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Monday, October 17, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
MATT XELL INTERVIEW AND BOOK GIVEAWAY
MATT
XELL INTERVIEW & BOOK GIVEAWAY
Today, I am again pleased to welcome Matt Xell, author of
Tower of Parlen Min. He has graciously taken time out of his busy blog tour to
answer some questions. He is offering 5 eBook copies of Tower of Parlen Min to
5 lucky commenters. Please fill out the rafflecopter form or leave a comment
with your email address so I can throw you in the drawing for the books.
What inspired you to become a writer?
I'd say I've always been something of a storyteller or an avid dreamer.
I fell in love in fantasy literature and the visual arts at a very young age;
in particular YA novels, Japanese comics, action movies and video games. And
I'd like to think that I've always been equal parts a consumer and producer of
the kind of entertainment I love. But it wasn't until the 9th grade that
writing became my primary form of storytelling.
What character(s) of your book(s) do you most relate to?
Ves in Tower of Parlen Min, but mostly Ryan from The Silver
Sun Chronicles which is one of my earlier and unpublished works. Though my
characters do have some elements of me in them, I don't like to write about
characters that are too similar to real-life people, events or themes. And
yeah, I have been criticized a lot and am guilty of writing characters a lot of
people can't relate too. I really like unique and eccentric characters and I
really abhor stereotyped and mediocre characters.
How do you visualize your stories? Dreams? Inner monologue with your
characters,etc.?
Wow, mm ... no one has asked that before, lol. But,uh, I really let my
imagination wander in the creation process. So like with Ves, sometimes it
played out like a movie, sometimes like an animated series, sometimes like
short comic strips, sometimes like a music videos, sometimes like a video games
... and so it's all very abstract and mostly incoherent when it's in the mind,
and it's not chronological which is worse. So I had to write the ideas down on
paper or tell them to my brother or friends to make sense of them.
What is your writing ritual? Music? Silence? Meditation?
Hmm, I don't think I do have a writing ritual, at least not one I'm
consciously aware of. And I'm not strict on writing environment either. I can
write anyway so long as I have all the research and material I need to complete
the story. Reasonable peace and quietness are only a prerequisite when writing
complex mystery and suspense scenes. On the contrary, writing the action scenes
are actually very loud, with my brother and I storyboarding and choreographing
everything like a movie with vivid and sometimes violent hand gestures, punches
and kicks :)
As for the music, I'd say that depends on the scene I'm writing or the
overall theme of the story. With Ves it's usually alternative rock like Placebo,
Billy Talent, AFI and Asian Kung-fu Generation with the occasional
Phillip Glass, Kow Otani, Joe Hisaishi instrumentals and scores for the mellow,
emotional and dramatic scenes.
What inspired you to write the The Tower of Parlen Min?
Tower of Parlen Min was inspired by a
nightmare I had back in September 2006, which was a bizarre mash-up of the Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory and House on Haunted Hill movies and was
originally meant to be series of mystery/suspense graphic novels. I later
merged the plot with another story I was working on at the time, with Ves and
his Dark Teenage Girl showing up in early 2007 and overhauling the
project which turned out to be a series of speculative fantasy adventure novels
instead.
If you could be a book genre, what would you choose and why?
I'd be a mystery novel, because I like being unpredictable and I like to
keep people guessing.
What knowledge do you want to share with aspiring authors like myself?
Lol, um, I don't like giving advice, because I don't follow a lot of it
myself and I'm usually wrong about a lot of things. But if I had to give some
advice if any, I'd say don't self-publish unless you absolutely have to,
because it's a lot more simple and straight forward (but not easy) to do it
traditionally. The paradox to this statement is that with the advent of the
Internet this may not be true in the next few years. There have been stories
lately of self-publishing authors making millions more than they would have
made doing it traditionally. Yes, everything has pros and cons, compromises and
sacrifices have to be made, and at the end of it all it's all about how
passionate and committed you are to your work and which system of doing things
appeals or works for you (Matt is too wordy, he's been told, Lol).
I chose to self-publish out of necessity. I knew that Tower of Parlen
Min was a book a lot of people would have a hard time getting their heads
around and that it wasn't a book major publishers were looking for, at least
not yet (dystopian and paranormal-romance YA
novels are the rule of the day people) but I still wanted to have it out
there. And though I might publish with a major publishing house one day should
the opportunity arise, it will be a joint-venture agreement of some sort.
Having read about some of the traditional publishing deals gone bad, I'm not
particularly comfortable with selling my rights if it's not in my best
interest.
if you were stranded on a deserted island, what 5 things would you bring
and why?
1. A bucket of chocolate and vanilla Ice cream.
2. A drum of rum (like any pirate in his right mind, if they ever are)
3. A Nintendo DS with all the Professor Layton games
4. Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy novels because I'm dying to
read those books.
5. A satellite phone to call for help when I complete the Millennium
Trilogy, the ice cream melts, the rum runs out and the DS's battery goes
flat :)
What other books do you have to write or be written in the horizon?
I'm working on the plot for the second Ves Asirin book which is titled Eclipse
Over Atuwis Wood. I haven't had a lot of time to work on it because I'm
still marketing Tower of Parlen Min. I think I'll start writing it in
April 2012 and it could take me as long as 1 year to complete it. And I'll be
releasing several light novels or novellas in the months between that'll also
be set in the world of Everlon. These include Eslo's Story, The Hunt
For Majis and The Brothers Macullen.
If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, with whom would it
be and why?
Christopher Nolan. I'd like to pick his brain about the making and most
importantly the amazing editing of all his movies, especially Inception.
If you could time travel, what time period would you go to and why?
Italy during the renaissance era, I think anyone who considers
themselves an artist would love to.
How do you write your books? By the seat of your pants? Or is it plotted
out in advance?
I always plot my stories with the end first, that way I'm never disappointed
with the climax or conclusion. Yes everything, except some character
interactions and reactions, is plotted out in advance. Although I do create a
sort of timeline or template for the events in a book, I don't write all the
chapters in chronological order, this, for me, eliminates any writer's block.
Here is a twist...10 words or less, what comes to your mind first?
Chaos - My life in 2008
Moon - The one in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's
Mask
Fantasy - Surprisingly there isn't a lot of 'magic' in those
books is there ... maybe it's just me
Dragon - The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Book - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Bird
– Falcon
Light - That one topic in physics I can never fathom ...
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS FOR MATT:
See
the below social media links for more information on this exciting young adult
fantasy
Facebook event
FACEBOOK
EVENT
Matt Xell Facebook page & Tower of Parlen Min Facebook page
MATT
XELL FACEBOOK PAGE
TOWER
OF PARLEN MIN FACEBOOK PAGE
Matt Xell on Goodreads
MATT
XELL ON GOODREADS
Matt Xell’s Blog
MATT
XELL’S BLOG
Matt Xell on Twitter
MATT
XELL ON TWITTER
Matt Xell Website
MATT
XELL’S WEBSITE
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
SANTA CLAUS INTERVIEW & BOOK GIVEAWAY
Today, I’d like to introduce, Santa Claus, a very close friend of Joseph Moore to my blog for a special interview. He took time out of his very busy schedule to stop by my blog. Please share this interview with everyone you know. Santa would like to give away a signed paperback copy of Faith, Hope and Reindeer to one very special person who writes the best Santa letter on the Faith, Hope and Reindeer Facebook page.
To enter to win the signed paperback copy, “Like” the Facebook page ~ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Faith-Hope-Reindeer/119025778178632?sk=app_106878476015645
AND write a letter to Santa.
How long have you
known Joseph Moore??
I have known Joe all
of his life. He often trips and falls, but what I admire about him is he always
gets up, dusts himself off and moves on. He is quite a character, but I love
him, and he is an excellent writer.
Do you think he’s a
Santa wannabe or is he your successor??
He always teases me
saying the name Joe is an acronym for Jolly Old Elf, and so therefore he should
be Santa Claus. I guess the best way to describe his role is he is like a war
correspondent, he wears the uniform, but doesn’t carry a gun. He just reports
on the events I tell him about. After watching me for some time now, I do not
think he envies me as he might have once.
Why do you to
continue making toys for all the kids around the world when a large majority
shows no appreciation for it??
Well that is kind of a
cynical question, and I hope you don’t really feel that way or think I do. The
purpose of me giving gifts may not be as clear as it once was. It is not so
kids will have another video game or iPod. It is so they realize that gifts
make others feel good, and giving them makes you feel good. If people would
only learn once more that giving your gifts to another is a special kind of
sharing. There would be less violence in the world if we could just return to
trying to make your friends and family feel valued again. It isn’t for the sake
of the gift itself, it is a small way to say we care about you, therefore we
want to show you that. It is not about anything more substantial than that. And
maybe, just maybe, a child will learn to give back sometime and then relearn
the true value and meaning of Christmas.
What do you do on
your downtime??
Well, I have been
working with Joe on a prequel to Faith, Hope & Reindeer. Seems the first
book generated other questions about our history in the North Pole, so we are
writing the history about my father, Father Christmas and how we became
entangled with the people of the Pole, as I call it.
I also have started
two websites (well actually Mrs. Claus started them, I just write the
postings), one for parents that has nothing really to do with Santa Claus or
Christmas. It offers advice and information to parents. That one is http://santaclausunplugged.com. And the second website is geared more for
younger folks with stories and explanations, and soon games and more. That one
is http://santaclausstories.com.
Both of these are keeping me kind of busy along with all the other normal
goings on at the Pole.
Who is your favorite
reindeer??
Heather, my dear, do
you wish to start a war? Ho, ho, HO! They get very jealous if compared to each
other like that. I love them all from the very old (Donner and Blitzen – the
twins), to the newer ones like Flash, Raindance, and Snowflake. We are very
pleased to have four RN’s now, oh sorry, Red Noses, so we can rotate them
through the years. I love them all, though some do give me more trouble than
others.
What is your favorite
book genre to read and why?
I read almost every
genre as long as the story is good and the violence and sex are minimal. I must
say that since I have been at history so long, I really like to read historical
nonfiction and fiction. Many times we can learn where we are going by examining
where we have been.
What is your favorite
holiday song??
One thing Joe and I
share quite well is our love for music. I am quite an audiophile and listen to
all types and varieties from early classical to country to hip hop, though the
last is probably my least favorite. As such, there are hundreds of holiday
songs I love to hear all season long. But one of my favorites that always fills
me up and leaves a tear in my eye is Josh Groban’s Believe.
How do you keep your
elves from slacking off during production??
It is making
them slack off that is the problem, not keeping them from it! Mrs. Claus and I
have to organize games and events and make them relax a little bit. They are
very industrious and would rather work than do anything else. Mrs. Claus is our
CEO – Chief Elf Organizer, and she is continuously pushing them to rest and
take a break, which they grudgingly do. Of course in January through March we
all vacation and treat ourselves for another job well done.
What is your favorite
holiday memory??
Mrs. Claus and I make
an exact copy in miniature of the North Pole. Right down to the little Polar
Times newspapers and miniature candy canes. We will spend weeks assembling this
which is always one of the high points of the season when it’s unveiled. We
have done this for many years now and the elves all try to sneak peeks during
construction. I often need a little assistance on some sections, so some of my
more specialized elves will get to see a part; well I think you get the idea.
Anyway, it always makes for a wonderful holiday memory the building of it with
my best friend and wife, and the unveiling and open house that follow.
If you could time
travel, what time period would you go to and why??
I DO time travel! I
use the time continuum a great deal, and I could not get my task done without
it. While I do not necessarily visit other time periods when doing my rounds,
it is how I stop, reverse or speed up time to accomplish all that I must. I
will be explaining that in much greater detail in The North Pole Chronicles, which
is the book Joe and I are working on now. I will tell you time travel is very
tricky and dangerous. Wait until you read what happened to Aeon Millennium in
the book and you’ll see what I mean.
And last but not
least, what is your favorite cookie?? And do you prefer white or chocolate
milk???
Ho, ho, HO! I love
almost every kind of cookie imaginable. But my VERY favorite is the kind the
kids and parents bake for me with their own hands! There is a special love that
goes into them that makes them extra special. It is the love that makes them
all delicious so I can’t not eat them all! And I love both types of milk,
cocoa, and even coffee. Santa Claus loves variety!
Faith, Hope & Reindeer
It was thought to be a
fantasy, a nonexistent place and a children’s fable. But for the Grady’s and
many other families reality takes a sudden turn. They find themselves not only
in place that wasn’t supposed to truly exist, but face to face with the legend
and persona of Santa and Mary Claus and all the elves in the North Pole.
And not without reason or purpose. These intrepid souls have
done good all their lives and have always lived an exemplary life. And Santa
knows exactly what each of them needs and what would bring true joy to them and
all the people they touch.
This book is much more then a novel about Christmas and
Santa Claus. It is about families who have battled through life are in need of a
booster shot of Faith. It is about
each of us who struggle, but never dare to give up Hope. And of course it is about the North Pole and the goings on,
down to the elves and Reindeer.
Faith, Hope & Reindeer is a touching and surprising
story that answers many of the mysteries about how Nicholas XI (descendant of
the original St. Nicholas of Myra) performs many of the magical feats he is
credited. From how Santa determines who is naughty and nice, to how reindeer
fly and many more secrets are revealed in this delightful tale of wonder and
magic.
This heartwarming story will have you believing in the true
spirit of Christmas, and Santa Claus, once more. Return again to a time when
you knew it was all true and you believed.
BUY AT AMAZON
BUY AT BARNES AND
NOBLE
Joseph Moore Interview and Giveaway
Joseph Moore Interview
Today, I’d like to introduce, Joseph Moore, author of Faith, Hope, and Reindeer, to my blog for an interview. Please share this interview with everyone you know. I have this book for review and will hopefully be getting to that soon. He has also generously donated 2 E-book copies of Faith, Hope and Reindeer. To enter to win the e-book copy, please make sure your email address is on the Rafflecopter Form or in the comment field of the interview post and that you “Like” the Facebook page ~ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Faith-Hope-Reindeer/119025778178632?sk=app_106878476015645
Interview with Joseph
Moore
Did you always want
to be a writer? If so, what medium did you choose to write? Poetry, Short
Stories, Novellas, Novels??
Yes, and yes, I have
always written since I became an adult, logos, advertisements, marketing
position papers, interviews, advertising commercials, then graduated into early
reader children’s stories (I have 17 written, just not illustrated) that rhyme,
many love letters to my dearest love and best friend, Mary, and on and on.
What was the inspiration for your book, Faith, Hope & Reindeer?
What was the inspiration for your book, Faith, Hope & Reindeer?
Why Santa Claus, of
course! Seriously, if you ever got to meet the real Santa as I have you would
be inspired just being around him! He is lovely and has a heart as big as the
North Pole itself, yet he is a very down-to-earth kind of guy. One look at the
twinkle in his eye and the gentleness of his smile and you would want to move
mountains, yourself.
Do you plan on writing more holiday themed stories in the future??
Absolutely! Santa and
I are working on the prequel to Faith, Hope & Reindeer with a working title
called the North Pole Chronicles, and we have a sequel planned that will truly
rock everyone as Santa moves out of the North Pole!
What is your favorite genre to read and why?
What is your favorite genre to read and why?
Let’s see J.R.R.
Tolkien, Christopher Paolini's Inheritance
Cycle, C.S. Elliott, J.K. Rowlings, yep definitely historical
non-fiction! I love to visit different lands and see landscapes and places
unvisited by the vast majority with my own mind. The North Pole is no less real
a place than Middle Earth, Narnia or Hogwarts, and all of them exist in our
hearts and our heads. Plus I don’t need to go through airport security to get
there!
Do you prefer to be indie published, self-published, or traditional published?? Why?
Being that I like to
feel in control of my own destiny, even though this is false, God really
controls it and teases us with the illusion we do, I have a hard time watching
someone else make all the decisions I wish to make. Size of the book, fonts,
artwork, and all else are an intimate part of MY book. Therefore why let
someone else decide unless you do not care. For instance my cover illustration
was done by a beloved and renowned illustrator named Brenda Harris Tustian. She
also is a dear friend to Santa and has painted him lovingly many times over.
How grand is it to know that she wanted to do the cover for this, instead of
some nameless, faceless entity that banged this out for $X an hour?
That plus the task of
promoting books these days falls on the author regardless if self or house
published. Therefore if I need to do most of the work to get the story into the
reader’s hands, why pay someone else to tell me I should be doing more?
Did you ever experience a major life changing event? If so, did that impact your writing at all?
Did you ever experience a major life changing event? If so, did that impact your writing at all?
My life has been made,
wrecked, remade, floundered, wrecked again, rebuilt even stronger, and my
spirit has been lost, found, lost again, and rediscovered and so on. You cannot
live a complete life on very few emotions. If you do not experience failure,
how can you judge success? If you have not cried in frustration, how can you
cry with joy? I can say I have faced the full emotional scale many times, and
as such I can draw those human emotions into words of profound meaning in my
books.
If you could be a book genre, which one would you choose and why?
I am a book genre. If
someone someday decides to write my autobiography it will begin and end that I
lived in a fantasy world that paralleled a real one. Yes I had real problems
and real solutions while living life, but I also held on to what some would say
is a fantasy that everyday can be a miracle, and so that is what I sought, and
found, during my life.
Name a song(s) that define(s) you as a writer.
Name a song(s) that define(s) you as a writer.
My wife chuckled at
this and said that would be a book in itself. There are far too many songs that
I can use to express my life, and mostly depending on the mood I am in for that
particular moment. I have songs dance through my head from the time I wake up until
the time I fall asleep, and Mary tells me I even sing in my sleep sometimes.
But all that said, I
have always cued Classical Gas in my mind as my “theme song” throughout my
life.
If the world was on the edge of extinction, how would you survive??
If the world was on the edge of extinction, how would you survive??
You mean its not? I
live my life without regrets. If you are suddenly worried that you haven’t
completed your “bucket list”, then it is already too late to begin. Leave
yourself open to new ideas and new experiences everyday. That doesn’t mean to
live recklessly and end like Thelma & Louise, but you should know you are
going to experience something special each day and leave yourself open to
it. Who knows, you may end up in the
North Pole writing the memoirs of Santa Claus!
What advice would you give to other aspiring writers like me??
What advice would you give to other aspiring writers like me??
I think I just
answered that, but I’ll put it another way. As all writers know, it is
difficult to write on a subject you know nothing about. It took me decades
before I could sit and write a novel because it took decades to live life
enough to write it all down with feeling. Some younger writers can pen
outstanding novels because they feel a grasp of life that most never will, and
my hat is off to them. But to write about life, you have to live life
regardless of genre. That’s what many of the greatest authors like Jack London
and Kurt Vonnegut did.
What other projects do you have on the horizon??
Other than what I
mentioned earlier, I really want to get my children’s books published and of
course I have a few other stories rolling around in my head. My biggest problem
is that I have trouble staying with any one project for a long period of time.
I lose interest and move onto something else.
Tell us about 5 books that changed your life in some way??
Tell us about 5 books that changed your life in some way??
The Bible and it is
still changing my life. Lord of the Rings helped me take myself out of my world
and put it elsewhere. Ludlum’s Bourne Series convinced me that nothing is worse
than not knowing who or what you really are. Lightning by Koontz introduced me
to parallel worlds, and anything by Edgar Allen Poe who writes as if he was the
person he is writing about.
What is your favorite holiday memory??
What is your favorite holiday memory??
Easy. For many of my
tween and teen years, I would go to downtown Chicago and study the windows in
the then- famous department stores for hours at a time. These were my first
trips into a world of magic and fantasy that have stuck with me my whole life
through.
If you could time travel, what time period would you go to and why??
If you could time travel, what time period would you go to and why??
I think I would hang
around the recent past, say the late fifties and early sixties. It was a good
time in America, we were optimistic, yet we were developing at a good pace. You
could still trust your banker, your senator, your president and the majority of
your friends. There was an innocence that will never be seen again.
And a fun one, what would you do if there was a zombie apocalypse?
And a fun one, what would you do if there was a zombie apocalypse?
I am a deeply
suppressed pyromaniac. I would gather as many flame-throwers as I could muster
and go on a world touring cookout. I would barbeque as many as I could before I
was overtaken or ran out of gas.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Faith, Hope & Reindeer
It was
thought to be a fantasy, a nonexistent place and a children’s fable. But for
the Grady’s and many other families reality takes a sudden turn. They find
themselves not only in place that wasn’t supposed to truly exist, but face to
face with the legend and persona of Santa and Mary Claus and all the elves in
the North Pole.
And not without reason or purpose. These
intrepid souls have done good all their lives and have always lived an
exemplary life. And Santa knows exactly what each of them needs and what would
bring true joy to them and all the people they touch.
This book is much more then a novel about Christmas
and Santa Claus. It is about families who have battled through life are in need
of a booster shot of Faith. It is about
each of us who struggle, but never dare to give up Hope. And of course it is about the North Pole and the goings on, down
to the elves and Reindeer.
Faith, Hope & Reindeer is a touching and
surprising story that answers many of the mysteries about how Nicholas XI
(descendant of the original St. Nicholas of Myra) performs many of the magical
feats he is credited. From how Santa determines who is naughty and nice, to how
reindeer fly and many more secrets are revealed in this delightful tale of wonder
and magic.
This heartwarming story will have you believing
in the true spirit of Christmas, and Santa Claus, once more. Return again to a
time when you knew it was all true and you believed.
BUY AT AMAZON
BUY AT BARNES AND
NOBLE
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Laura Sullivan Interview and Giveaway
Laura Sullivan Interview and
Giveaway
Today, I would like to welcome Laura Sullivan to my blog for an insightful interview. She has graciously donated a copy of her book to every commenter. One lucky commenter will receive a signed paperback copy. Make sure to leave your email address in your comment for the signed paperback copy. Fill out the Rafflecopter Form below!!
Did you always
want to be a writer? If so, what medium did you choose to write? Poetry, Short
Stories, Novellas, Novels??
I've wanted to
be a writer ever since I learned how to write, and though I've written quite a
few short stories (some are out now under the name LuLu Sullivan) my main focus
has always been novels. I've been writing one book or another since my early
teens. I'm no good at serious poetry, though I have a knack for doggerel!
What was the
inspiration for your book, Brightwing?
Brightwing is an
ode to my home state, Florida, and though it is set in the present day, it
draws on the thousands of years of Florida's inhabited history. It is about the
parts of Florida that are lost, and the parts that are still holding on. Well,
actually it is about a bad-ass girl and her criminal lover, but there are
always several layers of storytelling going on!
What is your
favorite genre to read?
I read
everything. My favorites are fat Victorian novels, historicals, and most YA.
Do you prefer
to be indie published, self-published, or traditional published?? Why?
I've
experimented with traditional and self-publishing, and both certainly have
their place. Overall, I'm sticking with traditional for most of my projects. It
is great to have a skilled team behind your book, and for my MG and YA work,
I'm lucky enough to have an editor with mad skills, who does so much to polish
my books to gem-quality. But not all books mesh with the traditional publishing
world. There are some stories that don't fit neatly on any shelf, but still
insist on being written, have literary merit, and a niche audience. I have a MG
and a YA that I've written, that I'm crazy about, but which haven't connected
with a publisher yet. I'm still considering possibilities, but I might self-publish
them in the next year or so.
Did you ever
experience a major life changing event? If so, did that impact your writing at
all?
When I had my
son four years ago, I thought I'd never have time to write (or sleep) again.
But work expands to fill the available time, and contracts again just as
easily. I wound up getting almost as much done during his nap time as I used to
working all day. It taught me how to discipline myself. He'll be starting
school soon, and it will be interesting to see if my productivity increases or
if it just takes me six hours to write the thousand words I now write in an
hour.
If you could
be a book genre, which one would you choose and why?
Be a genre? I love that question! I'd be fantasy, of
course – anything can happen!
If the world
was on the edge of extinction, how would you survive??
I'm pretty into
survival, in a theoretical way, at least. Researching for Brightwing
taught me to start fires and knap flint and hunt pigs – but I've never actually
done it. And I can identify a lot of edible plants – but I never actually eat
them. I think I'd make out fairly well, once I got used to the lack of hot
baths. I have no problem eating grubs and grasshoppers, so I'll probably do
better than the people who are trying to hunt deer.
What advice
would you give to other aspiring writers like myself??
Read everything
you can get your hands on, and write every day, even if it is only in your
head. Seriously, imaginary writing helps! You know those studies where people
visualize free-throws for ten minutes a day, and then when they actually get on
the court they can make more baskets? It works with writing, too. Create
dialogue even when you're away from your computer. Describe everything you see
as if you were putting it in your novel. The down side of mental book-crafting
is that a lot of good writing gets lost, but everything helps improve your
craft.
What other
projects do you have on the horizon??
Under my real
name, Laura L. Sullivan, I have a lot coming out in the next year. The middle grade
fantasy Guardian of the Green Hill (a sequel to Under the Green Hill)
will be out October 25. Then in 2012 I have two young adult historicals – the
bawdy Ladies in Waiting in May, and the WWII fantasy Delusion in
the fall.
I'm working on
an adult paranormal thriller for Sullivan Lee that I hope to have ready some
time next year.
Tell us about
5 books that changed your life in some way??
I'll talk about
the books or authors that changed me as a writer (as opposed to those that
changed me as a person.)
Richard Adams' Maia
taught me how thorough and magical world-building can be.
E. Nesbit's
books taught me how to make writing timeless, not old-fashioned.
Kathleen
Winsor's Forever Amber taught me how to dive wholeheartedly into
history.
C.S. Lewis' Chronicles
of Narnia taught me how many layers a simple story can have.
Anthony
Trollope, who wrote 40-something novels, most around 300,000 words long, all
while working a full-time job, taught me to be disciplined in my writing.
If you could
time travel, what time period would you go to and why??
I'm fascinated
by Rome right now – the late Republic and early Empire. If I went back in time,
I'd have to go somewhere/when that women's lots were pretty good. There aren't
a lot of time periods to choose from! Rome was better than a lot of eras. Women
could own property, get divorced... wealthy women, that is. Poor women have
never had it very good.
And a fun one,
what would you do if there was a zombie apocalypse?
Probably become
a zombie too, and revel in the consumption of braaiiiinsss!
Thank you so
much for having me at Earth's Book Nook. I've had a great time visiting!
Social Media
Links:
Laura’s Blog! http://lauralsullivan.blogspot.com/
Laura’s Books! Under the Green Hill -- Out Now!
Guardian of the Green Hill -- October 2011
Ladies in Waiting -- Spring 2012
Delusion -- Fall 2012
Find Laura on Facebook
and Twitter @SullivanLeeIsMe!
Saturday, October 8, 2011
MATT XELL TOWER OF PARLEN MIN BLOG TOUR
MATT XELL- TOWER OF PARLEN MIN
Hello all my blog followers, today I’m pleased to welcome Matt Xell to my
blog for his Tower of Parlen Min blog tour stop.
|
| http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tower-of-Parlen-Min/128829820527242?sk=wall |
I was supposed to have the review up this weekend but
unfortunately I’m behind on my reviews right now. Real life has been very busy
for me and I’m working on other projects whilst doing my reviews. I hope to
have the review posted by the 31st of this month whereas his blog
tour will end. This is a unique foray into the Young Adult fantasy with Ves
Asirin’s adventures.
Book
Synopsis:
Ves Asirin wins a trip to the Tower of Parlen Min. There, with 19 other
children, he competes in the Sword Challenge; a series of puzzles and tasks,
for $12 million. As fantastic and glorious as the tower seems to be, Ves finds
that it keeps a dark and secret history that he has been connected to for over
150 years, a secret that will define his destiny ... if he can escape 'The
shadow'.
See the below
social media links for more information on this exciting young adult fantasy
FACEBOOK
EVENT
MATT XELL
FACEBOOK PAGE
TOWER OF
PARLEN MIN FACEBOOK PAGE
MATT XELL
ON GOODREADS
MATT XELL’S
BLOG
MATT XELL
ON TWITTER
MATT XELL’S
WEBSITE
BUY LINKS FOR TOWER OF PARLEN MIN
AMAZON LINKS
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/19637, http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/tower-of-parlen-min/15673265
LULU
ALL HALLOWS READ
Hello everyone,
Here is a cool thing going on this Hallow's Eve. Give someone a scary book to read. It's that simple.
All Hallows Read
Here is a video of Neil Gaiman explaining this.
Here is a cool thing going on this Hallow's Eve. Give someone a scary book to read. It's that simple.
All Hallows Read
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Laurie Bowler Guest Post
I’d like to welcome Laurie Bowler to my blog today with a guest post on writing. Please give her some love and buy her books at Amazon.
I would like to introduce myself. My name is
Laurie Bowler and I live in the United Kingdom. I write horror and Paranormal
fantasy, all of which I thoroughly enjoy and I can create as many amazing
worlds and different characters and creatures that inspire me to continue to
write.
Every day is different in my writing world, and I find some of my stories taking directions that I didn’t originally plan. When I first sit down to write a story I don’t have a story plan, neither is there ever written down any of the characters, my stories are free style and then edited to create the best polished story that you can read. Editing is the most important aspect, there is nothing quite like holding a wonderful story that is edited well, don’t you agree?
Writing my new genre Horror, that I have
recently crossed over into has been inspiring and certainly a huge experience,
as we know most horror stories are incredibly graphical and detailed so the
experience is suspenseful and thrilling. I didn’t plan to ever write horror
because I started out in paranormal fantasy, but I woke up one day and decided
I wanted to create something graphical, scary which meant the detail of the descriptions
had to be unique so I can give an amazing experience to anyone who reads it.
And, so I started on the horror scene, creating Bloodthirsty Gruesome Tales, the cover is awesome and creepy not to mention downright scary, but I love it. The only difference with this story is it does cross over the 2 genres, it has creatures in there that are paranormal but the way they are is defined as horror, and the book is a collection of short stories that I had intense fun to create.
And then I moved onto create Death Bite and
then as I started to gain confidence in my writing skills inside this new and
exciting genre I wrote Hacked Up that has just been released, both of these are
gory and definitely not for the faint hearted! Above all I have had lots of fun!
With Death Bite, I had an idea that writing
something with Zombies as the featuring storyline would be a bit like an
icebreaker to start my writing getting into the right direction in the horror
scene, and so it began. I will admit at first I thought I was going to puke, I
put that much detail I gave myself nightmares and my stomach turned over with
every chapter that I wrote.
Normally I only write paranormal stories but
I felt like having a change, I will be publishing plenty of new paranormal
stories in the next few weeks but I need to get over my newly acquired horror
bug first.
==============================================================
==============================================================
Here
is the synopsis:
Jessica Hargreaves knows a thing or two about being a strong
woman. But as a deadly epidemic sweeps across the world, she is put to the test
as the flesh eaters rise from the dead and begin to consume the living flesh of
the people they encounter. Can Jessica and her small band of survivors escape
the evil that is rising across the land or will she be consumed by the unholy
hunger of the damned?And the link:
http://amzn.com/B005LW4GR0
========================================================================
Hacked Up, this was a sudden idea and I sat
down one night and decided to start writing this little number. It has turned
out, in my opinion anyway, to be much better than I had originally anticipated.
However, you people can let me know your thoughts!
The storyline itself sprang up from almost nowhere, and the flow just came to me, it was a consistent flow and I certainly enjoyed it. I also gave myself nightmares writing this one too, but I cannot seem to stop writing in the horror genre now that I have started!
The main character Allie leaves her small
town due to being harassed by an unknown source and she is seeking peace. She
moves to a countryside small house, and this is where the fun begins.
For years rumours have circulated about the
house opposite hers, some say it is haunted, others say an old man inhabits
inside, while others warn against going near the property due to the screams of
terror and the pungent smell from outside! You will have to read the story to
find out what happens to Allie!
I would say this story is definitely the most
fun, and the most gory to read and for me to write.
Here
is the Synopsis and the links:
Allie Bates longs for the peace and solitude from the strange stalker that had been sending crude and malicious messages and so she leaves her life behind in the city and moves to the country.
Allie moved opposite a strange and intensely dark house opposite, the first of the nightmare soon begin with the strange sounds of screaming.
Rising from curiosity and intrigue she ventures to investigate and then finds herself deep inside a nightmare she wished would end soon.
Will Allie ever be able to escape the nightmare and the constant torture? Or is she destined for death? Who is the psychopathic person that inhabits the house opposite?
http://amzn.com/B005MKZKXA
=========================================================================
I’m also working on some titles right now, and I hope they will be published by the end of the month. I’m planning on releasing Sliced or Diced: A Real Slasher, Blood Fusions (the series), Vampire Hunter, Locum: Post Bite, and Death Bite 2.
The
rest of my titles are called:
Moon Rising, sunrise to Sunset, Golden Horizons, Serena Embracing Darkness, Depths of Darkness, Fangs Inc, Locum, Order of Blood, Volcan Knights, Vanquished, Vanquished The New Beginning, Across the City series parts 1-4, Bloodthirsty Gruesome Tales.
Moon Rising, sunrise to Sunset, Golden Horizons, Serena Embracing Darkness, Depths of Darkness, Fangs Inc, Locum, Order of Blood, Volcan Knights, Vanquished, Vanquished The New Beginning, Across the City series parts 1-4, Bloodthirsty Gruesome Tales.
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