It has been a very long time since I was able to dedicate myself to my own writing and to helping other authors with their writing. If you have stumbled across this page you are in luck I am back at it. I will be taking books to review and write a review on Goodreads, and anywhere your book may be sold, or where ever you wish me to publish the review. I will also be hosting Author days where any author would be able to tell about themselves and their books, and Release days, for a new title that is coming out and a particular day you would like it to come out on. Please look into the tabs for more information on how this will work and how to contact me. I look forward to hearing from authors and reading new books.
Readers find new authors to love. Authors get love from new readers.
Monday, July 24, 2017
Friday, August 30, 2013
Giveaway Bayou L'Abeille by A.D. Sams
Bayou L'Abeille by A.D Sams.
Published by Fey Publishing
If you're looking for an escape from it all, come on down to Bayou L'Abeille for a visit. Take a stroll through the L'Abeille-Toombs Historical Cemetery or our prize gardens kept by Miss Nonie. Hear the colorful stories from our favorite musicians at Popeye Sims' Music Shop and you might even run into local legend Lenny Waxman. Have breakfast at The Butter Biscuit then enjoy some junktique shopping and coffee at the Joe-N-Junk. Grab a po' boy for lunch at the L'Abeille Diner, but make sure to save some room for BBQ and blues over at Cottonmouth's Review. If you mention Honey Slade, Cottonmouth will fix you up with a free plate of beignets. Don't be put off by the Alligator Advisory, in effect until the end of the season for the south side bayou near Roux Roux St. A white alligator has been spotted in the water, proving that even our 'gators are special. The people of Bayou L'Abeille walk a fine rhythm between lovely and heartbreaking, hilarious and sad, bitter and so very, very sweet. Why not join them and experience a slice of life on the bayou?
Available on the Kindle for only $2.99. Or purchase yourself a paperback from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
Amazon:
Barnes and Noble:
Follow A.D Sams on Facebook:
Follow Fey Publishing on Facebook:
Add Bayou L'Abeille to your Goodreads list:
Meet A.D Sams: Author of Bayou L'Abeille ~ Eater of pie ~ Duchess of Snark (Also known as Chubby Ninja) ~ Certified bibliophile
I'm sure I'll be losing my mind soon. If you see it running down the street, will you set out a saucer of wine and some candy for it? Thanks.
Shall I introduce myself? Just along the border of Louisiana in the flat lands of Texas, The Devil's Pocket abides. This is where I was born. The Pocket, as locals call it, is so small that the 200 residents decided that since I was the most rotund baby born in a century, my family and I were loaded into the town cannon and shot all the way to Georgia. Trust me; it’s a true story.
Despite our exodus, life from the The Pocket lingers within. I laugh just like my grandmother. I make a fantastic étouffée. I dream of moss swinging from the trees in the sunlight. I still love the smell after a rain and I miss the season of love bugs.
Now, I'm in my mid-30's. I live in West Georgia with a gaggle of furry creatures and a very healthy Imagination. I keep it in an igloo in the back yard.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f78c5f3/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Interview with Jan Krause Greene
Q: Welcome Jan Krause Greene, how are you today?
A: I am great today. So happy to have this "chat" with you, Megan.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself.
A: Well, let's see. I am sort of a late-bloomer when it comes to writing fiction. I used to have a weekly newspaper column called HOMEFRONT. It was about raising 5 sons...mostly humorous, sometimes serious. My sons are all grown up now. I also did lots of writing for work, but in the last few years I decided to try some poetry. I really like spoken word poetry, and now I am hooked on writing fiction. I live in a Boston suburb with my husband my mother. I love music and dancing, but I have no talent in either. Also really love my perennial garden and my veggie garden. My pale green thumb is getting a little greener lately. :-)
Q: What genre would you say that your book is in?
A: That has been the hardest question to answer. Publishers want you to fit into a specific genre, but my novel is more of a hybrid, I think. So the general category is contemporary fiction. But it has some supernatural elements and raises some questions about reincarnation and time travel. There is definitely a spiritual aspect to it. I have been interviewed on a radio show devoted to paranormal happenings, but it is not a typical paranormal story.
A: Tell us a little about I Call Myself Earth Girl.
Q: This is from the book's back cover and I think it does a good job of describing it.
All Gloria ever wanted was a normal life. Instead she is having recurring dreams about Earth Girl, who recounts the story of her abduction and rape. When Gloria discovers that she is pregnant, despite her husband's long absence, she begins to question her sanity. Could she really be carrying Earth Girl's baby? Can she save her marriage while unraveling the mystery that ties her to the past and future and to a love that endures beyond time?
Q: Where did you get the idea for I Call Myself Earth Girl?
A: This is sort of a complicated answer. Earth Girl is the character in the dreams that Gloria has, but Earth Girl's story came to me years before the rest of the book. Back in 2006, I decided to try writing fiction. I sat down at the computer and the story of Earth Girl just started pouring out of me. It sounds like such a cliche', but I feel like she came to me and told me her story. I had no idea where the narrative was going. It was like Earth Girl was just telling me what happened to her. When I finished writing her story, I really didn't know what to do with it. So I just let it sit....for years. But I never forgot about her.
Then, in 2010, I finally took an entire week to devote completely to writing. That is when I realized that Earth Girl's story could be someone's dream and that I could use that dream to propel the whole plot.
Q: Is this going to be a stand-alone book or part of a series?
A: Originally I thought it would be stand alone, but by the time I was writing the ending, I had already started to think about a sequel. I hope to begin it this November.
Q: How long did it take you to write I Call Myself Earth Girl?
A: Three weeks, or 6 years! It depends on how you count it. I wrote the Earth Girl part in one day in 2006. I wrote the first half of the actual book in one week in November of 2010. I didn't get back to it until November of 2011 when I took another week to do nothing but write. I finished the first draft that week. After I found a publisher in November of 2012, I spent about a week doing revisions.
Q: Do you have any certain method to your writing? Some like to outline, some write the ending first, others just let it flow.
A: I am a just-let-it-flow type of writer, but I don't think that means all the ideas come when I sit down to write. I really think my subconscious is working on the book without me even realizing it. But,I have to be actively writing word for word to be able to release the ideas. I can not write an outline ahead of time. I have never been able to do that. When I was in school, if the teacher required an outline before the paper was written, I would have to actually write the whole paper, then create an outline from what I wrote. I would hand if the outline first, but the process was backwards from what the teacher wanted.
When I was an English teacher myself, I told my students that there were many different ways to approach research papers, personal narrative, etc. I told them it was important for them to find the process that worked for them, and that I would help them figure out how to do that. Of course, a research paper needs research so they could not skip the research aspect, although a few tried to do just that. ;-)
Q: Is there any particular music that you would say goes with your book or that you listen to when writing or do you need it quite?
A: I don't have a certain type of music that I listen to while writing, although sometimes a song I hear at another time can inspire me. I definitely do not have to have quiet while writing. My husband thinks this is pretty weird, but I sometimes put the TV or radio on in the background because having voices in the background helps me concentrate. On the other hand, if I have to respond to someone who is talking to me, that breaks my concentration. As for music that goes with the book, I didn't really think about that. But I had a video trailer made and I like the music the producer chose.
Q: Is this the first book you’ve written?
A: Yes.
Q: Did you find it hard to find a publishing company that was right for you?
A: Yes and no. I spent some time trying to figure out how to write the perfect query letter in order to get an agent. I researched agents trying to figure who would want to represent my book, but I never really found someone that I thought would want to take a chance on it. So I never even sent out a query letter to an agent. I had pretty much decided to self publish, when a friend told me about a publisher in the UK who had just started a new imprint called Soul Rocks. I loved the fact that you don't need an agent to query this publisher. The whole thing is done online. It is all very transparent too. You can see everything that the editors say about your book during the decision-making process and if you care to do it, you can see everything they say about the other books they publish.
They are a very different type of publishing company. They have 4 standard contract levels. If you get offered a level 1 or 2 contract, they take care of all production, distribution, some promotion, etc. Pretty much like a more conventional publisher, but there are no agents and no advances. They have the rights to your book and you get royalties. If you get a level 3 or 4 contract, they ask you to pay some of the costs - based on the number of words in the book. I had decided if I got a level 1 or 2 (I did!), I would go with them. If they offered a 3 or 4, I would self-publish. So far, I have been quite satisfied.
Q: Is there anything you would like to talk to your readers about?
A: Well, let me see. First of all, thanks for reading my book! I would love to hear from readers who have questions, comments, etc. I do have a question for them too. Do they think this book is appropriate for high school age kids?
I guess I would also like them to know that I purposely made the conclusion of the story open to interpretation...also open to a sequel. ;-) But part of the reason it is open-ended is because I believe what I say when I speak about the book: "What happens next is up to all of us...we are all connected."
Q: Thank you so much for joining us today! How can your readers reach you?
A: Readers can reach me by leaving a comment on my Facebook page: I Call Myself Earth Girl
and through my website: www.icallmyselfearthgirl.com (that doesn't look like it turned into a link, does it?)
There is a contact us section on the website.
Also, I have a blog, but I haven't been very active with it lately. I hope to write a blog later today, however.
I am on Goodreads, of course, and I have an author page on Amazon.com
Here is a link to the video trailer. I hope you enjoy it. http://youtu.be/-
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
A French Star in New York
Title: A French Star in New York (The French Girl series #2)
Author: Anna Adams
Book Description:
Maude thinks her life can’t get any better: her first music album is a hit, she’s about to meet her extended family, and she’s looking forward to her first date with teen pop star, Matt.
But when scandal strikes, Maude must part ways with Matt and watch Soulville Records fall into the hands of an ambitious Alan Lewis, who will stop at nothing to turn Maude into an unparalleled star.
Between glamorous parties, an unauthorized tell-all book, a web of lies, new revelations about her French past, and her rivalry with Lindsey Linton attaining a whole new level, Maude must fight for her voice to be heard and decide if being a star is more important than her love for music.
BOOK 1 IS FREE ON Smashwords
To Purchase A French Star in New York (The French Girl series #2):
Goodreads button:
<div id="gr_add_to_books">
<div class="gr_custom_each_container_">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17978516-a-french-star-in-new-york " style="border:none" target="_blank"><img alt="A French Star in New York (The French Girl series #2)" src="http://www.goodreads.com/images/atmb_add_book-70x25.png " /></a>
</div>
</div>
<!-- the identifier in the following script tag can be a GR book id or an isbn -->
<script src="http://www.goodreads.com/book/add_to_books_widget_frame/17978516?atmb_widget%5Bbutton%5D=atmb_widget_1.png " type="text/javascript"></script>
Author Bio:
Anna Adams is a French author presently living in Paris after having spent her childhood in the United States. She enjoys writing and reading young adult novels. She loves music, art, shopping, hanging out with friends and roaming in the streets of Paris, or writing in small French cafés.
She is currently writing the second novel in the French Girl series. The third installment in the French Girl Series will be released in 2014.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Interview with Leigh Hershkovich
<-----leigh font="" hershkovich="">
Her latest book--->
Welcome Leigh Hershkovich, how are you today?
Hi! I'm great! Thank you so much for hosting me!
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am twenty one years old, I'm from San Francisco, California, and I currently live in New York.
What is your favorite book/genre to read?
I don't have a specific genre that is my favorite, mainly because I like exploring with all different types. I will say though that I am a huge fan of Latin fiction, and I tend to migrate towards and read works mainly by Latin or Hispanic writers.
What genre is Shattered Illusions?
It is a mystery novel, though the mystery itself is about so much more than that. I'll let the readers figure out what that means... :D
Tell us a little about your novel.
The novel follows four strangers during a murder investigation. They all come from different backgrounds and have different experiences. The book is really about how they all learn to cope with life in the aftermath of witnessing a murder.
Where did you get the idea for Shattered Illusions?
From a novel titled The Angels Game by one of my favorite authors, Carlos Ruiz Zafon. One of the themes in the novel was my inspirtation for Shattered Illusions.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
Yes! Hopefully the first of many!
How long did it take you to write it?
It took me about two years from start to finish without editing. With editing, I'd say about three years.
Did you find any one of the four main characters Ella, Marco, Sarah or Danny any harder to write than the others?
Yes, I found both male characters difficult to write. I did a lot of research and spoke to a lot of different men in order to be able to capture male characteristics.
The book looks to be written in first person from each of the individuals point of view, was it hard for you to get into each person’s state of mind?
I would have to focus very hard whenever I wrote in any of the voices. I didn't want one voice to flow into the others. So, it took a lot of strength to keep the voices different.
Did you have to write one person throughout the whole book then go back and add the next and so on or were you able to switch between the four of them?
I wrote the book in order of events, not in order of voices. I didn't write one voice in it's entirety and then switch, I wrote one chapter at a time, with each voice.
Do you have another project that you are working on now?
Yes, I do! I am working on another novel, which I hope to dive into and really power through in the upcoming year. That's really all I can say about it for now!
Is there anything you would like to talk to your readers about?
I would love to hear their thoughts about the characters and the storyline! It's always fun to discuss the plot with readers.
Thank you so much for joining us today! How can your readers reach you?
Thank you so much for hosting! Readers can reach me on Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Tumblr, Youtube,and on my website(where they can buy signed copies of Shattered Illusions!)
Monday, July 29, 2013
Spotlight Shattered Illusions By Leigh Hershkovich
 |
| Buy on Amazon |
One murder. Four eyewitnesses. An unknown assailant...A victim with a mysterious secret. Bystanders beleaguered by life’s losses. A killer at large...
When Sam, a proprietor of a local cafe is shot dead on the street, four strangers become the unwitting witnesses to a seemingly accidental crime. As the investigation progresses, this quartest of accidental onlookers find themselves not only haunted by the homicide, but pursued by their own pasts.
The deeper into the death they plunge, each is forced to face to face that the loss of Sam is far from their most devastating. Inner anguish reaches a climax point for Ella, Marco, Sarah and Danny as the answers they want continue to elude them, and the evidence they want to escape refuses to retreat.
Excerpt:
MY HEART IS ON fire; I feel now only the numbness of the pen be- tween my fingers. This isn’t real. This is a dream. I will awake in the morning with Aaron in the bed next to me, snoring, as I would have by now learned that he does. I see now nothing more than the complete disappointment I am to my entire family, and to his. What have I done?
Now more than ever, I pray to see his face. Here, among the witnesses, the convicted killers, drunk drivers, and confused teenagers, I close my eyes and pray for his face to appear before me. Please, do not hide it from me; I want to cringe with the sight of every detail of him. Yesterday would have been the last day of Sheva Brochos. We would have concluded our first week as hus- band and wife, both in joy and possibly in confusion. Today, we would be ready to begin our true lives together, with the density of reality, and not with the heavenly spirit of our first week together. According to tradition, the first week of marriage, called Seven Blessings, is a time when the newlywed couple is treated like royalty, the way a king and queen would be, with honor, respect and love. They are escorted everywhere by a guardian, either a relative or a friend, and take part in seven days of lavish meals prepared by all to take part in.
I can see it now; the morning after the last Sheva Brocho may have been like
the glass of perfection shattering around us. Reality begins to set in, and life becomes real, not fairytale or fantasy. I want now nothing more than to see his face—not to speak to him or to have him hold me in his arms while I cry endlessly, simply to see his face. It is the demon within me that I wish to con- quer most of all. I want it to grant me peace, although I know that such a thing cannot come from simply viewing his face.
I wish I were invisible. With a click of a button, a wave of my hand, I could disappear, and no one would ever know of my existence. I could eliminate myself, and it wouldn’t make a difference.
The rooftop seems so far away now. As I fill in this report, it seems as though the events that I had only recently witnessed happened days ago. The time is short, and there seem to be too many details to share. The work is long, the workers are lazy, and the master is pressing. I feel the eyes of police officers boring holes into my back as I bend over the file to fill in the blanks. My mind is blank. I have nothing to say. Sam is dead. I watched him die, from my corner of the world on high. I am nothing. Why am I even here?
My name should be Ella Harris. Right now, I should be basking in the glow of my newly married life, not filing a report for such a horrendous crime. I look down at my bony, unpolished finger. There should be a big, sparkling diamond ring on it. A French manicure, too. I was ready to be a wife, to be settled in the life that I wanted to lead. I have been left to wander, to question my existence and the mere fact of life. Here I am, filing a report.
You want to know what happened, so I will tell you, although it pains me to do so.
I should have been there to help him. I was so engaged in my own madness that I couldn’t rush to his aid. What good would it have done? Would I really have taken a bullet for someone that I hardly know? It pains me to say no, for I know in my heart that I value my life too much. I feel guilt over it. I would have wanted to save him; maybe that’s why I’m stuck in this mess.
I had just come home from seeing my mother. I felt as though my entire world had ended. Her “confession” should not have shocked me; I realized long ago that my mother was ill and there was no way to save her. However, I did not realize how much of a toll it would take on me to hear the words come from her lips.
I felt sorry for myself and for the discovery I had pushed for. I should have left it alone and allowed everything to continue as it always had. Why did Ineed to bring her back into my life? My only sanctuary was the rooftop. I climbed the steps in a haze of frustration and exhaustion. I felt my body caving in beneath me as I raced towards the top, as if my life depended on the speed of my climb. When I got there, I did not stop to catch my breath but ran for the edge of the roof as if preparing to leap off and fall to my death. Not that I hadn’t considered that option—I had, several times. That is a confession that I am not sure I should be making to you or anyone else. Religion, as I am coming to learn, does not put a bubble around the fact that I am a human being. In my naive youth, I had always be- lieved that the fact that I was religious would prevent me from feeling human, save me from addiction, rebellion, anger, hate. I was wrong. Though my con- nection to, and depth of, religion have never been stronger than they are today, at this very moment, as I sign the papers claiming responsibility for what I wit- nessed, delusional or not, I know that I am not pardoned from human will and the mistakes it makes.
I leaned over the edge, waiting for a breeze to caress my face or bolt of lightning to strike me. I wanted to feel something real, something beyond the pain I was feeling. I wanted to be happy.
What I saw next did not help. There was Sam, in the street, standing next to a woman I have come to know as Sarah Grigg, his next door neighbor. From so far above, I could not hear them, let alone understand what was going on. My eyes wandered for only a moment, and upon their return, I recognized the shadow of another figure, a man I did not know. I watched Sam’s body tighten and Sarah’s face drop, her skin turning sickly pale. Only then did I realize that the man was pointing a gun at them.
For more information about Shattered Illusions, visit the official book website.
Leigh's Contacts:
Follow Leigh on Twitter.
Like what you see? ‘Like’ us on Facebook.
Read Shattered Illusions with Leigh on the YouTube Channel
Learning about Leigh and Shattered Illusions by visiting the official book blog.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Interview with Parker Paige
Whitley & Austin
By Parker Paige
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publication Date: July 10, 2013 (Pluto Books)
Synopsis &
Bio
THREE beautiful
redheads - THREE Motives - ONE Murder
Tapping into the
common wish to be someone else, if only for a short time, this suspense drama
explores what happens when a woman, bored with her humdrum existence dyes her
hair red and takes on the persona of her late sister.
After the murder
of her beloved sister, a quiet and warmhearted legal secretary, Charlie Weiss,
who works for the prestigious Whitley & Austin, is in search of an escape.
A few sessions with her psychologist propel her to the realization that the
excitement that she seeks is in a new life, the life of her late sister.
With a daring
wish to continue the wild life of her late sister, she colors her hair red and
dares to reinvent herself. And with this new persona comes a different type of
experience, including becoming one of three redhead suspects to a murder.
Parker
Paige has been writing fiction for several years with a passion for creating
eccentric characters. She is fascinated with true stories and for that reason,
she is drawn to the network Investigation Discovery like a drug. She is the
author of “The Color Pink” and “Whitley and Austin.” She is not completely
insane, maybe just a little bit crazy. She lives in Los Angeles.
Her website is: parkerpaige.wordpress.com
Twitter: @ParkerPaige86
.jpg) |
| Buy on Amazon Now |
An Interrogation of Author Parker Paige
Q: Please state your name, city where you live and marital status.A: My name is Parker Paige, and I live in Los Angeles.
Q: And your marital status?
A: I’’m between husbands right now.
Q: How similar are you to the lead character Charlie Weiss?
A: We could be twins. Not only are we both tall, but we both, at one time or another wanted a new life. The only difference is Charlie was brave enough to actually go out and get one.
Q: There’’s a scene where Charlie is making out in the office men’’s room. Is there any truth to that scene?
A: Let’’s just say it’’s not entirety fiction.
Q: The ending was not entirely clear. Who was the woman in question? Was it you, Camina or Laura?
A: I cannot answer that question at this time.
Q: I understand that you used to work as a legal secretary. Do things really get that raunchy behind legal doors?
A: Even raunchier.
Q: When you worked as a legal secretary, did you ever fool around with any of the attorneys?
A: Let’’s just say, I once worked for a partner that I had a major hard-on for. I’’ll stop there.
Q: What is the kinkiest thing you ever witnessed behind closed doors in the workplace?
A: friend of mine, let’’s call her Daisy, delivered a fax to her attorney boyfriend and he had to withdraw it from the inside her pants.
Q: What do you hope readers will get from reading your sexy tale?
A: That it’’s okay to change your personality sometimes. If fact, it might even be necessary, under the right circumstances.
Q: Are you a natural redhead?
A: No, but I wish I were.
Q: Are you willing to reveal the name of the law firm in question?
A: I could never do that, although I would love to.
Q: Is this story fiction or nonfiction?
A: It’’s 40% nonfiction and 60% fiction.
Q: In light of the 40% of this story being true, is it safe to say that most of the characters portrayed are based on real characters?
A: It’’s very safe to say.
Q: Are you afraid that the attorneys that are portrayed in your story might recognize themselves?
A: I don’’t expect any attorneys to be interested in my story. However, I have done a great job of altering certain things to avoid being found out?
Q: Any chance there will be a sequel to They Come in Threes?
A: Absolutely. I have already begun the next adventure of Charlie Weiss.
Q: What can you reveal to your readers that will give them so insight into who you are as a person?
A: They should know that I am not completely insane, maybe just a little bit crazy.
Q: What might readers expect in the sequel?
A: A lot more fun and twice the adventure.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Interview with K.C. Finn
Welcome Kimberley Finn, how are you today?
Refreshed. I’ve just been back to sleep for three hours this afternoon
after a late night writing! As I write this we in England are experiencing an
alleged ‘heat wave’, which means that the best time to write right now is very
late at night when my home is at its coolest!
Tell us a little about yourself.
I always cringe at this part as I’m terribly convinced that my actual
life is not at all interesting! I’m a private tutor and teacher of Creative
Writing who is also studying towards a Master’s Degree in Education and Applied
Linguistics (told you it was boring!). Currently my spare time is totally
consumed by equal parts teaching preparation, listening to 1950’s rock and roll
and writing, of course. I also suffer from a long term medical condition known as
M.E./C.F.S. which means I have to spend an inordinate amount of time sleeping
and resting, which is not always agreeable when I’m feeling inspired!
What genre would you say that your book is in?
I always call it a ‘Futuristic Crime Mystery’ which is a mouthful in
itself, but it’s very difficult to pinpoint the genre as I like to wander among
themes! It’s definitely science-fiction, and it’s definitely a detective
mystery, the plot always centers around crimes and it’s suitable for audiences
from Young Adult right the way up to Old Adult, and I know this because my 84
year old grandmother has been praying for her copy of Counterclockwise to
arrive for the last few weeks!
Tell us a little about The Atomic Circus.
Well TAC begins the story of our young protagonist, the 25 year old
Caecilius Rex (that’s KAI-KILL-EE-USS for anyone interested in Latin
pronunciation, but really you can say it however you like!). The events of this
mystery unfold when a body is discovered out in the smog filled streets of the seaside
town of Dartley. The victim appears to have perished in a very unusual way,
which is right up the street of our detective friend, who is always called upon
to solve unusual cases. For this particular mystery Cae calls upon the help of
his new friend and recent next door neighbor Kendra Nai, a fierce ex-army
sergeant who has recently been made redundant and is looking for something to
fill the void in her life. The pair set out to investigate the odd death and
begin to uncover a conspiracy that will bring them closer as friends, but also
closer to an untimely death if they aren’t careful.
Your book is set in the not too distant future. Is
it a completely new world or are there things people will still
recognize?
I’ve been quizzed on this issue by some of my local readers too. There
are plenty of recognizable devices and concepts as this world is our world
after a war that caused destruction of apocalyptic standards. The new world is
an amalgamation of things recovered and reintroduced from the old world and
some startling new discoveries thanks to the chemical meltdown of the planet
and the technological advances made by humans to survive in this new land.
How long did it take you to write each of these books?
Well I began the initial concept for The Atomic Circus in November last
year (2012) whilst I was supposed to be teaching an English class (oops). I
began what was initially a slow writing and planning process, but the novella
came together very quickly at the start of this year and it was published in
early March through Amazon Createspace. I began Counterclockwise immediately
after TAC was published but I did experience another time where I had to stop
and plan and rethink, which was quickly followed by an incredibly productive 7
days in which I penned 15,000 words (and consequently neither ate nor slept for
days). CC was published in late June, so all in all it’s taken 7 months to
write both stories.
Where did you get the idea for deadly, toxic smog to be outside? Was it hard to remember to have all your
characters put on the appropriate gear required before going outside because of
the harsh environment?
I find gas masks really threatening and ominous, so
I had to give my characters a good reason to wear them! Now that I think about
it, all the stories I am currently working on have characters that wear masks
or have painted faces, so I might have some sort of deep rooted psychological
issue that I’m not aware of that’s emerging in my books!
Yes it was terribly hard to remember that the character’s
faces are always covered by half-masks when they are out in the thick smog,
you wouldn't believe how many times I caught them smiling or
scratching their noses when they shouldn't be able to!
This is part of a series the second being Counterclockwise have you already written the next two or still working
on them?
If I had completed the other two they would be out there right now as I
don’t believe in holding back. To me there’s nothing worse than getting into a
series then having to wait years between releases to continue it. When my
current manuscript that is not Caecilius Rex-related is completed (which should
be sometime in August) I will be ready to jump right in and start writing part
3: The Face. I have a lot of the material planned but also plenty of space for
the plot to surprise me, as I don’t like to work too rigidly in the opening
half of any story.
Tell us a little about Counterclockwise.
Counterclockwise picks up where The Atomic Circus left off, about three
months after the conclusion to that particular mystery. Kendra at this point
has become pretty established as a crime-solver herself, and Counterclockwise
really takes us into her story a little more, since we hear so much about Cae
in the first book. In this story a serial strangler is on the loose, and his
target appears to be police personnel, so naturally Cae is deeply concerned
that these killings are taking place right under his young nose!
Counterclockwise sees him team up with a rather unseemly criminal (who you’ve
met briefly in the first book) in his attempts to identify the strangler, and
both Cae and the readers will make some darker, more startling discoveries as
this part of the story unfolds.
These are novellas are you going to write full length novels at some
point or do novellas fit you better? Are there any other books that
you are working on at this time or just the Caecilius Rex detective novella series?
Novellas fit this particular series very well as it
is the gradual culmination of each part to Cae’s story that really builds up
the plot nicely. When these four parts are completed I estimate that the result
will be over 120,000 words, which would have been quite an epic target to write
as a single novel!
I actually have a little secret that I’ll reveal
here: if the Caecilius Rex saga earns a little readership and people are
enjoying their escapades in my Toxic World, I do have a few more novella
stories planned in this same world with other characters in different parts of
the world.
I do also write novels and I’m working on two full
length novels at the moment. One is a time-travel adventure for an
international publishing competition and is currently at 34,000 words, if it
isn’t picked up for the contest I do intend to release it myself towards the
end of this year. The other novel is in its planning stages right now; I have
taken the detour from sci-fi into fantasy for this one, it’s a dark, magical
romance tale that I intend to write for the NaNoWriMo challenge this November.
Is there anything you would like to talk to your readers about?
Don’t judge a book by its cover guys.
Unless you really like my covers, in which case please buy it
instantly.
Thank you so much for joining us today! How can your readers reach you?
Oh there’s plenty of ways. You can check out my new blog, which will be used during my section
of the Parajunkee Indie Book Tour happening very soon, and it is also going to
be home to my articles on writing that I write for a great little online
magazine called WriteMag, some really useful stuff for aspiring writers coming
up there!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)