This or That with Angela Carlie

Today we have Angela Carlie author of Dream Smashers. We sent her a couple of pairings and asked which she preferred, here is what she said! You can see my additions in this color :)

Sweet or Salty – Sweet. I mean salty. I mean sweet. I like to eat my potato chips covered in chocolate. ME TOO

Hardcover or Ebook – Both!  I usually buy the eBook first. If I really love the story, I’ll purchase the print version, too. I own my favorites in both formats as well!

PC or Mac -- I own a PC, but with all the problems I’ve had lately, I’m considering a switch. I love my Mac, though PCs have their use.

Action Movie or Comedy – Comedy. I love to laugh.

Paranormal or Sci-Fi – Paranormal.


Fate or Freewill – Freewill is much more romantic and sexy. Definitely. Agreed

Dresses or Jeans – Jeans all the way! I can’t remember the last time I wore a dress. I actually prefer to wear yoga pants or something less constrictive. PJs as often as I can for me.

Dark Colors or Bright Colors – It really depends on my mood. I love all color.

Beach or Mountains – You’re asking someone who lives near both and frequents both the mountains and the coast often. I’d have to toss a coin on this one. Living the dream...

Small Town or Big City – I love to explore it all. When it comes to living, however, I’m a bit of a loner and not a fan of closed-in areas. I’d have to say: small town near a big city.

Video Games or Board Games – I am the least coordinated person on the face of the planet when it comes to video games. I’m always dying in the first second, unless it’s Ms. Pacman. Then I can only get to like the third level. I’m not very good at board games, either. My attention span isn’t all that great when it comes to games.

Movie Theatre or Living Room – Theatre

Kindle or Nook – I own a Kindle YAY for kindle owners!

Young Adult or Middle Grade – Young Adult <3

This was fun! Thank you Yani for having me on your blog today! No, Thank YOU Angela for participating :)

Author Spotlight : Interview with Tina Ferraro

How did you start writing?

I have been daydreaming and making up stories for as long as I can remember. When I was about seven, my teacher told my mother that my short stories were the best she’d seen for that grade! My mother was thrilled, but I was confused. Writing stories was just fun...like skipping rope and going down a slide. How could anyone be “good” or “bad” at having fun? :)

Who are some of your favorite authors?

I am a big fan of my partners, The Buzz Girls: Stephanie Hale, Tera Lynn Childs, Dona Sarkar, Marley Gibson, Wendy Toliver, Heather Davis, and my YA Fresh partner, Kelly Parra!

What I love about your books is the characters always feel so genuine, Are they inspired by real people or are you that in tune with the teenage mind?

Why, thank you! All my characters are a part of me, with outside influences from my lifetime factored in. For instance, I think that Nicolette in Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress was a lot like Teen Tina--only with many of her characteristics ratcheted up. She said what she thought, she acted on her dreams, she held her head high when I would have likely backed down.

In How to Hook a Hottie and the ABC's of Kissing Boys there is a lot of business talk and different kissing techniques (respectively), did you have to do research in writing these novels?

Yes, and that was so much fun! For How to Hook a Hottie, I read Donald Trump’s book about the principles he used to become successful, plus queried everyone I knew about tips to hook guys. (The Starburst wrapper idea came from my teenaged niece!) For The ABC’s of Kissing Boys, I read several books on the art of kissing. For Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress, I got help from a fashion friend and my editor. The Dress changed a lot from beginning to end!

Do you have a favorite of the books you have written? Mine is Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress, though the ABC's of Kissing Boys placed a permanent smile on my face while reading.

Why, thank you! My favorite changes, depending on my mood. I am often partial to Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress because it was my first published book, but the other day, in a social situation, I was introduced as an author. The woman I met asked me what I’d written, and surprised me by knowing my books. In fact, she said several times that she was so pleased to meet the author of How to Hook a Hottie! Which suddenly became my favorite--haha!

Have you ever / will you ever write something other than contemporary or YA? And what is if that you love about that genre?

Yes, before writing YA, I tried my hand at adult romantic suspense books simply because I liked to read them. But they were difficult for me to write, probably because third person adult doesn’t flow as easily for me as first person teen. I don’t see me going back to adult any time soon.

Name a really good book you have read lately.

Carolyn Mackler’s Tangled. I do not know her personally, but I sent her a Facebook message, which she kindly answered. Tangled takes three seemingly unrelated story threads and “tangles” them together for a grand finish. I was captivated as a reader by the story, and as a writer about her process. I definitely recommend it!

Interview: Tammara Webber

About Writing:

Q. I know you have decided to self-publish Between the Lines, what made you decide this was the best option for you?

Selling contemporary YA is tough, especially for an unproven author. Publishers (and by extension, agents) want “high concept” ideas (think Graceling, Hunger Games, Delirium). I write contemporary stories that build rather than start with a bang, and I’m big on character development. The plot doesn’t always race ahead, isn’t always visible. Also, I tend to do stuff you aren’t supposed to do, which drives my critique partners a little crazy. I won’t say what, because I don’t want to spoil the story! But when someone says, “You can’t do that,” it makes me think Oh yeah? Why not?

Q. Do you think you will continue to self-publish or keep trying to send queries and sell to a publishing company?

Agents are the publishing industry gatekeepers. They get several hundred queries a week. They might request 100 manuscripts in a month, and take on 1-3 clients a year out of those. If they don’t love something immediately, they pass. Those are scary, depressing odds. My plan is to be an indie author until/unless it doesn’t make sense to do so. I’ve written the sequel to Between the Lines (still working on a title – titles kill me), I have my current WIP, and I have a fourth story swirling around in my head. (I’m making notes and doing research for that last one until I finish editing/revising the second one and writing the third.) I may try querying again at some point, but I’m feeling very wait-and-see at the moment. Writing is the career I intend to pursue, and however I do it is fine, as long as I do it.

Q. What advice do you give other writers out there trying to make it? What was the best advice you have been given?

Put your best work out there. It can’t be “good enough.” The thing is, only you can say This is as good as I can make it. You need to connect with other writers – I suggest 2-3 at a similar level – and trade chapters. You should be tough on your partners, and you want them to be tough on you. That said, don’t stick with someone who’s a dream-killer, and don’t shoot down someone else’s dream. Writing is a craft. If you work at it, you should get better. That can’t happen if you’re in love with everything you write, though. You have to be willing to say, or hear your partners say, “This is kind of crap,” and be willing to throw stuff out. You also have to trust your gut on when to ignore advice. Ultimately, it’s your story, and their names aren’t on it. Yours is.

About The Book:

Q. What inspired Between the Lines?

This story began nudging me when I became aware of how involved some fans can get in the lives of their favorite stars – or the ones they dislike. People say some horrible things online about them. They build them up and tear them down, and believe they should be privy to everything actors do because they’re “public figures.” But the truth is, they’re people. They have fears, get infatuated, fall in love, get frustrated with coworkers, doubt whether they’re any good at what they do – just like the rest of us. I wanted to create a guy who had fame and reveled in it (to his detriment, at times), and a girl on the verge of becoming famous who grows increasingly certain that she doesn’t want that life.

Q. Do you have any experience with acting or did you do research to get inside the mind of the actors and actresses?

I researched the heck out of this, and my oldest son is an aspiring actor. He did theatre in high school and went on to study at NYU, and now he’s in LA, doing grunt jobs and waiting for that big break. His contacts in the business are all over the place, and he passes on all the gossip to me. He was a huge help in fact-checking Between the Lines, because I wanted to capture it as it is. He’s also one of the reasons I could see these characters as people, because every time I read or hear someone say how untalented or how unattractive some young actor or actress is, I can’t help but wonder how my son would take that.

Q. I read on your blog that Between the Lines was originally only in Emma’s viewpoint, and then you added Reid’s? How difficult was that?

That was such a difficult decision to make. I fought doing it for several months, during which I was writing the sequel, which had emerged as a dual POV from the start. Adding Reid meant stripping a lot of Emma’s POV out. The first thing I did was add Reid to the first few chapters, when they haven’t yet met. I knew then that it was the right thing to do, and that made the decision easier, though the massive cutting was still rough. Once I decided to do it, I just went at it like I was hacking through a jungle with a machete. It was ugly.

Q. Did you ever think of having Graham’s view instead of Reid’s? Or Brooke’s at some point?

I did consider that. I decided, though, that Graham and Brooke could be accurately portrayed, for the most part, through Emma’s and Reid’s eyes. Reid is complicated. He seems one way and is another. I wanted the reader in his head because otherwise they’d never be able to tell what’s real where he’s concerned. That’s one thing about him – he’s honest to the extreme with himself, and with a couple of choice friends. Everyone else gets the persona. I didn’t want more than two POVs for this book because I knew it would slow the plot down too much.

Q. I loved the all the characters’ backstory, was that always in place when you began writing or did it come to you when you were in the process of creating the story?

Emma’s backstory, I knew. I actually misjudged Reid until I was near the end. He surprised me. That’s one of the things I love about writing. I seem to be telling a story, but really, I just create the characters and put them together and let them go. Like improv. If it works, it resonates and expands and grows into something I’m proud of writing. If it doesn’t, I rework it or ditch the whole project and move on to something that clicks.

Find out more about Tammara and Between the Lines Here!

EScott Book Week Interview with Elizabeth Scott

As part of our Elizabeth Scott Week festivities I was able to interview Elizabeth for the blog! I was so excited, being that she is one of my favorite authors,  and I didn't really know what to ask. So instead of getting specific with books, I wanted to know where the inspiration and beautiful writing came from.

Also, remember to enter our giveaway to win 1 of 3 sets of her books! Linkys to your review or posts = extra entries in the giveaway.

Find her webpage here, and twitter here.

Quick List

Nickname: E
Favorite color: black
Favorite City ever visited: It doesn't get any better than NYC!
Favorite Food: Ruffles
Cats or Dogs: Dogs
Fiction or Non-Fiction: Both
Name a really good book you have read recently: Heaven, Texas and Natural Born Charmer, both by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, who I only recently discovered and wow, have I been missing out on some great books!

Some Deeper Questions

Q: What got you started into writing and why do you write for young adults?

I started writing as utter fluke--I was bored out of my mind during a meeting at work, and instead of taking notes, I found myself writing about a girl. It was the weirdest thing because growing up, I went out of my way to avoid anything that had to do with "creative writing"--I even skipped taking certain English classes in college because of it.

I always saw myself as a reader, and although I loved writing papers, I never ever saw myself writing fiction. I didn't think I was creative, you know?

Anyway, after that first short story, I realized that hey, writing fiction was fun, and never looked back. I joined an online critique group and wrote short stories for about five years before I wrote my first novel, Bloom.

I've always written about teenagers. I don't know why--maybe it's because in my heart, I'm still about 15-18, depending on the day! :-)

Q: What kind of books do you read and who are some of your favorite authors?

I read everything--fiction, non-fiction, biographies, poetry, autobiographies--you get the idea :-)
Some authors I adore--besides Susan Elizabeth Phillips (seriously, how come no one ever told me about her!) are Helen Dunmore, Charles Baxter, Maggie Helwig, Amy Bloom, Ann Patchett, and Ha Jin

Q. What is the best thing about being an author? What is the hardest?

The best thing, for me, about being an author is writing that first draft, hearing from readers, and meeting readers!

The hardest is all the rewriting, and dealing with the realities of publishing--I'm a mid-list author, and with the publishing industry changing so much, I worry.

Q. Which is your favorite of the books you have written?

Since I can't read my own writing (never have been able to, which is why I joined an on-line critique group--I knew I had a lot to learn (and I still do) but that I'd never be able to learn it unless I had someone tell me what I was doing wrong!

So, that's my long-winded way of telling you that I don't have a favorite, because I don't ever read my books.

Q. Contemporary YA is (I believe) one of the hardest genres to write. Characters must be genuine and realistic, and you have had so many of those. What -or who- inspires you when creating these characters and stories? And are any of them based on yourself?

I get inspired by things I see, things I hear, things I read, things I dream about--heck, I've even been inspired when I was cleaning the toilet!

I never have based a character on myself or anyone I know--I think it would be weird to write about someone I know, and as for me? I'm way too boring to write about! (Plus, making up people? FUN!)

Q. Do you plan to continue writing Contemporary YA, or would you like to explore into other genres?

I love contemporary YA, and I have no interest in writing adult fiction or even middle grade. My heart is all YA!!

To see more about Elizabeth Scott
and get a taste of her books in her own words, see the link below:

http://www.goodreads.com/videos/list_author/363405.Elizabeth_Scott

Rules:

- US Only

- 13 + only
- Runs until May 25, 2011

- May only enter once (on this blog), we will count the extra entries manually

- Each blog is hosting their own giveaway for one set of the books, but here in TSLoaAR, you have a chance to win 1 of 3!

Interview - Kimberley A. Johnson

Interview with: Kimberley A. Johnson

About Kimberley A. Johnson:

Kimberley A. Johnson was born in Baltimore Maryland and raised in Southern California.  During the 1980-81 school year, she lived with her father, a network news cameraman which provided the opportunity to attend the Anglo American School in Moscow Russia.  She portrayed a police officer on the popular daytime drama Days Of Our Lives for over seven years. The make-up crew referred to her as "Diva Cop."  Currently, Kimberley is a regular guest on The Jorge Rodriguez Show on Sofloradio.com. She also has a background in sales, including fine bone china, perfume, industrial chemicals and energy and is now pursuing her dream of conquering the world. She resides in Northern California.

Interview: 

Convince me to buy your Book Twitter Style. 140 characters or less, GO!

Kimberley A. Johnson: Find out what it feels like emotionally as well as physically to have sex for the first time. Seventy-two men & women unlock the mystery.

What made you decide to write a book for virgins?

K.A.J.: The idea came to me in a conversation with my mother. I thought it would be an interesting read. I also wished I would have had a source to turn to when I was younger. Nobody tells you what it's really like. Parents often don't feel comfortable discussing sex with their children and friends can sometimes mislead you. We didn't want to tell anyone how to think or feel. We wanted them to get a better understanding from a completely objective standpoint so they could make a more informed decision when they felt the time was right. We watch so much reality television, We wanted to make a reality book. We have been happily surprised that people of all ages and backgrounds enjoy reading it as well. We do all love to be a fly on the wall...

How was the process of getting the book done and how long did it took you?

K.A.J.: I started collecting stories from women only in 2004. I then opened it up to men and gay individuals to provide a broader range. The last story I got was in 2009. I utilized my friends but I mainly found anonymous people via the Internet. My mother, Ann Werner joined me in the collection and the editing in 2005. We pitched it to agents but never found anyone interested (a common lament with indie authors) so we decided that we would publish it ourselves and we did in 2010. In late 2009 I reconnected with a friend and artist, Ralph Faust from high school and he enthusiastically offered to design the format. He created the cover and our Ark Stories logo. He was instrumental in the entire design process. Both my mother and I loved his ideas and were thrilled with the final product. We are working with him now on our second title due out later this month.

When you started getting the stories, where you shocked by the responses that you got?

K.A.J.: Yes! Many of the stories shocked us. It was very interesting, though not all that surprising that the males enjoyed their first time so much more than the females. We were also very surprised that the oldest virgin was a thirty-two year old male and the youngest was a twelve year old female. We found it intriguing that there was more guilt associated with the younger generation. One of the women who provided her story was seventy-seven and she lost her virginity when she was fifteen. She said that she liked it and wanted more. Can you imagine your grandmother saying that to you?

Tell us a secret.

K.A.J.: Our stories are both in The Virgin Diaries. But you'll have to try and figure out which ones they are. ;)

Last but not least, what doors are next to unlock?

K.A.J.: My mother and I are just about to release our second title; Ain't No Sunshine - Men Reveal The Pain Of Heartbreak. We interviewed thirty-eight men on how they deal with lost love. Ann is also a fiction writer, so as soon as Ain't No Sunshine is out, we will start getting ready to release her novel Dreams And Nightmares.

Thank You So Much for the opportunity of reviewing your book and for the Interview! :D

Thank you for the positive review and the opportunity to share some of how it all came to be. I would like to add that our books are Print On Demand & Kindle on Amazon and other online booksellers. We are not in bookstores. If anyone is interested in purchasing a copy but doesn't have a credit card, you can order one at an independent bookstore. They will order it for you and you can pick it up at the store. A bigger chain will do the same but they will ship it to your home. All of this information can be found on our site arkstories.com. Thank you again Jude. It has been my pleasure!

Interview: Karen Metcalf

About Karen

Tell us (the readers) a little about yourself and how you started writing?

I’ve always loved to write. I was big on poetry when I was younger, and had a few published in anthologies. As I grew older I dabbled in short stories, but nothing big.  In the Storm was my first attempt at real writing.

Who are some of your favorite authors? Favorite Genres?

I love horror and sci-fi, which of course means Stephen King. I’ve been reading him for as long as I can remember. I fell in love with Richard Matheson’s I am Legend when I was thirteen, and it is easily the book I reread most often. I also really enjoyed Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War.

What is you favorite thing about writing or being a writer?

I think I started to write because it was so cathartic. Then I realized I could make other people cry, and I think that was my goal for a long time. Now it is about creating a journey and dragging the reader with me. I want a reader to walk away with just a few of my words stuck in their head, or a new idea. As a reader there is nothing better than a book that stays with you, and that is my goal as a writer.

About the Book

One of my favorite things about the book is the concept of the storm world and your explanation of deja vu ( which I tend to get alot) ... is there any part of you that really believes that it can be true?

I guess I believe it could be possible. I was a very imaginative child, and like to think just about anything could happen. I certainly don’t think we’ve got it all figured out.

Also, I loved Carly! She is one of the strongest female protagonist I have ever read about. Is she based on you or someone you know?

Thank you! Parts of Carly are based on me as a child, like her anger. But I really wanted to create a strong character; I don’t very much like whiney protagonists who just sit idly and let the world screw them over.  And we don’t always get handed the world on a silver platter. Though we can’t always change things I believe we should at least try.

Is there any chance in the future there will be a sequel?? I would love to here more about the storm world and how it came to be... Also some more Carly Morgan wouldn't be a bad thing either =)

I haven’t taken that off the table, but I am working on a separate piece right now.  I don’t yet know what the future holds for Carly and Morgan, but am just as excited to find out!

So Whats next??

I don’t want to say too much about my next project
just yet but it will be in the same genre and longer.

Thanks for telling us a more about yourself and how In the Storm came to be, I really hope to see more from you in the future!

            Thanks so much for the wonderful interview!

Enter the Giveaway for In the Storm Here

Interview with Ramona Wray

About Ramona Wray: 

Ramona Wray was born in Romanian. She is a writer and now lives in Plymouth with her husband and her little boy. Her debut Novel, Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale was released on February 1, 2011.

Hex, A Witch And Angel Tale, is a refreshing read, that convines paranormal fantasy, with deep romance, and characters that jump of the page.

THIS is her website.
HER Goodreads page.
and HERE'S where you can get her book.

Almost forgot.... Here's the Interview

 Interview

1. In your novel, you mentioned a few music groups and singers, including Dashboard Confessional and Linking Park. Was music involved in the writing process of Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale?

Lots of it, and all the time. Music is good for the soul, and I think that’s where the words come from. Every time I hit a writer’s block - which happens now and then - I turn to music. And it always works like a charm.

2. Lily’s character just seemed so real to me, such a strong voice. Could you hear her voice clear in your head? Or did she just came as an extension of you, natural and developing along with the story?

When I get deep enough into a story, I even dream of my characters :-) So, yes, I used to hear Lily in my head all the time. I’d like to say she’s a lot like me, but I’d be lying. I only wish I had her backbone.

3. What gave you the idea for Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale?

I was watching “Bewitched” one day and it occurred to me that writing a witch was something I could definitely do. It had so much humorous potential.

4. Most readers take valuable things from the books they read. What would you like your readers to take from Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale?

A bunch of things, none of which more important than this : happiness and personal fulfillment are, to a point, a matter of perspective. Lily never got rid of her gift/curse in the end; she remained the same social pariah. Yet she was happy. Why? Because she realized that being accepted by her peers paled into insignificance when compared to being accepted and loved by the one person who mattered. Also, I love writing unusual characters; I think the odd ones, the lonely, those who don’t fit in often have unexpected depth of feeling and that, given the chance, they could blow you away. It would be great if Hex would persuade readers to consider this angle.

5. You once mentioned to me you were very involved in the cover process for this book. You always knew how you wanted it to be?

Well, I knew I wanted something featuring a cartoon because it seemed like a good way to honor the initial idea for Hex which, as I said, came to me while I was watching “Bewitched”. So the opening credits pointed me to the cartoon concept. The pink came with the music :-) More precisely, Édith Piaf’s “La vie en rose”, which was kind of a “musical theme” for the cover. Why not make it all pink, I thought. It’s that perspective thing again - while no one can be perfectly happy, I think that, from the right angle, people’s lives can naturally appear “en rose” at one time or another. Of course, I’m annoyingly optimistic, so I don’t expect everyone to share my view.

6. Is any of your characters inspired by someone you know? A real life Ryder perhaps?…. In which case I’d like his number please xD!.... maybe an adorable black cat?

Ooh, sorry, no real-life Ryder (but wouldn’t the world be so much better with him in it? :-) I knew a Lucian once, so I guess his namesake is very loosely based on him (but, no, I don’t have his phone number ;-) I had both cats and dogs (I love pets) and I did have this cat once, Meetzi, and she was the quietest, most soothing presence in the world. Sometimes she would stare into my eyes in such a way I could swear she knew exactly what I was thinking. Kind of like Raisin. When I was a child, I also had a dear old teacher who dressed very eccentrically, very Queen-of-England like (all hats, and goves, and crocheted collars). She was my inspiration for J.

7. Tell us something at random :)

Bacon is evil.

8. Any last words? (Now that just sounded Horrible xD!!!) Something fun-crazy-funny-deep-or emotional you’d like to say to us your readers?

My life is charmed and I thank God for it, every day. But here’s a piece of advice, by which I live my own life - the bad that happens to people has a purpose, and that purpose is to teach appreciation for the good. And as long as an experience teaches something, it can never be truly bad.



Thank You so much to Ramona Wray for the interview and allowing me to review her book. Thank You So Much!!