Interview with Alex

For a twist, I'm hosting an interview with someone whose talent lies down a different creative path from my normal visitors.

Alex is a 28 year old self-taught artist from Jamaica. I met Alex in the gaming community and quickly discovered her love of creating art. I'm so excited to now be able to share her talent with all of you!

Kristen: Thank you so much for agreeing to answer some questions for me today, Alex. I'm curious to learn what got you interested in art. Was there that special moment? Or did you just always know?

Alex: I’ve been drawing since I was very small. The first thing I remember drawing as a small child was pokemon. A relative had bought me a book containing the pokemon from the first season of the anime, and I used the pictures in the book to copy them, then I cut the drawings out and stuck them on the wall in my bedroom.

Kristen: I bet that relative had no idea their gift would inspire you in such a long-lasting way! I'm sure your walls were an interesting sight.

What form(s) of art are your favorite?

Alex:  Ever since Primary School (Elementary School) I’ve been a fan of cartoons and anime. It was by watching my favorite animated programs on cartoon network that I developed a love for art, and to this day my favorite art form is anime/manga.

Kristen: Can you tell me a bit about your work and how you've progressed on your artistic journey?

Alex: During high school I put more focus and effort into my drawings, and in early high school I began to copy more complicated things like Yu-Gi-OH cards. My classmates were always fans of my work, but they began to ask if I could draw something else besides monsters. After hearing their comments I decided to try my hand at human characters, and it so happened to be around the time when Naruto first premiered on cartoon network. My first human character drawing was Gaara. I became known for being the weird girl who could draw, and classmates sometimes asked me to draw their assignments for them. At a certain point, even teachers started asking me to draw their diagrams on the chalkboard-I generously accepted.

During the latter part of high school some of the boys who were taking art as a subject began to criticize my abilities-they thought I couldn’t draw actual people. Now while realistic portraits are hardly a thing you’d expect from a child artist, I willingly accepted that challenge, and succeeded once again. As a senior in high school I started creating my own characters. 

Kristen: When you're not drawing, what do you spend your time doing?

Alex: After high school and into young adulthood I started to add to my hobbies. I learned how to do digital artwork and tattooing, and experimented with other styles. I also got into video games and weight lifting.

Kristen: Awesome! And I'm going to go ahead and share one of the pictures you sent me right now because I think it ties into that.

This was actually the first piece of artwork from you that I saw. I remember you talking about it as you worked, and going through a lot of preliminary work to get inspiration for it. And at the time I wasn't sure what the result was going to be. Then you finished it and when I saw it .  . . I was amazed. I still say you have a lot of talent.

So yes, readers, this is my favorite piece from Alex because I do remember the creation process. And the one in the stunning pink hat is Alex's fantasy incarnation.

Kristen: Out of curiosity, I punched some numbers and discovered that my state is 22 times larger than Jamaica. Holy crap! I just imagine you going stir crazy! I'm always wondering if islanders feel cagey after awhile or if it's just normal.

So on that note, iff you could go anywhere for a vacation, where would you go and what would you do?

Alex: It would be wonderful if I could one day visit Japan and experience the awesome culture first hand, that would be the best vacation imaginable.

Kristen: LOL, so another island! I guess I'm just imagining myself with island fever if I shifted suddenly from where I am to an island.

What inspires you? Is there anything about your country, town, area that you find particularly inspirational?

Alex: Living in a poor country, and being the harshly realistic person I am, I wouldn’t say I’m inspired by anything from my country in particular. Along the way however, I have met persons with whom I have things in common, which has helped me to be more enthusiastic about my work. In a place where you’re the outcast because your favorite things are foreign, it’s nice to see something that you can identify with. Whenever I feel like I can’t decide what to paint I watch a few cartoons, or maybe some episodes of bleach and a few minutes later ideas flood my mind. 

Kristen: What would you say to other artists to encourage them?

Alex: If I could give any solid advice to the other artists out there it would be-draw, paint, and sculpt, etc. what you enjoy. It’s more difficult to do something you don’t like than to do something you like. If a style speaks to you, learn it, practice it, and perfect it as much as you can. Don’t worry about if someone else’s work is better, because there are probably many artists out there who’d wish their work was like yours, and even more still who have no artistic talent. Remember that your art is tied to your emotion and is an expression of it.

Kristen: Great advice!  And so applicable to many forms of creative expression. Do what you love! 

What are your plans for the future?

Alex: In the future I plan on branching from realism to photo-realism, taking a crack at animation by studying at an art school, and perhaps practicing my tattooing skills more. 

Kristen: That sounds great for you! I wish you the best of luck. :)


And lastly, if people are interested in finding out more about you or your work, how could they do that? 

Alex: If anyone reading this would like to see some of my best pieces please feel free to visit my online gallery at paintinggallery.wixsite.com/artsyalex. Thank you for reading, now if you’ll excuse me I have to return to my pokeball ;)

Kristen: And thank you, Alex! It's been a pleasure to have you and good luck with all your endeavors

(All pictures included are ones created by Alex that she gave me permission to share with you!)

Interview with Corinne Morier

This month's interview is with Corinne Morier, also known as the Meme Queen!


Kristen - What is your favorite part of the book you're working on now?

Corinne - I think my favorite part is in chapter seven, when Ceruden is questioned by the spirit of the river. I was sort of inspired by a subplot in an anime I watched and wanted to expand upon the idea of a spirit living in the river that never stopped asking questions. Although I was also scared to death that it wasn't believable enough, so just the other day when I received feedback on it from one of my critique partners, I was so happy when she said that it added a fun layer of complexity to the world I'd created.


Kristen - What literary character do you relate the most to?

Corinne - I definitely relate most to Hermione from the Harry Potter series. We're so alike it's scary. I was also the bookish outcast who loved school and ended up the favorite of several of my teachers. And the scene in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone when they're in their first day of Potions class and Snape is asking Harry a bunch of questions that he doesn't know how to answer, and meanwhile, Hermione is sitting on the edge of her seat frantically waving her hand in the air because she knows the answer to the teacher's questions is exactly like how I was back in school.

Kristen - What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Corinne - I just want people to walk away from my book having enjoyed the story. I don't really care if it's a character, or a certain part of the story, or even just a certain line that sticks with them. I just want to write stories that remain in peoples' heads long after they turn the final page.

Kristen - That's definitely a hope I can empathize with. The feeling that someone enjoyed your story, no matter what aspect of it, is so inspiring and makes it all feel worthwhile.


If you could have any superpower, what would you choose and why?

Corinne - I think I'd want to fly. Cliched answer, I know, but it just seems like so much fun to soar through the air.

Kristen - And no worrying about traffic! Getting to places would be faster because you could fly straight there instead of zigzagging.


What's the hardest thing about writing?

Corinne - Motivating yourself to sit in the chair, day after day, and bang out words onto a keyboard that make some semblance of sense in the hopes that someone somewhere will be entertained by them.

Kristen - Very true! Especially if you have so many other things that you want to do as well, or have to do, it can be hard to make time in a day to just write.

Thank you for joining me today, and I can't wait to see how your novel turns out!

Corinne Morier is a bibliophile-turned-writer with a penchant for writing stories that make readers think. In her free time, she enjoys blogging, playing video games, and swimming. Her motto is “Haters gonna hate and potatoes gonna potate.” 

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Interview with Allie May

This month's interview is with Allie May, writer and blogger!

Kristen - Where is your favorite place to write?

Allie May - My recliner used to be the best place to sit and write. I love writing with my feet up, and the chair was so comfortable. But it’s currently in storage. When I’m at work, I’m stuck at a desk and it’s not comfortable at all. Now I have a chair support for my bed that I use when I write on my days off work.

Kristen - Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process?

Allie May - Absolutely. For example, if a book has a shirtless guy on it, then I won’t buy it. I’m also tired of the girls in awkward positions trying to look natural on covers.

Here’s what I want my book cover to look like. It looks kind of like a textbook which I think makes it stand out more on the shelf. But ultimately the publisher gets to decide what it looks like.

Kristen - I also think knowing your audience plays into it. I feel like I'm attracted to certain kinds of covers, and that it's a great first impression aspect that authors and publishers can use to say "my book is the kind of book people who enjoy x type of fiction will love". 

And I'm so with you on the shirtless men photos! Or the headless people, where they just took a picture from the neck down. Those aren't deal breakers, but I spend too much time wondering where their heads went.

Does your book use any references to mythology or real-world folklore, or does it contain its own folklore?

Allie May - One of my favorite parts of Powerful is the mythology that I was able to create for each kingdom. They each have their own creation myths that I based off real world religions. One is a monotheistic religion with a prophet that I based off Islam. One is a polytheistic religion that I based off Indian and Japanese religions. One is kind of a Native American inspired religion where the elements themselves are gods. It was probably my favorite thing to write out of the whole book.


Kristen - What part of your writing time do you devote to marketing your book?

Allie May - I’m not really marketing books right now, since I don’t have anything published yet, but I do spend a lot of time marketing myself. I make sure to use social media once a day, and I try to come up with funny and entertaining things to post that will make readers like me when I do have something to offer. For example, I’ve started putting funny quotes that I say onto photos and sharing them.

Kristen - Even marketing yourself can take a lot of effort. So it's great that you've started now and are trying to show future readers who you are as a person. 


What’s your views on social media for marketing, and which of them have worked best for you?

Allie May - I love using social media to market. I’m a total introvert, and I hate talking about myself, but social media has really been a great way for me to connect with other writers and readers. I love Facebook because it’s easy and I already know how to do it, but I’ve also *reluctantly* started to see the value in Twitter.

Kristen - It's a lot of time to build connections, so it's great that you're enjoying the process and getting out there and meeting people. Everything's easier if you find pleasure in it. 

Thank you for letting me interview you, and I can't wait to see Powerful published!

I am Allie May, fantasy author and mother of the world’s cutest dog. I run the blog, Hypergraphia. Hypergraphia means the overwhelming and uncontrollable impulse to write, and I combat it by writing fantasy novels and blogging twice a week. When I’m not writing or working, I’m usually at Disneyland. I’m currently editing my novel, Powerful, while working on another novel that I started when I was twelve called A Fairy’s Tale. On the weekends, you might catch a glimpse of me in the shadows as a lightsaber-wielding superhero. Maybe.

Don't forget to check out Alyson on all her social media!


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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.

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Interview with H.S. Cook

This month's interview is with H.S. Cook. First, a little bit about her.

Working in a world of logic and reason, while dreaming of one filled with magic, H.S. Cook lives between her scientific research and her fantasy writings. A molecular biologist by day, she finds ways to inject the magic of her worlds into daily life, making time to write. She is currently working on an epic fantasy series: The Blood King Chronicles.

On now to the interview.

Kristen - Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?

H.S. - The first story I was given to read was a series of Wind in the Willows books. It was before I went to school, but they were not oversimplified. It was published as a box set of 9 books, so the individual books were short and easy to manage. I remember reading them and getting lost in the adventures of Rat, Mole, Badger and Mr. Toad. I loved those books so much, and they started my life of reading. I still have them today!

Kristen - I only remember reading one story from Wind in the Willows. So I at least know who people are talking about, though I didn't get to enjoy all the same adventures as you did. Mr. Toad is quite the character!


What was the first thing you remember writing?

H.S. - I am sure we had assignments before this, but the first thing I remember was a two-line story for school that had to start: ‘In the dark, damp basement…’ I do not remember it exactly, but in two lines I was eaten by a massive hairy spider.

Kristen - And later that night you probably wondered why you had nightmares! At least you managed to pack a riveting ending into two lines.  


What do your friends and family think of your writing?

H.S. - Generally, they are supportive. They understand that I need to write. I would like to say that they enjoy it, but that may be friends and family just being nice.

Kristen - What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?

H.S. - I crossed out good/bad there because a review is an opinion, whether good or bad. I appreciate honest reviews. I do not care whether it is loved or hated – I cannot force people to like what I write. I only ask that they are honest and representative of your actual opinions.

Reviews left with an agenda, or jumping on the bandwagon, are not helpful to other readers or to the writer. They are a waste of space.

Kristen - Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?

H.S. - Writers – Tolkien. He is my idol. Non-writer – Rosalind Franklin. She is one of my many idols in science and was vastly under-appreciated at the time. X-Ray Crystallography is vital to my current research!

Kristen - I'm so glad I got to learn more about you. And you're a Tolkien fan too! Thank you for answering some questions for me.

Thank you for taking the time to talk with me.

By the Blood, may the Fates show mercy.

H.S. Cook

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Interview with JR Creaden

This month's YA writer is JR Creaden! Let's jump right in.

Kristen - Did you have any ideas about being a writer that becoming a writer changed?

JR - Perhaps it was those summers spent in Maine reading Stephen King, but I imagined writing as a more solitary experience than it’s been for me. Instead, I’m involved with more writers than I ever dreamed possible—exchanging stories and tips, brainstorming, commiserating, researching. I talk to more writers everyday than I knew existed before.

Kristen - I was much the same way. I assumed writers holed up in caves and never spoke to anyone, but for me it has been a lot of interaction with other writers and discussing the craft and brainstorming. 

What do you do when Real Life intrudes on your writing?

JR - As in when the characters are too much like their real life counterparts? That’s happened a few times, but then I call up the facts and reorganize my thoughts. The characters are unrelated and from alien worlds that didn’t even coexist in the same time periods prior to coming aboard the ship (where the story begins in Re: Morse). Also, none of them had parents, so their core problems—personality or otherwise—have to be addressed by themselves. I am their author, not their parent.


Kristen - Do you have a favorite scene or line you’ve written?

JR - I do! The scene when Relativity’s crew performs a Vincil play, Renderings, for the cadets. I’ve been pressured quite a bit to drop the scene, but I’ve stuck to my guns. The play, which is not exactly “children-oriented” any more than Romeo and Juliet, and the character reactions to the play, are essential to the plot of the whole series.

As an educator and a parent, I believe it’s important for our literature to expand our familiarity with different media. Students of all ages are expected to read, perform, and engage with theater, and using theatrical performance within literature is a fantastic method to model a universal experience. 

Kristen - Tell us about your main character’s weaknesses. How do these affect the first book of your series?

JR - In Re: Morse, the main character, human Hugo Morse is plagued by self-doubt. While we don’t go into major detail about Hugo’s background, certain elements haunt him. Despite the utopian version of Earth he remembers, Hugo’s experiences were not so pleasant. His upbringing within the Syndicate, raised on space ships before being deposited at the Rodanbary Academy, was rather lonely. His fear of failure holds him back and puts everyone in danger.


Kristen - What do you want your tombstone to say?

JR - “Free Fertilizer ↓” I wrote a poem ages ago about my wishes for after death called “Bury Me Standing” all about how I’d like to be buried Bene Gesserit style—upright, wrapped in linens, with a fruit tree planted over me. It might sound morbid, but I have no qualms about death, about the function of my physical body after death. I can’t stand the idea of being put into a sealed box, where my matter is isolated from the Earth that sustained me. I want to give back.

Kristen - Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing! If you'd like to find out more about JR, follow any of the links below!

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JR began her writing career as a child disgruntled with song lyrics. After some early success with poetry and essays, she spent decades distracted by songwriting and academia until her story dreams became too interesting to keep to herself. Re: Morse, the first book in JR’s YA scifi series Contact Files, will soon be ready for public consumption or vivisection. Her goal is to share stories that inspire readers to embrace cultural diversity, the promise of science, and the value of humor and imagination to build a future that’s more Star Trek and less 1984. When she’s not writing, JR enjoys exchanging “your mama” jokes with her children, floating in lakes, and slaying virtual dragons.

Interview with Krisna Starr

This month I'm interviewing fantasy writer Krisna Starr who also happens to be a good friend of mine. Krisna sneaks her writing in around parenting her two adorable children and is currently working on her novel Dragons of Atlantea.

Kristen: What drew you to write in this genre?

Krisna: I’m an avid reader of almost all genres – mystery, thriller, sci-fi, YA, but my all-time favourite is fantasy. From the time I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by magic, different worlds and fantastic creatures like dragons, mermaids and unicorns. When I read novels featuring them, I get transported to their magical world and get to meet them :)

LOL! Who wouldn’t love to fly upon a dragon’s back, ride a unicorn or uncover the treasures of the ocean with mermaids?

Kristen: Fantasy is my favorite too! All the magical creatures and worlds, not to mention you have the freedom to create more and not be limited by our world.

When did you decide to become a writer?

Krisna: I don’t remember when it became a conscious decision. I’ve always been making stories in my head. After reading a fascinating book by Enid Blyton in my eighth grade, I started penning down my own story. But it was just for my entertainment. I had no wish to share it with any one. One story lead to another and before I knew it, the passion for writing overtook my life.

Kristen: What is your favorite motivational phrase?

Krisna:

Kristen: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process?

Krisna: Definitely. I think an alluring book-cover is one of the major hooks for a reader. Many times, people think of a hook in terms of a great prologue or chapter 1. But it is much more than that as I described in my blog post on “Elements of a Strong Hook”.

Before a reader reads our chapter 1, his attention has to be grabbed in some way to entice him to pick the book, have a look at it.

When I go into book stores or browse through amazon, two things grab my attention – the book cover and a catchy title. If I’m hooked by them, then I read the back blurb and the excerpt.

So a great cover translates definitely to more sales.

Kristen: I'm of the same mind. With so many books available and so little time, the best place for me to start narrowing down choices is to see what covers catch my eye and go from there.

Where is your favorite place to write?

Krisna: Hm, my favourite place to write is the beach. I’ve always felt calm and peaceful when I sit on the sands of the beach and gaze upon the infinite ocean. And when I write in this state of mind, the words just flow like the waves. But, the beach is about an half-hour drive from my house and I can’t spend as much time as I want there.

So the next best place is the meditation center that is across the street from where I live. The atmosphere is so peaceful there that my mind is instantly calm. The ideas just flow. I’ve written some of the best scenes of my novel there. Of course life gets very busy that many times I can’t afford the time to even go across the street and spend some alone time. Then it’s back to my writing desk with my laptop :) 

Kristen: I'd love to be able to write by the beach! Like you, I live about 30 minutes away from a decent beach(though mine's on a big lake, not the ocean!).

Thank you so much for joining me today and I can't wait to read your book once it's published!

Krisna is an avid reader and a lover of dragons, unicorns and all things magical. She divides her time between living in this world doing her day-to-day tasks, and the wonderful world of her dreams that is full of magic and fantastic creatures. Her current WIP, Dragons of Atlantea
(working title), is set in the magical world of Atlantea where magic rules, dragons roar and angels soar in the skies.

Besides books, she enjoys spending time with her children, mediation/ yoga, music and watching animes on the net.

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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.

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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

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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.