Interview with fantasy author V. S. Holmes

Novelist V. S. Holmes is here today chatting about the new epic fantasy, Blood and Mercy.

Bio:

V. S. Holmes is an international bestselling author. They created the REFORGED series and the NEL BENTLY BOOKS. Smoke and Rain, the first book in their fantasy quartet, won New Apple Literary's Excellence in Independent Publishing Award in 2015. In addition, they have published short fiction in several anthologies.

When not writing, they work as a contract archaeologist throughout the northeastern U.S. They live in a Tiny House with their spouse, a fellow archaeologist, their not-so-tiny dog, and own too many books for such a small abode. As a disabled and queer human, they work as an advocate and educator for representation in SFF worlds.

Welcome, V. S. Please tell us about your current release.

Blood and Mercy is the final book in my Reforged series and follows Rih, a Deaf soldier-turned-rebel-general and Keplan, a broody, queer, teenage god. While Rih juggles life in a foriegn country and marriage to a man she condemned, Keplan struggles with addiction, visions, and murder.

You can check out the description below!

​Saving the world may have doomed them all

Keplan reels in the wake of grief and guilt at the blood on his hands. Outside the city walls, however, winter grows fiercer and droughts longer. Alea reforged the fractured world twenty years before--so why is it withering before his eyes? Then, just as he masters being a monarch, a prophet arrives spouting scripture about a One True God. Keplan’s own mother killed the last gods, yet this one matches his description perfectly--and its wrath is about to fall upon Athrolan.

Isolated within the same cold, marble walls as Athrolan’s murderous king, Rih struggles to plot her rebellion leagues away from everything she has ever known. With an unexpected ally, she may have finally found a way to the Mirikin Hetmir--until tragedy strikes. With religious fanatics at their walls, blight in their fields, and a king floundering from addiction, Athrolan spirals out of control.

​Now Rih must choose between a mad king’s life and her own revolution.

What inspired you to write this book?

Fantasy is filled with farmboys who become heroes and princesses, and I chose to subvert those tropes. This is the finale of a series that focuses on broken heroes and terrible choices, a theme I wanted to keep in this installment. I also explored the political machinations behind war and whether the end justifies horrifying means. I began this book years ago, but while finalizing it for publication I realized there were familiar notes of rebellion, climate change (though this one has divine roots), and corrupt governments, both openly so and secretive.

With Rih I wanted to show a stubborn and dedicated woman, surrounded by as many--if not more--enemies than friends as she navigates a world she cannot hear. With Keplan, I delved into concepts of sexuality and gender with a mind that hears too much.

Link to an excerpt from Blood and Mercy:  https://vsholmes.com/news/weve-got-a-release-date

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m a multi-project author, so I’ve got a few in the works! I’m drafting Heretics, the fourth book in my lesbian archaeologists in space series, the Nel Bently Books, which take place in the shared Starsedge scienc fiction universe.

I’m also outlining my next fantasy, Dagger’s Dance, the first in an all-new series set in the Blood of Titans world.

Lastly, I’m sandboxing a third unrelated project which I’m not at liberty to share just yet, but it promises to be dark, complicated, and utterly delightful!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve always written, but I first began taking it seriously in a professional manner in university (partially as an escape as well as in retaliation against my narrow-minded creative writing professor) and dove into the querying world in 2013.

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 do write full time, though I also have a seasonal day-job as a contract archaeologist. This means I travel a lot during the summer and fall, writing early in the morning and after we finish off our hotel parking lot drinks in the evening. Most of my winter months are spent writing as the ground is too frozen for consistent digging. My schedule is unpredictable, but I find incredible inspiration in the people and places I encounter!

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Brooding and psychological characters who we’re never certain are actually good. Also, I cannot write scenes in chronological order, despite heavily outlining!

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

An astronaut/ astrophysicist like Ellie Arroway or evolutionary biologist/paleontologist. Also, a dragon.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

If you’re interested in checking out my work for free, you can snag a copy of Disciples, a Nel Bently short prequel or The Tempest, a fantasy survival story and glimpse at the Blood of Titan’s world from an entirely new perspective!

The Tempest: Frigid waters, monstrous leviathans, and seven other heirs lie between her and the crown. https://vsholmes.com/tempest.html

Disciples: Can Lin save their lives when she’s forbidden to get involved?

https://vsholmes.com/disciples.html

Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Bookbub | Universal Preorder (only $.99, price goes up to $5.99 after release weekend!)

Thanks for joining me today.

Interview with sci-fi romance novelist Linda Nightingale

Novelist Linda Nightingale is in the hot seat today, and she’s chatting with me about her new sci-fi romance, Life for Sale.

During her virtual book tour, Linda will be giving away a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a luck 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:

After 14 years in Texas, Linda returned home to her roots in South Carolina. She has 8 published novels, four of which are available from Audible.com in audio. For many years, she bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses. So, she’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer. Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers’ Magnolia Award for Excellence, the Raven Award in Anthologies, and the SARA Merritt. Sinners’ Opera is a finalist in the 2020 Raven Awards. She loves horses, sports cars, music, reading, writing, and piano—oh, and dressing up and hosting formal dinner parties.

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

Life for Sale is a sci-fi romance that probably leans more to the sci-fi than the romance. The book is Book II in the Tomorrow’s Angels’ series. The first is Love for Sale, which begins the journey of the main characters, Christian, a sentient android, and March, a human and a dreamer. It is, as one review said, a ‘study of a chaotic mind, albeit lab created’. Christian and March race to stop an insane killer—one of his kind—trapped on a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic.

What inspired you to write this book?

Four years after Love for Sale was released, I came to feel Christian’s and March’s story wasn’t told, wasn’t complete, that there was something else I needed to say. Christian was telling me the story, but I needed a villain. Kind of a requirement! One day as I was rereading what I’d written, a what if moment struck me. What would happen if one of the almost invulnerable androids malfunctioned? I had four suspects. Not Daniel, he had a story coming. Not Trevor because I hardly knew him. Monica II was perfect. The sexy android hadn’t found anyone to love her, and she wanted someone badly enough to kill anyone who had him. Long answer to short question. The long and short of it is, Love for Sale inspired this story.


Excerpt from Life for Sale:

“Why are you here? To spout more nonsense?” Spitting mad, Monica reared up in her enemy’s face.

“Not at all.” March’s hand flashed, almost too rapidly for Monica to see, and came down hard below her nose in a Judo-like attack.

Shocked and in pain, she stumbled back, switching modes as she pushed off the bed. “That’s it, whore. You’re a dead woman.”

“I don’t think so,” her rival gritted out, hands braced on her hips, her expression as cold and hard as her mediocre brown eyes. She shook her head. “Look, Monica, I know you’re aware of your actions. I’m going to give you a chance. You must deactivate until we can safely transport you to Dr. Cross for testing. Surely, you know something is wrong.”

“As they say in the films, you and whose army?” She squared her shoulders, preparing to strike without notice. “I didn’t do anything to that bloody dog. I didn’t do anything to you, fool.”

 “You didn’t mention Anne.” The other woman seized Monica’s arm. “What did you do to Anne?”

Claws out, Monica lunged. March darted beneath her guard, stabbing at a spot beneath her left earlobe. Monica shoved her back. “Looking for my off switch, fool? It’s well hidden, like where Ms. Goodie Two Shoes wouldn’t even think about going.”

Her insane human rival stood at the locked door, her stance as much as saying to leave Monica would have to get past her. No prob. She stalked toward her rival, murder in her eyes. March didn’t move. When Monica threw a punch at her eye, she moved by the gods.

The American whore lurched back, crossing her arms across her face, anticipating Monica’s next attack. Forearm struck forearm. A human bone should break, but March stood her ground, her limb intact. She recovered too quickly, dealing Monica a hard blow beneath her cheekbone, barely missing her eye, slamming her back against the wall.

“I don’t know what you are, March Morgan,” she sneered. “But it’s not going to save your butt.”

“No, but I am.” Looking like an avenging angel, Christian—in a Houston t-shirt and khaki shorts, his long hair disheveled—had somehow appeared behind March without either of them hearing.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m actually trying to choose between two. My contemporary western must come first. I have an approval in hand. Afterwards. I can work on the sequel to Sinners’ Opera, a vampire paranormal, titled Sinners’ Obsession. If not Sinners’ Obsession, then my centaur book where the hero is a golden palomino centaur who dazzles a Dystopian girl when she discovers a time portal from a ruined Earth to his idyllic home.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I got a high grade on a story I’d written instead of a book report in 9^th grade. The rest of the world wasn’t as sure.

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

I do write full-time, but I can only write well when I’m in my zone. Interruptions pull me out of the story, and that’s that for the day. I know that sounds temperamental but past experience like throwing away a ton of pages has taught me it is true.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I must be totally alone to get into the space where I am transported into the story, living it with the characters, seeing what they see and hearing what they hear. It’s a wonderful place to be, but a fragile bubble that can be shattered by the ringing of the phone.

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

An auto mechanic. My dad was always tinkering with our cars (maybe he wanted to be an auto mechanic, too), and I was right there with him under the hood. To this day, I wish I could work on cars. For fun and profit. I love cars, particularly sports cars.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I love you. I mean really. I write for you and me. You’re the biggest part of my passion for writing—to have someone appreciate my work, to enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. That’s a good feeling. Every time I get a five-star review, I happy dance. Thank you.

Links:

Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon | Book Bub

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Interview with fantasy author Dimitrius Jones

Today’s special guest is fantasy author Dimitrius Jones and we’re chatting about Doorway to Scorn.

During his virtual book tour, Dimitrius 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 and enter there, too!

Bio:

Dimitrius Jones was born and raised in West Texas, much to his eternal annoyance. Despite this, he first picked up the pen at the tender age of six. His first masterpiece was a page-turner was about dolphins that used eye lasers to kill a hurricane. From there, his life took a few twists and turns, but he always found his way back to his trusty notepad.

His next few projects include a self-help book for those who suffer from low self-esteem as well as a full-length fantasy/romance novel to be released sometime in the future. Dimitrius has always, perhaps unsurprisingly, been inspired by the mystery, tragedy, and wonder of fairy tales.

His goal in life is to constantly inspire, amuse, and shed light into the corners of life we didn't know were right in front of us.

Welcome, Dimitrius. Please tell us a little bit about this book.

I have always been fascinated with the world of JRPGs. As a kid, I wanted to know more about the myths and history beats in the game. I wasn’t as concerned with the actual gameplay, which was a little strange. You typically buy video games to play them.

I noticed a lack of African-American characters in this particular genre and wanted to create a story that featured characters similar to myself. Thus, one night after beating Grandia once again, the idea for Doorway to Scorn took root.

Do you have a favorite scene? If so, what was it?

There’s a particular scene where one of the main characters gains magical powers, but they’re not the ones they wanted. This scene is important to me because it showcases that sometimes we don’t get the opportunities we think we should get. Instead, we get the opportunities that will allow us to grow as individuals and stretch our limited worldview.

Any challenges in writing this book?

The biggest challenge for me was not giving too much away with this first installment. There are still so many things yet to be uncovered regarding the characters, overall plot, and the world of Austyria. I want so badly for my readers to be as excited as I am about what’s to come, but I have to be patient. We’ll get there!

I will definitely say that if people enjoy this book they can expect several more sequels. We have a lot of ground to cover.

Excerpt from Doorway to Scorn:

“Lex. You need to run.”

Bibi’s voice is low, just above a whisper. She flips her daggers in her hands until they’re pointing away from her body, something I’ve never seen done before. They’re normally used for stabbing – usually in the most treacherous manner possible – and held with the blade facing up, not down.

“I’m not leaving you here to fight that alone.”

“Then you’re a fool. You can’t help me here, and that cursed weapon you have won’t save you. I don’t even know why you’re still holding onto it.”

“I have potions. If you get hurt, I can at least heal you.”

Bibi doesn’t respond, but I can see the muscles in her shoulders and arms tensing as the shadow man regains his composure and goes completely still. She doesn’t sound like herself. It’s as if she’s a completely different person.

The shadow man points his blade high into the sky, and a strange, smoke-like energy begins to wisp around him. Soon, he is joined by two identical shadow men, each taking a battle stance with swords of their own.

“This is not a fight I plan to win,” Bibi says, and that’s when it dawns on me. She’s trying to buy everyone else time to escape from these things.

“Lex. You need to run.”

Bibi’s voice is low, just above a whisper. She flips her daggers in her hands until they’re pointing away from her body, something I’ve never seen done before. They’re normally used for stabbing – usually in the most treacherous manner possible – and held with the blade facing up, not down.

“I’m not leaving you here to fight that alone.”

“Then you’re a fool. You can’t help me here, and that cursed weapon you have won’t save you. I don’t even know why you’re still holding onto it.”

“I have potions. If you get hurt, I can at least heal you.”

Bibi doesn’t respond, but I can see the muscles in her shoulders and arms tensing as the shadow man regains his composure and goes completely still. She doesn’t sound like herself. It’s as if she’s a completely different person.

The shadow man points his blade high into the sky, and a strange, smoke-like energy begins to wisp around him. Soon, he is joined by two identical shadow men, each taking a battle stance with swords of their own.

“This is not a fight I plan to win,” Bibi says, and that’s when it dawns on me. She’s trying to buy everyone else time to escape from these things.

Do you have a favorite writing environment?

Before COVID, I had a specific coffee shop I’d haunt nearly every day. Yes, I’m that cliché author who writes their novels in coffee shops, and it works for me! I get distracted when I work from home. I’m too tempted to start cooking, folding laundry, or take a nap instead of writing. I really, really love naps. They’re my weakness.

Do you have a favorite genre you like to read (other than the ones you write in)?

I love to read horror. Reading scary stories is way more effective than watching horror films. Your imagination can create something much worse than a movie can.

I’m also addicted to finding new creepypastas to devour. I read scary stories in the dark, and I love freaking myself out at midnight alone in my room. I’m weird like that, but it’s so much fun! Some get their thrills from rollercoasters. I get mine from reading horror in the dark. Everyone has their vice.

How long have you been a writer?

I’ve been a writer since I knew how to spell, if we’re being honest. I was always attracted to finding an old notepad lying around and either drawing pictures or attempting to write my next masterpiece. I can’t say why it always seemed to fascinate me, but it certainly hasn’t gotten boring yet!

What is your favorite time of day, and why?

My favorite time of day is just before the sun comes up, especially in the summertime. There’s something about how quiet it is, even in the big city, that calms me. It’s as though you get a chance to take a deep breath before everyone else gets up and starts making noise.

I also adore being active just before midnight on weekdays. It’s when my creative juices are at their most potent, and I’m able to utilize them to their full potential.

Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Amazon

Thank you for being here today!

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Interview with paranormal romance author Jeny Heckman

Fantasy-paranormal romance author Jeny Heckman joins me today to chat about The Warrior’s Progeny.

During her virtual book tour, Jeny 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 her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Award-winning author, Jeny Heckman, was born in Bellingham, Washington, and was the youngest of two daughters. She met her husband, Jeff, in August 1992, and eloped three months later, at Magen’s Bay, on St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.

She wrote her first book, the Catch, in a few short months but took several years before she gained the courage to self-publish it at her son’s urging, and her love for writing began.

In 2018, Jeny knew her next project would be a series that showed adults could have adventures in the paranormal-fantasy genre too. So, she created the Heaven & Earth series, a story of doomed Greek gods and their only salvation, their modern-day descendants. Her first book of the series, the Sea Archer, was immediately picked up by the New York publishing house, the Wild Rose Press, and won, “Best in Category” from the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards.

In the year 2020, Jeny released, Dancing Through Tears, a short story from the anthology, Australia Burns: Volume Two, highlighting the Route 91 massacre from the perspective of one family at the concert, and at Mandalay Bay. She also intends to release, the Warrior’s Progeny, and Dee’s Cornucopia, in 2020, continuing the Heaven & Earth Series.

Jeny lives in Washington State with her husband of over twenty-eight years.

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

Colton Stone is a newly traded tight end whose reputation is as battered as his football helmet. When he receives a vacation invitation from his new teammates, he accepts. There he collides with Dr. Lillian Morgan, a pediatric cardiovascular surgeon, and doesn't know what to think.

A widow with two children, Lilly is looking forward to her friends' wedding. When she meets Colton Stone, his arrogant attitude only makes her long for the love she took for granted. Lilly struggles between letting go of her perfect past for an uncertain future.

Strange events occur, out of the realm of normal consciousness. When black energy touches their world Colt and Lilly become the pawns of the immortal Greek gods. Is the love developing between them natural, or part of a larger prophecy?

Excerpt from The Warrior’s Progeny:
Colt’s body temperature heated until his helmet, now that of a Trojan, melted and became part of his skull. Painful, thick, fire plumes ignited from the sides of his head and curved toward the sky, until they solidified in a solid line down the middle of the helmet. Black snake-like smoke wafted up from the earth and encircled his ankles and wrists, locking him into place.

He looked over at Lilly, who now knelt helpless as her skin became dusky, then turned a brilliant shade of blue. However, the color became an iridescent hue that reminded him of something just outside the confines of his mind. Her skin bubbled, separated, and formed into thousands of compact hairs. Small points protruded from her shoulders and down her arms until they freed themselves from the surface of her skin, as she screamed. Several long, hollow shoots grew, lengthening into the elegant, arching rods, as more buds sprouted from them and turned into thready feathers. As the feathers lengthened, green and blue eyes opened in intervals. At a screech of transformation, Lilly turned into a peacock, whose tail plumed out in a perfect fan. A feathered diadem lifted from her skull and the beautiful eyes all blinked at him. He wanted to mate with her, devour her, possess her, and bellowed out an unearthly warrior battle cry. Breaking his bonds, he charged at her.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I’ll be finishing up a side novella on a fan favorite from the series, Dee Taylor. Afterward, I’ll start on book three of the Heaven & Earth series. I’m also working on a separate genre political thriller

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I got picked up by my publisher in New York, The Wild Rose Press. I self-published my first book and had no idea what I was doing, because I’d never written anything before. When I went to a writing conference I pitched this idea for the series. I didn’t have anything written, just pitched the idea to a New York agent. She loved it. And even gave me some tips on what to do. When I came back the next year, she wasn’t there but I pitched to four other agents, editors and publishers from New York, and they loved the book. I’ve been writing ever since.

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 write part-time, and also work for our family business doing office work. I generally write in the morning and then tend to stay up late at night, especially if I’m on a roll.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

When I get started everything needs to be in its place, all clean and organized. It’s usually a mess within a couple of days, but for some reason, I’m more centered. I also need quiet or just music that’s instrumental and no words.

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

So many things!!! An actor, an engineer, a writer, an entrepreneur, a mother, a hairdresser, and a nurse

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I hope you like the book! Thank you so much for joining me today. I appreciate your time! And a huge thank you to Lisa for hosting me today, it’s been an honor.

One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from the movie Hope Floats, with Sandra Bullock. I feel like in these trying times it’s relevant.

“Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it is the middle that counts the most. You need to remember that when you find yourself at the beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up, and it will.”

Links:

Website | Amazon Author Central | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | Pinterest | GoodReads | BookBub | YouTube | iBooks | Newsletter

Thanks for joining me today, Jeny.

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Interview with middle-grade fantasy novelist J.M. Bergen

Helping me kick off a new week is novelist J.M. Bergen. He’s chatting with me about his new middle-grade fantasy, Thomas Wildus and the Wizard of Sumeria.

Bio:

J.M.’s debut fantasy/magic series originally started as a bedtime story for his oldest son. The story turned into a saga, and one book turned into five. Thomas Wildus and The Book of Sorrows was released in February, 2019. The book won the Feathered Quill Book Award, a Readers’ Favorite Book Award, and was an award winning finalist in both the American Book Festival and the Red City Review Book Awards.

When J.M. isn’t working on the Thomas Wildus books, you can find him playing with his kids, napping, or dreaming up new adventures. If you ever meet him and can’t think of anything to talk about, you might ask about Herman the Shark, the Kai and Eli stories, or why Riddle-Master by Patricia McKillip is his all-time favorite book. Or maybe you’ll have questions and stories of your own - if you do, he’ll think that’s far more interesting.

Please tell us about your current release.

In the first book in this series, Thomas Wildus discovered a secret family legacy of magic and began to unlock his extraordinary abilities, all while racing to prevent a ruthless billionaire-magician from securing the ability to control - or destroy - the world.

The adventure resumes when a surprise message from a mysterious hacker lets Thomas and his friends know that the fight isn’t over. To the contrary, it seems that their nemesis is after an even more powerful magical object than before, and this time he’s gathering the forces of darkness to his side. Deceptions abound, new characters come into play, and the stakes are nothing short of the fate of the world. It’s a wild ride!

What inspired you to write this book?

The entire series was inspired by bedtime stories, and it was clear relatively early that it was going to take a relatively long series to cover the entire journey (there are a total of 5 books planned in the main series).

Excerpt from Thomas Wildus and the Wizard of Sumeria:

“Hey, what’s that about?” Thomas stepped into the lab and stared at the panel of monitors.

“What’s what about?” Akhil pushed past and glanced at the bank of monitors that covered the far wall. Every screen had gone blank except for a single row of huge white letters running across the center.

The STAFF is REAL, NERDLINGS. Find it, or he will. TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

“What the—?” Akhil stared at the center screen in the large display.

“That’s not right.” Enrique crossed his arms and stared slantwise at the monitor.

“I don’t understand.” Akhil jumped into his chair and punched commands into the keyboard. “This network is built to the same standard as an NSA data center. This shouldn’t be possible.”

Enrique looked at the screen. “I don’t know what should or shouldn’t be possible, but someone did that and it prob- ably wasn’t your dad.”

“My dad is flying home from a conference in Switzerland.” Akhil continued to type furiously. “He’s been on a plane for the past six hours. There’s no way this was him.”

Perplexed, Thomas stared at the message. “I’m less worried about the hacking than the message. What staff? And who is this ‘he’?”

“Arius?” Enrique looked from the message to Thomas, his greenish eyes suddenly concerned. “Who else could it be?”

A shiver ran up Thomas’s spine. Just a few months earlier, Arius Strong and his followers had nearly recovered a crystal that would have given Arius extraordinary power and put the entire world in jeopardy. Arius’s quest had ended in Sumidero Canyon, with a battle that destroyed the crystal and left two of Thomas’s mentors seriously injured. Scott Alpheus had taken Arius’s sight as punishment, but the enigmatic billionaire was still a formidable enemy.

Akhil tapped another button. The words on the screen disappeared and were replaced with the typical interface and command prompt. Clearly annoyed, he pushed his chair back. “Why would someone who has the skills to break into a system like this bother to send a message like that? I don’t get it.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

Thomas Wildus and the Shadow of Elandria isn’t scheduled for publication until next summer, but already it’s shaping up to be quite an adventure!

We recently put out a short prequel to the series as well - The First Crystal – which can be purchased on Amazon but is available for free for your readers if they follow the link.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I was a creative writing major in college, and even though I had a few poems picked up in anthologies, I didn’t feel like a ‘real’ writer until my first full-length book was finished and on the market.

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?

My morning typically starts with some combination of meditation, martial arts, and writing, and I tend to write until either I run out of steam or one of my kids needs help with something. The rest of the day varies quite a lot, but typically includes a bit of creative work and a bit of practical ‘getting things done’ type stuff.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

When I first started writing the tendency to overthink and over-edit was so overwhelming that I sometimes forced myself to write with my eyes closed. I still do that from time to time, and it still helps get the inner critic out of the way.

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

If you’d asked me as a ten year old I’d have probably said baseball player, but writer would have been right in the neighborhood as well. Today, writer tops the list, and I’d love to do some work with the film and television industry.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Just how much I value and appreciate their support. Writing is something I’d gladly do for free (and have, for a good part of my life), and being able to share my work with people who enjoy and appreciate it is literally a dream come true. It brightens my day every time someone recommends Thomas Wildus to a friend, or leaves a positive review, or tells me how much they or their kids enjoyed one of the books. The critical feedback has been helpful as well, and I feel like my readers are responsible for a large part of my growth.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Interview with sci-fi novelist Victor Arteaga

Today’s special guest is sci-fi author Victor Arteaga who is chatting with me about his new paranormal, Unrest.

During his virtual book tour, Victor will be awarding a $15 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 and enter there, too!

Bio:

Victor Arteaga is a writer of science fiction, fantasy, and paranormal stories. Though he’s always been an avid reader, his dream to be a writer was jump-started when he got sober in March of 2015. What began as an exercise to keep his sobriety billowed into a deep and unbridled passion to create. His experiences with addiction and being a first-generation American from immigrant parents inject a flavor of unique authenticity to his characters and worlds that he creates. His imagination is given free rein to conjure worlds and experiences on the page which enthralls and captivates readers.

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

I’m always super bad at answering these without just giving away the whole plot so I’ll just put in the blurb that took me three months to write lol.

Remembrance Day is a garbage holiday. It’s just an excuse for vampires and humans to throw themselves a parade and pretend they did us werewolves a favor. But I guess it’s not all bad. I get cheap booze, live in an underground lunar city, which some would find cool, and working at a hotel keeps me busy. Sejanus Industries isn’t a benevolent corporate ruler, but they’re the devil I made a deal with. My life is quiet and mostly non-violent but one message from my cousin could cause me to lose the sliver of peace I sacrificed everything for.

What inspired you to write this book?

A friend of mine asked me, “Hey, Victor settle a debate for me. What would happen if you put a werewolf on the moon?” I wasn’t sure what she meant, so she clarified by asking if you put one on the moon, assuming it could live there, would it transform or stay the same? The answer involves a space elevator, manned missions to the moon that go horribly wrong and vampires. Obviously.

Excerpt from Unrest:

Abandoned hope thickened the air as people streamed between polished stone pillars that fronted this house of false promises. Equity and justice for all were laughable concepts the powerful wielded to fit their will and whim. The sky drizzled and misted enough to be cold, damp and miserable. Its gray cloud cover blunted the vibrant colors of the sparse, yet immaculate landscaping, and the wet air smothered the flowers’ sweet fragrance. I trekked past the throngs of caged miscreants as a lone wolf would pass through a swarm of rodents. The weight of my misdeeds forced my shoulders low, lined my mouth, and left my gaze fierce and steady. Guilt over leaving the cousin who called me sister slowed my steps. Betrayal of my chosen family left the bitter taste of regret on my tongue.

Lady Justice, the sullen patron saint of my temporary home, was painted and carved on every available surface. We were told the cloth around her eyes meant Justice was blind and fair. But I know now she didn’t mask her eyes to symbolize the blindness of her virtue. Justice wasn’t blind. She just couldn’t bear to see the truth.

What exciting story are you working on next?

Oh man, so many. For NaNoWriMo of 2017 I wrote a manuscript about a teenage girl who discovers she can channel elemental magic through guns and I need to get back to it. It has one of my favorite antagonists and a unique magic system that I’m really quite proud of. I’m working on the sequel to Unrest, I’m drafting another series about a phoenix who’s been trapped as a human for the last five-hundred years with his best friend, Eleni. Spoiler alert: she’s actually Aphrodite hiding in plain sight as a social media influencer. I’m laying the foundation for what I hope will be my magnum opus which is a secondary world fantasy. I’ve written a short story in that world on my Patreon which I absolutely love, but there’s so much more world-building that needs to happen before I feel ready to start drafting novels.
I have a series on my Patreon about a vampire who starts working for Sejanus Industries to find the werewolf that killed her. Lots of irons in the forge you could say haha!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I self-published my first short story. I go back to it every so often just to remind myself how far I’ve come. I made a lot of mistakes and I have to fight the urge to rewrite it with all that I’ve learned but it’s good to keep around. I did a lot of good things in it, but some mistakes just make me cringe.

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 wish. Before the lockdown I was mostly stay-at-home during the week for the first couple years of my youngest’s life. I also have a massage practice that I run on the weekends when there isn’t an airborne pandemic. When my daughter turned three and started daycare, I was doing some construction work to help my wife with finances. I find time to write whenever I can. Early mornings, lunch breaks at my clinic, empty time slots between appointments. It's a rare opportunity that I can write at home recently though. With stay-at-home orders in place here, I’m out of work and the kids are home 24/7 so I wind up having to choose to either unwind and regroup or write. Unfortunately writing loses that battle more often than not.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Probably my penchant for being a little TMI. I’m a recovering alcoholic so radical honesty is something that helped get me sober and I practice it frequently. I figure it’s better to share a little more than keep things hidden. I recognize it can be a little much for some people so I’m trying to curb that a little lol.

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

Batman, a cop, an astronaut, an x-games competitor, snowboarding legend, a rock star, a writer. I had so many ambitions and dreams as a kid and in some ways, I worked towards most of them at some point in my life. I was the lead singer of a band, I learned martial arts, I used to skateboard and snowboard as often as I could. Never tried to be a cop, but I did pass the physical test for being a firefighter so passing the one for law enforcement would be a breeze!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Tons! But I’ll keep it short. Unrest is a labor of love and truth. It took four years to write and I was in rehab for most of that time. You’ll find nuanced, flawed, multi-dimensional characters, and a rich well-built world that doesn’t pull punches. It’s got great action, a touch of romance and some great turns and twists. It was an incredible experience to write, and I’m excited to share it with everyone.

Links:

Personal Site | Patreon | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Twitter

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

It was my pleasure!

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