Interview with fantasy author Aidan Russell

Fantasy author Aidan Russell joins me today and we’re chatting a bit about his newest novel, The Shattered Blades, The Land of Nod: Book Three of the Judges Cycle.

During his virtual book tour, Aidan will be awarding a Kindle Paperwhite 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:

Aidan Russell is a Marine Corps veteran living in Las Vegas. He spent his youth following the adventures of wizards and space demons and decided one day to write his own tales. His short fiction is available in the Never Fear and Uncharted Worlds anthologies. When not writing, he enjoys skiing and heavy metal.

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

The Shattered Blades is the third book in my epic fantasy series, The Judges Cycle. The war between good and evil across the Land of Nod has officially begun. Armies are on the march and battle lines are formed. For the heroes of the story, however, their fighting appears to have come to an end. In the first two books, Road of the Lost and March to Shadows, the Elven warrior, Reslo, and the two Templar knights, Gratas and Jerah, fought against the ancient evils that stirred and conspired to bring about the war at hand. Beaten to the point of near-death over and over, they now find themselves parting ways and returning to their homes. Reslo returns to his family in their forest homeland, but he cannot allow himself to rest. He made a promise to his Templar friends to recover their lost relics, and the enemies he encountered in Road of the Lost still lurk within the forest. Gratas and Jerah return to their kingdom and take up residence in the small town of Dunkhau, where they must guard a foreign princess, forced to flee her lands. While Dunkhau is idyllic on its surface, trouble brews in the shadows, and within the souls of the heroes as they struggle to return to a peaceful life.

Princess Heiradra, long from her home and under the watchful eye of her guardians, finds her life much more complex than the daily routine of breakfast and lounging about that she experienced back in her palace. Long and away from her homeland, she finds it hard to rest knowing her kingdom is besieged. However, he does not let the distance keep her from joining the fight.

What inspired you to write this book?

The series formed in my head shortly after I finished Lord of the Rings for the first time. Like Tolkien and his world, the Land of Nod and its story “started with a map.” My friends and I were active in the old AOL Rhydin RPG chatrooms, so I drew up a map for a fantasy world that could be our own. As backstory, I turned to two of the oldest written works: Beowulf and the Bible. In the Bible, Cain is exiled to the Land of Nod for murdering his brother. We never hear of Cain or Nod again. The author of Beowulf, while describing the monster Grendel, states that Elves, Ogres, and evil phantoms were all born of Cain following his exile. So, I thought to myself, what if Nod were some far-off land of high fantasy and adventure that existed apart from our own world. And, what if the inhabitants of that land forgot from where they came and the origin of their land. From there, I built the type of story that first got me into the fantasy genre: one of knights and princesses facing off against dark lords in cahoots with demons.

Excerpt from The Shattered Blades, The Land of Nod:
The dizziness flared when the Dragon dropped Reslo into a puddle on a flat rock. He took a moment to catch his breath. He even sucked up a mouthful of the fresh rainwater from the puddle. He pushed himself to his feet, drew Moreathar, and faced the Dragon.

“Why did you take me away? How could you flee? I almost had Mdychi.”

Qa’sin spun to face Reslo. For a moment, the storm subsided as his great bulk and wings tossed aside the wind and rain. Eyes that glowed like dew-covered moss stared down on the Elf. The firelight within the Dragon grew brighter through his scars.

“Your father tried to fight me the first time we met. I see you’ve inherited his temper. Perhaps his stupidity as well.”

Reslo knew the Dragon was correct. It would be stupid to try to fight the titanic beast. Moreathar was a mighty sword, and Reslo a great warrior, but neither possessed the strength to defeat Miradep’s Dragon. Besides, they had no feud with him. If anything, Reslo owed the Dragon a debt of honor, as his children would after him.

“Why did we flee?” Reslo lowered his blade.

“Because you would have been killed,” Qa’sin said, “and I need you to help rid me of that scourge.”

“What scourge?” Reslo slammed Moreathar home in its scabbard.

“That… That Dragon, no… not a Dragon. That abomination…” Qa’sin sputtered and his serpentine tongue slithered as he stumbled through his words. “Among what remains of our people, it is called the Pythoness. The Witch Dragon is what it calls itself. We must kill it and end its desecration of this forest at last. It eludes me, hides from me. That is why I need you, warden, tracker, hunter.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m currently working on a short story that takes place in Nod that involves Dwarves, beer, and a heist. I’m going to be giving it away to my newsletter subscribers.

After that, it’s back to work on book four of the series. The outline is finished and now I just need to sit myself in front of the keyboard and get to writing!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

There were two defining moments when I donned the mantle of “writer.” The first occurred when I wrote and published my first short story, a police procedural/serial killer horror, for the anthology, Never Fear-Phobias. After that, I got serious about needing to finish and publish the epic fantasy stories that were brewing in my brain. I started to attend conferences, seminars, and really became serious about needing to be a writer in my own right.

There second moment came when I published my first novel, the first book in this series, Road of the Lost. That was it. I had a book out, and that book was part of a series, so since then I’ve had to squeeze in as much time as possible between the day jobs, planning a wedding, exercising, walking dogs, etc., and get the words down. Book one was out, and people needed book two, then book three, and now they want book four. I won’t be pulling a George R.R. Martin. Book seven will be released and I won’t make people wait ten years for it either. When writing becomes a daily force of habit, that’s when you know you’re 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?

I still have a day job working with a local law enforcement agency. The schedule ranges anywhere from the usual 40-hour work week to “OH MY GOD WHEN CAN I SLEEP?” The biggest thing that helps with writing is not “finding” the time to write, but rather “making” the time to write. I use a day planner (or rather, I bought a day planner that I sometimes use), to carve out chunks of time to write. I’ve recently started using writing sprints after reading Chris Fox’s book “5,000 Word Per Hour.” I certainly haven’t hit that milestone of productivity, but I find when I have things to do around the house, if I set a timer to go off at the 45-minute mark of every hour, and then I plop my headphones on and force the words out for 15 minutes, I can get a lot done.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I don’t know if I’ve figured it out yet. For the readers out there, let me know if you’ve found it.

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

I wanted to be everything from a hockey player to a fighter pilot. Then, around the age of 17, out of nowhere I decided I wanted to be an infantry Marine. Five days after high school graduation, it was off to boot camp with me!

Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Author | Bookbub

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Interview with romance author Lynnette Austin

Author Lynnette Austin joins me today to talk about her new contemporary romance, Must Love Babies.

Bio:

Lynnette Austin loves long rides with the top down and the music cranked up, the Gulf of Mexico when a storm is brewing, and sitting in her local coffee shop reading and enjoying an iced coffee. She divides her time between Southwest Florida's beaches and Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains. Having grown up in a small town, that's where her heart takes her—to those quirky small towns where everybody knows everybody...and all their business, for better or worse. Writing for Grand Central and Sourcebooks, she’s published thirteen novels.

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

Who can resist a big, strong man holding a small baby—and the baby's not the only one in need of a cuddle... Brant Wylder has planned for every eventuality. However, becoming a father—even temporarily— wasn’t on his list.

Brant Wylder is a bachelor and loving it! He's in Misty Bottoms, Georgia, property-hunting for his vintage car repair shop when he gets the call. His sister's been in an accident, and Brant has to drop everything to take care of his seven-month-old nephew. That's the end of the bachelor lifestyle. Bridal boutique owner Molly Stiles is all business all the time, until she sees that Brant's in trouble. In this Southern town, nobody ever has to go it alone. And besides, how can she resist that beautiful baby in the arms of a beautiful man...?

What inspired you to write this book?

My last series, Magnolia Brides, took place in fictional Misty Bottoms, Georgia, and revolved around three friends who start up a destination wedding. This new series stays there with Molly, the heroine, opening a bridal boutique to provide that special dress for the Magnolia brides. It’s somewhat of a continuation of the previous series.

It centers on the Wylder brothers who move to town to expand their vintage car and motorcycle restoration business. The series and first book is titled Must Love Babies.

I love reading stories where my hero or heroine is like a fish out of water. Nothing accomplishes that better than handing someone a baby—someone who hasn’t a clue what to do with the tiny human. In this series, that’s what I wanted to do. But I’ve put a little different twist on each story. None of the bachelor’s babies are the “whoops, I got her pregnant and didn’t know” kind. They’re not secret babies.

Excerpt from Must Love Babies:

Molly stood beneath a magnolia tree, her face tipped to catch the moonlight. The breath caught in his throat, and for one fanciful second, Brant imagined a mythical princess or fairy.

He shook his head. The woman was real, and he wanted a dance, wanted to hold her in his arms. A little flirting? Harmless.

Stepping out of the shadows, he made his way to her.

“Beautiful night, huh?”

“Perfect.” Slowly, she turned, a smile on her face.

“How about a dance?”

She hesitated.

“I’m not asking for a lifelong commitment, sugar. Just a single dance under the stars. The night’s made for dancing.”

“It is, isn’t it?”

He caught her hand in his, amazed at its softness against his work-roughened one. “In the interest of full disclosure, I’m not the world’s greatest dancer, but you shouldn’t lose any toes.” He glanced at her sequined stilettos, showcased by her cocktail-length dress. “Don’t know how you even walk in those, let alone put on the miles you do, but I have to say that all mankind is grateful.”

Smiling, Molly peeked at her shoes. “They’re awesome, aren’t they?”

He nodded. “You can dance in them?”

“I could run a marathon in these.”

“Okay, then.” The moon shone through Spanish moss that dripped from the live oaks, forming a lacy pattern on the dewy grass.

Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This” played over the sound system. Reaching the dance floor, Brant slid an arm around her waist and drew her in, breathed in her scent. He swung her out and brought her back in one smooth motion, felt her quick laugh in the pit of his stomach. The music slowed when the band segued into John Legend’s “All of Me,” and he drew her close.

Molly fit perfectly in his arms. She lived in Georgia and he in Tennessee, and that made her safe. And if the plans he and his brothers were working on panned out? Still nothing to worry about since she lived in Savannah. When she rested her head against his chest, he wondered if she could hear the rapid thump of his heart. Ms. Molly was hot, hot, hot.

His hand slid a little lower, and without missing a beat, she relocated it to her waist.

Molly smelled of a midnight garden with just a touch of naughty. His body responded, and he willed himself to think about something else. “How’s the city?”

“Savannah?” She shrugged. “I live in Misty Bottoms now. I opened a bridal boutique. Today’s bride was my first.” She grinned, dimples creasing her cheeks.

The dance ended, and he reluctantly released Molly. “I’m driving back to Tennessee tomorrow.”

“Speaking of driving, thanks for taxiing the last of the rehearsal dinner’s partiers home last night. I heard they celebrated pretty hard at Duffy’s.”

“No problem.”

“I need to stop at my car before I go back inside. I left the little silver heart I attach to the bridal gown’s garment bag in my glove box.”

Brant walked beside her in the soft night air, a hand at her elbow, while the band played Blake Shelton’s “God Gave Me You.”

He lowered his head. “Before we call it a night, I’d love to see the rose garden our friend Cole salvaged.”

The scent of roses surrounding them, they strolled through the yard. In the silver light of the moon, the flowers glowed and took on an almost magical, fairy-tale illusion. The house shimmered and welcomed, like the true Southern lady she was. Interlacing his fingers with Molly’s, peace enveloped Brant.

They wandered across the expanse of lawn and through the blooms in comfortable silence.

From the parking area, he heard the sound of engines starting, of tires crunching on the long drive. “Looks like it’s about time for lights-out. We’d better head back so you can finish up.”

A slight breeze caused Molly to shiver, and happy for the excuse, Brant wrapped an arm around her and pulled her a little closer, surprised when she didn’t pull away.

Reaching her yellow-and-white Mini Countryman, he made to open her door, then changed his mind, leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, one that should have been impersonal. Friendly. Instead, fire shot through him.

He pulled back, unsure whether he should be relieved or horrified that the expression on her face mirrored his own stampeding feelings. Clearing his throat, he said, “I’m taking care of a few loose ends in the morning, then heading back to Tennessee. And I already said that, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did. The kiss was nice, thanks, but you don’t need to worry. I won’t show up naked at your hotel door.”

His breath caught.

She grinned, and he understood she knew exactly the effect she was having on him.

“I—” His phone vibrated. “Whoops. Sorry, but I’d better take this. My brothers probably forgot something. Organization isn’t their strong suit. If you’ll excuse me.”

“Sure.”

“Hello? Dad?” As he spoke, he made his way to a gnarly old oak. His father’s voice was gruff, almost as if he’d been crying. Panic grabbed Brant by the throat.

What exciting story are you working on next?

Next comes Tucker Wylder’s story, I’ve Got You, Babe, and it’s truly been a fun write. I love Tucker, three-year-old Daisy, and her mama, Elisa. The book is filled with interesting characters and laugh-out-loud to cry in your tissue situations.

When he heads into work, a hot cup of coffee in hand and a weekend fishing trip on his mind, Tucker has no idea that his life is about to take a major detour. After college, he did a stint with the Marines. Now, reentering the civilian world, he’s become partners with his brothers at Wylder Rides, their vintage car and motorcycle renovations business, even though it means moving to small town Misty Bottoms, Georgia.

The oldest of the Wylder brothers and more than a little OCD, he’s all business. He likes to be able to come and go, to do his own thing without answering to anyone. Unlike his brothers, he’s reserved. He doesn’t want to compromise, and he loves being single.

Elisa Danvers and her beautiful three-year-old daughter need a fresh start and head for Charleston. Nearly there, both she and her car are unwell. Spotting the Wylder Rides sign, she pulls in.

At the sound of high-heels on the garage’s concrete floor, Tucker slides from beneath the ‘55 Chevy. The most incredible pair of legs he’s ever seen greets him. His gaze travels up, up, over a body that matches. He makes it to his feet just in time to catch Elisa as she passes out. While he calls for the EMTs, a young child inside the car begins to cry…and Tuck’s life is forever changed.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I first put pen to paper. While being published is a fantastic dream-come-true, you don’t need to be published to be 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?

I taught middle school language arts forever and ever and absolutely loved it! But I wanted to write—not just in the evening and on weekends and holidays. Not just at 4:30 in the morning—which is when I’d wake so I could sneak in an hour or two of writing before getting ready for school. I wanted to write full-time. All these characters run around in my head and the only way to keep them quiet is to tell their stories, so I finally gave in. I’m writing full-time now, and, I have to say, it really is a dream come true.

I have a designated writing spot and when my butt hits that chair, I write. I don’t wait for my muse to show up because she can be very lazy and find lots of other things to do. My favorite writing time is early morning and late nights, but when I’m on deadline I often put in ten or twelve-hour days. I drink lots of coffee and love to eat Cheetos while I write—thus the orange keyboard.

I’m a plotter, so I do lots of preplanning before writing. I have an organized notebook (really necessary when you’re writing a series so you can keep everything consistent from one book to the next) and a storyboard. That doesn’t mean I don’t take detours when the story or characters demand it, but my GPS (aka storyboard) helps me find my route again.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I love to write in the shower! The ideas flow right along with the water. So…I have lots of water-stained notes!

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

Teaching always called to me, and I had a wonderful career teaching elementary and middle school. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. Working with young people is so rewarding. But always nipping around the edges was the desire to write.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

A lot of times I’m asked why, with all the genres to choose from, I write romance. Actually, there are several very simple reasons. First, I love to read romances. They’re my go-to books when I need a pick-me-up or a break from the real world with all its problems or just a few hours of entertainment. Second, I write romance because, in them, my female characters can be every bit as strong as the men in my books. And I write romance because the reader can feel safe to invest their emotions in the hero and heroine knowing I’ll deliver, no matter how high the odds against it, a happy-ever-after ending. It’s a romance. That happy ending is guaranteed. In my books, two people will fight nearly insurmountable odds to find love. To make that deep and lasting connection with one another. And they’ll win.

Romance books are often thought of as a heroine’s search for the man of her dreams. For Mr. Right. And at some point in time, that might have been true. Today’s romance, though, is that heroine searching for herself, to make herself complete, not for someone else. She’s searching to overcome an internal conflict buried deep inside, to reach a goal she’s set—knowingly or unknowingly.

Romances are love stories, yes. They’re books about relationships and happily-ever-afters.

But that doesn’t mean my characters, the people who live in my head and in my heart, have an easy time of it. I love to put them through the wringer, to squeeze out every drop of emotion. To make them laugh, cry, sigh. Then to make my readers laugh, cry, and sigh.

I absolutely love to write!!

Links:

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Thanks for being here today!

Interview with writer Patrick Canning

Author Patrick Canning is here today to chat a little bit about his Victorian adventure, coming of age novel, The Colonel and the Bee.

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

I’m 32 and live in Los Angeles with my dog, Hank. With my writing, I try to include humor, interesting characters, and unpredictable narratives. Hopefully the reads are fun and speak to some of the deeper truths in life, if not, they make outstanding paperweights.

Please tell us about your current release.

A peculiar explorer and downtrodden acrobat travel the globe on a building-sized hot air balloon, racing against a menagerie of deadly treasure hunters to solve a riddle and locate the precious artifact it promises. 

What inspired you to write this book?

I liked the idea of people flying around in an absurdly big hot air balloon and getting involved in adventures wherever they landed. Hopefully the characters themselves are real to life, dealing with relatable issues, but the nature of their exploits should sometimes stretch what we think is possible. I think the world of The Colonel and the Bee straddles the line between reality and fantasy.

Excerpt from The Colonel and the Bee:

“Flying the Ox is much more akin to playing an instrument than operating a machine. Approach the challenge less formally, do so with confidence, and the craft’s perfect obedience will be your reward.”

I lost sight of the burner strap and by accident pulled a vent on the main balloon. We began to rotate and descend with great rapidity. The Colonel allowed me to find the correct cord on my own, and I did so just in time as the Ox nearly scraped a rolling pasture hill, startling a herd of brown Belgian cows enough to sour their milk.

Taking care to avoid the ripping line, I continued to bring the Ox up, searching for the northwest wind. To my chagrin, I sent us southeast, and it took a deft intervention from the Colonel to set us right. Applying the correct pressure on the correct combination of cords in the correct sequence did indeed give him the appearance of an accomplished maestro.

“Skill comes with practice, and northwest can be elusive. Northeast can be downright tempestuous,” he said as if recalling a talented snooker rival.

I readied another question, but the Colonel anticipated me. He held up a gentle hand to stay the incoming query, motioned with both hands downward, indicating I should relax, then gestured to the edge of the Ox.

What exciting story are you working on next?

A murder mystery that takes place in the Midwest in the 80’s. A middle-aged divorcee is forced to play detective after she moves to a seemingly-normal neighborhood and very weird things start to happen.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I think it’s still ahead of me, my goal is to make my living from writing.

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 think the best time to write is early in the morning when you’re fresh and productive. Any day jobs and non-writing responsibilities can have the leftovers.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I’m particularly bad with titles for some reason. My process is to list dozens of bad ideas/ask for outside input/eventually give up and pick the least-worst option.

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

Astronaut! Still do! Unfortunately NASA seems to go for classic good looks and mathematical proficiency in their candidates so I haven’t gotten the call yet.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I love book recommendations, contact info is on my website if you’d like to share some of your favorite titles!

Links:

Website | Amazon | Goodreads | Instagram

Thanks for being here today, Patrick! Happy writing!

Interview with humor writer Jason Blake

Author Jason Blake already has me laughing today. We’re talking about his new humorous book, 101 Things to Do with a Dead Body.

Bio:

Jason Blake lives on Kauai with his husband Philp. They moved to Kauai from Chicago in 2005.

Professionally, Jason is an insurance agent who works with the Medicare population and has helped over 2000 Kauai kupuna make their best Medicare-related choices. Jason also trains agents throughout the United States to do the same and is currently developing a website and YouTube Channel called “The Medicare Geek.”

Jason is the author of two books: 10 Things I Learned Living on an Island and 101 Things to Do with a Dead Body, which is illustrated by cartoonist Emily Caesar.

On Kauai, Jason is the founder of “Kauai Sings,” a fundraising event that has been in place for over 12 years and has earned over $250,000 for Kauai nonprofits. Jason is also the president of the Kauai Concert Association. Jason’s husband Philip Steinbacher is a long-term teacher and the Fine Arts Department Head at Island School.

Jason attended Georgetown University and The University of Illinois at Springfield. He was a district and state 4-H officer in Georgia during high school.

Jason was born and raised in Conyers, Georgia.

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

101 Things to Do with a Dead Body is a humor book that supplies a wealth of ideas for using a dead body for all occasions. Ask not what you can do for a dead body—ask what your dead body can do for you.

The dead body serves as a perfectly stable and reliable pool float. Tired of your cat ripping up your furniture? The corpse is an excellent scratching post. Don’t have the money to hire a stunt double for that action scene you’re filming? The dead body is a great stand-in. The body also works as a great paperweight for your office. Are you short one backup singer? You can use the corpse to balance out the tenor section of the church choir. Don’t want someone stealing your seat at the movies? The body will hold your spot while you get concessions.

What inspired you to write this book?

I was a lover of the 1980s bestseller 101 Uses for a Dead Cat by Simon Bond. A friend and I were joking about that book and we both agreed we needed an update with today’s tolerance of darker humor. I searched for about six months to find the right illustrator. As soon as I found Emily Caesar’s work, I knew I had to do the new book.

The book is a tongue-in-cheek set of 101 ideas for things to do with a dead body ranging from the mundane—foot stool—to the dark—to leave on your ex’s front door stoop instead of a flaming bag of poop. Each idea is accompanied by one of Emily’s clever illustrations.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m not a one-genre guy. The next piece I’m working on is about mental health and will be called Coming Out as Mentally-Ill.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Even though my tenth grade English teacher told me I was the best writer she’d seen come through the school in years, I still didn’t get it. I started writing pieces for industry magazines when I started working but nothing that would be considered creative writing. After a drastic move from Chicago to Hawaii, I finally got inspired to write about how island life has some great lessons that could translate around the globe. That led to my first book 10 Things I Learned Living on an Island.

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 not write full time. (My bio talks about how I pay the bills!) I’m a big believer in the program espoused by Julia Cameron from The Artists Way. I’ve been doing “morning pages” for more than 20-years. I find that setting a little goal of writing at least ten minutes per day leads to me writing longer than 10 minutes and helps me produce consistently.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I think my tone can shift from very sweet (first book) to very dark (new book). That dark humor is offensive to some people.

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

I wanted to be a professional musical theater performer. I did a fair amount of volunteer and professional theater for a couple decades of my life and realized it rarely paid the bills and I liked a more sedate lifestyle than one gets in the theater community so that eventually worked its way out of my system.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I think we’re at an important time in American history and people need to be engaged politically, at least by voting. With that said, with the crazy times we live in, people must find big and small ways to take care of themselves. Things that bring me back to my senses include: checking in on The Onion website, taking walks and the occasional scuba dive. I also think that if you have a dream—big or small—you owe it to yourself and the planet to pursue it even with the smallest of baby steps. I’ve failed at dreams as often as I’ve accomplished them but I’m so glad I decided to pursue them all.

Links:

Facebook – Author | Facebook – 101 Things | Facebook – 10 Things

Thanks for joining me today, Jason.