Interview With Debut Author Ninana Howard

We are talking turkey today with debut author Ninana Howard!  Her book Essentia, The Heart of Aelmere (The Curse of Aelmere Series Book 1) is due to release TOMORROW!  Congrats to her on her debut book!  There are interview questions below along with what she had to say!  Be sure to check back in on July 15th to see the release day info!

          Essentia, The Heart of Aelmere           

(The Curse of Aelmere Series Book 1) 

by Ninana Howard

preorder link:

https://www.amazon.com/Essentia-Heart-Aelmere-Curse-Book-ebook/dp/B01HYPNN48/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468302260&sr=8-1&keywords=ninana+howard

Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/AelmereSeries/?fref=ts

1.How did you decide to publish your first book? Was it a last minute decision or did you consider it for a long period of time?

I had thought about writing one for a while. My boyfriend bought me a new laptop so I could start writing. It was a Year after that that I had actually started it.

 After Putting in all the long hours writing and editing and doing it all over again, I thought it would be a waste to not share it with the world. That’s why I decided to publish it.

2. What are your biggest fears as a new author?

I don’t really have any fears as a new author. I mean, Yes I want my book to sell, But I do not have a fear of it not selling. Every reader has their own flavor of books they like to read. My Book will be someone’s flavor eventually.  J

3. How did you come up with the title of your book, Essentia?

I came up with the name for this book by doing some word play with some of the elements that are in the book.

4. What do you have planned next for your Curse of Aelmere series?

              

            I have 2 more books in the series I am currently working on.

 5. What was your inspiration for Essentia?

The only inspiration I had was a dream I use to have a few years ago. It started with that, then just kept going.

6. When do you expect to have your next book out?

I am shooting for Fall of this year for the second book.

7. What are your experiences thus far in the indie community? Have they been positive or negative?

So far the Indie Community has been very supportive. I have met some great Authors and Bloggers. There is a great support system in this community. So I would have to say it has been very positive.

8. Do your past life experiences have an impact on your writing?

In a way they do, but in a more imaginative way to add to the story.

9. What are your hobbies?

          My hobbies are Photography, Painting, Sewing, Traveling, Wood and Marble carving, some metal sculpture, Beadwork and many more.  Anything creative really.

10. Would you share a small excerpt from Essentia with us?

    I smile at Thegan and say “At least I didn't blow anything up." Everyone snickered.

    Enre whispers to me over my shoulder  "So Being loved not only makes you happy, but everyone around you as well.  Makes me wonder what all those 'other' feelings would make you do."  I blush instantly, knowing exactly what he means by 'other feelings.' 

    "The flowers, they are changing colors," Aiden said. I tore my gaze from Enre and looked around.  He was right, all of the blue and gold flowers start turning to pink and red. Well, that's great.  Mood Flowers, if all of this wasn't embarrassing enough.

    "I think it's cute," Enre says to me very quietly.  He would.  He is not the one that's a walking visual emotion.

    "The pendants are done," Crios says, his eyes wide as he looks at the color-changing flowers.

    "Thank God,” I say. Everyone tries to hide their laughs. Mind you, they are failing miserably.  'Thanks, guys' I think to myself.

Live Interview!!

There will be a live interview with Barbara Devlin on Monday July 6th at 8 p.m. CST (6 p.m. pacific, 7 p.m. mountain, 9 p.m. eastern)!!  Be sure to stop by Clarice's Book Nook's Facebook page and say hi, ask questions, and comment!

Clarice's Book Nook on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClaricesBookNook

Barbara Devlin on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barbara-Devlin/536542626431032?fref=ts

Interview Time!

I have a live interview scheduled for June 30th at 11 a.m. pacific time (12 mountain, 1 p.m. central, and 2 p.m. eastern) with Brenda Dyer! Clarice's Book Nook has never done a live interview so this is something new we are trying.  An interview question will be posted every 5 minutes or so in which Brenda will answer as she fits.  After she answers that question, everyone is welcome to comment or ask questions.  Feel free to come participate and interact!

Author Interview with H.L. Burke

Here is a recent email interview I did with H.L. Burke, author of Dragon's Curse (The Dragon and the Scholar Volume 1)!  If you haven't read the book, you should check it out!  Also, look down under this post and you should see a review I did on it if you want to know more about Dragon's Curse!

1. How long have you been writing?

This depends on your definition of writing. If dictating stories to my mom because I was too young to write them down counts, probably five or six. My daughter now does the same thing with me. She literally draws pictures on the backs of my old rejection letters. I had a file of the dang things, and one day I took them out and said, "Huh, still blank on one side," and put them in the drawing paper bin. She wrote at least two "books" on the back of these. 

2.  When did you publish your first book?

2013, so very recently. I made a rookie mistake of rushing my first book, The Ordinary Knight and the Invisible Princess: A Tale in Two Parts, to publication because I didn't know where to get help with editing and the like. It is still a good book, just looking back with what I  know now, it could be a lot more polished. Someday I'll probably put up a "special edition" with some edits, but for now I'm focused on future endeavors. 

3. Who/what is your biggest inspiration?

The funny thing is that I do not write like my favorite authors. I adore Tolkien, Dostoevsky, and Kate DiCamillo. Those are my big three, authors who have always been able to touch me, but my style is nothing like theirs, and I'm okay with that. I compare my work to Shannon Hale's and Gail Carson Levine's, but probably the best compliment I ever got was when a reader likened my style to C. S. Lewis's, who is an undeniable influence. I'm very schooled in classics, not so much on modern books (though I'm trying to expand my horizons a bit). 

4. What was your inspiration for Dragon's Curse?

Dragons are sexy. That's basically it. I've had an idea for something like Dragon's Curse in my head for almost ten years. I remember reading The Reluctant Dragon and loving the idea of a dragon working with a knight. I also love any sort of "Beauty and the Beast" story. It took awhile to work out the details in my head, but I've wanted to write this particular story for a long time.

5. How many books will be in the series The Dragon and the Scholar? 

Four, all written, just in various stages of editing. Dragon's Debt should be out in May, and I'm aiming for a new release every four to six months following that. 

6. How did you decide to make Shannon, the heroine, such a strong and independent character?

It's funny because I know Shannon's foibles so well that I probably wouldn't describe her that way, not right off. I know what she's afraid of, and I have seen her when she's vulnerable (I put her through the wringer in later books.). I didn't, however, want her to be a shrinking violet because she needed to be able to stand up for herself, and her dragon. Basically Shannon rises to the occasion and grows due to hardship. Also, I wanted people to cheer for her. No one likes a whiner. 

7. When will the next book in the series be out? 

(I accidentally answered this above. That's what I get for not reading ahead)

8. What will the major point of conflict be in the next book?

A mysterious creature is carrying off young women and draining their memories, returning them as empty shells. My heroes are drawn in when the monster targets the beloved of someone close to them (trying not to give away too much.). However, the emotional impetus involves whether or not the relationship between Shannon and (spoilers, sweetie) Ewan is sustainable. 

9. Have your life experiences impacted your writing?

Majorly. Especially some of the events in the later books of this series. I fell in love with a man who for the longest time kept me at arm's length, and I draw from that longing a lot. Also, there is a certain amount of faith that has to come along with being  a military wife. You can't hold too tight, and you have to accept things as they come. Probably one of the hardest moments in my life was going into labor with my first child with her daddy overseas in Iraq. I remember putting his picture on the hospital bedside table and just bursting into tears, wailing, "I want Matt!" But that wasn't going to happen and that baby was coming no matter what. When that time comes you  just have to draw on God and what strength He gave you and push through. So yeah, there is a lot in my stories about love and fidelity in the face of hardship because I understand that. 

10. what hobbies do you enjoy in your free time?

Oh gosh, writing used to be my hobby and now it feels like a "job." I love computer games. I had to give up World of Warcraft when I started writing "seriously" but I still indulge in occasional Myst binges or a Nancy Drew mystery game. I crochet and I have kids, but it works out because my six-year-old leveled up my Paladin in World of Warcraft for me and does dailies from time to time. (Nobody probably understands what I'm talking about. . .I'm such a geek)


Both ebooks Dragon's Curse and The Ordinary Knight and the Invisible Princess: A Tale in Two Parts will be free on Amazon March 15-16!!  Make sure to check them out and don't forget to leave the author a review on Amazon!

Email Interview with Caroline Swart

Here is an email interview I did with Caroline Swart, author of Liquid Gold and Aspen and the Dream Walkers!!  Thank you Caroline!

1. Please tell us a little about where you are from.

I'm from a sleepy coastal town in South Africa called Port Elizabeth in South Africa. I travel between America and Africa regularly and have lived in Atlanta and New Jersey before.

 

2. When did you publish your first book?  What was the title of the book?

My first book, Liquid Gold, was published in 2010 and it's about two college students in Idaho who are in the cross hairs of a giant oil cartel because of a family-kept bio-fuel secret. The book has plenty of action and there's a budding romance between the two main characters.

 

3. What hobbies do you enjoy in your free time?

I was a professional singer many years ago, and still sing in a band at the occasional function or pub night. Being an avid reader, you can always catch me with my nose in an e-reader, and I've been known to dabble with a paint brush at times.

 

4. Would you tell us a little about your next book in the Dream Walker Series?

 The Dream Walkers consist of four clans, Power, Water, Fire and Wind, so there's a lot of scope for new characters and books in the series. I wanted to write about Ruby and Caden next. Ruby had a good reason for making Aspen jealous and Caden, the handsome blond Water Walker, knows just how to fire up her temper. His family is against clan-mixing so there's going to be a lot of conflict and romantic tension between the two of them. She is such a beautiful character and so firey that I couldn't resist giving her a story of her own. The book is called Ruby and the Fire Walkers. Of course the tale wouldn't be complete without a villain. Lord Andreas, the leader of the chancellors in Lanta, survived the attack on his castle and is looking for revenge. Unfortunately Ruby decides to follow Caden when he goes after his missing twin brother in Muda, just as Andreas is looking for someone to punish...

5. The idea of the Dream Walker series is very intriguing.  Where did your inspiration for this series come from?

My niece, Aspen Swart, asked for a young adult book and I created the world of Lanta with the main character being named after her. Most of the characters in my books are named after friends and family - it's a fun way of involving them in my work. I decided to write about nightmares because kids hate them and I could picture evil creatures feeding on the fear they generate. Lavendula is loosely based on REM (Rapid eye movement), which is the stage when your brain dreams and nightmares happen. REM typically lasts for ten minutes a few times during the night while you sleep. That's why Lavendula is shorter than Lemona. Imagining clans of warriors who fight the nightmares and save children from bad dreams was the next step and I wanted them to be on another plane or world to make the story more exciting. I keep picturing new towns, new super powers and incredible characters in my head, so hopefully the stories will get richer and more interesting as they evolve.

 

6. Have your life experiences had an impact on your writing?

Absolutely. I worked at a Drive-In late at night in a deserted ticket office when I was a teenager. Every night I wondered what was waiting for me outside of the office door while the sounds of the movies echoed around me. That inspired a host of stories in my head. Couple that with the thousands of novels that I've read and also with being involved in the music industry - which is a fantasy in itself - on stage, on television and in casinos, and you'll understand where I get my inspiration from.

 

7. How long have you been writing?

Since junior school. I would entertain my friends with self-penned, short novels and wanted to hug my English teacher when he said I should consider a career in writing.

8. What is your favorite quote?

If you don't have a dream, how are you going to make a dream come true? (Oscar Hammerstein)

If I could create my own quote it would be as follows:
Opportunity is like a wave. When it's cresting, don't wait - grab your surfboard and ride it.

Interview with Tim O'Rourke!

And here is the email/Facebook interview I did with author Tim O'Rourke!!



1.How long have you been writing? 

--I started writing at the age of fourteen.

2. What/who is your biggest inspiration? 

--I get inspired by all sorts of things. Stories that I read about in the news or stuff that has affected my own life.

3. What inspired the Kiera Hudson Series?

--My wife wanted me to write a vampire story for her. I didn’t want to at first so I told her to come up with an idea and I would write the story for her. So she suggested a remote little police station where the night shift were all vampires. So I got writing…

4. Let’s talk about Jack Seth. We see him appear some in the first Kiera Hudson Series, but don’t delve too awfully much into his deep, dark heart. Please tell us about what to expect in the Jack Seth Novellas.

--Jack is trying to redeem himself for all his past mistakes. They have been pretty big mistakes like murder…but he is haunted by a curse which he is trying to lift. The Jack Seth series will look at that struggle. There will be links to the Kiera Hudson series.

5. When can we expect the final book in the Moon Trilogy to be out? 

--The third and final book in the ‘Moon Trilogy’ will be released early in 2014.

6. You have written tons of books. How exactly do you keep from burning out? 

--Writing is my passion and I write full time. I get up at seven each morning and start writing a t 9 am. Most days I finish at 5 pm but sometimes I write to much later. I often write for 12 hours in a single day.

7. What other hobbies do you enjoy besides writing? 

--I love walking and listening to music and messing about with my three kids.

8. Have your life experiences had an impact on your writing? 

--Yes. If you read my books you’ll see certain themes creep in in most of the stories that I write. The way in which I was raised, my schooling and faith had a big impact on me.

Interview with Indie Author Brian D. Meeks!!

I had a little email interview with Brian Meeks this weekend and here is what he had to say!

1. How long have you been writing?

 I started writing on Jan 2, 2010. I hated writing before that, but the college football game didn't kickoff until eight o'clock, so I was wandering around the internet and found the blogger site. I had taken up woodworking and decided to write a post about my foibles. After I hit post I went to a woodworking forum and decided to post it there, too. The next day, when I went back, 300 people had read the post and 25 had left comments. It is amazing how external validation can change one's perspective. I've blogged every day since.

2. What was your main reason for becoming an Indie Author?

I didn't intend to write novels. I wrote the 1st chapter of a noir mystery that takes place in 1955 New York City for my blog. My blog was about woodworking and I didn't have anything to write about that day, so I created Henry Wood. He's a detective with a love of woodworking and the Brooklyn Dodgers. The readers of my blog asked for more of the story and three years later I've written four mysteries, one thriller, one YA, a satire, and a book about the 1986 Iowa Hawkeyes Men's basketball team.
The thing about writing books is that I could never write an entire novel, but I can write one chapter. I don't plan out my novels, I just bang out the next chapter, and eventually I get to the end of the story.

As for why I choose the Indie path as opposed to the traditional route, well, it's simple...money. I like my books. I like them a bunch and I think others will, too. When the day comes that I'm selling thousands of copies per week, then I'd rather get 70% of gross than 15% of net. Another reason is speed to market. I can finish a novel and get it published in a month, or quicker if I've been giving my chapters to my editor while I write.
My greatest skill is not writing, but analysis. I was a data analyst for GEICO, where a 15 minute call could save you 15% on your auto insurance. I worked in the marketing department and learned a bunch about data. I track lots of different things with regards to my books. If I went the traditional route, I wouldn't have access to the data, and that would drive me nuts.
With each ad I run, I learn valuable information that I can use to improve my marketing. Two months ago I had 277 sales and last month 513. I could talk for hours about the data I gathered and the patterns I see, but most people would stop reading, so I won't.

3. Do you normally insert a little bit of yourself into the books you write, like we see in A Touch To Die For? Yes, but it isn't always where people expect.

In most of my books there are people eating food. 90% of the time they are eating what I'm eating at the time I'm writing that bit. Sometimes, though, I have the characters eat something I hate, just to be different. Also, most of the "me" is sprinkled into characters other than the main ones.
I have a book I'm working on publishing now called Underwood, Scotch and Wry. The snark from the main character is very much me, but his lifestyle isn't me at all. When that books becomes a huge best seller, and people offer to buy me a drink, they'll be shocked that I'll likely order a Pepsi. I'm not really a drinker. I usually drink about once every year and a half or so.
The serial killer's computer in A Touch To Die For is exactly like the type of thing I'd have built if I were a billionaire. However, I'm not much of a mass murderer, though. So, the point is, I sprinkle myself all over the books, but it isn't always apparent except to the people who've known me for twenty plus years.
I had one person ask me how long I had lived in New York City, after having read Henry Wood Detective Agency. I've been to Manhattan, twice, for a total of three days. I'm not afraid to do research.

4. How do you deal with writer's block?

I don't believe in writer's block. I believe in writer's lazy, though. If I sit down and write, I have no problem getting into the flow. I don't really ever have deadlines, but if I put one on myself, it is just a matter of tuning out the world and letting myself get into the story.
One thing I like to do, that helps with writer's lazy, is to write in public. The Hamburg Inn No. 2 is a great little place to go eat and write. There is something about tuning out the white noise that gets the words to flow. It never fails.

5. How do you keep from burning out?

No idea. I guess I just like writing books. I've never burnt out with regards to golf, tennis or eating bacon. I think I'm not really prone to burning out on something. I still love all my hobbies, but I just don't have time to devote eight hours per day to 20 different things...oh but if I could...it would be awesome.

I'm not sure one can be a successful author if they don't imagine it taking a decade to achieve their goals. It is rare that one can make it with one novel. Sure, occasionally there will be a Harper Lee, but more often than not, it is the third, forth, or fifth book that takes off and then ones that came before are discovered. Again, one can point to J.K. Rowling, and others, but they are the exception not the rule.

6. who/what is your biggest inspiration? 

I have a degree in economics. My hero is an economist by the name of David Ricardo.  He lived from 1772 - 1823, and most people have never heard of him. His theories were so advanced that they weren't fully appreciated until 140 years after his death. I like thinkers.

7. What type of novels do you enjoy reading?

I love many different types of writing. My favorite authors are Rudyard Kipling, Ivan Turgenev, Elmore Leonard, Vladimir Nabakov, J.K. Rowling, Vikram Seth, and indie authors Johnny B. Truant and Sean Platt. Johnny and Sean have just released a science fiction series called The Beam, and one day it may be considered a classic. They also write the series Unicorn Western, which is delightful.

8. Do you have other hobbies you are passionate about?

Those who have known me for a decade or two would laugh at this question. The first question people ask when my name comes up, "What's Meeks' latest hobby?"

My interests are many and varied. I have, at various points in my life, been obsessed with...fencing, chess, badminton, golf, tennis, baseball (and softball), photography, video games, woodworking, collecting baseball cards and comic books, learning French, and squash. I'm sure that is an incomplete list, but to answer your question, yes I do.

Currently, I limit myself to writing and golf. I'm constantly seeing things I'd like to try, but it is my nature to throw myself into a new hobby one hundred percent, and that would be bad for my writing. I'm committed to making it to the "Tipping Point" as an author and I don't want to get distracted.

9. What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

I have learned a bunch over the last few years. I could write a book...maybe I will. But, in the interest of brevity (I'm rarely interested in brevity)

    1) Learn Scrivener and use it for writing your novels or screen plays. If one has the talent to write one novel, they will surely write more. The ease in publishing with Scrivener, once it is learned, will save the new author hours.

    2) Hire a great editor.

    3) It isn't necessary to describe every detail you imagine. Yes, you may be able to see every lamp, chair, and sconce in a room, but it is enough to say, "He walked into the library with all its Victorian finery and stopped when he saw her in the glow of the Tiffany lamp." I'm sure you can see the desk, the paneling on the walls, the carpet, the paintings, but even if you can't see what I see, your image is just fine. The best part about creating scenes that let the reader fill in the blanks is that they will give you the credit. 

 4) I leaned this from reading Elmore Leonard. If character A asks a question, sometimes character B will say something unrelated because they may not have been listening. It's how people talk and it makes for good dialog.

Surprise Interview....and the author is.....

And the surprise email interview is with.....Erica Stevens!  Here is what she had to say!

How long have you been writing?

  

  -I wrote my first book when I was nine but I was always writing stories before then. I even wrote plays for my friends and I to act out. I loved it, they probably hated me for it, but they were good sports.

 Do you feel like your personal experiences in the past (childhood and adulthood) have had an impact on your writing?

 -Absolutely. I loved my childhood, you couldn't keep me inside. My friends and I were always coming up with new ways to keep ourselves entertained whether it was imaginary worlds, sports, games or building forts and exploring the woods. It gave me an opportunity to let imagination run free. I've moved around since my teens and have had some really interesting and not so common jobs. I've been fortunate enough to make some really good friends and meet some really interesting people. Some of them share traits with more than a few of my characters!

 What was your main reason behind becoming an Indie author?

  -I tried the traditional publishing route for years. I kept querying agents and getting rejected. My husband urged me to try self-publishing and one day I finally listened. I took books from three series I had been working on and put them on Amazon before I could chicken out. Looking back, I wish I hadn't done all three at once, but I was just hoping someone would read it and like something. I didn't have an editor at the time, but thankfully Leslie has found me since! She's edited everything new I've released and is working on editing the stories I had first put out. I'm hoping to have them all edited and re-released eventually.  

 Do you feel like you have achieved your childhood dream of being a writer?

  

  -Yes. Writing was the only thing I ever I wanted to do. It's a part of me and I love it so much. I bounced through college majors because everything interested me, but I always knew I just wanted to find something that would give me the opportunity to write.

What/who is your biggest inspiration?

  -That is a good question. For writers it would have to be Dean Koontz, J.K. Rowling, James Rollins and Stephen King. I love the way they can keep me on the edge of my seat throughout most of the story. In my life, it would have to be my parents. They're both unbelievably strong people and have worked incredibly hard their entire lives. They never let anyone, or anything, hold them back.

The books that I have read so far (the captive series and the ravening series) both have a continuing theme in them that two people/beings who should hate each other end up falling in love.  Is there a particular message that you are trying to relay to your readers?

  -I really just like to put people into already difficult situations and then give them something even more

difficult to have to deal with. However, I do believe that love isn't a choice and that it is worth fighting for.

 As a writer, what do you do to keep from “burning out”?

  

  -I work on a different book. If I get stuck somewhere I don't stress about it, I start a new book or go to a different book I was already having trouble with. I find it gives me a new perspective and I'm able to figure out what was bothering me. It also helps to keep me from getting frustrated, and gives me an opportunity to start one of the many stories I have running through my head or written in my notebook. I also allow my husband to drag me away once in awhile, though sometimes I'm still clutching my laptop!

What advice would you give to aspiring authors out there?

  

  -Don't ever give up and don't be afraid to try something new even if it might scare you.

                                               Don't forget to check out Erica's blog:

                                                http://ericasteven.blogspot.com/

Surprise Interview

Be looking for a "surprise" mini email interview on my blog!  


                                            Coming Soon......

Here's a tiny hint...it's an Indie Author...

Interview with Tara Elizabeth

                                                             


                                                         Coming Soon:

           a short email interview on my blog with Tara Elizabeth!!