Fiction with vision and visions We recently chatted with novelist Catherine Lanigan about the challenges of finding an audience for her new novel, Wings of Destiny.

Wings of Destiny is the story of two families entangled in a generations-long struggle; the conflict between the Dukes and The House of Su dates back to the Chinese opium war. The Duke lineage began with the illicit relationship between Jamaican plantation owner Ambrose Duke and his slave, Yuala. Destinies converge and a battle of good and evil ensues in San Francisco in the late 1800s, where Nan-Yung Su is driven to destroy forever the family of Ambrose and Yuala’s grandson, Jefferson Duke.

The scope of Lanigan’s novel is global, ranging from the Caribbean to the Forbidden City in China, and is decades-long. That span is scarcely grand enough to encompass this unforgettable tale.

BookPage: You wrote the novelizations for Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile. Wings of Destiny is a multi-generational saga, complete with ghosts and paranormal phenomena. What compelled you to write a story so different from what you’ve been writing? Catherine Lanigan: I always write from my heart in that, all of my books are the same. But Wings of Destiny is my soul. It is the one book about which I’m over-the-top-passionate. In the 20-plus novels I’ve written, I’ve done several multi-generational sagas. I love their scope and depth. This kind of book is rather like taking a scalpel to life, slicing through layer after layer to come to the raison d’etre. To me, that is our spirituality. Through this book I hope to open the eyes of each reader to see herself, where she came from, and where she’s going in a way she never dreamed or imagined for herself.

BP: It took a little-known publisher to launch Tom Clancy. Likewise, your publisher is taking a leap of faith with you. What do you hope this demonstrates to booklovers? CL: It is true that Peter Vegso at HCI is taking on an enormous challenge in the publication of this novel. By the virtue of his faith in this book, he is opening an entirely new genre of fiction. Can you imagine? Writers like myself, who have been turned down, rejected, scoffed at, and even ridiculed by countless publishers Wings was rejected over four dozen times in 13 years will find an avenue where our out of the box imaginations and passions will have a chance to be heard. My favorite story about Wings of Destiny was over a decade ago when my agent took it to the head of a prominent publishing house, and the editor read it and said, There’s a ghost from the future as a main character. Everyone knows there’s no such thing. Stonefaced, my agent replied, You never read A Christmas Carol? Next! Visionary fiction is destiny driven. I know I am following my divine path in seeing this book to publication. Though I can’t speak for Peter, his actions certainly show that he shares this belief.

BP: Where does your writing go from here? CL: I have two nonfiction books contracted with HCI currently. The Evolving Woman: Intimate Confessions of Surviving Mr. Wrong is a compilation of letters I have received over the past five years from responses to my national publicity campaigns for Mira Books, in which abused women relate how they found the courage and faith in themselves to escape from abusive marriages and relationships. The fact that two publishers are supporting my mission to help families who are victims of violence says a great deal about the heart and soul of the caring commitment they have to making the world a better place.

Angel Watch, the second book from HCI, is a series of factual accounts of paranormal and angelic intervention experiences in my personal life and those of my family and close friends. These are the real stories behind Wings of Destiny and how this book came into being. This is a book I have lived.

Other than that, I have three visionary fiction novels, fully formed in my head, but yet to write. Not to mention another half-dozen paranormal adventures, both contemporary and historical. I have no fear that I will ever run out of tales to tell. ¦ Sandy Huseby writes from her homes in Fargo, North Dakota, and Nevis, Minnesota. She is online at SHuseby@aol.com.

One of the greatest joys for romance readers is discovering a truly fresh take on a classic love story. One of the greatest challenges for romance authors is writing with an original voice. When the writer is a first-time novelist, the discovery is all the sweeter. Just such a story is Linda Nichols's Handyman, an enchanting contemporary retelling of the Cinderella tale — only this heroine is single mom Maggie Ivey, struggling to make a life for herself and her son Tim in a shabby apartment in Oakland. Prince Charming is contractor Jake Cooper, whom Maggie mistakes for Dr. Jason Golding, the self-help guru of the "21-Day Overhaul."

Jake is in the psychologist's office to bid on a remodeling job, but from their first encounter, he decides Maggie is the one who needs fixing. No Cinderella tale would be complete without a conniving pair of competitors for our hero's affections. Lindsay, Jake's ex-girlfriend, is determined to help him resolve his "issues" so they can get back together. And Gina, well, she's supposed to be Maggie's best friend — she even paid for the 21-Day Overhaul — but now can't stand having "her" guru give Maggie more personal attention.

After indulging in this irresistible tale, we asked author Linda Nichols to do a little self-analysis:

Sandy Huseby: Your novel pokes at the psychobabble, self-help fixation. What do you really need help with?

Linda Nichols: Handyman does sort of poke fun at psychobabble, but I don't think struggling with mental health issues is funny, and I'm very much in favor of competent counselors and psychologists doing their work. But there is an aspect to the whole self-help industry that strikes me as very commercial and almost addictive in nature. Your phrase "self-help fixation" describes it perfectly. I do have struggles myself in that area from time to time. I'm a worrier, and I've noticed that I get worse when my life feels out of control for some reason. The other thing I struggle with is being sort of a loner. I was an only child, and I tend to be pretty independent anyway. It's easy for me to sort of hibernate and let myself get out of touch with other people. But it's interesting; I've found the cure for both of these problems is to stay connected to the people I care about. They tend to help me put my worries into perspective, even if it's just to say, "Even if the worst happens, I'll still love you."

SH: What do you like most about your heroine?

LN: I think the thing I like most about Maggie Ivey is her sweetness. She hasn't let betrayal make her hard and bitter. And I also like that she takes such good care of her son. She has her priorities straight, no matter what other people are telling her.

SH: What do you like best about yourself as a writer? As a person?

LN: I think the thing I like best about myself as a writer is my perseverance. I made the decision a while back that I was never going to give up on my writing, no matter how hard it was at times. I felt I had been given a talent and it was my responsibility to develop it. I take classes, belong to a workshop, and write five days a week, almost without exception. What I like about myself as a person is a tougher question. I feel I have a lot of character flaws. Sometimes I think I should wear a sign that says, "As Is." But I guess the thing I like best about myself is my honesty and lack of pretense. I'm not very good at pretending to be anything other than what I am.

SH: Who is your real-world hero and why?

LN: I have a group of heroes. When I was a junior in high school my family disintegrated. My dad moved us to the Seattle area from Virginia. I left behind all my friends and extended family, and as soon as we arrived here my parents' marriage sort of melted down. I was an only child, without friends, whose family was falling apart. But then, miraculously, I think as I look back, these people just came out of the woodwork and took care of me. One was the pastor of the church I began attending. He filled the role of father in my life during high school and college. Another was a girl who came along and became my friend. Her family included me in everything they did. A third was an older woman who took me under her wing. I would sit at her house for hours, and she would listen and encourage me. They are my heroes. Out of a complete void came a father, mother, and family. I'll never forget what they did for me.

The caring relationships Linda Nichols describes in her own life ring just as true in her story. Help yourself to Handyman, sit back, and turn off all the distractions — you're in for a real treat!

Sandy Huseby writes and reviews from her homes in Fargo, North Dakota, and lakeside near Nevis, Minnesota. 

Author photo by Perler Photography.