Featured Interview With Joan L. Scibienski
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I lived the first 23 years of my life in Indianapolis, Indiana. One autumn evening there was a tornado alert; three tornadoes descending on Indie from three different directions. That cinched it for me. No more snow, black ice or tornadoes, I was off to Phoenix, Arizona for the sunshine and heat. To quote my partner of 21 years, “You don’t need to shovel sunshine.” I remain here still with my soulmates: my significant other, Christopher, and puppy, Sammie. During a meditation I asked for my soul puppy to come into our family. Within a week I was contacted by a local shelter. He truly is our soul puppy as he is quirky, sweet, and very funny. He is a ball of grey and white fur with feet that point to either side rather than forward and expressive black button eyes. His favorite thing is to sit on his “daddy’s” head and lick his hair.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve always loved books. I was a very lonely child and books provided me with an escape into new lives, new potentials, and strange, unique locales. I started writing in high school, continued into college where I was the feature editor of my college newspaper, and in adulthood I’ve written for trade newspapers and magazines. My three published books under “The Ariana Series,” are my first foray into fiction.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr, has always inspired me. I love his work and enjoy his unique take on the world. I would have loved to meet him. Currently, my tastes run more toward YA as I find that genre to be the most inventive and imaginary. My favorite authors vary and are eclectic but my preference right now seems to be John Green, John Irving, Stephen King, Suzanne Collins, JK Rawlings, and George RR Martin if he’d ever finish his next book.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
In “The Ariana Series,” I have written three novels that center around a group of unusual college students. The main character, Ariana Abrams, had an extremely difficult childhood. Yet, for as long as she can remember, Ariana Abrams has felt the presence of loving spirits around her. Invisible to everyone else, she hears their thoughts and feels their love. They are her teachers, friends, and protectors who kept her alive during an abusive childhood. Deciding to put distance between herself and her violent family, Ariana moves to the desert of Arizona to attend college. Determined to heal the wounds of her childhood, she seeks help from a counselor at her new university. Taking her counselor’s advice, she joins a therapy group full of people her own age. There she discovers seven new friends who will give her the love and companionship she has never known.
This is no ordinary group of teenagers. Each one of them has unlocked psychic abilities that are at first frightening. With the support of each other and spiritual teachers in this realm and others, they learn the importance of their power and the need to share their knowledge with the world. Their powers force them to truly see the world’s problems: fear, judgment, hate, violence. Their spiritual skills emanate from a source of absolute love. Yet powerful negative forces threaten to stop them. Their survival depends on developing their inner power and teaching others to do the same. In fact, the survival of the world may depend on it…
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