Also, there's still about a week left to enter the New Year Giveaway for a chance to win #RT14 swag and lots of signed books!
xoxo
Showing posts with label Author Interviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Author Interviews. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Spero Heights: Blood Moon #CoverReveal #Photoshop #Tutorial
For a change of pace, I decided to do a Photoshop tutorial this week. So here's a little glimpse of the first book in Spero Heights, the new series I'm launching this spring. Woot!
Also, there's still about a week left to enter the New Year Giveaway for a chance to win #RT14 swag and lots of signed books!
xoxo
Also, there's still about a week left to enter the New Year Giveaway for a chance to win #RT14 swag and lots of signed books!
xoxo
Friday, January 31, 2014
Broken Bargain pre-release tour: Interview with Clare Davidson
It's here! It's here! Right HERE!!! Unless you're on Clare's side of the big pond in the UK, and then it's HERE!!!
That's right! Broken Bargain, book 2 in Clare Davidson's Hidden series, is officially available! And here's my official review:
“Broken Bargain” picks up almost a year after the events in book 1, “Reaper’s Rhythm”. Kim is starting a new year at school. Though she is clearly still affected by the death of her sister, her own near death experience, and the startling knowledge that Shamari and Baneem, or angels and demons, are real. She also knows that magic is real, but that’s not something she can tell anyone, ever. Most of her classmates think she’s crazy anyway, after her meltdown when her sister Charley died. The only person who doesn’t think she’s crazy is her best friend, Sophie. And maybe the mysterious new boy, AJ.
Kim does her best to forget the secrets she cannot share and the trauma of the previous year. She has a full schedule of classes and a cute boy to distract her, but it’s hard not to look over her shoulder for signs of the dangerous world she knows is hidden beneath the surface. When Sophie’s grandmother suddenly falls ill and the details don’t add up, Kim begins to suspect magic. Especially when Matthew, the Shamari who came to her rescue when Charley died, appears to warn her away from investigating for herself. Not that she listens to him. How can she, when her best friend’s family is suffering?
This was such a great read! I could really feel Kim’s inner turmoil as she worked through some very serious issues she was left with after “Reaper’s Rhythm”. The details and emotion were fantastic! There were some really delightful and unexpected twists. The editing was top notch too, as was the cover design! This novel is 5 stars all the way around. I can’t wait for the next one in the Hidden series!!!
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| Clare Davidson |
I’m glad you enjoyed it and thank you for having me over to celebrate Broken Bargain’s official release day.
This is the second novel in your Hidden series. Would you recommend that readers start with the first, “Reaper’s Rhythm”? Would they be lost if they picked up “Broken Bargain” first, or would they still be able to follow along?
I would recommend they start with Reaper’s Rhythm, as it’s an introduction to the central characters and the paranormal aspects of the setting. However, I think it’s possible to read and enjoy Broken Bargain if you haven’t read Reaper’s Rhythm, as the plot stands on its own. You just won’t know as much about the world set up.
Do you have more novels planned for this series? If so, how many?
There will be four in total. I’m editing book 3 at the moment.
What made you decide to write YA?
Advice from an editor! I didn’t start out consciously writing for a teen audience. However when I was getting feedback on Trinity, I was advised to make it shorter so it would appeal more to a teen audience. The reason? The central character, Kiana, was sixteen. I did as I was advised (it’s a better book for it) and from that point on decided I’d write books pitched at teens but with a strong crossover appeal. A lot of my readers are adults.
Does your daughter read your books? If so, is she a good critic?
She’s four and three-quarters (that three-quarters is very important!), so she’s only just learning to read. She recognises my books though and proudly proclaims: “that’s my mummy’s book”, whenever she sees one when we’re in public. I’d love to be able to write a short story that she could read, but writing an engaging story using the phonics system is a completely different skill and challenge to writing for teens. Maybe when she’s a little older I’ll write a book she can read.
From the pictures you've posted, it looks like she's the perfect mascot, displaying your author swag. lol So adorable! : ) You do a lot of really great online events. Do you also do live events, like store signings or school readings?
Over the summer, I did a short book tour, which my good friend Louise helped me organise. I sold and signed books in three shopping centers and I also did a book signing at Waterstone’s in Lancaster. Each stop on the tour was very successful, but very nerve-wracking. I’ve also done author workshops at a local high school, which was a lot of fun. I’ll be looking to do more now I’ve settled after our big house move.
Have you ever met an author you admired in person?
Does the Internet count? No, probably not! I haven’t met many authors in the flesh, to be honest. I have met Fred Nath and fellow indie author David Rashleigh. I’m going to WorldCon in London in August, so I’m hoping to meet up with more of the authors I’ve made friends with via social media there.
Thanks for stopping by my blog, and thanks for allowing me the chance to review your new book early! : )
You’re welcome. Thank you again for having me and for the fun interview.
You can find Clare all across the interwebs….
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Broken Bargain pre-release tour: Interview with Kat Ellis
BROKEN BARGAIN, the amazing Clare Davidson's new book, will be available tomorrow! Woot! And this lucky lady got to read it early. Perks of the author gig. : ) I'll have the full review up tomorrow, along with an interview featuring Clare herself! There are two days left in the tour giveaway, and some awesome goods up for grabs! Today's featured author is Kat Ellis, whose debut novel BLACKFIN SKY will be released by Firefly Press (UK) & Running Press Kids (US) in May. Enter the giveaway after Kat's interview for a chance to win some awesome swag!
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| KAT ELLIS |
Congratulations on your debut novel BLACKFIN SKY being released this May. It looks like an exciting read! Can you tell us a little about it?
Thanks, Angela! BLACKFIN SKY is about a girl called Skylar who falls from Blackfin Pier on her sixteenth birthday and drowns. The whole town goes into mourning – until Sky shows up three months later like nothing happened.
Unravelling the mystery of those missing months takes Sky to the burned-out circus in the woods, where whispers of murder and kidnapping begin to reveal the town’s secrets. But Sky’s not the only one digging up the past – the old mime from the circus knows what happened to her, and he has more than one reason for keeping quiet about it.
Mysterious, no?? ;)
Very mysterious! Can’t wait to check it out! You’re fairly new to the publishing scene. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I’ve lived in North Wales my whole life (except for a few years when I hopped over the border to England) and work sort of in IT. I say sort of because I’m a bit like Jen from The IT Crowd, who thinks The Internet lives inside a black shoebox - because who really needs to know what it is, as long as it works?
Apart from writing and fudging my way through HTML code, I’m also a keen photographer, and I love adventuring through ruined castles and abbeys and cemeteries (of which North Wales has A LOT) to take photos. I post them online on Tumblr, and use the images as inspiration when I’m writing.
That sounds like a really great way to stimulate your imagination! What’s next for you? Are you considering other genres, or sticking to YA?
I’m a YA girl at heart, although I like to dabble a bit with genres within the YA category. The first MS I wrote was science fiction, then I worked on fantasy for a while, and now I’m writing a contemporary thriller.
I try to challenge myself to change things up every time I work on a new project – writing from different points of view, switching from first-person narrative (my home ground) to third-person, setting the story somewhere really unique – stuff like that. I want every story I write to be different and exciting, and the way I make that happen is to make sure I’m excited about what I’m writing.
Who are some of your favorite YA authors and books?
I try to read a wide range of genres, and there are a lot of authors I could mention here…so I will!
One of my all-time favourites is Lisa McMann, who wrote the Wake trilogy and now has a new series about psychic visions. Yangsze Choo’s The Ghost Bride is a beautiful historical fantasy set in colonial Malaya, and I can’t recommend it highly enough!
Michael Grant is another longstanding favourite, in particular his Gone series about kids trapped in an invisible dome who start to develop strange abilities. And there’s A. G. Howard’s Splintered series, based on Alice in Wonderland with a fantastically dark contemporary twist.
In the contemporary genre I have to mention Erin Fletcher, whose debut Where You’ll Find Me came out this month, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Also Laura Jarratt and Lucy Christopher, whose novels are way up there on my favourites list. I think I need to stop now, or this list will grow tentacles and take over the world!
When I’m not wearing my writer hat, I’m a graphic designer, so I’m always curious…. your cover design is beautiful! Who was the artist? And how much input did you have in the creation?
I am so jealous of anyone with artistic skills like yourself – I’m challenged by drawing stick figures!
The cover that’s ‘out there’ at the moment is the UK cover for BLACKFIN SKY, and the artwork is by the amazing Shane Rebenschied (blot.com is his website – he had loads of fantastic examples in his gallery). I actually asked Firefly, my UK publisher, to approach Shane – not thinking I’d get him in a million years, so I was thrilled when I found out it was happening. I love his vision and how he has translated my story into such a gorgeous cover.
I will also have a US cover for BLACKFIN SKY, and the drafts I’ve seen of that one are so different, but really fantastic too – I’m so lucky that I love them both! The US one should be revealed sooooon.
That’s so awesome! I can’t wait to see your US cover too. Thanks for visiting my blog, Kat! Good luck with your future projects, and I can’t wait to read BLACKFIN SKY!
Thank you so much for hosting me on your blog, Angela! This interview was great fun :D
Find Kat Ellis all across the interwebs…
Monday, October 21, 2013
Crazy Ex-Ghoulfriend Blog Tour & Giveaway
Life is currently chaos, and I seem to be running on fumes these days. I have a ton of follow up work to do for the Prombie Apocalypse, and I'll be posting some event coverage in the next day or two. Right now, I'd like to kick off the blog tour & giveaway for Crazy Ex-Ghoulfriend! I've been hearing a lot of really nice feedback. There were even a few teens at the Prombie Apocalypse who tracked me down to let me know how much they enjoyed my new novel. ♥ You all are the greatest!
For the blog tour, I'll be giving away a signed paperback of Crazy Ex-Ghoulfriend and a $20 Amazon card, along with a few swag goodies, like Ghoul hand sanitizer and bookmarks. I'm also giving away an ebook of Crazy Ex-Goulfriend to 3 runner ups. Be sure to check out the other blogs on the tour! There are some fun interviews and guest posts, plus additional ways to gain giveaway entries for tweets and blog comments. For my blog comments, tell me what famous person you'd like to see raised as a zombie! : )
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Kindle | Nook |
Smashwords |
Paperback
For the blog tour, I'll be giving away a signed paperback of Crazy Ex-Ghoulfriend and a $20 Amazon card, along with a few swag goodies, like Ghoul hand sanitizer and bookmarks. I'm also giving away an ebook of Crazy Ex-Goulfriend to 3 runner ups. Be sure to check out the other blogs on the tour! There are some fun interviews and guest posts, plus additional ways to gain giveaway entries for tweets and blog comments. For my blog comments, tell me what famous person you'd like to see raised as a zombie! : )
Janie Parker is in love with the boy next door, but he's dating
Miss Popular. That is, until she wraps her car around a tree and bites the
dust. Just when things settle down and Janie thinks that she might have a shot
at going to prom with the boy next door, Miss Popular comes back from the
grave, and she's one crazy ex-ghoulfriend.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
OTBP Blog Tour & Giveaway | Author Interview: Jason Graves
It's the last day of the Off the Beaten Path Blog Tour & Giveaway! So be sure to enter for a chance to win books and Amazon cash! It's super easy, and if you like following authors on Facebook and Twitter, there are tons of ways to earn more entries!
Today, I'd like to introduce the man who put together our haunting collection of short stories. He's been a blast to work with! : )
Jason T. Graves lives in North Carolina with his family and a
menagerie of small, domestic animals. He takes his coffee black, and,
when he is not conducting mysterious, mad-scientist experiments with his
students, he writes mysterious and beautiful fiction. Many years ago, he was punched, only once and very lightly, by Muhammad Ali. Jason is the author of the Noctivagas Chronicles and the novella On the Bridge.
Q. Vampires? Werewolves? Ghosts? What's your favorite flavor of supernatural and why?
A. Vampires and Fey seem to have carried the day for the moment, what with The Noctivagas Chronicle (Blood Roses and Morning Stars) and On the Bridge. However, I enjoy other paranormal and supernatural critters and characters, such as angels and demons, ghosts and spectres, and Nephilim. I can't abide with lycanthropes though, because shape shifting would be a biological nightmare of epic proportions... and besides, that much hair is kinda gross.
I enjoy writing about vampires because the whole phenomenon of pale, elegant, blood suckers is fascinating from a scientific
scientific stand point: how could biologically tenable vampires exist? That's a question that drove the story development in The Noctivagas Chronicle. Of course, no scientific treatment of the undead would be complete without some magic and mysticism thrown in for good measure, so I did that too. I'm not really keen on the whole ghoul-like vampires or zombies -- I swore I'd never write a zombie story -- although I have three ideas for stories that directly relate to zombies. Go figure! Oh, and never say never... it'll come back and bite you on the butt.
Q. Do you dabble in other genres besides paranormal? What kind of stories come to you most naturally when writing?
A. I mostly write about people and how they relate to each other and react to life-altering circumstances. As such, I can write across genres, and I do. I have written science fiction stories, and I have story ideas for Chick Lit and New Adult stories, and a dark, urban fantasy. I even have a couple of ideas for children's and elementary-grade books. I never want to be genre typed.
Q. Are you an outliner or an organic writer?
A. I am definitely an organic writer. I let my characters (aka, my subconscious) write much of the story, then come in and organize stuff with the conscious mind. I generally write the outline near the end, just to keep everything straight -- especially as my novels comprise a series, which requires more diligence. My subconscious mind is very clever, and I often don't find out just how much until months after I have written some things. It's fun to have those, "Ah, ha!" moments when I discover just how clever I am, haha!
Q. Where do you do your writing? Do you have an office, or do you frequent a favorite coffee shop?
A. I do the bulk of my writing at home, in my office. If I tried writing in a coffee shop, I'd be fat from all the lattes and pastries. I do write, on occasion, in my favorite book store. It adds symmetry to my life, and makes me feel like Harlan Ellison.
Q. What are you currently working on?
A. Um... I have about six irons in the fire at any given moment, but I've been spending most of my limited time on Mars Rising, the sequel to Morning Stars. I have also started working on the novel to follow On the Bridge, my novella about a possibly insane young black woman (Gretchen Thyrd) and the Fey who love and hate her. On the Bridge is a bit of an awesome story that I fear is being woefully under read.
Q. What question do you wish someone would just ask you already?
A. I wish someone would ask me what my favorite flavor of ice cream is already. If you ever meet me at a convention or a book signing, just come up and ask me! I will tell you! Only, you need to be prepared to buy me some ice cream afterwards :)
Thanks for visiting my blog today, Jason! And thank you for bringing us all together for the awesomeness that is Off the Beaten Path!
Today, I'd like to introduce the man who put together our haunting collection of short stories. He's been a blast to work with! : )
Jason T. Graves lives in North Carolina with his family and a
menagerie of small, domestic animals. He takes his coffee black, and,
when he is not conducting mysterious, mad-scientist experiments with his
students, he writes mysterious and beautiful fiction. Many years ago, he was punched, only once and very lightly, by Muhammad Ali. Jason is the author of the Noctivagas Chronicles and the novella On the Bridge.Q. Vampires? Werewolves? Ghosts? What's your favorite flavor of supernatural and why?
A. Vampires and Fey seem to have carried the day for the moment, what with The Noctivagas Chronicle (Blood Roses and Morning Stars) and On the Bridge. However, I enjoy other paranormal and supernatural critters and characters, such as angels and demons, ghosts and spectres, and Nephilim. I can't abide with lycanthropes though, because shape shifting would be a biological nightmare of epic proportions... and besides, that much hair is kinda gross.
I enjoy writing about vampires because the whole phenomenon of pale, elegant, blood suckers is fascinating from a scientific scientific stand point: how could biologically tenable vampires exist? That's a question that drove the story development in The Noctivagas Chronicle. Of course, no scientific treatment of the undead would be complete without some magic and mysticism thrown in for good measure, so I did that too. I'm not really keen on the whole ghoul-like vampires or zombies -- I swore I'd never write a zombie story -- although I have three ideas for stories that directly relate to zombies. Go figure! Oh, and never say never... it'll come back and bite you on the butt.
Q. Do you dabble in other genres besides paranormal? What kind of stories come to you most naturally when writing?
A. I mostly write about people and how they relate to each other and react to life-altering circumstances. As such, I can write across genres, and I do. I have written science fiction stories, and I have story ideas for Chick Lit and New Adult stories, and a dark, urban fantasy. I even have a couple of ideas for children's and elementary-grade books. I never want to be genre typed.
Q. Are you an outliner or an organic writer?
A. I am definitely an organic writer. I let my characters (aka, my subconscious) write much of the story, then come in and organize stuff with the conscious mind. I generally write the outline near the end, just to keep everything straight -- especially as my novels comprise a series, which requires more diligence. My subconscious mind is very clever, and I often don't find out just how much until months after I have written some things. It's fun to have those, "Ah, ha!" moments when I discover just how clever I am, haha!
Q. Where do you do your writing? Do you have an office, or do you frequent a favorite coffee shop?
A. I do the bulk of my writing at home, in my office. If I tried writing in a coffee shop, I'd be fat from all the lattes and pastries. I do write, on occasion, in my favorite book store. It adds symmetry to my life, and makes me feel like Harlan Ellison.
Q. What are you currently working on?
A. Um... I have about six irons in the fire at any given moment, but I've been spending most of my limited time on Mars Rising, the sequel to Morning Stars. I have also started working on the novel to follow On the Bridge, my novella about a possibly insane young black woman (Gretchen Thyrd) and the Fey who love and hate her. On the Bridge is a bit of an awesome story that I fear is being woefully under read.
Q. What question do you wish someone would just ask you already?
A. I wish someone would ask me what my favorite flavor of ice cream is already. If you ever meet me at a convention or a book signing, just come up and ask me! I will tell you! Only, you need to be prepared to buy me some ice cream afterwards :)
Thanks for visiting my blog today, Jason! And thank you for bringing us all together for the awesomeness that is Off the Beaten Path!
Find Jason all across the interwebs...
Sunday, October 6, 2013
OTBP Blog Tour & Giveaway | Author Interview: Sharon Sant
The Off the Beaten Path Blog Tour & Giveaway is almost over, but there's still time to enter for a chance to win one of the many prizes available! Check out the details below!
Today, I' like to share a little about author Sharon Sant with you. Sharon is the author of the Sky Song trilogy, Runners, The Jackie Chan Fan Club, and, most recently, The Memory Game. I actually got the chance to read The Memory Game over the weekend, and it was wonderful! I'm really digging the cover too.
David is an average fifteen-year-old. He has a mom and step-dad, friends at school, and he delivers newspapers. One evening, while on his paper route, he is hit by a car and dies. He suddenly finds himself stuck without a body, left to wander around his hometown where no one can see or hear him... except Bethany, the most hated girl in school, who David wasn't all that nice to when he was alive. Together, David and Bethany try to discover why David didn't go on to wherever people are supposed to go when they die.
This was such a sweet, fun read. There were lots of laughs and tears! Beautifully written. Sharon is also the author of "Soul Trading", a short story featured in Off the Beaten Path.
Sharon Sant was born in Dorset but now lives in Stoke-on-Trent. Agedeightshe wrote a poem about ET, which received the ultimate praise of being pinned onto the classroom wall, and from that moment on she knew she'd never stop writing. She graduated from Staffordshire University in 2009 with a degree in English and creative writing. She currently works part time as a freelance editor and continues to write her own stories. An avid reader with eclectic tastes across many genres, when not busy trying in vain to be a domestic goddess, she can often be found lurking in local coffee shops with her head in a book. Sometimes she pretends to be clever but really loves nothing more than watching geeky TV and eating Pringles. Young adult novels Sky Song, The Young Moon and Not of Our (the Sky Song trilogy) and Runners were all released in 2013 to glowing reviews. The Memory Game, a YA paranormal novella, was released in August 2013.
Today, I' like to share a little about author Sharon Sant with you. Sharon is the author of the Sky Song trilogy, Runners, The Jackie Chan Fan Club, and, most recently, The Memory Game. I actually got the chance to read The Memory Game over the weekend, and it was wonderful! I'm really digging the cover too.
David is an average fifteen-year-old. He has a mom and step-dad, friends at school, and he delivers newspapers. One evening, while on his paper route, he is hit by a car and dies. He suddenly finds himself stuck without a body, left to wander around his hometown where no one can see or hear him... except Bethany, the most hated girl in school, who David wasn't all that nice to when he was alive. Together, David and Bethany try to discover why David didn't go on to wherever people are supposed to go when they die.This was such a sweet, fun read. There were lots of laughs and tears! Beautifully written. Sharon is also the author of "Soul Trading", a short story featured in Off the Beaten Path.
Sharon Sant was born in Dorset but now lives in Stoke-on-Trent. Agedeightshe wrote a poem about ET, which received the ultimate praise of being pinned onto the classroom wall, and from that moment on she knew she'd never stop writing. She graduated from Staffordshire University in 2009 with a degree in English and creative writing. She currently works part time as a freelance editor and continues to write her own stories. An avid reader with eclectic tastes across many genres, when not busy trying in vain to be a domestic goddess, she can often be found lurking in local coffee shops with her head in a book. Sometimes she pretends to be clever but really loves nothing more than watching geeky TV and eating Pringles. Young adult novels Sky Song, The Young Moon and Not of Our (the Sky Song trilogy) and Runners were all released in 2013 to glowing reviews. The Memory Game, a YA paranormal novella, was released in August 2013.
Find Sharon all over the interwebs...
Friday, October 4, 2013
Radio Interview with Behka at 92.3 Bob FM
I had so much fun talking with Behka this morning about the signing this afternoon and the upcoming Prombie Apocalypse! If you missed it on the radio, you can listen to the interview here:
http://923bobfm.com/prombie-apocalypse-kicks-off-with-sedalia-book-signing-interview/
http://923bobfm.com/prombie-apocalypse-kicks-off-with-sedalia-book-signing-interview/
OTBP Blog Tour & Giveaway | Author Interview: D. R. Johnson
It's day #4 of the Off the Beaten Path
blog tour & giveaway, and today I'd like to share some more about author Debra Johnson with you! Debra writes under the name D. R. Johnson, and she was also part of the big indie book giveaway that I participated in earlier this year. She is the author of The Pheonix Curse Saga, and her short story To Darkness I Fall was featured in Off the Beaten Path.
Debra resides in Texas, one of my favorite places to visit! So I'm hopeful that we'll meet in person one day... and maybe do a book signing together! : )
Q: Vampires? Werewolves? Ghosts? What's your favorite flavor of supernatural and why?
A: I love them all and sometimes my favorite can sway, but right now I love anything to do with angels. I don’t know if that’s QUITE considered supernatural, but I love a good story of the tug of war in heaven and the whole mythology behind it. Besides, what girl can resist a good ‘fallen angel’ story? Angels are totally the new vampires.
Q: Do you dabble in other genres besides paranormal? What kind of stories come to you most naturally when writing?
A: I will dabble anywhere my mind takes me, but about 50% of my writing is dystopian/apocalyptic stuff. The other 50% is split between paranormal, chick-lit and fantasy.
Q: Are you an outliner or an organic writer?
A: Well, not going to lie, but I had to look that up. So you know what that means? I’m organic, baby. I let myself drift in the story and see where it takes me. There is no outlining. The story does what it needs to do while I’m just the tool typing. Then I’ll rein it in during the editing process. I love writing. I hate editing.
Q: Where do you do your writing? Do you have an office, or do you frequent a favorite coffee shop?
A: Unfortunately, I do not have a retreat I can escape too. My desk is in the middle of the living room (AKA; Grand Central Station) and there’s always something going on during the waking hours. So, I wait till everyone else is asleep and then take advantage of all the quiet time. Although I wish I could, I know I could never write in a coffee house. I tend to talk to myself, act out motions and, occasional, yank on my hair. I just don’t see that going over well.
Q: What are you currently working on?
A: I am just about to release my second installment in The Phoenix Curse series. I actually pushed back the release a couple weeks so I could focus some attention on the release of OTBP. The Phoenix Curse has been pretty time consuming and I don’t see myself working on another big project until I get everything wrapped up, and that might take a few years..
Thanks for visiting with me, and good luck with your next book! Can't wait to read it! : )
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Debra resides in Texas, one of my favorite places to visit! So I'm hopeful that we'll meet in person one day... and maybe do a book signing together! : )
Q: Vampires? Werewolves? Ghosts? What's your favorite flavor of supernatural and why?
A: I love them all and sometimes my favorite can sway, but right now I love anything to do with angels. I don’t know if that’s QUITE considered supernatural, but I love a good story of the tug of war in heaven and the whole mythology behind it. Besides, what girl can resist a good ‘fallen angel’ story? Angels are totally the new vampires.
Q: Do you dabble in other genres besides paranormal? What kind of stories come to you most naturally when writing?
A: I will dabble anywhere my mind takes me, but about 50% of my writing is dystopian/apocalyptic stuff. The other 50% is split between paranormal, chick-lit and fantasy.
A: Well, not going to lie, but I had to look that up. So you know what that means? I’m organic, baby. I let myself drift in the story and see where it takes me. There is no outlining. The story does what it needs to do while I’m just the tool typing. Then I’ll rein it in during the editing process. I love writing. I hate editing.
Q: Where do you do your writing? Do you have an office, or do you frequent a favorite coffee shop?
A: Unfortunately, I do not have a retreat I can escape too. My desk is in the middle of the living room (AKA; Grand Central Station) and there’s always something going on during the waking hours. So, I wait till everyone else is asleep and then take advantage of all the quiet time. Although I wish I could, I know I could never write in a coffee house. I tend to talk to myself, act out motions and, occasional, yank on my hair. I just don’t see that going over well.
Q: What are you currently working on?
A: I am just about to release my second installment in The Phoenix Curse series. I actually pushed back the release a couple weeks so I could focus some attention on the release of OTBP. The Phoenix Curse has been pretty time consuming and I don’t see myself working on another big project until I get everything wrapped up, and that might take a few years..
Thanks for visiting with me, and good luck with your next book! Can't wait to read it! : )
Find Debra across the interwebs...
Thursday, October 3, 2013
OTBP Blog Tour & Giveaway | Author Interview: Monica La Porta
It's day #3 of the Off the Beaten Path
blog tour & giveaway, and today I'd like to share some more about author Monica La Porta
with you! I "met" Monica earlier this year, when we were both part of a big indie book giveaway.
She is the author of The Ginecean Chronicles and the fairytale The Prince's Day Out. Her short story Home Wet Home was featured in Off the Beaten Path.
Q. Vampires? Werewolves? Ghosts? What's your favorite flavor of supernatural
and why?
A. I like vampires because they are the most elegant creatures among the paranormal pantheon, but I also love a good ghost story once in a while.
Q. Do you dabble in other genres besides paranormal? What kind of stories come to you most naturally when writing?
A. I mainly write love stories in the dystopian/science fiction and fantasy variety. The paranormal short I wrote for the anthology Off the Beaten Path is a first for me. I enjoyed the experience greatly and I feel I’ll be writing more paranormal stories soon.
Q. Are you an outliner or an organic writer?
A. Very organic. Although, I’d like to be an outliner. My production would increase tenfold. As it is now, my writing modus operandi resembles the walking path of a beagle. Never straight and with lots of breaks
Q. Where do you do your writing? Do you have an office, or do you frequent a favorite coffee shop?
I have an awesome setup in my kids’ recreation/media room. They are grownup and don’t need it as much anymore. Only problem with the arrangement is during weekends, when they and their friends are home. Although, I shouldn’t be working during weekends and holidays…
Q. What are you currently working on?
A. I am writing Notturno, a fantasy novel set in a world where people are divided between nocturnals and diurnals. At the same time, I am also working with my two editors on three different projects. Two are companion books about the story of Gaia & Elios, a girl and an alien thrown together by fate and Etruscan findings. The third is Marie’s Journey, the final installment in The Ginecean Chronicles.
Thanks for visiting with me, Monica! And good luck with all of your exciting projects!
Thank you for having me, Angela.
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Q. Vampires? Werewolves? Ghosts? What's your favorite flavor of supernatural
A. I like vampires because they are the most elegant creatures among the paranormal pantheon, but I also love a good ghost story once in a while.
Q. Do you dabble in other genres besides paranormal? What kind of stories come to you most naturally when writing?
A. I mainly write love stories in the dystopian/science fiction and fantasy variety. The paranormal short I wrote for the anthology Off the Beaten Path is a first for me. I enjoyed the experience greatly and I feel I’ll be writing more paranormal stories soon.
Q. Are you an outliner or an organic writer?
A. Very organic. Although, I’d like to be an outliner. My production would increase tenfold. As it is now, my writing modus operandi resembles the walking path of a beagle. Never straight and with lots of breaks
Q. What are you currently working on?
A. I am writing Notturno, a fantasy novel set in a world where people are divided between nocturnals and diurnals. At the same time, I am also working with my two editors on three different projects. Two are companion books about the story of Gaia & Elios, a girl and an alien thrown together by fate and Etruscan findings. The third is Marie’s Journey, the final installment in The Ginecean Chronicles.
Thanks for visiting with me, Monica! And good luck with all of your exciting projects!
Thank you for having me, Angela.
Find Monica across the interwebs...
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
OTBP Blog Tour & Giveaway | Author Interview: Chip Putnam
Kicking off day #2 of the Off the Beaten Path blog tour & giveaway, and I thought it might be nice to learn some more about my fellow indie authors whose short stories are also featured in the anthology. A lot of times, these projects are organized and collaborated on between authors who span the globe. We send dozens of group emails helping each other with editing and marketing plans. Many of us do not get the chance to meet in person, and many of our correspondences are book related, so it's really nice, once the work is finished, to get to know each other on a more personal level.
Today, I'd like to introduce Chip Putnam. Chip actually has two short stories in Off the Beaten Path: The Reason Why Grandmothers Should Not Be Allowed To Read Vampire Novels and Prairie Zombies. He has also won several contests with other short stories, and he managed to accomplish all of this with a full teaching schedule as a high school science teacher in North Carolina.
Chip was able to find a few moments to visit with me, and here are some fun facts I found out about him.
Q: Vampires? Werewolves? Ghosts? What's your favorite flavor of supernatural and why?
A: I would have to say the zombie hordes are my favorite. Vampires get all of the PR, ghosts are too transparent, and werewolves are just plain schizophrenic. It shouldn’t be too difficult to pick a species, but werewolves have to try to be both humans and wolves. It’s no wonder they don’t really fit in with anyone. For my favorite undead, I have to go with the underdog, the oft maligned, zombies. They lurch, they moan, and eat the occasional brain. What’s not to love?
Q: Do you dabble in other genres besides paranormal? What kind of stories come to you most naturally when writing?
A: I’m possibly the most eclectic author I know. My passion is fantasy, but I’m good with a quip or two. So I find it easy to write contemporary humor. Since all of my adult life has been spent in a high school classroom, I tend to gravitate toward school stories that bear a more than passing resemblance to events I have witnessed over the past twenty years. In a demonstration of eclectic nature, my most recent manuscript was a romantic comedy. When asked about my favorite genre, my response is, “The one I haven’t explored yet.”
Q: Are you an outliner or an organic writer?
A: I tend to start a story with both a beginning and an ending in mind. The steps in between are usually a hazy blur, with half-glimpsed scenes. It’s an adventure writing a novel, and several characters have assumed personalities that I had not predicted at the start of the project.
Q: Where do you do your writing? Do you have an office, or do you frequent a favorite coffee shop?
A: If you remember the old Western TV show, “Have Gun - Will Travel,” then you have an idea of where I write. My theme is “Have Laptop – Will Travel.” With two active daughters, I can be seen sitting in bleachers watching gymnastic practice while slaughtering entire villages in a story. Waiting for the end of dance class one night, I mapped out the entire ending of a love story where boy meets girl only to loose her to the allure of the stage. At this point I can’t decide if her love for him is strong enough to pull her away from the limelight, or if zombies destroy the theater. All thoughts of travel aside, my favorite place to write is draped over our overstuffed chair in the living room with Pink Floyd playing in the background.
Q: What are you currently working on?
A: I am currently finishing a fictional account of a school year, which bears an overwhelming resemblance to the real world events I experienced in my own classroom last year. I am hoping to have it on the market by the end of the October. I am also polishing up a fantasy manuscript in what I call “High Fantasy” in the Tolkien style. After watching her dear, old dad write, my youngest daughter wants to collaborate on a story she is developing. Aside from the benefits of spending time with my daughter, it’s a darn good story line. I’ve enjoyed my foray into the realm of the paranormal with Off the Beaten Path. When I finished the “The Reason Why Grandmother’s Should Never Be Allowed to Read About Vampires,” a small embryo of an idea took root in my mind of a way to merge the drama of high school with the fun of the paranormal, without anybody sparkling. When you think carefully upon the subject, high school and the paranormal really aren’t that different.
Thanks for visiting with me, and good luck with your future works. They sound exciting! : )
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Today, I'd like to introduce Chip Putnam. Chip actually has two short stories in Off the Beaten Path: The Reason Why Grandmothers Should Not Be Allowed To Read Vampire Novels and Prairie Zombies. He has also won several contests with other short stories, and he managed to accomplish all of this with a full teaching schedule as a high school science teacher in North Carolina.Chip was able to find a few moments to visit with me, and here are some fun facts I found out about him.
Q: Vampires? Werewolves? Ghosts? What's your favorite flavor of supernatural and why?
A: I would have to say the zombie hordes are my favorite. Vampires get all of the PR, ghosts are too transparent, and werewolves are just plain schizophrenic. It shouldn’t be too difficult to pick a species, but werewolves have to try to be both humans and wolves. It’s no wonder they don’t really fit in with anyone. For my favorite undead, I have to go with the underdog, the oft maligned, zombies. They lurch, they moan, and eat the occasional brain. What’s not to love?
Q: Do you dabble in other genres besides paranormal? What kind of stories come to you most naturally when writing?
A: I’m possibly the most eclectic author I know. My passion is fantasy, but I’m good with a quip or two. So I find it easy to write contemporary humor. Since all of my adult life has been spent in a high school classroom, I tend to gravitate toward school stories that bear a more than passing resemblance to events I have witnessed over the past twenty years. In a demonstration of eclectic nature, my most recent manuscript was a romantic comedy. When asked about my favorite genre, my response is, “The one I haven’t explored yet.”
Q: Are you an outliner or an organic writer?
A: I tend to start a story with both a beginning and an ending in mind. The steps in between are usually a hazy blur, with half-glimpsed scenes. It’s an adventure writing a novel, and several characters have assumed personalities that I had not predicted at the start of the project.
Q: Where do you do your writing? Do you have an office, or do you frequent a favorite coffee shop?
A: If you remember the old Western TV show, “Have Gun - Will Travel,” then you have an idea of where I write. My theme is “Have Laptop – Will Travel.” With two active daughters, I can be seen sitting in bleachers watching gymnastic practice while slaughtering entire villages in a story. Waiting for the end of dance class one night, I mapped out the entire ending of a love story where boy meets girl only to loose her to the allure of the stage. At this point I can’t decide if her love for him is strong enough to pull her away from the limelight, or if zombies destroy the theater. All thoughts of travel aside, my favorite place to write is draped over our overstuffed chair in the living room with Pink Floyd playing in the background.
Q: What are you currently working on?
A: I am currently finishing a fictional account of a school year, which bears an overwhelming resemblance to the real world events I experienced in my own classroom last year. I am hoping to have it on the market by the end of the October. I am also polishing up a fantasy manuscript in what I call “High Fantasy” in the Tolkien style. After watching her dear, old dad write, my youngest daughter wants to collaborate on a story she is developing. Aside from the benefits of spending time with my daughter, it’s a darn good story line. I’ve enjoyed my foray into the realm of the paranormal with Off the Beaten Path. When I finished the “The Reason Why Grandmother’s Should Never Be Allowed to Read About Vampires,” a small embryo of an idea took root in my mind of a way to merge the drama of high school with the fun of the paranormal, without anybody sparkling. When you think carefully upon the subject, high school and the paranormal really aren’t that different.
Thanks for visiting with me, and good luck with your future works. They sound exciting! : )
Find Chip across the interwebs...
Sunday, September 22, 2013
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
The Blog Tour for OFF THE BEATEN PATH starts October 1st! Woot! The anthology features eight short stories from some great indie authors. We'll be giving away copies of the Kindle ebook edition and several Amazon gift cards, so be sure to check out these great blogs from October 1st - October 8th for some fun interviews and the chance to enter the giveaway!
Blog List
Sharon Sant, author of Sky Song and The New Moon
Angela Roquet, author of the Lana Harvey series and Crazy Ex-Ghoulfriend
Monica La Porta, author of The Ginecean Chronicles and The Prince's Day Out
D. R. Johnson, author of The Phoenix Curse saga
Jason Graves, author of On the Bridge, Blood Roses, and Morning Stars
Chip Putnam, author of The Reason Why Grandmothers Should Not Be Allowed To Read Vampire Novels and Prairie Zombies
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