Interview with Author Louise Ross - JL Anthology

The JL group is proud to announce their FOURTH anthology which was released on 2/26! They're so excited to share this newest collection of works and I'm hosting one of the authors--Louise Ross-- in celebration.

The anthology, Of Legend and Lore, is a collection of fairy tale retellings from 11 different authors around the globe. You can buy it now on Amazon!

Kristen: Thank you for joining me today, Louise. I hope you're ready for the interrogation question assault interview. 

How about we start off with the inspiration behind your retelling.

Louise: I chose the three billy goats gruff because as I kid I preferred the non-romantic fairy tales. I loved unicorns, talking pigs, scary wolves, and trolls under bridges. So I wanted to highlight the billy goats.

Kristen: What was the hardest part of writing it?


Louise: I struggle with making endings that are not overly dramatic or depressing. This story lends itself to tragedy but also calls for peace and contentment. It was difficult to bring those two feelings together.


Kristen: Do you have any other short stories you written for a JLA before?


Louise This is my fourth story in a Just Us League Anthology. In From the Stories of Old , I wrote a tale, Kris and Krampus, where Kris Kringle becomes Krampus and punishes bad children. It is a story based on Struwwelpeter, a series of Germanic poems about naughty children. 

In Between Heroes and Villains, my story Super Love features Madame Pain, villainess extraordinaire, who has devised a scheme to entrap her one true love.

In the anthology Whispers in the Shadows, an old lady faces her final hours.



Kristen: So you're going for one in each! I hope to see you continue your streak! Now, how did this experience differ from your previous JLA stories?


Louise: Every story brings its own adventure. What I like most about writing is that one day I can explore insanity and the next day go on a treasure hunt. Out of the JLA anthologies, the story in this one is probably the happiest of all. I didn’t kill anyone, and that’s a positive move.



Kristen: Assuming you wanted to join in for future retelling anthologies, what other fairy tale would you like to rewrite?


Louise: I like exploring the non-romantic fairy tales. I am working on a tale based on Goldilocks and the three bears, and I am playing with possible retellings of Little Red Riding Hood, Three Little Pigs, and The Pied Piper. There are many great fairy tales.



Kristen: And definitely not tales we get to see a lot of. So you'd definitely be tapping into stories that must provide a fountain of new ideas. Since you mentioned preferring non-romantic stories, do you prefer a HEA or

Louise: In the longer pieces I write, I tend to give happy endings, but in short pieces, I rarely let my characters have a happily ever after. When reading stories, I am mixed. Happily ever after is good but variety is better.

Kristen: How do you combat writer’s block?


Louise: I stomp and throw things then take a bath. When I sit down with no electronics, no distracting dog, no husband, no other projects, then my brain usually works through any writer’s block.


Kristen: Hopefully the dogs and husband have a safe room when the throwing objects occurs! 

Kristen: Okay, moving on. Would you consider yourself a “pantser” or “plotter”?


Louise: I’m a plotter with a bit of pantsing within that plot. I often plot the plot but pants the characterization. It can cause problems if the characters no longer fit the plot, but mostly my process works for me.



Kristen: What would be your favorite original fairy tale?


Louise: Probably Little Red Riding Hood. I used to have a cape with a hood, and I would run around in my underwear and cape. I was little. Pre-kindergarten. I promise.

Kristen: Who wouldn't want a cape like Red's! What about your favorite adapted fairy tale?


Louise: When I try to come up with adapted fairy tales, I get stuck on the romance ones. Those are the majority of what I see. Out of those, I’d have to pick some form of Cinderella, maybe Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella either the 1965 with Leslie Ann Warren (bad singer but wonderful dancer) or the 1997 with Bandy and Whitney Huston.



Kristen: If you could meet one author, alive or dead, who would it be?


Louise: I’d be afraid to meet an author I admire and find out I did not like them as a person. It would be fun to attend some of Mark Twain’s orations just to listen. I hear WorldCon in the 60’s and 70’s was full of sword fights in hotel lobbies and crazy costume parties. So it might be fun to go back in time to one of those conventions.

Kristen: I can definitely understand not wanting to meet someone whose work you admire for fear that they'll be someone you can't stand! I could go for sword fights and costumes though!

What is your non-writer alter-ego (aka day job)?


Louise: I’m a lawyer by trade, which means I spend a lot of time reading, writing, and listening to other people’s stories. Law is conflict which has enveloped individuals and requires assistance with solving. Where else can a dispute between two neighbors suck in multiple attorneys, a judge, a jury of twelve, expert witnesses, and lay witnesses. I know where, fiction. Fiction is all about controversy.



Kristen: Completely random question. What is your spirit animal?


Louise: Oooooo. Um. Maybe a chimp. I like chimps. They are fun and playful, but they are territorial, aggressive and omnivores. I couldn’t have a spirit that refused to eat steak.

Kristen: I think that question would've stumped me. Or maybe not. Mine would be a koala. Eat and sleep my whole life and never leave my tree. Okay, so maybe that's just the life that sounds amazing. 

Who is the biggest supporter of your writing?


Louise; Wow. I would have to say my sisters who both make sure I get my writing time, or my husband who doesn’t complain about all my assigned writing time. Or my mom who continuously asks to read my stories. My immediate family is very supportive.


Kristen: That's awesome! I know so many writers don't have that family support. It's great that your family is willing to get behind you and back you up.

What is the biggest obstacle to your writing?


Louise: I struggle a lot with word counts. I have finished drafting 5 stories, but they range in size from 35,000 to 69,000 words. Fantasy novels shoot for 75,000 to 120,000. I have been working a long time on learning how to craft novels which are more appropriate in length while not losing the fast pace energy that I prefer.



Kristen: What other projects are you working on?


Louise: I currently have a fantasy action adventure about a blackmarket alchemist battling mercenaries after his bounty. This story is in its third round of beta reads. I have a novella/long short story about a troll event planner designing a ogre wedding, which is in revision after the last round of betas. I am redrafting my untitled western and am roughly 50% done. I keep multiple projects going.


Kristen: Sounds like you have my problem. So many ideas and you just can't pick one! Thank you for stopping by and I can't wait to read Of Legend and Lore. Good luck with your endeavors!


Louise Ross writes fantasy stories from the comfort of her recliner in Missouri. She is a member of the Just Us League and can be found online on her blog

Read her blog! 

Follow her on Twitter!

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Don't forget to check out the other JL anthologies available on Amazon!

 From the Stories of Old














Between Heroes and Villains

Whispers in the Shadows

Blog Tour Schedule

To meet other authors in Of Legend and Lore, follow our blog tour:

Don’t miss the cover reveal on the Just-Us League blog! — 7th February

Allie May hosts Matthew Dewar — 8th February

J.E. Klimov hosts Kelsie Engen — 13th February

Louise Ross hosts M.T. Wilson — 16th February

Heather Hayden hosts Allie May– 19th February

Kelsie Engen hosts Renee Frey — 20th February

RELEASE DAY — 26th February

M.T. Wilson hosts Sam Waterhouse — 1st March

Kristen Kooistra hosts Louise Ross — 2nd March

Elise Edmonds hosts J.E. Klimov — 7th March

J.E. Klimov hosts Heather Hayden — 9th March

Allie May hosts Elise Edmonds — 12th March

Aeonians Book Tour!

Hey readers! Today I'm part of blog tour for The Aeonians, a YA fantasy that'll be released . . . TOMORROW!

First a little bit about the book and then we'll go straight into the interview with author J.E.

 Isabel Deran only wants to practice archery with the castle guards, and that is the last thing expected from an elegant Princess. Living in the shadow of her late sister, Victoria, she is next in line to receive the royal armlet that is embedded with four stones: an opal, a sapphire, an amber, and a ruby. It is a revered family heirloom with the power of the elements passed down from mother to daughter.

However, an evil, once thought to be sealed away in a prison in which time does not pass, breaks free with an army that swarms the castle and wreck havoc over the kingdom in search for the magical armlet. They are known as the Aeonians. When they kidnap Isabel and place their hands on it, the precious stones vanish.

Isabel is now trapped in a race against time to locate her stones of power with the head of the Aeonian army, Bence Brechenhad, stalking her like a shadow. With the help of her trusty weapon, the sai, she fights her way through seemingly impossible trials and fearsome monsters in order to restore peace in her kingdom.


Kristen: What was your inspiration for Aeonians?

J. E.: My primary inspiration came from a beloved childhood video game: Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time. I was fascinated by the sense of exploration, the urgency of destiny, and the diverse characters. At first I was dreaming up fan-fiction, but eventually, I wanted to create a story of my own. I also was inspired by eastern elements of fantasy- traditional powers of the elements: wind, water, earth, fire.


Kristen: Who’s your favorite character and what do they do that makes them so special?

J. E.: My favorite has to go the Bence. Yes, the antagonist. The more I fleshed him out, the more I appreciated him. He is not a "bad guy" because he is evil for no reason. Bence is flawed, but has a good head on his shoulders, and his motives are the result of misdirection. This creates a complex character, which I grew to appreciate. Plus a sarcastic sense of humor. Quite the charmer (not).


Kristen: If you were transported into the world of your story, what role would you fill and how do you think you’re react?

J. E.: Oh! Fun question! If I were transported directly into my story, I would want to be in the middle of the action. I'd probably take the role of Isabel's side kick. My purpose would be dual: Help her grow her confidence (the confidence I never had growing up) and fight alongside her. Isabel covers a lot of ground in the 400+ pages, and I would love to roam the countryside with her and kick some butt!


Kristen: Can you tell us your favorite world aspect that is special to Aeonians?

J. E.: My favorite world aspect is the diverse species that inhabit it. And it expands past the primary setting, Deran. (You will see more countries in the sequel). I'm proud of the various creatures/races I created and happy to provide them with a world to live in.


Kristen: The princess is at a feast. What would be her favorite foods at the table?

Isabel loves turkey legs. If given the chance, she would toss all proper royalty etiquette out the door and dig into a nice drumstick!


Kristen: What are your plans for the future?

J. E.: I am finalizing the edits to the sequel to "The Aeonians", named "The Shadow Warrior". I am also multi-tasking and working on another fairy-tale re-telling for the next Just-Us-League anthology! In the not to distance future, I may take a break from the Aeonian series and focus on a sci-fi/fantasy mix based from The Fate of Patient Zero, my short story, in "Between Heroes and Villains."

Kristen: Thank you so much for stopping by, J.E and good luck with your launch. 

If anyone would like to learn more about The Aeonians, you can find it on Amazon or get a sneak peek on J. E.'s website.

 J.E. Klimov grew up in a small suburb in Massachusetts. After graduating from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, she obtained her PharmD and became a pharmacist; however, her true passion was writing and illustration.

Ever since J.E. Klimov was little, she dreamed of sharing her stories with the world. From scribbling plotlines instead of taking notes in school, to bringing her characters to life through sketches, J.E. Klimov’s ideas ranged from fantasy to thriller fiction. Her first publication was a short story, The Guardian’s Secret, in “From the Stories of Old”─ an anthology of fairy-tale retellings. “The Aeonians” is her debut novel with Silver Leaf Books.

 Don't forget to checkout and follow all her social media!

Blog: http://jelliotklimov.weebly.com/

Twitter: @klimov_author

Facebook page: @klimovauthor.

Author Interview with Sue Seabury!

Let's welcome YA author Sue Seabury!

Kristen - Hi Sue! Thanks for dropping by. First questions of the day! How often do you write? Do you have a special time during the day to write?

Sue - I write every morning, and maybe snatch a few minutes later in the day to work on editing.

Kristen - Ah that's the opposite schedule from mine! I write late at night when everyone is sleeping. Though I do also try and snatch those precious moments during the day if there's a lull in activity.

Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?

Sue - No. My preference is to finish a scene in one sitting, but that isn’t always possible.

Kristen - Do you write on a typewriter, computer, dictate or longhand?

Sue - Computer. My handwriting is officially illegible.

Kristen - Mine too! Besides, it all needs to go on the computer eventually so I might as well save myself some time. Not to mention I type way faster than I write.

Where do your ideas come from?

Sue - Where don’t they come from? Anything I see, hear, etc is fair game. Look out. I’m collecting ideas from you right now.

Kristen - Eep, I'll be careful then. I knew there was a reason I made sure my socks were matching for this interview! 

What are your ambitions for your writing career?

Sue - To be #1 on the NYT bestseller list . . . What? That’s not everyone’s ambition?

Kristen - Haha, I'm sure most writers at least hope that's in their future! I think if I made it anywhere near the top 10 I'd think it was a dream. 

Thank you so much for joining me today!

Sue Seabury enjoys travel, good food and great conversation. Since she doesn't often get to do any of these things, she writes about them in her books.

Follow her on Twitter.

Learn more about Sue on her blog.

Find her books on Amazon.

Where Carpets Fly Blog Tour

Hey everyone! Today I'm super excited to share a book release and an interview from newly minted YA fantasy author, Elise Edmonds. 

Elise and I met about three years ago when we were both starting out on our writing journey. I was working on what is now my first published novel and she was doing the same. It's been a blast to grow as writers together and to now be on the author path together.

Today she is here to share details on her novel Where Carpets Fly and answer some questions. First a little about the book.


Elina Faramar finally leaves her family's flying carpet shop when her father reluctantly agrees she can take magic lessons in nearby Kamikan. Urban life promises adventure, and new friend Kara shows her the sights.

However, Elina soon sees a darker side of life: a foreigner arrested at the circus, forbidden schoolhouse rooms with odd comings and goings, and unsociable pupil Simeon's shady deals at the docks. Everything seems connected to the volatile neighbouring country of Pallexon, but no one will tell her why.

When Elina and Simeon develop a magical mind link, he seems close to confiding in her. But an unexpected voyage takes Elina and Kara away from answers and towards unknown danger in Pallexon.

Alone in a strange country, with no identity papers, the situation rapidly turns into a nightmare when Kara is mistaken for a spy. With her own freedom at stake, Elina must rely on her wits and magic to save her friend and unravel the secrets of Pallexon.

You can get Where Carpets Fly on Amazon(available in paperback and ebook).

And now the interview!

Kristen - Elise! I've been waiting for what seems like forever to see Carpets in its finished form. I'm so excited to have you here.

Elise - Hi, Kristen! Thanks for having me.

Kristen - Let's get started. One of the things that makes Where Carpets Fly so unique is its setting. Often when creating fantasy worlds, we use a lot of Western European/Medieval influences, but you went a different route. How did you decide on a setting and what influenced the world that your main character, Elina, lives in?

Elise - I knew I wanted to create a complete fantasy world, so I did some research on worldbuilding and just started drawing a map. I wanted to include flying carpets, and they always seem to have an Arabian setting, so I knew I wanted to have a warm country on the map. In the end, Elina's country, Tamarin, was influenced by my love of Moroccan/Spanish food and Mediterranean/Persian lifestyle and architecture. It takes aspects of all those cultures and blends them into something new. I'm also conscious that it's good to have diversity in fantasy settings, and I wanted to get away from using the standard medieval European type setting.

Kristen - A nice warm country sounds amazing right about now. To completely switch gears here(just to keep things interesting), can you share something special about where you live? Any interesting facts, sights, or history? Maybe a picture?

Elise - Wow, I could be here all day! For the last twenty years, I've lived in or near the city of Bristol. An awful lot of the history here, unfortunately, is connected to either the slave trade or the tobacco industry. However, the city is also famous for its 19th century engineering. The most famous engineer is Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who built the Great Western Railway, many ships including the SS Great Britain (a popular current tourist attraction following its fairly recent renovation), and the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge. The bridge is probably my favourite thing in the city – I attach one of my husband's photos for you. And of course, Bristol is home to Aardman Animations: of Wallace and Gromit fame.

Kristen - I love Wallace and Gromit! I remember watching those when I was a kid. The Wrong Trousers one was my favorite. Great picture too! Here's a sorta book question for you. If your characters had a pet, which would each of them choose?

Elise - Mmm... that's a tough one.

In one of the early drafts, I had Janni (a sailor lad) trying to tame a seagull. It didn't make the final cut though! I think his older brother Niels would have preferred a ship's cat, to get rid of all the pesky rats.

And Elina would have liked a pet bird too, but something smaller than a seagull: a canary or a finch maybe, so she could practice her Biological Magic (which allows her to communicate with plants and small animals).

Kristen - I'm sure Batman would love to learn that skill! It'd certainly make his namesakes better partners! What was the toughest thing to write for this book? Any research you hadn't expected to do?

Elise - I think the hardest chapter research-wise was the one where Elina gets to see over a large ship for the first time. I suddenly realised I had to describe the ship in quite a bit of detail. But not only did I have to learn about the ship, because the book is from Elina's point of view, I had to use terms that she would be familiar with.

In general, I didn't have much idea of structuring a plot when I first wrote the book. It's been a huge learning curve, and I had numerous great critique partners on the website Scribophile who helped me out and made it what it is today.

Kristen - Ha, yes, I remember that chapter because I was going through a similar situation at the time. I also had a character on a ship for the first time and was trying to dredge up any lingering memories on the subject. I believe we discussed how we'd both be doing ship research in the near future. What are your future writing plans? Do you have any more novels for this series planned?

Elise - Yes, I hope to have several more books in the series! Book two is already well underway and I hope to make good progress on it this year. Aside from this series, I have various half-started projects, as all good writers do, and it remains to be seen what will become of them! But book two is my main focus right now.

Kristen - I can't wait to read it! Thank you again for stopping by and good luck on your novel!

Born in Staffordshire in England, Elise Edmonds has always been an avid reader, especially of fantasy and young adult books. Elise moved to Bristol in her teens, to attend university, and undertook a career in the finance world. Now living in a quiet South Gloucestershire village, she spends her free time with her husband and two cats, and enjoys attending local fitness classes, watching movies, and playing the piano. Pursuing writing in her spare time as a creative outlet is a way to bring the magic back into her everyday life.

You can keep up with Elise and see what's next for her and Elina on her social media.

Website
Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter
Instagram

Author Interview with Becca Patterson

This month I'm interviewing Becca Patterson! Becca has authored several books such as Daughter of the Revolution.

Kristen - Thank you so much for joining me today, Becca. One of the new "things" in publishing is book trailers. What do you think of “trailers” for books?

Becca - I think it’s a rather odd concept, but if it works go for it. I’ve not been sold on any book by it’s “trailer” though I have found trailers for books I want to read and watched them. They can be fun and provocative, but they don’t tell me much about what the book is going to be like.

For a movie, showing little snippets of the movie in a seriously shortened arc that doesn’t reveal the end make a whole lot of sense. The trailer is a closely related medium to the the work in question. A book, though, is all about the words written on the page. It would be great if you could get actors to portray the characters in the way that a movie does, but that would be expensive. So most trailers are made of quotes from the book or about the book. They look like an automated slide show, usually with some music playing in the background.

Kristen - I feel much the same as you do. I think they're interesting, but haven't been sold on a book over them. Right now at least, the best ones do have actors and I just saw the pricetag on one recently and *whistles* I was like, "Okay, so I'm never affording one of those."


One of what I think is the best parts about being an author is the people who fall in love with your work. What do your fans mean to you?

Becca - My fans are the reason I publish. I write for myself, but I edit and polish and make it perfect for my fans. They deserve the best I have to offer, so I will give it to them.

The fun part for me, is that I work with a group of my fans. I work in a high school, and my books are in the library. I get to watch the frenzy when the kids know that I’ve released another book and they are waiting for the librarian to get it checked in for the first time. Then once they start reading it there are cries of “no spoilers” from the ones who haven’t read it yet when it comes up in conversation. I suspect not many authors get that kind of view of their fans.

It’s a double edged sword though. I love my fans dearly, but I could do with a little less nagging to get the next book out.

Kristen - Aww, that is so amazing! That sounds like the greatest confidence booster. That'd give me all the warm fuzzies. I've got only one person who harassed me about getting the next book out, and I'm just imagining her several times over and sending you lots of sympathy. :D


The writing process is a long one and after awhile I know I find myself going "no more! please!" After that first draft, do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit?

Becca - It’s usually more than a month, but yes. Once I finish a first draft I can’t edit it right away. I still remember too much about what I meant to say, which makes it hard to see where I didn’t say that. Also, I need time for my writing skills to mature between the draft and the edit.

Really though the truth is I write fast and edit slow. I have more drafts complete than I know what to do with, but I can’t just stop writing. So I finish a draft and add it to the waiting list for edits. There are, I think, seven books in there right now. Sometimes I find that a novel just doesn’t make the cut when it comes up for edits. It’s sad when that happens, but I put it away and move on to the next one. By the time some books come up in rotation they are already two years old and wow, I really didn’t know how to write back then.

That’s what editing is for.


Kristen - How do you develop your stories?

Becca - For short stories, I start with a character and a goal and just write my way to the end. Then I have to go back and make sure it all makes sense, but that’s doable with a short story.

Novels start sort of the the same. They come to me as a character and a goal. Then they bring in some secondary characters, with different goals and a villain with an opposing goal and then I know I have a mess. I do character interviews to sort everything out and get a good feel for the world they are living in. Once I start writing the novel it’s pretty much the same as a short story - I start writing and stop when I get to the end. Then go back and make sure it all makes sense. It just takes a little longer.

The real big difference is the number of short stories worth editing is somewhere around 15% where at least 75% of my novels are worth editing.


Kristen - What is the easiest thing about writing?

Becca - The easiest thing about writing is: writing.

The initial draft flows from my fingers so willingly. If only that were all it took. I have thousands of short stories, in first draft form. They will never be anything more than that. I wrote them just to write. To feel the flow of words and see the thoughts in my head become life. It’s how I imagine magic feels.

The next best thing about writing is hearing how much people liked your story. It’s good that those two are on the ends, otherwise I’m not sure I’d make it through the middle.

Kristen - I loooove writing the first draft. And usually the second isn't too bad because i have so many plot holes to fix. But after that I'm like nooo, can't I just write the first draft and someone else can polish them?

Thank you for joining me today. Good luck with your writing and hope you have a Merry Christmas!

Sci-Fi and Fantasy are just two of Becca Patterson's preferred genres. An author hailing from Minnesota, she has been writing for as long as she can remember, and takes much of her inspiration from the teenagers she works with. In her spare time, Becca enjoys making her husband laugh, and playing string with her three cats. 

Follow her on Twitter

Read more on her blog

Follow her on Amazon

Author Interview with Keely Brooke Keith

This month I'm doing a bonus author interview! Keely Brooke Keith is a fiction and non-fiction author. She writes blended genre books, as well as writing resource guides. Her newest guide is: The Writer’s Book Launch Journal: A Guided Book Marketing & Promotions Planner

Let The Writer’s Book Launch Journal guide you through the marketing and promotional tasks every author should do to ensure a successful book launch. Filled with checklists of essential tasks, an abundance of publicity suggestions, and questions to personalize your promotions, The Writer’s Book Launch Journal will lead you on the journey to a fun and fulfilling book launch.

Kristen - You started out as a fiction writer. What prompted you to take what you learned from launching your own books and publish writing resource guides?

Keely - Over the years of writing several books and being immersed in publishing and book marketing, I lived the struggles, joys, and confusion of being an author. Being both traditionally and independently published, I wanted to see every issue from every angle. While there was plenty of writing advice available online, wading through myriad blogs for a relevant nugget of wisdom was as life-sucking as the problem that drove me there. With each writing, publishing, and marketing hurdle I encountered, I amassed lists and spreadsheets and dog-eared resources. After going through a season where I had to stop writing and just work it all out, I realized I needed to create a series of guided journals for writers.

Kristen - What a great idea! It made me tired just reading that and imaging all of the work. I've barely dipped my toe in the marketing pond and it already feels like a swamp that wants to swallow me. 

One of the burning questions I think readers will have is why should they choose this book. There’s a lot of resource guides for writers out there, and it can be overwhelming to try and decide if a book is worth it. What makes your book different from other books on the same subject? Or from what we could easily learn from Google?

Keely - The guided journals I’ve created for writers are different than most writing books and online searches in two ways. First, I researched the writing books and websites, so that automatically takes the leg work out of it for my reader, plus I added what I’ve learned through experience. Secondly, my guided journals aren’t info dumps like most books and blogs, but rather they are guided journeys that use questions meant to prompt a deep and lasting understanding in the writer.

Kristen - And I see that there's actually a check list with your newest release, at least, that allows people to plan out their book launch in an organize fashion. I know lots of writers who love to keep their writing lives organized and would find a format like this appealing.

Now, you’ve written several resource guides. Which one would you say has been your most popular to date and can you tell us a bit about it?

Keely - When these first 4 journals were released, I thought the most popular would be The Writer’s Purpose Journal because so many of my writing friends struggle to stay motivated in their writing, but The Writer’s Book Launch Journal has been the best seller thus far. Who knew writers wanted someone to guide them through book marketing? Ha!

Book promotions can be intimidating for authors. Since the day I signed my first publishing contract, I’ve kept lists of marketing ideas. With each book launch, I try them and add to them for my next launch. I have both traditionally published friends and indie friends who’ve asked for my list (and a couple of publishers too). So, I created The Writer’s Book Launch Journal and spread the to-do lists over 12-months to turn it into an easy to follow plan for any author.

Whether you’re an indie author or signed to a publisher, The Writer’s Book Launch Journal will guide you through the marketing and promotional tasks every author should do to ensure a successful book launch. Filled with checklists of essential tasks, an abundance of publicity suggestions, and questions to personalize your promotions, The Writer’s Book Launch Journal will lead you on the journey to a fun and fulfilling book launch.

And since some authors want the information in The Writer’s Book Launch Journal but prefer to scroll through the checklists on their computer, I’ve also written the ebook The Writer’s Book Launch Guide: A Step-By-Step Plan to Give Your Book the Best Launch Possible. This ebook is a good companion to The Writer’s Book Launch Journal because the tasks are explained in more depth. I recommend getting both the journal and the ebook together.

Kristen - I like trying to add some fun, personal questions to show readers the person within the author, so here's some for you. Fall is in the air. What's your favorite Fall drink and what would you spend the perfect Fall day doing.

Keely - The leaves are changing here on the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee, and the foliage colors are just as beautiful on crisp days under a clear blue sky as they are in the mist of overcast days. Either way, give me a hot apple cider and a walk through the park, and I’m a happy camper.

Kristen - Our leaves are close to 100% now and I keep telling myself to go take pictures. We've got one of those very scenic roads. What is your favorite book? I know that can be a hard question!

Keely - That is a hard question. I think I answer it differently every time I’m asked. I’m loving The Poetry of Robert Frost right now.

Kristen - Thank you so much for stopping by Keely, and best of luck with all of your writing. 

For anyone who's interested in Keely's guided journal series, here's summary's of her other three books.

The Writer’s Purpose Journal: Discover Your Motivation For Writing

Do you want to write but don’t know where to start? Are you halfway through your manuscript and feel blocked? Have you lost your enthusiasm for writing? Let The Writer’s Purpose Journal guide you on a journey to rediscovering your purpose as a writer. Using questions to prompt soul-searching journal entries, The Writer’s Purpose Journal will lead you through your beginnings as a writer, your influences, your goals, and your motivations to help you remove blocks and find fulfillment as a writer.

The Writer’s Character Journal: Create a Varied Cast of Believable Characters

Let The Writer’s Character Journal guide you through creating the varied cast of believable characters you’ll need for your next novel. Using questions to prompt brainstorming, The Writer’s Character Journal will help you flesh out your characters’ pasts, quirks, relationships, strengths, fears, flaws, and more. Complete with a character index and numbering system for 18 characters.

The Writer’s Scene Journal: Track Essential Elements To Craft Unforgettable Scenes

Let The Writer’s Scene Journal guide you through crafting unforgettable scenes for your next novel. Using a list of essential elements, The Writer’s Scene Journal will help you brainstorm your scenes' setting, plot, characters, sensory details, symbolism, and more. Complete with a scene index and numbering system for 45 scenes.

All are available now: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Connect with Keely online: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Keely Brooke Keith is the author of The Land Uncharted and Aboard Providence. Her novels are known for blending genres in unconventional ways. Keely also creates resources for writers, including The Writer’s Book Launch Guide and The Writer’s Purpose Journal. When she isn’t writing, Keely enjoys playing bass guitar, preparing homeschool lessons, and collecting antique textbooks. Keely resides with her husband and their daughter on a hilltop south of Nashville where she dreams up stories, hoping to encourage, comfort, and inspire readers. She is a member of ACFW.

Author Interview with Heather Hayden

Welcome to Heather Hayden, the author of Augment.

 
By Government-enforced mandate, genetic augmentation and implant technology cannot coexist in the same human body. Sixteen year old Viki's life has depended on her implants since she was five.
Now her implants are failing.

When Viki discovers that the malfunctions are due to illegal augmentation, she is determined to find those responsible. However, Agent Smith of the Search and Retrieval Bureau is also looking for the geneticists who augmented Viki, and his orders are to capture them by any means necessary--even if it requires risking Viki's life by using her as bait.

Viki's friend Halle, a rogue AI, is doing its best to help her search, but Halle has its own problems. Agent Smith had been closing in on the AI before being reassigned to Viki's case, and Smith's partner is still on the hunt. Searching for the geneticists risks exposing Halle, but Viki and her friend must find them first--they are her only chance for survival.

Heather is currently working on a sequel, Upgrade. And here's what Heather had to say when I interviewed her.

Kristen - Which writers inspire you?

Heather - Oh dear, this question... It’s so hard to answer, because there are so many answers. Though those who have read my earlier books would definitely say I was influenced by Brian Jacques (because I spend so much time describing the food). I’d say that it’s really more a conglomeration of Jacques, Asimov, Cherryh, Beddor, Colfer, Novik, Collins, Jones... I think you probably get the idea! Most of the writers are fantasy and science fiction, though; they all introduced me to fantastical worlds.

                                  
Kristen - Haha, I never thought about how much time Jacques spends on food descriptions. I love food descriptions, though, especially when they make your mouth water.


What’s your favorite method for coming up with names for your characters and locations?

Heather - I like to choose names that have a meaning associated with the character. It’s a bit cheesy, but I find it fun! As for locations... Sometimes I do the same thing, other times the name just sort of pops up. When I’m at a loss for either, I turn to the mighty search engine of Google to help me locate potentially interesting names.

Kristen - Not cheesy at all! At least not to me, as I do much of the same thing. Even if the readers never know, it's like a private little thing that you'll see every time you read or talk about your story.



If you could be any one of your characters, who would it be and why?  

Heather - Hm, that’s such a difficult question to answer! First there’s Sharque from The Astrals who actually was me at one point—the original story was based on a role-playing game my friends and I used to play. She’s grown a lot as a character, though, and the resemblance isn’t really there anymore. Plus, she has super-awesome water-manipulation powers! And she doesn’t have to worry about drowning, and she’s a great swimmer—all things I wish I was! But then there’s Halle, the AI from Augment and Upgrade, who can do pretty much anything it likes in the Cloud (though I guess in our world, that wouldn’t be quite as useful, and limited by the reaches of the Internet.) And Viki, Halle’s friend, who’s a great runner—something I am not. And in stories I haven’t brought to light yet, there are mermaids and pegasi and cats and androids and dragons and all sorts of other amazing characters! It’s hard to choose just one. But for the sake of answering the question, let’s go with Sharque. I really want to be a better swimmer!

Kristen - I love swimming! I wish I had more time to go. I'd definitely love a pool of my own.


Do you use any references to mythology or real-world folklore in your stories, or do they contain their own folklore?

Heather - Augment and its sequel, Upgrade, are science fiction, so they don’t really have any references like that. My fantasy trilogy of magic and demons has some grounds in the religious mythology of our world, but also their own myths. Another book I’m writing, The Astrals (working title), has myths and legends surrounding various different races, including the astrals, which is the race of several main characters, and the elementals (not saying more on that to avoid spoilers!) And for an upcoming anthology, I’m writing a retelling of the selkie myth, so that’ll definitely have references to the original. As well as my own twists, of course. I love writing fairy tale retellings!

Kristen - Have you ever created your own race for a book you wrote? 

Heather- Actually, yes! I almost answered no, and then remembered that the astrals from The Astrals (working title) were in fact of my own creation. Sort of. Originally I called them goddesses/gods/deities, but in reality their powers aren’t quite the same, though they are inspired by deity myths, and they do draw power from the belief of other races (mainly humans.) However, they aren’t immortal or all-powerful and must train hard to develop their powers so they can become a “mature” astral. They also must journey through the world as their final test of their maturity—this journey is where the story in The Astrals begins, as four young astrals set out to test their powers. Unfortunately, their path has plenty of obstacles on it… But getting back to the main question, I changed the name when I decided that “deities” didn’t really work for them. I think the astrals is one of the few races I’ve actually created for a story; most of the time my stories only involve humans (and the occasional AI, android, elf, dragon, or mermaid.)

Kristen - I've done the same with races in my novels. It's fun to take races that have been already created and tweak them a little and come up with something unique to your world.

Thank you for letting me interview you and I can't wait to read Upgrade!

I've had the pleasure of reading Augment. If you're interested in my review, you can find it here.

Augment is available on Amazon!

Though a part-time editor by day, Heather Hayden's not-so-secret identity is that of a writer—at night she pours heart and soul into science fiction and fantasy novels. In March 2015 she published her first novella, Augment, a YA science fiction story filled with excitement, danger, and the strength of friendship. She immediately began work on its sequel, Upgrade, which continues the adventures of Viki, a girl who loves to run, and her friend Halle, an AI. 

Learn more about Heather on Twitter or her blog, both of which consist of equal amounts of writerly things and random stuff she’s interested in.

Author Interview with Lesa McKee

Today I have a guest post from the author of Operation Space Cats, Lesa McKee.

First a little bit about her book.

Furry crew to the rescue! When Tebbs, the curious cat discovers part of his human family is missing in space, he plans to go on a rescue mission with Granny. But first he must recruit a team to help locate them. Problem is, he’ll be sneaking the small crew aboard, and hoping Granny won’t find out. Enter the space cats … A mixed bunch of furry felines who have many lessons to learn about what it takes to make a team great. Bravery, teamwork, and most of all faith! When mishaps occur, and danger lurks ahead, they’ll need to rely on each other. Will the team falter? Or can they pull together to make their mission a success?

Operation Space Cats is now available on Amazon. A cute "tail" of kitties in space that children will love!

And without further ado! *turns on spotlights* Lesa McKee!


Kristen - Which writers inspire you?

Lesa - Other Indie writers. Those who are doing it right. Taking all the steps by getting their work critiqued, beta read, and then hiring editors, cover designers, etc.

Kristen - I love that! It is truly amazing how inspiring people can be when they're dedicated. And I'm sure you inspire other writers as well.



What’s your views on social media for marketing, and which will you try?

Lesa - It’s right up there with writing the book. An Indie writer wears many hats. Writer, editor, marketing extraordinaire, etc.
I’ll use each social site I can to some degree, facebook being #1. I have a fb author page, and I’ve joined several writing groups as well as starting a few myself. I’ll probably have a fb book release party. I’m on Goodreads and pinterest. I got excited the other day when I learned to create my own pins. Yay! I turned my book cover into a pin. Twitter is on the table, but I’m not a big fan so far. 

Kristen - I am right there with you on Twitter! I'm hoping to find a way to manage it and make it more enjoyable. Right now it feels like an overload of information.

Would you say being a writer is a gift or a curse?

Lesa - A gift. God doesn’t make mistakes.:)

Kristen - Amen to that! And it's amazing that we each get to use the gift in different ways.


For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?

Lesa - Paperbacks, always. But ebooks are cheaper, and sometimes my fellow Indie writers (who I love to support) don’t offer a print version. So I read some of both.

Kristen - I love paperbacks. Nothing beats the feel of an actual book in your hands, though with some authors(as you said) not offering them I imagine I'll be attempting to read ebooks soon enough.

Would you use a PR agency?

Lesa - I don’t at this time, but that’s something (budget allowing) I would be open to in the future.

Kristen - What’s your protagonist’s favorite drink? 

Lesa - Milk!:)

Thank you, Lesa for answering a few questions! If anyone wants to know more about Lesa or would like to check out her pawsome Space Kitty stories, stop over at any of her social media sites!

Lesa McKee grew up at her Grandmother's knee, listening to the french folk-tales her animated Grandma Ida shared. A love of stories was born and her imagination took off!

She’s now living her dream as a Christian Indie writer of feel-good fiction, including a short story series of far-out space cats, titled 'Operation Space Cats'. These purrific feline adventures are filled with faith, friendship & fun!

Check out Lesa's website and blog!
Buy Space Kitties 1 or 2 on Amazon!
Check out her Facebook!
Follow Lesa on Twitter!
Follow her on Pinterest!