Monday, January 26, 2015

Pinspiration!

For years I've had a Pinterest board for Onyx Moon. I kept it secret, mostly because I didn't want people asking me why I was pinning such weird stuff. Now that the book is out, I've decided to share it with all the world! If you follow me on Pinterest, you can now see the whole thing on my profile. Below are some of my favorites. Don't worry! There are NO SPOILERS :)


 Ora wasn't this dressed up when she was asleep in the Blessed Tree, but I like to think Isabella and Letty adorned her with flowers once in awhile. I couldn't help but think of Ora when I saw this picture. She's sleeping so peacefully and she even has that brassy blond hair.


There is no stream outside Isabella's cottage, but it could have looked like this. Quaint and hidden in the Forbidden Wood.

A beautiful lightning storm conjured by Isabella.

The wall leading up to the castle.

Ora's favorite gymnastics pose. I studied and learned a lot to be able to include gymnastics in the book.
Lady Grey
This is actually New York but it was such a great shot of the moon looming over everything. I can imagine Angels and Demons battling on the rooftops.

Yes, I know this is Hogwarts. But can't you imagine Xader sulking in these dark corridors at night?

Reminds me of Xader's mirrored garden. Some of the only sunlight he ever gets. 

One of Avery Academy uniforms looked something like this. Silly rich city kids.


A demonic face Ora sees when she looks at someone on the street. I absolutely love this picture. It freaked me out when I first saw it. No wonder she thinks she's crazy.

When I see this I think of the tree on the cliffs by the sea. Ora and Doeryan's special place.

Ora loves the soothing tones of lavender. Her bedroom was cozy and probably looked something like this.

I only see Doeryan when I look at this face. Its funny. It was actually really hard to find a serious picture of this actor, Torrance Combs. Most of them were either ones where he was making some goofy face at the camera or selfies with his cat. I think Doeryan would have liked cats. ;)

Seven's hair. Wish I could pull this off.

The colorful night sky in Alethia. 

A spot in the Forbidden Wood. This place feels like home. 



Whenever I was feeling stuck on something, or just couldn't get my mind in the book, I would look at these pictures to get the wheels turning. I have a similar board for Bloodstones, and the other fantasy series I am working on. Those two are secret, since they contain spoilers and I'm not ready to talk about my other series yet. When Bloodstones is out, check back and I'll post my favorite pics from that board too!

















Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Author Spotlight: Megan Linski


MEGAN LINSKI
Author of Alora



Tell us about the Anmortals from your book Alora. 

Anmortals are immortal creatures who are humans during the summer and animals during the winter. They are extremely beautiful, very proud, and value freedom above all. Alora is the perfect Anmortal. She's gorgeous, over confident, and her winter form, a winged wolf, suits the magical air that surrounds all Anmortals. 


What was it about Northern Michigan that inspired you to make it the setting of your book?

I love Northern Michigan. Love it. It's the only place in the entire world I've ever been that looks like the setting of a fantasy novel. You can walk outside and it feels like you're in an enchanted, northern forest. The waterfalls, the aureola borealis, the sandy shores, and everything else just speaks to me as a writer. And the seclusion is absolutely wonderful. There's no one around for miles, and the people that do live there are kind and generous (and they make some fantastic food). I am completely at peace and happy there. If I had the option, that's where I would build my writing retreat. I feel as if it's my home. 


How did you get the idea for Alora?


I was visiting up north, and we were driving on a road that spiraled through a deep part of the wilds in the Upper Peninsula. I looked out the window among the trees and pines and saw a young white wolf with wings, chasing after us and looking at me proudly, refusing to cast away her eyes. Right then I knew I had to write about her and tell her story. I begged for some paper and a pen and got right to it. Most of the first draft was composed on that vacation on napkins and hotel paper. 


What made you decide to become a YA author?

I started writing YA when I was a teenager because, naturally, I wanted to write about people my own age. Now that I'm older I want to write about YA because I remember what it's like to be in a teenager's shoes. Many things that happened throughout my teenage years were painful and unforgettable to me. I've matured quite a bit since I became an adult, but I think a small part of me is always going to be that lost teenager who couldn't stop writing books. I want to keep connecting with teens today and years to come because I've been there, and whatever it is, I get where they're coming from. 


Your book, Alora, claimed the #4 spot on Amazon in the free YA Fantasy Swords and Sorcery category. How did you accomplish that?

I would suppose it had a lot to do with luck, really, but I also submitted my book to be featured for free on 30+ Kindle websites and around 20+ or so Facebook pages and Twitter outlets a month before the release date. I posted everywhere I could and asked everyone who liked the book to share it on their profile the day it was free. I have an amazing book blogger on my side, Hayley Guertin, who does a lot of promotion for me. I basically worked my butt off to try and get the book out there. I ended up getting over 1,000 downloads. But if people actually read the book after downloading a copy is an entirely different story. 


What do you do when you're not writing?

Promoting, haha. And that's basically the truth. If I'm not working on a new book I'm trying to sell the ones I already have out. But sometimes I have to force myself to take a break so I don't get burned out, and then I go outside to ride horses, go fishing or on a walk. Sometimes I sew or watch TV, or play a video game. On the rare occasions when I can afford it I'll go ice skating. I'm also attempting to go to college as well. But overall these books are my life. It's been that way ever since I was fourteen years old. 


What are your plans for the future?

I want to publish three more books this year. I'd like to get a couple thousand fans for my Facebook pages, and get more reviews for my books. Besides writing I'd like to finish up trade school, go back to earn my degree, and save up some money so I can travel abroad next year. But our plans for the future are rarely what comes to be, so we'll see. 

 

What advice to you offer aspiring writers?


This is hard. I'm not gonna lie, it's really, really hard. You have to love it with all your heart to keep doing it. If you aren't willing to sacrifice everything, reconsider publishing books. But if this is something you need to do, then don't let anything stand in your way. 



Thank you, Megan!
Megan Linski is also looking for Beta Readers and Reviewers. If interested, you can contact her on her blog or facebook page. 
 

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Upcoming Events




 My street team and I have been busy lately with promotional hoohaa; getting Onyx Moon into a few solid stores and navigating the unforgiving sea that is the internet. Here are some things we have going so far. First, I have been invited to do a signing at the local library. This event special to me because I used to work there as a lowly page, restocking dusty books and dreaming of the day my own would grace their shelves. I learned a lot about writing the publishing market while working there and I wouldn't trade my countless hours in those tall stacks for anything. 




 But enough about the past. The next stop on my little book tour is a beautiful shoppe called Patti Anne's Exchange. They sell lots of decorative trinkets and elegant furniture, and is whimsical place to spend an afternoon perusing. I will be there signing copies of my book Sat-Sun February 7th and 8th 12-2. I hope I see you there!


***** Coming Soon *****

 Author Spotlight: Megan Linski
Tricks of the Trade: The importance of choosing the right title for your book
Book Review: The Bubble Prince by Christine Webber
  

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Book Review: On My Way Home by Allie Walker






If I'm going to be completely honest, this isn't a book I would normally pick up. Although the cover is beautiful, with it's open inviting sky and alluring sunlit glow, there is no promise of magic or adventure. No evil wizards threatening the purity of a medieval land. No ancient queens or dashing rouges. No mysteries whispering from the past.

But despite all that, my hometown was all abuzz about this local author and I just had to swipe up my copy and see what all the fuss was about.

On My Way Home is about a young girl from a small town with big dreams. Just after graduating high school, her bright future is shattered when tragedy strikes and takes her on an incredible emotional journey in which no one could have ever been prepared.

Newcomer author Allie Walker beautifully illustrates the stages of grief in this heart-wrenching coming of age story. She makes the reader examine their own relationships with their mother, father, sisters, and boyfriend. I found myself wondering if I would have handled things as well as Gabriella, the main character, or differently, in some burdensome situations.

This book inspired me to write letters to my daughter; to hug her more, and to hold on a few moments longer. It inspired me to not take people for granted or judge them. Someone like me, who is not into super sappy love stories, will enjoy the subtle romance, but feel that the story moves a little slow - without a lot of excitement to move it along. I was disappointed when the author skipped over a scene I had been looking forward to.

Emotionally driven, the reader is encouraged to keep tissues close if they don't like tear stains on the pages. A friend of mine joked that you can flip to any random page and Gabriella would be sobbing. But as you go along with her on her journey home, I challenge you not to shed a few tears with her.

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