Tell Me About Your Book-

Hollowland is a young adult urban fantasy/paranormal with a little bit of romance...it has way more zombies than it has romance, though. Remy has just escaped a quarantine before an attack, and she needs to travel half-way across the country to try to find her brother Max, and save him.


Tell me about your key characters:

I really wanted to write a book that had a super tough female lead character, so I knew this was the one that I would do that with. Remy King is a 19 year old who won't let anything get in her way. She meets some interesting people (and animals) along her journey, but I shouldn't give too much away.

How did you get started as a writer:

I've always been a writer. Ever since I could write, I would sit in my room and write stories/poems. Before that, I would tell stories to anyone who would listen to me. I wrote my first novel in high school, and I've shopped around for agents since then.

Describe your desk/workspace:

Right now, my actual desk/workspace isn't getting too much attention...but, it's a black desk surrounded by posters of things I love, and collages I've made. It also has a poster of Christian Bale right on top of my line of vision, to keep me on track. When I'm not writing their, I'm either writing on my couch or in bed.

Favorite Quote:

"I've got to return some videotapes." - Patrick Bateman

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Tell Me About Your Book:

Deed to Death is a fast-paced thriller set in the real estate and construction industry.  Real estate agent Toni Matthews’ problems begin when her fiancé, Scott, is murdered. Having to bury the man she loves on the very day they planned to be married is almost more than Toni can take. Dealing with her loss becomes even harder when Scott's estranged brother, Brian, contests the will, threatening to take away her home.

After learning Brian is in deep financial trouble, Toni suspects he may be the one who killed Scott. Determined to find the truth and frustrated with the police, she begins her own investigation. Toni soon realizes she didn't know her fiancé quite as well as she had thought. Scott had been keeping secrets. Secrets that make Toni the killer's next target.

 

Tell Me more about your key characters:

Toni is a woman determined to find answers, and she’ll let nothing stand in her way.  She also has her flaws; she’s definitely not perfect.  Trust is a big issue for her.  Having been abandoned by her mother at a young age, she finds it hard to let anyone get close to her.  Just when she’s found a man she can fully believe in and depend on, he’s taken from her.  I hope readers will be able to relate to her and sympathize with her actions.

Best and worst part of being a writer:

The thing I love most about being a writer is I can work in my pajamas.  The worst thing is I’m easily distracted and have mastered the art of procrastination.  Seriously, writing is the best job in the world.  It allows you to daydream and live out someone else’s life on paper.

How do you get started with writing a story (as in, how do you start developing the story, how do you get inspired for it)

I usually start with the plot.  Once I know what the crime of my novel will be, then I focus on the characters.  Who would commit this type of crime and who would go about solving it?  I write a complete background for each one of my primary characters.  I know their birthday, their habits, and everything that has happened to them up until the point the novel begins.  Most of this backstory will never make it into the book, but I feel it’s important to know the characters on the most intimate level before I begin writing.  Once I know them, I let the characters take over.  They take on a life of their own and guide me through the story.

What advice would you give to people who "run out of creativity" when writing?

I recommend that all writers keep a journal.  Whenever I’m feeling blocked or am having trouble with a scene, I turn to my journal.  Writing down your thoughts and feelings and the events of your day can really help to get the juices flowing.  It’s like turning on a tap.  Writing, no matter what kind, inspires more writing.

Tell Me About Your Book Children of the Elementi is a fantasy adventure which flips between this world  and another called Eleria. When the Magi murder the heads of the five ruling families, their heirs are scattered through time and space to safety. Each heir has a power over the elements but the High King has power over all four. When Jake, the hero, discovers an ancient crystal, he not only learns about his fantastical past but also alerts the Magi Emperor that some of the Elementi survived. Jake must find the others to unite their powers to be able to defeat the Magi.

Tell me more about your key characters Mirim is from the 'air' family and has lived in the old Elementi powerbase since she was born. Her family stayed behind to keep the Matrix alive (a planet wide mind composed of crystal). The true power of the Elementi is the symbiosis between them and the Matrix. When she discovers that the High King (Jake) is not dead, she travels across the dimensions to bring him back. Jake has an ordinary life on Earth and while he longs for adventure he is not too sure about the bossy Mirim, but is convinced to try and find the other lost Elementi at her urging. I don't want to give too much away as there are five families, each coming into their powers through the story.

Who are your target readers? My target readers are boys and girls aged around 12 years and up. There is no real reason why an eleven year old would not enjoy the story but some of the language is for advanced readers.

How did you get started as a writer? While working in the School Library I had six weeks off in the summer. Rather than waste them watching television I had a burning itch to write something new. I had started a story earlier in the year, which to be honest was absolutely awful. But something happened that summer. I had an idea, I knew what books the students were asking me for and I had time. I wrote the first paragraph and I was off...

Describe your desk/workspace. Messy!

Best and worst part of being a writer The best thing by far about being a writer is writing, the worst  - marketing! I loved writing the ideas down and watching the characters take shape. The best of this was the children who tried out my work at the school. They were so enthusiastic. I was going to cut out the section set in the school but one of the children said it was the best bit. well what could I do? - The section stayed.

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