biography

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Horrorfest Interview…Author Nicky Peacock

Today we’re welcoming horror author Nicky Peacock for an interview…

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Nicky PeacockNicky is an English author living in the UK. She writes both YA and adult horror and paranormal Romance. In her spare time she runs a local writers’ group and can be found online through the links at the bottom of the post.

 What do you like about writing horror, over other genres?

There’re so many more options available to a writer when you throw horror into the mix. Ghosts, vampires, witches, zombies, werewolves, angels and demons – they are all great characters before you even start creating the character itself. They can also do things that normal people can’t, and this adds more facets to your story-telling.

 Which authors inspire you and your writing?

I have so many, and they change constantly. There are loads of established writers such as: Poppy Z Brite, Rachel Caine, Rachel Vincent, Charlaine Harris, Keri Arthur, Kelly Armstrong, Karen Marie Moning, I could provide a massive list! But there is also some great new talent out there too. When it comes to inspiration, I’m inspired by anyone who takes the time to tell a good story, who puts effort into their prose, editing and imaginative concepts.

 Any spooky real –life experiences that have influenced you?

I have had a few spooky experiences – the first ghost I ever saw was that of an old man who lived across from me as a child. I saw him in the window looking out at me in this bright red jumper. I was a bit of brat back then so stared right back at him – the odd thing was that he seemed to disappear right in front of me. I ran home to my mum, to tell her how rude he was to stare at me. She told me that I couldn’t have seen him as he’d died the day before.

 Reveal.50ShadesDo you believe in ghosts?

Yes, but no. I don’t think everything is paranormal and a lot of experiences can be explained away with natural occurrences. There are a few things though that simply cannot be rationalized.

 This or That: Zombies or Vampires?

I do love a good vampire paranormal romance and a gory zombie horror. I kind of like them both – for very different reasons though!

 It’s your fantasy Halloween party – who would you invite into your haunted house, and why?

Hmmm, I’d have to have all my friends and family there. No matter what we do we always have a blast. I’d like to scare the bejeezes out of my older brother, as he’s pulled some frightening shenanigans on me in the past.

Alexandra Skarsgard in his True Blood Viking prince costume wouldn’t go a miss either!

 This or That: Night owl or early bird?

I’m an early bird who is training to be a night owl as well. I recently stayed up 23 hours straight to get a manuscript finished. I do not recommend it – I actually slept more the next day to make up for it – so really didn’t gain any time in the long run.

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your books?

I need the money! LOL just joking – I’ve got a number of stories in anthologies which range from paranormal romance to horror – so there’s plenty of variety and dark, sticky thoughts to get your reading fangs into!

 Is there a song you could list as the theme song for your book?

I do love to listen to music when writing, it’s especially helpful when writing dramatic or emotional scenes. I always try to put up a playlist of the songs I listened to when writing particular pieces – they can then become kind of a soundtrack.

 What are you working on at the moment – do you have any other books in the works?

I’m a multiple manuscript kind of girl so I always have a couple of books going at once. I write both YA and adult and am trying out the new NA too.

 What’s the craziest writing idea you’ve had?

There’re all pretty crazy! I did have a brain storming session with my young nephews recently which came up with a goblin family that eat car tires (the flavor dependent on the color of the car) – I’m unsure as to how to work that in somewhere though! LOL

 What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?

Don’t eat yellow snow! Just kidding, although that’s still good advice. It’s probably to just keep trying till you succeed. There is a famous Thomas. A. Edison quote I live my life by. When attempting to invent the light bulb he was asked what it is like to fail 10,000 times – he replied, ‘I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.’ Every failure is still a step toward success. You just have to keep walking.

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Website for my Writers’ Group: http://www.creativemindswriting.co.uk
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IAM Excerpt…As You Wake by Amy Martin

 

Guest Feature

Guest Feature

One of our favourite YA books in 2012 was Amy Martin’s debut, In Your Dreams. Today she joins us for a feature on the sequel As You Wake, which is out now! You can check out an exclusive excerpt right here, and enter our grand prize competition to bag a copy of your own!

As You Wake - Cover

Zara “Zip” McKee and Kieran Lanier thought they had put the threats from Kieran’s past behind them in the first installment of the In Your Dreams series. But when danger comes for them once again, Zip, Kieran, and their families find themselves on separate summer road trips that none of them had anticipated. When all paths converge in North Carolina, the two families are forced to deal with each other and the secrets they’ve kept out of love and fear.

But Kieran is keeping the biggest secret of all from everyone but Zip. He hasn’t had a dream—about the future, about anything—for months. And while Zip and Kieran are grappling with what the new twist in Kieran’s sleeping disorder might mean, a mysterious stranger reveals information that could change Kieran’s life–or end it.

Excerpt from As You Wake: 

I grab the section of chain link fence that’s rusted away from the pole and hold it aside just enough for Kieran to crawl through to the grassy area under the press box. As I follow him, the fence snaps back into place, scraping my skin through my shirt.
“You okay?” Kieran asks after he turns just in time to see the fence smack against me. He helps me to my feet, and I lean back against one of the metal pillars hidden away in the shadows.
“Yeah. I’m good,” I assure him before changing the subject. “You probably shouldn’t have rushed through your chem final.”
His arms circle my waist, strands of hair falling into his face as he looks down at me. “It was worth it,” he whispers, the smile I give him quickly swallowed by a wave of kisses. My hands wander up underneath his plain white t-shirt, my thumbs grazing the base of his rib cage on either side. Once we finally come up for air, my head foggy and my fingers nearly stuck to his skin with sweat, Kieran takes my face in his hands and looks at me dead on. “I love you,” he says, my ears ringing on hearing him say those words to me for the first time. “I couldn’t let you leave for Chicago without telling you that.”
I don’t hesitate. “I love you, too.”
“And I’m not just saying it because we’re going to be apart for a while,” he goes on, and I hold myself back from saying Or forever in my head or out loud. “I’m saying it because I’ve known all along.” He must see the question in my eyes, because he continues with “But not because I dreamed something beforehand. I’m talking about after we met…I just…I’ve always known somehow. And I kept telling myself, ‘Kieran, you need to stop being such a wimp and tell her. If she doesn’t say it back, then she doesn’t say it back, but at least you’ve told her—‘”
“You’re babbling,” I point out, and he gives me the goofy grin that endeared him to me the day we met.
“Yeah. Little nervous, I guess.”
I put my hand to his cheek. “Don’t be. I love you, Kieran.” My mouth enjoys saying the words, words I’ve never said to anyone outside my family. “I love you. I’ll say it as many times as you need to hear it, because it’s the truth.”

He doesn’t make me say it again. We merge once more, the now-familiar ache of desire in my stomach and the early afternoon heat building up under the press box conspiring to make me weak. I just want to lie down with him in the scrubby grass so we can kiss until all thoughts of Frank Dozier or anything else become a distant memory, but after a few minutes, Kieran pulls away, my lips straining to stay on his.

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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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You can read our 2012 review of In Your Dreams here and an interview with Amy here. 

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

http://www.theamymartin.com
http://www.facebook.com/amy.martin.writer
Twitter: @ThatAmyMartin

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Cover Reveal…In Your Dreams by Amy Martin

One of our favourite YA books in 2012 was Amy Martin’s debut, In Your Dreams. Today it launches with a new cover and we’re revealing it here…now! 

CoverImage - InYour Dreams

Sixteen-year-old Zara “Zip” McKee lives for three things: basketball, books, and bailing out of tiny Titusville, Illinois, where the junior high and high school are in the same building and everyone’s known everyone else since birth. But when Kieran Lanier moves to town and passes out on her desk on his first day at school, Zip’s life gets complicated in a way she never dreamed.

Kieran has narcolepsy, and although he sometimes struggles to stay awake, he has no trouble capturing Zip’s heart and trusting her with his most guarded secret–he sees bits and pieces of the future in his dreams.

But just when Zip thinks that maybe she can handle having a boyfriend who sees things before they happen, her budding relationship with Kieran gets a jolt when Kieran’s parents reveal that his sleeping disorder is not what it seems and may be putting them in harm’s way. And when Zip begins to have unsettling dreams, she must decide if she can live with knowing the future in advance when she’s afraid of what might happen.

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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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You can read our 2012 review of In Your Dreams here and an interview with Amy here. 

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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 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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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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Indie Author Spotlight…Katie Hughart

Indie Authors Spotlight is a weekly meme that will be held on every SATURDAY in the month. It is hosted by Beckie @Bittersweet Enchantment & CYP @A Bookalicious Story.
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This week’s spotlighted author is Katie Hughart aka Kate Rice…
About the Author – Wife, mother, and writer, Katie Hughart (aka Kate Rice) is pursuing her dream with the support of her family, friends and readers. Growing up in Toledo, Ohio Kate has always pushed the boundaries of normal. Now embracing that creative energy she is launching it into her books, one word at a time.

Kate has been married for nine years to Tommy Hughart Jr. who is a devoted football fanatic, but she loves him anyways. She has an amazing little boy who’s rambunctious and bright with a promising future ahead of him. “He is the breath God has given me,” Katie says.
With many more book ideas burning under the surface, Katie is excited to share this chapter of her life with you, and hopes that you will read, love and read again.
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Quick Author Q&A 
1. If you could be a superhero and have any superpower, what would you choose?
 I have thought about this a lot; in fact, I’ve probably thought about this more than most normal people, but I’d have to say that my super power would be the ability to tell the future. Sometimes I have weird dreams that come true, so the way I figure it, I’m already half way there! I also have a tendency to write more towards the paranormal genre. Even though my book, Panic, is a mainstream novel, my new projects are Fantasy and Sci-fi driven.
2. Any other books in the works for 2012? Other goals for future projects? 
I currently have three books out right now. One book I did with two other talented writers, the book is a YA Suspense Novelette titled, Midnight Masquerade. I have Panic, which is a full-legnth, suspense/romance, and a book of poetry titled Words in Black and White: a book of poems, but I have so many new projects brewing, it’s crazy!
The first one I’m working on is a YA fantasy titled, Wolf’s Run. Wolf’s Run is going to be the first of three books that will be part of, The Wilderness Series. This project has been so much fun! It has wolf spirits from other realms, fairies, curses, and a counsel that keeps their thumb on the happenings of the Wilderness. This book has been the most gratifying and yet the most challenging! I’m expecting to release it in early 2013. 

I am also working on a YA Sci-fi titled Club X! The main character is a headstrong girl who falls for a dark and mysterious guy named X, it just so happens that dark and mysterious doesn’t begin to cover him, since he doesn’t come from this planet. Club X is also coming out in 2013, but probably later in the year. I also have my hands full with some romance novella’s that I plan to release this year, and sequels that I plan to release in 2013/2014, so as you can see I’ve been keeping myself pretty busy! You can find all of my published books and reviews if you type my name (Katie Hughart) into the amazon store! 🙂

3.  If you could jump into the pages of any book and live in that world…which would it be?
The great thing is I don’t have to pick just one, I do it everyday! I’m in the stories I write 100 percent. I’ve been to different dimensions, and fell in love, had my heart broken, and been to new places and planets time and time again!
4. If you could be one of the Greek Gods, which would it be and why?
I am currently working on a romance novella staring Zeus, so with that in mind I wouldn’t be one of them. Fictionally speaking, I would choose to be their item of affection. I think that’s a much better gig!
5. How did you know you should (or wanted to) become an author?
I didn’t have great grades in school, some years were better than others, but I always did well in English, so naturally I went into Accounting. *slams on break, screeching tires* That’s right I started in accounting, and it was only years later, after my father died, that I had a story that wouldn’t go away. It was stuck in my head like chewed bubble gum stuck to the bottom of your Nike’s on 100 degree day, and it stayed that way for six months. I started writing the story in a notebook and decided that it was a good way to handle the trama I felt from my dad’s passing, but then like I’m sure a lot of other writers can attest to, the story didn’t simply trickle off. It grew into a 400 page novel that today is known as Panic. It didn’t stop there either, new idea’s sprung to life and now I’m sitting on about 30 stories all pulling and tugging for my attention like small children. Go figure! What a way to find out you’re a writer!
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Midnight Masquerade 
Laurel Adams was a normal teenager with dreams, aspirations and a bright future ahead of her…until the night her parents were brutally murdered. And she saw it all. With no promising leads, the killer is still out there, lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike again. Now Laurel’s life has been turned upside down. Haunted by reoccurring nightmares and forced to live in a cramped apartment with her screwed up sister and her sister’s two kids, depression is her constant companion. That is, until the boy she’s been pining after all year finally notices her. Suddenly Laurel’s future is looking brighter than ever, everything she could have hoped for is coming true. She has the attention of the hottest guy in school, a date to Prom, and the only thing standing in the way of her happiness is his girlfriend, Amanda Price, the queen of her daddy’s checkbook…and Laurel’s mortal enemy. Worse yet, the mysterious killer seems to have turned up again. And his sights are set on Laurel.
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Want to know more? Check out the links!
Avaliable on Kindle: by typing in keyword Katie Hughart into your Kindle store or at amazon.com  http://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Masquerade-ebook/dp/B005OA2E28/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1338517749&sr=8-4


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Indie Author Spotlight…Rebecca Weinstein

Indie Authors Spotlight is a weekly meme that will be held on every SATURDAY in the month. It is hosted by Beckie @Bittersweet Enchantment & CYP @A Bookalicious Story.
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This week’s spotlighted author is Rebecca Weinstein…

About the Author – Rebecca Weinstein was born and raised in central New Jersey and continues to live there with her husband, daughter, and two pesky rabbits. Rebecca is an alumna of Monmouth University and teaches art at a private high school. She loves to paint as much as writing, and created the cover artwork for all of her novels. A frequent blogger, she blogs on WordPress about writing and her other love: cooking. She is the author of six middle grade and young adult novels, and is currently working on the third installment of the Redstone Series.

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Quick Author Q&A

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

I have a few works in progress right now. Sometimes I find that I want to work on one project, then another day I’ll want to work on a different one. I’m working on the third installment in the Redstone Series, the sequel to Yokai, and a sequel to Amazon. I also have several new works on the back burner. I’m also working on heavily promoting Yokai. I really was so excited to write this novel, that I had many sleepless nights while crafting it. The story wouldn’t leave me alone! I really like the story, and I think that others will really like it too. I was blog hopping during the month of June, including the Paranormal Freebies Blog Hop on June 21-22, and a few others. Whew. I’m a busy lady!

 

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

Definitely southern Japan, and not just because I’m an Otaku. I love the Japanese culture, and I think their country is beautiful, even though I’ve only seen pictures. I’ll get there, someday.

 

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

I always wanted to be a Disney animator. Every time we’d go to Walt Disney World, I’d coerce my family without fail to go through the animation tour in MGM so I could see what the animators were up to. But people change, and although it was always my dream job as a kid, I know it wouldn’t be my dream job today.

 

Can you see yourself in any of your characters?

I can see a little of myself in all of my protagonists. I tend to do that; write a little of myself into them. It makes it a little easier for me to relate to them or to get inside their heads. Even the animal ones.

 

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?

When my father was admitted into hospice nine years ago, he gave me the best bit of advice. He said, “If your dreams of Disney don’t pan out, find a new dream.” It taught me to not dwell on the things that won’t or don’t happen, and to always find a new dream. It’s pretty good advice, and I followed it.

 

Favourite sweets?

Sno-Caps. But definitely with popcorn. It’s the only way.

 

What movie and/or book are you looking forward to this year?

Actually, I recently found out that one of my favorite manga/anime is being made into a live action movie, to be released in Japan in August. It’s called Rurouni Kenshin, and I absolutely love it. If you’ve never heard of it, look it up. It’s about a wandering samurai (a rurouni), a former government assassin, who has given up killing after the revolution sparked the Meiji period. I can’t wait until I can see it, but I know it’ll take a while to get released on a subtitled dvd.

 

How do you react to a bad review?

You know, a lot of authors don’t respond online to reviews at all. I respond to every review, good or bad. There’s a big difference between responding well and responding poorly. I respond well by thanking them for taking the time to even write a review. They didn’t have to do that. Whether I agree with them or not is besides the point. They are entitled to their opinion, be it good or bad. I don’t argue their points, good or bad, but I make the effort to thank them for their comments on my work.

 

What do you do in your free time?

What free time? Haha, just kidding. I like to read, a lot. I also like to cook, and I blog about my cooking on WordPress. That blog is called Android In The Kitchen. I post pictures of the food I cook. One mainstay is the “Daily Bento” post, where I photograph and blog about the bentos I make for my daughter’s school lunch. A bento is a Japanese lunch box, but it’s more than that. Creating bento is an art, but also an act of love. How much love do you put into your own family members’ lunches?

 

Favourite sport?

HOCKEY! I love the New York Rangers so much, we had hockey elements in our wedding, we have memorabilia around the house, and one of the rabbits actually loves watching it with us!

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Sixteen-year-old Kit Maguire has never met her mother, made lasting friendships, or had a permanent home, and she’s always known that she was a little different from others. When Kit and her father move to Kyoto, Japan, her father insists that this time will be better, but Kit is reluctant to give it a try. The kids in Kyoto seem to be the same as everywhere else: judging her for her looks before they get to know her. She figures it’s just one more short stop that she won’t make friends, so why bother?

With the appearance of her thought-to-be-dead mother, Kit yearns to find out more about her mom, their family, and why she has the ability to conjure green fire. When a girl named Yoriko insists on becoming friends and two of the hottest guys in school vie for her attention, things get complicated. Kit learns just who she is and what she’s capable of, but with that knowledge comes the realization that she may never be able to have a relationship with Riku; as their clans are bitter enemies. Kit hopes that their love will bring the clans together and that she’ll get everything she’s ever wanted: family, friends, and a place to call home.

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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Available for $2.99 only on Amazon

Website:www.rebeccaweinstein.webs.com

Blog: www.rweinstein6.wordpress.com  and http://www.androidinthekitchen.wordpress.com

Follow me on Twitter! @rweinstein6

Rebecca’s Other Work: Seraphim   Nashoga (Redstone Series #1)   Blood Moon (Redstone Series #2)

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Indie Author Spotlight…Allison Cosgrove

Indie Authors Spotlight is a weekly meme that will be held on every SATURDAY in the month. It is hosted by Beckie @Bittersweet Enchantment & CYP @A Bookalicious Story.

This week’s spotlighted author is Allison Cosgrove…

About the Author – Allison Cosgrove was born and raised in a suburb of Toronto, Ontario. A married mother of three daughters, she works in accounting by day and creates her own worlds by night. She enjoys spending time with her husband and daughters hiking in the woods or sitting by the fire reading a good book. She has had the love of reading and writing detective mysteries from the age of twelve but it has only been since the birth of her youngest that she has gotten serious about crafting some of her own works for others to enjoy. She credits her family and friends with being the driving force that has given her the strength to breathe life into her books. 

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A cult has been killing children for its rituals and only one cop knows who they are. Detective Stan Brookshire knows but his past keeps people from believing in him. Can he rise above the stigma that shrouds his past and stop a cult from taking yet another innocent child from her mother’s arms before its too late? 
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Want to know more? Check out the links!

Website:  www.stanbrookshire.com

Buy online at Amazon