Text Post – Page 38 – Liz Meldon

Author Interview: Eliza Nolan

November 13, 2015November 12, 2015 Liz MeldonLeave a comment

Now here’s an exciting YA release I can really get behind! Eliza Nolan is on my blog today chatting about her debut novel, Phoenix Awakens, an let’s just say, I’m foaming at the mouth to get a hold of her book. Plus Eliza‘s struggles are that of every author — aka #sorelatable #bookmarketingsucks.

Please give a warm welcome to Eliza Nolan, and don’t forget to give her debut a look at the end of the interview!

Tell me a little about your recent release.

Phoenix Awakens is my debut. It’s a YA urban fantasy about a girl who finds herself in a fight with a secret society over magic. And there’s a cute boy, of course.

What are your biggest fears about this release?

It’s my first release, so I have ALL the fears. My top two are:
Fear 1: Will people read it? (Please do!) There are a lot of books to chose from, and I worry that readers won’t be able to find my book amongst all the wonderful options out there.
Fear 2: Will readers like it? (I hope so.) I think this is every author’s biggest concern. We pour our hearts out in words on the page, then pull our hair out during revisions and edits,in hopes that we will make something that is not only worth others’ time, but also a wonderful experience for the reader.

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

Julia started out as a high school version of myself. She has my insecurities, my desire to succeed, my inability to take charge…

But she also became her own person as she developed as a character, doing things I could only imagine. 😉

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

She’s a bit of a wallflower, so she wanted to stay home and hide. However, her friend, Samantha, wouldn’t let her, so she agreed to go as Katniss Everdeen. After all, she really does wish she could be a super strong hero.

What has been the biggest struggle marketing your upcoming release?

Marketing is a full on struggle for me. I want people to see and read my book, but it feels weird trying to sell it to people. I would much rather have people stumble across it and decide to read it on their own. I know, I’m dreaming, but this is my struggle.
So feel free to stumble across it, and decide to read it. 😉

Here’s a spot to pimp one of your writer friends… GO! (Or to gush about a recent fave read)
I’m going to gush about my crit partner, Dawn Klehr’s new book, If You Wrong Us. I’m only part way through it, but I know it’s gonna rock. It’s a twisted YA thriller about some kids who plot revenge, and the insanity that follows. I read an earlier version of the beginning of this one, and I’m dying to know how the story ends. Check it out!

Julia Long is starting her senior year with an extra dose of crazy. The dreams of cultish, bloody rituals are weird enough, but the victim in her lifelike dreams is her new classmate, Southern charmer Graham.

Graham admits he was a Phoenix — part of a centuries old secret society — but swears he left it all behind. As Julia works with Graham to figure out why she is dreaming about his past, she’s discovering she has other abilities. She heals Graham’s migraines with a touch, and there’s her superhuman strength that comes and goes. Julia doesn’t know where her new talents come from, but there’s no denying that when Graham is near, her powers kick into overdrive.

But the Phoenix Society wants Graham back. They need his blood to awaken the magic they seek, and they’ll do whatever it takes to get it.

Can Julia uncover the truth behind her connection to Graham? How far will Julia go in order to save Graham and stop the Phoenixes from harnessing this powerful magic?

Get it on Amazon today!

Eliza Nolan was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She lived in Charleston, South Carolina, for a few years, after which she returned to icy Minnesota – where she now lives with her two unruly cats in a house smaller than your closet.

She is an avid reader and writer of YA. She has ghostwritten a novel or two, but also writes her own stuff, and is finally publishing her debut young adult urban fantasy novel, Phoenix Awakens.

Catch up with Eliza on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and her website!

Book Review: Cruel by Ashley R. Carlson

November 11, 2015November 11, 2015 Liz MeldonLeave a comment

4 STARS

All I can say is: MORE, MORE, MORE! I read this book in just under an hour, and I want more of this rich, interesting world. I loved the characters, the background, and the villains. I loved everything about it. The pace moved right along steadily, with the writing not bogged by down unnecessarily long histories and description of this new world. It was so easy to suspend my disbelief and really immerse myself in the world Carlson created, so kudos to the author! The only reason it isn’t a full 5 stars is because I wish it was longer. More time imprisoned, more subtle fighting with the Big Bad, more everything.

I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a fast-paced, tension-filled sci-fi read! Well done. You’ve got a fan in me.

Original Review Date: August 26th, 2014

Check the short story out on Goodreads for more reviews and purchase links!

Day One

November 10, 2015 Liz Meldon2 Comments

This is…perfection. If you aren’t following this blog, do it. DO IT NOW.

Diary of a broke writer

Wake up. Feed cat, dog and goldfish. Tell 10-year-old daughter that she will get her allowance *next week*. Why? Because Mommy’s a writer, honey. Asks me if I’m famous. Awkward silence ensues.

Now, off to work!

Spend morning reading advice book from best-selling YA author on how to plot character arcs, both emotional and action. Review the *pivot points* in my draft. Realize that I forgot to have enough of those, and in fact, have no idea who some of these people are. Problem!

What do they even look like? No idea. Fortunately, it is now lunchtime. Warmed over chili makes me groggy. Need nicotine gum to get my juices flowing.

Actually write a few pages! Things are rolling along when ambushed by burning desire to check email. I have a new policy of only doing this in the morning and evening. Laughable. Nothing from agent. But…look. A video on platform-building…

View original post 237 more words

#weeping

November 10, 2015 Liz MeldonLeave a comment

Can I just…

Thank you to all my authors and readers and errybody who has been sharing the author interviews this month. This is a fairly new blog, and I’m so thrilled to have everybody here. Seriously. I’d bake you brownies and feed you if I could. But there’s a screen in the way.

So just settle for my gif-hugging.

Author Interview: Nikolas Rex

November 10, 2015November 9, 2015 Liz Meldon1 Comment

Attention fantasy fans! Nikolas Rex is on deck today carrying on with my author interview month. If you’re looking for a new author to creep, he’s someone I recommend!

When did you know you wanted to write?

I always loved reading my whole life, but my freshman year in high school was when I discovered that I also loved to write.

What was your first experience with writing?

My first experience with writing was quickly jotting down details of an amazing dream I had. Later that day, when reading what I had written, I wasn’t fully satisfied with what I had jotted down, as the memory of the dream was much cooler. So I filled in the details as best I could, creating pieces here and there and it morphed into a cool little short story which I actually entered into a local short story contest. I didn’t win anything, and sadly lost the short story, but the memory is still there.

Where do you generally do most of your writing? Is there a specific room that has been dubbed “The Writer’s Cave”?

I have no “Writer’s Cave” to speak of, though having an office would be nice. I mostly write on my laptop wherever I can find a decent enough chair, desk space, and wifi (gotta love Pandora Radio for music to set the mood).

What medium do you use to write? Desktop? Tablet? Pen and Paper?

My medium of choice when it comes to writing? Laptop. However, I’m never without a pen and notebook. Always have to be able to write down my thoughts and ideas whenever they come to mind.

What’s your preferred genre to write in?

My preferred genre to write in is Fantasy. I love reading a good sci-fi (I’ve read Ender’s Game fifteen times in my life, now) but don’t think I’ll ever be able to write a good sci-fi since so much science is involved (a good sci-fi involves at least psuedo-science-y stuff in my opinion).

Here’s a spot to pimp one of your writer friends… GO! (Or to gush about a recent fave read)

A friend of mine recently gave me ALL the Dresden Files books by Jim Butcher to read. Magic meets Detective. They’re pretty good so far, I’m on the 4th one now.

Wielder of the Flame:
On a far distant planet, a war fought with magic sends an enchanted sword hurtling through time and space to land on Earth, mysteriously linking the fates of both worlds, together. A young man named Marcus, whose only wish is to escape the bullies from school by running through a nearby park, instead stumbles upon a strange black cat that motions for him to follow it. The cat leads Marcus to an enchanted grove, wherein, at its center, lies that very sword, half-embedded in stone.

Marcus chooses to withdraw the blade and takes the first step on an unexpected but magnificent adventure that changes his life forever. He awakens to find himself in a place called Lyrridia, a realm of swords and magic. Along his path to uncover the reasons for his arrival in this new world he will make friends, fall in love, battle foes, and come face to face with his destiny.

Grab your copy on Amazon today!

Nikolas Rex resides in Washington State with his wife and two daughters. He is currently pursuing a B.A. in Digital Technology and Culture at Washington State University Tri-Cities and a minor in Fine Arts. He has a deep love for the written word and a passion for design. Aside from writing fantasy, his other hobbies and interests include sketching concept art, reading fantasy and science fiction, spending time with his family, and playing low-fi board games.

Follow Nikolas online!

WriteroftheFlame.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikolaskrex

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Nikolas-Rex/e/B010P3V7OE

DeviantArt: http://draconicparagon.deviantart.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8442823.Nikolas_Rex

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nikolaskrex/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nikolaskrex

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+NikolasRex/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolaskrex

Author Interview: Rosanna Leo

November 9, 2015November 9, 2015 Liz Meldon5 Comments

I’m thrilled to have the wonderfully talented author Rosanna Leo on my blog today! I first found Rosanna‘s work when I was just getting Maenad off the ground. In fact, I’m pretty sure I was still writing it, and I happened upon an author who wrote something quite similar to what I was playing with: gods in the modern world. I devoured all three of her god-centric pieces, and have since moved on to her most recent release, Night Lover, which is fantastic so far.

Super excited to have her here, so please give your full attention to the lovely Rosanna Leo!

Where do you generally do most of your writing? Is there a specific room that has been dubbed “The Writer’s Cave”?

I do have a writing cave, and it’s known in our house, as “Spare Room.” (Very Narnia, isn’t it?) It really is just the spare bedroom, so there’s a bed there if I grow especially weary, or if I need to bash my head against pillows. However, I also write in the kitchen sometimes. Lots of light and lots of snacks. The snacks are not particularly conducive to writing, but they keep me happy.

Any advice for writers about to be published?

My advice to writers about to be published is this: get yourself ready for a wild ride. There is no feeling in the world quite as special as seeing your first book published. The others are special, too, but the first one brings forth emotions you won’t expect. Embrace them. Be ready for highs and lows, however. As exhilarating as it can be to see your name in print or digital print, there are stresses as well. Bad reviews, looming deadlines, keeping up with family and job. All these things can bring you down. Try to keep it all in perspective and stay on an even keel, while enjoying the blissful moments as much as possible.

Tell me about your debut novel. Looking back, what are your feelings toward it now?

My debut was a fun paranormal romance called For the Love of a God. This is the book my heart wrote. Would I write it exactly the same way now? Perhaps not, but I don’t regret the lessons learned. Besides, writing is a constant learning process. Writers improve with each book, with each paragraph. I still get lots of emails from readers who say they love that book, and that taught me something. If you believe in a story, others will, too. I am extremely proud of where and how I began and For the Love of a God is part of that story. In many ways, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Tell me a little about your upcoming release.

My current release is another paranormal romance, and this one is called Night Lover. Featuring a classical soprano heroine, her dishy conductor and a naughty incubus, it explores the themes of grief, faith and redemption. Set against the backdrop of a music festival at an English country manor, it features the music of Mozart, a bit of Regency passion and foul murder. I’m so excited to share it with readers.

What are you most excited about with this upcoming release?

I’m eager to share Night Lover because, at its heart, it’s about old-fashioned romance. It’s a story I’ve had in my head for over ten years and it’s taken a long time to bring to life. I’ll be very excited to see what readers think about it, and hope they fall in love as I did.

Here’s a spot to pimp one of your writer friends… GO! (Or to gush about a recent fave read)

I’m so glad you asked me to pimp a writer friend! I would love to let everyone know about historical romance author Jessica Cale. She writes books set in post-Fire London and I have fallen in love with her characters. Make sure you check out her books Tyburn and Virtue’s Lady!

Canadian soprano Renata Bruno is tired of waiting for her big break. Unfortunately, her boss, the conductor of a chamber ensemble, sees her as little more than background material. When she learns of an opportunity to sing solo with a different troupe in England, she knows she must seize it. Especially when she hears the group is to perform Mozart’s Requiem, her favorite work.

As soon as Renata decides to make her move, a strange, sultry presence invades her life. She begins dreaming of a man, one who makes love to her, bewitching her. It isn’t long before her night lover leaves startling proof of his nocturnal presence, making her doubt her senses.

To compound her discomfort, she learns her new conductor is the college boyfriend who broke her heart years ago. As Renata grapples with old hurts and renewed passion, she must also fend off the increasingly fervent advances of her night-time visitor. She realizes she is under the influence of an incubus, a sexual demon.

It becomes harder to resist the incubus when she learns he has a name and had a tragic history. The more she discovers about his past, the more she realizes they are linked in more ways than one. Renata begins to rediscover love and her sense of faith, but will it be enough to save her night lover from an evil curse? And will it destroy her in the process?

Excerpt:

When I saw the face in this painting, I gasped, feeling as if someone had punched me in the gut.

Him.

It was the portrait of a man, much in the style of a Gainsborough painting. Full-length, it displayed the man in Regency dress. Tall Hessian boots reached up over his pants, accentuating his height. A waistcoat peaked out from under his soft blue riding coat. I looked up to the face above the coat, clean-shaven and somehow boyish with its round features. His hair was the color of honey and quite curly, with long sideburns travelling down his cheeks. Although he bore a fashionably serious countenance, his blue eyes smiled.

It’s him.

The man from my recurring dream, the man from the theater mezzanine in Toronto. I blinked several times, not believing my eyes.

I couldn’t move. I returned the stare of the man in the portrait. A friendly face, it still managed to unnerve me. The artist must have been a master because its subject seemed to be looking right at me. His pale eyes bore into mine. As I continued to gaze at my dream man, other objects in the background began to blur. The portrait frame and the wallpaper behind him dissolved into nothingness. I could only make out the man, and his gaze seemed to issue me a challenge, daring me to look back at him. My head swam. My tongue grew thick. Pain shot through my stomach and I clutched it so I wouldn’t keel over.

Lizzy came out of nowhere and bounded up behind me. “What’s up? Ooh, he’s cute.” She, too, had noticed the portrait. She also saw how intently I stared. “Hey, are you okay?”

“No.” I couldn’t look away from him, couldn’t stop myself from raking my gaze over every painted inch. “It’s him. The man from my dream.”

“Yeah, right.” She frowned.

Finn walked up to us and put a hand on my back, oblivious to my shock. “So you’ve found the lord of the manor.”

“Huh?”

“Hugh Dawlish, scion of Dawlish Manor. The women in the ensemble love this portrait because they think he’s, ah…easy on the eyes. So, shall we rehearse?”

I let him lead me away, but I couldn’t stop looking back at Hugh Dawlish’s portrait.

He was real. Not a wraith from my imagination.

Real. And dead.

Lizzy elbowed me. “You look like you’re going to pass out.”

“I’m fine.”

As we left the room, I looked back once more. The eyes of Hugh Dawlish followed me. I shivered.

A slight smile played on his lips.

Buy Night Lover on Amazon and Kobo!

Rosanna Leo is a multi-published, erotic romance author. Several of her books about Greek gods, selkies and shape shifters have been named Top Picks at Night Owl Romance and The Romance Reviews.

From Toronto, Canada, Rosanna occupies a house in the suburbs with her long-suffering husband, their two hungry sons and a tabby cat named Sweetie. When not writing, she can be found haunting dusty library stacks or planning her next star-crossed love affair.

A library employee by day, she is honored to be a member of the league of naughty librarians who also happen to write romance. Rosanna blogs at www.rosannaleoauthor.wordpress.com

Follow Rosanna on:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rosanna-Leo/e/B007X5P4I8

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5826852.Rosanna_Leo

Tsu: http://www.tsu.co/RosannaLeo

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rosannaleo/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rleoauthor1

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/LeoRosanna