Interview With the Geek Girl: November 2014

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Interview: Author Kim Cormack

Q: So, tell the readers a bit about you.

A: Well, I’m a single mom. I live on Vancouver Island. My daughter is in College. My son is in grade four. I started out writing songs and singing. After fifteen years of being a Mom and working in Early Childhood Education. I wrote a few children’s books. It all happened rather randomly. I started writing again, right before I was diagnosed with M.S.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for your book or books? How did you come up with the name of it/them?

A: One night, I had a really brutally violent nightmare. I remember waking up, just sobbing. I wrote down everything that happened in the dream. That’s how I started writing, Sweet Sleep. It was a far cry from the fluffy chicks and rainbows, I’d been writing about. This book is the first book in, The Children of Ankh series. It gets a little dark and twisty. Warning, I have an extremely messed up sense of humor. The first book, Sweet Sleep was published August 5th of this year. The name Sweet Sleep, came from a children's lullaby. I heard it right before I woke up, during the nightmare. The death scene, with the song at the end. That was the end of the dream. The second book, Enlightenment is coming soon. I have a plan for six books in this series. I also have a really cool side series about Lexy. (The Dragon of Ankh) Book one in the Lexy series will be released in the six months between Book two and three in the main series.

Q: What is your favourite colour? (This must be read in a British accent a-la Monty Python)

A: Tis not butter Yellow, but urine yellow. ;)

Q: Do you have any special rituals or quirks when writing? Special foods or drinks? Troll doll on the desk/Etc.

A: I have a Zombie pen holder. A plaque that says, Do one thing every day that scares you. I have pictures of my kids and an enormous hunk of rose quartz. A broken hula dancer statue and a necklace with an Ankh symbol, Trinity symbol and a bunch of healing stones on it. I kept adding things to it. It became too heavy to wear.

Q: What was the easiest part about writing your books?

A: I just disappear into my head. Writing is the wonderful part. Editing is the time consuming, tedious part. I honestly just drop Cameron off at school, set my alarm for 2:20 and disappear into my head.

Q: What was the hardest part?

A: My left arm has a loss of fine motor skills / Multiple Sclerosis. It can be excruciating. On some days I finish writing and everything is underlined in red. My left hand didn’t keep up with my right. Then I get to play a fun little game called, What did I mean to write? I’m on a good treatment now. I just can’t overdo it.

Q: Do you like bacon?

A: I frigging adore bacon.

Q: How long have you been writing, or wanting to write and when did you actually write your first story?

A: I used to write messed up stories in school for shock value. I once tried to convince one of my teachers my main goal in life was to own a taco stand. I was a weird kid.

Q: Do you have a favourite character from your book/books? If so, who and why?

A: Kayn and Lexy are my favorites right now. I’ve been spending a lot of time inside of their imaginary heads.

Q: Are you working on anything else right now? If so, can you tell us anything about it?

A: Book two in the series, Enlightenment. I should have news on the release date soon. Well, I mentioned the side series about Lexy. That should be out not too long after Enlightenment. I’ve also been writing, The Repopulation Project. It’s a Middle Grade, Science Fiction. It was a contest entry from a few years back. I’m adding word count. My son’s teacher asked me if I had anything age appropriate to read to the class. I started working on it again. I’m trying to fit it in.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to tell the readers of this interview?

A: Oh, there’s a lot. Here are a few of the links to series info.

http://www.childrenofankh.com

http://www.amazon.com/author/kimcormack

https://twitter.com/kimcormack

https://twitter.com/childrenofankh

https://twitter.com/hotchickdiaries

https://twitter.com/hotchickblog

https://twitter.com/SweetSleep2

https://twitter.com/kimcormackweb

https://twitter.com/frostofankh

https://twitter.com/TriadTiberius

https://twitter.com/lexyofankh

https://twitter.com/greyofankh

https://twitter.com/ankhjenna

http://www.pinterest.com/childrenofankh/

http://instagram.com/kimcormack

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/authorkimcormack

https://www.facebook.com/authorkimcormack

https://www.facebook.com/TheChildrenOfAnkhSeries

https://www.facebook.com/TheHotChickDiaries

...You Can't Take the Books from Me...
~Serenity Valle~Author
Acquittal. The Revenant Series: Book One
The Fantastical Life of Serenity: A collection of short stories...
The Fantastical Life of Serenity: Epilogue
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Interview: Author Val Tobin

Q: So, tell the readers a bit about you.

A: I’m addicted to reading and have always had a compulsion to write. I especially wanted to publish my fiction, but denied that urge for a long time. I was a software/web developer for ten years, I got my Reiki Master/Teacher certifications, I studied the paranormal—I’ve always had a love of anything strange and otherwordly. That has crept into my writing.

I have a Bachelor of Science in Parapsychic Science and am currently working on a masters in parapsychology. I’m also working on the sequel to The Experiencers, which should be available in November 2014.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for your book, The Experiencers? How did you come up with the name of it?

A: The idea came to me while I was out walking—something I do almost every day. I was thinking about sky watches I’d attended with the UFO group to which we belong. Sky watches are just what the name implies: you sit outside and watch the sky for unusual activity. Typically, you have a video camera recording it, just in case.

I started asking “what if” questions. What if a UFO group having a sky watch actually has an encounter with an alien craft and manages to get evidence of ET visitation? What if a conspiracy really exists and the covert agency colluding with the aliens knows this group has discovered the truth?

Images of some scenes popped into my head: a group of people sitting outside, chatting, when a spacecraft appears; a woman’s body lying in an alley; a man dropping dead on a loading dock; a woman in her bedroom confronting an intruder who wants to kidnap her; during the struggle, the woman’s daughter walks in the door, forcing the woman to bargain with the kidnapper for the safety of her child.

I’ve used most of those scenes in the novel, though they’re not exactly as I saw them.

The name of the novel took a while to figure out. I originally had a working title of Unidentified, which I didn’t like. It was just something to name the file. After batting around some other possibilities, I settled on The Experiencers, which is a term that some people use to refer to those who’ve had encounters with extraterrestrials. I believe the one to have originally used the term is Dr. John Mack.

There is some controversy associated with the term, though. Some who have had abduction experiences argue that they don’t want to tone down the impact this kind of experience has on them. They want to use the term “abductee,” because they feel it describes what’s happening to them more accurately. They see the term “experiencers” as a euphemism.

Q: What is your favourite colour? (This must be read in a British accent a-la Monty Python)

A: Yellow

Q: Do you have any special rituals or quirks when writing? Special foods or drinks? Troll doll on the desk/Etc.

A: I have a pendulum close by, which I consult sometimes while I write.

For food, I have my Isagenix snack foods close at hand, and for drinks, my bottle of water and my box of t+ Chai from Isagenix. I drink herbal teas when I’m writing.

Q: What was the easiest part about writing The Experiencers?

A: Once I knew what I wanted a scene to be about, the writing flowed. It felt sometimes like it was being channeled. I knew the whole story arc before I started writing.

Q: What was the hardest part?

A: The hardest part was all the stuff that isn’t part of the writing process, like putting the manuscript into e-book format and getting an EIN from the IRS and all those other things that drag me away from doing what I love most, which is writing.

Q: Do you like bacon?

A: Yes, but I don’t eat it often.

Q: How long have you been writing, or wanting to write and when did you actually write your first story?

A: I’ve been writing since I was six, but kept my fiction hidden and unfinished. I wrote technical articles for Community MX when Macromedia still existed and then wrote some stuff for Suite 101. I also contributed a story (non-fiction) to Doreen Virtue and Grant Virtue’s book Angel Words.

Q: Do you have a favourite character from your book/books? If so, who and why?

A: I guess my favourite character is Michael Valiant, because he’s not your typical hero. He starts off as more of an anti-hero. He’s a killer. I am fascinated by the idea that someone might do horrible things, but still have a good heart. I explored this in the novel.

Q: Are you working on anything else right now? If so, can you tell us anything about it?

A: I’m working on the sequel to The Experiencers. The working title is In the Valley of the Headless Men, but I know that will change. It follows Carolyn to the Agency, and takes Michael to Nahanni and back.

Nahanni is in the Northwest Territories, and legends refer to it as “The Valley of the Headless Men.”

Legends say that a tribe of Aboriginals disappeared from that valley, which is actually called Deadmen Valley. Prospectors’ bodies with the heads missing were found there, and that’s when people started calling it The Valley of the Headless Men. I thought it would be the perfect location for an alien base, so I incorporated it into the novel.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to tell the readers of this interview? (This is a great place to put your links!)

A: The Experiencers can be found on Smashwords and Amazon. A paperback edition is also available.

My website: http://www.serenitynowgifts.com/

My FB author page: https://www.facebook.com/valtobinauthor?ref=bookmarks

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/416221

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KBYG53Q

Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00KBYG53Q

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00KBYG53Q

Paperback edition on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Experiencers-Valiant-Chronicles-Volume/dp/0992093317

...You Can't Take the Books from Me...

~Serenity Valle~Author
Acquittal. The Revenant Series: Book One
The Fantastical Life of Serenity: A collection of short stories...
The Fantastical Life of Serenity: Epilogue
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Cover Reveal: The Stars Are Infinite- Amber Skye Forbes

Original Posting: October 24, 2014

It is the sequel to When Stars Die. There will be a third book that I plan to call All Stars Align, which will be the final one in The Stars Trilogy. Here is the blurb for this novel:
Alice Sheraton is slated to be executed as a witch; however, her father spares her. He sends her to Finight Hill, a safe house for witches. Here a Shadowman begins to pursue her, and from this Shadowman she learns she has been bound with a terrible fate since birth: either be a martyr to free witches from their misery, or choose to live knowing her existence will bring on more chaos.

This novel has a December release , and you will know more information later, especially when you sign up for the newsletter.

Now here is an interview with Alice Sheraton so that way you get to know a little bit about her before you begin to read this sequel. There are no spoilers. However, make sure you read the first book before buying this one, or else you will get confused:

Hello, Alice. It must be strange being in an interview for you, especially because you’ve spent much of your life never having any attention drawn to you.
Alice: It’s true. Much of my life has been spent preparing me to find a suitable husband. I did go to a finishing school before coming to Finight, so I do have a great deal of education. At the same time, when I was in the other school, I was taught to never draw any attention to myself. So I am nervous about this. What will my mother think? I used to love painting, until my mother took that away from me. I am well-read, and I had my own collection of books in my room. I loved being with Sara, who liked to get into all sorts of trouble I never agreed with, but did so anyway. These things are memorable, but if my mother ever found out about them, she would beat me with a wooden board.

What are your parents like?
Alice: My father has been nothing but supportive, and I’d like to think that if I had said something about wanting to own my own life, he would have been supportive. My mother, on the other hand, is an alcoholic, which is why I was born as a witch. The Seven Deadly Sins give birth to witches, and I suppose my mother’s continual sin is gluttony.

How has being a witch impacted your life?
Alice: Dreadful. I don’t even want to think or talk about what led up to my discovery. I was imprisoned in a small, dirty room in Governor Branch’s home. He is a horrid, perverted man married to my best friend Sara, who is around my age: I am fifteen. I was slated to be executed, but my father saved me by paying a handsome sum of gold to Governor Branch. He couldn’t refuse the money, so he and Father decided to send me off to a safe house called Finight Hill. It looks like any other finishing school, and it is in a secluded area.

What were your reactions to Finight Hill?
Alice: I was paranoid at first. It’s lovely on the exterior, but it’s rather bland on the inside. My other finishing school was richly furnished, with original paintings, marble sculptures, fresh flowers. It was, I suppose, like the inside of a rich man’s home. Finight had no such decorations. So I was scared. I thought I was sent there to be executed, that my father truly had no idea where he was sending me. Governor Branch wanted me dead, but when I met Pastor Brandon and a boy named Nathaniel, their presence and kindness swept away any paranoia I had.

Tell us about Pastor Brandon and Nathaniel.
Alice: Pastor Brandon is nice but strange. He falls into these fits where he cries out, “Curse is everyone who hangs on a tree!” This is a sentence commonly used right before witch executions. He also coughs up some substance from time to time. I don’t know what it is, but it’s black. Even so, he has made me feel welcomed.
Nathaniel, on the other hand, is beautiful, and I saw that right from the start, though I couldn’t admit it to myself. He’s also troubled. He smokes a lot, he scratches himself, and he’s reckless, but he has made me feel welcomed at Finight, and I accepted his friendship. Master Akilah isn’t too fond of him because of his reckless behavior.

How do you feel about Master Akilah?
Alice: I can’t stand him. Neither can Pastor Brandon nor Nathaniel. He was rude to me my first day there when he introduced me, complaining that I was late, not even welcoming me. He is the one who created the unnecessarily strict rules rules for Finight, where we are watched at all times, as though we are in an asylum. We do have certain activities that we have to do throughout the day, like studying. We can go outside once a week–under strict supervision. Nathaniel is smart enough to evade some of these rules, but it eventually becomes our downfall. After a certain event takes place, the rules become worse. At that point, we can’t even have doors to our rooms.

You hear voices?
Alice: I’m unsure if the voice is real or not. It sounds real. She at first told me Pastor Brandon killed her. Then she told me I should kill him. She said he knew who I was, and I couldn’t make any sense of that. He apparently knows the future. When I fainted and woke up in my room, her final words to me were, “You will be mine.” We all thought it was stress and nerves. I thought I was insane, but I was so certain the voice was real. And it is. It truly is.

Can you tell us who the voice belongs to?
Alice: Her name is Annarelius, a Shadowman, a dead witch. She wants me because I can set the world free from sin, allowing everyone, even witches, into Paradise.

Tell us about this Shadowman.
Alice: I would rather not.

Are there any final words?
Alice: My story…it is mine and mine alone, rife with the darkness that is innate in the life of a witch. It was a very hard story to tell. If witches are not freed, at least my account will make them feel less alone, if my account will even be allowed to exist. Witches are insignificant. We are nothing. Those who used to love us betray us and automatically hate us when they find out we are witches. This was the case with my best friend, Sara. The Vulgate, our bible, indoctrinates people into hating us, which is why they can hate so easily. I am not sure if this hatred will ever be erased. I have never known any allies to stop the hatred. I have never known any witches to start a rebellion. But our world is filled with nothing but cruelty. The ugliness of our world surpasses its beauty. Love is the only beauty that exists, but there isn’t enough of it.

Those are some very harrowing words, Alice, but I know you will be the one to make that change. Thank you for letting me interview you.
Alice: …

I hope you enjoyed Alice’s interview and will pick up the already available When Stars Die and the not-yet-released The Stars Are Infinite when you are able to pre-order it or buy it on its release day. Remember it will have a December release date and will be mentioned in a future newsletter.

Amazon (America, Canada, UK, Australia)
Kobo
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords
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About the Author
Amber Skye Forbes is a dancing writer who prefers pointe shoes over street shoes, leotards over skirts, and ballet buns over hairstyles. She loves striped tights and bows and will edit your face with a Sharpie if she doesn’t like your attitude. She lives in Augusta, Georgia where she writes dark fiction that will one day put her in a psychiatric ward…again. But she doesn’t care because her cat is a super hero who will break her out.
Thanks for stopping by Amber!

...You Can't Take the Books from Me...

Interview: Author Josh de Lioncourt

Original Posting: August 24, 2014

Q: So, tell the readers a bit about you.
A: I was born and raised in California, but these days I call Pennsylvania home, as it’s where my other half, Molly, hails from.
At age six, I became very ill and lost my vision. Up until that time, I could see perfectly well, so I have plenty of memories of what things look like, colors, and so forth—not to mention Masters of the Universe, a comic, cartoon, and action figure sword and sorcery property for which I still harbor a, possibly unhealthy, passion. :)
Throughout my life, I’ve explored a variety of creative endeavors. I write and perform music, develop software, host a few podcasts, and do a bit of blogging as well. I’ve always loved pulling things out of my imagination and bringing them to life. I drew a great deal before losing my vision, and afterward, my creativity branched out in a number of different directions.
I love music, especially artists from the UK, and am an avid reader. Oh, and I enjoy way too much hockey. Go Kings go!

Q: How did you come up with the idea for your book, Haven Lost? How did you come up with the name of it?
A: Haven Lost is the first volume in a series called The Dragon’s Brood Cycle. The story arc for the entire series has been sloshing around in my brain for over twenty years. Over that time, while I was writing other stories or working on other projects, flashes of new details, specifics, characters, locations, what have you, would come to me for Dragon’s Brood. Every couple of years or so I’d set other projects aside and start out on a fresh attempt at the story, but it never entirely worked out to my satisfaction.
The story’s primary protagonist, Emily Haven, came to me completely disconnected from the Dragon’s Brood concept in the summer of 2007. I wrote a few short pieces about her, and gradually came to realize that she was really the character that the Dragon’s Brood Cycle was intended to circle around.
Last fall, while taking in some heartbreaking losses of the Penn State Women’s Hockey team, I realized the time was right to tell Emily’s story, and the story of the Dragon’s Brood. (Emily plays on the girls’ hockey team at her high school). Once I started this time, there was no stopping it. I found the entry point for the story, which was far earlier than where the older drafts had begun. There’s a full ten chapters now before the point where I had been starting the story previously, and it worked so much better that way.
Everything seemed to just fall into place at last, and I loved every minute of finally creating the strange world I’d been daydreaming about for two decades.
As for the title, it went through several changes during the writing of the first draft. For a long time the working title was Haven 21, which was Emily’s surname and the number on her jersey. In the end, I went with Haven Lost, because it had multiple layers of meaning in the story, and I’m a sucker for layers in my stories.

Q: What is your favourite colour? (This must be read in a British accent a-la Monty Python)
A: Oh, how I love Monty Python … oh, wait, wait! Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!
Red has always been a favorite of mine, though black and silver hang around in my top three as well.

Q: Do you have any special rituals or quirks when writing? Special foods or drinks? Troll doll on the desk/Etc.
A: I drink a ton of tea and coffee. Molly, my other half, made gallons of both for me during the writing of Haven Lost. I love spearmint tea in particular, and my coffee comes from an AeroPress. You haven’t had coffee until you’ve had it made with an AeroPress. It’s true. Try it.
I don’t have any troll dolls, but my Masters of the Universe action figures oversaw most, if not all, of the writing of Haven Lost.

Q: What was the easiest part about writing Haven Lost?
A: The story itself was probably the easiest part of writing Haven Lost. It had been, in the most basic sense at least, clattering around inside my skull for so long that it was easy to keep the story moving forward. When I did hit a snag, the characters, strange as it may sound, were always there to tell me just what the hell was going on. Probably that sounds crazy to most people, but perfectly rational to anyone who has ever written a piece of fiction.

Q: What was the hardest part?
A: Without a doubt, editing was the most difficult part of the process. Going through the first and second drafts is an absolute joy, but when it comes down to the hack-and-slash of preparing your book for publication, its a maddening ordeal. In some ways, I can be a bit of a perfectionist, and I agonized over a lot of the details.

Q: Do you like bacon?
A: I do, but mostly just on breakfast burritos or hamburgers.

Q: How long have you been writing, or wanting to write and when did you actually write your first story?
A: I’ve been writing stories for as long as I can remember. I recall putting together an Inspector Clouzot comic book of my own at around age four or five. In the fourth grade, I wrote a science-fiction story that won a writing competition at the school district level. Writing has always been something I’ve done in one form or another.

Q: Do you have a favourite character from your book/books? If so, who and why?
A: It has to be Emily, the heroine of Haven Lost. She’s a strong, if flawed, female character, and, in both my own writing or when reading, I’ve always been drawn to compelling female characters. Celine, the first friend Emily makes on her adventure, is also a favorite of mine, partly because she’s such a contrast to Emily in a lot of ways, despite the fact that they both come from very troubled backgrounds.

Q: Are you working on anything else right now? If so, can you tell us anything about it?
A: I’m currently well underway on the second volume of the Dragon’s Brood Cycle.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to tell the readers of this interview?
A: I love Twitter, and I tweet about all kinds of things from the latest Stephen King book to Apple tech or the LA Kings. I have a wide range of interests.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Lioncourt
Blog: http://lioncourt.com
The Dragon’s Brood Cycle: http://dragonsbrood.net
Thanks so much for the opportunity to talk to you and your readers.

Thank YOU, Josh! It was shiny!

...You Can't Take the Books from Me...

Video Interview: Lawrence Burgess and Joshua Drew of Dracula, the Audio Drama

Original Posting: July 31, 2014

http://youtu.be/FEW3S5KjsdQ
If you have trouble viewing it here, you can find it on my YouTube channel, just follow the link!
A very good friend of mine, Lawrence Burgess, directed it and I wanted to help him spread the word, so I invited him and Joshua (the voice of Dr. Seward) to my home for a video interview!
I was *almost* in this production but… next time!
There was goofing off (I’m not actually telling Josh to hurry, and yes, I’m signing ASL at him part of the time) and we giggled a LOT (which of course was cut for brevity lol).

Take a look and check out the description to see how YOU can help support Indie Arts!

...You Can't Take the Books from Me...

Interview: Author Ryan Attard

Original Posting: November 28, 2013

Q: So, tell the readers a bit about you.
A. People of this planet know me as Ryan Attard. I hail from Malta, a tiny island in the middle of an ocean far, far away and I come to you with stories from deepest recesses of my mind.
I am the author of Firstborn, Big Wolf on Campus and Dread Night (a novel and 2 short stories) – all belonging to the Legacy Series. Big Wolf was featured in 2013: A Stellar Collection, Dread Night is a ‘Halloween Special’ and Firstborn is due to hit the shelves (and your e-reader devices) on December 13th. All published by AEC Stellar Publishing Inc.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for the Legacy Series? How did you come up with the name of it?
A. I was introduced to writing when I joined a group or friends who shared a similar interest in all things geeky. I wrote some fanfics, some short stories and some poetry – all excruciatingly painful to read. After a while I decided that I was too insane to be part of the real world so I became a writer, where I could manipulate and create things to suit my fancy.
The Legacy Series shares a lot with the Dresden Files and the Devil May Cry franchise, both of which I used as influence as well as music from the artist Celldweller. I recently read a beta review of Firstborn which described the novel as Sabrina the Teenage Witch on steroids, and that it’s a good idea. I like that. The Series contains all that inspires me, from cheesy one-liners, sarcastic talking cats, things blowing up, thinly veiled phallic humor and epic sword fights.
I stole Firstborn from one of Celldweller’s songs which was the first one I heard and it inspired the entire series with its dark tones and action beats. I love the mystery and the dark melody as well as the underlying message. Also I first heard it in a music video on youtube with a Devil May Cry 4 play-through and now I associate the two.
Legacy has maybe 10 different meanings to the characters in the series. The story revolves heavily on the characters bearing the weight of their ancestors’ sins as well as the legacy left to the earth in times long gone. I love double meanings and every title I come up with has at least 3 or 4 different meanings to the story.

Q: What is your favourite colour? (This must be read in a British accent a-la Monty Python)
A. Read this as Jeremy Irons:
My favorite color is the kaleidoscope – the myriad of colors ever shifting. From the red of the passionate hero, to the intellectual blue, the serene yellow, the earthly green, the enigmatic purple, the pure white and the Dark Side black.

Q: Do you have any special rituals or quirks when writing? Special foods or drinks? Troll doll on the desk/Etc.
A. I offer 13 kittens to Bephomet as I chant a ritual from the Malleus Maleficarum. Just kidding.
It’s 13 babies.
OK seriously now – I don’t have any particular rituals. It takes a while from me to get into the zone but when I go it, I go in deep (no pun intended – maybe a little bit). I tend to write with pen and paper first unless I’m really inspired in which case I just type. I’ve done both and honestly it’s just a whim. Depending on the mood sometimes I have a music track looping, but often the silence is the gateway to the voices in my head – which make for great stories and awkward stares.

Q: What was the easiest part about writing the Legacy Series?
A. Honestly, I never found any hard parts. I mean, sure, you get stuck on some chapters, but so long as you keep trying, it’s no problem.
I suppose this series is so close to my heart, so intimate to me, that it comes as natural as breathing. Often I would act out the scenes and try different one-liners, much to the annoyance of my friends. Often I would smile as I write an action scene and raise my fist in the air as I write it down and read it as if for the first time.
I don’t mean to sound condescending or superior in any way. I always have fun doing it, even if I’m working 12 hours a day. Even if I’m working weekends or holidays. I’m completely addicted to it.

Q: What was the hardest part?
A. Recently I discovered that the writing of a novel is the easy part. The hard part is marketing it – that is so not my cup of tea. But in retrospect, even that is not such a bad thing. I get to discuss writing and my work which makes me so happy. I get to look at my inspirations and reaffirm them.
I mean, what an awesome ‘problem’ to have when compared the some of the really crappy jobs out there.

Q: Do you like bacon?
A. Bacon is nice when used properly. Myself, I shape it into the shape of a swan. I find the swan bacon is very nice with sauces and other foods, rather than in strips. Unless it’s an English breakfast and I decide that my arteries need some punishment. Then those pigs better watch out.

Q: How long have you been writing, or wanting to write and when did you actually write your first story?
A. I never liked the idea of being a writer until I found myself in a situation where due to peer pressure I began writing myself. Then I loved it. It gave a high better than any drug. This was at the age of 16 or 17.
I began writing professionally (or as professional as I can be) at the age of 19. I signed my first contract with AEC Stellar on May 6th 2013 at the age of 22.

Q: Do you have a favourite character from your book/books? If so, who and why?
A. There are 2 main characters in the novels (these ones out so far).
Erik Ashendale is the everyman. He often goes on in rants and stream of consciousness. I write in first person and often those rants are my rants. I love rants. I tend to seep my opinions into his but there are times where he has to say certain things for the sake of the story. I’m not writing a biography here. But we are both grouchy, sarcastic and honest to a fault. Emphasis on fault.
The second character is everyone’s favorite – the demonic talking cat Amaymon. This guy in that inner voice that tells you it’s OK to jump off a high building because you can fly. He’s the whisper that justifies you eating all the cake in the house and leaving none for your family. He’s the voice that says it’s OK to take all the furniture that your mom covers in plastic and set on fire in the middle of the road and dance around the burning effigy in a symbolic revolution of your right to plant your ass wherever you want.
See what I mean about rants?

Q: Are you working on anything else right now? If so, can you tell us anything about it?
A. Well, Book 2 of the Legacy Series is just about ready to be handed in to the pros.
I’m also working on a separate Sci-Fi series of which I’m still writing the first book.
I have the first few chapters of a serialized fiction series I want to get out there.
And a couple other projects which are mostly in my head but will one day be on paper.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to tell the readers of this interview? (This is a great place to put your links!)
A. If you have read Big Wolf on Campus and Dread Night, I thank you. If you have left a review, and I know some of you have, I double thank you.

I would also like to thank the reviewers and betas of Firstborn. Great feedback you guys.
Also, try not to take me so seriously. I tend to joke a lot and other walk on blurred lines.
Check out these links:
http://ryanattard.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RyanAuthor
and
http://www.amazon.com/Ryan-Attard/e/B009UW82V8
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do the interview and thank you for reading it.
Peace and love,
Ryan

...You Can't Take the Books from Me...

Interview: Author Kristen Hope Mazzola

Original Posting: Nov 7, 2013

Q: So, tell the readers a bit about you.
A: I am a 25 year old Florida girl. I am just about to release my debut novel, Crashing Back Down, and could not be happier. I started writing poetry when I was ten and recently started working on short stories. Crashing Back Down started off as a just for fun short and really took off into something greater than I could have ever dreamed possible.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for your book, Crashing Back Down? How did you come up with the name of it?
A: Crashing Back Down just came to me one day. I started writing a short story about the main character, Mags, and realized that there was more to her story than what was told in the 2,500 words I had just written. Honestly, I just let the characters guide me along and take shape on their own. Crashing Back Down as a title came from a few different meanings in the book, the ending will really explain it, but of course I don’t want to give it away, so when you read it, you’ll see for yourself!
For more information on Crashing Back Down, please go here: http://khmazzola.wordpress.com/crashing-back-down/

Q: What is your favourite colour? (This must be read in a British accent a-la Monty Python)
A: My favorite color is Kelly Green! It’s so bright and lively

Q: Do you have any special rituals or quirks when writing? Special foods or drinks? Troll doll on the desk/Etc.
A: I have to have lots of water; I constantly take a second, take a sip and reread my last few sentences. I go through about a gallon on good writing sessions. I also have tons of post it notes all around my writing desk for ideas to revisit at different parts of the book so I don’t have to leave where I’m at in the manuscript.

Q: What was the easiest part about writing Crashing Back Down?
A: The characters’ personality. They all shaped into their own unique voices and quirks. The easiest out of all of them though, was Cali. She is the only one that I modeled after a real person, my best friend from college, Christina. The situations about the character are made up, like being married to a jerk (Christina is in a relationship with a wonderfully nice man that treats her great!) But her voice, love for fruity wine, and unwavering devotion is always held true in our real life relationship!

Q: Do you like bacon?
A: Of course!

Q: How long have you been writing, or wanting to write and when did you actually write your first story?
A: I have been writing on and off for 15 years. I did not start writing stories until January of 2013. I never was confident in my story telling ability, and now that it is part of my life I could never imagine myself without bringing stories to life and sharing them with others.

Q: Do you have a favourite character from your book/books? If so, who and why?
A: Walker and Mitch. They are tied. Walker is wonderfully sweet but has a past that haunts him. I love his resolve and raw love that never fades through everything. Mitch is the same way, but more open and cavalier. They both are just simply awesome in my mind and remind me of a lot of guys I hung out with when I was in college.

Q: Are you working on anything else right now? If so, can you tell us anything about it?
A: I am working on a few pretty fun projects. My major WIP is Falling Back Together. That is the sequel to Crashing Back Down. I can’t reveal too much about it but I can say that it has just as many twists and surprises as Crashing Back Down and I promise the ending will blow you all away!

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to tell the readers of this interview? (This is a great place to put your links!)
A: Thank you so much for all of the amazing support. Without readers there would be no reason to do what I do. I love hearing from book lovers of all types so please feel free to connect with me on any of my social media site:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristenHope
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7179522.Kristen_Hope_Mazzola
https://twitter.com/khmazz
http://khmazzola.wordpress.com
http://instagram.com/khmazz
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kristen-mazzola/85/100/a09
http://novelisting.com/profile/1162
http://khmazz.tumblr.com

...You Can't Take the Books from Me...

Interview: Author Amber Skye Forbes

Original Posting: October 16, 2013

Q: So, tell the readers a bit about you.
A: I am currently attending Augusta State University for a degree in Middle Education with a concentration in English–though I am probably going to change this and either go into creative writing or literature. I want to be a private tutor, freelance editor, and writer when I graduate, so being a teacher is no longer a palatable option for me. I also enjoy ballet, reading, and video games, and I work a part-time job as a marketing trainee for Southern Siding, which is really just a fancy term.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for your book, When Stars Die? How did you come up with the name of it?
A: When Stars Die doesn’t have one point of inspiration. I simply came up with a ‘what-if’ scenario. I knew I wanted to write about witches and convents. The ‘what-if’ part comes in when I began to ask myself what made certain people witches and others not, and what happened to witches when they died. Did they go to heaven, hell, or just disappear for good? I was obsessed with witches as a child, and I enjoyed learning about the Salem Witch Trials because the whole hysteria interested me, so that naturally transferred to my book.
As for the title, there is a part in my book where Amelia is ruminating about what happens to stars when they die. She likes to believe they leave a lasting impact, and that is what she ultimately wants to do. She wants to die leaving something behind, and she wants to make a difference.

Q: What is your favourite colour? (This must be read in a British accent a-la Monty Python)
A: My favorite color is blue, although I am having difficulties saying it in a comical British accent.

Q: Do you have any special rituals or quirks when writing? Special foods or drinks? Troll doll on the desk/Etc.
A: I don’t have any special rituals at all. I know, that makes me seem a bit boring, but I don’t need any rituals. I simply need motivation, and I’m good to go.

Q: What was the easiest part about writing When Stars Die?
A: The easiest part about writing is the actual writing.

Q: What was the hardest part?
A: The hardest part is the revising and trying to let people know that my darn book exists.

Q: Do you like bacon?
A: Of course! Who doesn’t like bacon?

Q: How long have you been writing, or wanting to write and when did you actually write your first story?
A: I have been writing seriously for 9 years, but I have known that I wanted to be an author since I was eight years old. I wrote my first story at eight–novella, actually–and it was a cross between Spyro and The Magic Treehouse, so it was essentially fanfiction. I wrote my first novel at ten, and so it was the first original piece of writing that I did.

Q: Do you have a favourite character from your book/books? If so, who and why?
A I really like Amelia, and not just because she’s the main character. I like her because she is determined and fiercely loyal. She is also very introspective, so she really thinks about her actions and what consequences will occur as a result of whatever she does.

Q: Are you working on anything else right now? If so, can you tell us anything about it?
A: I am working on the sequel to When Stars Die, called Stars Will Rise, and I am really taking into consideration some of the criticism I have received for WSD to revise SWR. I REALLY want the second book to be much better than the first, so I am taking into consideration what I think my readers will want to happen. I also have a contemporary fantasy currently baking in the oven, so I don’t know when I’ll get back to that. I have also been outlining a contemporary literary YA book that I’m probably going to seek a literary agent for, while still publishing with AEC Stellar. Both the contemporary literary and contemporary fantasy deal with mental illness.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to tell the readers of this interview?
A: When Stars Die is available for pre-order on Amazon! It officially comes out on the 22nd of October.
Find Amber’s blog here:
http://amberskyeforbes.wordpress.com
Amber on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/AmberSkyeForbes

...You Can't Take the Books from Me...

Interview: Author Sorin Suciu

Original Posting: October 3, 2013

Q: So, tell the readers a bit about you.
A: Oh, my… I think I can do “a bit,” if only because “a bit” is the most there is about me. Let’s see, I’m thirty-two, people tell me I have a wizard name, and ten years ago I spoke just enough English to hum (but not understand) Queen songs without making a total fool of myself.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for your book, The Scriptlings? How did you come up with the name of it?
A: There were many things that led to it, including a quote from Richard Dawkins, my passion for computer games, and a series of recurring goat jokes that I shared with my cousin for well over fifteen years.
As for the name, the word “scriptling” is completely made up, and it refers to a magician apprentice. It is formed from the root “script” (as in computer script) and the suffix “–ling”, used here to suggest a sense of belonging.

Q: What is your favourite colour? (This must be read in a British accent a-la Monty Python)
A: #65A1F0. You can Google it :)

Q: Do you have any special rituals or quirks when writing? Special foods or drinks? Troll doll on the desk/Etc.
A: Well, to be honest, there’s nothing spectacular about it. I keep a clean desk, and a cup of tea at hand when I write. Sometimes I indulge in a little bit of music, provided it is the wordless kind (classical, Vangelis, Jean Michelle Jarre, Michael Oldfield…).
I used to have a small clay statuette of a golem, bought from Prague, but I don’t know what happened to it after I fed him an electric shaver instructions manual.

Q: What was the easiest part about writing The Scriptlings?
A: Writing dialogue. And that’s exactly why you will find plenty of it. I actually think I went so far with allowing characters to define themselves through dialogue, that you’ll find it pretty hard to discover any other kind of character development device in the book.

Q: What was the hardest part?
A: Coming to an end. In fact, I think I may have forced the end to come a little sooner than it should have, but the book would have been 20K words longer if not for that.

Q: Do you like bacon?
A: Bacon is the reason I’m no longer a 100% vegetarian. I think we should make bacon an honorary vegetable.

Q: How long have you been writing, or wanting to write and when did you actually write your first story?
A: I’ve been pretending to write “professionally” for a while now. My first novel-sized story, Cambridge Troll was the perfect playground for all the DON’Ts of writing; and while I think I might recycle some of the ideas and characters, I don’t think it will ever get published. Unless I become so famous that even a “bootleg” edition will sell millions of copies.

Q: Do you have a favourite character from your book/books? If so, who and why?
A: It’s a very close call between Merkin and Stapley. Both of them are extremely fun to write and they have very strong voices. But if I had to choose, then I’ll probably go with Stapley, who is a magical personal assistant, bearing a completely accidental resemblance to Microsoft’s Office Assistant – Clippy, while acting a lot like P.G. Woodehouse’s Jeeves. He is loyal, obsequious to the point of being annoying, full of hidden talents and, all in all, the best friend you could ask for.

Q: Are you working on anything else right now? If so, can you tell us anything about it?
A: I started blogging, which is an interesting experience to say the least. Other than that, I’m gathering material for a sequel to The Scriptlings, called The Masters, and for a standalone novel, tentatively titled Son of Neither.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to tell the readers of this interview?
A: Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to pay a visit to www.sorinsuciu.com and, if you feel in a particularly generous mood, even subscribe. I’ll try to make it worthwhile. Really.

It sounds really interesting! Pick up your copy-it came out Sept 22 so it is available NOW!

...You Can't Take the Books from Me...

Cover Reveal: Dusk by Heather Kirchhoff

Original Posting: September 1, 2013

Summary from Heather about her book, to be released in late September!
Seventeen-year-old Meagan Nevels is a powerful witch. After her village burnt down, taking Meagan’s mom with it, she had to flee with her aunt into an unknown world. Now they’re among unsuspecting humans, trying to fit in. A prophecy strikes her, taking Meagan’s breath away as she’s told that she’ll fall in love with a human. Meagan knows that she can’t let that happen or else her secret might get out and take her and her aunt down, but she’s caught in a desire to be with him. Can Meagan break what she feels for him or will all hell break lose?

...You Can't Take the Books from Me...

Book Release: Matter of Resistance by Raymond Vogel

Original Posting: August 20, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Heather Lucie Hebert
Contract Manager
(504) 256-6495
heather.hebert@aecstellar.com

FORMER ROCKET SCIENTIST TO PUBLISH NEW SCI-FI BOOK ABOUT EARTH’S COLONIZATION OF MARS

(August 14, 2013–Tullahoma, TN) Raymond Vogel is a rocket scientist-turned-writer who worked as a systems engineer on NASA’s Orion Program. His science fiction imagining, MATTER OF RESISTANCE (AEC Stellar Publishing Inc., August 22, 2013), pushes technology and human nature to the limits as it chronicles our Mars settlement’s struggle for independence from Earth.
Born into a world of political tension, the book’s central character, Isaac, is one of the brightest members of the upcoming Martian generation. With a number of his peers and a curious, new element known as Magnematter, Isaac builds on the technologies of the past to accomplish previously impossible feats. But he will soon have to weigh the continued defense of Mars against a devastating attack on Earth, as he struggles to hold on to his childhood values in the midst of conflict and loss.
Though MATTER OF RESISTANCE was written for young adults, it’s received high praise and recommendations from top minds throughout the field. Here’s what the experts are saying:
MICHAEL DAWSON, Retired NASA Senior Executive Service and Associate Director for the Stennis Space Center; Retired USAF Colonel and Mission Support Group Commander; General Manager at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility:
“Adding real science to its fiction, Matter of Resistance gives an eerily accurate portrayal of where we may find ourselves one day. With great character interactions and the use of believable technology advancements to solve intractable problems, it kept my attention until the last page.”
COLONEL ROSS NUNN, USAF Retired; former Commander of the Air Force Astronautics Lab, and early proponent of antimatter and fusion-based propulsion research:
“Picked up the book to read the first chapter – didn’t put it down until I finished the entire book. Captivating, suspense-filled reading, beginning to end. The interplay of human tendencies for domination coupled with the sense of caring for our fellow man was gripping.”
MARK CANTRELL, PhD, Materials and Processes, Senior Staff, NASA’s Orion Program:
“A really interesting story that examines space travel within the possibilities of today’s technology and in the context of natural human drives. A balance between technology, the drive for independence of a colony, the drive to make profit by a company, and the natural good found in people in both worlds. The story is interesting, fun to read and makes you think. I loved this story. I recommend it.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Today, Raymond is the owner AEC Stellar Publishing, Inc. – a small, new publishing company with stellar ambitions. He lives in Tennessee, trying desperately with his wife to keep up with their three daughters and their active imaginations.

###

Matter of Resistance by Raymond Vogel
- AEC Stellar Publishing Inc.     – ISBN-10: 0989312836
- Price: $13.49                                    ISBN-13: 978-0989312837
- Pub Date: August 2013            – Pages: 318, Paperback, 8.3 x 5.8
www.facebook.com/pages/Matter-Of-Resistance/310794192269581

...You Can't Take the Books from Me...

Interview: Author CS Janey

Original posting July 25, 2013

Q: So, tell the readers a bit about you.
A: First, hi! :) Thanks for interviewing me.
As for me, I love to write. Romance, specifically. I’ve always been a big fan of ‘happy ever afters’ because it is just a lovely feeling. I read to escape and even if the characters have very real problems, it’s always great to see things work out in the end! I’m a mother of one son, he is 4. I’m a forever student, as I love learning and hope to finish school eventually. I have Asperger’s. And, according to my significant other, I’m a pain in the butt. ;) I’m good with that, as long as he loves me anyway. *laughs*

Q: How did you come up with the idea for your book, ‘Surrender To You’? How did you come up with the name of it?

A: That’s a story, for sure! ‘Surrender To You’ is an adult contemporary romance and started off as a completely different story than how it ended up. It was the love story between Stefan and Elizabeth. They were both from the same small hometown and had dated previously. The story starts five years after they’d gone their separate ways. I can’t really go into that much without giving away some of the plot, but as I wrote the story – which is from Elizabeth’s POV 100% – it changed. Things come out and soon, another man named Simon, comes into her life. I’ve had it said that the story is a love triangle, but I don’t think of it that way. I see it as a woman who had been lost for quite some time having to decide between a man from her past or someone new who is wonderful in his own way. I think it’s a very real story that many will appreciate.
As for the title, I came up with it looking from Elizabeth’s POV. Stefan wants her, she’s the woman he’s always loved and he just wants her surrender. For her to give into their love, no matter what has happened before.

Q: What is your favourite colour? (This must be read in a British accent ala Monty Python)
A: I love all things British! ;) As for my favorite color, it’s purple. Which amuses me because it’s the color of royalty. Although I’d have to say that dark green – such as Emerald and Jade – also rank up there with purple. They are beautiful colors!

Q: Do you have any special rituals or quirks when writing? Special foods or drinks? Etc.
A: I’m quirky in general. I listen to music 24/7 and cannot write without music – but the style of music doesn’t matter – and it must be so loud that you fear for my hearing. I wouldn’t say I have anything else I need besides that though.

Q: What was the easiest part about writing ‘Surrender To You’?
A: The way the story just flowed out. Even though it changed, it was easy to go with it and let the story go where it wanted. I didn’t have to struggle to get the words onto paper, which was the first story this has ever happened to me with. The characters were there and they let me know what they thought. It was nice!

Q: What was the hardest part?
A: Trying to make sure I wrote the story in a way that was understandable, while not sacrificing my own writing style. I prefer dialogue over lots of description, scenes where you find out what these people are like without needing Elizabeth to say them herself. The story is about her and even though there are lots of people in her life, I didn’t see the need to overshare about them. Finding the balance between giving the reader enough info and what I feel is necessary to know can be difficult!

Q: Do you like bacon?
A: Yes, I LOVE bacon. And prefer it baked over fried, which is also much healthier apparently. Either way though, I’ll eat it! ;)

Q: How long have you been writing, or wanting to write and when did you actually write your first story?
A: I’ve been writing a long time – since childhood. I can’t say the exact year but probably 8 or 9, so close to 20 years now. I don’t know the first story I wrote, but the first one I sent out to be published had to be when I was about 10 or so. I did get rejected, but the person who reviewed my story also wrote back with ideas on how to improve. At the time, I didn’t know how rare it was to get a personal reply – I was too sad they rejected my story. *laughs*

Q: Do you have a favourite character from your book/books? If so, who and why?
A: I answered this question last, because I had to think about it. You meet a whole cast of characters in ‘Surrender To You’ – and I think the one I love the most is Yvette. You learn that she is Stefan’s sister and she surprised me the most. I didn’t know what role she would play when I started writing – she was just his sister, after all – and right off the bat, you learn she doesn’t like Elizabeth. And I went why? The story, as it progresses, slowly shines light on the whole situation and by the end, I was fascinated. So much so, that Yvette will end up with her own story. :)

Q: Are you working on anything else right now? If so, can you tell us anything about it?
A: Yes! I have a LOT of stories I’m working on – I bounce around when I’m stuck on one story so I have way too many projects.
However, I am working on writing the story after ‘Surrender To You’ – which is tentatively titled ‘Straight To You’ and is Grace’s romance novel. You meet Grace near the beginning of Elizabeth’s story as her best friend. I can’t say anything else because it would give away some things in the first book! I’ve written about 5.5k words of it so far and my friends who read as I write love it! The male MC is also terrific.
The stories are going to be considered a series, but they will all be standalone with their own HEA’s. They are also in a continual timeline and come after the events in the first book. :) So while you can read them on their own, in order would be recommended to avoid spoilers.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to tell the readers of this interview?
A: Yes, absolutely! And thank you again for your time :)
‘Surrender To You’ comes out September 1st! I hope to have it in eBook and ready in paperback the day of release. It will be available on as many platforms as I can possibly make it :)
To add it to your TBR list on Goodreads, go here: http ://www .goodreads .com /book /show /17904728-surrender -to -you
You can also find me at any of the below locations:
http ://www .facebook .com /authorcsjaney – best way to keep up to date with the book news
http ://www .twitter .com /csjaney
http ://authorcsjaney .wordpress .com
Please feel free to tweet/follow me, like my page on FB, follow my blog – and at ANY time, send me a message! I always respond and love making new friends.

Thank you so much for “coming by”!

Check out her links! Discover a new read!

...You Can't Take the Books from Me...