Interview with YA author Becca C. Smith

Today's guest is YA author Becca C. Smith. She writes young adult novels, and is here to talk about her newest book, Riser.

Bio: 
Becca C. Smith received her Film degree from Full Sail University and has worked in the Film and Television industry for most of her adult life.

Becca is the author of the teen horror/sci-fi novel, Riser. She is also the co-author of the teen graphic novel Ghost Whisperer: The Haunted and also wrote and illustrated Little Family Secrets, a graphic novel based on the true story of her great aunt who was famous for murdering her husband.

She currently lives in Los Angeles, CA with her husband and two cats Jack and Duke.

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

Black swirling holes churning madly in the center of every corpse.This is how eighteen-year-old Chelsan Derée sees the deceased.Her ability to connect to the black spinning holes allows her to control every dead thing within a four-mile radius.

But that’s the least of her problems. It’s 2320 and Chelsan Derée has to survive another year of high school, which for her is pure and utter torture, mainly due to the fact that her schoolmate Jill Forester’s favorite activity is making Chelsan’s life a living hell. If that isn’t enough, Chelsan’s impossible crush on Ryan Vaughn makes her brain do somersaults on a regular basis, especially since she is positive he doesn’t know she exists. And being eighteen Chelsan has to deal with the pressure of whether or not she should take a little pill called Age-pro, which cures aging, making the world eighteen forever and highly over-populated.

When Chelsan’s mother, Janet, is brutally killed, along with everyone else in her trailer park, Chelsan finds out that she was the intended target.

Chelsan must use her power to raise and control the dead to save herself, protect her friends and take down the man responsible for murdering her mother.

What inspired you to write this book?

I really started getting into YA books. I couldn’t seem to read enough of them and it inspired me to write my own. Riser was actually based on a TV pilot I wrote years before and I thought it would work nicely as a teen sci-fi novel

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’ve actually written two books in the Riser series and I’m currently working on the third. I hope to have it released by August or September this year. It’ll be the end of the first trilogy. Now that I’ve created a “world” I can write other trilogies within that universe. I’ve already thought of the first book of the trilogy revolving around a three-hundred-year-old assassin, so that should be a lot of fun!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I started writing at age 5. It’s something I’ve always done and honestly, I can’t imagine doing anything else. Writing is a complete joy and escape for me. I love creating new and interesting worlds that others can escape into as well. I’m a Hungry Hippo when it comes to writing and reading! I just can’t get enough!

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 always write. I often equate writing to breathing for me, lol. Even when I have full time jobs, I write at least a 1,000 words a day. When I have free time, I’ll sometimes write all day. I also like to draw. I wrote and illustrated a graphic novel, Little Family Secrets based on a true story.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I’m not sure if I have any quirks per se, but I do love writing outdoors, if that counts. At parks, the front yard, the balcony, as long as I have my iced mocha and something to write on I’m happy!

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

I only ever wanted to be two things: a writer, or an astronaut. And I’m not an astronaut, lol.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I’m also a sucker for younger YA books as well! I actually have just published a YA book for younger audiences called, Alexis Tappendorf and the Search for Beale’s Treasure. It was a lot of fun writing it. It’s full of code-breaking, hunting for treasure and adventure!

Thanks for stopping by today, Becca.

Interview with YA author Michael Rothman

Today's guest, Michael A. Rothman, is the author of two novels (so far) in the Prophecies series for young adults. The two titles are HEIRS OF PROPHECY, and TOOLS OF PROPHECY.

Michael will be awarding a $50 Amazon gift card to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so leave your e-mail address with a comment if you'd like to be entered. Also, you can follow Michael's tour and comment at other stops - the more you comment, the better your chances of winning!

Welcome, Michael. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I have always admired truly epic tales. You know the ones I mean. The book you crack open, wander through and utterly get immersed in. The story takes you on twists and turns you never expected, run into dead-ends that make you wheel your arms backward to prevent you from falling into an endless abyss. By the time you reach what you think is the end, you've read hundreds of pages and realize the end is really only the beginning of the story.

You close the book and wonder, " Do I have the next book? Is it out yet?"

My goal with HEIRS OF PROPHECY was to make a story that would allow a younger audience access to such a tale. Since I despised waiting forever for the next part of the story, I won't leave readers suspended for too long. The next book, TOOLS OF PROPHECY, will come out by the end of the summer, 2012.  Oh, and if you liked the first book, the second book takes the reader on much higher emotional roller coasters and has lots more fun and surprising twists throughout. You will definitely get your fill of strongly opinionated dwarves, the stoic but intense elves, and evil pervades in the assassin world. The Rivertons have trained and evolved in the book as well. I think readers will be pleased. Oh, and a few new talking pets that add lots of comedy, but promise danger for the future.

I hope that leaves you with enough hints and tidbits of what will happen in the future, and encourages you to become embroiled in the world that is Trimoria.

Oh - one more thing. I will before the end of 2012, be introducing a prequel to HEIRS OF PROPHECY which will use a very familiar female main character. It is definitely geared toward attracting new female readers, but I promise the male readers - PRINCESS INTERRUPTED, will have lots of excitement and entertainment for you guys as well.

Please tell us about your current release.

HEIRS OF PROPHECY is the first in a series of books that center around the Riverton family. I’ve seen many reviews of the book, and one that I thing properly captures things in a nutshell is that it is a story about a Modern day family that falls down the veritable rabbit hole into a new world very much akin to a Lord of the Rings Middle Earth.

The back cover text does cover the story nicely though:

The Riverton family had been enjoying a simple summer vacation when, through a fluke of nature, they found themselves in a strange new land.

The Riverton brothers quickly realize that in this world, they have gained unusual powers. Powers that their parents fear will attract the attention of Azazel himself - the merciless wizard who brutally controls this world.

The two brothers soon learn that an ancient prophecy has finally been initiated by their arrival in Trimoria. As the heirs of this prophecy, they are destined to lead the armies of men, dwarves, elves, and even a misfit ogre against the prophesied demon horde.

Only one thing stands in their way.

The evil wizard who has learned of their presence, and has sent assassins to wipe them from existence.

What inspired you to write this book?

My children inspired my writing. My first novel stems directly from a bed time tale I would tell my children that over time evolved and got more elaborate. So instead of making things up on-the-fly, I decided to write the outline for what ended up being HEIRS OF PROPHECY, TOOLS OF PROPHECY, and a yet-to-be-named book to follow (though I am partial to LORDS OF PROPHECY).

Excerpt:

When the family first encounters some wildlife that is clearly not from their world…

Looking to the top of the hill to the west, Aaron spotted a single four-legged figure outlined against the darkening sky. He raised his arm to point it out to his family, but before he could say anything, the animal vanished. Confused, Aaron lowered his arm.“Huh?” he said.

Just as the sound escaped his lips, the creature returned, closer this time. Aaron was alerted to its presence by a loud popping sound. Startled, he turned toward the animal, finding it standing a mere twenty feet away. From this distance, he could tell that it was a wolf-like creature. Its fur was matted and its face crusted with dirt. The wolf looked the family over in turn, an unnerving intelligence behind those yellow eyes.

Dad calmly motioned everyone behind him. “Don’t make any sudden moves…”

The creature sniffed once at the air, growled, and then blinked out of sight with another sharp popping sound. The sound echoed in Aaron’s head as he pondered in awe what he had just seen.“It just…It just…,” he stammered. “It just disappeared.”

“Where did it go?” Mom asked, her voice quavering.

Dad shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

“What the heck was that, Jared?” Mom growled, sounding fearfully angry. “Tell me you’re going to explain where in the world you’ve seen what we’ve just seen.”

Dad strode forward and crouched where the wolf had been. He seemed to study the ground for a time before breaking into a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry, but I can’t explain any of this. What we just saw shouldn’t be possible.”

“Maybe he didn’t disappear,” Ryan offered. “Maybe he just camouflaged himself. You know…like a lizard.”

Dad shook his head. “No, I see his paw prints here and nowhere else. It’s like he teleported away.”

“Teleporting wolves, giant cats, and I’m sparking everywhere on demand.”

“Yeah,” Aaron chimed in, “and hollow rocks.”

“Dad, are we even in our world anymore?”

Aaron couldn’t help but note how at a loss his father seemed.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I am currently working on a prequel to the first book, HEIRS OF PROPHECY – this one is titled, PRINCESS INTERRUPTED.  I can give you a sneak peek into some possible back-cover text to describe that prequel (also gives away who the Princess in the title is)

Arabelle, the daughter of a merchant king in the land of Trimoria  finds her normally simple life interrupted by events far beyond her  control. Her life of leisure is shattered.

Arabelle must learn to resist the monstrous foes that threaten her  people and the ones she loves.

She must do this while keeping a dark secret that only she can bear.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I have for a long time been a writer of graduate level material for the technical world. So at the very least, I knew I was capable of stringing a sentence together, but the thing that might not have been clear was whether or not I was able to sustain a reader’s attention through my creative writing and story telling. I am lucky enough to have a few friends who are NYT bestselling authors who after a draft of my first novel early last year were able to give me some critique which pointed out some things that helped me improve the focus on my writing.

So to answer the question specifically about creative writing, I guess I can answer it this way: I first felt confident that I had decent creative writing skills sometimes in 2011, and I suppose my (and my publisher’s) personal goal at some point would be to show commercial success through that writing. Commercial success in my mind being defined as breaking into some of the top-X lists such as USA Today, NYT, etc.

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 have a day-job, as many otherwise successful authors do who are “breaking into the business.”

Suffice it to say I am in the technology field. If you hunt hard enough you might figure out where and who I am there by the judicious use of Google and Amazon.

How to find time is a very common question I get. In truth, it is very easy to find time and make decent progress if you are consistent. I oftentimes wake up at 5am, write for a couple hours, and then get the rest of my day started. You’d be surprised how much progress one can make when you are consistently putting some time in.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Okay – one writing quirk is less a writing quirk but a writing environment affectation. I eat lots of junk food while I am writing. I seem to be partial to Good & Plenty (don’t ask me why) and chocolate covered raspberry gel sticks. I know – bizarre, but it has developed into my “thing”. My wife knows when I am planning on doing a marathon weekend writing stint when I stock up on some of that.

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

I was always aimed toward technology either in the computer field or medicine. Oddly enough, I ended up steered toward the computer field and never looked back. I grew up somewhat at the dawn of the PC, and was lucky enough to work with some of the pioneers of what would become the modern PC. I was also somewhat responsible for some of the operating systems that people had grown up with prior to the coming of Windows.

For those of you who were wondering, “What about writing?” My English teachers in high school would be shocked to learn that the guy who groaned through their class was now writing books, though that might have been somewhat due to their teaching ability versus mine. I did take one, I repeat, ONE creative writing class in college and I was the teacher’s prodigy. I personally thought she was nuts for liking my writing, but for all I know – maybe she was seeing something in me all those years ago that I still wonder about at times.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I am still seeking the perfect cheese Danish that doesn’t skimp on the cheese and gives me wonderfully buttery and flakey crust. I remember those from my youth in Brooklyn, but since then – I’ve been deprived.

Here is the HEIRS OF PROPHECY book trailer.

Here is the TOOLS OF PROPHECY book trailer.

Thanks for stopping by and talking with us a bit today, Michael. Readers, don't forget about the Amazon gift card that is up for grabs! Just leave your name with a comment to be entered.

Interview with YA fantasy author J.A. Beard

Today, Reviews and Interviews is a stop for J.A. Beard as he tours his YA fantasy novel The Emerald City.


Bio:
J.A. Beard likes to describe himself as a restless soul married to an equally restless soul. His two children are too young yet to discuss whether or not they are restless souls, but he’s betting on it. He likes to call himself the Pie Master, yet is too cowardly to prove his skills in an actual baking competition. So, really, he’s merely a Potential Pie Master. When he’s not writing, he’s working on finishing off his PhD in microbiology.

Welcome, J.A. Please tell us about your current release, The Emerald City.
When her parents die, teenager Gail Dorjee retreats into an angry, sarcastic shell. She hopes it will ease her pain, but all it gets her is a one-way trip from Kansas to a Seattle boarding school, the elite Osland Academy.

As soon as she arrives, Gail clashes with Diana, the leader of the school's most powerful clique. The Winged make Gail's life hell until she find allies: her airhead roommate; a cowardly fellow victim of the Winged; and, bit by bit, Diana's boyfriend--the seemingly heartless Nick.

Gail soon has bigger problems than Diana. One of her teachers hates her. Glasses shatter and fountains erupt around her. She can't swear no matter how hard she tries. An unseen force is keeping her on campus. And worst of all, she uncovers a plot that will give one person a precious gift at the cost of thousands of lives. Now Gail and her friends must stop the plot--not just to save lives, but to win a brain, the nerve, a heart and a home in this modern urban fantasy take on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

What inspired you to write this book?
The Emerald City came about as a result of a bit of serendipitous inspiration. A couple years back, the Broadway touring production of Wicked rolled into town. Now, for those unfamiliar with it, it's an adaptation of a book by Gregory Maguire. His story is a revisionist retelling of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from the point of view of the Wicked Witch of the West. Although it adds some details and changes our perceptions of the characters, it's still firmly set in a non-modern place and time.

After watching Wicked, I became inspired. I wanted to write some sort of Oz story, but writing something directly set in Oz didn't really appeal to me. I'd been on a reading streak of YA paranormal/urban fantasies at the time, so the idea of adapting Oz to a more modern YA UF setting seemed like a good plan. The original Dorothy wasn’t twenty-five, after all.

What exciting story are you working on next?
A Woman of Proper Accomplishments, a slightly alternate history Regency (the story is set in 1811 in Bedfordshire, England) paranormal romance. In this world Benjamin Franklin discovered a type of magic called spiritus that allows a rare few people to literally breathe life into objects (thus earning them the nickname of “soul breathers”). The various intellectuals and religious leaders of the day swear up and down that it’s not magic and try to treat it as a science despite obvious defiance of the Laws of Physics. The English weaponize the discovery pretty quickly and use it to crush the American Revolution, but they still have to later face the Napoleonic Wars. This time everybody involved has soldiers of flesh, wood, and stone to fight.

This is all pretty distant from nineteen-year-old Helena Preston. She’s more interested in finding a husband that will accept her “unfeminine” interests in things such as science/natural philosophy. When a handsome and well-off soul breather strolls into town, Helena thinks she’s found the man of her dreams. When she’s attacked by what appears to be a product of soul breathing, she faces the uncomfortable possibility that her new love interest isn’t such a catch after all. Plus, there’s no etiquette book in England that teaches the polite way to ask a gentleman if he sent a magically animated pile of wood to kill you.

I also have some other projects in the works, including the sequel to The Emerald City.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I suppose with the actual publishing of my novel, I now feel like a writer.

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 do not currently write full-time. As of yet, my income from writing doesn’t allow that and no rich dukes or princes have stepped up to be my patron. My “day job” involves studying viruses as part of my work to earn my PhD in microbiology. I’m also married and have two children, which take up more than a small amount of time.

I mostly write at night and very early in the morning. I also try to write extensively on the weekends if I’m not in the lab.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I like putting in hidden meanings and allusions into a lot of my work. The Emerald City, given that it is inspired by another book, is filled with things like that. Some are very obvious, such as turning Dorothy Gail into Gail Dorjee. Some are less obvious. The character of Lydia Wray is the Scarecrow analog. Her last name was chosen because there’s a village in England named Wray that has an annual Scarecrow Festival.

In one of my fantasy works-in-progress, the numbers eight and four are rather prominent as the setting is rather East Asian-influenced. Eight is a lucky number in most East Asian country and four is an unlucky number. So, I often associate those numbers with good and bad things respectively in that story.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A computer programmer. I did briefly study the field at university before realizing I was more interested in computers as a tool than actually being the guy to make them work. Despite that, after a few different jobs, I did end up a computer programmer for several years before returning to college to study microbiology.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Thank you all for taking the time to read my interview.

Thanks for stopping by and spending a little time with us, J.A. The insights you list for the 'quirks' question are an extra special treat.

Interview with paranormal YA author Emlyn Chand

Today's guest is paranormal young adult author Emlyn Chand. She's talking about her new novel Farsighted, her writing, and there are details below about a $50 Amazon gift certificate giveaway.

Bio:
Emlyn Chand is the president of Novel Publicity and a YA author. She loves to hear and tell stories and emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). Her first novel Farsighted released in late 2011 and is of the YA genre. Learn more about Emlyn at www.emlynchand.com or by connecting with her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or GoodReads.

Welcome, Emlyn. Please tell us about your current release.
Farsighted tells the story of Alex Kosmitoras. Here’s my mini teaser: Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t. When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider.

What inspired you to write this book?
Everything started with a single image—my face in these tacky oversized sunglasses reflecting out at me from the car’s side mirror. I was daydreaming while my husband drove us across Michigan for my sister’s wedding. Something about my image really struck me in an almost horrific way. I felt the glasses made me look blind, but found it so weird that there was still a clear image within them; it seemed so contradictory. At the time, my book club was reading The Odyssey, which features the blind Theban prophet, Tieresias. I started thinking about what it would be like to have non-visual visions of the future and began forming a modern Tieresias in my mind. Lo and behold, Alex Kosmitoras was born. I didn’t want him to be alone in his psychic subculture, so I found other characters with other powers to keep him company. Thank God for my poor fashion sense.

What exciting story are you working on next?
Farsighted is a 5-book series. Each book will be told from a different character’s point-of-view, so in book #2, we’ll actually be able to see what Grandon looks like! Next up is Open Heart. I hope to have that ready by the middle of next year.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I was born with a fountain pen grasped firmly in my left hand, at least that’s what my Twitter bio says. But seriously, I do believe writers are born into the craft—we haven’t got much choice, but it’s a great calling to have. As a child, I always had a story to tell. I also loved illustrating my own books and comics. I first became a writer writer when I began doing a book review column for the local paper. That taught me the importance of deadlines and letting the words flow out even when I had no idea what direction they’d take me in.

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?
Really, my day is quite simple. Wake up (usually anywhere from 2 AM to 6 AM depending on how much I need to get done). Work until 7 PM. Eat dinner with my husband. Either watch television or read a book until I fall asleep. Repeat on loop. When I’m actively writing (as opposed to editing or marketing my work), I like to write at least 1 1/2 hours first thing in the morning. I go to Biggby or Panera to get it done. The rest is devoted to my burgeoning business, Novel Publicity.

Hey, didn’t somebody important say, “far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing?” I don’t mind having to give-up the other parts of my life to pursue my work, because I love it. I know I’ll eventually need to achieve a better balance, but for now, I’m content to push the pedal to the metal.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I have character-specific food cravings when I’m deep in a writing spell. Isn’t that weird? Alex, the main character of Farsighted, really liked Taco Bell’s Nacho Bel Grande. ;-)

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was really little, I planned on being a zoo keeper. In elementary school, I was going to be a Disney animator. In high school, I was going to be a lawyer. And in my early years of college, I was going to be Ambassador to Russia. :-)

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Hi, readers! I hope you’ll enjoy reading Farsighted. My primary goal is to tell an interesting story that people will find entertaining and be glad they read. Secondly, I’d like to infuse contemporary Young Adult fiction with a bit more diversity and teach readers about the beauty of other cultures and other ways of life. I also hope that Farsighted is a book that leads to introspection—what would I do if put in Alex’s place? Did Alex ever have a choice or was this path his destiny? What would it be like to see the world the way he sees the world?

Thanks, Emlyn. This paranormal series sounds fascinating.

Readers, Emlyn is giving away a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate to one randomly drawn commenter during her virtual book tour. Feel free to comment here, and follow her tour and comment on other sites. The more comments, the better chance you have of winning.

Interview with YA author Jo Ramsey

Reviews and Interviews is a Goddess Fish VBT stop today for YA author Jo Ramsey as she promotes her newest novel Reality Shift 3: Cutting Cords. Details on how to enter a drawing for a chance to win a copy of this novel are below.

Welcome, Jo! Please tell us about your current release.
Cutting Cords is the third book in my Reality Shift series. Shanna Bailey’s home life, which is already bad because of the way her mother treats her, takes a turn for the worse when her father moves out. Fortunately, Shanna has her best friend Jonah Leighton to help her cope. Shanna has begun to rely on Jonah a lot, but when her friend Tammi asks for help dealing with an entity that claims to be Tammi’s guide, Shanna has to go it alone. Tammi doesn’t trust Jonah and won’t accept his help. The problem is, Shanna isn’t sure she trusts herself enough to help her friend.

What inspired you to write this book?
The entire series was inspired by events in my life, and the friendship between Jonah and Shanna is based on a friendship I had a few years ago. And then I threw in demons and malevolent dead spirits to make it interesting.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I just finished the first draft of a new YA contemporary novel about a boy whose mother abandons the family when she can no longer handle taking care of the boy’s autistic younger sister. I also just finished edits on Reality Shift 4 and submitted the second book in my new series, The Dark Lines. (Book 1 in that series is due out in May.)

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve always considered myself a writer, but I didn’t consider myself an author until I signed my first publishing contract.

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 work part-time for my father-in-law in the office of the marine towing company he owns. But I would say I write full-time, because between writing and promoting I put in 30-40 hours a week. My writing work day is not structured enough for me to describe, though.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I have to have everything in sight. Writing notes, research notes, goals, all of it is typed up, printed out, and hung on the wall around my desk. Otherwise I not only can’t remember the information, but sometimes I can’t remember where I’ve put it.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A writer. I started writing when I was five, but I was making up stories long before that. I learned to read when I was about two-and-a-half, and from that point on I knew I wanted to see my stories in books like the ones I read.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to drop me a line on my website, follow me on Twitter, or friend me on Facebook. There’s also a Reality Shift group on Facebook that readers are welcome to join. My publisher and I post occasional updates about the series there, and sometimes I have a group-only contest.

Jo Ramsey is a former special education teacher who started writing when she was five years old. Through middle school, high school, and college, she wrote about twenty manuscripts, all longhand in spiral notebooks which now live in the bottom drawer of her filing cabinet. Jo’s favorite genre to write and to read is urban fantasy. Her Reality Shift and Dark Lines series are being published by Jupiter Storm, and she recently signed a contract for a YA contemporary with Featherweight Publishing. Jo lives in Massachusetts with her two daughters, her husband, and two cats, one of whom occasionally tries to help her type.

Remember to check out the full schedule of tour dates for Jo's blog tour and leave a comment for a chance to win an autographed print ARC (advanced review copy) of Cutting Cords.