EXTRAORDINARY DREAMS OF AN IRELAND TRAVELER
PRESENTS
REFLECTIONS OF MAMIE
A Story of Survival
by
Rosemary “MAMIE” Adkins
Today, I wanted to share with you an interview conducted
by
Trish Jackson, Author
Saddle up for a wild read!
Trish:
My featured author today is, more than anything, a survivor. Her book addresses the challenges of an abused child and illustrates how important it is never to give up hope – that if you believe things can get better, they will.
So Rosemary, you write Creative Non Fiction. It's a little different from writing fiction – basically a true story written as if it were fiction, so you know how it begins and ends before you write it. Are you a pantser? (You write by the seat of your pants and the story is all there in your head.) Or are you a plotter? (You prefer to create a plot first?)
Mamie:
I am a planner-a schemer and plotting has been my way of life since the age of four with dreams that kept my spirit alive.
Trish:
So you do take the time to plot -- to decide what you are going to write before you start putting it down on paper. Is there a method you use?
Mamie
I use my dreams to create my own destiny. To discover what and where I want to be. Believing in your dreams, all things can be achieved if you dare to dream-never giving up on yourself.
Trish:
Wow! Coming from a survivor, that's great advice. In other words, all things are possible if you can only believe. What do you think today's readers want and how does it differ from readers of the past?
Mamie:
Recently I have been doing a little test marketing and have discovered there is a huge difference from what readers want today and what they wanted in the past. In years gone by, people took up the attitudes of not getting involved no matter what they may have witnessed or knew but today readers are looking to educate themselves on issues that they can understand and give a helping hand. I believe while readers enjoy the escape of many genres, it appears they enjoy perhaps even more to read and understand the pain of others through Memoirs.
Trish:
I'm sure you're right. Readers today want to be emotionally engaged, and there is so much more to a true story, particularly when it is about something that so many others have experienced. What book do you want to feature in this post?
Mamie:
Reflections of Mamie
-A Story of Survival
The genre is Creative Non Fiction/Memoir
The story begins in the early 1950's suburbs of Houston, Texas. Mamie is a young child of four who was unwanted, afraid, abused and with nowhere to turn, learned that she had to stand alone. Her only friends were her older brother, an abused child himself, and her nanny, who begged their mother to stop beating them. The father, though he loved his children, remained passive to the end. A victim himself, the only protection he offered was a warning to stay out of their mother's reach.
This story shares Mamie's heroic battle to keep her dreams alive and hold on to her spirit. How she finds her way out of fifty-four years of abuse is yours to discover in her fascinating memoirs.
Trish:
I can't begin to imagine how horrific that must have been. What inspired you to finally put it down on paper and share it with others?
Mamie:
Pain. The simple emotion of pain inspired me to write this book but it took decades to come to fruition. Writing this book has become my sole goal as a legacy so I could reach out to those in pain being abused, abandoned, afraid, alone with nowhere to turn. Abuse is a lonely place to be and through my book I hope to offer a comparison from my life to perhaps their own so they will realize that if one never allows their spirits to be broken and never give up, life can belong to them again.
The message is very clear and once again, I hope to convey that the dreams in your heart with the willingness to fight for your spirit and never giving up will at some point bring you happiness and freedom.
Trish:
What would Mamie, your main character say to you if she was to meet you now?
Mamie is the main character in this tale of growing up knowing she was unwanted, unloved and abused. If she could tell you anything it would be to always reach or the stars and let nothing every stand in your way. Giving up in life is final and something you can’t change so never allow anyone to steal away your dreams, hopes or spirit and remember that you ultimately control your own destiny-NEVER GIVE UP! Fight to hold onto yourself and spirit-things will get better someday!
Trish:
Did you self-publish or query and hope a publisher would accept your work and how did that work out for you?
Mamie:
I have published both my own books now. I love the freedom to market the way I want to do so and not giving up control of who, what and where my book finds for a journey. Personal communication with my readers is my preference. That is not to say I wouldn’t enjoy life a bit easier than this more difficult route and the success of being traditionally published but it is working out for me.
The purpose for writing Reflections of Mamie was to reach that one person that needs hope and by self- publishing, it is more personal and I get that chance to talk with anyone that reaches out.
Trish:
Promotion is the key to success. What do you do to promote your writing?
Mamie:
As a self- published Author, marketing means writing every day whether it be writing blurbs to Tweet, creating blog posts, posting on Facebook or dreaming of new books in your heart to write. Then we have book signings, interviews both newspaper, radio and if lucky television.
Trish:
Do you have any advice for your fellow writers/authors?
As I have said before, I am a great believer of never giving up so no matter what obstacles you feel are road blocks to your writing sit down every day even if it is to stare at a blank page. Set a time for writing the same time each day and commit to it as though it were a job. Soon, you will find yourself wanting to do nothing else.
Trish:
Writers are always working on a new project. Tell us about yours.
My next project is promoting this new book and recreating my first book to perhaps a coffee table version so I can share the beauty of Ireland and what was my first dream come true with regards to writing!
Trish:
That sounds like a great idea. Give us a good reason to buy your book.
Mamie:
Abuse must stop and the more someone educates themselves to the signs of abuse, the more likely something can be done to help. Looking at the journey traveled by Mamie, you will understand the loneliness and despair and may just reach out to that someone that considers their life is not worth living and save that life. Don’t you think it would be worth that effort to read about the devastation a child or even an adult in order to improve life for those around you?
Trish:
Absolutely! Please tell us a little about yourself.
In case you did not realize by now, this is my story. I was born and raised in Houston, Texas to a family that found others to replace me. Abused, afraid, and nowhere to turn I learned to stand alone at age four.
Today, after five decades, I am finally free and have my own family whom I love and am so proud to call my own. An incredible daughter that makes us proud every day of her life is the joy of my life now. My husband and I will celebrate our twenty fifth wedding anniversary this August while rejoicing this book has finally been finished after sixteen years of struggling the demons and fear to find my voice.
To tell you the truth, I used to love quilting until I ran out of people to make them for so now all I am interested in and do is write-from sunup to sundown!
We love to travel and explore new destinations making friends world wide fulfilling dreams of a childhood when dreams were all I had.
I decided to write for a release and way to share in hopes of helping others find their way. That journey began with our adventures in Ireland and my first book-EXTRAORDINARY DREAMS OF AN IRELAND TRAVELER published last January. Now as my legacy, the new book REFLECTIONS OF MAMIE is about to launch. My greatest dream of all to get rid of this inside turmoil and find peace at last.
We have a huge love of animals and children so my cause I support are two. The first charity is Dreamcatchers for Abused Children who do so much to help educate and counsel but need the support from everyone possible. My love of animals takes us to Kitsap Humane Rescue Society where they do not refuse any animal that has been abused or abandoned. Abuse is such a bad turn of events it must stop as cycles are clear. A large share of my profits support these two agencies.
RECOMMENDATION:
Reflections of Mamie-A Story of Survival is a sad and joyous personal account of growing up under the worst kind of adversity. It is a story of survival during times of extreme suffering and deprivation that will leave you feeling Mamie’s anguish.
A must read for anyone with a difficult childhood or anyone wanting to understand the cycles of abuse!
...S. Allan Kane, MD
Trish:
Where can we find out more about you and your work?
Mamie:
Twitter: @childabusestory and @AdkinsMamie
Web Site: http://www.Reflections-of-Mamie.com (Under Construction)
BLOG: Reflections-of-Mamie.blogspot.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rosemary-Mamie-Adkins/
GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/mamiesireland
E-Mail: Mamie@Reflections-of-Mamie.com
Trish Jackson, Author
Saddle up for a wild read!
www.trishjackson.com
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| Rosemary “Mamie” Adkins |
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| Launch June 2013 Reseve your copy today! |
Thank you Trish for having me on your blog and allowing me to share your interview with my friends here. I’m still a dreamer but now one that is happy with her own family.
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