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6.9.14

Author Interview - Vanessa Barger

Hi Vanessa

A Whispered Darkness sounds very dark and creepy. How do you get your readers to experience the darkness themselves and make them feel it?

Hello! Thank you for having me today! This is a hard one. I must confess up front that I am the biggest wimp ever. But I love making other people scared. I love Halloween and spend more time than I care to remember decorating and reading up on how to haunt a house. I used to spend every October working on detailed plans for a Halloween party, which usually wasn’t as intense as I’d planned. (allowances aren’t that big, after all!) My book is not a “shock and gore” type horror novel. I don’t use the “gross out factor” to make readers scared. I hope that when my readers are reading they are mildly creeped out (or more). And maybe they put it down and think, “eh, that’s not so bad.” But later, when they’re in bed, and its dark and quiet and they realize that the closet door isn’t quite closed, they start to think about something they read and suddenly it’s a lot harder to sleep.

I guess I’m hoping that I can inspire a reader’s imagination to make my work even creepier than it is. That’s what I’m aiming for, at least.

How would you describe Claire? Is she like anyone you know?

Claire is an introvert at heart, who is slowly realizing that she has to come to terms with herself as she is, including her mistakes and her past. She wasn’t a bad person in the past, before The Incident, but she was cocky and a little full of herself, and when the book starts, she’s on the other end of the spectrum. She’s a little broken and she’s learning how to fix herself.

Claire, as I think all characters are, has some aspects of myself in her. I think that no matter what you do as an author, there’s a little bit of you in every character, whether you realize it or not. Claire’s relationship with her brother is a bit like mine with my little brother. We’re very close (which is unusual, I know.) We weren’t always that way, but it’s nice to read a story where siblings aren’t at each other’s throats or indifferent. Otherwise, there isn’t any one person that I would say I based her on. (All my friends are breathing sighs of relief)

Did you do any research before or while writing Whispered Darkness?

I did a little bit of research into ghosts and the paranormal, but as that is a fascination of mine in general, not too much. I will admit to watching a lot of “ghost TV” while I was writing this as a form of motivation/mood setting.

Hardest scene or part of the book to write?

Oh, this one is easy. The end. It’s always the end. As it stands now, it was a great deal shorter before I did a rewrite. I knew what I wanted, but it wasn’t translating like I’d hoped. Now, I think, it’s much better and much closer to what I intended and what I see in my head. I’d say more, but I don’t want to give away any spoilers!

How long did Whispered Darkness take to write?

It was probably about a year in the making, with some breaks here and there. It went through some critiques and some betas after the first few drafts, so maybe a little over a year.

Thank you again for having me! I hope that you enjoy the book!

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8.8.14

Author Interview - Wendy Owens

Author Interview

What type of character and person is Mac?
Mac is a person that is like many of us. She considered herself strong at one point in her life, but when she loses the people that matter the most to her she realizes that strength she had was an illusion. Even though it seems like love might be trying to find it's way into her life again she is a stubborn one, and until she finds that inner strength to stand alone in the world again, she isn't about to let someone else in.

Which book have you enjoyed writing the most in the Stubborn Love Series?
For me the series was about some personal healing. Only in Dreams meant the world to me because it came at a time when I was coping with the loss of my brother-in-law. He had been in our lives since I was in high school, he was the godfather to my children, and the love of my sister's life. Then suddenly he was gone. I didn't know how to deal with the pain. I was hurting and everyone around me was hurting. I needed a way to work through that grief and Only in Dreams gave me that outlet.

What do you enjoy most about writing Romantic books?
I'm one of those authors that will write whatever she is feeling, nomatter what the genre is. Romance however has become one of those genres where I get to work through my own issues with relationships. Failures, successes, even relationships I watch my closest family and friends go through. I am careful to only draw inspiration though, and never pull direct story lines.

Is there any topic which you haven't yet wrote about which you would like to?
Yes, there are a couple, but right now I am working on an outline to a manuscript that deals with a kidnap victim and people's assumptions about people. Mystery and Intrigue are weaved throughout the plot with some steamy romance as well.

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18.7.14

Author Interview - Enemies on Tap by Avery Flynn

Thanks so much for having me over today to celebrate Enemies on Tap! I raise a virtual beer in your honor. :)

What was your favorite part of Enemies on Tap to write and what was the hardest?
My favorite part? The banter and the sex. Oh, that was so much fun! I love the whole Hepburn and Tracy thing that Logan and Miranda had going on. As for the hardest, that is always the end. I hate having to say goodbye.

How would you describe Miranda and Logan?
Miranda is the kind of girl you’d love to sit down with and have a beer. She’s smart and funny and she knows what she wants out of life—to get the hell out of Salvation, Virginia but not until she proves Logan Martin wrong. Logan is a cocky alpha hero who can’t resist a bet or Miranda Sweet, which is awkward since their families are sworn enemies.

Describe Enemies on Tap in a sentence?
As satisfying as a cold beer on a hot summer day, Enemies on Tap brews up sassy, sexy fun on every page.

What's in the future for you with your writing?
More books. :) RT Book Reviews named This Year’s Black a Top Pick last month and I’m finishing up the third in that series now. A second Sweet Salvation Brewery book is in the final editing stages too.

Thank you again for letting me come over! If you’re thirsty for more, check out Enemies on Tap and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Author Interview - Chloe Miles

The Faded Trilogy

How would you describe Savannah's character? Is she anything like anyone you know?
Savannah is a little shy and reserved and more at home with her nose buried in her textbooks than confronting a room full of her peers ... let alone coming face to face with The Forces and having to protect her entire town!
We slowly see her emerge further and further from her shell as the series progresses, guided in the most part by Hunter’s unconditional love and undoubting belief in her.
She isn’t your typical butt-kicking heroine in the beginning of the series ... but by the end ... well, I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but let’s just say that she could give the best of the butt-kicking best a run for their money!

What made you write a paranormal book?
I've always been a hopeless romantic and loved the idea of finding your one true love. And I've always loved stories with an element of magic to them, so writing a paranormal romance seemed like a perfect fit.

Tell us a bit about 'The Forces'
The Forces are a group of three evil half-spirits terrorising Savannah's perfect little town with violent and unpredictable storms. It is their mission to destroy Fort Everwick ... and to tear Savannah and Hunter apart by luring Savannah to the dark side. They know that Savannah has the potential to be powerful, and with her as one of their own, they know they would have complete power on their side.

Which part was the hardest to write of the trilogy?
I think See No Evil was probably the hardest to write of the three books, simply because I already had my beginning and knew how I wanted the ending. See No Evil needed to sustain the series and I had to come up with a creative way to achieve that, which was a little intimidating at first. Some of the chapters in See No Evil actually ended up being some of the most exciting and action-packed to write, so I'm really happy with how it turned out :)

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14.5.14

Guest Post - Interview with Lisa Cardiff

Before You

By Lisa Cardiff

Blurb

Aubrey Keaton has never had a supportive family. Luckily, she has Camden…
Her childhood friend. Her savior. Her boyfriend.
Even after Camden leaves their hometown to chase his dream to be a musician, Aubrey can’t imagine her life without Camden and his family.
Before starting a job search for her own dream job, Aubrey decides to visit Camden in California for a month. But when she arrives, something unexpected happens…she meets Jax Carmichael, the lead singer in Camden’s band.
Jax Carmichael doesn’t have time for a relationship…much less love.
Even if Aubrey is irresistible, she’s a complication he doesn’t want or need. He has spent the last few years building Chasing Ruin, and the band is on the verge of being signed. Pursuing Aubrey could destroy his band, and he’s worked too hard to be successful without his family’s money, or connections, to let that happen.
Aubrey feels an attraction to Jax like something she’s never experienced before.
Confused, she tries to resist, but when her relationship with Cam begins to unravel, she realizes that Jax might just be the one thing she needs.

Interview

What makes Jax so attractive and irresistible?
Jax is talented, supportive and he never gave up on Bre. There’s nothing better than a man who shows up when you need him.

Before You features two characters in the cover, was this how you imagined them both in your mind?
Not entirely. I always saw them as the pictures I downloaded from the internet as my inspiration, but when I saw the cover it clicked and Jax and Bre came to life. I really like the cover.

What was the hardest part of the book to write and your favourite?
For me, the sex scenes were the hardest part to write. In fact, the publisher made me rewrite them entirely after I signed the contract. When words flow easily, that’s the best part of writing for me. The last chapter of Before You came together easily like I had it all planned perfectly from the beginning so it was my favorite part to write.

How did you choose the title 'Before You'
It actually comes from the last couple sentences of the book. When I wrote that final conversation, I knew I found the title for Jax and Bre’s story.

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24.4.14

Blog Tour - Summoned by Rainy Kaye + Giveaway

Blurb

Twenty-three year old Dimitri has to do what he is told—literally. Controlled by a paranormal bond, he is forced to use his wits to fulfill unlimited deadly wishes made by multimillionaire Karl Walker.

Dimitri has no idea how his family line became trapped in the genie bond. He just knows resisting has never ended well. When he meets Syd—assertive, sexy, intelligent Syd—he becomes determined to make her his own. Except Karl has ensured Dimitri can’t tell anyone about the bond, and Syd isn’t the type to tolerate secrets.

Then Karl starts sending him away on back-to-back wishes. Unable to balance love and lies, Dimitri sets out to uncover Karl’s ultimate plan and put it to an end. But doing so forces him to confront the one wish he never saw coming—the wish that will destroy him.

Author Interview With Rainy Kaye
Author of Summoned

How did your personal experiences influence Summoned?

Besides the last fifteen years of tinkering with words? Or the random fascination the jinn stories? I've also lived my entire life in Dimitri's hometown, Phoenix, and I've visited the places the wishes send him.

Did you do a lot of research before or during writing Summoned?

No. And if you read the book, you'll know just how bad admitting that in public is.

If Summoned was made into a movie, who would you cast as Dimitri & Syd?

My cover model, Adam Jakubowski, portrays Dimitri spot-on. At the moment, I have a difficult time picturing anyone else in that role.

For Syd, I have no idea. Readers, leave your suggestions in the comment. This will be fun. :)

What was your favorite book as a child?

Like, a wee child? The Fox and the Hound. I don't know why. I think because it had a puppy. I was a very profound child. Or not. Either way, I had the gist of it memorized, aided by pictures, before I learned to read. As soon as I learned to read, I realized it was crap and moved on to books where stuff gets obliterated. Never looked back.

What's on the horizon for you?

Three more standalone Summoned books, a ten-book series called Fly into the Dark, and a few other novels wedged into the nooks and crannies of my brain. In short, a lot more coffee.

Find Rainy

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20.4.14

Author Interview with Brigid Kemmerer

Author Interview with Brigid Kemmerer

Thanks for taking my time to answer my questions Brigid and stop by Books for Company

-Storm is a paranormal read. Is this something you would pick up yourself?

Absolutely!! I personally love contemporary YA, but I like being able to explore extraordinary abilities, so I tried to incorporate elements of both into the Merrick brothers' stories. While there's a lot of action and adventure, at its core, the series is about a group of brothers trying to figure out who they are.

- Is there a book or writer you would say influenced any part of Storm or your style of writing?
I'm not sure anyone specifically influenced my writing. I'm drawn to strong characters, like those found in books by Simone Elkeles, Sarah Fine, and Charlaine Harris.

- How do you 'go about' creating your characters? Do you find they grow as you write or are you more planned when it comes to their character and personality?
I throw them on the page and see what they do! Sometimes I'll start with a scenario in mind, and I just see where the character takes me. When I do school visits, I tell people that the best way (for me) to figure out what a character is all about is to throw them into peril immediately. Give them a choice, and give them some high stakes. From there, it's pretty clear what their personality is going to be. Storm would have been a very different book if Becca had run back into the school to get help.

- Becca ; a very lucky or very unlucky girl to become involved with these brothers?
Lucky!! I'd love to hang out with the Merricks.

- Favorite section of the book and hardest to write? (Beginning, Middle etc)
The middle is almost always the hardest to write for me. Not because I get bored or lose track of what's going on, but because the middle is where I start to doubt myself. My husband has gotten to the point where I start saying, "I think this book is total crap..." and he rolls his eyes and points to my laptop and says something supportive like, "Shut up and write your way out of it." :-)

Find Brigid

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4.4.14

Interview : Natalie Wright Q&A

Thank you so much for visiting Books for Company.

I am always so interested to find out about how books came around to being written!

Akasha Chronicles is a fantasy series. Why fantasy? Did it happen naturally?

I did not set out to write fantasy. In fact, I wasn’t planning to write a book at all when the story idea for Emily’s House came to me.

I was going to hypnotherapy to help me lose the “baby weight” I gained with the birth of my daughter. I didn’t lose weight (turns out that relaxing in a chair doesn’t burn many calories ;-). But in my last session, I had a vision of a golden object hovering over a green field. I became slightly obsessed with this vision - what was the object? And where was it?

I scoured the internet at night after I put the baby to sleep and eventually came across a photo of a torc - a golden necklace or bracelet made of twisted strands of gold worn by the ancient Celts. From that point I began researching Celtic mythology, history and spirituality. A story began to develop.

And because I am also highly intrigued by science, from the start I saw the story as a blending of the modern and the ancient, and of science with myth and mysticism. The result is Emily’s House, a story with a unique blending of fantasy and science fiction

I am presently working on a science fiction series, working title H.A.L.F. (the first book should be out in March, 2015), and I plan to write another fantasy story. Because I enjoy reading fantasy and sci fi books (and fantasy and sci fi movies and T.V.), I imagine that my own stories will always tend to have a fantasy and/or sci fi bent.

How did you decide on the age of Emily?

When I began planning the story, Emily was an adult and in college. But the story didn’t seem to work and I struggled for quite some time trying to find the right “voice” for the story.

One day I was getting acupuncture and while lying on the table full of needles, Emily came to me. I still remember my vision of her walking home from school, the wind whipping her long red hair. Her “voice” flowed naturally for me.

So I’m not sure I “decided” on the age of Emily. I think she decided it for me! I’ve been writing middle grade through young adult fiction ever since.

Is Emily a character you could be friends with? What qualities does she have?

Emily is someone I could be friends with. She’s fiercely loyal and has the back of her friends. Her biggest fault/foible is her lack of self-confidence. But her trustworthiness and loyalty override that for her friends.

How would you want a reader to describe this series?

It makes my heart soar when readers and reviewers say that the series was an awesome adventure - a fun ride. I also enjoy when readers appreciate being a part of Emily maturing and going from an insecure young teen to a confident young woman.

Hardest part of the series to write?

The third book, Emily’s Heart, was by far the hardest part of the series to write. I wrote myself into a tight corner with Book 2, Emily’s Trial! I knew, generally, how I wanted the series to end, but I had no idea how to get there. The final book is about 108,000 words, but I have a folder with “lost chapters” and tidbits amounting to another 70,000+ words! I rewrote several chapters up to three times.

While writing Emily’s Heart, I felt a lot more pressure than with the previous books. By the time I wrote the third book, I had dedicated fans so I felt keenly the pressure to not disappoint them and to give them the kick-ass ending they had come to expect from me. I spent about six months struggling with the ending.

But in the end, the muse inspired me and I think the end of Emily’s Heart is the best part of the whole series (and readers seem to agree). Writing Emily’s Heart showed me to never give up!

Find Natalie

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24.2.14

Blog Tour - Zombie Incorporated by Jill Elaine Hughes

Zombie Incorporated by Jill Elaine Hughes

ZOMBIE, INCORPORATED

Twilight. With zombies.

Eighteen-year-old Katie Allred is socially awkward and unpopular at school. The only child of parents who had her right out of high school, Katie is herself about to leave the nest, even though she hardly feels ready.

Katie’s new after-school job at the Zimble Box Corporation draws her into the complex social strata of high school cliques and backstabbing friends in ways she never imagined. Katie soon discovers there’s something very strange about the “in” crowd at school---and about her employer, too. Shortly after starting her new job, the Contagion breaks out, plunging her town and the entire nation into chaos as zombie shadow forces come out into the open, ravaging the streets. Katie goes into hiding and her parents disappear, along with almost everyone else she knows.

But Katie soon discovers she has special powers that help her survive. She’s a Beacon, someone with the innate ability to help zombies produce children. It’s a power her employer — and what little remains of the U.S. government — both want to exploit for their own ends. Not only that, it runs in her family---which has a secret past Katie never knew about until now.

Getting to Know Jill

1. I love pizza with black olives and sausage.

2. I'm always ready for a new episode of Breaking Bad.

3. When I'm alone, I read.

4. You'd never be able to tell, but I have a tattoo in a secret spot.

5. If I had a halo it would be orange.

6. If I could speak Swahili I'd move to Africa.

7. I can never be a beekeeper because I’m allergic to bee stings. (They can kill me!)

8. I wrote and illustrated my first horror story when I was in fifth grade.
Click here to continue reading!

Blog Tour - The Dark Inside Interview

The Dark Inside Blog Tour Questions

Bookbabblers
What was your journey to publication like?

I would say that the journey was split into two discernible parts: the great amount of time it took for a manuscript of mine to sell and then the actual publication process itself. As regards the former then I’m a very good illustration of the cliché that it takes years to become an overnight success. I have always written because it has felt like a vocation. I like to play around with words and create characters. Initially, I started out writing poetry, then screenplays and now novels. I have taken classes on writing, studied it by reading other people’s fiction, and discussed the mechanics of it with my peers. But, ultimately, the best lesson has always been to sit down and write consistently. I have been somewhat belligerent, not giving up on my hope that I will one day be published and always believing that I was ‘good’ enough. Throughout the process I have honed my voice, developing a means of expression for my stories. I have had some near misses at success along the way at and I have learnt that whilst a writer can be committed and diligent above all they need a healthy dose of luck as well, combined with the right timing, I.e. that the right person reads your work at the right time. I think the need for luck applies throughout a writing career. I won’t be able to evaluate my career as a writer until the end of it because I know there will be many ‘downs’ as well as ‘ups’.
In terms of publication of ‘The Dark Inside’ then the journey has been really enjoyable and fairly smooth. Over the years I have learnt how to analyse my work and know what feels right, figuring out how to judge good notes from the bad ones by learning from comments received. It was great to work with my editor, Jane, on ‘The Dark Inside’ because she generated questions for me and gave me a different point of view on some elements of the story. I have learnt that it is important for a writer, when challenged about something they have written, to be able to justify why they have written it.
Ultimately, one has to be objective not only about one’s writing but about the manuscript as an entity in itself because eventually it’s going to be handed on to other people in the publishing chain - sales staff, cover design, marketing, PR people etc. Hopefully, if you’re with the right publisher then you feel that everyone is working hard, pulling in the same direction, to make the book the best it can be. This has certainly been the case with Simon & Schuster and I am very grateful indeed for that.

Writing From The Tub

The landscapes are so rich in The Dark Inside it really feels as though you’ve been inspired by some real life places. What sort of impact did your own location have on your writing?

I wouldn’t say the landscapes for ‘The Dark Inside’ were inspired by particular places I have visited or by the location in which I was writing the manuscript but more by all the various places I have been in my life, filtering them through my imagination. I wrote the manuscript in my study looking out on to the garden so I was ‘dreaming’ up places where the story was happening. Landscape can definitely be a character in its own right in fiction so I certainly wanted to give it a sense of rich imagery in ‘The Dark Inside’ contributing to the mood. I really enjoy writing descriptively and finding the right words to describe what I see in my mind’s eye. I also enjoy writing about nature and the world at large as well as reading about it.

Book Angel Booktopia

Why did you decide to keep the paranormal element of the novel so muted? It really worked for me as I’m not a huge fan of the paranormal genre either.

As I wrote the first draft I realised I was interested in exploring the notion of believing in something wholeheartedly, why it’s not always so clear cut because there are usually competing arguments ‘for’ and ‘against’. Therefore, I tried to leave it open for readers to decide for themselves what is supernatural and what is not in ‘The Dark Inside’ by keeping certain paranormal elements muted, allowing ambiguity. I imagine that people will reach different conclusions about what is real and what is not in the context of the book - about what they want to believe - and that’s great because, as in life, nothing is ever really cut and dried since everyone has a point of view.
To be honest I haven’t read much paranormal at all, it’s not something I would naturally gravitate towards reading, so because of that perhaps I wasn’t interested in writing a standard, overtly paranormal book either.

Books for Company

Which part of The Dark Inside was the hardest to write?

I think it was quite hard to know how ‘dark’ to make the book. There are some sad moments and it was difficult to know how far to go with them particularly because the book has a 13 yr old boy as the main character. I had to rely on feedback. Some of the sadder, darker and more vicious moments were edited out initially and then gradually revised and reinserted at various stages as I was rewriting.

In some ways the whole book was hard to write in the sense that although I was writing a story I was enjoying I had no idea whether anyone else would like it. I think self-doubt about one’s work is a very real emotion for any writer to wrestle with and it never really goes away, at least not for me.

Book Angel Booktopia

Were you inspired by David Almond’s Skellig?

I read the book a number of years ago and enjoyed it, and it certainly made an impression on me, but it didn’t provide any direct inspiration as such. The books are quite different in many respects although I think their tone is comparable, as well as their inherent magical realism and some of the themes. As a writer I think you absorb lots of things whether it’s through reading, seeing films and theatre, listening to music or even just watching everyday life. It’s important to keep your creativity topped up because writing does drain you.

I think the idea of pinning down where inspiration comes from is a difficult one and to analyse it too hard is dangerous, running the risk of turning creativity into something functional. It’s an odd, mysterious alchemy that operates within the subconscious as much as in the conscious and looking for it can make it dysfunctional, forcing it to flee and hide away.

Two quotes from a couple of my favourite writers have always stuck with me about the nature of writing and inspiration because they seem very truthful to me. The first is from Dennis Potter who said "…any writer really has a very small field to keep ploughing, and eventually you turn up the coins or the treasure..." The second is from Cormac McCarthy - “The ugly fact is that books are made out of books...The novel depends for its life on the novels that have been written.”

Naomi’s Book Reviews

The chapters in the book are grouped by date - starting 8th June. Why did you decide to write the book in this way, and why start on 8th June?

Without giving too much away, the structure of the book requires a ‘ticking clock’ and the two main characters are trying to achieve something by a certain date for the majority of the story. Using the dates gives a sense of time ticking away and increases the dramatic content…or at least that’s what I was hoping for! Because the book is effectively a ‘road trip’ then it was nice to have the date as a constant as the two characters travel, it provides a ‘spine’ to the story.
The start date of the book was pretty random although I wanted the book to take place in the summer. In earlier drafts the book started at a slightly earlier date but as I rewrote it I realised that time span needed to be more compressed to fit with the logic of the plotting and to increase the tension of the story.

Find Rupert

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CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL TOUR SCHEDULE.

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25.1.14

Author Interview + Giveaway : Dahlia Salvatore

Body Language Blurb

Carmen Andrews hasn't spoken for a year, not since she was viciously tortured by a psychopath. Forced into silence by the trauma, she finds a new life in a new town. As a dancer, she can get away with not speaking. In her head is a mess of memories, withheld frustrations, and a host of wingless dreams. When her psychologist exhausts all of her resources, she sends Carmen to a speech therapist.
Fresh out of graduate school, Jacob Weller hopes to help those suffering from mutism and other speech disorders. When he meets Carmen, he finds her attractive, but his ethics keep him from acting on his impulses. When tragedy strikes, his own sanity is challenged and his professionalism takes a hit. Believing that he has failed and with few visible changes in Carmen, he considers referring her to a new doctor.
Carmen has other thoughts on the matter, but struggles with her demons, ones that keep her mouth firmly shut and her heart desperately wanting.

Interview

Dahlia Salvatore

Please tell me a bit about the idea and story behind Body Language
So the idea came from challenging both myself as a writer and having characters that were challenged, themselves. I basically took what I believe is the equation for a good long-lasting relationship and pulled out some of the elements. Among these elements are trust and communication. Communication is one of the things that both characters struggle with in the book. They also spend a good deal of time ignoring what their instincts and core feelings tell them and that hinders them both. Their growth comes from rising from the ashes of their own tragedies and becoming new people.

Jacob almost sounds like a character too 'good to be true' in sense of the word with how caring he sounds. What sort of character is Jacob?
I'm slightly confused as to what “too good to be true” means. If you mean that at face-value from what you read about him on the back of the book that he seems like a person with very few flaws and sins, you'd have to read much further into the book to realize that he is a deeply flawed human being. Most of his sins and character flaws come out of his being selfish in the past and being careless with those who love him. And while the incentive to his treating Carmen eventually becomes a general regard for her welfare, it begins as just another job.

What sort of research did you do into understanding mutism and was it hard to write Carmen's character?
I knew from the beginning that I didn't want her to speak. This was, again, because I wanted to remove the factor of communication that is essential to a healthy relationship. I wanted their love to develop despite its absence. Mutism is one of those conditions that comes from a myriad of causes, especially elective mutism. Carmen happened to be someone who had suffered this horrible event that changed the person she was. At first she was silent so she could heal and after, she was silent because she felt set apart from the rest of the world. Most of my research pertained to how mutism was treated. What I found out was that there isn't really a set way to treat it. There are some medications out there, but each case varies and the cause for the mutism varies.

It was hard to write Carmen, because there were many times that a normal person would have said something. Actually, during the first draft writing, I actually let her slip and have a single line of dialogue. My editor came back and said, “She speaks in this part of the story. Did you mean to do that?” I realized that I let it slip, went back and changed it. So, yes, it was hard because she is unlike any other character I've ever written. Dialogue is one of those important elements in a book that make it important, so I had to imply all of Carmen's dialogue through pantomime and facial expressions. This was my first novel and, thinking back, I feel I just might have picked one of the hardest character types for my book. But her character was important and unique in that way. I mean, how many characters in books nowadays don't speak?

What did you enjoy the most about writing this book?
Gosh, that's a hard one. I would have to say that creating the really intimate scenes—as in the ones that portray some of the hardcore emotions of the respective characters—was the most fulfilling thing about writing this book. There's something about being in the characters' heads, seeing their souls exposed, and knowing (hoping really) that that will translate to the reader. I know that the characters' emotions will hit me harder than most readers, because they live in my head, but if the readers can feel a fraction of what I did while writing Jacob and Carmen's story, I will consider this book a success.

Find Dahlia

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I'm a thirty-two-year-old female author living in Seattle, Washington. I'm married to the love of my life and have been for ten years. I come from Coos Bay, Oregon and moved to Seattle six years ago. I love it here and don't see us going anywhere anytime soon. I've been heavily influenced by contemporary writers like J.K. Rowling, Mary Balogh, Christina Dodd, Stephanie Laurens, Laurell K. Hamilton, Anne Rice, Stephen King, and many many others. Indie authors who've influenced me (and these are just a few) are Jasinda Wilder, Michelle Hughes, Kristin Flynn, Katie Mac, Dawn Robertson, Ada Slow, Melissa Brodky, Brandelyn Harris, Brandy Dorsch, and Brandy Jellum.

The Body Language Virtual Book Tour is a Pure Textuality Public Relations promotion.

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The Body Language Virtual Book Tour is a Pure Textuality Public Relations promotion.

18.1.14

Author Interview with Emma Jomes

Please welcome Emma to Books for Company.

Emma is the author of The Awakening, a YA Paranormal read.

What is a one sentence synopsis of your book?
Meet Lauren and Gavin who fall in love to weird and life altering consequences.

Where did the idea come from for the book?
I’ve always loved the vampire genre and the idea came to me after seeing the influx of American books like Twilight and Vampire Diaries. Whilst I loved Twilight I found Bella’s character a little annoying and wasn’t keen on the whole vampire sparkling idea! However I loved Edward and Jacob. I thought it would be nice to have a few UK versions emerge and I wanted to put a modern spin on the genre.

What genre does your book fall under?
YA (Young Adult). Paranormal romance.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your book?
A long time ha ha! It began about 4 years ago when I was on maternity leave and was finished July 2012. I did abandon it for over a year inbetween.

What inspired you to write this book?
My love of reading and a desire to do something entirely for myself. In the early days when writing was just a hobby I could get lost in it. I also hope my children will be proud when they are older. My daughter already thinks it’s amazing I have a book available on my kindle.

This Or That
Winter or summer? Definitely summer
EBook or paperback? If you’d asked me 12 months ago I would of said paperback but since having my kindle (which I love and have to fight the kids for) its eBook all the way.
Favourite food? That’s a toughie. Maybe a good roast dinner in the winter and nice burger on the BBQ in the summer.
Sporty or couch potato? Couch potato. Ooops!
Cook or be cooked for? I am the cook in our house so it’s nice to be cooked for.

Find Emma

Buy The Awakening

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28.12.13

Author Interview - Nicole Williams

Sadly my Nicole Williams month didn't go to plan as I still had a few posts left to schedule and my little boy arrived 10 days early.

One of the posts I still had left to schedule was my interview with Nicole Williams. Sorry it has taken so long to get up.

When writing a series like Crash do you have their journey throughout the whole series planned or do you tend to see where things go?
I do a little bit of both. I definitely have the story arch planned out and how my characters are going to change throughout the book, but I like to keep my individual scenes open. I find some of the best stuff comes when I'm letting the words flow unplanned. I like to let my characters do something crazy and take the story off course for a while . . . just so long as they make their way back eventually.

When it comes to creating a bad boy what personality traits do you think are important and how do you go about creating a bad boy which your readers can't help but fall in love with?
Bad boy characters go against the social norm flow. They flip their proverbial finger at what's socially acceptable and blaze their own trail. They're mysterious, brooding, and often times explosive. I think the key to making a bad boy character redeemable just enough so the reader can't help but fall in love with him is giving the reader peeks into his soul every now and again. What are his weaknesses? Why is he the way he is? What memories is he repressing? What are his virtues? I'm a sucker for a reluctant hero, and I love a bad boy who fits into this category.

Do you have a favorite over all character from any of your books?
Trying to pick a favorite character is like a parent trying to pick a favorite child—next to impossible. I love them all for different reasons, but here are a few of my "favs": Jude from the CRASH series, Jesse and Rowen from the LOST & FOUND series, and William from the EDEN TRILOGY.

You have written a few different genre books, what genre books are your favorite to write?
Again, this is a hard one to say because my favorite is whatever frame of mind I'm in at the moment. I tend to go back and forth between sweeter, softer stories, to then more angsty, steamy stories. For example, I just finished a sweeter series of books, and my next project is a sexy adult read. I love the ability to write whatever I'm feeling like at the time. Best. Job. Ever.

What part of a book do you find the hardest to write? Beginning, Middle or End?
The beginning. I know there's three hundred pages to follow and the first few pages seem like such a hurdle sometimes. My first book I ever wrote, I think I scrapped and redid the beginning five times. The beginning sets the tone of the story and it needs to be solid enough to pull the reader in because it doesn't matter if the middle and ending are earth-shattering, no one's going to read it if I can't nail the beginning.

Describe the Crash series in 3 words?
Dramatic, sexy, sweet.

Thank you very much Nicole for answering my questions.

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26.11.13

Interview : Natalie Corbett Sampson

Please welcome Natalie to Books for Company.

Natalie is a Young Adult writer and currently has two books, Game Plan and Nine.

Describe Game Plan with one word beginning with E?
After googling ‘adjectives starting with ‘e’’ the one I like best is ‘existent’, which (according to the document I found) means ‘real’. Above many other goals, I wanted to make Game Plan real to readers. I could throw in ‘emotional’ and ‘endearing’ and ‘edentulous’. No, not edentulous, that has something to do with teeth and the lack of.

Tell us about your main characters Ella and Katherine?
Ah. In a somewhat narcissistic way, both Ella and Kat are like me… I struggled to make sure they were different enough to be believable as two different characters. Ella is a typical teen. She loves her friends and her sport and wants to be accepted and successful. She is insecure but hides it well. She is also stronger than she realizes. Katherine has more life experience; she has longer termed goals and a broader focus. She is analytical to a fault, she is cautious and scared but brave enough to take a chance.

What's your favorite thing about writing a book?
It has become therapy for me. When I don’t get my writing time in, I’m all out of sorts, crankier, even, than usual. I hate coming up with an idea, but once an idea claims me I LOVE the process of seeing the whole picture, zooming in to the details, from a gesture or a visual hint to a word, the difference between a ‘grin’ or ‘smile’ that makes the scene real. I love my imaginary friends and I celebrate their successes, mourn their losses. It’s such a gift to be able to experience that.

What three things do you always need when writing?
Silence. M&Ms and my cat nearby. Though one cat likes to jump in and out of my lap all day and that gets tiresome. Beside me on the bed or rug is good enough.

Any inspirations for Game Plan? Experience, Other Books etc.
Game Plan is largely autobiographical in many ways… I was not a pregnant teen nor a basketball star, though I tried really hard to be the latter. But Ella’s insecurities are mine – then and even now, to some extent. While I’m blessed to have been able to have three children the old fashioned way, I am also an adoptive mom and most of the frustrations Katherine faces are from my own experiences.

How would you like readers to describe Game Plan?
As I said, I hope people find Game Plan to be real, to be relatable. I hope they laugh a little, and maybe cry a little, if they’re not on a bus somewhere where they’ll be embarrassed by that. I hope they hand it to a friend and say ‘you gotta read this!’

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11.11.13

Guest Post : Shane Morgan Interview

Please Welcome Shane Morgan to Books for Company

Shane is the author of Impossibly Love, a new adult romance book.

Describe Impossibly Love with a word beginning in AAwesome! lol that was the first word that came to my mind.

Which part of Impossibly Love did you find the hardest to write? Beginning, Middle or End?
All of it :) I had a story in my head, but had no idea how to get the right words together to convey what I was trying to get out. The beginning was tricky, because I wanted to write it so it would intrigued readers enough to keep going. The middle wasn't as hard as the opening chapters, but I still fought hard with consistency as well as to create a moment where readers would be like, "Ooh, I just have to find out how this ends." And of course, the ending. I contemplated on whether or not to leave it sad or happy. Then put myself in the story and considered how I would react to a sad ending after dealing with so much. I deliberated a lot, to the point where the story transformed into two books. That's why I made it a happy ending for the first one. Not sure I'll do the same with the second book though. Then again, I'm still writing it. Let's wait and see.
Overall, it wasn't an easy book to write and each section was challenging in their own way. It was almost like a relief when I finally made it to the end. Still, I'm so emotionally attached to the story :)

Are your characters based on any people you know?
There's a little bit of myself in Moya. Not in the sense where I have the same issues, but I know what's it like being afraid to open your heart up to someone. I believe that many women can relate to that. As for Branden, he's my idea of what a nice guy is. I like reading stories where guys aren't rude and rough. So Branden is my way of saying good guys are interesting too.

What sort of books/genre do you read yourself?
I love fantasy, mystery, contemporary, romance, action, drama, realistic fiction. Fantasy has always been my favorite though. I haven't been reading as much as I would like to because I'm writing all these books, but I have a craving for realistic fiction and mystery. I'm really looking forward to Jennifer Hubbard's And We Stay. The story sounds really intense.

How do you come up with ideas for your books?
They're all floating around in my head. I don't borrow ideas from movies or other books. Honestly. Sometimes I dream about them, or I'm just sitting down doing nothing and out of nowhere comes an idea of a girl shooting fires from her toes. It's just crazy.

Who would you recommend Impossibly Love to?
Everyone! If you love clean romance that's light and easy to go through in a day, then this book is for you. I make reference to the fact that it's clean because New Adult is becoming known for a lot of other things opposite clean, so I just want to emphasize that you don't have to shy away from Impossibly Love because it is classified as New Adult. It's a story about not being afraid, of taking chances even if the odds are against you. So, please, give it a try you might like it :)

Thank you so much for having me on your blog.

Find Shane Morgan

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20.9.13

Blog Tour : The Night Has Claws by Kat Kruger

The Night Has Claws (The Magdeburg Trilogy, #2)

The Night Has Claws by Kat Kruger

Please welcome Kat to Books for Company.

Thank you very much Kat for stopping by!

Was there any part of the book you found particularly hard to write?

Because this is the second book in the series, I found it was a lot easier to write in general because all the characters were still "talking to me." That said, I delve deeper into my version of werewolf mythology in The Night Has Claws and that presented the biggest challenge in my writing. I had to get my ideas down in a way that makes sense to readers while also touching on the complexities of the werewolf societies in the world of the Magdeburg Trilogy. On the other hand, if we're talking about "hard" in terms of emotions I'd say the last chapter in the book took a lot out of me.

What three things do you always have near you when writing?

1. My iPhone which is basically my reference library.
2. A dog-eared copy of The Night Has Teeth because I oddly feel the need to look back at what my characters have said and done in order to move forward.
3. A glass of water.
This is probably the most boring three things an author can possibly list but my real life isn't very exciting.

Do any of your characters have characteristics from people who you know?

If there are, I didn't do it consciously. When I developed the characters they kind of took on lives of their own. If anything, I think there are probably elements of my own personality in both Connor and Madison: his tendency toward obliviousness and her dry sense of humor.

Do you have a favorite character?
If I had to choose it would probably be Roul but it's mostly because he has a lot of back story that doesn't make it onto the page. So much so that one day I'd like to do a graphic novel prequel about him. Arden's a close second though. He's actually the least complicated of all the characters in the series, his motivations are fairly single-minded and focused on loyalty, but that's what makes him so dear to me too.

How did you come round to writing Young Adult books?

I'm a huge fan of the genre. As a freelance writer during the day a lot of my writing is non-fiction which can be kind of dry. I've always been a writer on some level for as long as I can remember, really. Because I enjoy reading YA books and write for a living anyway I felt I could contribute something new.

Part of the book takes place in Germany. How did you research the locations?

The first book (The Night Has Teeth) and part of The Night Has Claws take place in Paris. That was easy because I've been there. Germany's on my travel bucket list still. Whenever I can't draw from a personal experience, I go to the internet. You can find enough online to piece things together. I chose Quedlinburg because of its proximity to Magdeburg and for its historic charm. Google Maps and Flickr were a great help when I needed visuals. Travel forums also provided a lot of details that I wouldn't be able to find unless I visited the places I mentioned. I have to say, I love doing the research on locations, science, etc. about as much as I enjoy writing the books!

Music and playlists play a large part in your writing. If you had to pick one "theme song" for Connor, what would it be?

Connor's character is evolving as the books progress. At this point in the series I'd say his theme song is "Furr" by Blitzen Trapper. He's new to this life as a werewolf, trying to figure things out. Because he wasn't born into their world he has to find a balance between being human and being one of them.

Heaven's Hand is a pretty steeped in religion. Are they based on a real group?

In a way, yes. When I was doing my research on werewolves, I looked into the Benandanti who are mentioned in Kelley Armstrong's series among others. It led me to a mention of an inquisition in the 1600s where a man named Thiess of Kaltenbrun was accused of being a werewolf and he testified that he was a "Hound of God." I kind of ran with that idea, taking elements from other religions in order to create Heaven's Hand (a.k.a. The Hounds of God).

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