Please welcome Maighread MacKay, an author and Podcaster from Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Writer’s Community of Durham Region (WCDR), Visionary Fiction Alliance (VFA) and Sisters in Crime, Toronto (SINC).
Her publishing credits include three books for children: Bedtime Treasures, The Mysterious Door and the Crystal Grove written under the name of Margaret Hefferman. Stone Cottage was published in 2015 by Solstice Shadows Publishing. She was included in the 2015 Christmas Soup for the Soul: Merry Christmas edition with her story “Being Santa”. Stepping Stones, an anthology of inspirational parables released March 25, 2016 from Solstice Publishing. A new story, “Once Upon a Midsummer’s Eve” is included in the Solstice anthology of Let’s Have Fun, released June 21, 2016. Her story, “A Unique Vessel” was included in the Chicken Soup for the Soul, Curvy and Confident anthology, released December 27, 2016.
- How did you become interested in Visionary Fiction?
Ghosts, spirits and things that go bump in the night. Ancient mysteries and the riddles of our vast universe. Questions – lots of fascinating questions about the reality of our cosmos. Are there other dimensions or planes of existence? Are they inhabited? Do our parallel universes ever converge? Angels, Spirit Guides. Are they real? Can we communicate with them? What about other entities such as the Fae, Unicorns, or Dragons? Could they exist? What happens when we die? Has the soul that inhabits our body been here before? Why would we come back? What about animals? What happens to them when they die?
These questions have led me on a journey of investigating Christian Mysticism, Yogic Spirituality, Native Theology, Wicca, Celtic Shamanism, Quantum Physics, the Realm of the Fae and many other related topics.
- How do you define VF?
To me, besides telling a good story, VF enlightens and encourages readers to expand their awareness of greater possibilities. It helps them see the world in a new light and recognize dimensions of reality they commonly ignore.
- Please tell us about your novel?
Stone Cottage asks the question: If you could plan your life before you were born, what could that life look like?
The story deals with reincarnation, past life regression and pre-birth planning and how these could really fit into an actual life. Although I have read numerous accounts of these things, I wanted to write a story about how they could affect one’s life. That is not to say Stone Cottage is the definitive answer. It is, after all, fiction, but I am hoping that people will enjoy the story and maybe think “huh. I never thought of it that way.”
- Does this book fit into a series?
My novels are not really a series. Each can be read individually, but two of the characters appear in both Stone Cottage and my new novel Murder at Mother’s.
- How did you prepare to write about the book’s specific area or field of study?
For Stone Cottage, I did a lot of research. The setting for the story is Toronto, Canada. One of the time periods is the 1850’s, so I went to museums, libraries and various historical places to get a feel for the area at that time and to get an accurate description of habits, dress, speech etc. Also, I investigated past life regression by having a session myself to accurately get questions asked and to get a feel for the experience.
- What are you working on right now?
I have just completed the first draft of a new novel, Murder at Mother’s. It is a good old fashioned murder/mystery told from the ghost’s point of view. It deals with a soul’s unfinished business, what could happen after death and gives a different paradigm of what on earth is called hell.
Website:
http://mhefferman.ca/author/my-blog/
Buy links:
http://mybook.to/midsummerseve
http://mybook.to/bedtimetreasures
http://mybook.to/themysteriousdoor
http://mybook.to/thecrystalgrove
My Author link:
http://author.to/maighreadmackay