Zoe Adams's Blog, page 16
June 7, 2013
Guns And Girls And Zombies - Oh My!
To all who are reading this,
I would like to announce some news.
Not only am I a fiction writer, but recently I have been asked to become lead scriptwriter for an independent film, with university graduate and friend, Jay Smith.
When I was asked, I was startled. Write a script. I hadn't done it in a while so I was a little apprehensive...
Yet, two production meetings in, I have a co-writer - Andrew Erwin.
I have director and a producer - Jay Smith and Cayde Sleath-Wilding.
We have two production companies working with us - Let There Be Light Productions and Know-Media.
We have actors, but we're not giving you their names just yet.
We have script extracts, a synopsis, character profiles. It is a do-able film and we'll be looking for funding too!
If you can take time out to Like our Facebook page, it would be fantastic and we appreciate every single one of you:
https://www.facebook.com/ZombieSquad2014
And if you're interested in becoming a supporting actor in the future, please feel free to join the group. Joining does not guarantee you a role. We will consider everyone though!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/528351007221359/
Thank you once again for taking an interest - and as the title says, there is guns, girls and zombies - oh yeah baby!
If you're on Twitter, follow us for news updates and more!
@JayLSmith28
@amerwin and,
@ZeeZeeDreaming
Sadly, Cayde does not have Twitter - damn you man!
Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: Ash by James Herbert.
I would like to announce some news.
Not only am I a fiction writer, but recently I have been asked to become lead scriptwriter for an independent film, with university graduate and friend, Jay Smith.
When I was asked, I was startled. Write a script. I hadn't done it in a while so I was a little apprehensive...
Yet, two production meetings in, I have a co-writer - Andrew Erwin.
I have director and a producer - Jay Smith and Cayde Sleath-Wilding.
We have two production companies working with us - Let There Be Light Productions and Know-Media.
We have actors, but we're not giving you their names just yet.
We have script extracts, a synopsis, character profiles. It is a do-able film and we'll be looking for funding too!
If you can take time out to Like our Facebook page, it would be fantastic and we appreciate every single one of you:
https://www.facebook.com/ZombieSquad2014
And if you're interested in becoming a supporting actor in the future, please feel free to join the group. Joining does not guarantee you a role. We will consider everyone though!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/528351007221359/
Thank you once again for taking an interest - and as the title says, there is guns, girls and zombies - oh yeah baby!
If you're on Twitter, follow us for news updates and more!
@JayLSmith28
@amerwin and,
@ZeeZeeDreaming
Sadly, Cayde does not have Twitter - damn you man!
Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: Ash by James Herbert.
May 25, 2013
Interview With... Coey Cain
To all who are reading this,
Join me on this mystical journey as I meet fellow Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly author, Coey Cain and learn about her fantasy novel, The Elite: Unveiled.
---
Name: Coey Cain
Age: 31
Living in: Indiana
Hi Coey, thanks for joining me! So what are three interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share with the readers?
1. I've written about fifty books that no one will ever see. They've been thrown away or lost forever during my life adventures.
2. My name is the result of my niece being unable to pronounce my real name when she was a baby. She couldn't say it and "Coey" stuck like glue.
3. I hate flying and every step of the process that goes along with flying from start to finish. Also, I've been kicked off more flights than anyone else that I've heard of or met. If you can beat five, we should have a conversation. I'm scared to even attempt to book a flight Southwest. They probably have blacklisted me now.
What made you want to be a writer?
Wishes and wants got me into writing. A desire to have, and do, whatever I wanted drove me to become a writer. It was a God complex from an early age combined with the lack of cable television. I guess it all started with a little pink diary that my parents bought me when I was seven years old. I didn't have anything to talk about, and so I started making things up. By the time I was eight, these were four hundred page novels.
What motivates you to write?
I figure the stories are going to play out in my head no matter what. I might as well write it down and keep myself busy!
Do you have a particular writing process?
No, I don't think I do. I just sit down and write. I study and I write. When I'm bored writing, I do something else. When I lose interest in something else, I write. It all starts with a scene that plays out in my head and I build a novel around that scene. I guess that's my process. I start with a single statement or exchange of words, and the whole book is built on it.
How do you handle the deadly problem that is writer's block?
I manage it with a lot of stress and anxiety. There's been a lot of times I've thought my imagination was broken. I've had the thought, "Maybe I'll never write again," and I lose sleep over it. It's scary. When you live your life with stories always playing in your imagination and it all comes to a screeching halt, it's terrifying. You're going along just fine and all of a sudden you hit a blank wall. You can't go around it, over it, under it... Everything stops. I close my eyes and there's nothing there. The only thing to do is wait it out.
What is a piece of writing advice that you will always remember?
Oh man... Ugh... One of the bad things about me is that I'm self-taught. I didn't take creative writing classes or anything of the sort. In high school, my English teacher hated me, to my dismay, because English was the only subject I was most interested in taking. She was impossible to deal with and even harder to learn from because she simply couldn't stand me. I've thought about her countless times over the years and to this day, I don't know if we got off on the wrong foot or what. I mean, I got in trouble if someone else in class spoke to me! That's how bad it was. I ended up having my mother buy me a bunch of college level dictionaries and I studied those on my own time. I've learned what I could, where I could, and I'm still learning every day.
What is the most influential book you have ever read, and why do you think so?
The Elements of Style. I came upon that book later in life, but I remember thinking, "This is exactly what I've always wanted!"
Have you derived inspiration from your home or from anywhere you have visited?
Of course. Everything inspires me. Settings, buildings, cars, a couple walking down the street, a pair of shoes... Everything I see and hear can be used for inspiration.
Your first major publication is The Elite: Unveiled. Have you had any publications prior to this?
Nope. I've never attempted to publishing anything before. I didn't plan to become an author. Writing was a hobby, that's all. It was a hobby that I was really into, but it's like collecting stamps or figurines. I loved it, but didn't see how or why anyone else would enjoy looking at my hobby. The last thing I want to do is to stare at someone's coin collection for hours but that's what I thought about my writing. It's great fun for me, but no one else would be interested.
What is The Elite: Unveiled all about? It certainly sounds interesting!
Everyone assumes that Joelie Baudelaire lives a charmed life. She has a generous benefactor in Warren Jardine, and a glamorous lifestyle in the exciting city of Las Vegas. Everyone is wrong. When Warren is arrested, Joelie has the ability to escape the emotional jail he's held her captive in for two years. Her father's house should be her refuge, but it's another kind of prison altogether. All Joelie wants is a normal, peaceful life. Discovering that she is one of The World Elite, a genetically superior race, puts a whole new set of shackles on her life. Her destiny is planned, and her future marriage is pre-arranged. While Joelie still remembers her childhood crush on the Elite, Sender Stelle, it isn't easy to accept a betrothal to a man she barely knows beyond his photograph. Warren doesn't want to release his control over her. The World Elite would force her to fulfil her destined duty, and Sender has gone from resigned acceptance to benign co-operation with the powers that be. Freedom is just out of reach. All Joelie must do is defy some of the most powerful people in the world, and survive.
This is the first book of the saga and it’s the unveiling of the truth. I wanted to start from scratch and keep it raw. I wanted to show the turmoil and tribulations that result from lying and keeping secrets. In this case, we have a woman who’s in her late twenties and she has to cope with the truth of what she actually is, which is one of the World Elite. There’s all kinds of people walking around on earth and she’s one of the rare few who are genetically superior. Now, I’m not introducing anything that’s too far-fetched, and I want people to know that when they pick up my book. There are real super-humans walking around with us every day, and they’re my inspiration when I started writing this. Mathematicians, clinical geniuses, telekinesis... the list goes on and on with real people in the world who have amazing abilities. I pay attention because I’m not making everything up. A lot of research went into my Elites. From animals to humans, the possibilities are endless. From Eidetic memory, Kim Peek is the perfect example of this, where he can remember everything, and I mean everything! Then there’s Wim Hof who is cold-proof. Isao Machii is a Japanese man with superhuman reflexes. There’s Das Uberboy who has bona fide Super-Strength. These folks have real live superpowers. Ben Underwood has the power of Super Echolocation. Human echolocation is not really new. So, in a way, this is my idea of paying my respects to these amazing people and I thought it would make for a great story. And so it begins. My interpretation of what goes on in my imagination. Because there is no Science Fiction, just science.
What drove you to write fantasy?Unless you're writing a biography, it's all fantasy!
On your Amazon.com page, it says that you have a love of fast cars. Can you tell us how you got into racing and precision driving and what you love about it?
Earlier, I mentioned having a god complex and this part of my life is a fine example of it. I have no idea where my fascination with cars came from originally, but I was the toddler who was always playing with Hot Wheels. Sports cars are gorgeous and shiny and powerful. I can tell you it hit me like a ton of bricks the first time I watched The Wraith as a child. This is way before Fast and the Furious, and really shows my age. I always wanted to drive. When I was three-years-old, my dad would sit me on his lap and let me steer the car through residential neighbourhoods. My number one priority in life was getting my driver’s license. It meant freedom and control. My biggest fear was dying before I was old enough to drive, I kid you not. I got my permit, at the earliest age possible, and then proceeded to take my parent’s car out, without their knowledge, every time they went out of town, which was frequent. My dad was a truck driver and they would go on runs together. I was raised in Indiana and the potholes are horrendous. At first, it was all about trying to dodge potholes. Then, it was all about how fluidly I could dodge the potholes, then it was how fast and fluidly I could dodge them… and so on, you get the point. I made a game out of it. I was always pushing myself. Always getting closer and closer to objects to get a feel for how much space was around the car when I couldn’t see it. Keep in mind, I was raised by two parents with CDL licenses, and to this day, one of my dad’s famous quotes is, “An inch is as good as a mile.” I think what really helped me excel in the sport was that I had to learn to drive in a 1979 Lincoln Town Car. I had to manoeuvre a huge-ass boat when all my friends got to learn how to drive in little Hondas and hatchbacks. I wasn’t going to be discouraged by anything. I’d been in and out of a semi since I was born. I’ve seen my father booking it between concrete barricades on both sides with hardly an inch between the truck and the concrete. I figured, if he had the skill to do that in a semi and I had the skill to manoeuvre a huge Lincoln, a little sports car was nothing… and I figured right.Are you planning on continuing The Elite as a series, and what does the future hold for you as a writer?
Yes, The Elite will go on. Book one was intended to setup the saga, like a very long prequel. You’ve definitely not seen the last of them. The second is on its way and there’s plans for the third. I’ve got a lot of other work to get to, but I do want to give people book two before I finish anything else. There’s going to be some space between two and three. I hate to be that way, but I have other stories to tell. I’ll try to keep people entertained either way.
Thank you for such a fantastic interview, Coey! Be sure to check out The Elite: Unveiled on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. You can also find Coey here:https://www.facebook.com/CoeyCain?fref=tsTwitter: @CoeyCainhttp://iwassociation.com/ ---Yours, with eternal ink,Zoe--- Currently reading: Sword of Darkness by Sherrilyn Kenyon, writing as Kinley MacGregor
Join me on this mystical journey as I meet fellow Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly author, Coey Cain and learn about her fantasy novel, The Elite: Unveiled.
---Name: Coey Cain
Age: 31
Living in: Indiana
Hi Coey, thanks for joining me! So what are three interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share with the readers?
1. I've written about fifty books that no one will ever see. They've been thrown away or lost forever during my life adventures.
2. My name is the result of my niece being unable to pronounce my real name when she was a baby. She couldn't say it and "Coey" stuck like glue.
3. I hate flying and every step of the process that goes along with flying from start to finish. Also, I've been kicked off more flights than anyone else that I've heard of or met. If you can beat five, we should have a conversation. I'm scared to even attempt to book a flight Southwest. They probably have blacklisted me now.
What made you want to be a writer?
Wishes and wants got me into writing. A desire to have, and do, whatever I wanted drove me to become a writer. It was a God complex from an early age combined with the lack of cable television. I guess it all started with a little pink diary that my parents bought me when I was seven years old. I didn't have anything to talk about, and so I started making things up. By the time I was eight, these were four hundred page novels.
What motivates you to write?
I figure the stories are going to play out in my head no matter what. I might as well write it down and keep myself busy!
Do you have a particular writing process?
No, I don't think I do. I just sit down and write. I study and I write. When I'm bored writing, I do something else. When I lose interest in something else, I write. It all starts with a scene that plays out in my head and I build a novel around that scene. I guess that's my process. I start with a single statement or exchange of words, and the whole book is built on it.
How do you handle the deadly problem that is writer's block?
I manage it with a lot of stress and anxiety. There's been a lot of times I've thought my imagination was broken. I've had the thought, "Maybe I'll never write again," and I lose sleep over it. It's scary. When you live your life with stories always playing in your imagination and it all comes to a screeching halt, it's terrifying. You're going along just fine and all of a sudden you hit a blank wall. You can't go around it, over it, under it... Everything stops. I close my eyes and there's nothing there. The only thing to do is wait it out.
What is a piece of writing advice that you will always remember?
Oh man... Ugh... One of the bad things about me is that I'm self-taught. I didn't take creative writing classes or anything of the sort. In high school, my English teacher hated me, to my dismay, because English was the only subject I was most interested in taking. She was impossible to deal with and even harder to learn from because she simply couldn't stand me. I've thought about her countless times over the years and to this day, I don't know if we got off on the wrong foot or what. I mean, I got in trouble if someone else in class spoke to me! That's how bad it was. I ended up having my mother buy me a bunch of college level dictionaries and I studied those on my own time. I've learned what I could, where I could, and I'm still learning every day.
What is the most influential book you have ever read, and why do you think so?
The Elements of Style. I came upon that book later in life, but I remember thinking, "This is exactly what I've always wanted!"
Have you derived inspiration from your home or from anywhere you have visited?
Of course. Everything inspires me. Settings, buildings, cars, a couple walking down the street, a pair of shoes... Everything I see and hear can be used for inspiration.
Your first major publication is The Elite: Unveiled. Have you had any publications prior to this?
Nope. I've never attempted to publishing anything before. I didn't plan to become an author. Writing was a hobby, that's all. It was a hobby that I was really into, but it's like collecting stamps or figurines. I loved it, but didn't see how or why anyone else would enjoy looking at my hobby. The last thing I want to do is to stare at someone's coin collection for hours but that's what I thought about my writing. It's great fun for me, but no one else would be interested.
What is The Elite: Unveiled all about? It certainly sounds interesting!
Everyone assumes that Joelie Baudelaire lives a charmed life. She has a generous benefactor in Warren Jardine, and a glamorous lifestyle in the exciting city of Las Vegas. Everyone is wrong. When Warren is arrested, Joelie has the ability to escape the emotional jail he's held her captive in for two years. Her father's house should be her refuge, but it's another kind of prison altogether. All Joelie wants is a normal, peaceful life. Discovering that she is one of The World Elite, a genetically superior race, puts a whole new set of shackles on her life. Her destiny is planned, and her future marriage is pre-arranged. While Joelie still remembers her childhood crush on the Elite, Sender Stelle, it isn't easy to accept a betrothal to a man she barely knows beyond his photograph. Warren doesn't want to release his control over her. The World Elite would force her to fulfil her destined duty, and Sender has gone from resigned acceptance to benign co-operation with the powers that be. Freedom is just out of reach. All Joelie must do is defy some of the most powerful people in the world, and survive.This is the first book of the saga and it’s the unveiling of the truth. I wanted to start from scratch and keep it raw. I wanted to show the turmoil and tribulations that result from lying and keeping secrets. In this case, we have a woman who’s in her late twenties and she has to cope with the truth of what she actually is, which is one of the World Elite. There’s all kinds of people walking around on earth and she’s one of the rare few who are genetically superior. Now, I’m not introducing anything that’s too far-fetched, and I want people to know that when they pick up my book. There are real super-humans walking around with us every day, and they’re my inspiration when I started writing this. Mathematicians, clinical geniuses, telekinesis... the list goes on and on with real people in the world who have amazing abilities. I pay attention because I’m not making everything up. A lot of research went into my Elites. From animals to humans, the possibilities are endless. From Eidetic memory, Kim Peek is the perfect example of this, where he can remember everything, and I mean everything! Then there’s Wim Hof who is cold-proof. Isao Machii is a Japanese man with superhuman reflexes. There’s Das Uberboy who has bona fide Super-Strength. These folks have real live superpowers. Ben Underwood has the power of Super Echolocation. Human echolocation is not really new. So, in a way, this is my idea of paying my respects to these amazing people and I thought it would make for a great story. And so it begins. My interpretation of what goes on in my imagination. Because there is no Science Fiction, just science.
What drove you to write fantasy?Unless you're writing a biography, it's all fantasy!
On your Amazon.com page, it says that you have a love of fast cars. Can you tell us how you got into racing and precision driving and what you love about it?
Earlier, I mentioned having a god complex and this part of my life is a fine example of it. I have no idea where my fascination with cars came from originally, but I was the toddler who was always playing with Hot Wheels. Sports cars are gorgeous and shiny and powerful. I can tell you it hit me like a ton of bricks the first time I watched The Wraith as a child. This is way before Fast and the Furious, and really shows my age. I always wanted to drive. When I was three-years-old, my dad would sit me on his lap and let me steer the car through residential neighbourhoods. My number one priority in life was getting my driver’s license. It meant freedom and control. My biggest fear was dying before I was old enough to drive, I kid you not. I got my permit, at the earliest age possible, and then proceeded to take my parent’s car out, without their knowledge, every time they went out of town, which was frequent. My dad was a truck driver and they would go on runs together. I was raised in Indiana and the potholes are horrendous. At first, it was all about trying to dodge potholes. Then, it was all about how fluidly I could dodge the potholes, then it was how fast and fluidly I could dodge them… and so on, you get the point. I made a game out of it. I was always pushing myself. Always getting closer and closer to objects to get a feel for how much space was around the car when I couldn’t see it. Keep in mind, I was raised by two parents with CDL licenses, and to this day, one of my dad’s famous quotes is, “An inch is as good as a mile.” I think what really helped me excel in the sport was that I had to learn to drive in a 1979 Lincoln Town Car. I had to manoeuvre a huge-ass boat when all my friends got to learn how to drive in little Hondas and hatchbacks. I wasn’t going to be discouraged by anything. I’d been in and out of a semi since I was born. I’ve seen my father booking it between concrete barricades on both sides with hardly an inch between the truck and the concrete. I figured, if he had the skill to do that in a semi and I had the skill to manoeuvre a huge Lincoln, a little sports car was nothing… and I figured right.Are you planning on continuing The Elite as a series, and what does the future hold for you as a writer?
Yes, The Elite will go on. Book one was intended to setup the saga, like a very long prequel. You’ve definitely not seen the last of them. The second is on its way and there’s plans for the third. I’ve got a lot of other work to get to, but I do want to give people book two before I finish anything else. There’s going to be some space between two and three. I hate to be that way, but I have other stories to tell. I’ll try to keep people entertained either way.
Thank you for such a fantastic interview, Coey! Be sure to check out The Elite: Unveiled on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. You can also find Coey here:https://www.facebook.com/CoeyCain?fref=tsTwitter: @CoeyCainhttp://iwassociation.com/ ---Yours, with eternal ink,Zoe--- Currently reading: Sword of Darkness by Sherrilyn Kenyon, writing as Kinley MacGregor
May 23, 2013
Interview With... Sarah Jayne Carr
To all who are reading this,
Join me on this thriller-ific journey as I meet fellow Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly author, Sarah Jayne Carr and learn about her science-fiction and thriller style novel series, JackRabbit7.
---
Name: Sarah Jayne Carr
Age: 33
Living in: Washington State
Hi Sarah, thanks for joining me! So what are three interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share with the readers?
1. I'm an only child.
2. I've given a dolphin a vaginal exam, twice.
3. I'm an ordained minister.
What made you want to be a writer?
One day when I was perusing a bookstore, I couldn't find the story I wanted to read. A light bulb went off over my head and I realised, "I need to write the story I can't find!" The rest is history.
What motivates you to write?
The characters I created are always giving me new plot twists. For some reason, I'm compelled to put them on the page. Until I do so, there is chaos in my head. For me, writing is a compulsion.
Do you have a particular writing process?
I'm constantly plotting whether I'm driving, in the shower or brushing my teeth. As much as possible, I sit down at the computer. My days are pretty busy so I don't have an actual "process". I just write whenever I can.
How do you manage the deadly problem that is writers block?
I like to think of these as miniature hurdles and I'm a giant... ready to crush them! If a particular plot isn't working for me, I believe that I need to head in another direction with it. I think of it like a detour around said "block" or "hurdle". Also, if I think of the scene from the perspective of another character, it tends to help me too.
What is a piece of writing advice that you will always remember?
My husband says, "If it were easy, everyone would do it." It's true,. You have to pour your soul into what you love to make magic happen. Books don't write themselves.
What is the most influential book you have ever read and why do you think so?
Don't laugh. My all time favourite book is The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse. I'm not sure how influential it is in the eyes of many, but the plot is one of the reasons why I like to write. The book has a unique storyline, kept me turning the pages, and it compelled me to be a better writer. Besides, who doesn't want to read a murder mystery about nursery rhyme characters?
Have you derives any inspiration from your home or anywhere you have visited?
Definitely! Most of Revealing Hamilton takes place locally. I pull a lot of my inspiration with locations to places I've been. In book two, there's a scene that takes place in a morgue. Oh yes. I truly went to a morgue for research.
Your first major publication is Revealing Hamilton. Have you had any publications prior to this?
Yes! I have a prequel called pRevealing Hamilton available on Amazon. It's the story of what happens six months prior to Revealing Hamilton.
What is the JackRabbit7 series all about? It certainly sounds interesting!
JackRabbit7 is a hazardous material that is injected into humans. the story is about a rivalry between two underground agencies: the Physician Coalition and The Insurance Agency. Amelia Hamilton is a normal girl who gets swept up in the mess and learns a lot more about her past than she bargained for.
What drove you to write in this genre?
I love dark and twisted stories and my mind has always strayed to the path of science-fiction, thriller, suspense. I also adore plot twists. I hate predictable stories so I try to keep most of the clichés out of my writing.
You participate in NaNoWriMo. Explain more about your experiences during this time.
NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month. It is a non-profit program that takes place every November. The basis is to write 50-000- word novel in 30 days. The catch? No edits. No re-writes. No corrections. It's geared to push the imagination of the writer. This is how I got into writing to begin with once the seed of Revealing Hamilton was born. Revealing Hamilton is my NaNoWriMo from 2005.
The JackRabbit7 series is obviously at the heart of your body of writing. What does the future hold for you as a writer?
I have plans for at least five full-length JackRabbit7 novels. Additionally, I have a handful of JackRabbit7 short stories plotted out. Inside my head, I have an idea for a non-JackRabbit7 novel called Parrish Island. It's about a lot of mythological creatures with... well, a ton of issues. I'm excited for all these stories. I just need a time machine so I can write more!
Thank you for such a fantastic interview, Sarah!
Be sure to check out the JackRabbit7 series so far on Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com and Barnes & Nobles. You can also find Sarah here:
www.facebook.com/authorsarahjcarr
www.twitter.com/@sarahjcarr1
www.sarahjcarr.com
http://www.goodreads.com/SarahJCarr --- Yours, with eternal ink, Zoe --- Currently reading: The Other Half Lives by Sophie Hannah
Join me on this thriller-ific journey as I meet fellow Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly author, Sarah Jayne Carr and learn about her science-fiction and thriller style novel series, JackRabbit7.
---
Name: Sarah Jayne Carr
Age: 33
Living in: Washington State
Hi Sarah, thanks for joining me! So what are three interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share with the readers?
1. I'm an only child.
2. I've given a dolphin a vaginal exam, twice.
3. I'm an ordained minister.
What made you want to be a writer?
One day when I was perusing a bookstore, I couldn't find the story I wanted to read. A light bulb went off over my head and I realised, "I need to write the story I can't find!" The rest is history.
What motivates you to write?
The characters I created are always giving me new plot twists. For some reason, I'm compelled to put them on the page. Until I do so, there is chaos in my head. For me, writing is a compulsion.
Do you have a particular writing process?
I'm constantly plotting whether I'm driving, in the shower or brushing my teeth. As much as possible, I sit down at the computer. My days are pretty busy so I don't have an actual "process". I just write whenever I can.
How do you manage the deadly problem that is writers block?
I like to think of these as miniature hurdles and I'm a giant... ready to crush them! If a particular plot isn't working for me, I believe that I need to head in another direction with it. I think of it like a detour around said "block" or "hurdle". Also, if I think of the scene from the perspective of another character, it tends to help me too.
What is a piece of writing advice that you will always remember?
My husband says, "If it were easy, everyone would do it." It's true,. You have to pour your soul into what you love to make magic happen. Books don't write themselves.
What is the most influential book you have ever read and why do you think so?
Don't laugh. My all time favourite book is The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse. I'm not sure how influential it is in the eyes of many, but the plot is one of the reasons why I like to write. The book has a unique storyline, kept me turning the pages, and it compelled me to be a better writer. Besides, who doesn't want to read a murder mystery about nursery rhyme characters?
Have you derives any inspiration from your home or anywhere you have visited?
Definitely! Most of Revealing Hamilton takes place locally. I pull a lot of my inspiration with locations to places I've been. In book two, there's a scene that takes place in a morgue. Oh yes. I truly went to a morgue for research.
Your first major publication is Revealing Hamilton. Have you had any publications prior to this?
Yes! I have a prequel called pRevealing Hamilton available on Amazon. It's the story of what happens six months prior to Revealing Hamilton. What is the JackRabbit7 series all about? It certainly sounds interesting!
JackRabbit7 is a hazardous material that is injected into humans. the story is about a rivalry between two underground agencies: the Physician Coalition and The Insurance Agency. Amelia Hamilton is a normal girl who gets swept up in the mess and learns a lot more about her past than she bargained for.
What drove you to write in this genre?
I love dark and twisted stories and my mind has always strayed to the path of science-fiction, thriller, suspense. I also adore plot twists. I hate predictable stories so I try to keep most of the clichés out of my writing.
You participate in NaNoWriMo. Explain more about your experiences during this time.
NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month. It is a non-profit program that takes place every November. The basis is to write 50-000- word novel in 30 days. The catch? No edits. No re-writes. No corrections. It's geared to push the imagination of the writer. This is how I got into writing to begin with once the seed of Revealing Hamilton was born. Revealing Hamilton is my NaNoWriMo from 2005.
The JackRabbit7 series is obviously at the heart of your body of writing. What does the future hold for you as a writer?
I have plans for at least five full-length JackRabbit7 novels. Additionally, I have a handful of JackRabbit7 short stories plotted out. Inside my head, I have an idea for a non-JackRabbit7 novel called Parrish Island. It's about a lot of mythological creatures with... well, a ton of issues. I'm excited for all these stories. I just need a time machine so I can write more!
Thank you for such a fantastic interview, Sarah!
Be sure to check out the JackRabbit7 series so far on Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com and Barnes & Nobles. You can also find Sarah here:
www.facebook.com/authorsarahjcarr
www.twitter.com/@sarahjcarr1
www.sarahjcarr.com
http://www.goodreads.com/SarahJCarr --- Yours, with eternal ink, Zoe --- Currently reading: The Other Half Lives by Sophie Hannah
May 19, 2013
Interview With... Carmilla Voiez
To all who are reading this,
Join me on this insightful journey as I meet Vamptasy Publishing author, Carmilla Voiez and learn about her horror and erotica series, The Starblood Trilogy.
---
Name: Carmilla Voiez
Age: 41
Living in: Aberdeen
Hi Carmilla, thanks for joining me! So what are three interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share with the readers?
1. I used to own a Gothic clothing company before becoming a full-time writer - www.dracinabox.com. There are still quite a few photos of me there.
2.My elder daughter is named Lydia, after the character in Beetlejuice.
3. The character Satori is very closely based on my husband who also practised magic.
What made you want to be a writer?
I wanted to be a writer or a foreign correspondent when I was growing up, but I had no talent for languages. life got in the way for a while and I became quite the career woman. after kids, I went back to uni and studied creative writing and all those wonderful and terrifying feelings of sharing myself on a page came flooding back. I was hooked again.
What motivates you to write?
I write because I need to get the characters out of my head. Sometimes being a writer is akin to mental illness. It's more comfortable allowing them to share their stories externally.
Do you have a particular writing process?
I have a process as a back up. I will sit in front of my laptop and type until I get something I want to use, armed of course with a few pints of coffee and a packet of cigarettes. When I need to write a highly emotional scene, I write it by hand in a notebook and transcribe it to Word later. If I am stuck for ideas, I'll take a shower or go for a walk in the woods. Sometimes, though, I am so inspired and the story just gushes out of my fingers. It can happen anytime but most often as I'm drifting off to sleep, so I always keep a notepad beside my bed. Those are the best times, when it feels as though the story is telling itself.
How do you handle the deadly problem that is writer's block?
I find that water and/or movement are the most effective cures for mine. So I either take a shower or go for a walk through the woods near my home. If I'm writing non-fiction, running is the best to work through my ideas.
What is a piece of writing advice that you will always remember?
Neil Gaiman's advice for when life kicks you in the teeth - "Make good art!" My own advice is possibly more down to Earth - keep writing. For me, it really doesn't matter how scrappy a first draft might be. For me, the beauty is in the edit.
What is the most influential book you have ever read and why do you think so?
Stephen King's On Writing is the best guide for authors I have read. Robert Newman's The Fountain at the Centre of the World has a profound affect on my outlook and shopping habits. For my writing style, I would say that books by Clive Barker, Iain Banks and Haruki Murakami were very influential. I also have a penchant for tragic heroines which I blame on Wuthering Heights, Anna Karenina, Madame Bovary and Tender is the Night.
Have you derived inspiration from your home or anywhere you have visited?
Yes. I often write about the city in which I grew up, Bristol. I also write about York and the Cairngorms. I find some places leave a mark on you which never fades. Those are the sort of places I find inspirational.
Your first major publication is Starblood, the first in the Starblood Trilogy. Have you had any publications prior to this?
I had a poem published in a Goth fanzine when I was a teenager. Does that count?
What is the Starblood Trilogy all about? It certainly sounds interesting!
It's about many things, but mainly it's a journey through female rage. the plot is about a group of Goths, one of whom is a pretty powerful magician but due to emotional issues, he fucks up and brings the demon Lilith into his bedroom. The first book is about the magician Satori trying to send Lilith back and his ex-girlfriend Star, who is seduced by the demon with tragic consequences. Books two and three have the same characters but different problems to solve. Psychonaut (book two) has been called "a fairytale of inner wastelands" by one critic. Black Sun (book three) is about dealing with consequences of earlier actions. Basically every mistake Star and Satori make in the first two books come back to kick their asses. The series is horror, but also has explicitly erotic content.
What drove you to write horror and erotica?
I think sex and horror are closely linked in the creative imagination. They are certainly linked (admittedly in rather clichéd ways) in horror cinema. Starblood looks at the beautiful sides of sex, but it does so without pulling any punches.
What attracted you to the Gothic subculture and do you feel as if it has influenced how and what you write?
I've been a Goth since I was 17. If I'm honest I suspect it was because I was a misfit, not conventionally attractive, introverted, and I love horror. I've been part of the scene for many years. I've watched a lot of wonderful bands perform, collected a lot of records and CDs. I have this silly little DJ channel on blip.fm and I designed and sold Goth clothing for a living for many years. Pretty much 24/7 Goffik.
We understand that you're writing the Starblood Trilogy (Starblood recently won an award) and you also have small erotic eBooks. What does the future hold for you as a writer?
Yes, I won HFA's Horror Author of the Year 2013 for my debut novel, Starblood. I have an erotic short story on Kindle and one in an upcoming anthology called Fetish Fairytales, which I believe is due to be published next month some time. I'm finishing the third book in the Starblood Trilogy at the moment. Well, doing the edits, trying to get it as perfect as humanly possible. After that, I have a couple of horror projects which I'll write and submit to Vamptasy and a long-term novel writing project, which when complete, I will try again to procure an agent and hit the big five!
Thank you for such a fantastic interview, Carmilla!
Be sure to check out Starblood on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. You can also find Carmilla here:
https://www.facebook.com/Author.Carmilla.Voiez?fref=ts
http://carmillavoiez.wix.com/carmillavoiez
http://carmilla-voiez.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @CarmillaVoiez
---
Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: White Lightning by Ann Cleeves
Join me on this insightful journey as I meet Vamptasy Publishing author, Carmilla Voiez and learn about her horror and erotica series, The Starblood Trilogy.
---Name: Carmilla Voiez
Age: 41
Living in: Aberdeen
Hi Carmilla, thanks for joining me! So what are three interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share with the readers?
1. I used to own a Gothic clothing company before becoming a full-time writer - www.dracinabox.com. There are still quite a few photos of me there.
2.My elder daughter is named Lydia, after the character in Beetlejuice.
3. The character Satori is very closely based on my husband who also practised magic.
What made you want to be a writer?
I wanted to be a writer or a foreign correspondent when I was growing up, but I had no talent for languages. life got in the way for a while and I became quite the career woman. after kids, I went back to uni and studied creative writing and all those wonderful and terrifying feelings of sharing myself on a page came flooding back. I was hooked again.
What motivates you to write?
I write because I need to get the characters out of my head. Sometimes being a writer is akin to mental illness. It's more comfortable allowing them to share their stories externally.
Do you have a particular writing process?
I have a process as a back up. I will sit in front of my laptop and type until I get something I want to use, armed of course with a few pints of coffee and a packet of cigarettes. When I need to write a highly emotional scene, I write it by hand in a notebook and transcribe it to Word later. If I am stuck for ideas, I'll take a shower or go for a walk in the woods. Sometimes, though, I am so inspired and the story just gushes out of my fingers. It can happen anytime but most often as I'm drifting off to sleep, so I always keep a notepad beside my bed. Those are the best times, when it feels as though the story is telling itself.
How do you handle the deadly problem that is writer's block?
I find that water and/or movement are the most effective cures for mine. So I either take a shower or go for a walk through the woods near my home. If I'm writing non-fiction, running is the best to work through my ideas.
What is a piece of writing advice that you will always remember?
Neil Gaiman's advice for when life kicks you in the teeth - "Make good art!" My own advice is possibly more down to Earth - keep writing. For me, it really doesn't matter how scrappy a first draft might be. For me, the beauty is in the edit.
What is the most influential book you have ever read and why do you think so?
Stephen King's On Writing is the best guide for authors I have read. Robert Newman's The Fountain at the Centre of the World has a profound affect on my outlook and shopping habits. For my writing style, I would say that books by Clive Barker, Iain Banks and Haruki Murakami were very influential. I also have a penchant for tragic heroines which I blame on Wuthering Heights, Anna Karenina, Madame Bovary and Tender is the Night.
Have you derived inspiration from your home or anywhere you have visited?
Yes. I often write about the city in which I grew up, Bristol. I also write about York and the Cairngorms. I find some places leave a mark on you which never fades. Those are the sort of places I find inspirational.
Your first major publication is Starblood, the first in the Starblood Trilogy. Have you had any publications prior to this?I had a poem published in a Goth fanzine when I was a teenager. Does that count?
What is the Starblood Trilogy all about? It certainly sounds interesting!
It's about many things, but mainly it's a journey through female rage. the plot is about a group of Goths, one of whom is a pretty powerful magician but due to emotional issues, he fucks up and brings the demon Lilith into his bedroom. The first book is about the magician Satori trying to send Lilith back and his ex-girlfriend Star, who is seduced by the demon with tragic consequences. Books two and three have the same characters but different problems to solve. Psychonaut (book two) has been called "a fairytale of inner wastelands" by one critic. Black Sun (book three) is about dealing with consequences of earlier actions. Basically every mistake Star and Satori make in the first two books come back to kick their asses. The series is horror, but also has explicitly erotic content.
What drove you to write horror and erotica?
I think sex and horror are closely linked in the creative imagination. They are certainly linked (admittedly in rather clichéd ways) in horror cinema. Starblood looks at the beautiful sides of sex, but it does so without pulling any punches.
What attracted you to the Gothic subculture and do you feel as if it has influenced how and what you write?
I've been a Goth since I was 17. If I'm honest I suspect it was because I was a misfit, not conventionally attractive, introverted, and I love horror. I've been part of the scene for many years. I've watched a lot of wonderful bands perform, collected a lot of records and CDs. I have this silly little DJ channel on blip.fm and I designed and sold Goth clothing for a living for many years. Pretty much 24/7 Goffik.
We understand that you're writing the Starblood Trilogy (Starblood recently won an award) and you also have small erotic eBooks. What does the future hold for you as a writer?
Yes, I won HFA's Horror Author of the Year 2013 for my debut novel, Starblood. I have an erotic short story on Kindle and one in an upcoming anthology called Fetish Fairytales, which I believe is due to be published next month some time. I'm finishing the third book in the Starblood Trilogy at the moment. Well, doing the edits, trying to get it as perfect as humanly possible. After that, I have a couple of horror projects which I'll write and submit to Vamptasy and a long-term novel writing project, which when complete, I will try again to procure an agent and hit the big five!Thank you for such a fantastic interview, Carmilla!
Be sure to check out Starblood on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. You can also find Carmilla here:
https://www.facebook.com/Author.Carmilla.Voiez?fref=ts
http://carmillavoiez.wix.com/carmillavoiez
http://carmilla-voiez.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @CarmillaVoiez
---
Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: White Lightning by Ann Cleeves
May 18, 2013
Interview With... Petronela Ungureanu
To all who are reading this,
Join me on this magical journey as I meet Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly author, Petronela Ungureanu and learn about her fantasy novel, Lost in the Seven Worlds.
---
Name: Petronela Ungureanu
Age: 35
Living in: Romania
Hi Petronela, thanks for joining me today! So what are three interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share with the readers?
1. I adore solitude.
2. I loathe conformity.
3. I met my life partner during a car accident. He was the one who jumped to help me. He actually carried me, all covered in blood, in his arms to the car. It took me three months to discover him again, but when I finally did, he had no chance to escape my charms.
What made you want to be a writer?
It came naturally. I initially planned to be a teacher, but journalism caught my attention. I worked for a daily newspaper for many years and that triggered my desire to share stories. Along the years I have discovered that my stories have nothing to do with politics or other earthly affairs. So that is how I have gradually found my way towards fiction.
What made you write fantasy?
It might sound like lunacy, but I have some strange deja-vu's that
haunt me. It is very hard to explain but let's just say that I have many reasons to believe that there are some amazing dimensions out there that await to be discovered. I see them in a certain way and I write about that in my stories.
What is Lost in the Seven Worlds all about? It certainly sounds interesting!
It is about a young woman from Earth who finds herself in another world, the world of the Daevas, some immortal ethereal beings. The story is about her struggle to find her way back home and to resist her unearthly inclination towards a disgraced Daeva with whom she falls violently in love.
And finally, do you plan on continuing Lost in the Seven Worlds as a series, or writing one shot titles?
I've started the next novel, it's going to be a long one. On the 31st of this month, I have another release. Another short story named I Met a Demon, which is based on actual events.
Thank you for such a fantastic interview, Petronela!
Be sure to check out Lost in the Seven Worlds on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. You can also find Petronela here: https://www.facebook.com/UnikornaBlog?fref=ts
http://www.unikorna.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: @unikornaa
---
Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: White Lightning by Ann Cleeves
Join me on this magical journey as I meet Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly author, Petronela Ungureanu and learn about her fantasy novel, Lost in the Seven Worlds.
---
Name: Petronela Ungureanu
Age: 35
Living in: Romania
Hi Petronela, thanks for joining me today! So what are three interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share with the readers?
1. I adore solitude.
2. I loathe conformity.
3. I met my life partner during a car accident. He was the one who jumped to help me. He actually carried me, all covered in blood, in his arms to the car. It took me three months to discover him again, but when I finally did, he had no chance to escape my charms.
What made you want to be a writer?
It came naturally. I initially planned to be a teacher, but journalism caught my attention. I worked for a daily newspaper for many years and that triggered my desire to share stories. Along the years I have discovered that my stories have nothing to do with politics or other earthly affairs. So that is how I have gradually found my way towards fiction.
What made you write fantasy?
It might sound like lunacy, but I have some strange deja-vu's that
haunt me. It is very hard to explain but let's just say that I have many reasons to believe that there are some amazing dimensions out there that await to be discovered. I see them in a certain way and I write about that in my stories.
What is Lost in the Seven Worlds all about? It certainly sounds interesting!It is about a young woman from Earth who finds herself in another world, the world of the Daevas, some immortal ethereal beings. The story is about her struggle to find her way back home and to resist her unearthly inclination towards a disgraced Daeva with whom she falls violently in love.
And finally, do you plan on continuing Lost in the Seven Worlds as a series, or writing one shot titles?
I've started the next novel, it's going to be a long one. On the 31st of this month, I have another release. Another short story named I Met a Demon, which is based on actual events.
Thank you for such a fantastic interview, Petronela!
Be sure to check out Lost in the Seven Worlds on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. You can also find Petronela here: https://www.facebook.com/UnikornaBlog?fref=ts
http://www.unikorna.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: @unikornaa
---
Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: White Lightning by Ann Cleeves
May 14, 2013
Best Served Chilled - Cover Reveal
To all who are reading this,
If you haven't already seen the cover for Best Served Chilled, why not? Whatever the reason it doesn't matter, because I am going to share the cover here with you all. Please take a look, and let me know what you think. It was designed by the wonderful Riley Steel - I think she did a fantastic job!
Great stuff, eh? The book will be released on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com on 31st May. I hope you will take the time out of your busy schedules to take a gander at it. I would love it if you did.
There will be more posts about the book shortly, but I'm so damn excited about my cover, I had to share it with you all!
Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: Red Bones by Ann Cleeves
If you haven't already seen the cover for Best Served Chilled, why not? Whatever the reason it doesn't matter, because I am going to share the cover here with you all. Please take a look, and let me know what you think. It was designed by the wonderful Riley Steel - I think she did a fantastic job!
Great stuff, eh? The book will be released on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com on 31st May. I hope you will take the time out of your busy schedules to take a gander at it. I would love it if you did.
There will be more posts about the book shortly, but I'm so damn excited about my cover, I had to share it with you all!
Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: Red Bones by Ann Cleeves
May 13, 2013
Interview With... Elizabeth A. Lance
To all who are reading this,
The following interview was very unexpected, and was conducted upon the spur of the moment. But you know what? It was a lot of fun!
Join me on this journey as I meet author, Elizabeth A. Lance and learn about her successful Regency series!
---
Name: Elizabeth A. Lance
Age: 42.
Living in: Southern Indiana
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for joining me today! So, what are three interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share with the readers?
1. I love to do word searches, and I'm pretty good at them too.
2. I married my high school sweetheart and we've been married for 22 years.
3. I sing and dance in my car and I don't care who is watching.
What made you want to be a writer?
I have always loved to write and when I was a freshman, I wrote a story for Nerd Day and shared it with the class. Everyone loved it. I think it was then that I decided I wanted to be a writer.
What motivates you to write? The characters in my head badger me until I get their stories out on virtual paper. Do you have a particular writing process? I don't especially. I'm what nearly everyone calls a write by the seat of her pants writer. What I mean by that is that I don't write an outline, and sometimes I have no idea what's going to happen until I sit down at the keyboard. If I need to do any research, I do it as I'm writing, which trust me is sooooo much easier now that we have the internet! I used to have to take my notebook and go to the library every time I needed new information! How do you manage the deadly problem that is writers block? Oh lord. The dreaded words all authors hate... WRITER'S BLOCK! Actually, if I can't get somewhere on one particular story, I will go work on another. If that doesn't work then I do some writing exercises, like character sketches and asking my characters silly questions until they are ready to speak to me.
What is a piece of writing advice that you will always remember?Write what you know, and if you don't know it, do your research. What is the most influential book you have ever read, and why do you think so? Oh gosh, now we are getting scholarly! I can only answer this personally, it may not be influential to anyone else, but it was a little book, a Regency called Miss Ryder's Memoirs. It is what led me to writing Regency and to believing that I could be successful at it. And believe it or not Twilight also inspired me to write Paranormal YA, which is how my Soul MatesSeries came about. Have you ever derived any inspiration from your home or from anywhere you have visited? Yes definitely! I have lived all over the mid-west, but I use southern Indiana as the home of Max in my Soul Mates series. One of my short stories, Kismet was written while I lived in Texas and it takes place in San Antonio. The Regencies of course take place in Europe and I have not had the chance to visit across the pond yet, but one day I will.
Courting Danger was the first in the Regency series. Did you have any previous publications prior to this? Courting Danger was the first book that I published and I actually self-published it first. Then I released my Soul Mates: Scent book and Sarah Davis of Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly read it and loved it and signed me. Then last summer I talked to her about bringing my Regencies on board with the company and she loved the idea. So we gave it a new cover and here we are! What is the Regencyseries all about? Well, it is about four girl friends who were at finishing school together, their lives and loves. Of course that is just the basic story line. These aren't your typical debutantes, they lead adventurous lives and meet dangerous men. They are from England, but they travel to France, Austria and Italy. They help capture murderers and thieves and assassins. Of course being involved in all the clandestine activities was never their plan, all they really want is to meet the one they are meant to be with and fall in love.
What drove you to write about regencies? I fell in love with the time period when I was reading everything I could get my hands on. I love the elaborate dresses and parties and the elegance. When men were gentleman and women were ladies and everything was flirty and innocent. You currently have a YA paranormal series and the Regency series. What genre do you plan on tackling next, and what does the future hold for you? Oh I would love to write some Steampunk! It's my new favourite genre to read. And I have always loved the Mad Hatter and I have a stand alone book floating around in my head involving him, so that could happen. I also have several more Soul Mates books to write.
Thank you for such a fantastic interview, Elizabeth!
Be sure to check out the Regency series: Agents for the Crown, consisting of three so far: Courting Danger (which was up for the Reader's Choice Award), Artifice and Charade on Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com and Barnes & Nobles! You can also find Elizabeth here: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethAnneLance?fref=ts
---
Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: Red Bones by Ann Cleeves
The following interview was very unexpected, and was conducted upon the spur of the moment. But you know what? It was a lot of fun!
Join me on this journey as I meet author, Elizabeth A. Lance and learn about her successful Regency series!
---
Name: Elizabeth A. LanceAge: 42.
Living in: Southern Indiana
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for joining me today! So, what are three interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share with the readers?
1. I love to do word searches, and I'm pretty good at them too.
2. I married my high school sweetheart and we've been married for 22 years.
3. I sing and dance in my car and I don't care who is watching.
What made you want to be a writer?
I have always loved to write and when I was a freshman, I wrote a story for Nerd Day and shared it with the class. Everyone loved it. I think it was then that I decided I wanted to be a writer.
What motivates you to write? The characters in my head badger me until I get their stories out on virtual paper. Do you have a particular writing process? I don't especially. I'm what nearly everyone calls a write by the seat of her pants writer. What I mean by that is that I don't write an outline, and sometimes I have no idea what's going to happen until I sit down at the keyboard. If I need to do any research, I do it as I'm writing, which trust me is sooooo much easier now that we have the internet! I used to have to take my notebook and go to the library every time I needed new information! How do you manage the deadly problem that is writers block? Oh lord. The dreaded words all authors hate... WRITER'S BLOCK! Actually, if I can't get somewhere on one particular story, I will go work on another. If that doesn't work then I do some writing exercises, like character sketches and asking my characters silly questions until they are ready to speak to me.
What is a piece of writing advice that you will always remember?Write what you know, and if you don't know it, do your research. What is the most influential book you have ever read, and why do you think so? Oh gosh, now we are getting scholarly! I can only answer this personally, it may not be influential to anyone else, but it was a little book, a Regency called Miss Ryder's Memoirs. It is what led me to writing Regency and to believing that I could be successful at it. And believe it or not Twilight also inspired me to write Paranormal YA, which is how my Soul MatesSeries came about. Have you ever derived any inspiration from your home or from anywhere you have visited? Yes definitely! I have lived all over the mid-west, but I use southern Indiana as the home of Max in my Soul Mates series. One of my short stories, Kismet was written while I lived in Texas and it takes place in San Antonio. The Regencies of course take place in Europe and I have not had the chance to visit across the pond yet, but one day I will.
Courting Danger was the first in the Regency series. Did you have any previous publications prior to this? Courting Danger was the first book that I published and I actually self-published it first. Then I released my Soul Mates: Scent book and Sarah Davis of Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly read it and loved it and signed me. Then last summer I talked to her about bringing my Regencies on board with the company and she loved the idea. So we gave it a new cover and here we are! What is the Regencyseries all about? Well, it is about four girl friends who were at finishing school together, their lives and loves. Of course that is just the basic story line. These aren't your typical debutantes, they lead adventurous lives and meet dangerous men. They are from England, but they travel to France, Austria and Italy. They help capture murderers and thieves and assassins. Of course being involved in all the clandestine activities was never their plan, all they really want is to meet the one they are meant to be with and fall in love.
What drove you to write about regencies? I fell in love with the time period when I was reading everything I could get my hands on. I love the elaborate dresses and parties and the elegance. When men were gentleman and women were ladies and everything was flirty and innocent. You currently have a YA paranormal series and the Regency series. What genre do you plan on tackling next, and what does the future hold for you? Oh I would love to write some Steampunk! It's my new favourite genre to read. And I have always loved the Mad Hatter and I have a stand alone book floating around in my head involving him, so that could happen. I also have several more Soul Mates books to write.Thank you for such a fantastic interview, Elizabeth!
Be sure to check out the Regency series: Agents for the Crown, consisting of three so far: Courting Danger (which was up for the Reader's Choice Award), Artifice and Charade on Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com and Barnes & Nobles! You can also find Elizabeth here: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethAnneLance?fref=ts
---Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: Red Bones by Ann Cleeves
May 12, 2013
Interview With... Danielle Farman
To all who are reading this,
Welcome to an exciting new feature for this blog, known as 'Interview With'. This is a chance for everyone to meet new and upcoming authors from a wide variety of publishing companies. You can find out about the steps taken during writing, and general knowledge about the authors themselves. Exciting, eh?
Join me on this journey as I meet author, Danielle Farman and learn about her new book, Blood and Milk: Tainted Dreams!
---
Name: Danielle Farman.
Age: 21.
Living in: Aberdeen
Hi Danielle!, thanks for joining me today! So, what are three interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share with the readers?
1. I do alternative modelling as a hobby. My alter-ego's name is Jester Jinx, and I am a sponsored model for a wig company called Geisha Wig's.
2. I currently have in total, ten pets. They are all fluffy rodents!
3. I am a vegetarian and I never drink alcohol, which is apparently unheard of for someone my age!
What made you want to be a writer?
Well, ever since I was a young child I have always enjoyed creating stories and telling them to people. When I was in school I always took creative writing far more seriously than the other pupils, and when a teacher told me she would one day hope to see my name on a novel that just settled it. I have always loved writing stories, and it has always been my dream to have one of them published.
What motivates you to write?
Many things motivate me to write! One of the main things is the support I get from my family and my boyfriend. They are always asking me about ideas I have, and about characters I am creating. Music has always been a great way of getting me to want to write, and helps me think up new stories and scenes! And, as sad as it sounds, I was bullied a lot for being different in school and I wanted to basically make those fools eat their words! It pays to be different.
Do you have a particular writing process?
I do try to plan out my stories in advanced by making notes, character files and timelines but they very often get ignored. One rule I have always stuck to is I HAVE to finish writing a chapter once I start. Even if it is a rough draft. My boyfriend reads over each chapter as I finish and finds spelling errors I missed. Once the novel draft is complete I go back to the start and edit it all, changing parts and adding in things. I tend to do this a fair few times.
How do you manage the deadly problem that is writers block?
I try to motivate myself again. I go for walks, listen to music, chat about my ideas with my boyfriend. The best thing to do is go with it and wait for the miserable affliction to go away! The worst thing you can do is force yourself to write when you have writers block. What is a piece of writing advice that you will always remember?Never be afraid to write your story. Don't worry about what people will think or say, or if they will judge you. There is a reason we come up with our ideas. I used to worry I offended people with my writing, or that I got made fun of but after hearing this advice I never worried about it again. What is the most influential book you have ever read, and why do you think so?Oh that is a difficult one! There are so many books that have influenced me in one way or another! The Hobbit was the first real novel I ever read and loved, and Pet Cemetery influenced me as well as it has many mixed emotions and themes, and it was the first novel to actually scare me. But, gun to my head, I would have to say Frankenstein. I know it may sound like a cliché, but the story always left an impression on me. It is influential as it is so vastly read and the themes are greatly debated; 'Who is the real monster?' 'Do two wrongs make a write?' I also admired the sadness you could feel in Mary Shelley's words as she experienced so much death in her lifetime. Have you ever derived any inspiration from your home or from anywhere you have visited?Many of the places in my novels exist near where I live, such as forests. A flat one of my characters live in is loosely based on my Dad's old flat. I loved it there. Most of my inspiration comes from places and people I have seen in my dreams.
Your first major publication is Blood and Milk: Tainted Dreams. Have you had any publications prior to this?This is my first publication. I have never had the guts to send my work anywhere before this! Apart from the school paper if that counts? What isBlood and Milk: Tainted Dreams about? It certainly sounds interesting!Blood and Milk: Tainted Dreams is a story of conflicting personalities and walk's of life. I wanted to write a story where the worst possible people would become vampires; a Christian who believes the vampirism is a gift from God and that he has to rid the world of evil, a teenager angry with what the world has done to him, an androgynous man who takes his sexual fantasies to terrifying limits and a harmless vegetarian with a fear of blood, amongst others. The leader of this group is Nicholas. He chose these people carefully, creating his group of 'angels' to carry out God's will. Together, they form a band to spread the word of the Lord. This is Nicholas' plan. The band must follow in order to keep their loved ones out of danger, or to live out their fantasies of domination and revenge. Maya Meadows, a socially-awkward and paranoid young woman, stumbles upon them as they play at a club one evening. She becomes infatuated with Adrian, the guitarist. She soon learns their dark secret and is unwillingly dragged into their Hell. After falling deeply in love, Adrian and Maya must fight to be together. This is where they will learn who their real friends are, and who are the deadly enemies. What drove you to write about vampires?Vampires have always been creatures that both fascinated and terrified me. I know they are a a gothic cliché, but I was always amazed by the fact they were one of the very few sexual, attractive monsters out there. They are so deadly, yet they have many weaknesses. I also loved the idea of creating vampires with other flaws such as vegetarianism and the fear of blood. Vampires. The release on World Goth Day. Something tells me you're a Goth! Either that or the release is a coincidence... What attracted you to the subculture?The release date was originally the 23rd, but I asked for it to be changed to World Goth Day as it would be very fitting! I have always been attracted to the gothic scene. When I was about nine years old my older brother started listening to metal music with gothic band members, and my brother dressed gothic himself. I loved the style, and even started wearing subtly gothic clothing early on. In my early teen years, I tried to 'fit in' by wearing colours that resembled marshmallows, but I hated it. And so began the dawn of my very black and lace-filled wardrobe! Gothic styles to me are very beautiful, be it dress sense, writing styles or anything gothic related! And finally, do you have any plans to continue Blood and Milk as a series, or do you plan on writing one-shot titles?Actually, Blood and Milk was originally just all one book but as it is so long the publisher and I decided to make it into two books; Tainted Dreams and The Fall of Grace. The second part is due to be released shortly after the first.
Thank you for such a fantastic interview, Danielle!
Be sure to check out Blood and Milk: Tainted Dreams on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com on 22nd May! In the meantime, you can find Danielle here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Danielle-Farman/498541266856780?ref=hl
---
Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: Red Bones by Ann Cleeves.
Welcome to an exciting new feature for this blog, known as 'Interview With'. This is a chance for everyone to meet new and upcoming authors from a wide variety of publishing companies. You can find out about the steps taken during writing, and general knowledge about the authors themselves. Exciting, eh?
Join me on this journey as I meet author, Danielle Farman and learn about her new book, Blood and Milk: Tainted Dreams!
---
Name: Danielle Farman.
Age: 21.
Living in: Aberdeen
Hi Danielle!, thanks for joining me today! So, what are three interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share with the readers?
1. I do alternative modelling as a hobby. My alter-ego's name is Jester Jinx, and I am a sponsored model for a wig company called Geisha Wig's.
2. I currently have in total, ten pets. They are all fluffy rodents!
3. I am a vegetarian and I never drink alcohol, which is apparently unheard of for someone my age!
What made you want to be a writer?
Well, ever since I was a young child I have always enjoyed creating stories and telling them to people. When I was in school I always took creative writing far more seriously than the other pupils, and when a teacher told me she would one day hope to see my name on a novel that just settled it. I have always loved writing stories, and it has always been my dream to have one of them published.
What motivates you to write?
Many things motivate me to write! One of the main things is the support I get from my family and my boyfriend. They are always asking me about ideas I have, and about characters I am creating. Music has always been a great way of getting me to want to write, and helps me think up new stories and scenes! And, as sad as it sounds, I was bullied a lot for being different in school and I wanted to basically make those fools eat their words! It pays to be different.
Do you have a particular writing process?
I do try to plan out my stories in advanced by making notes, character files and timelines but they very often get ignored. One rule I have always stuck to is I HAVE to finish writing a chapter once I start. Even if it is a rough draft. My boyfriend reads over each chapter as I finish and finds spelling errors I missed. Once the novel draft is complete I go back to the start and edit it all, changing parts and adding in things. I tend to do this a fair few times.
How do you manage the deadly problem that is writers block?
I try to motivate myself again. I go for walks, listen to music, chat about my ideas with my boyfriend. The best thing to do is go with it and wait for the miserable affliction to go away! The worst thing you can do is force yourself to write when you have writers block. What is a piece of writing advice that you will always remember?Never be afraid to write your story. Don't worry about what people will think or say, or if they will judge you. There is a reason we come up with our ideas. I used to worry I offended people with my writing, or that I got made fun of but after hearing this advice I never worried about it again. What is the most influential book you have ever read, and why do you think so?Oh that is a difficult one! There are so many books that have influenced me in one way or another! The Hobbit was the first real novel I ever read and loved, and Pet Cemetery influenced me as well as it has many mixed emotions and themes, and it was the first novel to actually scare me. But, gun to my head, I would have to say Frankenstein. I know it may sound like a cliché, but the story always left an impression on me. It is influential as it is so vastly read and the themes are greatly debated; 'Who is the real monster?' 'Do two wrongs make a write?' I also admired the sadness you could feel in Mary Shelley's words as she experienced so much death in her lifetime. Have you ever derived any inspiration from your home or from anywhere you have visited?Many of the places in my novels exist near where I live, such as forests. A flat one of my characters live in is loosely based on my Dad's old flat. I loved it there. Most of my inspiration comes from places and people I have seen in my dreams.
Your first major publication is Blood and Milk: Tainted Dreams. Have you had any publications prior to this?This is my first publication. I have never had the guts to send my work anywhere before this! Apart from the school paper if that counts? What isBlood and Milk: Tainted Dreams about? It certainly sounds interesting!Blood and Milk: Tainted Dreams is a story of conflicting personalities and walk's of life. I wanted to write a story where the worst possible people would become vampires; a Christian who believes the vampirism is a gift from God and that he has to rid the world of evil, a teenager angry with what the world has done to him, an androgynous man who takes his sexual fantasies to terrifying limits and a harmless vegetarian with a fear of blood, amongst others. The leader of this group is Nicholas. He chose these people carefully, creating his group of 'angels' to carry out God's will. Together, they form a band to spread the word of the Lord. This is Nicholas' plan. The band must follow in order to keep their loved ones out of danger, or to live out their fantasies of domination and revenge. Maya Meadows, a socially-awkward and paranoid young woman, stumbles upon them as they play at a club one evening. She becomes infatuated with Adrian, the guitarist. She soon learns their dark secret and is unwillingly dragged into their Hell. After falling deeply in love, Adrian and Maya must fight to be together. This is where they will learn who their real friends are, and who are the deadly enemies. What drove you to write about vampires?Vampires have always been creatures that both fascinated and terrified me. I know they are a a gothic cliché, but I was always amazed by the fact they were one of the very few sexual, attractive monsters out there. They are so deadly, yet they have many weaknesses. I also loved the idea of creating vampires with other flaws such as vegetarianism and the fear of blood. Vampires. The release on World Goth Day. Something tells me you're a Goth! Either that or the release is a coincidence... What attracted you to the subculture?The release date was originally the 23rd, but I asked for it to be changed to World Goth Day as it would be very fitting! I have always been attracted to the gothic scene. When I was about nine years old my older brother started listening to metal music with gothic band members, and my brother dressed gothic himself. I loved the style, and even started wearing subtly gothic clothing early on. In my early teen years, I tried to 'fit in' by wearing colours that resembled marshmallows, but I hated it. And so began the dawn of my very black and lace-filled wardrobe! Gothic styles to me are very beautiful, be it dress sense, writing styles or anything gothic related! And finally, do you have any plans to continue Blood and Milk as a series, or do you plan on writing one-shot titles?Actually, Blood and Milk was originally just all one book but as it is so long the publisher and I decided to make it into two books; Tainted Dreams and The Fall of Grace. The second part is due to be released shortly after the first. Thank you for such a fantastic interview, Danielle!
Be sure to check out Blood and Milk: Tainted Dreams on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com on 22nd May! In the meantime, you can find Danielle here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Danielle-Farman/498541266856780?ref=hl
---
Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: Red Bones by Ann Cleeves.
April 10, 2013
The First Trip
To all who are reading this,
This is a short flash fiction, entitled, The First Trip. I hope you enjoy it!
Cold hands encircled his stomach, pulling him ever closer to his doom. With panicked eyes, he sought out his younger sister, but only to have his heart broken. She was being manhandled in the same way, flattened to the floor as a rope was fastened around the safety collar on her neck.
"Help! Someone help!" she cried, but it was useless. No one else seemed to hear her, and they continued with their business.
He kept low to the ground, as a length of rope was wound around his own collar - gold, in a great contrast to her red. He assumed it was for identification, but with these beasts you couldn't tell. The two had spent countless hours fighting to be free of their prisons, but they were rewarded with a swift backhand.
"Don't worry sis, I'm here," he said softly, as he was hoisted upright. He pulled at the rope, trying to get to his sister, but the beast in charge simply pulled him back.
The white door opened suddenly, and his sister was urged forwards by her keeper. She glanced back at him with fright in her eyes.
He had to do something! He began to fight his captor, but was pushed in the same direction, the beast holding onto the rope.
The wind was bitter cold as it whistled around their bones. Unceremoniously, they were hoisted into the air and carried down a set of sharp stone stairs. In a situation like this, they knew to keep quiet, for they were fearful of what was to happen next.
A grassy knoll lay before them, and their captors set them down. Brother and sister stood side by side, the dewy grassy strands sticking between their toes uncomfortably.
He took a few steps, cautious as ever, until he let out a great cry as his foot scraped against a sharp pebble.
He sought out his sister, who was slightly better off. Light on her feet, she trod on the grass, crouching low every now and then to inhale the fresh scent, before glancing at her captor.
He knew he wouldn't like it. He had heard tell of this happening to others, but had never imagined it would happen to him, or his sister.
--- "I don't think they like it," I said, reaching underneath the rabbit hutch where Bilbo had hidden. I hauled on the thin orange rope that I had fastened onto his collar, to prevent him from running. He came out, claws outstretched, meowing softly. I brought him to my chest and fussed his great head. Sooty was already curled in my mother's arms, her black fur on end, her paws dainty. "I'm not sending them out again. No way, no how," I said over my shoulder. Gently, I carried Bilbo back upstairs to the house. Opening the kitchen door, he ran straight in, almost pulling me headlong by his lead. --- Safe underneath the desk, Bilbo tried to chew off the lead. It tasted horrid on his pink tongue, and he hated how the pads of his paws felt now. He could hear his sister mewing in the kitchen, and both the owners calling his name.
He wouldn't go to them. That had been an awful first trip, and he wasn't in a hurry for another one.
Sooty (left) and Bilbo (right).For those wondering, this was the tale of my kittens, Bilbo and Sooty, and their first trip out into the garden. I have of course taken liberty with the story, and of course, there is no harming of animals in reality!
If you would like to leave me feedback, feel free. I would welcome it!
You can also find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Zoe-Adams-Author/238105912892455 or on Twitter at @ZeeZeeDreaming.
Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: Across the Universe by Beth Revis.
This is a short flash fiction, entitled, The First Trip. I hope you enjoy it!
Cold hands encircled his stomach, pulling him ever closer to his doom. With panicked eyes, he sought out his younger sister, but only to have his heart broken. She was being manhandled in the same way, flattened to the floor as a rope was fastened around the safety collar on her neck.
"Help! Someone help!" she cried, but it was useless. No one else seemed to hear her, and they continued with their business.
He kept low to the ground, as a length of rope was wound around his own collar - gold, in a great contrast to her red. He assumed it was for identification, but with these beasts you couldn't tell. The two had spent countless hours fighting to be free of their prisons, but they were rewarded with a swift backhand.
"Don't worry sis, I'm here," he said softly, as he was hoisted upright. He pulled at the rope, trying to get to his sister, but the beast in charge simply pulled him back.
The white door opened suddenly, and his sister was urged forwards by her keeper. She glanced back at him with fright in her eyes.
He had to do something! He began to fight his captor, but was pushed in the same direction, the beast holding onto the rope.
The wind was bitter cold as it whistled around their bones. Unceremoniously, they were hoisted into the air and carried down a set of sharp stone stairs. In a situation like this, they knew to keep quiet, for they were fearful of what was to happen next.
A grassy knoll lay before them, and their captors set them down. Brother and sister stood side by side, the dewy grassy strands sticking between their toes uncomfortably.
He took a few steps, cautious as ever, until he let out a great cry as his foot scraped against a sharp pebble.
He sought out his sister, who was slightly better off. Light on her feet, she trod on the grass, crouching low every now and then to inhale the fresh scent, before glancing at her captor.
He knew he wouldn't like it. He had heard tell of this happening to others, but had never imagined it would happen to him, or his sister.
--- "I don't think they like it," I said, reaching underneath the rabbit hutch where Bilbo had hidden. I hauled on the thin orange rope that I had fastened onto his collar, to prevent him from running. He came out, claws outstretched, meowing softly. I brought him to my chest and fussed his great head. Sooty was already curled in my mother's arms, her black fur on end, her paws dainty. "I'm not sending them out again. No way, no how," I said over my shoulder. Gently, I carried Bilbo back upstairs to the house. Opening the kitchen door, he ran straight in, almost pulling me headlong by his lead. --- Safe underneath the desk, Bilbo tried to chew off the lead. It tasted horrid on his pink tongue, and he hated how the pads of his paws felt now. He could hear his sister mewing in the kitchen, and both the owners calling his name.
He wouldn't go to them. That had been an awful first trip, and he wasn't in a hurry for another one.
Sooty (left) and Bilbo (right).For those wondering, this was the tale of my kittens, Bilbo and Sooty, and their first trip out into the garden. I have of course taken liberty with the story, and of course, there is no harming of animals in reality!If you would like to leave me feedback, feel free. I would welcome it!
You can also find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Zoe-Adams-Author/238105912892455 or on Twitter at @ZeeZeeDreaming.
Yours, with eternal ink,
Zoe
---
Currently reading: Across the Universe by Beth Revis.
March 20, 2013
Interviews...
To all who are reading this,
You may remember that I wrote a Snog, Marry and Avoid blog about Vampire novels.
Well here is your chance to catch an interview I did with author D. A. Lascelles, all about vampires.
You can check it out here:
http://lurkingmusings.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/vampire-month-zoe-adams-interview/
Spike (played by James Marsters) of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is mentioned in my interview.
He's also one of my favourite vampires. During this time, I was also asked to write a guest post. My chosen topic was 'Writing with Music', which was also featured on the blog. You can check it out here: http://lurkingmusings.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/vampire-month-writing-with-music-by-zoe-adams/
Black Veil Brides have been a huge influence on my writing, and they are featured in my interview. I hope that you enjoy these snippets of my life, and that you look at the other posts and Vampire Month Victims. Enjoy and happy reading. Yours, with eternal ink, Zoe --- Currently reading: Forgiven by Jana Oliver
You may remember that I wrote a Snog, Marry and Avoid blog about Vampire novels.
Well here is your chance to catch an interview I did with author D. A. Lascelles, all about vampires.
You can check it out here:
http://lurkingmusings.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/vampire-month-zoe-adams-interview/
Spike (played by James Marsters) of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is mentioned in my interview. He's also one of my favourite vampires. During this time, I was also asked to write a guest post. My chosen topic was 'Writing with Music', which was also featured on the blog. You can check it out here: http://lurkingmusings.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/vampire-month-writing-with-music-by-zoe-adams/
Black Veil Brides have been a huge influence on my writing, and they are featured in my interview. I hope that you enjoy these snippets of my life, and that you look at the other posts and Vampire Month Victims. Enjoy and happy reading. Yours, with eternal ink, Zoe --- Currently reading: Forgiven by Jana Oliver
