Author Interview with Sarah Elle Emm, Author of "Prismatic"

Who or what inspired you to start writing? 

I’m not sure of the moment I was first inspired, but I have so many memories of watching my mother write on her typewriter or on yellow, legal pads, and I recall having an intense desire to create my own story.  I was probably around seven years old when Mom loaded up her typewriter with paper and let me have my chance.  I didn’t get very far on that first story, but soon after, I wrote a few poems and then started journal writing until I finally wrote my first novel in my twenties.  Another inspiration was listening to Mom tell stories.  She has the gift of storytelling, whether she’s entertaining the people gathered around her dinner table or whether she’s writing words on paper.  Sometimes, Mom would tell us about the storytellers in our family, including my great grandfather, who had written down his memories of spending time with Mom and her siblings in journals.  In my twenties, I finally got to see those journals when they resurfaced in an attic.  It was really inspiring to see words my great grandfather, a man I never even knew, had written from so long ago.  Mom’s father, Grandpa Lloyd, was a writer also, and though he mostly wrote about politics and history, he wrote poetry as well, and he was a big inspiration for me.  I’m thankful to all of the storytellers in my family who’ve encouraged me to follow my heart and write.

Do you have a routine when it comes to writing?

I like to get started first thing in the morning, right after I have exercised and taken the kids to school.  During the school year, I’ll write most of the day, right up until I have to pick the girls up from elementary school.  This past school year was the first time I’ve had so much time to write since my youngest daughter started kindergarten.  When the kids were younger, I’d write during nap time and after they went to bed.  These days, I go back to writing after they’ve gone to sleep also, but when my kids are around, I try to give them as much attention as possible.  I do homework with them, play games, read stories, and play outside.  I want them to look back on these years and remember me being involved.  I’d hate for them to think I ever put my writing before them.  So basically, my routine revolves around them.  When I am really involved with a story and trying to finish it, I don’t take time to exercise or do any real relaxing.  During those times, I use every moment I’m alone to write, occasionally breaking for more coffee and snacks or to take my dog outside for a walk.

What is your favorite snack when writing?

When I get absorbed in a story, I have a difficult time pulling myself away from the computer.  I’ll set a cup of hot coffee down on my desk, start writing, and the next thing you know, five hours have passed, and I haven’t even taken a sip of the coffee.  When I forget the world around me and lose myself in my writing like that, it’s the best feeling ever.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen very often.  On normal writing days, I’ll get up for coffee and food every few hours, and I don’t have a favorite snack.  I’m vegan, so when I’m writing I prepare batches of beans and grains in advance, so I can just hop up, heat something up, and get right back to work.  I make a lot of smoothies and fresh juices, too.  Sometimes, I’ll prepare a few things in the morning, so when I want something, I can just grab it out of the fridge and keep writing.  Besides the foods and drinks I’ve prepared in advance, you might see me grab a handful of vegan chocolate chips, Doctor Kracker Seedlander crispbreads, or hummus and pita chips.

Who are your books marketed to?  Have you ever had a reader that surprised you (for instance, someone that you never dreamed would read your book)?

The Harmony Run Series is marketed to young adult and teen readers, however, I’ve felt strongly from the start that this series is one adults could read as well.  Fortunately, adults are reading a lot of YA books these days, so I’ve received some pretty interesting emails from adult readers around the globe.  I love it that people from age twelve and up are reading this genre.  The biggest compliment I think I’ve received to date, which was certainly a surprise, was my sixth grade reading teacher, Mrs. Carver, read my books.  She sent me the nicest email, and I had no idea she even knew I was writing.  She was my favorite sixth grade teacher, and I never forgot her.  My high school choir teacher, Ms. Miller, read my books as well, which was also very flattering!

What are you currently reading?

Well, I am getting ready to begin Braxton Cosby’s Protostar, the first book in a young adult series called The Star-Crossed Saga.  I just finished reading Corrie Ten Boom’s In My Father’s House, which I absolutely loved!

About the author:

Sarah Elle Emm is the author of the HARMONY RUN SERIES, a young-adult fantasy and dystopian series, released in May 2012 by Winter Goose Publishing. (PRISMATIC, May 2012, OPALESCENT, February 2013, CHATOYANT set for release August 2014, NACREOUS release TBD) Her debut fiction novel, MARRYING MISSY, an Amazon Best Seller in marriage, was published by Bird Brain Publishing in October 2011. Sarah is a graduate of The University of Evansville, she has lived and worked in Mexico, Germany, England, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and has traveled extensively beyond. Her love of journal writing, travel, and multicultural experience have all influenced her novels. Sarah lives in Naples, Florida with her family. When she’s not walking the plank of her daughters’ imaginary pirate ship or snapping photos of Southwest Florida scenery, she is writing.

Purchase Links:

Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Nook

Author Links:

Website | Blog |Goodreads | Facebook | Harmony Run Series on Facebook| Twitter | Publisher's website | Amazon Author page | Books at Barnes and Noble | LinkedIn | Google+ | Instagram

YouTube Book Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGozJ-RLx4g

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Happy Reading!

-Melly

Interview with James McGovern; Author of "Martin King and the Space Angels"

Martin King is just an ordinary teenage boy in love with a girl... until he gets a superpower. Martin and his friends Darcy and Tommy must use their new powers to save the Earth from an evil force called XO5. But who really is XO5 – and what does he want with Martin?

The book is available in paperback and Kindle eBook. 

Is there something that inspires your writing (certain music, another book, etc?)

Random things often inspire me—TV shows, films, books, music, etc. The Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat eras of Doctor Who have been a particular inspiration for me while writing Martin King and the Space Angels. I can always find inspiration in the Harry Potter series. I nearly always listen to music while writing—usually something that is completely unrelated to my book, even to a comic degree. To give you some examples, while writing my current book I was listening mainly to Murray Gold, Tom Waits and the soundtracks from Quentin Tarantino films.

Do you start out writing for a particular audience, or do you see where you writing takes you?

I write specifically for young adults, but at the same time I'm aware that someone of any age could pick up one of my books and so I try to make my writing widely appealing. I also never talk down to teenagers; young people can always sense condescension, and it nearly always makes for a bad book. Just look at any episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures, particularly the episodes written by Gareth Roberts. It's high-quality, thoughtful, exciting writing, and young people love it.

During your writing process, is anyone allowed to read what you've written?  If not, at what point do you share?

No. Absolutely not. I only ever let people read the book after at least three drafts; that is, when the book is already in a publishable (or near-publishable) state. A lot of non-writers don't understand the drafting process, and they can mistake early drafts for poor writing skills. Besides, why would anyone want to share their work with their friends when they know it's not in a fit state to be read?

If you could visit any location or event to promote your book, where would it be and why?

With the advent of Twitter and Facebook, it's much easier to reach people without having to travel anywhere. I don't have any great desire even to leave the house on most days.

Is there a particular moment that has affected your writing?  Do you mind sharing it?

Not really. Most influences on my writing come from external sources, i.e. books, films, and music. It's an old writing cliché to 'write what you know', but I've never been remotely interested in consciously working my own experiences directly into a text.

If you could meet one person (alive or living) who would it be?

There are many people I would love to meet. Obviously, virtually every writer for young people would love to meet J.K. Rowling. I would love to meet John Swartzwelder, who is a writer of immense genius.

What are you currently reading?

I'm going to Oxford University in October so I'm currently reading a strange mix of YA fiction for my personal enjoyment as well as books on the Oxford reading list. At the moment I'm reading Divergent by Veronica Roth and Aurora Leigh by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

 

 

Happy Reading!

-Melly

Barbara Morgenroth Interview

Interview with Barbara Morgenroth, author of Flash

Is there someone or something that has had a major influence on your writing?

Each book has its own inspiration.  With Flash it’s easy to say that the book is informed by my own experiences as a photographer.  I majored in photography and fully intended to be a photojournalist but life doesn’t always accommodate you so I wound up writing.

One day I was having an email chat with a friend who is a comedy writer and the idea occurred to me what if a teenage girl had to become a paparazzi in order to support her family now that they had moved to Los Angeles.

I thought it would be a series of bizarre escapades but the moment I began writing, the characters had other intentions.

The completed novel is very different than I had imagined it that afternoon.  Books are like life.  They don’t always accommodate you either!

Bad Apple was inspired by the murder of a friend.  It was a very complicated situation and took a long time for me to sort out all the emotions of it.  When I did, I was able to put some of the experience into the book series—Bad Apple, Burning Daylight and Rise.

What do you listen to when you write?

I have very eclectic tastes and it depends on the day.  It could be madrigals and lute or it could be Lady Gaga or Linkin Park.

Here is a list I return to frequently:

Rabbit Songs (CD) by Hem

Lots of songs by Hem

Enlightened Rogues (CD) by The Allman Brothers

http://youtu.be/uH9DXcVtdxQ

So Long So Wrong (CD) by Alison Krauss and Union Station

So Long So Wrong

Raising Sand (CD) by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

http://youtu.be/AZXN0KHpvUg

anything by Michal Towber

http://youtu.be/zOl5YTWv46Q

http://youtu.be/gC9oiO4nxIY

anything by Evanescense

Lots of songs by Evanescence

anything by Buddy Holly

http://youtu.be/GMezwtB1oCU

anything by Madeleine Peyroux

http://youtu.be/h4stmQUlNhQ

anything by Melody Gardot

http://youtu.be/S_nC1zDKYbQ

Tell us about Flash.

 

Flash is the story of a 15 year old girl, Kip Chanin, who has been pretending to be 18 for a couple years.  She’s done this in order to drive a car and get freelance work as a photographer because her mother is a little on the unpredictable and unserious side.  Someone has to be the adult in the family.

When Dew, the mother, decides she wants to become a film star and they move to Los Angeles in order to attempt this nutty scheme, Kip has to become a paparazzi in order to pay the bills.

The first night on the street, Kip takes a photo of the young actor, Alex Milne, and that one shot changes both of their lives.  He’s intense, handsome, blond and an extremely caring person.  Of course Kip falls for him.  Of course he falls for her.  There’s that little age discrepancy--Kip’s really not 18--and the fact that Alex spends most of his time in Eastern Europe shooting a movie about killing a dragon titled Paper Wings.  

There is a sequel titled Flash of Light that ties up most of the loose ends.  Does Kip solve the murder that’s been hanging over the Milne family for decades?  That’s answered.  

Do you have any other books in the works?  Can you tell us about them?

Right now, I’m in the middle of Bittersweet Farm Book 2—Joyful Spirit.  It’s a series set at a stable and is about the horses and riding but in equal measure about the half sisters competing for the attention of their new trainer.

After that I will be writing Bad Apple 4—Parked.  That’s about Neal Marchal and Truly Lambert who came together because of a murder and formed a band while creating a very personal relationship.  This book will see them as the band becomes more in demand and Neal and Truly are pulled in opposite directions.

Who is your favorite author and why?

In women’s fiction that would probably be Victoria Clayton.  She’s so well-read and has such command of the language, it’s always a joy to read her.  And she tells a good story, too!

If it’s just in general, it would probably be Umberto Eco.

What are you currently reading?

I’m a bad bad girl.  I start books because they look so interesting before I finish others.  I’m reading the biography of a woman who was a portrait photographer in Hollywood, reading a nonfiction book on how to train three-day event horses as research for the Bittersweet Farm book and also reading a manual on Photoshop.

Thank you, Melanie, for giving me the opportunity to introduce myself and my novel Flash to your visitors.

"Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble" D. Robert Pease

This book was a bit too much science fictiony for me, but it was still an enjoyable read. Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble by  D. Robert Pease tells the story of Noah, a member of the only family allowed to travel through time.  Their mission is to go back in time and collect two of each animal in their ARC (a rather impressive space ship) in hopes of repopulating earth with an animal kingdom in the future.  But of course, an evil mastermind has a plan to stop the Zarc family from succeeding.  This book takes the reader everywhere- the ice age where we meet an awesome cave girl, to a city on the planet Mars, to Earth in a thousand years from now.  Noah Zarc presents an interesting new spin on the theory of time travel.

Though the book doesn't meet my usual taste in what I read, I still felt myself caught up in this strange world.  This is a great book for middle grade boys who just can't get enough of futuristic reads or those interested in a bit of history- it has some of both!  It seems that books set in the future are going to be a trend in youth literature for awhile- I can't wait to read more!

Check out Pease on Twitter, Facebook and on Goodreads.



My interview with D. Robert Pease!

Happy Reading!
-Melly

Interview with D. Robert Pease, author of "Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble"

How do you go about marketing your work?

This is a great question, but not the easiest to answer. After all, I'm supposed to be a writer, not a marketing expert, but alas, in today's world we have to be both. My marketing plan, at this point, is to try everything I can. Then just start weeding out the things that don't work. I've created a website. I'm on Twitter. I'm on Facebook. I'm on Goodreads. In fact I'm on so many different sites I've lost count. Basically, since I published Noah Zarc, back in August of this year, I've added another full-time job to my already full plate. I spend a great deal of time on various forums, mostly talking with other authors. I have done several giveaways on Goodreads, as well as some advertising on there. I also have posts scheduled on various Kindle-centric websites beginning next month. One thing I can say is I haven't done many in-person events. I'm just not convinced they are that effective. My goal is to use the power of the Internet to reach thousands of potential readers, instead of a book signing that may only reach a dozen or so. Maybe I'm wrong here, and those dozen readers could be much more devoted fans of my books than folks I meet online, but that is a decision I've made at this point.

Who are your target readers?

Again this is a hard question. During the beginning stages of marketing the book, I've targeted adults with kids. It's hard to try to get kids directly interested, simply because they don't frequently go online looking for books to read. But in the end, I'm looking for kids who love to read. Love the adventure and wonder of discovering new worlds through stories. I've found that boys, in particular love Noah, but girls enjoy the book as well. It was written for kids around 8-13 years-old.

When and where do you write best?

I'm glad you added the "best" on the end of the question. I write all over the place, and whenever I can. I have no set routine. But my absolute favorite place to write is at the coffee shop, in a big comfy chair, with my headphones on listening to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack. I've written a couple of novels this way. There's something about getting out of my house that makes me buckle down and write. And the music keeps the distractions at bay.

What catches your attention when reading a novel?

Wow, another good question. I guess for me personally, I love stories that go somewhere. I can't tell you how many times I've put a book down because it just seems to plod along. If there isn't something happening, some conflict, some action for more than a page or two, then I start to drift. In a broader sense, I love stories with an "epicness" to them. Not that they need to be long, but to me epic means they have a grand theme. The characters affect some kind of change in a larger sense. I believe we are all part of some grand story, and we just need to figure out what part we are supposed to play, and do that. When I see characters who do this, I fall in love.

What have your characters taught you?

Boy, you are stretching me here. I think the thing I've learned most from my characters is to just let them be who they are. I love, love, LOVE it when characters say or do things that I didn't expect. I know I'm the one writing the story, but our brains are amazing things. Somehow the subconscious can create these characters that don't exist, and bring them alive. An example is Noah being a paraplegic. I had no intention of making him one. I never even thought about it. But at some point when I was writing the first draft, he basically told me he was.  But I fought with him because I didn't want people to think I wrote him that way
as a gimmick. Just trying to be politically correct or something. So I resisted. I wrote the whole first draft with him having perfectly formed legs. But a voice in my head, his voice, kept yelling at me. Until finally I listened and went back and made him who he was.



What are you currently reading?

I always have a few different books going. I just downloaded the final Maze Runner book, and am dying to dig into that. But I'm also on an Indie Author kick right now, and am excited to find some really good books out there. I just finished up a book called Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula.  I have to say it was a whole lot of fun.  Head over to Amazon now, and pick it up (after you buy a copy of Noah Zarc, of course).

"Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble" by D. Robert Pease Book Tour

OVERVIEW

Noah lives for piloting spaceships through time, dodging killer robots and saving Earth's animals from
extinction.

Life couldn't be better.

But the twelve-year-old time traveler learns it could be a whole lot worse. His mom is kidnapped and
taken to Mars; his dad is stranded in the Ice Age; and Noah is attacked at every turn by a foe bent on
destroying Earth... for the second time.

Get your copy today by visiting Amazon.com (available in paperback or as an eBook) or
the online retailer of your choice (more links below).


CASH PRIZES

Guess what? You could win a $50 Amazon gift card as part of this special blog tour. That’s right! Just
leave a comment below saying something about the post you just read, and you’ll be entered into the
raffle. I could win $50 too by having the most comments. So tell your friends to stop by and comment on
this post too!


GIVEAWAY!

Win 1 of 5 copies of the paperback version of Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble by entering the giveaway on
GoodReads.



THE AUTHOR


D. Robert Pease has been interested in creating worlds since childhood. From building in the sandbox
behind his house, to drawing fantastical worlds with paper and pencil, there has hardly been a time he
hasn't been off on some adventure in his mind, to the dismay of parents and teachers alike. Also, since
the moment he could read, books have consumed vast swaths of his life. From The Mouse and theMotorcycle, to The Lord of the Rings, worlds just beyond reality have called to him
like Homer's Sirens. It's not surprising then he chose to write stories of his own. Each filled with worlds
just beyond reach, but close enough we can all catch a glimpse of ourselves in the characters.

Discover ways to connect with the author by visiting his site. 

THANK YOU! for visiting. And don't forget to comment below for that chance to
win the $50 Amazon gift card. And of course head on over to your favorite online book store and buy a
copy of Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble, for you or for the kids in your life.
Amazon Paperback | Amazon Kindle | Barnes
& Noble Nook | Apple iBookstore | Smashwords | Diesel eBook Store | CreateSpace Paperback | Amazon UK | Amazon France | Amazon Germany

Interview with Victoria Foyt, author of "Save the Pearls Part One: Revealing Eden"

What have your characters taught you?

Writing is a kind of meditation in which your characters teach you many surprising things, often holding a mirror to yourself. Eden Newman, the seventeen-year-old protagonist of Save the Pearls Part One: Revealing Eden lives in a world where love is dead and evolutionary climbing is all that matters. Her white skin brands her as a Pearl, ugly and undesirable. In creating her, I stole bits from myself and came to realize that I, too, needed to open my heart to love and stop judging myself based on my appearance. Taking her from this oppressed girl to someone who is willing to embrace everything, her strength, her inner beauty, even love, was a great journey, a revelation, really.

How do you connect with your fans?

It’s such a thrill to hear from my readers! I get a lot of email through my website, which I’m happy to answer. Now, I also have a facebook fan page.

For Revealing Eden, we created an incredible, interactive site where fans have been posting their own “mating” videos or commenting about Eden’s blog posts. With my background as a filmmaker and actress, it was easy to write and shoot ten short videos based on the book. Seeing Eden, who is a gorgeous girl by today’s standards, despair over not being able to find a mate, and facing death if she doesn’t, or watching her desperation as she secretly meets with her dark-skinned Coal boyfriend really captures the future world in which environmental chaos has turned the racial paradigm upside down.

Find the Facebook fan page here.



Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 

Five years from now, I hope that the Save The Pearls series has reached a wide audience in book and film! I’m halfway through Part Two, Adapting Eden, in which Eden must ratchet up her courage, once again, and take on her enemies, not only for love’s sake, but also for the sake of mankind’s survival. Mostly, I see myself continuing to write, and I feel lucky to do so.

Which characters do you wish were real people?

Ronson Bramford, the male protagonist in Revealing Eden, is really hot, especially when he adapts to a beastly creature. I’d like to feel the thrill Eden experiences when he growls at her.

Interview with Apryl Baker, Author of "The Promise"

Is there something that inspires your writing (certain music, another book, etc?)

Honestly, the most random things inspire my writing. Take the conception of The Promise for example. I was driving home from work and listening to Theory of A Dead Man’s Not Meant to Be. I passed this little community called New Salem and the image of a girl sitting beside a gravestone popped into my head. I couldn’t shake it so when I got home, I jotted it down on a yellow sticky and stuck it on the wall beside my computer. Over the next few days, I kept jotting down ideas and before I knew it I had a complete outline of a book on a wall of yellow, purple, and pink.

Do you start out writing for a particular audience, or do you see where your writing takes you?

I always tend to start out writing for a particular audience. Occassionally, I will end up so far on the opposite side of the fence its not even funny. It all depends where the story takes me.

During your writing process, is anyone allowed to read what you've written? If not, at what point do you share?

I have the great fortune of joining a truly fabulous online writing group over at www.thenextbigwriter.com. Those people are brutally honest, will shred your work when necessary and then help you fix it. I don't know how I'd get on without them. The people who are in my group always get the first look at anything new and help me to make it better. My advice to any aspiring writer is to join that site if you can take the criticism. It will make you a better writer in the end.

If you could visit any location or event to promote your book, where would it be and why?

Salem, MA for obvious reasons...lol. The book is centered around the Salem Witch Trials. It has always been a fascination of mine and I've read more books on the subject than I can count over the years. It was a very disturbing time in American history and I tried to put some of that into The Promise.

Is there a particular moment that has affected your writing? Do you mind sharing it?

I was about twelve years old when I wrote my first serious piece. I'd been writing on and off for as as long as I can remember, but it was when I was twelve that I wrote a sorta book. I remember showing it to my Aunt Jo. She read it and sat me down and said. You have a big imagination now you need to lern to write...lol. And I did. I worked hard and everything I wrote she read up until the last few weeks before she died with cancer. Some of that sadness from loosing her still seeps into my writing. It is a deep pain that never really goes away, it just eases. She was a second mother to me and I miss her dearly every day.

What book (or books) are you currently reading?

Right now I am reading Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick. I am a sucker for any books about angels. She has a unique writing style that will keep you reading.

If you could meet one person (alive or dead) who would it be?

Christine Warren...lol. Her novels inspired me to pick up a pen again. After my aunt died of cancer, I didn't even want to read a book as she was the one who gave me my first book and taught me no matter how bad things were at home, I could always find a secret hiding spot in the pages of a book. I just couldn't read a book as it was something we shared. I remember I glanced at one of her books at Target and the cover made me pause. I picked it up and ended up buying it. She made me laugh so hard. I then discovered Lindsey Sands Argeneau vampires and I was lost. But Christine's books were the first ones I picked up after not having read anything for many years and they made me smile. So much so that I started writing again. I'd like to thank her in person for that one day.