Ben Starling's Blog, page 13

Ben Interviews Fantasy Writer, Angela Ford

Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get started writing?

My parents and my sisters were, and still are, a huge inspiration for my work. I grew up with two older sisters, and two youngers sisters and we were all homeschooled. Our parents encouraged us to use our minds, to be thoughtful and creative and above all, read.

In childhood, there always comes a time when you’re bored and there seems to be nothing to do. In those times, when you can’t watch TV or pull up a video game, naturally it leads to storytelling, and that’s where my writing was born.

Out of those stories came new tales of worlds and creatures not unlike Earth and its mysteries. I’d been writing for a long time, but it wasn’t until I was 12 years old that I completed the first draft of The Five Warriors.

Is this your first book? How many books have you written prior (if any?)

Technically no, this is not my first book. I have other stories and tales handwritten in notebooks and it’s debatable whether they will ever see the light. But this is the beginning of the series that leads up to my epic masterpiece.

What genre is it and what is it about?

I’ve tried my hand at writing realistic fiction, stories of people like you and I who live in the United States, who made history. Yet, something held me back from writing those, there were too many limitations, so I spread my wings and flung myself into the world of fantasy.

In fantasy, anything goes, everything is believable, and crazy schemes are quite likely to happen. I enjoyed making up landscapes and creatures and magical weapons. I even created my own people groups and monsters. I wanted to move away from the traditional fantasy with wizards, elves, goblins, dragons and the like. Although some of the creatures I created are similar, they are unique in their own ways.

So, firstly, The Five Warriors transports you to that realm where there are no humans, yet there are mortals and immortals. There are four main people groups and one of each come together to face an epic war against the deadliest immortal ever to touch The Four Worlds. Each of the warriors has their own inner struggles with love and power and control.

What inspired you to write this book?

A lot of my writing is inspired by Lord of the Rings, Narnia and the author George MacDonald. Those stories contain the characteristics of everything I love in books. Those stories made me want to write my own.

Originally I saw a warrior standing in the middle of a battle strewn field, undecided whether to mourn the loss of friends or celebrate the victory of his people. Out of that scene, The Five Warriors was born. I think there were five because my sisters and I make five, but none of the warriors resemble us. Well…perhaps…

What does your writing process look like?

I love my writing process! It’s completely random, although I know the overall plot I generally go straight to the end and write it. From there I write all the super fun action scenes and finally I piece it all together.

After the entire book is complete I read through it and add in details, new scenes, new characters, and trot it off to my sisters to read and rip apart. Once they are happy with it, off it goes to beta readers, then an editor and viola! Out into the world to find it’s place.

Are you a plotter or a pantster (writing by the seat of your pants)?

I am a proud panster. That being said, I do have an overall plot, sometimes I even have the chapters all outlined, but I love just letting the words flow, even if it gets away from the plot for a bit.

Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

I was a bit stressed about the cover art, because 1, I was paying for it myself and I had a budget, and 2, everyone I approached either could not do what I wanted or did not have the quality of design I was looking for. Then I had an old college friend reach out on LinkedIn, and we got together to chat about freelancing and being self-employed and how that lifestyle was treating us.

Well, one thing led to another and it turned out she’s a designer and she was more than happy to do my book cover. You won’t believe it but my book was the first book cover she did and wow. When I got the initial preview back I was beyond THRILLED! I think the only revisions were the font on the front cover.

One thing that helped was that I knew exactly what I wanted, I wrote it all out and sent examples and an excerpt from the book to help – and she nailed it!

Everyone knows a huge selling point is the book cover. People come up to be all the time to tell me how beautiful the cover is and they want the book because of if. Most of the time when I work with designers, I’m either disappointed or feel neutral about it, but she exceeded expectations. Anyways, cover design credit goes to Rashina Bhula, owner of One of One Design Co.

Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

Legone the Swift (pronounced Lee-gone). Originally he wasn’t my favorite but in the final re-writing I came to understand him and his desires. He’s a strange, misunderstood character and can be cold and unfriendly at times, yet he has a good heart. At least, I hope he does.

As with most of my characters, I start out writing them with certain intentions, but then they come alive and take the story away from me. It’s like having my own little mini Frankensteins.

What book do you wish you could have written?

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell: I adore that book it has everything. It’s also quite inspirational and makes me think about life and it’s meaning.

How do you choose names for your characters? Based on sound or meaning? Do you have any name choosing resources you recommend?

All of my character names I created between the ages of 12-16. They are weird and I don’t know what I was thinking back then, but they are also creative and I’m keeping them.

What are you working on now?

I am working on Book 2 of The Four Worlds Series which will be release in September of 2016. My sisters have already gotten a sneak peek and love it, but there’s lots of work to be done. This book has more sea monsters, battles, treasure hunters, jeweled ones, a misplaced King, Horse Lords, Islands, monsters, enchanted forests and more. The next year I’m releasing my favorite book in the entire series and I cannot wait!!

If you were a super hero, what would your name be? What costume would you wear?

My nickname is Gus so that would be my super hero name. Unassuming, normal, and leaving lots of room for guesses. I’d likely wear all leather and 5 inch heels – I’m all about those heels!

What were you like as a child? What was your favorite toy?

As a child, I was tomboyish and rambunctious. My favorite toy was a Horse Lord named Peter and I collected toy horses like it was the end of the world. In fact, one of the games I used to playact with my sisters is the entire story for Book 2 of The Four Worlds Series.

What is your favorite song?

Mr. Brightside by The Killers. Anything by The Killers is my jam.

What is your favorite Fiction/Non-Fiction book?

I’ve probably read this book 5 times, but it is my very favorite fiction book: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKilip. I’m a huge fan of her work, but that book was quite “sticking”. I loved the wizard and the magical beasts the heroine collected, and the man who refused to give upon her. Beautiful!

What book/s are you reading now? 

The Golem and the Jinn – I’ve barely started but already it’s captivated me, so we’ll see how it turns out!

Angela Ford resides in Nashville, Tennessee where she enjoys sports and music when not reading and writing. You’re most likely to find her sipping a white chocolate mocha at a local coffee shop, trying out the latest and greatest in technology or furiously working on her next book. Connect with her on any social media platform or stop by her website: http://www.angelajford.com to leave a note.

Website: http://www.TheFourWorldsSeries.com
Blog: http://www.angelajford.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thefourworldsseries
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/aford21
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/aford21
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Five-Warriors-Four-Worlds-Book-ebook/dp/B012WXD8AQ/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26040919-the-five-warriors

 

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Win a Signed Copy!

Goodreads Giveaway

Enter to win!

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)

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Something in the Water – Now in Paperback!

Pick up a copy of Something in the Water – now in paperback!

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.

Something in the Water, An Ocean Romance is a full length novel in the soul-stirring collection from Ben Starling that continues the journey begun in the short story, Something in the Air.

Ben Starling is passionate about marine conservation and boxing, both central themes in his work. His interest in marine life has taken him across three continents over the past three decades. He boxed competitively until recently and continues to coach. Ben graduated from Oxford University with a Master of Arts and a Master of Philosophy. www.ben-starling.com

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Ben Interviews Author and Adventurer, Melanie P Smith

Tell us a little about yourself. What do you do when you’re not writing?

I have a lot of hobbies. In fact, between writing and my regular job it’s hard to find the time to enjoy them all. There’s nothing like taking a road trip on my Harley with my husband, especially when we take a new route we’ve never travelled before. I also enjoy camping, ATV’s and horseback riding.

I have always enjoyed writing, but for years I used my creativity to write college essays then in my professional career it was limited to web development, award certificates and event programs and scripts.

Is this your first book? How many books have you written prior?

I currently have six novels and two anthologies in my Warrior Series. I have also released one romance novel and my most recent release is Mount Haven, the first in my Thin Blue Line Series, a romantic suspense. In addition, I also have a short holiday story (New Beginnings) that is always free on my website.

What genre is your recent release and what is it about?

Mount Haven is a romantic suspense: When Rowdy Cooper’s life is turned upside down he & his family must find a way to go on. Will the move to Mount Haven prove therapeutic or lethal?

Bailey’s on the run. For years she’s been able to keep her secrets and fly under the radar. Will that all change now that there’s a new sheriff in town? She loves Mount Haven but maybe it’s time to move on before her past proves lethal for everyone.

What inspired you to write this book?

My husband. Since I released my first book, my husband has been asking me to write a book using my knowledge of police, police procedures and crime. I finally decided to give it a try and have to admit I really enjoyed writing this one. So far, those who have read it are really enjoying it.

Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

I am an amateur photographer and most of my covers are pictures I have taken myself. I am always looking for that perfect shot that will look good on the cover of my next book. Luckily, my husband is a good sport about it when I spontaneously blurt out: “Pull over!”

What is your least favorite part of the publishing/writing process?

Editing/proofing. I have a fairly lengthy process that sometimes feels boring and tedious but necessary. This is hands down my least favorite part of the process and I routinely find myself thinking about my next story instead of paying attention to the work in front of me.

What are you working on now?

I am currently working on a short horror story that will be published as part of a collaboration with a group of fellow authors next fall. I am also writing the second installment of my Thin Blue Line Series. And finally, I am in the process of editing/proofing the seventh and final novel in my Warrior Series.

What is your next project?

I have a few ideas and haven’t yet decided on my favorite. I am considering another paranormal trilogy as well as a stand-alone criminal suspense. I also have a few ideas for a criminal suspense series. I guess my fans will just have to stay tuned for a surprise.

Do you have a pet or pets?

Yes, I have a cat named Charlie and a Border Collie / Aussie Shepherd mix named Port (short for Porter Rockwell). He thinks he’s a people and loves to camp and ride ATV’s.

Do you have any scars? What are they from?

Tons of them. I was a very active child that grew up playing sports and playing on a farm. Cuts and scrapes were common place. But, my most prominent scar came from barbed wire. My sister and I were racing across a neighbor’s field – something we did quite frequently. Unbeknownst to us, our neighbor had recently strung a line of barbed wire across his field to keep out stray cattle. Neither one of us saw it until it was too late. I still have a scar directly above my lip and she carries one across her eyebrow. Needless to say, my mother wasn’t thrilled when she saw her two oldest children barge into the house with blood running down their faces.

What were you like as a child? What was your favorite toy?

I was a very active child. My sister and I spent most of our time outdoors. If we weren’t tending to the animals, we were swimming in the canal (don’t tell my mom) or riding our bikes. I also played softball competitively and loved to ride horses and water ski. My favorite toy was probably my bike. I could explore for hours and still get home in time for dinner.

Melanie P. Smith went to Dixie Collage and the University of Phoenix where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management. She also has a Postgraduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution and Negotiation from the University of Utah.

She has worked for the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office for over 26 years, most of that time has been in the Special Operations Division. She is part of the support staff for the SWAT team, which requires her to respond on call-outs where she mans the radio in the Tactical Command Post, coordinating communication and logistics. She is also a member of the Logistics Unit of the Child Abduction Response Team. In addition she works closely with Search & Rescue, the Mounted Posse, K9 and the Motor Unit. www.melaniepsmith. com

You can also find out more about Melanie at her blog and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, StumbleUpon, Amazon, Goodreads, Warrior Series Brochure and at Indie Authors Support and Discussion.

 

Filed under: guests on Ben's blog, interviews, writing Tagged: guest, guest author, interview

More Ben-isms: February Round Up

For a while I thought time had stood still for me. Then I realised I needed a new watch battery.

I have solved my London summer waking at 4am problem! Moving to the Eastern Seaboard of the USA (which is 5 hours behind). Anyone have a spare room?

I have discovered an easy way to make $1,000. If you send me $1,000 I’ll share my secret.

I don’t know that I know that I don’t know that I know.

Today is set to be the hottest day of the year in the UK. Depends on your definition of “hot”.

The headache and breathing problems caused by the chlorine/chloramines in my local swimming pool have been joined by another, potentially more serious symptom. Now my bath is clogged.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: No one is interested in my thought of the day.

I had my hair cut today by a man aged 72 who said he had been cutting hair for 54 years. There are 100,000 follicles on the head – let’s say he cuts 1/2 inch off on average, 10 times a day, 220 days a year. If you laid the cut hair end-to-end, that would make approx. 90,000 miles of hair – or enough to wrap around the equator 3.6 times. (Note to self: get a life)

I wish my smoke alarm would learn to recognize my cooking skills.

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Is Storytelling Dying?

If you travel to the snowy scapes of Scandinavia…

 …and encounter the native Saami people, you’ll discover that historically they have had an interesting relationship with…reindeer. To be specific, they drink reindeer urine.

Why? Because the reindeer eat the Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) mushroom – that’s the bright red one with white spots that featured in Alice in Wonderland – a very apposite book title as the mushroom contains a strong hallucinogen. The urine allows drinkers to experience the sensation of flight, to enter the spirit world, and to return to their people with gifts of wisdom and healing.(1)

Fast forward to our modern imagery of Santa Claus. His clothes are red and white. He is pulled through the sky by reindeer. And instead of gifts of wisdom and healing, he brings us…Christmas presents.(1)

What I’ve just done is tell a story – or in fact, tell a story about a story: how a narrative has been adapted by another culture for its own use. My hope was that you’d find it interesting – if a little bizarre – and maybe, cause you to question a tale you probably have known since childhood. That maybe, this story might cause you to question an aspect of your world view.

For me, a good story must, like Santa’s sleigh, transport you to a new world from which you return a slightly different person.

Where story-telling comes from…

Numerous social anthropologists have described how oral stories were probably told in most, if not all, ancient societies. They were handed down, generation by generation. Frequently, an individual was tasked with being the tribe’s storyteller and this was a role that afforded that person great respect.(2) The Saami shamans who delivered gifts of Fly Agaric mushroom at the time of the Winter Solstice were revered storytellers too.

What storytelling does…

Whether contemporary fact, myth or legend, by stories, elders infused the young with their world view, which helped the young make sense of the world they were growing up in – often a hostile and scary place.(2)  A shared world view – Are you listening, world leaders? – leads to a cohesive society and world.

The first written novel is believed to have been The Tale of Genji, inscribed by “the noblewoman and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu in the early years of the 11th century” in Japan.(3)

The ancient Greeks were also famed storytellers, their tales still celebrated and retold thousands of years later, both in books and in movies. (Thank you, Brad Pitt – among others!) In each case, the author’s narrative invites the reader into a fictional world…and attempts to keep him or her there using hooks, mystery and other tools of writing craftsmanship.

Stories reflect society. Yet they are also effective tools with which to question it.

The sum of a society’s stories ultimately make up that society’s overarching world view. In the English-speaking world, Austin, Bronte, Chaucer, Dickens and Shakespeare described the relationships and historical events of their time, but also through humour and tragedy questioned the rightness of events they depicted. Today we see new prominent tales of conflict and dystopia capturing the imagination, for example, those by Collins, Grisham, King, Lee, Morrison, Myers,  and Roth.

Stories enlighten and entertain. They are evening relief after the day’s hard toil – with a message. They are each pieces of a fabric that together, form the patchwork quilt we wrap ourselves in. These stories are the pieces that together form our understanding of the world. We absorb them, are transported and return changed.

So, is the art of story-telling dying?

These days, with so many things encroaching on our time and competing for our attention, we seem to have less time for stories. But is this true?

Contemporary authors like JK Rowling, Maeve Binchy and Dan Brown have proved that we can still be lured into starting – and finishing – a book. Of course, there’s always an exception to the rule: the great majority of people who bought Fifty Shades of Grey, never actually finished it! (4)

But think about it. What are you doing when you play an interactive video game? When you’re inventing a bedtime story for your child? What are you doing when you day-dream on your way to work…or reminisce about what might have been if you’d had the courage to ask for that alluring person’s phone number?

In all cases, you are creating a narrative. You are…storytelling. Maybe it’s only to yourself, but it’s a story nonetheless.

Evolution of the hero’s journey

In the USA, nearly a million books are published each year now. (5) Storytelling is so ingrained in our psyches and in our culture that it’s certainly not dying.

What it is doing is evolving to keep up with our busy lives. So the pace of stories is getting faster. There are more hooks, more extremes, shorter words and paragraphs, punchier dialogue. If it wasn’t evolving to match our lives, to mirror our expectations, it might indeed die.

Then what would replace it? Well that, my friends…is another story.

 

 

Rush, John, Live Science article by Main, Douglas (13 Dec 2013), 8 Ways Mushrooms Explain Santa, Live Science, Retrieved 23 February 2016.
Johnson, Emily, Telling Tales, Museum of London, London Museums Hub, 2006.
The_Tale_of_Genji, Wikipedia, Retrieved 23 February 2016.
Bloom, Dan (7 July 2014), The Books Many Start but Few Ever Finish, The Daily Mail Online, Retrieved 23 February 2016.
Morgan, Nick (8 Jan 2013), Thinking of Self-Publishing in 2013? Forbes, Retrieved 23 February 2016.

 

 

 

 

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5 Big Distractions From Writing & How To Beat Them

Sophia Tallon has published 5 Big Distractions From Writing and How to Beat Them, by Ben Starling at her site.

“How do to defeat distractions and stay on top of targets? Some times I don’t. But I’ve found a few plans for conquering my distractions that work well for me most of the time. Perhaps they will work for you too…”

Read the whole article here.

Ben Starling is passionate about marine conservation and boxing, both central themes in his work. He boxed competitively until recently and continues to coach. He graduated from Oxford University with a Master of Arts and a Master of Philosophy. www.ben-starling.com

Ben recently released Something in the Water, available now at Amazon.

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Shelley Wilson Interviews Ben

Shelley Wilson has interviewed Ben. Author Q&A with Ben Starling is now live!

In this interview, Shelley talks to Ben about the coolest thing he’s ever done; recurring dreams and nightmares; and about his newly released novel, Something in the Water, available now on Amazon…

Sign up to be the first to know about more releases from Ben!

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8 Steps To Fitness For Writers

Katherine Dell has published 8 Steps to Fitness For Writers, by Ben Starling at her site.

In this article, Ben talks about the importance of a healthy body for a healthy mind, and eight ways to support a writers’ fitness plan…

“A fit body gives more energy, more thinking power…and builds a winning confidence that can feed into all areas of a writer’s life. “

Read the whole article here.

Ben Starling is passionate about marine conservation and boxing, both central themes in recently released novel, Something in the Water. He boxed competitively until recently and continues to coach. He graduated from Oxford University with a Master of Arts and a Master of Philosophy. www.ben-starling.com

Something in the Water is available now on Amazon.

 

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Bestselling Author Alice Kuipers Releases New Children’s Tale

Alice Kuipers

Book Description

Violet is determined to write the most fabulous fairy tale that has ever been imagined! Her twin, Victor, is not in the mood for make-believe.

“I was born in a castle!” Violet says.

“You were born in a hospital,” Victor replies.

But when an evil witch arrives in Violet’s story, will Victor help write an ending that saves the day? Join the twins on an adventure through Fairy Tale Kingdom as they celebrate the joy of storytelling and reading!

School Library Connection Review

‘Writing a book becomes easy with a little help. Readers will take a whimsical adventure with Violet and her twin brother Victor as they collaborate to write the best-ever book. Each of their voices is heard as they discover the joys of making a story come alive. Victor likes scary, creepy things, while Violet prefers ideas that are sweet and cute. Their goal is to save the library from the hungry bookworm. Their concerted effort results in a creative story and the sweetest tale ever. The illustrations are true to the color-coded text and are fun to view.”

– School Library Connection

Alice Kuipers moved to Saskatoon from the UK in 2003. She has published four award-winning YA novels internationally, most recently, The Death of Us. Her first picture book is called Violet and Victor Write The Best Ever Bookworm Book.

Learn more about Alice’s work at www.alicekuipers.com or on Twitter.

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