Interview with Captivate Author Vanessa Garden

                                                       
 In a glittering underwater world, nothing is as it seems…


For the past twelve months since her parent’s death, seventeen-year-old Miranda Sun has harboured a dark secret- a secret that has strained the close relationship she once shared with her older sister, Lauren. In an effort to repair this broken bond, Miranda’s grandparents whisk the siblings away on a secluded beach holiday. Except before Miranda gets a chance to confess her life-changing secret, she’s dragged underwater by a mysterious stranger while taking a midnight swim.


Awakening days later, Miranda discovers that she’s being held captive in a glittering underwater city by an arrogant young man named Marko… the king of this underwater civilisation!


Nineteen-year-old Marko intends to marry Miranda in order to keep his crown from falling into the sinister clutches of his half-brother, Damir. There’s only one problem. Miranda is desperate to return home to right things with her sister and she want’s nothing to do with Marko. Trying to secure her freedom, Miranda quickly forms an alliance with Robbie- Marko’s personal guard. However, she soon discovers that even underwater, people are hiding dangerous secrets…

Interview with Vanessa

Thank you for finding the time to answer some questions, how has your day been?
Great, thank you! And thanks for having me :)

Tell us about your latest addition to the world?
My debut release coming out in January '14 is a Young Adult underwater-world fantasy titled CAPTIVATE. Captivate is about a seventeen year old girl who is dragged underwater while out for a midnight swim at a secluded beach. She awakens days later in a glittering underwater city where she is expected to marry a nineteen year-old king whose throne is under threat.

What is the best thing about about being an Australian Author?
I think Australia has an amazingly supportive writing community. I'm a member of the Romance Writers of Australia and have attended two conferences since joining four years ago. After each conference I've arrived home full of confidence and new skills because of the support and guidence of the lovely writers (published and unpublished) who attended with me. I have made some wonderful friends too :)

Was the writing process different for Captivate and Carrier and if so how?The difference in the two would definitely be the setting. Captivate is a fantastical, underwater setting, with more detailed world building required, whereas with Carrier, I was able to use our gorgeous Australian outback, a setting I have lived and breathed in several times, so it was a little easier to place myself in my character's shoes.

Do you have a favorite book out of the ones you have written? (mean question, I know)Aha, the 'chose your favourite child' question. Can I say Captivate and Carrier equally? No? Okay, then I'd have to say Captivate... for now ;)

How long does it take you to write a book?Usually three months for a very rough draft, then a re-write a couple of times (where I cut and add lines/paragraphs or even chapters), followed by a more detailed edit.

How do you feel about NANOWRIMO?I think it's a great idea and especially good if you've been stuck on a particular project or if you want to give an idea you're unsure about a try (if it doesn't work after a month, at least you gave it a shot). I once completed a project during a self-imposed NANO during a different month, May, I think. I completed the story in fourteen days. It was a messy draft, but a complete story at 70,000 words.

Can you tell us something quirky about your self?When I was a teen I learned how to play the bass guitar after becoming obsessed with Flea, the bass guitarist from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. They are still one of my favourite bands.

What is a typical day in the life of Vanessa Garden?I wake up with my kids (all early birds), have a nice strong coffee, help get them ready for school (while sneaking in a bit of reading), drop them off and head to work at my local bookstore where I usually end up spending the money I earn on books, then come home and make dinner with my husband and kids and just enjoy each other's company. I usually write for an hour or so when everyone's gone to bed, but most of my writing gets done on my two weekdays I don't work at the bookstore.

What can we expect next from you?CARRIER, my YA post apocalyptic sci-fi set in the wilds of the Australian outback coming out March 2014. I can't wait to share Lena and Patrick's story!

Do you have any advice for your readers who might also be wanting to write?Read as many books as you can get your hands on to develope the natural rhythm of a story. Have fun while you write. Be daring and write the book you'd love to read!

How can readers of The Book Mystress contact you?I'm @VanessaGarden27 on Twitter. I'm also on Goodreads and my blog https://vanessagarden.blogspot.com.au



Thanks for having me! :)



You can buy Captivate at the following locations
Booktopia
Amazon
Ibook

Interview + Giveaway: with Bad Juju Author Dina Rae

Two teens turn to a Voodoo bokor to right a wrong. Their curiosity with the dark arts backfires into obsession.
Lucien Nazaire flees his Haitian homeland and settles in a Wisconsin trailer park filled with elderly tenants. He hires sixteen year old Jake for odd household jobs. The boy proves to be the perfect candidate to pass on his Voodoo legacy. 

Jake LaRue lives in foster care with his abusive uncle. The Voodoo gives him a sense of power within an otherwise helpless situation. Despite his loner status, he instantly connects with Henry, his only friend in high school.
Henry Novak has Asperger’s Syndrome. He fixates on historical events, most recently the 2010 Haitian earthquake. Like Jake, he becomes passionate about the dark side of Voodoo. They learn how to cast spells on those they hate and lust.
Months after the Haitian earthquake, Henry convinces his family to volunteer for the island’s reconstruction. Their mission turns into a nightmare when he mysteriously walks off of the campsite and returns in a catatonic state.
Bad Juju is a balance of horror, romance, and literary fiction intended for adults and mature teens. The plot uses research involving the Voodoo religion.

Interview

1. Tell us about your current work.



I am working on a nonfiction book about the conspiracy of Big Pharma and Big-Agri. I went into the project knowing almost nothing and am having my mind blown away.

2. What do you have coming up?



My new book will hopefully be out in the winter of 2014. Nonfiction takes much longer to write than fiction.

3. What is the most demeaning thing said about you as a writer?



I was once called a racist by a social justice reviewer because I wasn't "fair" to devil worshipers. Many Freemasons have written that my novel, The Last Degree, was pure crap.

4. How do you react to a bad review of one of your books?



I don't mind a bad review if it's honest, but when someone who has a different agenda trashes my work, then it's a little frustrating. Luckily, most of my reviews have been wonderful and it's always a thrill to see someone read my work and take the time to review it.

5. When are you going to write your autobiography?



LOL. Not for a while, if ever. My life is pretty boring, just the way I like it.

6. Are the names of the characters in your novels important?



Sometimes. I try to give some of the characters hidden meanings. Like the Easterhouse family in both my Halos-Easter is associated with Christianity and the family is at a crossroads about what is good and what is evil. Sometimes I throw in the name of a good friend or family member for fun.

7. How do you come up with the titles of your novels?



The Last Degree is about the 33rd degree in Freemasonry. My Halo series is about fallen angels. Bad Juju is about Voodoo. I want the titles to go with the themes.

8. Are there any occupational hazards to being a novelist?



My hands cramp up and I get constipated from sitting long periods of time. Seriously, that would probably happen anyway. Occasionally, I get a papercut.

9. What's your favourite fruit?



I love cherries and almost always have a banana for breakfast.

10. what is your favourite bedtime drink?



Water or peppermint tea.

11. What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?



Realizing that the odds of being the next Stephen King are slim to none, but improving the craft and meeting others who love to read and write are what it's all about.


12. Has the dog ever eaten your manuscript?



LOL. Plenty of times, metaphorically speaking. I've thrown out more pages than I care to confess.

13. Do you enjoy giving interviews?



Yes, and thanks for having me. I especially love being on the radio. I've been a guest on dozens of shows and have so much fun.

14. Do you research your novels?



Yes. I believe it's the main reason which makes me attractive to radio hosts. I am a teacher by trade so I try to do my homework! Know quite a bit about Voodoo, Freemasonry, fallen angels, Enoch, witchcraft, mind control, conspiracy theories, and much more. I am a true believer in much of what I write.

15. How much impact does your childhood have on your writing?



My childhood was not a happy one so I use the pain to draw from. I am far from perfect and can easily connect with heavily flawed characters.

16. Are you jealous of other writers?



Would love Dan Brown's or George RR Martin's bank account! No, not really. I do think it would be so wonderful to see your book turned into a film or TV show because that's how I write-a movie playing inside of my mind.

17. What makes you cry?



Just about anything. I am easily touched or saddened or empathetic or frustrated, whatever. I'm emotional, but I try to be private about it.

18. What makes you laugh?



I have a great sense of humor and love dark comedies. My husband is the only person I know who consistently cracks me up.

19. What's the loveliest thing you have ever seen?



My family and my dogs. Was in awe of Yosemite, Smokey Mountains, and Lake Tahoe.

20. Do you have any advice for upcoming writers?



Make yourself write everyday, even when you don't feel like it. If you let a manuscript get cold, it will probably never get finished.

21. How can your readers contact you?



http://dinarae.co, www.dinaraeswritestuff.blogspot.com, @haloofthedamned, FB: https://www.facebook.com/DinaRaeBooks. I'm also on Goodreads and Pinterest.

22. Last words?



If you like Haitian Voodoo and wild teens, you'll love Bad Juju!!!!! Pick up a copy today! http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Juju-ebook/dp/B0097L9FHW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380593510&sr=8-1&keywords=bad+juju

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Courtney Farrell Stops by to talk about Enhanced

Sixteen-year-old Michelle is a product of the Institute's eugenics program, where people are bred like livestock. One doctor decides which kids get to grow up, and which disappear. Only Culls walk into the slum outside Institute walls, and they never come back. Michelle has survived every purge, and she's about to win a luxurious life as a breeder. Then the doctor banishes her brother Seth and her boyfriend Brian, and she risks everything to find them in the cutthroat slum. She's in trouble until handsome Dillon stakes a claim to her. Michelle is mortified, because Norms are practically animals. But the doctor is using the missing boys in a twisted plan and she needs Dillon's help to stop him. Michelle and her friends must find Seth and Brian, but a plague is spreading, the doctor is after her and Dillon isn't thrilled to help her find her lost boyfriend.
 


1.    Tell us about your current work


Enhanced is the first book in a series. I’m delighted to announce that the sequel, tentatively titled Run from Iron Torr, is under contract with Crescent Moon Press! Here’s the blurb:


At the Institute, they breed the best and kill the rest. Michelle is a survivor, but there’s one more hurdle in her way --a mission to Iron Torr, a military base on the frozen ass-end of nowhere. Communications are down, and nobody wants to deal with it. Just to irritate the arrogant colonel in charge up there, the Institute’s Founder sends a bunch of teenagers to do the repairs. Michelle’s half-breed boyfriend Dillon makes the team, along with her hot ex, Brian, who makes everything awkward. At the base, Norm insurgents attack. Michelle agrees to help the colonel, but soon begins to wonder if she’s on the right side. Normal women are imprisoned at Iron Torr, used as surrogate mothers for Enhanced offspring, and then killed. Caught up in the fighting, Michelle is captured by Norms, who are not the brutal savages she imagined. Their cause is a just one. Will she take up arms against her own kind? Meanwhile, Dillon faces his own temptations. A half-breed like him would never fit in at Institute Headquarters, but military doctors think he’s special. Parker offers Dillon a sweet deal, with rank, money, and gorgeous Enhanced girls who wouldn’t even talk to him back home. All Dillon has to do is wipe out the Norms who are harboring Michelle.


2.    What do you have coming up?


I’m finishing a YA dystopian novel called Bait, about a bunch of street kids orphaned by a disease that killed most of the females on the planet. Women are now rare, and most of them live cloistered in harems. The main character, Jackie, is one of the last free girls. She leads, mothers, and feeds a gang of younger boys. These wild adolescents love and protect her, but the oldest ones have begun competing for her attention, and fights are getting nasty. While Jackie struggles to keep her crew together, she discovers that the disease they call the pox is actually sentient, and it wants her.


3.    What is the most demeaning thing said about you as a writer?


No one has ever said anything I’d consider demeaning. Of course people in my critique group offer constructive criticism, but in the spirit of helping me improve, not cutting me down.


4.    How do you react to a bad review of one of your books?


Since Enhanced just launched, I haven’t seen a lot of reviews yet. Those I have are all positive so far, 4.5 and 5 star reviews. Still, it would be unrealistic to expect every reader to love every book. Eventually I may see a bad review. I imagine I’ll be awfully sensitive about it.


5.    When are you going to write your autobiography?


All my novels are autobiographies! With a lot of imagination thrown in. Okay, mostly imagination. But seriously, I think authors tend to write parts of themselves into all their main characters. As far as a real autobiography, I could do it, but I’d have to change the names to protect the guilty.


6.    Are the names of the characters in your novels important?


I choose names I like, just like parents do when naming their children. In fact, I use baby name websites to help choose character names.


7.    How do you come up with the titles of your novels?


Sometimes the title comes to me first, before I know what the story is about. For example, Enhanced started out as Only the Left Eye Cries. I loved that title and still do, but my publisher correctly pointed out that it wouldn’t fit that well on a book cover. A one-word title would be better, so we went with Enhanced.


Other times I start the story and name it later. My novel Bait had no name until it was halfway done.


8.    Are there any occupational hazards to being a novelist?

Sedentary living is a big one. When writing fever overtakes me, I can sit at the keyboard for 12 – 18 hours and never notice the passage of time. Then I return to this world to find my back and neck aching. I have to force myself to take breaks and go work out.


Another hazard for some writers is loneliness. Once authors begin making a living writing, as I do, we drop our day jobs. Luckily, I have a good circle of friends, and lots of fellow authors to brainstorm with.


9.    What's your favourite fruit?


Hawaaian papaya, drizzled with lemon juice. The best!


10.  What is your favourite bedtime drink?


Although I don’t buy it often, I love Bailey’s Irish Cream.


11.  What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?


Have a lot of writer friends, especially ones who are focused on publication. Submitting work takes courage. Facing potential rejection is neurosis-inducing, even for the most stable personalities. (And we creative types aren’t exactly famous for stability.) Non-writers can sympathize, but only fellow authors are really going to get it when you’re sweating the months it takes to hear back from a publisher. That’s why critique groups are so important. These people see how it took six months, or a year, or even ten years for you to write that novel, and they walked that path with you.


12.  Has the dog ever eaten your manuscript?


That would be the worst! I used to email stuff to myself to save it, but now I back up all my files automatically with Carbonite.


13.  Do you enjoy giving interviews?


I do, it’s fun.


14.  Do you research your novels?


I’d have to if I wrote historical fiction, but my books are all made up. I do have a background as a molecular biologist, so at least the science in my science fiction makes sense.


15.  How much impact does your childhood have on your writing?


Lots! Painful moments often come back in scenes, and this can be very cathartic. After writing a particularly sad scene in Enhanced, thinking about the memory it was based on didn’t hurt any more.


16.  Are you jealous of other writers?


No, jealousy isn’t a big part of my nature. I enjoy meeting other authors and I cheer them on when they’re successful.


17.  What makes you cry?


Anything involving child or animal abuse. That’s half the reason I switched away from writing nonfiction. I wrote for a great company, Red Line Editorial, but all the topics they wanted books on were sad. I sobbed all the way through Children’s Rights, Human Trafficking, The Gulf Oil Spill…you get the picture.


18.  What makes you laugh?


Puppies! We recently got two German shepherds, littermates, and they crack me up. One of them, the boy, is a sock thief. I also laugh myself silly at parties with my critique group. Writers are a funny bunch, quit-witted and ruthless with jokes.


19.  What's the loveliest thing you have ever seen?


So many choices…my newborn’s face…my crazy ex in a straightjacket… but I think I’ll tell you about the swans. Several times over the last few years, I’ve had the chance to participate in trumpeter swan relocations. These beautiful animals are members of a threatened species, so the Wyoming Wetland Society breeds them and releases them into the wild. Every spring in Jackson, Wyoming, groups of about fifty young swans are herded by kayak to holding pens, where they are gently caught for veterinary exams. Then volunteers (including me!) get to carry them to waiting trailers. There’s nothing like a flotilla of swans on the water at dawn. Breathtaking.


20.  Do you have any advice for upcoming writers?


Know who the influential authors are in your genre, and read them. Join a critique group, no matter how much you fear it may sting your ego. These people will become some of your best friends. Finally, I’ll repeat the best advice another writer ever gave me: “Apply your bottom to the seat of the chair.” That means write. And keep on writing.


21.  How can your readers contact you?


Email: courtneyafarrell@gmail.com


Blog www.courtneyfarrell.com


Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Courtney-Farrell/405475149467821


Twitter https://twitter.com/CAFarrell


Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7894049-courtney-farrell


Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001JPBU6S





22.  Last words?


I hope my readers love Enhanced! Find it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Enhanced-ebook/dp/B00EVY04G6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1378580184&sr=1-1&keywords=courtney+farrell


Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/enhanced-courtney-farrell/1116849020?ean=9781939173393


Crescent Moon Press: http://crescentmoonpress.com/books/Enhanced.html

Author Interview: Rae hachton

Hey guys here is an Author interview with Rae Hachton read my review of her novel Pretty in Black here

About this author

My nom de plume is Rae Hachton, but my real name is Desirae. I write novels for young adults. I am the author of the Pretty in Black series, which is a Gothic Romance. Some of my favorite things are moonflowers, ravens and crows, The Raveonettes music, black roses, railroad tracks, the Victorian era, and cemeteries. If I could be a time of day, I would be 5:55 p.m. or that magical hour during sunset. More things that I like: Violin music, spiders & cobwebs, 50s music, skeletons, Dracula, & Castles. Also, I love Jones Soda and Pocky, and wishes Halloween were everyday.

My random journal can be found here: http://corvido-phile.blogspot.com/

What was the writing process like for this novel?

I remember the very first day I sat down at the computer to type the first word of Pretty in Black. It was April 9, 2011, and the sun was so very bright. I began writing this novel approximately at 1 p.m. And I wrote it in order, right after I made character profiles for both Marcus and Ellie. The very first words I wrote are the ones that open the book. I wrote every single day after that first day, and finished the first draft on May 6, 2011. The book sat on my desk for about a month before editing began, and during editing I added additional pages. The feeling I had when writing this novel is something I will never forget. I cannot quite describe it, but it was amazing.

How did you find the idea?

The idea found me instead, actually. In December 2010, snow had covered everything and I was sorta sad because I was 21 years old and I hadn’t written another book since Maybe, Maybe Not which I wrote when I was 19, and I knew I wanted to be an author, but I knew it would never happen if I didn’t actually write the books, so I was really upset with myself because I had no fresh ideas from which to compose a somewhat original manuscript. I stayed upset for a while, until March 2011 when I visited a cemetery at 10 pm one night, and I had a hallucination. I saw two people sitting on a grave—a guy and a girl—and they were talking, but when they embraced each other it was tragic, and I wanted to know why. So, this is the image I brought home with me, and I knew I must answer the question: why were two young people were out here this late at night, sitting on a grave, looking sad? Were they dead? Was one of them dead and the other one alive? The next day, all I could do was ask myself questions, and I kept doing this for a while, and I had a breakthrough in answers when The Raveonettes released their album Raven in the Grave. The song “My Time’s Up” inspired the entire Pretty in Black novel, but a lot of the other songs on that album helped me focus on this story, that was both beautiful and tragic and centered around love, death, and dying. After that, everything just sorta fell into place, and since Ellie was definitely a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, just like I am, he too, had a significant influence on this novel.

What kind of things inspired you?

A-ha! I’ve answered some of that in the question above but I can elaborate. Besides the cemetery, and The Raveonettes, and Poe, there were tons of other songs that inspired this book series, some of which found their way on the official Pretty in Black soundtrack which can be found on my blogs. I have always been a Corvidae lover, which means I love Ravens and Crows. I even have some living out in my backyard. Also, I loved the movie The Crow! And I’ve always been a fan of any deep romance, especially Romeo & Juliet, my all time favorite, so these things came together in an unique way to bring us Pretty in Black. And I have a whole set of new influences for the second book in the series, Black Satin!

Did you have any set backs while writing your novel?

I didn’t have any actual set backs, but when it was time for the cover design and layout of the novel, it took a while to decide on the overall style and art of the design/layout/story as a whole. I went through 10 different cover designs before landing on the one I have now, and in order to tell the story in the most effective way possible, I had to cut out a lot of content and rearrange some things, which is why I believe some people “don’t really get it” and that’s okay, because these things that were cut from the first book, reappear in Black Satin and everything will finally add up and “make sense” in ways that are unexpected.

I wanted to introduce readers to the story without blowing the entire plot arc for the series. I don’t like to give stuff away just for the sake of doing so. I like it to unfold, and readers have to pick up clues, and when it finally does “make sense” it should be in a way that “makes sense” but was not guessed earlier on in the series.

For example, in Twilight [& I can’t believe I am going to reference this book again, LOL] we spend a great deal of it in Bella’s head while she questions what Edward is? Kryptonite? Spider bite? Super hero? NO! he’s a vampire, as told to us on the back cover in the blurb. So that was sorta pointless perhaps? But I will not tell you what is going on, and then make you suffer through endless pages of a character trying to figure out for themselves what we already know.

But when you finally find out what is actually going on in Pretty in Black I believe that the aggravation some of you may feel right now from NOT knowing will dissipate and you’ll feel that the journey was worth it all.