Lindsay and Jane's Views and Reviews: Cover Reveal - The Jelly Bean Crisis by Jolene Sto...

Lindsay and Jane's Views and Reviews: Cover Reveal - The Jelly Bean Crisis by Jolene Sto...: We are proud to be part of the cover reveal for author Jolene Stockman's upcoming release, The Jelly Bean Crisis . Here you will see the fa...

Inspiration

Well as everyone who knows me is aware, I love working on photoshop and creating something from nothing. This time I decided to do something that would provide me with some inspiration. So here it is...

Please welcome Natasha Troop

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m an L.A. native currently transplanted into the Phoenix area. I live here with my spouse, two children and menagerie of pets. Aside from writing, I teach high school Theatre Arts and English and am the co-owner of a bakery.

Other than writing, what else are you passionate about?

As a Theatre Arts teacher, I am passionate about my students, their work and the plays we make together. It is my other art form and I love to create.

Why made you decide to become a writer?

It was just something that called out to me when I was 10 or 11. I was a passionate reader and I had this feeling in my gut that it was something I should do. That feeling has never disappeared.

What brought you to this genre?

My first favourite author was Stephen King and by the time I was a teenager, I was a voracious reader of horror and science fiction. I really loved the work of H.P. Lovecraft…the way he would slowly draw the reader into a character’s madness.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

From time to time. To break them, I make myself write. Write anything, really, from a blog post to a poem or a journal entry. If I’m working on a novel, I make myself write at least ten words a day because I know that I cannot write just ten words.

Where do you get your inspiration, e.g. music, dreams etc

My mind is a weird place full of a lifetime of influences and my ideas seem to flow out of all that I have lived through.

Can you tell us a bit about your book?

Lakebridge:Spring is the first in a four book cycle. It is intentionally literary in that I was very conscious of writing in a way that emulates Virginia Woolf and James Joyce in certain stylistic ways. But at it’s core, it is New England horror about a small town that is, in a way, cursed and the effect that the curse has on the people who live there.

Describe your novel in five words.

Stansbury is a cruel lover.

Who is your favourite character and why?

Gil. He is kind of my avatar in the book. He sees the world as I do.

What are your current / future projects?

I have just published the second book in the series, Lakebridge:Summer and have begun work on the third, Fall. I will finish the cycle and then I plan on writing a book about a pyramid.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

That I could finish a book!

What do you think readers will find most notable about this book?

The very long sentences and paragraphs. But hopefully more than that, the sense of unease that the writing creates.

What would you most like readers to tell others about this book?

That they should read it! That it is a different kind of horror novel that mixes humour and observation.

Is there anything in your novel that would embarrass you if your Dad read it?

My father was one of my first readers and he loved it. Now I don’t know how he’ll feel about the second book…

What is the craziest question you have ever been asked in an interview?

If I ever found a teacher sexy. That question led me to find that teacher all these years later and she actually read my book and liked it.

 How do you react to a negative review of your book?

Negatively. It actually depends on how it is written. I know that my book is not for everyone and that some might not like my style. I’m good with that. It’s when a reviewer misses the point entirely that I have a problem.

You are leading 100 people in a survivalist situation, when suddenly your lives are in danger and you must choose between two courses of action. One would cause 10 of the people to die and everyone else would live, the other would have a 70% chance of saving everyone but were it to fail then everyone would die. Which would you choose and why?

As Spock said, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.

If I asked you to include the phrase ‘A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.’ Somewhere in your next book, would you?

I’d love to. I know which character would say that as well. And then she would die. Horribly.

Would you consider yourself adventurous?

Yes when it comes to food.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Write all the time.

Where can readers find you and more about your book(s)? Where can they purchase your book(s)?

They can go to my site at www.lakebridgecycle.com and buy it at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. It’s available in print as well as Kindle and Nook.

Chocolate or ice cream?

Yes.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Drinking a glass of cabernet sauvignon that could have paid for a small African village to get a water pump. That’s also Tim Minchin’s guilty pleasure, making Tim Minchin my guilty pleasure.

If you could have dinner with anyone famous, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

I would have dinner with William Shakespeare. I love his work and I would love for him to sign his name on my arm next to my tattoo of Hamlet. Then I would go and have his signature tattooed. And then I could prove that I had dinner with Shakespeare.

Who is you’re favourite fantasy character, either from a book or a movie and why?

Jareth from Labyrinth. One, because he was played by Bowie. And two, he’s awesome and funny and rather romantic in his own way.

Please welcome author Natah

Side projects

As some of you know, I also design covers for authors. Just thought I would share my latest with you. 

Please welcome Cat Miller author of Unbound.

Joining us today is upcoming author Cat Miller, her first novel 'Unbound' was released on April 14th by Mystic Press. She's here to talk to us about it and tell us more about herself. 

Also there is a book launch party taking place of Facebook this weekend. Full of fun, games and prizes. Why not join us?
http://facebook.com/CatMillerAuthor

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

 
I was born and raised in Baltimore City, Maryland. My Father was a Navy SEAL who proudly served several tours in Vietnam before returning to the states to meet my mom (Lucky thing for me.) I am the mother of two teenage girls that keep me busy when I’m not working full-time as a Certified Medical Coder. I went to school at Johns Hopkins University to earn my certification.

Other than writing, what else are you passionate about?

I am passionate about music. I have great respect for the song writers and artists who are able to transport listeners to another place in the space of a four minute song. It takes writers like me a lot longer to perform that task. I love everything from rock to county and R&B. Currently you will find Adele, Eminem, Shinedown, Theory of a Deadman, Jason Aldean, Papa Roach, David Nail, Red Light Kings, and One Republic, just to name a few, on shuffle in my phone.

I am also passionate about conserving our precious resources. I made the decision to forego the standard formatting practice of starting every chapter on the right side of the book in favor of a more earth friend option in publishing. This long-standing practice would add senseless blank pages to the book. Many of us are leaning toward eBooks these days, but sometimes there is just no replacement for having those black words on white pages in your hand. I feel we can fulfill the needs of both eBook fans and print lovers without needless waste.

Why made you decide to become a writer?

I am a life-long lover of the written word. I would read book after book and tell my kids that one day I would write one of my own. On my eldest daughter’s seventeenth birthday I was giving her the – You can do anything you want if you’re willing to work for it – speech most parents give their kids when she turned to me and asked why I hadn’t written my novel if that were true… Yup. It was put up or shut up time in my house. So, I put up, and here we are.

What brought you to this genre?

My youngest daughter inherited my love of reading. When she was about ten years old her interests turned toward youth fantasy and paranormal fiction. She started bringing home book that her friends were reading and some of them worried me. Like most moms I didn’t want her exposed
to anything too over the top at such a young age. So I began the practice of reading her books before I allowed her to read them. It was actually pretty cool because while she was reading them we would compare notes and talk about the characters and the plot. That was my introduction to paranormal fiction. I enjoyed the YA stuff so much that a started reading adult urban fantasy and paranormal books. When I finally decided to start writing it was the natural thing to do. We write what we love.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
I have not run into writer’s block, yet (knock on wood).

Where do you get your inspiration, e.g. music, dreams etc

Well, it usually comes in the shower. I’m not kidding. The entire concept for Unbound hit me in the shower one day.

Can you tell us a bit about your book?

My novel, Unbound, is about a young woman in the cusp of adulthood when she finds out the hard way that she is a demi-vamp. Danielle Vaughn was raised by her human mother after escaping the anger of her vampire father’s powerful family when they find that he has fathered a child with a human. Danielle never developed any signs of vampirism, so her mother hoped to hide the truth of her birth. When she heads off to college Danielle finds herself in the middle of a society of people that recognize her for what she is -a vampire- before she has a chance to figure it out. New abilities and a hunger she doesn’t understand send her on a hunt for answers. What would you do if you knew there was no one else in the world like you? Who would you turn to for help if your very existence made up, unacceptable? At an age when she is just beginning to figure out who she really is, Danielle is forced to learn to accept herself, even if nobody else ever will.

To quote a friend of mine, “The story tackles issues like prejudice, hierarchies, and trying to fit in when you don't belong anywhere. It's about vampires, but it's also about the moments in our own lives when we felt vulnerable, alone, and maybe even a little "freakish".

Describe your novel in five words.

Action packed steamy vampire goodness!!

Who is your favourite character and why?

I think Danielle is my favorite character. She is exactly what I hope I have I raised my girls to be; smart, compassionate, accepting, and she will never let you down. Her appearance made her stand out her whole life but she always held her head high. I hope all of us will take a page from her book and love ourselves for our differences. If you were just like me, and I was just like the next guy, none of us would be special.

What are your current / future projects?

I have planned for four books in the Forbidden Bond series. I am about to submit Unforgiven, the sequel to Unbound. It is due out in September. I will immediately begin working on Unmerciful, which we hope to release in the winter. The four books in the series is Unmasked.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I learn a serious lesson in time management. Working, writing, caring for the family and not sleeping make Cat a very cranky girl.

What do you think readers will find most notable about this book?

I think readers will note the fact that Unbound is not your standard urban romance. Danielle does the things most young people her age do and it’s not always the right thing. I have created fictional
characters that live through real life relationship trails and errors. Your first love is not always your last and the journey to “the one” is traveled on a rocky road.

What would you most like readers to tell others about this book?

I hope my readers will tell others that they never saw it coming. I hope they pick up the phone or log on and tell their friends Unbound broke the mold of the standard vampire romance and they liked it. I think they will tell others that they found a place between your everyday blood thirsty vamp and all that sparkles. I hope my readers will look at their doctors, hair stylists, friends, and neighbors the
day after they read Unbound and wonder, are they a vampire? Could it be real?

Do you have any advice for other writers?

My advice for other writers is to write about what you love. The hardest thing to do as a writer is to develop a character that others can relate to. When I write I live the scene and experience the
emotions with my character. If you don’t feel it, neither will your reader. You have to find a subject you love and can immerse yourself in to make it believable. The biggest compliment I have ever received is that my readers laugh, rage, and cry along with my characters. They pick sides and cheer for their favorites. That is what you have to strive for in your writing.

Where can readers find you and more about your book(s)? Where can they purchase your book(s)?



http://www.catmiller.info 

http://facebook.com/CatMillerAuthor


http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-unbound-772915-140.html

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/151123

The books will also be available on BandN, and Amazon in the next day or two.  

Chocolate or ice cream?

Mmm…  Dark chocolate.

What is your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure is books. I know you probably expected me to say that but it’s true. I have a book budget that I have a devil of a time sticking to. I always go over.

Who is you’re favourite fantasy character, either from a book or a movie and why?

My favorite fantasy character is Acheron from Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series. He comes from a very humble and difficult beginning and makes the best of life. He does what needs doing no matter how hard. Oh, yeah, and he’s HAWT HAWT HAWT!! He is six feet –eight inches of muscular blond immortal male. What can I say? He is at the top of my fantasy crush list.

Erotica or passionate romance?

Yes, please. May I have a double scoop? My writing is definitely more passionate but I love a good sticky erotica.

If you could marry any character from any book, who would it be and why?

Did I mention my big squealing girl crush on Acheron?  Why? Because he’s a no excuses, get it done kind of guy. Not to mention the muscles and everything? Did I mention how very tall he is? I bet he would make a girl feel dainty. Alright, I’m done mooning now. Mostly.