Melanie Tomlin's Blog, page 8

An Interview with Author Gina Wynn

Joining us from a place that’s warmer than Melbourne, Australia by just a few degrees (hey, those few degrees make all the difference to someone who doesn’t like the cold), is author Gina Wynn. Thank you, Gina, for taking the time to chat to me. Please sit down, get comfortable and let’s begin.

About Gina

From a magical land of castles and kings (okay, it’s England), Gina doesn’t feel as old as she looks, owns three children who can’t be tamed, and writes in spare – usually stolen – time. She sometimes bakes—not always with quite the desired results, and has found the only solution to keeping the characters in her head quiet is to placate them with lots of other lovely books and worlds. She has been published by Decadent Publishing, who currently have two of her books, both of which are romance titles – “Her Dollmaker’s Desire” and “Her Undercover Christmas”.

What’s the name of the book you’re here to tell us about today?

Her Undercover Christmas

Tell us a bit about your book

Christmas is approaching and Phil is a girl out to get what she wants—the life of her choosing. She wants it all: a good looking man, his money, and the respect he commands. She just needs to throw her lot in with her criminal cousins for one day. Long enough to pull off a theft and come to the attention of the man she desires. But the job goes wrong.

Bastian is a man on the run—from a lifestyle he never chose and can’t seem to escape. One last favour before he disappears for good, and then he can start afresh somewhere new. But the favor balloons into more than he anticipated, and suddenly there are two of them on the run, and two of them snowed in and hiding out in his one last safe place.

Can a woman who thinks she knows where she belongs help a man who has never really belonged anywhere?

If there was a film or TV adaptation of your book, who would you like to see play your characters?

I never really imagine my characters as anyone. I struggle to give them faces. I struggle to give them hair or eye colours, even. The moment I do that, there are specific readers who don’t see themselves as that woman, or with that man. I even like to keep my covers as unspecific as possible to allow for some reader input. Who do they imagine in that space? I’d love to know, to be honest.

How important are character names to you in your books? Is there a special meaning to any of the names?

In my book Her Dollmaker’s Desire, the names were important. I was writing to a challenge that used Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairytale ‘Dance, Dance, Doll of Mine’ and I deliberately gave two of my male characters Danish names. Other than that, I often go for names that I would have used for another sports team’s worth of children or just names that I like. I try to avoid names of people I know – I don’t want any friends thinking I’ve written their husband in as a romantic male lead.

Where do your ideas come from?

So many places. I’m a great believer in ‘What if…?’ I have the most ridiculous ideas at the most random times. Once, I was feeding my daughter in her bedroom in the middle of the night, and I heard a high pitched whine from outside. I began to consider the possibility it could be the beginning of an alien invasion. Or there was the time I was in the passenger seat of a car and we were driving into a city and I wondered what would happen if a large black dragon came swooping between the buildings. More recently, I followed one of my children into the bathroom and needed to tidy around – flushing the toilet and closing the lid, etc. Just as I pressed the flush and began to put the lid down, some bubbles came from the U-bend, and I wondered about there being something down there. My ideas almost always come when I can’t write anything down – when I’m elbow deep in washing up or pushing a buggy on the school run. One afternoon I walked passed a man who was walking his dog and we both said hello, or good afternoon or similar and I conjured him up a life as a murderer.

Have you always liked to write?

In primary school, one of my teachers used to give me extra time to write because I wrote such long stories. I was about six at the time, I think. I’ve always loved writing, and I was fairly advanced reader, so I’ve certainly always seen the two going hand in hand. I couldn’t imagine not reading, and I couldn’t imagine not writing (even though I do find it endlessly frustrating, too.)

If you didn’t like writing books, or weren’t any good at it, what would you like to do for a living?

I don’t think I will ever make my living from writing. And if I wasn’t any good, but still enjoyed it, I think I’d probably do it anyway. I do plenty of things that I’m not very good at because I enjoy them. Hopefully I improve with practise, too.

Do you read reviews of your book(s)? Do you respond to them, good or bad? How do you deal with the bad?

My official answer is no, absolutely not. I don’t read them at all. But I do. I don’t go looking for them, or checking for new ones, but if I happen to be in the neighbourhood, I might take a quick peek. I think I’m endlessly curious as to how my writing is received. Did I hit the right note? Do others ‘get’ me/my writing? I’d never respond to a bad review because everyone is entitled to their opinion, and not all books are for all people. I love reading, but I’m human. I don’t love everything I read so I don’t expect everyone to enjoy my books. That said, the bad reviews can still sting – even seeing a book shelved as ‘DNF’ on Goodreads can hurt because it will always make me wonder which part didn’t appeal to someone. MT: For those of you who don’t know what ‘DNF’ means, it’s ‘did not finish’. No author wants to see their books in that list!

What is your best marketing tip?

I have none – please send me some! If only so I can answer questions like this one.

How long does it usually take you to write the first draft of a book?

I’m a slow writer, and I also tend not to plot, so it can take me six months to write a first draft. Especially as I struggle to find the time in the first place and then fritter way too much of that time away on Facebook/surfing for inspiration and pictures to make memes.

What are you working on now?

Oddly, at the moment, I am working on a space opera as part of a challenge. I’m totally in unchartered waters for myself and it’s getting to the point where it’s touch and go whether I’ll meet the deadline, but I’m going to give it my best shot. Doubly so now that I’ve announced it here.

How has your environment or upbringing impacted your writing?

I tend to set things in England, so that much is down to my upbringing. That said, when I met my husband I lived for about eighteen months in Texas, so I should think a trip across the Atlantic wouldn’t be too great an impossibility in the future. I also have a fabulous CP who is American, and I would run everything through her filter, first.

Describe what your ideal writing space looks like.

Child free. :-)

What’s an interesting fact about your book?

Her Undercover Christmas is actually a standalone sequel to Her Dollmaker’s Desire. I never planned to write it, but Bastian showed up in book one and started trying to scene-steal from the moment he arrived, so I decided he needed some page space of his own.

Why did you choose to write in your genre? If you write in more than one, how do you balance them?

I write Contemporary Romance and also Women’s Fiction. I often think the two genres blur and blend quite nicely, so I don’t feel the need to do a whole lot of balancing. Usually, I only end up in WF because I’ve strayed into an area that isn’t entirely acceptable in the traditional bounds or ‘rules’ or romance, anyway.

Where did your love of books come from?

My parents. My mum has always read – to the point of pretty much ignoring my siblings and me if she was right at the end of a good book. My parents’ books were in our house all of my life, and my dad used to buy me books and bring them home with him as treats after he’d spent the day at work. I still have those books now and my children read them. One of my bookshelves in my house is double stacked with my childhood books, and it’s one of my most treasured possessions.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Write sooner. Don’t dabble. Write on purpose.

Are your characters based on real people, are they imaginary or a combination of both?

Imaginary, but I wish most of them existed. I don’t even consciously take traits of people I know.

When you’re writing, do you listen to music or do you need silence?

It depends what I’m writing. I certainly associate writing with music – some songs get attached to my characters, or to certain books or scenes but I don’t always find it helpful to actually listen to the music as I write. Sometimes it can be a distraction. If I do want music, it has to be on a radio station without too much DJ input, or a playlist that I won’t want to keep pressing ‘skip’ on. The Pinterest boards for my books often include their playlist of songs, though.

What do you find most challenging about writing?

Two things, really. Firstly, finding the time to write – achieving the balance between looking after my family, spending time with my children, and then the additional time to sit down with my characters. Secondly, I find reaching my readers really tricky. I have a good deal more to learn about marketing, that’s for sure.

Where can readers go to discover more about you and your books?

Website | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

Her Undercover Christmas is out now!

Available formats: ebook.

The post An Interview with Author Gina Wynn appeared first on Melanie Tomlin.

An Interview with Author Lindsay Moore

It’s a cold winter evening in suburban Melbourne, Australia, but here to take my mind off the weather, and to talk about her book, is author Lindsay Moore. Thank you, Lindsay, for taking the time to chat to me. Please sit down, get comfortable and let’s begin.

About Lindsay Moore

Lindsay Moore co-founded Hellcat Press in 2014 with the goal of producing an all-female horror comics anthology. Having completed that goal with “Dark Lady”, she has decided to produce more horror comics anthologies. She is currently assembling a second anthology, “Simply Sinful”, which is co-ed.

What book are you here to talk about today?

Dark Lady

Tell us a bit about Dark Lady

“Dark Lady” is an all­-female horror comics anthology. It contains ten short, scary stories written and illustrated by women from different parts of the world. The stories range from darkly amusing to downright gross. “Dark Lady” shows us the dangers of talking to animals, the lengths some women will go to in order to please others, and what happens when a nasty little hobby starts to get out of hand.

Where do your ideas come from?

I know it sounds cliche, but I try to get my ideas from whatever’s around me. I’m often inspired by current, newsworthy events, but I also find inspiration in little things, like conversations or people I’ve met. I’m kind of obsessed with horror, and often times I’ll wonder, “What would happen if [insert catastrophic event here] took place?” Or I’ll see a random, everyday object and wonder if it would be possible to write a scary story around it.

What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?

Publishing “Dark Lady” was definitely my best accomplishment. I was met with an incredibly negative reaction when I first pitched the idea to the Boston Comics Roundtable. I started my pitch with, “I want to create an all­-female horror comics anthology because horror is a very male-dominated genre and women are often overlooked.” And I was immediately interrupted by this one guy shouting the words, “MARY SHELLEY!” over and over again. It was as if he expected me to say, “Oh, that’s right, a woman did a famous thing over a hundred years ago, I’m just being silly.” I looked over at the guy who was supposed to be moderating the meeting, as it was his job to make sure that no one was interrupted or anything like that. But he didn’t do anything. In fact, when I was finally able to finish my pitch, he raised his hand and asked, “Yeah, but what if I collaborate with a woman?” The whole thing went downhill from there. None of the women in the room asked any questions. The only people asking questions were men, and they were just mocking me. “What if I write about a female character? What if I just don’t tell you I’m a man? Are you going to require proof of gender?” It was so disheartening and upsetting to hear people who I had always thought of as friends tear my idea apart because they didn’t think that an all-­female anthology was worth their time.

Despite all the negativity from the Boston Comics Roundtable, I still got submissions for “Dark Lady” and still published it. It’s selling very well online and at conventions, and it’s gotten positive reviews from several sites that review comics. “Dark Lady” is my greatest triumph to date.

Have you always liked to write?

Yes. I’ve always loved writing. I’ve been writing little stories ever since I could hold a pencil … they’ve just gotten darker over the years.

What writing advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Keep a diary or journal. It doesn’t need to be formal or anything like that. Just write whatever you feel in it. Doodle in it. Cover it with stickers. Get in the habit of writing every day, even if all you write down is a grocery list. And read a lot. Read whatever you can get your hands on. Step out of your comfort zone every now and again and pick up a book from a genre that you don’t normally like or wouldn’t think of reading.

If you didn’t like writing books, or weren’t any good at it, what would you like to do for a living?

That’s a tough one. Data entry? Shepherd? Person who raises cats? I have no idea.

Do you read reviews of your book(s)? Do you respond to them, good or bad? How do you deal with the bad?

I read reviews of my book. There aren’t a lot of them, and they’ve been mostly positive. I have encountered some negativity, but I just brushed it off and said, “Well, that’s something to consider fixing/doing different next time.” I don’t respond to reviews because I don’t really have the time.

What is your best marketing tip?

Finish your product before you start marketing it. I worked briefly on a group project with one member who was continually advertising for a graphic novel that we simply didn’t have. He was reaching out to various celebrities and trying to get them to endorse the book or be a part of it. I begged him not to because we didn’t even have a script. The thing wound up tanking because he kept schilling a product that didn’t exist yet. So, finish the damn thing before you start advertising it.

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

Marketing. When you self-­publish, you have to do all the marketing yourself. Advertising for “Dark Lady” really taught me that I had to be proactive. I couldn’t just sit by and wait for someone to notice the project. I had to reach out and say, “Hi! My name’s Lindsay and this is my project, and this is why it’s fun and exciting!” It’s exhausting, but very rewarding knowing that people are paying attention.

Do you have a favourite conference / convention that you like to attend? What is it?

I’m a fan of Boston Comic Con. I’ve been going for almost ten years now, and I love it. I take empty cigar boxes and decoupage them with comic books, then I sell them at Boston Comic Con. That’s actually how I financed “Dark Lady”. And I also met Joe Hill (that was pretty awesome).

I also love the Maine Comic Arts Festival (MECAF). It’s a fun little show in Portland, ME, that focuses exclusively on indie comic creators. They’ve had some great guests in the past (Kate Beaton and Jeff Smith). It’s a kid-­friendly show, and I love seeing kids pick up new and interesting comics that they’d never find in a regular comic book shop.

Is there a certain type of scene that’s harder for you to write than others?

I have trouble with writing violence because I tend to go overboard with it. I find that I need to write violent scenes in stages. At stage one, I don’t hold anything back; I go whole-­hog, splatterpunk­-style. I put the piece down for a while, then at stage two, I go through and clean up the scene. I scale back the violence like I’m peeling away layers. The first draft was a sledgehammer, the final draft winds up being an ice pick.

How long does it usually take you to write the first draft of a book?

I’m currently working on a graphic novel about a superhero who winds up in debt to the mob. The first draft took one month, but the circumstance was kinda weird. I had a fatty lipoma in my shoulder — completely harmless — and my doctor said that it could be removed very quickly and easily. “We’ll set up an appointment for you for when I get back from vacation,” he said. Then he went on vacation for a month. I had an entire month to contemplate surgery, and I wrote as a way to distract myself. I essentially puked out the first draft.

Can you give us a few tasty morsels from your work-in-progress?

I’m only in the scripting phase right now. I don’t have an artist lined up of anything. So, unfortunately, I don’t have a preview for you.

How has your environment or upbringing impacted your writing?

When I was little, my parents would see me writing a story and call me their “little Stephen King.” I started reading King when I was twelve or thirteen, and basically started imitating him. At some point, I realized that I needed to have my own writing style, not someone else’s. I had to work very hard to un­learn my borrowed writing style and find my own voice.

Why should a potential reader buy your book(s)?

“Dark Lady” is a must-­have for any horror fan — especially any horror comics fan. It features ten unique stories guaranteed to disturb, unsettle, frighten, and — above all — entertain. To my knowledge, it’s the only all-­female horror comics anthology out there.

What’s the strangest thing you have ever had to research for your book?

I’m currently researching Russian mafia tattoos.

Why did you choose to write in your genre? If you write in more than one, how do you balance them?

I just like horror. I’m drawn to the macabre and the unsettling. Horror’s an interesting genre because hip new ideas become cliche almost instantly, and it’s forced to change constantly. After “The Sixth Sense” came out, everyone flipped out over the twist ending. They loved it. If you try for that same twist ending today, people will say it’s cliche and tired. Horror creators have to stay on their toes.

Where did your love of books come from?

Probably my mother. She would take me and my siblings to the library every week to pick out books to read before bed. She realized what kind of books we liked and had the librarian help us find them.

What would the main character in your book have to say about you?

“Please stop tormenting me.”

Are your characters based on real people, are they imaginary or a combination of both?

It’s a combination. Growing up, I had friends who would ask me to write a character based on them into a story. I never liked doing that; it felt like I didn’t have any control over that character. I’ve had people accuse me of writing about them, which is never fun.

When you’re writing, do you listen to music or do you need silence?

I need classic rock while I write.

Who are your favourite authors, and why?

I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for Stephen King. I recently re­read “‘Salem’s Lot” and remembered how much it scared me when I was twelve (and how much it still scares me). I’m also a huge fan of Joe Hill; I especially love “Locke and Key.”

I recently discovered Eugie Foster. She wrote a lot of short horror/sci-­fi/fantasy stories with a distinctly Japanese flair. Her writing is poetic and haunting, even when something gross is happening in the story. I strongly recommend “Biba Jibun,” “Returning My Sister’s Face,” and “When It Ends, He Catches Her.”

Where can readers go to discover more about you and your books?

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Dark Lady is out now!

Available formats: paperback

The post An Interview with Author Lindsay Moore appeared first on Melanie Tomlin.

An Interview with Author Amy Rachiele

I’d like to introduce to you the latest author in my round of author interviews, Amy Rachiele. Thank you, Amy, for taking the time to chat to me. Please sit down, get comfortable and let’s begin.

About Amy Rachiele

Amy is a widowed military spouse and brat who spent many years volunteering and on staff for the Army National Guard, and who has a propensity for writing about alpha-male mobsters. Her first self-published book is Mobster’s Girl and it made it to the amazon’s bestseller list for romance and family saga.

She devoted 10 years to teaching at-risk students at the secondary level and watching reruns of Star Trek. She holds a Master’s degree from Rhode Island College in English and Secondary Education.

Besides writing, she enjoys scrapbooking, sewing, traveling, and pretending to know how to knit. Amy lives in Massachusetts with her son.

What’s the name of the book you’re here to promote?

Mobster’s Gamble

Tell us a bit about your book

“I can’t change it. Sometimes you just have to live with it.” ~Anya, Mobster’s Gamble

Carlo Caruso runs the family businesses. The son of mob boss Ennio Caruso, Carlo knows his place and he is up to the challenge of taking care of both the casino business and the not-quite-legal “other” business, all without drawing unwanted attention from the authorities. But when a group of cult extremists, headed by a guy who calls himself Priest, decides to target his family’s casino as a den of sin while attempting to recruit for their cause, Carlo may be in for a challenge he has never been trained for.

Anya was born inside the walls of a cult and has never known anything different. Anya’s beauty has always stirred the wrong kind of attention from the leader and then, when he was gone, his son. Anya has had a complicated and volatile relationship with Priest since she was a little girl toddling around in the religious commune. She knows she deserves better but has no idea how to go about getting it.

Can Carlo and Anya overcome their upbringing and find love?

How important are character names to you in your books? Is there a special meaning to any of the names?

The names of my characters are significant in two ways. The Italian Mafia aspect and the way I view the muse of the character in my own mind sort brings them to life. I don’t sift through google looking for names. They always come to me in a ethereal form, wispy and demanding in the back of my thoughts.

Give us an insight into your main character. What makes them unique?

The novel is written in 1st person alternate. Carlo and Anya are the main characters. Carlo and Anya come from two different worlds but both feel trapped in their own microcosms. Both of their environments are violent and controlled. The story’s main plot is their love story and the subplot that runs through my series about mobsters runs under the surface. Their uniqueness stems from their upbringing and how they use it in their adult lives.

Where do your ideas come from?

I grew up in an area that had a high Mafia population. I took the stories I heard growing up and the alpha-male men in my life and mashed them together to create my own Mobster Universe. This book is the first in a second series I am writing. The first was The Mobster Series, Mobster’s Girl was book one.

Have you always liked to write?

I have always liked to read! I started seriously writing in 2008 when my own characters started manifesting from my previous life exposures and experiences. I am first and foremost a reader.

Do you read reviews of your book(s)? Do you respond to them, good or bad? How do you deal with the bad?

I don’t really read reviews. I write them for books I enjoy that I read. The reason that I don’t read them is because the book is what it is and everyone is reading from a different perspective. You either like or not, it is that simple. The book isn’t going to change but people do. I have started books years ago that didn’t hold my attention and now I restart them and can’t put them down. I sometimes read reviews of books I am interested in. If the novel has many conflicting or contradictory reviews, I will buy it to find out what the fuss is about. I do that with movies as well.

Do you have a favourite conference / convention that you like to attend? What is it?

I love the Writer Unboxed Unconference. It has an amazing dynamic that brings together people that write on the back of napkins to famous authors. There is no segregation of published or unpublished. You go to it because you love to write!

What are you working on now?

I am currently working on book two in this series, Mobster’s Fate: Alex and Meryl’s story.

Can you give us a few tasty morsels from your work-in-progress?

“It sounds crazy but no one can tell me that I don’t know what I feel. Meryl has changed me from the inside out. I’ve told millions of lies, I’ve killed people, but now Meryl is in everything I do. No matter what, she is there.” ~Alex. Mobster’s Fate

Where can readers go to discover more about you and your books?

Website | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Amazon Author Page | Instagram | Goodreads

You can also sign-up for Amy’s newsletter at http://www.amyrachiele.com/free-ebook/

Mobster’s Gamble is out now!

Available formats: ebook and paperback.

The post An Interview with Author Amy Rachiele appeared first on Melanie Tomlin.

Living with a Skeleton in the Closet

I need to warn anyone who might be considering reading this article that it contains swearing and disturbing imagery. The same may be true of my books, but as fiction, we can go to bed and sleep at night, knowing that none of it is true. This article, however, is a recollection of events from my past.

Now that you’ve been forewarned, the choice is yours … to read, or not to read.

Mum went off the rails every six or seven years. I thought this was normal, until I was in my early teens, and no one else talked about their mother’s strange behaviour.

I can clearly remember visiting Mum at the Royal Park Psychiatric Hospital, the first time she had been hospitalised. The patients scared my seven-year-old self. Mum scared me even more. Once she was holding a piece of paper with our address on it, and asked if that was where she lived. Another time she told us that a patient had thrown another patient into a scalding hot bath. After that, Dad told my sister to play with me outside, in the hospital grounds, while he visited Mum.

Mum and we kids at the You Yangs

Mum was hospitalised again, shortly after my 21st birthday. She had embarrassed me at the small gathering we had by talking about “Vitamin C! Vitamin C!” and telling everyone, “All your father wants to do is fuck, fuck, fuck!” She was committed after she knocked a child off their bicycle, for riding on the footpath. The police came and took her away in handcuffs, as though she were a common criminal. I did not visit her. I didn’t even ask what facility she had been taken to. All I wanted to do was to get away from her, and the craziness she represented. I just wanted a normal life.

It wasn’t until I had my heart ripped from my chest that I learned the truth about Mum. I was twenty-four at the time, and Mum was off the rails again. Mum and Dad had moved to Hoppers Crossing, at Mum’s insistence, to be closer to her children. It was a twenty-minute walk from their place to mine and Mum walked over to visit me one weekend. I was home alone, so had no backup, and as the car was parked out the front she knew I was in. I decided that I’d tell Mum I was on my way out, and head off to the local shopping centre. I’d wander around the shops for a little while before going home. The best laid plans, as the saying goes … I ended up cornered in my laundry, with nowhere to go. Mum was ranting about how someone should put Barbie in a coffin and bury her, and that all the dead people in the cemetery were lucky. I can’t quite remember how I extricated myself from that situation. I knew she loved me deeply, and that she lived for her children, but that didn’t stop her from scaring me when she wasn’t stable. It’s a sad fact that the memories that are burned deepest into my brain, and rise to the surface regularly, are the traumatic ones.

One night, Mum rang and said, “I have a knife for your father!”

It never one occurred to me to call the police. Instead I rang my brother. I don’t remember if he picked me up or if we met at Mum and Dad’s house — that sort of detail isn’t important anymore. We didn’t ring the doorbell. Instead we snuck around the outside of the house, via the side gate. There was a light on towards the back of the house. We crept to the window and peered in. Dad was sitting there watching television. Mum was nowhere in sight. One of us tapped on the window to attract Dad’s attention. Luckily for us Mum was hard of hearing, and refused to wear hearing aids, so she hadn’t heard the noise. Dad opened the window and we talked for a few minutes. Yes, he was okay. Did he know that she’d said she had a knife for him? No, she’d been waving a knife around, but hadn’t said it was for him. No, he didn’t want to leave. He would simply stay out of Mum’s way until she had calmed down. As my brother and I left, as quietly as we could, another light came on. Mum yelled through the window, “Tell him he’d better stay away.”

The last time I saw Dad alive was two days before he died. Mum was out, so I went to visit him. She had told me, a few weeks before, that Dad hadn’t wanted me. I knew that wasn’t true, yet I felt I had to tell him what Mum had said. I told him I didn’t believe it. If I’d been unwanted, surely I would have known? We may have been a dysfunctional family, we may not have hugged much, or said the words, “I love you,” out loud, but I’d always felt loved. I asked him how he could put up with it, and why he didn’t leave. He told me that she was a good wife and mother. Just as the thought to call the police had never occurred to me, the thought of leaving Mum had never occurred to him. I told him that if it was me, I wouldn’t hang around, and that he was welcome to come and stay with me if he wanted to. I never said those words — I love you — before I left. I never got to tell my Dad how much I loved him. The next time I would see him, he would be lying dead, on the floor near the kitchen table, the hint of a smile on his face. On the table we would find his favourite cup and saucer, an opened bottle of vodka and an empty bottle of pills.

Mum and Dad on their wedding day

Mum had gone on a day trip to Ballarat, but she’d caught the wrong V/Line train and ended up in Geelong. Some family friends — my sister’s in-laws — who lived in Geelong drove Mum home. They found Dad. He was already dead. Mum’s next door neighbour rang me at work to say there was an ambulance at the house, and to ask if I could I come home. I remember clearly asking her if they’d come to take Mum away, and that it was about time. “No,” she said. “Your dad’s dead.”

It was a surreal experience. I rang my brother’s house, but he was at work. I’m sure, in my anguish, I told his wife what had happened before hanging up and ringing my brother at work. The next phone call was to my husband. It was his day off. I asked him to get his butt over to my parent’s place as soon as possible. My sister was living in New Zealand at the time. I can’t remember who called her — me, my brother, or her in-laws — or when.

I car-pooled back in those days, and it was my turn to drive that week. Rather than leaving my friends in the lurch, I left them the keys to my car. My brother drove from Altona to Footscray, to collect me, and together we headed back to Hoppers Crossing …

By the time we arrived, the ambulance had already left. Dad was still on the floor. My husband was sitting next to him, holding his hand. I couldn’t look at Dad. I had to leave the room. Eventually someone arrived to take his body away. I watched as the plain, white van drove my Dad’s body away. I felt cold and detached … numb. I don’t think I ever truly recovered from that experience. I have built a hard shell around what was left of my heart — a heart that has been ripped out is never the same again, even when great care is taken to put it back where it belongs. Only on rare occasions do I let something, or someone, get in. In later years my husband would refer to me as a cold-hearted bitch, an ice queen. To some degree, that was true.

In the early hours of the morning Mum rang and told me that she’d found a note from Dad. Once again my brother and I found ourselves in the house where, not too long before, my Dad’s cold, dead body had been lying on the floor, to read the note for ourselves. It said, “I’m sorry.” Dad had left it under his pillow, along with his wedding ring — the note was later handed over to the police. Mum didn’t seem overly upset, but she said she wanted to go to hospital for a while, and we agreed that it would probably be a good idea. The next day we headed to the Saltwater Clinic in Footscray. It was there that we found out Mum had bipolar. It was there that we learned that every few years she would think there was nothing wrong with her and go off her medication. Dad had not wanted us to know what was wrong with Mum, but it would have made it easier to understand why she behaved as she did, and provide him with much-needed support. The psychiatrist had Mum admitted straight away. He warned us that if she went off her medication again, she may blame herself for Dad’s death.

Mum stayed at the psychiatric unit of Western Hospital until the funeral, which was ten days later. As Dad had died under suspicious circumstances the coroner was required to perform an autopsy. At the viewing I can still remember seeing the cranial incisions that had been made to provide the coroner with access to his brain, for weighing and whatever tests were deemed necessary. I also remember seeing his fingernails, which looked black as a result of blood that had pooled in his fingers. I visited Mum once while she was in hospital, but found it difficult to face the person whom I believed was responsible for the death of my father.

Seven years later Mum went off her medication again. The psychiatrist was right. We knew she needed help. When I called the Saltwater Clinic they told me that unless she was suicidal, there was nothing they could do. Two days later, Mum was dead. She had chosen the same path as Dad. It was a relief, really, to know that she had found peace at last.

I still blame Mum for Dad’s death, but forgave her long ago. There are times when I wonder if I played some small part in it, telling him what Mum had said about him not wanting me. Did that push him over the edge, thinking that his youngest child, his ‘kleine zwiebel’, might doubt his love for her? I guess I’ll never know the truth of it. All I can say is, “I love you, Dad.”

To learn more about bipolar disorder, visit

The post Living with a Skeleton in the Closet appeared first on Melanie Tomlin.

An Interview with Author Elizabeth Crowens

It’s time for another author interview! I’d like to give a big welcome to Elizabeth Crowens. Thank you, Elizabeth, for taking the time to chat to me. Please sit down, get comfortable and let’s begin.

About Elizabeth Crowens

Elizabeth Crowens is the pen name author of SILENT MERIDIAN, book one in the Time Traveler Professor series, an alternate history/ “spooky steampunk” novel. She has published a variety of non-fiction articles. Recently she won an Honorable Mention in Glimmer Train’s fiction short story contest for Emerging Writers.

A 15-year veteran of the film industry in Hollywood, she’s also an alumnus of Algonkian workshops and the Gotham Writer’s Workshop and a member of the Horror Writers Association. An active Sherlockian, she’s lectured on Arthur Conan Doyle, belongs to several Sherlockian groups, and is an independent scholar on Eastern and Western mysticism and Jungian psychology. A blackbelt in martial arts, she’s lived in Japan. Currently, she lives in New York City.

What’s the name of your new book?

Silent Meridian

Tell us a bit about your book

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is obsessed with a legendary red book. Its peculiar stories have come to life, and rumors claim that it has rewritten its own endings. Convinced that possessing this book will help him write his ever-popular Sherlock Holmes stories, he takes on an unlikely partner, John Patrick Scott, known to most as a concert musician and paranormal investigator. Although in his humble opinion, Scott considers himself more of an ethereal archeologist and a time traveler professor.

Together they explore lost worlds and excavate realms beyond the knowledge of historians when they go back in time to find it. But everything backfires, and their friendship is tested to the limits. Both discover that karmic ties and unconscionable crimes have followed them like ghosts from the past, wreaking havoc on the present and possibly the future.

SILENT MERIDIAN reveals the alternate histories of Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, Houdini, Jung and other luminaries in the secret diaries of a new kind of Doctor Watson, John Patrick Scott, in an X Files for the 19th century.

If there was a film or TV adaptation of your book, who would you like to see play your characters?

I already formed my own film production company, Atomic Alchemist Productions, anticipating getting a book-to-film deal. Hugh Jackman would play Arthur Conan Doyle. Robert Sheehan, a twenty-five-year-old Irish actor, would be cast as John Patrick Scott. This would be a breakout role and the chance of a lifetime for him. I have my eyes on Edward Norton as H.G. Wells, or possibly Russell Crowe. Finn—definitely Matt Smith, who played Doctor Who. For Aliskiya Lleullne, Amanda Seyfried, and she has worked with Jackman in Les Miserables. I’d like to see Sasha Baron Cohen portray Francois Poincare. Haven’t yet made any choices for Harry Houdini, Wendell Mackenzie, Whit, or Sophia Poincare.

How important are character names to you in your books? Is there a special meaning to any of the names?

The names of the famous people such as Arthur Conan Doyle, Harry Houdini and H.G. Wells. The names are important.

Give us an insight into your main character. What makes them unique?

He’s a Victorian concert pianist with a touch of Harry Potter in this character.

Where do your ideas come from?

You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.

What do you think of book trailers? Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book?

Too expensive to make a book trailer. I’d have to hire an actor and film it in Scotland.

What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?

Getting this book published. It’s unique and cross-genre and was many years in the making with umpteen revisions.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Probably on my fifth book in the series, with at least two or three films out in the series and very happy about it. I expect at least 5-7 books in the Time Traveler Professor series. I’m also writing a contemporary thriller/mystery series with a female protagonist.

Have you always liked to write?

As a child I was more involved in a variety of visual arts and performing arts. I wrote on and off.

What writing advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Persistence. Keep doing it, and learn the craft. If I had known more of the basic craft skills beforehand, I could’ve saved a lot of time.

If you didn’t like writing books, or weren’t any good at it, what would you like to do for a living?

Write, direct and produce films.

Do you read reviews of your book(s)? Do you respond to them, good or bad? How do you deal with the bad?

So far all of the reviews have been positive and spot-on.

What is your best marketing tip?

Juggle your time. It’s a struggle.

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

Sales and self-promotion.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?

Pornography. Aside from that, probably sports.

Do you have a favourite conference / convention that you like to attend? What is it?

The World Fantasy Convention.

Is there a certain type of scene that’s harder for you to write than others?

Maybe one that needs a lot of fact checking to complete accurately.

How long does it usually take you to write the first draft of a book?

Can’t really answer that. The first draft of Silent Meridian took two years. However, there were many drafts beyond that before I was able to submit it.

What are you working on now?

Two projects: A Pocketful of Lodestones, the sequel to Silent Meridian and Memoirs of an American Butterfly, a psychological thriller that takes place in 1983.

Can you give us a few tasty morsels from your work-in-progress?

The sequel to Silent Meridian will follow all of the characters into the First World War. Memoirs of an American Butterfly is a psychological thriller: Gone Girl (Guy) meets Lost in Translation.

Do you have any unique or quirky writing habits?

My best work is done in the wee hours of the night.

How has your environment or upbringing impacted your writing?

I probably rebelled against my parents, because they never read or had books in the house.

Describe what your ideal writing space looks like.

When I get my dream flat in London and another residence in Edinburgh, those will be my ideal spaces in addition to my space in New York.

Why should a potential reader buy your book(s)?

There’s a secret and hidden message in my book. Those who read it should be able to experience some of its magical effect.

What’s the strangest thing you have ever had to research for your book?

Victorian beliefs about ghosts and life after death.

What’s something you’re really good at that few people know about?

I know a lot about Eastern and Western mysticism. I don’t talk about that to too many people.

What’s an interesting fact about your book?

A lot of it is based on true events despite all the fictionalization.

Why did you choose to write in your genre? If you write in more than one, how do you balance them?

That’s just how the cookie crumbled with the genre my story was in.

Where did your love of books come from?

I’ve always loved a good story, but I collect antiquarian books.

How long have you been writing?

On and off for over 40 years.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

To have gotten my Ph.D. in Jungian Psychology and not have wasted my time and money with a fancy art and design school.

What would the main character in your book have to say about you?

Don’t screw up. You still have a chance.

Do you have a day job in addition to being a writer? If so, what do you do during the day?

No day job except self-marketing and promoting my book and writing career.

Of all the characters you have created, which is your favourite and why?

No doubt about it, John Patrick Scott, my protagonist. I get so much into his character and into his skin when I’m writing that sometimes I can’t shake off the feeling when I’m away from the computer. Sometimes it’s scary to look into the mirror.

Are your characters based on real people, are they imaginary or a combination of both?

Combination of both.

When you’re writing, do you listen to music or do you need silence?

Generally I need silence, but occasionally I need classical music.

Who are your favourite authors, and why?

Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, (love those Victorians), J.K. Rowling, and Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl was a page turner.)

What do you find most challenging about writing?

Not getting distracted with day-to-day dilemmas such as medical billing mistakes, bank errors, computer problems, etc.

Where can readers go to discover more about you and your books?

Website | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

Silent Meridian is Out Now!

Available formats: paperback and ebook, with audiobook coming soon.

The post An Interview with Author Elizabeth Crowens appeared first on Melanie Tomlin.

Oz Comic-Con Melbourne 2016

Jump to Oz Comic-Con Melbourne 2016 Photos

Oz Comic-Con Melbourne 2016 — Day One

As Oz Comic-Con was my second pop culture convention, I wasn’t a bundle of nerves on day one, like I was for Supanova.

There were no wardrobe malfunctions, thank goodness. My wig stayed firmly in place and my corset actually gave me some nice cleavage for the vial of angel’s blood to nestle nicely into. Yeah, I’m sure you really didn’t want to hear that, but it’s my story, and I’ll tell it the way I want, like I always do.

An Interview with Author LJ Cohen

Joining me today on the couch is author LJ Cohen. Thank you, LJ, for taking the time to chat to me. Please sit down, get comfortable and let’s begin.

About LJ Cohen

LJ Cohen is a poet, novelist, blogger, ceramics artist, local food enthusiast, Doctor Who fan, and relentless optimist. After almost twenty-five years as a physical therapist, she now uses her anatomical knowledge and myriad clinical skills to injure characters in her science fiction and fantasy novels. LJ lives just outside of Boston with her family, two dogs (only one of which actually ever listens to her) and the occasional international student. When not doing battle with a stubborn Jack Russell Terrier mix, Lisa can be found working on the next novel, which often looks a lot like daydreaming. text.

What’s the name of your new book?

Dreadnought And Shuttle, Halcyone Space book 3

Tell us a bit about your book

When a reckless young computer programmer resurrects the damaged AI on a long dormant freighter, she and her accidental crew expose explosive secrets from a war they were taught ended decades ago.

Welcome to the universe of Halcyone Space.

Charged with protecting Ithaka and its covert rebellion from discovery, Ro and the members of Halcyone’s crew learn to lead double lives within the Commonwealth. Their plans to hide in plain sight disintegrate when Alain Maldonado — Ro’s father — returns seeking revenge and takes a hostage to ensure their cooperation. As the former shipmates track Maldonado down, each course they plot endangers the life of his hostage, threatens to reveal Ithaka, and uncovers conspiracies that could brand them all traitors.

If you didn’t like writing books, or weren’t any good at it, what would you like to do for a living?

Well, I spent 25 years as a physical therapist. I left active practice not because I didn’t love being a clinician, but because of personal life stresses that required me to have greater flexibility. If I wasn’t currently writing, I’d likely return to PT, at least in some capacity. If we can do the ‘dream job’ thing, other than writing fiction, my ideal job would be to work for some kind of think tank. There is nothing I like better than to match people to ideas and to each other for creative endeavors. Anyone out there looking for a good ‘matchmaker’?

How long does it usually take you to write the first draft of a book?

Anywhere between 5 and 8 months. I’m fairly disciplined about my writing and set a goal of 1,000 words a day for an average of 5,000 words a week when I’m drafting.

What are you working on now?

I’m juggling several projects: brainstorming for book 4 of the Halcyone Space SF series, plotting/planning for a collaborative SF thriller with another writer, and working on a proposal for a choose your own text based adventure game based on the world of my fantasy series.

Can you give us a few tasty morsels from your work-in-progress?

This is a bit from what will probably be the opening chapter of book 4 of Halcyone Space, though it’s rough and still very much a draft.

By some unspoken agreement, after they had hidden their ‘borrowed’ ship in a private hanger paid for with Micah’s father’s blood money and after they’d returned to campus with cover stories both their advisers seemed to accept without comment, neither of them had talked about Dev’s abduction.

She knew damned well why she didn’t want to go there, but could only guess that Micah’s guilt was what kept him silent. Which may have explained the new micro and the gift of morning coffee. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“It it hadn’t been for me, he wouldn’t have come here and found you.”

He. Maldonado. An image of the man’s narrowed green eyes superimposed itself over Micah’s worried blue-eyed gaze for a moment and Dev’s hands shook. She set the cup down and glanced at his shoes, imagining the scarred feet they protected. Micah had more reason to hate the man that she did. “He can’t hurt you anymore.”

“I could say the same to you, but it wouldn’t matter. He left his mark on both of us.” Micah looked down. “Literally and figuratively.”

She covered the uncomfortable silence that followed with a clatter of dishes, dropping her empty cup into the sink.

“Dev.” Micah’s voice startled her.

“What?”

“Have you talked to your brothers?”

She refused to meet his gaze. What was there to say to them? Hey, how’s things? Guess what, I was kidnapped and threatened and got someone killed who was trying to help me. There wasn’t anything any of her brothers could say that would ease the roiling mix of anger, guilt, and fear that she’d been battling since the trip back. It wasn’t like she could take a leave from Uni. Not and keep her position and her scholarship. Her brothers needed her to cope. Which is what she learned to do as a young child in Midlant. Cope.

“You should. Talk to them.”

“Thank’s for the family advice, now shut up.” Dev winced at how sarcastic she sounded. Micah had every right to call her on it, but the only thing he did was raise an eyebrow.

“You promised to take me there.”

Dev looked Micah up and down. He would fit in the settlement about as well as she had on a spaceship. His casual clothes were clearly customized, his stance showed both his spacer history and an ironic grace from years spent playing the role of the senator’s son. “My brothers would hate you.”

“Sorry?”

Damn. She hadn’t realized she’d said that aloud. “Look at you.”

He glanced down at himself, frowning. “What do you mean?”

Even his scowl looked posed. It was as if he was always ready for a holo. Always controlled. Composed. The only times she’d seen him unguarded were in the biodome during his panic attack and when he’d walked into the bridge on Charon’s small ship to find Dev alive. The naked relief on his face had unnerved her. “It’s just that . . . ” Dev shook her head. “Dressed like that? You’ll be pegged as either a spacer or a city boy for sure.”

Except that’s not what they’d call him. They’d mock him as a voidhopper which was definitely better than being pegged a highsider. Young highsiders still liked to take their chances slumming in the settlements. The ones that brought their own security details lived to brag about it.

“Then I’ll wear something else.”

Dev pushed past him and into the common room. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you want to go to Midlant?”

Micah’s uneven footfalls sounded behind her. They both stared out the window to the campus below. The blue emergency lights paled as the sun rose and a few early risers were crossing the well-manicured paths. “Because you’re right. I don’t understand. All I know of the settlements was what I learned in school. And that was filtered through the Commonwealth.”

“It’s not my job to enlighten you.” Dev’s face heated up. It wasn’t Micah she was mad at. Not really. It was the way her adviser was surprised that she came back after disappearing. It was the way her teachers never expected her to work as hard as she did or do as well. It was the way her classmates avoided certain subjects when she was around, or were overly apologetic when they talked about anything related to the settlements. It didn’t take long for Dev to drop every vestage of the Midlant dialect at Uni. But she never got over the anger that would blaze inside when one of her fellow students would take great pains to say, “Not you, Dev. You’re not settlement at all.”

She thought for sure Micah would get angry and clomp away. Part of her even wanted him to. But the minutes passed and he stood next to her silently. Dev’s breathing slowed and the tension in her shoulders eased. “I’m sorry. That was out of line.”

“No, it wasn’t.” Micah retreated to the galley area and dragged over one of the high stools. He sighed quietly as he sat and Dev felt a pang of guilt. “Look, I spent most of my childhood having my life scripted for me for the sake of political expediency. Now both my parents are dead, I don’t know what it’s like to even have a family, and I never had much of a chance to make my own friends.

“Not until Halcyone. And not until you.” He shifted his micro from hand to hand. “You don’t want me to apologize anymore. Fine. I’ll stop apologizing. But what happened out there? On Maldonado’s ship? It links us, whether you like it or not. Besides, you made a promise.” He looked up, then, and smiled. There was both a warmth in Micah’s face and a practiced intensity.

How has your environment or upbringing impacted your writing?

Not really. I had to learn to write anywhere and under a variety of circumstances since I started writing when I had a physical therapy practice and young children.

Why should a potential reader buy your book(s)?

I write books for readers who like strong characters presented with high stakes choices in fantasy and SF settings. My stories always center around the characters.

What’s the strangest thing you have ever had to research for your book?

I don’t know if it’s the strangest, but I do worry a bit about what my search history says about me. For the Halcyone Space books, I researched radioactive isotopes and nuclear explosions, neurologic control over prosthetics, and soldering in zero gee. For other projects, I’ve researched how to kill someone in hand to hand combat or with knives, undetectable poisons, and setting fires. Good thing I’m such a boring and mild mannered person in real life!

What’s something you’re really good at that few people know about?

I have great ‘google’-fu’. I can almost always find information or answers to questions that other people have trouble with. I think it’s because my job in graduate school was running Boolean searches for the med school staff and students before there was google, etc. I know how to ask the question and filter out irrelevant answers.

What’s an interesting fact about your book?

Barre Durbin communicates with the AI that runs the ship through his music. That’s based on research using music to help in the treatment of individuals with different kinds of neurological issues. The ship essentially has the machine equivalent of PTSD and the musical language Halcyone and Barre develop helps the ship understand.

Why did you choose to write in your genre? If you write in more than one, how do you balance them?

I love the possibilities of speculative fiction and how it allows for commenting on current society indirectly. It’s probably also because I ‘imprinted’ on SF and fantasy from an early age. Being a strong young reader in the 1970s meant reading through the children’s library and having little else to choose from. SF&F in those years were a great choice for me – compelling stories with appropriate emotional content, unlike a lot of other fiction for adult readers.

How long have you been writing?

My father says I wrote my first stories in grade school. I don’t really remember them, but I do remember gravitating to writing poetry in pre-adolescence. I still consider poetry to be my first writing ‘home’ and I return to it often. I started my first novel in the early 2000s. I’ve completed 11 novels since then. Six have been published. The others will remain buried in my hard drive.

Of all the characters you have created, which is your favourite and why?

That’s an impossible question! I can say that one of my favorites is Aeon from the Changeling’s Choice series. The mad gardener of Faerie, he was not a character I had planned in the story. He just showed up one day during the writing. I had written a line of internal dialogue for one of my characters – something along the lines of “who am i?’. And the next line on the screen emerged – ‘That’s an excellent question.’

I had to figure out who said it and why. Thus Aeon came to be. He’s also a fairly unpredictable character and that made him fun to write.

Are your characters based on real people, are they imaginary or a combination of both?

A combination of both. I use attributes of real people in different combinations as part of characterization. Barre Durbin from Halcyone Space has some elements of each of my sons, though he is not either of them. Ro Maldonado is roughly modeled on the 19-year-old self of my old college roommate. I’ve had people comment that Ada May is an older version of me, but I don’t see it.

Aeon from the Changeling’s Choice series is purely a product of my imagination. It’s not like I know anyone who is physically fused with his own garden and likes to create mischief for trespassers.

When you’re writing, do you listen to music or do you need silence?

I like to have music at times, but typically not with words. I have a collection of soundtracks from movies and videogames that I use to create mood. I also found ambient sound at tabletopaudio.com that can help get me into the mood of the story.

I find it helpful to have a story-based soundtrack, so that when I return to editing, I can use it as a cue for my subconscious.

If you’re an indie author, what’s the best thing about being an indie author?

I love the creative control and the way I can be involved in all parts of the process. After over a decade as a private PT practitioner, I’m comfortable with the role of entrepreneur.

Where can readers go to discover more about you and your books?

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

Dreadnought And Shuttle, Halcyone Space book 3 is OUT NOW!

Available formats: ebook and paperback.

The post An Interview with Author LJ Cohen appeared first on Melanie Tomlin.

New Release! Angel’s Messiah

Angel’s Messiah

Book Three of the Angel Series
Out June 10, 2016!

I was a bit late in announcing to the world that Angel’s Curse (book two) had been published. This time I’m a few days ahead of myself by announcing that Angel’s Messiah will be released on June 10!

This weekend I’ll be at Oz Comic-Con Melbourne promoting the latest instalment in the Angel Series, so if you happen to attend, stop by at Stand 120, say hello and have your photo taken!

After that it will be time to knuckle down and start writing the fifth and sixth books. Yes, you read that right. The pre-edit version of the fourth book is 99% complete. Once I’ve finished proofing it, it will be time to send it to the editor. While that’s happening I want to be well under way with the other two books … plus maybe, when I need a bit of a break, work on a children’s picture book — the working title (and possibly final title) is ‘Lucy Vampoosy the Little Vampire Dog’. Yes, I know, I have a thing for vampires … but if you’re reading this, maybe you do as well.

The Blurb

Would you risk everything, for salvation?

Helena — part earth-bound angel, part vampire — is pregnant, and it’s playing havoc with her unique abilities. Her usual diet of vampire blood makes her physically ill, one minute she’s visible the next she’s not, and she’s suffering from blackouts.

After yet another blackout, Helena finds herself back in Satan’s clutches. This time there is no way for her to escape on her own, and a dangerous rescue mission ends with Helena going into labour prematurely.

Helena’s child is born and all too soon must leave her to deliver a message to the mortal world. But the last time someone was sent with a message, it didn’t end well …

An Advance Review

I received a copy of this book from the author herself in return of an honest review. (You can trust me on this)

I’ve never craved a book so much like I crave all the sequels in the Angel Series. Every time I finished a book in this series you’ll probably find me reading the bonus teaser chapter for the next sequel at the end of the book, and I’ve never done that to other series ever. It’s like “wow great book, awesome ending, but what the hell is gonna happen next since everything is already concluded beautifully” And then BAM, new sequel to blow your mind. Again. And surprisingly after the long 3 books journey the story does not feel stretched at all. I trust Melanie Tomlin to come up with something original every time.

I can’t even begin to describe what I’m feeling. Again, if you read my review of the previous installment you would notice me mentioning something about me in a emotional roller coaster (but in a good way) and this book is the same. One moment I’m all hearts and flowers and then soon I’m crying my eyes out. The pace was fast but not too fast that it became overwhelming, same goes to the conflict. A lot but perfectly aligned together. Everything is just perfect! Especially the character development, there is so much depth in every character that I can’t help falling in love with most of them. And although he’s not quite the main character but I just had to mention how these 3 books had significantly changed my view towards Drake. You awesome immortal creature, you! And of course, I’m not even gonna try to describe my feelings for Helena and Danny, but if I had to choose one word to describe them it’ll be: #GOALS

And oh the concept and the plot! So far I’ve never read anything like this before and I just had to give this book and Melanie Tomlin a standing ovation for being so original in coming up with a twist towards the paranormal myths, God and even demons. (Just had to point out again tho this book may not be for you if you can’t handle fictional tweaks towards the religious history, believes, and point of view)

Overall? 5 Shiny crystallized stars for Angel’s Messiah. I am very much sitting on the edge of my seat for the next installment! Thank you Melanie Tomlin for the great journey and the copy! As for you guys? I am totally recommending this book, please go and grab a copy and start the series asap if you haven’t. Like right now.

– The Four Eyed Cat Reviews

Where can you buy it?
ebook

From the most popular of the ebook retailers:

            

Paperback

If you’re interested in the paperback, you might want to go this page on my website, as it’s most likely the cheapest place to buy it, even with the postage costs. As an added bonus, it will be a signed copy!

You can also take a look at Booko for the paperback, and compare the prices of the various online retailers.

Enjoy!

The post New Release! Angel’s Messiah appeared first on Melanie Tomlin.

An Interview with Author Stacey E. Bryan

I’d like to give a big welcome to author Stacey E. Bryan, who is joining us today to tell us more about herself, and her latest novel. Thank you, Stacey, for taking the time to chat to me. Please sit down, get comfortable and let’s begin.

About Stacey E. Bryan

Stacey was raised in the San Fernando Valley but born in San Francisco, where she left part of her heart. She has worked on a dude ranch, coached gymnastics, and captions for the hearing impaired. Her work has appeared in several literary magazines in New York and L.A., including Ginosko and The Rag. She is currently working on the sequel to her novel Day for Night. She lives in “beautiful downtown Burbank,” as Johnny Carson used to say, with her husband who is also a writer.

What’s the name of your new book?

Day for Night

Tell us a bit about your book

When reality TV star Rae Miller is kicked unceremoniously to the curb by her back-stabbing cast mates, she quickly realizes that revenge fantasies and unemployment are the least of her problems after she witnesses an alien abduction in broad daylight. Worse, shock has barely set in before a vampire knocks at her door with promises of power and solidarity against the gray invaders. After escaping a terrifying almost-abduction herself, Rae succumbs to the sexy Nosferatu’s silky assurances, becoming undead in order to up her alien Ultimate Fighting skills. But hand-to-hand combat can only get her so far. She still needs a job and going back to school wouldn’t be the worst idea. And once she figures out why her long-time college friend Rex refuses to have sex with her, she realizes her true nemesis is time. Life is hard as a 38-to-40-something aspiring actress in L.A. Thank God for Jack Daniel’s and denial.

Give us an insight into your main character. What makes them unique?

The protagonist Rae is unusual in that she survived a shark attack and is actually missing some fingers from it. She’s not unusual in the way that she grabs on to denial like it’s the last martini on earth and doesn’t let go after her life jogs sharply left and plunges through the looking glass. But hopefully she’s amusing while she fights to pretend nothing unusual is happening.

Where do your ideas come from?

An idea can come literally from anywhere; hearing music, seeing a movie, catching sight of a Yahoo headline, a drawing, a sunset. They come out of happiness and sadness equally.

Have you always liked to write?

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. It’s amazing that I’ve put so little out, considering.

If you didn’t like writing books, or weren’t any good at it, what would you like to do for a living?

I used to coach gymnastics, but I can’t imagine doing that into retirement age. I’d probably do something like I’m doing now, which is closed captioning for the hearing impaired. It incorporates some writing, grammar, research, and best of all, watching TV and movies for a living.

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

The self-marketing. I had to start from lower than scratch with social media and I’m terrible at promoting myself.

Do you have any unique or quirky writing habits?

I have to have a sound machine on when I’m just starting out with something and getting it off the ground. I use white noise to block out all extraneous sounds during that time. Even just instrumental music with no singing can be distracting. But once I’ve gotten into a groove, I can pretty much write anywhere: Starbucks, a wind tunnel, the middle of a Civil War re-enactment.

How has your environment or upbringing impacted your writing?

My environment was more or less perfect for writing except for the fact that my parents were very down to earth about “the arts” and then “regular jobs.” My mom always said to have one foot in the clouds and one on earth. It’s good advice, but I tended to keep both feet on earth a lot more than in the clouds and wasted a lot of time doing “the ordinary thing.” In another life I’d like to take more risks.

Why should a potential reader buy your book(s)?

I think potential buyers who want to laugh should buy Day for Night. It’s a light urban paranormal adventure with a spattering of romance that pokes fun at life in L.A., the fringes of The Biz, getting older in Hollywood, and even being mixed race. And then there’s the aliens and vampires, of course! I’m not 100% sure I’ve ever seen that combination before, BTW.

What’s something you’re really good at that few people know about?

I’m a pretty good sketch artist.

Why did you choose to write in your genre? If you write in more than one, how do you balance them?

That’s a great question! I do write in different genres. The paranormal is usually satire and tongue in cheek. But several short stories I’ve written deal with various topics like anorexia nervosa and creative suffering. I’m hoping they’re balanced in that the writing style doesn’t really vary between them, just the subject matter and tone it’s written in. I’m thinking that maybe if I wrote like E.E. Cummings in one story and then Janet Evanovich in another, that would probably make everything seem out of balance.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Angst and sensitivity is fine to a point, but lighten up sooner. Start laughing at yourself and the world as soon as possible, and you’ll be a lot happier.

Who are your favourite authors, and why?

Richard Kadrey writes a hilarious urban paranormal series. Michael Cunningham and Annie Proulx’s writing, to me, is beautiful, stark, painful. I miss Tama Janowitz’s comical, selfish heroines (it’s been a while since she’s written something funny) and Larissa Brown wrote one of the best time travel romances I’ve ever read: Beautiful Wreck.

What do you find most challenging about writing?

I don’t like corniness of any kind. I also loathe lecturing. I hope I successfully avoid having characters launch into wordy tirades that sound like they’re beating you over the head to make a point.

Where can readers go to discover more about you and your books?

Website | Facebook | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

Day for Night is out now!

Available formats: ebook and print-on-demand.

The post An Interview with Author Stacey E. Bryan appeared first on Melanie Tomlin.

Who won?

Who won the ‘Win with Angel’s Messiah’ competition, I hear you ask …

As with my last competition, all eligible email addresses were entered into a random list picker, courtesy of Random-ize.

After each winner was randomly chosen, they were removed from the list to ensure they couldn’t be randomly selected again. It was a long and tedious process, but it was a fair one.

Congratulations to the following winners!

Asia, 1st prize Amazon gift card ($30 USD)

Maria, 2nd prize lampwork bead bookmark

Colleen, 3rd prize lampwork bead bookmark

Leah, 4th prize lampwork bead bookmark

Terence, 5th prize Angel’s Messiah ebook

Krijma, 6th prize Angel’s Messiah ebook

Wendy, 7th prize Angel’s Messiah ebook

Aakash, 8th prize Angel’s Messiah ebook

Susan, 9th prize Angel’s Messiah ebook

Caitlin, 10th prize Angel’s Messiah ebook.

All winners have been notified by email.

Ebook winners please note that the link in the email to download your ebook will expire on June 10. If you need an extension beyond this you’ll need to contact me.

When’s the next competition?

I’ll be holding another competition in mid-late September, to celebrate the upcoming release of a book of somewhat twisted poems. Even if poetry isn’t your thing, you might find a poem or two to interest you. With poems like ‘Mistress Lash’, ‘The Living Dead’, ‘Pumpkin Guy’, ‘Spiders’ and ‘Where have all the Good Guys Gone’, just to name a few, it’s obvious that the title of the book — Twisted Poems of a Warped Mind — is pretty apt.

The post Who won? appeared first on Melanie Tomlin.