Interiew with Author Karen Dales

You can always find out more about Karen at her website (here)

Karen Dales is the Award Winning Author of "The Chosen Chronicles."

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What made you want to be an Author?

I've always wanted to be an author, ever since I was a little girl. When I was in grade school we had a project to write and 'publish' our own stories. That's when I got my first taste of being an author.

Where did the ideas for your characters come from?

Most of the characters in The Chosen Chronicles come from an online role playing game I participated in many years ago. The story idea was a bit similar, but I changed things a lot. Shadow of Death extrapolates from there as I bring the characters to my home town in modern times.

Do you relate to any of your characters?

I think I relate to all of my characters. I believe a good author draws upon different aspects of oneself to create different character.

How do your vampires differ from those currently in the books, movies and tv series?

I think the biggest thing that makes them different is that there is actually a mystery that surrounds them. In Angel of Death, it is the vampires, the Chosen, who are being attacked. They are the victims rather than the perpetrators of a crime. I think by doing this, yet still allowing them their viciousness, it makes things more interesting and unique.

Do you enjoy living in Canada?

I'm Canadian by birth and raising. I love this country and couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Here, the freedoms are explicit in our Charter of Rights, and because of that, our constitution is always changing to keep to those high ideals. It's why legal marriage between homosexuals is allowed/performed all across Canada, why a person can practice their religion and not worry, why women who have unwanted pregnancies have a myriad of options, why any Canadian, regardless of their income, will recieve top medical care without worrying about whether they will have to file for bankruptsy, etc. Not to mention the beauty of the nature across this country. We're only 30 million strong, but in one of the largest countries by land mass. One can get lost and never see a human being again in parts of Canada.

How is Canada different then if you lived in the United States?

I've never lived in the US so I can't really comment on that. My sister does, so I'll draw upon what she's said to me. She's astounded by the inability to speak her mind without drawing negative attention. Even though she has excellent health insurance through her husband, she STILL had to pay $6,000 in co-payments when she had her daughter - something that would never happen in Canada. Going for walks around the neighborhood is dangerous (and she lived in a very good neighborhood) because of gun crime. She wants to come back to Canada, but her hubby won't come because he has kids there. I'm very happy to be a Canuck.

Where is your favorite place to write?

I primarily like to write in my office. It's also my library so I'm surrounded by hundreds of books.

Did you have any special rewards you gave yourself when your books published?

I usually treat myself with a shot of Sortilege (maple syrup whiskey) and go out for dinner.

Do you read a lot?

I LOVE to read and wish I had more opportunity to do so. My TBR pile is HUGE, not only with paper books, but with books on my Kindle. I am voracious in buying books, and when I have time, in reading them, too.

What are your favorite types of books to read and your favorite authors?

My favourite genre to read is paranormal/horror. I also read a lot of historical fiction and fantasy. Some of my favourite authors are Kelley Armstrong, C.S. Friedman, Tad Williams, Steven Erikson, Diana Gabaldon, Violette Malan, and Nancy Kilpatrick, just to name a few.

Would you read book by new authors?

I am finding, more and more, that I'm reading more new authors because I'm meeting a lot of them on Facebook. A few of them are exceptional, but I'm picky because I'm also a freelance editor.

What hobbies do you have?

Beside reading, my favourite hobby is to crochet. I've gotten very good at it and have even made little character dolls for my series called "Chibi Chosen." I usually bring my crochet wherever I go, but I mainly do it in front of the t.v. when watching shows and movies with my family.

If you could spend the day with someone who would it be? (Dead or Alive)

Hmmmm...that's a tough question. I think I'd want to spend the day with Gerald Gardner, the father of modern Wicca.

If you could travel anywhere in the world you haven’t been where would you go?

I'd love to go to Japan for a month or so. In fact, my hubby and I have plans that once our mortgage is paid off we are going to save up to go there. We're not so much interested in the cities, but rather the rural areas. We're big anime fans and my son is a sushi-a-holic. I also have plans for a historical novel set in Edo period Japan. I'd love to go there and see the sights myself.

What advice would you give to new and upcoming authors?

Two things: Never give and never surrender, and make sure you have a good editor.

Interview with Author India Drummond

Check out more about India on her website (here)

 Buy her books on amazon (here)

India knew from age nine that writing would be her passion. Since then she’s discovered many more, but none quite so fulfilling as creating a world, a character, or a moment and watching them evolve into something complex and compelling. She has lived in three countries and four American states, is a dual British and American citizen, and currently lives at the base of the Scottish Highlands in a village so small, its main attraction is a red phone box. In other words: paradise.

What India says about herself:

I'm a lot of other things, but mostly I'm a writer. I like books with fast action, scary killers, fantasy worlds, and a dash of romance. Maybe even all four at once.

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1.What made you want to be an Author?

 

I’ve been telling stories for as long as I can remember. When I was about 6, I wrote scripts and put on puppet shows for my family. When I was about 8 or 9, I graduated to short stories and didn’t stop until I began my first novel at 19. I can’t imagine *not* writing.

 

2. How did you come up with the characters for your books?

 

I’m very often inspired by people around me. Not friends or family, but the stranger on the street or the extra on a TV show that doesn’t have any lines. I see people and I wonder what their story is, how they got there, who they love, what secrets they have.

 

3. Are any of your characters based off people you know?

 

Not intentionally, no, although sometimes a funny line from a conversation with a friend will creep into the mix.

 

4. You’ve moved a few times, which place did you enjoy living the most?

 

I think every place I’ve lived has made some kind of impression on me. When I lived in Japan, I was only 19, and it gave me an appreciation for how different other people’s cultures and experiences are in other places. When I lived in California, I realised how much I love the sea. Each new city has shaped me somehow, but Scotland will always be the home of my heart.

 

5. You moved to UK in 2001 do you miss anything about living in the United States?

 

I miss certain people that I rarely see anymore, but in general, no. In the beginning, it was a big adjustment. Everything was just different enough to be discombobulating, and it took me a couple of years before I could understand the varying accents enough to feel comfortable on the phone. But despite those things, no place feels as good to me as being here.

 

6. Which of your books did you have the most fun writing?

 

Books are a bit like friends…every one has qualities I enjoy, and each is different. I’d say with every one of my books, I had moments of inspiration that got me through long days of hard work.

 

7. Which of your books was the hardest for you to write?

 

Definitely the first. I didn’t know what I was doing, didn’t have a roadmap or a plan. I wrote and wrote and then rewrote and rewrote. That book won’t ever see the light of day as far as being published, but there are elements of it that I hope to incorporate into future stories.

 

8. What is your favorite treat to reward yourself for a published book?

Hmm, interesting question. I don’t really do anything to reward myself. Writing is such a wonderful process, despite being hard work, that I never felt the need to buy myself anything or do anything to celebrate. The real reward comes in the positive reviews and the letters from readers.

 

9. Do you read a lot?

 

Normally, yes. It’s something I not only enjoy, but I think is critical for every writer to do. Being exposed to new ideas, techniques, and genre helps us keep fresh. I don’t read while I’m writing a draft though, because I don’t want another author’s style to creep into my own.

 

10. What are your favorite types of books to read and your favorite authors?

 

Besides what I write (urban fantasy and epic fantasy), I also enjoy thrillers, crime/detective stories, sci-fi, spy novels, some romance/chick lit. The only type of book I rarely pick up are historicals and westerns, but I’ve even found a few of them that I enjoyed. I like to read pieces outside my normal reading range sometimes to try something new.

 

11. Where is your favorite place to write at?

 

I take my laptop into my living room. I sit by a large window with a cup of coffee and type away. But honestly, I could write just about anywhere. Once I get into the story, it wouldn’t matter where I was or what was going on around me.

 

12. What hobbies do you have?

 

I sketch and paint and also do digital art for fun. I love learning new things. I try to make sure I spend time doing things that are completely unrelated to writing and publishing regularly, just to keep my mind refreshed.

 

13. If you could spend the day with someone who would it be? (Dead or Alive)

 

There are some friends I’d love to be able to spend a day with… a day with no demands, schedules, restrictions or mobile phones! But if I had to pick someone outside my normal circle, my secret wish would be to spend a day with one (or more) of my characters. They seem so real to me, and it would be amazing to get the full ‘holodeck’ experience with them, to talk and interact.

 

14. If you could travel anywhere in the world you haven’t been where would you go?

 

Oh there are a lot of places I’d love to go... Venice, Athens, Prague, Geneva, Madrid, Cairo, Rome. I enjoy the scenic and quiet places as much as the larger cities (sometimes more!), so I’d like to be able to see the outskirts and the countryside of quite a few countries too. I would also like to revisit some cities I have been, like Amsterdam, Monaco, Florence and Naples.

 

15. What advice would you give to new and upcoming authors?

 

Write. Write. Write. Don’t write one book and then spend all your time polishing, rewriting, perfecting. Sure, edit and learn from it, but after a few months, move on to something new. This is something I wish I’d known to do. I never understood that you can’t learn everything you need to from one book, that growth comes from working on a variety of different projects. Also, don’t expect to publish your first book. I know it’s heartbreaking to consider your first book a ‘practice’ book after all the work that goes into it, but truthfully, most first books just aren’t good enough to be a commercial success. Having talent is great, but it also takes time and experience to become a good author, and you can’t get all the experience you’ll need on one book.

Interview with Author G R Holton

You can learn more about G R Holton at his website (here)

On a warm summer morning in 1962, G. R. Holton was born in a little town in Massachusetts. I am the second eldest in a family of eight children. I have five sisters and two brothers. I am happily married and living in eastern Tennessee. I was 23 years old when I was first diagnosed with having Bipolar Disorder. I was told that I could no longer work. But in 1999, I met my soul mate, Charlotte. She brought me to know Christ and life started looking up.

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1.       What made you want to be an Author? I never really wanted to become an author. But three years ago I made a friend online who’s husband was a screenwriter and movie director. He gave me a couple of scripts to read and I was hooked. I didn’t plan on writing a novel. I wanted to write a great movie script, but the further I went into the writing the more my mentor told me I was not writing in the style of a screenplay that it was a novel instead. I went on from there and haven’t stopped.

2.        First off I want to thank you for your service as a veteran, what service were you in? I spent 4 1/2 years in the army Military Police. I actually still miss the military way of life to this day.

3.        You’ve lived in multiple states, which one do you enjoy the most? Oh this one is easy. I spent three years in Hawaii and walked up and down Waikiki beach eight hours a day/night. I would love to move back there and retire.

4.        Are any of your characters in your books based off of people you know? Actually do I build some of my characters from people I know. The teens from Soleri are all made after my children and Commander Milton and Dr. Piers from Deep Screams are my best friends. Even Craddock the Captain of the Marines in Deep Screams is fashioned on an old Drill Sergeant of mine.

5.        Your books are mostly of sci-fi adult paranormal type, what made you want to write a children’s book? The idea came from a friend of mine. He was suggesting a book in which there were two battling types of creatures. One from under the bed and the other from under the dresser. I started to write it and found myself thinking, well this would not give a message. I wanted to make a good book with a moral to the story and to me not being judgmental is a great topic for kids to learn early in life.

6.        Both of your books (Soleri and Deep Screams) have won awards from booksandauthors.net, how does that make you feel? The feeling is amazing. I never in my life thought I would be a writer,  but then to win multiple awards for doing something I truly have fallen in love with is almost as good as when I fell in love with my wife Charlotte.

7.        What is your favorite place to write at? I write at my desk in the middle of the day with my headset on and classic rock music playing loudly. I can write in silence, but the words flow easier when my brain is occupied with multiple stimulations.

8.        As a husband, father, and grandfather (all full time jobs) how do you have time to write? Being disabled I have all day to write. My children are all grown and out of the house and it is now just my wife and I along with my Mom and our dog Ewok. My wife is a full-time student going for her RN so she is constantly busy studying, but we take time for date nights. My four granddaughters and all over the place and so the only way I get to see them is a trip every now and then and on Skype (I love that program!).

9.        Do you read a lot? I don’t read very much other than for authors/friends  doing book reviews, other than that I don’t read for pleasure and that actually helps me keep my writing from copying other people’s ideas.

10.    What are your favorite types of books to read and your favorite authors? When I do read for pleasure it is always science fiction... Asimov and Bradbury.

11.    You have a new work in progress book, what can we expect from it? Dragon’s Bow is my attempt to cross over to the fantasy world of writing. It is a very moving action/adventure set on a different world, but with creatures similar to ones in mythology.

12.    What hobbies do you have? My biggest hobby is volunteering in my town. I am the President of the Merchants and Friends of Etowah Association, on the Chamber of Commerce, on the Etowah Arts Commission Board, a member of the Fourth of July Committee, and I act sometimes with the local theater the Gem Players.

13.    If you could spend the day with someone who would it be? (Dead or Alive) It would have to be my idol George Lucas. What I would give to spend time with him and pick his brain. I love everything he has ever directed and am a big time Star Wars fanatic.

14.    If you could travel anywhere in the world you haven’t been where would you go? I would go to Scotland...Aviemore to be precise. That is where my ancestors on my Mom’s side are from. I am a MacPherson and we fought along side William Wallace. I would love to visit the castles and maybe try a round of golf.

15.    What advice would you give to new and upcoming authors? I have three words posted above my computer screen. Faith, Focus, and Patience. Have faith in what you do...Keep your focus on what you are writing about...and have the patience not to rush a story. By doing this I have been able to write better and more consistently every book.

Interview with Author Dawn Ius

You can follow Dawn's blog (here)

What is dawn working on?

My short story Thread of the Past is in the SPIRITED athology. It's available on Amazon or at www.leapbks.com. (All proceeds go to charity)

Fields of Home and Gotta Jet are available here: http://canola.ab.ca/fieldsofhome.aspx

Here's the links for everything else I am involved in:

Jagger Valentine - character blog/website

www.jaggervalentine.com

Everlasting love, now that's supernatural.

Twitter: @JaggerValentine

www.dawn-ius.blogspot.com

Twitter: @dawnmius

www.dawnmdalton.blogspot.com

Twitter: @dawn_dalton

www.fieldsofhome.blogspot.com - character blog for Fields of Home and Gotta Jet

Twitter: @SupermanDuffy

Vine Leaves Literary Journal - co-creator and editor

www.vineleavesliteraryjournal.com

Bridge Social Media - co-owner

www.bridgesocialmedia.com

Most-Wanted Monsters

www.mostwantedmonsters.blogspot.com

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1. What made you want to be an Author? 

My grade 5 Language Arts teacher. Her name was Mrs. Kratky but we called her Mrs. Crabby because, well, she was. She assigned a short story task, and I worked really hard on it – I did research and everything. When she handed them back, everyone was talking (or crying) over their grades. Mine wasn’t graded. Instead, she’d written in red pen: Please see me after school. Your parents will be joining us. Scariest. Words. Ever. Turns out Mrs. Crabby was actually not crabby at all..and she believed in me. She encouraged my parents to put me in creative writing classes and remains one of my biggest literary cheerleaders. Never underestimate the power of a teacher!

2. Where do you get the ideas for your writings?

Everywhere. From reading the newspaper, adaptations of life experiences, text from great new research – I love magazines like Mental Health that provide snippets of science news or unique facts. Sometimes they turn into great stories.

I have an overactive idea machine that doesn’t like to be pigeonholed. Which means, I have way more ideas than time.

3. Do any of the stories you write reflect personal life experiences?

I’m definitely affected by the people I’ve met or the experiences I’ve had, and sometimes, I see elements of those life moments trickle into my writing. But I’ve used Google for location research – it’s staggering the level of detail you can find online.

When it comes to my female protagonists, I write variations on two kinds: heroines that are like me in some way, or kick-ass women I wish I could be more like. This is especially true for my character Jagger Valentine (www.jaggervalentine.com), who embodies epic fearlessness. She is the character I have most fun writing, and the character I think I know the most – not because she’s like me, but because I want to BE her.

4. You love to travel. What’s next on your bucket list?

Uh…everywhere. I have a long list of places I’d like to visit, but this year I’m hoping to get to Greece for the Homeric Writer’s Retreat hosted by Jessica Bell. Of course, seeing Jessica is added incentive since she’s a dear friend.

5. Do you write with music?

Not always – but every project has its own soundtrack, a compilation of songs the character loves, or music that sets a mood. I create iTunes playlists for every character or book. Often I play them while I am writing, depending on my mood. But sometimes, the songs create too much of a distraction. When I do write to music, it’s generally cranked – an effective way of telling my family I’m “in the zone.”

6. You mentioned you’ll be attending the Homeric Writing Workshop in Greece this year. What benefits do you receive from attending writing events like this?

First and foremost, networking. Some of my best friends are people I’ve met through writer’s conferences. Writing can be a lonely profession, and truthfully, many of my non-writer friends sometimes think I’m a bit weird. Conferences are a great way to hang out with people who “get” you – even if they are also a bit weird. <grin>

Second, being around other writers is inspirational and motivating. I love writing, but it’s still a struggle for me to turn on that computer every day.

And third, the potential to learn is tremendous. No writer knows everything…even if they think they do.

7. What is your favorite place to go when you’re writing?

My husband renovated our sunroom into a perfect writing space. Alberta is known for beautiful summer storms, and I love to watch the lightening show through the windows around me.

It’s idea – but I’ve learned you can’t always rely on the ideal. If I can’t be in my sunroom, I prefer coffee shops or small pubs. But have been known to whip out my laptop in the middle of a mall if inspiration strikes.

8. You write a variety of genres, for adults and youth. Of all the things you write, what do you enjoy writing the most?

Impossible question. I love the challenge of writing for a variety of genres and age categories, but I wouldn’t take on anything that didn’t genuinely interest me.

I’m fortunate with the ability to slip in and out of characters quickly – which means I can have many projects on the go without getting lost…and thus avoid writer’s block on any particular WIP.

My background is Journalism, so I’m familiar with research techniques. Sometimes I even pine for my old reporting career and take on some interview jobs to keep those skills fresh.

If it’s writing-related, chances are, I want to be involved.

9. Do you read a lot?

Yes. And yet, not enough. The past two years, I’ve changed jobs, married my high school sweetheart, moved out into the country (and work in the city), and taken on a 13-year old stepdaughter. I love my life – but it can get hectic. Often I have to choose between reading and writing, and 80% of the time, writing wins out.

But I still read more than most people. At www.dawn-ius.blogspot.com, I’m blogging about each of the books I’ve read as part of a challenge my friend and I issued each other – to read 100 books in 2012.

We tried it two years ago and only got to 75…but that’s nothing to be ashamed of.

10. What are your favorite types of books to read and your favorite authors?

My reading is as eclectic as my writing – I have too many faves to list. I can tell you some of the books that have impacted me, though.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Creature by John Saul

I love all kinds of thriller fiction, with my favorite writer being Chelsea Cain. She’s brilliant.

In the romance category, I’m going with Nora Roberts – for her versatility and kick-ass heroes (though Sandra Brown’s romance is a very close second.)

For YA…loved Hunger Games trilogy. Melissa Marr is exceptional. And Laini Taylor is mind-boggling good. So many great YA titles in the past few years…it’s hard to nail it down.

11. What ways do you reward yourself for a published book?

Ok, maybe I’m a geek, but I reward myself by opening up a new document for a book I promised myself I wouldn’t start until the current WIP was finished. It takes GREAT willpower for me not to start something new.

I also reward myself with a TV series or movie. I think watching film is as important as reading, especially since I am working on a couple of scripts.

12. What hobbies do you have?

I love to craft – and am addicted to www.pinterest.com. I also love camping and fishing with my husband, biking and hiking, and I’m just learning how to cook beyond the basics. There’s something very satisfying about creating a gourmet meal.

13. If you could spend the day with someone who would it be? (Dead or Alive)

This is going to be incredibly shallow and my husband would kill me, but I’m going with Ian Somerhalder, the sexy Damon Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries. Every Monday on my blog I post a muse avatar…he’s more often than not my muse for the week. A close second would be Kiefer Sutherland, who I think is brilliant on MANY levels.

14. What advice would you give to new and upcoming authors?         

Invest in a whole lot of bum glue.

If you’re lucky enough to be born with the gift of storytelling, that’s a good start. But it isn’t enough. Raw talent will only get you so far.

Writing takes practice – and you only get that practice by sitting your butt in the chair and defeating that blank page.  Every day. Or as many days as possible.  (Though Stephen King says he doesn’t even take his birthday off…)

One of my mentors always says, “Nobody ever got good at writing by being told how good a writer they are.” The advice seemed harsh back when I was begging for his praise, but it makes sense now. Sometimes we become complacent.

Today there all kinds of writing classes for youth – including awesome summer camps like YouthWrite or InkPulse in Alberta. Students (of all ages) should always be open to learning.

And reading. There’s truth to the saying that good writers are always great readers. There really are no exceptions. Carry a book in your bag at all times, and don’t be afraid to experiment. I love a great thriller or paranormal romance, but I can get just as wrapped up in a well-written romance, or a great memoir about writing. One of the best books on craft is Stephen King’s On Writing.

And lastly, give yourself permission to write crap. Not every word you write will be perfect prose, or worthy of keeping – but a bad paragraph can be fixed. Not much can be done to a blank page. Write your first draft with your heart. Your second with your brain.