L.S. Murphy's Blog, page 28
April 24, 2012
5 Questions with Daniel A. Cohen
Daniel A. Cohen was just your average business student. Microeconomics, finance, marketing… you name it, he had to do a PowerPoint presentation on it. One dark and stormy night, he was bitten by the radioactive realization that memorizing business jargon could possibly be the most boring activity known to man.
After gaining eagle-eye vision, abs that could grate cheese, and a talent for imagining things (including his cheese-grating abs), he wrote his first novel and began his epic battle against the formidable business jargon. He continues to fight the good fight by playing saxophone and writing YA fantasy, forever hoping his Veil trilogy will help inspire others to join his cause.
Now on to the FIVE QUESTIONS
1. Congrats on your novel Masters of the Veil. Where did the spark of inspiration for Sam Lock come from?
I’m a huge sci-fi/ fantasy fan. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Alvin Maker, Name of the Wind; I love it all. I noticed that there seemed to be a trend in fantasy novels where an outcast is pulled into a fantasy world and finds his place in the new society. I thought it would be really interesting to see what happened if the opposite circumstance occurred. Say… a football playing, popular kid getting pulled into a fantasy world and struggling to find a place there. I couldn’t find it, so I wrote it!
2. Masters of the Veil is the first in a trilogy. How different is the writing process for you now than it was writing the first book?
Oh man, I thought writing the sequel was going to be easier than the creating the first, but that’s not the case at all. With a sequel, us 
fantasy authors have to keep track of SO much. We have to reveal more of the world, develop the characters further, and keep track of so many interpersonal relationships. I’ve found that writing a sequel requires putting in the effort, but I’m very excited about how “Children of the Veil” is progressing.
3. What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
Keep pushing against the tide of rejection! All it takes is one yes to change your life.
4. What is your solution to writer’s block?
I’ll get back to you when I find it. What’s yours? (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE) (Actually, my secret is to interview other authors to find out their secrets. L.S.)
5. Finally, Star Wars or Star Trek?
Neither. Lord of the Rings all the way! But If I have to say something with “STAR” in it, than STARDUST by Neil Gaiman. Pretty much anything by Neil Gaiman is pure genius.
Tagged: 2012, Authors, Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Fun, Interviews, Just for Fun, Musings, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, Reading, Teens, Writers, Writing, YA books, YA fantasy, Young Adult Books
April 23, 2012
Book Review: Hushed by Kelley York
Synopsis: He’s saved her. He’s loved her. He’s killed for her.
Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn’t protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he’s never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn’t matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another—Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed.
Then along comes Evan, the only person who’s ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is.
But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer’s committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn’t get what she wants… And what she wants is Evan’s death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption.
The Cover: Love the eyes downcast. Love the blood on the cheek.
The First Line: “‘I feel that suicide notes lose their zing when they drag on too long.’ Archer emphasized the statement with a tap of his foot.” If you don’t get the idea that this is a dark novel by the opening, you probably never will.
The Good: Who would’ve thought that I would sympathize with a serial killer? Seriously? I loved Archer. I wanted to smack Vivian for treating him like she did.
The complexity of the characters is really what drives this story. Nothing is as cut and dry as Archer believes it is. The romance between Archer and Evan is sweet. I found myself rooting for them the entire way.
The Bad: Not much. I wish there would’ve been more from Evan.
Recommendation: If you can stomach it, buy it. Read it. And read it again.
Visit Kelley’s website: http://www.kelley-york.com/
Tagged: 2012, Authors, book Review, Books, Fun, Just for Fun, Musings, Opinion, Opinions, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, Reading, Teens, Writers, Writing, YA books, Young Adult Books
April 19, 2012
Book Review: OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy
Synopsis: Jewish girl. Christian camp. Holy moly.
Ellie Taylor loves nothing better than a good argument. So when she gets accepted to the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp, she’s sure that if she wins the final tournament, it’ll be her ticket to a scholarship to the best speech school in the country. Unfortunately, the competition at CSSPA is hot-literally. His name is Devon and, whether she likes it or not, being near him makes her sizzle. Luckily she’s confident enough to take on the challenge-until she begins to suspect that the private scholarship’s benefactor has negative feelings toward Jews. Will hiding her true identity and heritage be worth a shot at her dream?
Debut author Amy Fellner Dominy mixes sweet romance, surprising secrets, and even some matzo ball soup to cook up a funny yet heartfelt story about an outspoken girl who must learn to speak out for herself.
The Cover: Not a fan. It seems too generic. Honestly, I wouldn’t have picked it up at the bookstore based solely on the cover.
The First Line: “I love to argue. I’ll argue about anything – school uniforms, raising the driving age, or ear hair.” What a great introduction to this character. She’s smart, sassy, and sure of herself. And who doesn’t love to argue?
The Good: Ellie’s struggle with her identity is one most people face. In this instance, it circles around her religion as an identifier. Dominy writes Ellie with heart and conviction, even when she’s convincing herself of one thing when she feels another. Of course, as we know from the opening, Ellie loves to argue. Sometimes that means she’s arguing with herself.
The Bad: As much as I enjoyed this book, it moved slow at times.
Recommendation: Definitely worth checking out.
Tagged: 2012, book Review, Books, Fiction, Fun, Just for Fun, MG Novels, Middle Grade, Opinion, Opinions, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, Reading, Teens, Writers, Writing, YA books, Young Adult Books
April 17, 2012
5 Questions with Tricia Lawrence
Tricia is the “Pacific Northwest branch” of Erin Murphy Literary Agency —born and raised in Oregon, and now lives in Seattle. After 16 years of working as a developmental and production-based copyeditor (from kids book to college textbooks, but mostly college textbooks), she joined the EMLA team in March 2011 as a social media strategist hoping to learn from Erin and Joan about agenting.
As associate agent, Tricia represents middle grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction. She’s looking for strong worldbuilding, wounded narrators, and stories that grab a reader and won’t let go. You can find Tricia’s writing about blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking, and other social media topics (for authors and the publishing industry at large) here.
Now on to the FIVE QUESTIONS
1. Did you always want to be an agent?
I have always wanted to write AND . . . Just like that Coke Zero commercial. I love books and stories and thought I might be a writer when I was young (I wrote pages of terrible prose when I was very young and all through my teen years). But someone told me to learn to edit, I can’t even remember who now, and that’s what I did. And then as the years went by and I edited and wrote, I began to advise writers on their marketing, queries, proposals. See, I can’t just do it myself, I have to meddle in other people’s stuff, too. It was my personality that had to write AND edit AND agent. So, I have always wanted to be an agent, I just didn’t know it until about five years ago.
2. How important is a platform for new and established authors in the 21st century?
Platform is one of those words that makes the veterans in publishing want to cry. I like to say that it is important for writers to be individuals, to be themselves, and to let THAT support them as a writer. Practically speaking, this means what works for that writer over there will not work for you. You may love to blog, the next writer may prefer to put up YouTube videos of themselves talking (same audience, different medium and learning style). To be individual, a writer must be sure of who they are. There is no clone system, although that is a great idea! Every writer has to gauge the energy level they own and then push it. I think the most successful writing “platforms” (I hate that word!) are those that spring organically out of the writer’s work. Call it your life work, your life story, whatever. What is unique about how you see the world that you can use to build on. That’s important. An actual platform that we all could literally fall off of; not so important.
3. What is the most common mistake most authors make when pitching an agent at a conference?
One of my writing buddies wrote this on her blog a few weeks ago: “Don’t treat the agent like they are your one shot to fame and fortune.” I agree! Treat agents like we should be treated—as human beings, who have traveled far to get there, who are probably starving, brain-tired, in need of some peace and quiet, and who are alone in a big crowd. Agents at conferences often feel like they are human targets. Instead of perpetuating that, how about just being friendly? Ask them where they are from and about their kids/animal kids. Ask them about a favorite book they read recently. Ask them questions you would ask someone if you wanted to truly get to know them. That’s powerful.
4. What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
To dig deep, to never give up, to do what you have to do to stay confident because just as others have learned how to write amazing books, so too can you.
5. Finally, Beatles or Rolling Stones?
Oh boy. Well, my dad was a radio dj and so actually, in our house, it was the Birds.
Tagged: 2012, agent interviews, agents, Books, Fun, Interviews, Just for Fun, Lit agent, literary agent interviews, Literary Agents, Middle Grade, Musings, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, Teens, Writers, Writing, YA books, Young Adult Books
April 16, 2012
Cover Reveal: After Dark by Emi Gayle
After Dark
The 19th Year Trilogy – Book 1
by Emi Gayle
Release Date: October 31, 2012
What eighteen year old Mac Thorne doesn’t know will probably kill her.
In exactly eight months, five days, three hours and thirteen minutes, Mac has to choose what she’ll be for the rest of her life.
She has no choice but to pick. As a Changeling, it’s her birthright. To Mac, it’s a birthchore. Like going to school with humans, interacting with humans, and pretending to be human during the pesky daylight hours.
Once darkness descends, Mac can change into any supernatural form that exists — which makes her as happy as she can be. That is, until Winn Thomas, the biggest geek in her senior class figures out there’s more to what hides in the dark than most are willing to acknowledge.
In this first of the 19th Year Trilogy, Winn might know more about Mac than even she does, and that knowledge could end their lives, unless Mac ensures the powers-that-be have no choice but to keep him around.
URL: http://www.jtaylorpublishing.com/books/16
Tagged: 2012, Authors, Books, Fiction, Fun, Just for Fun, Musings, Novels, Opinion, Paranormal Romance, Photography, Photos, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, Reading, Romance, Teens, Writers, Writing, YA books, YA Paranormal Romance, Young Adult Books
April 12, 2012
Book Review: The Glass Man by Jocelyn Adams
Synopsis: Lila Gray is just a human—at least that's her mantra when she accidentally topples a building or bends a paranoid local's gun into modern art. That she can sense and control the minds around her doesn't prove anything, either. Unwilling to put others at risk, she hides in the wilderness from the beautiful creature who hunts her, one who sees her as his ultimate prize.
Alone, the egocentric Glass Man can kill with a thought. Mated with Lila, he's a supernatural weapon prepared to annihilate the humans he loathes.
Caught in the Glass Man's latest scheme, Lila is plunged into a hidden fae realm, faced with a secret birthright and a forbidden romance.
With the Glass Man threatening everyone she loves, can Lila accept who she is in time to end his bloody reign? Or will she succumb to his dark power and become the vehicle of destruction for the human race?
The Cover: There is something cold about this image with all the blues and it suits the title well. Glass is usually cold to the touch. I really like it.
The First Line: "I plunged my knife into a log and pried against the bark, hoping for a squirming morsel to quiet my rumbling stomach." If you want to write a novel, this is how you start one off. Instantly I know that the MC is a survivor and that she's not afraid to do whatever it takes.
The Good: Lila Gray is a well-rounded character who isn't going to take much crap from anyone. I loved her instantly. As her journey unfolds, she never loses who she is even as she's discovering more about her family. Lila's strengths really drive this book.
The Glass Man is creeptastic. I love a great villain and he qualifies as one of the better ones I've read lately. There is no doubt that this man is pure evil. It's refreshing.
The Bad: I only had one problem with this book and it's at the end. Soooooo I'll keep that to myself. Don't want to spoil it for anyone. 
Recommendation: If you like paranormal romance with a lot of heat, then give The Glass Man a go.
Tagged: 2012, book Review, Books, Fun, Just for Fun, Musings, Opinion, Opinions, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, Romance, Writing, YA books
April 10, 2012
5 Questions with S.S. Michaels
S. S. Michaels is a writer of transgressive fiction. She holds degrees in Business Administration and Film & Video Production. She has lived abroad, traveled widely, jumped out of an airplane and driven a race car. In film and television, she read slush and wrote coverage, then moved on to become a production coordinator. She finally served as a TV network financial analyst before leaving Hollywood. She lives with her husband, two kids, and two dogs.
Now on to the FIVE QUESTIONS
1. Where did the spark of inspiration come from for Idols & Cons?
I was working on a television award show and a couple of our guests were boy bands. I observed their dynamics and had an idea or two.
2. What authors have influenced you the most?
I'm most influenced by Chuck Palahniuk, Bret Easton Ellis, S. G. Browne, and Jeremy C. Shipp.
3. What is your solution to writer's block?
Writer's block… Hmm, I used to think that didn't exist, but I've recently been hit right in the face with it. I'm still struggling with it, so I'm open to suggestions. I'm going to try running and reading more. We'll see.
4. What are you reading right now?
I am currently reading The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama.
5. Finally, Beatles or Rolling Stones?
Beatles all the way.
Her novel Idols & Cons is available from Omnium Gatherum Media.
Synopsis: Jake Wolfram is the biggest, slickest, sickest pop star of our time.
Drug-dealing voyeuristic punk, Jake, is yanked from poverty and into the white-hot spotlight after witnessing a crime committed by his neighbor, Damien Tungsten, front man for the boy band, In Dreams.
Jake lives life on the run, hiding in the limelight, and resenting every single minute of it. He's relentlessly pursued by his former friend, psychopathic visual artist, Patrick Salinger, who coerces Jake into helping him turn a grisly murder into a masterpiece.
Seizing control of the power he craves, Jake disposes of Damien, confronts Patrick, and lives a bad-boy rock-and-roll lifestyle as he hijacks Damien's super-stardom.
But Damien's not quite ready to let it go.
In her debut novel, Michaels uses biting wit and seething satire to bring the reader behind the scenes, to an explosive world where pop music grinds up against the cutting edge of art and drugs are the fuel that ignite it
Tagged: 2012, Authors, Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Fun, Horror, Just for Fun, Musings, Novels, Random, Random Thoughts, Reading, Writers, Writing
April 9, 2012
Cover Reveal: Blue Moon by J.A. Belfield
Blue Moon
A Holloway Pack Story #2
by J.A. Belfield
Release Date: December 1, 2012
Someone is watching the Holloway pack, and this time, the female isn't the target.
Life with a group of seven male werewolves worries Jem Stonehouse not one bit. She is engaged to the Alpha's son Sean Holloway after all. So what has Jem's territorial instincts on high alert?
The pack's latest addition. Both of them.
None of the men think there's a problem with the new girlfriends. Jem's intuition tells her otherwise—that and a nagging suspicion the new females aren't there to partake.
Jem believes they've joined in to take.
The question is … What?
As the eve of the blue moon draws ever closer, Jem's running out of time to find the answer and outwit a thief of the worst possible kind.
A woman who believes she can't lose.
URL: http://www.jtaylorpublishing.com/books/18
Previous Books in this series include:
Darkness & Light (#1)
Instinct (#0)
Eternal (#0.5)
Tagged: 2012, Authors, Books, Cover Reveal, Fantasy, Fiction, Fun, J.A. Belfield, Just for Fun, Novel, Novels, Opinion, Photography, Photos, Random, Reading, Urban Fantasy, Writers, Writing
Cover Reveal: Greta and the Goblin King
Synopsis: While trying to save her brother four years ago, Greta was thrown into the witch's fire herself, falling through a portal to a dangerous world where humans are the enemy, and every ogre, goblin, and ghoul has a dark side that comes out with the full moon.
To survive, seventeen-year-old Greta has hidden her humanity and taken the job of bounty hunter—and she's good at what she does. So good, she's caught the attention of Mylena's young Goblin King, the darkly enticing Isaac, who invades her dreams and undermines her determination to escape.
But Greta's not the only one looking to get out of Mylena. The full moon is mere days away, and an ancient evil knows she's the key to opening the portal. If Greta fails, she and the lost boys of Mylena will die. If she succeeds, no world will be safe from what follows her back…
GRETA & THE GOBLIN KING releases on November 13, 2012
Check back in September for an excerpt!
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13260802-greta-and-the-goblin-king
Barnes and Noble pre-order: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/greta-and-the-goblin-king-chloe-james/1040613977
Bio: Chloe Jacobs is a native of nowhere and everywhere, having jumped around to practically every Province of Canada before finally settling in Ontario where she has now been living for a respectable number of years. Her husband and son are the two best people in the entire world, but they also make her wish she'd at least gotten a female cat. No such luck. And although the day job keeps her busy, she carves out as much time as possible to write. Bringing new characters to life and finding out what makes them tick and how badly she can make them suffer is one of her greatest pleasures, almost better than chocolate and fuzzy pink bunny slippers.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Jacobs_Chloe
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ChloeJacobsAuthor
Website: http://www.chloejacobs.com
Tagged: 2012, Books, Cover Reveal, Fiction, Fun, High School, Just for Fun, Musings, Novels, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, Reading, Teens, Writers, Writing, YA books, Young Adult Books
April 5, 2012
Book Review: Tidal Whispers
Synopsis: A romance collection of four stories featuring mermen, sirens, and water sprites.
Heart's Desire by Julie Reece
After a terrible accident, Tessa returns to her family beach house to heal. She doesn't expect to see her first summer crush from seven years before. Cameron, though, reappears and ignites a relationship that's far more intense than ever before. The only problem? Summer is once again coming to an end, and this time, Tessa will have to decide whether to choose life with Cameron or to never see him again.
The Sweetest Song by Claire Gillian
Under Poseidon's rule, Circe is the most destructive siren in the Pacific ocean, her songs luring ships and their crew to their watery graves. Not Otis, the best halibut fisherman in the Alaskan waters. His ship, the Calypso, has avoided disaster each time Circe set her sights on him.
Given one last chance to deliver Otis to Davy Jones' locker, Circe takes to land to waylay the handsome captain. Instead, it may be Otis himself who hooks the Siren.
Pearl of Pau'maa by Kelly Said
Should Miki choose to wed the local wealthy boy she doesn't love, her stomach will stop grumbling. Her soul, however, will suffocate. With one last opportunity before she must concede, she sneaks off for a final dive to her hidden crate at the bottom of the seabed. What waits for her is more than a captured lobster. It's a treasure she cannot claim without great sacrifice or true love.
The Undergarden by Jocelyn Adams
Nixie, a water sprite, lives a solitary existence as she struggles to understand the strange world beyond her waters. When she meets one of the pink ones, a curious boy named Wyatt, their friendship blooms into a love that can exist only upon the sands that divide his solid ground from her underwater paradise. Some love, though, once born, cannot be undone, even in the face of death.
The Cover: Gorgeous image! The colors are well balanced and shout MERMAIDS and other underwater creatures. It's also clear that this is a romance.
My Thoughts on the Stories
Hearts Desire by Julie Reece: Great story to open the anthology. Reece sets up a story that will both break your heart and set it soaring. Poor Tessa, I felt her agony.
The Sweetest Song by Claire Gillian: Gillian leads you through the frustration of Circe, a failing siren, to the realization of why she's cannot complete her mission with humor and humanity. While Circe was only doing her job, I couldn't help but feel for Otis as he struggled to understand what was going on.
Pearl of Pau'maa by Kelly Said: Harmon, the soldier who doesn't believe in the power of the pearl, and Miki, who is desperate to survive, take you to the depths of the ocean as they come together in more ways than one. Said paints the scenery with skill and ease as we swim alongside Miki and Harmon.
The Undergarden by Jocelyn Adams: If this story doesn't make you cry… WOW. I seriously teared up as Nixie and Wyatt's story took me on a roller coaster ride through the highs and lows of love. Just an amazing way to end a completely engaging anthology.
Recommendation: A must read for fans of romance.
Tagged: 2012, Authors, book Review, Books, Fiction, Just for Fun, Musings, Opinion, Opinions, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, ramblings, Random, Random Thoughts, Reading, Romance, Writers, Writing
