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Showing posts with label Kindle Scout winner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kindle Scout winner. Show all posts
Monday, January 11, 2021
Happy New Year.
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
New Release - Nightingale Girl by M. R. Pritchard!
***** Happy Release Day*****
NIGHTINGALE GIRL is Live!!
A HUGE Thank You, to Everyone who voted for this book on Kindle Scout!
Get your copy: https://www.amazon.com/Nightingale-Girl-M-R-Pritchard-ebook/dp/B01F5U731S
Book 1, Sparrow Man, is $0.99 for a LIMITED TIME! https://www.amazon.com/Sparrow-Man-M-R-Pritchard-ebook/dp/B00MLUIIV0
Both Books are FREE FOR KINDLE UNLIMITED SUBSCRIBERS.
**If you've read Sparrow Man and/or Nightingale Girl, PLEASE help new readers find these books and leave a review on Amazon, follow the links below and select "Write A Customer Review." If you're nervous about leaving reviews, don't fret, it can be 1 word or 100. (Follow these links to leave a review: https://www.amazon.com/Nightingale-Girl-M-R-Pritchard-ebook/dp/B01F5U731S, https://www.amazon.com/Sparrow-Man-M-R-Pritchard-ebook/dp/B00MLUIIV0)
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Let Her Go is on sale, this month only!
It's finally on sale!
My KindleScout winning title, Let Her Go has been discounted by the publisher. You can get this book (and a few others) for $1.99 (original price $3.49). Follow this link to see the available books. There are some other great reads that are on sale for the month of June as well.
Pick them up on the cheap!
Happy Reading,
M. R. Pritchard
• Only the 30 Kindle books advertised are eligible for this promotion – you can use your credit to purchase all 30 of the Kindle books below for $1.99 each. To purchase a Kindle book, click on it, then click the "Buy now with 1-Click" button. Please note that the price shown will not change, but your credit will be applied to your purchase automatically, reducing the purchase price of each Kindle book to $1.99. You may use your credit toward multiple eligible Kindle book purchases (up to 30 in total). To make another purchase, simply come back to this page and select another Kindle book.
• After making your purchase, you may confirm that your credit was applied by checking your order confirmation, which will be sent to you by e-mail. You may also review order details on Amazon.com - but please note that the discount will not be reflected in your order details until the order finishes processing.
• Complete your order before this promotion expires at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time) on July 1, 2016.
copy and paste this link for the deal: https://www.amazon.com/b?node=12573935011
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
A #Kindlescout winner!
I am so pleased to announce that Nightingale Girl won the Kindle Scout Campaign! Yahoo!
Thank you to everyone who nominated the book and helped spread the word.
I'll keep everyone updated as soon as I receive notification of the release date.
Thanks again!
Friday, October 30, 2015
Book Review: What Lies Within
Fast-paced and unpredictable, What Lies Within is an exciting read. For a good portion of this book I kept getting that eerie feeling I remember from watching the movie Scream as a kid. As Shelley Murano's story unfolded, I was hooked and couldn't put it down. If you like YA and thrillers, What Lies Within is perfect for you.
5/5 stars
Get Your Copy of WHAT LIES WITHIN by James Morris
PS: I just started reading MELOPHOBIA, and I'm hooked. Pick up these books people.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Please welcome Joe Clifford Faust author of Drawing Down the Moon
I met with Joe over a cup of joe. We laughed a lot.
Let's see what he had to say about zombies, reading, and writing.
1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them.
Joe Says: Elmore Leonard – because he's so cool nobody can touch him. And that would have to extend to zombies, even in their emaciated, brainless state. We'd walk through them like Moses through the Red Sea.
Michael Crichton – because he would come up with cool, high tech solutions to the problems of survival that we could MacGyver out of tin foil, duct tape and old transistor radios.
Tom Clancy – because he'd have all sorts of connections to get us rescued – a Puff The Magic Dragon (Douglas AC-47D Spooky) gunship circling our site with 50 cals, mowing down the undead and providing cover for Seal Team 6 to rappel down from a Chinook helicopter, form a perimeter, and pull us out of there.
Just occurred to me I picked three dead authors. I hope they're not all Zees.
Meredith says: Monte Dutton picked a few dead authors. I think you guys have something going with including supernatural beings into the zombie apocalypse. But seriously, I can't even get over your choices and reasoning, priceless and awesome!
Joe Says: Notice I didn't bring anything to the party. And with all of those powerhouses present, I probably wouldn't even get to write the inevitable book about it. Suppose I should just be grateful to walk away from the experience.
2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why.
Joe Says: Rowling. It's ladies first. Besides, King has used Deus Ex Machina in his novels so much that it owes him a huge favor.
Meredith says: I love that you pointed out the Deus Ex Machina and your rationale. Amazingness. And gentlemen rule.
Joe Says: I thought about referring to it as King Ex Machina, but decided I'd be kind.
3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Joe Says: An English translation of L'Écume des jours by Boris Vian, re-published under the title Mood Indigo, after the recent film it was made into. I try not to read a book after seeing the movie, but Michael Gondry's film was so information dense that I wondered what the source was like. Turns out they're related only by plot, but after getting into the novel, I can see that his approach makes sense.
Meredith says: I've read a few books after seeing the movie (ex Harry Potter, I know, I know... stop judging me)
Joe Says: The big problem I have with reading the book after seeing the movie is I can't get the movie cast out of my head. I'd much rather cast the book out of my own imagination.
4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Joe Says: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I read it once every ten years (due again in 2020). It's an amazing book, with Huck not just growing up but evolving from his redneck racist ways. The line "All right then, I'll go to hell" gets me every time and is one of the greatest moments in American literature.
Meredith says: Jeeze, I haven't read Huck Finn since I was in grade school. Now I feel like I need to pull it out and read it again!
Joe Says: It'll be totally different reading it as an adult. I love books that do that.
5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
Joe Says: I read a lot of history and in '14 I realized that I hadn't yet read anything about Napoleon Bonaparte. So I went through the available books for the Kindle, looking for the highest rated book about him, but also wanting something of an overview. Lo and behold, I picked Napoleon for Dummies – yes, a Dummies book – which was written by a noted Napoleonic scholar. And it was amazingly good. It really changed my perception of the man (we've bought into all the bad press the British have given him since the late 18th century) and it inspired me to pick up a second, more massive bio that's now waiting in my Kindle's memory for the right moment to be opened.
Meredith says: Wow. That's kind of inspiring!
Joe Says: So now at your prompting I have to read The Martian before October or I'll keep seeing Mark Damon's face when I read. Or is it Matt Wahlberg? I keep getting those two mixed up.
Meredith says: They're pretty much twins and their names are fully interchangeable. (But it's Matt Damon) I think you know this though, lol.
6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015?
Joe Says: How to Pick Up A Stripper by Todd and Erin Stevens. It's not what you think. I'm very involved in church work, and this is about how a church can reach out into the community by developing personal relationships. It's good stuff.
On a more laic (and fictional) plane, the best novel I've read this year is Elmore Leonard's Maximum Bob. People tend not to like this one, but I found it had more dark humor than some of Leonard's other work, and that was just my cuppa tea.
Meredith says: Those are some interesting books. I just had to go look them up and add them to my reading list. I do like dark humor.
Joe Says: A fellow traveller! One of the highlights of my young life was discovering a book of Chas Addams cartoons in the local library.
7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Joe Says: I can fly, I can fly, I can fly! See, for decades I have had recurring dreams that I could fly. And since I'm a lucid dreamer, over the years I actually figured out how to control my flight in those dreams. So if I suddenly gained that power, I'd know just how to work it. As compared to, say, the ability to transmute solid objects into pudding, which would mean quite a learning curve on my part.
Meredith says: It's like you have another realm in your sleeping mind! And as I read the 'pudding' bit, I envisioned a scene from Heroes in which that character in season 3 (I think) could melt things and turned them into pudding-like consistency.
Joe Says: I'm talking actual pudding here. A big plus would be getting to pick the flavor just before you do it. Imagine instead of shattering brick and rending metal, that runaway locomotive stops in a splatter of chocolatey goodness.
8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write?
Joe Says: I have a huge brown La-Z-Boy recliner that we bought after we were first married, and over the decades it has become known as the Editing Chair. I've written in it, I've edited all of my novels in it, rocked my kids and snuggled with my wife on it. It's about to collapse after 30+ years of hard work, but I can't seem to part with it, in spite of my wife's pleas to exercise common sense.
Meredith says: But there's so many memories in the Editing Chair. I think your only option is to have it bronzed.Joe Says: I like the way you think. The only trouble with that would be getting it back through the door of the office.
Meredith says: See the meme ------------->
9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book Drawing Down the Moon.
Joe Says: < SPOILER > My favorite bit in Drawing Down the Moon is the Truth or Dare scene. The night before the big climax the two main characters, Ricky and Kada, are holed up in a motel room, and it's entirely possible that this will be their last night together after being on the run for a week. With nothing to do but avoid the subject of sex, they get into a game of Truth or Dare that lets them clear the air and say all the things they never said or should have said to each other. They verbally feint and parry around one another until the subject of sex comes up again, and hopefully it resolves in a way the reader doesn't expect. I didn't realize how good that scene was until the last stages of getting the manuscript ready for Amazon. When it hit me, it was one of those moments where I wanted to pinch myself to make sure I hadn't cribbed it from somebody else. < /SPOILER >
Meredith says: Awesome. Who knew, Truth or Dare!
Joe Says: Glad I didn't take the Dare on this one. Unless maybe it had to do with chocolate pudding.
10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Joe Says: Like all writers, I tend to give my main characters little bits of myself, and it varies from book to book. Unfortunately for them, what they usually get are the parts of me I wish I didn't have. Those moments in Drawing Down the Moon where Ricky has to put aside his selfish desires and do the right thing, and then regrets doing the right thing? Me.
Meredith says: Me and Craig Hart talked about this a few weeks ago. I think we both agreed it's cool to explore the less pleasant sides of our personalities through our writings.
Joe Says: And therapeutic. I think people automatically assume that writers like, say, Stephen King are writing trauma out of their lives because of the genre they write, but I think it's a safe bet to say that even the writer of the most harmless character study novel where there's virtually no action does the same thing.
11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Joe Says: Glad to hear of another music-powered writer! I've got ~15k songs in my iTunes for fuel that run the gamut of genres. Here are the last five songs that played during this interview:
Trouble Man - Rickie Lee Jones
Right Now - Garth Brooks
Parallels - Yes
Over - Ivy
Give Blood - Pete Townshend
That's a cover, a half-cover from my wife's playlist, some prog, some pop, and a good rocker. The only thing you didn't get a sampling of was Jandek, and I'm pretty sure you don't want to go there.
Meredith says: More power to the music lovers of the world! Love the mix.
Joe Says: You hit me on a good day. Another time and you would have been left scratching your head.
12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Joe Says: You mean besides "Don't do it, if you want to torture yourself take up golf instead and at least be around other people"? I guess it would be that it's okay to write for money, but if you write for love, your work will be so much better. In a lot of ways The Mushroom Shift is my best novel because I did it with no expectation of riches. I wrote it because I loved the people I worked with in law enforcement and I wanted to tell what their lives were really like, not the kind of stuff you see on the teevee. It was also written out of the joy of sitting down at the typewriter (giving my age away here) and banging words onto a page. It was a perfect writing storm, and I'm not sure I'll ever have that experience again.
Meredith says: Gosh, my writer's soul just throbbed with joy at reading that. Inspiring.
Joe Says: Now if I could just get my writer's wallet to throb with joy, I'd be more inspired. Or did saying that just undo my answer to this one?
Meredith says: Hahaha
Get your copy of Drawing Down the Moon
Connect with Joe!
(Joe's on Wikipedia. That means he's cooler than the rest of us.)
__________________________________________
Joe Clifford Faust was born in North Dakota, raised in Alberta and Wyoming, went to college in Oklahoma, and now lives in Ohio. He has been married to the former Miss Connie Sweitzer for going on thirty-five years, has two adult children, and worked for 25 years as an advertising copywriter.
He currently works full-time as a Shepherd at his local Church. When not working or writing, he spends his time eating chili, playing wargames, and reading books on his Kindle.
He is currently at work on his next novel, which he says, "May involve either UFOs, amnesia, or dogs. I haven't decided which."
Monday, July 27, 2015
Please welcome Maggie Toussaint (writing as Rigel Carson) author of G-1 (Guardian of the Earth, Book 1)
For this interview, I met Maggie on the northern tip of our square earth, where the view of apocalyptic devastation is at its best. We had a nice squirrel infused tea and talked about zombies, reading, and writing!
1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them.
Maggie says: I loved the concept of John Scalzi’s book, Red Shirts, a spoof on the Star Trek regime. When things went wrong in the story, a character found a way to visit the writer and have him rewrite the ending. I’d love to have a writer rework the ending of the zombie apocalypse. Can’t you just see a zombie apocalypse story ending with “and they all lived happily ever after?” ((serious snort))
I’d go with Kindle Scout winner Neal Wooten and his pack of Pit Bulls from Pit Bulls vs Aliens. Nothing like safety in numbers.
I’d also take along my good friend Polly Iyer. Another Kindle Scout winner with Indiscretion, Polly isn’t afraid of tough topics. She could write her way out of anything while I was working on food fight scenes.
Meredith says: I think we're a pretty cool group to hang out with. When the zombie apocalypse hits, I'm going to go looking for my fellow Scout authors.
Maggie says: Yeah, the Kindle Scout crowd certainly believes that an imagination would be a terrible thing to waste.
2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why.
Maggie says: I’d reach for JK Rowling first. She’s one of my favs. I figure even the river would be scared of Stephen King, so he’d be safe a bit longer.
Meredith says: Hahahaha! I just laughed out loud.
Maggie says: Hey, the man’s got a rep, what can I say? How nice it would be to have such recognizable name branding!
3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Maggie says: I’m just finishing up 3 Women Walk into a Bar by fellow Georgian Linda Sands. Her depth of characterization is impressive. Linda is another Kindle Scout winner, and I’m delighted by the choices Kindle Scout is making acquisition wise. I currently have 4 more books to be read on my Kindle, a book on backorder, and a stack of paperbacks waiting for “one day.”
Meredith says: I read '3 Women' and it was awesome!
4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Maggie says: My absolute favorite author of all time Jayne Ann Krentz writes under 3 identities. I’ve reread all of her books multiple times, allegedly for craft, though I get sucked into the story every danged time. (How does she do that? Is she my kryptonite?) My favorite opening of hers is from Soft Focus. Check it out on Amazon’s “Look Inside” feature.
Meredith says: Nice! I'll have to check out Jayne.
5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
Maggie says: What year is it now? Seriously, they all run together. Let me check my reviews… Okay. Got it. Otherwise Engaged by Amanda Quick. An intrepid woman explorer saves a scientist/spy’s life only to discover she’s got a target on her back.
Meredith says: Ooooh, sound interesting. As a fellow science geek, I love sciency reads.
Maggie says: I saw on your bio or somewhere that biochemistry was your thing. I ended up doing a lot of biochem in my science career, but it was sure hard in college. That and microbiology nearly did me in. My final for micro: define metabolism (and she didn’t mean the definition).
6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015?
Maggie says: I’ve been really busy in 2015, but from my meager list, I chose The Atlantis Gene by AG Riddle. In this book an evolution scientist and a secret agent pair up to discover the Atlantis Gene. (Did I mention I was a scientist in a former life? I’m such a sucker for stories featuring scientists, which is why I finally wrote a series with a scientist as a lead character…)
Meredith says: I'm the same way! Also, I have The Atlantis Gene in my stack of TBR books. I have been following - and completely envious of - AG Riddle's writing career, his start from indie to the big screen is inspiring.
Maggie says: Inspiring is right. These things happen, that’s the miracle for indie writers and newbies today. It’s a new world out there, that’s for sure.
7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Maggie says: Every person with superpowers seems to have the goal of saving the world. I’d love to have the superpower to make people get along and behave. That’d save the world faster than anything.
Meredith says: I like that. Just behave, people!
8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write?
Maggie says: A little Magic Eraser will get all those spots out… Oh all right. I’ll get serious. I have an office, but lately I’ve discovered the pluses of the recliner in the living room. Comfy and a tad warmer.
Meredith says: I don't judge. I like being warm when I'm writing. I get angry when I'm cold.
Maggie says: Hmm. Maybe when I’m writing a tense scene I should see if being cold makes the writing stronger. Thanks for the tip.
9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book G-1, Guardian of Earth series book 1.
Maggie says: Partway through G-1, Zeke is incarcerated but he manages to MacGyver himself out of jeopardy. I love how he refused to give in when all the chips were stacked against him. He fought against an incredible multi-pronged attack to keep him isolated and out of circulation – and he beat the odds. This is a point in the book where Zeke really starts taking charge of his future, where he turns his curiosity and intellect to more real world problems. This is where his destiny and the world’s becomes startlingly apparent.
Meredith says: Sounds awesome. G-1 is on my to-read list, btw.
Maggie says: I am tickled pink that it’s on your horizon. Writing science stuff was easy for me, but writing it at a basic level was a challenge. So far, the reviews have been positive that a) the science is right and b) the geekiness factor doesn’t overwhelm the story vehicle. That was my aim, in any event.
10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Maggie says: I invest a little of myself in every character, but I would be dead wrong if I told you I was my lead character, Dr. Zeke Landry. He’s like off the charts smart. I’m more like Jessie, the older sister of pop star Queen Bea. Jessie is trained as a scientist, but she’s got a lot of walking around sense too. Turns out I admire that in a person.
Meredith says: We science people are just alike.
11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Maggie says: Now you are going to find out how repressed I am. No music while writing. No noise at all. I’ve got to be able to hear all the voices in my head, you see.
But I play instrumental music on Pandora for editing. I really like this cello version of Royals but I’m blanking on the group’s name.
We have traveling music for the car. Yes, I’m one of those crazy women you see singing their way up and down the interstate. Playlist includes Jimmy Buffet’s greatest hits, Blind Boys of Alabama, classic oldies from the 60s/70s, and of course, Stairway to Heaven.
Meredith says: I love that so many of my fellow scouters listen to cello compilations. I used to play the cello! I was never very good at it though. So, I haven't heard the cello version of Royals so I googled it and if we're talking about the same compilation, I LOVE it!!
And there's nothing wrong with singing in the car. I blast my stereo and belt it out on my way home from work each morning.
Maggie says: Yes! That’s the one (or an unplugged version of it). It’s so catchy. BTW, one of my kids briefly played the cello, until she found out she had to lug it back and forth to school, then she switched to flute. I love the deep resonant sound. It fills me with joy to hear those notes.
12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Maggie says: Develop thick skin. This is a business where everyone likes to take a shot at you.
(Maggie's into science, she's cool in my book)
____________________________________________________
Maggie says: Yes! That’s the one (or an unplugged version of it). It’s so catchy. BTW, one of my kids briefly played the cello, until she found out she had to lug it back and forth to school, then she switched to flute. I love the deep resonant sound. It fills me with joy to hear those notes.
12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Maggie says: Develop thick skin. This is a business where everyone likes to take a shot at you.
Meredith says: A yes, thick skin is a must. Or stainless steel suit of armor would work.
Maggie says: Wouldn’t it be nice if those protective coatings would make us more immune to bad reviews or rejection letters? But I have a thought about that. Those lows make the highs all the sweeter.
Connect with Maggie/Rigel!
Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads
| LinkedIn
| Pinterest | Booklover's Bench | Amazon Author Central
BIO: From her
youthful days of tree climbing and dreams of flying to her career days of pocket-protector
geekiness as a toxicologist, Southern author Maggie Toussaint remains riveted
by a good story. As a book aficionado, she put into practice what she’d learned
and began penning novels. She’s multi-published in mystery, romantic suspense,
and science fiction. Dime If I Know,
a Cleopatra Jones mystery, won the 2014 Silver Falchion Award for Best Mystery,
while her romances claimed top honors in Romantic Suspense from the National
Readers’ Choice Award and the EPIC eBook Award. More at www.maggietoussaint.com and www.rigelcarson.com
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
New Release Tuesday
Happy Book Birthday to fellow KindleScout author
Monte Dutton
His novel Crazy of Natural Causes releases today!
Monday, July 20, 2015
Please welcome Joshua Jacobs author of The Withering
I caught up with Joshua after he got back from vacation. I was insanely jealous because... he went on vacation.
Let's see what Joshua had to say about zombies, reading, and writing.
1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them.
Joshua says: Stephen King, Neal Shusterman, and George R.R. Martin. I would pick the first two because of the extensive list of diverse books they’ve penned. Their imagination is boundless, and their creativity is sure to help us get out of bad situations. I would pick George R.R. Martin simply because he’s a man who clearly knows how to do the dirty work, which in a zombie apocalypse is going to be essential. Stephen, Neal, and I would have to be wary, though, or George might kill us off when we least expect it…
Meredith says: I feel like George knows how to make people die when you least expect it. That could come in handy.
Joshua says: Or come back to bite me in the ass!
Meredith says: Literally. Like, by a zombie...
2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why.
Joshua says: Stephen King. And this is no hate toward J.K. Rowling. I’m a huge fan of the Harry Potter series, but I still read and enjoy the books Stephen King continues to write. I wish I could say the same about J.K. Rowling’s work. Now if she wanted to write a prequel to the series…
Meredith says: I haven't read any of her other stuff. But a prequel would be kinda cool. I was a Stephen King fan before I was a Rowling fan. The first book I bought for myself was 'Bag of Bones' and it continues to be one of my favorite books. I think I've read it about 20 times.Joshua says: I’ll have to read ‘Bag of Bones.’ I’ve seen the movie, and as everyone knows, Stephen King movies leave a lot to be desired.
Meredith says: You're supposed to read the book first, Joshua. Always read the book first. (I'm joking! I've watched the movie first on more than a few good reads) I feel like the ‘Bag of Bones’ movie barely hinted at the great parts of the book, as usual.
3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Joshua says: I’m currently reading The Martian by Andy Weir. If anyone else has read this, I’m curious to hear your thoughts.
Meredith says: see below
4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Joshua says: Night by Eli Wiesel. If you’ve read it, you know why.
Meredith says: Gosh, I haven't read that since high school. Makes me want to read it again.
Joshua says: Everyone should read it at least twice.
5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
Joshua says: Well look at that! We MUST have a discussion about this book. My favorite book from last year was probably Looking for Alaska by John Green. Green’s writing is so simple yet incredibly powerful, and his ability to write unique, consistent characters is a skill I wish I had.
Meredith says: Ooooh! I've been waiting to read Looking for Alaska.
Okay, on to The Martian! How far into the book are you? I found that during the first quarter of the book I got real tired of potato calories being counted, the only thing that kept me going was Mark Watney's sense of humor and phenomenal use of swear words.Joshua says: Yes! Thank you! I’m about 100 pages in. I was reading it while on vacation, and I felt like I needed to take a vacation just from that book. I felt like I was reading a science report from high school all over again. Please tell me it’s worth it.
Meredith says: It's worth it! So so worth it. The science report stuff will be over soon. At least with the potatoes. I think he goes into some electronics and physics but it doesn't drag as bad as the potato part.
6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015?
Joshua says: This year’s leader is the YA novel, An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. I breezed through it so quickly, I forgot it was almost 500 pages.
Meredith says: Nice. Adding it to my TBR list.
7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Joshua says: I want to fly!! Which is a little ironic since I’m mildly afraid of heights…
Meredith says: That is kinda funny. But if you can fly you can't fall!
Joshua says: True, but super heroes always seem to have their weaknesses come back to hurt them in the end.
8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write?
Joshua says: I used to write everything at the desk in my loft, but I recently moved and no longer have that writing space. As of yet, I haven’t found a new favorite writing spot. Wish me luck!
Meredith says: Good luck!! I got rid of my dining room table and replaced it with a desk, if you're looking for suggestions...
Joshua says: Ha! Who needs a dining room table these days anyway, right?
Meredith says: I don't even miss it.
9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book The Withering.
Joshua says: My favorite scene comes relatively early in the book as Alice returns to the city in which she grew up. She’s waylaid by two men looking to rape her. For me this scene is pivotal because it shows two things 1) just how dark a place the world has become and 2) just how brave Alice really is despite her weaknesses.
Meredith says: There is so much emotion in scenes with violence or near-violence, and I feel like if you can portray the emotions effectively, it makes for a powerful scene that no one forgets. Kudos, I can't wait to read it.
Joshua says: I look forward to what you have to say!
10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Joshua says: This may come as a surprise because he’s naïve and even downright ignorant at times, but there are pieces of me in Ethan’s character. Though our circumstances are wildly different, his character growth throughout the novel in many ways resembles my own growth throughout my mid-twenties.
Meredith says: I always come across this quote on writing that says "write what you know." I feel like sometimes we have no choice but to put ourselves in our books, it makes the characters authentic and real.
11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Joshua says: I’m so jealous! I wish I could listen to music and write at the same time, but I am too easily distracted. However, my top five songs would be, in no particular order, I’m Ready by Jack’s Mannequin, Santeria by Sublime, Cecilia and the Satellite by Andrew McMahon, Trap Queen by Fetty Wap, and Shotgun Rider by Tim McGraw. Yes, eclectic, I know.
Meredith says: Okay, that is one of the most eclectic playlists I've come across. I mean, Tim McGraw and Fetty Wap...
Joshua says: I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s a little something for any situation.
12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Joshua says: Practice your skill! Read other authors and analyze what they’re doing that works, write often, take writing classes, read books on writing. I’ve met too many writers over the past ten years who simply stop growing at an early point because they believe their work is ready to be published. I’ve never met a writer who can objectively look back at the first book they wrote and praise it. Most are like the first book I wrote back when I was twenty: total crap!
Meredith says: So important! I remember looking back at my first book and thinking it was crap. And then I rewrote it all. So important to read read read and analyze. I feel like there are a lot of new authors who don't do this and it's a detriment to their work.
Joshua says: That’s impressive that you went back and rewrote it. These days I’m afraid to even open the document that contains my first novel.
Meredith says: Open that sucker up and roll in the gloriousness of your improvements.
Get your copy of TheWithering
Connect with Joshua Jacobs:
(Meet Joshua. I want to call him Josh)
Monday, July 13, 2015
Please welcome Olivia Vetrano author of Neverland
When Olivia finally got a break from her final exams, she let me pester her with questions. Let's see what she has to say about zombies, reading, and writing.
1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them.
Olivia says: I don't know if it's because I'm particularly pessimistic, but I would not for a second assume I'd have any chance of surviving any kind of apocalypse. So instead of assembling a fighting team of authors, I'd pick the ones I'd like to spend my final moments with. Morbid, sure, but if I was about to die, being surrounded by my favorite authors might soften the blow. Only being able to choose three is tough, but I'd narrow it down to J.K. Rowling, Laurie Halse Anderson and John Green (can you tell I'm into YA fiction?)
Meredith says: Great picks to die with, lol. I love YA fiction too! Also, LHA lives near me. She frequents our local indie bookstore but I haven't worked up the courage to make an appearance.
2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why.
Olivia says: J.K. Rowling. I wouldn't even think twice. Even putting aside the legendary Harry Potter series, I would unquestioningly save her over King. Rowling's life story is so inspiring. I remember watching a documentary on her when I was 14 and thinking "woah, if she can overcome what she did and go on to make literary history, what's stopping me?"
Meredith says: When I get down, I pull up articles on JKR's ascension to literary awesomeness. It makes me feel better, strangely enough.
3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Olivia says: I have an awful attention span. So I tend to read two books at a time, a chapter of one book, a chapter of the other, repeat. Right now I'm reading a dual biography on Reagan and Kennedy by Scott Farris (because I'm an American Studies/History major/ giant nerd). I'm also flipping through a collection of Walt Whitman poems. I love Walt Whitman for many reasons, but especially because he's a perfect combination of history and poetic genius.
Meredith says: I read tend to read 2-3 books at a time. Glad I'm not the only one :)
4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Olivia says: Catcher in the Rye. Hands down. I feel such a personal connection to that book. The first time I read it, it was for school, so naturally I had to hate it. But the following year I had the inexplicable need to go back and reread it. And it changed my life.
Meredith says: Yay! Another rereader!
5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
Olivia says: I read All Quiet on the Western Front for the first time last year. I don't even know how to explain what that book did for me. I judge books on their ability to make me feel, and All Quiet on the Western Front went above and beyond in that department. I actually have a word document on my computer with dozens of quotes from it and they all give me chills.
6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015?
Olivia says: I had a really tough spring semester, so I've been slacking when it comes to reading. I plan to change that over the summer though.
Meredith says: Let's go girl! We're nearing the 7th month of the year. But seriously, when I was in college I rarely had the time to read for pleasure.
7. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write?
Olivia says: I do the majority of my writing in bed. But admittedly that's more laziness than genuine preference.
Meredith says: I love writing in bed. No judgement here.
8. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book NEVERLAND.
Olivia says: Oddly enough, there's not one chapter that sticks out to me... but I do like the dream chapter towards the end because I'm able to tie in my favorite Walt Whitman poem, "O Captain! my Captain!" It's kind of cool because I used an excerpt of the same poem earlier, so it comes full circle. It's almost as if the two excerpts serve as book-ends, enclosing around a bunch of unanswered questions. And to be completely honest I didn't necessarily plan it work out like that, so when I realized how it came together I was thrilled.
Meredith says: Cool!
9. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Olivia says: My main character, Hayley, is a big fan of dry sarcasm, which I am most definitely guilty of using.
10. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Olivia says: My mind runs wild when I listen to music, almost as if I'm writing separate stories to fit particular songs. For that reason, I have to write in silence. Lame, I know, but it's my only chance of being remotely productive. That way, I'm more inclined to fill the empty spaces with my own ideas.
Meredith says: Not lame. I know plenty of other authors who have to write in complete silence.
11. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Olivia says: Don't let time make you feel small. The pressure to write at a certain speed will only mess with your head. Recently I met a bunch of authors who told me their average novel takes them a month. Neverland took me two years. And as impatient as I am, I know that if I were to try to rush the story, it would hurt the overall book. No deadline is worth losing your voice.
Meredith says: Wow, a month. The fastest I ever wrote a book was in 2 weeks but that was just a rough draft. I like King's suggestion that a book should take a season to write. But I tend to follow my own deadlines.
Get your copy of Neverland
Connect with Olivia!
Twitter @oliviavetrano
Instagram @oliviarosevetrano
(This is Olivia)
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