Time Management

Writing a book is a  lot of fun. Writing a book well is a lot of hard work. Managing to obtain publication for said book is becoming easier, but it is still more on the work side than the fun side. 


All of the above is cheesecake, however, compared to promoting said book. At least, that's how it is for me.


There are so many options available today for self-promotion. If you look around the web, you will be inundated with advice and opportunities for getting your name, or brand, out to the public. But it is so very time consuming. So an author has to become familiar with what works and what doesn't, which eats up more of the precious time that could be going toward that next book. 


I hate to admit it, but my WIP has turned into a WTF. Now wait. That isn't what you may think. I'm referring to my work in progress, which is another YA story, but nothing like Michaela's Gift. But all the time I'm spending on promotion has turned it into a work totally forsaken. I'm really not trying to whine about it. I'd love to find answers on how to balance my time so that I can still make progress on it, and help support my fellow writers.


When I say that I'm working on promoting, I'm not referring to only my own work. The publishing house I signed with, Musa Publishing, is an amazing group that supports and promotes each other. I'm not complaining about the time I spend helping out my fellow writers. I'm a huge advocate of the mindset that places others first. It's one way of living what I try to teach my children. 


What I'm searching for is advice on what works best, and to discover how others find a balance between writing and promotional work. I'd love to hear from you, if you can find the time and still get your more important work done.


Have a great week, everyone.


Cordelia 

INTERVIEW WITH SHARON LEDWITH

Author Interview 

Today I have the pleasure and the honor of interviewing Sharon Ledwith, author of the newly released The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis. Hello, Sharon, and welcome to my humble blog home.

Sharon, I would like to begin this interview with the blurb for your book, if we may.

When Amanda Sault and her four classmates are caught in a major food fight at school, they are given the choice of suspension or yard duty. It was a no-brainer. A two-week crash course in landscaping leads the kids to discover a weathered stone arch buried in an overgrown backyard. Instead of a forgotten lawn ornament, it turns out to be an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis. Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers—legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from an evil force—the five children, along with two offbeat adults, are sent on the adventure of their lives to save the Earth from an uncertain future. The Timekeepers’ first mission lands them in England in 1214, where they must find an adolescent Robin Hood and his band of merry teens before history is turned upside-down.

This sounds like an interesting adventure that would be a lot of fun for middle grade readers, and even, say, old women of a particular age. You’ve gone back quite a distance in time for this novel, and I’d love to know what methods and resources you incorporated in doing your research.

 First off, Cordelia, I want to thank you so much for having me here on your blog today. Cheers to you! As for my methods and resources? Hmm. I guess most of it comes from using my imagination. I’ve always loved history and many of the legends that make up part of our history. The legend of Robin Hood is no exception, and because of its popularity in books and film, the story of Robin Hood continues to live. The same goes for the legendary continent of Atlantis. My strategy for my time travel novels is to do the necessary research, then see where I can bend the truth to give it my own unique brand of writing. In other words, I truly have fun with recreating the past to fit into my story-lines. But, it’s my characters and their reactions to their situations that give the story substance and truth.

 In your story, Sharon, Robin Hood is a teenager. I’d like to know, if you could travel back in time and meet Robin Hood, and you were of an age, what would your reaction be? Would you want to join his merry band, or would you be repulsed by him?

After reading about the living conditions and the way people treated each other back then, my guess is that I’d probably be repulsed. Sad, but true. I know it was of a different mindset in 1214, so I’ll cut Robin some slack for that, but we’ve certainly come a long way in our evolution in the way we respect ourselves and others. Now, if we could start respecting nature in the same manner, that’d be awesome!

I definitely pick up the feeling that you are a huge fan of magical spells, Sharon. If you were given the ability to cast a magical spell of your own, what would it be, and what would you do with it?

World peace. Okay, I’m shooting for the moon there. I think everyone could use a do-over spell. A one time only, one chance to get it right spell. Think about the power of that spell. You could say the right thing at the right time to the right person, when you knew you should have in the first place. You could make the correct choice. Or you could just be there and say nothing. I bet everyone wishes they could do-over at least one thing that’s happen in their life.

That would be a great spell, but I would need it to be available much more than just once. Seems like I have a huge habit of saying or doing the wrong thing. 

Amanda is one of your main characters in The Last Timekeepers. I understand she has been appointed the position of scribe for this crew of timekeepers, so it would seem she has a serious side, or is at least a responsible young person. If your book is picked up for a movie, who would you hope to see playing the part of Amanda, and why? I’d also love to know who you envision for the parts of the two adults that go along with the kids on this wild adventure.

Yes, Amanda Sault is the main character in this novel. The next story belongs to Jordan Jensen. What would I do ‘if’ my book is picked up for a movie? Wink. I honestly have no idea who could play Amanda or any of her classmates. Believe me I’ve tried to envision the actors, but I keep drawing blanks. Now the adult roles are different. I thought Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap fame) as Professor John Lucas and Amanda Tapping (Stargate and Sanctuary shows) as Melody Spencer. I can see the ‘Rock’ Dwayne Johnson playing Belial and singer Taylor Swift as Lilith. For a bit of comic relief, Professor Marcus Crowley could be played by Jim Parsons ( he plays Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory), but that’s my choice, and believe me I’m no casting director!

Oh, dear! Sheldon is such a strange little man. He would certainly bring an interesting twist to things, wouldn't he? Okay, now you’re going to think I’ve totally lost my mind, but I want to switch gears. I know others on the tour will ask lots of questions about your book, but I want to get to know more about you as a person. So, having said that, let’s pretend that you have just found uncontestable proof that fairies are living in your garden. What is the first thing you are going to do with this information?

What do you mean proof that fairies exist? Are you telling me that they don’t? I know for a fact fairies exist! I was keeping it a secret, but now you had to blab to the world that the fair folk are really living, breathing, flying beings, and that  they’re living in my garden! Great. The jig is up.

My apologies. I have always known they were real, but I guess others are not enlightened. Now the fairies reveal to you that they have been living in your garden for thousands of years, just waiting for you to come along. They want you to come to the fairy realm to help rekindle the childhood belief in the wee creatures. In exchange for your help, they will allow you to continue writing and will even make sure your novels get published. Of course, it’s a permanent change of address. You have two options. Go with them, or call the lawn service and have them obliterated for all time. You will have to also take out the thousand year old oak tree that your town is famous for.

Again, not a revelation! I see them all the time. I give them their space, they give me mine. But if the head-hauncho fairy did ask me to help them by entering into the fairy realm forever, well I guess I’d submit myself. After all they do protect me from undesirables like bad reviews and lousy press. It’s the least I could do.

Well, that was certainly fun. Now let’s get serious. In your own personal experience, what have you found to be most useful in helping you to grow as a writer? Is it web sites that offer forums and opportunities for on-line critiques? Or is it attending conferences and other places where you can get one-on-one, immediate feedback? Or is it something else entirely? I just know that there are many resources available to writers today, and I wonder which ones are most productive or seem to be most helpful.

Originally it was my writing circle—a group of three wannabe authors—who I met during a ‘Write Your Novel’ college course. Writing workshops were another source. One of the biggest I’ve found is meeting other like-minded authors through the Muskoka Novel Marathon. It’s a fundraising event for literacy in my area where about 30 authors try to produce a novella over the course of three days. Believe it or not, this event has produced some brilliant work that has gone on to get published. I would also like to include the power of the world wide web, where any information a would-be author needs is at the tip of his or her fingers.

Okay, let’s revert back to another fun question. If you could be any character in any book you’ve ever read, who would you be and why? Also, would you do anything differently that might alter the ending of the story?

That’s easy. Quasimodo. Think about it. He rings bells for a living. He brings awareness. How cool is that? And yes, Quasimodo must get the gypsy girl at the end. After all, he did give her sanctuary. It’s the least Esmerelda could do.

Have you ever read a book that was so terrifying that you couldn’t finish it? I don’t mean terrifying in the sense of horrible writing. I’m thinking more like a hideous monster of some kind, or a story premise that was just too scary for you to deal with?

Honestly, no. I remember reading The Shining when I was babysitting. Now, that was a mistake. I had all the lights on and read with my back against the wall. The parents must have thought I was a wing-nut at the time. Maybe that’s the reason I never got a call back?

I could never read The Shining, or even watch the film. You're a brave soul, Sharon. Oh, it’s the last question already. Seems like we just got started. But since we’re here, I have to ask, do you intend to keep writing for this particular age group, or do you think you might want to venture into something different? 

Actually, I started out writing for another genre until I was pulled into the spiral of middle-grade/young adult books. My genre of choice was paranormal romance. I wrote a whopper of a novel between 1996-98 about a shapeshifter and a detective—a modern-type Beauty and the Beast so-to-speak. Then one night, during my writer’s circle, one of my writing girlfriends said something that floored me. She mentioned that I hit the twelve-year-old voice bang on. This got me to thinking—how hard would it be to write a young adult novel? It was a stupid question. Of course it was hard! But, boy, it was fun! The idea for The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis came to me in a dream I had around 1998. In this dream, I saw seven arches, and there were seven people (five kids, two adults) with crystals in their hands, walking up to these arches. It definitely had an “Indiana Jones” feel to it. So, to answer your question—I’m open to all possibilities.

Thank you, again, Sharon. It's been such a pleasure having you here and letting others get to know you a little better. I thoroughly enjoyed The Last Timekeepers and look forward to the next episode.

Author Info

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, debuting through Musa Publishing this May 18, 2012. When not writing or digging up the past, she enjoys reading, yoga, kayaking, time with family and friends, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives in the wilds of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, a water-logged yellow Labrador and moody calico cat.

Sharon’s Website

Sharon’s Blog

Sharon’s Facebook Page

The Last Timekeepers Series Facbook Page

Twitter: @sharonledwith

Musa Publishing Buy Link

Goodreads

MY COVER ART IS HERE!!

This is a very exciting day for me. I finally have the pleasure of revealing the cover art for my MG/YA novel, Michaela's Gift.


I've had the art for a bit, but I wanted to savor it in private for a few days - just a few - before making it public. 


After much deliberation, I chose not to picture my main character on the cover. That was my original intent, but then I decided that it often works to our advantage to allow our readers to form their own visualization of our characters. It opens the mind to so many more possibilities when every reader is allowed the freedom to create a little something of their own in our work.


Of course, I had to put Blackie on the cover. Since she's described in such detail, I couldn't leave much to the imagination with her. One black Newfoundland looks pretty much like every other black Newfoundland, or Neuffie, as we like to dub them. They certainly have their own unique personalities and quirks that sets each of them apart, but that's a bit difficult to reveal in a picture.


Musa's cover artist, Kelly Shorten, created exactly what I wanted with the castle in the background. The color is perfect, and the fact that it's partially obscured delights me no end. The turrets have the exact look I wanted, and the position at the highest point in the scene was crucial to the image I had in mind.


I couldn't be more pleased with everyone I've worked with at Musa Publishing. The fact that Kelly willingly made several changes to help me find the exact image I wanted for my debut novel makes me feel even more comfortable with the decision I made to submit my manuscript to them.

SUPER ZOMBIE JUICE MEGA BOMB Review

I recently read a delightful Middle Grade Novel by MJA Ware. The title, Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb, is nearly as long as the book, but it is well worth the read.

Seriously, though, I quite enjoyed the plot of the book, and the delicate manner in which it was handled. Normally, I stay away from anything featuring zombies, whether it be books or other forms of media. But despite some fairly extensive details concerning rotting flesh and cloudy eyeballs, the zombies in this tale are pretty kid friendly. Well, maybe that’s not the right word I’m looking for here, because their goal is to eat the kids, but not in a gruesome way, except for the time when that one zombie had Misty in a death lock.

I like this book for several reasons. I think MJ has nailed the middle grade voice. I have a young son, so we read a lot of middle grade books around our house. We also watch quite a bit of kid-friendly television. The characters in SZJMB think and act quite similarly to many of the kids, both real and fictional, with which I am familiar. In fact, little Kali, a younger character in the story that comes in a bit later but has a major role toward the end, reminds me of Baljeed from Phineas and Ferb. I love that kid.

So tell me. If you came home after sneaking out of the house and spending the night with your best friend, who happens to be of the opposite sex, would you expect trouble to be waiting at your door? Well, so does Nate. What he doesn’t expect is a town devoid of human life, overrun by the undead, and no escape route.

When the zombies discover fresh meat, Nate and Misty set up command central in the local Walmart store. Quite by accident they discover that lemon juice will kill the zombies, but nothing is ever quite that simple.

The two friends must evade zombie snot and their own inexperience while they work on perfecting the formula for the perfect SZJMB. During a run to the local fire station, where they plan to procure a pumper truck, they rescue a young boy who is dangerously close to becoming a zombie snack. The youngster, Kali, has been eavesdropping on the emergency wave band (something the older kids overlooked in their preoccupation for clean underwear and cinnamon rolls), and warns them that the entire town is going to be blown to bits in an effort to neutralize the zombies.

Nate and Misty are running out of time. Will they be able to construct an effective bomb in the short time they have remaining? Even if they can accomplish such an enormous task, how will they deliver it?

Find out for yourself by reading Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb.


Below I have included M.J.’s blurb for the book so that you can get a feel for his voice. I think he does an excellent job. I’ve also provided the author’s bio and links to make it easier for you to follow him. I also want to add that SZJMB is also available as a graphic novel. It's the same text, but he's added graphics, which are always lots of fun. So here's the blurb:

When life gives you lemons, kill zombies -- turns out lemon juice neutralizes the undead.

After a failed attempt at running away, best friends Nathan and Misty return home expecting to face angry parents. Instead, they discover the military has destroyed the bridges out of their rural town and everyone's fled--except a small horde of the living dead. The stress of flesh-eating zombies may be more than their already strained relationship can handle.

Even with the help of the town geek and lemonade-powered Super-Soakers, there's not enough time to squeeze their way out of this sticky mess. Unless the trio eradicates the zombie infestation, while avoiding the deadly zombie snot, the military will blow the town, and them, to pulp.

Their only shot is something with a lot more punch. Something like the Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb. But even if their friendship survives, there's another problem: Someone has to lure the undead into the trap.

Where to buy:
Amazon (print and ebook)
Barnes & Noble
SmashWords
Apple

About the author:

MJ A. Ware, known as M.J. to his friends, lives in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains with his wife and two daughters.  He wrote Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb because he felt there was a need for a zombie book with a broader appeal than just hard-core horror fans. A book that would not only appeal to both adults and teens, but would be teen safe.

When not writing about aliens, monsters and ghosts, he runs a company where he designs award winning video arcades. He’s currently polishing his latest novel, Girls Bite, a paranormal vampire story told from a guy's perspective.

 Links:

Website

Facebook
GoodReads

Blog

http://twitter.com/#!/MJAWare

LISTEN TO YOUR CHARACTERS

I’ve neglected my blog lately, partly due to the passing of my mother-in-law, but partly out of laziness. I think I can safely blame spring fever, also. Spring came so early this year, and it has been so warm and beautiful that I can’t stay out of the garden long enough to accomplish anything worthwhile.

Today I want to talk about characters again. Our characters need lots of attention. We would have no story without them. They need to be well-developed, because only a realistic character can get by with unbelievable actions and still be interesting to your reader. When we create characters that allow the reader to suspend disbelief, we can accomplish great things.

Have you ever written a story that you know is amazing, but can’t get an agent to commit to? You know your characters are perfect. Your plot is well-written, and your premise is new and fresh, but there is something keeping others from connecting. What do you do with those stories? Do they go in the trunk, or do you keep revising your query letter and sending it out to the next agent on your list? 

If you just can't trunk them, perhaps it's because your characters are trying to tell you something. Maybe what you need to do is listen to your characters. There’s a chance that they are the problem.

 Successful characters can’t be perfect. They must have a flaw. It doesn’t have to be a major flaw, but often the really huge flaws are the ones that make the most memorable characters. We might have forgotten all about Rhett Butler’s gorgeous southern charm, or even how he managed to melt Scarlett’s knees with just a look. But we’re never going to forget that deep down, he was a scoundrel.

Think about some of the characters you’ve met in children’s literature. So many of them are portrayed as everything but hero material. They are the smallest, or the weakest, or the most likely to fail in every way. Yet they are the ones who overcome all the obstacles that the author throws at them, and come out not only victorious, but unforgettable as well. Perhaps the lesson for us would be that the more unlikely our character is, the more likely he is to be remembered.

A while back I tried to create a very unlikely hero. He’s clumsy, a bit overweight, clueless and delusional. But I’ve always had faith in his ability to bring a smile and become an unforgettable force to a child. He’s currently on submission to a publishing house that produces some of the most exciting artwork I’ve found in children’s books. I hope he possesses the elusive trait that will make him irresistible. I’ll keep you posted.

For now, I need to get back to a few of my other characters who have been ignored far too long. Thanks for stopping by. I’ll be back soon with another author interview, and I’ll be sure to bring chocolate next time. I hope everyone has a productive week, but don’t forget to take the time to enjoy the greening of the planet. The honeysuckle smells delicious today.

AUTHOR SAGE COLLINS - LOVE SUCKS

Today I am delighted to have the opportunity to talk to Sage Collins about her YA novel, Love Sucks, which is being released TODAY! Greetings, Sage. Please make yourself comfortable and help yourself to a beverage of your choice. By the way, please share with us what choice that might be, and whether or not you have a favorite concoction that you sip or guzzle while working on your manuscripts?

What a great question!  In fact, I could probably ramble on about drink preferences all day.  My very favorite writing drink is no longer available, much to the sadness of my taste buds (but to the joy of my hips).  I used to write a lot at the bookstore Borders, sitting in the café there for hours.  It was seriously my writing home and the best place to get in the zone.  And every time, I would get a Javanilla milkshake and try to make it last as long as possible while I worked.  Well, Borders doesn’t exist anymore, so usually I drink a bottled Frappacino while I work, unless I make the drive to my favorite café, 45 minutes away, and then it’s a Mudslide Mocha blended drink (non-alcoholic).   And let’s not even start in on what I would have been drinking 99% of the time while I was writing Love Sucks but no longer drink at all (hint: it’s Diet Pepsi).  Have I mentioned that I could ramble on about drinks for quite a while?  How did you know it was a good opener?

I didn’t! But I’m glad it worked out well for you. Hope you’re nice and relaxed now. Just sit back and sip on that Frappacino and we’ll get started.

Sage, I must say, the title of your book is very interesting. And your tagline absolutely slays me. Will you please share with us a small blurb of the book, along with where the inspiration came from?

Absolutely, and thank you! 

The blurb from Musa is:

Mailee is about to answer the age-old question: "How much love would a love sucker suck if a love sucker fell in love?"

Mailee’s greatest wish is to be an ordinary teenage girl, but thanks to one stupid demon gene she consumes love from any human she touches.  The only person she can touch is her best friend Eric, a hot lust-drainer.  Except for slight hand-brushes to keep from starving, she avoids humans.

Until she meets Logan, a diabetic and the first human who could understand Mailee’s diet angst.  She grows closer to him, but each touch risks his love for her.  If she wants a normal relationship, she’ll have to become human. But the only way requires her to free and be infected by demons representing the Seven Deadly Sins. Sloth? Pride? No problem.  But when wrath-infected Mailee punches the cheerleader who’s making eyes at Eric, she realizes getting through the sins might cost too much.

Like Eric. Because if she turns human, he’ll be the only one she can’t touch.

This is one of the rare novels of mine that wasn’t inspired by a song (it’s also a rare novel of mine that doesn’t have a winged girl or an invisible/imaginary boy, weird).   I actually got the inspiration for this novel from another writer.  We were playing a game where your character answers a question and then asks another, and then the next character answers that question and asks another.  The point of it was to develop the voice of your character and, of course, have fun.  Her character was a demon that drained some sort of negative emotion. Fear or sadness or something.  And my character from an older novel exclaimed how awful it was that he drained emotions.  Her character answered that it wasn’t awful at all.  It was the love drainers you had to watch out for.  Bam!  I was hit with the idea of a reluctant love drainer who had no choice but to feed on the love of humans to survive but was terrified of draining them completely.  And what was the worst thing that could happen if you were in that situation?  You’d fall in love with one of those humans, of course.  The tongue twister came to me the next day and pretty much solidified the whole thing.

How fun. I guess that just proves how valuable some of the games we play can be. The whole concept of this novel seems pretty unique to me. Can you shed some light on whether or not this has been done before? Perhaps I’m reading the wrong books, but I, personally, have never run across it.

I don’t think it’s been done like this before.  There are other literary characters that are vampires who feed off emotion in one way or another (incidentally, Mailee hates being called a vampire).  The adult urban fantasy series The Dresden Files comes immediately to mind, although the feeding works in a very different way.  I know that at a few points after I wrote Love Sucks, I would talk to an author who wrote about a character that feeds off emotion (demon, vampire, or otherwise), and of course one writer I know was working on one before I started, but she didn’t complete that story.

So, I’m curious. Does Mailee attend a special school for kids who are part-demon? Or are most of the other kids normal humans?

There are exactly three Haustores—that’s the name for the emotion drainers--at Mailee’s school at the time of the book:  Mailee, Eric, and Justin.  Everyone else is a regular human, which is great for Eric and Justin, who don’t mind draining lust and inhibition, respectively, but not so good for love-draining Mailee.  So, the Haustores are “in the closet,” so to speak, and, except for a few exceptions like Eric’s parents and Logan, the rest of the world doesn’t know about them.

Do you usually have a specific method of creating and visualizing your characters? I know some writers create character sketches for each one, and some choose actors, or a look that an actor has acquired for a specific film, when visualizing their characters. What works for you?

I don’t do this anymore, but I used to create avatars for them on elouai.com.  Spent maaaany hours procrastinating on there.  So you can see my Mailee and Logan, but I never could manage to make an adequate Eric. 

Eric is one of two characters to be visually based on an actor, and it’s really from one show (he also was named after the same character—Eric from the little-known show Wonderfalls). But I visualize my characters and my novels more as animation than as actors or real-life people.  But I also don’t visualize them very sharply, if you know what I mean?

Mai and Lo are better defined visually than the main characters from my WIP because I had those avatars.  Despite this, I know what the new characters look like enough to describe them as well as I can describe Mai and Lo.  As to whether this means I describe them well or not...  Well, the readers will have to judge that.

Oh, Sage, I really like those. You're very creative, lady. Please tell us which part of the writing process, from idea conception to final approval of galleys, do you find to be the most exhilarating? Stressful?

 I find so many parts exhilarating, so I’ll answer stressful first.  And that is absolutely waiting on full requests.  I’ve mellowed out a lot, but back when I was querying Love Sucks and my following novel Fireflies (which is currently published in short-story form in the Absolute Visions anthology), I was a nervous wreck.  Every second I was away from my e-mail was torture.  Of course, every second I was near my e-mail was also torture.  Refresh refresh refresh.  Meanwhile, I was doing some really repetitive and boring work at my job, and this actually started me downloading audiobooks to listen to at work, just to give me something else to concentrate on for those 8 hours a day.

There are lots of really exciting parts from conception to publication.  Even though I am super-excited that my book is coming out today, I don’t think this is actually the most exciting part for me.  I love coming up with the new ideas.  Starting them can be daunting, but in that initial “I have an idea and I can visualize scenes I might write” phase, I am so twitterpated with the novel.  Most of my ideas come from me taking something that’s meant to be figurative and making it literal (often from a song).  My current project is about a boy who is fighting alongside the girl of his dreams for the rights of these androids that are built to be the perfect boyfriends...and then he finds out that he is one built for her.  The came from Colbie Caillat’s “Tailor Made,” when I was listening one day and thought, “What if the boyfriend really was tailor-made for her?” 

But, speaking of music, one of the most exciting parts of writing novels for me is making a soundtrack for each one.  As much as I love books, I love music even more.  I have actually found that if I don’t make a soundtrack, I almost never get the project to a querying level.  In some ways, the soundtrack works as an outline for me while I’m writing the novel, but it’s also very fluid because I’m a lot more flexible moving around, deleting, and adding songs than I am with a paper outline that tells me what order I should write it in.  If I get stuck in the novel, the right song can inspire me.  When I get through with the novel, the soundtrack keeps the story fresh in my mind, so that I’m still enthusiastic about it during edits and querying.  In fact, the android story I mentioned above is one that I abandoned three years ago, and I picked it up again in February because I happened upon the barebones soundtrack I had started back then.

Wow. I don’t know how you find the time to manage all of these aspects of your writing. You’re very thorough in the process, Sage. If you could choose any setting to travel to in order to work on your next novel, where would that be, and why?

Borders café.

Okay, but seriously, that’s really hard because there are so many places I’ve never been that I’d like to go.  However, as a writing vacation, sometimes the more exciting places are not the best to travel to.  I took a cruise to Hawaii a couple of years ago, fully intending to work on novel revisions during my downtime, and I didn’t do a thing because I was always running to one activity or another or sight-seeing.

I’d say that the cabin in the Hocking Hills that I went to last August was absolutely perfect for writing.  There was no internet, it had a pretty view, and I got tons done there (I wrote a middle grade novel in 3 days there, actually).  I’ve written at Martha’s Vineyard and in a cabin at Pigeon Forge, but the Hocking Hills cabin was far more productive.  And cheaper, too.

You’ve had some great experiences and some amazing views to enjoy for inspiration. The only place you mention that I’ve seen is Pigeon Forge, and it is beautiful, but I wasn’t there for the muse.

If you were given the opportunity to be mentored by any author, past or present, whom would you choose? And again, please tell us why?

Does it have to be a novel writer?  I’d love to be mentored by Joss Whedon.  Yeah, I don’t think it’s a big secret that I am a huge Buffy, the Vampire Slayer (Angel, Firefly, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-long Blog) fan, and if it is, well, there, I’ve outted myself.  But I’m aware that novel writing and screenwriting are two totally different skills.

I do have a lot of great mentors and crit partners within a group of YA writers I met online five years ago, and we’ve been each other’s sounding boards, betas, and support group ever since.  So within my genre it’s really hard to choose someone else that I would look to for that role.

Do you feel that the ebook industry is becoming stronger in the genres most read by young people? Are there ample opportunities to market your book and to reach your intended audience?

I’m not very good at marketing, but I think that for someone like me, who’s socially awkward and can’t sell a thing in person (I remember my days in the Girl Scouts), having an e-book means you can stick to e-marketing, which is really advantageous when you can barely hold a conversation. 

I do think teens are starting to explore the e-book market.  The YA market obviously hasn’t exploded yet like romance did, but teens love to get the newest technology, and it allows them to read whatever they want without any judgment from their peers or even adults.  Yeah, my parents sometimes dismissed what I was reading as a teen too, and I totally worried that other teens were judging my choice in books.  So if a guy wanted to pick up Love Sucks, but wouldn’t normally have wanted a book with “love” in the title and a heart on the cover, he can read it anywhere and not worry about what anybody thinks.  If adults want to read YA, they don’t have to feel judged by others based on the cover or even by being in the YA section of a book store.  I’m not marketing to guys or adults, but if they want to read my book, they’re free to do so ;) 

Speaking of covers, I think yours is amazing. I’m glad you brought it along with you, because I wanted my readers to have the opportunity to see it, also.

So what can we expect to see next from Sage?

I’m hoping you’ll either see superheroes or androids from me.  I’ve already told you a little about Taylor-Made, my WIP.  I’m also querying a novel that’s told from the POV of both the superheroine and the supervillain, who are obsessively in love with each other.  I adore both these novels, and I hope they get published, mostly because I want an excuse to write sequels!

Great! We’ll be on the look-out for them. Okay, last question Sage, and please bear with me. I know it’s a bit silly. If you had the choice of becoming a character in one of Dr. Seuss’s tales, who or what would you be, and why? Also, would you remain true to that character, or would you change him/it in some way?

I should probably say the Lorax, seeing how I work in an environmental lab.  But I don’t think I’d want to be the Lorax.  I think I would like to be Sam I Am.  That guy could convince people of anything.  He convinced someone to eat eggs and ham that were green.  And every time the other guy gave him a no, he had a fresh new idea, and he never let it get him down.  I’d want his confidence and persuasiveness for sure.  Plus, querying my books would be so fun.

Would you read them in a house?

Would you read them with a mouse?

Would you read them in box?

Would you read them with a fox?

Would you, could you in a car?

Read them, read them!  Here they are!

Ha! I love your sense of humor. I hope there’s a lot of it evident in Love Sucks, and I have a feeling there will be. Thank you so very much for sharing with us today, Sage. I wish you the absolute best of success with all of your books. Please tell everyone here where you can be found, and when and where they can purchase Love Sucks.

Thanks, Cordelia!

Love Sucks is available (starting today!) at Musa Publishing (you can link to: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=251) , Amazon, and Barnes and Noble’s website.

If you happen to have found me totally fascinating, you can read more of my ramblings at http://sagelikethespice.wordpress.com/ or on Twitter, where I’m @sagecollins.  And I promise I will use fewer exclamation marks than I do in this interview, but I’m a little hyper today.  *bounces*  And I haven’t even had a Frappacino yet.

Lots of love,

Sage

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: R. K. RYALS

I am excited to introduce my guest for today, YA author R. K. Ryals. She has just recently released The Acropolis, which is a spin-off from her paranormal series that includes Redemption and Ransom. Hello, and welcome, R. K.

I do want to talk about your writing, but after reading your blog, I must confess that there are several areas of your life that I found to be interesting. First let me say that as soon as I read your About Me page on your blog, I knew I’d found a kindred spirit. My poor husband was not raised in the south, so he just doesn’t get the “take your shoes off at the door” admonition. Do you have any thoughts that you can share which might shed some light on why northerners sometimes struggle with that concept?

LOL! I love this question! I know, personally, that growing up in the South meant mud, creeks, four-wheelers, fishing, being barefoot, and climbing as many trees as we could. This being said, I think Southern women either learned to tell everyone to keep the mud on the shoes and at the door or run the risk of having the filthiest living conditions in America. But I also have a lot of Northern friends who do the same thing. I think, when it comes to the South, the traditions that differ the most is the food we eat, how fast we talk, how we drop the last letter in most of our words, and our hospitality. I lived in North Carolina for a while in Jacksonville, which is mostly military personnel. Because of this, many of them were from the North. The weirdest thing I ever got asked to do when living there was to spell Mississippi at a party because Mississippians can supposedly spell it extremely fast without messing up. They also loved my accent, though I honestly feel like I don't have one. I love being from the South. I even love the humidity, and nothing beats the humid summer nights filled with chirping crickets. Except for the whole pesky mosquito thing;)

 Well, I love southern accents, but y’all can keep your humidity and mosquitoes to yourselves. You share on your blog that you love to cook. Please give us a sampling of your favorite meal to prepare. I’m talking appetizer, main course, and dessert, of course. And if there isn’t something on the menu that’s deep-fried, I want to know, why not?

My husband's favorite meat is pork chops so I do this a lot. And it is always fried. Basically, I take a pork chop and dip it in milk before placing it in a batter of flour, pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder before putting it in grease. A hit every time. Fried squash is also a supper favorite here. (It's supper, not dinner in the South). For this, I take a flour, pepper, and salt dry mix and add milk till a consistency enough to stick to the squash, then dip a sliced squash in and fry. Throw together some butter beans (made with butter and maple bacon), and mashed potatoes and that is a great meal. As for an appetizer, snake bites (which are jalapeno slices dipped in corn meal and fried) and fried dill pickle slices are a must. For dessert, my favorite is peanut butter cake. Not fried, but absolutely delicious! I don't fry the mashed potatoes or butter beans, but left over mashed potatoes are fried the next night to make potato patties. The best stuff ever! Yes, we tend to overdo the cholesterol in the South. lol.

Hey, my parents were both from Tennessee, so I’ve eaten my share of grease. And I agree, potato pancakes can’t be beaten with a stick. Also, I’d much prefer fried green tomatoes over squash. Yum!

You also share that you love playing with your three daughters. Considering their ages, if you could take them into any book for a visit, where would that be, and why?

Take them into a book world? Hmmmm, my oldest daughter is nine, and she loves to read. She has just started getting into the Chronicles of Narnia, and I think I would definitely take her to visit that world. She reminds me so much of Lucy from the Chronicles of Narnia, and I see her becoming a fixture in the world of Narnia, and a great friend of the creatures there.

As for my four-year-old, Rae has a tremendous sweet tooth. She starts every day asking for ice cream. lol. I don't let her have it, of course, except as an occasional dessert, but she is always begging for candy and chocolate. There's no doubt, I'd love to take her into Charlie and the Chocolate factory. I'm afraid of what she'd do in there, but she would have a blast!

My one-year-old is an adventurous little thing. She will be two this summer, and she is really into animals. She loves when I read the Curious George books to her, and she is FASCINATED with monkeys. I'd definitely take her into those books. She would be so smitten with George, I'd have to let the man with yellow hat adopt her.

 Interesting. I’d probably go with your nine-year-old, since those were my favorite books way back in the fourth grade. Continuing with that theme, if you could leave your children in the care of a trusted individual for an extended time, what book would you travel into, and why? Also, would you go as yourself, or as one of your creations, or as some other other-worldly creature?

I'd have to pick two books actually. One would be Pride and Prejudice. And I'd definitely go as Elizabeth Bennet. Seriously, all I want to do is kiss Mr. Darcy and then return to my own world, but what a moment that would be. Shhhhh, don't tell my husband.

But I would also want to travel into a book called the Barbed Coil. I read it forever and ever ago, and it is the book that got me into reading Fantasy/Paranormal. Honestly, I can't remember the author and if I read it now, I may not even like the book anymore, but I'd love to travel into it anyway. I think I'd like to go into that one as myself. It would be interesting to see how I would fare in a fantastical world, but I would want some kind of awesome ability. Not sure what, but I'd definitely want a magical ability. 

Well, now we also know you have great taste in men! As for The Barbed Coil, I’d have to say you are much braver than I am. I don’t think I could survive a paranormal fantasy world.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, R.K., from the time of conception until the final edits are complete?

It actually doesn't take me long. Once the idea is in my head, I have to get it out. Redemption took me three months to write, two months for editing as my editor (the wonderful Melanie Bruce in North Carolina) and I went back and forth with revisions. Ransom took a month to write and a month to edit. The Acropolis took me about a month to write, and even though it has been revised, my editor and I are always still finding mistakes I go in to fix even after editing is done. We are perfectionists. lol. Generally, it takes me anywhere from a month to three months to write a book, but it takes about an extra month to a couple of weeks for editing.

 I notice that you chose to self-publish. Did you try the conventional route first? I know from my own writing experience that finding an agent who is the perfect match for a particular manuscript can seem overwhelming at times. Do you think you will continue with the self-publishing route, or do you have other plans for future volumes?

I did try the conventional route to begin with, and while I received acceptances for queries, I never received one for the manuscript. I actually never intended to self-publish. I had never even heard of self-publishing, but Melanie Bruce and my best friend, Audrey Welch, both mentioned it to me and both encouraged me to do it. I just wasn't sure about it. It seemed the traditional route was the most accepted and the most promoted, but self-publishing ended up giving me an outlet to publish while still attempting the traditional. I am still attempting traditional publication, but its importance isn't what it used to be. I enjoy the freedom I've found in self-publication. Would I turn my nose up at traditional if given the opportunity, no, but I'm glad I was encouraged to self-publish as well. I have met the most remarkable people.

I think writers are all remarkable people! They are extremely supportive of one another, and most of them I’ve met have been endlessly helpful and willing to invest time and effort into assisting others in their field.

I’ve read The Acropolis, and I must say you have created some very unique characters. Where do you find inspiration for them?

From everywhere. I actually don't have specific people or events I draw from. Dreams help, but I also draw from personal experience and family. With Emma, for example, I thought of my grandmother. She is a hypochondriac who was always ill. If anyone coughed in front of her, she would be sick the next day. I drew on that. Emma is NOT a hypochondriac, but she is sick, and she doesn't know why, and doctors are baffled. She is also afraid of everything, and there doesn't seem to be much reason for that, either. But she is also brave. A strange mix, but it really works to create what Emma is.

I already had Conor created. He had a back story, and I think, with Conor, I just produced a character who is a hero but who is real. He has a past. As much as some YA authors want to shy from this, it's real. I actually drew from someone I know in my life who is the best gentleman you could ever meet, but he spent his teenage years dating a lot. I'll leave the rest implied. But, he is also the best friend any person could have.

I want real characters with real issues who live in a world that isn't normal. So, I guess the easiest way to answer that is to say I draw my inspiration from my surroundings, from watching people, and from day dreaming about things I wish would happen.

So are your plans to continue with this series, or do you have other ideas floating around that don’t encompass the paranormal genre?

I definitely intend to continue the Acropolis Series, hence the large and interesting ensemble cast. I'm not sure how long the Acropolis Series will go, but I am in love with many of my characters. Weirdly, I have a real affection for Deidra, Bruno, and Lyre especially. And I definitely have plans for Will. I do have ideas that don't encompass the paranormal that I want to write, and I also want to delve into writing adult paranormal at some point as well. I also have an idea for a fantasy series I'd love to write.

I am not sure who my favorite is in your book, but Conor sort of tugs at me. If you could spend a quiet afternoon, let’s say a sultry Mississippi day in mid-July, with any author of your choosing, who would it be, and what would you talk about? And would you be drinking sweet tea, lemonade, or something a little more potent?

Sweet tea definitely with extra sugar! As for who I'd spend it with, I'd have to say Fyodor Dostoyevsky who wrote Crime and Punishment. Is this a weird choice for someone who reads mostly paranormal books, yes. lol. I had to read this classic in an advanced English class my senior year of high school, and it blew my mind. I still believe Raskolnikov had split personality disorder, and I did a whole paper on this where I argued it in high school. I'm not sure my teacher was convinced, and I'd love to ask Dostoyevsky if he wrote the book with a dual personality in mind. Now the author might be slightly freaked out by the Southern U.S. and I might, quite honestly, be freaked out by him, but it would be fun!

Extra sugar in your sweet tea? How do you sit still long enough to write a sentence? My final question is, why YA? What is it about that age that makes you want to write to them in particular?

I'm honestly not sure what led me to YA. When I started writing my first series, I actually intended it to be adult but sometimes your characters choose for you. Adults experience adventure, and they feel things, but I think it's when we are young that we "feel" the most even if it's only because the young tend to be dramatic. They love too hard and hurt too much. I like that. I like that Young Adults love just because it feels good. I honestly would probably consider my books more New Adult because I do use language, such as the F-word, in my books, but I also think we are lying to ourselves if we believe that teenagers are not proficient cussers. lol. I know I was whenever I wasn't around my mother (otherwise, I would have gotten my butt whooped), but teens cuss. It's a reality. I do market for 16 + because of language, though.

Well, I personally enjoy YA and MG books, mostly because the pacing is so fast and they are hard to put down. But I have my favorite adult authors, too.

Thanks so much, R.K., for coming by and letting us get to know a little more about you. I know there are others on your blog tour that will ask more book specific questions, but I wanted to find out about other aspects of your life, too.

You can find R. K. Ryals at these locations:

http://rkryals.blogspot.com/
Twitter - @RKRyals
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002962212970

To purchase The Acropolis on Amazon go HERE