Interviews

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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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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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Interview with…author Kylee Gwartney


About the Author 

Kylee Gwartney is a Tulsa native and recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma. She loves writing teen fiction and is excited to see where this passion will take her. She also loves Italian food, traveling, French, and – of course – Justin Bieber. Her favorite authors are JK Rowling, Cecily von Ziegesar, Sara Shepard, Gabrielle Bernstein, and Rick Riordan.

Kylee’s debut novel, Catching the Fever, is out now!

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If you could travel in a time machine where would you go? I’d definitely go back to 1700s France – like Marie Antoinette times. I’m really girly so petticoats, powdered wigs, and macaroons in Paris sound like heaven. Paris is one of my favorite cities on earth.

 

It’s your fantasy dinner party…which five people are there? JK Rowling, Jennifer Lawrence, Justin Bieber, Harry Styles, and Prince Harry.

 

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you? An endless supply of queso, Lush Herbalism face scrub, and Australian Gold sunscreen.

 

What is your favourite quote? “When you stop doing things for fun, you might as well be dead.” – Hemingway

 

When you were little, what did you want to be when you “grew up”? The first thing I ever wanted to be was a ballerina. Then it was a veterinarian, marine biologist, dermatologist, and a magazine editor. I’ve always loved writing, but it took until my sophomore year of college to realize I want to write fiction forever.

 

Can you see yourself in any of your characters? Absolutely! All four of my main characters have pieces of me in them. Claudia is my stubborn, determined-to-succeed side; Brynn is the really girly, loving side; Norah is the shy, unsure side. Paisley, I could relate to a lot at the beginning of high school. I remember thinking I was just so inexperienced because I was a fifteen-year-old who hadn’t been kissed, while everyone else was doing you know what!

 

What movie are you looking forward to this year? Perks of Being a Wallflower, which will be out by the time this is online. I loved Logan Lerman in Percy Jackson, and who wouldn’t love Emma Watson as an American?

 

What was your favorite children’s book? Cat Traps

 

Do you have a nickname? I have a ton! Ky, Kyker, Kyle, Kylers, Kyki, Ky Ky, Mur, Fobe, Fozz, and Fatty. The last four are what my best friends call me, and yes, they’re super weird names!

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you? “You accept the love you think you deserve.”  It’s subtle but good advice. My friend Derrick always said this to me when I was in a really unhealthy relationship in the past. The guy treated me like crap, but ultimately I was the one who let him do that. There comes a point when no matter how much you love someone, you have to realize your worth and remember what you deserve.

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

www.twitter.com/kyleegwartney

 www.facebook.com/CatchingTheFever

The Book: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15761349-catching-the-fever

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Interview with…Author Marc Nash

Author Marc Nash joined us with a guest post on Sunday, discussing experimental fiction and why he writes…today he is back for an interview so we can learn a little more about him!

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Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book. For a different type of read than you may be used to

Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects? Lots of books, but what I’m dying to do is work with someone to make a kinetic typography video of one of my flash fiction pieces. What’s kinetic typography? It’s animated text that moves along a screen and can do all sorts of interesting things visually. Then I want to perform it with a live scratch DJ

What has been your most rewarding experience since being published? Live readings. I put on a bit of a ‘show’ and I love the immediacy of the audience’s response

What was your favorite book when you were a child? I didn’t read books until I was 14. That first book was very significant to me as it got me reading, it was “L’Etranger” by Albert Camus

Is there a song that you would list as the theme song for your book? Every one of my books has its soundtrack. My WIP is going to have a Spotify playlist link when it’s published, as every song on it is referred to in the book

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? You will receive a lot of conflicting advice about your work, so stay true to your own artistic vision as the ultimate arbiter

If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play the lead role and why? Martin Sheen. (Not Charlie!) I like his intensity and integrity. Not sure if he could do the humour though

Who are your favorite authors of all time? Franz Kafka, Samuel Beckett, Jonathan Lethem, Don Dellllo, Jeanette Winterson, David Peace

Can you see yourself in any of your characters? Whatever anyone else tells you, all novels are autobiographical! All my characters emerge from me, different parts of me, or other people’s anecdotes and stories that I’ve made ‘mine’

How do you react to a bad review? I welcome it as much as a good one and respect the reader for trying to engage with my work even if ultimately it wasn’t their type of thing

If you were an animal, what would you be? Well I love vultures, find them endlessly fascinating. Not sure I’d want to be one though. They have a bad rep! I did write a flash story from a vulture’s point of view though

You have won the lottery, what is the first thing that you would buy? A study with walled bookshelves and music speakers to the ceiling. At the moment I write on my lap sat on my bed while my books are shelved in the shed…

Favorite music? Experimental! What else did you expect me to say? Let’s just call it ‘art noise’

Chocolate or Vanilla? Does anyone ever answer vanilla? Because if so they’re fibbing

City or Country? Argggh, city, city city. I’d shrivel up and die in the country!

Spontaneity or Planning Ahead? You’re probably not surprised if I say spontaneity right?

Beach or Pool? Library!

Cats or Dog? Cats, superior creatures who will one day inherit the Earth

Cause or Effect? Quantum physics, so neither and both

Favorite quote from a movie? “I love the smell of napalm in the morning”

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A,B&E

From the black market economy of the 1980’s through the gangsterism behind the Clubbing scene of the 1990’s, to today’s decade of drift and low cost airline hedonism, one woman in exile has lived it all. On the run from her gangster husband, Karen Dash is hiding out in a Club 18-30 resort in Kavos on the island of Corfu. A home from home as the neo-colonial horde of hens, stags, booze cruisers and sex tourists turn mythical, Classical Greece into Little Britain. Meanwhile, back in the UK, an NHS nurse decides she has had enough of being assaulted by the patients she is trying to help heal…

A guided tour into the contemporary British soul, conducted by the presiding Mother Spirit as a barfly Scheherazade and an arse-slapping midwife. Avenging angels both. This scurrilous and scabrous book not only peels away the sunburnt skin of our hens, stags, booze cruisers and sex tourists, but delights in jabbing fingers into the pus below. Wish you were anywhere but here ?

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About the Author: Marc Nash lives and works in London. He has been in the counter-culture of the indie music scene for 20 years and now works for a non-government organisation monitoring censorship around the world. He has twin boys whose football team he coached for two years, which gave him more stress than anything to do with writing! He has published 4 books on Kindle, recorded 19 videos on YouTube and performs live readings often in costume! His next ambition is to perform a piece with live backing from a scratch DJ.

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Amazon.com.Author Page

Website   Blog   Goodreads   YouTube Channel

Twitter: @21stCscribe

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Interview with…Stephanie from HERE! :)

We’re very excited to welcome Stephanie to Aside from Writing today. She is a new member of our blogging team here and you’ll have already seen some of her reviews and posts over recent weeks. Stephanie also blogs for herself at My World. Let’s find out more…

So…can you tell us a little about yourself and your blog?

It’s a small (newbie) blog with all things books.  I’m trying to branch out and include much more than just my own reviews now and it’s really starting to come together, I think.

What prompted you to start writing the blog in the beginning?

Honestly, I got the account  just to enter a giveaway I saw on twitter, I believe.  Then I figured since I had it, I would start writing and started out just writing general life stories, and then got into reviewing the books I read, and so on.

What are your favourite parts of blogging?

I love the writing!  I enjoy sharing my thoughts about the books I read with others and love it when I get feedback!  (That lets me know I’m not talking to myself)  I also love getting in contact with other bloggers and authors.

Any tough bits?

I think the toughest bits of it for me are getting the word out there.  I know I have a decent viewing audience, for me anyway, but still not many followers.

What’s an ideal day for you – and how do you fit your writing, reading, blog into that, along with motherhood and work?!

An “ideal” day for me would be to get a lot of reading/writing/blogging in AND still have plenty of family/housecleaning time. I’m still working on that perfect balance, I still find myself neglecting one area while pouring most of my time into another.  Fortunately, I have been juggling each so not just one thing gets all my time and I’m getting better at the management of my time.

We know that you’re also doing your own writing, tell us more!

I haven’t gotten much on paper, yet, and what I have written, I have already changed in my head.  I’m very new at this and just hope its good enough that people will want to read it.  I have always been a “daydreamer”, one quick look at the comments on all my elementary school report cards will show that.  I always seem to have a story running through my head.

What I’m working on right now is a story of a young, small town girl who, through some disruptions to her “normal” life, makes some discoveries about who she really is and what it could possibly mean to a lot of people.  There will be some romance, of course, and it’s definitely a paranormal story.

What genres/authors do you love to read?  

A few months ago, I would have said YA/Paranormal Romance, with sometimes branching to a thriller. Since I’ve been reading books for review, I have discovered that, while that’s still my favorite, I have really enjoyed genres I never expected to!

As for authors, that changes a lot since I love so many of them, but right now, I can say Lauren Kate, Amanda Hocking, Cassandra Clare, PC Cast, Jenna Black.. and those are just a few that I’ve read a lot of and loved, there’s plenty that I have only read one book from, but still absolutely loved; such as Julie K. Rose and Christopher David Peterson.. I could go on all day about authors and books!

Do you think your reading tastes and experiences influence your writing?

I definitely believe that’s true!  For me, a good book is like a Calgon bath, for those of you old enough to remember those commercials!  I love a book that can transport me to some other realm of reality, or at least get me caught up in its world!  I would definitely put the book I’d like to write into the paranormal romance category.

The Random Questions:

If you could be a character from any book – who would it be and why?   That’s really hard for me, I love so many!  But I’d want to be a paranormal of some sort, not just a slight human girl in love with one.  I would want to be strong and powerful, like maybe Alice Cullen, Dana from the Fairiewalker series, or Zoey from the House of Night series.

The reason is, of course, to not have to rely on everyone around to keep me safe.. I’d like to be the one to keep others safe, and let’s face it, the abilities of some of these heroines are amazing!

Favourite fictional world – where would you live?   One that immediately comes to mind is Rivendell from The Lord of the Rings, it’s beautiful!

Best super-evil baddie?   The first one to come to mind at the moment is Cam, *swoon*!  He may not be necessarily a villain to some, but he’s a bad boy, and wow!

I also think of Peter from My Blood Approves, by Amanda Hocking, again, not the villain, but a definite jerk.. You don’t realize until later in the series exactly why and the last book makes him ah-mazing in my eyes!

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4190077-stephanie

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/Stephsgrn

My Blog:  http://stephsgrn.blogspot.com/

My Food Blog:  http://fromstephskitchen.blogspot.com/

Google+  https://plus.google.com/u/0/110791132875372753313/posts

Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/stephsgrn/

I will be working on my wordpress blog as well, I started with blogger and am just getting the wordpress underway.

http://stephsgrn.wordpress.com/

I am still working on making it my own, stay tuned!

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Interview with…Author Tony Talbot

 Blog regular Tony Talbot’s latest book, Eight Mile Island, was released recently and to support its launch, we have a special author interview with Tony today, to help you learn a little bit more about him and his writing! 

Here’s Tony!

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1. You have invented an operational time machine, where would you go?

I’d go back into the past…maybe 17th century Vienna, and see a Mozart or Beethoven symphony performed for the first time.

2. If you could invite any five people to dinner who would you choose?

Oscar Wilde, Winston Churchill, John Lennon, Ernest Shackleton and Ada Lovelace. I realise I have four men and one woman in that list!

3. You are stranded on a desert island; what three things would you want to have with you?

The Idiots guide to surviving on a desert island

A satellite phone with 4G Internet

Kelly Brook!

4. What is one book everyone should read?

Ooo…tricky. To Kill a Mockingbird.

5. If you could have any superpower what would you choose?

Flight, every time. Imagine the time I’d save at the airport.

6. What is your favourite flavor of ice cream?

Chocolate.

7. If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?

There’s an Antarctic explorer I’m fascinated with, Apsley Cherry-Garrard. I’d love to pick his brains about Antarctica.

8. What is your favourite thing to eat for breakfast?

Leftover trifle.

9. Night owl, or early bird?

Neither! Mid morning from 11:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon.

10. Pet Peeves?

Driving while on the phone.

11. Do you have any other books in development at the moment? What are your goals for future projects? 

I started the first chapter of book five about the same time as I was finally wrapping up Eight Mile Island. I’d love to do a trilogy one day, but new ideas always pop into my head and I’m off on to something new.

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

I had a reviewer for my first book – Over the Mountain –  say it made them cry…since it is a very sad and serious book, mission accomplished.

13. What’s your favourite season/weather?

I love autumn. The colours are just amazing, and there’s more of a sense that a day with good weather is something you should get outside and enjoy.

14. If you could jump inside the pages of a book, and live in that world.. which would it be?

It would have to be the Harry Potter universe. Wouldn’t a tour of Hogwarts or Diagon Alley be something else?

15. What was your favourite book when you were a child?

I loved Bedknob and Broomstick by Mary Norton. I read it and re-read it time and time again, and it’s one of the reasons I love reading and writing. It soaked into me.

16. Can you see yourself in any of your characters?

All of them have parts of me, and all of them have attributes I wish I had…more bravery, more street smarts. I have to say most of them are smarter than I am!

17. Can you write a Haiku about your book?

very creepy location

from which there is no escape

visit eight mile island

18. What is your favourite quote from a movie?

“Now….bring me that horizon.” Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean

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You can enter to win your very own copy of Eight Mile Island for Kindle / PDF in our giveaway!

**CLICK HERE**

Welcome to Eight Mile Island. 

Dylan James is used to boarding schools. He’s been thrown out of so many in the past two years, he’s lost count. So when an elite academy in Oregon offers him a place, he doesn’t think he’ll be there more than a week.
 
But Eight Mile Island isn’t like anywhere Dylan has been before. In the dense forests around the school, there are things that look human but aren’t.
 
Things that are hungry, and waiting.
 
But that’s just the start of the mysteries, mysteries that mean Dylan may never escape. Even if he wants to…

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Website: http://www.tony-talbot.co.uk

Twitter: @authortony

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

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/tony-talbot

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Interview with…Author Suzanne Lilly

Today we’re welcoming author Suzanne Lilly for an interview…

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First off, let me just say these questions are the most fun I’ve had in an interview yet! Okay, now I’ll dive in and tell you my answers.

 

If you could have any superpower what would you choose?

The power to make people’s dreams come true. So you want to drive a Mercedes? Zap! You’ve got it. World peace? Zap! No problem. If I could make dreams come true, maybe the world would be a happier place.

 

In one sentence only, tell us why we should read your book.

If you found sunglasses that tell the future, wouldn’t you want to try them on?

 

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

Untellable is coming out in February 2013. It also takes place in Honey Creek, Ohio, where Aspen Dwyer has run away to hide from her father who is a murderer. While she’s in Honey Creek, she meets the man of her dreams, Colton Moraine. He’s kind, strong, thoughtful, and good looking, and he doesn’t know anything about her past, which is just how Aspen likes things. But when her father gets out of prison and shows up looking for her in Honey Creek, all bets are off.

 

Everyone has a guilty pleasure – what TV show do you watch that you’d be embarrassed to admit?

I’m still watching Survivor. Can you believe it? I can’t seem to give it up. If Big Brother ever comes back on for another season, I’ll be watching that, too.

 

The one book I wish I’d written is….

Chocolat. The words are magic, the story is magic, and in the movie, Johnny Depp is, as always, magic.

 

How do you like to spend a rainy day?

Curled up on the couch with fluffy pillows, a soft blanket, a warm fire, and a fantastic book. I’ll need some hot chocolate, too.

 

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

People always seem surprised to find out I took Tae-Kwon-Do. When I tell them, they just back away, real slow.

 

Where have you been on your travels that you loved? 

I love seeing new places! I loved going on an Alaskan cruise, and this past year I went to Rome. I heart Roma.

 

What are your favourite sweets?

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I hope they have those in heaven.

 

Any Pet Peeves?

People who say li-beary instead of li-brary. There’s an r after the b, people.

 

Social networking…Facebook or Twitter?

Twitter all the way! My phone cheeps when I get a tweet from my friends.

 

Print or Ebook?

Both! I adore my Kindle, but I like a paperback when I’m at the pool or the beach.

 

Thanks for joining us today for an interview! 

Thanks so much for having me on your blog today! Before I go, here’s a little bit about my newest book, Shades of the Future.

What would you give to see the future? Would you make your dreams come true? Would you change the things you didn’t like?

Mariah Davis loves animals, running, and her hunk of a boyfriend, Kevin Creamer. Everything looks bright for her until the day she finds a pair of sunglasses that allow her to see the future.

When she glimpses a disaster looming, she tries to avoid it but fails. She has a car accident that lands her in a wheelchair, smashing her hopes for a running scholarship to the veterinary program at Ohio State University. She pushes Kevin away, thinking he’ll want to end their relationship now that she can’t walk.

Will she ever learn to trust and love again? She could search for an answer in the sunglasses. But she’s afraid what they reveal might destroy her.

 

I’m on blog tours during the month of July, celebrating with a giveaway of a pair of designer sunglasses to one lucky commenter. I’ll be posting the schedule with dates and blogs on my author website, http://www.suzannelilly.com, and my TeacherWriter blog, http://www.teacherwriter.net. Follow me and comment each day to increase your chances of winning!

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Twitter: http://twitter.com/suzannelilly

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Suzanne-Lilly/e/B006HY79IY

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5258804.Suzanne_Lilly

Author website: http://www.suzannelilly.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/AuthorSuzanneLilly

TeacherWriter blog: http://www.teacherwriter.net

Fridays at the Honey Creek Books blog: http://www.honeycreekbooks.com

Suzanne Lilly on Google +: https://plus.google.com/115758832631616324955/about

 

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Author Interview…with Michael Cargill

On Tuesday I reviewed Michael’s latest piece of writing and first novel Underneath – you can read the review here or my previous review of Shades of Grey. Today he’s back with us for an ‘official’ interview, which we’ve been hoping to get from him for a while…so here goes! 

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Hi Michael, welcome back to Aside from Writing, thanks for joining us for a ‘proper’ interview. So can you tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be an author?

I’m a 2-month old bumble bee, and my mother tried to eat me when I was a grub.  It was for this reason that I morphed into a 33-year old bloke, who lives in the UK.

Not really sure how I came to be an author actually.  At school I had no real desire for writing, and instead developed a passion for IT.  Once I joined the rat race, and entered the world of office workers, I was often sending out silly emails to people.  Most people liked them, and asked for more, to which I obliged.  The occasional misery guts asked me to stop, so I slagged them off behind their back.  Anyway, in the middle of 2011, I decided to bite the bullet and publish some of the emails for free, and the beast was unleashed!

This week we’ve read and reviewed your book Underneath. Where did your inspiration for the story come from?

For a while, I had an idea for a story involving a sociopath bouncing around in my head, and it just bloomed from there really.  I also had a separate idea for some characters who were police officers, and they ended up in the story as well.  I did a bit of research into sociopaths, which took me about five minutes on Wikipedia, and realized that my initial idea for the character wasn’t really realistic – originally, I was going to make him very intelligent, and analytical.

In your creative writing you build ‘real world’ settings and characters very convincingly – what aspects of your ‘normal’ life or ‘day job’ do you find have helped you in your writing?

As a bumble bee?  None at all.  To be honest, it’s quite hard to answer this question definitively.  Some of the personality quirks, or minor situations that appear in my stories, are based around people or events that I have experienced personally.

We particularly love the characters you create in your stories; when you’re developing a new character for a story, where do you start?

God knows.  One thing that people are very good at, is compartmentalizing different parts of their lives, which is where the contradictions come from.  It’s how physicists can believe in God, or a boxer can shake hands with an opponent after the fight is over.  Or how I like chocolate, but don’t really like chocolate cake much.  To be honest, that doesn’t really answer the question.  I sometimes think of a basic personality for a character, and then just throw in some contradictory quirks further down the line.

There are some quite particular traits we’ve noticed in several of your characters: are you writing about what you know (i.e. basing them on yourself or people in the ‘real world’)?

It’s a bit of everything really.  Sometimes I won’t even know where some of the traits have come from, whereas other times I have stolen them from someone’s head.

Casting question! Who could you see playing the key roles of Hugh, Clare, Robert and Abigail if Underneath were made into a film?

Ooooh, tricky one.  For Hugh, I reckon Heath Ledger, as he did a good job with The Joker in Batman.  Or maybe Guy Pearce.  For Clare, I would go with… dunno.  Not Liz Hurley, ‘cos she is rubbish.  Geena Davis could do it, I reckon.  Robert would be played by… Christian Bale, maybe.  Or Johnny Depp.  Virginie Ledoyen could be Abigail.

What do you find are the best parts of being a writer?

Being able to make things up, without getting told off by anyone.

And the worst…?

The editing.  My God, the editing.  It’s like having the opportunity to get a bar of gold, but you have to carry it through a disused Somalian sewer, barefoot.

Any advice for people who have an interest in creative writing?

Patience, practice, poverty.  You have to realize that not even the best writer can come up with a perfect story by themselves.  It gets filtered and corrected by hordes of editors, proof readers, and God knows what else, long before it gets anywhere near the shelves.  It’s all about getting the ideas down on paper, and then cleaning it all up afterwards.

Ignore the poverty bit, I just wanted a third ‘p’ word.

So – what else do you have planned for 2012?

Avoiding the rain during this lovely, British summer.  Get my face painted for the Olympics.  Get the book I am working on now, finished.  Oooooh, did I say what you think I said?  I believe I did.

Random Questions:

If you could be a character from any book – who would it be and why?

Batman, ‘cos he is the Batman.  He is a billionaire who does what he wants.  I reckon he would sort this credit crunch nonsense out, once and for all.

Favourite fictional world – where would you live?

Jurassic Park, before it all goes wrong.  Saying ‘coochy coochy coochy coo’ to them raptors would be brill.

Best super-evil baddie?

Jesus.  Seriously, how many fishermen did he put out of work when he fed the five thousand?  It’s the first written record of a recession.

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About the Author: Living in England, Surrey and about to break the 33-years old barrier.  I can honestly say that coming to terms with getting older is worse than puberty.  At 14 every extra hair was greeted with rapturous applause and a desire to show it off at school.  Every time a small breeze blew I would worry that it was going to blow away.

These days whenever I spot a new nasal hair I can hear it laughing at me.  I even have to make use of electronic devices to prune it back.

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Blog – http://michaelcargill.wordpress.com/

Twitter – @MichaelCargill1   Facebook

The Books…

Author Page on Goodreads

 Trailer for Underneath  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUBrxs38Dkc

Smashwords

UK Amazon

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Interview…with Nicholas from Blue Sky Days

 

Today we’re interviewing the lovely Nicholas from Marie Landry’s novel Blue Sky Days. Definitely our most interesting character interview so far – take a look and you’ll see why.

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Hi Nicholas – thanks for joining Aside from Writing today, we’re really pleased to be in Riverview to meet you. For people who are not aware of your situation, would you mind giving us some background?

Thanks, it’s great to talk to you today. I was diagnosed with leukemia around the beginning of September. I work in construction, so I’m used to long hours of hard work. It can be tiring, but I’m a pretty energetic guy, and I like to stay busy. When I started waking up tired, and then staying tired and listless during the day, I knew something was wrong. I hoped it was the flu, but I didn’t have any other flu-like symptoms. My mom died of leukemia when I was a kid, so that was always in the back of my mind. I went to the doctor almost right away, and within two weeks, they’d diagnosed me, and shortly after that I started treatments.

And so – you’ve just spent the last few days in hospital and had your first chemo sessions this week. How’s that been?

Not as bad as I expected, to be honest. I know it’s going to get worse as time goes on, but this week was more…strange than anything, I guess – having to leave home, check into the hospital, be away from my normal life. It was easy to pretend that the doctors were wrong and I didn’t really have cancer, but when they stuck that IV in me and I started my first treatment, it was impossible to deny.

This is obviously a really tough thing for anyone to go through – what helps you to cope with the difficulties you’re facing?

Love and support from friends and family. I don’t think I could get through this without my dad, my girlfriend Emma, my two best friends, and Emma’s aunt Daisy. They’ve been incredibly supportive, and they don’t treat me like a cancer patient who needs to be protected or coddled.

We met Emma outside 🙂 you guys are obviously very close – how have things been for her since you found out about your illness?

Well…it hasn’t been easy, but she’s been…god, I can’t even tell you how amazing she’s been. When I first found out I was sick, I wanted to keep it from her, to protect her. We’d had this incredible summer that was the stuff of daydreams, and dumping all of this on her just seemed like such a huge burden to put on someone so young. She might kill me for saying this, but she’s got this sweet innocence about her, and I didn’t want to ruin that. I know how stupid I was now, though. She’s been so strong, and she’s been there every step of the way, from doctor’s appointments, to walks to help me keep my strength up, to spending time with me in the hospital and sitting with me during my chemo treatments.

So – you’ve not been together a huge amount of time then? OK – then let’s talk romance if that’s alright…? How did you and Emma first meet?

I met Emma when she first moved to town to live with Daisy. I was walking in the park one day and I sat down to read, and she was sitting at the top of the hill. The minute I saw her, I knew I had to go talk to her.

And – can we ask – was it love at first sight or do you not believe in that?

As cheesy as it sounds, yeah, it was definitely love at first sight – for me, anyway. I saw her sitting there at the top of that hill, looking like an angel with the sun streaming down on her, and that was it. My whole life changed in that one instant.

Well – I’m sure she’ll be pleased to hear that if she’s listening outside right now 🙂 So – tell us what else are you doing while you’re home this weekend?

This weekend is all about normalcy, or at least as close to normal as you can get when you’re exhausted and weak. For months, it’s been the six of us – Dad, Daisy, Vince, Maggie, Emma, and me. We’re going to spend as much time together as possible before I have to go back to the hospital on Monday.

Nicholas – thank you so much for joining us today – we hope you have a great weekend at home and wish you all the best for your ongoing treatment.

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A year after graduating from high school, nineteen-year-old Emma Ward feels lost. She has spent most of her life trying to please her frigid, miserable mother – studying hard, getting good grades, avoiding the whole teenage rebellion thing – and now she feels she has no identity beyond that. Because she spent so many years working hard and planning every moment of her life, she doesn’t have any friends, has never had a boyfriend, and basically doesn’t know who she is or what she really wants from life. Working two part-time jobs to save money for college hasn’t helped her make decisions about her future, so she decides it’s time for a change. She leaves home to live with her free-spirited, slightly eccentric Aunt Daisy in a small town that makes Emma feel like she’s stepped back in time.

When Emma meets Nicholas Shaw, everything changes – he’s unlike anyone she’s ever met before, the kind of man she didn’t even know existed in the 21st century. Carefree and spirited like Daisy, Nicholas teaches Emma to appreciate life, the beauty around her, and to just let go and live. Between Daisy and Nicholas, Emma feels like she belongs somewhere for the first time in her life, and realizes that you don’t always need a plan – sometimes life steers you where you’re meant to be.

Life is wonderful, an endless string of blue sky days, until Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer, and life changes once again for Emma in ways she never thought possible. Now it’s time for her to help Nicholas the way he’s helped her. Emma will have to use her new-found strength, and discover along the way if love really is enough to get you through.

(Read the Aside from Writing review of Blue Sky Days)

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About the Author

Marie Landry has always been a daydreamer. She has created imaginary worlds for as long as she can remember, so it only seemed natural that she would become a writer. With a passion for words that started in early childhood, Marie has written a varied range of works, and has been freelance writing since 2009. She resides in Ontario, Canada, and most days you can find her writing, reading, blogging about writing and reading, listening to U2, or having grand adventures with her two precious nephews.

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Facebook – Author Page

Facebook – Blue Sky Days – Book Page 

Twitter – http://twitter.com/SweetMarie83

Book blog – http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.com

Author blog – http://marielandry.blogspot.com

Buy Blue Sky Days…

Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sky-Days-ebook/dp/B006U97B20/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325915568&sr=8-1

Amazon.uk – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Sky-Days-ebook/dp/B006U97B20/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1

Smashwords – http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/120238

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blue-sky-days-marie-landry/1108336817