The Next Big Thing Blog Chain

I was recently invited to participate in the Next Big Thing blog series, By Lori Hines, another Phoenix local author. Lori and I originally met at a Read Local Event in Glendale, Arizona. Lori’s novels “The Ancient Ones,” and “Caves of the Watchers,” published by Aberdeen Bay, include information about ancient Arizona as well as a balance of mystery and the paranormal. Check out Lori and her books at http://lhauthor.wordpress.com/

 

The idea of The Next Big Thing is each writer answers the following questions then tags five more up and coming authors.

Ten Interview Questions for the Next Big Thing:
What is your working title of your book?

I am currently most excited about the much anticipated release of Trolls, but I am working on the second book in the DREAD series, Max’s Despair. I am also working on several other pieces including a noir fantasy tentatively titled Vril.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

Most of my books start as ideas stemming from the research that I do merely out of curiosity. I will dive into study on various topics and some will strike my fancy enough to write a story instead of a research paper.

What genre does your book fall under?

All of my current books fall under fiction and adventure, the fantasy or historical aspect is secondary. I am such a fan of classic adventure.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I do not currently have any actors in mind primarily because I am not a fan of new actors but the ones I do like are getting a bit too on in years to play the parts anymore.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Trolls – A young girl’s adventure in a fantastic world of magic and monsters, appropriate for all ages.

Vril – All crimes have an element of the bizarre, some have elementals equally bizarre.

Max’s Despair – The king of the DREAD Fleet tells all, in this history of how Maxmillion de Xavier became captain of Despair.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I am currently and hope into the future, represented by Arizona Publishing Services based here in Phoenix, Arizona.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I am a long time NaNo-warrior and I write all of my rough drafts since 2003 during NaNoWriMo. The editing obviously takes much longer.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Trolls definitely has been compared to Alice in Wonderland or Peter Pan, while I hope readers feel the Captain Blood or Treasure Island ambiance in Max’s Despair.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Trolls is of course inspired by my son and the children that I come in contact with. Kids are great inspiration for adventure stories.

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

I hope that readers really enjoy that all of my main characters never go it alone. There is always a need for allies. I really want readers to love the secondary characters as much as the heroes.

The Next Big Five:

Ashley Barnard

Ann Chamberlain

Patti Hulstrandt

Chet Shupe

Todd VanHooser

Trolls Official Release Event!

Trolls is finally released! Emily and her friends have been waiting to share their adventure with you for a very long time and on December 2^nd they will finally get the chance!

The official release event:

Brick Cave Book Browse

Lo-Fi Café

105 West Main Street, Mesa

December 2^nd, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Event Cost: FREE

I will have copies of Blackstrap’s Ecstasy, Fresh Blood, bint Hazine, and most important, Trolls! All titles will be $10.00 each! I will have tons of swag and merchandise for some of the books! There may even be a few pirates from The DREAD Fleet and possibly a few trolls wandering about!

Thank you Brick Cave books, Sarah Price, and Arizona Publishing Services!

Tovrea Castle for Kids too!

For those out of Arizona or who just don't know about the wedding cake styled castle that sits just outside the cit of Phoenix, I would love to share Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights.

I started as a volunteer working in the cactus gardens that surround the castle and moved into the castle recently as a docent. This does not mean I live there, just that I would love to! The castle is open for public tours beginning March 10th, so please, call up and reserve a space. If you ask for Jenn I will certainly try to be your guide.

Past gardening and learning enough about the grounds and castle to educated the public, I was recently asked to work on one of several writing projects. I am excited to announce my position as writer of children's books based on the castle and the owners! Stunning, right?

While I cannot go into deep detail for the moment, I can say I am seeking an artist(s) to work on the images for these books. If you have an interest in Arizona history and offering your talents to a non-profit organization, please contact me.

Arizona parties are most welcome of course, but out of state works too!

I hope to release more about this stunning piece of Arizona history in future posts on this blog or my Ancora imparo blog.

Adventures at the Arizona Renaissance Faire

I am starting with the “thank you”s. Thank you to Ann Chamberlain of The Arizona Renaissance Festival Book Shop! You made me feel so very welcome my first year selling books at the faire that I was giddy to return this year and made it my goal to do so! Thank you to Char and her mom for welcoming me into their home and feeding me for the weekend of the faire. I am honored to be to lucky to stay in such a lovely home with open minded, creative, wonderful people, who by the way make a mean chicken casserole! Thank you to Max! I would not sell half the books that made it into the hands of the public without your faith and sales skills.

So, yes, another year, another Pirate Weekend at the Arizona Renaissance Faire. I am so grateful for the unseemly lovely weather Arizona has this year. Captain Blackstrap did not get the chance to wear her captain’s coat for very long, but people seem to dig the belts more anyway. It was great to see at least a few familiar faces on Saturday when it was only Max and me. The best was running into one of my Teen Creative Writing students from Rio Vista! I am excited and as always a bit nervous about seeing some of the pictures taken by all of the roving photographers, but by all means tag them on the social media and send a few my way. Max always looks stunning with all his pirate style. And, it was a pleasant surprise to be visited by my GD Frippery friends and Top Hat the Pirate.

I am always sort of relieved when the stash of books sells out. This is especially true at the faire. It is impossible for me to sit at the book table so imagine how chained I feel just having to hang out there for hours as the world passes by. I was happy to visit Moon Mermaid at the Twig the Fairy house and to run into some of my favorite drummers there too. I do wish I had more time to sit to watch Ghazal Beledi dance, but what I did see was astounding as usual.

On Sunday, with the rest of the crew present, we really took the faire by storm. We raided Enchanted Images for a group photo and to visit with some of the members of Delirium. Casey (Captain Red Cap) even managed to escape her tower for a short while to visit and take a photo with us!

The tournament was a bit of a disappointment this year as the pretty, pretty prince won the day. It is pirate weekend folks, isn’t the bad guy supposed to win? Shameful. Commodore Max made it worth while though by taking second place in the pirate contest. Proud and maybe a little jealous, but can you really think of anyone more deserving?

All in all, a great weekend and hopefully many more impressed fans and followers of Captain Blackstrap. Now, to get my fingers clacking at put Max’s story to paper. Faire winds to those still entertaining at the faire and to those who have not yet been, I will see the lot of you at the next DREAD Fleet event, if not before!

Pirates! What is your profession?

ARR! ARR! ARR!

NaNo & Son

NaNoWriMo is less than two weeks away! I am excited this year even more than usual. I typically rope one or more of my friends into the challenge and have a blast comparing notes with them and trying to arrange writing time together. This year, my thirteen-year-old son signed on! I am proud to bursting!

His profile on YWP is Grantfer, word goal set at 12,000. The working title of his first novel, a fantasy adventure, is The Shadow of Israphel. He is already such a chatterbox about the story concept! I love it! He is even trying to rope in some friends and planning to help turn the studio into a writing haven now and again through November! Have I said how proud I am yet?

We wrote our daily word count numbers - 400 for JD and 1667 for me - across our knuckles last night, to mark our commitment to the challenge. November can't come fast enough now!

http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/easalle

Children's Stories/ Fairy Tales?

I was asked today, by a fellow Clayborn Press author - R.L. Spidell, if I might have any fairy tales, or stories for children in my portfolio. Spidell is interested in a compilation collection between my work and hers.

I am both flattered and motivated by this! Trolls is a full novel, but there are other pieces that are shorter that would be perfect for such a project. I will keep you updated on the progress!