FROM ACROSS THE WAVES: SAM WHITEHOUSE

A HAPPY SURPRISE!
I'm not even sure exactly how I met this young man, probably somewhere in a GoodReads thread. I read an excerpt of his writing and instantly fell in love. But, I'll leave that judgement to you. So, with no further ado, I give you...

SAM WHITEHOUSE

And he's adorable, too.

Sam, you're a relatively young writer but write like a seasoned professional. Tell us about your writing background and inspiration.

From pretty much the moment I realised that books were written by people, I realised that’s what I wanted to do. From very early on I read, and still do, a lot of fantasy and immersing myself in these worlds inspired me to create my own. I wanted more places to explore. I started off writing what I thought were books, handwriting them and stapling them together. But as I got older and into high school and my teachers told me I could write (previously I didn’t have a clue whether what I was writing was good or not) I started my first novel. Reading it back now makes me cringe, but I still loved the experience and journey of putting a plot together, filling it with characters, creating a world etc. Inspiration comes from a lot of things for me, other writers, other books, movies, landscapes (in particular for Prophecy of Three Quartet, landscapes helped). 

Is that Sam??

What genre do you write? Can you sum up your book in 100 words or less?

I write largely fantasy (middle grade-young adult) but I recently started writing a science fiction novel, the first in a trilogy, which I am really excited about.

Inheriting a responsibility for the fate of two worlds and being hunted by an insane witch isn’t exactly the life of an ordinary fourteen year old. But what can you do when your name has been written in a millennia old prophecy? Embracing this inescapable, potentially deadly destiny is all Simon, Evelyn and James can do when they discover they have to save a world they never even knew about.

Learning magic, using time travel, battling terrifying creatures, defeating a power hungry witch and averting an impending apocalypse.  Not exactly the life of an ordinary fourteen year old.

Share a blurb and/or review of a book you enjoyed.

Recently I read Chris Columbus’s (director of the first two potter movies) new book, The House of Secrets. It caught my eye on the shelf because it had an endorsement by none other than J K Rowling herself. How could I not buy it? It’s a superb, fast paced adventure, perfect for anyone missing Harry Potter or who loves Percy Jackson. 

What is your wildest dream for you book and your future writing?

I would love to be able to travel around the world, meeting people who have read and enjoyed something I’ve written. It would be awesome just knowing that something I’ve written is being read by others. Also I wouldn’t say no to a movie deal and a spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. But what I most hope for is just being able to connect with readers, like I did with the Potter/Percy Jackson books. Future writing… I am finishing editing book 2 and already writing book 3 of the Prophecy of Three quartet and book 4 is completely mapped out and ready to be created. I have a science fiction trilogy completely planned out and recently wrote the first three chapters but at the moment, University takes up quite a bit of time so I don’t know when I’ll be getting back to that.

Are there any indie authors that you enjoy and would be willing to share?

Joseph Evans’s Seckry Sequence was really enjoyable. Can you call Christopher Paolini an indie author anymore? Eragon was self-published and I really enjoyed that. Also the Silo books (Wool) by Hugh Howey, that man is an inspiration to all indie authors, in my eyes.

Who are your 2 favorite best-selling authors?

Yay! Harry Potter!!

J K Rowling and Rick Riordan (I didn’t even have to think about this for a second). Both are geniuses and an inspiration. I grew up with the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson books and life would be incomplete without both. I cannot wait for the new Percy Jackson movie, Sea of Monsters, and Rick Riordan’s next book in the Heroes of Olympus series. 

If you could be any character in any book, who would you be and why?

Percy Jackson! (Again, no hesitation) Who wouldn’t want to be the son of Poseidon and have power over water? Plus, he gets to go to Camp Half Blood which is an awesome place and I had a crush on Annabeth when I was a little younger. I would have said Harry Potter but being hunted down by an insane wizard isn’t high on my wish list. Then again, Hogwarts is a brilliant place to live… No, Percy Jackson, definitely. 

If you were doing an interview, what would the 2 most important questions be that you would ask?

What was the last book you read and what are you reading now? (I don’t know why but I always ask people this, I just love knowing what kind of stuff they read)

What is your favourite movie? (Again this is another question I ask all the time, it’s really interesting hearing how different people’s answers are) 

Is there anything else you want people to know about you?

Last book I read was House of Secrets by Chris Columbus, I am now reading, or rather re-reading (for the fourth time) The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan.

My favourite movies are Jurassic Park or JJ Abram’s Star Trek (really hard to pick just one). Also, I am a die-hard fan of the TV shows Lost and Fringe.

More Stuff You Should Know About Sam

He was born in Pontefract, The United Kingdom

He writes Fantasy, Children's, Young Adult

His influences areJ.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien, Steven Spielberg

About this author

Born in 1994, in Yorkshire, it didn't take long for Sam to know that he wanted to be a writer. From the moment he understood that books didn't materialise out of thin air and that people wrote them, he knew that's all he wanted to do. When Sam isn't immersed in whatever world or characters he's writing about, he likes mountain biking, JJ Abrams tv shows (Lost, Fringe, Alias) and any movies directed by Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones). He is also a huge science fiction and fantasy TV/movie fan. In books he reads everything from Harry Potter to The Hunger Games.

 

So there you have it. I hope you will all check into Sam Whitehouse. I think he's amazing. 

Prophecy of Three - Sam's book

Sam's Blog 

Prophecy of Three on Facebook

Sam Whitehouse on Twitter

 

Now, look him up and leave a comment what you think. 

Great SMILE!

AN INTERVIEW WITH LIZ DEJESUS

If you look back 3 posts, you'll find my interview with author Marissa Meyer. In that interview, Marissa said that one of her fav indie authors was a young lady named Liz DeJesus. So I connected with Liz and we've become long distance friends. What she knows about publishing helps me, and what I know about it helps her.

Miss Liz is an impressive lady. While corresponding, I discovered that English is NOT her first language, but after reading her book First Frost, I would never have known if she hadn't told me. But more on First Frost later. I'd like you to meet Liz DeJesus.

THE QUESTIONS

You've done several interviews. What were 2-3 of your favorite questions you were asked?

Why is storytelling so important for all of us? 

Everyone needs stories. They shape and define us. Stories, words have power. Stories can be used for everything. Entertain. Teach. Reach out to someone. Empower. Overcome. I know that there are some books that I feel helped save my life when I was at my lowest. Those moments when I was all alone, there was always a book nearby. Always a character that made me feel as though I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. Anyone that is an avid reader has at least one book where there is one sentence (or even a word) that changed the way that they saw themselves or saw the world. We need stories. Words are the only things that will live on long after we have perished. 

What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating Bianca? 

How real she is to me. And how loud her voice is in my head when I’m writing for her. Sometimes when I’m writing scenes for her and she’s going through a particularly hard time, you can often find me crying as I’m typing. I’m also using a lot of the emotions and angst I felt as a teenager and putting it all into Bianca and the other characters. Her best friend, Ming, the charming prince, Ferdinand and the love interest, Terrance. 

What advice would you give to indie authors getting ready to publish? 

Read your contracts carefully. And listen to your editor. They’re not trying to change the story. They’re trying to make it better. Also learn how to market your book. You can’t simply publish your book and expect for it to sell without you putting some work into it. This means searching for bloggers and reviewers that read the genre your book is in. They are an indie authors bread and butter. 

What were your favorite books/authors as a child? 

I loved the Sweet Valley High series. I also read The Curious Clubhouse by Christine Govan A LOT. 

Sweet Valley High #1: Double Love
Curious Clubhouse

Who are your top 5 favorite best-selling authors, now? 

Marissa Meyer, Marisa de los Santos, Jill Mansell, Terry Moore, and Gregory Maguire. 

 Are there any indie authors/books that you would suggest? 

Don’t know if this qualifies as indie but I love Merry Shannon’s writing. My favorite book of hers is Branded Ann. Another great author is Kerri Hawkins, she’s the author of The Blood Legacy series. AMAZING. Definitely pick up her books. 

And if you could be any character in any book, who would you be? And why? 

Oh wow. Good question. Hmmm….I would have to go with Alice from Alice in Wonderland. I would want to visit Wonderland and meet all of those interesting characters. (This link isn't as fun as the Cat in the Hat link *boing*boing* but there's a nice surprise waiting for you.)

MANY THANKS!
Thank you to Liz DeJesus for the great interview and all of your help.

Coming Soon...

Interviews with:

Paul G Day - Young Adult/Children's Author

Sam Whitehouse - The Prophecy of Three

(I'm so excited to bring these two guys to readers, I can't hardly stand it.)

 

A little writing tip!



 Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.

- Anton Chekhov



 

Dare to Dream!

Su

 

MY INTERVIEW ON PRIDE SERIES

Indie Author Interview - Su Williams

04/14/2013

Book name(s):
Dream Weaver (launch April 15, 2013)
Rock Star (launch Dec., 2013) tentative
Private Eye (launch June 2014) tentative

Tell us a little something about yourself as both a person and an author:
Well, I'm a wife and mother of four; my husband is Ben, my kids; Sarah (14), Josiah (18), Jack (26), Aundraic (29). My youngest two still live with us and our family includes a beagle (Dyson), a crested gecko (Reid, like Spencer on Criminal Minds), a garder snake, and two cats (Friday and Necko).
I was born in Little Rock, Arkansas but since my daddy was Air Force we moved around a bit. We finally settled in Spokane, WA in 1975. I always enjoyed writing and made up little poems for family on birthdays, Mother's day, Father's day...I stopped creative writing for several years and focused on curriculum for church Sunday schools, but the call was always there. About 4+ years ago, I read the Twilight series.  When I finished, I thought, 'I can do that.' So I did.
The last four years have been a journey through the literary world and process. I've learned so much and strive every day to learn more. Right now, I'm learning about SEO (search engine optimization), how to draw readers to your blog, and running an ad campaign on Goodreads.

---

What made you decide to be a writer?
Writing just feels like an innate part of who I am.

What made you pick this genre to write?
Most of the books I read are in the YA, paranormal, fiction genre. A lot of instructors tell you to write what you read. Writing should come easier if you know something about your topic. And what you don't know. Find out. Who knew when I decided to be a writer, that I'd have to also become a researcher?

Tell us a little about your latest book.
Dream Weaver is a YA paranormal love story of mind-benders and breakers.
Seventeen year old Emari Sweet has a world of choices before her. Her parents are real estate investors that dote on their beloved daughter. Her only true worries are bullying cheerleaders and cookie cutter kids that harass her dark and different, emo ways and the cryptic messages in her music. So when her parents are killed in a car crash, Emari’s whole world implodes around her. Night terrors stalk her sleep and haunt her through each day. And only the dream of a dark-eyed stranger can draw out the poison of the chimera.

Just as she’s recovering from the toxic dreams, just treading water to stay afloat, the violent nudge of a predator reawakens the terrors. He promises her two things; pain and fear. And on a snowy December night he makes good on his promises. Emari plunges head first into her personal hell and begins to feel there is no choice left to her but death--if only to escape the torture of grief.

As the nightmares once again shred her life, Emari’s dark-eyed angel returns. With the touch of his hand, he chases away her dreams and weaves magic that quiets the roiling terror within her.

But is this a real angel or something more sinister? Is he simply a figment of her distorted imagination? How does he capture her nightmares and soothe her aching heart? Why does he whisper a single word, ‘forget’, and evanesce into the cool grey mist of morning? And how is he entering her home that’s protected by a state-of-the-art alarm system?

How do you come up with your ideas?
Life. When I first created the concept of Dream Weaver, I wanted to tell a contemporary tale that would come across as real world. Much like Stephenie Meyers did with Twilight, making the vamps the world's plausible dark little secret. I linked the existence of Dream Weavers to maladies such as schizophrenia and multiple personality.
I remember watching a movie about JK Rowling's life, in which, she sat in a cafe watching two people play chess. And that's how she came up with Wizard's Chess. The other day, I was having lunch at a local diner (an historical Milk Bottle diner that was recently restored after a fire). On the walls are black and white pictures of Spokane from the early 1900s. As I stood looking at a pic of our old train yard, where crowds had gathered to greet President Woodrow Wilson, I got an idea for a scene for my book. So yeah, just little things from LIFE that I can manipulate in a creative way.

Is there someone in particular you would like to thank for supporting you through this process?
My mom and dad have been my greatest cheerleaders as well as my best friends. My husband has been my go-to guy for proof reads and historical and scriptural reference.

Tell us one positive thing that has happened to you since you published your book(s).
Since Dream Weaver hasn't launched yet, I still get to look forward to publishing positives. But in the process of promotion and networking, I have met some of the nicest people and some pretty darn good writers.

Tell us one negative thing that has happened to you since you published your book(s).
Well, I guess the thing I haven't really enjoyed is all the tutorials and webcasts I've had to sit through, but I can't complain because each one has had helpful information on every facet of writing a book. Oh, and I guess the rejection letters from agents and editors aren't so great either.

Give us your links to learn more about you and your books?
My author page on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17205213-dream-weaver
Link to my giveaway: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/43878-dream-weaver
My blog: http://dreamweavernovels.blogspot.com/
My Dream Weaver website: http://dreamweavernovels.com/
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/DreamWeaver526
Author page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DreamWeaverNovels1Novel page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dream-Weaver-Novels/161085847251052?ref=hl

SEE REVIEW HERE

Many Thanks to Jill for reading and reviewing Dream Weaver. I appreciate your time and  input.

Meet Jill at: http://www.prideseries.com/index.html

She is dedicated to supporting indie authors.

Interview with Kandy Kay Scaramuzzo

    Indie Author Interviews 
Okay, so I've done a couple of interviews with best-selling authors. It was fun and I hope to post some more very soon. But over this journey, I have met some of the best people, some who happen to be authors, too. I've made it my mission to help support other indie authors, so I'm starting a series of interviews with self-published writers. With that said, I give you...

Kandy Kay Scaramuzzo
Kandy and I met on Goodreads.com on a Self-published and indie authors, promote yourself here? Welcome during an Author's Blog Tag Challenge. Kandy's book is entitled Pie: An Old Brown Horse (That Knows What He Is Doing). Yes, it is a book about a horse, written from the perspective of the horse. I wasn't sure what to think of this concept at first, but once I caught on to Pie's voice (a couple of pages) I really enjoyed it. I found 'Pie...' to be informative, entertaining, humorous and poignant. But you'll have to get your own copy to see what I mean. (Link is available on my Indie Author Spotlight page also.)

The Interview
You’ve done other interviews. What were a couple of your favorite questions you were asked? And the answers.
Firstly, what kind of music do you listen to?
I must admit I am a bit of an enigma. I live in Texas, wrote a book about a horse, drive a ¾ ton diesel pickup truck, and spend all my spare time with my personal herd of six horses. A friend of mine had a sign made that hangs in my office giving me the title, “Horse Dive”. Considering all of the above you would think I listen to country music. You would be wrong. I am a rocker.
    
I love the rockers and their intense music. I have a playlist that includes Coldplay, Korn, Redlight King, Egypt Central, Skillet, Avenged Sevenfold, Three Days Grace, Ozzie, and The Monkees. I am a very intense person and the music really blends well with my personality. Go figure, looks like I am a rocking out Horse Diva!

And your second favorite question?
If you could write any book, even if it has been written already, which one would it be? Why?
I could take the high road on this one and say Crime and Punishment, which happens to be one of my favorite books, but I would not be telling the truth. After I read Abe Lincoln, Vampire Hunter and George Washington Werewolf, I thought it would be all kinds of grins and giggles to rewrite history, strategically placing monsters in influential positions. (This would be much to the chagrin of my friend, the History Teacher.) I just can’t seem to make up my mind if I want to do World History or narrow it down to American History. One thing I know for sure is that The Creature from The Black Lagoon would have a starring role since he has been grossly under-represented in the monster genre. Fashionistas everywhere are saying add color, color, and more color. I think he would be a refreshing accent piece in the halls of history with his refreshing green color. Besides who can resist his cute little gills and the way the bubbles come out of the top of his head?

What advice would you give to indie authors getting ready to publish?
I would tell them to take their time and not to rush anything. I know the adrenalin is there, but slow everything down. Play around with your cover reveal. Take the time to find out what sites will advertise a prepublication book and use them to publicize your book. Find you some good reviewers and have them review your book before it comes out to build a buzz. Play with it and have a good time. If you want to know what NOT to do, check my blog at http://www.kandykayscaramuzzo.com I can definitely give you advice in that department!

What were your favorite books/authors as a child? 
I loved the Ransom of Red Chief by O’Henry. It amused me how the kid got over on the kidnappers. The story of Ichabod Crane held a special fascination for me also. I just could not get enough of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. I ate up every little description of the Headless Horseman. I thought he made the most awesome Halloween Costume. Of course, no list would be complete without Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling. I loved all the jungle book series, but Rikki-Tikki-Tavi held a special place in my heart as the underdog wins the major battle. That little mongoose was a true inspiration!

Who are your top 5 favorite best-selling authors, now?
I really like the writings of James Patterson. His Alex Cross Series is really something I look forward to reading. I also like the writings of Dean Koontz. On the lighter sides I like Janet Evonovich and Charlaine Harris. Those ladies really know how to entertain a person. There is one author I like for inspiration, it is Mark Rashid. I can really relate to him since he writes mostly about horses.

Are there any indie authors/books you would suggest?
Bridge Ices Before Road by Sienna Rose
Dream Weaver by Su Williams (shameless plug from a friend)
The Eleventh Elementum by J. L.Bond and Val Richards
Mungai and The GOA Constrictor by Amelia Curzon
The Bridges of Death by M.C.V. Egan
       Links to all of these are on my Indie Author Spotlight page

If you could be any character in any book, who would you be? And why?
If I could be anyone, I would be C. Auguste Dupin, the detective in Edgar Allen Poe’s The Murder of The Rue Morgue. That story just absolutely fascinates me. I love the way the man’s mind works to figure it all out. I doubt that even today, an orangutan would be a viable suspect.

If I couldn’t be him, I would definitely be The Cat In The Hat. How fun would it be to run around causing all that mischief in that spiffy looking hat? (You HAVE to check out this link to Cat in the Hat! It's so cool! Things go boi-oi-oi-oing!)

Now do you get it? 
Kandy's just FUN. And I feel fortunate to have met and gotten to know her. I hope everyone who reads this interview will check out Pie: An Old Brown Horse (That Knows What He Is Doing). Horse lover or not, it's a great story.