Heather Hayden's Blog, page 10

Author Interview: H. T. Lyon

It’s time for another Blog World Tour: Science Fiction edition interview! Today, please welcome H. T. Lyon, a science fiction writer with an optimistic view on the future of our world.

Thank you for being here today, H. T. Let’s dive into the questions!

Do you write full-time or part-time?

I definitely write part time. I have a busy full-time job that I love so it can make finding time for writing difficult. I’d like to earn money from writing, but I’m being realistic about the chances of that. That’s one of the reasons to self-publish; I can control the input and efforts and build a stable of works over time. There is extra effort in self-publishing, but from what I have seen, it’s not greater than the effort put in to secure a publisher.

Speaking as someone who has wandered down both publishing paths, I can definitely say that there’s a lot of effort in both trad and self-publishing. I’m in the self-publishing field, myself–I love the freedom and control it gives me in terms of handling my work and how it’s presented to the world.

I also write part-time currently, and one of the issues I’ve run into is that less time to write means less time to deal with that one thing all writers dread–writer’s block. Do you ever get writer’s block, and if so, do you have any tips for getting through it?

I do get stymied on particular works and usually it’s in a particular scene that it happens. If I get writer’s block like this, then I find switching to another work is a good way to break out of it. I have some novels on the go as well as some shorter works. If I get writer’s block in general, I switch to something else like editing. There’s a lot to do and always some way to move forward. The only ‘writer’s block’ I truly can’t get past is fatigue. If I’m dead tired, I can’t write. Also, a secret for those whose writer’s block gets in the way of writing anything at all–start in the middle. Start at the most fun and exciting part of your book, not at the beginning. Beginnings are hard. Also, who knows, the fun and exciting bit may in fact turn out to be the best place to start the story anyway.

That’s good advice! I also bounce between projects to fight off writer’s block…and because I enjoy working on multiple projects at once. Even if it means sometimes my characters start fighting over whose story is more important… When you develop characters, do you already know who they are before you begin writing or do you let them develop as you go?

I start with them then move onto plot second. Characters come a long way down the track so there isn’t a lot of opportunity to come into their own early. What this means is that they definitely develop as the writing progresses. That’s not to say that they aren’t strong characters in the end, it just means that they are more formed by the needs of the plot and the message of the theme that I want to send. Also because I develop characters late, it means I can make sure that there is diversity in my work, something which is important to me. There’s so many male Anglo Saxon heroes in the world and I like the idea of writing for people who may not get to see main characters who are like them.

That’s a good way to do it! I like that you focus on making your work more diverse. I think your readers will appreciate that.

Now for one of my favorite questions… Is being a writer a gift or a curse?

Anything that you can do that others either can’t (or are afraid to) do is a gift. It’s a gift if you can cook well, garden well, tune an engine. Any skill is a gift to be cherished and valued. Writing is just another skill, and yes, I treasure it.

Great answer! I agree; skills are to be treasured. *clock chimes* Oh, we’re almost at the end of the interview! Time for one last question, a fun one to wrap things up with: What is your favorite movie and why?

I’m probably the only person who has this as a favorite movie but I love 2010 the sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey. There’s a scene with the two ships in orbit around Jupiter where they run a line between the two vessels and some astronauts make the journey across the wire. I love that scene and as a result, I love the whole movie. It is one scene that provides the best and most believable vision of what could happen in the future, some astronauts transiting a tether to a second ship. I love to have a positive view of the future and part of that is that we colonize the solar system and this single scene is the best depiction I can find of what may happen when we do. I think of it as news from the future.

I hadn’t known that they made 2010 into a movie! I’ve read the entire series, though, and enjoyed them.

Thank you so much for being here today, H. T! I wish you the best with your writing!

About H. T. Lyon

I am aspiring writer of science fiction. A futurist with a keen interest in where our society is heading, I tend focus most of my attention on stories that examine the direction our society is taking or that shows where we could end up. Optimistic by nature, I believe that one day we will look to settle the Solar System as we outgrow our planet and some of my stories examine how this could look. Currently, I have a number of novels underway and some short stories. My aim is to get one of these up and published before the end of the year around the other commitments that exist in my life.Visit my blog for a perspective on what interests me.

Ensign’s Log, Entry 52: March Month Map, Week Two Update!

I missed my week one update, but since most of what’s been done so far this month happened this past week, it’s not a big deal. However, now that we’re halfway through the month, it’s definitely time for an update!

Here’s how I’m doing so far…

Skin as White as Snow: No progress yet, as I’ve been devoting most of my time to critiquing.

Critiquing: I’ve completed 43 crits so far this month, and have 51 to go to be caught up with all the trades I had in place at the end of February. As some of those are ongoing novel trades, new chapters may have been posted since then, but I’m not including them in my catch-up count. All in all, I’m making pretty darn good progress!

Reading: I had one “lazy” day where I sat around and read, so my book count for the month is now up to 6–halfway to my basic goal of 12 books this month to catch up! Hurray! Plus, I’ve been reviewing each book I read on Goodreads.

 

Halfway through the month and halfway through two of my three goals. Not a bad place to be! I’ll keep charging forward with my crits and reading and hopefully dive into SAWAS sometime this week.

How are your March goals progressing?

Author Interview: Elise Edmonds

This post is part of a blog tour featuring Elise Edmonds and her recently published YA fantasy novel Where Carpets Fly. Join me for an interview and learn more about this amazing author and her captivating book!

First, a bit about the novel itself:

Elina Faramar finally leaves her family’s flying carpet shop when her father reluctantly agrees she can take magic lessons in nearby Kamikan. Urban life promises adventure, and new friend Kara shows her the sights.

However, Elina soon sees a darker side of life: a foreigner arrested at the circus, forbidden schoolhouse rooms with odd comings and goings, and unsociable pupil Simeon’s shady deals at the docks. Everything seems connected to the volatile neighbouring country of Pallexon, but no one will tell her why.

When Elina and Simeon develop a magical mind link, he seems close to confiding in her. But an unexpected voyage takes Elina and Kara away from answers and towards unknown danger in Pallexon

Alone in a strange country, with no identity papers, the situation rapidly turns into a nightmare when Kara is mistaken for a spy. With her own freedom at stake, Elina must rely on her wits and magic to save her friend and unravel the secrets of Pallexon.

 

Let me just say that I love this book! Elina’s story is a magical adventure that sweeps you away just like a magic carpet would. When Elise started planning her blog tour, I jumped at the chance to interview her.

Thanks for being here today, Elise! I’d like to start off the interview with a very important question: Where did your inspiration for Where Carpets Fly come from?

I’ve always been a fan of both children’s fantasy books and school stories – long before Harry Potter came into the world. I grew up on Enid Blyton and Narnia. So writing a fun, immersive fantasy story full of adventure but also including school and coming of age themes is basically me writing the book I wanted to read as a kid! It’s got a bit of everything I enjoy reading about.

Flying carpets have always held a fascination for me. There’s something exciting and exotic about them, and I wanted to capture that feeling in my world. I read a Diana Wynne Jones book about flying carpets (Castle in the Air – the sequel to Howl’s Moving Castle), and I can say she’s also influenced my writing.

I would love to have a flying carpet–in fact, Carpet from Aladdin was one of my favorite characters from that movie. If you could have one, what kind would you want to have, and why?

Well, as you know, I’m from the UK, and I live on the coast, so I think I’d need a built in umbrella and a windshield, as well as a waterproof coating. Most of my traveling is commuting, so I think I’d have a sturdy, speedy model built for one, to allow me to beat the morning traffic.

You put a lot of thought into that! Given that I’m from the northeastern US, I’d probably need a similar model, plus some sort of heating spell for cold days.

Return to Where Carpets Fly, could you tell us a bit about your main character?

Elina is an only child, living with her parents in the apartment above the family flying carpet shop. She’s constantly butting heads with her father because he wants her to take over the family business, but she’s got no interest in this at all. She finally persuades him to let her take magic lesson in the nearby town, and she intends to enjoy herself while she can! She’s keen to make new friends, and she’d love to travel. Her world view is quite naive and this gets challenged during the book, but she proves to be a loyal friend to the end.

I loved watching Elina grow over the course of the novel. You did an amazing job–it makes me want to read more of your work! Which brings me to my next question: What other stories are you working on? Anything in the same world as Where Carpets Fly?

Yes, I’m currently working on the sequel!  I wanted to keep going with Elina’s story and explore what happens next. And this time, you get to be inside the heads of a couple of her friends as well. So I shall be excited to get that book out … maybe by the end of the year if things go to plan. Aside from that, I can be found on Wattpad, and I sometimes have a few chapters of a new idea up on there.

Hurray! There’s going to be a sequel! I’ll be first in line for a copy!

Before we wrap up this interview, is there anything else you’d like to share?

Yes – here are a couple of pictures of my cats. Their names are Anushka (the calico) and Rafferty (the black and white). They are just turned seven years old, and they are my writing buddies! Rafferty mostly likes playing outside and he’s quite grumpy at the moment because of the cold weather. Anushka mostly likes eating. But she swears she fluffy, not fat! I post quite a few pics of them on my Instagram account, because who doesn’t love cat pictures?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They’re gorgeous cats! You’re lucky to have such wonderful writing buddies.

Thank you for stopping by today, Elise! I wish you and your stories the best!

 

Readers, you can purchase a copy of Where Carpets Fly on Amazon as an ebook or a paperback!

 

Born in Staffordshire in England, Elise Edmonds has always been an avid reader, especially of fantasy and young adult books. Elise moved to Bristol in her teens, to attend university, and undertook a career in the finance world.

Now living in a quiet South Gloucestershire village, she spends her free time with her husband and two cats, and enjoys attending local fitness classes, watching movies, and playing the piano. Pursuing writing in her spare time as a creative outlet is a way to bring the magic back into her everyday life.

 

 

You can connect with Elise through her various social media outlets:

Website

Amazon author page

Facebook

Goodreads

Instagram

Twitter

Wattpad

Magic Monday: Where Carpets Fly by Elise Edmonds

Magic Monday is normally on the second Monday of the month, but I missed February (shamefully, because I didn’t do much reading…) and I just finished reading an amazing young adult fantasy novel a couple days ago. So, without further ado, we return to another Magic Monday fantasy book review!

First, I’d like to share the cover. Normally, I’m not a fan of people on covers (often they don’t match the character or my image of the character), but this girl is absolutely perfect for the main character Elina. And the rest of the cover is, well, gorgeous.

It’s even more gorgeous in paperback. *hugs my copy* Now, on to the review!

Where Carpets Fly follows Elina, a headstrong girl who is staying in the city of Kamikan with her aunt in order to attend magic school. Her father is equally headstrong and wants her to focus on Tangible magic so she can return home to help out in his magic carpet shop. (Yes, that’s right. There are magic carpets in this book and they’re a normal form of transportation in this country! I’m so jealous.)

Elina doesn’t want to work in a dusty old shop for the rest of her life–she wants to travel the world. And, unexpectedly, she gets her wish. Though not quite in the manner that she expects…

I loved every aspect of this book. The characters, the descriptions, the storyline, and the world-building (especially that magic system!) Everything flows together into a gripping narrative that kept me turning the page until I reached the end. Elina especially made this story shine–she’s a strong heroine who struggles to overcome her flaws. I loved watching her grow over the course of the story.

There’s something for everyone in this story–plenty of adventure and peril, strong friendships, a touch of romance, and, of course, magic! I can’t wait to read more stories about Elina and her friends.Intrigued? Where Carpets Fly is available on Amazon for Kindle and in paperback.

If you want to learn more about Elise Edmonds, I’ll be interviewing her later this week! You can also connect with her through her website, Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram, Twitter, and Wattpad.

Announcement: Augment is free through March 11th!

From now until March 11th, you can pick up a copy of Augment for free through Smashwords’s Read an Ebook Week sale.

For those of you unfamiliar with my first published novel, it’s YA science fiction novel with a theme of friendship. Here’s the blurb:

By Government-enforced mandate, genetic augmentation and implant technology cannot coexist in the same human body. Sixteen year old Viki’s life has depended on her implants since she was five.

Now her implants are failing.

When Viki discovers that the malfunctions are due to illegal augmentation, she is determined to find those responsible. However, Agent Smith of the Search and Retrieval Bureau is also looking for the geneticists who augmented Viki, and his orders are to capture them by any means necessary—even if it requires risking Viki’s life by using her as bait.

Viki’s friend Halle, a rogue AI, is doing its best to help her search, but Halle has its own problems. Agent Smith had been closing in on the AI before being reassigned to Viki’s case, and Smith’s partner is still on the hunt. Searching for the geneticists risks exposing Halle, but Viki and her friend must find them first—they are her only chance for survival.

 

Picking up a copy is easy, just click the “Buy with coupon” button on Augment’s Smashwords page and enter the code SFREE when you’re checking out.

I hope you enjoy Viki and Halle’s story!

Author Interview: Corinne Morier

Today I’m interviewing Corinne Morier, a fellow fantasy writer and lover of memes, for the Blog World Tour: Fantasy Edition. Welcome to my blog, Corinne! (I’m resisting the urge to fill this post with memes in your honor. Readers, be thankful; unlike Corinne I am no queen of memes!)

I’m going to dive right in with a tough question to start: What advice would you give to your younger self?

Don’t give a single eff about what other people think of you, because their opinions don’t matter. Keep dreaming your dreams because they’ll come true. And stop being friends with Mikayla right now because she doesn’t deserve you as a friend and you’ll regret being friends with her in the first place. Go be friends with Megan and Lizzie instead.

That’s good advice–I wish we could go back and knock some sense into our younger selves! I’m glad your dreams are coming true. Never stop dreaming!

My next question is more writing-related. A lot of writers do research, whether they’re writing nonfiction or fantasy. How much research do you do for your writing?

Not very much, because after all, part of fantasy is that you’re supposed to create a world all your own, so there’s not really a need to do much research. But of course, I research things like fantasy tropes – for example, has the story idea I want to write already been done before? Or, when I started writing my fantasy trilogy, I looked up different species of fantastical creatures and put my own spin on them. And right now I’m working on a fairy tale retelling, so I’m going and reading different versions of it to see how it’s been adapted over the years.

Ha! Exactly what I say when people ask me if I do a lot of research (for my fantasy, anyway. Science fiction takes research. At least, my novels do.) It sounds like you’ve got a lot of writing projects you’re working on. What are your ambitions for your writing career?

It’s always been my dream to publish a novel and to see it on the shelf at a bookstore or a library, so I’d like to finish my novel and publish it. Other than that, I just want to keep writing stories that entertain my readers.

Both of those are great ambitions. I look forward to seeing your book published and on my shelf! My next question is…*dramatic pause*If you could meet any famous person, living or dead, who would you like to meet and why?

I actually have a Microsoft Word document on my computer of the people I’d like to meet. To name a few, Laura Joh Rowland, Peter Jackson, Chirstopher Paolini, and Laura Bailey. The first three I’d like to meet so I could ask them specific questions about their work. Laura I just want to meet for the sake of fangirlism. Also it would be kind of cool to be able to meet Robin Williams.

I wish I could meet Robin Williams, too. He was an incredible actor. *glances at clock* It’s almost time to wrap things up, so one quick, easy question to finish: How do you like to relax?

Through my writing. *smile* But I also swim on a Master’s team, and whenever I need to blow off some steam, I hit the pool. Swimming is just really therapeutic for me.

I love swimming as well! And I also relax with my writing at times. *clock chimes* That’s the bell! Thank you so much for being here today, Corinne!

Corinne Morier is a bibliophile-turned-writer with a penchant for writing stories that make readers think. In her free time, she enjoys blogging, playing video games, and swimming. Her motto is “Haters gonna hate and potatoes gonna potate.”

You can keep up with her latest by following her blog and connecting with her through Facebook and Twitter.

Ensign’s Log, Entry 51: March Month Map

I’m welcoming in March with a shiny new month map and new goals (plus a couple transfers.)

Skin As White As Snow: This month’s major goal is finishing the first draft of this. I’m going to start by reading through what I’ve got so far and filling in some holes, then diving into the final few chapters.

Critting: As some of you know, I use Scribophile during my editing process. The feedback I receive from my critiquers there is amazing, and the community itself is educational and friendly, making it a great place to network with other writers. Last month, I was working on catching up with my backlog of critique trades. I made good progress and even set up a few more trades along the way. My goal for March is to finish catching up. I’ll need to complete 80 crits to do that–some from old, standing trades and some from the new trades I made.

Reading: I’m doing a Goodreads challenge this year with a goal of reading 75 books. I was ahead of my goal in January, but fell behind last month so would like to catch up in March. I’ll need to read 12 books to catch up, so a little more than one every few days. Given how many I have sitting on my Kindle right now, that won’t take long! Not to mention my shiny new paperback of Where Carpets Fly, which I’m currently several chapters into and loving every word of it.

Upgrade: I’d like to start the next revision by the end of the month. This is contingent on my critters finishing their read-throughs, however, so it’s a bonus goal.

Further reading: Given that there will be times when I don’t get as much reading done as I would like, I’m setting a bonus goal of two books beyond where I should be with my reading challenge.

Ensign’s Log, Entry 50: February Month Map – Final

Farewell, February, you were quite the productive month for me, despite being so short.

I’ll be welcoming March in with a new month map sometime in the next few days, but today it’s time for a wrap-up of February’s month map. Let’s see how I did…

I didn’t complete all my goals, but two of my major ones were pretty well-conquered.

Upgrade: I finished the current draft of Upgrade on February 22nd, and now have at least three critters reading through it (one has already finished!) Once they’re done, I’ll be able to dive into the next round of (hopefully minor) edits.

Skin As White As Snow: Although I participated in the Twitter hashtag game #authorconfession with this as my WIP, I must confess that it fell by the wayside while I was focused on Upgrade. Finishing the first draft is going to be my major goal for March, however!

Critiquing: This was mostly a success. I managed almost forty crits in February, but not all from my backlog–I picked up a few new trade partners for Upgrade. I’ll continue catching up in March.

 

Ultimately, February was a very successful month for me. How did your February goals go?

Celebrating National Fairy Tale Day

I recently learned that today is National Fairy Tale Day. These days, it feels like pretty much every day is National Something Day, but there are a few I enjoy celebrating (Pi Day, anyone?) and National Fairy Tale Day just joined that list because I LOVE fairy tales!

In celebration of today, I’m sharing a few of my favorite fairy tales and retellings. I also have a exciting announcement at the end of the post!

Beauty and the Beast

I’ll freely admit that one of the reasons this fairy tale ranks so high for me is because Belle, from the Disney version, loves reading books and was thus my favorite Disney “princess” as a kid.

Although I don’t have a specific favorite retelling of this tale yet, I’m actually working on my own retelling. It’s a slow process, but transforming a favorite fairy tale into my own story is so much fun!

East of the Wind, West of the Moon

I’m not usually one for romance, and I’ll be the first to admit that the original tale leaves much to be desired. However, I love how the girl in this story seeks to right the wrong she committed despite all the dangers and trials she must face.

One of my favorite retellings of this story is East by Edith Pattou, which I’ve reviewed before on this blog.

Cinderella

There are parts I love about this fairy tale and parts I don’t. I’m not a fan of the insta-love original, but I do love versions of the story where Cinderella stands up for herself rather than is simply rescued by a fairy godmother’s magic. For this reason, Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine is a favorite retelling of mine. A more sci-fi version, Cinder by Marissa Meyer, is another favorite.

The Selkie Myth

The selkie stories are not so much a single fairy tale as a collection of similar myths from Irish and Scottish origin. Male and female selkies are spoke of differently–male selkies are said to seduce human females, while a female selkie is taken captive by a fisherman who steals her skin. The tragic endings of their myths and the duality of them, as well as the concept of the selkies themselves, fascinate me and led to my writing “Beneath His Skin,” which was included in the Just-Us League’s recent release, From the Stories of Old.

One of my favorite retellings of this myth is Seal Child by Sylvia Peck. When I first read the story as a kid, I didn’t know what selkies were. All I knew was that the story was one of the most bittersweet stories I’d read at the time, and the memory of it still remains ingrained in my memory. Only later, when I heard of the original selkie myths, did I make the connection.

 

These are just a few of my favorites–I love fairy tales in general and enjoy learning of new and obscure ones. Please share your favorites in the comments!

 

Now, before I sign off, it’s time for an important announcement!

From the Stories of Old is FREE today until March 1st! Just click the link or the picture below and it will take you right to the Amazon page where you can snag your copy!

In this international collection, new life is given to fairy tales, both classic and obscure.

Mythical creatures put the fairy in Fairy Tale. Mermaids, selkies, and ocean guardians experience the best and worst of humanity; sisters encounter an unusually friendly bear; a brave bride meets a silly goose; and a spinner of gold sets the record straight.

Urban fantasies modernize classics: a Frenchman learns the truth about magic, his past, and his girlfriend; a girl sets out to find love but receives a curse; and today’s naughty list makes Old Saint Nick not-so-jolly.

New worlds bring a fresh sense of wonder! In the future, a young woman fights for her people and herself; a bastard son finds acceptance in a world ruled by women; and a farmer’s wits win the heart of a frosty king.

Discover unexpected twists on old favorites, and fall in love with new tales and worlds to explore!

Ensign’s Log, Entry 49: February Month Map Week 2.5 Update!

Yes, you didn’t read the title wrong… Because this post is late I’m calling it week 2.5 instead of week 2 (or week 3, which is still a few days from its end.)

The good news is that I’ve made a LOT of progress since my last update!

Upgrade: Only four chapters to go. This round of revisions should be done by the end of Week 3.

Skin As White As Snow: No new progress as I was focusing on Upgrade and the secret project this past week.

Critique Catch-up: Doing well here! I’ve been trying to do at least one or two a day.

Secret project: The first draft is due on the 19th (tomorrow!) so I need to finish that by tonight!

That’s all for this update…check back in at the end of the month for my wrap-up! (And I might have a week 3.5 update as well, depending on how successful the next seven days are.)

How are your monthly goals progressing?