Author Interview with Molly Zenk

The lovely Molly Zenk stopped by today to talk about her new book, OUT OF CHARACTER! Check out what she had to say, and be sure to stay until the end for a chance to win a paperback copy of her book!

Before we get started, here is a bit about Molly's book....

BLURB:
After the loss of her brother, actress Harmony Jones struggles with daily life. Landing the lead role on the hit faith based living history show, 1700s Life, might be the perfect way to reconnect with her faith and be her big acting break.

Tired of hiding his strong faith and convictions to get secular roles, David Hawkins jumps at the chance to play the curate on 1700s Life. It's the perfect vehicle to spread God’s word.

Elliot Banes’ career needs an image makeover, so he accepts the naval hero role on 1700s Life. Getting away from his overbearing mother is an added bonus. His true hope is to learn to speak his mind instead of always fading into the background.

When a scripted love triangle between Harmony, David, and Elliot becomes a real life love triangle, Harmony must make a difficult decision. She hoped to find her wavering faith, she didn't count on finding love as well. If that was her only obstacle, the role would be a breeze. Unfortunately, there’s an on-set spy intent on causing drama. Can Harmony see through all the lies and secrets to the truth in her heart, or will she end up falling for the wrong man?

BUY NOW: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Smashwords

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Without further ado, let's have a chat with Molly...

1. What was your favorite scene in OUT OF CHARACTER and why?
I'm not sure I have a specific favorite scene.  I like how all the main characters stories weave together.  I do like Katie's journey because she changes the most out of everyone.

2. What was the hardest part about writing OUT OF CHARACTER?
Having 4 very different, distinct narrators.  Some were more 'talkative' than others.

3. Can you tell us what you've got in the works next?
I have a series of picture books featuring special needs characters and I'm also writing the sequel to OUT OF CHARACTER.  It picks up immediately where OUT OF CHARACTER ends and follows the characters through filming season two of 1700s Life.

4. Where did you get the idea for OUT OF CHARACTER?
It started as a straight historical fiction novel but one too many people told me historical fiction was a 'hard sell' so I came up with the idea of the characters being actors on a living history TV shows to give it a unique twist and modern sensibility.  It's evolved a lot since then.  I'm really happy with the final published book.

5. Any words of wisdom for other authors out there?
Stick with it and be true to yourself.  Write what you love, not what you think will make you rich quick.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, Molly! If you haven't already picked up a copy of OUT OF CHARACTER, be sure to do so! It's a fantastic read :-) Or, if you're feeling lucky, try your hand at winning a paperback copy!

GIVEAWAY!!!!

{Author Interview}: Giovanni Valentino

I'm pleased to welcome my close friend and CP, Giovanni Valentino to the blog today. He just released his 3rd Alternate Hilarities anthology, HYSTERICAL REALMS. 

Not all epic adventures are fun. Imagine walking all the way to Mount Gloom with a wizard that needs to stop all the time to tinkle, a dwarf who continually asks "Are we there yet?" and a perpetually lost elf that will not stop and ask for directions.

       Here is a collection of humorous tales of adventure like dwarf private investigators, mean spirited unicorns, randy genies and girlfriend stealing centaurs.

       So if you think you have what it takes to brave the misty mountains and howling canyons, grab your magic sword, sacred shield and your copy of “Dungeoneering for Dummies”.

Enter the Hysterical Realms if you dare!

One Ring of Cheese to Bind Us All!

But, before he shares any more information about this book, I put him in the hot seat :)

1.     How did you come up with the idea for Hysterical Realms?

a.      I wanted to tighten down the genre for this anthology. Speculative fiction can cover a lot. So I made this one exclusively fantasy. I got the subtitle as a play on the term Mystical Realms which I’ve seen bantered about a lot in the fantasy genre.  

2.     This isn't the first anthology you and Strange Musings Press has released. What unique challenges did you have with this specific collection, if any? 

a.      The biggest challenge for me is coordinating with 30+ authors. Getting contracts signed, bios provided, edits returned, it’s all a lot of work. I think I’ve had to drop one author in every anthology because I couldn’t get in touch with them during one of these stages.

3.     Your story, Mystical Redemption, is included. Can you tell us a bit about it? 

a.      Mystical Redemption is a ridiculous look at the clash between the magic and mundane worlds. A down on his luck wizard reaches out to normal folks to supplement the business to his “real” magic shop. He learns a valuable lesson, spells and coupons do not mix.

4.     What's up next for you and Strange Musings Press?

a.      The next Alternate Hilarities will be a science fiction theme edition called Weirder Science. So, if anyone has a funny robot or time travel story, send it in.

5.     I know you're a fan of humorous stories, particularly within the science fiction and fantasy genres. Who are some of your favorite authors?

a.      For the humorous end of things, Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, Robert Asprin, Craig Shaw Gardner 

6.     If you could bring any characters to life from your favorite TV show, who would it be and why?

a.      Doctor Sheldon Cooper. Mainly because I want someone more annoying than me to hang around with to make me look better.

7.     What's your best piece of advice for authors who are hoping to have a story included in one of your anthologies?

a.      Besides write a good story, I’d have to say make the story funny all the way through. If you go a page or two without a joke, maybe that part isn’t really necessary.

8.     When you're not writing or compiling anthologies, what do you do with your time?

a.      I watch a lot of movies and TV. I have Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime, Netflix and HBOgo. I also enjoy running but that’s part of my writing process. It gets the blood pumping and you have a lot of time to think. I am training right now for a half marathon in the fall. I ran it two years ago and finished. This year, I want to get a better time. I was literally the third to last person to cross the finished line.

9.     Pepsi or Coke? 

a.      Pepsi, especially Diet Cherry Pepsi.

10.  Anything else you'd like to share with us?

a.      In the immortal words of “Weird Al” Yankovic, “I HATE SAUERKRAUT!”

HYSTERICAL REALMS is available in both print and ebook on AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR / EDITOR:

Giovanni Francesco Valentino has struggled at the art of writing for five decades against many demons like self-doubt, chronic depression, OCD and severe dyslexia. He has written a few memoir pieces about his life struggles going undiagnosed for more than half his life. He hopes one day to be a famous published science fiction and fantasy author. 

He is a member of the CNY Writers Haven, a critique and writer support group. He is the editor of the humorous anthology, Alternate Hilarities, along with a Senior Editor at Anaiah Press. 

You can find more of Giovanni on his website, Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter. 

Author Interview with Laura Maisano

I'm super excited to welcome author, Laura Maisano to the blog today. She's out promoting her debut young adult novel, SCHISM. (I've read it. It's really good, y'all!)  So, without further ado, Laura is here to answer some burning questions :-)

1. What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

I was in college and watching a lot of anime at the time. I’ve always liked the “magical girl” shows where a normal girl is transported to another world. I took that key idea and tried to warp it, to find a different angle. So, I came up with the fourth-spatial dimension for my world Illirin. From there I created Gabe and Lea, and all of the conflicts rose organically from a combination of the setting and their personal goals/problems.

2. Who is your favorite character in this book?

You’re asking me to choose my favorite child! Just kidding. If I have to choose, I think Gabe is my favorite. He has the most dynamic arc and the most complex internal workings. Getting into his head is always a treat, because he oftentimes surprises me. He’s impulsive,
passionate, and has a kindness that is only rivaled by his temper.

3. Which came first, the title or the novel?

The title for sure. I began worldbuilding and casting, and well before I developed a complete plot, I had the title SCHISM. In fact, the title helped build some of the plot points and flesh out some world building background stuff.

4. What scene in the book are you most proud of and why?

At one point, Gabe says goodbye to Lea. I love this scene because it’s highly emotional and it shows a huge shift in mood from one moment to the next. It illustrates exactly what kind of change Lea has gone through, as someone who masked her emotions, to someone who can cry.

5. Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

Comparing yourself or your writing to others is the biggest de-motivational tool there is. Don’t do it. Oftentimes we’re in the early stages, or deep into editing, and we’ll read a finished novel. I’d think “Oh my book is terrible. It’s nothing like this!” and yes, it IS nothing like that other book. However, that other book has gone through professional editing, and it’s nothing like it’s first or second draft either. Also, everyone has a unique style. It’s not only okay to be different from someone else, it’s a good thing.

6. What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2015?

I’m looking forward to Medicine for the Dead by Arianne “Tex” Thompson. It’s a sequel to One Night in Sixes, and while it’s not YA, it’s a western fantasy and I have to know what happens next.

7. What’s up next for you?

I’m working on the sequel to SCHISM called UNITY as well as a short novelette prequel. I’m also drafting a geeky YA romance that has lots of awkward nerd love in it. I can’t wait to share all these projects!

8. Anything you would like to add?

Thank you for hosting me on your blog today. I am beyond excited about SCHISM and sharing it with the world.

SCHISM (Illirin Book One)
By Laura Maisano

Art therapy hasn’t done squat for Gabe Jones. A thousand sketches of his fiancée can’t bring his memory, or her, back to him. Nothing on Earth can. His past lies in another dimension, a world just out of sight.

Another student on campus, Lea Huckley, unknowingly shares Gabe’s obsession with the fourth dimension. The monsters from the other side attacked her parents and fled, getting her folks locked up in the loony bin. Proving this other world exists is the only way to free them. Lea and Gabe strike a deal to help each other, and together they manage to open a door to the world of Gabe’s true origin. She’d use him for proof—if she didn’t already care too much.

While Gabe tries to reconcile his feelings for Lea and his rediscovered memories of his fiancée, a much more sinister plot unravels. He uncovers his history just in time to become the unwilling lynchpin in a conspiracy to start a war. His memory holds the secret to the final riddle the would-be conqueror needs to get the upper hand. Gabe must protect the riddle at all costs, even if that means leaving Earth, and Lea, behind forever.

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Excerpt

"How long?”

“Roughly ten minutes.”

Ten minutes may as well have been six hours. She paced back and forth, her sneakers scuffing the gritty pavement.

Gabe continued to keep a watchful eye out for muggers or vagrants. What a dork.

She snickered quietly. For someone who didn’t know his own experiences, he sure seemed paranoid. She watched him standing straight, darting his eyes to the entrance and even up to the windows above them. Watch out bad guys, Gabe’s on to you. She smiled and turned to see what looked like heat waves rising from the cold cement. Crap. The interaction had already started.

“Gabe…” She waved him over next to the loading dock.

This interaction provided no shining lights or obvious movement. Not much stood out visually, except maybe the air glistening like summer heat waves if she squinted hard enough, but her digital thermometer found the coldest point.

“Here,” she whispered, not wanting anyone or anything on the other side to hear. She stretched her arms forward, and Gabe did likewise.

“On the count of three.” She waited for him to nod. “One…two…three.”

They both reached through the interaction point and grabbed at the thicker air. Nothing. They tried again, pulling, grasping, and making any sort of motion to trigger a rip. Finally, Gabe leaned in and pulled out at just the right angle, because the light tore across like a jagged line. Lea grabbed the edge of it and tugged, opening the tear wider until they both fell through.

About the Author

Laura has an MA in Technical writing and is a Senior Editor at Anaiah Press for their YA/NA Christian Fiction. She’s excited to release her debut YA Urban Fantasy SCHISM, and she’s finishing up the sequel UNITY.

Her gamer husband and amazing daughter give support and inspiration every day. Their cats, Talyn and Moya, provide entertainment through living room battles and phantom-dust-mote hunting. Somehow, they all manage to survive living in Texas where it is hotter than any human being should have to endure. Check out her blog at: LauraMaisano.blogspot.com.

Website:
http://www.LauraMaisano.Blogspot.com

Twitter: @MaisanoLaura

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraMaisanoWriter

Google+ https://plus.google.com/+LauraMaisano

{BLOG TOUR}: Vision of Shadows by Vincent Morrone

Boy, do I have a treat for all of you today! The talented and always fun, Vincent Morrone is here to answer some questions and talk about his new book, VISION OF SHADOWS!

Welcome, Vince! Care to start by telling us a bit about yourself?

Born and raised in Brooklyn NY, I now reside in Upstate NY with my wife. (Although I can still speak fluent Brooklynese.) My twin daughters remain not only my biggest fans, but usually are the first to read all of my work. Their home is run and operated for the comfort and convenience of their dogs.

I've has been writing fiction, poetry and song lyrics for as long as I can remember, most of which involve magical misfits, paranormal prodigies and even on occasion superheroes and their sidekicks.

As they say in Brooklyn: Yo, you got something to say to Vincent?

Check out http://vincentmorrone.com/ where you can learn about Vincent and leave him a comment.  You can also connect with Vincent on Twitter https://twitter.com/Vince524 and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Morrrone.

What prompted you to start writing? And what was your inspiration for this specific book?

I’ve always loved to read. And growing up, I always l loved to come up with stories. When I was little and I played with my Spiderman action figure, it wasn’t enough just to have him swing through the house, I had to have a story. A villain to defeat, a girl to rescue. (My sister’s Barbie sometimes would be the woman. Shhh, don’t tell her.)
As far as Vision of Shadows, I just heard her voice in my head and it went from there. I knew I wanted to do something that could be funny, emotional and dangerous. I figured a teen who talks to ghosts was the place to start.

2. Can you tell us a bit about your writing process? Are you a plotter or pantser?
Definitely a plotter. (But quite often, I do wear pants.)

For years, I had tried to sit down with just a basic concept in my head. That was how the big boys do it, right? But I found I would only get so far and then I didn’t know where to go. Short stories were one thing, but keeping that narrative going for a novel length work just wasn’t working. That’s when I realized I could plot out the story and give myself a guide. I never filled in all the details, but I had a game plan and that was very important.

Sometimes, when I’m writing the first draft, I just plow through a scene even knowing it’s not working. Just get everything you need in there and then fix it later. In VoS, there was a very important scene where Bristol talks to her curmudgeon of a grandfather and he gives her a history lesson on their town and the feud between the Blackburn’s and the McKnight’s. I knew it was coming off too dry, but I wasn’t sure how to fix it. In the past I would have put it to the side and waited until I figured it out. But now I knew just get it in there and come back. That’s why God gave us revisions. In the end, I added a new element to the scene (She is a girl who see’s ghosts, after all) and I was pleased with how it turned out.

That’s what works for me, but every writer has their own way. And everyone has to find what works for them.

3. What's your writing space like? Do you have an office or do you prefer to write whenever and wherever you can?

It’s wherever I am with my laptop. I usually write at home in my recliner, but I’ll use the kitchen table. I’ll sometimes work from the break room at work where there’s a computer available. I’ll take my laptop with me when I get the oil changed on my car or sit in the parking lot while my daughter has her ice skating lesson.

4. This is your first book, correct? And it's being published by Entranced Publishing. I hear that you're the only man in a publisher full of women. So, tell us, is the estrogen choking you yet? Or do you find it easy to be surrounded by all those lovely women?

I’ve often found myself in the company of more women than men. At one point at home, I lived with my wife, my 2 daughters, my wife’s elderly grandmother and 2 female dogs. I had estrogen dripping down the walls.

I love being a part of Entranced. Sure, it would be cool to get another male author on board. So that while all of you ladies are sending around pictures of Ryan Gosling and/or Alexander Skarsgard (Yes, I’m talking about you ST Bende!) I’d have someone to share pictures of Scarlet Johansson.

5. I also hear that you're the father of two teenaged, twin daughters. How's that going? Do you find it difficult to balance parenting with writing?

How is it going? There are days I want to rip off my own arm just so I have something to beat myself of the head with. But I wouldn’t change my life for anything. They’re my biggest fans. And sure, it can be difficult sometimes to find time to write and be with them, but hands down if they need my attention, they get it.

Both my girls are really smart (Smarter than me) and wonderful young ladies. I can honestly say that without a doubt, they are my greatest accomplishment.

6. Okay, now, let's get serious for a moment. Talk to us about your bacon addiction. While you're at it, feel free to tell us the strangest thing you've ever eaten in relation to bacon. (e.g. bacon wrapped deep fried Twinkie.)

Actually, I’m more of a bacon purist. I have had bacon wrapped sea scallops. And I’ll use bacon when I’m sautéing green beans with garlic, but bacon doesn’t need to be added to anything. Bacon is its own food group. I actually just had some as I wrote this.

7. Anything else you'd like to add?

Vision of Shadows is a 40 plus dream finally come true. I’ve wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember. It took me a long time to figure out how to craft a story. I let the dream get away from me for a while, but I dug in and now the roller coaster ride is about to begin!

8. Great! So, now tell us about this book.

Is Bristol Blackburn about to meet the love of her life...or her killer? 

After the death of her parents, Bristol Blackburn's life is thrown into chaos and she's forced to move to Spirit, a small town where shadows are stirring. As she learns to navigate her new school and figures out how to keep her psychic abilities secret from her family, Bristol comes face to face with the boy who makes a regular appearance in her dreams: the gorgeous, possibly deadly, Payne McKnight. Soon she’ll find out if Payne will be the love of her life, or the end of it — and she has no idea which possibility scares her more.

And that's not even the worst of it. Strange shadows are haunting her dreams, and they're up to something that could put Bristol and the lives of everyone she loves in jeopardy.

You can add Vision of Shadows to your to-read list on Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18108617-vision-of-shadows

You can buy Vision of Shadows on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HLAI80G/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_k1xWsb1MH5M6R

{BOOK SPOTLIGHT & INTERVIEW}: John J. Higgins

Author, John J. Higgins stops by today to answer a few questions and tell us about his newest book. Welcome, John. Care to tell us a bit about yourself?

I feel that I have crammed in about five lifetimes into one, this time around. I have been exposed to many things and was fortunate enough to be able to engage and experience such things as: working on farms as a kid; taking flying lessons and building a twenty foot wing-spanned plane for my 8^th grade science fair project,  learning skills such as refinishing furniture and gun repair as a teenager; learned to scuba dive; supervised eighty employees and three departments in a complex industrial finishing work environment at nineteen years old; went back and finished college then changed the substance abuse system in my state; went to law school at night while working full-time;  produced anti- drug abuse PSA's for television using rock stars and celebrities; produced an anti-bias crime play using talented inner city high school student actors that we brought to 170 high schools in New Jersey and Toronto;  prosecuted cases in nineteen of New Jersey's twenty-one counties and worked on the prosecutions of New Jersey's most prolific serial killer, nurse Charles Cullen as well as other high profile cases up to and including other complex homicides. I also developed and used many tradesman skills in renovating an 1864 train station that I converted into my house, refinishing the wood walls, rewiring, installing bathrooms, kitchen and even my own heating system. After retiring as a Deputy Attorney General I began writing novels in earnest.

You can find me on my website, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, and my Amazon Author Page.

Tell us about your newest release. Feel free to include a short excerpt/blurb.

My most recent release is the third book of my series THE ARCHANGEL JARAHMAEL AND THE WAR TO CONQUER HEAVEN - IN EXILE. The first two books IN THE BEGINNING and IN REBELLION chronicle the creation of the Universe, the nine Orders of Angels, the Seven levels of Heaven, the Garden of Eden and the Earth, all told from the Angels perspective. The Almighty creates 14 Archangels who assist in the Creation and jealousy arises when the first Humans Lillith and Adam are created. Lillith and the fourth born Archangel Jarahmael fall in love all within the growing tensions in the Heavens. I am currently writing the second book of the second trilogy (the first book is in my publisher's hands) which follows the story in the Underworld.  

 

This is an excerpt from Book 3-In Exile

Luciferael walked over close to Lillith and picked her up in his arms, pulling her close. He wanted her after seeing her again, and he could feel the lust filling him from deep inside.

“Would you like to see my new palace?” Luciferael asked her as he pulled his head back slightly from kissing her.

She looked back, her eyes wide and open, barely breathing in her excitement at his touch. He looked into her eyes and could see that she was totally open to him once again. The power I have over these Humans is amazing, he thought to himself. His rebel Angels would follow him anywhere but they were Beings of Light like him. There should be some resistance to me, he thought, but I have not yet encountered any from the Humans. Both Lillith and Eve were easily persuaded by me. As he looked down upon her body, he could see that her flesh was excited, telling him that she was his for the taking. The wings that he had conjured for her made her much more attractive, more like himself, fluttering slightly as the feathers ruffled in small waves, as she stood there waiting on his next move.

He embraced her tightly as he flew down through the caverns to his own palace, at the lowest level of Hell itself. A grander replica of his palace in the Seventh Heaven, Mephistophael had done a great job replicating Luciferael’s own design. Where it was vast and beautiful in white and the intense blues of the Seventh Heaven, here it was designed in the bright colors of Hades and Hell, reds, oranges, violets, and blacks. The walls upon which the colors endlessly churned reflected magnificence and force.

“Look around Lillith, this is a copy of one of my finest creations. You have never been to my palace in the Seventh Heaven, but I have replicated it here. Can't you just feel the energy within the walls?”

 

What inspired you to start writing?

I have always been a writer in one form or another. I have written some short stories in college, scripts for a children's cartoon series to help pre-schoolers learn basic reading skills, numerous governmental committee reports and position papers that have resulted in actual legislation, and countless briefs and motions from my prosecutorial experience. A few years ago I tried to find the books that had formed my recollections about Luciferael's war to take over heaven and the only thing I could remotely find was john Milton's Paradise Lost, which although English professors may love it, is basically unreadable and I could at one point read Freud in the original German. That's was the driving force for me writing this series, and once I started along that path, I had many examples of synchronicity which steered my thinking and writings. If you think about it, almost every good versus evil story is based upon what happens when the Almighty's love gets twisted around with different aims - and this is the primal story that begins it all. What characters are more powerful than the Angel? Everything else is just dust in comparison.

Who is your all-time favorite literary character and why? 

The character I adopted as my role model was as silly as it sounds is Ian Fleming's 007. I had a psychotic stepfather as my dad died when I was three, and it was upon seeing Goldfinger as a ten year old that I saw someone sophisticated, witty, knowledgeable about all sorts of topics, and of course smooth with women. As I was a researcher at heart even then, I proceeded to read all of Ian Fleming's 007 novels. His Bond was flawed and vulnerable despite his outward appearance, he even appears to die at the end of From Russia With Love and gets married in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.   Probably the most important of life's lessons I learned from both Fleming's literary and Sean Connery's cinematic portrayal was: don't be afraid to be captured and outnumbered; never give up; and no matter how dark it may seem, keep your eyes open and be ready to take advantage of the escape route or mechanism that always appears just before you will perish.

How do you choose your character's names?

I tried to come up with some scheme in naming particularly the Archangels. Historically, all of their names end with 'el' meaning 'of God.' The Bible is weak in terms of discussing the Angels in any meaningful way, no offense to those who are extremely religious. I searched through other apocryphal writings and myths as well as the voluminous number of names off Angels that developed during the dark and middle ages. There are thousands upon thousands of names. I made my own decisions and made all the Archangels’ names consistent.  Luciferael, Michael, Sammuael, Jarahmael, Beelzebael, Gabriel, Mephistophael, Raphael, Mammonael, Uriel, Suriel, Ariel, Raziel and Damiel. I developed schemes as well for Angels for the lesser orders such as Cerebriel of the Cherubim, Abrackus of the Potentates, etc.

What's your favorite thing to do when you're not writing?

Fly, there is nothing like racing down a runway, engine throttle on full, keeping the plane on the center line as speed builds up faster and faster, smell of AV fuel in your nose, and at rotation speed pulling back on the yoke, aiming the nose of the propeller upwards, that feeling of gravity pulling your stomach downwards as you leave the ground watching the tarmac and ground get smaller and the blue skies above entice you ever higher.

Do you have a favorite quote or saying? What is it?

Yes, “If at first you don’t succeed, try a little more dynamite!”

What is one thing readers would be most surprised to learn about you?

 

That I really do have ghosts in my train station, pictures to prove it! But they seem to like me so we all get along.

The Archangel Jarahmael And The War to Conquer Heaven - In The Beginning  - Book I - http://ow.ly/qu7ae

 

The Archangel Jarahmael And The War To Conquer Heaven - In Rebellion - Book II -  http://ow.ly/qu7VS

 

The Archangel Jarahmael And The War To Conquer Heaven - In Exile - Book III  - http://ow.ly/qu7rp

{BLOG TOUR}: Destiny by Cindy Ray Hale

I'm happy to welcome author, Cindy Ray Hale to the blog today. She's stopped by to answer some questions and share her new release, DESTINY.

 

1. Welcome, Cindy. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I have an amazing husband and four kids and I live thirty minutes south of Nashville, TN. I grew up on eight acres of the most beautiful woods you can imagine in Chattanooga, TN. I was number three out of seven kids in a big, crazy Mormon family. I love to travel. If I had more money, I'd travel the US and then the world with my husband and kids.
 

2. Tell us about your newest release. Feel free to include a short excerpt/blurb.

Destiny is about a young Mormon girl who falls in love with the headmaster's son of her Baptist school. She's a total goody-two-shoes in the beginning of the story and has a lot of issues with falling for him since dating guys outside the Mormon Church is against her parents's rules. Here's an excerpt: 

 

"We stood face-to-face as I stared up into his warm brown eyes. My heart was beating so fast I was sure it was going to explode. How many times had I hoped for this moment? I never in a million years had imagined such words would come out of Isaac’s mouth. His perfect, beautiful mouth. This was unreal, beyond my wildest daydreams. It was so hard to fight the desire to be with him. All my most unreachable dreams were suddenly, so unbelievably, about to come true. But they were forbidden. The right thing to do would be to pull away, turn from him, run back to the house. My head screamed at me to flee, but my heart begged me to stay." 

3. What did you want to be when you grew up?

I always wanted to be a mom and an author.

4.  What is your writing process? Are you a plotter or a panster?

I'm a healthy mix between the two. I've tried both, and I've found that there's a delicate balance you have to find. If you plot too much, you lose some of the creative process. If you're a total panster, then you may end up rewriting the story to fix the plot. I've been there, and it's not too fun.

5. What tips would you give others to overcome writer's block?

Honestly, you really have to just write through it. Get rid of all your distractions. Unplug your router or turn off your phone and hide it in your sock drawer if you have to. Then sit down in your writing spot and write whatever comes to your mind. Sometimes I have writers block because I'm upset about something else in my life. If that's the case, either resolve it or write your feelings down. Another reason I have writer's block is because I don't know what to write next. In that situation I'd suggest sitting down with a notebook and a pen somewhere out in nature (that always clears my mind) and scribble down ideas.

6.  What are your thoughts on critique groups/partners? 

They are absolutely essential. I don't know what I'd do without my writing buddies. There are times when they can be detrimental as well. Just because they shoot down your new idea doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. Sometimes they don't see the same vision you do. 
 

7. What advice would you give to a new writer just starting out?
Write. Write. Write. Don't stop. Ever. If your first story is terrible, either rewrite it or move on to the next. It will get better. Read everything you can get your hands on about writing. Then read Save the Cat. It's a book on screenwriting, but it's absolutely fantastic for plotting out your book.

8. If your publisher offered to fly you anywhere to research your next book, where would you go?
I'd go to Parowan, Utah. That's the setting for my next book outside the Destiny Trilogy. It's this adorable little town in southern Utah just an hour from Zion National Park. I really wouldn't have to be flown anywhere for the Destiny Trilogy since the setting is my childhood home, and I only live two hours from there.



Destiny (Destiny Trilogy #1)
By Cindy Ray Hale
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Blurb:

Destiny Clark, a young Mormon girl living in Tennessee, is wildly infatuated with Isaac Robinson, the headmaster's son at her Baptist high school. When they're cast together in the school's production of Les Misérables, Destiny is horrified to find that she has to be publicly humiliated by acting out her true feelings of rejection onstage.

As their rehearsals begin, Destiny realizes the unimaginable: Isaac has developed deep feelings for her despite their religious differences and the fact that he has a girlfriend.

But will they be able to find their place amongst the backbiters of their ultra-conservative world?

Weaving around Destiny and Isaac's alternating viewpoints, Destiny is the first book in a series inspired by the characters of Les Misérables and explores heartbreak, self-discovery, intolerance, and love.

BUY LINKS:   Amazon Kindle  /  Paperback  /  Smashwords 

You can find Destiny on Goodreads



You can watch the book trailer here:






About the Author:

Wife. Mother. Writer. Cindy Ray Hale lives in Murfreesboro, Tennessee with her husband and four children. In addition to being a writer, she’s an avid reader and a social media junkie. She starts her morning by writing with a freshly-blended berry spinach smoothie next to her. She’s obsessed with Les Misérables, playing the piano, and stalking up-and-coming musicians on YouTube. Destiny is her first book and will be available for purchase November 2013.



You can find and contact Cindy here:

- Website

- Website for destiny

- Blog

- Facebook

- Twitter

- Goodreads

- Google+

- Pinterest



And there is a tour wide giveaway, here is what you can win:

- A Destiny Swag Pack:including a signed copy of Destiny, a Destiny keychain, a t-shirt that says "I heart Destiny," a Destiny bookmark.

- a $25 Amazon Gift Card

- Camp Boyfriend Swag pack.



For a chance to win enter the rafflecopter below:

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{BLOG TOUR}: Shadow Born

I'm happy to welcome author, Nicole Camp to the blog today. She's on tour with her new young adult paranormal book, SHADOW BORN. Thanks for coming by, Nicole. Mind telling us a bit about yourself?

I live in Arizona with my family and my two pets and I'm an ice cream lover! You can usually find me working on my next project and when I'm not, I like to explore the world through photography. I'm always snapping pictures of my surroundings.

Currently, I have written three books, all to be published by Entranced Publishing. The first, Shadow Born, was just released today; the second is Shadow Throne, which will be released sometime in 2014. The third book is entitled The Lady of Ispa: Magic & Meru, which is the start of a new series that will also be published sometime in 2014.

Website  /  Goodreads  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

Wow! And I thought I wrote a lot. lol. Congrats on all the books. So, what inspired you to start writing?

I was really little and my mother bought me a children’s book at the store where you got to choose how the story progressed. At the end of a chapter there were numbers at the bottom or the page with options as to what should happen next in the story. You picked one and went to the page number indicated beside it.

I tried lots of times but I never got the ending I wanted through the page numbers I picked. Finally it dawned on me that I could write my own stories. And that was probably the beginning of my interest in writing.

 

Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing?

I have horrible grammar and punctuation. Just about the time I think I’ve grasped the rules, I settle back into my old ways of writing the way I talk, not the correct way you should write.

How do you deal with rejection letters?

I mutter briefly and the rejection drives me to write new things and try again. The only way I can really fail is if I stop trying.

 

What did you want to be when you grew up?

That’s easy, I thought I was going to be an artist from about the time I was 13 years old. People still tell me I am one, but I’m not painting all the time. It’s a hobby more than anything, so I don’t really consider myself one.

What is your writing process? Are you a plotter or a punster?

I am a true pant-ster. I have an idea of what I am going to write 50-70% of the time.

The other times I just start typing and see where it leads me.

How do you choose your character's names?

It depends on the character I’m trying to name, some of the names are made up, others are from watching the Olympics every four years and taking down interesting names. And some other character names are from people I’ve met.

What's your favorite thing to do when you're not writing?

I like photography. A picture is worth a thousand words according to the old saying, and I really believe that. Photographs help us share moments with each other, some important, and some just for fun.

Do you have a favorite quote or saying? What is it?

It’s not always my favorite, but the one I say the most is probably Neville Longbottom’s “Why’s it always me?”, which I generally utter after a clutzy moment and that crash that lets everyone within twenty feet or you know that you broke something.

 

Okay, so now tell us about Shadow Born.

Eighteen-year-old Raffin has been in hiding on Earth since before he was born, but he’s more comfortable in the shadows anyway. He’s part of one of the most hated races in the universe. It’s a secret he’s forced to keep from everyone he meets. 

 

On his first day at a new high school, Arianna Val crashes into his world, literally. One tumble on the track field and suddenly she’s acting like they’re best friends. Worse, Raffin doesn’t mind her invading his shadows — and that’s before he realizes she knows his secret. But, she’s not quite human herself and her very life force is what Raffin needs to survive. 

Can he trust her to keep his secret? Can he trust himself with Ari when his body yearns to drain her soul? Assailed by memories of death and destruction that aren’t his own, Raffin has to come to terms with the truth. He is shadow born.

And where can we find this fabulous book?

You can find all the necessary buy links on Entranced Publishing's Website.
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