P.C. Zick's Blog, page 16
May 11, 2016
AN AUTHOR CHAT WITH K.S. THOMAS
Please join my fellow colleague Annamaria Bazzi on her Round Table Chat today. She and another fellow author, K.S. Thomas, are discussing Karina’s latest romance, One Last Chapter.
From Annamaria: “All we need is a cup of coffee, maybe a cappuccino and tune into the Round Table Chat to discover the latest news about an author. To indulge in this latest news, grab your favorite drink and join me on the Round Table Chat.”
Click here to enter the Round Table!
FLORIDA FICTION – GRAB A COPY FOR #FREE!
Florida Fiction Series – First two in the series available for free download this week.
Good morning – I’m running a special offer this week. If you haven’t read any of the books from my Florida Fiction series, now is the chance to grab the first two for free. All three books are stand alone novels. Each one has its own cast of characters and political, romantic, and environmental issues facing them. Let’s start with the first one.
Tortoise Stew – FREE May 11-15 – The first book in the series follows the antics of rural small town Florida politicians, developers, reporters, and environmentalists. All of them have something to hide and the events that start unfold as Monster Mart tries to take over the town with trucks and warehouses.
Blurb: When a bomb is left on reporter Kelly Sand’s desk, she’s determined to find out who wants her to stop reporting on corporate growth in rural Florida. The open threat thrusts Kelly back into the…
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April 26, 2016
FIRST GLANCE – THIRTEEN FIRSTS
I’m very excited to announce the release of this box set filled with thirteen novels from thirteen different authors. Each steamy romance is the first book in a series from the individual author. It’s exciting because you might discover a new bestselling author in this set, knowing that there are more books to read by your new discovery!
Love your romance with variety? Love the joy of knowing you’re finding a brand new series with more fab books to follow?
FIRST GLANCE gives you THIRTEEN, very different, exciting series for you to fall in love with! There’s something for every taste in these THIRTEEN romances from USA Today and Amazon bestselling authors. From light paranormal, to Motorcycle Club romantic suspense, to New Adult, reunited first loves and sports and even a taste of forbidden love. First Glance has it all: sexy heroes and smart heroines in love stories to make you cheer, sigh, and beg for more.
And the best part? The whole set is only $0.99 for a limited time.
Purchase Links
Here’s a peek at what you’ll find in this set.
X Marks the Spot – Kimmie Easley – When her family comes under fire, Jolene rushes home to save the MC, only to find that her ex, Ronin, is wanted for murder. Can Jolene let go of their tortured past in order to save their future?
It’s a Marshmallow World – Diane Rinella – Once upon a time, Darla was given a mystical gift, along with an ominous message. Now, meeting Chris puts her head in a spin. Could it be that gift from long ago holds the key to their happiness?
Racing Hearts – Marcia James – Stock car legend, Tom “Torque” Tyler, faces a bleak future following a traumatic head injury and seizures. Determined to drag her high-school crush from his self-imposed solitude, service dog trainer, Meg Klein, and a tiny but talented seizure response dog bring Tom hope and love.
Just Dessert – Kelly Collins – A chance meeting, a book club, and a penchant for dessert will change everything.
Conflicted On 5th Avenue – Abbie St. Claire – Chance made them neighbors. Chemistry made them lovers. Will fate make them a family?
Playing for Keeps – Michele Shriver – Hockey star Colton Tremblay’s bad-boy reputation got him traded from Montreal to the expansion San Antoio Generals. As a female reporter, Maya Dominguez can’t afford distractions from the players she’s assigned to report on, but Colton is used to getting what he wants. Can he persuade Maya that this time, he is playing for keeps?
Perfection – J.L. Campbell – A girl, a guy, a toddler, a pesky ex. Will love triumph over adversity? Natasha and Karim have been burned a time or two, and are giving relationships a break, but their fascination with each other is stronger than their willpower. Natasha must put aside her mistrust of the opposite sex and Karim has to spill his secrets, before they explode and kill his chances with Natasha, who makes him want things he’s sworn to give up.
A Medieval Encounter – Aubrey Wynne – Without the use of magic, court wizard Rolf must convince Melissa their love is genuine in order to lift a centuries old enchantment before time runs out.
Behind the Altar – P.C. Zick – All seems perfect in Leah’s life until tattoo artist Dean rides his Harley into her heart. Dean is drawn to Leah’s natural beauty and genuine goodness, but Leah’s engagement to Dean’s brother stands in the way. The more they fight the attraction, the harder it is to stay apart.
Silent Love – Casey Clipper – Navy SEAL vet Sean is finally ready to trade in his playboy lifestyle for a serious relationship. He thinks he’s found the perfect woman in Beth—but will her painful past cut their blossoming love short?
Taming Romeo – Rachelle Ayala – Evie Sanchez is recovering from heartbreak when she runs into Romeo Garcia, the boy she left behind. Now a movie star, Romeo never understood why Evie stood him up. He whisks her away on his motorcycle and reignites her love with romance and adventure. Is the fantasy real or revenge? Evie and Romeo are about to discover if their buried feelings will explode in pure delight or utter disaster.
The Sound of Consequence – Susan Ann Wall – When Stacie Nightingale starts her new life in Seattle, she doesn’t expect one unexpected night of passion with her new neighbor Owen Landry to change her life forever. She’ll face her own trauma and accept Owen’s sordid past to finally find happiness – and love.
Body Work – Bonnie Edwards – Lisa Brady Delaney left Tyce Branton in her rearview mirror. Years later, she needs his help. But is she the girl he remembers or an independent beauty who’ll never need him again?
April 20, 2016
ANNIVERSARY AND CELEBRATION #oilspill
Sometimes an anniversary involves a celebration of some sort. The events marked today are separate, yet inexplicably connected through virtue of their messages.
Six years ago today, BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, killing eleven men working on the rig and doing untold damage to the environment and wildlife as a result of an uncontrollable spew of petroleum into the fragile and precious habitat off the coast of Louisiana. And just two weeks prior to that, twenty-nine men lost their lives in the Massey coal mine in West Virginia when gases and coal dust ignited.
These two events have several things in common. The disasters could have been prevented if proper safety standards had been followed by the companies, and if the government who created those standards had actually enforced them. And in both cases, the workers toiling away at bringing fossil fuels to the surface for us and for the profits they garnered for Massey and BP.
As a writer, I felt drawn to both stories because of how they touched my life. But that book, Trails in the Sand, also addresses several personal issues about family and finding a way to heal the wounds that stretch back generations. All the while the oil spills and the West Virginia community deals with the shock of losing so many lives.
Both tragedies continue. BP is being held accountable but that doesn’t help the wildlife that swallowed all the oil. We may see the impacts of that for years to come. The CEO of Massey Energy, Don Blankenship, was recently sentenced to one year in prison for his blatant disregard of safety standards at the Upper Big Branch mine (New York Times editorial). Some are surprised he received any punishment at all. The families of those killed feel it was merely a slap on the wrist as they believe the blood of their loved ones stains his hands.
Now to the celebration part. It’s Earth Day, which began forty years ago as a way to celebrate the Earth and the start of the environmental movement in this country. Let’s all take a moment to think about how we can be a part of the solution by doing something positive for the environment this year.
To mark all of these books, Trails in the Sand, can be downloaded for free on Amazon. While a work of fiction, the novel follows the real-life tragedies in the Gulf of Mexico and West Virginia. Please grab your copy today and tomorrow (April 20 and 21), if you haven’t done so already.
Click cover to download on Amazon.
March 30, 2016
AUTHOR WEDNESDAY – ENTER HERE!
The Christmas Carol (Box Collection) Contest
Calling all Christmas lovers!
Do you love the music of the holiday season? If so, the Authors’ Billboard needs your attention! This coming 2016 Christmas, twenty of our authors—New York Times and USA Today Bestsellers—will be putting together a multi-author box collection of brand new, never before published stories to dazzle everyone, but we require your participation.
The title of our collection will be LOVE, CHRISTMAS and the theme of this bundle will be Christmas carols. We want to use YOUR favorite holiday songs. If you and your song title are chosen, one of the 20 novellas will be dedicated to you.
Sound like fun? Please enter the contest by naming your special carols in the contest entry form by clicking here.
You may enter as many times as you like. So what are you waiting for?
Here’s what the winners will receive:
Twenty winners will have his/her favorite song chosen as the title and possibly the theme for one of the novellas.
That particular story will be dedicated to the winner— twenty in total.
And the winners will receive a free copy of the box set (eBook only).
Ho, ho, ho! And good luck!
The authors involved in this great contest are:
Leanne Banks – NY Times & USAToday, National #1 Best-selling author
Mimi Barbour – NY Times & USA Today, Best-selling author
Nina Bruhns – NY Times & USA Today, Best-selling author
Joan Reeves – NY Times & USAToday, Best-selling author
Mona Risk – NY Times & USA Today, Best-selling author
Patricia Rosemoor – NY Times & USA Today, Best-selling author
Rebecca York – NY Times & USA Today, Best-selling author
Denise Devine – USA Today, Best-selling author
Donna Fasano – USA Today,Best-selling author
Traci Hall – USA Today,Best-selling author
Taylor Lee – USA Today,Best-selling author
Stephanie Queen – USA Today,Best-selling author
Jennifer St. Giles – USA Today,Best-selling author
Alicia Street – USA Today,Best-selling author
Ari Thatcher – USA Today,Best-selling author
Rachelle Ayala – Best-selling author
Jacquie Biggar – Best-selling author
Michele Hauf – Best-selling author
Dani Haviland – Best-selling author
Nancy Radke – Best-selling author
March 24, 2016
#Writer Wednesday: P.C. Zick
I thought I’d share an interview with me on another website featuring authors on Wednesdays.
“A Storyteller No Matter What I Write”
~P.C. Zick
☼Take a much needed sunny trip! ☼
We’re Florida bound this #WriterWednesday with Indie Author:
P.C. Zick
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March 23, 2016
AUTHOR WEDNESDAY – GLEN CRANEY
It’s Wednesday, and it must be time for another edition of Author Wednesday. Today we’ll take a step back to the 14th century with author Glen Craney as Kind Edward I attempts to steal Scotland. The Spider and the Stone: A Novel of Scotland’s Black Douglas chronicles the story of James Douglas as he attempts to thwart the king and keep Scotland safe from the intruders. The historical novel has been described as “A thrilling historical epic of star-crossed love and heroic sacrifice set during the Scottish Wars of Independence.” The book has received several awards, including first place Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction. It is a great honor to have Glen join me today to talk about The Spider and the Stone.
Hello, Glen! Welcome to Author Wednesday. Let’s start with your life as a writer. I’m always curious about the moment when writers first discover they have a ‘voice.’ When did you first discover your voice as a writer?
I came to fiction later than most novelists, following stints as a trial lawyer and a political reporter. Several years ago, I had a flirtation with the movie business after winning the Nicholl Fellowship, an award given by the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences for best new film writing. Readers often tell me my novels have a cinematic quality. Perhaps that’s because I learned the craft of screenwriting first. I soon discovered it’s difficult to get any movie produced, but particularly an intelligent, sophisticated one that stays true to historical events. The original writer’s vision usually gets lost in the shuffle of multiple writers and studio demands for taking dramatic license. So, I decided to write my historical stories as books.
You’ve had a rich career. I love it when what we’ve done before coalesces into the creation of something more. Sounds as if that’s just what happened for you. Rachel Carson (Silent Spring author) said she never chose a subject because as a writer, the subject chose her. Has this ever happened to you?
The inspiration for my first three novels came in dreams. In the dream that led me to The Spider and the Stone, I was a mounted knight caught in a death struggle along a stream with a black-robed hag who attacked me with a sickle. The scene then shifted to a celebratory photograph of seven knights standing around a seated monarch. Below this tableau, a caption appeared: “Americans Aid the King at Bannockburn.”
I awoke and wrote the dream down, even though none of it made any sense. If I had heard of the Battle of Bannockburn, its significance had long since been lost to my school days. The caption and photograph were even more bizarre. Robert the Bruce won his unlikely victory against the English in 1314, nearly five hundred years before the United States was even an idea.
Two months later, I was in Scotland walking along the burn of Bannock with Stirling Castle looming in the distance. That stream looked similar to the one that had appeared in my dream. Eventually, I also came to understand the meaning of the caption suggesting that Americans aided King Robert at the battle.
That’s an incredible story. Of course, you had to write this novel. I’ve had dreams where names and scenes came to me, but nothing quite as graphic as yours. What a lovely gift given to you from somewhere! So you have the dream and some of the things start appearing in reality. That’s still a long way from writing a full-fledged epic novel. How did you make the story leap from your imagination onto the page?
After that first trip, I traveled to Scotland twice more to visit the sites I would write about in the novel. I had assumed Robert the Bruce would be my main character. But as I drove from castles to battlefields, I began to learn more about James Douglas, the Bruce’s best friend and war lieutenant, and Isabelle MacDuff, the woman who defied her clan to crown the Bruce. These two Scot patriots took hold of my story. On my flight back to Los Angeles, I began outlining the novel. Twelve hours later, I walked off the plane with every chapter and scene planned out.
I’m impressed. The subject not only chose you, it grabbed you and held you hostage until you told the story! I see that you write mostly historical fiction. Are there certain messages or themes you try to put in every novel?
Before I tackle a subject, I apply a three-pronged test: 1) Is it a great story? 2) Will it reveal or develop some new aspect about the period or person? and 3) Will it deal with issues relevant today? If I can satisfy two of the three conditions, I know I have a novel worth writing. If I get lucky and find all three present, I’m hopeful for one of those rare books that will stand the test of time.
In my opinion, there is no higher calling for a historical novelist than to rattle the cages of the powerful and expose history’s encrusted myths and hagiographies. I prefer to accuse the victors and comfort its losers. And I never let myself forget Shakespeare’s admonition: “It is an heretic that makes the fire, not she which burns in’t.”
That’s so true no matter the genre of fiction. Speaking of genres, will you continue writing historical fiction?
Historical fiction will always be my favorite, but I’ve also written mystery-thrillers with historical themes. My most recent, The Virgin of the Wind Rose, is a dual-period thriller in which two global conspiracies, half a millennium apart, dovetail to expose the true identity of Christopher Columbus.
That sounds very interesting, Glen. Let’s talk about reviews now. What’s the best thing said about one of your books by a reviewer?
A Vietnam War veteran posted an Amazon review for The Spider and the Stone. Paraphrasing doesn’t do his words justice, so I’ll quote from his review:
“Now you must understand, moving me to tears is difficult because I am a battle hardened veteran who led the platoon credited with killing the most enemy in the 25th Division in March of 1969. No brag – just fact… but it left me somewhat emotionless. This scene touched my Scottish-American warrior’s heart.
“Glen Craney writes some of the most lucid, plausible accounts of battles whose histories and the ground often do not make sense. His accounts not only make sense but are some of the most exciting reading I have ever done. He seems to understand the relationship between battle buddies more than most authors. He beautifully presents The Bruce and The Douglas as battle buddies from their first youthful fistfight to Bannockburn. I believe him. Thank you, Glen!”
A review like that makes all the years of toil worth the effort.
It’s a fantastic review, and I’m sure it inspired you to continue on this path. Do you listen to music when you write?
While writing Spider, I listened to Loreena McKennitt, the talented Canadian musical artist who plays upon Celtic themes. I soon began to hear a movie score in my head. Each important scene fit perfectly with one of her songs: The Mummer’s Dance for the start of the Battle of Bannockburn; The Prologue for the rescue attempt at Roxburgh; the threading of Raglan Road across several incidents. I even envisioned her as the perfect choice to play Morgainne, the raven goddess who appears throughout the novel. I sent Ms. McKennitt a copy of the book with a note of thanks for the inspiration and received a nice response.
I can see this in movie form now with Loreena McKennitt providing the soundtrack. I’ll have to check her out while I’m reading The Spider and the Stone.
About Glen: Glen Craney is a novelist, screenwriter, and journalist. He holds graduate degrees from Indiana University-Indianapolis School of Law and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. After practicing trial law, he joined the Washington, D.C. press corps to cover national politics and the Iran-contra trial for Congressional Quarterly magazine. His books have taken readers to Occitania during the Albigensian Crusade, to the Scotland of Robert Bruce, to Portugal during the Age of Discovery, to the trenches of France during World War I, and to the American Hoovervilles of the Great Depression.
Links
The Spider and the Stone Amazon
Author website
Twitter: @glencraney
Amazon Author Page
Goodreads Author Page
March 16, 2016
AUTHOR WEDNESDAY -MELISSA MAYBERRY AND TRAVIS CASEY
Author Wednesday presents two authors today. Melissa Mayberry has visited her before to talk about her series, Mellifica. Now she’s collaborated with Travis Casey on the newly released Enemy of My Enemy, filled with suspense, action, and lots intrigue. 
Melissa drops by for an interview today, but first I’ll let her explain how this collaboration came about. As an author myself, I find it fascinating and inspiring that two authors can write together to create a novel.
Welcome, Melissa! Let’s start by talking about the birth of this project with Travis Casey.
A few years ago, Travis Casey critiqued work for my first series, Mellifica. He seemed to enjoy the story, but I remained a bit skeptical of his praise. After all, that story is a young adult romance. When I returned the favor and critiqued Travis’ book, Trouble Triangle, I fell in love with a rowdy, smart-mouthed sailor named Tyler Chambers. Immediately, I noticed the quality in Travis’ work, but the complexity and depth in his characters captivated me and each week I was anxious for more.
Soon, Mellifica became a series, as did Trouble Triangle. Anyone who has finished a novel can attest to the euphoric rush. We finished our first novels around the same time and became addicted to writing and each other’s stories. At the time, my daughter started writing fan fiction with her friends. They would write one paragraph and the other person would write the next. I liked that idea, but on a less complicated scale. Every writer I know has their “writing bestie” and it wasn’t difficult to know who to pitch this idea to.
Travis accepted the idea as a challenge, and I dug through my list of ideas and proposed the idea for Enemy of My Enemy. Neither of us had written action, but both of us could write a rich character. We created characters for each other, and Travis assigned me to the sass-mouthed Gemma Gage. She was a materialistic woman who ignored a very complex and organized crime spree, simply to reap the rewards. My biggest challenge was that I actually hated the idea of her and her shallow ways. Bringing life, depth, and personal growth to this character took a lot of work. Eventually, I learned to love Gemma Gage and allowed her to survive to the end of the book.
Thaddeus Kline was the project I gave to Travis. After writing such a naughty character in his first series, I threw him a curveball with Thad. Sure, Thad has an agenda to kill, but deep down he was a good guy pressured into a dreadful situation. Thad isn’t a born killer, but he is a quick study when he needs to avenge his woman.
Co-writing this book was a lot like reading a new book. I had a basic idea of who this character was, but no idea how Thad would handle Gemma. Most of the time, I had no idea what Gemma’s responses would be.
Fortunately, sparks between Thad and Gemma flew faster than bullets from an ugly gun.
So you began by creating characters for each of you to use in the story. That’s a very intriguing way to start, and it focused on both of your strengths. You said you’ve been writing for a few years now, but when did you first discover your voice as a writer?
In high school, I was a writer for the school paper. Seems silly now, years later, but my creative work was always picked by the editor. Of course, that piqued the artist in me, and I wrote a lot of short stories. Life got in the way, so I stopped writing for a while, and my first novel came to me, and I had no choice but to write again.
And thus began your life as an author. Do you have any writing rituals?
The one that most people find surprising is closing my eyes. Reading my books, you get a lot of personal information, whether you know it or not. When I’m dishing out the embarrassing stuff, I type with my eyes closed.
That’s good. Anything to get it down on the page! Do you have a vision of yourself as a writer?
I often think of writing as an outlet—a stress relief. Not only does work and family stress me, but a story rattling around in my head put a certain pressure on me, and I can’t stop until I’ve let it out. Sometimes, it’s a problem when I have a lot of stories on my mind and no time to write.
Yes, I get grouchy when I can’t write my stories. When things are stressful, I’m often asked, “How can you write during this time?” How can I not write during stressful times? It takes my mind off the reality of my days. You both switched genres with Enemy of My Enemy, to a genre unfamiliar to you and Casey. Why did you decide to try for a thriller?
When Travis agreed to write with me, we wanted to do something fun. Something with a back and forth banter, but could eventually bring the characters together. Two people that were leery of each other, but with a common goal that fit nicely into an action novel.
Interesting process. I’m a little envious of this collaboration! Do you have a favorite character from this novel?
Well, I created Thad, and Travis created Gemma, but then I had to write Gemma, and he had to write Thad. So, yeah, I do love Thad. I’m all about a gentle bad-boy.
That’s a very attractive proposition for sure. I really love how you came up with the concept. Now, what about the title. How did you choose it?
I have a file of book names that I think of and then build a plot around the title. I don’t remember how this particular name came to me, but Travis liked it, and we made a plot together.
How long do you estimate it took you to take this book from your decision to do this project together to a finished, published novel?
It’s been in the works for a few years. Travis and I had other projects that we worked on and then came back to this one.
Is the book traditionally or self-published?
We went with self-publishing. Although my publisher is great with the other books, we wanted something we had full control and say over.
That’s what I love about being an Indie Author, too. What is the best thing someone could say about this book?
Oh, I love hearing that it’s fun to read. Writing Enemy of my Enemy was entertaining, and we want our readers to have a good time reading it.
Let’s talk about how it actually worked with the collaboration. The idea came from you, but what about the execution of it?
Travis and I had very different opinions about this. We have similar writing styles, but very different imaginations. But when it comes down to it, we both write off the cuff, so even our own conceptions changed when the story progressed.
Who is the antagonist in this book?
Bruce Gage. I’m laughing thinking of him because I remember how much Travis hated him from the beginning. Bruce was just a character that you love to hate.
Without giving us a spoiler, tell us a little bit about your favorite scene in Enemy of My Enemy.
I love Gemma’s opening scene. Gemma was being held captive in an unconventional way but Thad inadvertently took care of the problem was pretty cute during that scene.
Thank you for stopping by today, Melissa. I enjoyed learning about how this book came to be. You and Travis are very fortunate to have found in one another kindred writing souls.
About Melissa Mayberry: In a series of ironic events, Mellifica presented to Melissa Mayberry in such a way that she had to dust off her writing skills and put the story to paper. The story soon became her passion and rekindled her love of writing. Living in the Blue Ridge of Virginia, Melissa works full time as a nurse, student, and mother. Her past will haunt her until the story is told.
About Travis Casey: Travis was brought up in Midwest America before embarking on a nine-year Navy career that allowed him to travel the world and learn about life. He has ping-ponged across oceans moving from mainland United States to Hawaii, to Scotland, to Seattle, to England, to Minnesota, to…
His writing is light-hearted fiction writing comedic novels with humor being the focal point binding his stories together. He has written Tyler’s Trouble Trilogy, which comprises three stand-alone novels. The first in the series is Trouble Triangle, a romantic comedy. Followed by the sequel, Oceans of Trouble, where the adventure continues to the Far East in this suspense novel. His third novel, Forbidden Trouble, follows the natural progression into a romance but retains the humor and suspense that readers enjoy in Casey’s writing.
An international move from England to Minnesota inspired the satirical memoir, Foreigner In My Own Backyard. Following that, Travis released the sequel, Foreigner On My Own Front Porch. This real life series takes a humorous look at the American lifestyle as he repatriates himself to the United States after living in England for the past twenty years.
Links:
March 14, 2016
SPRING INTO ROMANCE #ROMANCEHOP
#ROMANCEHOP GIVEAWAY!!!
Yes, you can get eight deliciously sweet romances for just 99 cents, but why stop there? Visit each of us on our Facebook pages to get even more goodies, this time for FREE!
Start by heading over to my Facebook page by clicking here to find out about my giveaways, and then join the Facebook #ROMANCEHOP to see the other fabulous gifts being offered up by the other seven authors in this set.
I’m giving away a 100% cotton tote bag (made in America) featuring a picture of a mountain home in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains because my sweet romance Misty Mountain is set in a spot just like the one this reusable bag. It’s a beautiful setting for love to bloom and grow!
TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY, share my Facebook post, then leave a comment on that post telling me where you’d like to go for a romantic getaway with your sweetie because, of course, every one of these novels stars a sweet romance.
#ROMANCEHOP GIVEAWAY!!!
You’ll want to make sure you enter the giveaway on EACH AND EVERY page (you’ll see the link to the next one on my Facebook page)–each author will tell you what you need to do to score an entry in their page’s giveaway. And don’t forget to enter our Rafflecopter for your chance at the grand prize of a $50 gift card! You can also follow along with the hop by using #RomanceHop on your favorite social networks and see all the info at a glance at www.MelStorm.com/hop.
Now go get our awesome eBook deal–8 sweet romances for 99 cents. You can’t beat that!
Get it on Kindle ~ http://amzn.to/1Sc7Fse
Get it on iBooks ~ http://apple.co/1PjZqYy
Get it on Nook ~ http://bit.ly/1noPK49
Get it on Kobo ~ http://bit.ly/1nz8Wg6
This giveaway will run from March 15 to March 20. Winners will be announced on each individual page as well as on www.MelStorm.com/hop the morning of the 21st.
DISCLAIMER: Facebook giveaways are in NO way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. Information collected is NOT collected by Facebook. In signing up for this promotion, participants release and indemnify Facebook from all liability.
Misty Mountain Spring in Romance
March 9, 2016
AUTHOR WEDNESDAY – JENNIFER KIBBLE
Welcome to Author Wednesday. Jennifer Kibble sits down for an interview today to talk about her new fantasy adventure for young adults, Mages of Vane. It’s the second book in her Phoenix Element series. Here’s her enticing invitation to the book: Anya is attending the Vane Magic School, not by choice, but she soon fits right in. The mages did free her of a powerful entity after all. Or did they?
Hello, Jennifer and welcome to Author Wednesday. Your new book sounds exciting, but let’s start by talking about you and your writing rituals. Do you have anything special you do when you write?
Music is key for me. For my current project, I am handwriting the entire draft before typing it out. Not only do I need music playing in my ears, but the right blue pen to jot it all down.
That’s unique. I sometimes write on a legal pad with a sharpened pencil to get my juices flowing. Now that you’ve published Mages of Vane, what are you working on?
Reality Break will be the third book in the Phoenix Element series. It starts a few weeks after the events in Mages of Vane. Characters will be broken in this book. Not sure if they can be put back together or not yet. The eBook cover for Reality Break is already finished, and you can click here to see it.
What’s your one sentence pitch for Mages of Vane?
The magical world is about to be shaken up.
How did you choose the title?
I wanted to keep it simple. Mages of Vane takes place at a magic school called Vane, where mages reside. Straight to the point. I stuck with this title from the get-go.
Simple and concise–always best! How long do you estimate it took you to take the book from an idea to a finished, published?
About two and a half years. The idea itself has been in my head longer than that.
I’m glad you finally got it out. Is the book traditionally or self-published?
I went with self-publishing for the second book in the Phoenix Element series. I learned a lot from my last publication. Some of which I did want to repeat and other aspects that I did not. I feel that self-publishing I have more control over my work.
Since you’re writing for young adults, what message did you want to convey with Mages of Vane?
You can run but eventually, your problems will have to be faced head on.
Without giving us a spoiler, tell us a little bit about your favorite scene in this book.
The monologue that describes who and what Kasiff is. I had written that piece years before I started to write the Phoenix Element series. I’m glad that I was finally able to use it.
What else do you want readers to know about your book?
Even though Mages of Vane is part of a series, it can still be read as a standalone. While at Vane, Anya will learn more about her magic as well as just how far some people will go for power. There is an epic battle scene between mages and sacrifices made. But maybe you shouldn’t listen to me, but to the one who lived it.
Anya: I still don’t understand why it was so important for Raine to find out why my clothes don’t burn when I use my fire magic. Of everything magical, that was one of the last things that I thought about.
Jen: Excuse me, can you get back to the question?
Anya: Oh yeah, right …so Vane. Great school but it can be creepy. Most of the mages are nice and then you have those who are so cryptic, that you need a translator. And there was a lot of monotony. I mean how many times did I have to go over aura techniques? I swear, my teacher was just being cruel. But I don’t want to get started on him. You’ll know who he is once you meet him. At least I got to meet a few interesting people while at Vane. A butterfly that could talk, a walking cousin of a tree…oh and don’t worry, those you’ve met in the past show up as well. Not everyone, but a few. It was a blast up until everything went downhill.
Thank you for stopping by today, Jennifer! Warm wishes for the successful completion of the next book in the series. I hope you’ll come back when it’s published.
About Jennifer Kibble: Jennifer is a geek at heart. She has used this love for video games, reading, the fantasy and science fiction world, and used it to help fuel her passion for writing. Her career as a writer turned serious after a trip to witness the final launch of the space shuttle Discovery. This set into motion the mind set to do what she loves. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys playing video games, reading, playing D&D, and listening to music.
Phoenix Element came across in an interesting way. Jennifer would have the same type of dreams and characters since she was a young girl. One day she decided to use those characters in a story. Of course with most characters, they take over the story and lead the writer instead of the writer telling the characters what to do.
Parts of Phoenix Element started out as a series of short stories known as “The Eternal Nine Key Barriers (E9KB)” back in middle school. This branched off as a role-playing story on a message board. Later on, Phoenix Element started to grow into its own and became what it is today.
Normality Twisted is the first book in the Phoenix Element series. As all series go, you have to start somewhere. This is the start of JB’s adventure as she learns that she has magical powers and is the reincarnation of a princess from another planet, Anya. JB tries to separate real life from her magical one, so she takes the name of Anya. She soon discovers that an entity from her past life still clings on and wants to take control of Anya’s body.
Mages of Vane starts off in the school for mages. The entity known as Ashima is no longer screaming within Anya’s mind. Anya now begins her new life learning about magic, auras, and making new friends. Unbeknownst to Anya, she stands at the cusp of a war that has been brewing for centuries.
The mages of Vane must protect their home and school from The Order of Blood and their hidden leader. If Vane falls, other worlds will follow suit.
Links to purchase Jennifer’s books and connections on social media (click below)
Mages of Vane – Amazon
Normality Twisted – Amazon
