Heidi Angell's Blog, page 6

Meet the Author with Bianca Rowena

Hello Lovelies, I would like to introduce you to the lovely Bianca Rowena, who was born in Romania, Transylvania and has enjoyed writing from a young age. She now lives in Canada, which is the setting and inspiration for her novels. She lives with her daughter and husband in Southern Alberta.Let's get to know her a little bit better! Welcome to An Angell's Life of Bookish goodness, Bianca! What is the current book you are promoting? The Gift Stone, Book One of The Gifted Series.It is a Young Adult Sci-Fi / Fantasy novel following Rita, a lowly Temple Girl and Takano Rynn, the feared ruler of the Galaxies, who form a bond that will change both of their destinies forever.Ooh, I love sci-fi! Who is your favorite character in your book and why?Beeps. She’s a social robot that doesn’t always get social cues, so it allowed me a fun way to have comic relief in the story when things got too intense. Also, Beeps becomes a true friend to Rita, something she’s never had before because she’s never opened herself up to it. I also would love to have a little Beeps BFF that followed me everywhere!I have a son on the autism spectrum and can totally imagine the unintentionally hilarious moments that not always getting social cues can inspire. What inspired this story? This story was actually written originally as a Star Wars Fan Fiction to appease the fans of The The Force Awakens who wanted a romance between Rey and Kylo Ren. I got so many encouraging comments on my Fan Fiction that I decided to rewrite it as its own story and change the characters! The first half of the book is actually taken from a different story I wrote called “Temple Girl” and then merged into my Fan Fiction story. So there are elements of both in this final version.Ah, that explains the robot. When I read the description I thought "It sounds like if C3PO and K2SO had a baby! What is your next project?  Book Two of The Gifted Series! It’s entitled Takano Rynn and is from Takano’s point of view rather than Rita’s. It’s already written and in the editing stages. I’m so excited about it. I’m hoping to have it out before Christmas, as books make great Christmas gifts :DBooks make great ANYTIME gifts, lol. In my house we give them for every holiday and sometimes make up holidays just so we can give books ;) How do you write your books?  Fast and furious. Notepads stuck under my pillow at night and near the shower and in my purse. Sticky notes everywhere. A Sticky note dispenser in the car. I write on napkins, on my hand, and any surface I can find. I know better than to let good dialogue or story description slip through my fingers. The ideas come at the most unexpected times. I always have a pen with me everywhere I go. And sometimes I do actually sit down and write at my desk or at the kitchen table. I also attend a bi-weekly writer's group where I get an hour of uninterrupted writing timeWriting groups are great. I totally credit mine for the completion of Elements of a Broken Mind and Hell School: Fresh Meat. I really needed their support for my first book, and their encouragement as I relived the trauma for Hell School. If you could have your book made into a movie, who would you want to direct it? Definitely J. J. Abrams ;)An EXCELLENT call. He's the best for Sci-fi, right? What is one great lesson you have learned as a writer? You have to teach yourself to write in non-ideal places and in imperfect writing conditions, or else you’ll never get your writing done.So true, especially with the busyness of kids and family, and life. If you could never write again, what would you do? Help on Independent Movie sets.A true storyteller at heart. Love it. Me too! Tell us something unique about you: I was born in Transylvania, Romania.And last, but not least, what is your favorite word? TriangulateIt is a fun word to say, isn't it? Thank you so much for joining us today, Bianca, I hope we get to see you again soon, maybe for the release of your next book? If you are as intrigued with Bianca and her stories as I am, you can learn more on her website BiancaRowena.com. If you would like to follow her writing adventures, join her on Facebook. Until next time, Keep Reading!

Poetry Corner- ALONE

L is the loneliest letterit stands all by itself.Even with other letters beside it.L stand aloof in graceful elegance. Even when others stand against it,L stands firm in its ideas. L is never lonely, even when it stands alone. Until next time, Keep Reading!

Meet the Author with Konn Lavery

Hello Lovelies, I have an interesting new author to introduce you to today. Konn Lavery is a Canadian horror and dark fantasy writer who is known for his Mental Damnation series. The second book, Dream, reached the Edmonton Journal’s top five selling fictional books list. He started writing fantasy stories at a very young age while being home schooled. It wasn’t until graduating college that he began professionally pursuing his work with his first release, Reality. Since then he has continued to write works of fiction ranging from fantasy to horror.His literary work is done in the long hours of the night. By day, Konn runs his own graphic design and website development business under the title Reveal Design. These skills have been transcribed into the formatting and artwork found within his publications supporting his fascination of transmedia storytelling.Let's get to know him a little bit better. Hello Konn, welcome to An Angell's Life of Bookish Goodness! What is the current book you are promoting?The current book I am promoting is my new release, Dream: Part 2 of Mental Damnation. This is the second edition of the novel and has been released on September 13th. For those that are not familiar with the Mental Damnation series, the books went through a massive overhaul back in late 2016. The first editions of the books came out in 2012 and 2014. Since then I have learned a lot of do’s and don’ts with narration clichés and polished the series with second editions.Dream is the second installment of the Mental Damnation series which follows the protagonist Krista who is diagnosed with the brain disease, Mental Damnation, where she sees vision of hell during her dreams. The series is a lot like Lord of the Rings meets Alice in Wonder Land. It has fantasy elements of paladins, spells and mystical races mixed in with the weirdness of a dreamscape realm.Who is your favorite character in your book and why?Personally my favourite character is Malpherities. He is a lot like the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland, expect he is creepier and vague. He is a ghoul who follows the protagonist, Krista, both in the real world and the dream world known as Dreadweave Pass. He says he is here to help her deal with her ‘gift’ of realm crossing and guides her throughout the day to avoid trouble and at night when she is in hell.Wow. Malpherities  sounds like quite the character. What inspired this book?The inspiration has mutated drastically over the ten years since its conception. The original manuscript of Mental Damnation was written back in high school in 2007. Since then the book has evolved and altered from its original conception. The series inspiration has rooted from my nerdism with the Warcraft franchise and the Lord of the Rings. Since then it has been influenced from my heavy research into philosophy and spirituality. As seen in the subtle undertones of Dream and the third, unreleased novel.What is your next project?I have several on the go :) The next immediate release will be the third installment of the Mental Damnation series which is due for 2018. I also have a thriller novel and horror anthology in the works which are aimed to be out in 2018-2019. These two novels are quite different from the Mental Damnation series and share more similarities to my stand-alone novel, Seed Me.The life of an author, always so many pokers in the fire! If you could never write again, what would you do?By day I am a contract graphic designer and web developer. Running my own business is a handful on its own. Yet I never sleep, which is where I have time for writing. If I were to give up writing entirely I probably would be more invested in my music, which is a hobby of mine. I’ve been a huge fan of industrial music all of my life and have always been intrigued with the concept of forming a band within this genre and touring. With my life as it is, I am far more invested in telling stories and writing than I am recording music and playing shows.Thanks so much for joining us! Want to learn more about Konn and keep up with his exciting writing adventures? Follow him:TwitterFacebookInstagramGoodreadsBlog and WebsiteUntil next time, Keep Reading!

Book Review- Tales From Our Write Side an Anthology

Genre: Short story anthologySynopsis: From Lewis Carroll and Shakespeare to tales that will keep you up at night, make you cry, and touch your heart comes Tales from Our Write Side, OWS Ink's debut anthology with 17 authors sharing 17 stories, 2 poems, and one creative screenplay.My Take: This is an interesting collection by several writers with varying stories. Most were winter-themed which seemed to be part of a writing challenge. Some were a bit heavy with their treatment, but if it hadn't been in this anthology I don't think it would have been as noticeable. There were some clever stories in the mix, but my favorite had to be Summer's Folly by Katheryn J. Avila. I want to read the book this story deserves to develop into! Then there was a section of dark fiction and try as I might, I couldn't pick a favorite. They were all SO GOOD, which really set me in the mood for Halloween! The third section was YA, which were ok but not really my cup of tea. The 4th section was kind of a grab bag of stories that didn't really fit into the other sections. These were a bit off-putting being read back to back as they didn't really flow. So I stopped and just read one story each night. Man, some of those stories were amazing. Angel Hands by Wendy Strain made me ball! Patterns by Katheryn J. Avila gave me chills. Another story I want to see the book for! And Portentous Passenger by David Wiley was a delight. I really want to see where that story goes.  This anthology was a great chance to see a host of writers share their works, and I found more than a few that I plan to keep my eyes on! If you're a fan of anthologies and like a mix of genres, I am sure you'll find a few favorites as well. Grab your copy from Amazon today. Until next time, Keep Reading!

Poetry Corner- The Golden Mean

Life and tragedy, for those who think  Is more like comedyon the brink. Feeling is painand thinking is lonely.I stand in the rainand ponder it slowly.We should listen to Plato.Find balance in life. It would give us more ease and a whole lot less strife. Until next time, Keep Reading!

Meet the author With Edward Willett

Hello Lovelies, I am so excited to introduce you to a multi-genre author who seems to hit all my reading sweet spots. Edward Willett is the award-winning author of more than 60 books of fantasy, science fiction, and non-fiction for all ages and for a variety of publishers. His latest novel, The Cityborn, is his eighthpublished by DAW Books in New York; previous DAW releases include Marseguro, which won the Aurora Award for best Canadian science fiction or fantasy novel in 2009, and the Masks of Aygrima fantasy trilogy, written as E.C. Blake. Ed has also written several YA novels for smaller publishers, including the five-book modern-day Arthurian fantasy Shards of Excalibur. Born in New Mexico, Ed moved to Weyburn, Saskatchewan, from Texas as a child, but returned to the States for a degree in journalism from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. He began his career as a newspaper reporter and editor in Weyburn before moving to Regina, Saskatchewan, as communications officer for the Saskatchewan Science Centre. He’s now been a full-time freelance writer for 24 years. He and his wife, Margaret Anne Hodges, P.Eng., live in Regina with their teenaged daughter, Alice, and black Siberian cat, Shadowpaw.Hello, Edward! Welcome to An Angell's Life of Bookish Goodness. What is the current book you are promoting?The Cityborn is my eighth novel for DAW Books in New York. It’s a stand-alone science fiction novel set in The Heartland, a mountain-ringed plain dominated by a strange towering City, where the bulk of the populations lives. The City has 13 tiers, and the tier you live on reflects your place in society, from the ruling Officers in the top three tiers to the crime- and poverty-ridden slums of the bottom Tiers. The City straddles a great Canyon, which over the centuries has been filled by the garbage the City discards, and the lowest of the low lived in that garbage heap, known as the Middens, scavenging to survive and always trying to avoid the murderous gangs who rule it.The Cityborn is the tale of two young characters, Alania, who grew up the pampered ward of an officer on Twelfty Tier, and Danyl, who was raised by an old man in the Middens. When Alania, fleeing an unprecedented ambush on Twelfth Tier, is dumped into the Middens, the two of them find themselves pursued by City forces for reasons they can’t understand, but must discover if they are to survive. What they find out over the course of the story, and their actions, determine not only their fates but the fates of everyone who lives in the City and The Heartland.Wow. Sounds exciting! What inspired this book?For me, stories can start from any number of seeds: an idea for a character, something I’ve read, a place I’ve visited, or just an image. The Cityborn came from two sources. Once, I’ve always loved books set in exotic cities. (Think Ankh-Morpork in the Terry Pratchett books, which is practically a character itself.) Two, I read something about people scavenging to survive in the massive rubbish heaps outside overpopulated cities in developing countries. Take those two notions, toss them around in my SF-and-fantasy-steeped brain, and voila! The City of my story.After that, my process for developing a story is always to ask myself questions. Who would live in the City? What would life be like in the Middens? Characters developed, and then all I had to do was put them together and figure out who they were and why everyone wants to capture or kill them. Hopefully readers will enjoy my answers to those questions!It definitely sounds like an entertaining adventure. What is your next project?I’ve sold the first two books in a new fantasy series called Wordshapers to DAW, so that’s my main fiction focus at the moment. The first book is called Worldshaper, and it’s currently with my editor at DAW (the wonderful, Hugo Award-winning Sheila Gilbert). No release date yet, but I would expect it will be next summer. It’s a modern-day fantasy that begins when an ordinary woman in an ordinary city suddenly discovers she has the power to shape the world around her…and a mysterious individual arrives to tell her why, and why she has to flee with him if she hopes to survive.Ooh, fun! What is one great lesson you have learned as a writer?The only way you get better is by writing more. There are no shortcuts. Both the storytelling imagination and the ability to turn imagination into words are like muscles that are developed by exercise. Coming up with ideas for stories helps you come up with more ideas for stories. Writing stories helps you write more stories. When you’re just starting out, you’ll write lots of bad stories using clumsy words. But over time, as your storytelling muscles develop, you’ll get better.Also, read, especially in the genre in which you want to write. You can’t write science fiction without reading science fiction, you can’t write mysteries without reading mysteries, you can’t write romance without reading romance. Genre readers are steeped in the genres they love, and your stories have to be at least as good as the other books they’ve read if you’re going to find readers yourselves. If, for some readers, your books are better than the other books they’ve read…you’re on your way.Great advice. If you could never write again, what would you do?Act. I’ve been in a lot of plays, musicals, and operas over the years here in Saskatchewan. Most have been community theatre productions, but I have done some professional work (I’’m a member of Canadian Actors’ Equity.) If I hadn’t gone into writing, I might have found myself trying to make a living as an actor.Of course, there’s an old joke about acting: “What’s the difference between an actor and a pizza? A pizza can feed a family of four.”Going further back, I made the decision in high school to focus on writing—but at the time, I also loved science and math. I could very well have chosen to go into something like engineering or chemistry instead. I didn’t, but I did the next best thing: I married an engineer.Which, I might add, is a great career move for a freelance writer.Well played, sir. Well played. I love that you would stick to story telling one way or another. Want to learn more about Edward Willet and all the adventures he is on? You can follow him on Facebook and twitter @Ewillett, or visit his website www.edwardwillett.comWant to learn more about his books? He's the author of The Cityborn, science fiction from DAW Book,The Shards of Excalibur YA fantasy series from Coteau Books, The Masks of Aygrima fantasy trilogy for DAW Books (as E.C. Blake), Flames of Nevyana, YA fantasy from Rebelight PublishingUntil next time, Keep Reading!

Book Review- The Ambassador's Wife by Jake Needham

Genre: International suspense (IDK if that's a genre. We can just go with awesome detective story!)Synopsis: The first body is in Singapore, on a bed in an empty suite in the Marriott Hotel. The second in Bangkok, in a seedy apartment close to the American embassy.Both women. Both Americans. Both beaten viciously and shot in the head. Both stripped naked and lewdly displayed.The FBI says it’s terrorism, but the whispers on the street tell a different story. A serial killer may be stalking American women all across Asia.Inspector Samuel Tay of Singapore CID is something of a reluctant policeman. He’s a little overweight, a little lonely, a little cranky, and he smokes way too much. Thinking back, he can’t even remember why he became a police detective in the first place. He talks about quitting all the time, but he hasn’t. Because the thing is, he’s very, very good at what he does.When bodies of American women start turning up, Singapore CID calls in Inspector Tay. It’s a high profile case, and he’s the best they have.Then why is it, Tay soon begins to wonder, that nobody seems to want him to find the women’s killer? Not the FBI, not the American ambassador, not even his bosses at CID.When international politics takes over a murder case, the truth is the next victim.My Take: This is a very big book, but it is worth every second! I love Detective Samuel Tey. Absolutely adore his attitude, his back bone, and his loyalty. I was a bit confused at the reveal, but then I figured it out. I love when books treat people like they are smart and give all the nitty gritty while leaving us to actually piece things together, not be paraded by the nose like a bull to the obvious conclusion. No, this has some lovely twists, turns, unexpected happenings, and a deliciously appropriate end. I truly look forward to more Samuel Tey adventures in the near future... once I'm allowed to buy books again. Darn book allowance! If you like an international man of mystery, this isn't the book for you. But if you like hard-working cops with a need for the truth and justice, then you will love Samuel Tey as much as I do. Grab your copy today! Until next time, Keep Reading!

Teaser Tuesday- Meet Jon Braddon of thriller/ horror Snatch Girl

Hello Lovelies,We've had a ton of fun meeting L.J. Kane and her cast of characters from Snatch Girl. We MetEllie, and Darren. Today we get to meet Jon Braddon, the brutal and sadistic villain of the kidnap thriller/horror ‘Snatch Girl’ Let's Welcome L.J. to tell us about this creepy character.So, the post I didn’t want to write. A post about the savage villain of Snatch Girl, Jon Braddon, the guy who makes your skin crawl. If you’re going to be kidnapped, pray that it’s not by him…Jon Braddon is a deviant, a serial killer in the making, at the very start of his killing career. A man devoid of love and feelings, other than his own depraved desires.It took a lot out of me when writing Braddon’s scenes in Snatch Girl. I had to delve into his thoughts to understand why a man could be so brutal, savage, and so cold. It was hard putting Ellie into his lair, as I kept wanting her to be OK, to run and escape, but the story had to evolve in its own way, at its own pace, so Ellie had to suffer. And did I feel guilty!Braddon is a man of a failed military career. Heavily built, muscular, with camouflage combats, military boots, and a psychopathic stare, a man who’s background is as dark as his soul. He’s a drug addict, so far gone that his persona is skewed to the point of deranged, and Ellie’s desperation turns to horror when she’s snatched from his lair by Darren Broderick, Braddon’s own getaway driver, and Braddon hunts them down. Even Darren doesn’t know what’s about to happen.Braddon’s obsession with knives, guns, and traps sets Ellie and Darren up for a terrifying ride, a man on the fringe of society hunting his own accomplice and the kidnap victim, with slaughter on his mind.Can we blame his upbringing? His school life? Genetics? What turns a person into a psychopath – or are they born that way? Personally, I don’t want to delve much into his past, it was painful to bring him to life, and equally painful dragging poor Ellie through nightmare situation after situation but, surprisingly, the most horrible scenes were the easiest to write, they just flowed!Can I write another psychological nightmare novel? Yeah, no worries!L.J. Kane is the author of Snatch Girl, the shocking kidnap thriller/horror published in April 2017.Want to grab your copy? It's available onAmazon.Want to learn more about L.J.'s writing? Visit her WebsiteWant to get regular samples of what L.J? Follow herBlogUntil next time, Keep Reading!

Meet the author with Katherine Dell

Hello Lovelies, Remember the other day I shared this really cool new book, Harmless? Well, I was so intrigued that I tracked down the author and asked her for an interview. Katherine Dell is a young adult fiction author fascinated by the supernatural and the stories that surround them. She began her writing endeavours in 2011 when she wanted to reinvent herself from her previous career as an event planner. When she’s not writing, she can be found in cold hockey arenas sipping coffee, working on her tan at little league games, or trying to keep her dog out of her many gardens. She lives with her husband, two boys, and fur babies, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.Let's get down to the interview!Hello, Katherine, welcome to An Angell's Life of Bookish Goodness. How are you?I’m restless, yet optimistic. The official start to the promotions of my new book starts in just a few weeks and I’m excited to see the results!On a cold day: coffee, tea, cocoa or something a bit stronger, and why?Coffee all the way! I love coffee so much I wish I could hook it via IV to my veins. Alas, I can’t handle very much caffeine. So, I’m usually found drinking things with a little less kick.I have to balance my coffee intake too. What is the current book you are promoting?My current book I’m promoting is my YA, Paranormal, Thriller, called HARMLESS. Here’s a short blurb to get you hooked.Be careful what you wish for.After moving from Vancouver to isolated Hazelton, BC, high school senior Rachel Barnes hopes she’ll finally find closure and a sense of direction after tragedy has torn her family apart. When she and her friends discover the old spirit box her grandmother gave her, they see it as a chance to wish their troubles away. But the Great Spirits—deer, crow, bear, and the mythical wendigo—give away nothing for free. So instead of worrying about fitting in and finding a boyfriend, Rachel finds herself in a race to control the malevolent spirit who’s taken up residence in Mason Allen, who she fears and craves in equal measure. What began as a harmless game forces Rachel to confront her past—and offers her a future she never imagined.It sounds SO GOOD! If you could have your book made into a movie, who would you want to direct it?M. Night Shyamalan, hands down. Maybe he could even do a cameo in it. I’ve seen him in one or two of his movies. He’s known for his movies with supernatural plots and twists at the end. His movie, Lady in the Water is one of my favorites.If your book were made into a movie, who would you cast?Personally, I think it would make a better TV series than a movie, but I wouldn’t be one to argue if someone wanted to make it into one! The three main characters in the book are Rachel, Mason, and Nate. For Rachel, I would cast Chloe Grace Moretz. She’s down-to-earth, pretty, but can portray a character with a darker side. For Mason, I would choose Alexander Nifong. Mostly on his looks alone; those eyes … whew. And Nate, I would choose twenty-one-year-old, Rick Mora. Except, you’d need a time machine, or a cloning machine. Rick Mora, although stunning, is far too old to play the role of Nate.I love Rick Mora. His Native Man modeling series is so beautiful. What is your next project?The sequel to Harmless of course! Harmless is the first book in a proposed three book series. The next books in the series will be Mavens, and then Tempest. I’m hoping to have the next one out in the spring /summer of 2018.I’m also working on a YA, Post-Apocalyptic book. I can't really say much about it. We’ll see where it goes.Thanks so much for joining us, Katherine!Thanks for interviewing me today, Heidi. I wish you good reading and good writing.Katherine was so delighted with my Teaser Tuesday post that she has offered to do a cool Rafflecopterfor us! Click the link and enter for a chance to win!Want to follow Katherine's writing adventures? Social Media Links:Facebook ProfileFacebook PageGoodreadsAmazon Author PageTwitterWebsiteInstagramKobo (Harmless)Amazon (Harmless)YouTubeChapters / IndigoBarnes and NobleUntil next time, Keep Reading!

Poetry Corner- Tunnels of Deception

Tunnels of deceptionwinding smoothly on. They look so nice and lovely, and yet the pull us down. Winding, twistingmoving on;gently lying'til we're gone.We feel safe in it's graspand things seem right and well. Then one day we wake upand realize we're in hell. Until next time, Keep Reading!