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She reads books as one would breathe air, to fill up and live.
– Annie Dillard |
Genre: Fantasy, Supernatural Fantasy Publication Date: April 11, 2016 Pages: 355 Format: ePub Add to GoodReads and StoryGraph Buy on Amazon He could guard an ancient temple or preside over the gates of Hell…. After enduring years of terrifying nightmares, a mysterious figure has begun to appear in Leah’s dreams. He's both grim and glorious--lit with the glory of the sunrise, yet his fierce countenance banishes the horrors that haunt her. She recognizes him as the imposing, enigmatic senior who has drawn her interest since first sight. He’s been frequenting her dreams for months but now seems to be watching her day and night, and Leah can’t resist fantasizing that the aloof boy everyone else is afraid of may actually be protectively watching over her. But her friends warn her that he’s dangerous. When Leah’s worst nightmares begin to materialize around her and her world begins to fray at the seams, her night angel is the only one Leah trusts to help her. Angel or demon, with danger closing in on her, she wants to believe that he can save her. But can anyone save her from herself? If she only knew what awaits her. There’s something Leah’s nightmares have been trying to tell her…. I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.This is a good novel for anyone in high school who has a rather large crush on the mysterious boy or girl. Approach them; stop staring at them because trust me, they're aware and as are your friends; it's creepy. Who knows, maybe they're an angel in disguise or end up being your best friend for life. There are alternating POVs in this story but it doesn't distract from the story too much. Leah's dreams and nightmares were interesting, especially the dreaming of Asher without realizing it. The story is well crafted and well thought out. Good for young adult and up. RatingJulie Simons was born and raised in Southern California but moved to Northern California during high school, discovering the beauty of the Sierra Foothills, which inspired the setting of her first novel, Angel of Night, set in the hub of the Foothills--Placerville, California. Julie's experiences attending Placerville's El Dorado High School inspired many of the lively anecdotes that Leah, the main character, experiences in her tumultuous time there. Julie went on to earn a degree in biology from Stanford University. She now lives in Connecticut with her husband and three children. Hobbies include writing, lots of daydreaming (writing in embryo), basking in warm summer days when Connecticut weather deigns to grant them, and hiking in the few remaining patches of Connecticut's ancient forests that so remind her of the beauty of Northern California that will always be home. Connect with Julie
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Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy Publisher: Pine Ten Publication Date: May 1, 2018 Pages: 181 Format: ePub Add to GoodReads & StoryGraph Buy on: Amazon | Smashwords | B&N | Kobo SynopsisIn a post-apocalyptic, dystopian society, health authorities implant a chip in the brain of every infant to prevent the spread of disease. But the rulers exploit the chip to manipulate the population and to create a distorted vision of the world. When Kal, a young physicist, accidentally discovers the truth about the chip, his life is in danger. But Kal is not alone. Amber, a young, chipless girl from a distant society, who is on a personal mission, helps him to get away before the city police find him. The knowledge that Kal holds is a potent weapon against the tyranny of the rulers, and he has no choice but to join Amber and her fellow rebels in fighting them. Kal and Amber escape together from the city, but the hunt for them is on. They must travel through dangerous, lawless territories to reach a safe destination. It’s a race in which time is running out for Kal. If they don’t make it in time, both his life and the hope of fighting the city tyrants will be lost. ReviewI received a copy of this book from the author for free and I am leaving a review voluntarily.I really struggled with this. The synopsis sounded so interesting and I was keen on it but it just fell flat for me. This story felt rushed. There was very little world building and the characters were very one dimensional. Kal made so many decisions that made zero sense; things that put him and Amber directly into harms way. In all honesty, this story really needed more time spent on it. Because of this, it felt generic and unoriginal and I felt absolutely nothing for the characters. The mad scientist taking over the world bit has so many different layers that can be explored instead of one dimensional exploration. RatingAbout the AuthorKfir Luzzatto is the author of eight novels, several short stories and six non-fiction books. Kfir was born and raised in Italy, and moved to Israel as a teenager. He acquired the love for the English language from his father, a former U.S. soldier, a voracious reader, and a prolific writer. He holds a PhD in chemical engineering and works as a patent attorney. In pursuit of his interest in the mind-body connection, Kfir was certified as a Clinical Hypnotherapist by the Anglo European College of Therapeutic Hypnosis. Connect with KfirGenre: Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Retelling Publisher: Fire & Ice YA Publication Date: March 20, 2018 Pages: 264 Format: ePub Add to GoodReads & Storygraph Buy on: Amazon, Indigo, Kobo Nora knows three things: she is a servant, her parents are dead, and she lives in the kitchen house with her adoptive family. But her world is torn apart when she discovers that her birth father has always been right there, living in the house she serves. This discovery leads Nora to more questions. Why was she thrown in an ash-covered room for asking about her father? Why is a silver-bladed knife the only inheritance from her birth mother? Why is magic forbidden in her household—and throughout the province of the Runes? The answers may not be the ones Nora hoped for, as they threaten a possible romance and her relationship with the adoptive family she loves. With the announcement of a royal ball, Nora must decide what she is willing to give up in order to claim her stolen birthright, and whether this new life is worth losing her family—and herself. I received a copy of this book from the author for free and I am leaving a review voluntarily.I know I have said this before but I honestly love fairy tale retellings. Even if some of them can be hits or misses. This book, in my opinion, is a definite hit. Now, don't mistake this for the syrupy sweet Disney version of Cinderella. This is a darker, Gothic tale where the main character Nora is incredibly realistic; she let curiosity break her of the mould that would have truly held her back. Even at the cost of following in her mother's footsteps. I really enjoyed that the love of her adoptive parents and her friendship with Jack was an anchor, and kept her from diving too deeply and learned what she needed to know of the outside world. This was one of those stories that I wished didn't end, it was just that good. I will definitely revisit this story for years to come. RatingMolly Lazer is a former associate editor at Marvel Comics, where she worked on books such as Fantastic Four, Captain America, New Avengers, and cult favorite comic book Spider-Girl. After returning to graduate school to receive a degree in education, she began a career as a high school reading, writing, and drama teacher. She also serves as a professional critiquer for Comics Experience, helping aspiring comic book writers finesse scripts for publication. In 2016, Molly received a MFA in Creative Writing from Rosemont College. Her short stories have been featured in numerous literary magazines including Gone Lawn, LIT, and Silver Blade. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and twin sons. Owl Eyes is her first novel. Connect with MollyGenre: Young Adult, Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Fantasy Publisher: Clean Reads Publication Date: February 20, 2018 Pages: 307 Format: PDF Add to GoodReads SynopsisFor years the Moon Palace in the Valley of Aijalon and the Sun Tower in the Plains of Jashar has stood as testaments to the power of the sun and the graciousness of the moon. Helio and Lumina, Guardians of the sun and moon, kept watch over them and the Prince and the Princess who ruled them. But the Prince and Princess are missing, and the sun is exhibiting strange behavior. Now Joshua and his younger sister, Deborah, must untangle a web of lies and deceit to uncover the secret of who they really are and save their world from an imminent disaster brewing in the heavens. And they must hurry. Between the earthquakes, the sun and moon standing still in the sky, and the planet Jants hovering closer than it’s ever been, the planet could be torn apart before they have a chance to do something about it. ReviewI received this eBook from the author and I am leaving a review voluntarily.Although I did feel like I wasn't the target audience for this book, this still ended up being a great read. I absolutely enjoyed it. The concept and world building was phenomenal. It felt like you were taking part in the making of history and myth at the same time. The book is targeted towards young adults, but in all honesty because it is such a clean read I feel like middle grade readers would also enjoy it. RatingAbout the Author M.R. Anglin has always had a fascination with space—particularly the moon and stars. She also has three amazing nephews, two adorable “near-nephews,” and one brilliant niece, so it’s no wonder she eventually wrote a story that combines these loves into one. You can often find her gazing up at the Florida sky at night or hunching over her notebook/computer by day. She is the author of the Middle Grade novel, Lucas, Guardian of Truth (LampPost 2012), the self-published Silver Foxes series. She has also been included in the Coyotl Award winning anthology, Gods With Fur (FurPlanet 2016) and Extinct? (Wolfsinger 2017). Connect with M.R. Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Deviantart | Website Genre: Fantasy, Romance Publisher: Independently Published Publication Date: July 21, 2021 Pages: 546 Format: ePub Add to GoodReads Buy on: Amazon, B&N Life in the kingdom of Guerra is fraught with dangers. Sapherone knows them all too well. She is a skilled huntress. But she’s no match for the merciless creatures that stalk the Forbidden Mountains. No mortals are. Another dark threat looms too: Soon, like generations of girls before her, she will be sold off as breeding stock. It is a fate she despairs. That is until, she finds herself imprisoned by the enemy kingdom of Krysland – with four other Guerra girls. And Sapherone is thrust right into the heart of dangerous territory. Fallon, the charismatic Krysland leader, is not what she expects. Certainly, he doesn’t seem to be the ruthless murderer they have been warned all their lives about. As danger and desires become twisted, Sapherone finds herself falling for him. But he hides a dark secret, and as her fate draws closer, she must find a way to escape. None of the girls have her skills, and she must be willing to do whatever it takes, no matter the cost, to save them. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. On one hand with this story, I loved the writing and the world building. It seems like the Krysland folk are a lot less savage than their Guerra neighbours thought they were. I also 100% appreciated the slow burn romance in it. So much nicer to read something like that instead of instant infatuation. But Saph just rubbed me the wrong way. I did enjoy that she was strong and independent, from the beginning she clearly did not belong in Guerra and she expressed that deeply. She loathed their customs and was not impressed to be forced into it. Although the Krysland people did not really tell the girls why they had them, it seemed that from the beginning that the women in Krysland had more freedoms and were treated significantly better than those in Guerra, who were little more than chattel. Yet Saph was abrasive and defiant of them constantly and I wanted to reach in, shake her and say "stop, you've been given a second chance, take it!" The twist was interesting though. I hope that Saph grows from her experiences and within the next book, she's a little less abrasive. Rating:Andy Barnes lives Tasmania with her husband, Nick, and their two girls, Pirri and Inika. When she isn't glued to the keyboard, a steaming cup of coffee and a choc chip cookie by her side, then you can usually find her running her children around, from one thing to another, or outside enjoying nature with the families labradors, Tilly, Caddie and Pepper. Connect with Andy: Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mythology, Adventure, Dystopia Publisher: Sea of Ink Press Publication Date: June 5, 2018 Pages: 260 Format: ePub Add to GoodReads Buy on: Amazon, Indigo, B&N Andy and Zoey are two normal teenagers living in the modern day—that is, until they’re knocked unconscious in a freak storm sweeping the United States. When they wake up, the world they know has been tossed away. Their city is in ruins, strange creatures walk the earth, and worst of all, everyone is gone. They stumble across Diana and Spencer, two kids around their age who possess incredible magical abilities, and who claim to be the demigod children of Greek gods. Not only that, they also claim the year is 500 AS, five hundred years after the gods conjured a massive storm that destroyed most of humanity and helped them take the world as their own once again. Andy and Zoey are soon handed an impossible task: To save humanity. To lead a war on the gods. They’ll have to battle monsters, death, and their own inner demons to survive and to protect the people they love. I received this eBook free from the author in exchange for an honest review.Wow, well that was quite the beginning! This is an awesome futuristic story filled with monsters and just oozing with Greek mythology. Andy and Zoey up in a freak storm that destroys the world as they know it and they wake up in a new world, 500 years later! Of course it would be the Olympian Gods having a hissy fit over humans forgetting about them. Sheesh. Although their arrival is prophesized, they're thrust into an adventure and a war that two very normal teens aren't quite ready to take on. This is an even paced book that flows and characters who are engaging whether they are a God, Demigod or a simple human. Very enjoyable! Star RatingA. P. Mobley is a YA fantasy author with an undying love for Greek mythology and epic, magical tales. She grew up in Wyoming and currently lives there, working as the owner of various online shops and studying to earn her degree in English. She considers herself a huge nerd, loves chocolate a little too much, and can be found snuggling with one of her pets into late hours of the night.
Connect with A.P. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Science Fiction Publisher: Kalamity Press Publication Date: June 1, 2016 Pages: 180 Format: ePub Add to GoodReads Buy on Amazon | B&N This isn't a story about a normal girl. Don't get me wrong, I would love to be a normal girl, but considering my dad is a professional, unionised minion and has worked for such villainous luminaries as the Crash and Burn Twins, Doctor Death (the Third and Fourth versions), Yellow Peril and Captain Calamari, chances of living out my life with any kind of normality are pretty slim. I'm surprised our family has survived this long. My name's Charlie Conti and I'm fourteen years old. I'm a bit of a nerd, I guess, because my role models are Marie Curie and Maryam Mirzakhani instead of Miley Cyrus or any of the Kardashians. I guess I have a bit of a mad scientist streak in me, although I have no interest in taking over the world or anything. I just want to live the regular kind of life. And that brings me to this story. You see, my dad has dragged me and my little brother, Luca, away from Melbourne where I've spent most of my life so far. Out of the Light and into the Darkness of regional Victoria to a coastal town called Henty Bay. Yeah, I'd never heard of it either. I can see the benefits though. After all the problems with the Port Melbourne Intifada, where Captain Calamari totally lost it and my dad ended up at the bottom of Port Phillip Bay, we had to leave the city. There were some harsh words thrown around and maybe a few vendettas were forged in the fires of the moment. So we had to move. Dad, or The Undertaker as he's known in the business, was damaged goods. The most he could hope for if he stayed in Melbourne would have been prolonged unemployment. The more likely outcome would have been a long stay in prison or a knife in the back. I'm not being melodramatic. These kinds of things do happen. The family's new plan is to move to Henty Bay so Luca and I can grow up and live normal lives. Maybe even go to university and get an office job with superannuation and a chance to grow old without having to worry about dodging laser beams and undead Vikings. My brother and I have our own little dreams. Luca wants a puppy, or a bearded dragon lizard thing; and I just want to stay longer than six months in the one school. I told you I was a nerd. I received this eBook from the authors in exchange for an honest review.Holy ray guns, stun guns and shrinking fathers Batman! I absolutely love books with spunky, not normal girls! They're usually the best heroine's. Charlie, however, would love to be normal and spend more than 6 months in a school and her brother would like to get a pet, which is hard to have when you need to move all the time. One thing I would say is that Charlie is very responsible and smart, she handles problems that even grown-ups would chew their nails anxiously at, but at the same time she is relatable. Being a kid of the mid-80's and 90's, I grew up on the movie "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" and this was totally up my alley. About a month ago, my best friend and her son asked me if I had any cool, not-normal, kind of introverted kids books that I had read. I knew then that this was the book to recommend to my nephew. His mom bought it and she said he read it every day until he was done. On FaceTime, I received two thumbs up with him saying he loved the book! Star RatingI would definitely recommend this book for all ages. Not just middle-grade. It's interesting enough to draw in adults (especially young at heart adults ;) ). Ben Langdon was born in Geelong, Victoria, and is a graduate of Deakin University. He is the author of e Miranda Contract and e Halo E ect, editor of is Mutant Life, and a high school teacher in Portland, Victoria (which may, or may not, be the alter ego for Henty Bay).
Connect with Ben: Twitter | GoodReads Eliza Langdon was also born in Geelong and is the daughter of Ben. After complaining that she didn’t like reading books, the father and daughter team decided to write their own, featuring a spunky girl called Charlie Conti. Eliza attends Portland Secondary College and loves reading comics, cooking up storms in the kitchen, and binge-watching TV series on DVD. Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Publication Date: February 1, 2018 Pages: 262 Format: ePub Add to GoodReads Buy: Amazon When chaos strikes my hometown, I am one of the few to escape the clutches of a dark mage who seeks control through the use of forbidden crystals. Everything has changed, the king is dead, war is on the horizon, and something is happening to me that I cannot explain. I used to just be Taliah, a young woman living an average life, but fate has a different plan for me, or so I have been told. The problem is everyone seems to believe I can stop this evil, everyone except me. I received this eBook from the Author in exchange for an honest review.Ah, I had so much trouble with this book. I really wanted to like this book as the premise and synopsis had so much promise. But it came up pretty short for me. The lack of editing makes this very distracting and it pulls you away from the story. The consistency was off with the switching to the past and present constantly. There were plot holes and the story needed just a little more time to flesh out, honestly. Because I was so focused on the lack of editing, I couldn't enjoy the story like I wanted to. But, reading is subjective. What I might not like, another does. J.D.Evergreen is an Australian author who lives on the Mornington Peninsula. She spent her childhood writing small short stories and inventing worlds that were all her own. When she became an adult, she put her efforts into more adultly things such as acquiring a bachelor in primary education, and a post-graduate certificate of ancient history. Eventually, she became bored with life as an everyday adult and returned to her writing where she could live in her own worlds and share them with others. She now spends countless hours crafting worlds that inspire the imagination and bring joy to the people who join the journey of the characters and enter unknown worlds. Connect with J.D.Genre: Epic/High Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Romance, Action-Adventure Publisher: Outskirts Press Publication Date: June 8, 2019 Pages: 417 Add to GoodReads Buy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble Sir Xandar, a valiant knight, means to end senseless wars and bloodshed, using the only option left—dethroning his immoral king. The plan goes awry when a team, with a larger purpose, comes from afar to seize Xandar’s most vital device. As his mission detours across perilous seas and exotic kingdoms, Xandar clashes with other corrupt rulers and forms an unstable bond with Lady Jia, a volatile warrior-maid. Soon, the pair uncover the world’s darkest secrets in an epic fight for survival. Ben Schneider was born in Oklahoma. In 2003, he earned a B.A. in Graphic Design at Oklahoma University, married his fiancée, and joined the Air Force. Ben and his wife, Suzy, have been stationed in Italy, Okinawa, and Alaska. Aside from writing fiction, Ben’s other interests include drawing his Airman Artless comic strips. Chrome Mountain is his debut novel. Connect with Ben Genre: Alternate World, Fantasy Publication Date: November 17, 2017 Pages: 236 Add to GoodReads Buy on Amazon A troubled shifter prince. A deadly blight. A battle of royalty. Dante wasn’t prepared to be king of the wolf shifters, not so soon. He prefers to stay in his wolf form and avoid the doubting glares of his council, especially when it comes to the daily affairs of his kingdom. When Princess Nakai, an owl shifter, falls into his life, spinning tales of forbidden magic and mad royals, Dante can’t ignore the truth: War approaches at Kobrona’s hand. But assassins and elementals are easy opponents compared to the dramatics of his packmates, and Dante has more than the spreading blight to worry about. Can they put aside their differences to save the world? Or will they tear one another apart first? In the colder end of MN, C. H. Knyght stays inside with her furbabies to either read, write or illustrate books. She had two published fantasy novels and a number of short stories. Connect with C.H. KnyghtGenre: Fantasy Publisher: One Million Words Publication Date: September 27, 2018 Pages: 314 Add to GoodReads Buy on Amazon, Kobo, B&N Even good girls have secrets. When straight-laced Allison sleeps, the rebellious goddess Syn wakes. Having a fling in the dreamscape may seem like harmless fun, but when a sadistic predator learns her true identity, the fantasy begins to bleed into real life. If Sin Dwells Deep — a parallel novel to If Souls Can Sleep — exposes the hidden world of dream drifters and explores the war between gifted government agents and those who would use their abilities to corrupt life, death, and that which lies beyond. I received this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.Although I had never read "If Souls Can Sleep" I didn't feel like I had missed much from the previous novel. This can definitely be read as a standalone or follow up novel. I am a huge fan of Norse mythology. Being someone who reads runes, this was totally up my alley. I also enjoyed the lucid dreaming concept although how they existed on little sleep is totally beyond me. The Wolf reminded me a lot of the the sociopath/psychopath in the movie The Cell, which is one of my favourite movies. But also, no thanks, this book can keep the Wolf all to themselves. I struggled to like Allison/Syn, though. I did like the idea of the dream Allison being someone totally different than reality Allison, but honestly, Syn was just a little too brash at times for me. And Allison was just boring. She offered little to no personality for me. I wanted to like this story more. I just struggled in some parts as the story dragged a lot. The alternating POV's was distracting at time. Although it did help develop the Wolf's personality, it often just caused the story to lag to nearly stopping. Recommendation: Although I did struggle with this, it's still deserving of its four stars. There are many redeeming qualities in the story line that make up for the little nit-picking that I did do. I would, however, recommend reading the first novel, especially if you are unfamiliar with David Michael Williams writing. David Michael Williams has suffered from a storytelling addiction for as long as he can remember. With a background in journalism, public relations, and marketing, he also flaunts his love affair with the written word as an author of speculative fiction. His most recent books include the sword-and-sorcery trilogy The Renegade Chronicles and The Soul Sleep Cycle, a genre-bending series that explores life, death, and the dreamscape. He lives in Wisconsin with the best wife on this or any other planet and their two amazing children. Connect with David Michael WilliamsA Montanan Native living in Idaho. Writing, Reading, Music, and Theatre are his passions, he is also rather fond of delicious food and drink. He lives with his wife and twin girls. Myrrendryl is his first book. Where do you get your ideas for your books? Who or what inspired your idea? KL: Dreams and a little life experience. How did you develop the plot and your characters? Are your characters based on anyone? KL: The characters build themselves, they tell me what is going to happen, sometimes even I'm surprised. Do you write when you're inspired? Or do you have a schedule you keep to? KL: Mostly when I'm inspired, but I do try to write 1k a week. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? Maybe a piece of advice that stuck with you from your adventure into the world of publishing? KL: Don't be afraid to kill off your characters. Don't judge yourself too harshly, others will do that for you. Tell us a bit more about yourself. How did you know you wanted to be a writer? Who or what inspires you to write? KL: I just picked up a pen and the movie reel took over. How much of yourself goes into your writing? Or do you keep yourself separate and base the character on someone else entirely? KL: A little or a lot of me goes into all my characters. What has helped shape and improve your writing? KL: Critiques and Practice. What are you reading right now? Do you recommend it or have any other recommendations? KL: I am reading the 6th Book in The Matthew Corbett series by Robert McCammon. I would absolutely recommend it and this author in general. I am also reading Galilee by Clive Barker, in my opinion, his weakest novel. Do your novels carry a message or do you feel it's subjective? KL: Definitely subjective. What works best for you: Typewriters, fountain pen, dictate, computer or longhand? KL: I write everything on my cellphone. Title: Myrrendryl Genre: Fantasy Publication Date: January 18, 2019 Pages: 400 Add to GoodReads Buy: Amazon The curtain, the veil, the void, the abyss. So many names for the mystery of the beyond. People spend a good part of their lives just wanting to lift the heavy canvas of the circus tent and take a peek inside. Eventually they’ll know, in the end, we all know, but mankind is an impatient beast. Sadly, for most, if they ever could pull aside that curtain, they would spend the rest of their lives trying to forget that they ever had.
Myrrendryl tells the tale of four seemingly unconnected youth bound to one another in a way none of them could have guessed and knowing would threaten to shatter their very existence. The hands of fate appear to play them like marionettes, but are they truly controlled by fate? Or are they their own masters? A story that questions what is real, and what is the sands of dreams. A story ultimately, about the human condition and what deep down, we are willing to sacrifice. Genre: Fantasy, Adventure Publication Date: December 14, 2018 Pages: 273 Add to GoodReads Buy on: Amazon, Patreon Follow Peter and Fi as they work together, each searching for something uniquely special to them through the four kingdoms of their known world. It’s a tale of fantastical beasts, peculiar characters, remarkable settings, and a unique brand of biochemistry-based magic. A story that focuses on meaningful character interactions, delicate world building, and intense action battles. Hi, my name is Kelvyn Fernandes. I'm a Canadian author with a Bachelors in Biochemistry. I use all the knowledge I gained in that field to fuel the magic system in my fantasy world. I enjoy going on adventures, especially back-country canoeing in Algonquin Park! Where do you get your ideas for your books? Who or what inspired your idea?
KF: I've always had a running magical adventure ongoing in the back of my mind since I was a child. Peter and Fi is the one that stuck and the one I wanted to share with the world. The characters grabbed hold of me and dragged me along with them, I'm just documenting the situations my imagination puts them in! How did you develop the plot and your characters? Are your characters based on anyone? KF: I derive inspiration from all walks of my life. From my friends, my family, myself. From movies, video games, books, and anime. Everything is an amalgamation of my experiences or my own take on how I'd tell someone else's story. Do you write when you're inspired? Or do you have a schedule you keep to? KF: Both! One necessitates the other. I used to wait for inspiration, but I soon learned that once you push yourself to start writing without, the inspiration comes naturally. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? Maybe a piece of advice that stuck with you from your adventure into the world of publishing? KF: Just write. You can't know if you'll be good, or if you'll be successful, or even if you suck, if you don't try and write. Keep it to yourself if you need to, for as long as possible. But then share it with your friends, family, and strangers and let them help you grow! Tell us a bit more about yourself. How did you know you wanted to be a writer? Who or what inspires you to write? KF: I love telling stories. I love experiencing others' stories. I greatly enjoy critiquing and giving my take on how I'd tell another's story better. And I decided to try it out myself! How much of yourself goes into your writing? Or do you keep yourself separate and base the character on someone else entirely? KF: Everything about me is presented through the lens of my characters. I pick and choose which aspects I want to present, but the souls behind the characters are based on all of my thoughts and experiences. What has helped shape and improve your writing? KF: Reading! All genres, not just fantasy. Learning to read and appreciate stories from all walks (history, mystery, thriller, non-fiction, biography) can all have a major effect when writing in your own genre What are you reading right now? Do you recommend it or have any other recommendations? KF: I, Claudius by Robert Graves. I can't say I'm enjoying the way he presents the story, but the story itself is funny, suspenseful, and full of unique and interesting characters. Definitely worth the read. Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction Publisher: Daw Books Publication Date: September 10, 2019 Pages: 384 Add to GoodReads Buy on: Amazon, Chapters, Barnes & Noble Shawna Keys has fled the world she only recently discovered she Shaped, narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Adversary who seized control of it...and losing her only guide, Karl Yatsar, in the process. Now she finds herself alone in some other Shaper's world, where, in her first two hours, she's rescued from a disintegrating island by an improbable flying machine she recognizes from Jules Verne's Robur the Conqueror, then seized from it by raiders flying tiny personal helicopters, and finally taken to a submarine that bears a strong resemblance to Captain Nemo's Nautilus. Oh, and accused of being both a spy and a witch. Shawna expects--hopes!--Karl Yatsar will eventually follow her into this new steampunky realm, but exactly where and when he'll show up, she hasn't a clue. In the meantime, she has to navigate a world where two factions fanatically devoted to their respective leaders are locked in perpetual combat, figure out who the Shaper of the world is, find him or her, and obtain the secret knowledge of this world's Shaping. Then she has to somehow reconnect with Karl Yatsar, and escape to the next Shaped world in the Labyrinth...through a Portal she has no idea how to open. Where do you get your ideas for your books? Who or what inspired your idea? EW: Ideas come from everywhere. For example, my science-fiction novel The Cityborn began with a mental image of a towering city, squatting over a canyon filled with a massive garbage dump, in which there are people scavenging to survive. My YA science-fiction novel Andy Nebula: Interstellar Rock Star came out of an exhibit at the Saskatchewan Science Centre about how memory works, combined with a news item about teenaged Japanese pop stars who were one-hit wonders. In the book, there are aliens whose memory works differently, and Andy is plucked off the street to become a one-hit superstar—it’s drugs, rock and roll, and aliens for teenagers. For Worldshaper, the trigger was wondering what it would be like if the creators of fictional worlds could actually live in them. So, it can be a mental image, something I've read, or simply sitting and thinking, "What if...?" How did you develop the plot and your characters? Are your characters based on anyone? EW: My process of developing a story is to ask myself questions. In The Cityborn, for exampe, I asked myself, "Who are those people living in the garbage dump? Why are they there? Why has this city been fouling its environment for so long? Where did it come from? Who lives inside it?" Conflict, and hence plot, arises from the answers to those questions: the people in the garbage want into the city. What would they do if someone from the top of the city, where the rich people would logically live, ended up down in the garbage dump? Every answered question presents other questions that must be answered. I typically write writes a synopsis of maybe ten pages, not a chapter-by-chapter outline, just a rough description. I don't follow that synopsis particularly closely, though. The overall shape of the book is there, but the writing process may take me in a very different direction. For instance, in Terra Insegura, sequel to Marseguro, a character introduced only because a viewpoint character was needed in space while everyone else was on the surface of the planet became so important that I had to replot everything about two-thirds of the way in. A lot of this happens organically. I write fast, and the process feels seamless--things come out of my had through my fingers into the story. One sentence leads to another, which leads to new characters, new problems, new solutions. Characters arise from the story. Who'd be hurt? Who benefits? How are they in conflict with each other? Sometimes there are purely technical reasons for a character to be introduced (like the one mentioned in Terra Insegura, above). In Worldshaper, much of the story is written in first-person, but there were things I needed to reader to know my first-person character couldn't know, so I wrote a few third-person scenes, as well. Do you write when you're inspired? Or do you have a schedule you keep to? EW: I write all the time. If I'm not working on fiction, I have non-fiction to work on. So I write every day, but I'm not necessarily working on a novel every day. I type a LOT. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? Maybe a piece of advice that stuck with you from your adventure into the world of publishing? EW: My advice to writers is always the same: read a lot, write a lot. You have to read (especially in your chosen genre) to understand how stories are put together, and to discover how other authors have solved the same problems you're trying to solve, of plotting and pacing and dialogue and description and more. And then you have to try to put it into practice. You learn to do by doing; you learn to write by writing, and by letting people read what you wrote (so you can find out if it's working or not) and then by revising and writing more. Try to make everything you write better than the last thing you wrote. Being a writer, someone once said, is like having homework every day of your life for the rest of your life. Tell us a bit more about yourself. How did you know you wanted to be a writer? Who or what inspires you to write? EW: I decided to be a writer in high school (where I wrote three novels, after having written shorter things before that). It came out of my voracious reading. I wanted to tell stories that would entertain and move other people the way my favorite books moved and entertained me. My other interests were music and art and science, but by about age sixteen I knew I wanted to be a writer. I went into journalism out of practicality: I figured I would be writing and getting paid for it, even if it wasn't the fiction I wanted to write, and then could write fiction on the side. Eventually, I quit my job and became a full-time writer. I still write as much non-fiction (or more) than fiction, because I have to make a living. It's all of a piece: using words to communicate with other people, to put your ideas into someone else's head. It's quite magical, when you think about it. How much of yourself goes into your writing? Or do you keep yourself separate and base the character on someone else entirely? EW: All my characters contain a piece of me because I'm the only human being whose inner workings I have access to. That said, I've never been a fifteen-year-old girl with magical powers or an alien with wings or a woman genetically modified to breathe under water, all of whom I number among the characters I've created. Still, at core, the only reason fiction works is that human beings are human beings. I start with the human being I know best, me, and then imagine how I might be different if I were an alien or a magical girl or a genetically modified mer-woman. What has helped shape and improve your writing? EW: Reading, as mentioned. Insightful editorial comment from the many editors I've worked with. And conversations with other writers (as in my podcast, The Worldshapers--one reason I started it). What are you reading right now? Do you recommend it or have any other recommendations? EW: I'm currently reading The Core, the final book in Peter V. Brett's Demon Cycle. I recommend that series highly, as I do the books of all the authors I've talked to in my podcast (currently, my fiction reading is largely dictated by which author I'm interviewing next, since I like to be prepared). Do your novels carry a message or do you feel it's subjective? EW: Messages arise organically from the fiction. I never preach, but of course my view of how the world works infuses my stories. But the message readers take from a work can be different from what an author thinks he or she put in there, anyway. What works best for you: Typewriters, fountain pen, dictate, computer or longhand? EW: I write on a laptop computer, but when I started, I wrote on a typewriter. I don't miss it. Edward Willett is an award-winning author of more than sixty books of science fiction, fantasy and non-fiction for readers of all ages.
Born in Silver City, New Mexico, Willett moved to Saskatchewan from Texas with his family when he was eight years old and grew up in the small city of Weyburn. He returned to the States to study journalism at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, then came back to Weyburn as a reporter/photographer for the weekly Weyburn Review, eventually becoming news editor. In 1988 he moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, as communications officer for the Saskatchewan Science Centre, and in 1993 he became a fulltime freelance writer. He still resides in Regina. Willett's science fiction novel Marseguro (DAW Books) won the 2009 Aurora Award for best English-language science fiction or fantasy book by a Canadian author. He has also won a Saskatchewan Book Award for his YA fantasy Spirit Singer. He has been shortlisted for the Aurora Award and Saskatchewan Book Awards multiple times. Most recently, his short-story collection Paths to the Stars (Shadowpaw Press) was shortlisted for two Saskatchewan book Awards. His novel Worldshaper (DAW Books) has been long-listed for Canada's Sunburst Award for speculative fiction, in the YA category. Other novels include SF novel Lost in Translation (DAW Books), Terra Insegura (sequel to Marseguro, DAW Books), Magebane (DAW Books, written as Lee Arthur Chane), and the young-adult science fiction novel Andy Nebula: Interstellar Rock Star. In the works, in addition to the next Worldshapers book: a dark-fantasy YA novel, featuring shapeshifters, for ChiZine Publications. Willett's non-fiction titles run the gamut from science books for children on topics as diverse as Ebola Virus and the Milky Way to local history books like Historic Walks of Regina and Moose Jaw for Red Deer Press, awarded a Municipal Heritage Award by the City of Regina in the education category and A Safe and Prosperous Future: 100 years of engineering and geoscience achievements in Saskatchewan, published by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS). He's also written biographies for children of Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix, Johnny Cash, Andy Warhol, Orson Scott Card, J.R.R. Tolkien and the Ayatollah Khomeini. You can find Ed online at www.edwardwillett.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter @ewillett. He is represented by literary agent Ethan Ellenberg (www.ethanellenberg.com). Besides being a writer, Willett is a professional actor and singer who has performed in dozens of plays, musicals and operas in and around Saskatchewan, hosted local television programs, and emceed numerous public events. He hosts The Worldshapers podcast (www.theworldshapers.com), featuring conversations with other science fiction and fantasy authors about the their creative process. He's married to an engineer, and has one daughter. Genre: Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Romance Publication Date: April 5, 2019 Pages: 324 Add to GoodReads Buy: Books2Read SynopsisFor centuries, Earth has served as the battleground for a secret war between a reptilian alien species and the clandestine human organization dedicated to eradicating this extraterrestrial threat. But when a single woman becomes the focal point of this brutal conflict, the fate of the planet alters forever... Life hasn't been easy for Riley Anbar since her grandmother's death. Between struggling to run the family business, dealing with troubling psychic visions, and puzzling over unanswered questions about the parents she never knew, Riley is doing her best just to get by. After a pair of chance encounters with two mysterious men, Riley finds herself thrust into danger as both human and alien forces converge on her once-ordinary life. But in this war, there is no clear boundary between good and evil. Both factions are determined to use Riley for their own ends, and they're willing to endanger everyone around her to achieve their goals. Caught between the two men who have captured her heart and the secrets of her own past, what choice will Riley make when she discovers neither side is in the right? Interview1. Where do you get your ideas for your books? Who or what inspired your idea? While aliens, the weird and unexplained, tend to be our topics, we often inspire each other. Michelle has a love of science while Amanda heavily researches conspiracy theories. Then we put our heads together, bouncing our ideas back and forth until something sticks. 2. How did you develop the plot and your characters? Are your characters based on anyone? Our characters are like real people in our heads. For Amanda, Riley was the first to appear. She popped up in her metaphysical shop and two very different men wanted a reading. Of course she fell for both of them. Even though this never made it to the final cut of the book - we've developed these characters from this inception. 3. Do you write when you're inspired? Or do you have a schedule you keep to? Michelle- I write when I can get a moment to breathe without the children using me as playground equipment, but typically when I am inspired and have a good jam playing. I'm NOT good at schedules. Amanda- Both! I'm inspired all the time. I tend to have multiple manuscripts in different stages of development, but it's a matter of sitting down and scheduling. I try and clear big chunks of time to sit and write, even though having three kids makes that hard, I prioritize writing as a necessity in life. 4. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? Maybe a piece of advice that stuck with you from your adventure into the world of publishing? Amanda's advice- I'm not big on giving other advice. Everything you do in life only works because you want to make it work. If you want it so bad, then what are you doing each day to build towards your goal. Writing is one of those things that has to have other elements around it other than the actual writing. For me, its eating healthy, making sure I get off the computer, finding new music, reading widely, and making sure I spend heaps of time with my family. If I neglect these things, then I find my writing falls short and flat. So having a balance lifts me up and the writing becomes rewarding. Michelle- Keep writing. If it sucks. Write it again. The first draft is never great, and even the 30th will need polishing. Just. Keep. Writing. 5. Tell us a bit more about yourself. How did you know you wanted to be a writer? Who or what inspires you to write? Amanda- I've always been an artist. Growing up I painted everything - bedroom walls, old furniture, whatever I could get my hands on. But when I became a mom, my art was too hard. A friend gave me a book to read - Twilight! By the end of the series, my dreams changed - I was dreaming of stories that I could write myself. Michelle- I started out by doodling on every blank space of paper I could. Homework...doodled. Notebooks...doodled. I drew, colored, painted, and apparently (discovered recently) was writing stories even before I knew it was what I wanted to do 'when I grew up.' In my teens I wrote poetry, probably wouldn't want them to see the light of day now though, and still drew on every edge of paper I had in sight. I suppose I have always wanted to be a writer, but it wasn't until I sat down and wrote my first novel for a client as a ghostwriter that I realized I could actually do it. 6. How much of yourself goes into your writing? Or do you keep yourself separate and base the character on someone else entirely? Amanda- that's a hard question. I tend to not put myself into a character. But is there clear separation? Hard to say. I find that I follow the characters in my head a clearly as I see them. Or perhaps they are just personas of my subconscious. Michelle- The characters decide for themselves. I just write their stories. Do I sometimes see myself in my characters? Probably. I have one character that is a vegan...and I am a vegan...so there is that? lol. 7. What has helped shape and improve your writing? Amanda- Michelle! having someone by your side pointing out the good, the bad and the ugly parts of writing has made me jump from pretending to be a writer to an actual writer. And I'm just so lucky to be able to have a book out there with her. Michelle- Amanda has been a great soundboard, cheerleader, and soul sister from across the planet. I think that just like language, writing is ever evolving. It's a living entity and I don't think I will ever stop working on improving my writing. And the only way to keep improving the writing is...writing. This book wouldn't even be if it wasn't for her pushing and motivating me to keep going and encouraging me when I wasn't at my best. 8. What are you reading right now? Do you recommend it or have any other recommendations? Amanda- I recently just finished The Discovery of Witches. But generally I read lots of non-fiction. Currently I'm in the last chapter of Chariots of the Gods by Erich von Däniken. Michelle- Oh jeebus. Okay. Asunder by Liz Steinworth. Always Darkest by Jessica Flaherty. Storm Front by Jim Butcher. Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (second reading). And whatever new gems I find at the Library my next visit lol. 9. Do your novels carry a message or do you feel it's subjective? Amanda- Not intentional. Michelle researches so much of science whereas I heavily research in conspiracy theories. I guess if the reader doesn't know these fields, they might take messages out from the book, although this is unintentional. Michelle- I want to write novels that carry a message of my own devising, but I haven't decided on what message to send. Writing with Amanda, we definitely aren't sending a message intentionally, but it could be there. Writing on my own...well, I am a romance writer by nature, so I guess my message is love. 10. What works best for you: Typewriters, fountain pen, dictate, computer or longhand? Amanda- I tend to go back and forth between computer and long hand. Sitting on the computer for most of the day can be a drain, so I like to get out, into the sunshine and write by hand. All of my summaries, and research is done by hand, but if my brain goes into overdrive, then I have to be at a keyboard to keep up Michelle- Definitely my Chromebook. My handwriting is atrocious. I can't even decipher that scratch. I would love a typewriter, but I feel my patience level wouldn't be able to stand it. Also, I love having the internet at the ready for anything I need to look up mid writing. About the AuthorsMichelle Crow & A. A. Warne are soul sisters living on the opposite sides of this planet. Writing speculative fiction and researching the odd and esoteric, Michelle specializes in the lighter side of life, while Amanda tends to go dark. When they aren't binging coffee and having their noses buried in books, they're writing them! Mothers to three little kidlets each, they also have fur babies, and wonderfully dedicated--and supportive--husbands. Connect with MichelleConnect with Amanda |
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