Author Spotlight--Emerald Barnes

Today, I have a special guest!
Emerald Barnes is doing a blog tour to promote her beautiful new book covers.
She stopped by A Room to Write to talk with us about 'writing from the heart.'

Writing from the heart is important.  I think that we need to write things that are important to us.  They’re the stories that we hold dearest to us.  The stories that we can’t get out of our heads.  These stories will be what captures the attention of readers.  Why do I feel this way?  Because if something is important to us, it’s something that we will pour our passions into.  It will be something that people take notice of.

There have been stories that I wanted to write, but I didn’t have a burning passion at the time to see the words written out.  And every time that I would work on those stories, I’d get the “writing blahs.”  I wouldn’t want to write.  I wouldn’t want to plot.  I didn’t want to do anything, so eventually, I’d stop writing.  When I read back over the words that I’d written, I wasn’t feeling the story.

 So, I’d start writing on a story that had been consuming my mind.  Things I thought were just an idea and that I’d get to it later, but that story had other plans.  It needed to be written.  It had to be written.  So I wrote it.  The words fell out of my brain and onto the paper easily.  I fell in love with my protagonists.  I hated my antagonists.  These weren’t stories.  These were actual beings, actual situations coming to life.  And it was received better than the stories I thought I had wanted to write.  These were the stories that came from the heart.

 Try to listen to what’s on your heart.  If you’re struggling with writing the right story, listen to your heart, not your head.  Not what society wants you to write. This is you.  And if you write what you’re passionate about, then everything will turn out like it should.  What’s your heart telling you to write today?

 About Emerald Barnes:

Emerald Barnes graduated with a B.A. in English with an emphasis on Creative Writing at Mississippi University for Women.  She resides in a small town in Mississippi and has the accent to prove it.
She mainly writes suspense/thrillers in the YA genre, but she dabbles in other genres and her books are enjoyed by all ages!  She's constantly working on new novels and has more ideas than she knows what to do with. 

She blogs at emeraldbarnes.blogspot.com and ebarnes23.wordpress.com which takes up more of her time than she anticipates but loves it so very much! She's also a volunteer at the World Literary Cafe which is so amazing!
She's an auntie to two beautiful nieces and two handsome nephews (and another unknown gender coming by the end of 2013) who take up the other half of her time, but she couldn't imagine spending her time in any other way!

She's a Whovian, a little bit of a nerd, a reader, a writer, and a family-oriented person.  God is number one in her life, and she thanks Him continuously for His love and favor.  

Stay up to date with her at her Website, Twitter, and Facebook. You can also find her on Goodreads, Google+, and stay up to date with her releases on her Amazon Author Page

Alexia Wheaton’s problems go far beyond picking a dress and a date for the homecoming dance.

For seven years, Alex has lived with a painful memory - the memory of her parents' horrific murder. As the sole witness, she has kept quiet about the identity of the murderer to protect herself and her family and friends, but when a journalist over hears her secret and writes about it in the local newspaper, Alex is plagued with fear that her parents' murderer will soon find her - and silence her forever.

Alex is catapulted into a race against time to save her own life and bring her parents' murderer to justice. She will face many secrets, lies, and betrayals before the truth about their murder is revealed.

Read Me Dead

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It’s on the edge of her memory--like a word on the tip of her tongue, but Kandi can’t remember what it is to save her life.

Despite being a cop, Jimmy can’t protect Kandi from the one thing that haunts her. She’s in danger and doesn’t even know it. After it happened, her brain repressed her memories of the accident, and now, she’s taking a Biology class under a man who wants to see her dead. The memories have started coming back, and it feels like she’s miles away from him. How can he protect her when she doesn’t even know she needs protecting?

Can these characters pierce their way through the darkness?

Piercing Through the Darkness

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For more stops on the tour visit: http://www.emeraldbarnes.us/on-tour.html

Killer Thriller Book Launch--Luke Romyn

The Birth of a New Christ

My life has often taken me to strange places – not just literally, often merely figuratively. Dark, despoiled locales haunted by miscreants and lost souls alike, where hatred is your only brother, a blanket to keep you warm against the chill of a torturous world.

I never intended to write books involving God. My main aim in penning my first tome was to exorcize some of my inner demons, but without intending to, I somehow stumbled onto a deity I had long forgotten.

Is He real?

Ha! Good luck answering that one. I’m not going to fall into that trap, nor am I likely to be found preaching the word of the gospel – far from it. I find the thought of quoting from a two-millennia-old textbook ridiculous. It has some good stories, sure. They’re meant to teach the reader lessons about life, not be used as condemnations against those you hate.

And then I find myself preaching….

THE DARK PATH touched on certain religious aspects, and it got me thinking. Images trickled through my late-night ponderings – usually as I lay in bed trying to sleep – and I found myself wondering what might happen were Christ actually reborn. Would he shoot from the womb spouting philosophy? Or would he be birthed a man, a mere hominid, one with a task of colossal importance awaiting him, and he had to decipher all answers on his own?

I took this concept and played with it – tearing at the edges as I do in order to dirty things up a little.

What if this man were raised in the wrong environment? What if those supposed to nourish and support him instead tortured and bullied him, screaming script from the Bible at him as they whipped his fragile mortal frame? Would he still turn out the epitome of God, or would he morph into something a bit darker?

And that’s how CORPUS CHRISTI began….

Author Spotlight--Lena Coakley

www.lenacoakley.com

My Bucket List

by Lena Coakley

Aspiring novelists put so much of their energies into the dream of being published that when it finally happens, there is sometimes a letdown. Unpubublished authors might find this hard to believe, but it certainly happened to me. After the book launch and the tweeting and the first flurry of reviews, I realized that getting published didn’t make me a different person, or solve any of the problems I was secretly hoping that it would. In fact, now there was something missing. I had lost the number-one goal on my bucket list—writing and publishing my first novel—and it left a hole.

By necessity, writers are a self-motivated bunch, which is why it’s important that we keep moving the finish line forward for ourselves by making new goals and finding new dreams. Now that I’ve written and published my first novel, the #1 item on my bucket list has changed to:

--#1 Write and publish an even better novel. 

Since I have my first speaking engagements coming up in the fall, my #2 had better be:

--#2 Learn to speak in front of a crowd (gulp!).

But life isn’t all about work! There are places I want to go and experiences I want to have that have nothing to do with my writing. For the next eight of my top ten, some I expect to cross off my list this year, some may be on my list for many years to come (like #7 for instance), but the important thing is to keep replacing them with other goals and dreams so that I’m always moving forward.

--#3 Learn another language.

I’m always making half-hearted attempts at this one, and over the past two years have taken introductory courses in everything from Spanish to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. (Really!) But I have a “sticking to it” problem. Maybe Mandarin?

--#4 Get my diving certification.

I’ve always loved snorkeling and after taking a submarine trip in Cozumel a few years ago, I decided that SCUBA diving is something I’d really like to try.

--#5 Go to the Galapagos

--#6 Go to China (#3 will come in handy!)

--#7 See a narwhal.

This has been on my bucket list since I was eight years old and my grandmother took me to the Cloisters Museum in New York to see the narwhal horn that was mistaken for a unicorn horn.

--#8 See the northern lights. (This can probably be done in conjunction with #7.)

--#9 Volunteer on an archeological dig. (Mostly because I’m a huge fan-girl of Time Team.)

--#10…

All right, I don’t usually tell this one since it’s a bit cheeky, but here goes: My final and (until now) secret goal is to have a book on the New York Times bestseller list—

—which brings me to my conclusion: Dream Big!

What’s on your bucket list?

Lena Coakley was born in Milford, Connecticut and grew up on Long Island. In high school, creative writing was the only class she ever failed (nothing was ever good enough to hand in!), but, undeterred, she went on to study writing at Sarah Lawrence College.

She became interested in young adult literature when she moved to Toronto, Canada, and 

began working for CANSCAIP, the Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers, where she eventually became the Administrative Director.

http://lenacoakley.com/witchlanders/

Witchlanders, her debut novel, was called “a stunning teen debut” by Kirkus Reviews and was the winner of the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for the Americas region. She is now a full-time writer living in Toronto.

Author Spotlight--Rebecca Besser

Rebecca Besser is the author of the zombie novella, "Undead Drive-Thru" and "Nurse Blood," and a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature. Her work has appeared in the Coshocton Tribune, Irish Story Playhouse, Spaceports & Spidersilk, joyful!, Soft Whispers, Illuminata, Common Threads, Golden Visions Magazine, Stories That Lift, Super Teacher Worksheets, Living Dead Press Presents Magazine (Iss. 1 & 2), FrightFest eMagazine, An Xmas Charity Ebook, The Stray Branch, and The Undead That Saved Christmas (Vol. 1 & 2), the Signals From The Void, and Save The Chapel charity anthologies. She has multiple stories in anthologies by Living Dead Press, Wicked East Press, Pill Hill Press, Hidden Thoughts Press, Knight Watch Press, Coscom Entertainment, Crowded Quarantine Publications, and Collaboration of the Dead (projects), and one (each) in an anthology by Post Mortem Press and NorGus Press. She also has a poem in an anthology by Naked Snake Press.

She's also an editor and has edited: Dark Dreams: Tales of Terror, Dead Worlds 7: Undead Stories, and Book of Cannibals 2: The Hunger from Living Dead Press; Earth's End from Wicked East Press; End of Days: An Apocalyptic Anthology (Vol. 4 & 5/co-edited) from Living Dead Press; and she's currently editing It's Weighing On You Mind from Hidden Thoughts Press, and co-editing Beneath The Pretty Lies from Wicked East Press.

When she's not busy writing and/or editing, she's formatting book covers, building/maintaining websites, and writing book reviews.
For more information, visit her website: www.rebeccabesser.com

I met Rebecca, the Diva of Horror, a few years ago, through ICL's forum. I love her twisted mind! I say that affectionately, of course, but really...this woman's horror can scare the crap out of you! If you are following her on Facebook, you know she's a busy woman with so many accomplishments. She's here today to chat with us.

~Hi Becca! Tell us when and why you became a writer.

Bec: In my opinion, you don't 'become' a writer. You either are one or you aren't. There are either words spinning inside you, fighting to get out, or there aren't. That being said... I was born a writer. It's a gift given to me by God. :)

~I've been to your website, and was blown away. Not just by the amount of credits you have under your belt, but also the variety--children's stories and poetry, adult poetry, horror, hint fiction, photography, cover art...and the list goes on! Is there any one genre you haven't written? Why not?

Bec: I don't think I've written a mystery yet... Well, not completed one anyway. I have a MG mystery started that I need to finish. I even have a Christian Fantasy novel started! LOL

~Of all your publishing credits, which is your favorite, and why?

Bec: Favortie credit? Hmmm.... I'm going to have to say the Earth's End anthology. I have a story in it and edited the collection. What most people don't know about that book is that it was my personal project and got dumped by a press because the owner and I had a personal falling out (which was COMPLETELY unfair to the authors who were accepted). I fought hard and found a new press to publish it so that the authors in it weren't let down.

~By the way, I have a copy of that anthology on my TBR pile!
Not only are you a writer, but you're also an editor. When you put on your editor cap, what is your biggest pet-peeve about other people's work?

Bec: Everything. Commas and tenses are the most common mistakes though.

~Tell us about your hidden talent.

Bec: Hidden talent? You mean I'm hiding something?! DAMN! Now I'll have to find it! :p

~I envy your ambition. You're a wife and mother, a blogger, a writer, a photographer, and an editor. Do you keep to a schedule? Give us your best tip on keeping balance.

Bec: Best tip? Don't give up when life gets crazy. There are times I have no time for ANYTHING! So, no, right now I have no real schedule. I do things when I can, but you should know I'm a great multi-tasker, so I do lots of things at once. Maybe that's my secret... hehehe

~Tell us about your next project.

Bec: My online serial novel, "Nurse Blood," is now complete, so I need to write the extra novella of content for the book (when it's released). I'll also be starting on my zombie novel series, "The Hunger Plague." ;)


~Thanks again, Becca, for taking time out of your busy schedule. You can learn more about Rebecca Besser, and also get blown away by all of her publications, by visiting her website. www.rebeccabesser.com

Author Spotlight--Claudette J. Young

I first met Claudette (affectionately known as Clauds) on the Institute for Children's Literature forum, back in 2009. I was a scared, shy, (no, really, I am!) beginner looking for a critique group to help me hone my new writing skills. Clauds invited me to join her, Christine, Peg, and Deb, and they welcomed me with open arms. We became a tight-knit little group--full of ideas, great advice, and plenty of support.

Eventually, illnesses and lack of time caused our little group to disband, but I'll always consider that critique group, and especially Claudette, as one of the biggest influences of my writing life. I'm so lucky to have the honor of interviewing this wonderful woman.



Claudette J. Young began life very early, sucking in information and experience like her mother’s vacuum inhaled grass stems and dandelion fluff after a day in the sun. She’s lived in many areas of the country, preferring to experience places for longer than vacations allow. Along the way, she’s collected characters, dialects, and impressions, that get translated into poems, essays, and stories. Claudette began sharing those translations in 2009 and continues to write with passion and determination. Her success is defined by her own criteria and satisfaction.

A sampling of Claudette's published works:
Yahoo News/Associated Content (Travel, op-ed, children’s story, Yahoo Writer Style Book)
SuperTeacher Worksheets (Math Word Problems and quizzes,incorporating reading comprehension with problem solving and logic skills)
Sea Giraffe Magazine [online] (Poetry pending release date)
Soft Whispers Magazine [online] (Poetry)
The River Literary Journal [online] (Poetry)
Small River Stones Journal [online] (Poetry)
Prompted: An International Collection of Poems (Poetry Anthology)
My Friend, Smories and other online magazines(Children’s stories)
ICL Newsletter (Articles for children’s writers)

~ Hi Claudsy! So nice of you to visit with us today. Your bio says that your success is defined by your own criteria and satisfaction. That sentence exudes confidence and contentment. Too often, we writers have a hard time reaching that state. How long did it take you to reach that level?

How long? Well, I’d say about 50 years sounds about right. For me, writing was a dream that few believed in and fewer encouraged. I needed to get old enough that I no longer cared what anyone thought about my activities. I came to a place where I could own my own life without having to seek approval from someone else. Of course, going through “TheArtist’s Way” by Julia Cameron didn't hurt any, either.

~"The Artist's Way" sounds interesting. I just had to put that book on my Amazon Wishlist!
You’ve lived in many places and your life is quite eventful. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment so far?


I’ve survived to be sitting here,f or one. I’ve been a teacher, a corporate systems test engineer, successfully owned and operated my own business, taken advanced degrees, worked jobs few would believe, and on and on. In all that adult life, I think the greatest accomplishment I’ve made is arriving to senior status without totally losing my mind or going postal.

I am stunned when I look back on all that’s happened during my lifetime. It’s enough to dislodge anyone’s reality base. I figure so long as I can function to a decent degree each day without falling into a constant fantasy of living on another world, I’m doing okay and accomplishing a small miracle. That’s difficult for a writer to do some days, I know, but possible. So long as I can keep myself from reading out loud in public, I’m okay. Oops, that’s another writer’s habit to be wary of.

~You have three blogs.
http://claudsy.blogspot.com/ (Claudsy’sCalliope)
http://trailinginspirations.wordpress.com/ (Trailing Inspirations)
http://claudsy.wordpress.com/ (Claudsy’sBlog [wordpress])

Three blogs!! And they are all informative, energetic, and current. You also have an impressive list of published works--poetry, articles, worksheets, novels, and short stories. What a broad spectrum! Where are you most comfortable? What do you find the most challenging?


Three blogs? Let’s make that an active four blogs. I snuck one in on you over at BlogHer that I’m doing daily right now, due to challenges that I’m pushing to meet. And let’s hold off on celebrating the novels for a bit. The three that I’m working on aren’t with a publisher quite yet. They’ll get there before too long, I hope.

As for where I’m most comfortable, I don’t know that I can give you a definitive answer. At least, not a concrete one. I tend to begin any project with the belief that with enough study and time I’ll be able to conquer it, regardless of what it is. Believe me, that leads to frustration—big time. I’ve always worked with a personal expectation of my doing it perfectly and quickly in my first shot. Such expectations aren’t easy to live with. It’s taken me years to accept that no one but God performs such feats.

The understanding doesn’t prevent backsliding, though. Take travel writing, for instance. I love reading and writing travel articles. Some that I write are much better than others. My sister’s and my travel book has been a nightmare to work on. Why? Because I can envision too many angles to take the book and its information. We finally settled on an inspirational book, with a couple of extended sequels, that speak to only that one aspect of our experiences.

Whenever I sit down to work on the manuscript, I must force my thoughts as a laser beam focused on that specific vein and not allow my thoughts to wander off the path. That is difficult for me on this book. My earlier training of extrapolative thought processes has programmed me to use a different type of thought. Changing focus for only this one project makes for challenging writing sessions.

Writing essays, memoir, etc. allows me to stretch my skillsets, which also keeps me interested in writing. My biggest challenge is confining a wandering/questioning interest pattern. I’m very comfortable with research. I can get lost and totally absorbed when doing research and find dozens of paths to take with articles on whatever subject I’ve delved into. Alas, that can lead to its other problems. (Note: please reference the above two paragraphs.)

My biggest daily challenge is getting as much of my work finished in the least amount of time. That’s ongoing; to which, I’m sure, most writers can agree. My nemesis is learning fast enough to keep current with the demands of the writing business and the technical knowledge necessary to navigate my marketing needs.

I take writing courses constantly--always learning something new so that if, for whatever reason, I can’t do one type of work, I’ll have another to fall back on. That’s critical for me. I’ve just begun another this weekend, while finished one at the same time. Of course, this does eat into my writing time, but it pays for itself later, especially when a course is free.

~Do you have a secret talent?


If I do, it’s still very much a secret--seriously. Those who know me know that I’ll try most things at least once, just to see if I can do them. Once I conquer them—I don’t have to become a master—I move on to something else.

When I lost most of my sight in my late twenties, every gear I had moved into experimental mode. There was so much to learn, so many demands, so much adjustment. My brain got reprogrammed to take in so many tiny variants of my surroundings that I can’t even fathom now how I navigate in the material world.

I used a dog guide for a long time, all through university and then through corporate life. My second dog was with me through my teaching years. After that I used either cane or sighted guide. I know that any day could be my last day of having any kind of usable sight. My subconscious sweats the small stuff most of the time and adjusts to accept new sensory data that I’m not consciously aware of.

Concentration is my best friend. Distraction causes me great distress. Crowds disorient me and the noise level gives me a headache. I’ve been in hypersensitive mode for so long that I’m wound like a spring most of the time.

My training in so many fields, with and without sight, has set up a unique way for my brain to process information. Extraneous info zips in and out without making an impact, unless it concerns me, personally. But more than that, I’ve learned to associate across so many genres and subjects that I blend information constantly. I take one detail from this, add it to two details from that, and create something we can call new. It’s automatic for me. It also creates that problem we spoke of earlier. It creates so many angles on a subject that focusing on one can turn painful.

~In February, you took on a blog challenge themed, “Relative.” Once a week, I’d grab a cup of coffee and settle in to read your posts about the special people in your life. I laughed, I cried, and reminisced about some of my own family members. Tell me, will you turn those posts into a memoir?

One of my writer friends asked that question while we were doing the challenge. I had told her about the challenge and she took it up and ran with it, as well. And that’s exactly what she intended to do with her posts later.

For me, though, I had to be terribly selective about what I chose to tell and what to leave alone. We all, I think, have those types of memories that are much too painful to relive, even for ourselves. That challenge was one of the hardest writing exercises I’ve ever done. I cried through each post, for different reasons each day.

Someone asked me if those posts were cathartic. I don’t think so, not really. I feel things deeply. I think in pictures and emotion. Going back through the memories I used for Claudsy’s Blog brought back all of the associative memories, too, which weren’t all sweetness and light. So much of the time I hurt for the people I remember, not for myself. I know what they endured, aspired to and failed, found and lost.

Besides, I have too many other projects in the works right now. Ten years down the road, I’ll think about it...

~Finish this sentence:  I’d love to make over _________, but I’d never change________.

I’d love to make over _America_, but I’d never change_the Constitution_.


~Thank you so very much for stopping by and sharing with us. Keep writing!

Author Spotlight--Angelia Almos

Angelia Almos

Angelia formed a lifelong passion for horses at the age of five when she first convinced her parents to let her take riding lessons. She often combines her two passions, writing and horses, which is why a lot of her writing projects have a horse angle to them.

Angelia has been writing off and on since her teens. In the early years, she often quit out of frustration or took a break. But the characters would always return demanding their stories be told.

She actively studies the craft of writing through self-study and courses. Earning a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Arts: Creative Writing from Charter Oak State College, and taking courses from the Institute of Children’s Literature, Long Ridge Writers Group, and the University of California, Los Angeles—Extension Screenwriter’s Certification Program.

Angelia lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with her hubby, two daughters. two dogs, two cats, and one pony (thinking she needs another one to bump the number up to two).

~Hi, Angelia! Some writers set aside a special place to work, and others write
wherever they can prop their laptop or a piece of paper. Where do you
do your writing?

I do have an office space to write, but rarely write in there due to it being the coldest room in the house. I prefer the living/dining room. I'm usually writing at either the kitchen table or in one of the recliners. I can also take my laptop outside the house to kids' activities or other places should I need to.

~Who is your favorite character that you've created? Why?

I don't think I really have a favorite character. Every character is special in his or her own way. Usually, my favorite character is whoever I am writing at the moment. I will say some characters are more upfront with me and demand to tell their stories. That's always nice as it makes my job easier. Alexander from The Beast's Redemption and Herrick from Unicorn Keep (not out yet) are two heroes which demanded their stories be told and didn't hold anything back. Other characters are more difficult and reveal things to me slowly, but I adore them all otherwise I wouldn't want to tell their stories.

~Tell us about your muse.

She only comes when she feels I am being diligent with my writing. If I'm slacking she goes on vacation. So, the harder I work the more she helps me out.

~What have you had to learn/unlearn (about yourself or the way you
work) to become a good writer?

Wow, I think a lot on both learning and unlearning. Learning to trust in my voice has been a difficult journey, but is something I am actively working on this year. Figuring out what way I work best has also been a challenge. I tend to be a pantser for the first draft and when I trust in the process the books flow, but when I start to worry about where the story is going I start struggling more with the book. I refine and fill in plot holes with editing, but I also can't edit too much. It's a fine line I walk on the editing part as I will reach a point where I can not work on a project any longer and I have to trust that it is done and the way it is supposed to be. I'm better at trusting that gut instinct of being done than I used to be.

~What would you say is your biggest challenge as a writer?

Keeping the internal editor at bay. I have to be very conscious to not let the audience in when I'm writing as it stops me cold.

~What do you consider your greatest accomplishment?

Taking the initiative to indie publish my books. The first book was a leap of faith and pretty scary. But I love it now.  
***Note--Angelia is running a self-publishing tutorial called, Fun With Indie Publishing, on her blog.***

~Tell us where we can find your work.
My books are at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, and many other e-retailers. You can find direct links at my websites http://www.angeliaalmos.com/ and http://www.angiederek.com/

~Thank you so much for sharing with us, Angelia!   

Thanks for having me visit, Denise. It's been fun.

I bet you're all thinking, "I'd like to read one of Angelia's books!" Well, today is your lucky day (for one of you, anyway!) Angelia has offered a selection of her e-books. One lucky commenter will get their choice of book to download to PC or e-reader. Here are the selections:

 

Please keep in mind that "The Beast's Redemption" is only available in pdf form, but the others are available in pdf, epub, mobi, lrf, or pdb.

All you have to do is post a quick comment and be sure to let us know which book title strikes your fancy. Next Monday, the 19th, I will announce a winner, and Angelia will contact you to claim your free e-book. Ooh! I love giveaways, don't you? Good luck!



Author Spotlight--Kim Curley

Kim Curley began her writing journey in 2008, taking an online course titled, 'How To Sell Your Fiction Novel.' With the encouragement of a friend from work, she enrolled in a correspondence course and became a 2010 graduate from the Institute of Children's Literature of West Redding, Connecticut. In 2009, she became a member of SCBWI-Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators. Although she enjoys writing children's lit, her goal is to branch out and write for adults as well. She prefers writing fiction/fantasy, to provide escapism for readers everywhere. "I write what I would want to read, when I get the chance to read." A housewife and mother, she resides in the Pacific Northwest. Her story for Wicked East Press Sci-Fi/Apocalypse Anthology, "Earth's End," titled, "Faith: An Apocalypse Story," is her first published piece for a book.

Earth's End: Anthology, edited by Rebecca Besser and published by Wicked East Press, was released on January 26, 2012.

~Welcome, Kim! Thank you so much for joining us today. Congratulations on your recent success!

Thank you so much for having me visit your blog, Denise. And thanks for the congrat's on the story-I'm really excited about it! *jumps up-&-down* Okay-I'm done...for now!

~Which do you prefer writing--novels or short stories?

Both have their challenges, so I'd have to say both. However, I'm "long in the tooth," so writing novels fits how and what I write. Short stories are a great way to brush up your writing skills though!


~I see in your bio that you enjoy writing fantasy. Now that you have a Horror story under your belt, do you think you'll write more in that genre?

I'd like to write for all genres, as each one has a different "voice." We should all go outside our "bubble" and try something new. A writer might find their niche in something opposite what they originally started writing!


~I've never written Horror but I love to read it. I know we share the same love for Stephen King. One of my favorite books by him is The Stand. What's your favorite Stephen King book and why?

I haven't gotten through The Stand, so my hats off to you. Most of his books are on my "To Read" list. "Christine" is one of my favorites, but then I LOVE antique cars, so there's a personal connection I have with the story (and no, I've never had a possessed car, darn it!!). I admire Stephen King's book, "On Writing." A short book, Mr. King cuts out all the BS of most books about writing and just gets to the point. Some people say its an autobiography, but it isn't. The book is about his journey to becoming a writer, with tidbits of useful information throughout.


~Kim, your story, "Faith: An Apocalyptic Story," is one of the hair-raising stories featured in Earth's End. Could you tease us with an excerpt?

"Throwing the door open and entering, she found herself in a makeshift lab; test tubes, microscopes, and petri dishes sat on a granite counter top. Further into the elongated room, an autoclave rested in a corner. She came to a set of swinging doors and pushed through them, entering another room, which was much smaller than the first. The tabletops here were cluttered with Bunsen burners, beakers, flasks, and microscopes. She stared at the mess, not sure of what she was looking for. Curiosity eventually got the better of her, and she leaned over a microscope, searching for a clue. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight: blood samples showing human and lion compounds stared her in the face–an intermingling of the species. She turned away from the eyepiece, as she’d just witnessed proof that the Atlanteans had, in fact, been trying to make an animal/human hybrid.

She swore under her breath, casting glances around the room, when her eyes lit upon what she’d been hunting for. Clutching the thin piece of metal she’d taken from the man, she took three giant steps to the door, inserted the key, and turned the lock. After she heard a dull click, she pushed the door handle down, and was met with an awful stench as she opened it: a mixture of urine, fecal matter, and iron.

There were oil lamps in this dungeon area, casting odd shadows on the walls. Steel bars separated her from whatever, or whomever, lay in wait in the darkness.

A moan escaped from something, or someone, in the cage closest to her, adding to her anxiety." ~ Faith: An Apocalyptic Story by Kim Curley - Earth's End

~Animal/human hybrids? A laboratory? Yikes! This excerpt is full of tension. You've got my attention! How and when can we get a copy of Earth's End?

This book is AVAILABLE NOW!! Check out Amazon, or Pill Hill Press: www.pillhillpress.com/shoppe-wicked-east-press.html  


~What other projects are you working on and where can we find more of your work?

I have two nonfiction pieces for Hidden Thoughts Press that have been accepted for publication: one is a nonfiction submission about my struggles with JRA-juvenile rheumatoid arthrits in "It's Weighing on Your Mind," anthology. That's coming out in the near future. The second, another nonfiction piece. This one is about anxeity/panic disorders, for another Hidden Thoughts Press anthology. I've got a kids fiction novel I really want to get done by spring so that I can take it to a regional SCBWI conference. As far as other future projects: there are several binders full of stories just waiting to be completed! 


~Kim, thank you so much for joining us today. I'm looking forward to getting my copy of Earth's End: Anthology. Good luck with your future endeavors. 

Thank you so much, Denise! I've been really fortunate to have found myself surrounded by talented writers who are personable and professional. I owe a lot of who I am to them all!


Follow Kim Curley's Blog and follow her on Twitter!

Author Spotlight--Courtney Rene

Courtney Rene is well-known among the Institute of Children's Literature crowd. She has contributed to several anthologies and is the author of magazine articles, short fiction, and her first novel, Shadow Dancer.

Shadow Dancer, published in 2010 by Rogue Phoenix Press, is a YA paranormal novel about a young girl named Sunny. Sunny has an amazing gift but doesn't know how to control it. She meets Leif, a boy from the Kingdom of Acadia, on the other side of the shadows, who teaches Sunny how to use her powers.

When the Shadow Guard arrives to bring Sunny back to Acadia, Sunny must learn to defend herself not only from the Shadow Guard and come to terms with the lies and deceit from the people she loves.

Courtney's second novel in the series, Shadow Warrior, also published through Rogue Phoenix Press, will be released on January 15, 2012, and I'm ecstatic that she has agreed to grant me my first-ever author interview!

Good morning, Courtney, and thanks for being here. Congratulations on your new novel! Could you tell us a little about Shadow Warrior?

Thanks so much for having me! As for a little about Shadow Warrior, I don’t know where to begin. The book picks up just a few short months after the end of Shadow Dancer. It’s spring break and Sunny and Leif are going to visit Acadia for the first time. It’s suppose to be fun and exciting, but from the moment they arrive things don’t go as planned. Sunny is ill-prepared and a bit ticked off about it. It doesn’t get better for her from there either. It’s a fun romp through many emotions. I can’t wait to see what my readers think of it.

After I read Shadow Dancer, I was very curious about what Sunny's visit to the Kingdom of Acadia would be like. Was it difficult to create such a place?


It was at first. I think I was trying too hard. Once I let go and allowed my imagination to take over, Acadia came to life.


Sunny is a fun, sassy character but she has so many facets to her personality. Is her character modeled after anyone particular in your life?

Sunny is who I wish I could be sometimes. She is snarky and funny and stronger than she realizes. She also has a bit of my daughter in her. That sarcasm Sunny tosses around, oh yeah, that’s my Sidney.


The cover of Shadow Warrior is great! It hints at an action-packed story, but can you give us a hint about Sunny's relationship with Leif?

I love the cover too! The artist did a great job and I couldn’t be happier. As for Leif, he is going through a rough patch in Shadow Warrior. He is struggling with who he is, was, and who he wants to be, as well as his desperate need to “win”.

What is your favorite part of Shadow Warrior? What was the hardest part to write?

My favorite part is when Sunny gets wounded and separated from Leif. We get to meet new people and struggle along with Sunny as she is left to fend for herself with them.

The hardest part to write was the end. I was sad with it and hurt right along with Sunny. I had to re-write it several times, as it got a bit too dark again and again. I actually had to put it aside for a while to try to figure out why it was going the direction it was. It’s still a bit sad, but the darkness is not so oppressive. I am already second guessing myself though and wondering if I should have left it dark.

Could you tease us a little with an excerpt?

Of Course!

"This is going to feel a bit strange," he said, still looking at me.

"Strange, how?" I asked. Strange weird would be okay, but strange pain, would not.

Leif shrugged his shoulders and said, "Just strange."

Then before I could get a better answer out of him, he said, "Here we go. One, two, pull."

I did as Leif instructed. I pulled the shadows up and over me again and suddenly, without warning, I was jerked painfully backward. The world was suddenly dark and grey. Everything was spinning out of control. It was spinning around and around and over and over, and my head clouded and fogged. I felt like I was tumbling and falling, and then we stopped, just as instantaneous as we had begun.

The ground was now solid again beneath my feet. I wobbled once, twice then I dropped to my knees and threw up the entire contents of my stomach. I felt Leif pull back my hair for me and thought absently, that's nice.

My head still spun, even after my stomach finally stopped heaving. I sat back on my feet, my head hung down. A bottle of water was thrust under my nose. I took it and washed out my mouth as I tried to regain my senses. The first real thought that came to my head was, "That felt more than a little strange."

For anyone who hasn't read the first novel, Shadow Dancer, I strongly suggest you get yourself a copy while you wait for January 15th and the release of Shadow Warrior. Courtney, could you tell us how and where it is available?

You can find it:

Through my publisher, Phoenix Press


Amazon

and


Barnes and Noble



What are some of the other projects you're currently working on?

Several actually.

I have a new paranormal book coming out late 2012 titled “A Howl in the Night”.

I am finishing up book 3 in the Shadow Dancer series right now, currently titled, “Shadow’s End”. Revisions are the pits. They take FOREVER.

And, I am considering doing a telling of Leif’s story. How he became the man he is and what happens after Shadow’s End. That, I will have to get back to you on though. It’s still just a “hmmm maybe” idea that I am running by my publisher.


Besides, the 'Shadow' novels, where else can we find your work?

The best place to find out that information is my blog (www.ctnyrene.blogspot.com). There is a tab just for published work that I have recently updated.

Courtney, thank you so much for spending time with us and allowing me to interview you. Congratulations, again, and I wish you much success with your writing.


I had fun, there were great interview questions. Thanks again for having me and thanks so much for all your support!


Please feel free to contact Courtney at ctnyrene@aol.com or www.ctnyrene.blogspot.com.

~*~

Leave a comment and you may be the lucky person to win a copy of Courtney Rene's, Shadow Dancer!

Winner will be announced on Monday, January 16th.