The audiobook of Dream Student has been officially approved.  It’s now in the hands of Amazon, as they do whatever it is that they do for the “validation” process.  According to the nice person at Customer Service, it should be available for sale in 15-20 business days.  Fingers crossed!

I had the book recorded through Amazon’s Audiobook Creation Exchange.  Authors can put up their work and offer it to narrators; and narrators post samples of their work, and list what accents, age ranges, etc. they specialize in.  As an author, I can search for narrators who fit my books, and they can search for books that suit their taste and talents.

In my case, I sought out a narrator.  You can narrow your search in several ways: Genre, Gender, Age, Accent, Language and Style.  For Dream Student, most of the choices were straightforward.

For Gender, female was the obvious choice.  The book is told in first person, from the point of view of a 21 year old woman.  That also determined the Age (the choices are: Young Child, Tween, Teenager, Young Adult, Adult, Middle-Aged and Elderly).  I went with Young Adult.  Language was English, again obviously.

There are 30 choices for accent (American-New York, British-Cockney, Italian, etc.).  I opted for American-General American.  Sara is from Pennsylvania, about an hour from Philadelphia, and at this point in her story she’s lived in Cleveland, at college, for three years.  None of the other choices really fit.

For Style, there are over 60 choices.  They range all over the map, from Brooding, to Frightened, to Child-Like, to Sultry, etc.  I played around with this choice quite a bit, and I finally opted for “Engaging”.  Over the course of the book, Sara goes through a wide range of experiences, and we see her at her best and worst, and everywhere in between.  Engaging seemed like a good, general choice to capture the style of her narration.

And, finally, Genre.  I played around with this as well.  I finally opted for “Fiction” as a more general choice to give myself more options for potential narrators (I considered both Romance and Mystery/Thriller, but I didn’t get as many results to choose from).

In the end, I had 60 or so narrators result from my search.  They all had samples of their work, and I was very taken with the samples of one in particular.  So I sent her a message, told her about the books, and she responded that she had a “gut feeling” about them.

Once we came to an agreement (when you formally arrange for the production, you have to set up deadlines for when the book will be finished, etc), the next step was for Heather, my narrator (her website is here), to record the first 15 minutes and send it to me.

This step is to make sure we’re both on the same page as far as how the book should sound.  Did she get the character voices right?  Did she capture the tone I was looking for?  And so on.  Obviously, Heather did all that and then some; I was blown away.  So I approved those 15 minutes, and she then went on to record the whole book.

A month or so, and 11.5 hours of audio later, the book was finished.  Then my task became to listen to the whole thing for any changes, edits, etc.  There were 10 or so words that needed to be changed (out of a book that was 94,000 words!) and one name (only mentioned on three occasions in the book) that wasn’t pronounced the way I had it in my head.  Heather quickly made those edits, and, voila!  I approved the book!

Amazon/ACX made the process easy and straightforward.  Heather made it easy as well; she was responsive, professional and a pleasure to work with.  And now you know how an audiobook is made!

If you click below, you can listen to the first ten minutes of the book; that should whet your appetite for the whole thing, coming very soon…

Dream Student Audiobook Sample

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As usual, I’m at the Virtual Book Fair on Facebook this week – please hop on over and check it out.  There are dozens of great indie authors for you to discover!

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I’m thrilled to host another virtual book tour – today, I’ve got Garry Rogers and his first novel “Corr Syl the Warrior.”

Garry Rogers has a PhD in Physical Geography.  He taught at Columbia University and UCLA, and currently serves as President of the Agua Fria Open Space Alliance, Inc.  He has published three nonfiction books, and hundreds articles in peer-reviewed science journals and conference proceedings.  He is currently working on a sequel to his debut novel Corr Syl the Warrior, and a second volume on Arizona wildlife.

You can find Garry at his blog, Facebook, Goodreads, Google Plus and on Twitter.

His brand new, debut novel, is “Corr Syl the Warrior:

When an armed patrol crosses the border into Wycliff District, the Wycliff Council sends Corr Syl to investigate and recommend a response. Corr soon learns that spies have infiltrated his district, and already many lives are at risk. He catches a glimpse of something truly evil, and with no time to spare, must choose between a safe response that might fail, and a sure response that might start a global war.

Here’s a map of the Wycliff District from the novel…

You can buy the book at Amazon (Kindle or print) and on CreateSpace.

And I’ve also got an interview with Garry.  Make sure to read to the end, because there’s a giveaway as well!

Question: What have you published recently?

Fiction:  “Corr Syl the Warrior” (ISBN:  978-1484989890)
Nonfiction:  “Arizona Wildlife Notebook” (ISBN:  978-1480096509)
I also contribute articles on wildlife conservation for my website, local news media, government agencies, and others.  For instance, I just wrote a walking tour of a local stream habitat for schoolchildren.

Question: How, and when, did you decide to become a writer?

My middle and high school teachers encouraged me to write.  After high school, my education and subsequent careers in science and business required a great deal of writing.  I published several nonfiction science books and hundreds of articles in peer-reviewed science journals and scientific conference proceedings.  Learning to write fiction has been a stimulating challenge.

Question:  Why switch to fiction?

Much of my work in science focuses on desert vegetation.  Houses and roads are steadily obliterating the sites I study.  As the vegetation habitat is lost, the wildlife declines.  In my state, public agencies report that over half of native wildlife species are tending toward extinction.  Land use planners could avoid many of the human impacts on vegetation.  With a novel, I can reach a wider audience than the scientists who read my technical work.

Question: Where can we find your published writing?

Amazon now, and other bookstores in a few weeks.  Google Scholar has a more complete list of my published work, and my website “About” page has an exhausting list.

Question: What is a typical day like for you as a writer?

Feed the cats, make coffee, write, exercise, feed birds and ducks, do a little landscape maintenance, write some more, read.

Question: What are your favorite characters that you have created?  Tell us about them

Corr Syl is a talented young warrior in a society dominated by much older individuals.  Wanting to avoid responsibility, but always willing to help, Corr agrees to investigate a murder and a minor invasion by a dangerous species.  Corr’s preference would be to go on a long trip with another warrior named Rhya Bright.  Instead, he becomes a key figure in a conflict and must see it through.  Corr likes to have fun with friends, likes to tell stories, and wants to be a comedian.  He has trouble with timing, however, and his jokes tend to elicit groans instead of laughs.

Rhya Bright, a warrior in training, and even younger than Corr Syl, is attracted to Corr.  She hides her interest because of pride and determination to form intimate relationships only with equals, not superiors.  Among her martial skills, Rhya excels in archery and battle strategy.  Rhya has a hidden compulsion to protect weaker individuals.  She becomes involved in the same conflict as Corr, and the two become very close as they work to solve a great problem.  Rhya is a good dancer and a great conversationalist.  I would be delighted to spend all my time within range of her cheery disposition.

I like several of the other characters.  I modeled Ralph Mäkinen after a close friend who had a good heart, a great sense of humor, and who was the All City Amateur Golden Gloves boxing champion.  Allysen Olykden is the older but beautiful, wise, and sympathetic friend we would all like to have.  I also like Aaron Li for beneath a dark calculating exterior, Li is a dedicated humanitarian.  And I could go on.

Question: do you find you “mentally edit” other writers’ works as you read them?  Does doing this help you or bother you?

I am interested in the methods used by other writers.  I am often impressed with the new ideas and techniques they use to compose scenes and handle interactions.  For me, looking behind the writing curtain adds an extra dimension that usually enriches the story.

Question: What music do you listen to, while writing?

I like many types of music, but I prefer silence when I write.

Question: What do you eat while writing?

I sip coffee, but take a break when I eat.

Five for Fun:

What is your favourite non-alcoholic drink? 

Water.  Someone said that drinking lots of water would help me keep my weight down.  Seems to work.

What is your favourite cartoon character? 

Judge Doom the antagonist in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.”  Doom is motivated and witty.  But, what does he do for fun.  Perhaps he golfs, bowls, or reads?

What is your favourite movie of all time? 

I liked the Blues Brothers, but have to pick “The Long Kiss Goodnight.”  After both lead characters are tortured, beaten and wounded in various ways, Gina Davis, staggering, dripping blood, eyes black, crawls into a car shakily steered by Samuel Jackson who is just as messed up.  As Jackson weaves away, he asks Davis if she is all right, and she manages, “Are you stupid?”  My kind of humour.

What do you like to do for fun or just to relax? 

I like to chase animals around with my camera, but I also like to go dancing, drinking, and camping. I have read thousands of books.  I like movies and plays, and I am a fan of Red Dwarf, West Wing, and Dexter.

Question: Where can we find you on the web? 

My Website

Amazon Author Page

Facebook Page

Google+ Page

Google+Community

Google Scholar

Goodreads

LibraryThing

LinkedIn

Pinterest

StumbleUpon

Twitter 

And, as promised, here’s the giveaway…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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I’ve got the finished files!  And they are just…words fail me.  Heather Jane Hogan has done an amazing job.  I’m just reviewing the whole thing now (so far, I’ve found literally TWO WORDS that need to be edited, out of the first four full chapters).

I am SO looking forward to sharing this with all of you!

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I’m happy to introduce you to another great indie author. Today I’ve got Holly Dae:

A 22 year old college student whose been writing novels since she was ten, Holly Dae writes YA fantasy and paranormal novels featuring a diverse cast of characters, usually featuring an African-American female protagonist. When she’s not writing or doing homework, she’s gardening, cooking, obsessing over Teen Wolf and trying her best not to spend her gas allowance on new books.

You can find Holly at her blog, on Goodreads and on Twitter.

Holly’s new book is “White Rose: The Seal of Oblivion”, which is the first book of a series…

“Look at you, coming in here all demanding. As if. You’re just some prissy bourgeois-y rich girl cry baby. Doesn’t even want to be the hero, but ironically wants the hero relic. What are you going to do, pretend in your house for a while and then when the real fight comes, cower?”

Thirteen-year-old Laqiya wants to be normal, but that’s a hard feat when she can control the forces of nature. It become even harder when she finds out from her old babysitter, Nightshield, a part feline woman who literally has nine lives, that she is the reincarnation of a woman who locked a power hungry tyrant in oblivion and created the seal of oblivion to make sure he stayed there. Now the seal is breaking and if Laqiya wants to be normal, she has to deal with the baggage her past self left behind, starting with find the pieces to a staff that used to belong to her past incarnation before one of The Tyrant’s dark mistresses, Lady Sahajah, finds them first and uses them to destroy the seal of the oblivion.

Laqiya would actually be content to simply ignore Lady Sahajah and her so-called destiny. But Laqiya quickly finds out that the dark mistress won’t let her because the Tyrant is afraid of her. While he can try to take over the world with his dark powers, Laqiya can stop him by turning the forces of nature against him. That is if Laqiya could figure out how to actually use her powers.

And going head to head with the Tyrant’s dark mistress Lady Sahajah is not like the anime she likes to watch on the internet. Instinct does not always lead her in the right direction. Good is not in everyone. And Lady Sahajah doesn’t plan on wasting time lecturing Laqiya on her brilliant plan before she kills her so that Laqiya can figure out a way to defeat her. 

Laqiya has no choice but to try to stop Lady Sahajah. More than that, Laqiya has to try to invoke the alter identity of her previous incarnation. She has to be The White Rose… Then, maybe after all that, she can at least pretend to be normal again.

You can buy the book, right now, with one simple click, at Amazon!

I’ve got an interview with Holly…

Tell us about your family.

I’m the oldest of seven (six girls and one boy) and between them and my parents, there is never a dull moment for me. As a result of being the oldest though, I am also incredibly bossy and my family does nothing to help it because they depend on me for a lot and take everything I say on face value because of it. Some of the interactions between the characters I write are usually based on my interactions with my family.

Tell us about your current release.

I’ve never had children, but if I ever had to imagine what it was like to give labor I’d say it was The White Rose series, both The Seal of Oblivion and its sequel, Plague of the Black Akanthas. It features Laqiya (the q is pronounced /k/) and she’s, African-American, thirteen and able to control the forces of nature and has to use them to keep oblivion sealed and the antagonists from shattering the seal. My inspiration for it was and still is the magical girl anime I enjoyed as a child (particularly Sailor Moon). So if anyone if familiar with some of the tropes of a magical girl anime, they’ll more than likely recognize Laqiya and other characters comparing and contrasting themselves in general to those types of heroines.
Tell us about your next release.

Right now I’m working on Going Lucid and it’s was inspired by my sister and her twitter friends when they were experimenting with lucid dreaming and one of her friends who is a devout Christian said don’t do it. Lucid dreaming is the pathway to hell and you could possibly be possessed by demons. Whether it was true or not, I thought it would make a great ya paranormal novel and after a year or so of sitting on the idea, I finally decided to write it.

What is the hardest part of writing your books?

Titles. Sometimes they come to me and sometimes I don’t have one to well after the second or third round of rewriting a draft.
Do you use a pen name? If so, how did you come up with it?

Holly Dae actually is my pen name and it’s really obvious what my really name is. Three guesses what it is and the first two don’t count. Hint: I’m named after Billie Holiday

Do you have any suggestions for beginning writers? If so, what are they?

Persistence is the key. I was a really terrible writer when I first started writing and there are still times I think I’m a really terrible writer. Writers are their own worst critics. So get your work out there! Let people read your work. Don’t be afraid. Even famous authors are always perfecting their craft and have flaws. But practice and having no fear is the key. Writers can only grow from having their critiques and experiences, good and bad. But you’ll never gain the experience if you don’t look for a way to get it.

If you could select one book that you could rewrite and add your own unique twist on, which book would that be and why?

The Twilight series. I got on the bandwagon for this book late and am currently reading the last two books. They aren’t as bad as its haters make it out to be. There were some scenes and pieces of prose I really liked and drew me into the world, but there were also badly done scenes that pulled me out of the world too. As I read it I would frown and say, “I could have written this better.” There were some things in the book that had so much potential, and I would have a lot of fun fleshing that potential out.

How do you develop your plots and your characters? Do you use any set formula?

I don’t really have a formula, but I do usually sit on ideas for novels for years before the words hit a Word document. In that time I come up with characters and scenes and in general build the entire world in my head. Then after that time, I write it down. But the story doesn’t come until it’s had that time to marinate in my head.

What are your favorite TV shows?
I don’t watch a lot of TV because unfortunately I don’t have the time, but I am obsessed with Teen Wolf right now. If it’s not that, I watch anything with Gordon Ramsey in it when I can find the time to.

And, as a special bonus, here’s a brief excerpt from the book.  Enjoy!

Laqiya sighed, “Look. I don’t want to be here all day, but I do have all day. I’m in no rush, and I won’t leave. I was forced all the way down here to get something, and I don’t plan for this dumb trip to be for nothing when I could have gone to the movies today.”

The woman raised her head to look at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Says who?” she asked.

“I don’t want to be here about as much as you don’t want me here, but I don’t have a choice alright? Three men, who called themselves Anaxars and have been stalking me since I was seven, kidnapped one of my best friends and I barely was able to fight them off. I’d like to ignore it, but I can’t. Nightshield and Isis won’t let me.” Laqiya shook her head. The woman really didn’t need to know all of that. “I know there’s a staff piece in that chest and I’ll bet your family has been guarding it for the last seven thousand years waiting to give it back to its rightful owner. I don’t want to be its owner, but I figure if I can get that, Nightshield will back off for a while.”

“Funny.”

“What?”

“You want something that will bring you the attack, but you don’t want the fight,” the woman pointed out brushing past Laqiya and back into the front of the shop.

“Tell me about it,” Laqiya muttered following her.

“Hm.”

“So what do I have to do for it,” Laqiya said standing directly behind the woman.

“Do for what?”

“The staff piece.”

“Be the White Rose for one.”

Laqiya winced. “I don’t want to be the White Rose. I’m hoping I can pass this along to someone else.”

The woman huffed and grabbed Laqiya’s jacket by the lapel. “Look at you, coming in here all demanding. As if. You’re just some prissy bourgeois-y rich girl cry baby. Doesn’t even want to be the hero, but ironically wants the hero relic. What are you going to do, pretend in your house for a while and then when the real fight comes, cower? That staff piece isn’t a toy to be played with or a nice antique for over the fireplace.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Laqiya said in a matter-of-fact tone. “I don’t even want to pretend to be the hero. There are about ten people trying to drag me into this. I would rather be worrying about my status and wardrobe to be honest. In fact, I might make a better villain. I’m selfish, self-centered and hate not getting my way. I just want Nightshield to leave me alone for a while.”

Laqiya then grabbed the woman’s hand and removed it from her jacket. “You don’t have to touch me by the way. I got the point when you said, bourgeois-y.”

The woman glared at her, and Laqiya resisted the urge to cringe. That might not have been the best way to be nice. This was probably some test of will that she had to pass, to test her determination to get what she wanted (not that she really wanted to pass it, just get the staff piece), and it was likely she had just failed.

 

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I have to believe that my books are going to really take off, that fate is on my side.  I’ve been receiving lots of signs as I’ve been writing them that I can’t interpert any way except as good omens.

One example – in “Dream Student”, I came up with the name of a very fancy restaurant that Sara and Brian go to for their first big, dressy night out.  I called it the Blue Duck Inn.  A couple of months later, in the “100 Best Restaurants” issue of Washingtonian Magazine, I learned that there actually IS a very fancy place in downtown DC called the Blue Duck Tavern.  I’ve never been to it, and I didn’t know it existed – but clearly that was a sign.

Here’s another.  I wrote this little bit of dialogue for a brief transition scene in book 5:

I’ve just finished the last of my one-year checkups for the morning, and I know Laurie had several as well.  When she sends her last patient out the door, she asks me, “What’s with all the December babies?”

“Born in December 2000, so they were conceived in March of ’99.  I don’t remember, was there a big blizzard or something?”  I think there was, but I’m not sure.  “You know what they say…”

I wrote that without thinking about it, but right after I did, I went to Google, and lo and behold:

In the early morning of March 9, 1999, a strong high-pressure system was helping to drive very cold, dry air southward into Virginia. Meanwhile, a rather weak storm was moving northeast through the lower Ohio Valley. Computer models forecast the moisture from the storm to stay south of Washington, primarily impacting Central Virginia.

On the morning of March 9, a narrow band of snow rapidly moved north through Central Virginia and moved into Northern Virginia. The snow band expanded and became almost stationary over the Washington area, lasting through the afternoon.

The heavy snow band was oriented northwest-to-southeast and was centered just a few miles to the south of Washington. The heaviest snow fell in central Fairfax County where 10 to 12” accumulated. On average, 8 to 10” of snow fell in the immediate Washington area. Reagan National Airport reported 8.4” of snow – the heaviest March snowfall since the storm of March 28-29, 1942.

Snowfall amounts tapered off significantly to the north and to the south of Washington. The north side of Baltimore received only 2” of snow, while Charlottesville and Richmond received light accumulations.

This was not a typical, wet March snow. The snow was quite dry. With high temperatures in the middle 20’s during the afternoon, the snow had little trouble sticking to roadways.

Honestly, I had no idea.  Bring me a Bible and I’ll swear to it under oath.  But clearly it’s a sign – I’m meant to write these books, and to write them the way I’m writing them, and they’re meant to be successful.  I don’t see any other way to look at this…

(and yes, obviously, once I found that article, I used the information in the book!)

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I just finished a great book by a fellow indie author, Fran Veal.  It’s called “Finding My Escape”, and you can buy it on Amazon here.  My review of it is here, and I hope to have an interview with Fran to share with you soon.

Last night, I received in the mail, via Ebay, an ARC of a book I’ve been waiting three years for, the final book in the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, by Stephen R. Donaldson.  I’m not going to say anything about it in order not to spoil any fans of his who might read this.

Well, I will say this: 200 pages in, it’s my favorite book in the Last Chronicles.  Hopefully, that’ll keep up…

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I’ve got another great indie author to introduce you to today.  She’s Roxanna Rose:

Here’s what she’s got to say about herself:

Roxanna Rose is a California native with a deep connection to her Ulster heritage. Fascinated by myths and legends from cultures around the world, she enjoys creating young adult, urban fantasy & paranormal novels steeped in their mysteries. “Desires: A Legacy Novel” is the first in a series based on Celtic myths & legends. “Malevolence: A Legacy Novel” will be released later this year along with “She Who Watches,” an urban fantasy novel based on the Native American legend. Roxanna divides most of her time between her writing and her career as a veterinary technician and wildlife rehabilitator.

You can follow Roxanna at her website, on Facebook, and on Goodreads.

Her first novel is “Desires: A Legacy Novel”

“Desires” is the first in the Legacy Novel series. “Malevolence” will be released later this year and “Sacrifices” will be released in 2014. The cover art for all three books is by fantasy artist Julie Fain and the interior’s Celtic art is by acclaimed artist Jen Delyth. 

Passion, betrayal, malevolence, and magic conjured from the depths of ancient Irish legends comes to life in this story about Eléan. Created by the ancient Celtic God, Dagda to please his beloved daughter, Brighid and gifted with a spark of her soul; Eléan is given the task of living in the mortal realm while being relentlessly hunted in a deadly desire for Otherworldly vengeance. She must control her legacy and save the immortal soul that lives within her.

Liam and James have been friends…brothers…since they were children. Now the Otherworld has been released into the Mortal Realm and it’s coming for Eléan, a woman they both love and would die to protect. Will it destroy them or will they find the strength to fight what’s coming? 

Forced into the service of the Goddess Morrigan, Greagoir must be the vessel for her uncontrollable lust and killing rage. Eléan is the key to his freedom. All that stands in his way are two mortal warriors gifted by a goddess and a young woman’s desire to survive.

You can find the book on Amazon, and for the Nook at Barnes & Noble.

Finally, I’ve got an interview with Roxanna…read on!

When in the day/night do you write? How long per day?

I do most of my writing from the evening until I go to bed, which is usually about 5 hours. Unless it is stormy outside, then I will spend the entire day writing.

Do you listen to music while writing? If so what?

I listen to an eclectic mix of music. Oldies, New Age, Christian Rock, Jazz, Classical, heck I even have bagpipe music on my iPod. I feel emotions in the music, so I will listen to everything. When a piece of music sparks a certain emotion, I will catalogue it to use during a writing session. Of course, the down side to that is it has made me like Pavlov’s dogs. I can be in the middle of a crowd and hear a piece of music that I might have used to bring on a sad emotion and I will start crying.

What was the scariest moment of your life?

I was snorkeling off of LaJolla Cove. The sea floor is covered with kelp there. A large shadow passed below me and my first thought was that a pelican was coming in to swim with me. Just as I realized that I had seen the whole shadow under me without my own shadow interfering, I was grabbed by two sets of hands and hauled into a boat. The shark patrol was pulling all the swimmers out of the water because of the huge shark in the area. I had never even heard the shark siren going off.

What are your favorite TV shows?

I am shamelessly addicted to “Vampire Diaries.”  I also like “Pretty Little Liars” and “True Blood” but I don’t have cable, so I have to wait until those come out on DVD each season.

What do you do to unwind and relax?

Those two words are almost not in my vocabulary, but if the odd chance does occur, you would find me laying across my bed with a fire in the fireplace, a book propped up against the pillow, and surrounded by cats.

What are the most important attributes for remaining sane as a writer?

The term “sane writer” may be a contradiction. Virginia Wolfe, Ernest Hemmingway, and I can think of at least 23 others that could not attain those attributes. Sometimes I think the strong emotions that make a great writer can be their downfall, as well. My philosophy is pretty simple:

1. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

2. It’s ALL small stuff.

I have learned the hard way about the “Law of Attraction,” so now I wake up singing “Don’t worry…Be Happy!”

New York or LA? Why?

L.A. all the way! Don’t get me wrong, I think when I finally get to New York that I will love it because there is so much I want to see there. But I am a California girl, besides…where else can you go to have breakfast at a giant mouse’s homestead, have lunch while watching a jousting tournament, see Jesus rollerblading on the beach, catch a tour bus to visit the homes of the stars and wrap up the evening with a movie premier at Mann’s Chinese Theater? Only in L.A., baby!

Say your publisher has offered to fly you anywhere in the world to do research on an upcoming book, where would you most likely want to go?

I would love to go to Northern Ireland. So if they would kindly set me up in a cottage, I will research like a madwoman.

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I’m thrilled to be participating in the blog tour celebrating the release of a new novel by Melissa Brodsky and Nicole Andrews Moore, “Dark Dawn”, the first book in the Dark Redemption series.  You can read more about the series at the Dark Redemption Facebook page as well.

I’ve been helping Melissa and Nicole as a beta reader on another upcoming work, and they’re both great writers and extremely cool people, so I’m happy to introduce them to you.

Here’s a bit more about Nicole…

Nicki has lived in Charlotte, North Carolina with her children for the past eleven years and her husband for the past two and a half. Her journey has barely begun and she has loved every minute of it. Every day of her life seems to bring new adventures, some bigger, better, shinier and prettier than others. She’s still getting used to that new life smell she’s experiencing, a combination of hope, love, and happiness. (The perfect scents to build a new life on…)

For fun, she spends time with those she cares about, cooks, reads, writes, and especially lives to travel. The current travel goal: visit every Margaritaville. Three down! (Eleven to go?)

In May 2013, Nicki started Stories and Swag, a blog that promotes authors and swag suppliers. Her writing can also be found on Shine, where she is a Shine Parenting Guru and an award winning Yahoo! Contributor on YourWisdom as the relationship and dating expert. And she has been published by McClatchy News in their syndicated papers.

And here’s Melissa…

 Melissa Brodsky used to tell everyone she knew that she was going to be a writer when she grew up. She’s currently working on that goal. Living in Michigan in a modern-day “Yours, Mine and Ours” type household, Melissa is the biological mother of 3 and a full-time stepmother, as well. On some days, she may even be considered evil, and not just by her stepchildren. Most of the time, she is sitting at the kitchen table, poised over her computer while daydreaming up new plots for books. She blogs (on occasion) over at rockanddrool.com.   Melissa has two series in the works, Dark Redemption and a YA Paranormal series, Hallows Haven, the first book being released in July.

You can follow Melissa at her blog, on Facebook, on Goodreads and on Twitter.  And you can follow Nicole on Facebook and on her blog as well.

So, about the book:

 In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth, and everything in between. The In-between was unplanned, unexpected, and unwelcome. Every action causes a reaction and when mankind was born, so were the Fae. Suddenly it was up to Heaven to save Earth. God created Angels to right his wrong, to save human kind. A deal was made, an agreement of sorts. The Angels would protect humanity from Fae domination and destruction, and in return they would have inhuman strength and immortality. Thus a time of angels swooping in to save humans from free will, bad decisions, and big mistakes began. They protected humans from the Fae who intentionally enslaved them, leaving shells of humans, or worse, leaving nothing at all.

Even God doesn’t always learn from mistakes. Angels were given freedom of choice. Some Angels chose wrong. When some of them spread their wings, they went too far, and just as Icharus was punished for getting too close to the sun, they were punished for getting too close to mankind.

So they fell. Falling was the easy part.

Melissa and Nicole have done something really interesting – they’ve got two editions of the book.  Because there is sexual content, they’re sensitive to the needs and sensibilities of readers, and so there’s a New Adult (for older teens, 17+, and for those who are uncomfortable with more explicit sexual material) and a Mature Adult edition for readers who are prepared and comfortable with it.

You can find the book at Goodreads, and in two versions at Amazon – the less explicit New Adult edition, and the fully explicit Mature Adult edition.  You can find it for the Nook at Barnes & Noble as well.

And, last but definitely not least –  I’ve got an interview with Melissa, here, and Nicole, right below – just keep reading!!

Melissa’s Interview

 

Is there a piece of advice that you have received that has really stuck with you? If so, what was it?

My mom used to always tell me that you should always ask for what you want, the worst thing that could happen is you’ll be told no.  I live by those words.  I’m not afraid to ask and I’m not afraid to be told no.

What do you find most rewarding about writing?

Everything about writing is rewarding to me.  Finally getting those characters out of my head, that’s one thing.  They can drive you insane with their constant reminders that they are there, ya know?  Also, I love when I start writing and the characters really come to life, taking scenes in directions I wouldn’t have expected.  It’s almost like I’m a vessel and the characters guide me.  That sounds insane, doesn’t it?

Do you have a Website or Blog?  

I do.  I’ve been blogging over at rockanddrool.com for about 6 years.

How did you start your writing career?

I always ALWAYS wanted to be a writer.  Ever since I was a little girl.  I think my writing career started a long time ago, in my head.  I used to fantasize a lot, crazy stories filled with worlds and creatures I made up.  I really wish I had the foresight to jot them down back then.  Thankfully, I remember a bunch of my old ideas and I’m currently marinating in them, trying to build a strong enough foundation for a few more novels.  After the ones I already have in the works.  When I started blogging, it refueled my passion for writing.  I started out as a personal blogger which then became a career.  I started becoming um…bored…with writing about personal stuff.  Fiction is so much more interesting.  So, I began throwing short stories onto my blog.  Now, I only want to write fiction.  Paranormal.  And maybe some other stuff, we’ll see.

What is the hardest part of writing your books?

The hardest part of writing my books is writing my books.  Actually sitting down, uninterrupted, to be able to write.  Too many people calling me Mom around here!  They come first though.  The second hardest part of writing my books…is working out the plot so it flows.  After those two little issues are fixed, the rest is easy.

Does your significant other read your stuff?

No.  Neither my husband nor my children read my stuff.  I think they are so sick of hearing me talk about it that they lose interest once the pieces are actually written.  Whatev to them.  They just don’t know what they are missing.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned while writing your books?

The most surprising thing I learned was that I am capable of completing a novel.  For the longest time, I only stuck to short stories.  I was intimidated by what seemed like a daunting task of writing more than a few thousand words.  But, not that I’ve done it for both Dark Redemption Series and Hallows Haven, it’s not big thang anymore.

Plotter or Pantser? Why?

Mostly pantser.  Because that’s how I roll.

And Nicole…

Nicole’s Interview

Where do you dream of traveling to and why?

When my husband and I were dating, we took a cruise.  It went to Key West and Cozumel out of Miami.  We were in love with cruising and each other.  One of our best moments during that trip was in Cozumel, going to the beach and then watching the sunset from Margaritaville.  Thus began our determination to visit all the Margaritavilles we could.  So far, we’ve hit Cozumel, Myrtle Beach (numerous times), and Grand Turk.

Entice us, what future projects are you considering? 

A best seller and I have talked about writing a series together.  We are both inundated with projects at the moment, but I think we may actually hook up to do this at some point.  We both have gifts we bring to the table and I work with her in various capacities all the time already so it seems like that would just be the natural progression of things.

Have any of your characters been modeled after yourself?

In the New Hope Series, Stormy Surrender, I would have to say that Marti and I have a lot in common…similar backgrounds, similar experiences, and a similar attitude.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

I played the piano for ten years.  Once I graduated and moved away, I had to let that go, which was sad.  It was my favorite form of stress release.  I have had a piano twice briefly in my adult life.  Both times, I have had to sell it because of moving.  Now…I’m not sure it fits into my life anymore, but my passion for music will never die.

You just won a huge lottery what is the first thing you’ll buy?

A boat.  A really nice boat with a crew to do the stuff I’m no good at…like navigate and park.  We dream of traveling the Caribbean and…I’d love to visit the Mediterranean, too.

Do you have a favorite quote, quip, or saying? What is it?

Nothing happens unless first a dream.  It’s a Carl Sandburg quote.  I dreamed of being a writer and now I’m doing it.  JB McGee of Indie Pixel Studios and best selling author of This Series made me a nice Facebook cover for my personal page.  It says: She thought she could so she did.  I like that, too.

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So I entered all four Dream Series books in the UpAuthors Fiction Challenge, and, while the judging isn’t final yet, they definitely like the books:

Congratulations! The team at UP Authors decided that your book series are UP Authors Approved! Attached is the JPEG to show your fans and potential target audience.

We are finished going over the 62 Fiction Challenge submissions. Although we are disappointed that we fell under the 200 mark and had to withdrawal the cash prizes, we are excited to read the wonderful books that had been submitted. Also, we will do everything possible to promote you.

On the UP Authors website we announced 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th places. Keep in mind that many quality books did not make the top seven. In fact, we had 23 books that easily could have made the top seven. That is why we are doing the UP Authors Approved JPEG, because you deserve it!

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