Sage Nestler's Blog, page 68
June 8, 2016
Scarlett Epstein Hates it Here by Anna Breslaw – 3/5
Title: Scarlett Epstein Hates it Here
Author: Anna Breslaw
Rating: 3/5
Genre: Teen/Young Adult Contemporary
Synopsis:
“Meet Scarlett Epstein, BNF (Big Name Fan) in her online community of fanfiction writers, world-class nobody at Melville High. Her best (read: only) IRL friends are Avery, a painfully shy and annoyingly attractive bookworm, and Ruth, her pot-smoking, possibly insane seventy-three-year-old neighbor.
When Scarlett’s beloved TV show is canceled and her longtime crush, Gideon, is sucked out of her orbit and into the dark and distant world of Populars, Scarlett turns to the fanfic message boards for comfort. This time, though, her subjects aren’t the swoon-worthy stars of her fave series—they’re the real-life kids from her high school. Scarlett never considers what might happen if they were to find out what she truly thinks about them…until a dramatic series of events exposes a very different reality than Scarlett’s stories, forever transforming her approach to relationships—both online and off.”
Review:
What confused me about this book was that I ate it right up because the writing was so witty and enjoyable, but after finishing the book I began to realize that the storyline was not complex enough and how the female protagonist was rather unlikable.
Now, there are young adult books that don’t connect to the audience whatsoever, and then there are young adult books that try too hard to connect to the audience and end up overdoing it. This book is that of the latter, if you can’t tell from the words used in the synopsis already.
It is true that author Anna Breslaw did connect well to the teenage fanfiction community, because this community is a huge part of today’s teenagers’ lives. But while her writing was witty and hysterical at times, I found that the main character was too self-absorbed and saw herself as better than those around her. She even judged her “in real life” friends frequently, which forced me to continue to stray from liking her. In general I do not like people who look down upon others, and not being able to escape that type of person in literature disappointed me. I found Scarlett to demonstrate the “hipster” type that so many people dislike, and even if she does come off as a stereotype, I still couldn’t find myself liking her; however, I am aware that I am well above the desired age of this book’s audience, and I do think that if I were a child in middle school today I would have found this book enjoyable. I remember connecting to books like this before I reached the age of the main characters, because I idolized them. But from an adult perspective, I found Scarlett to be obnoxious and unaware of the world going on around her. She looked down on people her age, and this hypocritical nature is not good for people her age who will be reading this book. I wouldn’t want to feel like a character in a book, or an author, is looking down upon me, and if I were Scarlett’s age and reading this book I think that I would feel insulted.
Overall, Breslaw’s tone and writing style is genius. She keeps you wanting to read more, and I absolutely loved her dry sense of humor; however, her protagonist was unlikable and I felt that her writing seemed to look down upon her audience, rather than connect with them. I don’t recommend this book for the older audiences, but I do think that middle schoolers will benefit the most from this book when compared to other audience ages.
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June 7, 2016
Don’t You Dare Let Anyone Take Away Your Story
Hello Everyone,
I have been working with a lot of authors lately who have just been breaking my heart, and I felt it necessary that I wrote an inspirational post to try and counteract what I have been hearing.
So many times in today’s harsh writing market, authors are torn apart and treated as lesser if their story is not something that a certain reader or critic likes, and this leaves the author feeling as though they are lesser of a person or an artist. Well, I say that is bull shit, because every author deserves to love their writing and their stories, and don’t you dare let anyone take that away from you.
It is true that many times writing is seen as more of a business than an art, but I don’t think that is right. As a writer, you don’t need to try and prove to anyone that you are good at what you do or that your imagination is valid. Remember why you started writing in the first place, and I can almost guarantee that it wasn’t to try and prove yourself to anyone. More often than not, you started writing for yourself and the pleasure that it brought you. Your story is valid, your story is art, and no one can EVER take that piece of your soul away from you. Sometimes readers forget that books ARE a piece of an author’s soul, and by criticizing the story in a negative light that isn’t helpful but damaging, they are emotionally wounding the author.
Therefore, my point with this post is to remind all of you authors out there that you are important and that your stories ARE vital. Everyone may not love your book, but you aren’t writing for everyone. You are writing for that one person who feels alone and turns to books for comfort. You are writing for that one person when they come across your book and find that it filled a hole within them after reading it. But more importantly, you are writing for yourself and the void inside of you that writing fills. Writing is therapy, your stories are golden, and don’t you ever let any one person tell you that your writing or story doesn’t matter; because they do. They matter to me.
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June 6, 2016
Because I Love You by Tori Rigby – 3/5
Title: Because I Love You
Author: Tori Rigby
Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
“Eight weeks after sixteen-year-old Andie Hamilton gives her virginity to her best friend, “the stick” says she’s pregnant.
Her friends treat her like she’s carrying the plague, her classmates torture and ridicule her, and the boy she thought loved her doesn’t even care. Afraid to experience the next seven months alone, she turns to her ex-boyfriend, Neil Donaghue, a dark-haired, blue-eyed player. With him, she finds comfort and the support she desperately needs to make the hardest decision of her life: whether or not to keep the baby.
Then a tragic accident leads Andie to discover Neil’s keeping a secret that could dramatically alter their lives, and she’s forced to make a choice. But after hearing her son’s heartbeat for the first time, she doesn’t know how she’ll ever be able to let go.”
Review:
If I had to use one word to describe this book, it would be this: stereotypical.
Now, I know that this novel was well intentioned. The author was adopted herself, and she wrote a story about a teenage girl who gives up her baby for adoption; HOWEVER, I can’t count how many times I have heard a story about a skinny, blonde haired, blue eyed, cheerleader who gets pregnant at sixteen. But to put a cherry on top of that story, she gets impregnated by a football player who happens to be her best friend! Not to mention the fact that they were both supposedly virgins before they slept together. It is true that getting pregnant the first time that you have sex is possible, but does it have to happen in every teen pregnancy story out there? When reading this book, I felt that I already knew what was going to happen and it is not good when a reader knows what will happen in a novel before they get past the first chapter.
However, I am certain that Tori Rigby’s writing is experienced and beautiful. Her similes and metaphors are poetic, and it was clear to me that she was a talented author from the first chapter; but in terms of story her writing was lacking. This was a shame, because the story put a damper on the writing skills that she does possess. Based on the story itself, I felt as though any writer could come up with the plot, and I wouldn’t have been able to pinpoint the author had I been asked to guess who they were. If she had strayed farther away from the stereotype that is seemingly set in stone when it comes to teen pregnancy, I would have enjoyed this novel much more. I didn’t feel close Andie, the main character, because I felt that she was too perfect and whiny a lot of the time, and that is what started my disconnect with the novel. Andie seemed as though she were more immature than her peers, and I felt it strange that she found such a bond with a guy she had dated for only a month two years before the story took place. The realistic qualities of this novel were off, and I wound up disappointed once I finished the last page. I didn’t believe the characters or the story like I should have in this contemporary young adult genre, and I did wind up disappointed.
That being said, I was only able to give this novel a 3/5 star rating. I think that Rigby would better excel at adult fiction because I didn’t feel that she was able to grasp contemporary teenagers properly and realistically; but I do still hope that she continues to write. I did genuinely enjoy her descriptions and the way she painted the scenes in her novel, but I hope that she chooses to write elsewhere because I don’t think that the young adult genre gave her justice as an author. She has the necessary talent of a successful author, but her work wound up in the wrong place.
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Weekly Update – 06/06/2016 – 06/12/2016
Hello Everyone!
This week I will be reviewing:
Tangled Web by L.W. Tichy
Against the Reign by Dove Winters
This is also a reminder that JUNE 10 is the last day to subscribe to receive your June Historical Fiction Go Indie Now! Box! Starting JUNE 11, you can start subscribing to receive the July Indie Pride Box. Since July 1 is Indie Pride Day, we are celebrating by including TWO books in the July box under Science – Fiction and a Twisted Tales theme. Each book will have its own mental vacation, which means that each book will come with bonus content, a scent pack, playlist, touchable item, related recipe, and an art print. However, if you subscribe to the $20+shipping plan you will only be receiving the Twisted Tales themed book, and you will not be receiving the touchable item. You will only be receiving the scent pack, bonus content, playlist, related recipe, and art print, which will all give you a full mental vacation but in a smaller box. Please take this into consideration! If you are already described, you don’t need to subscribe again. Your account will renew on the first, but the deadline for everyone else to order is July 1. This is because I need to order one of the items in bulk, and I need a specific head count to make sure that I order enough and that they will come in time. All packages will be shipped on the 20th of each month, or earlier if possible.
We also have a specific new email for the Go Indie Now! Box. Since I have so much to do, I have hired someone to handle Go Indie Now! emails to help me with the response load. This means that all of your emails about the Go Indie Now! Box should be addressed to goindienowbox@gmail.com. If any emails about the box are scent to my review email, they will be forwarded to the box email. If you need specific information I will reply to the messages, but all others will be responded to by my assistant.
Thank you everyone for your support, and I hope you have a great week!
Much love,
Ashley
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IF BOOK REQUEST WEBSITE IS DOWN EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
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June 5, 2016
Author Interview with Brittany Willows
Today’s interview is with one of my favorite indie authors of all time, Brittany Willows! Brittany contacted me a few months ago to review her novel, The Calypsis Project, and since then it has become one of my favorite books. I wasn’t into science fiction very much before I read her novel, but it completely converted me. She knows how to create remarkable worlds and has a full grasp on them so that the reader doesn’t ever get confused. That being said, I am so happy to know her and her work and am excited for you to meet her as well!
Basic Author Questions
1) What is the first memory you have of writing?
I think the first time I actually wrote a story was when I was around eleven or twelve. And funnily enough, what I wrote was the very first version of my current series. It was vastly different back then, though. Much more fantasy than science fiction, and the characters were supposed to be some sort of wingless dragons in a world devoid of humans.
2) Which authors inspire you, and why?
Greg Bear, Joseph Staten, Jay Kristoff. All are brilliant writers in their own right, with unique but equally intriguing styles. I love the way Greg Bear describes everything with such grandeur. I love Joseph Staten’s world building and attention to detail. And I love Jay Kristoff’s characters, his dialogue. All of them have helped shape my own style over the years, and I am so thankful to have found their books. They absolutely brilliant.
3) What is your favorite genre to read, and why?
Science fiction, hands down. I’ve always been intrigued by space, and I really enjoy reading about the fictional worlds and technology and creatures people come up with. Post-apocalyptic is a close second for the survival aspect and the fact that they are very character-centric stories for the most part,. And I especially love when the two genres are mixed.
4) What is your favorite genre to write, and why?
Science fiction/post-apocalyptic again, and for pretty much the same reasons as above. I enjoy building worlds, creating new species, and playing with fancy technology. But I also love destroying those worlds, throwing characters into the hear of the disaster, and seeing how they fight their way out of it.
5) What are you currently working on?
First and foremost, the sequel to my debut novel: The Calypsis Project. It’s currently in its second round of edits (which I am very nearly finished), and will soon be off to the beta readers. However, on-and-off while I’ve been working on that, I’ve also been tinkering with a prequel novel set a few decades prior to the main storyline.
Questions regarding “The Calypsis Project
1) How did you get the idea for “The Calypsis Project”?
From the Halo games, initially. I got into the series when I was seven. After the second game came out when I was around nine, I became so enthralled by the story and the characters that I decided to craft my own fictional universe. It started out as a video game idea and grew from there. Eventually, I realized that was perhaps a little too ambitious for a then-preteen me and decided to take it down the novel route instead. Between then and now, it has changed a lot. I’ve read a lot more, played a lot more games, and learned from all of those stories. They’ve definitely helped to shape the story for the better.
2) Why did you choose to make the novel about war?
More than anything, I think that simply stems from the original video game idea. I played a lot of shooters and war-based RPGs as a kid. Still do. And those games have also contained some of my favorite stories, which greatly influenced the storyteller in me. Plus, who doesn’t like aliens and space battles? ;D
3) How many books are you planning to have in this series?
Quite a few! The number has actually grown a fair bit recently. The Echo-Alpha duology (the main storyline) consists of two books. I also have two other novels planned, a series of short stories, and a couple of novellas. So readers can expect much more from this headworld in the future!
4) How did you come up with the physical characteristics for your alien race in the novel?
A 3D animated cartoon called Dragon Booster served as my initial inspiration for their designs. They started out as wingless, quadrupedal dragons. From there, their designs just kind of grew on their own—evolved as I developed the story.
5) How long did you work on “The Calypsis Project” and form the idea for it?
I actually just hit my ten year anniversary of working on the project in June last year! I started it all the way back in 2005, when I was just a kid. It’s come a long way since then, and there were many times where I almost gave up on it, but I was determined to get it out in one form or another. So in 2011, I sat my butt down to work on the novel, and at the end of 2013, it finally hit the digital shelves. And I can’t tell you how awesome it feels to have it published. It’s amazing, and the response has been so rewarding.
I’m definitely looking forward to where this ride takes me next!
Brittany can be found at the following links:
Her deviant art page has a lot of art that she created for her novel, and they are absolutely beautiful! They help the reader picture the characters and the story better.
I hope that you enjoyed her interview and are interested in her reading her work! I can’t wait for the sequel to come out, and I am sure that it will be just as amazing as the first.
The Crown of Stones: Magic Price by C.L. Schneider 4/5
Title: The Crown of Stones: Magic Price
Author: C.L Schneider
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
Ian Troy is one of the Shinree, a fallen people with an inherent addiction to magic. Scorned and reviled for the deadly side of their spells, the Shinree are bred as slaves. Their magic is suppressed by drugs and used only as it serves the purposes of the other races. Descended from a long line of soldiers, Ian is conscripted into the Rellan army and made to fight in their longstanding conflict against the ruthless Langorian invaders. The downfall of Rella imminent, Ian goes against orders and turns to the Crown of Stones, an ancient Shinree relic of untold power. Ignorant of its true purpose, Ian uses the crown to end the war, and pays a terrible price. A decade later, still tortured by the aftermath of that day, Ian lives as a bounty hunter in self-imposed exile. Having renounced his magical heritage, he curbs his obsession with a steady stream of wine and regret. He struggles to put it all behind him, until a fateful encounter with a pretty assassin brings Ian’s past crashing into the present. Targeted by a rogue Shinree, and a ruthless old enemy, Ian is forced to use magic again. His deadly addiction is rekindled and his life of isolation is brought to a swift end. With the land he gave up everything to protect once more in jeopardy, and his people’s future at stake, Ian becomes embroiled in a violent race for control of the Crown of Stones. To save the realms and those he cares for, Ian must embrace the thing he fears most: his own power.
Review:
This book is one of the most original fantasy novels that I have ever read, and I was completely taken aback by the very adult aspects of the story. I don’t know why I expected this novel to be geared more towards the young adult genre, but I was excited to find that the author didn’t hold back any reins and let the sexiness and violence come out in the best possible way.
One of the most unique things that I found about this book was that C.L Schneider made it so that magical people are seen as lesser beings. In so many other books, magical beings are described as better than anyone else, but this wasn’t the case with this novel and I appreciated that. In Schneider’s world, magical people are lowly because their power is too strong and destructive, and I thought this was a wonderful contemporary view. I also liked how the non-magical characters in the story could manipulate the power that the magical characters had and take it for themselves. This was an interesting take on slavery, and it forced me to create a new perspective.
But as I continued to read on, I found that Schneider described the feeling of magic within a magical being as pleasurable and it was one of the most shocking things that I have read. However, I felt that her descriptions were beautiful and even in her more adult scenes the writing was not too graphic. One great example of this is:
“Pleasure came next, penetrating the pain, fusing with it until I couldn’t tell one from the other. Together they overran my nerves, sweeping over me and through me,stroking and stimulating the smallest, darkest parts of my soul.”
Her writing is poetic, and when I read her book I felt as though I were listening to a beautiful song that sped up at times and took it slow at others. Schneider is a wizard with her words, and she manipulated them like a true professional.
The only reason I didn’t give this novel a 5 star rating was because I felt that the story was at times choppy and some characters were seen as disposable, which made me question their importance in the story. But overall, I loved the originality of the book and I can’t wait to read the next two books in the series. Schneider has put together a strong and original world, and it was like a fresh of breath air to read something that wasn’t similar to anything else I have read. I loved this wild mix of sex, violence, and power and appreciated the far-fetched ways it related to today’s society.
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A Note About Reviews
Hello everyone,
I wanted to let you know that I am FULL in terms of e-book reviews. If all of my e-books that I need to review were in the physical form, they would look like the photo representing this post. That means that I am full all the way through next October for e-book reviews.
HOWEVER, I will still take review requests, but I will only accept your request if you are willing to send a paperback copy. Since I review paperback copies FIRST, this means that you will get a review much faster than if you send the e-book. I love you all, but I need to add this requirement to make sure I don’t drown in too much work!
Please still feel free to fill out the review form, but know that if you state that you can’t send a paperback copy I will have to decline your request. Thank you for your understanding! I just don’t want anyone getting upset that a review for their book is taking too long, so this is just a safety feature.
Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form
IF BOOK REQUEST WEBSITE IS DOWN EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
SIGN UP FOR GO INDIE NOW! MONTHLY BOOK BOX: Go Indie Now!
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*Donations are more than welcome and help me to keep my reviews and marketing services free. Please help me to keep my blog going! All donations will receive a gift.*
June 4, 2016
Author Interview -Nelson Pyles
Today’s featured author is Nelson Pyles! He is the author of Everything Here Is A Nightmare, which is a very intriguing collection of his writings that I had the pleasure of reading. Check out the interview that I had with him below, and be sure to snag his book on Amazon!
Author Questions
What is the first memory you have of writing?
The first memory I have of writing was trying to write the third story for Star Wars right after watching The Empire Strikes Back. I didn’t think I could wait three years for the sequel. It was fun to write-horrible, but fun. I was always an avid reader as a kid and the more I read, the more I wrote. The first solid story I wrote was in sixth grade. I wrote a decent murder mystery for my teacher. It wasn’t hard to solve the mystery; it was only eight pages long.
2) Which authors inspire you, and why?
This will sound very cliché, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Stephen King, but in 1980 when I was in fourth grade, you couldn’t escape him. You can’t escape him now, but that isn’t a bad thing. He’s good. He’s really that good. He was the most prolific author by the end of the 20th century and he’s still going strong. He was also a gateway author for me. In his nonfiction book Danse Macabre, I discovered Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Richard Matheson and the great Harlan Ellison. I do have to add Mark Twain and Joe R. Lansdale as well. Joe is so versatile and his writing continues to amaze me. He refuses to limit his work to any one thing and I think it’s important. I write mostly horror, but I love reading and writing in other genres as well. Limiting yourself to one thing is dangerous to your creativity I think and it also helps your writing in general.
3) What is your favorite genre to read, and why?
I’d say horror, but just because I mostly write in that genre, doesn’t mean it’s all I read. I love all fiction and I read everything I can grab. No real specific genre honestly. As long as it has soul t it, I’m going to devour it. I learned as I began to write more, that it is important to read as much as you can even if it is in a genre you normally wouldn’t read. Romance novels, for example. I’ve read a bunch of those believe it or not. I never unwind with a good book. I get riled up. It makes me want to attack the keyboard.
4) What is your favorite genre to write, and why?
I’ve always considered myself a horror writer, but I’ve started leaning on the “speculative fiction” label as of late. That being said, I love to write scary, horrific things. I enjoy building likeable characters and then just tossing the worst thing I can think of in front of them. It’s slightly sadistic, of course, but it’s also a lot of fun.
5) What are you currently working on?
I’m currently editing my second novel and working two others. It’s been a lot of work thus far, editing being the least fun part of the process. That being said, there are much worse things that will happen in my life. Being an author is a lot of work that I absolutely adore. It’s a lot of work and so completely worth it. I’m also in the middle of recording with the band Novus for our second album. That should be out towards the end of the year.
Questions Concerning “Everything Here Is A Nightmare”
1) I also love introductions and notes inserted into books! What do you want your readers to get out of your notes and your introduction?
Hopefully they get a little insight into what goes on in the process of writing. I’m always fascinated by how other writers get their ‘machine’ to work. I love stories about stories! The introductions are a part of that as well. I had asked Paul Michael Anderson to write the introduction to the book for a bunch of reasons. He’s a really great writer and editor, but he’s also my friend. What I didn’t tell him was why I asked him specifically to write an introduction. Paul’s probably done more for my writing than almost anyone else I can think of and that’s because he’s honest. I’d send him something and he’d tell me in great length why it didn’t work. That kind of insight is damn near impossible to get, much less from someone who claims to like you. It’s the best thing a writer can get.
2) The first book I thought of when reading this novel was “Nightmares and Dreamscapes” by Stephen King, which you happen to mention! Was this anthology of his part of your inspiration for your collection?
“Nightmares and Dreamscapes” was invaluable to me as a guide to putting this together. Of all of his collections, that one for some reason was the most fun for me. At the end of the day, I want my readers to really enjoy reading my stuff, thus the notes after the stories. I just loved the way his book had been structured and went for that same vibe. Since my favorite work by King has always been his short stories, I’d say it was for sure an inspiration. These days, its very cliché to claim King as an influence and an inspiration, but it doesn’t make it any less true. I wave the King flag high and proud.
3) Why did you choose “Everything Here is a Nightmare” as a title?
I worked for a company that had a very bad work environment. No one was happy, everyone hated it and through that, we all had bonded. My friend Becky was standing outside on a break and I asked her how her day had been going.
“Nelson, everything here is a nightmare.”
I stopped, laughed and told her that I would use that as the title of my first short story collection. She chuckled and said “Don’t forget where you got it from,” and I haven’t.
My friend, Sydney Leigh is a really amazing author and she suggested that one of the stories should bear the title of the collection. I didn’t have one originally, but after some thought, I changed the title of a story that had the clunky title of “Love in the West with Dead Folk.” I still like that title, because it had the charm of a Lansdale story…at least I thought so, but I think “Everything Here is a Nightmare” worked better as a title for story and collection.
4) Did you write all of the short stories in the anthology at the same time, or have they been collected over years?
The collection time frame spans about 15 years total, the oldest story being “Spring in New York” which was finished right after 9/11. The most recent was written in February of last year, which was “The Moon Sees You.” Everything in between has all either appeared elsewhere or been waiting for this book I suppose. I tend to overwrite a lot the older I’ve gotten and I have a stack of stories either waiting for publication, or volume two of the next collection.
5) My personal favorite in your collection is “Monk’s Run – Pilot”, and I found it interesting that it was a script instead of a short story. Why did you choose to add this script into your short story collection?
I’m so glad you liked that one! That’s been floating around the universe without a home for a while now. It’s one of the best things I think I’ve written and the folks who had read it still ask me about it. I had written it as a TV show pilot obviously, and actually had a five season storyline attached to it. I like to try different things and different styles. I’ve always loved screenwriting and thought I’d give it a good go. The screenplay format is very structured and acts more or less as a blueprint. You don’t need to be as descriptive with the set ups, but you do need to still keep it compelling. But in the framework, there’s a bit of freedom from being overtly descriptive. A script is a guide for a director and she’ll decide what kind of room it’ll be and what kind of tone the scene will have based on how she sees the scene in her head. Small example:
The man walked through the door into the small, dimly lit room. He let the door shut behind him.
“Well,” he said, through his teeth. “I’m here.”
INT: ROOM-DIMLY LIT
Man enters through door.
MAN
Well, I’m here.
The director can add whatever she wants to this scene; delivery of the line, if the actor slams the door or lets it close, etc.
My job as a writer is to convey what I see in my head in words, but the reader ultimately is going to see what they’re going to see while they’re reading. It’s translating an idea. The script format is very sparse for set up and allows the imagination to really run wild in a different way.
I really thought it would be cool to add it to the short stories to break it up a little bit. It’s a fun, spooky idea that I have not abandoned.
You can find Nelson at his Facebook page
Thank you, Nelson, for taking the time to answer these questions with such intriguing answers, and I look forward to seeing what you do next!
June 3, 2016
Author Interview – Aliya DalRae
Today’s featured author is the wonderful Aliya DalRae, author of “Sweet Vengeance”. I am absolutely in love with her work and her as a person! She is so sweet and passionate about what she does, and I am sure that you will be able to see that through the interview I had with her below. She is also a big supporter of the Go Indie Now! box and will be featured in the coming months!
About The Author
1) What is the first memory you have of writing?
When I was a kid I used to daydream a lot. I never really put pen to paper, but every night when I went to bed, my mind would be full of all of these fantastic adventures, wonderful things I would do, amazingly brave things I would say. I’d spend hours inside my head creating scenes where I was the star, and everyone was amazed by my heroics and fearlessness. I would go to sleep with these stories running through my head. It never occurred to me to write them down. I was probably in high school before I actually started writing. Then it was poetry and prose, and more often than not musical lyrics, because of course, I was going to be a famous singer/actress someday. I was a creative kid, with a dramatic flair and no real direction.
It wasn’t until 2009 that I became serious about writing. It started as a form of therapy, to get me through some tough times, and ended up being something I truly love.
2) Which authors inspire you, and why?
This is going to be an eclectic group!
J.R. Ward, The Warden—I love that she’s fearless; she pushes the envelope with what she writes and isn’t afraid to let her characters be who they are meant to be.
I love Janet Evanovich. She’s inspired me to work the humor angle. There is nothing more satisfying to me than to read a book and have a true LOL moment. If I can give that to others, than I feel like I’ve done my job.
And Brandon Sanderson—the man is a literary genius! The worlds he creates; the imagination and the detail whether he’s writing for kids or high fantasy. He can describe something in a few words that other authors of his ilk would take pages to describe. From him I learned not to get so caught up in the color of the wall paper that I lose my readers in the process.
There are so many more. I think every author I’ve ever read has taught me something, what to do, what not to do. These three were the first to come to mind.
3) What is your favorite genre to read, and why?
Wow, that’s a toughie. I read so many different genres; it feels like whatever I’m reading at that moment is my favorite. I love anything paranormal, urban fantasy and high fantasy because in these genres anything can happen. There are no limits to what the characters can do, other than those the authors place upon them. But I also like a good murder mystery, with plain old humans committing plain old gruesome crimes. I like to try to untangle all the knots to see if I can beat the protagonist, and solve the who-done-it before he/she does. The only thing I don’t read on a regular basis is horror. Steven King’s The Boogeyman left me with a closet complex I haven’t quite gotten over.
4) What is your favorite genre to write, and why?
I’m going to have to go with Paranormal Romance. So far it’s the only thing I’ve written, so with nothing to compare it to, I’m afraid I’m a little limited. Just as with reading it, I love that the sky’s the limit as far as what the characters can do, and the world I’m able to create. I love that I can make them do anything I want as long as it doesn’t go against the rules of the world I’ve developed, and that if ever there is a question about how something could be feasible, I can just smile and say, “It was magic!”
5) What are you currently working on?
Right now I am working on the second book in the Jessica Sweet Trilogy, “Sweet Discovery.” “Sweet Vengeance” left off with a bit of a cliff-hanger, and apparently a lot of questions about a certain cat, so I’m working hard to provide some answers to these questions and more. The first draft is all but complete. I just need to add a couple of short chapters here and there and start on the major tweaking. I’m hoping to publish this one by the end of the year. Fingers crossed!
About the Book
1) Why did you choose vampires as your chosen supernatural being? Are they your favorite mythological creature?
That’s a great question! I don’t know that they are my favorite per se. If I could “date” a Super, it would probably be a Shifter of some kind (a lion, maybe?). But I guess I feel like Vampires are the most misunderstood. They have such a reputation for being evil, because of the whole blood thing, but in the end, don’t we all just want to be loved? And the more damaged the Vampire, the more rewarding it is for me, as a reader as well as a writer, to see them find that one person who can make them whole again.
2) How long did you work on the manuscript of “Sweet Vengeance” before finishing it?
I started “Sweet Vengeance” in 2009, and wrote the first draft in two months during my lunch breaks at work. I had never written anything of this magnitude before, and though I felt like it had potential, it ended up being stuffed in an electronic drawer for the next six and a half years. Occasionally, I would pull it out, read through it and make changes, but until last summer I hadn’t shared it with anyone. A friend, who had recently published a book, offered to be my guinea pig. She was calling me, texting me, and e-mailing me with daily OMGs and WTFs, insisting that I HAD to publish. I got a second opinion from another friend, with the same response. It was at that point that I got serious about cleaning it up and making it something I could be proud of.
3) How many books are you planning for the Jessica Sweet Series?
At this point Jessica’s story is a planned trilogy. I think I can do what I need to for her and Raven in three books. However, I have a title and some back story for Tas, so he has to have his own book. I’m crazy about Harrier, he definitely needs a book (if anybody could benefit from a love interest, it’s Harrier!), and there is a character introduced in the second book who most definitely needs his own book. So in this world, there will be at least six.
4) What do you hope readers will take away from your writing?
I really just want my readers to have fun. I’m under no false misconception that my work is deeply intellectual or the next “War and Peace” or “Great Expectations.” However, if people can read the book(s), laugh a little, cheer for the heroes, feel a little tug at their hearts, and smile when they think about what they’ve read? That’s really all I could ask for.
5) I felt really close to your characters when reading “Sweet Vengeance”. Do you also care for your characters as though they are real people?
First of all, I’m so glad that you connected with Raven, Jessica and the rest—that means so much to me!
My husband and I lost our only child in 2008, and writing this book was not only therapy, it was my way of giving a life to a little girl who would never have one of her own. I didn’t want to make it too real (thus the supernatural theme), but I wanted her to have adventures, and love and disappointment—all the things that you would want for, and want to protect your child from. As the story progressed (and Jessica got a little naughty—my kid would NEVER do that!!!!) the characters began to take on lives of their own. At that point something amazing happened. I found that the healing process had finally begun. These characters drew me out of a year and a half of sadness and depression. They gave me something to focus on besides my grief. So, yes. I love each and every one of them! They all hold a special place in my heart, and I look forward to making them (most of them, anyway) as happy as they’ve made me.
Go Indie Now! Romance and Erotica Subscription
Hello Everyone!
I am happy to announce that Go Indie Now! is expanding and we will have a new subscription service starting in August for a romance and erotica monthly box! This box will come with an indie romance or erotica book, a bonus content packet, a scented candle, a bath product, a related recipe, and a playlist linked to different pages and/or chapters. It will be $20+shipping a month and 10% of all sales will go to the charity we sponsor that helps women with breast cancer: Knitted Knockers. The idea of this box is to bring women a special night in each month to pamper themselves and give themselves a bit of a vacation. We believe that everyone should treat themselves at least a little bit, and this box will be specifically for that.
That being said I NOW AM ACCEPTING EROTICA BOOKS FOR REVIEW! However, I will not accept any erotica novels based off of video games, science fiction, or anything far fetched like that. I will, however, accept erotica in the genres of contemporary, fantasy, historical fiction, etc. Anyone who reaches out to me for a review for their erotica novel will be considered for the box, so keep them coming!
Thank you to everyone for your continued support with this box and my blog. My goal in the beginning was to rock the literary world by bringing indie to the spotlight, and I can already see that happening! You are all amazing.
We are also now accepting pre-orders for the romance and erotica box that will start in August! All you need to do is send an email to peachykeenreviews@gmail.com with your preferred email address, and then when the box goes live you will be sent a link to subscribe. This will allow you to secure a box before the box launches.
Much love,
Ashley
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