Friday Author Interview

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Liz DeJesus, author of First Frost.

        So, Liz, please tell us about yourself and how you came to be a writer.

My name is Liz DeJesus, I’m a stay at home mom to two beautiful little boys and I’m also a full time writer (if you can call writing between naptime being a full time writer). I’m the author of Nina, The Jackets and First Frost. I started writing when I was 12 years old, and moved on to poetry at 13 (blame my first boyfriend. He was into poetry and I was trying to impress him). It turned out that I was pretty good at writing poems so I stuck with that for a while. Then when I was 18 I decided that I wanted to be a novelist. I’ve been in love with writing novels and short stories ever since.

You started out writing women's fiction such as Nina, The Jackets and Note to Self, which are quite different than First Frost. What made you embrace the genre of young adult fiction?

I’m actually a huge fan of young adult fiction, especially books in the fantasy genre. The main character, Bianca, is seventeen years old and after much soul searching I decided that First Frost would be a fantastic book for young adults. Her best friend Ming is the comedic relief (they have an amazing back and forth dialogue). And basically I’m just having fun writing these books, my hope is for it to be an ongoing series, but for now I have ideas for up to four books. But lucky for me Bianca is an incredible main character and there is an enormous amount of fairy tales that I can draw inspiration from.

Where did the idea of First Frost come from?

I was watching a commercial for a local children’s museum while feeding my son his bottle and I remember thinking ‘Why don’t they have themed museums? Like a pirate museum or a fairy tale museum. Hmm, how would that work? I guess they could get fake items and get kids to think they’re real.’ And then it sort of took off from there. It was almost like being struck by lightning once I got to thinking about it. I was still holding my son in my arms and my notebook was on the other end of the couch. LOL I was so desperate to get to it but I didn’t want to interrupt my son’s feeding. Anyway, I managed to grab my notebook and I jotted down a few ideas. It sort of wrote itself once I had the pen in my hand.

How long did First Frost take to write? How do you deal with a writer's block and/or do you get them?

The first draft took me about nine months (kinda like having a baby LOL). After a few months between revisions (second and third draft) and then I sent it to my editor friend Shon Bacon. She cleans it up and makes it all pretty for me before I started submitting it to different publishers. As for writer’s block? I can’t afford to have writer’s block especially with two little boys to take care of. Any free time I get I spend it writing (or promoting my book) even when I don’t feel like it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard to write when I’m not inspired but I make it work. I just pick up the pen and doodle until things start looking like words. LOL.

Who would you want to be stranded in the Everafter with and why? 

Terrance. Because he’s cute, smart and knows how to hunt (so we’ll be able to survive in the forest).

You obviously have a love of fairy tales. If you could be a character in one, who would you be and why?

The princess from The Three Heads in the Well. She’s a go-getter, she doesn’t sit around and wait for a prince to rescue her from her crappy situation. And things work out for her in the end because of her kindness.

For more info on this fairy tale check out this wiki page 

One of my favorite lines in your novel is, "Magic will follow you no matter where you are. Magic has no boundaries." Has there ever been a point in your life/writing career where you've felt this was true?

I wouldn’t exactly call it magic, at least not the way I describe it in the book. But I do believe that love is a form of magic and THAT I truly believe in. I am surrounded by people that love me and support what I do. My parents, my brothers, my husband, my children, my friends, among others that take their time and come to my book signings or follow me on my blog tours, that sort of thing. So yeah, I do believe that love (or magic) follows me around and helps me through my day to day life.

Bianca and Ming have a really nice friendship. Did you base that on anyone in your life? Do you write characters based on people you know?

Not really. I have a combination of amazing friends that I used to create Ming (you guys know who you are *wink wink*). I don’t normally create my characters based on people I know, but I do use a few interesting quirks here and there as well as funny bits of conversation that I hear throughout the day. Most writers are excellent eavesdroppers (no one is safe with me…so be careful what you say around me…because chances are it will end up in one of my books).

What three things are always in your refrigerator?

Milk. Chocolate. Cheese. I love ice cold milk with my cereal. I love chocolate. And I love cheese (I make lots of sandwiches). 

What’s one thing about yourself that would surprise your readers to know?

I’m a jack of all trades. I’m an amateur photographer, I make collages (I’ve made three decks of tarot cards all in collage form) and I will sometimes stare off into space until someone snaps me out of it. Most of the time I get my best ideas while I’m either in the shower or just before I drift off to sleep. Don’t know why that is…

Do you have any advice for other writers out there that may be just beginning their career?

Read. Read everything you can get your hands on. Read books about the craft of writing. Read books on how to write a proper query letter and synopsis. Follow the guidelines. Try to make friends with other writers in your neighborhood, you learn a lot from others critiquing your work (there is a difference between a critique and someone criticizing your work.) Never give up.

I'm looking forward to your next installment to this series, Liz. I've read Bianca gets to visit the fairy realm! (:

:D I can’t wait to finish the next book in the series. It’s titled Glass Frost and there are several fairy tales that I’ve incorporated into this book. Cinderella, the Frog Prince, Toads and Diamonds and I do delve more into Snow White’s story and what happened to the seven dwarves after she met the prince. It’s going to be a little longer than the first book but I explain a lot of things that I didn’t get a chance to talk about in the first book. And yes, Bianca visits the Fairy Realm and meets Queen Titania. *claps hands excitedly* It’s going to be so good! J

Blurb:

For generations, the Frost family has run the Museum of Magical and Rare Artifacts, handing down guardianship from mother to daughter, always keeping their secrets to “family only.”

Gathered within museum’s walls is a collection dedicated to the Grimm fairy tales and to the rare items the family has acquired: Cinderella’s glass slipper, Snow White’s poisoned apple, the evil queen’s magic mirror, Sleeping Beauty’s enchanted spinning wheel…

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Frost wants none of it, dreaming instead of a career in art or photography or…well, anything except working in the family’s museum. She knows the items in the glass display cases are fakes because, of course, magic doesn’t really exist.

She’s about to find out how wrong she is.

Buy Links for First Frost by Liz DeJesus:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Musa Publishing

Author Website

Author Facebook

Author Twitter

Amazon Author Page

Guest Blogger Friday

Please welcome my guest blogger for today, Joanna Fay, author of Daughter of Hope.

Dark Skies, Blue Wings: Introducing Joanna Fay's Daughter of Hope

Daughter of Hope, my first published novel, sits at the front of an epic fantasy sequence, The Siaris Quartet. In some ways, Daughter of Hope works as a prequel book followed by a trilogy, that opens the world of Siaris at an angle while tracking the fortunes of a winged immortal – but very vulnerable – girl.

The story arc of the quartet was already established and drafted before I turned back to the beginning and decided to write a whole new novel, catalyzed by a particular character, Revetia. I knew her as a survivor, and as the daughter of the embittered, vengeful villain, Xereth. A glimpse of her childhood flashed into view, and when I asked her how she handled it, and how she managed to not only survive but change the path set in front of her, the whole story tumbled out.

Blurb

The fate of an entire world will be decided by the actions of one young girl.

The Guardians of Siaris have been warring for thousands of years, torn apart by betrayal and lost loves. Xereth waits patiently for his chance at revenge. The only thing standing in his way is one of his own offspring.

As Xereth's daughter, Revetia’s destiny is to help him destroy Siaris and those who wronged him, but Revetia's will is strong. With hope and help, she might be able to break free from Xereth's tight and treacherous grasp, but at what cost?

Sier has always tried to stay out of affairs that threaten his family's safety. When Revetia asks him for help, she forces him into a position that could cost his family, the elden, and humans their lives. Is he prepared to put those he loves and protects in jeopardy?

With the fate of Siaris resting on Revetia’s shoulders, will her actions trigger a war between gods, slaves, and Guardians?

Excerpt

  Revetia glanced around the courtyard and shivered.

  “Ree?” Tieren’s quiet voice broke into her thoughts. “Shall we continue?”

  Revetia wasn’t going to grace her brother with a reply, but she wouldn’t leave either. She wanted to hone her flight-skills, and Tieren was a good teacher even if she hated him beyond measure.

  Why do you persevere? she screamed in silence. Probably only because you’ve been told to – by your precious masters!

  Tieren didn’t react to the words she flung at him, but for a faint tightening around his eyes. He spread a wing before her and directed her attention to his longest flight feathers. “When you shift into spell-flight, you need to extend and retract – like this. Then the spells built into your body will take over.”

  Midnight-blue pinions splayed and snapped back into line in a blurred fraction of a second. “You’ll get used to it fast...the shift will become automatic in a few sessions.” He held out his hand. “Try it, Ree.”

  She arched her wings and followed him up through the spiralling gale. She wobbled and rocked on a sharp gust, but held her course with grim purpose.

  Ready? Flick, and flatten. Now.

  Revetia did as he ordered. Her body floated on the silken curve of her own will. Elation pushed her higher on the cold air. Her body no longer responded to the buffeting weather; it was hers to command as she wished. Inside, warmth streamed though her. Outside, the cool of the spell-void unfurled in her wake. She swung right and spun in slow circles. Tieren hovered below, scrutinizing her and giving a pleased nod.

  Very good. You’ve got it now.

  Revetia didn’t answer. She looked up through the swirl of dark clouds above. I could fly away!

  Tieren’s voice ran through her head. Don’t try it, Ree. Hit the masters’ border-spells and you’ll wish you hadn’t.

  She looked down at him. Anger whipped up through a black pit in her gut. The taste of Erren’s blood ran over her tongue, boiled again in her stomach.

  I’m leaving.

  She flicked her wings, cut an arc on the wind, flattened them and slipped into spell-flight. Her wings were light as snow. She could arch them out, or tuck them down for comfort if she wanted. Darkness closed in. She sliced through it, tasting a second of freedom.

  No you don’t.

  Tieren’s arms closed around her waist, dragging her back down, her spellsheen disabled by a tight command before she could attack him. She began to cry in huge, gulping sobs.

  “I h-hate you. I hate you s-so much,” she stammered.

  A hint of exasperation gleamed in Tieren’s eyes, but his voice still remained even. “You won’t keep yourself safe, Ree. So I’m doing it for you.”

  “Why?” she cried. “Why do you even bother?”

  Tieren made no reply. The courtyard’s grey walls closed in again, and her feet touched stone. Revetia pushed herself away from her brother’s grasp and walked away without a backward glance.

Daughter of Hope is available through Musa, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I hope you enjoy my book. 

You can find me at my:  

Author Website

Facebook  

Twitter

Links:

Musa Publishing

Amazon

Barnes& Noble

YA Imprint by Musa Publishing: Club Euterpe

Musa Publishing is starting Club Euterpe! If you join, you will get to read select Euterpe books (in ebook form) before they're released for free! In exchange, Euterpe asks that you simply spread word about the book however you can (i.e. leave a review, post about it on FB/Twitter, recommend it to your friends). 

Euterpe prefers that applicants be between ages 8 and 21 (members will be sent age appropriate books). Parents are welcome to apply on behalf of younger children.

Guest Blogger Friday

Please welcome this week's guest blogger, E.H. James, author of Laura and The Visitor's Room.

Title: Laura

Genre: Paranormal (Short Story)

Publisher: Musa Publishing

Release Date: January 13, 2012

Laura – Blurb:

George had seen some pretty strange things over his lifetime, traveling those roads. But if he had thought he’d seen it all, he was sadly mistaken. For if he thought finding Laura alone, along some deserted roadside, in the middle of the night, was strange, then he had no idea that what was to follow would challenge the very boundaries of everything he’d ever known.

Excerpt:

The road was long and black before him, stretching out into the night. He hated these rural roads with no street lights, no homes, nothing but blackness pressing in around him. He strained to see the lines in the road, swallowed as they were by a heavy black haze.

But the rain had stopped now, and the wipers screeched in complaint as rubber drew across the dry windshield. He turned them off. The remaining water formed rivulets that ran together, making their way slowly up the glass.

At times like these, he wished he had gotten the radio fixed. He reached for the dial as though it would work this time, but all he got was a faint popping sound and some static. He turned it off and leaned back into his seat. “Damn.”

His annoyance wasn’t so much at the dead radio as at himself. He should have started sooner. He'd had one—no, two—drinks for the road. Now, here he was with two more hours of driving ahead and already it was well past midnight. He couldn't refuse a free drink, though. After all, he was retiring next week, and this was the last time he’d have to make a trip like this—all the way out here, into the middle of nowhere, holding the hand of one more client.

He drew his hand across his face as if to pull the weariness from his mind. Straining against the darkness, he thought he saw something in the headlights, a movement perhaps, maybe a reflection. He slowed down, staring out into the blackness. It was then that he saw her, standing on the side of the road. She turned toward him, staring into the headlights.

Goodreads

Laura – Buy Links:

Musa Publishing

Amazon US  

Amazon UK 

Omni Lit 

Barnes& Noble 

Kobo 

Sony eReader Store 

* * * *

Title: The Visitor’s Room

Genre: Paranormal (Short Story)

Publisher: Musa Publishing

Release Date: March 23, 2012

The Visitor’s Room - Blurb:

If Amy thought this day on the psych ward would be just like any other, she would be wrong.

For although everything seemed normal, well as normal as a place like that could be, there was something that was not quite right. That she couldn’t put her finger on it only made it all the more perplexing.

Don’t go asking questions you don’t want to know the answer to, especially when you're on a psych ward, and even you begin to question your sanity.

Excerpt:

“Today’s as good as any to get a shock treatment.”

Amy lifted her head from the pillow to see Larry standing at the foot of her bed.

She waited as he turned and shuffled out the door, then laid her head back down and closed her eyes. Sleep began to return.

And then he was back, the rhythmic swish of slippers on tile as he approached. “Today’s as good as any to get a shock treatment.”

She sighed and waited a moment. Silence. Melanie was sound asleep in the next bed, unaware of the intrusion.

“Today’s as good as any to get a shock treatment.”

“Larry!” she said, her eyes snapping open. “Shut up and get the hell out of here!”

Larry smiled half-heartedly, turned, and wandered again from the room. This time, his shadow disappeared out of the doorway completely.

That had done it. She was definitely awake now.

She looked at Melanie and frowned.

Dead to the world. Like I should be. That girl could sleep if a freight train came roaring through here. Then again, who knows what meds they have her on this week?

She climbed out of bed and pulled on her slippers — blue terry cloth, just like her bathrobe, so cheap, her toe poked through the seam.

She padded over to the window.

The sun was rising over the horizon, but the building directly across the street was still buried in darkness. She wasn’t normally awake this early — though someone did knock promptly at seven every morning to inform her breakfast was ready.

It was quiet though. Peaceful as a grave. She could get used to this.

And then she heard it: the sound of water dripping.

Stepping away from the window, she walked — as she had yesterday and the day before, and every day for the past three weeks — to the bathroom. The sound wasn’t louder there, but she couldn’t imagine where else it might be coming from. It wasn’t muffled, as it would have been inside the wall. No water came through the collapsible ceiling. It wasn’t raining. No drain pipes ran outside her window.

The sound was like Larry: it came and went and was irritating.

And now it was gone.

Goodreads 

The Visitor’s Room – Buy Links: 

Musa Publishing

Amazon US 

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble 

Kobo
Sony eReader Store

* * * *

Author Bio:

E. H. James is an author writing novels, short stories, and poetry in the science fiction, horror, thriller and fantasy genres.

Contact Links for E. H. James

Blog 

Web Page 

Twitter 

Facebook 

Time

Time. It's the one thing I always wish for. More time to write, more time to keep up my social stuff, more time to dance, more time to spend with my family, just...more time. If I could only skip the sleeping thing, I think I would have enough time to do everything I want to do.

This week I'll be getting back into the groove of writing after spending a lovely summer with my kiddos. I've managed some chapters in the novel I'm working on, but with everyone at home, it's definitely been in fits and starts.

Summer dance studio is also winding down with only two more classes left in the session. I'm really sad about summer classes ending and due to time constraints, I'm not sure I'll be able to commit to their fall schedule. Which kind of leaves me on my own.
So, I'm left with a panicked, "What to do?" moment. That, and once again, I'm cursing time.

Forgive me while I spend the next week or so restructuring my days.
Guest Blogger Fridays are still on but my personal posts will probably be a bit uninspired.
Have a great week

Guest Blogger Friday

Please welcome my guest blogger, Lauren Hunter, author of The Coffee Shop.

Title:  The Coffee Shop

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Musa Publishing

Release Date: October 14/11

Blurb:

If Derrick thought experiencing alternate timelines and glimpses into the future was strange then he had no idea it was about to get far more strange than he ever imagined.

When Derrick Sloane meets Annie Maddock and falls madly in love, he believes he's met the girl of his dreams. Only he then awakes to discover she is exactly that...nothing more than a dream. Disheartened, he goes to the first coffee shop he can find. There he meets Annie. She is at the same table, reading the same book, and he fast realizes his dream has shown him his own future. But when a misstep alters that perfect future he tries to fix it, every attempt only making it worse.

Can he fix what he has changed? Should he even try? Given the opportunity to see two alternate futures can he choose one over the other? Could you…?

Excerpt:

There was a rap at the door. “Your hot chocolate is ready.”

“Thanks, I’ll be right down.”

There was a pause. “You sure you’re all right?”

“Why do you keep asking me that?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I can hear something in your voice.”

“In my voice? What are you, part dog or something?”

Derrick  chuckled.  “There might be a girl from college that may just agree with you on that.” Again there was a pause. “May I come in?”

“Actually, I was about to get dressed.”

“So, you’re saying you’re not decent?”

“No, I’m wearing a bathrobe.”

“Well good, because I’m coming in.”

“No, Derrick…” But he had already opened the door, and setting the cocoa

aside he came over standing before her as she sat on the bed.

“Okay, now I know something’s wrong. Annie, why didn’t you tell me how bad you hurt yourself?”

“It’s not that bad. I’m not about to make a big deal out of nothing.”

“You don’t need to be brave for me. If anything it’s really important that you be as honest as you can, with both yourself, and me, about this. I don’t want you doing any more damage because you are trying to force yourself to do something you shouldn’t be.”

“All right, I’ll admit, my ankles are a little sore. I must have stretched the muscles or something.”

“It looks like they are a lot more than a little sore.”

“Well you know what they say. A sprain is a lot more painful than a break. Although that would obviously depend on the break. But I’ve sprained something, and I’ve broken something, and I’d have to agree with that assessment, the sprain was much more painful. But as far as that goes this isn’t even that bad.”

“Pain is our body’s way of telling us we are hurt.” Derrick looked concerned.

“You do realize you sound like Mr. Rogers?”

“Those people that feel you have to be in pain to accomplish something.” He shook his head.

“Well, I’ll agree with you on that score.”

“If they hurt you need to stay off them. You don’t want to make it worse.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Well, look at it this way, by using them while they’re sore you will probably lengthen the time it takes for them to heal.”

The idea of experiencing what she was now for any longer than she absolutely had to, was not an appealing concept, to say the least. “I’ll try to take it as easy as I can.”

“Try?”

“Well I am not going to spend the remainder of the weekend in this bed.”

“No need.”

“What are you saying?”

Before she had a chance to reply, Derrick had slipped one arm beneath her knees, the other around her back and under her arms.

“Whoa! What are you doing?”

“Well, I would have thought that was obvious.”

“Oh, you have to be kidding me.”

“What makes you think that?”

“You are not serious.”

“Completely.”

“What? So, you’re going to carry me everywhere?”

“Pretty much.”

“Oh now that’s just too much!”

He was already lifting her into his arms as though she was nothing, and she wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her out the door and onto the balcony. He was wearing a sweater but she could still feel his taut and rippling muscles beneath it. The muscles in his arms flexing against her as he carried her carefully down the stairs. The heat from his body reached through her bathrobe as she held her face close to his, the scent of soap and aftershave wafting up around her as he grasped her tightly to him. Setting her on the sofa next to the fire, he turned his face to hers. For a moment they just stayed like that, holding each other, their lips close as his eyes moved down her face to her mouth.

Goodreads

Buy Links:

Musa Publishing

Amazon US 

Amazon UK 

Kobo 

Sony eReader Store

Bio: 

Lauren Hunter is a writer of Regency and paranormal romance novels, with plans to write in a variety of other genres, including time travel, angel, ghost, and contemporary romance. Besides novels, she also writes poetry and short stories, with her poems appearing in anthologies from England, Holland, and the US. Appearing in a number of The International Library of Poetry's anthologies, she has received the Editor's Choice Award and was published in The International Who's Who of Poetry 2004.

Contact Links for Lauren Hunter:

Blog

Web Page 

Twitter 

Facebook  

Birthday Break

My birthday was this weekend. I'm going to use that as my excuse for not posting last night.
That, and I've been putting my writing efforts into the novel I'm working on (which is coming along nicely).

Back to blogging next Sunday night, however, and look for my guest blogger this Friday.