Interview with Kaitlyn Legaspi

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Today, we have an opportunity to talk to Kaitlyn Legaspi.  Kaitlyn has written the book, Two More Lives, Card Holders Book 2 

First, let me thank you for joining me.  I appreciate you giving me your links and I want to share those with our readers.

 

Website and blog: Kibble Corner Writings – Welcome to indie author Kaitlyn B. Legaspi's official site! (home.blog)

Instagram: Kaitlyn Legaspi (@author.kaitlyn.legaspi) • Instagram photos and videos

Buy Link for all of my books: Links – Kibble Corner Writings (home.blog)

 

That is great. Now, I almost NEVER read two books from the same Indie author but I loved your first book. And am so impressed you are still a college student.  Can you tell us a little about yourself?

 

I am the self-published author of the young adult fantasy trilogy, theDark Irregular Trilogy and Red Blood, the first of the six-book Card Holders series. I try my best to write on a daily basis, and I plan on adding more to my repertoire in the near future. Currently, I’m a fourth-year business undergraduate student at the University of Florida. 

Very smart getting a business degree. Most people have no idea that writing today is owning your own small (or mid-size) business. How did you get into writing?

In addition to writing, I love singing, studying in boba tea shops, and reading whatever has caught my interest. Currently, I’m working on publishing the second book of her Card Holders series, Two More Lives, which is on pre-order

I didn’t get into writing until I was in middle school, but I was an avid reader. Up until I started writing, I was just happy reading the stories I’d pick off the shelves of my school’s library. In middle school, I started watching Nickelodeon shows, and decided to go to their website. There, I found the Message Boards, and a category was writing. I scrolled through all the fanfiction and original stories people my age were posting on the boards, and they inspired me to start writing my own. I started off writing fanfiction, and Power Rangers: Samurai was my first. My first original story, Dark Irregular, came soon after, and I’ve been writing ever since. 

 

What advice would you give someone who wants to be a writer?

I’d say to be ready for criticism. This is the best advice I’ve been given as a writer, and I think it’s the best piece of advice to pass on. Not everyone is going to like what you write, and the quicker you realize that, the faster you’ll be able to cope with any criticism that comes your way. Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take any constructive criticism into consideration. The indie author community is so supportive, and if they criticize my books in any way, unless it’s written as an attack, I’ll automatically assume they want to help me improve my craft.

 

Do you write full-time or around another job? How do you schedule your time to write?

I wish I could write full-time, but I can’t. This is my last semester as an undergrad student, and I am set to graduate in April, so a lot of my attention will be on passing my final courses. I also have an internship that I work ten hours a week for, and I’m also a leader in my a cappella group, which easily consumes at least five hours a week. Those five hours also only cover rehearsal time and not the time I spend making plans and arranging music for the group.

I don’t schedule my time to write, mainly because of my busy schedule, but if I ever end up having free time, I always use it to write. I’m in no rush to complete my current work-in-progress, though. Outside of my published and soon-to-be-published releases, I have seven completed first drafts that I’ll be able to work on. Right now, I’m happy to say that I’m writing stories for fun because of this.

What is your favorite part about writing?

My favorite part about writing is actually writing the story. I can spend hours plotting and building the world, all the stuff that comes before this step, but seeing all my plans come to life in an actual story is the part I find most satisfying. It’s also fun seeing where my story goes, especially if I tried planning it out beforehand. I started out as a pantser, not plotting my books before I start writing them. Now, I’m a planster because I have a tendency to write series, and I need to lightly plot in order to maintain cohesion. I may outline, but they’re loose, and that gives me room to write up what comes to mind and not be restricted by details that may be unnecessary. A lot of the times, I surprise myself with what I write, and it’s all part of the fun.

 

What does literary success look like to you?

To me personally, literary success looks like a reader fully enjoying my book and either be sad that it’s over or wanting to read more. It’s also making my readers cry, which sounds terrible, but my goal is to touch the hearts of my readers with the stories I write. There are a lot of emotional scenes in my books, some of which made me cry while writing them, so if I can make my readers cry along with me, I consider that a huge win. If my readers have made any kind of connection with one or a few or all of my characters, that to me is my literary success.

 

Please tell us about your current release.

My current release is titled Two More Lives, and it’s the second book of my young adult urban fantasy series Card Holders. It takes place a few months after the first book, Red Blood, and expands on the power system of the book. It also takes a deeper dive into main character Neela’s story and features a lot more tournament fights

 

Can you read / provide us with a small exert? 

This is from Chapter 15 of Two More Lives!

 

I woke up the next morning covered by a thick sheet of anxiety. The weight it placed on my body tried to pull me back down into my bed as I reluctantly sat up and sluggishly swung my legs over the edge of my bed. That heavy sheet seemed to cling to me, weighing down my feet with every step I took. Even my hands felt burdened by my troubled thoughts when I turned the knob to open the door to the bathroom. When I stood in front of the sink, I lifted my head, not even realizing that I’d been looking down the entire time. Then, I looked into the mirror. Finally, I cried.

From my hideous reflection, I saw that my eyes were still red and puffy from crying myself to sleep. The sorrow was so pronounced in my eyes that the electric blue hue they were known for had seemed to turn into a stormy blue-gray. The way I was frowning completed the picture that I saw: a weak, hopeless, worthless little girl. All I saw that morning… was a joke of a fighter, a leader… a human being.

 

What exciting story are you working on next?

I am currently working on the fourth book in a young adult romance series called Bonds, and my boyfriend and I have actually started editing the third book of the Card Holders series, which I am aiming to release in summer 2023.

 

Wow! That's amazing! What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

The best money I’ve ever spent as a writer is the money spent on applications to participate in book festivals. While the idea of talking to strangers is still a bit daunting, book festivals are so much fun! You get to meet other authors, and you get to meet potential readers and really get the chance to market yourself along with your book. Book festivals have helped me become comfortable talking to strangers and finding connections with people, and seeing someone buy my book and showing their excitement at reading it gives such a satisfying feeling.

 

One more time, where can someone go to purchase your book?

Add your links here again

Website and blog: Kibble Corner Writings – Welcome to indie author Kaitlyn B. Legaspi's official site! (home.blog)

Instagram: Kaitlyn Legaspi (@author.kaitlyn.legaspi) • Instagram photos and videos

Buy Link for all of my books: Links – Kibble Corner Writings (home.blog)

MY REVIEW:

The book opens and we see the lead of book one, Neela, preparing for the tournament against Redd Ember. This book shows Neela a bit more mature as issues such as loss play prominent in her development. There are some minor characters who return as well as some new characters. Ib and Zaccai are probably my two faves. I enjoy their verbal and non-verbal interchanges (such as Zaccai slapping Ib in the head over something said). They add a great levity but also provide rich secondary characters. I think the author's writing has improved - and I was already impressed with her first book. I am amazed at this young lady's ability to spin a story and create a unique world. The world is built around people who have powers and people who do not. Those who do have a tournament whenever there is a power vacuum to decide the next leader. It is a cool concept and pulled off well in both books. But inside the world build is the story of a girl who must face who she is in a world where many she cares about don't survive. It is a moment akin to the end of Saving Private Ryan where Ryan has to ask, "Was I worth saving?"

Interview with Anne Montgomery

 

Read the Full Blog Here

Today, we have an opportunity to talk to Anne Montgomery.  Montgomery has written the book, Wolf Catcher. 

First, let me thank you for joining me.  I appreciate you giving me your links and I want to share those with our readers.

 

YOUR INFORMATION:

Anne Montgomery

Wolf Catcher

https://annemontgomerywriter.com/

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

LinkedIn

Goodreads

Amazon

Wikipedia

 

 That is great.  Can you tell us a little about yourself and what led you to start writing?

  

I have worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, and amateur sports official. My first TV job came at WRBL‐TV in Columbus, Georgia, and led to positions at WROC‐TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP‐TV in Phoenix, Arizona, and ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where I anchored the Emmy and ACE award‐winning SportsCenter. I finished my on‐camera broadcasting career with a two‐year stint as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. I was a freelance and/or staff reporter for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archaeological pieces. My novels include Wolf Catcher, The Scent of Rain, A Light in the Desert, The Castle, and Wild Horses on the Salt. I taught high school journalism for 20 years and am a faculty associate at Arizona State’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism where I teach sports writing. I was an amateur sports official for four decades, a time during which I called baseball, ice hockey, soccer, and basketball games and served as a high school football referee and crew chief. I’m a foster mom to three sons and a daughter. When I can, I indulge in my passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, musical theater, and playing my guitar.

 

What led you to start writing?

 

I began writing when I was a sportscaster. People always seem surprised that we TV folks must research and write the things we say on the air, but that is generally the case. I was tasked with telling stories quickly and succinctly. When I moved into print reporting, I had a bit more leeway in regard to story length and details. Moving into novel writing seemed a logical next step.

 

"DON’T EVEN CONSIDER QUITTING YOUR DAY JOB! Being an author is not just about writing books. It’s about negotiating the wacky world of publishing. The advent of the Internet and Amazon has turned the publishing world upside-down.

Authors, even traditionally published ones, must participate in marketing and sales and often have little financially to show for their efforts. They must have websites with active blogs. They must spread themselves all over social media.

And, perhaps most importantly, they must have thick skins. You will be rejected constantly by agents, publishers, reviewers, and media outlets. If you easily get your feelings hurt, please do yourself a favor and find a different profession."

Where do you get your inspiration, information, and ideas for books?

 

As a former reporter and news junkie, my ideas are often spurred by interesting articles I come across in newspapers or magazines. For example, my first book, A Light in the Desert, was inspired by the sabotage of a commuter train in the wilds of Arizona, a deadly event that occurred in 1995 which remains a cold-case crime. Another book, The Scent of Rain, is based on an Arizona cult which was based in Colorado City. Men took multiple wives and often married underage girls, keeping them cutoff from the rest of the world. Wild Horses on the Salt documents, among other things, the problem of civilization intruding on the habitat where wild horses should be running free. Other topics I’ve written about include domestic violence, PTSD, archeological looting, rape, and child abuse.

 

What are your hobbies and do they ever play into your writing?

 

I often stick my hobbies into my novels. I’m an avid mineral collector, and I doubt there’s a book I’ve written where rocks aren’t discussed in some manner. Also, I’m a scuba diver, and when given the chance to add a character who’s a diver in my novel The Castle, I never hesitated. Note that my first five novels take place in the beautiful state of Arizona, one of the most fascinating and diverse ecosystems on the planet. I enjoy my treks into the wilderness so much that I never fail to extol the virtues of my fantastic desert state in my books.

 

What advice would you give someone who wants to be a writer?

 

DON’T EVEN CONSIDER QUITTING YOUR DAY JOB! Being an author is not just about writing books. It’s about negotiating the wacky world of publishing. The advent of the Internet and Amazon has turned the publishing world upside-down. Authors, even traditionally published ones, must participate in marketing and sales and often have little financially to show for their efforts. They must have websites with active blogs. They must spread themselves all over social media. And, perhaps most importantly, they must have thick skins. You will be rejected constantly by agents, publishers, reviewers, and media outlets. If you easily get your feelings hurt, please do yourself a favor and find a different profession.

 

Do you write full-time or around another job? How do you schedule your time to write?

 

I have been writing books for over 25 years. Much of that time I was a high school teacher. I rarely worked on books during the school year. Generally, I wrote during my vacations. Today, I’m mostly retired from the classroom, though I do teach a sports writing class at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. So, I can write pretty much whenever I wish.

 

What is your favorite part about writing?

 

As a former reporter, I love the research involved in writing. I really enjoy meeting and interviewing people who can give me an insight into my characters. For example, in my novel The Castle, I got to interview a woman who was a National Park Ranger. I learned so much from her that she became the basis for my main character. And in my book Wild Horses on the Salt, I interviewed a cattle rancher who was also a beekeeper. He, his cows, and his bees all made it into the book. Add in the fact that I get to go to really cool places to learn about the locations in my books and writing really can be magical.

 

What does literary success look like to you?

I know most of us dream of best-seller lists and fat paydays, but with the number of books now being published annually, finding one’s novels at the top of the heap is like winning the lottery. That said, I just want people to read my books.

 

Please tell us about your current release.

 

Read the Full Blog Here

Wolf Catcher

Anne Montgomery

Historical Fiction/Suspense

TouchPoint Press

February 2, 2022

 

The past and present collide when a tenacious reporter seeks information on an eleventh century magician...and uncovers more than she bargained for.

In 1939, archeologists uncovered a tomb at the Northern Arizona site called Ridge Ruin. The man, bedecked in fine turquoise jewelry and intricate bead work, was surrounded by wooden swords with handles carved into animal hooves and human hands. The Hopi workers stepped back from the grave, knowing what the Moochiwimi sticks meant. This man, buried nine hundred years earlier, was a magician.

Former television journalist Kate Butler hangs on to her investigative reporting career by writing freelance magazine articles. Her research on The Magician shows he bore some European facial characteristics and physical qualities that made him different from the people who buried him. Her quest to discover The Magician’s origin carries her back to a time when the high desert world was shattered by the birth of a volcano and into the present-day dangers of archeological looting where black market sales of antiquities can lead to murder.

 

What exciting story are you working on next?

 

I have switched gears completely. I have written a novel based on the true story of a soldier who died mysteriously at the end of World War II. Here’s the synopsis.

 

Bud Richardville, an easy going, likable man, escapes the poverty of rural Indiana and is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to a Graves Registration Company, arguably the most difficult job in the military. Bud and the other men in his unit are tasked with locating, identifying, and burying the dead. When Bud ships out, he leaves behind his new wife, Loryane, a mysterious woman who has stolen his heart but whose secretive nature and shadowy past leave many unanswered questions.

 

When Bud and his men hit the beach at Normandy, they are immediately thrust into the horrors of what working in a graves unit entails. They must clear away the corpses quickly, in order to protect incoming soldiers from the trauma of seeing the mounting cost of war. As the months drag on, Bud and his men are faced with cleaning up the ghastly remains of the Battle of the Bulge, the death tunnels beneath the bombed-out city of Brest, France, and the concentration camp at Dachau.

 

Bud’s personal life begins to unravel. His little boy was born too soon. Loryane gives him little comfort sharing nothing personal or kind in her infrequent letters. Then he meets Eva, a once aspiring concert pianist who, because of her husband’s work with the Resistance, is tortured by the Nazis. Still, Eva is an optimistic soul, who despite the war and her missing husband, can see a positive future.

 

The traumas caused by his work and losses in his personal life beat Bud down. He has a decision to make. Will he choose the right one?

 

What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

 

I hired a publicist. While they helped spread my book around, even better, they taught me how to market and promote my books. I felt like I was taking a college class. I learned a lot.

 

What part of writing and publishing was most difficult for you?

 

Promotions and marketing are exhausting. And there is no way out of all that social media-website-blog involvement. It’s more time consuming and aggravating than writing books and, as previously mentioned, the rejections are endless. Still, it’s the only model we have, at the moment.

 

Are you involved in any writer groups?

 

I am. And it’s nice to have the support of other authors. Loved ones not in the field don’t really understand what we go through, so having those author voices available when we need them really helps.

 

One more time, where can someone go to purchase your book?

 

Wolf Catcher can be ordered on Amazon here or wherever books are sold.

 

Read the Full Blog Here

Add your links here again

https://annemontgomerywriter.com/

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Review of Identity Crisis

 

INTERVIEW ADN REVIEW

Today, we have an opportunity to talk to T.K. Kanwar.  T.K. Kanwar has written the book, ‘Identity Crisis’. 

 

First, let me thank you for joining me.  I appreciate you giving me your links and I want to share those with our readers.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09NLPX6LJ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59821667-identity-crisis

That is great.  Can you tell us a little about yourself and what led you to start writing?

I’ve always been interested in politics and was a staunch liberal until I was 40 years old. But around 2019 or so, I started to notice that the left in both Canada and the United States – and most of Europe for that matter – completely stopped talking about things like creating jobs or supporting families, and instead became almost singularly obsessed with identity politics and the so-called “woke” movement. I’m all for supporting disadvantaged groups (I’m a minority, after all) but I love my country and the things that made it great (freedom of speech, a tradition of civil governance, true equality under the law, etc.) and as I saw the rising vitriol against certain groups (notably whites, males, and Christians) in the mainstream media and particularly in the realm of entertainment, I started to wonder what the heck was going on. ‘Identity Crisis’ is an attempt to figure that out and offers…let’s call it…an educated guess as to why this all might be happening, and does so in the form of what I hope will be a very engaging story for readers.    

Are there particular dystopian or political novels that inspire you? 

My favorite books are the classic societal dystopian novels with which we’re all familiar: ‘1984’, ‘Animal Farm’, ‘Brave New World’, etc. I think these are truly some of the boldest works in all of literary history. When a novel takes on the biggest issues facing us and our place in the world (e.g. where we might be headed, what kind of society we might have in the future, etc.) if that’s done right – I don’t think there’s a better reading experience possible.    

 

What is the best advice you have ever been given as a writer?

“Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” It’s particularly helpful for me because I have a difficult time letting go of my work for fear I could improve a sentence with one word. Often (though not always), the changes aren’t as significant as I make them out to be.

How many hours a day do you write?

I find I can write about 3-4 hours a day before the law of diminishing returns sets in. In actuality, I will write for 4-6 hours on many days, but a couple of those hours are spent just editing and fine-tuning the bulk of what I wrote in the first few hours. Practical concerns (eye pain, neck pain) from spending so much time at my computer play a big role, and frankly prevent any real marathon sessions.   

What does literary success look like to you?

Engaging those of like mind and perspective to speak about the issues in my book and to try and have us all figure out what’s going on. While it’s my job as a writer to try and craft an original and interesting narrative, the problems faced by my characters are things many of us can relate to. They are issues we are all facing, and so my writing is an attempt to: (a) entertain and engage; but also (b) bring others who may be feeling the same way out of their shells.   

 

Please tell us about your current release.

 ‘Identity Crisis’ is a look at one possible outcome of our current unrelenting progressive cultural drift, and the long-term implications it could have on society and western civilization at large. Issues that used to be considered perfectly acceptable domains for civil discussion (immigration, cultural preservation) are explored in the story, which takes place in both Canada and the United States.

 Can you provide us with a small exert? 

Nolan: “I worry about where things are headed.”

“Where do you think things are headed?” Sam asked.

“Well, where this all leads . . . is in the complete demise of the concept of the individual, which was a very important principle in Western thought. It inspired a lot of the rights we have today. Namely, that we should all be treated equally regardless of race, gender, orientation, or anything of the sort.”

[…]

“But how does all this stop?” Sam asked. “How do we get back to a merit-based system where equality is cherished, no one is overlooked, and everyone is given the same opportunity? Where certain people aren’t viewed as the enemy because of the way the world was fifty years ago?”

 What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?

‘All Thy Sons’ by my friend and colleague, K.M. Breakey.

 

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Consider giving ‘Identity Crisis’ a look. It was my goal to approach certain social and cultural issues very candidly to give the reader the most engaging experience possible, and to match the seriousness of our times. I hope your readers find the book worthwhile.

Finally, I would like to thank you, Jerry, as well as all your readers for taking the time to read this interview.

 

I appreciate that. We do what we can to support Indie authors. One more time, where can someone go to purchase your book?

 ON AMAZON

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09NLPX6LJ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59821667-identity-crisis

 

---- MY REVIEW AS FOUND ON AMAZON AND GOODREADS -----

An analysis of modernity through fictional characters. The story starts with a “To Whom It May Concern” letter written out of Russia from the 80’s. It is a quick read and lays out the path to collapse nations such as Canada and the USA could encounter. It sets up the true start of the novel in 2025 with Sam first, then Jennifer, then a host of other characters. I particularly connected with Jennifer’s religious background, conservative upbringing, and how it played into her character development as she was finally free from the “shackles” of her childhood at New York University. I also connected to Sam as he underwent anti-racism training, something my work mandated recently as well. Sam and Jennifer’s experience do, indeed, reflect much of common culture and our political trend to the left. There are minor characters such as Cindy, with a Vietnamese background, who give warnings of where USA and Canada may go but there are equally as many actual turns in the story predicting a future America and Canada. I appreciated the inclusion (not surprising based on the name of the book) of our often too available information. In particular, I enjoyed the section where Nolan is called to meet someone who knows information he has not even shared with his wife. They have all access from his medical diagnosis to the coming weather report in Vancouver… “don’t forget to bring an umbrella.” I also appreciated the character’s who take a stand, one example being Jennifer whose kid is given a book at school representing revisionist history.

At times the story felt more a political news article than work of fiction. But that is really the point. The world the author uses is not one of make believe. It is in fact the one of reality.

Review: Rapha Ram's Memory Full U-Day

 See the Full Blog Post here

Barcelona is a key character in this “What-If” novel. The setting is in a world where brains are viewed as hard drives. In the opening we read:

“We shall move to plan B… We have already found a brain big enough, we just need her to accept the procedure.”

 

Livvy finds herself only able to upload the POLITICAL LEADERSHIP profile in opposition to the norm where people can select and customize their skills. The Monastery, the novel’s Big Brother, does not give her choices. Thus we enter the conflict: How much freedom can / should an individual surrender? Here it is the art of Barcelona that provides Livvy a path to individualism. But what is the balance in a world of limited brain space between serving the state and serving self?

 

There are several points where the narrative places this question in front of the reader:

“But… when I realized I have all this incredible knowledge, which enables me to get an amazing job, I could not help but wonder about the skills that could bring me joy.”

 

The story is an interesting journey of self discovery as well as a mirror to our own world over over-information, surveillance, and trading freedom for security. I enjoyed the introduction of “silent language of the bodies” and the discovery in the book that non verbal reactions can be subconscious and even involuntary. “Every behavior is a need trying to be met.”

 

As someone who teaches psychology I also enjoyed the chapter headings such as “the other end of the iceberg.”  In this world where brain space is constantly regulated and a high value commodity, it is peace and a truly quiet state of mind that is the true goal. 

 

This is a fun world. A self-examination of our own without being preachy. It flirts with brain science but not to the extent of being a textbook or so technical it dulls the read. Livvy has a small cast of characters around her that have their own voices. Overall, if you enjoy books such as 1984 (Orwell), Parable of the Talents (Butler), or Vox (Dalcher) you will likely find this book enjoyable. If you haven’t read those three, add them and this one to your Dystopian “to read” list. 

Review: Small Town Problems

 

Interview and Review

www.jesterslibrary.com

Today, we have an opportunity to talk to Chris Ritchey.  Chris Ritchey has written the book, Small Town Problems.   

 

You can find his unpublished writings and other musings on his author website, www.jesterslibrary.com. You can find him on Twitter @AuthorCRitchey, and Facebook and Instragrma at @AuthorChrisRitchey. And you can find his book, Small Town Problems, via Amazon and retailers at https://books2read.com/SmallTownProblems.

  

Chris, I think like me, you were inspired to write from your experience in the classroom as a kid. Can you tell us a little about yourself and what led you to start writing? 

 

I distinctly remember two creative writing assignments in elementary school that I had a blast writing and I got a lot of praise for. Those stuck with me, but I didn't really do much beyond them for a long time. The next time I delved into it was 11th grade when a buddy of mine asked me to join him on this Star Wars fan site to help fight off a troll. We successfully got rid of him and I met some great people there. In the course of having fun we accidentally started a fan-fic that was a crossover from Star Wars and Sailor Moon. 

 

Over the course of the next two years, about six of us co-wrote this fan-fic that was about the length of two novels. The first part was pulled and edited into a proper book by one of the authors and the second half was lost to time as the site went away. During this time I engaged in other projects and even took a creative writing class my senior year. I also began my own attempt at a novel, which I kept planning out for many many years. 

So how did that progress once you graduated?

 

Fast forward to 2019 and I'm encouraged enough by my wife to get to it. I start out with some short stories for some writing contests, to get something actually completed and get my feet wet. Once those came back to me, since they didn't place, I decided to make a website and share my writing that way. From there, one of the short stories turned into a novella and here we are.

 

And I have read your work, Small Town Problems. Compliments to a well told tale. Where do you draw from for ideas and inspiration?

 

I'm not picky about where I get inspiration or information from. One example is Merphy Napier's YouTube channel and her Dear Author series. I highly encourage any author to watch it. Just experiencing life and thinking about the what ifs of any given situation can provide enough material for a scene or whole story.

 

I always struggle with answering where I get ideas from. Some stories start with me thinking about some common trope and thinking about what spin I could put on it. Other times I practice free writing and just see what happens. 

 

Tropes can be a great place to start for a writer. After that, it takes time, effort, and doing it.

 

Writing is like anything else, if you want to get better at it, you need to practice. But you also need to get feedback from others and learn to grow from constructive criticism.

 

 

Feedback is key. For so many writers they never put pen to paper. Many of those who do, never let the work find a reader. To do both sets you in the elite few - or at least that's what I am told when I attend conferences and such. One issue I have is finding time to write. How do you schedule your time to write.

 

I write around another job and a family. I use Google Docs, so I try to write a few words when I have any spare time. I try to set aside time in the evening after the kids have gone to bed for that much needed uninterrupted longer span of time.

 

Are you able to get in a lot of writing this way? How many hours per day?

Normally, I've been lucky to get in one to one and a half. If it's not busy at work, I get more in during my lunch break.

 

What is your favorite part about writing? 

 

I love the feeling when an idea pops into my head and I've got that excitable urge to get it written down as quickly as possible. And before I know it I've been writing for 30 minutes non-stop. It's exhilarating.

 

What does literary success look like to you? 

 

I think having a complete stranger discover your work and give you a compliment on it is euphoric. How did this random person on the other side of the world come across this and why do they like it? They have no reason to even let you know that they came across it. It's still mind blowing to me.

 

Let's hopefully help that happen! Please tell us about your current release. 

 

Small Town Problems started off as a short story, but I really felt something more was there. I posted it in sections on my website as I wrote it and was able to get beta readers and critique partners as it developed. I went off of the trope of aliens seeming to always visit small rural towns. While I just played out a discovery scene for the short story (which later turned into chapter 1), for the book I liked the idea of an alien coming to a small farm town and being well received as well as representing a small town in a more realistic way than I feel is often portrayed. 

 

Can you read / provide us with a small exert? 

 

“Well, maybe it’s time we pay a visit to Ms. Wilton? She’s the science teacher at the high school. I’m sure you could run everything by her and see what she suggests for stable metals.”

“Wobewt, don’t you think she’d be a bit suspicious?” He gestured to his general appearance.

“I don’t think your face is too off from human and as for the fur… we’re going to have to shave it off?”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, it’s not too much of a fuss. We haven’t had sheep here in about ten years, but I still have my shearing equipment.”

“I don’t like the sound of this.”

“I promise it won’t take long. I still hold the state record from my 4H days, well Katie Horning does but I know she cheated somehow… but I digress.” At the rate he was shedding all over the house, I was planning to do it anyway, but it was nice to have an excuse. “I’ll ring her up and then we’ll head out to the barn.”

Har’elday stared into the mirror for an age before he turned and went up to his room.

 

What exciting story are you working on next? 

 

I am working on Book 2 of what I hope is a Small Town Problems novella trilogy. I've had the plora in mind for a while now and I just need to get to writing.

 

I'm a big believer in the fact that the best authors are readers.

Honestly, buying and reading other books and studying them has been of great help. I didn't read a whole lot every year before I started on this recent venture, but I've got 21 under my belt this past year.

 

Who are your favorite authors?  

Currently, my favorite is Brandon Sanderson. It's not just his books, but his general attitude and eagerness to share his knowledge with other hopeful writers. 

 

What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel? 

 

The Timeline Wars by John Barnes is a book I came across many years ago and enjoyed thoroughly. My alien's tool in this book is actually inspired by the weapon the main character used in that book. It's a well done time travel story.

 

Our readers will be reading this in February based on my blog schedule, but for you and me, it is CHristmas. Any plans for the holiday?

 

We normally stay close to home for Christmas. We go to my parents on Christmas eve, do our family thing Christmas morning, and then go to her parents for lunch on Christmas day. Next year is my parents' 50th wedding anniversary and since it's on December 15th, they want a destination party in Florida for it.

 

Major accomplishment to them! Family is very important and it sounds like your wife is supportive of your endeavor. What was the best money you ever spent as a writer? Even with that support, do you ever find something to be hard about writing?

 

Not setting goals for myself. If I don't make commitments to myself, then it's too easy to make excuses.

 

During the writing process, finding a good pace and maintaining my self imposed word count range for each chapter. During publishing, the marketing aspect is the hardest.

 

Marketing can be very difficult. I know my writing group and I talk about it all the time. Are you involved in any writer groups? 

I am in a few, but I don't find them very helpful. O may just be in the wrong ones. Most of the helpful people I found were from Twitter.

 

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?  

 

 Just that I'm grateful for all of the people willing to explore the works of new authors. I know there are so many out there due to the ease of self publishing and it can be a gamble.

 

 

One more time, where can someone go to purchase your book? 

https://books2read.com/SmallTownProblems

Add your links here again 

 Www.jesterslibrary.com

------ BELOW IS MY REVIEW FOUND ON AMAZON AND GOODREADS -----

Small Town Problems is reminiscent of my memories of E.T., The Searchers (a fun goofy comedy), and a little bit of X Files. On the book side it reminded me a book I read as a teen: Quozl by Allen Dean Foster. In Foster’s novel a whole colony of alien bugs bunny type rabbits arrive whereas here it is a smaller invasion and ultimately a very small circle of characters. In both there was a fun worldbuild where country folk deal with the extraordinary… the same way they deal with everything. Ingenuity, placing friends and family first, and with a bit of humor.  From the opening (“I hope the chickens aren’t too spooked to lay”) we are introduced to everyday people encountering an advanced alien species. As someone who grew up “country” I enjoyed the bear traps, Christian burials, Randy Travis songs, moonshine stills, unsettling animal heads mounted on home walls, and a general fear of federal agents. The story is well paced. I’ve seen some reviews regarding the simplicity of the plotline, but I feel this is applying expectations of a 500 page book to a 150 page book. I’ve said in other reviews I wish more authors wrote in this length: longer than a short story but not the deep commitment of a long novel.

Yes, there are aliens. One In particular, Har'elday, who Robert befriends. The result is an excellent first book by the author, whose short stories are worth checking out also. I was given a copy for review. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Arch Emulator and the Seven Keys

 

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Today, we have an opportunity to talk to Michael Stewart.  Stew has written the book, The Arch Emulator and the Seven Keys.  First, let me thank you for joining me.  I appreciate you giving me your links and I want to share those with our readers.

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09J43MRGK/

https://www.goodreads.com/man_of_stew

https://www.amazon.com/author/stew

https://twitter.com/humpdayhoopla

 

That is great. Can you tell us a little about yourself and what led you to start writing?

When my wife started working overnight shifts at the hospital, I would get scared being home alone at night with the kids. I’m a wimp. I tried to bottle my fear into a scary story. The simple act of sitting down and writing a scene was incredible the first time I tried it. I was hooked and I have loved writing ever since. It’s an amazing experience to sit down and find out what your characters are going to do by watching the words appear on the screen. I never knew writing could be like that. I always assumed writers think of a story then write it down, but no, for me I’m finding out what happens after my fingers punch out the words. So much fun.

"Writing is a craft, not simply a natural talent. The more you write and the more you read then the better your writing becomes."

 That may be one of the best answers I've ever heard. We write for so many reasons. Everyone thinks it is to be a bestseller millionaire. Maybe, but often that is not our primary motivation.

I remember watching Lee Childs in an interview. He said his editor came to him and asked him, “Wouldn’t it be more interesting if this character did this instead of that?”. Childs replied, “Yes it would be more interesting but that’s not how it happened”. That’s how it feels when I write, it’s like watching a movie or reading a book, the story just happens.

Where do you get your inspiration, information, and ideas for books?

My book ideas always start out as some single but profound idea that I build a whole story around. I once heard that there are reportedly seven people in the world at a given time that have the mysterious stigmata (spontaneous wounds of Jesus). At the time I had thought, why seven? Maybe those people will have some future importance, there could be an ancient prophecy that says that each of the seven will be on each of the continents during the apocalypse to shepherd the people through the end of the world. That was it, that was the simple idea that turned into The Arch Emulator and the Seven Keys.

 "I remember watching Lee Childs in an interview. He said his editor came to him and asked him, “Wouldn’t it be more interesting if this character did this instead of that?”. Childs replied, “Yes it would be more interesting but that’s not how it happened”. That’s how it feels when I write, it’s like watching a movie or reading a book, the story just happens."

What are your hobbies and do they ever play into your writing?

I’ve been active in Toastmasters. I enjoy public speaking, particularly telling funny stories. I once took 3^rd place in a multi-state humorous speech contest. 

That sounds like a cool achievement. What other public speaking opportunities have you done?

I also had the opportunity to speak at the first annual TEDx-Topeka. What I’ve learned from writing speeches, that I’ve tried bringing over to my novels is that I’m not very funny when I try to be. Instead of finding the comedy, I need to let the comedy find me. I found the best way to write, is to write straight, then boom, somewhere along the lines I get smacked upside the head with something funny. Usually way funnier than something I could have consciously thought of. That works for me. It probably doesn’t work for everybody but give it a try.

That's good self-discovery. What advice would you give someone who wants to be a writer?

Writing is a craft, not simply a natural talent. The more you write and the more you read then the better your writing becomes. If you want to become a good or great writer, keep at it. I hope to be a good or great writer someday.

Do you write full-time or around another job? How do you schedule your time to write?

I like to write in spurts. Once I start building momentum with a story, I don’t ever want to stop writing. The story races in brain as my typing fingers try to keep up. I have a fulltime job and six kids. I bring my laptop with me everywhere. If I’m picking up my sons from football practice and I’m waiting on them for five minutes, then that’s five minutes I can be typing in the laptop. If I’m waiting in the lobby of the car mechanic for 30 minutes while my tires are being rotated, then that’s 30 minutes I can be typing. The perfect time and place to write will never come if you wait for it. I need to squeeze it in where I can. But regardless of your situation, bring the laptop everywhere. Bonus tip: don’t wait for inspiration. There is no such thing as writer’s block. Just start writing, regardless of how you feel at that moment, it’s only after you begin, when the inspiration sneaks into the room.

What is your favorite part about writing?

I like to write because I like to see how the story unfolds. I might start out with the broad strokes in my mind, but the act of writing is like watching a movie for me. Very rewarding, but more than that, what I love is creating a story that ultimately brings enjoyments to another person. It is the greatest reward in the world.

Please tell us about your current release.

It’s a Goonies/Indian Jones style adventure like what I grew up watching. A murderous cult hunts down innocent people known as emulators while they’re in search of a powerful artifact, the seventh key. It plays out from the point of view of four different characters with intertwining journeys: McCoy, a quipster locked in a cell with a journal; Kim, a teenage genius with a secret; Cana, daughter of a murdered archeologist; and Belle, a thick-skinned driller that falls in love in Antarctica.

It’s available on amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09J43MRGK/

 

Can you read / provide us with a small exert?

 

Later that night was when I found it in the sky. A speck of light no brighter than a star, but I could tell it was moving differently than the other dots in the night sky. This was much closer. I took some initial measurements and did some rough preliminary calculations. As I told you, I know planetary physics, and when I say “I know” something, trust me I KNOW it. Planetary physics or Kepler Mechanics as we call it, was one of my passions.

After two simple measurements of the object’s position, spaced ten minutes apart, along with referencing NASA’s website to find earth’s current position in the solar system at the time of the measurements, I was able to get a rough trajectory plotted. At the time I couldn’t be sure what I had found. I would need to follow up the measurements with days’ worth of data to fine tune the trajectory and plot a more accurate course.

But all that extra measurement did only one thing. It confirmed my initial fear on that night was correct.

In 46 days, the object, an asteroid, would come from the direction of the constellation Aries and impact earth.

Thanks. Who are your favorite authors? Any you draw from as you write?

Michael Crichton, Blake Crouch, and Andy Weir to name a few. I’m an engineer, so I really like the sciencey stuff and cutting edge technology. I also love a good old-fashioned adventure, and these authors never disappoint. Which is also why I like to write fun adventures.

 I've read your book and before we even met I thought about Andy Weir. I see the balance between somewhat supernatural mystery and hard science melded together in a mystery. Those are fun reads.

What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?

Sphere by Michael Crichton is one of my favorite books. I never really hear anyone talking about it, even when they are listing off Crichton favorites. Perhaps because the movie was not very good. The book has it all: suspense, action, intrigue, mystery, and best of all, the claustrophobic feel of being trapped in a tight underwater habitat. Not unlike the movie The Abyss which happens to be my favorite underrated movie. Way to go, James Cameron.

What is your writer’s kryptonite?

World building. My novels take place in real places with real people. I sometimes will add some light magical elements, but I’ve never created a whole alien world, or a future with self-lacing shoes. It’s all very intimidating to me. I think I want to try it someday because it sounds like a hoot.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I hold the world record high score in Back to the Future on the Nintendo. “Two Dudes and a NES”, a Nintendo podcast had me on the show earlier this year to talk about the game. It was a great time because it is my favorite game. A few years ago, when I told my wife I had earned the world record in Back to the Future, she said “That’s awesome”. If only there was a world record for most amount of sarcasm in a single sentence, then the Stewart family would have two world record holders.

 That's funny. Reminds me of the documentary "King of Kong" a bit. One more time, where can someone go to purchase your book? 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09J43MRGK/

HERE IS MY REVIEW:

This book takes some of my favorite parts of classics.

The Stand – I loved how the Stand began with all sorts of individual stories. As the main story progressed, most of the individual stories joined the main plotline. The same was true here. We meet a man coming home from Seder, Harrison and Felipe in Western Iraq, a girl jealous Jerk (I mean Jack) Dexter who ousted her first prize at a science fair.

The Golden Compass – Everyone seems to be moving (intentional or unintentional) to the same locations. As they do, the world’s magic system is unveiled. Stewart does a good job both creating the world and drawing us into it. There are emulators and a hunt for the keys.

Angels and Demons (or most Dan Brown novels) – The intrigue takes the characters all over the globe from Antartica to Hawaii to a trip inside Air Force One. The seven keys gives plenty of action and chase scenes to move the plot.

Hail Mary – The science in the book is well researched or well known by the author. The spectacular elements are great, but never fully cancel out the known world to a reader. I like those kinds of stories. Just enough new to engage without having to suspend my disbelief of the world I live in.

Stewart’s work is unique, but anyone who enjoyed one of the above works should enjoy this one. A good read.