Xio Axelrod's Blog, page 12

Aww, it’s Roger and Bree! – Monday Morning Sassenach

Good morning , lads and lassies! It’s another day in the #droughtlander when we who are obsessed scour the interwebs for Outlander crumbs.

But, alas! We got a sweet little gem over the weekend courtesy of Brianna herself, Sophie Skelton.

(Courtesy: Sophie Skelton/Twitter)

Yes, it seems that Roger and Bree are boning up on Fraser clan history. I, for one, cannae wait to see them on my small screen. The anticipation is killing me! I think I need a dram of whisky.

What are you most looking forward to in season two?

MMS Mood: anxious

Breewatch is over! – Monday Morning Sassenach

Ladies and gents, the long wait is over. Last week, Tall Ship Productions announced the casting of Sophie Skelton as Brianna Fraser.

As soon as the news broke, I tweeted Ms. Skelton, welcoming her to the Outlander family. Because we are one, big, global family, aren’t we? And then I said your life is about to change. Because that’s also true. I hope she’s ready, ehehe.

So who is Sophie Skelton?

Sophie is a trained singer and ballet dancer and has appeared in various stage productions, including Fiddler on the Roof, Les Mis and West Side Story.  Unknown to American audiences, she has quite a few productions to her credit in the UK including Doctors, DCI Banks, Waterloo Road, Foyle’s War and Casualty — Forsaking All Others.

Fans of the books have been very opinionated about the physical attributes of each actor cast to play their favourite characters, and this has been no exception. Is she tall enough? Her hair is the wrong colour!

Have faith, people.

Lovely as a brunette, Sophie showed off her  newly-dyed red tresses for the Starz promotional photo. She’s five-feet-eight (my height, by the way lol) which may not be the sixish feet described in Diana’s novels, but it will still work. Why? Because Ron D. Moore and the gang know exactly what they’re doing. Honestly, have you been disappointed by any of their castings thus far?

I rest my case.

Mood: enamoured

FoX Friday with Falling Stars Narrator, David Otey!

Welcome to a special edition of FoX Friday! Today, I’m joined by the wonderful voice behind the Falling Stars audio book, David Otey.

Originally from Texas, David is an award-winning motivational speaker and trainer. With a background that encompasses business, technology, broadcasting, non-profit organizations, music, and theatrical performance.  Basically, he does a little bit of everything!

As soon as I heard David read a scene from Falling Stars, I knew I had to engage him to bring Sam and Val’s story to life.

As a special treat, I’m giving away five download codes for Falling Stars. All you have to do is comment below. First come, first served! Now let’s get to know the man behind the voice.

Welcome, David! Tell us, when did you first get into narration?

I started recording audiobooks last year; I had done about a dozen before Falling Stars.

Ah! So this was lucky number thirteen. Did you train for it?

Not specifically, although I’m a firm believer that every experience you have in life is training you for something. The skillset that has helped me most in narration is what I picked up many years ago in three years of oral interp (interpretation of literature) in high school. For example, it helps me to recognize immediately those important transitions between narration, description, explication, and dialogue. I also had some drama courses in college, including voice and diction, which helped.

What genre do you enjoy narrating the most?

I’m not sure I’ve tried enough yet to say. Prior to Falling Stars, I had mostly done nonfiction – which can be easier (since there’s no characters involved) but only if the book has been edited well! So far, Falling Stars is my favorite project because it is so well-written.

Wow, thank you! Very sweet of you to say that. Have you ever been contracted to read something that you disliked? (No need for specifics.

Starlight is in the world…

Three years.

That's how long it took to bring STARLIGHT to your e-reader. Three, long years.

If you didn't know, the FALLING STARS series began life on my web blog three years ago this month. What started out as something I did for fun, with no thought to publish it, quickly took on a life of its own.

When I say I had no thought toward publication, I'm not kidding. I'd never published a novel. In fact, I'd never even published a novella. I had published two books of (bad) poetry, a few short stories and a ton of fan fiction, and that's it.

Read More

It’s Release Day! Maybe.

In the last week, I’ve learned an important lesson in my journey as an author: technology is not my friend. It’s a tool, yes. A powerful one. But it doesn’t care if I finish my books or not. It doesn’t care if I spend hours and hours (literally 30 hours) making sure every little detail is perfect.

It will give me a nice, long middle finger anyway.

And so, it’s the 25th of January. A day when I thought I’d be able to breathe for a moment and celebrate the release of Starlight with you, my faithful and (hopefully) understanding readers.

That may still happen, but it’s going to be a long day.

Let see how this goes.

oxo

~Xio

FoX Friday with author Raven St. Pierre

Happy FoX Friday, my lovelies! We have a brand new FoX with us today, the immensely talented Raven. St. Pierre. I’m so excited to share this author with you.

Raven is here with her brand new release, DELIVERED. You can check out the trailer, and here’s a bit about the book:

There were three simple rules:

Be available.

Be discreet.

Don’t fall in love.

They followed them all… except one.

Kai carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, always putting the needs of others before his own. Angel is almost thirty and finds herself starting over in more ways than one. Both sought an outlet, a no-strings-attached arrangement to escape reality, but what happens when that fantasy becomes the realest thing they’ve ever felt?

DELIVERED is is a stand-alone within Raven’s Free Falling series. This contemporary, office romance features secondary characters from the bestselling saga, and you don’t have to read the rest of the books before you read this one, though I highly recommend it. What I love about Raven’s stories, aside from her fluid, vivid writing, are her characters. They’re diverse (in this case, an Asian man finds love with an African-American woman) and so real they just leap off the page. I adore stories that reflect the world we live in and prove that love is, indeed, universal.

Grab a copy of DELIVERED on Amazon, and check out the entire first chapter on Raven’s Blog.

I sat down with Raven and asked her some rather random questions, just to get a peek into her writer’s mind.

When did you decide you wanted to write for publishing? Why?

I started my first full-length in 2009. Of course I fantasized about sharing it with the masses, but did I believe it would happen? No lol. So I basically wrote GRAVITY for myself, a few family members, and my friends. However, as the series continued to grow and change and as I saw potential in the story line and characters, I decided to research self-publishing and released the first book in the series in November of 2013.

What was the first book you read that really stuck with you?

Honestly? Beloved. Not sure why, but I had to read it my senior year of high school for my English class and loved it. Part of that may be because I was a teen who enjoyed being contrary. So, while the rest of the class groaned and complained about not understanding a single thing that went on in the story, I couldn’t put it down. There was just something about that book that gripped me.

What is your favorite book-to-film(tv) adaptation? Or what book would you love to see brought to screen?

This question (or at least a question that somehow forces this admission out of me) always seems to come up lol. Twilight of course. I read it in 2009, which also happens to be the year I wrote my first book. There’s definitely a connection. I read all 4 in the series in a week and it left me with this huge, gaping hole and ALL my emotions exposed. I loved it! I hadn’t been that touched by a book… ever. I’d never read a book and felt the words like I did with that series. After that, I went on the hunt for something to feed my new addiction, but as I chased that high, I kept coming across novels that simply told a story. They didn’t tear me apart and leave my heart on the floor like Meyers was able to do. So, I decided I’d try to write one myself LOL. The end result was the Free Falling Series. Twilight definitely influenced my writing style and is the reason my work is heavily doused with emotion.

Describe your perfect writing space.

Bright, kid-free, with something to play my music on. I’m easy to please.

If you could have lunch with any author, past or present, who would it be and why?

Ugh… you’re gonna make me say it again, Xio lol. Stephanie Meyer. And I don’t mean to imply that I’m ashamed of what sparked my inspiration; it’s just that Twilight was the inspiration for so many new authors. I suppose it just conflicts with the rebellious side of my personality haha! All jokes aside, though; Meyers is great with emotive words and imagery. I’d love to just have her tell me everything she can in a one-hour sitting. That’d be awesome.

What’s your favorite word?

My favorite word would have to be “profundity”. Sounds kind of funny when you keep saying it, but it’s fun to use. Try it LOL!

[Note from Xio: that is an awesome word.]

What’s your least favorite word?

My least favorite word is… well… I suppose I don’t have one of those!

A native of the Midwest, Raven has been writing for most of her life. Dreams of becoming a full-time writer seemed afar off, but she’s ecstatic to say that dream has been realized. In addition to growing her list of completed works, she also does some writing/publishing/marketing consulting on the side. With several novels already published, she looks forward to adding many more in the years to come. If you enjoy stories told from the heart with beautifully flawed characters, then she definitely has something just for you.

Catch up with Raven on:

Amazon, her blog, on Facebook, and sign up for her newsletter. You can also follow her on Pinterest, YouTube, and on Twitter @RavenStPierre

Dragonfly In Amber – Monday Morning Sassenach

Whelp. As we inch – and I do mean inch – closer to the start of season two, there’s been a lot of talk about reading (or re-reading) Dragonfly In Amber. If you’re not familiar with the books, DIA is number two in the series. Ron D. Moore & company have said that season two of their Starz series will cover much of this beloved book.

I say beloved because, after Outlander (book 1), DIA is probably the second dearest book to die-hard fans. Or maybe third, after Voyager, but I digress.

So much happens. SO much. If you think book one/season one was a whirlwind of drama, wait until April. Or better yet, join in the massive read-a-long.

There will be changes, we’re told. More than there were in season one, if the rumours are true. There has been one major absence in terms of casting. If you were around for MMS two weeks ago, you will have noticed my mention of ‘Bree’. I won’t harp on that. (Grrrr.) Here’s what we know so far.

Most of the season will take place in Paris as Claire and Jamie attempt to undermine the Scottish uprising, thus preventing the slaughter of thousands of Scots at Culloden.
Season one ended with Claire telling Jamie that she was with child. Frances De La Tour has been cast as Mother Hildegarde, so it’s safe to say we’ll see L’Hopital des Anges. Get your tissues ready.
SPOILER ALERT [don’t read beyond this point if you haven’t read book two] Season two will also see our couple age twenty years. I, for one, am looking forward to how both Sam and Caitriona will play older Jamie and older, post-childbirth Claire. More tissues will be needed because these two actors are adept at microexpressions. I expect the changes to be subtle but heartwrenchingly beautiful.

Stanley Weber

By the way, Rik Rankin wasn’t the only hottie added to the cast for season two. Did you get a glimpse of Stanley Weber? I will love to hate his Le Compte St. Germain
Jamie’s cousin, Jared Fraser, will also make an appearance in France.
As will Black Jack’s brother, Alex. I’m actually looking forward to meeting this kinder, gentler Randall.
I’m not looking forward to meeting Jamie’s ex, Annalise de Marillac.
I am happy to know that both Rupert and Angus will return. I think we’ll nee the levity that they bring to counteract the events to come.

Tobias Menzies as Frank Randall

If you’re a fan of Tobias Menzies, you’ll be happy to know that his role as Frank Randall has been expanded from the books. I love Tobias, so I am thrilled to know he’ll be back. I’m not a fan of Frank but I’m curious to see what they’ve done with his character. Diana has signed off (for the most part) and, if she’s happy, I’m sure I will be too.
We’ll also get Fergus. We get Fergus!! He’s been cast and he is adorable. Gah! I cannot wait.

There’s a lot to look forward to come April. It can’t come soon enough, as far as I’m concerned. Then again, it gives me time to write more books. I know I’ll be preoccupied once our beloved show returns.

Bidh mi ‘gad fhaicinn!

Xio

Mood: Enthralled

FoX Friday with Susan Scott Shelley

Hey my lovelies!

Welcome to another edition of FoX Friday, the first of 2016. This time, we have a return Friend of Xio. The lovely Susan Scott Shelley is back with her brand new release, LOVE NOTES.

But before we dive into this juicy little story (rocker love, yay!) I first asked Susan to answer a few fun questions.

What’s your favourite word?

Love.  (But ostentatious, perfunctory, and inconceivable are fun to say. )

What’s your least favourite word?

Regret.  (But if we’re talking about things people say that make me cringe, then I can’t stand the phrase “back in the day”.)

Do you remember the very first thing you ever wrote? How old were you and what was it?

One of the first fiction pieces I wrote was for a group project in my anthropology class in college. It was a saga of a hunter-gatherer tribe in the Paleolithic period. The five people in my group each took a turn putting pen to page, not knowing the direction the story would take once the next writer took over. I, of course, made my section a romance, but the guy who took over after me killed off one of the characters… No love for the hunter-gatherers that day.

Is there one book you’ve read that you wish you’d written? Why?

There are so many books I’ve read that have resonated with me. For example, I can pick up anything by F. Scott Fitzgerald or Neil Gaiman, and there are so many places where description, dialogue, or narrative will make me pause and think, “wow”. I don’t necessarily wish I’d written any of their works, I just love how inspired and entertained and drawn in I am when reading them.

If you could travel back in time, what advice would you give to yourself as a new writer?

The advice I’d give myself is this: Listen to your gut and trust your own voice.

That’s great advice, Susan! Great answers too. I’m totally with you on “back in the day”. If you ever hear me use it, give me a shake.

This week officially sucks. =(

First Bowie and now Alan Rickman. My heart just can’t take anymore!

Earlier this week, I had a chance to say goodbye to a musician that helped shaped me as a songwriter, writer and person. It feels right, now, to take a moment to say goodbye to a man who inspired me as an actress and performer.

Like many others, Alan Rickman first caught my eye in Die Hard. His portrayal of Hans Gruber chilled me to the bone. Gruber was ruthless, intelligent, manipulative…and charming. He mesmerized me. Even though I was a kid, I couldn’t take my eyes off him when he was on the screen. For all of the explosions, hilarious one-liners delivered by Bruce Willis, and the sweet reconciliation love story, it was Rickman’s portrayal of Gruber that stuck with me.

Years later, I came across him again in a small British RomCom called Truly, Madly, Deeply. If you haven’t seen this film, go watch it. It’s full of little gems like this:

Didn’t know he could sing, did you? Check him out in the 2007 film Sweeney Todd. (He’s really the only thing that makes the botched adaptation worth watching, sorry Johnny Depp.)

Of course, Alan’s speaking voice was renown. His delicious, bass-baritone is instantly recognizable and was once labeled “perfect” by a 2008 study. I didn’t need a study to tell me that. His voice was as rich as dark chocolate and could melt you (or your panties), could chill you to the bone, or make you laugh. Mostly, he could make you swoon.

As sad as I am today, and this week in general, I’m grateful that Alan Rickman left behind such a body of work for us to enjoy, savour, and appreciate. Rest in peace, sir. You’ll always be Colonel Brandon to me…

Sense & Sensibility

Firsts – Romance Writers Weekly

It’s 2016, a new year! Brenda Margriet wants us to talk about Firsts. “Everyone can choose their top three first memories and write about those (they don’t have to be on the list here). Some suggestions are: First book you remember reading (or being read to you). First romance novel you fell in love with. First “big” trip (eg. out of country, out of state/province, without parents). First love/kiss. First pet. First Christmas/other holiday (eg. when you were a child, after you were married, after your first child.)”

Hopefully, you’ve hopped over here from the lovely and oh-so-talented Victoria Barbour, author of the wonderful Heart’s Ease series. I bet she had some fabulous firsts.

Since the ache of loss is still so fresh, I’ll tell you about the first time I saw David Bowie in concert – well, the first and second times – my first studio recording, and my first lyrical obsession.

Bowie had a very special relationship with my hometown, Philadelphia, PA. Back in 1974, Bowie came here to record at our famous Sigma Sound Studios. (If you’ve ever heard any of the “sound of Philadelphia” soul powerhouses of the 1970s, you’ve heard music recorded at Sigma Sound. Not to mention the fact that everyone from Aretha Franklin to Billy Joel, to Springsteen to ZZ Top recorded there.)

First #1: my professional debut was recorded there too. I was five.