Nicky Peacock interview plus a fun cover reveal from C Lee McKenzie

Today Idea City has an interview with UK fantasy author Nicky Peacock. We also have a fun cover reveal for C. Lee's forthcoming middle grade novel so make sure to scroll through the whole post!

Hi, Nicky, what are some of your newest books?

Bad Timing is the second in the Battle of the Undead series and hot on its heels was the free read prequel, Traitors' Gate, which takes the reader back to where it all began. This spring saw the release of my new series with Evernight Teen, The Twisted and the Brave. The first book, Lost in Wonderland is a dark, supernatural thriller. 

Tell us about your main characters

Britannia is the heroine in the Battle of the Undead series, she's an old vampire with a dry sense of humor and the kind of violent tendencies that makes her the perfect weapon against a zombie apocalypse. She has an unspoken obsession with perfection, especially when it comes to how she looks and she's spent too much time on her own and needs to learn to rely on others. 

Tell us about a main theme. What fired you up to write on this theme?

The main theme is co-operation throughout the books. That only by working with others can you get through impending disaster. I've always believed this in life. I also though it fit really well with vampires as a species. Zombies naturally run in groups, but vampires can be quite solitary in nature. So pitting them against one another with these very different social habits makes for an interesting fight. 

Give us your favorite line from your protagonist: 

Britannia: "He gave me a sly smile, as if he was trying to get away with something. Like he’d farted and was waiting for me to smell it."

From an antagonist: 

Nicholas: "Britannia. I am acutely aware that you hate me. I am equally aware that our survival”—he motioned around us—“is dependent on you not being such a bitch.”

An emblematic, teaser paragraph from Bad Blood:

  Nicholas looked thoughtful then nodded. He, of course didn’t want to actually say aloud that I’d had a good idea. “So, how do we get past them?”

  I assumed it was a rhetorical question, so I started down to the car park entrance, where most of the zombies were mobbing. I opened the outer door as quietly as possible.

  “Ladies first,” Nicholas whispered in my ear.

  “I thought we’d agreed I wasn’t a lady.” With that, I shoved him as hard as I could into the throbbing throng of zombies.

What keeps you going when inspiration flags?

Inspiration is my one thing that never flags. I have far too many ideas for stories to write. It's more my time and energy to actually do the writing that I can struggle with. When that happens, I try to change my surroundings. I go somewhere different to write, somewhere I can focus on what I'm doing and not be a slave to the demons of procrastination.

What truly inspires you and fires up your vision?

The vision of my future as a professional full time writer. That's the dream. Like most modern authors I need to maintain a full time job to ensure I have those luxuries in life such as food and shelter. I'd love to not have that worry. To just wake up every day and know that I can do the one thing I love and get enough money from it to live a comfortable life.

Best words of advice you ever received?

You can't please everyone (great advice, especially for writers) 

Worst?

What's meant for you won't pass you by (can make you lazy and fool you into thinking that life owes you something)

Some writing advice to aspiring and new authors?

Join a writers' group. Writing can be a very lonely pursuit, having like-minded people around you can help to motivate you to keep going and inspire you. I run an adult and a YA group in my home town. 

Which do you enjoy writing most: action, romance, setting, dialog?

I love writing it all. I'd hate to think that I was weak on one aspect. I am guilty of including more action that most books in my genre, but I think that if the story warrants it, you shouldn't shy away from action scenes.

A hint of what you’re working on next?

I'm currently working on two books. The next book in the Battle of the Undead series, Bad Karma and also the 2nd book in my new series, The Twisted and the Brave, called The Assassin of Oz.

Buy Lost in Wonderland (The Twisted & the Brave Book 1) from Amazon, Amazon UK

Buy Bad Blood, Bad Timing & other great Nicky Peacock books at Amazon, Amazon UK

*******

Where to find Nicky on the web:

Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Tumblr, Authorgraph

Nicky's Bio:

I’ve always been a storyteller, not in a ‘liar liar pants on fire’ kind of way, although I do work in advertising! When I was little, kids would crowd around me in the playground and I’d tell them tales of blood soaked horror filled with vampires, werewolves, ghosts and more. Yes, most would consider me a disturbed child, but my playmates couldn’t help themselves, they’d huddle around me every break time like an ancient tribe feeding off the fear; and that’s how I learned that horror stories hold a certain power, no matter what some might say, everyone is addicted to a good scare, especially if it is somewhat rooted safely in unrealistic beings… or are they unrealistic?

Writing was really a natural progression for me. So far I’ve had 35 short stories included in anthologies produced by publishers all over the world; my latest was included in Little Brown Book Group’s Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories. I have two YA series with the publishers, Evernight Teen:Battle of the Undead and The Twisted and The Brave. I run a local adult writers’ group called Creative Minds Writing and have been asked by my local library (Corby, Northants, UK) to run a group for budding authors aged 13-25.

*******

And now... drumroll... here's C. Lee's spectacular cover for her upcoming middle grade fantasy Sign of the Green Dragon! It launches on August 3rd, but put it on your Goodreads TBR list right now!

The novel summary:

This hasn’t been the best year for Sam, and it just got worse. Right when he thought he’d found a permanent home, his finicky guardian tells him he’s shipping Sam off to private school. This means Sam won’t bat for his team, and if he doesn’t, Haggarty Elementary won’t win the baseball championship again this year. His two teammates, Joey and Roger, are determined to stash him in their secret cave—at least until he brings in the winning run.

While the boys explore the hideout, an earthquake crumbles a wall, revealing a hidden room—and it’s not empty. A dragon-carved chest opens to reveal a human skeleton, its hand-bones clutching a note with a crudely drawn map. At the top of the map is scribbled, 1859.

Sam, Joey and Roger learn about a treasure lying in wait, if only they can locate something called the Dragon Twin, reveal the truth about an old murder, and return a person named Mei Ling to her ancestors in China.

The boys are up for the challenge. But how? They only have the map showing the way to an old mining town, and some strange symbols they can’t understand. None of them can make sense of the note. Who’s Mei Ling? And what the heck is a Dragon Twin?

With time running out before he’s sent packing, Sam and his friends set out on an adventure that has much higher stakes than any baseball championship—one that gets them into trouble with a modern crime, pits them against ancient Chinese dragons, and reveals the true meaning of treasure for each of them.

In case you haven't read C. Lee's other rollicking Pete Riley books, check them out here!

Buy Alligators Overhead at Amazon & Nook/B&N

Buy The Great Timelock Disaster at Amazon & Nook/B&N

Check out everything C Lee McKenzie at her website, on Facebook, Twitter & on Instagram

Interview with Donna Galanti, on writing paranormal suspense & trilogies

Want to know more about how to write a trilogy? Today, Idea City interviews Donna Galanti, author of the paranormal Element Trilogy books. Plus, enter a great giveaway below! A summary of her newest:
A Hidden Element.  Evil lurks within…
When Caleb Madroc is used against his will as part of his father’s plan to breed a secret community and infiltrate society with their unique powers, he vows to save his oppressed people and the two children kept from him. Seven years later, Laura and Ben Fieldstone’s son is abducted, and they are forced to trust a madman’s son who puts his life on the line to save them all. The enemy’s desire to own them—or destroy them—leads to a survival showdown. Laura and Ben must risk everything to defeat a new nemesis that wants to rule the world with their son, and Caleb may be their only hope—if he survives. But must he sacrifice what he most desires to do so?

Tell us about your main character
Caleb Madroc lives an oppressed life. He has sons he can’t be a father to, he can’t choose who he loves, and must carry out despicable acts to survive. Yet Caleb finds he's pushed to the wall even further and must risk the things he desires to save those he loves. Caleb is also a Watcher in a way, and Watchers are some of my favorite characters to write.

In what ways does he change?
Caleb discovers he doesn’t have to be dictated by his dark genes and can choose love over hate, and hope can win out in the end.

Give us your favorite line from your protagonist
Caleb Madroc: "I will protect the children. I promise. But I can’t promise to save you."

From an antagonist
Adrian Madroc: “If you cannot, your sons will die. And you will throw the first stone.”

An emblematic, teaser paragraph
He wanted to redeem himself either way through sparing others pain. Sweat broke out on his brow. Was she too far gone? His stomach tightened. He moved his hands faster over her. Come back, Rachel. Please. Her head lolled to one side. He stroked her hair as he worked and spoke to her.
“I do love you, Rachel. I never stopped. I wanted more, but it wasn’t meant to be. I had to think of our children first.” She remained cold beneath his hands.
This gift he had. Perhaps it was not enough for her.

What keeps you going when your inspiration flags?
I take a break and find an inspiring book to read. This always fuels my own creativity.

What truly inspires you and fires up your vision?
To me, writing is all about passion – feeling the good and feeling the bad. And I want to feel it all. To explore the twin sides of our human nature: the good inside us, the dark inside us.

Best words of advice you ever received?
Don’t edit while writing that first draft! Once I got over this block my writing took off and I found I could write THE END.

Worst?
Find success by perfecting your writing in one genre. I believe today’s fiction was built by cross-genre writers, like Dean Koontz, and they opened doors for writers to further challenge themselves in their writing and push the boundaries.

Offer some writing advice to aspiring and new authors
Get out of your writer’s cave and join writer communities and organizations now, no matter what level of writing you are at. Keep learning your craft and keep filling your writer’s toolbox! Visit my Writers Corner for inspiration, advice, and resources on writing.

Which do you enjoy writing most: action, romance, setting, dialogue?
A combination of dialogue and action. At first a scene comes to me in dialogue and then I see the action painted around it.

A hint of what you’re working on next?
I'm plotting the final book in the Element Trilogy and a YA medieval fantasy series. I also write middle grade and in 2015 have the first two books coming out in my adventure fantasy series, Joshua and the Lightning Road. You can learn more about it here. 

How is it writing a trilogy? Biggest challenges? Fun aspects?
It’s fun bringing the characters I fell in love with back to life and introducing new characters to love. The biggest challenges in writing a sequel for me, are blending in the necessary details from book one to inform the reader and move the story along while also creating a standalone novel as well.

The most important theme of book one? Book two?
In book one, A Human Element, it’s revealed that if we overcome our genes and thrive through love, we can conquer our obstacles and achieve anything. But without love, we are lost.  In book two, A Hidden Element, a major theme is that relinquishing the struggle to belong leads to self-acceptance.

Care to share a hint of what’s to come in book three?
Aha! Think V meets Supernatural. ☺

Visit her: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Donna Galanti writes murder and mystery with a dash of steam as well as fiction for teens and tweens. She is the author of books 1 and 2 in the paranormal suspense Element Trilogy, A Human Element and A Hidden Element, the short story collection The Dark Inside, and Joshua and The Lightning Road (Books 1 and 2, 2015). She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer.

BUY THE ELEMENT TRILOGY BOOKS:
Purchase Book 2 in the Element Trilogy, A Hidden Element.
Purchase Book 1 in the Element Trilogy, A Human Element: ON SALE NOW THROUGH 8/31 FOR JUST $ 0.99 cents!
Deadly Dozen: 12 Mystery/Thriller novels for just $3.99.

PRAISE FOR A HIDDEN ELEMENT:
"Chilling and dark…a twisty journey into another world." —J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of When Shadows Fall

"Fascinating…a haunting story…"—Rebecca Cantrell, New York Times bestselling author of The World Beneath

"Will keep you up long past your bedtime...a pulse-pounding read."—Allan Leverone, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Final Vector

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Interview with Cherie Reich on writing & Reborn!

Idea City's thrilled to chat with Cherie Reich about writing and Reborn. Oh, and enter the Rafflecopter to win LOTS of great books from Cherie and other Untethered Realms authors!
Cherie, tell us about your main character. 
Yssa is god-chosen as the Phoenix Prophetess. She’s grown up knowing who she is, but that doesn’t change how she wants to be normal, like everyone else. She’s sometimes naïve, self-centered, and wishy-washy, but she can be strong and caring. She genuinely does want to change people’s terrible Fates, even though she often fails.

In what ways does she change? 
Yssa would rather be anyone besides the Phoenix Prophetess, but she must learn and grow to accept her role in Amora’s history. She can still be a little selfish at times, but she’s learning to be less naïve and more certain of herself.

Your favorite line from your protagonist: 
My memories weren’t enough to take with me. I just wouldn’t go to Amora.

From an antagonist:
“Your queen is not all she seems.” Odjin half-heartedly laughed.

An emblematic, teaser paragraph:
The child’s life-thread ripped from his mother’s hand and joined the pulsing jewel on her belt. The piece sizzled, reattaching to the gemstone, and transformed to blood red.

What keeps you going when your inspiration flags? 
Reading. I can always tell when I’m not reading enough since the writing goes downhill.

What truly inspires you and fires up your vision? 
Daydreaming. I love thinking about future scenes, acting them in my head, and figuring out where to go next.

Best words of advice you ever received? 
Write a draft and then put it aside for a while. Coming at a draft with fresh eyes really helps to find problems with the story.

Worst? 
You must write every day. Every day works for some authors. I find I write best in spurts.

Advice to aspiring and new authors?
Read! In your genre, out of your genre. You’ll pick up ways to write by absorbing what you read.

Which do you enjoy writing most: action, romance, setting, dialog?
Good question. Can I say “world building”? It’s similar to setting, but I still feel like I have a hard time with description, but I love finding ways to delve deeper into the world the characters live in.

How is it writing a trilogy? 
I’m still learning about writing a trilogy. Book One is finished and published, but I only have part of Book Two written, and Book Three is only an outline. The biggest challenge will likely be not dropping a story thread. I’m trying to tie everything up at the end, and I fear I’ll miss something. I do love building the world and learning more about the characters and the Kingdom of Amora as I write and plan.

What is the most important theme of book one? Book Two? 
Accepting who you are is a strong theme in the books. Life and death is another as well as free will versus Fate.

Care to share a hint of what’s to come in book three? 
Since Book Two isn’t out yet, I don’t want to give away too much. Let’s just say everything comes together in one epic conclusion.

A hint of what you’re working on next? 
A princess must rise to challenge Fate. I’m expanding a short story within The Fate Challenges’ world to novella-length. The new title is Repledged, and it features Princess Magna and is set 800 years before Reborn.

Find Cherie on the web: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Reborn is available in Ebook and Print! Amazon | Createspace | Google Play | Kobo | Nook | OmniLit | Smashwords | Other Retailers. Click to add on Goodreads.

To save a kingdom, a prophetess must challenge Fate.

On the day of Yssa’s death and rebirth, the god Apenth chose her as the Phoenix Prophetess. Sea serpents and gods endanger the young prophetess’s journey and sour the omens. Yssa is cursed instead of blessed, and her duties at the Temple of Apenth prove it. She spends her days reading dusty scrolls, which does nothing to help her forget Tym, the boy back home. But the annoying yet gorgeous ferryman’s son Liam proves to be a distraction she can’t predict, even though he rarely leaves her alone for two sand grains.

Her boring temple life screeches to a halt when visions of her parents’ murders consume her. Yssa races across an ocean to stop the future. If she can’t change Fate, she’ll refuse to be the Phoenix Prophetess any longer. Fate, however, has other plans for her and the kingdom.

Yssa must either accept her destiny or fight to change Fate.

Cherie Reich, a self-proclaimed bookworm, is a speculative fiction writer and library assistant living in Virginia. Her short stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies, and her books include the horror collection Nightmare, a space fantasy novella collection titled Gravity, and the fantasy series The Foxwick Chronicles and The Fate Challenges. Reborn is her debut novel. She is Vice President of Valley Writers and a member of the Virginia Writers Club and Untethered Realms. For more info, visit her website.

Cherie and the authors of Untethered Realms are giving away over $50 worth of books to one lucky winner. The giveaway is open internationally. Enter the Rafflecopter below.

On an unrelated note, Catherine Stine signs at BEA this week! Click for the schedule.

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Meradeth Houston Opens up about Writing & Surrender the Sky

Today, Idea City welcomes Meradeth Houston. Her brand new novel, Surrender the Sky is out and I know you're curious about it, so take it away, Meradeth.

Thanks so much for asking me here today, Catherine! Here's the rundown on Surrender the Sky:

Gabby lives by two unbreakable rules: don’t expose her kind, the Sary, and don’t fall in love—too bad some rules are made to be broken.

When Gabby’s most difficult charge accidentally shoots her in front of a class full of students, the event exposes her carefully hidden identity. She shifts from looking like a normal teen to her secret Sary form, revealing her wings and the existence of her kind—immortals who try to keep people from committing suicide. Her incident attracts the attention of the next leader of the Sary, Jassen, who offers her an impossible bargain: she can keep her wings if she makes amends with those who know the truth. Things get more complicated when a rebel Sary, intent on exposing them to the world, starts interfering with Gabby’s work. And there’s no denying her attraction to Jassen, who is torn between his duties and his heart. With threats at every turn and her immortality on the line, Gabby has to find a way to save the Sary or surrender the sky forever.

Tell us about your main characters:
Gabby is the main character. She’s a pretty typical Sary, AKA a being who wasn’t able to take her first breath and is therefore sent to help people who are on the verge of taking their own life. She has to face some pretty horrible situations, and doesn’t feel exactly ready to take on the responsibility that come with them, but she has some amazing friends who help her out :).

In what ways do they change?
Over the course of Surrender, Gabby has to come to terms with what she is, and the gifts she’s been given. Also, she has to know just how much she’s willing to sacrifice for what she loves. It’s not an easy decision!

Give us your favorite line from your protagonist
Hmm, that’s a tough choice. “How could I give this up? Surrender the sky? It wasn’t fair. I wanted to choose for myself.” I think this is one of my favorite lines from Gabby.

From an antagonist
Leon is the antagonist in this book, and wow does he have a lot of tricks up his sleeve. How about this one: “Leon, his lips still pink from the kisses we’d shared, turned to me. “I may not be him, but I have so much more to offer.” He managed the same little quirk of a smile patented by Jassen and took my hand from where it sat in my lap and pressed it to his mouth.”

An emblematic, teaser paragraph
This is how things get started: “I knew the day was not going to end well as soon as I saw the gun. It bulged in the outside pocket of his backpack, hidden unless someone looked for it. Of course, I had to be the one looking for it.”

What keeps you going when your inspiration flags?
Hot chocolate. Lots of it :). Reading something else awesome that distracts me from my own world so I can return to it with fresh eyes.

What truly inspires you and fires up your vision?
A good book or movie that gets my creative juices flowing. Also, a long afternoon with nothing else on where I can actually relax and enjoy myself. There are very, very few days like this, but I treasure them.

Best words of advice you ever received?
Take time to do what makes you happy. It’s so important! Life is short.

Worst?
Strive for perfection. I hate this. Like, with a passion. Because it haunts me. And it’s impossible to attain, which just messes with my head. I hate that anyone would even suggest that you should shoot for this—impossible goals help no one! (End mini rant! Haha, can’t help it!)

Some writing advice to aspiring and new authors?
Keep writing and don’t give up! The only way to improve is to keep going, even if some days it feels like slogging through ten feet of snow, uphill, in -20 weather with a wind chill.

Which do you enjoy writing most: action, romance, setting, dialog?
Hmm, that’s a toss up before action and romance. Dialog is part of both, as is settling, but I love a scene that is fast paced and gets my blood pumping.

A hint of what you’re working on next?
The fourth book in the series, which I hope I can pull together. It’s a crazy tale with several different points of view, but so far it’s been a blast to write.

Where can readers find you on the web?
My favorite haunts: website, blog, Facebook, Twitter

Buy the ebook! Amazon, Goodreads

A bit about Meradeth:
*I'm a California girl. This means I talk too fast and use "like" a lot.
*I have my doctorate in molecular anthropology. Translation: I sequence dead people's DNA and spend a whole lot of time in a lab, which I love.
*I've been writing since I was 11 years old. It's my hobby, my passion, and I'm so happy to get to share my work.
*My other passion is teaching. There's nothing more fun than getting a classroom of college kids fired up about anthropology!
*If I could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is strange, because I'm terrified of heights.

Interview with Nicole Zoltack about White Hellebore

Today Idea City is talking to Nicole Zoltack all about her new release, White Hellebore. Welcome, Nicole!

Tell us a little about your main characters.
Nicholas Adams is Falledge's superhero. With enhanced speed and senses, he can handle any super villain. Only this time around, he's pitted against two. His leading lady is Julianna Paige, Falledge's sheriff and the twin of his deceased high school sweetheart, Justina.

Remember those two super villains? One is a witch. And she brings Justina back. So not only does Nicholas have to deal with two super villains, he has two ladies he loves that he needs to save. And choose between.

In what ways do they change?
Nicholas is still getting used to settling down in Falledge after years of moving around more than dandelion seeds on a windy day. He wants to do everything he can for Falledge and that will never change, but he also wants to make complete with his past.

Julianna loves Nicholas and knows he loves her, but she also knows that a part of him will always love Justina too. And when Justina comes back from the dead, Julianna worries her love isn't enough for him.

Give us your favorite line from your protagonist.
  Nicholas went to pick up a spicy tuna roll. His chopsticks squeezed too hard, and rice flew everywhere. Yet, none of the rice landed on the table. He'd plucked the kernels out of the air and shoved them into his mouth. "I prefer forks anyhow."
    "You can't eat sushi with a fork."
    "Watch me."

From an antagonist.
    Hunter's new arm wasn't merely bone, but muscles and fiber and tissue and blood and skin.
    Hunter, never a good dancer, had been told on several occasions he had two left feet.
    Now he had two left arms.

An emblematic paragraph
   Damn Hunter Walter. The scarecrow scientist had alternated between being aggravating and helpful during their takedown planning of Skull Krusher. Why couldn't scientists stay holed up in the laboratories, conducting safe experiments and not creating hazardous drugs?

What keeps you going when your inspiration flags?
I'm always going: writing one story, editing another, waiting for beta reader feedback. Often times, I'm at various stages of writing more than one story at once. If I'm stuck on one, I work on the other and that actually helps me to get unstuck on the first one.

What truly inspires you and fires up your vision?
Life in general. I'm inspired by so many things it might be easier to say what doesn't inspire me! People watching, dreams, TV shows, movies, other books, traveling down "what if" lane, reading scientific articles…

Best words of advice you ever received?
Never stop reading and writing.

Worst?
That you have to stay in one genre and establish yourself in it before daring to try another.

Some writing advice to aspiring and new authors?
Never stop learning and honing your writing craft. There's always something else to learn.

Which do you enjoy writing most: action, romance, setting, dialog?
Since almost every one of my stories has some romance aspect to it, I'd have to say romance first, but action is a close second. I guess I'm meant to write superhero romances!

How is it writing a trilogy? Biggest challenges? Fun aspects?
Writing a trilogy is both fun and challenging. I love that I only have to introduce the major characters in the first book and continue their arc in the second and third, that the readers already know and are invested in their story. The biggest challenge lies with making sure the characters both remain consistent throughout the trilogy but also undergo character growth throughout the trilogy too.

What is the most important theme of book one? Book Two?
Black Hellebore's theme: Never stop living.
White Hellebore's theme: Follow your heart.

Share a hint of what’s to come in book three?
I'm liking the dual villain aspect. And there might be another love triangle. No mentioning any names though! :)

A hint of what you’re working on next?
I'm close to finishing Scarlet Magi, the last in the Heroes of Falledge trilogy. After that, who knows? :)

Buy White Hellebore: Amazon, B&N, Kobo

Where can readers find you on the web? Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Wattpad, Tumblr, Goodreads

Nicole Zoltack loves to write in many genres, especially romance, whether fantasy, paranormal, or regency. When she’s not writing about knights, superheroes, or zombies, she loves to spend time with her loving husband and three energetic young boys. She enjoys riding horses (pretending they’re unicorns, of course!) and going to the PA Renaissance Faire, dressed in garb. She’ll read anything. Her current favorite TV show is The Walking Dead.

Interview with Amy Kathleen Ryan on Flame

Now that my tour is over it's time to talk about other writers and books! I'm pleased to feature my friend Amy Kathleen Ryan and her wonderful space opera trilogy, and specifically the last in the series, FLAME. She's here to answer questions. But first, about Flame:

In the thrilling conclusion to Amy Kathleen Ryan's Sky Chasers series, Waverly, Kieran, and Seth struggle to survive on-board the New Horizon—and take down their enemies before it's too late.

Waverly and the other members of the Empyrean have been scattered, and their home ship destroyed. Their mission to rescue their parents didn't go as planned, and now they're at an even greater disadvantage: trapped with their enemies on the New Horizon, trying to find a way to survive. Kieran has been pulled under Anne Mather’s wing, but is she really trying to make peace, or just using Kieran to build her own power? Meanwhile, Waverly is taken in by a mysterious old man who wants to help her bring Anne Mather down—but the more Waverly cooperates with him, the more dangerous her position is, and the more at odds with Kieran she becomes.

Seth's situation is worse. After setting out from the Empyrean on his own, with only a vague strategy to guide him, he's a fugitive aboard the New Horizon. He's doing what he can to challenge the power of Anne Mather, but he's hurt, and getting sicker. All the while, unknown to him, the terrorist Jacob is making plans of his own. Will Seth ever see Waverly again? Will his health hold out long enough to help her topple their enemies? And will Waverly find a way to unite with her friends before they all fall? 

And now, take it away, Amy.

Tell us about Flame, Book Three of The Skychasers
Flame is the conclusion to the series. The Empyrean has been destroyed, and our heroes Waverly, Kieran, and Seth are now forced to live on the New Horizon with their enemies. After a lot of conflict between the central characters, suddenly they need to find ways to work together if they’re going to survive.

Give us your favorite line from Kieran
He felt he was in a trap, but he couldn’t see the walls or feel the chains, as though Mather had somehow gotten him to lock himself in.

From Waverly
She would always remember that nebula as a graveyard for so many of the crew of the Empyrean, people she’d known her whole life. That’s where I died too, she thought. Waverly Marshall the innocent is buried there.

From Seth
As the guards pushed him into the captain’s office, he understood finally what his life had been about: Revenge for his mother’s death. To be a hero. To save her. To undo it somehow. To bring her back.
Was this clarity, or delirium? His fever ate through his thoughts. When had it gotten so bad?
“No wonder I’m so fucked up,” he said under his breath as the tall office chair at the desk swiveled around, and he was face to face with a matronly, plump old woman who could only be Anne Mather, the anti-mother.

Watch Amy talk about the villain!    Click to watch

What first attracted you to write about space travel?
The setting! A space ship is a pressure cooker for a story. You’re in the middle of nowhere, and no one can come help you if you’re in trouble. You’re essentially in a life boat, and you have to make it work with the people who share it with you, even if they are loathsome. It narrows the choices your characters can make about how to deal with their situation. They’re trapped.

Book Two

Book One

Tell us an important lesson about writing a trilogy
The second book is twice as hard to write as the first, and the third is twice as hard as the second. If I ever write another epic, I want to have the entire story written before I sell the first book. It will help to make the story tighter.

What truly inspires you and fires up your vision?
Reading! Reading anything by anyone. I get good ideas from brilliant novels as well as from so-so books. Reading feeds right into the part of my brain that wants to make up stories.

Where do you write?
I’ve got three young children, and they dominate my house. I start out my writing session during naptime, but eventually the house gets noisy, and can be distracting. It took me a long time to figure out the best place to write: In my master bedroom closet. It sits right next to my master bath, so I can close three doors between me and my little hellions. If I run the bathroom fan, I hardly hear them at all. It’s cramped in there, and not glamorous, but I get a lot done. (If I turn off my internet connection that is!)

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?
I like to garden. I have a sizable plot. Not picturesque and riddled with weeds, but I get delicious produce out of it. I also watch too much TV, but I’ll confess some of the best writing I’ve seen lately is on the boob tube. I recently binge watched Breaking Bad and I am so impressed with the writing on that show.

Which aspect of crafting a novel is most challenging? Most fun?
Most challenging? For me, getting it to where I think it’s good enough. A lot of self-doubt goes into that process. I’m actually afraid to be too confident because then I might not feel that burning fire that makes me keep working. Most fun? I love writing the first draft. Finding my way through the story is always just like playing with my imaginary friends. It’s a rocking good time.

A hint of what you’re working on next?
It’s about a shoplifter. Her father abandons his family at a crucial time, and it sends ripples of shock through every character, making them all act out in different ways. It’s about how a split second decision can change the rest of your life forever.

Buy the Skychaser series! Amazon, Indie Bound, B&N

Find Amy on the web  Website & Facebook

About Amy: Amy Kathleen Ryan is a graduate of the New School Writing for Children MFA program. She lives in Colorado with her family. 

Interview with Author Jessica Bell

Today I'm interviewing the author, Jessica Bell on Idea City. She has a new book out on writing!


Tell us about your family. My parents are musicians, and live on a Greek island called Ithaca. Back in the day they had a band called Hard Candy.
What is your favorite quality about yourself? Non-judgmental.
What is your least favorite quality about yourself? Impatience.
Favorite quote? “It was the kind of loneliness that made clocks seem slow and loud and made voices sound like voices across water.”  From Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
Can you hear the loud, slow clock ticking? Its echo crossing a flat lake trying to reach the disappearing voices of loved ones you wished existed? The still and stifling warm air at dusk? Your heartbeat in your ears? The emptiness in your chest? The melancholia you can’t seem to place? An amazing comparison to loneliness, don’t you think? The clocks, the voices, the loudness of heartache. *sigh* …
What are you most proud of accomplishing so far? The fact that, despite the full-time job, I still find time to write books. So many people get into a rut, thinking they can’t manage it, that there’s no time. It's not true. If you want something, you find the time.
How has your upbringing influenced your writing? Being the daughter of a semi-famous rock ‘n’ roll duo from Melbourne, Australia, I grew up surrounded by song. For a while it seemed logical to travel the musician’s path, especially when my first band, spAnk, hit it off in the Melbourne indie music scene back in the late 90s. Although I spent years writing and recording dozens of songs I decided I also had a love for the written word. So I guess music started everything off.

The author

When and why did you begin writing? I started writing poetry at about eleven, sitting on a rock by the sea in a place in Greece called Monemvasia. I was so inspired by my surroundings that I needed a way to express it. Not long after, I started writing songs. My mother had decided to sell her twelve-string acoustic guitar to get extra cash. I saw it sitting by the front door. I remember opening the case and thinking that it looked beautiful, and why would Mum want to get rid of it? I think she was in the music room at the time and I interrupted one of her recording sessions to ask about the guitar. When she told me she was selling it, I asked her if I could have it. She said that I could if I learned to play. From that day I had that guitar in my hands every day until I moved to Greece in 2002. I taught myself how to play. The first song I wrote was played on one string and sung in a high-pitched awful voice. I hope that cassette never gets dug up!
What genre do you write? Contemporary fiction; I'm not into fantasy or paranormal.
What made you want to be a writer? I just realized one day that I couldn’t live without it. And figured, if I’m going to be writing all the time, I might as well try to get published.
What do you consider the most challenging about writing? If I’m too influenced by other people’s ideas it will skew my own. So I only ever seek an opinion once I’m confident about the final result. And I will only ever change something, then, if the suggestion completely resonates with me. Of course, I keep an open mind. Nothing is ever set in stone. But I find this a challenge because it’s so hard to keep things to myself when I’m excited about them. I just want to share it with everybody.
Did writing this book teach you anything and what was it? That sometimes bite-sized ideas can also become bite-sized books!
Do you intend to make writing a career? Absolutely. But I try to be realistic about it. I do it because I can’t not do it. Not to make money.
Have you developed a specific writing style? Yes. My writing is quite literary in nature, but I also think it has a decent amount of commercial appeal; a balance of both.
What is your greatest strength as a writer? I have a knack for cinematic writing. I’d probably beat you in a “show-off”.
Have you ever had writer’s block? Absolutely. I usually take it as a sign that I’m burned out and give myself a break. It works.
Share a little of your current work with us? Sure. Here is the first example from the book:
 ~Scene 1~
amazing view
awe
(feel) hot
relief
(feel) tired
~Telling~
Sandy stood at the foot of the Egyptian Pyramids. Though she was hot, tired and sore, she was awestruck by the amazing view and felt a sense of relief. Finally, she’d made it.
~Showing~
Sweat ran between Sandy’s breasts and the soles of her feet burned from the two hour trek across the desert. Even though her shoulders ached from carrying her heavy rucksack, and her nose stung from the dry heat, it didn’t matter. She was standing right in front of something she’d been waiting to see her whole life. The Pyramids of Giza glistened through heat waves as if extracting all her pain. Sandy looked up, shielded her eyes from the sun, refused to break her stare. She stood, jaw agape, wondering how she’d kept away for so long.
How did you come up with the title? I wanted something that portrayed exactly what readers were going to get.
Who designed the cover? Moi.
How do you promote this book? Mainly through social media. Unfortunately I have the disadvantage of being an expat in Greece, so it’s very difficult for me to promote any other way.
Will you write others in this same genre? Of course. This book is just the first of the “Writing in a Nutshell Series”. The next pocket guide is Adverbs & Clichés in a Nutshell: Demonstrated Transitions from Perfectly Atrocious Adverbs, and Dull as Dishwater Clichés, into Gourmet Descriptions
What are your goals as a writer? To have my books linger in the minds of readers long after they’ve turned the last page. With regards to my non-fiction, to help aspiring writers realize that writing doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as it seems. Learn the craft in bite-sized pieces, and eventually everything will come together.
What books have most influenced your life? Housekeeping, by Marilynne Robinson
Cold Blood, by Truman Capote
The Robber Bride, by Margaret Atwood
The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
The Boy in The Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, by Rebecca Miller
The Stone Gods, by Jeanette Winterson
Just Kids, by Patti Smith
Short Cuts, by Raymond Carver
Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott
The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, by Milan Kundera
The following poets: Gwen Harwood, Sharon Olds, Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath
Mentors? Oh gosh, if I could ever be mentored by Margaret Atwood, my life would be complete!
Can we expect any more books from you in the future? Absolutely. I will never stop writing, so I can’t see why I would stop releasing books.
Have you started another book? Yes, I’m working on my fourth novel, called White Lady. It’s set in Melbourne, Australia, and is about a young woman named Mia who is fighting fat with white ladies. (Yep, I’ll leave that to your own interpretation for now! Hint: don’t think literally.)
What are your current writing projects now? White Lady, my fourth novel, Adverbs & Clichés in a Nutshell: Demonstrated Transitions from Perfectly Atrocious Adverbs, and Dull as Dishwater Clichés, into Gourmet Descriptions, which is the second in the Writing in a Nutshell series.
Reading any interesting books? I’m reading Finding Fish, a memior by Antwone Quenton Fisher. This is his biography from his website: “Antwone Fisher is an award-winning film and literary writer. Born in an Ohio prison to a teenage mother, Antwone became a ward of the state and was placed in foster care. He spent two years in a loving foster home, but was subsequently moved and suffered twelve years of abuse at the hands of his new foster family.”
Best tools available today for writers, especially those just starting out? Definitely blogging, and all sorts of social media. Some excellent community websites to look into are:
http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/
http://writerunboxed.com/
http://www.worldliterarycafe.com/
What contributes to making a writer successful? Persistence and stamina all the way. Learn the rules and then break them intelligently.
Last thoughts for your readers? I’m often asked how my writing can be so brutally honest and not be real. As I said to a reviewer recently, there is  “… a difference between ‘honest’ and ‘factual.’” For example, in Twisted Velvet Chains, a poetry collection of mine, I’ve really amped up the ‘tragic’ quality of the poems and although the content stems from ‘real’ feelings I had at some point or another, they do not necessarily stem from the events in the poems. Notice I say ‘stem from’ real feelings. As writers we have the freedom to embellish. There’s that common saying, ‘Write what you know.’ Well, what I know is what it’s like to feel so depressed you don’t even want to lift a finger. I also know what it’s like growing up with rock musicians as parents. I also know firsthand what it’s like to be a musician and perform in front of an audience. I know that when someone is suffering from Valium withdrawal, the symptoms mimic the symptoms of bipolar disorder. I also know what it feels like to hate everyone in the entire world as a teen—teens tend to feel that way, and teens tend to exaggerate those feelings, too. I know what it feels like to love, to hate, to envy, to regret, to feel so passionate about something that you don’t care what is going on around you. Put all these ‘experiences’ together, and wham, you’ve got something that is ‘honest,’ but not necessarily ‘factual.’
How has living in Greece changed you as a person and as a writer? I would never have got my first job as an editor if I hadn’t moved here. I make a living as an editor/writer of English Language Teaching materials. There is no need for this sort of thing in an English speaking country. So I guess, I have Greece to thank for allowing me to pursue my love of the written word. I think if I had have remained in Australia, I would have stayed more focused on my music.
Do you consider yourself above all a singer/songwriter or a writer? A writer for sure. I was born into music, so it came naturally, but writing is something I gradually learned I wanted for myself and had a strong passion to pursue.
How would you describe your discography thus far? Grunge-pop, atmospheric? To be honest I have no idea. My style varies quite a lot from album to album. Bar the latest album, Melody Hill, which is the soundtrack to my novel, String Bridge, I think my music is in major need of reproduction. If only I had the money, then I could make my music sound how I hear it in my head, rather than what my wallet determines.
What messages do you want your readers to take away after reading your books? Take control. You are the only one who can make your life what you want it to be. Embrace the good and the bad. If you look at the bigger picture, there is no such thing as a bad experience. Believe in love and hope; if there’s a will, there’s a way.
Tell us about Vine Leaves Press … Is self-publishing the only solution? Vine Leaves Press is my self-publishing imprint. No, self-publishing is not the only solution, but nowadays, if you’re not writing about vampires, werewolves, or paranormal activity, it’s hard to get that big break because the Big 6 publishers are only looking for what is going to make them money. And what makes money nowadays is not the modern day F. Scott Fitzgerald. It’s logical. It’s business. But it’s not the be-all-and-end-all.
Publishing has changed so much over the past few years, and I think it’s time people learn to embrace it, just like they had to embrace the digital revolution of the music industry. Independent artists are everywhere now. What people have to understand is, authors don’t self publish because they’re lazy to go through the slog of submitting queries to agents, or editing their manuscripts properly, or simply out of impatience to see their work in print. Self-published authors are, in fact, some of the most motivated and tough-skinned authors I’ve ever known.
A lot of them, including me, have huge stories behind the reason they self publish. Stories that most people will never know about, because when someone releases a book, it’s not like you can say on the blurb, “This book is self-published, but I actually once had an agent and a book deal with a Big 6 publisher, but decided to go the indie route because I felt it was better for me, both professionally and emotionally.”
Or …
“This book is self-published because I spent years and years querying it, was told that the writing was great, but no agent believed they could sell it. So … here’s my book. I don’t need to sell a million copies, a few hundred is enough for me. Plus it’s been through so many edits after all the agent feedback, I doubt you’ll be able to find one thing wrong with it.”
Or …
“This book is self-published, but actually it was once traditionally published by a small press. Unfortunately they liquidated and I had to get it back on the market as quickly as possible before all my marketing efforts went to waste.”
So … I urge everyone who is skeptical about self-published works, to think about the story behind it, and the effort it’s taken to get it out there, and the heartache the writer has been through to finally come to the decision to do it on their own. Self-publishing is no longer for the impatient … it’s for authors who have done everything they can before finally deciding to take their fate into their own hands.
Is social media a big help to you when promoting your work? I could not live without it. It’s my international loudspeaker. I’m quite isolated being an English writer in a non-English speaking country, and I need to promote my work to the English-speaking world. Yes, it’s an excellent help. It only gets annoying when people make their websites a never-ending advert. The key to social networking is to engage in conversations, interact with your audience. Saying, “buy my book, it’s great” all the time, isn’t going to sell it. But saying “hey, what do you think about blah blah blah?” and actually eliciting opinions from others, means you are saying something that people are interested in. And if they’re interested in what you’re saying online, then it’s likely they are going to investigate you further. It’s a long process, and hard work. But it pays off.

Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre – Non-Fiction / Writing Skills Reference
Rating – PG
More details about the author & the book
Connect with Jessica Bell on Facebook &  Twitter, her blog

Elizabeth Arroyo Talks about The Second Sign

Today I'm talking with Elizabeth Arroyo, the author of The Second Sign, a dark YA paranormal romance:

Tell us about your main characters:
Gabby is a strong, stubborn teen with a knack of saying what comes to mind and getting into trouble.
Jake is her opposite. He's happy-go-lucky and always on the lookout for his next adrenaline rush.
How do they change? 
Gabby learns to trust her feelings and the consequences of her actions.
Jake learns his true nature.
Give us a favorite line from your protagonist:
"Yeah, um, it didn't really dawn on me that I was saving your life." Yeah, that went well. "I mean, yeah, I woulda, but..." Jumping off the cliff seemed easier than this.
From an antagonist:
"There is no peace for the wicked."
An emblematic, teaser paragraph:
He gave her a sideways glance. If he knew what she thought, his face revealed nothing and his eyes even less. She didn't care. She'd never known a mother or a father. Max was all she had, and he too was slipping from her. She looked away from Mir and turned her gaze to her hands. Naite's warning settled in her stomach. Max had betrayed her. Their bond broken. What she wouldn't give to have someone love her. Her soul?
What keeps you going when your inspiration flags?
Reading a good book puts things in perspective for me.
What truly inspires you and fires up your vision?
It's weird, but being in the staring out to space mode fires up my creativity side. Daydreaming and/or sometimes night dreams invade my thoughts and I start writing scene by scene. Strangely enough, oftentimes, the different images connect into a larger story. So weird, I know.
Best words of advice you ever received?
Keep writing. Simple and to the point.
Worst?
Expect the worst and hope for the best. Yes, I used to say those words and try to psych myself that it wouldn't hurt, but you can't prepare for the sting of rejection. Expecting the worst is useless except to throw out negativity. What kept me going from submission to submission is the possibility of acceptance. I imagined it. Felt it. And it felt really good. That feeling kept me going.
Can you offer some writing advice?
Writing for yourself and writing for a larger audience are two very different things. Learn as much as you can about the craft. Some folks can put pen to paper and there's magic. Those are the lucky ones. The rest of us have to work at it.
Which do you enjoy writing most: action, romance, setting, dialog?
Action. I love movement in scenes, and heightening my character's emotional stress levels.
A hint of what you’re working on next?
I am working on the sequel! Yay!!
Where can readers find you on the web? My website, my blog, on Facebook, on Twitter.
Where readers can buy The Second Sign: on kindle, Amazon paperback, B&N

More about THE SECOND SIGN
Dark YA Paranormal Romance from Sapphire Star Publishing

Bred to believe in the war between angels and demons, Gabby has come to the conclusion that love is responsible for war, jealousy, and all the other deadly sins she can think of. So when she’s exiled to the middle of nowhere for getting kicked out of her fifth school for fighting, she doesn’t expect to meet Jake. Much less fall in love.
     
When a demon guardian comes to collect her soul, she refuses to give it up. She’s not a demon. She can’t be. Her father and twin brother are angels. The demon gives Gabby twenty-four hours to decide her allegiance, and then starts killing her short list of friends, leaving a message behind: She is the Second Sign.

As Gabby and Jake begin to unravel the mystery behind the Second Sign, she learns Jake may be the key to saving her soul. But it means a sacrifice has to be made that will change their lives forever.

CAMO GIRL, Interview with Author, Kekla Magoon

CAMO GIRL, Kekla’s tween novel, just out with Aladdin, is the story of sixth grade outcast Ella. Ella finds herself caught between her old best friend Zach, who is increasingly lost in a fantasy world, and a beckoning popular crowd. Her dilemma: she can only fit in if she leaves “Z” behind.

This story is notable for what you chose to leave out as much as what you included. Can you speak to that?
Yes, I left out Z’s official psychiatric diagnosis, and the name of Ella’s skin condition, which created camouflage-like lighter and darker patches on her face. Her POV was such a close one, that I didn’t think it was realistic for her to know Z’s diagnosis. And it wasn’t crucial to the story that I focus on the nature of Ella’s skin disorder. I preferred to concentrate on the ways that kids deal with trauma. Thus, the title CAMO refers to her skin’s light patches; but also to the ways that Ella hides from her budding social life, and how Zach uses his fantasy world to avoid working through his family trauma. Even Bailey, the new boy, who helps Ella take a chance on getting to know the popular kids, has a secret he’s hiding from. *no spoiler here!*

What theme in CAMO GIRL would you most like kids to come away with?
The feeling of self-acceptance, coming to terms with both your strengths and weaknesses. Also, I’d like kids to consider what it means to be a friend: it may mean keeping a friend’s secret, only to reveal it in time. Ella thought that keeping Z’s secret was helping him, but she learned that it ultimately hurt him by preventing him from getting treatment. Also, by remaining “loyal” to him, she stilted her own social growth. Kekla has vivid memories of the tension of trying to straddle two groups, who did not necessarily like each other. That’s why she jokes that this novel could be called How to Choose a Lunch Table.

Regarding humor, I love the feisty grandma. How did you think up her awesome name?
Funny you should ask. I was on a road trip and brainstorming with my friend about what I should name her. I sprinkled Splenda in my coffee, and read the label out loud. My friend said, “Sounds like an old lady’s name, but you’d never name the granny that.”
“Oh, yeah?” I replied. “Watch me!”

Are you more of a realistic fiction author or what?
I’m writing for the child that I was, who wanted to know more about how to negotiate the real world. In that sense, I’m a writer of realistic fiction. I realize, though, that fantasy also describes the real world, in allegorical terms. So who knows? I may try my hand at another genre if it’s the best vehicle for my theme.

What’s up next for you? And how can your readers stay updated?
I have two books coming out in 2012. The first is a YA with Holt, called 37 THINGS I LOVE. The second is FIRE IN THE STREETS, a middle-grade companion book to THE ROCK AND THE RIVER, (ALA Coretta Scott King John Steptoe New Talent Award) published by Aladdin. Please stop by my website to say hello and get updates at: www.keklamagoon.com.