Interview with YA paranormal author Rebecca Ripley

Author Rebecca Ripley is chatting with me today about her new YA paranormal fantasy, The Aberrant Sword. 

>>The book is currently available for $.99 on Kindle.<<

Bio:

Rebecca Ripley grew up playing in the heather on the rolling hills of the Hampshire New Forest. Growing up in a region where witchcraft, legends and lore shape the history and even future of the region, she developed a deep love for fantasy. In her books she tries to marry the concepts of fantasy with strong storytelling and fast-paced young-adult action. 

Welcome, Rebecca. Please tell us about your current release.

The Aberrant Sword is a fast-paced young adult paranormal fantasy book and the first in the Abarynthian Artefacts series. The story is about Isabelle who ‘finally’ gets to become a real-life kick-ass demon hunter… except that everything goes terribly wrong. 

She ends up befriending the Demon and, on a back,-breaking quest for a sword that is supposedly key in Evil’s plan to conquer the world. 

I wanted to write a fast-paced yet fluffy and maybe even a bit romantic Young-Adult book – that now has turned into a full-concept series. 

What inspired you to write this book?

I currently live in South East-London (my husband works outside of London so it is easier for him to hit the M25 that way) and I work near Green park. My commutes are hella long! I am talking an hour at least. One morning I finished my audiobook and I was hit with the lethargy that comes after finishing a really good series or an amazing book – What should I do now?

Opposite me sat this absolutely gorgeous woman – dark features, eyes that pierce into your soul, beautiful brown curls, tall and so incredibly stylish in leather… 

I could see her being a bad-ass demon hunter! 

On the train back home I started writing my book. 

What exciting story are you working on next?

I am currently working on the second book in the series. I have planned 5 books in this series and I already have plans for 2 spin-offs. One is an Academia series and one spin-off will take place in the USA. I am so excited for them but I can’t seem to write fast enough! 

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I don’t think I consider myself a writer yet. It’s hard. In the end I am just a girl on her way home or to work hammering out words on a keyboard. I guess I will consider myself a real writer if people buy my books and like them – I think that would be a real milestone for me: getting good reviews and people mailing me or signing up to the mailing list because they like my stories. 

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

 No – I mostly write on my commutes and when I am home in the evenings. I basically take a bus to the train station and open up my laptop as soon as I am on the train. I tried writing during my lunch breaks but all what happens is that I just forget to eat. In the evenings I write after dinner – most of the time with a large glass of red wine. I think that is my favourite way of writing: comfy P-Jay bottoms, band shirt and a big glass of red wine. 

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I talk to myself and my characters when writing. It’s very annoying on the train and tube because people literally think I am

a) talking to them 

and when they notice I am not 

b) batshit crazy 

  

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to become a vet. Very unique – I know… 

Later on I wanted to become a journalist and travel the world.
I don’t know about the journalist stuff but if my books would be successful (touch wood) I do think I would travel the world non-stop. I would be a digital-nomad-author. 

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Adventure may hurt you but monotony will kill you. Get out there! Go explore! But always take a book

Thanks for being here today!

Interview with YA paranormal author Christine Potter

Welcome, readers. Today’s guest is novelist Christine Potter. We’re chatting about her newest YA paranormal romance novel with a dash of time travel, Gracie’s Time.

During her virtual book tour, Christine will be awarding a $30 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Christine Potter lives in a very old, haunted house, not far from Sleepy Hollow. She’s the author of the time-traveling Bean Books series, on Evernight Teen: Time Runs Away With Her, In Her Own Time, What Time Is It There? and Gracie’s Time. She’s also a poet, with several books in print (the most recent is called Unforgetting). Christine loves all kinds of music, DJ’s, and plays dulcimer and guitar.

Welcome, Christine. Please share a little bit about your current release.

Gracie's Time is Bean Four, the fourth book in the Bean series. Gracie Ingraham is a high school sophomore during the Cuban Missile Crisis and her parents believe the world is on the edge of nuclear war. Fortunately, they have something planned to keep their daughter safe. The Ingrahams are Travelers—time travelers--and Gracie shares their gift. So they decide to send Grace to the 1890s and a wealthy uncle in Victorian-era Manhattan. Problem is, she's never traveled in time before. She goes forward instead of back—and lands in 2018. Gracie has gone from transistor radios to iPhones, from duck-and-cover drills to active shooter drills. Because this is indeed a Bean book, characters from the original series have good-sized roles—but maybe not how you'd think. Gracie's Time makes a perfectly good stand-alone read, by the way, but I bet you'll want to read the first three books when you've finished this one!


What inspired you to write this book?

I was originally thinking of a story separate from the Bean characters, maybe one that would be short story length for an anthology. I wanted to write it in first person, from Gracie's point of view. And then, not so many words into my first draft, the Parkland shooting happened. I already had Gracie in 2018 by then. I knew I had to deal with the threat of gun violence in schools. So I did.

Excerpt from Gracie’s Time:

I heard a snoring sound in the sky then, but it was only a plane. For a moment I thought about how terrible it would be if a nuclear war started right that minute, before I could escape to the past. Then I thought about Mom and Dad. I hoped they’d come get me from the 1890s if there weren’t a war. I didn’t want them to die. I didn’t want anyone to die. I really wanted there to be a future.

Mr. Mahoney and I walked past the train station and out onto the empty platform. He looked over his shoulder to be sure no one was around. “Are you ready?” He took my hands, squeezed them, and then he let go. “It’s the right time and place! Go on back, Gracie!”

At first, I thought nothing had happened, except then it wasn’t evening anymore. It was morning—and certainly not the 1890s. Nobody named Augustus introduced himself to me.

Dad always told me that if you get confused when you Travel, you should always look at what kind of lights there are in buildings and what clothing people have on to help place yourself. But what I saw only confused me more.

A freezing wind came off the river and cut right through my corduroy jacket. People in puffy grey and brown overcoats stood in clumps, staring at what I first thought were really tiny transistor radios. I learned that same day those things are called smart phones. I’d missed the 1890s by over a hundred years—and in the wrong direction.

A sleek, silvery train roared into the station from the north and everyone got on it but me. Bingo, the future! I’d just broken one of the biggest Rules there is.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I also write poetry, and I've been busy submitting a lot of new work. I'm trying to decide what's next for Gracie. There's a real ending on this story, but there are plenty of places my new (and old) characters could go next.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I can't remember a time in my life when I couldn't read—I taught myself before kindergarten—and so I can't really remember a time when I wasn't making up stories and poems. I actually wrote some (bad) time travel stories and ghost stories when I was in junior high. I think I started calling myself a writer confidently when the first book in the Bean series came out a few years ago, even though I had published a whole lot of poetry by then. Somehow or other having a novel in print gave me the right to own the word.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I'm a retired high school English teacher. I guess that's why I never had fiction in print until I got out of the classroom: not enough hours in the day. I write every day now, either poetry or fiction. I get up, read the news, update my social media, and head for my office. I take an exercise break midday and then go back to writing until my musician husband gets home from practicing. He's a church organist, so he does an awful lot of that outside the house. He has a practice organ at home that is NOT a friend of my writing!

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I love both pop and classical music. All of my books have a lot of music in them—and characters who are musicians and DJs. Bean Four, Gracie's Time, has everything from "Over the Rainbow" to the soundtrack to Hamilton.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a writer pretty early on. I had a brief flirtation with wanting to be an archeologist, but then I realized I'd probably be excavating graves and that freaked me out.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I am the world's oldest young adult. As a retired teacher, I believe you become the age of the kids you teach. I taught high schoolers. A large part of me has been sixteen years old—for decades!

Buy Links:

Evernight Teen | Amazon – Kindle | Amazon – Paperback | Smashwords | Amazon Author Page

Social Links:

Blog | Facebook

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

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Interview with YA author Dmitriy Kushnir

Novelist Dmitriy Kushnir joins me today to chat about his new YA fiction, Thea Reeves and The Tear of the Morning Star.

During his virtual book tour, Dmitriy will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops, too.

Bio:
Dmitriy Kushnir is a Sarasota, FL local and is a student of life. In his younger years, he had served in the military and received various degrees from multiple universities. One day, Dmitriy Kushnir realized that he had just too much to share with the world and began writing in the fields of philosophy, business, religion, history, fantasy and science fiction. To this day, he has written more than 40 books under various aliases.

Welcome, Dmitriy. Please share a little bit about your current release.
I chose to write Thea Reeves series in order to inspire my daughter to read. I created a character, Thea Reeves, as a hero a young girl could look up to. It is a story about an ordinary teenager, who is entangled in extraordinary circumstances with mythical creatures and beings.

What inspired you to write this book?
I was inspired by my young daughter. I also wanted to write a series with a female character in the lead, and to have a book that is easy to read and does not leave a bad aftertaste.

Excerpt from Thea Reeves and The Tear of the Morning Star:
The girl took her eyes away from the pug and redirected all of her attention toward the raven, who sat just a few feet away from her. She talked softly, so no one, especially not even one of her neighbors or her parents would overhear. People these days may get the wrong idea from just a few misheard words, and the witch hunts and trials can begin again. Women have always been identified as the weaker sex throughout the centuries, and every time a woman spoke out or displayed any kind of strong character, she was met with oppression ... especially from the side of organized religion. Not long ago, Thea learned about Salem Witch Trials a few centuries back, and about how many ordinary women were tried by the church and by their neighbors and were executed. History tends to repeat itself.

I am no longer ordinary. Thea thought to herself, and immediately understood that no longer being ordinary could actually have a negative impact, rather than a positive one.

What exciting story are you working on next?
This will be a bit of the spoiler, but the next book (this will be book 5 of the Thea Reeves series) will be about Thea Reeves meeting the dwarf king.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

The first time I earned a royalty from the sale of my first book, I considered myself a professional writer. Only once you earned any kind of income/royalty/commission, can you consider yourself to be a professional in any kind of venture.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
No, I have other ventures I pursue full-time. Writing has always been a hobby, even if I spend ten or twelve hours a day writing, it will always be a passion and a hobby.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

We have a vacant RV trailer on our property. If it ever gets too loud or too crowded in the house, I usually escape to the trailer in order to write. Once I went an entire day with my family thinking I was in the city, when I was only a few steps away in the trailer ... writing.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I honestly do not remember, but definitely not the individual I currently am. I currently inspire thousands on daily basis and have the thousands I inspire, inspire me in return.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
The reason I do not include images in my books is because images kill imagination. So put your tablet or smartphone aside, pick up a book with no pictures and give your imagination a mental exercise.

Links:

Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon book page

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

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Interview with short story writer Jolene Stockman

Short story writer Jolene Stockman is here today to chat about her new YA illustrated motivational collection, Total Blueprint for World Domination.

During her virtual book tour, Jolene will be awarding a $75 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too.

Bio:

Jolene Stockman is a multi-award winning author, speaker, and business owner. She is also tangata whaitakiwātanga; an autistic person. Since her adult diagnosis, she has gone public with her experience - its challenges and superpowers as a TEDx Talk. Her books let you uncover your superpowers to design (and dominate!) your dream world.

Please tell us a little bit about Total Blueprint for World Domination.

Total Blueprint for World Domination is a motivational non-fiction book for young adults. Design your dream world and make it happen! Bursting with full-color superheroes, boosted with online learning, the new edition of Total Blueprint for World Domination - illustrated takes you from this very second to your greatest dreams. So, are you ready?

What do you enjoy most about writing short stories?

Time is a precious commodity! When I write non-fiction, I go straight for the juicy stuff. I hate it when people bury the jewels in a heap of fluffy text. I believe that words can change the world, and those words can be very few, especially if they’re right on target! I love it when people describe my work as concise: sometimes it only takes a few words to change the way you feel about something. Like instead of saying “I have to tidy my desk” you can say; “I choose to tidy my desk” to feel more empowered. Or instead of seeing yourself as “oversensitive”, you can see yourself as “super sensitive”. A little twist, a big difference!

Can you give us a little insight into a few of your short stories – perhaps some of your favorites?

My books are super-short. They’re designed to be jam-packed with inspiring, actionable content so people feel excited to jump into their life. My favorite book is always the one in front of me! It really is like children really; you love them all completely for the things that make them them.

What genre are you inspired to write in the most? Why?

Motivational non-fiction is my go-to. Even if I start out with blood, conflict, and drama, it always ends up in the same place: a new world where anything is possible! I think it’s because personally I’ve worked hard to  

What exciting story are you working on next?

Ooh, I have another book in the blueprint series, a screenplay, and a heap of autism presentations. One of the reasons being a writer is so cool, is that you can do it online with a computer, or in the library on scraps of paper.

How do you research markets for your work, perhaps as some advice for writers?

Keep in mind the real reason you want to be a writer: is it to be famous? To be rich? To connect with readers? To tell a story? Writing is a calling, but it is also work – and knowing your reason for doing it, your powerful why, will keep you working when it gets hard. When selling my writing, I look for markets that relate to subjects I’m excited about. Publishing can be an achingly slow process, so my advice is to be excited, but try not to care too much! Keep writing. Submit work. Forget about it. Write more. Post it. Write more. Blog it. Write more. Edit it, publish it, critique it. Write more and let it go. It’s not about writing one perfect thing, it’s about keeping your flow going and loving what you do.  

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

The media that I consume is very different to the work that I create. I love crime fiction, heavy metal, Supernatural, Tarantino movies. But when I write? It’s all fizzy sunshine! I think of myself as being dark and twisty. But when I write, rainbows and cupcakes come out! I used to find it frustrating, but now I just go with it. Sometimes it’s the dark makes the light possible.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was a child, I couldn’t have dreamed of the incredible world we live in now. We can connect with each other across time and space at the click of a button. I always knew that my ultimate plan was to write books. My until-I-was-a-grown-up plan was to find a way to write for a job, and I’ve been lucky to work in many different industries: I’ve been a copywriter, a scriptwriter, a technical writer, an educational writer. I love all the different ways that you can use words to express ideas or support people and business. Imagine what children now will grow up to be!  

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I so appreciate your support! When you start writing, you picture holding your book in your hands, seeing it at the library, and on shelves in bookstores. You imagine all the things you’re excited about and when it happens it’s like magic. But then it becomes clear: the best, most amazing part of being a writer is the readers. It’s the connections, it’s knowing that your words are being read and you’re making a difference. I live my dreams because of you and I so appreciate everyone who reads and reviews my books, who host me on their blog, and who remind me how powerful words are.

Links:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Goodreads | Amazon

Thank you for being here today!

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Interview with debut novelist Caroline Flarity

Debut author Caroline Flarity joins me today and we’re chatting about her YA paranormal (for older teens), The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter.

During her virtual book tour, Caroline will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!.

Bio:

Caroline Flarity is a web content producer living in NYC. Her fascination with fringe topics and love of scary movies led her to begin her writing journey penning creepy screenplays. Her debut novel The Ghost Hunter's Daughter started life as a feature script, placing in the finals of the StoryPros Awards and as a semifinalist in Slamdance Film Festival's writing competition. She enjoys pitting her characters against both supernatural and cultural evils.

Welcome, Caroline. Please share a little bit about your current release.

“Supernatural meets Mean Girls” in this dark, YA paranormal mystery for older teens.

Sixteen-year-old Anna is the grieving daughter of a paranormal investigator. Anna is bullied at school because of her father’s profession. She wants nothing to do with his job, but it turns out that she has a knack for the family business.

When a parasitic entity invades her town (and mind), she must harness its evil power before it destroys the only family she has left. To do so, she’ll have to keep her increasingly dark urges at bay.

What inspired you to write this book?

To me, spirituality and the paranormal are closely connected. They both revolve around the idea that consciousness extends past the body, which I believe. The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter is a creepy paranormal tale, but it’s also the metaphysical coming-of-age story of a teenage girl. I’ve always been fascinated with the paranormal and have long researched hauntings, near-death experiences, reincarnation and reports of entities with non-human origins. This book encapsulates a lot of what I’m passionate about as far as the supernatural and spiritual. It also tackles socials issues like the bullying, abuse and harassment that sadly many kids have to deal with.

Excerpt from The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter:

“Want a new nick name?” Sydney asked. “How ‘bout Frankenskank?”

            Damn. Anna had spent so much time on her eye makeup that morning that she forgot to cover her scar. Her fists clenched. She was microseconds away from smacking Sydney right in her perfect face. Her palm actually tingled in anticipation of the after-slap burn.  

“All dressed up and no place to go,” Lyric sneered, indicating the cleavage exposed by Anna’s scoop neck.

“Except maybe a whorehouse!” Sydney yelled, attracting the attention of everyone in the commons who wasn’t already watching.

            One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi. Breathe. Anna restrained herself, knowing that in her current state of mind one slap wouldn’t be enough. In fact, while the river raged, she might also decide to go ahead and slam Sydney’s head into one of the metal lockers, perhaps several times. Nausea rolled in Anna’s gut. She was disgusted by the burst of pleasure the violent fantasy brought her. She took her eyes off of Sydney’s smug face and scanned the commons. Was there a portal here, too? There must be, but Bloomtown High wasn’t on Saul’s list.

Anna forced herself to walk away from Sydney and Lyric, ignoring their parting sneers. Was she being paranoid or was everyone in the hallway gawking at her? Anna picked up her pace, her heart dropping into her churning stomach as she passed a blur of scornful faces. Everyone was looking at her, and the worst part—she thought about Craig’s snub that morning—was that she might know why.

What exciting story are you working on next?
My next book is a psychological thriller with a sci-fi element about a woman who discovers the terrifying secret behind her family’s generations of criminal behavior.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Strangely, I’ve always considered myself a writer even when I didn’t write for long stretches.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I’m a freelance writer of event-related and entertainment web content. I try to work on my new book in spurts of three to four hours at least a few times a week. I tend to write at night and always produce more when I have a deadline. That’s why I’m in a writing group. Deadlines are a must for me.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

My handwriting is atrocious. But I still do the majority of my edits by hand and then enter them into my master word doc on a PC. I often have trouble reading my own writing, and this is quite frustrating. But there’s something about printing out my work and writing edits by hand that sparks my creativity. I’m forever scribbling new ideas into the margins of my printed pages and then struggling to decipher them the next day.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I’ve always wanted to be a writer!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter is on Kindle Unlimited until July 11. I’m also running a promotion on amazon: the ebook will be 99 cents from June 28 through July 4.

Links:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Amazon

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

Thank you for hosting, Lisa, and great questions!

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