Author Interview with Amy Harmon and Blog Tour Giveaway

Today I'm excited to have Amy Harmon, author of Making Faces, A Different Blue and other novels, on my blog. A friend recommended Making Faces to me on Goodreads (thank you, Holly!) and I ordered it on my Kindle right after the blurb sucked me in. I had a few other titles on my to-read, but this novel swept me away, and I finished in no time because I couldn't put it down! Read below for more of my thoughts on Making Faces as well as an author interview I did with Amy Harmon. Also, be sure to enter her awesome blog tour giveaway below!

Making Faces on Amazon

Making Faces on Goodreads

Ambrose Young was beautiful. He was tall and muscular, with hair that touched his shoulders and eyes that burned right through you. The kind of beautiful that graced the covers of romance novels, and Fern Taylor would know. She'd been reading them since she was thirteen. But maybe because he was so beautiful he was never someone Fern thought she could have...until he wasn't beautiful anymore.

Making Faces is the story of a small town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back. It is the story of loss. Collective loss, individual loss, loss of beauty, loss of life, loss of identity. It is the tale of one girl's love for a broken boy, and a wounded warrior's love for an unremarkable girl. This is a story of friendship that overcomes heartache, heroism that defies the common definitions, and a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, where we discover that there is a little beauty and a little beast in all of us.

My Review

A beautiful, heartrending story of finding love and seeing the true beauty within. MAKING FACES is an emotive, gripping read!

Author Interview

Amy's Website

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Amy on Goodreads

Amy's Amazon Author Page

Welcome, Amy! Tell us a little about your start as a writer and what inspired you to write.

I've always been a writer. Ask my mom. But I really decided to jump off the proverbial cliff about three years ago after my fourth child was born. I wasn't working so I could stay home with the kiddos, my oldest son was really struggling with his health, and my husband worked out of town all week long and came home on the weekends. We were exhausted and broke, and I knew something had to change. I'd already written Running Barefoot and I researched self-publishing, decided I had nothing to lose, and just went for it.

How did you come up with the premise for Making Faces?

My brother joined the National Guard with a few of his friends and they went to Iraq together on their first tour. It made me start thinking...what if? Also, my youngest son was born with a port wine stain on half of his face. (see recent blog post on goodreads) We've gotten used to the stares and the comments, but it made it easy to write about facial disfigurement. There are so many elements that go into a story, that it wasn't just one idea, but the building of ideas as I continued to craft scenes and flesh out my characters.

I love hearing about how stories start out. Thank you for sharing! Making Faces was packed with emotion; you put so much into this novel and the characters. Fern, Ambros, Bailey and all of your characters are so rich and unique; I felt like they were real people. Each character has so much heart and personality. Can you share some of your tips on crafting unforgettable characters?

For me, a good book is all about the characters. Some writers are great with plots, some fabulous with description and setting, but for me the characters tell the story. I work long and hard on my characters, and they are never entirely the way they start out. I like to do a free write describing the main characters. As I describe them, I ask myself questions. Okay...she's a redhead. How does she feel about red hair? She likes romance novels...but why does she like romance novels. etc. As the characters are developed, the story line emerges.

Great thoughts. Do you typically write with an outline or just see where the story goes? Which method works best for you and why?

I start with the character development free write. Then I branch off with ideas and write a general synopsis - almost like a book blurb. The Making Faces book blurb was written before I was even a third into the book. But a blurb isn't a story, so it gives direction without nailing me down. Then I write scenes.

As I said before, that blurb was what initially sold me on your story. I bought it right away! What was the hardest part about writing Making Faces?

The hardest part was writing about Ambrose's injuries. I wanted to be accurate, and it was very difficult to find good information about facial injuries in Iraq, even though so many soldiers have suffered through them. Also, some of the final scenes with Bailey...incredibly difficult making the chain of events effective, realistic and meaningful.

What books/authors inspire your writing?

So many. Honestly, I can't name just a few. I have been reading so long and so voraciously, that I have a million writers who have gone before me who I owe a great deal to. And truthfully, I really love Stephenie Meyer. I truly believed when I read the Twilight books that if she could do it, I could to.

There are many profound messages in this novel, including true beauty, love, friendship and more. The emotional journey this story took me on was incredible! What message, above all, do you hope readers grasp from Making Faces?

I just want them to feel better about the world. People are good and life is sweet, even when it's difficult. I want people to have hope.

Which scene from Making Faces was you favorite to write?

I adore love scenes. I know. People who've read the book will say "what love scenes?" because there isn't any sex in the book. But love scenes are different than sex scenes. Sex scenes can be love scenes...but they aren't always. I like scenes that make me melt and that make me, as a reader, fall in love right along with my characters. I also really love funny dialogue. Bailey was a hoot in this book, and I literally laughed until I had tears at certain parts. I'm convinced you have to be a little crazy to be a good writer.

Those types of love scenes are my favorite, and you had some great ones! And you're right, Bailey was a hoot. :) Thank you, Amy, for taking the time to be on my blog today.

Don't forget to check out Amy's books and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below!

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Author Interview With Jennette Green, and a GIVEAWAY!

I recently had a 24-hour obsession with a book. Couldn't put it down! The Commander's Desire by Jennette Green totally sucked me in. I started it at 8:00 pm the other night thinking I'd read one chapter and then get on with the night, go to bed early, etc... Well, I was over halfway into the novel before I finally turned out the lights at 1:00 am!

The romantic tension took me by surprise, blew me away. SO good. I appreciated that this novel was a clean romance while also being so gripping. The plot, characters and vivid writing all drew me in and held me there! I finished the book the next day. Captivating!

Today I'm excited to have Jennette here on my blog for an author interview! And don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter GIVEAWAY below to win an eBook copy of The Commander's Desire! 

First of all, let's introduce Jennette and The Commander's Desire:

Princess Elwytha wants revenge on the monster who murdered her brother. In a false exchange for peace, she offers herself in marriage to the enemy Prince. The plan? Kill the Prince's battle-scarred Commander-the man who ended King Thor's life with one filthy sword thrust through the back. To her horror, the Commander agrees to take Elwytha as his bride. Worse, the wedding date will be sooner than expected. Not all is lost, however. Now she has more opportunity to be alone with him-and exact justice. But the deed becomes difficult to carry out. Fighting her innate sense of honor, she begins to see the ironclad integrity of the man behind the scars. And with this knowledge comes doubt. Did he slay her brother? What exactly is the new king's plan? Whom can she trust? Elwytha must decide well, for more than her life is at stake. Soon she must betray either allegiance to her kingdom-or the man who is quickly claiming her heart.

Jennette Green

Jennette's Website

Jennette's Facebook Page

The Commander's Desire on Amazon

The Commander's Desire on Goodreads

Welcome, Jennette! Thank you for taking the time to interview on my blog. What books inspire your writing? Can you share with us your five favorite novels?

I love romance novels by Lisa Kleypas--she writes absolutely fantastic attraction/sexual tension between characters. They can be a bit steamy, however! I prefer to write clean romances that my older teenaged daughter can read. I also love the witty dialogue of Julia Quinn’s books, and the warmth of books by Debbie Macomber and Betty Neels. Five of my very favorite romance novels are:

1. Devil in Winter, by Lisa Kleypas

2. The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheevers, by Julia Quinn

3. Here Comes Trouble, by Debbie Macomber

4. Husband Next Door, by Anne Ha

5. The Silver Thaw, by Betty Neels

I love book recommendations. Thank you! I will add them to my Goodreads. Jennette, your book drew me in and wouldn’t let go! You play with your reader’s emotions very well, keeping them hooked. Can you share your tips on writing captivating romance?

I like to place my characters in an emotionally charged dilemma; one that compels me to write and figure out exactly what will happen, and how they will resolve their difficult situation. I hope if I’m intrigued, then the reader will be, too. Sometimes, the premise for a novel just comes to me, out of the blue. Others, it’s as a result of watching several movies, or television shows. Typically, a few small things in the shows catch my imagination. From there, the ideas gel in my mind and the plot is born.

How did you come up with the premise for The Commander’s Desire? Where did the idea start?

Believe it or not, I think (it’s been about eight years ago now) the main idea for The Commander’s Desire came from a medieval movie I watched. I think it was Tristan and Isolde. One of the characters in that movie just appealed to me on some strange level. I don’t remember his name, but he was a big, hulking guy. His character, combined with aspects of Marke’s (Rufus Sewell), unrequited love for Isolde, somehow mixed together in my mind, and the character of the Commander was born. The premise of the book came at the same time.  

How awesome! I love hearing about how novels took shape. I remember watching the 2006 version of Tristan and Isolde and really enjoyed it. I am intrigued with the historical setting of your novel. I want to see Scotland someday! What kind of research did you have to do while writing this story? What was the hardest part?

I did a ton of research for the book. The hardest part was finding historical data for the time period around 715 A.D., when the book takes place. Very little information could be found, although what I did find was fascinating. King Osred of Northumbria was a debauched young man, and petty kings did fight amongst each other in Galwyddel and in other areas of Scotland at that time. It was all very intriguing!

Are any of the characters in The Commander’s Desire modeled after someone you know?

No, not really, although in some ways, Elwytha is a little like myself--a little too good at protecting her heart. :)

The Commander totally won me over. At first, I wasn’t sure what I’d think about him (like Elwytha!). By the end? Major hunk. Honestly, I can see your book as a movie. If it were to be made into a movie, would you have casting suggestions? Which actor would be your dream choice to play the Commander? Elwytha? The Prince? Elwytha’s brother, Richard? Any others?

Thank you so much for your kind words about the Commander! Over the years, I’ve been surprised and thrilled to discover that he has touched the hearts of quite a few people. A few years ago, he won a “Readers’ Favorite Hero” of the year award, which was awesome.

It’s funny that you ask about a movie, and actors who might play the parts. Back in 2009 two wonderful fans of the book, Miranda Hetherington and Clancy Fraser in Australia made a fan video trailer of the book, by putting together music and movie clips. It can be found here: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIW0upII0zM

They chose great actors to play the parts of Elwytha (Keira Knightly), the Commander (Clive Owen), the Prince (Dougrey Scott), and Richard (Rufus Sewell (from a different movie--not Tristan and Isolde)). They did a fantastic job, and I feel forever grateful and blessed that they took the time to make this video trailer. It’s really something special to me.

Clive Owen                          Keira Knightley             Dougrey Scott

Congratulations on the "Readers' Favorite Hero" of the year! I'm not surprised at all. That is fantastic and well deserved. And what a neat video! I just watched it. I can totally picture those actors in those roles. Clive Owen would be perfect as well as the others. I hear you have some exciting news about The Commander’s Desire being made into an audio book. Can you tell us more?

Yes!  Currently Christy Lynn of www.CLVO.net is narrating the book--and, may I add, doing a fabulous job!!! She is really talented. The Commander’s Desire will be available as an audio book at Audible and iTunes in late September/early October 2013. 

That is great news. Thanks for sharing. Last of all, please tell me there is a sequel!

I do have notes and a few scenes for a sequel! However, they have sat on my computer for a number of years now. I’m still waiting for that special idea to gel, and bring the whole storyline together. I love Rex, and I want his story to be something unique and special. One day I do hope to flesh out the manuscript and write the sequel. 

Right now, I don’t have much time to think about that book, though, for I have about nine writing projects going on, concurrently. LOL. Crazy, I know. Most are fully written, although two are in the works. Then there are edits, etc. Now that the kids are back in school, I’m buckling down to get more books out there, which is what readers have been asking for. Currently, I’m writing the long promised sequel to Ice Baron, a science fiction romance. Besides that book, I have a historical romance, several Christian romances, including a new adult romance, and a paranormal series that has been on my heart for many, many years, and which is close to being ready to be published. It seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day. :)

Ditto on not enough hours in the day. Your passion for storytelling is evident in your writing, Jennette. Thank you for providing such a fabulous book to read and for interviewing on my blog today!

Now. GIVEAWAY time! Get as many points as you can by following the directions on Rafflecopter below. The giveaway will end Monday, September 9th, at midnight (Eastern Time). Best of luck!

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Some of Jenette's other books:

                                    Her Reluctant Bodyguard          Ice Baron

TIMESPELL Blog Tour, and a GIVEAWAY!

Guys! Seriously, I'm way excited about this post. I'm lucky to be a part of Diana Paz's blog tour for her novel, TIMESPELL. Isn't the cover GORGEOUS?! And just wait until you read the book. If you are at all tempted to buy this book (and you will be after this post), do it. I have so many great things to say about it.

Rich with conflict and captivating characters, TIMESPELL is a YA novel I won't soon forget. Great pacing. Vivid writing. Distinctive, larger-than-life characters. Humor sprinkled throughout. I loved this fresh take on everything magic. I didn't want to put it down for anything! Oh, and super-cute character Ethan? Diana, please write an entire novel about him. TIMESPELL begs for a sequel. And I will be downloading it onto my Kindle as soon as it comes out.

Magic, romance, time travel and adventure...this novel will sweep you away.

So, let's introduce TIMESPELL and author Diana Paz.

:

In TIMESPELL, the brash and impulsive Julia must team up with her sweet and straight-laced best friend, Angie, and the malicious and power-hungry Kaitlyn in order to keep the witch-like powers of her inheritance. But these powers come at a cost. The girls are bound to serve the Fates, and their first mission sends them back in time to Marie Antoinette’s Paris and eventually, into the chaos and war of the French Revolution.

Julia Corona and her best friend Angie are Daughters of Fate, destined to travel through time to battle the creatures of Mythos. It takes three Daughters to keep the creatures at bay, but when they discover the third Daughter is Kaitlyn, the bullying bad girl who tried to steal Angie’s boyfriend, suddenly a world ruled by demons doesn’t sounds so bad.

Julia is ready to kiss the magic goodbye until she meets Ethan, an intense young man who seems to know Julia better than she knows herself. Before she gets a chance to solve the mystery, the creatures of Mythos strike in Revolutionary France. The Daughters of Fate must set aside their differences and band together with Ethan to travel back in time. They have to stop the creatures, but someone close to them will betray them, making their task nearly impossible. The history books are changing, and it may already be too late.

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Diana Paz writes books about magic, adventure, and romance. She was born in Costa Rica, grew up on Miami Beach, moved to Los Angeles in high school, and went to college in San Diego. Basically, she’s a beach bum. Diana graduated from California State University, San Marcos with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts. She loves old movies, epic fantasy, all kinds of music, and heading to the beach with a good book. Preferably sipping a highly sweetened iced coffee.

Diana's Website

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@dianapazwrites

Interview with Author Diana Paz

Welcome, Diana! How did you come up with the idea for Timespell?

The idea came when I thought up a scene about a pair of time-crossed lovers, and the scene wouldn’t leave my thoughts. I wrote it down, and from there everything started falling into place. The idea of two best friends, completely excited about having magic so they could travel through time to fulfill their destiny, only to realize they can only keep their power if they join with the most evil girl in school? That was too much fun not to write.

I just finished the book, Diana, and those time-crossed lovers won't leave my thoughts either! Do any of the characters personalities resemble your own, or people you know?

Even though I created the main characters as their own people, I can’t help but infuse pieces of myself, and the experiences I’ve had, in every character I write. Because of this, I would say that I can relate to each of them.

That's probably why they felt so real, so original and distinctive to me. Your characters blew me away. The main characters in Timespell have the ability to time travel. If you could time travel, would you go into the past or into the future?

Oh, that’s so tough… as much as I adore history, I’m too curious for my own good, and I would choose the future.

Gosh, I've been sitting here at my computer trying to figure out how I would answer that question myself and I still don't know. It is a tough one. Okay, so like I said above, Timespell begs for a sequel. Is Timespell a stand-alone novel or is it planned as part of a series?

Timespell can definitely be read on its own, but I wrote it with the idea of a series in mind. I’m currently working on the next book, in which the girls will be sent on a mission back in time to the Caribbean during the golden age of piracy. I’m thrilled to be joining Julia, Angie, and Kaitlyn in another adventure, especially one involving sword fights and treasure.

Hooray! You've made my day. I will be watching for that sequel. Thank you, Diana, for introducing us to your novel today.

Be sure to check out this excerpt from TIMESPELL and also enter the eBook GIVEAWAY below!

TIMESPELL excerpt

Julia

Julia didn’t know whether she was running from Brian or toward Ethan. Maybe it was both. She couldn’t get her head straight, and slowed to a stop in the dim corridor.

Yellowed wall sconces struggled to give light. The flowery carpet and glossy wood walls seemed to go on forever. How far had she gone? Did it matter? She wanted as much space between her and the ballroom as she could get before Ethan found her. She had no doubt that his protector antennae would send him her way.

The mark on her arm grew warm and she rubbed it. That must be him. Should she try to find him and get this inevitable meeting over with? It wasn’t as if she could wait in this spot forever.

She pushed herself off the wall, wondering which way to go. The long hallway stretched like a mirror image in either direction. She shivered, deciding to go left. This whole ship reminded her a little too much of the Titanic. Her stomach tightened as she headed toward one of the openings that might be stairs or might be a lounge. Or might be where some eighteenth century ghost waits for stupid girls who wander ships alone.

She glanced behind her as she gnawed on her lip, unable to help the tremor of fear in her chest. Everything she had ever heard about the steamship Queen Mary raced through her mind; that it was bigger and faster than the Titanic had been, that it had crossed the Atlantic over a thousand times before retiring... that almost seventy people died onboard. Wasn’t this ship supposed to be haunted? Where is the ballroom? I want to go back!

A figure appeared at the end of the corridor. She tripped backward, banging her head against the wall.

He stepped into the gloomy yellow light and she exhaled in relief. It was only Ethan. His eyes remained darkened by shadows, a mess of black hair falling into them.

She swallowed beneath the intensity of his stare as he moved closer.

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eBook Giveaway of A CHANGE OF PLANS, and Author Interview with Donna K. Weaver

Hooray! Today I am super lucky to have Donna K. Weaver intreviewing on my blog. AND I get to host a GIVEAWAY of her novel in eBook format (be sure to enter via Rafflecopter below!).

Donna is the author of A CHANGE OF PLANS, a contemporary adventure romance. What a journey this novel took me on. See my previous post to read the book blurb and more of my thoughts on the novel.

LINKS:

Donna's Website

Facebook Page

Donna on Twitter

A CHANGE OF PLANS on Goodreads

A CHANGE OF PLANS on Amazon

So, welcome, Donna!

1) First of all, tell us about your swoon-worthy cover. It's beautiful, captivating and drew me in. Were you able to have any input on the cover design?

Donna: I know, right? I love it. Yes, I did have input on the cover design. I'm fortunate that my publisher involves the author all along the process.

That is awesome. Praise to you and everyone at Rhemalda who worked on the cover design.

2) What books inspire your writing?

Donna: Stories that compel me or characters that draw me in.

3) A CHANGE OF PLANS takes place on a cruise ship and on various islands in the Pacific Ocean. Can you tell us a little about the trips you've been on in this area of the world?

Donna: By the time I was 13, I'd crossed the Pacific three times by ship (only once by plane). We lived in the Philippines for two years, and I experienced a typhoon first hand--there's a kickin' storm scene that got cut from the book, with projectile coconuts and everything. Someday I would love to visit American Samoa.

A typhoon! That is sort of awesome and sort of crazy, Donna. Your experience with the Pacific definitely shined through in your novel.

4) So much goes into writing a novel. Tell us about the research you did while putting this story together. What was the hardest part?

Donna: I did all kinds of research. The cruise itself was a real one offered at the time I wrote the book. The cruise line is the same one my husband and I went on for our 25th wedding anniversary. When we visited Great Falls to see a daughter, it was an hour and a half to Lewistown. I told my husband we couldn't be that close and not visit. It was an awesome experience and changed many things. I wanted it to be real.

The hardest part was Part 2, while they are shipwrecked. What should it really be about? Survival? The romance? One of these days I'm going to put together a section with deleted scenes. Most of those will come from Part 2.

Congratulations on your 25th anniversary! I know how hard it is to cut scenes. As Donald Maass says, we authors are "wedded to our words." But it ends up being worth it. I would still love to read your deleted scenes sometime!
.
5) Many of the characters in A CHANGE OF PLANS intrigued me, including Braedon, Jack Randolph and, of course, Lyn. The scene where Lyn meets Jack is classic. Are any of your characters modeled after someone you know?

Donna: Jori is the only one, and it's more his dirty little secret than his personality. I knew someone who experienced what Jori did, though his circumstances and subsequent behavior were different.

6) What is your favorite chapter or scene and why?

Only one? I love the tender scenes. One of my favs is on the catamaran when Braedon needs to hold Lyn to deal with his own grief. What a complicated position for the poor guy to be in.

But I also love the scene at the breakfast table when everyone's trying to get Lyn to help with Jimmy's act for the talent contest. I love the not-so-subtle coercion because, of course, we all know she should do it.

Agreed! I also loved the end of chapter 16 when Lyn tries to take a shower in the rain. Classic!

7) What's the best writing advice you ever received?

Never give up.

Great advice, Donna. "Becoming a published author is one part talent and one part relentless, dogged determination." That quote from Barbara Larmon Failing has stuck with me.

8) What project are you working on now?

I finished a companion novel to A Change of Plans that stars Jori as the main character. It's with my publisher now. For November's NaNo, I've got a book planned with Lyn's brother, Marc, as the main character.

Fun! I'm excited to read more about those characters. Thank you, Donna. I thoroughly enjoyed your novel and this interview!

Don't forget to enter to win an eBook version of A CHANGE OF PLANS (enter via Rafflecopter below)! The contest closes Friday night. One lucky winner will be announced Saturday morning! Also, check out the book trailer for A CHANGE OF PLANS below.

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A CHANGE OF PLANS on Goodreads

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Interview with Betsy Love, author of SOULFIRE

I am lucky today to have Betsy Love, author of IDENTITY and SOULFIRE, on my blog for an interview. Betsy is fun, energetic and talented. I recently finished her novel SOULFIRE and asked her if she would be willing to answer a few questions. Thank you, Betsy, for obliging!

1. Betsy, have you ever done anything crazy or embarrassing to research for one of your novels/writing projects?
I was writing Identity, we had a young lady visiting our home who had a seizure so we called the paramedics. Once they assessed her situation (and she turned out to be fine), I started asking questions about education, procedures, etc for my current work in progress.

2. What are you reading now?

I am multi-task reading. Every week I go to an elderly couple's home and read to them. We are in the middle of HERE THERE BE DRAGONS by James Owen. I'm in the middle of two other books A NIGHT ON MOON HILL by Tanya Parker Mills and THE WEDNESDAY WARS by Gary D. Schmidt. You can see that I enjoy all different genres.

3. What are you most passionate about, other than writing?

I LOVE directing plays. I am the theater director at Clearview Cultural Center. I didn't have enough people audition for a show I wanted to do, so I wrote one. My son and daughter and a couple of the cast members helped me write the music. It was a huge success. I plan to publish it.

Wow! That is awesome! I'd love to see this play you wrote.

4. I am fascinated with the Book of Mormon setting in SOULFIRE. I loved all of the details you weaved in to make it feel authentic. Can you tell us a little bit about the research you did in preparation for writing this novel?

I did years of research, both secular and anything religious I could get my hands on. At the time that I wrote SOULFIRE most people believed the events to have taken place in central America so that's where I did the bulk of my research. I wanted to get the flavor of the jungles around Guatamala. I also modeled King Noah and Abinadi after the famous painting by A. Friberg

5. Is there a message in SOULFIRE you want readers to grasp? 

No matter what...stand for truth and righteousness at all time and in all things and in all places.

That is a powerful message, and one I certainly gleaned from the story!

6. What made you decide to write about this specific time period in the Book of Mormon— the reign of King Noah? Are there other Book of Mormon stories you’ve considered basing a novel around?

I've always loved the stories of the Book of Mormon. Several elements always intrigued me the most about this particular story. First of all I am amazed at Abinadi's willingness to die for truth, for Alma's conversion, and I've many times wondered about the women behind the men in the Book of Mormon. How might the Lord prepare the wife of a prophet. 

Yes, wouldn't it be something to meet some of those female heroines from the Book of Mormon? Zephenia is a strong character, and I loved reading her story.

7. I have to admit, Betsy, I couldn’t help but root for Gideon a little (he’s one of my favorite Book of Mormon characters!). Would you ever consider writing Gideon’s story or a sequel to SOuLFIRE in general?

I am actually working on a sequel to SOULFIRE. It follows the stories of Sari (Zephenia's sister) and Talani (the Lamanite princess). Gideon, of course plays a huge part in the story.

A sequel! I am so happy to hear that.

8. What is your favorite chapter or scene in SOULFIRE and why?

I cried when I wrote the scene where Zephenia witnesses Abinadi's death. I love it when Alma tells Zephenia of his conversion.

Ditto! That scene when Alma tells Zephenia of his conversion is wonderful.

9. What project are you working on now?

At the moment I'm developing the ideas for two stories that came to me during the writer's conference. Mostly just in the thinking process.

Thank you, Betsy, for being on my blog today! I so enjoyed your answers and look forward to your future books! 

You can find out more about Betsy and her books on her Facebook page (click here for link) and her website.

Interview with Tara Fuller, author of INBETWEEN

Today I am excited to have Tara Fuller, author of the KISSED BY DEATH series, on my blog. I picked up INBETWEEN, the first book, several weeks ago. Intriguing premise. Great pacing. Characters that jump of the page.

So, welcome Tara! Thank you for interviewing on my blog.

Tara, how did you come up with the premise for INBETWEEN?

Two things actually sparked the idea for INBETWEEN. One was a quote by Edgar Allen Poe about the boundaries between life and death and the other was a documentary I watched about reincarnation. These two things really got me interested in the concept of life after death and what would happen if two people fell in love that had that boundary dividing them.

I always love hearing about a story's early beginnings. Each character in INBETWEEN is unique; they felt so real to me! I especially enjoyed the contrast between Finn and Cash. Were either of their characters modeled after someone you know? If not, are any of your other characters?

I'm so glad you enjoyed the characters! They feel pretty real to me too most of the time, lol. Finn was not based on anyone I know. Finn is more the boy I wished I could have known when I was in high school. He's the boy that loves someone with everything he is and refuses to give up. I tended to date bad boys in school, so when I look back now, I wish I could have met a Finn. Parts of Cash were actually based on a boy that was one of my best friends through high school and college. I'll just call him W. He was your basic super hot bad boy and liked the ladies much like Cash, but despite his flaws, I could tell him anything and he always made me feel different and safe. Our relationship was a lot like Cash and Emma. We were sort of each others escape from the problems we had at home. Writing Cash was fun, because it really allowed me to reconnect with what my relationship had been like with W.

Now we're all curious about this mysterious "W" guy! What a fun tidbit about Cash's character. What books/authors inspire your writing, Tara?

I'm going to go with authors here, because I think as a writer, nearly every book I read inspires me in some way and helps me grow as an artist. Maggie Steifvater would probably be at the top of my list. My writing tends to be a bit lyrical, so I have always connected with and adored her writing style. Growing up I loved R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike's story telling abilities. And of course, Edgar Allen Poe. I think my love for his work has always played into the darker themes I choose to write about.

Can you share with us a favorite line or two of yours from INBETWEEN?

**Here is a line from Finn that I have always loved. In fact this entire scene is  one of my favorites in the book:

"They say the dead can’t sleep, can’t dream. But as I stood there lost with wanting, I couldn’t help but wonder when I was going to wake up."

**And here is another one of my favorite moments, the moment Finn and Emma officially meet:

I lay there for a few seconds, stunned by the feel of Emma’s solid warmth beneath me, the hectic swell of her lungs pumping against my chest. I was…touching her. Her sapphire-blue eyes stared back into mine. Our noses nearly touched. Her peppermint breath clung to my lips.

“You can see me,” I said, breathless.

“Of course I can see you.” Emma glanced over my shoulder, but she didn’t make a move. “Your face is practically touching my face. It would be kind of hard not to see you."

Ah, those are perfect. Thanks for sharing. What are you most passionate about, other than writing?

Reading. I am a book addict. I read 3-4 books per week on average, sometimes even more, lol.

3-4 a week? Go, Tara! Anaya’s character intrigued me, and I know she plays a more central role in the second book of your Kissed by Death series, BLURRED, that comes out this summer. Can you tell us a little more about her?

Anaya is a reaper for Heaven, and out of our trio of reapers, she is the oldest. She has been reaping for about a thousand years. She was from Egypt when she was alive. Anaya is a no-nonsense kind of girl. She's been collecting the dead for so long that she has almost forgotten what's it's like to be alive. She is very kind but very tough. At the time of her death she lost a lot, which played into the way she died, so she has been walking around the afterlife sort of numb for a very long time. Cash stirs something up inside her that throws her off, and you'll get to learn lots more about that in BLURRED, because the entire book is from Cash and Anaya's POV!

No-nonsense meets nonsense. I love it! Are you working on anything else right now?

Right now I am currently working on a New Adult book that will be a contemporary romance and I am also working on book three in the Kissed by Death series, which will be from Easton and a mystery girl's POV. I am also working on a contemporary adult series that I will be publishing under a pen name. The first book in that series will be out this summer.

Last of all, Tara, do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

My biggest piece of advice for aspiring authors is don't give up! You will be buried in rejection letters before you see the light that is publication at the end of the tunnel. Just remember  to keep going and take time to write everyday. Take every piece of advice you can get and run with it. Don't be afraid to re-write and re-write again. If you don't have a critique partner, get one. It will be one of the best things you could do for yourself as a writer. And last but certainly not least, read! Read everything you can get your hands one, because it will only make you better.

Great advice. "Don't give up" will be my chant when the going gets rough! Thank you, Tara, for taking the time to be on my blog today!

Author Interview with ELANA JOHNSON

Welcome, Elana Johnson, author of the popular dystopian trilogy Possession, Surrender, and Abandon! I recently read Possession and fell in love with Elana's characters, voice and vivid imagination. And I'm delighted to have her on my blog today!

Click on the following to find Elana's website, blog, Goodreads page and Facebook page.

Okay, Elana. Embarrassing moment. Go.

OH MY HECK – this just happened last week. I’d gone to California with my sisters, and we were walking along the pier. One of them ran into the railing, and we all laughed, and I told her that I tell my students that walking is an active activity. Blah blah blah, I’m telling them about it, and guess what?

I TRIP over my own feet.

The whole rest of the trip—and I’m sure my life—they were like, “Walking is an active activity.”

lol! That's hilarious. Sounds like something I would do!

Describe Possession in just three words.

Mind-control vs. free-choice (those are hyphenated, and only count as one!)

Awesome. I love the hyphenation! How did you come up with the premise for Possession?

I had just read UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld (back in 2007!) and I wanted to write a dystopian novel. I just needed the basis for my society. And I figured brainwashing would be a pretty good “Big Brother” to fight against.

So Elana, I, like many, fell in love with Jag, a bad boy with surprising depth (oh, he's swoon-worthy). How did you come up with Jag's character? Is he modeled after someone you know?

Jag’s not really modeled after someone I know, but he’s bits and pieces of a lot of people. I sort of like guys with dark hair and eyes, so I have a hard time envisioning my heroes any other way.

What I really wanted to do was created a “bad boy” who’s actually good. One without that dark past that the girl has to look beyond to find the jewels beneath. One that has many layers, sure, but not necessarily sordid.

He’s super-cocky in some situations, but I think that just adds to who he is. I hope!

What hidden talent do you possess besides writing? Come now, don’t be shy!

Paper crafting! I am killer with cards, scrapbook pages, cute boxes, etc. Fold it, stamp it, love it.

Psh, okay, it’s settled. You are coming to my house and helping me make something out of all that craft paper upstairs! Send some of your paper-crafting skills my way for the holidays (I need it). Character, setting or plot: which one is most important to you and why?

Character, for sure. I don’t care where something takes place, or even what happens. I want to connect with and care about a character. If an author can do that, I’ll go anywhere and do anything with them.

Ooo, I want to add that last line to my “quote of the day” widget! Well said. What are you reading now?

TEN by Gretchen McNeil. LOVE IT.

What project are you currently working on?

I am dabbling in YA contemporary. I haven’t been writing for a while because my story is still percolating. But I’m hoping to have it bubbling enough to write for NaNo. It’ll be about a boy who has to hide the fact that he’s homeless from the new girl at school who he’s fallen for—the same girl who lives in his old house.

The new girl at school who lives in his old house…and now he’s homeless and falling for her. I love it!

Last of all, do you have any advice to give aspiring authors?

Write a lot. Write what you love. Take critique. Write some more. Write what you love. Never give up.

Thank you so much, Elana! I look forward to reading more of your work in the future, starting with Surrender (click here) and then Abandon (coming out in 2013)!

What do you think? Would there be benefits to a society that had total control over our thoughts and actions? Consequences (I think yes!)? Read Possession to find out!