Local Author Interview: Scott Barker, Author of Shadows Over Sheradan

So in October of this year, Ashley and I attended a local event held at Carleton University called Geek Market. It's sort of yet kind of not like a con. You can read my delayed event recap, if you want (it's mostly just pictures.)

Why am I bringing this back up in December? Well, at the event, we met a local author who self published his fantasy novel called Shadow Over Sheradan. 

Interview

1) If you were to summarize Shadows Over Sheradan (SOS) in 3 sentences or less, how would you do it?

- Shadows Over Sheradan is an action-packed science-fantasy adventure about a prince who accidentally sets off a disaster on his homeworld, and has to race against time to set things right before it's too late. It is a fresh take on fantasy because it takes place on the very edge of space.

2) How did you come up with the idea for SOS? How long did it take for you to write it?

- The novel is based on a role-playing world I created as a teenager. It borrows several characters that were developed during gaming sessions with friends or online stories I wrote after our group stopped meeting regularly. The book took eleven months to write, but a good deal of the world development, characters, and situations, were already fleshed out before the book project even started in earnest. 

- The idea of fantasy on the edge of space arose from a desire to offer a fresh twist on the fantasy genre. With all the good writing out there, what can be created that hasn't been tried before? Taking the adventure into the edge of space? Now, that's a fresh concept!

3) Have you always wanted to write? Did you ever think you are going to get published?

- I have always had stories to tell. As a gamer, I would often assume the role of the game master, in part because I loved telling stories, and in part because my world became a well-known platform for adventures among my friends. I can't say that I dreamt of being a writer when I was young. Becoming a writer by traditional channels always seemed unattainable, so I never considered it seriously. With self-publishing, however, it gave me direct access to the market without waiting years for someone to approve my manuscript. I am presently working with a US literacy agency to get into a traditional company, but in the meantime at least, my book is out there and I am growing my readership.

Interview and Giveaway: Extracted (The Lost Imperials, #1) by Sherry D Ficklin and Tyler H Jolley

This post was proofread by Grammarly's Grammar Corrector. 

Welcome to the war. The Tesla Institute is a premier academy that trains young time travelers called Rifters. Created by Nicola Tesla, the Institute seeks special individuals who can help preserve the time stream against those who try to alter it. The Hollows is a rogue band of Rifters who tear through time with little care for the consequences. Armed with their own group of lost teens--their only desire to find Tesla and put an end to his corruption of the time stream. Torn between them are Lex and Ember, two Rifters with no memories of their life before joining the time war. When Lex's girlfriend dies during a mission, the only way he can save her is to retrieve the Dox, a piece of tech which allows Rifters to re-enter their own timeline without collapsing the time stream. But the Dox is hidden deep within the Telsa Institute, which means Lex must go into the enemy camp. It's there he meets Ember, and the past that was stolen from them both comes flooding back. Now armed with the truth of who they are, Lex and Ember must work together to save the future before the battle for time destroys them both again.

Interview Time

1.     If you could work with any author who would it be?  

Sherry- Tyler. Just Tyler. There’s a level of trust when you write with someone. I don’t know that I could work with anyone else.

Tyler – I have to say, being able to work with Sherry has made the writing process more enjoyable than if I were writing on my own.  In fact, I would recommend if you have anyone you are close to or have the same interests, get them to be your co-author.

2.     Who is your favorite author and is you writing style similar to theirs?  

Sherry- I don’t have one favorite. I’m a fairly diverse reader. And I’m not sure my style is similar to anyone else’s. Not sure I want it to be.

Tyler – My favorite author is probably Michael Crichton, and is my writing style similar? No.

3.     What's your favorite part of a book?  

Sherry- Depends on the book. Usually the climax, right before the end.

Tyler – My favorite part of a book is when ideas that are mentioned at the beginning become revealed as important plot points at the middle to end of the book.  Basically when the intertwining storylines come together.

4.     When naming your characters, do you give any thought to the actual meaning? 

Sherry-  Yeah. At least for main characters. Sometimes secondary characters don’t get quite as much attention, but in Extracted, it was intense. Every single character (that I got to name, Tyler named all the Hollows kids) was a real person with a real history. I got to re-name them in a way, but yeah. It was a lot of work.

Tyler – No, I did not, except for Lex which was short for Alexei.

5.     How do you get started with writing a story (as in, how do you start developing the story, how do you get inspired for it)? 

Sherry- It’s different for each story. Extracted was a LOT of what I call book scaffolding. You have to have this intense blueprint of your book, make sure each piece falls perfectly into place. But, for example, my new book doesn’t even have an outline. I’m surprised by every turn it takes.

Tyler – I retire to my office in my house where there’s a big white board and I just start writing down ideas.  I take a photo of that and then I use it to create somewhat of an outline. I have a tendency to write my book in scenes versus a linear outline.  For some reason when I have a certain scene that is so vivid in my head, I have to just write it so I can move on to the rest of the story.  

6.     What advice would you give to people who "run out of creativity" when writing? 

Sherry – Step away for a bit. Try to take in other things, books, movies, even just wandering around old antique stores helps me. Also, relax. The best ideas come when the brain is relaxed. But never stay away from writing for too long. Once you quit writing routinely, it’s difficult to begin again.

Tyler – I agree with Sherry, stepping away from your writing for too long makes you get out of a routine.  I’ve suffered from that in the past. What I like to do is find somebody who has the patience to listen.  I like to talk through the certain creative slump that I am in. By default my wife usually ends up being that person.

Review ♥ Interview: Not Your Ordinary Wolf Girl by Emily Pohl Weary

Sometimes Living in the Big Apple Really Bites!

Eighteen-year-old rock star Sam Lee isn't like other girls. She's the super-talented bass player and songwriter for an all-girl indie band and an incurable loner. Then one night after a concert in Central Park, she's attacked by a wild dog. 

Suddenly, this long-time vegetarian is craving meat--the bloodier, the better. Sam finds herself with an unbelievable secret and no one she trusts to share it. And so begin the endless lies to cover up the hairy truth... 

When a new girl gang appears in the city--with claws and paws--Sam suspects there's a connection to her own inner beast. Trapped in a tug-of-war between her animal and human selves, forced to choose between the guy who sparked her carnal appetite and the one who makes her feel like a normal teenage girl, Sam has to unravel the mysteries of the werewolf world before her bandmates, her mother, and the media catch up to her.

Today, I am honoured to have Emily Pohl Weary stopping by my blog. Thank you Emily and Razorbill Canada! First, my review of the book.

Review 

Thank you Razorbill Canada for the ARC. All quotes from quoted were from the ARC.

I don't know why but my guilty pleasure in books is "books about celebrities, or musicians, or reality TV stars and their daily lives". For some reason, I just love those books, no matter how unrealistic they are. :3 Heehee. This is why I didn't hate this book., in fact I quite enjoyed it. Weird, I know.

First I want to get something off my chest. You know one thing that just puts me off of werewolf/vampire books? The whole "transforming process". I've read enough books about werewolves and vampires that I know every single "transforming process" sounds the same. For vampires you get super thirsty for blood; you can hear people's blood pumping through their veins etc etc. For werewolves it is more "gross" with the sweat, need to eat raw meat etc. This is why I normally don't pick up a werewolf or vampire books. I've already read enough that I know 20-30% of the book because that percentage is about the main protagonist's transforming process. I think Emily used about 7% (or probably less) of the book reminding us that Sam had weird cravings and other stuff. And the writing was not bad for those parts of the book. It was just that it was a bit predictable that I became a little boring. But I'm glad that I wasn't constantly bombarding with Sam's changes. I would've gone crazy if it did.

Interview ♥ Giveaway with Sheenah Freitas, Author of the Zincian Legend Series

Genre: YA fantasyRelease Date: March 13, 2012
Kaia disappeared for five years. Now she's back and her planet is on the brink of war.

The new "Numbers" program, created by the Tueors' leader, tracks and isolates demigods. Kaia's friend, Catrina, refuses to take part, and that makes her the most dangerous Number of all.

It's Kaia's duty to gather and protect the treasures of the gods. But neither the treasures nor Catrina are what they appear to be.

As the day a dire prophesy foresees draws near, will Kaia reverse the gears of fate, or will everything she's ever loved be burned away by the flames of war?

Goodreads

(Amazon) | (Barnes and Noble) | (Book Depository) | (iTunes) | (Smashwords)

First and foremost  I am veryyyy happy to have Sheenah, who is a super awesome friend and author here on FireStarBooks today. I had a blast!

INTERVIEW TIME!!

Who is your favorite author and is you writing style similar to theirs? 

J.K. Rowling~! I just want to visit Hogwarts forever. I seriously doubt my writing style is similar to hers, but if anyone ever compared my work to hers, I would die happy and demand that quote be engraved on my tombstone.

When naming your characters, do you give any thought to the actual meaning?

I think I give too much thought into the meaning of names. I’m constantly pouring through name meaning websites and books and trying to figure out if it’s a good match or not. And then there are the rare occasions where I just pick a random and just go with it.

How do you get started with writing a story (as in, how do you start developing the story, how do you get inspired for it)?

I think I tackle writing a book like animators tackle making a movie. Or at least, that’s how it feels sometimes. I have my outline and then I start drafting. Sometime during the draft phase, I make storyboards of scenes complete with sketches. To see how my characters look and the blocking involved visually helps me make a scene richer (or at least I hope it does).

What are your current projects? 

I’m currently working on the last book in my trilogy. I usually work on one novel project at a time, however, an opportunity came along where I’m also working on an Alice in Wonderland project with one of my author buddies. So balancing the two projects has been interesting, to say the least.

Interview (Vlog Style)♥Giveaway: The Savage Blue by Zoraida Cordova

A storm is coming...

The ocean is a vicious place. Deeper and darker than Tristan could have imagined. Beneath its calm blue surface, an ancient battle is churning —and no one is safe.

In the quest for the Sea Throne, Tristan has already watched one good friend die. Now he must lead the rest on a dangerous voyage in search of the trident that will make him king. But while Tristan chases his destiny, the dark forces racing against him are getting stronger, and the sea witch of his nightmares is getting closer.

Battling sea dragons and savage creatures of the deep, Tristan needs his friends' support. But they each have their secrets, and a betrayal will force Tristan to choose between his crown and his best friend Layla — the only girl he's ever loved.

Hiiii! Today I am sooooo honoured to have Zoraida stopping by for a Q&A session, what's cooler is that she did it in a vlog form!! Awesome! If you didn't know, I loooovee The Vicious Deep (the first book in the series), I myself did a horrible vlog review of it....aha...go check it out if you want here. Anywhooo~ Let's get started with Zoraida :D

Interview

Giveaway

Now time for the epic giveaway! At the bottom of the post you will see the prize packs, super awesome right? So why wait, enter now! :D

Interview♥Giveaway: Vengeance Bound by Justina Ireland

Title: Vengeance Bound

Author: Justina Ireland

Publisher: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers

Release date: April 2, 2013

Amazon |Barnes and Noble | Indiebound

The Goddess Test meets Dexter in an edgy, compelling debut about one teen’s quest for revenge… no matter how far it takes her.

Cory Graff is not alone in her head. Bound to a deal of desperation made when she was a child, Cory’s mind houses the Furies—the hawk and the serpent—lingering always, waiting for her to satisfy their bloodlust. After escaping the asylum where she was trapped for years, Cory knows how to keep the Furies quiet. By day, she lives a normal life, but by night, she tracks down targets the Furies send her way. And she brings down Justice upon them.

Cory’s perfected her system of survival, but when she meets a mysterious boy named Niko at her new school, she can’t figure out how she feels about him. For the first time, the Furies are quiet in her head around a guy. But does this mean that Cory’s finally found someone who she can trust, or are there greater factors at work? As Cory’s mind becomes a battlefield, with the Furies fighting for control, Cory will have to put everything on the line to hold on to what she’s worked so hard to build.

Interview with Justina Ireland

Please share with us a little bit about Cory and what readers can expect from the main character.

J.I: Cory is pretty much a hot mess. Her real name is Amelie, but since she’s on the run she has to use an alias, and she’s kind of lost herself. She’s lonely but also not good at making genuine connections with people, mostly because she has to hide such a large part of her life. So she lives a very fractured existence: normal life by day, the Furies’ vengeance by night.

Vengeance Bound is really about Amelie reconciling those two parts of herself, and deciding who she wants to be: an agent of the Furies or a normal girl with normal interests? And really, can she even be normal?

Interview: Eliza Green, Author of Becoming Human

Two worlds. Two species. One terrifying secret.

In 2163, a polluted and overcrowded Earth forces humans to search for a new home. But the exoplanet they target, Exilon 5, is occupied. Having already begun a massive relocation programme, Bill Taggart is sent to monitor the Indigenes, the race that lives there. He is a man on the edge. He believes the Indigenes killed his wife, but he doesn’t know why. His surveillance focuses on the Indigene Stephen, who has risked his life to surface during the daytime.

Stephen has every reason to despise the humans and their attempts to colonise his planet. To protect his species from further harm, he must go against his very nature and become human. But one woman holds a secret that threatens Bill’s and Stephen’s plans, an untruth that could rip apart the lives of those on both worlds.

Read an excerpt here.

Interview

1. What's your favorite part of a book? 

The part where you get to know the characters. No matter how interesting a book may be, I feel very little when I start reading it because I don’t know anyone. It’s that moment when you peel back the curtain and see into their lives.

2. When naming your characters, do you give any thought to the actual meaning?

The name has to be appropriate for where the character is from. For example, my protagonist, Bill Taggart, is from Scotland and Taggart is a strong Scottish surname. Other than that, not really, but a character’s personality will often give me clues. I might picture him or her in my head and I’ll run a few names over and back. A name has to feel right before I’ll give it to them.

Interview♥Giveaway: Stitch by Samantha Durante

Genre/Keywords: Paranormal Romance, Ghost, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult, New Adult

Length: 75,000 words (314 pages)

Sample chapters: Ch1-5 (38 pages)

Release date: August 1st, 2012

Stitch Synopsis
Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa’s body screams at her to run… but yet she’s powerless to move.
Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghostly presence. In between grappling with exams and sorority soirees – and disturbing recurring dreams of being captive in a futuristic prison hell – Alessa is determined to unravel the mystery of the apparition who leaves her breathless. But the terrifying secret she uncovers will find her groping desperately through her nightmares for answers.
Because what Alessa hasn’t figured out yet is that she’s not really a student, the object of her obsession is no ghost, and her sneaking suspicions that something sinister is lurking behind the walls of her university’s idyllic campus are only just scratching the surface…
The opening installment in a twist-laden trilogy, Stitch spans the genres of paranormal romance and dystopian sci-fi to explore the challenges of a society in transition, where morality, vision, and pragmatism collide leaving the average citizen to suffer the results.

Author Interview with Samantha Durante

1. How do you get started with writing a story (as in, how do you start developing the story, how do you get inspired for it)?

First off, thanks so much for hosting me, Ashley!  I’m very excited to visit FireStarBooks today!

When it comes to inspiration for my writing, it really comes from all over – and a lot of times completely out of nowhere!  I dream fairly often and have always had very vivid dreams, even sometimes with fully-formed plots and sub-plots (I’m weird! I know), so some of my most creative ideas have actually come to me in dreams.  And a lot of the time I also get ideas for stories as I’m settling down to sleep at night.  I find that if I don’t fall asleep right away, my mind tends to wander and if I happen to be struggling with a storyline or having trouble developing a character, a lot of times this is when the answer will come to me.  So I always keep my phone nearby so that I can jot down some quick notes before I fall asleep and forget!

Interview♥Giveaway: The Essence by Kimberly Derting

“Danger, dread, mystery, and romance” (Booklist) continue in the second book of The Pledge trilogy, as Charlie’s reign is under siege from the most unusual of enemies.

At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen’s Essence is fused to Charlie’s psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness.

Charlie is not weak, but she’s being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she’s busy being queen—and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she’s Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset—she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within.

Release date: January 1, 2013

Goodreads

Interview

1. If you could work with any author who would it be? 

I would have a hard time turning down the chance to work with JK Rowling, but who wouldn’t, right???

2. Who is your favourite author and is you writing style similar to theirs? 

I adore Holly Black’s Curse Workers series (WHITE CAT, RED GLOVE, BLACK HEART), but as much as I’d love to write like her, her style is uniquely her own.

New Cover♥Interview: Painted Blind by Michelle A. Hansen

Psyche Middleton vows her dad will never see the risqué photos she took during a summer modeling stint abroad, but one of them ends up on a billboard in her Montana hometown, where everyone—especially her dad—can see it. That becomes the least of her worries when she meets Erik, a mysterious guy who rescues her from a mob and who she’s never actually seen because he can make himself invisible.

Erik takes her to his palace in an idyllic kingdom, and she is swept into the beauty and culture of his world, but his affection has one condition: she may not see him. Enchanted, intrigued, and not wholeheartedly believing he’s real, Psyche can’t bring herself to love him blindly. When she betrays his trust for a glimpse of his face, Psyche ends up at the mercy of Erik’s controlling mother, who demands that Psyche prove herself in order to be reunited with him. Psyche knows love is never easy, but this is ridiculous. She agrees to complete three impossible tasks to prove her devotion to Erik—or die trying. 

This modern retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche is a fantastical journey filled with laughter, danger, and the indomitable power of love.

You can check out my review here.

Interview

What's your favorite part of a book?

I am a sucker for a happy ending. To me, the ending makes the book. That’s why I don’t really like reading a series. I don’t like to be left hanging.

When naming your characters, do you give any thought to the actual meaning?

I give more thought to connotation than actual meaning. Names are very important to me. Often when I stumble on the right name, the character’s backstory falls into place right along with it. It’s like once the character is named, s/he comes to life.

How do you get started with writing a story (as in, how do you start developing the story, how do you get inspired for it)

I have several stories bouncing around in my head. Some of them come from “what ifs.” Others are inspired by a place. I choose the next story to write by how well the idea is developed in my head. If there is a major gap in plot or character development, I know it needs to simmer in my brain a little longer.

Two of my shelved manuscripts were inspired by real events that I changed into a story.

Interview♥Giveaway: Eve Hallows by Robert Gray

EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHRIEKS (BOOK 1)
For fourteen-year-old Eve Hallows, life can be summed up in one word—horrible.  She has the most horrible friends.  She lives in a horrible old castle.  Even her family is a bunch of horrible monsters.

However, in the monster-inhabited world of Gravesville—a world where messages are sent through Ouija boards, jack-o’-lanterns get facials to suit their moods, and the worst thing Eve has to deal with are those annoying zombie tourists who overrun her favorite graveyard during the Halloween season—horrible means wonderful.  And everything for Eve is perfectly horrible.

But her life is about to go head over heels when a mysterious group known as The Source starts terrorizing Gravesville.  Now she must move to the human world—where everything is opposite ... and for Eve, that's absolutely adorable!

Praise for Eve Hallows and the Book of Shrieks:

"Move over, Neil Gaiman’s CORALINE and THE GRAVEYARD BOOK … make room, Lemony Snicket’s A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS … you’ve got company and competition for shelf space!" -- THE HORROR FICTION REVIEW

"WOW! What an absolutely horrible book (horrible meaning fantastic!) ... This book was laugh out loud funny.  I loved when Mom accidentally turned people to stone.  Dad's crazy attempts at running a pizza store were just hysterical." -- KIDS 'N' BOOKS

"This is the perfect book to be read aloud, read at night under the covers or simply devoured in one sitting. Robert Gray’s Eve Hallows and the Book of Shrieks simply shines with all of its fun creepiness, compelling characters and stellar writing. A MUST read for any MG fan!" -- WORD SPELUNKING

 "Eve Hallows is highly imaginative without being too complex for its target audience. Fall in love with Eve, her friends and her family of adorable monsters. Lose yourself in a light read that will remind you of those days when your English teacher just want you to read something, anything. This book is it. The one that you wish you read when you were in grade school." -- JOYOUS READS

"Overall, this book was fantastic. It presents an admirable role model as well as a strong family unit which will benefit young readers. When so many books right now have presented teens in a not-so-flattering light, it is so wonderful to find a book like this one." -- BOOK COVER JUSTICE

Purchase

Kindle * Amazon

EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHADOWS (BOOK 2)

Ever since encountering The Source and its minions on Halloween, Eve Hallows has found life surprisingly quiet … not to mention adorably boring!  So when Dad receives a Ouija message that she must return to Gravesville, Eve couldn't be happier—at least until she discovers the Director of URNS, also known as the Grim Reaper, has a special job for Eve … one that will lead her to New York City and to the true identity of The Source.


With The Book of Shrieks offering zero help and a new URNS agent driving the school boys—and Eve!—crazy, Eve's beginning to realize this whole saving-the-world nonsense isn't what it's cracked up to be.

All this and she still has to find The Book of Shadows....

Praise for Eve Hallows and the Book of Shadows:
"This book was perfectly horrible! Horrible meaning amazingly awesome, of course. Eve's world once again sucked me in and would not let go until this part of Eve's story was finished" -- LILI LOST IN A BOOK

"This is a perfect combination of YA, Horror, Paranormal and Fun!" -- BOOK LOVERS PARADISE

Purchase

Kindle * Amazon

Inteview

When naming your characters, do you give any thought to the actual meaning?

Sometimes.  For instance, Eve Hallows, the main character in the series, is a reversal of Hallows Eve ... real shocker there, I know.  What you might not know, though, is Hallows (as it relates to Halloween) means saint, which I thought also appropriate for the hero.

Interview♥Giveaway: Betwixt by Melissa Pearl

Book description:

Beautiful, wild-child Nicole Tepper is hit by a car and left for dead. But when she wakes the next morning, Nicole finds herself in bed without a scratch. Perhaps she was more intoxicated than usual, as her mother is giving her the silent treatment and her friends are ignoring her as well. 

Things take a turn for the weird when Nicole soon discovers she is actually hovering between life and death. Her body is lying in the forest while her spirit is searching for anyone who can hear her. Unfortunately the only person who can is Dale Finnigan, the guy she publicly humiliated with a sharp-tongued insult that has left him branded.

Desperate, Nicole has no choice but to haunt Dale and convince the freaked-out senior to help her. Will he find her body before it's too late? Or will the guy who tried to kill her with his car, beat him there and finish her off before anyone finds out?

Facebook | Website | Twitter: @MelissaPearlG | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords

Interview

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

About ten years ago. I always had a vivid imagination and stories were always dancing around in my brain, but I didn't write my first novel until I was 23 and after that, I was completely hooked. I wanted to quit teaching there and then, but we couldn't afford to. I'm lucky enough to be a stay at home mom, so it gives me the opportunity to pursue my writing. I'm really hoping by the time my youngest starts school, I'll be in a position where I can stay home and write my little heart out :)

Interview♥Giveaway: Jealous Glass by Gwen Perkins

The Jealousy Glass

"We came to stop a war before it came to Cercia. And it seems the war has come to us."

Responsibility and patriotism spur Cercia's new leader, Quentin, to protect his beloved country at all costs and he assigns Asahel and Felix to serve as ambassadors and secret agents to Anjdur. Their journey quickly turns awry and Asahel and Felix barely escape a devastating shipwreck, walk a tightrope of political tension, and rescue an empress before they learn they must face an enemy closer to them than they thought.

Will they be able to uncover an assassin's plot before it's too late? Will Asahel be able to unearth a secret that is vital to their mission? Will Cercia survive its own revolution? In The Jealousy Glass, Perkins boldly continues a series of unforgettable characters and events that will leave you begging for more.

AMAZON PURCHASE LINKS: The Jealousy Glass | TheUniversal Mirror

Interview

If you could work with any author who would it be? 

I'm actually writing a series of short stories and a novel right now with my dream collaborator, Wilson Fabián Saravia. (I'm still not exactly sure how on earth I managed to convince him to write with me!) He's just the greatest person to work with—a brilliant conceptualist, fantastic artist, and our minds seem to always fall beautifully into sync. There is honestly no one that I would rather work with more.

If I had to pick someone else? Either R.S. Hunter, Brandon Sanderson or Peter Straub—Hunter and Sanderson for their amazing worldbuilding abilities and Straub because his writing style is so poetic and lyrical. (Though I note, they're all completely different authors.)

Interview♥Giveaway: The Dirt by Lori Culwell

Book description:

Lucy Whitley cannot wait to get out of Palm Desert. It’s not a place for a frizzy-haired science nerd, particularly when her fashion-obsessed older sister Sloane is the head of a clique of pretty girls who rule the school—and practically the whole town.Fortunately, life is about to change forever. Lucy’s dad is getting re-married, and then she can transfer to a boarding school in Connecticut, escaping all the mean girls and the endless whispers about the Whitley family scandal. Everything is going to be perfect—as long as the wedding goes smoothly.

Author Interview with Lori Culwell

Q: What inspired you to write THE DIRT?
I grew up in Palm Desert, California (where the book is set). This is what I imagined went on “behind the scenes” in some of the houses of the families I knew.

Q: What were the challenges while writing this book?

This book had several “false starts,” where I had a concept, got about 1/3 of the way into the story, and then realized it wouldn’t work logistically through the end of the book (and possibly sequels). Another tough part was the fact I am an only child, so I really had to interview a lot of people to get my head around what it was like to be a member of a large family.

Interview: Barely Alive by Bonnie R. Paulson

Barely Alive

***This is a MATURE YA themed series. There are adult themes and strong language.***

In twelve weeks, seventeen-year-old Paul Ledger will be dead. At least he hopes so.

Paul is trapped in the worst cult the United States has ever seen. Infected with a zombie virus, symptoms culminate in a dead body but thriving mind over a course of twelve weeks. If he doesn’t earn the final death he longs for, he’ll be chained in a basement facility, moaning for human flesh for eternity.

Sent out to kidnap girls for food, toys, or whatever the boss wants, Paul nabs Heather McCain. He’s not a fan of humans as a general rule, but even his graying skin and insatiable hunger for her flesh don’t stop her from reaching out to him. Give him the second chance he doesn’t know he needs.

Overcome by his cravings, Paul bites her delectable skin. Amazingly, she doesn’t develop the zombie-like side effects. When the boss discovers Heather’s immunity, he gives Paul an ultimatum – deliver up Heather and her family to continue the research or watch as Paul’s brother suffers the zombie fate.

Paul has a chance to endure his short zombie existence knowing his brother is safe. But he’ll have to sacrifice Heather to do it.

Falling Apart

*This is book #2 in the Barely Alive series. This series is sequential and should not be read out of order.*
** This is ADULT THEMED and for MATURE YA audiences. Language and content is - again - mature.**

Days slip through Paul’s graying fingers. Humanity faces the end. His brother has the virus and is dying, too.

Paul’s hopes ride on Heather’s genetic code. Her immunity leaves her unchanged and untouchable. What would she see in the zombie he was becoming anyway?

Dominic’s army of infected grows, capturing the south and leaving little alive in its wake.

While Paul and his friends work on the vaccine, protecting the north becomes protecting the world. Heather is taken hostage and Paul races toward Dominic to save his heart.

With his time “alive” shortened, Paul must do more than protect the uninfected. He has to get his brother and Heather back to Sandpoint before the zombies find them. Paul needs to survive the upcoming war before he finds himself defecting to the other side and leaving Heather to Dominic’s mercy.

He has three days to get the cure or he might as well find a fire to call home.

Mostly Dead

*This is book #3 in the Barely Alive series. This series is sequential and should not be read out of order.*
** This is ADULT THEMED and for MATURE YA audiences. Language and content is - again - mature.**

Time is running out and Paul’s original wish for death looms.

As his skin grays and hunger becomes uncontrollable, the world burns.

Heather and Paul have fallen for each other, but with life and death barricading them apart, and the potential cure disappearing into time, they have no hope.

Paul’s hunger is all-consuming. He has to walk into the flames, join Dominic, or eat everyone he loves.

Can he save anyone, if not himself?

Bonnie R. Paulson mixes her science and medical background with reality and possibilities to make even myths seem likely and give every romance the genetic strength to survive. Bonnie has discovered a dark and twisty turn in her writing that she hopes you enjoy as much as she has enjoyed uncovering it. Dirt biking with her family in the Northwest keeps her sane.

Links:

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/bonpaulson

Twitter: @bonnierpaulson

Www.bonnierpaulson.com

Goodreads: Bonnie R. Paulson

Amazon links:

Barely Alive

Falling Apart

Mostly Dead

Barnes and Noble links

Barely Alive

Falling Apart

First, thank you so much for having me. These questions are simply awesome and I had a blast answering! Thank you!


1. What's your favorite part of a book? My answer is kind of weird. I like the covers and the blurbs. You know, that moment right before you open the story and start to read. It reminds me of a first date – I haven’t been disappointed or thrilled or surprised yet, but the possibility is there to fall in love or be kissed or be saved. That’s my favorite. The right before.