idea for a story. Reading has become the teacher’s knee at which I learn to write. Though I still find I enjoy most of my reading selections, now I have the voice in my head pointing out spelling errors, grammatic and sentence structures to check in my reference book, and interesting turns of phrase and styles of writing to note. I enjoyed English classes and even more, language classes. I haven’t become a master yet of grammar, punctuation and spelling, but I’m moving in the right direction.

Having recently observed a Korean tea ceremony, I was struck by the emphasis placed on “tea space.” It shouldn’t surprise me as I have need to always create “writing space.” I usually mark the spot with a cuppa jo. So whether at a coffee house, at the computer table, or the kotatsu, I have a cuppa sitting there. Sometimes the jo is replaced by iced tea or hot tea, but ideally the coffee is what makes the space. Sometimes I think of this writing space as a place out of time. When I’m fully engrossed in my writing, there is nothing there but me, the keyboard (or pen and paper) and computer as well as my fingers. Guess the brain and soul plays a part in there somewhere as well. I enjoy these moments of timelessness and spacelessness as they are few and far in between because I am a new writer, self-published and self supporting. These are times of me-ness that are to be savored.

While I’m speaking of me-ness, I think its safe to say it’s that well of me-ness from which my stories bubble to the surface. In an effort to keep things organized, Arachne Enterprises Publishing is the umbrella under which most of my noms de plume are published. Montrée Whiles dabbles in efforts of the pen in a cathartic fashion; Rabiyah Hamnach writes fiction for women and young girls which centers around strong Muslim females; Satine Steele writes women-centered stories and books. So, with all this, one would think I have a lot to write about. I don’t know about that, but I can say my writing style is very wordy. Usually the editing process for me is to remove all the excess verbiage before I can even get down to revising. It’s possible my writing style is such as it is because I’m not given to chattiness. Because I retain a “day job,” I have to make a concerted effort to have time to write. As I go about my daily routine, I find I usually have something in my purse to work on.

That’s how many of the stories which I included in my collection of short stories, A Voice From An Inner World, were penned, here there and everywhere. As I mentioned above, my favorite story is, Fireworks. Another I like well is, “Lives: Nine Of ‘Em.” The latter is included below. Please visit my Facebook page to see other books in progress.

Selection:

Bogga Fat Cat here. I’m just a big ol’ ball of Felinus Domesticus fur. Startin’ on my ninth life, I am. My ninth chance to do it up right. I’m just layin’ here on the porch contemplatin’ my life. Well actually watchin’ the field mice dodge back and forth thinkin’ they’re bein’ sly and all. Jus’ tryin’ to get up the urge to go get me a little Meece Tartare.

I’m thinkin’ it’s time to settle down. Ye know, pull up a nice fat pillow and kick back. Time to stop chasin’ them cute lil balls of fluff caterwaulin’ down at the Cat Nip N Cream. I have to say that last one I got my claws into yowled up a storm. I still have a bruise in the ol’ noggin where the bottle came flyin’ out the window and hit me in the head. I saw stars. All I can remember before passin’ out is the high-pitched squallin’ Willow Wild Cat was doin’ as I dug my claws in deeper in surprise. When I came to, I was paws up behind a trash barrel.

Don’t know how I got my tawdry tail home, but I did. Only I arrived to find my People had other ideas for me. I was stowed away in my car box and whisked off to that awful place where they pick and poke and I have to listen to the pathetic yowls, howls, groans, moans, whimpers, chirpin’s, and other noises comin’ from the assorted inmates subjected to the same or similar fate as I. All in all it could’ve been worse. Some of my runnin’ mates have been to the same place and I never saw ‘em again. I notice I been paddin’ around a little lighter on the hind paws since I got home.

Supposin’ I did take on the life of a true house cat? I guess I could get to like it. I mean regular ear scratchin’ and soft places to lay around in aren’t a bad trade off. Let’s face it. Meeces Tartare is a real acquired taste, if you get my meanin’. I could get used to a more palatable diet that’s easier on the stomach. Lazy days on the porch in Summer and warm evenings next to the fire in Winter have their appeal.

Yeah. I think I’ll grab on to this last chance; chance number nine. I’m sure I can even live with Little People tuggin’ at my fur and ears and pullin’ on my tail. But, maybe I had ought to give a holler to Ol’ Tom down at the CatNip and Cream and let him know where I am so he can send a few balls of fluff my way from time to time. I’m sure I can work up an interest in caterwaulin’ every now and again.

Giveaway:

I’ll give away a free electronic copy of the book I discuss above by drawing. Include your email in your comment below to be added to the drawing. For anyone else I will send bookmark if you’ll also include your email address as well.

Bio:
Arachne Enterprises Publishing manages publishing needs for Montrée Whiles, Rabiyah Hamnach, and Satine Steele. Home is in California, but she resides in Lubbock, Texas. Montrée Whiles currently has a collection of short stories published under the Arachne Enterprises Publishing name. Rabiyah Hamnach has a work of Muslim fiction in progress. Satine Steele writes women-centered fiction. The force behind the publisher is Tanya Jones.

Upcoming Events:

April’s Not For Fools Guest Blog: April 4 on Grinelda Markowitz’s blog: https://grineldamarkowitz.wordpress.com

Buy Links:

Create Space (for a hard copy): https://www.createspace.com/3993185

Smashwords Montrée Whiles: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/montreewhiles

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Voice-Inner-World-ebook/dp/B0098UNPP0/ref=la_B0098W4PHA_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1349542692&sr=1-2

Contact Information:

Smashwords Author Page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/arachneenterprises

Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/arachneenterprises

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ArachneEnterprisesPublishing

Montrée Whiles Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/scribblingsbymontreewhiles

WordPress: http://arachneenterprisespublishing.wordpress.com