Friday J. Q. Rose is visiting and talking about her latest release #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Arranging a Dream #Memoir #Life story #Flowers

 

Thank you for hosting me during my Arranging a Dream: A Memoir Virtual Book Tour.  A lucky commenter will win a PDF copy of Arranging a Dream. Just leave a comment or question for me below to enter.

 

1.Tell me about your latest release? Genre? My latest release is Arranging a Dream: A Memoir. Here is the information from the back of the book. In 1975, budding entrepreneurs Ted and Janet purchase a floral shop and greenhouses where they plan to grow their dream. Leaving friends and family behind in Illinois and losing the security of two paychecks, they transplant themselves, their one-year-old daughter, and all their belongings to Fremont, Michigan, where they know no one. 

 

Will the retiring business owners nurture Ted and Janet as they struggle to develop a blooming business, or will they desert the inexperienced young couple to wither and die in their new environment?

 

Most of all, can Ted and Janet grow together as they cultivate a loving marriage, juggle parenting with work, and root a thriving business?

 

Follow this couple’s inspiring story, filled with the joy and triumphs and the obstacles and failures experienced as they travel along the turbulent path of turning dreams into reality.

 

2. Where did the idea arise? For many years, I have presented workshops on writing life stories preaching to everyone to write their life story. So, I decided to take my advice and offer a good example for the participants by writing my story. A person’s life story is made up of many life experiences. Think of your life or autobiography as a cherry pie. A memoir is a slice out of that delicious cherry pie. I chose to record the story of our first year in the floral shop because that was a life-changing event in my life.

 

3. How much research was involved? Did you stay on point or be distracted by wanting to look at just one more thing? The research consisted of getting the dates, weather and the events that occurred in 1975-76 correct. I wrote the chapters and would insert #### in bold letters so I would know to go back and check out the weather at that time or a fact like when the plant tours ended at Gerber Products Co. (My little town is the International Headquarters of what is now Nestle-owned Gerber Products.) My main resource for information came from my husband and his memory of the events e.g.as the route we took to get to Fremont, Michigan, from Marseilles, Illinois, and what the area around the flower shop looked like in 1975. In 2021, the shop and greenhouse location is now a grassy lot in front of a big box store and surrounded by fast-food services and other businesses. Nothing like the rural setting in 1975.

 

4. How long did you take to write the book? I am “guess-timating” I wrote on and off for six years. I am sure I made notes before that.

 

5. Now a bit about you. How long have you been writing? What is your Sun Sign? I have been writing since I was in second grade. My mother was my teacher. I had a bad habit of finishing my work early, so I would hop up and visit, or interrupt as my mother said, my classmates. So, to stay out of trouble, I began writing stories and then shared them with the class. I had fun entertaining them with my stories, so I continued to write all through school. I took a hiatus to teach, get married, run a flower shop and take care of our two daughters. When we sold the shop in 1995, I asked the editor of the regional newspaper if he would be interested in any articles for the paper. He said “yes!” That was my springboard to launching a career in writing non-fiction articles for magazines, newspapers and online magazines. Then, tired of interviewing people or getting the facts about a vacation place, I decided to try writing fiction and began with writing what I liked to read—mysteries. BWL Publishing released three of my mysteries and released Arranging a Dream: A Memoir in January. My sun sign is Gemini. I think I do have the characteristics of being born under that sign of the twins. I love learning new things and call myself a life-long learner. I enjoy meeting people, and I am in the media or arts as an author.

 

6. Do you write in a number of genres or stick to one? Perhaps another sign that I am a Gemini. I write non-fiction and fiction. I have non-fiction books in gardening, writing, a MG book for girls, and how to record memories for your life story. The fiction genres are romance, mystery, paranormal and time travel.

 

7. Where on the internet can you be found? You can connect with me at these sites:

J.Q. Rose blog http://www.jqrose.com/

Facebook http://facebook.com/jqroseauthor

Telling Your Life Story and Memoirs Circle FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/telllifestories

J. Q.  Rose Amazon Author Page http://tinyurl.com/aeuv4m4

Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/jqrose

Pinterest http://pinterest.com/janetglaser/

BWL Publishing  http://bookswelove.com/rose-j-q/