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Saturday, 5 August 2017

(AUTHOR INTERVIEW) Ross Harrison

Today I will be interviewing Ross Harrison! Enjoy, and remember if you ever want to be interviewed Contact Me


First of all, tell us a little about yourself? 

I’m bald. Ish. ING! I began writing at some age or other, and I liked it. Other people also seemed to like it, but other people were family so they kind of had to. Other than something I wrote when I was about 6 or 7 that involved red, rain, and a hill – quite possibly with a house on it – the first thing I remember writing was an action game in ‘book’ form. Soldiers in the desert fighting Russians, naturally, and hiding behind crates. CRATES IN THE DESERT! The follow up was even more of a game in book form, in that it was a complete rip off of Metal Gear Solid 2 and literally stole, word for word, the opening of a review I had read of the game.

At some different point or other, it occurred to me that this probably wasn’t proper writing and that I should write my own thing entirely from my own head. So when I was about 12, I started to write about a space ship that was dispatched to find humanity a new home. In the midst of trying to work out a good Latin name for this vessel, it decided to turn into a ghost ship terrorising the galaxy and so I stuck with that. Roughly five years later, it was a fully fleshed out novel: Shadow of the Wraith. About eight years after that, I published it.

Somewhere in the middle (2001), I moved to Ireland where I learned the square root of 49. I have a car. It’s nice. I still have some hair, I just shave it.

I think that’s everything.

What inspired you to become an author? 

The desire to write stuff.

What was the main inspiration for your most recent book? 

I don’t know if I had inspiration exactly, but I knew I wanted to do more with the powerful characters that have been in the other two books of the series: Necurians. They are psionically skilled – which basically means they can throw things about with their minds – reclusive, and are feared by those in the galaxy who believe they exist.

So I wanted to do more with them, and I liked the idea of going backwards in time and using a secondary character from the first book as one of the two main characters in this one. The other main character is also going to be recognisable to anyone who has read that book (which isn’t necessary, because they are standalone), though he was never actually in it.

What is the kindest thing someone has ever said and or done for you?

‘I can imagine you on radio while I go to sleep.’ I chose to take that as a compliment. A weird compliment.

Do you have a favourite author? (Or name a few) 

Terry Pratchett, overall. And Douglas Adams – Dirk Gently, not Hitchhiker’s Guide. For sci-fi, either Ian M Banks or Peter F Hamilton. For thrillers, Lee Child. Although I’m also very much liking Rowling’s Cormoran Strike books, and Tolkien, Robin Hobb, apple crumble, Star Wars...what was the question?

What is the best writing advice you have ever received? 


Most advice new writers receive blurs into one blob of ‘Do this’ and ‘Don’t do that’. Usually one person’s ‘Do this’ is the next person’s ‘Don’t do that’. Everyone has a certain set of writing beliefs that they think everyone else should adhere to. Everyone has a different idea about how important the ‘rules’ are. Yet no one thinks to proclaim ‘This is just my opinion’. So in a sense the best ‘advice’ I’ve got is indirectly from the above authors, who put out one popular, successful book after the other, breaking half the ‘rules’ and contradicting each other’s ‘Don’t do that’s and basically showing new writers that the thing to do is just write. ‘Write the way you write’, they kind of told me.

Did you always want to be a writer and if not what did was the first thing you wanted to be or do? 


I started writing before I started considering what I wanted to be, but I do recall at some point thinking I wanted to a policeman, Superman, and/or join the RAF. I was at the cut-off age at that point for learning to fly though, with my underwear on the inside or out.

Do you like to listen to music while you write? If so, who are your favourite artists? 

Sometimes I do, but sometimes it distracts or promotes something stereotypical or cliché. I listened to a lot of Queen and Evanescence particularly, when I wrote the first book. Lately, I’ve preferred listening to soundtracks. The Oblivion (Tom Cruise) soundtrack is extremely good, and works well with writing sci-fi. I have also put together a ‘noir/thrillers’ playlist though, which includes things like Dorothy (Missile/Get Up), Johnny Cash (Hurt), Jen Titus (O Death), Karen O (I Shall Rise), and Royal Deluxe (Dangerous)… To all of which, and more, scenes have arranged themselves.

I’ve recently discovered cyberpunk compilations on YouTube, too, which will come in handy if I decide to write any more thrillers with a sci-fi backdrop. They instantly transport you to neon-soaked sci-fi streets.

What helps you write when you're stuck and or have writer's block? 

I don’t know. I’ve only had writer’s block once and I didn’t write anything for about a year. Writing my thriller, Acts of Violence, was hard work and I found myself hard pressed to move forward most days, so I just took it a sentence at a time. If I wasn’t sure how he was going to get out of being shot, I’d just have him think that he didn’t know how he was going to get out of being shot. It was similar, I suppose, to the advice of writing something else to get your mind into the flow.

After a long day of writing etc, do you have a favourite TV show you like to watch? 

Not really. I watch a few things. I like Flash, Agents of SHIELD, Person of Interest, Justified, Archer, MST3K, Supernatural, The Expanse, a couple of sword-making YouTube channels... All over the place.

What are you working on currently? 


Two more books in the NEXUS series. One very similar to Blades of the Fallen, and one completely different. Shouldn’t be four and a half years between series entries this time! Well, unless that series is Kira...

When you're not writing, or working, what do you like to do? 

I like to play story-driven games like The Witcher, the original Mass Effect, the original Dragon Age, Heavy Rain, etc. Occasionally, I’ll shoot some rebels for the glory of the Empire in Battlefront.

What are some of your most favourite books of all time? 

Either of the Dirk Gently books, any Discworld novel with Granny Weatherwax or Sam Vimes, The Hobbit. The Magic Roundabout.

Which of your books are you most proud of? 

I don’t know, which of your children do you love the most? My first book was my first book and the first complete thing I’d written. The second proved that I could produce more than one thing, and I liked how much bigger and more sweeping it was, and also how much darker it was in places, even if the humour may have gone a touch overboard. Both parts of Kira (short stories) turned out a lot better than I expected, and I look forward to finally getting back to it. And then there’s the thriller, which is definitely the best thing I’ve written and something I never thought I would. And then this new one made a beta reader cry. Beta reader? That doesn’t sound right. Alpha...?

Which of your characters do you love the most and why? 

Again, which is your favourite child? I should probably say Travis Archer and Juni Lien from the first book, as the majority of the series is going to revolve around them. I have some plans – or bits of plans – for all them, but those two my mind keeps going back to over and over. I have a lot to write for them, some of which I’m afraid of coming to.

What is the title of the last book you read/was it good or bad? 

The last book I finished was Persuader, one of the Jack Reacher books that I’m working my way through. I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the others so far, but it’s Lee Child/Jack Reacher, so it’s always good. The one I have nearly finished reading is Assassin’s Apprentice, by Robin Hobb. It is very good, and I’m glad I started reading it. I have a fantasy series somewhere in the back of my mind, and the last thing I want is to be inspired to start writing it now, only three books into my space opera series, so I nearly didn’t.

Is there anything specific you'd like to try writing about in the future? 

As I said, I have a fantasy series slowly formulating in the back of my mind, so I will be doing that at some point, but I want to finish NEXUS first. I have no plans for how many books will be in NEXUS, though, so no idea how long that may be. As well as that, once I’ve got NEXUS back on track a bit (again, four and a half years between books 2 and 3), I intend to start a thriller series. I know who the protagonist will be, but otherwise I know nothing. I’ll decide when it comes to it whether it will be set within the NEXUS universe, as Acts of Violence is, or contemporary. Or something else.

What is an interesting or hidden talent you have? 


I can fly a helicopter, so long as someone else turns it on for me.

If you could have one super power, what would it be and why would you choose it?


Would it be cheating to give myself the superpower of being able to give myself any superpower I want? Otherwise, I’d probably go for a strong energy manipulation of some kind, because that would take the place of several superpowers: flight, bulletproofity, super strength (kind of), super Jedi cosplay, etc. …I hadn’t really considered it.

Is there anything else you'd like my readers to know? 

The square root of 49 is 7. I was never taught what a square root was and when I moved school, I was made to stand up in front of everyone and tell them what the square root of 49 is. I did the thing of pretending it was just on the tip of my tongue, barely evading my grasp, right up until I realised the teacher had no intention of saving me, and I had to admit I didn’t know. Now I know. 7. Don’t forget.

Where can we find you on social media?


I’m most active on Twitter, complaining about things and sometimes Tweeting about my books. I’m trying to do more on Facebook, too. And there’s that Google one. That exists, I guess.

Don't forget to check out Ross's book, Blades of The Fallen!

Friday, 4 August 2017

(AUTHOR INTERVIEW) Scott Kauffman

Today I will be interviewing Scott Kauffman! Enjoy, and remember if you ever want to be interviewed Contact Me

First of all, tell us a little about yourself?

Well, my fiction career began with an in-class book report written in Mrs. Baer's eighth-grade English class when, due to a conflict of priorities, I failed to read the book, necessitating an exercise of imagination. I snagged a B, better than the C I received on my last report when I actually read the book. Thus began my life-long apprenticeship as a teller of tales and, some would snidely suggest, as a lawyer as well, but they would be cynics, a race Oscar Wilde warned us, that knew the price of everything and the value of nothing. I am the author of the legal-suspense novel, In Deepest Consequences, and a recipient of the 2011 Mighty River Short Story Contest and the 2010 Hackney Literary Award. My short fiction has appeared in Big Muddy, Adelaide Magazine, and Lascaux Review. I am now at work on two novel manuscripts and a collection of short stories. I am an attorney in Irvine, California, where my practice focuses upon white-collar crime and tax litigation with my clients providing me endless story fodder. I graduated summa cum laude from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and in the upper ten percent of my class from Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon, where I was a member of the Environmental Law Review and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Conflict of Laws.

What inspired you to become an author?


My first fiction class in college was taught by Walter Tevis who wrote The Hustler, The Color of Money, and the Man Who Fell to Earth. One of the stories we read was "Winter Dreams" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald is a dangerous writer for young men to read but I just fell in love with the man's prose.

What was the main inspiration for your most recent book?
Literary inspiration came from Johnny Got His Gun, Legends of the Fall, and The English Patient. Personal inspiration came in part from my late-wife’s uncle who may have been the last American combat death in Viet Nam and is the only American to have died on an MIA recovery mission. Also, I came of age during the Viet Nam war. From 1963 to 1975 it was television and front page news every day. I only missed getting shipped to Viet Nam myself because I pulled a high enough number in the draft lottery.

America involved itself in Viet Nam because after the Republicans bludgeoned the Democrats at the polls as being responsible for losing China in 1949 (not that it was ours to lose) neither party was willing to be the party in power should another country fall to the Communists. But once America involved itself in Viet Nam, it only committed enough resources to not lose the war, never to win it. A study contained within the infamous Pentagon Papers opined that the United States would have to accept 50,000 casualties a year for five to ten years in order to defeat the Communists. By the end of World War II, the American public was rebelling at comparable losses and was one of the reasons for the Hiroshima bomb. They would never have accepted losses of 250,000 to 500,000 to defeat the Communists in Viet Nam.

Who influenced you the most in life?

My father. Grew up dirt poor on hard-scrabble farm in Ohio. Served in World War II. Came home and attended college on the GI Bill and managed to graduate second in his class while working at a full-time job with a new wife and child at home, and was always there with a hand out for anyone who needed it.

What is the kindest thing someone has ever said and or done for you?
My late wife requested she be buried in her wedding gown. Unfortunately, she did not go a good job of taking care of it. Her gown suffered from water damage and mold as well as the normal deterioration from age. I took it in to be cleaned anyway but the clerk was doubtful. I ask them to do their best. When I picked it up, the gown looked as good or better than new. The owner came out and shook my hand. He refused to charge me but he had to have worked hours cleaning her gown.

Do you have a favourite author? (Or name a few)
My favorite (I really wish you English would learn how to spell) living author is Cormac McCarthy because he writes with the vividness of William Faulkner and the conciseness of Ernest Hemingway. Then of course there is good old F. Scott.

What is the best writing advice you have ever received?
Writing is a craft as much as it is art. You can learn a craft; the art will follow.

Did you always want to be a writer and if not what did was the first thing you wanted to be or do?

One way or the other. My first career pick was to be a foreign correspondent when I was maybe eight, but I have always enjoyed writing. As a lawyer, I am always writing, although it is persuasive writing and not always fictitious.

Do you like to listen to music while you write? If so, who are your favourite artists?

I enjoy listening to classical music, especially sacred choral music from the Renaissance and Baroque eras that put me into a proper contemplative state of mind. Favorite composers include Thomas Tallis, Antonio Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, and Motzart.

What helps you write when you're stuck and or have writer's block?

Fortunately, I have never been afflicted with writer's block although sometimes I have problems of figuring out where my plot should be going. For those occasions, the What if? game never fails.

After a long day of writing etc, do you have a favourite tv show you like to watch?

I have not watched a television show in years but after a long day of writing I will go out on my patio with a double Irish and a good audio book and watch the sun slip into the Pacific.

What are you working on currently? 

Working title is the Song of Deborah: Before a grief-stricken bounty hunter risks the wrath of the Midwest mob that hired him to track down their fifteen-year old runaway, he must come to terms with his culpability for the suicide of his teenage daughter.

When you're not writing, or working, what do you like to do?
My practice and writing consume just about all of my time but I do enjoy annoying book bloggers. Also watching movies is not only relaxing but useful for learning the tricks of structure and plotting.

What are some of your most favourite books of all time?
Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom, Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian.

Which of your characters do you love the most and why?

Betsy in Revenants. She just has such spunk.

Which of your books are you most proud of?

Revenants because to the time it took. As in gymnastics, sticking my landing was the most difficult. Over 8 years and 14 major rewrites, the beginning did not change all that much. It was the final third I couldn’t stick. I finally found my ending when I was working on a short story that eventually became my new chapter 1. When I had my beginning, the ending just flowed out of it.

What is the title of the last book you read/was it good or bad?

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance. I thought it quite good. Both Vance and I are former rustbelt Ohioans (though from opposite ends of the state) and both lawyers now living in California. His family is from Appalachia as is my mother's.

Is there anything specific you'd like to try writing about in the future?

I am simmering up a plot based upon England's SOE during World War II.

What is an interesting or hidden talent you have?


I'm really, really good at annoying book bloggers.

If you could have one super power, what would it be and why would you choose it?

When I was ten I thought it would be so cool to have Superman's X-Ray vision so I could see through Mary Ann Jensen's dress. I guess now that's not a Politically Correct super power to wish for anymore.

Is there anything else you'd like my readers to know?


Only to thank them for reading this far.

Where can we find you on social media?


You can always find me on Goodreads.

Don't forget to check out Scott's book, Revenants!


Thursday, 3 August 2017

(AUTHOR INTERVIEW) David Wiener

Today I will be interviewing David Wiener! Enjoy, and remember if you ever want to be interviewed Contact Me

First of all, tell us a little about yourself!

I’m a playwright; in addition to the US, I’ve had plays done in London, in several locations around England, and in Ireland, Wales, Australia, Mexico, Canada, and India. My Literary Internship was at La Jolla Playhouse and, after that was completed, they kept me on as Dramaturgy Associate for several months. I also have a lot of publication credits in the performing arts - a book on movie stunt work, cover and feature articles in American Cinematographer, Producers Guild Journal, Cahiers du Cinema, The Journal of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain, The Journal of the Producers Guild, California Magazine, and others. I also enjoy lecturing on theatre and have presented talks at the University of California San Diego, San Diego State University, The Lipinsky Institute, as well as at high schools.

What inspired you to become an author?
I started writing little stories in elementary school and not long after, I found I really enjoyed writing scripts - I did a lot of student films, then moved into live theatre, plays.

What was the main inspiration for your most recent book and or play?

I recently finished up two solo plays, both of them inspired by true stories: one of them is a harrowing story about Hollywood in the 1960s and the other one is about the golden age of ballet in America.

Who influenced you the most in life?


Lots of people but as far as my writing goes, I always remember going up to Mrs. Lutz, my first grade teacher, at the end of the school year and thanking her for teaching me to read.

What is the kindest thing someone has ever said and or done for you?
Too many incidents of kindness to count! And, really, the littlest things, the things we very quickly forget, turn out to be the biggest and most important things of all - maybe the only things that really count - something as small as a smile.

Do you have a favourite author? (Or name a few)
I have lots of favorites, but two I’ve been re-reading recently are Somerset Maugham and Cyril Kornbluth. Maugham because so many of his stories work so well as scripts (he was a hugely successful playwright, so he understood storytelling and dramatic construction); there are some wonderful movies made from his short stories that are nowhere near as well-known as the movies made from his famous novels. And Kornbluth because I like sci-fi and he was so good at science-fiction short stories. He wrote a real masterpiece sci-fi story about a vampire back in the 1950s.

What is the best writing advice you have ever received?
I never received it, but I read it. Irving Thalberg was chatting with a writer at the MGM commissary one day. “What are you working on right now?” Thalberg asked. “A love story,” the writer said. “Great!” Thalberg replied. “What keeps them apart?”

Did you always want to be a writer and if not what did was the first thing you wanted to be or do?
The focus on writing came along very early and there really haven’t been too many other things I wanted to get into.

Do you like to listen to music while you write? If so, who are your favourite artists?
Not while I write, but before I write - it helps me think of plot lines, dialogue, situations, etc. I like all kinds of music, but mostly jazz from the 40s and 50s, bossa nova, classical orchestral and choral works, some show tunes, and Great American Songbook stuff. I really like vinyl; I enjoy going to thrift stores and estate sales and also Amazon to find records I want. And some film scores, especially composers like Lalo Schifrin, Jerry Goldsmith, Miklós Rózsa, John Barry.

What helps you write when you're stuck and or have writer's block?

Patience. Time. Just wait, it’ll come.

After a long day of writing etc, do you have a favourite tv show you like to watch?

Funny thing, I pretty much stopped watching TV and going to movies and stuff like that about 20 years ago or so. It really helped my writing, but it might not work for everyone.

What are you working on currently?

Well, I’ve got two solo plays completed, so I’m making notes for multi-character plays now. Solo shows are wonderful (and they’re certainly less expensive to produce!) but you really have to have the right material, subject, and approach for a compelling solo play. That’s a tough combination to find!

When you're not writing, or working, what do you like to do?

Occasionally lecture, which is fun but kind of grueling, if you’re going to do it right - a good lecture is kind of like performing a solo play, which is really tiring if you’re not used to it! On my “off” time, I listen to music, read, exercise, and I enjoy researching really well-crafted movies and also live TV. (I used to do a lot of in-depth research and interviews for my articles in “American Cinematographer” magazine, making-of type stuff.) You can learn a whole lot about playwrighting from golden age live TV productions; a number of the best ones are available on DVD and YouTube. It’s amazing what they were able to do in some of those live productions.

What are some of your most favourite books of all time?

I think the one that made a huge impression on me was “The Time Machine” by H. G. Wells.

What are some of your most favourite plays/films of all time?

Well, I recently found “The Star Wagon” by Maxwell Anderson on YouTube; this is a 1966 television production that you can also get on the DVD Broadway Theatre Archive. Dustin Hoffman, just seconds before he became a huge star and a practically forgotten actress named Joan Lorring, who turns in a fantastic performance as the love interest.

Which of your characters do you love the most and why?
Right now, probably the ballerina in my most recent solo play.

Which of your books and or plays are you most proud of?
“The Master Forger” which got very good reviews in London and also both of the solo plays.

What is the title of the last book you read/was it good or bad?

“The Winter King,” about Henry VII. I really enjoyed it - kind of like a behind-the-scenes story of a highly successful traitor, usurper, and extortionist. Like Alfred Hitchcock said, "The more successful the villain, the more successful the picture."

What is the title of the last play and or film script you read/was it good or bad?

That would have to be “The Star Wagon” which I enjoyed very much.

Is there anything specific you'd like to try writing about in the future?
Possibly a medical story or a love story.

What is an interesting or hidden talent you have?

The only talent I hope to have and develop is to be kind. Isaac Bashevis Singer said, “Kindness, I’ve discovered, is everything in life.”

If you could have one super power, what would it be and why would you choose it?

Kindness is a super-power!

Is there anything else you'd like my readers to know?

I think you’ve covered it really well!

Where can we find you on social media?

The best way to contact me is just by sending an email: dwiener@ucsd.edu

Thursday, 27 July 2017

(AUTHOR INTERVIEW) Tina Donahue

Today I will be interviewing Tina Donahue! Enjoy, and remember if you ever want to be interviewed Contact Me

First of all, tell us a little about yourself!

The best way to do that is with my bio.

I’m an Amazon and international bestselling novelist in spicy, paranormal, contemporary and historical romance for traditional publishers and indie. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised my work. I’ve won Readers’ Choice Awards, was named a finalist in the EPIC competition, received a Book of the Year award, The Golden Nib Award, awards of merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competitions, and second place in the NEC RWA contests. I’m featured in the Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Before penning romances, I worked at a major Hollywood production company in Story Direction.


On a less serious note: I’m an admitted and unrepentant chocoholic, I brake for Mexican restaurants, and have been known to moan like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally while I’m wolfing down tostadas. I’ve flown a single-engine airplane (freaking scary), rewired an old house using an ‘electricity for dummies’ book, and am horribly shy despite the spicy romances I write.


What inspired you to become an author?

I’ve always written stories even as a child. I wrote my first book when I was nine – Dimples the Adventurous Flea about a flea that jumped from dog to dog to ‘see the world’. When he was on a French poodle, he was in France. An English bulldog – yep, England. I also illustrated it and went around the neighborhood selling copies to my friends’ parents. My first book tour. J

What was the main inspiration for your most recent book?

Like Lauren in Wicked Takeover, I worked in a division of a large corporation. In fact, I had basically created and tirelessly nurtured the division for over 10 years. Shortly before Thanksgiving, my job was eliminated. That’s corporate speak for they wanted someone cheaper. We’ve all heard the horror stories. As I was plotting Wicked Takeover I knew I wanted Lauren to suffer the same fate career-wise as I had (and to be told in the same cold manner). Then I came upon the idea to have her inherit a business she knew nothing about – a tattoo parlor. Quite a stretch for her since she was in HR at her corporate job.

Who influenced you the most in life?


The countless authors I’ve read from little on, certainly too many to name. I’ve always loved to read. To me, books were a way to escape and live another more exciting life.


What is the kindest thing someone has ever said and or done for you?

I would have to say the unending support the ladies on my street team give me. Pamela Leonhardt, my PA, is amazing and tireless in getting out the word on my books.

Do you have a favourite author? (Or name a few)

I love so many, but I adore Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid’s Tale), Stieg Larsson (The Millennium Trilogy – The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest), Lawrence Sanders (Love Songs), Dean Koontz (Intensity and Odd Thomas), Stephen King (Carrie).

What is the best writing advice you have ever received?

Talent won’t see you through. To make it in such a competitive and difficult industry, you need persistence. You need to read, read, read and write, write, write. Nothing can substitute for that.


Did you always want to be a writer and if not what did was the first thing you wanted to be or do?


Given that I was writing as a child, I think I always wanted to write for a living but didn’t really consider it seriously until I got to college. At first, I majored in art thinking I’d be a commercial artist, but that never thrilled me as writing did and does.

Do you like to listen to music while you write? If so, who are your favourite artists?

I only listen to music while I write to drown out other noises and then only instrumental music. I actually prefer total silence. I love many popular artists (Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Maroon 5, Meghan Trainor, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift…), however I can’t write and also hear lyrics.

What helps you write when you're stuck and or have writer's block?

Exercise on my stationary bike. For some reason, as soon as I’m exercising the juices start flowing.

After a long day of writing etc, do you have a favourite tv show you like to watch?

I have many: This is Us, Designated Survivor, Grey’s Anatomy, Blindspot, The Black List, Superstore…

What are you working on currently?

I’ve begun to plot book 5 in my Wicked Brand series – Wicked Takeover is book 1.

When you're not writing, or working, what do you like to do?

Hang with friends, drive, go out to eat.

What are some of your most favourite books of all time?

Two top choices: The Handmaid’s Tale and The Millennium Trilogy.

Which of your characters do you love the most and why?

That’s difficult to say. I love them all while I writing them and then love the new ones I create.

Which of your books are you most proud of?

Wow, another impossible question. I’m proud of each one. Each took a lot of imagination, skill, and persistence to get on paper.

What is the title of the last book you read/was it good or bad?

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest. Absolutely amazing. The courtroom scene was one of the greatest scenes I’ve ever read.

Is there anything specific you'd like to try writing about in the future?

I began writing thrillers and switched to romance. I’d like to return to thrillers someday.


What is an interesting or hidden talent you have?

I have an artistic nature and trained to be an artist before I moved into writing. I love to decorate and to design clothes.

If you could have one super power, what would it be and why would you choose it?

I’d love to be able to fly or dematerialize and rematerialize somewhere else. Travel without any hassle.

Is there anything else you'd like my readers to know?

Books 2-4 for Wicked Brand are in the works. Book 2 has already gone through edits. I’m currently in edits on book 3.

Where can we find you on social media?

My links:
Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/1ChWFkO
My page at TRR: http://bit.ly/1vb7eEc
Sweet ‘n Sexy Divas: http://bit.ly/1ChWN3K
Romance Books 4 US: http://bit.ly/1JPtfeS


Don't forget to check out Tina's book, Wicked Takeover!

Sunday, 24 April 2016

(AUTHOR INTERVIEW) Erin Rhew


Hello to Sophia and her readers! <waves> Thanks so much for having me on the blog today!


I'm here as part of the Rhew 2 Rhew tour! My husband, Deek Rhew, wrote an amazing thriller called 122 Rules, published by Pandamoon on April 5! In addition, my publisher chose the month of April to feature my trilogy, so Deek and I decided to make a thing of it. And the Rhew 2 Rhew Tour was born! ;) Stay tuned because there's an opportunity for you to enter a Rafflecopter drawing for a chance at a $50 Amazon gift card!


S: First of all, tell us a little about yourself?

E: Wow, that's a loaded question! LOL! I'm an author, the operations manager at a small press (BookFish Books), and the wife of the incredibly talented Deek Rhew. I love eating pizza (a little too much), hanging out with my friends and family, and spending time doing a little bit of everything and nothing with Deek. I have an adventurous spirit and am up for trying most things as long as they don't involve an airplane. ;)





S: What inspired you to become an author?

E: I think I've always been an author. When I was four years old, I wrote a poem about my grandparent's car dealership. My family made such a huge deal about it that I just kept writing all through middle school, high school, and college. After college, I pursed my love of acting and ran a theater company. I wrote many of the plays we did, so I still kept writing throughout that time. And then I eventually returned to novel writing.


Dress rehearsal in college for A Child Shall Lead

S: What was the main inspiration for your most recent book?

E: I can't point to one instance that lead to the creation of this story, but I will say it's influenced by Arthurian legend and Game of Thrones. One night, the words "Vanguard" and "Ethereal" popped into my head, and I knew they were warring nations. Over the next day, the names "Layla," "Wil," "Nash," and "Samson" also came to me, and the story birthed.

I also enlisted the help of my friends to keep me motivated and on track, and they became my Dream Team. The trilogy would not have been completed without their help!


Left to right: Danielle Craver, Dawn Ward, Ginny Hunsberger, and Kim Sharp. I'm kneeling.



S: Who influenced you the most in life?

E: I'm Southern, and I have a big, huge family. Many of them are very successful entrepreneurs, and I learned the value of hard work from them. I'm so blessed to have a huge support team who stands by me through the ups and downs of life. I've always wanted to make my family proud and to "do right" by our family name, so it's been a big influence in my life.


My grandfather and his brothers and sister



S: What is the kindest thing someone has ever said and or done for you?

E: It's ALWAYS been my dream to have someone quote this line to me from Romeo and Juliet:


“Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.”
The very first time I met Deek in person (we had been dating long distance for a while), he not only spoke those words, but he memorized the whole passage. He jokingly refers to his mind as "the sieve," so I know it took a lot of time and effort for him to memorize that whole long Shakespearean passage. <swoon>



My very own Romeo!



S: Do you have a favourite author? (Or name a few)

E: Of course my most favorite author is Deek Rhew. I'm not just saying that because he's my husband. He truly has THE most unique blend of literary and commerial, witty and serious that I've ever seen.

My other favorite authors include: Rick Riordan (I lurve Percy Jackson), Cassandra Clare, Jess Calla, Julie Kagawa, and Marie Lu.





S: What is the best writing advice you have ever received?

E: We have an amazing staff at BookFish Books, and our fabulous content editor Heather Powell Van Fleet once said, "Actions before words. Authors should show us what the characters are going to say before they say it." It was simple but profound, and it runs like a mantra through my mind when I write.


Heather Van Fleet (check out her awesome books)

S: Did you always want to be a writer and if not what did was the first thing you wanted to be or do?

E: I think I've always wanted to be a writer or an actress. And I've always wanted to put my love of grammar to good use too. So, I'm living the dream! My grandmother says I used to say I wanted to be a "mommy/teachers/nurse" as a child. Haha!


My grandma (Mema), her twin sister, and me



S: Do you like to listen to music while you write? If so, who are your favourite artists?

E: I do not typically listen to music while I write. I'm a little ADD, so I end up focusing on the words in the song instead of paying attention to the writing. But, as to most things, there is one exception. When I wrote what has now been called "THE scene" in the second book of the trilogy, The Outlanders, I listened to "My Immortal" by Evanescence on repeat. I was in a funk for the rest of the day after that.


S: What helps you write when you're stuck and or have writer's block?

E: Talking to Deek or the Dream Team really helps me when I'm stuck. I like to do inspiration-inducing things too like read well-done books or watch well-written TV shows.


SuperDeek usually helps me unlock the writer's block


S: After a long day of writing etc, do you have a favourite tv show you like to watch?

E: Deek and I like to pick a series off Netflix or Amazon and watch a show a night until we finish the whole thing. And I usually watch an episode from a teen series while I'm working out so I can "stay in the know" as a young adult writer (Who am I kidding? I love them--LOL).

Deek and I have recently watched Person of Interest and Justified, and right now, we're watching Vikings.

When I work out, I've recently been watching Reign and The 100.


The 100-- Bellarke forever!

S: What are you working on currently?

E: I'm taking a bit of a departure from young adult fantasy and working on an adult historical fiction about a very famous king in ancient times. It's developed into my magnum opus because it's been in the works for years and years. I started it BEFORE The Fulfillment Series, so it's a long time coming. 

My friend Joe helped me with a lot of the historical elements since he's well-versed in the time period. He passed away a few years ago, and I'm determined to get this book out in his honor.


Joe was hysterical


S: When you're not writing, or working, what do you like to do?

E: I adore spending time with Deek. Whether we're working out, lying in bed watching TV, going on adventures, or talking about nothing and everything, I love every second I spend with him!


Deek and I danced on the Big piano in New York before FAO Schwarz closed.



S: If you could meet any book character in real life, who would it be?

E: Oh, that's easy. Percy Jackson! LOL! I love his snark and humor. I'm sure we would have fun solving prophecies, running from monsters, and saving the world. ;)


Camp Half-Blood!

S: What are some of your most favourite books of all time?

E: My favorite book from childhood is Charlotte's Web. I read the book and watched the movie and cried and cried. I also enjoyed most books by Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary. But my two favorite series of late are Percy Jackson and The Olympians, including the follow up Heroes of Olympus and The Infernal Devices.


Wilbur's "Some Pig."


S: Which of your characters do you love the most and why?

E: Wow, that's a tough question. I love them all. But I think I love Layla the most because she's both tender-hearted and loyal as well as strong and fierce. She's an interesting dichotomy. And the supporting characters really help to highlight both her strengths and flaws as a person. I like her because she's real. If you talk to my friends, they'll tell you, fake people irk me. I like those who will say, "Here I am. Here's my emotional baggage. Take me or leave me." That I can respect.





S: Which of your books are you most proud of?

E: I'm proud of them all. And I'm proud of myself for completing them. So many people say, "I wish I had time to write a book" or "I'd like to write a book," and I'm proud that I just did it. Deek and I have the word "tenacious" tattooed on our wrists because we don't just wish we did things, we do them. But my favorite cover is The Prophecy's cover. I'm going to have the symbol on the front tattooed on either my arm or my ankle soon.





S: What is the title of the last book you read/was it good or bad?

E: My job entails reading a lot of books, but none of them are out yet (since I work for a publishing company and often read submissions). But the last book I read from cover to cover that's not pre-published is Birth of an American Gigolo by Deek Rhew. It was totally amazing. My husband has the best storytelling style and possesses such a unique blend of literary and commercial style.


S: Is there anything specific you'd like to try writing about in the future?

E: I'm working on a young adult fantasy and a young adult futuristic thriller. I hope they'll be cutting edge and a bit different than anything else out there. Deek and I talk all the time, and we're always sparking new ideas for future books. Neither of us really stick to one genre, so we're free to explore all the stories that are out there.


Playing in the Halloween section of Target, but who knows? Maybe a story idea is here. ;) 



S: What is an interesting or hidden talent you have?

E: Ok, this is so weird. When I was four, I had my tonsils and adenoids removed. After that, I developed this ability to snort (like a pig) REALLY loudly. I mean, people think it's an alarm or something. My friends used to dare me to go to the back of a store, snort, and they'd laugh at people's reactions. <hides head in shame> Now you know how weird I truly am! ;)





S: If you could have one super power, what would it be and why would you choose it?

E: I would teleport. Deek and I lived on opposite coasts and long-distance dated. I totally could have used the teleport ability then. And now, I moved across the country when Deek and I got married. I miss my family immensely. Pretty soon, we'll be moving back across the country to be near my family, and we'd love the ability to teleport back to this side of the country to visit family and friends here.


East Coast Beach
West Coast Beach

S: Is there anything else you'd like my readers to know?

E: I'd like to thank readers for being interested in Deek and me! And I'd like to thank all of our family, friends, and fans for their constant love and support. Readers, your support of writers is what makes us what we are. Know that we appreciate you more than words can express!





S: Where can we find you on social media?

E:


For the latest and greatest, visit her web page:

Thanks so much for hosting me, Sophia!! Readers, here's your chance at the $50 Amazon gift card!

For those that don't know, Erin is a young adult fantasy author who is married to adult thriller author, Deek Rhew. Together, they are "the Rhews," and their street team is the Rhewination!

Deek and Erin-- Join the Rhewination! ;) 

The Prophecy (Fulfillment Series Book 1)

Title: The Prophecy
Author: Erin Rhew
Publisher: BookFish Books
Cover Design: Anita at Race-Point
Available Now! Amazon Buy Link 

Synopsis: 

Growing up on a small farm in the kingdom of Vanguard, seventeen-year-old Layla Givens lives a deceptively tranquil existence. But her carefully constructed life quickly falls apart when she's abducted by a religious zealot who proclaims her The Fulfillment of an ancient peace prophecy and whisks her away to marry her greatest enemy.

Wilhelm, Prince of the Ethereals, is reluctant to meet his new bride. He's grown up believing Vanguards are evil, an enemy to fight and fear...not love. Can he set aside his prejudices and work alongside Layla to bring lasting peace after centuries of war? 

Nash, a loner who has never fit in, carries a huge secret, one big enough to destroy both kingdoms. When he accidently meets Layla, he's no longer content to live in the shadows, but he must resist his growing attraction--for her safety and for the longevity of the two kingdoms. 

When Nash's secret is revealed, a firestorm sweeps through both realms, with Layla at the center. Now she must choose between duty and desire while the fate of two nations hangs in the balance.


The Outlanders (Fulfillment Series Book 2) 

Title: The Outlanders
Author: Erin Rhew
Publisher: BookFish Books
Cover Design: Anita at Race-Point
Available Now! Amazon Buy Link 

The Fulfillment (Fulfillment Series Book 3)


Title: The Fulfillment
Author: Erin Rhew
Publisher: BookFish Books
Cover Design: Anita at Race-Point
Available Now! Amazon Buy Link 

About Erin Rhew



Erin Rhew


Erin Rhew is an editor, a running coach, and the author of The Fulfillment Series. Since she
picked up Morris the Moose Goes to School at age four, she has been infatuated with the
written
word. She went on to work as a grammar and writing tutor in college and is still teased by her
family and friends for being a member of the "Grammar Police."

A Southern girl by blood and birth, Erin now lives in a rainy pocket of the Pacific Northwest with
the amazingly talented (and totally handsome) writer Deek Rhew and their “overly
fluffy,” patient-as-a-saint writing assistant, a tabby cat named Trinity. She and Deek enjoy
reading aloud to one another, running, lifting, boxing, eating chocolate, and writing side-by-
side.



Connect with Erin Online!


For the latest and greatest, visit her web page:


About Deek Rhew




Deek Rhew
Deek lives in a rainy pocket in the Pacific Northwest with the stunning YA author
bride, 
Erin Rhew, and their writing assistant, a fat tabby
named Trinity. They enjoy lingering in the mornings, and often late into the night, caught up
Erin’s fantastic fantasy worlds of noble princes and knights and entwined in Deek’s dark
underworld of the FBI and drug lords.


He and Erin love to share books by reading aloud to one another. In addition, they enjoy
spending time with friends, running, boxing, lifting weights, and exploring the little town--with
antique shops and bakeries--they call home.



Connect with Deek Online!


For the latest and greatest, visit his web page:

Find Deek's Novels Online!





Random Fun With Deek and Erin
Always laughing together

Celebrating their anniversary in style! ;) 

Enjoying every moment!

Their cat and literary assistant, Trinity--leader of Rhewination!

Sharing every secret and every facet of life with each other! 

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