E.G. Stone's Blog, page 20

Author Interview: Anthony Tonelli

Anthony Tonelli

We’ll skip the “tell us about yourself” because coming up with something on the spot is, truly, the bane of an author’s existence. So, let’s start with something a little easier! Tell me what you’re working on at the moment.
I am currently working on “Republica” which is book 2 of The Dominion Series as well as doing the publicity work for “Legacy” which is Book 1 and just came out on April 13th.

In as much detail as you would like, tell me about your book(s) that are already out/on the way.

Legacy is a story that takes place in 2 time periods. Part of the story takes place during the Revolutionary War in New York City.  The other part takes place in 2275, also in New York City.  The central character is named Cleon Strong who is sent back in time to ensure that the colonists win the war.  He has a huge secret that he reveals to the Founding Fathers early in the story and makes them trust him.  When the machine that sent him and his associate there malfunctions, it threatens to leave them stranded in time.  The team in 2275 works furiously to bring them back and in the process uncover a plot to bring the whole organization down.

As far as the writing process goes—including such things as conception of idea all the way through to money in the bank—what is the least favourite bit? (Everyone has one!)
EDITING!!! LOL!

Conversely, what is the bit of the writing process that gets your writery brain grinning?
Getting that spark for an idea.  I have done 5,000-word sessions where I just wrote straight through because the ideas kept coming in.  Those are the best writing days and eventually the worst editing days because you write so fast that you make a lot of grammatical errors.

If you could steal any author’s ability to improve your own work, who would you steal from and why? (e.g. Tolkien’s language skills, Douglas Adams’ humour, etc.)
Serling’s irony.  It made The Twilight Zone awesome

Now for some fun! The main character of the book you’re working on (or have recently finished) has kidnapped you for ruining their life. How will you explain that what you’re doing is for the best?
In Legacy I started the story of Marcus but in Republica, his arc takes centre stage. I have put him in a tough spot so if he kidnaps me I would try to convince him that in the end he will be grateful because of the lessons he learns.

You, your main character(s), and the protagonist of the last book you read are playing poker. What are the stakes? Who will win and why?
I’m not sure what the stakes would be but I would bet on Annabelle or Raymond Prince winning.  I feel that great spies can make great poker players because they can act so well.

Let’s face it, writing is hard. What do you think are some traps to avoid in your particular area of expertise? (Whether that be your genre, your knowledge of plot, your character building, your world building, etc.)
Trying to get it perfect initially.  Sometimes you need to rewrite some things.  In my case, my wife was my editor.  She isn’t a sci-fi geek per se, so she read it as someone outside the genre and gave me some ideas that made it stronger when I rewrote the section(s). Also, be thick skinned.  If someone else reads it and says something negative about your story, it isn’t the end of the world.  Some is constructive feedback some is not.  Use what improves your story and discard the rest.

Anything else you’d like to add? Plots to take over the world, for example. Upcoming release dates, links and things, maybe even your favourite chocolate cake recipe.

Links:
Website: anthonytonelli.com (my blog is on there)
Facebook: A World of His Own
Twitter; @AWORLDOFHISOWN2
IG: anthonytonelliauthor

Legacy came out on April 13th
Legado (Spanish Version) comes out on April 20th
Republica is tentatively scheduled for August 17th release
All available on Amazon Kindle
Favorite chocolate cake recipe: none.  I love them all! LOL

Author Interview: Kristin Bapst

Kristin Bapst

We’ll skip the “tell us about yourself” because coming up with something on the spot is, truly, the bane of an author’s existence. So, let’s start with something a little easier! Tell me what you’re working on at the moment.I’m currently halfway (almost) through writing “Davingale” which is a YA fantasy, Tolkien-esque in its nature of adventure. I’m also writing a very rough project that centers around the themes of faith and deed vs. intention.In as much detail as you would like, tell me about your book(s) that are already out/on the way. “The Six of Salem” series was a first attempt at writing paranormal romance/horror/urban fantasy. “The Magic Awakens” explores the idea of the first accused witch in the Salem Witch Trials having descendents & I kept asking, “what if?” and it led to the horrific legacy of a family through the years. The main character discovers her family history & her powers, finds others along the way, and falls in love with someone dangerous. It culminates with a battle that, I think, was prep-work for the end of the second book. “Salem Moon” centers around the concept of the God & Goddess they worship in a way. Rose, the daughter of Rayna and Matthew, grows into womanhood through some traumatic events, but finds her soulmate, who also suffered his own trauma. And she discovers she has even more powers than she thought.“Davingale” centers around a teenager coming of age who lived secretly through the books he read while his parents always wanted him to be serious. It takes place in a sort of medieval age although there are a lot of liberties taken & fantasy elements incorporated. I tried not to be like “Middle Earth was my main inspiration!!” but I’ll let the reader decide how well I did avoiding that. A letter arrives for him, and…that’s as much as I’ll reveal; the rest has to be a surprise. It is a journey, which I did say before, and it is definitely a page turner. 

3. As far as the writing process goes—including such things as conception of idea all the way through to money in the bank—what is the least favourite bit? (Everyone has one!)

Marketing and promotion. As an author with limited funds, it is hard to get word out about your book without having to spend the dough. I use Twitter, Facebook, and KDP to the best of my abilities, but “The Six of Salem” didn’t do too well, even though my free promotions often sold more books than I ever sold for money.

4. Conversely, what is the bit of the writing process that gets your writery brain grinning?

When I sit down at the computer, put on music that fits the book I’m writing, and an hour passes without notice. The ideas flow onto the page & my excitement and adrenaline pump when an interesting concept serves as a catalyst for something bigger & better.

5. If you could steal any author’s ability to improve your own work, who would you steal from and why? (e.g. Tolkien’s language skills, Douglas Adams’ humour, etc.)

Definitely Tolkien’s language skills. I am currently using Google translate for parts of my book; I am not brilliant enough to create my own langauge! And Jan Karon’s style. She is so descriptive yet so simplistic. You feel like you are standing there in the town of Mitford, you taste the food, you feel whatever the characters are feeling. She is very talented.

6. Now for some fun! The main character of the book you’re working on (or have recently finished) has kidnapped you for ruining their life. How will you explain that what you’re doing is for the best?

I would tell him, “Look, you had to leave. If you stayed where you were, you would become bored, be stuck in stagnation, and never ever have experienced these amazing places and met such interesting people. And you found what you only read about in a storybook! Who else can say that?!”

7. You, your main character(s), and the protagonist of the last book you read are playing poker. What are the stakes? Who will win and why?

The stakes are the magic of Davingale, my beautiful, illustrated copy of Treasure Island, and Rose’s powers. I would win because I know exactly how they will react & emote and when they are bluffing; the perks of writing your characters.

8. Let’s face it, writing is hard. What do you think are some traps to avoid in your particular area of expertise? (Whether that be your genre, your knowledge of plot, your character building, your world building, etc.)

My biggest problem I’m still working on is pacing & also I fail at showing & not telling sometimes. So I would say make sure you slow things down and don’t go through almost an entire journey in 100 pages unless you can go through a whole post-journey rollercoaster afterwards. Well, I guess everyone knows what I’ll be working on in the next few months! Lol

9. Anything else you’d like to add? Plots to take over the world, for example. Upcoming release dates, links and things, maybe even your favourite chocolate cake recipe.

“Davingale”, I am guessing, will be out late autumn/early winter; which makes it a great Christmas gift for any teen or any adult that is into YA fantasy. As an interesting tidbit, I’ve learned cooking up a chopped apple or pear mixed with Saigon cinnamon is like a pie filling without the calories & sugar. If you want to follow me on Twitter, which I’m on more than Facebook, my handle is @dreamer984 – I tweet about my life, writing, my books, so it’s like having a close, personal connection with an author. And I’m currently being sucked into the David Tennant series of Doctor Who – when he did Scrooge McDuck I was in awe because I had only seen him as Kilgrave in Jessica Jones, so seeing him as an alien doctor makes me REALLY realize his versatility and range.

Book Review: Releasing Her Power Within by Madilynn Dale

Sometimes, rather than an epic fantasy or sci-fi where the stakes can involve an entire world right from the start, it’s nice to see a story that begins with a single character and their self-discovery before growing from there. Madilynn Dale’s Releasing Her Power Within is a story that does just that.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows Liz, who has inherited her grandmother’s cabin after her mother died. She goes up with a friend to clean it out and discovers that she not only loves the community, but perhaps belongs there. Only, the man she meets, Cam, is hiding something and it just might be more mysterious than she can imagine.

This book is the first in the Fae Shifter series, which gives a huge hint as to what the book is about. In general, I have found books of this sort to be enjoyable, and a great break from some of the more dramatic and involved epic fantasies (which I also love). The plot of this book was very swiftly paced, with events moving faster than I had anticipated. All the relevant points are there, and it does take a goodly amount of time for Liz to understand what’s going on, and what her role is in all of it, but once she does, things take off at rocket speed with no time in between. While this works for some stories, I don’t think it worked quite as well here, especially when it came to character connections, such as that between Liz and Cam, and Liz and Dan.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Except for the swiftness of relationship development mentioned above, I think the characters were very well developed. I like Liz; she came from a normal background of a physical therapist, rather than some of the ones I’ve seen in similar books. She had a healthy life before, and moving was her choice rather than a necessity. She was definitely a strong character and it was interesting to see her grow throughout the story. Again, I would have liked more details after she started understanding what was going on, especially in the areas of training and coming to terms with her new life, but that is more plot-oriented than character based.

Cam was also an interesting character, though he was more two-dimensional than Liz, being cast primarily in the role of protector. I think seeing more sides of him, outside of his interactions with Liz, would have been just the ticket to make him on par with her depth. As Liz was the main character, though, I think it worked out well enough.

3. Favourite part

The scene descriptions were very well done. I was able to picture the scenes and locales quite clearly, especially in regards to the food. It did not feel at all overwhelming in the area of plot, and I think these descriptions of scene added to the character portraits, giving me a good idea of what Liz found interesting to look at and notice.

4. Critique

As mentioned in the plot section, my critique for this novel is that it seems to rocket through some of the more important pieces. Liz’s relationship with Cam moves very quickly, and while this makes sense in context of the plot, it almost feels like it moves too quickly, without any real time for them to get to know one another. There are mentions of spots where they “talked for hours”, but we as readers never get to see the details. And later, when Liz is learning the truth about herself and what it means, the entire section is glossed over. One minute, she’s learned this great secret and the next she has trained for several weeks and can do amazing things. It’s too fast, and the reader gets none of those interesting details.

Overall, I like the premise of this book. I think the characters work relatively well, and it was nice to see them in ordinary lives before the extraordinary started to appear. I would have really liked this book if it did not gloss over those important details. I would say this was a good book.

Book Review: Sorrowfish by Anne Miles

What is a portal fantasy if it’s not precisely a portal fantasy? What if two worlds—ours and one with magic—collide? When they do, and the fate of the world(s) rests on two people who are trying to be everything they can, that’s when things get interesting. Anne Miles’ Sorrowfish explores all these topics and more, and it was quite a read.

1. Thoughts on the plot

For once in my reading life, I actually read the blurb of the book I’m meant to be reviewing before reading the book. In this particular instance, the blurb tells very little about this story. We follow two characters in two worlds. Sara is an art student from Louisville, Kentucky, who is trying to find the inspiration to finish her final project. Instead, she is distracted by her twin sister, who is in a coma, and trying to come to terms with that. Then, we have Dane. He is a dewin, a person naturally attuned to the Song, illegally crafting musical instruments in order to save his world from people corrupting the Song. Only, in his craftings, he is pulling Sara to his world through her dreams.

At first, I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen in this book. The two worlds being written about, while equally interesting on their own, seemed to have nothing to do with one another, nor no intersection points where one is drawn to the other. Once I got into the story, however, the disparity made itself clear and that’s when things got really fascinating. The plot here was very interesting, as it managed to contain two complete stories while also intersecting together into almost a third story. Expertly woven.

2. Thoughts on the characters

The characters in this book were wildly different. It is rare that I get a chance to read about a character who fits perfectly into our world intermingling with one who fits perfectly into his own. Usually, in stories of this sort, the main character doesn’t fit and they end up finding their place in the other world. This was not the case here, and it was a great take on the concept of portal fantasy. I found the characters—all of them, in fact, including the secondary characters—to be very well crafted, with depth and enough mystery to be very, very realistic.

3. Favourite part

I think the gnomes were perhaps my favourite, as they were almost underestimated by everybody, but were actually doing precisely what they intended all along. Such fun to read, too!

4. Critique

My only real critique for this novel is that the blurb doesn’t do the story justice. It doesn’t explain much of anything about the two worlds, the dangers that lie with each, any of it. If it were not for my reading this for review, I would have passed over the book entirely based on the blurb. I am very, very glad I did not.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story was quirky and entertaining, the characters were wonderfully written and the prose was smooth and fun to read. An excellent book.

Author Interview: Mark Stallings

0. Name, please! Mark Stallings

1. We’ll skip the “tell us about yourself” because coming up with something on the spot is, truly, the bane of an author’s existence. So, let’s start with something a little easier! Tell me what you’re working on at the moment.

I am working on the second book in my Silver Coin Saga series titled The Animals. It is Wuxia (Woo-sha), basically Asian Fantasy with martial magic, Martial arts powered by magical energy and a heavy foundation in Chinese martial arts. Specifically, Xing Yi. This book is the second year at a school for martial magic fraught with intrigue and a sus history lesson the main character and his companions know is false.

2. In as much detail as you would like, tell me about your book(s) that are already out/on the way.

I have two books out. My most recent release is a Sci-Fi collaboration with Matt Novotny titled ‘Prodigal Son’ set in the Four Horsemen Universe. The other was the first book of the Silver Coin Saga, The Elements. It introduces the characters and magic system set in a magic school. I am currently working on book two in the series titled The Animals, where the characters have to navigate learning the next level of martial magic and find out who is trying to kill them.

3. As far as the writing process goes—including such things as conception of idea all the way through to money in the bank—what is the least favourite bit? (Everyone has one!)

Editing. I am a firm proponent of putting out the best product, but there is a point in going through edits where you just want to be done with it.

4. Conversely, what is the bit of the writing process that gets your writery brain grinning?

I really love the ideation process. Getting all of the hooks together and the beats in the right order. I am an extreme plotter and work through the concept to story structure to using contour for the beats to building the outline. That is the part where it is really fun for me.

5. If you could steal any author’s ability to improve your own work, who would you steal from and why? (e.g. Tolkien’s language skills, Douglas Adams’ humour, etc.)

David Eddings had the knack for building believable characters from diverse cultures and weaving it into a cohesive story that created characters we cared about.

6. Now for some fun! The main character of the book you’re working on (or have recently finished) has kidnapped you for ruining their life. How will you explain that what you’re doing is for the best?

In order to put you on a path where you could realize your potential, and see there is a greater, more wondrous world out there, I had to set in motion the destruction of your village, the slaughter of some of your friends and family, and people trying to kill you. Look at you now. (this so sounds like Unbreakable)

7. You, your main character(s), and the protagonist of the last book you read are playing poker. What are the stakes? Who will win and why?

Well, Me, Xan, Cho and Sue from my books, along with Tyler Vernon from John Ringo’s ‘Live Free or Die’ are playing poker for a bottle of Grade A: Dark Color & Robust Flavor Maple Syrup. Xan and Sue will be out early. They aren’t good at bluffing. Cho will go down with an ‘I’m all in’ but will lose to a straight. I’m a decent poker player so I think it will come down to me losing to Tyler on a bluff as he will figure out my tells.

8. Let’s face it, writing is hard. What do you think are some traps to avoid in your particular area of expertise? (Whether that be your genre, your knowledge of plot, your character building, your world building, etc.)

Wuxia is Asian flavored fantasy. It isn’t Chinese history. That’s the first trap. The second is that you don’t have to invent a new martial art, just use one of the existing as a basis. Take a couple classes. Talk with the instructors. Doing is infinitely more better than watching a thousand hours of videos. (yes I did that on purpose)

9. Anything else you’d like to add? Plots to take over the world, for example. Upcoming release dates, links and things, maybe even your favourite chocolate cake recipe.

I am looking forward to a June/July release of Book Two – The Animals and rolling right into Book Three – The Phoenix, which I hope to have both at DragonCon.

Right now my favourite thing for food is experimenting with monkfruit sweetener. Lakanto has a brownie mix that is Keto friendly and Gluten Free. (check the box for chocolate recipe) and I have used it for cinnamon roll filler and almond paste for crescent rolls.

Book Review: The Crown’s Secret by Kelly Blanchard and Matthew Dale

When a favourite author puts out a book, it is pretty much guaranteed that I’ll read it as soon as I can. When a favourite author co-authors a book in the same world as the original series, causes shenanigans and then promises the sequel in a few months? Yeah, well, I’m a goner. Thanks to The Crown’s Secret by Kelly Blanchard and Matthew Dale for the latest rabbit hole. It was a grand time!

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book takes place some several decades before The Chronicles of Lorrek, the first series by Kelly Blanchard. It follows Ensula, Crown Princess of Ceraleo, who is returning home after ten years in Cuskelom with an agenda. She wants to find out, once and for all, who killed her father and brother ten years ago. And she wants to know what her mother is hiding in her all-too-pleasant letters from home. She’s returning to a battlefield between her mother and the country’s mages, but she is more prepared than you think. Enter also Adrik, the Lord Inquisitor and attack dog for the Crown. He has a particularly dark brand of magic that lets him kill with relative ease. But when Ensula returns, his world is turned on its head and he has to protect her not only from outside threats, but from himself.

The plot of this first book is less intricate than I had originally expected from Kelly and Matthew. The Chronicle of Lorrek books were like reading a 3D chess game: many pieces intertwining and working towards a goal that was, at the beginning, undecipherable. This book was no less interesting, but read more like a standard chess game, with a very definitive goal in mind and players taking a certain stance. That is not to say that this book is boring or predictable at all. It was not. It was a well paced plot with all the elements I wanted to have an interesting book.

2. Thoughts on the characters

As always, I had a great time with these characters. Ensula was strong, but yielding enough to know when to hold her tongue. I think many of her plans were a bit hasty in their initial stages; however, she was walking into a situation relatively blind, so I cannot fault her for working on the go. Adrik is definitely one of my favourites. He has this wounded intensity about him that puts him in a perfect category for protector and potentially super dangerous teddy bear. Absolutely fun to read. 

I would have liked to see more from the secondary characters, Recalina, Sirros, and the others, but I have a feeling book two and onwards will answer any questions I may have about the other characters. 

3. Favourite part

I shall try to state this without spoilers. But the bit with Adrik and the particular secret he protects was just about the best thing in this book. It really raised the stakes and made the situation so much more intense and desperate. Also, it was very sweet. 

4. Critique

The ending. It was just a tad abrupt, with character conflicts coming to a a head without a massive amount of arguing or discussion. The situation with Risema just sort of happened, as if she was simply waiting for someone to prod her into action, rather than yelling at everyone as she’d done for a good portion of the book. It worked out, and it made perfect sense, but I would have liked to have seen a touch more. 

Of course, the bonus scene fixed this entire situation, so one should take this critique with a grain of salt.

Overall, I would say that The Crown’s Secret is a great first book in a new series. The world is, as always, fun to explore. The characters were wonderful. And now I want the next book, please! A very good book.

Book Review: I call Him HIM by Scott Kimak

It has been a long time since I have read a novel where the main character never has a name. It’s not a terribly common tool—at least that I’ve seen—because it is difficult to identify a character when they have no name, but I think that it can be a fascinating means of exploring personality. And, in the case of Scott Kimak’s I Call Him HIM, I think it works very well.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows several different characters, all revolving around one particularly impressive man who is almost single-handedly saving the world from the demons that overran it after the nuclear apocalypse. The narrator is one of our unnamed souls, and he rides along with Billy, a rather chatty individual with no end of commentary. Both of them follow the dark man, whom the narrator has dubbed merely HIM. They are journeying around as demon hunters, doing their best in the world, until they meet a young girl about to be sacrificed for still praying to God. HE saves the girl and together the group ventures off to go stop the demons from getting even stronger.

Overall, I think the plot worked very well. It is a fairly simple concept—demon hunter has to stop the demons with his band of useful friends at his side—but the fact that it is simple does not make it at all uninteresting. The interest here comes from the characters, how they interact, how they build upon one another. Their backstories are explored while twining with current events and each piece works very well together. The pacing is smooth and I never felt lost or bored.

2. Thoughts on the characters

I really do like the concept of leaving characters nameless. It adds an element of mystery that can either be heightened or reduced depending on how the character presents in the story. In this instance, the narrator has less mystery and the big bad demon hunter has more. I think this dichotomy works spectacularly well, especially when we get closer to the end of the novel and certain truths are revealed. 

I will say that those particular plot twists were not entirely unexpected. There were enough hints throughout the first part of the novel to make it fairly obvious what was going on with the narrator, Billy and HIM. However, that did not diminish my enjoyment of the piece.

3. Favourite part

I think the relationship between HIM and the girl—who actually has a name—is very sweet. They’re almost like father and daughter, but perhaps more brother and sister in the way they are protective of each other and trying to help each other. 

4. Critique

I will say that the prose could be smoother. The narration was fairly consistent, style-wise, despite switching between our first-person narrator and the various other characters in third-person. However, the fact that it was so consistent made the narrator’s voice blend into the background, which I think reduced some of the effect. Also, the timeline was a bit wonky, with the apocalypse supposedly happening some mythic time ago, but events in the characters minds flit back to “before”, which seems a bit off. This, and other details just made things feel a little choppy, despite the pacing of the plot.
The only part I really didn’t love was one of the character backstories involved seeing his brother raped by a Catholic priest. This felt like it was just thrown in for cringe value and to make some sort of statement about people’s perception of the church. It didn’t really fit and I never enjoy reading that sort of thing.

Overall, I would say that I Call Him HIM by Scott Kimak was an interesting exploration of a post-apocalyptic world, with interesting characters and a well paced plot. A good book.

Author Interview: Evangeline Rain

0. Name, please!

Evangeline Rain

1. We’ll skip the “tell us about yourself” because coming up with something on the spot is, truly, the bane of an author’s existence. So, let’s start with something a little easier! Tell me what you’re working on at the moment.

I’m working on two books at the moment, actually. It’s not a good thing, not advisable, but sometimes I get so bored by what I’m writing so switching between the two genres helps me stay sane.

One of the books is a Sci-Fi Romance, Book 3 to my series The Chikara Revolution. It features a courtesan who had been trained to do espionage work. Things turned awry, and she got killed, but was brought back to life as a cyborg. This is where I’m at now. Where’s the romance? I’m working on it.

The other book is a Chinese Historical Romance. I don’t know if it’s going to turn out to be a series yet, but this is a Book 2 to a previous book I’ve written. It’s about an ex-soldier who works very hard to protect his ex-captain and family from being assassinated, but this pesky neighbour keeps getting in his way. This is where I’m at now. Where’s the romance? I’m working on it.

2. In as much detail as you would like, tell me about your book(s) that are already out.

I’m a very new writer although I’ve been an avid reader for the longest time. I only published my first book in 2019 and to date, I’ve written three. I’m hoping to write more but I need to rely on my full-time job to feed the production of my books and my family. In a way, I have to budget how many books I can afford to publish in a year.

My first book is from the series – The Chikara Revolution. After twelve years of civil war, a tyrant finally attained his goal of unifying the Planet Chikara under his rule. The people on the planet suffered and were helpless against his cruelty because he had the military backing him. Amidst the wake of destruction, heroes emerge, defying the tyrant’s oppressive rule and unifying rebels to fight for their freedom. 

Book 1 – Fatal Extraction, features a pirate who had a personal vendetta against the tyrant. She did not have enough power to take the tyrant head on, but she irritated him by constantly sabotaging his shipment of weapons and supplying the rebels with firepower to fight the civil war. In a twist of events, she ran into a high-ranking officer who defected and got dragged into the revolution.

The events in Book 2 – Purple Reign, occurred before Book 1. I introduced the main characters at the end of Book 1, and I thought I wanted to give some background to who they are.

I’m currently working on Book 3 now, as mentioned earlier, and the events pick up after Book 1.

The third book I’ve written is Tiger Unbound. I’m a huge fan of Chinese martial arts and swordplay, but it’s such a pain to read all those long novels in Mandarin. This book came about on a whim when I thought I’d try writing a Chinese historical fantasy romance in English. I had a lot of fun and all those who read the book asked for a sequel. So here I am, working on it.

3. As far as the writing process goes—including such things as conception of idea all the way through to money in the bank—what is the least favourite bit? (Everyone has one!)

I dislike the research part of writing. It breaks the momentum of my thoughts and sometimes, destroys the fantasy of a certain story progression I have in mind. Although it’s the fantasy genre, the things I write about must still “make sense” for it to be relatable for the readers. For example, in a fight, it’s absolutely acceptable for a flying dagger to pierce through the skull of the human and cause instant death. However, if this happens in my novel, I’ll get called out.

4. Conversely, what is the bit of the writing process that gets your writery brain grinning?

Plot twists. I love it when I can catch my readers off guard or reveal something unexpected that surprises them.

5. If you could steal any author’s ability to improve your own work, who would you steal from and why? (e.g. Tolkien’s language skills, Douglas Adams’ humour, etc.)

I love Ilona Andrews’s creativity, Grace Draven’s language skills and the way Monica Enderle Pierce moves her plot. Their books are like my textbooks for reference.

6. Now for some fun! The main character of the book you’re working on (or have recently finished) has kidnapped you for ruining their life. How will you explain that what you’re doing is for the best?

You fool. You can only get a better life after leaving that wretched one behind. For I know the plans I have for you, since I am your Creator, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Hahahahahahahaha.

7. You, your main character(s), and the protagonist of the last book you read are playing poker. What are the stakes? Who will win and why?

This is a fun question! The last book I’ve read was Jeaniene Frost’s Wicked All Night. I’d love to see Ian play poker with the two main characters I’m writing now. Kseniya is an expert at reading people and body language, while Sher Gu is intelligent and cunning.

However, Ian will definitely win because he has a few centuries worth of experience and an expert at playing poker. I think he’ll enjoy playing with my girls, though. He’ll probably get them make out with each other when they lose.

8. Let’s face it, writing is hard. What do you think are some traps to avoid in your particular area of expertise? (Whether that be your genre, your knowledge of plot, your character building, your world building, etc.)

I’m still navigating this writing business. I’m no expert but I can share with the aspiring writers what I’ve learned so far.

Don’t be shy about asking for recommendations on good editors. Ask the established authors who’s editing for them and go to them. If those editors’ rates are high, save up for it. You pay peanuts, you get monkeys. It’s a hard lesson I learned.

Don’t dabble in advertising without first learning about it. It’s very easy to lose a few hundreds and not get any results.

Do not “buy” an ARC list. There are people claiming they have over hundreds of readers willing to leave reviews for ARCs. You pay them a fee to be the middleman and give out hundred over copies to people who ask for it, but you get at most 2 or 3 reviews in return. Worse still, this is how you get your books pirated. Go through the proper channel like Booksprout or Netgalley.

9. Anything else you’d like to add? Plots to take over the world, for example. Upcoming release dates, links and things, maybe even your favourite chocolate cake recipe.

Please check out my books! Give this newbie a chance!
I really hope to write full-time one day. I love to interact with readers. Write to me at authorerain@gmail.com, or . I’m also a tea fanatic and I write tea reviews on my .

Book Review: Broken Crossroads by Patrick LeClerc

Some days, instead of sinking my teeth into a book the size of my thumb, with a massive cup of tea, I like to read a fun, fast paced fantasy novel. (Still with a massive cup of tea.) Patrick LeClerc’s Broken Crossroads, the first book in his Knights of the Shadows series, is a perfect book for that desire. 

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows two characters: Trilisean, a thief with the skills of an acrobat and the arrogance to match, and Conn, a former mercenary needing a new path in life. Fate throws these two together in the broken down, dirty, crime-ridden city of Laimrig when Trilisean needs some help on a job. 

This book takes place in almost episodic segments, with each chapter representing a full tale that then leads into the next segment. It’s like watching a television show where each episode is its own story, but there is an overarching plot that you only get when you see the whole thing. It was a different format than I usually see in a novel, as it felt more like a collection of short stories, but I really did like it quite a bit. The plot of each story was fun and easy to follow, and once I got through the whole book, I began to see connections between each scene and the whole story. I really liked it.

2. Thoughts on the characters

These two characters were just…fun to read. Trilisean was definitely on the arrogant side, but she had the skill-set to match. Conn, while also sure of his skills, was more snarky trending towards sarcastic. The combination was humorous and worked perfectly for the story. I do think that they were maybe a bit too skilled, as all the difficulties they came across stumped their fellow thieves and fighters, but were almost child’s play for these two. Granted, they were well-trained, but it seemed almost too easy. However, for a book of this sort, I don’t think that this was a problem, as the story was the more important and the situations were never absolutely ridiculous in what they could do. 

I especially enjoyed the banter between the characters. When things got rough, the banter got more entertaining. 

3. Favourite part

Definitely the characters. They really made this story what it is.

And, on a completely different note, the male character on the cover looks weirdly like David Tennant as Doctor Who. Not at all relevant, but interesting.

4. Critique

I know this book is meant to be part of a series, but the ending did not really indicate that there was more to come. I wouldn’t suggest a cliff-hanger ending, not for this format or style, but perhaps an epilogue with some scurrilous character preparing to cause trouble would have moved the reader to seek out the next book. That’s my only critique, though. The rest of the story was great fun.

Overall, I really enjoyed Broken Crossroads. The story was fast and fun, entertaining and every so slightly absurd without crossing into the realm of the ridiculous. I think the characters were great and I had such fun reading this book. A very good read.

Author Interview: Jason DeGray

0. Name, please!

Jason DeGray

1. We’ll skip the “tell us about yourself” because coming up with something on the spot is, truly, the bane of an author’s existence. So, let’s start with something a little easier! Tell me what you’re working on at the moment.

At the moment I’m working on getting 3vE in front of people and negotiating a new contract for my previously published Ruined Man novels. I’m also finishing up a Space Western that I plan on turning into a series.

2. In as much detail as you would like, tell me about your book(s) that are already out/on the way.

The Ruined Man and The Dark Goddess were my first published novels. This series is best described as Paranormal Detective Fiction. It really relies on magical realism and is set in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the surrounding areas. The protagonist, Victor Wolf, has a nasty encounter with a demon that leaves him a “ruined man.”

I also have a few novellas out. RE: World is a Don Juan in a cyberpunk dystopia. Blaze Against the Machine is a scifi story about reality television gone wrong. And Family Matters is a horror story written in the shared world of The Village of Wicked Creek.

The first novel I ever published way back in 2008 (when self publishing was still in its infancy) was Absolutely True Retellings: The Saga of Shamus. This one is a fantasy adventure that is heavy on the satire. I still love this book even if I do read through it and wonder at how much I’ve grown as a writer.

3. As far as the writing process goes—including such things as conception of idea all the way through to money in the bank—what is the least favourite bit? (Everyone has one!)

Marketing. I’m horrible at it and a much more a creatively minded person. The business end of all of this really turns me off.

4. Conversely, what is the bit of the writing process that gets your writery brain grinning?

I love every moment of the writing process from conception to editing. It’s an art form to me and crafting a story is no different than creating any other masterpiece. It takes dedication, tenacity, and an uncompromising love for what you are doing. Sure, frustration and obstacles arise, but again this is just part of the process. Overcoming these setbacks gives me confidence to keep going. I can see how I’ve grown as a writer during these difficult times.

5. If you could steal any author’s ability to improve your own work, who would you steal from and why? (e.g. Tolkien’s language skills, Douglas Adams’ humour, etc.)

I would steal Philip K. Dick’s knack for writing believable and relatable characters. Writing is ultimately telling a story and every story must have characters to revolve around. These characters drive the plot, explore the author’s ideas and themes, and should grow and change from the beginning to the end. PKD had a gift for portraying real people that seemed ordinary—like some random person working at a gas station or something. And these real people get caught up in unreal and extraordinary events without ever losing their humanity.

6. Now for some fun! The main character of the book you’re working on (or have recently finished) has kidnapped you for ruining their life. How will you explain that what you’re doing is for the best?

Look Jacob and 3vE, I know that I’ve thrown a wrench in the cogs of your everyday lives. I’ve taken you from what was normal (even if it wasn’t comfortable) and thrust you into uncertainty. It’s an uncomfortable process, I get that. But that’s the beauty of it as well. Growth only occurs through friction. Stasis equals death and I love you both too much to allow that to happen.

7. You, your main character(s), and the protagonist of the last book you read are playing poker. What are the stakes? Who will win and why?

The last book I read was Gilgamesh the King. So Jacob, 3vE and I are playing poker with Gilgamesh, the oldest and greatest hero in human history. This is a man who challenged gods and won, who thumbed his nose at tradition. The stakes are huge as they would have to be. And since Gilgamesh was most afraid of death, we would probably be playing for 3VE’s immortality. Since she is a hybrid of human and machine, she can exist indefinitely. Gilgamesh would love this and very much want it for himself. In return he’d be betting his unconquerable spirit and place in history as the first and greatest hero of ancient mythology.

8. Let’s face it, writing is hard. What do you think are some traps to avoid in your particular area of expertise? (Whether that be your genre, your knowledge of plot, your character building, your world building, etc.)

There’s a lot of meat in this question. But off the cuff I would say to stick to the story. A lot of people in social media writing groups seem to get lost in the details. Whatever those are. Stuff like “I can’t decide what colour shoes my MC should be wearing” or “I need help plotting the geopolitical history of my fantasy world.” All that’s important is what serves the story. What is driving your characters to grow and pushing them toward that final outcome? That’s where the focus needs to be. Always. I remember reading an interview with Michael Moorcock, the creator of Elric, where the interviewer asked how he built such an expansive and beautiful world. His reply was something to the effect of, “I just needed different elements to make a story work so I added them as I needed them.” So stick to the story.

9. Anything else you’d like to add? Plots to take over the world, for example. Upcoming release dates, links and things, maybe even your favourite chocolate cake recipe.

After some unforeseen circumstances, my Ruined Man novels are in literary limbo. They found a new home and are on their way back into print, however, and I expect to see them by the year’s end. So stay tuned for that.

Recipe for Perfect Chile con Queso:

1 block of Velveeta

1 small container of frozen Hatch green chile

1 can Rotel

1/3 cup milk.

Directions:

Cut the Velveeta into small cubes and put them into a sauce pan. Add the milk, green chile, and Rotel and continuously stir until melted.