Welcome Victoria Roder

To get us started can you tell us a little about what you are working on or have coming out? 

Haunting of Ingersull Penitentiary releases this month from Muse It Up Publishing. http://museituppublishing.com/

Converting the former federal prison Ingersull Penitentiary, into The Big House Inn swallowed Hailey Price’s inheritance from her murdered mother and deceased father’s estate. But, with any luck, the rumors of the federal complex being haunted will boost interest of the Inn. The abandoned Penitentiary, cursed by a witch, is in a constant battle of good verses evil, an eternal struggle for the souls that enter the complex.

The residual haunts are the least of the frightening occurrences at the Inn. An electrical storm traps the visitors with a possessed Ouija board and the spirit of a condemned witch with an ancient curse. The visitors spend a heart pounding night in the battle of good verses evil. It might be Heaven checking into The Big House Inn, but it’s Hell checking out.

I am also working on edits for several coming soon releases from Dancing With Bear Publishing picture book, What if a Zebra had Triangles? Chapter book Sled Dog Tales and Directions For Life puzzle book and devotion.

How would you describe yourself using only five words? 

Always a work in progress.

How do you get yourself in the mood to write? 

Because I work a full-time day job, I don’t have the time to struggle with creativity, or to not be working on something. What I do to compensate for plot stalls is to juggle several projects at one time. If I am not feeling any character or plot, I create puzzles for magazines like Pockets and Guide or for activity books for Warner Press.  I have my own puzzle book and devotion for Teens  coming soon from Dancing With Bear Publishing.

Where do you find the inspirations for your stories? 

The News is a great source for ideas, my dreams, comments people make, or personality traits of someone passing by…so be careful out there. I’m watching!

Do you have a book that was easiest to write or one that was the hardest? 

My paranormal romance, The Dream House Visions and Nightmares was my first novel and the easiest to write. It began as a recurring dream that bothered me since childhood. My sister suggested I write it down. I did and then my imagination took over and I added to the dream. Sometimes I would go back and edit and hardly recall writing the scenes. The plot flowed out of me.  Haunting of Ingersull Penitentiary has been the hardest book I’ve written because I used multiple points of view and I had never done that before. I had to learn not to head hop from one character to another. My editor at MuseItUp Publishing has earned Sainthood.  

What makes your characters so vulnerable yet strong? 

My characters always have a troubled family past, I guess like most of us.  

Can you describe them to us? 

My character Hailey Price is trying to come to terms with the shooting death of her mother at the hands of her father. Close to her father and estranged from her mother, she must also deal with her father’s death, from cancer while he was waiting for execution on Death Row.  Although in a failing marriage, Hailey is a hard worker and determined to make her new business venture of turning the former Ingersull Penitentiary into, “The Big House Inn” bed and breakfast.  

What do you do when characters stop talking to you when writing? 

I work out in the yard, take a motorcycle ride, or work on another project.

What do you feel is the most important thing that a first-time author should know? 

Don’t quit your day job! It’s a long road. Work hard, but enjoy the ride.

The Haunting of Ingersall Penitentiary

Buy at Publisher

Dark Fiction

Converting the former federal prison Ingersull Penitentiary, into The Big House Inn swallowed Hailey Price’s inheritance from her murdered mother and deceased father’s estate. But, with any luck, the rumors of the federal complex being haunted will boost interest of the Inn. The abandoned Penitentiary, cursed by a witch, is in a constant battle of good verses evil, an eternal struggle for the souls that enter the complex.

The residual haunts are the least of the frightening occurrences at the Inn. An electrical storm traps the visitors with a possessed Ouija board and the spirit of a condemned witch with an ancient curse. The visitors spend a heart pounding night in the battle of good verses evil. It might be Heaven checking into The Big House Inn, but it’s Hell checking out.

 Teaser Excerpt:

Turning toward the desk, her heart jumped in her chest. Upon it sat an Ouija game board which she would swear had not been there a moment ago. Holding her breath she closed her eyes for a second. Slowly opening them didn’t change the fact. The game remained perched on the desk.

Talking out loud calmed her shaking hands. “I just overlooked it when I walked in.” We signed papers on that desk. I would have seen it.  No. No it had to be there the whole time. The dumb game was there the whole time. Shake it off.

She glanced at the framed pictures of former wardens lining the far wall. The portrait representing 1963 to 1972 caught her attention. It was the only photograph of a warden pictured with his wife. Through her research, Hailey discovered that Maryann Armstrong was a direct descendent of Jonat Ingersull, the man the penitentiary was named after.

“Charles and Maryann Armstrong. Oh, so serious. They don’t look very happily ever after. At least I’m not the only one that didn’t get the fairytale.”

Turning from the portraits she made her way to the registration desk. Picking up the Ouija game, she opened the drawer. Tossing it inside, she slammed the drawer shut.

“There. I hate those creepy games.” 

A dark shadow darted past. A cold shiver rocked her body. Jerking her head, she followed the dark mass’s movement. It disappeared.

What-Where did…? Overactive Imagination? Or were the rumors about Ingersull Penitentiary true?

About the Author

 Victoria Roder lives in Central Wisconsin with her husband and house full of pets. She is the author of paranormal thriller Haunting of Ingersull Penitentiary, action thriller Bolt Action, paranormal romance The Dream House Visions and Nightmares. Picture book An Important Job to Do: A Noah’s Ark Tale, children’s chapter book The Curse of King Ramesses II, an inspirational book It’s Not You, It’s Them: Six Choices to Healing & Thriving After Abuse, and her short stories have appeared in several anthologies.  Victoria also creates puzzles for magazines and activity books. Please visit Victoria at www.victoriaroder.com and my blog at http://victoriaroder.blogspot.com/