March Madness Author #5 Sandy Goldsworthy!
Welcome, Sandy!
Sandy Goldsworthy was raised in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, blocks from the rocky shores of Lake Michigan. As a child, she fantasized about becoming an author. She jotted story lines in spiral notebooks and drew images of characters that never came to life. Her passion for putting pen to paper began when her high school English teacher inspired her to be more descriptive in her work. Ever since, Sandy dabbled in creative writing, searching for that perfect shade of red and that character you want to get to know.
Admittedly, Sandy is addicted to coffee and dark chocolate, and is obsessed with all things paranormal. She records more movies a
nd television shows than is humanly possible to watch in a lifetime, and swears there's a ghost in her house.
When not writing, Sandy can be found curled up on the couch nose-deep into a book, or trying to catch up on that recorded season of some paranormal series.
Sandy graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where she majored in marketing. She spends her days managing corporate client programs, and her nights and weekends drafting new plot lines in spiral notebooks. She resides in southeastern Wisconsin with her husband, two children, and an energetic puppy. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]Read the Book!
After losing her father, Emma Bennett moves to her aunt's small town of Westport to finish out her senior year of high school. Emma wants to forget the pain and loss of the past few weeks, and finds relief in the company of Ben Parker—a local boy who she has an instant attraction and uncanny connection with. When Ben seems a little too preoccupied with other responsibilities and has no time for her, Emma turns to the town's hottest flirt—Lucas Crandon, for affection. Unfortunately, she realizes a little too late that sometimes bad boys, really can be bad for you. Life as an undercover agent for the Afterworld's Bureau of Investigation isn't an easy job. When Ben Parker finds his soul mate, Emma Bennett in a small town, he finds himself forced to choose between doing his job or rekindling a relationship with the love of his existence. After Ben is notified that a notorious criminal immortal is loose somewhere near Westport, he realizes that his love life will just have to wait. There is a criminal to apprehend before he can have his girl. When lives are at stake and immortals are on the loose, can two soul mates find their happy ever after?
Buy it here on Amazon! And here on B&N! And here on itunes!
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EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK!
As I got closer, I realized Chester didn’t run after any ordinary boy. He ran toward the Prince Charming I saw at Lake Bell. Chester jumped on the prince, but didn’t bark.
I was out of breath and at a loss for words by the time I reached them.
“Sorry,” I squeaked out between deep inhales. I hadn’t run that fast since coach had us doing sprints last season. Guess I need to start working out more.
Prince Charming never looked up, but said, “No problem.” He was kneeling, and with both hands, he was scratching Chester’s ears. Chester was in heaven, wagging his tail uncontrollably. It was as if they were long lost buddies.
“Hey, my dog likes you,” I managed to say. I didn’t know what was more embarrassing—my inability to control my dog or the fact that I was so out of shape. Either way, I probably looked ridiculous.
“Yeah, I see that,” he said.
“Ahhh… sorry…” I mumbled. “He’s not usually like that.”
There was an awkward moment of silence before he spoke. “He usually doesn’t like people? Or he usually doesn’t charge toward them?” I saw his smirk, though he still didn’t look up at me. He was focused on Chester who was now licking him in the face.
I was too nervous to laugh. That was a pretty stupid thing for me to say. “Ah, both.”
“Really? Seems pretty nice to me,” he answered still petting Chester. I couldn’t believe what an attention seeker my pup turned out to be.
I reached for Chester’s leash on the ground and inhaled deeply. “He’s usually more protective… More standoff-ish, I guess.” Chester proved me wrong. “Chester, stop.” I tried to sound firm, and tugged on his leash. “Come here.”
Let's Hear from the author herself!
What was the inspiration for your story?
The concept of Ben Parker’s character came to me a few years ago. I had a very visual dream about a train derailing. Railcars tumbled off a ridge, landing on top of each other in a ravine. There was a young man on the train that was untouched by the accident. Once everything settled, he pulled victims from the crash site and escorted them to heaven. I ended up writing a short story about this, and eventually, Ben’s character came to life.
What kept you going throughout the writing process?
Initially, writing was just a hobby I did it in my spare time. But after a friend invited me to join his writing group, I began to take it more seriously and set writing goals. That really helped me stay on track knowing I had to finish a set word count, by a certain date. I also had a lot of support from my family and friends. They encouraged me to keep going any time I felt like giving up.
Who is your most meaningful character and why?
That’s a really tough question… like asking a mom to pick her favorite child!
I really enjoy all of my characters (even the dark ones), but if I had to pick just one, I’d choose Ben as the most meaningful. He spent decades searching for the love of his existence, so his dedication and perseverance is remarkable to me. As an agent in the Afterworld’s Bureau of Investigation, he proved himself loyal and committed. Overall, he’s just a good guy—someone you’d want on your side.
How has this story touched your life?
In Aftermath, Emma Bennett experiences the loss of a parent and is faced with moving to another state to finish high school. I had a similar experience growing up, although I was much younger than Emma. Nonetheless, I could relate to the feeling of abandonment and starting over that Emma faces.
What motivated you to start writing?
I enjoyed writing ever since high school when my teacher challenged me to be more descriptive. She didn’t want to read that the front door was red; she wanted to see the shade. It was very motivating to me, to slow things down a bit and detail the setting.
Thank you, Sandy, for being a guest on my blog!!
