Liz DeJesus's Blog, page 3

Twice Upon a Time...An Anthology

Rose Blackthorn Mini-Interview



CONTRARY to the title of this anthology, working with such a talented cast of writers is an opportunity that usually comes once in a lifetime. From best-selling to greenhorn, independent or traditionally-published, the authors in this anthology span all ranges in addition to spanning the globe—from England to Australia and all over the United States. I've had the privilege of getting to know each and every one of them, and they have become a part of my extended family. I've even caught a glimpse of a secret side of them that only another writer...editor...is privy to witness through their words.

Through this series of posts, I plan on introducing you to my new family through a mini-interview of each. You may not get a chance to see their secret side, but you'll get a sneak-peek into their minds, their passions and inspirations, and what made them the writers they are today.



..The Mini Interview..
1. At what age did you start writing?

I began "telling" myself stories at 12 or 13. When I was a few years older, maybe 16 it occurred to me that if I wrote them down, then I would be able to go back and re-read them later.

2. Which book introduced you to Speculative Fiction?

Firestarter by Stephen King

3. Do you have an all-time favorite book? What about it makes it your favorite?

I have favorites in several genres, so I don't know that I'd be able to chose just one. The one that I've probably gone back and re-read the most times is The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip. (And it makes me cry, every single time.)

4. Which author and/or book inspired you to start writing?

No specific author or book. I have read things that were so wonderful, they made me aspire to write something that would have that kind of impact on someone else. I have also read things that were so bad, I felt there was no reason I couldn't do better :)

5. What would you say is the most important lesson all writers should learn?

Be true to yourself. You can take classes, listen to and apply advice from others, outline every bit of your story or go from the seat of your pants - but regardless, don't lose your own voice. No one can write what you can.

6. Of the entire publishing process, which would you say is the most difficult aspect to endure?

Probably rejection. It is difficult to spend long hours writing something, putting a part of yourself in it, and sending it out to another person only to have them say they don't want it, don't like it, etc. Publishing is a business, and tastes are subjective—but it still stings to get that rejection.

7. From where did the inspiration for your submission arise?

My story is based on The Selkie Bride. I have always been fascinated by stories of shape-changers from the sea who could live among people and then return to the ocean. There is a bittersweet condition in so many of those old legends that the selkie is held in human form against their will because their seal-skin has been stolen from them. Inevitably, when the seal-skin is recovered, the selkie will return to the ocean, even if there is true love between she and her human mate.
I also have a passion for post-apocalyptic fiction, and I was curious to explore what might happen to a diminishing population of selkies after human beings have poisoned the world in some great final war.

8. If applicable, did you have a favorite character (to write) from your story? If so, what sets them apart from the others?

Naia is the main character of my story, and definitely my favorite. I enjoyed exploring what's left of the human world through her eyes, and the fact that although she has come out of the sea for a specific purpose, she could still come to love the people she meets.

9. On what projects are you currently working?

I have a novella (another post-apocalyptic piece, sort of) that I've been working on over the last few months between other projects. Also, the first of a trilogy of "epic" fantasy novels which includes shapeshifters, war against an evil that is apparently unkillable, and the unexpected relationships that can thrive between people who are so disparate. Between all that is the real life stuff, that so often takes precedence—even when I'd rather be writing :)

Read Rose's story, Before the First Day of Winter, in your very own copy of Twice Upon A Time today!











Choose a format...
Amazon|Kindle
Amazon|Paperback






..About the Author..
ROSE BLACKTHORN lives in the high mountain desert of Eastern Utah with her boyfriend and two dogs, Boo and Shadow. She spends her time writing, reading, being crafty, and photographing the surrounding wilderness. An only child, she was lucky to have a mother who loved books, and has been surrounded by them her entire life. Thus instead of squabbling with siblings, she learned to be friends with her imagination and the voices in her head are still very much present.

She is a member of the HWA and has been published online and in print with Necon E-Books, Stupefying Stories, Buzzy Mag, Interstellar Fiction, SpeckLit, Jamais Vu, and the anthologies The Ghost IS the Machine , A Quick Bite of Flesh , Fear the Abyss , The Best of the Horror Society 2013 , Enter at Your Own Risk: The End is the Beginning , FEAR: Of the Dark , and Equilibrium Overturned , among others.
..Connect with the Author..

Musa Publishing is Closing their Doors....

So...it's with a heavy heart that I have to announce that my publisher Musa Publishing (and the incredible, amazing, dedicated, talented people that I had the honor and privilege alongside of) will be closing their doors. I am devastated by this bit of news because I loved every moment I worked with them, Kelly Shorten, Kerry Mand, Jeanne De Vita, Dominique Eastwick, Celina Summers and every author that met through them. I know we'll all be okay but I will miss working with you. Sigh. I learned so much about writing, editing and promotion with Musa Publishing and I know that I will carry these lessons with me forever. With that having been said, please go to the Musa website www.musapublishing.com and check out the sale they are having. All of their books have been marked down to 80% off please help Musa go out with a BANG!

There are Musa authors that have been nominated for awards. Please show your support one last time and VOTE for their books!!

Saving Hope by Liese Sherwood-Fabre http://bookbzz.com/prize-writer-thrillers-action-adventure…/

Where the Wildflowers Grow by Vera Jane Cook http://bookbzz.com/prize-writer-contemporary-fiction-vote/

First Frost by (yours truly) Liz DeJesus http://bookbzz.com/prize-writer-young-adult-fiction-vote/

Thank you to our friends, family and especially the fans that took a chance on our books. For reading, and loving the characters that we created and love so much. Without your support we couldn't do what we all do, which is write and tell stories.

<3 Thank you, thank you, thank you...

Vote for First Frost!

My novel First Frost was nominated for an award at Book Bzz! Please take a moment and vote for my book. I will be eternally grateful! :D





http://bookbzz.com/prize-writer-young-adult-fiction-vote/

Thank you so much for your time and consideration!!

Faerie Magazine Ad and Blog Post

Ahhh!! Exciting news! I got another ad space on Faerie Magazine (because I love that magazine and it's just fabulous) and I've been working with them behind the scenes for a few months and they were gracious enough to share an excerpt of Glass Frost on their weekly blog!

I'm a giddy with joy! Seriously, I just keep telling everyone about it because I'm just so happy! :D :D :D :D :D



Here's a link http://www.faeriemag.com/blogs/blog/16747949-sneak-peek-of-glass-frost

All shares and likes will be greatly appreciated! :D :D :D

Not much else going on besides that. Just writing and creating a million things out of perler beads. If you follow me on Instagram then you'll know what I'm talking about. I made little kitty laptop clingers and my little pony laptop clingers. They are ADORABLE!

:) http://instagram.com/lizdejesus23

Morgan is in the Top Ten!!!

My horror novel Morgan (Indie Gypsy, July 2014) was nominated for the Preditors and Editors Readers Poll 2014. And it's officially a Top Ten Finisher in the Horror Category!! So it's officially an award winning book. :)




Want to know more about Morgan? Here's the official blurb!

In an instant, Detective Morgan Carbone's life changes from day to night. Sociopath, serial killer and charmer, David McAllister won't reveal where the bodies of several young women are located but Morgan is determined to get answers. She gets more than she bargained for when during an interrogation he attacks her by sinking his teeth into her hand. Though the wound heals quickly and perfectly, it leaves her with an insatiable bloodlust as she has now turned into a werewolf like her serial killer nemesis. With her world no longer as she knew it, she is propelled into a dramatic, action-packed journey that includes being forced to leave the country to kill an ancient vampiress. However, when Morgan sees her intended target, she finds that not only does the woman remind her of her one true love whom she lost years before, but she is falling for her as hard as she did with her former lover. Now Morgan must decide whether to complete her mission or risk her own life by giving in to her heart's desire.


Here is what Rainbow Book Reviews had to say about my book!

Here's a sample of the review: There are many other characters on all sides of the spectrum. However, the intricacies that weave in and around these glorious folk are more delightful than I could have possibly imagined. Things get bloody. Torture is often right around the corner. However, I found such features incredibly entertaining. So, with no consternation, I definitely recommend this book. I did need to take an internal reading on my fortitude and I am so glad I had the right stuff to see me through the end of the book. Mind-bogglingly wonderful!

Twice Upon a Time...An Anthology

I am honored and humbled to be a part of such an amazing anthology. I was able to contribute a short story (titled The True Bride) to this anthology and I'm thrilled to announce that it has finally been released!



Official blurb:

Not all stories end happily ever after, and not all stories only happen once upon a time. Sometimes Beauty is the only hope to save the Beast—not from a curse, but something darker. Other times, there's a reason why Sleeping Beauty is slumbering—and waking her could quite possibly be the worst thing the Prince could have done...

Join Joshua Allen Mercier and The Bearded Scribe Press as they bring you on a whirlwind ride through fairytale and folklore, myth and majick. Treasured stories from your childhood are revisited and remastered into newly-treasured tales of hope and heartache, of adversity and adventure.

Edited by Joshua Allen Mercier. Cover artwork by Luke Spooner.
Featuring stories from Bo Balder, AJ Bauers, Carina Bissett, Rose Blackthorn, S.M. Blooding, Rick Chiantaretto, Richard Chizmar, Liz DeJesus, Court Ellyn, S.Q. Eries, Steven Anthony George, Dale W. Glaser, Jax Goss, K.R. Green, Kelly Hale, Kelly A. Harmon, Tonia Marie Harris, Brian T. Hodges, Tarran Jones, Jason Kimble, Shari L. Klase, Alethea Kontis, Hannah Lesniak, Wayne Ligon, RS McCoy, Joshua Allen Mercier, Robert D. Moores, Diana Murdock, Nick Nafpliotis, Elizabeth J. Norton, Bobbie Palmer, William Petersen, Rebekah Phillips, Asa Powers, Joe Powers, Brian Rathbone, Julianne Snow, Tracy Arthur Soldan, C.L. Stegall, Brian W. Taylor, Kenechi Udogu, Onser von Fullon, Deborah Walker, Angela Wallace, and Cynthia Ward.


Purchase your copy today!

Update

OMG It's been a while since I last posted! I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year. I have been hibernating, sort of hiding from the world for the past few months. I've been recuperating emotionally and physically from all the events I had going on in the Fall. It was one thing after the other and I needed to take some time for myself.

I will say that I am no longer with the Written Remains Writers Guild. I left for personal reasons and I will leave it at that. I do believe that each and every single member of the guild is incredible and talented and I know that he/she will contribute great literary works in the future. I cried for 3 days straight after I told them that I was leaving the guild. It wasn't a decision that I made lightly. I really was starting to lose the love for writing and was beginning to get a little cynical about why I was doing everything I was doing to promote my work. So I decided that I needed to go back to square one. Before there was facebook, twitter, guilds, promotions and blog tours and all that stuff there was just me, a notebook and a pen.

So that's what I did. I hid in a room and wrote until I fell in love with it again. It didn't take long ;) but sometimes it's easy to lose track of why you started writing in the first place.

And for a few months that was all I did. I wrote...and wrote and wrote some more.

I finished Shattered Frost! And it is a complicated little book. LOL All I will say is 'Poor Bianca and Terrance.' It seems like I put them through the ringer in every book. I sent the manuscript to my fabulous editor Shonell Bacon for a first round of edits before I submit it to my publisher. I like to do that before I send it to an agent or a publisher. It lets me know that I am sending my absolute best work possible. Which is especially helpful to me since I am a self taught writer. I learned by reading books and how to write guide books. So I'm still a little insecure about my grammar and all that fun stuff.

I also took a chance and participated in my very first NaNoWriMo. I failed miserably. LOL But it was the jumpstart I needed to start a new project. It's titled Pros and Cons of a Teenage Fairy. This will be my very first Middle Grade book. And I think it's going to be adorable.
I'm also thinking about putting together another collection of short stories, titled Mugshots. I don't know if it's gonna be individual short stories or short stories that are all somehow connected. So I will be playing around with that for a while.

My horror novel 'Morgan' has also gotten some amazing reviews and it's been nominated for the Preditors & Editors Readers Poll Awards! (In the Horror category). http://critters.org/predpoll/novelh.shtml

Anyway what have you been up to?

Faerie Con East

So for the past 6 months or so (although it feels a lot longer than that) my friend Elizabeth Kolodziej and I have been getting ready for Faerie Con East. I have been wanting to go for YEARS and I finally got the chance to be a vendor. It was expensive, between the table space and the hotel it definitely burned a hole into my budget (which is why I'm going to take a break from conventions and other events for a while) but it was definitely worth the trip. Got a chance to make some amazing friends and got a little bit of magic added to my weekend. So many beautiful costumes and incredibly talented people were there.

I also brought my dearest friend Kristen (aka Megumi Kitten) with me and she did some incredible artwork while we were there.

Got a chance to listen to a little music at the masquerade ball (yes! I got to go to a ball!). Didn't stay long because Elizabeth and I were so TIRED. But at least we saw everyone dressed up and listened to SJ Tucker (who was amazing by the way). Saw a small parade of Green Men (they gave me an acorn). Green for Health and Green for Wealth. Definitely hanging on to my acorn and taking it with me everywhere.

Sold a bunch of copies of First Frost and Glass Frost which was awesome. :) But I am so happy to be home. I missed my husband, my kids and my house. I don't sleep well in hotels or strange places. Basically, the only place I can fall asleep is my own bed. LOL

Anyway here are some pictures I took at Faerie Con East!

NaNoWriMo and other fun stuff

I finally did it. I've taken the NaNoWriMo challenge. I'm going to try to do the seemingly impossible task of writing a novel in a month. 50k words. God help me. LOL

So far I've gotten to a pretty good start. I have a brand new novel titled The Pros and Cons of Being a Teenage Fairy. My character's name is Julia 'Jules' Negron (first time I have a Hispanic character in a long time) so we'll see how this goes. So far I'm having fun with it and just writing the first thing that pops into my head.

If any of you are doing NaNoWriMo and would like to add me as a buddy here's my link http://nanowrimo.org/participants/lizdejesu23

What else has happened? Oh yeah, getting ready for Faerie Con East, I've been waiting for this event ALL YEAR. So excited to finally get a chance to go. I'll be sharing the table with my partner in crime Elizabeth Kolodziej aka Esther Wheelmaker and I also convinced my oldest, and dearest friend (practically family at this point) Kristen (aka Megumi Kitten). It's definitely going to be a memorable weekend and yes, I will take a TON of pictures and post them here.

Here's what my postcards are going to look like for Faerie Con East. Aren't they beautiful?!




Another thing that I'm into these days? Perler beads. Seriously....to the point of distraction. I'm making perler bead stuff when I should be writing. Searching for perler bead patterns when I should be doing research for my writing. I have beads in the brain guys.

Here are some of the things I've made recently. :D

Haters are gonna hate

It's true what they say, haters are gonna hate. I honestly don't have time for that anymore. I'm just going to focus on me, my family and their well being and I'm just going to start cutting stuff out. Stuff I don't need in my life anymore, negativity, bullying, impatience, envy, and anything else that tries to stop me from reaching my goals. All I want is a better life for myself and my family and the freedom to write and express my creativity. Not too much to ask for right?