Author Interview: Blaise Lucey Author of Blest

Today we welcome Blaise Lucey for an interview:

1. How did you come up with the concept for this book?

It was a lot of brainstorming. Once I had the initial idea - what would happen if angels and demons lived among us - it was a matter of figuring out what they were doing there. What had happened to make it important for angels to be on earth? And what did the demons really want? How did that fold up into a bigger conflict? 

I really love building fantasy worlds, so my favorite part was thinking about what the worlds of Glisten & Slag looked like and how they had formed, then weaving in those elements into common world history & mythology, like Atlantis. The guiding idea there is that the demons, who thrive in chaos, are trying to figure out ways to control the humans... and they've been doing it for hundreds of years. Angels believe that humans should have free will and be free to make their own choices and their own mistakes. So historical events we know were actually influenced by demons and angels as they battle across The Field (Earth) in secret. 

2.How did you come up with the names for the characters?

When I choose character names, I like to think about how the name sounds when you say it. A name is a reflection of identity and often kind of drives our destiny in a weird way. "Jim" is a really unassuming name, while "Claire" sounds complex and layered. I think that's a great representation of the characters themselves. Jim is used to being invisible at the start of the book and doesn't expect that to change. Claire is always thinking and overanalyzing situations. 

3.How much are you and the characters alike?

I always write parts of myself into characters, but then they take lives of their own. I'd say I'm a bit more like Claire than Jim, especially because Claire is so observant and thoughtful about what's happening around her. That also tends to drive her crazy as she learns more about what she's supposed to do when she grows her wings. 

4.Do you read a lot and what are you reading now?

I'm always reading! I try to keep my literary diet really diverse. I'm just as likely to be reading a fantasy book as I am to be reading a long history book about the mafia. The book that I finished recently that I absolutely loved was Tales of the Dying Earth by Jack Vance, which is a collection of Vance's fantasy writing. Cugel's Saga in particular is just a mind-blowing adventure novel where you're always encountering some new location or exotic species. 

5. What made you decide to go Young adult?

I've always been drawn to the power of the characters in young adult novels. The protagonists are usually learning new things about themselves and always trying to uncover truths about the world that, in a lot of cases, actual adults might be too jaded to see. There's also the explosive power of first loves - and first losses - which offers a rich emotional tapestry for the characters to explore as they find their place in the world. 

6. How did the cover come about?

I love the cover of Blest! I think it does a great job at hinting at a lot of the secrets that get uncovered as Jim and Claire figure out who they are... and what that means for their families, their friends, their relationship and, ultimately, the world. 

7. So what is your next project and when is it due out?

I'm really excited about my next project, The Amnesia Complex. It's a young adult adventure novel set in the 2090s, so the not-to-distant future. The main character, Jade, is living on a farm with her dad and her dad's friend. She's never been more than a mile away from the farm and her dad tells her the rest of the world is totally destroyed and dangerous. One day, a boy, Luke, shows up outside the farm with his parents. I won't go into much more detail - I don't want to spoil anything - but let's just say Jade and Luke embark on a crazy journey on their own to figure out what actually happened to make the world the way it is. 

I just finished it and now I'm working to find an agent who can help publish & market it. But I'm hoping it comes out next year! 

8. Do you have a daytime job or are you a full time writer?

During the day, I work for a tech startup. I do a lot of writing for my job, too, so I'm always writing. 

9. How did you get into writing novels and were you worried about peoples reactions to your books?

I've been writing for pretty much as long as I can remember. My earliest "novels" were called Goosechicks and they were a total rip-off of Goosebumps books but starring baby chickens. They had illustrations, too! I wrote them in 1st grade. I think my dad still has one of them in the basement somewhere. 

10. One last thing do you collect anything personally?

I do! I actually collect weird watches. I like the idea that we've built machines just to keep track of "time" as we know it. I try to limit myself to only getting new ones when I accomplish a big goal... like publishing Blest! The watch I got for Blest is called the Zinvo Blade and has a rotating second hand that looks like a helicopter blade, like it's flying above the rest of the watch's face. I thought that was appropriate, seeing as how Jim, Claire, and the rest of the angels and demons do so much flying in Blest. 

Thank you so much for stopping by our blog and letting us get to know you better.

Learn more about Blaise and the book Blest here:

Blaise Lucey: 

Goodreads: Here

Website: Here

Amazon: Here

Email: Here

Book: Blest

Goodreads: Here

Website: Here

Amazon: Here

Author Interview: D.A. Roach author of Between the Bleeding Willows

D.A Stopped by Read for your Future to give us this interview: 

1. How did you come up with the concept for this book?

 Fall is my favorite time of year and Halloween is my favorite holiday. I felt inspired to write, so I asked my daughter to name a supernatural creature she wanted me to write a story about. She suggested demons because they frighten her. Then I put myself in her shoes and tried to think of what frightened me at her age (12 yrs old) and I remembered stories classmates used to tell about a haunted cemetery that was fifteen minutes away from my house. It was rumored that teens would go there and worship Satan in the abandoned cemetery at nightfall. So I took the two concepts and began crafting the story.

2.How did you come up with the names for the characters?

 Killian, the main demon hunter, needed a strong name and I always associated that name with an Irish or Scottish warrior. For the girl, I wanted a name that could shorten to a nickname but also seemed good when paired with Killian, so Cassidy was chosen for the main character. And Tyler Romaitis, I wanted a simple and trendy guy name that was consistent with present day and the last name is homage to my Lithuanian heritage, as most Lithuanian names end in “itis”.

3.How much are you and the characters alike?

 I am not much like any of them. I’m more like Brogen from my Rarity book...a small number of close friends, empathic, and nice till you cross me.

4.Do you read a lot and what are you reading now?

 I read at least one chapter each night, depending on how tired I am. I am currently reading Pucked Up (not YA), and then will start A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole.

5. What made you decide to go Young adult?

 I really enjoy the YA genre. It’s a time in life when people grow from child to adult and grow into who they are, not who they are expected to be. There are so many emotions, so many firsts. The trial and error of relationships, hearts broken and mended, friendships lost and made, and a path to the future is now becoming clear. It was an amazing and truly memorable time in my life, and I will also hold it with high regard. Because I loved it and went through so much, I find it easy to tap into emotions and write about that time in life.

6. How did the cover come about?

 I wish I could take credit for the cover but the folks at Deranged Doctor Designs worked their magic and created that masterpiece. I told them my plot, mood, and what I envisioned the characters to look like and they came back to me with that cover. I almost fainted when I saw it :> And then I wondered if my story did the book justice. I mean, that’s an AMAZING cover.

7. So what is your next project and when is it due out?

I have a short story in the Detours in our Destination Anthology that comes out May 2016. The anthology includes stories of overcoming a hardship and rising above. I also have a short story in the thriller anthology from Limitless Publishing, entitled 13, that comes out this October. And finally, Within the Darkest Hollows, book 2 in the Demon Hunter series is due out at the end of October.

8. Do you have a daytime job or are you a full time writer?

 Full time writer and full time mom.

9. How did you get into writing novels and were you worried about peoples reactions to your books?

 My dental hygienist encouraged me to write down a story about a time in my childhood when my family was going through a difficult time and made it through with some help from strangers. The story of their kindness was truly amazing and deserved to be shared, so I tried my hand at writing and self-published the short tale. Turns out I really enjoyed writing and kept at it.

Did I worry about people’s reactions? Not initially. I wrote the story to tell it, hoping that people reading about kindness might encourage them to want to be kind as well. But when I published Rarity with Limitless Publishing, I worried about readers’ reactions. It wasn’t just about me anymore, a company believed my story was worth supporting and I worried that if it didn’t do well, they wouldn’t consider future stories.

Now I have some confidence with writing and have a few books under my belt so I worry less about reviews, and more about just putting forward my best effort. I enjoy writing and it’s important to remember that and stay true to writing for that reason. Honestly, I am too close to the stories to know how they will be perceived. When I finished BTBW, I reread it and said “Holy cow, that’s actually really good. I wonder if other people will think that too?” That was my only guide on the quality of my work...I liked it and enjoyed reading it.

10. One last thing do you collect anything personally?

Rocks. Lol. I love cool looking rocks. When we go to the beach, I walk the shoreline and pick rocks, then add them to my garden. My kids come home from school with pockets full of rocks and I convince them to add them to our plants or garden.

Thank you to D.A for stopping by the blog and letting us get to know her better.. Review to come.

You can find out more about D.A. Roach here:

WEBSITE: http://daroachbooks.blogspot.com/

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/DARoachDA/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/daroach12books

BOOK GORILLA: http://www.bookgorilla.com/author/B00AQNBVH2/d-a-roach

AMAZON AUTHOR PG: http://www.amazon.com/author/daroach

Author Interview: Huntley Fitzpatrick author of My life next door

1. How did you come up with the concept for this book? 
With my book MY LIFE NEXT DOOR, I thought of a sort of Romeo and Juliet story set in a seaside town (with a happy ending). With WHAT I THOUGHT WAS TRUE, I wanted to know if two characters could find their way back into a good relationship after getting off to a bad distrustful start. 

2. How did you come up with the names for the characters? 
My daughter named Samantha Reed in MY LIFE NEXT DOOR. I came up with Jase Garrett—and actually thought I’d invented it. Very surprised to find it out there already. Gwen in WHAT I THOUGHT WAS TRUE started out as Cate, but the hero had to be Cass, so her name had to change. Also her mother was a big romantic and so I thought she’d give her daughter a name like Guinevere.

3. How much are you and the characters alike?
They all have little pieces of me but no one is me. Probably the one most like me is the red-headed troublemaker in MY LIFE NEXT DOOR—and I am not a teenaged recovering alcoholic boy with a tendency to swear. 

4. Do you read a lot and what are you reading now?
I read constantly. Usually a book a day when I’m not on deadline. I just systematically reread some of my favorite books from childhood—still loved them—Roald Dahl’s Matilda, Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt, the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. I read a lot to my kids, also. 

5. What made you decide to go Young adult? 
It just seemed a natural fit for the stories I had to tell.

6. How did the cover come about? 
I’ve been lucky to have the same talented cover artist do all three books, and she’s given them a signature look—striped spines, a couple, the type face. I’m very lucky. 

7. So what is your next project and when is it due out? 
My next project is THE BOY MOST LIKELY TO, a dual POV YA contemporary that features that redheaded boy and the girl he loves. 

8. Do you have a daytime job or are you a full time writer?
Well, I have six kids, so I have something of a constant job, but I write during the day while they are in school and sometimes into the night.

9. How did you get into writing novels and were you worried about peoples reactions to your books?
I’ve wanted to be a writer all my life, but I spent some time being an editor, which I loved. But finally, I just wanted to tell stories. I try hard not to worry too much about people’s reactions. 

10. One last thing do you collect anything personally?
Seaglass. Well, and books.

Ways to contact Huntley :
Twitter
Facebook
Tumbler
Goodreads
Website

Intervierw:Sarah Beth Durst author of The Lost

Sarah Beth Durst

1. How did you come up with the concept for this book?

This book was born at a stoplight -- proving that ideas really can come from anywhere. I was waiting to turn left, and I remember thinking, "What if I just drive straight and don't stop?" And that's exactly what Lauren Chase does in Lost. She's supposed to go left to her dead-end job, but instead she drives straight... and drives and drives until she runs out of gas in a town called Lost, which is full of only lost things and lost people.

 

2. How did you come up with the names for the characters?

I've always loved the name Lauren and have been waiting for just the right character to use it. Peter is named after Peter Pan, because he's a mercurial kind of character. And Claire... I think I named her after listening to the song Claire by Jill Sobule. My Claire has zero to do with the song -- my Claire is a six year old girl who carries a teddy bear and a very sharp knife -- but I liked the name.

I'm like a magpie when it comes to names. I collect them and store them away to use later.

3. How much are you and the characters alike?

I'm sure bits of me are in all my characters. It's inevitable. But I don't intentionally base my characters on either myself or anyone that I know.

In fact, the moment that a novel "clicks" for me is when the character develops his or her own voice. With Lauren, it happened in the very first chapter. This novel is written with a very tight pov, and writing it was an intense experience. I laughed when Lauren laughed, and I cried when Lauren cried.

4. Do you read a lot and what are you reading now?

Yes, I'm always in the middle of a book. Sometimes two or three. Right now, I'm reading MAGIC RISES by Ilona Andrews and loving it. I'm also reading THE CARPET PEOPLE by Terry Pratchett, which has such vivid, wonderful worldbuilding. An entire civilization of tiny people who live between the fibers of a carpet.

5. What made you decide to go adult?

The story decided for me. I knew that I wanted a protagonist who felt empty. Her life hasn't turned out the way she wanted it to, and she's watched her dreams wither. So I felt that she had to be older (specifically, twenty-seven). And that automatically made it an adult novel.

6. How did the cover come about?

The cover was designed by my publisher, Harlequin/Mira, and I think they did such a fabulous job. I am so, so in love with it. I love the way you can see the paint strokes and how they're raised on the book itself so that it really looks like paint dripped on the letters, and I love the way the town looks with the single balloon overhead. It really captures the book so perfectly. Lauren is an artist, so the paint strokes fit, and Lost is a desert town that always has a single red balloon floating above it.

7. So what is your next project and when is it due out?

CHASING POWER is my next YA book, and it will be out from Bloomsbury in October. It's about a girl with telekinesis and a boy who can teleport (and who lies as easily as he travels).

And in December, THE MISSING (book 2 of THE LOST trilogy) comes out, followed by THE FOUND in April.

I'm so excited about all of them!

8. Do you have a daytime job or are you a full time writer?

I'm a full time writer, and I feel so very lucky and grateful. I've wanted to be a writer since I was ten years old. It's the only thing I've ever wanted to be. Aside from Wonder Woman, of course.

9. How did you get into writing novels and were you worried about people’s reactions to your books?

I've wanted to write novels since the moment I realized that ordinary people could be writers. (Before that, I assumed that all writers were either dead or mythical. Like unicorns. Except with opposable thumbs.) I've always loved books. I think they're magic, and I always wanted to be a part of that magic.

10. One last thing do you collect anything personally?

I am a wee bit of a packrat. Okay, a total packrat. But I don't really collect anything in particular, except for memories. And books. Lots of books.

Thanks so much for interviewing me!
Find out more about Sarah here: Goodreads
                                                      Amazon

Summary-

It was only meant to be a brief detour. But then Lauren finds herself trapped in a town called Lost on the edge of a desert, filled with things abandoned, broken and thrown away. And when she tries to escape, impassable dust storms and something unexplainable lead her back to Lost again and again. The residents she meets there tell her she's going to have to figure out just what she's missing--and what she's running from--before she can leave. So now Lauren's on a new search for a purpose and a destiny. And maybe, just maybe, she'll be found...
Against the backdrop of this desolate and mystical town, Sarah Beth Durst writes an arresting, fantastical novel of one woman's impossible journey...and her quest to find her fate.

 

Sarahs Website

 

 

Interview & Giveaway: Wendy Higgins Author of Sweet Reckoning

 

1. How did you come up with the concept for this book?

~I never know how to answer this question. I didn't purposely or thoughtfully come up with anything. It just sort of "hit me." My ideas usually come to me out of the blue and then I play with them and mold them until I have something concrete enough to begin writing.  I guess I was just at the right time of my life.

2.How did you come up with the names for the characters?

~Anna, Jay, and Patti are all named after special people in my life (a great friend named Ann who's like an earthly angel to me, my brother Jason who passed away when I was younger, and my Godmother.)  All of the other character's names were found online at baby name sites.  For example, when looking for Kope's name I Googled "African baby boy names." Then I scrolled through until something felt right.

 

3.How much are you and the characters alike?

~I definitely had some of Anna's innocence and naiveté when it came to boys when I was a young teen. But I didn't have her will-power. I was more like Veronica as I got older.

 

4.Do you read a lot and what are you reading now?

~I do read a lot unless I'm in writing mode.  I just finished THE WINNER'S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski, and it was wonderful!  I mostly gravitate to non-contemporary stories with romance.

5. What made you decide to go Young adult?

~My whole adulthood I've had a heart for teens.  I remember those years so clearly, and I want to help and guide and entertain however possible. I taught high school English for a couple years and I worked with the high school girls in our youth group.  It's a fascinating time of life - they're on the brink of so many changes.

6. How did the cover come about?

~I had nothing to do with the covers. The publisher came up with everything and I just have to give my approval. I've been very happy with what they've done, and I'm happy they put Kai on the covers with Anna.  For me, the tone of each cover matches the book well.

7. So what is your next project and when is it due out?

~I'm independently publishing an Irish folklore romance (YA) called SEE ME on St. Patrick's Day 2014!  After that, who knows?  I'm open to anything!

 

8. Do you have a daytime job or are you a full time writer?

~I'm a full-time writer, but family comes first.  No day job anymore (except cleaning the house - ugh).

 

9. How did you get into writing novels and were you worried about peoples reactions to your books?

~I've always loved writing, and through the years I started many books but never finished them. Sweet Evil was the first book I completed.

~I was, and still am, nervous about how people will take my books. I worry about whether people will see the heart of the story. If they'll "get it," and not everyone does, but many do.  I've had to stop reading reviews and just focus on the fans now. Reading is subjective. It's very personal.

10. One last thing do you collect anything personally?

~I used to collect elephant stuff, but I've stopped since I had kids. Now I collect my daughter's artwork, lol.

Thanks so much for the interview!  xoxo

Interview:Sarah Beth Durst Author of Lost

Today we have Sarah Durst as our guest:

1. How did you come up with the concept for this book?
This book was born at a stoplight -- proving that ideas really can come from anywhere. I was waiting to turn left, and I remember thinking, "What if I just drive straight and don't stop?" And that's exactly what Lauren Chase does in Lost. She's supposed to go left to her dead-end job, but instead she drives straight... and drives and drives until she runs out of gas in a town called Lost, which is full of only lost things and lost people.

2.How did you come up with the names for the characters?
I've always loved the name Lauren and have been waiting for just the right character to use it. Peter is named after Peter Pan, because he's a mercurial kind of character. And Claire... I think I named her after listening to the song Claire by Jill Sobule. My Claire has zero to do with the song -- my Claire is a six year old girl who carries a teddy bear and a very sharp knife -- but I liked the name.
I'm like a magpie when it comes to names. I collect them and store them away to use later.

3.How much are you and the characters alike?
I'm sure bits of me are in all my characters. It's inevitable. But I don't intentionally base my characters on either myself or anyone that I know.

In fact, the moment that a novel "clicks" for me is when the character develops his or her own voice. With Lauren, it happened in the very first chapter. This novel is written with a very tight pov, and writing it was an intense experience. I laughed when Lauren laughed, and I cried when Lauren cried.
4.Do you read a lot and what are you reading now? Yes, I'm always in the middle of a book. Sometimes two or three. Right now, I'm reading MAGIC RISES by Ilona Andrews and loving it. I'm also reading THE CARPET PEOPLE by Terry Pratchett, which has such vivid, wonderful worldbuilding. An entire civilization of tiny people who live between the fibers of a carpet.

5. What made you decide to go adult?
The story decided for me. I knew that I wanted a protagonist who felt empty. Her life hasn't turned out the way she wanted it to, and she's watched her dreams wither. So I felt that she had to be older (specifically, twenty-seven). And that automatically made it an adult novel.

6. How did the cover come about?
The cover was designed by my publisher, Harlequin/Mira, and I think they did such a fabulous job. I am so, so in love with it. I love the way you can see the paint strokes and how they're raised on the book itself so that it really looks like paint dripped on the letters, and I love the way the town looks with the single balloon overhead. It really captures the book so perfectly. Lauren is an artist, so the paint strokes fit, and Lost is a desert town that always has a single red balloon floating above it.

7. So what is your next project and when is it due out?
CHASING POWER is my next YA book, and it will be out from Bloomsbury in October. It's about a girl with telekinesis and a boy who can teleport (and who lies as easily as he travels).
And in December, THE MISSING (book 2 of THE LOST trilogy) comes out, followed by THE FOUND in April.
I'm so excited about all of them!

8. Do you have a daytime job or are you a full time writer?
I'm a full time writer, and I feel so very lucky and grateful. I've wanted to be a writer since I was ten years old. It's the only thing I've ever wanted to be. Aside from Wonder Woman, of course.


9. How did you get into writing novels and were you worried about people’s reactions to your books?
I've wanted to write novels since the moment I realized that ordinary people could be writers. (Before that, I assumed that all writers were either dead or mythical. Like unicorns. Except with opposable thumbs.) I've always loved books. I think they're magic, and I always wanted to be a part of that magic.

10. One last thing do you collect anything personally?
I am a wee bit of a packrat. Okay, a total packrat. But I don't really collect anything in particular, except for memories. And books. Lots of books.
Thanks so much for interviewing me!

Learn more about Sarah and her new release Lost.

Sarahs web site

Sarahs goodread

Lost Goodreads

 

Thank you to Sarah Best Durst for stopping by the blog and catch us up on her new release Lost. Available from Amazon

Author Interview & Giveaway: Dusti Bowling author of The boy who loved me

 

1. How did you come up with the concept for this book?
I noticed a while back how popular steamy romance has gotten, even for teens. I decided I wanted to give them what they wanted--romance, but without the steam. I wanted to show them that romance can be exciting and passionate without being smutty. A boy who loves and respects you for who you are, not what you can give him, is a wonderful thing. I also love comedy and wanted to do something funny. As for the plot, I think I originally got the idea from a movie I saw when I was young--Dog Fight. The girls even talk about the movie in the book.

2.How did you come up with the names for the characters?
I know Madison is a popular name and I wanted her character to be current and trendy. I just like the name Daniel and think it sounds sweet.

3.How much are you and the characters alike?
I'd like to think I'm nothing like Madison at the beginning of the book! I really love the Madison character, though, and I think we are all like her in some ways--no matter how we appear on the outside, there may be a lot more going on in the inside than anyone realizes. I hope I am always learning and growing, just as Madison does throughout the story.

4.Do you read a lot and what are you reading now?
I read constantly, mostly audiobooks though, due to time constraints. I am currently reading (listening to) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

5. What made you decide to go Young adult?
I love the age group and saw there was a need. It is such an impressionable time in a person's life. I wanted to give teens books they would really enjoy without making them feel like they had just been preached to for four hours. I hope they come away from my books feeling refreshed and inspired as well as having been entertained.

6. How is the reaction to the fact they are faith based?
Always good from those who realized they were faith based when they picked them up. I think some teens pick up my books without realizing they are faith based, though. Mostly the reaction I get is really positive. I have had several people tell me they don't usually read Christian books, but they loved mine because it was still a great story with a great message and it wasn't heavy-handed or preachy. I have also gotten a couple of angry responses. As a Christian, there will always be those few who are offended by your beliefs. That really goes for all belief systems. You can't please everyone, but you can try to love everyone.

7. How did the cover come about?
My wonderful husband did my cover for me. There is a blue purse in the story. It plays an important role in the plot, but I guess you'll have to read to find out what it is!

8. So what is your next project and when is it due out?
After releasing two books back to back, I am taking a little breather. Then I'd like to get started on a sequel to The Boy Who Loved Me.

9. Do you have a daytime job or are you a full time writer?
I am a full-time homeschooling mom to one ten-year-old daughter and a full-time zookeeper to another two-year-old monkey, er, I mean daughter. I fit in writing whenever and wherever I can.

10. How did you get into writing novels and were you worried about peoples reactions to your books?
I was a voracious reader growing up, and I always thought about trying to write a book. Then one day I told myself to stop thinking about it and just do it. My initial stuff was pretty bad. The first story I wrote that I thought might actually be good was The Day We Met. It sat on my computer for years before I decided to release it as an eBook. I was very worried about the kinds of reviews I would get, and I honestly didn't think it would even sell. The sales and reviews far surpassed my expectations. I can't believe it's one of the highest rated teen religious books on Amazon. But I'm still always nervous about what reviews and reactions are going to be like when I release a new book. I think all writers feel this way.

11. One last thing do you collect anything personally?
Mostly books--cookbooks, audiobooks, Kindle books. I love cooking, so I have tons of kitchen tools. My family and I like to pick up a snow globe or Christmas ornament (or both) on every trip we go on, so those collections are building too.

Find out more about The Boy who loved me:
Goodreads
.99 cents on Amazon