Tag: Young Adult

Swift Six Character Interview – KaLeah Trapper #Fantasy

Swift Six Character Interview

Character Name: KaLeah (Kah-Lee-Ah) Trapper

Which book/world do you live in? I live in Belarone Kingdom on Planet Naldash, that was once inhabited by dragons.

Tell us about yourself: My father taught me to fight and hunt, although none of the other village girls can do these things. I am happiest in my single, undisturbed, and routine life. All I want is to get back to the life I have always known.

What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses? I am very stubborn and determined in my focus to fight and be generally unladylike. I’m very protective, much to my surprise, and end up saving a very important person multiple times (even though this person annoys the spirits out of me).

Name three important people/creatures/institutions in your world (such as lovers, pets, government institutions, leaders, gods etc). I grew up on the far edges of Belarone Kingdom, ruled by the king, his sons, and daughter. I never thought much about the royal family until they enslaved me in their castle. All I want is to find my father and go back to our small village. Our world was once inhabited by dragons, and they have annoyingly started speaking to me. Growling, more like.

What does ‘heroism’ mean to you? I used to only see the king’s men as heroes, but now… my view has changed. I didn’t feel like a hero, at least, I didn’t volunteer to be one. I guess it just means seeing someone as worth saving and making decisions to keep them out of danger.

What do you think of your ‘creator’? The dragons came first, but I didn’t believe in them until they started haunting me. I was more frustrated than frightened. I know I should be afraid of the creators, like everyone else is.

Give us your favourite piece of advice: If you stop fighting, you die. So, for dragon’s sake, keep fighting.

Links to book

https://amzn.to/3BTMN4z – Book 1

https://amzn.to/3BPVfBI – Trilogy

Swift Six Author Interview – Elizabeth Morris #Fantasy #YoungAdult

https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/

 Name: Elizabeth Morris

Please introduce yourself (250 words or so): Hi! My name is Elizabeth or Liz for short. I currently am 23 years young and I love to write. I grew up all over northern Virginia but now I will be traveling from Texas to Wyoming to live and work temporarily. I have three siblings, two older than me and one younger, so I am the middle child. I have four handsome nephews whom I adore. I also have four cats at my Virginia home, one of which is my fur baby and I miss him dearly. My hobbies include (besides writing) reading, playing on my Nintendo Switch, going on nature walks, and scrapbooking. I love to listen to music and play board games. I graduated from an online high school when I was 16, then started college at 17. I graduated from Southern New Hampshire University in 2020 with my Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and English. My favorite season is winter, favorite color is purple, and favorite food is sushi. One thing people might not know about me is that I am schizophrenic and have been since I was a teenager.

Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short): My books are called Tiger’s Blood and Rise of the Rebels. They are a young adult-teen fantasy series about shapeshifters called Bloods.

When did you start your writing adventure? What was the inspiration for it? I started my writing adventure when I was in middle school. I was around 12 when my English teacher told me that my writing was amazing and I could write a book. Around that same time I had a dream that I was a human who could shapeshift into a white tiger which is my favorite animal. I took that dream and created my first character, Kira. A lot of the inspiration for my first book Tiger’s Blood came from dreams and the people who I surrounded myself with like friends and family.   

What writing plans do you have for the future? I plan on finishing my Blood of the Beast series, currently on book 3 out of 5 for my series. I would like to do a prequel to the series after I finish book 5. I would like to branch out and write more books involving the universe that is set in my current series. I’d also like to write a children’s book when the time comes.

What do you like to read? I mostly like to read fantasy books. I’m starting to read more indie books so I can support other indie authors like myself. My favorite book series is A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin. I have one of his book quotes tattooed on my arm.

What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you’d started your writing adventure? A piece of advice I wish I had is “write first, edit later.” I was so caught up in trying to make my book perfect that I lost touch with my writing. That’s why I always write my story first then edit when it’s complete. If you’re not enjoying what you are writing then you are doing it wrong.

 

Author bio and book synopsis

Bio: Elizabeth Morris graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University in 2020. Her first book Tiger’s Blood she self-published in 2016 when she was 17 years old. She loves her cats and her family. She is currently working on the Blood of the Beast series and finds inspiration through music, nature and traveling.

Synopsis: In the world of Bitotem live mysterious creatures called Bloods. Bloods are half animal and half human shapeshifters. After the death of her younger sister and disappearance of her father, a young White Tiger Blood named Kira sets off on a difficult journey to the Lion Blood Kingdom to murder King Andrew Kingsley for killing all of the Tiger Bloods left on Bitotem. She remains the last living Tiger Blood. On her expedition, she befriends Noah, a Wolf Blood, Ethan a Lion Blood and Chase an Eagle Blood.

 

Links/Social media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.morris.1401/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizlovestowrite/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizlovestowrite

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18473321.Elizabeth_Abigail_Morris

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lizlovestowrite

Tiger’s Blood: https://books2read.com/u/49lR7d

Rise of the Rebels: https://books2read.com/u/mKRRBB

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Guidal – Blog Tour #YA #Dystopian #Fantasy

The Guidal: Discovering Puracordis

The Guidal Book 1

by Roxy Eloise

Genre: YA Dystopian Fantasy

In a future where the mention of magic is banned, one paranoid man rules the entire country.

Adopting children to become his private bodyguards, they are raised together in a strict institute where sixteen-year-old Aurora struggles to follow the rules. Finding herself disciplined often, she doesn’t particularly like her endless life of servitude.


Soon, she will have to take part in the institute’s annual Unity ceremony where she could end up engaged to a complete stranger!

Aurora’s fears of being different are realised when she discovers something about herself, something which will make most fear her, and her adoptive father will want her killed for.

Friends, bullies, and a touch of something magical, Aurora’s first year in the grown-ups’ quarter is far from ordinary.

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Roxy Eloise is a successful participant of Pitch Wars held quarterly on Twitter. During this event, she created a pitch that stood out from the hundreds of thousands, landing herself a traditional publishing contract.

Her debut novel, The Guidal: Discovering Puracordis, is the first in a 3-book series. Coming April 2022, this exciting new novel was inspired by a dream. Roxy writes the stories she really wants to read. If she finds it boring to write, she’ll find it boring to read, so she’ll always make sure her novels are binge-worthy! Her favourite place to write is in bed with country music and a hot drink. On the weekends, you’ll find her out walking her dog, filming videos for YouTube, or spending time with her family.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Youtube * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$20 Amazon

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Swift Six Character Interview – Dorcas #YoungAdult

Swift Six Character Interview

Character Name:  Dorcas

Which book/world do you live in?

“I’s is livings in the lifer world with the Cracklocks.  They’s is my friends, and I has beens with them for a longs time now.”

Tell us about yourself:

“I is a Brownie, or ‘nim’, if’s you is using the olds way of speaking.  We is considered to be ones of the most helpful faeries; we’s help out in the home and looks after the family in returns for a little food. I’s been helping the Cracklock family for many years.  Hundreds of years, if the truths be told.  I’s cooking and cleaning and helping’s to look after the children’s.”

What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

“Oh, you’s! I is not boastings about me, you silly! I’s not one for tattle telling stories.  But if you’s is insisting, my weaknesses is cakes.  Big cakes and biscuits.  Looks at my belly!  It is too bigs, but its has saves me’s before.  When the redcaps came, they’s spears couldn’t get through my blubber guts.  So Elsie says.  I’s don’t let it slows me down none, anyhow, beings a bit bigger.  Everyone should’s be happy with how’s they are, I is thinking. And if you’s is big like me’s, then all good’s.  It show’s you is loving life’s.

For my’s strength, it has to be’s my loves for the little ones. The children.  I’s not letting anyones harm thems whilst I is in charge.  You see’s this rolling pin? Granny gaves it to me.  Come’s back when you summons it.  And I is pretty good with it; many a beastie and bumper it has whacked.  I is not havings no bullying of my charges, I can tell’s you. Anyone is trying that, then they is getting a thumping.”

Name three important people/creatures/institutions in your world (such as lovers, pets, government institutions, leaders, gods etc).

“This is difficult’s for me to answer.  There are many importants things to keep an eyes out for.  The Seelie and Unseelie Courts; they is not liking us mixing withs the lifers.  But they makes some exceptions for the Cracklocks, particularly of Bartholomew’s line.  The others are too bads to mention.  I’s is loving my adopted family; Jacksie my sweets boy, Elsie my old friends who’s I lives with before and poor Sammy, who’s can’t see the Fae like the others cans.  And we is trying to find David for a long time now; I is hoping that we can save’s him soon. Also, now’s I has a boyfriend too’s!  Gnorbitts is nice, but he sometimes drinks too much beers.  Especially when he is being with Popple.  Those twos are bad influences on each other.  Such a mess they’s is leaving; last times they burned popcorns on the stoves, and left it for me’s to tidy.  I makes them get up even though they have hurty heads and cleans it all up.  Or they is in much troubles.”

What does ‘heroism’ mean to you?

“I is no hero, dearies.  I just does what needs to be done.  And if I has to crack noggin’s to do’s it, then I does.  Like that Lisovyk monster, well, there was no ways it was going to eat Jack and Jimmy’s now, was there?  Or that Jailer in the Catacombs.  He was a nasty man; too nasty, treating the Faes like that.  He was gettings what he deserved, and no mistakings.  I is not standing for it; my’s family is what is importants and old Dorcas isn’t having no nonsense where they’s is concerned.”

 What do you think of your ‘creator’?

“Mister Deegans? Oh, he is alrights, I is thinking. Blathers about a bits when he’s is writings us up; we’s is having to give him a poke sometimes in the night to make him write faster; puts some ideas in that mushpot of his.  But he is nice; he is trying his hardest we is knowing, and we’s helps him where we can’s.”

 Give us your favourite piece of advice:

“You’s should stay away from the other Cracklocks.  They is bad Cracklocks; tainted with evil.  They’s is killing Fae just because they’s is not understanding us.  I is having nothings to do withs them, and you’s shouldn’t neither.”

 

Links to book

I is in the Cracklock Saga books.  There is threes of them now and Mister Deegan has finished the fourth and is writings the fifth.  You’s can find them at:

Book 1:  Fae or Foe?        https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09G9RNMMS

Book 2:  The Lost and the Departed.  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KNDM9YZ

Book 3:  Alice and the Mirror Glass.   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QJ2TV9S

I is in all of them’s.  And I’s is getting in some right scrappy scraps, I’s can tell you!

 

The Electic Girl – Blog Tour, Giveaway and Guest Post #Fantasy #YA

The Electric Girl
by Christine Hart
Genre: YA SciFi Fantasy, Magic Realism
Polly Michaels is trying to forget that her mom has cancer. She keeps busy at school and plods through a normal social life. Until a freak electrical storm and a unicorn appear in the orchard next to her house.
Sy’kai wakes on an orchard floor to the smell of rotting cherries and wet earth. She doesn’t know where she is-or what she is-but she knows something is hunting her.
Polly recruits her friends to find the mysterious creature she saw from her window while Sy’kai, a confused shape-shifting endling from another dimension tries to piece her mind back together. Once the human girls find Sy’kai (whom they nickname Psyche) the mystery unravels and the danger facing all of them comes into focus.
A gritty struggle ranges throughout the girls’ rural hometown and in the wild terrain around it. All while two questions hang over their heads. Can an alien deliver a miracle for a human mother? Can a group of teens defeat an interdimensional demon?
Located on BC’s beautiful West Coast, I write from my suburban home outside Vancouver. I love writing about places and spaces with rich history and visually fascinating elements as a backdrop for the surreal and spectacular.
In addition to my undergraduate degree in writing and literature, my background also includes corporate communications and design. I am a current member of the Federation of BC Writers and SF Canada.
When not writing, I have a habit of breaking stuff and making stuff – in that order – under the guise of my Etsy alter-ego Sleepless Storyteller. I share my eclectic home and lifestyle with my metalworking husband, dancing daughter, and future rocket scientist son.
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$25 Amazon

Writing YA Novels as a Pop Culture Fan

Many of us have been binging all our old favourite TV shows and movies over the past year. So, we’re not surprised to see nostalgia making its way into the novels of 2021. Today, author Christine Hart is sharing the scoop on all the pop culture influences that shaped her new book, The Electric Girl.

 

Christine, can you tell us a bit more about the role pop culture plays in this novel?

So many people have a love/hate relationship with pop culture, but the older I get, the more I realize that I should be writing what I want and drawing inspiration from what I truly like. Rather than trying to be a literary author, I’ve embraced genre fiction – and it feels like the right choice for me. And with The Electric Girl, setting a story in the 1980s was an irresistible opportunity to infuse my worldbuilding with the pop culture of the time.

 

Which movies and television shows influenced this story?

The most obvious first influence is The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle – both the book and movie, drawing on the idea of a unicorn becoming a girl. When I picture Psyche opening portals to another world, I can’t help but remember the inter-dimensional doors opened by Philip Pullman’s The Subtle Knife.

I also believe the nebula imagery and the concept of an alien that exists primarily in astral form comes from my days watching Star Trek: The Next Generation every day after school. I also watched a lot of Twin Peaks and I’ve always loved David Lynch’s ability to be delightfully bizarre just for the sake of it.

Most recently, getting addicted to Stranger Things, and combing through old toys and games that I saved for my children surprised me by having the power to evoke both memories and positive emotions.

 

Do you see The Electric Girl ever being made into a movie?

I have a very clear picture of the story in my mind, mostly because I used my hometown of Vernon, BC for the real-world side of things.

If The Electric Girl could become a movie, I’d like to see it done with as much historical authenticity as possible. I tried my absolute best to make my readers feel like they’ve been drawn into 1988. So that’s what I’d want from a movie as well.

But at the end of the day, I’m a pragmatist at heart. I used to indulge in daydreams about one of my novels getting an upgrade to film format. Now, 40-something me knows it’s not very likely, so I don’t think about it as much.

To keep the retro 80s fun going, Christine has put together a playlist including a handful of songs and bands mentioned in the story.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Oibmyx7Wmu9X1vFPOPQgd

 

 

 

 

Everything Somewhere – Blog Tour and Giveaway

Everything, Somewhere
by David Kummer
Genre: Contemporary YA Fiction
The power of memories.
Little Rush is a sleepy town on the Ohio River. Bruce Michaels is a renowned Hollywood actor. The two should never cross paths, yet one summer everything changes. The actor, haunted by demons, chasing a ghost. The town, unaware. Until the two collide.
Hudson, Willow, and Mason are high school seniors with very different upbringings, but all on the verge of adulthood. As the sun sets on their final summer, questions abound. Will they ever leave the town? Is there a future here? As their plans waver, time is running out.
The struggle of mental illness.
As he loses his friends and sinks deeper into depression, Hudson forms an unlikely bond with the actor, Bruce Michaels. But the old man is a ticking time bomb. As Hudson relies on him more, the danger to them both grows.
When dark secrets are revealed, Hudson must confront the truth about his idol and himself. Bruce Michaels isn’t who he seems. Hudson is nearly lost. And in the end, they may be more similar than different.
The search for meaning.
Different paths, converging in a web of alcohol, fights, and romance. Worlds collide one summer in Anywhere, USA. The question is who will make it through.
My name is David Kummer. I’m a young writer who leans towards horror, mystery, dystopian, and young adult fiction. I live in Madison, Indiana, a small town on the Ohio River, with lots of history and settings around here that influence my books. You can see tons about my hometown in my novel, EVERYTHING, SOMEWHERE.
I always answer whenever readers email me, so reach out or check out my blog at https://davidkummer.com. I’ve got a handful of books for you to choose from, all of them inexpensive. Reviews and shares are super appreciated.
You may have read some great authors before and some fascinating books, but you’ve never had an experience like this. Try something and let me convince you.
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$20 Amazon

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The Adventures of Marisol Holmes – Blog Tour – YA Paranormal

A Study in Shifters
The Adventures of Marisol Holmes Book 1
by Majanka Verstraete
Genre: YA Paranormal
“The game is afoot.”
Seventeen-year-old Marisol Holmes wants to live up to the family legacy; after all, she is the great-great-great granddaughter of Sherlock Holmes. What’s more Holmesian than a grisly murder? The Conclave, an underground organization of detectives solving supernatural cases, is giving her just one chance to catch a killer and join them. After all, as a half-blood jaguar shifter, Marisol is uniquely qualified to solve this murder—since every scrap of evidence points toward the culprit being a fellow jaguar shifter.
“There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.”
There’s more to this than just evidence. Is one of her own people really involved, or is this all a ploy to kick Marisol’s mother off the shifter throne?
When Marisol discovers her handsome best friend, Roan, is missing, she realizes Roan may be the killer’s next target. The stakes just got higher than political intrigue.
“When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
Just when things couldn’t get worse, Marisol’s ex-boyfriend-turned-nemesis, Mannix, starts leaving sinister clues for her. In her last case, Mannix broke her heart and ruined her case, and Marisol isn’t sure which is worse. Marisol fears this case too might be far more personal than she could’ve imagined.
“Elementary.”
It’s time for Marisol to prove her worth, or her people could fall into chaos while her best friend loses his life.
This book is perfect for fans of: shapeshifters, steampunk, paranormal, high school drama, teen romance, Sherlock Holmes and deadly intrigue.
The Sign of the Serpent
The Adventures of Marisol Holmes Book 2
“I really could not put down The Sign of the Serpent, and I cannot help myself loving Marisol more and more each page.” – Am Kinda Busy Reading
Meet Marisol Holmes: High School Student, jaguar shifter, and great granddaughter of Sherlock Holmes. She’s solved countless supernatural cases, but her next one’s the hardest yet. Why?
Marisol is about to lose her heart.
Two days ago, terrible events shattered the very foundation of the Conclave. Now, Marisol Holmes swears she’ll stop at nothing to destroy the man she once loved: her arch nemesis, Mannix.
But when a cryptic clue left by Mannix leads Marisol to a secret room that once belonged to her father, she realizes that hunting down Mannix won’t be that easy. If she wants to catch him, she’ll have to retrace the steps of her own past and discovers secrets that might have been best left buried.
When the hunt for Mannix brings Marisol to London, she teams up again with Roan and Wyatt on a quest for the truth that leads her through the dark alleys of London, to shady shifter pubs, to libraries cloaked in magic, and eventually to an abandoned castle in Scotland that once belonged to her family.
But Mannix is as sadistic as he’s smart. At every turn, Marisol and her friends face harsh truths and deadly puzzles and risk their lives to uncover a past that should stay buried. With the stakes getting higher and Marisol’s attraction to Roan growing, can Marisol deny what she truly wants, even if it puts her new love on a collision course with her villainous ex?

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The Wolf of the Baskervilles
The Adventures of Marisol Holmes Book 3

Marisol Holmes, great-great-granddaugther of Sherlock Holmes and jaguar shifter, is being held captive in a castle belonging to her mortal enemy Mannix, surrounded by people who want her dead. Meanwhile, Mannix’s sidekick Indra is roaming around, pretending to be Marisol.

The more Marisol learns about Mannix’s plans, the more she realizes she has to stop him at all costs. Underneath the castle is an underground labyrinth filled with riddles that were once solved by her famous ancestor, Sherlock Holmes. The labyrinth holds the powers of ancient mythological creatures, similar to the power held by the Sigils.

Mannix having access to the might of the legendary wolf Fenrir is bad enough, but to allow him access to other, similarly magnificent powers, is a recipe for disaster.

Marisol will have to do whatever it takes to stop Mannix, even if it means risking her own life.


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Author Majanka Verstraete has written more than twenty unique works of fiction. A native of Belgium, Majanka’s novels explore the true nature of monsters: the good, the bad, and just about every species in between. Her young adult books include the acclaimed Mirrorland (YA Dark Fantasy) and Angel of Death (YA Paranormal) series of novels. At MHB, Majanka is currently developing a new YA shifter series with a fresh take on fierce female detectives called THE ADVENTURES OF MARISOL HOLMES.
When she’s not writing, Majanka is probably playing World of Warcraft or catching up with the dozens of TV series she’s addicted to.
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

The Vault of Kings Blog Tour – YA Fantasy

A Light in the Darkness
The Vault of Kings Book 1
by Matt Taylor
Genre: YA Fantasy
For ten years, the dark mage Maelos has shrouded Evendreil in darkness and oppression. With no hope in sight, many are struggling to survive; others pray that their luck will remain. In searching for answers, Sylas stumbles upon an ancient artifact–a mysterious silver amulet–that confirms the reality of the fabled Vault of Kings. Hoping to overthrow Maelos and end his evil reign, Sylas and his companions set off to find the legendary elemental stones of power that are needed to unlock the door to the vault. If they are to succeed in their quest, they must first learn to master the ancient art of Magick in all of its basic forms: Light, Darkness, Water, Fire, Nature, and Air. Then they must pray that whatever secret is contained in the Vault of Kings will be enough to give them the edge that they need to defeat the most powerful dark mage that the world has ever seen.
Alliance
The Vault of Kings Book 2
Gelendor has fallen. Darkness has descended once again. Despite the danger, Torren has decided to stay in Gelendor to try and form a secret rebellion while the others make their journey towards Sindmyr, the Capital of Light. Once there, Sylas and Samara will need to convince the King of Sindmyr to join their cause and fight back against the armies of Maelos. To be successful, the two young mages will not only need to continue to master the ancient art of Light Magick, but also uncover an ancient secret that has been hidden away beneath the City of Light for generations. A secret that could prove deadly to any who attempt to wield it. Most importantly, Sylas will need to prove that he is worthy to obtain the Stone of Light and unite it with the ancient silver amulet. With two Elemental Stones of power at his side, Sylas will bring himself one step closer to completing the key to the Vault of Kings. One step closer to unlocking the powerful secret that’s been hidden from the world for over a thousand years. Gelendor has fallen to Darkness, but in the Light…there is still hope.
I’m a small town boy from Southeast Idaho. I’ve wanted to share my stories and wild imagination with the world for a long time, and finally decided that now is better than never. I have loved reading fantasy books ever since I was little, but there was always something missing, something that I wished that I could add to the story, to make it mine. Writing a book and putting yourself out there for the world to see is daunting to say the least, but the joy and sense of accomplishment you get from seeing your story out there, for all to read and enjoy is a feeling like none other.
I hope that you will enjoy the worlds of my mind, and take part in the adventures that have been hidden from the world, but are now finally being revealed.

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$25 Amazon

Sinners of Magic – Lynette Creswell Reviews 2019 #Fantasy

Sinners of Magic by Lynette Creswell is a fantasy tale following the adventures of young adults Crystal and Matt. Crystal is a strange girl, haunted by visions, and odd occurrences and has no answers for her skills. After she saves her friend from drowning a strange bird arrives on her windowsill. Then answers start coming and a splendid adventure really starts. The world is interesting – with elves, sorcerers, monsters and orc-like beings. The rules of the world are strict, and inevitably get broken and this leads to more problems. There is death, there is wicked magic, there is love, courage and intrigue.

It took me a while to get into the book and to connect with the characters (it may be an age thing as they are young adults – and I haven’t been that for 25 years…). That said once the adventure gets going the story is exciting, well-written and the world well crafted. The two protagonists are out of their depth, taken to a strange realm they never believed existed, and faced with life-threatening revelations and situations but the bond of friendship doesn’t wane. I found myself really wanting Crystal to find the answers, the evil lord to be defeated and the good guys to win out. Did they? Read and find out.

I shall definitely pick up the other two books in this trilogy.

4 stars.

 

Swift Six Author Interview – Melody Klink

Name: Melody Klink

What attracts you to the genre in which you write? Young Adult has a magic about it that always brings me back; the stories and characters aren’t desperately childish and naïve, yet they haven’t been hardened by years and a world of experience. Outlandish things are still possible, and magic still lurks in the small things.

What piece of writing advice do you wish you’d known when you started your writing adventures? Don’t try to make every word perfect in the first go! First draft like crazy, then go back and shine it up. And then do it again. And probably a third time… but any which way, don’t expect perfection in the first go ’round.

If you could have dinner with any famous person or character who would you choose? Wow, this is a tough one! Hmm. I think I’d have dinner with Carl Sagan; he was such a poetic and insightful scientist, and his words are just as pertinent today as ever. He made my already-vast love of the stars take on new meaning, and majorly inspired my poetry writing!

Who has been the greatest influence on your own work? Joseph Campbell, by far. His works on mythology and the archetypes of story are invaluable, both in writing and the real world. By knowing the intricacies of a hero’s journey, you have a deeper understanding of what your characters must do within their own worlds to succeed, or how to turn them into villains. (Deepest apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien, who comes in at 1½ on the influence scale.)

Do you think the e-book revolution will do away with print? This is a conflict for me. The realist in me says, it’s a definite possibility; the convenience and price differences are already great boons in the e-book industry. The artist in me hopes that the printed word never goes anywhere, because I desperately cling to my books. That’s not to say I don’t do e-books, I just prefer holding a book, smelling its pages, feeling its weight, marking all through it or keeping it clean and sacred.

Which 3 books would you take to a desert island and why? Garden Spells – Sarah Addison Allen. This book is like coming home for me; it’s my “anxiety read,” as it calms me and helps me refocus on things that really matter. Allen describes things in such a magical way, her writing is lyrical and intoxicating.

Stardust – Neil Gaiman. It’s no secret that Gaiman is adept at whisking us away from our current time and place- why focus on being on a desert island, when you can be… okay, a muddy field isn’t much better, but the magic is there.

The Norse Myths- Kevin Crossley-Holland. Everyone needs a hero’s tale to read on a deserted island!

Author bio and book synopsis Please introduce yourself (250 words or so):

While pretending to be a human, Melody Klink likes to write down words. Lots and lots of them. All to gain the admiration and trust of the human masses.

Wait. I mean… Melody Klink is a lovable little scamp with a sweet tooth for all things coffee. Spending her entire life nose-deep in books and writing, she always manages to have one more adventure to tell the world. When she’s not scrubbing stray words out of the squishy bits of her brain, Melody can usually be found spending copious amounts of time on Xbox Live, fangirling over comics, studying various sciences, and yes! Even reading. She may or may not be addicted to memes, Futurama, and crafting things poorly. While her first foray into publishing was Bad Mood Boogaloo, a book for toddlers, she also enjoys writing novels, and has several titles in the works. She currently resides in the Mid-South with her husband, daughters, and one annoying cat.

Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short) Godeater: The Second World – Young Adult Fantasy, mythology-based. Gods are reincarnated into kids from North Dakota to battle an immortal-killing ancient creature.

Diamond Marked: The Tales of El’Anret – Young Adult Fantasy, Faerie story with lots of fabled creatures. A mortal girl is marked as the queen of the El’Anret, the Faerie world, and must battle mythical foes to keep her rightful place. Includes three novellas from the mortal and Faerie worlds: Queen of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds, and King of Diamonds.

 

Links

https://melodyklink.com/

amazon.com/author/melodyklink

Social media

https://twitter.com/AuthorMelK

https://www.facebook.com/melodyklinkauthor

https://www.goodreads.com/MelodyNKlink

https://www.instagram.com/authormelk/

Diamond Marked Melody Klink