Category:

Interview with Children's Writer: Kath Boyd Marsh

10/5/2016

Happy Wednesday, Booklovers!

I'm pleased to introduce you to children's writer, Kath Boyd Marsh, with her debut novel, The Lazy Dragon and the Bumblespells Wizard. (PSST: She's also my critique partner!)

Welcome, Kath! How do you take your coffee?

KATH: Oooh. I’ve gone crazy over iced. So whatever you have brewed, if you can pour it over ice and add some milk, any kind... Yum!

Ally: Talk about easy. Okay, while I take care of that, please introduce yourself to readers.

BIO:

Kath Boyd Marsh, born a fourth generation Californian, roamed the USA and came to stay in the magical BlueGrass of Kentucky. Here she writes in an office filled with dragons. Her debut novel took a mere two decades and a multitude of drafts to find a publisher. But Kath, Cl’rnce Merlin Clan Principus Dr’gons, and Moire Ain would not give up.

Something unique/unusual not in your regular bio: "Hmmm. When my family lived in Portsmouth, RI for a year, they leased a colonial farmhouse complete with ghosts. Two of which hung out in my bedroom each night. The poltergeist hung out in the hallway and kept shutting my sister’s bedroom door despite the heavy cast-iron iron holding it open. Well, it also played with the windows in the sitting room downstairs."

Author contacts:

Website: kathboydmarshauthor.com
Blog: http://Kath-lettersfromearth.blogspot.com
Email: kathbmarsh@gmail.com
Twitter: @kmarshfen

INTERVIEW:

Ally: So tell readers what you like to write?

KATH: I write fantasy for Middle Grade and Young Adult. My debut novel is for Middle Grade 8-14 years old.

Ally: What influenced you to choose children's fiction rather than adult?

KATH: LOL!!! I don’t think I ever grew up. Getting into a child kind of state is far easier than adult.

Ally: Where do you get your plots? Probably not from headline news.

KATH: Good question. Characters just pop into my head. Great and Mighty Wizard from this debut novel found me first. And as her adventures unfolded, she found Cl’rnce. But as you can tell from the book, Cl’rnce tends to take over.

Ally: Have you always wanted to be a published author? How did you go from hobby writer to publication?

KATH: I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to write. I’d say it started for sure in high school, sitting in the library on Quantico Marine Corps Base. An old fashioned room with good reading chairs. Sitting lost in science fiction alternating with gothic romance, I never wanted to leave those worlds. What better way than to write? To open the gates to those worlds in my head.

I thought I could do it. But my senior year in a new high school, I was rejected for membership in the Literary club. I am a contrary person. Don’t tell me what you won’t let me do, because I will definitely die trying to do just that. Do you suppose all those club members are authors now? I wonder. Lol.

Ally: What's your next writing project?

KATH: Boy, another good question. I have a few in mind. One with a Gargoyle. And one with a pair of ghosts and a desperate author.

Ally: How about a few quick answer questions?

a. favorite pastime when not writing or reading: Eating Cheezits and Cherry Coke. Wait, I mean photography. I take the photos for our dog’s blog (found here).
b. what kind of books do you read? Anything good. But right now I’m absorbed in mysteries. Would it be tacky to say I’m itching to get hold of your next book?
c. favorite dessert: Cheesecake. Plain. From the Black Pearl in Newport, RI. I have no idea if The Black Pearl is haunted like the house we lived in, but their cheesecake is so rich decades later I have not forgotten.
d. a place you'd love to visit, real or fictional: Four. Scotland, Ireland, Antartica, and Mars. If I only get one: Mars. Did I mention Podcayne of Mars is my favorite book?
e. pets (domestic or wild): Starting with the pushy domestic pets :NikkiCat dictates the 5 am wake up time and sits in the office nagging me to write. Rufus, our fox hound, rules my husband. Each morning deer and turkeys wait in our front woods staring in my office window for the morning shelled corn and sunflower seeds. While they are not tamed, and I don’t want them to be, they do allow me to get within a few yards, as long as I come bearing corn and seed.

Ally: Thanks for visiting with us, Kath, and allowing my readers to meet you too. I hope you'll get that next book going soon. :) In the meantime, please show us your children' fantasy officially released last weekend.

Blurb:

For Cl’rnce, a perfect day would involve a nap, another nap, followed by dinner, and a nap. So what if he’s the only dr’gon his age without a wizard partner or the ability to fly? That sounds like work, and Cl’rnce is opposed to all forms of work.

Moire Ain, on the other hand, has never known anything except miserable, soul-crushing work. She has lived her whole life as a virtual slave to the evil Hedge Witch. When Moire Ain overhears Hedge Witch plot to have Moire Ain kill a king, the girl runs away with only a magic book, her pet raven, and a dream of someday becoming a Great and Mighty Wizard.

Moire Ain hasn’t even been gone a full day when she stumbles across an irritated Cl’rnce. Grudgingly, Cl’rnce has accepted a quest, and he now finds himself footsore, hungry, and trapped in a tree by a dragon slaying knight. With a bumbled spell, Moire Ain manages to save Cl’rnce’s life. Unimpressed, Cl’rnce tries to get rid of the little wanna-be wizard so he can get back to his interrupted nap.

However, Moire Ain has gotten a glimpse of a way to free herself from Hedge Witch for the rest of her life. Convinced now that she would make an excellent wizard partner, despite the bumbled spells, Moire Ain invites herself along on Cl’rnce’s adventure.

Kirkus review: "This debut novel features a lazy dragon (called a “Dr’gon”) and a fugitive wannabe wizard in a comic fantasy... A charmer."

EXCERPT: Click here.

Buy links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2aFwBpO
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/2aaHO0r
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2a4qD1G
Indigo Music and Bookst: http://bit.ly/29UX6KY

Thanks for stopping to visit. Check back with us soon!

Interview with Romance Author: Claire Gem

9/28/2016

Are you in the mood for romance? An emotional journey?
Our Coffee Chat author this week is romance writer, Claire Gem.
Welcome, Claire! How do you take your coffee?

CLAIRE: Black! Until it's 5 o'clock somewhere. Then, it's vodka, baby, all the way.

Ally: Lol. Well, I'm sure it's already five o'clock someplace, but not here. Why don't we start with the coffee and get our eyes open first? While I fill our mugs, please introduce yourself to readers.

Author Bio:

Claire writes emotional romance. Her heroes are hot, her heroines strong and brave: a combination lighting the spark to fan the flames of your most intense romantic fantasies. Claire's characters are human—they make mistakes, get clumsy sometimes, and they're not too proud to laugh at themselves and each other.

She writes in contemporary and paranormal romance, as well as women’s fiction. Claire's books are like a thrill ride at a theme park. Whether it's spooky-scary, angst-ridden relationships filled with gut-wrenching turmoil, silly chuckle moments, or face-fanning sex, Claire guarantees to take you on an emotionally intense romantic journey.

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: "I married my seventh grade math teacher. No, not at 13, but 7 years later when we were reunited after I'd grown up. And gotten over his giving me a "C" in Algebra. I'm still married to him, 38 years later."

Media Links:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Pinterest

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Give readers a general idea of the type of books you write.

CLAIRE: Contemporary romance, women's fiction. My latest release, The Phoenix Syndrome, has a rating of PG17 (is that a rating? It's not R), but my other novels are R rated.

Ally: As a writer of romance-and probably a reader too, why do you think the genre is so popular?

CLAIRE: Because women want to escape from the doldrums of their daily lives with fantasy. The human brain wants to try out situations it is afraid to explore or doesn't have a chance to experience. Romance provides that release, that escape. It's our happy place.

Ally: What are the hardest and the easiest parts of writing and publishing a book?

CLAIRE: Easiest part? There is none. Writing is hard work, even if the story comes to you fully formed and practically types itself onto the page. There's still the organization, the editing, the re-assimilating the events into a logical, practical sequence. Life doesn't present itself that way to us, but as story tellers, we are obliged to make sure the story we put down on the page IS logical, believable.

The hard part? Hitting "Publish." It's like childbirth. Sending our baby out into the world, losing control over what will happen to it. How it will be received. Losing control over something we've created.

Ally: What traits makes a character that you want to write about?

CLAIRE: REAL. There's nothing else to it. I want my characters to reflect real people, in real situations. Otherwise, how will the real people reading my books ever relate?

Ally: What's next on your writing agenda?

CLAIRE: I'm presently working on my second ghostly romance, Spirits of the Heart, set on the grounds of a mental asylum in Middletown, NY, where I grew up (no, I didn't grow up in the asylum, in the town!). But I do have some personal ties to this now-defunct facility: my late father, who was an alcoholic, spent a number of stints at the Middletown Psych Center when they still considered alcoholism a mental illness as opposed to a behavioral problem. My childhood memories fueled the writing of this story. It is turning out to be good therapy for me.

Ally: Are you ready for a few short answer questions?

a. What word do you overuse the most in your writing? That. That. That. That. That!!!!
b. Favorite accessories? Bracelets. Not much of a jewelry freak, but I do love bracelets, especially the kind that cling to your wrist and don't bobble about (not a big bangle fan). Elastic (in bracelets and in skinny jeans) is my friend!
c. Do you have any tattoos? No, but someday, I might.
d. Favorite animal: Horses, and freshwater angelfish. I was a horse enthusiast for most of my life, until I got too old to climb aboard. Now I raise angel babies, and cry when I take them to the aquarium store to be rehomed. Hint: I've never fallen off one of my angelfish. Not once!
e. An item on your bucket list: Return to Belgium, a place I dreamed about since I was a child, visited once about 12 years ago, and want to go back and take my husband there. Soon. I hope.

Ally: It's been a pleasure getting to know you, Claire. Before you go, please tell us more about The Phoenix Syndrome.

The Phoenix Syndrome

Turning forty, for research tech Lannie Marvin, is rough. She discovers her husband is leaving her. Then a crazed lab mouse brutally bites her. So Lannie snaps.

She heads out to chase an old dream—a music career—and a new crush: the drummer of a heavy metal band.

Drummer Tristan Allard holds a benefit every year in memory of his late wife. He’s beginning to doubt his ability to write the band’s music without his wife’s inspiration – she was also his muse. Plus, he’s damn lonely. So when Lannie literally plows into him at the backstage reception, Tristan is ready to learn more about her – and her long-buried interest in musical composition.

The two head off for a wild ride of a weekend, but reality catches up. Tristan is headed back to the UK to audition his next album. And Lannie learns that an elevated libido isn’t the only side-effect of that experimental drug.

To her horror, she discovers the treated mice have gone deaf.

Trailer Link: http://bit.ly/2bpRSqG

Buy Link (PG-17): Amazon: http://amzn.to/2bIMkHJ

Other Books (Rated R):

A Taming Season: A Love at Lake George Novel
Hearts Unloched (Winner 2016 New York Book Festival)
Phantom Traces

Thanks for having coffee with us. Come back soon!

Interview with Author James DiBenedetto

9/21/2016

It's Coffee Chat time!

Get cozy, booklovers, while I chat with a return author, James DiBenedetto. (If you missed his first visit with one of his paranormal books or would like to read it again, click here.)

Welcome, James! Are you still drinking OJ instead of coffee?

JAMES: Can’t stand coffee (although I do like coffee ice cream – go figure!). It’s a big glass of orange juice in the morning, which is enough sugar to get me through to lunch.

Ally: Sigh. You just don't know what you're missing. I love juice too, but never in lieu of coffee! :) One big glass coming right up. While I'm getting that (and my coffee), please introduce yourself.

Bio:

J.J. DiBenedetto is the author of the Dream Series. He lives in Arlington, Virginia with his lovely wife and Danny, a white cat who’s trained them both. He’s originally from Yonkers, New York. He loves the New York Giants, fondue, photography, travel, the opera and he’s a huge science-fiction and fantasy geek.

Something unusual/unique about you that isn't in your bio: "I was a DJ at my college radio station. 5 to 7 AM, Friday mornings (new people always got the worst time slots). It was 1990, and I played mostly New Wave, very typical college radio stuff, for the seven or so people who were actually listening at the time. And I still have my official FCC radio license, which I think is still actually valid."

Author Links

Website – http://www.writingdreams.net
Twitter – https://twitter.com/JJDiBenedetto
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jjdibenedettoauthor
Amazon Author Page – http://viewauthor.at/JJDiBenedetto
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/349874-j-j-dibenedetto
Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/starkllr
Audible - http://www.audible.com/series/ref=a_pd_Romanc_c2__1_sa?asin=B00FL00R70
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/user-680799288

INTERVIEW:

Ally: What type of book did you bring to share today?

JAMES: Finders Keepers is a suspense thriller with a lighter tone. Think “Romancing the Stone” – that’s what I was shooting for, and I think/hope I pretty much hit that. It’s definitely a PG book.

Ally: Who or what inspired you to become a writer? What would have been your next choice?

JAMES: I’ve been writing since high school, so I’ve pretty much always been a writer. But what inspired me to actually publish my work was a friend (Jennifer Povey - http://www.jenniferrpovey.com/). When she sold her first novel, it made me think, why can’t I do it, too? So I got down to work, and a year later, I had my first book up on Amazon.

I’m not full time, so I guess you could say my next choice is my current day job, which is in marketing for a major national association.

Ally: If you could have a supernatural power or be a supernatural being what would you choose and why?

JAMES: Probably teleportation. No more commutes, no more waiting on line at the airport – think how much time you’d get back every day!

I considered psychic powers, but I’m not sure I’d actually want to know what everyone around me is thinking, and being able to control other people’s minds is a sure path to becoming an inhuman monster. There’s no way anyone would be able to resist abusing that power, sooner or later. So I’ll stick with teleportation.

Ally: Name two places you'd love to visit, one real, one fictional, and explain why you'd want to go there.

JAMES: Real : Rome, because it’s where (some of) my family comes from, and I’ve never properly been there. I spent one night there about 15 years ago, but that doesn’t really count at all. I want to go and see it thoroughly, for a couple of weeks at least.

Fictional: Iain Banks’ Culture. Your every imaginable need or want is met, you can live more or less forever, and there’s no shortage of things to do if you get bored with all that.

Ally: What is your next book project?

JAMES: I’m working on the next Jane Barnaby Adventure (#3 in the series). It should be out by the end of the year. The working title is Her Brother’s Keeper, and Jane will be dealing with jewel thieves, a former Russian spy, and her father getting remarried to someone half his age. So she’ll be pretty busy!

Ally: Let's finish the interview portion of our chat with a few short answer questions:

a. last movie you saw in a theater: The Secret Life of Pets
b. your current favorite author: J.K. Rowling (I’m rereading the Harry Potter books right now)
c. How many books do you read in a month? 5-10
d. Favorite holiday food: My Mom’s chocolate tarts. Best dessert ever!
e. A guilty pleasure (admit it, guys have them too!): Lush bath bombs. Nothing beats spending a relaxing hour in the tub!

Ally: Thanks so much for visiting with us, James. Now it's time to see your book...

Book blurb:

Finders Keepers (book one of the Jane Barnaby Adventures)

1,400 miles. 3 countries. 2 men she can’t trust. What could go wrong?

It should have been a simple job. All archaeology student Jane Barnaby had to do was pick up a box her professor needed and deliver it to him at his dig site, along with his new car. Yes, his office was in Oxfordshire, and his dig site was in Spain, a trip of 1,400 miles across three countries and two bodies of water. Still, it should have been simple.

And it was, until Jane discovered she picked up the wrong box by mistake. Not the one with boring pottery samples, but instead the one with priceless ancient Egyptian artifacts. The one that a team of international art thieves is after.

Now she’s chasing – and being chased by – the thieves. And she’s picked up a pair of passengers who claim they can help her outwit them, get her professor’s pottery back and return the artifacts to their rightful owner. If only she could figure out which one of them is working with the thieves and which one she can trust in this high-stakes game of finders keepers.

Book Links:

http://books2read.com/FindersKeepers - universal link, all retailers
http://viewBook.at/FindersKeepers – Amazon link (works for all individual Amazon country stores)
https://youtu.be/nSETzV0_9LM?list=PLdLeszUG-JujXfj2uPS692TsIm1dfAlWl – Book trailer
https://soundcloud.com/user-680799288/finders-keepers-audiobook-sample - Audiobook sample
http://getBook.at/FindersKeepersAudio - Audiobook

Thanks for spending part of your day with us! Come back soon!

Coffee Chat Interview with Urban Fantasy Author: A. R. Miller

9/14/2016

We've made it to mid-week, Booklovers!

It time to meet another author, drink our favorite beverage, and indulge in a little book talk. This week's guest is urban fantasy author A. R. Miller.

Welcome, Amy! How do you take your coffee?

A.R.: I’ll take it any way I can get it, but usually with a touch of milk. Iced when it’s hot, and hot when it’s cold. Alternatives, would include chai—again iced or hot—and Dr. Pepper, always iced.

Ally: I think we'll stick with the real stuff. :) While I pour, please introduce yourself to readers.

Bio:

A.R. Miller writes urban fantasy for grown-ass women (and men) who are still too young to care.

She lives in Central Iowa with an accommodating husband and their four-footed companions. When not testing the patience of readers with cliffhanger endings, you might find her wielding a makeup brush or curling iron as a freelance stylist.
Something unique that isn't in your bio: "I don’t think there’s anything unique about me, I’m pretty boring and average." (Ally note: Ha. Having met this author, I can assure you that isn't true. Since she writes about supernatural stuff, perhaps there are secrets she can't reveal. :))

Links:

Website: feycreations.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorA.R.Miller/
The Meadowlarks reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1673553996227189/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FeyCreations
Amazon page: http://tinyurl.com/glef6hz
Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/z2flfs8
Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/zabykmp
Ibooks: http://tinyurl.com/juj4vco

INTERVEW:

Ally: When readers pick up one of your books, what can they expect?

A.R.: I write contemporary, or what others have labeled, urban fantasy. Almost everything I write is for adults. You’ll find references to days gone by, some spicy scenes of a sexual nature, violence, and some pretty adult language. I won’t say it’s mature, but it’s for a mature audience.

Ally: Describe the creation of your paranormal world. Did you start with a character, setting, or plot?

A.R.: The Fey Creations series came about when the main character, Keely Fey, flipped the tables on me. Originally, I was all set to write an epic fantasy, but Keely—her original name escapes me—didn’t want to live in a medieval world and she certainly wasn’t a sword toting warrior. She wanted to live in modern day Iowa and her weapon of choice a pair of shears. She wanted to cut hair not flesh.

Age was another issue, but probably more for me than her. Most characters in contemporary or urban fantasy are twenty or thirty-something, kick-butt heroes. As I matured—I say this very tongue in cheek—I began wondering what an average, middle-aged person would do in the same situations. That’s how middle-aged, hairstylist Keely Fey came into being.

Ally: Are you a plotter or a pantser? Charts, outlines, character sketches? Do you consciously think about story arcs, rising and falling action, the three acts, the six stages...or do you wing it?

A.R.: I work best when I’m winging it. I’m primarily a pantser, but have had to do a little more plotting—or paying attention—as the series grows. My ‘outline’ consists of various things that need to happen in no particular order, sandwiched between a beginning and ending, all subject to change at a moment’s notice. I also write in scenes, meaning if something comes to me, I get it down and tuck it away. If it doesn’t fit the current project, I save it for a future project.

Ally: What's the best writing or marketing advice you ever received? The worst?

A.R.: The best writing advice? Write the story you want to read. If you enjoy what you’re writing, the reader can sense it and it makes their experience better. If it interests you, chances are someone else will be interested.

For someone who relies on word of mouth, the best marketing advice comes from Maya Angelou, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

I can’t think of anything that would be considered the worst advice. There are plenty of things I don’t agree with or haven’t worked for me, but it doesn’t mean it won’t work for someone else.

Ally: What is your next writing project?

A.R.: I just finished the fourth book in the FC series, Shadow Play—it will be out at the end of September—and will be starting number five soon. Unfortunately, I don’t have much to tease, not even a working title. But true to form, bad things will happen to Keely.

Ally: Let's finish with a few quick answer questions.

a. the most unusual item in your refrigerator: Strangest thing in my fridge, unused 35mm film. Yes, I still have a camera that uses film.
b. your favorite candle scent: I haven’t burned candles in years. I abolished them when my birthday cake turned into a flaming torch.
c. a book you'd recommend: If you like sci-fi, thriller, with a touch of romance, I highly recommend the Traveler Chronicles by Dennis Green.
d. a place you'd love to visit: I’d love to visit Germany, and the Frisian Islands.
e. a guilty pleasure: My biggest guilty pleasure is having a moment to lay around and do nothing. Too bad I don’t have time to indulge.

Ally: Thanks for visiting the blog, Amy. Before you go, please tell us more about your upcoming release, Shadow Play.

Shadow Play (Fey Creations Book 4)

Keely Fey’s first assignment, as the Lord’s Shadow, is to spy on Var Royd’s nemesis, Haydn Koehler. She must use her Talents, but with access to Vereinen—the only other schattenkind—denied, and no one with the knowledge to teach her, the mission seems doomed to fail.

A chance meeting with a stranger changes everything. Mr. Mortonson, a student of history and member of the Ahnenerbe Society, claims to be an authority on the schattenkind.

Does Mort have the information needed to complete her assignment and find Vereinen? Or is he another player in the game to control Keely and her Talents?

Available at Amazon | Kobo | iBooks

Coming to B&N September 30, 2016

Other books by A.R. Miller:

https://www.amazon.com/A.R.-Miller/e/B005KDF5VQ

A.R.: Thank you, Ally, for inviting me to have coffee with you and your readers!

Ally: My pleasure!

Have a fantastic week, booklovers, and come back soon!

Coffee Chat Author Interview: Darian Smith

9/7/2016

Grab your coffee mug and pull up a chair. It's Coffee Chat time!

This week's guest is Darian Smith and his paranormal romance, Currents of Change (rated PG-13). Welcome, Darian. What can I get you to drink?

DARIAN: I'm actually one of the few people in the world who doesn't like the taste of coffee so I don't generally drink it. I do, however, drink copious amounts of Coca-cola. Like enough to hydrate a small country amounts. That more than satisfies my caffeine requirements.

Ally: No problem. A cold coke is coming right up. While I'm getting that, please introduce yourself to readers.

BIO:

Darian Smith writes mainly speculative fiction (fantasy) and lives in Auckland, New Zealand with his wife (who also writes) and their Siamese cat (who doesn't).
He holds two Koru Awards, is the winner of the SpecFicNZ/Steam Press manuscript competition, and has been a finalist for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards several times.
By day, he works with people who have neuromuscular conditions such as muscular dystrophy or charcot marie tooth disease. He is also a qualified counsellor/family therapist and can be seen - by those very swift with the pause button - on television shows such as Legend of the Seeker and Spartacus.

Something unique that isn't in my bio: "I've been a vegetarian my entire life and never eaten meat so I used to find it fascinating to learn about which animal parts people were cooking. Unfortunately, I soon learned people don't usually want to think about that when they're about to eat so I've had to curb my curiosity!"

For more information about Darian and his upcoming work, please check out...

his website at www.darian-smith.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarianSmithAuthor
Twitter: @DarianWordSmith

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Describe your paranormal world and what went into its creation. Did you do maps, history charts of events, or did it just flow?

DARIAN: Currents of Change is set in a fictional town in rural New Zealand. I'm a New Zealander myself so much of the world is the beautiful country in which I live. When it comes to the paranormal aspects of the world, however, I blended Irish and Maori mythology into this tale to show a clash of cultures and the lasting impacts of immigration on current day New Zealand - but with a magical twist. The story of Sara's ancestors coming to live in New Zealand as early settlers plays a big role in the novel and there are secrets from all those years ago that will shape Sara now so there was some research that went into what things were like in that time and how the immigrants and Maori might have interacted around what was happening.

Ally: What's the best piece of writing/publishing/marketing advice you've been given?

DARIAN: The best advice I've been given is probably to just write it because you can fix a page of bad writing but you can't edit a blank page. Procrastination is the bane of any writer and that advice helps me battle that particular demon. That said, I've gotten lots of other wonderful advice around planning and structuring stories, and also making sure every scene has a purpose and increases tension in some way, and so much more. Every piece of advice is valuable, even if it's just to learn how to weigh advice and decide whether to keep or discard it!

Ally: Where do you hope your writing career will go over the next 5 years?

DARIAN: My plan is to be doing much more writing over the next 5 years. I'm currently working on a fantasy mystery series, the first of which will be released soon. I have many more projects in mind so I don't see myself stopping any time soon.

Ally: What's next on your immediate horizon?

DARIAN: My fantasy murder mystery series is next. My hero has to solve a murder, stop a war, and save the world. So he has his work cut out for him.

Ally: Let's finish up with a few short answer questions:

a. best fantasy book ever written: Such a hard question! There are so many good ones and I think mostly the ones I really love are from my youth. I really enjoyed The Dark is Rising series from Susan Cooper.
b. favorite summer activity: Walking down the beach with the waves washing in over my feet. Warm sun, cool water, and soft sand.
c. I'd love to own a __________. TARDIS. I could go anywhere and any when and always have plenty of storage space.
d. favorite dessert: Strawberry ice cream banana split
e. a favorite comic book hero: Rogue. The comic book version, not the movie version (much as I love Anna Paquin).

Ally: It's been a pleasure chatting with you. I hope you'll come back with your fantasy murder mystery. In the meantime, please tell us a little more about Currents of Change.

Currents of Change by Darian Smith

Haunted house. Haunted heart.

When Sara O'Neill goes on the run, she believes the tiny New Zealand town of Kowhiowhio is just the sanctuary she needs. Her family's old colonial house needs repair, but it's safe from the abusive husband she left behind. However, a hostile local holds a grudge, and a dangerous presence haunting her new home threatens Sara's chance at peace. How can she create a new life while dealing with ghosts from the old?
For local electrician, Nate Adams, parenting his young daughter alone has not been easy - particularly in a town where he is still seen as an outsider. When he meets his new neighbour, he sees a chance at a new start for them both. Even with his help, can the house - or Sara's heart - be repaired?
Someone doesn't want an O'Neill in Kowhiowhio. Sara's return is awakening secrets hidden for generations.
Why has the house never had electricity? What was the fate of Sara's ancestors?
Can she discover the ghost's story before it's too late?
The truth will set...something...free.

Winner of two 2016 Koru Awards.

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U8Q968I

Have a great week, and come back soon!

Interview with Urban Fantasy Author: Will Bly

8/31/2016

Welcome to another Coffee Chat!

This week's author is Will Bly, who writes unusual urban fantasies, as you'll see from his short story collection entitled Creatures.

Welcome, Will! What may I get you to drink?

WILL: Ever since I researched J.R.R. Tolkien and the Inklings for my M.A. thesis, I’ve promoted the collaborative qualities of a local pub and a pint of beer. It’s tough here in the USA because more and more bars are going the way of loud music and more club-like vibes. The smaller and more quiet the dive the better. The more wooden furniture the better. A warm fire during the winter is a huge plus. Pubs, dives, bars, etc. have an ancient history in storytelling and oral traditions. My characters in Ravens in the Sky always find themselves in taverns for this reason. And, oh yes, my coffee comes with 2 sugars and a splash of milk. There seems to be a diminishing need for sugar with age.

Ally: Since it's a little early in the US for a pint of beer, I'll be pouring our coffee. :) Why don't you introduce yourself to readers?

BIO:

Will is a library manager and instructor of English. He graduated from the University of Auckland, New Zealand with a Master of Arts in English. His extensive work on Tolkien inspires an independent writing career in dark speculative fiction. As an author he is most known for writing the dark fantasy/mystery Ravens in the Sky. He lives with his wife and dog on Long Island, New York.

Something unique that isn't in your usual bio: " I’m more of a natural poet than an author of fiction. Poetry came to me early and often -- fiction I’ve had to work at. Knowing this about me helps my readers identify the abstract shadows lurking behind my prose."

Contacts:

Website - www.willbly.com
Twitter - @Will_Bly
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Willbly/
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13928890.Will_Bly
Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/Will-Bly/e/B01A4XT512/

INTERVIEW:

Ally: With the release of Creatures, you've published both short stories and novels. Did you find the writing very different? Did you have to consciously change your writing style to fit a different format? Compare the two experiences.

WILL: I never thought I’d write short stories in the fantasy genre, and honestly it is very hard to find good short stories in fantasy. It’s the amount of world-building, characterization, rules, and fantastical concepts that are needed. Fantasy is just so epic in nature I could never wrap my head around condensing it into short stories. Like most things I’m not keen on doing, I forced myself into it. I created a laboratory of writing styles, narrative voices, and diverse creatures. Since this format was new to me, I community-sourced help from my writer and reader friends. Anyone who volunteered to beta-read or proofread these stories are plugged in the opening acknowledgments. This serves as a great model that I suggest other indie authors use -- It really helped my stories get to the point where I am unquestionably confident in their quality.

I love these stories for the same reason I have a healthy respect for YA fiction -- they are high on concept and low on fluff. Great reads for the train commute or sneaking in a bit of quiet time. You can spend 15 minutes reading one of these stories and then head back to work with a fresh line of thought to be pondered.

Ally: Creatures is described as dark, and I read the sample. I thought the beginning would appeal to horror readers. Is the atmosphere similar throughout? Is there a common dark thread that ties the stories together?

WILL: As much as I’ve tried bucking the trend, I’m a dark writer -- it’s in my nature. Every time I write something new it begins with better intentions than the final product shows. However, I strive not to be nihilistic or overly cynical because that’s taking the easy way out. Everything I write, no matter how dark and depressing, I try to embed a grain of hope for the reader (and quite honestly, for myself) to hold onto. Admittedly, sometimes I fail and we’re left with a depressing result that will likely stick with us for some time. But that’s okay, because I’m a big proponent of exercising emotions we don’t necessarily go seeking out -- feelings such as sadness, guilt, and regret. I leave it to the reader to uncover the golden nuggets of hope I hide in my work.

Ally: Okay, you've written "the end" on your manuscript. Now what? Take us through your revision/editing process until you're ready for submission.

WILL: The honor of the first proofread falls upon my wife. She goes through the manuscript and raises questions and issues I don’t address. I go through the manuscript again, then send it through a gauntlet of freelance beta readers and editors. I read it through again and tweak the finer points, and then submit. I keep a running list of anything that may slip through the cracks and submit new fixes annually. So my work keeps getting better year in, year out. None of my pieces are simply left as they are.

The big advantage of writing short stories is the ability to community-source the quality control of the material. A novel is obviously a much larger commitment on the part of the editor / proofreader / beta reader. Since these stories are 15 or so minute reads a piece, it’s asking much less out of people to read little pieces of the whole. I am able to get more people to take little nibbles out of book by reviewing a short story or two. In turn, they still enjoy full experience with less time invested (and they get credit from me for the work they do). Consequently, Creatures is the most finely-tuned product I’ve released.

Ally: What's the next writing project on your agenda?

WILL: I recently finished the first draft of Raven’s Bane, the sequel to Ravens in the Sky, so we are post-processing that. My next project is a YA fantasy novel called Codex of Threya, in which rainbows aren’t arcs but full circles, tying a fantasy world to our own through portals. It’s based on the first story I ever wrote as a child, and yes -- it has leprechauns (though not quite the leprechauns we’ve known -- they are more like naturific fairies with cloaking magic). I’m excited that it has more of a fully-formed love story to buoy my dark tendencies. There are familiar themes of loss and finding oneself, but there is also the excitement of youthful courtship. The main relationship isn’t as complicated as fans of Ravens in the Sky might expect, lol.

Ally: Let's finish up with these short answer questions:

a. a supernatural power you'd love to have: Immortality
b. a song on your current playlist: Lost in the Cold - Twiddle
c. last movie you saw in a theater: Deadpool
d. favorite Olympic sport (summer or winter games): Curling. (Weird, I know.)
e. a dream vacation destination: A cabin in the woods. The location doesn’t matter as much as the time. I’d love to have a few months of solitude in nature to tippity type to my heart’s desire.

Ally: It's been a pleasure to chat with you, Will. I hope you'll visit again - maybe when that YA fantasy is written. :) Before you go, please tell us a little more about Creatures...

Book blurb

Creatures is a collection of short stories written for the suburban reader. These fantasies take place in our libraries, our backyards, our roads, our wineries, and in our minds.

Dark and whimsical, Creatures is a deeply introspective journey through suburban anxiety.

        Creatures includes five urban fantasy shorts:

●      “A Conversation in Darkness” is an introduction to a dragon who is hellbent on destroying humanity.

●      “All the Right Things” is written from the POV of a human but features a talking raccoon with nothing left to live for.

●      “The Book Goblin” follows a librarian as he defends himself from a goblin who is angry about the lack of books being read.

●      “Bloody Bagel” takes place from the eyes of a seagull in a Mcdonald’s parking lot who works up the courage to face the big boss holding him down.

●      “An Indignant Living” follows a woodchuck who risks everything for a bite of heaven.

I also included an extra bonus which is the first chapter of Raven’s Bane, sequel to Ravens in the Sky.

Rated-R: Although some of the urban fantasies in Creatures are completely clean, there are one or two pieces that make the whole of the book a firm rated R. One story is written from the point of view of an exasperated Long Islander. Long Islanders, uh, tend to swear a lot. Blame the narrator, not me!

Buy Links

Only available at Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Creatures-Collection-Stories-Will-Bly-ebook/dp/B01HITRQRA/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Thanks for stopping. Come back soon!

A Chat with Multi-Genre Author: Karen McCullough

8/24/2016

Good Morning, Booklovers!

Our chat this week is with Karen McCullough, who writes mystery, fantasy, and romantic suspense. Today she brought her mystery, Wired for Murder. Welcome, Karen! How do you take your coffee?

KAREN: I love, love, love coffee, and I’m a bit of a snob about it. I buy high-quality, fresh-ground coffee and use a slow drip machine. I add a half teaspoon of Splenda and just enough milk to lighten it a bit. Oddly, I don’t like real cream in my coffee. The taste of the cream masks the taste of the coffee itself rather than enhancing it.

Ally: Nothing is beyond my magic pot, so that cup of Joe will be coming right up. While I pour, please introduce yourself to readers.

Bio:

Karen McCullough is a web designer by profession, and the author of a dozen published novels and novellas in the mystery, romantic suspense, and fantasy genres as well. She has won numerous awards, including an Eppie Award for fantasy, and has also been a four-time Eppie finalist, and a finalist in the Daphne, Prism, Dream Realm, Rising Star, Lories, Scarlett Letter, and Vixen Awards contests. Her short fiction has appeared in several anthologies and numerous small press publications in the fantasy, science fiction, and romance genres. She has three children, four grandchildren and lives in Greensboro, NC, with her husband of many years.

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: "This is hard because I’m so danged ordinary. There’s the fact that I love licorice (black, not the fake red stuff). Most people seem to find this weird, which I totally don’t get. Those black jelly beans are the best! (And I usually get to collect all of them, since no one else wants them.)"

Contact the Author:

Website: http://www.kmccullough.com
Blog: http://www.kmccullough/kblog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenMcCulloughAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kgmccullough

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Describe the evolution of your main character in Wired for Murder. What came first? Character or plot? How did you pick the name, physical attributes, personality, etc.?

KAREN: Actually in this case, the setting itself came first. As a former editor at several trade publications, I’ve attended a number of trade shows and talked to probably hundreds of people involved, from the staff of the centers where they're held to exhibitors, attendees, service people and other members of the press covering the event. At the very first trade show I attended I realized it would make a perfect setting for a murder mystery or a series. The contained time period and place; the cast of characters, many of whom know each other and are often friends, competitors, enemies, and sometimes even lovers; and the high stakes, taken together provide the perfect ingredients for a tense story.

Then I knew that the character I needed for my amateur detective would have to be someone who worked at the Market Center and knew how the business ran, who met and talked to the people involved on a daily basis, someone who might have a realistic chance to learn more about the situation than the police could hope to in the short space of time that a trade show takes. So I came up with my heroine, Heather McNeil, assistant to the director of the Market Center, a good listener and a good problem-solver, the kind of person people talk to and spill their guts to on occasion.

Beyond that, I can’t really tell you exactly how I came up with the rest of her attributes. A lot of times it feels like I’m not so much inventing a character as meeting her in my head. I see what she looks like and as the story develops I learn more about who she is by what she says and the way she reacts to events.

Ally: I know you write in several genres. What are the pros and cons of multi-genre writing? Does switching genres require an entire new mindset? Do you ever have more than one book in different genres going at a time?

KAREN: I love writing in multiple genres. It seems that allowing myself that leeway sets my imagination free to roam wherever it will. I think it keeps my brain fresher to be moving around in different types of stories. I don’t think it really requires different mindsets to move from one genre to another, but it does require that you’ve read widely enough in each genre to understand the its conventions. Romance, mysteries, fantasy, and paranormal all come with different sets of reader expectations. You can play with those, sometimes, and stretch the limits, but as a writer you have to know what they are. If you’re going to write a paranormal story that involves vampires, for instance, you need to know what the folklore and tradition say about them. If your vampire can go out in sunlight, you have to be ready to explain why it’s possible for them, when the expectation is that they can’t handle it.

The downside of writing in multiple genres is that it’s a terrible career move. Readers often like one kind of story that you write and may not follow you into a different genre. A reader who likes my mysteries often does not want to read my fantasies or be interested in my paranormal stories. Major publishers don’t like stories that cross genres or authors who don’t write similar stories time and again. And even with independent publishing, success depends very much on building readership for a particular kind of story. If I were a faster writer I might be able to put out two or three stories a year in each genre, but I’m not that quick. So, I’ve pretty much ruled out ever achieving best-seller status.

I almost always have more than one book going at a time, often in different genres. When I get to a sticking point in one book, I can change to another and write on that one for a while. It helps to refresh my brain to think about something different for a bit.

Ally: What do you do when you’re not writing? Do you have a hobby or a special activity you love?

KAREN: I enjoy reading, gardening, travel, and sports on television. I read widely, mostly in the genres I write, but also nonfiction and news stories. It’s only in the last few years, as my children have grown up and moved on that travel has become a real option. My husband isn’t as enthusiastic about it as I am, but he goes along and always enjoys our trips. It helps that my son lives in England, so we get to go there periodically to visit. Last summer we met him and his family in Rome and did some travel around Italy. I love Italy, but I also want to see a lot more of Europe and the rest of the world. There’s a lot of the U.S. I’ve never visited as well. I really want to take one of those European river cruises. And maybe the Alaska cruise. Or one to the Caribbean. The bucket list is long.

Ally: What is your next writing project? When will we see it in the bookstores?

KAREN: I’m working on the third book in the Market Center Mysteries Series, with the possible title of A Perfect Home for Murder. Since the original publisher for the Market Center Mysteries cut their mystery line, I’m self-publishing the rest of the series. That means the next book will release when it’s finished, been beta-read, then edited and copy-edited. I hope within the next year I’ll have the next one done and ready to release but there are no guarantees.

Ally: Try these five short answer questions:

a. Most unusual thing in your handbag: -- A beautifully carved and polished little wooden perfume dispenser. It was something I gave to my mother for a Christmas present years ago. I found it cleaning out her apartment after she died, and I’ve kept it and use it myself now. It’s a beautiful object in itself, and it reminds me of her every time I pull it out.
b. Favorite TV show: -- NCIS
c. Do you listen to music while writing? -- No. Music is too distracting
d. If you were a color, what would it be? -- Blue – calm, quiet, but elegant
e. Typical breakfast: -- An omelet or a couple of sausage patties with whatever fruit is available.

Ally: It's been a pleasure to meet you. Thanks for chatting with us! Before you go, we'd love to hear more about Wired for Murder...

Wired for Murder (Market Center Mysteries Book 2)

Heather McNeil, assistant to the director of the Washington DC Market Show Center, handles many of the day-to-day issues that arise during the shows, exhibits, and conferences being held there. The first day of the Business Technology Exposition provides her with plenty of opportunities to demonstrate her skill at settling disputes, refereeing arguments, and even breaking up fights.

When the president of industry-leader MegaComp has a very public argument with a man who accuses the company of stealing an important technical concept, she watches it but doesn’t have to intervene. Later, though, the accuser returns a phone call from Heather, and she becomes an unwilling audience to his murder.

Heather is more than happy to leave the investigation to the police, but she’s the person everyone talks to and she soon learns more than she wanted to know about the victim and all the people who didn’t like him very much, including several who might have motives for murder.

Read an Excerpt

Buy Links:

Ebook: Amazon Kindle Nook iTunes Kobo Smashwords
Trade Paperback

Check out...

A Gift for Murder (Market Center Mysteries Book 1): Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Murder-Market-Center-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00CGKYNT6

Thanks for stopping. Come back soon!

Coffee Chat with "Elfy" Author Barb Caffrey

8/10/2016

Hello, Booklovers!

We've made it to the mid-point of the week again, and it's time for another author interview and book talk! I'd like to welcome Barb Caffrey, author of the Elfy series of YA urban fantasy/romance.

How do you take your coffee, Barb?

BARB: With a little cream, and all poured over ice, in deference to the current heat wave.

Ally: While I get the mugs, please introduce yourself.

BIO:

Barb Caffrey is the author of AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE and A LITTLE ELFY IN BIG TROUBLE, which together comprise the Elfy duology, and the co-author of several shorter pieces of military SF set in her late husband Michael B. Caffrey's Atlantean Union universe. Shorter works have been published in many places, with the most recent being REALMS OF DARKOVER. She lives and works in Wisconsin, is a huge baseball fan (Go, Brewers, go!), loves dogs (and cats), follows politics, and is recovering from a nasty reality TV addiction.

Hmmm...what's not in my usual bio? Does playing the saxophone and clarinet count?

Author Contacts:

My blog: Barb Caffrey's Elfyverse http://elfyverse.wordpress.com
My Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barb.caffrey.1
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbCaffrey
My Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Barb-Caffrey/e/B00H8EROC8/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

INTERVIEW:

Ally: You're both a writer and an editor. Do you prefer writing your own stories or polishing for others?

BARB: I enjoy both writing and editing, but in some senses it's easier for me to fix someone else's work than it is to fix my own. I can see what someone else is doing -- what's actually on the page, as opposed to what I think is there -- far easier than I can see what I'm doing, most of the time. But there's nothing quite like the rush I get after writing one to two thousand words that exactly fit the mood and story I'm working on...they're not exactly the same skill-set, writing and editing, but the skills for one carry over to the skills of the other. (Though the hardest thing as a writer is to turn Editor Voice off. I'm still working on that one.)

Ally: What was the inspiration for the Elfy books?

BARB: My inspiration comes from three places. One was my late husband Michael, who was one of the most encouraging people I've ever been around. The second was an anthology I read -- I now can't remember the name of it -- where the editor said something to the effect that the stories in that antho wouldn't be "the normal Elfie-welfie stuff." And the third was a dream I had after that, where a short young man dressed all in black came to me and said, "It's not like that!" and proceeded to tell me just what Elfy-welfie stuff was (yes, he insisted on the change from -ie to -y) and why he wanted no part of it, thanks.

I woke up from that dream, not long after my honeymoon, and told Michael about it. Rather than looking at me like I was an idiot, as I would assume most men would do, he said, "Well, then. You have to write about this, and figure out who this guy is, now, don't you?" with a big smile on his face.

And I proceeded to do just that.

Ally: Have you always written for a YA audience?

BARB: Most of what I write does seem inclined toward that YA/NA border, but I'm not quite sure why. Maybe my subconscious figures there are more stories to be told there?

And the main difference between writing stories for a younger audience and an adult audience is more in how you look at things. Kids may feel cynical, but usually their cynicism isn't bone-deep as of yet, so it seems more possible to have adventures. First love, too, is a little more innocent, and deals more with how things actually feel rather than "put slot A into tab B" (as Lois McMaster Bujold's wonderful character Cordelia Naismith Vorkosigan once put it).

I see a lot of hope in that.

Ally: What's your next writing project? Do you plan further books for the Elfy characters?

BARB: My next writing project is a New Adult romantic fantasy set in our world, CHANGING FACES. It's about Master's students, both clarinetists, in Nebraska; one is transgender, the other is not, and they are in love. How they manage to learn enough about one another to marry and stay together is the main story; the fantasy element is in how this happens -- how they "change faces," and both become transgender, because they view love as the most important thing. If their bodies have to change in order to stay together and understand each other more, so be it.

Tentatively, CHANGING FACES is due out in September. (I'm still working on it as we speak, so wish me luck with that!)

And yes, I definitely plan more Elfy books. I have a prequel, KEISHA'S VOW, set in 1954, and a sequel trilogy in the works. And I hope to be releasing a stand-alone novelette, "Trouble with Elfs," for Kindle in the not-so-distant future.

Ally: Try a few short answer questions:
a. manicure or pedicure: Pedicure.
b. favorite singer or group: Alice in Chains
c. a dream vacation: Alaskan cruise (in the middle of summer, with lots of stops to see the historic sites)
d. favorite flower: Pink carnation
e. your best reading spot? My best reading spot is curled up in a corner, maybe with a blanket tucked around my legs if it's a bit chilly. There's some coffee (or maybe tea, for variety) at my elbow and a plate of nibbles next to it, in case I get hungry. The best light is there, too, so I never have to strain to read...altogether a perfect place!

Ally: It's been a pleasure to chat with you. Best of luck with your books. Now, let's take a look at A Little Elfy in Big Trouble...

A Little Elfy in Big Trouble

Young Bruno the Elfy and Sarah, his mostly-human teenage girlfriend, are in deep trouble. Bruno’s Elfy mentor Roberto the Wise is about to be sacrificed by a Dark Elf, and Sarah’s parents have decided to help the Elf rather than the Elfy. Things look bleak and are getting worse by the minute, but Bruno and Sarah have a number of allies — human, Elfy, and ghosts — that the Dark Elf can’t possibly expect. Can young love, desperation, and great unexpected power win out despite it all?

Short excerpt:

Bruno took Sarah’s hand and led her back outside. He looked with his mage senses, and felt nothing; no Elfy magic, no Human magic, and as far as he could tell, no Elf magic, Dark or Bright.

He put up a light shield that should help conceal their voices, and decided it was safe enough to talk for a bit.

“Tomorrow is Ba’altinne, Sarah.” Bruno rubbed his fingers through his hair and tried not to look too hard at Sarah. Goddess, she was beautiful. But he had to stay on topic. “That’s your May Day. Tomorrow.” He shook his head and tried not to frown. “How can we get everything together in time to stop Dennis the Dark Elf?”

“I have faith in you,” she said. Her eyes darkened. Bruno felt as if he were falling, before she gently brushed her lips against his.

Links, including link to sample chapters:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Little-Elfy-Big-Trouble-ebook/dp/B018B4699W
OmniLit: https://www.omnilit.com/product-alittleelfyinbigtrouble-1935228-234.html
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-little-elfy-in-big-trouble-barb-caffrey/1123003283?ean=2940157950910
Sample chapters: http://www.twilighttimesbooks.com/ElfyinBigTrouble_ch1.html

(Check here for Barb's prior visit with the first Elfy novel, An Elfy on the Loose .)

Thx for spending time with us! Come back soon.

Coffee Chat Author Interview: Bridges DelPonte

8/3/2016

It's Wednesday again, booklovers!

Bridges DelPonte, author of mystery, fantasy and scifi novels, is joining us for this week's coffee break and book talk.

Welcome, Bridges! What may I pour you to drink?

BRIDGES: The aroma of coffee is great, but I drink tea, caffeinated and black. In the morning, I usually drink Irish or English breakfast. Earl Grey is my favorite for an afternoon pick-me-up.

Ally: While I get our drinks ready, please introduce yourself to readers.

Bridges’s bio:

Bridges DelPonte has published two novels and short stories in the fantasy, mystery and science fiction genres and three non-fiction books and numerous articles in the legal, travel and business fields. Her paranormal contemporary fantasy, Bridles of Poseidon - The Last Emissary Series, was a finalist for a Royal Palm Literary Award for Florida writers (unpublished fantasy). Her mystery, Deadly Sacrifices - A Marguerite Montez Mystery, won a Royal Palm Literary Award (2d place – unpublished mystery). When she is not writing, she teaches law courses, creates educational game apps and lives happily in sunny Florida.

Something unique about Bridges that isn't in her regular bio: "One summer, I lived and worked on my own in Australia after a divorce. I didn’t know a single person in Sydney so I was definitely outside of my comfort zone. It was quite an adventure and a personally-transforming experience. Did amazing hikes (“bushwalks”) in the Blue Mountains, Northern Territory and Tasmania (Hobart, TAS ends up as a location in Bridles). Snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef several times, but thankfully never ran into a Great White Shark."

To learn more about Bridges DelPonte and her writing, please visit her

Author web site: http://www.bridgesdelponte.com
Amazon Author Central page: http://www.amazon.com/Bridges-DelPonte/e/B00BW7BZYU
Author blog: https://bridgesdelponte.wordpress.com
Author e-mail: bridgesdelponte@yahoo.com

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Since you write in so many genres, what type of book did you bring today? Is there romance?

BRIDGES: Bridles of Poseidon is the first book in a paranormal contemporary fantasy series. Our fierce heroine, Aquan, a shape-shifting Triton, faces a growing attraction to a “bad boy” dive boat captain, Dave Cutter. Any romantic attachments to humans (“Surface Dwellers”) are strictly forbidden in her undersea culture at Rapture’s End. Aquan is conflicted between her culture’s taboos and her growing attraction to Cutter. Personally, I prefer romances that leave more up to the imagination so my heat rating is mild/moderate.

Ally: Talk about your main character and her unusual abilities.

BRIDGES: Aquan is a shape-shifting Triton, raised by her aunt and a mentor, Mopsus. Mopsus helped her to develop her ability as an Emissary to shape-shift into real and mythical sea creatures and any living thing, including humans. As the last known Emissary, she thrives on her independence and her ability to travel between land and sea. Although 100 years old, she is a young woman in her world where Tritons live thousands of years. Like any young person, she is impatient with the restrictions of the Elder Council and the demands of being an Emissary. Despite being in her first mating season, she is not interested in any of her peers, preferring to make her own rules and go on her own adventures.

Ally: What came first, your shifter or the setting? How do they complement one another?

BRIDGES: The setting definitely came first. I am an ocean person, having grown up with family vacations on Cape Cod. A couple of years ago, I got lucky and rented a small apartment in Jacksonville Beach, FL, right across the street from the beach. I can’t resist the salty scent of ocean air and the hypnotic roar of the waves—they totally relax me. I’ve always enjoyed the Irish myth about Selkies or Seal Women, but I wanted to update it to an independent, kick-ass mermaid—Jason Bourne with gills.

Ally: Who had the greatest influence on your writing and in what way?

BRIDGES: As a kid, I enjoyed reading Greek and Roman mythology. The intricate world-building, the mysterious powers and the complicated personal relationships always drew me in. I think they fired my young imagination and got me writing both fantasy and mystery stories. Bridles of Poseidon is definitely influenced by those elements of classical mythology. The fact that people across the globe still read them today is a true testament to the power of their story-telling.

Ally: What's your next writing project?

BRIDGES: I like to alternate between projects to keep things fresh and moving along. I’m dabbling in my first children’s picture book about magical little creatures with a friend who is an illustrator. I am also writing the second novel in my Marguerite “Monty” Montez mystery series and scoping out the next volume in Aquan’s Last Emissary series. So I am busy stoking the pipeline while balancing my fiction writing with my teaching job.

Ally: Try your hand at a few short answer questions:

a. favorite shade of lipstick: Divine Wine is my favorite—red, but understated.
b. what's at the top of your TBR pile? I like to sample some of the best work in a given field because I learn more about the craft of writing and can discover new authors to seek out. I have a stack of “Best of” anthologies in the fantasy, mystery and science fiction genres calling my name.
c. a memorable vacation: This year, my husband and I travelled to Mesa Verde and Chimney Rock in southwest Colorado. There is stunning and diverse natural beauty at every turn and the mystical vibes of these ancient places are truly tangible and profound.
d. favorite holiday: Thanksgiving rules! Sitting around the table with people you love, sharing good food, wine and conversation, can’t be beat.
e. a guilty pleasure: Getting a big bucket of popcorn and going to the movies in the middle of the week is such a guilty pleasure. I don’t do it enough, but I feel like a kid playing hooky from school when I do.

Ally: What an enjoyable visit! Thank you for coming. Let's finish today with a look at your book, Bridles of Poseidon...

Book Blurb:

Aquan, a fearless Triton, uses her unique power to transform into real and mythical creatures to police the boundaries of land and sea from rebel forces. When her fellow Tritons are savagely massacred on the eve of her first mating season, Aquan reluctantly teams up with Key West dive boat captain, Dave Cutter, and marine biologist, Jen Ortiz, in a world-wide hunt across the lost sister cities of Atlantis. In this thrilling adventure, Aquan must not only unlock her true power, but confront disturbing revelations about the deaths of her parents and dangerous political intrigue in her once-peaceful society at Rapture's End. Ultimately, this young Triton faces a terrible choice between preventing another Great Deluge or destroying the future survival of her own underwater community, now torn apart by discord and treachery. Set in exotic locales, this paranormal contemporary fantasy is the first installment in The Last Emissary series. Rebooting traditional myths about mermaids, Aquan will intrigue readers with her shifting identities, genders, races, and species—real and mythical—immersing readers in a truly unique and exciting underwater world.

Bridges’s Buy Link: Print and Kindle e-book

https://www.amazon.com/Bridles-Poseidon-Last-Emissary-Book-ebook/dp/B01499CBAY?ie=UTF8&ref_=asap_bc#nav-subnav

Come back soon!

Interview with Mystery Author Paty Jager

7/20/2016

Happy Wednesday, booklovers!

We're joined for book talk today by Paty Jager, who writes the Shandra Higheagle mystery series. This is Paty's second visit. If you missed the first, you can still read it here.

Welcome, Paty! What may I get you to drink?

PATY: I love the smell of coffee but have never acquired a taste for it. My pick-me-up first thing in the morning is hot chocolate. That is followed by either hot or cold green tea the rest of the day.

Ally: Since it's still early, I'll get that hot chocolate for you while you tell readers something about yourself.

BIO:

Paty Jager is an award-winning author of 25+ novels and over a dozen novellas and short stories of murder mystery, western historical romance, and action adventure. She has a RomCon Reader’s Choice Award for her Action Adventure and received the EPPIE Award for Best Contemporary Romance. Her first mystery was a finalist for the Chanticleer Mayhem and Mystery Award and is a finalist for the RONE Award in the mystery category. This is what Mysteries Etc says about her Shandra Higheagle mystery series: “Mystery, romance, small town, and Native American heritage combine to make a compelling read.”

All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Paty and her husband raise alfalfa hay in rural eastern Oregon. Riding horses and battling rattlesnakes, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.

Something she doen't usually include in her bio: "I have been thrown or fallen off a horse five times in my life, suffered a dislocated collar bone and rib and a broken finger, but I still can’t wait to climb into a saddle and ride."

blog / website / Facebook / Paty's Posse / Goodreads / Twitter

INTERVIEW:

Ally: When you decided to use a Native American protagonist, what kind of research did you have to do to make her personality real?

PATY: I made Shandra Higheagle, my Native American protagonist, half Native American so I could have her growing up in a white culture as a white to make it easier for me to write her and discover more about her heritage right along with her. I also interviewed people who were half Native American to discover their feelings and how they were treated in a modern society. It was and wasn’t shocking to discover that these people felt they didn’t belong to either heritage because of the way they were treated. Shandra was kept from her Nez Perce family by her mother and step-father. She is just getting to know them and discover more about her roots and the “visions” her grandmother has passed down to her as the series begins. I also have a writer, who lives on the reservation where I’ve set Shandra’s family, who helps me get the secondary characters thoughts, emotions, and actions realistic.

Ally: Under what conditions do you do your best writing? Do you require absolute quiet? Night? Day?

PATY: I prefer to write during the day, preferably first thing in the morning for 3-4 hours. I’m too tired at night. When I’m writing my first draft, I like music. For the Shandra Higheagle books I listen to Native American music and jazz. No lyrics, or at least not ones I understand. ;)

Ally: What is your least favorite part of writing? How do you get yourself through it?

PATY: There was a time I despised revisions. But I’ve learned it makes a better book and that makes me look forward to perfecting the story. Now, my least favorite part of writing is the promotion. I try to do things that I like. One of those is blogging. The other is Facebook parties.

Ally: Tell us about your next writing project.

My next writing project is the 6th Shandra Higheagle book. It’s titled, Reservation Revenge and takes place on the Colville Indian Reservation in Washington State. My writer friend took me on a tour of the reservation, filled me in on things, and I took off with a story line about Shandra’s cousin being accused of murdering another young man who accosted the young woman Shandra’s cousin likes. It will be filled with family, misdirection, and revenge.

Ally: Ready for a few quick answer questions?
a. top on your TBR pile: Nearly Departed in Deadwood by Ann Charles
b. current favorite song: Something’s Got a Hold on Me by Hannah Huston
c. favorite childhood book: Lois Lenski’s Strawberry Girl
d. a vegetable you love: carrots
e. do you have brothers or sisters? Two brothers

Ally: It's been a pleasure getting to know more about you and your writing. I hope you'll let us know when the next one is released! In the meantime, let's not get ahead of ourselves. First, they need to read Killer Descent...

Killer Descent

Book five in the Shandra Higheagle Mysteries

Abuse…Power…Murder

Once again Shandra Higheagle finds herself a suspect in a murder investigation when an ex-lover is found murdered on a Huckleberry ski run. A past she’d planned to never divulge now must be shared with the first man she’s trusted, Detective Ryan Greer.

Ryan puts his job in jeopardy when he’s booted from the case and uses all resources plus a few extra to prove Shandra is innocent. The information leads them down a road of blackmail and betrayal of the ugliest kind.

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B01DG5GPSQ
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1097266647
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/killer-descent-paty-jager/1123591040
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/killer-descent
Windtree Press: http://windtreepress.com/portfolio/killer-descent/

Thanks for stopping! Have a great week.

<<Previous

Forward>>

Interview with Children's Writer: Kath Boyd Marsh

Thanks for stopping to visit. Check back with us soon!

Interview with Romance Author: Claire Gem

Thanks for having coffee with us. Come back soon!

Interview with Author James DiBenedetto

Thanks for spending part of your day with us! Come back soon!

Coffee Chat Interview with Urban Fantasy Author: A. R. Miller

Have a fantastic week, booklovers, and come back soon!

Coffee Chat Author Interview: Darian Smith

Have a great week, and come back soon!

Interview with Urban Fantasy Author: Will Bly

Thanks for stopping. Come back soon!

A Chat with Multi-Genre Author: Karen McCullough

Thanks for stopping. Come back soon!

Coffee Chat with "Elfy" Author Barb Caffrey

Thx for spending time with us! Come back soon.

Coffee Chat Author Interview: Bridges DelPonte

Come back soon!

Interview with Mystery Author Paty Jager

Thanks for stopping! Have a great week.

Archives

Categories