Lavinia Urban's Blog, page 11
March 22, 2013
Interview with Carolyn Steele
Today I am joined by Carolyn Steele who sounds like someone who is full of humour :)
Here is some more information about her before we get down to the nitty gritty and her interview :)
Author Bio
Interview
Hi Carolyn, thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected JHow long have you wanted to be a writer?
Only since I realised I was one, I really wanted to be a comedian and I tried stand-up for a while but I wasn’t that good. When I started writing instead it all fell into place. Writing is really funny if people titter once a page and laugh out loud maybe once a chapter. That’s easier to achieve than a room full of drunk guffaws so now I want to keep on writing.
I like that way of thinking.Have you come up against any hurdles along the way?
Fewer I think than people who were writing before the Indie explosion, we are less cowed by the rules and the gatekeepers and that’s very freeing. I write books that cross genres and nobody is telling me I shouldn’t. The only real hurdle is still needing a day job. Oh and being a Brit when it comes to marketing, it’s just not polite to brag eh?
LOL yes so true. I suck at promoting myself. I don’t even know where to start. I don’t post lots about my books when I have been told I should and I should be on different fb pages shouting from the rooftops, but I just feel too cheeky.What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer is?
Believing that you can do it. It’s hard to sit and write and use all that time up and feel like you’re doing worthwhile work unless you keep on believing. Even when good reviews roll in it’s easy to assume that the people who don’t review actually hate your stuff. But without self-doubt we won’t get better.
I love it when I get people saying ‘OMG your books are amazing’ I still sit there and think ‘wow’. Such an amazing feeling as I never expected that reaction. I think I just thought people would say ‘Yeah that wasn’t bad’ lol.What or who inspires you to write?
Life, it just amuses me and I have to write it down or I’d forget all the mad little things that happen in a day. I love people and I’ve finally realised that you can immortalise a person, a comment, a characteristic or an idea and once it’s written it’ll never get lost.
If your books are a series, how many books do you plan to have in your series?
Three in my non-fiction series about moving across the Pond, then there will be a novel which might just deserve a sequel. Then, I have some serious stuff to get down.
Do you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current series?
I am sorta-kinda researching the novel while I get the last of the emigration series written, but the older I get the harder it seems to be to multitask.
According to Scientists no-one can multitask. We apparently just think we can. I know I can drink hot chocolate, eat chocolate, write and still find time to talk a lot of rubbish lol.If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
There will be a character in the first novel who is based on a friend of mine, she works quite high up in the UK Civil Service. She’ll be a subplot and I’d love the life twist I plan to give her by the end of the book.
Sounds interesting J Does she know?What genre would you say your books are in?
Currently non-fiction, more travelogue than anything else with a touch of memoir and a hefty dose of ‘ok I’ll go do this and have the disasters so you don’t have to’. The novels will be political satire.
Do you have any favourite authors?
Bill Bryson, Terry Pratchett, Christopher Brookmyre, mostly people who make me laugh. People think I’m nuts but Anthony Trollope draws the funniest characters I’ve ever read and he is another fave. There are women too, Margaret Atwood, Zadie Smith, writers of character driven psychological issues. Recently I’ve discovered the work of Laurie Boris through being on the staff of Indies Unlimited and I love her books as well.
As a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper)
It depends on the day and the mood, sometimes one sometimes the other. I am a little too OCD for my own liking, I can’t write in a mess, for example, so if I find myself folding too carefully I’ll scrunch to see if it’s too confusing.
I thought my OCD was bad lol.What do you like to do besides writing?
I really enjoy coding websites, which is starting to become the day job. It’s meditative and relaxing. I also love comedy clubs (in the audience these days) listening to BBC Radio 4 and making stuff. I’m a sucker for traditional handicrafts and am a dedicated tatter, that’s a form of lacemaking.
What is your favourite cheese?
Sage Derby, can’t get it in Canada, I miss it terribly.
Sweet or savoury?
Always savoury, except for Christmas pudding ice cream.
I hate Christmas pudding. It is yucky. My husband loves the ice cream but it just gives me the boke lol.Would you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
Hmm, that takes some thought. A horse sized duck would be very clumsy, so I’d stand a good chance of evading and weaving until it fell over, but then if I was less nimble that I think I am that would be one heck of a nasty peck. Duck sized horses, you could kinda swipe them out of the way maybe, and less of the peckage, but they’d be fast and strong for their size. On balance, I’ll take the big duck.
If you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
I’d like the chutzpah to get out there and sell books and the self-belief that people will love them please. J
Well let’s hope your wish comes true J
Buy now Amazon USBuy now Amazon UK
Buy now Amazon USBuy now Amazon UKBuy now Smashwords
BlogWebsiteGoodreads
Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my interview with Carolyn Steele. Dont forget to follow my blog and leave a comment :)
Here is some more information about her before we get down to the nitty gritty and her interview :)
Author Bio
Carolyn has been a psychologist, a paramedic, a proof reader and several other things, not all of them beginning with P. A trucker, for example. She began writing the day she decided to try and see the world...doing both just to find out whether she could. When excerpts from her first travelogue were published by the Rough Guides she decided to keep on doing both. It made a change from teaching CPR to nightclub bouncers and designing wedding cakes.
Carolyn maintains that she is either multi-faceted or easily bored, depending on who is enquiring. Born and bred in London, England, Carolyn and her son Ben are now Canadian citizens and live permanently in Kitchener, Ontario.
Her Armchair Emigration series, which began with A Year on Planet Alzheimer and finishes with Trucking in English, will be complete when Bed and Breakfast is published in 2013 to fill the gap in the middle
Interview
Hi Carolyn, thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected JHow long have you wanted to be a writer?
Only since I realised I was one, I really wanted to be a comedian and I tried stand-up for a while but I wasn’t that good. When I started writing instead it all fell into place. Writing is really funny if people titter once a page and laugh out loud maybe once a chapter. That’s easier to achieve than a room full of drunk guffaws so now I want to keep on writing.
I like that way of thinking.Have you come up against any hurdles along the way?
Fewer I think than people who were writing before the Indie explosion, we are less cowed by the rules and the gatekeepers and that’s very freeing. I write books that cross genres and nobody is telling me I shouldn’t. The only real hurdle is still needing a day job. Oh and being a Brit when it comes to marketing, it’s just not polite to brag eh?
LOL yes so true. I suck at promoting myself. I don’t even know where to start. I don’t post lots about my books when I have been told I should and I should be on different fb pages shouting from the rooftops, but I just feel too cheeky.What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer is?
Believing that you can do it. It’s hard to sit and write and use all that time up and feel like you’re doing worthwhile work unless you keep on believing. Even when good reviews roll in it’s easy to assume that the people who don’t review actually hate your stuff. But without self-doubt we won’t get better.
I love it when I get people saying ‘OMG your books are amazing’ I still sit there and think ‘wow’. Such an amazing feeling as I never expected that reaction. I think I just thought people would say ‘Yeah that wasn’t bad’ lol.What or who inspires you to write?
Life, it just amuses me and I have to write it down or I’d forget all the mad little things that happen in a day. I love people and I’ve finally realised that you can immortalise a person, a comment, a characteristic or an idea and once it’s written it’ll never get lost.
If your books are a series, how many books do you plan to have in your series?
Three in my non-fiction series about moving across the Pond, then there will be a novel which might just deserve a sequel. Then, I have some serious stuff to get down.
Do you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current series?
I am sorta-kinda researching the novel while I get the last of the emigration series written, but the older I get the harder it seems to be to multitask.
According to Scientists no-one can multitask. We apparently just think we can. I know I can drink hot chocolate, eat chocolate, write and still find time to talk a lot of rubbish lol.If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
There will be a character in the first novel who is based on a friend of mine, she works quite high up in the UK Civil Service. She’ll be a subplot and I’d love the life twist I plan to give her by the end of the book.
Sounds interesting J Does she know?What genre would you say your books are in?
Currently non-fiction, more travelogue than anything else with a touch of memoir and a hefty dose of ‘ok I’ll go do this and have the disasters so you don’t have to’. The novels will be political satire.
Do you have any favourite authors?
Bill Bryson, Terry Pratchett, Christopher Brookmyre, mostly people who make me laugh. People think I’m nuts but Anthony Trollope draws the funniest characters I’ve ever read and he is another fave. There are women too, Margaret Atwood, Zadie Smith, writers of character driven psychological issues. Recently I’ve discovered the work of Laurie Boris through being on the staff of Indies Unlimited and I love her books as well.
As a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper)
It depends on the day and the mood, sometimes one sometimes the other. I am a little too OCD for my own liking, I can’t write in a mess, for example, so if I find myself folding too carefully I’ll scrunch to see if it’s too confusing.
I thought my OCD was bad lol.What do you like to do besides writing?
I really enjoy coding websites, which is starting to become the day job. It’s meditative and relaxing. I also love comedy clubs (in the audience these days) listening to BBC Radio 4 and making stuff. I’m a sucker for traditional handicrafts and am a dedicated tatter, that’s a form of lacemaking.
What is your favourite cheese?
Sage Derby, can’t get it in Canada, I miss it terribly.
Sweet or savoury?
Always savoury, except for Christmas pudding ice cream.
I hate Christmas pudding. It is yucky. My husband loves the ice cream but it just gives me the boke lol.Would you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
Hmm, that takes some thought. A horse sized duck would be very clumsy, so I’d stand a good chance of evading and weaving until it fell over, but then if I was less nimble that I think I am that would be one heck of a nasty peck. Duck sized horses, you could kinda swipe them out of the way maybe, and less of the peckage, but they’d be fast and strong for their size. On balance, I’ll take the big duck.
If you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
I’d like the chutzpah to get out there and sell books and the self-belief that people will love them please. J
Well let’s hope your wish comes true J
Buy now Amazon USBuy now Amazon UK
Buy now Amazon USBuy now Amazon UKBuy now Smashwords
BlogWebsiteGoodreads
Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my interview with Carolyn Steele. Dont forget to follow my blog and leave a comment :)
March 20, 2013
Interview with Jason E. Maurer
Today I joined by Jason E. Maurer. Here is a little bit more about him.
Author Bio
Interview
Hi Jason, thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected.
How long have you wanted to be a writer?
Since I was a teenager.
Have you come up against any hurdles along the way?
I’ve had the unfortunate luck of losing all of my writing twice in my life. In my opinion, that is the worst thing that can possibly happen. Being rejected by a publisher pales in comparison.
I have had a similar problem when a couple of my pcs died. Most of the time I use a pen and paper and write it up afterwards, but now and again I get caught in the flow and just write. Then my pc blew up and I just criedWhat would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer?
The process of getting my thoughts from brain to written form. I’ve often said that someone should invent a machine that can automatically transfer ideas to paper instantaneously.
Or like I have always said…… someone who can sit inside our heads, ;like a personal assistant, and take notes.What or who inspires you to write?
Nothing in particular. Random ideas, mostly.
Do you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current series?
I have about a dozen or so novels in progress. It’s a never-ending cycle.
If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
At this point in time, I would be Nathan Parker from my novel “Trust and Love”, because he and his celebrity partner Trevor have the ability to reach numerous people to spread the word about the It Gets Better Campaign to help LGBT youth in need.
That sounds really good.What genre would you say your books are in?
It varies from psychological thriller to coming-of-age, mystery, and romance. It all depends on the story I’m working on at the time
My Blog
Amazon Author Page
Facebook
Goodreads
Smashwords
Twitter
And for those who live in central Pennsylvania and in need of a wedding cake:
http://weddingcakesbyjason.tripod.com/
Here are just a few of the books that Jason has published. Why not check out his amazon. etc pages to find out what other great stories he has written.
Make sure to go and buy “Trust and Love”:
Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my blog interview with Jason E. Maurer. Dont forget to follow my blog and if you have any questions for Jason then please free to leave a comment :)Thanks again Jason, I hope you enjoyed the interviewed and if you ever fancy making me a cake and sending it over to the UK then give me a shout :)
Author Bio
Jason E. Maurer is the author of several short stories and novels that range in genre from romance to mystery, and everything in between. The work he produces is the result of a mind that can only be defined as ‘eclectic’.
His latest novel “Trust and Love” is a gay romance that centers around the hope for a better future by advocating the “It Gets Better” Campaign, a cause that helps prevent teen suicide.
Jason lives in central Pennsylvania, and has chosen to dedicate his spare time [which at this point is anytime he is not sleeping] to the pursuit of the American dream on the road to happiness
Interview
Hi Jason, thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected.
How long have you wanted to be a writer?
Since I was a teenager.
Have you come up against any hurdles along the way?
I’ve had the unfortunate luck of losing all of my writing twice in my life. In my opinion, that is the worst thing that can possibly happen. Being rejected by a publisher pales in comparison.
I have had a similar problem when a couple of my pcs died. Most of the time I use a pen and paper and write it up afterwards, but now and again I get caught in the flow and just write. Then my pc blew up and I just criedWhat would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer?
The process of getting my thoughts from brain to written form. I’ve often said that someone should invent a machine that can automatically transfer ideas to paper instantaneously.
Or like I have always said…… someone who can sit inside our heads, ;like a personal assistant, and take notes.What or who inspires you to write?
Nothing in particular. Random ideas, mostly.
Do you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current series?
I have about a dozen or so novels in progress. It’s a never-ending cycle.
If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
At this point in time, I would be Nathan Parker from my novel “Trust and Love”, because he and his celebrity partner Trevor have the ability to reach numerous people to spread the word about the It Gets Better Campaign to help LGBT youth in need.
That sounds really good.What genre would you say your books are in?
It varies from psychological thriller to coming-of-age, mystery, and romance. It all depends on the story I’m working on at the time
My Blog
Amazon Author Page
Goodreads
Smashwords
And for those who live in central Pennsylvania and in need of a wedding cake:
http://weddingcakesbyjason.tripod.com/
Here are just a few of the books that Jason has published. Why not check out his amazon. etc pages to find out what other great stories he has written.
Make sure to go and buy “Trust and Love”:
Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my blog interview with Jason E. Maurer. Dont forget to follow my blog and if you have any questions for Jason then please free to leave a comment :)Thanks again Jason, I hope you enjoyed the interviewed and if you ever fancy making me a cake and sending it over to the UK then give me a shout :)
March 18, 2013
Interview with Marissa Carmel
Hi everyone. Today I like to show you my interview between myself and Marissa Carmel. First I want to show you her lovely picture and tell you a little bit more about her.
Author Bio
Sounds like a pretty busy lady.
Now to find it's time for the interview :)
Interview
Hi Marissa, thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected J
How long have you wanted to be a writer?
As long as I can remember. I always thought it would be something I would do after retirement, but I guess the universe had other plans because I’m nowhere near retirement and about to release my second book
That is awesome.Have you come up against any hurdles along the way?
I think I’ve lost count. Rejections form literary agents and publishers, poorly edited manuscripts and self doubts are just a few.
Yeah I think after I got about five rejections I decided I would go it alone.What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer is?
Time management for me. There just never seems to be enough hours in the day.
Yep I am the exact same. I tend to try and write at night time after everyone has gone to bed.What or who inspires you to write?
My mom, she is insanely creative.
If your books are a series, how many books do you plan to have in your series?
The Vis Vires series is a trilogy, so three right now. But I have been dabbling with the idea of writing a few spin off novellas. We’ll see.
Do you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current series?
I don’t have any lined up yet, but I have several projects planned for the next few years. I’m really excited. They are all very different, but all intense and emotional and funny at the same time.
Oh you will definitely need to keep me posted about that JIf you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
Definitely Liv. She’s had a lot of struggle, but whatever she faces only makes her stronger in the end. She also has awesome abilities and a fiery bad-ass angel for a boyfriend. Who wouldn’t want to be her? ;)
She sounds awesome.What genre would you say your books are in?
The Vis Vires trilogy is New Adult/Paranormal romance.
Okay……why have I not read your books yet? I best add them to my TBR list JDo you have any favourite authors?
Jonathan Swift. I love satires and he does it best.
I can’t say I have heard of him.As a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper)
Fold, unless one of my children are in the bathroom with me, then I’m lucky if I get to the toilet paper at all!
The joys of having children. I keep telling mine to tell me when we are on the last roll. Do they listen?....... lolWhat do you like to do besides writing?
Hang out with my family, catch up on my DVR library, shop and read.
Same here. I seem to get distracted by reading when I should be writing, then my readers catch me posting on my fb about other books I am currently reading and they tell me off lol.What is your favourite cheese?
Brie wrapped in phyllo dough
I’ve never heard of Phyllo dough….Sweet or savoury?
Sweet!
Me too. I love chocolate JWould you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
Twenty duck sized horses and I better have a baseball bat.
LOL I can just picture you now lolIf you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
To be able to move back to New Jersey, because I miss the beach and the culture and my family.
Thank you so much Marissa for agreeing to be interviewed by me. I hope you enjoyed my questions
Now here is a picture of Marissa's book which will be released on my birthday :) :)
Title: Gravitational Pull (Vis Vires Trilogy #2)Author: Marissa Carmel Release Day: April 4th, 2013Genre: New Adult Paranormal RomanceCover Reveal Host: Lady Amber's Tours
Blurb
Touch me, and bring me to life...
How do you move on when you don’t even know where you were going in the first place?
The Spirit Stalker is dead and I have finally started to erect my life. But I quickly discover, that just because the structure is built doesn’t mean the foundation is sturdy. As much as I try to manage my abilities, I can’t completely control them. The physical impossibility of the relationship I have with Justice has reached a boiling point; our fundamental problem is my inability to control myself from absorbing his power, and his fears of touching me because of it.
As if that wasn’t deal-breaker enough, a new threat looms on my horizon - Darklings.They are grim reapers of the immortal world who surface every five-hundred-years to feed off the souls of magical beings who are weak, aimless, lost; those who have given up and want to move on.
They also hunt power. Which means, they’re hunting me.
Abandoned by the one person I need the most, I find myself in Melenia’s realm. There, I’m courted by Siberian, a dangerous pixie who covets me, hunted by Death personified; all the while hiding my powers and my ancient bloodline. The pixie prince is alluring, and I feel so broken and vulnerable. I know giving in to him means giving myself over to him. But right now, I don’t care. All I want is to feel anything other than the loss and rejection Justice left me with. Anything other than pain.
So what do I do when I’m scared to be touched, even though I know it’s the only way to bring my soul back to life?
Now how good does that sound?Now time for some links before I give you an excerpt from Justice's POV
Goodreads AmazonTwitterFacebookWeb/BlogPinterest
Excerpt- Justice’s POV
Author Bio
Marissa Carmel has been writing since a young age and although it has always been for personal enjoyment, she finally decided breakout and share her imagination with the world. She hopes that her universe is as fun and intriguing to her readers as it is to her. Marissa Carmel is originally from NJ but moved to Maryland several years ago, she enjoys reading, writing, and catching up on her ever growing DVR library. She is currently working on the sequel to iFeel, Gravitational Pull and the third and final installment of the Vis Vires trilogy, Constellation.
Sounds like a pretty busy lady.
Now to find it's time for the interview :)
Interview
Hi Marissa, thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected J
How long have you wanted to be a writer?
As long as I can remember. I always thought it would be something I would do after retirement, but I guess the universe had other plans because I’m nowhere near retirement and about to release my second book
That is awesome.Have you come up against any hurdles along the way?
I think I’ve lost count. Rejections form literary agents and publishers, poorly edited manuscripts and self doubts are just a few.
Yeah I think after I got about five rejections I decided I would go it alone.What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer is?
Time management for me. There just never seems to be enough hours in the day.
Yep I am the exact same. I tend to try and write at night time after everyone has gone to bed.What or who inspires you to write?
My mom, she is insanely creative.
If your books are a series, how many books do you plan to have in your series?
The Vis Vires series is a trilogy, so three right now. But I have been dabbling with the idea of writing a few spin off novellas. We’ll see.
Do you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current series?
I don’t have any lined up yet, but I have several projects planned for the next few years. I’m really excited. They are all very different, but all intense and emotional and funny at the same time.
Oh you will definitely need to keep me posted about that JIf you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
Definitely Liv. She’s had a lot of struggle, but whatever she faces only makes her stronger in the end. She also has awesome abilities and a fiery bad-ass angel for a boyfriend. Who wouldn’t want to be her? ;)
She sounds awesome.What genre would you say your books are in?
The Vis Vires trilogy is New Adult/Paranormal romance.
Okay……why have I not read your books yet? I best add them to my TBR list JDo you have any favourite authors?
Jonathan Swift. I love satires and he does it best.
I can’t say I have heard of him.As a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper)
Fold, unless one of my children are in the bathroom with me, then I’m lucky if I get to the toilet paper at all!
The joys of having children. I keep telling mine to tell me when we are on the last roll. Do they listen?....... lolWhat do you like to do besides writing?
Hang out with my family, catch up on my DVR library, shop and read.
Same here. I seem to get distracted by reading when I should be writing, then my readers catch me posting on my fb about other books I am currently reading and they tell me off lol.What is your favourite cheese?
Brie wrapped in phyllo dough
I’ve never heard of Phyllo dough….Sweet or savoury?
Sweet!
Me too. I love chocolate JWould you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
Twenty duck sized horses and I better have a baseball bat.
LOL I can just picture you now lolIf you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
To be able to move back to New Jersey, because I miss the beach and the culture and my family.
Thank you so much Marissa for agreeing to be interviewed by me. I hope you enjoyed my questions
Now here is a picture of Marissa's book which will be released on my birthday :) :)
Title: Gravitational Pull (Vis Vires Trilogy #2)Author: Marissa Carmel Release Day: April 4th, 2013Genre: New Adult Paranormal RomanceCover Reveal Host: Lady Amber's Tours
Blurb
Touch me, and bring me to life...
How do you move on when you don’t even know where you were going in the first place?
The Spirit Stalker is dead and I have finally started to erect my life. But I quickly discover, that just because the structure is built doesn’t mean the foundation is sturdy. As much as I try to manage my abilities, I can’t completely control them. The physical impossibility of the relationship I have with Justice has reached a boiling point; our fundamental problem is my inability to control myself from absorbing his power, and his fears of touching me because of it.
As if that wasn’t deal-breaker enough, a new threat looms on my horizon - Darklings.They are grim reapers of the immortal world who surface every five-hundred-years to feed off the souls of magical beings who are weak, aimless, lost; those who have given up and want to move on.
They also hunt power. Which means, they’re hunting me.
Abandoned by the one person I need the most, I find myself in Melenia’s realm. There, I’m courted by Siberian, a dangerous pixie who covets me, hunted by Death personified; all the while hiding my powers and my ancient bloodline. The pixie prince is alluring, and I feel so broken and vulnerable. I know giving in to him means giving myself over to him. But right now, I don’t care. All I want is to feel anything other than the loss and rejection Justice left me with. Anything other than pain.
So what do I do when I’m scared to be touched, even though I know it’s the only way to bring my soul back to life?
Now how good does that sound?Now time for some links before I give you an excerpt from Justice's POV
Goodreads AmazonTwitterFacebookWeb/BlogPinterest
Excerpt- Justice’s POV
We land right outside the gates of Keelin Castle. Extinguishing ourselves, we descend on the palace. Walking authoritatively, we make our way down the nave-like hallway of the castle to the huge, golden double doors at the end. The throne room.“Are you sure that’s where she’ll be?” Derrin asks snidely. “She might be waiting in her chambers for you.” “Well if she is, she’ll be waiting a while.” “It could be a good way to get some of your frustrations out,” he says boorishly. “There’s more than one way to release frustration,” I threaten him.“Bring it, bitch,” he grabs his crotch, not intimidated at all. Asshole.I push open the throne room doors, and as expected, we see the pixie queen perched on her throne waiting for us. Emery surveys us as we approach. Both Derrin and I give a small nod in due respect as we reach her, but don’t be deceived, we are the supreme strata.“Your little human has caused quite a stir,” she says evenly, but I can see the danger flashing in her eyes. “She was the one who was attacked,” I quickly defend Liv.“Was she? Or did she bring it on herself?” My look becomes more intense. “What are you talking about?” “My brother has taken quite a liking to her you know,” Emery says randomly. Yes, I’ve noticed.“If your brother knows what’s best for him, he will disappear from her life,” I say through clenched teeth. Or I’ll remove him myself. Emery’s eyes become razor sharp at my comment - she’s realized something. She slips off her throne and stalks down the three slate stairs to the floor where Derrin and I are standing. Like Liv, she is tiny, with long hair blacker than night and almond eyes just like Melenia’s.“What is so special about this human?” she looks up at me, searing the question straight into my soul.“Nothing,” I snap, but Emery knows me. She sees right through my lies. “Then it will be nothing if I send the royal guard to take care of her, and rid my land of such contaminants.”“Do it, and I will burn this entire realm to the ground,” I growl.Her eyes grow a little wider, but she doesn’t back down from my glare. “You love her.” “No.” “You deny it?” “Yes.” No.“You loved me once,” she says vulnerably. “What we had was never love,” I bite, “just sex.” Ouch. That was harsh, even for me.Emery’s eyebrows crease, and I know I have hurt her deeply. It’s not a lie, I never loved her. We did have an intense physical relationship that included some emotion, but it’s incomparable to what I have with Liv.She backs away from me, shifting her eyes between me and Derrin. Derrin clears his throat. “Not to interrupt this lover’s quarrel,” that I highly enjoy watching, he tells me telepathically, “but what exactly did you mean when you said she brought it on herself?”Emery’s full attention falls upon Derrin. “Siberian didn’t give me all the details, but apparently she used her powers on him, and what she did, he described only as provocative.”I clench my jaw. Provocative? Images of Liv and Siberian reel through my head. What did she do to him? What did he do to her?The thought makes me furious. I’ve damaged us so badly; she turned to a threat more dangerous than the Darklings. And the only thing I can do about it is blame myself. “So, is she in trouble?” Derrin goes on. “Is there anything we need to be aware of?” he hints. “Besides you sending the royal guard and Siberian?”Emery contemplates Derrin’s questions for a short second. “Besides Darklings, what else should there be?” She looks over at me as I stand there still-stocked, trying not to give away the anger boiling over in my chest at the thought of Liv and Siberian. “Who is this girl, exactly?” she pries deeper now, and I know we are heading into hazardous territory. “She’s no one you have to be concerned about,” I dodge the question. “We just need to know if you’ve caught wind of any unusual uprisings?” She is simultaneously lost and absolutely intrigued as she stares at me decisively. “No, nothing.”I nod, and release an almost nonexistent sigh of relief. “Do I have your word she won’t be harmed while she’s in Devonshire?” I phrase it as a question, but she understands my query is so much more than that. It’s a threat.She nods her displeasure with a small, irritated frown. We’ve collected the information we came for, and I’ve had enough of Emery’s probing stares. Surrendering to the ever-present pull drawing me back to Liv, and preparing for the shit-storm I’m sure awaits me once I see her, I turn to leave.“What should I tell my brother?” Emery calls, taunting me. “He wants her.” I turn back and glare at her. “Tell him he couldn’t handle her, even if he got her.” Then I slam the throne room door behind me, the sound echoing throughout the castle.That pixie prick is dead.
March 17, 2013
Birthday Giveaway
My birthday is the 4th April and I thought what better way to celebrate than to do one huge giveaway?
Currently I am looking for author donations.
Nearer the time I will be sending out another blog with a list of all the prizes.
Right now I am setting up the rafflecopter.
My aim is for the winner to win around 100 prizes :)
Currently I am looking for author donations.
Nearer the time I will be sending out another blog with a list of all the prizes.
Right now I am setting up the rafflecopter.
My aim is for the winner to win around 100 prizes :)
March 16, 2013
Interview with Kat Yares
Helloooooooooo
Today I am joined by the lovely Kat Yares. Here is a picture of the lady herself along with a bio:
Author Bio
Now for the all important interview
Interview
Hi Kat thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected J
How long have you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve been a writer since I could first spell words on the page. I think I was eleven when I wrote my first novel (long since lost, thankfully). I first started writing for money when my kids were small. To help pay the bills and stay at home, I wrote confession stories - little short stories that appeared in magazines such as True Love and True Confessions. Luckily, my name was attached to those either.
I had my first horror story sale in 2001 and later that same year was qualified to join the Horror Writers Association. I haven’t looked back since. This last year, I self-published one novella and two novels and have had a short story collection out since 2009. New novels are in the works.
That all sounds really exciting JHave you come up against any hurdles along the way?
There are always hurdles. Time and money always being the two largest. Even today, with all the kids grown, things still find a way to sap both.
I hear ya. The only time I manage to get to write is at night time when everyone is in bed, but that does not always work out to plan.What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer is?
Self-doubt. Not believing that you are good enough, not believing that the story you want to tell will be interesting to someone else, not believing that you are worthy of the title ‘author’.
I am the exact same. If it was not for my eldest daughter and my friends pushing me I don’t think my first book would be published.What or who inspires you to write?
Life. Questions about what-if or why. I love to try and answer these questions in my own warped and peculiar way. Better half helps immensely as I can bounce ideas off of him to help flesh out the story at hand.
If your books are a series, how many books do you plan to have in your series?
Although many consider Beneath the Tor and The XIII as part of a series, they really are not. Both are standalone novels, which share a common theme. One is pure fantasy, the other more of a thriller. My next book, The Profiler, may or may not be a series start. That will depend on how much story the main character, Andy Thomas, demands. I’m actually not fond of series books, preferring to spend my limited reading time exploring new authors and their stories.
Do you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current series?
I’m always writing something. Much never makes it past the ‘save on the hard drive’ part, but I’m always dabbling with story ideas.
Lol I am the exact same. My mind does feel better though once I had wrote down the outlines of my ideas. That way I can get back to my current project.If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
Macie in Vengeance Is Mine. That woman endured so much pain and hardship and yet still came out a strong lady and a trusting soul.
Sounds like a great lady!What genre would you say your books are in?
I write in multiple genres from horror to fantasy to thrillers, often times crossing them in a single story. Throw in a love story or two and you’ll still be unable to classify my stories. Most of my short stores are pure horror though.
Do you have any favourite authors?
John Steinbeck is my favourite author of all time. I can read his books over and over again. Other favourites include Michael McDowell, Robert McCammon, Ray Bradbury and Stephen King.
As a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper)
Carefully folded, thank you.
What do you like to do besides writing?
Better half and I own a production company where we have turned a few of my short stories into short movies. More are slated for this year as time and money allow. I also love photography, although I do that only for fun.
That sounds really cool. I think every writer would love their books to be turned into a movie. My readers say they can see mine as a movie or tv series.What is your favourite cheese?
All of them, except for the ones that stink. Cheese is one of my favourite food groups.
Sweet or savoury?
Savoury. I’m not a big fan of sweets, although I’ll get on a chocolate kick from time to time.
I am definitely a sweet person. I am a certified chocoholic JWould you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
That depends, can I have a shotgun? If not, probably the horse sized duck, because I think I could outrun it.
If you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
Only one wish? Well, then I’ll have to be selfish and wish for lifelong happiness for those I love.
I definitely don’t think that is a selfish wish J
Well that ends our interview. I would like to thank Kat for taking the time to answer my questions and I hope she had fun J
Let's take a look at all of Kat's book covers
www.katyares.com Facebook Author PageTwitterAmazon Author PageGanxyBarnes & NobleKoboSonyI Tunes
Today I am joined by the lovely Kat Yares. Here is a picture of the lady herself along with a bio:
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Author Bio
Kat Yares has been writing fiction her entire adult life. She is an author, screenwriter, indie movie maker and amateur photographer. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous print publications and online. She was first accepted into the Horror Writers Association in 2001 and is a member today.Her fiction is primarily in the horror/thriller genres. Unlike many, she writes horror not to gross out or startle her readers, but to make them think. Most of her stories are mind games and deal with mans (or woman's) inhumanity to man (or woman). Her novella, Vengeance Is Mine, while horror, still strikes a cord for many readers as they can see correlations between the story and what is happening in today’s political climate.
Her two novels, Beneath the Tor and The XIII, are both fantasy and thriller and as several readers have written to her, are bound to send her to Hades after she passes.Visit her blog to find out more about her and the various Internet retail outlets where her books can be found.
Now for the all important interview
Interview
Hi Kat thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected J
How long have you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve been a writer since I could first spell words on the page. I think I was eleven when I wrote my first novel (long since lost, thankfully). I first started writing for money when my kids were small. To help pay the bills and stay at home, I wrote confession stories - little short stories that appeared in magazines such as True Love and True Confessions. Luckily, my name was attached to those either.
I had my first horror story sale in 2001 and later that same year was qualified to join the Horror Writers Association. I haven’t looked back since. This last year, I self-published one novella and two novels and have had a short story collection out since 2009. New novels are in the works.
That all sounds really exciting JHave you come up against any hurdles along the way?
There are always hurdles. Time and money always being the two largest. Even today, with all the kids grown, things still find a way to sap both.
I hear ya. The only time I manage to get to write is at night time when everyone is in bed, but that does not always work out to plan.What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer is?
Self-doubt. Not believing that you are good enough, not believing that the story you want to tell will be interesting to someone else, not believing that you are worthy of the title ‘author’.
I am the exact same. If it was not for my eldest daughter and my friends pushing me I don’t think my first book would be published.What or who inspires you to write?
Life. Questions about what-if or why. I love to try and answer these questions in my own warped and peculiar way. Better half helps immensely as I can bounce ideas off of him to help flesh out the story at hand.
If your books are a series, how many books do you plan to have in your series?
Although many consider Beneath the Tor and The XIII as part of a series, they really are not. Both are standalone novels, which share a common theme. One is pure fantasy, the other more of a thriller. My next book, The Profiler, may or may not be a series start. That will depend on how much story the main character, Andy Thomas, demands. I’m actually not fond of series books, preferring to spend my limited reading time exploring new authors and their stories.
Do you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current series?
I’m always writing something. Much never makes it past the ‘save on the hard drive’ part, but I’m always dabbling with story ideas.
Lol I am the exact same. My mind does feel better though once I had wrote down the outlines of my ideas. That way I can get back to my current project.If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
Macie in Vengeance Is Mine. That woman endured so much pain and hardship and yet still came out a strong lady and a trusting soul.
Sounds like a great lady!What genre would you say your books are in?
I write in multiple genres from horror to fantasy to thrillers, often times crossing them in a single story. Throw in a love story or two and you’ll still be unable to classify my stories. Most of my short stores are pure horror though.
Do you have any favourite authors?
John Steinbeck is my favourite author of all time. I can read his books over and over again. Other favourites include Michael McDowell, Robert McCammon, Ray Bradbury and Stephen King.
As a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper)
Carefully folded, thank you.
What do you like to do besides writing?
Better half and I own a production company where we have turned a few of my short stories into short movies. More are slated for this year as time and money allow. I also love photography, although I do that only for fun.
That sounds really cool. I think every writer would love their books to be turned into a movie. My readers say they can see mine as a movie or tv series.What is your favourite cheese?
All of them, except for the ones that stink. Cheese is one of my favourite food groups.
Sweet or savoury?
Savoury. I’m not a big fan of sweets, although I’ll get on a chocolate kick from time to time.
I am definitely a sweet person. I am a certified chocoholic JWould you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
That depends, can I have a shotgun? If not, probably the horse sized duck, because I think I could outrun it.
If you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
Only one wish? Well, then I’ll have to be selfish and wish for lifelong happiness for those I love.
I definitely don’t think that is a selfish wish J
Well that ends our interview. I would like to thank Kat for taking the time to answer my questions and I hope she had fun J
Let's take a look at all of Kat's book covers
www.katyares.com Facebook Author PageTwitterAmazon Author PageGanxyBarnes & NobleKoboSonyI Tunes
March 14, 2013
Interview with Bonnie Bernard
Hi all,
Thank you for popping by my blog. Today I am joined by the lovely Bonnie Bernard. Here is a little bit more about her.
Author Bio
I'm not too sure about the whole creep-crawly thing *shudders*
Now lets move on to the all important interview :)
Interview
Hi Bonnie thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected J
Yay! I like randomness and the unexpected. Thanks for inviting me.
How long have you wanted to be a writer?
When I was five years old, my (at the time) best friend and I took a boxful of Magic Markers to the clean white walls in her mother’s brand new condo. We wrote our names over and over until we got caught and punished for the wicked deed. I was never allowed back in the house until I learned my lesson. Here’s the lesson I learned - “Writing things down gets you noticed.” J
Lmao. You sound like you were a mischievous child JHave you come up against any hurdles along the way?
It started with the above hurdle, so everything else just seems like speed bumps in comparison. Girl’s gotta write, right?
Very, very true J Would have been cool if you managed to get a picture of you standing next to where you had written your name lol.What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer is?
Self promotion. I would rather chew on glass shards.
I know exactly how you feel. I am awful at it. This is one of the reasons I thought I would start interviewing fellow authors , like yourself.What or who inspires you to write?
The voices in my head…always chatty, often demanding, and sometimes armed and dangerous.
Yeah sometimes I wish I had a personal assistant who would sit inside my head and take notes for me lol.If your books are a series, how many books do you plan to have in your series?
I have a trilogy out now, (Midnight Hunter trilogy). Due to its popularity with readers, I’m working on a spin off trilogy, plus an unrelated trilogy. Huh…I seem to do things in threes.
That is awesome JDo you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current series?
Always. I recently published a short story anthology for charity.
If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
Howie Evil, because he’s crazy and wicked, like a mash up between Grumpy Cat and Dean Winchester.
Something tells me you have a wicked and crazy side to you…… lolWhat genre would you say your books are in?
Supernatural fiction. I like playing with the dark side.
Do you have any favourite authors?
Weirdly, the authors I like best are the ones I write nothing like. Jane Austen, DH Lawrence, any Bronte sister, Edward Gorey.
That’s cool. I was recently told I have a writing style like Jane Austen. I thought that is an awesome compliment JAs a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper)
“Fold”? lol, seriously? No way. I’m a scruncher.
What do you like to do besides writing?
Hike barefoot, drink coffee with friends, participate in community organization/volunteer work, garden, spoil my pets, go on road trips with my husband.
Barefoot? Ouchie!What is your favourite cheese?
Cheddar/chocolate.
Ewwww chocolate cheese? My kids like that stuff. It is just wrong lolSweet or savoury?
If it’s food, I am not going to discriminate.
Would you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
With the duck, I get feathers and with the horses I get fertilizer. It’s a win-win either way. Bring on both.
LOL I can just see you know lolIf you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
Endless calories with no weight gain. Why? Well…because I love food way too much. Also - I’d like for everybody to see the joy in life and pass that along to others. A big world of happiness. Why? Because we’re all stuck on this planet, so why not make it a positive place to be.
Sounds like a great wish JWell thank you so much for letting me interview you and I hope you had fun J
Let's take a look at Bonnie's Midnight Hunter Trilogy. Here is a blurb she sent me:
Midnight Hunter Trilogy blurb
Donna McCormick is a smart, pretty college student with a best friend, a dream of a normal life, and a promising future. Donna’s twenty-first birthday is just one week away. Unfortunately, so is her murder. Pursued in her dreams by a mysterious man who claims to be her Eternal Partner, in her waking hours Donna faces another who claims to be the same. One wants her dead and the other promises to keep her alive. Too bad she can’t tell which is which. It doesn’t help that neither is entirely honest, or for that matter entirely human.To make matters worse, just when she needs her most, Donna’s best friend deserts her and her knight in five speed armor disappears. With no other choice, Donna seeks help from a legendary demon. He hates interruptions almost as much as he hates humans, and Donna is guilty of being both. His finger is on the trigger, Donna is in his sights, and he’s promised to blow her brains out if she gets any closer. Desperate, she takes a step toward the monster...College is a distant memory, the fate of the future is in Donna’s hands, and the world is on a collision course with Chaos. Too bad the only way out is down.
How good does that sound!
Buy now Amazon
Buy now Amazon
Buy now Amazon
To find out more about Bonnie then why not check out her website bonniebernard.com
Well that is all for today. I hope you all enjoyed reading all about Bonnie and her books.Don't forget to follow me and keep up to date with all of my other blogs :)
Thank you for popping by my blog. Today I am joined by the lovely Bonnie Bernard. Here is a little bit more about her.
Author Bio
Bonnie Bernard is an alter ego of a feisty redhead who lives in the Rocky Mountains with her husband, a dog, and two cats – one of which owns everybody and everything in the house. They share their old home with a ghost who likes to flip switches and throw power tools until he gets what he wants (bright, shiny objects to play with).Bonnie spends her time writing, hiking and having fun with her friends. She enjoys planting obscure specimen in the backyard garden to see what pops up, and she’s fascinated by unseen forces and creepy-crawly things.
I'm not too sure about the whole creep-crawly thing *shudders*
Now lets move on to the all important interview :)
Interview
Hi Bonnie thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected J
Yay! I like randomness and the unexpected. Thanks for inviting me.
How long have you wanted to be a writer?
When I was five years old, my (at the time) best friend and I took a boxful of Magic Markers to the clean white walls in her mother’s brand new condo. We wrote our names over and over until we got caught and punished for the wicked deed. I was never allowed back in the house until I learned my lesson. Here’s the lesson I learned - “Writing things down gets you noticed.” J
Lmao. You sound like you were a mischievous child JHave you come up against any hurdles along the way?
It started with the above hurdle, so everything else just seems like speed bumps in comparison. Girl’s gotta write, right?
Very, very true J Would have been cool if you managed to get a picture of you standing next to where you had written your name lol.What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer is?
Self promotion. I would rather chew on glass shards.
I know exactly how you feel. I am awful at it. This is one of the reasons I thought I would start interviewing fellow authors , like yourself.What or who inspires you to write?
The voices in my head…always chatty, often demanding, and sometimes armed and dangerous.
Yeah sometimes I wish I had a personal assistant who would sit inside my head and take notes for me lol.If your books are a series, how many books do you plan to have in your series?
I have a trilogy out now, (Midnight Hunter trilogy). Due to its popularity with readers, I’m working on a spin off trilogy, plus an unrelated trilogy. Huh…I seem to do things in threes.
That is awesome JDo you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current series?
Always. I recently published a short story anthology for charity.
If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
Howie Evil, because he’s crazy and wicked, like a mash up between Grumpy Cat and Dean Winchester.
Something tells me you have a wicked and crazy side to you…… lolWhat genre would you say your books are in?
Supernatural fiction. I like playing with the dark side.
Do you have any favourite authors?
Weirdly, the authors I like best are the ones I write nothing like. Jane Austen, DH Lawrence, any Bronte sister, Edward Gorey.
That’s cool. I was recently told I have a writing style like Jane Austen. I thought that is an awesome compliment JAs a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper)
“Fold”? lol, seriously? No way. I’m a scruncher.
What do you like to do besides writing?
Hike barefoot, drink coffee with friends, participate in community organization/volunteer work, garden, spoil my pets, go on road trips with my husband.
Barefoot? Ouchie!What is your favourite cheese?
Cheddar/chocolate.
Ewwww chocolate cheese? My kids like that stuff. It is just wrong lolSweet or savoury?
If it’s food, I am not going to discriminate.
Would you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
With the duck, I get feathers and with the horses I get fertilizer. It’s a win-win either way. Bring on both.
LOL I can just see you know lolIf you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
Endless calories with no weight gain. Why? Well…because I love food way too much. Also - I’d like for everybody to see the joy in life and pass that along to others. A big world of happiness. Why? Because we’re all stuck on this planet, so why not make it a positive place to be.
Sounds like a great wish JWell thank you so much for letting me interview you and I hope you had fun J
Let's take a look at Bonnie's Midnight Hunter Trilogy. Here is a blurb she sent me:
Midnight Hunter Trilogy blurb
Donna McCormick is a smart, pretty college student with a best friend, a dream of a normal life, and a promising future. Donna’s twenty-first birthday is just one week away. Unfortunately, so is her murder. Pursued in her dreams by a mysterious man who claims to be her Eternal Partner, in her waking hours Donna faces another who claims to be the same. One wants her dead and the other promises to keep her alive. Too bad she can’t tell which is which. It doesn’t help that neither is entirely honest, or for that matter entirely human.To make matters worse, just when she needs her most, Donna’s best friend deserts her and her knight in five speed armor disappears. With no other choice, Donna seeks help from a legendary demon. He hates interruptions almost as much as he hates humans, and Donna is guilty of being both. His finger is on the trigger, Donna is in his sights, and he’s promised to blow her brains out if she gets any closer. Desperate, she takes a step toward the monster...College is a distant memory, the fate of the future is in Donna’s hands, and the world is on a collision course with Chaos. Too bad the only way out is down.
How good does that sound!
Buy now Amazon
Buy now Amazon
Buy now Amazon
To find out more about Bonnie then why not check out her website bonniebernard.com
Well that is all for today. I hope you all enjoyed reading all about Bonnie and her books.Don't forget to follow me and keep up to date with all of my other blogs :)
March 12, 2013
Interview with Matt Schiariti
Today I would like to well Matt Schiariti to my lovely blog :)
Let's check out Matt's bio :)
Author Bio
Now it is time to get stuck into the interview :)
Interview
Hi Matt, thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected J
How long have you wanted to be a writer?
I’d kicked the idea around when I was a teenager but it always seemed like one of those things I’d never be able to do. It wasn’t until a friend approached me about 16 months ago to co-author a book with him that I started to seriously consider it. That went nowhere, but I was so jazzed on the idea I just started on my own.
I know exactly how you feel. I was a child myself when I first started and so many companies back then said they would not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It was all very daunting that I actually gave up for just over 2 decades.Have you come up against any hurdles along the way?
Finding the time to write for one. I have a one month old son with a supernatural ability to divine when I’m on the computer trying to write. I’m chained to a desk Monday through Friday so I don’t have gobs of free time. But, I think my biggest hurdle is ME. I have a tendency to second guess myself a lot. Is this good? Is this not good? I’m just now learning to get out of my own way.
Congratulations on your baby. I have seen pictures and he is lovely JWhat would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer is?
Wow, so many answers here. I’d say being able to stick with it when the story isn’t working out the way you’d thought it would. You can do all the planning and outlining you want, but you still don’t know what’s going to happen until you start hammering out words. It’s easy to just give up when you hit a roadblock, but you can’t spin your wheels thinking it to death. Otherwise you’ll never see it through.
Good point. I tend to move onto a different chapter when I hit a block and then go back to it later.What or who inspires you to write?
Nothing profound, really. Basically, what inspires me to write is seeing if I can actually do it. After so many years of being convinced that I couldn’t, it’s pretty cool to put something out there that someone enjoys. That and I’d like to take over the world one word at a time. But that’s in the long term of course.
Well remember me if you take over the world JIf your books are a series, how many books do you plan to have in your series?
Not sure yet. So far I have a several short stories out with more on the way. I’m currently editing my first full novel (which happens to be an Urban Fantasy set in Central New Jersey) that could be the first in a series though. If it turns out that the stink from that doesn’t reach the heavens, there may be another one down the line. I have a few ideas for the character knocking around in my dome.
Do you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current series?
In addition to my upcoming UF novel, there’s another novel I’d written last year that I’d like to revisit and fix up. It falls into the contemporary fiction category I think. It’s got a ‘life story’ vibe to it with just a smidge of the paranormal. You’ll be seeing some new short stories of mine coming out in a pair of anthologies due out later this year, and I’m also planning to self-publish a collection of short stories as well. A few are already in the can and I have ideas for a bunch more.
I look forward to hearing more about them.If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
Things don’t usually end well for my characters so that’s a toughie. I do like the lead from my upcoming UF. He’s a bit of a screw up with abnormal problems but he’s tall and drives a Challenger. I’m short and own a Hyundai. o_O
LOLWhat genre would you say your books are in?
So far my stories lean towards horror/dark fiction but I’ll be branching out into other genres based on other ideas I’ve been jotting down all this time as they make their way into my head.
Do you have any favourite authors?
Plenty. Ken Follett, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, Kim Harrison, Deborah Crombie, Scott Nicholson, James Rollins, Karina Halle…I could go on, and whenever I’m asked I forget someone.
As a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper).
Scrunch. Here in Jersey, we call it ‘wadding’. True story
What do you like to do besides writing?
Reading and reviewing books of course! I’ve also been playing guitar for over 20 years now, so music has always been my bag. Yes, I was in a working cover band since you’re obviously dying to know. There’s also Xbox and expensive beers (which usually go hand in hand), movies, hanging out with my family and friends, etc. Nothing exciting here.
Oh cool. I am a bit of a gamer too.What is your favourite cheese?
Gouda.
Sweet or savoury?
I’m both, actually. The key is to know which is appropriate for any given situation…wait a second. Are you hitting on me? Ok, I’ll go with savoury. Is this a test? Did I pass?
LOL no I wasn’t lol. I actually prefer sweet. I am a certified chocoholic JWould you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
20 duck sized horses. Ducks are vicious bastards when provoked and the way I see it, you’re safe with horses as long as you don’t walk behind them. That’s key.
The ducks always remind me of a song by the Bingo Players. The song is called Rattle and the particular video has lots of ducks in it and the seek vengeance for a group of yobs killing a duckling. Kinda a weird video and makes me see ducks in a whole new light lol.If you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
I’d wish to have a rippling six pack of abs. Seriously though, I’d wish that my dad could have lived long enough to see me become a homeowner and start a family.
I hear ya. I wish my Granddad could see me finally publish my first novel J
Well that wraps up our interview. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all of my questions and I hope you enjoyed doing so. I look forward to hearing about future projects.
Buy now Amazon USBuy now Amazon UKBuy now SmashwordsBuy now KoboBuy now Barnes and NobleBuy now Sony E-Book storeAlso available on I tunes
Let's check out Matt's bio :)
Author Bio
When an ill-fated joint writing venture went horribly awry, mild mannered engineer Matt Schiariti decided to strike out on his own. The result? Selling his short story 'Hollow' to Padwolf Publishing for inclusion in the recently published anthology, 'Apocalypse 13' in late 2012. Gaining confidence from seeing his first ever published story in print, he plowed on and dove into the self-publishing pool with the dark fiction/horror short story, 'Words With Fiends'. Matt has always been a voracious reader and reviewer of books and, after 37 years, has decided to make the transition to writer. Better late than never. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, 2 children, crazy dog, and overly personable guinea pig. He's written two novels in 2012 which he is currently editing and continues to work on short stories. Look for more from the self-proclaimed "dude who writes" in 2013.
Now it is time to get stuck into the interview :)
Interview
Hi Matt, thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected J
How long have you wanted to be a writer?
I’d kicked the idea around when I was a teenager but it always seemed like one of those things I’d never be able to do. It wasn’t until a friend approached me about 16 months ago to co-author a book with him that I started to seriously consider it. That went nowhere, but I was so jazzed on the idea I just started on my own.
I know exactly how you feel. I was a child myself when I first started and so many companies back then said they would not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It was all very daunting that I actually gave up for just over 2 decades.Have you come up against any hurdles along the way?
Finding the time to write for one. I have a one month old son with a supernatural ability to divine when I’m on the computer trying to write. I’m chained to a desk Monday through Friday so I don’t have gobs of free time. But, I think my biggest hurdle is ME. I have a tendency to second guess myself a lot. Is this good? Is this not good? I’m just now learning to get out of my own way.
Congratulations on your baby. I have seen pictures and he is lovely JWhat would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer is?
Wow, so many answers here. I’d say being able to stick with it when the story isn’t working out the way you’d thought it would. You can do all the planning and outlining you want, but you still don’t know what’s going to happen until you start hammering out words. It’s easy to just give up when you hit a roadblock, but you can’t spin your wheels thinking it to death. Otherwise you’ll never see it through.
Good point. I tend to move onto a different chapter when I hit a block and then go back to it later.What or who inspires you to write?
Nothing profound, really. Basically, what inspires me to write is seeing if I can actually do it. After so many years of being convinced that I couldn’t, it’s pretty cool to put something out there that someone enjoys. That and I’d like to take over the world one word at a time. But that’s in the long term of course.
Well remember me if you take over the world JIf your books are a series, how many books do you plan to have in your series?
Not sure yet. So far I have a several short stories out with more on the way. I’m currently editing my first full novel (which happens to be an Urban Fantasy set in Central New Jersey) that could be the first in a series though. If it turns out that the stink from that doesn’t reach the heavens, there may be another one down the line. I have a few ideas for the character knocking around in my dome.
Do you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current series?
In addition to my upcoming UF novel, there’s another novel I’d written last year that I’d like to revisit and fix up. It falls into the contemporary fiction category I think. It’s got a ‘life story’ vibe to it with just a smidge of the paranormal. You’ll be seeing some new short stories of mine coming out in a pair of anthologies due out later this year, and I’m also planning to self-publish a collection of short stories as well. A few are already in the can and I have ideas for a bunch more.
I look forward to hearing more about them.If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
Things don’t usually end well for my characters so that’s a toughie. I do like the lead from my upcoming UF. He’s a bit of a screw up with abnormal problems but he’s tall and drives a Challenger. I’m short and own a Hyundai. o_O
LOLWhat genre would you say your books are in?
So far my stories lean towards horror/dark fiction but I’ll be branching out into other genres based on other ideas I’ve been jotting down all this time as they make their way into my head.
Do you have any favourite authors?
Plenty. Ken Follett, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, Kim Harrison, Deborah Crombie, Scott Nicholson, James Rollins, Karina Halle…I could go on, and whenever I’m asked I forget someone.
As a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper).
Scrunch. Here in Jersey, we call it ‘wadding’. True story
What do you like to do besides writing?
Reading and reviewing books of course! I’ve also been playing guitar for over 20 years now, so music has always been my bag. Yes, I was in a working cover band since you’re obviously dying to know. There’s also Xbox and expensive beers (which usually go hand in hand), movies, hanging out with my family and friends, etc. Nothing exciting here.
Oh cool. I am a bit of a gamer too.What is your favourite cheese?
Gouda.
Sweet or savoury?
I’m both, actually. The key is to know which is appropriate for any given situation…wait a second. Are you hitting on me? Ok, I’ll go with savoury. Is this a test? Did I pass?
LOL no I wasn’t lol. I actually prefer sweet. I am a certified chocoholic JWould you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
20 duck sized horses. Ducks are vicious bastards when provoked and the way I see it, you’re safe with horses as long as you don’t walk behind them. That’s key.
The ducks always remind me of a song by the Bingo Players. The song is called Rattle and the particular video has lots of ducks in it and the seek vengeance for a group of yobs killing a duckling. Kinda a weird video and makes me see ducks in a whole new light lol.If you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
I’d wish to have a rippling six pack of abs. Seriously though, I’d wish that my dad could have lived long enough to see me become a homeowner and start a family.
I hear ya. I wish my Granddad could see me finally publish my first novel J
Well that wraps up our interview. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all of my questions and I hope you enjoyed doing so. I look forward to hearing about future projects.
Buy now Amazon USBuy now Amazon UKBuy now SmashwordsBuy now KoboBuy now Barnes and NobleBuy now Sony E-Book storeAlso available on I tunes
March 10, 2013
Interview with Erin O'Quinn
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY
Hi everyone.
I recently got to chat to Erin O'Quinn and wow what a lovely woman she is, I could listen to her for hours. You can tell by the way she talks that she is a very intelligent lady with a cheeky side :)
Check out her lovely author picture:
So let's get to the interview.
Hi Erin (great name btw J ) thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected.
Hello! Thanks for welcoming me to your blogsite, Lavinia. My pen name is Erin O’Quinn, and I don’t know if I’m scared or cracking up to answer your questions. Let’s have a go at it!
How long have you wanted to be a writer?
I started writing in December of 2010, just a few years ago. I had already earned a few university degrees in English and Comparative Lit, but my writing had been largely technical and random. So I guess you can say that I always wanted to write, but I never thought I’d be writing a book. Several books by now, actually.
That is awesome JHave you come up against any hurdles along the way?
The largest hurdles for me are those I set for myself. I’m a tedious perfectionist, so I seem never quite at the point of letting a MS go. The other hurdles are those faced by any writer—the psychological hurdle of wondering whether I could have anything at all to say to an audience wanting and needing something good to read.
Yes I know exactly how you feel. I was not going to publish any of my work but my daughter Erin begged me to, then my friends and family gave me encouragement. It was a scary journey.What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer?
For me, it’s keeping a MS both interesting and well-paced—telling a good story, and keeping the reader’s eyes open. That’s a lot harder to do than I ever imagined! But a third element is important to me, and that’s telling a story that deeply pleases me, Erin O’Quinn. That’s where the real challenge rears its head. What’s compelling to me is certainly not something that may please a majority. How does a writer please a wide audience, and yet answer the deep inner need to please oneself too?
I find that sometimes I just write a story for me. It gets it out of my system and then I can decide, at a later stage, if I plan on sharing it or not.What or who inspires you to write?
Almost anything can inspire me: my cat, my husband, a chance remark, a random posting on Facebook. Like all people, I tuck little things away in the old brain, and they come popping out when I least expect it. As an example, several months ago I was involved in a long conversation thread in a FB group, and one of the writers mentioned a character he wanted to develop more fully, a hard-drinking, hard-living Irishman. That reminded me that I, too, had begun to write about such a character, one who lived about a hundred years ago. Before long, I was fleshing out that character, making him one of two men in a MM story I wrote for last November’s Nanowrimo. Now he’s set in virtual stone, so to speak, in a MS I’ve just submitted for publication by my publisher Amber Quill Press.
I have never taken part in Nanowrimo. I’ve been tempted, but…….If your books are a series, how many books do you plan to have in your series?
Let me start by saying that the MS I just turned in is subtitled “The Gaslight Mysteries.” Oops! That means I’ll have to write at least one more! In the first one, two unlikely men become partners in a private investigation business, and together they solve a murder mystery. No more than a few hours after turning that one in, I was busy writing another, the immediate aftermath of the crime, what the characters had to face afterward. So I don’t necessarily “plan” for it to be more than two books. If I can turn out just one good sequel, I’ll wait and see if the second one inspires a third, and so on.
Sounds like a good plan JDo you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current series?
About six months ago, I had a two-part historical series published by Siren Bookstrand called “The Iron Warrior.” The books are WARRIOR, RIDE HARD and WARRIOR, STAND TALL. I really like those characters, and there seems to be one more book inside those guys. So I’ve finished a few chapters of a sequel, a final reckoning called WARRIOR, COME AGAIN.
If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
I write a lot of MM books, so it might sound rather odd for me to “be” a man. So to seem a little more normal than I really am, I’ll choose a woman I created in a series of romances I wrote about ancient Ireland.Mockingbird is a dwarf. She doesn’t even make five feet. And she is definitely not beautiful. She’s a woman about forty with a past I’ve only begun to explore. She has a young daughter about 18, and she’s a widow, her husband having been killed in an accident at sea at the very time she was delivering their daughter. Now, almost twenty years later, she falls in love with a man who’s well over six feet, a man whom one could describe as “huge” except for one thing—he’s a cripple. The man is a trained scholar, and yet this woman fascinates him to the extent that he falls in love with her. She is deep and intellectual and has an inner beauty that makes her much taller than a normal woman...and far more attractive.So we have a dwarf and a cripple. A woman joined in love to a man who is larger than life, just as she is too. And those two characters are getting close to being the stars of their own novel, called THE BLOOD OF KINGS.I think I’d be Mockingbird if I could, because of her huge intellect and her radiant inner beauty. Those are two traits that I greatly admire in anyone, male or female.
That does sound great. I can tell just by talking to you that you are very intelligent.What genre would you say your books are in?
I write primarily in two genres. As Erin O’Quinn, I write M/F and M/M romances. Under my real name, which I keep under wraps, I write YA and adult fantasy.
Oooooo I wanna know your real name. I love YA JDo you have any favourite authors?
My favorite authors are Vladimir Nabokov, Michael Chabon, poet Seamus Heaney and contemporary novelist Nya Rawlyns. All are brilliant, each in his or her own way. All are poets, again in their own crazy way.
As a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper)
I’m a reformed scruncher, now a folder. Trying to keep our planet from being buried in our own crap, I find that folding saves a bit of paper.
What do you like to do besides writing?
What I like to do and what I do are like alien worlds colliding. I like to garden, I like to draw and paint, I like to write poetry, and dabble with foreign languages like Gaelic and Chinese. I love to browse the flea markets and thrift stores, looking for buried treasure. And yet what do I do? I sit at this damn keyboard and tap out prose, miles and miles of prose.
LOL I know the feeling.What is your favourite cheese?
I love hot, hot, hot. Any cheese with jalapeno and/or habaneros sluiced and slathered through it.
I like Jamaican jerk cheese. That is lovely.Sweet or savory?
Nope. Gotta be hot.
Would you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
Um, I think I’d prefer a hundred handsome dwarves or one homely tall man. I mean, if I’m going to be attacked and all.
LOLIf you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
I’d be just starting out in this wonderful game of trying to be a writer, rather than having a backlist. Why? Because I’m convinced that I did it all backwards. I should have begun slowly, with my own name, and a really good character to develop in several books. Instead, I kind of started with a grown-up heroine who was the MC in several books. Then she went back to childhood in another set of books. I thereby confused two generations of readers instead of just one. Ay, ay, ay.
Hey, Lavinia, this has been a ton o’ fun. I hope you’ll have me back sometime. I have lots of books to intro to an unsuspecting public.Today, let’s just show the covers and buy links of my two historical M/M novels, set in St. Patrick’s Ireland, and featuring a couple of unusual men.
Thank you so much for taking part in this interview. It was lovely speaking to you and I cannot wait to give you another interview about your other books J
Buy now Warrior, Ride Hard on BookstrandBuy now Warrior, Ride Hard on AmazonBuy now Warrior, Stand Tall on BookstrandBuy now Warrior, Stand Tall on Amazon
Hi everyone.
I recently got to chat to Erin O'Quinn and wow what a lovely woman she is, I could listen to her for hours. You can tell by the way she talks that she is a very intelligent lady with a cheeky side :)
Check out her lovely author picture:
So let's get to the interview.
Hi Erin (great name btw J ) thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected.
Hello! Thanks for welcoming me to your blogsite, Lavinia. My pen name is Erin O’Quinn, and I don’t know if I’m scared or cracking up to answer your questions. Let’s have a go at it!
How long have you wanted to be a writer?
I started writing in December of 2010, just a few years ago. I had already earned a few university degrees in English and Comparative Lit, but my writing had been largely technical and random. So I guess you can say that I always wanted to write, but I never thought I’d be writing a book. Several books by now, actually.
That is awesome JHave you come up against any hurdles along the way?
The largest hurdles for me are those I set for myself. I’m a tedious perfectionist, so I seem never quite at the point of letting a MS go. The other hurdles are those faced by any writer—the psychological hurdle of wondering whether I could have anything at all to say to an audience wanting and needing something good to read.
Yes I know exactly how you feel. I was not going to publish any of my work but my daughter Erin begged me to, then my friends and family gave me encouragement. It was a scary journey.What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer?
For me, it’s keeping a MS both interesting and well-paced—telling a good story, and keeping the reader’s eyes open. That’s a lot harder to do than I ever imagined! But a third element is important to me, and that’s telling a story that deeply pleases me, Erin O’Quinn. That’s where the real challenge rears its head. What’s compelling to me is certainly not something that may please a majority. How does a writer please a wide audience, and yet answer the deep inner need to please oneself too?
I find that sometimes I just write a story for me. It gets it out of my system and then I can decide, at a later stage, if I plan on sharing it or not.What or who inspires you to write?
Almost anything can inspire me: my cat, my husband, a chance remark, a random posting on Facebook. Like all people, I tuck little things away in the old brain, and they come popping out when I least expect it. As an example, several months ago I was involved in a long conversation thread in a FB group, and one of the writers mentioned a character he wanted to develop more fully, a hard-drinking, hard-living Irishman. That reminded me that I, too, had begun to write about such a character, one who lived about a hundred years ago. Before long, I was fleshing out that character, making him one of two men in a MM story I wrote for last November’s Nanowrimo. Now he’s set in virtual stone, so to speak, in a MS I’ve just submitted for publication by my publisher Amber Quill Press.
I have never taken part in Nanowrimo. I’ve been tempted, but…….If your books are a series, how many books do you plan to have in your series?
Let me start by saying that the MS I just turned in is subtitled “The Gaslight Mysteries.” Oops! That means I’ll have to write at least one more! In the first one, two unlikely men become partners in a private investigation business, and together they solve a murder mystery. No more than a few hours after turning that one in, I was busy writing another, the immediate aftermath of the crime, what the characters had to face afterward. So I don’t necessarily “plan” for it to be more than two books. If I can turn out just one good sequel, I’ll wait and see if the second one inspires a third, and so on.
Sounds like a good plan JDo you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current series?
About six months ago, I had a two-part historical series published by Siren Bookstrand called “The Iron Warrior.” The books are WARRIOR, RIDE HARD and WARRIOR, STAND TALL. I really like those characters, and there seems to be one more book inside those guys. So I’ve finished a few chapters of a sequel, a final reckoning called WARRIOR, COME AGAIN.
If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
I write a lot of MM books, so it might sound rather odd for me to “be” a man. So to seem a little more normal than I really am, I’ll choose a woman I created in a series of romances I wrote about ancient Ireland.Mockingbird is a dwarf. She doesn’t even make five feet. And she is definitely not beautiful. She’s a woman about forty with a past I’ve only begun to explore. She has a young daughter about 18, and she’s a widow, her husband having been killed in an accident at sea at the very time she was delivering their daughter. Now, almost twenty years later, she falls in love with a man who’s well over six feet, a man whom one could describe as “huge” except for one thing—he’s a cripple. The man is a trained scholar, and yet this woman fascinates him to the extent that he falls in love with her. She is deep and intellectual and has an inner beauty that makes her much taller than a normal woman...and far more attractive.So we have a dwarf and a cripple. A woman joined in love to a man who is larger than life, just as she is too. And those two characters are getting close to being the stars of their own novel, called THE BLOOD OF KINGS.I think I’d be Mockingbird if I could, because of her huge intellect and her radiant inner beauty. Those are two traits that I greatly admire in anyone, male or female.
That does sound great. I can tell just by talking to you that you are very intelligent.What genre would you say your books are in?
I write primarily in two genres. As Erin O’Quinn, I write M/F and M/M romances. Under my real name, which I keep under wraps, I write YA and adult fantasy.
Oooooo I wanna know your real name. I love YA JDo you have any favourite authors?
My favorite authors are Vladimir Nabokov, Michael Chabon, poet Seamus Heaney and contemporary novelist Nya Rawlyns. All are brilliant, each in his or her own way. All are poets, again in their own crazy way.
As a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper)
I’m a reformed scruncher, now a folder. Trying to keep our planet from being buried in our own crap, I find that folding saves a bit of paper.
What do you like to do besides writing?
What I like to do and what I do are like alien worlds colliding. I like to garden, I like to draw and paint, I like to write poetry, and dabble with foreign languages like Gaelic and Chinese. I love to browse the flea markets and thrift stores, looking for buried treasure. And yet what do I do? I sit at this damn keyboard and tap out prose, miles and miles of prose.
LOL I know the feeling.What is your favourite cheese?
I love hot, hot, hot. Any cheese with jalapeno and/or habaneros sluiced and slathered through it.
I like Jamaican jerk cheese. That is lovely.Sweet or savory?
Nope. Gotta be hot.
Would you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
Um, I think I’d prefer a hundred handsome dwarves or one homely tall man. I mean, if I’m going to be attacked and all.
LOLIf you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
I’d be just starting out in this wonderful game of trying to be a writer, rather than having a backlist. Why? Because I’m convinced that I did it all backwards. I should have begun slowly, with my own name, and a really good character to develop in several books. Instead, I kind of started with a grown-up heroine who was the MC in several books. Then she went back to childhood in another set of books. I thereby confused two generations of readers instead of just one. Ay, ay, ay.
Hey, Lavinia, this has been a ton o’ fun. I hope you’ll have me back sometime. I have lots of books to intro to an unsuspecting public.Today, let’s just show the covers and buy links of my two historical M/M novels, set in St. Patrick’s Ireland, and featuring a couple of unusual men.
Thank you so much for taking part in this interview. It was lovely speaking to you and I cannot wait to give you another interview about your other books J
Buy now Warrior, Ride Hard on BookstrandBuy now Warrior, Ride Hard on AmazonBuy now Warrior, Stand Tall on BookstrandBuy now Warrior, Stand Tall on Amazon
March 7, 2013
Interview with Tracee Ford
Recently I got to interview the lovely Tracee ford. Before we get started, here is a little bit about the author:
So let's get started with the interview.
Interview questions
Hi Tracee, thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected J
How long have you wanted to be a writer?
I started writing at age 16, but I loved writing from a younger age than that. Actually, I loved storytelling and it sort of developed into a passion for writing.
Have you come up against any hurdles along the way?
Plenty. Rejection upon rejection from traditional publishers was the largest hurdle. I have to say, writer’s block is also a hurdle for me. That one, I think, is sometimes more difficult to overcome than the rejections.
I hear ya. I think after being rejected five times by traditional publishers I just gave up and chose to do it myself.What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer?
For me, it’s finding the time to actually sit down and write. I feel like I have so much going on all of the time that there’s hardly any time for me to do what I love most—write. I am pulled in, what feels like, thousands of directions. I work outside of the home full time. Balancing family, career, and writing... that sometimes takes superhero strength.
I am sure your family think you are a superhero too JWhat or who inspires you to write?
Situations, people, movies, songs, memories, dreams; all of these things inspire me. My first book (the one I wrote at age 16, which isn’t published yet, BTW) came from a very vivid dream. I got up at 3 a.m. and wrote it all down. The next day I just started writing and there I was. I found something I could invest in.
Oooo I hope you plan to look into publishing them. By the age of 14 I had wrote 7 books in a series. Still unpublished. I have not decided what I plan on doing with them either.If I don’t have a series at this time. This isn’t to say that my first novel, The Fine Line, won’t end up as a sequel. I have had some tell me that they want to know what happens with the daughter of the main characters. So, we’ll see.
Sounds exciting JDo you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current books?
I am currently finishing my second book, “Undone,” and am in the process of exploring publishers again.
Fingers crossed.If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
Well, to be honest, Robin Hillard, the main female character, portrays some of me already. Her paranormal experiences, her belief system, and the career she chose come directly from me. The more tragic side of her life, however, had nothing to do with me personally. Those experiences I took from imagination only.
What genre would you say your books are in?
On the publisher’s site, The Fine Line is lumped into the “horror” genre. However, it is a cross genre book filled with romance and fantasy (somewhat). There are also major inspirational components in the book.
I am a sucker for stories that are inspirational; both reading and writing them.Do you have any favourite authors?
Honestly, I hardly have time to read. It wouldn’t be fair of me to say I have a favourite.
Oh I love reading as much as I love writing, I just wish I would read more lol.As a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper)
LOL! I scrunch. I can’t say this is a hot topic in the U.S. that I’m aware of. ROFL!
LOL It is from a TV advert by Andrex. At first I wondered what the heck the advert was about. Then is dawned on me…………. LolWhat do you like to do besides writing?
I like Zumba, but lately it seems difficult for me to get there; so much going on. I love the ocean and travelling. I love learning. I love being around my friends and spending time with my family. I love warm weather and sun.
Oh I love Zumba. I use to go all the time. I can’t now due to health issues.What is your favourite cheese?
Colby
Sweet or savoury?
Always sweet.
Same here. I am a huge chocoholic.Would you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
Well, I would rather not be attacked at all, but I believe I could take on one horse-duck as opposed to 20. LOL!
If you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
I would wish that my book sales would be so wonderful that I could begin donating to the charities I admire.
Well let’s hope your wish comes true JThank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions and I hope you stop by again J
WebsiteBlogTwitter: @FordTraceehttp://www.facebook.com/AuthorTraceeFordhttp://www.facebook.com/tracee.ford.75http://www.facebook.com/tracee.ford.thefineline.2013LinkedGoodreadsPurchase infoShelfariAmazon
Tracee Ford writes paranormal romance and romantic suspense novels. When she isn't writing, reading, or completing her supervisory duties for a local child protection agency, she enjoys watching television with her son, participating in the local Zumba class, and spending time with friends and family.
Ford lives in rural Ohio with her husband and son. She loves traveling with them and finds that she feels most at-home near the ocean. Although she loves the forests in Southern Ohio, she hopes to end up in a warmer part of the United States one day sitting on a beach with a laptop continuing to write her fictional stories.
Ford has been writing since the age of 16. Her early works include poetry and nonfiction. Her nonfictional work focused on her areas of study as an undergraduate in social sciences and psychology at Shawnee State University. She completed more nonfictional research while completing her master's degree in forensic psychology through The University of North Dakota. She has also written plays and scripts for puppet shows for communities in her area. She is also a member of the Paranormal Romance Guild.
Ford will open up her audience's imagination allowing her readers to escape into fictional worlds filled with romance and the wonders of the paranormal.
So let's get started with the interview.
Interview questions
Hi Tracee, thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected J
How long have you wanted to be a writer?
I started writing at age 16, but I loved writing from a younger age than that. Actually, I loved storytelling and it sort of developed into a passion for writing.
Have you come up against any hurdles along the way?
Plenty. Rejection upon rejection from traditional publishers was the largest hurdle. I have to say, writer’s block is also a hurdle for me. That one, I think, is sometimes more difficult to overcome than the rejections.
I hear ya. I think after being rejected five times by traditional publishers I just gave up and chose to do it myself.What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer?
For me, it’s finding the time to actually sit down and write. I feel like I have so much going on all of the time that there’s hardly any time for me to do what I love most—write. I am pulled in, what feels like, thousands of directions. I work outside of the home full time. Balancing family, career, and writing... that sometimes takes superhero strength.
I am sure your family think you are a superhero too JWhat or who inspires you to write?
Situations, people, movies, songs, memories, dreams; all of these things inspire me. My first book (the one I wrote at age 16, which isn’t published yet, BTW) came from a very vivid dream. I got up at 3 a.m. and wrote it all down. The next day I just started writing and there I was. I found something I could invest in.
Oooo I hope you plan to look into publishing them. By the age of 14 I had wrote 7 books in a series. Still unpublished. I have not decided what I plan on doing with them either.If I don’t have a series at this time. This isn’t to say that my first novel, The Fine Line, won’t end up as a sequel. I have had some tell me that they want to know what happens with the daughter of the main characters. So, we’ll see.
Sounds exciting JDo you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current books?
I am currently finishing my second book, “Undone,” and am in the process of exploring publishers again.
Fingers crossed.If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why?
Well, to be honest, Robin Hillard, the main female character, portrays some of me already. Her paranormal experiences, her belief system, and the career she chose come directly from me. The more tragic side of her life, however, had nothing to do with me personally. Those experiences I took from imagination only.
What genre would you say your books are in?
On the publisher’s site, The Fine Line is lumped into the “horror” genre. However, it is a cross genre book filled with romance and fantasy (somewhat). There are also major inspirational components in the book.
I am a sucker for stories that are inspirational; both reading and writing them.Do you have any favourite authors?
Honestly, I hardly have time to read. It wouldn’t be fair of me to say I have a favourite.
Oh I love reading as much as I love writing, I just wish I would read more lol.As a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper)
LOL! I scrunch. I can’t say this is a hot topic in the U.S. that I’m aware of. ROFL!
LOL It is from a TV advert by Andrex. At first I wondered what the heck the advert was about. Then is dawned on me…………. LolWhat do you like to do besides writing?
I like Zumba, but lately it seems difficult for me to get there; so much going on. I love the ocean and travelling. I love learning. I love being around my friends and spending time with my family. I love warm weather and sun.
Oh I love Zumba. I use to go all the time. I can’t now due to health issues.What is your favourite cheese?
Colby
Sweet or savoury?
Always sweet.
Same here. I am a huge chocoholic.Would you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
Well, I would rather not be attacked at all, but I believe I could take on one horse-duck as opposed to 20. LOL!
If you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
I would wish that my book sales would be so wonderful that I could begin donating to the charities I admire.
Well let’s hope your wish comes true JThank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions and I hope you stop by again J
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March 6, 2013
Interview with Brian Bigelow
Hi everyone.
Today I am joined by Brian Bigelow. Here is a little bit more about him:
Author Brian Bigelow is originally from Minnesota and currently lives in Colorado with his wife, a cat and a very protective Chihuahua that risks life and limb to save his "family" from running leaves, fire hydrants and the like.
I now have images in my head of a little Chihuahua wearing a super hero costume lol
Interview questions
Hi Brian, thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected J
How long have you wanted to be a writer? Probably 30 years.
Wow that is a long time.Have you come up against any hurdles along the way?
Little things like writing a story others actually want to read would be one. Seem to be making some headway there at least.
What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer is? Setting myself down to actually write.
Oh I know exactly how you feel. I get distracted too easily. I have the attention span of a goldfish JWhat or who inspires you to write?
Old TV shows like The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock movies, some old rock songs and nightmares.
I could see how nightmares could work. You get to use them to your advantage JIf your books are a series, how many books do you plan to have in your series?
Did have one series planned but hasn’t been completed, only wrote the first of four.
Do you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current books? Presently working on piece that would be included in Not To Yield. It’s a sci-fi shared world novel that will be released by Perseid Press, my publisher. Each writer has to write one of the chapters.Oh that sounds good.If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why? That would be Jonathan Gibson who is in a short story that will be published in Terror By Gaslight by Perseid Press.
What genre would you say your books are in?
My own are horror, same as most of what I turn in to my publisher.
Do you have any favourite authors?
Of course, the answer to this seems to change over time as I continue reading. Presently, that would be D.L. Altha, Anderson Prunty (something definitely wrong with his head) and Stephen King.
As a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper)
Never really thought about that one. LOL!
What do you like to do besides writing?
Building new cabinets for our house.
Oh cool. Do you fancy making me some? I actually need some bookcases making lol.What is your favourite cheese?
Sharp chedder.
Sweet or savoury?
Savoury.
Would you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
Whichever attacks, I will eat. Yummy, yummy…
LOL.If you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
Being able to quit my day job.
Well that’s it for today. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed the interview J
Buy now
Buy now
Here is a list of all of Brian's work:
Fiction: Horror Bent (horror)Macabre Moments (horror)The Visitation (horror)The Sea Witch (sea adventure)The Box (children's)
Non-Fiction: Confessions of a Porn Store ClerkGet The Job-Tips and Advice for a successful job hunt21 Days To Improve Your Job SearchGrowing Things-An Urban Garden
Today I am joined by Brian Bigelow. Here is a little bit more about him:
Author Brian Bigelow is originally from Minnesota and currently lives in Colorado with his wife, a cat and a very protective Chihuahua that risks life and limb to save his "family" from running leaves, fire hydrants and the like.
I now have images in my head of a little Chihuahua wearing a super hero costume lol
Interview questions
Hi Brian, thank you for accepting to be interviewed. As my blog says ‘ Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so expect the unexpected J
How long have you wanted to be a writer? Probably 30 years.
Wow that is a long time.Have you come up against any hurdles along the way?
Little things like writing a story others actually want to read would be one. Seem to be making some headway there at least.
What would you say is the most difficult thing about being a writer is? Setting myself down to actually write.
Oh I know exactly how you feel. I get distracted too easily. I have the attention span of a goldfish JWhat or who inspires you to write?
Old TV shows like The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock movies, some old rock songs and nightmares.
I could see how nightmares could work. You get to use them to your advantage JIf your books are a series, how many books do you plan to have in your series?
Did have one series planned but hasn’t been completed, only wrote the first of four.
Do you have any other writing projects on the go, apart from your current books? Presently working on piece that would be included in Not To Yield. It’s a sci-fi shared world novel that will be released by Perseid Press, my publisher. Each writer has to write one of the chapters.Oh that sounds good.If you could be any of your characters who would it be and why? That would be Jonathan Gibson who is in a short story that will be published in Terror By Gaslight by Perseid Press.
What genre would you say your books are in?
My own are horror, same as most of what I turn in to my publisher.
Do you have any favourite authors?
Of course, the answer to this seems to change over time as I continue reading. Presently, that would be D.L. Altha, Anderson Prunty (something definitely wrong with his head) and Stephen King.
As a Brit we have one burning question going around our country…………… Do you scrunch or fold? ;) (toilet paper)
Never really thought about that one. LOL!
What do you like to do besides writing?
Building new cabinets for our house.
Oh cool. Do you fancy making me some? I actually need some bookcases making lol.What is your favourite cheese?
Sharp chedder.
Sweet or savoury?
Savoury.
Would you rather be attacked by one horse sized duck or 20 duck sized horses?
Whichever attacks, I will eat. Yummy, yummy…
LOL.If you had one wish that I could wave a magic wand and grant you, what would it be and why?
Being able to quit my day job.
Well that’s it for today. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed the interview J
Buy now
Buy now
Here is a list of all of Brian's work:
Fiction: Horror Bent (horror)Macabre Moments (horror)The Visitation (horror)The Sea Witch (sea adventure)The Box (children's)
Non-Fiction: Confessions of a Porn Store ClerkGet The Job-Tips and Advice for a successful job hunt21 Days To Improve Your Job SearchGrowing Things-An Urban Garden
