Ally Shields's Blog, page 84

Coffee Chat with Author Amber Polo

Whew! I just send off my edits in time to get ready for this chat. I really need the coffee today.

Okay, everyone! We have author Amber Polo with us who calls her series light urban fantasy. I think you'll understand why she says that in a minute. First, the important things. How do you take your coffee, Amber?

AMBER: Salted Carmel Macchiato, please.

Ally: Coming right up. While the magic pot is fixing that, perhaps our readers can take a look at your bio.
 
BIO: A love of books drew Amber Polo into a career as a librarian. A greater love turned her into a writer. The Shapeshifters’ Library series is an urban fantasy filled with books, librarians and dogs and a library everyone will love. After living in seven states, she happily calls a small town in Arizona home.

In addition to writing two award-winning romance novels, she self-published Relaxing the Writer: Guidebook to the Writer’s High, which offers hundreds of tips to help writers and readers relax, and she is proud of her self-produced, Relaxation One Breath at a Time, a CD that uses her voice to teach relaxation to calm your body and mind and/or help you fall asleep.

Midwest Book Review called her work “quirky” and “profound” (is that profoundly quirky or quirkily profound?)

Ally: After that bio, I'm dying to know more about your series. I love quirky - profound or not! :) So, what isn't in your bio?

AMBER: My first novel Romancing Rebecca published as a paranormal romance set in Sedona, AZ began as a parody of romance and the romance genre. Promise not to tell!

Ally: A parody, huh? Oh, I won't tell, and I'm sure our readers and the twitterverse won't either! :) But getting down to business, when and where do you do your 'writing time'?

AMBER:  It’s all writing time. Actually all my writing is done on my old Alphasmart. I sit down and somehow my characters tell my fingers what they want to say while I look on in wonder.

Ally: I love it when my characters take over. This next question is probably going to be harder for you than any guest I've had. Who is your all-time favorite author - any genre - and why?

AMBER: Never ask a librarian about a favorite author. I love any author who can surprise and/or enchant me. I love audiobooks and often try new authors and genres in that format. It’s like having an actor read stories in your ear while you’re cleaning the kitchen. Recently Veronica Roth’s YA Divergent series fascinated me. I also love advance copies. Nothing is more fun than reading a book before it’s published. Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians is a fun summer beach read romance (though not published in that genre, perhaps because the author is male?). 
BTW, any reader who, like me, likes advance copies to review send me an email, and I'll send you an eformat of Recovered Book 3 sometime in July. :)

Ally:  Now for some quick answer questions:

      a. snow skiing or a day at the beach? Never snow! Beaches in the Caribbean or scuba in The Keys is my choice.

      b. where was your last shopping trip? Ebay, where else.

      c. cat lover or dog person? Dogs. Dogs. Dogs. Remember I write canine fantasy.

      d. favorite comfort food? A Dairy Queen sundae works for major literary accomplishments. Hot fudge, caramel, and
           pecans thank you.

      e.  online site you use the most? I research everywhere online (and libraries). Wikipedia is a go-to site. And for books
           Goodreads.     

Ally: One last question before we get to the book. What makes your shifter series stand out from others in the genre?

AMBER: The Shapeshifters' Library is the only cozy urban fantasy series featuring dog-shifting librarians. Not dark and lots of fun for dog lovers who love libraries and books. 
Book Blurb:

Love dogs?  Love books?  Love libraries? Hate Book-burning werewolves?

Welcome to Shipsfeather, Ohio, where an ancient race of dog-shifters struggle, under an ordinary public library, to save the knowledge of the world from book-burning werewolves.

For years a curse has imprisoned the dog-shifters in the basement of the Shipsfeather Library—where they have made the best of things with a gym, a spa, a Starbarks, and, of course, their wildly successful internet company, Zoogle—but now, thanks to librarian Liberty Cutter and her zany staff, they may actually have a chance to break free.  If only they can convince Liberty to believe in magic…

Released, Book 1
Retrieved, Book 2
Recovered, Book 3 (due Sept 2013)

Buy links:
Amazon Released
Amazon Retrieved
Barnes and Noble

Author links:
Website
Blog Wordshaping
Goodreads
Face Book
Twitter

Ally: I so enjoyed sharing coffee with you, Amber. Your series sounds like great fun! Come back any time to tell us how your dogs are doing! :)


          Thanks for stopping by, readers. Hope you enjoyed the chat. Come back soon!

Coffee Chat with Italian Author Meinos Kaen

Hi, everyone! Got your coffee?

We have a book on a worldwide tour today.  I'd like to welcome our visitor from across the pond, Italian author Meinos Kaen, who writes dystopian fiction. 

How do you take your coffee, Meinos?

MEINOS: Like every good Italian born in Naples, I take an Italian coffee with one spoonful of sugar! Well, maybe not like every Italian born in Naples, but most of the people from my city take it like that. I don’t particularly care for american coffee, but I wish there was Starbucks in Italy.

Ally: Before we go any farther, I think we should take a look at your bio.

BIO:  Meinos Kaen, real name Simone Simeone, is an Italian author and journalist. Children of the New Era is his first English publication. He also writes for the Italian criminology webzine Altri Confini. His next book, S-Class, has a publication date set for the year 2013.

Author Contact Links:

Author Website - www.meinoskaen.com

Author Blog - www.storieinrosso.com

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6861290.Meinos_Kaen

Twitter - https://twitter.com/MeinosKaen 
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/meinos.kaen

Ally: Tell us something unusual about herself that isn't in your bio.

MEINOS: The mother of my grandfather was born in the States. Seems like the genes jumped a few generations only to explode in me, judging by the fact that no one would think me an Italian at first glance. And if I speak English, I get called Canadian, Australian, Irish, Texan, but never Italian. When I confess, the usual reaction is ‘get out of here!’ To this day, some still think that I was joshing them when I told them I was Italian.

Ally: It's good you're so fluent in English. My Italian is limited to a few words, although my vampire is...but I digress. What's your home like--apartment or house, city or rural, region of Italy, year-round weather, etc.?

MEINOS:  I currently live in Rome, and boy do I love it. I have an apartment in the African Quarter -so named because all the streets have African countries names: Somalia Road, Eritrea Street, and so on--very well connected.

 What can I say about Rome that’s not been told by anyone who’s been there at least once in his life? It’s a beautiful cosmopolitan city, with some of the greatest and most well kept vestiges of the world. The weather is fine most of the year but in summer it gets unbearably hot. I usually move to Abruzzo for the hottest months of the year, and enjoy my beloved mountains. Been going there at least once a year ever since I was a toddler.

Ally:  How long have you been writing, and what got you started on dystopian fiction?

MEINOS:  I wrote my first ‘book’, even if plenty of characters were borrowed by my favorite comics, when I was 8. It was a thriller where the killer’s weapon was a dog. It surprisingly made sense, reading it. I then dabbled mostly in fanfiction until I hit 17, and at 23 decided to be a self-published author, after a bad experience with the Italian world of mainstream publishing.

As for dystopian, it came to me naturally. I can’t spoiler myself -would be counterproductive, right?- but I will say this. I was writing -still am- S-Class, the book to which Children of the New Era is the prelude and there was a certain fact in the plot that needed to be kept from the general public of that future’s version of Earth. As I started building up my world to suit that need, I realized that there was no other way around it but to make that world -or at least the UK- a dystopia. And I loved what I found, so much that I wrote a prelude to that book that focused on that intriguing and wonderful future I created.

According to a friend of mine who loves to put things into context, the world of CNW is ‘V for Vendetta meets X-Men’.

Ally: Before we get to the book, let's finish off with a few Quick Answer Questions:

    a.  favorite game?  Werewolf: The Forsaken. I’d love to write for Whitewolf.

    b.  where & when was your last vacation? On my own, December 2011. Went to see Brentalfloss in London.

    c.  Star Trek or Star Wars? Star Wars. I hope Abrahams and Disney doesn’t screw it up...

    d.  favorite TV show? Supernatural...up to series 5. Before and after that, NCIS.

    e.  Where was your last shopping trip? In February. I mostly shop online.

Ally:  Now, it's time to to learn more about your book!
2354 AD. Three hundred years ago, the majority of what we now call "humanity" reached its next evolutionary step. Unaware, unprepared, the world erupted in chaos.

 Wars born from these chaotic times erupted and ended abruptly, until the advent of the third great world conflict. Employed in virtually every major engagement, the children of the New Era were used to devastating effect on the battlefield.
 
After the war, they were slowly reintegrated to society in varying degrees. The United Kingdom installed a new set of laws to govern and categorize them. The nation is peaceful, but there are always those who whisper in corners. Those who talk never talk again.
 
But someone always slips through the cracks.

Amazon US*:  
http://www.amazon.com/Children-New-Era-S-Class-ebook/dp/B00AORRW1E/

Amazon worldwide:  viewBook.at/B00AORRW1E

(*This is a novella bargain-priced at .99 cents!)


Thanks so much for being with us, Meinos! Stop back anytime! 

If any of you would like to chat with today's guest again, his links are listed with his bio and his tour schedule is posted below.

                                           As always - Thanks for stopping. Come back soon!               

Burning Both Ends (Guardian Witch #3) Teaser

Five new things you'll discover in Burning Both Ends (Guardian Witch #3) coming this summer*!

1.  New characters, some good, some bad, including someone from Andreas's past

2.  A big twist in the life of a major character

3.  An element from today's headlines

4.  Greater magic and secrets revealed

5.  Surprises for Ari

Cryptic enough? :) I promise you can identify each of these once you've read book 3!

     *Currently scheduled to release on July 19, but date not yet confirmed.

Excerpt (unedited):

     Despite the mild temperature earlier in the evening, a cool wind blew through the dense pine trees, chilling Ari's back. The Midwestern fall season was quickly slipping away, and she zipped her leather jacket. Her companion had no such problem. His immunity to temperature changes was one of the few vampire perks Ari envied.
     “I've been learning my witch family history," she finally said, breaking the silence. "Read through The Book twice. It made me feel...” She halted suddenly. Her skin prickled with awareness of approaching Otherworld power. She scanned the forest, as Andreas's body stilled beside her. Whatever inner radar warned him, their magics seemed to be on synchronized alert systems. 
     A long moment passed, then a fox-colored wolf trotted into view, a small taupe bag attached to his collar. He paused, gave them a brief doggie grin and disappeared behind a bush. Ari let out her breath, and she felt Andreas relax. She knew that grin, even if the wind at their backs had pushed away his familiar scent. A few seconds later a red-headed man in his early thirties stepped out of the woods and walked toward them. He shrugged into a gray t-shirt that matched his faded jogging shorts.
     “That’s the only real inconvenience about this werewolf thing,” the man complained, clipping the collar and empty bag to his shorts, “having to carry your damn clothes around with you.”
     “Good evening to you too, Steffan,” Andreas said. He smiled broadly at the local werewolf leader. 
     Steffan returned the grin, throwing his arms out in an all-encompassing gesture. “It is a super evening, isn’t it? Do they still call it Indian summer in October? Or did that stop in September?” He scratched his head. “I called the Club, but they said you were training in the park. So, I tried both cells. When no one answered, I decided I’d let my nose find you.”
     “That's rather persistent," Ari said. "Not that I'm sorry to see you, but is something wrong?" When people went out of their way to look for her, it usually meant trouble.
     “Uh, no. Not really." He flipped his red curls out of his eyes. "Mostly it was a good excuse for a run after being cooped up in the office and attending meetings all week.” Steffan stretched his shoulders, still adjusting to the sudden shift from wolf to human form. Only the strongest lycanthropes could shift back and forth at will. Lesser wolves required a lengthy recovery time to avoid the debilitating consequences of muscle weakness and nausea.
     “So, are you going to explain the 'not really' part or not?” Andreas prompted.

                                                                                                        ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
              If you haven't read books 1 & 2 yet, you can find them on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online sites.

                  I hope you enjoyed this look ahead! Come back & visit again soon...

Coffee Chat with YA/MG Author Kirstin Pulioff & New Release!

Welcome, everyone!

We're starting off the coffee chat today with Kirstin Pulioff's book cover to celebrate her release day! Welcome, Kirstin, and congrats! The cover looks great! Let me pour you some coffee. How do you take it?

KIRSTIN: Thanks, Ally. Black...and lots of cups! :)

Ally: You visited the blog last September (link to prior post), but before we get into today's chat or the new book, let's remind readers who you are. 


Bio: Kirstin Pulioff is a storyteller at heart. Born and raised in Southern California, she moved to the Pacific Northwest to follow her dreams and graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Forest Management. Happily married and a mother of two, she lives in Oregon, and enjoys being a stay at home mom. When she's not writing, she is busy with her kids and church.

Ally: And a fun fact that's not in your bio?

KIRSTIN: I am a huge Goonies fan, and so naturally, one of my favorite
places to go in Oregon is Cannon Beach.  I love playing and exploring the tidal pools by Haystack Rock (The Goonies Rock)... makes me feel like a kid, believing in hidden treasure and adventure.

Ally: I guess it's not surprising that you write youth fiction, but why write at all? What made you decide to become a writer and to publish?

KIRSTIN:  I am incredibly lucky. One day, I was contemplating what I would do for work when my kids grew up and were in school full time. With the blank slate, I really started to think about the "what if's"... if I could do anything, what would it be. There was only one answer that entered my mind. With all the options, I would want to be an author... from there, it was simply a matter of figuring out how to do it. 

Ally: You make it sound so easy, but I know it took a lot of hard work. How do you juggle your schedule between family and writing?

KIRSTIN:  Haha, that is the million dollar question! I have found there really is no clear answer. During the daytime, I am 100% focused mommy, and my author cap goes on either early in the morning, or late in the evenings. As for finding a balance... I am still finding it. I know there will always be times when I am either doing too little or too much, but for me, the important thing is that I am doing something. Every day, I try to be focused for at least an hour on my writing... on the weekends I can manage more.

Ally: I know we're all getting impatient to know more about your book, so let's finish up this part with some quick answer questions:
a. a strenuous hike or a leisurely evening walk?  Depends on location... a slow walk only if it's on the beach...
otherwise a strenuous hike.   b. cake or pie?  Pie... Key Lime Pie c. a writing plotter or by the seat of the pantser? Definite Plotter...have to make sure I have an outline before I start...details develop in process, but the main ideas and struggles are defined beforehand. d. an item on your bucket list.  To see the Northern Lights.
Ally:  And finally...here's more info on the new book officially released May 29...

Blurb: The Kingdom of Soron bustled with activity as preparations for the Fall Festival began. Lively merchants, hardworking farmers, and musicians eagerly awaited this event of harvest and joy. This year's festival was even more important, as they celebrated Princess Madeline's betrothal to her Knight Champion, Daniel. 

 Celebration quickly turns to disaster as Prince Paulsen returns with curious demands, either Princess Madeline will be his, or no ones. Rejection turns to obsession and battle is declared. In a tense struggle to decide her future, Princess Madeline must choose where to put her trust. in the king's tried and true plan, the wizard's cryptic messages and maps, or her own sense of bravery. 

Follow Princess Madeline as she battles evil in an attempt to create a future of love and magic.

Buy Links:Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/The-Battle-Princess-Madeline-ebook/dp/B00CY0XBLE/

Amazon Author page with both books: 
http://www.amazon.com/Kirstin-Pulioff/e/B00A2498Z2/

If you'd like to contact Kirstin, follow any of these other links to find her:

Website: www.kirstinpulioff.com 
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KirstinPulioffAuthor 
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KirstinPulioff 
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11281401-kirstin-pulioff

KIRSTIN: Thanks for having me, Ally. Sorry I have to rush off, but I'm finishing off the draft to the next adventure. With a dragon in the picture, a lot can happen! :) 

Ally: Thank you for visiting. Good luck with the release, and we'll be looking forward to book three! 

As I've already had the privilege of reading this book. I have added my review below. If anyone reading my blog has a youth in your family or are young at heart, don't miss this lively Disney-like sequel!
BOOK REVIEW: The Battle for Princess Madeline: 
reviewed by Ally Shields

The Battle for Princess Madeline is a charming sequel to the original fairy-tale story filled with knights and battles and magic. When we left Madeline at the end of book one, she was safely home with her family and it looked like all her trouble with unwanted suitors for her hand in marriage were over. 

Not so fast, one prince is determined to have her as his bride by fair or foul means. 

So begins the next adventure, including a string of complications and unexpected revelations. I won't give away any plot 
spoilers, but the book was written with a strong sense of right and wrong, a great command of imagery, and a gutsy heroine that you care about. Tweens and early teens are bound to relate to Madeline's on-going problems and her creative, outside-the-box solutions. Get the first two books in the series today. You won't regret it!           

      I hope everyone enjoyed our chat with Kirstin. Please stop by again soon!

Do Characters Share Phobias with Their Authors?

Since I'm going to talk about bugs that I consider nasty, I thought I'd start with a beautiful photo of a butterfly to remind us they aren't all bad. Be warned, this is the last nice  pic.

What trips your "ick" factor? 

For me, it's bugs. Not all bugs, but if they're on me or in my house and they aren't butterflies...

Yesterday I read and tweeted an article about an author who found a tick crawling on him on board a plane. Although I don't mind bugs as long as they stay outdoors and away from me, I, along with a lot of other readers, was creeped out by his story. Where did the critter come from? Were there more on board? He spent a lot of time figuring out how to kill it and tied it in with an author using the tools at hand and their imaginations to solve any story problems, especially inventing unique ways to commit murders. A nice article, and you can read it here:  http://judgebillhopkins.tumblr.com/.

What really intrigued me were the reader reactions -- everywhere from "meh" to "Yikes, you mean there are bugs on planes? Eww!" Yes, Virginia, there are bugs everywhere. All sizes, shapes and colors.

Some are beautiful like the butterfly above, but flies are mostly a nuisance. Others bugs can be equally annoying but also be disease carriers like mosquitoes. Garden bugs eat your plants and flowers, tiny ants invade your kitchen, and fleas attack your pets. 

I liked bugs a whole lot better as a child before I knew so much about them.



Okay, I guess I have one more photo that's not so bad. Who's afraid of a lady bug?

Ironically, the smaller the bug, the less I want it in my house. Especially if it's an ugly black or dark brown, yuk. I can't even think about the subject of bed bugs without getting itchy all over. (I didn't want to gross any of us out with a picture!) Maybe b-bugs is why I haven't taken any trips lately. Even fancy hotels aren't safe, you know. Eww.

Contrasted with snakes, I'd pick the snake every day. As long as they're not wrapped around my arm or my leg, I can take snakes. Although it is true I have been seen on a Texas rattlesnake hunt carrying a very big gun. Purely defensive, I assure you.
Did I hear someone mention spiders? I don't care for them either. They're bugs, aren't they? Even Ari, my witch heroine, doesn't like spiders. Strange, she'd have the same phobia. But look at it...creepy, sneaky. Ready to pounce on someone. I would rather it wasn't me.

Am I alone in this? What trips your "ick" meter? Have you seen other phobias appear in fiction books?



BTW, if the bugs have totally freaked you out, come back Wednesday. I have a guest and a much, much nicer topic!! :)

Nine-year-old Character Getting Out the Vote

Eccentric author photo. Huh??
Okay, authors and readers, especially you horror and smexy ones, be on your best behavior today. We have a nine-year-old girl visiting the blog. Yes, I said nine! Pansy V. Pants, the main character in my critique partner's middle grade fantasy, Pansy Pants & the Search for Magic, has stopped by to say 'hello.' Pansy wanted to make sure I'd voted in the CBAY contest. (If her creator Kath Marsh wins, Pansy's story will be published.) While she and her friends are here, I've given her a list of questions to answer. I never miss an opportunity to interview anybody! :)

"Hey, Ally. I have both of your books on my book shelf. Minor demon Posso keeps borrowing them and dragon-earing the pages he and dragon Chester like best. Posso, stop staring at Ari. You know he has a crush on Ari.  Uh oh,  I wasn't supposed to tell you about that. 
" So you had some questions? Where did I put your list? Give me that paper, Chester. Posso, grab the paper. NO! Don't let the dragon.... 
 "Ally, do you have another copy?" 

Ally: Why don't I just ask the questions instead?

PANSY: Thanks, Ally. Okay, Number one?

Ally: Before we get started on those, why does Kath Marsh, use a photo of a bat as her author pic? Is she secretly  a vampire or something?
 
PANSY: Nope. She's not a vampire or anything supernatural. She's just weird, and hates having her photo taken. She used to volunteer at a wildlife rescue place, and her favorite animals included vultures and bats. Posso says she's just batty. 
I'm saving up for a camera. When I get one, Posso and Chester will keep Kath busy, and I'll sneak up and get a real photo of her.

Ally:  Oooh, good! Will you send me a copy?

PANSY: Sure. If she doesn't catch me.

Ally:  Now to the questions.  I've read the beginning pages of your story. Tell the readers why you want to turn Gary the bully into a frog.

PANSY:  That's an easy one. Gary stole my lunch one time too many. I wanted him to stop. I figured if I turned him into a frog that would scare him big time, and he'd leave me alone. Okay, stop laughing, Posso. You think being turned into a frog is silly small magic, but I had to start somewhere. Besides no one in my town believes in magic. So if I could suddenly turn Gary into a frog, he'd be so shocked, so scared, I knew he'd leave me and my lunches alone. 

Ally:  It sounds in the story like your mom works hard, where is your dad?

PANSY:  Dad's gone. I don't really like to talk about him. Mom and I have been on our own for a few years. We may be poor now, but  no one hurts anyone in our house anymore. 

Ally:  Do you have brothers and sisters? Would you like to?

PANSY:  I don't. Well, not human brothers or sisters. I don't know.  

Ally:  Have you ever had a crush on a boy?

"Pansy loves Jeremiah." 

PANSY: Stop that, Posso. Don't listen to him. I'm too young for boyfriend stuff. Jeremiah is my friend. Besides he's a ghost. And he doesn't... what's the next question?" 

Ally:  What's your favorite subject in school? Least favorite?

PANSY:  I love science. It's a lot like magic. I mean how cool is it that you can hang a string in a glass of sugar water, wait a few days and the water evaporates and crystals of sugar appear  on the string. Or they would if a certain dragon would leave the sugar water alone, and a certain minor demon didn't steal the string out of the glass. 
I don't really like P.E. I'm not good at games and sports. I'd be a lot better if I could fly like Chester or use big magic like Posso. But, as I said, no one in Devil's Millhopper believes in magic, so they'd probably say I was cheating. 

Ally:  Devil's Millhopper, how did your town get that name?

PANSY:  Sounds pretty scary, huh? It's named for the sinkhole in the middle of the town. The sink is so deep,  I think you go through  three different climate zones as you walk down. There's even a waterfall. Long way down. 

Ally:  Is that how Posso, your minor demon friend, got into town? Is it the entrance to Hell?

PANSY:  I don't think so. Anyway, that's not how Posso found me. If anyone wants to know where we first met,  they have to read my book, Pansy Pants & the Search for Magic. Right now they can read sample chapters on  CBAY Books Home page.  If they vote for my book on the contest page and my book wins, it could get published,and they'd find out all about ME, Jeremiah, Posso, Chester the dragon, and High Demon Abdon Mallack. And lots bigger really scary magic than turning a bully into a frog.
Sorry, Ally, but I have to take Posso and Chester home now. It's dinner time. 

Ally:  I understand. I think I hear both their tummies  growling. Um, they don't eat humans, do they?

PANSY:  They claim they don't. Thank you, Ally. Bye. Come on, guys. Let's stop by the cemetery on our way home. I've heard you can find lots of votes there.

                                                                             Don't forget to vote by the 30th... 




Pansy Pants & the Search for Magic By Kath Boyd Marsh: 

Everyone in Devil’s Millhopper knows that magic isn’t real. Everyone, that is, except Pansy V. Pants. Pansy just knows that if she can learn to do magic, real magic — the ghoul cool kind that lets you turn bullies into frogs and stop time, then she’ll never have to be afraid again.

 Read the entries and Vote May 15-30 at the CBAY website: 

Sample chapters: http://cbaybooks.com/info/?p=247

                     VOTE:  http://cbaybooks.com/info/?p=274




                  
                         If you'd like to visit Kath's blog, click HERE.

Coffee Chat with Author DL Richardson

Oh, hi, everyone! Glad you could join us!

I'm sharing coffee today with DL Richardson and was getting ready to pour. How do you take your coffee, Debbie?

DL: Single shot, black, and with one sugar (real sugar not sweetener). And if I ever have it with cream it’s with real cream.

Ally: Perfect. Now we each have our mugs, let's take a look at your bio.
Bio:  Music first captured the creative interest of D L Richardson. She got her first acoustic guitar at age ten, and in high school she sang with the school band. When she left school she helped form her own rock band where she sang lead vocals, played bass guitar, and wrote all the lyrics. At age 26 she realized she wanted to write novels for the rest of her life, or die trying, so she sold her equipment, quit pursuing a music career and began writing instead. She’s had two young adult novels published and is currently pitching a third and writing a fourth. She lives in Australia on the NSW South Coast with her husband and dog. When she’s not writing or reading she can be found practicing her piano, playing the guitar or walking the dog. 

Ally: Now that we've read the official version, tell us something we'd never find in your author bio.

DL: I am a klutz. In my lifetime I’ve broken 3 toes, broken my left wrist, torn ligaments in both ankles at least twice, slid ten feet across gravel chasing a ball and tore flesh from ankle to knee, slid ten feet down cement on roller skates and tore flesh from knee to hip, sprained both wrists at least 3 times, fractured two fingers playing netball (thus reaffirming my vow that I never play sports due to being a klutz), torn a knee cartilage without even knowing I did it and the mystery is still unsolved as the specialist reckoned the injury looked like I’d been hit by a car and I could assure him that I had not, and torn muscles in my biceps from falling down skiing (I know, I know, you think I’d be the last person on the planet to go to the top of a slippery hill and come down on shiny metal sticks).

Ally: Okay, just sit still and don't move around. I'd hate for anything to happen here! We'll just have a quiet conversation about books and writing.  Let's start with what influenced your decision to write YA stories? What appeals to you the most about this type of fiction? 

DL: When I look back at my list of favorite books, most of them are for kids and teens. The Hunger Games, The Outsiders,  The Secret Garden, The Hobbit, To Kill A Mockingbird. I like to weave a sense of strength and second chances through my stories, and teens are the perfect audience for hidden messages. If one of my characters overcoming an obstacle can help a teen overcome one of theirs, then I’ve done my job as a YA writer. I guess for me, not only is writing about entertaining an audience, it’s also about inspiring one.

Ally: With authors taking over more of the responsibility to get their books before the public, marketing has become a huge topic. What tips have you learned about marketing YA fiction that might be helpful to newer authors?

DL: The YA market is governed by gate keepers – teachers, librarians, parents, aunts and uncles, family friends. Adults typically buy books for kids, and with many books available online an author needs to recognize that most kids don’t have credit cards. So you need to pitch to the adults and be very, very respectful towards them. The first thing an adult asks me when they buy my book is “Is this book okay for my 13 year old to read?”

What I suggest is that a YA author have ready their “elevator pitch.” An elevator pitch is a quick statement about the book, in less than 10 seconds or less than 25 words. This is what I recently taught a bunch of English students and it applies to the elevator pitch. You need to strip away the genre and get to the core of the story.

Here’s an example: When you take away all the magic, at its core, Harry Potter is a story about a young boy who discovers the identity of the man who killed his parents. This discovery is the driving force behind the series, not the magic. This story could work in absolutely any genre or setting.

So, when you talk to adults, don’t start with the icing, start with the cake. Adults really do not want to subject their children to smut, gore, and you have to accept that sometimes they don’t want to submit their children to zombies, vampires and fantasy.  If you lead your pitch with “it’s a zombie apocalypse and this teenager girl and her kid sister get trapped in a building with a bunch of zombies…” you might lose an adult who hates zombie stories and thinks it’s all about killing and blood. And more importantly, do you know the first thing that this parent does? They image it’s their daughters trapped in a building with a bunch of zombies and their stomach clenches and their blood pressure drops. So strip away the icing of your story and find the cake beneath, because the goodness of flour, eggs and milk is what adult wants for their children, not the pure sugar. Using the Harry Potter example, you could say, “this is a story about a young boy who discovers the identity behind the man who killed his parents, set in a world of magic and wizardry.” Or using the zombie example you could say “this is a story about a girl who discovers she has to rely on her inner strength to save herself and her kid sister, set in a zombie apocalypse”.

Ally: That was a great tip! We'll make the next question easy--in fact, a set of quick answer questions. 
     a. best writing time: morning or evening:    morning
     b: favorite animal:   horse
     c. favorite YA book (not your own):   The Outsiders
     d: one item on your bucket list:   to write a book in Santorini, or a villa in Tuscany/Spain/France
     e. chocolate or vanilla ice cream:   chocolate

Ally: It's time to take a look at your book.  It sounds terrific!
Book blurb:

Listening to your inner voice can get you  killed.

Ethan James, Florida Bowman, and Jake Inala are three teenagers who receive much-needed organ transplants. Two weeks later they are inadvertently recruited by the CIA when a spy dies halfway through his mission. Three bacteria bombs are set to detonate, spreading illness and death across the planet, and it’s up to Ethan, Florida, and Jake to deactivate them.

Except that they have no idea where the bombs are located.

Kidnapped for information they can’t possibly know, and fuelled by the spirit of a dead CIA agent, Ethan, Florida, and Jake must look deep inside themselves if they are to finish the mission and save millions of lives. But they’re being held captive in a strange place by a man who believes in Feedback, the theory that information is retained in the memory of organs–in this case those of a certain dead CIA agent donor. And their captor will stop at nothing to get the information retained in their newly transplanted organs.

Buy links:

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Feedback-D-L-Richardson/dp/1939194830/ref=la_B00717D7KU_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1366412630&sr=1-2

BARNES & NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/feedback-d-l-richardson/1113136469?ean=2940015553918                

BOOK DEPOSITORY http://www.bookdepository.com/Feedback-Richardson/9781939194831

Book trailer link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEluhYM8WNw&feature=share

If you'd like to contact today's guest, she can be reached at any of the following links:

website:  www.dlrichardson.com
email:  dlrichardsonbooks@bigpond.com  
blog: dlrichardsonwrites.blogspot.com  
facebook:  facebook.com/dlrichardsonbooks
twitter:   twitter.com/DLRichardson1

    Thanks for visiting, Debbie. I hope you and all of our readers will come back soon!

Interview with MY Vampire Andreas

The request I get most often... is to know more about Andreas, the main vampire in the Guardian Witch series. I'm hoping he'll share a part of his early history this morning, although it's a touchy subject for him--one he hasn't yet shared with Arianna. 

I turn to smile at him. "Thank you for agreeing to this interview." When he raises an eyebrow, I add, "Yes, I know I threatened to tell the story for you, if you didn't. So, set the scene for us, Andreas. Where were you and what was happening in your life when you were transformed into a vampire?"

The dark, attractive vampire is lounging in his office desk chair at Club Dintero. He gives me a narrowed eye look but answers easily enough. "I was in London in 1815, where I had been living for ten years until I was called home to Italy the year before upon the untimely death of my elder brother. It was my duty to assume control of the family estates." He sighs. "After several months, I hired a manager and returned to my life in London."

"But why? You inherited a position of wealth in a beautiful country."

He leans back, steepling his fingers. "It should not have been mine. My brother Luis had been groomed for the position. I was the younger son, well provided for by my father, but never intended to govern. It was a responsibility I did not want."

"You were close to your brother?"

"Yes."

"How did he die?"

"A hunting accident. His horse went one way over a barrier, Luis went the other. It was a typical death for a young bruising rider." The words are said in a monotone, and I don't pursue the details.

"So tell me about the vampiress, the one who sired you. How did you meet?" He hesitates, and I prod him. "Was it the old story of sexy vampire lures unsuspecting victim into a sexual encounter?"

That gets a response. "Not at all. I had been drinking with friends and was walking home in the early morning hours when I witnessed what I thought was the mugging of an elderly washer woman by two ruffians. I attempted to intervene but was overpowered by the three vampires."

When he didn't go on, I finished the story. "After the vampiress drained you, taking your life, you were left in an ally."

His eyes flicker. "Yes. She was not the maternal type."

"Isn't that unusual, for vampires to abandon their newborns?"

He shrugs, and I can see that our conversation is nearly at an end for today.  "What was it like when you first woke as a vampire? Did you know what had happened?"

"Mostly it was terrifying. Unknown sensations and urges. It was days before I figured it out. Only after I ran into another of my kind." He glances pointedly toward the papers on his desk.

I try one last question. "Have you seen the vampiress since? Where is she now?"

His eyes flash a warning, and he picks up the top paper on his desk. "She is dead."

I take the hint and leave.

Coffee Chat with Author Holly Gilliatt

Today I'm welcoming Holly Gilliatt, a women's fiction author. I'm eager to get to know her better and hear about her latest release!

(Psst. She doesn't drink coffee--I know, can you believe it? But her mug is filled with frothy, whipped cream topped hot chocolate!)



Before we get started, let's take a look at Holly's bio:

When she's not busy daydreaming of someday spending her life writing from a cozy house in the woods, Holly Gilliatt has a hectic life in the suburbs as a wife and mom to three glorious--and crazy--kids. Working full-time selling packaging supplies and equipment in St. Louis, Missouri pays the bills (most months). A hopeless romantic and music addict, she finds time to pursue her passion for writing by avoiding housework. Her biggest ambition is to someday be caught up with the laundry.

Ally:  Lol. A worthy ambition, but is it even possible? You sound like a goal-setter. Have you had other ambitions that didn't quite work out?

HOLLY:  Twenty years and fifty pounds ago, I was a dancer, and my first job ever was as a dance teacher. As a little girl, I wanted to be a Rockette!

Ally:  I'm sure your readers are happy you chose writing instead. So, tell us something about your chosen genre or style of writing.

HOLLY:  I write primarily what’s considered women’s fiction, though sometimes I think labeling a book with a genre can limit readers. I like to think of them as romantic comedies, for the most part. I also dabble a bit with humorous essays...along the lines of a female David Sedaris. Not that I’m comparing myself to one of America’s most revered humorists! But it’s that sort of style.

Ally:  Just writing humorous stories would be difficult for me, but what do you consider the hardest part of the writing process, from the first spark of an idea to getting your books in the hands of readers?

HOLLY:  I think marketing is the toughest part. If you’re a writer, you write because you love to and hope that someone might actually like what you wrote. But writing is primarily a solitary act, and for me, personal. I’m somewhat of an introvert. So having to figure out social media and trying to line up reviews and throw myself out there--that’s such a different experience from writing.

Ally:  I think most of us can sympathize with that. Now for some quick answer questions:
              a. catsup or mustard:         Mustard
              b. favorite type of jewelry:         Earrings--I’m a jewelry junkie!
              c. spike heels, boots, or sneakers:        All of the above. (did I mention I’m also a shoe junkie?)
              d. most hunky male actor ever:        Not fair...how can I pick just one?! If forced to, I guess George Clooney.
              e. last person you talked to on the phone:        My mom.

Pansy Pants & the Search for Magic

Voting opens today! Please take the time to read the contest chapters in this children's book contest. The book with the most votes will be published!! So pick your favorite. My critique partner wrote Pansy Pants & the Search for Magic, so I might be biased, but I've picked my winner! 

Pansy Pants & the Search for Magic By Kath Boyd Marsh: 

Everyone in Devil’s Millhopper knows that magic isn’t real. Everyone, that is, except Pansy V. Pants. Pansy just knows that if she can learn to do magic, real magic — the ghoul cool kind that lets you turn bullies into frogs and stop time, then she’ll never have to be afraid again.

 Read the entries and Vote May 15-30 at the CBAY website: http://cbaybooks.com/info/?p=247