Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Fresh Scars by Donna Mumma, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
Title: Fresh Scars
Author: Donna Mumma
Publisher: Firefly Southern Fiction (Iron Stream Media)
Release Date: June 15, 2021
Genre: Southern Fiction
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I
love monster movies (except when they are overly gory)
·
My
favorite animals are alligators (fitting since I’m a native Floridian and
graduated from the University of Florida-Go Gators!)
·
I
play three different musical instruments- piano, alto sax, and soprano sax.
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I
love Italian food and never met a pasta I didn’t like.
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Because
I grew up in a tiny town in rural Florida, my husband had to teach me how to
drive on six lane highways when we moved to our current home. Didn’t have that
where I grew up!
When did you first discover you had a passion and talent for writing?
I remember my fifth-grade
teacher gave us an assignment where we were to pretend our pillowcase came
alive and write a story about it. I included dialogue and humor in mine, and my
classmates all laughed. My teacher told me I had a very creative mind, and often
reminded me how much she enjoyed my story.
Did you always know that this was something you would pursue professionally? If
not, how did that come about?
I wanted to write a book
since I was in high school. I started composing my first novel in a composition
book. It was never finished, and I went on to study elementary education and
became a teacher. I always had stories floating around in my head but did not
get serious about writing again until my children started school. I mentioned
an idea I had for a short story to my husband, and he encouraged me to write it
down. Once he read it, he said I needed to keep going.
I started writing Christmas
plays for my church’s adult and children’s choirs after that, then wrote my
first novel. It never found a home in the industry, so I shelved it and started
Fresh Scars.
What was the most challenging part of bringing this story to life?
There were many. First, I had
to learn how to portray my characters’ emotions on the page. I’ve never written
a book like this, as I usually wrote stories that focused more on action,
adventure, and plot rather than what the characters were feeling. I had to
learn how to dig deep and understand the why behind their actions and emotions.
Secondly, I wanted these two
characters to be authentic. Many people have gone through experiences similar
to those in the story, and I didn’t want to portray this in a way that wasn’t
real and genuine. I spent several weeks researching how childhood trauma
affects adults, how it seeps into their behavior and colors the decisions they
make, or how it often causes addictive behavior and anxiety. I talked with a
close friend of mine who is a mental health counselor so I could understand not
just the usual obvious signs of trauma but also the subtle ones that often
cause more problems for the individual.
I also spent time studying scripture so I could portray the situation in a way that reflects how God is with us when we come to a point in life where we must face a painful past, forgive, and then move on to a place where we see hope beyond the pain. That was the most important part for me. Getting there took a long time and more rewrites than I can remember.
What is the best writing advice you have been given? What advice would you
share with other aspiring writers?
The best writing advice I’ve
been given is join a critique group, like Word Weavers International or ACFW.
This gives you the opportunity to build a network of fellow writers who will
cheer for you, encourage you, help you learn your craft, and correct your
writing so it will sing from the page.
My best advice to other writers is don’t give
up. Writing is hard. Getting published is hard. But if you’ve been called to
write, your voice needs to be out there. Learn your craft, make connections
within the industry by going to conferences, and keep writing.
Can you tell us a
little bit more about Fresh Scars?
Fresh Scars tells the
story of Asia Butler and her sister, Ivy Butler Morelli. They have been
estranged for fifteen years and want nothing more than to forget about their
childhoods and each other. But a letter from their abusive mother, Veronica,
calls them back home to fulfill her dying wish. Both sisters are in need of
quick money, and their mother offers that if they will return to clean out
their childhood home.
They discover that
Veronica has hoarded the house, and as they clean out the filth and clutter,
they find she has collected strange mementos that she claims will lead them to
the truth about the past. As they dig deeper, they discover dark family secrets
and evidence that they were not the only ones who were victims of their
mother’s sadistic nature. Cleaning out the house forces the sisters to confront
their painful pasts and decide if they can move on to a more hopeful future or
keep things how they were and try to make the best of the situation.
What do you hope readers will take away from the book?
We all have something
painful in our pasts. I hope readers will see the value in facing that pain,
forgiving, and then moving forward. Being anchored to past pain keeps us from
reaching forward and becoming who God wants us to be. Philippians 3:13-14 were
my inspiration for the theme of this book.
Thank you again for taking the time to answer these questions. Before you go,
are there any other projects you are currently working on that you can share?
I am working on a
couple of different stories. One is about a woman who is the family pariah and
was shunned for something she did not do. She discovers there may be evidence
to prove her innocence so she goes in search of it so she can present it to the
family at her sister’s funeral.
The second story deals
with sibling rivalry, a conniving stepparent, a missing family fortune, and a
kidnapping/murder plot.
(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Fresh Scars plus a $10 Amazon gift card!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight June 21, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on June 28, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.
Sounds like a great book.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the interview!
ReplyDeleteThank you for being part of the blog tour for "Fresh Scars" by Donna Mumma.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading the interview with this new to me author. It's a great way to learn more about book and author. Can't wait for the opportunity to read this book that is now on my TBR list.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
This is definitely going on the tbr! Thanks for this awesome book rec!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an excellent read.
ReplyDeleteSounds really good.
ReplyDelete