Mia Darien's Blog, page 11

Welcome to 2014!

Well, it’s a new year. I hope that everyone enjoyed their holiday season, and you’re looking forward to great things in the year to come! And maybe if I’m lucky, some of those things you’ll be looking forward to are books from me. This post is actually going to discuss some of the things to expect from Mia Darien in 2014–at least those that are planned!

Things to Come in 2014: The Adelheid Facelift

I know, Adelheid seems a little young for major overhaul or plastic surgery, but I’m impatient. No, seriously. It’s been just over two years since Cameron’s Law was released and while I think I did okay with it, I’ve learned a lot in that time. As such, I’ve prettied the series up. I’ll stress now that there have been no substantive changes to any story. I’ve just done fresh edits on stories that needed it, and tweaked or redone covers.

As I write this, I’m in the process of uploading these new pretty versions.

Things to Come in 2014: New Books

Plans, plans, plans… I has them! Barring the unforeseen mental explosions that would otherwise prevent them, I have four stories planned to be released in the coming year. All of them will be attached to present series:

Sheltered, the next Adelheid Between the Tales Short. This story will follow Edward.

Disposable People, the next Adelheid novel. This story will follow Detective Vance Johnston and will show us some of Adelheid’s seedy underbelly, because every place (and every person?) has one.

Bellflower, the next Turnabout Tale. This story will be a F/F take on the story of Rapunzel, following Hanne Prinz, an FBI Agent who gets more than she bargains for when she is part of a raid on a human trafficking ring’s location.

Haven, the next piece in the Stories from Sanctuary City series. This story will once again visit Lydia and Flynn and might actually make for a concluding chapter in this series, rather than the open-ended, multi-character plan I originally had. I’m still working on it.

Things to Come in 2014: Boom Baby Reviews & From Mia’s Desk

I’ll continue posting guest posts, author interviews, character interviews, and reviews! I’ll also be participating in blog tours, and looking to otherwise expand the base for both of my sites. If you’re an author and interested in being featured, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

Mia Steps into Feyron [In World Interview]

It’s been a while, but I have a special interview for December: an In World interview! Today, “I” stepped into Diana L. Wicker’s world of Feyron to talk to the Storyteller and learn a little bit more about the world.

* * *

The Dreamweaver was sitting on the tufted bench below the fresco of the Guardians, the soft blue glow of the Sacred Fire flickered over the scroll she was reading. The red-gold of her wavy hair was just beginning to sparkle with the silver kisses of age and her cheeks were rosy from much time spent outdoors in the lovely flower garden that now adorned the greensward beyond the tile mosaic before the Temple of Pyli. A small, misty white bird nestled beside her among the folds of her sueded cotton gown.

Nearby an elderly gentleman dressed in long, brown robes topped by an apron holding various writing implements paced about the wide, open space of the hall. “It just isn’t done, Dreamweaver,” he grumbled as he turned on his route and wandered back towards her. “To bring someone into Feyron who’s not bound to a clan of magic…well, it just isn’t…”

“It IS, because the Guardians wish it,” a soft baritone echoed through the chamber. A golden griffin stood within the open doors of the Temple.

Before the scribe could object further, an arched gateway beyond the left colonnade began to glow a soft silvery blue as the visitors from the World Beyond stepped through into Feyron. The young man accompanying the visitor held her elbow and placed a hand on her back to steady her as traveling through the gateways could be terribly disconcerting.

Pressing the heel of her hand to her temple, the woman with short black hair and glasses closed her eyes and waited for the disorientation to pass. “Oh, geez, and I thought low blood pressure was a b…” She stopped, suddenly remembering that not everyone was okay with cursing. She finally opened her eyes and the world is its normal shades and not spinning. Or, at least, normal shades as far as she knows… “Wow.” Maybe not the most eloquent statement, considering she writes, but it was the best she had as she looks around.

“Welcome to Feyron,” the Dreamweaver called warmly as she stood from the bench, the little bird fluttering about before vanishing in a swirl of mist. “I am the Dreamweaver, the head of the Temple of Pyli. I am pleased you have been able to join us. I understand you are interested in visiting wirh our Storyteller and perhaps hearing a few of the old tales.”

The young man at the visitor’s side bowed to her and discretely exited the hall as another young man peered around the griffin sitting in the doorway.

Mia smiled at the woman and then nodded at the exiting young man before approaching the Dreamweaver. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. And…a real honor to have the chance to be here. Folk don’t get chances like this too often. Or, you know, ever really…”

The Dreamweaver smiled and held out her hands to grasp her visitor’s hands. “It is rare than anyone of non-magical lineage comes to Feyron, as in our experience on most Worlds Beyond, few of the Nimisa have understanding of realms other than their own. I hope the journey was not too difficult.”

Off to the side, near a narrow door in the wall farther away from the grand fresco which rose above them, the scribe scribbled away on a parchment as he leaned on a writing stand, recording the historic moment for the Archives. Looking over towards the gentleman hanging just outside of the doorway, he motioned for him to enter and then returned to his work.

“Well, I guess I got a pretty open mind to these things,” Mia chuckled. “But hell…” She winced. “Quite a thing to discover that worlds like what I dream up are actually real.” Running her hands through her hair, she paused before going on, “I don’t want to keep you too long if you have something you need to be doing. I know I came through to talk to the Storyteller.” Another pause. “Not that I don’t want to talk to you too, of course. Just hate to keep someone tied up when they got other places to be.”

“It’s quite alright, my dear. If you’ll step towards the door, Tua will take you outside where I expect your next escort is waiting.” The Storyteller patted her visitor’s hand before returning to her seat. With a look of consternation, the scribe picked up his little stand and prepared to follow the visitor.

“Welcome!” the griffin called in a cheerful baritone. “So, you have visions in your dreams, do you? Perhaps you’ve a touch of magic within you then…a touch of divination or mists maybe…” He paused, cocking his head first one way, and then the other before nodding. “Come into the light and have a look around. I believe there is still a little dispute over the best way to take you to where you need to be to see the Storyteller.”

Upon exiting the hall, the visitor found herself standing among a row of tall marble columns at the top of a wide flight of stairs about a story off the ground. At the base of the stairs, a colorful tile mosaic mirrored the fresco in the hall behind her depicting a stone gateway surrounded by creatures of myth and legend on her own world – a white unicorn, a golden griffin, and a red dragon. Beyond the mosaic a maze of colorful flowers cultivated in the shape of an eternity knot, much like a mosaic in the floor of the hall behind her.

A young man with curly brown hair and clothes of misty grey linen stood a bit off to the side absently stroking something of opalescent white about his neck. Tua cleared his throat and the young man looked up. “Well, have you come to a decision? Our visitor doesn’t have all day.”

“Oh yes, if you’ll come with me, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask your indulgence with a little more traveling by mist. It would take so long to cross the Great Lake by ferry, and though Grandmere would be pleased to host you, I wasn’t sure you wanted to stay the night.” He twitched a little and giggled as he shrugged his shoulder and uncoiled a satiny white serpent from about his neck.

“I’m so sorry, where are my manners? I am Eliyahu and this is Annaliesse.” He walked to the mosaic and set the serpent down. In a shimmer of soft blue light, the serpent became a winged unicorn. Placing one of the visitor’s hands on the unicorn’s back, Eliyahu stood behind her as the mists began to swirl up around them. When the mists receded, they were standing beside a small pool behind a little stone cottage, a vast red desert just beyond seemingly held at bay by a long, stone wall.

Sitting on a low stool beneath a large, pink flowering tree sat a woman with pearl white hair tied back in a long, fluffy ponytail. She wore a long skirt in a colorful swirling pattern and a bodice of cream laced with a ribbon of silver. She looked up from her work of spreading pink petals over the waters and smiled. “Ah, my young friend, Mia. I am so glad you could make it to Feyron to see me again. So kind of you to indulge my by listening to my tales. Eliyahu, pull over a bench for her and fetch refreshments. I wouldn’t be surprised if she needs a restorative after all that travel.”

“Yes, Grandmere,” Eliyahu replied as he bowed to the Storyteller. He quickly pulled a bench over to the tree and then scooted off into the cottage, his shapeshifting companion nowhere to be seen.

Mia’s mind was filled with a great variety of emotions: wonder, shock, disbelief, enchantment, excitement…but she managed to piece things together in her head so she could still speak coherently as she smiled in thanks and took the seat. “A little something could help. My head is still a little light.” She chuckled again. “It’s…great to be here in Feyron. Some part of me still doesn’t believe it, you know? But…I’m thrilled to hear your stories. I’m pretty fond of stories and all.”

Eliyahu returned with a small tray. Flipping open the scissors style legs under the tray, he carefully stood it in the grass and poured two cups of warm, fragrant liquid. The Storyteller sprinkled a few of the pink petals into a cup before passing it to Mia. “That’s about as much restorative as I dare give you, but it should help with the wooziness. I never did grow accustomed to traveling by mist myself.”

A young woman walked out of the cottage carrying a small basket of pastries. Her hair was long and white, like the Storyteller’s, and her long, flowing gown appeared to almost shimmer silver. She set the basket in the grass beside the Storyteller and then stood behind Eliyahu, almost like a shy child, and peered around his shoulder at Mia.

“So, my dear. Was there a particular Age in Feyron’s history that you wanted to learn about, or a bit of lore that you wanted to hear?” the Storyteller asked as she held the basket out to Mia.

With an appreciative smile, Mia accepted the drink and the food. Then she laughed. “I was afraid you’d ask that,” she said. “There is so much to choose from. Like looking at a stack of textbooks when someone says, pick a story from history! The brain goes rather blank.” Pausing to take a sip, she did begin to feel better. “I’ll admit curiosity about the Age of Fading…”

“Ah, the Age of Fading…now that is a big age with many stories to tell from many different worlds. Eliyahu may well be the better storyteller for that, as he is the NoleLinde, the lore keeper for The Circle, but I doubt you wanted to hear about the many worlds where magic faded, for many of those tales are quite a lot to tell. Tell me, what about the Fading draws you, and perhaps I can think of a small story to share with you today.”

Mia thought about this. “I’m kinda just intrigued by the darker stories I guess,” she admitted with a sheepish smile and shrug. “I guess…we know a lot about the…” She took a moment to go over the right terms in her head. “Creatures of the Light?” She laughed a little self-consciously. “And of the Mists… What about the Shadow?”

“Now there’s a question I don’t get asked too often.” The Storyteller chuckled before sipping her drink. “Not many within Feyron like to remember the Realm of Darkness, and few can hear the whispers in the shadows when visiting the Mists in their dreams. Hmm…”

The Storyteller paused and nibbled at a sweet cake for a moment while thinking. “Ah!” She smiled. “I think I know the one ”

The Land of Feyron has always been; it is the origin of all things magical, the axis point where all the worlds meet. When most people think of Feyron, they picture in their minds the Realms of Light, those realms belonging to the Guardians and the clans of Faie. Some may also think of the Realm of Mists where the sparks of life return to the Beyond, but before a handful of generations ago only a few had even heard of the Realm of Darkness.

The Realm of Darkness lies beyond that of the Mists, and like the other realms, has its own residents and its own Guardian. Senja’kala is not like the Guardians of light who shared the gifts of magic and left their kin to guide the clans of Faie. She is more like Samanya the Unknowable, Guardian of the mists. Both aware of the happenings in their realms, but rarely take a direct role; for both realms are timeless and generally these guardians pay little heed to what we “twinkling moments” see as the passage of time.

The Storyteller paused and leaned forward towards Mia. “The ‘twinkling moments’ are what Samanya, Guardian of the mists calls all those who have come to know the sacred.” With a wink she sat back on her stool, took another sip of her drink, and continued the tale.

There are beings within the darkness, much as there are residents of the mists, but they are not like the helpful, albeit sometimes mischievous, beings that some can summon from the mists. These are beings of darkness, which is something else entirely; and some, much like the beings of Wild Magics, are not so contented to remain in their own realm and await invitations to leave.

Where the Realms of Mist and Darkness mingle, a new region developed, one of made of memories and shadows where the dreams of the “twinkling moments” play out. This has become known as the realm of dream and shadow. For you see, the depths of sleep are ever like the edge of death, and the mind often wanders through its memories and feelings of darkness during sleep.

The Azdaja residing in the darkness were drawn to the dreams as they flickered through the mists; and watching scenes from the Worlds Beyond, they longed to join the other beings of magic and receive recognition and adoration from the dreamers. In the dreams of those seeded by The Tree, those sparks of life known to us as Nimisa, they first found an opening in the mists and a way into the worlds beyond. For you see, there are always those who have the same desires as the Azdaja, to gain the recognition and adoration of others.

They found that those not touched by the Guardians, those who are not of the clans of Faie often made willing hosts, but having no magic of their own to protect them, the darkness consumes the spark of light from the tree, changing the host into something it was not. Thus once the darkness has entered a world, it tends to continue spreading. For this reason the Azdaja became known as the Bringers of Darkness. On many of those worlds, the battle between the spread of darkness and the light of Feyron began, for where the darkness outweighs the light, the light is often consumed.

A splash of water from the pool distracted the Storyteller, and she chuckled as she brushed the water from her skirt. “I see the children disapprove of my story. The prefer the stories of the Age of Beginnings. Were there any other stories you wanted to hear today, or perhaps a tour of the gardens? I believe there’s a bit of a garden party planned for you at the manor before you return home.”

“A tour of the gardens sounds nice,” Mia replied. “Gotta admit, after that story, I’m a little worried to go home and find out what’s coming in my dreams.” She laughed. “Something to distract me from that thought sounds nice, though I hope no one went to any trouble on my account.”

Eliyahu assisted the Storyteller to her feet. Together they began to walk towards the gardens that flowed between the Storyteller’s cottage and the manor of clan Rakasha.

* * *

Author Bio: Diana lives in the balmy climate of the US south with her husband, two children, two dogs, two cats, a cantankerous rabbit, and a dwarf african frog. She enjoys reading, sewing (clothing, costuming, and experimental toy making), and RPG games. (She grew up with the old school paper/pencil style of gaming, but has transitioned happily to the highly interactive world of video games.)

The idea for Feyron started with a map, a place for her daughter to tell stories and live out storytelling role playing adventures with her friends. The lore grew around the map, for every world needs lore if you are going to “live” there. The idea for a series, Tales from Feyron, grew out of the lore, for if you’re going to invent a world, you may as well play there too. The stories are continuing to grow through the various historical ages of Feyron and may yet “ripple” outwards to the Worlds Beyond touched by magic.

Author Site: https://talesfromfeyron.squarespace.com/

Buy Link (The Dreamweaver’s Journey): Barnes & Noble

Buy Link (The Dreamweaver’s Journey): CreateSpace

Buy Link (The Guardian Child’s Return): Barnes & Noble

Buy Link (The Guardian Child’s Return): CreateSpace

Guest Post: “A Shared Realm On A Galactic Level” by Raphyel M. Jordan

As Raphyel M. Jordan has been no stranger to From Mia’s Desk, he’s back again with a new guest post to help promote Evaluations of the Tribes, the exciting prequel to Prossia. Check out the post, and check out the new book! There’s also a giveaway, so check that out too!

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What would a childhood be like, if everyone around you could fire balls of plasma from their hands? What if your race never had to deal with some certain social biases, like sexism, the way we have? What would boys and girls be like if they were both expected and encouraged to play both childhood games of House and War? What if your gym class consisted of you sparring to the point that you went home with bloody noses and bruises, but that was the norm? What would your imagination consist of if you went to class and studied the cultures of thriving alien civilizations throughout the galaxy; civilizations that possess technology thousands of years ahead of yours? That’s the universe I created in “Evaluations of the Tribe.” That’s the norm for a girl named Alytchai (Aly).

In case you can’t tell by the pictures, Aly (the one with the blue tentacles) and her people aren’t human beings. No, she’s a Goolian from Planet Gooliun, a world readers were able to venture to after I published my first novel, “Prossia.” On Gooliun, the natives know that they aren’t alone in the galaxy, but they can’t do much about it beyond tending to their daily routines. “Why,” you ask? Goolians haven’t even invented the light bulb yet! As a matter of fact, they haven’t even bothered with learning how to make the equivalent to gun powder. To be fair, why would they? They can create nuclear fusion right between their palms!

In spite of the many differences these “greenies” have, however, they’re not much different from us. Sure, the illustrations you’ll see indicate that Aly and her people would be considered humanoid – sharing physical traits that we humans have. Just don’t ask them to help you get a fruit from a tree, because they’ll either freak you out after they leapt two stories up to grab it, or after they used a very long purple tongue to snatch it for you.

Still, in spite of these differences, Aly and her people are just that; people. And like most of us good ole’ fashioned Earthlings here on Planet Earth, she’ll grow up feeling out of place and different from others. Like us, Aly will find herself envying those around her, who seem to be a natural at a certain task, while she struggles to do the same thing. She’ll watch one of her classmates walk by, and wish that she was perhaps shorter, skinnier, more defined; prettier. Like so many of us, Aly will cry alone in her bed, hiding the fact that the children at school pushed her, called her weird, or even ugly. Some things, like growing up – even in another galaxy – are universal.

The good thing, however, is the fact that Aly lives in a world that offers the chance to overcome such obstacles, just like ours. She’ll realize there are multiple methods to do it, but the end results are still the same. She can win. It won’t be easy, though. It’s not like she should expect the people who’ve wronged her are going to break down in tears, begging for forgiveness, one day. More so, she may not even end up being the better athlete, the smartest student, or the prettiest girl in class. No, Aly’s win will be hard. It’s the sort that may take months and years to obtain. Either way, once she earns that victory, no one, not even her worst enemy, will be able to take it away from her.

Why don’t you grab yourself a copy of “Evaluations of the Tribe” to see how Aly seizes the day in the end? After all, growing up is a universal thing.

* * *

You Learn. You Work. You Fight.

In spite her age, Aly should be the ideal Goolian combatant in her tribe. Her reaction time is faster than any adult. Her agility is off the charts, and she’s one of the top ranked sparring students in the entire village. If she could just fire a single beam of energy from her palms, like everyone else on her homeworld, she wouldn’t get pushed around, harassed in class, or long for acceptance. The Evaluations, however, can change that. If she can be the last one standing in a dangerous rite of passage that will put her years of training to the ultimate test, she’ll finally prove her worth to her people. Anything less, and she’ll be the local outcast for the remainder of her life.

There’s another person in the tribe longing for the same prize due to a similar dilemma, and it will take all of Aly’s strength to defeat her. There’s only one small problem. That person happens to be her best friend.

You can find the book at Smashwords, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

You can find Raphyel at his site, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Goodreads.

You can also view a trailer for the book on YouTube.

Author Bio: Raphyel Montez Jordan grew up in a household sensitive to the creative arts. As a child, his hobbies were drawing favorite cartoon and video game characters while making illustrated stories. This passion for art never left and followed him all the way up to his high school and college years.

It wasn’t until college when he underwent a personal “renaissance” of sorts that Jordan took his interest in writing to another level. When he was 19, he started writing a novel for fun, taking inspiration from the constant exposure of different ideas and cultures that college showed him while staying true to the values he grew up to embrace. However, when the “signs of the times” influenced the story and the characters to spawn into universes of their own, he figured he might possibly be on to something.

As he studied graphic design at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Georgia, Jordan also used his electives to study sciences like Astronomy, Psychology, and Biology in order enhance the reading experience in his story. He eventually made it a goal to have the story published after he graduated, and dubbed the goal “Operation Prosia,” the very same project that would develop into his first published book, “Prossia.”

Even though his novel is not necessarily a religious book, Jordan utilizes his Christian faith by urging people to encourage, not condemn, in his story. Best known for ending his PSFC newsletters with “Unity Within Diversity,” he hopes “Prossia’s” success will inspire people to consider and support the positive outlook in the difference human kind can share, whether it be race, religion, or any other cultural difference.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Prossia

by Raphyel M. Jordan

Giveaway ends December 31, 2013.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter to win

 

A Chat with Mary Ellen Wall & Elise t’Hoot from ‘The Distant Trees’

To those of my readers who are in the United States, Happy Turkey Day! I hope that everyone had a good one. To celebrate the holiday in a way that has no connection whatsoever… Here’s a character interview! Mary Ellen Wall and Elise t’Hoot have joined us today!

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Mia: What is the name of the book where we’ll find you? Can you tell us a little about it?

Elise t’Hoot: My story started with The Distant Trees, where I went from a snotty school kid to an AWOL alien smuggler. Then is Tenembras, that’s the name of the colony planet I smuggled the aliens to. There we see what the marvelous Amigos, the aliens, can do to make our sorry lot better…of course everybody doesn’t see them as the boon they really are. A World of Our Own details Tembo’s independence fight – Tembo is the pet name for our local ball of bliss. I almost didn’t make it through that one. In Neighbors, we meet some of our ET neighbors and I get a grand gift. All of these should have much more about the vast cast that shaped the events, but I didn’t interfere too much with the author.

Mia: Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?

Elise t’Hoot: Typical sad story, I got displaced by floods (our sea wall was sabotaged) and sent to a camp (a sadistic, merciless place) when I was a little thing and an uncle snuck me out of there with his daughter’s passport; I’m from the Netherlands. I made it to Kentucky where I studied hard and helped at my Aunt’s carbon sequestration forestry project. To get cash for my master’s classes, I joined up with an expeditionary mission to a planet that had a crashed Dutch ship and the aliens it marooned…the books cover most everything, I’m not too crazy about travelling back to memory lane. Why would I want to recount getting wrecked on an icy mountain with foo-foo shoes or getting burned clean through with a laser rifle? I want to be known as a tolerant person who is able to take up for me and my family. And before you bring it up, I was cleared of the changes from gutting those miscreants that attacked us and plugged Ricky, that’s all past. Sure, I still carry knives and stay in shape, but I want to be remembered as a friend of the Amigos.

Mia: What do you think of the author? Be honest. We won’t tell.

Elise t’Hoot: She billed herself to me as a ‘panoramic biographer’. That should have warned me right there, what did it really mean? At least she did get a few of the most prominent characters to present their own parts; she could have included dozens more. I always thought a book should have more ambience, more scene description, but she said that would distract from the drama. I almost fired her for saying my story was some damned drama.

Mia: How do you feel about the story you’re in?

Elise t’Hoot: As my papa Loek t’Hoot’s daughter, I wanted to make a positive, meaningful difference in the world, to live up to his great example. Of course, I should have specified which world. You question seems rather pointed. I know I’ve taken a good many dangerous chances but I am pleased to be alive, honest. Just because I can’t be still for more than two minutes doesn’t mean I’m not happy in my own way. I don’t count having the alien chip embedded in my brain as dangerous any more, as it has enabled tons more good than the harm it caused. I can get more done now and do it better, so what’s not to be happy about that?

Mia: Do you like being a character in the book?

Elise t’Hoot: It is so weird – I avoided picking up a copy but Barto and Wing wouldn’t quit teasing me so I had to read some of it. When I first met my Ricky, we argued and he said I had made a dull caricature of him. I can’t say that about these books, I mean, I feel like I’m dropped back into some of the scenes, recalling how it felt and happened. Once I relented and read them I was surprised at the fidelity; it’s a bit uncanny.

Mia: How do you see your future? Without giving anything away about the story, naturally.

Elise t’Hoot: I intend to stay on this ship a while, I’m plum tired at being shot at. At least Ricky can’t rag me about staying home more; he’s here with me and the kiddoes. We’re through with Tenembras and the Patriot thugs that didn’t appreciate a good thing when they had it. Our Amigos draw water and metals up from the ground! Oh sure, let’s kill them! Lawd they burn me up, can we change the subject?

Mia: What do you know about your author’s plans? Can we expect to see you in any future stories?

Elise t’Hoot: I asked her to write up something for little Annie, the wee imp I adopted after her folks got firebombed. It’s about animals in natural setting but you can hear their thoughts as if they’re talking. I dunno, I liked the one about the alligators. Other than that, I went ahead and contracted her to immortalize the next few epochs of our adventures in exchange for free room and board on the ship. She says I need to be central to the future stories for continuity. Fine. Doc Trogden gives me the hairy eyeball like I’m an egomaniac – I told her to commission her own story and judge that.

Mia: Let’s say they make a movie about this book. Who do you want to play you, and why?

Elise t’Hoot: That is the same thing Barto asked my ages ago! He said if we didn’t make sure we had input to any such cinematic mess they could slant and mash it up so it resembled nothing like the true story. I’m in no hurry to see myself in a vid, the books are painful enough. Still, some of the college kids onboard are starting an acting club and intend to put on plays and such. Maybe they’ll fill the bill, as it were.

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Author Bio: Greetings, I am Mary Ellen Wall. I write technical manuals, lesson plans, science fiction novels, children’s books and panoramic biography. Born in the fabulous Commonwealth of Kentucky, I have travelled to many countries but always come home to Flint Springs. I maintain my cabin in the woods, bake sew, brew, paint, shoot, build and write.

Author Site: http://maryellenwall.wordpress.com

Author’s Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/maryelle...

         

Ten Questions with…Rachael Horsma

Oh dear, I apologize to both my readers and my author for being a day late on this! I was unwell yesterday and, apparently, forgot that it was Monday… That being said, today’s guest to answer Ten Questions is Rachael Horsma, author of Soul Seed. Thank you for joining us today!

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Author Bio: I am an author and design student from northern Minnesota. I’m an avid reader, I love yoga and most days I can be found in my college’s computer lab, where all of our fancy, shiny design software is.

Author Site: http://rachaelhorsma.blogspot.com/

You can find Soul Seed at Amazon!

About the Writer

1. What five words describe you?

Smart, intuitive, hard-working, oh gosh this is hard, bright, and creative.

2. What was the first story you ever wrote? I mean the really bad one we all have that you’re trying to hide in the back of closet now that you’re published?

Haha, I have this paper stocking that we decorated and wrote on in the first grade. I had pasted a picture of a bunny on it and wrote some poem about my cousins and my family… Only I didn’t know how to spell cousins I wrote “cosigns.” My family laughs every time I take that out at Christmas.

3. What inspires you?

Honestly, my ideas, I just have so many of them. I have a list of about twelve more books I want to write and it keeps growing.

4. What distracts you?

Pinterest, it’s always Pinterest. I am a very visual person so I love Pinterest, but I need to remind myself not to spend hours on there.

5. What’s your favorite story?

This is hard, I would have to say the strong heroine who keeps going against all odds. I like how they give props to women readers. I was a tomboy in my youth so that’s probably why I find these types of characters soo appealing.

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About the Writing

1. Tell us about your currently available titles.

My debut novel is Soul Seed. It features Landra, the single child who grew up pretending to have magic much to her Mother’s distress. Little does Landra know that she’s a mage and a decedent of one of three very important people, people whose past is causing their dependents future to collide. Soul Seed is a YA Fantasy and it is the first in a series of four books. You can find Soul Seed on Amazon.

2. What’s your favorite part about writing these stories?

Writing is as much of a surprise to me as it is to a reader, I am always finding out new things about my characters and how they interact. Spoiler, Spoiler, Spoiler, for example there is a moment when Landra overhears two other characters (who shall remain unnamed) arguing. Then she realizes one has proposed to the other! I honestly didn’t know that was going to happen, it just did. For me writing, is like watching a play, I only have limited control over the plotline, I just put my characters in and watch them go.

3. What would your characters say about you?

Another MC of mine, also from Soul Seed has a tendency to run away from every situation, so much in fact that I was very mad at him nearing the end of the book. Then I realized I was mad because that’s a part of my own personality (something I dearly need to work on.)

4. Who would play your favorite character if they made a movie of their story?

Ahh, I honestly don’t know. I’d want completely unheard of actors for the teen parts, just because I always see actors and the roles they have played previously when I watch them.

5. Do you have any projects currently in the works you want to talk about?

I am currently writing the second book in the Soul Seed series, entitled Soul Fall. The dynamic has changed between my characters so it feels quite different.

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Thank you for joining us today, Rachel, and good luck with your writing!

A Chat with Ashley Pearce & Aidriana from “Intuitions Nightmare”

Today’s character interview finds us joined by Ashley Pearce and Aidriana, from Intuitions Nightmare. Welcome!

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Mia: What is the name of the book where we’ll find you? Can you tell us a little about it?

Aidriana: I can be found in the psychological thriller Intuitions Nightmare by Ashley N. Pearce. It is about a dream that changes the lives of everyone in the story. It is unsure whether the dream is a form of reality or if it is really just a dream leading to paranoia.

Mia: Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?

Aidriana: I am the main character and I am the one that has the dream or premonition if you will. I have a hard time deciding what this dream means and begin to wonder if I am completely insane after experiencing some very terrible events.

Mia: What do you think of the author? Be honest. We won’t tell.

Aidriana: Ashley is an interesting writer. I have to say after experiencing my story life, she may be a little bit crazy herself.

Mia: How do you feel about the story you’re in?

Aidriana: Personally, I feel it’s not a story that is very kind to me. I go through many hardships and test the limits of my own sanity.

Mia: Do you like being a character in the book?

Aidriana: Of course I do! This story wouldn’t be a story without me. Everything that happens is surrounded by my own life. Though I will say that the other characters would have been a lot better off without me!

Mia: How do you see your future? Without giving anything away about the story, naturally.

Aidriana: It’s hard to say. My future is really left unclear. I can’t really say much more than that.

Mia: What do you know about your author’s plans? Can we expect to see you in any future stories?

Aidriana: She hasn’t decided what to do with me yet. Some have told her to write another story for me, but others have said to leave my story alone and let the readers come up with their own futures for me.

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Author Bio: My name is Ashley Pearce. First and foremost I am a single mother of one. My son just turned 4 in march. He is my inspiration and my motivation. I strive to do great things for him and succeed because I want him to be proud of me!

I recently graduated from Grand Valley State with a B.S. in Criminal Justice. Over the years, I have read a lot of books. When I’m not reading, I’m writing my own things such as poetry or my new work. Reading and writing has always been an escape for me and continues to be an outlet that I use often.

Author Site: http://ashleynpearce.blogspot.com/

Buy Link: Smashwords

Buy Link: Amazon

Buy Link: CreateSpace (Print)

Ten Questions with…Michael Matula

Please help me to welcome back Michael Matula to answer Ten Questions with Mia!

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Author Bio: Michael Matula is a novelist and story writer from Chicago, Illinois. He once dreamed of being a comic book artist, sketching pictures and caption bubbles in class when he really should have been studying. Unable to draw fast enough to keep up with all words and images tumbling in his head, he started writing stories based on his characters instead. He ended up falling in love with writing and never really looked back.

Author Site: http://michaelmatula.blogspot.com/

You can find Try Not to Burn at Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

About the Writer

1. What five words describe you?

Friendly. Reserved. Cynical. Hopeful. Regretful.

Some of those five words may contradict the other ones, but I guess that’s me in a nutshell.

2. What was the first story you ever wrote? I mean the really bad one we all have that you’re trying to hide in the back of closet now that you’re published?

I used to draw my own comics as a teenager, and the first real story I wrote was actually a side story for one of my characters. The comic took place in modern times, but the story was a throwback to his origins, taking place in a more fantastical world. I can only shudder to think about how many clichés and how much teenage angst I must have packed into the story.

3. What inspires you?

When I watch movies or listen to music, I can often latch onto a tiny detail, and I want to base an entire story around it. Oftentimes, it’s a throwaway thing in the background, or a minor character I get fascinated by, or an image dredged up by the song.

4. What distracts you?

When I’m struggling in my writing, and I’m not excited about the storyline I’m coming up with, then everything is a distraction. Movies, internet, driving around town, etc. But when the writing is going well, then I get a bit obsessed with it. There’s nothing else I’d rather be doing. It’s kind of amazing to create something from scratch. To take an idea and mold it into something substantial, and something that can hopefully make other people feel what you felt when you were writing it.

5. What’s your favorite story? This can be specific, as in a particular book or even story-driven movie, or general, like “I’m a sucker for a hero looking for redemption story.”

I love confinement as a concept, like Alien or the Abyss. People who are in a vast world—space, the sea, the desert, the zombie apocalypse—but are stuck in one tiny part of it. There’s nothing but death outside, so they have to stay in one spot, with only themselves for comfort and support. But then…the outside starts to come inside, and there’s nowhere to go, and nothing to do but fight for survival. I love that as a concept.

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About the Writing

1. Tell us about your currently available titles.

My first novel is Try Not to Burn. It’s a thriller about Brandon Morales, a young man who did something in his life that he regrets. He tried to turn his life around, becoming a cop, dedicating his entire career to helping people, but he never actually atoned for his sins. So after he dies in the line of duty, he finds himself in the worst place imaginable: Hell. He’s taken in by a pair of women who are struggling to survive, each one haunted by their own sins, and together, they try to not only keep the fires of Hell at bay, but figure out a way to escape, and possibly find redemption along the way.

2. What’s your favorite part about writing these stories?

The characters, and telling their story. I feel like I’ve been through everything they’ve been through. When they cry, or when they find a glimmer of hope, I’m going through the emotions right along with them. I can’t help it. What takes the reader thirty seconds to read can take me thirty minutes or more to write, so I’m locked in that emotional state for long stretches of time. It can wear me out, but it’s also one of the things I love the most about writing. It’s not quite like anything else.

3. What would your characters say about you? Be honest!

I’m pretty sure it would involve quite a few four letter words. I tend to put my characters through their paces. They don’t have a very easy time of it, and most are still recovering from traumatic experiences from their pasts, which makes their current troubles all the more difficult for them to bear. I was especially tough on this group of characters, but in my defense, the story does take place in Hell, so it can’t be all fun and games.

4. Who would play your favorite character if they made a movie of their story?

For Brand, I’d probably say Edgar Ramirez. I thought he was great in Domino, and brought a lot to the role.

5. Do you have any projects currently in the works you want to talk about?

I recently finished writing the sequel to Try Not to Burn, so I’m hoping to be able to get that out before too long. Also, at the end of October, a short story I wrote was published in Wrapped in Red, a vampire anthology from Sekhmet Press.

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Thanks for joining us today, Michael, and good luck with your writing!

A Chat with Michael Matula & Sam from “Try Not to Burn”

I’m happy to welcome Michael Matula and Sam, from Try Not to Burn! Welcome!

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Mia: What is the name of the book where we’ll find you? Can you tell us a little about it?

Samantha “Sam” Reiss: Try Not to Burn. It’s messed up, is what it is. The whole thing takes place in Hell City, which is some kinda maximum security wing of the afterlife. Basically, it’s where people like me go when they die. It’s supposed to test your soul, to judge you, but the whole damn thing is rigged. They’re makin’ up the rules as they go along, just to make it harder to escape.

Mia: Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?

Sam: I was from a town about an hour from Dallas. Made some bad choices, had a fallin’ out with my folks, and ended up headin’ to New Jersey with my boyfriend after he needed a chance of scenery—guy was real bad news, not that I cared at the time. Long story short, I ended up on death row after a bank job went bad. Then I wound up in this place. I’m not gonna let ‘em get me, though. I’m not gonna let ‘em Burn me, an’ drag my soul into the fire. I’m a fighter. Always have been.

An’ if I’m gone, there’ll be no one left to look after Jane. She’s a good kid. She doesn’t deserve this. Maybe I do, maybe I earned this fate, but she doesn’t deserve to Burn for all eternity.

Mia: What do you think of the author? Be honest. We won’t tell.

Sam: I don’t think he was loved enough as a child. He’s got some screws loose, or somethin’. I mean, who the hell comes up with this stuff? No self-respectin’ writer would come up with that Morgan freak, much less send an army of those zombie things after his own characters. The only good thing he did was give me a Graller. A shotgun that shoots hellfire? Sure. Sign me up.

Mia: How do you feel about the story you’re in?

Sam: My next story better be a romance novel, that’s all I’ll say. I think I’ve earned it.

Mia: Do you like being a character in the book?

Sam: Are you kiddin’ me, Mia? I’m in Hell. If the monsters weren’t bad enough, I’m surrounded by the worst scumbags that ever walked the planet. If I didn’t have my gun on me, I would’a been torn apart ages ago. An’ now we’ve just found some weirdo named Clarence, who seems to actually believe he can help us. Like that’ll ever happen. He’s just gettin’ Jane’s hopes up. That’s all he’s doin’.

Mia: How do you see your future? Without giving anything away about the story, naturally.

Sam: Well, it ain’t lookin’ good. Despite what Clarence says, I know this place will never let us escape. It doesn’t play fair. It breaks its own rules. We’ll need a damn miracle to get outta this, and I stopped believin’ in miracles a long, long time ago. Doesn’t stop Jane an’ Brand from believin’ him, though. They still think we’ve got a chance. I guess we’ll see, huh?

Mia: What do you know about your author’s plans? Can we expect to see you in any future stories?

Sam: I know he’s got another book comin’. That’s as much as he’ll tell me.

Mia: Let’s say they make a movie about this book. Who do you want to play you, and why?

Sam: I died in 1993, so I’m a little behind the times. Brand and Jane could probably pick out someone more modern, since they died in the 2000’s. But, uh…I guess that chick from Terminator 2 could do a decent job.

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Author Bio: Michael Matula is a novelist and story writer from Chicago, Illinois.  He once dreamed of being a comic book artist, sketching pictures and caption bubbles in class when he really should have been studying. Unable to draw fast enough to keep up with all words and images tumbling in his head, he started writing stories based on his characters instead. He ended up falling in love with writing and never really looked back.

Author Site: http://michaelmatula.blogspot.com/

Buy Link: Amazon

Buy Link: Barnes & Noble

Ten Questions with…Crystal Smith

Hello again, all! Please welcome back Crystal Smith, this time without Taylor’s company, to answer Ten Questions with Mia!

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Author Bio: Just a small town girl, born and raised in Doniphan, Mo.  Although she no longer lives there, she still calls this place home.  She is married with two wonderful children.  During the day, she works as a geriatric nurse and loves each of her residents and they are considered a part of her extended family.  In the evening, she can be found either hanging out with her family, or in front of her computer, coming up with new interesting character’s and stories.  She writes independently and co-writes with her sister, Elizabeth A. Veatch.

Author Site: http://crystalandliz.blogspot.com

You can find her books on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

About the Writer

1. What five words describe you?

Honest, dependable, dedicated comical, and creative.

2. What was the first story you ever wrote? I mean the really bad one we all have that you’re trying to hide in the back of closet now that you’re published?

Seducing Peaches was the first story I ever wrote and I published it. However, I will tell you of the most embarrassing moment with that book. I received a few reviews, some good, while others were extremely harsh. One review talked about my grammar being that of a fifth grader. Ouch! So it was after that review that I realized I had uploaded the rough draft. The dead giveaway, was the red bold letter’s about five chapters in that said, “INSERT SEX SCENE HERE”. I will never live that one down.

3. What inspires you?

My children. I have two wonderful children that always push me to be a better person. To go after my dreams and make them happen. I had two dreams that didn’t involve having a family. In 2009, I graduated from nursing school, with both my children cheering me on. 2012, I published my first novel.

4. What distracts you?

My children for one. My son is eleven and my daughter is five. They are at that age where they don’t get along very well at all. And of course my work at the day job. If I have had a really bad day, it is hard to sit down and concentrate on what I want to relay to the readers. I never force brain to page, because then it isn’t very good and I always end up deleting it in the end. I mostly write and have my best days when everything around me is great. Daily struggles are the worst. Much like the rest of the world, I worry day to day how everything is going to get done. It does in the end, but that doesn’t stop me from worrying about it.

5. What’s your favorite story? This can be specific, as in a particular book or even story-driven movie, or general, like “I’m a sucker for a hero looking for redemption story.”

I love North and South. I own the complete mini-series and watch it as often as I can. It is a story that is centered around war, but for me… it is the story that even though one friend fights for the north, and the other fights for the south, in the end, true friendship can withstand anything.

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About the Writing

1. Tell us about your currently available titles.

Seducing Peaches is about Lois’s and Tom’s journey to a nice happy middle. He is from one side of the world, as she is from the other. It is about compromise and learning that love cannot exist without compromise.

Swept Away: The First Bloodline is a paranormal erotica. Taylor loses her husband early in her marriage to cancer. Shortly after, she finds that she is pregnant with twins. With the help of her sister, they are raising the twins in a quiet and safe environment. That is until Damien comes in to the picture and opens new doors to things they never knew existed, and who they truly are.

Teaching Bailey is about a young woman who is alone and longs for the life of her friend. Sir Cole Stevens is there to teach her how to get what she wants.

Together By Chance, In lust, and Forever is a short story series that we combined in to a full length novel. Keira is an evol. Of course she doesn’t know it until Connor comes around. Keira’s existence is vital if the world is to continue. It is up to her to save it.

Tessa and the Warden is a short story erotica. Tessa is in prison and is about to be released, the warden is all too happy to help her with that transition.

Rough Ryder, short story erotica. Trinket has faced the hardest thing in life. Watching her husband and daughter die before her eyes. With the help of her new friends, they show her there is life after loss and Ryder is pulled in to help. Their story continues in Rough Ryder, Smooth Trinket.

A Stranger’s Touch is an erotica that I believe is probably something that every woman has thought about. A fantasy that is unreal. Candy lives the fantasy about a stranger’s touch.

Southern Romance is a story about Jade and Sara. Sara after being severely assaulted and left for dead, is threatened and has no choice but to stay with Jade. She never imagined that Jade would be her light at the end of the tunnel.

2. What’s your favorite part about writing these stories?

I love to come up with characters that people can relate to. Writing takes me to a place where the world can be a better place. Where there is always a happily ever after. Those things lead me to hearing from my readers. That is what I truly enjoy. Their feedback means a lot to me.

3. What would your characters say about you? Be honest!

Wow! Well I would hope that they would extend an invitation to join. Just joking. I think that they would say that I am a strong person full of imagination that is beautiful. That I care about everyone around me, and I always have their best intentions at heart.

4. Who would play your favorite character if they made a movie of their story?

I think I would have to say, Tom Welling. I have a thing for Superman. I have since I was little. He is so mysterious to me. It would be very interesting to see him in Damien’s role.

5. Do you have any projects currently in the works you want to talk about?

I am currently working on Love Swept: The First Bloodline. In Swept Away: The First Bloodline, Taylor had to make a decision. Love Swept continues that story and how they are coping with the new change in their lives.

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Thank you for joining us again, Crystal, and good luck with your stories!

A Chat with Crystal Smith & Taylor from “Swept Away: The First Bloodline”

And now for our first visitors for our  character interviews, we have Crystal Smith along with Taylor, from the erotic paranormal romance Swept Away: The First Bloodline. Hello, and welcome to you both!

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Mia: What is the name of the book where we’ll find you? Can you tell us a little about it?

Taylor: Swept Away: The First Bloodline

Mia: Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?

Taylor: I am a widowed woman, with a set of young twins. I lost my husband to cancer before I found out I was pregnant with twins. I struggle with the thoughts of, ‘am I doing everything I can for my children.’ I live with my sister, who is the rock of my family. She is always there for me, no matter right, wrong or indifferent. My life is the story. Everything that is happening around me and inside of me, you can read about and feel what I feel.

Mia: What do you think of the author? Be honest. We won’t tell.

Taylor: I think that only in her mind, does my story exist. I mean really, who would have thought that my life would be turning out so….complicated… and yet awesome. I think that although her writing has caused me some heartache, her writing has taken me in to a place that I now call home and would not be able to live without. If it wasn’t for her twisted yet wonderful mind, I wouldn’t be here now.

Mia: How do you feel about the story you’re in?

Taylor: I don’t like being that irritating woman, but then aren’t we all. Women are stubborn, hard headed, and it is hard to make us change our mind. With that being said, I love the new life she has created for me. I am able to do things that I never thought was possible and experience a life only in the movies. How many of you can say that?

Mia: Do you like being a character in the book?

Taylor: Absolutely. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Mia: How do you see your future? Without giving anything away about the story, naturally.

Taylor: I see myself living the life that is dreamed of. Where the world becomes a better place. I can live in peace and happiness and watch my children grow in to their future with my love and sister at my side. Knowing the author like I do, I also see crap hitting the fan at some point…again. But I know in the end, all will work out.

Mia: What do you know about your author’s plans? Can we expect to see you in any future stories?

Taylor: Yes. She is currently working on my next chapter. A chapter that is bound to open new experiences in to my life.

Mia: Let’s say they make a movie about this book. Who do you want to play you, and why?

Taylor: Jordana Brewster. I love her and her ability to portray the character’s that she plays, not to mention she is beautiful. She takes you inside their head. I think that if anyone could pull off my roller coaster of emotions, it would be her.

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Author Bio: Just a small town girl, born and raised in Doniphan, Mo.  Although she no longer lives there, she still calls this place home.  She is married with two wonderful children.  During the day, she works as a geriatric nurse and loves each of her residents and they are considered a part of her extended family.  In the evening, she can be found either hanging out with her family, or in front of her computer, coming up with new interesting character’s and stories.  She writes independently and co-writes with her sister, Elizabeth A. Veatch.

Author Blog: http://crystalandliz.blogspot.com/

Buy Link: Amazon

Buy Link: Amazon (Print)