Thursday, October 27, 2011

Just in time for Halloween---an interview with Lindsay Anne Kendal!

Well, it's that time of year when ghosts, goblins, witches and warlocks will soon come knocking on our doors, demanding their fair share of chocolate covered, sugar coated mood enhancers!  While all in fun for the kiddos that traipse through your neighborhood, it also brings out the paranormal interest of many people, so I thought "Why not interview a paranormal writer?"

I would like to introduce to you Lindsay Anne Kendal, author of the Bloodlines Trilogy.  I just recently, through the wonders of social media, "met" Lindsay and am currently reading Bloodlines, which I have found to be quite captivating and very original!  (Once I finish reading her first two books, a full review will follow!)
The second novel in the series, Torment, is slated for release on 11-1-11, so don't forget to look for it as well!

Lindsay has been a wonderful addition to my life in so many ways, even though we have never actually met.  Her willingness to help a fellow writer (this fellow writer for SURE) walk through the darkened path of the writing world has been invaluable to me, and I'm sure, others as well. Her effervescent personality shines brightly through her words and has helped me find my way through the path of the publishing world, and for that, I will always be grateful.  

Lindsay graciously offered to answer my numerous questions below, so please, take a few moments to get to "know" Ms. Lindsay and then visit her website and links below.  

You will be glad you did!

1.  What kind of books do you write and how many have you written so far?
           
At the moment I write YA Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance. However I have a secret project I’m working on which will still be Urban Fantasy, but definitely for adults.


2.  When is your next book being published?
           
My next book, ‘Torment’, the second in the Bloodlines Trilogy is due for release on Nov 1st.


3.  When did you start writing?
             
I’ve been writing since I was 21, so that’s seven years.

4.  How did you get into writing, and why did you pick the genre that you currently write in?
             
It was just a way to relax at first, I was poorly for a few years with panic attacks and anxiety, and writing seemed to calm me down and take my mind of things. It consisted of silly little stories that ended up being deleted. Some were complete rubbish. Then Bloodlines was born. But I never expected to become an Author like this.

This genre has fascinated me since I was a child. I always watched horrors, fantasy films and TV series. I guess everything became predictable and I wanted to create something different.

5.  What is your creative process like?
           
Yeah good question. It really varies, I can’t honestly say I follow a pattern with anything. I’m very disorganized. I just do things as and when I need to… see what I mean lol. Nothing ever goes the same way twice in my life.
           
6.  Who is your favorite author, past and present, and why?
           
When I was a kid I read the ‘Point Horror’ books and I loved Richie Tankersley Cusick. Her books were awesome, especially ‘Trick or Treat’.

Now, and always, I love Bram Stoker. Dracula is one of the best stories ever told. I also love Carolyn Crane, and YOU have become one of my favorites since I read ‘Accountable to None’.


7.  What motivates you to continue writing?
           
Having people telling me that they love the books and the characters, and how they can’t wait to see what happens next. Also, I changed my mind so many time growing up about what I wanted to be when I was older. Now, I can’t imagine doing anything else. I love writing, I love escaping into a world of fantasy and I want my readers to be able to do the same. I want them to be able to come home from a hard days work, get themselves a drink and curl up with my book and escape from the stress of everyday life, into a world so different from our own.


8.  How do you get ideas for your stories?
           
My inspiration comes from music. I’m very gothic, dark, morbid, and I listen to some very heavy and hellish music. I love some of Cradle of Filth’s music, it’s so haunting. I don’t like the screaming, but the music is so amazing I block it out. Bloodlines definitely has a soundtrack, mainly consisting of their songs.


9.  If you didn’t become an author, what do you think you would be doing now?
           
Probably working some dead end job just to make some money, hating getting up every morning I just wanting to do something that makes me smile.


10.  Tell me about your latest book.
           
Torment, is the second in the Bloodlines trilogy. In this book we learn a lot more about the characters, more about what is actually inside Keira, and there are two very well known people brought into it. Lucifer and Lilith. There are some shock revelations, powerful magic and intense fights, complimented by a powerful love story, all leading to what I’ve been told in pre-released reviews, is a shocking and exciting cliffhanger.


11.  Your movie has made it to the big screen!  Tell me, who would you want to play the key characters?
             
I can’t do that. I don’t want well know actors and actresses to play the part. I was a new writer and two publishers gave me the chance to prove myself. I know there are a lot of aspiring actors and actresses out there and I would love to be able to give them a chance.


12.  What’s the worst experience and best experience you ever had as a writer?
           

The worst – Learning my first publisher wasn’t everything they were cracked to up to be, and that I had had a lot of lies told to me. My book wasn’t even being made available and I was inundated with emails from angry people who wanted to buy the book and couldn’t. I had hell with them and threatened them with legal action after speaking to a solicitor, and finally got out of the contract with them. They also did a lot more than that, but I need to be careful what I say.

The best – Being given a second chance after nearly having my career ruined. My new publisher is wonderful. Also receiving wonderful reviews always puts a smile on my face and boosts my confidence. Which when you don’t have a lot of it, is really nice.

13.  Where do you see yourself in five years with your writing and your life?
           
I would love to see myself with a lot of books on the shelves that people are enjoying. I would love to be one of those authors where people follow you and read every book you write. That would be truly amazing. To know I was creating things that people were genuinely interested in and enjoying… well that’s just priceless.

I’d also like to be settled down with my own house and a few little ones running around.


14.  Where can people find you and your books on the Internet? 

My Links are as follows.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Accountable to None

Book Tours!

Ok, so I am impatiently tromping through the muck and mire (a.k.a. the ins/outs of the publishing world) and discovering that the goop under my feet stinks....

But, I digress.

Thank goodness for a few kind souls that have graciously offered up assistance, support and guidance!  I was so exhausted combing through page after page on the Internet, trying to figure out some type of marketing strategy (which, sadly, I am still lost in the woods on that one!) and understand the differences in the types of publishing available to struggling, first time authors like myself.

Word of mouth through Facebook has been a wonderful tool for me, and I am just learning the ropes of "tweeting" and this dreaded blog thing.  But what drives the sales and the traffic to click "buy" where your book is being sold at?  Why, book reviews, of course!

For each and every person that reviewed my book on either Amazon or Barnes&Noble or any other site, such as Goodreads, my sincerest thanks and appreciation!

**Book lovers.....if you took the time and spent the money to purchase a book, whether in e-format or a physical one, please, please, take the time to write a review for that author!  It means more to us than I can express!**

Back to topic...

So, I signed up for a "book review" tour from a site called Orange Berry Book Tours where I am to "host" blog or Facebook "tours" of five authors I picked, and in return, my book will be featured on December 6, 2011.  Ok, sounds great, sign me up!

As I said earlier, I am still struggling to learn all the technical/web/lingo of the aspects of online marketing, so silly me, I picked five people from the list that Orange Berry provided and signed up for a Facebook "blurb" on December 6, 2011, wrongly assuming that the date was the correct one!

Happy as a little clam, thinking that I was doing a nice act of service for my fellow authors, I happily went ahead and contacted each of them through Twitter and FB, letting them know I would "feature" them on my FB page on 12/6/11.  Then, this morning, I am reading my emails and discover one from the wonderful administrator of OBBT, informing me that I could not use 12/6/11 as the book "tour" dates for the individuals I chose, because their books tours ended before that date!

So, a public apology to Brian BiancoLorhainne EckhartLinda HawleyCarolyn Arnold and Margaret Millmore!

As it stands now, here is a breakdown of books that I will feature on my Facebook page by date:

November 11th:
Author:  Margaret Millmore
Title:  Doppelganger Experiment

November 13th:
Author:  Lorhainne Eckhart
Title:  The Choice

November 14th:
Author: Brian Bianco
Title:  Dressed for a Kill

November 19th:
Author: Linda Hawley
Title: Book One The Prophecies - Dreams Unleashed

December 6th:
Author:  Carolyn Arnold
Title:  Eleven

Please stop by my page on the above dates and take a look at the books I will be featuring, as well as an author interview with each one!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Anticipation.....is making me insane...

Ah, Carly Simon: how I feel your pain!  Anticipation kept you "waitin' but it has caused me much more than just mild angst as I am "waitin" here, stuck atop a large box of pins and needles, the sensation that my ass is on fire overwhelming me, causing me to twitch and nervously bounce in my chair, ever since Saturday, waiting for the phone call/email that will change my life. 

You see, I embarked on this crazy writing journey about six months ago, as I hit "Save and Continue?" on the submit screen that allowed Accountable to None to go live on sale.  All that excitement; all the build up; all those hours of editing, revising, typing until my fingernails disappeared and my fingertips lost all feeling; painstakingly fretting over cover design, pricing, distribution, etc., and then Poof! with one click of a button, it was over.

Almost 700+ books later (between Amazon and Barnes&Noble) and one personal and fan page on Facebook, a Twitter account and trying to figure out how in the world to manage a website while creating my very own book trailer, my hair appointments to gently wash away my white hair have drastically shrunk from every 6 weeks to 3-4!

Writing the book was much easier.  Marketing it: not so much.

This last week has run the full gamut of emotions for me, and of course, this being Arkansas, the weather right along with them.  On Monday of last week, I left work and stepped into my sweltering black car, greeted by 92 degrees - in mid-October mind you, and then less than two days later, woke up to a temperature of 29 degrees.   These vastly different temperature changes just so happened to coincide with ups and downs of being a writer.  On Monday, sales surged and I was thrilled, but by Thursday, I was staring at a screen that contained sales numbers that hadn't changed, hoping and praying each time I logged in, it would be different.

But, this is Arkansas, and as the old saying goes, "Stick around, the weather will change" has never been better exemplified to me than by this past weekend, for Friday evening was chilly, but Saturday was gorgeous! 

It was also when my first big review by author Lindsay Anne Kendal was posted on her site, as well as on her newest endeavor, a review page on Facebook which she is graciously offering her honest reviews of books submitted to her.  As I read her review, I went outside into the cool night air and cried.

What I wanted, no, what I hoped for, ever since I sat at my computer and began pecking away the first words, was for the visions in my mind to somehow translate on paper and fill the reader's mind with the same images.  Now, not to demean the opinions of my husband, family and friends that have already supported me by not only reading ATN, but recommending to others (thank you all, love each of you to pieces!) but as I was explaining via the modern technological version of a phone conversation, the "text" with a close friend, it is one thing to have a friend/family member give you the proverbial "thumbs up" on your work, and though much appreciated each time you hear it, it is quite another to have a complete stranger that only knows you by the words they see in the print you slaved over, give your work a high review, well, that is quite a different feeling.

Ok, back to the pins and needles....

Because of Lindsay's rave review, I am impatiently waiting to hear back from a publisher, and I am a nervous wreck!  It is a beautiful day outside today, and should be this nice for the next two days, before rain heads our way: I am praying that I hear the news on the sunny, warm days, rather than the rainy, cold and drizzly ones!

Now, how's that for ramblin?

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