Author Interview with Ally Malinenko

Today, I had the pleasure of asking Ally Malinenko a few questions!  She's the author of Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb.

To start off, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your book?

Sure, my name is Ally Malinenko. I live in Brooklyn which is good except when it’s not which is horrid. I’ve been writing for awhile, and have some stuff published and some stuff not. I don’t like when people refer to pets as their children and I can’t resist a handful of cheez-its when offered. I have a burning desire to go to Antarctica, specifically to the South Pole so I can see where Robert Falcon Scott died. I like to read books. I like to write stories and poems. I even wrote a novel that to my utter delight was published by Antenna Books. It’s called Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb and it’s the first in a series of middle grade books. Here’s what it’s about:

MEET LIZZY SPEARE…

…a normal twelve year old girl with a talent for writing, who has a very not normal family secret. And when Lizzy’s father vanishes, that secret will change her life in ways unimagined. (Spoiler Alert!  It turns out that Lizzy, or Elizabeth S. Speare, is the last living descendant of William Shakespeare.  Shhh!  Don’t tell anybody!)

Then Lizzy and her best friend Sammy are kidnapped, awakening in the faraway land of Manhattan. Their host is Jonathan Muse, whose job is to protect Lizzy from becoming the latest victim in a family feud going back nearly five hundred years.  Is that why the mysterious, eye patch-wearing Dmitri Marlowe is after her? (Spoiler Alert 2—he’s the last living descendant of Christopher Marlowe, a friend and rival of Shakespeare’s.  But keep it to yourself!) Is Marlowe after Lizzy’s family fortune rumored to be kept in the tomb of that bald guy with the goatee? Does he seek artistic immortality? Or Revenge (with a capital R) for a death long, long ago?

In a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, Lizzy and Sammy are thrust into the realm of the mythical and fantastic—from satyrs and Cyclopses to Middle Eastern cab drivers and Brooklyn hipsters in what is truly “an improbable fiction” as the Bard himself once wrote.

What is your inspiration?

Everything really. Books I’ve read, movies I’ve seen, television shows, my obsession with Doctor Who, conversations I overheard on the subway, people I’ve known, who I used to be, who I am, who I hope I’ll be, the city I live in, the small town I grew up in, the friends I had and have, the seasons, the way a storm blows through the trees kicking up the pale green underside of the leaves, the stories I told as a child, the books I read under the covers with the flashlight, the wardrobe, my travels, the imaginary land I had when I was a kid, my cat, my husband, mythology, summer days, chess games, winter nights, history, magic….everything really. 

When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?

When I was eight. I wrote my first short story which was eight pages long and felt like a novel to me. Afterwards in school I had to illustrate what my career would be. I drew a quill and a pot of ink. Obviously I wanted to be a writer in Shakespearian times. 

What gave you the idea for Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb?

My love of Shakespeare and mythology. And seeing a copy of Philip Ardagh’s Eddie Dickens book, A House called Awful End. I thought a character named Eddie Dickens set in Victorian England was clever. Walking home from the bookstore I thought about who I liked more than Dickens. That night, I sat down to write poems, but instead started a novel. Albeit a much different novel than the one I have now, but a novel all the same. 

Are there any characters that you modeled after people that you know or yourself?

Lizzy is very much me. She’s precocious and loud and curious and creative and bossy just like I was when I was a child (and I guess even now as an adult). Sammy is partially based on my best friend growing up, especially the friendship that Sammy and Lizzy have, and also partially based on my husband. Leonard, Sammy’s father is 100% my friend’s father whom I was very close with. Everyone else is sort of a mishmash of people I’ve known and pure imagination. 

How about some Favorites?

Favorite Place to Write

I write in a walk-in closet off my living room. It fits my desk and there are wonderful built in bookshelves which I have stocked with my favorite books. My cat, June, sleeps in an empty comic book box on the floor each morning that I write. It’s terribly cozy.

Favorite Writing Food

I write at 5 am and I certainly can’t stomach food at that hour. But I do drink tea. Copious amounts of tea.

Favorite Scene

In Lizzy? My favorite scene is when Lizzy has the opportunity to travel back in time and meet William Shakespeare face to face. I loved writing him and I loved writing Lizzy, as full of awe and horror and happiness I would have been in her shoes.

Favorite Character

Probably Jonathan Muse. As Lizzy’s muse and the guardian of the Shakespeare family he has seen and done a lot. Also, he’s keeping secrets (which will come out in the next book) and he knows more than he’s letting on when it comes to Lizzy’s true history. 

Favorite Color! 

Blue. No, green. Or Black. Or brown. I can’t decide. All the earth tones.

Here are her links so you can stalk *ahem*...I mean follow her! 

twitter: @allymalinenko

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LizzySpeareandtheCursedTomb

goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16006898-lizzy-speare-and-the-cursed-tomb

amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lizzy-Speare-Cursed-Series-ebook/dp/B0098TBGHU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352583735&sr=8-1&keywords=lizzy+speare

blog: http://allymalinenko.com/

Interview with Debut Author, Ariana Zamora!

Today I have for you an interview with Ariana Zamora!  I asked her a few questions about her debut and what her experience was like writing her novel!  Check it out and the GIVEAWAY at the bottom of the post too! 

Hey Ariana! Thanks for "stopping by" today!

Just to start us off, Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm just a girl who wrote a book. I'm not special and I'm not

brilliant. I just love to write. I'm passionate, and witty, and a

veteran of the United States Navy. Writing got me through the hard

times, and I feel blessed to be able to share my work with the world.

I hear you just recently released your debut!  Can you tell us a

little bit about it?

Oh jeeze, this question is always super embarrassing for me. My friend,

Amy, asked me this same question, and I blushed then, too. Writing is

personal for me. Asking me what I wrote about is like asking me what

color undies I've got on. I can't explain it, but it's the honest

truth of how I interpret this question. Haha!

I can throw my book out into the world, no problem, but ask me a

question about it and I panic!

Well, the dreamer is about a young girl named Anjaleena Jamison who

has suffered from night terrors all her life.  After her grandmother

passes away, Leena discovers that she isn't the only one in her family

that has bad dreams...

Her grandmother secretly owned property in a small town called Myrtle

Creek in Oregon, and Leena's parents feel it's a good idea for the

family to get a fresh start. So they move.

Well, it turns out that the property happens to be a very old, very

haunted manor in which a man named Julian Bennett resides.

What's so special about him? Well...he's dead...and he doesn't know

how he came to be that way. Julian's a century and a half year old

ghost who Leena happens to be able to see.  What she doesn't

understand is that her dreams are a huge reason why she can see

him...and why she is there. It wasn't coincidence.

Anyway, Julian asks Leena to help him solve the mystery of his death

so that he may "cross over" to rest peacefully in his afterlife. Of

course, being of sound mind and all, Leena accepts the challenge of

solving the mystery and is then thrown into the past...literally. What

does this mean? Well, you'd better read it to find out!

Where did the idea for The Dreamer come from?

Actually, I was home alone one night a couple years ago, and I was

getting kind of creeped out by my old apartment. It was making weird

sounds, and I was becoming more paranoid by the hour. By three o'clock

in the morning I lay restless in bed, freaking myself out by thinking,

"Man, I really hope there isn't a ghost in my room...oh, crap...I bet

there is a ghost in my room...Well...if there IS a ghost in my room,

he'd better be cute, at least..."

Paranoia mixed with lack of sleep got the wheels in my head turning,

and, thus, THE DREAMER was born!

When did you start writing The Dreamer and what made you start writing it?

I started writing THE DREAMER a couple years ago. It was called

something else back then, but I won't even bother you with the

stupidity of the title...it was bad, trust me.

I really got into the story, and then gave up on it halfway through.

I was getting out of the Navy at the time, and I just didn't have the

time to dedicate to writing like I wanted to.

Well, two months ago, I found this forgotten little file on my

desktop. I clicked on it, and was thrown back into my writing

immediately. I did a major overhaul, completely re-doing the story

line and characters, and was quite satisfied with how it turned out.

What is one thing that surprised you during the writing process?

I was surprised with how quickly my storyline changed. While beginning

my writing, I had no idea where the story was going to go - besides

the general idea of scenarios and characters. I mention one thing on

my word processor and my brain just took off on a rampage. It was

actually kind of neat.

Did you start out with an outline?

I didn't start with an outline. I let my mind wander and do whatever

it saw fit with the characters and story. After I had a good solid

feel for the characters and where the story was heading, I sat down

with my sister and we wrote the ending outline. It made the writing a

lot easier.

Did you finish with that outline?

I did, more or less.

Where is your favorite place to write?

My office is the best place to write. It has a large window  that

catches an excellent breeze. It's quite peaceful, too, except for when

my husband decides to barge in and throw off my groove.

What is one thing you learned during this process?

I learned not to set deadlines and not to fly by the seat of my pants.

It takes a lot less time to write a book if I'm not constantly going

back and revising in order for the story to make sense. So I've

decided that an outline is my friend! I've also come to find out that

setting a deadline is like putting an expiration date on something. I

feel rushed and that's not good when I'm trying to put my best work

out there...how can it be my best work if it was rushed? No more

deadlines!

Are you currently working on something?

I am! I'm working on the next book in THE DREAMER SERIES, actually.

It's been great fun to write so far. I can't wait to be able to share

that one with you, too!

Thanks for coming by and taking the time to answer all my questions!

I can't wait to read The Dreamer!

The Dreamer by Ariana Zamora

Add it on Goodreads | Buy it on Amazon 

SYNOPSIS:

 A murderous power, born of betrayal, was passed down the Jamison line, searching for the one who would bring an end to a timeless agony. It lay dormant, until one day it came across a young, unsuspecting girl in the form of a dream.

      A woman whispers to Anjaleena Jamison in the dead of night, plaguing her mind with terror, and haunting her very soul. No one thought anything of it, except for Grandma Rose - the only other living person who knew the terrible secrets of Bennett Manor. After her grandmother's death, Anjaleena soon finds herself residing in the manor, and discovers the ghost of Julian Bennett – a handsome young man who she can't help but feel drawn to. Soon Anjaleena learns that, in the halls of Bennett Manor, nothing is as it seems. Follow Anjaleena on her journey to the past in THE DREAMER.

GiVeAwAy

an ecopy of Ariana's debut, The Dreamer

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Interview with Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels

I guess you could call this day 1 part 2 of the Night Marchers Indie Revolution Week!  I was so excited to share this with you I couldn't wait a whole day to share! I got to interview both Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels!!! I hope y'all love it and don't forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post!

1.Let's start with the basics!  Can y'all tell us a little bit about yourself?

            We have been best friends since the day we met at an Orchestra social in the sixth grade. (Yes, we are orch dorks and proud of it!) Ever since that eventful day we have been attached to each other's hip. Our mother's would say that we have a knack for finding trouble in the most boring of situations. Our many mad adventures together over the years has given us countless ideas to write about for years to come.

            Both of us have loving husbands at home, crazy children and adorable dogs who rule the house. We both hate awkward silences, wedgies, styrofoam and bad drivers. We love spending time with our family, attempting crazy crafts we found on Pinterest and finding new ways to get in trouble.

            We have a passion for reading and last year in June, we took that passion to new levels when we decided to co-author our first book together. By October 2011 we published Night Marchers. We followed it up with it's sequel: Redemption in February 2012 and our newest book: Project ELE was just released at the end of July 2012.

            Many people ask if we will continue to write together in the future and the answer to that is: Of Course! Why would we change a good thing?

           

2.I know y'all probably get this question ALL the time but I'm extremely curious How does the writing process work?  It seems like 2 people writing 1 book would be quite difficult.

            We could never imagine trying to write with any other person. You have to be brutally honest, accepting of criticism, able to compromise and comfortable with someone in order to create a whole new world with them. Because we've known each other for so many years and because we also think on similar wavelengths we work extremely well together.

            Here's how the process works: We usually either get together for coffee or have a Skype date where we hash out book ideas. Both of us come up with ridiculous ideas that the other laughs at until we finally come up with a solid plan for a new book. PS: That plan changes like a thousand times during the process of writing the novel. When writing the novel, we usually have one person start with a scene then they write until they are tired and pass it off to the other. Then the other would edit what was written, change or add whatever they think would work well and write a new scene or finish the scene where it was left off. It's a lot of back and forth but it's pretty cool because we usually come at it with fresh perspectives and rarely get writers block. If we come to a stand still for any reason, we jump on Skype and hash it out together.

3.How did y'all get started? What inspired you and who came to who about writing the book? 

            We both devour books like a hungry person would devour pancakes. We originally started turning our passion for reading into a hobby by running a book blog. (We weren't as good as all of y'all are at that but never the less we tried it.) Courtney was the first to come to me about the idea to write a novel. She wanted to take our passion for reading and try our hand in creating those amazing worlds you go to when you delve into a good book.

            When she asked me to write with her I was like, um, no. I didn't think there would be any way we could write anything like what we love to read. After several months of her asking me to try it out, I finally gave in. I figured it would be a fun hobby and worse case scenario, we would try it and get laughed at by the few friends we forced to read it. I had no idea I would love it as much as I did. Nor did I ever think that people would actually like our books! I thank Courtney often for harassing me until I gave in on this because now I can never imagine not writing.

4.For the last super serious "question" Can you both summarize the book in twitter speak (140 characters or less)

After a cataclysmic event, 15 yr old Willow has to adapt to a new life in a shelter. She finds new friends, new abilities and perhaps love.

5. Now for my favorite thing to ask is favorites

Favorite Color Courtney-Blue / Rebecca- Purple

Favorite Food Courtney- Crawfish / Rebecca- Chocolate

Favorite Season Courtney- Spring / Rebecca- Fall

Favorite Cereal Courtney- Cascadian Farms- French Vanilla Granola  / Rebecca- Lucky Charms

And most importantly Favorite Nail Polish Courtney- Revlon- Ocean Breeze / Rebecca- Esse- Exotic Liras (Only because I got it from a Lauren Kate book signing and she said it's the official color for her book Passion.)

Thank you Rebecca and Courtney for taking the time to answer these questions!  Now folks it's time for the Giveaway so ENTER!

Giveaway

e-copy of Redemption (book 2 in the Night Marchers series)

(Night Marchers is currently Free on Smashwords and Amazon)

AND a Night marchers bookmark

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Interview with Colleen Hoover

Can I tell you how freakin' excited I am today?  You know why? Because Colleen Hoover is on the blog of course! If you haven't read Slammed and Point of Retreat where have you been?!  Those book are PHENOMENAL and if you haven't read them I'm going to need you to drop everything you're doing right this minute and go read them now!  I'm such a fan of this talented lady and I am honored that she is on the blog today and I hope you enjoy the interview and the SUPER awesome giveaway!

Hey Colleen! Thank you so much for joining me on this interview! I'm very excited and I know your readers are excited too!

First things first the  general question. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your books?

I've always loved to write.  I have an issue with self-doubt, as do most people, so I never thought I could actually write a successful book.  It was never a personal goal of mine to become a "writer," but it was always a far off dream.  When I wrote SLAMMED, I had no idea that I was writing a novel that would become a best-seller.  I honestly wrote it as a hobby to pass time during my sons theater rehearsals.  Once I started writing the book, I fell in love with the characters and couldn't stop.  After a few months of it being available on Amazon, it took off.  If you could see my husband and I in the evenings, you'd laugh.  We just sit there, staring at each other and shaking our heads saying, "How in the hell did this happen?"  It's been surreal.  

What is your inspiration?

Definitely the music of The Avett Brothers.  There is a line in one of their songs that says, "Decide what to be, and go be it."  I think that had a lot to do with me accepting the fact that I really did want to be a writer, and I should just do it already!

What is your favorite writing environment? Are you a music listener? A couch sitter?

I have three young boys, so it's chaotic most of the time.  I have an office with a desk, but I always unplug my laptop and sit in my chaise to write.  I listen to music while I edit, but not while I'm doing actual writing.  I need silence.  

What's the weirdest job you've had?

Weirdest?  I used to do investigations for Child Protective Services.  I saw a lot of weird stuff.  Scary stuff.  Sad stuff.  

What would you do with an unlimited supply of money?

If you frequent my blogs at all, you know how much I like giving stuff away.  I don't know why, it just makes me happy.  I would probably do bigger and better giveaways, keep writing and let my mother and sisters retire so we could go on a cruise whenever we felt like it.  

Have you ever done any unusual research for your book?

I like to play devil's advocate, which is why I took an unethical situation in Slammed and tried to make the reader root for it.  I was thinking of how it would be cool to have this them in all of my books.  Take some ethical situation and turn it around to where you empathize with the characters.  I did a search on "unethical things" and came up with mostly articles about incest.  My husband ran across it the next day and just shrugged his shoulders when I tried to explain it away.  That was awkward.  

The poetry scene is very different.  How did you come up with the Slam idea?

I love watching Slam Poetry on youtube.  I was actually watching slams when I got the urge to read a work of fiction about slam poetry.  When my searches came up empty, I decided to try and write one.  

Lastly, Can you tell us about your WIP?

I've got two I'm working on right now.  Will's Story is Slammed from Will's point of view and the first chapter can be read here: http://colleenhoover.com/2012/06/09/you-might-want-to-read-this/

The second novel I'm working on is currently titled Fall Together.  It's a contemporary young adult romance.  The main character is a 17 year old named Sky.  I can't say a lot about this one, because like Slammed, it has a huge twist.  I'm still working on how to word the blurb.

I don't know about you guys but I CANT WAIT For Will's Story and Fall Together!  Thank you so much Colleen for answering the questions and providing this amazing giveaway! If you've read Slammed I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section and if you haven't I would love to know so I can start bugging you until you buy it!

Giveaway

a signed copy of Slammed provided by the awesome Colleen Hoover

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Indie Revolution Giveaway: A.M. Hargrove

This week is all about A.M. Hargrove and her The Guardians of Vesturon Series!  We have for you interviews, review, exclusive extras, and a BIG Giveaway! Today I thought I would just start out by introducing you to Annie and her awesome books and give you a chance to start earning entries in the giveaway!

Goodreads | My Review | Amazon | B&N | Smashwords | Survival is FREE!

Survival (Book 1 of the Guardians of Vesturon), a YA paranormal romance

"Maybe I was caught between the two worlds. I was having serious trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality."

While on a backpacking trip in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, nineteen-year-old Maddie Pearce finds her world has been thrown into a vortex and is madly spinning toward the impossible. Abducted by a mad psychopath, Maddie narrowly escapes with her life. But that is only the beginning. Her mysterious rescuer introduces her to a world that Maddie has difficulty accepting as reality. Will this strikingly gorgeous stranger be the key to her future or will she return to her mundane world, scarred from her experience? Follow Maddie as she is forced to make difficult decisions that carry her to mysterious places.

Other books in The Guardians of Vesturon Series
Beginnings (prequel)
Resurrection (book 2) | My Review
Determinant (book 3)

& now my Interview with A.M. Hargrove

Hey Annie!  Thanks for joining me on this interview!  I'm excited to have you on the blog today!

For those that aren't crazy stalkers like I am, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Sure!  I love to hike, backpack (you know those scenes from Survival in The Great Smoky Mountain National Park? They were all based on personal experiences.  Except for the parts with Darryl Carter, of course!), snow ski and trail run.  The truth of it is if there are some woods and some trails, its a given that I’m going to like it!

So I hear you just recently released a book?  Can you tell us a little bit about it?

Yes!  That would be Determinant, and it’s the third book in my Guardians of Vesturon series.  Determinant is the story of January (one of Maddie’s college roommates that you were initially introduced to in Survival) and Rykerian, Rayn’s brother.  What’s different about Determinant is that it’s really a stand alone novel.  So if a reader doesn’t want to start the series from the beginning, that’s perfectly fine.  They could read Determinant, and have no difficulty following the story line.

What's the craziest research you have ever done for one of your books?

The craziest research I’ve ever done was that of quantum physics and I absolutely hated it.  My mind doesn’t work that way, but I wanted to pull something reliable in for my explanation of cheating the space/time continuum.  The most basic explanation has always been the string theory, but I thought maybe quantum physics could be used in another way.  As I was researching and reading, it quickly became apparent to me that even the simplest of explanations would be so complex that the reader would be doing what I was--UGH!  

I hear rumors that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) might have some type of role in Determinant? Can you tell us a little bit about that incorporation?

To the rumors you’ve been hearing... they aren’t rumors.  The CDC played a rather large but brief role in Determinant during the hemorrhagic small pox outbreak.  They are the go-to organization for any kind of communicable disease outbreak so they would obviously be involved in something like this.  But, they are also the storage facility for all types of viral specimens, which is where the terrorists stole the virus from in the first place. I don’t want to give too much away--you’ll just have to read Determinant to find out what happens ;)

And now for the last "serious" question…what are you working on now?

I’m currently writing Dark Waltz, Book 1 of the Praestani Series.  In Determinant, I introduced a new character and he sort of stole the show.  He actually begged me for his own series (imagine that!).  He’s a bit of a trouble maker, a bad boy but has a heart if you know where to look.  The Praestani Series will be in the adult genre because when you read Determinant and meet Jurek Herdekian, you will see that not only is he too old to be written as a YA character, he is also too irreverent and will only play by his own set of rules.

How about now we go a little more random with some "favorites"?

Favorite color?

Black for clothing.  Greens and blues for everything else.

Favorite cereal?

Are grits a cereal?

Favorite nail polish?

OPI, Champagne Toast I think that’s what it’s called, but I’d have to check the bottle and I’m out of town.

Favorite food?

Thai and sushi.

Favorite Season?

Fall for the beauty...winter because I love to snow ski out west.

And the hardest question of all…Favorite book?

NOOOOOOOO!  I can’t pick one.  But....I will always love Mr. Darcy!

Giveaway

there will be 3 winners with this giveaway 1 Grand Prize and 2 Second Place winners

the Grand Prize winner will get a $20 Amazon Gift Card and an e-copy of Resurrection and Determinant!!!

the second place winners will get an e-copy of Determinant and Resurrection

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Interview & Giveaway: Michelle Pennington

For today's post I have for you an interview with Michelle Pennington! You will find out more about her, why she went Indie, and her WIP, plus some more random facts :) Don't forget to enter the giveaway and be looking out for my review of Candid coming soon!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you write.

A little bit about myself? Hmmmm… I have two adorable little girls that I’m dying to go sew sundresses for, but I have to fold my laundry first. *grumble* I’m also the proud mother of a two year old boy that I’ve almost smothered with kisses this morning even though he’s the biggest stinker to ever come into my life – except possibly his father. Being a mother becomes an enormous part of your identity, so it’s not surprising that came out first. There’s a lot to just being me though. I’m creative, but disorganized. I’m often enthusiastic, but even more often a procrastinator. I ruthlessly clean out my fridge, but my garage is likely to be given federal disaster area status any day now. I paint canvases and anything else careless enough to get too close when I have a paint brush in my hand, and I can’t keep a plant alive for love or money. Basically, I’m pretty normal except for the parts of me that are weird. Luckily, I’m really good at figuring out what makes ordinary people extraordinary in ways other people may not see. Combine that with my love for weaving stories, and I am just the right mix to make a good author. Hopefully, time will make allow me to get there. Right now, I’m enjoying the Contemporary YA romances I’ve been writing, but I have so much more I want to write when I can get to it. Paranormal, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery, ect… : You name it and I probably want to write it. If only writing didn’t take so long! I’m afraid one lifetime won’t be enough. 

Why did you decide to go Indie?

So many people assume that I’m an Indie because I couldn’t get accepted by a publisher. The truth is, I’ve never even submitted to one. I like to do things my way, on my schedule, and produce a story that I feel is 100% me. I may submit to a publisher sometime, just for the experience, but the truth is that I would have a hard time sacrificing the things I love about Indie Publishing if I was accepted. I know there are a lot of benefits to traditional publishing too, but so far, I’m perfectly content with following my own road.

What is your inspiration?

People are my inspiration, and my characters are the results of my serious people watching fetish. So many of my story ideas come from dreams I have, but those dreams come from the observations I soak in every day. Beyond that, it might be a song, a movie, a stray thought, a painting… I never know where it will come from.

Are any of your characters modeled after people you know?

Some of my characters are. In Candid, Lee and his mom definitely are. Sienna isn’t, but she’s almost real to me so that’s kind of different. A lot of the minor characters in my stories are flashes of people I’ve known. I never take a person and copy them straight onto my character though. That would be cheating – and dangerous. Instead, I take bits and pieces from people and swirl them around a bit. The more developed and complex a character is, the more people I’ve swirled into them.

Are you an outliner?

When I start something, I take off at a sprint, flushed with inspiration and creativity, with only a vague idea of where I’m going. Eventually I stop to take a breather and realize that it’s time to map things out or I’m going to end up lost. Then I outline the rest of the story, sometimes going back to outline the beginning if I realize it’s causing me problems. It’s a reflection of how I deal with the rest of my life. I should probably start with outlining, but its hard work and a real enthusiasm killer if I don’t already have a good start to keep me motivated.

Where is your favorite place to write?

I write best at my kitchen table, early in the morning. It’s just comfortable enough that I can take it for hours at a time (if I get the chance), but not so comfortable that I get distracted. Plus, it’s harder for my two year old to bang on my keyboard, I have a window to stare out of when I’m thinking, and snacks are just a few steps away. That last one is vital!

Can you tell us about your WIP?

Which one? I have three at the moment, and oh, that drives me crazy! But I just can’t seem to help it. The one that you’d most be interested in is Focused. It’s the next book in the True Images Series, and it picks up only a few hours after Candid ends. I’ve written it in Lee’s perspective, as well as Sienna’s, because Focused is just as much his story as hers. I can’t even tell you how fun it is getting in his head. Because of that, Focused is going to have a more intense pace and a leaner, more masculine flavor to the story to contrast with Sienna’s growing sense artistry and femininity. I love it!

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Interview & Giveaway: R.E. Sheahan

Today I have an interview with R.E. Sheahan to share with you!  Don't forget to go to the bottom of the post and enter the giveaway!

What inspired you to become an author?

I am a reader. I love books. All kinds of books. I love movies, old and new. I would think after finishing a book or a watching a movie, “What if the hero hadn’t saved the girl, but she had saved him? What if the bad guy was actually good, deep down inside, and he’d saved everyone? What if this all took place on another world, or in the past, or the future?” The ‘what ifs’ began to invade my dreams, pop into my head while working, and just plain made a pest of themselves. So I started to write them down now and then. I called it a ‘creative release’, and it worked, for a while. Until a character from a far away world and another time demanded more of my attention. Four years ago the writing of Storm of Arranon began. I now have the fourth book in the series in outline form and a line-up of other stories waiting their turn.

When you're not writing, what do you like to do?

I Read! 

I enjoy movie and game night with friends and family.

I used to show horses when I was a kid and am starting to ride again. It’s that balance of mind and body, connecting, and communicating with your horse.

Then there’s Zumba, dance exercise. I have been called a Zumba junkie!

I belong to an Improv group. I was told by some of the greats, James Scott Bell and Robert Dugoni, that acting is part of writing. I agree!

What is the writing process like for you? (Do you plot? Listen to music while writing? etc...)

First, I have never written from an outline.

I see the characters and what is happening with them like a movie in my mind as I’m writing. I can slow the action, rewind, fast-forward, or freeze frame. If I don’t like where the story is going, I back-up from the last point I was happy and take things another direction. Same with dialog.

Music is great and often helps me when I’m feeling a little stuck. Kelly Clarkson and Adele have saved me from many locked doors. But I don’t listen while I write. I do like to have TV, or some background noise though.

If you were on a deserted island, and you could only take 4 books, what books would you bring?

Dean Koontz- Fear Nothing and Seize the Night, the Christopher Snow Novels, just because I get so into the story.

Sue Grafton- Q is for Quarry, of the Kinsey Milhone series. I love Kinsey’s attitude!

Stephen King- IT, for those dark and stormy nights.

What is one thing the world should know about you?

I’m really quite shy. Getting my books and stories out there for the world to see and read is difficult. They are my soul, my heart, a bit of myself. But I believe in my stories, so I took the next step and published!

Thanks for stopping by and answering questions for us, R.E. 

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WiSpY Blog Tour: Interview & Giveaway

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WiSpY

by Rob Andrews

Published by Dam Good Publishing

Summary (Goodreads)

A young blogger has the ultimate on-line encounter; a spirit partner who introduces him to a world he must master to save his own. A ghost in the machine?

Adam is a 19 year old blogger who lives in his mother’s basement and who is dealing with a critically ill friend. A simple reply to a blog fan e-mail begins a relationship with Pretoria, a beautiful and mysterious young woman. Pretoria guides him into ‘the Realm’, a spirit world where he discovers he is a powerful force for the protection and survival of human kind. As Pretoria reintroduces Adam to the Realm and his place in it, he realizes that she is not only trying to reclaim him for the sake of humanity, but also for the spirit world and herself. Facing a powerful evil , Adam re-engages with the Realm in order to save his friend and the human world while re-discovering why he had tried to escape it in the first place. As a battle within the Realm reaches its climax, Adam must finally choose between his human and his spirit form, or lose both.

Vitality Book Tour: Interview and Giveaway

GO HERE for the details of the tour.

Vitality 

by Tim Andrewartha

Published by Dam Good Publishing 2011

Summary (Goodreads)

ONE DROP AND NOTHING WILL BE THE SAME AGAIN 

Set in an alternative version of the present day, Stylo Green moves to a nameless city to work for Vitality. The company is making a purple soft drink which they promise will change people’s lives – a welcome gesture in a place where society is spiralling down towards its demise. 

The New Movement Party hope to win the next election and clean up the city. Real food is banned so everyone eats plastic-tasting Easy Food except the few who dare to eat illegal fruit and vegetables available on the black market. Dr. Mooseball produces recreational narcotics which are legal and a popular way to relax while Soft Dreams employs people to suck up the ghosts that float around the city. 

Emulla, the girl with the beautiful voice, is different from the others. She and Stylo hit it off, and Stylo's packaging designs are chosen. Things seem to be going well for him, but he begins to notice something peculiar about his colleagues. The truth starts to unravel but not without bloodshed. When he finally faces his nemesis, nothing can prepare him for what he is about to discover.

Interview with Tim Andrewartha 

What inspired you to write?

Reading great books was probably the main thing. Also wanting to express myself creatively and finding that writing was the best way for me to do this.

Do you have a dream cast for your characters? 

Edward Norton as Stylo, the designer who moves to the city to work for Vitality, Robert Downey Jr. as Dack the confident taste expert who befriends Stylo. Scarlett Johansson as Emulla, the girl with the beautiful voice. Jeff Bridges as Dub, the bearded traveller. Jessica Alba as Mandy, the shallow receptionist.

What is the strangest research you have done for a book?

I’m currently working on my second book which is partly set here in Tokyo and walking about the city can be pretty strange at times.

What advice would you give to new authors?

When you finish writing the first draft of your book, be prepared that there will be a lot more work to be done before it will be ready. I never expected that there would be so much editing and rewriting. However, I’m glad that I persisted. It’s a great feeling when you do finally finish and you have something that you’re happy with.

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