“The Death of Torberta Turchin” is on my “to read” list. It really sounds like my kind of novel. Shannon Mawhiney tells us a little more about her and her novel.
Hi Shannon, could you please describe yourself in five words?
No, I don’t think so.
What can you tell us about “The Death of Torberta Turchin”?
The Death of Torberta Turchin is a YA paranormal novel that I hope also appeals to adults. It’s about a 14-year-old girl, Torberta (or Torby), who communicates with the dead. She can’t see them; she can only hear them. Because of this, her relatives sent her to a boarding school for mentally ill children, after her parents died in a car crash when she was five. Ever since then, her best friend has been a man named Charlie, a ghost who died in the 1930s. Charlie does his best to guide and protect her, acting as an invisible big brother. But he can’t do much for her if he can’t figure out who’s trying to kill her.
Who’s your favourite author?
Lois Lowry. The Giver was (and still is) my absolute favorite book. Her ability to engage both children and adults is something I’d like to be able to do in my own writing.
Do you have tips for budding writers?
If you’re not sure what to write or feel like you’re blocked, write anything you can think of. Write in a journal, join a role-playing game writing group online, write out your dreams every morning, go to the food court in the mall and describe what you see.
What are you working on now?
Marketing Torberta Turchin, but also plotting out the next book in the series. And my garden!
Where can we find you online?
Practically everywhere.
Blog: http://mawhiney.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/torberta
