Heidi Angell's Blog, page 17
March 15, 2017
Book Review: Child of the Night Guild by Andy Peloquin
Genre:Dark FantasySynopsis: "They killed my parents. They took my name. They imprisoned me in darkness. I would not be broken."Viola, a child sold to pay her father's debts, has lost everything: her mother, her home, and her identity. Thrown into a life among criminals, she has no time for grief as she endures the brutal training of an apprentice thief. The Night Guild molds an innocent waif into a cunning, agile outlaw skilled in the thieves' trade. She has only one choice: steal enough to pay her debts. The cutthroat streets of Praamis will test her mettle, and she must learn to dodge the City Guards or swing from a hangman's rope. But a more dangerous foe lurks within the guild walls. A sadistic rival apprentice, threatened by her strength, is out for blood. What hope does one girl have in a world of ruthless men?My Take:If you've been following me on social media, then you've seen me talking about LOVING this book! Dude, it is like the darkest side of Oliver Twist, blended with the sass and grit of Sucker Punch. Andy sucks you into the world of The Night Guild, grabs you by your heart as Viola is broken, turned into a number, and beaten into submission, then learns to soar as Ilana, a member of the House Hawk, still painfully aware that as a woman she will always be fighting for her position in the Guild.HUGE WARNING: There is graphic violence, sexual assault (Not graphic, but graphic enough.) and some really horrible stuff in this book. I would not recommend for young teens, but that being said I cannot WAIT for my boys to be old enough to read this.Andy is brilliant in his portrayal of the struggles of being a woman in a man's world. He takes real-world struggles and extrapolates them beautifully to address many of the real world issues of today. All this while weaving an entertaining tale of fiction. Dark, haunting, beautiful, intense, and a mad rush of emotions. Andy drags you through the depths of despair, and leads you to soar with Ilana as she finds where she fits in the man's world of the Thieves Night Guild.Also, for those who remember my review ofBlade of the Destroyer,The Thieves of the Night Guild series takes place in the same world of Praamis and Voramis, and there is a sick part of me that would like to see the havoc that The Hunter and Ilana could create if they were to pair up. A fan girl can dream, right?Have you read any of Andy's books yet? Which one? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below.Until Next Time,Keep Reading!
March 14, 2017
Teaser Tuesday: Awesome Bookish Events and Giveaways Coming Up
Hello Lovelies,There are a couple of pretty cool bookish things going on this week that I wanted to let you know about. The first is fantasy author Alex E. Cary'sSpring Into the Elemental Series Facebook celebrationthat's running from March 17th-22nd and is to bookishly celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Spring, and Alex's birthday. Looking at the list of authors participating, this should be a pretty awesome event, and I can't wait to attend. Hope you'll join me!
The other is an awesomeCrime/ Thriller Instafreebie giveaway.There are about 40 books in the giveaway, including Elements of a Broken Mind, and a host of others ranging from cozy mysteries to hardcore thrillers. So many awesome books in the mix. Can't wait to read them!Those looking for Witchy goodness,The Council by Kayla Krantzis available as a paperback giveaway on Goodreads!Do you know of any awesome bookish events or giveaways going on in the next couple of weeks? Add them in the comments below (preferably with links) so we can check them out!Until next time,Keep Reading!
The other is an awesomeCrime/ Thriller Instafreebie giveaway.There are about 40 books in the giveaway, including Elements of a Broken Mind, and a host of others ranging from cozy mysteries to hardcore thrillers. So many awesome books in the mix. Can't wait to read them!Those looking for Witchy goodness,The Council by Kayla Krantzis available as a paperback giveaway on Goodreads!Do you know of any awesome bookish events or giveaways going on in the next couple of weeks? Add them in the comments below (preferably with links) so we can check them out!Until next time,Keep Reading!
March 13, 2017
Meet the Author Monday with Mackenzie Flohr
Hello Lovelies,I am excited to introduce you to YA fantasy author Mackenzie Flohr, who grew up in the heartland of America, chasing leprechauns and rainbows and dreaming of angels. Her parents nurtured a love of fantasy and make-believe by introducing her at a very young age to the artistic and cultural opportunities that the city of Cleveland had to offer.
From the time she could hold a pencil, Mackenzie was already creating pictorial interpretations of classic stories, and by the age of nine, she and a childhood friend were authors and reviewers of their own picture books.While following her love of adventure, Mackenzie found a second home, the Beck Center for the Arts Children's and Teen Theater School. It was there that a world of wonder was only a script and a performance away. Yet it wasn't until she was on a trip to Indiana, viewing a Lord of the Rings exhibit, that the innermost desire of her heart became clear to her. She wanted to write a fantasy of her own, one that could inspire imagination in others and lead them into a magical world of their own making. She hopes The Rite Of Wands will do just that.Wherever we live and wherever we come from is our individual heartland. Anything is possible and everything can happen. Pure imagination is in all of us—we only need to discover it, and sometimes story telling helps.How inspirational is that? Let's jump into the interview! Hello, Mackenzie, welcome to An Angell's Life. What is the current book you arepromoting?The Rite of Wands. It’s the first in a new YA fantasy series, coming out on March 10th in both paperback and eBook. It will appeal to fans of The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Doctor Who and actor Matt Smith.You just named four of my favorite things! Who is your favorite character in your book and why?Mierta McKinnon. He is a “discovery” character. Most of the time I have no idea what he is going to do in a scene, which makes writing his scenes fun and exciting! Plus without his character, there would be no Rite of Wands.Nice! Who is your least favorite character and why?
Queen Anya. I have a hate/love relationship with her character honestly. I was actually inspired by Glenn Close’s Marquise de Merteuil in the 1989 film Dangerous Liaisons. I wanted to create a character who be successful in manipulation like she was, and I believe I have that. But why she’s my least favorite character? Probably because I cannot get through a scene between her and Mierta without them flirting with each other, which is wrong, wrong wrong!!!Ha, ha, I LOVE Glenn Close! If you could have your book made into a movie, who would you want to direct it?That’s a tough question. Hmm. I’d go with Andrew Ralph Adamson, Peter Jackson, Chris Columbus or Guillermo del Toro.Ooh, some solid choices there. I love Peter Jackson. He is so good at staying faithful to the source material! If your book were made into a movie, who would you cast?For my leads - Mierta McKinnon would be Matt Smith, Orlynd O’Brien would either be David Tennant or Ewan McGregor, and Lady Anya would be Lily James.That sounds like an amazing cast! Thanks for joining us today, Mackenzie!Would you like to get to know Mackenzie better? Follow her onFacebook,twitter, or check out herwebsite.Want to learn more about The Right of Wands? Check it out on thepublisher's website.Until next time,Keep Reading!
From the time she could hold a pencil, Mackenzie was already creating pictorial interpretations of classic stories, and by the age of nine, she and a childhood friend were authors and reviewers of their own picture books.While following her love of adventure, Mackenzie found a second home, the Beck Center for the Arts Children's and Teen Theater School. It was there that a world of wonder was only a script and a performance away. Yet it wasn't until she was on a trip to Indiana, viewing a Lord of the Rings exhibit, that the innermost desire of her heart became clear to her. She wanted to write a fantasy of her own, one that could inspire imagination in others and lead them into a magical world of their own making. She hopes The Rite Of Wands will do just that.Wherever we live and wherever we come from is our individual heartland. Anything is possible and everything can happen. Pure imagination is in all of us—we only need to discover it, and sometimes story telling helps.How inspirational is that? Let's jump into the interview! Hello, Mackenzie, welcome to An Angell's Life. What is the current book you arepromoting?The Rite of Wands. It’s the first in a new YA fantasy series, coming out on March 10th in both paperback and eBook. It will appeal to fans of The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Doctor Who and actor Matt Smith.You just named four of my favorite things! Who is your favorite character in your book and why?Mierta McKinnon. He is a “discovery” character. Most of the time I have no idea what he is going to do in a scene, which makes writing his scenes fun and exciting! Plus without his character, there would be no Rite of Wands.Nice! Who is your least favorite character and why?Queen Anya. I have a hate/love relationship with her character honestly. I was actually inspired by Glenn Close’s Marquise de Merteuil in the 1989 film Dangerous Liaisons. I wanted to create a character who be successful in manipulation like she was, and I believe I have that. But why she’s my least favorite character? Probably because I cannot get through a scene between her and Mierta without them flirting with each other, which is wrong, wrong wrong!!!Ha, ha, I LOVE Glenn Close! If you could have your book made into a movie, who would you want to direct it?That’s a tough question. Hmm. I’d go with Andrew Ralph Adamson, Peter Jackson, Chris Columbus or Guillermo del Toro.Ooh, some solid choices there. I love Peter Jackson. He is so good at staying faithful to the source material! If your book were made into a movie, who would you cast?For my leads - Mierta McKinnon would be Matt Smith, Orlynd O’Brien would either be David Tennant or Ewan McGregor, and Lady Anya would be Lily James.That sounds like an amazing cast! Thanks for joining us today, Mackenzie!Would you like to get to know Mackenzie better? Follow her onFacebook,twitter, or check out herwebsite.Want to learn more about The Right of Wands? Check it out on thepublisher's website.Until next time,Keep Reading!
March 10, 2017
Poetry Corner- Mother
My sweetest giftOf life was from you and youTaught me when I was young that IHad great individual worth.Even when others put me downRoyal blood of gods, you taught me to love.Until next time,Keep Reading!
March 9, 2017
Thoughtful Thursday: What am I Doing?
Hello Lovelies,I try to avoid sad posts. I really do. But it has been a rough year already, and we're still in the 1st quarter! I've just gone through my analytics and reporting and sales figures *crying* and I am left shaking my head, weary, and frustrated.I am left asking myself: What am I doing? I have no clue. I sat through three seminars in the last couple of weeks to get more guidance, and I probably could have taught them. Walked away with no new nugget to try, nothing to gain. And yet, despite knowing all of the information, my analytics still suck, my books aren't selling, and I won't be able to buy the new washer we have needed for over 6 months now.Combine that depressing reality with the fact that several of the groups I have joined for author support have been delving into the tough questions of what authors are making, and my plan for how to finally make decent money this year has pretty much flown out the window.I work 80 hours a week, slogging through all the things I'm supposed to do, and never have time to just write happily. That part that I love, that passion that makes me excited. The story that weaves itself deep into my subconscious and demands to be told, to be shared. I want to just sit and write all day, every day. I want to escape into the worlds that my stories weave.I want to share those strange, scary, exciting, thought-provoking stories with the world.I need to pay off student loans, clean house, work out, eat healthier, fix my car, get my license updated, pay off medical bills, and pay for the things my kids need (no, really need, not a cell phone. School lunches.)How can my passion cause me such heartache? How can my love make me so miserable?
Because nobody cares. Sure, if I post a comment on Facebook "I wonder if I disappeared, would anyone notice?" I get nearly 100 responses (Out of my 698 "friends" but I digress.) But how many of them read one of my books and left a review? How many of them paid for one of my books?I put my heart and soul into my work. I work harder at being an author than I have worked at any job, and most of my employers will tell you I was always one of the hardest workers.But the old adage "If you build it, they will come" is crap. As is the old adage "Hard work always pays off."No, it doesn't. Stop lying to people.Also, "What goes around, comes around." Don't buy it, people. No matter how nice you are, how much you do to try to help others, how much you share of yourself, that doesn't mean that others will do the same.I have given out literally thousands of books for review over the last year alone, and I have a whopping 47 reviews across all 7 books. Are you freaking kidding me?I have reached out to a few close people asking for help and the general response is "Well, you're in a dying industry. What do you expect?"I don't know what I expect. But it leaves me asking myself "What am I doing?"And frankly, I really don't know. Why bother writing this blog, devoting what amounts to a part time job to getting posts up when no one is reading? Why write these books, when no one is buying?Why keep fighting to be heard when no one is listening?Why would I invest any more money into cover artists and editors when no one is buying the books?But that's what everyone says I need to do to sell books.That's a lie too.But if I'm not an author, what am I?I don't even know.
Because nobody cares. Sure, if I post a comment on Facebook "I wonder if I disappeared, would anyone notice?" I get nearly 100 responses (Out of my 698 "friends" but I digress.) But how many of them read one of my books and left a review? How many of them paid for one of my books?I put my heart and soul into my work. I work harder at being an author than I have worked at any job, and most of my employers will tell you I was always one of the hardest workers.But the old adage "If you build it, they will come" is crap. As is the old adage "Hard work always pays off."No, it doesn't. Stop lying to people.Also, "What goes around, comes around." Don't buy it, people. No matter how nice you are, how much you do to try to help others, how much you share of yourself, that doesn't mean that others will do the same.I have given out literally thousands of books for review over the last year alone, and I have a whopping 47 reviews across all 7 books. Are you freaking kidding me?I have reached out to a few close people asking for help and the general response is "Well, you're in a dying industry. What do you expect?"I don't know what I expect. But it leaves me asking myself "What am I doing?"And frankly, I really don't know. Why bother writing this blog, devoting what amounts to a part time job to getting posts up when no one is reading? Why write these books, when no one is buying?Why keep fighting to be heard when no one is listening?Why would I invest any more money into cover artists and editors when no one is buying the books?But that's what everyone says I need to do to sell books.That's a lie too.But if I'm not an author, what am I?I don't even know.
March 8, 2017
On International Woman's Day, Top 10 Female Authors to Read This Year
Hello Lovelies,I was hoping to have another unboxing video today, but these darn ickies in my throat and nose decided to rear their ugly heads. I am beginning to wonder if it's the weather, or possibly psychosomatic. I thought I loved the camera, lol! But with that plan out the window, I went hunting for some other ideas and discovered that today is International Women's Day! I didn't even know that was a thing! Did you?There are plenty of women who are striking today, and who are pulling themselves out of the economy, for a Day without Women, but I was thinking that a better way to celebrate would be to recognize some amazing female authors. If you are striking today why don't you support a woman, buy her books, and read and review them!
Of course, there are the heavy hitters in the traditional publishing world like J.K. Rowling, Sue Grafton and Suzanne Collins, but I want to highlight some new and upcoming talents.Here is my list of top ten female authors I want to read this year.1.Angela B. Chrysler- she has a wide range of offerings from dark fantasy to Zombies in Space. Go pick something and give it a try!2.Lilian Oake- She mostly focuses in Ya and midgrade fantasy, but I am eager to read her awesome stories.3.A.F. Stewart- Anita offers a wide range of dark tales from fantasy to horror to dark poetry!4.Christie Stratos- I have done several panels with Christie and her Tales of a Darkened Heart is very intriguing!5.A.L Mabry- she has several short stories available, and is working on some full-length pieces. I follow her on Facebook and her dark sense of humor has definitely won me over!6.Kayla Krantz- Another fantasy author with some PNR thrown in for good measure!7.Mara Reitsmais another who's fantasy has intrigued me!8.Ilana Maletz- I love that she writes about American Indians and am very excited to read Cha'risa's Gift.9.C.S. Lakin- I am actually reading a lot of her stuff of late, as I am a part of her Writer's Toolbox, but I want to delve into some of her fiction.10.Karina Kantas- Karina has a lot out in Thriller/ romance, which don't tend to be my categories of interest, but she does have a fantasy book that's on my TBR for this year already. Think I might give her other works a try!And bonus:Heidi Angell(Ok, shameless plug!) but I offer a little bit for everyone from children's books to Urban Fantasy and paranormal thrillers.Why am I making this list? Well, it's about more than International Women's Day. I was looking over my TBR, and my books read last year, and I realized that more than 2/3 of my reading lists are male. I asked myself why? My gut instinct was "Well, women don't tend to write stories I like. I gravitate towards science fiction, fantasy, and horror." and then I asked myself.Really, there aren't women writing in your fields of interest?I had fallen into the classic belief that women tended to write in genres I don't find as interesting like PNR, Romance, drama, and Women's lit.And I realized that I was very sadly mistaken. Now, I'm not going to go all feminazi and only read women's books. That would be a terrible shame as I have a ton of awesome male authors that I ABSOLUTELY love reading! But I feel like I need to give female authors as much of a chance as the men. So, I have added all these wonderful ladies to my TBR and will continue to actively seek out wonderful female authors in the genres I love.Who are some top female authors you would recommend? Let us know in the comments below!Until next time,Keep Reading!
Of course, there are the heavy hitters in the traditional publishing world like J.K. Rowling, Sue Grafton and Suzanne Collins, but I want to highlight some new and upcoming talents.Here is my list of top ten female authors I want to read this year.1.Angela B. Chrysler- she has a wide range of offerings from dark fantasy to Zombies in Space. Go pick something and give it a try!2.Lilian Oake- She mostly focuses in Ya and midgrade fantasy, but I am eager to read her awesome stories.3.A.F. Stewart- Anita offers a wide range of dark tales from fantasy to horror to dark poetry!4.Christie Stratos- I have done several panels with Christie and her Tales of a Darkened Heart is very intriguing!5.A.L Mabry- she has several short stories available, and is working on some full-length pieces. I follow her on Facebook and her dark sense of humor has definitely won me over!6.Kayla Krantz- Another fantasy author with some PNR thrown in for good measure!7.Mara Reitsmais another who's fantasy has intrigued me!8.Ilana Maletz- I love that she writes about American Indians and am very excited to read Cha'risa's Gift.9.C.S. Lakin- I am actually reading a lot of her stuff of late, as I am a part of her Writer's Toolbox, but I want to delve into some of her fiction.10.Karina Kantas- Karina has a lot out in Thriller/ romance, which don't tend to be my categories of interest, but she does have a fantasy book that's on my TBR for this year already. Think I might give her other works a try!And bonus:Heidi Angell(Ok, shameless plug!) but I offer a little bit for everyone from children's books to Urban Fantasy and paranormal thrillers.Why am I making this list? Well, it's about more than International Women's Day. I was looking over my TBR, and my books read last year, and I realized that more than 2/3 of my reading lists are male. I asked myself why? My gut instinct was "Well, women don't tend to write stories I like. I gravitate towards science fiction, fantasy, and horror." and then I asked myself.Really, there aren't women writing in your fields of interest?I had fallen into the classic belief that women tended to write in genres I don't find as interesting like PNR, Romance, drama, and Women's lit.And I realized that I was very sadly mistaken. Now, I'm not going to go all feminazi and only read women's books. That would be a terrible shame as I have a ton of awesome male authors that I ABSOLUTELY love reading! But I feel like I need to give female authors as much of a chance as the men. So, I have added all these wonderful ladies to my TBR and will continue to actively seek out wonderful female authors in the genres I love.Who are some top female authors you would recommend? Let us know in the comments below!Until next time,Keep Reading!
March 7, 2017
Teaser Tuesday: Need your Input on Infection Story
Hello Lovelies,
So, I am heavily focused on my infection story and getting it ready for market (hopefully in May!) and I would like some input from everyone. Two questions up for debate at the moment.The first is with the title.It looks like this stand alone is turning into a series. (I know, I know, kick me! But I can't help it! There are just so many ideas for the story, and I am already at an obscene word length and only 1/3 of the way through the story!)I was debating having the first book titled Survivalist Guide, and then have the series called Survivalist Bible, then again, I could do something likeThe Beginning of the End, a Survivalist GuideOrGenesis: book 1 in the Survivalist Bible.I keep waffling back and forth. Which one appeals more to you?Or do you have some other suggestion? I am totally open to your ideas right now.The second piece of input that I need:This is a Horror/ Dark Fantasy/ Infection story, and a lot of those covers look something like what you're seeing on the left.I could do something like these for the cover, but the story line is a combination of survival notes that the narrator keeps in a journal that he found, and the actual story as told by him.My artsy-fartsy self kind of wanted to do a cover that LOOKS LIKE AN OLD JOURNAL with blood splatter, his "hand written" title, and then have his notes on survival hand-written like a journal (even changing the ink color to match whatever devices he might find to write with.)And have each book a different journal style, based on what he might find as they go along.My super creative self, thinking way down the line, thought it would be really cool to have the paperback box set sold strapped together by an old belt, or tied with twine.But my practical self says that I need to stick to a similar style as is common in the genre. I need to think more about how that will look as an e-book (as that's where most of my sales come from currently) and make sure that it is easy for e-readers.Let me ask you, dear readers: would you be inclined to pick up a book with a cover like the journal idea as an e-book and/or as a paperback, or do you think it would feel too "cheap" looking? Should I go the safe route and pick a cover like the ones on the right that "fits the genre" and end up with a "normal" box set like the After set seen above?I am so torn!!And at the end of the day, I write for the fans and create for the fans, so I figured you guys would be the people to ask.Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!Until next time,Keep Reading!
So, I am heavily focused on my infection story and getting it ready for market (hopefully in May!) and I would like some input from everyone. Two questions up for debate at the moment.The first is with the title.It looks like this stand alone is turning into a series. (I know, I know, kick me! But I can't help it! There are just so many ideas for the story, and I am already at an obscene word length and only 1/3 of the way through the story!)I was debating having the first book titled Survivalist Guide, and then have the series called Survivalist Bible, then again, I could do something likeThe Beginning of the End, a Survivalist GuideOrGenesis: book 1 in the Survivalist Bible.I keep waffling back and forth. Which one appeals more to you?Or do you have some other suggestion? I am totally open to your ideas right now.The second piece of input that I need:This is a Horror/ Dark Fantasy/ Infection story, and a lot of those covers look something like what you're seeing on the left.I could do something like these for the cover, but the story line is a combination of survival notes that the narrator keeps in a journal that he found, and the actual story as told by him.My artsy-fartsy self kind of wanted to do a cover that LOOKS LIKE AN OLD JOURNAL with blood splatter, his "hand written" title, and then have his notes on survival hand-written like a journal (even changing the ink color to match whatever devices he might find to write with.)And have each book a different journal style, based on what he might find as they go along.My super creative self, thinking way down the line, thought it would be really cool to have the paperback box set sold strapped together by an old belt, or tied with twine.But my practical self says that I need to stick to a similar style as is common in the genre. I need to think more about how that will look as an e-book (as that's where most of my sales come from currently) and make sure that it is easy for e-readers.Let me ask you, dear readers: would you be inclined to pick up a book with a cover like the journal idea as an e-book and/or as a paperback, or do you think it would feel too "cheap" looking? Should I go the safe route and pick a cover like the ones on the right that "fits the genre" and end up with a "normal" box set like the After set seen above?I am so torn!!And at the end of the day, I write for the fans and create for the fans, so I figured you guys would be the people to ask.Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!Until next time,Keep Reading!
March 6, 2017
Meet the Author Monday with Shakyra Dunn
Hello Lovelies,Welcome to the first Monday in March! Today we have a fun interview with an anime, video game, and bookish girl right after my own heart! Shakyra Dunn can't stray away from the impression that there is always an adventure around every corner! She made her debut in June 2016 with the first book in her coming of age fantasy series "The One Left Behind." When she isn’t playing the role of the Creator, she is marching through the worlds of her favorite video game characters or taking drives around her city to see the sights. Born in Chicago, Illinois, she currently resides in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, striving to experience more than the little town.
Welcome to An Angell's Life, Shakyra! How are you?~Right now, I’m feeling a bit sleepy, but I’m motivated and writing!Awesome! That is always a great feeling for authors, to be writing! What is the current book you are promoting?~I’m going to promote my debut novel “The One Left Behind: Magic,” the first of a series, released back in June 2016!Who is your favorite character in your book and why?~My favorite character has to be my main heroine Nova Avery. I find her goal-oriented determination to be admirable, and when I read over her scriptures, I see a lot of myself in her personality—strong-willed, always looking at what’s in front rather than behind, keeps herself even in a bad situation. I just wish that I could be as wise and understanding as she could be.Nova sounds like an awesome character, and I can definitely relate to her goal-oriented determination. Who is your least favorite character and why?~My current least favorite has to be the character Stella. At first, I found that she was a sweet and almost endearing character, but along the way, she seemed to execute a twisted manner of resolving her issues that deemed her weak.Oooh, sounds intriguing! What inspired this book?~I started up the original concept of the novel when I was eighteen after the sudden death of my mother, a week or so before I was about to start college. But after things in life took another turn and I ended up staying at my now ex-boyfriend’s house, I stopped writing the novel and instead took to writing fanfiction with my friends. After a year, I reworked the entire novel series and ended up publishing it a year later!I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's death. It's interesting how often we as writers find inspiration
in tragedy. I think it's because it helps us to tap into emotions and convey them better. What is your next project?~My current project is one that I started up during NaNoWriMo this past year, a one-shot novel for a side-series called “The Final Lesson.” It is the story of a young Arcana (a female mage) that is granted the opportunity to traverse from world outside of the walls of her school, seeking out totems that are symbolisms.Ooh, sounds like an interesting romp! I love doing NaNo Wrimo. So much fun! Who is your favorite fictional character and why?~From anything? Oh gosh, Zack Fair from Final Fantasy VII. It’s painting it mild to say that I’m obsessed with him. He inspires me to be better, and to keep looking forward even in the face of overwhelming reason.Where do you come up with your stories?~I take inspiration from anywhere that I can, from friends and family, to dreams, to being inspired by other writers, but most of my characterization is inspired by playing Japanese video games, because they always take such pride in making sure that their characters are memorable. Even if I hate the plot, I always can remember one character from every game that I’ve ever played in that genre.Cool. What is one great lesson you have learned as a writer?~That making mistakes can be okay, because after your first try, you learn a lot. It’s okay to mess up a little. There are always others that can guide you.I like that, being open to learning. Even after 7 books published, I am still learning! What is one thing you hate about being a writer?~Marketing. So. Much. Marketing.That seems to be a common struggle for many authors. If you could never write again, what would you do?~Oh gosh, that question is terrible! I don’t know what I’d do without writing! Hm… maybe I’d end up becoming an English teacher or become a Librarian, I do love books too much to avoid them altogether in my life.Ha, ha, that's awesome! I LOVE books too. I don't know if I could be an English teacher, though. It would break my heart seeing so many people who didn't enjoy reading. Tell us something unique about you?~Hm, something unique… I’d have to go with the fact that I am one of the only people in my circle that can fawn over gore, stare at horror movies and video games without batting an eyelash in fear, and still turn around and watch anime about cute idol girls dancing within minutes.Quite the eclectic tastes, huh? What is your favorite word?~Tedious. It just rolls off of my tongue.That is a fun word! Well, thank you for joining us, Shakyra!If you are interested in learning more about Shakyra you can check out herwebsite. If you love anime and video games like Shakyra, you might want to follow her on social media. She is onFacebook,Twitter, and as any good bookworm,Goodreads.Want to see her own delightfully geekish blog where she talks books, video games and anime? Check outBurning Out the MassesInterested in picking up Left Behind Magic? You can get it onAmazonor onBarnes and Noble.If you have any questions for Shakyra, drop them in the comments.Until next time,Keep Reading!
Welcome to An Angell's Life, Shakyra! How are you?~Right now, I’m feeling a bit sleepy, but I’m motivated and writing!Awesome! That is always a great feeling for authors, to be writing! What is the current book you are promoting?~I’m going to promote my debut novel “The One Left Behind: Magic,” the first of a series, released back in June 2016!Who is your favorite character in your book and why?~My favorite character has to be my main heroine Nova Avery. I find her goal-oriented determination to be admirable, and when I read over her scriptures, I see a lot of myself in her personality—strong-willed, always looking at what’s in front rather than behind, keeps herself even in a bad situation. I just wish that I could be as wise and understanding as she could be.Nova sounds like an awesome character, and I can definitely relate to her goal-oriented determination. Who is your least favorite character and why?~My current least favorite has to be the character Stella. At first, I found that she was a sweet and almost endearing character, but along the way, she seemed to execute a twisted manner of resolving her issues that deemed her weak.Oooh, sounds intriguing! What inspired this book?~I started up the original concept of the novel when I was eighteen after the sudden death of my mother, a week or so before I was about to start college. But after things in life took another turn and I ended up staying at my now ex-boyfriend’s house, I stopped writing the novel and instead took to writing fanfiction with my friends. After a year, I reworked the entire novel series and ended up publishing it a year later!I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's death. It's interesting how often we as writers find inspirationin tragedy. I think it's because it helps us to tap into emotions and convey them better. What is your next project?~My current project is one that I started up during NaNoWriMo this past year, a one-shot novel for a side-series called “The Final Lesson.” It is the story of a young Arcana (a female mage) that is granted the opportunity to traverse from world outside of the walls of her school, seeking out totems that are symbolisms.Ooh, sounds like an interesting romp! I love doing NaNo Wrimo. So much fun! Who is your favorite fictional character and why?~From anything? Oh gosh, Zack Fair from Final Fantasy VII. It’s painting it mild to say that I’m obsessed with him. He inspires me to be better, and to keep looking forward even in the face of overwhelming reason.Where do you come up with your stories?~I take inspiration from anywhere that I can, from friends and family, to dreams, to being inspired by other writers, but most of my characterization is inspired by playing Japanese video games, because they always take such pride in making sure that their characters are memorable. Even if I hate the plot, I always can remember one character from every game that I’ve ever played in that genre.Cool. What is one great lesson you have learned as a writer?~That making mistakes can be okay, because after your first try, you learn a lot. It’s okay to mess up a little. There are always others that can guide you.I like that, being open to learning. Even after 7 books published, I am still learning! What is one thing you hate about being a writer?~Marketing. So. Much. Marketing.That seems to be a common struggle for many authors. If you could never write again, what would you do?~Oh gosh, that question is terrible! I don’t know what I’d do without writing! Hm… maybe I’d end up becoming an English teacher or become a Librarian, I do love books too much to avoid them altogether in my life.Ha, ha, that's awesome! I LOVE books too. I don't know if I could be an English teacher, though. It would break my heart seeing so many people who didn't enjoy reading. Tell us something unique about you?~Hm, something unique… I’d have to go with the fact that I am one of the only people in my circle that can fawn over gore, stare at horror movies and video games without batting an eyelash in fear, and still turn around and watch anime about cute idol girls dancing within minutes.Quite the eclectic tastes, huh? What is your favorite word?~Tedious. It just rolls off of my tongue.That is a fun word! Well, thank you for joining us, Shakyra!If you are interested in learning more about Shakyra you can check out herwebsite. If you love anime and video games like Shakyra, you might want to follow her on social media. She is onFacebook,Twitter, and as any good bookworm,Goodreads.Want to see her own delightfully geekish blog where she talks books, video games and anime? Check outBurning Out the MassesInterested in picking up Left Behind Magic? You can get it onAmazonor onBarnes and Noble.If you have any questions for Shakyra, drop them in the comments.Until next time,Keep Reading!
March 3, 2017
Poetry Corner: Heidi
AuthorCrazy and wildTalented and uniqueProtects the weak and loves the poorWriter
Until next time,Keep Reading!
Until next time,Keep Reading!
March 2, 2017
Book of the Broken a Guest Post by Author Jesse Teller
On October 5, 2016, my book Chaste was unleashed upon the world, and I have come here to make peace with that, to find a way to ready myself for the onslaught of reviews and criticism it will receive, and in some way prepare myself for this beast being free to roam into the life of anyone who might be interested in it.
Chaste has a mind of its own, a mind dark and deviant, and it is my most terrifying creation to date. It scares me. It always has. It is too honest, too revealing to ever let anyone read it. It reveals all my secrets, and it will affect the reader. To what end, I do not know.Chaste was written by a broken man. I wrote it in 2004. The four years before, I had delved into my past with a very intelligent, very capable therapist who was like a father to me. I had found a darkness that my mind could barely stand. I had found abuse in every form, abuse enough to bend and twist a man.One day, I asked my therapist how bad it was. I had reached the point where I was beginning to think I was whining, that I was making things out to be worse than they ever could have been. I asked him how bad it was, and he picked up my file. By this point, his notes were grand enough to stand four inches thick, and he set it in front of me. He said these words:“If I were to show this file to an FBI profiler, the question they would ask is, ‘How many? How many victims had this serial killer produced?'” He said he had never heard things like I was telling him. He said that it didn’t get any worse.When you see evil, it gets in your bones. It was in mine. It was deep in me, and it had scarred me. It had stained me, and I never thought I would get that stain out. It had me in its grasp and I felt weakened by it, felt crushed under the weight of it.I was in love and trying to make a life with a woman who cherished me. She knew it all, all the horror and the insanity, and she wanted me anyway. But I was stunted by the memories I had found, and I had no way of getting past it. Then I started writing Chaste.I set out to write a fantasy novel. I had an idea. It was a simple thing, a concept that might take me through a whole book, might end after 50 pages. I didn’t know. I had never written a novel before. So I just got to work.What came out of me was a horror fantasy.There were broken characters. They were powerful and shiny, bright spots in the world, but they were locked up by shadows, past obsessions, and pain.One of them mirrored my past in such a way that to write her was torture. She had suffered abuse and horror and had locked it away in her mind, as I had, for decades. She broke my heart and scared me more than a little.There was a character on a quest for love. He was fighting to get to his love and had dedicated himself to being with her. But he had wars to fight before he could make it to her arms.There was a deformed man, a man who had grown wrong. He hid himself from the world because he was a freak, and he was haunted by the things he would never be able to do, never be able to be.They were all haunted and jaded. These, and many more, characters walked into a darkness that was all-consuming and fought to get free of it, to right it, to survive it.When I wrote Chaste, I was insane. I was twisted and wrong, bent in a way that I could not see myself getting out of. I poured it all into that book—all my fury with God, all my loss and confusion, all my self-loathing and my pain. I put it all down, hammering out the worst I had, so that I might one day heal.And heal I did. My woman and I built a world of happiness. We fought back all my demons and I found peace. I found love. I found hope.Chaste is part of that healing. It is where I laid all the darkness. I thought I would never go back, thought I would never bring it out of its rough draft form. I would leave it unclean, a thing unfit, a beast dead and rotting that I would not bury.Then a friend fell in love with it. I let her read it, and she adored it. She said it was her favorite book she had ever read, that it gave her hope, that it gave her peace. She said it had the power to heal, to bring people from the dark. She said it was beautiful.And I believed her. I took it out, and I washed it up. I found that the thing I had thought dead and reviled is actually powerful and real. It has a message. It has a place.Chaste will always be a terror. It woke up screaming. It will always be hard for me to look at, hard for me to live with.It knows me and it displays me in ways no other work has ever. I thought to hide it forever. I thought to let it rot in a dark corner somewhere and try to forget about it. But I can’t.Chaste is unflinching. It is brutal and dark. But I think it will help. I think it will make people feel understood, that it will make people feel heard.It might even bring people peace.It did for me.originally published onJesse Teller's blog
Jesse Teller fell in love with fantasy when he was five years old and played his first game of Dungeons & Dragons. The game gave him the ability to create stories and characters from a young age. He started consuming fantasy in every form and, by nine, was obsessed with the genre. As a young adult, he knew he wanted to make his life about fantasy. From exploring the relationship between man and woman, to studying the qualities of a leader or a tyrant, Jesse Teller uses his stories and settings to study real-world themes and issues.Want to learn more about Jesse? Check out hiswebsite, follow him onfacebook,twitterandGoodreads. Want to keep up with what books he is releasing, follow hisAmazon author page.You can purchase Chaste fromAmazon,Kobo, orBarnes & Noble.Until next time,Keep Reading!
Chaste has a mind of its own, a mind dark and deviant, and it is my most terrifying creation to date. It scares me. It always has. It is too honest, too revealing to ever let anyone read it. It reveals all my secrets, and it will affect the reader. To what end, I do not know.Chaste was written by a broken man. I wrote it in 2004. The four years before, I had delved into my past with a very intelligent, very capable therapist who was like a father to me. I had found a darkness that my mind could barely stand. I had found abuse in every form, abuse enough to bend and twist a man.One day, I asked my therapist how bad it was. I had reached the point where I was beginning to think I was whining, that I was making things out to be worse than they ever could have been. I asked him how bad it was, and he picked up my file. By this point, his notes were grand enough to stand four inches thick, and he set it in front of me. He said these words:“If I were to show this file to an FBI profiler, the question they would ask is, ‘How many? How many victims had this serial killer produced?'” He said he had never heard things like I was telling him. He said that it didn’t get any worse.When you see evil, it gets in your bones. It was in mine. It was deep in me, and it had scarred me. It had stained me, and I never thought I would get that stain out. It had me in its grasp and I felt weakened by it, felt crushed under the weight of it.I was in love and trying to make a life with a woman who cherished me. She knew it all, all the horror and the insanity, and she wanted me anyway. But I was stunted by the memories I had found, and I had no way of getting past it. Then I started writing Chaste.I set out to write a fantasy novel. I had an idea. It was a simple thing, a concept that might take me through a whole book, might end after 50 pages. I didn’t know. I had never written a novel before. So I just got to work.What came out of me was a horror fantasy.There were broken characters. They were powerful and shiny, bright spots in the world, but they were locked up by shadows, past obsessions, and pain.One of them mirrored my past in such a way that to write her was torture. She had suffered abuse and horror and had locked it away in her mind, as I had, for decades. She broke my heart and scared me more than a little.There was a character on a quest for love. He was fighting to get to his love and had dedicated himself to being with her. But he had wars to fight before he could make it to her arms.There was a deformed man, a man who had grown wrong. He hid himself from the world because he was a freak, and he was haunted by the things he would never be able to do, never be able to be.They were all haunted and jaded. These, and many more, characters walked into a darkness that was all-consuming and fought to get free of it, to right it, to survive it.When I wrote Chaste, I was insane. I was twisted and wrong, bent in a way that I could not see myself getting out of. I poured it all into that book—all my fury with God, all my loss and confusion, all my self-loathing and my pain. I put it all down, hammering out the worst I had, so that I might one day heal.And heal I did. My woman and I built a world of happiness. We fought back all my demons and I found peace. I found love. I found hope.Chaste is part of that healing. It is where I laid all the darkness. I thought I would never go back, thought I would never bring it out of its rough draft form. I would leave it unclean, a thing unfit, a beast dead and rotting that I would not bury.Then a friend fell in love with it. I let her read it, and she adored it. She said it was her favorite book she had ever read, that it gave her hope, that it gave her peace. She said it had the power to heal, to bring people from the dark. She said it was beautiful.And I believed her. I took it out, and I washed it up. I found that the thing I had thought dead and reviled is actually powerful and real. It has a message. It has a place.Chaste will always be a terror. It woke up screaming. It will always be hard for me to look at, hard for me to live with.It knows me and it displays me in ways no other work has ever. I thought to hide it forever. I thought to let it rot in a dark corner somewhere and try to forget about it. But I can’t.Chaste is unflinching. It is brutal and dark. But I think it will help. I think it will make people feel understood, that it will make people feel heard.It might even bring people peace.It did for me.originally published onJesse Teller's blogJesse Teller fell in love with fantasy when he was five years old and played his first game of Dungeons & Dragons. The game gave him the ability to create stories and characters from a young age. He started consuming fantasy in every form and, by nine, was obsessed with the genre. As a young adult, he knew he wanted to make his life about fantasy. From exploring the relationship between man and woman, to studying the qualities of a leader or a tyrant, Jesse Teller uses his stories and settings to study real-world themes and issues.Want to learn more about Jesse? Check out hiswebsite, follow him onfacebook,twitterandGoodreads. Want to keep up with what books he is releasing, follow hisAmazon author page.You can purchase Chaste fromAmazon,Kobo, orBarnes & Noble.Until next time,Keep Reading!
