Serenity Valle's Blog, page 5
October 26, 2013
My Next Book is Coming Soon!
My upcoming book is now on Goodreads! Please add it to your TBR list! (link in comments) If you haven’t read the first book (The Fantastical Life of Serenity: A collection of short stories about what could be… but not quite is), please also add it to your TBR. The first book is currently available for eReaders and on paperback (autographed copies are available on my blog). The second book’s expected pub date is November 19! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18718994-the-fantastical-life-of-serenity
Also, I’m looking for some bloggers willing to help me promote my upcoming book The Fantastical Life of Serenity: Epilogue! You can interview me, post the cover and blurb… I’m up for suggestions as well. Help an Indie out? Just contact me on FB (http://www.facebook.com/author.serenityvalle) if you’re interested in helping! Thanks!
October 16, 2013
Author Interview: Amber Skye Forbes
Q: So, tell the readers a bit about you.
I am currently attending Augusta State University for a degree in Middle Education with a concentration in English–though I am probably going to change this and either go into creative writing or literature. I want to be a private tutor, freelance editor, and writer when I graduate, so being a teacher is no longer a palatable option for me. I also enjoy ballet, reading, and video games, and I work a part-time job as a marketing trainee for Southern Siding, which is really just a fancy term.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for your book, When Stars Die? How did you come up with the name of it?
When Stars Die doesn’t have one point of inspiration. I simply came up with a ‘what-if’ scenario. I knew I wanted to write about witches and convents. The ‘what-if’ part comes in when I began to ask myself what made certain people witches and others not, and what happened to witches when they died. Did they go to heaven, hell, or just disappear for good? I was obsessed with witches as a child, and I enjoyed learning about the Salem Witch Trials because the whole hysteria interested me, so that naturally transferred to my book.
As for the title, there is a part in my book where Amelia is ruminating about what happens to stars when they die. She likes to believe they leave a lasting impact, and that is what she ultimately wants to do. She wants to die leaving something behind, and she wants to make a difference.
Q: What is your favourite colour? (This must be read in a British accent a-la Monty Python)
My favorite color is blue, although I am having difficulties saying it in a comical British accent.
Q: Do you have any special rituals or quirks when writing? Special foods or drinks? Troll doll on the desk/Etc.
I don’t have any special rituals at all. I know, that makes me seem a bit boring, but I don’t need any rituals. I simply need motivation, and I’m good to go.
Q: What was the easiest part about writing When Stars Die?
The easiest part about writing is the actual writing.
Q: What was the hardest part?
The hardest part is the revising and trying to let people know that my darn book exists.
Q: Do you like bacon?
Of course! Who doesn’t like bacon?
Q: How long have you been writing, or wanting to write and when did you actually write your first story?
I have been writing seriously for 9 years, but I have known that I wanted to be an author since I was eight years old. I wrote my first story at eight–novella, actually–and it was a cross between Spyro and The Magic Treehouse, so it was essentially fanfiction. I wrote my first novel at ten, and so it was the first original piece of writing that I did.
Q: Do you have a favourite character from your book/books? If so, who and why?
I really like Amelia, and not just because she’s the main character. I like her because she is determined and fiercely loyal. She is also very introspective, so she really thinks about her actions and what consequences will occur as a result of whatever she does.
Q: Are you working on anything else right now? If so, can you tell us anything about it?
I am working on the sequel to When Stars Die, called Stars Will Rise, and I am really taking into consideration some of the criticism I have received for WSD to revise SWR. I REALLY want the second book to be much better than the first, so I am taking into consideration what I think my readers will want to happen. I also have a contemporary fantasy currently baking in the oven, so I don’t know when I’ll get back to that. I have also been outlining a contemporary literary YA book that I’m probably going to seek a literary agent for, while still publishing with AEC Stellar. Both the contemporary literary and contemporary fantasy deal with mental illness.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to tell the readers of this interview?
When Stars Die is available for pre-order on Amazon! It officially comes out on the 22nd of October.
Find Amber’s blog here:
http://amberskyeforbes.wordpress.com
Amber on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/AmberSkyeForbes
Love & Books,
~Serenity
October 13, 2013
Order your autographed copy of The Fantastical Life of Serenity!
I have added an Autographed Copies tab at the top of the blog which you can now use to order an autographed copy of my book (and later, my other books).
Check it out!
Love & Books,
~Serenity
October 3, 2013
Author Interview- Sorin Suciu
Q: So, tell the readers a bit about you.
A: Oh, my… I think I can do “a bit,” if only because “a bit” is the most there is about me. Let’s see, I’m thirty-two, people tell me I have a wizard name, and ten years ago I spoke just enough English to hum (but not understand) Queen songs without making a total fool of myself.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for your book, The Scriptlings? How did you come up with the name of it?
A: There were many things that led to it, including a quote from Richard Dawkins, my passion for computer games, and a series of recurring goat jokes that I shared with my cousin for well over fifteen years.
As for the name, the word “scriptling” is completely made up, and it refers to a magician apprentice. It is formed from the root “script” (as in computer script) and the suffix “–ling”, used here to suggest a sense of belonging.
Q: What is your favourite colour? (This must be read in a British accent a-la Monty Python)
A: #65A1F0. You can Google it 
Q: Do you have any special rituals or quirks when writing? Special foods or drinks? Troll doll on the desk/Etc.
A: Well, to be honest, there’s nothing spectacular about it. I keep a clean desk, and a cup of tea at hand when I write. Sometimes I indulge in a little bit of music, provided it is the wordless kind (classical, Vangelis, Jean Michelle Jarre, Michael Oldfield…).
I used to have a small clay statuette of a golem, bought from Prague, but I don’t know what happened to it after I fed him an electric shaver instructions manual.
Q: What was the easiest part about writing The Scriptlings?
A: Writing dialogue. And that’s exactly why you will find plenty of it. I actually think I went so far with allowing characters to define themselves through dialogue, that you’ll find it pretty hard to discover any other kind of character development device in the book.
Q: What was the hardest part?
A: Coming to an end. In fact, I think I may have forced the end to come a little sooner than it should have, but the book would have been 20K words longer if not for that.
Q: Do you like bacon?
A: Bacon is the reason I’m no longer a 100% vegetarian. I think we should make bacon an honorary vegetable.
Q: How long have you been writing, or wanting to write and when did you actually write your first story?
A: I’ve been pretending to write “professionally” for a while now. My first novel-sized story, Cambridge Troll was the perfect playground for all the DON’Ts of writing; and while I think I might recycle some of the ideas and characters, I don’t think it will ever get published. Unless I become so famous that even a “bootleg” edition will sell millions of copies.
Q: Do you have a favourite character from your book/books? If so, who and why?
A: It’s a very close call between Merkin and Stapley. Both of them are extremely fun to write and they have very strong voices. But if I had to choose, then I’ll probably go with Stapley, who is a magical personal assistant, bearing a completely accidental resemblance to Microsoft’s Office Assistant – Clippy, while acting a lot like P.G. Woodehouse’s Jeeves. He is loyal, obsequious to the point of being annoying, full of hidden talents and, all in all, the best friend you could ask for.
Q: Are you working on anything else right now? If so, can you tell us anything about it?
A: I started blogging, which is an interesting experience to say the least. Other than that, I’m gathering material for a sequel to The Scriptlings, called The Masters, and for a standalone novel, tentatively titled Son of Neither.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to tell the readers of this interview?
A: Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to pay a visit to www.sorinsuciu.com and, if you feel in a particularly generous mood, even subscribe. I’ll try to make it worthwhile. Really.
It sounds really interesting! Pick up your copy-it came out Sept 22 so it is available NOW!- and sound off in the comments what you thought about it!
Love & Books,
~Serenity
September 27, 2013
Serenity Valle’s 1,300 Likes Giveaway!
That’s right! Thanks to you all, I have just over 1,300 likes on my facebook page! http://www.facebook.com/author.serenityvalle (PLEASE go LIKE my page if you haven’t already!)
Since 13 is my lucky number, I am putting on a 1,300 likes giveaway!
For the next two weeks, I will be taking submissions by email at serenity.valle@yahoo.com
Here’s how you enter:
Write me an email with 1300 Likes as the subject, in the body of the email, tell me:
1. Which of the stories in The Fantastical Life of Serenity was your favourite?
2. Why was that story your favourite?
3. What is your favourite quote and/or scene from that story?
All participants who include all 3 items will be entered! Winner will be chosen randomly.
Contest starts NOW and runs through midnight on October 11! If you haven’t yet read the book, click the “BOOKS” tab at the top of this page for links to buy! (If you are looking at a page other than wordpress, go to http://serenityvalleauthor.wordpress.com to find the “BOOKS” tab). The prize is a promo pack AND a surprise Limited Edition item.
Love & Books,
~Serenity
September 1, 2013
Cover Reveal! Dusk by Heather Kirchhoff
Summary from Heather about her book, to be released in late September!
Seventeen-year-old Meagan Nevels is a powerful witch. After her village burnt down, taking Meagan’s mom with it, she had to flee with her aunt into an unknown world. Now they’re among unsuspecting humans, trying to fit in. A prophecy strikes her, taking Meagan’s breath away as she’s told that she’ll fall in love with a human. Meagan knows that she can’t let that happen or else her secret might get out and take her and her aunt down, but she’s caught in a desire to be with him. Can Meagan break what she feels for him or will all hell break lose?
August 20, 2013
MATTER OF RESISTANCE Release-check this book out!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Heather Lucie Hebert
Contract Manager
(504) 256-6495
heather.hebert@aecstellar.com
FORMER ROCKET SCIENTIST TO PUBLISH NEW SCI-FI BOOK ABOUT EARTH’S COLONIZATION OF MARS
(August 14, 2013–Tullahoma, TN) Raymond Vogel is a rocket scientist-turned-writer who worked as a systems engineer on NASA’s Orion Program. His science fiction imagining, MATTER OF RESISTANCE (AEC Stellar Publishing Inc., August 22, 2013), pushes technology and human nature to the limits as it chronicles our Mars settlement’s struggle for independence from Earth.
Born into a world of political tension, the book’s central character, Isaac, is one of the brightest members of the upcoming Martian generation. With a number of his peers and a curious, new element known as Magnematter, Isaac builds on the technologies of the past to accomplish previously impossible feats. But he will soon have to weigh the continued defense of Mars against a devastating attack on Earth, as he struggles to hold on to his childhood values in the midst of conflict and loss.
Though MATTER OF RESISTANCE was written for young adults, it’s received high praise and recommendations from top minds throughout the field. Here’s what the experts are saying:
MICHAEL DAWSON, Retired NASA Senior Executive Service and Associate Director for the Stennis Space Center; Retired USAF Colonel and Mission Support Group Commander; General Manager at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility:
“Adding real science to its fiction, Matter of Resistance gives an eerily accurate portrayal of where we may find ourselves one day. With great character interactions and the use of believable technology advancements to solve intractable problems, it kept my attention until the last page.”
COLONEL ROSS NUNN, USAF Retired; former Commander of the Air Force Astronautics Lab, and early proponent of antimatter and fusion-based propulsion research:
“Picked up the book to read the first chapter – didn’t put it down until I finished the entire book. Captivating, suspense-filled reading, beginning to end. The interplay of human tendencies for domination coupled with the sense of caring for our fellow man was gripping.”
MARK CANTRELL, PhD, Materials and Processes, Senior Staff, NASA’s Orion Program:
“A really interesting story that examines space travel within the possibilities of today’s technology and in the context of natural human drives. A balance between technology, the drive for independence of a colony, the drive to make profit by a company, and the natural good found in people in both worlds. The story is interesting, fun to read and makes you think. I loved this story. I recommend it.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Today, Raymond is the owner AEC Stellar Publishing, Inc. – a small, new publishing company with stellar ambitions. He lives in Tennessee, trying desperately with his wife to keep up with their three daughters and their active imaginations. 
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Matter of Resistance by Raymond Vogel
- AEC Stellar Publishing Inc. – ISBN-10: 0989312836
- Price: $13.49 ISBN-13: 978-0989312837
- Pub Date: August 2013 – Pages: 318, Paperback, 8.3 x 5.8
www.facebook.com/pages/Matter-Of-Resistance/310794192269581
August 19, 2013
Interview with Arleigh Bison Westunlied
Interview with Arleigh Bison Westunlied.
GREAT INTERVIEW by Kristin Mazzola!
via Interview with Arleigh Bison Westunlied.
August 14, 2013
Two Author Interviews of mine posting today!
Up online RIGHT NOW is Lily Byrnes’ interview with me: http://lilybyrne.wordpress.com/
Later today (8 PM), Kristen Hope Mazzola will be posting an interview with me as well! http://khmazzola.wordpress.com/
Please check them out!
Also, don’t forget to check The Fantastical Life of Serenity before my second book comes out! ♥ you all!
August 7, 2013
C & D Editing Author Appreciation and Giveaway Event!
C & D Editing Author Appreciation and Giveaway Event!
(Click the post title go to event page)
Where: Online on Facebook!
When: Saturday August 10, 2013
Purpose of this event: To promote these amazing authors and exploit their unbelievable talent! These authors are from all different genres and are coming together for the first time to share their work.
Who is participating? The women of C&D Editing (Alizon Duckwall, Kris Campbell and Serenity Valle)…
…with Special Guests:
Cody Carpenter (paranormal)
Heather London (ya paranormal and na contemporary)
Heidi Acosta (ya contemporary)
J.A. Templeton (ya/na contemporary) aka Julia Templeton (Romance and Historical Romance)
Jessica Sorensen (ya/na paranormal and contemporary)
Jessie Lane (paranormal and suspense)
K.A. Young (paranormal)
KaSonndra Leigh (ya/na paranormal and adult contemporary)
Kristin R. Campbell (ya paranormal)
L.M. Trio (na contemporary)
M.S. Brannon (contemporary)
Pamela Ann (romance)
Raen Smith (suspense)
Rebecca Ethington (paranormal)
Serenity Valle (contemporary)
Authors have been gracious enough to donate signed books, ebooks and lots of goodies for the event.
Follow this link for the rafflecopters!!!
http://cdediting.weebly.com/author-appreciation-rafflecopters.html
