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Meet Amy Bartelloni!
Please welcome our final author in our Dystopia month, Amy Bartelloni!
Amy Bartelloni is a reader, writer, & coffee addict who lives with her husband, 3 children, and various animals in the northeast US. When she’s not playing mom-taxi, you can find her with her nose in a book or her head in the clouds. A people watcher and science fiction junkie, she still believes dreams can come true. Some of her favorite authors include Neil Gaiman, Jasper Fforde, Paulo Coelho, and Stephen King she was also crazy cool enough to take our little interview and here it is…
So, when did you know that you wanted to be a writer? Was there a single moment of clarity or did the knowledge just creep up on you?
-I’ve always wanted to be a writer, I just didn’t know it! I’ve had these stories bouncing around my head my whole life – it took a long time to have the guts to actually get them out on paper! I spent far too long worrying about what other people would think. When I decided to write these stories for me – that’s when I was a writer.
Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you write everyday? At the weekends? Or, like us, whenever you get the chance?
–I wrote my whole first book while my son was napping! I was very protective of that time – the phone was off and I had to discipline myself not to do anything else. I cried when he grew out of his nap! But now my kids are all in school so I have time to write while they’re gone. Nights and weekends I’m always shuffling them around, so I try to make time in the morning.
What is it about the Dystopian genre that inspires you?
–I love the ‘what-if’s’ of dystopia. There are a million different possible futures. As someone with a huge imagination, that inspires me. I also love the fact that human nature is still human nature, even if it’s in a post-apocalyptic environment. You’re still going to have the people who panic, the people who are jerks. The heros. I love imagining that the best of human nature will survive ❤
If you could step into any Dystopian future what would it be and why?
–Oh, that’s a loaded question, isn’t it? LOL I think I’d like to have a thing like that show Quantum Leap where I could pick a future, stay there a few days, solve a few problems, then bow out before things got intense.
Zombies are busting down your door, what four objects do you grab?
I’ll be honest, I probably won’t make it, haha. I’d panic. Let’s see – weapons, for sure. Are zombies even affected by mace?? My car keys so I could get the heck out of there. I’m not sure my kids count as objects but I’m not leaving them. I’d like to take the dog and cat too. See – I’m way too sentimental, LOL – I’d be a goner.
How do your storylines evolve? Do you already have it planned where you want to go, or do you let the story take you along with it?
–I’m totally a pantser, i.e. I write by the seat of my pants. Outlining doesn’t work for me, I have to go where the characters take me. And when the characters go somewhere you didn’t see coming it’s the coolest feeling! I usually have a general idea what the conflict is and where I want the story to go, then just ride it out.
If you could choose any Dystopian book in the world to have written which one would it be and why?
–1984 because that was the novel that opened the genre for me, and made me realize how terrifying and entertaining dystopian could be – both at the same time!
If you could be any character from a book who would it be and why?
–My all time favourite book character is Thursday Next from the Jasper Fforde series. She’s a detective who can walk in and out of book world. Aside from that being the coolest thing ever, she’s pretty awesome herself!
What advice would you give to other writers of Dystopian fiction out there who are thinking of self-publishing their work?
–Make sure you run it by a ton of critique partners and beta readers! You’re never going to pick out all your own errors, it’s just impossible. And listening to other people’s feedback, even when it’s hard (especially when it’s hard) is how you learn and grow! I’ve made some pretty awesome friends in the writing community that way, too!
Who is, or are, your favourite author(s)?
–I have so many! I love Stephen King (I’m a Constant Reader!) and I recently discovered his son Joe Hill is an author and his books are amazing, too! I’m a huge fan of Neil Gaiman; American Gods is one of my favourite books. Jasper Fforde is right up there, too! And Paulo Coelho. For YA, I really liked the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, and the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor.
Okay, some quick fire questions! Don’t think too hard. Just answer…
Super Villain or Super Hero? Hero
Ice-cream or chocolate? Chocolate
Beach or the skiing holiday? Beach
Keep the One Ring or throw it in Mount Doom? Keep it!
Audio or book? Book-paperback
Zombie Apocalypse weapon of choice: Axe or Shotgun? Shotgun for sure! Crossbow if it came with Daryl Dixon!
Thanks so much for taking part in our Dystopia week Amy ❤
To all you avid readers of dystopia and all those who have yet to try it, check out Amy’s novel…
Blurb
Ten years after a pandemic swept the globe, survivors were forced into factions and camps in order to survive…
Jade and Sera are two orphans who have found refuge in a government camp. It is there where Jade falls in love with a young soldier, Anyon. But Anyon has his own secrets, carefully guarding a past that involves Sera. But before Jade and Anyon admit their feelings to each other the camp is attacked and they’re separated.
Jade knows to lead Sera to Albany, the last free camp in the east, but the road is dangerous.
Not only must they dodge pockets of infection, but they are threatened by drifters and gangs. When they arrive in Albany, they find it deserted.
Anyon and his friend Malachi are close on their heels, but not close enough. The Provisional Government is on a mission, and no one is quite prepared for what lies ahead…ANDROMEDA
And if you want to learn more about Amy or simply drop her a message here are some useful links:
http://www.amybartelloni.com
http://www.facebook.com/amybartelloniwrites
http://www.twitter.com/amycipwrites
http://www.pinterest.com/amycip
Meet Author Casey L Bond
This weeks featured author is Casey L Bond. Welcome to our humble abode Casey. Thanks for taking part in our Dystopia month. Help yourself to a snack while we tell the readers a little more about you.
Casey resides in Milton, West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. When she’s not busy being a domestic goddess and chasing her baby girls, she loves to write young adult and new adult fiction. Casey graduated from Hurricane High School in 1999. In 2003, she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marshall University in the field of Criminal Justice.
Casey are you ready for the interview?
Yes?
Good!
Here goes…
So, when did you know that you wanted to be a writer? Was there a single moment of clarity or did the knowledge just creep up on you?
In middle school, we were made to keep a journal. I fell in love with writing then and continued to write throughout high school and college. Once I got a job after college and then began building a family, I really didn’t think much about writing. But after seeing Twilight on television and then reading the final book in Meyer’s series, I caught the reading bug. My mom actually inspired me to write my first book, Winter Shadows. The rest, as they say, is history.
Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you write everyday? At the weekends? Or, like us, whenever you get the chance?
I write when I can. I have two children at home. One is very young and not in school, so it varies day to day, week to week, moment to moment. I try not to stress about it. I write when I can and when inspiration hits. So far, it’s worked for me. J
What is it about the Dystopian genre that inspires you?
It’s the realism. Some might think that dystopian novels and the genre in general is anything but realistic. That may be the case on some levels, but on others….it makes you wonder if our world isn’t headed in the direction of some of these dystopian settings. I love the struggle, the world-building and the endless possibilities that dystopian provides.
If you could step into any Dystopian future what would it be and why?
I love the Divergent series and the factions/world that is featured there. I’d love to grab the train and jump off a building’s roof into a net! Maybe that’s why I wanna go there…hmmm. J
Zombies are busting down your door, what four objects do you grab?
Water, knife, a lighter and my AR-15! LOL!
How do your storylines evolve? Do you already have it planned where you want to go, or do you let the story take you along with it?
I have a general idea of the storyline in my head. But, I don’t plot very much. I don’t really have time and sometimes my characters take an unexpected turn anyway! So, time plotting would have been wasted.
If you could choose any Dystopian book in the world to have written which one would it be and why?
You know, I would never want to have written something that wasn’t my own. I’m weird and I kind of like my own weird. So, I love my Harvest Saga series (which I’m finishing up now!) and I’m very proud of it.
If you could be any character from a book who would it be and why?
Any book ever? I would be Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice…because Darcy. #NuffSaid
What advice would you give to other writers of Dystopian fiction out there who are thinking of self-publishing their work?
Self-publishing is hard work. It isn’t simply writing a story. You have to polish it as much as you can, have it professionally edited, have or make a professional book cover. It takes time to publish and learn the publishing sites. It takes time to market if you do want to make money off the book. It’s hard, but…..You knew there was a but, right? BUT, it’s very fun and rewarding. Will every person who reads your book love it and give it five stars and two enthusiastic thumbs up? No. Will some people fall in love with your characters and the world you build? Absolutely. And that is what makes it so worth it, in my opinion.
Who is, or are, your favourite author(s)?
I love Amy Bartol, Becca Fitzpatrick, Lila Felix, Rachael Brownell and Jo Michaels. I do read (A LOT). SO, there are many others and I could spend all day talking about my favorites, but those are the first that come to mind.
Gosh we know that feeling!
Okay, some quick fire questions! Don’t think too hard. Just answer…
Super Villain or Super Hero?
Super Villain
Ice-cream or chocolate?
Ice-cream
Beach or the skiing holiday?
Beach
Keep the One Ring or throw it in Mount Doom?
Destroy the sucker!
Audio or book?
Book
Zombie Apocalypse weapon of choice: Axe or Shotgun?
Shotgun. Hands down.
Thanks so much for taking time out to come visit with us Casey. Big hugs.
You can find more information about Bond’s books via the following links:
Connect on tsu, Instagram, Google+ and LinkedIn!
And here it is Book 1 in the Harvest Saga!
The remnants of the United States of America have been divided.
From five enormous, technologically-advanced cities, the Greaters rule over the Lessers. In the Lesser village of Orchard, things are not as perfect as Abby Kelley thinks they are. When the apple harvest draws near and the Greater’s engineered fruits become too much for one village to handle alone, reinforcements from neighboring villages are called upon.
Having to choose between her best friend, whom she has no romantic feelings for, and mysterious newcomer Crew, Abby finds herself in the middle of a harvest that she had no intention of becoming a part of. She becomes involved in a situation that threatens the strict rule of the Greaters, and just might give the Lessers hope for a better tomorrow. But, can she help the Lessers without losing Crew? And if she chooses Crew, will she lose her best friend?
Meet Kayti Nika Raet!
Hello!
As part of our Dystopia month, we have the wonderful Kayti Nika Raet down for a visit. Kayti is the author of The Outsider Chronicles (five book series. Three out so far) a YA dystopia featuring a badass girl with a baseball bat. Set in a world where the rain burns like acid and flesh-eating monsters roam…
Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Kayti Nika Raet moved down South when she was 11, where she was bitten by the writing bug, as well as other, less friendly insects.
She is the author of the Outsider Chronicles, a five book series starting with NIKO and set in a world where the rain burns like acid and flesh eating monsters roam.
She’s also a reviewer for Readers’ Favorite and has her own Youtube Channel: Kayti Edition.
When she is not hard at work on her fourth book she has fun reading, listening to K-pop, and photography.
Kayti lives in Milledgeville, Georgia.
Now for some questions…
So, when did you know that you wanted to be a writer? Was there a single moment of clarity or did the knowledge just creep up on you?
I was always writing, and telling stories, but it wasn’t until I was fourteen that becoming a writer became an active goal of mine. And it wasn’t until I was twenty-two that I finally succeeded!
Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you write everyday? At the weekends? Or, like us, whenever you get the chance?
I try to write a thousand words a day and take a couple of days off every two weeks, but lately, that hasn’t been happening and now I write whenever I have the chance.
What is it about the Dystopian genre that inspires you?
I think it’s the fact that Dystopia at its heart, is a failed Utopia. It’s a world where an attempt at stability and structure in the face of epic disaster moved to the extreme of repression, “other-ing”, and control. And while most dystopias focus on the future, it’s actually quite easy to find dystopian elements in history: Rome, the Antebellum American South, World War II Germany, Post War Eastern Europe, etc. They provide good templates to write by, and I’ve always found the distortion of theories and ideals fascinating.
If you could step into any Dystopian future what would it be and why?
All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin. Even though water is strictly rationed, the mafia runs everything, and things like chocolate and coffee are illegal, there are no zombies, or death matches, so my chances of survival are quite high!
Zombies are busting down your door, what four objects do you grab?
These are slow zombies, right? If not, I’m totally dead…
Duct tape, sturdy pair of boots, hatchet, water bottle.
I’d probably get bit anyway because I have no endurance whatsoever, but hopefully I can take out a few before that happens!
How do your storylines evolve? Do you already have it planned where you want to go, or do you let the story take you along with it?
I usually know what’s going to happen in the first few chapters, and I’ll have a vague idea about the climax, but most of the time I let the story and characters take the lead.
If you could choose any Dystopian book in the world to have written which one would it be and why?
Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. It’s more post-apocalyptic than full blown dystopian, but the trilogy was very engaging.The writing style is very sparse, and the pacing is much slower than I would normally write, but I love how she set up a society forced to live around zombies. Not to mention the creative ways they make use of them in the cities.
If you could be any character from a book who would it be and why?
I answered this question in a previous interview and the answer remains the same. Anya from All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin. She’s the daughter of a black market chocolate dealer, things in her world have seriously gone to pot but despite everything she’s really cool, and smart, and resilient.
What advice would you give to other writers of Dystopian fiction out there who are thinking of self-publishing their work?
Edit, edit, edit.
Oh, and find a community of writers, be engaging, not spammy on social media, and realize that writing your book is the easy part.
Who is, or are, your favourite author(s)?
Dia Reeves, Justine Larbalestier, Brandon Sanderson, Sarah Rees Brennan, Scott Westerfeld… I can go on…
Okay, some quick fire questions! Don’t think too hard. Just answer…
Super Villain or Super Hero?
Super Villain. Way more fun!
Ice-cream or chocolate?
Chocolate.
Beach or the skiing holiday?
Beach. I like the water.
Keep the One Ring or throw it in Mount Doom?
That’s a Lord of the Rings reference. Haven’t read, or watched it, so I can’t say.
Audio or book?
Book. My brain goes on tangents with audio and I miss a lot.
Zombie Apocalypse weapon of choice: Axe or Shotgun?
Axe. It’s simple, multi-purpose, effective. Also I don’t have to spend time hunting for shotgun shells… not to mention making sure I’ve got the right kind.
You can find Kayti…
Introducing Brea Behn!
Hiya, peeps!
Today we are joined by author Brea Behn. Brea loves all things dystopian and will be telling us a little about herself, answering a few fun questions and introducing us to her fantastic Dystopian read ‘Wolves in the Woods’
So let’s get started with a little bit about Brea:
Brea Behn is very passionate about reading and writing in all genres. She started writing at the age of fifteen, when she wrote a memoir for her twin brother. Currently, she writes fiction of several genres, nonfiction, and is building her career as an author and public speaker.
When Brea is not writing, she is reading, usually several books at the same time. She also volunteers at her local humane society, gardens, and homeschools her children.
Brea lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their two children.
And to put a face to the name:
Now, Brea, we have a few fun questions for you to answer. So sit tight, pour yourself a drink and lets chinwag gabby:
So, when did you know that you wanted to be a writer? Was there a single moment of clarity or did the knowledge just creep up on you?
I have written since I was little. I never took it seriously until a tragedy happened in my life. Then writing became very important to me. A place of processing and healing. That evolved into pure love of writing which led to me pursuing publication.
Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you write everyday? At the weekends? Or, like us, whenever you get the chance?
I am like you! I write whenever I can fit it in. Usually very early or very late when everyone else in the house is sleeping.
What is it about the Dystopian genre that inspires you?
I am drawn to the dystopian genre because it almost always involves going through something incredibly difficult and coming out better for it or learning something from it in the end.
If you could step into any Dystopian future what would it be and why?
That is a hard question for the very definition of dystopian is that it will be hard! I guess if I had to choose I would say a future like one in the movie the Postman. Where decades had gone by and a time of change was happening. Both because there is hope on the horizon and because the challenges they face are normal ones (not zombies, a scorched planet or aliens!).
Zombies are busting down your door, what four objects do you grab?
A gun, a knife, a torch and a pre-packed supply pack. Taking no chances!
How do your storylines evolve? Do you already have it planned where you want to go, or do you let the story take you along with it?
I am a ride it and see where it takes me author. It is so fun and sometimes shocks me greatly!
If you could choose any Dystopian book in the world to have written which one would it be and why?
The Stand by Stephen King. He is my favourite author, but also because it is a work that would take some authors a lifetime to complete. What an accomplishment! Having his pay check and fame wouldn’t hurt my feelings either.
If you could be any character from a book who would it be and why?
I would love to be Katniss from Hunger Games. I admire her strength, her defiance and her bravery. She is a perfect example of why I love dystopian. A character that refused to accept her life and her world as it was and through her actions and influence was able to change it for the better.
What advice would you give to other writers of Dystopian fiction out there who are thinking of self-publishing their work?
I hope to read it some day! I would also give the practical advice of being sure their work is professionally edited. That is a very important thing in today’s world of publishing. No matter which route you choose to publish in.
Who is, or are, your favourite author(s)?
Stephen King. The original dystopian master. I have read his work since I was in junior high. I greatly admire his tell it like it is form of writing. I strive to do so myself.
Okay, some quick fire questions! Don’t think too hard. Just answer…
Super Villain or Super Hero?
Super villain. I am always drawn to the bad guy you both love and hate.
Ice-cream or chocolate?
Ice-cream. Don’t throw anything at me, but I don’t like chocolate. My twin brother liked chocolate, so I like vanilla. Twins are like that and it never really goes away.
Beach or the skiing holiday?
Beach! I live in Wisconsin. I can ski, snow mobile, sled or ice skate here. A beach is a real treat!
Keep the One Ring or throw it in Mount Doom?
Throw it into Mount Doom. Evil can never be controlled it can only control you. That is why it is evil.
Audio or book?
Can I say either? Although non-fiction I prefer in book form so I can take notes.
Zombie Apocalypse weapon of choice: Axe or Shotgun?
Shotgun. Less goo on yourself. I am a bit of a germ phobe, lol.
Wow! Thanks so much for taking the time to come visit, Brea. We hope you’ll come again, but in the meantime, peeps, take a butchers at Wolves in the Woods :
Grab your copy now!
You can also find Brea on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and youtube.
www.facebook.com/authorbreabehn
Meet Author D.D.Chant
Today I am super excited to introduce you all to an awesome fellow UK author. I first met Dee Dee via a goodreads group and then fell in love with her action packed and emotional dystopian series.
First off let’s get to know Dee Dee a little better and then we can take a peek at those books and my review of Broken City the first in the series.
So Dee Dee, when did you know that you wanted to be a writer? Was there a single moment of clarity or did the knowledge just creep up on you?
I’ve always been a book worm and I loved writing short stories when I was little. It wasn’t until I was 14 that I tried a full length novel, but after that I was hooked! I still have trouble thinking of myself as a writer, it seems too presumptuous. I don’t think I’ve achieved enough to call myself a writer yet.
Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you write everyday? At the weekends? Or like me – whenever you get the chance?
I try to do a 1000 words a day, it’s a comfortable number for me. I don’t write one book and edit another at the same time though; I like to concentrate on one project at a time. I can’t get as immersed in the stories if I’m working on two at once.
What inspires you?
Ummm… this is a hard one.
With my first story in was my aunt, she said she thought that I could do it and until then I had never thought of writing anything full length. After that it was an addiction, I just had to see where these stories would take me. The fact that Broken City, The Vow and Fracture are all the start of three different series means that now I simply can’t stop!!! I have to know what happens to the characters next!!!
How did the Broken Truce storyline evolve– did you already have it planned when you wrote Broken City?
No, not at all. I wrote Broken City as a stand alone book, but the response from readers asking for another story was so incredible that I decided that I would look at turning it in to a series.
I had left Broken City very open ended on purpose and I didn’t want to write another book unless I could think of an interesting way to move the story forward. I waited for about 18 months and then the perfect plot line popped into my head!
I had a lot of worries when I started Broken Truce, I had written 2 books in between set in totally different worlds. I was nervous that Deeta wouldn’t ‘sound’ the same, that I wouldn’t be able to recreate the characters for a second book and a million and one other things. The second I started writing I could hear Deeta’s narration in my head and I knew that everything would be fine.
Broken Truce did take me by surprise in a lot of ways though. The story is spread much wider and so I made the decision to have the story follow Tom and some of the secondary characters as well as Deeta. It’s also a much darker tale; you see a much rougher side of the City and the line between good and bad is even more blurred than in the first book.
I also got to introduce a lot of new characters which was fun.
If you could choose any book in the world to have written which one would it be and why?
Cotillion by Georgette Heyer.
It is my favourite book of all time. I just love Freddy, he isn’t a typical hero and I adore that about him.
If you could be any character from a book who would it be and why?
Ooo!!! Hard!
I think Adele from The Promise; she’s clever but still manages to be sweet and she’s very understanding.
What advice would you give to other writers out there who are thinking of self publishing their work?
Don’t think that this is the ‘easy’ way, it isn’t. It’s going to be very, very hard and you’ll have to take some pretty tough criticism. The most important thing is that you remain professional at all times.
Someone didn’t like your book? That sucks but it’s their prerogative. Making sarcastic comments on their reviews (or getting your friends to) is going to do A LOT more harm than it does them. Plus it’s childish.
DO NOT SPAM!!! It’s very rude and most readers will black ball you for it.
Take the time to connect with readers about something OTHER than your book.
Be polite at all times.
Remember that just because this is the first time you have posted about your book, a million and one other people have made that same introductory post before you. So be tactful.
Make sure you READ the rules before posting on a book forum, then OBEY them!!!
Despite all the doom and gloom up above, it’s completely worth it! The first reader that tells you how much they love your story makes it all worth while!!!
Who is, or are, your favourite author(s)?
Georgette Heyer
Charles Dickens
Elizabeth Gaskel
Jane Austen
Lucy Walker…
The list is endless!!!
Do you write for a specific genre or do you like to dabble in several?
Oh no!!! You have discovered my deepest secret!!! ;-P
I like to dabble.
Broken City is post apocalyptic.
The Promise is Saxon romance.
Fracture is futuristic.
The Claire short stories are contemporary humor.
Okay some quick fire questions. Don’t think to hard just answer.
Super Villain or Super Hero?
Super Hero
Ice-cream or chocolate?
Chocolate
Beach or the Alps?
Beach
Keep the One Ring or throw it in Mount Doom?
Throw that sucker in to Mount Doom!!!
Audio or Paperback?
Kindle!!! ;-P
Horror or Romance?
Romance
Thanks so much for taking time to answer all our questions! Now lets delve a little deeper and let Dee Dee tell us a little more about herself freestyle…
Hi everyone! 
My name is Dee Dee, I’m twenty six and I live in a beautiful part of Devon, England with my family. I have a younger sister, Amy who is a brilliant guitar player, some chickens, duck, geese, pheasants, a cat (that adopted us when we moved in!!!) and some Koi.
Broken City is actually my second novel. My first, as my Aunt so delicately put it, was crazy but in my defence I was only sixteen at the time. On the plus side I learnt a lot (or so I hope) and two years later ‘Broken City’ was finished. Due to the support I have received from everyone I have just finished the next book in the Broken City series!
I have another book ‘The Promise’, which is set in Saxon England it’s the beginning of a series and I have just released my third book ‘Fracture’ which is set in the distant future and is also the start of a series.
I really hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them.
I love reading and have a kindle: I read almost anything with adventure and romance in it! I also like to cook and wear impractical high heels!!! And as you might have noticed I have a horrible addiction to exclamation marks!!!
Well that’s Dee Dee, now on to her books…
A girl with no future
A man with no past
A little lost boy
And those who seek to find him….
….Welcome to Deeta’s world.
Deeta Richards has never seen the outside world. Before she was born a banking crisis brought civilization to an end and now no one leaves the safety of the compounds unless they need to, but Deeta still dreams of seeing more than the building she was born in.
Tom is in the guard, this group are the only people that the tribal elders allow to leave the compound and Tom knows only too well that Deeta could never survive the harshness that exists outside. Then tragedy strikes and Deeta and her Sister Jan find themselves captured by a hostile tribe. Why does Tom know so much about these people? And why do they know so much about him? As this mystery draws to a climax, they discover that their friend Tom is not quite what he seems…
Okay, so would you like to see my review of Broken City – the first book in Dee Dee’s dystopian world?
MY REVIEW!
Broken City is one of those novels that immediately engages the reader and doesn’t let go until the last page.
Often in dystopian novels you get pages of info dump as the author tries to fill you in on the way of the new world they have created. In those cases, I find myself struggling to assimilate all the information thrown at me and invariably switch off. Not in this case. D.D Chant bleeds colour into the world she has created so skilfully, that the reader doesn’t even realise what is happening until they find themselves standing within a masterpiece.
The character development is done in such a way that you feel as if you are slowly peeling away the layers to get to the person underneath. I found myself totally believing that a particular character would behave in a particular way, simply because their hopes, dreams, and motivations became real to me.
Broken City is a feast full of romance, action, high emotion and vivid characters. I would highly recommend this book.
FIVE BIG STARS
And here is an EXCERPT to whet your appetite…
I’m not sure how it happens, but the next thing I’m aware of is the faintly groggy feeling you get when you’ve been woken from sleep quickly. A glance at the clock tells me that forty minutes have gone by, yet the room is still silent, with no noise to rouse me from what had obviously been a deep sleep. I stand up and meet my own eyes in the mirror above the fire place. I’m staring at myself in a dazed kind of way, when I realise that mine is not the only figure reflected in its polished surface.
I suppose it must have been the second time he walked through this room and the first time he didn’t notice me curled up in the depths of the large arm chair. He seems quite as shocked as I am to find he’s not alone.
A full second elapses before I utter a strangled scream and leg it through the door and into the passage way. The first thing I come across is another camouflaged figure and my panic ratchets up a notch. I think of the children, who in about fifteen minutes time, will joyfully be free of the shackles of their lessons.
The two soldiers are behind me, so only way to go is up the stairs. The knowledge that I am leading the intruders towards the children, rings in my head. With the sound of pursuit hideously loud in the stairwell, coherent thought is proving difficult. I’m half way up the forth flight when I hear Dec’s jubilant voice proclaiming himself the winner of some unseen race.
“Dec, run!” My voice cracks and my throat, already sore, tightens.
Dec’s voice exclaiming above my head is cut short as he sees my pursuers. I hear the door onto the stairwell open and close above me and a moment later something hit the floor behind me with a dull thud. A cheer reverberates around the walls.
Dec, bless him, hadn’t run away when I told him to, instead he’d brought a large book from the school room above and hurled it at one of my attackers. As that soldier was at this very moment out cold on the steps, I guess his aim must have been pretty accurate.
The last of the men is felled by some sort of encyclopaedia, this time lobbed by Roydon. I reach the landing they are standing on, completely out of breath. Roydon and Dec seize a hand each and drag me after Ricky who is holding Tarri in his arms and has Carris’s hand tucked in his.
From the direction in which they are going, I think their destination is Ralph’s house. But we keep running into the strangers that have breached the building and our efforts bring us almost full circle. We come to a standstill in one of the rooms with a connecting door and pause breathlessly.
“Who are they?” whispers Roydon.
“I don’t know, but they have some pretty neat kit,” answers Ricky. He relinquishes Tarri into Carris’s arms and places an ear to the door. “Ssh — someone’s coming!”
Ricky steps back a little from the door and we all wait expectantly. Sure enough it begins to open, Ricky waits until it is almost half way before he kicks it shut with all his might. We turn and run though the connecting door in to the room on the other side and out on to the corridor beyond. We are tantalisingly close to Ralph’s house.
How it happens I hardly know, but as Dec passes the open door of the school room, he is dragged kicking and screaming through the door by unseen hands. I scream and pull as hard as I can on the handle, but it won’t move. I realise they must have locked it behind them. Ralph’s door is just a little further on and I grab Ricky’s arm.
“Ricky, take the children to Ralph and stay there.”
“But…”
I don’t know what he had been going to say, but he stops abruptly and nods.
As I turn and run down the hallway I hear them banging on the Clark’s door.
There is no sign of Dec when I enter the school room, but from the knocked over chairs it is obvious that there has been some struggling. I run through the next two rooms desperately and hear, in the distance, Dec’s voice raised in protest. I burst into the corridor to find him struggling madly with one of the camouflaged soldiers. Picking up a stool from the room I have just come through, I use it to hit the man around the head. He sinks to the floor moaning and I taking Dec’s hand. We run down the passage, around the corner and up the steps, slap bang into more of the soldiers.
Instinctively I push Dec behind me, below their visors I see derision in the soldiers faces and when they step forwards, they pull us apart easily. Trying to tear away from the vice like grip on my arm, I pull my knee up into the soldier’s stomach. His smirk changes quickly to a snarl of pain and my struggles become more desperate. I manage to free an arm long enough to punch him in the face. I must admit to a feeling of gratification as blood begins to trickle from his nose.
There is blinding pain as his fist connects with my face, slapping it sharply sideways and causing me to lurch backwards. I fall to the floor and it’s only Dec screaming my name that brings me groggily to my feet. I am rewarded by a merciless grip on my arm, forcing it behind me and well up my back as the soldier drives me heavily into the wall. I slip to the floor weakly, again hearing Dec’s voice calling to me. The sound grows gradually fainter, until my eyes close and I hear nothing.
But troubles between the tribes continue, and the Andak council have selected Tom as their ambassador and spokesman to the other tribes.
Deeta knows that there is still much resentment against the Andak, and that Tom is in danger every time he leaves the safety of Andak City.
Struggling with her own complicated feelings against the tribe that she is now a part of, Deeta tries to ignore the changing attitudes growing within her.
But when Tom is betrayed and they are thrown into great danger, Deeta finds that reality can’t be ignored forever…
The Free Nation
Senator Burton and his son Ben arrive in the Tula strongholds for peace talks, but find themselves mistrustful of the seeming perfection of the Tula world. The Tula
Astra is Councillor Ladron’s subsidiary, pressured into a false position to keep her loved ones safe. Her precariously balanced world begins to fracture when Ben starts to ask difficult questions about her past. The Una
Kai is Apprentice Headman to the Una people. Unaccountably called upon to sacrifice his honour in the name of peace, Kai’s hatred toward the injustice proves all consuming. If the time comes, will he be able to forgive?
I wish to tell you a tale that began with a promise destined to change the lives of many.
When only a child, Lady Adele of Berron lost her family during a dreadful battle and was betrothed to a stranger.
Lord Rafe of Valrek, only a boy himself when the battle of Calis raged, grew to be a feared warrior and trusted advisor to his King. But sadness filled his past and Adele served only to remind him of all he had lost.
However the promise that bound these two together caused great anger to some.
What, Dear Reader, happened in those days of treachery and darkness? Incline your ear that I may whisper the secrets that you so desire to hear……
If you haven’t already sampled Dee Dee worlds then what are you waiting for?
Meet Laura Barnard
Hi all, today I’m really excited to have Laura Barnard – author of ‘The Debt and the Doormat’ – with us. We are going to grill her a little and then squeeze some info about her latest book ‘The Baby & The Bride’ out of her. So here is the interview:
1. When did you know that you wanted to be a writer? Was there a single moment of clarity or did the knowledge just creep up on you?
I’ve always wanted to write a book, way back to when I was a teenager. I think it came from my love of books and the fact that I’ve loved making up stories since I was little. One year it was my new year’s resolution to start writing. I didn’t plan a book. I just forced myself to put something on paper and that quickly evolved.
2. Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you write every day? At the weekends? Or like me – whenever you get the chance?
I write every evening once my daughter is in bed. She’s only nineteen months so makes it impossible to do anything around her. It’s actually a good thing, as it means I can clearly separate the two. I write until at least midnight every night. If I ever try to have an early night I can’t sleep, with ideas running through my head. It’s better to type until I pass out!
3. What inspires you?
Everything really. I’m a highly emotional person who sympathises with everyone’s side of view. So I can listen to a song and cry, feeling the pain of the person who wrote it and I can try to understand the bitch in the story. No-one is born evil, they are moulded by their circumstances. I like to take ideas from these feelings.
4. Where did you get the idea for The Baby & the Bride – did you already have it planned when you wrote Debt and the Doormat?
I never originally planned to write a sequel, but then I had no idea how popular it would be! Within weeks I was getting messages from fans and bloggers begging me to write a sequel. It was a tough decision as I’d closed those characters’ lives in my head, but soon the ideas started flowing.
5. If you could choose any book in the world to have written which one would it be and why?
I’ve spent about thirty minutes on this question! Such a hard one. I would say Raw by Belle Aurora. I thought it was such an amazing book and I was left with a serious book hangover afterwards.
6. If you could be any character from a book who would it be and why?
I’d love to be Katniss from Hunger Games. She’s so kick arse, brave and smart.
7. What advice would you give to other writers out there who are thinking of self publishing their work?
I would tell them to go for it, but to research it fully. I’d tell them not to take themselves too seriously, as some people won’t enjoy your work and that’s ok.
8. Who is, or are, your favourite author(s)?
I adore Sophie Kinsella and Lindsay Kelk. They write quintessential chick lit that I know I can’t go wrong with. Saying that I love so many others – Mia Sheridan, Tracy Bloom, Lisa Swallow, Belle Aurora – I could probably go on forever.
9. Do you write for a specific genre or do you like to dabble in several?
I write chick lit/romantic comedy and I feel that is the right genre for me at the moment. As time goes by I might look into dabbling into other areas, but for now I’m happy with what I’m doing.
10. Okay some quick fire questions. Don’t think to hard just answer.
Super Villain or Super Hero? Super Hero
Ice-cream or chocolate? Chocolate
Beach or the Alps? Beach
Edward Cullen or Lestat? Edward Cullen – who is Lestat?
Keep the One Ring or throw it in Mount Doom? Keep the One Ring
Audio or Paperback? Paperback
Horror or Romance? Romance
Thanks so much for taking the time to let us interview you Laura…and why does no one really know who Lestat is? Anne Rice people! The Vampire Lestat! Well Laura’s latest offering is available to buy on amazon now!
Here is a blurb and a short excerpt:
Poppy and Jazz’s lives sound perfect on paper. Jazz has a new baby and Poppy’s getting married. But their realities are very different.
Poppy must strive to keep her cool new job with crazy hours, while trying to keep Ryan happy. Before she knows it her wedding has got out of control, thanks to her mother, the runners at work are bullying her, her parents are in financial difficulty and she’s doubting everything and everyone she ever knew.
Meanwhile Jazz is struggling with motherhood, something a credit card won’t fix. Why won’t this baby give her a break? Will Jazz be able to cope before she loses it?
And will Poppy make it down the aisle? Will Ryan even be waiting?
Excerpt:
‘Mum, you’re a drinker,’ I giggle, rolling my eyes.
‘Only on special occasion’s darling!’ she protests, not meeting my eyes.
‘Did you drink last night?’
‘Yes,’ she shrugs.
‘And what were you celebrating?’ I smirk.
‘It was a Friday, darling. The end of the week. If that’s not something to celebrate, then I don’t know what is,’ she guffaws.
Author bio:
My name is Laura Barnard and I am an author from Hertfordshire, UK. My first chick-lit novel, The Debt & the Doormat was an Amazon number 1 best-seller and won Best Laugh Out Loud Book of 2013. It is available via Amazon, Smashwords, iBooks. Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository and many more.
In my spare time I enjoy drinking my body weight in tea, indulging in cupcakes the size of my face, drooling over hunks like Jamie Dornan, Ryan Gosling and Leo Dicaprio…oh and my husband of course! I like wearing yoga clothes and reading fitness magazines while I sit on the sofa and eat chocolate. I’m a real fan of the power nap and of course, READING!
Meet Jennifer Brown!
Hi all!
We have the pleasure of Author Jennifer Brown’s company today. Jennifer is the author of The Edge of Springwood series and if you have not read the two books available then you are sorely missing out! So lets get to know Jennifer a little better…
So Jennifer, when did you know that you wanted to be a writer? Was there a single moment of clarity or did the knowledge just creep up on you? I think I’ve known I wanted to be a writer since third grade, the bug grabbed me in the midst of an assignment my reading teacher gave us. There’s really nothing else I wanted to be, at least up until that point in third grade.
Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you write everyday? At the weekends? Or like me – whenever you get the chance? I do keep a writing schedule, but I don’t write everyday. I set a schedule to avoid burnout, and keep myself disciplined and paced, and make it random. At the most, I write about three days a week. Also, if I am having a bad day, it gives me something to look forward to the next day. 🙂 But I also do it because I am the only driver where I live.
What inspires you? Wow. There is so much, and in different ways. This Malaysian plane story has captured my interest although I pray for the families of the passengers and can’t imagine what they are going through. I was actually inspired by a local story last year involving the three girls in Cleveland that were held captive for ten years, as they were released and am working on a side project loosely based around it. Anyone who overcomes adversity and stands up for what they believe in inspire me.
Where did you get the idea for The Edge of Springwood – how was it born? The characters were born in a storyline I developed back in the 90’s. Around five or six years ago I got an idea to bring them back, thinking how cool it would be if Jacob Barnes, the oldest Barnes sibling were mayor. Everything else just fell into place as I wrote it, like it was meant to be. 🙂
If you could choose any book in the world to have written which one would it be and why? As much as I love some of my fellow author’s work, I am content with what I have written and would never choose another book to claim. There’s just too much of a spiritual connection when you work on a book and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
If you could be any character from a book who would it be and why? Well, the only one I have recently read that even remotely had a life I couldn’t complain about would be Anastasia Steele. I think I prefer having a job in publishing and lot of sex, over turning up missing or dead.
What advice would you give to other writers out there who are thinking of self publishing their work? Do all the research you can before you decide on that option. There are good companies out there who will publish your work and save you some money, but with self publishing you do retain more control over the process.
Who is, or are, your favourite author(s)? I love Linwood Barclay novels, he hasn’t come out with a book I don’t like since 2007.
Do you write for a specific genre or do you like to dabble in several? I mainly write suspense, but wouldn’t rule out another genre in the future if I come up with a great idea.
Okay some quick fire questions. Don’t think to hard just answer.
Super Villain or Super Hero? Super Villian
Ice-cream or chocolate? Chocolate
Beach or the Alps? Beach
Edward Cullen or Lestat? Neither.
Keep the One Ring or throw it in Mount Doom? Uh, I don’t know. lol
Audio or Paperback? Paperback
Horror or Romance? Both
Phew! Okay that was fun!
Some more info about Jennifer:
Jennifer Brown lives in Springfield Ohio, and has written since third grade. She was taught to read at an early age and fell in love with books, mainly mysteries. Her love of books grew, and in the summer before she started high school she wrote her longest story, halfway filling an old school notebook. In high school she started to enter writing contests, and in her junior and senior years joined the Herald staff becoming entertainment editor over her high school newspaper.
After graduating, with a few writing contest awards under her belt she attended college a year later, and was urged by her English instructor to join the college paper. She did, writing a few reviews of restaraunts and movies, as well as writing a review of her first Alanis Morissette concert. A few years later she was asked to take the position of entertainment editor.
At 38, Jennifer has written several stories and has many more in store for readers. When she is not writing she likes reading, working on computer graphics, editing photos, listening to music, and brainstorming for new ideas!
If you want to keep up with what Jennifer is up to then here are some useful links:
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