Author Spotlight: Interview with David McGowan

1. Quickly, give us the title and genre of your book and a 30-word or less tagline:

The Hunter Inside – A serial killer thriller with a supernatural twist, packed with suspense and psychological horror! Fast paced with real menace!

2. Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

Grown-ups who are not afraid of books with a little bit of the fear factor in them!

3. How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

It’s a tough one to answer, but I think it came about because of the fact that the characters in the novel are being stalked, or hunted, by someone or something that can get inside their heads. Therefore, the novel is about the hunter being inside the characters, and vice versa.

4. Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

My favourite character is Sandy Myers. She is the mother of twin boys, works, and is completely 100% focussed on her family and their futures. She is on the cover of the book!

5. How about your least favorite character?  What makes them less appealing to you?
There are several unsavoury characters in The Hunter Inside. Obviously, the evil and barbaric killer would be the least favourite of my characters, but you’ll find several to choose from!

6. If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be?  Why?

The opening. I think I found it pretty hard to write the opening as it was my first novel and I edited it so many times. I got to a certain point and it just seemed to click, and from then on I loved every minute!

7. Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

My novel is set in and around New York and New Jersey. Bizarrely, I’d never visited these places until after I’d finished the second draft of the novel!

8. What other books are similar to your own?  What makes them alike?
I’ve always been a big fan of Dean Koontz. I would say The Hunter Inside has a very Koontz-esque feeling to it. It is a real page-turner from page one, laden with suspense and excitement on every page. Everyone who’s read it has said they struggled to put it down!

9. Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

Wow, I wish I had time for hobbies! There aren’t enough hours in the day. I’m working two jobs, promoting The Hunter Inside as an indie author, and writing my second novel as we speak (currently almost 20 thousand words written).

10. How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

I have a website and author blog at http://davidmcgowanauthor.com, you can follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dmcgowanauthor, or you can visit The Hunter Inside’s Facebook page at http://facebook.com/thehunterinside.

11. What can we expect from you in the future?

My second novel, which I’m currently writing at a frantic pace (over 6 thousand words in the last three days!) is called From the Sky. It is about how a small town in Northern California is affected by the arrival of visitors from the sky, and how a band of characters must undertake a pilgrimage across land and over mountains to a destiny they are unsure of. It is very much influenced by Stephen King, and I’m sure some would say it’s almost like The Stand and Under the Dome rolled into one. If it’s even 1% as good as those two then I’m sure people will love it!

12. What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

Spread the word to your family and friends, on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Kindle forums – anywhere you can think of! Also, I am currently running a very special offer. If you read The Hunter Inside and like it, and post your review at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk and email me your details to gow2002@sky.com, you will receive From the Sky FREE when it is released!

13. Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

Why not consider self-publishing for Kindle and other tablet/reading devices? It’s a lot of work and really tough going at times, but the rewards are marvellous, it’s so enjoyable, and you will have complete control over your work and how it is represented. You’ll also get a better cut of the profits, and won’t be tied into any contracts! In the 21st century, the power has shifted from big publishers to individual authors, and it’s an exciting time to be a writer!

14. Is there anything else you’d like to say?

I would like to thank you so much for the opportunity to appear here, and say to anyone struggling to write – don’t give up! Check out my blog for some great tips and advice to help motivate you to get that novel written and out there and in the hands of readers.

15. And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

Okay! Here is the opening of the second section of The Hunter Inside:

It had been cold for a couple of weeks. Too cold for Connecticut at this time of year. The nights were like winter and the mornings always brought a frost that coated the ground and affected anybody who was forced to venture through it. Paul Wayans had been affected by this. He had never been a big fan of cold weather, and although he didn’t have to rise early in the mornings, the cold often kept him awake at night, yearning for the warmth of a wife to comfort him through to a warmer, sunnier day.

For five years he had hoped that day would come – the day when the torture of losing Marcie would be replaced with something other than depression – but each day he had felt the same chill that now bit at his joints and made getting out of bed difficult. The chill went further than his stiff fingers; it went all the way to his heart, and Paul did not think the sun would ever rise on that warmer day he envisaged. It was like a sailing boat that bobbed up and down on the horizon but never got any closer.

It was normally about eighty degrees at this time of year. The theory of global warming actually making the Earth hotter seemed to have by-passed New Jersey; the temperature hadn’t gotten above sixty for four weeks. Bill Arnold had been affected by this. The journey he had undertaken had been made ten times more difficult by the cold. Extra layers made it difficult for him to turn the wheel at any great pace and this, coupled with the effect of the early morning frost upon the roads, had made him fear being part of an accident not unlike the one he had witnessed as he returned to Glen Rock. It also made him wonder if he had made the correct choice of career.

It had affected Sandy Myers, who was finding it nearly as difficult to get herself out of bed as she was to rouse the children each morning. Sean and David’s reluctance to come to life each morning, and their subsequent disinclination to move away from the fireplace each day made her wish for sunny, warm mornings when the world seemed better and children wanted to play and everybody had an extra spring in their step. Sandy loved the sun.

Day after day the sun did not seem to want to shine though, and this had the same effect on Special Agent Sam O’Neill as it did on Sandy Myers. His bed was the only place he wanted to be, and he always wore the wrong clothes for the climate that he was by now starting to get used to. Things would be different if he had somebody to keep him warm at night and to give him advice on the clothes he chose each day, but the demands of murderers had put paid to his relationship with Louise after just six months of dating. Every day was now a bit of a challenge.

 
The being that was affected most by the cold snap of weather was the huge figure that stood in the shadows forty feet from the front door of Paul Wayans’ house, hidden by the darkness and crouching beside a tree that stretched about twenty feet into the air. The tree was something that he needed, as he was over eight feet tall, and his reason for visiting was not a friendly one. And he was a he – as he developed he felt more and more male. Testosterone flowed through him, especially on nights like this one, and despite being only half complete, his body told him he was male.

The cold had slowed him down and made his actions difficult to accomplish, sapping vital strength from his body and diminishing his strength; threatening his objectives with every minute that passed, and making him hungry to succeed and achieve his goals while he still could.

Everything had to be right. No mistakes could be made if he was to achieve his destiny.

This was something that the shadow constantly considered as the day passed and preparations were made, and while anybody else would have thought that Paul Wayans had decided to stay away from home, he knew differently. He had known exactly where Paul Wayans was, and had not been surprised when he saw him for the first time, walking up the road to the drive of the house and pausing, before finding the paper that was nailed to the door. Neither was the shadow surprised to see Wayans enter the house after removing and inspecting the message that he had prepared earlier in the day at some distance from his current location.

His dreams were not really dreams. Whether awake or resting, he saw these people going about their everyday lives. His head was a constant whirl of activity as he moved towards his goals.

He knew their names, addresses, even their thoughts.

He knew what their next move would be, but they didn’t know his.

They only knew what he wanted them to know. He was in control and determined; more determined every day, that the cold was not going to beat him.

Nobody would stop him.

Not now.

Paul Wayans was afraid. The shadow hiding behind the tree knew this and this was what he wanted. Wayans heart beat at twice the normal rate and this was a thing that brought strength to the figure, who remained in the same position, crouched at the base of the tree, waiting for Wayans to leave the house.

He fed off the fear of his intended victims, waiting for the time when it was at a peak, before taking them and taking their strength, their knowledge, their lives.

So far it had been easy. The people he needed to give up their lives had done so without too much of a fight. Now the time had come again, and now the urge was stronger. He was nearly complete, but fear was not enough to keep him strong for long. Tonight was definitely the night for him to feed again. He could not wait.

*****

Thank you David for taking part in my Author Spotlight interview! I hope your writing continues to flourish and we hope to see more of you in the future.
*****
If you or an author/illustrator you know is interested in being interviewed, feel free to send me an email at jejoescienne@yahoo.com

Jahrra's Journal: What I Discovered Today

The latest entry from Jahrra's Journal . . .

Dear Journal,

Today I learned mathematics with Master Hroombra.  I hate mathematics!  I thought it was going to be another boring lesson, but when Master Hroombra left me to add the numbers on my own I noticed a pile of paper in the great big fireplace.  I crawled closer and peeked in, hoping to see what the notes said, but the markings on the paper were so strange!  I picked up the one closest to me and tried to read it, but whoever wrote it used marks not at all like the ones Master Hroombra has taught me to read.  I know I should have put it back, but I kept it, tucking it away to put into my journal later.  Someday I’m going to figure out what it says, but for now, I’ll just look at the marks.  They are pretty in an odd way.

- Jahrra

The paper I found in Master Hroombra's fireplace.

Author Spotlight: Interview with Sierra Rose

1.  Quickly, give us the title and genre of your book and a 30-word or less tagline:

Celtic Evil: A Fitzgerald Brothers Novel: Roarke. It’s a paranormal romance. Magic, romance, five Irish brothers & the return of an evil Warlock begin the tale of the Fitzgerald brothers as Roarke returns home to face his past & save his future.

2.  How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

Not easily. This is probably the fifth title it had until I decided to play on the Celtic theme and it just fell into place after that. I think this title sounds better than ‘Danger on the Emerald Isle’ which was the original one.

3.  Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

That’s hard since each of the boys has his lovable traits and I know it should be Roarke since he’s the main one in this book but my favorite is Ryan. He started out in planning to be a totally different character than what he evolved into so. He’s just got something that makes you love him no matter if he is often brusque and too cocky for his own good.

4.  How about your least favorite character?  What makes them less appealing to you?

Can I have one of those? It may come as a surprise to those who have read my books in this series but if I have to pick a least favorite then it might be Mac. I think he’s a bit more serious than the others which also makes him a bit more difficult to write & he’s also the one brother whose past isn’t as clearly defined as his brothers.

5.  If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be?  Why?

Ian’s age. When I first planned and wrote the first two books in the series I didn’t count on how difficult it would be to manage an eighteen year old in a romance book so if I could redo I’d change that.

6.  Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

When I was first plotting these characters, the series was supposed to be set in the United States and be more of a cowboy themed series.

7.  Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

Not really. I collect comics and write fan fiction for the TV series Supernatural when not working on my regular stories.

8.  How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

I have a website(that really needs updated) at: http://sierra-rose-books.webs.com/

I also have a Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sierra-Rose/77103441425

The series also has a FB page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Celtic-Evil-A-Fitzgerald-Brother-Series/212147328035?v=wall

9.  What can we expect from you in the future?

Ryan’s book is nearly finished and so will be out soon. It was delayed from this year due to an illness my Mom suffered which kept me from giving the boys the attention they deserved.  Then Kerry and Mac will also have theirs out but I can’t say when. There’s also another action book in my S.E.A.L. Team Omega series in the works.

10.  Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

For readers, always give Indie authors a chance. You never know when you’ll find your next favorite author. For writers, just keep trying and never let anyone tell you that you can’t.

11.  Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Thanks for this opportunity and thanks to all the readers who have read the first two books in the Celtic Evil series for their support and patience while waiting for everyone’s favorite Irish gambler to get his book out.

12.  And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

Seeing the jumping beast from the corner of his eye, Roarke Fitzgerald waited until the last possible second to twist out of the way, but still felt the hot snarl pass him.

 “Jessica!” he had used the biggest portion of his remaining power to deflect the second beast who had been about to attack his friend.

The wind had deflected it but she had still fallen under a brief contact and had yet to move.

Chancing a quick look, he could tell she was breathing but bleeding from where her head had struck the path.

“Shit!” Roarke swore to himself, figuring he could handle one of these things if he kept his head and didn’t panic but knew he didn’t have the power to handle two and protect himself along with Jessica.

Making the only choice that he could, Roarke quickly diverted his most strength to shield his friend from any attacks since he knew that even one of the things could tear her apart within seconds.

“It’s me you want, you bloody demons!” he snapped, speaking directly to the large beasts. “You wanted me fifteen years ago. Well here I am, so take me!”

Throwing a hand out, blue energy shot from his fingers to strike both creatures but at his current levels, it was more of a taunt to get them to face him than to actually hurt them.

The first beast, the large of the two, seemed to snarl as it began to circle but the smaller one was still eyeing Jessica Hadley’s prone form.

* * *

Thank you Sierra for taking part in my Author Spotlight interview!  I hope your writing continues to flourish and we hope to see more of you in the future.
 *****
If you or an author/illustrator you know is interested in being interviewed, feel free to send me an email at jejoescienne@yahoo.com

Author Spotlight: Interview with Benjamin Andrews

1. Quickly, give us the title and genre of your book and a 30-word or less tagline:

Rift of Askrah Book 1: Fracture

A story of loss, recovery and change spanning across an entire world. An age of peace ends, and Nihlen Draven must understand his powers to win back his homeland.

2. How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

The title was born from the main points of the overall story. The “Rift” is the division between two nations, Draven and Rinh, which occupy the island known as Askrah. In ages past within this world, Askrah was a powerful nation that has ruled over every continent. The island of Askrah was also the location of the original nation known as Askrah. After a split though, it became two nations known as Draven and Rinh. A large portion of the story is about the past of this once powerful nation entering the world once again. There is a rift between these two nations, and the world requires a king of Askrah once more.

3. Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

It's an equal toss up between the main hero Nihlen, and another main character named Marina. Nihlen is the upstanding hero, who isn't afraid to stand up for what he believes in. Many of the most passionate scenes revolve around him. For Marina, it's her personality. Writing stuff with her is fun, because she's so strong about some things, yet just as weak for others.

4. How about your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?

Least favorite is probably Cal. He's surly, and prone to anger and outbursts. This is highly contradictory for my personality in real life, and that seems to translate into my feelings about this character.

5. If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be? Why?

I think it would be travel time. I set the different continents pretty far apart, and have had to do some creative changes in book 2 of this series to not be hindered by it. Thankfully with imagination any problem can be overcome, but it has made certain things difficult.

6. Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

The Rift of Askrah series was the second book idea I ever came up with. I spent a couple years when I was a young teen writing out the outline to the first series I ever created. When I finished though, I had the idea about the Rift of Askrah series. I developed it through high school and college, and decided it would be my pilot project. I'm keeping that first series under wraps until I decide it's time to write it.

Also, I've been writing another series along with the RoA series. It's called Into the Devil's Eden. This series is a hybrid between two stories I had brief ideas for after the completion of book 1 in the RoA series. It leans more into the science fiction realm. You can learn more about the creation of this new series on my blog.

7. Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

Since I seriously began pursuing writing, I haven't had a lot of free time for other hobbies. When I can get up the mountain I love snowboarding. I cook, do some artwork, and enjoy video games. I also write reviews for books and video games on my blog.

8. How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

You can check me out foremost on my blog: magicjarpublishing.blogspot.com

I'm also on Twitter, Facebook, and other websites. I'll save you some reading and let you know you can find them all from my blog.

Rift of Askrah Book 1: Fracture is available at:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rift-Askrah-Book-Fracture-ebook/dp/B0059XRUJW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1312617230&sr=1-1#_

 

9. What can we expect from you in the future?

You can expect quite a lot! With two series currently in development, and other ideas I have written down, I have no shortage of ideas for future books.

10. Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

Whether you're taking the traditional route, or are going independent, you just have to keep at it. Give each story everything you have, and keep writing even if sales aren't there. It takes a combination of time, luck, and skill to get anywhere as a writer. A vast majority of time, it doesn't happen over night.

11. Is there anything else you’d like to say?

I'd like to thank Jenna for the interview! Also, thanks to those who read all the way to the end. I hope you enjoy this book, and all those that come after it!

12. And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

This is a scene from an early chapter, just after Nihlen escapes confinement. His ability, the Eye of Kings has just manifested, and he is enthralled by its power.

            “Demon!” The man shouted, taking multiple steps back. He hadn’t made a sound during the entire conversation between Nihlen and Calden. Now that Nihlen’s attention was back on him though, he was quite alive again. He brandished his sword wildly, and it shook as he held it. “Stay back monster! I will kill you if you come any closer to me!”

            Nihlen put his hand up to his eye. “I don’t know what this is. Maybe I am a monster.” He said, as a smile slowly came upon his face. “And right now, I don’t care. You shout threats at me in your desperation, that clearly you can’t accomplish. This pursuit, and the fear, end here.”

            Nihlen quickly closed the distance between himself and the man. The man screamed in fright, trying to attack Nihlen with his sword. Nihlen easily caught the man’s arm though, and in one fluid movement, he smashed his other hand into the man’s forearm, shattering it.

            “Ugh!” the man cried out, dropping his sword, and falling to his knees. He cradled his arm, crying silently to himself.

            Nihlen reached down, and picked the man up by the throat. He rose him up slowly, until he was holding him above his head. The man pulled futilely at Nihlen's hand with his remaining good one. He chocked and sputtered as he gasped for breath, but to no avail. Nihlen reached towards the man’s belt, and drew his knife.

            “Nihlen!” a voice called from behind him. “Don’t do it! Please don’t do it!”

            It was Marina. Nihlen didn’t turn around, he continued holding the man, staring up at him, knife in hand.

            “These people came after us. It is only fitting they should meet the fate they were willing to visit upon us. That is the way of the world.” Nihlen said quietly, still not turning to see her.

            “That’s not the way…” Marina said. “That’s not what you said while we rode together today! You were outraged at things like this! Talking to you, I saw you weren’t a monster! The person I was talking to today would not kill an opponent when clearly he had already won! Let that man go, let him down and let him flee! He will not come after us again!”

            Nihlen stood silently. The feeling of calm detachment began to slowly disappear as she talked to him. His self awareness was returning, and he looked around at the carnage surrounding him. His clothes were stained with blood, and bodies were all around.

            What have I done? He wondered, feeling himself slipping into shock. I knew what I was doing… But at the same time it was all a blur. Like someone else was in control…

            Nihlen soundlessly dropped the man he was holding, and turned away from him, toward Marina.

Slowly her expression changed. A look of shock and fear began to appear on her face. Just as it had with the other men. Silently she stared at him, her mouth open slightly. Then, just as Nihlen opened his mouth to say something, Marina beat him to it.

Her blood curdling scream echoed through the night.

* * *

Thank you Benjamin for taking part in my Author Spotlight interview!  I hope your writing continues to flourish and we hope to see more of you in the future.
 *****
If you or an author/illustrator you know is interested in being interviewed, feel free to send me an email at jejoescienne@yahoo.com

Author Spotlight: Interview with Jake Elliot

1.  Quickly, give us the title and genre of your book and a 30-word or less tagline:

The Wrong Way Down is the first of a fantasy series with dark undertones.

Beginning with a temple being robbed of a powerful healing scepter, Priestess Popalia seeks to find the stolen artifact, but is instead pulled into the deep spiral of the underworld.

2.  How did you come up with the title of your book?

There is a critical point in the story where the heroes must make a decision while on the run. They picked the wrong way.

3.  Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

For the purpose of the first book, I would say Raenyl is my favorite. Raised in an orphanage, he is callous and cold, bitter and apathetic. In a world with multiple gods and goddesses, he is an Atheist. His life has been perpetuated by good luck and strong-will, or so he believes. I love the irony that by circumstance, fate chooses him as one of Popalia’s protectors.

4.  How about your least favorite character?  What makes them less appealing to you?

For the purpose of this kick-off novel, I don’t have a least favorite character. Even the villains I love greatly. But if I had to choose one character, I’d say Canon Shertlief is the one I like the least. He may be a very powerful man, but he lives in a tiny box where appearances are more important than achievements. His role is small in the first book; his greater role will play out as the series develops. In the end, I may like him more.

5.  If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be?  Why?

I’m not completely satisfied with chapter-one. I’m such a terrible perfectionist that I could nit-pick my book to death. That being said, there are a couple things in the first chapter that should have been placed a little further into the story.

6.  Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

The central character, Popalia, was originally written as a gnome named Popolo. That book version failed to sell, my guess is the twist was too campy, so I rewrote everything. The greatest alteration in the story was making Popolo ‘human’ and forcing the poor little guy through a sex change. In the end, it was the decisive factor in getting published. It was Popalia who opened the door for me. Who she is, and will become, is far superior to what Popolo was. I’m glad I made the sex-change for Popolo.

7.  Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

I collect scabs. Just kidding. I don’t really collect scabs, that is truly gross. Outside of writing, I can’t think of anything too unique about myself. I have a warped sense of humor, but I wouldn’t call it unique.

Oh, I know! I can fit my whole foot in my mouth, and I do it frequently. Again, not a unique skill.

8.  How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

The easiest way would be by going to jakeelliotfiction.com and leave me a message.

9.  What can we expect from you in the future?

I hope to continue to evolve as a writer. Although I write fantasy, I like having an edge that scrapes the boundaries of horror. The Wrong Way Down has only small traces of horror within its cover, but the sequel, currently named ‘Crossing Lo’Lyth’s Grave,’ should be quite terrifying.

10.  Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

Tips for readers, please– keep reading. My book may not be the right fit for you, but don’t give up looking for the book that speaks to you. Obviously, the survival of our art depends on readers. When you read a book that is good, please tell others.

As for potential authors, don’t give up. Revise, revise and revise; eventually you will refine your story to where it is marketable – unless you give up first. (The Wrong Way Down was completely re-written 3 times, and then revised four more times before it was accepted by Damnation Books. The story has only got better each time.)

11.  Is there anything else you’d like to say?

I’m really glad I chose to be a writer instead of try to become a superhero. When I was younger I was too scrawny to ever look good in yellow tights, and now that I’m older, fighting evil-doers takes way too much effort.

12.  And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

“No, we didn’t break in to steal trinkets,” Thorgen answers, nodding toward the altar. “That is the prize, there. Are you ready to do your part?”

Atop the marble surface, two silver prongs have been crafted into feminine hands. Resting between the thumbs of silver lay a black-handled scepter. The shaft of the rod appears reflective like obsidian. The treasure is crowned with four golden prongs, each ribbed with platinum. In the very center and planted within the golden head, a diamond the size of a walnut twinkles in the candlelight.

Katia reaches into a dark-stained pouch tied at her belt, withdrawing a small looking-glass and three small iron rods. These were the most important tools of her trade. If their prize was protected by traps, she would find and remove each of them. Gingerly, she walks into the room, mindful of where she places her feet. In her line of work, assumptions often ended poorly, if not fatally.

She holds the looking glass behind each tile before stepping to the next one. With relative quickness, she moves closer to the altar, one tile at a time. Two long paces from the altar, she sensed a change and a deep fear tickles her spine.

There’s no natural air movement in the room. Upon entering the room, she’d seen the holes in the ceiling set to release smoke and heat from the room, but they were too small to change the air flow. The candles’ flames did not waver, yet the smoke from the incense began lashing aggressively above the black and gold rod.

She stands up as soft wisps of sweet smoke draw together, appearing firm and solid. The smoke forms into a sharp face, wisps curling where cheekbones end. Materializing above the altar, a smoking chin and cruel lips hover in the air. Hollow holes instead of eyes fix upon her.

Stopping cold, she stares at the magical warding before shooting a desperate look to her partner. Knowing nothing about magic traps, her eyes express how this is beyond her ability.

“Just grab it and let’s go!” Thorgen ordered.

To return empty-handed would mean no protection from their employer. Her partner killed the monk, affording her no choice but moving forward with the heist. With retreat no longer an option, she damns caution and takes two steps closer.

Her partner signals to snatch and run. The smoke hardens solid as granite. Rows of predatory teeth linger behind sneering lips. Evil teeth grin– daring her to try. Hoping to snatch the scepter from between silver hands before losing her own arms up to the elbows, she swipes her prize like a snake would strike, lifting the rod from off its holder.

* * *
Thank you Jake for taking part in my Author Spotlight interview!  I hope your writing continues to flourish and we hope to see more of you in the future.
 *****
If you or an author/illustrator you know is interested in being interviewed, feel free to send me an email at jejoescienne@yahoo.com

Why You Should Appreciate a Bad Review . . .

Whenever I’m considering spending big money (when I say big money, I mean more than five dollars; let’s face it, in this new and glorious world of ebooks and indie authors, I’ve become a little spoiled with the lower prices for novels) on a book that looks interesting, I always do a few things first.  Right off the bat, I check out the tags to see if the novel contains the elements I am looking for in a good story.  If it does, then I read the synopsis (if it is offered).  Finally, I check out some of the reviews - the worst ones and the best ones.  I’m sure all of us read at least one bad review, because we want to know what was so awful about the book.

I was lucky.  My first bad review (one star) wasn’t really all that bad at all.  It was only a few sentences long, and the only negative thing the reader had to say was that my story was more for a ‘very young teen’.  They were absolutely right.  My first book is definitely geared more towards the middle-grade demographic. 

Often, the ‘bad’ review points out something I myself wouldn’t enjoy.  But sometimes the reviewer didn’t like a certain character trait and maybe that is just what I’m looking for in a character.  More often than not, I’ll steer clear of books with too many one or two star reviews, but occasionally I’ll keep coming back if the other elements prove tantalizing.  In fact, this happened with a book series I now consider one of my favorites.  I had read the bad reviews, telling myself in the back of my head that the book would be terrible and I would regret buying it.  But I looked over the reviews again and realized that what this particular reviewer considered horrendous was really no big deal to me.  Boy am I glad I went ahead and read the books!

So, if you are a writer, here are a few things to consider when those one and two star reviews pop up (and I’m sure you’ve heard some of this before, but it never hurts to hear it again):

1. Don’t panic!  Yeah, it stinks to get a bad review, but not everyone is going to love your books.  If you do a search of your favorite books, you will find at least one person who absolutely loathed them.  When you get that dreadful review, carefully read what that person had to say and decide if it is something you can use to your advantage in your next book projects.

2.  I know this is going to sound crazy, but: be grateful!  What I try to do when I get those negative reactions to my books is to thank the person (if possible) for giving my book a try.  It’s not always easy to write a negative review because you know some feelings might get hurt, so try to keep an open mind (after the sting passes, of course).

3. Move on.  Don’t dwell on the negative review and convince yourself you cannot write (and I know I fall victim to this all the time, just on my own).  If your story comes from your heart, and it is where you want it to be, don’t let the naysayers get you down.  Push on and get to the next book that is waiting to be written.  We are writers, and for most of us, we cannot exist without writing, whether our stories make us millionaires, bring us fame or become the next great American novels.  We write because we must, and we will not let someone else’s opinion influence us otherwise.

Now, if you are a reader, here are some reasons why you should not consider a one or two star review necessarily bad:

1.  A review is the reflection of another person’s opinion.  Just because I think mushrooms taste awful, doesn’t make it true (though I’m pretty sure I’m right here . . .).  Maybe you think mushrooms are the most delicious food ever (ewww . . .).  Well, I think you get my point ;).  Just because someone else thought a book was the worst piece of literature ever written, doesn’t mean you will feel the same way.

2.  One person’s trash is another’s treasure . . .  Like I said before, negative reviews can be packed full of tidbits that might actually appeal to you.  Maybe they didn’t like the book because the characters were too wordy (hey, I love dialogue!) or the female protagonist was too independent (I love strong female characters!) or that they relied too much on magic to defeat the antagonist (magic is okay by me) . . . I’ve found quite a few good books this way: by reading the negative reviews and recognizing the elements that I liked.

3.  Effort.  Yes, effort.  I can count on two hands the number of times I’ve browsed through the negative review section of a book, only to have my brain trip every time I spotted a grammatical error in someone’s review.  And I’m by no means a grammatical genius.  I make spelling errors and the like just as much as everyone else.  However, when someone writes a review and it is absolutely riddled with missing punctuation and spelling errors, I reconsider their worth as a legitimate reviewer. 

Also, I’ve read reviews where the reviewer simply goes on a tirade about how terrible the book is, dropping insult after insult about the author.  In my opinion, that is just rude and uncalled for.  It is perfectly possible to write a negative review without attacking the author’s character (their characters maybe, but not their character).  I’m a big believer in common courtesy, even in the written world, and reviews that show none at all get ignored in my book.

 Hopefully this brings some encouragement to my fellow indie authors, and perhaps the readers out there will give those negative reviews a second glance.  In conclusion: writers, keep on writing no matter what is said about your books and readers, keep on reading and don’t let those one star reviews make up your mind for you.   

Why should I read an Indie Book?

     Why should I read an indie book?  Well, I can think of several reasons, but here are just a few to get you started:

     First of all, why shouldn’t you read an indie book?  Yes, it’s true that anybody with a computer, word processing program and an internet connection can self-publish, but is it not also true that anyone with a webcam can become the next best internet sensation overnight?  And there are plenty of videos out there that were created with a simple click of a mouse followed by a few wacky dance moves that have proved to be entertaining.  Heck, how many of those videos simply involve pets portraying their every day, normal behavior?

     So, what’s my point exactly?  Just because an author has gone the non-traditional route (they haven’t found an agent or publishing company to mass produce their book) doesn’t mean they are not talented.  In fact, I have read several traditionally published, main-stream books that haven’t met my expectations.  Yes, some of them just weren’t the right genre for me but some of them were simply awful.  Will you stumble upon some indie books that make you feel the same way?  Yes, you will, and I have as well.  However, for every indie book you cast to the wayside because it just wasn’t your cup of tea, you’ll more than likely find one that makes you stand up and shout, “Eureka!”  Some of my newest favorite authors are independent writers.  But now that I’ve found them, will I completely shun the traditional authors I once loved so well?  Nonsense!  Of course I’ll eagerly await their next novels and pay the more expensive price, but now I have great reading material coming from another source as well.

     That brings me to the next reason why you should give indie books a try: the price!  Who isn’t looking for lower costs on luxury items these days?  Yes, books are a luxury (in my case, a necessity), and independent authors tend to charge far less than the big publishing companies (at least when it comes to ebooks), and often times they host giveaways and offer coupons for free books. 

     The best places to find these ebook deals is on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com and smashwords.com.  Smashwords has the added bonus in that when you purchase an ebook you have several formats to choose from, so if you don’t have a Kindle or a Nook you can still download your new book onto your ereading device.  Before I got my Kindle, I was reading ebooks on my laptop.

     Finally, one more wonderful thing about independent books is the editing.  No, I’m not saying they are all flawlessly edited (I’ve caught typos in text books before, as well as indie books), what I mean is that by publishing independently, authors have the freedom to write the story exactly how they want to write it.  I don’t know how many times I’ve finished a traditional book and thought to myself, “Wow, that plot had real potential but it never really left the ground . . .”  Has this ever happened to you?  You finish a book but feel the plot was predictable or the characters were flat?  You realize that it would have been a whole lot better if only more of the details would have been left in. 

     Fortunately, indie authors have that option; they decide whether or not if Character A needs to have that extra conversation with Character B.  Maybe it seems a little excessive, but I personally enjoy more meat to my stories.  Too often the heart of a book is sacrificed in order to create an end product that will be more marketable.  It reminds me of movie previews that make me say, “That looks like a really good movie!” only to be terribly disappointed when, after I’ve seen the movie, I realize all the worthwhile scenes were portrayed in the preview.

     So, hopefully as ebooks and ereaders become more and more accessible in this age of advancing technology, you’ll take a chance and give an independent author a try.  You never know, you may end up discovering the next best book to add to your collection.