Emmalee Aple Interview

Emmalee Aple was born and raised in Wisconsin, but always dreamed of life on the coast. Now, grown with a handsome computer geeky husband and two beautiful blonde monsters of her own, she uses what spare time she can manage to squeeze out of her day, writing, sewing and crafting. Emmalee’s debut novel, Neophyte, was released in February 2012. She is excited to share the beginning of this story with you, and is currently busy working on Rogue, the second book in this series.

Emmalee lives off of carmel iced coffee and sprees. She strongly believes that a childs imagination is the most important part of growing up, and that the cleaning elves are avoiding her messy house.

She loves a good book that sucks you in and doesnt let go until the pages run out. And can not get enough of the show Glee. (Although she will admit she DVRs Bones, Castle, Pretty Little Liars, Vampire Diaries and Fringe).

Growing up her favorite movie was Annie and she knows all the lyrics to almost every disney song! 

In the summer you can find her outside in her hammock, or out on a boat in the local lakes. Her current favorite books are The Hunger Games, the Demonblood series and The Lorax.

Welcome Emmalee Aple thanks for talking to us today and letting us have a little insight into you and your books.

Q: Tell us about Neophyte ………………

A: Neophyte is the first book in the series. It takes you through part of Addisyn White’s transformation from human to angel.  Where she learns that her Link [group of angels she is connect to, kind of like her angel family] is keeping secrets from her, secrets about her, about being an angel, and about the dangers that surround them.  Because she is a Neophyte, she isn’t allowed to do much, she is untrained, inexperienced and can still die a human death. But that doesn’t stop her from fighting for what she believes in.  There is some romance, some fighting and a lot of tension. It starts with a kidnapping and ends with a life changing decision.

Q: What’s your genre and why did you choose it?

A: My genre is Young Adult fiction, in the sub category of fantasy or paranormal. I chose this genre because it’s what I read the most.

Q: What’s the biggest obstacle you faced with your writing journey?

A: The biggest obstacle I faced, honestly, was finding the time to get my ideas on paper. With a hubby and two kids, there isn’t much time in the day and the time there is, I should be using for sleeping.

Q: Where do you get your ideas and inspiration from?

A: My ideas come mostly from my wild imagination. Some things that happen in the book happened in real life. I don’t want to give too much away, but a certain date scene was actually from back when hubs and I were dating.

Q: Who or what are your influences?

A: My influences come from all over.  I can’t really pinpoint an exact place or person, I like to draw from everything.

Q: Are you self-published, legacy or a combination?

A: I am self published, but I am currently looking for a literary agent or a publisher to represent me... so if you know of one, you know... put in a good word for me, okay?

Q: What was the hardest part of your self-pub / publishing journey?

A:  I honestly didn’t know how much work it was going to take!  Writing the book was the easiest part, if you can believe that.  By edit round 17 I was pretty sure I had it right, then I ran it through my editor and had two more edits after that.  Plus all the self promoting, it’s a lot of work!

Q: What format are your books available in?

A: Right now, Neophyte is only in e-book format, but as I said earlier, I am actively looking for representation.

Q: How many books have you published so far?

A: Just the one, but soon I will have the sequel and a secret book out.

Q: What things did you outsource, if any at all?

A: I have been blessed with a great group of friends. I had a friend edit for me, another one helped walk me through how to self publish (she also gave me pep talks when I didn’t think I could go on), then I had a friend who took the photos for the cover art, and another one used the photo and added the graphicy things to make it into the cover that it is.

Q: What’s the best bit of advice you received when starting out?

A: Don’t give up!  Even when you have 20 rejection letters, use that to motivate you to improve, not give up.

Q: What advice would you offer to the future Debut Authors out there?

A: Before you release your book, hype it up a lot. Send advanced copies to bloggers, do blog hops, get the hype up for it.  It will help later on when you are self promoting it.

Q: What’s next for you? Any projects in the pipeline for us to look forward to?

A: Right now, I am currently working on Rogue, the next book in the Neophyte Series, and a secret book that started to form a few weeks ago.

Q: Any favourite Author that you are a fan of and would recommend?

A: I will shamelessly promote my friend, Penelope King. She has been an inspiration and sometimes my pure motivation for getting Neophyte done and published. She has two series out right now, Demonblood (it’s amazing... you have to read it) and Spellbound (a great witchy series!)  Check her out! You won’t be disappointed!

Q: Give us one of your favourite quotes……………….

A: My favourite quote from Neophyte is: “You’re right. That was definitely the harder way to go about explaining that I am dead.” I breathed sarcastically. “At least you have now confirmed I am not in hell.” (this is Addisyn’s reaction to when she sees her whole Link shirtless for the first time, right before they bloomed in front of her.)

My favourite quote not in Neophyte: “For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” - Audrey Hepburn

Q: And finally tell us something random about yourself to make us chuckle………………………….

A: Are you sure? Oh boy... let’s see... When I was 18, I tried out for the dance team for my local pro-basketball team.  My friend and I thought it would be a fun thing to do... long story short, she ended up messing up in a turn sequence, so I saw it and I started to laugh, and then it was just an onset for a bad case of the giggles.  I laughed my whole way through both times through the audition, like, rolling on the floor laughing, while the others danced around me, trying hard not to laugh.  So clearly, since then, I have found another career path. HAHA.

Emmalee it's been a pleasure having you here on my blog. Good luck with Neophyte and all your future work.


I will be reviewing Neophyte on this blog soon so please keep checking back!!

You can find Neophyte by clicking on the following links

Amazon UK Amazon US Goodreads Smashwords

John Hennessy Interview

Our Interview today is with the Author John Hennessy. Born in 1988, John became entranced by the world of fantasy at a young age, playing video games and reading books for many long nights/early mornings. He recently graduated from Western Washington University, and now lives in the green land of Bellingham, at work on the second book in The Cry of Havoc series.

http://www.johnhennessy.net/ 

Welcome John Hennessy thanks for talking to us today and letting us have a little insight into you and your books.

Thanks for having me on your blog!

Q: Tell us about your latest book At the End?

A: At the End is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi about a group of teenage gamers who are struggling to survive in the near future. The birth control industry has been shut down and population growth has boomed yet again, bordering 39 billion in 2048. The book starts in Bellingham, WA on the third day after nearly the entire population has been taken. Strange marks have popped up on everyone’s door, and billions have disappeared for the last three nights, but no one knows why or how they were taken. The story follows Maggy, Darrel, and Félix, a close group of friends, who were in on a joke that aluminium foil protects you from aliens, but it turns out it may not be so funny, and may have actually saved their lives.

Q: What’s your genre and why did you choose it?

A: The genre for At the End is hard, because it’s not one specifically. I call it a YA post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller. The main category is probably just sci-fi though. Normally I write fantasy, but once I thought of the idea for At the End, I just had to write it, and I’m glad I did.

Q: What’s the biggest obstacle you faced with your writing journey?

A: I can’t say that I had any while writing At the End. It all just came together, without any hiccups.

Q: Where do you get your ideas and inspiration from?

A: I get inspiration from everything and anything. For At the End, I initially got the inspiration by a swindler knocking on my door, telling me this long story of how her father was in the hospital and she needed money for gas to get down to Seattle. You could just tell she wasn’t for real, and come to find out in the paper about a week later, she was going around all of Bellingham trying to scam people. Well, that incident lead to the though: what if she went around knocking on peoples’ doors to see what was inside, then marked the houses, so that later her and her friends would rob the places with the most valuable items. Crazy start, I know, but one thing just evolved into another.

Q: Who or what are your influences?

A: I have quite a few, a lot of which have been my professors and their courses at Western before I graduated. I learned a lot while studying there. David Attenborough and his wildlife documentaries have been quite influential on my writing (in The Cry of Havoc series). As far as writers go, Garth Nix was my favourite growing up.

Q: Are you self-published, legacy or a combination?

A: Self-published.

Q: What was the hardest part of your self-pub / publishing journey?

A: Editing. Finally, I had to break down and hire an editor, which is no small thing at 23 and just out of college.

Q: What format are your books available in?

A: My books are available in all eBook formats and paperback format.

Q: How many books have you published so far?

A: Two novels, one of which I had spent six years writing, starting The Cry of Havoc: Life Descending in high school, finishing it in college.

Q: What things did you outsource, if any at all?

A: Editing.

Q: What’s the best bit of advice you received when starting out?

A: Can’t say I received any. I wish someone had told me to save my money and not to pay for any reviews and just send out free copies to more reviewers.

Q: What advice would you offer to the future Debut Authors out there?

A: Use a text-to-speech program when you edit. They allow you to find a lot more errors, listening to someone else’s voice reading your material.

Q: What’s next for you? Any projects in the pipeline for us to look forward to?

A: I am currently working on book two in The Cry of Havoc series. Part one, Life Descending, was recently made a finalist in ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year awards in the fantasy category, and has been called “as good as Game of Thrones.”

Q: Any favourite Author that you are a fan of and would recommend?

A: It’s hard not to recommend George RR Martin. But I also recommend Michael Crichton, Cormac McCarthy, and Cervantes (Don Quixote).

Q: Give us one of your favourite quotes……………….

A: "If then true lovers have been ever crossed,
It stands as an edict in destiny.
Then let us teach our trial patience,
Because it is a customary cross,
As due to love as thoughts, and dreams, and sighs,
Wishes, and tears, poor fancy's followers." -Shakespeare.

Q: And finally tell us something random about yourself to make us chuckle………………………….

A: I used to be a comedian, but by the age of eleven I lost all my talent . . .

Thanks for joining us John and best of luck with your work. At The End is one of the books that I'll be reviewing for this blog soon so stay tuned.


You can find 'At The End' with these links.
Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Goodreads Smashwords 

Diana Nixon Interview

Diana Nixon was born in Minsk, Belarus, where she still lives and works on her book series Love Lines.

Before becoming a writer she received a Master of Law degree from Belorussian state University. Since then she has got married and given birth to her precious daughter.

She says “I’ve always liked reading fantasy novels, so when I came up with the idea of writing a book, I already knew what genre to choose.  At the moment I’m working on my Love lines series"

Welcome Diana Nixon thanks for talking to us today and letting us have a little insight into you and your books.

Q: Tell us about your Love lines series.

-          First of all I should say that this is my debut as a writer. A few months ago I came up with the idea of writing a book and decided that it would be a fantasy novel. Love lines - is a story about young girl Eileen Clark, whose life turns upside down when she finds out about her unusual talents. I tried to make an interesting plot with good heroes, mysteries and beautiful love, of course.  Love lines series include five novels and one short story. The first book released on May 29 and the date of release for the second book is not set yet, however I can already say that it will be named Songs of the wind.

Q: What’s your genre and why did you choose it?

-          I write fantasy novels for young adults. I like dreaming and think that this genre is the best way to make some of my dreams come true. I do believe in supernatural, though I’ve never met wizards or mind readers myself. In my own books I try to gather everything I would like to see in a book of such a genre.

Q: What’s the biggest obstacle you faced with your writing journey?

-          The only thing I was definitely sure about while starting my first book was its title, that’s why all the details such as a place of the events, names of my heroes and some landscape researches of Britain itself took a lot of hours to be ready.

Q: Where do you get your ideas and inspiration from?

-          From everywhere! From my family, my friends and some every day events around me, but as I have already answered on my website - the main thing it to get as much positive emotions as possible.

Q: Who or what are your influences?

-          I think it’s some inner state of my soul and my heart’s calling that influence me most. As inspiration is something kept inside of you, then everything what is around you may affect its appearance of absence. That’s why it’s so important to write when you are inspired by something, because when you make yourself write, the book can’t be interesting.

Q: Are you self-published, legacy or a combination?

-          I’m a self-published author.

Q: What was the hardest part of your self-pub journey?

-          Finding a publisher of course! I still don’t know what I would have done without my friends who advised to choose Createspace services. I think that it’s pointless to pay someone to publish your book when there are so many opportunities to do it yourself.

Q: What format are your books available in?

-          My first book is available in paperback, but I’m working on making it digital as well.

Q: How many books have you published so far?

-          There is only one book published as it was actually my first book.

Q: What things did you outsource, if any at all?

-          There were some guide-books about Britain, some works about people’s energy and the books about some specific plants. So research mainly. 

Q: What’s the best bit of advice you received when starting out?

-          Write if you want to!

Q: What advice would you offer to the future Debut Authors out there?

-          Don’t take every negative review personally, because it doesn’t necessary mean that your book is bad, maybe just that reader wanted to find something else there, but the next one will definitely like it. And never give up! If something you are doing makes you smile and brings happiness then it’s something you should really do.

Q: What’s next for you? Any projects in the pipeline for us to look forward to?

-          As soon as I finish my Love lines series I’m going to start a trilogy about guardian angels.

Q: Any favourite Author that you are a fan of and would recommend?

-          There are many good authors so I would recommend just one of my latest readings. It’s Claudia Gray. I thing her books are amazing.

Q: Give us one of your favourite quotes.

-          The brightest stars are shining in a place of your childhood.

Q: And finally tell us something random about yourself to make us chuckle.

-          I’ve never thought that being an International lawyer I would become an International writer as well!

Thanks Diana, it was lovely you have you here. Best of luck to you with your work, I cant wait to read and review.

"Love Lines" will have a review on here soon and its release date will be 29th May so look out for it.

M.J. Webb Interview

Welcome M.J.Webb thanks for talking to us today and letting us have a little insight into you and your books.

Q: Tell us about Jake West – Warriors of the Heynai

Hi and I’m very pleased to be here. Warriors is the sequel to my debut novel, ‘Jake West – The Keeper of the Stones’. The Jake West series was penned for my children and this is book two of three. I’m well into writing book three as we speak. It’s a fantasy epic adventure aimed specifically at teenage boys, though I have been delighted to find that it is being read and enjoyed by readers of all ages, from nine to seventy-three that I’m aware of. The main heroes are two ordinary fifteen year old boys who get thrust into an extraordinary world when they discover a strange box which unearths some even stranger family secrets. Chased across worlds, hunted by fearsome beasts and feted as the saviour of millions, the hero they have been waiting for, Jake West has to fulfil his destiny and live up to the greatest of expectations. Warriors sees the journey continue as Jake seeks the stones needed to restore the Heynai’s weapon and tackle an evil wizard and his legions of monsters. Book 1 was penned primarily for my son, this book was written more for my daughter. Because of this, there is a very strong female heroine who kicks ass, as well as an army of warriors risen from the dead, a dragon, spirits, wizards.... Everything you could want in a good story.

Q: What’s your genre and why did you choose it?

I suppose if you were to pigeonhole it, you would have to say fantasy, though I believe it stands on its own as a young adult fiction story. I’m not one for labels as I think it deters some readers. It also puts off any literary agents and publishers who dismiss novels upon hearing the word, fantasy. I love the genre but I’d like to simply say that it is a good yarn. I chose fantasy because I was writing to inspire my children. The books have strong themes of loyalty, trust and bravery. I also wanted something that did not take too much research, as my full time employment meant I would have limited time. With fantasy, everything is generated in your own mind.

Q: What’s the biggest obstacle you faced with your writing journey?

That’s an easy one; time. Or more accurately, lack of time. I work full time and I have a young family, it’s very hard to juggle the three. I can go weeks without a day to write, any author will tell you that is an impossibly frustrating situation. I have usually forgotten where I was and have to re-read all I’ve done before I can begin. Also, I don’t have the luxury of waiting for it to happen. I have to force it out and hope I get in the zone so to speak. It’s not ideal and I’d love to be able to devote more time to my writing.

Q: Where do you get your ideas and inspiration from?

From my children. I write for them so I try to imagine what they would like to read. It has to be exciting but real, believable. There has to be edge of your seat moments and humour. I try not to fill the pages with too much ‘gumph’, or Information dumping. I think I failed in that regard a little with book one but it still reads well and one day I’ll re-edit it. It was my first novel after all. My ideas came from nowhere, I never considered myself to be creative until I began to write. My imagination was stimulated like never before and I could not stop. There are very few characters based on real life, though some have certain characteristics and names of people I know.

Q: Who or what are your influences?

I had not read a fantasy book from start to finish before beginning my novel so I had no influences as such. I used to read military books and biographies in the main. Since writing I have branched out and read works by Tolkien, C S Lewis, Patrick Rothfus and Gail Martin amongst others. I’m still learning about the genre though so my journey has only just begun. One thing is for certain; I can never be accused of plagiarism.

Q: Are you self-published, legacy or a combination?

I am self published. The first book was through Authorhouse and the second Lulu. I did submit the first to several agents/publishers but was not successful. I wanted a book for my children so I decided to self publish. I do not regret that decision and I think the stigma attached to self publishing is dwindling all the time. I’ve read many self published works which are, in my opinion, as good as or better than their published counterparts. In most cases the only difference is the editing.

Q: What was the hardest part of your self-pub / publishing journey?

Authorhouse were too far removed to be of any help, being based in America. They only seemed interested in me if I was paying more money. I was a number on a list and I think they missed the boat. If they had listened to me, fought my corner, we could have enjoyed far more success and made more money in the process. Lulu was easier and cheaper, the only difficulty came from the fact that I had to do everything myself, with no help. Once the artist was on board (A J Hateley), it was a much more satisfying experience.

Q: What format are your books available in?

They are available in all formats; On Amazon as Kindle and paperback, on lulu as hardback and on several sites besides. WH Smith and Waterstones have it on their database and I know of at least one store that has it on their shelves. All the customer has to do is ask if it is not, though it is probably cheaper to order online. As I joined KDP Select on Amazon, I had to pull the ebook version from other sites.

Q: How many books have you published so far?

Warriors is my second, I’m hoping to have book three out by the end of the year. It is untitled at present but it will finish the series, although there is scope for so much more. That will depend upon demand and my own situation/circumstances. I’d love to continue writing but it is a lot of hard work and it detracts sometimes from my other commitments.

Q: What things did you outsource, if any at all?

Only the artwork. I found a brilliant young art student called A J Hateley who I convinced to work with me. She produced some exceptional artwork for both books and I’m glad to say she has received acknowledgement and credit for her work. She’s become a very good friend and I turn to her for advice on a whole range of issues. In fact, she proofreads my work when possible and I am quite often astounded by her insight.

Q: What’s the best bit of advice you received when starting out?

To be totally honest, most people advised me not to do it, to start small with short stories etc. I’m so glad that I ignored them. J  I think people like Gail Martin, Charity Parkerson, Lynn Hallbrooks, Mike Maynard (fellow authors I met on sites such as Goodreads, Facebook etc) were a massive help with their encouragement and knowledge once I had begun. Mike for example helped me with establishing a website presence. No man is an island, we all need help from time to time, the authors above proved to be the nicest people who were willing to share their experiences and help. I can’t thank them enough.

Q: What advice would you offer to the future Debut Authors out there?

Seek as much help and advice as you can get but stick to your guns if it matters to you. There are plenty of reasons not to do something, you only need to find one to do it. Don’t publish too early, wait until your work is the best it can be. Don’t give up or give in, there will be highs and lows along your journey so expect them and ride the waves. You can never please everyone so you will have your fair share of critics/bad reviews, listen to what they are saying if constructive and valid, but disregard them if not, remembering that the reader has taken the time to look at your work and earned the right to have an opinion. Most of all enjoy the moment. If your writing does not fill you with excitement, how do you expect it to thrill your readers?

Q: What’s next for you? Any projects in the pipeline for us to look forward to?

Book 3 is almost twenty chapters in and I’m thrilled by it. There’s a lot of editing and writing ahead but I believe it will finish the series in style, with some unexpected twists and turns. After that, a well earned break during which I intend to explore the works of other authors. Unless of course the writing bug bites...?  I have toyed with the idea of another genre, set in a time I know well, but we shall have to see.

Q: Any favourite Author that you are a fan of and would recommend?

I’ve met tons of great authors through Goodreads. Many of them write in genres I do not read such as Charity Parkerson, whose books are excellent I am told. I’ve also showcased some on my site like Michael Rivers, Mark Rice and Glenn Starkey. I think readers should explore the works of unknown authors, to discover a hitherto buried gem must be an amazing feeling. As far as established authors go, I like Patrick Rothfus’ style, C S Lewis is a must for all children, and Tolkien is still the undisputed master of all things fantasy. I would say read everything you can, cast your net far and wide and enjoy delving into murky, unchartered waters. You may catch a shark, or a tiddler like me. :-)

Q: Give us one of your favourite quotes……………….

‘As flies to wanton boys are we to th’ Gods, they kill us for their sport.’ William Shakespeare

Q: And finally tell us something random about yourself to make us chuckle………………………….

I was once regressed and under hypnosis recounted a tale of my former life as a Roman soldier, including a battle against Spartacus.


Thanks so much for Joining us today M.J. its been great chatting to you.


Webb also has a feature on the blog. To read it click here  

Also check out the first book in the Jake West series The Keeper Of The Stones.

Is it folly?

Like so many other new authors out there I have moments when I feel like giving up. During my writing process I am so immersed in the story that my doubts don't linger in my mind. It's the aftermath that the story leaves in its wake that I find hardest to deal with.
I love my stories, but while half of me knows that others will like my them too the other half is simply hoping that the former is right!! After a while I will question whether or not it's worth carrying on, whether it's something I'm cut out for. Because the stories aren't enough. They can be the greatest story ever in your mind but if you can't write them down and tell the story in a manner fitting for the reader, then what is the point? It is one of the hardest lessons I am learning as a brand new author.

Critic is good and when it is an honest critic it can be the most helpful thing to a writer, yet it still remains the hardest thing to hear and it will leave me questioning whether or not I am up to the challenge. Now working alongside a great editor, I am hoping for my writing to progress further. I also keep in my mind that you can't please all the people all the time. There are, after all, people out there that don't like the Harry Potter books or the Twilight books and I wonder how that's possible?? But it is. Even though all this is true I dare not compare myself to either of those writers or any other writer, I like to think of myself as a singular otherwise I might go crazy.

There is so many difficult things to overcome as a new author, but there is a lot of advice too. I have found that through networking on sites like Twitter and Goodreads, I've managed to meet so many other new and great writers that are going through the same thing. Also others that have been there before and have now come out of it on the other side with their sanity intact and, more importantly, they are still writing. Thanks to reading so much of the advice out there I have plenty of pools stored in my brain to dip in to whenever I get the 'self-doubties' and trust me I get them often!!! So I am still pushing forward and progressing with my writing but also my attitude towards it, I'm hoping that I will be able to turn the negatives in to positives more frequently and hopefully a bit quicker than I do at the moment!! Who knows, in the future the negatives may get less and less too and that can't be a bad thing.....can it?

Ann
xx

Alicia Rivoli Interview

Our interview today is with Alicia Rivoli, Author of Mere Enchantment. Alicia Rivoli is a stay at home mom, currently living in beautiful Northwest Arkansas where the weather is ever-changing!  She loves to sing, write, read, spend time with her family, and travel. She also loves chocolate, and gooey caramel, together they make the perfect candy.

Visit her author blog HERE

Welcome Alicia thanks for talking to us today and letting us have a little insight into you and your books.

Q: Tell us about Mere Enchantment (The Enchantment Series, book 1 )………………

My new book is actually a magical tale of five friends who have to fight for their freedom in a kingdom that they never really knew existed. They find that they are being tracked down by a man that betrayed the crown and knows that their presence in Mere threatens his plans to overthrow the entire kingdom.  They have many challenges that they must overcome, but the biggest one is discovering who they really are, and who and what they think their friends are.

Q: What’s your genre and why did you choose it?

I choose to write for the juvenile/young adult genre, because that is what I find interesting.  Nearly every book on my shelf is from these two genres.  My mind is constantly dreaming up different stories that appeal to a younger audience.

Q: What’s the biggest obstacle you faced with your writing journey?

The biggest challenge I have faced is trying to find a publisher.  With so many books being written, breaking into the industry is very difficult.  I received my share of rejection letters, and finally decided to self publish.

Q: Where do you get your ideas and inspiration from?

My imagination is always running wild, so when the story of Mere came to me while lying in bed one night; I decided I needed to write it down.  Also every time I read a new book, more and more story plots come to mind, so I have to keep reading, to keep my mind open to more ideas.

Q: Who or what are your influences?

My husband and sister have been my two biggest influences in my writing process.  My sister helped me keep going when I found myself stuck, and my husband gave me the final push to become a self-published author.

Q: What was the hardest part of your self-pub journey?

Marketing!! It’s so hard to get your book noticed.  There are so many good books out there, and to get people realize that they want to read your book out of the thousands to choose from is not an easy task.  It’s tough to know where to go to get the best audience for your work.

Q: What format are your books available in?

Mere Enchantment is currently available in paperback, Kindle, and Nook editions.  Other versions will be available soon as well.  It can be purchased online from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Q: How many books have you published so far?

This is my first published work.

Q: What things did you outsource, if any at all?

We found an amazing artist to do the cover art, and we also hired an editor.  I highly recommend an editor before publishing. They help a lot!

Q: What’s the best bit of advice you received when starting out?

The best advice I received is to never give up.  It might take a long time, but eventually the story will be heard.

Q: What advice would you offer to the future Debut Authors out there?

Keep writing!!  Things are never easy, but as long as you keep trying, you can never fail.

Q: What’s next for you? Any projects in the pipeline for us to look forward to?

I am currently working on the 2^nd instalment in The Enchantment Series.  I hope to have it available to readers by the fall of 2012.

Q: Any favourite Author that you are a fan of and would recommend?

That’s a tough one, I have many authors that I recommend, some of my favorites are Nicholas Sparks, Brandon Mull, Stephenie Meyer, Rick Riordan, Richard Paul Evans,  JK Rowling, and Donita K. Paul. There are a lot more, but that’s a good start.

Q: Give us one of your favourite quotes……………….

“I never said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it!” (Jesus Christ)

Q: And finally tell us something random about yourself to make us chuckle………………………….

I have an extreme fear of spiders!  It doesn’t matter how big or small, they creep me out.  Even if I see them on television, they give me the chills.

Thanks for taking time out for us Alicia, it was lovely chatting with you. Good luck with everything.

Find Alicia's debut novel Mere Enchantment with these links.............

Goodreads Smashwords Amazon UK Amazon US 

2012 Reading Challenge

The Story Siren is running a great challenge, the Debut Author Challenge.

The challenge is to read 12 books before the end of December, that's 1 book per month or however quickly you would like to read. They have to be DEBUTS though, you can get the rules and the list via The Story Siren's blog. Or follow the link button on my blog entitled Debut Author Challenge ARC Tours. There are giveaways and a travelling book tour for you to borrow the books through. My debut Brunswick is part of this tour and I would love for you guys to sign up and get a read of it. Follow this link http://dacarctours.blogspot.co.uk/

Go to The Story Sirens blog, you can get there through the live button on here, and check it out. Get involved, not only will you be supporting many debut authors but you may read and fall in love with a book you never thought you would.
Give it a go, enjoy!!!

Happy Reading
Ann
xx