Interview with Kelsey Clifton & review of Fire And Lightning, Ash And Stone

I'm delighted to be welcoming Kelsey Clifton to my blog for both an interview and my review of her book - Fire And Lightning, Ash And Stone. Here's a little about Kelsey!

Kelsey Clifton is a science fiction and fantasy writer who hoards books the way dragons hoard gold (seriously, it’s becoming a problem). She lives in Houston with the bossy cat from her websites and too many succulents. 

And onto the interview!

Do you have a set routine for writing?
I'm generally a morning writer, so my routine involves either making coffee and planting myself at my desk, or heading out to a local coffee shop. I sound like the stereotypical millennial writer, but I really do find that it helps me focus on the task at hand. Coffee shops are my office space, so when I sit down I automatically think, "Okay, time to get to work." This routine is so ingrained in me that even when I finish projects, I find myself wanting to go anyway.

What's your favourite tip for newbie writers?
Unless you're writing for academia, any "writing rules" you come across are like the pirate's code: More what you'd call guidelines than actual rules. Spend some time learning the guidelines and why they're considered the norm, and then do whatever best serves the story. At the end of the day, there's only what works and what doesn't work.

What was your experience writing your first book?
As cringy as it is to think about, the experience of writing my first book laid the foundations for the writer I would be one day: Dedicated, meticulous, and ready to push conventions. None of the fulfilment and joy that I've experienced these last ten years would have been possible without it.

Do you have a favourite place to write outside of your usual space?
Indie coffee shops! Nothing against chains, but there's just something about local places, the quirkier the better.

Which genre is your favourite to write in?
Fantasy by far. Every sub-genre is just bursting with wonderful possibilities, like a sparkly little glitter bomb. You can be as inventive as you want, and as long as you end up with something coherent, there are no rules. I also personally believe that every story would benefit from at least 20% more dragons.

Which social media do you enjoy using the most?
Honestly, tumblr. Not only has it expanded my platform far beyond what I expected, it allows me to be a little more myself. When I start a Facebook or Twitter post, I'll start with something bland like "Hey everyone, here's a little update," etc. But on tumblr, I can start a post with "WHAT'S UP GOBLINS, here's what ya girl's been up to."

How old were you when you were first ready to start publishing?
There are two answers to this question: I was 19 or 20 when I first believed myself to be ready, and 28 when I was actually ready. At 20 I had exactly one (1) shiny new manuscript that I was desperate to show off, even when I was wildly wrong about which genre it belonged in. At 28 I had seven under my belt, including the one that became my first published book, A Day Out of Time. At this point, I had been through the querying song and dance for so many years that I was completely burned out on it. When a friend suggested self-publishing, I was finally in a good place to actually listen. Within a month of our conversation, A Day Out of Time was live on Amazon.

Do you keep good reviews and reader comments?
I don't keep them, but I do read all my reviews, even though it's generally considered inadvisable. For me, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, so those reviews make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Negative reviews do happen, but I have enough confidence in my writing to look at those and shrug. If my writing was for absolutely everyone, it would be the blandest garbage ever printed.

Paperback or ebook? And why?
I love and cherish any version of a book. Nothing beats the feel of a paperback in my hand, and I love giving a used book a new home. At the same time, I love how affordable ebooks can be, and I dig the convenience of carrying a massive digital library around.

Where do you see yourself, and your writing, in ten years?
I'd love to dive deeper into sci-fi and fantasy territory, especially when it means blurring the lines between sub-genres. I've got a hard drive full of current and future projects, so ideally I see myself with ten more books in print, heaps of praise and positive reviews, and a couple of indie awards!

But no matter what happens - wild success, abject failure, or something in-between - I see myself continuing to write. It's the only thing, in fact, that I can imagine doing for the rest of my life.

 This isn't the way the stories are supposed to go.
Jaelin and Aldwin have heard legends of the Grey Princess their entire lives. When it comes time for his first heroic quest, Jaelin naturally chooses her rescue - but the princess from Aldwin’s stories is a pale imitation of the sorceress that they find at the top of a lonely mountain tower.
Known across the realms as the Grey Princess, Liana has been the subject of stories and songs for over two centuries. Every bard and historian thinks they know the truth, but the reality of Liana's power - and the secrets she has hidden under layers of stone - is something that no one is prepared for. And Liana herself is hardly prepared for two adventurers to show up on her doorstep with a doozy of a quest…and the key to undoing a choice she made many years ago.
Can a bratty lordling, a witty librarian, and an irritable sorceress bumble their way through an enchanted forest, survive the ruins of a haunted city, and defeat a centuries-old dragon with only a few hours of planning?
The better question is, can anyone stop them?

Amazon

My Review: 5 STARS
I picked this up because the story sounded intriguing the cover caught my eye. I was happy to dive in and ended up reading the whole book in one sitting. Once I started, I couldn't help but be drawn into the story with Jae, Aldwin and the Grey Princess, I was along for the ride wherever it took me! The story was beautifully told, I loved the chronic illness rep, and I adored the characters, all of them! It was a delightful read and one I recommend!

You can find Kelsey on her website, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.

Interview with Erin Kinsella & Review of Heart And Seoul

I am delighted to be welcoming the wonderful Erin Kinsella to the blog for both an interview and my review of her long-awaited book Heart And Seoul. Here's a little bit about Erin.

Erin Kinsella is a romance and historical fantasy author dedicated to sharing stories of love, heartbreak, and triumph. You can also find her on YouTube, where she educates writers about the publishing industry, world building, and how to make your readers swoon. She attended the University of Alberta where she studied psychology and history. When she’s not writing or YouTubing she’s hanging out with her husband and three cat

And onto the interview!

In your own writing, which character of yours do you relate to most?
For this specific book I would say that I relate most to Tessa. We obviously share the same career, albeit she's far beyond me in terms of success since her book is turned into a drama. Her sexuality (panromantic demisexual) is ownvoices for me, so I'm extra attached to her since she's the first character I've ever written that shares that with me.

Do you read your own genre? Is it a favourite?
Absolutely! I adore romance so much. It's 100% my favourite genre to read and my bookshelf is full of romance novels.

What was the first story you ever told?
Honestly, my memory can be terrible so I have zero idea of what my first story might be.

Was writing always your dream choice of career?
Nope. I always liked writing, but it had always been placed on the side burner because I felt pushed more to towards a career that was practical, stable, and lucrative. I decided on being a writer in my early 20s and just pushed forward from there.

Do you have a writing space? Pictures or descriptions!
I have a desk set up in the living room since we're low on space in our apartment. It's not very thrilling lol. Sometimes there's a cat on the desk though and that spices things up.

Playlists? Yes or no? And why?
I love playlists. I have them more for first drafts, or if I need to get into a specific mood. Typically I will have an initial playlist for whatever book I'm working on, and then I'll refine that as I go, adding and removing songs as the book develops. If I'm editing or reading over my work then I stick to instrumentals so I don't get distracted by the lyrics.

Which social media do you see as a must for writers?
I wouldn't say that it's any one social media that's 100% essential. To me what matters is that you enjoy the platforms you've chosen to work with. If you hate one part of your platform it's more likely to get neglected and people will probably notice.

Where do you hang out most online?
I'm pretty much always on Discord. I have my writing group on there, my Patreon group, my street team, friend's Patreon groups, and a romance writing group. I used to be on Tumblr a lot more before the purge, but I've definitely graduated to Discord because it's so easy to develop a community there.

Do you have a favourite app for writing?
I just use Google Docs so that I can access it from anywhere.

Organised or not?
Very organized. I have to be or I'd never get anything done. I love lists, agendas, organized folders, all the things that make my life a little easier.

What's your favourite book you've read?
This is a cruel question LOL. My top books that I will probably love forever (I'm choosing more than 1, you can't stop me lol) are The Savior's Champion by Jenna Moreci, Hawksong by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, and Poison Study by Maria V Snyder.

Morning or evening writer?
Definitely evening. Mornings and I have never been friends. I used to write in the mornings before work out of necessity, but now I work from home so I have a lot more flexibility.

She’s living her very own K-drama.

Beside herself with excitement, best-selling author Tessa Hale flies to the vibrant city of Seoul, South Korea, where she’s meeting the cast and crew of the film adaptation of her book. The thrill shifts to star-struck panic when she discovers the actor cast as the lead is the idol she’s been high-key crushing on for years.

The last thing he wants is more real-life drama.

Baek Eun Gi is part of one of the biggest K-pop groups in the business. Music has lost its lustre, and he’s hoping a shift in focus will bring back that connection he craves. Although he’s estranged from his family, he has his friends, a thriving career, and a healthy respect for the dating restrictions imposed upon him.

Meet cute, scandal...wedding?

When their paths collide in the most unexpected—and embarrassing— of ways, they try to put it behind them. Too bad there are photos. The music company is irate and offers them a way out of the scandal—a marriage of convenience. Their lives are about to turn upside down, but it just might be the best thing that’s ever happened to them.

Amazon 

My Review: 5 STARS
I was super excited about reading this book, and the day it dropped, I dived right in. Kinsella's writing style is engaging, intriguing, pulling you along on the journey with Tessa and Eun Gi! I fell in love with the characters and the setting, I adored the whole book and especially the way Kinsella dealt with consent, it was a dream read, and one I savoured! If you love romance, you can not give this one a miss, you must read it because it will give you everything you need. Highly recommended!

You can follow Erin on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Tumblr, and her website.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.

Interview with Savy Leiser & reveiw of Sculpt Yourself

I'm delighted to welcome Savy Leiser to the blog today for an interview and my review of her book - Sculpt Yourself - here's a little about Savy:

SAVY is a Chicago author, journalist, filmmaker, and small business owner. She's the founder of the Furever Home Friends, a series of children's books and stuffed animals based on real rescue dogs, which was named one of 2018's Top 4 Most Purposeful Startups in Chicago. She's also the author of Sculpt Yourself, a new-adult ownvoices LGBTQ+ speculative novel. SAVY first started making book trailers to advertise her own Furever Home Friends books and products, and then branched into becoming a full-on booktuber and authortuber over at the YouTube channel SAVY Writes Books. SAVY enjoys dressing like it's still the early 90s and talking to her dog like he's a human child. When she's not acting obnoxious on YouTube, she works as a music journalist and kids' creative writing teacher, and spends her spare time getting into petty arguments about Star Trek fan theories on Twitter.

And onto the interview!

In your own writing, which character of yours do you relate to most?
In Sculpt Yourself, I'd say I relate to each of the three main characters in a different way. I'm a lot like Amber because I'm loud, I love putting various sauces on my nachos, and I'm an obnoxious feminist who still loves listening to Eminem. I'm like Kelly because I love art and drawing, I do my work around my pets, and because people sometimes think I'm cooler than I actually am. Finally, I relate to Judie because I'm extroverted, I drink too much (coffee and alcohol), and I hate my body.

Do you read your own genre? Is it a favourite?
YES! I write in contemporary YA, some soft sci-fi, and children's picture books. And I love to read all of those as well!

If you had to describe your style in three words, what would they be?
That 90s Bitch.

What was the first story you ever told?
When I was four, my dog, Sam, ate a candy cane that was attached to someone's present under the Christmas tree. I thought it was so funny that I wrote a story about it and stuck it in a binder. I love having that memory because now the majority of my career is writing books about dogs-- and in one of my Furever Home Friends books, Sam makes an appearance!

Was writing always your dream choice of career?
Yes, from the very beginning. I bounced around a bit in terms of what kind of writing I'd do specifically. For most of my late teens and early 20s, I was working hard toward becoming a screenwriter. So far, though, I've found that independent films have a bigger financial barrier to entry than independent books. So I've put that goal on hold for a bit, but I'm hoping to come back to it once I'm more established.

Do you have a writing space? Pictures or descriptions!
I have a home office where I run all operations for the Furever Home Friends. It consists of two rooms: a spare bedroom that I turned into an office with my desktop computer setup (that's also where I film my authortube videos) and an adjacent dining room where I store all my book and stuffed animal stock and package up orders. In terms of where I do my writing itself, that's everywhere. I write in my office, but I also write on the couch, in my bed, on the toilet, on the bus/train, everywhere. In coffee shops, at McDonald's, on the floors of public bathrooms (well, I did that one more when I was a "quirky" teenager).

Playlists? Yes or no? And why?
Yes! Especially in my upcoming YA novel, One Final Vinyl (which will be releasing May 15, 2020!), music is a major influence in my work. I think that's because I played music for so many years. I work as a music journalist on top of writing my books, so music has remained a huge part of my life. To me, it's natural to figure out characters' emotions and bring them to life through music.

Which social media do you see as a must for writers?
Twitter! I love Twitter, even though it's a dumpster fire. I'm not sure if YouTube is a must, but I've found an amazing community there.

Where do you hang out most online?
Definitely YouTube. I love AuthorTube and BookTube, and I love making videos. Find me on the channel SAVY Writes Books!

Do you have a favourite app for writing?
Google Docs. It's helpful because I can access my writing on my desktop computer or on my phone, which is useful when I'm on the move so much.

Organised or not?
I'd say my life is organized, but my physical space is not. I'm known for eating junk food and leaving trash all throughout my office and living room. I also used to have a major hoarding problem, which I've only begun to address in recent years. It's getting a lot better. But in terms of my goals, project timelines, and to-do lists, I'm VERY organized. I use a five-year planner to break down my goals year by year and month by month. Then I use Google Calendar to break down my weekly goals and obligations. Finally, I make daily to-do lists. I'm very productive, and my time management skills are a major point of pride for me. So I guess I'd say, YES, I'm organized, even though I don't look like it from the outside!

What's your favourite book you've read?
that's way too hard, haha, i'm skipping this one ;)

Morning or evening writer?
Both -- just NOT an afternoon writer!

If you had a hashtag for your books, what would it be?
#FureverHomeFriends, #SculptYourself, #BeautyKing, #SavvyBusinessOwner

Lipamorph is a drug that lets you sculpt yourself. It's how so many female celebrities in the mid-2010s remained so thin while having such large butts. It loosens up the fat in your body, allowing you to choose your proportions. And it's just been legalized for sale in Chicago.

Amber is a 24-year-old tech support worker by day, gay feminist blogger (and bad-sitcom aficionado) by night. She's been vocal about her disapproval of Lipamorph from the beginning, seeing it as another tool to reinforce patriarchal beauty standards; but as Lipamorph becomes more common, Amber's dissenting voice starts to matter less and less.

Judie is Amber's younger sister, and seemingly her complete opposite; she loves pop music, pretty latte art, and dating men. After struggling with hating her body for most of her life, Judie has become borderline reliant on Lipamorph for self-confidence, much to Amber's dismay.

Kelly is an artist currently working for the marketing firm on the floor above Amber's office. She's whip-smart, proudly bisexual, and strikingly beautiful ... and she's the woman Amber's fallen in love with.

Told from these three women's points of view, Sculpt Yourself tackles body image, LGBT+ topics, and what it means to be a feminist in the 21st century.

Amazon 

My Review: 5 STARS
I picked this up having heard good things, and I was not disappointed. Told from three different points of view, the author has a way of making you feel like you're watching it play out in front of you while also keeping you invested in the story. I read it all n one sitting and adored the writing style. Amber was just how I imagined a lot of people her age are facing the situations she is, and having the additional POV of Judie and Kelly just added to the enjoyment. I adored the book,. the growth of the characters and everything else that went into it. Overall an amazing read and one that I highly recommend!

You can follow Savy on Twitter, Instagram and Youtube!

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.

Interview with Emily Bourne & Review of In A Mirror

I am delighted to welcome Emily Bourne to the blog for both an interview and my review of her début novel, In A Mirror. Here's a little about Emily.


Emily Bourne is a laidback Aussie lass, until she becomes too hyperactive on her YouTube channel. Emily vlogs her writing experience and uses the platform to engage with other writers about the daunting process. She also engages readers with juicy tidbits about her beautifully flawed characters and emotional scenes from her novels.

Emily writes gushy romance, heart wrenching character growth, and anxiety driven scenes to make the coolest cat sweat. When she’s not writing, she’s on social media as her alias, @queenemilicious, or hanging out with IRL friends with too much coffee… or wine… or both.

And onto the interview!

In your own writing, which character of yours do you relate to most?
Oh, that’s such a tough one. Obviously my main characters, the twins, Brittany and Charli are so much a part of me. I am a Gemini, so I have this kind of split personality and in a way I gave the twins each a part of me. Charli has my reclusive side, and Brittany has my wild, excitable side.

Do you read your own genre? Is it a favourite?
I really love young adult contemporaries (which my book In A Mirror is) but I started writing in the genre because I always felt the books I read were lacking in ‘something’. I wanted more out of them, so I created my own stories.

If you had to describe your style in three words, what would they be?
Chaotic, Fun, Over-achieving.

What was the first story you ever told?
I told this story in my Authortube Newbie Tag video on my YouTube channel. I was about six or seven years and wrote and illustrated a book about ‘Torty the Tortoise’. Torty was a baby Tortoise who had lost her mother and she explored the ocean trying to find her. It’s a reverse ‘Finding Nemo’ and yes, I’m still waiting for Pixar to send me my cheque. Ha ha!

Was writing always your dream choice of career?
Yes, I always wanted to be a writer but I was convinced I couldn’t make any money as an author. I did all these jobs I didn’t love because I thought it was what I “had to do”. I later found out about the world of self-publishing and all the work you can do with advertising and marketing to increase your reach to your target audience. The possibilities are endless if you are willing to out in the work. I am learning more and more each day and so excited about where this career can take me.

Do you have a writing space? Pictures or descriptions!

 Yes, I’ve just moved and am still setting up my space, but finally have a room all to myself. I have my lovely desk and a wall of bookcases where my cat Norman likes to play.

Playlists? Yes or no? And why?
I do have certain music I listen to for each book. For example, Lana Del Rey’s music was fundamental is writing In A Mirror. I love her lyrics. In my book, Charli writes a lot of poetry, so Lana’s poetry was very inspirational to keep me going. Her music revolves around passionate love and tragic heartbreak which fits In A Mirror very nicely.

For other writing projects I’ve listened to Sia, Britney Spears, Billie Ellish, Hallsy, and Katy Perry. For me it’s all about ‘mood’.

Which social media do you see as a must for writers?
It really depends. I always thought twitter, but now as I’ve started using Instagram again (which I thought I would never do) I think it depends on what the individual person finds fun. I enjoy making YouTube videos but so many people tell me they are terrified to get in front of the camera. If you’re terrified, I would say, don’t do it. I think people put too much pressure on themselves with social media. For me I say, block out all the people telling you to ‘build your author platform’. Have fun and be authentic, and the followers will come (eventually).

Where do you hang out most online?
YouTube. That’s where I produce the most content. I use Instagram to connect with other writers through DMs.

Do you have a favourite app for writing?
SCRIVENER! Did my love come through in the all caps? I adore Scrivener. I love it for outlining, drafting, and even formatting ebooks! I also use google dos and word, but scrivener feels like the inside of my brain on a computer screen. I love it. I bought it only two days onto my free trial.

Organised or not?
Define organised, ha ha ha. I just made a merch store to celebrate the release of In A Mirror, and one of my catchphrases on the clothing and other items is ‘organised chaos’. Does that tell you enough? I am organised from my perspective, but others might see it as a mess. (One of my other catchphrases is ‘it’s a mess but it works’.)

What's your favourite book you've read?
Just one? Toss up between ‘One Day’ by David Nicholls or ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ by Arthur Golden. They are the two books on my shelf I’d re-read in a heartbeat.

Morning or evening writer?
I am not a morning person so I naturally write more in the evenings, BUT, if I get up at 5am I find I am actually more productive in the mornings. So I am more productive as a morning writer, but I prefer to sleep in. It’s a struggle!

If you had a hashtag for your books, what would it be?
Well, In A Mirror currently has a hastag #IAMRelease and I have a hashtag #lunaticwritingabook - so I use these as somewhat “branding”. (I use the term branding quite loosely ha ha.)

  There’s more than lies in a reflection… Amid secrets and rumours, follow twins Brittany and Charli Matthews as they fight inner demons, dividing them, in the hell that is high school.

At a party, Brittany gets her first taste of popularity, but when another girl eyes the boy she likes, things take a few wrong turns. Whilst branding herself a loser, Brittany tries to keep her cool and joins the cheer squad and befriends the queen bees. Her obsession with her dream boy intensifies, but as they get closer, he seems to be holding secrets of his own. Brittany must decide whether popularity or the chance at love is what she really wants. But will she ever stop calling herself a loser and be happy in her own skin?

When Charli is at a party, uninvited guests shake up the dynamics with her friends and cause her to doubt the boyfriend she trusted. Attempting to avoid the morons at school, Charli focuses on her studies, hoping to bring her dad home. But she overdoes it and loses who she is. Charli must drop her single-minded approach if she wants to keep her loved ones close. But that means deciding who to trust and who to push away. If Charli puts herself first, will she find where her true happiness lies?

Amazon

My Review: 5 stars
I picked this up as pre-order and have been dying to read it. The story was engaging from page one and I adored all the characters, though I did love Charli more than Brittany, both girls were so different from each other, and it was the kind of book you pick up and then never want to put it down. I was desperate to know what happened, and overall it was a definite 5 star read. Highly recommended and can't wait for the sequel and more books from this author!

You can follow Emily on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube and her website.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.

Interview With Krysten Lindsay Hager

I am delighted to be welcoming Krysten Lindsay Hager on the blog for an interview! She's been here before, but since the questions have changed I wanted to interview her again. Here's a bio about here:

Krysten Lindsay Hager writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values. She is the author of True Colors, Best Friends...Forever?, Next Door to a Star,  Landry in Like, Competing with the Star, Dating the It Guy,  Can Dreams Come True, and In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety. True Colors, won the Readers Favorite award for best preteen book and the Dayton Book Expo Bestseller Award for children/teens. Best Friends…Forever won the Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal. Competing with the Star is a Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist. Landry in Like is a Literary Classics Gold Medal recipient.

Krysten's work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the Bellbrook Times, Springfield News-Sun, Grand Blanc View, Dayton Daily News and on Living Dayton.

And onto the interview!

In your own writing, which character of yours do you relate to most?
Cecily is a lot like me in terms of our sense of humor and how we look at the world. She’s a lot more organized and worried about schoolwork than I ever was though! Landry was a lot like me in middle school and Emme is a lot like me in high school.

Do you read your own genre? Is it a favourite?
I love reading YA. I tend to reread YA books a lot, too. I also love mysteries and biographies.

If you had to describe your style in three words, what would they be?
My books always contain humor, hope, and make you feel like the storyline could really happen even if it involves a dating a rock star! I got a review once that called my writing, “funny, lively, and very real,” and that’s become my tagline.

What was the first story you ever told?
When I was a kid, I used to watch soap opera dramas and I would get frustrated with the cliffhangers, so I would go and get my Barbie dolls and act out how I wanted the storyline to go. That’s how I got started writing stories in the first place.

Was writing always your dream choice of career?
I always loved making up stories as a kid. I also thought about being a screenwriter. I did work as a journalist for a while, but writing was always my first love.

Do you have a writing space? Pictures or descriptions!
I have an office and the back wall has my bookcases. That’s big for me because we moved around a lot and in the last house, I just had a desk in the great room and my books had no permanent home. I love having bookcases so much! I organize my books by genre. I think it’s cute when people do it by color, but that wouldn’t work for me as I like to know where everything is in case I need it fast. I have a desk in the middle of the room and a big table under the windows that I have been using to work through my plots. There are notebooks everywhere.

Playlists? Yes or no? And why?
Love playlists because they’re soundtracks to the books. I make one for each book I write because there’s always a song inspiring me and my writing. The fact the Cecily Taylor Series deals with her dating a musician really brings music into the story as she fell for Andrew as a singer/songwriter way before she ever met him. She feels like he understands her through his lyrics and that’s how I felt about certain songwriters growing up.

Organised or not?
To give you an idea, there’s a pile of notebooks and papers stacked so high on my desk that I had to move them to see the screen. I recently got a new table in my office because my desk isn’t big enough and now my piles of paper have grown—haha!

What's your favourite book you've read?
I loved The Great Gatsby, but not until I read it as an adult. We were assigned it in 7th grade and again in 9th and I couldn’t relate to it then. I read The Bell Jar for the first time in high school and liked it a lot. I like Edith Wharton a lot, too. My favorite YA book is Good-bye Glamour Girl by Erika Tamar.

You can follow Krysten on her website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.

Interview with Joey Paul

I decided that since I spend Fridays promoting other authors, that I might do something a little different and answer my own questions today! It felt like something fun to do!

So you all know about me already so let's get onto the interview!

In your own writing, which character of yours do you relate to most?
I'd have to say characters that I've written more recently, like Jessie from the Cramping Chronicles series which is starting next year. She's disabled, with similar conditions to me, and I can't help but feel like I get her on a deep level. That could be because I wrote her, but also because I relate to her so very much!

Do you read your own genre? Is it a favourite?
I do! Depending on which genre I'm writing in at the moment. I think the only one I don't read that much is fantasy, and that's simply because I've never really been one for that genre even though I ended up writing a whole series in it! I think my favourite genre has to still be the crime/mystery genre and I love YA. I could read YA until the day I die and never grow tired of it!

If you had to describe your style in three words, what would they be?
Relatable, Intriguing, Real

What was the first story you ever told?
I think it would have to be the one I wrote when I was about six or seven. I was staying with my great-nan and she loved cats so I wrote a whole "book" about cat people and their lives. There was even a murder mystery which I'm sure worried her no doubt!

Was writing always your dream choice of career?
Yes and no. I didn't plan to be a writer when I grew up, that was always going to be a back up plan, but the majority of my life I wanted to be a doctor. It was something I knew from a young age and it was really only when I got sick and had to stop college, and then stop working, that I fell into writing. I'd always loved telling stories, but I kinda saw it as something I'd do in my spare time!

Do you have a writing space? Pictures or descriptions!
I do! I have my desk, which is a huge corner desk from IKEA and it's basically my go-to writing space. It has room for all my notes, my pop vinyl army and everything I need. When we moved to this place, there were two rooms for me since the lift goes through them, and so I finally got an office, which is where I do all my creating! Unless I'm writing in bed and then I have a nice set up there too!

Playlists? Yes or no? And why?
No, not for me. I have a hearing issue and it makes it impossible for me to listen to any type of music and still concentrate. I can just about manage with background noise like cafe sounds or such, but music is a no-go when writing!

Which social media do you see as a must for writers?
Hmm, I think for me the big ones are Twitter and Instagram. I love meeting new people on both and I do seem to spend most of my time split between the two! I think it also depends on what genre you write as to whether or not you hang on on Facebook and the like. I personally have as many as I can, but obviously I'm not hugely active on all of them!

Where do you hang out most online?
I'd have to say an even split between Twitter and Instagram. I do daily posts on both and will do Insta-stories throughout the day as well. It works well for me!

Do you have a favourite app for writing? 
I use Open Office. I used to do Word but it kept losing my work and so now I only use that for formatting and such. I'm pretty happy with Open Office though I do have OfficeSuite Pro on my tablet and phone for any writing away from my computer.

Organised or not?
I'm pretty organised. I have my time slotted out, I know when I'm supposed to be writing and what. I make sure that everything has it's place, which is really weird because in the planning aspect of writing, I am not organised at all!

What's your favourite book you've read?
Why did I put this one on here?? LOL. I would have to say that I love the Alphabet series by Sue Grafton. I was devastated when she died since it meant the series would stop at Y, but I do love it. I re-read it at least once a year.

Morning or evening writer?
I'm very much an afternoon writer. I will be setting up to get going around 11/midday and then will write until I finish, but usually for a good few hours and then I'm done by about 4/5 time.

If you had a hashtag for your books, what would it be?
#ExploreTheUnexpected

You can follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or my Youtube channel!

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Interview with KB Benson

I am delighted to welcome KB Benson to the blog for an interview! Here's a little bit about her:

KB is the author of the 2019 release Call of the Sirens trilogy. Absolutely in love with her family, KB can never say no to a chocolate brownie (or any dessert for that matter) and enjoys taking afternoon naps. She's a huge advocate for following your dreams and making them come true. 

A convicted sleepwalker, highlighter collector, and compulsive list-maker, KB writes Clean YA Fantasy. Before an author, KB is a busy stay-at-home mom who loves spending time with her husband, daughter, and Golden Retriever. When she’s not writing, she’s usually trying to keep up with her baby girl. 

And onto the interview!

In your own writing, which character of yours do you relate to most?
Ironically, I relate most to my main character, Iris, who happens to be a siren. Over the past seven years writing the Call of the Sirens trilogy, I’ve often had friends and family say, “Wow, you just seem so nice and happy. How did you write something so dark?” I can’t help but laugh 😊 In all honesty, as I got deeper into the siren world, I found myself going through a lot of the same trials Iris went through especially in book three (minus the blood and murder and fighting, of course).
Call of the Sirens is a trilogy of boy meets monster and falls in love, but it’s also a lot more than that. It’s about learning to understand who you truly are and loving yourself for that person because the simple fact that you are you makes you pretty amazing and worth something. That’s a lesson I learned a lot about as I wrote the trilogy.

Do you read your own genre? Is it a favourite?
Yes! YA Fantasy is my favorite! Add in some romance and I’ll be hooked.

If you had to describe your style in three words, what would they be?
Poetic. Descriptive. Dance-like.

What was the first story you ever told?
Aside from the little two-page stories I wrote in grade school, my first story/novel was about time travel to a place of kingdoms and princes, secrets and spies. It’s still unpublished, but I hope to get back to it one day and make it a worthy read!

Was writing always your dream choice of career?
It was one of them! My three dream jobs were to be a stay-at-home mom (check!), an elementary teacher (I changed my mind after starting the program almost a decade ago) and being a writer. Honestly, I thought the writing career was probably the least likely to happen!

Do you have a writing space? Pictures or descriptions!
Oh, I wish I had a writing nook but my favorite place to write... is my bed! Haha. It’s so comfy and is big enough to give me almost unending space to spread all my notes out around me while I’m working. If my daughter wakes up and I need to take a break, it’s also high enough to keep all my notes safely out of her reach so I can leave my mess and come back to it later.

Playlists? Yes or no? And why?
Absolutely! Music helps me so much during the brainstorming process of outlining my books. Whenever I hear a new song or one that speaks to me, I write it down so that I can add it to my playlist for a particular series and listen to those songs on a loop while I write the outline. They help me set the mood I’m going for within a book, and I always discover new music and artists!

Which social media do you see as a must for writers?
Instagram is huge! I’ve also seen a lot of authors use Twitter, though I’m not on Twitter :/

Where do you hang out most online?
I spend most of my time on Instagram and Facebook. I love getting to see everyone’s creative photos on Instagram (Have you heard of Bookstagram? It’s pretty much the most amazing thing ever)!

Do you have a favourite app for writing?
I guess I’m old-school and like to just use Microsoft Word. I’ve tried apps like Scrivener and a few others, but I like the simplicity with Word.

Organised or not?
Very organized. When I wrote The Harvest (Call of the Sirens Book One), it took me six years because I “pantsed” the crap out of that story. I had no idea where I was going; and each time I hit a roadblock, it’d take me weeks to overcome. The Hunt (Book 2) and The Harrowing (Book 3) took me a total of just over a year to take from little ideas to publication because I spent the time to create very detailed outlines. If I ever hit writer’s block, it would take me max a day or two to solve. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to just “pantsing” a story.

What's your favourite book you've read?
This year I read Mary Weber’s new release To Best the Boys, and it was amazing! I’ve also always loved Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series.

Morning or evening writer?
Morning. By the time evening comes, I’m usually too tired to be much of anything, let alone creative.

If you had a hashtag for your books, what would it be?
I’m glad you asked because I do have a hashtag for my book, though it isn’t widely used yet. #CalloftheSirensTrilogy

You can follow KB Benson on Instagram and Facebook.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Interview with MC Frank

I am delighted to be finally welcoming the amazing MC Frank to the blog for an interview! Here's a little bit about her, and be sure to check the blog for all her amazing books!

M.C. Frank (writer, reader, designer, physicist and teacher, to name a few) has been living in a world of stories ever since she can remember (that's before she knew how to write). She started writing them down when she could no longer stand the characters in her head screaming at her to give them life, and while those first scribblings weren't exactly good (nor were they books, although she insisted on calling them that), they were enough for her to discover her passion in life.

She got her university degree in physics a few years ago (yes, she's like Sheldon, only a bit crazier!) and is now free to pursue her love of reading and writing, as well her free-lance job as editor-in-chief. She lives with her 'dude' in a home filled with candles, laptops and notebooks, where she rearranges her overflowing bookshelves every time she feels stressed.

Which is often, since (as you might have noticed) she doesn't pick the easiest subjects for her novels. 

And onto the interview!


In your own writing, which character of yours do you relate to most?
My characters live through horrible things: Evil Sheriffs chasing them through the forest, frozen lands without Christmas and life-threatening diseases if they have the
bad fortune to live in one of my contemporary novels. I'm not going to lie, living through horrible thins is very relatable for me :) but being brave and trained in archery...
can't relate. I do relate to Ellie from Salt for Air a lot, because she's also lost her dad and loves to read and write fanfiction, like me. I also relate to Robin from Everything I Do,
because he feels that he's never enough (and I constantly feel that), and also he, like me, lives in a country that has been destroyed by evil rulers and ruthless tax-collectors. Out of all my characters,
these are the ones I most relate to.

Do you read your own genre? Is it a favourite?
I write in several genres: scifi, fantasy, New Adult and historical fiction. I read all of these genres extensively. Maybe I've been reading
more historical fiction lately, because I'm a Regency novels addict-that's possibly my favourite genre.
It comes in handy, as I'm currently writing the sequel to my Robin Hood novel, and a Regency romance!

If you had to describe your style in three words, what would they be?
Angst, depth, humour.

What was the first story you ever told?
It was a story about a little angel on Christmas day, sending gifts to a poor boy? I think it was something like that. I was eight at the time, and had been reading
a ton of Dickens. I gave it to my dad to read, as he was an author and my main inspiration to become one. He read it very carefully, and then said: "Keep working on it."

Was writing always your dream choice of career?
No. I studied physics in university and have been working as a private tutor and teacher for years. But as soon as I discovered self-publishing, I was like, this is IT. Search for
dream career was over that day.

Do you have a writing space? Pictures or descriptions!
I do! It's by my bed, and I've got a ton of notebooks full of ideas stacked on either side of me. I also have a candle, a typewriter, a puzzle picturing books as the four seasons,
and a board where I pin post-its with my goals and inspirational quotes. My bear also usually keeps me company.I post tons of photos of it on my instagram (@mcfrank_author).

Playlists? Yes or no? And why?
YES! It's mainly music and songs that inspire all of my stories and scenes, to be honest. I would have nothing without it.

Which social media do you see as a must for writers?
I don't know. None? I'm sure you can make it without social media if you want, but you must research how to do that extensively.
I personally would be lost as an author without instagram.

Where do you hang out most online?
Instagram. It's open pretty much all day on my phone, and I chat with my friends and browse gorgeous photos. Perfection.

Do you have a favourite app for writing?
I just write in Word. I use notes on my phone for ideas... And that's pretty much it.

Organised or not?
Very organised (although I'm sure not as organised as you, Joey! You are organization goals.) I have to have very detailed outlines and marketing/publication plans.

What's your favourite book you've read?
Oh, that's an unanswerable question haha. Among my favorites are Persuasion (Jane Austen), The Illustrated Man (Ray Bradbury), Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Laini Taylor),
Hamlet (William Shakespeare)... Should I go on? We'll be here all day.

Morning or evening writer?
I'm a vampire writer. I write all through the night, and I sleep during the day.

If you had a hashtag for your books, what would it be?
I do have hashtags for my books! It's just their titles, #saltforair #everythingido #ruinedmcfrank and so on...so that I can find out lovely photos or posts about
them and do shoutouts on social media. If a reader isn't sure of what to use, just #mcfrankauthor or #mcfrankbook is fine!

You can follow MC Frank on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, her website, and The Book Robin Hoods.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.