Author Interview - L.E. DeLano

Jessa has spent her life dreaming of other worlds and writing down stories more interesting than her own, until the day her favorite character, Finn, suddenly shows up and invites her out for coffee. After the requisite nervous breakdown, Jessa learns that she and Finn are Travelers, born with the ability to slide through reflections and dreams into alternate realities. But it’s not all steampunk pirates and fantasy lifestyles—Jessa is dying over and over again, in every reality, and Finn is determined that this time, he’s going to stop it…This Jessa is going to live.


Check out my review for TRAVELER here!

Interview

What authors and/or books inspired your writing?   

I love love love Cassandra Clare and the way she weaves her storylines (and her amazing, richly detailed characters). So often in her stories, she makes you revisit scenes and look at them from another perspective. I can't get enough of her, J.K. Rowling, or Sarah J. Maas.

What is your ideal writing setting (outside, at a desk, etc.)?

I always kind of laugh at this question. I have no “writer’s nook”, no “writing rituals”- none of that sacred writing space sort of stuff. I’m a single mom with a full time day job and two kids - one of whom is special-needs. I write whenever and wherever I get a chance, with a laptop on my lap, my kitchen table, or a café table, if I’m lucky enough to get away. I can write with the TV and dishwasher on, while one kid is singing and the other is yelling at him to shut up. I think it’s made me a better writer.

How do you deal with writer's block?

The trick with writer's block is to just write. Badly, if you have to, but keep writing. One thing that's been a tremendous help to me is using Google Voice Typing ( In the Tools menu on Google Docs - you need a headset with a microphone). I write a scene by talking it through, and the great thing here is all voice typing programs suck in various ways. They don't put in quotation marks, they randomly capitalize words, they sometimes mis-hear you. So you know that whatever you get down will be flawed. You accept that. And it frees you up so much to just keep going no matter what--no second guessing, no going back and fixing it once each line is down (thereby stopping your train of thought). You plan to go back and fix it all once the scene is finished, and it works. For me it really works.

In TRAVELER, do you have a special connection to any of your characters?

That would be Danny, and to a lesser degree, Jessa. I am an autism parent – my son is on the spectrum – and his relationship with his sister features heavily in some of Danny and Jessa’s scenes. Danny is every inch my son on paper. I wanted very much to show not just a person with autism in a positive way, but also to shine a light on what it’s like to be a sibling of a special needs person. Jessa has had to grow up very differently than some people because of that – and not in a bad way.

What are some of your favorite writing tropes that most people usually hate (I.e. love triangles, etc.)?

I absolutely LOVE a good love triangle! So much great tension and heartache, when it's done right (but soooo annoying when it's not).

TRAVELER is about taking portals into other universes. Are there any ideas for universes that didn't make it into the books? Will we ever get to see them?

I had a whole list of alternate realities--and a few historical realities (in the original draft of the story, Jessa also time traveled). I had a reality where everything was bubbles! People living in bubbles, driving floating bubble cars, dancing on bubble clouds. I had a great reality that Jessa and Finn traveled to, only to discover that he had a boyfriend in that reality. And Jessa was going to visit the Aztecs and nearly get her heart ripped out. I'd love to write ten more books in the series, but I guess we just have to hope it gets picked up by Netflix Originals.

What can we hope to see from you in the future?

I have a few different irons in the fire right now. One is a YA fantasy based on Irish mythology, another is a YA Sci-fi thriller, and the third is a contemporary YA. We'll have to see which one gets to the bookshelf first!

Any advice for aspiring authors?

First, finish your book. You will never be a published author without a finished book. Second, as you're shopping for agents and publishers, remember how subjective the process is. You can have a great book that still gets rejected (See: Harry Potter). Perseverance is a grueling waiting game, so keep writing while you wait for your book to find its home. Most of all, believe that it will.

L.E. DeLano is a novelist rep’d by Barry Goldblatt Literary agency, author of the YA fantasy novel “Traveler” (Swoon Reads/MacMillan) and lifelong writer. Her work has been featured on various online outlets and she lives in Pennsylvania with two very adventurous kids and two very ridiculous cats. In her spare time, she writes (of course) and binge-watches way too much Netflix.

Blog Tour - Author Interview - M.D. Neu

A little blue world, the third planet from the sun. It’s home to 7 billion people with all manner of faiths, beliefs and customs, divided by bigotry and misunderstanding, who will soon be told they are not alone in the universe. Anyone watching from the outside would pass by this fractured and tumultuous world, unless they had no other choice. Todd Landon is one of these people, living and working in a section of the world called the United States of America. His life is similar to those around him: home, family, work, friends and a husband.

On the cusp of the greatest announcement humankind has ever witnessed, Todd’s personal world is thrown into turmoil when his estranged brother shows up on his front porch with news of ships heading for Earth’s orbit. The ships are holding the Nentraee, a humanoid race who have come to Earth in need of help after fleeing the destruction of their homeworld. How will one man bridge the gap for both the Humans and Nentraee, amongst mistrust, terrorist attacks and personal loss? Will this be the start of a new age of man or will bigotry and miscommunication bring this small world to its knees and final end?

Interview

Do you have any writing exercises or habits?

This is a tough one, because I don’t think I do. However, I tend to read a lot of my fellow authors works. I will read genres that are not my own to help broaden my horizons and to teach me other ways of telling a story. Also, I do a lot of social media at work, which helps me to develop getting a point across in short bursts. Sometimes this is a good thing and sometimes it isn’t. Where I find that it’s helpful is for when I’m putting together my first draft, because once I have the bones of the story laid out I can go in a flesh out the rest of the story from there.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

If I get stuck, I will work on story research or read, that usually inspires me to get back to my writing.

What authors/books inspired your writing?

Oh gosh, there are so many. I read many Star Trek books (which tend to have different authors), contemporary literature, Stephen King, Kim Stanley Robinson, Anne Rice, and I’m sure there are others I’m forgetting.

Do you have a special connection to any of your characters?

All my characters are a part of me, and I enjoy writing each of them. The first one that jumps out at me is Kati, I love her, because she says and does things that are so outrageous, but she’s a good person and I like that. We, people in general, get too hung up in what and how we speak. It’s gotten to the point where we don’t see what’s behind it. A person can say crass things and still be a good person who you would want to be around and who you love and adore and I think that sums up Kati to a tea, if you are easily offended then Kati will definitely say things that will make your eyes bleed.

What is your go-to book that never lets you down?

I don’t really have a go to book. Typically, I don’t re-read books. I’ll read them once and I’m done. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy them, because I do.

What can we hope to see from you in the future?

In the immediate future, I have two more books coming out; A New World-Conviction, and T.A.D-The Angle of Death. After that, I’ve finished writing A New World-Conspiracy and that is with the Editor and I’m wrapping up the first draft of the sequel to my vampire series The Calling, which is tentatively titled The Called. From there I have more stories simmering but nothing fleshed out yet.

Any advice for aspiring authors?

Keep writing and don’t give up. Write what you love to read and people will find you. Also, learn what you can about marketing and PR, because you’re going to need it. Writing the story is hard, but getting the story into people’s hands is even harder.

M.D. Neu is a LGBTQA Fiction Writer with a love for writing and travel. Living in the heart of Silicon Valley (San Jose, California) and growing up around technology, he's always been fascinated with what could be. Specifically drawn to Science Fiction and Paranormal television and novels, M.D. Neu was inspired by the great Gene Roddenberry, George Lucas, Stephen King, Alice Walker, Alfred Hitchcock, Harvey Fierstein, Anne Rice, and Kim Stanley Robinson. An odd combination, but one that has influenced his writing.

Growing up in an accepting family as a gay man he always wondered why there were never stories reflecting who he was. Constantly surrounded by characters that only reflected heterosexual society, M.D. Neu decided he wanted to change that. So, he took to writing, wanting to tell good stories that reflected our diverse world.

When M.D. Neu isn't writing, he works for a non-profit and travels with his biggest supporter and his harshest critic, Eric his husband of eighteen plus years.

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Blog Tour - Author Interview - Aileen Erin + Giveaway

From USA Today Bestselling Author Aileen Erin

Maite Martinez has always yearned for more than waitressing in a greasy diner on the polluted ruins of planet Earth. Hiding her special abilities is a full-time job on its own, even with the government distracted by the mysterious alien race – the Aunare.

When a SpaceTech officer gets handsy with her, she reacts without thinking. Breaking his nose might not have been her smartest move. Now she’s faced with a choice: serious jail time working in a chain gang on a volcano planet or join the corporate army to fight against the impending war with the Aunare. It’s really no choice at all.

As with everything in her life, Maite quickly realizes that the war with the Aurnare isn’t what it seems. And Lorne, the Aunare prince, keeps popping up everywhere she goes. Being seen with him could get her in even deeper trouble with her commanders, but he’s the first person who sees through the wall she’s built around herself and she can’t bring herself to send him away.

When the situation between SpaceTech and the Aunare escalates, Maite has a way to end the war before it even begins. There’s only one question: Can she stop the total annihilation of humanity without getting herself killed in the process?

Interview

What is your ideal writing setting (outside, at a desk, etc.)?

I love to write in a comfy, quiet spot. Usually, that’s in my office. I have a writing chair and a couch that I use. Although if I’m really having trouble getting focused, I’ve been known to write in bed. The more comfortable I am, the easier it is to sink into the story and into my characters’ heads. I also need music. I can’t write without my Bose noise-cancelling headphones. They’re the best. When I’m listening to music and in a comfortable spot, the real world melts away, and I can get totally immersed in my imagination.

Off Planet is a sci-fi novel, what inspired you to write sci-fi and not another genre? What gave you your inspiration?

I wrote Becoming Alpha, the first book in the Alpha Girls series, when I was working on my MFA, but I finished it early and still had another writing term to complete. So, I needed another idea. I was living in Albuquerque, NM at the time while my husband was producing the first Avengers movie, and learned about Spaceport America, “the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport.” I blew my mind that something like that already existed in New Mexico. I started to imagine a world where Albuquerque became the center for space travel and where corporations took over the government. I dreamed about an alien race and what might happen if tensions arose between them and the human Earthers. I had so much fun working on the world-building. I didn’t necessarily set out to write a sci-fi, but that’s where the muse lead me.

Do you have any writing exercises or habits?

I love to do morning pages as described in The Artist’s Way—you free write for 15-20min in a journal. Not working on a book, just stream of consciousness. In The Artist’s Way, Julie Cameron says to do them when you first wake up, but I don’t necessarily need them to be done in the morning. But before I write, they’re extremely helpful. I find that doing them clears my head of any little things—my to do list or worries and stresses—so that I can focus on writing.

I also don’t end my day’s writing at the end of a chapter or scene. Even if I’m at the end, I’ll write just a few sentences more into the next chapter or scene. That way, I’m stopping in the middle of whatever I’m working on, and when I start writing the next day, I can just continue the thought. I’m never really left staring at a blank page.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

For me, not stopping my day’s work at the end of a chapter or scene really helps prevent writer’s block. Also, the morning pages help. But sometimes, even with those two things, it happens. I’ve learned that when I have writer’s block, it means that I’ve gone a direction with the story that isn’t working. So, I usually take a day or two off, and then go back and re-read what I have and then plot to make sure that I’m still heading in the right direction. 

What does literary success mean to you?

Literary success is more than a financial thing to me. It means that my stories are resonating with readers on some level, and that is the whole reason why I write. 

What are some of your favorite writing tropes that people usually hate?

I really love the romance trope where the heroine meets the hero pretty quickly in the book. I really love knowing who should get together, and I love seeing the journey of how the two characters get there. I don’t know if people hate that, but I know that some might fight against the way that romance can be a little formulaic. I personally love it. I love knowing what I’m getting into right away, and love seeing the Happily Ever After.

What can we hope to see from you in the future?

The Aunare Chronicles will either be 3 or 4 books before it’s completed. So, I’ll be working on that. I’m also working on the Alpha Girls series, and then a spin-off series based on Samantha, a girl that the Alpha Girls gang ran into during Being Alpha. It’s a little darker than the Alpha Girls series, and a little more horror than paranormal. I’ve been wanting to write that one for a long time, and I was so excited that I got to introduce Samantha in Being Alpha.

Any advice for aspiring authors?

Write every day. The only way to learn to write is to write all the time until you finish your book. Don’t worry about if it’s perfect. Give yourself the space to write a shitty first draft.

Then, find someone you trust to read your book and give you feedback. So much of writing is rewriting and revising and rewriting until it shines. You have to be able to take feedback and learn to edit your writing. So many aspiring authors either don’t finish their book or don’t listen to and apply feedback. Both are crucial in becoming an author.

Aileen Erin is half-Irish, half-Mexican, and 100% nerd–from Star Wars (prequels don’t count) to Star Trek (TNG FTW), she reads Quenya and some Sindarin, and has a severe fascination with the supernatural. Aileen has a BS in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She lives with her husband in Los Angeles, and spends her days doing her favorite things: reading books, creating worlds, and kicking ass.

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Author Interview - Joshua David Bellin

What kind of research goes into developing a sci-fi world?

It varies depending on the project. For example, for the Ecosystem Trilogy, I had to learn a lot about (big surprise) ecosystems so I could create my own, sci-fi version of one. But for Freefall, which is set on an exoplanet, I had to research space exploration and colonization. I don’t write “hard” sci-fi, so I always end up taking liberties with the facts, but at the same time, I want the world I’ve created to be plausible enough that readers can lose themselves in it and not say, “hey, wait a minute!” on every other page.

Do you draw on other fantasy worlds to help develop your own?

Oh, for sure! The Ecosystem books have little parts of Dune, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, the Thomas Covenant series, and other stories I’ve loved over the years. I don’t think it’s possible to avoid being influenced in that way, and I don’t think it would be a good thing even if you could avoid it. Each imagined world gains depth and complexity from its points of contact with other imagined worlds, so as long as you’re not outright plagiarizing—setting your novel in a magical school called Warthogs with a wizard main character named Perry Hotter—I think you’re enriching your story-world by paying tribute to others.

What authors/books inspired your writing? Do you read the same genre that you write?

I’ve been a voracious reader my whole life, starting with books that would have been called YA if the category existed when I was a kid—such as the novels of Judy Blume and S. E. Hinton—then graduating to “adult” fantasy and sci-fi, along with the “classic” literature I read in college and grad school (and still read today). To give you an idea of how wide-ranging my reading is, this past month I read the historical novel Giants in the Earth, the contemporary YA thriller Following, and the nonfiction book on baseball analytics, Moneyball. Next up is Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying, which I’m re-reading for a class I teach. Everything I read is inspirational, because everything I read goes into my brain and comes out in odd and unexpected forms. That’s why writers have to be readers: not because any particular book or genre teaches you “how to write,” but because every story you read adds to your ability to tell your own.

What is your ideal writing setting (outside, at a desk, etc.)?

Sadly, I find myself desk-bound most of the time when I’m writing. I wish I could venture into the great outdoors, or take my laptop to some cool, funky bookstore and type away while soaking up the book-vibes, but the truth is, I can’t write unless I cut out every possible distraction. That means no music, no social media, no food or drink or other people while I’m writing. The only problem is that I write at home, so occasionally I do have to interact with my wife and kids!

Do you have any writing exercises or habits?

I’m not much of a planner, because I find that I make my best discoveries as a writer when I don’t know what’s coming next. Setting is very important to each of my stories, so I do like to draw a rough map of my imagined world before I start. I also jot down brief chapter summaries, but usually only after I’m midway through a manuscript and want to make sure I tie up all the loose ends. What this approach means is that I tend to produce really messy drafts, which is okay since I’m a good reviser. I think every writer has to find the habits that work for them, with the only requirement being that if you want to be a writer, you have to write.

Any advice for aspiring authors?

The best advice I can give—and I learned this the hard way—is to focus on what you can control, not what you can’t. Look, there is ultimately nothing you can do to assure yourself of commercial success as a writer: you can write the best book you’re capable of, and you can market it all you want (or all you can afford), but there’s still no guarantee it’ll hit the bestseller lists. The publishers have a formula, which involves pouring most of their promotional dollars into a few “big” books each year (usually the ones written by the already established authors who least need the support), but even that formula doesn’t always pan out, while occasionally, a book no one expected to hit it big goes viral. The one and only thing you can control as a writer is your writing. So write, and dream, and have fun, and maybe you’ll make a splash. But even if you don’t, you’ll still have written. And dreamed. And had fun. Which is what the whole thing should be about.

Joshua David Bellin has been writing novels since he was eight years old (though the first few were admittedly very short). A college teacher by day, he has published numerous works of fantasy and science fiction, including the two-part Survival Colony series (Survival Colony 9 and Scavenger of Souls), the deep-space adventure Freefall, and the short story collection Ten Tales of Terror and Terra. The Ecosystem series—Ecosystem, The Devouring Land, and House of Earth, House of Stone—is his latest work of speculative fiction. In his free time, Josh likes to read, watch movies, and take long nature hikes with his kids. Oh, yeah, and he likes monsters. Really scary monsters.

You can find him on his website, blog, Twitter, and Facebook.

Author Interview - Maria Johnson

Author of The Boy from the Snow, Maria Johnson, was kind enough to take some time to answer some questions I had for her about her book and writing style!

What caused you to write a historical fiction novel? Particularly one set in Northwest Celtic England? 

My novel ‘The Boy from the Snow’ is really all about my main character Daniel and telling his story, which I’ve had in my head since I was a child. I knew Daniel would’ve lived hundreds of years ago, so that’s what drew me to historical fiction. After that, it was about finding out where he would fit best into history. After looking up a few different historical periods, I decided on Celtic England, specifically 590 AD. In that period of history there are warring kings and rival kingdoms, which is an important aspect of the story.

As for the location, I’m based in the North West and have spent several happy holidays in the Lake District, so I knew it would be a wonderful place to set Daniel’s story and fits well with the plot. Whilst the smaller kingdoms of Klumeck and Gaeson are fictional, the wider kingdom of Rheged, spanning most of what we know now as Cumbria in NW England, really existed.

Do you have a special connection with any of the characters? 

Yes! My connection with Daniel, the main character, began years ago when I was a child. When I was about 7, my brother had Lego. While he was would be building all sorts of things, I used to take the little yellow people and make up stories about them. One of them was a soldier character who used to be a stable boy when he was growing up- that’s when the character of Daniel was born. I also came up with the characters of Princess Evelyn and King Cedric, who feature heavily in the book.

As a female, did you find it more difficult to put yourself in Daniel's shoes?

Not really, no! Perhaps it’s because I feel like I’ve known Daniel since I was 7, so I didn’t find that aspects of him were particularly difficult to write.

How long did you research and what things did you discover in your research?

The research process took quite a while! It was quite a long time before I started writing, then also I kept dipping back into research as I went along. I absolutely loved researching, as it really helped put colours onto the word I’d been building and imagining. I’ve really loved the idea of having Daniel be a stepping board into a wider world of history. I’ve learned things about the period, especially battles of the time and King Urien, who was the supreme king of Rheged (the bigger Northwest Celtic Kingdom where the book is based) that I never would’ve discovered otherwise.

Princess Evelyn is a strong-willed character. Did you draw inspiration on someone to help build her independent personality?

As far as I’m aware I wasn’t drawing on anyone specific at the time, but thinking about it in recent years I probably subconsciously based Evelyn on the characters of Arwen and Eowyn from ‘The Lord of the Rings’. Both are strong, royal characters who have independent wills.

Another character I definitely know I drew my own inspiration from was the character of Aife, one of Daniel’s oldest friends and one of the foremost warriors in Gaeson’s army. She’s been one of my favourite characters to write and is especially gifted with a bow and arrow, so you wouldn’t want to mess with her! In my head Aife is a mix between the character of Tauriel from the Hobbit films and Katniss from The Hunger Games.

What kind of books do you generally read? Are there any books (or authors) that you feel inspired by when you're writing?

Writing historical fiction has definitely awakened a passion in me for reading that genre, which I’m thrilled about. I absolutely love the balance between it being our own world that I’m reading about, but so different from the one we know today that it feels like fantasy. I’m currently loving reading Annie Whitehead’s novel ‘To Be a Queen’, telling the story of Aethelflaed, daughter of Alfred the Great. This year I’ve also read the novel ‘Osbert’ by RA Currier, telling the story of a shepherd in Medieval England which was absolutely magnificent.

As I’ve mentioned Lord of the Rings has definitely inspired my writing and remains one of my favourite novels.

What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?

In September I signed a contract with my publishers, Olympia, to publish ‘The Veiled Wolf’, the sequel to ‘The Boy from the Snow’. Hopefully it will be published maybe in the autumn next year, but there isn’t a confirmed publication date yet.

 The sequel is set a little over a year after the end of my first book. When their plans to retake a kingdom now in the hands of the enemy go awry, Daniel discovers there may be a spy in Gaeson, known only as ‘the Wolf’. The more Daniel attempts to solve the identity of this veiled agent, the more he starts do doubt those closest to him. After the Veiled Wolf threatens to destroy those he loves, however, Daniel must act quickly before all he cares for is lost.

I’m also about 2/3 way through my first draft of a 3rd novel continuing Daniel’s story, set four years after the end of ‘The Veiled Wolf’ so hopefully this too might be published in future years.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

This may sound like a cliché, but don’t give up on your writing. It’s just over two years since I opened up the email from Olympia offering publication and it really has changed my life! I can still remember pressing the submit button on their online form, probably already believing it would already be a no… but it wasn’t. It’s so easy not to have any confidence in your writing or think that publication can never be an option, but there might come a day when you find an acceptance email in your inbox, too. One of the things I’ve learned as a writer is to develop the ‘author’s voice’ which allows a writer to tell their story in a voice that is uniquely yours. So never give up writing, writers- because nobody can tell a story quite the way you can!

2017 Debut Author Bash - Rebecca Ross

When her seventeenth summer solstice arrives, Brienna desires only two things: to master her passion and to be chosen by a patron.

Growing up in the southern Kingdom of Valenia at the renowned Magnalia House should have prepared her for such a life. While some are born with an innate talent for one of the five passions—art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge—Brienna struggled to find hers until she belatedly chose to study knowledge. However, despite all her preparations, Brienna’s greatest fear comes true—the solstice does not go according to plan and she is left without a patron.

Months later, her life takes an unexpected turn when a disgraced lord offers her patronage. Suspicious of his intent, and with no other choices, she accepts. But there is much more to his story, and Brienna soon discovers that he has sought her out for his own vengeful gain. For there is a dangerous plot being planned to overthrow the king of Maevana—the archrival kingdom of Valenia—and restore the rightful queen, and her magic, to the northern throne. And others are involved—some closer to Brienna than she realizes.

With war brewing between the two lands, Brienna must choose whose side she will remain loyal to—passion or blood. Because a queen is destined to rise and lead the battle to reclaim the crown. The ultimate decision Brienna must determine is: Who will be that queen?

1. Q: Which passion would you pick and why?

A: I would definitely be a passion of knowledge (although I think dramatics have the most fun!).

2. Q: What gave you inspiration for your world (books, movies, etc.)?

A: Since I'm a very visual person, I glean a lot of inspiration from Pinterest; I have a board for TQR that is full of landscapes and castles and costumes. I think there is something about the Renaissance that really draws me; I love the thought of culture going through a rebirth. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman is one of my favorite books ever, and I loved the world she created in that story. And I'm also a huge fan of the movie Ever After! I think all of these things really built up my own imagination.

3. Q: Which character do you relate to the most?

A: I relate the most to Brienna. I feel like she and I would be pretty good friend in real life :)

4. Q: Will we learn more about Brienna’s passion-sisters or Cartier?

A: Yes! You will definitely learn more about Cartier in the second installment. And Brienna's passion-sisters are some of my favorite characters, so I hope to also do more with them.

5. Q: Do you have any writing habits?

A: I must always have a drink with me when I'm writing. I typically have coffee, water, herbal tea, and kombucha on my desk (sometimes all of those at one time!).

6. Q: What kind of research did you do for The Queen’s Rising?

A: Here are a few things I did research on before I got started writing: clothes, music, castles, food, medieval swordsmanship. I feel like most fantasy is grounded in history, and while I didn't use all of my research, it definitely provided a good jumping off point for me to get started writing.

7. Q: What kind of books do you read in your freetime?

A: I love to read fantasy in my spare time.

8. Q: Do you have an author you always read/a favourite author?

A: My top two favorite authors are Juliet Marillier and Melina Marchetta. They know how to write characters and create worlds like no one else (and they also have both made me ugly cry in their books).

9. Q: What can we look forward to from you in the future?

A: Definitely more stories! TQR is a trilogy, and I'm actually going through edits for Book 2 right now. Book 2 is a direct sequel (not a companion book).

10. Q: Any advice for aspiring writers?

A: My advice for aspiring writers is to write. And I know that sounds simple, but you really must learn how to dedicate time to getting words on the page. You don't have to necessarily write every day (although I do feel like it helps turn it into a good habit), but you must hone the discipline to write even when you don't feel like it. You learn the most about crafting a novel by going through the whole process: the beginning, the middle, the end. And be prepared to rewrite. All good writing is rewriting.

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Author Interview - Lisa Maxwell + Giveaway

Lisa Maxwell, author of the New York Times best selling book THE LAST MAGICIAN, took enough time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions I had about writing and her new book! Plus, there will be a giveaway for a swag pack on this blog AND a giveaway for a signed copy of the book that will be posted on all participating blogs! 

1. What character do you feel a close personal connection to? 

Probably Viola. She has my temper, I think. And I drew a lot on my own upbringing and Italian-American identity to create her.

2. What is your ideal setting for writing? 

On my couch with my laptop and a cup (or 6) of coffee. This book, though, didn’t like that setting. I wrote a lot of it in my bed, in the dark. There was something about being cocooned in the dark that helped me focus.

3. Did your original idea for The Last Magician change by the final draft? 

Oh…yeah. Considering that at first I thought the thief would live in DC and drive motorcycles? It took me a really long time to figure out where Esta’s story was set—and even then, I hadn’t been planning on writing a time travel book. That all came later.

4. What was your inspiration? 

I had a few things. I loved the show Leverage and wanted to write something as fun and smart as that show was—bad guys trying to be the good guys. I also loved Newsies and the whole world of life in the streets…though, THE LAST MAGICIAN has no signing or dancing. Maybe in the sequel? ;)

5. Any plans for the future? 

I’m working on the sequel right now. 

6. Any advice for aspiring writers? 

Read everything. Finish something.

You have to read widely—even things that you don’t think you like or things that are hard, because they all help teach something about how writing, stories, or language works. And if you can finish something, then you always know you’re capable of finishing. That’s an amazing source of confidence in future projects, because you know you’ve done it before.

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Author Interview - Tara St. Pierre

Author Tara St. Pierre was kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions I had about her experiences in writing and about her book Just a Few Inches, which sounds so interesting. For those of you that don't know what it's about, here's the excerpt from Goodreads;

"All Carrie Roberts wants is to be a little bit smaller.

To fit into the perfect dress for the Valentine’s Day Dance. To look beautiful for her boyfriend, the school’s star basketball player. To keep his jealous ex-girlfriend, a rival cheerleader, away from him. And to be noticed by her classmates.

Exercising and dieting don’t work, but an advertisement for weight loss pills promises a quicker solution to her problem. As time runs out, she takes more than the recommended dose until she’s just a few inches slimmer. Heads turn when she arrives at the dance, and the wonderful night with her boyfriend is beyond what she dreamed it would be.

Days later, Carrie discovers that her body is changing in ways that should be impossible. While her doctor searches for a cure, she desperately turns to her friends and family for support. Everyone is noticing her now whether she likes it or not, and even the media is intrigued by her incredible story. Getting everything she once wanted has created new problems—problems that are growing more terrifying every day.

Because Carrie Roberts is shrinking."

Super unique, right? You can get Just a Few Inches from Amazon and Barnes and Noble, so go get your copy today! I can't wait to start reading! But in the meantime, here's a few teasers!

What was your inspiration for Just a Few Inches?

I was in the checkout line at a supermarket or drugstore, staring at the magazines—many of them targeted at women. One cover offered a diet program to lose inches from your waist and shrink your dress size. The usage of the word shrink in that context intrigued me. There had been other movies or TV shows where people shrunk, but none that I knew of due to a diet. I thought this was an interesting premise for a story.
I chose a high school setting because teens are always trying to fit in, so Carrie’s insecurities would be believable. Also, by having her shrink in height, I hoped readers would be more intrigued because it was something new, and I could make it about body image in general instead of just weight issues.
With Carrie shrinking in height, it allowed me to posit some interesting questions in a unique way. For example, there are claims that the unreal measurements of fashion dolls may be one reason why young girls have body image issues. I don’t know if that’s true, but when Carrie is that size, she’d have a different perspective and I could posit the question. In the end, if readers of my book learn something from it, then I’ve done my job.


Did you have to do any research?

I could probably write a book about all the preparations and research that went into the story! I have a little more than a basic knowledge of biology and chemistry, so that helped in making the explanation Carrie’s doctor gives about why she’s shrinking at least sound believable. I did some research into how diet pills work on a biochemical level. There were actually more scenes between Carrie and her doctor and many more between Carrie’s family and the pharmaceutical company. They didn’t test well with my advanced readers, so they were removed. All for the better because it shrunk the length of the book and kept the focus on Carrie and her friends and family, which all the readers loved.
But most of the preparations for this story came in taking tons of measurements of anything and everything I could find! Such as: the height of the average doorknob, of a high school locker shelf, of high school desks, of a bed, of a smartphone—everything Carrie interacts with in the story was carefully measured to determine when they would transition from inconvenient to use, to difficult to use, and then to impossible to use. The same measurements were made about a variety of clothing: adult to young teen to pre-teen to toddler, infant, and a variety of dolls.
I found typical growth charts for females so I had an idea what the average height for a girl at every age up to 18 years old so I’d have a frame of reference for her height in comparison to other characters, particularly her sisters. Also, since Carrie shrinks proportionally, I learned that she wouldn’t look like a toddler when she was toddler-sized. Teens and toddlers are built very differently, so toddler and infant clothes would be baggy on her even if they were the right length for her. Thus, I had to keep track of how her shrinking progressed (lots of math) to find a time when she could go to the prom in a somewhat nice dress.


Was there anything particularly hard to write?

The chapters are titled after Carrie’s height, and one of them (2’ 4”) was definitely a challenge. It’s a chapter that surprised me as much as my first round of readers. I don’t want to give away too much, but it’s the first time that Carrie finds herself in a dangerous situation because of her size. She had experienced awkward, bizarre, and embarrassing, but nothing like this. Also, it’s an important turning point in the relationship between two characters. All the elements of the chapter needed to work together just right to have the right impact.
Wish I could be less cryptic, but you can find out what happens if you read the story!



What are your ideal writing conditions (in bed, outside, etc)?

I usually write on my laptop at the kitchen table. I try to keep the TV off but play some music, preferably 80s pop. I’d have a few cookies and sip some raspberry iced tea. It would be even more ideal if I could stop letting the internet distract me while I—oh look, a cat video! CLICK. ;-)


Is there a character you have a special connection with?

I spent a lot of time inside Carrie’s head since she’s the first-person narrator, and it took a long time to stop thinking in her voice. Also, to get a better feel of what the world looked like to her as she shrank smaller, I would often kneel or even lie down on the floor to learn her perspective of things. That was definitely a unique bonding experience.
But, I also share a connection with Evan. It was great to write someone so sweet and secure in who he was, even if he was shy at times. Also, I could incorporate some of my inner dorkiness into him. There are some scenes where he performs calculations about Carrie’s height or her trajectory in a cheering routine. I had to do the calculations myself in researching and developing the story, so why let them go to waste or keep them behind the scenes? His character gave me the opportunity to insert some of them into the storyline!


Do you have any plans for upcoming books?

What author doesn’t have plans for the next book? My head and laptop are full of incomplete (and sometimes incoherent) plot bunnies.
But I have written what may become the first chapter of a future project. Right now, it’s a scene with two boys eating pizza while one wants to discuss fractions and infinity. The conversation came to me one morning, so rather than lose it, I typed it out. I like the narrator’s voice, and I’ve started sketching out what his lecture is a defense mechanism for. Whether this will develop into a later YA novel, I don’t know. It took a long time for me to complete Inches, so we’ll just have to wait and see!


Any advice for aspiring writers?

If you want to write, it takes practice. You need to write a little bit every day—even if it’s just a journal entry—and you need to read. Know that not everything you write is going to be perfect or sometimes even good, but it’s all useful. Know that not everyone’s going to like everything about your writing and that’s okay. It’s art; it’s subjective. Write the story you’d want to read, and if others want to read it too, that’s a very special gift. If people you don’t know like it, it’s a wonderful and surreal experience, and never take it for granted.

Author Interview - Elise Kova

Author Elise Kova took time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions I had for her!

What was your inspiration for Air Awakens and the series as a whole?
Music is influential in my writing process, it helps me find the right mood and stay "in the zone" when writing. Therefore, it may be little surprise that the entire Air Awakens series was inspired by a single song: Clarity, by ZEDD.

When I first heard Clarity I was just getting back into writing. The song put a scene in my head of a woman at the center of a Windstorm and a man struggling with all his might to get to her. I began asking the questions posed by the song... "Why is their love insanity? Why is it clarity?"

The answers formed the foundation of Aldrik's and Vhalla's relationship and Air Awakens was born.

What writers/books influenced you?
I was eleven when the first Harry Potter book came out. So, naturally, that was a huge influence. However, long before that, I loved fantasy. I read books like The Unicorn Chronicles and Dealing with Dragons that had elements of fantasy and magic in them. One book that really sticks out from when I was older is Magic Casement, the first book in the "A Man of his Word" series by Dave Duncan. I loved this book and it still remains one of my favorite fantasies.

Any plans for future books outside of the Air Awakens series?
YES! A resounding, 100% yes! Though, I can't say much more than that right now. I hope to remain an active author for years to come.

What's the best part about writing?
It's hard to pick a "best part" because being an author really is so cool. You get to wake up every day and do something that you not only enjoy but makes you happy. But, I think the best part really is interacting with and hearing from readers. Knowing people are enjoying my work, hearing their theories... that engagement makes it all worth it.

Any advice for aspiring writers?
Write, write, and keep writing. The best, and only way to get better is by writing. You will write stories that you're embarrassed to look at later, but you will be better because you wrote them. Be open to critique and craft your stories with your whole heart.

Author Interview - Rachel E. Carter

Author Rachel E. Carter of The Black Mage series was very kind to take the time to answer some questions I had for her!

What is it like having your books published?

Unreal. I’ve had these books as daydreams dancing around my head since middle school so every time I hear from a reader who loves them my seventh grade self does a little dance. I never imagined anyone would actually read my books. It’s the most nerve-wracking thing out there, to put your ideas in front of the world, but it’s also the most rewarding.

What was your inspiration for The Black Mage series?

So many things. In books I was always deeply inspired by female fighters (a la Tamora Pierce) in the medieval-fantasy world, so I knew I always wanted to write in that realm… except I wanted the fighting to be about mages. And I wanted to write in sarcastic first-person (a la my hero at the time, Meg Cabot). I liked the idea of magic school (because of Harry Potter?) and moody sorcerers (because I was always writing fanfic of Julian from LJ Smith’s The Forbidden Game as a sorcerer). Ultimately, I was listening to a certain song which shall not be named (for fear of spoilers) in seventh grade and I saw one of the big scenes for the final book in my series. It was an epic duel, so to speak, and the two mages I saw clearly shared a history that made it more difficult to fight. I started to think how did they get there? What circumstances put those two in this situation? Why is it so hard for them? >> I realized that I needed to know more, and work my way forward to that pivotal moment. I always knew where my characters would end up, but I needed to know how. I needed to understand why this moment was the moment I saw them. I needed to know who these two were… and so I started at the beginning. I started at the day they met.

Do you have a specific place where you like to write?

Anywhere that works. Sometimes it’s Starbucks (free internet and a place to plug in my laptop with endless caffeine!) but mostly it’s home. I wrote the first three books in The Black Mage on my couch or in bed, but I just bought a desktop and redecorated an extra room to make it my official “writing room” so I’m hoping I’ll be more productive in there now.

Did you always know you wanted to write?

Yea, but I could never finish any of my books (always stopped about halfway through) so I thought it was just a dream. I figured I’d have story ideas forever but no actual stories to show for it.

What roadblocks did you face?

Not being able to finish a book that was cleared up when I quit my full-time job to work part-time and write the other half. Nothing like the pressure of no money to get my act together.
Writer’s block every day. I’ve learned that cutting scenes is okay, and I will get past the block better if I plot chapters out individually.
Money. I gave up a car and a well-paying job to start. Now I’m writing full-time starting this March (2016). Money is always an issue when you are a writer, it’s unstable. But I’ve learned my happiness is more important than having stability or pricey things. You truly cannot put a price on self-fulfillment, and when I share my books with the world there is no better feeling.

Are you facing some of the same roadblocks now?

Constantly. I just deal with them one day at a time and am open to change.

Do you have any plans or ideas for upcoming books outside of The Black Mage?

Millions -here is my current WIP (works in planning) list: http://rachelecarter.com/future-books/ I have millions more but I can only write one book at a time.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Every person starts out different -not everyone can afford to write full-time from the beginning. But if you really want to write, make time for it. Most people have to give up something to write (free time, more $, etc) but if you are serious, you will find a way. There’s always a way. It’s a hard road in the beginning but I promise you, you won’t regret it.