Ester Lopez's Blog: Writing on the Edge of Reality, page 4

Book Takeovers

Have you ever been to a Book Takeover? Do you know what that means? Well, at one time, I didn't know either. What it means is an author gets to talk about all his or her books during a 30 minute to 1 hour time period on someone's Facebook page or Group page. We get to introduce ourselves to the group and then talk about what we write. During this crazy year, I wasn't able to go to any book signings where I would meet readers who love to read books. So, I participated in more of these

Author Hunter J. Skye

Today I’m speaking with author, Hunter J. Skye. Hello Hunter. Tell me what made you decide to become a writer?

Hi Ester. Thank you so much for having me on your blog. I write romantic urban fantasy and dark paranormal romance.

That sounds interesting.

I started writing sword and sorcery for fun in my teens, but it wasn’t until years later that I decided to become a writer. It all started when I was diagnosed with a rare REM sleep disorder that mimics the presence of other-worldly entities. In my search for a coping mechanism, I adopted a new survival plan-“when life gives you ghosts, write a ghost story.” Now that those specters are on the payroll, everyone is much happier.

Wow. Living with ghosts? I don’t think I’d want to do that. Tell me, Hunter, how long did it take to get published the first time and how did it happen?

Well, I’ve spent decades writing for pleasure, but I didn’t start querying agents and publisher’s until 2017. I joined a writing group, had my work professionally edited, entered contests and pitch events, and as a result, I got lots of nibbles and positive feedback. With all that said, I received my lucky break when an editor recommended me to a publisher. I’d just taken a pass on a contract with another publisher so I was pretty down in the dumps. But it turned out, the universe had plans for my manuscript. I fell in love with the Wild Rose Press and before I knew it, they offered me a contract. I’ve had an amazing experience with my new editor and now my debut novel, “A Glimmer of Ghosts,” which released in February of 2020. It’s book one in the Hell Gate Series and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

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Hunter, would you do anything differently the next time? If so, what would it be?

Gosh, I’m still learning so I haven’t made my list of ‘what worked and what didn’t’ yet. The only thing I can say for sure that I will do differently next time is-I will stop apologizing for the steamy elements in my books or the scary parts. I write dark and spicy paranormal. I will own that the next time around.

Good for you! What advice would you give an aspiring author?

Get out there and pitch that book! Go to pitchfests at writers’ conferences. If you can’t afford them, then tweet a handful of pitches in online twitter pitch events like #kisspit, #darkpit, #sffpit, etc. Find a pitch party for your genre and go for it. Follow up quickly if you get a nibble, but spend some serious time researching the publishers who request at the event. Most of them are great, but a few are unscrupulous and predatory. Don’t let that discourage you. The universe has a plan for your manuscript too. All you have to do is show up!

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What inspires you or influences your writing?

Music is a big influence on my writing. Having a good playlist is key! Poetry is my mental sorbet. It keeps me fresh. And movies, I always have great ideas that spin off from the story I’m watching. I get the best what-ifs while I’m chomping on popcorn in a darkened theater.

Tell me, Hunter, where can we find your book, “A Glimmer of Ghosts,” Book One in The Hell Gate Series?

It’s available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and various other dealers. https://www.amazon.com/Glimmer-Ghosts-Hell-Gate/dp/1509230041 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-glimmer-of-ghosts-hunter-j-skye/1135993941?ean=9781509230044

How long have you been writing professionally and do you write full-time or part-time?

I’ve been writing for pleasure for decades, but I didn’t start on the professional path until a few years ago. I’m very fortunate to be able to write full-time now.

That’s awesome! What do you do for fun when you aren’t writing?

That’s the problem–there are too many fun things to do! When I’m not writing, I’m bird-watching, star-gazing, ghost-hunting, studying, traveling, eating my weight in spaghetti and cracking nerdy jokes. Even with my nightmare disorder, I firmly believe that life is beautiful and fleeting and every moment is a gift.

That is cool. Where do you reside, Hunter?

I live less than a mile from the Great Dismal Swamp in coastal Virginia. On warm nights the swamp’s breath creeps across the fields and spills into my yard.

Wow. That sounds like a place with some ghost stories to tell. Do you have any appearances/book signings scheduled this year?

Thank you so much for asking. I had a lot scheduled earlier this year, but my last one was on July 10th at the Sexy & Sassy Readers’ Event in Norfolk, VA. For specifics about these events, I hope you will check out my website: http://www.hunterskye.com/. You can reach me at hunter.j.skye@gmail.com. For purchases directly from my publisher, please go to https://www.thewildrosepress.com/. I am also on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as @HunterSkyebooks. I’m also on Goodreads and Bookbub. I plan to start my paranormal literature blog, ‘The Hypnagog’ on my website. I may sneak in snippets from my paranormal investigations or tidbits from my research into sleep disorders and other altered states as well.

That sounds interesting, Hunter. Thank you so much for spending time with me.

Thank you for having me, Ester. This was loads of fun!

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The post Author Hunter J. Skye first appeared on AuthorBlogSpot.

Happy Holiday Weekend

I hope you enjoyed Chapter One of Aftermath in my last blog post. I am putting in Chapter Two today, while the book is at the editor's. I hope you enjoy this as well.Chapter TwoAll five people and the barkeep turned toward the man standing in the doorway.Keely realized that all the officers wore white flight suits with different insignias and colored bars over their left breast. This man appeared to be a lower rank, in a white uniform.���Admiral, sir,��� the man saluted. ���Sir, it appears we

Aftermath, Book 4 in The Vaedra Chronicles Series

This is my seventh attempt to post this blog. Something has been blocking my attempts. It's frustrating, to say the least, since all my efforts to finish this book have been thwarted over and over again this year. But, the good news is, I have finished the book! Yay! In fact, I'll be sending it off to the editor next week. I hope to release it in October. I even have the eBook cover finished, but I'm saving that for my Readers Group in my next newsletter. But I did promise to post a chapter. I

Writing and Learning through Corona, take 2

I recently did an article for Kristine Raymond's WordPlay Podcast. It's my take on what I learned through this period of 'time off from the world' as we know it, in the eyes of a writer/publisher. Things are different now. I'd rather they were the same, but going forward, people will be doing business differently and we must adjust to the change. It's okay to be more conscious of our cleansing habits. Social distancing is harder because we are all humans. It's natural to stand together and chat

Space Odyssey

An Odyssey is a long wandering journey or quest according to the Doubleday Dictionary. With Space in front of it, well, you get the picture, a long wandering journey through space. To me, this is the ultimate frontier, even though we have not thoroughly explored our oceans. A Water Odyssey sounds cool. Maybe I'll do a series on that at another time.��I figured my series would eventually come to an end, but I'm finding it is taking another turn. While I'm still working on book 4,

My first Podcast!

���Thanks to Kristine Raymond, I've done my first podcast with her. I had fun, but I realized after listening to it, I did all the talking. We talked about how I got started with my two series and what inspired me. If you have the time, check it out. You may be surprised.https://www.wordplaypodcast.com/2020/...

Space, The Final Frontier

I missed the last space launch but I didn't miss the significance of it. Now that NASA is working with the public sector, we may see some 'unlocked black projects' emerging as a result. I think, for the most part, these projects were hidden because of greed, power, and the sense that the American public couldn't handle the truth. In this day and age, we NEED the truth. As weird as it may be, we all seek the truth. Our government has been hiding the truth for far too long. It's time the American

Kayelle Allen

Hello everyone! Today I’m speaking with Kayelle Allen. Thanks for taking time with me Kayelle. Tell me, what made you decide to become a writer?

I‘ve wanted to write since I was a child. I’ve been writing since I could hold a crayon.

How long did it take you to get published the first time and how did it happen?

Once I decided to go for it, not long. I’d always figured I’d write once my kids got older. But then one day I turned 50 and I hadn’t done it. World-built and created backgrounds, but never finished the story. I decided to buckle down, study how to get published and go for it. My first book came out when I was 53.

Well, that’s a good age to start. Would you do anything differently the next time? If so, what?

I’d attend more sci-fi conventions, blog regularly, and I’d start a newsletter, because all those help me get to know my readers.

That’s definitely true. What advice would you give an aspiring author?

Start a newsletter even before your first book comes out. If you have no one following you, who are you going to announce it to?

Good point! So, Kayelle, who or what inspires or influences your writing?

Every author I read inspires me in some way. I read a lot of books. Watch a lot of movies. I get inspiration everywhere. My problem is having too much.

I don’t think I’ve ever had too much inspiration. Tell me what are your latest releases and when and where can we find them?

I’m about to release the fourth book in my Antonello Brothers series, “A Stolen Heart.” The other books are “At the Mercy of Her Pleasure,” “Bro,” and “For Women Only.” I also have the “Bringer of Chaos” series and several other stand alones in the overall universe.

Readers can download free books on my website and find excerpts from all books. https://kayelleallen.com They’ll also find a huge array of images of Pietas, from the “Bringer of Chaos” series. He’s portrayed by Nik Nitsvetov, a Russian Cosplayer. Please come over and check out the pictures. They are amazing!

So, Kayelle, how long have you been writing, and do you write full-time or part-time?

I’m retired so I have all day, which I love. I’ve been published since 2004.

That’s awesome and my dream as well. What do you do for fun when you aren’t writing?

I play games like Free Flow, Pyramid or Spider Solitaire, and I enjoy digital jigsaws. I find images I like and upload them to my personal program and then put them together. Half the fun is finding photos that will make good puzzles. Pixabay.com is a great source.

That sounds interesting, seeing your images as puzzles. Where do you reside?

I live in Georgia, about 45 minutes north of Atlanta.

That’s cool. A lot of things happen in Atlanta. Do you have any appearances or book signings scheduled this year? And when or where are they?

Right now, everything I’d planned has been cancelled due to the pandemic. I plan to do more next year.

The same thing happened to me Kayelle.

You can find Kayelle on her personal site at: https://kayelleallen.com and she hosts authors and books on: https://rlfblog.com which is also a great place to find new things to read. She’s hosted the blog since 2009. Readers can find her on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/kayelleallen, Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/kayelleallen.author, Pinterest at: https://www.pinterest.com/kayelleallen/ and Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/kayelleallen/

Kayelle Allen

Today, I’m helping Kayelle reveal her new book cover.

~ Cover Reveal ~ 

A Stolen Heart by Kayelle Allen

– Antonello Brothers –

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An abandoned half-human child.
An immortal warrior whose villainous past keeps him in hiding.
Two monsters in need of a family.

A Stolen Heart transports science fiction fans to the fantastic Tarthian Empire in the distant future; a wealthy but deliciously seedy corner of the galaxy. Here, powerful immortals comingle with genetically-enhanced humans and animals, aliens and androids, and secret societies are commonplace.

After rescuing a half-alien / half-human child who’s running for his life on the planet Kelthia, a glorified space pirate turned entrepreneur named Luc Saint-Cyr stumbles onto a conspiracy at the highest levels of the powerful Thieves’ Guild.

Complicating matters, the king–Luc’s immortal ex–might be involved.

As if that’s not enough, an unseen enemy is undoing every good thing Luc accomplishes.

But, when it comes time to give up the child to a family who can care for him, how will Luc bear to part with the adorable little boy who has stolen his heart?

Goodreads

A Stolen Heart, sci fi from Kayelle Allen

Want to know when this book is available? Like to have a free read before it’s out? Join one of Kayelle’s reader groups. You’ll also get free starter books right away. https://kayelleallen.com/reader-groups/

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Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She is the author of multiple books, novellas, and short stories. She’s also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she’s tenured.

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