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Captain KorinaCG: Can you tell us a little about your YA series The Kingdoms Of Time and Space?
David: This is, by any measure, a truly ambitious trilogy. It is a cosmic/magical/scientific fantasy (as opposed to a YA romance, rites of passage, relationship-type series). Think ‘His Dark Materials’, ‘Mortal Engines’, ‘Lord Of The Rings’ or ‘Inkheart’. It is multi-layered with intertwining plot lines underpinning a non-stop, seat-of-the-pants adventure through time and space.
It’s really a crossover trilogy that can be read by adults as well as young adults.
here are no vampires, werewolves, sword and sorcery, elves or ghosts (although there is a very special Sun Angel - the last of his species).
Morgan Lane (15) has a superhuman memory and a gift for designing amazing 'gizmos'. Together with his tomboy friend, the Chinese American Lin Rainbow, who has the power of I-Ching prophecy; and their pet orangutan Winston he is catapulted into a cosmic adventure across the multiverse to the dimension where time and space are one.
Storyline: Book one - Kingdom Of The Nanosaurs
Several staggering events happen on Earth at the same time (but not by chance).
At Cambridge University in the UK Morgan’s Nobel Prize winning father perfects a microbe that will eat pollution and reverse climate change.
A comet named Cygnus Hyperbole heralds an amazing event: the sudden disappearance of all animal life on Earth. Imagine waking up to find no more birdsong, no fish, no pets, no domestic animals, nothing!
And a crazed scientist, Marius Natzler, has been stealing Morgan’s father’s work to create a new form of ‘animal’ life - nanosaurs -(think dinosaurs created by nanotechnology): perfumed dogs, air sharks, flying cats, monstrous spiders and Taurus - a seventeen feet tall minotaur. Ironically, these nanosaurs will replace the real animal kingdom with the slogan ‘Who needs real animals anyway?’ And nanosaurs will not be man’s best friend but mankind’s gaolers.
But, unknown to anyone, something even more terrifying is approaching the Earth. The planet has been protected for millennia by a galactic beam but now is moving away from its influence allowing cosmic parasites called The Shadix to plan an invasion that will herald the end of life on Earth as we know it. The Shadix must wait until the Earth is fully out of the beam’s influence before unleashing their full power but can appear on Earth as shadow forms that suck people into oblivion. They are also able enter and control just one human being - and that human being is Marius Natzler. And that means The Shadix will control the nanosaurs.
But the Earth also has other protectors. The mysterious Guardians (who occupy a breath propelled starship deep inside Mount Everest and have been seen occasionally as Yeti and who caused the animals to vanish) choose Morgan Lane to memorise 'The Cosmic Algorithm', the key to all creation. Morgan must protect the 'Cosmic Algorithm and super microbe at all costs. If Marius Natzler/The Shadix capture ‘The Cosmic Algorithm’ and the microbe they will fully enslave the Earth, reverse climate change and Natzler will rule the planet.
Morgan’s quest is to take ‘The Cosmic Algorithm’ to the edge of the known universe where time and space are one and reprogram the Continuum to set the Earth back on course.
The Guardians send a Sun Angel, Oriel, to act as Morgan’s guide on the great quest and also send the animal spirit guide Animus to enter and transform pet orangutan Winston into a genius with the power of speech. Winston is the only animal left on the planet, the true missing link between the world of men and the animal kingdom.
But the world is descending into chaos, starvation and war as Morgan, Lin, Winston and Oriel battle across a dystopian landscape to locate the Guardians and embark on the next stage of their epic journey. They are captured and imprisoned by Natzler but escape as Natzler announces his ‘New World Order’. The mighty minotaur Taurus becomes their ally as they face a mighty final battle with Natzler’s New World army of men and nanosaurs on the cliffs at Beachy Head, England.
Book two: Kingdom Of The Oracle
Book three: Kingdom Yet To Come
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Captain Korina (edited)CG: What were your inspirations for writing the series?
David: I wanted to create a world of scientific wonder, angel power, magic and metaphysics but in real time - in the world as we know it.
My ‘what if’ thoughts were: What if all the animals vanished from the planet? What would happen in reality? Would mankind survive? What if an ape could be transformed into a genius - a modern day missing link?
I was fascinated by nanotechnology - organic computers reordering matter at the molecular level. And I wanted to contrast that with magic, wonder, angels and the paranormal. What if my hero, Morgan Lane, was a normal kid but very bright but had this astonishing memory. All he really wants to do is be a sports star and meet girls (he also likes to write poetry but he keeps this secret). Like Frodo in ‘Lord Of The Rings’ he is given this awesome task to protect the very source of creation itself. And what if Lin Rainbow could interpret the karmic I-Ching? Prophecy versus scientific logic; cosmic creatures versus ordinary human beings.
I also wanted to inject a huge environmental back story - the reversal of climate change.
People often see science and magic; religion and metaphysics; angels and artificial intelligence; mythology and history as opposites and irreconcilable. I wanted to cast them all into a melting pot and write an adventure story with the pace of a torpedo about the results.
Throughout the book are conflicts and these build the drama and tension. Add to that danger and pace and extraordinary event after extraordinary event and you get a picture of what the book is like.
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Captain Korina
Captain Korina
CG: I’ve noticed that you’ve tend to do research for your books, what did you learn while writing your series?
David: I read a lot of material about nanotechnology. I also explored what would really happen if the animal kingdom, including the microscopic, actually did vanish. Most people think human life would eventually die out caused by starvation. No meat. Plant life and crops could not grow without microbes, bees etc even with artificial fertilisers. But in fact, some life could survive and sciences like hydroponics and food manufactured from chemical processes, similar to space food pioneered by NASA. But the human population would dramatically decrease.
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Captain Korina
Captain Korina
CG: What made you decide to write for young adults?
David: I think I have always been a young adult. Also, I think you are freer to explore areas that adults would be too blinkered to embrace, unless they were fantasy fans.
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Captain Korina
Captain Korina
CG: You’ve also written thrillers for adults as well as screenplays, was it hard to switch gears and write for a younger audience?
David: I have to watch the language and think hard about sex. I know some YA books deal with sexual awakening but I just don’t think it works in this kind of fantasy. I can’t imagine Frodo Baggins exploring his sexuality, can you?
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Captain Korina
Captain Korina
CG: As a writer, what do you think is missing from YA?
David: Maybe more crossover work like this trilogy but publishers need to categorise books into neat boxes and crossover is sometimes hard to market. I describe this trilogy as YA fantasy but I don’t know if that is a genuine category or not.
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Captain Korina
Captain Korina
CG: Do you read YA and if so, what are some of your favorite titles?
David: Yes, I tend towards the fantasy end. I don’t read YA romance, for instance. I would read anything by Philip Reeve because he has a masterful prose style.
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Captain Korina
Captain Korina
CG: What are you currently working on now?
David: Marketing seems to take up so much time. I have to decide whether to write another Mike Delaney thriller to follow ‘The Immortality Plot’, book two of ‘Kingdoms Of Time And Space’ or another children’s book in ‘The Weather Kids’ series.
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Allison's reply was removed by an admin 1 month ago.
Kat
Kat
Hey David, since most of our active members here in Readers of YA Fiction are female, have you given any thought as to how your book series appeals to the female reader? Not that, as a science fiction book, it needs to appeal to male or female readers one way or the other, but I was just thinking of some of the conversations we get into in this group and it made me wonder about your series in this light. I see that Oriel is a female character in book one. Are there other female characters?
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Captain Korina
Captain Korina
Moving this from the other thread, just to keep everything in one place :)
Toxic: So are your books considered more Science Fiction-y then?
And we're glad to have you here! =)
David Callinan: I wouldn't call any of my books science fiction unless you really broaden out that genre to take in the fringes. The Kingdoms Of Time And Space has been described by leading publisher Orion as 'unique' (a word I'm always wary of) but I think I know why. I have to watch my ego here but this trilogy genuinely breaks new ground. It's fantasy set in today's world but embracing the universe with a 15 year old hero, Morgan Lane; his sidekick Lin Rainbow and their pet orangutan, Winston. There is science (nanotechnology), angels, a microbe that reverses climate change, animals vanishing from the Earth, replacement creatures (nanosaurs) and a quest to save the world from cosmic parasites. There is a touch of SF but no more.
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Captain Korina
Captain Korina
Chocolate (a.k.a MangaLover a.k.a. ML): Your YA fiction trilogy sounds really interesting. Could you give me an example of the writing style?
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David Callinan
David Callinan
Kat - this is a very good question. Because the word 'science' appears in the book description doesn't mean it's sf. There is a truly terrific female co-protagonist, the Chinese-American Lin Rainbow. She was orphaned when her parents were killed in a road accident in San Francisco. She comes to live with the Lane family in Cambridge, England, where she helps Morgan Lane's zoologist mother look after a group of primates (one of which is WInston - an orangutan who lives with the family). From the outset sparks fly between the mystical, streetwise Lin and the slightly nerdish Morgan but throughout the book they edge closer and closer. And, although there is no sex involved in the trilogy, it is the purity of love between them at the end of book three that is the quality that finally restores the universe and the Earth to an ideal state of existence. So I think this book appeals to the male and female spirit and is revelatory in nature but not at the expense of the action adventure (think Mortal Engines/Lord Of The RIngs/His Dark Materials). Oh, and Oriel the Sun Angel is neither male nor female but fuses with a male truck driver in order to become Morgan's cosmic guide on his fantastical quest.
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David CallinanSorry. Chocolate
I realised when I saw your reminder question that I wasn't a member of this group. I am now.
You can start with this link. It takes you to synopsis and opening chapters of the book in question and then you can browse others if you wish. http://www.davidcallinan.com/Children...
I think that there should be writing samples somewhere on Shelfari. I sometimes get in a muddle with forum sites figuring out what is where or what is not.
Any queries, questions or if you need more to read just let me know.
posted 4 years ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Victoria Foyt - February 2012Since we have so many authors in the group, we thought it'd be nice to highlight them and give them a chance to tell us about themselves, their books, and their writing experiences.
This month we are featuring Victoria Foyt, who is an author and filmmaker. Her debut novel, The Virtual Life of Lexie Diamond, is a Young Adult coming-of-age mystery thriller. Save The Pearls Part One REVEALING EDEN is a Young Adult, post-apocalyptic, science-fiction romance novel that deals with beauty and race.
Raised in Coral Gables, Florida, Victoria attended the University of Miami and received her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and French with a double minor in German and business. Later, she studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, the Beverly Hills Playhouse in Los Angeles, private acting classes with Geraldine Baron and many UCLA Extension film courses. She cites her primary literary influence as Ernest Hemingway, and counts Don Quixote and Gone with the Wind as two of her favorite books. Victoria currently lives in Santa Monica, California with her two children and a lot of books
*Authors: If you'd like to be interviewed, please contact an admin. We'd love to be able to highlight a different author each month. However we cannot guarantee that your book will be reviewed.
*Everyone else: If you're interested in reviewing any of the author's books, let us know! We'd love to find someone to do that!
Toxic (edited)
Toxic: Can you tell us about your book series?
Victoria: The Save The Pearls series covers a wide swath from action adventure to fantasy romance, but I think it works. And as one reviewer put it: a great sci-fi twist to a love story.
In Save The Pearls Part One, Revealing Eden, we meet Eden Newman in her post-apocalyptic world where resistance to an overheated environment defines class and beauty. Eden’s white skin brands her as a member of the lowest social class, the weak and ugly Pearls. Doomed unless she mates soon, Eden hopes a Coal from the dark-skinned ruling class will save her.
But when she unwittingly compromises her father’s secret biological experiment, perhaps mankind’s only hope, Eden is cast out—into the last patch of rainforest and also the arms of a powerful beast-man she believes is her enemy, despite her overwhelming attraction to him. To survive, Eden must change—but only if she can redefine her ideas of beauty—and of love. Along the way, she receives some beautiful insight from her virtually adopted aunt Emily Dickinson.
Ultimately, Eden’s journey takes her from oppressed, fearful girl to an alpha babe, or in this case, a Jaguar Babe. In Save The Pearls Part Three, she must, well, save not only the Pearls, but also the world.
Captain Korina
This is an interesting concept to me. Normally it's the people who are rich and of the higher class that have the "ivory" skin.
victoria foyt
Thanks Captain Korina! It IS interesting to switch switch around social paradigms like this, huh? There are so many implications...
Allison
Wow, your book sounds good! I will add to my plan-to-read list!
Kat
Haha, love the Emily Dickinson reference :)
Captain Korina
Do you think you'd be a Pearl or a Coal?
victoria foyt
@Captain, I'd be a lowly-Pearl definitely... :)
@Allision, thank you soooo much, you're awesome!
@Kat, thanks, she's my favorite...
Toxic
Toxic: From my understanding, your newest novel, Save the Pearls: Revealing Eden, just came out not that long ago. What were your inspirations for writing the series?
Victoria: My deep concern for the loss of our environment inspired Revealing Eden. I wondered what if global warming turned today’s prevailing beauty standards upside down? In the story, because Caucasians have less melanin in their skin to protect them from the sun’s burning rays, they are branded as inferior Pearls. Dark-skinned people, or Coals, have more resistance to the Heat, and therefore, now rule society. Eden Newman, a lithe blue-eyed blonde, would be considered gorgeous in our day, while in the future she has to beg for a mate or suffer an early death.
Of course, Eden’s story also played into two other subjects of great importance to me: race and love. I wanted to know why we judge each other on appearance, and does true love exist? We writers work out the answers to our questions, often in surprising ways. Happily, like Eden, I also opened my heart and found love.
Captain Korina
I love how you turned everything upside down! I also love that you seem to have included environmental issues as well. It's so important to be aware of what's going on with the planet and the consequences.
victoria foyt
I agree 100%!!
What's cool about the concept is that you can actually foresee the possibility of something like this happening in the not so distant future...It's not really THAT big of a leap to imagine a runaway global warming scenario.
It wasn't until pretty recently that people actually started realizing the effects that their habits had on the planet, and I think that the more aware of it we are, the easier it will be to curb our actions and prevent the world of Revealing Eden from becoming a real possibility. :)
Toxic
Toxic: Did you do any research for your book and did it help you get a better feel for writing your series?
Victoria:The lush rainforest setting to which Eden and Bramford escape required tremendous research. In particular, I spent a lot of time listening to birdcalls and imagining what feelings certain sounds might evoke in Eden at different parts of the story. I also studied the wildlife, and now know more about tapirs, which are pig-like creatures, than I ever wanted to know. Information on the Aztec myths, native tribes, and herbal medicine fascinated me. One of my most delightful tasks was to study Emily Dickinson’s poems, and figure out which related to Eden’s journey towards love.
Toxic Toxic: How many books will be in the Save the Pearls series?
Victoria: It’s a trilogy, the first part of which, Revealing Eden, was released January 10, 2012. The second part, Adapting Eden, is in the works and set for release in 2012. I haven’t yet decided on the title for Part Three. If you have any ideas, please write me at VictoriaFoyt.com!
Toxic
Toxic: In the books that you've written, who is your favorite character?
Victoria: I love Eden Newman’s courage in the face of oppression. Her willingness to open her heart when she’s been raised to believe that love is dead and all that matters is evolutionary climbing inspired me. She starts as this girl who is afraid to say her mind, literally frightened of her own skin, to someone who fights for her survival, and in doing so, becomes stronger and also, loving.
Kat
What do you mean by evolutionary climbing?
Is Eden like you? I just wondered, given what you said about love in your life and Eden's old beliefs.
victoria foyt
In Eden's society the main worry is carrying on the human race by breeding out white people or Pearls entirely. People with darker skin, Coals, are more resistant to the sun so it's more desirable to mate with them if you want to avoid the Heat (a disease caused by the sun that has forced humanity underground) Essentially, by breeding out lighter skinned people you're effecting the evolution of the whole species. That's what"evolutionary climbing" is referring to - finding a 'desirable' (ie. Coal) mate.
I think Eden is a lot like me, yeah! In fact she's probably relatable to most women (especially teens). We all struggle with insecurities about our beauty and accepting ourselves, and we all feel isolated sometimes. Maybe not to the extent that Eden has, but we've all had to deal with similar issues to what she faces.
Toxic
Toxic: What made you decide to write for Young Adults?
Victoria: Honestly, I write from the inside out, meaning I didn’t consciously pick the dystopian genre. This was simply the story that I wanted to—no, needed to tell. If anything, I set out to write a compelling romance. Eden Newman doesn’t thinks she’s beautiful. She’s an ugly Pearl who will die unless she soon finds a mate. If only someone would see the Real Eden, she would be safe. Deep down, doesn’t each of us hope someone will see who we really are, and love us anyway? Romantic stories like Eden’s, especially told against such odds, remind us (and me, too) that love is real.
Kat
Aah love. Truly being seen and being loved because of and in spite of our truest selves.
victoria foyt
that's beautiful Kat. :)
Toxic
Toxic: Do you read YA books and if so, what are some of your favorite series?
Victoria: I love to read all kinds of books, at least 30 a year. Many of them are Young Adult. I choose material based on the appeal of the story, or genre, not by demographic. Some of my favorite YA reads have included His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman (wouldn’t you love to have an animal daemon?), The Hunger Games, The Twilight Series, and of course, Harry Potter.
Toxic
Toxic: Are you working on any new novels currently?
Victoria: I’m almost finished writing Save The Pearls Part Two, Adapting Eden. If Eden thought life and love challenged her in the first book, the stakes ratchet even higher in the next. Her journey takes her from oppressed, fearful girl to an alpha babe, or Jaguar Babe. She must fight to save those she loves against impossible odds, testing herself beyond her limits—in love and physical strength—while the countdown to humanity’s extinction continues. I’ll tell you, being in her beastly head is quite a thrilling ride!
Toxic
Toxic: What was it like transitioning from a film career to writing books for Young Adults?
Victoria: It was a huge relief! Being a writer suits my personality. First and foremost, I have always been a storyteller. In fact, I co-wrote all of the films in which I acted. I can’t not write. I’m very grateful to be in a position, finally, where I’m writing fiction full time.
My work as a screenwriter definitely improved my sense of dialogue and place. It also added a distinctive visual orientation to my writing.
Overall, making films gave me valuable tools as a novelist and expanded my world to include many great people.
All the while, I have been accumulating life experience, and developing my take on the world. In other words, my “voice” as a fiction writer needed time to form.
Kat
That's great, Victoria! I love that you're doing what you love now. And I can see and agree with your thoughts about being a good fiction writer takes time for your voice to form.
victoria foyt
Yeah I couldn't be happier Kat. Even if writing is one of the hardest things to master, I'm having so much fun with it!
Toxic
Toxic: And last but not least, what is your favorite hobby?
Victoria:Hmmm, besides reading? After writing at my computer each day for long hours, I need to exercise. Several years ago, I fell in love with tennis: the ping sound when you hit the racquet’s sweet spot, the zen focus on the ball, being outdoors instead of in a gym, and well, the cute outfits.
Thanks for your interest. I love to hear from readers—you make it all worthwhile! Please visit me at VictoriaFoyt.com or at Facebook.com/VictoriaFoyt. And check out the cool website at SaveThePearls.com.
victoria foyt
Thanks so much for the interview Toxic!!! :)
Toxic
Aw no problem! =)
Kat LOL Victoria, my husband was just in Santa Monica for a two day panel meeting :) And Ernest Hemingway was one of the writers that got me interested in reading back in high school. He was amazing! And wow, you love languages! Me too! I was one year away from getting a BA in French, but decided to just get the Dance degree instead :)
victoria foyt
Dancie is probably more fun than French Kat, you made the right choice! :)
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March 2012 - J. Leigh BralickMarch's Interview With A YA Author! (edit title)
Since we have so many authors in the group, we thought it'd be nice to highlight them and give them a chance to tell us about themselves, their books, and their writing experiences.
This month we are featuring our very own J. Leigh Bralick!
J. Leigh Bralick will always consider herself a student. Officially holding a bachelor's in medieval history and a master's in politics, J. Leigh has unofficially dedicated herself to the study of anything and everything that she believes will enrich her writing...from traditional bowyery to herbalism, linguistics to horse training. She was even certified as an EMT until recently, but though her certification expired, the experiences still inspire her writing—much to her characters' dismay.
J. Leigh writes mostly fantasy and YA fantasy. Her first book, Down a Lost Road, sprang from a vivid dream she had when she was about 12 years old. Though she started writing the story immediately, it wasn't until a few years ago that she started taking the idea seriously and transforming it into an actual novel. The sequel, Subverter, was released on December 19, 2011. She is currently working on the third book in the series, Prism, and a YA fantasy titled Ethereal.
*Authors: If you'd like to be interviewed, please contact an admin. We'd love to be able to highlight a different author each month. However we cannot guarantee that your book will be reviewed.
*Everyone else: If you're interested in reviewing any of the author's books, let us know! We'd love to find someone to do that!
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Captain Korina
Kori: Can you tell us about your book series?
J. Leigh: The Lost Road Chronicles is a YA fantasy series that deals deeply with questions of identity, love, trust, and sacrifice. It's a portal story, starting out in here in today’s Texas before taking 16 (almost 17) year-old Merelin Lindon to a world called Arah Byen. She soon realizes that Arah Byen is somehow deeply connected with Earth’s mythical past. Or…perhaps not so mythical?
In Down a Lost Road, Merelin discovers that she has a connection of her own to Arah Byen through her father, who went missing about four years earlier. What starts off as a desperate and half-insane attempt to track him down soon becomes a much larger effort to help the Arathi people in their fight against an enemy they hardly understand. She finds strength and support in the enigmatic and sometimes frustrating young man named Yatol, whose own past is coming back to haunt him.
Subverter takes place about a year after the end of the first book. Merelin has returned to her home on Earth, but she never feels like she belongs there. More than anything she wants to get back to Arah Byen, but when she finally does, nothing is the way she had expected. If the feel of DaLR was one of myth and wonder, Subverter takes on brutal political turmoil instead. And in the midst of it all, Merelin has to find herself all over again.
Prism begins pretty much immediately after the end of Subverter. And I would tell you more if I could, but I’m still learning about this book’s direction!
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Kat
It sounds so cool. I really have to read faster so I can get to the funnn!!!
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J. Leigh Bralick
Thanks! And yes! Reeeeead moooore!
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Hope
Then send it over to moi! lol ;P
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Kat
Just buy it in its online form for .99 at amazon. You can't beat the price! Oops, sorry Jade. You really should be making more money off of this.
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Hope
Oh really! Well I don't have a kindle or anything so eh...but my mom did just get a nook....course she is super possessive over it now :P I'll probably throw it in with the next batch of books I order from Amazon :)
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Kat
You can read it on your laptop or computer. You don't need the nook.
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J. Leigh Bralick
It's also available on Barnes & Noble. ^_^
Yeahhh...great price, right? ;-) Well, every little bit helps...
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Wanderer *Midterms!!! AAAAAH!!!*
Ooooh, sounds interesting! :)
posted 13 days ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick
Thanks! If you decide to read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts! I'm always open to feedback...err....at least, civilized feedback. hehe =P
posted 11 days ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Wanderer *Midterms!!! AAAAAH!!!*
Don't worry, I'm always very civilized when it comes to feedback. :) I hate criticism, expescially really really nasty criticism.
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victoria foyt (edited)
cool premise!! :)
i'll have to check it out...
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Captain Korina
Kori: What were your inspirations for writing The Lost Road Chronicles?
J. Leigh:Well, I can't say I had any earth-shattering revelations born of the Muse that made me lift my pen and write. Still, I did have some inspirations that got me going…and then, well, you know what inertia does. Body in motion stays in motion and all that…
But the first one — the one that actually got me writing the story in the first place (back when I was 12!) — was a dream. Yep. I had this surreal dream about hiding from an enemy in a convenience story and getting transported to another world. I immediately started writing a story about it, but then put it away because it seemed ridiculous. Then I kept going back to it, getting frustrated, and putting it away again. Eventually I realized I’d never be able to get on with my writing life until I’d settled my score with this story. So I sat down, pulled out what I liked, scrapped the rest, and rewrote the entire thing. (Incidentally, Merelin’s first visit to Arah Byen still starts off in a convenience store.) And somewhere along the way, instead of just writing just to get closure, I found myself really falling in love with the characters and the world. Falling in love with the search for identity, for inner strength, and for true love. Sure, taking *mutter* many years to write a book is NOT the suggested method, but I guess it goes to show you that you shouldn't give up on any idea too quickly.
The second inspiration was a little more…background oriented. I was writing a biography of Tolkien for a major college paper at the time, so I was reading a LOT of Tolkien. And this was around the same time I got really stumped on some of the core questions of Down a Lost Road. What is Arah Byen? What is its connection to Earth? I didn’t want to get into the whole mess of “why are there human beings on another planet?” unless they were Earthling humans originally. But that still needed an answer. So I was reading the Silmarillion, and I got to this particular spot — I won’t tell which — and all of a sudden this lightbulb came on and everything made sense. So the Silmarillion actually plays a role in the novel. The premise is basically that Tolkien was *almost* right about a certain point of mythology…he just never even realized it. Tolkien has always been a major inspiration for me as a writer, but in this book, the inspiration was just a bit more specific.
Of course there are always a multitude of little inspirations that help birth a story. I don’t want to count how many dreams eventually found their way into these books. Then there are places I’ve seen, bits of history I’ve studied, people I’ve seen or known, world events…all of those are also inspirations. As a writer you have to really, consciously open yourself up to such things. Whatever you do or experience or learn, you’re always kind of perceiving things through the lens of the art.
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Kat So in your dream, you just remember getting transported to another world? Was there any more to that dream that is similar to the book?
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J. Leigh Bralick (edited)
That was pretty much the most of it, as far as I can remember. I think I woke up shortly after "waking up" in the other world. I distinctly remember crawling inside a cardboard box in my dream, which then led to me falling through the floor and into the other world. But that seemed rather undignified so I decided to leave that part out when I started writing. =P But yeah, there are several other dreams that got woven into the story...which is always fun.
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Kat
Hey, cardboard box works for me :P Especially with Merelin being a teenager. Teens would still crawl into a cardboard box....maybe. Love her name, by the way.
Things are reeeally heating up in the part I'm at now. She and her bro have just met the two professors.
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J. Leigh Bralick
Oohh, yay! Then you're pretty close to meeting Shan, Aniira and Lohka too. Eeee!
Haha, yeah, I probably would have totally crawled into a cardboard box too. ^_^
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Kat
Yup, I've met them now :)
posted 3 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick
Aw yeah!
posted 3 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Captain Korina
Kori: Did you do any research for your books, and did it help you get a better feel for writing them?
J. Leigh: Oh, always! For this series, once I’d kind of gotten myself oriented as to how Arah Byen fits into Earth’s history, that made a whole lot of research possible. For instance, if I know where and when the Arathi people came from in Earth’s history, then what sort of culture would they have? What kind of language would they speak? What sort of architecture and food would they have? And even though I don’t elaborate on scientific questions in the story, I had to do a LOT of strange research on planet sizes and rotations, proximity to the sun, kinds of stars that can be suns, etc. to at least make Arah Byen’s physical situation believable.
One of my favorite things about writing is the fact that it gives me an excuse to learn about things I might never have studied otherwise. Even when I just mention something in passing, I really want to understand it so the little bit I *do* say won't feel false or forced. Just ready an encyclopedia entry doesn’t quite cut it, sometimes. A lot of times it’s better to actually get out and do things.
Medicine is an example. I actually got my EMT certification a couple of years ago, partly because I was interested in working in the field, but partly because I wanted to understand emergency medicine. What kinds of wounds are deadly? Which aren’t? What will knock a person out or make them faint? How do you treat this or that condition? What if you’re in the field and don’t have a hospital? To that end I’ve also studied a lot of herbal medicine, because that’s the most common form of medicine in any pre-industrialized sort of society.
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Wanderer *Midterms!!! AAAAAH!!!*
That's cool, I feel the same way. I need to make sure I fully understand what I'm writing about even if whatever you're presenting is only shown briefly. I'm working on the 2nd draft of one of my stories and I realized I needed to do alot more research on Europe and weaponry to make it a bit more believable. Of course, I find that type of research actually fun :)
posted 23 hours ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Captain Korina
Kori: How many books will there be in The Lost Road Chronicles?
J. Leigh: I’m honestly not too sure at this point! I know that Merelin will at least have a trilogy, but I’m thinking that some other stories need to be told. There are some pretty crazy and amazing individuals who were around before Arah Byen became its own little world, and I’d love to tell their story. So we’ll see. It all depends on what happens after I finish Prism.
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Captain Korina
Kori: In the books that you've written so far, who is your favorite character?
J. Leigh: Oh my. I don’t even know how I’d pick. Yatol will always be dearest to my heart, but I really, really love Shan’s character. This guy just leapt into the story when I was rewriting…out of nowhere. I swear. I don’t know how he got there, and he’s totally unlike any other character I’ve ever met — in personality AND looks. This guy is crazy. And he’s becoming more and more important in the story line, which makes me very happy.
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Kat
Ooo, I love crazy guy characters! Haven't met him yet.
posted 1 month ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick
Oh! I can't wait for you to meet him! ^_^
posted 1 month ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Kat
Well I met him, obviously ;P I don't know him well enough yet. He must have a more prominent role in Subverter?
posted 13 days ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick
Oh yes. And probably a much important one in Prism. :-)
posted 13 days ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Kat
Ooo, much important huh? *starts thinking about that*
posted 13 days ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick
*snicker* Serves me right for trying to fire off a quick reply when my sister's family was descending on the house. Just, uhhh...add an "o" to it. "a mucho important one." Voila. Da?
posted 13 days ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Kat
Haha! I totally missed the grammatical error. I was on to thinking about Shan and what he's like.
posted 13 days ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick
Oh! Well, uhh...of course. Carry on. I was, um, using the phrase in an artistically-nuanced apparently-grammatically-incorrect but actually-highly-stylized fashion. O.o Yes. I guess you just need to read Subverter to find out more about him, hmmm??? (A little part of me hopes that maybe, even if you didn't care much for DaLR, you might find Subverter more enjoyable....possibly??) ;-P
posted 11 days ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Kat
Hahaha! Aww, you're so sweet! I did enjoy the story. Sometimes had a little difficulty following it, but I was reading it quickly so maybe I needed to slow down a bit. I am going to buy Subverter! :D
posted 11 days ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Captain Korina
Kori: What made you decide to write for Young Adults?
J. Leigh: I’m not sure. There’s a refreshing honesty and clarity to young adults. I know that they often think their life is a confusing, muddled mess (I know I did). But the way they see the world, and how keenly aware they are of their place in it…it’s just amazing. True, sometimes there's a tendency to exaggerate the problems of life, but I don’t blame them. It somehow seems very understandable to me.
Adults tend to ask things like, “Why am I doing this? Why am I the way I am?” while young adults seem to ask, “What should I be doing? Who am I, really?” And those questions seem a lot more interesting to me. The struggle to discover an identity and a place in the world is much more dramatic than ruminating on past choices. Maybe that’s why I think the tendency to blow things out of proportion is so natural. I mean, these really are HUGE questions! And they’re the questions that seem to lurk in the background in a lot of YA fiction, which makes writing it so appealing.
posted 1 month ago. ( edit reply permalink delete )
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Hope Beautifully worded :) And an interesting insight int YA lit. So often people seem to think that when something is YA it is just simplifying, but I think you are more in line with what YA lit. is(at least good YA), about answering different questions through different ways.
posted 3 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick
Thanks, Hope! =) I think that's where we get so many of these annoying cliches and stereotypes that everyone loathes. If a writer thinks the age group or the genre is simplistic, they tend to rely on these devices. And you know, if they write it that way, of course it's going to be simplistic! But it's also unrealistic. And kind of insulting, too....
posted 3 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Captain Korina
Kori: Do you read YA books and if so, what are some of your favorite series?
J. Leigh: In the past I’ve always read more of the classics — and a lot of non-fiction, honestly — partly because I didn’t know when to quit being a student. But when I decided to really pursue this series and to give it a real YA voice, I started reading more YA fiction. I’m a very picky YA reader. I enjoy some books a lot. But I’m probably more critical than I need to be, perhaps because I’m always reading them with an analytical eye.
One of my absolute all-time favorite series is Garth Nix’s Abhorsen Trilogy. It’s simply fantastic. On a more MG level, I really enjoyed the Ranger’s Apprentice books. This was one of those series where I had some issues with certain stylistic aspects of the writing, but the stories were just SO good, I didn’t really mind. They’re just a ton of fun, and I’m secretly in love with Halt. Just saying.
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Captain Korina
Kori: Are you currently working on any new novels?
J. Leigh: Prism. Or — I’m trying to. This one is giving me a bit of a challenge, maybe because I burned myself out writing Subverter. But that’s just a lame excuse and I don’t really buy it. I honestly just need to get my act together. I’ve also got a fantasy trilogy that I’ve had on the back burner for a while, and a new YA fantasy/kinda-paranormal book I started last fall. But Prism is top of the list for now.
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Captain Korina
Kori: Which character (from your books) do you relate to the most?
J. Leigh: Hm. Good question. If by “relate” you mean empathize with and understand…well, I’ve always thought it incredibly important to give all my characters a shot at being “relatable.” That’s the goal anyway. I had a brilliant teacher once who said that good characters are the ones we can really empathize and identify with, even if we hate them or think they’re evil and terrible people.
But I have a feeling that wasn’t the answer you were looking for! I guess I’ve always found it fairly easy to relate to Merelin. She’s nothing at all like me, but I feel that I understand her. I can understand her search for her identity, her passionate devotion to the people she loves, and her desire to do the right thing even when she doesn’t know what the heck she’s gotten herself into. That helplessness, but the foolhardy attempt to act anyway, is something I find very endearing.
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Kat
...And she likes convenience stores...like you ;)
posted 1 month ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick
Haha! I imagine I'd be more fond of them if they were all like Mr. Dansy's shop...particularly if they lead to another world with a Yatol waiting on the other side. O:)
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Kat
Yes!! We must make a store like that in real life!
posted 1 month ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Hope
Haha! We'll add that to the bucket list:
Make convenience store that leads to new world
Make wardrobe that leads to another world
Make a rabbit hole/ mirror that leads to another world
Make a tollbooth that leads to another world
Create a way to get to Middle Earth
posted 3 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick
Nice! I'm liking this bucket list. ^_^ Do you know, I used to firmly believe that if you were walking in the woods and found two trees growing close-ish together, that walking between them would lead to another world. I was always supremely disappointed and confused when it never worked. =(
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Kat
xD
posted 3 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Hope
Haha! That's awesome! :D
posted 3 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Captain Korina
Kori: Do you base your characters off of people you know? If so, who?
J. Leigh: Hah. To a degree, yes. Sometimes it’s things as slight as a quirky turn of phrase or whatever, but like I said earlier, inspiration is all around us. I definitely wouldn’t say that any of the characters are the transplanted form of a friend or relative, though. Usually the characters’ mannerisms and personality traits kind of trickle in without me even noticing. I’m sure they came from some little seed in my imagination planted there by people I’ve known, but it’s not usually a conscious choice.
(Side note? Oh, don’t I wish I could say Yatol was based off someone I know!:)
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Captain Korina
Has anyone ever asked you to base a character off of them?
posted 1 month ago. ( edit reply permalink delete )
Kat
haha!
posted 1 month ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick
Oh wow! No, I've never had that happen! That would be really funny...and possibly dangerous. LOL Especially if the person wouldn't really like what they read about themselves. Could put a damper on some friendships, I imagine! ;-)
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Kat
Hehe, you have to not care about your friendship with that person in order to pull it off...well, if it was a negative depiction.
posted 1 month ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick
Pretty much. The funny thing is, sometimes the things we know about our friends -- even the annoying things that we ignore because we love them -- these are things people might not want to see described on paper. Writing can be a brutally honest art, and characters flaws or weaknesses are part of that.
posted 3 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Captain Korina
Kori: What's your least favorite(or the most challenging) part about writing?
J. Leigh: For me, it’s dealing with confidence issues. Publishing Down a Lost Road was the biggest bold step into the unknown I’ve ever taken. Just putting it out there, and then waiting for responses to the story…that was a literal hell. It's been a rough ride coming to the point where I’m okay with the fact that I’ll never be able to please everyone 100% of the time.
One of the related challenges is handling critical reviews. Let’s face it, some people are just nasty because they can be. And some people just honestly — but politely — dislike some books…which is totally fine. We all do. It’s been hard to stay out of the reviewer world but I force myself to, because I know what happens when authors get defensive and try to argue with every objection that comes up. It’s ugly and doesn’t help anyone. Still, it’s really, REALLY hard to keep your mouth shut.
I have to add that I’ve never been a fan of pre-planning. I’m a seat-of-the-pants kind of writer, so sitting down and figuring out plot lines, character arcs, reversals, and all of those sorts of things is really hard. I’m trying to do better at that, though, because I think it helps in the end. It’s just…annoying.
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Hope
I hate it when people are nasty in their reviews. I think it is just plain rude! You can tell people why you didn't like the book, go in full detail as to why you didn't like the book, that you didn't like the characters or the plot or the setting or whatever without going to such base means as to outright insult the author and the work that he or she put into the book. I mean, negative reviews will be painful no matter how nicely they are put, so why make it unnecessarily hard on the author?
posted 3 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick Ahh...I wish more people thought like you! The internet is such a strange place. People feel like that can be just downright cruel and vicious to complete strangers, in ways they would NEVER ever think to be to someone they were standing face-to-face with. You see it happen all the time, and not just with book reviews.
But yeah...unfortunately I found out (a little too late) that there are some trolls on Amazon who hunt for indie books that are doing well (specifically books offered for free on the Kindle for a while), and then review them just to be vicious and drag down the book's rating. I mean, you look at their other reviews, and you see that they're all of indie books, and they're all negative. It's really kind of sad and pathetic. But a lot of indie writers deal with that, so the problem is getting to be well-known in those circles. It's just hurtful to the writer and disrespectful to other readers.
Like you said, the negative reviews always hurt no matter what, but at least some people can be civilized about it. And I can totally respect those people's opinions. I know a lot of authors choose to just ignore the reviews entirely, but I'm not very good at that. In fact, I really appreciate thoughtful criticism. Sometimes it's a "Wow, I totally didn't realize this came across like that..." epiphany. And that helps me become a better writer.
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Kat
I wonder if these people who are spamming Amazon's indie writers....I wonder if they work for publishing companies *shrugs*. They'd be the only ones to benefit from indie books not doing well, right?
posted 3 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick
I don't know. They might just be people who have this attitude like, if it wasn't published by Harper or Penguin, it's not a "real" book and therefore the writers aren't "real" writers...let alone (and God forbid) AUTHORS. =-o And how dare they pollute the bookstores that sell REAL books with their drivel?! Because, since it's indie, it must be drivel...right? Right? Yeah....you can tell I don't really have an opinion on this topic, I'm sure. =P
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Kat
It's just weird that it happens. And sad.
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Captain Korina
Kori: If you weren't an author what would you be doing instead?
J. Leigh: I would probably be a flight nurse in the Air Force. Who knows, maybe you’ll see me there in the end, anyway. Sounds pretty amazing if you ask me. And if you're wondering what that has to do with Medieval History and Political Philosophy? Why, nothing at all. Isn't that fantastic?
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Captain Korina
Kori: And last but not least, what's your favorite hobby?
J. Leigh: Well, this is kind of a tricky question. I have a penchant for picking up random hobbies. Like I said in an earlier question, I love to learn new things, so I've always found that hobbies are a great way to expand one's appreciation for life! Probably close to the top of my list would be fencing. I haven't been able to do a whole lot recently, but I absolutely LOVE fencing. I fence saber and epee, but saber is by far the coolest weapon. It's wicked fast and kind of insane. Maybe that's why I like it.
Also close to the top of the list would be art, of various and sundry forms. I've always been a doodler/scribbler/sketcher…in fact, my earliest stories were picture "books" that I made when I was about 3. Usually featuring unicorns and princesses, and of course unisuses. You know. Horses with horns AND wings. Now I do a lot of photography and digital art, and also some dabbling in 3D modeling. That's a lot of fun, partly because it's such a challenge. (Side note — the medallions on my book covers? Those are all 3D models I made and rendered out.)
I've got a lot of other crazy hobbies, too, but I won't go into listing them. Hmm…maybe you could say my favorite hobby is finding new hobbies…?
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Mark :: Stay hungry. Stay foolish.
Cool! Fencing! Hmm, wouldn't it be cool to fence light saber?!
posted 3 days ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick
Oh, totally! ^_^
Fencing is awesome. I don't think most people realize what a workout it can be. We always told new people that they'd wake up the next morning sore in muscles they didn't even know they had. :-P Plus, whacking people with swords is just beyond cool. Hehe.
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Wanderer *Midterms!!! AAAAAH!!!*
I've always secretly wanted to learn fencing :D And art has also been like a second hobby for me. I find it interesting that alot of people who write like getting creative in other areas as well.
posted 23 hours ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick
I just want to say a huge thank you to Kori for the interview, and to all of you who came by to read, comment, and ask questions! It's been a ton of fun! =)
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Captain Korina
I just want to say a huge "you're welcome" and a massive THANK YOU to you for doing this for us! I think you've a few more people reading your book after this interview :)
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Kat
Yay! Glad you enjoyed it and it was definitely great for all of us to get to know you and your books better.
posted 3 days ago. ( reply permalink delete )
J. Leigh Bralick (edited)
@Kori — You're totally welcome! ^_^ Heh, one can only hope, yes?
@Kat — thanks! And I really appreciate all your questions and comments, too, so thank you for that! =)
posted yesterday. ( reply permalink delete )
Kat
Thou art welcome, my liege!
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April 2012 - Amber GarzaThis month we are featuring our very own Amber Garza!
"My name is Amber Garza and I LOVE to write. I’ve had a passion for writing since I was a little girl, making books out of notebook paper and staples. As an adult I’ve worked hard to make my dream of being a published a reality."
*Authors: If you'd like to be interviewed, please contact an admin. We'd love to be able to highlight a different author each month. However we cannot guarantee that your book will be reviewed.
*Everyone else: If you're interested in reviewing any of the author's books, let us know! We'd love to find someone to be our official reviewer!
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Captain Korina
Kori: Can you tell us about your book series?
Amber: The three books in the Prowl Trilogy are young adult thrillers with supernatural and inspirational elements. In PROWL, seventeen-year-old Mackenzie Smith is sent away to spend a boring summer at her grandma’s. But then she meets Wesley. He tells her exactly what she wants to hear and has information about her past that no one else knows. It’s almost like he can read her mind. Only Wesley isn’t who he seems. By the time Mackenzie discovers his true identity it may be too late. She’s in too deep and he won’t let her go. Now Mackenzie must call on the strongest power of all in order to save her life.
In ENTICE, Mackenzie returns home, certain that Wesley is out of her life for good. Until the nightmares resurface, and strange things start to happen. Is Wesley back? When the danger escalates and threatens those closest to her, Mackenzie must fight to save them. Only this time the evil is more powerful, and Mackenzie is faced with an impossible decision.
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Most Honorable One
Wow that sounds really good! I'll have to check into that!!
posted 4 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Amber Garza
Thanks! Check them out and then let me know what you think! I always love to hear from my readers...:)
posted 4 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Kat
Yeah, I think I"m going to have to read the first one as well.
posted 2 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Captain Korina
Kori: You describe your books as Young Adult Christian Thrillers. Tell us a little bit about why you decided to write a Christian book as opposed to a simple Young Adult book.
Amber: It’s funny that you ask that because my readers have all commented on how PROWL doesn’t really fit into the Christian category. While it does have religious overtones, it is mostly just a young adult thriller with romance. I decided to write a Christian young adult novel for a couple of reasons. Even though I’m an adult, I’m an avid reader of Young Adult novels. I love the escape they provide, the fantastical elements, and how the plots are so outside of our realm of everyday reality. But, I noticed that there aren’t many young adult books like that in the Christian genre. I wanted to change that. Also, I feel as an author I have a responsibility to not only entertain my readers but offer them the hope that I’ve found in this world.
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Captain Korina
Kori: Which character do you relate to the most?
Amber: Mackenzie, for sure. As a teen, I struggled with self-worth issues and had this innate desire to be loved and accepted, which led me down some destructive paths.
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Captain Korina
Kori: Do you base your characters off of anyone? If so, who?
Amber: I think all my characters have a bit of myself in them. I also think they all have a little of those I love most in them. While I wrote Isaac, I thought a lot about my husband, so he does have a lot of my husband’s characteristics.
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Captain Korina
Do you find that it's easier to write the characters when you put a little bit of yourself or your loved ones into them?
posted 3 weeks ago. ( edit reply permalink delete )
Amber Garza
Definitely! It makes me feel more connected to them. It also helps me to understand things more deeply about who they are and how they feel
posted 3 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Captain Korina
Kori: What's your least favorite(or the most challenging) part about writing?
Amber: Not having enough time! I have a part time job, a husband and two children – ages 9 and 12. That only leaves me with a couple of hours a day to write and it’s brutal. It’s so hard to get all the scenes out of my head and into my computer in that short amount of time. Consequently, I spend a lot of time wrestling with my mind to keep me rooted in reality, instead of floating around in my fictional novel.
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Captain Korina
I can understand the struggle to focus on reality. I'm not a writer, but my mind's always wandering. Do your kids like to talk with you about your books, give you ideas?
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Amber Garza
My son is old enough to read my books so he always gives me feedback - sometimes even stuff I don't want to hear. ;) And, actually he is helping me build my characters for my upcoming series that I'm currently writing. He's having a lot of fun with it.
My daughter is very supportive but she is too young to read my books. So, I did write her a chapter book for her birthday last year - not to publish - just something for her alone.
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Kat
Haha! I can just imagine what that's like. I would be afraid of forgetting some really interesting plot twist or something like that.
How fun that you did that for your daughter! My husband makes up these great children's stories involving animals. He used to tell segments of the stories to my daughter at bedtime, when she was young. One year, for Christmas, he wrote out her favorite stories for her. I love him for doing that!
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Amber Garza
That's so cool about your husband writing out stories for your daughter, Kat! It will be something she will always cherish, I'm sure.
posted 12 days ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Captain Korina
Kori: Where do you find inspiration?
Amber: Everywhere. When I hear stories people tell, or watch TV or read a book, I’m always thinking like a writer. I can take the most ordinary situation and, by throwing in a few “what if” questions, it can turn into something extraordinary in my mind.
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Captain Korina
Ah! I can understand that, too. I always have "what-ifs" floating around my head.
posted 3 weeks ago. ( edit reply permalink delete )
Kat
I wish I was like that. I really do. I wish I was a creative writer. But I don't think I have what it takes.
posted 2 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Captain Korina
Kori: Did you have a hand in designing the cover art for any of your books?
Amber: Yes. I worked very closely with my cover designer, Lisa Eneqvist, on the covers. They are culmination of both of our ideas.
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Captain Korina
Kori: What made you decide to write for Young Adults?
Amber: When I was a teenager we didn’t have this amazing selection of teen fiction. I wish we had. Maybe that’s why I devour all the young adult fiction I can get my hands on now. But seriously, I love how creative and versatile YA fiction is. It’s a genre I enjoy reading and therefore enjoy writing. I also think teenagers are great fans! On top of all that, I’m a kid at heart so it just fits.
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Captain Korina
Kori: What are some of your favorite YA books?
Amber: I was one of those people who just loved the Twilight series. I think that series was what got me hooked into young adult fiction. Now, I love the Fallen series and the Immortal Series. I like Amanda Hocking’s Hollowland series. I love Remy’s strong personality and kick-butt attitude. But my favorite right now is Matched. I’m really enjoying those books. I’m a sucker for forbidden love and love triangles.
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Most Honorable One
Hahahah!! I'm glad i'm not the only one that got hooked on YA after reading Twilight! xD
posted 4 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Amber Garza
Ha! I'm glad I'm not the only one too. ;)
posted 4 weeks ago. ( reply permalink delete )
Captain Korina
Kori: If you weren't an author, what would you be doing instead?
Amber: Well, I don’t actually write full time. I also work at a church in the outreach department. I really like it.
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Captain Korina
Kori: Are you working on any new novels currently?
Amber: Yes, I am finishing up the third in the Prowl Trilogy, entitled, UNVEIL. Also, I’m starting work on a new series which should come out by fall 2012.
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Captain Korina
Kori: And last but not least, what is your favorite hobby?
Amber: Other than reading and writing, I love to sing.
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Captain Korina
Many thanks to Amber for taking the time to answer all these questions!
posted 1 month ago. ( edit reply permalink delete )
Amber Garza (edited)
Just wanted to let you know that I'm doing a one-day free promotion of the kindle version of PROWL, the first book in the trilogy. The promotion will only be running on April 12 at Amazon. If you download the book I'd love for you to review it for me! Thanks.
posted 3 years ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
May 2012: Kyle TimmermeyerThis month we are featuring our very own Kyle Timmermeyer!
"Hi everyone, I am a freshman novelist and a freshman Shelfari member, so I'm very grateful for this opportunity to get to know my fellow YA group members and give everyone a chance to get to know my YA fantasy series LEGEND OF THE ELEMENTALS. I'm pleased to announce that LEGEND OF THE ELEMENTALS, BOOK 1, REINTRODUCTION is a free download on Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007NJLWVW/
And free in pretty much every other format here:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
And LEGEND OF THE ELEMENTALS, BOOK 2: RELEASE should be available early this month for download, for only $0.99! I'll post the links as they go live. With that out of the way, let's get to the interview!"
*Authors: If you'd like to be interviewed, please contact an admin. We'd love to be able to highlight a different author each month. However we cannot guarantee that your book will be reviewed.
*Everyone else: If you're interested in reviewing any of the author's books, let us know! We'd love to find someone to be our official reviewer!
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Most Honorable One (edited)
Racheal: Can you tell us about your book series?
Kyle: I'd be glad to tell you about LEGEND OF THE ELEMENTALS. Four regular teenagers find themselves forced into a confrontation with a supervillain known as Devidis. With their unwilling assistance, Devidis breaks the world. Ryan, Erin, Kris and Jason somehow survive, and find themselves in a new land that, at least for a time, is limited to a jungle valley, full of dangerous creatures. The only place of safety in this valley is a fortress, called the Sun Tower, lead by an old man who calls himself Sensei. The four teens agree to join his rebellion against the evil Devidis in exchange for the freedom-fighter's protection. Sensei finds himself accepting that the four really were present during the Devidis' cataclysm, and he realizes that the cataclysm transformed the four into the Elementals, heroes of legend. Sensei shows the four their associated
talents--their individualized abilities to manipulate the elements wind, fire, water, and stone--and trains them in effective use of these talents, including flying, throwing fireballs, healing, and fighting with superhuman strength.
All of that happens in the first half of BOOK 1: REINTRODUCTION. Eventually, the Elementals leave the Sun Tower to take the fight toward Devidis. The grounded, logical teens are haunted, though, by the understanding that their powers don't make scientific sense, and, encouraged by Sensei's own theories, they begin to suspect that this entire new world is an illusion... in Devidis' mind.
posted 1 month ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Most Honorable One
Racheal: What were your inspirations for writing the series?
Kyle: I've been writing for about as long as I can remember, and even before that, I was always borrowing the coolest places, characters, weapons, costumes, and themes from my favorite movies, TV shows, books, video games, and comics, including Disney movies, Transformers, GI Joe, Ninja Turtles, the Chronicles of Narnia, Final Fantasy, and the Marvel and DC universes. I would imagine what would happen if all these interesting things were up against each other.
When I was in about 8th grade, I realized that this "slashfic" approach was something of a universe unto itself. At that time, I was really into the Ronin Warriors anime, and I saw the same kind of "elemental" theme going on in Captain Planet, an earlier guilty pleasure of mine. So I decided to put my own elemental warriors into this universe and see what happened. And, just like that, I knew there was an epic novel (series) in there. I ended up writing a hundred pages in a summer, and I kept going for over a decade. Looking back about half-my-life ago, that first 100-page draft is almost a parody of what I've published, but it solidified my resolve, my purpose.
I feel I've discovered that writing LEGEND OF THE ELEMENTALS is one of the main purposes of my life, and that sense of purpose is my driving motivation. I could talk about many more of the little things I've seen and experienced that go into my book, but there's no better inspiration than really believing in what you're working on. And I believe that holds true for every kind of work, not just writing. A message that one might find in LEGEND OF THE ELEMENTALS is that everyone has a talent, a function, a place of best fit. It's been true for me, and that sort of idealism, that spirit of inspiration, is something I want to share with the world.
posted 1 month ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Most Honorable One (edited)
Racheal: Did you do any research for your book and did it help you get a better feel for writing your series?
Kyle: One great, trite piece of writing advice is "Write what you know." It makes things easier once you realize that your previously-established expertise and your life experiences have been "research." For example, I can converse, read, and write (well, type -_- ) in Japanese at a translator level, and I lived in Japan for 4 years, so dropping a
good bit of Japanese influence in the book gives it an edge that doesn't take much additional research. And I think that there's no shame in embracing the fact that one of the benefits of writing a book for the fantasy genre is that there's very little (objective, outside) research to be done on a world you're making up!
That said, one of my major pet peeves when I read fantasy is a lack of realism. And so I've found myself doing a lot of research in order to keep my book realistic, though that's not really work as much as it is a hobby. I read tons of news every day, doing my best to keep up with current, international events to inform realistic characters, situations, interactions, and reactions. I look at the history and present conditions of repressive regimes, for example, in order to portray a realistic dystopia in the Empire of Devidis. I've done my best to travel all over the world--Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Italy, Peru and my native US--mainly because I love international adventure, but also because I can experience things similar to what my characters might experience. Is it research? I guess so... Is it fun and interesting? Definitely yes.
posted 1 month ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Most Honorable One
Racheal: How have the places you've traveled to influenced your writing? Were there any local legends or things from different cultures that sparked ideas for your writing?
Kyle: I devoured Greek and Roman myths when I was a kid, and Arthurian legend, too, so that was a big source of initial inspiration, though unfortunately I've only been to Italy, not Greece or even the UK. I love the Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander, and that's mostly older Welsh legends, I understand. I have to give a big nod to LOTR,
Narnia and Shakespeare, too... but I'm getting further and further from "real" myths and legends, aren't I? Well, shoot... do urban legends count? While we're at it, I bet that if somehow we lost the internet for too long, people of the future would start categorizing LOTR, Batman, and Spider-Man as legends.
But, back on topic. I should at least mention Japanese myth and legend, after I touted my translation skills, but, unfortunately, traditional Japanese myth and legend has never really grabbed my attention very well. I learned, for example that the origin of omoshiroi, the Japanese word for "interesting," goes back to a story of Shinto god Amaterasu seeing her face in a mirror (maybe a pool?) for the first time. She saw that her face (omo) was white (shiroi), and so she said, "Omoshiroi!" Little things like that stick with me, but don't inspire me too much.
Samurai history, which is naturally mixed with legend, is much more inspiring. The Warring States period and Sekigahara and all that... And I find more inspiration in little tidbits of legend that are slightly more historical, like the fact that there are 3 real temples spread across Japan, one guarding a jewel, one guarding a sword, and one guarding a mirror, and none of these ancient artifacts have been seen in hundreds of years except by a handful of priests and the emperor, supposedly. I don't know the details, but they are said to
have the power to save the country when brought together and used. I see echoes of that in Legend of Zelda, which is a series I love.
posted 1 month ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Most Honorable One
Racheal: How many books will be in the Legend of the Elements series?
Kyle: Well, I have a specific number in my head, but I'll keep that a secret for right now. If anyone is going to begrudge me a little mystery, tell me why in the comments, and I'll read them closely. The exact answer will come out sooner or later...
I will say that the books are all planned out in great detail, and that LEGEND OF THE ELEMENTALS is fairly finite. It's not somethingthat will "drag on" like Animorphs (a great YA series overall) endedup doing, for example. There's a beginning, middle, and end to LEGEND OF THE ELEMENTALS. There's also plenty of room for expansion, supplemental reading, and a larger universe to explore. I've thought a lot about going into much greater detail concerning the Elementals training, for example, but to do that in the first book would really disrupt the pacing I had in mind. One of my dreams of late would be to see something like the glossed-over episodes from the Elementals' Book 1 training as an expanded miniseries in the mold of Clone Wars, which followed the release of the Star Wars movies. And yes, I do think LEGEND OF THE ELEMENTALS could be an amazing, money-making movie series, naturally. I don't suppose any of you reading this are Hollywood producers by chance? Haha.
posted 1 month ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Most Honorable One
Racheal: In the books that you've written, who is your favorite character?
Kyle: It depends on the day. What a cop-out answer, huh? OK, in rough order of frequent favoriting... I like writing Devidis because it's a lot of fun to play the part of the all-out, super-powered bad guy. Ryan was a thinly-veiled version of myself from the first. Jason reflects more of my personality now that I'm older, I think. Kris is maybe the most stable character in the book, and a good calming influence. Erin is there when I need a voice to tell me to just dive in and get it done. And I can draw upon Sensei when I want to be a better teacher in the classroom.
posted 1 month ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Most Honorable One
Racheal: What made you decide to write for Young Adults?
Kyle: Well, I can tell you that it was less a decision to write for young adults than the fact that I made my decision to start writing LEGEND OF THE ELEMENTALS as a young adult myself, an 8th grader. I can point to unintended reasons that my books make good YA reading (I hope), including the disproportionately strong effect that things like books and music have on a person during impressionable puberty, the fact that teaching kids keeps a person younger--and I love teaching first graders!--and the fact that my favorite books and the best contemporary fiction I've read of late happens to be YA, but it wasn't much of an intentional decision to write YA. When I write, I am not really trying to make it "YA" It is and always has been YA-appropriate, in my estimation, and I'm just trying to make it good writing.
posted 1 month ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Most Honorable One Raacheal: Do you read YA books and if so, what are some of your favorite series?
Kyle: Yes, I do read YA. My favorite series are The Chronicles of Prydain, The Chronicles of Narnia... and I get nostalgic for Goosebumps and Animorphs that I enjoyed as a younger teen. Can I also recommend LOTR and Terry Brooks' earlier Shannara books? And no one is too young or too old for Dr. Seuss. I also encourage reading of the Bible. Forget the controversial content: the Bible has hands-down the most internationally known stories that formed (and still form) the basis of Western literature, and plenty of tropes, themes, and symbols in the fantasy genre specifically.
posted 1 month ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Most Honorable One
Racheal: Are you working on any new novels currently?
Kyle: Yes! I'm working on LEGEND OF THE ELEMENTALS, BOOK 2: RELEASE as of this interview. I'm gathering feedback from my beta readers, and all signs point to a release date this month, May 2012. I'll be sure to post a link in the comments. Once RELEASE is out, I'll be working on the third book, which is also in later drafts.
I've also been kicking around ideas for another novel or two outside of LEGEND OF THE ELEMENTALS' universe, and I have plenty of short stories about Bucketman, a dim-witted, bucket-helmeted, powerless superhero. This is in addition to random poetry and philosophical statements I've written for myself over the years that I like to call REFLECTIONS IN THE MIRROR... though that's probably not fit for publication. Most of the good stuff from that is making its way into LEGEND OF THE ELEMENTALS anyway. ...Follow me on Facebook or Shelfari, and stay tuned to www.LEGENDoftheELEMENTALS.blogspot.com for all the latest info.
posted 1 month ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Most Honorable One
Racheal: And last but not least, what is your favorite hobby?
Kyle: Can I say that the internet is my favorite hobby? Or would that just be admitting an addiction? News, videos, games, music, reading, writing, and Reddit for all of it... I consider myself a gamer (video, board, tabletop) though less and less as I get older. I've always been a Nintendo fanboy, and love MarioKart and Skyward Sword (but I'm keeping my options open for the next console generation). I also like traveling, photography, eating, and sleeping.
Thank you for this interview. It's been great for me, and I hope you and the rest of our group members enjoy it as much as I have!
posted 1 month ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
show 2 replies (1 unread)
Kyle Timmermeyer
The links for Book 2 are up!
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007ZZIU6Y
Smashwords (for all the other popular formats):
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
LEGEND OF THE ELEMENTALS, BOOK 2: RELEASE is $0.99 at both sites.
The book should also be available on barnesandnoble.com soon, for the same price.
posted 3 years ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Interview with "Confessions of An Angry Girl" author, Louise Rozett!!!Since we have so many authors in the group, we thought it'd be nice to highlight them and give them a chance to tell us about themselves, their books, and their writing experiences.
A little about Louise Rozett:
Louise Rozett is an author, a playwright, and a recovering performer. She is making her YA debut with Confessions of an Angry Girl, published by Harlequin Teen, due out on 8/28/12. She lives with her cool boyfriend Alex and awesome dog Lester in one of the world's greatest literary meccas, Brooklyn. Visit www.Louiserozett.com for more info.
Without further ado, the interview(Ha! That rhymed!):
*Authors: If you'd like to be interviewed, please contact an admin. We'd love to be able to highlight a different author each month. However we cannot guarantee that your book will be reviewed.
*Everyone else: If you're interested in reviewing any of the author's books, let us know! We'd love to find someone to do that!
Kori: If you had to describe your book in three words, what would they be?
Louise: Wow! What a great, tough question. Let’s see. I’d say...raw, intense...and empowering (I hope!).
Kat (edited)
I love empowering books! Love your quote on your website, btw ;)
Louise Rozett
Thank you so much! I hope ANGRY GIRL does indeed fall into the empowering category for you!
Kori: Are any of the characters in “Confessions of an Angry Girl” based off of anyone you know?
Louise: I think there’s a little bit of me in Rose, but like most of the characters in the book, she is an amalgam of different people. I borrowed some first names from high school friends of mine -- I found using names that are so evocative of that time in my life really helped me to capture some of the emotions I felt in high school -- but I didn’t borrow personalities.
Jamie, however, came into my mind fully formed one day. I’m not sure where he came from, but as soon as he took up residence in my mind, I really wanted to tell his story. He breaks my heart, that boy.
Kat
Oooo, sounds interesting. I think I must read about him :)
Captain Korina
I'm definitely curious about Jamie now!
Captain Korina
Kori: Was your high school experience anything like Rose’s?
Louise: I’m very lucky in that, in general, I had a great high school experience. I had smart, fun friends, and I was very active in school. I also had a supportive family. But like most people, I had some bad experiences that were difficult to process, and I carried around a lot of anger about them for a long time. What I appreciate and admire about Rose is that she -- unlike me at her age -- is not afraid to express her anger. So often I feel like girls are not really allowed to be angry -- we somehow get the message that we’re supposed to be good, and nice, and accommodating at all costs. And that’s not a great way to go through life. It’s important to express your thoughts and feelings because keeping stuff in can really backfire on you and you can end up hurting yourself, or other people.
Kat
Mhmm *agrees*
Captain Korina
So true! It all just builds up when you keep it inside. Finding some kind of (safe) outlet is so important. I can't wait to read how Rose expresses her anger.
Captain Korina (edited)
Kori: Do you have a temper? Don’t tell me you didn’t see this one coming ;)
Louise: Ha! I do have a bit of a temper. But I have to confess that, although I’m not always proud of the way I behave when I get angry, it feels good when anger comes to the surface and I actually let it out. There’s something very cathartic about expressing an emotion that we often frown upon in our society. It just has to be done with a measure of wisdom, so that you don’t do damage to yourself or others.
Captain Korina
Kori: How many books will be in this series?
Louise: My intention is for this to be a four-book series -- one for each year of Rose’s high school career.
Kat
That's a cool idea.
Mark
Yeah, I agree. Cool idea.
Kori: Looking at your bio it seems you went to school for everything but writing. What made you decide to become an author?
Louise: You’re so right! On paper, it looks like I did go to school for all sorts of stuff besides writing! But actually, I’ve had a number of phenomenal writing teachers along the way. I started writing plays when I was in elementary school, and then took an independent study playwriting class in high school. In college, I took a fiction-writing class, and then while I was in graduate school studying acting, I took a playwriting seminar. I’ve always had characters in my head who talk to me, and want their stories told. When one of them really starts clamoring, that’s usually when I sit down and start something. Throughout my life, writing has been a constant source of creative satisfaction -- writing doesn’t torture me in the same way that acting or singing sometimes does, so it’s always been a refuge for me.
Captain Korina
Kori: Why the young adult genre?
Louise: High school is such a definitive time for most people—I think it’s probably because you grow and change more between 14 and 18 than at any other time in life. I’m drawn to the young adult genre because I’m fascinated by that period, when you’re encountering some deep and powerful emotions -- both positive and negative -- for the first time in your life, and you’re struggling to contain and manage them. It’s a profound time in many ways.
Captain Korina
Kori: What genre of music does your band play and what is your role in it?
Louise: I was one of two singers in a great little band called The Hedges for a few years that did cool, funky arrangements of traditional American folk songs -- it was a little bluesy and a little country, based in crazy, complex harmonies. I did the a cappella circuit in college and became completely addicted to singing harmony -- it’s one of my favorite things in the world to do. I’ve got a low-key group I play with occasionally now, but I have this fantasy of forming the YA version of the Rock Bottom Remainders -- the band that Stephen King, Amy Tan, and Scott Turrow were in for years. Music plays such an important role in a lot of YA lit -- I’m sure there are tons of great musicians in the YA community!
Captain Korina
Kori: You’ve lived in a lot of places. Which is your favorite and why?
Louise: I absolutely love New York. It’s a difficult place in a lot of ways, but it’s incredibly inspiring. I meet interesting people with amazing stories every single day. And I live in a building that is chock full of great writers of all kinds -- we even started our own writer’s group!
I am also madly, deeply in love with Sydney, Australia. The people in that city really seem to have their priorities in order in terms of work-life balance, which I don’t always feel is the case in New York. And Sydney is heartstoppingly, breathtakingly beautiful. I was so sad when I left last time that I got a tattoo of the Sydney Opera House to make me feel better.
Captain Korina
Kori: What’s the name of the book currently on your nightstand?
Louise: I am deep into Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I literally can’t put it down. It’s a brilliant and thrilling and scary story about a complex marriage -- I love it! I’m also reading Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, who is a total genius. It’s a beautiful, heartbreaking graphic memoir about a girl discovering her sexuality at the same time that her father is struggling with his.
Captain Korina
Kori: What do you do when you’re not writing?
Louise: I work as a freelance writer and editor for a few different publishers, which I really enjoy. I’m also a runner (like Rose!), and I sing with a group of musicians in my neighborhood. I also have a collaborator -- the actress Tracy Middendorf, who directed a play I wrote at last summer’s New York International Fringe Festival -- and we have weekly meetings to discuss our next endeavor. She’s been away this summer shooting a film called THE ART OF LOSING about the poet Elizabeth Bishop, and I really miss her -- she’s a big source of inspiration for me.
Captain Korina
Kori: Who’s your biggest supporter?
Louise: My boyfriend. He’s an extraordinary writer and editor, and he’s always full of innovative ideas. He gets excited about whatever creative endeavor I’m pursuing, and I really appreciate that. In a world where things are often valued based on how much money they might bring in, I love being with someone who understands creating for creating’s sake.
Captain Korina
Kori: How do you overcome writer’s block?
Louise: For me, the key to dealing with writer’s block is to just let it happen. I think it happens for a reason -- perhaps my brain is subconsciously working on solving a problem or an issue, and it needs time to do that. If I beat myself up over not being able to write, it takes me longer to get back to writing. So I let it happen, and I try to be nice to myself while it’s happening.
Captain Korina
Kori: I couldn’t help noticing the pictures of your dog on your website! Tell us a little about him.
Louise: You’re so nice to ask about Lester! When I got him, I swore I would never be one of those people who talked endlessly about her dog. But he’s one of the most important beings in my life, so he comes up a lot. He’s a 118-pound, 2-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog who requires special attention due to some physical issues, and I think he was in pain for a lot of his young life before we learned how to help him. The amazing thing about animals is that they don’t indulge in self-pity -- Lester doesn’t waste any energy feeling sorry for himself when his legs hurt. In that way, he has reminded me that life is short and it’s important to save your energy for things that fulfill you. (Which, in his case, is going to off-leash hours at the park and romping with his friends!)
Captain Korina
Kori: Lastly, if you could co-write with any author in the whole world, alive or dead, who would it be and why?
Louise: I have a huge crush on William Faulkner—As I Lay Dying is one of my favorite books of all time. But I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I might not be able to keep up with Mr. Faulkner, winner of The Nobel Prize in Literature! I also might not be able to keep up with the extraordinary Curtis Sittenfeld or the wonderful Stephen Chbosky, but I’d sure like to try. I feel like my characters exist in the same universe as some of theirs, and I think they would all have some pretty interesting things to say to each other.
Captain Korina **Thank you, Louise, for answering the billions of questions I sent your way and for allowing me to interview you for the group!!!!**
Inkbitten
I am working on a review for Confessions of an Angry Girl. Hopefully it will be posted at inkbitten.com tonight or tomorrow!
Kat
Great! I'll read it!
Louise Rozett
Thank YOU, Kori! That was so much fun!
posted 2 years ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
2015 Author Interview for March: James StevensThe Author Interview of March goes to James Steves (aka Fulgid)! James is the author of the book Hatch. Please feel free to ask him questions and learn more about his books!
Also, for those of you Author's who are interested in being interviewed in the future, please contact an admin as we would love to feature you.
Most Honorable One (edited)
Can you tell us about your novel, Hatch?
Hatch was written for my daughters when they were the ages of 11 and 15. They loved fantasy stories but it was getting difficult to find books that weren’t filled with inappropriate material for their age group. Out of pure frustration I decided to sit down and write one myself, thus Hatch was hatched.
Hatch is the story of Ammon, an orphaned boy who is lucky enough to get a job taking care of a clutch of dragon eggs in the city of Gaul. He must keep the fires in the furnaces going non-stop to keep them warm and he will be paid one gold talon for each dragon that successfully hatches. On the night of the new moon when they emerge from their shells, the hatchlings will choose to bond to a knight, but only if they are pure of heart. This is where the adventure truly begins as things go horribly wrong and send Ammon fleeing for his life.
Kat
Kat
Your description has me wanting to read it now.
fulgid
I hope you do! If you read it please let me know if you enjoyed it?
You can read a fair sized sample of the 1st chapter on Amazon to get a taste of the story.
lindajoy
I've enjoyed reading your interview. Can't wait to read Hatch :)
Karin
That's a great reason to write books! Too bad I didn't know about them when my girls were that young, but then again they might still enjoy them, so I'll have to take a look for it.
fulgid
Sorry I didn't respond to this earlier, I thought this thread was archived!
I wrote hatch the same way that I spoke to my daughters in that I didn't talk to them as if they were of lesser intelligence.
So although it is written for a younger audience it is written at an adult level. I can't help but think that is the reason why so many people have enjoyed it?
Most Honorable One
Did you do any research for your book and did it help you get a better feel for writing your series?
Yes actually there was quite a bit of research involved in the book. Dragons exist in almost every culture throughout the ages, but there are some drastic differences between them. Most people are familiar with the European version of a scaled and winged beast that breathes fire, usually with an evil disposition. The Chinese dragons are wingless and fly using magic and are generally benevolent and wise. There is even a difference between common and royal dragons depending on the number of toes! Another subject that required some research was the use of the medicinal herbs mentioned in the story. Everything but dragons bane was an actual medical herb used in medieval times.
Most Honorable One
The whole idea behind how humans bond with dragons was so unique. What gave you the idea to write about dragons?
I decided to use dragons for the simple reason that because they are non-existent; it allowed me to decide what their character traits would be. I could decide their strengths, weaknesses and nature. Everyone has opinions on the personality and traits of their dogs, cats and other animals and therefore expect them to act in a certain way. Dragons are not limited to those boundaries so I was free to make my own rules. Besides, dragons are cool.
Most Honorable One
You know, I never really thought about it like that, but you bring up a really good point. As readers, we do have expectations for certain animals and would probably be disappointed if the animals didn't live up to our expectations.. or maybe they just wouldn't be as believable.
Most Honorable One
How many books are in the Hatch series and can we expect more?
Hatch is the first in the series The Dragons Of Laton. I’m in the process of writing the second book now which I’ve tentatively titled The Forging Of Bonds. I expect there will be at least three books and a prequel involving Boris, who is the mentor for Ammon.
Most Honorable One
In the books that you've written, who is your favorite character?
That’s a difficult question to answer. Fulgid is obviously quite likable. Who wouldn’t want him sitting on their shoulder? I also had a great affinity to El for her spunk. She isn’t someone you want to cross, as she has an iron core underneath. And then there is Boris who is a man’s man!
Most Honorable One
In your book, Fulgid was my favorite character. I loved how he would sit on Ammon's shoulder or even how he would hitch a ride on Ammon's back! =)
fulgid
He was the most difficult character to create because he had almost no voice. It was incredibly difficult to put into words personality using only the actions/reactions of the character.
Most Honorable One
I can only imagine how hard that would be, but the end result was perfect. You wrote him to perfection!! =)
Most Honorable One
Have you ever based your characters off of people you know?
Yes, but not completely. For example El was primarily based on the personality of my wife when we were younger. I merged a few other personalities from people that I knew into the mix to make her compatible with her position in the story. Fulgid was a combination of our horse, one of our dogs and a cat.
Most Honorable One
I just want to say that I think it's really cool that you used different personalities from each of your animals to make up the dragons' personalities! And that's really sweet that El is based off of your wife! =)
Most Honorable One
Which character do you relate to the most?
Probably Boris, except I have more hair.
Most Honorable One
What made you decide to write for Young Adults?
That is an easy question. It was for my daughters! They’re grown up now but we still talk about it!
Kat
My husband did something smaller but similar. He wrote short stories for our daughter when she was around 8 years old. He used to make up bedtime stories for her and decided to type up some favorites for her.
fulgid
Did he publish them?
Kat
No he didn't.
Most Honorable One
Do you read YA books and if so, what are some of your favorite series?
Oh yes I certainly do and only wish I had more time to read more. I really liked the Harry Potter series and I grew up with C.S. Lewis. I think I must have read the entire LOTR series several times before I was even in high school. I was reading at 6th grade levels when I entered kindergarten at age 4. (I started school a year early)
Most Honorable One
Are you currently working on any new novels or thinking about starting a new series?
As I said, I am currently working on the next novel which I hope to complete and release this year. I think if there is continued interest in the series I could certainly continue to expand upon it. Time will tell!
Most Honorable One
And last but not least, what is your favorite hobby?
I have several hobbies, horses, motorcycles, old car restorations, but I think I’d have to say camping is probably my favorite. There is something therapeutic about cutting the cord from technology and the rest of the world and making it a point to do nothing but sit and listen to the birds while you stare at a campfire.
Kat
I love camping and the outdoors for just that reason. It feels so good to not have all that electricity around you.
fulgid
I lived off the grid for 4 years in the northern woods of Maine. No phone, no tv, no electricity and no neighbors!
It was an amazing learning experience which was quite often life or death decisions. I'm glad I did it but it isn't for everyone and I wouldn't recommend it for 99.9% of the people I know.
Now I go camping for fun! No life and death decisions to make except what to cook for dinner!
posted 10 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Since we have so many authors in the group, we thought it'd be nice to highlight them and give them a chance to tell us about themselves, their books, and their writing experiences.
Our first author is David Callinan, who has been interviewed by the amazing CG. A special thanks to the both of you for taking the time to do this!
David Callinan: "I had to make my own 'Author' flag because I couldn't get the system to work, I'm probably the only one in this group with grey (gray) hair so take a look at the future.
I've been published by HarperCollins, Orion, Ocean House and Amazon - an eclectic mix of sensual psychothrillers, spiritual adventures, YA fantasy and children's books.
My big YA opus (trilogy) is more akin to Philip Reeve, Philip Pullman, William Nicholson and Tolkein than to Meyer. (The Kingdoms Of Time And Space)
There is not a vampire, werewolf, shape shifter, elf, hobgoblin, sword and sorcery hero or ghost is sight. This is much more a mix of leading edge science and magic; angels and artificial intelligence; an Earth where the animals have vanished and replacements created.
I live in the Forest Of Dean, a dark and mysterious place.
I read extensively, everything from YA to metaphysics with a big helping of near-the-knuckle thrillers.
Glad to be aboard."
*Authors: If you'd like to be interviewed, please contact an admin. We'd love to be able to highlight a different author each month. However we cannot guarantee that your book will be reviewed.
*Everyone else: If you're interested in reviewing any of the author's books, let us know! We'd love to find someone to do that!
Captain Korina started this discussion 1 month ago (edited). ( reply | permalink | delete | lock thread )
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