Heather Sutherlin's Blog, page 12

Put a Pin In It

Welcome to day three of the Share the Love Scavenger Hunt. If you missed any of the previous clues, you can now find them here. Remember, each day that you participate, you gain more entries toward our big prizes. Here’s your clue for today:

Have you SEEN my Pinterest boards?

They’re not all quite the same.

Find the boy I picture as Jaron,

And then comment here with his name.

Want bonus points? Find the pin that is the book’s cover and share it with your friends on Pinterest. Be sure to mention it in the comments below so that you’ll get your extra points!

 

 

Tea Time With My MCs

Hey! How’s your weekend going? It’s Indie Author Month and I’m running a bit frazzled today as I try to finish up the sequel to SEEN so that I can send it off to my editor next week. To make things crazier (and I’m really good at making them crazier) I invited my main characters over for tea. They’re both very nice girls, so I hope they’ll get along. Oh! I almost forgot. If you’re following my Share the Love Scavenger Hunt, here’s today’s clue:

It’s day number two, there’s no extra link.

Just read this and tell me, What’s Rory’s favorite drink?

{Doorbell rings}

Ah, here they are. Excuse me.

{Opens the door to find two pretty teenage girls standing on her front porch. Rory is taller with long dark hair wearing jeans and a t-shirt and Merrilyn is petite with the most shocking silver hair you’ve ever seen trailing over her caped shoulder past her waist. She’s wearing a beautiful, though simple, dress that looks like she came from a Renaissance fair.}

Hi, girls! I’m so glad you made it! Come in!

Rory: Hey, Heather! How’s the writing?

Heather: Well, actually… It’s getting a little crazy. I’m almost finished with your sequel and I’ve got to run. I’m sorry. I hope you’ll forgive me. I’ve got the table all set up and I’m sure you’ll both have a fabulous time, but if you don’t mind, I’m going to go back to my office and finish up these last two chapters. Is that okay?

Merrilyn: Sure, sure. We understand. You can’t keep the fans waiting too long! Go finish Rory’s story and we’ll bring you some tea when you’re done.

Heather: That would be fabulous, thanks! I knew you’d understand. Have a good time!

Rory: {turning to Merrilyn} Hey, I’m Rory, by the way.

Merrilyn: I’m Merrilyn, but my friends call me Merri. I’m so happy to finally meet you!

Rory: I know! I’ve been so curious about the other girl taking up so much of Heather’s mind. How are you?

{The girls walk in and sit at the table set for an elaborate tea party.}

Merri: Oh, I’m fine. I’ve been on vacation for the last few months, just enjoying a little quality time at home after all the adventure last fall.

Rory: That would be nice. I can’t wait to get home. I’m afraid my adventure is just beginning. Can you pass the cookies?

Merri: Sure, those look delicious, though I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like them before. Would you like some tea?

Rory: {Crinkling her nose} I’d rather have a Dr. Pepper, but… sure. Why not? I suppose it is a tea party.

Merri: What is Doctor Pepper? Is that a person or a drink?

Rory: {Laughing} A drink. Sorry, I forget you’re not exactly from Earth.

Merri: No, I’m afraid our world is a little different than yours.

Rory: Tell me about it! I just spent the summer in a magical world full of creatures that want to eat me and a villain that is… Well, never mind. You don’t want to hear about my problems. They’re messy.

Merri: Don’t worry. I know all about villains and monsters. Last year I was hunted by a dark wizard from one side of the kingdom to another and then his master…”  {She shivers. Rory pours her some tea.}

Rory: {Handing Merri the antique looking teacup} A dark wizard, huh? Did he shoot lightning at you?

Merri: No, just the opposite. He used shadows. Why?

Rory: For a minute there I thought maybe we were talking about the same place.

Merri: So, there are wizards where you are from?

Rory: Ha! Goodness, no. I’m from Oklahoma. The most interesting thing we’ve got are Cherokees. No, I was talking about the world beyond the portal. See, there was this magical portal in my backyard. Well, not in the backyard really, but in the forest, and –

{Doorbell rings}

Merri: Who could that be?

{Rory shrugs and starts to get up, but before she reaches the door, a head pops around the corner. It’s a boy about her age with bright red hair wearing a loose fitting white shirt that looks like something a pirate would wear and a smooth leather vest over tight fitted pants. He glances around the room and as his eyes fall on Rory he grins devilishly.}

Merri: Aiden! What are you doing here?

Aiden: {shrugs and steps into the room} We got tired of waiting, so I thought I’d come and see what’s taking so long. Ooh! Cookies! {He snatches a cookie from her plate and pops it in his mouth, then grins at Merri. She huffs and he turns to wink at Rory.}  Who’s your friend?

Merri: {with a resigned sigh} Aiden, this is Rory. Rory, Aiden.

Rory: Hi.

Aiden: {crossing the room, he dips into a dramatic bow} At your service, my lady.

Rory: {She glances at Merrilyn} Your boyfriend sure is flirtatious.

{Aiden chuckles and Merri coughs on her tea, spilling a little on her plate.}

Merri: He is NOT my boyfriend.

Aiden: She wishes! No, her boyfriend is a stuffy prince named Justan.

Merri: Aiden! That’s not polite. You shouldn’t call him stuffy.

Aiden: {shrugs and reaches for another cookie} Well, he shouldn’t be so stuffy, then I wouldn’t have to call him that.

Rory: You’re boyfriend is a prince? Wow.

Merri: You mean your boyfriend isn’t?

Rory: Uh. No. He’s a football player. I mean, if he were my boyfriend. Uh…

Aiden {Raising his eyebrows} You don’t sound sure.  A real man doesn’t leave his girl wondering about his affections. Maybe you just need a real man.

Merri: Cut it out, Aiden. She’s not interested.

Aiden: {Ignoring Merri} So, Rory. What’s your magic power?

Rory: What do you mean?

Aiden: Well, Merri can heal people and I don’t want to brag, but I have a few hidden talents myself. What sort of magic can you do?

Rory: Well, if you come outside, I can show you. {She winks at Merri}

Aiden: {shrugs} Okay, sure. But these biscuits are delicious. I think I’ll just take a few with me. {He scoops up the plate.}

{Rory leads them outside. The door shuts softly behind them. A muffled shout from Aiden is followed by feminine laughter. The two girls come back inside, giggling.}

Merri: Now that is some trick! Justan would love to have that ability. He’s always trying to get rid of Aiden.

Rory: Don’t worry, I’ll bring him back for you later. Too bad he took all the cookies.

{Heather comes rushing in}

Heather: Is everything okay? I thought I heard someone shouting.

Rory: Don’t worry about a thing. We’ve got it covered. Want some tea?

{Heather looks from one innocent expression to another and then sighs.}

Heather: Why not. I could use a break. You won’t believe the trouble I’ve just gotten you into.

Merri: It’s okay. I’m sure she’ll forgive you. I know how good you are at writing happy endings. Rory will want to kiss your face when she sees how her story turns out.

Heather: Well, maybe not my face, but I know a certain boy in Oklahoma who will be happy to oblige.

{She winks and Rory turns a pretty shade of pink. Merrilyn laughs and pours the tea.}

Curious about their adventures? You can find Merri, Justan and Aiden in The Light Series and Rory’s adventure begins in Seen.

Did you catch the clue? If not, scroll to the top and try again. Then, post your answer in the comments below. Want bonus points? Share the Love by tweeting this post or sharing it on Facebook with your friends. Then, let me know in the comment section. If you missed yesterday’s clue, you can find it here. Happy hunting!

The Hunt Begins

It’s February and that means it’s time to share the love, people! Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and I want YOU to be my Valentine. This month I’ll be sharing the love with all of my readers and fans here at HeatherSutherlin.com. Not only will I be giving away books and other fun prizes, I’ll also introduce you to some incredible Indie Authors that I know you’ll L-O-V-E and many of them are giving away freebies this month, too! It’s going to be a month to remember, I can tell you that!

It all starts today with my Share The Love Scavenger Hunt. Each day I’ll post a new clue on the website and all you have to do is follow the links to find the answer, then hurry back here to post your discovery. Bonus points if you Share the Love! At the end of the month, we’ll have a big giveaway day and spread around some book love with all of you. It’s easy, it’s fun, and you are going LOVE what I have in store. Want to know what you could win?

Grand Prize: A complete sets of my books, signed and delivered to the address of your choosing. Prefer ebooks? No problem!

1st Runner Up: Choose a free ebook from my collection

Valentine’s Day Winners: Shhhh! It’s a secret! Be sure to visit the website on Valentine’s Day to enter our special giveaway. Want more prizes? The more visitors we have that day, the more prizes you could win, so tell your friends. It’s going to ROCK!

Are you ready to play? Here we go:

Roses are red, here’s your first clue,

Last Friday on FB, I announced some big news.

 

When you’ve found the answer, come back and post it here. Then, for a Share the Love bonus point, click “Like” on my FB page. You have to comment here AND click like if you want both points for today. Good luck!

Share the Love Scavenger Hunt

It’s February and that means it’s time to share the love, people! Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and I want YOU to be my Valentine. This month I’ll be sharing the love with all of my readers and fans here at HeatherSutherlin.com. Not only will I be giving away books and other fun prizes, I’ll also introduce you to some incredible Indie Authors that I know you’ll L-O-V-E and many of them are giving away freebies this month, too! It’s going to be a month to remember, I can tell you that!

It all starts today with my Share The Love Scavenger Hunt. Each day I’ll post a new clue on the website and all you have to do is follow the links to find the answer, then hurry back here to post your discovery. Bonus points if you Share the Love! At the end of the month, we’ll have a big giveaway day and spread around some book love with all of you. It’s easy, it’s fun, and you are going LOVE what I have in store.

Are you ready to play? Here we go:

Roses are red, here’s your first clue,

Last Friday on FB, I announced some big news.

 

When you’ve found the answer, come back and post it here. Then, for a Share the Love bonus point, click “Like” on my FB page. You have to comment here AND click like if you want both points for today. Good luck!

Author Spotlight: Bryna Butler

Happy Friday! Today I’m introducing you to another fabulous author from the Indie YA Author Club, Bryna Butler. Bryna’s young adult paranormal novels feature strong female leads and are woven from elements of horror, suspense, comedy, and mystery, all in a modern, small town setting. Here’s what Bryna had to say when we gave her the YA Indie Carnival quiz:

What is your all-time favorite book and why?

I adore The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Its style is like nothing else I’ve ever read. I found it to be almost hypnotic with its imagery and near poetic cadence.

Is there an author you could be compared to or popular fictional characters your book’s characters could relate to and why? 
Because I tend to write about strong female characters, I think that one could draw a comparison with Charlaine Harris.  I had the opportunity to meet her this summer and, to my surprise, she is a down-to-earth hillbilly just like me.

Can you give us your favorite quote from one of your books and explain it?
 One of my favorite quotes comes from my newest book, Shadows Rising. In this scene, Keira faces off against the leader of a group of extremists that believe her charge is keeping her from her destiny. I think this quote is a great mix of Keira’s courage and her youth.
 “You keep yapping about my charge being a distraction, but here I am dealing with you again. Leave us and my charge alone or die tonight at my hand. I mean it, jerk wad.”

What types of things/people/music inspires you and makes you want to keep writing?
 I’m very inspired by my favorite authors. I often name characters, places and things in my stories in homage to these authors and their work. For instance, in the Midnight Guardian series there is a goth girl named Mikayla Collins whom everyone calls Mikey. Mikey is clearly named in honor of Michael Glass and Shane Collins, two of my favorite characters from Rachel Caine’s Morganville series. Her goth look comes from another beloved character in that series. Also, I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan (who isn’t?). If you look hard enough, you will find several subtle references to Buffy and Firefly sprinkled throughout my books.

Describe your typical writing day or week.
 Just call me the “Night Writer”, not because it sounds like an insanely cool superhero, but because it is true. For me, writing typically begins after the kids are tucked into bed somewhere around 9 p.m. I grab a soda from the fridge and settle in with my laptop. Typically, I first re-read and edit the last thing I wrote before I start writing anything new. That refreshes it in my mind and allows me to move forward.

Is there a food or drink do you have to have when you’re writing?
 I can’t eat while I write. Sounds good in theory, but it never works in practical application. BBQ sauce on the keys…melted cheese on the screen…a whole chapter about brownies.

Can you tell us what you’re working on right now (& possibly provide an excerpt & cover)?
 Shadows Rising was released on January 18th. In this 4th installment in the Midnight Guardian series, Keira and her friends race to rescue her charge before The Harvest and the rise of a new form of evil, the shadows.

Book 5 is well underway with the working title of Book of the Lost and an anticipated late spring release. I’ve also begun work on a young adult werewolf trilogy set in Alaska. The story centers on a girl that walks the line between two feuding werewolf packs.

 OF SUN & MOON (Midnight Guardian #1)



Teens are disappearing in a small river town in southern Ohio as Keira Ryan begins her freshman year. Kidnappings aside, her worries mount as she crushes on an older guy, her best friend starts dating a spoiled cheerleader, and the parents that abandoned her at birth arrive at her doorstep. And, oh yeah, she’s a tooth fairy destined to kick some butt and bring about the end of a royal line of vicious, blood-sucking tyrants. Over the years, humans have pieced together sightings and assumptions to create the myth of the tooth fairy. As it turns out, they were pretty much wrong.

WHISPERING EVIL (Midnight Guardian #2)


Keira Ryan has moved on. It’s the start of her sophomore year at Valley View High School. This means big changes like a new guardian mentor, taking (and passing) her driver’s test, dating her best friend, and figuring out how to stop the new Empress Gammen and her reign of terror. Will she survive it all or will she fall victim to the whispering evil that surrounds her?

MIDNIGHT CHILD (Midnight Guardian #3)


Join Keira Ryan as she chases her destiny in this exciting third installment in the Midnight Guardian Series. While Keira searches, her enemies draw closer. A history of trust is tested. A promise of passion turns deadly. A surviving evil creates doubt and there’s only one way to stop it…Find the Gift. Just what do you get the spoiled gremlin queen that has everything?

SHADOWS RISING (Midnight Guardian #4)


Senior year has begun. Keira Ryan should be worrying about the two boys that are vying for her heart. She should be worrying about Prom. She should be worrying about graduation. But instead of a dress, she’s choosing which dagger to carry. In this fourth installment in the series, Keira and her friends race against time to rescue her charge before The Harvest. They must hurry. Their enemies are bringing forth a new evil to sway the balance. The shadows are rising.

Exclusive Shadows Rising Excerpt that you will only see on YA Indie Carnival author sites…

The night was warm, even though a slight breeze stirred. Keira made her way through the soybean field. She knew the way over the uneven path, even if she couldn’t see. That was nearly the case as clouds worked to block out the moon and stars. The air was thick; the kind that always preceded the summer rain.
As the dirt started to dimple here and there, her steps came quicker. Cool drops chilled her shoulders left bare by her tank top. Steps turned into a jog as the two-story farmhouse came into sight. If she ran hard enough, she could reach his porch before the downpour.
In seconds, she covered the yard. Just a few strides more would land her on the steps where she could wait out the rain on the porch.
Maybe that’s why it happened. Keira was so focused on escaping the rain. Her sneaker slid on the wet grass. Arms circled wildly over her head, eager to find balance or support. They landed on clean, soft cloth. Her feet skittered beneath her as the man under the white robe grabbed her hair and pulled her head back.
“The guardian,” a whisper rose and echoed among the small group. “The guardian,” their murmurs above the tumbles of the strengthening rain. “The guardian.”
Hands flew to her sides and held her arms out. She pulled against them, but there were too many. “Let me go,” she screamed.
Immediately, they let go. She hadn’t expected it and fell on her knees.
“We wish you no harm, guardian. We have come for the midnight child. Trust that this is for the best,” a tall man said. His mouth barely moved, unmarked by expression or emotion of any kind.
Rain began to pour over them. Keira scanned the group to etch every face into her memory; two eager young men, perhaps twins, with strong chins and light coloring; a plump, young woman with red curls falling out of her hooded cloak; a buxom brunette with a permanent sneer; and a mustached brute with a nasty scar through his left eyebrow.
Then, her eyes flickered back to the leader, a bald man with soulless black eyes. Him she knew. It had taken her only a moment to realize he was the one that crashed Jumper’s last Halloween party. He had come for her charge that night too.
“You know that I will never allow you to take him.”
“Your loyalty is misplaced with the Hayes family,” the bald man answered with a voice that chilled her to the bone. “Allow us to remove the distraction so that you may fulfill your true destiny.”
“He is not a midnight child. He is my charge.”
“He is of no consequence.”
A crack sounded, causing everyone to look up. A dark figure stood on the edge of the roof. He stepped forward and landed softly on the ground. He stood tall beside Keira.
Brun’s voice was heavy with anger. “You heard her. The child is not to be touched.”
“But…” the leader of the group started.
His dispute was not heard because Brun was behind him in the next second. The shine of Brun’s short sword glistened at the man’s ear.
“If you will not listen, perhaps you do not need this ear,” Brun growled. “From this day forward, let it be known that the guardian and I both protect this child. Whoever dares to approach him will succumb to the full wrath of the Empire and Elsted. You will leave now…ahhh!”
The leader wrenched his dagger out of Brun’s side. Blood dripped from the dagger’s edge. Brun stumbled back, his face a mixture of disbelief and horror.


 Wanna See More? You can find Bryna here:

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Next week on the YA Indie Carnival we’ll be discussing Barnes & Noble and Nook apps. All the YA author club members will weigh in on how we feel about working with B&N, so stop by and check it out. Happy reading!

YA Author Club

Sometimes it feels good to be the new girl, especially when you get to hang out with such cool people as The YA Indie Carnival crew. I am thrilled to be apart of this smart and sassy group of writers. If you haven’t yet heard about them, here’s the scoop:

Every Friday, the members of the YA Author Club will discuss and post (on their individual blogs & the central website) topics pertinent to indie authors. This unique twist on a club allows our supporters to get to know us, our books, our opinions of other books, and our experiences with indie publishing.

So, not only will I get to share with you all sorts of fun blog posts about my life as an indie author, I’ll also include the links to my fellow YA Author Club members so that you can see what they had to say about that topic, too. AND you’ll get to meet a lot of fabulous YA authors along the way. Twice a month you’ll see a new author that we’ve interviewed so you can read all about how and why they write and then read an excerpt of their latest work. How cool is that?!

Today we’re all discussing KDP Select, a majorly hot topic in the indie publishing world. For those of you who are not authors, let me first explain a little about KDP and how it works. Kindle Direct Publishing is a branch of Amazon that allows us to upload our manuscripts and sell them to the public as ebooks for Kindle apps and devices around the world. It’s truly amazing and has opened the door for authors everywhere to share their work with the literate masses. This kind of technology is what allows us to call ourselves Indie authors and to hope for some measure of success.

Until recently, many authors were buying into a program offered by Amazon called KDP select which asks the author to list their work only on Amazon for a set amount of time. In exchange, the author could list their work for FREE for a specified number of days in the hopes of gaining a larger audience. This is how many indie authors grew to bestseller status very quickly because those free day downloads still translated as “sales” to Amazon’s computers, thus skyrocketing a few lucky authors to instant stardom (of sorts). In turn, more and more authors began to choose the KDP Select program, hoping for their own success. Over time, KDP Select has altered their program (or more to the point, Amazon has altered the process) so that it is much less lucrative than it first appeared.

So, when a self-published author finally has their completed work in their eager little hands, one of their first decisions is this: Should I list with KDP Select or list my book across multiple sales channels so that readers with Nooks or Kobo, or iTunes can read my book, too?

It’s a tough choice, I won’t lie, and the first of many you’ll have to make as an indie author. I decided to list my books EVERYWHERE. I’m still not quite there (Sony, I’m coming, baby!) but if I had chosen KDP Select, then my first rush of readers wouldn’t have been able to find me on their brand new devices. I wanted everyone who could possibly enjoy my book to have access to it and KDP Select would at best delay that goal. So, for me, I opted out. You can still find all of my work on Amazon Kindle and it often shows up there first before all others, but they can’t have it all to themselves. If that means I give up a few opportunities to share my book for free… Well, that’s okay. I spent seven years and money out of pocket preparing my first two books for the world, so I think asking readers to pay a dollar or three isn’t too bad. If it isn’t worth that to them, then they’ll pass. I’m okay with that. Maybe I’ll catch them next time around.

Now remember, I’m the newcomer here and completely new to the whole game of publishing, so this was just my opinion on KDP Select. If you’re curious how other authors feel, please visit a few of my new friends by clicking on the links below and read their experiences. In the end, I’m sure you’ll have a much better understanding of how it all works and how each of us makes the choice for ourselves. After all, that’s what being an Indie is all about.

THE  YA  AUTHOR  CLUB

1.
Laura A. H. Elliott
2.
Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series


3.
T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
4.
Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga


5.
Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
6.
K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed


7.
Gwenn Wright, author of Filter
8.
Liz Long | Just another writer on the loose.


9.
Ella James
10.
Maureen Murrish


11.
YA Sci Fi Author’s Ramblings
12.
A Little Bit of R&R


13.
Melissa Pearl
14.
Terah Edun – YA Fantasy


15.
Heather Sutherlin – YA Fantasy

Indies4Hire

It’s often a lonely business being a writer. I’ve learned that the best way to make it through is to befriend other writers in similar straits. This year I’ve joined quite a few author collectives to make that happen. This week I’m going to tell you about them, but first I want to share an event that is happening RIGHT NOW for indie writers.

Indies 4 Hire is a brand spankin’ new business venture between Gwen Gardner and Maria Zannini. Both are indie authors who have decided to share their acquired talents with other authors in need. Gwen is a formatting and editing guru while Maria shares her graphic design experience through cover design, web design and marketing materials. Two of the sweetest gals I’ve met, they are hoping their talents will launch new authors into the bright and shiny world of publishing.

To introduce themselves, they’ve created a special Facebook event that is running all week during the lunch hour. Indie authors are signing on from all over the globe to join in the lively discussion on topics ranging from self-editing tips to best marketing practices. To join in the fun, just follow this link and join the group. Then, jump in by adding a comment or two or just reading through the discussions. To add to the fun, Indies 4 Hire is hosting a giveaway and the prizes are BIG. You can find that here.

Come back tomorrow to hear all about another group I’m very proud of, the YA Indie Carnival.

Happy Reading,

Heather

Author Spotlight: Suzy Turner

Recently I joined the YA Indie Carnival, a group of wildly talented Indie authors. Each month the YA Indie Carnival will be bringing us news from the frontlines and introducing us to fabulous YA authors for you to check out. Today we welcome author Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga.

Suzy Turner has worked as a journalist, assistant editor, features editor, magazine editor and has even been the Script Supervisor for a full length feature film. Early in 2010 however, she began writing full time and has since completed a trilogy for young adults, The Raven Saga (the first of which is FREE) and started a brand new series, The Morgan Sisters. The first full length novel in this series, The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw is now available, as is a shorter novella, Daisy Madigan’s Paradise which is FREE!

Although Suzy is a Yorkshire lass at heart, she left her home town of Rotherham, UK, to move to Portugal with her family when she was ten. For now, the Algarve continues to be her home, where she lives with her childhood sweetheart and husband of 14 years, Michael.

We asked Suzy a few questions about her writing. Here’s what she had to say:

1) What is your all-time favorite book and why?

Ooh it’s so tough to just have one book. But I’d probably go with The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. I studied the book at college and totally fell in love with it. I guess it was because it was so different to anything I’d ever read. Perhaps the dystopian side of it also appealed. I’m not sure. Strangely though, I’ve never read anything else by Margaret Atwood. Not sure why!


2) Is there an author you could be compared to or popular fictional characters your book’s characters could relate to and why?
Recently, my newest series (The Morgan Sisters) was described by a book blogger as ‘possibly the next Harry Potter’. Clearly this made my decade and I’d love to be compared to the Great Almighty JK, but I would never compare myself to another writer. I’d like to think my writing is my own… kind of unique, you know?




3) Can you give us your favorite quote from one of your books and explain it?

My favourite quote? That’s a toughie, hmmm. How about this…
‘She could hear her heart beating, feel it thudding in her chest. She couldn’t open her mouth; it was too dry. All she wanted to do was scream but she couldn’t even do that. Please God don’t let me die, she thought.
A sudden massive gust of wind took her feet from beneath her and she was forcefully pushed from the top of Carlton Point, falling silently and peacefully to the rocky hills below.’
The reason I like this scene so much is because I have such a vivid image of it in my mind. When you read on to the next chapter, you’ll see that she didn’t actually fall. That image of Lana slowly floating, almost in slow motion, reverberated with me. Almost like a scene from Alice in Wonderland.




4) What types of things/people/music inspires you and makes you want to keep writing?

I am particularly inspired by places. For instance, my first series (The Raven Saga) was inspired by the awesome mountains and forests of Western Canada. My new series (The Morgan Sisters) was inspired by places I’ve been to in London (as well as by a London actor I met last year).
I think the UK is perhaps one of the most inspiring countries I’ve ever been to. Every time I visit (although I’m English, I currently live in Portugal), I am blown away by its capacity to inspire me… with its historical buildings and heritage. I’m actually selling up and moving back to England. One of the reasons why we chose England is because of its hold over me with my writing. I can’t wait! (Anyone wanna buy a villa in the Algarve?)




5) Describe your typical writing day or week.

When I have deadlines, I write every morning until I’ve reached my target (if I’m in the zone, I’ll write a lot more) and then I chill out with my favourite TV show and a nice cup of Rooibos tea




6) Is there a food or drink do you have to have when you’re writing?

Just Rooibos tea and water.




7) Can you tell us what you’re working on right now (& possibly provide an excerpt & cover)?

I’m about to start the second novel in The Morgan Sisters series but it doesn’t have a title yet!




EXCERPT – THE GHOST OF JOSIAH GRIMSHA

Lightning shattered the darkness. Not even Emma’s thick purple quilt could shut out the light as it filtered through to her closed eyelids. A low echo of rumbling thunder made its way across the North Sea towards Andilyse Island and she shivered. Suddenly something landed on top of her head and she shrieked.
The sounds of laughter emanated from the bed across the room.
‘Lana, you cow,’ shouted Emma as she threw back the covers and tossed the pillow back at her sister who just shook her head and giggled.
‘It’s only a storm. There’s nothing to be scared of.’
‘There is everything to be scared of,’ she replied as she cowered beneath the quilt again.
‘Oh come on, Sis. We’re quite safe in here. This house has been standing for hundreds of years, it’s not like it’s going to collapse is it?’
‘It nearly did the last time,’ Emma croaked.
‘That was like sixty years ago, Em, and none of the houses collapsed. The only thing that took the brunt of the storm was the pier.’
‘And the church.’
‘Exactly. None of the houses. Stop being such a coward. You’re fifteen! It’s a storm, it’s rain, it’s not the end of the world.’
‘It was for all those poor people.’
‘Oh stop being so dramatic. Things were different back in the 50s, Em. We’re safe, now stop worrying.’
The sound of the front door slamming downstairs made both girls jump. Emma glared at Lana before they both hopped out of bed and ran to their bedroom door which they opened, looking down over the banister.
‘Dad?’
Peering up at them from the bottom of the stairs stood an attractive grey-haired man in his early 50s, taking off his soaking coat.
‘Shhh, we don’t want to wake Greg and Lucy,’ he said as he summoned them downstairs.
‘Oh Patrick, they should be in bed too,’ whispered a voice from the kitchen as the two girls skipped down to find out what was going on.
‘You know what they’re like, Audrey,’ he said as he hung his dripping coat on the stand in the hallway. Tutting, his wife promptly removed it and placed it in the sink in the downstairs cloakroom before going back to give him a kiss.
‘What’s happened, Dad?’ asked Emma as she sat huddled up to her sister on the bottom step. A clap of thunder made her jump and she shivered, her eyes wide open with apprehension. Lana rolled her eyes and put her arm protectively around her sister.
‘Let’s have a cup of cocoa,’ Audrey said, recognising the look on her husband’s face. There was bad news.
While they waited for the milk to heat up on the stove, Lana went into the lounge looking for candles as the lights continued to flicker, constantly threatening to go out for good.
‘I’ve found some,’ she said, setting them down on the kitchen table with a box of matches, ‘just in case,’ she smiled. ‘So what’s going on, Dad? Why did you have to go out so late?’
‘He’s the Chief Constable… it’s his job,’ answered their mother as she poured steaming milk into the four mugs, before stirring them as quietly as she could.
Lana stood beside her, adding a spoonful of sugar to her own mug before passing the calming drinks to her family, who stood sipping the chocolatey goodness silently for a moment.
Rubbing his forehead, Patrick put his cocoa down on the table just as the rain began to clatter loudly on the roof tiles.
‘Oh no,’ whispered Emma as she pulled her feet up towards her bottom and rocked back and forth in her seat.
Patrick put his hand on her shoulder, ‘it’s okay sweetheart. It’s just a storm, it’ll pass. Everything will be all right.’
‘Well then why did you have to go out in it, Dad?’ she asked.
‘I was called out to the old Grimshaw farm… Josiah was seen wandering close to the pier again.’
‘What? In this weather? Does he have a death wish?’ said Lana without thinking as her mother tutted, glancing towards Emma. ‘Did you find him? Is he okay?’
‘I’m afraid he’s nowhere to be seen. And in these conditions, it’s impossible to send out a search party. We can’t send out the lifeboat without risking the lives of everyone else, I’m afraid. He’s a silly old man, he should never have been left alone in this storm. Everyone on the island knows how it affects him.’
Audrey patted her husband’s hand, ‘there’d be no stopping him, love. He’s just looking for her.’
‘Well, maybe he’s finally got his wish.’
‘Daddy?’ said an innocent child’s voice from the stairs.
‘Oh we’ve woken the kids,’ said Audrey as she stood up and went to check on her two younger children.
‘Hey sweetheart. Sorry we woke you. Come on, let’s go back to bed,’ she said to her family. ‘There’s nothing we can do now. We should all try and get some sleep.’



Here’s where YOU can catch up with Suzy:
website: http://suzyturner.com

Blog: http://suzyturner.blogspot.com Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Suzy-Turner/e/B0050BSH1I

Facebook: http://facebook.com/suzyturnerbooks
Twitter: http://twitter.com/suzy_turner

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/suzyturnerbooks

More from Suzy Turner:

Raven (FREE)
http://www.amazon.com/Raven-Saga-Part/dp/9899734810

After the inexplicable disappearance of Lilly Taylor’s parents, she has no choice but to move to Canada where she unravels some frightening yet intriguing family secrets… Her whole life had been based on a lie. Lilly had grown up in a loveless home with a father who she had barely ever seen and a mother who was… well, not very motherly. After they mysteriously disappear without a trace, Lilly is sent to Canada where she finds a whole new way of life. A life filled with love and people who care for her. But that’s not all she discovers, Lilly also finds out that she isn’t who, or what, she thinks she is. Lilly has a very special ability and it’s just a matter of time before her true self starts to shine. And when it does, her life will never be the same again.


Catch up with the YA Indie Carnival and check out the authors below:




1.
Laura A. H. Elliott
2.
Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series


3.
T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
4.
Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga


5.
Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
6.
K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed


7.
Gwenn Wright, author of Filter
8.
Liz Long | Just another writer on the loose.


9.
Ella James
10.
Maureen Murrish


11.
YA Sci Fi Author’s Ramblings
12.
A Little Bit of R&R


13.
Melissa Pearl
14.
Terah Edun – YA Fantasy


15.
Heather Sutherlin – YA Fantasy

Dear Reader,

When I started this website I was just a wannabe writer with a few years’ experience teaching young writers my favorite subject and a stack of rejected manuscripts in the closet. Now I’m starting the new year with a whole new persona. Last fall I published two books and last week I added another to that list. My writing schedule is full and I’m hoping to add at least three more books to my catalog before the end of 2013. I have a long list of exciting events and opportunities coming up and I am starting to actually introduce myself to strangers as a writer. What a difference a year makes when you decide to chase your dreams!

In light of all this excitement and change, I am starting to feel that this blog needs to mirror that image. So, you might notice a few changes around here in the next few weeks. But before I do that, I would love to know what you are looking for when you visit an author’s website. Do you want to know what I’m working on right now? What’s coming next? Are you curious about the publishing process? Do you want to know about the books I’m reading or what inspires me? Please leave a comment below and tell me what you hope to find next time you stop by to visit the site. You might just find it!

Much love,

Heather

Seen by Heather Sutherlin

The first book in my new series, SEEN, will be available tomorrow on e-readers everywhere. The fabulous cover was illustrated by local artist extraordinaire, Kate Gardner, and cover design was completed by my sister, Shannon Iverson. Here’s a little sneak peek you:

Rory has no idea what’s going on in the woods behind her house, but it’s driving her crazy. On the last day of her senior year she finds herself caught up once again in the curious happenings of the forest and walks away without any of the answers she was hoping to find. To make matters worse, she is sent to visit a sick neighbor and instead finds the hottest guy she’s ever seen. When she discovers his brother’s incredible secret she falls further into her own chaos and into a fate she never could have imagined.

Jaron is just counting the days until the summer is over and he can get back to his real life. Stuck with his little brother on a tiny farm in rural Oklahoma is not exactly his idea of fun. But when Rory shows up on his doorstep with an armload of pie, he knows his summer has just taken a sharp turn into new territory. He never expected the adventure they would discover next or the quest that would change their lives forever.