Spotlight: The Magician’s Castle by Mary Cunningham

Cynthia’s Attic: The Magician’s Castle (Book Four) by Mary Cunningham

In trying to escape the boring summer of 1964, the adventurous twelve-year-old girls discover a trunk in Cynthia’s attic that her family has possessed for three generations.

In Cynthia’s Attic: The Magician’s Castle, Sebastien the Great, a magician whose fiancée, Kathryn, disappears through the magic trunk, vows revenge. If Cynthia and Gus don’t find a missing page from the “Book of Spells,” Cynthia’s family could face financial and personal ruin.

The twelve-year-old best friends walk through miles of tree tunnels, stumble on an enchanted garden ruled by a cranky rock monster, and receive clues from an eccentric fairy named Eloise Elloway. They get the surprise of their lives when they’re sent fifty years into the future, have a shocking encounter with another set of best friends, and gather a fresh set of clues that could break the magician’s spell.

Cynthia’s Attic Series

The Missing Locket

The Magic Medallion

Curse of the Bayou

The Magician’s Castle

Bio: Mary Cunningham is author of the award-winning ‘tween fantasy/mystery series, Cynthia’s Attic that was inspired by a recurring dream about a mysterious attic. After realizing that the dream took place in the home of her childhood friend, Cynthia, the dreams stopped and the writing began. Four books have been published in the series: “The Missing Locket,” “The Magic Medallion,” “Curse of the Bayou,” and “The Magician’s Castle.”

She is also co-writer of the humor-filled lifestyle book titled, “Women Only Over Fifty (WOOF),” along with a published short story, “Ghost Light,” and a new “Cynthia’s Attic” short story, “Christmas With Daisy.”
Cunningham is a member of The Georgia Reading Association, The Pulpwood Queens Book Club, and the Carrollton Creative Writers Club. When she gives her fingers a day away from the keyboard, she enjoys golf, swimming and exploring the mountains of West Georgia where she makes her home with her husband. Together they’ve raised three creative children.

Mary Cunningham Books

Cynthia’s Attic Blog

Amazon

Echelon Press

Cynthia’s Attic: The Magician’s Castle on Amazon

Also available on OmniLit

Cynthia’s Attic Series on YouTube

See where Mary is going next on her Blog Tour!

Contests! Win copies of my short stories!

~contests ended~

The most wonderful Trisha Wolfe has been kind enough to host me on her blog, YA Bound.

Stop by this page (click!) to read a review of Jump and enter to win a free eBook copy!

Description: If you were told to jump off of a bridge would you?

Perhaps it would depend on who was doing the asking. Our heroine has spunk and a sense of humor, however suffers from an extreme case of inappropriate clothing. When things take a turn from dangerous to worse what will she do when fantasy becomes reality? Warning: May include hot leather clad men, singing and demons.

Stop by this page (click!) to read a review, and a mini interview with me, of The Forgotten Echo and enter to win a free eBook copy!

Blurb: Sometimes death is only the beginning…

Even after the bad day she’s had, Cassy is still surprised to find herself shot, an innocent bystander in a drive by shooting. Bleeding to death in an empty parking lot, she knows she is going die.

What she doesn’t expect, is the arrival of a strange, and unnaturally handsome, man who tells her he can keep her from passing on in return for being his forever. In desperation, she agrees but afterward she is beyond dismayed to discover she has died.

To make matters worse, the stranger has disappeared, leaving her spirit to wander through a series of worlds unknown to her. Her existence is one of fear and loneliness, until she meets another like her and discovers she’s not a ghost at all but something much more.

Good luck and Happy Reading!

Kevin McNamee and The Sister Exchange

Today we welcome Kevin McNamee, who will be talking about his children’s picture book, The Sister Exchange.

Kevin McNamee is a writer and poet living in Yonkers, NY. He primarily writes for the children’s market. Kevin’s published work includes the picture books, If I Could Be Anything, The Sister Exchange, Lightning Strikes, The Soggy Town of Hilltop and What Is That Thing?

Kevin’s poetry has been published in the collection, An Eyeball in My Garden: And Other Spine-Tingling Poems.

Kevin, what is the story behind this book?

This book is based on my nieces. Like many siblings, they have had their share of fights. One day, one of them asked my daughter is she would like a sister. Then she added, “You can have mine!” That sowed the seeds for what would become The Sister Exchange. I’ve worked in the Finance industry. So I thought what if you could trade your sister like you would trade a stock? The character of Mr. Michaels became the Wall Street broker who could do this for you.

What message are you trying to convey in this book?

That sometimes, the best things are right under our noses. In this case, Brianna already has the best sister. She just doesn’t know it yet. The wacky replacements just help her realize what she already has.

Do you think this book can help with any sibling rivalry issues?

Yes, definitely. I’ve done a few school visits and have read this book to grades 2 – 4. In the Q & A discussions that followed my reading, the children have always been able to determine that Julianne was the best sister for Brianna, and they could always tell me why other sisters weren’t right (Toecheez was always a favorite). They’ve also drawn parallels to their own brothers and sisters. That is exactly what I hoped children would take away from this book. I think that with the situations and the humor used here, this book helps to both validate a child’s feelings and reinforces the reasoning skills needed to sort out the complex emotions involved in having sisters and/or brothers.

What’s the hardest thing about writing a picture book?

One of the hardest things that I’ve encountered is trying to keep the story as short as possible without diluting it. A picture book still has to have all of the elements of a longer story. I needed to pay attention to plot, dialogue, pacing, character development, etc. But I also had to be very diligent about editing out anything that didn’t move the story along. The end result was a tightly written story that educates, entertains, and hopefully solves a problem.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?

I am a parent, so I’ve tried to make this book enjoyable both to children and any adult who may be reading to them. I really wanted to produce a book that is both useful and entertaining, and I think I succeeded. This book was a lot of fun to write, so I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it.

The Sister Exchange by Kevin McNamee. Illustrations by Kit Grady

Print ISBN 13: 978-1-61633-015-6

eBook ISBN 13: 978-1-61633-016-3

 

Chatta?  No thanks.  Rackette?  No way!  Toecheez?  Ewwwww!

Brianna wants to trade-in her sister at The Sister Exchange.  But will she ever find the perfect sister?

This picture book deals with sibling rivalry in a fun and creative way. The Sister Exchange reinforces the bond between siblings, and increases reasoning skills through comparison.

This book is available as a print book, a downloadable e-book, or a book on CD from Guardian Angel Publishing at, http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/sister-exchange.htm

Books are also available from Amazon.com at, http://www.amazon.com/dp/1616330155

Barnesandnoble.com at,

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/e/9781616330156/?itm=2&USRI=kevin+mcnamee

Or ask your local bookstore.

 

What Others Are Saying

“The Sister Exchange has more depth than your average children’s picture book. It meets an emotional need that an older sibling might not be able to express, but Mr. McNamee does an excellent job of using humor to teach just how sacred and eternal family relationships really are.” – Dixie Philips – Writing4littleones

 

“The Sister Exchange is one of those stories that will make you feel good by the time you reach the end. As your child follows along Brianna’s journey to trade in her sister, they learn how special siblings can truly be; that despite those little things about them that might bug you, you’re lucky to have them around.

In a fun and engaging way, McNamee has taken a serious issue and turned it into a story that will delight your children.” – Children’s and Teen’s Book Connection

 

“I think every family with more than one young child would be wise to get this book and read it to their kids often.” – Janet Ann Collins – On Words Blog

 

“The Sister Exchange is a fun read-aloud that will remind young readers that even though they’re tempted at times to trade in their brother or sister, there’s nothing like the sibling they have.” – Examiner.com – Book Review

 

“Author Kevin McNamee’s delightful story combines with illustrator Kit Grady’s humorous drawings to encourage children in developing, maintaining, and appreciating the relationships that they sustain with a sister or a brother that can result in a lifetime of enjoyment and comradeship.” – Home School Book Review

Other titles coming soon by Kevin include My Brother, the Frog, Papa’s Suns, Just for Today, and more.

To find out more about Kevin, please visit his website at http://www.kevinmcnamee.com or visit his blog at http://www.kevinmcnameechildrensauthor.blogspot.com.

You can friend Kevin on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/kevin.mcnamee.author

He is also on Linked-In and Twitter, but he admits that he doesn’t tweet much.

New Release! Immortal Echoes: The Forgotten Echo

My second short story is now out! SQUEEE!!

Blurb:

Sometimes death is only the beginning…

Even after the bad day she’s had, Cassy is still surprised to find herself shot, an innocent bystander in a drive by shooting. Bleeding to death in an empty parking lot, she knows she is going die.

What she doesn’t expect, is the arrival of a strange, and unnaturally handsome, man who tells her he can keep her from passing on in return for being his forever. In desperation, she agrees but afterwards she is beyond dismayed to discover she has died.

To make matters worse, the stranger has disappeared, leaving her spirit to wander through a series of worlds unknown to her. Her existence is one of fear and loneliness, until she meets another like her and discovers she’s not a ghost at all but something much more.

Excerpt:

Maybe if I hadn’t turned to look I would have been alright. Well, maybe not. Things would have been different if I hadn’t stopped to get milk. If I hadn’t worked late I wouldn’t have stopped at this particular corner store on my way home. If I’d been quicker, or longer, inside the store, I wouldn’t have walked into the middle of a gang fight. If…if…if…

I barely made it to the parking lot before the yelling and shooting started. A car sped by, passengers shooting at their rivals two feet from me. In reflex, I turned as the car passed. A bullet ripped through me like a punch to the stomach. The force knocked me up against the side of a van.

I looked down in, yes, surprise. I don’t know what kind of guns they had, but the shot went right through me. Gasping in panic, I stared in shock at the blood blossoming through my white blouse. Pain radiated from the exit wound in my lower back. Shit. This couldn’t be happening!

The street kids shouted obscenities. Another shot echoed in the night. Ducking instinctively, I slipped around the back of the van. I had to get to my car, find safety.

I stumbled, leaving bloody handprints on a few cars. I’d been shot. Things like this weren’t supposed to happen. My brain refused to believe it. I didn’t make it far. Everything spun, fading in and out. Shit. Somewhere I dropped my purse. My keys were in there. Damn dress pants with no decent pockets.

When did I fall to my knees? I toppled to the hard asphalt and rolled to my back. I instinctively pressed my wound, trying to stop the warm, sticky blood pumping from me.

The pain twisted around and through me, but dim and distant, like it wasn’t mine at all. I certainly wasn’t going to argue. I didn’t have anyone to argue with anyway.

Screams echoed from the store, but the parking lot remained quiet and empty. Except for me.

Should I bother calling for help? I didn’t waste my fading energy. First, they wouldn’t hear me, not over the noise they were making. Second, I was dying. Not to be melodramatic, but seriously, I’d been shot. Blood coated my hands and poured from my wounds, running down my side, pooling beneath me. My blouse clung to my skin.

My eyes closed and I heard the blood pumping out of me. My life’s blood, as I’d heard it called once.

Tears fell, cold on the side of my face. Damn it, I didn’t want to die. I guess no one did, though. Death just happened. You could die any day, get struck by lightning, run over by a bus, or as in my case, caught in a drive-by shooting.

Thankfully, I didn’t have a family who needed me. My parents died years ago, and I hadn’t spoken to my sister in Nevada in at least four years. No husband, no boyfriend…thank god, no children. No one to miss me. That hurt more than I expected. Dying alone.

I’m afraid of dying.

Afraid of what came next, if anything. I didn’t want to simply end. I didn’t want to be forgotten.

I heard faint laughter, like bells and little children and angels. It made me smile. Which said something, since I was dying. Or was I dead already?

The sound grew closer, but not very much louder. As I listened, I picked out tiny voices within the laughter.

“Come, come!”

“We found her! We did! We found her for you!”

“Hurry, hurry!”

Their words didn’t make any sense, and the little voices tumbled over each other so I missed more than I actually heard.

“It’s time! Come, come!”

I opened my eyes, not because I wanted to, but because dancing lights flickered though my lids and caught my attention.

I shouldn’t have been surprised, given the voices, to find a dozen tiny, glowing people surrounding me. They continued their constant babble, and one flew so close I saw its wings before it darted away again.

They were no larger than a quarter, and were mostly wings. Their thin naked bodies glowed a pale gold, their wings beautiful rippling shades of orange and red. From even a short distance, they looked like little dancing flames.

Other than a most interesting distraction from dying, I had no idea what they were. Would I know if I was dead?

“Quickly, quickly!”

I wanted to close my eyes again. The cops hadn’t arrived yet, but it felt like I’d been on the ground forever, losing myself. Bleeding away. I’d never been so frightened, so helpless, in my life. A strange calmness washed over me, likely since I couldn’t help myself. Soon I would be dead. End of story.

I watched the little dancing flames as I listened to my heart slow and my breathing turn shallow. Everything faded and the flames rose up, their angelic babble so loud and fast I couldn’t understand them.

I didn’t need to. The person they’d been calling had arrived.

Keep reading for only 0.99!  The Forgotten Echo is a long short story at over 11 ooo words.

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Interview with Author Jim Bronyaur

Today I have the super awesome Jim Bronyaur on my blog! I met Jim on twitter, and he’s such a great guy, and author! Be sure to check him out! Read on for some REALLY wonderful news too!

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Jim. I have a desk that faces the corner of a room and I sit there, usually with a candle lit, and I write… okay, enough of the blah, blah bio stuff. Hey everyone!!! I’m Jim Bronyaur and I write horror. I write stories, books, poetry, and even music. I’ve been writing since I was a kid and I’ve been playing guitar since I was a kid. My first published piece was in 5^th grade – a poem about a pig with a wig. I’ve thankfully gotten a little better since that time. I’ve had over forty pieces of writing published with my most recent being in the Nothing But Flowers antho (due out soon)… and my latest achievement was winning Preditors & Editors Best Horror Short Story 2010 for my story, Pulsate, which is now serialized through Flashes in the Dark. It runs every Thursday and you all should read it. So there, you know me now… sort of.

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I started writing as a kid. When kids in school were reading kids books, I was reading Stephen King novels. My parents weren’t fond of it so much (especially when I got scared and slept in their bed) but it was reading and according to my teachers, reading was a good thing. Some kids preferred a mouse riding a motorcycle for entertainment… I preferred the idea of being killed when I fall asleep. Something about it seemed so much more real. My first book I wrote was called Manor’s Mystery Mansion. A group of people are invited to this mansion and the host is murdered. Who did it? Yup, probably a huge rip off… but I was a kid! I still have a print copy of it and the world will never see it. As an adult, my first finished book came when I was 19. It’s still unedited and burns in the back of my mind. I hope to see it in print someday.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

Horror is a part of me. Like I said, when I was a kid, it was horror. Books. Movies. Everything. I remember going to the movie store (yes, when they existed) and walking up and down the horror aisle looking at the covers and descriptions. There is just something about horror that fascinates me. The idea of scaring someone. Thinking the unreal as real… ghosts, monsters, the dead rising, among many other things. The type of stuff that you know isn’t real but yet when the movie is over or the book is closed you take a quick glance over your shoulder to make sure you’re safe.

Where do you get your ideas? Do you ever experience writer’s block? Do you work with an outline, or just write?

My ideas come from everywhere. I get ideas from watching my sons play. I get ideas from watching people interact. I get ideas from the newspaper. Life is full of ideas, you just have to find them. I also piece things together from my life. I think about what scared me as a kid and how I can apply it now. For example, I had a short story published last year called Fire about a paranoid man following a hearse. He is so scared that he ends up waiting at a green light so the hearse goes through. He calms himself down and continues to drive only to find the hearse waiting for him at the next block… oh, scary, I know. I got that idea one morning when I was following a hearse. It creeped the hell out of me, wondering if it meant something (yes, I can be superstitious sometimes) or if there was a body in there. Writer’s block is tricky… every author has their own way of getting through it. And it depends on the author on how they get through it. For me, I keep my plate full so if I get stuck or need a break from one project, I move to the next. As far as writing goes… I can’t say that I do or do not outline. It depends on the project. I’ve found that some sort of outline serves me better – but I refuse a specific outline of a novel, it takes something away from it. But it is good to know where the story is going and how to get there.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

As a kid, it was Stephen King. I scared myself all the time with his books. On a softer side, I enjoyed Shel Silverstein too. The Giving Tree is by far one of the greatest stories ever told. Now, as an adult… I enjoy Neil Gaiman – his ability to write kids stories and adults stories amazes me. And of course there are the classic authors, new authors, and all my awesome indie friend authors who are keeping the dream alive. 

How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?

Marketing is tricky… but thus far I’ve found that networking is the way to go. Twitter mostly but Kindleboards is great too. I’ve also found that traditional marketing may be a thing of the past… no more annoying ads, etc. but rather interact with readers. Find people on Twitter that read your genre or write in your genre and get to know them. Read one of their stories. “Meet” people. Here’s a crazy story for you – my first published piece of writing came in May 2009… by a lady that took a chance on a decent horror story. That same lady now hosts my serialized story, Pulsate. Almost two years later… it’s such a big world but so small at the same time. You have to put in something to get something back.

Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?

YES, yes, yes!!! It’s actually book one of three in a series called The Passing. It involves a man from another world trying to get to earth to take it over. He’s a captain of a ship in what’s called the dead waters (where the dead float to their judgment in a place called the wasteland). His plan is to take some of those in the dead water and send them back to earth… only they come back not the same – yes, zombies. That’s all I’m going to say about the book right now… other than it kicks super big butt. The first book is finished, coming in at 107,000 words but it needs a lot of time and edits.

Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

Well… I said I was going to announce something during this interview… so… this is it… *ahem*… I can now officially announce that I have a book coming out sometime in March 2011! It’s three stories, ranging from 7,000 words to 23,000 words and the collection is titled In The Corner. I’m really proud of these stories – they are ones that I have been tinkering with for a year now and finally got them together. The book will be available in paperback and as an ebook. Now, if that wasn’t cool enough… here comes the best part… the book comes with music. Yes, music. Those who know me know it’s been my dream to somehow combine books and music and now I have a chance to do so. In the final story for In The Corner titled The Wrong Side of the Tracks, the main character is the lead singer for a band called Butler. And Butler just got signed to a record deal. But before that, they had a demo recorded to send to record companies. Well, my awesome readers, when you buy a copy of In the Corner (paperback OR ebook) you get a copy of Butler’s demo! A 6 song demo… now, tell me that isn’t cool?

What project are you working on now?

Oh boy, current projects? There are plenty. I’ve been lucky enough so far this year to be involved in some big anthology projects. There’s an antho coming out soon to help benefit those in need from the Australian floods. I’m also in a fun zombie anthology from The Zombie Survival Crew. As for my personal projects, I have some books in the works. I’m writing a lot of material under the new imprint of Dead Face Publishing (which is where In the Corner is being published from). I can’t talk specifics just yet about these projects, but they rock. As for ideas or themes to work with… I love zombies. There, I said it. I love zombies… the idea, the creatures, the stories. There is nothing better than zombies in my opinion. HOWEVER zombies have been done again and again and again… and it’s my goal to bring them back in a big way. I like to explore the background of zombies. Not so much the killing and gore, but rather how it could happen and how to make it believable and scary. I mean, think about it for a second, how many “things” are added to our everyday foods? Preservatives, additives, etc… and you’re telling me that maybe one day one of those preservatives will do just that… preserve. And that maybe one day those preservatives will wake dead cells… and then the dead rise… okay, I’ll stop.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

WRITE. Never stop writing. Never stop thinking. And never give up. You will be rejected. You will have bad days. You will have good days. You will have the urge to sleep instead of write, but you must fight it and write. You will be rejected. You will get strange looks from people when you tell them you’re a writer… because they don’t understand and that’s okay. Do not enter writing with the sole purpose of making any money, do it for the art and because you have to. You will be rejected. Get online and meet other writers but do not act like an idiot about it… take your time and enjoy it. You will be rejected. Write, edit, and edit again. Let it sit. Then edit again. You will be rejected… In all seriousness, it can be scary to say those words: “I’m a writer”. And to get online is like a vast universe of people and things… my writing path took me to twitter where I found writing hashtags (and groups) like #fridayflash, etc. – my advice is to find those people and read, comment, talk, and learn. And never stop learning. You will be rejected – yes, you will. Don’t take it to heart. Don’t hate the editor who rejected you – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been rejected only to submit another story and have it published. This is a business… this is an art… and mixing them sucks, but we do it. And most importantly… WRITE.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
All I can say is that I appreciate all the support I have from around the world right now. Those who email me to tell me they read something and liked it… those who comment on stories… those who tweet, retweet, and facebook me… you all rock and are my inspiration to keep writing on the worst of days. This year (and next and next and forever) is going to be huge. I’m having the time of my life amidst a lot of personal stuff going on and I couldn’t imagine not having the readers behind me each step of the way. I hope you keep enjoying what I have to offer because it’s only going to get bigger and better!

Be sure to stop by and check out Jim’s webpage!

 

Detour 2 Death with Guest Jenny Turner

Super excited the most wonderful author and editor Jenny Turner is stopping by today on her book tour! Please joy and comment for a change to win a book thong! Happy reading!

Hi Jen! Thanks so much for being a pat of my blog tour!

When I came up with the idea for the Extreme Hauntings series, I intended to use hauntings and paranormal abilities as the main components of each book. What I didn’t intend was for the series to carry so many religious elements. This element grew stronger as the series progressed and as an intuitive writer, I believe it’s important to go where the story takes me and not shy away from certain aspects out of fear others will be offended.

Raphael, the archangel known for his healing power, has become a regular character in his own right. His fascination with Kaylee is growing as she gets older and I think by the end of the series, he’s going to be exceptionally hard for her to resist romantically. I found it very telling that when my 11 yr. old daughter finished reading School’s Out 4-Ever she was upset because Raphael and Kaylee didn’t kiss! Wait until she reads Detour 2 Death!

As I move ahead in the series, I’m excited to explore the dynamic between psychology and religion. Kaylee’s father is not a believer and he believes her experiences with demons and angels are part of a psychotic break with reality. As the series unfolds, however, this will become harder and harder for him to believe.

If there’s any advice I could offer aspiring writers, I suggest they take their time. Too often books are submitted way before they (or the author) are ready for publication. As the industry changes more and more, there is no longer an “instant bestseller.” If you believe that once you submit a book, it’s only a matter of months, maybe a year, before you can quit your day job, unfortunately that’s not how it works. Enjoy the ride, but once you get on board, expect to stay on for quite awhile. The journey itself is thrilling!

Thank you Jen, for having me on your blog today. I’d love to give one of your readers a free book thong. Anyone who leaves a comment will be entered into a drawing to get a book thong in their favorite color!

Warmly,

Jenny:)

Detour 2 Death back cover blurb:

There are worse things than death, but not at Marsden Memorial hospital.

Kaylee Hensler knows her best friend Davey is on the brink of death. She knows this because she’s a psychic. When she flees the girl’s reformatory to get to him, she has no idea the special sort of hell waiting for her.

Reapers are collectors and they come in many forms. In Feverland, the world created by Davey’s sickness, the red reaper goes by the name of Molok, an ancient evil with deep roots. In Shadowland, the dark side of the hospital, a black reaper promises torture and torment to lost souls. The white reaper is the most fearsome, giving Kaylee three days before he collects both her and Davey’s souls.

Kaylee has one secret weapon, one she doesn’t fully understand. Her abilities will be tested, her loyalty betrayed, and her love misplaced. No one escapes Death.

J.R. Turner Bio:

Award-winning author J.R. Turner lives in Central Wisconsin with her husband and three children. She began writing in high school, and after a decade working as a commercial artist, started her first novel in 1999. Aside from crafts, camping and cooking, she loves holidays. A favorite is Halloween, a combination of spooky supernatural fun and chocolate. Visit her at http://www.jennifer-turner.com to learn more!

In Regards to Shadows-Guest Post by Author Stephen Brayton

Wonderful author Stephen Brayton is stopping by today! Stephen is the author of Night Shadows coming Feb 15 2011.

Visit: www.stephenbrayton.com

So, I’m tinkering with this action mystery while writing a few short stories and suddenly the sequel hits me hard. I mean the ideas start rolling in and I can’t stop them. Down goes the first story entitled Alpha (for the moment), and up comes Beta (due out from Echelon Press July 15).

So I’m tinkering with Beta and one night I’m listening to a nationwide radio show called Coast to Coast AM. I stumbled onto the show years ago while working overnights. The host and his guests discuss all sorts of supernatural stuff, UFOs, Bigfoot, science, conspiracy theory, etc. One of the programs dealt with people’s encounters with shadow beings. Something clicked and I thought, “What if I have a madman use an ancient book to release killer shadow creatures into our world?” My homicide detective’s name and character quirks came first then the FBI agent’s soon followed.

I think the most fun part was the research for the project. Since Night Shadows is set in Des Moines, I interviewed various people and visited several locales. The Des Moines and the Windsor Heights police departments were wonderful assets. I enjoyed visiting several parks and neighborhoods for realistic descriptions. In the story, I wanted to use areas familiar to the locals.

I encountered two problems before I finished. The first minor problem was during my writing Night Shadows, the city completed a major street reconstruction project and all but wiped the small block I had been using for the madman’s house. The street I want to use still exists (sort of), as is the cemetery across the street mentioned in the story. I think I worked around the problem quite well by just ignoring it and instead of keeping everything as is, I kept everything as was.

The second problem I struggled with for months before a friend provided an answer. I needed a portal to another dimension through which the shadows emerge. I looked at several areas around Des Moines, including a large piece of art downtown, various corners and stairwells in the skywalk system, even the aforementioned cemetery. Nothing seemed good enough. Then another member of my critique group mentioned an art exhibit in one of the Principal buildings. She set up a tour and when we entered this one particular room set aside for the exhibit, I knew I had found my portal. So, when you read Night Shadows, keep in mind, the room and the ‘portal’ exist. Whether the exhibit actually is a doorway to another dimension, well, that’s something to be discovered later.

I think one of the beautiful aspects of writing is authors can create anything. From anything. If you want a motorcycle to travel 300 miles per hour, a sword fight in the middle of a parking garage, or a police call box be a time machine, you figure out how to make it work. The imagination is boundless. And to discover what is around the corner is so fascinating. Writers help people escape.

I cannot remember from where I heard this saying, probably from some Saturday morning cartoon break, but “Reading is fundamental.” I never understood the meaning behind this until I started reading, then further when I started writing. Reading took me to places I’ll never visit, took me on adventures I never wanted to end.

Writing gives me a chance to give those experiences to someone else.

PS. Look for a Night Shadows contest tomorrow at my blog and website.

Brainstorm! Interesting Author Interview Questions

Some of you may have noticed I’m big on supporting my fellow authors (whether published traditionally or self pubbed), mainly by doing author interviews.

Making up personalized questions started to take hours (yes literally) out of each day, so I made up a list (SEE BELOW) and ask authors to pick. Unfortunately, the questions aren’t overly exciting.

So, I call out to all my most amazing friends, be you authors or readers! Help me out with some author interview questions. What do you want to know? Give me some interesting ones too, funny, crazy, whatever. Authors are people too and we all want to learn more about them!

Please post below! Post as many as you like, but PLEASE keep them ‘clean’!

Thank you and have fun!

(for those who also do interviews, feel free to nab questions! I’ll be leaving this post up!)

Just to help out some more… Here are some of my questions…

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
2. What do you do when you are not writing?
   
3. Do you have a day job as well?
4. When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?
5. How did you choose the genre you write in?
6. Where do you get your ideas?
   
7. Do you ever experience writer’s block?
   
8. Do you work with an outline, or just write?
9. Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
10. Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
11. If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?
12. How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?
13. Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?
14. Can you tell us about your upcoming book?
15. Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
16. What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
17. How did you come up with the title?
18. What project are you working on now?
    
19. Will you have a new book coming out soon?
    
20. Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
21. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
22. Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
23. Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

NEW! Oct 2011:

I’ve now started some FUN and Wacky questions for those interviewed on my site. Try your hand at some if you’re making up an interview!

Examples:

1. Have you ever gone out in public with your shirt on backwards, or your slippers on, and when realizing it, just said screw it?
2. Do you prefer fuzzy or tub socks?
3. Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?
4. Be honest, how often do you wash your hair?
5. Do you get road rage? What pisses you off the most about other drivers?
6. Do you go out of your way to kill bugs? Are there any that make you screech and hide?

Interview with Author Glen Krisch

Today I have the great pleasure of interviewing author Glen Krisch! Read on for more about him and his wonderful books!

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I have written three novels: Where Darkness Dwells, The Nightmare Within, and Nothing Lasting. My short fiction has appeared in publications across three continents for the last decade. Dog Horn Publishing (U.K.) will publish my story collection debut in 2011. I am also a staff editor for Morrigan Books. As a freelance editor, I have worked on books by Tim Lebbon and Lawrence Block, among others.

What do you do when you are not writing? Do you have a day job as well?

I work in a warehouse on the weekends. During the week, I’m pretty much Mr. Mom. I might not look like it, but I’m very domestic, lol. Besides reading, I’m an avid runner. I’ve even raced a 50k on trails.

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I started writing bad poetry in high school, followed soon after with bad short stories. I attempted several novels through college, but didn’t complete one until The Nightmare Within. I’ve completed two others since then, with two more in the pipeline.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

My writing has always had a dark edge. Horror, dark fantasy, whatever you want to call it, well, it seems like a natural fit.

Where do you get your ideas? Do you work with an outline, or just write?

I never start a story without a general idea of how it begins and ends, with hopefully, some major plot points in between. As I write, I dump notes for the upcoming chapters at the end of the file. It always seems to somehow come together.
I get ideas all the time and keep a little notebook with me to jot down notes. I spend a lot of time in my head–I always have–and it’s a natural environment for ideas to germinate.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

Like most authors in my field, Stephen King was and still is a major influence on me. He’s great at scares and conflict, but what makes his work truly sing are his characters. If I emulate him in any way, it’s in how I develop characters–or at least that’s my intention.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

I did everything by the book with trying to get The Nightmare Within traditionally published. When I queried agents, I had a lot of requests for full manuscript reads. Even though most of the agents enjoyed the book, they didn’t know how to sell it in the current publishing environment. After trying agents, I went the route of approaching publishers that accept unagented submissions. I pretty much received the same response. Almost three years ago, I had a respected small press tell me they wanted to buy my book. I couldn’t have been happier. We were discussing advances when the emails from him stopped. After a two year wait, the publisher cut ties with the novel, blaming the economy. Instead of facing another multi-year wait, I decided to indie-publish The Nightmare Within.

If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?

I don’t think I would have gone the indie route if I didn’t have to go through the struggles inherent to the traditional publishing model. So, no, I wouldn’t change anything.

How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?

I do the typical self-promo stuff:
http://glenkrisch.wordpress.com/ http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4525598.Glen_Krisch http://twitter.com/#!/glenkrisch http://www.facebook.com/glen.krisch
I’ve always enjoyed talking books and the writing process and I’ve been doing it for years without trying to promote my work. My current efforts are just an extension of that. I get a kick out of talking to my readers, so feel free to contact me. I also participate on Kindleboards and a few other internet boards.

Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

“Maury has the power to pull dreams into the waking world. From a boy named Kevin, he removes a nightmare dubbed Mr. Freakshow. Mr. Freakshow knows the rules that govern his existence: a dream becomes immortal by killing its dreamer. On the eve of his unveiling to the world, the nightmare escapes, seeking his immortality. Will Kevin survive his nightmare?”

What project are you working on now? Will you have a new book coming out soon?

My second novel, Where Darkness Dwells, will come out as an e-book in late February. It’s a horror novel set in the Great Depression. It has ghosts, the undead living in a subterranean network of tunnels, and even an eccentric psychic living in a tree house.
I’m currently working on a dark thriller called Loss, and a collaborative zombie novel called Attrition. My short story collection, Through the Eyes of Strays, will be available in print and digital in the Spring/Summer of 2011 from Dog Horn Publishing.
Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Only write if you feel compelled to, otherwise it’s a senseless self-torture. If you are compelled to write, work on something every day.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

I will be conducting contests and giveaways for the release of my second novel. Keep an eye on my blog for details:http://glenkrisch.wordpress.com/.
When all is said and done, I hope I provide some entertainment. Happy reading!

Interview with Author Marty Beaudet

So very happy to have Marty on my blog today! Read along to learn more about him and his book!

Also see:

Website: byathread-thebook.com
Blog: byathreadthebook.wordpress.com
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Thread-Marty-Beaudet/dp/1453671935/

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m kind of a boring guy. Why do you think I write fiction? To make life more exciting! I graduated early from high school and spent a year working in Switzerland and the Black Forest. There I developed a fascination with history, language, and foreign cultures, and pursued a degree in Soviet Studies when I returned to the States, so as to find employment in U.S. intelligence.

It didn’t take me long to realize that intelligence work is antithetical to the desire to travel the world, as your employer holds your passport and dictates the travel that is acceptable and unacceptable.

I have been to Europe numerous times, and was even a guest of Queen Elizabeth II on one occasion. I got drunk and made a total fool of myself, not being accustomed to the hard liquor (25-year-old Scotch) they served me at every turn.

I have been with my loving, supportive husband for 18 years, and we were married in Whistler, B.C. in 2004. We met in San Francisco, where I lived for 13 years and worked as an editor for various magazines, and we now own a little half-acre on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon.

What do you do when you are not writing? Do you have a day job as well?

I’m a communications consultant—I tell other people how to write! I’m also a freelance writer and editor.

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I wrote the first scene of By A Thread, my first novel, on January 1, 2002. I completed it in August of 2010. It was a part-time endeavour; and it sat untouched for a three-year period during that time.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

I didn’t; it chose me! I just told the story in my head. Others decided what the genre was. Genre is an artifice of marketing. Booksellers and promoters want to know what shelf to put a book on. But I believe the best books cross genre lines. It’s both more interesting and more realistic that way. A romance, for instance, doesn’t take place in a vacuum. It can happen while you’re involved in political intrigue, being haunted, or in a galaxy far, far away! Likewise a paranormal experience. I love books where anything can happen.

Where do you get your ideas? Do you work with an outline, or just write?

My characters and my settings come largely from my experience: people I’ve known or observed, places I’ve been. My plots come from applying a “what if” to actual events, imaging that things turned out differently at a critical juncture. It’s the “alternate universe” to the history we’re actually living.
I start without an outline, giving my characters free reign to decide where they will naturally go. I add plots twists and threads as needed to accommodate my characters’ choices. At some point I have to reign them in; that’s when I draw up an outline of where the story is headed. But I keep it loose, not knowing the final outcome until I write it. This makes the writing as exciting as the reading.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

More common than writer’s block for me is the time management problem. I get distracted easily, especially at home where pets and housework and knocks on the door add themselves to the ubiquitous distractions of email, social networks, and news updates. I haven’t yet found a single location that offers the environment I need to write consistently. I wake up with new ideas almost daily; I just fail to get them written down before they’re gone.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

If you mean published by traditional means, that still hasn’t happened. And may never happen. As for self-publishing, it was ridiculously easy. The hard part is the self-promotion that is needed afterward!

If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?

Not really. I would probably structure the editing and proofreading phases a bit more, but the publishing process was pretty smooth.

How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?

Networking is key. Social networks, of course, but also local and national organizations that may have an interest in my subject matter. For instance, I have gay and Mormon characters in my novel, so I have marketed to those audiences, as they tend to be under-represented in mainstream fiction. I have also marketed to local bookstores. And I began a blog, though it has taken me some time to understand the ways in which that can be helpful. It’s all more time consuming than I had anticipated.

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

Ah, the money question! Much of the book is based on real life. I pride myself on being accurate to the locations and history, whenever possible. Mostly because I enjoy fiction that is plausible. My mantra is “If the reader can tell where truth ends and fiction begins, the writer hasn’t done his job.” In By A Thread I have used real people, real places, and real events to a large extent. I’ve changed things up a bit to protect the innocent, but much of it is true, if in a different context.

What project are you working on now? Will you have a new book coming out soon? Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?

I had intended to write a second novel that is very different from my first. But popular demand from readers persuaded me to embark upon a sequel to By A Thread. It is called The Third Token, and continues to follow Kevin “Red” Davis, the protagonist from the first book. Davis is a Mormon, so the sequel plumbs the depths of Mormon secrets and history as a political plot is uncovered. One other character from By A Thread also joins in the action, but I won’t say which one, so as not to reveal anything about the first book to those who haven’t read it yet.