Interview with YA Author T.J. Dell

Today I'm excited to announce that I'm hosting for my first blog tour for YA author T.J. Dell and she's going to talk a little about her new book "Whispers in the Woods" and her writing life.

Vol. I
When Evie Parker meets Lucas Spencer she begins to feel hope again. Lately she's been going through life in a fog and Lucas is all about teaching her how to have fun again. For the first time since the accident she knows what it means to be happy.

So who cares if Lucas is a little odd. It isn't that strange that she's never met his parents, or that teachers never seem to notice when he's late for class. Evie tries not to care, but on top of all his peculiar behavior she's been feeling kind of sick lately-- ever since she met Lucas actually.

When Lucas decides it is time to come clean with all his secrets Evie has to make some hard decisions.

Vol. II
All Evie wants is a little bit of normal in her life-- is that really too much to ask?
Lucas isn't normal, but he makes her happy. That should count for something. Evie thinks she can find a balance that will let her be normal and also be with him.

Of course she hadn't counted on adding his family into the mix, or his ex-girlfriend.

Life with an elf is never boring.

Vol III
Lucas and Evie were finally at a place where Evie was comfortable with her mix of normal human teenager and fantastical elf boyfriend. Then she went and got herself crushed by a tree.

Evie wakes up with a whole lot of extra issues to deal with. Not the least of which is a trip inside the Veil to see Lucas's home. She never would have agreed to go if she'd known she was going to have her own secret to hide.


Purchase Links:http://www.amazon.com/Whispers-Complete-Collection-Elfkin-ebook/dp/B0084XCRVU/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1343249434&sr=1-2

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/whispers-in-the-woods-tj-dell/1111569369?ean=9781477634967

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Whispers-Woods-Complete-Collection/Tj-Dell/9781477634967?id=5417972292235

Interview

So how did it all start? When did you know you were a writer?

Hmmm....  Well I have always been a lover of books, and I think the idea of writing a book of my own has been bouncing around in my brain since I was little.  We're talking Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley Twins age.  However, the first time I actually considered writing a novel as an adult was about eight years ago. 

I had just finished reading the most disappointing series of books.  You know the type where you race out to get each new book and then devour hundreds of pages in a single sitting?  Well when I got to the end of the final book I was completely disappointed, dissatisfied, disillusioned, and every other 'dis' word you can think of.  Later that night I was on the phone with my then boyfriend (now husband) ranting about how even I could have written a better ending.  And Dan (who is always very patient when I go on those kinds of rants) listened quietly and then asked, 'so why don't you?'.  It was an epiphany.  I sat right down that night and created my characters.  That particular story wasn't literary genius and is even now sitting unpublished on my hard drive, but it was definitely a beginning.

Tell us a little bit about your books.

I'm a bit eclectic in the genre department.  I don't like getting pinned down as writing paranormal, or historical, or contemporary; although I do tend to stay beneath the broad umbrella of 'romance'.  Everything I write will make you want to squeal and kick your legs in the air.  That's the goal anyhow.  I am a complete an utter hopeless romantic. 

How did you come up with the idea for Whispers in the Woods?

Whispers in the Woods started out as just one character, Lucas Spencer.  The idea of a young Elfin Lord living among humans in a sort of self-inflicted exile just sprung to life in my head one day.  Before I knew it I had scribbled down so many notes and scenes that I had enough material for several books.  Really good ideas are like that-- they grow like weeds.  Lucas and Evie will be around for awhile.

Are you the kind of writer who follows a certain schedule or do you just scribble things down whenever you get the chance?

I have two toddlers at home.  So most of my writing happens during nap time, or in the evenings after bed times.  I suppose that counts as a schedule.  Although I have been known to abruptly leave a room in search of a pen and paper.  You never know when a new character is going to pay you a little visit.

Do you plan out the whole book before you start writing or do you just write and see what comes?

My mother has a favorite saying ... 'if you want to hear god laugh, tell him your plans'.  My writing is a lot like that most of the time.  I start off with a well organized outline and solidly thought out characters, but most of the time those characters hijack my storyline by chapter three.  It's difficult to make them do something they don't want to... no matter how carefully you explain to them about your 'outline'.

One example is Carter from Whispers in the Woods.  He was never meant to be more than a walk on roll, but once he showed up he refused to leave.  I'm glad though.  I have a little bit of a crush on him.

What do you do when you’re not writing? Have any other hobbies?

As I mentioned before-- I have two toddlers.  When I'm not writing I am usually playing monster trucks, or tea party, or in some instances monster-truck-tea-party.  During my rare time off to be a person instead of a mommy I am pretty tame.  Give me a Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathon and bowl of popcorn and m&ms and I am a very happy girl.

What are your favorite parts to write in a novel?

Would it be too boring if I said I enjoy the experience as a whole?  Alright, well I guess I'll pick something. 

In every romance there is always that first spark of interest.  No matter what else might stand in their way before the couple gets to 'happily ever after', there is always that first moment early on when they realize that they want to get to 'happily ever after'.  I love watching that part of the story unfold.  See the Slurpee scene in Whispers in the Woods for a prime example.

Admit it, all writers are quirky! Do you have any quirks when you write, like favorite music or snacks?

Facebook.  My-while-I'm-writing quirk is that whenever I get stuck or if I lose my mojo I take a five minute time out for Facebook.  At the end of that five minutes my mind usually resets and I am ready to get back to business. 

Who or what are your inspirations and who are your favorite authors?

Wow.  I have many many many favorites.  When I was younger I loved Mercedes Lackey.  Loved.  I still reread her Valdemar books all the time.  She is truly a master at creating a universe.  Not too long ago I inhaled the entire Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs.  That is another inspiring universe.  Most recently I have been experiencing serious fangirl symptoms over Jennifer Armentrout's Lux books...swoon.

I know we try not to choose favorites, but who was your favorite character in Whispers in the Woods?

Uh-oh. 

Okay, well I guess I might have to say it is tie between Carter and Ian.  I love them all, but Carter makes me smile when I'm feeling down, and Ian... well there is a lot more to him than some people realize.  That is all I'm going to say about that.  Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

So what comes next for you? Tell us a little about your works in progress.

Oh my.  Well I always have a few things in the pipeline.  I just released a young adult contemporary romance, The Last Place You Look, and of course I am hard at work on the next Whispers title.  We are going to see a lot more from Carter this time around.  Look for Whispers in the Dark later this year!

In your opinion, what is the most important thing in a good book?

The most important thing is the connection a reader feels with the characters.  While you are reading those characters should be your best friends, or your worst enemies, or your family, or even just your crazy neighbors.  As long as the characters are real to you than the book will be good.

What is the best advice you could give to young, aspiring writers?

Well first of all don't give up.  Agents and publishing houses see kabillions of manuscripts every day.  A rejection from them is not a final judgment on your talent.  As long as you love what you've written than it is a worthwhile creation.  Indie authors are getting more and more attention every day.  You can have a career as an author just as long as you are willing to say... 'hey, I wrote this and it kicks butt.

Which leads me to second of all.... write what you love.  It doesn't matter if dystopia or werewolves are in.  You won't find yourself with a good product unless you've written something that you would enjoy reading.

About the Author

When TJ isn't reading or writing (which is almost never), she is enjoying a blissfully boring life with her family in Maryland.  Her two greatest wishes are to serve on a Starfleet Starship or to be invited to join the Justice League.  Sure her chances are slim, but she's a big believer in dreaming big. 

A hopeless romantic to her very core, TJ's books explore every corner of the wobbly-kneed-world of romance novels.  She has a particular penchant for Young Adult themes.  Dell's debut novel 'Her Best Friend's Brother' is enjoying its tenth month as an Amazon best seller, and her popular Elfkin Series is hot on its heels.

For more information follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/dell.tj

Excerpt

“Is something wrong with your pizza?”  Lucas paused between giant bites of his dinner.  Two huge slices piled high with every topping on the menu were still waiting on his plate.  He’d already polished off one.

“No.  I’m just letting it cool off.  I prefer to be able to taste my food.”   My own single slice of pepperoni pizza was still piping hot and therefore untouched in front of me.

Lucas held one of his hands over my food, gauging the temperature.  “It should be cool enough.”

As always, he was right.  A moment before steam had been drifting off my plate, and now it was perfectly cooled:  still warm enough to taste good, but nowhere near hot enough to burn my taste buds off.  All thoughts of how wrong that was got pushed to the back of my mind—along with all other similar thoughts I’d been ignoring for the past forty-eight hours.  That area of my mind was getting mighty crowded lately.

“Eat, Evie.  You’re making me self-conscious.”  Lucas’s voice pulled me back to the conversation.  He was grinning around a big mouthful of his third slice.

“I really don’t think that’s possible.  Besides, food clearly doesn’t affect your body the way it does a normal person.”

His jaw hung open.  The way he was staring at me—well, I may as well have smacked him.  “What do you mean?”

I blushed.  Probably I should have kept that to myself.  “Nothing.  I just… well, look at you. I’ve watched you consume a gazillion calories over the last two days and you still look… well, the way you look.”

“I think there is a compliment in there somewhere.”  A grin broke out on his face.

“Umm… yeah.  I guess.”  Man, that was embarrassing! 

Lucas got up from his chair and settled himself next to me in the booth.  “You don’t think I’m normal?”  His whisper was low and husky, and his breath tickled against my ear.

“Are you?”  Could he hear my heart?  Could everyone in the building hear it?  It was certainly beating loud enough.

“If I’m not normal, does that bother you?  Would it matter?  Would you still have agreed to come here with me?”

“Probably.”  My voice was squeaking.

“Which one, Evie?”  He lifted his hands to frame my face.  His beautiful soft eyes bore into mine as though this was the most important conversation he’d ever had.

“Probably I would still have come to dinner with you.” 

Relief flashed in his eyes—and something else, too.  At the time I couldn’t recognize it for what it was: guilt.  “I’m not sure you know what you’re saying, but I’ll take it anyway.” 

He tasted like pizza.  That was the first thought to register in my brain after his lips touched mine.  It was also the last thought.    The entire restaurant melted away.  In a corner to our left a kid was screaming for more French fries.  Two tables to our right a group of kids argued as they counted their pocket change on the tabletop.  All around us arcade games buzzed and beeped while children cheered.  I heard none of it.

I know what you’re thinking.  And yes, we were in a family restaurant surrounded by children.  But I swear it wasn’t like that; not on the outside anyway.  His kiss was soft and sweet.  His hands never left my face.  The amazing, earth-shattering, life-defining moment was happening on the inside.  Something deep inside me snapped.  Not snapped apart.  God knows I’d been broken into enough pieces recently.  It was more like snapping together.  It felt like finding last piece of sky in a big jigsaw puzzle.  I could feel him.  Just like the day before, only times a thousand.

“Oh wow.”  I grinned when we pulled away.

“Uh-oh,” he said at the very same moment.

***

Giveaway: T.J. Will be giving away 2 signed paperbacks of Whispers in the Woods, along with three $5 Amazon Gift Cards during her tour. You can enter to win by signing in on the Rafflecopter button at the top right sidebar. 

Follow the rest of T.J. Dell's tour here!

Books of Note: August Reads

Here's three book reviews of good books I read this month. Only one of these is rated Five Stars, but the other two were very good as well and I wanted to share them with you since they are not necessarily very popular books but definitely hidden gems!

Montmorency, the man who leads a double life as both a criminal and a gentleman, is back for his most thrilling adventure yet in the final installment of the Montmorency trilogy.

As the nineteenth century draws to a close, war is in the air, and influenza is sweeping the globe. After twenty years as a gentleman, Montmorency is glad to be free of Scarper, his wretched alter-ego. However, when Montmorency's young friend Frank finds himself caught in the middle of a murderous political plot, Montmorency may have no choice but to call upon none other than Scarper for help.

Follow Montmorency, Fox-Selwyn, Dr. Farcett, and a whole new generation of characters on their travels from London to Scotland, Italy and America.

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: Wow, as I said in my review of "Montmorency on the Rocks" these books just keep getting better and better and this one definitely did not disappoint. It kept me guessing right to the end, and it took a completely different turn from where I thought it was going to when I first started it. I loved the story line of this one too. Not that the others weren't good, but the intrigue and the plots involving the Italian activists was really interesting because I have never really studied any of that history before. I also liked how the author portrayed them as radicals but yet, the reader could also be sympathetic to their cause even though they tended to go about things in the wrong way.

Characters: As always I loved the regulars: Montmorency, Lord George and Dr. Farcett. I still found Vi annoying, but she's not so annoying I can't stand her either. I really loved the addition of Tom and Frank in here (Vi's son and George's nephew). Frank ended up being one of my favorite characters in this book, and I liked the way he matured through the story and I look forward to seeing more of him in the last book.

Writing Style: I really like the way the author creates stories that are not necessarily action-packed, or at least not what would be considered action-packed in today's society, but yet the story is so very engaging and makes you want to read more. I believe the key is making characters the reader loves so much that we cannot stop reading about these people. The style is also rather classic so that the stories read rather like a Holmes story which only makes them all the better.

Problems/What bothered me: Nothing bothered me, this was a great book, however the ending nearly killed me because I was not expecting that. I'm not going to spoil it though.

Conclusion: 5 stars on this one. It was just so good from start to finish. These are truly amazing books and I hate that it took me so long to get to finally read them!

Recommended Audience: Same as the others, older teens and most likely a good number of adults would enjoy these. And of course any fans of Sherlock Holmes. 

Charlie West has forgotten an entire year in which he was convicted of murder and working with terrorists. He's got to find the answers to deep questions: Who am I? What do I stand for? And how am I going to stay alive?







Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: First of all, this isn't my normal kind of read, at least not the kind of stuff I have been reading recently, I used to be into the spy thrillers and all that, but this is probably the first contemporary book I have picked up in a long time that hasn't been a time travel novel or some kind of paranormal book. It was just one of those random books one picks from the library to "give it a go" and I'm glad I did because it was a really good book!

Writing Style: The author's style is good, fast paced, engaging and in first person, which is the only way I think this book could have worked properly. The reader could not know anything outside of Charlie's head because otherwise the whole story line would be ruined and I really liked how we were just as much in the dark as Charlie about what was going on in the story. Really good choice for a book like this.

Characters: Charlie is a very good protagonist, and a good narrator. He has a sense of humor, though you don't get a lot of that because of the dark situations that fill most of the book. I loved to see his interaction with his friends in the flashback parts and though you don't get to see his friends a lot, you know what they are like through Charlie and that is another thing the author did really well. I also liked that, while Charlie is a good, just person, he is not overly 'goody-two-shoes'. He just comes across as a strong character who will do what he needs to do if he's forced to, but he's not either looking for trouble, or getting out of it because he is afraid of hurting someone. He's a very good protagonist for a YA novel because he is one who the reader will grow with.

Problems/What bothered me: There was nothing that really bothered me. This is a Christian based book (and no, I don't have a problem with that at all) so they're wasn't anything bad content wise. I also appreciated that nothing was shoved down the reader's throat as can sometimes happen with Christian fiction. There were a couple parts I felt the author might have been putting in his own thoughts and concepts, but they weren't necessarily out of content for Charlie either, so I let it slide. The main theme in this book pretty much is patriotism and staying true to yourself.

Conclusion: Four Stars. It was really good, and I look forward to the next one since it has a major cliff hanger and I am very intrigued to find out what happened to Charlie. One thing I really loved about this book is that the author revealed very little in the first volume so that the reader will want to read more to find out what happened and why Charlie cannot remember a whole year of his life. I also liked how this book kept surprising me. In fact, there were very few moments where I could see where it was going and I love that. I like cliché stories, but I love a book that can keep even me guessing! 

Recommended Audience: This is definitely a guy read and I think any guy from 14 and up would really enjoy it. Girls who like guy reads would enjoy it too, but I found it refreshing that I could actually class this with no contest a guy read seeing as they are very hard to find in YA.

A young man only at peace when he is at war

Young Halfdan is a slave. He is crafty with a bow and arrow and wise in the ways of the animals, but he can only dream of a warrior's life. That is, until the dark day a Saxon's blows lay his father on his deathbed, and his mother makes a tragic bargain for Halfdan's freedom.

A boy's destiny can come at the most terrible price. Halfdan must suffer a grave loss in order to grasp what he most desires: to train by, to live by, and, if the fates decree it, to die by the force of his sword and the swiftness of his arrow. He is to be a warrior -- a great warrior.

Bloody, furiously paced, heart-wrenching, and unflinching, this is a story of a land where the destinies of boys and men are forged in the heat of battle. Young Halfdan shall come to know the glories of true brotherhood and the unspeakable horrors of true evil. In this first book in a saga teeming with thrilling details of the Viking world, young Halfdan emerges as a new hero . . . a new myth . . . a new legend

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I love stories about Vikings, and I loved how this one was very accurate. Mr. Roberts did his research on this quite wonderfully. It was not one of the cliché Viking stories where they are portrayed pretty much as ancient pirates, and the extensive historical note in the back, clearly shows all the research that went into this novel to make it accurate, so my hat off to Judson Roberts!

Characters: I really loved the characters in this. Halfdan was a great main character/narrator. I liked how he was conflicted with his feelings about life in general and the Viking way. It is quite a step to go from thrall to chieftain's son in the course of an evening and his feelings were very real and understandable. I also loved Harald and Sigrid and I loved the brother/sister/brother relationship between the two of them and Halfdan. It was extra lovely because they didn't have to be nice to him at all and yet they took to him as if their social classes hadn't been different all their lives. I also think Toke made a wonderful villain. He's just an evil, hateful person, and surprisingly conniving. In short, a wonderful cast of characters.

Writing Style: The writing has that old feel to it that I love reading when it comes to historical novels, especially ones set during this time period. It wasn't quite up with Rosemary Sutcliff, but it was still good. Halfdan as the narrator in first person really works well for this story, so the reader will, I think, sympathize with him even more since it feels like we are enduring everything with him.

Problems/What bothered me: Nothing really bothered me in this story. It started a but slow with all the stories and stuff that everyone was telling, but it's not so slow that you won't want to read on, and when you do, the story picks up and becomes very hard to put down. Besides, this is the kind of book you really have to know the backstory on before you can fully appreciate the plot.

Conclusion: 4 stars. I really enjoyed this book, and am eager to read the rest of the series. It was a good brother story, a good revenge story and it had lots of raw emotions which I usually enjoy in a book because it's a mark of a very good author to be able to pull them off well.

Recommended Audience: Older teens I would say for some content reasons (there's several places where rape is mentioned because that was just what happened) And I think fans of Rosemary Sutcliff or any Historical Fiction lovers would really like these.

(And Don't forget to follow my book tour for On a Foreign Field by clicking on the banner in the sidebar!)

Books of Note: July

Hello dear readers, I realize I have not done any Books of Note posts for a while, and I have decided to do them at the end of every month and highlight some of the favorite books I have read during that time. These are the ones that ranked five stars for me on Goodreads and the reviews I wrote for them:

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy


Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You've never heard of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as Prince Charming. But all of this is about to change. Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, Liam, Frederic, Duncan, and Gustav stumble upon an evil plot that could endanger each of their kingdoms. Now it's up to them to triumph over their various shortcomings, take on trolls, bandits, dragons, witches, and other assorted terrors, and become the heroes no one ever thought they could be.

Debut author Christopher Healy takes us on a journey with four imperfect princes and their four improbable princesses, all of whom are trying to become perfect heroes--a fast-paced, funny, and fresh introduction to a world where everything, even our classic fairy tales, is not at all what it seems.




Review
Thoughts on the Overall Book: I Totally loved this book from start to finish. It was just what I was expecting; a quirky, hilarious, light read. I love stories that spoof the old fairy tales and Disney movies and this one, being from the point of view of the famous "Princes Charming" was a fresh idea and just what I love to see. 

Characters: Okay, so I had a really hard time picking a favorite in this: You have Frederick, the not very brave but good-hearted prince of Cinderella. Gustav, the bad-tempered one who really does have a soft spot somewhere in there and is the prince of Rapunzel. Liam, Sleeping Beauty's prince who is the typical dashing can-do-anything hero, and yet he was not cocky at all. And then there was Duncan, who I think as a final decision was my favorite. He was Snow White's prince, and he was just so quirky and awkward and hilarious that you just can't help but love him. The princesses too, were fun to read about. Sleeping Beauty though was just plain evil and a huge brat. Cinderella was fun because she wanted to go adventuring though Frederick had no wish to leave his castle. I also liked Liam's little sister, because she was another fun character. And then you had the evil witch as the villainous and also a very young Bandit King to add to the mix. In short though this cast was large, everyone got the right amount of story time so that you knew and loved them all.

Problems/What bothered Me: Nothing. I absolutely loved every page of this book. My only problem is having to wait for the sequel that promises to be just as good if the author keeps on in the same way.

Conclusion: Five stars well-deserved! This is the best kid's book I have read in a long time and I'm going to have to buy it, so that's a good sign ;)

Recommended Audience: Anyone who loves and knows the old stories well will enjoy it. it's geared toward 10-12 but teens and adults would enjoy it too, as I did. People who enjoyed "The Enchanted Forest Chronicles" would love this as it reminded me of those books. It's a book that can be read by guys and girls and enjoyed equally by both. 

Frontier Wolf by Rosemary Sutcliff 


Britian, A.D. 343. The end of Roman Rule. The Antonine Wall has fallen and order slowley collapses on the northernmost edge of the empire. What little protection Rome has from the Dalriad and Caledone tribes comes from a small post of half-wild legionnaires: the Frontier Wolves.

A young commander is sent to preside over this undisciplined lot at their borderland outpost. But Alexios Flavius Aquila knows his assignment to Castellum was not a promotion. After abandoning a fort in the German province during a barbarian attack, the centurion lost half his men. Were his uncle no the governor of northern Britain, Alexios would not be calling himself a legionnaire at all. Failure and privilege do not recommend the young man to his hardened troops, so survival depends upon understanding these untamed men and earning their respect. With discipline and courage, Alexios too may win the title of Frontier Wolf.

Review 

Thoughts on the Overall Book: First of all, I dearly love all of Rosemary Sutcliff's books, that said, I am going to have to admit that this one is probably now my absolute favorite of all. Something about the mix of the characters, the story line, the setting and everything else just came together in that beautiful music that certain books have that cause you to die a little when they are over. Rosemary said in her author's note that she wrote this story from the idea she got while watching a western, and I can definitely see that influence in "Frontier Wolf". It read just like a Louis L'Amour novel, or even seemed to me to read like a Horatio Hornblower adventure. Military adventure are my favorite types of books, with true camaraderie portrayed, especially in the way that only Rosemary can do.

Characters: Oh where to begin!! I loved Alexios, he carries on the Aquila family line brilliantly. I have often said that "Eagle of the Ninth" was one of my favorite books because Marcus and Esca are some of my favorite characters ever, but Alexios and his companions are definitely a tie. My favorite supporting character was Hilarion, he was the easy going comrade and the end of this book between him and Alexios (not to give away anything) was just amazing, and true to Rosemary's reoccurring themes of brotherly love. I also really liked Cunorix he too was a wonderful character... Okay they all were ;)

Problems/What bothered me: Nothing ever bothers me about Rosemary's books except that I always wish they were longer! Especially this one!!

Conclusion: Just simply good all the way through. If I was in the Roman army, I would have been a Frontier Wolf ;) Perhaps my favorite part of this book was actually Rosemary's author's note, for she described so many things that were close to me as an author myself and I could definitely feel the fact that she enjoyed writing this book so much from the ease and flow with which it read. It was just like sitting down with the best dessert you can imagine and I only read it so slowly with the wish to savour it.

Recommended Audience: Ten stars if I could give them. Anyone who loves historical fiction (or Westerns) or good adventure novels. And if you are a fan of Rosemary's and have not read this yet, DO SO!! Because it really is one of her best works. It's a bit harder to find a copy of, but do search for one because it's definitely worth having on your shelf.

Marketing is like Precisian Ops

Yep, it's true, and I'm finding this out more and more as I look into marketing my new book "On a Foreign Field". There is a serious amount of planning and timing you have to do to make your marketing campaign go off without a hitch, and even then, just like in a battle, it could still go wrong, and probably will. Right now I feel just like a general with my map and little soldiers, marking my attack plan and going over it with all my lieutenants. Marketing is a very important thing to self-published authors--it will sound the success of your sales. Of course, the success of your book itself is all up to your own writing and who happens to read it. Not everyone is going to like a book, and that's just the way it is.

As an example of what one might go through during marketing, let me tell you a bit about what I'm planning on for my campaign of "On a Foreign Field":

(1) Most importantly--obviously--is publishing the book in the first place. This is the easy part. I have the proof copy, and now all that needs to be done is myself and a fellow writer are going to go through it again and after we make sure all the edits are done, I will re-submit my manuscript, and if all looks well, then I will be able to successfully publish my book!

(2) Then comes the 'fun' bit. I am also planning on publishing it in a Kindle format, and since this is something I have not done before, it might take a little longer. Then I'm going to do a free promotion for it to generate interest and maybe get some nice people to review it =) There is no better incentive than free items for people to try something.

(3) After that, I am setting up a virtual book tour, where I will be appearing on blogs around the web and doing interviews and guest posts and all that fun stuff. I need to set this up with one of the sites that does this, and in doing so, I will have to make sure everything else that I need to run at the same time is in place. Get those soldiers into position!!

(4) While the blog tour is on, I am planning to do a giveaway on Goodreads for several copies of my book so that everyone who sees the tour will have a chance of winning a free copy (and maybe some other fun things specific to the tour itself). This also means that I have to make an add on Goodreads to gain even more interest while the giveaway is running. Again, nothing is better than free things to garner interest!

Hopefully, if all goes well, one might be able to sell enough copies to gain back the price of the campaign. It's not like self-published authors can tax the common folk for the king's ransom, nor even rob the rich to feed the poor. We're all alone in this, but if you do your marketing and promoting right, than you may just reach the success you wish for! The most important part is not giving up.

So I wish the best of luck to any other writers who are campaigning and I hope to see you around. If anyone has any other tips for me or other writers, put them in the comments below!

Slainte, Hazel

Interview with Author Daniel Ottalini

Hello readers! I'm very excited to tell you that newly published author Daniel Ottalini has agreed to do an interview for my blog. His book, "Brass Legionnaire", is an exciting alternate history/steampunk novel combing awesome steampunk gadgets with the Roman Empire. Today he'll be talking about his book and writing in general.

First of all, when did you realize you were a writer? 

I've always enjoyed editing, but I had never really thought of myself as a writer until Brass Legionnaire. It was sort of funny, because I've started stories and even books before, but never finished them. In my opinion, writers are people who finish stories, not just start them. Once you finish one, then you are a writer. 

How did you come up with the idea for “Brass Legionnaire”?

Brass Legionnaire is an offshoot of an inside joke between my girlfriend and myself. It stuck in my head all night long and refused to let me sleep until I had written it down. After that, it sort of took a life of its own and grew rapidly. I had the entire novel with parts of other books in the series written down inside of a week.

What made you choose to combine steampunk with the Romans, and how did you come up with all the awesome steampunk machines in the book?

My three favorite types of novels are alternate history, historical fiction, and steampunk novels. Elizabethan England is the most prominently featured steampunk era, and I know that few authors have split from this mainstream era. The fashion and weapons and technology are easier to imagine because you already have a lot of fantastic machines to reference. For Brass Legionnaire, I had to think at a completely different angle. I've always loved Roman history, and this is just a logical progression to me of 'what if Rome had survived?'

The machines in the novel - most particularly the  mechaniphant - are adaptations of animals that they Romans feared and respected. One of the most terrifying weapons of war the Romans faced were the elephants of Carthage - because it took them a while to figure out how to defeat them. It makes sense that the Romans would seek to emulate it and design a 'better' elephant that could be used in war - one that wouldn't be stopped by normal means. The other designs haven't been fully fleshed out yet. But there will be more in Copper Centurion, I promise!

Do you have a set writing schedule, or do you just do it whenever you get the time?

As a full-time teacher, its really hard for me to write during the school year. I aim for about 1000 words on the weekend, but that's rare for me. During the summer, I write at least 1-2k words a day, with more on the weekends. I finished Brass Legionnaire in one summer.

Who’s your favorite character in your book and why?

Hmm, that's tough. I'd say Constantine, although all the characters are like my children and I 'love them equally.' Constantine starts as a jerk, but he grows up somewhat. He might regress next book a tad - not facing life or death situations tends to let him slip up.

What are some of your favorite books and authors? Who inspires you?

I love books by S.M. Stirling, Harry Turtledove, and Rick Riordan. I can't ever narrow down a specific book that is my favorite because it changes all the time! Those same authors also inspire me and help me think about things that I would not normally consider.

Do you have any hobbies besides writing?

Haha, I teach, there is no time period. Although I do enjoying video games and soccer outside of my day-job.

Do you have any strange quirks or habits when you write like muses, favorite music or snacks?

If I'm writing a battle scene, I'll listen to music from Lord of the Rings or Snow White and the Huntsman (that's new) - Any classical music that is really dramatic works well for battle scenes. When I write, its in fits and bursts - I am very distractable and probably have four or five internet windows open while I write. 

I know are working on a sequel to “Brass Legionnaire” but besides that do you have any plans for further books, or even a different series?

Well I've planned the series out to five books. I also have some ideas floating around for a series that takes place at the same time, but on a different part of the globe. I really like the idea of mixing steampunk with cultures that aren't the standard Elizabethan fare, and needless to say, I've got the possibility of one, maybe even two more series lined up in my head.

And lastly, what is the best advice from your own experiences that you would share with any aspiring writers or newly self-published authors?

Finish your writing and find a really good editor and cover artist. They make the difference. Oh, and get people to read it before you send it to the editor. If you're self-publishing, you're responsible for everything. Your book should look good from the outside and read well on the inside. It's all about image. The cover art and blurb grab the reader, while the writing keeps them. If you have both, you can't fail.

Thanks so much, Daniel, it was a pleasure to have you! If you're interested in Daniel's book you can find it on Amazon from the link below:

http://amzn.to/L56IcR


And also visit his blog "Modern Papyrus" for updates on his books and tips for other writers.

Slainte, Hazel