Selina J. Eckert's Blog, page 11

Author Interview: Kandi Wyatt

Not so long ago, we had author Kandi Wyatt over for the cover reveal of her new fantasy adventure, An Unexpected Escapade. Now, we have her back to celebrate that same book’s release with an author interview! (PS, it releases today!!!)

Without further ado, here is my conversation with Kandi! (responses have not been edited)

1. Welcome! We’re so glad to have you back again! Would you mind telling us a little bit about yourself and your writing journey? When did you start? When did you decide y...

Spring! (And Creating a Book)

Hi, friends! This morning I noticed my first green leaves on my commute to work! Usually, I don’t see the little development of spring growing around me; I see it all at once, as I open my eyes one morning to be surrounded by lush, green trees.

But today, I saw the tiny green leaves, the bright red buds on trees. And, of course, I’ve been noticing the flowers blooming on trees all week. That’s my favorite.

And it got me thinking about how the development of a story is like the birth of spring...

Witching Hour Blog Tour: Interview with Pursy

Today is an extra special treat. It’s a story by an author I have worked with (the same fantastic lady who designed the cover for This Cursed Flame), and it’s one I had the extra special honor of proofreading (Part 2, that is). And I can tell you right now, it’s soooo good. Also, cats play a starring role. Can it get any better?

Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom for the giveaway, and join in on the other blogs for books snippets, interviews, and more fun!

About the Book

Part One: As...

Don’t Trick Your Readers

Today I want to talk about something I don’t think I’ve discussed before. How writers can fulfill the promises they make to readers… and just how they make those promises.

You see, every reader will enter into a story with some kind of expectation, whether it is regarding the genre, the target age, the tone of the writing, or the level of maturity (think gore, sex, and language). They form those opinions based on a number of things, and if we as writers do not fulfill those expectations, the...

The Luck o’ the Writer

Yeah, I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna make a St. Patrick’s Day-inspired post.

Around this time of year, I tend to watch Leap Year at least once. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a charming, hilarious movie set in Ireland. The main character Anna, played by the fabulous Amy Adams, is tired of waiting around for her cardiologist boyfriend to propose to her, so she calls upon an ancient Irish tradition that may or may not actually exist: if she proposes to him on Leap Day, he must accept. Well, shenaniga...

Blog Tour: Kandi Wyatt’s An Unexpected Escapade (And Cover Reveal!)

Hi friends! I have a another special, not-regularly-scheduled post for you today. Today we are celebrating the cover reveal and upcoming release of Kandi Wyatt’s middle grade fantasy, An Unexpected Escapade! And make sure you read all the way to the bottom for a scavenger hunt clue, the cover, and an excerpt!

Here’s a little bit about it:

Protect friendship, family or a creature that’s not supposed to exist?

Ana and Daisy have been friends since third grade, but a rift in the space-time conti...

Interacting with Authors 101

Okay, so this week I had a lot of feelings. Maybe it was because I turned 30 (that milestone of birthdays). Maybe it was the stress at work (hello, mountains and hours of data analysis!). Maybe it was things I read online (isn’t that everyone?).

One of those things I read online was an article articulating all the things I have been observing online for years, but to an extreme degree. You see, a writer friend sent me this article by Jesse Singal. You should definitely give it a read. And as...

There is No Right Way

Happy March, friends! Last month we had a blast talking fantasy, but today I want to focus on the writing process again. Particularly, I’d like to discuss the advice that floats around out there in the interwebs and how we develop our writing methods.

You see, the writing process is incredibly personalized… what works for one doesn’t work for all. As writers, we learn over time how to recognize what works best for us and organize our time and abilities to make the most progress.

But despite t...

My Favorite Magic Systems

So far during Fantasy Month, we discussed favorite fantasy books, fantasy creatures, and genres and subgenres. I even revealed the cover for my upcoming portal fantasy, This Cursed Flame! So what can we possibly talk about today?

More fantasy?

You got it!

Today I want to talk about some of my favorite magic systems. But first, let me define how I view magic systems. To me, they are the foundation of how magic works in a story and the way that magic influences the characters and plot. If done...

All About Fantasy Genres

Fantasy is my favorite genre.

Okay, let me get a little more specific. Urban and contemporary fantasy are my favorite genres to read. For writing, I love writing contemporary and high fantasy.

Wait, is it really high fantasy? What about epic or heroic? What am I writing? What am I reading???

If you’re anything like me, you love fantasy, but you are a little fuzzy on some of the differences between the subgenres. So today I want to take a little time to examine a few of the lesser known genres...