Shrapnel in the San Fernando Valley received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Carol Es.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Shrapnel in the San Fernando Valley, 2019
What’s the book’s first line?
“The year I turned forty, I got a birthday card from my parents. On the inside my mom wrote, ‘This is going to be your year!'”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Shrapnel in the San Fernando Valley is a guided tour through a Tilt-A-Whirl life that takes so many turns that you may find yourself looking up from the pages and wondering how the hell one person managed to fit them all into 40-odd years. And many of them are odd years indeed. From a rootless, abusive childhood and mental illness through serious and successful careers in music and art, much of which were achieved while being involved in a notoriously destructive mind-control cult. Carol Es presents her story straight up. No padding, no parachute, no dancing around the hard stuff. Through the darkness, she somehow finds a glimmer of light by looking the big bad wolf straight in the eye, and it is liberating. When you dare to deal with truth, you are free. Free to find the humor that is just underneath everything and the joy that comes with taking the bumpy ride.
Illustrated with original sketches throughout, Shrapnel in the San Fernando Valley is not just another survivor’s tale, it’s a creative perspective through moments of vulnerability where the most raw and intimate revelations are laid bare. As an artist and a woman finding self-worth, it’s truly a courageous, relatable story that will keep you engaged to the very end.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
My tumultuous, crazy life, and my own humble resilience, I suppose.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Because if I was able to survive abuse, psychological warfare, rape, and the rest, you can too.
If they made your book into a movie, who would you like to see play the main character(s)?
Ellen Page.
When did you first decide to become an author?
Thirteen or 14 years old.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
It is the first full length book I have finished.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I’m a professional fine artist.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
Half the day. Sometimes more.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
Best? Worst: No one cares
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Write because you love to. Write because you have to.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
Depends on how much I could control, but I probably would because of the legitimacy.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
I write because I am compelled to–held at gunpoint by Jesus or Jah. Something like that.
Charles Bukowski.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
Bee Season, Myla Goldberg.