Author Interview with Sonia Taylor Brock

Tell us about The Inheritance of a Swamp Witch
Written in the Cajun Dialect, it provides a new take on some very old myths and legends. The Legend of the Swamp Witch has been told for centuries in the Swamps of Southern Louisiana. Some say Voodoo, Santeria and horrible monsters. Others say there is a strange magic that will suck your life away if you get too close. An old lady that mysteriously makes things happen. No one knows exactly where she lives….unless she wants you to know.
Strange things go on in that swamp. All the locals know not to venture too close to that particular area of the swamp….you might not make it out. Those that do, never want to go back. All kinds of things are hidden there… things that BITE!
Dan Rawlings, a young reporter eager to make a name for himself goes into these swamps looking for answers into the heart of the Swamp Witch’s home. A missing heir to a fortune and the story that will make him famous, only the Swamp Witch has the information he needs. He enters this strange place and listens to her stories. Is she just a crazy old woman….or is she something more? In only a matter of days he has changed. He suddenly finds himself In a battle to the death; ready to defend this place and these people that have somehow used their magic to steal his heart. He came here for a story, but who would believe what he had discovered?
What genre is it? 
Fiction / Fantasy/ Urban Fantasy
What kind of readers will it appeal to? 
All groups of readers who are into Paranormal Fiction, Fantasy, Witches, Dragons, Fairies and Louisiana. Men particularly like it for the action and adventure. A little historical fiction and mythology is thrown in to make you wonder, could it be real! Romance enthusiasts will also like it for the quirky attractions that develop in the telling of the book. Young adults will also enjoy the colorful characters.
You say that, but doesn’t the fact that it’s written in the Cajun dialect make it inaccessible to most readers? 
My books are written in the Cajun Dialect or should I say Cajun Accent.  I have included a Glossary at the back of my books for terms that are not easily understood and the meanings of French terms.  I have written the way that Cajuns sound.  You will definitely get a “feel” for my heritage in my writing.
A feel for it? Maybe a sample paragraph from the book will help us understand what you mean.

The Busboy, “Tee Boy” was sweeping the floor when the cook came out lugging a huge aluminum pot.  Tee Boy ran over to help the cook carry the pot over to the table of one of the families and then they proceeded to dump the whole pot right into the middle of the table.  Now I understood why there were rolls of paper towels and brown paper covering the tables. 
        The smell was fantastic.  The pot had contained small lobster-like bright red crustaceans (I learned later were crawfish not crayfish) with an assortment of whole cooked potatoes, corn on the cob, peppers, whole onions and other goodies. I watched everyone dig in with his or her hands.  They would pick one up, break the tail off and begin sucking on the heads!  YEUCK!!  Shells and heads began hitting buckets sitting on the floor like rain. 
        The cook came over and flopped onto the stool next to me.  He mopped his brow with a rag and adjusted the bandana he used as a sweatband on his forehead and lit a cigarette.  Apparently, smoking in public was still allowed here.
        The man leaned over to me and said, with that deep musical tone they all seemed to have, “Mah cuzin, he say to me, “I done suck no heads, no… but I eat da hell outta some tail, yeah” He chuckled, extended his hand and introduced himself. “Lucky Benoit.  You gonna be ‘roun here awhile?” 
        I shook his hand and said, “I don’t know, I came here to do some research on one of the local families here.  I’m kind of a history buff, but I’m having a little trouble getting information.”  He said, “Yep ‘sa lotta history here.  Who ya looking up?”  He obviously didn’t buy the history buff bit, but I replied, “A family, and I’m not sure how to pronounce it correctly….. E S C H T E?” 
        “Dat would be ‘Esh-tay.’ Dere’s alotta dem roun here, yeah.  Which one ya aimin fuh?”  I said, “Marie Eschte” and the cop at the end of the counter coughed and looked my way. 

That deep and rich flavour and culture of Louisiana seems to shine through in your writing. 
The Louisiana culture is very evident in my books.  That is what makes them unique and different.  Only a Cajun can tell the story the way I do.  You will be able to smell the Gumbo cooking on the stove when you are reading.
My hopes for the series is to complete the eight novels I have mapped out and to have everyone identify with the characters as much as I do.  I would like to be a best selling author of course, any writer who told you otherwise is blowing smoke…in your face.  I want these books to establish me in the Fantasy / Fiction / Urban Fantasy genre as a recognized name in that field.
You say these are old myths and legends? Have you needed to change or update them in any ways? 
Regarding the giving a new twist on old myths and legends, that is very hard to do without telling you that my next comments might contain spoilers.  In a nutshell, I have given an new take on how Vampires were created by referencing an old classic poem The Ryme of the Ancient Mariner.  The main character, The Swamp Witch is also not who she seems, she is actually the Titan Goddess Tethys!  There is even a character that embodies the Native American Legend of the Anasazi and he is a Shapeshifter who is a Giant Thunder-Hawk.  Yes, you could say that I have changed them just a wee bit.
Or a lot! How long did this book take you to write? 
A lifetime! This is my first book and I have been rolling the threads to this story around in my head since…well forever. But the actual writing process took me about 1 year.
And what was the most challenging part of the whole process? 
Learning! Making the choice to become a self-published author or wait for the long process of being accepted by a Literary Agency or Publishing House or striking out on my own. When I made the choice, then I had to learn how…from scratch…by myself. If anyone ever wanted a personal challenge to enlighten them about who they are and what they can accomplish, self publish a book. It will teach you a few things!
Tell us a bit about yourself. 
I was born and raised in Southern Louisiana.  I joined the United States Marine Corps at seventeen.  While in the military, I went to Chaminade University of Hawaii and completed my Bachelors Degree in Business Management.  I have two children and one grandchild.  My youngest daughter was born with Down Syndrome.  I have been active in the Down Syndrome Association, The Association of Retarded Citizens, The Special Olympics and various other organizations over the years.  I have worked in various capacities in the Publishing and Public Relations fields for over seventeen years.  They include IVAX Industries, The Cullman Times, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Facilities Safety Management Magazine, Creative Loafing – Atlanta and Galz Magazine.
I have always loved writing and art.  I am a storyteller at heart and for the longest time tried to convey my thoughts and emotions in my artwork but it never was quite what I wanted.  I was always told that I should write a book when I began telling my stories.  I tried to do that a couple of times with not much success.  Finally, I was given some very sage advice…Write what you know and write from the heart.  I took that advice, closed my ears to naysayers and began to write.  I finally found what I was meant to do!
I have published several short stories under a working compilation called Da Lady Down Da Bayou and they include, Mrs. Dee’s Story, Miss Manners, Music of the Heart and The Swamp Witch Makes Red Beans and Rice.  My Novels include The Inheritance of a Swamp Witch and A Witch’s Welcome.  They are the first two books of a series of eight called THE SWAMP WITCH SERIES.
Have you got a blog where readers can keep up with your work? 
www.soniataylorbrock.com/blog.
Facebook author page.
Where can we buy your book? 
On Amazon ( US , UK )
What’s next? 
I have just published the second book in the Swamp Witch Series, called A WITCH’S WELCOME. I am currently working on a compilation of short stories based on the main character of the Swamp Witch Series called Da Lady Down Da Bayou. The Swamp Witch Series will have eight books in the series. Providing I survive them, I will go on to publish another series that I have in the works that is also paranormal, but more for the Mature (explicit material) Reader.