Character Interview: Jimmy Pollaski from Danielle Soucy Mills' ILLUSION OF AN ENDING

We’re thrilled to have here today, Jimmy Pollaski from Danielle Soucy Mills’ Visionary & Metaphysical novel, Illusion of an Ending.  He is coming to us all the way from Heaven, also known as the Other Side. It is a pleasure to have him with us today at The Literary Nook!

Thank you so for this interview, Jimmy. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?

I am honored to be here. I’ll try not to give too much away. At first, it was difficult to come through, seeing as my words were channeled through two different levels—first through another character in the book, Lorrena. Lorrena was only 16 at the time, and just learning to fully trust her ability to communicate with spirits. In a way, I was there to help her, just as she was able to help me pass along my message. I do believe she did the best she could communicating my words to my mom and those who needed them, especially considering it was also coming through the “outer” author, Ms. Mills.

What do you believe is your strongest trait?

When I was alive, spontaneity and bravery were my strongest traits. I loved to randomly hop on my motorcycle and fly across the freeway at 100 miles per hour, without anywhere specific to be. Enjoying the feeling of adrenaline as I gained speed, watching the way the waves of the ocean grew and collapsed, dissipating into the sand. I feel like I truly enjoyed my last days on Earth, which is most important. Often, people let the moments pass by them, unaware of what’s going on around them. As my last days approached, I can truly say that I, “lived in the moment,” unhindered by fear or too much structure.

Worst trait?

Sometimes my best trait was actually my worst. I was brave, fearless, and sometimes this got me into trouble, especially as a child and teen. My friends and I loved to get tipsy at quarry as the stars came out, jumping from high up into the water, drunk. I also stole one of my Christmas presents straight out of the closet as a youngster, a bicycle which I took for a spun and almost crashed into a car. I realized after crossing over that this was one of my “exit points” as they call them, times where we could have left the Earth early, but decided not to, since we have more left to accomplish. There were other times where my bravery got me in hot water, which I do feel is our soul having a little fun while also learning valuable lessons.

Do you have a love interest in the book?

I was dating the love of my life Sarah before I passed away, though she is not portrayed too much in the book. I know I would have married her had I stuck around long enough to do so. The strongest love in the book I display for my mom, who goes through an extremely tough time after she believes she’s lost me forever. I tried to convey that love spans time and space, life and death. It does not matter what form this love takes—for a girlfriend, wife, mother, father, or sister. Love is transmutable. It’s eternal. I know now that family members will not forget that the love we shared will last forever, no matter if I am gone from their lives. It is incredible to hear it with your own ears, or in this case, see it with your own eyes, so I’ll take this time to let her know again…I love you, Mom! I know you miss me, but you know now I’m by your side, always.

At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?

I’ll admit, I was nervous at first that my mother would not listen to the young girl trying to let her know I was okay. Lorrena was truly trying to reach out to her, but my mom was in a lot of pain, and that certainly did not make it easy. Grief can be an ugly monster who haunts us without hindrance if we truly let it out of control. I don’t want to give too much away. I guess you could say, the more “time” I spent in Heaven, the more I realized everything was fine, and going to work out perfectly as it should. Nervousness is a human trait, a trait that leaves us as we leave our body. I do feel like everything went as planned, and for that I am truly thankful.

If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?

While I know everyone has his or her imperfections, and I cannot truly judge, I’ll admit that I would have the least interest in being Mrs. Shaw, Lorrena’s mother. I realized after the book was written that Erin was not a very likeable person, always angry and bitter about the way her cards were dealt in her life. I truly hope people learn from her though. Life is about learning to forgive, and while I believe she does this in her own strange way, she is not totally able to let go of her anger, by the end of the book at least. Erin went through a lot as well—the loss of her husband, and in a way the rocky relationships with her mom and daughter. However, it’s her stubborn character which holds her back in truly enjoying those relationships. Erin is in this book to remind people that we have a choice: to be happy or not. We should not waste our lives being angry.

How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?

I am extremely pleased with the way everything came together. I know a lot of people overlook coincidence in their lives, and in the end, I’ll have to say there is lot that many people could dismiss as “not real, too coincidental.” Yet, the more you search for synchronicity, the more it shows up. It was my intention that everyone came together at once, and it’s important to know that I helped orchestrate this.

What words of wisdom would you give your author if she decided to write another book with you in it?

Do not fear that people will dislike what you write about, or worry that people will judge or criticize. If you get stuck or doubt, I will help. Your stories may not be for everyone. Things show up in peoples’ lives when they are most needed, and so you must trust that your books will make it into the hands of those people. Keep writing and do not fret. Even if I am not a character, I will help.

Thank you for this interview.  Will we be seeing more of you in the future?

Yes, perhaps. This is truly only the beginning.

About the Author:

Danielle Soucy Mills is the award-winning author of children’s book, Tina Tumbles and Visionary & Metaphysical novel, Illusion of an Ending. A lover of books since childhood, she studied English and creative writing at Rhode Island College, before moving to California to earn her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Chapman University. She enjoys writing books for both children and adults which inspire, encourage, and delve into our Divine purpose for being. Danielle has made guest appearances on The Nancy Ferrari Show on iHeart Radio, The Writer’s Divine Den Radio Show, and has been featured in Bellésprit Magazine. She currently resides in San Diego with her wonderful husband, Jesse, and her ever-growing collection of books.

For More Information

• Visit Danielle Soucy Mills’ website.
• Connect with Danielle on Facebook and Twitter.
• Find out more about Danielle at Goodreads.
• Visit Danielle’s blog.

About the Book:

Title: Illusion of an Ending
Author: Danielle Soucy Mills
Publisher: Aerial Awareness Media
Pages: 200
Genre: Visionary & Metaphysical Fiction

Three peoples’ life stories intertwine with a synchronistic twist.

Jimmy Pollaski, a young man at the peak of his potential, dies suddenly in a motorcycle accident. As his spirit hovers above his lifeless body, he calls out to his mother, Patricia, only to find that his words are inaudible. He then promises to find some way to transmit his message to the world of the living.

It is no coincidence that Lorrena Shaw can see him, along with other spirits—a gift that Lorrena’s mother shuns. After her mother suddenly announces that they will abandon their home in Connecticut to care for Lorrena’s grandmother—a grandmother she has never known—Lorrena inevitably finds herself in the same small Massachusetts city where Patricia resides.

As their paths unite, Lorrena discovers the unbearable grief that haunts Patricia’s every move. Now, not only must she convince Patricia that her son’s soul has survived the fatal crash, she must also travel beyond space and time to access the Akashic Records, the library of all of Human Existence, and write their stories as one—a story that ultimately shatters the boundaries between life and death.

If you liked The 5 People You Meet in Heaven or The Celestine Prophecy, you’ll love Illusion of an Ending.

For More Information

• Illusion of an Ending is available at Amazon.
• Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
• Read excerpt here.