Savannah Hendricks's Blog, page 2
October 27, 2019
What’s With All the Christmas Movies?
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I know what you’re thinking…Hallmark (not to mention Lifetime) has already started in on their Christmas movies before Halloween is even here. How can they do that? Well, they can and did and I’d like to tell you why it’s wonderful.
Hallmark and Lifetime have put out a increased number of movies throughout the year and while they are great, nothing beats a Hallmark Christmas movie. There is something to be said about the magic they create. It wraps you up in a cozy blanket and puts a smile on your face.
And the reason why they do it is also the reason why we watch, because we need these types of movies.
Christmas represents family, love, hope, friendship, joy and comfort, but not everyone is able to experience that in their day-to-day lives. Yet, thanks to Hallmark and Lifetime we can. All of us. And what is so wrong with being happy?
Nothing, nothing at all.
October 25, 2019
Author Discovery ~ Mini Interview with Krishna Udayasankar
[image error]Please welcome author Krishna Udayasankar to the blog. Her latest book, Beast, was released at the beginning of the year.
Which author do you compare your book(s)/writing style to the most?
If you mean who it is I want to be when I grow up – I suppose it’s a mix of Neil Gaiman, Isaac Asimov, Kalki Krishnamurthy…and many others. So yeah, I just named some of my favourite authors…I guess these are the authors I want to be like, there are elements of writing that I aspire to. As for who I can compare myself to – no one really. Not because I’m all that unique, but because I’m not sure I can put myself alongside giants. I’ll just stay right here and look up to them, thanks! J
What is your favorite book genre? Why?
Science Fiction and Fantasy. Because it is the most powerful genre there is, a means of questioning past, future and the status quo. Now, more than ever, with what’s going on politically and socially in many countries, SFF remains a powerful tool, a voice of dissent that needs to grow.
What is your favorite television show? Why?[image error]
I binge watch many shows (depending on who I’m crushing on at the time) and could swear by the flavor of the day. But coming to an eternal favourite, it would have to be the “Yes Minister” series, simply for its wit and wordplay.
If you could have written a popular, well-known book, what would it have been and why?
Don Quixote. Apparently, (I could be wrong) it has sold the most copies in history till date, not counting books like the Bible and The Red Book. If only I had written it, in the here and now. Imagine a book that contributes not just words but also metaphors to a language –what a powerful influence.
Having said all that, I’m not sure it’s the kind of story I’d enjoy writing or could write, so…
[image error]Using your most recent book, who would play your main character(s) in a movie?
So, my latest book is Beast – an urban fantasy thriller set in Mumbai (warning: Werelion nudity). It has been picked up by Disney/Hotstar to be made into a streaming series, so the question of who might play the main character Prithvi is all too real. And honestly, I don’t know who I’d want for the role…Hmm…Jason Momoa as werelion turned werelion hunter, anyone?
Why should your readers pick your book over a well-known author’s book?[image error]
Many reasons, but I’ll list the top three: 1. Once upon a time, well-known authors weren’t well-known; they became so because people still picked up their books. 2. Because there’s no point reading the same kind of stuff over and over and raging about why can’t books be fun and well-written at the same time, because such books do exist, along with the many invisible authors behind them. 3. It’s a good book. Since when do good books need justification? 4. Because I said three reasons, but I obviously didn’t listen. Neither do my characters. You might just enjoy meeting some of them.
What is your go-to snack?
Ummm…whiskey? Unless it’s too hot or too early in the day, in which case it’s beer. (Kids, please don’t try this at home or anywhere, really.)
You can find her on Amazon here.
[image error]Bio: Krishna Udayasankar is the author of The Aryavarta Chronicles series (Govinda, Kaurava, Kurukshetra), 3, Immortal, Objects of Affection and Beast. She lives in Singapore with her family, which includes three bookish canine children, Boozo, Zana and Maya, who are often to be found at her laptop, trying in vain to make her writing better. Krishna can be found online in the following places:
October 18, 2019
Author Discovery ~ Mini Interview with Crystal King
[image error]Please welcome the author of The Chef’s Secret. Be sure and add it to your Goodreads list!
What author do you compare your book(s)/writing style to the most?
Madeleine Miller. I strive to bring the lost history of food to life in the way that she brings the ancient myths to life.
What is your favorite book genre? Why?
I read very widely across a bunch of different genres. I really want a wonderful story to grab me, overall. But I do tend to drift toward magical realism and fantasy quite often. I love the idea of escaping into different worlds, which is also why historical fiction is so fun for me to write.
What is your favorite television show? Why?
I don’t watch much television, to be honest! When I do, I could fall way too easily into the world of binging, and I have books to write! But I do watch Dr. Who, The Magicians, and I love Stranger Things.
If you could have written a popular, well-known book, what would it have been and why?
I don’t find myself envious or jealous of books or authors like that, so this is a hard question. We can only write the books inside of us. But I would love it if my novels eventually find the success and love of say, M.F.K. Fisher’s food writing, or the fandom of Phillipa Gregory, or the popularity of books that find themselves on Reese Witherspoon’s nightstand.
Using your most recent book, who would play your main character(s) in a movie?
Kit Harrington has the look closest to what I had in mind for Giovanni in The Chef’s Secret, although he’d need to acquire an Italian accent to pull it off, I’m thinking.
Why should your readers pick your book over a well-known author’s book?[image error]
So many factors go into how publishers decide to promote their books and readers don’t realize that only 5-10% of a publisher’s catalog gets any real promotion. So many incredible books are published, even by the big houses, but don’t get the same love on the shelf as those books. By only going with what is popular, a reader is missing out on some fantastic stories that might appeal to them even more.
My books are about the unsung heroes of culinary Italy. My latest novel, The Chef’s Secret, is about the world’s first celebrity chef, Bartolomeo Scappi, whose 1570 cookbook L’Opera di Bartolomeo Scappi, was a bestselling cookbook for almost 200 years after its publication. We don’t know much about Scappi’s life, so I had a lot of fun making some of that up. It’s a mystery and a love story. Feast of Sorrow is the tale of the world’s first gourmand, Apicius, whose name is on the oldest known cookbook. He died in a totally crazy way and I wanted to tell the story of how he got there.
If a reader loves diving into the historical past, loves Italy, or loves food, they will likely find some kinship with one of my novels. The trick is to not read one when you are hungry!
What is your go-to snack?
Snack? Hmm. I don’t snack much, actually. But if I could, I’d down a bit of gelato or ice cream, every day. My go-to flavor is something with chocolate and peanut butter!
You can buy the book on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
October 14, 2019
Picture Book ~ If You Like This, Read This!
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October 12, 2019
Special Sale!
[image error]This is just a quick post to let y’all know that Grounded in January is on sale for only $2.99 for Kindle and Nook.
Plus, it’s a finalist in the romance genre for the New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards (winner announced on November 9th)
What readers are saying:
I’m not a romance reader, but I could not put this story down! ~ April on Amazon
Grounded in January is a heartwarming, down-to-earth tale that will convince you that two people, no matter how imperfect, can still find a perfect love. – Cassidy Carter, author of Love on Location from Hallmark Publishing.
I devoured this book so fast. It is so beautiful. ~ Briana on Goodreads
This fast-paced novel grabs your attention at page one and keeps it all the way to the end. This page-turner will have you flying through the pages. I highly recommend this book and I assure you that you won’t be disappointed. ~ Caroline on Goodreads
Here is the book trailer!
October 4, 2019
Author Discovery ~ Mini Interview with Ametra Rayford
[image error]Please welcome the author of Duality, a book soon to be sporting a new cover! But my lucky readers get to see the new one here.
What author do you compare your book(s)/writing style to the most?
Ira Levin. I’ve read several of his novels – a few more than once – and I love how he was able to include descriptions and set a scene for you without it feeling like a lecture and without detracting from the flow of the story. He provided a stellar example of showing and not telling. He was so good at it that it was hard to see the characters or the setting in any way other than how he wrote it. I saw the movie Rosemary’s Baby before reading the novel. The first time I read the book it felt as though the novel was an adaptation of the movie, rather than the other way around, because the movie plucked so many details from the book and brought them to life. That’s what I admire and try to emulate. I’d love it if my readers could come away with an ability to see, smell, and taste (because I tend to incorporate food here and there) the situations I toss my characters into.
What is your favorite book genre? Why?
I read a lot of different genres, but I love fantasy novels the most. From the time I was in elementary school reading mythology, to high school and stories about Merlin, before David Eddings, R.A. Salvatore, Margaret Weis, and Tracy Hickman took over in young adulthood – fantasy novels have always been something I go back to when I want to dream. I am also a huge fan of seeing how different fantasy authors craft the limitations that exist within the worlds they’ve created. I love reading about the hierarchy or power structures as they exist in a world that’s otherwise limitless.
What is your favorite television show? Why?
[image error]New cover – coming soon!
I haven’t had a lot of time lately to watch television, but my go-to show for years has been Criminal Minds. I have a deep fascination with what comprises the core of a person – what makes them tick. That’s pretty much the premise behind the show. What makes a person transcend from a normal, everyday dude to the UnSub (Unknown Subject)? I’m all over that.
If you could have written a popular, well-known book, what would it have been and why?
Well, I hope that I have written what will become a popular, well-known book. (Ha!) But, if we’re talking about the book of another author, I’d love to have written The Godfather. I am more than mildly-obsessed with mob culture. I don’t know if it’s because I grew up in Chicago and learned about Al Capone at an early age…or if it’s because I was glued to the television during the farce that became the opening of Al Capone’s vault…but, I have been in love with mafia lore since I was a child: The Godfather, Casino, Goodfellas, Hoodlum, The Making of the Mob series – all of that thrills me.
Using your most recent book, who would play your main character(s) in a movie?
Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet.
[image error]Why should your readers pick your book over a well-known author’s book?
I’m not sure that they have to. There’s plenty of room at the table, so to speak, and I’ve yet to meet someone who goes into a bookstore and comes out with only one book. With a well-known author, there’s a certain comfort level involved. You may not know the details of this particular story, but you know enough about the author’s work to have a general idea of what to expect. You don’t know what to expect from me. I am a new author, currently working on my sophomore novel, and I haven’t yet settled into a trend. My first novel combined suspense with splashes of horror and spirituality. My next novel is fantasy. My work transcends multiple genres.
What is your go-to snack?
Sunflower seeds! I can go through a ridiculous amount of them while working on a novel. I’d eat them at work if I could – shell-cracking and all.
You can follow Ametra on her:
Twitter @AlwaysAmetra
You can buy the book on Amazon.
September 30, 2019
Free Solo – A Lesson, Even if You’re Afraid of Heights
[image error]Recently, I watched the documentary, Free Solo. The story about Alex Honnold and his journey up El Capitan’s 900-meter vertical rock face at Yosemite National Park.
I hate heights. Which meant I was not able to watch every scene of the movie because I literally felt like I was falling off the couch as dizziness hit me. How could someone, such as myself, gain any insight into life after watching Free Solo? I clearly was not able to go climb a mountain.
If you’ve seen this film maybe you had the following thoughts. First, you decided to concur your fears and scale some mountains. Or, second, you felt like complete crap that you could never do something so challenging.
For me, Free Solo showcased that everyone is different, be it big differences or little differences. Your El Capitan’s 900-meter vertical rock might be finishing and submitting a manuscript. It might be getting married or having a baby. It might even be leaving your house or seeking help for an addiction. But for some, maybe it is climbing a mountain.
What else did I learn from Free Solo? I’m so happy you want to know.
The camera crew played a heavy role in the film, maybe more so than other documentaries I’ve watched. When thinking about my own El Capitan, who was my film crew? How does that affect me and my goals? My film crew are family and friends. They support me and stand in exactly the right spot to lift me up. They affect my goals by making sure I don’t give up, but if I do, they will support that as well.
September 25, 2019
In the Kitchen with Savannah
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When I think back on my childhood, I rarely spent time in the kitchen. Sure, I helped my father read a recipe, measure out the ingredients, but mostly it was a highly-UNdisguised math project. I never liked to cook or bake. Hamburger Helper or a boxed meal worked fine for me. Fast forward to married life where I did zero cooking and only limited baking (from a box) for twelve years.
But guess what happens when you get divorced and after a few months realize chicken broth and microwave dinners won’t cut it? You learn a new set of skills, and that’s just what I did. Fast forward again and even I’m not sure who created this cooking-baking monster I became. Move over Cookie Monster I have newly discovered skills!
I became what I would call a pretty-darn-tooting-great cook-baker after about a year of trial and error. So, at this point, I’ve been “In the Kitchen with Myself” for about six years now. Guess who my teacher was … ME! (Ok, okay, a little Martha Stewart and Rachel Ray). I still mess up brand new recipes, but to be honest, I prefer my meals to dining out. (Right!?! I know, I don’t believe it either, but I leave most restaurants feeling the meal could have tasted better). Two of the best things about learning this new-found hidden skill set is that I’ve created a decent amount of recipes. And second, I’ve created two original recipes (one for Grounded in January and one for another manuscript out on submission).
I’d love to hear from my readers – Is there is something you discovered about yourself that you had no idea you could master?
September 20, 2019
Author Discovery ~ Mini Interview with Cheyanne Young
[image error]Please welcome the author of The Last Wish of Sasha Cade, The Breakup Support Group, and The City of Legends trilogy. All young adult (YA) stories. At the end of the interview, you can find a blurb about The Last Wish of Sasha Cade. Be sure and add it to your Goodreads list!
P.S. Cheyanne will be at Changing Hands Bookstore, in Tempe, AZ on September 26th at 7 p.m.
What author do you compare your book(s)/writing style to the most?
I never feel quite competent enough to compare myself to other writers, but I’ve been told my writing style is similar to Sarah Dessen (swoon) and Morgan Matson (ultra swoon). My writing style is contemporary, romantic, angsty, and a little funny. (At least, my kid thinks it’s funny.)
What is your favorite book genre? Why?
I am forever a fan of YA contemporary novels. I was a teen mom who had to grow up fast. I often feel like I missed out on all the best parts of those years and that I’m kind of stuck there mentally, as an adult. Give me all the teenage angst, realistic settings, first kisses, and love stories. I am here for it.
What is your favorite television show? Why?
Oh no. I have so many. I adore dry sarcasm and humor, something that can make me laugh after a long day of bleeding my heart onto my manuscript page. For those shows, I love: Schitt’s Creek, The Office, Bob’s Burgers, Kim’s Convenience, Misfits, & Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Don’t ask me to choose one. I can’t.
If you could have written a popular, well-known book, what would it have been and why?
I would have written The Perks of Being a Wallflower because every time I read that book, it feels as though it’s speaking directly to me.
Using your most recent book, who would play your main character(s) in a movie?
Funny you should ask – The Last Wish of Sasha Cade is being made into a TV show right now! I don’t know who will be cast, (and I doubt I’ll get a say in it) but I’ve always pictured Angela Kinsey as Mrs. Cade. For Raquel, I like Kiernan Shipka. I have no idea who could play Elijah, but he better be swoony and broody and adorable. For Sasha, I would love to see Amandla Stenberg play the role.
Why should your readers pick your book over a well-known author’s book?[image error]
Well-known authors get a lot of publisher money and promotion spent on them. Their books can’t help but be found and read. Whereas, us little authors do almost all of the promotion ourselves, with our own money. To date, I’ve spent more money promoting my book than I’ve earned on it, and I do it because I believe in Sasha’s story and I want readers to love it as much as I do. So while I love (and read!) well-known books, I always go out of my way to pull one I’ve never heard of off the shelf and give it a shot. You might find your new favorite author this way.
What is your go-to snack?
Coffee. I eat once a day, and it’s usually something terrible for me. But all day I’m drinking coffee. 
September 13, 2019
Interview with Editor and Author Christina Herrera
[image error] You recently started up an editing service, what made you take the leap?
It’s something I have always wanted to do. Holding a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and serving as an intern with a publisher helped me feel more qualified.
Since you read and edit for a living when it comes time to read for fun, are you able to read without analyzing the books?
It’s hard to find a read that I truly enjoy. I’ve always been a picky reader. However, attending all those classes at university helped me look at books with a more critical eye.
What are some of your “not so well-liked” genres and why?
I am not a fan of horror stories or stories with a lot of language or graphic scenes. I believe that there are many ways to make a novel interesting–and it shouldn’t have to involve indecent content. When a novel is published, anyone is able to read it. I can’t even imagine putting out a book that wasn’t clean because I wouldn’t ever want to pollute the minds of others. Especially since children and younger teens now have access to the internet.
You live in Tennessee, what is the reading and writing community like there?
I was more involved with it while I was at university. I’d like to become more integrated into local activities, but time never seems to permit me to do that. There are local authors around, but I believe we are very few in numbers. I know there are local RWA meetings in Nashville and Atlanta. I’m about two hours from both of those locations. Someday I would love to attend one of their meetings.
Is there a book that you wished was made into a movie but has not been done?
I’d love to see my sister’s books become a movie. Her name is Cindy Ray Hale, and she’s the writer of the Destiny series.
Since you’re also a writer, is it easy to catch your own mistakes in your manuscripts?
At first, it was a struggle to edit my own work. But over time I became better at fixing whatever went wrong. I used to not be able to notice plot holes in my stories, and sometimes, I still don’t. However, I have become better over the past several years at revising, editing, and applying feedback to my work.
Do you listen to music while you edit, or do you have to have the room quiet?
I love to make YouTube playlists dedicated to the theme of each story. I have written a couple of scenes while I listened to music, but I prefer to write in a quieter environment.
Is their one genre you wish you could write in, but know it will never happen?
I started writing a fantasy with strong romantic elements a few months back. But I wrote it during a busy semester at school, so I only got through the first 40 pages or so. Sometimes it feels like it will never be finished. And yet, at the same time, I really believe that if I did finish it that it could truly be good work. Only time will tell.
You can follow and contact Christina regarding her editing services by checking out her:
Newsletter, Blog, Author Facebook Page, Editing Facebook Page, and Twitter.
