An Interview on Author S. F. Benson's Blog

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Wow, yesterday was nuts with the posts, huh? Three in one day? Unheard of. Anywhoooooo, today, I'm highlighting an amazing interview I had the pleasure of doing over on author S. F. Benson's blog. Get your clicking fingers ready, and let's get going!

Mason Cooley said, “Reading gives us some place to go when we have to stay where we are.”

A Center Stage Moment shines a spotlight on writers who give us great places to visit with the characters we love and want to call friends.

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing to you Jo Michaels!


Jo Michaels is…

Hi, I’m Jo. Let’s forget all the “Jo Michaels is blah, blah, blah” stuff and just go with it. I’m a voracious reader (often reading more than one book at a time), a writer, a book reviewer, a mom, a wife, and one of the EICs at INDIE Books Gone Wild. I have an almost photographic memory and tend to make people cringe at the number of details I can recall about them and/or their book(s). My imagination follows me around like a conjoined twin and causes me to space out pretty often or laugh out loud randomly in completely inappropriate situations.

One of my favorite things is hearing from fans! You can find me on social media most any day of the week. Connect! I’d love to hear from you.

Without further ado, here’s her interview.

I love reading the bios of authors. Many of them did not start out as writers. Sometimes people stumble upon the craft. Did you always want to be a writer? I’ve been writing since I can remember, and I’ve always been drawn to the written word. Can I say I always wanted to be a writer? Well, no. There was a time when I wanted to teach literature, and I got my graphic design degree in the hopes of becoming a book cover designer, but I didn’t think back then I could write a whole book (or that anyone would give two nickels worth of a crap to read anything I wrote). When self-publishing started to grow, I looked a little more seriously at my ability to write. I never...

Head on over to author S. F. Benson's blog to read the rest!!

What did you think?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Interview - Mindy Ruiz

Happy Monday, wonderful people of the blogosphere! Today I have a super amazing guest to introduce you all to. Remember back in December when I had the awesome Kindle Fire giveaway going? Well, this lady donated in a big way to that event, so please give her a round of applause. Besides that, she's running a giveaway of epic proportions on the blog while she's my guest. How about a big note of thanks for that? Mindy is an amazing utopYA author, and she's involved in the con by both being an exhibitor and a panelist. If you don't have tickets yet, go get them now. Linky! Since I just saved you many tears from missing out on the fun, smile, grab a cup of coffee, and get comfy for my interview with author Mindy Ruiz.

Jo: Welcome to the blog, Mindy! I’m over the moon to have you here. You’re such an awesome supporter of other Indies, and I’m pleased you’ve agreed to grace us with your presence. You ready?

Mindy: Hell, yes!

Jo: Awesome! Let’s jump right in with both feet. Your series, Game of Hearts, heavily uses elements of Greek mythology. Why did you choose to include that genre, and what can we expect out of the rest of the series?

Mindy: Great question! The whole series came about because Lady GaGa’s song, Poker Face, played right after Katy Perry’s Waking Up in Las Vegas. I loved the idea of exploring the Suits in a deck of cards as if they were living, breathing people. Plus, I’m totally obsessed with anything Royal, so marrying the world of the Cards and Greek mythology was a no-brainer. I needed a back story and a nemesis and who better than to fill those shoes than the man obsessed with everything glittery and gold but King Midas himself.

Bam!

The House of Midas was born. But something was still missing. I needed a cohesive unit that tied the two powers together but still kept them under thumb. The myth of Midas and Dionysus provided the answer: I needed more Greek gods! The gods are the ultimate authority both The House of Midas and the ruling Cards fear and serve. The gods are to the Game of Hearts series what the shark was to Jaws.

In the final book, Cassie and the other Queens (Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs) uncover a devious plan that threatens all of humanities’ freedoms. Shadows and rogue factions play a huge part in the epic conclusion to free the Titans from Tartarus. Cassie has to make the ultimate decision whether to serve as the Queen of the House of Hearts or forget everything and everyone she’s experienced the last three years of her life.

Jo: I'm the biggest geek in the world, and that just made my inner-goddess sing! I can tell you love your novels. You heard it here, folks! Go check out this series! Moving on. How much is your character, Olivia, like you? Do you feel it’s a help or hindrance to be close with a character? Why?

Mindy: I’d like to say Olivia is all me, but not true. I based Olivia’s sass and in-your-face honesty off of a life-long friend, Rochelle Spears. Nothing, no past, no secret, no future prediction fazes Olivia. She’s going to experience life on her terms and be loyal to a freaking fault. Okay, the loyal to a freaking fault might be me.

I think it’s vital that you feel a connection or closeness with your characters because we all can write the paper cutout Disney prince or princess, it’s the complex tortured hero, heroine, and yes, villain, that really tugs at our and our reader’s hearts. I believe exploring those pieces, both the good and the bad, of you and those around you is how you create believable, likable, swoon-worthy characters.


Jo: Awesome picture! Great answer. I get asked all the time if I'm like my characters. I have to admit, they have a trait or two, but mostly they're based on people I know. I agree 100% on the need to be close to them. You must. *smiles* I know you’re a huge advocate of encouraging authors to keep learning. So, tell us, what writerly educational books grace your shelves? Which is your favorite and why?

Mindy: Albert Einstein said, “Once you stop learning, you start dying.”

If you think you know it all, then you really know nothing at all. I never want to be the smartest person in a room and luckily, I have yet ever to be. :) That being said, I have way too many writing books on my shelves. My favorites, because they’re totally like kids and I can’t choose one, are:
Save the Cat by Blake Snyder. I was a pantser forever, and with C. J. Redwine’s online plotting & world building classes and Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat, I’ve cut down on the plot lines I chase down rabbit holes. Painless Grammar by Rebeca Elliott, Ph.D.

Why? I may have daydreamed through all my English classes when they didn’t relate to Literature. Seriously, where was my Grammar Godmother when I needed her?!

Last one, the www.ce.SavvyAuthors.com website because, truly, Liz Pelletier and the crew over there are brilliant geniuses that make the technical side of creative writing easy to understand. One day I will share a chocolate martini with the lady. Maybe even in Las Vegas. *giggles*

Jo: I haven't heard of either of those books. *adds to list* I love that quote; it's so dang true, huh? Sooooo, I hear you aren’t a girly-girl (don’t judge; a little bird told me). So I’d like to know what your perfect date-night outfit and location would be. Why?

Mindy: Buahaha! Your birds are crazy accurate! I’m so not a girly-girl. I was raised with four brothers, have three sons, a nephew who is my fourth son, and seven more nephews to top off my testosterone world of wonder. I would die a slow, GI-Joe death if I didn’t suppress my estrogen. LOL.

Perfect date outfit would be blue jeans, a rockin’ hot top that was comfortable but still screamed ‘oh, yeah, she’s a girl!’ and flip-flops to show off my hot-pink pedicured toes.

Perfect location: I’m a beach girl. Give me salted sea air, waves crashing on the shore, and a bucket of Dungeness crab legs and I’m all yours. The husband threw in peach mojitos and laughed when I bombed him with crab shell shrapnel. It was true love from there on.

Jo: I feed those birds lots and lots of cookies! *wink* Sounds like a fabulous date! I know all about suppressing the estrogen. Ha! Let's not get too far off the question line, because I could talk all day about being a tom boy. You have two books out in the Game of Hearts Series: Enchanted Hearts and Lying, Cheating Hearts. What’s next? Care to share a little snippet of the blurb?

Mindy: The last book in the Game of Hearts series is in the hopper right now.

I’m also working on a paranormal category romance called: Cupid’s Curse. Yep, that’s what I’m going to give to you.

Blurb snippet:
My name is Jack. Oh, don’t let the manly sounding nickname fool you; I’m all girl. From my waist length blonde hair, over every curve of my five-foot-six frame, down to my pedicured toes, I scream female. But when it comes to matters of the heart, well, I’m a bitch.

That’s not my technical title.

Officially, I’m a Cupid. Turns out the god of love, Eros, doesn’t like it when you curse amore. He gets down right bitter when you swear to never be a sucker for the swoon. That one phrase, “I’ll never love again,” with the right amount of fortitude behind it, will land you cursed in Eros’s Cupid Corps.

Yep, I’m totally cursed to play Cupid until I believe in love. If I don’t, well, my heart goes all petrified and I become immortal. Sounds damn good to me.

Ha! Looks like I really do have a thing for Greek gods.

Jo: That sounds fan-freaking-tastic! I can't wait to check it out. You did a marketing thing at UtopYA last year I thought was absolutely brilliant. Tell me about the Enchanted Heart screen cleaners, and how you came up with the idea, please! I still have mine.

Mindy: *big ole toothy grin* OH. MY. GAWD!!!! You have no idea how stinking happy that makes me! I would love to take all the credit for Enchanted Heart screen cleaners, but that fabulous find lies at the feet of my darling husband. Luckily, he is in real estate and is required to attend numerous conferences and conventions. I may sweet talk him into bringing home an extra swag bag. Seriously, I go through their swag bags like I’m discovering buried treasures.

Jo: Yeah, I totally do. People ask me about it all the time. *grin* Now that we’re on the subject of UtopYA, talk to me about the panel you’re on for newbies and introverts. What can people hope to take away from that experience?

Mindy: Confession time: I’m painfully shy and awkward. It took me a long time to shatter the wall-flower vase and really own who I am. Before writing became both my passion and my career, I was in the family business of selling Real Estate. Cold calls and open houses and strangers all around brought me face-to-face with my biggest fear, talking to people. Anyone who knows me knows I hate talking on the phone and the thought of face-to-face tends to break me out in hives. That being said, I knew I could either have my excuse of being shy or I could, full force and despite being shy, put myself out there and chase my dream. It came down to do I want the excuse or do I want the dream. I chose to chase after the dream.

At my first UtopYA conference, where I climbed back into my wall-flower vase, (no, really, sat up in my hotel room with flowered pajamas), my darling friend Megan Curd, kicked me out of the hotel room and told me to find my freaking mojo.

After the conference, I read online that there were so many people who had traveled to UtopYA and had done the exact same thing I did! The overall themes:
I don’t know what to say?
I don’t want to be “that” crazy fan-girl!
And, I’m new and shy.

That was it.

I embraced Janet’s “lift as you climb” mantra and decided to apply what I’d learned successfully practicing real estate and networking at conferences for twenty years to writers and share that knowledge. Megan and I tapped some amazing people who have successfully networked both online and at conferences to help: New York Times Best Selling Author: Rachel Harris, Misty Provencher, and Eva Pohler will be adding their tips and tricks to the panel.

The Newbie and Introvert panel is an interactive session.

You will leave knowing at least three people you didn’t before.

You’ll be armed with three open-ended questions to get your conversations past, “I love your book” and on to more substantial chats with authors and readers you love.

Finally, you’ll leave the panel with a starter toolbox with basic how to’s:
* How to comfortably step out of your comfort zone.
* How to be able to identify when you’re starting to slip back into your wall-flower ways and what to do.
* How to approach an author you love.
* How to spot a fellow wallflower and build your own wacky clump or tribe.

Jo: Oh man. Even seasoned veterans can benefit from that panel! I'm so stealing this (with credit, of course) for something the bloggers have coming. *grin* Rapid-fire question time! White, dark, or milk chocolate?

Mindy: *cue big pimpin’ music*
White Chocolate.
White chocolate Kit-Kats, if I’m totally honest.

Jo: Paper or computer (for writing)?

Mindy: Computer. I’d go through too many erasers and trees if I went the long hand route.

Jo: Up or Down?

Mindy: Up! The ever-eternal optimist says UP!

Jo: Right? Somehow, I knew you'd choose up. *grins* Time travel question! Because the theme of UtopYA 2015 is time travel, I’m asking everyone a themed question. *grins* If you built a time machine, where would you go, what would you do while you were there, and would you tell anyone of your creation? Why/why not?

Mindy: Ooooh. Yikes. The practical girl in me says time travel = bad. But the caution-to-the-wall hellion in me says, Hell, yes! Time Travel? Where be the seatbelts?!

I’d totally go to the past and whack some Eleanor Roosevelt spine into the people-pleasing girl I thought I had to be. I’d tell her she was fine just the way she was and she should totally chase after the story-telling dreams her dad told her were “useless lies.” Now, because I’d messed with the space-time continuum like Marty McFly’d done in Back to the Future, I’d leave my mom a note and picture of my uber hunky husband and tell her not to let me settle for anyone else except this man. One: Mom’s Italian and no matter what moxy I’d gain from my Roosevelt spine whipping I’d still fear the woman. Two: the man is truly the love of my life. He loved me when I was bald, filled with chemo, and begged him to leave. He stayed and fought for us both, and I’m so blessed.

Would I share the technology? Nope! Not even hesitating about that one. Refer back to my Marty McFly Back to the Future reference.

Jo: Okay, can I just say I LOVE that photo? It's awesome! I hope you had fun taking these. Haha! Heck yeah. I love answers that involve going back to your younger self and giving advice! Don't we all wish we could do that? Speaking of road trips, did you ever get to go to Vegas? If yes, what did you see while there? If no, what do you plan to see while there when (notice I didn’t say if) you get to visit?

Mindy: The lady who inspired Olivia moved to Las Vegas a few years ago, so I visit as often as possible. Plus, living in Southern California makes it all too easy to jump a forty-five minute Jet Blue flight to get lost in Sin City.

When I was plotting the Game of Hearts Series, I knew I didn’t want to highlight the typical Las Vegas sites. I wanted to explore the history and the off-the-beaten-tourist traps of the desert oasis. The catacombs were based on an article my girlfriend sent me about Las Vegas’s Homeless living in the underground sewers after the 2007 financial crash. The Neon Graveyard (they call it a boneyard) where we first meet Isaac actually exists. I HIGHLY recommend taking the tour. Freemont Street and the digital canopy, for realz. Umm, OOOH, the water preserve where A. J. introduces Cassie to the forgotten and the declaration stones, they’re for real. The quote from John F. Kennedy carved in the side of a boulder, totally in the water preserve. I’m still ninety percent certain he really was from the House of Hearts. ;)

Jo: I read a book recently called The Underground that was about the people living under Seattle after the city's destruction. Awesome story. I'll have to check out the spots you've suggested if I ever make it back to Vegas. I'm totally psyched you and Tia live in the same state. All I can say is: expect coffee in the future! *winks* I adore anything outside the box. Anything you’d like to throw out there that I didn’t already ask?

Mindy: Ummm, I wish I could say something really prolific, but … nope! I’m all good. Oh, wait! If you see me at UtopYA, Penned Con, Indie Bookfest in Orlando, or Great Lake Book Bash, please don’t hesitate to come up and squeeze me. I tend to walk around in a haze of “holy shiz! I can’t believe I’m here.” Enhance my experience and say Hi, Mindy. Send me over the moon and tell me you love my books or make my millennium and leave me a fun review.

Jo, thanks so much for having me. I just adore you and your readers and can’t wait to have a peach mojito with ya!

Jo: I do hope to see you this year. It's so crazy, I'm surprised I saw my table mate last year. HA! I've never had a peach mojito, but I'm totally blushing at your compliment. Thank you. Sorry to take up so much of your time! I appreciate you being here. I really enjoyed researching you for this interview. You sound a lot like me (low-maintenance, has many sons—I have four, and I’m someone who just adores books), and I can’t wait to see you at the conference! Not long now!

Now, it’s time to tell you all about the featured book of the week!

Title: Enchanted Heart
Author: Mindy Ruiz
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Romance
Length (print): 322 pages.
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $0.99 US and UK  ~  Smashwords $0.99  ~  iBooks $0.99 US and UK  ~  B&N $0.99 US and UK


Blurb:
Cassandra Vera never ever broke the rules.

Ever!

She’s also had a nonexistent social life since her best friend moved to Vegas. Armed with a new set of resolutions, the promise of a hot date, and her adoptive parents out of town, seventeen-year-old Cassandra agrees to a road trip, which is the perfect way to celebrate her birthday and ring in the New Year. After all, she’s headed to Vegas, the city where secrets are meant to stay hidden. Little does Cassandra know her past is buried there as well.

Cloaked in the shadows of the glitz and gaudy lights of Vegas lies a power struggle centuries old. One wrong step and Cassandra could destroy the delicate web of secrets. Now an enemy she never knew existed is after her, and the one boy who may be the missing piece to the puzzle — and her heart— is the one person she can’t afford to trust.

While your fingers are in the clicking mode, why not give Mindy a follow on every social media platform I could think of when writing up the template for these interviews (plus some)?

Pinterest: Mindy Ruiz Books
Instagram: Mindy Ruiz
Google +: Mindy Ruiz Books
Facebook: Mindy Ruiz Books
Street Team: Heart Breakers 4 Ever
Twitter: @MindyRuiz
Goodreads: Mindy Ruiz
Website: MindyRuiz.com
Amazon Author Page: Mindy Ruiz
LinkedIN: Mindy Ruiz
Tsu: Mindy Ruiz

Time for the Rafflecopter giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you have any questions, pop them into the comments below. Ms. Ruiz (pronounced Reese) will be around to answer and/or respond!

Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

World of Ink - Radio Show Sponsorship

Happy Monday, everyone! Sorry you aren't getting an author interview today; I had some things fall through. Fingers crossed it'll be here tomorrow! So, for today, I'm gonna talk about something I did last year that I had a blast with. I also got to meet a couple of really amazing ladies that I'll tell you about later in this post. Ready? Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

The World of Ink Network

Virtual blog tours, book trailers and marketing services; along with radio shows on books, authors, illustrators, the publishing industry, marketing and much more.

That's from their website. You can find them here.

Now, on to my notes from my experience with their radio segment. You can go listen to past interviews and stuff here, and you can check out my interview here.

I saw where one of the hosts posted on Facebook to indicate they were looking for author sponsorships for their WOI radio show. Since I've been a guest with Sandi Tuttle a couple of times, I was familiar with how it worked, and I asked for more information on WOI's sponsorship levels/costs. Their response time was wicked fast, and I was never left out of the loop on anything that was going on.

I was thrilled when I received their package. It wasn't super expensive, and they guaranteed to run my book covers and information about my blog for the whole month of October. Plus, I was getting to spend time talking with women who are successful and strong in their own right.

Everything was well coordinated, and my phone rang right when it was supposed to on the day of the interview.

What took place after that ring was nothing short of awesome. We chatted about books, editors, utopYA Con, writing, strong women in fiction novels, and so much more.

Who did I get to talk with?

Marsha Casper Cook and Willow Cross. Both are super fun to chat with, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Marsha was pleasant and easy to talk to, and Willow is a fellow writer who also features strong women in her novels. We had a lot in common.

It was awesome.

Now for other information (like sales during my sponsorship).

I sold 85 books that month, and had 582 downloads of my free books on Kindle.

So, yeah, I recouped my costs. Both monetarily and in new potential fans of my work.

I don't pay for blog tours, so this sponsorship was something I could really sink my teeth into.

As you all know, I don't get kickbacks for anything I recommend on the blog, and I only suggest things I've tried myself and had success with.

WOI is totally worth every penny I spent.

Now, I wanna hear from you! Have you ever sponsored a radio show? Ever done an interview? Gimmie your links!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Interview - Casey Peeler

Happy Monday, everyone! It's time for another unofficial utopYA author interview! Today, I bring you Ms. Casey Peeler! You're gonna love her southern charm and spunk. If you aren't familiar with utopYA, I have to wonder if you've been hiding under a rock, or if this is your first visit to my blog. *grin* Are you an author or reader of awesome books? Then this is a conference you don't want to miss out on! Find more information about the con here. Once you've decided this IS the con for you (how could it not be?), get your tickets while they're still on sale at early bird prices! Then, come on back to the blog and meet some of the people attending! Every Monday from now until the middle of June, you'll get either an author interview or some awesome information on the featured author's books. Don't miss out! Okay, enough of my jawing. Let's get to the good stuff!

Jo: Welcome to the blog, Casey! Wow, are you ever an interesting lady. I spent a good amount of time researching you for this interview. I hope you’re ready for what I found. *grin*

Casey: Oh my gosh! I can’t wait to see what you’ve found! I’m super excited about this interview and utopYA 2015!

Jo: Right? Just six months away now. Wow. Okay, let’s jump right in so the natives don’t get restless, shall we? What made you choose the Southern Romance genre?

Casey: I have lived in North Carolina my entire life. Some people don’t think of NC as “that Southern.” Once I open my mouth, you’ll never doubt it.  :) I chose Southern Romance because that is what I know. I absolutely love a good ole country boy, country music, hunting, fishing, and a good field party back in the day! I’m also a girl who believes there are fairytales and happily ever afters.

Jo: There are most certainly happy ever afters. I'm totally living my own. *grin* North Carolina is certainly in the South. Love that you have an accent! So, which aspects of romance can we find in your six novels?

Casey: Full Circle Series (No Turning Back, Full Circle, and Loving Charley) is about overcoming your past and discovering who you are as an individual in order to find your HEA. It can be read from anyone that’s in high school to 100, even though it is considered New Adult. Our Song is a Contemporary Romance novella. It’s one of my favorites that I’ve written. I told y’all I’m a sucker for a country boy. Now make him a country singer in a pair of tight jeans shaking it on stage, and I’m a goner! In Tune: A Love’s Duet is an anthology that features several authors and includes Our Song. All proceeds go to Fender Music Foundation to put music back in classrooms. Southern Perfection is a Young Adult romance, but it’s so much more than just romance. It’s about a family, secrets, faith, and love. This one holds a piece of my heart!

Jo: Those sound amazing. I love books with a life lesson of some kind. What event or events brought you to the decision to re-release Southern Perfection? Can you give us an example of a major change we might find?

Casey: This answer could be really long, so I’m going to be as brief as possible. Kenzie, Jillian Dodd’s daughter, read Southern Perfection after a conversation Jillian and I had in September. She liked it, but thought I could make a few changes to make it even better. After a call with Jillian and Beth Suit, editor, the rest is history! It’s releasing 1/13/15, tomorrow! ** Eeeep! Two stepping all over the house right now! **

In the new Southern Perfection, there are major changes in the prologue, the flow of the story, one major scene/turning point, and Emmett and Raegan’s future is laid out for you.

Jo: Sometimes, you just gotta have those re-writes! Sounds like a lot of work went into the second edition. I wish you awesome luck with it. I have to know: Where’d you come up with the name Emmett?

Casey: Honestly, I always try to find names that sound like strong, southern men. I also try to use names you don’t see often in other novels. If you look up the meaning, you will find it means, “a powerful force to all those lives they touch.” (http://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/emmett ) If you’ve read Southern Perfection, you would agree that the name suits the character. Ladies, he’s going to make you swoon even more in the NEW Southern Perfection!

Jo: I use that name in my Abigale Chronicles Series for middle grade readers. It's my son and my grandfather's name. *grin* I love it! Does your dance mom background ever show up in your novels? If yes, which one and how? If no, why not?

Casey: At this point, that hasn’t happened yet! Now that you bring it up, it totally could in the future.

Jo: Why not, right? *wiggles eyebrows* Tell me a little about being a special needs teacher. What grade do you teach? What’s it like working with special needs kids?

Casey: I have taught high school special education for eleven years. I have students from grades 9-12, and I teach anything from English to a class called Occupation Preparation which is where students learn job skills to be productive citizens. Teaching students with special needs is an adventure each and every day, and sometimes the things kids say you honestly wouldn’t believe unless you were there. Most people tell me that they admire what I do, but honestly, I wouldn’t teach any other type of student. The students I teach each day are the ones that are our future. They aren’t going to be a doctor or lawyer, but they are the ones that will keep this world functioning. We all know that a college degree is nice, but if you didn’t have a mechanic, plumber, electrician, or any other vocational trade, this world would be in a mess. The biggest obstacle I face each and every day is their self confidence. They think everyone “knows” that they aren’t the top of the class. What I try to instill in them is that it doesn’t matter if you are number one in your class or two thousand as long as you are comfortable with who you are - strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes - you will go far in life.

Jo: *claps* What an awesome thing you're doing. My niece is a deaf interpreter for special needs high schoolers. I totally admire you ladies. Rapid fire questions! Wine or beer?

Casey: Beer!

Jo: Woman after my own heart! Beautiful Disaster or Walking Disaster?

Casey: Beautiful Disaster <3<3<3<3 #TravisMaddox4Life #mypermanentbookboyfriend

Jo: I knew that. *laughs* Big or small?

Casey: Small

Jo: Like, really tiny? I do adore small dogs. Now I have to ask you the time travel question because that’s the theme of utopYA 2015! Since you love country, you might like this one! *grin* If you could go back to the old west in America, what type of business would you be most interested in seeing? What town would you go to? Is there anything you’d want to do while you were there?

Casey: The Saloons! Helloooooo! I’m all about a cold beverage, loud music, and entertainment!


Jo: Sounds like fun! You could host a party there! Besides utopYA, you’re going to four other events in 2015 including A Novel Experience in Las Vegas. Have you ever attended any of those events before, and which one is your favorite? Why?

Casey: This year, utopYA is the only event that I have attended in the past. I will have to say, I’m super excited for Vegas!

Jo: Vegas should be fun. If you see A. G. Howard, high-five her for me! *grin* I poked around your review blog, Hardcover Therapy. Love it! I adore how it started with people asking you what they should read next. Tell me a couple of the difficulties you’ve had running a review blog, and what you get out of it.

Casey: The hardest thing is balancing everything - everyday life, reading, and writing. At one point when I was just reviewing, I felt horrible telling people no. Needless to say, I learned that you can’t read everything. My cousin loves to read as much as me. Chelly is now part of the Hardcover Therapy team, and she will be at utopYA with me again this year! :)

Jo: Amen. Balance is difficult at the best of times. Awesome that you're bringing Chelly on! I bet she's stoked. What are you working on right now? Care to give us a quick rundown?

Casey: **Takes a deep breath**
~Southern Perfection re-releases on 1/13/15.
~By Chance, a NA standalone novel, will release late March 2015.
~Full Circle Series will re-release in time for utopYA.
~Waiting on Walker, a MC Novella with a country twist releases early August 2015
~Full Circle Spinoff: Piper’s story (title TBD) will release in late October 2015.
~In December 2015, you will see either a Christmas novella featuring the Full Circle Series OR a novel to go along with Our Song!
**Breathes**

Jo: Whoa, that's a lot to manage! I'm crossing my fingers all goes well for you. I’ve taken up a TON of your time (hey, I’m thorough if nothing else), but I have just one more question. I saw that you named Travis Maddox as your perma-book boyfriend. What is it about that character that makes you swoon?

Casey: He was my “first” I guess you could say. Yes, I have read all kinds of books, but nothing compares to him. I swear, I was never the one that liked the bad boy kind, but I have always looked for the good in everyone. Even though he does some stupid things, he has a good heart. He tries so hard! Bless his heart! He wants to do what’s right and take care of Abby but he doesn’t know how. Oh and him fighting – HOT, tattoos - HOT, and that dang dimple – BEYOND HOT! Most of all, I love that when he loves with his whole heart, he is never the same. 

 “I know we're fucked up, alright? I'm impulsive, and hot tempered, and you get under my skin like no one else. You act like you hate me one minute, and then need me the next. I never get anything right, and I don't deserve you...but I fucking love you, Abby. I love you more than I loved anyone or anything ever. When you're around, I don't need booze, or money, or the fighting, or the one-night stands...” ~ snippet from Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

I guess you could say every dang detail about him makes me swoon. I’ve read that book at least 8 times, and each time I fall harder and harder! Needless to say that Walking Disaster let me in on everything I wanted to know, and oh I was in tears at one point! I could ramble on for DAYS about why Travis “Maddog” Maddox is my permanent book boyfriend, or I should say book husband because if didn’t you know, I married him in a Beautiful Wedding! ;)

Jo: How sweet is that? I read some of the lesser reviews of that novel before I wrote mine. Holy crap people can be mean! Anyway, moving on! Well, that’s all the blog space we have for today. It was lovely having you on the blog, Casey! Thank you so very much for your time. I can’t wait to meet you at utopYA in June!

Casey: Thank you again for having me today! Jo, you have outdone yourself! You went above and beyond with your research and I <3 it! Thank you for wanting to know more about me and letting everyone coming to UTopYA know a little more about me! This has been a blast… now I’m going to swoon over Travis! ;)

Now, it’s time to reveal the featured book of the week! **PLEASE NOTE! Price changes to $3.99 on all platforms on 1/14/15 at 12:01am**

Title: Southern Perfection
Author: Casey Peeler
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Length (print): 221 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $0.99  ~  Barnes and Noble Nook $0.99  ~  iBooks $0.99  ~  Google Play $0.99

Synopsis: Life is full of choices: good, bad, and ones you can’t control.

Raegan strives to be perfect in every way. Varsity cheerleader, honor student, and proud granddaughter of Dover Lowery. By day, Raegan is an over-achieving high school student, but at three o’clock, her real work begins.

What happens when appearances are not what they seem? Will Raegan be able to hold on to her life as she knows it, or will she be left all alone? All of these questions are answered with one night, one song, one story, and one boy.

While your fingers are in the clicking mode, why not give Ms. Peeler a follow on every social media platform I could think of when writing up the template for these interviews (plus some)?

Website: Author Casey Peeler
Amazon: Casey Peeler's Author Page
Facebook: Casey Peeler Author
Twitter: @AuthorCasey
Tumblr: Casey Peeler Author
Pinterest: Author Casey
Goodreads: Casey Peeler
YouTube: Author Casey Peeler's YouTube Channel
Tsu: Casey Peeler
Wattpad: Author Casey
Google +: Casey Peeler Author

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
If you have any questions for Casey, pop them into the comments below.

Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Interview - Liz Long

Happy, happy Monday, everyone! *cheers* I'm back with yet another interview with a lovely UtopYAin. Today, I'm pleased to welcome Liz C. Long to the blog. She's got a quirky sense of humor, and we have stuff in common (which means we're like sisters)! So that's awesome. If you don't have your tickets to the con yet, what are you waiting for? The theme next year is time travel, and I'm positive Janet Wallace (the mastermind behind UtopYA Con) and her crew are gonna bring us some awesome stuff. Get your tickets here. Right now. So you can come meet awesome authors like Liz (and me! *waves hands around*) and go to panels to learn stuff. Pssst! There's a giveaway on the bottom of the page!

Enough rambling! Let's get going.

Jo: LIZ! Welcome to the blog of Jo! It’s super awesome to have you here, and I can’t wait for my readers to get to know you. Ready?

Liz: So ready! Let’s rock this interview!

Jo: And the congregation says, "Amen!" So, a little bird told me your book made it to the semi-finals in the KBR Best Indie Book 2014 Awards. Congratulations! How did you feel when you found out, and which book was it? Why did you enter?

Liz: First off, thank YOU because you were MY little birdie who told me the good news! My standalone title WITCH HEARTS was the submission that made semi-finals and I am beyond blown away by that fact. With nearly a thousand submissions, the fact that my book made it into the Top 20 is a huge honor. I entered mostly just to see how I’d do – I honestly don’t think I expected to make it that far! LOL I think the day I found out, I double- and triple-checked the website to make sure I wasn’t reading it wrong (you know 500 times in a row).

Jo: I know what you mean. The Bird hit the semi-finalist list last year and I stared and stared at the title; wondering if it was really sitting there. How exciting for you! *squee!* Tell me about the section of your website that gives authors tips and tricks on writing (my readers are totally your audience). How did the idea come about, and what do you hope to accomplish with it?

Liz: Part of the reason I write those pieces is for authors like me who are just starting out. I remember googling every little question and sometimes there’s so much information out there you aren’t really sure where to start. My background is in marketing and I’ve been writing for publications on and off since I was a teen, so I’m relatively familiar with tricks we should all learn as indie authors. There’s always room to grow, so I’m always hoping to learn something new to pass along to my readers! I’ve had such great feedback from both writers and readers who get something out of those posts and I’m always tickled to receive an email thanking me for one of them. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!

Jo: I love to see Indies helping Indies. It makes me happy how we all share. You have really great reviews on Amazon! I have to ask who your editor is. Everyone talks about how well written the books are.

Liz: Thank you! Actually, my editor is my best friend from high school, Morgan Wall. She was a newspaper journalist and editor for several years after college and is now a high school English teacher, so I’m really lucky to know someone with such a keen eye. We’ve always gotten on well due to her blunt honesty and similar humor, so not only do I understand how to take her critiques but I always know that she’s doing everything she can to make the book better (because eventually, I will have to pay her!).

Jo: It's awesome to have such a killer editor in your corner, huh? I have one, too! *shoutout!* She knows who she is. *nods sagely* So, I must know! What magazine do you work for, and how did you get the job? What kinds of things do you enjoy most about working there?

Liz: I am the Social Media & PR Strategist for LeisureMedia360, and we publish several publications, including the Virginia Travel Guide, THE ROANOKER, BLUE RIDGE COUNTRY, and BRIDEBOOK magazines. I’m really lucky in that I love my job – it’s a great 8-5 M-F gig that not only gives me a great writing schedule at nights and on weekends, but also gives me opportunities to meet great people in the area for interviews and networking. It sounds weird to my ears, but here in Roanoke, I’m supposedly a social media expert, so it’s also a good way to tie in what I learn with marketing my writing. I really love supporting my city in such a big media-based way and of course being a magazine writer is pretty much a dream come true!

Jo: What a perfect job for a writer. Hell yes, dream come true. Rock on, lady! Talk to me about getting your BA in English (yeah, I cyber-stalked you a little - don't judge). *grin* What prompted you to major in that subject, and what were your favorite classes?

Liz: I actually started out as a Communications major at Longwood University; I wasn’t crazy about the program, so I figured the next logical step was English because obviously I wasn’t too bad at it ;) I had a few fantastic classes I still think about years later, including my YA Literature class and American Literature with a tough-as-nails teacher who really shaped a lot of my senior year. My creative writing courses were of course favorites too, even if the homework wasn’t for the faint of heart!

Jo: I did almost the same thing (but with different majors). Ha! Cool. Okay, I’ll stop harassing you about your personal life for a moment. *bats eyelashes* Rapid fire question time! Lime green or hot pink?

Liz: Hot pink!

Jo: Sparkles! Amen! Toilet paper - over or under the roll?

Liz: Oh god, over. I’m totally in the middle of a toilet paper war with an unknown coworker who is a MONSTER and puts it under. She doesn’t know about the war, but it’s there.

Jo: I'd be doing the exact same thing. Only I'd call it to her attention. Haha! Puppies or kittens?

Liz: Puppies. My family raised dogs when I was a kid, so my entire childhood was based around puppies!

Jo: Puppy breath! *awwwwww* Now for the time travel question of the interview! Hey, we gotta have a theme, no? If you could go back in time and meet just one person, who would it be and why?

Liz: For real?! Oh my god, that’s too much pressure. Um…normally my celebrity is Justin Timberlake, but I feel like that’s inappropriate here. Someone dead…hmm…how about – no he’s a fictional character, Long…let’s go with Queen Elizabeth I. Can you imagine a woman in her time ruling an empire? I’d love to hear her advice on how to deal with bitchy coworkers. (Fun fact: In kindergarten, I brought in old coins for show and tell, one with Queen E on it. Because I’m also an Elizabeth, my clever classmates called me Queenie until the 8th grade!)

Jo: Now what are the odds that you and I would have the same historical figure? I freaking LOVE Elizabeth I. Obsessed a little. Wrote a huge paper on her in college and made a family tree and everything. Awesome. Oh, and you shall now be called Queenie for the duration of this interview. *evil laugh* Which of your books was the most difficult for you to write? What was so hard about it?

Queenie: That’s a tough one! I’d probably have to say BURNED, the second book in the Donovan Circus Novel. It was a bit tougher than I expected having to pick up in a series – not only do I want a reader to be able to pick up any title out of order and still understand what’s happening, but I also knew there’d be some choices readers would be annoyed about (ie a boy choice when I have two teams) – so I have to leave things open-ended for the third book to let them know a lot more will be going down! It’s fun to think about how things will develop for the characters over time, but you can’t reveal too much or too little. There’s a balance I had to find, but luckily, I think I found it in time for publishing!

Jo: I get the reading out of order and leaving dangles requirement. It's a fine line. Where’s one place you’d like to visit if you had unlimited money? And would you set a story there?

Queenie: I’ve been watching a lot of Outlander lately, so Scotland is pretty high up there. Then again, some of my family is old Irish, so Ireland has always been at the top of my list. And you bet your bonnet I’d set a story there once I visited and had plenty of details to go off of!

Jo: My husband is Irish, and we're planning to visit there later in life. Hope it's all I've built it up to be. Haha! Remember, if you base a book there, you can probably write the trip off on your taxes as research. *grin* Did I miss anything? Something you’d like to add?

Queenie: I’d actually like to let everyone know I’ll have a new book release coming out October 30th called A REAPER MADE. It’s a clean NA Fantasy about a new Reaper who has to go back and save her family from demons. It’ll be available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in time for Halloween!

(Liz Queenie gave me the synopsis - and a very pretty banner - which I'm now sharing with you all)
Grace had finally gotten used to her new afterlife as a “Made” – a Reaper who used to be human. When Made Reapers and souls begin disappearing, however, Grace and her mentor Tully suspect demons. Grace’s worst fears are confirmed when her living family is threatened.

She’ll have to break every rule in the Reaper book to save them, including using a little magic to become temporarily human. With the help of Tully and her witchy friend Tessa, Grace goes undercover to save the fates of kidnapped souls – only to discover that demons aren’t working alone. Betrayal and distrust runs deep and Grace discovers that sometimes even Reapers are prone to humanity.

Jo: Sounds amazing. I'll be sure and check it out! Thank you so, so much for joining me on the blog today. It was awesome having you here and I can’t wait to squee with you at UtopYA 2015.

Queenie: Thank you for having me! Expect a tackle hug in June!!

Now, it’s time to tell all you lovely readers about the featured book of the week!

Title: WITCH HEARTS
Author: Liz Long
Genre: Paranormal/Horror
Length (print): 212 pages
Buy links: Amazon ~ B&N ~ KOBO  ~  $2.99

Synopsis:
How does a witch stay safe if a killer can get through her protection spells?

Witches like Ruby and Courtney can take care of themselves. So when Courtney is murdered, Ruby’s world crashes to a halt. The only thing keeping her grounded is the return of Courtney’s brother, Cooper. He seeks revenge, but Ruby wants to help other witches stay alive. To do that, she’ll have to reunite with her old coven’s High Priest, who also happens to be her cheating ex-boyfriend.

If that wasn’t awkward enough, when the killer gets too close, Cooper temporarily moves into Ruby’s place while a police officer tails her every move. Cooper’s presence distracts Ruby as they fight their desire against their need to stay safe. Then Courtney begins to haunt Ruby’s dreams and secrets are spilled, things from Cooper’s past that could get them both killed. The killer continues to stalk Ruby and the more she discovers, the more she fears she won’t be able to keep her heart in her chest.

While your fingers are in the clicking mode, why not give Ms. Long a follow on alllll these awesome social media sites?

Twitter: @lizclong
Facebook: Liz C. Long Author
Pinterest: LizCLong
Website: http://lizclong.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBsxIcJsG0L3owWYOzNhczg
Google +: LizCLong
Goodreads: Liz C. Long
Amazon: Liz Long Author Page

Wait! Don't go yet! Liz has graciously offered to give away a copy of Witch Hearts for one lucky reader.

No, there was no torture involved! Okay, maybe a little...

Now that you know I could get in trouble for my persuasion tactics, don't you want to enter even worse? Perfect! Here you go:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
If you have any questions, pop them into the comments below!

Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Interview - Susan Burdorf

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! You should all be so dang excited! It’s time for another round of unofficial author interviews with some more great ladies of UtopYA con. If you don’t have your tickets to the event, you need to get them ASAP. I believe they go back on sale around Black Friday. Check here often to snag yours! Today, I have the lovely Susan Burdorf on the blog. She’s such an awesome lady. I can’t wait to get going. So grab your coffee, comfy chair, and your screen, and let’s get going!

Jo: Welcome to the blog, Susan! It’s so nice to finally get a moment to sit down and have a chat with you. While we were both at the con last year, I only saw you for a second when you came by the table to pick up my donation for your scavenger hunt. Crazy, huh? How did that go, by the way?
Susan: Not as well as I would have liked. Next year I will make sure to advertise it a little better. I believe only about 10 hunt lists were returned to me, but those who did so got an awesome selection of books to choose from, and I got to chat with some very cool authors, as did they, so it was not a total loss by any means. I always feel like an event like UtopYA is so chock full of fun stuff to do, that any chance to say hello to an author and stop by their table is a win in my book (no pun intended…haha). Thanks for asking, and thanks for donating!

Jo: You’re very welcome. I love trying new and exciting things, and I’m always willing to help out another author with a donation! Well, let’s waste no time jumping in here. I have a slew of questions for you. Ready?
Susan: Bring it! :)

Jo: Cool. Let’s do this. UtopYA Con being in Nashville is pretty awesome for you, right? Have you been to the con every year? If yes, how has it changed/improved for you over time?
Susan: UtopYA has been a very unique experience for me. I grew up in the Buffalo NY area and for years was involved in a writer’s group that was very active and participated in writer’s events in both Niagara Falls, NY and Toronto, Ontario Canada where well known traditionally published authors (there was no Indie author world back then, only Vanity Press self published novels and those were not as well done as our Indie Authors books are today) like Anne McCaffrey, and Orson Scott Card, and Lois McMaster Bujold, and Terry Pratchett, among many others who were popular guests. There were panels and so on, but UtopYA, for me, was a totally different experience. I got to be part of the beginning with UtopYA. For the first two years I was the person who helped get the volunteers for the event. In the first year we had less than 100 people (the majority were authors, with some fans). The second year was better, with nearly 300 participants and a nearly equal amount of readers and authors and fans. This past UtopYA, 2014, was double and more again the number from the year before, and the influence of all those authors was absolutely amazing. Leave out the fact that I met new friends, made connections to authors and fans I had never had any connection to before other than on Social Media, and also got to hang out with some of the most funny and smart and honest and sincere people in the world and you pretty much sum up the UtopYA experience for me. Where else would I get to hobnob with people from South Africa, England, Scotland, Canada, etc? And all this happened because UtopYA happened. I could go on forever with this question but then I would never get to the rest of the awesome information you want from me, so I am going to end with this: UtopYA is like Candyland and Twister and Boggle all wrapped up into one.

Jo: Wow. It sounds like you’ve been on quite a journey with Ms. Janet Wallace (founder of UtopYA). Hey, at least the con is getting bigger. I have no idea how I’m gonna meet everyone that shows up next year. It’s gonna be huge! Speaking of meeting folks, who are your favorite UtopYA peeps and why?
Susan: Oh boy. This is a hard question because, to be honest, and this is not a cop out to the question – I have no favorite because I love everyone equally. Let me explain why – most people come to UtopYA with the idea that they might get to meet that awesome author whose books they have been salivating over for the last year or two; or they might have a desire to meet their “book boyfriend/girlfriend” from the cover of their favorite book; or they might want to hang out with someone they have never met and talk about writing and covers and editing and all the tons of information available at UtopYA just for the asking. For me, everyone I meet has something of value to share with me – whether it is their journey as they publish their first book, or their ability to market like a madwoman and I want to know how they do it; or they might have the key to setting up a tax account to keep the IRS at bay…there is so much that I have to learn from everyone I meet that picking one person who matters more is impossible without insulting someone else…so, I decline to actually answer that question and will only say–EVERYONE who ever comes to UtopYA is someone I want to add to my friends list, or chat with online, etc. Be warned people, I will find you and befriend you! (it is okay, I promise to feed you once a day…maybe…).

Jo: Yeah, just watch your fingers when feeding the authors. *wink* You’re a yet unpublished author. What’s the title of your first book, and when can we expect to see it released?
Susan: Okay, so, while I do not have a book of my own published yet (it has been in development for a year now and should release in late 2014 and the title is: “A Cygnet’s Tale” which is loosely based on the story of The Ugly Duckling) I have for many years now been a prolific short story writer and I am published in numerous anthologies. I have stories about everything from Angels to Zombies out in anthologies. My favorite genre is currently YA Contemporary, which is what “A Cygnet’s Tale” is. I also have an NA Paranormal novel called “Harlequin Rose” which should be releasing late 2014 or early 2015.

Jo: Anthologies rock! It’s totally mind boggling to have one book that’s all your very own, though. I can’t wait to see you next year, buy a copy of your book(s), and get it signed! So, what’s the most terrifying thing about clicking the publish button for you?
Susan: Clicking the Publish Button. Seriously, my Lizard Brain keeps telling me not to do it, but my heart tells me I have to do it…it is a constant battle for me. But it will be coming out this year, I have promised myself this. I have a beautiful cover by Marcy Rachel Designs (she has stopped that part of her business and is now part of a business called Backstrip Publishing and she is still doing designs. I strongly urge folks to check her out. Her work is beautiful. My book, “Harlequin Rose” cover is by Desi’s Art Designs and is also amazing).

Jo: If your hand doesn’t shake, I’ll say you aren’t human. LOL! I saw that you attended a character building course. When? Where? And what did you learn from it? Any nuggets of wisdom to share with us?
Susan: I wish I could share it, but I signed an agreement to respect the work of the author/instructor who put it together. I strongly urge anyone who is suffering with a lack of character development to check out this course by author C. J. Redwine (also a UtopYA participant this past year), but I will tell you, and I don’t think she will be mad at me for this, that the course really makes you dig deep into your character and put the best and the worst of the character out there. You cannot have a fully formed character if you are not willing to examine all sides of the character. No one is all good or all bad. There is always something redeeming about everyone, even your villain – you just need to find that. Maybe your villain hates women and enjoys torturing them, but goes home every night to get milk for his cat. Maybe your hero is a police officer who every night puts his life on the line to save the citizens of the city he is sworn to protect, but his dark side makes him prowl the streets at night for people he can beat up in bar fights. We are all two sides of the same coin. Making sure the reader understands this makes your character more believable to them, and more interesting and then they will want to invest their time in reading your book.

Jo: Interesting take. I’m of a different school when it comes to villains. Not gonna go on and on here, but you can check out the post on that topic if interested. There’s another Susan Burdorf who’s an author. Did you know that? Are you planning to use a pen name, or write with your name? Why/why not?
Susan: I have struggled with this question for a while. I was not aware of another Susan Burdorf who is an author…are you sure it is not me? I have been around for a while and have published things before stopping to raise a family and have now gotten back into it. You will need to let me know about this one…I may have to call her up! I think the only time I might do a pen name is if I get a following in one genre, say YA and then possibly would start writing in Erotica or something totally at the other end of the spectrum. I used to think pen names were for cowards or arrogant people, but talking to authors at UtopYA has changed my mind on this. I might just do that depending on the circumstances.

Jo: LOL! I’m not sure it’s not you, but I was curious. *grin* Yeah, two opposite spectrum ends like the ones you mentioned could get squirrely. Rapid fire questions! Black or white?
Susan: Black. Always black.

Jo: Pickles—sweet or dill?
Susan: Sweet (as in pickles, although I haven’t eaten any since my last pregnancy many years ago).

Jo: Favorite car?
Susan: I had a 1966 Malibu Ragtop (my first car as a teenager) that I loved. I called it “Bumblebee” cause it was black and yellow.

Jo: Look at you doing the Transformers thing way ahead of their popularity! Time travel question (because that’s the theme for the con in 2015)! If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be?


Susan: Two things: 1. when I was 10 a friend asked me to join her bowling team and I declined – I wish I had said yes, because that started a pattern of me declining to do things because of fear. Had I faced my fear at that age I think I would have been a braver and more adventurous person later. I missed out on a lot of things by saying No, instead of Yes out of fear. 2. I would have asked Inkslinger PR to represent me at the first UtopYA. Now they are too busy and I am sorry I did not talk to them about it then.

Jo: Interesting answers! Very well thought out. Do you have big plans for your visit to UtopYA Con 2015 (like what you did last year)?

Susan: Yep. I have a table, I have games all planned out, I want to do a scavenger hunt again (come to my table and get your sheet and win some awesome prizes people!), and I want to participate more either from the audience or on panels. I have a lot to share if people want to listen. Mostly I want to say – DO NOT BE AFRAID!

Jo: I second that. Put me down for a donation! *grin* How long have you been a reader?

Susan: I have been a reader since I was 3. I started reading books when my brother went to school to keep myself entertained. Of course, I probably had no clue what I was reading, but my mom swears I used to read all day long. Every time she put me down for a nap she would find a book under my pillow when she got me up. I think the fairies left them for me…

Jo: Me too! Love books. My mom used to come in and remove them from my face after I passed out. Sweet moms we had, eh? What’s your favorite book to date and why do you love it so very much?

Susan: Anne of Green Gables is my all time favorite book series! I absolutely love that series of books and would not know what to do with myself if I did not have Anne and her freckles to keep me grounded. (Quinn Loftis kind of reminds me of her…what do you think?).

Jo: I didn’t get to meet Quinn this year, but I saw her from afar and I’m not sure she’s as awkward as Anne was. Looks wise? Yeah, Quinn is a good representation. So, anything I didn’t ask that you wish I had?

Susan: You know, I would like to share this with everyone: I am just like you. I get up every morning, brush my teeth, get ready for work, earn my paycheck, and then at the end of the day I write…sometimes a few hundred words…sometimes it is a good night and I write a few thousand, but no matter the word count I am always thinking about writing or just writing. If you have that fire to write do not keep yourself from doing it. Find a writer’s group in your area and get together with people who love it as much as you. Or, if you don’t have one in your area then start a group. Go to conventions, go to wherever you need to go to be inspired. If you don’t want to write, but you love taking pictures and want to be a cover artist then do it. If you are good at seeing other’s mistakes, become an editor. Get noticed. Stand up and stand out, as Janet Wallace, founder of Social Deviants and founder of UtopYA is fond of saying. Just be whatever you want to be to be happy. And if you are at UtopYA 2015 STOP BY MY TABLE! I want to meet you. I am super shy so you may have to do all the talking, though!

Jo: Wonderful advice! Thanks for joining me on the blog today, Susan! I can’t wait to get to spend more than a moment with you next year.

Susan: Yay! At least one person will stop by my table. Word of advice to anyone who is a newbie to UtopYA 2015 – make a list of everyone you want to meet and then do it. Time slips away so quickly and everyone is rushing around that you might miss someone you want to meet so make it to my table for my scavenger hunt sheet and go find us all! Everyone there will want to meet you too!

Now, it’s time to tell you all about the featured book for the week. Since Susan isn’t published yet, we’ll put up one of her choosing.

Title: Lucky Number Four
Author: Amanda Jason
Genre: New Adult
Length (print): 369 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $4.99 Paperback $12.59 ~ B&N

Synopsis: Read the synopsis on the Amazon page. I think this book is so awesome because it is funny, and sweet, and written by my amazing friend, Amanda Jason (aka Carol Kunz who gives the most amazing hugs!!!)


Now, while your fingers are in the clicking mode, why not give Ms. Burdorf a follow on social media?

Twitter: I have a twitter account but never use it. I started it on a dare from a fellow author and think it is @susanburdorfauthor
Facebook: Susan Burdorf
Pinterest: Again, I have an account but never pin a thing
Website: In development
Blog: None at this time. Will have one when the website is completed
YouTube: I am actually getting one set up asap
Google +: Susan Burdorf Author
Other: Amazon author page

If you have any questions for Susan, pop them into the comments below! She’ll love hearing from you.

Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Unofficial UtopYA Con 2015 Author Interviews to Start Soon

Happy Wednesday, everyone! I'm just taking a moment today to let you all know about the upcoming author interviews that'll take place here on the blog. Like last time, I'll have authors who intend to be at the next UtopYA Con on the blog, so you can take a moment and get to know a little about them. Get your tickets and find out more about the con here. Next year's theme is time travel, and promises to be a cool experience. You can see from the poster, the con has been extended to four full days of awesomesauce, too! While I've made a page here on the blog for the dates of the interviews leading up to the con, I'm gonna give them to you now:

Susan Burdorf - August 25
Kelly Martin - September 8
Liz Long - September 22
BJ Sheldon - October 6
Christina Mercer - October 20
Sharon Rose Mayes - November 3
Kelly Risser - November 17
Devyn Dawson - December 1

Break! Merry Christmas! This will be my 12 Days of Christmas event on the blog. Very fun!

Casey L. Bond - December 29
Casey Peeler - January 12
Rachael Brownell - January 26
Kristina Circelli - February 9
Megan Curd - February 23
K.C. Neal - March 9
Inger Iversen - March 23
Natasha Hanova - April 6
Mindy Ruiz - April 20
Christal Mosley / C. Marie Mosley - May 4
Erin Hayes - May 18
Toni Lesatz - June 1

How exciting is that list? Those folks in bold are the ones who were with us last year. Yeah, I'll have the inside info on a couple of them (because now I've met them and watched from afar). No, they didn't know I was watching. *evil grin*

You'll also see a bunch of new names up there. I'm so excited to get to know some of these ladies better. As I progress through the ranks, I'll update the page with links and photographs. How exciting is that?

Do you see the break up there for Christmas fun? I'll be doing things a bit differently this year, and giving away books from the authors from last year I gave four or five stars to over the course of 2014. Yes, I'll still include my own books; but I'm all about paying it forward and changing things up to keep them fresh for you all. More details on that as we get closer.

I'll announce the winners of my birthday Rafflecopter giveaway tomorrow. Come on back for that!

Are there any authors on the list you're looking forward to hearing from/learning about?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Interview - Amy Evans

Happy Monday, lovely people of the blogosphere! I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to be bringing you another unofficial UtopYA Con author interview. You simply must check out some of the past interviews I've done with these wonderful folks. And, if you don’t have your tickets to the con yet, be sure you grab them soon! Time is running out! Just around forty days left. Get yours here. Let’s get this party started! Grab a cup of coffee, your comfy chair, and help me welcome author Amy Evans to the fun!

Jo: Hi, Amy! So good to have you here on the blog. I’m so excited to be interviewing you, I can barely stand it. Are you ready to get going? Are ya nervous? *grin*
Amy: Um, should I be???

Jo: Yes. Be afraid, be very afraid! Kidding... Sort of. Okay, let’s hold our breath and jump right in. Your novel, Clicks, centers on the pollution of the Earth’s oceans and how it impacts marine life. I read that you’re passionate (obsessed, actually) with dolphins. Where did that obsession come from and what made you decide to write Clicks?
Amy: I definitely got my ocean obsession from my dad. May 5th was actually his birthday, so it’s nice to talk about this. Growing up, I was more obsessed with aliens than dolphins, but you don’t have to look far to link up the two. So while I always liked dolphins, it wasn’t until I got hired for a couple project that that particular obsession grew. I started a mobile games and entertainment company and we were hired by a dolphin experience organization (before I knew more about them and realized they were not ok) to record dolphin sounds underwater, and then we went on a journey to study the connections between dolphins and Ancient Mayans. One day five years later, a woman walked into my office and asked me if I knew anything about dolphins and Mayan hieroglyphics and I laughed because it was such a random combination, and when you combined that with development of mobile games, I was probably the only person in the world who could help. She hired me to create a visual language that represented dolphin sounds. The project was based in fiction, but it definitely got me thinking, and I continued researching and obsessing over them long after the work was done, like they were in my head and wouldn’t let me alone.

Before I wrote Clicks, I had two books I wanted to tackle – a sci fi thriller about twins and DNA manipulation, and another about a quiet seaside town full of lifeguards who treated the ocean like a religion. Somehow, the dolphins snuck into my brain, linked them together, and Clicks came out.

Jo: Hmmmm! Not sure that was a coincidence. *grin* There must've been something in the air. How lucky was that lady? I noticed you changed the series title from The Dolphin Prophecy to The Pinhold Prophecy. What was the reasoning behind that?
Amy: Look at the two words: They are anagrams – you can unscramble the letters to create both of them. Pinhold is the name of the Island, and a big part of the story lore. I felt that added to the mystery. But I’ve learned that it’s much better to be obvious about things to reach readers who would be interested in the story so I’ve actually gone back again to using dolphin, simply for visibility reasons. But both words, and both prophecies are important. And anagrams are key in Clicks. All the twins have anagram names like CAMI and MICA and KALEB and BLAKE.

Jo: Makes sense to put the topic right in the face of potential readers. Would you consider yourself a YA author, NA author, or hybrid author? If hybrid, what challenges does that present? Is there a reason you decided to step over the threshold and publish NA?
Amy: I would say both. It’s a bit tricky – I would have made Clicks NA but I want to make sure it’s accessible for schools. My NA title, Jellybean Kisses, is definitely sweet NA, which is something that’s been missing so far from the contemporary romance genre for the category. So you could call it upper YA. I wouldn’t say it’s clean, like Clicks, but it’s not steamy by any means. Part of the reason was NAlitChat.

Jo: AHHH! I agree! Tia Silverthorne Bach was just looking for sweet NA for her daughter (who's between YA and Adult right now). Way to stick in a new path for the genre! Speaking of NAlitChat, you’re the host of that popular radio show. Care to share with us where the idea for that program came from, what you’ve gained from it, and where you see it five years from now?
Amy: I can’t take credit for the idea. E.J. Wesley started it as a Twitter chat right after I got back from Utopya that first year. I’d talked to a number of authors who were just beginning to publish it, and since I love evangelizing new things, and since I had a number of story ideas that fit, I jumped in. After about six months they asked me to help, and then to guest host occasionally when the audio part first began. I was more involved in the production side initially, coming up with topics and finding guests. Now I’m hosting, and I’m still not sure how that happened but I love it! I get to interview best selling authors and ask about best practices and I feel that we are really helping to shape this community of writers so that New Adult solidifies as a category that is still her five years from now. I’d like to continue to interview authors and develop a new community around EcoLit, stories that feature the environment as part of their driving narrative. There are a number of powerful stories that feature the oceans and the environment like a character, and much like Clicks, they blend sci fi, fantasy, spec fic and don’t fit neatly into any one specific genre. So building a community of writers, readers, and bloggers will ensure that these books don’t get marginalized, and get read. Environmental awareness is something I’m completely passionate about and I believe we can really influence people to help one word, one page, one story at a time. Because while facts can change people’s minds, fiction can change their heart.


Jo: That's true! Love that quote so much! Speaking of NA, tell my readers a little bit about Jellybean Kisses. Where did the idea come from, how long did it take you to write it, and what are your hopes for the book?
Amy: Jellybean Kisses is a more personal book. It’s based in a town where we spent summers for the past four years. Jacey’s story is much more reflective of my life than Clicks. Like Jacey, I grew up in a very homogenous town and struggled to shed my own prejudices when I left. And I’ve also had jellybean kisses, and an ex did put a goose in my car.

Jo: Always fun to write something more personal, huh? Time for the alien question of the interview! I don’t know a lot about Jersey City. Do you guys have alien stories to share from that corner of the U. S.?
Amy: I’m not sure but probably. We have the most diverse population in the country, with folk from all over this world, and probably from some others.

Jo: I read that you have one daughter and one son. How do they feel about your writing? What do they want to be when they grow up?
Amy: My daughter is definitely my number one fan. She’s read Clicks four times and she’s obsessed with turtles. She talks about being a vet or a marine biologist when she grows up. My son isn’t quite as impressed, except when I use my animal communication skills to translate for our family pet. He’s inherited my passion for roller coasters, so he wants to become an architect and an engineer so he can build them when he grows up.

Jo: Wow! Your kids sound awesome. *high-five* I was poking around on your Pinterest page and saw a couple of pins about MNN articles. Would you mind sharing a bit of back-story about those for my readers and why they should check them out?
Amy: Mother Nature News is a fabulous website that covers a broad platform of topics that are important to me: ocean health, environmental recovery, sustainable living. My favorite project was interviewing the founders of some great new environmental businesses and causes, like charitywater.org.

Jo: Sweet! What a great cause. Quick! What’s your favorite snack food?
Amy: Popcorn, all kinds but especially Kettle Corn.

Jo: YUM! What fictional character would you date, and what book are they from?
Amy: Gale from the Hunger Games.

Jo: Great choice. He was a good guy. Is there some reason you gave up on Blogger and decided to just keep a Tumblr blog? I have both, and I find I get a different kind of follower on Tumblr than I do on Blogger. What are the downsides and upsides?
Amy: I agree Blogger and Tumblr have totally different audiences. I actually switched to wordpress www.amyevansbooks.com so that I could have a more traditional looking website. I’m trying to be better about blogging, which to me is very different than what I do on Tumblr.

Jo: I can't get the hang of Wordpress. Kudos to you for being able to manage it! I have to ask! What was the prank involving the goose, car, and the guy you dated?
Amy: Read the book. It’s pretty much it exactly. Except that the guy who came to get the goose out of the car was named Howard, and he was dating my close friend.

Jo: I plan to. I found a bit of really cool information. You met Veronica Roth? Wow. Tell us about that encounter and what you took away from it.
Amy: Yes, last year at RT. She was signing and asked what I wrote. I’ve always struggled with the pitch for Clicks because it’s so many different things. But because of who she is and what she writes, I didn’t want to say that it was about paranormal dolphins and hot lifeguarding twins, which are the most obvious. To me, Clicks is about instincts, and all the important things in this world that you can’t see, or prove, you just have to believe. So I told her that Clicks are the sound the universe makes to tell you what’s going to happen next, and she told me it was the best pitch she’d every heard. I laughed an asked if she was making fun of me, which was really not too cool! It was a small moment in a book signing line, but it gave me a really big inspirational boost at exactly the perfect time.

Jo: That's amazing. So great to have someone of her caliber verify what you're doing, huh? You’re a mobile app developer? Tell us about the challenges that line of work presents.
Amy: I was, and still do a bit of consulting. Right now I’m evaluating a new writing platform. But apps have really grown beyond mobile since I began developing in the year 2000, way before there was an app store, or even color phones. It was challenging to work within the limits of the existing technology, while learning and planning and adapting for an industry that changed every second. The biggest challenge was how I spent my time – just a small amount was on development and the rest was talking engineers at companies like Verizon into letting our tech plug into their systems. I’m fortunate to spend most of my time these days as an author. But I love evangelizing new technology, trend spotting, and thinking about what’s coming next.

Jo: Neat job! What kind of games have you worked on? Any we would recognize?
Amy: Not like Angry Birds, or Flappy Birds or anything like that. I did create the first wireless Book of Shadows, though I’ve got no idea where that’s ended up.

Jo: Well, that’s all the time I have for today. I can’t imagine how you do all that you do in a single day and my hat comes off to you. Anything I didn’t discuss that you’d like to throw out there for my readers?
Amy: Just that I feel really fortunate that Clicks was nominated for best debut and best supernatural cover in the Utopya awards. It would really mean a lot to me if everyone could go vote. So many amazing authors, bloggers and fans are nominated and it’s an easy and fun way to show support for the hard work and all the books we love so much! Thanks so much for having me.

Jo: Congratulations! Guys, go VOTE via the link above! Thank you ever so much for taking the time to do this interview, Amy. I look forward to meeting you at UtopYA!

Now it’s time to tell you about the featured book of the week!

Title: Clicks
Author: Amy Evans
Genre: Urban Fantasy, I suppose is the closest. I call it EcoLit – a blend of sci-fi, fantasy and paranormal with a focus on the environment
Length (print): 300 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $0.99  ~  B&N  $0.99  ~  iBooks $0.99

Synopsis: Clicks are the sounds the universe makes to tell you what will happen next. Truths you hear in your heart that you can't explain.

For sixteen year old Cami, the clicks won’t stop. They’re telling her to fall in love with the wrong twin, that her family is hiding something, and that Pinhold, her pristine Island home, is in danger. It's hard to trust them when they go against everything she knows.

But then an ocean mystery makes people sick, sinking the best swimmers to the seafloor and, while they're not dead, they're barely alive.

Modern medicine and island legends have no answers for Cami. Can she trust her instincts to find a cure, or will she lose the most important people in her life forever?

While your fingers are in the clicking mode, why not give Ms. Evans a follow on social media?

Facebook: Amy Evans Books
Twitter: @aammyyss
Blog: Amy Evans Books

I hope you all enjoyed this interview. Questions for Amy? Ask them below!

Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo