“Because life is about living…”
Julia has never been one to surrender without a fight, but when she receives a devastating diagnosis, she has a decision to make.
Even after thirty years, she can still see her mother slowly fading away with every dose of chemo, every round of radiation, and every lost shred of hope. No, she won’t do it… not to her family… and not to herself!
Without warning, she packs up her belongings and disappears, leaving behind a life that, by all accounts, had been as perfect as they come, and a distraught family full of questions.
Finding peace in a beach house in Northern California turns out to have its complications though. While only a handful of other residents share the tiny beach community, each one has brought their own baggage and developed their own way of dealing with it. All Julia wants is to be left alone, but that simply does not seem to be an option, especially when there’s a persistent bird that declares her to be his new best friend.
Haunted by the shadows of the past, Julia is struggling to cope with the present. Will she have the strength to do this alone and eventually follow through with her plan? Will her family, divided by mixed reactions to being abandoned, come together to try and track her down? And what is the deal with that pelican of hers?
Only time will tell – and time is the one thing Julia does not have…
For duration of tour – The Pelican will be £1.99 on Amazon UK (and US)
Q&A
Enjoy!
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1. When and where do you prefer to write?
I have a small home office that I hole up in whenever I have a free minute. With a full-time day job that means in the evenings and weekends. Late nights are an everyday thing which works well since most of the ideas seem to pop up when everyone else in the house is asleep.
2. Do you have a certain ritual?
Not sure if this counts, but I have to get comfortable before settling into a writing session. On the weekends, I won’t even bother changing out of my PJs.
3. Is there a drink of some food that keeps you company while you write?
I have to have my cup of tea right next to the keyboard. Most of the time I end up reheating it three to four times before I finish it.
4. What is your favourite book?
There are just too many, and I love them all for different reasons.
5. Do you consider writing a different genre in the future?
Absolutely! I have a bunch of different ideas already. One’s a thriller that I cannot wait to get started.
6. Do you sometimes base your characters on people you know?
I think it is really hard not to have certain characteristics of people you know sneak into your characters. The Pelican draws on my own experience with cancer in my family. Even though the story is fictitious, the scenes involving Grace are close to what we have lived through.
7. Do you take a notebook everywhere in order to write down ideas that pop up?
I really should, but I keep finding myself trying to ‘hold that thought’ until I get my hands on a piece of paper. My car is littered with notes scribbled on the back of grocery receipts. Somehow, I thrive on the frantic scramble to find a scrap of paper. Recently I started noting my ideas on my phone, which somehow isn’t the same.
8. Which genre do you not like at all?
I wouldn’t say I don’t like it, but I couldn’t see myself write sci-fi or horror. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t read it.
9. If you had the chance to co-write a book. Whom would it be with?
Tough one again. There is a handful of writers I truly admire, but I’d have to say Jodi Picoult.
10. If you should travel to a foreign country to do research, which one would you chose and why?
I have travelled quite a bit, so I would choose a place I haven’t been to yet. China, for me, has always had an air of mystery. Off the top of my head, the culture and rich history alone spark at least three story ideas.
Thank you, M.Naidoo and Rachel’s Random Resources.
About the author
Born and raised in Germany, M.Naidoo lives in Northern California with her husband, two daughters, and three dogs. One of them, Dusty, a spunky terrier mix, found its way into her debut novel.
When she is not in front of her computer, pounding out story lines and characters, she enjoys reading, movies, spending time with her family, and long walks on the beach – her proverbial ‘happy place’. M’s love for the beach and ocean shine through in the vivid descriptions of the coast in The Pelican.
“Juggling my life as a writer and a full-time ‘real’ job has its challenges. I don’t get to spend half as much time as I’d like doing what I love, and there are never enough hours in the day. Still, I feel extremely lucky to be following my passion, and I am enjoying every minute of it. Getting here has been one heck of a ride!”
Social Media Links
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