Grumpy-sunshine romance and ghostly mystery collide in a community theater
Vintage fashionista Marcy Alexander reluctantly agrees to costume a community theater play and ends up with more drama than one girl can handle. While revitalizing her squelched artistic desires, she must harness her aura-reading ability to untangle a ghostly mystery from 1966.
After losing a bet with his prankster buddies, director Mike Figueroa’s main goal is to bring off the best show possible. The artsy, fill-in costumer provides more hindrance than help as he’s both drawn to and annoyed by her.
Dogged by a persistent ghost, and an ailing mom who urges her to finally pursue her dream career, Marcy needs to solve the mystery from the past before she can figure out the riddles of her own heart.
Sandra L. Young’s appreciation for vintage clothing inspired her to write a series of three cross-genre novels, heavy on the romance, historical mystery, and ghostly sizzle. Her debut, Divine Vintage, published in 2022, followed by Divinely Dramatic and wrapping with The Ghostly Diva in fall 2024. She’s had a blast wearing pieces from her extensive vintage collection for signings, podcasts, and other presentations. For readers outside Northwest Indiana, she’d be happy to zoom in for book clubs. Just reach out through her web site at SandraYoungAuthor.com. And for the multitude of readers who have left reviews, she extends heartfelt thanks. The kind words inspire her to keep sharing her quirky genre-mix novels. Stay tuned for Justine’s story to wrap the trilogy!
Avis: Welcome to another Your Next Favorite Author interview! Today Sandy L. Young is back with another novel, Divinely Vintage, that released on February 5, 2024, a paranormal/mystery/romance that blends genres with beautiful ease! Welcome back Sandy! I can’t wait to talk to you about your work!. 😊
Our first question has to do with, what else, writing!
If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?
Sandy: If I had a do-over, I’d keep writing nonstop. Writing fell to the side years ago when I immersed in my career path and started performing in community theater. I’d sometimes do five shows in a year, which didn’t leave much time for other pursuits! If I had written a book and published earlier, I perhaps could have gotten more foothold with my writing. I definitely could have put out more books and mastered the craft earlier. Though I do have two publishing within a few months in 2024! And this one wraps around that love of theater.
Avis: Good advice, and one that many writers can relate to, dealing with the day job! Although your day as an actor sounds pretty great and what insight that must have given you for Divnley Dramatic!
Our next question is:
What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
Sandy: The great thing about writing today is the connectivity. Through email, zoom, Facebook groups, and social media, we have loads of opportunities to find like-minded scribes. To improve my writing, I’m in an international critique group. The comments always improve my work. I love having author friends around the world, and sometimes I’ve gotten to meet a few in person at conferences or when we are traveling to their area. Recently I became a “Tour Guide” for Bookish Road Trip, which is a group of authors with a dynamic Facebook presence focusing on reading, writing, and travel. Avis, you and I are part of a strong, supportive group of 2022 debuts at our press who bonded through an email chain. Writing is a challenging, difficult journey, and it’s so much better when you surround yourself with others, to share and learn from them.
Avis: It’s so important to find your tribe! That group of folks that speak the same language as you! I love our Debut22 group, Sandy, and I’ve learned so much from all you gifted and talented writers, especially about marketing and promoting books! Our connections as writer’s supports us in this solitary venture of writng. 😊
Our next question will have an interesting reponse now that you have several books out (or soon to be!)
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
Sandy: My current series is connected, but all three stand alone, focusing on different characters introduced in Divine Vintage. In that 2022 debut, we set the stage with Tess Burton, a vintage boutique owner who channels a century-old murder mystery and sets out to untangle it with the help of the hunky descendant of the accused murderer. Her shop assistant, Marcy, is in the spotlight in Divinely Dramatic, when she leaps out of her artsy comfort zone to costume a community theater show – uncovering ghostly mystery and romance along the way. The series wraps with their friend, Justine, who is pushed out of her rut by the threat to her museum job and a persistent ghost who nudges her to help her moody son look for the “famous” father she kept secret. After these three wrap in 2024, I’m pitching a truth-based historical fiction. So I’ll swing from mixed-genre to definitive histfic!
Avis: Having read two of your novels, I can say they do stand by themselves well, but they also complement each other so well, so why not read them both! I can’t wait for the release of third novel later this year!
I’m so glad to hear about your writing successes, Sandy, and I hope readers will scroll down for a review of Divinely Dramatic. Readers will be captivated by your world building and relatable characters that leap off the page.
Please find links to purchase any of Sandy’s wonderful books below, as well as links to her website and her social media platforms. Reach out and say hello! Author’s love that. 😊
Sandy’s Social and Buy Links:
Divinely Dramatic (Divine Vintage) eBook : Young, Sandra L. : Amazon.ca: Kindle Store
Divinely Dramatic (Divine Vintage Series, #2) by Sandra L. Young | Goodreads
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sandra-l-young
www.facebook.com/sandra.gleim.50/
https://www.instagram.com/sandrayoung_author
https://www.threads.com/sandrayoung_author
Sandy’s website: https://sandrayoungauthor.com/
Review by Avis M. Adams
Sandy Young’s recent release Divinely Dramatic submerges us into the world of local theater, vintage clothes, and ghostly mystery. As in her previous works, we meet departed souls with unfinished business, and this time only Marcy can help this one.
Young introduces Marcy Alexander, who has become the costume designer for a play by Oscar Wilde at a local theater. The unearthing of a tragic death in the theater keeps the tension high as Young brings her own expertise with vintage clothing and theater to her unique and interesting world building.
The Importance of Being Ernest requires period dress, and Marcy brings her experience of working in a vintage clothing store and her artistic talents to the fore to help her as she fills in for her friend Justine the Vintage shop owner and regular costume designer who is called out of town suddenly. Marcy becomes emersed in unfamiliar territory with a moody director, a first-time costuming gig, and a mysterious glowing light in the theater attic.
Young gives Marcy an ability to see people’s auras, and along with Justine and Tess, they help the spirits of departed souls pass over. Marcy can locate a spirit trapped in the world of the living, but she needs her friends help to solve the mystery of the light before she loses her mind or the whole cast thinks she’s crazy.
Marcy takes care of her mother who grows more disabled by Rheumatoid arthritis, but her mother pushes Marcy to pursue her talents and resume her graduate studies in art. She wants Marcy to achieve her dream of becoming a children’s book writer/illustrator, but Marcy balks at leaving her mother.
Young develops a multi-layered plot by introducing an attraction between Marcy and Mike, the grumpy but very hot director. Chase, a cast member, serves as a distraction as she watches Mike get bulldozed by his beautiful by self-centered girlfriend Tara. Being director of a play because he lost a bet to his golfing buddies does not sit well with Tara who wants his time and attention, but when she meets Marcy, her claws distend.
To make matters more interesting, the play chosen by his golf buddies hasn’t been performed in over fifty years because during the last performance a female lead is killed in freak accident. Marcy sees a glow in the costume room and knows there’s a spirit there, and possibly a connection to the fifty-year old accident. Marcy does some research and uncovers Ellen’s story.
Despite the tragic and untimely death of Ellen, Young creates a delightful romp through the production of Wilde’s play. The director’s attraction to Marcy, while trying to handle his high maintenance girlfriend, Young unravels a complicated and multilayered plot with more twists and turns than a red-vine Twizzler.
Young’s Divinely Dramatic will please fans of Ghost Whisperer, paranormal/romance, and women’s fiction. Her protagonist Marcy will steal your heart, and Mike, the director, will steam your glasses. Young’s work explores the pain of holding secrets, and the fear of being different and deftly weaves her subplots into a tight bow of reading satisfaction. Five-stars.
Avis M. Adams 