Q&A with author Ben Manning

A very warm welcome to author Ben Manning...

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?
I Claudius by Robert Graves
I read it when I was 14 and later saw the BBC adaptation. It is just an incredible account – along with “Claudius the God” - and was both imaginative, dramatic, quiet original and thrilling in its frank portrayal of the worst aspects in human nature. I also think it was and still is a brave piece of work.

Who is your favourite author and why?
Roald Dahl as an author and Samuel Taylor Coleridge as a poet.
Dahl always fascinated me with his short stories for “Tales of the unexpected” on the TV from “someone like you” and “kiss kiss” – but what im most impressed by is that he could write, horror, humour –in a book like “my uncle Oswald” and for children with stories like “Charlie and the chocolate factory”. I think he understood the way people think – in terms of how children feel and react and also the very adult world of intrigue, where there is always a moral twist. A tribute I wrote to both him and Coleridge is at the Roald Dahl museum here in the UK.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?
“Marilyn” by Norman Mailer

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
George Orwell – I would like his views on the internet, the political and sociological world in 2011.
ST Coleridge – I would love to know his theories on the universe and life in general, as well as the subconscious and life after death.
Aldous Huxley – I would ask whether he thinks “Brave new World” is anything like how we have become.
Charles Dickens – I would love to ask how he got his idea for “A Christmas Carol”.
Edgar Allen Poe – I would ask where he derived his influences and his writing process- and how his ideas came to him.
Mary Shelley – I’d like to ask her about Coleridge’s influence and her inspiration for Frankenstein.

Who, or what, inspires you?
I am inspired by artists who are different and unique. I like to be gripped by something I feel is different to drive me to write.

Where is your favourite place to write?
I like to write at home in the living room, alone – usually at night.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
Blade Runner (Philip K Dick)

What is your your book about?

I have written the first novel to deal with the Nazi's , UFO's and vril Norse mythology – it is called -The Vril Codex. It is the first in a series called “The Vril Chronicles”.








If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?

Rufus Sewell as Bob.
Bill Nighy as WarwickRomola Garai as Jane



Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I work at the home of the poet Coleridge and have lectured about him.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
The Quantocks was England’s first designated area of outstanding natural beauty – even though the biggest new nuclear power station Hinkley Point C, sadly is going to be built there.

Winter or summer? Summer
Ebook or paperback? Paperback
Favourite food? Italian
Sporty or couch potato? Both!
Cook or be cooked for? Cooked for!
Links to your website, blog, etc:
http://vrilcodex.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Vril-Codex/151342004886833
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Vril-Codex-Fanpage/192024584186066
Twitter - "@TheVrilCodex"

Inspired by the bonkbusters by Carrie Duffy

A huge thank you to Suzy for giving me the opportunity to guest post on here. I’m pretty new to blogging, but couldn’t pass up the chance to talk about my writing and my inspirations...
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. As a child, one of my earliest ambitions was to become a children’s author. I couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to write for adults – it seemed so limiting and unexciting.
I wrote lots of stories, and even a YA novel about vampires in my teens, but I had no idea how to go about getting published and wrote simply for the love of it.
I would read widely and often – horror, teen fiction, the classics – but when I was sixteen I picked up my first ever ‘bonkbuster’ novel. It was Career Girls by Louise Bagshawe, and was like nothing I’d ever read before – glossy, glam and thoroughly filthy. The heroines were gorgeous, ambitious women; the men sexy and self-assured. I was hooked.
More than that, it made me want to write a bonkbuster of my own. A few years later, while I was at university, I started trying. By now I’d discovered the Writers and Artists Yearbook, and tentatively sent off some sample chapters to agents. But nothing came of it, and I spent the next few years starting novels in various genres, sending them out, getting rejections and starting the whole process again.
But the idea for Idol (which eventually became my debut novel) wouldn’t go away, and as bonkbusters began to make a comeback in recent years, I re-drafted the manuscript and sent it out.
I was lucky enough to get taken on by Madeleine Buston at the Darley Anderson agency, and after that everything came together pretty quickly. It’s thrilling to finally see my own book on the shelves, up there with authors that I love, and if my story proves anything it’s that you should persevere. It’s taken me just over ten years to become a published author, but I’ve learned so much along the way and the end result is definitely worth it!

For more information, visit http://www.carrieduffy.com

Suzy on camera

I'm getting better... just a little bit... at creating videos (I think!). This time I talk about the history of The Raven Saga, what inspired me, what it's about, etc.

Yes, in case you're wondering, I'm sitting in the bathroom (good light) but fear not, I'm sitting on the floor not on the toilet!

Sadly, no appearances by Hermione the cat this time... just the faint sound of a house alarm in the neighbourhood. Hope you enjoy it!

Choosing your escape by John Nelson

When we pick up a work of fiction and start turning pages, we hope to begin a journey. A good novel will hook us right away and transport us there quickly. We choose a genre like a holiday destination. Some may pick up a romance novel because they wish to escape to a romantic fantasy world and they select the heat index of a novel based on the level of titillation they desire.
My “holiday” destination is often the dystopian genre. I read to escape, be entertained, and mentally stimulated. I want a book to make me pause, think and reflect. What I look for in a good dystopia is that I can see my own society reflected back in the pages. I like cautionary tales that show us the road signs that may lead us (in reality) to a place we may not want to go. George Orwell was a master at crafting a cautionary dystopia tale. We could reflect upon our own society as he took us to an imaginary world. 

My first published novel, Against Nature, was inspired by Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and Sinclair Lewis’s It Can’t Happen Here. But it was also inspired by the world around me in post- 9/11 America. The newspapers were filled with frightening headlines about torture, secret prisons, domestic spying, and suspension of habeas corpus. I also became alarmed by the rise of politicians who espouse a Social Darwinist philosophy and were finding their way to high government positions. I thought we weren’t too far away from descending into a dystopian society and it inspired me to write Against Nature.
Fact can make good fiction! I used headlines of past events and added in a little imaginative fiction to create a modern dystopia. Most dystopia fictions start off in the post-apocalyptic world and give the reader hints about how they got there. In Against Nature I take the reader from the here and now and we head into a dystopian world together.
My catalyst is a global pandemic; a disease without a cure. The disease is neither virus nor bacteria and all known treatment regimens have failed. One radical scientist, Serena Salus contends it’s an extraterrestrial organism introduced to earth in the wound of a now deceased astronaut. The government asserts it’s a genetically engineered microbe created on earth by enemies of freedom. Serena discovers an experimental vaccine, but also learns of the government’s plan to distribute it based on one’s future labor value to the stock exchange. Serena comes in conflict with powerful forces that will stop at nothing to control her vaccine; considered the world’s most valuable commodity.
Serena’s suspenseful journey across pandemic America makes us wonder if such a landscape could exist during a catastrophic pandemic. That’s what I love about the dystopian genre. It transports us to a fantasy world, but we can still see our own society reflected back in the rearview mirror.
John Nelson is the author of the e-book dystopian thriller Against Nature. The novel is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple iBooks, OmniLit or from the publisher: Wild Child Publishing. You can email him at: againstnature@hotmail.com

Q&A with author Carrie Duffy

Join me in welcoming the lovely author and (another!) fellow Yorkshire lass, Carrie Duffy.

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?
Career Girls by Louise Bagshawe. It was the first bonkbuster I’d ever read. Until then, I’d mainly read teen fiction and the classics, but this was a revelation – exciting, raunchy and glamorous – and it made me want to write one of my own.

Who is your favourite author and why?
George Orwell. His writing is disarmingly straight-forward, yet incredibly powerful and moving. He expresses his ideas so perfectly in clear, direct language.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?
Ooh, I’ve never heard that question before. Um... *pause to go and scour bookshelves* I think that for bonkbusters, the covers have to be like glossy magazine ads – beautiful, aspirational, and you need to believe some of the glamour will rub off on you. Lesley Lokko has some gorgeous, escapist covers – Sundowners, and One Secret Summer.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
George Orwell, obviously. I’m sure Jackie Collins has some amazing stories. Emily Bronte, so we could chat about Yorkshire. JK Rowling would bring a nice bottle of wine. And Oscar Wilde for pure entertainment.

Who, or what, inspires you?
All sorts of things, every day – magazines, films, TV programmes, people, weather, locations...

Where is your favourite place to write?
At home. I’m not really a cafe writer, although I’ll sometimes go when I need a change of scenery or to be away from the distractions of the internet. At home, I switch between the sofa and the dining table, but I dream of one day having an enormous study where the walls are lined with books.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
Gone with the Wind! It’s my absolute favourite film, and I’ve read the book twice too. The book is even longer, if you can believe it, and there’s an awful lot that gets cut out in the film.

What is your book about?

Idol is a fun, glamorous and raunchy read, following international pop star Jenna Jonsson, and struggling dancer Sadie Laine. They were childhood rivals, and now their lives are about to collide once again in Las Vegas.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?

Jenna is the archetypal stunning, blonde pop star, so Rosie Huntington-Whiteley completely looks the part.
Sadie is a gorgeous, sexy brunette – Gemma Arterton would be perfect.
For the guys, I’d like Paul Walker as Zac, the smouldering rock star, and Bradley Cooper could play Nick, the charming, chiselled womaniser.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I like to snack on tins of mushy peas.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
I’m not sure about where I live now, but where I grew up (in Selby, North Yorkshire) the design in Selby Abbey’s stained glass window is supposed to have been an inspiration for the US flag, as George Washington’s ancestors were from the area, and their stars and stripes shield features in the window.

Winter or summer? Summer
Ebook or paperback? Paperback... although I’m very hesitantly thinking about buying a Kindle.
Favourite food? Bread. Or Cheese. Or any combination of the two.
Sporty or couch potato? Natural couch potato who forces herself to be sporty.
Cook or be cooked for? Be cooked for. I’m not a good cook.
Link to your website: www.carrieduffy.com

Q&A with author Samantha Towle

A very warm welcome to the author of The Bringer, Samantha Towle....

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?
‘Red Dragon’ by Thomas Harris. Because it’s awesome! I sound like a broken record because I say this in every interview I do, but I love that book because it drew me in from the first line and kept me gripped until the end. It was on my mind for days after I read it. Thomas Harris is a genius writer.

Who is your favourite author and why?
I have two Thomas Harris – for all the reasons I said above, and Charlaine Harris, because she created this fabulous world with her ‘True Blood’ series. She somehow managed to bring an unbelievable world into the real world and make you it work. And also, because she has the wonderful knack of making you fall in love with the bad guy every time!

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?
Can I say my own?! Well, aside from mine, I do love the cover for Twilight. So simple yet so effective. It’s very eye-catching.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
Thomas Harris, because he’s awesome. Charlaine Harris, so I could quiz her about my favourite ‘True Blood’ characters and what her inspiration for them was. William Shakespeare, so I could ask him if he knew back then how truly great he was and what he thinks about how revered he is in today’s modern world. And lastly, Sophie Kinsella, because I think she’s fabulous and incredibly talented.

Who, or what, inspires you? 

My husband and children inspire me every day. And music. I can’t write a single word without it. The idea for ‘The Bringer’ came from a song ‘Don’t Cry’ by Guns N’ Roses.

Where is your favourite place to write?
At home, sat in my living, laptop on my knee, with a cup of coffee and a pack of biscuits sitting beside me.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
I can be a bit critical when films are based on books, but for me the Harry Potter films have been done very well.

What is your book about?

The Bringer is a paranormal romance, filled with twists and turns, tons of love and other emotions all poured in there. It’s not your ‘average’ angel novel, which is what I think readers will like about it.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters? 

Ooh I love this question! I’d have Lyndsy Fonseca as Lucyna, Alex O'Loughlin as James, and Ian Somerhalder as Arlo.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I’m terrified of clowns! I literally can’t look at them on the TV, let alone have one near me.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
Hull has a great history and is traditionally known as a fishing port. Many great writers, poets, politicians and musicians have all hailed from Hull.

Winter or summer? Summer
Ebook or paperback? I’ll probably get heckled for saying this but – paperback.
Favourite food? Ice cream – especially Ben & Jerry’s Half-Baked.
Sporty or couch potato? Couch potato
Cook or be cooked for? Cook

Link to your blog: http://samanthatowle.blogspot.com/

Q&A with author and editor Ashley Kay

Today I'm extending a warm welcome to Editor and Author Ashley Kay who is here to answer my questions...

Have you ever read a book that made you think 'wow'? If so, what book was it and why did it have such an effect on you?I would have to say "Becoming the Sheriff's Wife" by Trish Mauldin or "In The Land of Winter" by Margaret Bechtel. The reasoning is because in both stories the main characters had had such a traumatic experience in their life and they had to learn to over come it, to work through it. The traumatic experiences they had faced just made you go "wow" and then when they finally learned to work through it, to get through it, it was great. I think I found these two stories to be so touching because they have real life aspects in them. Things that truly do happen, experiences that people have had. The two stories, though had romance in them, were very dramatic in ways and really have an impact on the reader. They also show that you can over come obstacles and get through bad situations.

Who is your favorite author and why?
I have been asked this one before, and I truthfully cannot just choose one author to be my favorite. I have read so many great books by different writers.

What is your all-time favorite book cover?
Hmmm...can I choose my own? Hehe. Okay..I have many. I am a big cover person. A few would be: Unearthly, Tiger's Curse, Tempest Rising, and there are just so many more.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
I think I would actually choose to go with Poe, Hemingway and Shakespeare. I think that would be a very interesting dinner and I would probably crack up laughing, a lot, making them think I was crazy.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Many different things inspire me. I was recently inspired by rain. That's right. It was raining, lightly, and I was at my laptop next to the window. All of a sudden I started writing something, that I had no clue what it was. It's actually pretty good, if I do say so myself. I have also been inspired by sunsets, the beach, the woods, many different things.

Where is your favorite place to write?
My favorite places of all, are Dunkin' Donuts and a park. I am very comfortable at my DD, and then writing in the park can just be so peaceful.

What is your book about?
Which one? I have many I am currently working on, then I have one that is out. It has actually turned into more of a prologue, the beginning, of a bigger story that I didn't know was there really. The title is (just for the prologue) "Nightmares" by A.L Kay, published by Vamptasy Publishing. It's about a girl named Kristi who starts having Nightmares of something attacking her. Will it come true? Will she survive? You have to read to find out. :)

What is your favorite film that was based on a book?
Currently...I would have to say I Am Number Four. I really enjoyed it.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?
I would have to pick people, actors, that are unknown. New talent for sure and I would have to be the one to make the final decisions on who plays my characters.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I am a natural blonde, I am six feet tall and I have 3 cats. I want to have many animals on acres of land one day. I love old historic houses (including haunted ones).

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
Interesting about where I live? I live in Jacksonville, FL and there are not many interesting things. We have not had a hurricane hit us for a very long time. They seem to go around us. 

Winter or summer? Winter for sure.
Ebook or paperback? Paperback, but prefer hardback.
Favourite food? Italian and Mexican. Dessert? Fried Ice cream or Chocotacos.
Sporty or couch potato? I am more in the middle.
Cook or be cooked for? Definitely to be cooked for. I cannot cook.
Link to your website, blog or both: The following are my Facebook and Author page on Vamptasy Publishing.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=100001611838980
http://www.vamptasypublishing.co.uk/#/ashley/4553073710

Thanks for taking part in the interview, Ashley!  I'm still in shock that you're a natural blonde!!

Q&A with author Leanne Beattie

A very warm welcome to Cage of Bone author, Leanne Beattie...

Have you ever read a book that made you think 'wow'? If so, what book was it and why did it have such an effect on you?
That would be Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. It is a great example of the interior life of a teen as she goes through a traumatic time. It also showed the effect of stigmatism in high school—what happens when you don’t follow “the rules” and people hate you for it.

Who is your favourite author and why?
It’s hard to pick just one, so I won’t. I love Laurie Halse Anderson and John Green for their ability to capture the essence of teens so well. I also read anything by Alice Hoffman because she creates such beautiful imagery and adds magic to every story. The Ice Queen was amazing.

Who, or what, inspires you?
I am very influenced by music and get a lot of ideas from lyrics. Cage of Bone grew out of a phrase from the Jann Arden song Will You Remember Me? Whenever I need inspiration I go to my local bookstore and roam the aisles for an hour or so. Simply being surrounded by all those words, picking up books and seeing what’s new in the market makes me want to run home and start writing again.

 Where is your favourite place to write?
I need to be completely alone to write so I go to my bedroom and shut the door. I can listen to music while I write but I can’t concentrate if the TV is on.

What is your book about?
Cage of Bone is a young adult novel about a 16 year-old girl, Ronnie Campbell, as she tries to cope with her sister’s suicide. It’s an emotional story because Ronnie is very confused about the death. Her sister was the quintessential “golden girl” in high school: popular, smart and going places, so her suicide leaves Ronnie struggling to find answers. On top of everything, Ronnie’s parents are getting divorced and her father is starting a new family with another woman, so Ronnie feels abandoned and pushed aside. At an age when other kids are dating and going to parties, Ronnie is facing some pretty heavy burdens.
Once I had the basic story idea, I got an image of a girl who seems tough on the outside but is really hurting. Her toughness is all a façade. I think a lot of people can relate to that, that everybody is suffering in some way. Griffin McNay, her love interest, is the ideal boy for Ronnie: cute, creative and understanding. He shows her there is more to life than what she is experiencing right now. Her best friend, Danielle, accepts Ronnie as she is, flaws and all, and has great faith in her.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
I love The English Patient, based on the book by Michael Ondaatje. It has such sweeping cinematography and great actors. Ralph Fiennes is one of my favourites.

 If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters? 

I had a cover of Teen Vogue posted above my desk while I was writing Cage of Bone because the model looked exactly how I had envisioned Ronnie. I found out later the model was Taylor Momsen (centre), an actress and singer. I would go with her or Dakota Fanning (left). I think Dakota would be able to pull off Ronnie’s bravado and sarcasm and Matt Dallas (right) from Kyle XY would be a perfect Griffin.


Tell us a random fact about yourself.
If I weren’t a writer I’d be a lawyer, someone who fights for the rights of women around the world. I am very passionate about improving the lives of women in developing countries.

To learn more about Leanne Beattie and her book, Cage of Bone, visit https://leanneardellebeattie.wordpress.com/

Guest Editor Ashley Kay

First I want to thank Suzy for having me as a guest. I have never done a guest blog before, so I am a virgin at this. I am not one for talking about myself really, never have been. So, I will start somewhere simple. My name is Ashley Kay, or A.L. Kay. A.L. Kay is my pen name for any and all stories I write. I am twenty-four years old, a mother of two girls, and a wife for five and a half years. I am also a college student, psychology major. I love my life, though at times I wish things would slow down, as I am sure many of you would like also. I love animals, just thought I would throw that in for you all. Oh, did I mention I am also an awesome unintentional flirt? Thought I would also throw that in there, (my recently new client, Margaret, told me to, hehe).
I began writing at the age of twelve. I wrote my first story, a children’s story. Sadly I had written it on my father’s laptop on an airplane, on our way to Germany. Well, my father’s computer ended up crashing months later, and being twelve years old, I didn’t know to back it up. I had shown it to one person, my English teacher. She told me it was really good, and that I actually might have a knack for writing. I never wrote a story again until I was about nineteen years old. I never finished it. I became ill with permanent writer’s block, hehe. Same thing happened with another story I began. Then, at 23 I started a short story called “Nightmares” that has ended up being published by Vamptasy Publishing. “Nightmares” is about a girl, Kristi, and dreams she begins having. What do they mean? Will they come true? Will she survive? Those are questions even she asks, and more. Though the more questions that are answered, the more new questions arise.
I stared working on the second installment of “Nightmares”, but then I realized something. I recently took the story back, because there seemed to be more to the story than I ever knew. I revised “Nightmares” and it is back up! Though, this is just the beginning of the story. The full length book will be titled “Kamela” when it is finished. For those that have bought, and read “Nightmares”, I am happy that it has gotten great reviews so far and people really seemed to enjoy it. I am hoping they, and others, will like the full story when I am finished with it. “Nightmares is available here http://www.vamptasypublishing.co.uk/#/nightmares/4552851092
Since I was young, my father always edited anything I said and wrote. This rubbed off on me, of course. I began doing that to others; to my friends, and even to strangers. I edited my friend’s papers, and even what they said in an instant message to others. I never was upset about editing my friend’s things, I actually enjoyed it. This added to my passion. I love editing, and working with people. I love getting to know my clients and their stories, aka babies. After working for a publishing company, that I did not care for how they were running their business and treating their authors, I started my own editing business; Ashley’s Freelance Editing http://freelance.mcconnell05.com. I love my clients, new and returning. I never get tired of them needing to ask me questions, or contacting me for whatever reason. My editing company is first in line, after my school and kids. My writing is mostly on the back burner. I only write when I get a chance to, or when I am taking a break from other things.
I want to thank Suzy again for having me. I did not know I could actually write five-hundred words about myself, let alone over that. Thank you all for reading, and being interested in little ole me.

Always a pleasure, Ashley!

Q&A with author Aimee Friedmann

A very warm welcome to Sea Change author Aimee Friedmann...

Have you ever read a book that made you think 'wow'? If so, what book was it and why did it have such an effect on you?
So many books 'wow' me that it would take up a whole OTHER book to list them all! I recently finished THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett, which I loved--it's gorgeously written, compulsively readable, gutsy, and wise. In terms of kidlit, a book that threw me for a loop a couple of years ago was WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead, which is one of those magically complex, how'd-she-do-that? books that is at once totally intimidating and wonderfully inspiring.

Who is your favourite author and why?
I love pretty much anything Michael Chabon writes--his language is always so rich, and his worlds so intricate yet heartfelt. I'm also a big Ann M. Martin fan--the BABY-SITTERS CLUB books shaped me when I was growing up, as both a young woman and a young writer.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Movies, bookstores, a good meal, author readings, brisk walks through Central Park, plays, coffee, my family's stories.

Where is your favourite place to write?
In a little European-style cafe about 10 blocks from my apartment. The seats are comfy, the music is never too loud, their iced coffees are refreshing, and they have Crumbs cupcakes. Need I say more?

What is your book about?
My most recent novel is SEA CHANGE, a summer love story set on a mysterious island off the coast of Georgia. On this island, we meet Miranda, a level-headed girl who's just visiting for a while, and Leo, the gorgeous local boy who sweeps her off her feet...and may be hiding a magical secret.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
THE PRINCESS BRIDE! An endlessly quotable movie...and also a great read.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?

Someone recently told me that Hunter Parrish or Lucas Till would make a great Leo I absolutely agree. Miranda might be a little tougher to cast--would love to know if readers have any suggestions!

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I have a mild addiction to Gummi-Bears, particularly the Bissinger brand (Pomegranate White Tea is the best!). I go through bags of them like crazy, ESPECIALLY when writing!

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
I live a short walk from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is a great destination in New York City. In the summer, they open up the museum's roof, where they'll have sculptures on display and serve frosty drinks and ice cream. I love to go up there on a warm afternoon with friends and watch the sunset.

Contact Aimee via her website: www.aimeefriedmanbooks.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/aimeefriedman
Facebook: www.facebook.com/aimeefriedman

Thanks, Aimee! Wonderful interview... I'm very envious of being able to pop down to Central park whenever you want to!

Q&A with author Elliot Grace

A warm welcome to my guest today, Elliot Grace....

Have you ever read a book that made you think 'wow'? If so, what book was it and why did it have such an effect on you?
Shortly out of high school, while bumbling along with half-finished manuscripts and a stack of rejection letters that could have been measured with a yard stick, I found a novel at the library that grabbed me by the shoulders and refused to let go until I managed to read the thing twice before the book's return date. The story was called Fade by Robert Cormier. It's the story of a thirteen year old boy who discovers the ability to turn invisible, to fade from eyesight. At this point, Cormier's novel could have traveled along a very predictable path, a teenager with the power of invisibility starts sneaking into homes, watching ladies undress, playing pranks on his teachers and the bullies at school, the usual mixed bag associated with that particular gift. Instead, young Paul Moreaux, the boy who can fade, embarks on a course most unexpected for someone his age, seeing friends and family for whom they really are, and figuring out what kind of person he is as well. The story was so well written, with Cormier's voice as the perfect antidote to Paul's foreboding journey, that it caused me to not only re-focus my own writing practices, but to get my life together while time permitted. Life's simply too short to blindly stumble along. I'm known locally as a addict for the written word, always spotted with a book under my arm, in search of a place to rest my backside and score some reading time. Fade is the only book I've ever read more than once.

Who is your favourite author and why?
Choosing just one would probably take me a week's worth of head-scratching to decide on, and by that time I've no doubt that my list would still be a half page in length. A few writers who come to mind, depending on what genre I'm reading at the moment...John Sandford, who's Prey series has withstood the test of time, Terry Brooks, who's sci-fi novels I enjoyed as a teen, Robert Cormier, (see above :) Joe Hill, yeah, King's son definitely knows how to weave a spooky yarn, and David Wroblewski. If you haven't read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, you have my condolences :)

Who, or what, inspires you?
I knew at an early age that my best stories, the one's I'm most passionate about, are based around a middle grade to young adult audience, (although my editor insists that Charm should be shelved in the adult section at Wal-Mart. It's an ongoing controversy.) Added to it the fact that my wife and I are licensed foster parents, taking in as many as four or five troubled and often homeless kids at any one time, propels me to write what is most important: our future, and those who will someday be in charge. Telling their stories, horrors experienced through the eyes of our youth, is where inspiration can spark like an ember, and fester into a story worth reading.

Where is your favourite place to write?
It's not so much where, but more of a timing issue. I've found that when the urge to write something becomes too great to ignore, the scenery could be the shoreline at Pawly's Island, or at a cluttered work station scooted into the back corner of an aging factory. Pushing a lead pencil over crinkled tablet paper with machinery roaring overhead like mystic beasts from a Tolkien novel. And yes, I've done both. When an idea comes along, something worth remembering, the place is irrelevant. It's the "when" and the "how" that must be dealt with. If given an option however, I'd take my boring office at home, on a quiet Sunday morning, thoughts running rampant.

What is your book about?
South of Charm is the story of ten year old Danny Kaufman, a mama's boy forced into dealing with his mother's ongoing battle with paranoid schizophrenia. A youngster who's been dealt a very real, very adult twist of fate, and the life lessons he learns, or refuses to acknowledge, along the way. It's the story of a boy with a secret. A ten year old with a gift. A talent capable of stirring an entire town into a frenzy. And for those who've read it, and often send inquiries to my inbox on the subject, there's a cat. An interesting orange tabby, getting up there in years...and I'll leave it at that :)

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
Love this question! One that comes to mind is A Time To Kill, by John Grisham. In my opinion, it falls into a short list of Hollywood flicks that actually managed to capture the raw soul from the written version that is so often left behind on the editing floor whenever novels are selected for Cinema Ten. This was a great story, followed by an unforgettable movie.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?
It's every writer's fantasy...seeing their work on the big screen, and hoping that Hollywood doesn't screw it up! Whenever I conjure up the thought, (which is often :) I picture a roughed up, somber-looking Viggo Mortenson as Danny's father. Sandra Bullock fits the role of Sheryl Kaufman like a hand in a glove. And as for Danny and his younger sister, Katie...I'd suggest a talent search, awarding the main character to some kid that no one outside of their family and friends have ever laid eyes on. Then, if the movie's a hit, no matter what future roles he'll accept over the years, he'll always be known as that kid from South of Charm. Danny Whats-His-Name.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I'm not the first writer in my family. W.Dale Cramer, author of Sutter's Cross, Bad Ground, and Levi's Will, is my aunt's cousin. He lives in Georgia, but we manage to keep in touch.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
I'm originally from Florida's Gulf Coast, but actually grew up in central Ohio. Currently we live in a modest cape cod near Ashland, Ohio, where it's common practice to find oneself traveling along behind an Amish buggy on an otherwise busy state route. In time, when our kids move on, and my wife and I find ourselves alone in a house built for the rigors of a family, we plan on returning to the Gulf, where my heart remains.

Thanks, Elliot... fantastic answers!

For more information about Elliot and his book, visit http://www.woosterbook.com/additional/southcharm.html

Q&A with author Adelle Laudan & GIVEAWAY

Have you ever read a book that made you think 'wow'? If so, what book was it and why did it have such an effect on you?
Actually it’s the book I’m reading now. “The heartwrenchingly honest, hysterically funny, and brutally truthful life and times of biker author Amy White.” I am blown away by the similarities between this author and my own life. The biggest difference is, she grew up deep in the South and I am a Canadian.
A must read – Only $3 for the ebook (buy from amazon)


Who is your favourite author and why?
Jean M Auel is a master at painting a vivid picture through words. I fell in love with the Earth Children’s Series and like to think I’ve learned a thing or two from this amazing author.


Who, or what, inspires you?
There are so many things that inspire me. My children inspire me to persevere and keep writing. Movies that touch my heart...the sound of a Harley in the distance...the scent of fresh cut grass...my past...music...


Where is your favourite place to write?

At my desk. I have my desk in a cozy corner in my dining area with a window overlooking the parking lot LOL Luckily there is a nice park on the other side of it.


What is your book about?

Mystified is a love story. It takes place on Manitoulin Island here in Ontario, Canada. The setting is an Ojibwa village. Nara embraces her heritage and dreams of opening a School of the Arts to ensure her forefathers traditions, music and handcrafted artistry is not lost for the next generation.
Tokoda has rock n roll and Harley’s in his blood. He loves his family, and is proud to be an Ojibwa, but couldn’t leave the Island fast enough when he came of age, to pursue his dream of being in a band.
Five years later, Tokoda is pulled away from his band; Colt Harley after a boating accident claims both parents’ lives and leaves his three sisters to fend for themselves. He returns to the Island to make sure his sisters’ are situated, fully intending to return to his life on the mainland.
Nara is thrilled to see her teenage crush return home. There is an undeniable chemistry between the two, when the Princess of the Underwater rises up from the lake and a series of incidents throws them both back in time, at opposite sides of the Island...

You’ll have to buy the book to find out what happens next...*wink


What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
The Notebook. It has to be one of the greatest love stories of our generation. No matter how many times I watch this movie, it always makes me tear up at the end.


If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?

I’ve used the band, Colt Harley in my book.
Steven Van Trans is my vision of Tokoda.

I would like to see Tinsel Korey, who played Emily Young in Twilight, New Moon, as Nara.



Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I have a 90% hearing loss. I do use two hearing aids, but there are some things I simply cannot hear. People with accents are very difficult for me to understand. The plus side, when I hear something I’d rather not...I simply turn them off *wink


Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
I moved to the big city three years ago after spending most of my life in very small, rural towns. Hamilton, Ontario offers Ghost Walks through many historical buildings believed to be haunted. All have recorded sightings throughout history. http://www.hauntedhamilton.com/ghostwalks/


Thanks for having me Suzy. I’d like to offer an ecopy of my upcoming release, Mystified by Elle Laudan with Passion In Print. Chime in and say hello, Suzy will draw a name to be fair. Good Luck!
My Website: http://adellelaudan.com Elle Laudan Blog: Rated R: http://ellelaudan.blogspot.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/AdelleLaudan Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/AdelleLaudan Twitter: http://twitter.com/AdelleLaudan

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE TO WIN ADELLE'S BOOK!

Author Spotlight: Craig Hallam

I’ve been writing for a few years now, starting with a pair if novels that will never see the light of day. Ever. So don’t ask. They were a real learning curve and after I got over the initial creative splurge, I tackled short stories. With a lot of encouragement (and a kick in the backside) from my wonderful partner, I finally plucked up courage to send them to magazines. The first was accepted to New Horizons (British Fantasy Society) in 2009 and I haven’t stopped writing since. Seeing one of my stories pressed between the pages of a publication is about as close as I get to Nirvana.
While leaning toward the darker side of fiction, I’ll dabble in anything. Although, ‘An Ode to Post-its’ will probably remain the only poem I ever write. I like gothic imagery and Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast is my idea of perfection. I’m also a sucker for Steampunk and all the fantastic doo-dads and thingumies that come along with it.

My collection of short stories, Not Before Bed, is finally available from Amazon. It’s an accumulation of a few years’ dark fiction. Some funny, some weird. Some published, some new. I’m nervous, but itching to find out if people enjoy it. A few early reviews have been good, but my big head is filling with dust and old furniture rather than being useful.
My real labour of love has been Greaveburn. Written over two years, it’s the first novel that I’m truly happy with. Set in the eponymous fictional city, it’s really about the nature of good and evil; how good people can be driven to madness, how far villains will go for redemption. And, above all that, how the love of one girl can steer different men to new destinies. It’s dark, pretty bleak and even has some Steampunk elements that wrote themselves in without my knowledge.
I hope I’m making this sound good.
So, if you’re a literary agent, there might just be a copy of Greaveburn hidden away in your slush-pile. Do the poor thing a favour will you? Dig it out, wrap a blanket around its shoulders and give it a cup of tea while it waits. It’s had a long, arduous journey.
My next project is a very different beast from Greaveburn. It’s a rip-roaring Steampunk swashbuckler; a collection of adventures taken as snapshots from the main character, Alan Shaw’s life. It has automatons, mechanical tentacles, flying frog-men and alchemists and I’m only a quarter of the way in. I’m starting to worry about what trouble Alan will get into next.
My writing motivation is purely selfish for two reasons. The first is that I love it. I can’t think of anything better than giving myself a bad back hunkered over my laptop all day, thrashing out words. The second is self defence. If I don’t get all these pictures out, I think I might burst. Imagine getting all those cogs and spiders out of the carpet.
My blog, Pseudowriter: http://craighallam.blogspot.com
Not Before Bed Amazon Page: http://tinyurl.com/NBBamzn

Guest post: Lisamarie Lamb

I Want My House Back

The title says it all really. I want my house back. I’ve been searching for it for years, but haven’t quite found it yet. 27 Castle Drive. I was happiest there, from the ages of eighteen months to five years. That’s not to say that I wasn’t happy after we moved, it’s just… That house. I loved it. I still love it. I remember every corner, every hiding place, the smell of the carpet, the feeling of the sun in the garden, the rough bark of the apple tree.
When I was twenty-one I realised something. I wasn’t special. Not really. Despite what my parents had always told me, I was not going places. I did well in my GCSEs, failed my A-levels miserably, and still managed to get to university where I graduated with an average 2:1. I got an okay job working for my dad and have been doing that ever since. I married at twenty-two and had my daughter at twenty-nine. I am happy. I am lucky to have what I have. I know that. But I don’t have my house.
So I wrote a book. Writing is my thing, my own thing that I did that makes me different. Perhaps it makes me special. The book took many years to complete, to get to that final edit, but I did it. And the reason? I want my house back. It costs a lot more now than it did almost thirty years ago. But it’s okay – I’ve got a lot more books in me. And anyway, it’s not for sale… But when it is I want to be ready.
27 Castle Drive, I’m coming home.

My book, Mother’s Helper, is available from Lulu as either paperback or eBook (www.lulu.com/spotlight/lisamarie1063) or from Amazon for the Kindle (www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004XTX00Q). In it, a woman is plagued by nightmares and soon begins to sleepwalk during which time she is chased by an unknown and invisible predator. She also begins to see visions which start to make sense of her life, but which she can't bring herself to believe. How can she save herself, and the world, when she doesn't believe the danger is real?

Author Spotlight: Peter Empringham

Peter Empringham is an ex-telecoms executive who used redundancy as the catalyst to finally sit down and write that novel. Now (at least mentally) retired, he lives in Bristol with his wife, Jayne, and two children. His novel, The Afternet is at the moment available only on Amazon eBook but will shortly also be published on Smashwords. In his spare time he plays tennis and golf with the oldest people he can find.

The Afternet follows the efforts of two ill-prepared souls to repair the computer running the Heaven and Hell admissions system. The system crash has led to a huge backlog of souls awaiting judgement, and as you would expect, it is generally the Devil who makes work for idle spirits. As the deadline the gods have imposed comes closer, the ‘heroes’ break the rules, break the life/death continuum, and break into the coldstore in the Edgware Road branch of Aldi in their search for a solution. It’s got everything, except, it would seem, a genre. Maybe it is a genre.

Peter now blogs weekly at http://peteremp-theafternet.blogspot.com, and drivels on Twitter @afternetman.

Author Spotlight: Farida Mestek

I started writing down things when I was very young. Before I knew how to write, I would make up stories and act them out in front of my family. As a child and a teenager I was more of a poet: I wrote poems about love – especially tragic kind – and about animals. I also wrote songs, because at one point I wanted to be a singer, and essays, when I wanted to talk about something that was bugging me. My best friend and I used to share our stuff over the phone, because we were so proud of our scribbles :)) Oh, those were good times! Dreams were big and seemed just within our reach. I also kept journals at various times, mostly, in order to deal with my emotions, disappointments, doubts and fears.

When I was sixteen, I had an idea for Almendra, and, from that time on, I knew that I wanted to tackle prose and to become a real writer. But I didn't start writing my first book straightaway. I knew that I had to work on my writing skills and style, develop my voice and enlarge my vocabulary first, so I took to doing writing prompts, reading up on writing and writing fanfiction. When I thought I was ready, I finally started working on Almendra. I worked tirelessly and devotedly on her story during my university years, and she and her friends became a part of my life and even that of my family. When the book was complete, I tried getting it published and began sending out my submissions. As naïve as I was back then, I thought that acquiring an agent would be a piece of cake. But five years later the book was still where it had been before: in my computer folder.

Thankfully, five years in publishing industry saw many changes and made it possible to get published without acquiring an agent. I took a break from Almendra and started working on something entirely different: Jane Austen-esque Regency-set stories. The kind of stories that are not popular with the majority of Regency Romance fans, but the kind of stories that I like to read. Then, last year, I felt a great wave of nostalgia and reread Almendra. I remembered why I liked it so much and, encouraged by my family, submitted it to Girlebooks. They published my first Regency-set novel “Margaret's Rematch” and agreed to publish “Almendra: A Fairy-Tale” too.

Now I continue working in my two favourite genres: Fantasy and Regency. I have big plans for Almendra. Because I have a great deal of backstory, I want to write a prequel about the foundation of The Upper Kingdom as well as rework and expand Almendra's story into a three-book novel. As for my Regency-set stories, I've got loads of ideas for novellas, novels and even series of books. I would also like to try writing screenplays. And, though my transition from a writer to a published author isn't going as smoothly and successfully as I would have liked, I hope to have my own, devoted readership one day.

Blog: http://the-upper-kingdom.blogspot.com/

To buy Farida's book, visit http://girlebooks.com/ebook-catalog/farida-mestek/almendra/