Replay – Guest Author, D. Wallace Peach – Big Hearts and Artists

Posted on December 12, 2015 by Sue Vincent

In August I was very happy to welcome D. Wallace Peach, author of Myths of the Mirror,  The Bone Wall and many other books,  as my guest today. Diana is a creator and shaper of worlds… a writer of fantasy. Her latest book, The Sorcerors’ Garden, explores the links and shifting boundaries between the levels of reality and how the stories unfolding in less tangible realms intertwine. Today, however, she writes from of  a more personal perspective…

Big Hearts and Artists

book photoI’ve heard through the rumor-mill that somewhere in the wide world there are writers who attempt to sabotage the work of others with snarky reviews, solely for the purpose of laying low the “competition.” If they exist, I imagine them sitting in dark caves, ruminating over their coveted creations like Gollum over his precious gold ring, too myopic to envision a world with thousands of well-told stories brimming with unique voices, colorful characters, vivid worlds, and artistic originality.

I’m happy to report this hasn’t been my experience. In fact, I’ve found within a big-hearted writing community little beyond open encouragement and a helping hand. This doesn’t translate to blind enchantment with everything I produce (I have my mother for that), but it does mean that I’ve encountered thoughtful honesty, generous support, and cheery enthusiasm for my passion and my desire to do something I love.

Writing is rarely a solitary effort. Of course, when I tap out a tale, I’m feet-up in my recliner, immersed in my own little fantasy bubble, but there’s a point when that bubble must pop, when a story needs fresh eyes and a little honest feedback. Every writer I’ve encountered in this process has willingly carved out scraps of time to help me better my craft, through reflection on what works and the constructive, pointed criticism that challenges me to look at my creation from a new perspective.

To me, art isn’t a race, a scramble for the top job or a sprint to the finish line. There’s no glittering tiara, no limit to the standing room on the podium. I can drool over the works of other authors and not feel diminished. I can rave over another’s talent and still have my own story to tell. Something kinda wonderful comes from sharing what you love to do with others, the wildly accomplished and the just starting out. Such is one of the pleasures of life.

Sorcerer's Garden 2

The Sorcerer’s Garden

A new release by D. Wallace Peach

Recently fired and residing with her sweetly overbearing mother, Madlyn needs a job—bad. In a moment of desperation, she accepts a part-time position reading at the bedside of adventurer and amateur writer Cody Lofton. A near-drowning accident left the young man in a vegetative state, and his chances of recovery wane with each passing day. Cody’s older brother, Dustin, and eccentric grandmother aren’t prepared to give up on the youngest son of Portland, Oregon’s royalty. Dustin’s a personable guy, bordering on naïve, and overwhelmed by familial corporate duties and cutthroat partners. Grandmother Lillian’s a meddler with an eye for the esoteric, dabbling in Dustin’s life and dealing out wisdom like a card shark. One innocent conversation at a time, she sucks Madlyn into the Lofton story, dubbing her the princess and bestowing on her the responsibility of both grandsons’ destinies. And all Madlyn wanted was a simple reading job. Uninspired by her self-imposed stack of literary selections, Madlyn opts for Cody’s work-in-progress. Fantasy isn’t her favorite, but with only four chapters completed, reading The Sorcerer’s Garden should be no sweat, right? Little does she realize, the story will begin writing itself and, by the hand of destiny, become her own. D. Wallace Peach’s eighth novel is a collision of medieval and urban fantasy centered in the Northwest Hills of Portland, Oregon. Madlyn is quirky, blessed with a sarcastic sense of humor, and a tendency to say exactly what’s on her mind. At 28, she’s also abandoned her dreams of a fairytale life. A satisfying career and happily-ever-after romance simply aren’t turning up in her cards, and in fact, her junky car is careening downhill fast. A strong female protagonist with a reluctant streak, she finds herself trapped in a heroic adventure through overlapping worlds, unsure whether one or both are real. Don’t look for a run-of-the-mill fantasy here. This is one tangled tale crafted especially for readers who enjoy plot twists that keep everyone, including the characters, guessing.

About Diana:

collage2

“Tolkien … literally changed my life. I didn’t care for reading as a child – I preferred Bonanza and Beverly Hillbillies reruns, Saturday morning cartoons and the Ed Sullivan show. Then one day, I opened a book titled The Hobbit. Magic happened.

bone-wall-cover

I love writing, and have the privilege to pursue my passion full time. I’m still exploring the fantasy genre, trying out new points of view, playing with tense, creating optimistic works with light-hearted endings, and delving into the grim and gritty what-ifs of a post-apocalyptic world. Forgive me if I seem unfocused in my offering of reads. Perhaps one day, I’ll settle into something more reliable. For now, it’s simply an uncharted journey, and I hope you enjoy the adventure as much as I.”

collage

Diana’s books are available via Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

And here’s the other stuff:
Book Website & Blog: http://www.mythsofthemirror.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Myths-of-the-Mirror/187264861398982
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7068749.D_Wallace_Peach
Twitter: @dwallacepeach

 

About Sue Vincent

Sue Vincent was a Yorkshire born writer, esoteric teacher and a Director of The Silent Eye. She was immersed in the Mysteries all her life. Sue maintained a popular blog and is co-author of The Mystical Hexagram with Dr G.M.Vasey. Sue lived in Buckinghamshire, having been stranded there due to an accident with a blindfold, a pin and a map. She had a lasting love-affair with the landscape of Albion, the hidden country of the heart. Sue  passed into spirit at the end of March 2021.
This entry was posted in Books, Dreams, Friendship, writing and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

66 Responses to Replay – Guest Author, D. Wallace Peach – Big Hearts and Artists

  1. judithbarrow1 says:
    August 31, 2015 at 08:46

    Reblogged this on Barrow Blogs: and commented:
    A lovely interview. Thank you both

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. Mary Smith says:
    August 31, 2015 at 09:33

    Lovely guest post. I love the image of all the authors of the world sharing a giant podium!

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply
  3. Darcy says:
    August 31, 2015 at 11:24

    Portland eh? Just a short hop! 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  4. Steven Baird says:
    August 31, 2015 at 11:37

    A wonderful writer and person. I feel very fortunate to have met her through blogging and wish her much success.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  6. Zoe says:
    August 31, 2015 at 11:45

    Great interview! I actually purchased Sorcerer’s Garden yesterday.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  8. D. Wallace Peach says:
    August 31, 2015 at 14:28

    Sue, thanks so much for the opportunity to guest and share some thoughts on your wonderful blog. ❤ ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. Steven Baird says:
    August 31, 2015 at 22:53

    Reblogged this on Ordinary Handsome and commented:
    Let me introduce a wonderful writer and friend. D. Wallace Peach is an author well worth discovering, if you haven’t already. Her encouragement has been tremendous, and her writing is as smooth as a glass of fine wine. And she’s one heck of a story teller.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  10. purpleslobinrecovery says:
    September 1, 2015 at 02:33

    Reading is magic , indeed, Diana! Thanks for featuring her, Sue!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  11. Suzanne Joshi says:
    September 6, 2015 at 13:14

    Great review, Diana. Your writing is magical and so are the covers for your books. Thanks, Sue, for bringing this information to us. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  12. Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. says:
    September 6, 2015 at 14:04

    Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
    As I browse through my blog community I am catching up on the week’s posts.. Here is a delightful post from D. Wallace Peach on Sue Vincent’s blog.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  13. vanbytheriver says:
    September 6, 2015 at 14:29

    There’s a bit of magic when so many favorites cross literary paths. Thanks to Diana, Sue and Sally for reinforcing that belief ! 💞 Van

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  15. Belinda Crane says:
    September 7, 2015 at 09:36

    How wonderful to meet the lady behind the beautiful words! I’ve only just come across this post through Sally reblogging it. I’m so glad she did. Wonderful post Sue and I’ve loved finding out a bit more about you Diana 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  17. D.G.Kaye says:
    September 11, 2015 at 02:36

    Lovely to read more about Diana here Sue. I love what she said about being blessed to keep out of the dark circle of envious others. I’m also blessed to have wonderful circles of writing friends and so far no trolls, ok, well maybe one. Jealousy is a sickness. There’s plenty of room in the universe for all who wish to create. We need only lift up others, and find that they in turn will have our backs. That’s a beautiful aspect about the writing community.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  18. Pingback: Re-blog: Guest Author, D. Wallace Peach – Big Hearts and Artists | Daily Echo | writerchristophfischer

  19. olganm says:
    September 14, 2015 at 21:17

    It sounds fantastic, Sue. Nice to read more about Diana.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  20. D. Wallace Peach says:
    December 12, 2015 at 04:11

    What a surprise, Sue! Thank you so much for the repost. You are a sweetheart. Happy holidays.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.