Life & Work with MS (Samantha) Chambers

Today we’d like to introduce you to MS (Samantha) Chambers.

Hi, MS (Samantha); so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story is not about me alone. It is about so much more than myself. I say this because it began when I was just a child. My mother was also a writer, and though she never published, her incredible works and obsession with books were the beginning of what inspired my deep love of reading and my drive to write.

It was so important to me that I wanted to instill in my children the same love and admiration for books and writing that my mother and I had. I succeeded in that endeavor. My beautiful girls love books, are avid readers, and write, along with so many other amazing talents. They are instilling that same love in their kids, my 5 incredible grandchildren, which makes me so happy.

My daughters have played an integral part in the process of my becoming a published author as well. They have worked tirelessly for endless hours on these novels, and I truly couldn’t have done it without them! Mirrissa, my youngest, is my editor and is brilliant! Beverly, my oldest, is my cover artist. Her amazing creativity is beyond imagination! My girls also have their own small businesses, “Entangled Elements” and “Bits and Bobs by Beverly.” They and I partner with my incredible niece, Kassidy Morrow, with “Krafting Eclectic.” I couldn’t be prouder! You can find all of us on social media and at https://www.kraftingeclectic.com/.

I’ve written 3 books in full now and have begun several more. Pearls of the Sea, Book One of “The Sisters of the Moon Trilogy,” was published in December 2022. Book Two, Blood of the Moon, will release this June, and Book 3, Ashes of Oak, is scheduled for October. Though my dream is to be with one of the “Big 5” Publishers, finding an agent and getting a foot in the door is very difficult, so I self-published. It’s a start, but my goals are vast, and so is my mind. I can’t begin to tell you how many ideas are swirling around in there for books. So many that I have a list. That is part of the process. It’s vital to write everything down, no matter how little or big the thought is. Then I take those notes and mold them into a storyboard, forming the characters, the setting, the plot, the conflict, and the resolution. Now, those all transform as I go, sometimes wholly changing as the story unfolds. You see, as a writer, sometimes our stories take turns that we didn’t even see coming. That’s the amazing part about it! We’re on the same adventure while writing that you are on as you’re reading. It’s so exciting!

You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been fairly smooth?
I had my daughters at a young age. I strived to be a good mother and told myself they would be my whole world, and I would do whatever it took to be as good a mother as my own. We were lucky that my mother could be with the girls as much as I, and in turn, it was a tremendous blessing as the girls and she had the same incredible relationship as she and I did. I have that same relationship with my daughters. They are more than my children; they are my best friends, support system, heart and soul, and my “Sisters of the Moon”. Sadly, through the years, my mother became more and more ill. I cared for her, striving to provide a loving and comfortable life. My mother and I were extremely close, not only mother and daughter, but best friends, confidantes, and a team. We were never apart until she passed at the much too early age of 57 in 2011. That loss was excruciating for my daughters and me, and it took us a long time to accept. We still miss her daily but seek to be the same kind, loving, selflessly giving, and nurturing woman she was. She touched the lives of all she knew in such a way that even the angels must envy.

I devoted my life to caring for her and raising my children first and foremost; it has been the most beautiful, meaningful, and rewarding job of my life. Still, I promised myself I would finally achieve my dream of writing a book after my children were grown. It happened over time and certainly not without struggle.

This trilogy encompasses some of my life’s most treasured moments, places, and people. Many of my loved ones are represented in them. They were inspired in every way by my daughters and my mother and her memory; may she rest in peace. She is represented in several of the characters as well. It’s just a story. A story of life and death. A story of struggles and achievements, heartache and love, family, adventures, and magic.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My professional career has been an exciting road. I went to college for psychology and sociology and became a psych nurse for many years, raising my daughters and caring for my mother until she passed. I’ve owned and operated a party planning business and done interior and furniture set design. I left the medical field in 2011 and work full-time for Zillow as a Senior Admin Appointment Center Specialist. Most importantly, I am a full-time Author. Having the time to focus on writing is a challenge. I’ve been very blessed to have a patient and understanding partner in my devotion to being a writer. Alex is a tech genius and my website designer, and together, we have been taking care of his 90-year-old father as well. Sadly, we just lost him in the middle of May. It has been a heart-wrenching adjustment without him. He will truly be missed. As you can see, it takes a village. Having my family’s love, support, and help has given me the assistance to succeed and the will to follow my dreams and keep creating. Do what you love, and love what you do.

Though I don’t want to give too much away, I talk about three sisters and their lives as we journey through Pearls of the Sea and the other two upcoming books. We experience their struggles while they try to make a living doing what they love! Writing, crafting, making art, building, growing, and sharing those abilities with others while being wives and mothers. There are so many amazing artists in every form, trying to make a living and a future for themselves. Life is hard enough working a job, raising children, paying the bills, and surviving. Those with the heart and drive to try and make their small business dreams a reality struggle just as hard. We must build and support each other by sharing small businesses and their exceptional artistic talents! I do this daily!

What am I most proud of, you ask. The answer is, raising my daughters to be incredible women and writing these books. When I began my writing journey, I wanted to feel, see, and experience things I loved and always wanted to do. I wanted to paint a vivid and beautiful picture for my readers so they may experience how I see and feel it in my mind’s eye and heart. It took more research than you could imagine, but every piece of learning I did was so fantastic! And as my fingers typed the words, I was truly left with the feeling of actually being there, experiencing the things I wrote about. It was glorious! But I also felt my characters’ pain, and the heart-wrenching losses they suffer, because I have suffered them myself. You will feel like you have experienced our characters’ adventures throughout these stories. I hope that you’ll come to love them as I do.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was a child of the 80s. I’ve always loved music, movies, arts, sports, and books. I could read long before other children my age. My mom read to me every night and taught me to read long before school did. She explained the words in such ways that I could understand and followed up with pictures, stories, and information that clarified their meanings for me. I was diving into books far past my age group and felt inspired by everyone. The stories, the characters, the places, and the use and flow of the words, were mesmerizing. Every book was an adventure to faraway places, walking in someone else’s shoes, a mystery to be solved, and so much more. I could be found under a tree with a book in my hands every chance I got. I wrote short stories and poems constantly and read everything I could get my hands on. Going to the library was my favorite outing, and I took on every reading and writing challenge I could. Throughout my school days, I entered many contests and even won some. I was filled with intellect and curiosity and interested in everything and everyone. I’m a people person and have always understood the ways of the mind and heart. I embrace differences with open arms. That’s what makes us all so wonderfully unique!

Our family originated from France and Canada, then the US, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia areas, before moving to the Northwest states. We also proudly have Native American heritage. That broad spectrum gave me a great deal of diversity. I was raised in a highly family-oriented setting with many amazing traditions and beliefs. Some of my family were of the Christian doctrine, and my mother was Wiccan, with strong ties to sacred Native American beliefs. I was given the right to choose and follow whatever path I felt was my calling. I decided on one of goodness; of nature and spirituality. I honor and embrace all living things and believe that everything is connected. Magic is all around us in every way, and nature is my church.

Though my mother was the only parent in my life, that didn’t stop her from being and teaching me to be a hard-working survivor. I grew up with a mom who could work on cars, build things, cook up a storm, set up a camp, and do everything herself. She could also decorate, craft, write, and be the beautiful, strong woman anyone could look up to. And I did so much. She was the blueprint in my eyes. Creativity and individualism were nurtured in every way. As I grew up, I was encouraged to be anything and everything I wanted. And so I have.

Life is an exciting journey, with weaving winding paths and adventures you can’t imagine. We are but characters in this book of life, and each of those paths we take, and our experiences, are the chapters. There’s always someone who can relate to your story, no matter what it is. Reaching the right readers is the hard part. I would classify this trilogy as fantasy fiction, but romance, mystery, history, tradition, and the path to self-discovery are within.

I will always be content with my dreams and continue to pursue them. Ultimately, it’s truly what we leave behind, the lives we touched and the stories we told. That is our legacy. Join me on my journey, won’t you? It’s sure to be a grand adventure!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mschambersauthor.com, https://www.kraftingeclectic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mschambersauthor
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087176125771
• Other: https://a.co/d/7YA34bE https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23302109.M_S_Chambers

Image Credits
Missy Alexander