Liss Thomas's Blog: Mingling Myths and Monsters with Mortals, page 8
July 26, 2013
Phantasm - Book Promo from Author Penelope Reece
Book Blurb:
Good school, nice friends, and a loving family. Alphie Brewster’s life seems perfect except for one growing problem. She’s plagued with vivid nightmares, and is haunted by a forgotten past. And it’s only getting worse.
The day she finds a mysterious necklace, Alphie wakes to see a ghostly figure leaning over her bed. Now she’s got an even greater problem. A six foot four inch tall eccentric spook, named Noer, who has to possess her in order to stay in this world. He fills her with fire while slowly draining her energy as if she were a Duracell Battery.
Now her problems only seem to be escalating. The more she learns about Noer, the more she starts to remember her childhood. One that should have stayed buried and could very well tear her apart.
Connect with Penelope below!
My blog:
http://penelopereece.blogspot.com
Twitter:
@PenelopeReece
Links:
Sing for Me
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/305405
Phantasma
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/319112
Goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6893940.Penelope_Reece
About the Author:
I am currently living in Southern Indiana with my husband of two years and my tiny Pomeranian, Kodi. My husband and I consider ourselves to be naturists. We quite “literally” won’t hurt a fly. We spend our days feeding stray cats, birds, squirrels, and even the crows. I have a strong love for crows.
Being born in the 80s, I have a love of 80s/early 90s music and film. I often incorporate this love in my novels.
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July 25, 2013
Everything Lauren Grimley! - Don't Just Read 'Em, Write 'Em
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Don’t Just Read ‘Em, Write ‘Em
Since my first two novels are little more mature in the way of curse words and love scenes than YA readers are accustomed to, I was a bit stumped as to what would be an appropriate piece for Liss’s blog. Silly of me, really, considering I teach middle school. My world from late August through June is all about YA. I read the books my students love, watch their tv shows (no denying it, I’m a Pretty Little Liars fan), take notice of the latest fashion trends, and listen to their stories. And they have plenty of great stories. They just need to get out there and tell them.
So this post is for the YA reader (of any age, really) who’s ever finished a great book and thought, wow, I wish I wrote that. You can write it. Well, okay, you can’t, but you can write the next big book. S. E. Hinton published The Outsiders at sixteen. P. C. Cast coauthored the first House of Night book with her mom before she graduated college. You’re never too young (or too old, for that matter) to write. But everyone could use a few tips. Here are best ones, in my opinion, for beginning writers.
1. Read. Yeah, I know I’m sounding like your typical English teacher. There’s a reason we all say this, though: it’s true. Reading might just be your hobby now, but when you really start seeing yourself as a writer, it becomes research. You’ll find you read in a whole new way—sometimes an utterly annoying way, because focusing on how all the parts work can detract from the whole. But knowing how all the parts become the whole is a great place to start.
2. Read widely. Um, yup. I’m still on reading. It’s super important to read in the genre you want to write in. You want to know what’s already out there. You’ll want to use the commonalities of the genre as guides, yet know enough to be able to stray from the norm in order to keep things fresh. But great books pull from multiple genres and styles, and great authors read everything from Shakespeare to Stephenie Meyers. See how it was done in the past. See how it is done now. And read as much of the in-between to try to figure out how it evolved.
3. Read *ducks projectiles* and write poetry. Yes, I know, you want to write a book. We’re getting there. The reason all writers should dabble in poetry is because poems are stories boiled down to their most basic parts. Poets know the importance of every word. More novelists ought to focus their writing down to the word level. YA books in particular are typically faced-paced and fluff-free. A poet doesn’t have the luxury of throwing in extra words because they like them. In an age when readers have millions of other reading materials at their finger tips and are used to getting important information in thirty-second sound bites or hundred character tweets, novelists have also lost the luxury of adding in gratuitous description or purely character developing scenes. Besides, who doesn’t love a good sappy poem now and then.
4. Fail to plan and plan to fail. I’ve moved on to throwing corny clichés at you now. Super. I’m twisting this one though. Yes, if you really want to attempt the novel, a plan helps. That’s not to say you need to plan every chapter, and you certainly don’t need to plan it before you start. Sometimes you write your way into an idea. Go with it until you’re stumped, then sit back and plan the rest. However, as another favorite cliché goes, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. So plan to fail. Plan to not finish every story you start. Plan to finish some and then discover they are just plain awful. Plan to polish some to perfection only to have agent after agent reject them. Failure is part of life. Learn from it and move on. Just don’t stop writing.
5. Keep writing. Keep writing. Keep writing. There’s not an echo is here; I’m repeating myself intentionally. Write everyday. Blog. Write poetry. Keep a diary. Make up stories to put in your diary when your own life seems too mundane. If writers block strikes write your way out of it one awful word after another. (Eventually they’ll stop sucking and start sounding like your story again!) Write even after someone tells you that you can’t write well. Write because that person tells you that you can’t write well. Eventually you’ll write enough that something you put down is amazing. And that person who made the snide comment will finish reading it in bed one night, sigh, and say, “I wish I wrote that.”
This spring I finally realized it was time for this lover of YA everything and teacher of teens to get off her butt and start a piece appropriate for the YA audience. It’s still in the very early stages. But I’m including the teaser and a link to my website where I’ve put up a draft of the first chapter as a sneak peek!
All That Glitters
by Lauren Grimley
It’s every girl’s dream to have any boy she desires fall at her feet—to have the golden touch with guys.
For Zoe August it’s not a dream; it’s her nightmarish reality. Infatuation is fun while it lasts, but she’s learning real love hurts—possibly even kills.
When Zoe’s latest ex disappears just days after leaving her heartbroken, she begins to fear she’s somehow responsible. She’s not the only one with questions. Kiran O’Rourke has moved into town after his mother’s sudden death with his mind set on more than just mourning. Their separate searches soon set them on the same path, entangling their lives and endangering them both. They will soon discover that all that glitters isn’t gold.
To read chapter 1 visit: http://www.laurengrimley.com/Other_Projects.html
For those of you looking for a completed YA piece, I do have a short story from the Alex Crocker series featuring a middle school character that’s available on Amazon for just 99¢.
Unknown
by Lauren Grimley
Middle school is supposed to bite. Middle schoolers aren’t.
Alex simply wanted to do a favor for a friend while taking a much-needed reprieve from her far-from-average life and returning temporarily to her teaching position. Torie was just trying to trudge through another day of middle school surrounded by naïve peers who had no idea what she was to become. Neither teacher nor student expected to glance across a classroom of normal human teenagers and into the face of their enemy. Neither Seer nor Knower could have understood how their gifts would leave them second-guessing everything they’d been taught to believe about the other side.
Unforeseen (Alex Crocker series, book 1)
Teaser:
Alex was quite sure gifted was a term delusional parents applied to their strictly average children, vampires were gorgeous dead guys in her eighth-grade girls’ novels, and Seers was a middle schooler’s misspelling of a department store known for power tools. Teachers, however, don’t know everything–it’s Alex’s turn to be educated.
Running alone the night before school ends, Alex is violently attacked. Regaining consciousness, she finds herself in the home of the Rectinatti Regan, the leader of one of two covens of vampires battling nightly on the streets of her city. If that discovery wasn’t enough to make her think she’d gone insane, she realizes she’s sensing the emotions of another of the vampires as strongly as she feels her own. Discovering these creatures have the answers to what she is and why she was attacked, she decides she wants to stay, despite knowing it is a dangerous, possibly deadly desire.
Purchase links for Unforeseen, book 1:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Unforeseen-Lauren-Grimley/dp/1623750210/ref=tmm_pap_title_0
Author Bio:
Lauren Grimley lives in central Massachusetts where she grew up, but her heart is on the beaches of Cape Cod where she spends as much of her time as possible. After graduating from Boston University she became a middle school English teacher. She now balances writing, reading, and correcting, all with a cat on her lap and a glass of red wine close by.
Unforeseen, the first novel in the Alex Crocker Seer series, was Lauren’s debut novel, and she’s thrilled to be continuing the series with Unveiled. To learn more about her or her writing or to connect with her online visit her website at www.laurengrimley.com
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July 24, 2013
A Brand New Ending with S.A. Rolls
Next on the BBF Tour…
S.A. Rolls, author of A Brand New Ending.
Check out the interview and the excerpt below and pick up the novel today!
Where is the weirdest place you found inspiration?
The whole inspiration for my novel is sort of weird. A few years back I had watched a documentary called The Bridge and it was just about people committing suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. Let’s just say it stuck with me for a very long time.
Who is your favorite character from one of your novels?
I would have to say Rain (from A Brand New Ending) She has had quite a hard life and yet she still see’s the good in everything and everyone. I admire her outlook on life.
Who is your favorite character ever! And why?
So I just now read the series Vampire Academy and completely fell in love with Dimitri. He is everything you would want in a fictional boyfriend and more! He blew all my other fictional boyfriends out of the water. He was loyal, loving and caring but knew when to be stern and persuasive. He is just the definition of perfect.
Self publish or traditional? Why?
I decided to do self-publishing. Writing this novel was a personal goal of mine and I really wasn’t expecting to get the wonderful feedback that I have been getting!
If you have a spouse/partner, do they read your work? How do they react?
My family has read my novel but my boyfriend hasn’t. I’m not sure it’s his cup of tea but I think I would be incredibly nervous if he did.
Wind up and short Pitch your book to the audience
A girl who’s given up. A boy who desperately wants to show her that her life is worth living. But does she want to be saved?
What is your current WIP?
I am currently working on my second novel, which at the moment is still untitled. Most of my stories/novels are based on real life issues. This one deals with the affect bullying has on teens.
What do you do when you need a spark of creativity?
I usually just go to the internet. There are tons of sites that are great for inspiration. It can be anything from song lyrics, a photograph or a certain quote.
What time of day is best for your writing?
I almost always write at night, which is usually an inconvenience since I have to get up early for work!
What is your favorite mythical creature?
Probably a typical answer, but vampires.
Title: A Brand New Ending
Synopsis: “Phoenix Harper never imagined her life would come to this: A life not worth living anymore.
After a failed suicide attempt, Phoenix is sent to be observed at a local psychiatric hospital. There she meets Braeden Harris, a hospital aide with his own haunting past.
Not long after their first encounter, they feel an unexplainable pull towards one another. Will fate bring them together, or will outside forces tear them apart?”
Book Except:
“I don’t want to go anywhere, Braeden. Wherever you are is where I want to be.”
I think my heart does a back flip. “You have no idea how happy that makes me, hearing you say that.”
She gives me a sly smile, her fingers playing in and around mine.
“Can’t describe how amazing this feels,” she speaks. “I’ve never had anyone care for me like you do.”
“That’s a shame,” I respond quickly. “You deserve so much more than that.”
“Do I?”
I lean over her so that our faces are close but I make sure to do it gently, afraid that she might retreat from my touch.
“Yes,” I say softly as our eyes are locked on each other.
We hold our position and I can tell she is nervous, but I want her to make the first move. I made the mistake of pushing it on her the first time and I won’t be doing that again. I can feel the heat of her breath on my face, its oddly intoxicating. But I hold still. I start to count the number of my heartbeats when I suddenly feel force against my lips. I hold back the smile, my hand coming up to cup her cheek. I start to move my lips against her, the waves of ecstasy flowing through my body. After a second, her lips start to move in unison with mine. I’ve kissed lots of women, but it’s never felt quite like this. I don’t know how long it lasts, but I refrain from sticking my tongue in her mouth, fearing that may be too much. I then swear I feel her moan in my mouth, and it’s the most incredible fucking turn on I have ever heard in my life. She must have realized it too considering she pulled her lips off mine, her hands coming up to her mouth.
Connect with the Author
Twitter: @SARolls
Purchase Links:
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The Battle for Princess Madeline - Interview with Kirstin Pullioff
Sit down and enjoy a fun interview with Kirstin Pullioff, Author of The Battle for Princess Madeline
Who is your favorite character from one of your novels?
I really enjoyed creating Princess Madeline. I wanted to make her as relateable as possible, recognizing that even though she is a princess, she is a real person. It was important to balance the hard and soft qualities of her, showing her strength with vulnerability, her stubbornness with intelligence and her defiance with creativity.
If you had a super power, what would it be?
That is an easy for me. I would fly. 
Self publish or traditional? Why?
I am actually a combination of the two. My first book, The Escape of Princess Madeline is published by an indie press, Caliburn Books. My second, The Battle for Princess Madeline is self-published. When I began pursuing my career as a writer, I did not even know about self-publishing. I queried and queried until I found a publisher who wanted my book. With the second, there was a problem with timelines, and I wanted to get the sequel out sooner, so I went the self-published route. I have been lucky, and have been blessed with positive experiences in both. Self-publishing comes with extra work in terms of formatting, editing, and marketing, but there is a great reward in all that too.
If you have a spouse/partner, do they read your work? How do they react?
My husband does get to read my work, but usually after I have gone through it a few times, and after the beta readers. I like to give him a cleaner book to look at. I value his opinions and critiques, which he has a lot of , so I try and wait until the book is closer to complete before letting him read.
What is your favorite mythical creature?
This is a toss up between a unicorn and a dragon. There is something truly magical about the unicorn… a very uplifting and positive animal. But then there are dragons. You can’t get more powerful and impressive than a dragon. I suppose it depends on my mood.
What is your current WIP?
Currently I am working on the third and final book in the Princess Madeline series, Princess Madeline and the Dragon, set to release this winter. It is currently in its first stage of editing. While that is in other people’s hands, I have begun working on a Fallen Fable short story collection, and am plugging away at a historical romance.
What do you do when you need a spark of creativity?
For me, when I need a break, or a new spark of creativity, I go for a walk. There is something therapeutic about being outside in nature, letting the wind blow through my hair, and letting my thoughts fade away. After I find myself letting go, I usually have a flood of new ideas.
In your current novel, who would play the leads if Hollywood came calling?
How fun!!!! Here is my cast for the main characters in The Battle for Princess Madeline:
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Princess Madeline – Emily Rossum.
Knight Daniel – Jared Padalecki
Prince Braden – Liam Hemsworth
King Theodore – Carey Elwes
Prince Paulsen – Cillian Murphy
Sophia – Emma Stone
Wizard, Emmett – Adam Brody
Star Wars or Star Trek….or both?
Will you think me a complete dork if I tell you both! I am a total trekkie, and Star Wars fan. Although I am specific about the ones I like… I LOVED Star Trek:TNG and Star Wars (episodes 4-6)…but if you want to know the truth, I am an even more Battle Star Galactica fan.
What habit do you have that annoys those around you most?
I absolutely love Pandora… and since I have two young kids, it is constantly on the Disney radio channel… but the annoying part has to be how I have to sing along to every song!
About the Author:
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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.
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
Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/author/kirstinpulioff
GIVEAWAY TIME!
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July 23, 2013
Mything You (Heroes of Greece) by Greta Buckle
Here’s an excerpt to give you a taste of the magic!
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Blurb:
He wasn’t looking for love. He only wanted to prove he was worthy of being a king’s son.
Adventurer Theseus had dreamed of meeting his father, King Aegeus. As Theseus journeys to Athens, he meets his match in strength along the way. But is it the will of a beautiful young princess that puts this strong young man finally at his mercy? Or will he be able to conquer the princess’s heart?
She had settled for a life of unhappiness and believed a man who would love her for herself was only in her dreams.
Princess Ari has followed her father’s dictates all her life. On her way to meet her bridegroom, she is attacked. Saved by a handsome adventurer, Theseus, she tempts fate and follows him on his journey to Athens. Being with Theseus opens up a whole new world of opportunity for her. But will she allow her heart or loyal duty choose her life for her?
Excerpt:
Theseus’ entire body must have been made in the nectar of desire because she wished to bury herself in his arms. And he didn’t stop her from running to him. She jumped when a crash cracked through the air. Blinking, unsure of what happened, her body became rigid. Theseus pulled her into his arms and onto the ground seconds before the giant flew over the pair of them.
He took his hand off her head. He had protected her. Again.
Staring up at him stirred something unique inside her that she never believed could happen to her. She’d seen the plays and the tragedy that love caused, but never understood temptation. The fire in her belly burned into every part of her body from his smoldering eyes. He looked down at her as he cradled her in his arms. “That was Sinus. I don’t think he’ll kill anyone else ever again.”
“He won’t. How do you know his name?”
“He’s the reason I chose this path when I was fifteen. I had planned to prove my courage to my father, and take out the biggest villain on the road.”
“Check that off the list of goals then.” she said. “Good job.”
She continued to embrace Theseus, making her body tingle from crazy stirrings. What would he taste like? She’d die a happy death if he put his lips on hers. My, what was she thinking?
“I never believed you’d be here, or that my goal in that moment would turn to protecting you.” he said, pulling her closer.
She shook off her desires. She needed to let him go. She focused on logic instead of the male body in front of her. “I don’t know what to say. Today has been the craziest day.”
“It’s the middle of the night, little one.”
“You’re right. I don’t know what’s happening to me anymore. Theseus, this never happens to me.”
“What doesn’t happen to you?” he asked, smiling.
“I don’t know.”
He played with her hair, and straightened her clothes. “Your innocence and desire are a siren’s call to me, Ari, and you don’t have a clue, do you?”
“Who’s Ari?” She half expected to be disappointed with whatever he would say.
“You are. It fits you much better than Ariadne. Ari trembles for me.”
She licked her lips, wanting to kiss him. But she couldn’t. Theseus embodied a man out of her dreams.
She looked away thinking of what waited for her when her father’s men found her. “I don’t know my bridegroom. I’ve only ever known my duty.”
Theseus’ body tensed. “You’re betrothed?”
“I never agreed. The bride price, I’m told, paid for my father’s upgrade to the artillery. In the morning or someday soon, I’ll be found. But…can you do me one last favor?”
“What, little one?” His arms grew warm again, tightening around her. She dared for a different life, where she lived with a chance of walking next to him in life. Letting him go and going back to the life her father chose sounded cold and dreary. She couldn’t, not yet.
“Kiss me, Theseus, just once.”
Taking a step closer to him, she looked into his mesmerizing eyes. His strong hands framed her face, his fingers circled her mouth and his eyes darkened with tenderness. When he leaned into her, her eyelids fluttered shut. His light pressure sweetly opened her mouth.
Her secret wish had come true. The prison walls in Ariadne’s heart disappeared in her soul, and today Ari’s lips ached.
He bent his head close. Then, she felt his strong lips on hers, and she lost control.
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About the Author:
Victoria Pinder writing as Greta Buckle grew up in Irish Catholic Boston before moving to the Miami sun. She’s worked in engineering, then became a lawyer. After realizing she hates clients, she became a high school teacher. Teaching is fun, but writing is a passion. She wrote one hundred and one fan fiction stories online before deciding to transition into writing her own stories. Never ask her to republish her fan stories from age eleven- horribly written stories of princesses. Victoria dreams of writing professionally, where her barista can make her coffee and a walk on the beach, can motivate her tales. Theseus story came to her when she was a freshman in high school as her English teacher, the nun, told her how life was hard and tragedy teaches lessons. In 2013, she stopped indy publishing because she sold four novels to small presses and she’s super happy about this. Victoria’s love of writing has kept her centered and focused. How is she crazy? The voices in her head are characters in novels and she’s not insane.
Visit Victoria Pinder online at:
Twitter
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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July 22, 2013
A Date with Danielle Shipely... And a Few Other Characters
First on the Blogger Book Fair Tour is an author interview with Danielle Shipely. She brought with her a few characters of her own. Enjoy the fun!
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Who is your favorite character from one of your novels?
Including those as yet unpublished?
“It would have to,” points out Sigmund, the eponymous Swan Prince of the first of my Wilderhark Tales. “As yet, you haven’t published any novels; only a novella.”
“Suppose only published works count,” chimes in Sula, The Swan Prince’s female lead. “Who would you choose as favorite from our book?”
Well, no offense to you two – (who am I kidding? Sula’s about to be totally offended) – but I’d have to say Villem.
Doctor Villem Deere nods in gracious acknowledgment, while Sula harrumphs in displeasure. “Do you care to go into why?” he asks. “Or do you prefer to pace yourself? There’s still the rest of the interview to drive up Sula’s temper.”
I can answer it in brief: It’s because you possess the wisdom and imperturbability I lack – at barely more than twenty years, no less. It’s darn unfair of you, and that’s the kind of unfair I respect.
If you had a super power, what would it be?
I would love to have Mystique’s power. (From Marvel’s X-Men, for those who don’t know.) She can shape-shift to look like absolutely anyone, and even perfectly match their voices. Being able to look and sound like my characters would rock my world!
“Characters like Villem?” Sula asks sourly.
I was actually thinking more along the line of my minstrels from stories yet to launch. Oh, man, to sing like Allyn-a-Dale… It would be bliss.
Self publish or traditional? Why?
I’m going the self pub route with The Swan Prince and its sequels because I want complete control over its follow-up series, the Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale trilogy (coming … sometime after I’ve finished The Wilderhark Tales!). I’m also happily anticipating the March release of my debut novel, Inspired, through J. Taylor Publishing, because there’s something to be said for having a team at your back to give your book the best chance you all know how. It’s early in the game for me to know for sure which route I’ll ultimately like best, so I’m waiting on time to tell.
What is your favorite mythical creature?
I wanna say the kraken.
Sigmund gives me a slant ways look. “Why in world do you want to say that? In a fictional universe of horned and winged horses, spectacular hybrids, fay and jinni, dragons and vampires… why an oversize squid?”
Some have accused me of having a weird thing for tentacles. There may or may not be truth to that; and if there is, we can blame Pirates of the Caribbean 2. All I know is, it’s fun to say, “Release the kraken!”
Wind up and short Pitch your book to the audience!
Oh, goody – the official Swan Prince pitch is short:
Catching her leg in a bear trap proves the least of Sula’s worries. Haunted by an enchanted monster from a past she dare not reveal, and hounded by the perilously perceptive young village doctor, Villem Deere, the headstrong girl of the woods gambles with fate by binding hers to that of Sigmund, the captivating orphan boy with mysterious nightly business of his own.
What is your current WIP?
I’m dedicating my Camp NaNoWriMo July to completing my biggest project to date. It’s a reduction of The First Series I Ever Wrote 2.0 into one massive dark fantasy family saga. I’ve got parts 1 and 3 pretty solid; now it’s just a matter of cleaning up part 2 and linking it all together. I’m curious to see what my readers will think of the book; it’s a huge departure from my quick and much lighter-hearted Wilderhark Tales.
“You might have gone darker with our stories, if you wished,” Villem notes. “Fairytales have some grisly roots.”
True enough. But I’m not really one to go either wholly dark or wholly light. I like a lively mix of comedy and tragedy. It’s all just a matter of which side will gain the upper hand in any given work o’ mine.
What do you do when you need a spark of creativity?
So far, it seems one of the best methods is to brush my teeth. As soon as I’m busy at the sink, bam, all of a sudden I’ve got all these words in my head, demanding to be typed out verbatim. Where were all these bright ideas when I was at the laptop three minutes ago?!
“Sounds as if your muse has a sense of humor,” says Sigmund.
“Sounds as if her creative faculties benefit from changes in scene in stimuli,” says Villem.
“Sounds as if some people can’t just let a person enjoy their flight of fancy,” Sula snips at Villem.
My money’s on a bit of all three.
Is there anyone you would like to write into your next novel, so you can plot their demise?
“Yes,” says Sula.
So much for Sula’s authorial aspirations. As for me, no. If I hate a person that much, I doubt I’ll be much tempted to spend my writing time with them. It’s supposed to be my happy place.
What time of day is best for your writing?
The beginning and the end. I like to get started in the morning, so I don’t feel as if I’m somehow putting it off like a chore. Bedtime, on the other hand, is a chore I’m often glad to put off in favor of slaving away on the page.
In your current novel, who would play the leads if Hollywood came calling?
Ooh, could Sula be played by Jennifer Lawrence? I’d love to pal around on the set with J-Law. And Skandar Keynes can have my vote for Sigmund. As for Villem… nobody jumps to mind for him. I’m surprised names came so easily for the first two, actually; I usually struggle with any attempt to match actors to my characters. If any of The Swan Prince’s readers have any ideas, I’d be interested to hear about it!
What habit do you have that annoys those around you?
Well, gang?
“She writes us into horrendous situations and then wants to socialize with us after, like nothing happened,” Sula volunteers. “Or worse: She makes us talk about our experiences, with the not-so-secret hope that somebody will burst into tears!”
I am known to do that, I admit.
“The unwanted therapy sessions don’t rub me contrary as much as the bouts of pointless silliness,” says Villem. “Talking us through our issues has proven worthwhile to parties on both sides of her unlicensed psychoanalyst’s couch. Rowdy games of Truth-or-Dare, on the other hand…”
Those may have been worth something, too! …Possibly.
“Perhaps I should be most annoyed that you’ve never expressed an interest in watching me weep or dance around naked,” Sigmund says blandly.
Consider yourself invited. Always room for one more at the party. Bring a dish to pass.
Where is the weirdest place you found inspiration?
I’m pretty sure my own head is the weirdest place I’ve ever been.
Connect with Danielle E. Shipley
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Danielle E. Shipley’s first novelettes told the everyday misadventures of wacky kids like herself. …Or so she thought. Unbeknownst to them all, half of her characters were actually closeted elves, dwarves, fairies, or some combination thereof. When it all came to light, Danielle did the sensible thing: Packed up and moved to Fantasy Land, where daily rent is the low, low price of her heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, firstborn child, sanity, and words; lots of them. She’s also been known to spend short bursts of time in the real-life Chicago area with the parents who home schooled her and the two little sisters who keep her humble. When she’s not living the highs and lows of writing young adult novels, she’s probably blogging about it atwww.EverOnWord.wordpress.com.
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July 21, 2013
Last Free Day!
My novel is free on Amazon today. Grab a copy before the sequel comes out in October!
Also looking for honest reviews for Amazon. If you are interested grab a copy today!
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July 19, 2013
The Goat Ate My Shirt!
Too close! Too Close!
I swerve to miss hitting grandma in her slow moving red Corvette and swear! Ugh! It’s Monday; I just spilled coffee on my white shirt and I’m late. What else could go wrong?
Thunder cracks and I cringe, I take it back! I turn off the highway toward my office and pull in just as my phone beeps a message. I scan the email from my boss.
Need someone to collect the paper work from the Sandberg Farm. Be a doll and get it.
I roll my eyes at the term ‘doll’ and back out of my parking space. The farm is thirty minutes away but I don’t really mind the trip. I’m sure I can swing by my apartment and swap shirts before I go back to the office without notice. The farm comes into view thirty minutes and several Taylor Swift songs later. The stain seems less noticeable in the brightness of the sun. Old man Sandberg looks up and motions me into the goat pen. Great! I swap my Jimmy Cho shoes for a pair of Nikes before I trudge through the dust and the gate. He smiles, wipes his hands on his overalls and hands me an envelope. I shake out the documents making sure each page is signed in the designated areas. He seems pretty chipper for a guy who’s losing his farm to the bank.
“Missed one, Sir,” I say as I pull a pen from my pocket and point to the clearly marked sticky note.
“Sorry, Ma’am, my eyes aren’t as good as they used to be,” he says reaching for the pen. He take a grip but loses it. The pen sticks into the soft ground and a goat starts to take a bite. I swiftly stoop and try to retrieve the pen front the animal’s mouth without actually touching him. He sniffs my shirt and lets go of the pen. A second later he’s chomping on my shirt, his lips slurping at the coffee stain.
“Hey! Don’t eat my shirt!” Too late, he rips a hole and munches it down. Another curious goat take a quick bite at my sleeve. “That part doesn’t even taste like coffee!” I complain.
“Coffee, these fellas love coffee!” the old man chortles.
I keep struggling to rise but the sea of goat lips nibble their way across my shirt until I’m wearing a tattered button down shirt with one sleeve missing and my midriff showing. The old man reaches down and pulls me up from the herd.
“Go on git, you can’t eat the whole thing I just feed you!” he says.
“Thanks. I know it’s hard to help me when I’m essentially taking all of this away from you.”
“It’s never hard to help another human being. But I’m sure gonna miss this place. I wish I had more time,” he says on a sigh.
I pat his arm, pull the documents from the envelope and drop them on the ground. The goats go nuts.
“Oops, I guess the foreclosure will have to wait until I can get new documents. You’ll have 30 days to review and sign them. I’ll see you in a few weeks.” I smile and make my way back through the gate. I’m sure the next time I go to collect, the documents will have a huge coffee stain on them.
p.s. the goat in this picture was taking from the farm of Carl Sandburg, a famous author. His wife raised prize winning goats and this one got very close!
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BBF IS COMING NEXT WEEK - BLOGGER BOOK FAIR
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The Next Very Important Step
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July 18, 2013
Making Hot Ice - Chapter 21 - Beyond Pacifica
Photo credit: Christoph_Bauer / Foter / CC BY-SA
Del jammed the keys into the ignition and turned it. The truck stalled as she tried again and again. Miguel grabbed a rusty crowbar from the floor of the truck, whacked the steering column and turned the key again. It caught and Del shoved the truck into first scattering the natives around them. She threw the clutch into second and soon they left the angry natives behind, throwing spears and cursing in a sort of Spanish.
“What was that all about?” Del asked.
“It was about breakfast,” Miguel said as he pulled two hot pita like cakes from his jacket. He broke off a piece and handed it to Del as she drove. She took a bite and had to admit it was better than the protein bars.
“So why did they take your friend,” Miguel asked, settling in with his feet propped up on the dash and a smug grin on is face.
“The captain thinks my friend is a mermaid,” Del said.
Miguel nearly choked on his bread. He swallowed a mouthful and broke into laughter.
“You don’t believe in mermaids?” she asked.
“No! I think the Captain has gone loco!” he chuckled again.
“Well believe it or not, that’s what the captain thinks. I can’t image what they might be doing to him but either way I need to get him out of there.”
“Where will you go after you get your friend?” Miguel asked.
“I’m not sure, I think America. I’m looking for someone who can help me get home and I think I’ll find my answers there,” she said. She looked over at Miguel who had gone silent. She saw the cogs working in his head.
“What?” she asked.
“Maybe you can take me and Pedro too?” he asked. “We got nobody here maybe we can find a better place for Pedro and I could get a better job and I could be with my brother. We won’t be any trouble, I’ll take care of him I swear!” Miguel pleaded.
“Miguel, I’m not even sure how I’m going to get to America much less with two kids.” She saw the light dim in his eyes and sadness cloud his face. “But, I’ll think about it,” she added. She saw instant relief. “So how many times have you been to the factory,” she asked.
“Once. They needed an extra hand unloading equipment.”
“So any ideas on how we can get in without being spotted,?” Del asked.
“The factory is in the jungle. There are plenty of trees around we can climb to get to the roof. It’s so isolated their guards don’t do perimeter checks often. We could get to the roof and squeeze through a vent,” he said. He finished his bread and settled back to watch the road. When they got close, he sent her left through the trees and they hid the truck with large branches. Del followed as Miguel led the way through dense jungle fauna until she spotted the facility. It looked like an old research facility that had been abandoned decades ago.
“It looks deserted,” Del observed.
“Yeah, that’s what they want you to believe. The outside looks that way on purpose to keep people away. The inside is high tech and new. Come on.”
Miguel led them around the side to a group of trees whose branches hung over the rooftop. Del followed along as he shimmied up a large tree and stepped from branch to branch until they were on the roof. He jimmied loose an air vent with a pocket knife and slid inside. Del followed through the ventilation shaft until they came to an open area where workers worked at stations processing, dividing and packaging drugs.
“What are they making?” Del asked.
“Hot ice,” Miguel said.
“What?”
“Crystal Meth. They distribute all over but they also buy and sell guns. The captain said…” Miguel broke off his hushed dialogue.
“Said what? Miguel,” Del called. He didn’t answer her but stared through the grate and the workers below. Del followed his gaze and sucked in a sharp breath. A small boy sat on a high stool at one of the tables, meticulously measuring the rocks of meth before sliding them into tiny baggies to be sealed by a much older man who sat beside him. The small boy paused to create a design with the rocks before the man slapped him and made him continue measuring. Del’s anger boiled just below the surface and then it hit her. She looked back at Miguel, his face streaked with tears.
“Pedro,” Del whispered.
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Making Hot Ice - Chapter 21 - Beyond Pacifica
Mingling Myths and Monsters with Mortals
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