Author Spotlight Saturday ~ Meet P.R. Newton

Please welcome P.R. Newton to this weeks Author Spotlight. We recently featured a review of P.R Newton's Shattered Embrace on Genuine Jenn.

Tell us a little bit about your book(s) and yourself.

I’m a thirty-something mother of two boys living on the prairies of Canada. Last year I decided to try publishing my first book. I have published some short stories in the past in various anthologies, but taking the leap and publishing a book was a little scary. I started with a memoir about a health issue I suffer with called And Then My Uterus Fell Out – A memoir on life with pelvic organ prolapse. The title is pretty self-explanatory. My goal was to give other women hope and to help them feel less alone as they deal with this condition that affects half of all women, but no one seems to talk about. Then, this spring I published my first fiction novel, Shattered Embrace. Shattered is a story I have been writing for years. It was inspired by my experiences with adoption and in the adoption community, plus my training in psychology and childhood mental health. I also have a short story that was just released on May 15th as part of the Telling Truths: Storying Motherhood anthology from Demeter Press.

When was your first book published?

My first short story was published when I was a teenager, but my first full length fiction book is Shattered Embrace which came out in March 2014. My non-fiction book was published in September 2013.

Are you currently working on anything?

Always. I love multi-tasking and have a number of stories at various stages of completion.

Why did you decide to become an Author?

I have always loved to write. I still have boxes full of notebooks filled with stories I wrote as a child. As an adult I published short stories in a number of anthologies and I also worked in communications where I wrote corporate professional pieces. Then I gave birth to my first son and developed health issues that prevented me from returning to work. In addition to POP I have a heart condition I underwent surgery for in September 2013. Parenting and dealing with my health became the primary focus of my life for years. Then last year things started to change. One child was in school full-time, the other son in school part-time, and I found myself with time to write again. And it has proven to be a very fulfilling and healing process for myself.

Who and what inspired you to write?

It’s hard for me to pin down one thing. For me writing is like therapy. Each story is inspired by different people and experiences, but in all cases I write because I truly love to do it. Even if no one was reading my stories I would still write. In fact having people read my stories is still a very new thing for me. Most of my stories have been collecting dust for decades.

When you are writing to you like to listen to music? What is on your playlist?

My youngest child is only in school part time, so most of my writing is done to the sound of cartoons. One day I would love to have a playlist, but I’m still a couple of years away from that luxury.

Who is your favorite character in your books?

Marilyn Witcraft, the grandmother and mother of Matt in Shattered Embrace. She is a smart, loving woman who embraces life with a quiet confidence and hope that I greatly admire.

Do you ever take characteristics or nuances from close friends or family when working on character development and if so has that friend or family member noticed and what was their response to it?

I pull little bits from people all around me, even strangers. I’ve never consciously modelled a character after any one specific person, instead they become a blend of traits forming their own person. No one has ever commented on that aspect of my stories, hopefully because the characters are their own people.

What is your favorite book of all time?

I can only pick one? I’m not sure if that is possible there are just too many. A few favourite authors are Anne McCaffrey, J.K. Rowling, Tolkein, plus a lot of the classics. I’m also a horse girl so books like Black Beauty, the Black Stallion series, and Misty of Chincoteague were always on my shelf as a child.

Tell us in one sentence why we should read your books.

My books are honest, truthful and will send you on a rollercoaster ride that will stick with you long after you turn the last page.

List your books that are available

Shattered Embrace

And Then My Uterus Fell Out – A memoir on life with pelvic organ prolapse

Telling Truths: Storying Motherhood anthology (short story)

Where can people connect with you?

Thank you P.R Newton for taking your time to answer some questions for my readers.

Are you an author that would like to be featured on Author Spotlight Saturday or have your book(s) reviewed on Genuine Jenn. Please fill out this form. Thank You!