BACKWARDS INTO THE FUTURE by Bronwyn Elsmore

BACKWARDS INTO THE FUTURE by Bronwyn Elsmore

Everyone knows you can’t go back. Everyone except Mary apparently, because here she is, back in her old hometown. That’s because of Kui, and Ana.

One of them is pushing her, the other is holding back, and between the two there’s much to be resolved.

The plum tree and the manuka have both gone, but a lemon tree thrives.

The mystery surrounding the Marakihau may never be solved, but if Ana returns too some things from the past can be recovered. Can’t they?

New New Zealand novel  Backwards Into the Future

Now on Amazon for Kindle.

http://www.amazon.com/ebook/dp/B01AOU8318/

Printbook available from some bookshops, Wheelers, AllBooks, Academy Books, Total Library Solutions. Or send an inquiry to flaxroots@gmail.com

Interview with Author Bronwyn Elsmore

Tell us about your latest release, including its genre.

Backwards Into the Future is a novel. It is not autobiographical, but the setting is very real to me for the small town where it is set is based on the one in which I grew up. The writing brought back many memories and feelings. Readers with similar backgrounds have said that for them it’s like a memoir and triggered nostalgia.

Why did you write your book?

The story has been with me a long time, actually decades, and I knew one day it would be written. I guess you’d say it was in me and had to come out. During its writing I went through many emotions – laughter, sadness, feelings of gratitude and loss.

How much of your personality is in your main character?

Mmmm, good question. Mary is not me, but I have lent her some of the things I remember happening to me as a child, and some of my thoughts. I enjoy reading memoirs and biographies, and my stories are driven by character.

What do you find are the best and worst parts of being an indie author?

This is my tenth book and most of the others were published via the traditional route, so I know both sides. The main plus is freedom and control, but that can also be a minus for newer authors who have not had the advantage of the more stringent quality control demanded by traditional publishers. I believe there’s still a place for both forms and any first-time author who has the chance to work with an established publisher would be well advised to do so.

 Do you have any pets at home? 

Cats have been a good part of my life, and though I say I have just one now, I frequently find myself looking after more. They do have a habit of turning up in need. Currently I’m running after an ex-neighbor’s cat who has been rehoused three times but keeps returning; and I feed a stray when he turns up. Each summer I encourage monarch butterflies. Right now I have ten caterpillars in various stages of development.

Tell us about one or two of your favorite places?

New Zealand has wonderful bush-walks – from shorter neighborhood paths to long many-day trails. I find even a short stroll under the trees, enjoying our wonderful ferns, does me good. It’s high summer here and some of our stunning pohutukawas, known as the NZ Christmas tree, are still in flower, so coastal walks where they are planted are also a joy.

What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?

Be self-critical. Write, rewrite over and over. Polish, repolish. Don’t be in a hurry.

How do you balance a life outside of writing with deadlines and writing muses?

It’s easier now I’ve given up my other profession. Though I have been a professional writer since I left school, I was also a university lecturer (in US, read professor) for many years. Then I had to fit my non-academic writing into odd times and short concentrated bursts in holiday periods. Now I’m teaching myself to be a little more reasonable about the hours I put in.

What themes and ideas do you often explore in your writing?

It seems to me that in books, television and theatre these days (I go to live theatre and am a reviewer of plays) there’s quite an obsession with darker themes and situations. So many books and TV programs are about murder. Not for me – I don’t read or watch them. If I want to be depressed I’ll watch the news. I like stories that uplift, that make you feel good. When you put down one of my books, even if the storyline isn’t all light and joy, I hope you’ll be left with a feeling of hope, and feel uplifted.

What are your current projects and plans for the future?

Short story writing has always been a favorite with me and I’d like to get back to more of those. But I’m also a playwright so there could well be another stage play or two coming up.

Author Bio

   Professional author Bronwyn Elsmore has written most genres over her career – non-fiction books, short stories, and plays particularly – but she’s currently concentrating on novels. However, she doesn’t rule out the possibility that something completely different will spring from her keyboard in the future. Though not porn, she promises.

    Bronwyn is delighted to call Auckland, New Zealand's 'City of Sails', home. If she's not there writing, or feeding her own and stray cats, she's possibly adding to the number of countries she has visited to date.

Social Media Links

Website – http://www.flaxroots.com

Blog – www.flaxroots.com/blog

Amazon Author page - http://www.amazon.com/Bronwyn-Elsmore/e/B001JSAPRA

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/436327

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/flaxrootsNZ

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/@flaxroots

LinkedIn - https://nz.linkedin.com/in/bronwynelsmore

Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/BronwynElsmore