Jen hides in a rundown mansion after her life falls apart. She has been having vivid experiences with a beautiful male entity who longs to be her soul mate. He must choose a reality of living or dead. Jen is accompanied by her childhood friend, Ivy, who has had a rough past. Ivy can communicate with the dead and soon finds she has other supernatural gifts as well. Ivy will resist the evil that threatens to tear the lovers apart.
“With one final glance behind her, Jen urged her horse forward, and toward the safety of the mountains. Her heart was heavy and she immediately thought of the other realm. Her hope was that they were aware of what had happened and would help. Chaos was already breaking out; and the world was in danger of slipping back to a time of great darkness, reminiscent of the Middle Ages."
"Everyone has potential and can achieve their dreams. NEVER give up on yourself" - Michele
I would like to welcome author Michele Woolley and thank her for taking the time to do this interview. Dark Passage is her debut novel and the first in a series! Michele is truly a great writer and such a lovely person!
Before we get into the interview questions, here is a little about the author.
Michele was adopted and grew up in Washington State. She has raised two daughters, one of whom is the girl on the cover of her book. She has spent many years working in social services as a social worker, crisis worker, counselor and case manager. Her first intrest has always been helping people to live better lives and become all that they can be. She remarried later in life and now lives with her husband in a small town in Washington.
She is an extremely driven woman and never gives up on her goals!
If you would like to know more about her and her work please visit her site: M.L.Woolley
She is also an author on Goodreads and her book and author page can be viewed HERE.
Q:What is your genre and why did you choose that specific genre for your book?
A: My Genres of choice are Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal and some Horror (Stephen King is a favorite). I choose Paranormal Romance for this book although it has been classified as Mystery and Horror by other people. The home written into the story is a real place. It is haunted and we have taken photos of faces in the attic windows. I had thought about putting the photos in the book but I decided it could cause problems for the former owners if people wanted to go and see the place. Not far from where I grew up and it was connected to the infamous Dr. Linda Hazzard. The horror she caused so many young women haunts the valley and the old house. The ghosts in the house, I believe, are the young women from the gruesome murders in the 1920's.
Q:
What inspired you most while coming up with the story for Dark Passage?
A: I came into contact with the paranormal after my mom passed away. I always wondered if there was any truth to ghosts and such and came to believe there was more than meets the eye. After mom's death we started having strange things happen around the house and one morning we were awoken from sounds of high heel shoes walking in the kitchen upstairs. I sent my husband upstairs to see if someone had broken into the house ;) but no one was there. That has happened off and on since her death.
Q: You mentioned the girl on the cover is your daughter! Does she represent anyone specific in the story?
A: Hmm. She reminds me of both Jen and Ivy in so many ways. She has so many of their traits and of course a story.
Q: Dark Passage is a very spiritual book. Does it reflect the nature of your own spirituality and beliefs?
A: I never was a religious person, don't go to church and am not a part of any organized religion. College was my first taste of the timeless existential thoughts that everyone thinks of at one time or another. As the years of my life have passed, and I have come through many difficult times, I started to wonder if there was anything beyond this world. It was a thought that I contemplated for many years. I always liked to believe that there was a higher power out there that people could turn to in times of extreme trial or tragedy. At some point in life I think everyone questions who they are and if there is anything more to life. It's my experience that people who have some higher power or belief system tend to be more resiliant to things that life throws at them. I believe that having balance in life is one of the ingredients to success in life. Balance is having an open mind and not being to polarized one way or another. Do I believe in God? Yes. Do I go to church or belong to any organized religion? No.
Q:
Were you ever concerned with the reaction your target audience would have to such a spiritually themed book?
A: I would say that no matter how your life seems now there is hope for a bright new tomorrow. We are all unique, gifted and deserving of our love and acceptance in the world. The only barriers holding us back from our dreams is us.
A: I came into contact with the paranormal after my mom passed away. I always wondered if there was any truth to ghosts and such and came to believe there was more than meets the eye. After mom's death we started having strange things happen around the house and one morning we were awoken from sounds of high heel shoes walking in the kitchen upstairs. I sent my husband upstairs to see if someone had broken into the house ;) but no one was there. That has happened off and on since her death.
Q: You mentioned the girl on the cover is your daughter! Does she represent anyone specific in the story?
A: Hmm. She reminds me of both Jen and Ivy in so many ways. She has so many of their traits and of course a story.
Q: Dark Passage is a very spiritual book. Does it reflect the nature of your own spirituality and beliefs?
A: I never was a religious person, don't go to church and am not a part of any organized religion. College was my first taste of the timeless existential thoughts that everyone thinks of at one time or another. As the years of my life have passed, and I have come through many difficult times, I started to wonder if there was anything beyond this world. It was a thought that I contemplated for many years. I always liked to believe that there was a higher power out there that people could turn to in times of extreme trial or tragedy. At some point in life I think everyone questions who they are and if there is anything more to life. It's my experience that people who have some higher power or belief system tend to be more resiliant to things that life throws at them. I believe that having balance in life is one of the ingredients to success in life. Balance is having an open mind and not being to polarized one way or another. Do I believe in God? Yes. Do I go to church or belong to any organized religion? No.
This is a favorite quote of mine. I think it says it is so eloquent....
“There were times of hardship when people forget the courage they need to keep fighting; and survive. But I think as long as we have something to believe in; to keep close in our hearts, courage will never truly leave us. We only have to reach deep in our heart to find it.” - Sakura
A: Yes and no. It's my experience that everyone believes in something. I embrace all cultures and respect everyone's beliefs. Dark Passage was not meant to be a religious book- it rather evolved that way on it's own.
Q: If you could pick one main message portrayed in Dark Passage what would it be? A: I would say that no matter how your life seems now there is hope for a bright new tomorrow. We are all unique, gifted and deserving of our love and acceptance in the world. The only barriers holding us back from our dreams is us.
Q: What do you believe makes you a good writer?
A: Lol, many would argue that point and say I am not a good writer ;) I write from my heart about what I know. Things that I have lived through myself, observed or helped other people to overcome. I like to write about people and bring them to life. Some of the characters were people I worked with over the years- Some were unable to overcome life and live on only in stories. My interest in people is not what you can seen but what you can't see. I have never met a person that did not have beauty hidden away somewhere in their heart.... It's like a butterfly coming out of it's cocoon and flying for the first time.
Q: What is your favorite book?
A: That is a tough one! I can't say there is one favorite because along the way they have each contributed to who I am. They have all brought laughter, tears and fueled my imagination. I suppose Jane Eyre always appealed to me.
Q:Have you begun work on your next book?
A: Yes, I have several in PDFs that I am working on and near completion- including the next installment of Dark Passage. There was a young woman I worked with for several years. She lost her family in a car accident and in the process lost herself. Her life took a tragic turn and she found herself homeless and on the street. She became a prostitute and one night after a suicide attempt I met her- in a hospital emergency room- The young woman was beautiful both inside and outside and touched the very core of my soul. She will be one of my books- paranormal of course ;) There are so many stories I would like to tell- so many ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances and how they came in contact with the dark side of the paranormal.
What I thought:
(I received a copy of this book straight from Michele for review)
First I would love to point out that I have given Dark Passage a five star rating!
This book really did wow me in so many different ways.
It is no wonder this book has received such wonderful reviews! Dark Passage is a fast paced, enthralling read, that brings a fresh spiritual theme to the table. You never know what to expect next! It is a real page turner.
This story centers around Jen and Ivy, childhood friends, who have both faced heart wrenching demons in the past. Now they must both prepare to face demons for real.
The plot is rich with action, haunting images and courage. It deals with human darkness and greed, which is something most humans are afraid to confront. It also touches on abuse and the effect loss has on the human soul. Dark Passage in a sense is a book of healing and one's belief in a higher power.
There is such a great combination of subjects in this book. Michele has done an amazing job creating these memorable characters. Both Jen and Ivy are such strong women with brave hearts. This book has the perfect balance of dark and light.
My heart did little jumps for joy when Jen's relationship with Bill started blooming.
Despite it's dark undertones, Dark Passage left me with a heart warming feeling and a smile.
It is good to be reminded that behind all that is bad, there is good, if you can only be brave enough to find it.
It is my belief that here will always be those among us who fight to maintain the balance of good and evil in this world. To me that is very comforting and this book was able to portray that very well.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to experience the joy of finding one's self even when the world has become a dark place.
There is so much cool information I gained from being able to interview Michele! I really like being able to have insight into what I have read!
In the interview above she mentions that the house from the book is real. I found this very interesting! Everyone experiences the super natural in different ways, some would claim not at all. Paranormal accounts are always attention grabbers for me and I am so glad I got to hear Michele's account too.
Also, Michele mentions a Dr. Hazzard. This doctor is a real person and was responsible for numerous deaths related to her starvation treatment. Ever curious me couldn't help but research her right away. Here is a link to some information regarding Dr. Linda Hazzard.
There is so much cool information I gained from being able to interview Michele! I really like being able to have insight into what I have read!
In the interview above she mentions that the house from the book is real. I found this very interesting! Everyone experiences the super natural in different ways, some would claim not at all. Paranormal accounts are always attention grabbers for me and I am so glad I got to hear Michele's account too.
Also, Michele mentions a Dr. Hazzard. This doctor is a real person and was responsible for numerous deaths related to her starvation treatment. Ever curious me couldn't help but research her right away. Here is a link to some information regarding Dr. Linda Hazzard.
