Author Interview - Chessie Bligh and the Scroll of Andelthor by Thora Gabriel

Describe your book in five words or less.
Girl Elf unearths troubled past

How did the ideas for your books come to you?
Growing up on a farm, and having an overzealous imagination, Chessie was my fantastic imaginary Elf best friend. I’d always dreamt of having magical powers,traveling to distant lands, discovering new cultures.

What is the hardest part of writing for you? What's the easiest?
The hardest part is promotion, the easiest, the writing.

What's next for you? Are you currently working on or have plans for future
projects?
I’m busy working on Book II. Here are some emails from “happy readers” of book I. (The author wishes to withhold names, recommendations came as emailswithin the past six months)

I'm a 6th grader at Hansen elementary. I love the book! It has great fantasy and also great adventures. I am really hoping you can get the second book out.

I attend South Jr. High School, and my teacher is Ms.____. My favorite characteris Penelope. Penelope is my favorite character because she risked not only herwill and life but, she also saved Marge. Penelope is nice enough to save Marge and she even made the conflict safer by just telling the intruder that the scroll was not with them and that could have saved them. Thanks to Penelope, the intruder went away maybe tricked. The intruder might have believed her while she might have lied to him to save their lives. Penelope is smart and nice to save lives and to trick (maybe) intruders. The character Penelope is my favorite in the story so far.

Sincerely,

P.S. I barely began to read this book. I'm not into reading but, so far I'm
interested. It might take me a long time to read the entire book :)


I have just finished reading “Chessie Bligh and the Scroll of Andelthor” and have some comments.

First off, the story line is great. I really enjoyed the author’s take on an alternate reality. I felt that there were some inconsistencies in the details of the story and how it unfolded, and a little unevenness in the details offered. I would like to see the other characters more fully developed, too. But maybe Book II would fill in those gaps. I would be interested in seeing the series continue and really enjoyed my stay at Sterntaler.

Centralia School District
Sr. Account Technician
As you can see, Chessie has a wide audience.

Why did you choose to write for specific genre?
My genre is fantasy, juvenile. But again, as you can see from the recent
recommendations, Chessie Bligh is broadly accepted by young and old alike.

What's it like hearing that readers are eagerly awaiting your book's release
date?
Having readers eagerly awaiting the next book in a series brings tears to my
eyes. Especially when some readers have admitted they don’t like to read. This
revelation is an author’s best hope. When a book causes a child to want to read,no author could ask for a better gift in their lives.

What is one question that you've always wanted to be asked in an
interview? How would you answer that question?
Where is Chessie going from here?

She and her Elf friends are traveling to another dimension, another fantasy land
called Antelantiesse.

What was your road to publications like?
My publisher is iUniverse, and I have to say, the editorial staff (they contract from major publishers) were extremely helpful and delightful. Their distribution process was a key element making my book more readily accessible and marketable.



Author Bio



The youngest of three, Thora Gabriel is from a small town in Illinois—a rural part of America that is rapidly fading from the scene. Her father worked on the farm while her mother raised the kids and worked at the nearby hospital.
Thora moved to Southern California in1987 and received an associate degree in Business Administration from Fullerton College. She continued studying, taking numerous writing classes at Cal State Fullerton and University of California, Irvine.
A professional writer for 10 years, Thora has three novels to her credit prior to Chessie Bligh including Aiken Payne and the Adventures of Lily Jack, Aiken Payne and the Oxborrow Mansion Mystery, and The Empty Grave. Thora is currently working on the second book in the Chessie Bligh series.

After moving to California she discovered hiking and exploring old railroads. Thora adores the great outdoors and loves to explore the many secret canyons found in Utah and Northern Arizona. A mother of two and a grandmother, Thora lives with her husband in Orange County, California.


Chessie Bligh