Katy Huth Jones's Blog, page 21

Release Day! Tamara Grantham's DREAMTHIEF

DreamthiefBy Tamara Grantham Olive Kennedy, Fairy World MD. (Book 1)This is a Crimson Tree Publishing TitleRelease Date: September 1st, 2015Genre: Fantasy, RomanceTour Dates: September 1st - 12th Visiting Faythander is a nasty business. Forget the fairies and unicorns, most people come back with lost memories and mental problems. Olive Kennedy knows. She's the therapist who treats patients suffering from Faythander's side effects. Despite her empty bank account, she takes pride in her job as Houston's only Fairy World medical doctor. She's never failed to cure a client—until now. Traveling back to Faythander wasn't on Olive's to-do list. But she has no choice. The fate of both Earth and Fairy depends on her ability to stop an ancient being called the Dreamthief. To complicate matters, she may be losing her heart to someone who can't love her in return. Saving the world, she can handle. Falling in love—not so much. As if battling the forces of evil wasn't difficult enough…


Amazon | Goodreads Tamara Grantham was born and raised in Southeast Texas. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from Lamar University. After marrying her husband David, she followed him through his training to become a burn surgeon. Tamara and David have five active, sweet, and almost always well-mannered children, ages zero to ten years. Their two pets, June and Chester help to keep the house lively (in addition to the children.)
Sign up for Tamara's email list by clicking here !Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Webpage | G+ a Rafflecopter giveaway Release Day Blast Hosted and Organized by

Friday New Book Spotlight: Tamie Dearen's Alora 2!

Cover Reveal for Alora: The PortalThe compelling story of the young soulmates, Alora and Kaevin, continues...The adventure begins with Alora: The Wander-Jewel.
Fifteen-year-old Alora has visions.Only while in the shower. And only of one stranger: a handsome boy with long brown hair, intense green eyes, and the oddest clothes. A boy who vanishes whenever she opens her eyes.And then one day, he doesn't…Alora's safe world is soon turned upside-down as she's thrust into another realm where her soulmate waits, magic abounds, and unfathomable evil seeks to claim her.The epic fantasy continues in Alora: The Portal .
Cover design by StunningBookCovers.comIf one of them dies, they both die.Bound together as soulmates, something compels Alora and Kaevin to abandon the safety of their refuge for the dangers of Kaevin’s realm. The soulmates arrive in the midst of a raging battle as Stone Clan warriors defend their capital, an attack made more deadly by the pervasive evil of her father. Alora and Kaevin face mortal danger as they fight against man and magick to preserve Kaevin's home and heritage. For Alora's father will have her allegiance. Or her death.
Praise for Alora"...I have to admit - I wish the book had not ended! ...The romance is sweet rather than steamy making this a clean read for young adults, but the action and adventure is thrilling enough to keep any age reader turning pages..." Today's Visions "I found Alora to be a breath of fresh air in the YA fantasy genre! ... A YA fantasy with characters you will adore and cheer for, Alora is a book I would recommend to any of my friends!" Books Are Sanity Alora: The Portal is available on Amazon for the special pre-order price of 99¢ through the August 31 release date! As a bonus, Alora: The Wander-Jewel will be FREE on August 30 through August 31! Find Tamie Dearen on her website, Amazon, Facebook, and Twitter.
Excerpt from Alora: The Wander-JewelAlora fought the urge to beat on the tile wall. He’d disappeared again. Who was this boy she kept seeing? Why did he only appear when she was in the shower? He seemed so real, and she could have sworn he looked as confused as she felt. As if he was trying to figure out who she was, as well. Was he a figment of her imagination? His eyes were so unusual. They were green. Not an ordinary green, but a deep, intense jade, the color of her aunt’s emerald ring. He was really cute, although he wore his wavy brown hair a little long for her taste. Yet she could only see his head—never his clothes or the background. Today he’d tied his hair back in a ponytail. Surely the fact he’d changed his hair was significant. Wouldn’t a figment of her imagination have his hair the same every time? She peeked around the shower curtain at the clock on the bathroom counter. It was five a.m. on a Saturday, and she had chores to do, feeding the horses and letting the chickens out. But it was winter, so she had plenty of time to spare before the rising sun tolled the beginning of her responsibilities. Living on a ranch in the backcountry of Montana meant cold winters, lots of work, and little time for leisure. It was the only life she’d ever known, and she usually enjoyed it, despite the heavy work involved. But right now, she wanted another stab at seeing that boy. The image was always so fuzzy. If only he wouldn’t disappear when she opened her eyes. She couldn’t summon his visage at will. He didn’t come every time she closed her eyes in the shower; it seemed to happen when she was relaxing and letting the water beat down on her head and shoulders. Maybe, if she were soaking in the tub, she might see his image again. She pushed the curtain back, put in the stopper, and turned the faucet on full blast. As an afterthought, she added bubble bath, filling the tub with fragrant suds. Soon the bath was full, with aromatic bubbles foaming on top. She eased into the soothing water, closing her eyes at the blissful caress of the heat on her tight muscles. And she waited. Anticipating. Would he come? She tried to stay alert, but the relaxing warmth seeped into her skin, lulling her to sleep. Awakening with a start in the cold water, disappointment formed a knot in her stomach—he’d never appeared. She released some water down the drain and added hot water, swirling it around until the temperature was comfortable again. She had five more minutes before she had to abandon her bath to start her workday. She lay back down, sinking below the water with her eyes closed, swishing the fresh water over her skin to remove the bubble bath film, her face floating above the surface to breathe. He appeared. She held her breath, clamping her eyes shut tight, trying to hold the image as long as possible. Though the apparition was still slightly blurry, she could see all of him, head to toe. She took advantage of her increased perception, thoroughly studying his image. She almost clapped her hands when her mental measurement estimated his height at over six feet. At five feet ten, she was taller than most boys her age. But she scolded herself for examining him as if he were a potential boyfriend. He wasn’t even real. His clothes were made of supple-looking brown leather. The attire was odd—held together with ties and toggles rather than buttons or zippers. The fit was close enough that his well-formed muscles were evident. She noted his long hair was tied back, as it had been earlier. She could only see the front of him as he stood frozen, stock-still, with his mouth agape, his jewel-green eyes wide and... moving. His eyes were moving, up and down, as if he were scanning her body as she had done. And it occurred to her if she could see all of him, he might be able to see all of her. She gasped, opening her eyes to dispense with the specter. But his image remained, now sharp and clear. And he seemed to be standing in her bathroom. She cowered under the water, attempting to hide under the few remaining bubbles. His eyes dropped down to her navel, and as they widened, he whispered, “Wendelle?” Lunging for her towel on the floor, she screamed at the top of her lungs. Hastily covering herself and preparing to leap from the tub, she looked up, only to discover the vision was gone—if indeed it had been a vision.
Read the first two chapters of Alora: The Wander-Jewel here.

Friday Author Spotlight: H. L. Burke

Today I am interviewing a fellow dragon lover and Clean Indie Reads member, H. L. Burke a.k.a. Heidi.
Q: I've read your delightful Thaddeus Whiskers and the Dragon and have several more of your books in my TBR pile. Which of the books you've published so far is YOUR favorite, and why?
HEIDI: Probably Beggar Magic. The world just has this atmosphere I want to dwell in and the characters are like my friends. It's a little slow moving as far as the plot in places, but I keep going back to it, just to be there. It's a coming of age story about friendship, with just a hint of romance.

Q: Is there any chance of a sequel with the wonderful characters in Thaddeus?
HEIDI: I don't have anything planned yet, but sometimes I want to visit with that kitten again. I'm curious to see how he handles “growing up” because he's basically trapped forever as a kitten. Will he eventually come to resent that and want a chance to move on? Also, a reader told me they'd be interested in a spin-off series about the incompetent but good-hearted Sir Alaric, so I think about that from time to time, trying to imagine him maybe rescuing a princess.

Q: As a military wife with two small children, how do you juggle writing so prolifically with the rest of your life? Any tips you'd like to share?
HEIDI: You can be surprised in what you can get done in 10 minutes, let alone a half hour. I started timing myself and writing in ten minute bursts. I can usually get 1000 words out in about an hour that way. It keeps me focused knowing that timer is going to go off and I only have to write until that timer goes off, then write down my word count. Then I do it again and see if I can beat my time. I also plan out what I'm going to write before I sit down. I think about what happens next and where the scene starts while I do the dishes or take a shower and then sit down and type it out. Q: I'm asking as an Army brat: Where is your favorite place you've been stationed (so far) and are there any places you'd like to live or visit?
HEIDI: It's sort of a tie between Southern California and Japan. We've really only been to three different duty stations (we've been married a little under 9 years, so one every three years, roughly). Japan was cool but there was a certain amount of guilt/stress coming from my family for keeping my daughters away from the rest of the family. However, it would be great to go back there when the girls are a little older and would be able to remember the experience. Plus they have Cat Cafes.
Southern California was beautiful weather, all sorts of stuff to do, and close enough to home (which for me is Oregon) that Coryn (Claire wasn't born yet when we were stationed there) could visit grandma a couple times a year. We're actually headed back there next, and I'm looking forward to it. 

Q: What is your current writing project? 
HEIDI: I'm about to start the sequel to my Epic Fantasy Lands of Ash. While I write “clean” literature (no graphic or explicit content) this series is a little darker and deeper, meant for adults. A couple of my long time readers actually found it depressing, but it has drawn in some new readers that like the high stakes action and life or death situations involved. It isn't something I'd recommend to the kids reading Thaddeus Whiskers, though, not until they are a bit older.
Q: I know I told you there would only be 5 questions, but I'm DYING to know: How did you come up with your unique twitter handle?
HEIDI: I have always wanted to be a cat. I am also very fond of typing on and on and on. I'm talkative, but online I'm “typative” (prone to typing a lot) . . . I also call my girls my Big Kitten and Little Kitten, and I'm the Mama Cat, so Typative Mama Cat. It suits me.

ME: Well, that explains how you wrote Thaddeus so believably! Love the twitter handle. Thanks for stopping by, Heidi.

To learn more about H. L. Burke and her many books and short stories, visit her website, her blog, connect with @typativemamacat on twitter, on her facebook page, and her Amazon author page.

Friday Author Spotlight: Tamie Dearen

Today I get to interview the delightful Tamie Dearen, author of both YA fantasy ALORA: THE WANDER JEWEL, and clean romance.

Q: You've stated in other interviews that YA fantasy is your favorite genre to read. Did your initial idea for the Alora series begin with the characters or the setting?

TAMIE: When I started writing Alora, all I knew was that she was a fifteen-year-old living in Montana, who was born in another world and had special powers. And I knew that she would meet her soulmate, and their lives would depend on being together.

Q: Has the world-building for the land of Tenavae been a gradual evolution as the story has progressed, or did you have most of the details laid out before you actually began writing the first book?

TAMIE: The world-building definitely evolved as the story unfolded. I "discovered" Tenavae simultaneously with Alora.

Q: Your concept of "soul-mate" is unique, and I'm wondering if you made a conscious decision for Alora to be so young (15 instead of say, 18) in order to make the conflict arising from this unexpected magical relationship with Kaevin more complicated and stressful for their families?

TAMIE: Yes, I was purposeful in choosing Alora's age. I love the opportunity for Alora and her uncle to struggle with the new boundaries and relationships. Both of them have to grow and give a little to work things out. I also enjoy watching Uncle Charles acting as a father (without the help of his late wife). Like many fathers of teenaged girls, he's scared to death that he'll make the wrong decision, and he's not very good at expressing his sentiments when he feels threatened.

Q: Your writing style in ALORA: THE WANDER JEWEL is lyrical, and now that I know you've been composing music since age six, it makes sense! What kinds of music have you written? And which is your favorite instrument to play?

TAMIE: My main instrument is piano/keyboard, and I've written a number of piano compositions. But I've also written love songs, a few country songs, and quite a number of praise and worship songs.

Q: Although I wanted to focus more on Alora in this interview, I can't leave without bringing up your delightful romantic comedy series THE BEST GIRLS. I never liked romance until I read yours. How difficult is it to switch back and forth between writing contemporary romance and a fantasy world like Alora's? With your work schedule as a dentist, do you sometimes wish for longer periods of time to get "in the zone"?
TAMIE: The Best Girls Series is based on the personalities of my daughters and me. Since I know the characters so well, I found these books really easy to write. Many of the stories and conversations came out of real life events and dialogues. To make it even more fun, I wrote the books chapter by chapter and let my office staff read. So, we were constantly talking about Anne, Steven, Charlie, and Emily. Sometimes they would threaten me with bodily harm when I left them hanging.

The young adult fantasy books are much more complicated and challenging to write. Yet it's so exciting to create your own world and make your own rules. But I don't find it hard to switch back and forth. In fact, I wrote a romantic comedy, A ROSE IN BLOOM, posting each week on my blog as I wrote. Meanwhile, I was also writing the second book in the Alora series. (And the answer to your question about my work schedule is, "Yes, my job as a dentist interferes with my writing!")
I know you were hoping to have a cover preview of second book in the series, ALORA: THE PORTAL, which will be published in August, but thanks for sharing this excerpt from ALORA: THE WANDER JEWEL, the first book in the series. I am eagerly awaiting the release of book 2. Thanks, Tamie!



Alora fought the urge to beat on the tile wall. He’d disappeared again. Who was this boy she kept seeing? Why did he only appear when she was in the shower? He seemed so real, and she could have sworn he looked as confused as she felt. As if he was trying to figure out who she was, as well. Was he a figment of her imagination? His eyes were so unusual. They were green. Not an ordinary green, but a deep, intense jade, the color of her aunt’s emerald ring. He was really cute, although he wore his wavy brown hair a little long for her taste. Yet she could only see his head—never his clothes or the background. Today he’d tied his hair back in a ponytail. Surely the fact he’d changed his hair was significant. Wouldn’t a figment of her imagination have his hair the same every time? She peeked around the shower curtain at the clock on the bathroom counter. It was five a.m. on a Saturday, and she had chores to do, feeding the horses and letting the chickens out. But it was winter, so she had plenty of time to spare before the rising sun tolled the beginning of her responsibilities. Living on a ranch in the backcountry of Montana meant cold winters, lots of work, and little time for leisure. It was the only life she’d ever known, and she usually enjoyed it, despite the heavy work involved. But right now, she wanted another stab at seeing that boy. The image was always so fuzzy. If only he wouldn’t disappear when she opened her eyes. She couldn’t summon his visage at will. He didn’t come every time she closed her eyes in the shower; it seemed to happen when she was relaxing and letting the water beat down on her head and shoulders. Maybe, if she were soaking in the tub, she might see his image again. She pushed the curtain back, put in the stopper, and turned the faucet on full blast. As an afterthought, she added bubble bath, filling the tub with fragrant suds. Soon the bath was full, with aromatic bubbles foaming on top. She eased into the soothing water, closing her eyes at the blissful caress of the heat on her tight muscles. And she waited. Anticipating. Would he come? She tried to stay alert, but the relaxing warmth seeped into her skin, lulling her to sleep. She awoke with a start to a tub of cold water. Disappointment formed a knot in her stomach—he’d never appeared. She released some water down the drain and added hot water, swirling it around until the temperature was comfortable again. She had five more minutes before she had to abandon her bath to start her workday. She lay back down, sinking below the water with her eyes closed, swishing the fresh water over her skin to remove the bubble bath film, her face floating above the surface to breathe.He appeared. She held her breath, clamping her eyes shut tight, trying to hold the image as long as possible. Though the apparition was still slightly blurry, she could see all of him, head to toe. She took advantage of her increased perception, thoroughly studying his image. She almost clapped her hands when her mental measurement estimated his height at over six feet. At five feet ten, she was taller than most boys her age. But she scolded herself for examining him as if he were a potential boyfriend. He wasn’t even real. His clothes were made of supple-looking brown leather. The attire was odd—held together with ties and toggles rather than buttons or zippers. The fit was close enough that his well-formed muscles were evident. She noted his long hair was tied back, as it had been earlier. She could only see the front of him as he stood frozen, stock-still, with his mouth agape, his jewel-green eyes wide and... moving. His eyes were moving, up and down, as if he were scanning her body as she had done. And it occurred to her if she could see all of him, he might be able to see all of her. She gasped, opening her eyes to dispense with the specter. But his image remained, now sharp and clear. And he seemed to be standing in her bathroom. She cowered under the water, attempting to hide under the few remaining bubbles. His eyes dropped down to her navel, and as they widened, he whispered, “Wendelle?”She screamed at the top of her lungs, lunging for her towel on the floor. Hastily covering herself and preparing to leap from the tub, she looked up, only to discover the vision was gone—if indeed it had been a vision.

To learn more about Tamie, check out her website, her facebook page, and follow her on twitter!

Friday New Book Spotlight: Mercy's Prince

Back in 1988 my son and I saw the fantasy movie "Willow" which entirely captivated our imaginations. There was one problem in the story, for me: in an effort to have a "strong" female character, Sorsha was a complicated mess. In one scene she'd kick the anti-hero in the face, and in the next she was kissing him. I wanted to tell a story with a strong female character who didn't feel the need to kick men in the face, especially when she might end up kissing him later....
I had just finished my first novel, which thankfully was never published, and in the glow of completing such a herculean task decided to write a totally different kind of novel (still a fantasy) with a strong female heroine who tames an anti-hero. I came up with some interesting characters and an interesting world with dragons, but I was forcing a plot on these characters instead of listening to them, and even after 3-4 rewrites the story just didn't work.

I laid it aside to work on short stories and magazines articles, but occasionally I would take out the story and try a new angle. I wanted to make it work SO BADLY, but it just wouldn't cooperate.

Then in early 2011 my father was diagnosed with lung cancer, and to distract myself while helping my mother care for him, I gave myself a writing assignment: What if I started with the opening scene and threw away the rest of the book? What would happen if I just let the characters tell me their story instead of forcing an improbable plot upon them?

Nearly 400,000 words later I have one edited and published book (Mercy's Prince), a second with the editor (Mercy's Gift), a third nearly finished (Mercy's Children), and parts of 4 (Mercy's King) & 5 (Mercy's Joy) written and/or outlined. What a difference it made when I listened to my characters! They not only revealed aspects of themselves I never noticed because I wasn't paying attention, they've sent the story into fascinating new places I never would have seen because I was playing chess with 2-D cutouts when I should have been riding alongside on my palfrey with the wind whipping through my hair, eagerly watching the action and listening to my characters' deepest thoughts.

It doesn't matter to me if this book ever becomes a bestseller; I know the market for Christian YA fantasy is not very large. I just want to have enough time to finish the whole story (which will take all five books).
Map of Levathia  I found this doll on Amazon and made a "royal surcoat" for him, since that garment almost becomes a minor character in Mercy's Prince. It took me forever to embroider the dragon, since my Dad was dying at the time and I would sometimes only be able to make a few stitches at a time. My son teased me that the dragon looked like it was drinking "fire water." That's what happens when you don't know what you're doing and you don't have a pattern!
These are sewing projects from two summer sessions with my niece, Holly. We made dragons one year (and I still can't figure out how to attach wings; didn't have a pattern for him, either) and character dolls the next year. Time-consuming, but fun!

Friday Author Spotlight: Marc Secchia

Today I get to interview a fellow dragon-lover and flautist who just happens to write fantastic fantasy!
Q: You are obviously very fond of dragons, and the dragon characters I've met so far are so realistic. What inspired you to write about dragons, and more specifically shapeshifting dragons?
MARC: Dragons are Fantasy’s most majestic creatures. I like my dragons served up awesome, magical and as full of character as any person you’d wish to meet, the kind of person you’re almost compelled to spend time with or watch. I’m a fan of Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern as well as her other writings. It was her viewpoint of fully-formed dragon characters, the telepathic communication between Dragon and Rider, and the possibilities of Human-Dragon interaction which shaped my early fascination with dragons as creatures and characters. Oh yes, and it’s kind of fun to blow up hydrogen dirigibles with dragon fire.
As a brief aside, I find it intriguing that myths of dragons and giants pervade so many of Earth’s ancient cultures.
Shapeshifters? I fell into this as a necessity to Aranya’s plot. When the evil empire decides to execute your main character by chaining her to a rock and throwing her off a five mile tall cliff, well, something has to happen or your story ends rather abruptly and messily at the bottom.
I hadn’t read shapeshifter novels previously as many in the genre are too racy for my taste, but I was aware of the concept. Here I had a character who I imagined transforming between two different forms, and that opened up such a wealth of possibilities, I was a bit like a child discovering a Pandora’s box filled with Smarties. What if a person could have the power of a dragon, I wondered? What would he or she do with that power? What would the possibilities and limitations be?
In Aranya’s case, that answer is to team up with her best friend and go take on the bad guys. Two girls against the evil Sylakian empire? Bring it on! Q: Your amazingly detailed world is so unique and well-drawn. Did you do your world-building before you began writing the stories, or did it gradually evolve while you wrote your stories?
MARC: I believe a diverse upbringing and cross-cultural experience, as well as meticulous research, is very essential to an author seeking to build believable worlds. We see many monocultural worlds in fiction–that’s OK, but not very interesting. I frame a world in broad brush-strokes before I begin writing, but I’m always shifted one way or another as I’m developing a world. I love the diversity, colour and clash of different cultures, unique settings, and different character-shaping experiences for my fictional characters to encounter. I also work hard on believable levels of technology and mythology / legends, but that often arises from what I feel a story requires. Q: Your background of living in two entirely different African countries is fascinating, and from what you've written on your blog I see your desire to mine the rich storytelling traditions of that wonderfully diverse continent with its history and legends. Did anything specific within Africa inspire your cloudland world with its "islands" and dangerous beauty?
MARC: The mythos of European folklore has been so extensively mined that elves and dwarves have become a byword in fantasy. But Africa is in many senses, Joseph Conrad’s ‘dark continent’. So much is unexplored or misunderstood, and there’s a beautiful, diverse richness to Africa’s people and cultures and a long, long history that I believe is missed in a world inured to the ‘development needs’ of this continent. In my Shioni of Sheba series, African fantasy set in ancient Ethiopia, I sought to break free of that mould by drawing on Ethiopia’s culture, mythology and history (yes, they have legends of dragons). I have plans for more African fantasy, perhaps set in South Africa.
The Pygmy Dragon draws strongly on African ideas of community and social structures, as well as the obvious connection of Pip being a jungle-born Pygmy, standing less than four feet tall. But I wanted to make her far more than just a ‘little person’. She is huge in heart, and despite being the smallest of dragons, she manages to turn her world upside-down and triumph against the odds.
The cloudlands world of Dragonfriend, Aranya and The Pygmy Dragon is a world of islands raised by ancient dragons from the base of a gigantic impact crater which is half-filled with toxic clouds–the ‘cloudlands’. I love how you phrased the question, ‘dangerous beauty’. That’s exactly what I was aiming for when I created this world. The Simien Mountains of Ethiopia were one of its primary inspirations. The Simiens are a unique, jagged landscape of dark volcanic mountains, often partially covered in cloud. I travelled there when researching Shioni of Sheba. But for the purposes of creating a memorable world, I wanted to create something even more majestic, a huge and inspiring world where dragons would love to live. Here’s an idea of what the world looks like – MountRoraima (in Venezuela). So I have jagged islands rising up to a league (3.45 miles) out of the clouds, all sheer cliffs and diverse, isolated cultures. Q: I have to know: Did you ride in a hot air balloon or dirigible before writing about the Dragon Ships? They were very realistic!
MARC: No such luck, but it’s on my bucket list. I recently found out that someone offers hot air balloon rides over Addis Ababa. I would love to do that!
I do a lot of research for the technology of my worlds as you’ll see in condensed form in the appendices of Aranya and Dragonfriend. I’m not enamoured of using magic as the panacea of all problems, and you’ll see that my characters don’t just slip into a magical cloak and achieve insta-mastery of their abilities. True character growth requires pain, struggle and mistakes. In the same way, ‘pain’ (OK, I enjoy research, I’ll admit to a case of closet nerdiness) for an author I believe is the necessary research to build a realistic world – be that the origins of the universe, a satisfying creation mythos, technology or the history of ancient civilizations in Africa for my Shioni of Sheba series. Q: What are you currently writing?  Do you envision many more books set within your dragon world?
MARC: I am currently finishing Dragonlove, the sequel to Dragonfriend, which I hope to have ready within the next six weeks or so. I’ve also started drafting Dragon Thief and the sequel to The Pygmy Dragon.
In all, I have the following novels set or planned for this dragon world:Aranya and Shadow Dragon, part #3 planned for late 2015 The Pygmy Dragon , part #2 planned for autumn 2015 The Girl whoSang with Whales , Thanks, Marc, for the great interview! I am looking forward to reading the rest of your books.
To learn more about Marc and his amazing worlds, check out his website and Amazon author page and follow him on twitter @marcauthor

Friday Author Spotlight: Dianne Astle

Today I'm interviewing Dianne Astle, author of the delightful middle-grade fantasy Ben the Dragonborn.
Q: Your title character in Ben the Dragonborn is so well crafted I keep wondering if he is based on a real boy. Did you discover him gradually through writing the book, or was he fully formed before you wrote the book?
DIANNE: When I started writing I just had a basic idea: Six Worlds under the care of one known as the Guardian, with schools on each world to train those chosen to do the Guardian’s work.  I did not have a clear idea of Ben when I started to write other than I knew he had to be unlikely hero.  I love stories of unlikely heroes. Perhaps it is because it is my own story.  I hope Ben’s story will encourage readers to look for the hidden treasure within themselves. We are all more than we realize. 
Q: Which Scriptures or concepts from Scripture influenced your creation of the Six Worlds, the Guardians, and the Watchers?
DIANNE: Many of the stories in the Hebrew Scriptures are about unlikely heroes that God transforms into people who can accomplish God’s purpose in the world. In the New Testament we hear the story of how a group of unlikely disciples continued Jesus ministry after his death, many of whom suffered and died as martyrs.  Being a hero and following a quest sometimes has a cost, but the world is changed for the better when the cause is right. The words of Mary give us a clue as to the right causes; the poor are lifted from the dust and placed among the powerful. At the heart of Ben the Dragonborn is a scripture from Micah 6:8 which says: What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
I did not write Ben the Dragonborn to be explicitly Christian fiction and so there is no one Savior, but there are people who are Christ-like in their willingness to sacrifice themselves to help change the world for others.   Like the Narnia series people can read Ben the Dragonborn without seeing the deeper magic in it, but for those with faith it is easy to see the Guardian as God and the Watchers and Chosen as servants of God.
Q: You seem to be an avid fisherwoman. What is your favorite place to fish and your favorite fish to catch?
DIANNE: I love fishing. I have fished for barracuda in Belize. I have fished on the top of mountains that required a land cruiser to reach. I have fished in wilderness lakes where we were miles away from another living person. I have fished the ocean off the west side of Vancouver Island where the  imaginary school Ben attends is located. I love that area. It is not uncommon to see whales breach and Orca swim by. It is not uncommon to have a sea lion come and eat the fish you just caught right off your line.  It is not uncommon for a bald eagle to fly overhead and wonder if you have anything to feed it.
My most amazing memory is of going out in a boat with over twenty other people to jig for fish. It is a twenty-three mile trip out and I was grateful for the opportunity. I went to the front of the boat by myself and sat in the spray so that I could offer God my thanks and praise in solitude. I praised God for the sea and the sky, for the fish below the sea, for my family and friends and for many other things in the hour that it took to get out to the fishing grounds.  As an afterthought I said, “God, please bless my fishing rod and this day of fishing.”
Now I need to tell you that I like fishing, but I’m not normally very good at it. I had taken this trip several times because it was affordable and I was lucky to come home with one or two fish.  I caught one fish after another that day. I kept the guides busy responding to my call of ‘fish on.’ I went home with a thousand dollars of worth of salmon, cod and halibut. I was the only person on the boat to catch halibut and I caught two. One was seventy-eight pounds.
I’ve tried to repeat that experience and it hasn’t worked. God knows that all I want to do is catch fish and I’m willing to do whatever it takes, even pray. My heart was in the right place that day and there was something about the way I handled the fishing rod that was difference from every other day before or after.  Since then I have been reminded that God is not willing to be manipulated by my prayers for something I don’t really need.
Q: Are you planning to write a book about each of the worlds in your Six Worlds series?
DIANNE: I am almost finished editing the sequel to Ben the Dragonborn which should be out by mid-July.  I think the book will be titled Ben and the Watcher of Zargon.  I have a third book in the series which is crying out to be written.  The ideas are popping and I’m getting excited about starting book three, but I won’t let myself write that book until the second one is finished.  When I complete book three we will see if there is any inspiration for book four.  That will depend on one of two things happening: 1. I am so inspired that I don’t care if anyone reads my book because I must give birth to the characters that demand to meet the world, or 2. Books one to three are selling well. If the series is selling well I will not want to disappoint my readers by ending the series at book three. 
Me: I can't wait to read Ben and the Watcher of Zargon. And it would be really, really neat to visit you in Canada and go fishing! A girl can dream, can't she?
Learn more about Dianne and Ben at www.benthedragonborn.com and http://cleanindiereads.com/ben-the-dragonborn/
Ben the Dragonborn is available in paperback or kindle format at Amazon, and paperback at Barnes & Noble.

Friday Author Spotlight: Lia London

Today I get to interview one of my favorite authors, Lia London, who also founded the group Clean Indie Reads, of which I am a member. Thanks for stopping by, Lia!

Caz is the heart of this series, and you've created a strong teenager with believable motivations and reactions. Even while she experiences strange events all around her (and sometimes TO her) the reader can relate to her struggles and determination. She is so realistically complex that sometimes I want to hug her and other times shout, "Caz! What are you doing?" What was the inspiration for Caz, and how easy is it to get inside her head?
LIA: It’s funny that you should ask the question in that way because, when I started the story well over a year ago, I wrote in third person. The Gypsy Pearl actually began as a collaborative fiction exercise on a website I had at the time, but we didn’t get very far. Frankly, I didn’t like Caz much. She seemed like a whiny little troublemaker, and I wished she’d shape up. After I’d already written about ten chapters, I decided to go back and put the story into first person. Suddenly, I understood why she acted the way she did. Once I realized that she was just too smart and adventurous to live in the highly regulated, closed-minded little world of a space station, I wanted to help her get out of there and have some fun. Although I am not the physical risk-taker that she is, I can empathize with her curiosity and her interest in learning about new places and cultures.
How did you come up with the idea for the faneps? They are fascinating sentient creatures and King is a particularly interesting character.
LIA: The whole arc of the story came from a dream, but in that vision, the creature made a one-time appearance. A writer friend, Jan Jacob Mekes, suggested that the creature become more integral to the plot and gave me ideas for the fanep species culture, etc. I can’t imagine the story without King, so I am greatly indebted to Mekes.
Your world building for this series is terrific. The three world concept, the unique qualities of each planet, the differences and prejudices between ICS dwellers (spaceys) and Surface dwellers, all of it combine to make a gritty, realistic setting that transports the reader into your universe. What is your process of creating an entirely new reality?
LIA: Many of my favorite books feature elaborate world-building, so this was my chance to explore that aspect of writing. Also, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to travel a lot in my life, particularly during formative years in my youth. Because I was allowed to look at foreign “worlds” through the unbiased eyes of a child, I think it changed the way I look at the world in general. I love my country and my culture, but I also can see why other countries developed different ways of doing things that worked for them. History, sociology, anthropology—these are interests of mine, and world-building allows me to work through some of my observations of things I see happening on good ol’ Earth. In terms of process, I ask a lot of “what ifs”. What if a colony only had this much land space? What if a colony were cut off from the archives of the past knowledge? What if the climate was brutal, but the money to be made was great? What if you never, ever left the walls of your space ship for your whole life?
I know you meant for this to be a trilogy, which makes sense since there are three worlds and three gifts, but do you have any plans for other stories set in this universe?
LIA: Actually, I thought it was going to be a novella! It grew, rather like Caz’s “rotation” on Caren, into something much bigger than expectedYou are such a wonderfully eclectic writer, and I love your sense of humor, yet you also write beautifully and memorably about more serious topics. What are your ideas for future books?
LIA: You are very kind! “Eclectic” is such a nice way of saying, “can’t make up her mind”! Most of the stories I’m sketching out now are for young adult and middle grade audiences. The two books that are most fully formulated in my mind are both in the fantasy genre. One, The Wedding Circle Wish, will see two tweens accidentally crash a fairy wedding, steal a wish, and have a startling transformation take place. It will be very silly and whimsical in nature. I’m hoping to have my own tween kids help me write it. The other, as yet without a working title, will be considerably longer and more complex. It’ll have a pre-industrial, magical feel with some intrigue and action wrapped around a coming-of-age story. I will definitely do some world-building with that one because I want to create some very different social paradigms to find out “what if…” The overall story arc is in my brain, but how I’ll get from point A to point Z will be an adventure for me as much as for my characters.
I've read all three Gypsy Pearl books, and I highly recommend them! Here are my reviews:
Book One: CarenBook Two: CraggyBook Three: Tye
Check out all of Lia's books and visit her at lialondonbooks.com and on Twitter: @lialondon1

Friday Author Spotlight: Angela Castillo

Today I'm interviewing another fellow Texan, Angela Castillo, whose latest book, The River Girl's Song: Texas Women of Spirit Vol. I , was just released yesterday. A young mother who writes moving stories with spirit and heart, Angela exudes contagious energy and enthusiasm.

Q: In the acknowledgement of The River Girl's Song, you thank the mayor of Bastrop, Texas and the Pioneer Farm in Round Rock, Texas. Was that as part of your research or is this story based on an actual person or compilation of events?

ANGELA: This story is completely fictional but I did extensive research on my home town of Bastrop. I wanted to create a character who could have lived near the town and in the actual historic setting. I used buildings that you can still visit in Bastrop today, including the Methodist church. Zillia is actually a name from a Bastrop census in the 1880's.

Q: Your main character, Zillia, is so well crafted I keep wondering if she was a real person. Did you discover her gradually through the research, or was she the reason for the research?

ANGELA: Zillia is not a real person per se, but she is someone I created based on many aspects of the amazing women I have known in my life. I also drew from several of my own life experiences, especially the goats and some of the questions she has about God.

Q: With three children at home, how do you juggle writing with motherhood? Do you follow a schedule?

ANGELA: Not really. I try to devote a certain amount of time per day towards writing and getting the word out about my books, but it comes in spurts. Sometimes I'll spend an hour madly scribbling while the kids play in the backyard, and sometimes I won't write an original sentence for days. I do try to have a timeline of goals to work with. That works better for me than having something I have to do every single day.

Q: In each of your two books I've read so far you deftly weave gentle spiritual themes into your stories. Which genre do you find it easier to write from a Christian viewpoint, fantasy or historical? Do you prefer one over the other?

ANGELA: I really don't have a hard time with either one, because for me, my faith is such a part of who I am it kind of just flows in. I write fiction, but God is real and His truths never change, so I really don't have a hard time integrating it into either. My biggest challenge is trying to convey my thoughts in a way that the reader will understand what I am trying to say, but hopefully won't be too 'cheesy' or 'preachy.' I always try to write things that I would want to read.

I grew up reading both history and fantasy, pretty much in equal helpings, so I can't even say which one I like better.

Q: What is your next writing project?

ANGELA: I'm working on the next book in the "Texas Women of Faith" series, which will be about Soonie and her trip to North Texas to teach the children at a Comanche settlement. The 1890's was an extremely pivotal point for the Comanche people, and there is so much amazing history to work with. I could write ten books already!

How to contact Angela:

Website: Angela Castillo, Writer

Facebook: Fairygirl Photo

Twitter: @fairygirlcards

Friday Author Spotlight: Karen S. Jones

Today I'm interviewing K. S. (Karen) Jones, whose stunning debut YA historical novel SHADOW OF THE HAWK was released in February. Since she recently moved to Kerrville, I got to meet in her in person this week, and she is a lovely person with her own inspiring personal story.
Q: What gave you the initial idea for this story? Are any of the details inspired by actual events?
Karen: Shadow of the Hawk is a 1930s historical fiction story that came about by my fascination with the amazing people who lived during this trying time. My parents were just youngsters when America’s Great Depression hit, so their childhood memories were filled with immense personal struggles, as well as great admiration and compassion. Their parents (my grandparents) had to make life-changing decisions, which trickled down through generations. So, bits and pieces of their lives and their memories have touched this story. Many books set during this time period tell about people fleeing the Dust Bowl. But Shadow of the Hawk is different, because these folks stay on their farm, rather than migrating westward.
Q: Your details are so well drawn I feel as if I've traveled to 1932 Arkansas in a time machine. Did you live there? Or visit for research purposes?
Karen: Although Shadow of the Hawk is purely fictional, it does take place in a real town called Coaldale. Today, the town it is nothing more than a blip on an Arkansas map, but it does still have several homes, a church, and a cemetery. Coaldale is where my mother was born, and where she lived until she was about eight years old. I have visited Coaldale several times, including taking my mother on her last trip home. On that trip, we spent two days revisiting the sites she loved so much, and I was totally immersed in her memories. At that time, I still had a few years left before finishing this book, so our visit added a lot of flavor to the story. I had grown up listening to my mother’s vivid recollections of Coaldale, as well as life in general during the 1930s in both Arkansas and California, and her stories left an indelible impression upon me.

Q: The dialogue is so believable. How did your characters come alive for you? Were any born "fully grown" or did they develop over time as you did your research?
Karen: That's a great question, Katy. First, the vernacular used in this book is the same language I grew up listening to from my mother, father, aunts, uncles, and grandparents! It’s the real deal. And yes, the characters in this book most certainly “came alive” for the writing of this story. The main character in Shadow of the Hawk is sixteen-year-old Sooze Williams. However, when I began writing this story, it was Cora, her younger sister, whom I thought this story was about, so Sooze had a hard time pushing herself through. And, in fact, Sooze originally had a different name, and I could not get a handle on her personality. I just knew I had her name all wrong. My poor husband had to listen to me mumble and grumble about "that" not being her name. Then an interesting writer-thing happened. One day, out of sheer frustration, I shouted, "Tell me your name!" She stepped up and said, "My name is Sooze. Well, Susanna is my God-given name, but folks never call me by it." In amazement, I said, "Sue's? As in S-U-E-apostrophe-S?" and she said, "No, Mama says nothin’ ever really belongs to us except our beliefs and she didn't want to mislead me by giving me a possessive spelling, so she taught me to spell my name S-O-O-Z-E." From that moment on, Sooze and her story took off, and I just hung on for the ride.
Q: I know from my own experience that writing historical fiction is a lot of work searching for those details that firmly place the story in a certain time and place. Do you have a process? You mention on your blog that the research for Shadow of the Hawk "has spanned a lifetime." I'm curious about that.
Karen: Since the town of Coaldale, which is located on the Oklahoma/Arkansas border, is where my mother comes from, I grew up listening to all the stories surrounding her childhood. She loved Coaldale and the Ouachita Mountain area. And she had an interesting family. There never seemed to be a dull moment. Over twenty years ago, I began writing down her memories in minute detail. But then I realized that the memories of one person might not be the same memories that another person has, so I branched out. 
     It was important to me for this book to be a genuine, authentic representation of small town life in the 1930s, so I actually spent more than 15 years researching and writing this story. Part of my research included personal interviews and letters from folks who lived during that time, many from the Coaldale area. But this fictional tale goes one-step further than plain everyday life – it also includes a murder trial. That research plunged me into a whole other world! I spent many months researching the facts and experiences of real life court cases that occurred during that time, like the Scopes Trial, the Sweet Trial, and the trial of the Scottsboro Boys, among others. I studied actual trial transcripts, the summations, plus newspaper and personal eyewitness accounts, to frame up a realistic trial for Shadow of the Hawk.
Q: What are you working on now?
Karen: I recently finished a middle-grade fantasy set in the Southwest tentatively titled, The Talisman. It is currently under publisher's review. I am also putting finishing touches on another middle-grade fantasy which I hope to start marketing soon. After that comes the writing of a New Adult novel set in the beautiful Hill Country of Texas.
It's been a pleasure to get to know you better, Karen. I've read Shadow of the Hawk (here's my review) and I want to see your extraordinary book find a wide readership. All best wishes!
Where to buy SHADOW OF THE HAWK:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Hawk-K-S-Jones-ebook/dp/B00TEPXNOW 
Barnes & Noble:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadow-of-the-hawk-k-s-jones/1121194142?ean=2940150302396
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/shadow-of-the-hawk-4
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=Shadow+of+the+Hawk
Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/story/32563073-shadow-of-the-hawk-k-s-jones
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shadow-of-the-hawk/id966354494?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

How to connect with Karen:

Blog: http://www.ksjones.com 
Tumblr: http://karensjones.tumblr.com/ 
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ksjones/shadow-of-the-hawk/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.o.jones.12 
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Karen.S.Jones.Author?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KSJones2011
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/karen-s-jones/42/597/417/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/KSJones
Google: http://plus.google.com/u/0/+KarenJones-KSJonesAuthor/posts
You Tube book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh3xLlp0-t0