Michael Davies's Blog, page 6

Update May 2015

Reviews are beginning to trickle in, and I know we have several coming up this week. You can currently read more over at Goodreads. 

Work, editing and promoting have kept me away from the blog for a little while but I’m hoping to have the third installment of the history of fantasy series out soon for you to read.

Here’s a couple of excerpts from a few reviews:

“Such a grandiose storyline could easily get out of control in the hands of an inexperienced writer, but Michael manages a tight and beautiful storyline that dances with ease along that thin line between order and chaos.”

“The author skillfully creates a vivid world complete with histories and legends, contrasting regions and climates, ancient civilizations, and mystical creatures. I feel like I have traveled to the world of Pangea and walked with Idris through intense drama. And I am anxious to return there in the next book!”

I’m thankful for the positivity and looking forward to more.

The publisher has been working on a trailer for the official book launch day and from then on I hope to be having a couple of readings and signings throughout the summer, along with a review in Nerd Nation Magazine that should come out in late May.

We’ve released several interview videos on http://www.theworldofpangea.com and I encourage you to browse that site if you haven’t already. I promise that you won’t be disappointed.

Finally I will leave you with a couple of links.

Interview at P.H.Solomon’s blog.

Writing on research over at Guild of Dreams.

Enjoy, and stay tuned for the trailer!

Fantasy Authors Unplugged: Michael Davies

mdingrimsby1:

Today you can check out my author interview about Path of the Warrior. Thanks to P.H.Solomon for Blogging it!

Originally posted on Archer's Aim:

This is continuing feature on Archer���s Aim ��� Fantasy Authors Unplugged. I hope to frequently share an interview with a fantasy author. If you have authors to suggest and/or questions you���d like to see answered then leave a comment or send me an email. If you are a fantasy author and would like an interview please let me know and we���ll plan one that fits your schedule. Today, I���m joined by Michael Davies whose new book, Path of the Warrior, is due out in just a few weeks.

Please share about your new��book.

Path of the Warrior is book one of my World of Pangea series. It is set against an extensive mythological backdrop and begins as a coming of age story before quickly exploding into an epic conflict between light and darkness. In this first novel you discover the nomadic people of the ancient Silures tribes, learn about���

View original 1,107 more words

Author Interview: Autumn Birt

Today I continue the Friday interviews that I started several months ago. I’d like to welcome a friend of mine Autumn Birt. Autumn helped me out as I began using twitter to connect with people about my book. I will always be thankful for that. She is a fantasy author and I’m sure that what you are about to read will be very interesting.

Now Autumn, what interests you about writing fantasy?

Autumn: I would say it is the same reasons why I first fell in love with reading fantasy. And there are so many! I love to travel, especially to new places, and you can���t get much more unfamiliar as a new world where magic and mythical beasts lurk. And then there are all the other tropes typical of the genre – discovery of hidden abilities, overcoming great obstacles, vanquishing foes (even if you were born a nobody on the farthest farm from anywhere), and meeting awesome friends along the way.

That is what drew me to reading the genre, especially epic fantasy, but I guess what I really love about writing it is pushing beyond those typical scenarios to something new. In my epic fantasy trilogy, I avoided castles, swords, and even dragons – though I love all three. Instead, there is a lot of sailing and the setting is more mediterranean. The magic of the books is elemental based��� but there are five abilities, not four. And that is the crux of the conflict in the books!

I also loved writing and pushing the ability to control each element into new territories. I have a science degree and that definitely shows up in the possibilities of elemental abilities. Such as controlling air means controlling gases. If you can thicken or thin clusters of air molecules as well as direct wind��� well there is quite a lot you could do from lifting objects (or not allowing things to be lifted) to altering sound, which has to carry through air. You could take away someone���s breath. Figuring out the possibilities was half the fun of writing the battle scenes – which is usually where the most innovative uses occur!

Michael: I love how your real life understanding and experience has helped shape the fantastical elements of your stories. That is brilliant.

If you can please tell my readers, what is the name of your latest book and why did you call it that?

Autumn: My most recent series is titled Friends of my Enemy. It comes from the very old adage (first translated from Sanskrit!) ���Friends of my enemy are also my enemy.��� And that pretty much describes the books. They are dark fantasy/ near future dystopian and delve into the complications of love, friendships, and family mixed with personal goals. Plus there is a very powerful ���real��� enemy. The story line is dark and complex, and was amazingly fun to write – as well as the most challenging thing I���ve written so far. More about that below!

The first of the four books is being released May 1st. It is called Stories from the War and contains 11 short stories that build the foundation for the three books that will come out this summer and fall. It is the only one of the four that stands alone, but the books are so much richer if you read them! You can find Stories for the War here.

Michael: So in case you haven’t figured it out – IT IS OUT TODAY! Go buy it. You won’t be disappointed.

So, this isn’t your first novel, you have several others. What are they?

Autumn: The first series I released was the epic fantasy trilogy the Rise of the Fifth Order. Those three books are Born of Water, Rule of Fire, and Spirit of Life.

And if that isn���t enough, I���ve been releasing the individual short stories to Stories from the War for free (though I won���t be releasing all of them this way). May 1st also marks the release of the fifth short story, War in the Streets. First Meeting, Orders, Stirrings, and Beginning of the Guard are already out.

The easiest way to learn about both series is on their webpages at: the Rise of the Fifth Order and Stories from the War.

Michael: Great links, I particularly love the maps from The Rise of The Fifth Order. Good stuff.

Now, can you tell us a little about this new novel.��

Autumn: My��newest series, Friends of my Enemy, really captivates me. I hope readers will feel the same! It is strongly character driven, so much so that many parts of the book wrote themselves. I simply needed to follow where the four main characters led.

And that is part of why it became challenging. These characters are fully formed and independent. One of them made a decision I never saw coming (even though it made complete sense) at the end of book 2. Up until that point, this was going to be a trilogy. I remember sitting there thinking, ���am I really going to write that book? Am I going to go there?���

What I mean is that I knew where this decision would take the character and novel, and to write it would be a challenge – one that would have made me hesitate to write the series. But there I was, at the beginning of what was going to be the final book, but now would be 3 of 4, and wasn���t going to back out. I trusted the characters enough to keep going, and I love how it turned out. I love how much I developed as a writer and storyteller to make it happen. And that is why I love this series.

Michael: I’ve said this before, and I think it’s in one of my own interviews over at www.theworldofpangea.com but one of the things some readers don’t understand is that often characters write their own story, we just go along for the ride. For my readers, I’ve included the blurb of this book below.

A military dark fantasy with a touch of romance (because it is no fun when everyone dies and no one falls in love!) set in the near future. Our near future.

Europe stands better prepared to maintain a civilized society in the face of global catastrophes, pandemics, terrorism, and a changing climate. The USA answered its troubles by establishing a military government. Set in Europe, this is a story about a small handful of people whose lives interconnect. People who become influential as the world falls into a war in an era tumbling toward chaos. Each seeks to save Europe, but not all influence is good even when intentions are for the best, and not all decisions can be made in time.

Also available is the collection of short stories:

Autumn,��who is your favourite character and why?

Ack! That is such a difficult question. I always joke that my favorite character is the one whose POV I���m currently writing in. I need to be so much in their head to write a scene well that I have to put aside my likes and dislikes, and accept who they are and what they are doing. But when it is all said and done���

In my epic fantasy series, I���m drawn to Darag, one of the heroes, and Sinika, the ���villian.��� Sinika partially because he was so clever he was out-thinking me as I was writing. I never knew what he would do – or worse, why he was doing what he was doing –�� and really, really worried that he would win. I���ll explain why Darag in the next question.

For the dark fantasy series��� oh gosh. My immediate reaction would be Derrick Eldridge or Captain Jared Vries, though I do love Arinna Prescot too. They each have great attributes and really aspire to rise to be the best they can for all the right reasons – despite everything. Jared has a wicked smart mouth. Arinna is a bit of a maverick. And Derrick is so gosh darn competent, but doesn���t think that is anything special. If I could be reincarnated as any of them, I���d be thrilled!

Do you see any aspects of yourself in any of the characters?

Autumn: So this brings me back to Darag. The Rise of the Fifth Order was my first series and written a bit more personally – before I���d really gotten my feet wet as a writer. So a few of those characters hold more of me or friends than my newest work. Ria contains a few of my fears, at least the ones I held when 16. Niri utilized a bit of my inventiveness. She is perceptive and always finding a way through, even when she leaps without looking. And Darag is someone I���d very much like to be. He grows so much in confidence as well as abilities, and I feel a kinship with him that I can���t explain. Maybe his path for magic is like my path for writing? I���m not sure, but I know he stuck in my mind quite a bit after I finished writing the series, especially considering the horrible place I left him in��� which led to my newest WIP!

Michael: For those who don’t know – WIP is shorthand we writers use for work in progress.

What is your newest work in progress and what makes it different?

Autumn: I���ve already spoken about how the Rise of the Fifth Order is unique for epic fantasy and Friends of my Enemy is just completely unlike anything I���ve written or thought I could write. So why is Games of Fire different? Especially considering it is set in the same world as the Rise of the Fifth Order, and begins six months after that trilogy ends.

So this is different to the book that’s out today? I just want to clarify that for my readers.

Yes, when I finished writing the Rise of the Fifth Order, I thought I was done with the world and series. Which was really painful considering it was my first series, and took over three years to write. I loved those characters. And I left them in a positive, but tough, situation.

They kept bothering me, popping into my head while I was at work or driving. But I wasn���t going to write another book without a good reason. I don���t like rehashes written just because the author couldn���t let go��� or wanted to sell more books. So I sat down with the characters and gently explained that unless they came up with a great novel, they needed to go away (have you ever noticed most writers sound completely insane?!?). Well, they gave me a great reason. The Rise of the Fifth Order introduced the world, and the world building I did to write it created a history, but I had completely missed a huge problem brewing. HUGE. I think my subconscious wanted to keep writing from the beginning, because there are little clues throughout the series that lead up to��� well a new trilogy.

So it is different because, like the Rise of the Fifth Order trilogy, this isn���t a book that includes any elves, orcs, dwarves, or castles. You don���t need a spellbook to cast magic. Abilities are based on the elements but have crazy rules and there are five abilities. There are occasional dragons, one important sword, and a lot of water to cross, plus a desert, some mountains, and lots of different cultures. And it is a whole new storyline not based on the first books, though many characters reappear. It will stand alone though��� and be quite dramatic!

Great! I always ask this question as I end an interview. Can you share some advice to any first time novelist?

Autumn: Absolutely! Hire an editor, use a professional looking cover (and if you don���t know what that is, browse through the top 100 books in your genre and you���ll see very quickly), don���t get discouraged, and write well and write a lot. I didn���t do ANY of those things when I first published Born of Water, so I���m speaking from solid experience.

Amazon makes it so easy to upload a book. At least Smashwords gives you a style guide! I designed my own cover and did a horrible job (I might change it yet again one of these days). I have an English degree and figured I had the editing thing down (big nope). And then it took me a year to write Rule of Fire. Of course, during that time I had Born of Water edited, made a much better cover, and realized that this was a series and I���d better darn well 1. name it and 2. figure out the plot. Despite all of those shortcomings, people actually liked both books – and they wanted the third. Which took another year.

That is why I say write a lot. My biggest advice to a novelist is if you plan on doing this as something more than a hobby (because some people are really happy to have a book out and that is it), you should write an entire series and release it in a year in quick succession. And of course, don���t wait until you release it to blog/tweet/facebook about it (like I did as well). Start talking about it before you write page 1. Take any reader who stumbles onto your writing with you on the journey. THAT is extremely powerful. And it is fantastic to have people rooting for you.

As a reader, I hate waiting forever between books. So as an author, hearing about readers who wanted to know when the next book was out really made me squirm. A year between books in a series is okay, but not great. Six months is better.

So even though I have a whole series under my belt, with Friends of my Enemy I���m finally taking my own advice. Professional covers, great editing, and the whole series in one year. It is fully written. I���m working on final edits for book 2. I���ve been releasing the individual short stories 2 weeks apart. Book 1 is live on May 1st and after that the individual books will be 2 months apart. Don���t believe me, check the series page: www.nomapnomad.com/ww/friends-of-my-enemy/!

Yes, it is a crazy schedule, but I have a good friend releasing 15 books this year. I���m only planning 5 (Spark of Defiance, the first book to Games of Fire will be out before Christmas too!). This is what it takes to keep fans and readers engaged. So if you want to be an author, you have to treat it as a business. If I���m still sane in the fall, I���ll let you know how it is going!

Michael: That is crazy, and I am guilty of releasing just one book and releasing the second a year later. So, perhaps my fans should learn from there Autumn.

If someone wants to contact you how can they do it?

Autumn: I love hearing from people! The easiest way is the contact form on my website www.AutumnWriting.com. But you can find me on twitter too @weifarer, on Facebook or on Google+. I���m even on Pinterest where I love sharing book quotes using my husband���s photos! Say hi!

Michael: Autumn, thank you for sharing, we will have to have you back soon. For those who want to know a little more about Autumn but aren’t quite ready to go visit her site, here is a brief bio.

I���m a writer!
Oh you probably wanted to know more than that. ��:)��And there is more, but writing is my passion. Despite the headaches of learning to edit, market, design covers, create websites, plot stalls, limited time��� despite any drawback you can list, I love writing. That really is the first thing you should know about me.
Besides that, I live in Maine in a small, off-grid cottage I built with my husband (our two Cairn terriers supervised). I love to travel though. I would list that as the second passion in my life. And I prefer slow travel: hiking, sailing, kayaking, and motorcycling. Especially the motorcycling! I have an F650 BMW that is my favorite thing next to a writing device (preferably a portable writing device). If I could have my way, I���d spend months touring far off countries on a motorbike split with long bouts writing in small cabins next to lakes or cabanas on a beach. Internet connection would be a must.
Until that day, I have a day job that is actually pretty cool. I���ve worked for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service since 2002. It is a great job that not only lets me help the environment and protect local agriculture, but also provides a paycheck big enough to support my writing habit (at least until it grows up and supports itself)!
You can find my travel writing featured on the adventure travel website��No Map Nomads��where I am the co-editor and writer. I���m also a member of��Guild of Dreams, which features my blog posts as well as those of eleven other fantasy writers.
I have plans for many further adventures both real and fictional. So stay tuned and stay in touch. I love to hear from people!

Author Interview: Katie Hopmann

Today I continue the series of interviews with other authors. I am welcoming Katie Hopmann to the blog, who has recently released an amazing children’s book called “The Kings Invitation.”

����

Katie, tell us a little about yourself. What are some of your hobbies and interests?

Katie: I graduated from Ouachita Baptist University last spring with a major in Studio Art and minors in Writing and Christian Studies. While I lived in Arkansas as a student, I enjoyed long walks and hikes- especially when the trees changed colors in the fall. Now, I live in Cypress, TX. I work as a free-lance illustrator and part time nanny. I spend a lot of time with kids. I teach homeschool art lessons, and serve kids at my church on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Michael: Maybe I will have you back sometime to talk more specifically about illustrating. I find that subject fascinating, but for now, let’s move on.>

Out of all the books you can create, why create a children’s book?

Katie: There’s a difference between a children’s book and a picture book. I write children’s books because I am constantly thinking about how kids think and how they could learn. I love considering what might make them laugh, and want to do the best job I can at connecting with the next generation. However, my first love is the picture book, which depends on visual storytelling to give meaning to the text. Children ages 3-93 can discover meaning within pictures. Unlike text that often tells you how to feel or think, pictures convey something that people have to discover for themselves.

Michael: I never knew the difference between a children’s book and a picture book. I love the idea of the picture communicating more than just the words you read!

What are some of your own favorite books from when you were a child?

Katie: The Giving Tree, Green Eggs and Ham, the Frog and Toad series

Michael: Green eggs and ham, a personal favorite!

Are there other children’s books that The Kings Invitation is similar to?

Katie: Maybe I need to read more, but I struggle to relate this book with another children’s book I’ve read.

Michael: Having read it, I do agree. I’ve not found one that I can relate it to, which makes it incredibly unique and I must say, spectacular. I highly recommend this to anyone with kids.

Now, where did you come up with the name The Kings Invitation?

Katie:The Original name was “The Boy Who Loved the King.” My editor suggested “A Royal Invitation,” and then we finally settled on “The King’s Invitation.”

This is just one example of how many influences went in to the formation of this book. My original draft, there were no invitations in the story. Now it’s in the title!

Michael: I love that. I think as authors and writers, we’re aware of the help others give us along the way. Publishing really is a team effort.

I have to say, the art in The Kings Invitation is gorgeous. Did you do the art yourself, and what inspired you?

Katie: Thank you, yes. I worked through many different styles before going with what you find in the book. I love black line drawings (like Shel Silverstein’s work) but also enjoy working with the texture of watercolor. The final product is a mixture of ink and watercolor I did by hand and digital drawing and rendering I did with a drawing tablet.

Michael: As I said earlier, this is all fascinating to me, I’ve really not looked into illustrating much but there’s so much to learn about it and you ate truly great at it.

On that note, are there other artists or illustrators that have inspired you? If so, how?

Katie:There’s so many! Illustrators that have particularly inspired me are Shel Silverstein (for his ability to communicate so much within squiggles of black ink), and Peggy Rathmann (for her ingenious visual storytelling)

Michael: If you’re not familiar with their work, I encourage you to go and check them out.

What’s one word of advice you can give to writers who wish to be published in children’s literature?

Katie: I’m still learning how to do this well, but I would encourage writers to write…and write…and write some more, focusing on making their craft the best it can. Worrying about how your work will be published will suck the joy right out of creating something truly fresh.

Michael: Good advice Katie, thank you.

Is there anything particular you had to overcome to accomplish this?

Katie: Early on I had to decide that words like edit, revise, re-draw, or change were not going to be negative words. I had to learn when and how to stick with my original ideas and when it was important to take advice and direction from critiques. That’s hard because after thinking about a story for almost 2 years it becomes like a baby.

Michael: I certainly agree. I received some very blunt critiques from my original work as well, but those critiques helped me write a lot more precisely.

As we close, what are some ways that people can contact you on?

Katie: My website is the best place to learn more about my work: http://www.heartworkbykatie.com

That can connect you to everything else.

Michael: Katie, it’s been a pleasure interviewing you for this blog. Thanks so much for sharing your hard work and insights. Once again, if you have children, or if you simply want to read a very enjoyable book with great illustrations, check this out. I highly recommend it!

And in case you want a direct link to buying it, you can do so with this link:��http://www.heartworkbykatie.com/the-k...

Researching Fantasy

mdingrimsby1:

A guest blog appearance over at Guild of Dreams. Thanks for the opportunity! Enjoy :)

Originally posted on Guild Of Dreams:

Guest Post by Michael Davies

I didn���t start writing fantasy because of what I���d learn along the way. The research I���ve conducted as I crafted my debut novel ���World of Pangea: Path of the Warrior��� has been an unexpected and decidedly enjoyable surprise.

How did I decide what to research? I live by a 4 general rules.

I want my novel to be simultaneously fantastical and realistic.
If I am writing a scene and I can���t describe something very well then I need to research it to describe it better.
If I skirt away from something I want to use because I���m afraid it won���t sound realistic then I need to research it better.
If any part of my novel sounds too far fetched, it needs to be researched and re-written.

I kept a document open at all times. In this document I made a list of the research I���

View original 510 more words

WEBSITE RELEASE and PRE-ORDER!

I’ve been a little quiet the past two weeks due to an extreme work load, but it is with excitement that I now announce this!

My publisher just released TheWorldOfPangea.com, and if that’s not exciting enough, my book is also now available for pre-order. The official release day is still in May, but you can guarantee that you get to be one of the first readers by pre-ordering your copy today! As a plus, the print pre-order is only $10.99 + shipping/handling versus the release day price of $14.99 + shipping/handling.

Thank you everyone for your wonderful support so far. Please take some time to:

1. Check out TheWorldOfPangea.com

2. Watch the author interview videos on the site. (more to come)

3. Pre-order the print version here:��http://theworldofpangea.com or pre-order the Kindle version here:��http://www.amazon.com/The-World-Pangea-Path-Warrior-ebook/dp/B00W2PBW0S4. Share this post to your blog and with��people who enjoy fantasy!

Author Interview: Julie Gilbert

Today I continue the series of author and designer interviews that are common to this blog. I try and release one every Friday. I want to welcome author Julie Gilbert and I know you’ll be interested in what she has to say!

Julie, welcome to the blog and thank you for being kind enough to answer these questions. It’s greatly appreciated.

Can you tell��us a little about yourself. What are your likes and dislikes?

Julie: Hi. I’m currently a chemistry teacher, but I’m also starting to write a lot more. Typically, I try to wait until the summer to write, but I’ve recently decided to join the Lei Crime series Kindle World launch. The deadline’s flying up, so my days are consumed with teaching and my nights with writing. It’s exhausting but extremely fun, and not the sort of pace I can keep up forever.

If I gave you a full rundown of my likes and dislikes, we’d probably be here all day, so I’ll confine my answer to the writing realm. I have very distinct likes/dislikes about book covers. The cover issue has been on my mind of late because I’m in the process of re-branding two of my series. I love the fun, cartoon covers that I’m phasing out, but I think they’re making the works seem targeted to a younger audience than they’re meant for. One dislike for book covers is when the author name is bigger than the title. Another is when the title consumes the whole front. I love when the cover image matches the feel of the book perfectly because let’s face it, people often judge by the cover.

Michael: I do think the image matching the book is a very big necessity.

Julie, what motivates you to write?

Julie: There are plenty of reasons why I write. Would you like the selfish or altruistic reasons?

On a personal level, I love that it’s a skill that can be improved over time. It’s a ton of fun to get to know the characters as you throw situations at them and see how they react.

On a social level, I enjoy that it lets me interact with people I never would normally contact. Readers, reviewers, other writers, and artists are always willing to help each other out. That sense of community is awesome.

I write because I can. I feel that there are a ton of stories in me, so I want to discover each one.�� ��

Michael: I love that answer. I believe there are stories in everyone and the fact you have more than 1 and know it is very encouraging to hear. Readers, that means there’s plenty more to come.

Tell me about your fantasy series, can you summarize it without giving too much away?

Julie: Certainly.

Devya’s Children features a cast of genetically altered children who learn more about their skills and what it means to be a family. Jillian and Danielle are the primary narrators, but each book focuses on a different child.

Ashlynn’s Dreams introduces Jillian Blairington and her babysitter, Danielle Matheson. It starts off with them being kidnapped. (Not a spoiler, that’s on the back cover text.)�� The story that unfolds from there tells what happened at the scientific facility where they’re taken and what they learn along the way.

Nadia’s Tears focuses on Jillian’s sister, Nadia, who possesses amazing mental abilities. Not only does her brain develop at a very fast rate, it also has a wider capacity than normal people. That story starts out with Jillian worried because of Nadia’s sudden silence. While Jillian’s investigating the problem with Nadia, Danielle gets drawn into one of her friend’s troubles. Human trafficking is a central theme in that book.

Malia’s Miracles features the girl given Gifts involving emotions. Jillian and Danielle and most of Devya’s children get drawn into a pitched battle against fighting cancer in one woman.

Michael: They all sound very intriguing, and having read the reviews, it seems the readers agree with that sentiment.

Now, what was your favorite novel and who was your favorite author growing up?

Julie: I read a lot growing up, and I’m not sure I picked a favorite author. I enjoyed the Nancy Drew and Hardy��Boys Super Mysteries, but they were written anonymously under a pen name. I also enjoyed the Star Wars Jedi Apprentice series. I believe Jude Watson wrote most of that series.��

Michael: I too, was raised on Hardy Boys, my Dad introduced me to them.

Do you ever face fear as a writer? How do you overcome it?

Julie: I think there’s always a self-conscious sort of fear that people won’t like my work, but I came wired pretty grounded. I do what I do because I enjoy the process. God’s given me this beautiful thing to explore, learn through, and grow in, so there’s no reason to fear anything.

Michael: I can certainly relate to the self-conscious fear, putting your work out there for anyone to look at is a big deal. Thanks for being so open to this question.

Is there a character in the series that you most relate to and why?

Julie: I would like to think I’m as smart as Nadia, but to my knowledge, nobody genetically enhanced me to be super-smart. Truthfully, I think I can relate most to Danielle. Thankfully, none of my friends or charges have been genetically altered leading to me being kidnapped and used as a hostage. She’s just a girl, but the circumstances she’s put in allow the strength of her personality to shine. Not always true with me, but I like to think that I have a similar sort of right the world, stand up for justice, defend your friends to the end sort of attitude.

Michael: That sounds like someone a lot of people can��aspire to be like. Thanks for sharing your heart on it.

Where did you get the art for your novels from? How important is the cover art?

Julie: Ah, one of my favorite topics of the month. Ashlynn’s Dreams has gone through three covers. The cartoon one is a favorite of mine because I got to help design it with a very talented artist friend, Timothy Sparvero. Over time, I had gotten some feedback about it feeling like a MG-suitable cover or too much in the anime style. At first, I was okay with that image, but now, I’m making a big push to reach the YA, scifi loving audience it was meant for.

The current covers were designed by J. Leigh Bralick from SisterMuses.

Michael: I look forward to seeing any new covers in the future.

Is writing a passion, a hobby or a job for you, and why?

Julie: I feel like this is a time in my life where I’m transitioning from writing being a hobby to a job. Jobs get a bad rap of being just a way to make money, but life’s always better when you do what you love. Over the course of the past year, I’ve made a lot of subtle mental shifts to turning this into a viable career. I took steps to turn a lot of the stories into audiobooks with Kristin Condon narrating them. Commissioning new covers was a big step. I’m joining the launch for Toby Neal’s Lei Crime Series Kindle World which is launching April 7, 2015. I’m going legit = job ;-)

Michael: I wish you well as you take this next step. Please keep us posted with how it goes.

What’s one word of advice you want to give someone aspiring to be an author?

Julie: Write. Network. Whoops, that’s two words. Seriously, have a sense of humor. Write a lot, and network like your life depended on it. The life of your book probably does depend on it. Even in the indie writing world, you will come to rely upon a whole host of others from professional editors to kind people you bully into being beta readers to overworked bloggers who will function as your modern town criers, spreading the word of your books to the masses.�� ��

Michael: So true. I think that particularly in this��modern day and age, networking is a huge key!

If any readers want to connect with you further where can they find you on social media?

Yes, here’s a list of places they can find me.

Email: devyaschildren@gmail.com

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Julie-C-Gilbert/e/B002BMB2LG

Twitter: @authorgilbert or @jilliananddeli

Facebook: Julie C. Gilbert

Facebook: Ashlynn���s Dreams

Facebook: Heartfelt Cases Series

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/julie20201/ (for book covers and other stuff)

Michael: So there you have it. If you want to connect with Julie further, those are your options!

Julie, thank you so much for answering some questions for my blog. Maybe sometime in the future we will be able to hear from you again! I’ll leave our readers with a couple of images from your other book titles, the Heartfelt Cases series and Defining Moments.

History of Fantasy: Part 2 – The EPICS

Have you ever wondered how the fantasy genre developed? Do you understand how knowing its history��can help you write better fantasy? Join me as we delve into its origins.

Any exploration of fantasy needs to examine the ancient epics. These are tales such as Gilgamesh, Illiad and Odssey. For those who are wondering, epic simply comes from the greek language and means ���word��� or ���story.��� Quite fitting really. The original Homeric tales (Named after their creator), the Odyssey and Illiad were created to be spoken orally, and only later written down in the form of a poem.

We can trace their success through medieval literature, with many of Shakespeare���s plays relying heavily on poetry, and then on into Tolkien���s Middle Earth. There are a great many poems and ballads in Tolkien���s works and much of this is due to the foundation on which his worlds are built. Ancient history.��

The epics introduce multiple ideas that are now staples of modern fantasy. The Odyssey���s vast journey, exploration of human nature, magical elements as shown by the gods, an examination of spirituality, strange worlds and wars. The epics such as Gilgamesh are successful stories retold today, because despite the archaic language, they contain so many things things we as readers now take for granted.

Do you want strange mythical beasts, how about Centaurs and Minotaurs? Do you want crazy strategic battles, how about Troy?�� What about magic, then how about the power of the gods? Strange worlds, old mentors, messages in dreams. The epics have them in abundance. In fact, it is even argued Lucian���s ���A True Story��� was the first ever piece of Science Fiction, penned thousands of years ago. The icing on the cake is perhaps the invocation of the muse. Who amongst us does not at some point refer to our muse? Each of the Greek epics pray to the muse, a daughter of Zeus.

We have much to thank them for. It���s incredible that thousands of years after they were created they are so relevant. The basic structure of story flows from these poems. Don���t be afraid of giving a more modern version a read, or of thanking the ancients for inspiration. All the greats did. All the greats do.

Author Interview: Heidi Burke

As you know, my goal is to provide an interview or review every Friday. Today I welcome indie author Heidi Burke, I invite you to read along as I ask Heidi several questions about her work.

Heidi, when did you start writing and what inspired you?

Heidi: I���m going to give the lame ���writing before I could pick up a pen��� answer, because I started telling stories very young. I was always frustrated at how hard it was to get friends to act out my imaginary scenarios, so I just started writing them instead. I also had elaborate set ups for my stuffed animals, with family trees and politics, my first attempts at world building, I guess.

Michael: I���ve never looked at the scenes I created with the stuffed animals of my childhood from that perspective before.

Now, you���ve authored several books, can you give a brief run down of their titles?

Heidi:�� Firstly there is Beggar Magic it���s a YA Fantasy with Steampunk influence.

Thaddeus Whiskers and the Dragon is a middle grade fantasy in the spirit of The Reluctant Dragon, but with a cat for a hero.

The Dragon and the Scholar Saga: (four books) Dragon���s Curse, Dragon���s Debt, Dragon���s Rival, and Dragon���s Bride

This is a four part series. It���s my fantasy/romance, which is to say it���s a fairy tale.

Michael: Well, fairy tales are, in a manner of speaking, where all fantasy begins. Moving along now:

Is writing something you���ve always wanted to do?

Heidi: Pretty much. When I was younger and got my first email address, I���d write short stories and send them to all my friends. I loved it. There was just something so amazing about sharing the worlds and tales I wrote. To me it has always been about the readers, about finding someone who enjoys my work to share it with.

Michael: I know it���s a special feeling when someone enjoys the world you created as much as you do.

Tell me, what was your favorite novel and who was your favorite author growing up?

Heidi: Lord of the Rings, it still counts as ONE! I read Tolkien���s series three times growing up, plus the Silmarillion and most of the Unfinished Tales.

Michael: I���m not even going to get into the argument about if it���s one book or many 3!

Why did you choose to write fantasy over a different genre?

Heidi: I like the flexibility, and I like to explore worlds that don���t exist. I also like to write the stories I want to read. Fantasy gives the biggest, ���yes, but what IF?��� potential of the genres. You are only bound by your imagination and your writing ability.

As a writer do you ever face fear of any kind? How do you overcome it?

Heidi: I���m terrified of spiders . . . oh wait . . . that���s probably not what you meant. The only thing that really scares me is anytime I have to make a financial investment in my books. We���re a single income family, and I try to keep my writing in the black, only investing what I know I can make back, but there���s always a little bit of apprehension when I pay for ads or artwork. What if it doesn���t come back this time? We have bills. Can I truly justify this expense? It takes a little bit of faith every time.

Michael: I���m sure there are many others out there that face those same questions. It can be quite challenging.

Can you pick one of your books and provide the reader with a brief summary? Just one!

Heidi: Beggar Magic: For this book I was really inspired by the Myst gaming franchise. I just love the mix of mysticism and technology used in those worlds. The story explores the friendship between two girls of different backgrounds. They bond over their love for the world���s magic system, the Strains, which manifest in sound. However, when ���dead spots��� start eating away at the magic, leaving only silence in their wake, the girls have to band together to protect the Strains from a devious plot.

Michael: It���s interesting to contemplate gaming influencing writing in this way. I might have to explore that further in another blog post.

For now, do you have a favorite character from one of your books? If so, who and why?

Heidi: In Beggar Magic there is a secondary character named Vickers who is sensible but a little bit awkward, and he���s a lot like my husband was when I first fell in love with him (in high school). He���s not good with people but when there���s a crisis, he���s someone you can count on, and I find that charming.

What���s one word of advice you want to give someone aspiring to be an author?

Heidi: Don���t over think it. If you feel that is the story you want to tell, don���t worry if it is marketable or if it has been done before. Markets change and pretty much everything has been done before (and if it hasn���t, there is probably a good reason), but if you want to read the story you are writing, chances are there are other people out there who do as well.

Michael: I like that alot, ���if you want to read the story you are writing, chances are there are other people out there who do as well.��� So true, and my own philosophy as well!

My last question for now, if any readers want to connect with you further, where can they find you on social media?

Heidi: My website is http://www.hlburkeauthor.com. I have a contact form and a sign up link for my monthly newsletter.

I���m also very active on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/hlburkewriter

I���m on twitter under the handle @typativemamacat.

Michael: Thank you for the interview. I���m sure my readers appreciate hearing from you, and I certainly do. Maybe we can hear from you again after the release of your next novel.��

Haiku

Over the next few weeks I’ll be adding some old Haiku I drafted over the last few months. I hope you enjoy.

Down the busy street,

Chasing opportunity.

You missed me again.