Writers4Higher features author V.L Brunskill

Hi Vicki-lynn! 

Welcome to Writers4Higher.

1. Tell me about yourself. Your book(s), your life, your inspiration.

My professional writing career started when I dropped out of journalism class after landing an interview with the late, great, punk icon Joey Ramone. At the start of my music journalism career, I begged for interviews. After gaining some tenure, record labels let me know when bands would be performing in Boston. You name a band from the late eighties or early nineties, and the chances are pretty good that I interviewed them. My work appeared in Metronome Magazine, CREEM, Boston Globe, and the Boston Phoenix.

When waiting backstage for rock stars became tedious, and I was ready to start a family, I changed careers. It is tough to attend five concerts a week with a baby carrier on your arm. Plus, I wanted my little one to be able to hear! Some of those shows were deafening. After my daughter was born, I worked as a technical writer in the ion implantation field, and as an IT magazine editor. I am currently a conference producer.

My novel Waving Backwards was born of my experience as an adoptee in search. I was adopted at seven-months old in a closed adoption. Closed adoptions are those in which the child can never gain access to their records. The paperwork about the adoption is sealed by the state, and can only be opened by court order. It is an outdated and unfair system, but remains the law in most states.

I have always wondered about my biological family and started searching for my family while I was in college. It took thirteen years for me to locate both my birth mother and birth father. I moved South to be closer to both. We brought my adoptive Mom with us from Boston to Savannah, Georgia.

Waving Backwards tells the story of Lara Bonavito’s unforgettable journey of self-discovery. Adopted into an abusive and impoverished home, Lara’s quest to find her roots lands her in the Southern jewel’s historic district. A vivid cast of characters help her unravel clues found in a cryptic letter hidden in the family bible for two decades.

“The baby’s roots are with the Southern lady who waves forever.”

With the help of mischievously handsome trolley tour guide Robert Taylor, Kipling-quoting florist Abel Bloom, and comically outspoken Louisiana beauty Susan Fletcher, Lara uncovers family secrets wrapped in the mystique of Savannah’s Waving Girl statue.

Waving Backwards is a coming-of-age quest that reveals the healing power of family bonds and maternal love. It really is a heart-warming tale, set in one of the South’s most romantic cities.

2. Where do you see your writing taking you in the future?

My character Lara keeps telling me that she would like to do a bit more traveling. So, I think there will be a sequel to Waving Backwards.

I am also working on a rock memoir that will cover my decade in the music world. The book will feature stories and interviews with the likes of; Buddy Guy, Aerosmith, Deep Purple, Chicago, Steve Vai, Poison, Tesla, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and many more.

3. How do you use your talents/time to help others?

I am an adoption reunion assistant at adoptionfind.wordpress.com. I advise adoptees on the key steps to take in the adoption search process. I also post search tips, reunion stories, and family-focused articles at Adoption Find.

I also created a charity in 2013 called ‘Books to Build On’. The book drive was launched after I witnessed the devastation caused by the Moore, Oklahoma tornadoes. Two elementary schools were demolished and several students were killed by the storms which hit during school hours. As a book lover, it was important to me that the school libraries be restocked. They lost everything! With my daughter's help, I started a children’s book drive. We had church groups, boy scouts and even the famous Australian boy band 5SOS join the effort. We ended up with 7,000 books, two sets of brand new encyclopedias from World Book, and twenty-four student dictionaries from The Dictionary Project.

UniGroup Logistics (United Van Lines) shipped the four pallets of books from my garage in Savannah to the Moore schools for free. It was so exciting to be able to help the students. After all, what's a school without books? The process taught me that anyone can make a difference. My daughter and I saw a need, and with the help of thousands of generous donations, were able to fill it.

Where to find out more about Vicki-lynn:

Blog- adoptionfind.wordpress.com

Twitter- @RockMemoir

Facebook author page- www.facebook.com/vlbrunskill

My novel Waving Backwards- http://www.syppublishing.com/waving-backwards/

Amazon author page- amazon.com/author/vlbrunskill 

Book trailer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_ufjmq0l-U

Books to Build on article: http://www.bryancountynews.com/archives/27380/

Thank you again, Vicki-lynn.

Rhett DeVane

blogmaster, Writers4Higher

www.rhettdevane.com