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| Sylvia Stein, Author CLOSURE |
Sylvia
Stein brings us her first novella, CLOSURE, reviewed as “a story about monsters, but not the
monsters of typical horror books, these monsters (alcohol and cancer) are
reality.” Stein says that she pulled her story partially out of her own
childhood and she tells it to inspire readers to hope. Her villain is
alcohol, coupled to death and child abuse.
Stein
currently lives with her husband and three children. She loves to speak
Spanish, and when she’s not writing, to spend time with her family. She has published several short stories, and is
currently working on her second novel, “Chasing Clarity.”
Q: What
inspired you to write a book about child abuse? Why did you write CLOSURE?
Sylvia Stein: I began
writing CLOSURE not as a book about child abuse but to tell a story of a young
girl who grows up into a woman and is left with the lingering abuse of her past
due to her father. This book
was not only to show the affect of child abuse but also to show how the loss of
her mother affects Sara and her father Garrison and how it leads them both into
trying to find their way back and if it is even a possibility for them.
Q:
Reviewers tout how real your characters are in CLOSURE. How did you
achieve this? Were you able to draw on any actual people?
Sylvia Stein: I am pleased
with the Reviews. I am also happy
that the readers have connected with CLOSURE and have found the characters so
real. The main reasons are because I based them off many of those
people I knew back home. These
characters of Sara and Garrison are based on them and their experiences and I
added the alcoholism because that affected my parents and ultimately ended
their marriage, which affected all of us.
It was a bit of what we went through; the only difference was that my
father got help eventually and he was never abusive to any of us but for my mother
enough was enough. Luckily they were able to become friends and then after
getting sober my father lived a happy life with all of us. He loved all of us, and we all built a
great relationship and then sadly in 2005 he passed away.
Q: A story about
death, alcoholism, and child abuse could be depressing. Where do you make
CLOSURE compelling and inviting to read?
Sylvia Stein: Yes, CLOSURE
tackles death, alcoholism and child abuse but I tell the story in a way that
the reader is able to follow not only Sara’s Journey but also find out a bit
more about Garrison’s as well.
The way I make it compelling and inviting is to have written it with all
the emotion that lets the reader not only follow the story but ultimately lets
them reach their own empathy for the characters.
Q: How do you
create the emotional response felt by many reviewers of CLOSURE?
Sylvia Stein: As I said CLOSURE is close to my heart
because I have known others that have dealt with these issues. I also added my own struggles within
my family in regards to how I felt when someone you love is caught up within
the monster that is alcohol and what it does to the entire family. This is why I believe reviewers
are responding in the same way.
Q: How accurate
are the attributes of alcoholism and child abuse? Did you need to do research
for credibility?
Sylvia Stein: The attributes
of alcoholism are accurate because I did the research and I made sure all of it
was compelling within the story.
Q: Does the
concept of hero vs. villain apply to CLOSURE? If so, who do you consider to be
the villain? What attributes contribute to creating an effective villain?
Sylvia Stein: No, for me I do
not think I would classify any of the characters as villains. I would say the villain is alcohol and that
is the monster. Then there is the
sadness that is Cancer. However, I do see heroes in the story; for example, Sara’s
Aunt Valerie and her Uncle Kyle, Dr. Baker, the AA for Garrison and all the
nurses of the Hospice. And
let’s not forget in the end Sara and Garrison became heroes in their own
right.
Q: Did you
write CLOSURE to entertain readers, to educate them, to deliver a message, to
inspire?
Sylvia Stein: I wrote
CLOSURE to deliver a message and to inspire their emotions and to ultimately
create the faith to hold on to hope.
Q: How relevant
or supportive to telling your story was the setting? Could CLOSURE have
occurred anywhere at any time?
Sylvia Stein: For the
setting I focused on cities that I am familiar with. I think they could have occurred anywhere.
Q: What’s next?
Sylvia Stein: Well, right now
I am working on my second novel called, “Chasing Clarity” which I began writing
for my first National Novel Month last November 2013. It should be out in December and I am
also taking my online classes for my Master’s of Creative Writing and English
with a concentration in Fiction; I will be graduating next August.
Q: Tell us
about Sylvia Stein. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Sylvia Stein: I love
speaking Spanish. I was born and
raised in Brownsville, Texas to my parents Catarina and Ramon Olivares. They immigrated from Mexico along with
their parents and they provided a better life for all of us. When I am not writing I love to spend
time with my family. My three children
and my husband are my everything. I love having a fun night of being mom and
going out to a nice dinner with all of them. I also love to attend church because my faith is everything
too.
About
Sylvia Stein
Author
Sylvia Stein began her path to writing when she joined the Writer’s Group on
Linked in 750 in 2012. She
continued her journey by creating short stories, which were published in the
Giant tales Anthology series.
While
obtaining her Masters degree at Southern New Hampshire University online,
author Stein built a solid foundation with her colleagues who encouraged her to
continue her writing. That’s when CLOSURE was born.
With
the help of her editor CLOSURE grew from a short story to a full novella that
Author Stein is excited to share.
CLOSURE is her debut book as a solo writer. To quote author Stein, “ This is the first of many to come.”
About CLOSURE
Garrison James had it
all. A beautiful family and
one loving home. Together, he and his wife Lila built a successful ranch and
construction company. His world changed the day he lost his wife to cancer. He
turned to the bottle and became a monster. Sara, his daughter, tried everything to please him.
After years of abuse,
Sara’s aunt visits. She recognizes the abuse and removes Sara. The frail girl
begins the delicate journey of finding herself, while struggling to leave her
father and the monster behind.
Despite the emotional
and mental scars she carried, Sara manages to start a new life. She is finally
happy.
A phone call changes
everything.
Excerpt
Chapter
2
In
the dark corner of a room, Sara James waited until the monster fell asleep.
Who
was the monster?
Garrison
James, her father.
It
amazed her how much had changed in the few short months since her mother, Lila
left. It felt as if it happened over night.
At
first, he seemed absent. Then the yelling, drinking, and angry glares erupted
whenever she entered the same room as him. Soon, he began calling her names.
When she thought things could not get worse, the real abuse began.
He’s
not my dad!
He’s a monster!
Heavy
footsteps tromped towards the room. She gulped in jagged breaths and looked to
the ceiling while blinking rapidly. A feeble attempt to control her tears.
When
hiding from the monster found her, she would replay what she did wrong and how
he caught her the time before.
Don’t
cry, she
reminded herself, that’s how he finds you.
She
looked around the once lively home for a sweet reminder of better times. There
was a time when the house was surrounded by a beautiful garden. Her and her
mother would walk hand in hand and choose which flowers to bring inside. Now,
the windows were closed, and the vase that usually held flowers sat empty. No
matter where she looked, there was no sign of happiness or life.
The
house had become a vessel of sorrow and pain.
Mommy,
think of her.
She
closed her eyes and forced images of her favorite memories. A brief smile
appeared as thoughts reverted her to one of the many times when her mother
taught her how to bake cookies.
“Oh,
Momma, I miss you,” she whispered.
The
memory of her mother distracted Sara from the harsh reality. However, nearly as
quick as the memories arrived, they dissipated, and before she knew it, the
monster began lashing out.
“Sara!
Sara! Where are you?” he screamed.
Realizing
she had made noise. Sara covered her mouth and began internally praying.
Links
Twitter address: @sylvia_stein07
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