Showing posts with label cover reveal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cover reveal. Show all posts

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Cover Reveal: DARK EMBRACE



Hey all, I'm excited today, in partnership with Rockstar Book Tours, to bring you the cover reveal for Elle Boon's DARK EMBRACE, a paranormal romance that releases on February 8. Check out the gorgeous new cover as well as an excerpt from the book, then enter to win an Amazon gift card for $10. Covers, sneak peaks, and free treats. Talk about a win, win, win. 

On to the reveal! 



Title: DARK EMBRACE (The Dark Legacy Series, #1)
Author: Elle Boon
Pub. Date: February 8, 2018
Publisher: Elle Boon
Formats: eBook
Pages: ?
Find it:  Goodreads, iBooks, B&N, Kobo  

A DARK LEGACY where only the strong survive and those who are Goddess touched can complete the warriors who fight to protect the world from the creatures that go bump in the night.


DARK EMBRACE

Jennaveve, the Fey chosen by the Goddess to be the queen of her people for the past few millennium, is tired and wishes for a break, but hadn’t counted on being reduced to almost mortal thanks to a dark stranger. They say you should be careful what you wish for. The last time she’d taken a break, her Fey had left their realm, resulting in shifters on Earth known as the Mystic and Iron Wolves and even more she was still searching for.


Damien and Lucas Cordell knew they’d share a Hearts Love when the time came. As the twin sons of the Vampire King who’d mated a shifter, they were the first of their kind. When they’d thought their mate was finally within their reach and was a shifter like their mother only to realize she wasn’t theirs, they’d almost lost their lives to the alpha of the Iron Wolves, Kellen Styles. Instead, the error led them to the being that was…the Fey Queen Jennaveve. Only she was even more elusive than the wind.


Time and patience was something Damien and Lucas had in spades, until the female they’d already laid claim to, even if she hadn’t accepted them yet, was taken by an enemy. Saving Jenna became their one and only focus. As time and realms slip between them, their fear for her had them forgetting about patience and made claiming Jenna as their Hearts Love, hoping she accepted their Dark Embrace.


Will the Cordell Twins be able to rescue Jenna from the evil who has taken her? Will Jenna get her powers back? Who is the dark presence and how will they defeat a being who is strong enough to bring the Fey Queen down to her knees?


Lyric’s Accidental Mate, Iron Wolves Book 1 is a crossover series with the first book being FREE http://amzn.to/1NOzmVF


Exclusive Excerpt!

They both turned as one toward the door as a commotion swirled into the room.

“What have you done?” Raina asked.

Lucas looked at the tall man who followed behind their sister, waiting to see what Creed, the son of Satan, had to say. Hellboy himself would be a good one to have on their side. “Shit, how’d you get in?” he asked as realization dawned.

Damien flashed to his sister. “Where did you come from?” He held her by the arms, giving her a little shake.

A deep rumble came from Creed. “Boy, I suggest you unhand my Eros, or I’ll remove your arms from your body.”

Lucas came to stand next to his brother. “Our Hearts Love is missing along with our father. We’ve been locked into this fucking castle and you two just strolled in like it’s nothing. We just want to know if you can get us out.” The last was yelled at a decibel that bordered on a roar, but Lucas was at the zero fucks giving point.

“You got two seconds before I start dismembering your brother. Tell him to get his fingers, palms, and any other body part off my Raina if he wants to keep them.” Creed’s voice had become the deep tone of his demon side.

“Damien, you might want to take a step back before we have to rumble with our brother-in-law in front of baby sis here. Raina, please answer the damn question while our brother is letting you go. Now, Damien, release her.” He put as much order behind the last part, hoping to reach his twin, but he’d never seen his twin’s eyes turn such a dark obsidian like their father’s.

Raina wrapped her arms around their brother, stilling Creed from going killer beast. “Damien, calm down. We popped in like we always do. I felt mama’s distress and told Creed I needed to visit. He of course insisted he come with. When we got here I couldn’t find her, so I followed you two morons’ scents. There’s another, not quite the same, but familiar smell here too.” Her voice shook, the slight tremor more an indication of her rising worry. She released Damien and went to the same corner. “It’s like dad but toned down.”

“Can you track him?” Damien asked.

“No,” Creed growled.

“He took Jennaveve and our father went after him, alone. He’s our…brother,” Damien said in a barely there whisper.

Raina spun to face them, her hand going to her throat. “What?”

Creed flashed to her side. “She will not be your sniffing dog.”

“Our father has another son. Goddess, its messed up to even say that. He’s the one who hurt Jenna. He nearly killed her the last time he had his hands on her. Somehow that…bastard traced her back here and took her out from under our noses. Now, our father is tracking them alone while we stand here arguing. We can’t breach these walls, but you two can. You can sense him, Raina. Please.” Lucas held his hand out, holding the pillow with Jenna’s scent still on it.

“That’s why mother is hurting.” She moved forward, a tear slipping down her cheek. “Creed, I can’t stand here and do nothing when my family is falling apart.”

“Damn it, I knew this family stuff was going to be a pain in my ass.” Creed jerked the fabric out of Lucas’s hand. “It’s the Fey Queen. I can scent her as well. We go together, all of us on one condition.”

Lucas and Damian nodded, waiting.

“I’m in charge and Raina is not to be harmed.”

“Hellboy, you can call all the shots as long as we find our Love.” There was nothing he wouldn’t 
agree to in order to find Jenna.

“I’m so going to regret this.” Creed dropped his chin to his chest.

Raina turned to face Creed.

Damien pointed at the two. “No making out with our sister in front of us. Save it for the bedroom. Let’s go people, times a wasting.” He changed into all black clothing, and although his words were teasing, the hardness behind the tone was anything but.

“Can I eat them?” Creed asked.

Raina shook her head. “You promised to be nice to my family.”

“Can I let Liv eat them?”

Their sister snorted. “No, you told her she couldn’t do that either. Come on, boys. Let’s get this party started.”

Lucas focused on Jenna’s sweet smile and promised himself they’d have her tucked between them soon. When he opened his eyes, his brother was staring with that same single minded intent on his face. “We’ll get her back and make sure she can’t escape without one of us always knowing where she’s at.”

Raina snorted. “You two will learn, a woman like Jenna won’t take to being caged or coddled.”

He met Creed’s dark stare. “How’s that working for you, Hellboy?”

Creed lifted his middle finger. “You still wanting a way out of here, or we gonna sling insults back and forth? Believe me, your little nickname is nothing compared to the things I’ve been through and trust me, boy, I’ve definitely had much bigger beings say much nastier things than that to me.”

Instant regret punched him in the gut. “Damn it, I’m sorry man. You’re right. Hellboy isn’t meant to be a…bad thing. Shit! I like you and I think you’re great for our sister.”

His sister’s mate tilted his head and nodded. “Good enough. Let’s go. One big circle like…well, one big happy family.”

Damien groaned. “Son of a bitch, not you, too.”

Their sister clapped like she was proud to be part of the crazy, wrapping one arm around Creed and held the other out. He moved forward, slipping his hand in hers, waiting for Damien to grab onto his other one.

Once they formed a circle, Creed’s lips formed a straight line. “Here we go boys and my girl.”

Darkness came quickly. The opulent bedroom replaced by a forest that had gone eerily quiet. Creed moved next to Raina, waving his hand around her, changing the sexy dress she’d had on into all black, making her resemble a character from the movie Underworld. He didn’t have time to question the man as they all seemed to notice the unnatural quietness.

“Anyone know exactly where we are?” Damien’s voice echoed around them.

Creed closed his eyes, then opened them quickly. “We’re still on Earth. Something is unnatural here, but it’s not demon born.”

Dark Embrace
Playlist

1. You don’t know by Katelynn Turner
2. Sorry by Halsey
3. The Feeling by Justin Bieber and Halsey
4. I’m Gonna Show You Crazy by Bebe Rexa
5. Sway by Danielle Bradberry
6. Tennessee Whiskey by Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapelton
7. Tell Me You Love Me by Demi Levato
8. Faking by Calvin Harris Kehlani and Lil Yachty
9. Praying by Kesha
10. Bad at Love by Halsey
11. Dusk till Dawn by Zayn
12. Issues by Julia Michaels
13. Heavy by Linkn Park
14. At my Best by Machine Gun Kelly ft. Haily Steinfield
15. Scars to Your Beautiful by Alessia Cara
16. Glorious by Mackelmore and Skylar Grey
17. Perfect by Ed Sheeran
18. I Like Me Better by Lauv
19. Filthy by Justin Timberlake
20. There’s Nothing Holding Me Back by Shawn Mendez

About Elle: 

Elle Boon lives in Middle-Merica as she likes to say…with her husband, two kids, and a black lab who is more like a small pony. She’d never planned to be a writer, but when life threw her a curve, she swerved with it, since she’s athletically challenged. She’s known for saying “Bless Your Heart” and dropping lots of F-bombs, but she loves where this new journey has taken her.

She writes what she loves to read, and that is romance, whether it’s erotic, Navy SEALs, or paranormal, as long as there is a happily ever after. Her biggest hope is that after readers have read one of her stories, they fall in love with her characters as much as she did. She loves creating new worlds, and has more stories just waiting to be written. Elle believes in happily ever afters, and can guarantee you will always get one with her stories.

Connect with Elle online, she loves to hear from you:
Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive a signed finished copy of DARK LOVERS & a $10 Gift Card to the book retailer of their choice, International.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, February 3, 2017

Author Interview with Dani Hoots + Cover Reveal for Trapped In Wonderland!

Today I'm excited to host Dani Hoots, author of The Quest. Dani has published both novels and short story collections, and primarily focuses her efforts on science fiction, fantasy, and young adult. Her newest release, Trapped in Wonderland, is a young adult fantasy featuring Meredith Alice Hughes, who finds herself transported to Wonderland and must defend it from the Cirque de Rêves, a group trying to destroy and take over Wonderland. Little does she know her home world is threatened too, for every Wonderland creature embodies the dreams of her loved ones back home. And as they die at the hands of the Cirque, so do the hope of every living thing.

Dani Hoots is a science fiction, fantasy, romance, and young adult author who loves anything with a story. She has a B.S. in Anthropology, a Masters of Urban and Environmental Planning, and is currently in the Your Novel Year Program through Arizona State University.

Currently she is working on a YA urban fantasy series called Daughter of Hades, a historic fantasy vampire series called A World of Vampires, and a YA sci-fi series called Sanshlian Series.

Her hobbies include reading, watching anime, cooking, studying different languages, wire walking, tinkering with her violin and concertina, and volunteering at the library. She lives in Seattle with her husband and two cats.

1) Out of all the different stories and series you’ve penned, what makes the Quest special to you? 

The Quest is special to me because it is the first book I ever finished. I started the series in middle school with a friend. It has definitely gone through many, many rewrites, but it has been seventeen years since I started thinking of it. I keep finding old drafts in notebooks as I reorganize and get ready to move and flipping through them I can definitely say I was one weird child.


2) Where do you draw your inspiration from? 

The Quest was based off an image I remember in a dream, but for other books I get inspired by music, people, mythology, and sometimes just get an idea in my head from out of nowhere.


3) Are you more of a planner or a panster? Do you outline or prefer to let the story lead you? 

I’m a bit of both. I get an idea, figure out the beginning and end, then figure out how to connect the two. Sometimes they change depending on what is needed by the characters.


4) What are the pros and cons of writing novels vs short stories? Do you prefer one style over the other? 

Short stories are nice for when I have an idea for a lot of stories that are related and I’m able to get them all done without taking years and years, but novels are nice for developing characters more. For example, my A World of Vampires Series, all the stories are shorter since there are twelve of them, but there is still a lot of their life I could go into more detail with. But who knows, maybe I’ll come back to those and expand them.


5) What draws you so much to science fiction/fantasy? What do you think that genre offers readers?

I like sci-fi and fantasy because anything can happen. It is a good escape from real life, but characters face problems that can parallel the real world still. I also love mythology so I like exploring those ideas and applying them to my writing.


6)  What has been your greatest struggle as an author? Your greatest success? 

The greatest struggle is marketing for sure. A lot of people think that authors just write and don’t have to market, that people just come and buy their book and that they make a bunch of money. That is definitely not the case. I also really hate it when people complain about paying for a book or art, as if the author or artist didn’t work hard to create something. That is one of the most frustrating things to hear as an author or artist, and very hurtful.

The greatest success I had was being able to learn one-on-one with authors that have inspired me. They have been pushing me to keep on going and whenever I get uninspired, I just think of them rooting for me, and I keep going. I also love meeting authors and becoming friends with them as well. The community can be really great.


7) When did you decide to become an author? What influenced you to take this path?

I’ve always wanted to be an author since I was little. I was one of those kids who's mind couldn’t slow down and I had to pretty much keep myself entertained by making stories in my head. I become more serious when I got diagnosed with Sjögrens Syndrome and couldn’t walk without a cane for a very long time. That whole journey made me realize life’s short and this was my dream. And also working for myself I don’t have to put myself in any physical stress on flare-up days.


8) How much of yourself do you see in your characters? 

Depends the story really. I mean, I’m definitely never 100% my character, but I often put myself in my character’s shoes and wonder what I would do. I also take bits of myself and put them in my books. Maybe they each are a horcrux. I do find it interesting when people tell me I’m a certain character in my book. It’s never a character I see myself as.


9) What is the hardest part of publishing for you? What advice would you give others struggling with the same issue?

Back to the greatest struggle, I would say marketing. As any author, I just want to write! I also have struggles when reviewers seem to bash the author instead of just stating why they hate the book. I don’t mind negative feedback, but when it is downright rude and more aimed at the author, it can be very hurtful. For other authors struggling with the same issue, or having people say you don’t have a real job, or getting a bunch of rejection letters, anything negative really, I would advise you to just ignore them. Don’t let it get to you, and keep writing! Never give up, learn more if you need to work on a flaw, but don’t give up. Anne Rice told that to me at one of her signings, and told me how it took her a long time to get published but she never gave up, so neither should I. She is a great inspiration, along with all the mentors I’ve had in the past few years.


10) What kind of feedback have you gotten from fans? Any stories? 

Depends the book really, but my favorite is when I’m at a convention selling and signing books and a person gets tired and decides to open up my book and read while they rest, then comes running back to tell me how much they love it so far. Those moments are priceless.



Without further ado, I would like to present Dani's beautiful new book, Trapped In Wonderland!


Meredith Alice Hughes has found herself falling through a portal and into Wonderland. There, she finds some of her classmates, who are actually fictional characters from Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”, and they use a potion to make her forget everything. Everything would have been fine, that is, until the White Rabbit tries to murder her and she finds herself in Wonderland once more. Apparently, according to a prophecy, Alice is the only one who can save Wonderland from the Cirque de Rêves, a group that is trying to destroy and takeover the world. Little does Alice know that not only is Wonderland in danger, but her home world as well, because all the citizens in Wonderland represent the dreams of every living human in the real world, and when they start to disappear, so does the hope of every living thing. Will Alice believe in herself enough to defeat the Cirque de Rêves? Or will she fall victim to the dark thoughts that reside in her heart?

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Cover Reveal: Come On Up To The House

Hello all! I'm very pleased to bring you a shiny new cover from Dane Cobain for his upcoming book, Come On Up To The House. Dane has been on the blog before when I reviewed one of his previous novels, so I'm excited to see what's coming up in the works next for him.

Without further ado, I present...


Doesn't life seem nasty, brutish and short?

This horror novella and accompanying screenplay tells the story of Darran Jersey, a troubled teenager who moves into a house that's inhabited by the malevolent spirit of his predecessor.

As time goes by and the family begins to settle, Darran begins to take on more and more of the qualities of James, the dead teenager who committed a bloody suicide.

As tragedy after tragedy threatens to destroy the family, Darran's mother Alice decides to leave the house behind and start afresh, but is it too late? 

Find out when you Come On Up to the House...

Check out the Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQmjPT6hSdU

Dane Cobain (High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, UK) is an independent poet, musician and storyteller with a passion for language and learning. When he's not in front of a screen writing stories and poetry, he can be found working on his book review blog or developing his website. Check him out at www.danecobain.com

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Author Interview with Audrey Greathouse + Cover Reveal!


It is with great pleasure that I would like to welcome Audrey Greathouse, author of The Neverland Wars, to the Underground! Audrey writes mostly science fiction and fantasy, but has published some of her poetry on ezines. She is currently working with her publisher, Clean Teen Publishing, on releasing the sequel to The Neverland Wars.


1) Since the Neverland Wars released, you’ve received such a wonderful response from the young adult blogging community. What has been your favorite response from readers so far?

I would say my favorite response is “me too.” Gwen is resonating with a lot of teenagers, and many of them are contacting me to say they relate to her. Adult readers are loving The Neverland Wars, too, but I feel like that's an audience who has often already figured out how to deal with the problems Gwen faces in her head. Knowing that teenagers who are actively dealing with the issue of growing up are connecting with this story is the best feeling. One girl got in touch with me and wrote, “Thank you for reminding me that even though I am 17, I am not grown up yet and I can still enjoy being a kid!” I couldn't have asked for a better response.


2) Do you have any tips/“secrets” for other authors when it comes to marketing yourself and your book?

It won't come as any surprise to you, but book bloggers are the lynch pin of my marketing plan. Lots of aspiring authors aren't even aware of this community, or how much of an impact book bloggers have on a book. I haven't done any paid ads for The Neverland Wars and neither has my publisher, and yet the book is in Barnes and Nobles everywhere from Pensacola to Manhattan... and selling! I think, from a marketing perspective, a review on the right book blog is worth more than an editorial review these days.

I don't really invest in the “author brand” idea, and I'm not really trying to find “fans.” I wrote The Neverland Wars because I had a feeling I didn't see anyone else struggling with while growing up. My goal is to find other people who share that feeling. I'm looking for everyone who can say “me too, and—” I want to find other creative people to collaborate and discuss life with. Ultimately, I want The Neverland Wars to bring new and exciting people into my life, not just bring my words into other people's bookshelves.


3) Are you a planner or a pantser when it comes to writing? Do you like to outline or prefer to let the story reveal itself?

Definitely a planner. I love outlining and I nurse story ideas for months or years before I even start drafting them. I like to see which story ideas are going to “stick” with me. Once I realize that I'm never going to stop thinking about this story until I've written the book, that's when I know I have a great idea that really will work as a novel. The amazing thing is that no matter how long I wait or how much I outline, the writing process is always full of surprises. Writers may be planners, but characters are always pansters, and they can hijack the storyline in a million different ways before I get to the ending I have in mind. Writing a good novel is a lot like taking a good roadtrip. You have a destination in mind and lots of landmarks you want to see along the way, but the exact roads and stops you take to get there will naturally come with a few surprises.


4) As well as writing novels, you’ve written and published your poetry as well. What would you say are the pros and cons to writing novels vs poetry?

Believe it or not, I think novels are easier! My favorite aspect of writing is the narrative and characters, which are two elements poetry captures only minimally. I love sharing my characters with people, and while I might write a poem about a person, the reader doesn't walk away with as detailed an image of that person or their story as I could give them in fiction. I think most young adult readers feel that way too...which is why they seek out so little poetry. I probably only really got into poetry because I wasn't musically competent enough to write songs. I love rhyme and meter and form poetry... all the things that are woefully out of fashion in this post-modern world. The best thing about poetry is how quickly you can pound out a draft and get a sense of catharsis though. I like being able to sit down with a feeling and an hour and a few verses later know that I managed to put it to words.


5) What would you say are the differences between publishing poetry and publishing a novel?

Most notably, the pay. There's a lot of commercial fiction in the world, not so much commercial poetry. Like short stories, poems are usually sold to literary magazines and that is a whole other world from book publishing. Literary magazines are changing just as much with the event of ebooks and the internet, however, and my experiences with online 'zines have been fantastic. I've worked with other writers I never would have known about in my own hometown and editors as far away as India, Australia, and England. The internet is breaking down barriers, and the sort of people who publish poetry are really in it for the joy of the art. There's aspects of that passion which I really miss now that I'm working for a publisher that is actively trying grow and turn a larger profit than last quarter.

Swing by Twitter tomorrow for a Q&A with Audrey! 

6) What would you say is your highest hope for The Neverland Wars? What would be your ultimate “dream come true” moment?

I suppose most writers would say when it gets a movie deal or hits bestseller status... but I feel like my dreams go beyond that. The mental image that question triggers for me is sitting down at a bar with Neil Gaiman and talking to him about it, and all sorts of other stories we're both reading and writing. There are a lot of fantastic artists who have inspired and evoked that “me too” feeling from me, and really I have this strange hope that someday my art will be a high enough caliber that these people with such wonderfully refined and strange aesthetic tastes can enjoy it. I'd really like to give a story back to all the people who have given me my favorite stories over the years.


7) What has been the hardest part of your publishing journey?

You know, I think I would have to say everything that happened after I signed the contract and before I saw the first sales figures. As tiring as the writing, revising, and getting rejected was, I felt super confident in it because Me, Myself, and I were going to get through it. I had a soul-deep, unshakable faith in myself. As soon as I got a book deal, suddenly there were all these other people involved! Of all the creative pursuits, I think I was drawn to writing because it is so solitary. Learning how to work with others and to trust others with my art was definitely challenging for me. It was only about a month ago when I saw stores selling out of the book and looked at the data my publisher had that I realized, “It's okay. People are getting the book. Everything's working.”


8) How did NaNoWriMo help you as a writer?

It prevented the number one thing that keeps potential writers from getting published—giving up before they've even finished a draft. Writing is a lot like walking a tight rope for the first few hundred thousand words. You can't look down and realize how bad your writing is or you'll be paralyzed by that realization. You just have to keep going and know that it will get better... that you will get better. NaNoWriMo has forced me to draft eight novels now, and I grew more as a writer with each of those. A lot of them will never be published, but they were still invaluable because I learned so much in the process. The Neverland Wars was a NaNoWriMo novel, the sequel was last year's NaNoWriMo project, and you can rest assured I'm looking forward to November to draft a final installment in this trilogy!

9) Why write science fiction and fantasy? What about the genres appeals to you most?

I've always thought that science was in charge of showing us what life is, and art is charge of showing us how life feels. In reality, life behaves by a pretty universal set of physical principles, but it doesn't always feel that way. Sometimes it feels like you have an ocean inside of you, or it feels like you actually could fly. They say that you shouldn't let the facts get in the way of a good story, so when I wrote The Neverland Wars, I didn't let silly things like gravity or mortality get in the way of telling the story of what it is like to grow up in this world.


10) Is there anything you can tell us about the sequel to the Neverland Wars? Any sneak peaks
or secrets you can share?

The Piper's Price has a lot more of Jay in it, and a lot more adult characters. Peter wants to retaliate against reality, and in the process, Gwen ends up meeting a lot of people on the other side of this fight and getting a peak into their motives and rational. I really love working with Gwen because she embodies a lot of the neutrality and unwillingness to commit that you experience in your teen years. She also spends more time away from Rosemary, under both favorable and unfavorable circumstances, so it is great to get that look into how she behaves when she doesn't have her little sister in tow. Gwen is much more on her own in this book, which gives her a chance to grow as a person, and give more thought to whether or not she actually wants to grow up.


Check out Audrey's Q&A tomorrow on Twitter. She'll be stopping by to answer questions about the upcoming sequel to The Neverland Wars, The Piper's Price. Here's the blurb for the book for those 

Peter is plotting his retaliation against the latest bombing. Neverland needs an army, and Peter Pan is certain children will join him once they know what is at stake. The lost boys and girls are planning an invasion in suburbia to recruit, but in order to deliver their message, they will need the help of an old and dangerous associate—the infamous Pied Piper. 
Hunting him down will require a spy in in the real world, and Gwen soon finds herself in charge of locating the Piper and cutting an uncertain deal with him. She isn’t sure if Peter trusts her that much, or if he’s just trying to keep her away from him in Neverland. Are they friends, or just allies? But Peter might not even matter now that she's nearly home and meeting with Jay again. 
The Piper isn't the only one hiding from the adults' war on magic though, and when Gwen goes back to reality, she'll have to confront one of Peter's oldest friends… and one of his earliest enemies.

You can also visit Audrey at her website:  https://audreygreathouse.com/

Author Interview with Audrey Greathouse + Cover Reveal!


It is with great pleasure that I would like to welcome Audrey Greathouse, author of The Neverland Wars, to the Underground! Audrey writes mostly science fiction and fantasy, but has published some of her poetry on ezines. She is currently working with her publisher, Clean Teen Publishing, on releasing the sequel to The Neverland Wars.


1) Since the Neverland Wars released, you’ve received such a wonderful response from the young adult blogging community. What has been your favorite response from readers so far?

I would say my favorite response is “me too.” Gwen is resonating with a lot of teenagers, and many of them are contacting me to say they relate to her. Adult readers are loving The Neverland Wars, too, but I feel like that's an audience who has often already figured out how to deal with the problems Gwen faces in her head. Knowing that teenagers who are actively dealing with the issue of growing up are connecting with this story is the best feeling. One girl got in touch with me and wrote, “Thank you for reminding me that even though I am 17, I am not grown up yet and I can still enjoy being a kid!” I couldn't have asked for a better response.


2) Do you have any tips/“secrets” for other authors when it comes to marketing yourself and your book?

It won't come as any surprise to you, but book bloggers are the lynch pin of my marketing plan. Lots of aspiring authors aren't even aware of this community, or how much of an impact book bloggers have on a book. I haven't done any paid ads for The Neverland Wars and neither has my publisher, and yet the book is in Barnes and Nobles everywhere from Pensacola to Manhattan... and selling! I think, from a marketing perspective, a review on the right book blog is worth more than an editorial review these days.

I don't really invest in the “author brand” idea, and I'm not really trying to find “fans.” I wrote The Neverland Wars because I had a feeling I didn't see anyone else struggling with while growing up. My goal is to find other people who share that feeling. I'm looking for everyone who can say “me too, and—” I want to find other creative people to collaborate and discuss life with. Ultimately, I want The Neverland Wars to bring new and exciting people into my life, not just bring my words into other people's bookshelves.


3) Are you a planner or a pantser when it comes to writing? Do you like to outline or prefer to let the story reveal itself?

Definitely a planner. I love outlining and I nurse story ideas for months or years before I even start drafting them. I like to see which story ideas are going to “stick” with me. Once I realize that I'm never going to stop thinking about this story until I've written the book, that's when I know I have a great idea that really will work as a novel. The amazing thing is that no matter how long I wait or how much I outline, the writing process is always full of surprises. Writers may be planners, but characters are always pansters, and they can hijack the storyline in a million different ways before I get to the ending I have in mind. Writing a good novel is a lot like taking a good roadtrip. You have a destination in mind and lots of landmarks you want to see along the way, but the exact roads and stops you take to get there will naturally come with a few surprises.


4) As well as writing novels, you’ve written and published your poetry as well. What would you say are the pros and cons to writing novels vs poetry?

Believe it or not, I think novels are easier! My favorite aspect of writing is the narrative and characters, which are two elements poetry captures only minimally. I love sharing my characters with people, and while I might write a poem about a person, the reader doesn't walk away with as detailed an image of that person or their story as I could give them in fiction. I think most young adult readers feel that way too...which is why they seek out so little poetry. I probably only really got into poetry because I wasn't musically competent enough to write songs. I love rhyme and meter and form poetry... all the things that are woefully out of fashion in this post-modern world. The best thing about poetry is how quickly you can pound out a draft and get a sense of catharsis though. I like being able to sit down with a feeling and an hour and a few verses later know that I managed to put it to words.


5) What would you say are the differences between publishing poetry and publishing a novel?

Most notably, the pay. There's a lot of commercial fiction in the world, not so much commercial poetry. Like short stories, poems are usually sold to literary magazines and that is a whole other world from book publishing. Literary magazines are changing just as much with the event of ebooks and the internet, however, and my experiences with online 'zines have been fantastic. I've worked with other writers I never would have known about in my own hometown and editors as far away as India, Australia, and England. The internet is breaking down barriers, and the sort of people who publish poetry are really in it for the joy of the art. There's aspects of that passion which I really miss now that I'm working for a publisher that is actively trying grow and turn a larger profit than last quarter.


Swing by Twitter tomorrow for a Q&A with Audrey! 

6) What would you say is your highest hope for The Neverland Wars? What would be your ultimate “dream come true” moment?

I suppose most writers would say when it gets a movie deal or hits bestseller status... but I feel like my dreams go beyond that. The mental image that question triggers for me is sitting down at a bar with Neil Gaiman and talking to him about it, and all sorts of other stories we're both reading and writing. There are a lot of fantastic artists who have inspired and evoked that “me too” feeling from me, and really I have this strange hope that someday my art will be a high enough caliber that these people with such wonderfully refined and strange aesthetic tastes can enjoy it. I'd really like to give a story back to all the people who have given me my favorite stories over the years.


7) What has been the hardest part of your publishing journey?

You know, I think I would have to say everything that happened after I signed the contract and before I saw the first sales figures. As tiring as the writing, revising, and getting rejected was, I felt super confident in it because Me, Myself, and I were going to get through it. I had a soul-deep, unshakable faith in myself. As soon as I got a book deal, suddenly there were all these other people involved! Of all the creative pursuits, I think I was drawn to writing because it is so solitary. Learning how to work with others and to trust others with my art was definitely challenging for me. It was only about a month ago when I saw stores selling out of the book and looked at the data my publisher had that I realized, “It's okay. People are getting the book. Everything's working.”


8) How did NaNoWriMo help you as a writer?

It prevented the number one thing that keeps potential writers from getting published—giving up before they've even finished a draft. Writing is a lot like walking a tight rope for the first few hundred thousand words. You can't look down and realize how bad your writing is or you'll be paralyzed by that realization. You just have to keep going and know that it will get better... that you will get better. NaNoWriMo has forced me to draft eight novels now, and I grew more as a writer with each of those. A lot of them will never be published, but they were still invaluable because I learned so much in the process. The Neverland Wars was a NaNoWriMo novel, the sequel was last year's NaNoWriMo project, and you can rest assured I'm looking forward to November to draft a final installment in this trilogy!

9) Why write science fiction and fantasy? What about the genres appeals to you most?

I've always thought that science was in charge of showing us what life is, and art is charge of showing us how life feels. In reality, life behaves by a pretty universal set of physical principles, but it doesn't always feel that way. Sometimes it feels like you have an ocean inside of you, or it feels like you actually could fly. They say that you shouldn't let the facts get in the way of a good story, so when I wrote The Neverland Wars, I didn't let silly things like gravity or mortality get in the way of telling the story of what it is like to grow up in this world.


10) Is there anything you can tell us about the sequel to the Neverland Wars? Any sneak peaks
or secrets you can share?

The Piper's Price has a lot more of Jay in it, and a lot more adult characters. Peter wants to retaliate against reality, and in the process, Gwen ends up meeting a lot of people on the other side of this fight and getting a peak into their motives and rational. I really love working with Gwen because she embodies a lot of the neutrality and unwillingness to commit that you experience in your teen years. She also spends more time away from Rosemary, under both favorable and unfavorable circumstances, so it is great to get that look into how she behaves when she doesn't have her little sister in tow. Gwen is much more on her own in this book, which gives her a chance to grow as a person, and give more thought to whether or not she actually wants to grow up.


Check out Audrey's Q&A tomorrow on Twitter. She'll be stopping by to answer questions about the upcoming sequel to The Neverland Wars, The Piper's Price. Here's the blurb for the book:

Peter is plotting his retaliation against the latest bombing. Neverland needs an army, and Peter Pan is certain children will join him once they know what is at stake. The lost boys and girls are planning an invasion in suburbia to recruit, but in order to deliver their message, they will need the help of an old and dangerous associate—the infamous Pied Piper. 
Hunting him down will require a spy in in the real world, and Gwen soon finds herself in charge of locating the Piper and cutting an uncertain deal with him. She isn’t sure if Peter trusts her that much, or if he’s just trying to keep her away from him in Neverland. Are they friends, or just allies? But Peter might not even matter now that she's nearly home and meeting with Jay again. 
The Piper isn't the only one hiding from the adults' war on magic though, and when Gwen goes back to reality, she'll have to confront one of Peter's oldest friends… and one of his earliest enemies.

You can also visit Audrey at her website:  https://audreygreathouse.com/