Sunday, March 30, 2014

Checkin' Back In

Last Week
Greetings once again family, friends and maybe a fan or two. I hope you all met Kirstin Pulioff last week and entered the Rafflecopter for some great giveaways. It was a fun event put on by Author's Social Media Support Group. My interview with Christoph Fischer can be found here.

Dream Weaver & Rock Star are only $0.99 on
Amazon Kindle!

Today's guest has been here before and I just wanted to check back in with her and see what she's been up to since we last talked. So let's get to it.

YEAH! Go SEAHAWKS!!
Stevie Kopas
Stevie, tell us what's new since we last talked to you?
I completed Haven, book 2 in The Breadwinner Trilogy, and that was published just last month on February 14th!
 
What are your future book plans?
At the moment I've begun working on the final book in The Breadwinner Trilogy.  At this time it is still untitled and I have plans to release late in the year.  Perhaps around Christmas time.
 
How did your latest book launch go?
It was great!  There were a lot of people really excited to continue the adventure and read Haven after they finished The Breadwinner.  I've received lots of praise for the book and I'm so grateful for everyone who has helped me and supported me through my writing process.  It pays off when people enjoy your work and are excited to get their hands on your new material.
 
What's the most important thing you've learned about writing? What's made you grow as a writer?
The most important thing I've learned about writing is that you can't hold back any emotion when you do it.  Any emotion.  Whether that be happiness, excitement, anger, disappointment, etc.  Emotion and experience in itself has made me grow as a writer, and I channel all of the good, the bad and the ugly of the real world into the fiction that I write.
 
Anyone you want to give a shout out to?
Of course I want to shout out to my readers, you are all so loved!  Thanks for the support and enthusiasm!  Also to Shana Festa, The Bookie Monster, she's a real help to indie horror authors and shows unending support for her fellow authors as well as a passion for reading and writing.  I've also got a writing and editorial gig through networking with other writers and professionals in the field.  I'm now the associate editor of a site called Horror Metal Sounds and we cover pretty much anything horror, Ken, the site owner has also been very supportive of my writing and in helping me grow as a writer and professional in horror.
 
What website or tool have you found most helpful as an author?
The Self Publisher's Showcase is a really great site dedicated to helping the indie author community.  They have a huge Twitter following and are eager to help indie authors connect and grow.  In addition to this, I really enjoy Bublish, it's a book sampling site that allows authors to discuss the sample from the book and give some insight into what's going on either in the character's head, in the book, etc.
 
And here's how to find Miss Stevie:
Twitter:  @ApacoTaco
 
Tell us where we can find your books.
As with the first book, The Breadwinner, Haven can be found on any major eBook retailer. And I permanently reduced the price of The
Breadwinner down to 99 cents!
 
Stevie, thanks for stopping by today and sharing your news and books with us. It's always fun to hear how folks are doing, and maybe find a new fav read, or a great website, or even a new friend. I wish you all the best with both of your books and your journey as a writer.

My Thanks
And thank you to all of you who stopped by to check out the news and spend a couple of minutes with us. 

And as always...
Dare to Dream!
Su

                                                                                                                                       

Sunday, March 23, 2014

AUTHOR KIRSTIN STEIN PULIOFF


In my previous post, I gave you a list of author interviews for the ASMG Author Interview Blog Hop. Well, today is my turn to present another great indie author, and her name is Kirstin Stein Pullioff. (Mine posts Monday March 24 on Christoph Fischer's blog.) It has been my honor and pleasure to meet and get to know Kirstin a little bit. So I am very pleased to introduce her to you!

Tell us about yourself. Where are you from?...all that good kinda stuff.
Hi Su! Thanks for having me on today. I am so happy to connect with you and your readers today. Oh where to begin… I guess the best way to describe myself is that I dream big, wish on stars, search for rainbows, find treasures in everyday blessings, and live life to its fullest.
My family recently moved to the foothills of Colorado, and I love it. It combines the sunshine of CA that I grew up with, and the trees and outdoors that I loved about living in Oregon.
Happily married for almost 12 years, and a stay at home mom of two kids, I spend my days either having an adventure or writing one.

 Oooh! You said two of my favorite words: DREAM BIG! I love your perspective on life! 

I haven’t seen too much about your new book. Can you tell readers what it’s all about?
Absolutely, The Ivory Tower is a short story revolving around a fifteen year old girl, and her experiences in a post-apocalyptic community. Kept isolated within a protective camp, Simone struggles to follow the rules and guidelines set out to protect them. When she breaks the rules and finds the Ivory Tower, she must decide how far she will go to find out the truth.

Is there a theme or message you convey your story beyond the story itself?
I always write with a message involved, the story is simply its catalyst. For this story, I wrote with the intention of making a statement about protection and governments and how time can erode even the best of intentions.

Interesting. Tell us about your other books.
I am happy to share! The Princess Madeline trilogy is a middle grade fantasy adventure series that centers around Princess Madeline and her adventures as she struggles to balance her duty as princess with her own dreams. This series takes a contemporary stance on the traditional fairytale.
Who are your writing inspirations?
The authors who inspire me are Dr. Suess, with the whimsical way that he charmed and entertained, and J.K. Rowling, who doesn’t love her success story.
My main inspiration comes from my children. They are a reminder to me to follow my dreams and not place limits on what I can accomplish. I want them to go after their dreams, and to do that, I must be an example.

That is so great to hear. I discovered when I started writing how important it is to follow your dreams. Any up & coming indie authors that have captured your attention? And why?
Of course! I will share my top three favorites. Michelle Brown, Trish Marie Dawson, and Ally Shields.
 Michelle Browne is an evil scientist with her writing. She creates forward thinking stories filled with haunting messages and ideas.
Trish Marie Dawson writes with an easy elegance that transports you directly into the story. Under the spell of her writing, you become the character, struggling and growing.
Ally Shields created a wonderful vampire series (The Guardian Witch) that drew me in from book 1. Now on book 5, I am still her #1 fan.

What 2 things would you tell/advise aspiring writings?
My first piece of advice would always be to follow your heart, passion and characters. Writing is a personal and creative process. Be true to yourself, your vision, and your voice.
The second piece of advice is to get a group of beta readers to critique your work. It is easy to read your own work, or have family and friends read, but having objective eyes go over your work first is invaluable. Their honesty can turn a mediocre book into a great one.

I couldn’t agree more. I’ve found beta readers find holes I missed because I’m too close to see them. Any specific websites you’ve found helpful as an author?
I am a big fan of Grammar Girl. I will happily admit to using her frequently with my writing. I also check out Brainy Quote daily. I always like to keep inspiration and positivity at my fingertips.

I don’t believe in long interviews. So I’d like to close with a couple of questions for fun.
Me neither! Short, sweet, and able to read with a single cup of coffee. :)

While writing, music or silence? If music, tell us your playlist.
Music. I used to write in silence, but found that music helps keep my mind from wandering. It distracts part of my mind, letting me write longer, and more creatively. As for playlists, I listen to a fun combination of Disney show tunes, Christian rock, and hauntingly beautiful love ballads.

And, if I gave you a parchment letter, a mirror and a necklace, what kind of story would you write? Give it a title too if you want.
A Whisper in Time
It is the story of a little girl who is playing dress up in her grandmother’s attic. The grandmother finds the little girl dressed up, looking in the old antique mirror, holding the letter that she found in the dress’s pocket. The grandmother flashes back in time, reliving the moment she received that letter, and the devastating words that it held.
It is a story about family, love, and the unexpected turns in life.

Oh man! Now you’re going to have to write that story…even if it’s a short one!
I LOVE to connect with readers and fans, and invite everyone to connect with me at any of my links:
Website/Blog: www.kirstinpulioff.com   
Facebook:  
KirstinPulioffAuthor
Twitter: 
@KirstinPulioff
Amazon: 
Author & Book Page
Goodreads: 
Kirstin Pulioff

Finally, are there any special upcoming events for you? Anything special you’d like people to know about you or your books?
I wish I could say yes, but having just moved, I don’t have any local signings or events set up yet. I am currently working on my next project, a YA Fantasy, Dreamscape: Saving Alex, and I anticipate a Fall 2014 release.

I look forward to hearing more about this one! Thank you so much Kirstin for visiting today. And thank you to my visitors for taking the time to stop by and meet Kirstin. 

Remember to check the previous post for other indie author interviews.

And as always…
Dare to Dream!
Su

Old Roses

"Dear Lassie...."
It's a 'flute' of nature. Get it? Har har!

ASMSG Blog Hop Calendar


March 18, 2014
Kirstin Stein Pulioff http://www.kirstinpulioff.com

March 19
March 20

March 21

March 22
Anna George Othitis http://annaothitis.tateauthor.com

March 23
Khalid Muhammad http://agencyrules.com

March 24

March 25
Hunter S Jones http://www.thehuntersjones.blogspot.com

March 26

March 27
 Jinx Schwartz http://bit.ly/PSAAxI

March 28
Shane KP O’Neill    http://www.draculachronicles.co.uk/  

March 29