DRACIAN LEGACY: Interview with Priya Kanaparti

Last week Dracian Legacy, by Priya Kanaparti, re-launched into the world. And if you’re like me, you’re probably wondering what exactly I mean by ‘re-launched.’ It’s a cool story:

You may remember some of my previous interviews with Priya, about her self pub release of Dracian Legacy . That’s right. It was self pub’d. You might also recall my post about the book finding a publisher. Once DL found a home with a publisher it was worked over by Priya and the editors at Reuts. The end result is a shiny new Dracian Legacy available now. Here's what you need to know about the book:

At seventeen, Ren Pernell knows the meaning of tragedy.

But then, a year after losing her parents, Axel Knight walks through the door and changes everything. Strange creatures start to appear, her best friend suddenly finds her irresistible, and an undeniable, unexplainable bond with Axel threatens to drive her insane. She knows he’s the key. There’s something he’s not sharing, and she’s determined to find out.

Demanding answers, she finally learns the truth: everything she ever believed is an illusion. Caught in a centuries-old blood feud between races she never knew existed, Ren discovers her true destiny. She’s the chosen one, the Echo, preordained to end the bloodshed.

There’s just one catch–in order to save those she loves and a homeland she’s never seen, she’ll have to die.

With the clock running out, she’ll have to navigate a new world of betrayal, lies and deceit. If she can forgive, finding love even in the darkest places, she just might be able to escape the prophecy. But how much is she willing to sacrifice for a cause she didn’t know she was part of? And what will it take for her to be free.



Buy it here.

Today, Priya has stopped by the blog to answer all the questions about DL and her journey to publication:

1. First of all, congrats on the release of Dracian Legacy. *fires cupcake cannons* *does ribbon dance in your honor* And congrats on finding a publication partner in Reuts. What was it like working with all those fab publishing pro’s?

PK --- Thank you Colleen! It's great to be back on your blog. *bows*. As for my publisher, I gotta say, the experience has been wonderful! Reuts Publications is just a little over a year old and Dracian Legacy is their second book that's been released. But the experience with them has been wonderful! Everything that's been planned from the time the contract was signed up until now has been down with professionalism! I didn't have to stress out as much as I had to when I initially released Dracian Legacy as a self-pub. So that was a major plus!

2. Why small/indie press? What attracted you to Reuts?

PK--- The biggest thing that attracted me to Reuts is, one they were small and new, which meant more attention to me. the second reason was their involvement in community! They write articles that really benefit the writing community more than any other publisher I've seen. And the last but my final reason was their EDITOR, KISA WHIPKEY! I swear, I'm soooo in love with her--stalkerish obsessed really. She has an amazing talent when it comes to editing. And truthfully, I learned a lot about writing during DL editing process than I had over the past year or so I've been writing :).

3. Now, I know you edited the crap out of Dracian Legacy before you self pub’d. And I’m sure Reuts put the book through the editorial process again once you signed with them. Some people describe the edit process as a madman yelling at the wind – while others describe it as a methodical archaeologist uncovering the hidden gems of the story. What was the edit process like for you - madman or archaeologist?

PK--- lol. I think you've got it right! It's a MADMAN YELLING AT THE WIND PLUS Archeologist uncovering hidden gems. My editor and I went back and forth on some many of the information that's been in DL, sometimes it was a debate and until one of us convinced the other, we'd continue hashing it out. Then there were other times, during those discussions, we found out ways/secrets to future books in this trilogy :).

4. I like the new cover – so pretty. Often we hear authors talk about how they have no say in the cover selection. Was that true at Reuts or did you have a part in selecting the cover?

PK--- Ashley - creative direction and owner of Reuts Publications worked with me on the cover. And I'm not sure what the experience is for other authors, but mine has been wonderful! Just like the editing process, I had a say in every single, minor details of getting that cover created, down to the different shades of color you see for model eyes :). She was absolutely wonderful and patience while working with me!

5. How is the new book different from the original version? No spoilers, but what surprises can re-readers (like myself – I loved the original, btw) expect to find?

PK--- Well for one, the book has 3 new scenes added, two, with the exception of the first two chapters, ALL the other chapters are not in the same sequence, and finally, we decided to remove alot of the information dump that happened in the original version! But in addition to that we also worked quite a bit on character and plot development!

6. Dracian Legacy is the first in a series. Which is fantastic because I need more Dean in my life. Can you give us any hints about the next book and when we can expect it?

PK--- So the only hints I can give you is that Telal will play more role in this next book and that Ren will be introduced to Dracian culture! As for the timeline, currently we are aiming for July 2014 :).

7. What was the hardest part – and the best part - of writing Dracian Legacy?

PK--- Hardest part is the fact that I didn't think through how the story was going to be in book 2 and 3, until AFTER I wrote the first book. And for the best part? Romance and Dean! lol

8. If you could have any exotic animal as a pet what animal would you pick? (I know I’d pick a lion. No. Too lethal. A platypus. Wait, those have lethal spines on their arms? Okay. A squirrel. No, too secretive. I know. A buffalo. No. too big…)

PK--- oh gosh... Exotic? I think an Elephant, especially one of those that can draw it's own picture. lol.

9. What books are currently in your TBR pile?

PK--- my TBR is million miles long. BUT I can tell you that I'm currently reading Jennifer L Armentrout's White Hot Kiss series :). Kinda excited about getting down and dirty with JLA's writing :).

Thank you once again Colleen for having me on your blog! It's always fun to stop by here!

Thank you, Priya, for coming by the blog. Congratulations on the release!!

Priya lives in the beautiful city of Boise, ID as a full-time working mom and part-time YA Novel Author. For the past 7+ years she has worked in multiple fortune 500 companies and has recently found the passion to read and write. The Dracian Legacy is her first YA paranormal romance series. She strongly believes that true love conquers all and that’s a common theme you’ll find within her novels.

Author Interview: Priya Kanaparti aka The Goddess of Multitasking

One of my favorite people, Priya Kanaparti, has been kind enough to visit the blog.

You may remember Priya’s work from this debut interview. She is an indie author whose book, Dracian Legacy, is scheduled to re- release in Feb 2014. Priya is very active on Twitter and Goodreads where she's been known to drop teasers of her current WIP's (note: yes, I said WIP's as in multiple. She's the goddess of multitasking).

She’s been very busy lately and has a lot of news to share.

1. Okay lady, it’s been a while since you were last on the blog (when your debut, DL, was first released). Since then, your book has been picked up by a publisher. What has that been like?

PK: Oh my goodness, it’s been beautifully crazy! Lol. The publisher I finally decided to work with is super amazing. They are called Reuts Publications and I completely fell in love with their people and their process! I’m super excited to have the final version of Dracian Legacy out to the world once again in Feb 2014!

2. Reuts sounds fabulous and I love their website. Congrats on working with them! Let's see, the publisher has you working on edits for DL before it re-releases. That’s one WIP. A little birdie told me you are working on a few other ideas as well? Is that true? If so, share here :)

PK: I’m always working on Multiple projects! Always. But then again, that might be why I’m not able to produce finished stories as quickly. Lol. Let’s see so right now, I’ve finished the edits for DL, completed Dracian Origins (Book #2 of Dracian Series) and sent it off to my Editor, along with Forever Kinda Love (which is a Mature YA Contemporary Romance.) Phew!

Now that all of those are off my plate, I’m super excited to start my next project. Butterfly Pieces. This is a New Adult Contemporary Romance which I’m planning on releasing sometime in 2015. I’m taking this up as my Nanowrimo challenge. So I won’t be working on other projects, until December starts.

3. Wow, Priya (or should I call you Super Woman?!?!).

With all these ideas in your head and all the demands on your time how do you manage your writing? Do you have structured writing times? How do you decide which project to work on?

PK: Lol. Thanks…? My writing times have always been kind of structured. What I mean is, I try to get two hrs of writing every night, M-Th. This usually starts after my 3 year old is in bed and snoring away. But my ‘set time’ is on Saturdays and Sundays when I sit down from 9:30 p.m. until 3 a.m. the following morning. Usually I make up a lot of my writing during these 5 hr blocks.

As for deciding on projects, I usually go with which ever story is calling to me first and how refined a story is in my head. I don’t use calendars or dry-erase boards. They are all just up in my head. lol

4. I know you are a Pantser at heart. But do you use any special word processing software to help you with your projects? I hear Scrivener is a writers’ best friend.

PK: Lol. I’m a total punster, BUT I’m getting better, in the sense, I’ve been writing my first draft more or less in outline format, where I sit down and write out scenes with dialogues. I don’t worry about showing vs. telling or worry about removing a scene. Usually my first draft outlines these days have been around 800 words per chapter. And I don’t use any software. It’s Microsoft word all the way :)

5. If you could go for a night of drinking with any fictional characters, who would they be and why?

PK: DEAN from My Dracian Series. I want to know WHY he motivated me to write a story. Because if it wasn’t for Dean, I don’t think I’d be writing J. That’s the truth.
Lol.

I don't blame you. I love love LOVE Dean. He's such a cutie.

PK: Thank you sooooo much for having me on your blog Colleen!

Thanks so much for stopping by. It’s always good to catch up. And congratulations on all your upcoming work.

Interview with Amiee Salter, Author of BREAKABLE

Today I'm thrilled to have the illustrious, YA Debut author, Aimee Salter on the blog. She's touring to celebrate the release of her novel: BREAKABLE.

Here's the blurb:



When seventeen-year-old Stacy looks in the mirror she can see and talk to her future self. “Older Me” has been Stacy's secret support through the ongoing battle with their neurotic mother, relentless bullying at school, and dealing with her hopeless love for her best friend, Mark.

Then Stacy discovers Older Me is a liar.

Still reeling from that betrayal, Stacy is targeted again by her most persistent tormentor. Only this time, he's used her own artwork to humiliate her - and threaten her last chance with Mark.


Sounds amazing, right? Add it to your Goodreads shelf here. Buy it here: Kindle | Paperback | Nook


Now on to the interview-


1. Hi Aimee *waves*. Thanks for being here today. As book lovers, I think we all romanticize the way authors come up with books. The thought of a single idea that later grows up into a novel is awe inspiring. So I have to ask, how did the idea for your debut, BREAKABLE, come to you?

AS: Hi! *Waves back* Thanks for having me!

Just as an aside: I read the word “debut” there, and my stomach twirled. All by itself. Which is disturbing. Especially to passersby. But I digress…

For me, book ideas usually “just come”. I’ll be thinking about something I saw, or an aspect of romantic relationships that interests me. Then suddenly I can see a character, and as I think about that character, I’ll see more. Then I get a scene in my head and I can’t stop fidgeting until I write it down.

BREAKABLE was slightly different in that it had a tangible seed: I was reading the website www.dearteenme.com in which authors write letters to their teen selves. These letters are immensely personal and revealing. After reading about a dozen, I noticed how many of them began their letter with something along the lines of “I know you won’t listen to me, but…”

That sentiment resonated for me. I remember how I thought and felt when I was sixteen or seventeen. If the me from now could give advice to the me from then, I know my teen me would be nodding and smiling, all the while thinking “Sure, but…”.

It got me thinking – if I could have an ACTUAL conversation with my teen self, what would it be like? What would I tell her? What would she listen to and what would she discard?

And suddenly I could see it…

Two and half years, one publishing offer, one agent, one lost agent, and a terrifying plunge later, BREAKABLE is hitting the shelves!

2. Every writer seems to enjoy different aspects of the creative process. Example: I hate the first draft but love revising and rewriting. For you, what was the best part of writing this book? What was the worst part?

AS: This book has been an emotional roller-coaster from the start. The original version (VERY different to where it is now) ran very close to my own experience in high school, and the character of Stacy was very close to my own teen self. So those first drafts were heart-wrenching because it was like putting myself back through those experiences.

Thankfully, the story has morphed and the character has changed dramatically. It’s no longer a meat-grinder to read or revise those emotional scenes because I’m working with characters now, not my own heart!

Honestly, the best part has been people’s response to the concept. Right from the word go, the vast majority of people who hear what the book is about have that little *Ding!* moment where they go “That sounds interesting.”

Add to that, reader’s responses to the new ending I wrote this year (adding a significant twist). It was a risk to completely rewrite the last third of the book so late in the game. I was scared to death when I sent it out. But readers have been literally putting the book down to email me about how floored they were by the new developments – and about how they can’t write more than that because they have to get back to the book and see what happens.

As a writer, it doesn’t get better than that. I’ve had readers and critiquers read my manuscripts for years. I’ve never had responses like this before. It’s why I’m sure the book is ready to be out there.

3. That's awesome and I can't wait to devour it. Speaking of the act of writing - fitting writing and revising into our day-to-day lives can be hard. To complicate matters, I know you recently moved your family from New Zealand to USA. I’ve moved around a lot but nothing quite like that. How did your international move play into the writing/editing of this book?

AS: Oh, geez. That was a nightmare. I wouldn’t recommend it. And yet, I would, because it’s been wonderful to be back with my family! (Especially since I have a son now, so this is his first time living with extended family around).

Between January and June of this year I was literally under so much stress I was having trouble breathing. During those months I revised the book for my then-agent, cleared out my entire house, sold most of our stuff, had my agent put the book on first-round submission to editors, transitioned my son out of school in New Zealand, moved across the globe, reconnected with family and friends that I hadn’t had the chance to spend more than a few weeks with since I was eighteen, revised my book again, found out my agent was quitting agenting, cleared out another house that we moved into which was full of someone else’s things, decided to self-publish (that’s an entire ballgame on its own) and actually, you know, did it.

I’ll stop whining now. Suffice it to say, this year has been incredibly hard. But totally worth it! I think the book is better for it because I’ve had to be really focused. I haven’t been doing anything with half a brain. I couldn’t put much time aside for writing between February and July, so what time I did assign to it was completely tunnel-visioned. And I think it worked. (I guess we’ll see?)

4. Did your time in New Zealand inspire any scenes in BREAKABLE?

AS: There are moments in the book and settings that are inspired by real events and places. But the key word there is “inspired”. It never works to actually replicate life. The beauty of fiction is that I can take what I know, what I’ve experienced, and what I’ve observed, and roll it all together with ideas or things I like, into something that suits my story.

Since I only did my senior year of high school in America, in truth, New Zealand inspired most of the book. At least, my high school experience did. Interestingly, socially my high school experience in New Zealand was very different to my experience in America. So I was able to draw on both sides of the social spectrum from personal knowledge.

I will say this: The art room which features prominently in Breakable is an almost-perfect replica of the art room at my first high school. I had to change one little thing about it just for ease of description. But when I see it in my head, Stacy and Mark inhabit the same room I did. And the portfolios they're working on are based on my final-grade requirement for sophomore year.

5. As a fellow writer I have to ask: Do you have any writing rituals or superstitions? I’ve got this thing now where I need a giant iced coffee and a bottle of water before I can sit down and write. (Please say I’m not alone. Please say I’m not alone.)

AS: Er…sorry… *Shifty eyes* I have no idea what you’re talking about. (Please, ignore the mug of coffee to my right, and the playlist pounding out of my iPod dock…)

6. Your secret is safe with me *winks*. So, your decision to self pub has been well chronicled on your blog (See Aimee's posts on the self pub process here). What part of the self pub journey surprised you as being harder, or easier, than you anticipated?

AS: Hmmm…I’m still in the thick of it, so I could probably answer this question better in a couple months. But certainly in the early stages, the pleasant surprise has been the support I’ve received after making the decision. I expected a lot of skepticism and pessimism from people around me. But almost everyone has been very excited about and supportive of the idea. I’ve had a great deal of free help from people who are true professionals in their field. They’ve made my book better, AND helped me achieve an end product that is professional (without the price tag).

On the negative side, formatting electronically (for both digital and paperback) is far more complicated than I anticipated. I find computer software pretty intuitive, so it isn’t hard for me to understand instructions. But actually following them through is much, much more difficult than I anticipated.

Luckily, a couple dear friends self-published before me. They warned me that formatting would need more time than I thought. I gave myself the space on my to-do list, but honestly didn’t think I would need it. I was wrong. They were right. Thank the Lord I listened to them anyway! (If you’re wondering, they suggested giving the paperback formatting and proof process a full month prior to release, and the digital formatting a full week. They also said not to expect to use one format to set up the other. And they were absolutely right).

7. What awesome online resources would you suggest writers use if they are seeking to self pub?

AS: There are tons of them out there! The writing community is really generous in sharing information. But I’ll tell you my favorites (I’m going to have to split these up):

While Writing:

I hate do this but, I’d have to start with two of my series on my blog: plot development and self-editing . Sorry to blow my own trumpet, but I created those because I couldn’t find them anywhere else.

No worries here - those are excellent posts that I use myself. Great resources!

AS: While in final edits I’d suggest www.grammerly.com. You do have to pay for that service, but for someone like me who can’t afford to pay a professional proof-reader, it’s a godsend.

Industry Commentary:

If you want genuine, experienced, been-on-every-side-of-every-coin advice from a guy who’s been in every part of publishing, you can’t go wrong listening to agent Chip MacGregor (quietly awarded Dealmaker of the Year by Publisher’s Marketplace more than once). I’ve been reading his blog since 2009 and it’s still the best, most solid advice I’ve found online: http://www.chipmacgregor.com/blog/

He’s in a niche market now, but he’s literally been a writer, editor, publisher, self-published, traditionally published, agent, etc, etc, etc. And he’s been doing all that for 30 years or so. Listen to his words, Grasshoppers. He’s especially good on professionalism and what makes writing good.

Self-Publishing:

While I haven’t made as much use of it as I could, author Kristen Lamb’s blog is incredibly solid, and backed by significant sales in the marketplace (http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ ). Her MYWANA hashtag group is popular on twitter, and she’s made it into conferences, etc, which is difficult for self-published authors to do. Another ripe resource, I think.

Wow, seriously, thank you for all the resources. You just made the day of some of my readers.

8. Publishing is a huge achievement. What plans do you have to celebrate the release of your novel?

AS: Well, right now I’m going to try and run down one of those unicorns so, just in case my book doesn’t fly, I can get famous for being the world’s first Unicorn Wrangler.

Other than that… Umm… sleeping? Haven’t got to do a lot of that for the past few months. Also, sitting in my house without chewing over what I have left to do, and whether or not I’ve done what I already did right. Though, I suppose the chewing will be reassigned to my nails, waiting to see if anyone actually enjoys the book…

On a more practical level, I’m going out to dinner with my family, basking in the congrats, etc, from people who’ve been walking this journey with me for the past four years, and also doing a blog-tour *wink*.

9. If you could go out for a wild night on the town with any fictional characters who would they be? (Please note that there is no chance of a hangover, bad press, or arrest record from any activities undertaken during this wild night).

AS: Well, to start with, do we mean wild as in, “Wow, sure wish I hadn’t left my skirt on the Velcro wall,” or do we mean, “Mom, you and your friends are laughing too loud, and I’m trying to sleep”? Because I far prefer the second these days. Just sayin’.

In whatever manner though, hands down, I’d want to party with Sunshine, Drew and Josh from Katka Millay’s The Sea of Tranquility. I’d also get giddy if I had the chance to sit down to dinner with Colin and Hassan from John Green’s An Abundance of Katherines.

But that’s enough from me. It’s been so much fun being here today, Colleen. Thank you so much for hosting me, and helping get the word out about Breakable. I hope I’ll get to visit again soon!

Thanks Aimee!

Don't forget you can get your copy of Aimee's Debut, BREAKABLE here:

Add it to your Goodreads shelf here. Buy it here: Kindle | Paperback | Nook

BLUE LOVE author interview and giveaway

I have the self pub'd author MJ Fields on the blog to discuss her newest NA release, BLUE LOVE. Check out the blurb:

In this Coming of Age story Tessa Ross tries to fight her attraction to bad boy Lucas Links. He is hot, arrogant, and has a sexual past that most boys his age could only dream of, (If they even knew they could dream of such things).

Lucas, the star quarterback seems to have it all, super star athletic abilities, expensive clothes, cars, and women who literally stop just to watch him walk by. On the outside he appears to have it all.

Tessa is a young woman who lives her life always doing what is right to make everyone else happy. She tries desperately to hold herself accountable to the demanding expectations of her family and everyone around her.

Is Tessa as innocent as she appears? Is Lucas just a spoiled young man who seems to have what every male, and female wants?

If you Love an emotional story that is full of spicy hot goodness. If you Love to follow a story from beginning until the bitter sweet end. If you are often left wondering what happened next... get your tissues and lip balm ready you are in for the read of your life.

As we all know, you should never judge a book by it's cover

Sounds fun right? I love a good NA Romance. You can buy BLUE LOVE here: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords | iTunes


Now MJ Fields I am a very new self published writer. Here is her bio in her own words:

I will tell you I have always had a very vivid imagination. Starting at age 3 (as it states in my Baby Book).

Sigma was my very first love (imaginary boyfriend). He lived about fifteen miles from my childhood home, (a farm). I took him chicken noodle soup every night on one of our families snowmobiles, (Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring). Apparently he was very ill and "Thank God" I was able to take care of him.

Next was my very first self publishing gig. At eight my cousins and I (and yes I was the president) wrote a newsletter and sold it to our family members.

Years later I decided to put it back into print to entertain my cousin as she was on an aircraft carrier on 9/11 (Kick ass cousin BTW) and very far away from home during a very scary time for our country, (protecting our butts).

Fast forward to 2012. I read 50 shades and thought, I can do that, (meaning writing). I have two complete series The Love Series, and Wrapped. I have two new series Burning Souls and Men of Steel. Ten books in 13 months. CrAzY and wonderful.

I love love! ( I would love to reference Pinks new song here, however I am not sure if that would cause copyright issues.)I also tend to enjoy watching people grow and change with self realization and moments of clarity that just sneak up behind you and smack you in the head. I love people and have always been able to see both sides of a story. Each person that comes into our life leaves us with something it is what we choose to do with it that helps us grow.

I live in central New York in the middle of nowhere and am surrounded by family and friend most the time. I run a small business out of my home and spend time reading and doing the typical Mommy things. Our house is full of pets and friends and noise ninety percent of the time, and I would have it no other way.
I love people,music, laughter, hugs, and books.

Now she's been kind enough to submit to an interview (aka torture). Let's peel back the layers and get down to it.

1. Hi MJ *waves* thanks for stopping by and congrats on the release of BLUE LOVE. *fires cupcake cannon*. You’ve self pub’d BLUE LOVE. What’s the hardes/scariest part of self pub’ing your novel?

MJ: Hi back *waves* thank you for taking the time to review Blue Love!!!! *virtual love and hugs* Self publishing has been an experience! The hardest part was figuring out how to actually do it. I didn’t have a clue, a mentor, or anyone except Google to help me in the first steps. The scariest part was hitting submit because it was now out there for the world to see. When you write a story you are so emotionally attached to the characters, they are part of you, part of your life experiences, and part of something you felt was important enough to share with the world.

2. Thanks for sharing the scary stuff. What’s the coolest part about being self pub’d?

MJ: The coolest part of self publishing to me is that I figured it out all by myself (the very first steps anyway) and that now I can help others in their journey.

3. Are there any awesome online resources you used to prepare for the self pup journey? If so, please share links as my blog readers will love to swing by:

MJ: Smashwords and Goodreads were huge resources. People who read and take the time to contact you and offer advice or just say “I loved your book” are the biggest resource. Facebook, Twitter, and the bloggers out there who like to get lost for a little bit are so helpful.

4. BLUE LOVE is not your first novel. A quick look at your website and I see you have several books currently out. I also know you have more books scheduled to release (10 in total, I think). How on earth do you find time? Please share any awesome time management tricks here:

MJ: The Love series actually was my first, I wrote book four True Love first and needed to give Tessa and Lucas a back-story. The Wrapped Series and Burning Souls series gives you a glimpse of Tessa and Lucas throughout their lives. I pulled Love after I realized how much I had changed as a writer. A great friend said, “Let me have them!” so that she could edit them for the mistakes I absolutely missed having read, re read, edited, and re edited. I was to close to them to see mistakes that may keep people from enjoying them fully. I am eternally grateful to her and the many others who believed in this series enough to offer help that I would never have asked for. My time management tip is don’t sleep, lol. I worked fifty hours, volunteered for everything my daughter was involved in, and after she was tucked away in dream land I got to lose myself in Tessa and Lucas’s love.

5. I noticed on Twitter that your ‘real’ job ended a few weeks back. Are you writing full time now? How has that transition been?

MJ: I took a leap of faith (with a huge push from a very close friend) to stop working at my “real job” and do this full time. Now I get to connect with what others call fans, I call them friends and write for six hours while my daughter is in school. I was writing full time before I closed the doors to my business and started writing, now it’s full time and a half!! My hope was I would be able to sleep more than three hours a night and I actually get about five now. I am most creative from nine at night and two in the morning so that hasn’t changed a lot. I am actually busier. No complaints though, I LOVE IT!

6. As bibliophiles and writers I think we all romanticize the way book ideas come to us. How did the idea of BLUE LOVE come to you?

MJ: The Love series started as a dream, crazy but true. Tessa is no different than a lot of women out there. She loved a boy, deeply, madly, passionately, and he was a train wreck. She wanted so badly to show him what true love and acceptance were and ends up losing who she is for awhile. Without giving away the entire series, so many of us know a Lucas and Tessa, for many of us this is our story. Girl meets boy and falls in love. She sees him for who she knows he can be and wants to be but life isn’t a fairytale it’s a walk, a lesson, a journey. People grow and change and not always at the same speed as the one they choose to take the journey with. It sucks, it hurts, it’s beautiful and wonderful, and it’s scary and exciting. When we find the one at such a young age, and let’s be realistic here our first love is one we will never forget, it changes us, molds us for who we are to become. Some people hold on so tightly because they hate to fail or because they love the other person more than they do themselves. I honestly believe it’s beautiful to be married to that person you grew with. But I also believe that just because we want that doesn’t mean it’s what’s right for us, or maybe just not right now when we want it. I can see both Tessa and Lucas’s sides (Thank God because I wrote them) and I love them both madly!!! I also have to tell you when reading 50 Shades I was devastated when it ended. Too many questions in my crazy head. That’s the main reason I couldn’t ignore the dream. I wanted to know about his past, his future, how he would be as a father, and how she would continue taking care of him and children. I read many other books at the time as well and there was always questions left unanswered. That may be why starting with Blue Love, there are nine…maybe ten that follow and still give you parts of Tessa and Lucas, as supporting characters of course.

7. I’m a sucker for romance in books, TV, and movies. What is your favorite romantic TV Show/Movie?

MJ: My favorite movie (s) I hope you don’t mind I can’t chose just one. I love “A Walk to Remember” I love “Twilight” and I love “The Notebook” they are “go to” movies for me. And yes I want more, a sequel for everything!!! For TV shows its harder thirty minutes does nothing for me. I do love True Blood, Scandal, Vampire Diaries, The Good Wife, Glee, and the Voice is a never miss. Okay I’ll stop there.

8. How did you celebrate BLUE LOVE’s release?

MJ: I didn’t really celebrate with anyone, I did the happy/ nervous/ holy S*#t I actually just hit accept and publish button. The re release this tour is what I’m celebrating. I cannot wait for you all to fall in Love with Love. Thank you so much!!!

Oh no, Thank you, MJ, for stopping by. *waves* And thanks to Stephanie and the fine folks at Romance Addict Book Blog for facilitating this interview.

No blog tour interview is complete without a giveaway! MJ has been kind enough to offer up these wonderful prizes:

GRAND PRIZE
Signed copy of Blue Love
$25 Amazon Gift Card

1st PLACE
Signed copy of Blue Love
$15 Amazon Gift Card

2nd PLACE
Signed copy of Blue Love
$10 Amazon Gift Card

3rd & 4th PLACE
Signed copy of Blue Love


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wish Me Tomorrow - Interview with Author Karen Rock

Today I'm thrilled to have the lovely Karen Rock stop by the blog. She's the author of the recently released, WISH ME TOMORROW, published by the romance lovers over at Harlequin.

Isn't the cover adorable? This is part of Harlequin's Heartwarming line which means you can trust the story will be sweet and warm and tug at your heartstrings. Check out the blurb:

Can they build a future on hope alone?

For years nurse and grief counselor Christie Bates has been teaching her patients to confront their fears, express themselves and trust in hope. But as her feelings for cancer survivor Eli Roberts and his two children grow, can she overcome her own fear and love a man who lives every day with the possibility of recurring illness?

Tackling cancer and single parenthood simultaneously has turned Eli into a devout realist. Which is why he finds Christie's perpetually upbeat attitude so aggravating. Still, despite himself, she's making a place in his heart. If only he could offer Christie more than an uncertain future.

To purchase WISH ME TOMORROW in paperback or ebook form, please visit:

Harlequin | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

Now, Karen has been kind enough to allow me to interview her. *Yippiee* But before we get into the nitty gritty of the interview *cracks knuckles* let's review what we already know about Karen through her bio:

Since Karen Rock’s grandmother passed her shopping bagfuls of Harlequin Presents as a teen, it’s been her dream to add her voice to the Romance genre. Now an author of Harlequin’s latest contemporary line, Heartwarming, Karen is thrilled to pen wholesome, tender, deeply romantic stories that all can relate to. Her first novel, WISH ME TOMORROW, is out in September 2013 and her next, HIS HOMETOWN GIRL, is out in spring 2013. Additionally, Karen is a young adult contemporary romance co-author with fellow Harlequin author, Joanne Rock for the CAMP BOYFRIEND series that debuted July 2013 with Spencer Hill Press.

When she’s not busy writing, Karen enjoys watching anything starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, cooking her Nona’s family Italian recipes, and occasionally rescuing local wildlife from neighborhood cats. She lives in the Adirondack Mountain region with her husband, her very appreciated beta-reader daughter and two King Charles Cavalier cocker spaniels who have yet to understand the concept of “fetch,” though they’ve managed to teach her the trick! Hmmmm… wonder how that happened?! She loves to connect with other romance fans!
Please check out her website, her Facebook page, and follow her on twitter or Goodreads.

Alright, now it's time to get down to business. Interview business, that is. *waves* Hi Karen.

1. Wish Me Tomorrow is your first Adult Romance. You’ve previously published YA contemp. Was it hard to transition from YA to Adult?

KR: Hi Colleen :) Thank you so much for having me on Adventures in Word! It is still a transition to move between YA and Adult novels. I’m actually not sure if I’ll ever master it. My biggest issue is voice. My Harlequin editors have warned me about my ‘Voice Issue’ because I sound too young. In my latest Harlequin, I had to rewrite the first three chapters because my MC didn’t sound adult enough...*Sigh. I struggle the most when I’m moving back and forth between two books for different age levels. Note to self… check calendar before scheduling deadlines. Lol.

Yikes, I didn't even think about a voice issue. Maybe because I'm an adult who thinks like a kid. LOL But I can see how that would be a challenge.

2. You’ve been a huge fan of Harlequin since you were a kid. You are not alone. I also loved reading romance. I’d steal a few from my mom every now and again (Shhh, don’t tell my mom). What about Romance captivates you?

KR: What our mothers don’t know! I read lots of books with scantily clad cover models when I was too young for them too and hid them in my school books. My mother loved to brag about all the studying I did- lol. In fact, I was never much of a reader until my first friend at a new school invited me for a sleepover then handed me a Harlequin. So much for games, a movie and popcorn! But I made the best of it and before I left the next day, I’d finished one book and started another. I was hooked on romance because it gave me hope that one day, I’d find that person who’d make me feel less alone. A partner for life. Someone who might not be perfect, but would be perfect for me. I completely blame Harlequin for the fact that I never had a boyfriend in high school. I kept waiting for a guy from one of my romance novels to appear instead of the guy in study hall who used to snap my bra strap. Haha.

*swoons* I hear ya. Now, speaking of Romance:

3. I noticed in your bio that you love Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan movies. You are not alone *offers secret handshake* I’m right there with you, sister. What is your favorite Tom Hanks – Meg Ryan movie?

KR: Offers secret handshake in return!* OMG- they are both amazing actors and when they are in a romance together… melt. I love their chemistry, even when they argue, you know that they are perfect for each other. My favorite is Sleepless in Seattle because of it’s message. Don’t give up. There is always someone out there for you. And how swoony was Tom Hanks as a struggling single dad with a big heart and sense of humor?!!

Yay! I love Sleepless in Seattle for the Tom-Meg factor but also because of the Affair to Remember factor (another amazing movie). But my favorite Tom-Meg movie has to be You've Got Mail. It's adorable and about books~!

4. In WISH ME TOMORROW, a character is diagnosed with cancer. Understanding the emotional impact of such a major life event probably took research. What research, or personal interviews, did you do to better understand the impact of this disease?

KR: I actually experienced a similar loss which gave me a lot of insights. Additionally, I worked on a Code 99 Emergency Response team in a hospital, and got to know patients and families during incredibly stressful times. Since I lost someone I loved dearly to cancer, I understood the emotional impact it had on me, the caregivers, and even my ill relative. I tried to show all of those perspectives in the book because cancer is not an illness that exists in isolation. It touches everyone, even when we try to sweep it under the rug, as Eli does, during his remission.

Wow. I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your experience and insight.

5. Where do you do the bulk of your writing? Café? Home Office? Bed? (send pic if you can – that would be fabulous) And why does that spot work for you?

KR: Before I became an author, I always had these glorified images of reclining on a settee, a lap desk rolled up to me, bon-bons within reach. Hah! I actually spend 99% of my time writing on my living room couch, surrounded by pets who love to get between me and my lap top. (If they could speak, they’d deny it, but the picture below is proof!) It’s close enough to the front door to let out my diabetic dog but, unfortunately, not far enough away from the refrigerator. *sigh. I need one of those treadmill desks!

Cute pic! I love your furry friends.

6. So many authors/publishers talk about how this business requires patience. How long have you been writing/revising this story?

KR: I’m actually a fast writer and a slower reviser. When I’m writing a first draft, it’s all about getting down the story. I can write 5,000 words a day so a 70,000 word book like WISH ME TOMORROW would take me about three weeks to pen and at least that much to revise. I started writing the novel at the end of August 2012, returned to my full-time teaching job in early September, and wrote it every night after school until my November 15th deadline… so approximately two months. Now I’m no longer teaching, but my time is full with my Young Adult series as well as my next Harlequin.

Wow, that is fast. *high fives Karen* That's fantastic. I'm a lot slower than that but am gaining speed. You mentioned revisions which brings me to my next question:

7. It seems every writer enjoys a different part of the process. Example: I hate writing the first draft (which might account for the slow issue). I’d rather be covered with leeches and walk across hot coals. But I love love love revising and rewriting. What part of the process is your favorite and why?

KR: I’m definitely not down with the leeches- lol- though some scenes do make me bleed. Phew- this is a chicken or egg question! I guess I prefer revising because that’s where I get play with the word choices, sentence fluency, voice and so on. It’s kind of like Sudoko for writers :)

OOo, I totally agree. I think that's why I like it so much. So, last but not least:

8. Now that your book has released what will you do to celebrate?

KR: My husband and daughter took me out to dinner, which I loved. It’s not as though we never go out. But this time was special because they kept congratulating me and it felt great that I’d made them proud. Unfortunately, the party didn’t last long as I had to get right back to work on my next Harlequin, HIS HOMETOWN GIRL. I think I’m still dancing inside though :) Thank you again for these wonderful questions, Colleen, and the chance to meet you and your fans!


Thank you Karen! Congrats on your book release and thanks for stopping by. I know it wasn't easy fitting us into your busy schedule. And thanks to the fine folks at Romance Addict Book Blog for hosting this tour.

See, that wasn't so bad? Or was it? Let's stick with not so bad *smiles* *pats self on back*.

Karen knows an author interview is incomplete without an amazing give away and she does not disappoint :) Here are the details on the super-terrific WISH ME TOMORROW Give Away:
a Rafflecopter giveaway


GRAND PRIZE
Signed copies:
Karen Rock's WISH ME TOMOROW
Robyn Carr's THE WANDERER
JoJo Moyes' ME BEFORE YOU
JoJo Moyes' THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND
JK Rock's CAMP BOYFRIEND
Unsigned copies:
Bella Andre's I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU
Pamela Tracy's KATIE'S RESCUE
Tara Randal's ORANGE BLOSSOM BRIDE
Syndi Powell's THE RELUCTANT BACHELOR
Harlequin tote bag
RWA 2013 water bottle
RWA water bottle holder

3 RUNNER UPS
$10 Amazon Gift Card

I've been tagged! (I caught a Q&A session)

The sweet Le&ndra Wallace tagged me in her Liebster award post. Woot! And since I'm always up for a Q&A session I had to take her up on it.

For those of you who are't familiar with the Liebster award, it's for bloggers with less than two hundred followers. I certainly qualify.

There is some debate on the inteweb about what liebster means in German. Some say it means 'sweatheart' and some say it means 'dearest'. Either way, it's cute and I'm happy to answer the ten questions Le&ndra picked.

1. Who do you credit as being most inspirational in your life?

Geez, start off the bat with a hard one. It's incredibly hard to pick just one person as the MOST inspirational. I think I've been blessed to have a wealth of inspiring moments, people, and places in my life. If I had to pick just one person, though, it would be my hubby. He's my true love. My soul mate. Our love story inspires me to dream and reach for more.

2. What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend?

Write! I get a lot of my word count in on the weekends. Aside from writing, I love running. It's hard and I sweat like a beast but I love it. I'm not fast. So I need the long, free hours of the weekend to ensure that I finish my chosen distance before it gets dark ;)

3. Top three authors?

This is easy: I love books. And I love their authors. I have a ton of favorites listed on the FAQ section of my blog. Here are three: Chuck Palahniuk, Douglas Coupland, Stephanie Perkins

4. Snow or no snow?

No snow - I live in the south and we rarely have snow. I love to visit it from time to time but don't think I'll live where it snows anytime soon.

5. If you could visit any city in the world, what one would it be?

I'm lucky in that I've been able to travel a lot. I've been to several of the most beautiful cities: London, York, Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin, Florence, Pisa, Edinburgh, New York, Chicago, Boston, St. Louis, Atlanta, Orlando (hello Disney), Seattle, etc. The list goes on and on.

There are a few places that I've always wanted to see: Prague, Venice, Madrid. I'd love to travel to any of those three.

6. What is your favorite restaurant?

It's hard to pick one. I'm currently doing a lot of cooking and less eating out *gasp* I know. I can't believe I said that. If I had to pick it would be a Mexican restaurant, I'm sure. I love Mexican food, the entire gamut from texmex to real mex. I love it.

7. Do you loan your books out?

Yes. I sure do. I love letting people borrow my books. There are a few exceptions. I don't loan Hunger Games or Jane Austen to anyone. I've read them so much that I have smudged the pages and made them my own. I can't part with them.

8. What's the one thing you're sick of seeing on book covers?

I am sick of seeing girls in wispy dresses on covers. It's extremely prominent in YA (at least it used to be). I get it, they are beautiful and ethereal and the dress captures that. I totally get it. But can't we find another image to capture that same feeling?

9. If you could travel back in time to any major historical moment, what would it be?

OMG yes!!! I love this idea. If I could travel back in time I would want to go back to just before America was discovered. I'd want to live with the Native Americans. I always picture myself rocking long, dark hair, riding horses, and soaking up the raw beauty of this place.

But my husband likes to point out I'd probably contract a disease and die young. As much as I want to romanticize that time, life was hard then.

Still, I'd totally visit. It's 2013. Why don't we have time travel vacations yet?

10. If you could pick a name for yourself, what would it be?

This is a great question because as authors we get to pick our names. A lot of my writer friends write under pen names. I always thought I'd choose Serena. I was a huge huge HUGE Sailor Moon fan and I loved her name. But when the time came to pick a name to write under all the names I thought I'd pick didn't really fit me. They seemed more like character names than my name, you know? In the end, think I'd keep my first name, Colleen, and go with a new last name. Something stately and cool like: Hamilton.


Thanks Le&ndra, for letting me be a part of this. If your a follower or a reader and would like to participate, consider yourself tagged! That's right. Go on, repost. You know you want to:

1. Who do you credit as being most inspirational in your life?
2. What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend?
3. Top three authors?
4. Snow or no snow?
5. If you could visit any city in the world, what one would it be?
6. What is your favorite restaurant?
7. Do you loan your books out?
8. What's the one thing you're sick of seeing on book covers?
9. If you could travel back in time to any major historical moment, what would it be?
10. If you could pick a name for yourself, what would it be?

Have fun everyone!

Maven Blog Tour - Warning Girl Cooties

Today I’m pleased to have a guest: Starla Huchton. You may remember when I we revealed the cover for her most recent novel: Maven.

She’s back for the Maven blog tour and has agreed to an interview. But before I pester her with questions lets learn more about Maven.

Maven is Starla’s NA Science Fiction Romance available for purchase here, here, and here.

Check out the blurb:

How far would you go for love?

Since losing her parents at 14, young prodigy Dr. Lydia Ashley has focused on one thing: an appointment on the Deep Water Research Command Endure. Now 21, she’s about to realize that dream, but nothing is how she imagined it would be. Her transitional sponsor forgets her, her new lab is in complete chaos, and, as if that weren’t enough, she’s about to discover something so horrific it could potentially destroy all life on the planet.

Daniel Brewer, a noted playboy and genius in his own right, may be exactly what she needs… Or he may make everything worse.

Has she finally found a puzzle she can’t solve?

Sounds cool, right? So now on to the part where I bombard the wonderful, talented, gorgeous Starla Huchton with questions.

1. So Starla, Maven is the first book in your SciFi-Romance series: Endure. And during my research I discovered Maven is not the only SciFi novel you’ve written. In fact, you’ve won awards for your previous SciFi works. So tell me, why SciFi?

SH: Well, to be honest, Science Fiction was not my first love when it came to the books I read when I was younger. I read some, but found so much of it to be dry expositions on technology with any lack of character depth. I was a fantasy girl for the most part, though there were some SciFi stories that drew me in (notably the Dune series and ALL of Douglas Adams’s writing). In my writing it was a strangely natural progression. The first novel I ever completed was a Fantasy novel. My second project came along about two years later, at which point I had discovered Steampunk and fell in love. It was sort of a gateway drug, if you will. Master of Myth (Antigone’s Wrath #1) was an experiment. It has a definite fantasy thread (the magical energy of aether), which is a huge part of the story, but when you’re talking about true Steampunk, you’re talking guns, gears, goggles, and gizmos. That required research, mostly because I knew very little about any of it. Once I got started, though, I found I really, really enjoyed it! Strange for someone who’s a graphic designer, writer, musician, and voice artist (all the artsy fartsy stuff) who’s stayed far, far away from anything related to math (and, somewhat by extension, science, because OMG MATH). Researching for my writing became a bit of an addiction, actually. The further I go, the more I am driven to get it right. What I’ve discovered, much more so in Maven than in the Steampunk, is how fascinating the science of all this stuff is. Ever heard the word supercavitation? I hadn’t, but once I knew what it was and what it looked like… *sigh* be still my geeky little heart. I’m discovering this new (for me) excitement about science (still so weird to see me saying that!), and my hope is that my books share a bit of that with others that never gave it much thought before. (Now go Google supercavitation and tell me that’s not cool!)

2. I can relate to so much of that (OMG MATH #yuck and NERD RESEARCH #joy). I have to ask, as a veteran SciFi-Fantasy (SFF) author what do you think about the recent hoopla in the bloggosphere about Romance destroying the purity of SFF?

SH: Oh, honey. How much time you got? ;)

This supposed “purity” of SFF is such a silly concept to me. Science Fiction and Fantasy have ALWAYS been the domains of those who wanted to push the envelope. Whether that was to talk about taboo cultural/racial/societal issues or to completely reinvent the world, that’s what SFF was all about! It’s supposed to be something new or different. That’s what it’s FOR… at least, it used to be. That is to say, IT CAN BE EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING. SFF “purists” have gotten so caught up in the tropes and rules they defined for themselves (not outsiders, the actual SFF community did this) that they’ve forgotten the beauty of these genres. I don’t give one whiff about Author X’s portrayal of Faster Than Light travel versus Author Y’s take. They’re so caught up in arguing these fine points no one cares about that they’re turning their novels into doctoral dissertations instead of enjoyable stories.

So why can’t I have a little action with my “action”? Why can’t I throw a little smexy on that science? I, and others like me, have been doing this (some for years and years), not because some crusty old white dude from the 1960s heyday of pulp novels says we can, but because I (we) say, WHY NOT?

The issue goes much deeper than that (OMG GIRL COOTIES!), but let’s move on for the moment.

3. Eeew, cooties. LOL. Some fairly prominent writers and bloggers have spoken out about sexism and misogyny in the SFF realm. What are your thoughts on this matter? Do you feel sexism in SFF is an issue?

SH: It is ALWAYS an issue. Not only in SFF, but since that’s what you’re asking about specifically, we’ll go there with it.

What people like Ann Aguirre have spoken about is so sadly common. If you write, you’re an author. If you write and happen to have girl parts, you’re a FEMALE author. We’re spoken about and written about as though we’re a minority, and yet women are 51% of the ENTIRE WORLD POPULATION. “Author” is, by default, engrained in our heads as “male”. And yet, just in looking at my Twitter stream, where I see bloggers, agents, editors, authors… the majority of them are female. Yet I still hear them classified as “Lady Agent”, “Female Blogger”, etc, constantly, as though this somehow has some bearing on how well they do their job or how competent they are in regards to books. My ability to pull off a chainmail bikini has ZERO impact on the words I put on the page, yet the Miss America standard still applies. Who cares what she says if she can’t rock the swimsuit competition?

I’m going to make it a point to start calling them Male Authors and Boy Writers (making sure to put a nice sarcastic slant on the first word) from now on. If they can give me a qualifier, they should expect the same.

In the words of Eve Ensler, “I LOVE BEING A GIRL”. Also: RAWR.

4. Rawr indeed. I think we see a bit of that Girl Power in Maven. The Protag, Dr. Lydia Ashley, is a young, successful woman in a field full of men. Tell me, is any part of Maven autobiographical?

SH: Hmm. Tricky question. I think every author imbues a bit of themselves in their characters to some extent. Honestly, I’m as much Daniel as I am Lydia. I have those same impulsive emotional moments he does, yet I can be every bit the pragmatist Lydia is.

Speaking specifically to Lydia, though, I don’t know how autobiographical I would consider that character. I actually had a semi-lucid dream about someone leaving a Maven review that said I didn’t adequately address the gender discrimination issue specifically where the military was concerned (these are my worries, lol). At least for that much, I can speak to why I wrote Lydia and the story the way I did.

I spent over five years in the United States Navy. Never once was I harassed on the job or treated differently because I was female. Now, off hours might be a little different story, but in the way that a college class is different from what goes on at the bar on Saturday night. I did my job, I was smart and competent (I actually ran the base print shop when we were out someone to fill a senior leadership position for a six-month period… I was twenty-two), and conducted myself the way any professional person would. I was never met with anything but respect and attentiveness when I addressed those in command or those I supervised. As that was my own personal experience, that probably leaked into Maven more than a little. Sure, the military isn’t perfect, and I wasn’t in a stressful combat situation, but I spoke to what I know and what I continue to know, as my husband is a Naval Officer now.

Also, Maven is set forty years in the future. I might be too optimistic here, but I hold out hope that things will get better as far as gender issues go.

5. Wow, I have to say thank you for your service. And you’ve been great sport so far. One last question: If you could go out for one wild night of drinking with any fictional character, who would it be? (And BTW, there is not chance of a hangover the next day)

SH: Well, that’s not a question I expected after all that heaviness! But, I think I have an answer that might be as unexpected.

See, when I go out drinking, I do one of two things: One, I tend to fall into really deep, heavy conversations with one person or a very small group of people. We divulge secrets. We psychoanalyze and advise one another. We give and gain insights. We also get stupid, crazy sloshed in the process. It’s AWESOME. For this, I would request the presence of one Edmund Dantes from the Count of Monte Cristo. An odd choice, you say? No way. That’s one of my favorite books EVAR and I want to know all of Edmund’s secrets!

The second type of drinking I do sees me breaking into song, be it at karaoke or someone whipping out a guitar, or just because I AM THAT DRUNK. If you’re gonna do a thing, do it all the way! And for that, I’m jumping over to anime! I’ll need Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten (the Starlights) from Sailor Moon STARS as backup! Male or female form, who cares! Sing yer hearts out and help me take the stage! It’ll also be AWESOME. (And most everyone goes: Who what now??? I am SUCH a dork. LMAO)

OMG, I love those answers. I'm a huge fan of the Count of Monte Cristo and a complete fangirl for Sailor Moon. I would totally crash that party! Thanks again for swinging by the Blog and congratulations on the release of Maven.

No blog tour is complete without a raffle.
a Rafflecopter giveaway



Find out more about Starla and her books on her website, Facebook page, and follow her on Twitter.

Author Bio:

Starla Huchton released her first novel, The Dreamer's Thread, as a full cast podcast production beginning in August 2009. Her first foray went on to become a double-nominee and finalist for the 2010 Parsec Awards. Since her debut, Starla's voice has appeared in other podcasts including The Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine, The Drabblecast, and Erotica a la Carte. She is also a voice talent for Darkfire Productions, and narrates several of their projects, including The Emperor's Edge series, This Path We Share, and others. Her writing has appeared in the Erotica a la Carte podcast, a short story for The Gearheart (earning her a third Parsec nomination), and an episode of the Tales from the Archives podcast (the companion to Tee Morris and Philippa Balantine's Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series), which garnered her a second finalist badge from the 2012 Parsec Awards. Her second novel, a Steampunk adventure entitled Master of Myth, was the first place winner in the Fantasy/Science Fiction category of The Sandy Writing Contest held annually by the Crested Butte Writers Conference. Maven is her third completed novel and the first in a planned series of four, being released under the name S. A. Huchton.

After completing her degree in Graphic Arts, Starla opened up shop as a freelance graphic designer focusing on creating beautiful book covers for independent authors and publishers. She currently lives in Virginia where she trains her three Minions and military husband.

Author Interview: Katie Teller re: Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh part 2

Welcome back Katie. Yesterday we introduced Katie’s debut:


Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh.





Check out the book trailer here

The book is available now at your favorite book retailers:
Amazon
B&N
Kobo

Today we are talking to Katie about craft and her writing process. First, releasing your first novel is a huge deal! Congratulations.

What did you do to celebrate the release? *throws confetti* *shares cupcakes*

My mum came in for Australia for the release, and I also had friends and family come over to eat my famous peanut butter choc-chip cookies, talk about the book and watch the trailer. It was a lot of fun and great to spend time with people who have supported me throughout my journey.

Do you have any writing rituals or superstitions? (I for one can't write on the third full moon of the solstice...)

Ahh... can't say I do. I don't like my hubby looking over my shoulder when I write, does that count? :-)

Why did you choose the indie pub scene? What do you like about it?

Curiosity Quills is a community, and I really enjoy that. I love that all the authors support and help one another. I was finding agents just weren't interested in my work, but as soon as I queried publishers suddenly I got full requests and even a few offers. So I figured why not? And it's been wonderful and exciting. I also got some sweet royalties in my contract. LOL.

Which blogs or online resources were the most helpful as you prepared for self pub?

Well I published through Curiosity Quills so they did everything for me.

Tell me, What/who is your favorite book/author?

Oh wow... ahh my favorite book is probably Fire of the Covenant by Gerald N. Lund, and all growing up I loved Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.

We all love Twitter and there seems to be no end to supportive authors, editors, and agents online. Who is your favorite Tweep (at the moment)?

Darci Cole! She was my first CP and encouraged me to join twitter and the writing community, and now she RT's all my stuff about my book and tweets about it herself. So supportive that woman! I just love her.

You've been a great sport so far but an Author Interview wouldn't be completed if I didn't ask the age old question: are you a Plotter or Panster?

PANSTER. Big time. Which is ironic considering all the research and structuring a story around historical theories I had to do for Kiya. But it worked, because the things I found about all the people of the time, and all the events, varied from historian to historian, so I plucked out the theories which best suited what I wanted to build into the story and filled in the gaps with my panster-ing skills.

Well, Katie, you’ve been a great sport and it’s been a lot of fun having you on the blog. Thanks for sharing and *Congrats* on your debut!

Author Interview: Katie Teller re: Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh part 1

I’m really excited to have a guest on the blog today. The beautiful debut author, Katie Teller, is here to talk about her life as a writer and her new book, Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh. *waves hello to Katie*



But before we begin peppering her with annoying questions about craft we should get to know her and her work. Wouldn't you agree?

Born and raised in Australia, Katie’s early years of day dreaming in the “bush” and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories inspired her passion for writing.

After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.

She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing. She is currently at school studying English and Creative Writing.

Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports and be a good wife and mother. She now works as a Clerk with a lien company in Arizona to help support her family and her schooling. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

Check out her blog here.

I think a lot of writers can relate to the hectic double (or triple) life Katie has been leading: Day Job, Writing, Family, etc. It’s a lot to juggle which leads me to my first question:

Katie, you are a wife, mother, student, employee, and now, an author. How did you fit writing into your daily routine? Any advice for the rest of us? :)

It's not easy! I keep a tight schedule, and write during nap times and in the evenings. My smart phone is also a lifesaver because I can get emails etc on the go. I also use time at the gym, grocery store and while I'm out and about to conjure up new scenes, get to know my characters and so forth so in the few hours after the kiddo has gone to bed I can churn out as much as possible. I keep my days very structured so I know I get everything done I need to.

That’s inspiring. I know I struggle with sticking to a writing schedule.

Now let’s learn more about the fruit of all that hard work, Katie’s debut: Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh. Look at this cover, isn’t it eerie?



And here’s the blurb:

Oh yes, Kiya. Make him love you, make him hold you in his highest regard....

When Naomi’s sisters are snatched up to be taken to be wives of the erratic Pharaoh, Akhenaten, she knows they won’t survive the palace, so she offers herself in their place. The fearsome Commander Horemheb sees her courage, and knows she is exactly what he is looking for…

The Great Queen Nefertiti despises Naomi instantly, and strips her of her Hebrew lineage, including her name, which is changed to Kiya. Kiya allies herself with Horemheb, who pushes her to greatness and encourages her to make the Pharaoh fall in love with her. When Akhenaten declares Kiya will be the mother of his heir, Nefertiti, furious with jealousy, schemes to destroy Kiya.

Kiya must play the deadly game carefully. She is in a silent battle of wills, and a struggle for who will one day inherit the crown. If she does bear an heir, she knows she will need to fight to protect him, as well as herself, from Nefertiti who is out for blood.

Wow, Katie, I’m super excited about your book: young romance, a vengeful Queen, and the fate of a nation hangs in the balance. Ancient Egypt has never sounded so sexy. I noticed in your bio you were born and raised down under. Did your time in Australia inspire any scenes from this book?

Kiya was actually born during my 12th grade Ancient history class while we talked about Akhenaten and Kiya. So yes, my school studies down there inspired the whole concept. The rest is purely constructed out of history and my own ideas of what could have happened.

It's available now at your favorite book retailers:
Amazon
B&N
Kobo


Your novel takes place in ancient Egypt. Were you always a fan of the rich history in Egypt? Or did you do a ton of research?

As I mentioned before, I studied Egypt in High School. But it goes earlier than that. I remember as a little girl looking at things on Ancient Egypt, as well as Greece and Rome. I think that background made the research easier, but I did still have to do a ton of research when I did sit down to start writing it.

Tune in tomorrow to see the book trailer for Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh and for more of my interview with Katie Teller.

Conductors: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

In Aubrie Dione's Playing The Maestro, Wolf Braun, the new guest conductor of the Easthampton Civic Symphony comes across as a big time jerk. He’s arrogant, haughty, way too talented for his own good, and makes sour faces when the violinists play out of tune.

Just the prickily, leading man we swoon over. I had the pleasure of reading an early version of this story and I loved it for two reasons: 1. Because I was a band-o growing up so I'll always have a soft spot for stories about music; and 2. Because the Maestro, Wolf Braun, is dreamy.

Those of you who know Audbrie (follow her on Twitter) know that she's a musician. I just had to know:

Are conductors really like that?

Some of them are, and some of them aren’t. To tell you the truth, I’ve played for both. I’ve played for conductors that have stared me down, made my fingers shake, and shouted. And, I’ve played for conductors that smile when they cue me in, encourage me with compliments, and hang out with the orchestra after the concert. Sure, you always want to play for the nice ones, but if you really want to make orchestral playing your career, you have to play for them all.

I have this one memory of a time when I came in to sub for the principal flutist just for a rehearsal last minute. They were playing Night on the Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky. There’s this big flute solo at the end. Well, I played the solo just fine, but I guess I took too much rubato, or slowed the tempo, because when I looked up, the conductor-who-shall-remain-nameless was beet red and pounding his downbeats, staring at me like I was an idiot. Note to self- look up more.

Only when I became a conductor myself did I realize the things that really annoy conductors and how much they really can see up there on the podium- which is A LOT. When I conduct, I can see every single conversation going on, even if I don’t address all of them. I can see the person texting, the one hiding a book up on the stand, the people goofing off in the back, and the one who relies on their stand partner to come in. It’s actually pretty funny. But, it makes me wonder just how much my youth orchestra conductors saw of me!

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Thanks for sharing Aubrie, and thank you for stopping by the blog today. I see a lot of similarities between a career in music performance and a career publishing.

To learn more about Aubrie, visit her on twitter or on her blog.

A blog tour wouldn't be complete without a contest. Check this out:
a Rafflecopter giveaway



Have you had a good or bad conductor? Share your stories:

Author Interview: Priya Kanaparti, Dracian Legacy

I'm very excited to have a special guest join the blog today. Priya Kanaparti allowed me to interview her regarding her debut, out this month, Dracian Legacy (buy it here). So let's get started:

1. Hi Priya *waves*. Thanks for being here today. As book lovers I think we all romanticize the birth of ideas that grow up into beautiful novels. How did the idea for your debut, Dracian Legacy, come to you?

Truthfully? I don’t know. *laughs* I had always been a huge fan of magic and supernatural things. I loved watching the whole line of shows on the CW like the Secret Circle, Supernatural, and Nikita. I guess as I watched these shows, a thought came to my mind. What would you do if you were given a second chance at correcting the mistake you never should have done?

From there I started asking questions about who, what, where, when, and how and *bam*, the story formed. It took me about a week of obsessing about the plot and characters before I actually sat down and wrote anything. My first words for the book were the names of the characters and their relationships.

2. Every author seems to enjoy different aspects of the creative process. For you, what was the best part of writing this book? What was the worst part?

The best part about the book was building the relationships. Gosh, I don’t even know how many times I had changed the story plot, just so the right type of relationship could be created.

I'm a sucker for four things: Big brothers = awesomeness, having a guy best friend from childhood is the strongest kind of friendship you could have, your true BFF will never leave your side, and Love conquers everything. I took those elements and went with it.

The worst? Well, I think it’s those writer’s block moments. Or coming up with good scenes that the characters agree with. Because god forbid, I write something they don’t like… *laughs*

3. *swoon* Those elements sound terrific. Now, I know you are very busy: What tricks do you use to balance your time between writing, family, and the day job?

I sneak around a lot. I've even been known to bribe and negotiate at times. LOL. Having a little one makes writing harder than with just a hubby. But we’ve got a system worked out!

4. Do you have any writing rituals or superstitions? (I for one can't write on the third full moon of the solstice...)

Gosh no! However I try to read books in the genre I’m writing or watch lots of action movies when writing action scenes.

5. *hangs head in shame* I guess I'm alone in my crazy rituals. Moving on. Why did you choose the indie pub scene? What do you like about it?

Honestly? I choose Indie publishing because I was afraid of rejection. But as I reached out to all the bloggers and people in the community I really was happy with it. I had the ability to choose what I wanted for the book like my talent designer and brilliant editor! Also I loved meeting so many new people through this process!

6. Sounds like it was a great experience. Which blogs or online resources were the most helpful?
Really, I think Google was my best friend, apart from reaching out to other authors and bugging… er… asking for help. Two in particular went above and beyond to help me in answering all the questions and pointing me in the direction I need to go. Devyn Dawson & Krystle Jones.

7. Tell me, What/who is your favorite book/author?

I think EVERYONE who knows me, knows the answer to this. Without a doubt, Shelly Crane from the Signifiance series (by the way the Movie is coming out valentines 2014) and Jennifer L. Armentrout from the Covenant Series!

8. We all love Twitter and there seems to be no end to supportive authors, editors, and agents online. Who is your favorite Tweep (at the moment)?

It's hard to pick just one Tweep. But my ALL TIME favorite Tweet is by Author Chelsea Fine: “You know a really mean trick to play on a writer? Switch out all their coffee with decaf. Yeah. #husbandjoke #hesgoingdown”

9. So true. I don't know where I'd be without the coffee fairy. Speaking of delicious beverages, how did you celebrate the release of DL?

I never made any plans really. I think I’ll be so exhausted that I’ll celebrate by going to bed early =).

10. You've been a great sport so far but an Author Interview wouldn't be completed if I didn't ask the age old question: are you a Plotter or Panster?

Haha. A total Panster. That’s why it takes me multiple drafts before I get my story straight. Each draft refines the plot, the characters, and the dialogue for me.

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To learn more about Priya or her novel, Dracian Legacy, follow the blog tour. Here are a few stops along the tour:

Say it with Books - Book Review & Character Interview
The Book Diaries - Book Review
Books Forget me Knot - Book Review & Pey Interviews Axel
Kidbits - Dracian Legacy Playlist
Fantasy Books - Dracian Legacy Prologue


Also, to celebrate this wonderful book birthday Priya is giving away goodies! Guaranteed winners: 3 winners will receive 1 e-book format of Dracian Legacy and 1 winner will receive a $15 GC to Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Already own a copy? Do not disrepair. If a winner has already purchased the book, with a proof of purchase, she’ll buy them another book or give a GC of equal or lesser value.

In addition, Priya will continue to add ONE $5 increment GC for every 150 copies of the book (ebook or hardcopy) sold. So for the first 150 copies sold, I’ll add $20 GC, the second 150 copies sold, I’ll add $25 GC, etc… There’s no limit to how many gift cards she'll add to the giveaway.

HERE’S the code for the GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway