Secret life of a townie: Amazon author

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Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Today's Authtoberfest featured author is Lisa Weaver!

Lisa Weaver doesn't write spooky books, but she does write fun romances. And she's a fellow Kindle Scout winner. Let's see how she plans to spend All Hallows' Eve.

1. It’s Halloween, pick 3 of your favorite writer buddies to paint the town read with and tell us why you chose them.
Lisa says: I have a lot of favorite writer buddies, so narrowing down the field is a terror inducing exercise. For sheer fun factor, I'd choose Fiona Quinn and you, Meredith. You'd be awesome sisters-in-spook! And, okay, I confess, I'd also like to pick your talented brains for writing advice. And I'd invite Joseph Souza. I have a feeling he'd nail the "Best Costume" contest.

2. You’re ready to head out with your pillowcase to collect loads of confections on All Hallows’ Eve, what’s your costume and why did you choose it?
Lisa says: I'd break out my utility belt, black cape, arm gauntlets, and thigh high boots and channel my inner Batgirl. She's the daughter of a police commissioner (cool) and a librarian (doubly cool). PLUS she gets to fight crime and hang with Batman. *swoon*

3. Old Mrs. Robinson opens her door and you’re holding open your pillowcase patiently waiting. “Oh deary,” she says in her frail, little old-lady voice. “I forgot it was Halloween. Don’t know why you kids go begging anyways. Let me go find something to give you.” She shuffles off and finally returns three and a half minutes later with 5 pennies, 2 peppermint candies that look like they went through the dryer, and her deceased husbands dentures. “Take what you like,” she offers, squinting at you.
What do you choose and why.
Lisa says: Nothing. I'd leave empty-handed and return with a piping hot pizza to share with her. I'd also bring chocolate along to hand out to the rest of her trick-or-treaters. Mrs. Robinson offered up all she had, so she deserves to be treated.

4. I really love reading Dean Koontz but some of his stuff scares the bejesus out of me. What’s the spookiest book you’ve ever read?
Lisa says: Edgar Allen Poe's Tales of Horror, featuring The Tell-Tale Heart. Need I say more?

5. You’re a writer by day and supernatural creature by night. (Shed that human skin you sack of bones) What are you and why?
Lisa says: What a fun question! Angel, shape shifter, dragon...there are so many possibilities! Fairy appeals to my romantic side. And sprinkling Fairy Dust is far more fun than cleaning up the ordinary variety.

6. Every author has a bookshelf filled with his or her favorite reads. Run on over to yours and tell us the scariest book you have.
Lisa says: Stephen King's The Shining.

7. We don’t all write horror but there comes a time when you’ve got to surprise your readers and make sure their hearts are still beating. How do you prepare yourself to get in the spooky writing mood?
Lisa says: I'd dim the lights and settle in to watch The Walking Dead with a little Buffy The Vampire Slayerthrown in for good measure.

8. Stephen King’s front porch light is on but there are no Halloween decorations.
Do you:
a) trick-or-treat and cross your fingers that he’s handing out the good stuff
b) run screaming
c) call your mom to bring your favorite King paperback and beg for an autograph
Lisa says: C.

9. Congratulations, you just won the literary lottery and sold a million books at full price! The royalty check clears on October 28th. What are you buying for the neighborhood kids?
a) an assortment of mini candybars
b) an assortment of cheap, hard candies
c) full size Hershey bars
Lisa says: C. I'm sensing a pattern here.

10. Your writer friend calls you with some frightening news. They’re giving up on writing, can’t take the pressure any longer. What do you tell them?
Lisa says: I'd tell them not to give up, because diamonds are a by-product of pressure.

Connect with Lisa!

Lisa Weaver loves living in Maine, although she occasionally fantasizes about moving to a state with milder temperatures. On the upside, the long, cold winters give her plenty of time to plot her next romance.
Lisa also loves books, and can't imagine a world without the written word to enrich us, inspire us, entertain us, and touch our hearts. She's thrilled to make a small contribution to the treasure trove. She began her writing career penning articles and short stories, but it has long been her dream to write romance novels. Thanks to the Amazon Kindle Scout program, that dream is now a reality. Her debut novel, "The Billionaire's Bodyguard Bride", will be published by Kindle Press in 2015.
Lisa is the first to admit her romances aren't serious literature. She thinks of her stories as fluffy, fun, romantic romps--like decadently rich cupcakes, heavy on the frosting.
She loves to hear from readers! Please drop by and visit her anytime at her website, www.lisaweaverromance.com. You can also keep in touch with the latest Weaver Romance happenings via her Facebook and Twitter pages.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Today's Authtoberfest featured author is JOHN GREGORY HANCOCK!

1. It’s Halloween, pick 3 of your favorite writers to paint the town red with and tell us why you chose them.
John says: I'm assuming living, right ? although, its Halloween, so dead is within the realm. Okay, Living: Stephen King, Zoe Sharp, Clive Barker. Dead: Kurt Vonnegut, Ray Bradbury, H.P. Lovecraft. And by "paint the town red" I mean "have a fantastic conversation with".

2. You’re ready to head out with your pillowcase to collect loads of confections on All Hallows’ Eve, what’s your costume and why did you choose it?
John says: George Clooney, because then my wife will love me. :)

3. Old Mrs. Robinson opens her door and you’re holding open your pillowcase patiently waiting. “Oh deary,” she says in her frail, little old-lady voice. “I forgot it was Halloween. Don’t know why you kids go begging anyways. Let me go find something to give you.” She shuffles off and finally returns three and a half minutes later with 5 pennies, 2 peppermint candies that look like they went through the dryer, and her deceased husbands dentures. “Take what you like,” she offers, squinting at you.
What do you choose and why.
John says: Dentures. always pick dentures. Unless you can be batman, then be batman picking dentures.

4. I really love reading Dean Koontz but some of his stuff scares the bejesus out of me. What’s the spookiest book you’ve ever read?
John says: Well, the book that most creeped me out the most was The Exorcist, because I read it when I was eleven, the only person in the house at night , during a crashing thunderstorm with no electricity and reading it with a flashlight. I should mention this was before the movie came out. My imagination was much, much worse than what Blatty came up with, trust me.

5. You’re a writer by day and supernatural creature by night. (Shed that human skin you sack of bones) What are you and why?
John says: Always be a werewolf. Howling at the moon has to be invigorating. Feasting on the blood of your enemies only more so.

6. Every author has a bookshelf filled with his or her favorite reads. Run on over to yours and tell us the scariest book you have.
John says: The 30 lb. leather covered oversized 150 year old bible with my ancestor's names scrawled in the front. If that isn't the beginning of a great horror story, I don't know what is.

7. We don’t all write horror but there comes a time when you’ve got to surprise your readers and make sure their hearts are still beating. How do you prepare yourself to get in the spooky writing mood?
John says: For my book crawlspace, there is a scene where Ethan is trapped inside an MRI that is too small for him. This happened to me. Writing this scene was reliving it, I was covered in clammy sweat when I finished writing it. I was not born claustrophobic, but since being trapped in a tube and dropping my panic button, unable to breathe, is why I am now.

8. Stephen King’s front porch light is on but there are no Halloween decorations.
Do you:
a) trick-or-treat and cross your fingers that he’s handing out the good stuff
b) run screaming
c) call your mom to bring your favorite King paperback and beg for an autograph
John says: D: break in a side window and start making pig noises.

9. Congratulations, you just won the literary lottery and sold a million books at full price! The royalty check clears on October 28th. What are you buying for the neighborhood kids?
a) an assortment of mini candybars
b) an assortment of cheap, hard candies
c) full size Hershey bars
John says: Nothing. Those neighbor kids didn't write the book for me. And they should get off of my lawn!

10. Your writer friend calls you with some frightening news. They’re giving up on writing, can’t take the pressure any longer. What do you tell them?
John says: If I'm truly a friend, I'll support them no matter what they decide. But if I'm a fellow writer in a horror story, I will tape them to a chair and make them use dictating software to write book 4, dammit because I've waited long enough.

Connect with John Gregory Hancock!

Author Bio:

John Gregory Hancock is a storyteller.
A graphic professional for many years (which is one way to tell a story), his graphic journalism garnered international awards, and was nominated for a Pulitzer. He incorporates his visual sense in his ability to spin compelling yarns.
Currently, he has seven books of his own, and has written for The Future Chronicles anthology series, whose titles have hit the overall Amazon Top 10 Bestsellers list. The Immortality Chronicles - a Top 5 SF Anthology and Hot New Release - featured his story 'The Antares Cigar Shoppe', which was also nominated for Best American Science Fiction.
His work has appeared in other anthologies, including; Prep For Doom, Bite-Sized Offerings: Tales & Legends of the Zombie Apocalypse, Flying Toasters - The DeadPixel Tales, and Off the Kuf.
Hancock is not tied to any one genre, but is comfortable in the science fiction/fantasy/horror realm. Even a dash of humor, at times. The foreword to his 'A Plague of Dreams' says it well:
"These stories, these lies, these Dreamwood Tales, are dipped in the heady ink of my fevered dreams. They travel unique and varied paths to arrive at your shuttered door. I entreat you to undo the latch and let them in to lie upon your hearth. They will not bite. Except for the ones that do."
He lives with his wife and soul mate (who puts up with him, beyond all logic) and a fantastically brilliant son (who thrashes him soundly in video games -- really, it's no contest). They are hopelessly landlocked in Midwest America, far from ocean or desert. Or glacier, come to that.
Like many of his characters, life has shaped and unshaped him.
His fingers itch to write and so far, luckily, people seem to enjoy the things he offers.

______________________

Other Titles by John Gregory Hancock:

Monday, September 28, 2015

Amy Wolf author of THE MISSES BRONTË'S ESTABLISHMENT

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.
Amy says:
1. Charlotte Brontë. Even though she had a life filled with tragedy, her ambition and perseverance tell me she could kick some serious butt.
2. Emily Bronte. Emily proved that she could kick butt: she once cauterized her own wound after having been bitten by a dog.
3. J.K. Rowling. I think she’d be fun to be around, and she has such a great imagination I believe she could outsmart those zombies.

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 ;)
Amy says: J. K.! I am a huge Potterhead and don’t care much for horror. I also think that J.K. could offer a more substantial reward. And invite me to live with her in her castle. (Can you say “wish fulfillment”?)

3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Amy says: A fun book interviewing comics of all stripes, Poking a Dead Frog by Mike Sacks. Also finished an excerpt from The Girl With Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story by Hyeonseo Lee. Next up: A People’s History of the Great Recession by Arthur Delaney and The Second Intellient Species by Marshall Brain. You know, just some light “beach” reading with Fabio on the cover! :>

4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Amy says:Pride and Prejudice, baby!

5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?

Amy says: Sideways 3: Chile by my friend Rex Pickett.

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?
Amy says: The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos by Brian Greene

7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Amy says: In fact, I’m a software developer by day and a writer by night. So my superpower is working two full-time jobs concurrently!

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?
Amy says: My dining room nook. Yes, it’s uncomfortable, and yes, it gives me lower back pain, but I have a nice view of lovely Northwest scenery.

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 Misses Brontes Establihsment.
Amy says: It’s the scene where the young heroine, Maria, pretends to be Emily Brontë on the sisters’ fabled trip to London to prove they were three different authors. In reality, Emily refused to go, but Maria does a bang-up impersonation laden with subtle comedy.

9. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Amy says: Charlotte Brontë. Like her, I’m hypersensitive, thin-skinned, and appreciate truth in Art, but I also have her ambition, never-say-die attitude, and nun-like dedication to her craft.

10. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Amy says: NONE! I can’t concentrate with music in the background. I am however fond of Guns N’ Roses, Marilyn Manson, and Ting Ting.

11. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Amy says: DON’T! (kidding). Be prepared for the long haul. The arts ain’t easy, and they never have been. This is a tough game, so toughen up and be prepared to go the distance. I prepared by working for 15 years in the film industry. Do I win something?

Get your copy of The Misses Brontë’s Establishment

Connect with Amy!

Amy Wolf is a Kindle Scout winner for her novel THE MISSES BRONTES ESTABLISHMENT, which launched on August 11, 2015.
She has published 38 short stories in the fantasy/sf press, including REALMS OF FANTASY (2) and INTERZONE (U.K.). She is a graduate of the Clarion West Writer's program and has an honors English degree from The University of London.
She started her career working for the major Hollywood studios, especially 20th Century Fox.
One of three natives out of 10 million, Amy was forced from L.A. and now lives in Seattle (where it rains). She has one adult daughter currently terrorizing L.A., 2 horses, 2 dogs, and a bunny.
Check out her blog on http://www.missesbrontes.com

*The promo below is not affiliated with Secret Life of a Townie book blog or M. R. Pritchard*

Monday, September 21, 2015

Please welcome KindleScout winning author T. L. Zalecki!

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.

T. L. Says: Great question! I love imagining what I would do in the zombie apocalypse. Neil Gaiman (The Ocean at the End of the Lane) because, man, he can come up with some crazy characters. Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games) because she knows a million ways to kill someone. E.L. James (Fifty Shades of Grey) because ... well, the Red Room.

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 ;)

T. L. Says: J.K. because Stephen scares the hell out of me. I can’t walk by a gutter without seeing that snaggle-toothed clown.
Meredith says: Sweet lord, I just choked on my coffee.

3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?

T. L. Says: I am currently reading two very different but enjoyable books. One is Fiona Quinn’s Weakest Lynx about a badass psychic girl and her quest to find and destroy her stalker. It’s keeping me on the edge of my seat. Another is a deep cut, a cult classic within the fantasy genre called The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. I’d seen the movie as a child, then recently stumbled across the book and had to read it, especially since I’m writing within the genre.

4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?

T. L. Says: Charles Dickens books, because once you get to the end, you have already forgotten the beginning. But seriously, I love Great Expectations. It is so epic and full of brutal, yet beautiful, life lessons. Some authors are great writers, some are great storytellers and some, like Dickens, are both.

5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?

T. L. Says: Are you making me pick one??? Ok, fine. I would say Archetype by M.D. Waters. It is a lovely, intimate sci-fi story about a woman who is a newly minted clone and must unravel the mystery of her new, unfamiliar life. The story addresses the science of cloning in a personal and believable way without being too techie.

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?

T. L. Says: Atlantia by Ally Condie. I held off on reading any mermaid or siren books until I was finished writing book one and two of SIRENS, and then sifted through a ton until I chose hers. It reminded me of Hunger Games a bit – dystopian, fast paced and dark.

7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?

T. L. Says: I can breathe underwater.

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?

T. L. Says: With two toddlers and an inability to write after 8pm due to exhaustion, I have to write literally wherever I can... usually a place where I can hide inside my house. Sometimes there are only 5-minute chunks!

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 SIRENS, Rising Tide.

T. L. Says: This is easy for me. When I close my eyes I am there: a sixteen-year-old Mello standing on the outer shore of Rodinia for a ceremony in which he begins a journey across the ocean. Sirens surround him, singing in ethereal voices, and the sand is peppered with rose petals. He closes his eyes, walks into the crashing waves, and finds the courage to let the open ocean swallow him for the first time in his life.

10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?

T. L. Says: Mello—by far the most flawed of my characters—has a place in my heart. I relate so closely to him that deep down I must be writing myself. Though I would never torture myself the way I torture that poor guy. Nor do I have the power to start a revolution ... or do I?

11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.

T. L. Says: I created a SIRENS playlist to share with my readers. The songs all inspired me at some point during the creation of SIRENS and each one reminds me of a specific scene or character. I’ll choose five from it, but the full playlist can be found on my website.
1. M83 – We Own the Sky
2. Vance Joy – Riptide
3. The Knife – Heartbeats
4. Arcade Fire – Sprawl II
5. M83 – Midnight City

12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?

T. L. Says: Let a story develop and marinate in your mind until you can’t stop yourself from telling it to the world. That is how to avoid writer’s block. Some of my best ideas come to me during idle times. I don’t sit down to write until I know what I am going to say—and am bursting at the seams to say it!

Get your copy of Rising Tide (SIRENS, Book 1)

Nominate Lost World (SIRENS, Book 2) on Kindle Scout until 9/25.

(If this book is selected for publication you get a free copy for nominating!)

Connect with T. L.

T.L. spent several years in the corporate world working with global "megacorps" before moving on to her most important job, raising her two children. During naptime, she created a world to escape to in SIRENS. She enjoys using science to create fantastical fiction, packing sophisticated, sometimes controversial, themes into stories of adventure, and twisting ordinary legends. Book 1 Rising Tide will be followed by Book 2, Lost World. She lives with her family and some tropical fish in Washington, DC.

Monday, September 7, 2015

Welcome Jake Lingwall author of Freelancer

Let's see what Jake had to say about reading, writing and Zombies!

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.
Jake Says: Brandon Sanderson – He always has a creative magic system and good endings. Those are two things that could prove helpful when you’re trying to survive.
J.K. Rowling – She’s brilliant and rich (so hopefully she has lots of supplies). I’m not sure if a Patronus can chase off zombies, but I’m hopeful.
Ernest Cline – My strategy for survival would be to just hunker down somewhere and wait for the zombie apocalypse to sort itself out. No better way to pass the time than playing some games with Ernest Cline and debating if Kari (from Freelancer) could beat Wade at video games.
Meredith says: Nice picks. Have you read World War Z? There's a scene where survivors go after the rich folk because of their gated homes and stockpiled supplies. I'm betting on a Patronus! I like that idea.
Jake Says: Saw the movie, but I don't remember any supply raiding in the film. Just lots of Brad Pitt and sick people. Guess that's another example of how watching the movie just isn't the same thing.

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.
Jake Says: Since J. K. Rowling is on my zombie survival team I better save her first. Otherwise, I’d have to replace her with Stephen King and that would make me uneasy.
Meredith says: Lol!

3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Jake Says: I’m actually reading a few things at once right now. There’s so much I want to read that it’s hard not to start a few books at once.
Armada by Ernest Cline. Ready Player One was epic and the top selling novel in the “cyberpunk” category that my book is in, so I had to check out Cline’s next book.
Hooked: How to Build Habit Forming Products by Nir Eyal. I’m a front-end web developer for work so I try to keep up on my trade when I’m not writing. This is a great book about building products that users want to keep using. I actually find it has many great parallels for writing as well.
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee. My wife is currently battling Leukemia and this book was a recommendation by her Oncologist.
I see you are one of those readers who reads more than one book at once.
Meredith says: My father battled Leukemia. Prayers to your wife.
Jake Says: Thanks, I really appreciate that. We're doing pretty well right now all things considered.

4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Jake Says: I’m a sucker for nostalgia so anything that I read and loved as kid never grows old. I’d probably say that Ender’s Game is the one book that I have read the most times.

5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
Jake Says: Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson was my favorite book of 2014. I’ve been a sucker for anything he writes ever since he finished the Wheel of Time.

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?
Jake Says: I feel like I keep mentioning the same names, but I’d be lying if I said anything but Ready Player One. Although some of the regency romance books I’ve been reading with my wife are closing in ;).
Meredith says: Whoa whoa whoa... you can't just drop a bomb like that. A dude reading regency romance?! I've never come cross a guy who will admit to this. Kudos to reading with your wife - I love discussing books with my husband. Also, have you read Captain and Countess by Alice Gaines - a fellow kindle scout winner? It was a great read.
Jake Says: I haven't had a chance to read any of the Kindle Scout books yet. But there are dozens that I'm going to get to shortly. I'll have to move Captain and the Countess to the top of that list. =)

7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Jake Says: I’m actually a software engineer during the day and a writer by night, but there’s always time to be a superhero. I’ve always been a big superhero guy so it’s hard for me to choose. I don’t think I’d want anything too powerful that would be too much pressure. So, I think right now I’d go with something simple like Longshot’s power from the X-men. He’s just super lucky. Blind pick some stocks to make some money and do some party tricks to impress people sounds like less stress than always having to save the world like Superman.

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?
Jake Says: I bought an old used treadmill that with a few old pieces of wood sitting across the handlebars works pretty well as a treadmill-desk. Feels double productive to write and get a little bit of exercise.
Meredith says: I mean... I've been reading a lot about these fancy treadmill desks and they are pretty pricey. To think you just made one with some old pieces of wood.
Jake Says: Works like a charm too! I lost 15 pounds on a steady diet of writing.

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 Freelancer.
Jake Says: I’m not sure I believe the premise of the question, as it’s a generally accepted fact amongst my siblings that I am the 5th most favorite child of my parents. =)
My favorite scenes from Freelancer are when Kari is working on new designs. What inspired me to write this book was dreaming about how programming in the future would be a much more accessible and fluid process than it is now. I think it’s a lot of fun to just freely create whatever the mind can imagine and then use what you came up with to solve problems.

Meredith says: ...having 4 siblings myself, I know you know what I mean ;)

10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Jake Says: I’d say it’s a split between the main characters. Kari is a hacker and a programmer like myself, (although she’s way smarter than I am) and David is a little old school.

11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Jake Says:
Firebird – Stravinsky – Love me some classical music. This one is the inspiration for a novel I’m going to start working on soon.
I Wanna Get Better – The Bleachers – Catchy tune with a title that is perfect for when your wife is fighting cancer.
Long Cool Women in a Black Dress – The Hollies. I only listen to the “oldies” station on radio and this one gets played a lot.
Hall of Fame – The Script featuring Will.I.Am. We watch a lot of food network and this song advertises their “Food Network Star” show. I’ve been listening to it ever since the advertisements started a few months ago. =)
Jurassic Park Theme Song – John Williams. John Williams is a genius. I’ve always loved his music, but Jurassic World has landed his work back on my playlists.
Meredith says: Long Cool Woman.... gosh, I forgot how much I loved that song. iTunes thanks you for my recent purchase.
Jake Says: If only they had an affiliate program...

12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Jake Says: Stop being an aspiring author and be an author. There is nothing stopping you from writing, so do it. You don’t need a certificate, or a license, all you need is a story.

Get your copy of FREELANCER

Connect with Jake

(This is Jake - he's working hard and living the dream)

_______________

Jake's Bio: I'm a full time writer (of JavaScript code) during the day, but at night my mind turns to Science Fiction and Fantasy. I'm 25 years old and currently living the American dream with my wife and puppy. Freelancer is my first novel and I hope you find it as special as I do. You can find me at my website JakeNotJacob.com or tweet me @JakeLingwall.

Monday, August 31, 2015

Please Welcome Chris Patchell author of 'In the Dark'

Chris has a heck of a commute - 3 hours in Seattle traffic! From the tone of her book we can speculate that it turns her thoughts pretty... dark. (Ha, see what I did there!)

Let's see what Chris had to say about reading, writing and zombies!

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.
Chris says: John Steinbeck because he’s slow and the zombies will get him first. George R. R. Martin because, he’s got dragons, and apparently has a cache of dragon glass, perfect for killing the undead. I’m pretty sure I could beat George in a foot race. And Stephen King, because he writes better monsters than anyone else.
Meredith says: You're the second person to use baiting. It never gets old. Lol.
Chris says: It's a zombie world out there and the basic rules of the animal kingdom apply. I don't have to be the fastest gazelle in the herd but I can't be the slowest. :-)

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.
Chris says: HELLO—I’m totally hauling Stephen King out of the water first, because his stories just keep getting better and better. Although I love J.K Rowling, I don’t know if she has anything left after Harry Potter.
Meredith says: I don't read a super ton of King. I used to. But then I got my hands on 'Full Dark, No Stars" and I know they were short stories but I wasn't impressed, I haven't picked up anything new of his since.
Chris says: So in my twenties, half of my bookshelf was Stephen King, the other half was Danielle Steele. I'm not schizophrenic, really. Quite honestly I got tired of his horror books. I found them repetitive and overly profane (and believe me, I have been known to drop an f-bomb or two). Then my husband bought me DUMA KEY, and I was hooked. He's more suspense now than horror, and I love his characters. It maybe time to give him a try again.

3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Chris says: I’m reading a fun Sci-Fi book called CONTAINMENT written by Christian Cantrell. I’m also reading the WAYWARD PINES series again, because Blake Crouch does a fabulous job writing action and getting emotion out on the page. And I’m just about to read THE MARTIAN. My kids are raving about it.
Meredith says: "The Martian' was so good! I keep seeing a lot about 'Wayward Pines.' I guess I'm going to read that next.
Chris says: The first book is a little confusing until the get the gist of what Ethan is going through. And once you find out what's really going on in Wayward Pines, you'll be hooked.
Meredith says: I read the 'Wayward Pines Series' a few weeks after doing this interview. It. Was. Awesome!

4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Chris says: As a suspense novelist, I’m a little embarrassed to admit this, but I’m a closet Jane Austen fan. I read PRIDE AND PREJUDICE at least once a year without fail.
Meredith says: Don't be embarrassed!
Chris says: God! I know. We suspense authors are supposed to read scary stuff, and believe me, I do. I still remembering reading my Jane Austen novel, I found the pacing so slow I didn't know whether I'd make it through the book. But I stuck with it and I fell in love with the characters and the flow of the language. I've read all of her books and they're lovely.

5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
Chris says: It would be a toss up between Lisa Gardner’s TOUCH & GO, and Kevin O’Brien’s TELL ME YOU’RE SORRY. I devoured both of these books and read them several times each.
Meredith says: Adding to my TBR
Chris says: Lisa's writing is so clean and Kevin, well, somehow he manages to keep me guessing to the end.

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?
Chris says: THE PINES by Blake Crouch. My husband introduced me to this series of books and I love, love, love it. I hope the television series doesn’t kill the story. It’s got a great flawed hero, an evil genius playing God, oh, and it’s got fabulous monsters!
Meredith says: See, there it is again!
Chris says: See, I told you. It's heart-stopping. It'd tell you more, but I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise.

7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Chris says: Surprises! My books are full of twists and turns that keep my readers turning pages well into the dark.
Meredith says: I never thought of the ability to deliver surprises as a superpower, but I think you're on to something.
Chris says: Yeah, well, I can't run that fast--faster than George R. R. Martin, but in the greater scheme of things that's not saying much. My brother was the jock in the family, so you gotta work with what you have. He was faster, but I was smarter. I figured out if I could make him laugh, he couldn't breathe. If he couldn't breathe, he couldn't run and I could beat him. Little sisters are sly.

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?
Chris says: The couch, without a doubt! It harkens back to my high school days when I used to do my homework in front of the television. And the deck. Lately the weather in Seattle has been so fantastic, I’ve been spending hours outside with my laptop.
Meredith says: I remember those days, studying with the TV on. I wrote my first book on the couch while watching TV. Oh the memories :)
Chris says: I wrote my first book in 11th grade science. My friend read the new chapters in physics class. Needless to say, we weren't honor students--at least not in science.

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 DEADLY LIES.
Chris says: I love Jill’s seduction scene with Kenneth Cox. Writing Jill on-the-hunt scenes is a scary lot of fun. After I released the book, a good friend of mine called and said, “You really do know how to kill someone.” Really. Does it get better than that?
Meredith says: Hahaha. Wait... you didn't practice killing someone, did you?
Chris says: Well, Meredith, you know what they say... I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you...
Meredith says: But I never learned to read!... Oh wait, I know how to read, that was from some movie.

10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Chris says: Like most characters, there are little bits of myself sprinkled everywhere in my stories. I sometimes joke that Jill Shannon is my alter ego. I’m a nice Canadian girl by day, and a gun-totting sociopath by night…
Meredith says: Remind me never to run into you at night.
Chris says: ...In a dark alley with a pen. Seriously, pens are deadly weapons. Hypothetically speaking, of course.

11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Chris says: Slither by Velvet Revolver, Harder to Breathe by Maroon 5, Golden Heart by Mark Knophler, Today’s Gonna be a Great Day by Bowling for Soup, and Do I Wanna Know, by the Arctic Monkeys.
Meredith says: Great songs! I love Maroon 5.
Chris says: Have you seen the movie Begin Again? Adam Levine not only stars in it, but wrote most of the songs too! Love him.
Meredith says: Now I must google that.

12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Chris says: Persistence pays off! I’m an overnight success, seven years in the making.
Meredith says: I love hearing these 'overnight success' stories. I've come to the conclusion that to become an overnight success it takes at least 5+ years. I guess I've still got time to hit it big :)
Chris says: They say it takes 10,000 hours to master anything. I'm always pushing myself to get better, as a writer, as a mother, and as a person.

Get your copy of IN THE DARK

Connect with Chris:

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Twitter @chris_patchell

Website

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

About Chris:

When Chris Patchell isn't hiking in the Cascade Mountains or hanging out with family and friends, she is working at her hi-tech job or writing gritty suspense novels. Writing has been a lifelong passion for Chris. She fell in love with storytelling in the third grade when her half-page creative writing assignment turned into a five-page story on vampires. Even back then Chris had a gift for writing intricate plots that were so good her father refused to believe she didn't steal them from comic books.

Years later, Chris spent long afternoons managing her own independent record store and writing romance novels. After closing the record store and going to college, Chris launched a successful career in hi-tech. She married, had kids but amid all the madness, the itch to write never really went away. So she started writing again. Not romance this time - suspense filled with drama, and angst, speckled with a little bit of blood.

Why suspense? Chris blames her obsession with the dark on two things: watching Stephen King movies as a kid and spending ridiculous amounts of time commuting in Seattle traffic. "My stories are based on scenarios I see every day, distorted through the fictional lens. And my stories come with the added bonus of not having to be restrained by socially acceptable behavior."

Recipient of the 2015 Indie Reader Discovery Award for DEADLY LIES

Monday, August 24, 2015

Please Welcome Teresa Roman author of BACK TO US

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.

Teresa says: Jessica Shea Spotswood because she seems like the type of person that would have your back. Kresley Cole because she wrote a darn good series with her own version of zombies so I'm pretty sure she'd know what to do. Hugh Howey because I admire the way he goes out of his way to help fellow authors and feel like he would be a great person to have on your side if I was attacked by a zombie horde.
Meredith says: Hugh Howey, what a guy. I think about about 98% of what I know about self-publishing I learned from stalking Hugh Howey. I think Hugh would have a fellow author's back.
Teresa says:  Plus he'd keep us entertained with his amazing stories.

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 ;)
Teresa says: J.K. Rowling. I really like Stephen King, but there's so much I really admire about J.K. Rowling. I like the way she takes to twitter to defend people. I like that she overcame so much before becoming successful with her Harry Potter series. She's a tough cookie.
Meredith says: When I'm feeling down in the dumps, I look up articles on JK's rise to fame. So inspiring and it keeps me going.
Teresa says:  I'd love to chat with her over tea and scones. I think we have similar opinions about a lot of things.

3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Teresa says: I just finished The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry which was so good. I highly recommend it especially to fellow book lovers. Flat-Out Love is next on my TBR.
Meredith says: Adding to my TBR.

4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Teresa says: There are so many, but I'm going to go with a classic and one of my all time favorites which is The Count of Monte Cristo.
Meredith says: Nice! An oldie but a goodie :)

5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
Teresa says: Heir of Fire by Sarah Maas. Her Throne of Glass series is one of my all time favorites.
Meredith says: Another one to add to my TBR.

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?
Teresa says: By far I would say Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. It broke my heart and gave me a major book hangover for weeks.
Meredith says: Another one to add to my TBR.
Teresa says: Just make sure you have a box of Kleenex with you. I sobbed like a baby at the end.

7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Teresa says: I always secretly wanted to be able to teleport so I'd never be stuck in traffic again.
Meredith says: Oh teleportation! I love it. Although, I feel like I would be teleporting myself to a place without traffic, possibly with a warm sandy beach and a wet bar.
Teresa says:  Just imagine how awesome it would be to get there without having to deal with airport security.

Meredith says: I've decided I want to be able to teleport.

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?
Teresa says: I have a teeny tiny cheapo Ikea desk in my living room. That's my writing spot. I can keep an eye on the kids and get some writing done at the same time.
Meredith says: That works!

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 BACK TO US.
Teresa says: My favorite scene is where one of the main characters, Justin wakes up after having a PTSD induced nightmare and his love interest Jessica promises him that she loves him despite all his baggage.
Meredith says: Ooooh! I can't wait to read that scene.

10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Teresa says: Jessica resembles me in a lot of ways. The apartment she lives in is pretty much the exact same one I lived in during my college days. The things she struggles with I did as well in my own way.
Meredith says: The more interviews I do, the more authors I find who use bits of themselves and their lives. I'm glad to know that I'm not alone in that.
Teresa says: I think a story reads as more authentic if there's a little of you in it.

11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Teresa says: I am so not a music person. I've got three kids under the age of ten so it's pretty much always loud in my house. When I have a chance for quiet I jump on it.
Meredith says: I grew up with 4 brothers, and I remember our house being so crazy and loud. Now I have a hard time dealing with lots of people and lots of noise, so I totally understand where you're coming from. I'd relish my moments of silence as well.

12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Teresa says: To keep trying and to be open to criticism and try and learn from it.
Meredith says: Definitely need to be open to criticism - constructive criticism at least - walk away from the other stuff.
Teresa says: Yeah that's true. When I beta read for people if I don't like something in their story I always try to point out how I might change it rather than just say it wasn't good. That isn't helpful, it's discouraging.

Get your copy of BACK TO US

Connect with Teresa

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Thursday, August 20, 2015

'Let Her Go' $1.99 for a limited time

If you love contemporary romance,

don’t miss this new heartfelt romance from M. R. Pritchard.

$1.99 for a limited time.

Get your copy of Let Her Go

Monday, August 17, 2015

Please welcome R. E. Carr author of FOUR

Rachel convinced me that meeting her in a dark alley on a Thursday night was an okay place for an interview. Rachel's voice was like a sirens song. I woke up the next day with a headache, lost time and an insatiable thirst for blood. Let's see what R. E. Carr had to say about reading, writing and zombies... 'cause I can't remember most of it.

1. It’s the Zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to survive with and tell us why you’d choose them.
Rachel says: Well I think it’s always best to be surrounded by experts so I would choose Max Brooks and Alden Bell for their prophetic knowledge on exactly what to do in this time of crisis. Lastly, I think I would take George R. R. Martin so that I could both find out the ending to the Game of Throne’s series before the end, and, most likely, outrun him in a pinch while being chased by the fast zombies from 28 Days Later.
Meredith says: Poor, poor George. I heard on the radio that he got his in Sharknado 3. Gosh, 28 Days Later, I still have nightmares about the ending of that movie. And Max Brooks! Have you read World War Z? So good.
Rachel says: World War Z is definitely a case of the book bing vastly superior to the movie. You would think that the scope of it would lend itself to a full Hollywood treatment, but… no, just no. (I’ll invoke Thumper’s mother’s rule at this point.)

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 ;)
Rachel says: I would totally save Steven King first since he probably weighs more as an adult male and I’d have more energy, then we could both rescue Ms. Rowling. Problem solving 101.
Meredith says: You're the first author to think of a way to save them both! 20 points to Gryffindor.
Rachel says: Ahem, 20 points to Ravenclaw, thank you very much.

3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Rachel says: I have The Martian and Ready Player One ready to go so that I will no longer be shamed by all of my friends for not reading them.
Meredith says: Oooh, good reads!

4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Rachel says: The Inferno by Dante Alighieri is one of my all-time favorites because of the joy I take in reading the pure sarcasm that apparently lived within 14th-century writers just as much as 21st-century ones. Ever since I first read it, the imagery of punishment fitting the crime has haunted my dreams – from the ceaseless whipping winds of lust to the icy chill of betrayal.

5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
Rachel says: Last year I read a grand total of one book because I was finishing up my degree and writing Four, so my winner, by glorious default, is Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. You’re really making me look forward to reading The Martian though!
Meredith says: The Martian was so good (even much more so when you get past the potatoes). The fact that you got through Outlander while finishing up your degree is a feat. That is a long book.
Rachel says: It’s not the size of the book, it’s the amount of exposition. Also, I am totally craving potatoes at the thought of reading The Martian.

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?
Rachel says: I actually have queued up about a dozen of my fellow Kindle Scout Winners to read out of a sense of curiosity and kinship. I’m going to go back to my corner of shame because so far in 2015 my favorite read has been… not completed. The good news is that my husband gave me an early birthday present of a Kindle so I can read on the go – including a certain title by one M. Pritchard. I’m super excited and if you have any recommendations, I’ll be all over them.
Meredith says: (Yay!) Thanks so much :) There are so many good KindleScout books. I'm currently making my way through them. If you like literary fiction Stacey Cochran's Eddie & Sunny is really good, if you like regency romance Captain and Countess by Alice Gaines was great, What We Left Behind was a great zombie read with a refreshing twist on zombie origins, 3 Women Walk into a Bar was a great noir crime fiction read - punchy and sharp, 33Degrees if you like dystopian sic-fi was great, and Becoming Moon... gosh, there are just so many from so many different genres!
Rachel says: I just snagged 33 Degrees in the hopes that it would help me forget that my apartment has no AC. It’s giving me a Snowpiercer meets Hunger Games kind of vibe but it’s early days.

7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Rachel says: Movie trivia. I force the bad guys into inaction as they all stop to remember what George Clooney’s first movie role was. (Here’s a hint, it has John Astin and some sociopathic fruit in it.)
Meredith says: Get them while they're distracted. That's a great idea!
Rachel says: Distraction is the key to… SQUIRREL!!!!

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?
Rachel says: I live in what is known in real estate trade as a “cozy, intimate space,” so I have to combine my bedroom, living room, and office into one. I’ve found a magic spot on my bed - propped up by a mountain of body pillows - where my laptop, my tiny dog and my tamed mountain lion, err... cat, can peacefully coexist.
Meredith says: That definitely sounds like a cozy, intimate space.
Rachel says: Oh, cozy indeed.

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, Four.
Rachel says: I don’t want to spoil too much, but I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of a bunch of monsters at a party. What would they do for fun? What would they eat? In Four I totally indulge myself and let the main character, Georgia, get a ticket to a vampire ball, and, let’s just say, much hilarity ensues, just don’t inquire about the catering.
Meredith says: They would totally do the Monster Mash! And sing the Monster Mash! (Ahem, back to the interview)... I can't wait to read that scene. It sounds fun!
Rachel says: Yeah, I hummed that song a little too much during the making of this manuscript. To make it more fun, the vampire host is a little obsessed with the 80’s, so it’s a touch more Thriller than Addam’s Family.

10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Rachel says: In my perfect world I would be like Georgia since she has an amazing ability to stay in the moment rather than stressing about the future or the past, but I know that the nervous, introverted, homebody of a vampire – Mr. Lambley – is really more like me that I care to admit.
Meredith says: I'm nervous, introverted and a homebody... I guess I'm a Mr. Lamely as well.
Rachel says: But are you ginger and terribly British?
Meredith says: No. Just pale and American.

11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Rachel says: Music is my heartbeat when I write. It shapes my words and takes me places that I rarely wander too in silence. I went rather electronic on my playlist this go-around. Here are the four (of course) songs that inspired me most:
4. Fireflies - Lange & Kate Kanell
3. Black Room Boy (Above and Beyond Club Mix) – Above and Beyond
2. Destiny – Markus Schultz featuring DeLacey
1. Rain Falls Down (Daniel Meyer Remix) – Assemblage 23 (the single most inspirational song for Four – It picked me up when I had a total block.)
Meredith says: Great songs!

12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Rachel says: Never think it’s too late. I promised myself when I was sixteen that I’d be a published author one day and I took twenty-one years to fulfill that promise. The journey was long, the twists and turns chaotic, and I’m pretty sure, in my universe, that the GPS of life lost its signal a few times, but if you just keep going you eventually find where you need to go. Also, caffeine helps- lots and lots of caffeine.
Meredith says: Caffeine is one of my very best friends. And you're so right - it's never too late, people!

Get Your Copy of FOUR

Connect with R. E. Carr

Facebook

Twitter: @totalrecarr

Website (in progress)

Goodreads

Amazon author page

_____________________________________________

R. E. Carr likes to split her time between the alien (well, resident alien) she married, her two adorable offspring and the vast army of characters who constantly argue in her brain. She uses her past life as a video game reviewer to remind herself just how awesome it is to be writing novels now.

Rachel writes because she knows so many people and places that never quite made it into this version of the universe. It's her duty to let them out. Writing also gives her mind a certain peace and calm rarely felt in this multi-tasking, wired world.