Majanka Verstraete's Blog, page 29
October 31, 2017
Author Interview with Kat Flannery
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I’ve always had a yearning to write. It wasn’t until I’d freelance for a few years that I realized I did not want to be told what to write. I decided then to write novels and haven’t looked back since.
What inspired you to write this trilogy?
The Branded Trilogy was not supposed to be. When I set out to write Lakota Honor, book 1, I did not set out to write a trilogy. I had a story in my head that needed to be told, and it was going to be a stand-alone book. When the book released it didn’t take long for readers to wonder where the main character, Nora Rushton got her healing abilities from. I needed to give them some sort of explanation and so I wrote Blood Curse, which takes place two hundred years before Lakota Honor. Thus, starting a trilogy.
What is your editing process like?
I edit as I write. I am not a grammar queen and in fact I have a love/hate relationship with the comma. I also do three or four passes before handing it off to my editor and then another two passes before it goes to the publisher.
Is this your first series?
Yes, it is.
Did you set any writing goals for 2017?
I did and I’m half way through them. I wanted to finish Poppy, book 2 in The Montgomery Sisters set to be out late 2017 or early 2018 and I’ve got a good start on my contemporary romance.
Are you working on something now?
Yes, I am currently flushing out Ivy, book 3 in The Montgomery Sisters and writing a new contemporary romance.
About the Books
Branded Trilogy
Author: Kat Flannery
Genre: Historical / Western / Paranormal Romance
Sizzling ROMANCE, the WILD WEST, and a dash of PARANORMAL make the BRANDED TRILOGY bundle a heart-pounding and satisfying read…
LAKOTA HONOR
Fate has brought them together, but will a promise tear them apart?
In the small town of Willow Creek, Colorado, Nora Rushton spends most of her days locked up in her home with a father who resents her and fighting off unwanted marriage proposals from the wealthy Elwood Calhoun. Marked as a witch, Nora must hide her healing powers from those who wish to destroy all the witkowin—crazy women. What she doesn’t know is that a bounty hunter is hot on her trail.
Lakota native Otakatay has an obligation to fulfill. He has been hired to kill the witkowin. In a time when race and difference are a threat and innocence holds no ground, courage, love and honor will bring Nora and Otakatay together as they fight for their freedom. Will the desire to fulfill his promise drive Otakatay to kill Nora? Or will the kindness he sees in her blue eyes push him to be the man he once was?
BLOOD CURSE
Four years after the Blood Curse, Pril of the Peddlers vows to protect her child against the evil men who hunt her. With her clan unaware of the branded girl among them, Pril has to keep the identity of her daughter a secret. When her child is kidnapped, she is forced to ask Merchant runner, Kade Walker, for his help.
Kade Walker needs to find the gypsy child. Blackmailed and pushed beyond his own moral code, he is determined to do whatever it takes. When he comes across the Peddler clan, he is sure the girl is there, however all hope is lost when the gypsies capture him. Time is running out—until Pril makes him an offer he cannot refuse.
Amidst greed, lust, revenge and love, Pril will need to trust Kade. But as the evil nears and doubt creeps in, will she discover that the enemy has been standing next to her all along?
SACRED LEGACY
Tsura is a Chuvani, and with that comes great power…
Desperate to escape the memories that haunt her, Tsura Harris returns to Jamestown, the very place her mother forbade her to go. A gifted Chuvani, Tsura has sworn off all magick, thus making her vulnerable to the Renoldi clan, who wish to kill her and take the pendant that is the key to her power.
Red Wolf is hell-bent on living his life on the sea, until he runs into Tsura on the docks. His pride wounded from her rejection years before, he hoped to never see her again. But when the evil Corsair, Romulus Black, demands to know where she is, Red Wolf must protect her, as is his duty.
But is duty and honor his only reason, or does Red Wolf still carry a flame of love in his heart? And will Tsura finally discover her destiny?
Author Bio
Kat Flannery’s love of history shows in her novels. She is an avid reader of historical, suspense, paranormal, and romance. She has her Certificate in Freelance and Business Writing.
A member of many writing groups, Kat enjoys promoting other authors on her blog. Kat loves to teach writing classes and give back to other aspiring authors. She volunteers her time at the local library facilitating their writing group. She’s been published in numerous periodicals throughout her career
Her debut novel CHASING CLOVERS has been an Amazon Top 100 Paid bestseller twice. LAKOTA HONOR, BLOOD CURSE, and SACRED LEGACY (Branded Trilogy) are Kat’s three award-winning novels and HAZARDOUS UNIONS is Kat’s first novella. Kat is currently hard at work on her next series, THE MONTGOMERY SISTERS.
Visit Kat at: www.katflannerybooks.com
Find her on Facebook: Kat Flannery, author
Follow her on Twitter: @KatFlannery1
Links
Universal Link: https://getbook.at/BrandedTrilogy
Book Excerpt and Giveaway Winner Take All
Book Excerpt
Carly
Door hinges squeaked, and a barefoot Paul clad only in pajama bottoms padded inside. “Carly? Why are you up? Are you okay?”
I swallowed hard as he approached. “I’m kind of freaked out. Put my boots back on for the first time since…since I fell…” My trembling increased. I slammed one of my shaking hands against the walkway. “This is stupid, this is so stupid, they’re just the damn boots for God’s sake. We aren’t even near a mountain, what is wrong with me?”
Paul knelt beside me and gathered my unresisting body into his arms. “It’s trauma. It’d be a miracle if you didn’t suffer from some kind of PTSD after that crash.”
“I’ve been dreaming about it again. I think that’s what triggered this. Shit. I need to find a way to handle it, I need…” I decided that dignity was overrated and curled up against Paul, pressing my cheek against his chest. His sleep-warmed skin smelled of soap and a faint note of pine-scented cologne.
“It’s okay. It’ll be okay, I promise.” Paul reached down and tugged off my boots. “We’ll try again with these later. But right now you need to relax. Jesus, Carly, it’s the middle of the damn night. Stop pushing yourself so hard.” He picked me up and stepped off the walkway into a grassy swath of the garden.
My laugh was tinged with more than a little hysteria, even to my ears. “Stop pushing myself? Have you met me?”
He chuckled and set me down. With deft hands, he pulled the blanket from around my shoulders, spread it out on the ground and repositioned me on top.
I nestled closer to him, drawing real comfort from his proximity.
“We’ll just sit here for a bit, all right? There’s no rush. Can you match my breathing pattern? Nice and deep, okay? Try it with me.” He inhaled slowly, controlling his breath on the exhale. “Like that.” He pitched his voice at a level someone might use on a skittish horse.
Ordinarily I would have bristled at the notion of being handled. But he sounded so soothing, and made me feel safe in ways I hadn’t experienced in ages. It couldn’t hurt to try. After a few false starts, I managed to coordinate my breath in time to his.
“Good. You’re doing great. Keep going.” He stroked my back and whispered encouragement, the steady rhythm of his movements lulling me into a relaxed, meditative state. My rigid muscles softened as the adrenaline gradually receded from my body. The fear faded away as well, replaced by a growing awareness of Paul’s body wrapped around mine.
I couldn’t have said when the mood changed, the shift was so subtle. But little by little, I raised my head, gazing at Paul through wondering eyes, my mouth only a few inches from his. I didn’t move any closer at first, drinking in his half-sleepy, half-sultry expression, reveling in the power of our attraction that clearly held him as captive as it did me. A dreamy tension built up between the two of us, and when I finally leaned in to close the distance, Paul met me halfway.
So soft, so sweet. We kissed as if it were the first time, a tentative exploration that turned heated in a matter of moments.
About the Book
Title: Winner Take All
Author: Mary Rodgers
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Hot shot skier and unrepentant party girl Carly Carrington is on top of the world until a disastrous crash destroys her championship dreams. Can she lower her guard long enough to trust the one man who might be able to heal her body…and her heart?
When it comes to sports doctors, buttoned-up Paul Blackburn is the best of the best. But when Carly upends his carefully ordered little world, will Paul fight his one chance at true love, or go for the gold in… WINNER TAKE ALL.
Author Bio
A career performer and storyteller, Mary was the keyboardist and lead vocalist in an all-female rock band for a number of years, and has acted in leading roles in plays and musicals across the globe.
Her first screenplay, Common Ground, was a finalist in the Moondance International Film Festival competition, and she is a member of the Screen Actor’s Guild/AFTRA and the New York chapter of Women in Film and Television.
An avid gamer and unrepentant nerd, Mary’s been a fan of romance, science fiction and fantasy novels since she was old enough to hide them between the pages of her textbooks during geometry class in high school. She is delighted to introduce the first book in her new contemporary romance series, Winner Take All.
Links
Twitter – @mb_rodgers
www.mary-rodgers.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075TRJ4SP
Giveaway
Two lucky winners will win a Kindle Fire loaded with “Winner Take All” and “Project Catchstar”.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
October 24, 2017
Author Interview with Christopher Draven
Author Interview
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I was young the first time I felt the thrill of telling a story from my imagination. In the fourth grade, I won a short story contest for children writers. After that, I was hooked.
What inspired you to write “Hunted”?
The inspiration started with the idea of using Jonathan Harker as a protagonist. As a character, he has such a fascinating tale; and yet, so few people know who he is or what he accomplished. When I made the decision that I would focus on writing a novel all the way through, I settled on Jonathan Harker at random. I had one scene in mind, I wrote it, and luckily that story kept unfolding.
What is your editing process like?
I have learned not to edit as I write. Stopping to fix things means I’ll never get done. When I let that go, the writing started to flow a lot more quickly.
My process is to wait until the book is finished, then go back read it through. That’s when I find the significant inconsistencies or glaring grammatical foibles. Once the first read-through is complete, I run it through an editing software. That helps me highlight things like words I repeat a lot, unnecessarily wordy passages, and common errors.
The next step is to send it for real editing – developmental editing. I have a fantastic editor, and she has no fear. She combs through the mechanics of what I wrote and then guides me on how to improve. While she will add inline edits, it’s not her job. Her role is to make sure the story glistens in the light of day.
When I get the bleeding manuscript back, I spend a lot of time rewriting. I incorporate my editor’s feedback, focus on updating things I need to change, and then give it another read through for new errors I’ve likely made.
Once I feel that it is ‘ready,’ I give it to a proofreader. Another rework of the edits the proofreader found, and one last final polish. That’s when it is good to go…
It’s a long process, but I find it necessary. When I published my first book, I did it without any proofreading, and readers complained. So it’s my goal to ensure I never get another complaint about typos again!
Is this your first book?
No, I have written non-fiction works as a co-author and as a ghostwriter. However, Hunted is my debut in fiction.
Learning the craft of fiction has been an incredible journey.
Did you set any writing goals for 2017?
I wanted to get book two finished and out; which happened this month. Confession: A Jonathan Harker Novel was released in early October 2017. I’m continuing to promote Hunted and will transition to Confession in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out, as there will be some promotional pricing ;).
Are you working on something now?
Yes. I have started work on book three. I also have two short stories I’d like to write before the end of the year. More details to come on those projects. Details can be found on my Facebook page or my author website.
Thanks for the interview!
About the Book
Title: Hunted: A Jonathan Harker Novel
Author: Christopher Draven
Genre: Paranormal Thriller / Urban Fantasy
Slinging Spells with Broken Ribs Isn’t Easy
Jonathan Harker, mage and life-long demon hunter, wakes to find himself tied to a chair and severely wounded. His captor, a demon in service to a summoner who wants Harker alive.
Armed with impossibly powerful magic and a gang of demon toughs, the summoner has snared Harker in a deadly trap. Nothing is ever easy, and being new in town has left Harker with few allies. However, with help from a Fortune-Teller named Clover and a self-described “Kitchen Witch” named Momma Dee, Harker fights back.
To prevail, Harker must walk unprepared into a pit of demons and black magic – and come out alive on the other side.
Author Bio
Christopher Draven has worked as an instructional designer, newspaper journalist, and ghost writer.
One soggy Monday morning, he committed to leaving behind the soul-stealing work of corporate puppetry and escaped to a meadow where he could concentrate on his passion. Since that fateful day, Christopher has focused on learning the craft of fiction.
Links
twitter: @writerdraven
email: info@christopherdraven.com
October 22, 2017
Author Interview with Michael Okon
I’m interviewing Michael Okon today, author of YA book “Monsterland”. Welcome to my blog!
Author Interview
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I’ve been writing since kindergarten but I started taking it seriously when I was 15. Then I got really into writing screenplays in college. Then I started taking those screenplays and turning them into novels in my 20s and 30s. I got my first publishing deal at 39 years old.
What inspired you to write your book?
I was binge watching a classic movie marathon with my son. You know, the good ones, The Goonies, Gremlins, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, etc…. I have always wanted to write a monster book but couldn’t settle on which monster I wanted to pursue. It was while watching all these movies, that I came up with the idea, why isn’t there a theme park with zombies. I called my brother immediately and told him my idea. He said, no – it has to be a theme park with werewolves, vampires AND zombies. I started beating out the story that night.
What is your editing process like?
I re-read the story a hundred times. No kidding. I ask my wife, my mom and couple beta readers to reread the manuscript. They give me feedback and I implement their changes, if I agree with them.
Is this your first book?
No, however this is my first published book. I was writing and self-publishing under a few different alias – Michael Samuels and Michael Phillip Cash. Then Monsterland got picked up in a two-book publishing deal and my attorney advised me to use my real name – Michael Okon.
Did you set any writing goals for 2017?
Oh yeah. I make a vision board every year. So far everything I’ve ever put on it comes true. For 2017, I asked for hundreds of things, specifically a movie deal. So far, my career looks like its heading in that direction. Only time will tell.
Are you working on something now?
Monsterland 2 is coming out on my 40th birthday, May 26, 2018. I’m knee deep in Monsterland 3. I’ve already started beating out the stories for Monsterland 4 & 5. Its seem I’m going to be writing about monsters for the foreseeable future.
About the Book
Title: Monsterland
Author: Michael Okon
Genre: YA
Welcome to Monsterland—the scariest place on Earth.
The last couple years of high school have not been fun for Wyatt Baldwin. His parents divorce, then his dad mysteriously dies. He’s not exactly comfortable with his new stepfather, Carter White, either. An on-going debate with his best friends Howard Drucker and Melvin over which monster is superior has gotten stale. He’d much rather spend his days with beautiful and popular Jade. However, she’s dating the brash high-school quarterback Nolan, and Wyatt thinks he doesn’t stand a chance.
But everything changes when Wyatt and his friends are invited to attend the grand opening of Monsterland, a groundbreaking theme park where guests can rock out with vampires at Vampire Village, be chased by actual werewolves on the Werewolf River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville.
With real werewolves, vampires and zombies as the main attractions, what could possibly go wrong?
Author Bio
Michael Okon is an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres including paranormal, thriller, horror, action/adventure and self-help. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in English, and then later received his MBA in business and finance. Coming from a family of writers, he has storytelling is his DNA. Michael has been writing from as far back as he can remember, his inspiration being his love for films and their impact on his life. From the time he saw The Goonies, he was hooked on the idea of entertaining people through unforgettable characters.
Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, and a sucker for self-help books. He lives on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.
Links
Giveaway
October 21, 2017
Author Interview with Maxime Trencavel
Today I’m interviewing Maxime Trencavel, author of “The Matriarch Matrix”. Welcome to my blog!
Author Interview
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
In primary school at age 8. We were assigned to write a fiction story. I loved Horatio Hornblower stories, so I started writing my own version. Epic length of course, which meant it was never finished within the time of the assignment. I excelled in creative writing through secondary school, but writing took a back seat after the typical parentteen conversation about jobs and education. STEM took over. Now with the STEM life successfully achieved, I am so happy I can fulfill my childhood aspirations.
What inspired you to write your book?
With a fortuitous opening in my life, I was blessed with the time to chase what I once loved. I found utterly intriguing the questions of who built the 12,000 year old monolithic site, Gobekli Tepe, was this a religious sanctuary, and what happened to the builders that I began imagining the story.
The story started as a SciFi Action Adventure. But it took a major turn as a secondary character, a Kurdish woman meant to guide the heroes to Gobekli Tepe, became the primary character. And as I research the Kurds, their centuries of oppression and genocide, and the plight of Kurdish women, I became so compelled that I changed the story line to focus on Zara Khatum – a woman who suffered great tragedy, who held on to sanity through her faith, and who was pitted against everything she believed in to fulfill the destined words and vision of the founding matriarch from Gobekli Tepe.
But the inspiration to complete this epic came from the words of a 22 year old beta reader from Germany: “I would actually like to extend my gratitude. I can’t explain how touching it has been to read about a character like Zara. I think it sends a really strong message home that people seem to really forget. We can all be subject to rape. The world isn’t pretty. And it doesn’t matter how strong you are. But through everything, Zara is so incredibly beautiful. I think that’s important. Whether she agrees or not, she’s a stronger person for everything she’s been through. Thank you for not writing her as some typical rape victim. Thank you for creating something so much more powerful.”
What the portrayal of Zara did for her as a person gave me the conviction to bring this story to market.
What is your editing process like?
I was surprised at how long the editing of a book takes. But quality cannot be rushed. The second draft was completed in three months. The editing took another nine months. I found a veteran editor who specialized in indies and who was a “gentle” commentator. That is, she didn’t make you feel stupid or inadequate through her remarks. This book’s
story was so atypical in that it did not follow rules of any one genre, but utilized the “tools” as needed from many genres to craft the story. I found that typical development editors may not have been suited to help bring such a cross-genre story forward.
As a veteran marketer, I believe in listening to the customer. So I used one round of alpha readers and three rounds of beta readers to help guide the editing process. Each round took three weeks to get feedback. Three weeks for me to emotionally and cognitively assimilate, rationalize, then formulate how to address the feedback. Another four to six weeks to re-pen a new draft followed by four to six weeks of my editor reshaping what I gave her. I also brought in a Kurdish author/editor to advise on the cultural aspects of Zara, her family, and her world. I love that the reviews thus far have not criticized the craft of the book which I believe is a result of this long and involved editing process.
Did you set any writing goals for 2017?
Bringing this book to market was my primary goal. The manuscript came out of proof reading in the beginning of the summer. And it took the whole summer for all of the production aspects of the book to be performed and completed. As much as I wanted the book to be on the market earlier, I let each expert along the way take their time to make a quality product. Over the summer I read books that would help me craft the sequel as my secondary goal was to get the sequel completed.
Are you working on something now?
Last February as the sixth draft went into the second round of beta reader review, I naively thought my manuscript was close to publication ready. So I began to sketch out the sequel. As history tells, the feedback from that second round said there were significant areas that needed to be re-crafted. But having that sequel sketched out helped me in the re-crafting process and set up the bases for the sequel in this first book. I have most of the second book’s synopsis drafted and will meet with my alpha readers shortly. I hope to have a draft ready for my editor by end-of-year and ready to go to first round of beta readers by mid-winter.
About the Book
Title: The Matriarch Matrix
Author: Maxime Trencavel
Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure
The Matriarch Matrix – A speculative fiction novel of origins, faith, passion, and the pursuit of peace.
It was always his destiny to save her. It was always her destiny to die. The fate of the world hangs on their choices…
The past foretells her future…
What does it take to change a loving child of peace into an assassin for a dangerous and powerful oligarch? Zara Khatum knows. Once a fighter for her Kurdish people, the memory of the atrocities inflicted by her captors has Zara seeking one thing: vengeance. But the voices of the ancients call to Zara. In the past, in another life, she knew the secrets of the artifact…
Twelve thousand years ago…
She is Nanshe, revered matriarch of the family she led away from the monsters of the north. In the land that would one day mark the treacherous border between Turkey and Syria, she created the temples at Gobleki Tepe and founded a dynasty, heirs to a powerful object. For millennia, Nanshe’s descendants have passed down the legend of the artifact: “The object can save. But only a man and woman together can guide the salvation of others.”
Heirs to destiny…
By fate or destiny, Zara is thrown in with Peter Gollinger, a quirky Californian from the other side of the world and the other side of everything she believes. But he, too, is heeding the voices of his ancestors. Joined by Jean-Paul, a former Jesuit priest, these three people—from wildly different religions and cultures—must find a way to work together to solve a twelve thousand-year-old mystery of the powerful object that spawned a faith. The world teeters on the precipice of war. The outcome depends on them. And one of them is living a lie.
The Matriarch Matrix is a rich and deeply layered epic story – a spiritual odyssey with a heartbeat of an action adventure. It may make you think, ponder, reflect upon where we came from and where we are going. It blends our past with a speculative future of things that are not so far-fetched. It blends the drama, the comedy, the romance, the tragedy of three protagonists with different cultures, traditions, and beliefs – a Sufi woman, a Jesuit priest, and an alien origin believing atheist. Their journeys separately and together will be a test of their respective faiths and their inner search for personal and family redemption.
Author Bio
Maxime has been scribbling stories since grade school from adventure epics to morality plays. Blessed with living in multicultural pluralistic settings and having earned degrees in science and marketing, Maxime has worked in business and sports, traveling to countries across five continents and learning about cultures, traditions, and the importance of tolerance and understanding. Maxime’s debut novel was written and edited in different locations in Belgium, including the Turkish and Kurdish neighborhoods of Brussels, in South America, and on the two coasts of the United States.
Links
tailofthebird.com
https://www.facebook.com/MaximeTrencavel/
https://www.instagram.com/maximetrencavel/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17168784.Maxime_Trencavel
https://www.amazon.com/Maxime-Trencavel/
Get “The Matriarch Matrix” on Amazon
October 15, 2017
Release Blitz Monsterland
About the Book
Title: Monsterland
Author: Michael Okon
Genre: YA
Welcome to Monsterland—the scariest place on Earth.
The last couple years of high school have not been fun for Wyatt Baldwin. His parents divorce, then his dad mysteriously dies. He’s not exactly comfortable with his new stepfather, Carter White, either. An on-going debate with his best friends Howard Drucker and Melvin over which monster is superior has gotten stale. He’d much rather spend his days with beautiful and popular Jade. However, she’s dating the brash high-school quarterback Nolan, and Wyatt thinks he doesn’t stand a chance.
But everything changes when Wyatt and his friends are invited to attend the grand opening of Monsterland, a groundbreaking theme park where guests can rock out with vampires at Vampire Village, be chased by actual werewolves on the Werewolf River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville.
With real werewolves, vampires and zombies as the main attractions, what could possibly go wrong?
Author Bio
Michael Okon is an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres including paranormal, thriller, horror, action/adventure and self-help. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in English, and then later received his MBA in business and finance. Coming from a family of writers, he has storytelling is his DNA. Michael has been writing from as far back as he can remember, his inspiration being his love for films and their impact on his life. From the time he saw The Goonies, he was hooked on the idea of entertaining people through unforgettable characters.
Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, and a sucker for self-help books. He lives on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.
Links
Website: http://www.michaelokon.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IAmMichaelOkon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iammichaelokon/
Bewaren
October 11, 2017
The Adventures of Marisol Holmes: Jefferson Disk
Writing The Adventures of Marisol Holmes, I had to do a lot of research, not just into the different species of shifters that would appear in the book, but also on other rather mysterious topics. One of those topics was ciphers.
The Jefferson disk, or wheel cipher as the inventor, Thomas Jefferson named it in 1795, is also known as the Bazeries Cylinder. It’s a cipher system, or code system, using a set of wheels or disk, each with the 26 letters of the alphabet arranged around the edge.
The order of letters is different for each disk, scrambled randomly. Each disk has an unique number and a hole in its center that allows it to be stacked on an axle. The disks can be moved on the axle in any order desired, and can also be removed. The order of the disks is known as the cipher key.
The Jefferson disk had 36 disks that could spell a message. The disks are placed on the axle, and then the sender rotates each disk up and down until a message is spelled out on a row. For example, one row could spell out: The murderer is Mr. X.
Then, the sender would have to look at one of the other rows, which will contain a message that is complete gibberish. He copies down this message, and gives it to the recipient, the person who he wants to break the code.
The recipient then rotate the disks until they spell out the encrypted message on one row, the gibberish message, and then looks through all the rows until he finds the plaintext message: The murderer is Mr. X.
Pretty cool, eh?
Bewaren
October 4, 2017
The Adventures of Marisol Holmes: Writing Tough Scenes
Today’s post is a little different. Rather than sharing trivia with you about the shifters appearing in The Adventures of Marisol Holmes, I wanted to touch upon a more difficult subject. Writing tough scenes.
Sometimes, scenes are tough because you struggle while writing them. Action scenes are often like that. You need to visualize what the characters are doing, the way they move, what they do at presicely what moment. As such, for a lot of authors, action scenes are difficult to write. But today I’m not talking about scenes that are difficult to write because they’re complicated… I’m talking about writing scenes that are tough to write because writing them… hurts.
While editing A Study in Shifters, I had to add in a scene that features Marisol Holmes and her father, and the scene hit close to home for me. Without giving away spoilers, in the scene Marisol and her dad pretend to be Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. It was tough for me to write that because it reminded me a lot about my own father.
My father passed away when I was seven years old. My fondest memories of him were when we played “Robin Hood”. Whenever we played that, I was Robin Hood, and my father played just about every other role there was: the evil Prince John, Robin Hood’s sidekick Little John, and a bunch of other characters we came up with.
Writing that scene with Marisol Holmes and her father, reminded me so much of what I used to play with my own father, that it really hurt to write that. It hurt, but at the same time, it also made me happy, because people able to conjure up the fondest memories you have of a person, and then being able to incorporate them into a story, is a wonderful way to honor a person. I’m sure my father would’ve agreed with that. He loved books and always encouraged me to read and write.
Even though it’s been twenty years since my father passed away, it makes me happy to know the memories of the person he was still inspire me, and that he’s still close to me, even now.
September 27, 2017
Author Interview with M. Gail Grant
I’m interviewing M. Gail Grant today, author of YA Fantasy “Magdalena Gottschalk: The Crooked Trail”. Welcome to my blog!
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
Honestly, ever since I was about the age of twelve. I just didn’t have the confidence to see it through until this past year. It was mostly out of love for my youngest daughter. She is absolutely fascinated with reading, just as I was as a child, and watching her love and enjoyment from reading has given me the extra little push I needed to make it happen. I wanted to write something for her, something she could proudly say, “My mommy wrote that!”
What inspired you to write your book?
My nine-year-old daughter, Penelope, was my biggest inspiration. I remember when I was about her age, how excited I would get to go to the library. My favorite series as a child was the Nancy Drew series. I would be captivated by the storyline and couldn’t wait until we returned the book so I could get the next one in the series. My mother always took me to the library as she was a strong believer in the gift of reading. Since my children were toddlers, I have always taken them to the library and every year we have always participated in the summer reading programs where they earn rewards and certificates for the books they read. Writing a book was something that I felt would reinforce their view of reading. Penelope loves anything in fantasy fiction, hence my decision to write in the genre.
What is your editing process like?
Brutal! I am constantly editing. I’m not one of those authors that writes the entire book and then edits. I have read pros and cons to this style. But, I write a few chapters at a time, then edit. I write more, then edit. Once the book is completed, I read it front to back on the computer, and edit. I then print the manuscript, read it front to back, and edit again. I then send it off to the publisher to receive it back in book form. I read the book cover to cover, and then edit again. I re-print the book, receive it in the mail, read it again from cover to cover, and edit again. It is always a never-ending cycle. I am so very type A, that a typo drives me crazy. I’m not saying my works are perfect, but I can say they are done to my very best ability. I put my best foot forward, in regards to editing.
Is this your first book?
Yes, it is! I have written a few short stories for journal submissions, but this is my first novel. I have loved it, hated it, cried over it, prayed over it, and published it. I am thrilled with the result, but I approach it like everything else in life. It is more about the journey than the end. I have tried to embrace and enjoy each step along the way as I will never get this time in my life back. There will never again be a first book!
Did you set any writing goals for 2017?
My book was just released late June to early July via Amazon and Ingram Spark in paperback, hardcover, and digital eBook. I just completed my first book trailer which can be found on YouTube. I’m honored to say my 2017 goals have now been attained! Writing your first book has many challenges and rewards. My goal was to complete the manuscript, edit and edit, and see the book come to print. I feel very blessed. I have one more goal for 2017, and that is to complete and publish the second book of the series titled, Magdalena Gottschalk: The Slippery Slope, which should be released middle to late November of this year.
Are you working on something now?
Yes, I am currently working on book two of the series. And, I am slowing working on the theme for book three. Beyond that, I am focusing on marketing and promotion of Magdalena Gottschalk: The Crooked Trail, my first novel. Now that it is complete, I’m learning the art of marketing.
About the Book
Title: Magdalena Gottschalk: The Crooked Trail
Author: M. Gail Grant
Genre: YA Fantasy
The enchanted secret of Lily Brooke was safe and sound, until Magdalena and her thirteen-year-old friends accidentally unleashed the revengeful demons of the past. How were they supposed to know that a friendly expedition in the woods on a stress-free Saturday morning would lead to the most intense and scary moments of their lives? So many mysterious happenings have occurred ever since they found that crooked trail leading to the sacrificial cave, and hidden monstrosity of a treehouse. With the chanting voices and shrill noises that only Magdalena could hear, the friends decide there is something sinister living amongst them. Time is of the essence to save Lily Brooke and their childhood club, the Mystical Alliance of Lily Brooke, knows it is up to them to capture the demons hiding in their community and set the town free. Witches, wizards, and some black magic may just be what it takes for Magdalena and her best friends to save the day.
Author Bio
Melinda Gail resides in Canton, Georgia with her three daughters, husband of over twenty years, and two adorable fur babies. Surrounded by the north Georgia mountains, the scenery provides for inspirational settings for her novels. Being raised in the south, she brings a little southern flair and tradition to her characters, all the while remembering the adventurous nature of middle grades to young adult age children. With a passion for the extraordinary and imagination, Melinda hopes you enter a world of fantasy as you see life through the eyes of the characters.
Writing has always been her underlying passion in life. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, and a minor in Sociology, she felt understanding and studying human behavior on the individual and collective level, would apply to anything and everything chosen to do in life. Identified as being a strong writer for her age at the time, she attended a summer literary writer’s camp around age twelve. She flourished and loved every moment of the experience and it has stayed with her throughout adulthood.
The desire to write has always been an integral part of who Melinda is, and about eight months ago she decided it was time. Having always been an avid reader of topics from intense young adult fantasy and thrillers, to light hearted summer romances, she chose juvenile to young adult ages for her book. In middle school summers, she would stay up to the wee hours of the morning reading because she just couldn’t put the book down. This basic idea, not being able to put a book down, is the principal she built on while writing Magdalen Gottschalk: The Crooked Trail. It has moments of ease, moments of intensity, moments of humor, striving to offer some of her own personality in her writings. There is a time for sweetness, a time for seriousness, and always a time for kindness and life lessons. Her style isn’t made up. It is simply who she is, on paper.
Links
For author signed paperback and hardcover editions: http://www.MelindaGailBooks.com
Giveaway
The Adventures of Marisol Holmes: Invisible Ink
Writing The Adventures of Marisol Holmes, I had to do a lot of research, not just into the different species of shifters that would appear in the book, but also on other rather mysterious topics. One of those topics was invisible ink.
One of the earliest writers who ever mentioned invisible ink is Aeneas Tacticus, in the fourth century BCE. Invisible ink has been used for centuries, and was particularly popular in the Roman Empire and 16th century Europe.
Invisible ink can be applied on a writing surface in many different ways, sometimes even just by dipping a finger in the liquid. Once dry, the written surface will look blank, and otherwise perfectly similar as how it would look prior to being written on. The ink can then later be made visibile using different methods, depending on the type of ink used.
One of the most common ways to display invisible ink is by viewing it under ultraviolet light, by applying the appropriate chemical, or even just by putting it under a heat source. Whoever thinks you need a complicated chemical balance to create invisible ink, would be very wrong. Some organic substances oxidize when heated which turns them brown. You can even try this at home.
Any acidic fluid will work for this drink, but some suggestions are coca cola, honey solution, sugar solution, lemon / apple / organge or onion juice, wine, or even milk.
Here’s a quick tutorial on how to make invisible ink using lemon juice:
Use the juice as ink by applying it to a stick or paintbrush, and then writing on paper.
Wait for the paper to dry.
When you’re ready to read your invisible message, hold the paper up to a lightbulb or another heat source.
The heat will cause the writing to darken to a pale brown.
You can now read your message!
Give it a try, and feel free to email me a picture of your invisible ink experiment.
