Saturday 25 January 2014

20 questions with Tony Bertauski.

Hey all!! well I just did an interview with Tony Bertauski Author of Jack: the tale of frost. And I asked him 20 questions and these were his responses....


1.      How long have you been writing?
Several years. I started out as a technical writer, penning columns for industrial magazines, educational textbooks, and a newspaper column. Eventually, I started writing fiction as a hobby. Once indie publishing became established, I started putting my work on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, etc. I thought the inspiration would dry up once I had a couple novels out, but it seems to only have fueled more ideas. And I love it.
2.What inspires you to write?
Joy. The writing experience takes discipline and effort, but the rewards are rich. I also enjoy interacting with fans, especially when one of my works hits them the same way it does me.
3.How long on average does it take to write one of your novels?
Lately, it’s about three months. I could probably go a little faster if I did this full-time, but I don’t think so. My ideas unfold at their own pace, I can’t rush them.
4.Do you have a favorite character from your books?
I connect with most of the characters I write, but there are a couple that are special. Jack, from Claus, could be my favorite, but Socket Greeny and Pike, from The Socket Greeny Saga, are right there, too. They have different qualities, but the experience of writing them was much richer than any of the others.
5.How do you deal with writers block?
Walk away. I usually go to a pad of paper and a pen and begin doodling ideas. Sooner than later, I’ll work through it. Sometimes the solution hits me when I least expect it, like driving to work or taking a shower, and then I’m running to write it down.
6.Do you have any favorite authors?
I’m a jaded reader. I don’t connect easily with other fiction and it’s certainly not a reflection of their talent, just my peculiar tastes. I have several favorite books, but Frank Herbert and Neal Shusterman were a couple of my favorites. Stephen King, in my opinion, is one of the best. I just wish I liked horror.
7.Whats the hardest part of being an author and writer?
The isolation. I sit at a computer during a beautiful day or while my wife and kids are in the house. I try to find time when nothing else is going on so that I’m not ignoring the ones around me. The beauty, though, is that I can do it anywhere and anytime.
8.What is your favorite Genre to write in?
Without question, science fiction. Although dystopia might be combined with that. I discovered how immersed I am in the genre when I decided to write a romance novel. I got halfway through it and, quite suddenly, lost interest when I started thinking about my next sci-fi novel. I haven’t looked back.
9.Did you always want to be an author?
No. But I always liked writing. I wasn’t very good at it until I was probably in my 30s. The first two novels I wrote aren’t publishable by any standards (I’m not even sure I know where they are) but, slowly, I got the hang of it.
10.Do you have any advice for young author's and writers? 
Enjoy. Set yourself daily writing goals, like 1000 or 2000 words. Just write. It might be terrible, but just write. And also read about the craft of fiction. I got a lot from a couple good books. The one that quickly comes to mind is “Self Editing for Fiction Writers”. I think I read that five times.
11.What was your first book ever published and when was it published?
The Discovery of Socket Greeny. I started writing that in 2005 when my son was young and we were inventing a story. I got caught up in it but it took 5 years and countless rewrites to get it out in 2010.
12.I know some authors don't but do you prefer to story board or do you jump right into writing you books?
I have to storyboard. I need to have a general idea where the story is going. It’s going to change, I know that, but I can’t just sit down with a blank page and go, otherwise I’ll just stare a bloody hole through the monitor.
13.If you could meet any author dead or alive who would it be?
Stephen King just seems too interesting not to be at the top of that list.
14.If you weren't an author what other career would you choose?
Well, writing is my part-time career/hobby. I’m an educator / horticulturist in my real job (no one would guess that, right?). And I wouldn’t trade that for writing. In fact, I love having writing as a hobby instead of the main gig. I mostly introverted in my spare time and writing is a perfect fit. I don’t want to be famous, but I like interacting with fans. It’s so much fun.
15.Where do you hope to be ten years from now career wise?
I hope to still have ideas. I trust I will. 
16.Whats your favorite part of being an author?
Engaging with the characters. When I’m really connected, they take the story places I never could’ve imagined. The moment when it all comes together is special.
17.What do you feel is an important part of any YA book?
When I was younger, I liked novels that didn’t patronize me, ones that really seemed to know what it was like to be young and confused and angry and lost. Sometimes you’ll read something that sounds like an adult pretending to be a kid and it loses its authenticity. I can only hope I don’t sound like that, but I don’t know. And, I hope, my writing imparts life experience that doesn’t come across like a Brady Bunch episode. I think Laurie Anderson does an amazing job at this.
18.How do you feel YA books have changed in the past years? And have they changed for the good?
It seems like they’ve gotten edgier. And they’re dealing with issues that worthy of a young adult’s attention. In my experience as a former child/teen and as a father watching my children grow up, the younger years are very difficult. We want the freedom of an adult child without the responsibility. We have to figure out what we’re going to do with our life. When someone asks what we want to do with our life, what do we do when the honest answer is “I don’t want to do anything”? I think this is one reason why YA is becoming more popular: it helps readers identify with the difficulties.
19. Do you hope that young readers will read your books and say I want to be just like that?"
Not necessarily. I hope they get a thrilling, emotional experience from the read, and along the way, take away some elements that stick with them. Perhaps, they’ll see things slightly different. It won’t solve problems, but when all the little inspirations in our lives add up, they can create real change. If I can contribute just a speck to transformation of someone’s struggle, someone I’ve never met, that would be very satisfying.
20. What inspired you to start writing YA books?
I struggled growing up. I wanted to be heard. And,  sometimes, I just needed to escape somewhere that felt real, genuine and safe. Books and movies were that salvation. I want to draw from those difficulties, share them with young adults experiencing the same thing. Life, I think, is difficult for most of us.

Thursday 23 January 2014

Review for Sun and moon By Elizabeth Paradise

Hey all!!! Well I just finished a new book Called Sun and moon by Elizabeth Paradise. I.CRIED!!! {I don't cry at books. But Miss Paradise has written a book that made me truly feel and care for the characters. You want them to be happy. This book has a superb story line and so many twists and turns you don't know what hit you. WARNING!! Once you pick this book up you won't we able to sit it down. I can't wait to see what else miss Paradise writes. Trisha Signing off.

Wednesday 22 January 2014

Jack: the Tale of Frost, By Tony Bertauski

Hey all Trisha here. I've taken a few days to read some WONDERFUL books. Like today I read...Jack: The Tale of Frost. By Tony Bertauski, Which goes with Claus: Legend of the Fat man. It was wonderful its  the first YA book about Jack Frost that I have ever read. It was amazing it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. The characters are so real. You care for them. Hats off to Mr Bertauski, he has written a new favorite of mine. His book which I hope to one day buy I feel will be an every winter favorite. Do yourself a favor and read this wonderful book. For now Trisha Signing off.

Saturday 11 January 2014

Review for legend of Oz by Denton J. Tipon and Blair Shedd

Hey all, Well today I was taking care of my five year old niece and we decided to get on my netgally and read some comics. We happened across one called Legend of Oz by Denton J. Tipon and Blair Shedd. Its after Dorothy has gone home and the Scarecrow is in charge of Emerald City when the wicked witch of the west's brother the jester comes along and takes over her castle. My niece and I laughed and Gasped at the action and comedy in this comic. I have to say Hats of to you guys and we both loved the pictures they were just as amazing as the story. At the end which ends at a cliff hanger my niece jumped up and said what happens next. She can't wait. I highly recommend this to anyone with children that love the Wizard of Oz or just to people that love Wizard of Oz. Trisha Signing off.

Friday 10 January 2014

Big news.

Hey all. I've got some awesome news. I just checked and I now have 101 page views!!!! Thanks to all you readers who have logged on and checked out my page and I hope I have repeat readers. :D I really wanna say that I will be posting as often as possible. But for now Trisha Signing off.

Thursday 9 January 2014

20 questions with Author Jenna Elizabeth Johnson.

Hey all!! Well I've interviewed Author of the Otherworld series and the Legend of Oescienne series Jenna Elizabeth Johnson. And let me just say shes awesome. We did a version of 20 questions which I like to call
{Cue drum roll} 20 book questions.....Yeah I know its not the great a name but it went AWESOME!! But anyway here's the interview that I think we've all been waiting for....




Before I get into the questions, I just wanted to give Trisha at Book Haven{My first blog} a big thank you for featuring me on her blog.  It is always an honor to be considered for an interview, so I very much appreciate the opportunity to talk a little about my writing.  These were some fabulous questions and I hope that your readers enjoy hearing what I have to say.

1. Did you always want to be an author?

No.  In fact the idea of being an author didn’t really occur to me until eight years ago, right around the time I was graduating from college.  I’ve always had a pretty big imagination and I was always weaving stories in my head, but only until I actually sat down and began writing did the author bug take hold.  Now I can’t imagine wanting to do anything else.

2. When did you first become published?

I self-published my very first book, The Legend of Oescienne – The Finding, in 2009, about four years after I started writing it.  Since it was my first attempt at the whole writing thing, it took me longer to get it to where I felt comfortable with it.  I did try going the traditional route, but after a dozen or so rejection letters I decided to try self-publishing.  My novels did not, by any means, fly off the virtual shelves in the beginning, but I kept at it.  I had stories to tell, after all, and nothing was going to stop me from doing so.  It wasn’t until I published Faelorehn that my sales started to pick up.

3. What do you think is the hardest part of being an Author and Writer?

The hardest part of being a writer, for me at least, is getting that first third or half of your novel written.  Not necessarily the writing itself, but getting the bits and pieces of the story that are zipping around in your head to make sense on paper (or the computer screen).  Discovering the right way to deliver the story can be tricky when first starting out.

The hardest part of being an author, at least an independent one, is getting the word out about your books.  I use a handful of social media sites, handout bookmarks and business cards, take part in local book and craft fairs when I can and I’ve also tried some paid advertising.  It can be exhausting and not always effective, but I’m constantly on the lookout for new ways to market and discover new readers.

4. What inspired you to write Faelorehn?

A few factors led to my writing of the Otherworld Trilogy.  I usually have several projects going on at once, or at least several ideas that will eventually become projects on my mind, but the decision to sit down and write Faelorehn happened right after I finished writing the third book in my Oescienne series.  At the time I had finished reading a few of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books and realized that I’d someday like to write a series that used the Celtic pantheon as a theme instead of the more well-known Greek gods and goddesses.  In college, I studied ancient Celtic mythology and history and I wanted to spread my joy of all things Celtic to others.  This also leads into my second reason for writing Faelorehn: I knew that Celtic mythology was known among those who study it, but to the best of my knowledge at the time, it wasn’t very present in young adult fantasy novels.  Yes, I had read a few YA books that used fae elements, however many of them focused mostly on the Dark and Light faerie courts and more traditional, Tolkein-inspired European mythology.  Yes, there is a Celtic element to those stories, but I had read very few novels that mentioned the Morrigan and the other Celtic deities.  I wanted to change that.

Finally, it was Amanda Hocking’s Switched that really got me typing in the right direction.  After reading Hocking’s book (which has its roots in the Norse changeling myth), I knew it was time for the Otherworld Trilogy to be born.

5. Do you have any advice for young writers that hope to become published some day?

Do not give up.  Keep at it, even if it means getting up at four in the morning and writing before work.  Don’t be discouraged.  Yes, there will be days when you are tempted to give up but hang in there and remember that independent publishing is not what it used to be twenty, or even ten, years ago.  There are so many options and opportunities out there that if you keep trying and keep working, you’ll find your niche.

My second bit of advice is: write as many books as you can.  The more books you have published, the more you’ll get your name and work out there.  Be as prolific as you can.  Publish short stories if possible.  Whatever you need to do to make a good impression on the literary world, especially if you hope to one day make this your career.

6. Are there any authors that influenced the way you write?

I’d like to think that in a way, every author I read inspires and influences me in some way.  So many ideas have come to me while reading other books.  With that being said, there are a handful who stand out.  Sharon Shinn, Maria V. Snyder, Sherwood Smith and Ilona Andrews are some authors I’ve particularly enjoyed.  I have even come up with new ideas for my own books after reading theirs.  For example, one of the worlds Sharon Shinn created has inspired the setting for a work in progress, and Sherwood Smith’s Crown and Court Duel duology has inspired me to write my own action adventure with a dash of intrigue.

7. How long have you been writing?

I have been writing seriously for eight years now.  When I was younger, middle school age, I wrote poetry, though I’d probably be mortified should anyone stumble upon it now.  I was more interested in rhyming the words than giving them much depth at the time.

8. If you could meet any author dead or alive who would it be?

I would say any of the ones I mentioned above would be a thrill to meet.  I also wouldn’t mind meeting J.K. Rowling, especially since she has done such a fabulous job building the world for Harry Potter and writes in a genre similar to my own.

9. What inspired you to start writing?

Having read so many of the ancient Celtic and Norse sagas and myths in college, and spending so much time delving into the symbolism and history of them all helped develop my love of weaving my own stories.  And to be honest, I think I’ve always had that desire in me, it just took me some time to realize that creating stories and new worlds was what I truly wanted to do with my life.  I distinctly remember standing in my living room apartment in college and realizing that if I never wrote any of my stories down then no one would ever get to read them.  That’s when I decided it was time to give writing a serious try.

10. What inspired you to become a YA and NA author?

I started out writing for middle graders, but I think that as I grew with my writing, I felt the urge to write for a more mature audience.  Don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of ideas for a variety of books for all ages.  I simply needed a change of pace and I wasn’t quite ready to write for adults yet so I went with YA/NA.  Also, my characters in the Otherworld series just happened to be at that high school/college age.

11. What do you feel is an important part of any great YA book?

I think having characters the reader can care about and relate to makes a big difference.  I remember what it was like to be in high school, struggling to fit in and figure out who I was, and also learning to be happy with that person.  Being able to escape into someone else’s world, especially if their world is much more interesting than your own, and discovering that they have the same problems and struggles as the rest of us, brings some amount of camaraderie and comfort even.  And let’s face it, getting away from reality every now and then is good for everyone.

12. What is your favorite part of being an Author and Writer?

May I mention two things?  First and foremost, discovering and developing the story and the characters.  I love that moment when a new idea comes to me or when a secondary character does something that makes me stop and pay attention.  Writing is a journey and it is so much fun to get to know my characters along the way.

Another favorite part of being an author is interacting with my readers.  I still find it hard to believe that there are people out there who have read and enjoyed my books enough to reach out and let me know.  I love getting feedback and seeing my books from their point of view.

13. How do you think the writing for YA novels have changed through the years? And was it for the better?

Before deciding to write YA, I never really read much in the genre.  What I can say is that before the fantasy and paranormal genres really took off, the novels for teens seemed more rooted in realistic fiction.  Then again, that might be because the YA novels I read in the past were required reading for school.  I’ve also noticed that YA novels have become a little more advanced over the years.  I’ve read many a review and spoken to quite a few readers my age and older who have said these novels are no longer just enjoyable for teens to read, but for adults as well.  I think that authors in this genre are doing a better job either making sure to include as wide an audience as possible, or are realizing that young adults are more mature than we’ve been giving them credit for.

14. Do you have a favorite Character from the Otherworld Series? And why are they your favorite?

Oh man, that’s like asking me to pick a favorite book.  I don’t really have a favorite character because each character has something about them that endears them to me. However, I have had characters who surprise me every now and then.  Aiden, Meghan’s little brother, is one of those characters.  I also have characters who have kept secrets from me, thus either making the overall plot more intriguing or making it hard for me to write certain scenes.  Enorah, Cade’s sister, is one example, as well as a few other minor characters who will be playing bigger parts in future Otherworld books.  If you’ve read Ghalien, then be aware that Devlin and Rhyne will be making future appearances.  And Tegan, the young girl who lives in the Weald with Enorah?  I’ve got plans for her as well.

15. When you wrote first "The Finding" did you ever think it would be published?

I had big plans for The Finding and the rest of the Oescienne series, but that was when I first started out as a bright-eyed indie author who knew nothing about the publishing world.  Let’s just say I’ve learned a lot since then, and I’m still learning.  I tried finding an agent for about a year but after a while I decided I didn’t want to wait another year or ten to see my novel in print.  I looked into independently publishing and went for it.  It was tough at first, but I stuck with it.

16. How do you deal with writers block?

When asked this question, I usually tell people that I don’t really believe in writers block.  I often go through reading and writing rampages: I’ll be lost in one of my stories and spend large chunks of time sitting down and writing it out.  When the flow of inspiration stops, I’ll be in a reading mood.  I think that reading provides a break for my Muse and also helps me come up with new ideas for new books.  But sometimes my imagination just needs a break.  It likes to discover new things, so if I stay too long in a world I’m trying to figure out with characters I don’t know all that well yet, it’s good to get away and enjoy someone else’s creations.

17. Do you hope one day young writers will read your books and say "I want to be just like that?"

I think that that would be the greatest form of flattery.  To be an inspiration to others and to make a difference in the lives of those who come after you is, in my opinion, one of the greatest accomplishments one can make during their lifetime.  I only hope that my books and my own story about how I got to where I am now will be a source of encouragement to those just starting out.

18. Do you prefer writing for males characters or females characters?

As in which perspective?  I don’t really have a preference; it all depends on which characters are speaking to me.  However, being female, I sometimes feel a bit more qualified telling things from their point of view.  This is usually the case when I’m writing in first person perspective.  When writing in third person, I don’t usually have any reservations about writing from male or female viewpoints.

19. How long on average does it take you to write a novel?

I have taken anywhere between a little over a month to two years or more to write a book.  Of course, writing my first novel, The Finding from my Legend of Oescienne series, took the longest because I was learning as I went.  Dolmarehn, the second book in the Otherworld Trilogy, took the least amount of time to write.  When the material is there and I’m on a roll, I can get quite a bit of writing done.  So, to answer your question, I’d safely say it takes anywhere between two to four months to get the book written and proofread enough for my beta readers and editor to check it out for me.

20. Where do you want to be as far as career goes 10 years from now

Hopefully I’ll be able to support myself strictly through my writing by then.  I have so many ideas for new books and book series.  Alas, if only I had more time to write them!  Fortunately, my current job gives me time off in the winter and summer, but I still feel like I’d get more writing done if that’s all I had to do.  My current goal is to write two or three books a year, so ten year from now I’m hoping to have quite an impressive collection of works under my belt.

Friday 3 January 2014

Review for Darkness watching

Hey folks I've been reading like a mad person so that why I'm posting so often. I've read Darkness watching by Emma L.Adams It was amazing I loved Ash in it She was a rarity she was one of the few female Characters that wasn't annoying. I also loved David. I have to say hats off to Miss Emma for writing such an amazing story and that I can't wait to read the others.

Review for Faelorehn

Hey all I read Faelorehn a few weeks ago and it was amazing most of the time I don't like anything involving the Fae but this is amazing I can't wait to read the others. And I highly recommend it to anyone wanting a bit of everything. I plan to buy this book if I ever get the chance. But for now Trisha signing off.

Review for The hunter the bear and the seventh sister

Hey guys. Well I just read The hunter the bear and the seventh sister by B. I. Woodlet. It was amazing, I loved the story line and this is the type of story my dad used to tell me when I was younger. This really brings back memories of sitting on my dads lap and us talking about stars and him telling me stories. I would buy this book and it is way worth a reread which coming from me means a lot because I hate rereading. This is one of the few books that I think would only get better the more you read it. So hats off to B. I. Woodlet for writing a book that I plan to reread and maybe even buy. So for now Trisha Signing out.

The ISBN: 978-0989873505

If you like this book and want to see more reviews look up my page on Facebook.. The readers life with Trisha Ratliff.