E.G. Stone's Blog, page 24

Author Interview: KT Wilder

KT Wilder

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.

Right now, I’m working on the sequel to my first novel Between Worlds. I have another project that is unofficially being called The Story of Us.

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

Between Worlds is my debut novel. I self published it back in July. The story starts ten years after a virus appeared out of nowhere and destroyed massive amounts of the population. The majority of what is left are those that were children during the first outbreak. Our protagonist, Faelyn, is one of the guardians who monitor and protect the remaining peoples with her creature partner, Celestin. Together they are one of the only guardian pairs classified as rangers, spending their time travelling and surveying. Things come crashing down for them when signs of the virus return and Faelyn runs into someone from her past who should be dead.

The Story of Us is actually a multi-arc and definitely multiple novel story about a family rooted deep in the tradition of managing supernatural creatures. It focuses on the parents first, primarily the hedgewitch matriarch Benirah Haze and how her family starts – with a horse. Benirah and her husband Henry have eight biological children and each end up affected by the supernatural in one way or another. Vampires, werewolves, witches, professional equestrians, nurses, geniuses, field researchers, immortals, and falling through universes… it’s an exciting story about the importance of family and home, even if family isn’t always blood.

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! Editing my first manuscript was a nightmare. I did everything in google docs and it did me no favors. I wrote this story over the course of 10 years so by the time I was in draft 8, I was filling notebooks to make sure the story stayed straight. A close second would be naming characters, but editing takes the cake.

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

When I get so immersed in writing a scene that I can’t stop. It doesn’t happen all the time, but that moment where I will literally let the room get dark around me and forgo sleep even though I have to work the next day. When I blink and it’s 5 am? I LIVE for those moments!

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.)

Sarah J. Maas’s characterization skills. I adore her books and the characters are so unique and well written. Her newest book has completely blown me away and once again she is showering us readers with excellent characters to cry over.

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?

Oh goodness. This could be bad, I put Faelyn through a lot! My reasoning would be “It’s going to hurt but it’s going to make you strong. In the end, everything falls into place. I don’t write sad endings, and I can promise yours is one of my happiest!”

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, or rather re-read, was A Natural History of Dragons. With my characters and Lady Elizabeth, she would probably win. Celestin would cheat. Warren would have just learned how to play and would not be exceptionally good at hiding his expressions. Faelyn would suggest using the power charged crystals every guardian uses day to day – Faelyn would give Elizabeth some of hers so she could play – though I have a feeling Elizabeth would also be interested in Celestin’s tail feathers. Or any of Faelyn’s energy activated weapons, books, or other items of interest she happened to be carrying at the time.

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.)

Something I originally got caught up with while world building was being too specific in details that really weren’t important. While it’s good to be detailed in world building, there’s a point of over explaining that sort of begins to loop. As the writer its important to lay a framework so things make sense, but its not my job to do the thinking for my readers. Sometimes its best to leave things vague and let the reader’s imagination fill in the rest. There’s a comic called ‘Cow Tools’ published in 1982 by a man named Gary Larson and its an excellent example of this.

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 do have an amazing roasted peaches and lavender recipe that I will share because it is life changing.

http://www.tarteletteblog.com/2012/06/recipe-gluten-free-roasted-peaches-and.html

I’d also like to share my facebook page. I have a lot of fun with it! Each week I share a blog post on a random topic, moodboards for characters, places and creatures, as well as songs from the soundtrack I put together. There’s also lots of memes.

https://facebook.com/ktWild.r

Book Review: The Adventures of Max and The Captain by Michael Evan and JMD Reid

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Stories are…fun. They’re this magical thing that can take reality and make it absolutely unbelievable, while still remaining entirely believable. They can become something more than reality, describing our best selves and our worst selves. And when they turn back and look at themselves as a story, understanding its a story, well that’s when things get really weird. Enter The Adventures of Max and the Captain by Michael Evan and JMD Reid.

1. Thoughts on the plot

On the face of it, this story is a somewhat-standard urban fantasy gamelit piece. You have The Captain, a decent guy who opened his home to a bamboo-eating, talking giant panda named Max. The two of them start out trying to solve the whole “but giant pandas eat a lot of bamboo” issue and from there, it gets progressively more involved. The gamelit piece comes from a strange disembodied voice that only The Captain can hear, detailing how many Experience points he’s gotten, or what part of the game he’s at. And that’s just the beginning. This story involves various issues with having a talking panda around, trying to find love, and eventually figuring out just what the heck is going on with this whole story thing.

Okay, so here’s the thing. At first, the plot seems relatively straightforward. Events happen that lead to other events, as one would expect from a story. But after you get to the 50-60% mark in the story, you have to realise that this is not at all a simple straightforward piece. At this point, I would recommend going back and taking note of the little things that don’t quite make sense. Parse them together and poof! Understanding! 

These sorts of stories-that-don’t-follow-standard-guidelines are a bit tricky to pull off. You have to have a specific spot where the expected meets the unexpected, and still have it make sense. I think this piece did pretty well with that, stepping a little farther into the unexpected with each progressive chapter and scene. By the time things get really into the story-examining-itself mode, the readers are prepared to suspend all expectations and just go along for the ride.

2. Thoughts on the characters

Given the non-standard nature of the plot, it’s actually a little surprising that the characters are precisely what I would expect from an urban fantasy gamelit novel with high emphasis on humour. They have just enough depth to feel real, but have enough suspension of disbelief to actually go along with the fact that there’s a giant talking panda ruling the plot. And when push comes to shove in the latter half of the book, they react appropriately. I think it makes a good contrast to the plot, lending the novel a sense of steadiness that would otherwise be missing.

3. Favourite part

I think that the ending bit, involving a certain familiar character and the shenanigans that are promised to come afterwards, is probably my favourite. I can tell you no more than that, because spoilers, but it makes the book very worth it.

4. Critique

I think the only real critique I have for this novel is the fact that the escalation of events into the unexpected takes a dramatic turn during the Good King George segment. Up until that point, the addition of some strangeness is fairly regular and therefore moves along at a good pace. But this section escalates things to such a degree that it takes a moment to adapt. Once you understand what is going on, I think it works out just grand, but for the first few pages, it is a bit jarring. I would have added a bit more oddness to the first sections, or perhaps changed the pacing ever so slightly. But really, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal, more something you notice in retrospect after having finished the book.

Overall, this book is exactly what I have come to expect from the two troublemakers that are the authors, in the best possible way. It’s quirky, humorous, entertaining, and promises to cause great deals of trouble in the future. 

Author Interview: Kevin Buckner

Kevin Buckner

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 am working on the second book in my series. I’m calling the series The Cudomerie.

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

I have only published one book so far. It’s called The Advent of Zón, Book One of The Cudomerie. It is a fantasy story about demons, druids, necromancers, and thieves. It deals heavily with undead and a little more with other fantasy creatures. It has action, adventure, horror, suspense, betrayal, revenge, and a little bit of romance.

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/rewriting. I do most of it myself and it is so tedious. That being said, I do recognize the importance of it and am glad I did it.

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

I love it when I sit down to write and the story takes off, practically writing itself. It’s times like those that I find I lose track of time and suddenly, two hours have gone by and I’ve written over two thousand words.

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 the banter the characters in David Eddings’ Belgariad and Malloreon have. I try to have similar interactions between my characters. That’s what I would steal to make my writing better.

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’d tell him to be patient with me because I know what his ultimate goal is, and he will eventually meet that goal. I’d help him see that the things that have happened to him are necessary for him to achieve that goal. I’d warn him that he has to go through hell to get there first, though.

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 would probably be cookies or candy because I don’t see Danny Torrance being allowed to play for money. Of course, he would win because he would be able to read everyone’s thoughts and know what cards are in their hands. After he wins, the main villain in my book, Zón, would probably plot some way to murder the boy in a gruesome manner to get his treats back.

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 think the biggest trap to avoid would be to rely to heavily on tropes and cliches. There are numerous fantasy novels out there, and a lot of them seem to do this. You hear that a character is an elf, and you can practically see everything about that character with no other information. Same with dwarves or orcs. If you fall into those traps, it will make it more difficult for your work to stand out from all the others.

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.

In the course of writing The Advent of Zón, two characters were having soup for dinner. They were in the ruins of a city, so the one had to scavenge for ingredients. The other liked it a lot and asked what was in it. As I was writing what was in the soup, I thought it sounded really good, so I made it. I included the recipe in the back of the book.

I’m currently writing the second book in the series, and would like to have it ready for publication in late 2021 or early 2022. I have another book that I wrote the first draft of in 2013. I’m hoping it will be ready for publication in mid-to-late 2021.

Find the author: https://www.amazon.com/Advent-Zon-Boo...

Author Interview: C.L Gaber

C.L. Gaber, author of the Ascenders Saga.

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.

Hello! I’m sitting in my Nevada office with my new puppy biting the bottom of my jacket going over the edits for Ascenders: X-Catcher (Book Five). The pages have tiny puppy bite marks, which is really cute. At this point, I print the book out so I can really spot any mistakes. I’m also cooking up some ideas for “Claires 2” and making sure that a historical serial killer matches up on the Claires’ timeline. He does – which made my writer’s heart soar.

2. In as much detail as you would like, tell me about your book(s) that are already out/on the way. My series is the Ascenders Saga! Here’s the as-short-as-possible description:

Walker Callaghan doesn’t know what happened to her. One minute she was living her teenage life in suburban Chicago…and the next minute, she was in a strange place and in a brand new school with absolutely no homework, no rules, and no consequences. 

Walker Callaghan, 17, is dead. 

She doesn’t go to heaven or hell. She lands at The Academy, a middle realm where teenagers have one thing in common: They were the morning announcement at their high schools because they died young. 

These high school kids are now caught in a strange “in-between” zone where life hasn’t changed very much. In fact, this special teen limbo looks a lot like life in a quaint Michigan town complete with jocks, popular girls and cliques. “There are even cheerleaders in death,” Walker observes. It’s not a coincidence that the music teacher is a guy named Kurt who “used to have this band.” The drama teacher, Heath, is crush worthy because back in his life, he starred in some superhero movie.

Principal King explains the rules — there are none. Why? You can’t die twice. 

There is no homework.
No tests.
No SATS.
You’re just there to learn because the human brain isn’t fully formed until you’re 24. 

By the way, you can’t get hurt physically, so race your Harley off that hillside. But falling in love is the most dangerous thing you can do …because no one knows how long you’ll stay in this realm or what’s next.

“Losing someone you love would be like dying twice,” Walker says. 

* * * * * *
Walker Callaghan has just arrived at the Academy after a tragic car accident. “Is this heaven or is this high school?” she asks.

She finds out her new life is a bit of both as she falls in love with tat-covered, bad boy Daniel Reid who is about to break the only sacred rule of this place. He’s looking for a portal to return back to the living realm.

He needs just one hour to retrieve his younger brother who strangely never arrived at The Academy. Bobby is an Earth Bound Spirit, stuck at a plane crash site that took both of their lives as their rich father piloted his private jet nose-first into a cornfield on Christmas Eve. 

Walker loves Daniel and risks it all to go with him.

Have they learned enough to outsmart dangerous forces while transporting a young child with them? Can their love survive the fragmented evil parts of themselves that are now hunting them down as they try to find a way back to the middle?

At the Academy, you learn the lessons of an after-lifetime.

Ascenders Books 1-4 are currently available on Amazon.com. Book 5 is due out in February. The first spin-off, “The Claires,” is out now.

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!)

Honestly, my least favorite part is time. I’m a journalist, so I have deadlines and assignments that I’m grateful to do – especially since I cover the film beat and interview really cool people. It’s just tough sometimes to balance your fiction passion project with regular work, family and life. I think writers have to just find the time, which isn’t always easy because most of us are pulled in a million directions.

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

I love it when you finally get the first page right after a lot of tinkering. I obsess over openings, tinkering endlessly. You have all these words and then lean it out. There it is! I have one or two trusted people who listen to my first pages and they tell me honestly. Deep in my writerly brain, however, I believe that writers just know. It’s just a relief when you have that part. A book is born.

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 admire times infinity Mr. King’s ability to make a portal a door to the storage closet. He makes magic so beautifully accessible and understandable. I love how he immediately draws such brilliant characters that are so defined and unforgettable, too.

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?

Oh, my poor female protagonist in Ascenders. She was living such a lovely after-life (for about five minutes) in the upcoming “X-Catcher,” but then the shit hit the fan from several fronts. She’s stuck in The Other, the wild west of the afterlife. Her boyfriend’s father takes her hostage. A guy with powers of distortion stalks her. Her friends are AWOL. I would have to explain to her that when the fate of the universe – for the living and the dead – is at stake, you just can’t sit on your ass and fake it. You have to run back into the action. I would explain to her that what I’m going is the best for humanity even though she faces certain extinguishment. Sorry, not sorry.

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, the last book I read was King’s “Carrie,” so I’d say the stakes are her sanity. She would probably lose the game because I’m guessing Carrie can’t play poker, and nobody would want to play it with her because she’s an outcast. Plus, that horrible mother would probably think poker was a sin.

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 think one of the big traps is rewriting too much at the beginning. I like to do a few chapters and then go back. Another thing I have found helpful is to have one or two trusted people in your life who enjoy hearing your work in progress. I don’t believe in getting five or seven or ten opinions. I think writers give up when they hear so many conflicting opinions. Also, a great editor is key to make sure you aren’t missing some of the rules of your own world.

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.

Wow, no plots for world domination! 2020 was too exhausting to come up with those kinds of things.

Ascenders is being developed into a TV series, which is cr-a-zy!!! Book 5 comes out in February of 2021, which is so exciting.

And I’m working on a sequel to “The Claires,” the spin-off book, about four sisters who hail from the 1800s, die together at age 17, and then are reincarnated together to a new family.

Please follow me on Instagram or Facebook under CL Gaber. Lots of Ascenders news, plus too many cute dog photos.

Author Interview: Alan Hesse

Name, please!

Alan J. Hesse

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 a lot of different things, but I guess my main activity is to finish the 4th book in my educational comic book series about climate change and the environmental crisis. I’m also spending a lot of time promoting and marketing all my books, and always learning through webinars, courses, etc.

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

I write and illustrate educational comic books, all with an environmental theme and usually with a message about getting involved and taking better care of nature. It all started about 10 years ago when I was still active as a field biologist living in eastern Bolivia, which corresponds to the southern Amazon basin. One of my mentors, friends and colleagues is a renown ecologist called Louise Emmons. She was doing a lot of research in my neck of the woods and I was always involved. Louise was a big fan of my cartoons, and we decided to write up her research as a comic book. She wrote the stories and I did the artwork. This led to my self-publishing my first comic book, Fables of the Amazon, which is a book of short stories as comic strips, all with an ecology lesson drawn from Louise’s own research, and some from my own. Years later I got my foot in the door for a consultancy with the Charles Darwin Foundation in the Galapagos Islands, and one of the products was my second comic book, all about Darwin and his legacy. I didn’t get back to being an author until about 7 years later, when my publisher asked me to do a comic book about climate change. This was a subject that was not yet mainstream at the time, it was about 2015, and I was myself facing a challenge in my conservation job trying to understand climate change, so I jumped at the chance to create a comic about it. With a full-time job and family life, it took me about 3 years to finish that book, an 88 page comic. I did all the research first, and that took months because it involved consulting experts, interviewing them, reading papers, trawling the news and a whole lot more. It was finally published in December 2018, and I’ve been promoting and marketing it ever since. Around mid-2019 I converted the paperback book to 3 ebooks, thus making a series. Just getting it from paperback to ebook was in itself a huge challenge and I learned a lot in the process. The book is all about climate change obviously, as seen through the eyes of the main character, Captain Polo, aka Polo the bear. Polo is an anthropomorphic polar bear with a gift for human languages, sailing and use of cash. These skills enable him to get around the world and meet many colourful human and non-human characters who range from Colombian guerrilla fighters to the Yeti! All have a story to tell that relates to the global environmental and climate crisis, and in this way Polo gradually teaches the reader more and more about the various ways global warming is impacting all life on Earth. The book also covers many climate solutions that are already underway, thus giving a sense of hope and positivity. It ends with Polo’s climate classroom, where the reader is taken through a glossary of technical terms and a somewhat deeper explanation of the more technical aspects of climate change, in illustrated prose rather than comic strip format. Book 4 that I am now working on is the sequel to this story, and sees Polo once again globe-trotting to different countries. This book has an even more playful feel to it, since I am inserting fictional characters and sequences for pure fun, that have nothing to do with anything technical or serious. For example Polo gets mixed up with a Russian nuclear sub, and spends half the book escaping from a crazy fisherman and his motley crew of ruffians. This book will be produced in two editions: one in full colour as usual, and one in black and white as a colouring book.

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! This is an area that does not come naturally to me, and I found by bitter experience that I actually do have to do it myself; not even my publisher does it, which is why I have actually terminated my agreement with them. I am now 100% self-published, and I have no choice but to learn how to market my books.

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

I love researching my locations and settings, which I do using Google images. It’s like travelling around the world right in my office.

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 Albert Uderzo’s artistic ability (he was the illustrator of the Asterix comics, which are legendary in Europe and many parts of the world, if not in the US), and the textual wit of Goscinny, Uderzo’s script writer and co-creator of Asterix. I would also steal Hergé’s, creator of Tintin, story-crafting genius. Lastly I would steal the marketing savviness of Dav Pilkey, the creator of the cartoon Captain Underpants and Dog Man books that are always topping the best seller charts in Amazon.

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 my case this would mean that I’ve been kidnapped by Captain Polo the polar bear. The only way I would have ruined his life is either by setting him up to be a globe-trotting hero whose books don’t sell, or by coaxing him out of his traditional existence hunting seals in the Arctic. I would plead to him that my intention was only ever to draw him out of his harsh existence in a melting Arctic with ever fewer things to hunt (this is a climate-related reality) to actually transform him into a messenger for positive climate action, make him a celebrity and set him up so that he will always have as many seals to eat as he wants!

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?

So I’m playing poker with Captain Polo, his arch enemies Conor O Connor the crazy fisherman, Tex Greadyman the oil tycoon (a character from my next book), and Marine Private Riley from Jeff Shaara’s The Frozen Hours. The stakes are my career as an author versus Polo’s precious cap, Conor’s old tub of a fishing boat, Greadyman’s 250 million dollar yacht, and Riley’s combat boots. Naturally I will win because I’m the one who made this whole poker game up, and therefore I can do whatever I want!

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.)

A big challenge I face is getting that equation right between education and entertainment. Because I write educational comic books that also need to be fun to read, this is something of a pet subject of mine. My comics have to be great to read, full of action, humour, adventure. But they also have to deliver their message, achieve their higher purpose, without overloading the speech bubbles. Large speech bubbles take up space, and so the more text the less cartoon graphic artwork is visible. How do you explain something as complex as climate finance or the relationship between climate and war refugees to 9 year olds in a comic book without losing all sense of fun? I also struggle to define my genre, and indeed my audience. Many adults who have read my books find them hilarious, as well as informative. Most kids nowadays don’t read at all if they can avoid it. Yet comic books like the ones I make are traditionally classed as children’s books. Another trap I often fall into is stereotype. Humour is by definition the use of stereotype, in my opinion. All the stand-up comedians use it heavily. Look at Monty Python, dated yes, but nevertheless heavily oriented to using stereotypes. I get a lot of flak for this, but as I always explain, if I make use of cultural stereotypes I’m not doing it to make fun of anyone in particular; everyone gets hammered, and in any case this use of stereotypes for me is actually a celebration of diversity.

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.

My Captain Polo character also stars in related books and products, like my climate change calendar, and my short picture book stories and activity books about Halloween and Christmas, all of which feature Polo and have a climate message. I’ll probably soon start making Polo merchandise as well. Another thing to note is that I had to change Polo’s name, which risks causing confusion. At first he was Polo the Bear, but then I found out that the clothing company Ralph Lauren have a product, a teddy bear, called Polo Bear. To avoid potential problems down the line I changed my character’s name to Captain Polo. I hope that will do the trick, but it’s very annoying to have to do that kind of thing.

Find the author: https://alanhesse.com/

Author Interview: A.M. Meyering

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.

Currently I am working on a philosophy paper on determinism for my PhD applications. On the creative side of things, I recently finished the final edit on a manuscript about a shamed king who flies around his country in a hot air balloon looking for redemption and a way to stop a massive celestial body from crashing down and destroying everything. It’s got sky whales!

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

My new book, The Resurrectionist, is about a 19th century surgeon who suffers a curse that will corrode both his body and soul. It’s also a story that solves the mystery of what happened to the infamous murderer William Hare. The Burke and Hare murders were a series of killings that happened in Scotland—the two criminals sold the bodies of their victims as cadavers for dissection. After they were caught, Hare sold Burke out and escaped into obscurity. No one knows what happened to him.

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!)

Oof, starting a book is the hardest part! There is so much anxiety leading up to that first chapter, no matter how much outlining I’ve done.

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

This might sound strange, but I really love research. I find history so fascinating that I love following rabbit holes when I read an interesting fact. So many of the crazy things I find while researching shapes my writing. I also love writing the scary scenes in my horror books, that’s just pure fun.

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.)

Neil Gaiman’s sharp sense of wit, for sure. That man can sure turn a phrase. That or the poetic prose of David Mitchell. Some of his stuff makes my heart ache to read it.

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’ll like this life much better than the one you would’ve had, trust me. Now, for goodness’ sake, put that scalpel down!”

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?

I recently read The Last Unicorn, so I suppose I’d be up against the titular unicorn and Edgar, my surgeon from The Resurrectionist. It’d be tough to win without opposable thumbs, so the unicorn is probably out of luck. Edgar’s way smarter and more logical than I am, so he’d probably have me beat! Drinks are on me.

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’d say, in horror, know how to use gore and violence in the right way. It can be tempting for writers of horror to go totally wild and let the blood flow with abandon, but I think you need to plan for what you’re saying with violence in your book. It needs to be used as a storytelling tool instead of a shock tactic. Better to use it as a necessary part of the plot and your story’s overall thesis, not just grotesque window dressing.

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.

My new novel The Resurrectionist is available on Halloween of 2020! The audiobook was just completed, too, and the narrator, Alan R Gron, did an absolutely phenomenal job, so please check it out. If you like the book and want to see more content from that world, I do some (very amateur) drawings of my characters on my Instagram.

Links to my books on Amazon:

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/armeyering?lang=en

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/_tanpoponoko_/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AlexandraMey...

Book Review: Dreaming Your Dream by Starwing

For some reason, this year I’ve had several books involving machines, potentially dystopian futures, and proper AIs cross my desk. It is, generally, a topic that I enjoy quite a lot, and Dreaming Your Dream by Starwing reminded me of why.

1. Thoughts on the plot

This book follows John, an electronic repair person in the distant future, where people have to wear gas masks outside, their lives are run by AI, and they take a special supplement to remove any emotions during the day. Their AI moderated dreams, as such, become the only place where they can feel the full range of human emotion. But John has a secret; he still feels a measure of emotions during the day, and he may not be the only one. 

The plot stars of relatively small stakes, with John’s focus being narrow on himself. This changes throughout the book, and was done in such a way that felt absolutely natural and intriguing, eventually making the stakes immeasurably large. The day-time plot was interspersed with dream sequences, which initially did not seem to have a bearing on the story, but soon became integral. I cannot say a whole lot, but the plot twist at the end, where things take that extra step and begin to change, really made the whole story, I think. Everything up to it was interesting, but that piece at the end was enough to launch the story into excellence. 

2. Thoughts on the characters

Generally speaking, I found it a bit difficult to sympathise with John and the other characters at the beginning of the book. I think part of the initial difficulty was that the characters were written to have little to no emotions during the day. This was done exceptionally well, with the dream sequences interspersed throughout feeling almost like a different story. The further the book progressed, however, the more interesting and relatable I found John, and the other characters. I think the prose actually highlighted the discrepancy between daytime and nighttime emotional states, and while it takes a bit to get into a very flat, emotionless world, the end result really makes the characters shine. I think the only one that did not quite fit that mold was Kira, but we see very little of her after a bit, and again, that makes sense.

3. Favourite part

The ending was definitely my favourite. The whole situation there really sold the book for me, and I really enjoyed how it turned out. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you much more about that, but I can say that I found it absolutely fascinating and even if there are no more books in the series (though I think there will be), the book did really well with ending things perfectly.

4. Critique

The only part that I think didn’t necessarily fit the story for me were the illustrations. It was interesting to see the illustrations reflect the story, and if it were a different form of book, or even a video or graphic novel, I think they would have done really well. But I’m not used to reading books of that level accompanied by illustrations and I think that threw me off just enough to pull me out of the story and make me realise I was reading a book rather than being immersed in one. Granted, I like the illustrations; they were done very well. And this is more of a personal preference than anything, so it’s not really a relevant critique on the story or the book. So if that sort of thing does not bother you, then this will be absolutely no problem at all. And even if you’re like me, and it’s a bit out of the ordinary, I think the story was good enough to make this critique irrelevant.

Overall, Dreaming Your Dream was a book that grew on me more than I expected. I like th story, and the concept is fascinating. The characters started out simply being characters in a book, but in the end, they were wonderful representations of potential, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. A very good book.

Author Interview: Michael Ross

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 a fantasy series called The Big Fairy Adventures. It centres around a slightly overweight fairy called Tinker Tanker (she likes her nectar too much!) but she is brave and has a heart of gold. It is generally set in the huge fairy queendom called Layleamonee.

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

The first two are already published on Amazon. Book 1: How It All Began, really puts the whole of the adventure series in order for you, hints of what is coming up. So a case of forewarned is also forearmed. This is also a freebie.

Then Book two is the start of the series proper: The Golden Quandrill. This is the most powerful wand in the cosmos, no charmed piece of stick, no way, here we have a sentient being that incorporates biologically with the person used the wand.

We are introduced to Orcs, Craggs, Grobs, humans, Trolls and of course humans, or specifically so far, one human, a humourist who is Chinese and called Ding Ling.

Half-way through the 3rd Book called Maldranan the fairy witch. Not someone you would invite to your dinner party. Plus an Orc that has a partial lobotomy, but the surgeon hiccupped during the procedure and removed the ‘male’ sense part of his miniscule brain, so now we have a hulk male Orc who likes to wear pink slacks and false eyelashes. Things do not bode well for him. I suspect he comes from the same mould as ex-president Trump!

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!)

It has to be the very last little bit, from marketing to money coming into the bank. A realist realizes it is rare to become a millionaire to just write books. Why is it that marketer’s will say ‘Pay me lots of money, and I can’t guarantee any success!” Might as well burn my money on a bonfire! Don’t you think I am right? (I’m breaking into song now…) All I want to do is write, and not bother with the other stuff

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

I’m a pantser and write by the seat of my pants. My last big project, The Wand Chronicles, an epic fantasy, there are 400,000 words, all happened when I sat down and let my imagination run riot. But is my writing good? Well, so say professional reviewers and readers seem to rave about them

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.)

Well, you only have to read some of the very dark passages of Tolkein to make you want to jump off the river bridge, so I like Terry Pratchett..I like humor, fantasy humor. I also love Jane Austin, the command of the English language, in for example, Pride & prejudice. How the written language can illustrate all manners of emotion so perfectly well

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?

Well, for me, that is a fairy called Tinker Tanker, she is a little overweight. But she stands at 8” tall. Very tall for a fairy , but her wand packs a powerful fun, and for some reason thinks it is fun to creep up behind a human and touch her wand on the buttocks of that human, and watch them jump in the air with the shock of it all. I will try to explain that I am trying to convince people to love fairies, and that they are real

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?

So myself, Tinker Tanker and an elvish sorceress called Elfistra is sat around the table. Not good. She will never trust a human, and has enough magic in one snap of her fingers to cause havoc. She would win, she likes winning. Tinker Tanker is too nice to notice anything untoward. The stakes are the use of the most powerful wand in the cosmos, Elvina. Elfistra will win it, in any case, it will only integrate into her body.

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.)

Sitting down to write, for characters to pop up, to plot out a line of action, to construct a chapter with a beginning, middle and an end, is not a problem, so far, for me. Period. It is all the other paraphernalia, the promotion, the marketing that I abhor. All I want to do as an author is write

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 created a board game to accompany my Wand Chronicles Trilogy, with all the main characters in the book. It went on to be voted in the top ten of best board games in the UK.

I also constructed a fairy garden to inspire my writing for The Big Fairy Adventures, I now get visitors who travel great distances to see it.

I will be adding to it and in January have another Grand Opening. Of course I will be proving free fairy cakes!

Find the author: https://www.thewand.me/

Book Review: A Ritual of Flesh by Lee C Conley

With all that’s been going on in the last year plus, you would think that reading a book that involves a plague, and the walking dead and some other stuff wouldn’t be at the top of my list. Well, given how much I enjoyed Lee C Conley’s A Ritual of Bone, I figured it would turn out okay. And I was right! Well, it definitely did not turn out okay for the characters, but it was still an absolutely enjoyable read.

1. Thoughts on the plot

There is a lot going on in this book, not just a plague that is slightly more problematic than the current situation. The book follows several characters as they face the consequences of book one, as well as deal with the fact that everything is getting much, much worse. I can’t say a whole lot, because that would involve spoiling the first book, which I shall not do, but I can say that I really appreciated each complex thread that was left untethered at the end of book one. They were taken and woven expertly into the various scenarios for this book, and it really made things come together perfectly. The characters’ threads all seemed to collide, and the way that this was done involved a steady escalation of events. I have rarely seen things done so steadily and expertly when causing mayhem; definitely a good story, plot wise.

2. Thoughts on the characters

This book had all the familiar characters from the first book, which I liked. I enjoy seeing further developments of characters and situations. I think that Bjorn’s development and furthered situation was perhaps my favourite, but I also really enjoyed the whole…situation…with the apprentice.

Quick note on the apprentice: he has a name! I shan’t say what is is, again to avoid spoiling book one, but the way that this was revealed felt so…almost anticlimactic. It was just stated, and seemed almost to ruin the mystery of having the information withheld for so long. However! I think that the way it was done really emphasised the character and made for an excellent transition when things went a little wonky and started going pearshaped. Such insignificance in the mystery really hammered some of the later development home and it was perfect. 

Also, everyone else was just great.

3. Favourite part

The whole naming thing, as described above. It just made such a quiet point, and I liked it.

4. Critique

I think the only real issue I had with this book had very little to do with the book itself, and more to do with the world. It was a harder task than I anticipated to read a story about a plague that gets a whole lot worse during a pandemic. Things just struck a little close to home, and it took me longer than I would have liked to get through the books. Of course, once things got exponentially worse in this book, it was completely fine, because my brain is weird. So not really a critique about the book, just a statement about life, I suppose.

If you are interested in an expertly written story that weaves a stunning tapestry together, and also has the dead, a plague, people being potentially problematic, and all the elements of dark/grimdark fantasy, then this is definitely a worthwhile read. It follows on perfectly from book one, and now I really need all the answers for the next instalment. An excellent book!

Author Interview: Cas E Crowe

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.

Answer: I’m currently working on my second novel in The Wayward Series, titled The Four Revenants. Keeping in tradition with my first novel, the sequel continues the story and centres on ghosts, hauntings, war, tragic pasts, and star-crossed lovers. It’s a YA dark fantasy with elements of horror. I’m having a blast writing the story. I’m very structured with my writing and have the entire plot listed from scenes and chapters, but sometimes new ideas just pop in my head as I’m writing. Incredibly, they seem to work with this novel. I’m able to weave the new idea right into the scene I’m writing, enhancing the mystery and adventure. It’s like its meant to be and it’s very exciting. I’m about half way through The Four Revenants. So far, I’m on schedule to have the first draft completed by April 2021.

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

Answer: My first book in The Wayward Series, titled The Wayward Haunt, was published on June 20th, 2020. It’s set in a war-torn world where teenage prisoner, Zaya Wayward, is conscripted into the Haxsan Guard. When malevolent forces start to haunt her, she suspects her ability to see the dead is the key in a sinister plot to annihilate human existence. Throughout the story, she is drawn to Captain Jad Arden. Together the pair are propelled into a breakneck chase across haunted wastelands, desolate ruins, and ravaged cities. But Jad has secrets, and Zaya’s feelings for him could be her undoing. My second novel, The Four Revenants, is the sequel to The Wayward Haunt. There will be four books in the series altogether, but I won’t be revealing book three’s and four’s titles just yet.

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!)

Answer: At this stage, marketing is my least favourite part. As a new self-published author, it is difficult to get a name for yourself out there. Writing a novel is hard work. I’ve found marketing to be triple the work. You have to make people want to read your book and constantly find creative ways to get their interest and ensure them reading your novel is going to be worth their time. Building this trust with potential readers is something that I am still learning to do. I am trying to make the process fun, but I’ve accepted this is something that may take years to accomplish. I believe it will be an ongoing learning experience.

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

Answer: Sometimes I do become self-conscious about my writing. I wonder if it good enough or if it needs more work. Of course, first drafts always need more work. The thing that makes me realise I am onto something good in my writing, that gets my brain all wired up to continue, is sharing scenes or chapters with other authors in my writing group. If there is something wrong with the work, they point it out. If they love what I have written, they tell me. If there is something that I may be stuck on or can’t work out, it’s their feedback and ideas that resolve the issue. Discussing your work with other writers, and sharing your own feedback and opinions on their writing, is a rewarding experience. It gives you the confidence you need to continue on your writing marathon.

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.)

Answer: I have learnt so many writing techniques from reading great authors’ works. One thing I am absolutely hopeless at though is poetry. I do not possess that talent, so if I could steal an author’s ability to write poetry and adapt it into my own work, I would. I’d also steal Terry Pratchett’s humour, because that would just be an awesome talent to have. I write dark fantasy and horror, but a little bit of comic relief would help take the edge off.

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?

Answer: That is truly a frightening scenario. My main character, Zaya Wayward, is sarcastic, impulsive, afraid, and angry most of the time, which is understandable. I’ve put her in through some very frightening ordeals. When she kidnaps me, she wouldn’t be thinking about what she’s doing or how it would pan out. She’d only want to know the reason why I’m putting her through such a nightmare. Honestly, I don’t think I’d be able to answer her. I could assure Zaya it’s all for a greater cause. But letting her know that what I’m doing is for own best interest, well, I can’t guarantee that. I guess we’d end up stuck in the same room, broody and irritated at each other.

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?

Answer: So, I am playing, Zaya Wayward is playing, and McKenna Brady from Zoe Aarsen’s novel Light as a Feather is playing. McKenna and I are definitely screwed. Zaya will have all the right cards. She’ll win. She’s too damned determined to lose. And she’s clever. She’s had to be to survive this long.

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.)

Answer: I’ve met writers delving into the horror genre for the first time. They put too much emphasis on explaining everything, afraid that the reader will not understand if they don’t elaborate on what is going on, how things work in the supernatural world, etc. They toss a large information dump about their main characters as their introduced. These are all common traps writers fall into. I did too when I first started. My advice is to do the opposite. Horror is scary because of the unknown—because nothing is explained and nothing makes sense. I try to give clues every so often in my chapters, just enough to entice the reader to continue. I keep my characters mysterious, even my main character. Their motivation is not always clear.

Nothing in horror is what it seems. I think the key to writing a good horror novel is to keep your reader wanting to know more, even if makes them afraid. They’re on this journey now, and the only way they will feel safe again is to finish the story and learn the truth. Tiny details and small clues are one way to set up the intrigue, followed by shocking plot twists that tap into common human fears of death, loneliness, and abandonment. That’s what I try to achieve in my writing.

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.

Website: www.casecrowe.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/casecroweauthor/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/casecroweauthor/
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/20457182.Cas_E_Crowe

The Four Revenants expected release – early 2022.