Zora Marie's Blog, page 5

Review of The Secret King: Lethao

I’ll get to my review here in just a few, but there is something else I want to address first. I want to apologize for being off my game over the last week and missing some posts. To prevent this from happening in the future I am changing my posting schedule. Starting this week, Saturday shall be our regularly scheduled posting day, with special event day postings strung between when they come up.

Thank you for your understanding, now on to The Secret King: Lethao, by Dawn Chapman, narrated by Greg Tremblay. If you’ve been hanging around for a while you’ve probably seen my reviews of Dawn Chapman’s short audio books, well this is the full book and I must say that more hooked than ever! It got to the point that I was listening to the audio book instead of music while drawing for class.

The thing that sticks with me the most from this story is the love and compassion. If I had to choose a single scene, it would be those which revolve around the release of one life for another. Overall, I think Greg Tremblay played Kendro the best of all of the characters, though there was not one character that I he was not on point for.

Needless to say, I just might listen to this one again!

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Character Interview with Kayla from Secrets of the Mind

Kayla is the main character from one of my favorite books, Secrets of the Mind, and as such I’m excited to have her here, even if she is being a bit on the quiet side for her. 

Mind sharing with everyone how old you are?

I am seventeen and will be eighteen in a few months time.

Would you mind sharing a bit about your family?

I lived with my foster parents since I was eight. I was found not far from a car wreak. My mom died in the crash and my foster parents were the ones who found me.

A few months ago my Grandmother came to claim me. I didn’t know I had any relatives has I have no memory of my past. My grandmother is a cold lady with a steel heart.

How’s you relationship with your parents? 

I can’t remember my Mother and know nothing about my father.

My foster parents on the other hand are great. Clara as always got nice things to say and has learned me to treat others the way I would like to be treated. She can see light in the darkest of people.

David is a bit of a goofball and loves to joke and act around.

What about your siblings? Do you get along?

I don’t believe I have any siblings.

How would you describe your childhood, what you can remember of it anyway? 

I can’t remember much, but the time I spent with Clara and David, my childhood was a happy one where I wished for nothing.

What’s you greatest fear?

The red eyes that haunt my dreams and spiders. I hate spiders. They are creepy and I just don’t like them.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I don’t like the fact that my mind won’t let me remember. There is so much I want to know. My mind is the key to that information.

What is your greatest strength?

I am not sure. I think my greatest strength is I am not a guidable person unless it is right in front of me I won’t believe in the unbelievable.

Do you have a weakness?

Yes, my family Clara and David are my weakness I am afraid my new life will hurt them.

Have you traveled? If so, what’s your favorite place?

I was never one for traveling. I hated new places and strange faces.

Is there something from the past that haunts you, keeps you awake at night?

My nightmares keep me up at night. Each night I am surrounded by demons with red eyes. Each time a beautiful woman is there protecting me. With every new dream she changes. Her hair and eyes change color. I call her my guardian angel. My light within the darkness that clouds my mind.

What is your biggest secret?

I don’t have a secret. Well, I didn’t until I was told I was a witch and descended from a powerful blood line. I am still having trouble believing that though.

What’s your favorite animal and why? 

My favorite animals are horses. I feel free when I ride them and love the feel of the wind in my hair. At Enchanted Falls they have many mythical horses.

Sounds like somewhere I’d like to go, other than the whole barrier to keep you in thing… Well, that’s all Kayla has time for before her lessons, maybe I can catch you again. Bye! 

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Authors and Amazon’s Author Central

I’ve noticed that several of my author friends haven’t taken advantage of the Author Centrals on Amazon, so I’ve decided to make a post to get you started on the right foot.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that it is a bit of a pain in the butt to set up the Author Central profiles for each Amazon store and that it sucks that they don’t have them for all the different countries. But at least I can make part of the process easier for you.

Below, I’m going to list the Author Central links I have found and what options are available for the that particular countries Author Central.

On a side note, they are in different languages, but they are almost identical so if you open them up side by side you should be able to get along just fine. If you’re still having problems, google translator may be your best friend.

US: https://authorcentral.amazon.com/

The most advanced of the Author Centrals. This one not only allows you to enter a bio and photo, but also allows you to link you blog, add events, and videos to your author profile.

UK: https://authorcentral.amazon.co.uk/

This one is inherently the same as the US Author Central, with the exception that you can’t link your blog to it.

France: https://authorcentral.amazon.fr/

Again, this is the same as the UK, you aren’t able to link your blog to it.

Germany: https://authorcentral.amazon.de/gp/home

Same as France and the UK.

Japan: https://authorcentral.amazon.co.jp/gp/join?ie=UTF8&language=ja_JP

Now this particular one you have to set up a new Amazon account for, but all that takes is another email address.

I hope this helps some of you guys!

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News from Zora Marie

Hey, everyone! Today we’re deviating from our usual schedule to bring you news from the other part of my life, you know, that college. And no, it’s not as boring as it sounds.

You see, I’ve just started my journey to become a graphic designer. Before I can delve into the actual graphic design, I have to sharpen my skills in the basics. So, here I bring you a few of the pieces I’ve made in Drawing I and Design I so far this semester.

My lovely professor posing as a drunken cowboy. He brought his son’s cowboy hat in one day and we liked it so much that we made him use it in most of our gesture drawings for the next few classes. 

A drape study.

My attempt at drawing bones while my phone was blowing up with Happy Birthday wishes from everyone.

The evolution of the Ragon, do you see the rabbit?

The beginning of my latest Design I projects, I get to begin painting it tomorrow. 

By this time next year, I should be in actual graphic design classes! And then with any luck I’ll be able to start making all kinds of book-related goodies.  Either way, I have to run, you know, class and all.

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Meet Character Gina Egivand!

Gina Egivand here is from Between Silence and Fire by Kristan Cannon. So, how old are you Gina Egivand?

I’ve lost track. Before, when it mattered, I was 38 years old. I think 3, maybe even 5, years have passed since civilization cracked like an egg and left us all holding the bag.

Do you have a family? What are they like?

If we’re talking about blood, I did. But they’re a whole world away right now. May as well be a whole other planet. I’m from Australia, and since there’s no way of getting back there from where I am now. My little corner of the world is what used to be Northern Ontario in Canada. I don’t know if they’re alive or dead – but given that they weren’t exactly city folk like the European descended white folk, I believe that they are. I think they even miss me as much as I miss them. I’m what you call Aboriginal, but I wanted to see the world… as in all of this globe and not just the little footprint I was born on. Some of my family thought I was crazy, but didn’t fight me about it too much. Funny that I’d find my way here… and no way to go home. But we’re all connected.

I miss my girlfriend though. She was visiting her parents in Japan when this all went down and I was alone again. I have a new family which I will protect with my life – even the trouble magnet I’m Second in Command to, the Master Ranger, Derek. Interesting duck, he is. I don’t know how his wife doesn’t strangle him. He reminds me a bit of my Dad and my brother.

How’s your relationship with your parents? Love them? Hate? How have they influenced you?

We didn’t see eye to eye, but I love them. My Dad always used to take me out in the bush hunting and fishing. Taught me how to survive. My Mom taught me how to survive in the cities. Her family always had a stick up their arses. Didn’t like my Dad or his family much because they were Aboriginal and my Mom’s family definitely was not.

The one thing they taught me was to trust my instincts, but also make sure it’s backed up with plenty of evidence.

What about your siblings? Did you get along?

Sure. Like oil and water. I have a brother, and we sort of got on, I guess.

How would you describe your childhood? 

I’d rather not answer that.

Fair enough, mind sharing what’s your greatest fear?

That my Dad was wrong about the Dream and I won’t see them again.

What do you hate most about yourself?

My mixed heritage. My Dad’s people were great about it, but not my Mom’s.

Racist bastards. I was their granddaughter but I was never good enough for them because of my Dad’s people. Thankfully, they were a minority but they sure were loud enough to make you think they weren’t.

What is your greatest strength?

I’m resilient. I’ve seen enough change to understand that you have to roll with things. Be water – and then nothing can force you to be what you’re not.

Do you have a weakness?

Sometimes I open my mouth and stick my foot right in. I can be a bit impulsive… I’m here, aren’t I?

Haha, true enough. So, you said you traveled, do you have  a favorite place?

Right now, where I’m at is my favorite. The area behind the dam would give the coast of my home a run for its money. But, Jesus, the winters are effing cold.

Yeah, Canada is known for cold winters. Is there something from the past that haunts you, keeps you awake at night?

Not one big thing, but a bunch of little things. I don’t like knowing that I won’t ever see my family again in this life, and I can’t help but wonder what happened to Ayame. I can only hope that they’re doing at least half as well as I am now. They’d be lucky if they were. I think what worries me the most is that Ayame was in a very heavily populated city in Japan when all this went down. From my own experience… well… I just don’t want to think about it.

What is your biggest secret?

I’ve already given that away in this interview. No one in the Kingdom of Walden really knows the heavier part of my past, or that I prefer other women to men.

I figured as much. So, happen have a favorite animal and a reason behind it?

I’ve grown close to the idea of liking the wolf. A wolf can run in either a pack or alone, and survive just fine. Beautiful animals, especially the silver one I see every so often. Never heard a call like the one those wolves make. It’s haunting and reassuring all at once. I can hear the bond of family and reassurance that all is well between them, but at the same time that howl sends goosebumps right up my arms.

Okay, one last question, you mentioned the Master Ranger, the one you alternatively feel like strangling and protecting… why?

Like I said, he reminds me a bit of my father. That same sense of dry humour and mischief. You can see it in his eyes moments before that trouble happens. And he’s a magnet for it. I don’t know how he’s managed to not to get himself killed, but at the same time the reason he does it is always to protect others. I’m honoured to be his Second, but at the same time I find the task of watching his arse to be rather exhausting.

Well, it sounds like you’ve been doing a rather fine job. Thanks for joining me and answering my questions! 

If you’d like to learn about Gina Egivand’s author, check out her interview here. Thanks for reading! 

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Interview with Kristan Cannon

Today I have Kristan Cannon, author of Between Silence and Fire with us today! Tell me, what do you do?

A little bit of everything. I’m an artist and a writer, so I paint, sculpt, mix the two together, write and lots of other things.

 Tell us about yourself and what inspired you to start writing?

I’m from Northern Ontario – I say that because I never really settled. I was born in Kirkland Lake, then went to school in North Bay, as well as Toronto. I moved to Blind River and was there for a decade, then all over Sudbury before I moved to Toronto (living in Downsview and then Mimico for awhile), and then moved back to Sudbury again because most of my family currently lives there or very close to it.

I’ve been writing since I was old enough to string together words. Unlike some other kids who will tell stories to anyone who would listen, I wrote mine down and attempted to draw them in little books. Eventually, those stories got longer and my writing improved. My handwriting never did, but my great-grandmother gave me my first typewriter when I was nine and kept me supplied with ribbon and paper. I eventually replaced my old typewriter with a 386 in 1996, and then a Pentium (running XP) in 2001… so I guess I could say my own lonliness (I was never that popular and eventually never bothered with making friends unless I sensed we could really click.) and that typewriter enabled it.

You sound a bit like me there at the end, I’m a bit of a loner myself. So, how did you go about getting published?

I submitted a short story to a magazine online, and they published it. It was a fanzine, and I wrote a short piece of fan fiction, but it wasn’t wish fulfillment or a self-insert but a serious character brain crawl of a character and their own motivations from the sketchy details on the show in narrative.

What is your writing process? Do you have a time, day or place you liek to write?

My favourite times to write are anytime, and my favourite place to write is someplace quiet. I have been known to write a scene while on the subway, and I used my BlackBerry to write most of my second novel this way. My process involves

My process involves alot of research first into each character and what makes them tick. I will write a short piece that a friend of mine called a brain crawl that narrates what brought them to the point the story starts. It establishes their psyche, their quirks… and their timeline. Once I know *who* the story is about I work on where everything will happen. It’s like being a hobby anthropologist. Culture, geography, culture mores and all of that.

Only then do I figure out *what* happens to them and why.

I really have to answer all the W’s and the How before I’m satisfied with my tale. I think the readers can pick up when someone goes into that degree of detail. Canon stays true to the end, and if there is a change it’s logical and flows with the story. Characters have definite arcs, feelings and motivations.

Once I have this plotted out (in a wiki, of all things… like a TV show “bible”) I will practically spew out words until the first draft is done. I love NaNoWriMo for this (all of the Kingdom of Walden books were NaNo projects… After Oil started the ball rolling in when I wrote it during NaNo 2012 and I’m writing book five of the series this NaNo in 2016). I have been known to double up on NaNo sometimes and actually manage to write not 50k but 100k by November 30th, and then finish the entire draft in the first week of December. I then run through it and fix all the spelling and grammar errors (that I can find) and rewrite anything that sticks out too much.

Then I let it sit until January before I tear it all apart, scene by scene, on timeline and plot/pacing chart. I move things around, if they need to be moved around. I explain scenes by writing more scenes, if I need to, and tweak the development draft until the plot holes big enough to drive semi trucks through are sewn up. I run it through another grammar and spelling check using Grammarly, Hemingway and Autocrit to catch the worst of things.

I let someone else read it at this point for a fresh perspective.

I tear it apart, like I did the first time, one more time… because there’s always something. I do this revision and rewrite process three times until the plot holes are filled in and the plot is logical, makes sense and the characters are as close to “in character” as they will be.

At this point I print out the draft, bind it, and put that copy somewhere safe just in case my computer does something stupid. That process takes a few months, sometimes four to five months… so, around April or May. I then let it sit and percolate for another few months, just in case I have an idea for a scene that would work better than an existing or something like that. I take out that printed copy, and an orange pen, and I begin the stylistic edits… or as much as I can on my own. I look for crutch words or phrases… telling instead of showing… less obvious grammar problems and at the pacing. I update the file to match my edits, and then read through it again on a tablet and highlight as I go. I go back and fix it again. I let an electronic reader read through the manuscript (the monotone may sound like torture, but you really catch the worst of everything that way) and fix what I notice.

Then I let the first of the professionals at it and take their advice (or not, but usually I do) on changes. I tweak and I tighten some more. I let the editor re-read it and make more changes because they always notice something else.

When I’m done that I print it out again, have it bound… burn the first one while dancing around its grave (*cough*) and start digging into the finer details of word choice, sentence structure… final issues with grammar, spelling, any typos or dropped words, or words that were supposed to be different word… the really fine and close editing. I do the best I can, and it’s at this point I do the first out loud reading in my own voice… usually to my cat.

I fix the problems I find on my own, rinse… repeat…

Send it to another professional that specializes in this stage of editing.

Rinse, repeat.

Let the first of my betas read it. Fix anything those sets of eyes managed to find.

Fix, tweak, repeat.

… And then send to my marketing agent and publicist so he has an idea of what he’ll need to do for a marketing plan. I submit it to the publisher, and their editor finds more stuff to fix.

Eventually, it gets published… but it’s been around eighteen months to two years (and two professional editors) before I feel it’s even ready to submit.

Thank you for sharing all that! I think you might be the most detailed person I’ve had yet! So, with all of that going on, what do you like to do when you’re not writing? Full-time job, hobbies? I already know you have a cat, so we’ll skip the pets. 

I have a bookstore… it’s online right now but we’d like to make it a brick and mortar store with a liquor license. Yes, a bar & bookstore. Right now I work wherever I can find to pay rent and bills.

What’s your all time favorite animal? It can be mythical. 

Dragons.

My people! I like dragons too, though I’m on the fence about my favorite. Now, do you have a favorite myth?

Anything to do with the Summerland and where the Pagans believe their dead go. I’m fascinated by it — even though I am Pagan (Wiccan, to be specific) and had to find every reference I could throughout the Northern belief systems about it.

Cool! Now, any advice for authors about book covers?

Unless you have a background in Graphic Design, find someone who does. If you go through a publisher, look through the covers of what they have produced and decide whether you want your book to look the same because their art department is going to be YOUR art department, whether you like it or not.

Sound advice, heck, I still go to a cover artist even though I’m going to college to do them eventually. Now, any marketing tips you’d like to share with other authors?

Don’t be afraid of it. There are numerous legit sources of information on the internet on how to run your own successful marketing campaign. It won’t be free, and it will require lots of hard work (more so than writing and editing the book) but if you want your book to be successful then you need to do the marketing. This still applies to those with a publisher — publishers are swamped with numerous projects that need marketing done. The more you can do on your own, the more they can help you… and they shouldn’t have a problem with that. Sometimes having a shared plan is better than doing your own thing, even if you take over all of your own marketing. Your publisher will still need to be on the same page so they’re not out in left field and they will be more likely to support you if you do include them. They might not have a big budget, but sometimes, especially in the case of publishers where the art department is talented, you will get freebies that would cost big bucks otherwise in the form of professionally designed bookmarks, business cards, promotional materials and even table banners for trade shows. They might not buy the physical items for you, but they might have a discount with a provider that can ship cheaply to you… and then be able to upload the files to that server so all you have to do is order what you want… and that part of it should be free.

I shouldn’t have to say this, but the only three places you should spend money with a publisher in place your publicist, lawyer and accountant. You should, of course, be able to buy your own books at a deep discount as well as promotional materials… but the design, editing and all things to get these ready for production should not cost you a penny up front… or later unless you get to keep 100% of the royalties.

Good advice, now, I’m going to side for a second before jump to the next question. Can you give us the blurb for your book?

Have a blurb for your book?

THE LINE IS DRAWN

Four years ago Derek Moss formed the Rangers of Walden to protect the last spark of civilization from those who would see it all vanish into dust.

Now, Colonel Harnet has encroached into the borders. He has one aim on his mind–taking the last barrier between him and total control over the whole Region.

ALLIES UNDER FIRE

Communities once free are slowly falling under the tyranny of Colonel Harnet. Those who resist are brutally dispersed. Survivors are forced to flee to new safe havens or into communities who have bowed under the pressure.

One last one remains–the small enclave of survivors led by Russell Wither on the shore of Richard Lake.

THE DRUMS OF WAR THUNDER

When Harnet’s soldiers strike deep into the heart of the Kingdom of Walden, tragedy soon follows.

Fanning the flames of war is the knowledge that they cannot leave their allies with only silence as an answer.

The blog post that has everything about this book, including where and when it’s available and a link to the Kingdom of Walden Wikia is here: http://kristancannon.blogspot.ca/2016/10/between-silence-and-fire-book-three-of.html

Thanks, I’ll have to check that out! Now, tell us about your next book project. 

It’s called Red Sails, which is the fifth book of the Kingdom of Walden series. Ghostwalker, which is the fourth, is already done and available for pre-order soon.

I might have to look into that one. So, what are you reading now?

Blood Debt by E.A. Copen

We’re about out of time, but before you go, do you have a sale or event coming up you would like mentioned? 

There will be an official book launch on November 5th, 2016 at Salute Coffee Company in Sudbury, Ontario (Canada). I’ll also be hosting this online all day so everyone is welcome to join me on Twitter for an #AMA session.

Thank you for joining us! And before you all go, I thought I’d like you know we’ll be having a chat with one of Kristan Cannon’s characters here November 5 so don’t foreget to come back and check it out! 

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Interview with Author Shaun L. Griffiths

Hey, Shaun L. Griffiths.As of the writing of this post, I’m about to crack open some of your books so I’m super excited to have you here! Please, tell us about yourself and what inspired you to start writing. 

I toy’d with the idea of writing all my life. I always enjoyed it, writing long letters to Pen Pals, school essays. I spent a number of years traveling and would write reams of pages to anyone who showed an interest as to where I was in the world. I didn’t think about actually writing a book until about 2 years ago and then, after

I didn’t think about actually writing a book until about 2 years ago and then, after all the uncertainties of whether I could finish one, I did write it surprising quickly. It probably took me 6 weeks for the first draft, and another about 6 weeks to edit it.

I followed a writers / self-publishers course to help me through the process, which I have such good memories of. I met some really nice people, made some great friends that I still chat regularly too, and personally, achieved so much. The writers community is one of the most friendly and helpful groups I’ve ever been a part of.

Well, I was all set to publish my first book in November of 2015 when I received a phone call from my mother. She’d been diagnosed with cancer and had kept from us, just how serious her condition was. As you can imagine I couldn’t really concentrate on a book launch. I muddled my way through, and I must say, I had so much support from fellow authors, I did manage to publish my book on November 9th 2015. 6 weeks later my mother passed away. It was frightening how quickly it happened.

I lost all interest in everything for quite a few months. I did start a marketing plan in November, but couldn’t put my heart into it. I tried pick it back up later in the year. I relaunch it my book and it did make a Best Seller status, number 1 in category, but there was little sense of achievement. It took a long time to get my life back in order, but when I did, those authors that had supported me, were still there to welcome me back. Writers are a great bunch of people, I really do count myself so lucky to know so many.

I’m so sorry to hear about your mother, I can’t imagine losing someone so close so fast. I must count myself lucky for the amount of forewarning I had when I lost my Grandfather to cancer. As for our fellow authors, I couldn’t agree more! I’ve run in a great deal of many circles and even my fiber/spinning circles don’t compare to love running around in the author groups. Okay, so I must ask, how did you go about getting published?

I self-published on Amazon through KDP. I outsourced some of the tasks. I paid for my book to be formatted, I paid a professional editor to check my work, I commissioned a cover artist. I did struggle with some of the technical stuff. My wife “bought” me a web site, she arranged someone to build it for me as a surprise present.

For this book, I’m giving myself a lot more time and trying to do a lot more of the work. I do find it so much easier to bring all the parts together. Famous last words!

With the exception of formatting and your wife’s lovely gift of a website, your path doesn’t sound all that different from mine. So, what is your writing process? Do you have a time, day, or place you like to write?

I find I’m more productive in the morning for creative content. I find my words per hour substantially increase if I have the house to myself, after everyone has left. We live on the edge of a forest. The window where I work looks out onto a pine forest. I find it so therapeutic, and inspiring to watch the giant pines swaying in the winds. Sometimes I wonder hope they ever stay up they bend so much.

Yay! A fellow morning person! I don’t get the house to myself, but if I come to the college early enough I get the run of the building with the exception of a handful of people. Now I must know, what do you like to do when you’re not writing? Full-time job, pets, hobbies?

I love the arts. I enjoy reading and since I’ve had a kindle I’ve read probably 150 books. I was amazed when I was given it as a Christmas present and found I could download books for free. I was like a man possessed. I prefer to read “light” work. I don’t like real life crime, I think life can be ugly enough outside without bringing it home to read about it.

I enjoy movies. I can watch the same film countless times and still find them interesting and fun. And I like music. I’ve followed Coldplay for years and I’m so happy to see my son is now a fan.

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What’s your all time favorite animal?

I have a love / hate relationship with our family dog “Bob.” He’s a Polish mountain sheepdog, 75 kg of white fur and slobbering jowls. He is the most intelligent of dogs. I think he understands at least 10 commands, knows everyone’s name, knows when you are coming home and loves us all to bits. Unfortunately, he doesn’t like cats, squirrels, birds, moles, mice, or leaves falling in the garden. He tends to wake me up a lot at night. His favorite sport is chasing deer. We’d be lost with out him.

Bob sounds like he’d get along with my dog just fine. Now, do you have a favorite myth?

It’s great that you ask this. I did write about a similar thing on my website. My favorite myth / legend is about a Welsh Prince , Prince Llywelyn and his favorite hound, Gelert.

The Prince loved to hunt in the hills and forests of Caernarvonshire. One morning, he called his dogs to accompany him, but his favorite hound, Gelert, didn’t appear. Disappointed, the Prince left without him.

Returning to his castle later, the Prince was greeted by Gelert who stood before him, covered in blood. The Prince, fearing the worst, rushed to his newborn son’s nursery. Sure enough, he found the crib overturned and the walls splattered with blood.

The Prince, heartbroken and in a blind rage, sunk his sword into Gelert’s heart. As his favorite hound lay dying at his feet, the Prince heard a baby’s cry. He rushed to the crib, to find his son lying beneath the overturned crib, unharmed. A blood covered wolf lay dead beside him. This is my Welsh culture.

I love it when I hear new myths and I must say that I love this one! I might have to have you back to ask further questions about Welsh culture, but first any advice for authors about book covers?

I made every mistake I could make with my first cover. I went back and gave it a makeover, and learnt so much in the process. My advice to anyone thinking about cover design is to track down Derek Murphy. The guy does (or did) the most amazing covers. Now he spends his time helping self-pub authors. He creates loads of blogs, webinars, free templates. I think the stuff Derek demonstrates to you is invaluable and I would suggest everyone take a look at creativindie.com before they start thinking about a cover for their book.

Derek Murphy sounds like a cool guy, I might have to go look him up. Tell us about your next book project. 

It will be Part 3 of the Changing Times trilogy. It’s a YA fantasy adventure that I did plan to be a trilogy , but after finishing Part 2, I get a feeling I may not get from where I am now, to where I want to go in 1 book.

Cool, so what are you reading now?

Today I have just finished Megan Crewe’s A Mortal Song. It’s one of the best YA books I’ve read in such a long time. Based in Japan, uniquely different, well researched, I cannot praise it enough.

That does sound different. Well, we’re nearing the end of our time, so do you have a sale or even coming up?

I’d like to mention that I’ve committed all the royalties, for the first year from the sale of my first novel Shifters Alliance, to be donated to the Children in Need charity appeal. That is until November 9th. If you like to read YA Fantasy and would like to help Children in Need, I can recommend this book will make you feel good on both counts.

I’m also having a Free promotion on Part 2 Lost Lands for 3 days from 1st November.

 

Usually I would include some links for you, but in this case, I’m going to include a link to my review of your new release, so hop on over to http://blog.zoramarie.com/review-of-lost-lands-changing-times-part-2/ and read for yourself what my take is on Shaun’s new novel!

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Author Interview with Gary Ballard

We have self-published author of The Bridge Chronicles series & The Stepping Stone Cycle series, Gary Ballard, with us here today. Okay, so i want to hear a blurb from your book. 

Reclamation is the fifth novel in the cyberpunk series The Bridge Chronicles. The peace of the virtual world Bottle City is broken by an incursion, a cry for help from the mythical hacker enclave 4nasia. These hackers are legend, dating back to the first appearance of cybernetic implants on American covert operatives in the Venezuelan War of 2017. Now their cry for help reaches Artemis Bridge, the fixer who “knows a guy” in the gritty Gangland of 2030 Los Angeles.

Bridge has his own problems from Michael Freeman, the rogue hacker with a grudge , to the secret dealings of the wizards on the Technomancer’s Council of Five. Can Bridge pull off the high seas rescue of the 4nasia hackers while keeping the gangs of the Five Families from destroying their safe haven in the Gangland? Enlisting the aid of Triad gangster Fong, will Bridge be able to save the hackers and the Families before Freeman destroys it all?

That sounds quite interesting, I’ll have to pursue that one further if I ever get out from under this mound of too read books. Now I want to know, what inspired you to start writing?

I have always enjoyed reading from comic books to sci-fi to fantasy and horror. As a kid, things like The Hobbit movie and eventually reading the book inspired me to play Dungeons & Dragons and to write my own stories around the adventures I had in that game.

Building stories around games seems to be a forming trend, which I must say works quite well for those of you who have a gaming background. I myself have never been much of a gamer. So, how did you go about getting published?

My first novel, Under the Amoral Bridge, Book 1 of the Bridge Chronicles cyberpunk series, was originally published as a serial on a blog, one chapter per week. After I finished it, I decided to self-publish the whole thing so that readers could get it all in one place. While writing the sequel, it became clear that thanks to the exploding popularity of eBooks, I could keep publishing the work. The third novel, if [tribe] = was written as a normal novel instead of serially and I think it was a better work for it.

What is your writing process? Do you have a time, day or place you like to write?

I tend to only get the chance to write on the weekends. My usual routine is to get up, walk the dogs, have a nice breakfast while watching soccer, then hammer out a half a chapter or more.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Full-time job, pets (besides dogs), hobbies?

I have a full-time job as a website designer. I tend to watch too much TV, especially sports, play too many video games and try to squeeze in some time on the guitar when I can.

Hey! A fellow website designer, well, actually I’m only a fledgling coder at the moment but I’m getting there.  As an animal lover myself, I have to ask, happen to have a favorite animal?

Dogs. I love dogs, which is why I have two of them. Dogs are so much more fun to be around than people.

I’d be inclined to agree with you if the dogs’ barking wasn’t what has been keeping me from sleeping lately. But that’s enough about me, do you have a favorite myth?

I’ve always liked the creation myth of the Navajo tribes, with the First Man, First Woman, Great Coyote and First Angry ascending the world tree.

I can’t say I’ve heard that one, but I’ve heard some similar to it. Tell us about your next book project. 

I’m currently writing the fourth novella in my Stepping Stone Cycle series, which is a modern-day interpretation of the Cthulhu Mythos. I’ve also just completed a screenplay adapting my first cyberpunk novel into a movie, as well as a pilot TV show based on the same universe.

That’s awesome! So, what are you reading now?

I just finished Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and am planning on reading the sequel 2010.

Have any links you’d like shared before I head off to class?

http://www.bridgechronicles.com/

http://steppingstonecycle.com/

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Up and Coming Author Natalie Norment Interview

Hey, Natalie Norment, nice to have you with us today. So, what is it exactly that you do?

I am an LGBT and Straight Multicultural Teen Romance Serial Author.

That’s cool, have any works out?

Not yet, but here’s the titles of my future serial works: Emerald Court, Sons of Erie Falls, Daughters of Raven Moon, The Heroic Sons of Nathan Reeds, House of Gladfyre Witches, The Heroic Daughters of Bernadette Lords, Crimson Dusk Chronicles, The Ursula Royce Chronicles, The Uma Vincent Chronicles, The Kagura Gen Chronicles, The Hilary Silvercroft Chronicles, the Vampire Huntresses Chronicles, and much more.

My, that’s a mouthful! Sounds like you’ll be busy for a while. Tell us about yourself and what inspired you to start writing. 

My full name is Natalie Alicia Norment. I am a writer of LGBT and straight interracial teen romance serials. I’ve wanted to write about young adult fiction since back in 2010 during the release of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Infinity, the first book of Chronicles of Nick. This was when Borders was still around. When Borders was gone, I was devastated, but my love for wanting to write young adult stories was still there.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Full-time job, pets, hobbies?

I once had two jobs, one as a ride operator and the other as a janitor. When I’m not writing, I’m listening to music, mostly anime and video game soundtracks. I play video games such as Bushido Blade 2, Final Fantasy 7 and 8, Resident Evil 3 and much more. I watch anime such as Drrrrr!, Noragmi, Bleach, X/1999, Sengoku Basara, Devil Man, Cutey Honey, etc. I’m a huge fan of movies, especially horror stories. My biggest favorite horror movie is The Lost Boys.

What’s your all time favorite animal? It can be mythical. 

White tigers.

Do you have a favorite myth? 

The Greek Myth of Perseus and Medusa.

What are you reading now?

City of Bones, the first book of the Mortal Instruments of the Shadowhunters Chronicles by Cassandra Clare.

Any links you’d like shared before you go?

http://www.rachelcaine.com/

http://www.richellemead.com/

http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/

http://shadowhunters.com/

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Review of Audiobook Brie’s Results (The Secret King)

Yet another great audiobook, I actually finished it yesterday morning, but a looming art history exam kept me from being able to sit down at the computer and devote a few minutes to typing out my review. Either way, here it is.

This audiobook is actually intertwined with the last one I listened to, it shows the plight of this fascinating alien race that is introduced in the first one.

With this one, you’ll learn about this alien race and its plight primarily trough the eyes of a young doctor on her first assignment. It also pops into a few other points of view for a limited time to complete the picture of what happens. Overall, I must say well done! It kept my attention and I didn’t get lost while listening to it. Not only that, but I found it hard to put away.

So, check it out on Amazon!

 

 

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