Tell us something about your
background and family and what led you to start writing?
Nolan: I started writing as a
kid. I wrote mysteries, sports, and animal stories. I loved to write fiction
and to retreat into a “world of my own”. I wrote three manuscripts while I was
in the military service. When I got out of the service, I put my writing aside
and went back to graduate school and helped raise our four kids with my wife,
Lorena. I taught special education for fourteen years and owned a restaurant at
the same time. All of our four kids finally became college graduates. When I
was close to my 40th birthday,
I decided to take up writing once again while I taught and ran my restaurant. I
sent excerpts of my writing to several New York literary agents and one day I
got a telegram (you can tell that that was a few years back) from the Glenn
Cowley agency. He liked my writing and agreed to represent me. I went on to sell five titles to
Berkeley Publishing of New York and E.P. Dutton. My agent told me that a new
publishing house from Melbourne, Florida was looking for quality books for
middle school boys. He asked me
if I had any interest, so I wrote a book called “Summer & Shiner”.
It was
about my boyhood growing up in a small rural community in the Flint Hills of
Kansas. We grew up much like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. It was wonderful. He
sent the manuscript to the new publishing house and it was chosen to be their
lead hardback book. They received over 300 entries throughout the nation so I
felt very fortunate. Seventy-five percent of the book was fact and twenty-five
percent was fiction. Shiner was our pet raccoon that we released from a trap. The
book was held by Disney Studios for six months as a movie option. From that
point it won first prize in a state-wide competition and was awarded a plaque
at an author’s banquet. It also won favorable reviews in Booklist in Chicago. The
initial book became the first in a series of six: Summer & Shiner, Shiner’s
Return, Shiner & King, Shiner & Baseball, Shiner & Hobo Joe, and
Super-Kid vs. Super Bully. I’ve written many other books over the years
including: The Wizard of Halloween, Balbena’s Grave, The Lopsided Angel,
Vagabond Jack (wolf-dog), Lewis & Clark & Davey Hutchins, and many
more. My books have been sold through the Troll Book Club as well as Amazon and
Barnes & Noble. The minister of education from the Soviet Union was
presented my series of books when he visited the U.S. a few years
ago. “Broken Vows”, my latest book from Vinspire is a departure from my
previous genres. It seemed to fit better in Vinspire’s list of genres.
Heidi:
Could you tell us a little
bit about your family?
Nolan:
My wife and I have been
married for 44 years. She is a former nun. She is a wonderful, hardworking,
very intelligent, and a very creative person. She is a retired algebra teacher
and for the past 15 years has been the full-time director and volunteer at
Community Health Ministry in our town helping people in two counties. I
obtained a Ph.D. some years back and teach two college classes, counsel people,
go to schools presenting programs on reading and writing, and of course, always
have a book-in-the-making. We have four grown children and six grandchildren. Currently,
one of our daughters is courageously fighting 3rd stage brain cancer. She has received
love and support from so many as well as the wonder authors and staff at
Vinspire Publishing. The CEO of Vinspire is always helpful, creative and
supportive. And the authors are great people always supporting and cheering one
another on. I feel proud to be one among these very talented and creative
people.
What genre do you write?
Nolan:
I write mostly YA books for
middle school boys but also have a book out called “Beguiled” from Vinspire
Publishing that is a Teen Paranormal. And just recently my book “Broken Vows”
was released from Vinspire and it’s a romance/suspense. It is about a
young, dedicated priest who falls in love with a young war widow. The setting
is small town American in the late 1940’s.
Heidi:
What are you working on now?
Nolan:
I just finished an adult
suspense novel titled: “The Sinister Minister”. It is gritty and reveals what
some people will do at the expense of others to gain fame and fortune.
Heidi:
Who is your favorite
character in your stories?
Nolan:
Carley Bimberg in the Shiner
series because he “is” me those many years ago.
Heidi:
Where do you write?
Nolan:
I used to be very disciplined
and wrote at least two hours daily in my den. I burned our six electric
typewriter back then. I now have five manuscripts backlogged, so I write just
when the inspiration hits me or a germ of a new idea takes over.
Heidi:
Who are your all time
favorite authors?
Nolan:
I actually have several. But,
I’ll name just three: Mark Twain, Truman Capote, and Normal Mailer. I am an
avid reader and recently read 14 novels in one month.
Heidi:
Final Question: Could you tell
us a little about your latest book “Broken Vows”?
Nolan:
Heidi, here is the blurb on
the back cover: One man’s promise to God becomes his torment. When Fr.
Dan, a charismatic young priest, starts his first assignment at St. Francis, he
helps transform a tired, complacent parish into one of renewed faith and hope. He’s
loved by the parishioners and knows he is following the right path. Still,
there is something missing in his life. Something he can’t place until a
beautiful war widow arrives from Alabama. Lucy captivates him and steals his
heart. Though there’s been a hint from the Vatican for decades that someday
priests will be allowed to marry, Fr. Dan doesn’t believe it will happen in his
lifetime. So he’s left with a painful choice. Does he choose to love Lucy from
afar or walk away from his commitment to God and the Catholic Church?
Thank you, Heidi, so much for
including me as a guest author on your blog.
