BOOK BLITZ [Interview] The Fire Sisters by A.G. Henley (Brilliant Darkness #3)

The Fire Sisters by A.G. Henley 

(Brilliant Darkness #3) 

Publication date: September 25th 2015

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Fennel and Peree are finally where they’ve worked ceaselessly to be: together and safe from the Scourge in the protected village of Koolkuna. But on the day of their partnering ceremony the children of the village are stolen away—Fenn’s loyal companion, Kora, among them.

Fenn wants to bring the children home, especially as the villagers seem to blame Peree and her for the tragedy. Only since the death of her own family, she’s terrified that a wrong move on her part will lead to the loss of others she loves.

Despite her apprehension, Fenn and Peree join a small search party led by rival Kaiya, the one person who stands a chance of finding the children thanks to her mysterious past. As they travel away from the safe waters of Koolkuna and into the Scourge-infested wilds, Fenn endures Kai’s scorn, her subtle designs on Peree, and the squabbling of the group. But nothing in her life so far has prepared her for the fierce warrior women who will steal others’ children to preserve their own existence—the Fire Sisters.

If Fenn is to survive the threat of the Scourge, rescue the children from the Sisters, and have a hope of making a life with Peree in Koolkuna, she must face her fear of failure and loss and become the leader she’s destined to be.

Read THE FIRE SISTERS, the thrilling conclusion to the bestselling young adult fantasy Brilliant Darkness series! There are three novels and two short stories in the series. The first novel, The Scourge, was a finalist for the 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Award.

RECOMMENDED SERIES READING ORDER:

The Scourge

The Keeper (novella)

The Defiance

The Gatherer (novella)

The Fire Sisters

GOODREADS | AMAZON

1.   Why don’t we start off with you telling us a little about yourself.

Thanks for having me! I SO appreciate bloggers for the good work you do to help authors get the word out about their books, and you’ve been especially kind to me. Thank you!

So, I’m a YA author with a now complete (hooray!) series of dystopian/post-apocalyptic books. The Brilliant Darkness series begins with The Scourge, a 2015 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist, and includes The Defiance and the just-released The Fire Sisters. There are also two novellas in the series. The series features a blind girl who believes she’s mysteriously protected from flesh-eating creatures called the Scourge, but she hasn’t been tested—until now.

I’m also a psychologist, which makes my workweek an interesting mix of fantasy and heart-wrenching reality.

2.   I know it is good to hear an encouraging word now and then to know how much the readers love your books and to keep you going. So what is your favorite comment from a fan that really lifted your spirits?

I LOVE my readers, and I have such nice ones. They are incredibly supportive. One comment that has always stuck in my brain came very early after I first published The Scourge in January 2012. I was not planning to self-publish, but at the time I couldn’t interest an agent in my writing. I thought no one would buy or read my book.

A woman, an early reader, said she was so engrossed in The Scourge that she read while trying to do her housework, and while changing her baby’s diaper. I was thrilled that the initial response was that the book was hard to put down. I see that as a primary goal for an author: to make you lose sleep, because you can’t stop reading : ) Consider that fair warning! You can see her actual comment here, third one down on the left:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Scourge-ebook/dp/B0073O59OI

3.   I don’t want to give away any details in Fire Sisters to spoil the series for everyone else, so I will just focus on the series as a whole. I just love your Brilliant Darkness series! How did you come up with such a great idea for a story?

Thank you so much! I initially came up with the idea of people trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world full of swamps. I figured they’d move up into the trees. But, what if half the people moved up and wouldn’t share with the other half? That’s how the two main groups in The Scourge, the Lofties and Groundlings, were born. (The swamp idea kind of fell away, although water is very important to the story.)

Then, I thought, what if the main character, a Groundling, was blind? And THEN, I thought, and what if there were zombie-like creatures that only she was protected from, due to her blindness??? And that was it. Fennel and the Scourge were born.

4.   I find the concept of the Lofties (tree dwellers) and Groudlings (Ground dwellers) so fascinating. Then there is the dreaded Scourge. Can you tell us a little about each of them?

Lofties are all fair-haired and fair-skinned. Groundlings are dark. Once a year, the two groups meet for the Exchange, when they trade their infants based on their coloring. It’s a terrible time for both groups, but they’ve been locked in this tradition for generations. The Lofties hold the safety and security of the trees and treetops, while the Groundlings control the community’s only water supply. So they have a tense, mistrustful relationship, as you might imagine. The Groundlings are particularly bitter, because they have to hide in cold, dark caves for days when the Scourge come, because the Lofties won’t share their trees.

The Scourge are vicious flesh-eating creatures that chase down and devour, or turn, any humans they come across—except the Sightless, like Fennel. I should say here that if you don’t like blood and gore, don’t be afraid of The Scourge. Most people who say they aren’t zombie fans, and are easily grossed out or afraid, don’t find my series to be objectionable at all. It’s really fantasy romance : )

5.   Your characters have a ways of getting themselves into so many bad situations and some causes problems for those around them. Which character(s) gave you the most problems when trying to write their story?

Hmm, I’m not sure any of them gave me problems. I LOVE creating characters. They usually just jump into my head fully formed!

6.   I love so many of the characters in The Brilliant Darkness series so I can’t pick just one. Who was your favorite character to write?

I’m attached to my two mains, Fennel and Peree. It was so fun to build their relationship from scratch. But the most fun to write was Moray. He’s a bad guy, really, but he has heroic, good guy moments. I really tried hard to write him so that you couldn’t classify him, so he wouldn’t be black and white. I hope I succeeded right through The Fire Sisters.

7.   I know right now the series consist of 3 full length novels and 2 novellas. So is this it or do you feel there will be a spin-off or prequel in the future?

Hmm, this is it for NOW. Funny you should mention a spin-off, though. I did try to leave the ending somewhat open for a few characters, and there are many more questions about the world of the Scourge…

8.   What are you working on now? Has a new story started to bring itself to life?

Thanks for asking! I’m writing a YA time travel short story right now for an indie anthology that will release in March. I met a group of women writers here in Denver who all write YA and are mostly indies. We have done a few writing retreats together, and at the last one someone said, “Why don’t we publish a short story anthology?” So, Tick Tock: Seven Tales of Time came to be! It’s so much fun to write a new character in a new world. I could totally see this leading to its own series down the road…

I’m also revising a novel I wrote last year that is YA speculative fiction. It will be a duology, if all goes as planned.

9.   There is one question we like to ask all of our authors. Is there any advice you would like to give to the aspiring authors out there?

Read a lot. Write a lot. Honestly, that’s what being an author boils down to. I read, write, and create all day, and it’s a privilege to get paid to do it!

10.    We would like to thank you for joining us today A.G. Henley you are amazing! Now I would like to give you the last word. Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your books or yourself that I did not ask about? Or is there something you would like to say to all the readers out there?

Thank you so much for reading and supporting the work of authors and bloggers! I can create books and worlds, but that’s only half the equation of reading. Readers provide their own lens and interpretation to what I write, and they bring richness to the experience of writing that would otherwise be very solitary. We’re a team – and I appreciate my other half!

Thank you again for having me on the blog! It was a lot of fun.

Interview questions created by Candy Cassin with Otherworldy Book Adventure. Used with permission.

http://otherworldlybookadventure.blogspot.com/

AUTHOR BIO:

A.G. Henley is the author of the BRILLIANT DARKNESS series. The first novel in the series, THE SCOURGE, was a finalist for the 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Award.

A.G. is also a clinical psychologist, which means people either tell her their life stories on airplanes, or avoid her at parties when they've had too much to drink. Neither of which she minds. When she's not writing fiction or shrinking heads, she can be found herding her children and their scruffy dog, Guapo, to various activities while trying to remember whatever she's inevitably forgotten to tell her husband. She lives in Denver, Colorado.

Author Links:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK |  GOODREADS

BLOG TOUR [Interview + Giveaway] Steam by Stacey Rourke (The Legends Saga, #3)

Steam by Stacey Rourke
(The Legends Saga, #3)
Publication date: September 14th 2015
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal

Synopsis:

Time passes, sins forgotten.
The bodies of the victims long since rotten.
Trapped within the essence of the Headless Horseman by the guilt of slaughtering her best friend, Ireland Crane follows the father of science fiction, HG Wells, in search of freedom from the curse that binds her. Instead, she discovers even he has a hidden agenda. A dark, relentless passion to be reunited with the woman he loves has driven him to manipulate time and a murderous Horseman.
Yet heed my warning, as the Raven flies,
The Hessian will come … and you will die.
All that prevents Ireland from abandoning Wells’ twisted pursuit, or introducing him to her sword, are the undead witches haunting her. Begging for freedom from a vile succubus, the ghoulish coven leads Ireland and her crew on a journey through Salem’s sordid past. There, they learn there is more to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s history than a scarlet letter, and the secret they’ve uncovered seeks to destroy them all.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | B&N

Amazon US 
Amazon UK 
Smashwords 

Do you like the spotlight or lurking in the shadows? 

Yes. Both. I have moments where I like to shine, then I am more than happy to slink back into the shadows.

How many books are in your TRB pile? 

So many. For real. It’s insane. It grows like the mountain of laundry I can never seem to get caught up on.

What is next on your to read list? 

I am eagerly awaiting the releases of Winter by Marissa Meyer and Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard. In the meantime I just started a novella by Aveyard, Queen Song.

What one item would you eat for the rest of your life?

 Sushi!!!!!!

What is the last thing you bought? 

My gown for the Once Upon a Book Author Signing and Happily Ever After Ball that I am hosting in Frankenmuth Michigan August 12-13 2016! I cannot wait!

Pet Peeves? 

When people that don’t know me shorten my name to “Stace” I don’t know why, but it drives me insane. Also, when people stand at intersections collecting money for charity. What if I already donated and I’m just driving back by? Where do I look? Do I make eye contact and wave? NO! Because then they come over to the car. It’s too stressful. Just talking about it, I need to lay down.

Pizza or Pasta? 

Pasta

What is something people would be surprised to know about you? 

I can touch my tongue to my nose. Like a giraffe. It’s gross.

If you had 24 hours alone how would you spend it? 

Reading, writing, and working out. Not necessarily in that order.

If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose? 

Edgar Allen Poe, I want to know if he’s as twisted in person as his writing.

What do you do in your free time? 

Free time? What’s that? But what I do have I spend with my kiddos!

Can you share a little about the current title you are working on?

It’s super top secret, but it will involve another well-known villain!

AUTHOR BIO:

RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel

Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012

Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013 

Stacey Rourke is the author of the award winning YA Gryphon Series, the chillingly suspenseful Legends Saga, and the romantic comedy Adapted for Film. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head. 

Visit her at rourkewrites.weebly.com

diaryofasemi-crazyauthor.blogspot.com

Facebook at www.facebook.com/staceyrourkeauthor

or on Twitter or instagram at Rourkewrites

Other Books by Stacey Rourke:

The Gryphon Series:

The Conduit

Embrace

Sacrifice

Ascension

The Legends Saga:

Crane

Raven

Steam

Stand Alone:

Adapted for Film

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK BLITZ [Interview + Giveaway] Good Intentions by Pembroke Sinclair (The Road to Salvation #3)

Good Intentions 

by Pembroke Sinclair
(The Road to Salvation #3) 
Published by: Booktrope Publishing
Publication date: July 28th 2015
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Katie has been through Hell—literally—and discovered that it wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. In fact, she kind of enjoyed it. She got to be with Josh, found out about her past, and discovered who she wanted to be as a person. Katie didn’t care that her actions went against social norms. She was happy.
But things are changing—again. Wes has come back into her life, and that can only mean trouble. His presence threatens to unravel her new-found happiness. She can’t allow that. She won’t let him back in. Yet, Katie can’t push him away.
Thrown back into a state of confusion and uncertainty, Katie is once again forced to pick sides, and in the process, she may lose herself.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

The basis of the Road to Salvation series is looking at what could happen when a teenage girl with no experience in love falls for the bad boy.  We have this notion in society that it is expected and accepted for women to fall for bad boys and be the catalyst to change them, but that’s a dangerous place for women to be.  What if the person doesn’t want to change?  Where does that leave her?  This book looks at what could happen in this type of relationship.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I learned that main characters don’t always have to be likable, but that doesn’t mean their story is any less important.

What books were your favorite as a youth and why?

My favorite books as a young adult were anything by Christopher Pike.  I read everything he wrote.  He was a huge inspiration in how I write my YA books now.

What’s your favorite sweet treat?

Oh, man!  I love anything that doesn’t have nuts in it.  But my favorite are cinnamon rolls, sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and brownies with ice cream and caramel sauce.  Mmmmmm.

What superpower would you love to have? Why?

I would love to be able to multiply myself.  There’s always so much to get done in a day, and I’m only one person, so having some help would be awesome!

You’ve just won a million dollars and you’re not allowed to save any of it. What do you spend it on?

I’m pretty boring, but I would pay off my cars and loans, then go on a vacation.  I’m not sure where I’d go, but Alaska and Iceland are high on my list to visit.

Favorite class in high school. Why?

I had two.  One was biology and the other was English.  They were my favorites because the teachers were awesome.  They were both incredibly encouraging and inspired me to love science and English.

How did you get involved with Booktrope?

A couple years ago, I used to do book tours on my blog.  One of the books happened to be a Booktrope book, and the book manager contacted me on Facebook to thank me for having the author on my blog.  We became friends.  At the time, I was working on the first book in the Road to Salvation series, The Appeal of Evil, and I asked the book manager to read it and give me her opinion.  She loved it and wanted to take it on.

Unfortunately, Booktrope was closed to submissions at the time.  However, because this book manager enjoyed it and wanted to represent it, Booktrope signed me, and the rest is history.

Tell us a little bit about your pseudonyms. How do you decide when to use it?

I use my pen name for my fiction and my real name for my nonfiction.  It’s actually quite a long story about why that happened, but I talk about it in a blog post, which you can find here:  http://pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com/2015/05/pen-names.html.

AUTHOR BIO:

Pembroke Sinclair is a literary jack of all trades, playing her hand at multiple genres. She has written an eclectic mix of fiction ranging from horror to sci-fi and even some westerns. Born in Rock Springs, Wyoming--the home of 56 nationalities--it is no wonder Pembroke ended up so creatively diverse. Her fascination with the notions of good and evil, demons and angels, and how the lines blur have inspired her writing. Pembroke lives in Laramie, Wyoming, with her husband, two spirited boys, a black lab named Ryder, and a rescue kitty named Alia, who happens to be the sweetest, most adorable kitty in the world! She cannot say no to dessert, orange soda, or cinnamon. She loves rats and tatts and rock and roll and wants to be an alien queen when she grows up.

You can learn more about Pembroke Sinclair by visiting her at http://pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com/

Social Media Links:

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOOGLE+ | GOODREADS | AMAZON

BOOK BLITZ [Interview] Fractured Memories by Jo Schneider

Fractured Memories 

by Jo Schneider
(Jagged Scars #1)
Publication date: May 20th 2015
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Sixteen year old Wendy never knew the world before the Starvation. She’s learned to put her trust in her knives, and her confidence in her fighting ability. When the Skinnies attack her compound, she’s the lone survivor.
Injured and near death, Wendy is rescued and nursed back to health by mysterious strangers. Her saviors offer her a place among them, but trust has never been one of Wendy’s strengths, and suspicion soon leads to evidence that these people might be the group who killed her family.
The decision to get her revenge, and take the settlement down from the inside out is easy. Keeping her distance from those she must befriend in order to make it happen proves to be much more difficult.

GOODREADS | AMAZON 

1- What does your writing process look like?

Imagine a desk, and at one end is a neat, little pile of papers. Next to that is another pile, this one not quite so tidy. Maybe one paper is slipping off the stack, which leads the eye to an array of notes that may have been, at one time, in a pleasing fan shape, but now looks like someone gave it a noogie. This is usually where you will discover the discarded wrappers of whatever snacks I could find. A glass with the glazed on remains of a Diet Coke will be sitting on a Dr. Who coaster, and the little cup for pens will be empty, because the pens are now hiding under the papers. When your eyes reach the keyboard, you'll see that everything has been pushed aside to make room for me playing of Facebook.

2-What book do you wish you could have written?

Ender's Game. That book has captured so many people's imaginations, I would love to have been the person to have written it. Plus, Ender's Game sits somewhere in the middle of commercial fiction and literary fiction, a place I hope to venture someday.

3-How important are names in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning? Do you have any other name choosing resources you recommend?

Names are very important, and I'm sometimes horrible at finding just the right one. Ages ago, I bought a baby name book--a book that my fiance packed up when we got married and moved in together and was a little concerned about--and I often use that to find names. Sometimes I look at meanings. Often I will end up with names that all sound the same (one syllable for instance) or all start with the same letter. When that starts to happen, I find a letter I haven't used and I flip open the book. Sometimes I use the web too. Especially if I need, say, legitimate last name from Africa .

In my first novel, New Sight, I couldn't think of a name for the bad guys, so I named them the New until I came up with something better. By the time I got finished writing the book, the New had stuck. It's a dumb name, but now it's theirs.

4-What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?

This one is easy, and maybe you're expecting me to say "Finishing my first manuscript!", but that's not it at all. While writing isn't easy, it's something that I can do. What I struggled for six years to get is my black belt in Shaolin Kempo. I'm a round girl--always have been--and I had to put some seriously hard, physical effort into every single thing I did at the dojo. I can write all day, but ask me to do a push up, and I still inwardly roll my eyes and do them from my knees. So yeah, black belt. I'm pretty proud of that.

5-What writing advice do you have for aspiring authors.

Years ago, I was at a little, tiny writing/Sci-fi/Fantasy convention and I went to a class by a guy I'd never heard of. A guy named Brandon Sanderson. His first Librarians book was about to come out, and he was talking about magic systems. I don't really remember what he said about that. What I do remember is one simple statement he made, "Don't be afraid to suck."

I've lived by this creed ever since. Don't expect to be the best author in the room, don't expect to get everything right the first time, and don't expect to wow every reader you encounter. What all authors need to do is keep writing. Find some people who will help you get better and listen to them. It's okay to suck, as long as you're willing to try again.

6- Do you read reviews? Do you respond the them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?

I started out reading my reviews, but quickly gave up. Partly because it's like an emotional roller coaster with some ups, some downs and often times afterwards I just wanted to throw up. My fix for all of this was to have my husband read them. He then tells me if there are any common threads. For instance, if three or four people say they felt the ending was rushed, then that's something I should look at. 

I remember getting a review of my first novel that said it was horrible and she couldn't connect with the characters and she didn't even make it through the book. I was devastated. How could anyone be so mean? In a fit of rage, I looked up her blog to see if she was mean to everyone, or if it was just me. That's when I found out that she reviews fluffy romances, not action/Sci-Fi/Fantasy stories. No wonder she didn't make it through, there wasn't nearly enough googly eyes and sexual tension for her. That's when I asked my hubby to read the reviews for me. One romance writer hated my book. That's totally fine, but her feedback isn't terribly pertinent to me, because I'm not writing Twilight.

7-What is your biggest failure?

I still haven't received any death threats for killing off a character. This will happen.

8-What is your biggest fear?

The dark. No, wolves. No, the lack of toilet paper in the apocalypse.

9-What do you want your tombstone to say?

Okay, two things here. The mom of one of my best friends growing up wants this on hers, and I think it's brilliant, "See, I told you I was sick." I can probably talk my husband into this.

If not that, then something silly. None of the sweet, tear jerking messages that people leave. Those are lovely, but not really me. I'm more like, "Did you turn the lights off before you left?" or, "Be good. There is no try."

10-If you had a superpower, what would it be?

Flying. Fast. Then I'd figure out some weapons and the bad guys would hate me. Buahahaha!

11-What super talents do you have?

I'm killer at writing dialogue. 

I'm really good at making people feel stupid (the question didn't say good super talents).

I'm good at diffusing tense situations. With either humor or logic.

Sometimes I think I'm around to look dumb, just so other people can feel good about themselves.

12-What is one place you want to visit that you haven't been before?

I've had the opportunity to travel a lot, but I've never been to Antarctica. I know it sounds insane, but I totally want to go! Seriously, penguins and the driest place on earth. Plus ice. I'm so there.

13. If you could have an accent from anywhere in the world, which one would you choose?

Hello, 10th Doctor British please.

14. What is something you want to accomplish before you die?

Keeping my flower gardens weeded for more than two weeks of the summer. I abhor yard work (don't hate me) and at some point I'm going to simply pay someone to do it. Lazy? Yes. But it keeps me from wanting to punch more things than usual.

There are plenty of other serious goals, such as: running a 5k (I hate running almost as much as yard work), traveling to all 7 continents, getting a fan letter that tells me that my book/story helped them through a hard time, beating my husband at wrestling without having to resort to pressure points, surviving a 2nd degree black belt test, go into space...the list goes on and on.

15. What were you like as a child?

An angel. Not lying. My favorite things were helping my dad with home improvement projects--this meant that I followed him around with a bucket of tools, hanging out with my friends and reading. I hardly ever got in trouble, and I always wanted to be good. This may be why my characters get into so much trouble. Repressed childhood issues.

16. Do you dream? Do you have any recurring dreams/nightmares?

I do dream, and they are very random. It gets worse if I watch sci-fi before bed. Anime is the best catalyst for extreme bizarrity.

However, I don't really have nightmares. I remember having one as a kid where my grandpa's car ate me. I was so young that I was still in a crib. I clearly recall waking up and looking through the bars. I had one about ghosts when I was in Ireland on vacation about 10 years ago (maybe a haunted hotel) and that's pretty much it. I'm grateful for this.

17. Top five favorite titles (Not just books)

In no particular order:

Star Wars, the original trilogy. It's nostalgic, I can't help it.

Ender's Game. I still love that story so much. It has to be the book, not the sorry excuse of a film they made.

Ever After. I don't know why, but this show never gets old.

The Walking Dead-the TV show. I've never read the comics. Whole. E. Cow. I shouldn't watch it, but I can't stop!

The Elenium series by David Eddings. Not the most spectacular writing, but they drew me into fantasy as a teenager, and his characters are brilliant. It's like going on a road trip with all of your favorite people.

18. When you walk into a book store, where do you head first?

Fantasy and Sci-Fi. Either adult or YA. Whichever I find first. Although if there is a cafe, I might get a snack before I start. Looking at books is both exhilarating and exhausting.

19. Describe yourself in four words.

Evil and easily amused.

20. Top ten snacks while writing.

Soda Stream Cola on ice. I can't get enough

Pretzel Thins, they go great with the cola

Cold Water

Junior Mints

Bananas

Those little Cadbury crack eggs

Rice Cakes-Carmel Corn is preferred

In-N-Out Burger or Pace's Dairy Ann, whichever is closer

Any innocent chocolate that doesn't get hidden

Nothing

In reality, if there are snacks, I'm not writing, so usually I keep water or cola at my desk and that's it. Mostly cold water.

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

I started writing when I was a young teenager. Maybe 13. If you read the dedication in Fractured Memories, it mentions my dad watching Aliens with me. Once I recovered from being too terrified to move off of my yellow bing bag, I started writing myself into the tale.

Don't judge, many a writer has started with fan fiction.

Those were awful, and after college my writing waned a little. Then a friend wanted to start a writing group and asked me if I would help her. A few months after that a member of the group mentioned something called NanoWriMo. I'd never heard of it, and I was sure anyone who tried to write 50,000 words in a month was completely insane.

Two days before the month started, I scratched a loose plot on a scrap of paper while I was waiting to see the doctor about my knee that I almost took out in my Kempo class. That was the  year I joined the insanity. I finished that novel and have done NanoWriMo for a good 10 years. It took me three years to finish the initial story that I started. After that, I just kept writing. Most of the early stuff is craptastic, but all the suckage has to go somewhere, right?

22. Where do you get your ideas? Where did the idea for this book come from?

My brain is a bizarre place. I've gotten book ideas while driving on the freeway, while in church (and not light, fluffy ideas, which is strange), while at dinner, while trying to work on something else (that's just mean, by the way) and in dreams.

The very first shadow of Fractured Memories that I had was while I was in college. Too many years ago to count. I had this dream. In it I woke up and found myself on a round bed in a cave. I had no idea where I was or who I was. There was a man sitting at a desk trying to do some paperwork by candle light.  He looked like the guy who plays Goose in Top Gun. I said something and scared him half to death. When he turned to look at me, he asked if I was okay.

And that's when I woke up.

The scene isn't in the book. As a matter of fact, the only thing left of the dream in the story is Wendy (who is not me--I'm not nearly that cool or traumatized) waking up and not knowing where she is. The part that remains is the feel of the dream. It was dark and cold and felt so alone. Wendy gets all of that. Poor kid.

23. Do you work with an outline, or just write?

I'm an outliner. The more I wade through the story before I start, the less times I have to rewrite it. I have a whole list of things I go over as I plan, including plot points, a theme, the characters needs and desires, the main conflicts and as many other little things that I can think about before I actually begin writing.

However, things always, always, always change. It's taken me a few years to realize that it's okay to rewrite a story. Six times. It just takes a while. My process is getting better, but I suspect that I will always have a throwaway rough draft that ends up only getting about 20% of it into the final manuscript.

I've tried the "just write" approach, and for me it always ends in a spectacular temper tantrum by me and a shopping spree.

24. Can you tell us about your upcoming book? Why should anyone read it?

Fractured Memories is a kick a**, YA Post-Apocalyptic novel that 's one part action, one part horror, and one part fun. 

I once heard an author say that when you tell people about your story, you should look and act as if you are telling them about the first time your baby said "ma ma.". I totally feel this way about Fractured Memories.  Wendy is a character that's been rolling around in my head for a lot of years. Her friends have been lurking as well. They all have hopes, they all have dreams, they all have faced sorrows and horrors that hopefully none of us have to face. They're scarred, but they're still people, and they still care about others.

The world in the book has changed, but the ever-present need for friendship and trust will never die. That's what this book is about. Wendy is alone, on a mission to avenge her family at any cost, when these pesky teenagers befriend her. Hard to plot revenge when someone is trying to make you laugh.

25.Will you have a new book coming out soon?

Oh goodness, I hope so.

Right now I'm writing some short stories that go before my first novel, New Sight. (New Sight is not the same story as Fractured Memories) Those should be out this summer. I'm pretty excited about these, they're origin stories for the characters of that series. Then New Sight 2--oh how I hate finding just the right title--will be out in the fall. Barring a disaster in my life, the second book of Fractured Memories should be out early next year.

26. What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

Like all good stories, there's a character that's just a jerk. Think Malfory in Harry Potter. In FM, his name is Dennis. Wendy takes him down in a fight the first time they meet, and he's pissed about it. In the middle of the book, he tries to extract his revenge, and what he does to Wendy is pretty terrible. But what Wendy does in return is bad enough to make me both flinch and let out an evil laugh at the same time.

It wasn't in my original version of the story, but all of my beta readers felt as if Dennis had gotten off too easy. That is no longer the case. I honestly didn't know I would get as much glee out of Wendy hurting him as I did.

27. What made you want to write a book about a girl with PTSD?

Okay, so I'd written the story twice before I figured out that Wendy had PTSD.

Let me go back a bit.  A few years ago, I was on my way to a writing retreat with two other writers. We're driving on the freeway, and my sister calls. This is what came out of her mouth.

"I just finished Mocking Jay, and if you ever write a character like that, I will kill you."

"Uh, hi, how's it going?"

"Disown you."

"I haven't read it yet."

"Don't. I hate her. I hate the author. 'l'll disown you then kill you."

"Uh, okay."

After I read the story, I had to agree with her. Suzanne Collins is brilliant, and she totally got her point across, but I didn't like the characters in the last book. This is not the reaction I want from my readers.

Fast-forward a few years, and I'm at a writing retreat. At the same place, coincidently. My friend runs it, and she was short a few people, so I'm pretty much there for moral support and to be a warm body. Plus, she's a chef. Hello, delicious food? Yes, please.

There was an agent from New York there who was going to review whatever we sent her. I sent the first chapter of Fractured Memories, which I wasn't really working on at the time. Not because I cared about what she said or thought about it, but because my friend told me to.

Well, it's a good thing I didn't care, because she ripped it to shreds. Most of her analysis was spot-on, the other part of it was complete B.S. Mostly because she'd skimmed it and missed stuff. I think she took my dispassionate reaction to her rant as offense, so she backpedaled and asked me a few questions about the story.

I told her about Wendy's compound getting completely destroyed and Wendy waking up with strangers, alone and with a memory full of holes. She seemed interested in that, so I went on and told her that Wendy didn't remember the attack and therefore didn't know who betrayed them. She has flashes of memories, but nothing substantial.

This editor, bless her heart, look at me and said, "Have you read the Hunger Games?"

"Uh, yeah."

"I hate the third book."

"Me too."

"Good, then you won't be offended by this. Your character has PTSD. Katniss had PTSD, but the author didn't do a good job of explaining it to the reader. Please don't do that. Do your research and make sure your readers get it, or they'll all think your character is as bad as Katniss."

Noted.

New Sight, my fist series, has undertones of addiction. I don't have a history of mental illness, but lots of people around me do, and I think it's an area that a lot of people deal with. It kind of fascinates me, and that comes out in my books.

AUTHOR BIO:

Author of Babes in Spyland, New Sight-YA fantasy out April 2014, wearer of a black belt in Kempo and always in search of the next cool place to visit!

Author links:

BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

BOOK BLITZ [Interview + Giveaway] State of Vengeance by Summer Lane (Collapse #6)

State of Vengeance 

by Summer Lane
(Collapse #6) 
Publication date: June 26th 2015
Genres: Dystopia, New Adult

Synopsis:
Vengeance is coming.
Monterey Bay, California, has barely survived a brutal attack from the evil invasion forces of Omega, and Cassidy Hart is exhausted. She has lost a friend and gained a new enemy. The militias seem to be weakening, and Omega seems to be getting stronger.
In an effort to recruit more troops, Cassidy travels to the desolation of the high mountains to find the mysterious troops of Sky City, and to eliminate a threat that has long been growing just out of the militia’s reach.
Cassidy is not alone. Old enemies greet her, and the most dangerous person of all just might be the one she trusts the most.
The fate of the free world is at stake. The end is coming.
The militias – or Omega – will have its revenge.
Book #6 of The International Bestselling Collapse Series

GOODREADS | AMAZON

**FYI - Summer was kind enough to send me an ARC and this book is as awesome as the other 5. My review is coming soon!!** 

Where do you write?

I write at my desk. I rarely write anywhere else. It is my bubble of creativity, I suppose. I just turn on my music, close the door, and write. Sometimes it takes me thirty minutes – sometimes it takes me seven hours. It depends on what I’m writing. It depends on how difficult it is for me to create a specific scene or convey a certain emotion. If I’m writing an emotional scene, it can take me a long time.

My favorite place to write, though, is in the mountains, in the seclusion of a quiet forest. That’s where imagination really works well.

When do you write?

Mornings. 7 to 12 is the optimal time for me. Once noon hits, I’m pretty much done for the day when it comes to creative writing. I find that writing at the same time every day is really healthy for a writer. For example, my current manuscript requires a minimum of five pages per day. I can write more, but I certainly can never write less. Setting those little goals is helpful.

Favorite movie? Favorite television show?

I don’t think it’s possible for me to choose a favorite movie. I like so many! I really enjoy anything that’s action or adventure. I adore superhero movies and animated films – don’t even get me started on Wall-e. The Book of Eli is really cool, and so is any movie with Dwayne Johnson.

As far as television goes, I usually only have time to watch TV during June and July. I love Pretty Little Liars, Gilmore Girls (La, la, la, la!), and I’m positively obsessed – and by obsessed I mean madly in love – with The Walking Dead.

Favorite classic book?

When I was growing up, I ONLY read classic literature. I really was completely unaware until the age of sixteen that there was such a thing as “easy-to-read stories,” like Twilight or Harry Potter. I remember being so impressed with how fun it was to read a book that wasn’t written in old English (Ivanhoe, anyone?).

My favorite classic books (yes, plural!) are Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Great Expectations and Dracula. In case you hadn’t noticed, I have a thing for stories with dark undertones.

Favorite band?

One of my currents favorites is Muse. I adore them. They have such good songs! I also like Lady Antebellum and anything with a country sound. I am fascinated with Lana Del Rey and positively enraptured by any instrumental groups like Audio Machine or Two Steps from Hell.

What’s your schedule like as a writer?

I run a publishing business – I handle several different title releases per year. I have to come up with the content, coordinate all of the marketing strategies, edit the content, sell the content and monitor the content. I don’t like taking time off, but I have to. Sometimes! My busiest months are from November to June. I basically have about four to six major deadlines per month.

From July to September, I get a little slow-down in the madness. I work half-days, and I am able to relax my brain a bit so that I can create more content when Fall rolls around again. So right now, I’m just starting to enjoy some of the lazy days of summer – I’m going to Universal Studios Hollywood, Santa Monica Beach, camping in the mountains, and checking out a firework show for Independence Day.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

I really like to read. I find it nearly impossible to read while I’m writing a manuscript. I just have to focus all of my attention on the story creation. So I only read when I’m not writing a book – which is usually on the weekends. I love to crochet – I adore it. It’s very soothing.

I think the best thing to do during the summer is to go swimming, watch a movie, and then sit on the tailgate of a pickup truck, smell the fruit in the orchards, and watch the stars. I could do that forever. I guess I’m just a little country girl at heart! I also enjoy cooking. Pioneer Woman is my favorite thing ever. I’m totally serious. Ree Drummond is my hero. She needs to adopt me and teach me her ways.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Here’s where I fess up and admit that I’m a hybrid. I plot out my stories, I know who the characters are, and I know exactly what’s going to happen before I actually sit down and write the book. However, I do not plot out the specific scenes. I have general ideas, but I allow the personalities of the characters and the environments to shape and mold the scene, therefore making it – in my opinion, at least – more organic.

At this point in the Collapse Series, the characters shape their own destinies. In many ways I am just following where they lead – I simply nudge them in the right direction.

Favorite writing snack?

Tea and chocolate. It’s my favorite combination. During the hot months, it’s iced tea, and during the cold months, it’s hot tea. I literally had a stack of eighteen snickers bars behind my desk. You know. Just in case I got a craving or something.

Upcoming projects?

Collapse: The Illustrated Guide comes out this summer. The paperback will release first, and then the eBook will be available around August 2015. The conclusion to the Zero Trilogy, End of Day, will release October 9^th, 2015. Then I’ve got the next Collapse book coming out in January 2016, Bravo: Apocalypse Mission in March 2016, and another Collapse book in June 2016.

So yeah. When I have downtime, I seize it and don’t let go! 

AUTHOR BIO:

Summer Lane is the author of the international bestselling Collapse Series and Zero Trilogy. She owns WB Publishing and Writing Belle, an online magazine dedicated to the Art of Storytelling. Summer is also an accomplished creative writing teacher and professional journalist. She lives in the Central Valley of California where she creates her stories and shares them with the world.

Author links:

WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

a Rafflecopter giveaway