All Categories

Interview With Alicia Kobishop

9/8/2015

Today we welcome author Alicia Kobishop to share her work and ideas with us.

Alicia Kobishop is a contemporary fiction writer and author of The Fine Line, a mature young adult/new adult contemporary romance. She currently resides in Milwaukee, WI, USA with her (super-supportive) husband and two (phenomenal) children

Her current work in progress is a mature young adult contemporary fiction she can't wait to share with us.

Thanks for taking time to share with us today, Alicia.
Absolutely! Thank you so much for having me!

What can you tell us about you we can't learn from your bio?
Well, seeing as I've just gotten home from a camping weekend with my family, let me tell you what's on my mind at the moment. Something you may not know about me is that I'm cursed. Every time I go tent camping with my husband and kids...it rains! But it doesn't just rain...it storms! It never fails, and being cursed is the only explanation. *Laughs* Luckily we camped on my Uncle's property this weekend, so we were able to take shelter from the storm in his house. And the tent didn't collapse on us this time either (yep, it's happened to us before)! I call that a major WIN! Plus, I'm sure this adventure is something the kids will always remember, and we have a fun camping story to tell. It's all about perspective, right?

Can you tell us a bit about The Fine Line?
Sure! The Fine Line is a New Adult Contemporary Romance about high school senior Liv Evans, who has built an enormous barrier around her heart. Every father figure she's loved has left her in one way or another, leaving her completely jaded and unwilling to open herself up to any guy that comes along. When she meets Logan, an illegal street racer, she's drawn to him, but knows he is the exact type of guy she needs to stay away from.
The story explores how Liv copes with loss and whether or not she will allow herself to open her heart again, especially with someone like Logan, who lives so dangerously close to the edge.

What inspired you to write The Fine Line?
The decision to write a book came when several people in my life passed away within a very short time frame. It caused me to evaluate my priorities and lit a fire under me to do the things I always said I would do "someday."
Around the same time I began reading fiction again, something I hadn't really done since childhood, and in doing so, remembered how much I loved letting myself get caught up in fictional worlds, characters, and

relationships. The more I read, the more I wanted to write a fictional story of my own--you know--"someday." Then, I decided instead of waiting for "someday" to come, I'd just do it. So, I sat down on my PC and got started, and The Fine Line was born.

**Check out the book trailer for The Fine Line**
**Enter to win a signed paperback copy of The Fine Line**

There are quite a few intense racing scenes. Are you drawing from personal experience?
Thanks for asking, Mike! I always smile when I get asked this because it means I have created something that makes people wonder if it's true to real life. Which means I must be doing something right! The racing is not drawn from personal experience, though. I spent many hours researching street racing, its lingo, and what's involved in it. One thing that IS real, however, are the cars. The yellow Mustang and the white Nova with the black racing stripes are straight out of my own, personal memory files.

Can you share anything about Crossing the Line with us?
Absolutely! Crossing the Line is a "Fine Line Novella" told from the points of view of Chloe (an antagonist in The Fine Line), and a male lead character who's name I have not yet released. (It's a secret!) After completing The Fine Line, I really wanted to explore Chloe's character and learn more about why she did the things she did and why she acted the way she acted. Crossing the Line will shed some light into some questions that were left unanswered in The Fine Line. Liv & Logan will make appearances in this novella, but it will not be about them. This will be a stand-alone novella.

Are you working on anything else at the moment?
I am jumping between Crossing the Line, and Spark (this is a tentative title), an adult romance with more mature characters who are in their 30's. I am excited about Spark because it blends serious, real-life problems with a sexy, exciting, romantic adventure.

I've heard rumors about a collaboration with a younger, first-time author. Can you elaborate?
*Smiles* Yes! I have collaborated with my son to create a story called Into the Abyss by A.C. Lee (a pseudonym). One day, my daughter went to a birthday party and my son was feeling a little jealous that she got to go and he didn't, so I tried to make him feel better by saying it would be the perfect opportunity for us to spend some quality time together...just the two of us. When I asked him what he wanted to do, he said, "Let's write a book!" So that's what we did. He was the idea man. I just helped with elaboration, sentence structure, grammar, and editing. Into the Abyss is a story about four boys who take a self-built submarine on an adventure down to the ocean's floor where they see creepy, freaky fish and learn about friendship and other life lessons. We had so much fun writing it together!

What are your favorite books to read?
I tend to gravitate toward contemporary romance. Nothing hooks me like love with a little bit of angst and realistic drama thrown in. I'll read anything that draws me in from the beginning and doesn't let go, and for me, that means books with a lot of engaging, realistic dialogue. There's nothing better than getting so lost in a story that you lose all sense of time and reality, or one that keeps you awake, reading until the wee hours of the morning! Some of my favorite contemporary romance books are On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves, Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire, and Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens.

Where can we buy your books?
At the moment The Fine Line is under a Kindle Direct Publishing Select contract which means it's only available on Amazon. What's awesome about this is Kindle Unlimited members can read it for FREE! Both the eBook and the paperack are available on Amazon. Into the Abyss is available on Amazon, Google Books, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble.

How can readers connect with you?
I love hearing from readers! Since publishing The Fine Line, I have gotten to know so many people in the reading and book blogging community, and it has really been such a blessing. Anyone who wants to reach out can feel free to email me at [email protected], or connect with me on my Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, or TSU. I make a point to respond to everyone. Unless it's spam!

Word has it you're very interested in nutrition. What can you tell us about that?
I AM very interested in nutrition! I learned SO much about natural, whole-food, healthy eating when I managed an Integrative Medical Clinic. For several years, I had suffered from chronic headaches, body aches, and fatigue, and one of the things that helped me to feel better was changing my diet. And getting of the Dew. You know--the Mountain Dew. Oh yeah, being addicted to soda is a real thing. Sugar, too. I added in exercise a year or so later and through exercise and nutrition, I felt better than I had in years. Now, in addition to writing, I am an Independent Beachbody Coach, supplementing my income by helping others learn how to be fit & healthy!

Wow! You sure do have a lot going on. Thanks for taking time to share with us today.
Thank YOU for having me, Mike! I appreciate your personalized questions. I can tell you've done your research. You're awesome!

Enter to win a signed paperback copy of The Fine Line!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

0 Comments

Interview With Danny Kemp

8/29/2015

4 Comments

Today, Danny Kemp, a writer specializing in murder and mayhem, is here to share his work and thoughts with us.

Danny Kemp is an ex-London Police Officer who was once arrested for attempted murder. He's been a tenant of three public houses (pubs) and is currently a Licensed London Taxi Driver.

His debut novel, The Desolate Garden, a story of murder and espionage, is currently under its fourth consecutive years paid option to be rendered into a $30,000,000 movie by a London-based Film Production Company.

Is there anything you can share that your bio doesn't?
My bath time has been ruined by my two-year-old grandson who has taken the yellow, plastic duck that I used to serenade whilst bathing. I've lost my singing voice as a result!

Please tell us about your latest work.
The title is Percy Crow. It's the follow-up to my first published novel The Desolate Garden published in March 2012. In May 2012, that novel was optioned for filming by a London Film Production Company to become a $30 million movie. It is still under their paid option until 2016, however, problems with the distribution may hamper that coming about.

Percy Crow carries the original story forward to the present day using characters I established previously, but can equally stand on its own as a tale of murder, mystery and deceit.

Where did you gain inspiration for Percy Crow?
I think all my stories simply came from a love of writing and an overworked imagination.

Why did you become a writer?
At the time I started there was nothing else I could do. I had suffered a road traffic accident and was effectively out of work for almost four years. It was during that time that I began. After hundreds of inquiry letters sent to literary agents, one telephoned me and offered representation on the strength of a synopsis along with three chapters I had sent him. That story was never published, but he encouraged me to write another with The Desolate Garden being the result.

Where is your favorite place to write?
I'm lucky in having a ten-foot by eight-foot garden shed which is my office. There is a desktop running the whole length of one side where I can spread out and write. I use a storyboard for most things I do, and the space I have is ideal for such a thing. There is heat and light in there.

Can you pick a favorite among your own works?
I can't, Mike. I do sometimes read the opening lines of a work and wonder who wrote the book with my name on the cover.

What are you working on right now?
A relevant point! I was writing another espionage story titled "What Happened in Vienna, Jack?" putting the first four chapters out as a teaser on Kindle, but I have decided to stop writing for any foreseeable future. I'm disillusioned by it all.

Initially, I enjoyed the promotion, being invited to many Waterstones bookshops for signing events and even appearing on national television, but nowadays I find insincerity and dishonesty everywhere I look. Promotion on social media is hard and can become unrelenting. At one stage it took over my life with little result. I don't believe that writing for profit is viable in today's world unless one is really lucky. If the filming of The Desolate Garden does take place, then I've been lucky; no more than that!

What is your favorite genre to write and why?
Espionage, with all of what that genre can offer a fervent imagination.

What do you like to read?
Everything of John le Carre.

How can readers connect with you?
All about me can be found at my about.me page: http://about.me/DannyKemp

Where can we buy your books?

On various internet sites and in national UK bookshops including independents such as Daunts and Heywood Hill.

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Danny-Kemp/e/B001KC3VSU/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Danny-Kemp/e/B001KC3VSU/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Thank you for joining us and sharing your work and world with us, Danny.
Thank you for inviting me to this interview, Mike. I wish you success in all that you do.

4 Comments

Interview With Ian Thompson

8/26/2015

3 Comments

Today we're talking with Ian Thompson, author of thrillers, fantasy, horror, and more.

Ian Thompson was born in Liverpool, England, but has lived most of his life in a small town in Cheshire. Throughout his life, he has loved good tales. He likes fast-paced adventures, strong and unusual characters, gritty action and unexpected twists. Being taken away into the realm of someone's imagination has always appealed to him and has driven him to create realms of his own.

What can you tell us about you that we can't learn from your bio?
The answer has to be: Hawaiian shirts. From the start of my working life, I always wore plain, nondescript clothing--probably a result of my somewhat introverted nature. About four years ago, for some reason, I decided to try something new. Now I wear Hawaiian shirts every day of the year--in Britain, where the weather is never Hawaiian! Crazy, perhaps, but I've grown to love them.

Please tell us a bit about your latest book.
My last release was an action-fantasy novella entitled Survival I: Slaughter At Ghastar. It's the first in a spin-off series from Era of Darkness. In Era of Darkness, there is a whole fantasy world at war and a lot of the narrative tends to be on a huge-scale--armies of tens of thousands fighting, for example. The Survival Series tells the story of a handful of simple villagers. These aren't people who will change the destiny of the world, they're flung into the middle of a conflict and just want to get through the next day alive. Slaughter of Ghastar begins with a sudden, overwhelming attack upon a village by the demon armies. Amidst the chaos, many of the villagers try to flee. A small group decide to warn a nearby hermit of the danger; and this act of kindness has an unexpected result. When the demons quickly catch up to them, the villagers' courage is tested to the limits.

Where did you gain inspiration for the Survival Series?
On this rare occasion, I gained the initial inspiration from myself, which is weird. In Era of Darkness, there is a scene where characters are looking through a telescope-apparatus and see the village of Ghastar. They are horrified at the aftermath of a demon attack... When I was polishing the final draft, I couldn't help but think, 'Wouldn't it be great to tell the story of that place?' Months later, I decided to embark on a novella series and it just clearly had to start at Ghastar. That led to the whole concept of the series: simple survival. I hope that this enables me to tell some strong, character-based tales. Each one can have a straightforward premise--such as "get from A to B without getting killed"--and then things can go horribly wrong!

What made you want to be a writer?
Thinking back as far as I can, I was drawn to telling stories. I can remember being the only one in school who loved English homework, because I got to write a story of some kind. When I started work, I always spent my lunch breaks writing or editing--I always felt that I was a writer first and that the job I was getting paid for wasn't my career.

I think the major attraction is that writing is one of the few activities where you can totally exercise your imagination: you create a world, from the depths of the oceans to the stars in the sky, and, most importantly, to the people inhabiting it. I find the process very immersive and probably addictive.

Where is your favorite place to write?
I almost always work in a "writing den" I have set up at home. It could easily be the world's most distracting place--I'm surrounded by shelves filled with fantasy ornaments (from dragons to sword-wielding fighters); sci-fi memorabilia; Star Trek models I've made; and all other kinds of "stuff". Maybe this surreal atmosphere helps me write. I don't think I'm the kind of writer who could work on a laptop in a busy location like a park--I need a familiar comfort zone.

Do you have a favorite among books you've written?
For me, there are a whole bunch of things I love about every story. In Paradise Exhumed, it's the camaraderie between the main characters most of all. In Era of Darkness Vol I, the overpowering thing was the scale of the tale--I'd never developed so many characters before for one story or told a story across an entire continent. For the novella, Survival I, it was taking some very normal people and making them react to extreme circumstances. Each one is unique and special to me, so I can't really determine a favorite.

Paradise Exhumed, though, will always have an extra special place for another reason. It was my first release and the first title I got to hold in my hands as a printed book. Those are magical memories.

What can you tell us about your next release?
I'm polishing the final draft of my horror novel, God of War. My editor has green-lit the book, but I always like to have a last careful read-through before I release a story. This is my third book release and also my third genre, the previous novels being a mystery-thriller and a fantasy. God of War is built around the concept of cause and effect. The effect is set during modern day, in an underground cave network--in which, a small group of friends encounter a strange and vicious predator. The cause is set during the Roman occupation of Britain, featuring an ambitious Roman who seeks to create "something special" for Nero's gladiatorial arenas. These tales are tightly interwoven. One is a desperate hunt-and-chase, the other is in the style of a twisted Edgar Allan Poe story. On top of that, I think readers will find the creature of the novel is quite special and unique.

This week I will be releasing a free short story volume entitled "Into the Hole". This forms a prelude to God of War, and will include the first two chapters of the novel as a bonus.

What is your favorite genre to write and why?
Years ago, I would have answered, "Either fantasy or science fiction." Nowadays, I think in terms of characters, plot and action. I feel just as much at home writing a thriller as a fantasy, sci-fi or horror story.

Each genre has its own comforts and challenges. Here's an example. Paradise Exhumed is set in and around a modern-day city, so the "world-building" is simpler than creating a land of Emeran for Era of Darkness. This allowed me to focus more on the twists of the narrative for "Paradise". On the other hand, for "Era", the extensive world-building was a fantastic experience for me. In God of War, I had the pleasure of creating two worlds: the cave environment and the Roman-occupied Britain of the AD 60's. I love it all.

What has been your most surprising experience since becoming an Indie Author?
Definitely other authors. Indie authors certainly don't inhabit a "dog eat dog" community. Each one hopes for the success of the others and contributes to the community as a whole. Everyone I've encountered has been polite, friendly and supportive. I'm very grateful for all I've learned through blogs, author's websites and e-conversations, and I try to give something back myself. The experience of connecting with other writers has been truly and unexpectedly great.

Speaking of other authors, what are your favorite books to read?
In fantasy, I enjoy many of the classic "pulp" authors, such as Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E. Howard--who were real pioneers of the genre. I'm drawn to hard-boiled private eye stories, with their fast, tough and action-packed tales--favorites including Mickey Spillane, Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. In Sci-fi, I've read a lot of the Star Trek and Dr. Who novels (which range from excellent to mind-numbingly dull), and authors such as Harry Harrison and H.G. Wells (a writer well ahead of his time). For more modern reads, my go-to author is Stephen King--I just love the richness of his characters and plots. I'm currently savoring King's "Finder's Keepers".

Once I've depleted my current stack of "books to read", I've made a promise to myself to try some new authors...ones to take me out of the comfort-zone of "old favorites". Looking forward to that... Must read faster!

How can readers connect with you?
In order of most to least up-to-date:

My Author Website: http://ianthompson1701.wix.com/authorsite
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ianthompson1701
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ian-Thompson/995938977100104
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13830038.Ian_Thompson

Readers can also try my Entertainment blog at http://ianthompson1701.wix.com/views or contact me directly by email at [email protected]

Where can we buy your books?
My thriller novel, Paradise Exhumed, is available at:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/16YH3FZ
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1BzYHZk
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1JoqSlN

My fantasy novel, Era of Darkness Vol I: The Apocalypse Begins, is available at:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GIas6N
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1FOqvOM
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1RngPyv

My fantasy novella, Survival I: Slaughter at Ghastar, is available at:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1PwFy1F
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1MTl4kG
Barnes & Noble: http://buff.ly/1NznlmD

My range of free Short Tales can all be downloaded via my Smashwords Page at http://bit.ly/1QjOeJU

Excellent!
You have given us plenty to dig into and think about! Thanks for taking the time to share with us. I'm looking forward to getting lost in the worlds you've created!

3 Comments

Interview With Claudette Melanson

8/23/2015

9 Comments

Today we interview author of Amazon bestselling vampire books, Claudette Melanson.

Claudette Melanson writes & edits in Kitchener, Ontario, with her husband Ron and four bun babies: Tegan, Pepper, Butters & Beckett. She graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a BA in English and an MA in Literature. She's wished to be a Vampire since age five. She hopes to one day work full time as an author, since there are many, many books living inside her head.

We'll be discussing her work, her interests outside of weaving fantastic tales, and what inspires her.

Please tell us something about you we can't learn from your bio.

I have a favorite vacation I've taken with my family twice. We hoped to make it a yearly event, but finances have been so that we've only gone twice. Hope to again in October, 2016. My son, husband and I take this cruise to the Bahamas on Royal Caribbean. It's surprisingly affordable and so much fun! The four days include one at Cocoa Cay, which is Royal Caribbean's private island, and all day in Nassau. When we're there, we go to this private island called Sandy Toes. It's beyond beautiful and not overcrowded at all--and they have an all-inclusive drink package...hehe. After we get off the boat, it's two days at Universal Studios Orlando and a night at my favorite--Halloween Horror Nights. We went the year they had Cabin in the Woods and that house was phenomenal. They even had all the monsters in their little boxes. I love all things horror and that was the best house I've ever seen. The Silent Hill house was a very close second with a patch of zombie nurses to wade through and Alessa standing at the top of the stairs.

Please tell us about your latest book.

My latest book that isn't part of the Maura DeLuca series is a murder mystery with a very twisted killer, who chooses quite the twisted setting for his/her bad deeds. The female detective, my protagonist, is still being developed, but so far I really like her J. The book is set in Canada, but I don't want to give away my setting yet. It will definitely be full of twists, turns and surprises!

Where did you gain inspiration for your latest book?

For the third book in my Maura DeLuca series, I've gained inspiration from Maura, the main character, herself. I dreamed about her many times before writing her story. As I'd think about her in my waking hours, her story came together more and more, each time, inside my head. I started writing this book a long time ago and it's set, in the beginning, in the little town where I went to college--some of the best years of my life. I included a character based on my college love, well, how I would have liked for him to be. He turned out be far less appealing than I imagined him to be. So, I turned him into an 'upgraded' version. Many of the characters start off reminding me of someone I really know, but they definitely grow into their fictional skin right away. I've always loved vampire fiction, so I'm sure there's a little of all I've read all mixed up in there too.

Why did you to become a writer?

I've always 'written' inside my head from about the age of five--that I can remember. I'd look at trees and people around me and my brain would create running descriptions that I really wish I could've written on paper. I wrote a continuing story for my ballet class that my teacher would read at the beginning of each week's lesson. My mother started reading to me from birth and so I always had books playing out inside my head whether my own or someone else's. I wrote many stories during high school and college, but they were all just prep for my first novel, Rising Tide.

Where is your favorite place to write?

At home with my furbabies.I have four bunnies: Tegan, Pepper, Butters and Beckett. I love to be at home with them and stop to pet and play with them. My home is my escape from the world and I love being there with them. I hate quiet, and so always have a movie or familiar TV series on while I'm writing. I simply can't write without noise. Sometimes I'll have the theme song I use for each chapter playing. But it's usually something I love--but have seen and don't have to pay attention to--Dexter, Castle, Criminal Minds.

Can you choose a favorite among books you've written? If so, what makes it stand out from your other work?

Definitely Rising Tide. I suppose because it's the first novel-length work I ever finished. And I worked on it for six years, until I had the story just right. It's a vampire mystery, and the mystery is reserved to the thoughts of the main character, Maura. It's a book that sets the scene for the series, dropping lots of little clues that readers will find the answers to in other books. The reader knows what is going on with Maura, but she, herself, does not. I've read comments from readers who say they can't believe she doesn't figure it out, but what is happening to her is paranormal. If you had weird things happening to your body, would you think something paranormal was happening to you? No, a normal person wouldn't, and that's the world Maura lives in. There is no reason for her to think what is happening could be. So, of course, she ends up receiving the shock of a lifetime.

What are you working on right now?

My main focus with my writing lies with finishing the Maura DeLuca series. Most of my writing time is spent completing the third book, Riptide. At the end of Undertow, Maura is left alone, after making some very bad life choices--very typical of an eighteen year old--and encounters yet more danger. I can include an excerpt from the WIP:

"Maura! Are you...alright? Is it healing?"

I nodded, while wincing at the burn of cells knitting my face back together. I felt like a mute--too shell-shocked to utter a word. I wanted to go home, wanted my father and Caelyn, my mother. I couldn't help the tears that came against my will, though I was forbidden to cry in public places. My knees refused to support my tall frame any longer. I sank to them like my bones had all gone soft.

Aldiva stopped struggling so she could better stare at me in contempt. "Ughhh," she spat in disgust. "A fine addition to our race she'll make."

I simply lowered my eyes. I had no right to defend myself in the least. I had no fire inside to defend myself with. I'd been beaten down and stripped of anything that felt remotely Maura DeLuca to me.

"She is the daughter of Alexandru Aldea...a princess of Wallachia. And you would do well to remember that, Aldiva." This was a new voice, one I'd never heard before.

"Millicent?!" Gregor sounded exasperated. "I refuse to believe I am that easy to track!"

The new female in our midst chuckled with a sound too heavy for a woman. I gaped at her in wonder as she strode forward in dark perfection. If Aldiva were a blinding winter's day, Millicent was the soft velvet of a starless night. There would still be moon on this night, exemplified in the pallid luminosity of her skin. Her over-sized, black-as-death eyes were set in her face like two sparkling pieces of obsidian. The makeup accentuating them had an overdone gothic flair to it, deepening her eerie beauty. Her perfect, full lips were painted the same color as her hair, undefined in length as it melded into the black of the shirt she wore.

What is your favorite genre to write and why?

Anything about vampires is definitely my favorite. I love other paranormal types of writing as well, but vampires are my passion. I have another vampire novel of a much darker type that is half-finished. I don't know why I developed such a fascination for the creatures, but when I was little, I studied endlessly trying to figure out the way to become one--to my mother's absolute horror. She tried to tell me becoming one, if you could, was a sin and took away all my vampire books, which only served to make me love them more. There's just something so delicious about a being who sucks away the life essence of others so they can live.

What are your favorite books to read?

I love the Twilight books. Not afraid to say it, either. Right now, I'm completely addicted to the Dexter book series. I do love my Indie Authors too: Wings of Darkness by Sherri Wingler, Bloodgifted by Tima Maria Lacoba, The End by Adam Booth, Regina: The Monster Inside all top the list. I always enjoy reading Grimm's too, grew up on those. And classics like Wuthering Heights and The Sun Also Rises.

How can readers connect with you?

Web Site: http://www.claudettemelanson.com/
Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/cmamzauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cmelansonauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bella623
Tsu: http://www.tsu.co/vampyauthor
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/pub/claudette-melanson/6/366/27b
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7881896.Claudette_Melanson
Pinterest:https://www.pinterest.com/claudemelanson/
Wordpress: https://cmelansonauthor.wordpress.com/
Tumblr:https://www.tumblr.com/blog/authorcmelanson
Instagram: https://instagram.com/cmelansonauthor/
Book Gorilla: http://www.bookgorilla.com/author/B00IHS7GBI/claudette-melanson

Where can we buy your books?

Rising Tide: Dark Innocence
http://amzn.to/1h0bktb

Undertow: Death's Twilight
http://amzn.to/1JYRDgt

Minion:
http://amzn.to/14pT7Pi

Shimmer:
http://amzn.to/1fzBLEd

Your Turn:
http://amzn.to/1dVirl6

Do you have any events coming up we should know about?

Oh, life is so busy right now! Both Rising Tide and Undertow are being made into audiobooks at the moment by Beacon Audio Books. The narrator is reading away as I type!

On September 4th, I'll have my first radio interview with the Writestream Radio Network with S. Evan Townsend on the Speculative Fiction Cantina, which airs Friday nights at 6:00 EST. More details can be found on their web site: http://writestreamradio.com/

September 17-20, I will be attending the InD'Scribe Writer's Conference in Palm Springs, California. I will be sharing a signing table there with author, J.C. Brennan, as well as attending some of the exciting author sessions. Rising Tide is a finalist this year for a RONE Award for the category YA Paranormal. I hope to be taking home the trophy for the category overall, but will be extremely happy to display the finalist trophy, no matter what happens. More information on the conference can be found here: http://www.indscribe.com/.

You have an exciting giveaway coming up. Can you tell us more about it?

I love being an author, but at one time I wanted to be an English Teacher. I studied at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and earned my Secondary English Education degree, along with a Masters in Literature.

My student teaching assignment was completed at Altoona Area High School in Altoona, PA. I was disappointed with the reading material for my classes. It was a book that wasn't relevant to their lives or the issues they faced. I believe reading should be an adventure and should be enjoyable. I want to give back and would like to do so for the classroom, its students and its teachers, who go too often unnoticed.

I'm announcing a contest open to all Middle and High school, as well as colleges in the US and Canada. I will donate signed copies of my bestselling YA Paranormal novel, Rising Tide, to a classroom and will also come to pay a visit so we can discuss books and writing.

Contest is open to teachers, students, and parents--all can feel free to enter using the Rafflecopter. There are many entry options and one winner will be drawn at random. Contest runs August 16 - February 29, 2016. Date of visit and material covered during is to be determined by the classroom teacher. Entries can be made here: http://bit.ly/1Pt4Ez2

Wow!

You have quite a bit going on right now...very exciting stuff! Thank you so much for taking the time to share with us. We look forward to seeing what you come up with next.

9 Comments

About the Author - Interviews With Storytellers

8/23/2015

2 Comments

What are you going to read next? More than a million new books are published each year, probably more than twice that number. How do you decide where you’re going to invest your time? Maybe I can help you sift through the pile and find your next favorite book.

Over the next several weeks, I’ll be inviting some of the authors I follow to tell us a bit more about themselves and their work. Hopefully, we’ll be able to learn some things about where they gain their inspiration and what fuels their desire to paint dramatic worlds for us to lose ourselves in with their words. And maybe, just maybe, we can find the next story you’ll get lost in.

I’ll be posting the first interview later today. I can’t wait to share it with you.

Happy Reading!

2 Comments

Gone Hollywood

7/28/2015

0 Comments

Well, it’s official. I’m an actor. Now, I’m not talking Marlon Brando or Al Pacino here, but after last weekend I can officially say I have acted for the screen…had to sign contracts and releases and the whole smear. I suppose you could say I’ve gone Hollywood.

I can safely say this is the most fun I have ever had working. Wearing a fake mustache, straw hat, and a wonderfully-awful striped jacket, I brought the bass to a delightfully humorous song in the final scene of Rumpel4skin. I know… I know… It sounds like a porno. I promise it is not a porno. It is a pilot for a comedy that is fun, a little twisted, and hysterical. Spawned from the slightly demented minds of Joseph O’Haire and Anthony Ripo, the story is clever, unique, and damn funny. Mr. O’Haire penned an amazing script. I can’t wait to see the final product!

Now, don’t think for a minute that just because it was riotous fun to work on it wasn’t exhausting. It was an eleven hour day ending with me passing out on my couch and remaining there for most of the following twelve hours. What an experience! I can’t wait to do this again.

The most impressive thing to me about the entire production was the effort put in by everyone involved. Watching the other actors morph from the people they are to the characters they were playing was incredible. Equally impressive – perhaps even more so – was the herculean effort put on by the team working behind the scenes. Wow! To my untrained eye it appeared to be perfectly-planned-chaos. What I was really witnessing was a well-oiled machine firing on all cylinders. The crew was amazing. Everyone seemed to be in the right place at the right time. I will never again leave a film before all of the credits have finished. I will remain in my seat and read every name to pay homage to the amazing work they do.

0 Comments

What on Ouloos are Trogmortem?

6/20/2015

0 Comments

The trogmortem are a race of massive beasts inhabiting the unexplored continent across the Great Sea, the very same lands that gave birth to giants. Most men believed them to be myth. The myth of the trogmortem becomes reality when warships anchor in Biggon's Bay and thousands of trogmortem are among the occupants. Kigan - an emissary sent with three others to determine the nature and desire of the fleet - is the first man to relay a first hand description of the beasts to Daritus and his generals. According to him, "They are easily as big as the giants, but their arms are so long and powerful, and their hands immense. They have mountainous heads with pointy ears, big, swollen noses, and terrible, terrible, giant, green eyes. And not just any green, glowing green. But their mouths are the most horrifying. They are humongous and filled with sharp, jagged fangs. Always they are hanging open with slithery, black tongues that dart about constantly."

Kigan's report sounds truly terrifying. However, it doesn't tell us much about their nature, history, or behavior. For instance, we know from their own mythology they believe wholeheartedly in an evolutionary connection with giants. Of course, giants believe trogmortem mythologies to be pure crap. According to trogmortem myth and lore, Tal and Tol were the first giants. They are referred to as the houseless ones because they never adopted a name to recognize their line as their children did. Tal grew tired of Tol when she refused to give him any more children. He left their cave and wandered the desert, searching for someone sturdy enough to bear him offspring. After years of searching, he came across a mighty creature that matched his size, the bintoosha. Now it should be noted that bintoosha are beasts occupying the deserts in the land west of the great sea. They are massive, predatory animals that hunt the primitive men of that land. Tal was inspired by the first specimen he found. She had long limbs that looked strong and useful, with claws for tearing. Her face was stretched, mostly made up of jaws full of dagger-like teeth, and her body was covered in scales. Rather than being repulsed by her terrifying appearance, Tal found the strength in her form to be possibly the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The beast was less fond of Tal, however, and she attacked him. The giant was strong, agile, and adequate with his hands. He proved a great match for her strength. They wrestled for days to a standstill until, finally exhausted, the bintoosha submitted to Tal. The eventual result of the union was Go-Rika, the first trogmortem. Tal would go on to sire many more of the hybrid creatures with several bintoosha. Eventually, their numbers far surpassed those of giants and even rivaled those of men. This, of course, is a belief held solely by the trogmortem. Giants don't believe any of it. They believe the first generation of giants was the first generation begotten by Kallum as an image of physical perfection, an improvement on man.

Whether or not trogmortem myths are accurate descriptions of their history means very little to the fighting men of Havenstahl, save those with a mind toward learning and understanding. What the warriors who will take the battlefield to defend Biggon's Bay and Havenstahl are truly concerned with is how to kill them. Thousands sit poised and ready to attack alongside giants and grongs. Does their incredible size and horrible appearance equate to an irresistible force on the battlefield? That question will remain unanswered until the defenders of the greatest city of men meet these nightmares in combat.

0 Comments

The Dragon's Flame

6/14/2015

1 Comment

There is no power on Ouloos greater than Dragon's Fire. To wield and control it is a feat in and of itself. None of the five gods boast the ability. Aside from Dragons, Maelich and Cialia are unique in their potential. When discussing control of the element it is important to note that control does not equate directly to understanding of it. Unlocking the secrets of Dragon's Fire - secrets even the great Helias doesn't completely understand - reveals all knowledge of Coeptus to the initiate. This is a feat none in the history of Ouloos can boast. For these reasons - whether feared or revered - Dragon's Fire is respected by most. These are also the reasons that led a small group of men from the farthest reaches of Ouloos to adopt a reference to the element in their name.

The Dragon's Flame is an elite force comprised of the finest warriors from the greatest cities and fiercest tribes of men that believe in the purity and strength of Dragons. Some come from regions where Kaldumahn rules, others Moshat, but all share a deep reverence for the oldest living creatures on Ouloos. These are men who study the arts of fighting and war not with a mind to destroy, but with a mind to defend. Calling them expert killers grossly understates the skills they posses. However, unmatched physical prowess is only one aspect of a flame. Each flame has studied the histories from the well known to the obscure, even studying the folklore and oral traditions of less sophisticated societies. One would be hard-pressed to present a challenge unknown to them. More important than physical ability or knowledge of the physical world is the fact that each flame spends their life on a personal, spiritual journey into the Fire. Spiritually, they burn through meditation in the belief that in order to understand the Fire, you must be consumed by it. Though no flame has ever achieved the state of Dragon - completely giving up the physical and becoming eternal, spiritual Fire - that is the goal of all flames.

There are always one hundred flames and always have been since The Dragon's Flame began. The best soldiers who excel beyond their peers in training and prove themselves in battle are considered for the trial. Only the best of the best can possibly hope to survive. Candidates are stripped of clothing, supplies, and weapons prior to being deposited at the top of Mount Destiny - the tallest peak of the White Mountains. The snow never ceases there, and the beasts grow large and terrifying. Warriors that survive the icy cold, grizzly mongs, and the horrible halbakurs earn a place on the list of flames in waiting. Only once a flame is extinguished can their crest be passed on. Luckily for those flames in waiting, the list is never very long. At the end of each day - or battle - a count is taken. "How many are we? Count The Dragon's Flame," The Red Dragon will call out. If all is well the reply will be, "The Dragon's Flame is one hundred. The Fire burns unfettered." If the number has changed the reply will be something like, "The Dragon's Flame is ninety-four. Count one-hundred we do no more." At these times, flames in waiting will be called to serve.

The oldest of the flames is honored with the title of Red Dragon. This is an honorary title as none of the flames is greater than any other. With the title, Red Dragon also earns the added responsibility of communicating with the world outside of The Dragon's Flame. Spang has held this title for the past twelve years, and he will continue in this capacity until he is called home to the Lake or his physical body can no longer meet the demands of his post. When that time comes, the next in line will take his place. And so the cycle will continue.

When ships from across the Great Sea threaten the coast west of Havenstahl. The greatest city of men will need to call on the aid of The Dragon's Flame. This is a first for Havenstahl. Prior to the eyes of Ouloos being opened by Maelich and Cialia with the help of Helias, none in Havenstahl would count The Dragon's Flame as friend. Much has changed since then, and many changes have yet to come.

1 Comment

Kallum's Word

6/6/2015

0 Comments

Prior to Maelich and Cialia opening the eyes of the people of Ouloos, most of the great cities of men looked to Kallum's Word as the Truth, the Law, and the Guide. Havenstahl was among those great cities. Many wars were fought by her army defending Kallum's Word or cutting down nonbelievers. In fact, prior to the great battle over the Forgotten Forest no greater cause existed than spreading the Word and saving or destroying those who were lost. A lack of belief in Kallum would damn a soul to oblivion, eternal damnation.

Kallum's Word was initially recorded by one regarded as the First King of Havenstahl, Eringaal. Though the city that would eventually be built by the tribe he ruled carried his surname, he never actually ruled over the physical city. He commanded the bricks to be placed, but the city wasn't finished until long after he passed on. Reverence to him as a king of the greatest city of men is strictly symbolic. Kallum's Word came to him in a dream as images and symbols. He recorded them in what would come to be known simply as The Book, Kallum's Word, Kallum's Law, or some variation. Through his efforts and those that followed him, It would eventually become the law of the land.

After recording the messages passed to him by Kallum, Eringaal began preaching the Word, teaching all who would listen about the Law of the one true God. Most who listened became followers for fear of the fate that The Book promised if they refused to bend knee and obey. After a time, his tribe grew quite powerful, and the fates of those who refused The Word were accelerated. Many men were tortured and killed for clinging to beliefs out of line with Kallum's Word during the great cleansing.

Kallum's Word or The Book is actually comprised of seven books, five teach of history and The Law while two look toward the future and what is to come. The books are named; The Beginning, The Rise and Fall of Dwarves, The Rise and Fall of Man, The Coming of Giants, The Law, The Propehecies, and The Great Gathering. The last day of the week, Kallum's Day, was set aside for these teachings. There was no training, no work, and no food on Kallum's Day, only worship, praise, and teachings from The Book. This was the same for soldier and farmer alike. All stopped to pay the mighty Eagle His due respects on the day set aside for Him. This was no different for Maelich. During his training as a warrior, he studied and learned about the first five books. The last two were kept from him until he could be guided through their mysteries by the great Brerto.

Here is an excerpt from The Beginning, the first book of Kallum's Word:

In the beginning there was nothing but Kallum, and before Kallum there was nothing. He came upon a place of great sadness, and He did sense evil in this place. Being perfection, He abhorred evil. So He said, "Because I despise evil, I will make this a place of happiness. Yea, I will make it a place perfect like Myself."

In this evil place was a great gathering of water, and Kallum did make Himself to float above it, and from beneath the water He did gather up dry land. This land He did bring to the surface and with it He did split the great gathering of water. Now this land was quite flat and unspectacular, so He did make many peaks to rise up from the flat land until He found it to be pleasing.

When He had finished, He saw that the land was barren, and with this He was displeased. He cut ravines across the dry land in and around the peaks. Then He called water from the great gathering of water and did make it to flow through the ravines. He called these rivers, and they did bring water to the land. In spots the water pooled up, and He called these places lakes. He looked upon all that He had done and was quite pleased.

He looked upon one lake that had been there before He cut ravines through the dry land. This lake was in the center of the land, and it did hold onto the evil that had been held by the great gathering of water that the land split. Here the evil endured. Here the evil remained. Kallum commanded the evil to leave because He despised it, but it would not go. He cursed the lake saying that none shall look upon its evil or bathe in its waters. Yea, He would hide it from sight.

Those are the first four Chapters of The Book, Kallum's Word, The Law Maelich was raised on. This formed the basis of his belief - like most other inhabitants of Ouloos - in Kallum as Creator and Ruler of all things. Of course, by the time he faced the Dragon, he had come to question everything he had ever known.

0 Comments

The Lake of Dragons

6/1/2015

0 Comments

What is the Lake of Dragons? If you've read the book that bears its name, you should have a relatively strong grasp of what it is already. However, the Lake may be far deeper than you think. On its surface, yes, it is a lake. Uncommon in its appearance as it forms a perfect circle of water that is completely still. The idea is incomprehensible to most. Luckily, most souls still housed in their physical form never witness this perfection. It remains hidden to them until they free themselves and make the great journey home. The physical body dies, and the soul - if you will - is called back to its origin. That is how it is and how it has always been. Well, mostly...

The great campaign against the Dragon was a dark time in Ouloos' history when one mischievous god played on the fears of men and found a means of opening their eyes to the secrets of the Lake. He fueled the men with dread, bringing fearsome images of terrifying Dragons to their dreams. The effort took decades, but eventually that fear developed into deep hatred, a spark that would mature into a raging wildfire and nearly consume Ouloos completely. Kallum opened the eyes of men and let them see the Lake, even guided them there. Nearly all of the Dragons were destroyed at the hands of men. Finally, when only one Dragon remained - Helias, the Great Mother - Kaldumahn and Moshat stood in opposition to their brother. They raised an army of men still untainted by Kallum's foul breath and defended the last guardian of the Lake. They beat Kallum's horde back and hid it again from the eyes of men. The spell they cast was so powerful, Kallum never again was able to overcome it.

At that point, it would seem that all was saved, order was restored, and the Universe could resume her slow cycles. Unfortunately, all but one of the Dragons had been destroyed. Now, to say that they were destroyed is not the same as saying they died. They didn't die. Dragons were first after the Lake and are the most powerful beings ever to grace the sweet face of Ouloos. Dragons cannot die. Instead, for every Dragon that was cut down at the hands of violent, misguided men, a new tree sprung up in a band that ran as far north as any man had been and just as far south. By the end of the carnage, the Lost Forest was born. Each tree of that place represented the essence of a Dragon lost from the Lake. This posed severe problems for not only Ouloos, but the entire Universe. You see, the souls of men are drawn home to the Lake by Dragons. After the great campaign, the souls of dead men were still drawn to the Dragons. They were drawn to the Lost Forest and remained there - ghosts haunting a dark wood - until Maelich and Cialia freed them by scattering the deceitful god who first opened men's eyes to the glory of the Lake.

Once Kallum had been cut down, the Dragons were released from their prisons, and the souls bound to them were free to return home. This is the point where we must dive deeper into the Lake. You see, the Lake is not the destination. Think of the Lake as a portal, a portal between Ouloos and Coeptus. Now, this concept may be challenging to understand. Coeptus are everything. Therefore, Ouloos, the Lake, Dragons, and the souls returning home are all part of Coeptus. Even still, I assure you the Lake of Dragons is a gate from one to the other and vice versa. The physical is a part of Coeptus, but being everything, Coeptus have many aspects. The physical is merely one of these. When a soul returns home, it is stripped of all identity and emotion. All of its experiences are released, energy to keep the consistent cycles of the Universe moving, food for the God. Once stripped, the soul is once again an empty vessel free to return to the great gathering of spirits, another aspect of Coeptus. That precise soul will never again exist on its own. It will mingle with the rest, and when a portion of the whole is ready to express itself in the physical, it will return through the Lake of Dragons and inhabit a physical body that is ready to be born and present itself to Ouloos. This completes the circle.

Hmm...the entire thing still seems a bit challenging. Perhaps Coeptus' own words might be more effective. Here is a little piece of Lake of Dragons:

Coeptus stroked their beard, “Well, do you remember the visions you received from the souls lost in the forest?”

Maelich nodded.

“Those visions were memories that belonged to the souls that shared them with you. They only shared the terrifying ones with you, but they were filled with so much more that you didn’t get to see. Those memories are the strength of the souls that they cling to. There are many worlds with beings just like the people of Ouloos. Their souls all carry the same energy from experiences. Upon the death of their physical being, their consciousness is released and returned to the beginning. Imagine a lake with many rivers flowing to and from it. This lake is the beginning. The rivers flowing to it are the portals such as the one you opened by scattering Kallum and freeing the dragons. These portals, or rivers carry the spirits or consciousness of humans, and other creatures for that matter, back to the beginning. When they arrive, the energy they carry is returned to the beginning and they are mixed in with the greater spirit that swirls there in the lake. When new consciousnesses form from this mixture and are ready to present themselves, they are carried through portals or rivers flowing back to the various worlds that exist among the physical. Then they are born into whatever world they happen to be born to as whatever creature they are meant to be, and the cycle continues. Now, we understand that for you this makes your existence seem quite unimportant, but it’s not. Without the experiences, the energy that your spirits possess, the cycle would cease. All would be lost.” They finished with a shrug.

Take heed. You must take the word of Coeptus with a grain of salt. Maelich fully believes that he walked with Coeptus and was given all the great secrets of the Universe. Cialia shares this opinion. However, Kaldumahn - who is a very wise god indeed - is completely certain that one cannot converse with Coeptus. They are everything, not an individual or a consciousness as we would think of it. That being said, it may prove equally foolhardy to take Kaldumahn's word as indisputable truth. All of the gods of Ouloos are shackled by jealousy and a deep need to be worshiped and adored.

It appears we still have some questions left to answer...

0 Comments

<<Previous

Forward>>

Me

Archives

Categories