Author Interview and Book Spotlight: Sing Sweet Nightingale by Erica Cameron

A couple of months back I read Sing Sweet Nightingale and I absolutely loved it! It's definitely a series I'm obsessing over. I'm thrilled to have the author today on the blog to discuss her writing!

Book Summary:

Mariella Teagen hasn't spoken a word in four years.

She pledged her voice to Orane, the man she loves—someone she only sees in her dreams. Each night, she escapes to Paradise, the world Orane created for her, and she sings for him. Mariella never believed she could stay in Paradise longer than a night, but two weeks before her eighteenth birthday, Orane hints that she may be able to stay forever.

Hudson Vincent made a pledge to never fight again.

Calease, the creature who created his dream world, swore that giving up violence would protect Hudson. But when his vow caused the death of his little brother, Hudson turned his grief on Calease and destroyed the dream world. The battle left him with new abilities and disturbing visions of a silent girl in grave danger—Mariella.

Now, Hudson is fighting to save Mariella's life while she fights to give it away. And he must find a way to show her Orane’s true intentions before she is lost to Paradise forever.

About the Author:

Erica Cameron knew that writing was her passion when she turned a picture book into a mystery novella as a teen. That piece wasn't her best work, but it got her an A. After college, she used her degree in Psycology and Creative Writing to shape a story about a dreamworld. Then a chance encounter at a rooftop party in Tribeca made her dream career a reality.

Erica is many things but most notably the following: writer, reader, editor, dancer, choreographer, singer, lover of musical theater, movie obsessed, sucker for romance, Florida resident, and quasi-recluse. She loves the beach but hates the heat, has equal passion for the art of Salvador Dali and Venetian Carnival masks, has a penchant for unique jewelry and sun/moon décor pieces, and a desire to travel the entire world on a cruise ship. Or a private yacht. You know, whatever works.

Her debut novel Sing Sweet Nightingale released March 4, 2014 from Spencer Hill Press. It is the first book in The Dream War Saga.

Interview with Erica Cameron:

Hi Erica and thanks so much for stopping by the blog today! I loved Sing Sweet Nightingale and I’m so excited about the sequel.

Thank you! I can’t wait to share more about Deadly Sweet Lies. I only hope people like it as much as they’ve enjoyed Sing Sweet Nightingale so far!

How did your writing career begin?

I have always been a story addict, the kind of kid who could re-read favorite books a dozen or so times and re-watch favorite movies a couple hundred times. They don’t really cover “how to be an author” in grade school, though. So even though I understood that there were mystical “authors” somewhere in the world who created the stories I so loved, it wasn’t until college that I got it. It really clicked that I could be one of those mystical authors.

In 2007, I wrote my first original novel and in early 2008 I began shopping it to agents. While I did get some really fantastic feedback, no one signed me as a client. Someone eventually pointed out all of the errors and inconsistencies in the first book and, while writing book two I realized how many corners I’d written myself into with the world. I shelved that series and moved on to something new.

It wasn’t until 2010 that I wrote Sing Sweet Nightingale and that is really where my actual “career” began. This book was strange from the start, beginning life as a single POV past-tense short story and ending up as a dual POV present-tense novel. It makes sense that the way it became a “real” book is strange too. I wrote a pretty detailed blog post about how I met my editors at a party I crashed and another one about the incredibly roundabout way I signed with my agent Danielle Chiotti seven months AFTER I sold Sing. Now I just have to keep the career running in the right direction as long as possible!

Do you read often? Any favorite books and authors?

Yes. As often as I can. This is, admittedly, not as often as I wish I were able to. My TBR pile is not actually a pile. It’s a whole six-foot-long, double-stacked shelf. Plus everything in my Kindle app. As for what I read, I tend to go on genre binges. If I read an excellent YA fantasy, I try to find a lot of other books in the same vein. But eventually something will hit a sour note and I’ll genre jump. Maybe mystery/thriller, maybe contemporary romance, maybe historical. I don’t read a lot of horror, really “literary” literature, or non-fiction. Because of my really wide reading range (and the seemingly permanent oddities of my brain), I don’t really have a true “favorite” author. However, my earliest “I will buy anything you write” author was Tamora Pierce. And my first book boyfriend was George Cooper from her Alanna series. I still adore her writing, her characters, and her worlds. They’re phenomenal!

The beginning of Sing Sweet Nightingale grabbed me from the beginning and I fell in love with Hudson from the first pages. Where did you get the inspiration for his character? What about Mari’s character?

I’m going to start with Mari only because the inspiration for her character is really easy to explain. I plucked her, name and everything, from a song by Kate Nash called “Mariella.” If you’ve read the book and you read the lyrics to the song, you’ll see exactly what I mean. What’s funny is that, as straightforward as the inspiration for her character was, no character I have written has ever, EVER fought me as much as she did. We had an incredibly contentious relationship for a long time.

Ahh, Hudson. <3 The inspiration for Hudson is harder to explain because there wasn’t some lightning bolt inspiration moment. When I started writing Sing (the very first draft of the short story version) I had no clue where the story was going. I knew there was a voluntarily mute girl, a guy in a dreamworld, and a guy in the real world. I didn’t know which side would be the “good” guy. The dreamworld guy looked hot but weirded me out for some reason I couldn’t explain, and the guy with the black eyes and the scars who showed up out of nowhere looked creepy but felt a lot safer. Hudson is one of those characters I had to get to know slowly, but it didn’t take long at all for me to realize that he was definitely the good guy. From the first draft to the very last, Hudson didn’t change much at all. He still is almost exactly who he was when he stepped on to the page that first time.

The DreamWorld was described in vivid detail and I really could picture it in my mind. Was it challenging to come up with all of the intricacies of the DreamWorld?

Thank you! A lot of the concept and imagery for Mariella’s dreamworld came from the movie What Dreams May Come (which I highly recommend watching if you’ve never seen it). Writing within the dreamworld itself wasn’t challenging mostly because I knew I could do almost whatever I wanted. That part was SO FUN! The hard part of the dreamworld came in all of the ways that world interacts with ours. And how people like Mariella and Hudson interact with the dreamworld. What’s possible? What’s impossible? How far does their power stretch in each place? What are the creatures like Orane capable of? If they can’t do something within our world, why not? How long can the doorways remain open? At what rate does time pass in each world? There are so many questions I had to answer in order to keep the possibilities for both Sing Sweet Nightingale and the rest of The Dream War Saga consistent. So, short answer? Yes. So much yes. It was definitely a challenge.

Willing to give any tidbits up about the next book in the Dream Wars saga?

The only thing I can say before the cover reveal on May 30 (everyone should come see me at BEA if you’re going to be there!) is that book two will probably not take the shape anyone expects it to. And I sincerely hope they’ll see this as a good thing.

I love the cover for Sing Sweet Nightingale. Have you seen the cover art for the next book?

Isn’t it GORGEOUS?! Spencer Hill is fantastic about asking for author input through the whole process. I don’t have a designers eye at all, so I didn’t have a clear concept of what I thought the cover should look like. The only thing I insisted on was that the cover relate to the book in a clearly defined way. My favorite covers are all ones that make perfect sense once you read the story. The “hot girl” or “pretty picture for no reason” covers make no sense to me. That was the ONE thing I insisted on and that’s definitely what I got. Also, Jeremy West (my cover photographer and designer) is a freaking prodigy child. I’m so glad I have him on my team!

And I have seen the cover art for Deadly Sweet Lies and O. M. G. Guys? He’s done it again. It’s perfect.

What’s your writing process like?

I always laugh/cry in my head when I see the word “process” applied to writing. It makes it seem as though there’s actually a way to do this. Worse, it makes some people think there’s some secret trick that’ll make writing a breeze. To date, and over the course of ten completed first drafts, I can say that I’ve never written a book the same way twice. One thing I am definitely not good at is outlining before I write. And by not good I mean awful. Horrifically awful. I hate it. 

For me, it is impossible to predict how people will react in a given situation until I know them. Characters are people. Until I have a handle on their voice, their quirks, and their backstory, I cannot possibly know what they’ll do if I throw them in the way of a gunfight or toss them on a desert island. Even more importantly, I won’t know WHY they react the way they do. And I know that some people can create these intricate questionnaires for their characters before they write to get to know them, but that doesn’t work for me either. I subscribe more to the ideology of letting the character introduce themselves to me as I write. The “listen to the voices in your head” theory.

Any advice for aspiring authors?

My friend Marni Bates recently wrote a FANTASTIC blog post with advice (and gifs!) for aspiring authors. She titled the post The Best Writing Advice I Don’t Feel Qualified to Give… I will tell you right now that there is a VERY GOOD REASON she titled her blog post this. Even people who have been in this industry for decades can’t tell you how to become an author. Or what it might take to make your career successful. Trust me, I know. I’ve asked them.

THAT BEING SAID, here’s some advice:

Take advice when it’s offered and apply it whenever it’s useful, but don’t listen to anyone who tells you there’s a “right” way to write.

Fight for your dream, but don’t beat your head against a brick wall with a project that isn’t right.

Don’t quit your day job until you’re really sure you’re ready. If you like your day job, you don’t have to quit ever unless you want to. Lots of authors have dual professions.

Writing is an art and therefore subjective. Extremely. Not everyone is going to like everything you write, but all you need is one agent and/or editor to say “Yes! I love that.”

In the same vein, don’t sign with an agent who isn’t extremely passionate and enthusiastic about both your current book and your potential career. Also, don’t sign with an agent if the only thing they have going for them is passion. Writing may be an art, but it’s still a business. You need someone who knows the industry to help you navigate the technical aspects of your chosen career.

Learn to love (or at the very least cope with) editing. It’s going to be a very big part of your life.

Last, but possibly most importantly, don’t become an author unless you honestly, seriously cannot see yourself doing anything else. It’s stressful, time consuming, and utterly rewarding. Be sure the prizes you’ll get from writing (and what those prizes are is different for every author) is worth everything else.  

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Head Above Water by Amber Garza

Book & Author Details:

Head Above Water by Amber Garza 

Publication date: February 28th 2014 

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

Sometimes all you need is someone to hold you up.

Harper Elliott knows what it feels like to drown. To be unable to breath, to feel the crushing weight of your lungs collapsing while waves crash over your head and the surface is just out of reach. The ocean has stolen way too much from her and her family. Even though she lives just miles from the beach she rarely ever steps foot on it, and never goes in the water.

Until she meets Tag Williams, the sexy lifeguard with the funny name, kind smile, genuine eyes and smoking hot body. He makes Harper want to do more than just stick her toes in to test the waters. He makes her want to jump in with both feet.

But if she does, can she trust Tag to keep her head above water?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20647237-head-above-water

Purchase:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=amber+garza+Head+Above+Water+&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aamber+garza+Head+Above+Water+

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AUTHOR BIO

Amber Garza lives in California with her amazing husband and two hilarious children who provide her with enough material to keep her writing for years.

Links:

Website: http://ambergarza.wordpress.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5582891.Amber_Garza

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amber-Garza-author/307389409285047

Guest Post:

My Journey as a Writer

When I was a little girl I knew I wanted to be an author one day. I used to write stories all of the time. However, life happened and when I got married and had my children I kind of put that dream on hold. Around the time my daughter turned two, I decided to try and finally write a novel. I wrote my first book, “Confessions of a Harried Housewife.” It’s a chic lit book about a quirky stay-at-home mom. Not surprising, since I was a stay-at-home mom at the time. After that I wrote two more chic lit books – “Abandoning Alice” and “Diapering Diva.” The only one that garnered attention from agents and publishers was the first one, but ultimately it didn’t get picked up.

After that the chic lit genre sort of dissolved and I worked the next few years on honing my craft and finding my voice. I tried writing an inspirational romance but abandoned it halfway through. I then wrote my suspense novel, “Engraved” and another book called, “American Dream” that I never released. I did have some short stories published and won some contests in that time frame. I also signed with an agent at one point but ended up severing that relationship for a variety of reasons.

Then I wrote the Prowl Trilogy and felt that I had finally found my niche. I really like writing young adult. It’s a genre I enjoy so much. At that point, I decided to self-publish and I’ve never looked back. It’s the perfect choice for me. I love having control over my career. I love choosing my covers, titles, release dates. I don’t mind doing my own marketing and I’ve met so many incredible bloggers, reviewers and fans who have helped with this. It’s an amazing community and I’m lucky to be a part of it. So, we will see where this journey takes me from here on out, but so far it’s been incredible.

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Unbreak Me Blitz: Author Interview and Giveaway

Book & Author Details:

Unbreak Me by Lexi Ryan

Publication date:  May 27th, 2013 

Genre: New Adult Romance

Synopsis:

“If you’re broken, I’ll fix you…”

I’m only twenty-one and already damaged goods. A slut. A failure. A disappointment to my picture-perfect family as long as I can remember. I called off my wedding to William Bailey, the only man who thought I was worth fixing. A year later, he’s marrying my sister. Unless I ask him not to…

“If you shatter, I’ll find you…”

But now there’s Asher Logan, a broken man who sees the fractures in my façade and doesn’t want to fix me at all. Asher wants me to stop hiding, to stop pretending. Asher wants to break down my walls. But that means letting him see my ugly secrets and forgiving him for his. 

With my past weighing down on me, do I want the man who holds me together or the man who gives me permission to break?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17841451-unbreak-me

Purchase  

Direct purchase links will not be available until release day but can be found here:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lexi-Ryan/e/B0089X3KZC/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/lexi-ryan

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AUTHOR BIO

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Ryan writes romances with humor, heat, and heart. Her books are described as fun, flirty, and wickedly sexy. A lover of learning, Lexi has been in the classroom all her life and currently holds the title of assistant professor of English at her local community college. Lexi is a proud member of Romance Writers of America. She lives in rural Indiana with her husband and two children.

Author Links:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Lexi’s Answers to the Inside the Actor’s Studio 10-Questions

1. What is your favorite word?

Love. It’s all that matters.

2. What is your least favorite word?

Utilize. I was taught never to use a three-syllable word in a one-syllable word will do. If a person says utilize when the word use would have worked just as well, it totally makes me roll my eyes.

3. What turns you on?

Words—sexy ones, silly ones, intelligent ones. I love words and reading and writing and conversation and…*sigh* (Just, you know, not the word utilize.)

4. What turns you off?

Pretentiousness—in society, in literature, in education, in everything. Just, yuck. (See #2)

5. What sound do you love?

My kids’ laughter. Bonus points if they’re laughing together.

6. What sound do you hate?

The sound of a crying baby that isn’t being held (I swear it’s a different sound than a crying baby that is being held). It kills me.

7. What is your favorite curse word?

F*ck.

No contest.

8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

I’ve been writing professionally since 2008, but not until this month was I finally able to leave my day job as a college professor to write full-time. There’s truly nothing I’d rather do than write. That said, if I couldn’t do this anymore, I’d love to get paid to bake!

9. What profession would you not like to do?

Childcare. I don’t know how the daycare providers and preschool teachers of the world keep a smile on all day. Not only can kids be difficult, they have to put up with the parents. Yet, they (the good ones) seem to thrive, despite the demanding work and long days. God bless them, every one.

10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

“What? You think I can’t read?”

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Author Interview With Candace Osmond

Iron & Wine Summary:
Iron & Wine is an Urban Fantasy novel set in world full of hidden magical places and secret societies cloaked by modern day. In the first instalment of the Iron World Series, young artist Avery Quinn reluctantly leaves behind her quiet and comfortable home in the country and moves to the city with her best friend Julie Ryan. With the expectation that college will be the most exciting part of her life, Avery hopes that her little world remains quiet and simple. But after a troublesome blue sprite looking for help appears in her bedroom one night, her boss turns out to be a three hundred year old vampire, and her best friend accidentally reveals herself as an orphaned pixie, school quickly becomes the least of her worries. Every aspect of Avery’s life explodes with mythical beings and legendary creatures who all play a very important role in her existence. Some are friends, some are guardians, while others quickly become life threatening and deadly enemies. Avery must learn to juggle living in both her world and theirs. But, in this magical tale of strange love, strong bonds and scary beings; what once was nothing more than mere fairy tales told to her by her Aunt Tess are now a scary reality and Avery has somehow landed deep in the middle with little or no way out except death or worse…the loss of her humanity.

Blood & Bone (Iron World #2) Summary:
The stakes are high in the second installment of The Iron World Series as Avery Quinn decides which path her life will take. Become a vampire and be with Jack forever, or pledge herself to the Fey and help save Faerie from the horrible Queen Mabry? The more she thinks about it the more she wants to remain human. But as she sinks further into the magical world she has come to love, Avery realizes that remaining human is next to impossible, especially when a dark king sets his sights on her. To make matters worse, a secret society of shaper shifters have sworn themselves as Avery’s enemy all because of a certain classmate with a caustic temperament. With a mythical war brewing and Evaine close on her heels, Avery must decide who to give her humanity to before it’s too late.

http://www.ironworldseries.com/

Author Interview Questions

Q: Where did you get the inspiration for your book?

A: Well, that’s a funny story, actually. Like most writers, I read A LOT so my brain is always full of great ideas and characters. A few years back, I worked an office job (I won’t say where!) and it was extremely boring. I was given about 1-2 hours worth of work and was left with the rest of the day to let my mind wander. I had been tossing around the idea of a fantasy book for a while and decided to start jotting down notes. When those notes turned into a stack of notebooks, I figured it was time to start my story. Coming from a background of Irish folklore, it was only natural that my stories focus around fairies and a magical world.

Q: What other novels in the urban fantasy genre would you compare the Iron World Series to?

A: That’s always a hard question because of the risk of offending fans, or even the author, of the books if they disagree with the comparison. But, The Iron World Series is often compared to Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely, Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments, and Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey.

Q: The setting for the series sounds intriguing. Was world-building difficult?

A: A little. In the beginning I had the characters plotted out and the general direction of the series, but I was left with the difficult question of whether or not to have a real world setting or create my own world. So I did what I always do when faced with a difficult decision; I kept it neutral and used a real world setting like New York but decided not to name it. I left it open to the interpretation of the readers. I’m sneaky like that.

Q: What are you reading right now?

A: Gosh, if you could only see my To Be Read pile. I give a heavy sigh every time I look at it, but I do manage to read a bit here and there. I’m currently reading The Hobbit, which I’m in love with so far. I always say that good books are like batteries for authors, we need them to charge our creativity and keep our minds open.

Q: What’s your writing process? How long did it take to complete your novel?

A: My writing process is a little strange. I don’t start at the beginning and go from there. I come up with an idea for a story and then visualize “movie scenes” in my head and jot them down. I’m a huge movie buff, so I tend to write the way I see it played out in my head, like a movie. (I also read the same way, too) Once I have compiled some great scenes I start putting them in order and then filling in the blanks. It might be odd, but it works for me!

Q: What was the most difficult part of writing the series?

A: I think the most difficult part of writing The Iron World Series was ending it. Once I started writing Book Two I started imagining all of these different scenarios of how things could work out. Plus, as I added characters along the way it expanded the scope of the story and created even more ways for me to end it. As it stands, I’m still juggling a couple of different finales with the third and final book. I just don’t want my readers to be disappointed!

Q: What are your future writing plans?

A: My future writing plans are ever growing. But I’m currently co-authoring another Urban Fantasy about a group of boys who become linked together after a viscous werewolf  attack, and I’m also in the midst of writing a thriller about a secret society of organ harvesters. I’m pretty excited about them both!

Q: Any advice for aspiring writers?

A: Well, I could say what any other author would and that’s to KEEP WRITING. But, I will also add this; don’t ever get too ahead of yourself, like releasing work that hasn’t been properly edited. You’re never too good for an editor. Keep your creative batteries charged with books. And last, but not least, you may not always write what you love but you should always love what you write.

The Prophecy by Rachel Deagan Book Blast and Giveaway

The Prophecy by Rachel Deagan  

Publication date: February 8th, 2013 

Genre:YA Urban Fantasy/Science Fiction

“The cards tell me of the children of the stars.”

Jacey thinks her life is worthless, when she finds herself in a psychiatric hospital after a failed attempt to end her life; her wounds miraculously healed. Devin, who claims to kill on touch, is also there. When Michael arrives, bearing telekinetic powers, he insists the government, and an even darker, more powerful force, wants them dead. 

In a desperate attempt to escape for their lives, the three teens find they must confront an even greater adversary, themselves - and with a prophecy forced upon them, they must find a way to accept their fate, or rebel together, as one.

GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16300755-the-prophecy

PURCHASE: 

--Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Prophecy-ebook/dp/B00BCQTG6U/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1361199774&sr=8-4

AUTHOR BIO

Rachel Deagan 

Rachel grew up in small town Massachusetts where she spent most of her time writing about strange paranormal creatures instead of paying attention in class. She has always been considered the 'dreamy' one with her head in the clouds. She now lives in Nevada with her two sons, a cat, and a rat named Sam.

Author Links:

Website: http://moonlightprose.blogspot.ca/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5447836.Rachel_Deagan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachel.deagan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/racheldeagan

Excerpt 

“We need to head down to the lower floor. The crematorium is off of the cell block.” He rolled his emerald eyes at me, with a toying smirk. “Yeah, I know. Figures, huh?” He mock shivered. “Kudos to them on the ominous creepy. They should get a job in some underground Italian horror flick.”

I gently side-checked Michael with my elbow, giving him a mock glare. I couldn’t believe he was trying to find humor in this. Devin could be cooking alive right now.

“What, you don’t find it funny?” he asked, and this time the weight of my gaze was real. Michael shook his head, tossing me a weak, sympathetic half smile. “Oh come on. We can’t let them get to us, Jacey, love. It’s how they win.”

I sighed. “No. I know. I just feel guilty.”

“It’s okay, Jacey,” he said, bumping me back through his cloak in the arm. “It’s called surviving.” He paused and swallowed. “Devin would want that for you.”

He turned from me, before I could respond, hitting an elevator button on the side wall. I found the fact that they had elevators in this strange, alien place rather weird, but my focus stayed on Michael. He didn’t look at me until the sliding metal doors had opened and he slipped inside. Extending his arms in welcome, he grinned against the fluorescent lights. “Welcome to Instant Death. For those who may be pregnant or have severe motion sickness, please kindly step to the left so that you may die a horrible death in another way and not on this crazy, insane mission.” He grinned.

“Did they hurt you?” I asked, my tone a bare slip from usual. .

Michael stared at me, his arms seemingly frozen in their outstretched pose, as if he didn’t even know how to respond.

“Michael?” I asked, stepping into the elevator in front of him. The silver doors swished shut behind me, and the lights above our heads flickered.

“Don’t ask me that.”

Interview

1.     Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

No. I wanted to be an actress and an Olympic Equestrian Rider first. Funny thing is, in fourth grade I wrote my first ‘book’. It was about horses. Although, the equestrian dream has fizzled over the years, I do think my love of acting helps greatly in developing and feeling out the characters I write.

2.     What authors inspire you?

As far as authors go, I love Cassandra Claire’s flare for characterization and storytelling. Although, I didn’t start reading her work until after my first book, Caged Moon, was into the editing phase. My original inspiration stemmed mostly from Maggie Steivater’s Shiver, Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely Series. Julie Kagawa, and her Iron Fey Series are definitely a favorite of mine now.

3.     Is your family supportive of your writing?

Yes, once my parents realized the seriousness of my writing, they became some of my most forefront advocates. My boys two little boys are also probably my best cheer squad.

4.     Does your characters talk to you when you’re writing?

All the time. They never shut up and sometimes we even argue when they want to go in a direction that I hadn’t planned. The happened numerous times over the course of writing, The Prophecy.  They told me to throw out my book outline numerous times. I finally gave up on that. ;)

5.     Do you like it quiet or do you need noise when you write?

It honestly depends on my mood.  Sometimes it’s hard for me to focus with music on, because I end up listening to it instead of zoning in on the writing, but sometimes it helps set the mood if I can put into the ‘background’ and focus. It can aid the emotional mood of a scene. If I do have music on, it’s usually non-vocal thematic music from movies.

6.     Are you currently writing anything?

Yes! The Prophecy is the first book of a series. There is a book two in the works. I’m also finishing up Book two to my Caged Moon Series, which will be out shortly. Right now, we’re looking at an early April release date.

7.     What do you do when you’re not writing?

 I have two little boys that keep me pretty busy, but when I do find time to myself, I always enjoy watching a good movie/tv show. I’m hooked on The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural. I also love reading, and have recently taken up Zumba.

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The Heiresses Review and Interview with Author Allison Rushby

Goodreads Summary
Three triplets—sisters estranged since birth—are thrust together in glittering 1926 London to fight for their inheritance, only to learn they can’t trust anyone—least of all each other.

When three teenage girls, Thalia, Erato and Clio, are summoned to the excitement of fast-paced London—a frivolous, heady city full of bright young things—by Hestia, an aunt they never knew they had, they are shocked to learn they are triplets and the rightful heiresses to their deceased mother's fortune. All they need to do is find a way to claim the fortune from their greedy half-brother, Charles. But with the odds stacked against them, coming together as sisters may be harder than they think.

Publication Date: January 7, 2013

Interview with Author Allison Rushby

Where did you get the inspiration for your book?

This is so embarrassing, but I think it was actually from watching Dr Phil (or something awfully like it). I can't say too much as it will spoil the plot completely, but I saw a segment that involved a family and their genetic makeup and asked my husband (a medical specialist) about it all that evening. This led me to wondering how this family's scenario might have played out if genetic testing was not available to them, which is the case in The Heiresses, set in 1920s London.

What other novels in the New Adult genre would you compare The Heiresses to?

I think the obvious comparison is Anna Godbersen's The Luxe series, because of the historical setting and the saga-like plot. I love all her books!

What do you feel the major differences are between a YA and New Adult novel?

For me, it's all about bridging that gap between childhood and adulthood and the more I see people discuss New Adult, the more this is firmed up in my mind. I do think people focus too much on the sexual content of books when talking about the New Adult genre. For me, The Heiresses is New Adult because of how the girls deal with the sex they are having in the book (and, to be honest, there isn't a whole lot of sex) and how it changes them from girls into women, along with all the other happenings in their new lives.

What are you reading right now?

I'm actually on a short New Adult/Young Adult reading break (might have gorged myself a little there) and am reading Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, which is absolutely fascinating and horrifying all at the same time.

What’s your writing process? How long did it take to complete your novel?

The Heiresses was a little different for me because it was contracted from only a short writing sample and a series guide. I wrote it very quickly, in under nine months (altogether, it's roughly 120,000 words). Usually I wouldn't be anywhere near this fast!

What was the most difficult part of writing The Heiresses?

The most difficult part was the historical research. Although I love to read historical books and watch documentaries and historical dramas on TV, I hadn't actually written anything historical before. When I started writing, I found myself stopping after every second sentence or so to research this point and that point. After a while, I realised I had to write on and put little 'x' signs where I needed to research and go back later to do all my research in one session, or I'd never get anywhere!

Luckily, I wrote The Heiresses while living in Cambridgeshire in the UK (I usually live in Australia), so could pop on a fast train and be in London in under an hour to research anything I liked. Being so close to London was an enormous bonus – from the London Transport Museum, to simply walking around Belgrave Square, it really brought the story to life for me. I even managed to crash the village set of Downton Abbey, which was a hugely exciting day, despite the fact that it snowed (Australians don't do snow well…)!

What are your future writing plans?

I'm currently contracted to write a Middle Grade book, so am in the throes of that at the moment. Next up, however, I'm very excited to be starting a New Adult medical psychological thriller, which will also be a new writing area for me.

Any advice for aspiring New Adult writers?

Read widely and write what you'd love to read. I think it always shows if you're writing something you're excited about, rather than trying to write to a trend.

My Review:

This was a quick and fun read! I loved the prose and I found myself transported to 1920s England as three long-lost sisters fight for their inheritance.

The Heiresses is being released in six “episodes” before the entire full-length novel comes out in May. When I realized this, I thought it sounded a little too gimmicky for my tastes. However, after finishing the first episode, I like the format. I don’t always have a lot of time to read at night, so this gave me the chance to finish the first episode in about the same time it would take me to watch a TV show.

I never watched Downtown Abbey, but I imagine fans of the show would like this story. It had the same sort of vibe to it. It was gossipy and glamorous while also showing what goes on behind closed doors of the rich and privileged.

The first episode was merely an introduction to how the girls came to be separated and their lives since their mother died in childbirth. Their estranged aunt summons them to plot a way for the girls to get their rightful inheritance back from their half-brother. I was able to connect with Ro and Clio right away, but I found Thalia irritating. I imagine it may take some for her to grow on me.

The historical details were the best part of The Heiresses. Rushby obviously did her homework and 1920s England came to life. I was all set to put on my rouge and have my kids start calling me her ladyship. I loved how we meet the girls during a progressive era.

This was a fun and light read. The first episode ends on a cliffhanger and I’m curious to see how the story progresses.

Rating: 4/5 Stars  

Thanks to the author for a copy of this book for review!

Daynight Blog Tour Stop and Author Interview with Megan Thomason

Tour Schedule

daynight by Megan Thomason



Meet The Second Chance Institute (SCI): Earth’s benevolent non-profit by day, Thera’s totalitarian regime by night. Their motto: Because Everyone Deserves a Second Chance™. Reality: the SCI subjects Second Chancers to strict controls and politically motivated science experiments like Cleaving—forced lifetime union between two people who have sex.



Meet Kira Donovan. Fiercely loyal, overly optimistic, and ensnared by the promise of a full-ride college scholarship, Kira signs the SCI Recruit contract to escape memories of a tragedy that left her boyfriend and friends dead.



Meet Blake Sundry. Bitter about being raised in Exile and his mother’s death, Blake’s been trained to infiltrate and destroy the SCI. Current barrier to success? His Recruit partner—Miss Goody Two Shoes Kira Donovan.



Meet Ethan Darcton. Born with a defective heart and resulting inferiority complex, Ethan’s forced to do his SCI elite family’s bidding. Cleave-worthy Kira Donovan catches his eye, but the presiding powers give defect-free Blake Sundry first dibs.



Full of competing agendas, romantic entanglements, humor, twists and turns, daynight is Megan Thomason’s debut young adult dystopian novel and first in the daynight series.

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Amazon

Praise



“Sure to win over YA readers looking for a dangerous, dystopian adventure story” —Kirkus Reviews

“Gripping young adult dystopian novel; compelling conflicts; high stakes; powerful narrative; surprises keep coming; strong writing; page-turner; engaging characters; Readers will be hungry for the sequels.”—BlueInk Review (starred review)



“The writing is impressive and the story is a real page-turner. So many twists and turns… I’m hooked… I can’t wait for the next installment to come out…4.5 out of 5 stars”—Self-Publishing Review



“Delicious humor, intelligence, and sparkling dialogue” —Amazon reviewer



“Strangely brilliant and imaginative”—Amazon reviewer



“Grips you from the first page and keeps you wanting more”—Amazon reviewer



“Plot twists kept me reading till late at night”—Amazon reviewer



“Every page a thrilling experience”—Amazon reviewer



“Hooked from the first chapter and could not put it down”—Amazon reviewer



“It's like a CW fantasy TV show in a book with a really interesting environment.”—Amazon reviewer



“I'm a little tired of dystopian novels, but Daynight has a unique and fresh story line that didn't have any trouble keeping my interest.”—Amazon reviewer

Author Megan Thomason



Megan Thomason lives in paradise aka San Diego, CA with her husband and five children. A former software manager, Megan vastly prefers writing twisted tales to business, product, and marketing plans. When she isn't typing away on her laptop, she's reading books on her phone—over 600 in the last year—or attending to the needs of her family. Megan’s fluent in sarcasm, could potentially benefit from a 12-step program for road rage, struggles with a Hot Tamales addiction, loves world travel &amp; fast cars and hates paperwork &amp; being an insomniac. Daynight is Megan's first published novel, but fourth written one.

 Twitter * Goodreads * Facebook

Tour Schedul

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR MEGAN THOMASON

Where did you get the inspiration for your book?

As I hiked through the canyons of San Diego on an unusually hot day, I wondered what would happen if temperatures were so extreme that days and nights had to be switched. This was the impetus for Thera, the main setting for daynight. Quickly, Thera became a fully inverted Earth, with not only days and nights switched, but land and sea, direction of the sun, etc. I researched the extreme temperatures would have on the environment and what a society would have to do to adapt to it. Even the lingo was affected… Monnight, Tuesnight, etc.; daygowns instead of nightgowns; daymares and more… I had a lot of fun with it.

As for The Second Chance Institute, benevolent non-profit on Earth by day and totalitarian ruler on Thera by night, and their unusual agendas and methods… these are all products of my very warped mind ;).

What other novels in your genre would you compare Daynight to?

Unlike other young adult dystopian novels, daynight transpires in a modern day, rather than post-apocalyptic or future setting. Everything The Second Chance Institute does on Thera is meant to test best practices to bring to Earth. As with all dystopias, the extremes presented are meant to make the user think about how perhaps our society is only a hop, skip and a jump away from theirs. The SCI has some Orwellian Big Brother tendencies… perhaps quite loosely some themes from Brave New World or The Handmaid’s Tale.

Cleaving might be compared to the Matching in Matched (Cleaving is forced lifetime union between two people who have sex; at 18 the government assigns a Cleave, if the person hasn’t already done so), but the stories are radically different. There’s a love triangle in daynight, which might make some people jump to a Hunger Games comparison, but there’s little actual similarity in setup or execution of the romantic entanglements.

What are you reading right now?

I have more than 50 books in the queue on my phone, as well as dozens of samples (I always read samples first). I’m currently switching between re-reads of Brave New World (been so long, I’d forgotten how incredibly clever it is; fabulous writing) and The Handmaid’s Tale (also excellent); a sample of Vain by Fisher Amelie (I like) and The Moon Dwellers by David Estes. I read rapidly, extensively, and as often as I can.

What’s your writing process? How long did it take to complete your novel?

To give context, before writing daynight, I’d written a full trilogy of teen romantic comedies for my daughters and their friends: the thin veil, the thin line, and thin skin. With the thin veil, I had a clear idea of what I wanted and pounded it out; the sequels I plotted, but the writing went quickly. However, daynight was a much more ambitious project. Written from 3 point of views, each told in the present and with flashbacks; the complexity of The Second Chance Institute; Exilers (those banished from SCI cities), broken into two factions with a vendetta against the SCI; multiple villains; all characters will very detailed back stories and depth… this all took detailed plotting and notes that I continually revised as I wrote and thought up better ideas.

I completed my first draft of daynight in early 2009. Six full months of writing and another six of editing, rewriting, more editing, more rewriting, proofreading, etc. It still didn’t sit right, so I tabled it for a long time (was busy with other things), periodically doing re-writes as new ideas came. Finally, in the latter half of 2012, inspiration hit, I did a final re-write, editing, proofreading, etc. and I published.

To me, a writing project is like a living breathing entity that requires continual nourishment, adaptation and adjustment!

What was the most difficult part of writing Daynight?

Pleasing the constituents. I had lots of different ‘alpha’ and ‘beta’ readers, and everyone wanted something different. The girls: more romance, less action. The boys: more action, less romance. The classic readers: more deep symbolism. I came across this quote and love it: "If you're trying to please everyone, then you're not going to make anything that is honestly yours, I don't think, in the long run."--Viggo Mortensen. In the end, everything I wrote, I wrote for a reason--because I felt it necessary to fully tell the story and set up for the sequels.

What are your future writing plans?

I am currently writing the sequel to daynight, arbitrate, and targeting a summer 2013 release. In addition, I’m writing B*Lies, the story about a girl who decides to run from her abusive father. If I ever find time between the writing new books and promoting published books, I may do a re-write of my original trilogy and publish them. I love the characters and stories, but the writing isn’t to the level I think it needs to be for mass consumption.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

-  Read! If every author read every book in their genre (or at least the highly rated ones), there would be a lot less rehashed stories, better writing, and fresh concepts. I read 600 books in the last year. You can find my top 50+ favorites here: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/3493195-my-favorite-books-of-2012.

-  Plot! Certainly, there have been some successful books written off the cuff, but to have good pacing, story development, character development, building of tension, etc. it typically takes good plotting.

-  Flexibility! Revise, revise, revise. Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. Don’t get so stuck on your initial concept that you reject an even better idea.

-  Edit! Editing is hard. I typically go through my book over a hundred times, looking for something different each pass.

-  Proofread! Yes, I list this separately from editing. Have someone (or even better, many someones)—other than you—someone with a sharp eye and very keen grasp of the English language, proofread your book. The brain compensates for missing words, extra words, etc. and they are very hard to find. If problems are found after publishing, fix and update.

-  Work hard! If you thought the writing was time-consuming and hard, promoting your book takes as much, if not more time. 

-  Start writing the next one. Your chances increase exponentially of having a ‘hit’, the more offerings you have.



Blog Tour Giveaway


$50 Amazon Gift Card

Signed copy of Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Signed copy of daynight

Ends 2/7/13


Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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New Revelations Book Tour Interview at the Lovely Reads

Four days in and the book tour is going great! On Monday, I did a Meet and Greet at the Reading Addiction Blog Tours. They are hosting a giveaway for my tour. Enter here to win a $25 Amazon gift card. On Tuesday, the Lovely Reads let me stop by to talk about New Revelations: Second Sight Book Two. I printed a portion of the interview below. Yesterday, the Adventures Within posted a review of New Revelations (Five Stars!). Today, a guest post and promo stop will be appearing on What's On the Bookshelf. Make sure you stop by and comment on the blogs to enter my giveaway for an Amazon Kindle.

How would you say Kate has grown from book one to book two?

 

Kate was sort of a brat at the start of the first book. She’s unhappy about being psychic and feels it makes her an outcast in her town. At the end of the first book, she has an epiphany and realizes being psychic is a gift that allows her to help others. Kate’s growth continues into New Revelations, but her insistence on meddling in cases causes some problems in her personal relationships.

Now what can you tell us about Declan? He is a hot character, but hope he doesn't ruin Kate and Jared's relationship.

Declan is that guy your friends warn you about. He’s hot, arrogant and leaves behind a string of broken hearts. Kate feels there’s more to him than what’s on the surface and becomes friends with the psychic. Kate’s relationship with Jared becomes strained after Declan claims that she’s meant to be with him.

Can you give us readers a peak into New Revelations? Something that will make us want to get the book right away?

Kate meets another psychic and they decide to work together on several missing persons cases. This includes a five-year-old abducted from a shopping mall in Washington and a missing fitness instructor in her early twenties. Throughout the plot, I try to add in elements of suspense, humor and romance.

Are you planning on a third book? I hope so, the ending has a such a good cliff hanger.

Yes, the third book is completely outlined and I’m early on in the writing process. I’m hoping for an early 2013 release date. This may be overly ambitious, so don’t hold me to that.

Interview on My Neurotic Book Affair and Giveaway

Shari from My Neurotic Book Affair was awesome enough to let me pop by her blog as part of my tour through Bewitching Book Tours. She gave First Visions an AMAZING review and asked me some questions about writing and the book. Stop by her blog to leave a comment or tweet the stop to enter a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card and autographed book. Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway here.

1) In three words can you describe First Visions?

Haha, you're gonna ask the tough ones, aren't you? Hmm, I guess I would choose: YA psychic romance.



2) If you had to choose a theme song for First Visions what would that song be?

I have two: Where Have You Been? by Rihanna and Trouble Is a Friend by Lenka



3) Which of your First Visions characters is your favorite? Why?

I would have to say Kate. I love writing her and I usually have her say things I would love to say, but never have the nerve. I also like that she's not perfect, but still someone you can root for. I'm a fan of non-traditional female leads in stories and I think Kate fits that description.



4) I've always thought it would be super cool to be physic (which is why I was drawn to First Visions). If you could chose to have one supernatural or super power which one would you want to have?

The first thing that popped into my head was being able to read minds. But the more I think about it, I probably rather not know what people are thinking most of the time!



5) What are a few of your favorite supernatural books and tv shows?

I have a ton, so I'll try to narrow it down. For TV, I love the shows True Blood, The Vampire Diaries and Supernatural. For books, a few favorites include the Existence series by Abbi Glines, Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer, Lothaire by Kresley Cole and Ethereal by Addison Moore.



6) Are you an organized writer with everything being just so, or are you more of fly by the seat of your pants kind of writer?

I am desperately trying to be more organized, but I am more of a fly by the seat of your pants writer. I'm attempting to work off of an outline for my next novels and schedule times to write, but instead I find myself pulling all nighters or walking away from one story because I feel inspired about another tale.



7) When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?

A part of me always wanted to be a writer, but I never considered it a very realistic goal. Then, I went through a long period of time when I wanted to be a nurse which is funny since I can't stand the sight of blood.



8) How many books are you planning for the Second Sight Series as of now?

I'm almost certain there will be total of four. I have the majority of them worked out in my head and partially outlined. I wanted an end in sight before I began because I find it annoying sometimes reading a series that goes on and on well past its prime.

Author Interview on the Queen of Teen Fiction Blog

Happy Friday! Today is Day 14 of the 28-Day Blog Challenge for Authors (halfway point! Details about the challenge are here). It's also the start of the last week of my Reading Addictions Blog Tour. Tour ends June 22 which gives you one week still to enter my giveaway for a $30 Amazon gift card and an autographed copy of First Visions. I'm also holding a giveaway on my new Facebook Page for a chance to win an Advanced Reader Copy of Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot.

Today Katie from the Queen of Teen Fiction featured me on her website. I posted the interview below, but make sure you check out her awesome blog and read her review of First Visions by clicking here.



1. Hi Heather! Where did you get the inspiration for First Visions?
It was actually based off an old story I wrote as a teenager. Most of my stories were crap and had melodramatic plotlines like teen pregnancy scares or were cheesy horror stories about virgin blood drinking vampires. However, the one particular story involved a psychic who helped find a missing child and I just expanded from there. I had actually forgotten completely about the story and when I started re-reading my old writings, it really struck me how great it would be to turn it into a series. I haven’t read too many books about psychics and I thought it would be fun area to explore. 

2. Kate is a fabulous character! Did you relate to her at all when writing First Visions?
I tried to make Kate as real as possible. Yes, she definitely has her flaws and I hope readers see she does grow a lot over the course of the novel. We’ll continue to see her grow and mature in the next book as well. But I’m a pretty sarcastic person, so you’ll definitely hear my voice come through at times. 

3. What made you choose to write for the older YA audience?
When I was in college, I had such a hard time finding books for my age group. I either had to read books about characters younger than me in high school or books about characters with “real life” problems like careers, marriage and children. I think when you’re 21, you are in this phase where you’re not a child anymore, but you may be still very reliant on your parents. I hope there will be more books that focus on this age group because it’s such an interesting time in a person’s life. 

4. There’s some great humour in First Visions. Do you think it’s important to keep a certain level of humour in a story?
I love books that can be suspenseful and still make you laugh to alleviate some of the tension. I try to think about the books that I like when writing and most of my favorites have parts that have me belly laughing. I try to inject some much needed humor when things are getting too heavy. 

5. First Visions is the first book in the series, how is book two coming along?
It’s going really great! I have an outline and a good chunk of the first draft done. In this book, we continue Jared and Kate’s story, but will also be introduced to another psychic. Kate has always wanted more control over her visions and this new psychic offers to help her. There will also be another missing persons case she’ll become involved in. 

6. What are some of your favourite YA novels?
I have a ton, but I’ll try to narrow it down: Hunger Games trilogy, Delirium series by Lauren Oliver, The Goddess Test series by Aimee Carter, Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi and Fever by Lauren DeStefano. 

7. In your opinion, what is the most rewarding part of being an author.
You’re sharing these crazy little stories that occurred in your imagination with complete strangers and hoping to touch them in some way. I love to hear people’s opinions on my work and how they react to certain elements o