Author: mel

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Interview with…author Kelly Walker

Author Biography

Kelly Walker is a full time novelist, wife, and an all the time dreamer. Her first promotion was 8 years ago and it came with the job title of ‘Mom’. Her second promotion came with no raise in pay but a huge jump in responsibility when she became ‘Mom of two’. It’s a rewarding career but the retirement plan sucks. She is a huge advocate of animal rescue and adoption and shares her Virginia home (and couch) with three dogs and two cats.

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If you could travel in a time machine would you go back to the past or into the future? The past. I’d much rather chose to go back, where at least I kind of know what to expect. The future is so uncertain and so unknown, and it scares me. It scares me for my children, and their children because I don’t know what type of world they are going to live in.

Night owl, or early bird? Night Owl.

Skittles or M&Ms?  M&M’s. I’m quite a chocoholic.

Any other books in the works? What are your goals for future projects?  Oh goodness, lots. Cornerstone is the first in a trilogy, and that only takes into account the main books of the story. Second Stone will be out in February of 2013. Broken Stone will hopefully follow in April of 2013. In addition to the three main books of the story, I’ve got a prequel planned that will tell the story of Emariya’s parents and their love and personal sacrifices. I’d like to do a few novellas as well-In particular I know I need to write the history of The Split. It’s pretty fascinating and adds an entire extra layer of richness to the world. Rink may find himself in a short story, too. And then, I have a few non Souls of the Stones related stories in my head. One will be an adult drama, the other will be a YA paranormal.

If you could jump into the pages of a book, and live in that world.. which would it be? Harry Potter. As long as I didn’t have to be a Muggle.

What is your dream cast for your book? Definitely Taylor Swift for Emariya. I just cannot picture anyone better for the role. For Torian – Probably Ian Somerhalder. Christopher Gorham could work as well though. I actually have a pinterest board that shows my ideal looks for each, as well as some of the world. I don’t know who all these people are though! One thing that really surprised me is that the actor who played Voldemort would be a perfect Oren. http://pinterest.com/dreamersmagic/cornerstone/

What was your favorite book when you were a child? I read as often as I breathed as a child. The first book I really remember reading was The Big Black Horse -http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?index=books&linkCode=qs&keywords=0375840354  It’s a younger child’s version of The Black Stallion. As I grew up, I still loved reading about horses and I eventually read the actual Black Stallion series. By the time I was a teen, I think my favorite book was The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. I loved what it said about breaking expectations.

Is there a song you could list as the theme song for your book or any of your characters? Taylor Swift – Eyes Open – The mood of it, and even many of the lyrics really fit Cornerstone.

What’s one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors? Just do it. Don’t waste time telling yourself that you can’t or shouldn’t or couldn’t. But, get help, get feedback and get advice from people who don’t know you. I run my writing through an online critique group (Critique Circle) and it is absolutely the most valuable thing a writer can do for themselves, their career and their self esteem. Yes, it may hurt when you realize you aren’t where you want to be, but the thrill of seeing yourself improve is worth it. Plus it helps build a great support network, which we need. Writing is a solitary profession, it’s great to have company.

If you could choose only one time period and place to live, when and where would you live and why? Early Scotland. I’ve never been but pictures tell me it is beautiful. I think the people there/then had a lot of pride in their families, their heritage and their way of life. I think that is a good thing. Even though in some ways life then was harder, I think it was also simpler.

What is your favorite Quote? My favorite quote from a book is “Be Safe.” I think those two little words say so much, and I love the way it was delivered.

How did you know you should become an author? I’m still not so sure on the should part, but I don’t think I had any other choice. My main character, Emariya(Riya) lived in my head for three years, determined to get out. She really would not take no for an answer. So I wrote her story, or I’ve started to anyway. There is much more to tell.

Who are your favorite authors of all time? Stephanie Meyers – She created a book that will stick with me forever. Twilight and I are old pals. I re-read it each time my husband was deployed, and it was something that really got me through. Her characters are so memorable, and I really don’t know what it is, but they are. They just kind of stick with you. James Patterson – I’ve been reading his Cross series since I was a teen. I still love it. Elle Casey is a new favorite. She’s awesome and I love her kick-butt heroines. Diana Gabaldon – I love her Outlander series. Her words never cease to amaze me.

Can you see yourself in any of your characters? I think I’m more Jessa than Emariya.

What movie and/or book are you looking forward to this year? Breaking Dawn. Is it here yet?

What do you do in your free time? I write in my free time. Being a Mom is my first job.

If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be? Constantly Dreaming, Occasionally Achieving

What’s your favorite season? My favorite is fall. I love the plethora of colors, the refreshingly cooler weather, and pumpkins and apple cinnamon brooms! My husband was stationed in Arizona for four years and after being an east coast girl my entire life, spending four years with two seasons ( Hot and Hotter) and no real change to the landscape, I was thrilled to come home to the east coast and enjoy having seasons again. Each time the season changes I get a little thrill of excitement, but Fall is definitely my favorite of them all.

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

http://kellywalkerwrites.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/KellyWalkerAuthor
https://twitter.com/KWalkerWrites
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6546134.Kelly_Walker

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Just Finished…The First by Sara Zaske

   What a great and unexpected book!

I’d read – I think – that The First was a dystopian and so I’d left it in my Kindle dwindling having had a good dose of dystopia recently. And then I began reading it (after pressing the wrong button on my Kindle) and mistakenly thought I was reading a book about vampires and at around 15% in was wondering how the hell the people with power over nature were going to have anything to do with vampires…what can I say – I don’t always pay attention!

So – back to the book. There are dystopian elements to The First, but it would only be a dystopian book if you are one of the First People – if you’re a human, like me, then the environmental indiciators in the book are a nice nod in the direction of dystopia, but it’s not the end of the world, but a little journey down that path0. The environmental message is handled really well in the book, so it isn’t overbearing, but there are lots of good pieces of information to get you thinking.

The characters, dialogue and writing are great – very engaging, perfect pitch for a YA (I would also suggest this as being suitable for MG audience as it is clean, quirky and fun on the whole). The character voices feel authentically teenaged and the pitch, pace and action are all perfectly balanced with the motivations of the individuals. For me it felt a little like a fantasy cross-over in parts – the powers of the First People and their approach to life certainly had those elements, but it worked very well in the contemporary setting. I also liked the family/military references, which are outside the main plot, but I felt were very ‘real’ to life for anyone who has been in those situations.

Overall Thoughts: 4* – I think this was a great read. It is a nice length and paced so well to keep you reading – I got through it in four days, which is quick for me as I don’t always get too much time to read. I think the story was also very original and quality of writing was good. I would recommend this to anyone looking for an adventure story with interesting characters.

Thanks very much to Sara for releasing this free at Amazon on Earth Day, as that’s where I got my copy.

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Author Spotlight…L S Murphy

 


  Let’s meet this week’s spotlighted author… L.S. Murphy lives in the Greater St. Louis area where she watches Cardinals baseball, reads every book she can find, and weaves tales for teens and adults. When not doing all of the above, she tends to The Bean (aka her daughter), her husband and a menagerie of pets. Reaper is her debut young adult novel.She is a co-rep for the Southern Illinois region of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and a member of the St. Louis Writer’s Guild. Repped by Julia A. Weber of  J. A. Weber Literaturagentur.

 

Reaper

There’s no way sixteen year old Quincy Amarante will become the fifth grim reaper. None. Not over her shiny blue Mustang. Her Jimmy Choos. Or her dead body.
She’s supposed to enjoy her sophomore year, not learn about some freaky future Destiny says she has no choice but to fulfill.

It doesn’t take long for Quincy to realize the only way out of the game is to play along especially since Death can find her anyway, anywhere, anytime. And does. Like when she’s reassuring her friends she wants nothing to do with former best friend Ben Moorland, who’s returned from god-knows-where, and fails. Miserably.

Instead of maintaining her coveted popularity status, Quincy’s goes down like the Titanic. Maybe … just maybe … that’s okay. It seems, perhaps, becoming a grim reaper isn’t just about the dead but more about a much needed shift in Quincy’s priorities—from who she thinks she wants to be to who she really is.

 

Want to know more? Check out the links!

Blog: http://lsmurphy.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LSMurphy

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LSMurphyAuthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5046440.L_S_Murphy

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Emily Read…The Perks of Being a Wallflower

 Emily is our Goodreads pal and all-round lovely lady! 🙂 And, as you’ll know from our side-bar, her blog Confessions of a Bookaholic is one of our favourites. Now and again we feature her book reviews on Aside from Writing so you can get to know her too… ‘now’ is one of those days! 🙂 

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Cover Rating: 4/5 Stars
Overall Rating: 5/5 Stars

 

‘I walk around the school hallways and look at the people. I look at the teachers and wonder why they’re here. Not in a mean way. In a curious way. It’s like looking at all the students and wondering who’s had their heart broken that day… or wondering who did the heart breaking and why.’
Charlie is a freshman. And while he’s not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But Charlie can’t stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

 

 

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I picked up this book for what you may think is a strange reason. I was looking at a list of banned books online and it annoyed me so much that I picked one at random to read. It happened to be this one and I must say, I’m glad! I adored this book, I really did. It exceeded my expectations. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower is told entirely in letters to an unknown source. There are many speculations about who the letters are to but personally I like not knowing, it adds to the point of the book. In these letters the main character documents a year or so of his life and we get to come along for the ride. Truthfully this book had me on the edge of tears a good many times.

There are not many characters that I disliked in this book because even the annoying ones had such real personalities that it was difficult to hate. The main character, Charlie, I absolutely loved. His voice was so individual and unlike any narration I have read. At the start I thought Charlie’s childish nature was a bit strange for his age but as the book went on I got my suspicions as to why he was like that. He had two close friends though I always got the impression that Charlie was more of a tagalong than a proper friend. Patrick and Sam were his best friends. I really liked them because they were so lifelike as was his sister. The author is gifted with the ability of making believable characters.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and am considering going back to that banned books list to get more recommendations and be a bit of a rebel. I would recommend this book to everyone even if they’re just reading it because it was banned like I was originally. Charlie’s world was one that I would love to visit again but as this is a standalone I will have to make do with the one book. Although there is a film coming out this year and trust me, I will be first in line to see it.

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My favorite quotes:
“So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I’m still trying to figure out how that could be.”

“…we accept the love we think we deserve.”  

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Read Emily’s interview with us here!

Goodread Group: Books, Blogs, Authors and More

 http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/62777.Books_Blogs_Authors_and_More

My blog: http://emily-confessionsofabookaholic.blogspot.com/

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Guest Post…from Deanna Proach

 Our guest post today – a piece told from her character’s perspective – is by Deanna Proach, author of Day of Revenge, a historical fiction set in revolutionary France, and To Be Maria, featured below. Aside from writing novels, Deanna is actively involved in her local theatre community as an actress and she’s learning the art of medieval sword fighting. You can find out more about her and her books at http://deannaswriting.wordpress.com.

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Seventeen-year-old Anya Preschnikov wants to become a famous actress but she’s faced with two problems. Her father ignores her and doesn’t have any money to support her. At school, she’s bullied on a daily basis, yet she believes that she will gain her stepping-stone to stardom if she’s accepted by her peers.

All of this changes when Maria Hernandez–an immigrant from Spain–comes to Peach Valley Senior High. Maria knows what it takes to fit in. She’s assertive, confident and she dresses suggestively, characteristics that all of the popular kids admire. Yet she sees in Anya what no one else sees: beauty and talent.

When Maria extends her hand of friendship, Anya is elated. Her rise to popularity is about to become a reality, but it ends at a house party when a boy’s rude comment sends her into a rage.

Desperate to belong somewhere, Anya and Maria seek new friends outside of school. They meet Alex and Marissa, a young couple who eagerly welcomes them into their world of parties and drugs. Anya and Maria soon find out that Alex is a drug dealer, but they are so lured by his wealth, good looks and aggressive confidence that they can’t resist his friendship. They don’t know that Alex’s gang is at war with a rival gang–one that’s run by Anya’s older brother, Adrik–until one incident puts their lives in danger’s path. To make matters worse, Alex won’t let Anya and Maria out of his sight. The two teens are forced to make a decision that’s a matter of life or death.

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Christmas Through The Eyes of Anya Preschnikov (MC in To be Maria).
It had been published on my blog last year, then in the July Issue of ‘Supporting Authors One Read at a Time’ emagazine. But since November is closer to Christmas, I think this will go well.
Christmas. As far as I can remember, no one in my supposed family has ever celebrated Christmas. I mean, my dad’s a chronic alcoholic. And a loser. He can’t even hold onto a job. I mean, I don’t think he can. He hardly even talks to me, so I don’t know anything about the latest job he works at.Sophia, my younger sister, apparently got invited to a friend’s place for a celebration on Christmas day. I didn’t think she had any good friends. She’s quite the bitch you know. So, when I heard that she was invited out, I was quite surprised. And jealous and hurt. Of course, Sophia had to tell me that she’s spending all of Christmas Eve with that friend’s family.

“I can’t wait to spend Christmas with my best friend,” she had to tell me.

I felt incredibly insulted by that comment, so I had to ask, “Well, what about your older sister? Am I not good enough to spend Christmas with? I’m your sister for god’s sake.”

You know how she responded? She cast me a side glance and said, “Dream on, Anya. You can’t give me what I want. Besides, I’d far rather be with my friend than with you, Dad and your stupid boyfriend.”

Boy did I lay into her. “Fine! Go! A very Merry Christmas to you too. I hope you choke on your friend’s turkey while you trip over a gift.” I still don’t regret saying that to her. Ever since she entered sixth grade, she’s been a self-serving, snot-nosed little bitch. I’m so sick of her shitty attitude. Now that I think about it, I’m glad I don’t have to see her over Christmas. Hopefully, she’ll stay with her friend for the entire holiday. I’d rather spend Christmas alone than with her.

At the beginning of November, Patrick told me that his family will be spending Christmas with his relatives in Ireland. Like I said earlier, I’ve never celebrated Christmas and frankly, I’ve never liked it, but I don’t want to be alone. I’ve spent Christmas with the O’Connell’s the last four years and we’ve always had a really good time, despite the fact I don’t like Christmas. They sure know how to celebrate. Their house is always decked out with bright lights that make the snow sparkle at night.

I really like the nativity scene that they put on display in their living room. I’m not a Christian, yet I get so drawn in by the baby Jesus and his father and mother. I’ve heard the Christmas story so many times, I always think about how tough their lives were in those days and I can relate to them. They were poor, like me. There was no room for them in the inn. They had no house, no family to take them in and then they had to run far away because, if they would have stayed in Bethlehem, King Herod would have killed their only son. Whenever I think about them, I don’t feel so bad.

When I first heard that Patrick won’t be here, I was really upset. I cried for several hours after I got home from school. I’ve been secretly hoping that they’d take me with them to Ireland, but Patrick hasn’t asked me and I don’t think it would be right to invite myself. Besides, his relatives don’t know me. It wouldn’t be the same. So, I guess I’ll have to do something to keep myself from going nuts. I could really use some steady income, so I think I’m going to get a job. I’m also going to get ready for my auditions.

We have to audition for Mr. Hawthorne’s–my acting teacher–advanced acting class. The auditions are in the middle of January. I want to be an actor so bad, so I have to get into this class. It means all the world to me. So, I better get ready for it, like now.

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Amazon   Barnes and Noble

 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/deanna.proach

Twitter: @deannaproach

 Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4388748.Deanna_Proach

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Interview with…author Marta Stahlfeld

Today we’re featuring an interview with YA author Marta Stahlfeld – one of our regular team, Tony, met Marta on his travels in the US this summer, at one of her book signings. Tony wanted to feature Marta on the blog and so here’s her interview! 

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The death of the foxes’ ruling oracle, Scythe, bodes ill for the Wraith Mice around Darkwoods and their allies near and far. With the change in leadership, all sides know their uncertain relationship with the foxes will, too soon, erupt into a vicious war. Possessing the ability to melt into the darkness and renowned in warfare, the Wraith Mice rally the squirrel tribes, Ranger Mice, and others to defend their territory—and their very lives.

A young one among them, Princess Zuryzel understands the gravity of the situation and rises fearlessly to the challenges of the ruthless invaders. Possessing the traits of a natural leader and wise beyond her years, Zuryzel knows she must follow the difficult path before her. But can she overcome the challenges in time to defeat the hated foxes?

“The first book in an
exciting new epic fantasy series
for preteens and teens!”

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Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book. Darkwoods and Pasadagavra are exciting fantasy stories that have likeable characters and a thrilling story.

 

Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects? I’m currently working on Graystone, the novel that succeeds Pasadagavra.

 

What inspired you to want to become a writer? I just love to write.

 

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published. When I was told that my writing inspired other people to start writing.

 

If you could jump in to a book, and live in that world.. which would it be? Other than mine – The Chronicles of Narnia, especially the Voyage of the Dan Treader!

 

What is your dream cast for your book? Any actors/actresses who are heroes both on screen and off screen – Mark Harmon would have to be on it!

 

What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

 

What one piece of advice would you give aspiring authors? When you write you may not mean to convey a message, but still examine your writing to see what your story says. In other words, be careful not to portray a theme you don’t believe in. It’s harder than it seems.

 

What is your favourite quote? Extraordinary things only happen to extraordinary people – Reepicheep in Voyage of the Dawn Treader

 

Who are your favourite authors of all time? J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, John Flanagan, J.K. Rowling, Jim Butcher, Brian Jacques.

 

Hidden talent? Irish step dance.

 

What movie and/or book are you looking forward to this year? The first Hobbit movie!

 

How do you react to a bad review? I ignore it.

 

If you were a bird, which one would you be? A hummingbird.

 

What do you do in your free time? I write or practice dance.

 

Summer or Winter? In literature, Winter over Summer. But in real life, it has to be Summer.

 

Harry Potter or Twilight? Harry Potter.

 

Favourite quote from a movie? “It’s just like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The one’s that really mattered. Full of Darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end, because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, the Shadow. Even Darkness must past. A new day will come, and when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer.” ~ Sam Gamgee, The Two Towers

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Darkwoods, by Marta Stahlfeld
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Just Finished…Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

   I really enjoyed the first book in this series when I read it earlier this year and in many ways Dreamless delivered just as well as Starcrossed did. I do like the way Angelini uses the traditional mythology: some very famous and obvious, such as Helen and Paris, the Oracle, etc. with others less common.

Certainly, I read the book quickly and found it difficult to put down (although the chapters are quite long, so that could explain it!) But I didn’t enjoy the dynamics between the characters as much as I did in the first book – I missed Helen and Lucas’s intensity and was quite put off by how their relationship developed/dwindled in Dreamless – I understand why this was necessary for the plot, but I still missed them.

There’s lots of romantic developments for other characters, which if you’ve read Starcrossed I’m sure you can guess at – they were fine, but I wasn’t overly fussed. The baddies are good though and I thought the overall plot was interesting. Angelini’s skirting around the idea of a love triangle towards the end of the book – I hope she doesn’t opt for this ‘go to’ plot device in Book 3 as it’s been done too much recently and I’ll probably switch right off.

Overall Verdict: 4* People who liked Starcrossed will enjoy this I’m sure – doesn’t suffer too badly from ‘second book syndrome’. For a mythology YA it’s one of the better series around.

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Interview with…author Amy Martin

Following our review of her debut novel, In Your Dreams, today we’re welcoming author Amy Martin for an interview…

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Author Biography

Amy Martin wrote and illustrated her first book at the age of ten and gave it to her fourth grade teacher, who hopefully lost it in her house somewhere and didn’t share it with anyone else. Not counting that early experiment in self-publishing, In Your Dreams is Amy Martin’s first Young Adult novel.

A native of St. Charles, MO, Amy currently lives in Lexington, KY with her husband and a ferocious attack tabby named Cleo. When not writing or reading, she can usually be found watching sports, drinking coffee, or indulging her crippling Twitter habit (and, sometimes, doing all three at once). You can follow her on Twitter at @ThatAmyMartin.

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1. One of the main characters in your book, Kieran, suffers with narcolepsy. What made you want to write about someone with this condition and what kind of research did you do to make him realistic? 

I’ve always been fascinated by sleeping, dreams, and how the brain functions in general, so having a character with narcolepsy who can dream parts of the future seemed like a good way to explore some of the themes I wanted to delve into in In Your Dreams. Kieran turns out to have something more complicated than just simple narcolepsy, but I didn’t want to take too many fictional liberties with what is a very real condition. For research, I read some pretty dense medical articles on the subject, along with reading books and personal testimonials from people with narcolepsy. Once I understood the common symptoms and behaviors, I felt comfortable enough to incorporate those qualities into Kieran’s character. My hope is that I’ve represented people with this disorder accurately and fairly.

 

2. Titusville – where you set In Your Dreams – sounds like text-book small-town living, American-style to a Brit like me – is this the world you grew up in? And what did you like most about the setting that made it fit with your story? 

I actually grew up in suburban St. Louis, MO, but my parents grew up in a small town, and my husband’s family is from a small town. Years ago, I worked as an admissions counselor for a college in Illinois, and I would travel around to high schools speaking to students—I’ve probably visited every small town in northern and central Illinois, and Titusville is a mash-up of those places. What really stood out to me about those towns is how everything revolves around the high school, whether the citizens were high school students, adults, or little kids—the high school is really the center of the social universe in a way that it isn’t in larger towns or cities. The small-town setting fit with the story because Zip is a small-town girl who realizes that there’s life after high school, and she can’t wait to get started on it. And the Laniers, who have always lived in cities, move to Titusville because they think they’ll be safe living in the middle of nowhere, not realizing that in small towns, everyone’s business in everyone else’s business as well.

 

3. There’s a strong ‘jock’ edge to Zip’s character in your book – do you play basketball yourself, or have an interest in the sport you wanted to see developed in a character? 

I always wanted to play basketball, but unfortunately, I’ve been cursed with a horrible lack of coordination. But I’ve been a basketball fan all my life and have a fairly good understanding of the game. Basketball, particularly at the point guard position (Zip’s position), involves being in control—running the offense, being able to see what’s happening on the entire floor rather than just a portion of it, and anticipating what the other team is going to do. I thought those themes of control and trying to anticipate what’s going to happen fit in with some of the larger themes in the book. And I wanted Zip to be a strong, goal-oriented female character, and having her be an athlete gave me a way to infuse that into her.

 

4. If you could have any superpower what would you choose?   Flying, probably. I have a mild fear of heights and flying on airplanes, so I’d love to know I could just take off of and be up high and be safe.

 

5. Skittles or M&Ms?   I love both, but I seem to reach for the Skittles most of the time

 

6. Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.  You should read In Your Dreams because it’s an original, twist-filled ride with a strong heroine and a great love story.

 

7. Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects? 

I conceived In Your Dreams as a three-book series, so I’m currently working on the second and third books (I’m hoping to have the second book out in early 2013). I’d love to do something in the future along the lines (tone and character-wise) of the Veronica Mars TV series, one of my all-time favorites.

 

8. What inspired you to want to become a writer?

I’m an only child, so I’ve always been used to spending time alone, making up stories to amuse myself. Around nine or ten years old, I started reading Judy Blume’s books and was blown away by the fact that there was an adult out there who seemed to understand everything I was going through as a kid. I wanted to one day be able to impact someone with my writing in the way that she impacted me.

 

9. Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.

Having readers tell me that they love the book and they love Zip and Kieran’s relationship is really gratifying. Writing and publishing is like giving birth and then sending your children out alone into the world, so I really worried how people would respond. Knowing that there are readers who “get” Zip and Kieran and love them is so rewarding.

 

10. What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen? 

Probably Judy Blume’s Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. I read that book when I was just entering puberty myself, so all of Margaret’s concerns about maturing and becoming a woman were my concerns. I felt a little less alone and weird after reading that book.

 

11. What’s one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?   Read a wide variety of works and write often. I probably have several novels’ worth of writing on my computer that will never see the light of day, but I needed that practice in order to learn the craft.

 

12. When you were little, what did you want to be when you “grew up”?

I saw an architect on Sesame Street, and so I wanted to be that for a while, until I discovered I was no good at math. Then I wanted to be the first female to pitch in the Major Leagues, because I was huge baseball fan. Once I grew out of that, I wanted to be a writer.

 

13. If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play the lead role and why?

I don’t know who would play me as a young woman, but Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls, Parenthood) could probably play me now. I’ve had several students in the past when Gilmore Girls was still on tell me “Oh, my God—you are sooo Lorelai Gilmore.” Maybe Alexis Bledel should play young me since she was Rory Gilmore. Somehow, I doubt I’m ever going to have to worry about this. J

 

14. Cats or Dog?   I’ve never had a dog, so I’ll go with cats. My cat is my constant companion when I write.

 

15. Facebook or Twitter?   Twitter.

 

16. Text or Talk?   Text. When I talk, sometimes I get myself into trouble. 🙂 With text, I have to think about what I’m saying before I hit “send.”

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Twitter: @ThatAmyMartin

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6472261.Amy_Martin

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Just Finished…In Your Dreams by Amy Martin

This book is great: from the well-rounded characters, to the interesting twist-filled, but believable plot I went for this hook, line and sinker.

Told from Zip’s (Zara ‘Zip’ McKee) point of view – a heroine with a nice combination of self-depreciation, sporting ability, brains and maturity (that doesn’t seem like a 30-year-old in a 17-year-old!) – the story unfolds in traditional YA territory of high school. But the gorgeous new guy, with pale skin thankfully doesn’t turn out to be a vampire (or anything else otherworldly), but someone who suffers with narcolepsy.

The treatment of Kieran’s condition was very interesting – I’d never really thought about how people with narcolepsy deal with various situations and seeing Zip having to work these out as their relationship develops gave an added layer of interest for me and also showed a good deal of Zip’s character and outlook on life. It was nice to read about realistic characters dealing with real world issues, that can be just as problematic as dealing with being a YA in the first place! Hormones and high school are tough enough without passing out on a regular basis :)

All the key characters: Kayla, the parents, Kieran, Zip’s team mates… are all well-drawn and as you work through some of the twists and turns I think hold up well with their behaviour and motivation. I loved the dialogue and scene-setting in this book: Zip and Kieran bounce off one another so well that you could be watching them bantering away; and Zip is similar with her mother and Kayla over time. I had a few ‘awwww’ moments in their relationship – they are very cute and believable, without being cheesy. I also found that I really wanted to know what happened next – I read the book in a couple of days which is quick for me – all credit to the author, whose style of writing is engaging, fun and balances plot/drama with regular characters extremely well.

Overall: 4.5* A great debut and I was very pleased to see that this was ‘The End of Book One’ as I reached the last page – I would certainly look out for anything Amy Martin writes in the future and definitely want to hear more from the lovely Zip!

PS – Thanks to author Amy Martin for providing me a copy of this to read / review – love it from the minute I started reading it in the hairdressers! :)

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Writing 101…How to Get Reviews

We already discussed writing reviews, and now it’s time for a topic that might be even more important to indie writers: getting reviews. Be willing to devote time to it, because reviews will help you as a writer in multiple ways.
How to Get Reviews
I feel confident in saying all indie writers want to get reviews from readers. Good reviews can add a certain appeal to your book, and they make it plain to book shoppers that someone, someday, read your book and felt strongly enough about it to write a review. People want what other people like; that’s just human nature. Having reviews can increase your sales and make your book look more interesting to readers. Now, all you’ve got to do is go out and get some.
  • Publish your book. If you want to get reviews, it helps to publish your book in multiple places. If you’re using Amazon’s KDP Select program, you actually don’t have this option — but you can still list your book at Goodreads. A social media site devoted to book readers, Goodreads can be a wonderful source of reviews for your work. The more places you can list your book, the more people will find it — and that means more reviews.
  • Find reviewers. I know, easier said than done. But once you know how to find reviewers, you’ll always have the skill — which is good, because you’ll need it again and again. The indie writer’s greatest resource is book blogs. Use your favorite search engine, and start seeking them out. There are lots of different ways to search. Look for blogs that cater to indie writers, blogs that cater to books within your genre, and blogs that discuss books and book reviews in general. Make a list of bookmarks for all the viable-looking blogs you find, and search their resource pages to find links to other book blogs.
  • Ask properly. Once you find potential book reviewers, don’t just flood them with free books and emails. Take the time to look around the blog and read some of the reviews. Look at the review policy to make sure your book meets all the right criteria. Then, and only then, write a brief email to the book reviewer. Introduce yourself and your book in one sentence or less. When asking for the review, tell the reviewer why you want them to review your work. Does it fit in with the other books on their blog? Do you like something about this reviewer’s specific style? Be succinct. Close the email with the blurb for your book, your relevant links and any other brief information you would like to include. Do not send them a free book; wait for them to ask you if they are interested.
  • Promote it. If you’re looking for reviews and reviewers, say so. Tweet about it, blog about it, announce it on Facebook. You can’t possibly find every available reviewer through an Internet search, and you never know who’s out there looking for new reading material.
  • Encourage it. Want readers to review your book? Tell them so. Include an “About the Author” at the end of your book, and invite readers to share their opinion of your work by reviewing it. Some readers simply don’t think of giving reviews. Why can’t you be the one to put the thought in their heads?
Trading Reviews
My own personal beliefs on reviews have evolved — quickly, I might add. I have a lot of thoughts on review trades that others don’t agree with, but to each their own. My opinion on the subject of trading reviews is this: don’t do it. I’m going to tell you why.
Indie writers are exactly like traditional writers in every single respect, without all the polish. Some indie writers are fantastic, with a strong command of editing skills, grammar and punctuation. But some indie writers areunbelievably bad at same. The moment you agree to a review trade with an indie that you don’t know and never have read, you’re more or less jumping off a cliff. Will you land on a pillowy-soft, fantastic book that cradles you gently in its pages…or into a pile of shite?
You have no way of knowing, and therein lies the problem with review trades. Here’s a review rule I live by: don’t ever commit. No one should have to clench their jaw, screw their courage to the sticking place and forcethemselves to waste time reading a book they positively hate in every single way. I’ve been there, and it’s not fun. You do a review trade, you commit, you open the door up for regret and eye-rolling that could last for days, even weeks. You can attempt to save yourself some pain by reading samples, working with only trusted indies and sticking to strict guidelines (I, for example, will not read your book if it isn’t justified the right way. No more exceptions).
Paying for Reviews
Lots of writers have lots of strong opinions about paid reviews. One of the more well-known is Kirkus, who by my book charges exorbitant and astronomical rates for their reviews. But a Kirkus review does carry a certain cachet, and some indie authors may have plenty of money to spend. Every business and every brand name is expected to spend money on marketing, and no indie can ever get the whole thing done completely for free (because, at the very least, you’ll have to pay for a copyright). So if you want to spend your money on reviews, spend it on reviews. It is, after all, your money.
Bad Reviews?
There are no bad reviews if you’re an indie writer. First of all, no matter what the review says you should sit back and bask in the glow of your computer screen regardless of anything. Why? Because you just moved someone with your writing — and isn’t that what you wanted? You actually motivated someone to write down their thoughts, you got them thinking, and you wrote something they remembered long enough to sign onto a website, at least. In today’s world, that’s no small achievement.
Second of all, any advice you get from any reader is valuable. Take every single comment seriously, no matter how it stings, because this one reader could be thinking something similar to dozens of other readers. You want to know what all your readers think, but in lieu of hunting them through cyberspace you’ve got to rely on the ones who feel strongly enough to comment. If you see a negative comment, think of it as a challenge. Here’s something you can improve upon in this book, or the next book, or tomorrow when you sit down to write a new chapter.

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This post originally featured on Jade Varden’s author blog on 29th May 2012.

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Author Jade Varden is a regular guest contributor on Aside From Writing. The Writing 101 features originate from her own blog  at http://jadevarden.blogspot.co.uk where you can see more of her thoughts on writing, as well as her own books. Her debut novel Justice and sequel The Tower are available now! Read our review of Justice here.