Debut crime fiction author Angela van Breemen chats with me about her new paranormal novel, Past Life’s Revenge, releasing on July 9. This is the first book in the David Harris and Emma Jackson mystery series.
Bio:
Angela van Breemen is a graduate of the University of Guelph with a degree in management economics and was a co-owner of a dental supply company. After the company was sold, she turned her focus to writing, music, and volunteering her time as a website administrator at a wildlife rehabilitation center.
She is delighted to have completed her first novel, Past Life’s Revenge, a crime thriller with a twist of spiritualism. She is an avid writer of poetry, belongs to the Wordsmiths Writers’ Group based out of New Tecumseth, Ontario and is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada and the South Simcoe Arts Council. Since early childhood, music and poetry have been an integral part of her life and in April of 2024 she launched her debut album, In The Breeze.
She lives in Loretto, Ontario, with her husband, Peter Thomas Pontsa, author of Outfoxed: An Inspector William Fox Adventure.
Welcome, Angela. Please tell us about your current release.
My protagonist, David Harris has suffered from debilitating nightmares since early childhood. He has sought the advice of psychiatrists and other health professionals without obtaining any relief. When he meets an attractive young psychic, Emma Jackson, she encourages him to seek the help of her friend Anna Tungsten, a hypnotherapist. During an emotionally charged past life regression, David learns he was murdered in his most recent past life, thirty years earlier. When he realizes his murderer is still alive, he cannot move on and build a new life with Emma until he has exacted revenge and stopped the murderer from killing again.
What inspired you to write this book?
The concept of reincarnation is a very natural one for me and growing up in a family where I was exposed to psychics regularly only reinforced this conviction. There were many lively discussions about the paranormal around the dinner table with our medium friends. One idea I often toyed with was what if someone was murdered, reincarnated right away with the sole purpose of exacting revenge on the killer? How would this unfold? Would the victim remember, or need assistance to recall the last moments of their past life? Would they need a past life regression to help them remember?
Excerpt from Past Life’s Revenge:
“I wonder…” David looked back and forth between Anna and Emma; his face pinched with concern.
“Yes?” asked Anna.
“If this is all real, and I was murdered thirty years ago, there’s a good chance the killer could still be alive.”
“True,” said Anna. “And still be relatively young. Possibly still in his fifties. Maybe even early sixties.”
“What are you thinking?” asked Emma.
“Hang on a sec.” David grabbed his iPhone and typed in his query. “Just found this website called Canada Cold Cases. It’s a database of unsolved murders and disappearances.”
“Is there a search tool?” asked Emma, unable to hide her excitement.
“Yep. Typing in ‘George Larson.’ Oh my God, I’ve got a hit.” His face turned white. He turned the display around for both Anna and Emma to read.
What exciting project are you working on next?
I am currently working on Revenge is not Enough, the second book in the David Harris and Emma Jackson mystery series. David and Emma team up with a retired police officer, Bryan Grant to solve cold cases using the paranormal.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Always, however I have primarily considered myself a poet. I love how a few succinct and well-placed words can convey so much in a poem. There is beauty in brevity. For me, the idea of writing a full novel was daunting.
Many years ago, I had started a book based on a cold case being solved using the paranormal, but life got busy, and I stuffed the manuscript in a drawer. Past Life’s Revenge remained unfinished with about two thirds of that story untold. In December of 2022, while cleaning out my desk, I came across the manuscript again and decided to look at it more closely. As I began to read the pages, I realized the concept of the story was great but needed to be rewritten. I used what I had written so far as a template. When I got to the third way mark, there was no more, and I had to write new material! I plotted out the rest of the storyline and wrote obsessively for six weeks.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I wish, but I have a lot of interests which keep me busy. I am also a soprano soloist and recently produced my first album, In The Breeze. The music is Celtic inspired with three of the eleven songs being original pieces based on my poetry.
I am also a volunteer Director for a wildlife rehab center called Procyon Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre located in Beeton, Ontario, Canada.
I don’t have a set writing schedule, but I do write whenever I can. I am grateful for technology. With my work saved on the cloud, I can easily switch to writing on any of my devices. If I’m at my office, I can easily work on my desktop, but if I have an inspirational idea, I can also write on my phone and my iPad, I love the flexibility of being able to write wherever I can.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I don’t know if it’s a quirk as I think many authors probably do this. When I start writing, it’s rather obsessive. I forget all sense of time. One day, I wrote 5,500 words. My husband, Peter, took one look at me and said, “You look pale. Did you even remember to eat today?” Of course, I hadn’t!
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A veterinarian. When I got to university, I realized that I did not have an aptitude for the sciences. Organic chemistry in particular was quite difficult for me. In my second year, I switched to management economics, which was much more suited to my personality. I thrived studying the economics and business courses, and they provided an excellent background for me, in my career as a businesswoman.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Being in business, I sacrificed the artistic side of my personality for many years. Although I did write poetry, following my dreams of writing, and producing a music album were put to the side. After we sold the company 11 years ago, I turned my interest toward my music and writing. I also wanted to contribute to society, which is why I volunteer with the wildlife rehabilitation center.
What I’d like to share with the readers is, don’t sacrifice your artistic nature. It needs to be nurtured, for within these endeavors rests the future of our soul, our humanity.
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