Heidi Angell's Blog, page 24

Meet the Author Monday with A.F. Stewart

Hello Lovelies,Have I got a great Trick or Treat goody for you! A steadfast and proud sci-fi and fantasy geek, A. F. Stewart was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada and still calls it home. The youngest in a family of seven children, she always had an overly creative mind and an active imagination. She favours the dark and deadly when writing—her genres of choice being dark fantasy and horror—but she has been known to venture into the light on occasion. As an indie author she’s published novellas and story collections, with a few side trips into poetry and non-fiction.I have been working with A.F. Stewart for awhile now, as she runs the My Bloody Valentine hop, and was one of the people who introduced me to B2B CyCon, so it is a delight to have her do an interview today.A.F., welcome to an Angell's Life, what is the current book you are promoting?My new book, Horror Haiku and Other Poems, was released on October 11th. It’s a volume of thirty-eight haiku style poems and eighteen longer form poems, all written around horror themes like zombies, monsters, ghosts, the apocalypse, killers, and other terrors.What inspired this book?Basically the book began when I joined in the fun over on Twitter for the hashtag game #HorrorHaikuesday (created by @horror_made). Every Tuesday, poets get together and post horror haiku. I accumulated quite a few poems from participating, and the idea occurred to me to publish them. So I rounded up all my haiku, added a few of my other dark poems to the mix and created a book. I threw in a few shadowy and creepy photos, and voila, Horror Haiku and Other Poems came into existence.How neat! Sounds like the perfect thing to get in the Halloween Spirit! But lets get to know more about you. What is one place you would like to visit and why?That would be Ireland. I have an avid interest in Irish Celtic mythology and history, and would love to see the places of all those myths and legends.I love the idea of visiting Ireland one day! Who is your favorite fictional character and why?My favourite fictional character is Batman. I’m fascinated by the psychology of the character and the dark, mythological undertones of the story. The character mixes the nuances of the detective/crime story arc with the sensibilities of the broken hero/protector quest. It’s very appealing to me.What is your next project?Right now I’m working on a fantasy novella, called Ghosts of the Sea Moon, which should be done (or mostly done) by the end of the year. It’s an expansion of a piece of short fiction I wrote, and inspired in part by tales of legendary ghost ships such as the Flying Dutchman.The book centers on Captain Rafe Morrow and the crew of the Celestial Jewel, a ship of the living and of the ghostly. Plus, there’s an insane Goddess of the Moon who wants to destroy two worlds, the mortal and the immortal, and it also has sea monsters that devour people’s souls.So much awesome darkly goodness! Can't wait to see it!Thanks for joining us today, A.F. Stewart, always a pleasure to speak with you!Want to learn more about A.F. Stewart, and her awesome work? Check out her websiteAfallonblogWant to keep up with her awesome adventures on twitter? Follow here@Scribe77or follow her onFacebook. Dying to sink your teeth into Horror Haiku and Other Poems? Grab it onAmazon And until next time,Keep Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: B2B CyCon

Hello Lovelies,So I am pretty excited as I am about to register forB2B CyCon,which happens in April! (I know, super early! I will send you reminders closer to the event! No worries)I loved doing CyCon last year because I met so many great people, and got to do it all from the comfort of my own home! Talk about a win/ win/ win! (for all theOffice Fan'sout there, this clip was running through my head as I wrote that.)I have had several of my author friends ask me which events I will be participating in this year. I WANT to do them all!! But last year got a bit overwhelming, so I think I will be narrowing it down just a bit.The Expo (which is where you get your booth) is a given, along with the Goodreads author showcase, and I will also do the giveaway. Not sure about the grab bag. Still working out the details on how I can do that. But I probably will. Everyone loves Swag, right?!This year, I am definitely doing a couple of panels. (Last year, I did 7, I think, and that was a bit overwhelming. I barely had a break some days! No more than 2 this year, really... probably.. oh, who knows!)I am trying to decide between a genre tour or a blog hop. Both are pretty awesome, but timing...I am definitely doing Joe Live, because he is soo fun to hang out with! Seriously, if you haven't checked out Joe'sGoIndieNowpodcast, you totally should. He is a delight!)I love that this year I can do an earlierBack Porch Writerwith Kori D. Miller, and will definitely be doing that because she was so fun to chat with last year.Word Wars is tons of fun, so will probably be doing that.I am definitely doing the Character CosPlay because I will totally rock Fury!!The Character Tourneys were awesome last year, but I don't know if I will be doing that this year. Think I will probably do Cover Wars instead.So, yeah, planning what I will be doing for CyCon this year is what I am working on ATM.For authors, if you are wanting to attend, but you aren't sure which events to do that will call to your personality, then check out thisawesome postthat breaks down suggestions by personality type!I am totally loving the awesome graphics that they are designing! I just had to share!!Are you excited for CyCon? Let us know in the comments below!

Meet the Author Monday with Sarah Cushaway

Hello Lovelies,I have another delightful author to introduce today, Sarah Cushaway, who lives in the snowy wastes of northwest lower Michigan with her husband (co-author Jeremy Ray) and their young daughter. She has a passion for historical fiction, but enjoys reading and writing many genres, including fantasy, science fiction, literary fiction, and speculative fiction.  Sarah began writing at a very early age, inspired by such books as the Little House series, Watership Down, the Hobbit, and Animal Farm.When not busy working on writing the next books in the “A Lesser Dark” series, she enjoys spending time with her family and two grumpy cats, dabbling in art and music, and trying to hide from the snow eight months out of the year.Let's get to know Sarah a bit better, yeah?Welcome to an Angell's Life, Sarah!Thank you for having me, Heidi!What is the current book you are promoting?The book I’m currently promoting is a gritty sci-fi/fantasy western, Salt in the Water – A Lesser Dark: Book I. It’s my debut novel and the first in a planned series of four books.What a fun mash up of genres! Sounds awesome! Who is your favorite character in your book and why?Kaitar Besh is my favorite, though there are a few who come a close second. Kaitar is, on the surface, a very moody and grim sort of guy, but bit by bit the reader learns more about his motivations; he’s very complex, and his emotions aren’t always straight-forward.I love moody men in fiction. Not as much in real life, right? Who is your least favorite character and why?On a personal level (I try to keep them all interesting for the reader, pro-or-antagonist alike), I’d have to say Phineas Moad. He’s not a POV (point of view) character, but he plays a substantial role in the first two books– and he’s about as dishonest a person as one could imagine.Sounds like a guy who you could love to hate. If you could have your book made into a movie, who would you want to direct it?That’s a tough one, but at the end of the day, I’d have to go with the Coen brothers (True Grit, No Country for Old Men) or John Hillcoat (The Proposition, The Road).The Coen brothers are so great at complex characters! If your book were made into a movie, who would you cast?I don’t “cast” my characters – though I do sketch them to get a rough idea of what they might look like (I dabble in art). However, I did have one person suggest Rick Mora in the lead role of Kaitar Besh – and I believe that would be pretty amazing. One of my ARC readers said she always pictures another POV – Neiro Preciaus- as Ian McShane (Al Swearengen from Deadwood).I LOVE Rick Mora! Anything he is in, I will definitely see! Well, thank you for joining us today on Meet the Author. Have an awesome Monday!Did you like getting to know more about Sarah? You can learn more on her websitesrchushawayWant to keep up with what Sarah has going on? Follow her onFacebookandTwitter.Intrigued bySalt in the Water? Grab a copy from Amazon. I have added it to my TBR!Until next time,Keep Reading!

Poetry Corner: Heartbreak

The Love I feel for you,You don't feel for me too.So now I lay in death my dear,and shall shed but one tear.Death is at the door a-knockingWaiting, waitingHark, I hear the angels singingSlowly, softly, gently ringing.O'er the hill and o'er the plainHeartbreak has struck, once again.The Bride in Death Photo Credit Victoria Art GalleryUntil next time,Keep Reading!

Thoughtful Thursday Character Spotlight Agent Yagil of Transgression by Jannette Fuller

Hello Lovelies,I am really excited to share this awesome character spotlight with you today!Name:Agent YagilAge:Ageless (although he comes off as an older, somewhat cranky angel)Occupation:Guardian AngelSubject:Amber ReynoldsGreetings,It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Agent Yagil, and I belong to the Division of Guardians. The Commander promoted me, telling me I was more than qualified to handle my new assignment. Little did I know that seventeen-year-old Amber Reynolds would get the best of me. Being a Guardian Angel is never an easy task, but when it comes to teenagers, especially teenage girls, it requires much patience and sensitivity. Qualities I keep falling short of. It’s Amber’s fault, though.She has a heavy foot, so I have no choice but to fly over her Jeep at rapid speeds. The curvy roads make me so nauseous. I can’t believe she’s managed to keep her license! Then I have to match my hovering abilities to her quick-paced steps as I follow her throughout school. Wildwood High is like a zoo for uncontrollable humans. My promotion seems more like a cruel joke than a higher ranking. I’m sure my cohorts are amused. I can hear them laughing right now.Grr.Did I mention how much Amber thinks? Every time her thoughts enter into mine, it makes my head hurt. A LOT! Not only that, but most of her thoughts are redundant...frivolous. And that’s the easy part of my job. Dealing with her boy dilemma is even harder. Why can’t she just pick one boy and drop the others? Although I’d prefer she stay away from a certain dark-haired landscaper. He doesn’t set well with me. But neither does her stalker.Still, there is more to my job than chasing after her and encouraging her to make the right decisions―without interfering with her freewill. No comment on that topic. I have to protect her from the evil agents. The agents whose mission is to latch onto her, binding her with spiritual chains of sin.I really should be leaving now. Amber can’t be left unattended, not even for a minute.  But before I do, I’d like to remind every human to think before speaking. The tongue has more power than you realize. Seek counsel before making decisions (the bigger ones, anyway). Listen to your parents...they mean well. Get a grip on your emotions and thinking. The headaches are too much for us guardians to bear. And be mindful of the unseen. All sorts of evil lurk behind the veil of visibility.Being an angel is not as glorious as you think.How cool is this ANGEL! Yeah, I know, I kinda have a thing for angels, but seriously, this guy seems pretty awesome. I can't wait to add Transgression to my TBR! Here is the back cover blurb:Agent Yagil faces the fight of his calling as a Guardian Angel. His newest assignment is going totake every bit of perseverance and patience he has.Seventeen-year-old Amber Reynolds is looking for some freedom and independence from her rigid lifestyle. Going behind her parents’ back, she takes a part-time job at the renowned inn located within Ambrosial Acres.As Agent Yagil watches over Amber, he discovers things are not what they seem. Despite its wondrous beauty, Ambrosial Acres hides a dark and supernatural secret.Between Amber’s new coworker crushes, her menacing stalker, a mysterious online stranger, and the evil agents out to lead her down a path of selfdestruction, Agent Yagil struggles to keep her safe. To keep her from using her freewill that will bring harm to herself—and others.Will Agent Yagil succeed? Or will his shortcomings get in the way?See why I am totally stoked to add this to my TBR?Jannette Fuller is the author of this exciting series and loves spending time with God and her family. She’s a fangirl of everything lovely, and always tries to see the best in everyone, except for the villains in her YA series (Ambrosial Acres).When not blogging or writing her latest article, she watches Maco Mermaids on Netflix, sweating away unwanted calories. She’s a bit of a neat freak, too. Her home always sparkles. But her daily walks through the enchanted forest is one of her favorite pastimes of all.There’s more to be said, but then her bio would end up being a memoir.Want to learn more about Janette and Ambrosial Acres? Visit her websiteJannetteFuller.comWant to keep up with her and the series? Follow her onFacebook,Twitter,PinterestandGoogle +Until next time,Keep Reading!

This Teaser Tuesday #PoweredByIndie

Hello Lovelies,Amazon is doing a pretty neat thing for October (which I have heard is Indie Author Awareness Month, but I don't think it is as widely accepted, promoted, or controversial as Black History month, so whateves) they are promoting Indie authors and featuring Indies who use the hashtag#PoweredByIndie The purpose is to bring awareness to Indie authors and why they choose indie publishing. I suspect it is an effort to break the stigma of indie publishing, and I totally get that because I was very much against it, until I got my first several contracts.I (Don't) Wanna Be One of the Cool KidsSo, why did I choose Indie publishing? Well, I was with an agent for two years, shopping The Clear Angel Chronicles. I was frustrated because the bulk of "top tier" publishers are kind of like the popular kids in school: A pretty tight clique who will only let other popular kids play. I have never wanted to be popular, cliqy or any of those things. After that round of rejections because I didn't have a viable audience, we moved on to the mid-list publishing houses. I got several contract offers, but many of the most agreeable offers were from houses who were basically doing the Indie thing, but wanted to keep all but 15% of my earnings. My book would only be online for the first three months and then if I had enough sales, then they would do a paperback run. Several of the publishing houses had spelling errors on their websites, horrible graphics, or some other "thing" that my OCD brain just would not accept.The only one that looked promising wanted me to change my character's name. Obviously they did not read enough of the book (although, to be fair, I have had a few reviews who complained about the confusion too.) but Clear Angel's name is very symbolic... And I was just supposed to scrap that? If they had asked me to change anyone else in the book, fine, but the main character, who's name is symbolic? Hmmm. Yeah, I guess I really was just not cut out for the traditional publishing world.I Wanna Be ME!And so here I am on this delightful adventure! I am solely responsible for my successes and failures. It is a lot to take on, but I love it! Would I take a traditional deal if it came my way? Probably, but it would require a lot of give and take. I'm not Van Halen with the "no brown M & M's" diva-ish, but if they want to publish my baby, they can't mess things up with generic titles, generic covers, and generic advice. I don't want to be generic. I want to be messy, thrilling, controversial, intense.I love being Indie because it allows me to be me.The best part of being indie? The community. We are the oddball table with awesome geekiness, delightfully bizarre conversations, intense storylines that intimidate the cool kids.If ever there was a time that it was chic to be geek, now is that time! Indies are loving it and rocking it and it seems book fans are too!What is your favorite indie title? Let us know in the comments below.Until next time,Keep Reading!

Meet the Author Monday with Adam Dreece

Hello Lovelies,I am so excited to be a part of Adam Dreece's book tour for The Man of Cloud 9! Adam Dreece kicked off his indie author career with his best-selling steampunk meets fairy tale series, The Yellow Hoods, which struck a chord with kids 9-15 and adults. After four books in the series, the former software architect put out two more young adult books, the post-apocalyptic fantasy book The Wizard Killer – Season One, and then his science fiction novel, The Man of Cloud 9. The first two novels in The Yellow Hoods series, as well as The Wizard Killer, have been finalists for Book of the Year awards from the Independent Author’s Network.When he’s not working on his next book, Adam can be found giving talks at schools, libraries, associations, as well as comic-con type events like CalgaryExpo and FanExpoCanada on subjects from how to get one’s ideas out and stepping outside of one’s comfort zone, to how to give a successful book signing. Along the way, Adam has faced many challenges, including working around his Dyslexia (reading and writing disorder), and needing to be ruthless with his time and energy in face of his severe asthma and chronic abdominal scar pain. He’s become an inspiration to some, and a symbol of tenacious hard work to others. He lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with his wife and children. He is an active online mentor, and is a busy public speaker, panelist, and author in Canada and the Pacific Northwest.I love meeting these amazing authors! Let's get to it! Hello Adam, welcome to an Angell's Life.How are you?I’m nervous, giddy, excited and terrified with the release of my latest book, and first science fiction book, The Man of Cloud 9. After having written four books in my steampunk meets fairytale series, The Yellow Hoods, and having put one the first installment in my ‘adrenaline junkie’ post-apocalyptic series, The Wizard Killer, I’m bringing a whole new side of me to the table, a more cerebral side, with The Man of Cloud 9.How awesome! Switching genres can be really scary, it is almost like starting all over again, right?! What is the current book you are promoting?My brand new, high-tech science fiction novel, The Man of Cloud 9. Seventy years from now, the world’s been ravaged by climate change. The greatest causality however, is the loss of appetite for innovation and visionaries. Against this backdrop comes brilliant inventor Niko Rafaelo, a Steve Jobs type personality with unrelenting vision.Through the course getting the book ready for release, I managed to get some outstanding quotes, but none more humbling than from Rene Auberjonois, formerly Odo on Star Trek Deep Space Nine. Here’s what he had to say:“Adam Dreece continues to surprise, enthrall, and sweep us, his avid readers, along - with his elegant prose and insightful story telling. If you, like I, enjoy the scifi/fantasy genre - you can’t do better than The Man of Cloud 9.”Oh my gosh, that is sooo cool! I LOVE Odo! Who is your favorite character in your book and why?Niko Rafaelo, the central character to The Man of Cloud 9, is one of my favorite characters to date. He’s part Steve Jobs, part Nikola Tesla, and far more me than I’m comfortable admitting. He’s a visionary genius, but unlike some of the Silicon Valley geniuses we know, he’s not devoid of feeling, it’s just in the pursuit of greatness, there are sacrifices along the way. Scared by a key event when he was 17, his life’s path seems almost set, with two things above all else that he’s unwilling to let go in any way.It makes me laugh when my friends read my books and they are always able to pin-point the character that is based off of me. They know me far too well. It is scary putting yourself out there like that, but totally worth it, especially to break stereotypes! What is your next project?I’m currently writing Book 5 of The Yellow Hoods, entitled The Day the Sky Fell, as well as writing Season 2 of The Wizard Killer. Both of these will be releasing early next year. After my return to steampunk meets fairytale, and my post-apocalyptic fantasy world, I haven’t decided where I’m going.Who inspires your writing?More than anything, my daughter inspires me. She gave me the nudge to start writing The Yellow Hoods, and she’s always curious what I’m writing. The pride in her eyes is another great thing to see. My wife’s extremely supportive.I can’t talk about inspiration without talking about the amazing friends and fans I’ve made through my writing. So many times they’ve picked me up, dusted me off, and gave me the push I needed to keep going.Family support is so very important. Readers, ya'll don't know what our families sacrifice and how much they do to keep us going for you!Thank you for joining us today, Adam Dreece, and for being so very open with us! It was a joy to get to know you.Has Adam piqued your interest as much as mine?The Man on Cloud 9 is available on Amazon for $2.99A signed copy of the hardcover is available fromOwl's Nest Books!Want to learn more about Adam? Check out his websiteAdamDreece.comWant to keep up with Adam and his career? Follow him on social media:Twitter:@AdamDreeceFacebook:AdamDreeceAuthorUntil next time,Keep Reading!

Poetry Corner: Love is You

Love is taking,Love is giving,All the things that go with living.Love is happiness,Love is sorrow,Love cannot wait until tomorrow.Love is pain,Love is grief,Love is warm, and provides relief.Love can sometimes make you blueBut most of all, love is you.Love is caring,Love is sharing,Love is not the clothes you're wearing.Love is life,Love is death,It started with your very first breath.Love is something that is true.Love is me, and love is you.Until next time,Keep Reading!

Character Spotlight Niko Rafaelo of The Man of Cloud 9

Hello Lovelies,We have an awesome guest post for our Thoughtful Thursday, in the form of a Character spotlight! I am so excited for this one! let's get right to it!Meet Niko Rafaelo - The Man of Cloud 9No. Not now. It’s a terrible idea.We’ve all heard these at one point in our lives when we put forward an ambition or desire, only to have it shot to pieces. Often the other person has no idea how vulnerable we are in that moment, how soul crushing that response is. I had this happen many times throughout my life: as a kid with big ideas, as a software developer, and as an aspiring author. There are few things harder to take that finding you can’t escape the orbit you’re in, and that none believe you can. This is at the heart of The Man of Cloud 9’s main character, Niko Rafaelo.Niko’s a man possessed by the idea of a new generation of nanobots (a banned technology) and integrating it with the human microbial cloud (the bacteria that surrounds each of us). But in the late 21st century, after 70 years of climate devastation and social unrest, there’s little appetite for big dreams and dangerous ideas. Part Steve Jobs, part Nikola Tesla, Niko throws everything he has at breaking through the wall of no, and see his ultimate vision realized.People like Niko have a defining moment in their life, where their path forward is seemingly set in stone. For Niko, it happens at age 17 with two life altering events. The first is the death of his parents and brother, and the other? Well, you’ll have to read the book to find out.The Man of Cloud 9 is available in paperback and eBook, and is available atAmazon,Kobo,SmashwordsandBarnes & NobleI am eager to read this book! I have been hearing great things about Adam Dreece's works and it is right up my ally! Are you excited? Let me know and maybe we can do a "club read" together!Until next time,Keep Reading!

Book Review: Jacq of Spades by Patricia Loofbourrow

Genre:Victorian/ Steampunk/ Detective Thriller (I think?)Synopsis:Kidnapping. Murder. Betrayal. Would you put your life at risk for a child you barely know? In a far future US, the once-beautiful domed neo-Victorian city of Bridges is now split between four crime families in an uneasy cease-fire. Social disparity increasing and its steam-driven infrastructure failing, a new faction is on the rise: the Red Dogs. 22 year old Jacqueline Spadros was kidnapped from her mother's brothel and sold to the Spadros syndicate ten years ago. The murder of her best friend Air as he tried to save her from them haunts her nightmares. Now unwillingly married to one of the city's biggest drug lords, she finds moments of freedom in a small-time private eye business, which she hides in fear of her sadistic father-in-law. Air's little brother disappears off his back porch and the Red Dogs are framed for it. With the help of a mysterious gentleman investigator hired by the Red Dogs to learn the truth, Jacqui pushes her abilities to their limits in hope of rescuing the child before the kidnapper disposes of him. Dark, gritty, multi-layered Victorian-inspired detective neo-noir that keeps the reader guessing to the very end.My Take:I love Victorian detectives like Sherlock Holmes! Jacqui is no Sherlock Holmes, but she is a delight, and the world that the author has created is as much a character as Jacqui. I love the creative quirks, like the fact that the four ruling families of Bridges are The Spadros, The Diamonds, The Clubbs, and the Harts. The way that each family has a unique look running about them. It is subtle and takes a moment to realize what the author is doing.Following Jacqui through the present case, which pulls on much of her past, and sets up greater events to come, is a breath-taking chase through the brilliantly blended world that the author created. I have to be honest, I don't think I have actually read steam punk before, but I have watched Steam punk anime, and have wanted to read steam punk books. The author ticks several boxes of what I understand to be steam punk, but it is not super technical (what left me afraid of reading steam punk for so long!)  I am eager to read the next books in The Red Dog Conspiracy!The world feels very much like the dark underbelly of Victorian fashion and style, with a gritty mafioso vibe. It feels like Peeky Blinders meets Metropolis (minus the robots!)Is your interest piqued? Grab your copy ofThe Jacq of Spadestoday!Until next time,Keep Reading!