J.R. Tompkins's Blog / en-US Mon, 26 Oct 2020 20:38:17 -0700 60 J.R. Tompkins's Blog / 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg /author_blog_posts/20400504-the-gardens-of-marguerite-now-available-in-paperback Sun, 27 Sep 2020 12:14:00 -0700 <![CDATA["The Gardens of Marguerite" Now Available in Paperback!]]> /author_blog_posts/20400504-the-gardens-of-marguerite-now-available-in-paperback The Gardens of Marguerite by J.R. Tompkins As promised, I am pleased to announce that The Gardens of Marguerite is now out in paperback!

At this culmination of effort, I was reminded of Marguerita's own musings in the book:

"It seemed almost sad to cross back over the Río Pantano Bridge, Marguerita thought, for it meant they were back in the city. All the planned work was done and damages repaired; yes, a week later than planned, but no one seemed to mind staying on. Behind them now were the joyous meals with everyone together, the romantic evenings with Savio on the beach, the morning chats with Berta over coffee, swimming the channel with ’Níto, and getting to know all her kids between lessons.

Even their final fiesta seemed to echo in her ears; Savio teaching ’Níto the soulful song of the guitar, Marjoe and Lisbeth drumming out boisterous foot-tapping rhythms, and everyone else singing and laughing heartily along. Perhaps it was because ’Níto, even now, fingered the guitar in the back seat while Savio coached via the rearview mirror.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, wondering what lay ahead."

Thanks so much for traveling with me!

posted by J.R. Tompkins on October, 26 ]]> /author_blog_posts/20313682-just-published-the-gardens-of-marguerite Sat, 05 Sep 2020 08:10:00 -0700 <![CDATA[Just Published: The Gardens of Marguerite]]> /author_blog_posts/20313682-just-published-the-gardens-of-marguerite The Gardens of Marguerite by J.R. Tompkins The Gardens of Marguerite is now ready to pick!

It has been a long growing season for The Gardens of Marguerite. Its first seeds were planted in April of 2008, more than twelve years ago, and consisted mainly of the first chapter of today's novel along with a few thoughts about where the story might lead.

Then it sat dormant for more than five years, waiting for me to get back to cultivating it. That happens sometimes. Like setting yeasty dough to rise. Wine to age in the vat. Cheese to acquire its tang. When you do finally go back to it, taste it, test it, see if its ready for the next step, then some sort of magic whorls within you, and off you go. I started sharing it as a serial on Wattpad, publishing a chapter every two weeks, until a rough draft was completed. It received good reviews, but elements of the story were missing, and it took some time to work out the finer details.

Regardless, it has been a fun row to hoe and I'm so glad to finally be able to share it with you. The Kindle version is ripe and ready for download starting today, and yes, I am working on a paperback book version. Since I have never created a physical book before, this will take just a little while longer-hopefully not more than a month at the most. I beg your patience while I learn new skills in this new endeavor.

Thanks so much for your support and your reading. I hope very much that you enjoy the harvest as much as I have.

Find The Gardens of Marguerite on Amazon today.

posted by J.R. Tompkins on September, 11 ]]> /author_blog_posts/20285410-an-interview-with-the-author Sat, 29 Aug 2020 21:01:00 -0700 An Interview With The Author /author_blog_posts/20285410-an-interview-with-the-author J.R. Tompkins An Interview With Author J.R. Tompkins

Q: How would you describe your writing process and how you construct your stories?

A: I tend to wobble. I never write in a straight line. Which, incidentally, is how I tend to walk nowadays, but that’s another story. What I mean is I meander when I write. I jump around. Go back and forth. I snippet, clip, snag a few thoughts here and jot a few more there, and eventually, a story begins to form. An artisan mashes clay around an armature to build a sculpture, adding clumps and pieces, then shaving off layers and subtractions until the message within is revealed and the whole can be fired and set in some intransient form. That’s kind of the way I work when I write.

The Gardens of Marguerite by J.R. Tompkins Q: The Gardens of Marguerite is set on a tropical island nation that is never named. Does it really exist?

A: When it began, I envisioned the story set in the Bay Islands near Roatán in the Western Caribbean, even though I had never been there, so I had no personal experience of the cultures that inhabit those lands. This story actually inspired me to visit, but I knew a hit-and-run would never allow me an honest rendition of the culture there. What did impress me was the openness, the kinship that people offered. It’s that feeling that I wanted to harbor, so as the story grew, I decided not to write about any particular place or culture at all, and instead made it purposely ambiguous and rather eclectic in its nature. Ultimately the setting evolved to the fictitious post-colonial melting-pot nation in the ‘backwaters of the world’ that became Santa Rosalía del Jardínes. For an island that exists only a little west of my imagination, a little east of Tahiti, a little south of Grand Cayman, and a little north of Neverland, I think I managed to construct quite a garden spot—pun intended. It was a lot of fun cultivating this world around Marguerita and the rest of the cast.

Q: That ‘garden spot’ grew into quite a mystical place. Was that intentional?

A: Absolutely. My brother asked me recently how I come up with my stories. I was thinking of those early, ethereal chapters at Alhaja when I replied, ‘I live in my head.’ Some authors write about far-off mythical worlds and mystical creatures, but there are some very real, magical, and inexplicable things right here on our home planet. I think everyone, at least once in their lives, ought to experience bioluminescent waves. Everybody needs a little of the mystical and miraculous in their real lives, I think.

Q: Mystical and miraculous as the spring at Alhaja?

A: Aha, you caught me! Of course I planted it there on purpose. I wanted readers to wonder whether it was a truly miraculous spring or if science could explain its existence. Or if perhaps both could be truth.

Q: Did creating those mystical places give you the vehicle to talk about metaphysical ideas?

A: It certainly provided a stage for my inner poet to flourish, something I enjoy cultivating, trying to grow myself as a writer.

Q: Throughout most of the entire story, we are left to wonder about Marguerita’s intentions toward Antoníto. Would the story have been different if that was explained sooner?

A. If I had played that card upfront, the story really would have ended abruptly without making much sense, I think. The truth is I kept trying to get Marguerita to explain herself, so I thought I would have ’Níto just keep asking until she told him. I had no idea ’Níto would go and do what he did. I was as surprised as anyone. We writers are in less control of the story than you might think.

Q: You have a technique of using gestures and expressions interspersed with character dialogue; is that something you particularly embrace?

A: I really do enjoy writing gestures and expressions matched with or in counterpoint to dialogue and reading that in others’ works. I think it offers both visual and auditory clues to the thoughts of a character as you read. Body language can tell as much or more than dialogue at times. There is a scene where Antoníto pulls his key chain tight against his neck as he talks about choking and then releases it while referencing something he dropped. I think actions can help readers better visualize and identify with a character.

Q: How often do you find yourself returning to the same themes? You’ve gone so far as to repeat phrases between your books.

A: I do often write in recurring themes and very much enjoy referring to my other works in subtle ways. Some authors do that in series, but even without that, I want readers to have a sense of ‘where have I heard that before’—to recall positive, immersive experiences they might have had in my other stories or films. I like hiding little facts and constructions for people to discover and think about—a little positive reinforcement of ideas over the whole canvas.

Q: Have any particularly favorite passages?

A: Of course. We all have specific scenes in books that resonate with us more than others, don’t we? Places we love inhabiting with our characters? There’s one scene where Marguerita finds out just how much everyone helped ’Níto survive life on the streets that has a gentle physical and mental interaction, a give and take intimacy I found much fun to write. There’s also the journey to beautiful Alhaja where no one wears shoes, the luminescent beach scene with Savio, and especially discussing life’s questions with Antoníto as he makes ‘Vitruvian’ sand angels and dances around Marguerita. I want a house on that beach.

Q: The conflict between Padre Francisco and Marguerita is particularly pointed at times. How did that evolve?

A: There is a lot of simmering anger that Marguerita feels, and you can just sense her contempt building as she absorbs the way Padre Francisco speaks to her. I sometimes like to listen to how people of character speak, to close my eyes while they do it, and draw word pictures in my head. I’ll write down dialogue exchanges I hear, just to feel the cadence of speech and how people control each other through words. Listen. Write. Repeat. Again and again. Until it feels like you can draw cinematic pictures with words. Until you can sleep when you’ve finished writing.

Q: Would you call this a murder mystery? A romance? A family drama? A story for foodies?

A: All of the above, if you don’t mind that the murder occurs near the very end. And was there actually more than one murder? Hmmm, the plot thickens….

The Gardens of Marguerite by J.R. Tompkins The Gardens of Marguerite will be published September 5th and is available to order now.

posted by J.R. Tompkins on August, 29 ]]> /author_blog_posts/20098889-free-on-amazon-this-weekend-three-sketches Sat, 11 Jul 2020 14:37:43 -0700 <![CDATA[FREE on Amazon This Weekend: Three Sketches]]> /author_blog_posts/20098889-free-on-amazon-this-weekend-three-sketches Three Sketches by J.R. Tompkins Three Sketches is free on Amazon this weekend only! Follow me on ŔĎť˘ťúÎČÓŽˇ˝ˇ¨ and Amazon and watch for other free downloads in weeks to come.

Three Sketches is a collection of three of my popular short stories:

Unclaimed by J.R. Tompkins Slide by J.R. Tompkins Goddess of the Moon by J.R. Tompkins Inspired by true events, a widow finds a unique and ironic way of helping Unclaimed children who were abandoned after they died.

A hiking adventure in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains turns dangerous for Kole as she and her would-be rescuer Ben struggle to survive tons of falling debris in Slide.

When Ethen sets up his wilderness camp in Goddess of the Moon, the last thing he wants to see coming toward him is a blood-covered woman with two kids. For Cyntia, the refuge she finds is more than an ice-chilled bottle of spring water and a fully-stocked first-aid kit. In fact, it’s more than she ever could have expected.

First published as separate short stories on Smashwords and Wattpad, Three Sketches is now available as an e-book on Amazon.com. Sale ends tomorrow, so hurry to get your free copy. Look for other free downloads soon, and thanks very much for traveling with me!

posted by J.R. Tompkins on July, 11 ]]> /author_blog_posts/20041047-free-on-amazon-this-weekend-unclaimed Sat, 27 Jun 2020 16:15:36 -0700 <![CDATA[FREE on Amazon This Weekend: Unclaimed]]> /author_blog_posts/20041047-free-on-amazon-this-weekend-unclaimed Unclaimed by J.R. Tompkins Unclaimed is free on Amazon this weekend only! Follow me on ŔĎť˘ťúÎČÓŽˇ˝ˇ¨ and Amazon and watch for other free downloads of my stories in weeks to come.

Unclaimed is an award-winning very short story inspired by true events in which a widow finds a unique and ironic way of helping children who were abandoned after they died. Critics called it “absolutely stunning,” “beautifully written,” and “wowie!”

“In December 2014, just weeks before Christmas, I happened to see an article in the paper about unclaimed remains being buried in a ceremony attended by L.A.’s Board of Supervisors. They didn’t have to go; I thought that was a nice gesture on their part, it seemed in the spirit of Christmas, and I suppose that’s what caught my eye. But, then I noticed that the burial would include the remains of two children….

Someone gave them life, gave them names. They deserved to have lived. They didn’t. They deserved to have been claimed. They were not, or could not be so, for whatever reason. Do I have a right to know what happened to them? When their bodies were abandoned, did their private lives end? I am not journalist nor lawyer. But I am a writer with some imagination.

Perhaps, I thought to myself, I could try and imagine this. I could write a story, and see what happens….”

First published as a short story on Wattpad, Unclaimed is now available as an e-book on Amazon.com. Sale ends tomorrow, so hurry to get your free copy. Look for other free downloads soon, and thanks very much for traveling with me!

posted by J.R. Tompkins on June, 27 ]]> /author_blog_posts/19894353-free-on-amazon-this-weekend-goddess-of-the-moon Sat, 23 May 2020 12:49:45 -0700 <![CDATA[FREE on Amazon This Weekend: Goddess of the Moon]]> /author_blog_posts/19894353-free-on-amazon-this-weekend-goddess-of-the-moon Goddess of the Moon by J.R. Tompkins Goddess of the Moon is free on Amazon this weekend! Follow me on ŔĎť˘ťúÎČÓŽˇ˝ˇ¨ and Amazon and watch for other free downloads of my stories in weeks to come.

Utterly parched, totally lost, leading her 8-year-old daughter and dragging her neighbor’s injured young boy between them, Cyntia approaches the remote wilderness camp of a stranger, who greets them with ice-chilled bottled water and turkey burgers grilled-to-order.

Disregarding the imposition, Ethen welcomes them with a genuine kindness that makes the remote camp seem like a Garden of Eden to Cyntia. From the soothing waters of a mysterious nearby hot spring to recovering peacefully under the stars with a seemingly mythical man, can Cyntia draw the strength to heal old and painful wounds?

Price of the Child by J.R. Tompkins The theme of escaping into the wilderness and then facing a crisis is one that seems to fascinate me; look for the completely revised edition of Price of the Child publishing on June 6th (more on that later!).

Critics have called Goddess of the Moon “a mini-novel in a short story,” “compelling,” and “the imagery is fantastic!”

First published as a short story on Wattpad, it is now available as an Sale ends Monday, May 25th, so hurry to get your free copy. Look for other free downloads soon, and thanks very much for traveling with me!

posted by J.R. Tompkins on May, 23 ]]> /author_blog_posts/19833140-slide-for-free Sat, 09 May 2020 10:13:05 -0700 "Slide" For Free /author_blog_posts/19833140-slide-for-free Slide by J.R. Tompkins Slide is free on Amazon this weekend! Follow me on ŔĎť˘ťúÎČÓŽˇ˝ˇ¨ and Amazon and watch for other free downloads in weeks to come.

A hiking adventure in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains turns dangerous for Kole as she and her would-be rescuer Ben struggle to survive tons of falling debris. Critics called it “adventurous” and “you've got me perspiring!” First published as a short story on Wattpad, it is now available as an e-book on Amazon.com. Sale ends Sunday, May 10th, so hurry to get your free copy. Look for other free downloads soon, and thanks for traveling with me!

posted by J.R. Tompkins on May, 09 ]]> /author_blog_posts/19464868-writing-is-like-traveling Mon, 17 Feb 2020 08:44:00 -0800 Writing is like traveling... /author_blog_posts/19464868-writing-is-like-traveling Unclaimed by J.R. Tompkins Slide by J.R. Tompkins Goddess of the Moon by J.R. Tompkins I am so honored that Unclaimed garnered over 35,000 reads on Wattpad over the past five years that I decided to publish it on Amazon along with my other popular short stories, Slide, and the second edition of Goddess of the Moon. Next week I expect to release them together in a compilation entitled Three Sketches.

All this is leading up to the Amazon release of my second novel, The Gardens of Marguerite, which I'm polishing up and planning to start pre-sales soon.

Writing is like traveling for me. It's something I don't always get to do. The muse often eludes me. But I save up for the trip, look forward to getting away, and try to thoroughly enjoy the ride when it comes for me.

As always, thanks for traveling with me.

posted by J.R. Tompkins on February, 17 ]]> /author_blog_posts/7930992-unclaimed-becomes-wattpad-favorite Mon, 23 Feb 2015 22:18:00 -0800 <![CDATA["Unclaimed" Becomes Wattpad Favorite!]]> /author_blog_posts/7930992-unclaimed-becomes-wattpad-favorite has just been published on the on , a position given to only 1 out of every 100,000 stories posted there, so I feel honored. Any shares, votes, comments you'd like to give it over there, or anywhere for that matter, would be greatly appreciated!

was inspired by an article I saw about the unclaimed remains of two children who were buried, with thousands of others, in an unmarked grave at a ceremony held before Christmas last year. It's the very short story of an old widow who finds she has the power (and a sense of irony) to claim two such children in a unique way.

Thanks for your support!!!

posted by J.R. Tompkins on March, 15 ]]> /author_blog_posts/7668948-unclaimed Sat, 10 Jan 2015 10:49:00 -0800 Unclaimed /author_blog_posts/7668948-unclaimed Unclaimed, by J.R.Tompkins In December 2014, just weeks before Christmas, I happened to see an article in the paper about unclaimed remains being buried in a ceremony attended by L.A.’s Board of Supervisors. I thought that was a nice gesture on their part, it seemed in the spirit of Christmas, and I suppose that’s what caught my eye. But, then I noticed that the burial would include the remains of two children....

Someone gave them life, gave them names. They deserved to have lived. They didn’t. They deserved to have been claimed. They were not, or could not be so, for whatever reason. Do I have a right to know what happened to them? When their bodies were abandoned, did their private lives end? I am not journalist nor lawyer. But I am a writer with some imagination.

Perhaps, I thought to myself, I could try and imagine this. I could write a story, and see what happens.

“She bent and placed a single daisy upon the grave. A simple white daisy. The plainest of flowers, perhaps the purest, Elspeth thought. It had cost next to nothing at all, and perhaps that was the point. She wasn’t being cheap. She was being symbolic. In her mind, Andrea deserved only the unstained purity of the simplest of daisies, a daisy that was unsoiled by a wealth that couldn’t find the money to have claimed her soul.”


If it moves you, consider voting for it, sharing it, or whatever suits you. Maybe it’ll gather a little attention, and then, wouldn’t it be nice if no other child was ever left unclaimed?

Thanks for traveling with me.

posted by J.R. Tompkins on February, 09 ]]>