Have you visited Remargaren yet? An ancient world suffused with magic and adventure. Sentinals Rising continues our action packed journey with Jerrol and his newly awoken Sentinals.
Jerrol Haven, having rescued the king from the clutches of the malevolent Ascendants, knows they haven’t stopped their scheming. While trying to learn more about the mysterious Sentinals he woke from a three-thousand-year sleep, he has to defend his king and country from further magical attacks.
Should he trust the Sentinals in such vital positions? Can he trust them to protect the king and Vespiri? As Jerrol learns more of their capabilities, he realises there are more secrets yet to be revealed. Maybe those questioning their sudden rise in power have a point.
Before he can delve further, a call for help comes from the neighbouring country of Terolia. The nomadic Families are disintegrating into chaotic infighting. The king sends Jerrol to investigate, instructing him to do whatever is needed to protect the Families from the Ascendants
Get ready for Book Two – Purchase the first book Sentinals Awaken now, eBook on special offer at 0.99c for four days only!:
Amazon UK: Paperback eBook (On 0.99p special offer March 17th-20th)
Amazon US: Paperback eBook (On 0.99c special offer March 17th-20th)
Giveaway!
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Joining me today is the author, Anna J Walner, host of the Author’s Library YouTube channel and author of the YA fantasy Uluru Legacy series. The first book of which, Garkain, will be released on June 25th, 2021.
Welcome Anna, to start us off please tell us about your book Gharkin.
Anna: I began with the story of my adoption and built from that. Amelia is a girl who searches for her past, and once she finds it, she discovers that the truth is far more unbelievable than she ever imagined!
Helen: That is so brave, to write from your own experience, though I’m sure what Amelia eventually discovers did not happen to you! It must have been difficult at times to write about a topic so close to your own heart. Is there a special meaning behind the book title, Garkain?
Anna: Garkain is the aboriginal name for the creatures of the night. The boogeymen in the Outback. But we come to find out that everything we knew of vampires has changed; evolved over time. They still must drink blood, but they live normal lives almost like you and I, with the exception that they drink blood, their skin darkens in the sun, and they have a unique gift when the human constraints of the mind are removed.
But it’s not a special meaning, I just picked an Aboriginally accurate term for them. I tried to incorporate the Aboriginal culture where I could. Uluru is the Aboriginal name for Ayers Rock.
Helen: I love it when I learn something new from the books I read. What genre did you to choose to set your book in?
Anna: I write Fantasy. I think in a way, when I write I get to escape into the same world my characters do, which is nice. I enjoy writing it as much as I enjoy reading it, and I hope that come across to other readers.
Helen: Which character do you enjoy writing the most and why? Heroes or villains?
Anna: I enjoy writing strong female characters. In either form. I think it’s nice to see a strong young woman in the central role, and Amelia is just that. She’s a leader.
Helen: So…is Amelia your favourite character?
Anna: Yes! Amelia, hands down. Although there’s a character that we’ll see in the second book who’s running a close second . . .
Helen: I’m glad to hear you have a second book coming. Tell us a little about your writing process. Do you like to plan or write free form? Do you prefer writing or editing? It seems authors tend to prefer one process or the other.
Anna: I am a combination of the two. I have a plan of where I want to start and finish, the rest of the storyline is in flux. The characters really drive the direction of the story. I love writing, but I’ve also come to accept editing as a necessary evil and now I look forward to those finishing touches.
Helen: And you have a young daughter; how do you fit your writing in?
Anna: I write at night when my daughter sleeps. It’s the only time I have free! But I wouldn’t have it any other way!!
Helen: The independent author’s life is all about fitting writing around work and everyday life. We get good at finding those brief moments to create and to read! Reading is as important as writing to authors. What have you been reading recently?
Anna: Triad by Brittany Weisrock and Awakening by Jennifer Pezzano. I do my best to support the Indie Author community. We write some good books!!
Helen: There have been some amazing Indie author books released this last year. My ‘to be read’ list keeps growing! And thanks to you and your Author’s Library YouTube channel readers can find out more about their favourite independent authors as you post regular author interviews as well as marketing advice. You can check out Anna’s Author’s Library YouTube channel here.
It has been lovely chatting with you, Anna, just one last question. What advice would you give other Indie authors?
Anna: To be patient. Be patient with yourself, with the creative process, and with the book. Define what success means to you and realize that being an independent author means wearing a lot of hats. Learn from your mistakes, but never give up!
About Anna J. Walner:
Anna is a mother, and a published author. I’ve always had a passion for writing, spending my life obsessed with literature. As an author, my creativity has grown. I not only read the stories I love, but I create them too.
She began this quest for her daughter. The Enrovia Series is written for her, with her in mind. From there her ideas continued to form and grow. The first book of the Uluru Legacy series is currently available for Preorder and will be available 06.25.2021.
Award Winning Author – Literary Titan Golden Award 02/2021
Breaking news: Readers Favorite 5 star Silver Award announced March 10th, 2021.
Joining me today is the American author E.P. Stavs, Author of the YA fantasy Shendri series. The third installment of which will be released on March 16th. She also has a Bluebeard retelling that will be included in the charitable anthology “Villainous”, coming out March 29th.
Welcome Erin, I am a fan of your Shendri series; I thoroughly enjoyed Book One: The Marked Princess, (you can find my book review here,) and I am looking forward to reading the second book: The Searching Songbird. News that number three The Unclaimed Wolf is releasing soon is so exciting. To start us off please tell us about your the Shendri series.
Erin: The Shendri Series is a fast-paced, young adult fantasy series that follows the adventures of four young women bearing the mark of the Shendri. While there’s an over-arcing storyline to the series that ties the four books together, each heroine is given her own, unique story (and romance) as the journey progresses.
Helen: I must admit it is an enjoyable read, and I love the covers, such vibrant colours. With four heroines to choose from, do you have a favourite character?
Erin: I have a couple of favourites, really. Josselyn, the hellcat Shendri and MC of “The Marked Princess” is pretty special to me, partly because she’s the character who put the entire series in motion. Before I knew anything else about the series, I knew it would have her. Aside from sentimental reasons, I also love her strength and sarcastic, don’t-mess-me nature. She was a lot of fun to write. One of my other favourites is Maya, who readers will meet in Book 3, “The Unclaimed Wolf”. She’s just so unique and awesome and I love her.
Helen: Writing feisty characters must be great fun. Tell us a little about your work in progress, you have few projects on the go, haven’t you?
Erin: As I recently finished the first draft of the series’ finale, I’ve put that aside for a while to rest and gotten back into a novella I’ve been working on for a while. While I can’t say too much about it yet, I will say that it’s pretty different from my previous work. The setting is modern day Seattle, there’s zero fantasy or magical creatures, and some of the language is a bit stronger than my usual YA novels (Although, I’m still not into writing sex scenes. I’ll leave those for everyone else, heh.)But, it does carry my signature flow and pacing, so I’m hoping fans of The Shendri will enjoy this , as well. And if not, at least I’m having fun writing it!
Helen: That is so amazing. I think switching genre is very brave. How do you come up with the ideas for your books?
Erin: Music, usually. I love to lie in the dark with a steady flow of music in my ears and just feel the stories and characters as they flow through me. It’s also my go-to method for dealing with writer’s block.
Helen: It’s great you have a technique to combat writer’s block. Aspiring authors take note! You are also a great reader aren’t you? What have you read recently?
Erin: So, anyone who follows me on Twitter (@estavs) or Instagram (@e.p.stavs) probably knows what a huge book nerd I am, and since joining the Writing Community last April, I’ve read and reviewed approximately 60 indie books. Many of which I’ve recently started featuring on my Instagram site. Some recent favourites include Eva Alton’s “Witch’s Mirror”, Carol Beth Anderson’s “The Vine Eater”, Anya Pavelle’s “The Garden of Stone Houses”, Allison Martine’s “Move on, Melinda”, and, most recently, T.M.Kohl’s “The Warriors of Bhrea: The Lost King”. But these are only a handful of the many awesome books I’ve read this year alone. So much talent!
Helen: I agree, we are fortunate there are so many fantastic authors keeping us supplied with amazing books. Thank you so much for joining me today. It has been lovely chatting with you, just one last question, having read so much, who is your favourite author?
Erin: While it’s almost impossible to pick a favourite author (I mean, I’ve been reading since I was four…), the author who’s had the biggest impact on me is Melanie Cellier. I started reading her young adult, fairytale re-imaginings on Kindle Unlimited well before I’d gathered the motivation to finally write a novel of my own. I loved the way she wove bits of familiar tales into a fantastical world all of her own, with each story effortlessly flowing into the next. When I finally finished my first book and started thinking about which route to try – traditional or indie – I couldn’t help but look her up to see who she was published through. And then, to discover she was an indie author? It absolutely blew my mind and changed my perspective on self-publishing completely. Here was a woman with an extensive catalogue of beloved books, all of which had at least a few hundred reviews to their title, and she was indie! It was that realization that pushed me toward indie myself, and I’m so glad I did!
About E.P.Stavs:
Erin Stavrides grew up in various parts of Upstate New York, where she became a regular at the public libraries, checking out book upon book upon book. Not even bedtime could stop her from reading, thanks to a handy flashlight kept close by.
Erin married her husband, Michael, in the Fall of 2007, and the couple moved across country to Seattle, Washington soon after, where Erin worked as a math teacher. When baby girl number one came along, however, she decided she’d had more than enough teaching to last a lifetime and decided to be a stay-at-home mom, instead. Five years and two daughters later, she finally found the time and motivation to follow through on her ultimate dream – writing books of her very own.
When she’s not reading, writing, or mom-ing, Erin enjoys taking long walks with her headphones on, playing Age of Empires 3 with her husband, and taking that first sip of coffee in the morning. So good.
I’m so excited that I just had to share! I was fortunate enough to be interviewed by Anna J Walner on her YouTube channel ‘The Author Library’. Anna’s channel provides Indie Authors a platform to talk about their books and their love of writing and the processes that go into writing and publishing their own books.
If you want to find out more about my books, and the world building that went into creating them, then check out my interview here or click the image.
Make sure you check out some of the other Indie Author interviews, each offers their own insights into the world of writing and self-publishing.
I enjoyed chatting with Anna, another win to celebrate! Roll on launch day! Sentinals Rising will be available soon, make sure you add it to your Goodreads to be read list along with the first book Sentinals Awaken.
I’m sitting here drinking a glass of prosecco wondering what to write about. I should be editing my next book in the Sentinals series but I have spent the weekend procrastinating. Isn’t it funny how the mind works? How many things you can find to do instead of what you intended.
I have hoovered the house, done the washing – it was a gloriously sunny day here in the UK – eaten a box of biscuits that won’t be any good for my waistline and spent the afternoon scrolling through twitter and Instagram. Been pinned to the sofa whilst Alfie had a kip so I joined him for a snooze as I couldn’t get to the keyboard! And now I’m writing a blog post.
Now I’m feeling guilty that I haven’t made progress with my edits, (and about the box of biscuits!). I’m also quietly excited about the fact that my second novel will release on March 17th.
With release day approaching, I should be feeling a sense of accomplishment, but I feel pressured to get book three complete. That is pressure I’m putting on myself for some reason, and then I remember that you have to celebrate the small wins as well as the big wins. If you only celebrate the huge wins, then the expectation you place on yourself is to constantly achieve at that level and you miss the opportunity to appreciate and enjoy your journey.
Just completing a novel is an achievement. Lots of people have ideas, but to write them down, edit and polish it into a finished product, not so many achieve that. Time to Celebrate!
Learning how to self-publish, complete the interior formatting, cover design, launch plan. Lots of accomplishments to celebrate.
Sending the book out to some of your peers for review. (eek!) Celebrate being brave!
Each step is a win to be enjoyed. Each is an achievement taking me closer to the launch day. And so, I’m drinking a glass of prosecco. I may not have done much editing this weekend, but I let go of my second novel. It’s in the hands of my peers who also write, the hardest audience of all to appease.
Next week I have an interview to record. Another small win; well, it feels like a big win! and then we will be approaching launch day.
Make sure you celebrate the small wins; you’ll enjoy the huge accomplishments even more!
For today’s author interview I am joined by the American author Sloane McCain. Author of the Pendragon series and now the first book in the Hunter Chronicles Holding out for a Hunter.
Welcome Sloane. I am a fan of your Pendragon books so I am excited you branched out to tell us more about the Hunters. To start us off please tell us about your latest book.
Sloane: I just released my fourth book in January 2021 (earlier this month). It’s titled Holding Out For A Hunter, and is the first in The Hunter Chronicles series, a companion series to my Sons of Pendragon. This new series deals with Hunters. They’re Halflings, half-human, half-fairy. When they reach their late teens or early twenties, they develop their powers. They use them to fight evil and capture creatures bent on mayhem and destruction that have been sent by the Dark Fairy. The Good Fairy pay them very well for their help.
While Sons of Pendragon will be limited to seven books (unless I go into the next generation), the Hunter Chronicles can have as many books as I can think up ideas for.
Helen: I must admit I couldn’t put it down. I love your characters and the world you’ve created. Tell us about the genre you write and why.
Sloane: I write romances with strong fantasy and paranormal overtones. It’s my favorite genre to read (though I read medieval, Scottish, Regency, and contemporary books) because I love the HEA—Happily Ever After endings. When the world is crazy, I want something that doesn’t give me any nasty surprises at the end. I like being assured that no matter how rocky the road, the end is going to be a good one.
Helen: And your characters are so lovely, certainly not perfect, as you’ll find out in Holding out for a Hunter. Max’s idea of being romantic just made me laugh. How do you come up with the ideas for your books?
Sloane: Nearly everything has the potential to give me a story idea. A photograph or painting. Songs. A conversation. So many things. Anything that makes me think, ‘what if?’ Sons of Pendragon came out of my love for King Arthur and wishing he’d at least had children. The Hunter Chronicles sometimes come from the song that I use for the titles. Like Holding Out For A Hunter. The sequel, which I hope to release in March, is titled I Belong To The Hunter, a play on the Caro Emerald song, I Belong To You. In that instance, the song didn’t inspire the story, but it seemed to fit the story.
Helen: I can’t wait for I Belong to a Hunter, but I hope there is Pendragon book number 4 coming soon! You can find my book review of Book One Dragon’s Gracehere. Do you you find you plan out your books or do they just flow naturally?
Sloane: I’m definitely a panster. I’ve tried outlining a couple of times, but my characters laughed at the attempt and went in their own direction. For me, writing is like watching this moving play out in my head and trying to write down what’s happening as quickly as I can. Luckily for me, I seem to be able to hit the pause button when I have to stop for work or to let my dogs in or out.
Helen: There seems to be two camps about whether silence is golden while working. I’m a fan of listening to music when I write (or edit!). Do you like to listen to music while you work?
Sloane: Yes, I often listen to music while I write. I have a station I’ve made on Pandora called Straight No Chaser. It plays music by them as well as other groups that I like: Michael Bublé, Pentatonix, Imagine Dragons, Celtic Thunder & Celtic Women, American Authors, Secret Garden, and several others. I have rather eclectic taste in music.
Helen: It’s what works that is important and music can be just as inspiring as the written word. Tell us, do you have a favourite character from your books?
Sloane: My favorite character is a recurring secondary character named Stiabhan Iorworth. He’s full-blooded Sidhe. In human terms he’s around thirty to thirty-five. Though several centuries removed, he’s an uncle to many Hunters. He has recently begun to take an interest in their lives, coming to help them in their battles. He loves a good fight. He’s learning idioms and slang, card games like poker, and driving a vehicle. He’s enjoying helping his relatives which helps him in turn take his mind from the tragedy in his personal life. Some of his scenes add some comic relief to the stories. Like one in the third Hunter’s book, where he goes to a beauty salon. You’ll just have to wait to read it to find out what happens. LOL!
Helen: He sounds like a great character to have fun with, and I can imagine many humorous scenarios and misunderstandings! Most writers are also great readers. Which book have you read most recently?
Sloane: Your book is one of the most recent. I loved it! Also, Hidden Magic by Elena McDougal. I would recommend them both.
Helen: I am so glad you enjoyed Sentinals Awaken. I am looking forward to releasing my second book in the series, Sentinals Rising on March 17th, so exciting times. It has been lovely spending time with you, Sloane, thank you so much for sharing a little bit about yourself and your novels. To finish us off, if you didn’t write romantic fantasy, what genre would you like to write next?
Sloane: If I didn’t write romances, I’d probably write straight fantasy. I actually wrote a YA one while I was in college, but it’s not very good. I would love to write mysteries. I think that would be fun. Unfortunately, I don’t seem to have the right mindset for them. At least so far, my attempts have been horrible. So I’ll stick to romance.
About Sloane:
Both of my parents loved reading and instilled in me a love for reading and writing. That was one thing that I could count on them saying yes to buying me–a new book.
Besides writing and animals, I love reading (TBR pile is outrageous), photography, cross-stitch, and anything with Henry Cavill or Jason Momoa in it. And don’t even get me started on Dean Winchester of Supernatural.
I spent my early years in West Virginia, where my father taught college. When he retired, the family moved back to his home state of South Carolina.
I currently live in South Carolina with two very spoiled rescue dogs. One tries to lick people into submission and the younger one believes he’s still a lapdog at 95lbs.
Today I have the pleasure of chatting with Rosalyn Briar. Author of the fairy tale retelling A Sea of Pearls and Leaves.
Welcome Rosalyn. Thank you so much for joining me. To start us off please tell us about your latest book.
Rosalyn: My most recent release is a dark fantasy fairy tale retelling called A Sea of Pearls & Leaves. It is a retelling of the Grimm’s Fairy Tale “The Three Snake-Leaves,” but with a twist.
Helen: It is a lovely story, and I must admit I didn’t know the fairy tale until I read your book. For me, it was a new story which was lovely. You can find my book review here. Tell us about the genre you write and why.
Rosalyn: I write dark fantasy and it’s usually some sort of fairy tale retelling. I have always loved fairy tales, folklore, and mythology, so dark fantasy allows me to play with those themes while adding magic and a dash of horror.
Helen: Such fun! and you get to rewrite the heroes and villains how you want them. Who do you prefer writing about, the good guys or the bad guys?
Rosalyn: Although I certainly love my heroes and enjoy writing them, there is definitely a special place in my heart for villains. I think this is because when reading books or watching movies, I am usually rooting for the villain, especially if they have unique powers or strong motivations. The next book I am planning actually has a hero-to-villain arc or a “fall to evil” arc for the main character—so essentially a villain origin story. I look forward to diving into how a villain comes to be.
Helen: The art of writing is so complex, so much to think about! Do you prefer writing over editing?
Roslayn: I actually enjoy editing more! I can edit with smaller chunks of time, which makes it easier for me to do with my kids around. Writing, I need long spans of time alone, which are hard to come by. I also enjoy how editing really brings the story together and how each little “layer” of edits can improve the story.
Helen: I think with editing a rough idea becomes more polished. In the excitement of getting words on the paper, grammar goes out the window. When you correct everything the ideas and phrases become so much stronger and it feels so good when the story flows naturally and you know the reading experience is so much better. You have young children, so I bet you are a natural storyteller, but how do you fit in the writing?
Rosalyn: Since I have young children, it can be difficult to write during the daytime (especially this year since I’m helping my oldest with her e-learning for Kindergarten). So, I wake up early to do my writing and get the words down!
Helen: That must be really early! I am a night owl, I must admit I write more late at night. One element of self-publishing I love is designing the book cover. Tell us how you came up with the cover for your book.
Rosalyn: For A Sea of Pearls & Leaves, I wanted the cover to pay homage to the original tale “The Three Snake-Leaves.” So, I knew I wanted a snake and for the cover to have a watery feel. I sketched out the image of the cut up snake with leaves growing out of it and sent that to my cover designer, and they definitely brought the cover to life!
Helen: It is gorgeous and very striking. I love the colour scheme. Thank you so much for chatting with me. Last question, I promise. If you didn’t write fantasy, which other genre tempts you to write a book?
Rosalyn: I would love to write mystery/thrillers. I have always been a fan of reading them and enjoy the twists and turns and secretive characters. Maybe someday, if I feel confident enough, I’ll write one, but writing those takes a lot of skill when it comes to plotting and outlining.
Rosalyn Briar is a former teacher who is married to her high school sweetheart. Together, they have built a beautiful life and have two fearless daughters. Rosalyn is obsessed with gothic fairy tales, scary movies, sun dresses, traveling, and reading books. She is the published author of The Crown of Bones and A Sea of Pearls & Leaves, both of which are fairy tale retellings. Rosalyn is also the host of #NovelBuilding, a daily Twitter question with monthly themes for fellow writers to connect. When Rosalyn isn’t writing or reading, you can find her playing dress up with her two princesses or exploring the woods for wildflowers.
You can reach Rosalyn via her Website or via social media at:
Sentinals Rising is the second book in the saga of Remargaren, a vibrant, ancient world of high fantasy suffused with magic and adventure.
Jerrol Haven, having rescued the king from the clutches of the malevolent Ascendants, knows they haven’t stopped their scheming. While trying to learn more about the mysterious Sentinals he woke from a three-thousand-year sleep, he has to defend his king and country from further magical attacks.
Should he trust the Sentinals in such vital positions? Can he trust them to protect the king and Vespiri? As Jerrol learns more of their capabilities, he realises there are more secrets yet to be revealed. Maybe those questioning their sudden rise in power have a point.
Before he can delve further, a call for help comes from the neighbouring country of Terolia. The nomadic Families are disintegrating into chaotic infighting. The king sends Jerrol to investigate, instructing him to do whatever is needed to protect the Families from the Ascendants
Get ready for Book Two – Purchase the first book Sentinals Awaken now:
As we welcome in 2021, I wish everyone a safe and happy new year.
My first author interview of the new year is with German author Rebecca Lange. Author of many novels, the most recent of which is Joining hearts for Christmas.
Welcome Rebecca, thank you so much for joining me today. To start us off please tell what genre you write and why.
Rebecca: My last book release was a regency romance novella. “Joining Hearts For Christmas” is a light-hearted Christmas love story and was to try out that genre and have a book out for Christmas. I never thought I would write regency anything, but this year I read two books by new authors that made me fall in love with the time and characters, and so I thought I would give it a try as well. It was a pretty last-minute thing and not planned at all, but it somehow worked out. It always amazes me how a simple thought or idea can turn into an actual book.
Helen: I agree, all you need is a spark and the creative juices start flowing and before you know it you’re half way though a book. The key of course is to finish it, so congratulations on releasing Joining Hearts for Christmas. So if Regency romance is new for you, what genre do you normally write?
Rebecca: I write clean Young Adult Fiction, Christian Fantasy, and Historical Fiction. Although I target pretty intense topics in my books, it is important to me that my stories are clean and suitable even for teenagers. I don’t particularly appreciate reading books that include sex and explicit violence or foul language. Violence can’t always be avoided with specific topics, but it doesn’t need to be super descriptive. Foul language and sex aren’t necessary for a book, in my opinion. There are less offensive words to use, and well, my imagination is pretty good, so I don’t need a sex scene described to me. I love swoony, clean, heart-flattering romance, but hot and steamy is not my thing.
Helen: Where do you get the ideas for your novels?
Rebecca: It depends. Sometimes from a book I read, a movie I watched, but mostly just from a thought that pops in my head and slowly develops into more. I am not a planner, but lately, I have had so many new ideas that I had to make notes not to forget certain details while finishing other projects. Since I am currently writing a book and started a second one, other ideas come alive in my mind and occupy my brain. It gets a bit overwhelming and exhausting at times, but I love how I can picture scenes and where I want the story to go.
Photo credit: Aaron Burden (Unspash)
Helen: With so many ideas bubbling, what are you currently writing?
Rebecca: I am writing two right now. One is close to being finished and will be my next release. It is called “Grandfather’s Will.” Here is the blurb to give you an idea of what it is about:
After billionaire Henry Woodruff loses several family members in a horrible accident, Rebecca McNeil and her siblings are now the only relatives left he can trust. Although they never desired to be put into his will, he has no choice but to make his grandchildren the official heirs. Henry has every reason to believe that the tragic plane crash was not just an unfortunate accident but a planned murder. Feeling that his children were somehow involved, he has to come up with a plan.
Fearing for his grandchildren’s lives, Henry moves them from Edmonton to Valemount to keep them safer and more protected. When Rebecca nearly dies after a vicious attack, Henry hires two mounties to keep an eye on her and her siblings. Before long, everyone realizes that the shy young woman is the main target. Keeping her alive and unharmed turns into a full-time job. As if the everyday fight against someone wanting to murder her isn’t enough, Rebecca faces a battle with her past demons. Not wanting to get hurt again, she fights the growing feelings towards one of her protectors and puts up a wall to guard her heart. Will she be able to let go of the past and find her happily ever after?
Helen: Sounds intriguing. I look forward to seeing it released. What are your favourite characters to write? Heroes or villains?
Rebecca: I like both, but it is easy for me to get attached to my characters, and when that happens, and I think about changing the story a bit, it becomes almost impossible for me to make a character I already like bad. It is funny how they become real for us authors. However, when I create a villain, I can hate them fiercely if they attack my main character/s, even though I know it is silly since I made them all and the situations.
Helen: As you write different genres, do you find you have to do a lot research?
Rebecca: It depends on what the book is about. Some require a lot more research than others. For example, for my Regency novella, I had to research England and Wales a bit, so I had an idea where I wanted my story to take place. Most of the story is set in Wales, Monmouthshire, to be exact. One of the people who read and reviewed my book told me that they live pretty close to Monmouthshire, and apparently, I described things in a way that she and her sister thought I had already been there but never have.
My new novel takes place in Canada, and so again, I had some research to do to find the right areas for my story to take place. It is interesting. For my third Heavenly Bodyguards book, I had to do quite a bit of research since the story included conspiracy, mafia dealings, and murder. I researched different ways of how to kill a person, sedation, and all that. It was frightening, yet interesting to learn of illegal things like Rohypnol and Black Mamba venom and what it does to people. Since part of the story is taking place in and around the White House in Washington, I also had to check out the White House floor plan and surrounding areas to make things work for my story. I try to make things as accurate as possible if I can.
Helen: That sounds time consuming, but it is so important for our facts to be correct so we don’t jar a reader out of the story, especially when the setting is a real place. One of the fun parts of self-publishing is choosing a book cover. How do you decide what will be on the cover of your books?
Rebecca: When I first started self-publishing, I just chose one of my pictures of nature. For my first Heavenly Bodyguards book, I chose a photograph of a mountain in Scotland since the story is set in Scotland, and I thought that worked well. I then used pictures from KDP, which they offer for free, and I liked them. Still, during the last two years, I not only asked friends to help me choose a good cover that attracts and speaks to them, but I did a lot of research on cover images. I found out that there are websites where photographers post their pictures or artwork. You can use them for free without having to worry about copyrights. So, my current covers are chosen with the help of friends and from those websites. Some of the pictures are simply incredible.
Helen: Along with writing a new book there is also editing. Which do you prefer?
Rebecca: Writing, even though I have come to appreciate the hard work of editing, after learning so much about it and seeing how difficult and time-consuming it is. It does feel good, though, when your story is edited and ready to be published.
Helen: Most authors are also great readers. Which book are you currently reading?
Rebecca: I started “Marked” by Stephanie Whitfield. It is the second book in her series, and I really liked the first one already, so I am excited to see how the story continues.
Helen: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me. As a final word, and as a self-published author, what advice would you give new authors?
Rebecca: I would tell them to go for what they love and not let anything stop them and listen to those around them and the suggestions they might make. Finding a traditional publisher or agent is an excellent goal to have, but if they can’t find one or can’t handle rejections any longer, I would tell them that there are other ways to get their work out there without having to pay tons of money. I find publishing houses that take your money upfront a rip-off, but that’s just me. I still have my acting lessons in mind in which we were drilled not to pay an agent upfront or to redo headshots because they wanted you to use “their suggestion.” I know it works for some, but I don’t have that kind of money to pay thousands of dollars to have my book published, only hoping I could make up for it in sales. Self-publishing is a great way to keep your work your own, but it also comes with difficulties like facing editing and marketing.
Rebecca is a mom of two boys (13 and 15 years old), has been married to her husband for over 16 years, and is currently living in Germany. She was born and raised in Germany but moved to the US after meeting her husband in Scotland at a wedding. (That in itself is a super cool and crazy story.) Her love for writing started early. Even as a child, she enjoyed writing stories. As a teenager, escaping reality took place whenever she had a good book in her fingers, her own stories, or watched romantic movies. She has a vivid imagination, so it is easy for her to disappear into a different world. She avoids specific genres because of her imagination, but she is still grateful that she can picture things so vividly. She is a hopeless romantic but likes it when the books she writes or reads (or movies she watches) have a bit of everything.
She writes Young Adult Fiction/ Christian Fantasy and Historical Fiction. Still, her readers will also find drama, heartbreak, romance, humor, suspense, lots of sarcasm, and sass (a must for her since she is fluent in both), inspirational thoughts, and faith in her books.
As we enter the new year, and many of us think about what we want to achieve over the next twelve months, I am reminded of a blog I wrote about six or seven years ago to support International Women’s Day.
At the time I was tussling with many personal problems and trying to figure out what I wanted. What did I want out of life, instead of allowing others to push me around to fit what they wanted. It took a while and many glasses of wine and finally I created a mood board. I expect most people know what mood boards are nowadays, but in a nutshell its a board where you pin all your thoughts, ideas and dreams about a topic. You cut out pictures from magazines that encapsulate what you want to achieve, (and drink a bit more wine). For me, it was what do I want to do with my life?
By physically writing down, or pinning pictures of what you want to achieve makes your goal a reality, something tangible that you want to achieve, and you begin to take conscious steps to move you towards achieving it. You now have a target, and you can start planning how to reach it.
I decided life was too short to waste on things that I didn’t enjoy. I wanted to enjoy my job, and I wanted to write. I wanted to move house to the country, or maybe near the sea, preferably with my mum.
So I started looking for houses with my mum, travelling around the south of England and visiting many villages and seaside towns. I began capturing ideas for a novel, and investigated what job opportunities there were within my company. I didn’t necessarily want to leave, but I didn’t like the direction I was going in. Everything came to a grinding halt when my mum fell ill with breast cancer, underwent a mastectomy and finally passed away. The moving house impetus died with her, and although I still think of moving, I don’t know where to move to! So I haven’t.
I actually put pen to paper and started writing to fill in the extra time I suddenly had and I suppose as an escape, and found that I really enjoyed it. I started researching into how to edit and the authors journey and began to plan how to self publish my first novel. I never really considered going the traditional publishing route as I wasn’t prepared to let go of my story.
I suppose I am not the greatest example of a successful mood board! But plans change, and I think sometimes its as much about resetting goals as circumstances change around you and staying true to what makes you happy.
I am happiest when I am lost in my magical worlds writing about my wonderful characters and putting them though hell. It doesn’t really matter where I live, as I work from home. Which makes it all the more difficult to decide where in the UK to move to. I think it may be time to start searching for that writer’s nest with space for a study and a library! I need to create a mood board for my idyllic home, identify those must haves and who knows, I may even find it.
Detached
Cottage
Quiet (no trains, planes, automobiles)
Not too hilly (My knees…)
Study
Library
Internet (Fast!)
Cat friendly
Near the sea
Lovely view
…
It’s a start! Who knows 2021 may be the year of the move.
Helen Garraway 