Ben Starling's Blog, page 12
March 28, 2016
Ben Interviews Lisa Montanino
Welcome, Lisa. Could you tell us a little about yourself? How did you get started writing? What do you do when you’re not writing?
I’m just your average wonder woman fighting the good fight each day. When I’m not writing, I’m usually working as an executive in the legal world.
What is one thing that would surprise us?
One thing that surprises most is my ability to name a tune within a few notes for most songs pre-2004.
Is this your first book? How many books have you written prior (if any?)
Feedback is my first novel. I am currently working on a second and a novella.
What genre is it and what is it about?
Literary fiction with an extra dose of comedy and tragedy.
What inspired you to write this book?
About 12 years ago, I was inspired to write a novel by the people and experiences in my life during those times. The plot of my book was inspired by two friends in particular that are the protagonist, Claire. I put a lot of research into this unique character, the only association to me is the character’s profession… I was a radio disc jockey at University.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Probably when my short story, “Observations of a Native New Yorker” was published.
What does your writing process look like?
I usually story board in my head, transferring it to paper or a computer. Once I absorb the scenes, the dialogue naturally follows.
Where do you write?
Usually in my living room. On planes and trains when I’m traveling.
Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?
Aside from the ones you mentioned (just kidding) probably not, though I do love having complimentary background music playing while I’m hunting and pecking. I don’t know, is that strange?
Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?
I designed my cover art; I had the image in my mind before the book was written. Once the book was finished, I had help from my former co-worker/friend, Mike, who created my vision with his graphic design talent.
Who is your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?
Guillaume, Claire’s acquaintance from college. He’s your typical rude, judgmental, and non-respectful git that no one wants to deal with.
What book do you wish you could have written?
Two stand out: Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird and J.D. Salinger’s Catcher In The Rye.
What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?
Review it on Amazon… that helps tremendously.
Do you have a favorite conference to attend? What is it?
I adore the Writers Digest Conferences in LA and NY. The vibe and guest speakers are excellent. I can’t express how much knowledge you take away from that conference: it’s worth attending.
What is your favorite snack food?
Probably Almond butter with dark chocolate swirled in. Ooh.. and I love frozen yogurt too.
Is there one person past or present you would like to meet and why?
Without being greedy, I currently have four if that’s okay (the list changes periodically), I’d say Madeline Kahn, David Bowie, John F. Kennedy, Jr., and Julia Child. How much fun would that be?
Special thanks to Ben for taking the time to interview with me! I enjoyed this very much, cheers!
Lisa Montanino is the author of fiction novel, Feedback (Little Mountain Publishing, 2014) and short story, “Observations of a Native New Yorker”, featured in online magazine, Divine Caroline. Lisa is currently working on her sequel to Feedback and a novella, The Diaries of Debra Westlake. Lisa is a new contributor to The Review Review.
Her additional work and philanthropic efforts can be found on her blog Accidental Bohemian at http://ldmountain.wordpress.com, as well as at Amazon and Goodreads. You can connect with Lisa on Facebook and Twitter @ldmontanino.
Filed under: goodreads authors, guests on Ben's blog, interviews Tagged: guest, guest author
March 26, 2016
Something in the Water – now a TOP 20 most requested Goodreads Giveaway!
Something in the Wateris now a TOP 20 most requested
Goodreads Giveaway
in the Suspense category!
Enter to win a signed copy of Ben‘s new novel – it’s FREE to enter!
Open to residents of all countries
(Giveaway ends May 02, 2016)
Something in the Water
The sealed box Teal finds in the street contains more than just a mystery…
What if to be with the man of your dreams…you had to give up your life? On the verge of losing her job, side-lined journalist Teal Douglas is forced to travel to the South Pacific to profile a powerful businessman. But with her almost-but-not-quite fiancé Bear discouraging her every step of the way, she may not be able to save her career or her relationship.
When corporate criminals invade paradise, Teal teams up with former boxer turned marine biologist Perry Stanley to investigate. When she discovers the true intentions behind the new fishing operations, Teal must either accept the plum promotion that will save her career or—with Perry—defend the island with more than her life.
Something in the Water, An Ocean Romance is a full length novel in the soul-stirring collection from Ben Starling.
Read the first chapter here!
Filed under: Ben, books, events, goodreads authors, Releases, writing Tagged: author event, ben, ben starling, books, new release, news, writing
March 24, 2016
Shark Attack
I should have known better than to have swum at dusk.
I should have known better than to have swum in a deep channel between two islands off the coast of Florida, the shark attack capital of the world.
I should have known better than to have swum twenty minutes after the tide turned, flushing the little fish out to sea. Because where there are little fish, there are predators. Big predators.
I was nineteen at the time. Adventurous, optimistic…and old enough to remember freezing with fear when I saw the movie, Jaws.
If you’ve ever swum late in the day, you’ll know how dark the water looks when you look down. Then you wonder what you can’t see…what’s looking up at you.
I was treading water mid-channel, and the surface was flat like polished ebony, sliding away to the gnarled mangrove roots fifty yards distant that bordered the beach I was aiming for.
And then everything around me turned grey.
A great sweeping flank of grey, topped by a slicing dorsal fin broke the surface. Eight feet behind that fin, a scimitar tail beat as three-quarters of a ton of hungry muscle, sixteen feet of apex-predator circled me…
A fact or two about sharks had sunk in when sipping Margaritas with the scuba team in Fingerless Joe’s Hurricane Shack. Even as a primordial trigger tripped an alarm in my unconscious, I knew there was only one shark in these waters that reached that size…manoeuvred with such athleticism. The Great Hammerhead.
Another fact I knew, was not to panic. Not to try and swim for it because my distress would only excite the shark. What else did I know?
Well, that this shark usually fed on stingrays buried in the sand
The question on my mind was would this shark confuse my flat feet for flat fish?
Between 1958 and 2014, there were 548 recorded shark attach fatalities worldwide. That’s an average of ten per year. Was I about to be number 11?
But consider this – in Africa, hippos, Cape Buffalo, and lions all kill hundreds of people a year. Elephants kill around 2,000 annually. Worldwide, crocodiles kill over 5,000 people every year. Then there’s the North African death stalker scorpion, responsible for 50,000 deaths a year. And I haven’t mentioned my cooking…
But one statistic worth considering is that if you laid those ten unfortunate shark attack victims end to end, they’d stretch across a room.
If you laid all the sharks killed by humans each year end to end, they’d stretch…four times around the planet. Ten versus…one hundred million.
And this has been going on for decades, such that scientists now estimate 90% of the large fish, including sharks, are gone.
Why are so many killed? Three words. Three very sad words: shark…fin…soup. A gelatinous delicacy popular in SE Asia, especially at times of celebrations such as marriages.
Now you may think a shark-free ocean would be a good thing – and I confess that as this giant hammerhead circled me, that thought crossed my mind! But let me explain a theory that suggests it wouldn’t.
Sharks eat the middle-sized and smaller fish that dine on phytoplankton. Phytoplankton – or plant plankton as opposed to animal plankton. They photosynthesize half to seventy percent of the planet’s CO2, turning it into oxygen – yes, that’s as much or more than all the land-based plants combined. The theory goes that if we remove the sharks, the herbivorous fish population will explode…and most of the phytoplankton will disappear.
No more CO2 capture, no more oxygen production. Hello irreversible global warming.
So next time you’re dining in the Peking Palace in Pekham, or in Chomping Chopsticks in Chiswick and your eyes scroll down the menu to shark fin soup, please keep going. I’ve heard the black sesame soup is rather tasty.
Oh, and that great hammerhead? There was one more fact I forgot to mention: no fatal attack on a human has ever been attributed to a hammerhead shark. And I knew that…as I watched this magnificent creature, whose ancestors and relatives have populated the oceans for 450 million years.
Then it circled once more and headed out to sea.
In search, no doubt, of sweet and sour stingray.
http://www.natgeotv.com/ca/human-shark-bait/facts
http://www.sharks-world.com/hammerhead_shark/
http://www.sharkproject.org/haiothek/index_e.php?site=funktion_5
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark_attack
http://www.animaldanger.com/most-dangerous-animals.php
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21629173
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/TECH/science/05/14/coolsc.disappearingfish/
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23182-wiping-out-top-predators-messes-up-the-climate/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_hammerhead
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23182-wiping-out-top-predators-messes-up-the-climate/
Filed under: Articles, articles by Ben, Ben, Releases, writing Tagged: article, article by Ben, ben, ben starling, humor, humour, writing
March 23, 2016
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March 22, 2016
Don’t Forget – Enter to Win a Signed Copy!
Goodreads Giveaway
Something in the Water
by Ben Starling
Win a signed copy of Ben’s new novel – it’s FREE to enter!
Open to residents of all countries (Giveaway ends May 02, 2016)
Filed under: Ben, books, events, goodreads authors, Releases, writing Tagged: author event, ben, ben starling, books, new release, news, writing
March 15, 2016
Crafty Green Poet reviews: Something in the Water
Something in the Water about?
The sealed box Teal finds in the street contains more than just a mystery…
What if to be with the man of your dreams…you had to give up your life? On the verge of losing her job, side-lined journalist Teal Douglas is forced to travel to the South Pacific to profile a powerful businessman. But with her almost-but-not-quite fiancé Bear discouraging her every step of the way, she may not be able to save her career or her relationship.
When corporate criminals invade paradise, Teal teams up with former boxer turned marine biologist Perry Stanley to investigate. With the help of an old islander and a wise humpback whale, they discover the true intentions behind the new fishing operations. Teal must then either accept the plum promotion that will save her career or—with Perry—defend the island with more than her life.
March 14, 2016
Ben Interviews Rita Lee Chapman
Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get started writing? What do you do when you’re not writing?
I finished my first book when I retired. During my working life, I had written a few chapters but never a whole book. I used some of those earlier writings in both Winston – A Horse’s Tale and Dangerous Associations. When I am not writing or reading I like to play tennis, walk, swim and entertain.
One thing that might surprise you?
I don’t do Twitter.
Is this your first book? How many books have you written prior (if any?)
Dangerous Associations is my third book.
What genre is it and what is it about?
It is a crime mystery:
An ex-husband, a new love, a stalker. Cathy Thompson’s link to her ex-husband fills her life with threats and intimidation. She must either trap her stalker or find Geoffrey to put an end to her life of fear.
What inspired you to write this book?
I had been reading a few crime books and watching crime stories on TV, which I really enjoy. Also, I wanted to write something which would appeal to a wider readership.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I held the first print copy of my book in my hands.
Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?
I like to write when it’s raining – usually the weather is too good to lock myself away.
What book do you wish you could have written?
Anything by Australian author Kate Morton.
What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?
Buy a copy for a friend’s birthday!
What genre do you enjoy writing the most and why?
I loved writing Winston – A Horse’s Tale. It flowed easily – horses are my passion.
What is your favorite snack food?
Chocolate, of course.
If you had a supernatural power, what would it be?
To bring peace to the world.
What is something you want to accomplish before you die?
I’d love to be a best-selling author.
Do you remember the first book you read?
Yes, it was Chicken Little. I’m still waiting for the sky to fall in.
What makes you laugh/cry?
I’m lucky, I have a husband who makes me laugh all the time and I rarely have reason to cry.
Rita Lee Chapman was born in London and moved to Australia in her early twenties. It was only when she retired that she wrote her first novel, Missing in Egypt, a romantic travel mystery. Winston – A Horse’s Tale followed, written for horse lovers like herself. “It was the book I had to write.” Her latest book, Dangerous Associations, is her first foray into crime mystery. Visit Rita at:
Website: http://www.ritaleechapman.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rita.chapman
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5834608.Rita_Lee_Chapman
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007MHUN56
Dangerous Associations
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1501062905
Large Print Edition: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1507554915/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/493239
Winston – A Horse’s Tale
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G9QOZGE
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/372140
Missing in Egypt
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007JOUIIE/
LARGE PRINT EDITION: http://www.amazon.com/Missing-Egypt/dp/149121872X/
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/263417
Filed under: books, goodreads authors, interviews Tagged: guest, guest author
March 11, 2016
Ben Interviews Shari Sakurai
Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get started writing?
I first started writing when I was six years old. Our class wrote a story together about the teacher’s pet rat and I found that I enjoyed writing so much that I wanted to continue. I love the escapism, creating new characters and telling their stories. Writing is my first love really.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I enjoy going to live music concerts, going to the cinema, visiting local museums and spending time with family and friends.
Is this your first book? How many books have you written prior (if any?)
Adam is my third novel to date. Prior to Adam, I have written another science fiction/LGBT novel Perfect World (Perfect World Series #1) and Demon’s Blood which is a horror/LGBT novel.
What genre is Adam and what is it about?
Adam is a science fiction/LGBT novel and is a companion novel to my Perfect World series. Adam is about Perfect World’s Adam Larimore and tells the story of how he become a villain. It also starts to reveal some of the as yet unanswered questions in Perfect World Book 1 and sets in motion some events for later on in the series. Adam will be released today, 12th March 2016.
What inspired you to write this book?
I felt that in order to tell Adam’s story properly he needed his own novel. I also wanted my readers to gain a better insight into Adam himself and why he did what he did.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve been writing for most of my life, but the first time I actually considered myself a writer was when I sat down to write a novel with the intention of publishing it.
Are you a plotter or a pantster (writing by the seat of your pants)?
Very much a pantster! I’ve tried plotting a novel out before and I found that it took some of the enjoyment away knowing exactly what was going to happen! I prefer to let the story discover itself.
How did you come up with the title of your book or series?
One the themes in the Perfect World Series is that the L.S.A and Government believe that they have created a much better world from the ashes of the old one, but in reality with the rich and powerful controlling everything, things are much worse for everyday people. They feel that they have created a Perfect World, but only for themselves.
What is your next project?
I have two novels that I will be working on next. The first is the follow up to Demon’s Blood and as well, I’ll be starting to work on Book 2 of the Perfect World series.
What genre do you enjoy writing the most and why?
My favourite genres to write are horror and science fiction. These are my favourite genres to read too, so it felt natural that I would write in them.
Do you have a pet or pets?
I have one cat called Ronald and two rats. Ronald is a rescue cat who came into the vet’s where my sister works. He was found wandering down a busy A-road and rescued by a motorist. He’s about twelve years old and he’s a really sweet old cat who spends most of his time sleeping or eating.
Do you have any scars? What are they from?
I’ve got a scar going all the way round my ring finger. When I was six it got shut in a door and I almost lost the end of it! Luckily the doctors were able to save it but I’ve had a scar ever since.
What is your favorite song?
My favourite song is called Anata by L’Arc~en~Ciel. It’s a special song to me as when I went to see the band live they got us all to sing along to Anata and now whenever I hear it I think of the concert and all the wonderful memories.
Shari Sakurai was born in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom. After completing secondary school she moved away from further education to work in administration.
Shari is very interested in other countries’ cultures and mythology; in particular Japan. Japanese themes and influences can often be found in her work.
Shari’s debut novel Demon’s Blood was released in ebook format on 25th January 2014. She has participated and won the National Novel Writing Month challenge for the past nine years.
Connect with Shari:
Website: http://www.sharisakurai.com
Blog: http://sharisakurai.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharisakurai
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShariSakurai
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shari-Sakurai/e/B00I2WD0KA/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Shari_Sakurai
Book Promotion Sites: http://www.perfectworldseries.com
Filed under: goodreads authors, guests on Ben's blog Tagged: guest, guest author
March 10, 2016
Ben Interviews Bestselling Author Sarah Noffke
Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get started writing?
And before we begin, thanks for the interview and the lovely support.
I’ve been writing my entire life, so I think the urge was always in me. However, I used to have a real job. A professional one. One of those jobs where people go to meeting and do reports and things are very business-like. I loved it, but I totally felt like something was missing from my life.
My brother died suddenly in his sleep one day and after that I remember thinking, “What if I die before really doing what I want with my life?” And after that I knew I needed to start checking some stuff off my list and one of them was to write a book, which turned into books and now is an obsession.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
When I’m not writing then I’m thinking about writing. Promoting my books. And very rarely I’m socializing. I have a four-year old daughter and love to take her on random adventure.
Is this your first book? How many books have you written prior (if any?)
Ren, is my most recent book and series. It’s a dark fantasy about a sociopath with too much power. Most readers find Ren strangely likable although he has an abrasive nature. Currently, I have ten books spanning the YA and NA genres. I have two more in the works to make it an even dozen.
What genre is it and what is it about?
I love to write YA and NA and I’m slowly gravitating into the adult genre. I also write everything from light sci-fi to dystopian. I’ve found that switching genres helps my writing to evolve and ensures I don’t regurgitate ideas.
What inspired you to write this book?
Ren Lewis first appeared on the pages of my debut novel, Awoken. I have no idea where he came from or why his snarky dialogue was incredibly easy to write. He’s one of those characters who will give others lifesaving advice while also criticizing them.
After that book, he just kept appearing in the other books. He is now in nine of my twelve books. And he quickly became a fan favourite, so that’s why I decided to make him a main character of his own novel. I felt like it was time to tell Ren’s story.
Just as your books inspire authors/books, what authors/books have inspired you to write?
The Great Gatsby was the book that started my love affair with literature. After I read that I knew I wanted to write a book someday. Then I read Hunger Games and knew I needed to explore the dystopian genre. And I’m also a huge Doctor Who fan. There was one time I was watching an episode and I thought, “Gosh, I need to entertain people. I need to keep working until I find a way to transport people like this show does.” So those are the inspirations.
Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?
Here’s the kookiest thing about me: I write while working out. That’s right, I’ve written almost five books while spinning miles on the bike at the gym. I also can write on the treadmill and elliptical, but I’ve been having better luck with typing on my phone while sitting down.
It’s quite peculiar and probably weird to watch, but it means that I find time to do both. And I think movement helps with the creative flow.
Are you a plotter or a pantster (writing by the seat of your pants)?
My name is Sarah Noffke and I’m a recovering panster. I now plot.
With my first series, The Lucidites, I mostly went the panster route. Actually the first book was done completely without an outline. I did sketch out a few ideas for the other books. And you know the most chilling thing to me was there were complex plots that started in the first book and reared up in the final book. It was incredible to me. I had no idea how that happened. That’s the magic of being a writer though.
Anyway, although it worked out, now I make outlines. They aren’t detailed, but they do give a framework for a book and the series. I never follow it completely and usually find that a few storylines have appeared out of nowhere, but I prefer the outline method now.
The plain fact is that I find it to be more efficient, provides less worry as I write and makes for a better final product. My first novel was rewritten a dozen or so times and I fear that was because I had no idea where I was going as I wrote.
What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?
So I’d say that aspiring authors need to know which people to give a ton of attention to and who to ignore. Let me explain. As writers, we are weird. Most writers I know are a little eccentric. Most are too smart for their own good. Their jokes fly over people’s heads. This is a great thing actually.
Writers, I think you should be pushed indoors by society’s judgmental eye. Go into your space and write. Channel. Ignore the people who don’t get you and write.
As mentioned above: I wrote my last three books on the treadmill. Yep. It works for me, really gets the juices flowing. Anyway, I walk on a treadmill at a gym with lots of people around me. And usually I’m typing on my phone, babbling to myself, and making random exclamations. I’ve gotten more than a few looks because of abrupt laughter or a gasp. Yes, my writing surprises me sometimes. Anyway, I don’t care what most people think and it keeps me writing and that keeps me sane.
Here’s the other part of this: Ignore what some people think. But you need to pay attention to other people. Pay attention to your editor. If they tell you your script needs work here or there, then take it. They know. You’re too close to it.
And same goes for your beta readers. No, they don’t get everything, because unfortunately they aren’t in your head. But if they’re confused, it’s because you forgot something. So heed their advice.
Pay attention to reviews. Not all reviews, but the ones that appear constructive. Learn something and realize that your first book or your first series, isn’t the last one. You can learn something. You can change. You can improve. And then one day, you’ll blow them away…all because you listened.
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Philip Pullman, the author of His Dark Materials, is one of my favorite of all time. His writing isn’t just entertaining, it’s brilliant. There are things in his books that stayed with me for so long, and he’s probably the reason I fell in love with young adult books.
What is your biggest fear?
That I’ll die before I’ve shared all the music that’s in me. Dr. Wayne Dyer, who recently passed, says, “Don’t die with your music still in you.” That’s what inspired me to write and keeps me going every day. I have stories that need to be told.
Do you recall your dreams? Do you have any recurring dreams/nightmares?
I have a reoccurring dream that I’m in a college biology class and it’s halfway through the term and I don’t have the book and haven’t studied. Midterms are about to start and I’m panicked. This is my own type A personality worrying about messing it up, even though it’s been ten years since I was in college.
Sarah Noffke writes YA & NA sci-fi fantasy and is the author of the Lucidites, Reverians, Ren and Vagabond Circus series. She holds a Masters of Management and teaches college business courses. Most of her students have no idea that she toils away her hours crafting fictional characters. Noffke’s books are top rated and best-sellers on Kindle. Currently, she has eight novels published and a new series scheduled for release early Spring 2016. Her books are available in paperback, audio and in Spanish.
Sarah Noffke’s Titles:
The Lucidites series (YA sci-fi fantasy)
Awoken, Stunned, Revived
The Reverians series (YA dystopian)
Defects, Rebels, Warriors
Vagabond Circus (YA fantasy)
Suspended, Paralyzed, Released
Ren Series (NA urban fantasy)
The Man Behind the Monster, God’s Little Monster (expected for publication summer 2016)
Connect with Sarah at:
Website: http://www.sarahnoffke.com
Blog: http://www.sarahnoffke.com/2016/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialsarahnoffke/?ref=hl
Twitter: @RealSarahNoffke
Instagram: @sarahnoffke
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Jg6y7y
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9830676.Sarah_Noffke
Filed under: goodreads authors, guests on Ben's blog Tagged: guest, guest author
March 9, 2016
Enter to Win a Signed Copy!
Goodreads Giveaway
Something in the Water
by Ben Starling
Win a signed copy of Ben’s new novel – it’s FREE to enter!
Open to residents of all countries
(Giveaway ends May 02, 2016)
Filed under: Ben, books, events, goodreads authors, Releases, writing Tagged: author event, ben, ben starling, books, new release, news, writing
