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The Garnet Dagger by Andrea Cooper-A Review and Interview with the Author

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The Garnet Dagger by Andrea Cooper-a review and interview with the author

The Garnet Dagger

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About the Book: Release Date March 2013

Forbidden to cross the Elvin barrier into human lands, Brock cannot sate his curiosity. Cursed by a vampyre bite that forces him to feed on the life-essence of others, he is unable to touch another without taking their life. Chained by prophesy, he must find a witch, pierce her heart, and draw her blood for his cure.

Celeste must escape the monks who have held her prisoner for years. Her magic has been kept dormant by her captors. An ancient powerful Warloc craves her powers. If he succeeds in devouring her magic, she and the world will die.

When Brock falls in love with Celeste before realizing her demise is his cure, will love triumph over his desire to be healed? Will he risk everything to save her from a Warloc, an oath breaker, who also wants her dead?

•••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: Cursed by a vampyre bite, the ever curious elf Brock finds that he now needs to feed off the life-essence of others. Banned by the elders and bound by a prophecy, he must search and find a witch, pierce her heart and spill her blood to cure himself and save his fading world. Celeste is the witch, with the power to heal and imprisoned by monks. Brock searches all over to find the witch that is his salvation and those of his Elvin brothers. He happens upon her and little does he know – that the one he has fallen in love with is the one on which he must kill!. But if she is the witch of prophecy – how could he possibly fall in love with her?

I enjoyed this book – I found it to be more fantasy based than paranormal. The writing is poetic in nature and the ending leaves you wanting another book with Brock and Celeste. This book weaves a Hobbit type universe where creatures lurk and hope abides. Well written and thought provoking.

Reviewed by Erin

Copy supplied by the author

Interview

TRC: Hi Andrea and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of THE GARNET DAGGER.

We would like to start with some background information. Please tell us something about yourself?

Follow Andrea: Website / Twitter / Goodreads /

Andrea CooperAndrea: I live in Houston, Texas and would leave because of the weather (Hot & humid 362 days a year), but I stay because I was born and raised here, for family, and the delicious TexMex food. Even though I wrote poems from age fourteen through my early twenties, I didn’t consider myself a writer. I didn’t start writing novels until my late twenties. It started out as a hobby I did in my spare time which was limited do to working fulltime, divorced and raising my son. However, I was always a storyteller. I remember being in Elementary school and the neighborhood kids coming up to me asking what we were going to play. I created the plot and characters. Once we played ‘Space Vampires’ (yes I know it sounds silly now, but to a 2nd grader it was revolutionary) and so the kids didn’t bite each other, I told them their fangs were their first two fingers.

TRC: There is a quote on your website by Robert Frost: “No tears for the writer, no tears for the reader. No surprise for the writer, no surprise for the reader.” Would you please tell us about the significance of this quote to your life and your writing?

Andrea: Yes, this has special meaning for me because I’ve experienced this. My characters take on a life of their own. I wrote my forthcoming historical romance, Viking Fire, determined to write strictly a historical – no paranormal or magic. Even though a character hinted at things in the beginning of the story, it wasn’t until she let down her hair, literally, that she revealed herself to me and the heroine—it was not planned.

I have a friend of mine with a writer in her reader’s group. She told my friend she hates it when her characters deviate from her outline. If they do, she said, she just kills them. How sad, I picture her characters fearful of taking a step without her permission.

The Garnet DaggerTRC: THE GARNET DAGGER is your March 2013 release. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Andrea: The premise is not to judge someone for what they are, but who they are and their actions. Also perception is everything; we don’t know the motivations of others unless they tell us.

For example, in The Garnet Dagger Celeste is given the dagger and keeps it. Her motivations are not stealing, but that she recognizes the magick in the dagger and that it is hers (even though she’s never seen it before), she also knows that its purpose in other hands would be her death at best and destroying the hero’s heart and thus setting up the Warloc’s rule and evil. This isn’t stated in the book, but it’s suggested in the story.

TRC: Have you always had an interest in Elven stories? The paranormal?

Andrea: Funny, The Garnet Dagger, by some reviewers has been mentioned along with Tolkien and George R.R. Martin. What an amazing honor! What I find humorous about it is that I wasn’t allowed to read those novels growing up—nothing with mythical creatures or magic—not even Disney! So naturally it just made me crave them more. I didn’t read Tolkien until a few years ago, after I finished the third book in The Garnet Dagger trilogy. Martin is on my list to read because I’m addicted to the Game of Thrones show.

I’ve always loved stories of vampires, dragons, and anything magical. The only elves I remember, until seeing Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, were shoemaker and Santa’s elves. These elves were small and not at all what my imagination believed. I’d always thought of Elves as the same height as humans—seeing Tolkien’s movie validated what I had always thought.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

Andrea: Three. I’ve always thought of it as a trilogy and have all three books written and am working on edits for the second, Son of Dragons, and third, War of Darkness. If readers love the series, I could write two more: one from Celeste’s point of view and another on Brock’s sister and her love interest.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the lead characters, which models or actors would be represent your ideal image?

Andrea:

Brock – closest actor to my image (without too much of a tan) would be Eduardo Verastegui. If you haven’t heard of him, he’s worth checking out—you won’t be sorry 😉

Celeste – Elisha Cuthbert

TRC:  Eduardo is perfect 😉

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Andrea: I don’t usually write a storyline. I start with a character, an idea, or a situation. I write until the characters take over. I have a general knowledge of the end result, but the journey is new to me as I write. If the characters get lost or go off on a tangent, then I stop and write up a storyline including where we’ve been and where we need to go. I and my characters hate this so much that it has worked 98% of the time and I start writing again.

TRC: Speaking of, has there ever been an occasion where you have had to scrap a particular premise because your character(s) went in different direction?

Andrea: Not exactly. I wrote a historical romance, unpublished, that the entire novel the heroine is trying to avenge her father and brother’s death. It wasn’t until the ending that another character, who had a hinted past with the antagonist, stepped up and killed the bad guy. At first, I was shocked, then I realized it could be no other way. However, the premise stayed the same.

TRC: Are you a plotter or a pantster?

Andrea: Mostly a pantser. First I come up with an idea, character, or a situation. Then I brainstorm and start thinking up ‘What If’ questions. I do not plot per se, I have a general idea of where the story is going to go, and sometimes the ending will change slightly. I enjoy it when characters take over and guide me. However, if they get us lost, I pull out the dreaded outline and map out where we’ve been and where we’re going. Hopefully since there are surprises for me that come up when I write, it will be a surprise for the reader as well.

With The Garnet Dagger, it started with a simple thought: Everyone knows what happens when a vampire bites a human…but what if the victim is Elvin?

TRC: Writer’s Block is a very real phenomenon. How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of writer’s block?

Andrea: I move on to another project. I have eight completed novels, only two have been published so far, and five others in various stages. If I get burned out on one, I’ll move on to another one. If that doesn’t work, I start on edits. By the time I’m done with one story’s edits, my muse is screaming at me to write something—anything.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, historical) did you encounter writing this particular story?

Andrea: For The Garnet Dagger, the challenge was logistics of writing a first person romance. All of my other novels I had written up to this point were third person. However, Brock’s voice sounded so clearly in my mind, that I could not shift him to third person. However, it was difficult not telling the reader things that I knew as the author, but that Brock didn’t know. For example, when Celeste wakes him with liquid hot peppers, she’s not being mean. She tried to rouse him before, but nothing worked—he was starting to freeze to death and that was the last resort.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Andrea: My husband. He is a lover of fantasy books (and introduced them to me and I fell in love with that genre as well). He is also read more books than I have and knows a good story when he hears one. So if he’s mildly interested in a storyline of mine, I know I’ve got a good one. Also, my sister has been open to my writing and she’s been wonderful in helping me with the actual editing. I sometimes will edit myself into a corner and have no idea if I’m making the story better or if I’m writing gibberish. She will read the entire novel and tell me if it reads smoothly or not. I’ve also recently joined an amazing group of writers online that do beta readings for each other.

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Andrea: Excellent question. Since I don’t know the details of the ending ahead of time, I hope that it’s not predictable. If a character does something too easy, then I try to ask what if questions to make it more challenging. In The Garnet Dagger Celeste calls upon magic she’s never handled before…so that could be an issue. But what if this magic is ferocious and if not called upon properly, it could kill her instead of the Warloc? What if she realizes this too late? What if there is no way she can release this magic—if she sends it to the Warloc, it will destroy her soul, but once it is called forth, it cannot be voided.

TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines while still having time to raise a family?

Andrea: It is hard. I have a wonderful husband who supports me. When he’s not working he helps with the kids and cooking and cleaning. I’ve done a lot of late night writing and furiously typing away during nap time.

TRC: If you could be a contestant on a reality television program, which program would you chose and why?

Andrea: The new show, Whodunnit? I think it would be fun. I am critical of mysteries because from an early age, I could predict who ‘did it’. It was frustrating to have friends rave about Nancy Drew books, but when I would try to read them in Elementary and Middle school, I knew what was going to happen by chapter two. I’ve tried other mysteries, but they are the same for me. I think I was the only nine year old who reached for Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie when the teacher said we had to read mysteries.

TRC: What are your thoughts on book reviews-good or bad?

Andrea: Book reviews are subjective. Just like art. It’s hard getting a bad review. Chocolate cake works well ☺ I also read other bad reviews of famous authors I love. It helps a little. Good reviews are amazing and can brighten my day.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

roses2Andrea: I’m promoting my newly released historical romance, Viking Fire. I’m working on edits of the second Garnet Dagger book, Son of Dragons and finishing another romance set in 16th century Japan based on the female ninja’s who were called ‘deadly flowers’.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Andrea: I would love to hear from readers. What you liked, what you didn’t like from my stories. I’m a debut author and have learned a lot in the last nine months than I have in all the years I spent writing. My ultimate goal is to craft a wonderful story that many will enjoy.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Tex-Mex. It’s spicy and cheesy! Yum.

Favorite Dessert: Chocolate cake with white icing. Or just give me anything with Chocolate

Favorite TV Show: Game of Thrones (even though I don’t have HBO so I’m waiting on this year’s series to be out on DVD).

Last Movie You Saw: Anonymous – the movie about William Shakespeare not being the actual writer of his plays, sonnets, etc.

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Dark. Even as a kid when my mom would buy the Hershey’s mini-bars, everyone would leave those and I would dig through the bag for them.

Favorite Flower: Tiger lily

Last Vacation Destination: The beach at Galveston, Texas. My two year old, at the time, didn’t want to leave.

Pet Peeve: When people post things on facebook (or anywhere) that are not true. Years ago, I got an email, with a picture of a new coin, that didn’t have “In God We Trust” on them. First thing I did is check out snoops. Sure enough, it wasn’t true – the slogan was put on the edge of the coin, so it didn’t so up in the picture.

I also don’t like injustice.

Secret Celebrity Crush: Chris Hemsworth – because he reminds me of my husband.

TRC:  I think we would like to meet your husband !!!!!

TRC: Thank you Andrea for taking the time to answer our questions. WE wish you all the best with your writing career.

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Sara Humphreys-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

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Sara Humphreys -Interview and Giveaway with the Author

Tall, Dark and Vampire Banner

Tall, Dark and Vampire is the latest release from the amazing author Sara Humphreys. To celebrate the release The Reading Cafe is offering up an interview with the author and a giveaway.

Sara Humphreys

 

TRC: Hi Sara and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the August 6, 2013 release TALL, DARK and VAMPIRE.

We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

 

 

FOLLOW Sara: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Sara: Thanks for having me here today! I’m a mom of four boys and married to my college sweetheart. We live just outside of NYC and I feel quite fortunate to be able to work form home. It’s given me much more time to spend with my boys. Life is good.

TRC: You are the President of Taney Speaker Training. Would you please tell us about this organization?

Sara: Sure thing. For the past ten years I’ve worked as a public speaker and speaker trainer. Taney Speaker Training specializes in public speaking, leadership and communication skills trainings but have recently expanded our business to include branding coaching for authors. We deliver our programs nationwide and people can find out more on our website.

Tall Dark and VampireTRC: TALL, DARK and VAMPIRE is the first release (August 2013) in your new Dead in the City series. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Click HERE for our review of TALL, DARK and VAMPIRE.

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

Sara: Think of it as Sex in the City meets True Blood. I love NYC and it’s the perfect place for vampires to blend in and live their lives undisturbed. I also wanted to explore the idea of an all female vampire coven. Olivia Hollingsworth is the head of the coven but runs it more like a family than a police state. She’s a three hundred year old celibate vamp with a weakness for a hot pair of shoes. She runs a nightclub called The Coven that she and her vamps run out of an old church in Greenwich Village. Olivia just wants to run her club and her coven undisturbed but when her customers start to turn up dead–her life gets more complicated and to make matters worse, the cop who shows up to investigate is a dead-ringer for her long lost lover from her human life.

TRC: How many stories do you have planned for the series and will all of the previous storyline characters have a role in future novels?

Sara: There will be five Dead in the City novels with each of the women in the coven getting their own Happily Ever After. This band of vamps will be there throughout the series–sometimes causing their fair share of trouble.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters of Tall, Dark and Vampire –Doug Paxton and Olivia Hollingsworth-which models or actors would be suit your ideal image?

Sara: I’d say Christina Hendricks and Chris Pine. They’d make a great pair and fit the physical description perfectly. Christina has the moxie to play Olivia and Chris has the wit.

TRC: Would you please tell us the premise behind the AMOVEO legend?

Amoveo Legend Series

Sara: The Amoveo are a secret society of dream-walking, telepathic, shapeshfiter that are comprised of ten different animal clans. Lion, panther, tiger, cheetah, bear, wolf, fox, coyote, eagle and falcon. They have one pre-destined mate and if they don’t find their mate by the age of thirty, they begin to lose their powers and will ultimately die. They can only have children with their mate, which makes their race quite fragile. If you kill one Amoveo, their mate will die and you wipe out the possibility of offspring. Until recently, they thought their mate could only be another Amoveo, but the discovery of human/Amoveo hybrids changes the game. It quickly become evident that not all Amoveo are in favor of this and theses Purist Amoveo make it glaringly clear that they’ll do anything to keep their race pure.

UndoneTRC: Undone is your fourth installment (May 2013) in the Amoveo series. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Sara: UNDONE features Marianna Coltari, a pureblood Amoveo from the Bear Clan, and Pete Castro, a human who knows about the Amoveo and works for Marianna’s brother Dante. The Amoveo are embroiled in a nasty civil war between Purists, who want to keep the race pure, and Loyalists, who are accepting of human/Amoveo hybrids. Marianna has refused to publicly declare a side and is partying in NYC at a vampire nightclub. Her brother, Dante, assigns Pete to be Marianna’s bodyguard and driver because Pureblood Amoveo women have started to go missing. They allow Marianna to believe that Pete doesn’t know about the Amoveo–that way she’ll behave herself and won’t use her powers. Pete takes on the job but struggles with his growing attraction to Marianna, believing she could never be his. When more women start to vanish and the Purist leader sets his sights on Marianna–Pete takes things into his own hands.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

Unclaimed

Sara: The fifth book, UNCLAIMED, will be out in December and there will be a novella, UNBOUND, in 2014. I have at least two more books planned beyond that but I don’t have release dates yet.

 

TRC: ASMODEUS (Demon of Lust Part 1-June 2013)) is the first installment in your new serialized novel. Would you please tell us something about the series?

 

Sara: When Kai Kelly inherits her estranged grandfather’s estate in Bliss, Idaho, life becomes anything but blissful. The discovery of a beautiful, but unusual, ring in the attic leads to much more than she bargained for. Kai may not realize what she has in her possession, but the boys in Hell sure got the message.

Lucifer and the six other princes of Hell existed for several millenniums believing that the Ring of Solomon, an object with the power to control demons, had been destroyed. However, the moment Kai slips the ring on her finger, the tremor of its power ripples through the underworld.

Asmodeus 1Knowing the ring’s existence could mean the destruction of all demons, Lucifer sends his six princes to earth in search of the ring and its bearer. There’s one catch; a demon can’t take the ring from its owner. It must be given willingly or they have to be dead.

Asmodeus, the Demon of Lust, is happy to have another opportunity to visit the mortal world and dally with a human female…or twelve. However when he arrives on earth, he realizes Lucifer has made all the demons mortal in an effort to keep them motivated, focused on their mission and immune from the powers of the ring.
When Asmodeus meets Kai along a deserted section of highway in Magic Valley, it’s more than the ring she wears that catches his eye. He plans to woo the ring out from under her but before long, the lines between lust and love blur.

When the other members of the brotherhood realize Asmodeus has found the ring, they descend on Bliss, determined to get the ring from Kai at any cost.
When Asmodeus is faced with choosing between the brotherhood and his one true love, he realizes the battle for Hell is nothing compared to the battle for her heart.

TRC: What do you believe is the push behind the ‘serialized novel’? Why do you think it works for some novels and not others?

Asmodeus Series

Sara: I came up with the plan to serialize this book because I wanted to give my readers something in between full-lenght novels. I’m also contracted for seven more books with my publisher, so I can’t take on writing another full novel but I knew I could do it in sections. So I figured I’d give it a shot.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Sara: I have an idea of where I’m going but the characters drive the ship. When things aren’t flowing, I know I’m not doing what I should be. When I listen to them, then it all works out.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties have you encountered as a writer?

Sara: Time management. My boys are all home for the summer which has made for a challenging work situation. I want to spend time with them and make sure they have a fun summer, but I still have deadlines to meet. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to September and getting back into a routine.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Sara: My husband. The poor man has to listen to all of my crazy ideas but lucky for me, he’s supportive of my career.

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Sara:  To be honest..I don’t know. I just go where it takes me and then after the first draft is done, I go back and make sure there aren’t any plot holes.

TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines while still having time to raise a family?

Sara: Some days better than others. Luckily my husband is really supportive of what I do and my boys are old enough to understand that sometimes Mom has got to work. I’ll be honest, there are days when I break down in tears because I’m so overwhelmed but it’s those moments that I call my sisters or my mom. I don’t know what I’d do without them.

TRC: What are your thoughts on book reviews-good or bad?

Sara: No one likes reading a bad review of their work. It sucks but it’s a reality of the business. I don’t mind if someone says they just didn’t connect with it or it wasn’t for them. What I do take issue with are the unnecessarily cruel reviews people post–the ones that take aim at an author personally. It’s just not cool. It’s not okay to use the anonymity of the internet to eviscerate another person. It’s cowardly.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Sara: I’m writing Vampire Trouble–the second Dead in the City book. It’s due in about six weeks so I’m under the gun.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Sara: Thank you. Thank you to bloggers like you, to my readers and my street team gals. I don’t know where I’d be without them.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Mom’s Tuna Casserole

Favorite Dessert
Brownie with vanilla ice cream

Favorite TV Show
True Blood

Last Movie You Saw
Zombieland

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Milk

Favorite Flower
Gerbera Daisies

Last Vacation Destination
New Orleans

Sara: By the way, I’m having a Twitter Party on August 6th from 7pm-8:30pm EST to celebrate the release of TALL, DARK, AND VAMPIRE. To join the party simply follow @authorsara and use #nycvamps in all your tweets. Prizes include a Nook HD, signed books and more. All the details are on my website. http://novelromance.net/twitter-party-for-tall-dark-vampire

TRC: Thank you Sara for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on a very prolific year of new releases. We wish you all the best.

giveaway

Sourcebooks and Sara are offering a copy of paper copy of TALL, DARK and VAMPIRE to one lucky reader at The Reading Cafe.

1. Please registers using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Giveaway runs from August 4 to August 8, 2013

4. Giveaway is open to USA and CANADA only.

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Fire Angel by Susanne Matthews-A Review and Interview with the Author

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Fire Angel by Susanne Matthews-A Review and Interview with the Author

Fire Angel

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO

About the Book: Release Date April 29, 2013

A malicious serial killer is out for revenge in Paradise. Using fire as his weapon, he strikes at random, and the bodies are piling up.

Criminal profiler Jake McKenzie has returned from Afghanistan minus a leg and afraid to trust his instincts. When the police ask for his expertise in identifying the killer, he agrees knowing this is his chance to prove he can still do the job

•••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: This book is labeled a suspense book…it certainly is!

We start off meeting John Jacob (Jake) McKenzie, a longtime resident of Paradise (a town in Canada), who owns and runs a inn with his brother David (still a Dr. in the military); his brother’s fiancée Minette helps run the inn while David is away. She’s a wonderful cook and works tirelessly taking care of not just the inn, but seeing to her small daughter and Jake as well. Jake used to work for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as a criminal profiler before going to Afghanistan as a volunteer in the capacity of profiling for the military.

In Afghanistan, he was married to a local woman, and was severely injured by a mine as well as some of his best friends (Minette’s husband Andre was killed). Missing one of his legs, Jake wears a prosthetic leg and can manage most moderately flat terrains. Recently returned to work for the Paradise Police Force as a consultant profiling cases, Jake has many memories that are haunting him and they are slowly revealed in flashbacks. He is working on a series of fires that have been found to be related. He asked the police chief to call in a professional fire investigator, recommending a woman he read about that has made quite a reputation for success in San Francisco. (Please know that this is much more involved with many more characters written very interestingly so that you begin to learn about the town of Paradise and those surrounding Jake. I don’t want to spoil all the fun of reading this for yourself)

The woman, Alexis Michaels, turns out to be a girl who had lived in Paradise sixteen years ago, but had run away from a drunken and brutalizing uncle. She changed her name to her Grandfather’s and lived with him after some trouble getting her act together. She and Jake were good friends and Jake actually loved her (especially can’t forget her blue-green cat-eyes). When she ran away from her uncle, he never quite forgot about the girl with the blue-green eyes….
The sparks fly, the attraction is still there on both sides and the bad guys are out to stop them. Figuring out who’s setting the fires and killing all the people, many innocents are killed as well – just in the wrong place at the wrong time, is confusing, frustrating and interesting. Well written, the plot is simple but very good, the characters are different. The danger is very real and explosive and the love story builds slowly!

I’m personally hoping they get together and form their own investigative team or company…many more Jake and Alexis stories could be in the future?

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Georgianna S.

 

Interview orange:black

Susanne MatthewsTRC: Hi Susanne and welcome to The Reading Café.

We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Follow Susanne: Website / Twitter / Goodreads /

Susanne: I was born and raised in Cornwall, Ontario, a city located on the Canada-US border. My husband and I will have been married 42 years in September. We have three children and five grandchildren. I was a stay-at-home mom for 10 years, and then started a career in education. I retired from teaching last year after more than thirty years in the field. Now, I’ve started another career as an author. I love gardening and camping in the summer, but I’m an indoor person come winter.

I’m an avid reader and like nothing better than curling up with a good book and a cold beer on a hot summer day, or a glass of red wine in front of the fireplace on a cold winter night. My reading tastes are varied as are my writing preferences, but no matter what sub-genre I choose to write, all of my books have Happily Ever After endings.

TRC: Fire Angel is your April 2013 release. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Order Links: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO

Fire AngelSusanne: The story follows Alexis, a fire investigator, and Jake, a criminal profiler, as they search to discover the identity of a serial killer using fire as a weapon to revenge himself against the people he feels have wronged him in the small town of Paradise. It is also a reunion story between two people who fell in love as teens, but never got the chance to act on their feelings. Life has wounded both of them, and they have a lot of personal issues to deal with before they can accept and love one another.

TRC: What or who was the mitigating factor behind the premise of Fire Angel?

Susanne: I believe everyone has a soul mate, but they don’t always recognize them when they see them. Some people call it love at first sight, but it’s more than that. It’s a deeper connection, and sometimes, soul mates are torn apart before they can get together. Jake and Alexis are like that, but they get a second chance to connect. Not everyone is that fortunate. I also think some people are born with a sense of entitlement that lets them believe others are always to blame for their misfortunes. This misplaced idea really eats at them until revenge is all they can think of—that’s where the Fire Angel himself was born.

TRC: Are any events or characters based on reality or an amalgamation?

Susanne: A couple of years ago, we had a series of arsons in the region. There was one death attributed to the fires, but many farmers lost livestock, over a hundred head of cattle. In fact, farmers were terrified wondering who would be next. Added to that, hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of machinery, not to mention the structures themselves, were destroyed. In the city, heritage buildings burned to the ground or had to be demolished. It occurred to me that fire was a powerful way to get even with someone, and the arsonists not always easy to catch.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (logistical, research etc) did you encounter writing this particular novel? e.g. fire scenarios, chemistry of fires.

Susanne: I wouldn’t call it a difficulty, but research for the book took a lot of time. I read about fire investigators, fire inspectors, and criminal profilers. I looked into the behavior of fire, its various stages, and how fires begin. I also researched arson and pyromania to understand the difference between them. I learned a great deal about what is flammable and what is explosive. I know gasoline doesn’t explode, but its fumes do. One of the fires is set in a service station, so I had to research what could explode there if gasoline didn’t. I also looked into a number of chemical compounds that were volatile—Molotov cocktails, both the original ones and the modern ones—and I learned all about the properties of super glues and Rohypnol. Finally, I researched prosthetics, and the problems faced by amputees.

TRC: Did you know much about the Temagami prior to writing or researching this book? They figure highly into your plot.

Susanne: We visited Northern Ontario a few years ago, and I bought a wood carving, a bear, made by the Temagami people in the area. We have a Mohawk reserve nearby, and I was curious about this other First Nation culture, so I researched them. In his younger days, my dad was a hunter, travelling to the northernmost parts of Ontario in search of moose. He always spoke highly of the native guides and their respect for nature. I researched the area where I’d set Paradise, and the Temagami Reserve was the closest. I did additional research on them for the book.

TRC: Will there be more adventures for Alexis and Jake? And if so, will they have their own investigation company?

In Plain SightSusanne: Jake and Alexis have a cameo in my second book, In Plain Sight, due out August 12, 2013. They have indeed formed their own company, but I don’t want to spoil anything by revealing anything else. I am planning another book set in Paradise, and they will definitely be in the story.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Susanne: I usually have a vague idea of where I want the story to go, but I don’t work with an outline—it’s more a rough synopsis. The action in the story is character driven all the way; they tell me what they want to do, and I type.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the main characters in Fire Angel, which models or actors would be represent your ideal image?

Susanne: This is a toss-up. I would choose either Emily Bett Ricahrds or Stephen Amell from Arrow, or Nathan Filion and Stana Katic from Castle. I think Stana would look great as a blonde!

TRC: What five things would you like to accomplish in the next ten years?

Susanne:
Travel more—visit exotic places like Hawaii
Meet all the people who have supported me in my writing, especially the women authors in my writing group. We only meet online.
Write and sell at least four books a year
Become a best-selling author, with a book on the best seller list
See one of my books made into a movie or television series

TRC: What are your thoughts on book reviews-good or bad?

Susanne: Book reviews are essential, and realistically, not everyone is going to like every book they read. Until I became an author, I didn’t realize how important they were. Good reviews tell me I did a great job, bad reviews tell me I have to work harder.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Susanne: At the moment, I’m working on a romance/suspense set near Boston. A crime reporter, demoted to the social pages, searches for her missing girlfriend. In the process, she gets mixed up with a white supremacist cult, kidnapping, and murder, and has to turn to the man she used to love for help.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Susanne: I’d like to thank you for the opportunity to speak to your readers, and I hope they’ll enjoy my books.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: steak, medium rare

Favorite Dessert: Crème Brulée

Favorite TV Shows: Castle and Arrow

Last Movie You Saw: Star Trek, Into Darkness

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Neither. I’m allergic to chocolate.

Favorite Flower: carnations

Last Vacation Destination: Boston, Massachusetts

TRC: Thank you Susanne for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of FIRE ANGEL. We wish you much success in your writing career.

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Malicious Masquerade by Alan Cupp-A Review and Interview

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Malicious Masquerade by Alan Cupp-A Review and Interview with the Author

 

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About the Book: Release Date March 2013

 

Chicago PI Carter Mays is thrust into a perilous masquerade when local rich girl Cindy Bedford hires him. Turns out her fiancé failed to show up on their wedding day, the same day millions of dollars are stolen from her father’s company. While Carter takes the case, Cindy’s father tries to find him his own way. With nasty secrets, hidden finances, and a trail of revenge, it’s soon apparent no one is who they say they are.

Carter searches for the truth, but the situation grows more volatile as panic collides with vulnerability. Broken relationships and blurred loyalties turn deadly, fueled by past offenses and present vendettas in a quest to reveal the truth behind the masks before no one, including Carter, gets out alive.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: If you love puzzles and deep plots, this should be a wonderful read for you!

It begins with a bride (Cindy Bedford) anxiously awaiting her groom to show up at the church. The mystery deepens when he does not show and the evening falls only to find that he has packed everything and has taken money from her father’s safe as well as from his accounts at his company (from illegal accounts she doesn’t know about).

Devastated and angry…still in shock she hires Carter Mays, private investigator and former Chicago PD to find her vanished love so she can get the closure she needs or wants.

Cindy Bedford is a spoiled princess, but very lovely woman who has loved Tyler Moore for three years and accepted his proposal. Encouraged by her father Jasper Bedford, who thought the sun rose and set in Tyler, she was expecting a much different life than what she now had.

The investigation begins slowly and reveals more to the detective than he bargained for. Cindy doesn’t know her businessman father is also a heroin importer on the side (supporting his finances). She’s daddy’s little girl and has no clue as to her father’s true nature. Her mother Darlene, a functioning alcoholic, knows all the secrets, but the two have worked hard to keep Cindy in the dark.

Mays is a professional and all around good guy, handsome and kind. Very clever, he does his job well. Even followed by Jasper’s thugs he manages to make small headway into the mystery of Tyler Moore, while trying not to fall for the lovely Cindy.

I don’t want to spoil the entertainment of going through this investigation learning and thrilling to the various changes to the story. Mr. Cupp has written a very intricate and compelling mystery. It builds slowly and surely to an enticing peak of danger and discovery.
Get a good glass of wine or two and enjoy the ride.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Georgianna S.

Interview 1

TRC: Hi Alan and welcome to The Reading Café.

Alan: Hello, Sandy. I appreciate the opportunity to stop by The Reading Café today.

TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please introduce yourself to our readers?

Follow Alan: Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Alan: I’m a husband to my wife of twenty-one years and father to two wonderful teenage sons. After that, I’m a writer, do a little acting now and then, dabble in songwriting, and basically a big kid who enjoys playing an assortment of sports.

TRC: Many authors have had a love of reading and writing since early childhood. What sparked your interest in writing?

Alan: I’ve always had creative tendencies, but really didn’t start writing fiction until about eighteen years ago. Not really sure what sparked it. Perhaps it had something to do with getting our first computer. The idea of handwriting or even typing something of any length probably kept me from even considering it. But once I had word processing, I just decided one day, “Hey, I think I’ll make up a story.”

TRC:  MALICIOUS MASQUERADE is your March 2013 release. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

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Alan: MALICIOUS MASQUERADE is the story of people who live double lives, filled with deception and secrets, and the innocent people around them caught up in the middle suffering the consequences.

TRC: Do you have plans for a series featuring your leading PI Carter Mays? And if so, how many books?

Alan: Originally, no, but I’ve had enough people request it that I’m starting to consider doing another book. I’ll have to take it one book at a time.

TRC: Who or what was the inspiration behind MALICIOUS MASQUERADE and Carter Mays?

Alan: I wanted a story of revenge based on a unique motive and I wanted the character to be so invested in pursuing revenge that it dictated every aspect of their life. Along with that, I wanted a capable investigator with integrity who makes choices based on what is right rather than what will benefit him the most.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters in this storyline, which models or actors best represents your ideal image?

Alan: I really like this question because I think this story is very conducive to the movie screen. Here’s how I would cast it.

Carter Mays – Ryan Reynolds

Cindy Bedford – Maggie Grace

Jasper Bedford – Jeff Bridges or David Strathairn

Darleen Bedford – Joan Allen

Tyler Moore – Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Tate Manning – Joe Pantoliano

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Alan: I’d say ultimately, I do since I’m the one who makes up the characters. Once I’ve sort of defined who they are and how they normally behave, I may have to evaluate if they are staying true to form.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writer’s fail in this endeavor?

Alan: I think the pace of the story has a lot to do with this. You can’t go so fast that the reader is overwhelmed. At the same time, you can’t bog down the story with a ton of details that don’t really contribute. Where I tend to lose interest in a book is when I’ve read a chapter of minute details, describing every object in the room, but nothing significant has happened.

TRC: Writer’s Block is a very real phenomenon. How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of writer’s block?

Alan: I walk away and come back to it later.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, background) did you encounter writing this particular story?

Alan: Probably figuring out the timing of everything was one of the bigger challenges. A lot of what happens in the story is based on the past.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Alan: Honestly, I don’t bounce ideas off anyone. Usually, after I’ve started a story, I may tell my wife about it, but that’s it.

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Alan: I rely on constant evaluation and holding back information, giving a little at a time.

TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines while still having time to raise a family?

Alan: I have found when my have my priorities in the correct order, life goes much better. For me that order is God, family, work.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Alan: Another mystery/suspense story about a guy who missed out of four years of life and is now trying to take his life in a new direction while still carrying the baggage and mysteries of his troubled past.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Alan: I enjoy writing in a variety of genres, including children’s and humor.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Pizza

Favorite Dessert
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Favorite TV Show
The Walking Dead

Last Movie You Saw
Jack Reacher

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Definitely Dark

Dream Car
I’m a truck guy, so I’ll say a brand new Ford F150 extended cab.

Last Vacation Destination
Orange County, California

Pet Peeve
Stacking dirty dishes, because now both the tops and the bottom of the dishes have to be rinsed off.

TRC: Thank you Alan for taking the time to answer our questions.Congratulations on the release of MALICIOUS MASQUERADE. We wish you all the best.

Alan: Thanks again! I really appreciate it.

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Six Saviors Series by Carly Fall-Interview and Promotion

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Six Saviors Series by Carly Fall-Interview and Promotion

Six Saviors Banner

Interview and Guest Post with Carly Fall

Interview

 

Carly Fall 2TRC: Hi Carly and welcome back to The Reading Café.

Follow: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Carly: Thank you for having me again, Sandy.

TRC: For anyone who does not know Carly Fall, please tell us something about yourself?

Carly: I am a wife, a mother and a slave to the dog, Nicky. I love to laugh, I think chocolate and wine should be considered their own food group, and I wish Christmas happened twice a year.

TRC: The Six Saviors blog tour is to help promote your paranormal/sci fi series about the heroes and heroines from planet SR44. Would you please tell us about the premise of the series?

Carly: Two hundred years ago, terrible criminals escaped from SR44 and came to Earth. The Six Saviors were sent to eradicate them, but things didn’t go quite as planned. This series is the stories of the Saviors, their hunt for the criminals, and falling in love. Each book focuses on one specific Savior.

TRC: What and who do you have planned for the next Six Savior’s installment?

Carly: HA! I knew you’d ask this 🙂 The next installment of the Six Saviors will feature Nico. He’s interesting because he’s a Dream Walker. Without giving too much away, there will be drama (of course), danger, and hopefully love for Nico.

TRC: I had to ask. You know that 😉


TRC: What or who was your inspiration behind the premise of the series?

Carly: The inspiration for the series was a tour of a decommissioned missile silo in Tucson (the Six Saviors live in a missile silo). I started thinking how cool it would be to live in one, and then my husband and I started joking about aliens living in missile silos (I know – we’re weird), and the premise of the story was born.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the lead characters for the Six Saviors series, which models or actors would be represent your ideal images?

Carly: The guys on the covers are pretty close to how I see them in my mind. I spend hours going through pictures to get them as close as possible.

TRC: Do you have a favorite character or one that tugs at your heart more than the others?

Carly: I don’t. I love all the Saviors and their mates for different reasons. Noah is temperamental, Rayner is sweet, Hudson is suave and deadly, Jovan is also sweet, but very rough around the edges, and Cohen is brooding and somewhat dark. In the next book, we will see him lighten up a bit and get back to the guy he was before the tragedy.

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception about the series?

Carly: The biggest misconception about the series is people thinking – yuck – aliens! And I get that because of Hollywood’s portrayal of them. However, my aliens are beautiful in their original form, as well as their human forms. It used to be that vampires and werewolves were vilified, and we see where that has gone. I think it’s time for some hot aliens to get some love.

TRC: If you could go back and change something/anything about the series would you? Why or why not?

Carly: I thought about this for a long time before answering, and honestly, I can’t think of anything that I would change about the series. There are some plot lines that people have been very upset about, but to me, that’s good. That means that my readers are emotionally invested in the stories.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Carly: I try to direct them, but they are stubborn and sometimes more creative than me. Let’s call it a collaborative effort

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (historical, research, logistics) did you encounter writing this particular story/series?

Carly: Time. There’s never enough time. That and when the characters aren’t cooperating.

TRC: How do you keep the plot(s) unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Carly: The thing I love about writing the fantasy/sci-fi/paranormal is that boundaries can be pushed. Everyone can love a little harder, the drama can be ratcheted up, and the twist and turns in the stories can go beyond “real life.” I try to push those boundaries to the limit without “jumping the shark,” so to speak. When I do go too far, my editor is there to reel me in and get me back in line.

TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines while still having time to raise a family?

Carly: I try to keep it in perspective. I know my readers are waiting for the next book – I get emails every single day asking when the next one is going to come out. However, I also have a son who is eight. He needs his mom, and his mom needs him. He’s my number one priority, and when I get stressed and start thinking about books and deadlines, I’ll go play with him or curl up on the couch with him and watch WWE Wrestling. It’s very soothing and relaxing being with my son. He doesn’t know it, but he keeps me grounded.

TRC: If you were stranded on a deserted island with whom would you like to be partnered and why? Which three items would be your ‘must haves and can’t do without’?

Carly: Well, I would want my son there, and I suppose I would have to take my husband, although he might just drive me crazy complaining about bugs or something. I would also take Joe Manganiello because he’s big and strong and I would enjoy watching him work. Really enjoy watching him. And he’s big. And strong. And pretty.

TRC: What are your thoughts on book reviews-good or bad?

Carly: Book reviews are both good and bad. I realize that every book is not for everybody. I do a little reviewing myself, and sometimes I will pick up a book and wonder where in the heck all the good reviews came from because I HATE it. However, as an author, it can hurt when you see a bad review. I would much rather get a bad review that is well thought out and has valid points (or at least the reviewer thinks they are valid :)) than one where the reviewer just slams the book without backing up their statements. You need a tough skin and a bottle of gin to be an author.

On the other hand, a good review can have an author walking on air for hours, if not days.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Carly: The next installment of the Six Saviors.

TRC: 🙂

LIGHTNING ROUND

Vampire or Werewolf
Vampire

Cat or Dog
Dog

Lily or Rose
Rose

Coke or Pepsi
I don’t drink soda, but every year or two I will have a Rum and Coke

Summer or Winter Olympics
Summer

Iron Man or Thor
I haven’t seen either, but my son said Iron Man was pretty good

Biggest Pet Peeve
Liars and passive/aggressive people

Secret celebrity crush
It’s no secret – I’ve got it bad Joe Manganiello

TRC: Thank you Carly for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish you all the best with your writing career.

Carly: Thank you again for having me, Sandy!

Series Spotlight

The Six Saviors Series by Carly Fall

The Light Within Me

THE LIGHT WITHIN ME
Release Date: October 2011

THE LIGHT WITHIN ME (e-Book #1) is FREE for a limited time: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

When Abby and Noah meet, there is an explosive attraction between them that neither can deny…

As a shy, awkward, social misfit, Abby has gone her whole life feeling as though she’s different from everyone else and she simply doesn’t fit in well with society as a whole. She longs to feel a real connection with someone, and she finally does when she meets Noah.

Unbeknownst to Abby, Noah is from another world and his sole purpose is to hunt down the evil of his people that was unleashed on Earth hundreds of years ago. He’s certain he isn’t going to be able to return to his home, and anger and the need for revenge are his constant companions. His focus has been eradicating the evil and making them pay for taking his life on his world away from him.

Noah tries desperately to fight his attraction to Abby so he can keep his focus on his mission. But when Abby gets dragged into the evil and mayhem from Noah’s world, he realizes that maybe with Abby he can find a home here on Earth…if he can save her in time.

••••••••••••••••••••••

FINDING MY FAITH
Release Date: February 2012

Finding My Faith

Click HERE for our review of FINDING MY FAITH

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Growing up in a small Northern Arizona town, Faith Cloudfoot’s life was spent playing in the forests surrounding her house under the protective eyes of her father, and learning about the legends of her Native American heritage. Yearning for more out of her life, she moves to Phoenix, Arizona at the age of twenty-three where she is kidnapped and almost killed.

Rayner has a special ability, one that weighs on him like a curse. He can see spirits trapped in between life and their final resting place. Because he can’t do much to help them, he studiously ignores them. He concentrates, instead, on working with his fellow warriors to right the wrongs caused by the evil criminals from his home planet.

When Rayner sees Faith in her spirit form while investigating a lead in Phoenix, his attraction to her is immediate, yet he follows his own personal code and ignores her cry for attention. When he realizes that she may be a stepping stone to getting him home to his own universe, he engages Faith and begins to use her as a means to an end: going home.

As the attraction grows stronger, Rayner finds himself breaking all sorts of self-set rules, as well as the code of ethics set by him and his fellow warriors. When Faith nears death, Rayner realizes that he must do everything in his power to save her, because if he doesn’t, he may just lose himself

••••••••••••••••••••••

REBORN
Release Date: August 2012

Reborn

Click HERE for our review of REBORN

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Warrior Hudson from the Six Saviors seems to have it all – good looks, fine clothing, expensive jewelry and women just waiting for their turn to sleep with him. But, what he safely keeps hidden from the world is the terrible pain he’s suffered for many years. As he fights his internal demons, he joins his fellow Warriors in waging war on the evil from their planet that has been let loose on Earth.

Beverly Devlone was a highly respected doctor, until tragedy hit her and a drug addiction destroyed her career and reputation. As a lonely woman fresh out of rehab, she’s now uncertain of her place in the world, what her purpose is, and where she belongs.

When an explosive event brings Hudson and Beverly together, the instant attraction between them cannot be ignored. As the two grow closer and share secrets, they help each other heal from the shackles of their pasts.

But true happiness eludes them when they are forced to go their separate ways, until Beverly returns with an admission that will rock the very fabric of Hudson’s world.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

BEVERLY’S REBIRTH
Release Date: January 31, 2013

Beverlys.Rebirth. Click HERE for our review of BEVERLY’S REBIRTH

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This is the book that was never supposed to be written. It was inspired by fans of the Six Saviors Series who wanted a little more of Beverly and Hudson from REBORN. If you haven’t read REBORN, this book is not for you.

There’s no doubt that Beverly has had her share of ups and downs. When we last left her in REBORN, she had told Hudson that she was pregnant with his child, he was happy about it, and they were about to be mated.

In Destiny’s Shift, we see Beverly and Hudson happy with their baby, but what happened in between those two books?

A lot.

This is Beverly’s journey into motherhood.

And it’s not an easy ride.

This book also answers the question that many readers emailed me about: What are they going to do with Beverly being fully human?

••••••••••••••••••••

DESTINY’S SHIFT
Release Date: December 15, 2012

Destiny's Shift

Click HERE for our review of DESTINY’S SHIFT

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One hundred and fifty years ago, Warrior Jovan of the Six Saviors realized he had a gift: the ability to feel emotions through touch. Over the years, the gift has intensified allowing him to hear others thoughts, and this uncontrolled skill has forced him to keep his distance from both humans and those of his race. He fears the impact on his sanity if he doesn’t.

Liberty, an SR44 female has come to Earth by a set of circumstances beyond her control. Born into a life of servitude on SR44, she is alone, afraid, and stumbling her way through learning the customs and language of her new home on Earth. When Jovan meets Liberty, it becomes clear that they are of the same species, and Jovan takes Liberty under his wing, despite his commitment to himself to limit interaction with others.

As Liberty reveals the reasons for her coming to Earth, it becomes apparent that the Six Saviors are in danger, not only from the FBI, but also from those who have journeyed to Earth with Liberty, and they are seeking revenge. Jovan must quickly learn to control his gift, and Liberty is the only one who can help him. As they deal with danger from all sides, Jovan and Liberty must find a way to compromise on the lives they desire, or they will be forced to go their separate ways

•••••••••••••••••••••••

TANGLED FATES
Release Date: April 20, 2013

Tangled Fates

Click HERE for our review of TANGLED FATES

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“SR44 is no more.”

With those words, Cohen of the Six Saviors feels like his whole world is unraveling at the seams. Consumed by sadness, anger, and guilt for breaking his mating vows to his beloved SR44ian mate, Cohen makes a sacrificial oath to honor her in death.

Annis, a female SR44 Warrior, was sent to Earth right before SR44 was destroyed. But her new human body has restrictions—during the day she is blind, but once the sun goes down, her vision returns. As she struggles to find her place among the Six Saviors, she finds herself the target for Cohen’s unwarranted anger. An explosive argument between them ensues, changing their relationship forever.

Blake, a half-human half-Colonist, has finally discovered a place he calls home. As he and Annis grow closer, his feelings for her can’t be ignored, and he must figure out a way to stay true to his heart or risk losing her forever.

As the Six Saviors are forced into the underbelly of humanity to catch a Colonist’s offspring, and danger from The Platoon threatens to rip the Six Saviors apart, Cohen, Annis, and Blake must face the ghosts of their pasts and try to sort out the tangled web of their lives.

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Amy Plum-Interview with the Author

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Amy Plum-Interview with the Author

With the May 2013 final installment IF I SHOULD DIE in Amy Plum’s Young Adult Revenant series, we would like to take this opportunity to introduce the author and ask her some questions about the series and life in Paris, France.

Amy PlumTRC: Hi Amy and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the May 17,2013 release of IF I SHOULD DIE, the third full-length storyline in your
young adult Die For Me series.

We would like to start with some background information. Please tell us something about yourself?

Follow Amy: Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Amy:  I grew up in Alabama in a super-religious family. When I was eighteen I went as far away as I could imagine (Chicago). And realizing that wasn’t far enough, I went even farther once I graduated (Paris). I taught myself to read when I was 4, and books have been my life ever since. I have two kids who refuse to speak English because they know I understand them when they speak in French. And I have a thirteen year old Ridgeback-mix (dog) name Ella who was very happy to move from New York City (she’s a rescue dog) to the French countryside where she chases cats and lizards all day.

TRC: You are currently living in Paris, France-The City of Light. Aside from the obvious ambiance, culture and fashion, what was the precipitating factor behind your move and eventually your decision to remain in France?

Amy:  I went to France when I was 22 and FELL IN LOVE with Paris. Like crazy mad I-must-live-here in love. So I found an office job through an American company and moved here when I was 23. My five years in Paris furnished me with the most amazing experiences, many of which I used in the DIE FOR ME books. Kate kind of re-lives my twenties, minus the evil zombies.

More recently I was living in the countryside, in the Loire Valley, which is really beautiful but really boring. Every time I visited Paris I got this rush like I had drunk 20 coffees, and walked around its streets trying not to smile too big. (And thus look like a crazy tourist.) So last year I took the plunge and moved back to the city that I love. And now I will never leave.

TRC: How much of an influence have your experiences in Paris France had on the DIE FOR ME series?

Amy:  Every place I talk about is a place that I’ve been. Which helps with the descriptions! ☺ I kissed a boy on the Pont des Arts. (He was British, and wasn’t immortal, so it didn’t work out.) I rode around Paris on a scooter behind a handsome French artist. I have eaten in the restaurants I describe, have hung out in the antiquities gallery that I stole to be Papy’s, and constantly hang out in the museums that are in the book. Without my Paris experiences, DIE FOR ME wouldn’t exist.

If I Should DieTRC: May 17, 2013 saw the release of IF I SHOULD DIE. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

Amy:  I like to describe my series this way: DIE FOR ME is a romance. UNTIL I DIE is a mystery. And IF I SHOULD DIE is a thriller. There is murder, passion and magic galore, as well as an epic battle between good and evil. That’s all I can say. ☺

TRC: Do you have any plans to continue the series e.g. perhaps with a short story or novella for each of the ‘secondary’ characters similar to DIE FOR HER?

Amy:  Well, I wrote DIE FOR HER because my readers voted for it. HarperTeen had asked me to do a novella, and I let my fans vote on which character’s POV it should be from. If HarperTeen asks me to do anything else with the revenants, it wouldn’t take much arm-twisting for me to comply.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (e.g. logistical, research, geographical etc) did you encounter writing this particular series?

Amy: I’m a “pantser.” (Flying by the seat of my pants.) I don’t outline. I don’t even know what I’m going to write every day until I sit down in front of my computer and start typing. And that is rather stressful, especially when you’re creating a new type of supernatural being who needs rules for functioning and a complete history since the beginning of time. I just had to wait for the story to come to me, and sometimes it took a while!

TRC: You blend a paranormal storyline with the reality of the modern world. How did you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing believability or content?

Amy:  I thought of a term when I started writing the book: “plausible paranormal.” I wanted my story to feel like it could be happening right down the street from you. Like it made sense enough that you wouldn’t be incredulous if you found out it was true. That for me was important because I really wanted my readers to feel like they knew the characters and live the story with them.

TRC: How thoroughly do you plan out your characters and story before you begin the first draft?

Amy:  Zero. ☺ The first thing I thought of for the book was that I would have a female main character. And the first thing I got was the sentence, “Ten days after my sixteenth birthday, my parents died in a car accident.” Everything else sprung from that, and I “met” the characters at the point where they showed up in the storyline.

TRC: Do your characters direct the storyline or do you have a semblance of control?

Amy:  They tell me what they’re doing. I just listen the best I can and write it down as truthfully as possible.

TRC: What was/is the inspiration behind the Revenant storyline and the characters we have grown to love?

Revenant Series

Click on the links for our reviews of:   Die For Me / Until I Die / If I Should Die

Amy:  I wanted to write about a supernatural being, but couldn’t find an existent being that I wanted to write about. I ended up mixing “god,” “zombie,” and “guardian angel,” and that’s how the revenants were born.

TRC: Is there anything you would like to have changed in the series now that you look back on the storylines?

Amy:  Nope. I’m just happy I got through the whole thing without having the parts I love edited out. The end product is exactly what I want it to be.

TRC: Writer’s block is a very real phenomenon for many writers. How do you handle the pressure and anxiety of writer’s block?

Amy:  I don’t get writer’s block. (Knock on wood.) I get lots of days where I don’t feel like working, but that’s because I have a problem focusing. Once I force myself, the stories come.

TRC: What five things would you like to accomplish in the next ten years?

Amy:  I would like to be able to start writing 2 books per year and to write a range of YA, middle grade, and adult books. My goal since about ten years ago was to get a story in The New Yorker magazine. Maybe in the next 10 years I’ll achieve that too! ☺

TRC: Who or what has been the biggest influence in your life and why?

Amy:  There are so many people who have influenced my life. The person who inspired me to become a writer was probably Madeleine L’Engle, who I met briefly in New York when I was 22. The biggest influence on who I’ve become was probably my dad. He was the cruel dictator type—abusive and intolerant—and I have, both unconsciously and consciously become who I am by reacting against everything he stands for.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Amy: I am currently working on AFTER THE END, a 2-book series that HarperTeen is releasing starting May 2014. It’s totally different from DIE FOR ME! Set in the U.S. with a different type of magic. 😉

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: caramel

Favorite Dessert: crème brulee

Favorite TV Show: I don’t watch t.v.

Last Movie you saw: AFTER EARTH.

Dark or Milk Chocolate: dark

Favorite Flower: for smell—lilacs, for beauty—peonies

Last Vacation Destination—Texas, for a writer’s retreat

TRC: Thank you Amy for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the amazing success of your DIE FOR ME series. We wish
you all the best.

Amy: Thank you for having me! It’s been a pleasure.

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The Armies of Heaven by Jane Kindred- A Review and Interview with the Author

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The Armies of Heaven by Jane Kindred-A Review and Interview with the Author

The Armies of Heaven June 2013

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THE ARMIES OF HEAVEN (The House of Arkhangel’sk #3) by Jane Kindred

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 25, 2013

Full-scale war has broken out in Heaven, and Anazakia must embrace her destiny, leading an army of Virtues into battle against a Host of enemies to restore the House of Arkhangel’sk. Furious with her for putting her trust in the angel who has done them all irreparable harm, Vasily tries to ignore his growing resentment, while Belphagor returns to the world of Man with a cadre of beautiful androgynous Virtues to restore the sundered alliance between the Fallen and the gypsy underground. Without their help in enlisting the terrestrial forces of Grigori and Nephilim, Anazakia’s Virtues are hopelessly outnumbered. But there are more things in Heaven and Earth than any of them have dreamt of, and those they cannot see will mean the difference between victory and losing everything.

••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: THE ARMIES OF HEAVEN is the third installment in Jane Kindred’s The House of Arkhangel’sk series. I cannot stress how highly I recommend you read this particular series in order as the character and world building are intricately detailed throughout the books, layering jeweled information, bitter rivalries and political infighting between the demons, angels and arkangels of Heaven. There is betrayal between friends and family; the powerful and the elite; the slave and master. To which I will also add, no one is safe from the pain, sorrow and heartbreaking death of those they love and hate.

Much of the storyline is a reflection and interpretation of the Russian Revolution and of the Russian Imperial House of Romanov that is applied to the political infrastructure of Heaven’s Royal House of Arkhangel’sk. The storyline vacillates between our heroine Anazakia’s POV and third person as many of the novel’s characters and plotlines occur simultaneously and in various parts of Heaven and the world between Heaven and Earth. Jane Kindred blends the beauty and power of the angel in a world that is embattled in a fight for the right to rule Heaven.

Anazakia is a strong heroine but one who knows sorrow and heartbreaking loss first hand. With her daughter still missing and in the hands of the woman hoping to destroy Heaven and its rulers, Anazakia sets out to command an army of Virtues whose only sin is to be loyal to the rightful Queen. Although strong, Anazakia is also a mother, a sister and a daughter who has lost much more than many and those losses fuel the fires and the burning push to claim what is hers; but finding her daughter may put everyone in jeopardy as those loyal to Anazakia will meet evil and betrayal at every turn. They will risk their lives for the rightful heir and the woman to whom they have pledged their loyalty and their love.

Many of the characters from the previous storylines have integral roles in The Armies of Heaven and at times the betrayer became the betrayee when the ultimate goal was hidden behind a mask of evil and revenge. Trust is an issue that is not gained lightly and in many cases is the ultimate act of betrayal.

The battle for Heaven’s throne is awash in political intrigue and betrayal, torture and mutilation, love and hate. And the overall residing drive for Anazakia is her determination to find her daughter before she is irrevocably lost forever. But a few unexpected revelations will force Anazakia to look more closely at what happened the night her entire life was destroyed and in doing so, will see that not is all is at is seems.

THE ARMIES OF HEAVENS is a fascinating and detailed storyline. Jane Kindred’s world of The House of Arkhangel’sk is a modern and colorful fantasy storyline adaptation blending the contemporary with the past and, the result is an amazing series that should not be passed up. Every nuance and minute detail of the story serves a purpose. Nothing and no one is safe in The House of Arkhangel’sk.

The House of Arkhangel’sk series is not a study in theology but a story that uses the power of Heaven and the angels blending fantasy with the reality of the 20th and 21st century world.

Reading Order-Click on the link for our review
1. The Fallen Queen
2. The Midnight Court
3. The Armies of Heaven

Copy supplied by the publicist.

Reviewed by Sandy

Interview beige

With the release of THE ARMIES OF HEAVEN, The Reading Cafe would like to welcome author JANE KINDRED.

Jane-Kindred-200x300TRC: Hi Jane and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of THE ARMIES OF HEAVEN, your final installment in The House of Arkhangel’sk series.

Jane: Thanks, Sandy, and thanks for having me on the blog today.

TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Jane: As my bio says on my website, I grew up as a bookworm and a sci-fi/fantasy nerd in Tucson, Arizona and I currently live in San Francisco with my son, two cats, and an evil cockatiel. I’ve been writing for most of my life (and I’m still a bookworm and a sci-fi/fantasy nerd).

FOLLOW: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Pinterest/ Tumblr

TRC: The House of Arkhangel’sk series centers in and around Russia and has a very detailed theologian premise. What was the deciding factor to use such a mixture of characters, supernatural beings and anchor it all with the reality of war-torn/snow bound Russia?

House of Arkhangel'sk

Jane: I wish I could tell you I had some grand plan, but it’s just what happened. The story of the murder of the Romanovs had always seemed so tragic to me, and I could understand people wanting to believe one of them had have survived. I thought I’d write a fictional version using a similar premise and let my “Anastasia” actually survive. I honestly don’t remember what drew me to a celestial setting, but once I saw the name of the city of Arkhangel’sk while doing some research, it all came together.

The Armies of Heaven June 2013TRC: THE ARMIES of HEAVEN is the final book in The House of Arkhangle’sk series. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

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Jane: The Heavens are on the brink of war as demon revolutionaries and a separate faction of angels are in rebellion against Queen Aeval. Grand Duchess Anazakia is preparing to lead her army of angels against both the demons and the queen’s army to take back the throne. The leader of the demons has also stolen Anazakia’s child, so she and Vasily and Belphagor are anxious to defeat the demon leader and take Ola back.

TRC: We have heard there is a spin-off series featuring Anazakia. Would you please tell us something about the premise and how many books do you plan in the series?

Jane: I’m sorry to say that the sequel trilogy, which features Anazakia’s daughter Ola, has been shelved for now. I’m currently working on some m/m erotic romance featuring Belphagor and Vasily.

TRC: Vasily and Belphagor storyline would be a welcome addition. 😉

TRC: The series is dark and the characters are emotional, raw and edgy. How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Jane: I don’t think predictable plots are terribly believable. Life is unpredictable and messy, and more often than not, pretty dark, so it seems natural to me to throw twists and turns at my characters along the way.

TRC: How thoroughly do you plan out your characters and story before you begin the first draft?

Jane: I don’t outline. I’ve tried it and it just doesn’t work for me. I have to have a general idea of who the main characters are, where the relationships will go, who the antagonist is, and how things will end, so I do a bit of stream of consciousness writing to work out what I think is going to happen. Usually, the story is completely different by the time it’s done.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the lead characters of The House of Arkhangel’sk series, which actors and models would be represent your ideal image?

Jane: Emma Watson would make a good Anazakia, and I see Belphagor as Robert Downey, Jr., only a bit younger. I think Jason Momoa is probably the only one who could play Vasily.

Jane Kindred ideal images

TRC: What challenges (research, historical, theological) did you face writing this particular series?

Jane: I did a lot of research on Russian history and culture, including traveling to Russia to try to learn the language. I wanted it to be as authentic as possible. Creating my own hierarchy of angels and the seven heavens was also a challenge, as was inventing the game of wingcasting, but all of that was also a lot of fun as well.

TRC: Do your storyline characters speak to you and tell you the direction of the story or do you direct the characters?

Jane: They pretty much have their way no matter what I do. I have a general direction for the story, but how they get there is anybody’s guess until it’s done. And Belphagor is the biggest pain in butt. 😉

TRC: How do you deal with the stress and anxiety of writing deadlines?

Jane: I gave myself deadlines before I was published, so that part isn’t really much different. I find promotion much more stressful. It doesn’t come naturally to me, and trying to fit it in with my writing while working a full-time day job leaves me little time or energy for anything else. I don’t really have time to deal with stress in a healthy way, but I try to do little things that make me happy, like taking time out for afternoon tea and watching my favorite TV shows after I meet my daily word count quota. (And The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is a must, no matter how many words I’ve written.)

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception about yourself?

Jane: I think some people are surprised when they find out I was raised as an Evangelical Christian, given that my books have naughty leather demon heroes. On the other hand, some people are surprised that despite my conservative upbringing, I’m actually a bisexual atheist with pagan leanings, and that my books aren’t in any way religious even though they’re about angels and demons.

TRC: What five things would you like to accomplish in the next ten years?

Jane: I’d be happy with one thing: being able to write for a living without having to work another full-time job to pay the rent. I’d love to have a bestseller, but who wouldn’t? I try to keep my goals realistic: managing to write two or three books a year and get them published without having a complete breakdown seems reasonable.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Jane: The Belphagor/Vasily erotic romance project.

TRC: 😉

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Jane: I’d just like to repeat “Belphagor/Vasily erotic romance project.” 😉

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Chocolate cake.

Favorite Dessert
See above.

Favorite TV Show
Torchwood, but there aren’t any more of those, so Doctor Who (but only
with Matt Smith, and I’m going to have a tantrum and hold my breath when
the next Doctor shows up).

Last Move You Saw
Star Trek Into Darkness (I haven’t changed much over the years).

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Dark. Very, very dark.

Favorite Flower
Violet.

Last Vacation Destination
Disneyland.

TRC: Thank you Jane for taking the time to answer our questions.Congratulations on the release of THE ARMIES OF HEAVEN. We wish you all the best in your writing career.

Jane: Thanks so much for having me. 🙂

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Hellhound by Kaylie Austen-A Review and Interview with the Author

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Hellhound by Kaylie Austen-A Review and Interview with the Author

Hellhound

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

HELLHOUND by Kaylie Austen

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 1, 2013

Selene is the Hellhound, a powerful and ruthless descendant of the Greek gods. She is bound by tradition and tied by bloodlines to lead her people against the mortals. Although she is arranged to marry Nathanial, she falls for Demetrius, the self-professed Black Angel, and things take a bitter twist. When she stumbles across the corpses of her father and Nathanial, all eyes move in on Demetrius. Selene must take the assignment to hunt down her accused lover. Facing the untrustworthy cerebral chamber, powerful shape-shifting sentinels, superhuman archers, and a deceitful Council, the Hellhound must work quickly to uncover the truth before she is forced to annihilate her lover

•••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: HELLHOUND is the first storyline in Kaylie Austen’s new series focusing on the fantasy world of the Mythian. There are shapeshifters, Hellhound, Black Angel and a cerebral chamber where the truth, as seen by the mind’s eye, can always be revealed. The political infighting is rife with deceit, betrayal, nepotism and the Council of Elders whose need to rule by power and intimidation are pushing the lower classes towards an uprising of epic proportions.

The world building is intense-so intense that I will try to explain the sociological description and implications.

The story is awash in a hierarchal political system, almost caste like (and Marxist) in structure where those beneath you are considered unworthy or minions. Minions is a term that is used quite frequently (throughout the novel) by those who consider themselves above reproach and in control. The entire societal structure of the Mythian culture reeks of ethnocentrism (whereby one judges all others based on the culture and belief system of one’s own) and in this, the Mythian society believes themselves to be better and more powerful than other species, societies and humans.

There is a definitive sociological and power elite premise at work within the story. The class structure is very Marxist and the relationship between the power elite and the lower class workers is definitely a study in class, status and power. There are arranged marriages and a hierarchy of inherited families (castes), class conflict, inequality, division of labor and of course, because of the powerful ruling elite-a revolt on the horizon.

The caste-like society within HELLHOUND is similar to many South Asian cultures and belief systems. The story is a study in discrimination, prejudice and stereotyping of anyone considered not within the same class. Classes are segregated in domiciles and work levels where the physical distance between the groups is to ensure there is no unnecessary contact or interaction. There were also issues of sex and gender. Selene was either objectified as a female of worth and power, or she was considered second class because of her gender and age. And the women within one particular class were considered nothing more than whores or to be objectified as a vessel for sex.

But I digress. Hellhound is a story about Selene-a young woman who is expected to ascribe (by bloodlines) to the position of ruling royalty of which she wants no part. She is also a woman who is expected to marry into an equally powerful family and bring forth an heir to continue the royal bloodline. Two powerful bloodlines insures the continuation of their supernatural powers and position within society, culture and the Council of Elders. But falling in love with Demetrius-a tracker and a man beneath Selene’s status- is enough to send the power families to war against one another. All too soon Demetrius is accused of killing Selene’s father and her future husband (arranged by the ruling families), and the memories of others could never be wrong. Selene is ordered to hunt for her elusive lover but in doing so she knows, to extract the truth will mean death to Demetrius-one way or another.

The writing is simple. There is no sex (implied only), no graphic or vulgar language but there is some violence and death. Because of the ‘cerebral chamber’ there are many flashbacks from retrieved memories. But I had a few issues of cohesion. Perhaps it was a problem with editing but the story (in several spots) seemed to jump into another scene without a break or build up.

HELLHOUND is an interesting storyline of murder and mystery; of friendship and love. But the relationship aspect of the story was lacking. Because the author chose not to delve into the romance/sex and love issues, the love story fell flat. I did not feel the connection between Selene and Demetrius. I do not need implicit sex scenes to grasp the love between two people, but there was very little to assure me that Demetrius and Selene were truly in love or had ever been intimate and close.

HELLHOUND is also a study in class distinctions, social structure, power and control. I am not sure if many readers will see the same sociological problems as did I, but the story is a definite study in social relations and class and, the struggle of the working class to gain a foothold in society.

Copy supplied by the publicist.

Reviewed by Sandy

Interview beige

 

KaylieAusten_5TRC: Hi Kaylie and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the May 2013 release of HELLHOUND.

Kaylie: Thank you, and thanks so much for having me!

TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Kaylie: I grew up in Austin, TX., and as it turns out, I’m pretty much what one might expect: I was a UT Longhorn, I love Dr. Pepper and Blue Bell Ice-Cream, and the annual rodeo is the best time of the year. I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, am an undercover nerd, and I intend to bring plaid back.

HellhoundTRC: HELLHOUND is your latest release. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Kaylie: Selene is the Hellhound, a powerful and ruthless descendant of the Greek gods. She’s bound by tradition and tied by bloodlines to lead her people against the mortals. Although she’s arranged to marry Nathanial, she falls for Demetrius, and things take a bitter twist. When she stumbles across the corpses of her father and Nathanial, all eyes move in on Demetrius. Selene must take the assignment to hunt down her accused lover. Facing the untrustworthy cerebral chamber, power shape-shifting sentinels, superhuman archers, and a deceitful Council, the Hellhound must work quickly to uncover the truth before she’s forced to annihilate her lover.

TRC: What was your inspiration behind writing a storyline about a Hellhound rather than writing about another supernatural species?

Kaylie: I’ve always loved Greek mythology. I’ll admit, I starred in the mythology portion of the Latin decathlon in middle school. Those warped, tragic stories stuck. Besides, I was tired of hearing about vampires, werewolves, and elves and didn’t have anything to add to those creatures.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

Kaylie: So far, just the one, but who knows?

TRC: How thoroughly do you plan out your characters and story before you begin the first draft or do you “fly by the seat of your pants”?

Kaylie: I guess I write the way I live, by the seat of my pants! My characters come to me and they dictate everything. They tell me where to go and how they want to behave and look. After the first hurried draft, I go back and try to make sense of everything and tie loose ends.

TRC: What challenges did you face getting your novel to publication?

Kaylie: Rejections. There were lots! It’s just something every writer has to deal with. Rejections have a purpose, they let you know you’re not hitting the mark. Sometimes it’s subjective and the way the market is heading, which a writer has no control over. Other times, it’s the craft or story itself. When it’s the latter, it’s time to get down to revisions and use those rejections as helpful tidbits toward a better novel.

TRC: Writer’s block is a very real phenomenon for many authors. How do you handle the anxiety and pressure of writer’s block?

Kaylie: I read. When I come across a great story, I think, “Why didn’t I write that!” Usually it starts a spark to another story. Sometimes the spark sets fire to an entire novel, and sometimes it doesn’t. When it comes to writer’s block on a project already in motion, I’ll usually watch something in that genre to get the creative juices flowing.

TRC: With whom do you bounce ideas and storyline suggestions?

Kaylie: Friends, husband, co-workers, fellow authors, anyone who listens. I get the reader side and the writer/professional side.

TRC: If you could change something about yourself personal or professional, what would it be and why?

Kaylie: I would be more out-going. I’m very shy and quiet. I haven’t mastered charm, yet. When I do speak, it’s not small talk, it’s to the point because I speak to people for a reason. Being a little more fluid and a people person would help personally and professionally.

TRC: Who or what has been the biggest influence in your life and why?

Kaylie: My parents. They’ve been there from the beginning and, as parents do, molded me to be the way they wanted me to be and a reflection of them. They’re honest, sweet, hardworking, and still they face injustices that seem to befall the nice ones. I’ve learned a lot from them, and I could learn a lot more.

TRC: Is there a question that you would like to be asked in an interview, but nobody has asked? If so, ask away!

Kaylie: If I could live in a movie/sitcom/book, what would it be, why, and which character would I be. I’ll go ahead and answer that: Jean Grey in the XMen comics. She’s a class 5 mutant, powerful, beautiful, desired, and the Marvel Universe is a place that is both torrid and tragic. Superheros don’t have a happy ending, and maybe I secretly like a little drama.

TRC: What five things would you like to accomplish in the next ten years?

Kaylie: Get an agent. Get a major deal with my dream publisher. Make a bestseller’s list. Finish my degree. Have a baby.

TRC: What are your thoughts on book reviews-good or bad?

Kaylie: Book reviews are subjective, just like reviews on movies. I enjoy reading good ones. They encourage others to read. When there’s a bad review, I think people should keep it nice. As long as reviews are professional, they’re okay. It’s when a person gets into hateful words that leaves a black mark on reading.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Kaylie: A multicultural new adult contemporary romance. Say that five times fast!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Chicken crunchy tacos

Favorite Dessert: Chocolate cake

Favorite TV Show: The Big Bang Theory

Last Movie you saw: Iron Man 3

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Milk

TRC: Thank you Kaylie for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish you all the best in your writing career.

Kaylie: Thank you again!

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