Thursday, July 25, 2013

Lisa Cresswell Interview


I had the pleasure of interacting with Author Lisa Cresswell recently through social media and she was kind enough to join us here and answer a few questions. Lisa writes middle grade or young adult fantasy and is another  author trying to get her work read. She has recently signed with a publishing house for another book, too! Congratulations! So, check this out and then go buy her books!

First off, tell us a little bit about you
I, like most writers, began scribbling silly notes, stories, and poems at a very young age. I lived in North Carolina until I was 16 years old. The South proved fertile ground to my imagination. It’s the location of several of my stories. Then I was unexpectedly transplanted to Idaho. There, I learned to love the desert and the wide open skies out West. I became very interested in cultures, both ancient and living, and studied to be a Great Basin archaeologist. However, the itch to write never did leave for long. My first books became the middle grade fantasy trilogy, The Storyteller Series. My first traditionally published work, Hush Puppy, is coming soon from Featherweight Press. I currently reside in Idaho with my family and a menagerie of furry critters that includes way too many llamas!

Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books?I’ve written and self-published a middle grade fantasy series called The Storyteller Series. I’m currently writing the third and final book in the series. The story centers around a girl with the ability to make things happen just by telling a story. There are stories within stories in this series, which I loved creating. I had a lot of fun imagining The True World and the mythology that shapes that world.

I also have a young adult contemporary novel coming out soon from Featherweight Press called Hush Puppy. It’s about two friends, growing up poor in the South, and wanting to break out of that. It has themes of race and poverty, but I hope that it also has themes of friendship and love. You can read more about any of my books on my website www.lisatcresswell.com

When did you start writing? My earliest efforts were in 5th grade when I wrote and produced several plays at school. However, I only got serious about novel writing about five years ago.

Why do you write? I’m not sure. I’ve just always enjoyed making up stories and poems. I don’t know where it comes from, but I feel like it’s a gift to be nurtured and shared.

Who is your favorite author? I don’t have a single favorite author. I like lots of authors for various reasons. I guess I’ve always been more focused on the story than who wrote it. I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Steinbeck because he had my crying by Chapter 3.

What are you reading now? I must confess I’m not actively reading right now because I’m gearing up the release of Hush Puppy and madly trying to finish the last Storyteller book. Most recently I read Crossing by Andrew Xia Fukuda. Very powerful read. Heartbreaking.

Do you have a writing process? My writing process is a mess! With a day job, two kids in school, and one of them in dance lessons, I’m constantly running them somewhere. I take my notebook and write whenever I get a spare moment. There’s no waiting around for the muse to strike me. She never would. And sometimes, I feel like I’m pulling my own teeth out to get some words on the page, but I told myself just to do some every day, even if it’s just a page! I handwrite first, maybe not the best arrangement, but I struggle to compose anything on a screen the first time. And I write super slow. My 2010 NaNoWriMo project took me a year and a half to finish, but I did it by gum!


What advice would you give to an aspiring author? Write a lot, even if you think it’s no good. The more you do it, the better it will become. Take the time to learn some craft, take some courses or read some books about writing, and then put those lessons to work. Grow that thick skin so you can listen to what your readers are telling you without despairing. You can’t make it better if you don’t know what‘s wrong, so you’ve got to be able to listen. But be sure you’re listening to the right people – people who’s judgment you trust, who know what they’re talking about, and who truly want to help. You can ignore the rest. J

What inspired you to pursue writing?Reading published books that I knew I could write just as well myself. If they can do it, I thought, I can too.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?I watch very little television these days. I just can’t spare the time. I do like to watch movies now and then. I enjoy fantasy and scifi movies like Avatar, Star Trek and Star Wars. And I like the occasional chick flick. Not very often though. I probably see more kid movies than anything, just from taking my kids to the movies. ParaNorman was great fun.

What are your current projects?Hush Puppy will be released by Featherweight Press this summer. I hope to have the third book of the Storyteller series published this fall. My aforementioned NaNoWriMo project was just acquired by Month 9 Books, so that will be my main focus for a while. I’ll probably keep mum on that for now, but I can tell you it’s a young adult dystopian project.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers? Just that I really appreciate hearing from you and I hope you’ll keep reading my books. Stop by my blog sometime and let’s chat. www.lisatcresswell.blogspot.com


Quick Fire:

Cats or dogs?
cats
Coffee or tea? Both! But coffee if I can only have one.
Favorite food? Chawk-let mmmm!
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Chawk-let J
What are 3 things you never leave home without? iPhone, notebook, purse
Laptop or desktop? I have a netbook, but I often use a desktop too. Not picky.
Who are 3 famous people you would to hang out with? Billie Joe from Green Day, Barack Obama, and Pink, preferably all at once!
TV or Movies? movies





Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!


See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

FOR NOW



Thursday, July 11, 2013

Covenant of the Faceless Knights Re-Release (kind of)


As a writer, artist, musician, or whatever it is that you do for work, hobby, fun, torture, etc...there comes a time when you find your stride. It is something inexplicable and as mysterious as the cosmos. But, when it happens, suffice to say, you will know it. The reason I am bringing up the topic, is because I believe I have finally hit a stride with my writing. It is just coming much easier to me these days and with fewer drafts/revisions. As my writer friends might empathize, that stride occurs when your voice takes the jumbled mess in your head and spits it out on the page in a cohesive way that makes you say: 'yep, that's what I meant to say!'

And I could not be more excited.

I had been working my 4th manuscript in the series over the last year, entitled Tower of Torment. This was in between medical issues, starting a new career and other nonsense, but I have since finished it up. I have an editing procedure in which I read my written word out loud. (not gonna say how or go into details to bore you) Anyhow, I wrote it, listened to it one time, did my edits, and am happier than a pig in...well, you know what.

William Kenney's artwork, unimpaired by words!
For those of you who do not partake in the often torturous and typically flighty mistress that is independent writing, finding your voice is something to be achieved and somewhat expected...hopefully. Spending less time editing is just a boon! Independent writers more so than any other author, can relate to this arduous task. I liken finding your voice to when a musician identifies a note clearly for the first few times, or an artist sees the image inside his or her head so vividly, that the image comes out with ease, clearer and more vibrantly than ever. All writers hit their stride at some point in their career and I feel that I have recently hit mine.

Let me clarify something. That is not to say my prior work was poor, it simply means that I can say what I meant to say a few years prior with a bit more clarity and ease.

So, I have spent the last few weeks painstakingly re-working Covenant of the Faceless Knights, my first written work, and have made some changes, edits and other things. The content is much the same, but the minimal changes in sentence structure, dialogue and action, I would hope are worth another (or perhaps an initial) look! This is something that I had wanted to do for a long time, but could not find the time or patience. Now I have a publisher that may or may not be interested and decided that this was the right time. I was going to do it anyway, so this was as good a time as any after finishing the 4th manuscript in my Realm of Ashenclaw series.

Also, as a one time courtesy, if you have purchased the book before, and would like the updated version free of charge, please contact me with a DM on Facebook or twitter and I will gift you a copy! Or email me your contact info at the address below.

The almost-chosen blue background!
And for those of you who haven't read it yet--and you know who you are!--I am giving away up to ten free copies in exchange for reviews. All you have to do is comment below using the tag, 'give me my free book!', and then send an email to info@ashenclaw.com with the same subject line and body text. That's it! It’s that simple! The first ten to place comments below are the winners. First come, first served. PLEASE understand that I would like the review! I have given away work in the past and have yet to receive the promised reviews, (some) so please keep this in mind.




Cover art to Wothlondia Rising
And in celebration of this accomplishment, I am reducing the price of Wothlondia Rising: The Anthology back down to 99 cents indefinitely! Get all of my previously released short stories that build up our favorite heroes together in 1 tome! Plus the never-independently-released tale of our favorite half-ogre barbarian, Orngoth, entitled REFLECTIONS.

Ever wonder what a sets a hero  on his or her path? Wonder no more! Grab your copy today!

Thanks for listening to my rants and pitches as usual, and please feel free to comment on how you may have found your own writing voice or artistic stride, or musical ear, or whatever it might be that you do well!






Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!

All Artwork and covers by William J. Kenney


See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

FOR NOW

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Marissa Carmel Interview

Another volunteer for author interviews from the twitter-verse, Marissa Carmel is an adult fiction writer of adult paranormal romance. She was kind enough to share some thoughts with me as the following Q&A will attest!


First off, tell us a little bit about you
 I'm a wife and mother who writes New Adult fiction in the spare minutes of her day .

Tell us about your books/What genre do you consider your books? 
My current series, the Vis Vires Trilogy is New Adult Paranormal Romance.

When did you start writing? 
I started to write seriously five years ago, but I dabbled my whole life. Creative writing was my favorite elective in high school and college.

Why do you write?
 I'm compelled; I have so many voices and stories in my head that I want to share with the world.


What would be your choice for a superpower? 
Telekinesis for sure. I want to be able to wave my hand and have my house clean itself.

Who is your favorite author? 
Jonathan Swift. I love satire.

What are you reading now? 
My current WIP, it's in edits.

Who is your favorite character to write? 
Choosing a favorite character is like choosing a favorite child. I couldn't singe just one out. Liv and Justice are always pretty interesting, but Alana and Ryan are giving them a run for their money.


Do you have a writing process?
 Not so much, I build the story in my head first, then I outline, then I sit at the computer and just write. It usually takes off from there.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?
 Have a vision, find a great editor and make sure what you write feels right.

What inspired you to pursue writing? 
I just love the art of storytelling. I don't think I pursued it, it pursued me.

What are your favorite TV shows/Movies to watch in between writing?
Oh geez, here we go, in no particular order- Charmed, Supernatural, Revenge, Once Upon a Time, White Collar, Suits, Necessary Roughness, TVD, Sons of Anarchy, Devious Maids (that my new fav), Castle.

What are your current projects? 
I'm currently working on a Contemporary New Adult called Strip Me Bare. It’s about a law student who finds out her estranged love is an infamous stripper at a New York City night club. The foundation of the story is about two people fighting for what they want while struggling to be together. Some major themes are prejudice, drug abuse, sexuality, familial struggles, standing up for what you believe in and of course love. I’m very excited about it.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers?
 If you're looking for something different with intense emotion and witty dialogue you might like my stuff. :)


Quick Fire:
Cats or dogs? Dogs
Coffee or tea? COFFEE
Favorite food? Chocolate
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Do I really need to answer that? ;)
What are 3 things you never leave home without? My iPhone, earbuds and sunglasses.
Laptop or desktop? Laptop
TV or Movies? Movies.





Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!


See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

July 4th Weekend Book One Sale!


This weekend for the 4th of July, I am reducing the price of Book 1 in my BEGINNINGS fantasy series, WOTHLONDIA RISING, on Kindle to 99 cents!  It sets the table for the series and gives you much needed and entertaining backgrounds for each of my characters.

Cover art by William Kenney
Quote from editor, Stephanie Dagg regarding Wothlondia Rising.

"Here are a handful of sentences from Gary’s stories that have stuck in my mind because of their sheer power or beauty:

Nimaira still lay on the cold ground, rubbing her jaw, with tears—not tears of pain, but tears of what might have been—welling in her beautiful eyes.

His eyes were reflections of the bluest of skies, quite unlike those of any ogre, whose eyes were always as black as the darkest caverns of the Subterrane.

The Paladin felt the darkness closing in on him, wresting control of his soul.

He merely stood frozen in place while a tumult of emotions bombarded him.

She had wept for countless hours and felt there should be no more tears left to cry, yet still they came, unbidden and unending.
You’re going to enjoy Wothlandia Rising, make no mistake."

Take a look at the reviews here for yourself on Amazon and here on Goodreads.


Wothlondia Rising : The Anthology is a collection of 5 previously released short stories plus a never-before-released 6th one, that are prequels to Covenant of the Faceless Knights (1st full-length novel). It includes the story, Distant Familiarity, which describes the events just prior to the prologue to Covenant of the Faceless Knights, too, which is also included in this anthology! The series details significant events from the past that shape the course of these characters, setting them on the path that will forever change their lives! It includes all of the following stories:

A Rose in Bloom recounts the thrilling events of a young Rose Thorne, not yet a woman, who is trying to find her way in the city of Oakhaven. Orphaned and discarded, she finds refuge in a kind madam at a local brothel and eventually meets a man who is more than she bargains for....

Maturation Process is the telling tale of the high elf, Elec Stormwhisper, who lives in the overbearing shadow of his father, Keryth. Treated as an outcast and feeling alienated from his own people, he exiles himself for a decade, finding a friend in a strange place and begins to accept his own unique destiny. Will this young and inexperienced elf ever find his true calling?

Tears of Blood is the amazing recount of the attacks on the region of Stonehill by the ancient and malevolent undead that are known as Blood Rot Zombies! Saeunn and the barbarians of both Chansuk and Greymoors must find a way to stop the undead infestation before they spread their miasma all across the face of Wothlondia! It is a tale that will forever change the young barbarian woman in more ways than one...

Strength of Faith is a tale that places a young acolyte of The Shimmering One, Garius Forge, on a path that tests his spirituality and also places him face to face with a demonic presence that has the power to alter the face of Wothlondia forever! Will his reverence and devotion to his deity be enough to overcome this horrible demon?

Reflections is an exploration into the true classifications of self-image. This short and sweet tale tells of the half-ogre barbarian, Orngoth, who begins to realize the true picture of what he is and where he comes from. During a raid with his ogre barbarian kin--the Ironskulls--Orngoth has an impromptu meeting that could forever change his own destiny. Will he see his true self in time or will he continue down the path of reckless endangerment?


Distant Familiarity is the tale of three legendary figures in the history of Wothlondia, who are attempting to recover an ancient evil that was stolen away from them. Tiyarnon the High Priest, Rolin Hardbeard and Nimaira Silvershade set out to recover the artifact that has forever altered their former companion Sadreth, twisting him into something altogether evil. Can these ancient heroes find and recover the item before it is reunited with its former host?


See excerpts from this and my entire series here! Have a great weekend and happy reading, no matter where your imagination may roam!





Please join me and the other amazingly talented authors over @ Skulldust Circle where we have formed a Writer's Circle that must be seen--a collection of brilliant, up & coming independently published speculative fiction authors with much to give both now and in the future!

All Artwork and covers by William J. Kenney


See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Also, please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios 2012 unless otherwise noted.