Author Appreciation – Page 4 – Liz Meldon

Author Interview: Kristi McManus

November 9, 2015November 9, 2015 Liz MeldonLeave a comment

Mondays are popular author interview days! I have three amazing authors with me today, and I’m really excited to introduce Kristi McManus to my blog! She’s a fellow fanfiction veteran who is working on breaking into the more “original” publishing world. She’s a lovely individual, and I’m really happy to have connected with her through this process.

Take it away, Kristi!

What was your first experience with writing?

The first real experience of writing I can remember was when I was 10, and in the 5th grade. Our class was given the assignment of rewriting a fairy tale. No parameters or restrictions were given, and I was immediately thrilled at the chance to give a new twist to an old tale. I chose Little Red Riding hood, and while the story line remained the same, my rewrite offered the story from the perspective of the wolf. That he was a kind and misunderstood soul, who was unfortunately mistook for a predator.

My teacher was quite impressed with the story, so much so that the school had a printed copy made for the library, as well as featured readings of it during assemblies periodically through that year. I remember at the time thinking that i had found what I wanted to do, even at that young age.

Did you enjoy writing in school?

I have always enjoyed writing in some form. I used to joke with my colleagues in university that I would rather write an essay or paper a million times over than take an exam or lab any day. Even while doing my studies in nursing, I was still writing. My sophomore year, I wrote a sci-fi drama entitled Control. Every night once my homework and assignments were completed, I would turn to writing as my outlet. I have had a deep rooted love for writing for as long as I can remember.

Any advice for new writers?

Just write. There are no rules, no boundaries and no limits to what you can write or where your mind can take you. If you have an idea in your mind that just keeps nagging at you, start writing. Write a little one day, or alot the next, just do it. Even JK Rowling came up with the Harry Potter series while on the train, and used her time to put those ideas on paper. It is the easiest and hardest thing you will ever love!

If your two main characters had a “ship name”, what would it be? (Example: Brangelina, Clintasha, Bellamort etc.)

Oh Lord lol. Ive had readers give me a few ship names for various books I have written. My first popular fan fiction was of Niall Horan (One Direction) and Dylan Page, and the ship name Nylan began to circulate.

The series that really started to get my noticed was the Through the Dark series, another AU fan fiction featuring Harry Styles and Aubrey Smith. Haubrey was born of my readers and their love of the characters. So much so, what was originally written as a single instalment quickly became a trilogy.

Have you ever experienced any sort of “fandom” hype around your writing?

I have had some die hard readers, yes. Ones who vote, comment and promote my works better than I do myself. Their dedication and love of the little stories from my head are why I write as much as I do, and I love hearing how they react to the events. In terms of a ‘fandom’ I definitely havent reached that sort of hype, but I love and appreciate anyone who takes the time to read my work.

Here’s a spot to pimp one of your writer friends… GO! (Or to gush about a recent fave read)
There are so many excellent writers on Wattpad I am so thankful that I found the site. The variety of genres and talent is endless, and if I didn’t ever have to actually take part in life and adult on a regular basis, I would be holed up in my room reading endlessly. Just browse Wattpad for five minutes, and I promise you will find something you fall in love with.

Afterlife (trilogy)

Secrets.

It was a fairly simple topic that provided a broad spectrum of opportunity. It was a subject that could be taken in a million different ways, depending on how you wanted to direct it.

This was the challenge Lane faced. To find a subject that embodied this topic, something captivating and enticing, something that would draw the audience in. And then, be able to justify her choice.

By a random meeting, a simple click of a camera, Harry became that choice. His eyes were what drew her in, the knowledge that the eyes were the gateway to the soul, and the guardians of ones secrets. But he wasn’t going to concede to wishes easily, and certainly wasn’t going to let her in. He was hostile, mercurial, and completely captivating. Despite their time spent together, and their forming friendship, she always felt at arms length.

Then something changed; something she never expected. She fell for him. But now, they are both making plans to move on with life after college, and in their cases, to the opposite sides of the world. Is it too late for them to finally come together? And is Lane ready to face what Harry is really hiding?

*Afterlife will be a Wattpad Featured Story as of November 9, 2015*

I am a Registered Nurse by trade, but avid reader and enthusiastic book lover all my life. My preferences are broad, ranging from the young adult blockbusters such as Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins to The Headmasters Wager by my emergency room colleague Vincent Lam. My own writing experience lies in the online and social media realms, hosting various popular One Direction fan fictions and other stories through Wattpad and Archive of Our Own. I find the online world of fan fiction to be a new, exciting avenue of reading, and I have encountered captivating and enthralling stories that engage a new generation of readers. My writing is inspired by this new path in literature, finding a dedicated online following of my own.

Catch up with Kristi on twitter, Wattpad, and her personal website!

Author Interview: James Benmore

November 9, 2015November 8, 2015 Liz MeldonLeave a comment

And the author interview train keeps on chugging! Today I have the very punctual and very polite British author James Benmore!

James works with characters from a classic tale and adds some phenomenal twists to keep things fresh and awesome.

Without further ado, welcome James!

Tell me a little about your upcoming release.

I’m currently hard at work on the third instalment of my Dodger series, a trilogy of novels that follow the continuing adventures of Jack Dawkins, the Artful Dodger from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist.

The first book, Dodger, was released in the UK in 2013 by Quercus and was really well-received. It told the story of how Dodger returns to London from an Australian penal colony six years after his arrest in Twist and discovers the city to be a much more dangerous place than he remembers it from his boyhood. Fagin, Nancy and Bill Sikes are all dead and he is in a race-against-time to discover a lost jewel or face deadly consequences.

The second book, Dodger of the Dials, was released last year and in that Dodger is trying to advance himself in an increasingly savage criminal environment. He makes an alliance with a bigger crook who calls himself Weeping Billy Slade and soon comes to regret it. Before long, he’s in the condemned cell of Newgate prison thinking up plans of escape.

Dodger of the Revolution, which will be available in the Spring 2016, sees Jack head to Paris on a high-stakes thieving job where he gets caught up in a local uprising. In some ways its Oliver Twist meets A Tale of Two Cities so its a case of Double Dickens!

What was the first scene you plotted for it?

I’m a huge admirer of Charles Dickens and far be it from me to assume I could improve upon his great works. However, I got the idea for an early scene of the first book while reading Oliver Twist in a hammock in Thailand about ten years ago. I was thinking about how much I loved the Artful Dodger because he was that wonderful mix of being both funny and villainous, sweet but sharp. But I was a bit disappointed that Dickens had removed such a fun character from the story before the final act. Jack is arrested for pickpocketing and packed off to a penal colony in Australia for five years. This means that he misses the dramatic and bloody end of the book where Bill Sikes kills Nancy, is then hunted to his own violent death by an angry mob and then Fagin is hung in Newgate prison. And this struck me as very sad because, even though those characters were all very much the criminal contingent of the book, they were also Dodger’s family and I imagined how horrified he’d be if he returned from abroad five years later and discovered all that. Who would he blame? My money was on Oliver Twist himself who, after all, was the root cause of all that destruction.

So it was that thought – that it would be dramatic, funny and a little sad to view the world of Oliver Twist from Dodger’s slightly warped perspective – that inspired me to write the rest of his story.

What are your biggest fears about this release?

I was always a bit worried that people would think that it was impertinent of me, a debut novelist who nobody has heard of before, to try and follow in the footsteps of Charles Dickens, a giant of English literature. But my books are written out of a great love and enthusiasm for the criminals that Dickens created in Oliver Twist, many of whom are among my favourite fictional characters ever. Hopefully, my readers will want to return to the rotten and crooked streets of Victorian London with the irrepressible Dodger as their guide.

What was Jack Dawkins wearing to his Halloween party this year?

Even though they didn’t have Halloween in Victorian London they did have a lot of masked balls in great mansions. I imagine that Jack Dawkins would like to slip into one of these as if just a masked guest and end up leaving with pockets full of jewellery he’s picked from wealthy party-goers. He would do all this wearing the mask of a jackdaw, the thieving blackbird that his own name is surely a play on.

What time of day are you most productive when it comes to writing?

I’m a night owl so I’m up til the early hours of the morning writing most days. I find it easier to focus on the words and the story in the dead of night.

Here’s a spot to pimp one of your writer friends? GO!

There is a fantastic book called `Rus Like Everyone Else’ by Bette Adriaanse which is being published in December by Unnamed Press. Its about, among other things, a panicky postman who suddenly realises he owes a fortune in taxes, an elderly woman obsessed with soap operas and stealing hand creams , an agoraphobic man who is invited to meet the Queen and whole bunch of other dysfunctional characters whose lives intersect. I was on the same creative writing course with Bette some years ago and read an early version of this and it was one of the funniest, most unique things I’d read. Keep an eye out for it!

London, 1850s.

After five years in an Australian penal colony, the Artful Dodger returns to London in search of a hidden fortune. Unaware of the fate that befell Twist, Fagin and Sikes, Dodger revisits the criminal underworld of Dickensian London to seek out his old comrades, any of whom might possess the key to the treasure.

He finds the city a changed place from his youth: with law and order upheld by a new police force, Fagin gone to the gallows, his old gang scattered and danger around every corner.

Snag your copy on Amazon!

Two years on from the events of Dodger, Jack Dawkins is back as top-sawyer with his own gang of petty thieves from Seven Dials. But crime in London has become a serious business – and when Jack needs protection he soon finds himself out of his depth and facing the gallows for murder.

Grab the second book on Amazon!

James Benmore studied literature at the Open University and has since completed an MSt in Creative Writing at Oxford University. He won the AM Heath prize in 2010 for best work of fiction by a writer graduating from Kellogg College. His short stories have been published in various anthologies. He lives in London.

Catch up with James on Twitter and Instagram!

Author Interview: Samantha Ferguson

November 8, 2015November 7, 2015 Liz MeldonLeave a comment

Right. So I’m beyond excited to have author Samantha Ferguson on my blog today. If you don’t remember, I had a bit of a mental breakdown reviewing her hilarious and A++ book, The Secret Diary of a Checkout Girl, and I’m really pleased that she signed up to do a little interview with me. Basically because I want to aggressively promote her as much as possible. Because the book was amazing. Did I mention that already?

Anyway. I won’t keep you. Enjoy the wonderful Samantha!

Tell me a little about your recent release.

My book is titled, ‘The Secret Diary of a Checkout Girl’, and I self-published it with the help of a wonderful company called CompletelyNovel. The Kindle version was released on October 23^rd, and the paperback came out on November 3^rd.

The book is written from the perspective of a checkout girl named Suzie Quesnell. Suzie is tired of spending every day doing a job she loathes, so she decides it’s time for a change.

What was the first scene you plotted for your debut novel? Feel free to be vague so we don’t ruin the surprise, but why did that particular scene turn your plot bunny into a full-blown novel?

I used to be a checkout girl myself, so whenever anything ridiculous happened (be it good, or bad) I wrote it down on the back of a receipt. It was a great way to vent.

One particular incident that stands out is when I got rotting, out-of-date, cat food all over me. I’ve never known a smell as bad. Naturally, as authors do, I put my poor protagonist in the same situation. It was easier to laugh about it that way.

Before I knew it, I had tons of receipts filled with incidents like the above, and thought, ‘Hey, I could make a story out of these!’

What are your biggest fears about this release?

Seeing as this is the first book I’ve ever published, I’ve pretty much felt every conceivable fear. But, because you probably don’t have all night to read this, and because you’re probably not a therapist, I’ll just mention the top three:

I’m afraid I haven’t done a good enough job at creating empathy. It’s a tough thing to do, and Suzie is such a bitter, sometimes ruthless, character, that I fear people will struggle to feel for her.
I’m worried that the book will not translate well overseas. It’s set in an English supermarket and draws upon a lot of UK pop culture. It’s also laced with British humour. I don’t know how well that will translate. I’m sure we’ll find out.
I have a fear of being typecast. I love all genres, but mainly tend to write stories of a thriller nature. I have no more plans to write another novel like this one, so I hope I will not be typecast.

Do you see some of yourself in your main character? What traits have passed from you to them?

In some ways, Suzie and I are very different. She’s cynical, brash, and almost feels like the world owes her a favour. Whereas I am a shy, hard-working, daydream believer.

Then, on the other hand, I can see a lot of myself in Suzie. When I was stuck in a dead-end job and felt like there was no way out, Suzie was the bitter, sad, and lonely person I saw myself becoming.

What was your main character wearing to his/her Halloween party this year?

A direct quote from the book is: ‘I’m not a fan of Halloween. Dressing up like an idiot so you can get a measly bit of cash? I do that for a living’. So she was probably wearing her work uniform and getting quietly, but heavily, drunk in the corner.

Suzie Quesnell was just a typical checkout girl, until one day she thought: ‘What the hell am I doing with my life?!’
This is the very honest, very secret diary that she used to plot her escape from Eggberts Supermarket.
So, if you’ve ever been stuck doing a job that’s not for you, or, God forbid, you still are stuck doing a job that’s not for you, then read Suzie’s book. Laugh with her, cry with her, but more importantly, change your life with her.

Samantha Rose was born in Blackburn, Lancashire. She has been writing stories ever since she could hold a pen (aged 3). Although, most of these were illegible until about ten years later.

In 2013, Samantha graduated from Edge Hill University with a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing with Film Studies. In 2015, her first novel was published.

Samantha currently resides in the seaside town of Southport, with her partner, Bradley, and their Weimaraner (don’t know what a ‘weimaraner’ is? Look it up, and be prepared for a cuteness overload).

Go follow Samantha on Twitter, or like her book on Facebook!

Author Interview: M.D. Luis

November 5, 2015November 4, 2015 Liz MeldonLeave a comment

Young Adult and New Adult fans rejoice! You have a new author to love! Meet M.D. Luis, a Cali gal and indie author whose books have amazing reviews on both Amazon and Goodreads. She’s our second stop on the Author Interviews month, and I’m thrilled to have her. Looking forward to perusing Aria, first in her paranormal trilogy, soon!

Take it away, M.D.…

Any advice to writers about to be published?

Yes. Whether you’re being published in a traditional sense or are contemplating self-publishing, you need to be confident and act the part. Be a professional writer and by that I mean be gracious, courteous and don’t give up. Your friends and family will be impressed that you’ve made it this far but the publishing world might care less and readers even more so. You will need to prove yourself to them. It’s a scary road at times and you need to power through it. Grow a thick skin, quickly, and no matter what…keep writing.

What’s your preferred genre to write in?

I’m not sure I can say I have a preferred genre to write in. I’ve only written two books so far and am working on a third. They’re both paranormal in nature with a little romance and mystery thrown in. Some might call it New Adult but I’m not so sure. Most New Adult novels are heavy on the sex and mine is somewhere in between. I like to say it’s for mature Young Adults but you never know, some of my readers are in their thirties.

If your two main characters had a ship name, what would it be?

This might be the most interesting question I’ve ever been asked and the most bizarre. But I dig it. My two main characters are Nya and Jack. Not sure I can meld those names together in a fun way but I will say this. There’s a ship in the my second book, Rain, that comes into play and it’s called the Anneliese. I’d probably have to go with that simply because it has meaning. Oh, and it’s a real ship.

Tell me a little about your book series.

My books are part of The Aria Trilogy. The first two novels, Aria and Rain, are already out and the third, Ember, is due for release in early 2016. The Aria Trilogy is about two lost souls, Nya and Jack, who come together through some unusual and rather violent circumstances. Of course there’s romance and eventually Jack’s ugly past catches up to him and Nya finds herself smack dab in the middle of it. She’s prepared to cut him loose but she finds that walking away from love isn’t so simple. Besides, there’s a bigger problem at hand. Jack wants Nya. He’s prepared to do whatever it takes to be with her even if it means making the upmost sacrifice. Nya fears he’ll go too far but she’s quickly learning that Jack always gets what he wants.

Are you a self-published author, traditionally published, or a hybrid of both?

I’m a self-published author. I tried to go the traditional route and get an agent but it was hard work. I had some interest from a few agents but in the end they all said no. A few years back, no one was representing New Adult which, again, many people feel my novels are. So NA authors were forced into self-publication. That’s starting to change which I’m happy to see. It’s a popular genre and it’s continuing to grow. It’s nice to see it getting some professional recognition.

Here’s a spot to pimp one of your writer friends…GO!

Ok, I’m not sure I want to mention just one person and I certainly don’t want to mention any book I love that everyone already knows is awesome. I mean, what’s the point? Suzanne Collins doesn’t need my help. I’d like to give a shoutout to all the wannabe authors out there because they’re plentiful. I have people ask me all the time – how did I do it, how did I actually finish a book and then write another? The answer isn’t a big secret, I just kept going. I wrote the friggin’ thing and I didn’t go back and edit until it was done. You need to do the same. It’ll suck at first, you’ll cringe when you read it. DON’T DO THAT. Finish the rough draft and get the story out or you never will. Don’t be afraid of how it sounds, don’t be afraid of what people will think and don’t be afraid to write scenes you might ax later. Just get the story out. You have plenty of time to go back and edit and clean and polish. But I swear, if you don’t get that damn story out, it will never happen. With that said, my hat’s off to all you newbies out there who are just getting started. Keep going. Don’t give up. If I can do it, so can you!

Nineteen year old Nya Reed never thought her simple life could get so complicated so quickly, until one horrifying night with friends she won’t ever forget, or remember…

Nya awakens in the ER, bruised, bloodied and has little memory of the night prior. Her new friend, Matt, is dead and the police are baffled when they have no leads in the case. Nya struggles to piece together any fragments of broken memory she can salvage. Her only clue? A gold pendant in her pocket she’s never touched or seen before.

Worried that Matt’s killers will surface, Nya seeks comfort from her neighbor, Jack. He is the only person that can reign in Nya’s ever racing mind and bring some peace to her troubled and chaotic world. But Jack has issues of his own. His past is shrouded in mystery, his whereabouts are unknown and there are things about him that Nya cannot explain. As the romance blossoms, she begins to question if this new found love is truly her friend or her foe and is determined, now more than ever, to find out exactly who…or what…Jack truly is.

With her safety in danger, her very life on the line, Nya struggles with an unknown fate and a decision she knows she cannot make. Everything in her head tells her to flee from Jack and never look back. Everything in her heart tells her otherwise…

Check out Aria on Amazon!

No place is safe.
No one can be trusted.
And time is running out…

Jack’s enemies want nothing more than to see him dead and they’ve traveled the ends of the Earth to find him. As Jack and Nya now flee for their lives they encounter old friends and new enemies, hoping to find a solution that will end this feud once and for all. But friends and enemies aren’t always what they seem and the two turn for help in the ugliest of places.

As Jack’s past comes to light, it threatens to smother the one thing he has fought for the most – his love with Nya. Jack will do anything to protect her and Nya will stop at nothing to save him. But as friendships crumble and alliances weaken, Jack’s deepest secret is revealed, leaving them to face their greatest challenge yet. Desperate, Jack is forced to strike a deal he knows he can’t fulfill and Nya is torn between her love for him and what she knows is right.

Jack and Nya have endured so much so fast, have surpassed great odds to be together, but will their love survive their darkest hour?

Check out Rain on Amazon!

M.D. Luis was born and raised in California. She always enjoyed reading but was particularly drawn to the stories that captured her imagination and tugged at the heart. She finally put her own ideas to paper and released Aria in June 2014, the first book in a three part series. Her second book, Rain, was released in early 2015. She lives with her husband and three children in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Catch up with her on Twitter, Instagram, and her website!

Author Interview: Claire Mansfield

November 1, 2015October 31, 2015 Liz MeldonLeave a comment

Hello everyone! November is Author Interview month on my official website and this blog, and I’m beyond thrilled to kick things off with the talented Claire Mansfield.

Now, I wanted my interviews to be a little different. I had a list of roughly 30 questions, and all my authors were given a mix of different ones so that things stay fresh. Going forward, each wonderful author has five questions that they’ve all given great responses to. Some give advice to new writers, others are here to chat about an upcoming release.

And now, without further ado, the lovely Claire Mansfield!

Any advice for new writers?

The only advice I can give to new writers is to never give up. I have written for years, but it has taken me a lot of years to pluck up the courage to self-publish my book, Whispers In Corridors. Only you will know when you are ready to take the next step, enjoy what you are doing.

What’s your preferred genre to write in?

I love chit lit. I read authors such as Jill Mansell, Sophie Kinsella, and Amy Lynch. I aspire to write like them. They make me laugh and cry and jump with joy, all I can hope is that others feel that way about my books.

Tell me a little about your recent release.

My most recent book, Whispers In Corridors is about a male teacher who is unfortunate enough to meet a female student. I don’t want to give anything away. I work in a school so felt comfortable using that setting. I felt sorry for both Damian and Jaqueline as I wrote it.

Do you see some of yourself in your main character? What traits have passed from you to them?

My main character is male, but some of what he goes through as a dad with a baby I stole from my husband. I found Jaqueline’s voice by looking back on my school days. I can assure you I’m nothing like her, something you will understand when you read my novel.

What are you most excited about with this release?

I’m most excited about people I’ve never met reading my work and reviewing it. However, I’m also extremely nervous about it. I love writing and lose myself in it, which I’m hoping comes across when it is read.

Whispers In Corridors

His life is perfect. He has a beautiful wife. Gorgeous new baby girl. A nice house in the suburbs and a new job.

He is a teacher in a secondary school, teaching a subject he is passionate about, English. He is the type of man who will go that extra mile for his students. His life was perfect until he met Jaqueline Sollihall a year ten student who has other ideas about her favourite teacher.

Things take a downturn for Damian very quickly leaving him confused and stunned.

Get it at Amazon UK, Amazon, and Smashwords!

About Claire

I am a mother with five children and a grandchild due any day now, very exciting. I work as a 1-1 Learning Support Assistant in a primary school. I’m very busy, but make time for my writing rising at 5.30 every morning to get some done. I’m like a bear with a sore head if I don’t get at least an hour in before waking my family. I have ten books written, but have released my most recent one, Whispers In Corridors. I am currently my next and have another in the wings. I’m at my happiest with a pen in my hand. My eldest daughter, Leanne Mansfield, who is about to become a mum designed and drew the cover of my book.

My book is available to purchase on Amazon Kindle UK/USA/AU and Smashwords.

Connect with her on Twitter!

November = Author Interviews Month

October 18, 2015October 18, 2015 Liz MeldonLeave a comment

It’s been a crazy year, so why not make this blog a little crazier with some author interviews?

For all of November, I plan to host as many authors as I can here on my blog. If you’re interested in chatting, promoting an upcoming release, or just showing off your snazzy main characters, sign up for an interview soon to save the date!

It’ll be a super short interview, because I know how daunting it can be to look at a bunch of questions and try to come up with brilliant answers for all of them, only to fail and procrastinate and plummet into sadness. For my interviews, there will be five. I have a list of a lot of questions, and if you have no preferences (see form link below), I’ll use a random number generator to pick five random questions, and you can tell me alllll about it.

Sign up here today!