Interview & Giveaway for You Are Mine by Janeal Falor

I recently read and reviewed this incredible debut novel by Janeal Falor. I personally loved it. It was very unique and explored a lot of interesting ideas, but with wonderful fantastical depth :). To hear more about what I thought of this book, you can read my review HERE.

This is definitely a very exciting time for Janeal, with the release of her first book. As well I was very excited to be one of the first to read it :). But what's even more exciting is that I got to ask her  a bunch questions and find out some great stuff about her as an author and how the process of putting her book out there for the first time has been. So continue on below to see how that interview went, and then we shall have giveaway time! I can't wait to share this book with one of you, you lucky ducks!

1. First off, we'd love to learn some more about you :) What things can you tell us so that we can know a bit more of who you are? And where can we go to learn more about your book?

    Hardest question! I'm shy so I find it tough to talk about myself. I'm a homeschooling mother of three and love every minute of it. And yes, as part of that I'm constantly getting my kids to read and write books. Thankfully they are just as crazy about books as I am.

You can learn more about my book on http://janealfalor.com/. Or you can purchase it an ecopy at Amazon, Kobo, and Smashwords, or the print version at Create Space.

Meghan- I am also a stay at home mom to 3 little ones. I try to encourage reading as much as possible, and they know how crazy mommy is about her books. I can only hope that at least one of them will develop the madness as well haha.


2. What has the experience of putting your very first book out there been like?

    It has been beyond amazing. I was expecting a lot of hiccups and not a lot of interest. But for a few tiny things, everything has gone very smoothly. More than that, people truly astound me with their interest and support. There has been a lot of shock, tears, and insane giggling going on at my house. But mostly it has left me feeling a lot of gratitude for so many incredible people.



3. When did you make the decision to become a writer? What helped you make that decision?

    I've been writing stories since I was a kid. I think I've always enjoyed being able to escape real life through my own imaginings. Sometimes you just need that escape to help ease the pressure of daily life. Plus it's down right fun!

Meghan- Writing has been something I've always wanted to try my hand at. But I always just worry that I don't have the creative juices neccesary to write something interesting enough. Perhaps someday something will happen to push me into that direction.


4. What things do you take pleasure in when you aren't writing?

    I love cooking and eating, the eating part probably a little too much. ;) Reading of course. Being outdoors. I especially enjoy  being with my family. My husband and children bring a lot of joy to my life.

Meghan- Ha! Can I ever relate with you on the eating too much part ;). I have a terrible weakness for foods that I know aren't good for me. But we can't be good all the time can we? Besides, it's too much fun to have ice cream with your kids on a sunny day, and sit down with some snacks and a movie in the evening :).

5. Now for some questions about You Are Mine, where did you find inspiration for this story?

    I was reading a lot of marriage of convenience/marrying for money type stories and I thought; What if these girls weren't sold off for money? What if they were sold off for something else that they couldn't control. Something of great value like...Magic.

And my life was consumed until...well, it's still consumed.

Meghan- I have to give props to a very unique and imaginative idea. It makes this read so much fun, and that much more interesting with the fantastical dynamic thrown in there.

6. Was women's rights something you always had interest in? Or was it just something that developed for the story?

    I've always cared about women's right, but I didn't go into the story knowing that was what I was going to write about. After I wrote the first draft I stepped back and went, 'Well look at that.How can I use that to make Serena grow?'

7. Did you find it difficult as a woman in today's age to put yourself into Serena's position?

   Yes and no. Serena has lived through horrors that I've never been through. But there's so many problems for women in this world that break my heart. It's only too easy to find stories about violence against women and ways we are still struggling to find equality with men. I hope that it is something we work at changing until the only places it exists is in history and fiction.

Meghan- Yes, and hopefully sooner rather than later!

8. Do you have a personal favorite amongst the characters you wrote?

    This answer always changes every time someone asks me. I just love them all so much. Right now I'm feeling in the mood for a good swoon so I'd have to go with Zade. *imagines Zade* *swoons*

Meghan- I definitely have to agree! I adored Zade, and I always got excited whenever he walked onto the scene. I had a perfect visualization of him and yes, he is definitely swoon-worthy.

9. Are any of your characters based off of people you have met or know in real life?

    Not any specific person, but I do think some of character traits have been based off of people I know in general. I know so many great people with strength and goodness and I'd like to think they've been a positive influence on my outlook.

10. Do you think if you lived in Serena's world  that you would have had the bravery she has when facing pure domination and slavery? Why or why not?

    I truly hope that I would, but honestly? I'm scared I wouldn't. It's really easy to say I would be brave enough, but the truth is I'm not always as brave as I would like to be. It's so hard to stand up for things. I can only try to work on being better and hope if ever faced with a similar situation I can do what needs to be done.

11. Why do you think people should read your book? Why would you recommend it?

    Because it's awesome!

Really though, one thing I love as a reader is character growth and Serena definitely has a lot of that. There's romance that takes time to build as the characters get to know one another. Plus, it will jerk your emotions all over, but leave them in a happy place.

Meghan- It definitely is awesome, among many other positive qualities it carries. Character development is something I love in a book. It definitely can make or break a book. But watching Serena grow, change and adapt was phenomenal. For those who haven't, you can read all about it in my review :).

12. I'd like to hear about your own reading preferences, have you always been a fan of fantasy? What other genres do you enjoy?

    I have always loved fantasy and YA. I also really enjoy reading Sweet Romances, especially historical ones, and books that make me laugh.

13. Who are some of your favorite Authors?

    Rae Carson, Beth Revis, Gail Carson Levine, and Victoria Hanley

Meghan- I am a little ashamed to admit that I have never heard of any of them or read their books. I shall try my best to change that!


14. Do you have any all time favorite books? Any books that you think everyone should read at some point?

    Pretty much all of the books written by the authors above. The Fire and Thorns series, Across the Universe series, Ella Enchanted, and the Seer and the Sword. All fantastic books/series.

15. Speaking as a new and emerging author, what advice would you give to aspiring writers out there who are thinking about putting out their stories?

    If you believe in your story, follow your heart, but be willing to work hard. Very little in the publishing business is easy, but it's very worth it.

16. I had one final question about your story. When I was listing the genre for my review, I was trying to decide if  I should list it as a Historical Fiction, or a Dystopian. In which genre would you place it, if either?

    I personally classify it as a High Fantasy. With romance if you'd like. And when I feel like making up a genre I call it a Realistic High Fantasy because it's relateable despite having magic and being in another world.

Meghan- Ah! Thank you for solving my dilemma. I think I will have to look into some more High Fantasy Novels :).

Before we carry onto the giveaway I would like to take this time to thank Janeal for taking the time to answer all my questions so thoroughly and for providing and e-copy so that I can share this great novel with one of you lucky readers :). 

Enter the rafflecopter below for your chance to win!

& don't forget to tell your friends :).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview/Giveaway!! Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Hello everyone !
Today I am bringing to you another awesome Author Interview and Giveaway! I am incredibly excited about this one as I loved the book so dearly. You can find my review for Starflower here. Starflower is book #4 in the Series called The Tales of the Goldenwood. But since it is a prequel you don't necessarily need to have read the previous three. It is the first in the series that I read myself and as I said before, I fell completely in love with it and I know you will to! So be sure to enter our giveaway after reading our awesome interview with the very lovely Anne Elisabeth Stengl :).

1. Please tell us some interesting facts about yourself, we love getting a further peek into the author behind the stories we love.

Hi there! I am Anne Elisabeth, a lover of Fairy Tales, cats, Sri Lankan teas, classical piano, fuzzy socks, and classic literature. I'm also the author of the Tales of Goldstone Wood, a series of fantasy adventure novels told in the classic Fairy Tale style. I live with my handsome husband, a gaggle of cats, and one long-suffering dog in Raleigh, NC. My novels include Heartless, Veiled Rose, Moonblood, and Starflower. Both Heartless and Veiled Rose have been honored with a Christy Award.

2.Starflower is definitely one of the best fantasy stories I have ever read. Is fantasy something you have always been partial to?

Absolutely. I spent my early childhood years in England, surrounded by landscapes right out of fairy tales. My father and older brother used to tell me exciting stories about goblins and elves and wicked fairies that lived in the forest right by our house. I grew up with an active imagination and a fascination for all things fantastical. When I got a little older, I fell in love with the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, and after them, with Robin McKinley's amazing retold fairy tales. There is no genre I love more!

I am not at all surprised by your answer. After reading your book I immediately would class it amongst stories such as Chronicles of Narnia and works of Tolkein!

3.Your characters are all so well developed and real. I always had such vivid images while reading your story. Are any of them based on someone you know personally?

Much of the reason the characters are so vivid is because I have been writing about them for a long time. Eanrin, especially, was a character I loved and wrote stories about when I was in high school. While Starflower is the first novel he's featured in as the main protagonist, he has always been my special favorite. Of course, he has grown a lot as a character even as I have grown as a writer. These days, he is also very loosely based off my husband in some ways . . . all the most charming ways. (But my husband is the most unselfish man I know, so in that they are polar opposites.)

For the most part, however, I would say that all of my characters are little pieces of me. I'll take an aspect of my own character and personality--good or bad--and then imagine that quality embellished into a whole person with a whole new background and motivations. All of my characters, even my most hideous villains, are extensions of me. Thus I know them intimately.

I love that you take your individual traits and turn them into an entire person. That is the first time I have heard an Author say that about their characters. It seems like such a great idea, because as you said, since they are a piece of you, you automatically know them intimately. That's just awesome!

4.In my review it's pretty obvious I adore this book and recommend it to any and all, but for what reasons would you yourself recommend this book?

Well, I'm a bit biased, but I truly do think that Starflower has it all!

It has the fairy tale themes we loved as children, so there is a sense of familiarity. But you can never predict where the story is actually going, so you are kept in suspense the whole while.

It has an amazingly charming hero, and an amazingly strong heroine, and yet they are nothing like any hero or heroine you've met. The hero is as vain and selfish as you can get . . . but I dare you not to fall madly in love with him! And the heroine cannot speak a word and certainly can't wield a weapon . . . but I defy any monster to face her!

It is a magical book full of twists, surprises and--Oh yes: A healthy dose of romance.

But then, like I said, I am a bit biased. J

5.Your story is so beautiful, where do you draw your inspiration from?

I am greatly inspired by such authors as C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald. These gentlemen combined their faith with their love of fairy tales and fantasy, and wrote meaningful fantasy fiction such as you don't often see today. Unlike modern authors, they weren't primarily focused on the BANG! ACTION! ADVENTURE! of their stories. They didn't simply race from one exciting sequence to the next. They wrote brilliantly engaging stories that not only catch our imaginations, but also capture our hearts. They wove meaningful themes, universal and spiritual truths, and unforgettable characters into elegant narratives.

6. If you had to pick a favorite character from this story who would it be?

Easily Eanrin. Don't get me wrong! I adore my Starflower as well. She's a wonderful, lovely, admirable character. But I just adore my poet-cat, and all his charm and selfishness! He always takes me by surprise, and he always has a witty word to offer. I've been writing about him for so long, I don't feel like I actually create any of his scenes anymore. I simply sit down and watch him go. He is the darling of my heart, and my favorite not only in this book, but also in the series as a whole.

I definitely have to agree! I just loved Eanrin right from the beginning! He was so adorable and clever, I just wish I could have strolled in and became his friend :).

7. Moving away from your story for a second, who are some of your own favorite authors/books?

I really love the following:

C.S. Lewis--Chronicles of Narnia and Till We Have Faces

George MacDonald--The Princess and the Goblin

Megan Whalen Turner--The Queen's Thief series

Robin McKinley--Rose Daughter and Beauty

Sir Terry Pratchett--Nation

There are so many more, but these are definitely among my all time favorites!

8. If you could write a story with any author, alive or not, who would you choose and what would you want to write about?

Wow, that's a really interesting (and tough!) question. I think I would love to write a story alongside C.S. Lewis, though. We have similar ideas about tying real-world mythology into our own invented worlds, and we both love to bring in allegorical themes. But our styles are VERY different, so I don't know how that would go! Maybe if we tackled a fairy-tale retelling, though. That would be interesting! Maybe a novella-length retelling of Beauty and the Beast. That would be fun to do with C.S. Lewis, and I would drink in anything he had to teach me!

I would read a re-telling of beauty & the beast in a heartbeat! That is my favorite Disney story ever :).

9. What advice would you give to the aspiring writers out there?

Read! And read, and read, and read some more. Read things you love, read things you hate. Read tons of material from the genre you want to write. Read the classics, as many of them as you can get your hands on. The more you read, the more the writing world will open up to you. The more you read, the more other writers who have paved the way for you will reveal their secrets. So read!!!

10. With everything moving toward the digital age, what is your take on e-book vs print? And how do you prefer to read your books?

I confess, I don't actually own an e-reader, so I don't have a whole lot of experience with them. I've fiddled around with friends' e-readers, and they seem really cool. I also appreciate the opportunities they afford authors these days. One day I'll step into the modern age and actually get myself one.

I'm such an old-fashioned girl at heart, though. I love a "real" book. My husband and I just converted a room of our house into our official "library," and we're doing everything we can to collect classics in gorgeous, leather-bound editions. While I appreciate the convenience of e-readers, can you really beat beautiful leather and gold-embossing? Really?

You are not alone. I also do not own an e-reader. I can agree they are fancy and pretty and I'm sure they do come in handy. But I just can't see myself every picking up a piece of metal and such instead of book with real pages and missing out on holding and smelling an actual book. I just love everything about books. As well I really do adore shelves just covered with books, it's an amazing sight to me. I am incredibly jealous of your own personal library! Hopefully someday I shall have something like it!

11. Returning back to your story, what has been the most rewarding experience you've had since you have been published?

I think the most rewarding experience for me has been the interaction with my fans. I have developed a number of truly close friendships with people I never would have encountered if I weren't a professional author. A few months ago, I started an editing/mentoring business, and I have a wonderful group of young women/aspiring authors with whom I work. It's so rewarding to see them developing their skills as storytellers, and I feel very bonded to each one of them in different ways.

I have also had the honor of being awarded two Christy Awards in the last two years, one for my debut, and one for my sophomore novel. It was so lovely to attend the gala banquet with my husband, all dressed to the nines--and so terrifying to have to get up in front of everyone and give speeches! But I was thrilled and honored both years, and felt verified that I am doing what I am meant to do.

12. I've noticed that a lot of reviews for this book are in the 5 star area. And the reviews are well deserved I must say. How does it make you feel knowing people have connected with your story so well?

I suspected that Starflower would connect with a lot of people. There are so many different universal themes going on in the story, and if a reader doesn't connect to one, she/he is likely to connect to another. I think the reviews reflect that personal connection readers feel to the story.

That being said, I am THRILLED by this reaction so far! It's always utterly terrifying for me to send my "brainchild" out to the reading public. I love my stories so much, but I also know that not everyone is going to love them as I do or understand what I am trying to communicate through them. With past books, I've had aggressively negative reactions from some readers--one reader even declared one of my books a "publishing travesty" simply because she didn't like my writing voice! That's really hard to take, I can tell you.

But seeing each book connecting with the right audience--the people for whom I truly wrote the story--is wonderful and so encouraging. I feel very blessed by the reaction to Starflower so far!

13. This was the first book in the series I have read, I now had definite full plans to go back and read the previous ones. But can we expect to see more installments in the series? I'm hoping so :)

Oh, I hope so too! Heartless, Veiled Rose, and Moonblood are all set 1600 years after Starflower . . . but there are a LOT of things that happened in between. For instance, when you pick up Heartless, you're going to find a very different Eanrin in that book than you last saw at the end of Starflower. He's suffered some major changes, both emotional and physical. But we don't yet know exactly what happened to him between Starflower and Heartless. (Well, I do . . . but I can't say yet!)

 Dragonwitch, which comes out next summer, continues some of the story threads left unresolved from Starflower, and I have a book 6 (as yet untitled) due to release spring 2014. After that, I don't know for sure. But I have many, many, many more stories to tell, so we'll see what happens!

I really need to get my hands on the rest of this series. I want to own it so I can share it with my children when they are older. I know what books I am adding to my x-mas list this year! Thank you so much for sharing this with me! I look forward to your upcoming additions to the story as well!

14. Using 3 words only, describe Starflower.

Romantic fairy tale.

15. If you weren't a writer for some crazy reason, what would you see yourself doing?

I would probably be an art teacher. I was an art teacher/portrait painter before I sold my first novel contract. And I really loved it . . . though not quite as much as I love writing! I still use my art for various promotional features for the stories, and I'm constantly doing paintings or sketches to go along with the stories. You can see a sketch I did for Starflower here: (http://starflowernovel.blogspot.com/p/illustrated-sneak-peek.html)

And, speaking of illustrations, be sure to check out my Dragonwitch page on December 7th! There is an exciting reveal coming that you won't want to miss! (http://dragonwitchnovel.blogspot.com/)

Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Meghan. These were fun questions to answer! I'm so pleased that you enjoyed Starflower. And I hope all of you readers will get a chance to pick up my story very soon.

I am so glad you enjoyed the interview, thank you so much for taking the time to answer all the questions thoroughly! I completely enjoyed reading your responses :). I also hope that all of our readers find a copy of Starflower to read as well, it's and incredible read they will be glad they read.

And now my friends it is giveaway time!

It is however US only (sorry!)

Winner will receive a signed copy of Starflower as well as some awesome swag!

 One of you is going to severely lucky so enter below :).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Interview: Marissa Meyer

I have been following Marissa Meyer since her fan fiction days as Alicia Blade and was ecstatic when Jenn told me that she had agreed to do an interview with us!  Marissa is the author of the Lunar Chronicles, a four book series of which the first, Cinder, is published.  See my review of Cinder here and Meghan's here.  I would like to take this time to thank Marissa for taking the time to talk to us!

1. Tell us about your car. 

Other than HOW MUCH I LOVE IT? I drive an orange 2010 VW Beetle. It's adorable. I developed an obsession with orange Beetles after writing Cinder (hint: that's the car she finds in the junkyard, although hers would have been an old model from the 1960s), but the particular burnt-orange color I wanted is really hard to find. When I was shopping for one, we discovered that there were only three for sale in the ENTIRE COUNTRY. So my husband and I flew down to L.A. to buy it and drove it back home. It's my one big eccentric-writer story.

Kristal: I have seen the pictures of this car, and I must say that it is awesome! Well worth the flight and drive :)

2. What books are you currently reading?
I'm just finishing THRONE OF GLASS by Sarah J. Maas (I'm a sucker for teen spy and assassin stories!). After that, I have an ARC of ABOVE WORLD by Jenn Reese sitting on my nightstand, and I recently downloaded an e-book about being a more productive writer. I'm hoping that might lead to some revelations in the near future.

3. You haven't kept it a secret that you wrote Sailor Moon fan fiction under the pen name of Alicia Blade. As Alicia Blade, you posted 38 stories and drabbles on FanFiction.net. Do you think you will ever return to Sailor Moon fan fiction?
I had such an amazing experience writing Sailor Moon fanfic and met so many awesome people in the community, many of whom are still so supportive and encouraging to this day. But no, I don't see myself ever returning to the world of fanfiction. Writing is my job now, and I want to continue to write books that reach a much wider audience than my fanfics ever could, not to mention books that I actually get paid for, haha.
Kristal: Although sad you won't be returning, it is even better to have your books in print in my bookshelf!

4. Have you considered revamping some of your fan fiction to turn it into a publishable novel (The House on Thornrose Lane: A Grimm Tale, for example)?
You are not the first person to ask! It's certainly crossed my mind, but I don't see it happening any time soon. While I'm still very proud of many of my fanfics (Thornrose Lane included), I feel like every story I write continues to be better than the last, and that I've moved on from the time in my life when those were the stories I needed to tell. Plus, I have so many ideas for novels in my head, that to return to a finished story would feel like moving backward.
Kristal: We look forward to all of the new novels you will write.  Although, I will admit I go back and read your fan fictions from time to time. I can't wait to read the rest of the Lunar Chronicles!

5. Cinder has some obvious Sailor Moon influences if you know the series well. Did you do this knowingly or did they slip in there out of habit?
I feel like I SHOULD have done it knowingly with how many people have pointed it out, but it was all habit and having been so inspired by Sailor Moon over the years. I'm so glad that Sailor Moon fans are getting enjoyment out of Cinder, though!
Kristal: I loved spotting the Sailor Moon references!  It seemed like a nice little tribute to the Sailor Moon community and made Cinder even more special to me.

6. How hard was the decision to forgo your pen name and publish Cinder under your own name?
Not really that hard. I was attached to the penname and worried that my fanbase wouldn't follow me into publication (which turned out to be an unnecessary concern), but it just seemed easier to use my real name. Plus, knowing that I'd be next to another Meyer on the shelf seemed like a good marketing decision.
Kristal: Yes, I can see how being listed by your last name would be a definite plus!  I am sure the cover didn't hurt either.

7. Cinder was a novel that you wrote during NaNoWriMo. Can you tell us what it was like writing the novel in under a month?
It was INSANE. As part of a ridiculous contest, I decided to try and write the first 3 books of The Lunar Chronicles in a month, and ended up writing 150,011 words in those 30 days. I look back now and cannot for the life of me figure out how I did it. Of course, there are lessons to be learned. While it was great to get the books "written" fast in order to keep up my momentum for the series, in the end, every one of them has been scrapped and re-written from page one. NaNoWriMo is great for learning how to prioritize your writing and to get involved in a community and to get your basic ideas down on paper, but it does not a finished novel make.
Kristal: I have participated in NaNoWriMo as well and have to agree, although it is fun to dedicate the whole month to writing (and having an excuse to act more crazy lol).

8. What was your favourite chapter (or part) of Cinder to write and why?
I loved writing the ball scene. Partly because it's such an iconic moment in the Cinderella story, but also because it's the culminating finale in CINDER - where secrets are revealed and emotions are running high and choices have to be made. It was exciting to throw Cinder and Kai into this very terrifying and public situation and see how they dealt with it.
Kristal: This has to be one of my favourite parts as well.  I love how the shoe from Cinderella was tied in, only in a uniquely cyborg way.  The emotions in that scene were amazing.

9. Can you tell us a little about your upcoming book?
SCARLET: Book Two of The Lunar Chronicles will be out on February 5, 2013, and it gives a new spin to Little Red Riding Hood. It continues to follow Cinder on her adventures, while also introducing readers to Scarlet, a girl who lives in southern France with her grandmother. Except her grandmother has mysteriously disappeared, and the only person willing to help Scarlet is a street fighter named Wolf, who has a few mysterious of his own.
Kristal: Who else can't wait?  February 5th can't get here fast enough!

10. Anything that you would like to say to your fans?
Only to thank them for being fans, and I sincerely hope you continue to read and enjoy The Lunar Chronicles!
Thanks so much for the interview!

Thanks again for taking the time to speak with us.  Cinder is a great read and I can't wait for the rest of the series to come out!  It has been awesome speaking with you.

Survival Blog Tour Stop!

Welcome to Owl Read It's stop on the Survival Blog Tour!

Hosted by Ashley at What's Your Story

You can click on the banner to your right to check out the other stops and dates :).

Survival is book #1 in the Guardians of Vesturon Series. It is written by the very lovely A.M Hargrove, pictured below.

If this isn't your first time on our blog then you probably already know I have much much love for this series! It is one of my favorites! You can find my review for Survival: here. And my review for the second book in the series, Resurrection: here. I was so very lucky to be able to do an Interview with A.M for my part in the tour. You can find that just below. In case you want to learn even more about Hargrove and the wonderful series she has created, you can find her and her info in the following places:

A.M Hargrove's Website: www.amhargrove.com

Hargrove's Blog: www.amhargrove.com/wordpress/blog/

Twitter: twitter.com/#!/amhargrove1

Facebook: www.facebook.com/guardiansofvesturon

Survival on Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/13077293-survival

Now, before we jump to the interview, you should know that at the bottom will be a giveaway for an e-book copy of Resurrection, the second book of Guardian Series! This is an amazing book, you don't want to miss out! Also, Survival is free everywhere! So go get your hands on a copy of that right now!

Without further ado, here is my interview with A.M Hargrove: 

1.We'd love to know some more about the lady behind the story, tell us about yourself and where the readers could go to learn even more about you.

Well I’m not sure where they could go to find out more but I can fill in some of the blanks.

Married, two kids and a dog that’s quite old but still loveable!

I worked as a District Sales Manager for a large pharmaceutical firm for years before launching this career.  The humorous bio that’s on my website (www.amhargrove.com) and other places has a grain of truth to it, but the whole story is that the company I worked for was taken over by a larger one that basically chewed up my division and left most people without jobs.  I was in a unique situation where I could take advantage of it and pursue my dream career, which is what I am now doing.  And, by the way, I’m loving it!  What could be more fun than creating new worlds with characters to inhabit it?

Meghan- I really don't think I could think of anything more fun to do for a living! :) You're living the dream, plus, you're really great at it! Cheers to you :).

2.I really loved both your books, Survival & Resurrection, although I liked Resurrection more because I felt we got so much more character depth, and the characters we had come to love grew so much in the second book. Do you prefer one over the other? Which one and why?

Aw…thanks for the great compliment on the books!  I absolutely preferred one and it’s Resurrection!  Survival was like the birth and Resurrection was like watching your child grow up.  I love the characters, but in Resurrection I had the opportunity to really bring them to life.  In Survival, I was setting up the worlds and there was so much “stuff” for lack of a better word.  It was fun, but nothing compared to Resurrection.  I think it shows in my writing too.  When I wrote Survival, I wasn’t sure if I would even publish it.  I am still so new to all of this and it’s an intense learning project.  I was trained as a journalist in my writing style so I have been “un-learning” and “re-learning” the creative part.  As a journalist, you are trained to be clear, concise—who, what, where, when, why, etc.  Creative writing is the opposite end of the spectrum and I constantly have to focus on showing vs. telling.  That evil demon always raises its head and tries to take over.  It’s a battle sometimes J

3.I can't be alone in anxiously awaiting book #3 in the Guardians of Vesturon Series, when can we expect it?

I’m currently writing it (it is still untitled) and my hopes are to have it out by June.  I’m also working on a prequel to Survival called Beginnings.  It will be a novella that centers on Rowan and Annalise—Rayn’s parents--and the good news is it will be FREE!  I want to have that out soon, but a lot of it hinges on the editing process and then formatting. 

Meghan- I hope you will keep me in mind when #3 comes out! I will be anxiously waiting! Also, Beginnings is now out, I already have my copy downloaded, can't wait to read it!

4. Will #3 be the last? Or can be expect more installments in this great series?

My plans are to have one book per Yarrister.  Maddie and Rayn’s story took two because of setting up the worlds, but I would like to have one book per sibling.  If you’ve read Resurrection, you know that #3 is about Rykerian.  #4 will be Xarrid’s story.  The rest I am undecided at this time.  I have said that if the series becomes tedious and overworked, I will end it.  I am a huge fan of series, but I’ve read some that get to the point of being overkill.  If I get to that point, I will end it because the pleasure of writing it would be gone.

Meghan- I definitely like the idea of a book per Yarrister, I don't think I could ever get enough of this series ;).

5. Are you, or do you plan to work on anything new that isn't the Guardian series?

YES!  I already have a basic plot set up for another series that may not be in the YA genre.  That is still up for debate.  I know that my characters are a bit over the usual YA age, but the stories are pure in that they are safe for any age to read.  I recommend age 15 and older but I have had teens and preteens read them that enjoyed them (and so did their moms!).  I think the moms like the fact that my books are clean without many curse words and descriptive sex.

Meghan- Again, I hope I'm in your thoughts when you are ready for this book to be read ;).

6. Do you have a certain author who gave you the inspiration to write? Or just a favorite author?

When I was in grammar school I used to steal my mom’s books and sneak away and read.  She was always reading books by Rosemary Rogers and Kathleen Woodiwiss.  They were the reigning romance authors at the time, I believe.  (And not very appropriate for 12 year olds, but YA Romance didn’t really exist then.)  Anyway, I always thought then how cool it would be to write novels such as those.  In college, I majored in Public Relations/Marketing and minored in journalism, but I followed a different path in my career.  I always wanted to write a book though and talked about it to friends, but never did it until I wrote Survival.  I love to read just about everything from suspense to YA romance.  So I don’t really have one favorite author but many and they all in some way, have inspired me to write. 

7. At what point in your life did you decide that writing was what you wanted to do?

As I said earlier, when I lost my job, I decided to act upon that and use it as an opportunity to do something completely different, but something I would love.  And here I sit writing away most days, and I wouldn’t want to do anything different.

 Meghan- It definitely seems losing your previous job worked out for the better!

8. Do you see yourself in any of the female roles in your story, such as Maddie or Sharra? Is there anyone in the story who is based off someone you know personally?

Haha (Really LOL)!  No, but I would just love to have two friends like Maddie and Sharra.  There would never be a dull moment!

But, yes to your second question.  Maddie is based on lots of people.  First, my mother, who passed away six years ago, was named Madeline.  She lost both of her parents as a young woman.  She was four when her father died and twenty when her mother died.  If it hadn’t been for my father’s family taking her in (they were dating but not yet engaged), I’m not sure what would have happened to her.  My daughter’s personality shines through Maddie.  My daughter played soccer during elementary, junior high and high school and she is very athletic.  She is NOT clumsy (LOL) but she has a comic side to her that comes out in Maddie.  One of my daughter’s friends is also reflected in Maddie’s personality.  As for Sharra, when I was establishing my characters I thought about communicating with aliens and how odd it would be if they didn’t “get” our lingo so that’s how Sharra’s communication mishaps came into play.  

Meghan- I love how you pulled so many people together to make Maddie, traits taken from very special people to create a wonderful character. Maddie must hold  a special place in your heart. I always enjoyed Sharra's hilarious fumbles with catch phrases, they made me laugh :).

9. Aside from writing wonderful stories, what other things do you like to do?

I love the outdoors particularly camping, hiking, backpacking, and trail running.  I also LOVE to snow ski.  But if there were something I would love to do, it would be to hike the entire Appalachian Trail (all 2100+ miles of it).  All the trail descriptions in the books, especially Survival, came from my own experiences in the Smokys.  I’ve backpacked all over the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and have done most of the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina (well it actually straddles the NC/TN state line) and it’s awesome.

 Meghan- So I guess Maddie has a little bit of you in her as well, with her love of hiking and the Smokey Mountain Park!  3 Generations of women in one character, seems pretty special :).

10. I know that your books are fantastic, but for those who have yet to read them, why should they read your books? Why would you recommend them?

Again, thanks for the awesome compliment!  I am thrilled that you love them J  But I would recommend them because even though they’re YA, everyone can enjoy them.  There are some great messages in each but they contain something for everyone—mystery, suspense, comedy, love, drama, elements of sci-fi blended with paranormal and fantasy, and of course romance. 

11.What is it like reading a review on your books? How do you to react to good or even bad reviews?

When I wrote Survival, I never expected everyone to love it.  Naturally, they would be crazy if they didn’t but… just kidding!  Seriously, I never expected everyone to like it.  My goodness, there are people out there that don’t like Harry Potter!  So I know it isn’t for everyone.  However, I look at negative reviews in 3 ways.  First, if it was written in a professional manner with solid reasons why they didn’t enjoy it, I use it as a solid learning experience (and they can be most helpful).  But if it was written in a nasty, demeaning way, I discard it.  I’m way past dealing with nasty people in my life.  I discredit everything they say so their reviews mean nothing to me.  Lastly, if a negative review is written poorly, using horrible grammar and disjointed sentence structure, I also discredit it.  I figure if they can’t even write a proper sentence (beyond the normal typos) I can’t be bothered the read a review by someone like that.  That may sound a bit harsh, but if they can critique my writing, I can critique theirs as well. 

Some reviews are downright funny to me too.  I received one that was a negative one and the writer claimed she felt the book was too unreal.  She also mentioned something like, “What kind of person would go camping in the mountains by themselves anyway?”  I laughed so hard at that because being a sci-fi/paranormal book, the only “real” thing about it was the camping part and I’ve been camping like that and have run across many campers (females) that were alone!

Getting good reviews are awesome.  What I like best about them is discovering that I am able to entertain someone to that degree.  It really makes me happy to know I have accomplished that.  When you put yourself out there and actually publish your work, there is great trepidation that goes along with it—like getting naked in front of a group of strangers! (Not that I’ve ever done that—but you get the idea!)  So great reviews are the most incredible payback.

12. If they were to make a movie about your books, who would you want to play Maddie and Rayn?

Jennifer Lawrence as Maddie and Henry Cavill (with long hair) as Rayn.  I also love Chris Hemsworth (with long hair).   Can you tell I like men with long hair? LOL!  I’ve honestly not given this much thought though.   I have an iterview with Rayn on my website and my friend Terri Thomas so kindly sent me a picture of someone who I think fits the Rayn bill.  However, I would love to ask readers their opinion on who they would think would make a great Maddie and Rayn!

Meghan- I think you hit the nail on the head with the female role. Jennifer Lawrence would be perfect! As for Rayn I think Ric Mora would be a pretty good choice, here's a little picture so you can see.

That's pretty much exactly how I pictured Rayn throughout the story. Also, I totally have a thing for men with long hair as well ;).

13. Do you have an all-time favorite book, or a book that you think everyone should read? 

YES… no matter your age, if you haven’t read the entire Harry Potter series, you are missing out on the best imaginative, ingeniously written books ever!  When I finished reading the final page of the Deathly Hallows, I went through major withdrawals!  I also chuckled at some of her later reviews.  There was one in particular I remember saying something about her books being filled with dead metaphors and overused cliches!  I guess that reviewer needs to take a close look at her bank account!  LOL

Meghan- I could not agree with you more! Everyone, everywhere, of all ages, should read Harry Potter. Without a doubt!

14. What is your favorite genre of books?

Ouch… that’s a tough one.  I love so many different ones but I will have to go with the paranormal/fantasy/sci-fi thing.  What I love most about those is that you can read about worlds where immortality and beauty often reign.  Who wouldn’t love to be stunningly gorgeous, not age or become ill and live forever?  Not to mention being paired with an equally stunning man of your dreams!  What’s not to love about that?  Isn’t make-believe great?

Meghan- Again, I agree with you :). That is my favorite genre as well! I love immersing myself in a world where I can pretend all those things are real.

15. Are they any up coming book releases that you are looking forward to?

Anything by JR Ward and Jeaniene Frost.  I’ve also recently discovered E.L. James and would love it if she released something new.  HP Mallory just released her latest in the Jolie Wilkins series called “Witchful Thinking” that I want to read as well.

16.Where do you find your inspiration when writing?

I have a crazy mind!  Things just pop into my head.  I was telling my sister about my idea for my new series and she’s like, “Where do you come up with this stuff?”  I don’t know…it’s just there.  But I also get inspired and work out plot lines and conversations when I run.  I just plug into my iPod, hit the trail, and ideas are swarming my mind.  It’s wild sometimes!

17. If you could spend a day with any of the characters from your story, who would you pick?

Ha, that’s easy.  Sharra for her humor, Rayn for his intensity and protectiveness and Rykerian because he is such a sensitive thing!

Meghan- Great choices! I would most be stuck between Rayn and Maddie. But since they are a couple maybe I could get away with choosing them both ;).

18. What is the most rewarding experience you've had since your work has been published?

Definitely the fan mail.  I had one awesome message from a sixteen year old telling me how boys generally don’t like romance novels but that he just loved Survival.   And then I have people contacting me begging for the third book.  It makes me so happy to know they love the characters so much.

19. If you could live inside the world of any book, which one would it be?

I would love to live on Vesturon.  Since it’s my creation, I know exactly how it looks and what it offers and it’s a place I want to live!  J

20. Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Don’t do what I did.  Write as much as you can, when you can.  And read, read, and read some more.  The more you write, the better you become.  If it’s your passion, squeeze it in somehow.  Work out a plan that allows you to write a little bit every week.  Share what you write with people whose opinion you trust.  If you let your family read it, tell them to be brutally honest.  You need it from them first, because you will get it from your readers.  Be prepared for the bad… but also the good!  If you’re not sure about writing, try anyway.  The real definition of failure is not having the gumption to even try.

Meghan- Thank you so much for your wonderful advice! And thank you as well for taking the time to answer my questions! It's obvious you took your time and answered honestly and it is much appreciated! I look forward to hearing about Book #3 in the future, as well as this new plot you are working on! Keep in touch! 

And now ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the giveaway! Enter the copter below for your chance to win an e-copy of Resurrection, book #2 in the Guardians of Vesturon Series. And don't forget you can get yourself a e-copy of Survival for free everywhere!