When Angels Fly by S. Jackson and A. Raymond

2/24/2025

Authors S. Jackson and A. Raymond introduce us to When Angels Fly:
We often find ourselves daydreaming about what our futures will be like. This may be especially true if one lives in an environment most would consider less than desirable. Some are lucky to find their futures much like their childhood dreams. Others find the paths to their dreams strewn with hurdles.
Growing up, Sarah dodged her mother’s blows. She often hid in her room crying about her life. Still, she believes in her future and the happiness it can bring. In their book When Angels Fly, authors S. Jackson and A. Raymond tell Sarah’s story--their stories. The authors use their journals to describe Sarah’s experiences of family dysfunction, strength, courage, faith, abuse, grief, and so much more. You’ll read how, like many, she attempts to escape from her mother’s abuse through marriage. And like many, she learns it is not a viable alternative. Then Sarah experiences a parent’s ultimate tragedy twice, the deaths of her sons, Joshua and Eli.
When Angels Fly is about much more than the telling of a family’s tragedy. It is also the story of finding faith after it has wavered. Most of all, it’s a story of love lost and found.

This is a powerful and moving story! I laughed a few times, got angry more than once, cringed a lot, and my eyes got sweaty quite a few times. The medical knowledge displayed is obviously from someone who is an insider, yet it is not overwhelming. The structure of a diary or journal is a little unusual, yet it adds a framework that is ultimately helpful to the reader.
I award 5 stars to When Angels Fly.

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/When-Angels-Fly-S-Jackson-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-when-angels-fly
https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Angels-Fly-S-Jackson-ebook

You can follow the author:
https://x.com/MaryLSchmidt
https://whenangelsfly.net
https://www.facebook.com/mary.schmidt.50/
https://www.instagram.com/mschmidtphotography/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/-Mary-Schmidt
https://www.threads.net/@mschmidtphotography
https://www.deviantart.com/mschmidtartwork
https://www.pinterest.com/marylschmidt/

Mary has the largest book board in the world on Pinterest. 210,161 covers as of this moment in February 2025: https://www.pinterest.com/marylschmidt/books-worth-reading/

I have reviewed another book by the author: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/her-alibi

Cancer, childhood cancer, oncology, faith, spirituality, Christian faith, domestic abuse, death, memoir, inspirational

Copyright © 2025, 2017 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction

42 Comments

Mary L Schmidt link

2/24/2025 12:46:10 pm

Thank you for the review.

Mark

2/24/2025 12:46:34 pm

You're welcome, Mary. I enjoyed the memoir. I hope that came through in my review.

A note to our visitors.
This interview is a continuation of the interview we started in the promotion of Her Alibi. The link to that promotion is just above.

First questions.

Have you done any public speaking?

If so, will you be doing more in the future?

Mary M Schmidt link

2/24/2025 12:47:46 pm

Have you done any public speaking?

Yes, I have. I've done podcasts, radio shows and television shows in the past as well as in person appearances.

If so, will you be doing more in the future?

I'm actually scheduled throughout 2025.

2/24/2025 12:53:25 pm

I hope you enjoy your public speaking engagements. I think you probably do otherwise you wouldn't be doing them. So many authors shy away from speaking in public. I enjoy sharing with others about something I know a lot about. That is the secret to enjoying public speaking. Talk only about things that you know a lot about. No one knows more about a book than the author. Readers love attending events where authors are speaking. Those events are a great way to boost sales and exposure.

New questions.

Among present or past family members and friends how many are or have been writers or authors?

Is there anyone you know who might claim you as their inspiration for writing?

Mary M. Schmidt link

2/24/2025 07:46:55 pm

Only one aunt that I know of. She was a great poet and writer.

Due to the nature of my book, my boys, my mother, my siblings, no one but me has written about past events or written any fiction.

Willa Finnegan claims me for inspiring her to write. She lives on my block and is age 13. She just had her first book published and has done two signings so far. The sheer number of books I've written inspired her. She'd started that book at age 11. She's a bit of a gifted child. Willa R. Finnegan wrote "Snow: Cursed".

Catherine link

2/25/2025 11:25:50 am

Mary, this is so heartwarming. Having a young 13 year old to be inspired not only by you, but to also acknowledge her inspiration at such a young age. She sounds like a beautiful person inside and out. I look forward to seeing her move forward with her writings.

2/25/2025 12:00:42 pm

It is very heartwarming, Catherine. Thank you for dropping by.

2/25/2025 05:09:45 pm

Willa is very precious to me. She is like a granddaughter to me.

2/24/2025 07:54:04 pm

Poetry and writing are two different means to express thoughts and feelings. Poetry always surprises me by the emotions that are brought to the surface.

Your neighbor, Willa, sounds like a delightful child. It's wonderful that she is getting an early start on a writing career. I bet you feel quite blessed having her in your life.

New question.

I noticed that your book is not in Kindle Unlimited. Is there a reason for that?

2/25/2025 07:46:25 am

Willa is rather remarkable. Special for sure. I would like to add a blog post link to an interview that I did with her. Willa is my bonus granddaughter. Family is not blood only to me. Family are those who you choose to have in your life and you connect with. So Willa, and her mom and dad are family.

https://whenangelsfly.net/2024/12/08/meet-willa-r-finnegan/

Correct, none of my books are on Kindle Unlimited. None of my books are published through Amazon. Two are with a traditional publisher and the rest are through my own production company, M. Schmidt Productions via Lightning Source. I buy blocks of ISBNs. Lightning Source doesn't allow for KU nor my publisher. They do allow free days so I use them now and then.

2/25/2025 10:03:05 am

I do agree with you about families. We don't get to choose the family we are born in, but we can choose others to be part of our family.

Thanks for sharing the link. It is copy-and-paste time for any that want to view the interview.

You are smart to buy ISBNs in a block, the price is so much cheaper, I have heard. Amazon assigns their own book number which prevents most authors from leaving the Amazon environment. Books with only an ASBN cannot be sold in bookstores or most other sales platforms.

New questions.

What is your favorite food and beverage?

Have you ever gone through the query process?

Were you seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers and why did you choose that path?

2/25/2025 11:25:59 am

What is your favorite food and beverage?

Easy... chocolate and Espresso. A hot Grande Americano with three ice cubes and I'm good at a coffee shop. A warm croissant adds a bit of goodness to the espresso.

I've actually never queried ever. I suppose that make me more unique than most.

I imagine that it is tough when one is starting out. New writers have a lot to learn before they should query. They need great editing and great hooks before they query.

My first book, When Angels Fly, was traditionally published. I'd designed the cover and all of that. I also took my book back a year later and gave the cover the one you see above with my son painted on it. That book and "Sammy: Hero at Age Five" are traditionally published. I'd become friends with my publisher through mutuals.

All ofther books are published under my own imprint, M. Schmidt Productions. As for agents, I do have one and we do speak about projects all the time.

2/25/2025 12:10:08 pm

We do love our coffee! I cold-brew my coffee at home and I drink it hot. The cold-brewing process eliminates most of the acids and oils in the coffee making it soft on the tongue and easy on the tummy.

I love croissants! I didn't realize how labor intensive a good croissant is. My wife took a class at a French bakery and it was eye-opening! The dough has to folded dozens of times and lots of butter!

Querying is very hard because publishers cannot afford a flop as their profit margin is so slim. Most of them are one failure away from shutting down. Agents who serve those publishers know this very well.

New question.

You mentioned you were able to get the intellectual property rights to your book back in the first year.

What condition in the contract provided for the return of your IP rights?

2/25/2025 05:23:36 pm

Due to some horrible things they did to me and my book, I forced them to give it back to me or they could deal with the Better Business Bureau. I got my book. Amazon was not involved. It was my ex publisher. Due to the nature of what they did, they failed my contract. This is not a good subject for me to discuss.

That said, I want to help those on Amazon and want better such as Ingram Spark.

I'm here now stating that you don't legally have to wait a year before you can republish your book. Let them keep iut for a year. All you need to do is give it a new ISBN or two, update the cover a bit, and on the information page add in "Second Edition and date". On the cover, you could simply add "Second Edition" in small text and then you go with it. Nothing Amazon can do. Then you can publish world-wide!

2/26/2025 09:21:16 am

Thank you for the information. There are many authors who have gotten tangled up with a publisher that didn't fulfill the contract. It sounds like practical advice.

New questions.

How did you find Lightning Source?

Would you like to share their link or X handle?

Mary L. Schmidt link

2/26/2025 11:27:47 am

I don't remember exactly how I found them since it has been so long now and I use them exclusively.

For newer authors, use IngramSpark. The concept is easy to follow and you have control over everything.

The link is: https://www.ingramspark.com/

Lightning Source is not for authors. Lightning Source is designed to be a resource for publishers, providing printing and distribution services for them. Publishers maintain all rights to their titles and pay author royalties.

Now that you see the difference between them, Lightning Source does own IngramSpark, so the best way forward is IngramSpark.

2/26/2025 12:36:54 pm

Thank you for that information. IngramSpark sounds every useful and many authors can benefit from it.

New question.

How do you think your book compares to a book published by a major publisher?

2/26/2025 03:40:57 pm

In all honesty, the galley content would be the same or comparable, and the cover is digitally painted of my son which takes this book up a notch.

That stated, those with major publishers automatically find their books up in charts, even before actually coming out. Take "Spare" for instance. Even before the ebook version came out, it was ranked number one.

I don't get the big paycheck, but I can tell you that my newest book released as number one in a genre before a single copy sold.

This is for whole different question.

2/26/2025 04:21:52 pm

The buzz around a new book can jack it up in the ratings because the major bookstores will order more copies than normal before the official release date. The publishers also downplay the ebook as much as they can, refusing to release it at the same time as the hardcover and pricing the ebook almost as much as the hard copy. They want to sell as many hard copies as they can to recoup their investment.

Yes, you don't get an advance because you are your own publisher/imprint. Whenever a traditional publisher hands out an advance it must be repaid through sales before the author sees a single royalty. With creative accounting and a skewed contract, the author may not see a dime for years.

Congratulations on that number one ranking. I wonder how they figured that without any sales.

New question.

Have you ever seen a ghost or had some other type of supernatural experience?

2/26/2025 07:57:38 pm

Yes, Mark. The buzz around a new book is advantageous. That is the model used by publishers. Release the hard bound and softcover first, then finally the ebook at a rate much higher than normal.

They want to sell as many hard copies as they can to recoup their investment.

That is true about advances received. Not everyone is Harry Sussex or Ms. Rowling.

Thank you about my new release, Shadow. I was hoping we would delve into this part much more. I can tell you how to do it. It's not the first time I've done this upon release with no presales. Maybe next question? You wonder? I know how. I will also do it when "Clover" releases.

I don't consider anything to be a ghost.

But, the next parts truly happened.

One, I was at work at night on a mother baby unit with a NICU attached at a hospital in Denver. Oftentimes, a misty black see-through image would float down the hall. Story goes a mother died without ever seeing her baby. I have seen this on this unit many times.

Two, a young woman was on a trauma unit and she was brain dead. The family came in and made their goodbyes. This woman did not have a single scratch on her, but her neck was jerked in an accident. She walks the halls of that unit in the same manner.

Three, after "Her Alibi" came out, I had an experience. I was in my recliner with my head covered visiting with Jesus. I felt my foot be nudged like my husband letting me know he was leaving. Then I thought...he knows NOT to do this when I'm spending time with Jesus. Then my foot was nudged again. I threw off my covering and saw or heard NO ONE! But, I had a huge wave of knowing it was my step-dad letting me know he was glad his story was out and that his children could receive some closure finaly on his death 40 years after his death. That Thanksgiving, I was talking to my step-brother, and I told him what had happened. He grabbed me in the biggest bear hug ever! He'd waited 40 years for closure.

How about four? "When Angels Fly" had been out for four years and some locals gave me crud about putting out family business. A dear friend from highschool and I would message about it. She'd been doing transatlantic flights for the company she worked for. One evening she dropped dead in front of her husband when she got up from a chair to eat dinner. There was no way to save her. She'd had a "saddle" blood clot that lodged at the bifurcation (top of both lungs) of the pulmonary artery, blocking blood flow to both lungs. I found out the next morning and I was rather distressed all day long and into the night. The next morning, I felt my quilt tugging my foot as someone sat down on my bed. I thought it was my husband. I looked and no one was there. BUT, there was an indentation of someone sitting on my bed! Then I felt a deep sense of it being my friend, Carola, and she was letting me know my boys in heaven were fine. Then she was gone. She did this without spoken words. It was like she had a few things to wrap up before staying in heaven.

I don't know if ghosts exist or not. I do know that a spirit can reach us is we need it, and by doing it without being seen or hearing verbal words.

2/26/2025 08:00:03 pm

Those are creepy stories. Thanks for sharing them.

Please tell us more about how you gain a top ranking for a book that hasn't been released yet.

2/27/2025 11:03:18 am

Oh Mark, they really are not creepy stories. My stepdad and my girlfriend both knew they needed me to know a message. The ones in the hospital are not really creepy, they are sad to me. Their souls just can't move on. I wish they would move on.

You have two choices when publishing a book. One, you can go wide on your Book Industry Standards and Communications (BISAC) codes and you should have three. The THEMA codes of at least two should be listed and filing in the best keywords and key phrases as you can. Make them good and unique. Then you can publish or do a preorder for X amount of time before release. For indie authors, this rarely works out for the best.

I find that if you do it my way, you hit number one before release, and I will tell you how that is done. Keep in mind I've had a decade to figure this out. I know the categories really well. I will use Shadow as an example.

My BISAC codes are narrow and specific. For Shadow, I chose narrow codes of: JUVENILE NONFICTION/Animals/Pets,
JUVENILE NONFICTION/Health & Daily Living/Mental Health, and
JUVENILE NONFICTION/Social Topics/Emotions & Feelings. These are narrowed down but this is not enough. Two more steps are critical.

Your THEMA subjects must be correct and specific for your book. My THEMA subjects are Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Death and grief, Children’s / Teenage: Social issues / topics, and Child developmental and lifespan psychology plus I qualified those with for primary education and content adapted or suitable for reluctant or struggling readers (children/teenagers).

Last are key words and phrases. Do all that you can. My key words and phrases for this book are: PETS;Dogs;PSYCHOLOGY;Grief &Loss;JUVENILE NON-FICTION;Social Topics;Death;Grief;Bereavement;pet loss;coping;hugs;love;learn about loss;learn to cope.

I took much of that right out of the synopsis: Shadow is a children's picture story about the death/loss of a pet dog named Shadow, and how it affects both children and adults. Emphasis is how it affects a child or children as this is often the first time they learn about death, the death of a dear pet is palpable, and how to help a child or children cope. Grief is real and it is hard for children to cope as they have nothing in which to compare this new loss, thus the focus is on how it affects children and how to help them cope using strategies such as talking about the loss, drawing pictures of their pet, lots of hugs and love, and possibly plant a new tree or flower in memory of the lost pet. This story helps children know that grief is normal, and they are not alone in the dealing with and healing process of this type of grief. In the back section of the story are parental tips on knowing how to help your child and yourself. Learning about grief and/or pet loss is essential for social development in all children. Children are better able to understand the grief process when the time comes for a relative to pass away. This concept and principles can be taught at an early age in situations where a child's best friend has a pet pass away or a family member.

Plus, I used parts of my short description: Learning about grief and/or pet loss is essential for social development in all children. Children are better able to understand when family pass away.

Choosing the right things almost ensures that the metadata, which is all I wrote above, the metadata will drive a book to number one without a sale. Be specific. Make your book a number one hot new release on Amazon simply due to the metadata you provide. It stays number one long enough to sell books. Shadow was number one for an entire week!

Any questions?

2/27/2025 06:04:23 pm

Thank you for all the details. I am sure our visitors will benefit from your instructions.

I have heard that Amazon changes the algorithms and categories frequently so what works today may not work tomorrow.

Here is a copy-and-paste link that might shed further light on this subject. There is likely an update also.
How to Change Your Kindle Keywords, by Dave Chesson
https://annerallen.com/2020/09/how-to-change-your-kindle-keywords-by-dave-chesson

New question.

There are many unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable in your mind?

2/28/2025 08:42:30 am

Amazon does do that. Sometimes I do tweak my metadata.

That's a loaded question since there are so many. I guess I will go with plagiarism as that is something I dislike. I would never dream of doing this to someone else. I will never use AI in my writing. I mean, I'm closing in on my 60th book. I have so many ideas and a lot of creativity. If a person should use AI for writing, I think that plagiarism due to the nature of AI would be rampant at some point.

Publishers who use deceptive or questionable processes to profit from one's book is a problem.

2/28/2025 08:51:53 am

As far as Amazon goes, it does bear frequent, if not constant, watching.

Plagiarism is awful, no question about that.

Not long ago, Amazon restricted authors to no more than three book uploads in one day. The only way someone can upload a book a day is if AI is doing all of the writing. Amazon also requires authors to disclose if AI was used in writing the book. I wonder how many authors are actually disclosing this in their book. I have seen some covers that definitely looked created by AI, but I don't think that is what Amazon is talking about.

Shady language in a long contract and creative accounting can lead to an author not receiving the royalties due to them.

New questions

Is there a book that causes strong emotions to come up no matter how many times you read it?

Do you ever read a book more than once? If so, which one?

3/1/2025 09:39:11 am

Mark, I'm different than I guess. I simply don't watch Amazon or mess with KU since I can't use KU due to being published traditionally or through my own company, M. Schmidt Productions. I prefer reading, writing, and illustrating to the heck with Amazon.

Plagiarism will be rampant with AI.

I have nothing to say about what Amazon does in relation to the number of books uploaded in one day. I publish with them. Your points do help out other writers who do use them.

AI writing and creative writing look vastly different.

Five of my own books do that and they always will. I read a lot of books each year, more than 34 this year and today is March 1st. On long trips, having those electronic books is awesome. Many books touch me deeply and those are memoirs.

As a child, I've read Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames, and Little House on the Prairie books many times over. I could hide in my room and read.

I always think about those who are illiterate in the world. In nursing, if I made new signage for any reason, or something similar, two syllables was, and is, the max to use. Someday, I hope everyone in the world can read and write.

3/1/2025 09:46:11 am

You read a lot more than I do. I spend several hours a day proofreading.

Ebooks and readers are wonderful and so portable. I love my Kindle. Over several moves I gave up most of my library. Most of my books are in my Kindle. Many I haven't read yet.

I spent a lot of time reading in my room also but for different reasons.

Thanks for mentioning the struggle illiterate people have. I like your solution.

New question.

Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?

3/1/2025 10:06:12 am

Not only do I have favorite authors, but I have favorite genres! Romance is a love of mine, and I'm comfortable with contemporary. Victorian, Edwardian, Middle Ages, heavy accent or brogue. I know the slang.

Mystery and thrillers are books I love as well. Time travel, SciFi, Paranormal, Memoirs, and more. I love them all.

I have no one favorite author, but I do have one favorite book: my Bible.

3/1/2025 12:46:35 pm

You do read widely, that is wonderful you will never run out of reading material.

We like many of the same genres, also. My favorites are sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction and cozy mysteries. I do like other genres but these are the top four, in order.

I share a love for the Holy Bible also.

New questions.

Has a book ever changed your mind about any particular topic?

Can you read a book for the pleasure of reading or do you find yourself analyzing everything you read now?

3/1/2025 07:05:08 pm

Books don't change my mind, exactly. Books give me more data, more information, more to ponder, and more ways to think about things.

From that data, I might change my mind, hard to say, as textbooks and doctoral thesis papers and such do change my mind for the better in learning more on the medical side of things, but never one single topic.

I can read for pleasure, yes, but I can find every single error it contains. Funny it happens that way. Yet in my memoirs, I have lived the traumas so much, I can never see them with fresh eyes.

3/1/2025 07:12:55 pm

When it comes to spelling, the errors jump off the page at me. I don't think I can out read the spelling errors. When I slow my reading speed other errors appear also. I didn't realize that trauma could affect a person in that way.

New question.

If you could ask every person, who has read one of your books, only one question what would you ask them?

3/2/2025 08:32:16 am

Traumas cause PTSD. That PTSD is for life. I have five memoirs and reading them is traumatic in that I relive every page and having read and lived it more times than anyone else, I can't edit them. Do you understand now?

If one writes a travel memoir, or other non traumatic memoir, then that is different and editable.

Did my book impact you in any way, did it shape your images, did it help you?

3/2/2025 09:34:31 am

I do understand about the lasting effects of trauma and PTSD, thank you.

That is a good question. Similar to the answers of many other authors.

New question.

Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired?

3/2/2025 09:47:29 am

Writing about true, yet bad experiences in a memoir can be partially healing in many ways. Getting the words down is a healing action. One can take ownership of that action. They are my truths. They are my stories. One must have an outlet for all this kind of angst and trauma. It can't stay simmering or boiling around inside. I'm sure you remember the healing for not only myself, but my step-brothers and their father who was shot. Closure is vital. For my memoirs and screenplay, I felt relief. The books were finally done.

My other books are for fun and my own creativity. Energizing? For sure!

3/2/2025 02:35:36 pm

Thank you for explaining that. You made it clear and there are many visitors to our chat, some who will benefit from reading that.

New question.

Since a copyright in America lasts for 75 years after the author's passing, do you have a plan for all of your books and the royalties in your will?

3/2/2025 02:45:25 pm

No I do not at this time. They are included in a trust for my son.

3/2/2025 04:10:03 pm

That sounds like a good plan for your son. A trust is important in many ways.

New question.

Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?

3/3/2025 08:09:53 am

If a writer taps into a characters emotions and feelings, happy or fearuful, the list is endless, if they can do this, only then will those characters come to life and make for a great book. Show the fear. Show the love. Show the joking. Don't tell. Immerse yourself into your characters.

Another way to look at it is think of a movie. Think of the thespians who immerse themselves into a role. They win Oscars and other awards.

Think of stars who fail to bring that character to life. Those are B movies or spaghetti westerns and the like.

3/3/2025 09:28:08 am

You said that very well. I have heard many answers to that question. One author told me recently that she gives her characters flaws, but she keeps one flaw secret from the readers. I imagine that introduces a note of unpredictability in those characters and that makes them even more relatable to the readers.

New question.

What reality show, current or not, would you like to be on?

3/3/2025 01:38:47 pm

All of my characters have multiple flaws as well. That makes them human.

I have no desire to be on any reality show. I have more than enough drama in real life.

I would like to be interviewed and discuss child loss and how to advocate for your child in the hospital without alienating the staff caring for your child. How to do some of those cares for your child, be involved in the care.

I'd discuss other subjects such as bullying and child molesting and I'd give/provide pointers to monitor so awareness reaches morwe people and in turn, help more children.

3/3/2025 02:23:21 pm

Those are good ideas about children. I hope you can find an appropriate forum that will accommodate you. You have a lot of knowledge to share.

Thank you again for hiring me to help promote your books, Mary. Your writing never fails to impress me.

It has been an honor to have you on my website. We have had many silent visitors and there will be more.

Until next time, keep on writing.

3/3/2025 02:27:18 pm

Thank you, Mark.

When Angels Fly by S. Jackson and A. Raymond

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