Interview With JK Allen, Author of Angelborn

Today I have an interview with author JK Allen who talks about writing and her debut release, the YA urban fantasy, Angelborn. Enjoy.

Interview With JK Allen

Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.

I graduated in 2010, with a degree in Creative Writing and English and decided to get really serious about my writing. It was a dream of mine to get published, and I was determined to work until I did. So I’m pleased as punched that not only do I have several works in anthologies, but that my debut novel, Angelborn, comes out September 27th!

Could you tell us a bit about your latest book?

Angelborn is a YA urban fantasy that features Ginny Gracehurst, a teen who thinks she’s just a normal girl until she gets a demon mark and is thrown into a world she never knew existed. Turns out she’s half angel and the object of a powerful half demon’s evil plans. She must work to stay out of his hands while keeping her loved ones safe.

How long have you been writing, and how many books have you published to date?

I wrote my first story the day after I learned how to write and never stopped. I have three stories and four poems in anthologies with another short story releasing in November. Angelborn is my debut novel.

When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always been writing, but I didn’t realize I wanted to be a writer until I was deciding my major for college. I knew I liked English, but I never even knew it was possible to major in Creative Writing. My advisor mentioned it offhand and it was like a bell went off for me. It was exactly what I wanted to learn and do, and I dove right in.

What is your greatest challenge as a writer?

This is odd for me, but editing my own work has been a challenge for me. I work for a publishing company and actually do a lot of editing for them, and I love editing for others! But when it comes to my own works, I do struggle to get motivated, even though I really believe good writing is rewriting.

Do you have a favourite author, or writing inspiration?

I love a wide array of authors. I feel like there’s so much to learn from so many different writers and writing styles. I love stories with great characters I can relate to.

What advice would you give beginning writers?

Write first, edit later. I think it’s so important to distinguish between the two. It takes two completely different ways of thinking to do each, and you can really stifle your creativity by thinking too critically too soon. Get the draft out, you have time to perfect it later.

What do you like to do when you're not writing? Any hobbies?

I love being fueled by creativity, so I like drawing and painting in my free time. Also, reading is a passion of mine. And sometimes I crochet. Basically I like creating things or getting lost in imagination, mine or my favorite authors.

Are you working on another book?

I am in the middle of getting the sequel to Angelborn, Heavenfire, ready for publication in April. And I’m getting geared up to start writing the third book in the series. I’m a plotter, so I had to get my scene list and research in order first.

Angelborn by JK Allen

High school is all about boy meets girl, girl gets demon mark, and girl finds out she’s half-angel. At least that’s how it is for Ginny Gracehurst.

Sixteen year olds have a lot going on in their lives, and Ginny is no exception. Grades, homework, pimples, oh and now the sudden appearance of a demon mark. And discovering her father, who she thought was dead, is actually the great angel Grace. Who is very much alive.

With unforeseen powers growing, she has to figure out who she really is. While also staying out of the reach of a powerful half demon who is hell-bent on bending her to his will. The Alliance, an organization that is supposed to help people like her, is threatened by her potential gifts. They are more invested in their own hierarchy than in upholding their divine mandate. It’s up to her and a new friend, Aiden, to protect not just herself, but the ones she loves.

Angelborn is available on Amazon for a September 27th release.

The blog tour for Angelborn is running from Sept 14th to Oct 5th.

About the Author:

JK Allen received her BA in Creative Writing and English from Michigan State University. She wrote her first story when she first learned how to write and hasn’t looked back since. Common writing themes that can be found in her work address identity, everyday magic, and the type of strength that can be found in ordinary people. Three of her short stories and several poems are featured in anthologies, and Angelborn is her debut novel coming out September 2018. She is currently working on the trilogy as well as several shorts, while researching for a new series in the works. Her reading tastes are as varied as the genres she enjoys writing, from Jane Austen to J.K. Rowling. When she’s not writing, you can find her painting, drawing, or lost in another world between the pages of a book. Or on Facebook. She write YA urban fantasy mostly, but also dabbles in other genres like horror and poetry. You can find her at Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Or on her Blog.

Interview With Author Julia Starling

Today I have an interview with author Julia Starling, who stops by to chat about her writing and her debut book, Against the Oaks of Bashan, a literary science fiction novel. Enjoy.

An Interview with Julia Starling

Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.

I was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and started my adult life as a medical student there. When I met my husband Alex in Europe I moved to Cambridge, UK, and then London, where I finished my medical studies. We moved to California after five very formative years in the UK. Disappointed with the medical system in the US, I went back to school and became a psychotherapist. Right before I graduated, our home burnt down in the 2007 wildfires. It took years to reconstruct our lives. I had always written, but I started writing much more after the trauma of the total loss. We moved to the Santa Fe area in 2012 and I opened a small (but busy) private practice from my home. I kept writing whenever I could. In 2014 I was forced to take a leave of absence from work due to health reasons, and it is then that my creative life really took off. I started writing intensely every day, and painting my dreams. Against the Oaks of Bashan came from an intensive year and a half of soul searching. I have found my true passion in fiction and can’t wait to get started on the next project. 


Could you tell us a bit about your latest book?

It’s set in Buenos Aires, between the 1970’s and the 1990’s. It follows the story of two brilliant young scientists, Vera in the 70’s and Frances in the 90’s, in their struggle to find themselves, breaking free from other people’s agendas and what the world expects from them.

The narrator takes different characters’ points of view and motivations, making for a very rich exploration of psychological profiles. The whole story is infused with an Argentine flavor, and there are even some Argentine Spanish words inserted, in context, throughout the text, for added cultural enjoyment.

There is a strong social commentary that runs across the book, and a philosophical base for the science fiction elements. While rich in literary gems, it moves fast and has the quality of a thriller, keeping people frequently at the edge of their seats.


How long have you been writing, and how many books have you published to date?

I’ve been writing since I was a child, mainly personal reflections and poetry. As an adult, I wrote countless essays for med school and psychology school, and, whenever I would have time (even in the subway on my way to the hospital) I would write snippets of my perceptions and observations of the society around me. Having lived and worked in so many countries and settings, I was privileged to have lots of material to write about. When I finally had real time on my hands, on my leave of absence, I started to take writing to another level. I was surprised to find how easy the fiction genres worked for my style, and how compatible I was with this whole field. I actually wrote Against the Oaks of Bashan in less than a year, after a few months of gathering notes and structuring plot and characters. This is my first novel and I am absolutely positive that many more will come in the near future.

Why did you decide to write in the Science Fiction genre?

It came as a spontaneous process. My style is generally literary, so I set out to write a literary fiction piece. And when it came to drafting plot and characters, I found myself creating worlds that fit the sci-fi category. I am pleased with how this genre allows me to let my mind soar with no restrictions and how it is amenable to transmitting symbolic and philosophical material in a way that is engaging and moves fast.

What did you find most challenging about writing your book?

Perhaps the editing process: it was hard to go from 80,000 words to around 68,000. My literary style had to be adapted to fit the plot and overall flavor of the novel. I had to make sure that everything flowed smoothly and that the plot was not sacrificed to the literary elements. That was hard. But I think I succeeded in making an easy-read that also has substance and literary merit.

And of course, I had to trust myself when it came to writing my first novel in English, which is not my mother tongue. I think the second-guessing was harder than the reality of the finished work. I prefer to write in English because I have been thinking, speaking and writing in English since I was 21.


Did anything surprise you about the process of writing your book?

Yes, the action scenes: I had no idea I would be writing involved action and exciting car chases. It was really fun.


When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

I think I was always a writer. I wrote on my free time every since I can remember. But the decision to fully dedicate to writing and make it a full time career came after I begun writing Against the Oaks of Bashan. I knew at that point that this is what I am truly meant to be doing with my time.


Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas originate? Do you have a certain writing routine?

I start with notes and observations, and character development, on my typewriter at my north-facing studio (which has direct views of a field with the Sangre de Cristo mountains in the back). This is the idea/ conceptual stage. Once I have enough material, I go to cafes (I need to get out of the house for this, for some reason) and begin plot development. Once I have the plot and general structure, I gather all my materials and start typing the novel on my computer. That is the easiest part: I tend to finish this within a few months. Then, the grueling editing process begins. That is the hardest part. But after that, I have a full manuscript ready to send to professional editing, interior design and publishing.


Do you have a favourite author, or writing inspiration?

I am a little bit unusual in that I mostly enjoy classical novels and authors. I really like Goethe, Hesse, Huxley, Nietzsche, Dante, and some Sturgeon, Sloane and Stapledon.  And many ancient religious texts, like the Bhagavad-Gita, the Upanishads, and the Dhammapada.


Are you working on another book?

Yes, I have just got started with the preliminary stages. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into it. 

Against the Oaks of Bashan

The best way to rule a populace is from behind the scenes. Let people think they control their opinions and actions, and you can lead them anywhere.

So believes Professor Litvac, who dreams of engineering the “perfect consumer,” creating a populace living a life of mediocrity, anxiety, and malleable opinions. And in the turbulent political climate of 1970s Buenos Aries, he’s got plenty of opportunity to experiment. Any young adults who disappear are assumed to be the victims of ongoing political unrest.

Trapped in one of Litvac’s torture camps are Lucas and Vera Freund. Brilliant scientists, the Freunds hold the key to Litvac’s success, but they’re not talking. With the backing of a powerful Catholic sect, Litvac puts a plan in motion that will transcend generations. He’ll have what he wants—no matter the cost.


Julia Starling is a medical doctor and psychotherapist born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

You can find Against the Oaks of Bashan on Amazon.

An Interview With Rebecca Laffar-Smith

Today, in honour of her book launch, I have a delightful interview with Australian author Rebecca Laffar-Smith, who is here to chat about her writing and her debut paranormal novel, The Flight of the Torque.

Interview with Rebecca Laffar-Smith

Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself?

Thank you, A.F. I still feel self-conscious when people ask me that. I guess I’ll start with the basics; I’m Rebecca Laffar-Smith, a science fiction and fantasy novelist. For twelve years I was a freelance writer, editor, and Web technician, but I gave that up in 2010 to focus on family, community, and fiction. Now I homeschool my son and raise my amazing writing-obsessed teenage daughter. I also volunteer as a liaison in the writing industry in Western Australia where I support local writers and bring industry events and awareness into the community. And somehow, among all that, find time to write fiction.

Can you tell us a bit about your debut novel, The Flight of the Torque?

The Flight of Torque is a paranormal suspense that delves into the turmoil of our inner nature being at war with the self we identify with as individuals. That sounds pretty deep, on the surface it’s a cool story about a young woman who gets kidnapped by a snake of cult worshippers and is subjected to a ritual sacrifice. She survives but the experience transforms her and she finds herself taken over by the dark animal instinct of the creature within. Together with her guardian angel, she needs to discover a cure, but the further they delve the more secrets they reveal about who she is and how her family is tied to the Nagaran cult.

I really connected with the concept of having to fight against an inner darkness that can control the way you think and feel. I have Bipolar disorder and have found fighting the depression and mania related to Bipolar is a lot like having a serpent within, so beneath the surface of a paranormal suspense, I feel like The Flight of Torque looks at mental health and our struggle to accept who we are and embrace that to find our own inner core of strength and power.

The Flight of the Torque is the first of a series. How do you see that series developing?

The world in which the Blood of the Nagaran series exists seems to have a range of stories to tell. I’m currently working on the first draft of book two, Birth of the Sacred Mother, where we step backward a generation to discover the truth about Tori's family and the origin of the Nagaran Cult. In book three, I’ll be returning to the characters of Tori and Lucas to continue on from where The Flight of Torque leaves off, and in book four I’ll be stepping to the side to explore Zara and Crey's stories more fully. I’m also working on a novella in the same world, which will be exclusively available to the fans that are subscribed to my list. I’m very passionate about the novella too, although it’s taking a lot of courage to write, because it delves into some very powerful and provoking themes.

Do you have a favourite character from The Flight of the Torque, and why (or why not)?

Actually, people are often surprised when I declare Carny as my favourite character from The Flight of Torque. He’s not someone you might suspect, and because he’s actually a ‘bad guy’ a lot of people probably don’t like him. He comes into the book almost as a bit of comic relief, an archetypal trickster, who is strangely ridiculous and flawed while at the same time being someone I could really resonate with. I appreciated how real he felt to me as I was writing.

His dialogue was very entertaining to write, because one of his specific quirks is that he always uses double negatives. It was fun to give myself permission to blatantly disregard what is normally a strict rule of grammar. He’s also such a lively and emotive person. He came through very clearly and I never had difficulty getting into his character. I do tend to have difficulty ‘feeling’ my characters sometimes so having one that was so richly real to me was a wonderful experience.

Why did you decide to write a paranormal novel? Are you a fan of the genre?

I wouldn't have said yes until very recently actually, but as I think about this question I glance over at my bookshelves and it’s kind of obvious that I must very much be a fan of the genre. A few months ago I just thought I liked science fiction and fantasy with no specific preference for a smaller subset of genre. I thought I was writing a fantasy novel.

Originally, The Flight of Torque was a story about the epic battle of a city to survive the devastating attacks of a dying breed of dragons who were enraged because the cultists were stealing dragon eggs for research into creating hybrid humans. The citizens used powerful sonic weapons to fend off attacks and roamed around in a post-apocalyptic city that they were desperately trying to restore. Strangely, none of that makes it into the final version of the book and I’m still frustrated at not having a chance to tell my dragon stories yet. Thankfully, I have other books already waiting in the wings, some about dragons, some about artificial intelligence, some about a teen psychic medium, so I’ll have the opportunity to delve more widely into the science fiction and fantasy genre.

But coming back to your original question, as I look at my bookshelf I do see a definite proclivity toward paranormal novels. The shelves are full of angels, vampires, witches, and gifted individuals. I've always had this kind of desire, I suppose, to bring the extraordinary into the world. I want my readers to believe, even if only for a time, in the sheer wonder and possibility of the world. The paranormal is definitely a way to embrace that kind of idea.

Do have any interesting facts or stories to tell about the book, or an anecdote about writing it?

There always seem to be a lot of anecdotes that gather around the writing process and The Flight of Torque is no exception. It is actually more difficult to choose just one to talk about in more depth. So I’ll choose two.

First, the writing of the book was much more difficult than I ever imagined. The book actually began in 2006 when I collaborated with a friend and we dreamed and imagined and outlined the version I mentioned earlier with the dragons and the post-apocalyptic city. Life got in the way and the project got put on the backburner for both of us but it kept calling to me and keeping me awake at nights so several months after we had more or less abandoned it, I got in touch with my friend and asked if he’d mind my continuing it solo. Of course he was thrilled with the idea that it would eventually be finished even if he was no longer part of the process. The trouble was, without a partner to help keep me on target and producing, I tended to approach the project sporadically and life kept getting in the way.

Over the six years between 2006 and 2012 I managed about 20,000 words and had completely transformed the original concept. I had a sense of where it was going but finding the time to sit and write just wasn't happening. Then in November 2012 I made the book my National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) challenge. I knew the final book would need about 100,000 words so I felt no guilt at all aiming to write 50,000 words of the middle of it for NaNoWriMo rather than then as the rules stated at the time, ‘writing a 50,000 word book from start to finish’. That month I wrote 70,000 words thanks in big part to the wonderful community of writers that grew up around NaNoWriMo in my local area and the support and encouragement of my local library staff. And it was NaNoWriMo that drove me on to get it finished and published earlier this year so that it would be ready to share with my fellow NaNo writers this November.

Secondly, there is one aspect that always draws interest in self-publishing circles and that is the drama I had with the covers. Astute observers might discover that the book was originally published with a different cover. After I released the book with that cover I heard from some kind, but brutally honest, friends that they couldn't bring themselves to read what they believed must be a romance book. The cover had a very distinct “romance” sense about it at the time and it hadn't occurred to me that I’d typecast the book into a category that didn't fit the actual content. Romance lovers would be deeply disappointed at the raw hint of romance the book provided and my true audience; lovers of paranormal suspense and dark fantasy would run a mile. So, despite having already having distributed hundreds of copies and having paid for a small print run, I went back to basics and commissioned a new cover. That means there is now a limited first edition cover copy of the book. It was an interesting experience in the world of publishing and one of the mistakes I know I've learned a great deal from.

As a debut novelist, how have you found wading into the world of publishing?

It’s both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. I often feel like I’m leaping without a net, but that’s the way I tend to approach life. Even as a freelancer I believed in learning through trial and error. With self-publishing, I threw myself into it and because it was something I was passionate about and dedicated to doing I loved every aspect of discovering the course along the way. I actually find the writing part of the job the most difficult. Once I've got the draft written I feel like I’m truly in my element. I love the editing and shaping process, and because of my experience in Web technologies I found formatting a natural extension of my interests. I already had a lot of foundation for successfully building my platform. I knew how to develop a website and had a strong brand on social media. So I was well positioned to dive into the world of publishing.

The trouble is, I've still got a lot more to learn about everything. Because I dove in, rather than wading, I've made lots of mistakes. They've been powerful learning tools, but they've also made the journey that much harder. Thankfully, I believe self-publishing is a long-tail game. Very few writers make it big with a first book and in self-publishing it is more important than ever to develop a strong catalogue of product and have everything you release further building your brand as a writer.

This week, I have my very first in-person book launch, which has been pretty scary. Part of what I've had to learn in the build up to that is about approaching media and building momentum behind an event. I was thrilled when a friend from my local writers group sent me a message on Facebook with photographs of the state newspaper and there, in two separate articles, is my name and the details about my book launch. It was an amazing feeling because for the last couple of weeks I’d been fretting about the press releases I’d created and wondering if I’d done them right.

When you get into publishing, it’s easy to forget all the aspects involved. Traditional publishing houses have a host of staff in multiple departments and when you’re self-publishing you’re effectively taking on most of those roles yourself. Yes, it’s important to commission aspects such as a cover artist and editor, but handling, distribution, and public relations are all things you tend to deal with yourself so it’s forces you to really think about the way you approach your work. You have to treat yourself and your creations in a business capacity and think strategically when you make decisions, and no matter how much you read about it and try to learn from the advice and experience of others, you’ll face your own challenges and have to learn how to shift and move to get around the difficulties you face along the way.

Who has inspired you as an author?

One of my earliest inspirations was Australian author, Traci Harding. I was a teenager when I read her Ancient Future trilogy and began to see how novels could be a gateway for giving people insights into the world that they might not be open to in other mediums. I realised fiction had a compelling capacity to alter the way people think about the world and themselves. The idea of reaching people in that way really appealed to me. But even before that I’d been passionate about writing.

I still remember the first poem I ever wrote. I was six at the time and even now the words of that poem still resonate with the person I am and the person I’m trying to be. I was first published at the age of twelve with another poem, which received an editor’s choice award, and that encouragement drove me on.

In more recent years, I've been inspired by other self-published writers having the courage to make their way in the world and by the amateur writers who have looked to me as that guiding beacon. When I became the municipal liaison for my NaNoWriMo region I realised that having a ‘real’ author in their ranks was hugely motivating to them and that pushed me to work harder than ever to bring this book to fruition.

What’s next for you?

Well, right now I’m powering through National Novel Writing Month myself and hope to have a solid first draft of Birth of the Sacred Mother written by the end of the month. Given that these books are closer to 100,000 words, it means working twice as hard as most during November, but I’m confident and am already more than 10,000 words on my way. I’m hoping to have Birth of the Sacred Mother out in the first few months of 2015 and will simultaneously release the subscriber-exclusive novella to my list at the same time.

Then I’ll be deviating from the Blood of the Nagaran series temporarily to begin a serial fiction following a teenage psychic medium whose ‘gift’ helps her solve crime and bring peace to grieving families. I began to discover the concept for this series during NaNoWriMo last year and am very excited to explore it further but I have no idea how evolved the serial will become at this stage.

I've also got at least a dozen other books waiting in the wings. Like I mentioned, I definitely want to visit dragons and artificial intelligence. I've got a secret surprise non-fiction book that I’m putting together with the children of a local primary school and my son keeps asking me to write some children’s stories. Not to mention the other Blood of the Nagaran books.

So I guess, next for me is trying to keep my fingers to the keys churning out all these stories. Speaking of which, that’s probably where I should be at this hour.

Thank you so very much for inviting me to share this with you and your readers, A.F. It’s been such a delight and I hope you've all enjoyed hearing me ramble on. I’m happy to answer any specific questions others may have so please leave a comment and if you’d like to be kept up to date with what I’m releasing and get exclusive access to the Blood of the Nagaran novella I mentioned you can subscribe on my website.

Author Bio:

In 1998, Rebecca began offering freelance writing, editing, and Web technology services. She published non-fiction articles in online magazines and then later in print. She worked for a number of clients from university students and school teachers, to CEOs and entrepreneurs. The business was moderately steady, but Rebecca found the work increasingly mundane and, in her words “soul-destroying”. She wanted to embrace her childhood dream of becoming a novelist. In 2010 she stopped accepting freelance commissions and focused on her three loves; family, community, and fiction.

Now, Rebecca volunteers as a liaison for the writing industry in her community. As part of the Write Along The Highwaycommittee and OzNoWriMo Young Writer’s Program, Rebecca supports local writers and brings industry events and awareness into the local community. Somehow, she finds time around all that, as well as homeschooling her son and raising her teenage daughter, to work on her true writing passion. Her debut novel, The Flight of Torque, was published June, 2014.

Website:  http://www.flightoftorque.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/laffarsmith

Interview with Author Doug Simpson

Guest time again, with author Doug Simpson stopping by for an interview.  He chats about his debut novel, Soul Awakening,  his writing and a little bit about himself:

Interview with Doug Simpson

1. Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself?

I am a retired high school teacher who always wanted to be a writer but never seemed to find the time and inspiration to accomplish much while teaching full time and raising a family. Retirement blessed me with a retirement income and a bucket full of free time, so after forty years of dreaming and procrastinating, I finally sat down and achieved my dream.

2. Can you tell us about your debut novel, Soul Awakening?

Soul Awakening is the story of three strangers, who are brought together by accident, or so it appears initially, but who ultimately discover that their unorthodox introductions were arranged by Divine Intervention. Dacque LaRose, the senior member of the trio, is the learned teacher who commenced an educational journey, ten years earlier, a month after the unfortunate passing of his wife, when her spirit appeared in their living room one evening with some inspirational advice for him. Already a casual believer in life after death of the body, Dacque eagerly researched the notion of survival of the soul and spirit after death, and his acquired knowledge led him to the possibility of reincarnation.

Dacque joined the snowbird migration, within a year after the death of his wife, and sold the family home in Ohio and landed in the south in the small retiree’s-dominated city of Anywhere. His research after his move to Anywhere introduced him to a local group called the Reincarnation Enlightenment Group, and he joined up. One of the founding members of the Group is a certified regression therapist who, as part of her research in the area of reincarnation, offers Group members past life regression sessions for free, in her spare time. Dacque requested three regression sessions and discovered ten of his previous incarnations, as well as learning that significant individuals in this lifetime had played primary roles in his earlier incarnations.

With Dacque’s elevated understanding of souls, spirits and life on the-other-side, there grew the realization that he was receiving communications from God, or more likely one of God’s messengers. It was messages from God that led him, in two separate incidents, to the younger members of the aforementioned trio of strangers. God first leads Dacque to befriend Dani Christian, an unemployed and depressed legal secretary who is not destitute but effectively alone in the city. Only days later, through a Divinely-orchestrated nose-dive into the sidewalk on his morning walk, Dacque is introduced to his rescuer, a Good Samaritan named Max Winston.

Over time, Dacque enlightens Dani and Max on his beliefs in the survival of the soul after death and reincarnation. Max and Dani obtain past-life regression sessions and they discover that their souls experienced a previous lifetime together that also included Dacque’s soul. Later Dani, Max and his parents uncover a series of earlier intertwined incarnations where they are descendants of their soul’s earlier incarnations, and also discover some historical previous incarnations that they never could have imagined.


3. Why did you decide to write a spiritual mystery with a reincarnation theme?

I had been familiar with the archived readings of the legendary American mystic Edgar Cayce, for a few decades, and after I retired I found lots of time to undertake a more thorough investigation of the secrets they possessed. Edgar Cayce gave over 15,000 psychic readings in a deep, self-induced, trance-like state. Unfortunately, copies of the earliest readings were not made, and the original was given or sent to the reading recipient. Fortunately, there are copies, tucked away in a vault in Virginia Beach, Virginia, of over fourteen thousand of the later readings. More than ten thousand of the readings are medical readings where the unconscious Edgar diagnosed medical problems the physicians could not pin down, as well as prescribing treatments and prescriptions for the recipients. The second-largest group of readings is life or reincarnation readings, for approximately two thousand different individuals. These life readings revealed only a few of the individual’s previous incarnations, specifically those which were particularly significant for the understanding of the reasons why the individual’s soul had selected this particular body to spend a lifetime in. The reincarnation readings fascinated me the most and I spent many hundreds of hours studying them. That is where the idea for Soul Awakening was hatched.


4. What type of research did you do for your book?

My research and understanding of the Edgar Cayce readings was the primary source of the material I incorporated into Soul Awakening.


5. Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas originate? Do you have a certain writing routine?

Believe it or not, the primary source for much of the manuscript which became Soul Awakening was inspiration. It was not ‘automatic writing’ but many times, when writing a chapter, words and events would pour out of my fingers which I had never anticipated before I sat down in front of the keyboard. There were times when I completed a chapter and had absolutely no idea what was going to unfold in the very next chapter, but when I arose the next morning I knew exactly what was going to be revealed.


6. You were a high school teacher. Which profession do you find more challenging: being a writer or being a teacher?

Teaching was more of a challenge because you had to know your material and your students, as well as how to bring the two together. For me, writing with unseen inspiration, is much, much easier.


7. How and why did you make the transition from teacher to author?

Retirement on full pension was an easy choice.


8. Who has inspired you as an author?

I never tried to imitate any famous author. My main inspiration had to Edgar Cayce and his amazing material.


9. What’s next for you?

I have already completed two other manuscripts incorporating the three main characters from Soul Awakening, and I am currently working on the fourth installment.


You can check out Doug's website here: http://dousimp.mnsi.net/ or his blog here: http://doug-simpson-author.blogspot.com/    And find Soul Awakening at http://booklocker.com/books/5754.html

Interview with Lena Hillbrand, author of The Superiors

Today, we have a guest on the blog, writer Lena Hillbrand, author of the urban fantasy book, The Superiors.  She graciously consented to the following interview:

1. Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.


Other than writing, I spend a lot of time reading, hanging out with my family, and doing outdoorsy stuff. I’m always thinking about writing though, rehashing scenes or taking little pieces from my surroundings and experiences that I can use. My books are much more interesting than my life!

2. Can you tell us about your book, The Superiors?

The Superiors is my take on the vampire genre. It’s not the typical vampire story that’s fashionable right now—it’s not a love story, and it’s more literary than most of the current vampire books. The book is my theory on what would happen if vampires really existed. They would take over the world and enslave humans, and they wouldn’t all be filthy rich and look like supermodels!
The book follows the journey of one lower-class Superior (vampire) on his quest to buy a human who captivates his interest. Through his relationship with her, he begins to remember his own humanity just when he’s forced to make a choice that defies humanity. It’s a bit of a grim take on vampires.


3. This is your debut novel. How long have you been writing, and how does it feel to have a published book?

I’ve been writing for most of my life, but I’m fairly new to novel writing. I wrote my first full-length novel less than three years ago and kept churning out the rest of the series after that. Sometimes I’d spend 12 or 16 hours a day writing, but it’s definitely been a labor of love. It’s pretty cool to finally have a book with my name on it.


4. Was it a conscious decision for The Superiors to be the start of a series or did the story simply evolve beyond one book?

I planned on writing four books and did a brief one-paragraph plot synopsis for the books before I wrote them. After the second book, I threw away the plan and kept writing until the series felt finished. I ended up with seven books instead of four.


5. Why did you decide to write in the fantasy genre?

Mostly due to frustration, honestly. I’d only read a couple of the popular vampire series, but they didn’t answer any of the questions I had about vampires. So I did some research to answer my own questions. Then I wrote what I thought would happen. I never thought I’d write fantasy, but it turned out I liked it.


6. What is the hardest part of writing fantasy fiction?

The hardest part for me is the world building. I’m always surprised when people compliment me on it, because I find that part the most difficult and don’t think I’m very good at it.


7. How did you research your books?

I read a lot of vampire folklore. I stopped reading vampire novels when I started writing, because I didn’t want them to influence my ideas. But I did read a lot of traditional vampire lore from different cultures. There’s an amazing diversity of vampire types and myths across the world.


8. What advice would you give beginning writers?

Just keep writing, as much and as often as you can.


9. What’s next for you?

I’m working on editing the other books in The Superiors series. I’m also writing a prequel-type novella and a realistic YA book.


You can find Lena online everywhere, but these are the sites she frequents the most:

Her blog: http://lenahillbrand.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LenaHillbrand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lenahillbrand
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4836823.Lena_Hillbrand

The Superiors is available on Amazon, Kindle and Smashwords.

A Luminescent Book: A Review of Refracted

My book review of Refracted by Sheila Deeth:

Refracted by Sheila Deeth is a book where religion meets existential thought, wrapped in beauty. The novel is, technically, science fiction, but it is far more of a love story spun through history, theology and the human spirit.

The tale in Refracted is woven through a series of vignettes, always revolving around two people set against history and religion, which pull the thread of the story through to its conclusion, where we find one man in a pivotal life struggle.

There is a certain poignant tone lilting through the graceful prose and the reader is inexorably drawn into the mysterious and multifaceted story. Ms. Deeth pours genuine emotion into her characters and manages to convey remarkable continuity, despite the rapid changes in settings. This novel is a delicate and affecting piece of writing.

The book offers an apparent scientific explanation for the events that unfold, but the brilliant heart of the story is that details don’t matter; whatever is happening, the inspired essence would stay as heart-rending if it were a dream, past life remembrance, or as the author depicts.

The only flaw I found in the book was the occasional modern language usage in the historic passages; it was a bit distracting and sometimes jarred me out of the narrative. But such a defect can be easily overlooked considering the total quality of Refracted.

I can only give this book my highest recommendation.


Sheila Deeth at Gyspy Shadow Publishing:  http://www.gypsyshadow.com/SheilaDeeth.html

Interview with Janie Franz , author of The Bowdancer Saga

Today, author Janie Franz stops by on her virtual book tour for a little chat.  We discuss her new fantasy series, The Bowdancer Saga, the first volume in the series, The Bowdancer, and the particulars of writing fiction.  Don't forget to comment, one lucky person will win a free copy of her book.

Come and share some fantasy and a touch of romance from a great new voice in fiction.

Interview with Janie Franz , author of The Bowdancer Saga:

 

1.  Let’s start with a brief description of The Bowdancer.

My book blurb describes the book this way: Jan-nell, a young healer and keeper of village lore, despairs of ever finding the child who will be the next bowdancer or a man worthy enough to love. It is set in another world that could be mistaken for a very primitive Europe. It deals with roles and choices—and, of course, love.

2.  Where did the idea/inspiration for the story originate?

That is really interesting because Jan-nell came to me in a meditation, fully formed, shooting a flaming arrow across the night sky. While in meditation, I asked her questions about who she was and why she seemed sad. That became the background and motivations for her character. The story of her village and her place in it unfolded as I wrote the novella. And, Bastin, the bandit who rides into her life, became part of her conflict.

3.  Do you have a favourite character, and if you do, why?

Jan-ell, of course, is my favorite, but she, like many other authors’ main characters, is part of the author. We sort of live through our characters. I have really enjoyed some of the people that Jan-nell has come to know and love. I was especially fond of the women in Warrior Women and actually cried when I finished that book.

4.  Did you find it challenging to create the world of The Bowdancer?

Creating Jan-nell’s world was actually easier than I had imagined it might be. I think that is because her world is partly one I would have liked to live in, a world that is far more simple than our own, where people lived off the land. I did have to work out some different landscapes and climates and try to make them consistent. My biggest challenge in The Lost Song has been broadening Jan-nell’s world and finding other landscapes and cultures.

5.  What kind of research did you do for the story? Is the world based on any particular culture?

The cultures in The Bowdancer Saga are not based on any one particular culture. I’ve tried to be very careful and not co-opt anyone’s lifeways or religion. There are some similarities with ancient Europeans, some Norse cultures, some American Indian groups, and even North African peoples. But most readers won’t recognize them directly—or at least I hope they don’t. But I do think they might find some of the lifeways to be familiar at least.

I did do some considerable herb research for the last three books. Though my foremothers wildcrafted plants from the Appalachians for medicinal uses, I just grow and use a lot of culinary herbs myself. I have also consulted with my son, who is the executive chef and part owner of a high-end martini bistro here.

I would like to make note that the books in The Bowdancer Saga are heavily influenced by songs. The Bowdancer hints at them, while some of the other books in the series have them figured more prominently. My husband, who is a singer/songwriter, checks some of the doggerel I’ve written to see if it hold together enough for a song. So, far they have. And, he’s also working with me to create a companion group of songs from The Bowdancer Saga. Some he’ll just put to music, and some he will create outright because they are talked about often. We haven’t decided whether that will be a CD or mp3s we can offer for download for a bonus.


6.  Did you feel having a female protagonist was essential for your fantasy romance? Do you feel more comfortable writing the female point-of-view?

Jan-nell, the bowdancer, is the cornerstone of The Bowdancer Saga. It is important that readers see the world through her eyes. She allows us to process the new people she meets and the experiences she has through the filter of her culture, which is very different from nearly everyone else’s she meets.

I am more comfortable writing from a woman’s point of view. But I think for The Bowdancer Saga it is critical that everything is filtered through this particular woman because the series plays with concepts of gender, roles, family, and lifeways.


7.   Did you encounter problems when writing The Bowdancer, or was it an effortless writing experience?

The Bowdancer nearly wrote itself. But I had done that several years ago. I had written the first chapter of The Wayfarer’s Road and jotted down some notes shortly after The Bowdancer was written. When I picked up my notes and began The Wayfarer’s Road, I sort of knew how it would end, but I had no idea what would happen in the middle. That emerged as I wrote and began to fill out a skeletal outline as the first two or three chapters were fleshed out. From that story, I got the idea for Warrior Women and from that book came the idea for The Lost Song.


It had been sometime since I’d plunged into fiction writing, except for a short story here and there that never was circulated to publishers. I had quite forgotten how much the writing experience was a spiritual one. What I mean by that is that sometimes I’d look down at my hands on the keyboard and see the words pouring forth and I’d wonder where they came from. But more than that it was diving deep into the world I had created, eager to find out what would happen next. Since I was working with basically chapter titles as an outline (Those titles were never used, by the way.), I just knew the direction I was going, but I didn’t know the details.

There is a real stepping into the creative flow that I experienced. It reminded me of a painter I know who turned away from his work when it was done and looked back in wonder to see what had been created while he had been in the flow. That was sort of how I felt about writing this series.

When I was writing Warrior Women, I purposely delayed writing a juicy scene that was going to be the climax of the story. I wanted to get into that scene so badly, but I kept myself from writing it. Because I delayed that writing, when it came time for that scene, it became a totally different experience and made for a better ending that the one I had in mind.

8.  Which aspect of the book did you enjoy writing the most, the fantasy or the romance?

I must confess I’m not a romance reader. I have reviewed maybe a handful of romance novels out of over 300 books I’ve reviewed in the past five years. I don’t like boy-meets-girl stories when that’s all there is there. I’m not crazy about reading love scenes either. In fact, most of the time when I read a good mystery or thriller, I’ll skim those parts. I just don’t find them interesting.

But I do like stories about relationships and that have some kind of romantic tension between the characters. It’s like with X-Files. There was all this romantic tension between Muldar and Scully. When they finally kissed, the shows ratings plummeted. There is something to be said about anticipation.

That said, I did find myself getting into the romance parts of these stories. And, frankly, all of them deal with relationships in some way. However, I am finding out that what I think is graphic is really a mainstream love scene. When my book was picked up by Breathless Press, they added a new heat category: Sweet Confections. That category describes traditional romance and some mainstream love scenes.

I do enjoy building Jan-nell’s world and creating the cultures there. But it is the interplay of the people she cares about that I find interesting and allows me to explore those questions of roles and family and gender.

9. Are there any more Bowdancer stories forthcoming?

Yes, there are at least three more. The second book, The Wayfarer’s Road, and the third, Warrior Women, are finished and will be released soon. I’m writing the fourth, The Lost Song, which I hope will become one of my favorite types of books—the map quest.

I’ve always been fascinated by adventure stories that deal with clues, maps, and codes. I remember reading The Diamond Cave Mystery by Troy Nesbit when I was a little girl. It was one of the few books I ever saw my dad read, and he shared it with me. It was a boy’s book about finding a treasure in a cave using clues from the Bible. That got me hooked, not only on books like that but on adventure movies. So, naturally I am a fan of the Indiana Jones films, the Mummy series, the Librarian TV movies, National Treasure, and Sahara. I just hope I do proper homage to them in The Lost Song.

Janie Franz still calls herself a Southerner (she was born in Tennessee) though she has spent more than half her life living in North Dakota. She holds a degree in anthropology and has an unquenchable curiosity, which may explain the broadness of her journalism credits that include regional, national, and international publications. She has co-written two books with Texas wedding DJ, Bill Cox (The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book and The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book), and has published a writing manual, Freelance Writing: It’s a Business, Stupid! She is also a prolific book and music reviewer, and runs her own online music publication, Refrain Magazine.

She has been a radio announcer, a booking agent for a groove/funk band, and a yoga/relaxation instructor. She has been happily married to a singer/songwriter for almost four decades. They have a daughter who is a fiber artist and is married to an animator, and a son who is the executive chef of The Toasted Frog, a high-end martini bistro, and who plays drums and blues harmonica with local bands.
 
The Bowdancer is her first published work of fiction.
The Bowdancer Saga

Janie Franz, author of “The Bowdancer” (2009) published by Breathless Press:
Jan-nell, a young healer and keeper of village lore, despairs of ever finding the child who will be the next bowdancer or a man worthy enough to love.
http://www.breathlesspress.com/erotic/romance/fantasy/the-bowdancer.html 


If the interview whetted your appetite for more, check out Janie's other tour stops.  And be sure to join me back here on March 4 for my book review of The Bowdancer.

Janie Franz is currently on a two-week virtual book tour with Novel Works. February 22 – March 6, 2010.

Janie Franz’s Tour Stops
2/22/10  Interview with author Janie Franz on Novel Works - http://novelworks2.blogspot.com
2/23/10 The Changing Market of E-books on Book Madness - http://bookmadness.wordpress.com 
 2/24/10 My Writing Journey on Novel Works -  http://novelworks2.blogspot.com
2/25/10 Interview with author Janie Franz on A. F. Stewart's Blog- http://afstewartblog.blogspot.com
2/26/10 "The Bowdancer" Midwest Book Review on Novel Works- http://novelworks2.blogspot.com
2/27  Falling In Love With Your Characters on Janie Franz’s blog- http://thebowdancersaga.wordpress.com/
3/1/10  Interview with Jan-nel from the Bowdancer Saga series on Novel Works- http://novelworks2.blogspot.com
3/2/10  Janie Franz's Live interview with Kim Smith on Introducing Writers - Blogtalk Radio-  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/kims
3/3/10 The Virtual Tour Experience on Janie Franz’s blog- http://thebowdancersaga.wordpress.com/
3/4/10 A. F. Stewart book review of "The Bowdancer"  http://afstewartblog.blogspot.com
3/5/10 Interview with author Janie Franz:  Penny Ehrenkranz's One Writer's Journey- http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.blogspot.com
3/6/10 Jan-nell the Bowdancer’s Conflicts Color Her Goals and Motivations on Susan Whitfield’s Blog- http://susanwhitfield.blogspot.com