Blogger Interview: Emma from Writing Lucid

I've done a fair amount of author interviews, but thought it might be interesting to hear more from the opposite side, which is why I was excited to interview a relatively new blogger, Emma.

What can I say? I'm also a bit partial to teenage writers, being as I'm one myself.

Anyway, here's the interview:

Hi, Emma! First of all, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?

EG: Hi Justine!  I'm fourteen, I love writing, reading, and once in a while I even doodle a little bit.  But overall, writing is my one passion, I do it almost everyday and enjoy watching my characters develop.

How did you initially get into writing?

EG: Well, I have been trying to write ever since I was probably nine because I saw that my best friend was doing it but never got into even a few chapters of a book.  When I turned thirteen I started taking it up more seriously and really got into it.

Can you tell us about your blog, Writing Lucid?

EG: My blog was more of my mum's idea, she really encouraged me to do it so I can kind of show other people my writing.  I love doing it though!  It has writing tips, interesting facts, clips from my book "Lucid in Paris" and I am hoping to write a few short stories too!

It's great that you're already starting to write novels at such a young age! Do you have any authors that influence you?


EG: John Green, J.K. Rowling, James Dashner.  They really influence my writing and really help me along.  They are all so brilliant!

Well, what is your WIP about?

EG: My WIP is about an abused teen named Redalius that slips off into a Lucid dream (dream you can control) and ends up in 1800's Paris where she meets another dreaming teen boy named Jadin that tells her some bad news; she is stuck in a dream where all of her fears come to life.  Together, with her two other friends Oliver and Rachel, they fight these fears in a literal sense and try to get out before it destroys them.

That sounds pretty compelling! If you could bring any of your characters to life, who would you choose?

EG: I would choose Jadin.  Why?  Well, because he is sarcastic and funny but also has deep feelings and thoughts, that's my favorite thing about him.

Alright, so let's get to some fun questions. Any current TV obsessions?

EG: I am obsessed about a lot of tv shows!  I love Doctor Who, Sherlock, and Supernatural.

(I'm a big fan of Sherlock and Supernaural. I also advocate Community, which is my favorite comedy.) This is a not very related, but favorite question of mine: who would you want on your zombie apocalypse survival team? (I suppose this can also be substituted for 'hunters'. Also, I'm not saying you have to pick me, but I promise I'm a good choice.)

EG:I would totally pick you Justine!  Along with my two best friends, and Redalius, Jadin, Oliver, and Rachel!  We would totally survive!

Totally. Now, I'm a bit movie addict, so I need to know: if an alien race came to earth and could only bring one movie to share with their extraterrestrial brethren, which film would you suggest?

EG: The Fault in Our Stars.  Yup.

Speaking of, who is your number one fictional crush? (My number one slot is currently in, like, a fifty way tie.)

EG: Uriah from Divergent or Augustus Waters from TFIOS. 

Alright, last question. What advice do you want to give to other teenage writers and bloggers?

EG: I would say, just keep going.  Take a break once in a while, eat a lot of chocolate, but most of all believe in your story!  J.K Rowling (author of Harry Potter) got denied so many times it isn't even funny!  Now just look where she is now!  I believe in you!

Thanks for having me Justine!  This was a lot of fun!  I look forward to keeping up with your blog!

A big thank you to Emma for taking the time to answer my array of questions. I had a lot of fun with the interview. Be sure to check out her blog Writing Lucid at http://writinglucid.blogspot.com/ 

Also, if any other bloggers would be interested in an interview, please email me at theyalitchick@gmail.com.  I would love to have you.

   
 

Book Blitz: Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid (Week Two)

 

Release Day Blitz: Oceanborn by Amalie Howard

Check out the blog tour HERE


HAPPY RELEASE DAY OCEANBORN!

Author Amalie Howard has a message for you... 





ABOUT THE BOOK

The coronation is over.

But the battle has just begun.

Nerissa Marin has won her crown. But can she keep it? Already, her ties to the human realm are driving a wedge between Nerissa and her people. When word arrives that her part-human prince consort, Lo, has been poisoned, she makes the difficult choice to leave Waterfell and return landside. As the royal courts debate her decision, even more disturbing rumors surface: a plot is rising against her, led by someone she least expects.

On land, Nerissa learns another shocking truth: Lo does not remember who she is. As her choice to try to save him threatens her hold on her crown, changing loyalties and uncertainty test her courage in ways she could never have imagined. Nerissa will have one last chance to prove herself as a queen …and save the undersea kingdom she loves.

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Order your copy of book one, WATERFELL

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Get your copy of OCEANBORN TODAY!

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SEAMONSTER by Amalie Howard (Aquarathi #1.5)
Available on AMAZON for only $.99

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AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or being a tomboy running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure. 22 countries, surfing with sharks and several tattoos later, she has traded in bungee jumping in China for writing the adventures she imagines instead. She isn’t entirely convinced which takes more guts.

She is the author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, PW, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was an Amazon bestseller and a Seventeen Magazine Summer Read. As an author of color and a proud supporter of diversity in fiction, her articles on multicultural fiction have appeared in The Portland Book Review and on the popular Diversity in YA blog. She currently resides in New York with her husband and three children. Visit her at www.amaliehoward.com.

Website † Twitter † Facebook † GoodReads

A Dangerous Season by Olivia Hardin Release Day Special

 

 

The characters of Bend-Bite-Shift and For Love of Fae all converge in A Dangerous Season (For Love of Fae Trilogy Book Three). JUST 99CENTS RELEASE DAY SPECIAL - ONLY GUARANTEED TODAY!!!

Amazon * iTunes * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

Description:

Pain, joy, death, life, magic: All of it fits. Or does it…

The faery realm is in a frenzy now that the Women on the Hill are no longer united in power. The fabric of life as the fae know it is changing, and with it the dynamics of friends, lovers and neighbors.

Devan will risk both her life and Kent’s love to locate her missing father. Nicky must follow Gerry headfirst into danger as she runs from the new demons within herself. Doc and Jill choose an ally in the cold war between faery factions as Robin struggles to help McKenna recover from a loss that could cripple her forever. Kristana and Langston seek answers and follow a ghost into enemy territory, while Rooney confronts the challenges of Belle’s growing powers and the path revealed for their lives.

A collision of forces could create a new order between the faery and human realms, but will everyone survive the fallout of the cataclysm?

World's Best Story: Rewarding Readers and Book Bloggers For Telling the World They Found a Great Story!

I am really excited to tell you about an innovative new contest platform for both readers and writers. Laura Fabiani of iRead Book Tours is now a proud sponsor for World’s Best Story!

More and more authors and writers are discovering the power of readers. Books are written for the reader audience, so why not have a say in telling others we think a writer’s story has blockbuster potential? That’s what World’s Best Story allows you to do.

In view of this, I hope you will join me in helping to spread the word and to sign up as a member of World’s Best Story to find talented storytellers and get great prizes. 

But first let me tell you more about World’s Best Story.

World’s Best Story was launched at BookExpo America on May 28. It’s the first social contest to reward readers and writers with exclusive partner prizes. So what does this mean for you?

If you are a writer:

1. Submit your story. Entering is free and the entry period ends Aug 12.
2. Prizes include publishing contracts, celebrity master classes, trademark and IP protection, book tours, big box retail distribution, PR and marketing support and more!
3. Top ten finalists and grand prize winner will be announced at the Toronto International Book Fair on November 15, 2014.

If you are a reader:

1. You get the chance to be the judge, discover new stories and win great prizes.
2. When you sign up to become a member, you automatically get $10 to spend at Beyond the Rack. Signing up is easy, requiring only your name and email.
3. When you rate and vote you’ll get a chance to win cool prizes, and the grand prize package includes a $2000 shopping spree at Beyond the Rack!

So how can you help spread the word? There are several ways:

• Write a post about it and you can enter in a giveaway for a $20 Amazon gift card and one of 6 $25 Beyond the Rack Gift Cards
• Add the World’s Best Story logo on your blog with a link back to their site.
• If you are an iRead tour host, your post will count toward your incentive program if you do the above.
• If you are not yet an iRead tour host, join and you will qualify for the incentive program
• Tell all your readers about WBS through social media networking.

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THANK YOU!

Review: Vision by Lisa Amowitz

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The light is darker than you think…

High school student Bobby Pendell already has his hands full—he works almost every night to support his disabled-vet father and gifted little brother. Then he meets the beautiful new girl in town, who just happens to be his boss’s daughter. Bobby has rules about that kind of thing. Nothing matters more than keeping his job.

When Bobby starts to get blinding migraines that come with scary, violent hallucinations, his livelihood is on the line. Soon, he must face the stunning possibility that the visions of murder are actually real. With his world going dark, Bobby is set on the trail of the serial killer terrorizing his small town. With everyone else convinced he’s the prime suspect, Bobby realizes that he, or the girl he loves, might be killer's next victim.

 

 

My Rating

 

4.5

 

 

My Review

 

 I received an ARC copy of Vision that I was incredibly excited to begin. I had read some of Lisa's work before and really enjoyed it - not to mention that, with a serial killer in the main plot line - this book definitely seemed my speed. Luckily, it turned out to be a case in which I had every reason to be excited. I absolutely devoured Vision in nearly one sitting. It's the kind of novel that picks you up and drags you in a rapid, twisting ride all the way until the end.

 

Although I found the beginning to be a bit slow, the book quickly picked up and held steady with a great pacing. Readers will be eager to learn what happens next and solve the case alone with Bobby.

 

I thought Bobby was an excellent protagonist. He had such a strong personality that felt entirely authentic, and always stayed true to his character. He really is an admirable person, and I couldn't help but root for him (which is nice, as a weak 'hero' can easily have me on the villain's side). The way he cared for his family, his friendship with Coco, and his relationship with Gabe were all very true-to-life, and interesting to read about.

The plot just kept getting better as the book went on. The sense of urgency and suspense was ever present, and I could really feel Bobby's struggle with the situation. Although not everything was explained, there was enough of an explanation to keep the story believable - which is a medium that''s not always found. Even though I was able to predict half of the twist from early on, I still enjoyed the way everything played out. Regardless of how paranoid it might be making me.

It's an incredible ride to an interesting end that leaves a possibility of more (and although I like it as a standalone, I definitely would not complain about seeing Bobby again). Vision is an excellent example of a YA thriller - a relatively short read that's packed with such a punch, readers will be thinking about it long afterward.

Release Day Promo: Jaded by Michelle Bellon

 

 

New Release!

 

To what lengths will a man go for the woman he loves? Reed Dartmouth will learn the answer to those questions time and time again throughout his relationship with Jade Montgomery. When he first meets her as a young, gentle boy the heartache from losing his mother only a year before is still fresh and painful. Jade is different from anyone else he’s ever met; tough, sassy, and even a bit cruel. But she’s also the same as he is: she knows what it’s like to lose a parent. Their friendship begins and a bond like no other is formed. Time passes and Reed learns that not only are Jade’s parents dead, they were murdered and she’s made an oath to one day bring them justice. No matter the price. As they grow older their love evolves but for Jade, old habits die hard and she can’t stop hurting those she loves the most. Even in the midst of searching for her parents’ killers, passion ignites and jealousy burns as Jade tests Reed’s devotion for her. Will she push him too far?

Buy on Amazon

 

 

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About the author:

Michelle Bellon lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their four children. She drinks ungodly amounts of coffee and has an addiction to chapstick. She works at a surgery center as a registered nurse and in her spare time writes novels. She writes in the genres of romance suspense, young adult, women’s fiction, and literary fiction. She has won three literary awards.
                                                                                                                     
Website | Facebook | Facebook Author Page | LinkedIn

***********************************************

Check out Michelle's Other Books

 

Review: Fallen by Laury Falter (Tour Stop)

Young Adult Fantasy

Date Published: April 1, 2009

Maggie is unaware of the terrifying fate that awaits her. It isn’t until she lands in New Orleans for a full year at a private high school and her unknown enemies find her does she realize that her life is in danger.

As a mystifying stranger repeatedly intervenes and blocks the attempts on her life, she begins to learn that there is more to him than his need to protect her and that he may be the key to understanding why her enemies have just now arrived.

Amazon 

B&N 

My Rating

3

My Review

Fallen is an excellent paranormal read and a wonderful introduction to a series. I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience and can't wait to get my hands on the second book.

The characters were well-developed and enjoyable to read about. Maggie had a great voice that translated well and allowed for a fast pacing. I loved all the little things that made her unique as a YA protagonist, like the fact that she rides a motorcycle and actually makes money off her supernatural talent. (I don't know if I've seen that before, but in all honestly, most of us would probably do the same - even if she wasn't in it for the extra cash.) I liked the mystery that initially surrounded Eran. I also liked the relationship between them, but felt that it escalated a bit quickly. I understand the reasoning behind that, but it still was a bit sudden. In the beginning of the novel, Maggie was stubborn and questioned Eran more. At some point, I felt like she started accepting everything without too much question, and it seemed out of character.

Still, I enjoyed the ideas of The Messengers and The Guardians. It is a different spin on the usual "fallen angel" stories, and therefore more interesting to read about. In addition, The Fallen Ones brought about interesting characters and layered antagonists.

The world that was created during the nights was incredible. If anything, I would have loved to see more of it! It allowed for a contrast between the more contemporary settings of a high school in New Orleans.

The pacing of Fallen is nice, as it makes a very fast read. The pages keep turning easily, and build up a good sense of urgency and danger, as well as romance with a cool historical background. However, everything seemed to wrap up a bit quickly. The action and suspense had an answer that was rushed a little too much.

Despite this, Fallen is an enjoyable book that can easily be finished in a couple of sittings. A decent paranormal novel to add to the summer reading list, it's a fairly promising start.

 

Book Blitz: Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid (Week One)

Let's Get Lost

by Adi Alsaid

Release Date: 07/29/14

Harlequin Teen

Summary from Goodreads:

Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost.

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named LEILA. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most.

There's HUDSON, a small-town mechanic who is willing to throw away his dreams for true love. And BREE, a runaway who seizes every Tuesday—and a few stolen goods along the way. ELLIOT believes in happy endings…until his own life goes off-script. And SONIA worries that when she lost her boyfriend, she also lost the ability to love.

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth— sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.

Pre-Order Today!
Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Indie Bound * Harlequin.com

Early Praise:

“Reminiscent of John Green’s Paper Towns and road trip novels that feature a teen paving the way to adulthood, Alsaid’s debut is a gem among contemporary YA novels.” – School Library Journal

“Five love stories, beautifully woven together by a special girl in search of adventure, hope, and full appreciation of life’s simple pleasures. A do-not-miss.  ” – Justine Magazine

“Moving and poignant.”  - Glitter Magazine

“An entertaining and romantic road-trip debut.” – Kirkus

"Leila's quest to find the Northern Lights takes readers on a captivating cross-country journey, where four strangers' adventures collide into one riveting tale of finding yourself." ―YABooksCentral.com

“This will likely be a popular summer hit, especially for older teen about to embark on their own journeys of self-discovery.” –Booklist

EXCERPT 

 After half an hour of aimless driving, the air hadn’t cooled at all. The faux-velvet seats had become uncomfortably sticky, so they decided to park and stretch their legs for a bit. Seeking solace from the heat, they chose a spot under the shade of a tree with long, low-hanging branches that reached out over the street like protective arms.

Across the road from them, surrounded by a ten foot white wall that stretched farther than Bree could see, was the Kansas City Country Club. The landscaping outside was immaculate, everything bright green and evenly trimmed, bushes rounded into perfect spheres. Every now and then a car would drive up to the lone valet attendant. The people getting out of the cars were dressed up, the men in expensive looking suits, cuff links, and pocket squares, the women decked out in jewelry and brand-name handbags. A big, golden Mercedes came up the driveway. A car like that had never once stopped to pick Bree up when she was
hitchhiking.

“I bet that Mercedes has some pretty sweet AC,” Bree said.

“I bet,” Leila said. She wiped at the sweat on her forehead. “It looks like there’s some kind of event going on.”

The sun was still high, the sunset a couple of hours away. Bree felt her shirt stick to her lower back.

“Yeah . . .” Bree said, her voice trailing off. “You think they’d mind if we borrowed it for a little while?”

Leila turned to Bree, arching one eyebrow. “It would be nice to drive around with some air conditioning for a bit. Why? Your soul getting itchy again?”

They watched the valet attendant get into the car, drive about fifty feet up the driveway, and turn into the parking lot that was hidden from view. After a few moments he reappeared, trotting back to the entrance, waiting for the next car to show up. He left the keys of the Mercedes on a hook next to about two dozen other sets of luxury-car keys.

“We’ll just borrow it for an hour,” Bree said. “They won’t even notice it’s gone.”

“I’m not so sure about that. Rich people have a weird sixth sense about their belongings.”

“It’ll just be a few quick laps on the highway.”

“Quick because there’ll be someone chasing us?”

“No one will be chasing us.”

“I know,” Leila said. “I’m stalling because I’m nervous.”

“Hey, I’m not gonna deny you the right to be nervous. But once you’ve dealt with your nerves, I think you know what we have to do.”

“What do we say if someone catches us?”

“That we were dying of heat stroke and it was a medical emergency,” Bree said.

Leila paused. “Then we’ll come right back and leave it exactly where it was before?”

“Same parking spot.”

Another car was coming up the street, likely headed for the club. The girls looked at each other, grinning like madmen. Bree could feel her heartbeat speed up.

Bree opened the door. “Come on, we’ll grab the keys when the valet’s parking this car.”

Leila took a few deep breaths, as if she was about to try swimming a long distance underwater. “Seize the Tuesday,” she said.

They jogged across the street and hid behind the outer wall of the country club. When they heard the valet start pulling the car around, they left their cover and walked quickly up the driveway. The keys were hanging unprotected, as tempting as pies cooling on windowsills. Bree reached them first, grabbing the set with that recognizable Mercedes symbol glinting silver in the sunlight. It was almost
disappointingly easy.

“Just act like you belong here,” Bree said as they walked into the parking lot. “The best ID in the world is a smile and a wave.”

The weight of the keys in her hand already felt so gratifying, more than her entire duffel bag of stolen goods had. She couldn’t wait to get into the car, to
start the engine, to drive around and pretend that cold air had been their only motivation.

“Can I help you guys?”

The valet appeared up ahead, a couple of rows over. He wasn’t bad looking, Bree thought to herself. He was goofy in his valet’s vest, his white button-down shirt more shoved into his pants than patiently tucked. He had the kind of facial hair that can’t quite yet be more than scruff.

“We just need to get something out of the car,” Bree said, not slowing down.

The valet squinted at them, noticing the keys in Bree’s hand. She closed her fist tightly against them, as if he might try to take them away from her forcefully. She wondered if they could outrun him.

“Oh,” he said, starting to walk in their direction. “Are, uh, are you guys club members?”

“My parents just forgot something,” Bree said, pointing vaguely in the direction of the golden Mercedes. Leila followed Bree’s lead, but the valet kept walking toward them, as if he meant to cut them off.

He’d pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. “Okay,” he said, but it was clear that he wasn’t going to leave them.

Shit, Bree thought, sensing an impassable obstacle.

Then she remembered how easy it had been to just walk away with all they’d stolen at the convenience store, how that guy pumping his gas had looked at
them. The Mercedes was only about three cars away now, close enough that the remote would have no trouble unlocking the doors. She met the valet’s gaze, searching his rather pretty eyes for something besides suspicion.

“Can I ask you a question?” she said, stepping right up to him.

“Um,” he said. They were standing by the Mercedes now. The valet’s gaze went from the car, to Leila, to Bree, who was now less than an arm’s
length away. “Sure.”

“When was the last time you felt really alive?”

“What?”

Without another word, Bree put her hand on his waist and pulled herself toward him. She kissed him with abandon. Despite what had happened, Bree still believed in reckless kisses. She pulled back and couldn’t help but laugh at the dazed look in the valet’s eyes.

“Whoa,” he said.

About the Author
Adi Alsaid was born and raised in Mexico City, then studied at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While in class, he mostly read fiction and continuously failed to fill out crossword puzzles, so it's no surprise that after graduating, he did not go into business world but rather packed up his apartment into his car and escaped to the California coastline to become a writer. He's now back in his hometown, where he writes, coaches high school and elementary basketball, and has perfected the art of making every dish he eats or cooks as spicy as possible. In addition to Mexico, he's lived in Tel Aviv, Las Vegas, and Monterey, California. A tingly feeling in his feet tells him more places will eventually be added to the list. Let's Get Lost is his YA debut.  
Let's Get Lost Website!

Author Links:

   

***GIVEAWAY***

1 signed hard cover copy of Let’s Get Lost

1 Let’s Get Lost luggage tag

1 Harlequin TEEN notebook

1 Let’s Get Lost sachel

1 Harlequin TEEN tote bag

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Book Blitz Organized by:

Review: Phantom's Dance by Lesa Howard (Tour Stop)

Phantom’s Dance by Lesa Howard
Publication date: March 1st 2014

Synopsis:

Christine Dadey’s family uprooted their lives and moved to Houston for her to attend the prestigious Rousseau Academy of Dance. Now, two years later, Christine struggles to compete among the Academy’s finest dancers, her parents are on the brink of divorce, and she’s told no one about her debilitating performance anxiety and what she’s willing to do to cope with it.

Erik was a ballet prodigy, a savant, destined to be a star on the world’s stage, but a suspicious fire left Erik’s face horribly disfigured. Now, a lonely phantom forced to keep his scars hidden, he spends his nights haunting the theater halls, mourning all he’s lost. Then, from behind the curtain he sees the lovely Christine. The moldable, malleable Christine.

Drawn in by Erik’s unwavering confidence, Christine allows herself to believe Erik’s declarations that he can transform her into the dancer she longs to be. But Christine’s hope of achieving her dreams may be her undoing when she learns Erik is not everything he claims. And before long, Erik’s shadowy past jeopardizes Christine’s unstable present as his obsession with her becomes hopelessly entangled with his plans for revenge.

 Goodreads 

Amazon

 B&N

My Rating

 5

 

My Review

Phantom's Dance is, without a doubt, the most beautifully haunting novel that I've read this year. It grasps complete attention from the beginning and refuses to let go, building suspense and even a creeping terror. I completely devoured the book, and whether you are a fan of dance, horror, YA retellings or none of the above, I'm sure that you'll devour it too.                                                                                               

I've always loved the story of The Phantom of the Opera and  Howard does a wonderful job in this modern adaptation. The change of professional opera to a well-reputed dance school was flawless, and made for an engaging setting. I don't know much about ballet, but it was very intriguing as a reader to get a glimpse inside the world of this art form. Despite the transition in setting and story, all of the fantastical darkness found in the original phantom remains - and it is captivating.

All of the characters were beautifully developed, whether based from the original story or sprung from the imagination of the author. Christine had an excellent voice and stayed true to her character. It's wonderful to see characters that have a passion like she does for the ballet. Despite this, she still sounds like a normal teenager and has a great personality. Raoul is charming and heroic, and has so many great qualities that I thoroughly wanted to hate him, but was unable to do so. But to me, the real star of the story was Erik. I love scarred, complex characters, and he was developed so wonderfully. I loved every single second of his scenes. 

Although, I did find it a bit odd that The Phantom of the Opera was mentioned in the story, so all of the characters know of the plot and it's existence and no one (no one!) seems the similarities...? I mean, come on. Raoul isn't exactly the most popular names for American boys, and he's into a girl named Christine? Who also happens to be bettering herself in her craft through the secret lessons of a masked man with a disfigured face who hides himself in an opera house/ballet stage? I get that not everyone is a fan of musicals or French literature, but one of them had to have seen the Gerard Butler movie or something. 

Still, as much as the characters, I enjoyed the relationships behind them. There is an excellent friendship between Christine and Jenna. It felt natural, and they worked well together, and it added a lot of lightheartedness to the story. Plus, Jenna acted as a bit of a voice of reason, which is always nice to see. Contrasting, I thought that the relationship between Christine and Erik was wonderfully down. To see it escalate and morph was not only interesting, but absolutely exciting, to the point where I would crave their next scene together. Even now, having finished the beautiful ending, I can still get chills from envisioning the enchanting description of their first dance together - on the magic of a dark and otherwise empty stage.

From the very first chapter to the very last word, Phantom's Dance is a wonderful read that will be over before you know it, leaving a definite book hangover and a probable craving to immediately watch The Phantom of the Opera on Netflix. I highly recommend it.

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Author Interview: Celine Garcia

I'm so excited to have interviewed Celine Garcia, author of Heart Tales, which I recently reviewed here on the blog.

Here's the official book trailer:




And now, for the interview:

 First off, can you tell us about Heart Tales?

             

CG: Heart Tales is a little book of three short stories that have unique tales about love and choice. I wanted my characters Geraldine, Dean and Ellie to each have a moment where they had to take responsibility for their own life and make the choices to make it better. I have written a lot of stories and didn’t know what to do with them. I was encouraged to self-publish them from people who had read them and decided to start small with Heart Tales. I myself conquered my fear and decided to publish my own work. So now readers can read about the characters I still hold close to my heart and think of them often. You never know, their stories may not be over quite yet. 

      About how long did it take you to write Heart Tales? Did any of the three stories take a longer time period than the others?

CG: Each story was written at different times. Audio Frequency took me about a month to finally finish after I decided to write all the song lyrics myself in case I ever decided to publish it. Legal U Turn took about two months and was probably the one story that came easier to me. Heart Set on You took the longest because it went through so many different storylines. I rewrote it when I had the characters visiting a cemetery and knew I had to begin Heart and Ellie's story there.

      In Legal U Turn, Gwen used some of her life experiences to influence her novels. Have you ever done this? Do people you know influence your characters?

            

CG: Absolutely they do! I have a variety of friends that continually influence my characters. I think my best friend Nikki heavily influenced Geraldine in Audio Frequency because she works in a music atmosphere as well. She actually received a box with song lyrics that inspired Audio Frequency. In fact people will be able to read exactly how my life influenced Heart Tales because I plan to sell published copies with a handwritten commentary by me. I will actually handwrite my thoughts and special little surprises throughout the book. They’ll be available through my personal store ChooseDuckie at Etsy.com, hopefully July 23rd.

      If you could bring to life any character from Heart Tales, who would it be?

            

CG: Hands down Heart! I love his straightforward attitude and his thoughtfulness when it comes to Ellie. Writing for him broke my heart because I always knew his fate. I did my best to give him a proper storyline and love the fact that he’s touched readers.  

Out of all the characters, which one can you relate to the most?

           

CG: I think it’s a tie between Geraldine and Ellie. Both characters are on the fence about putting themselves out there, and I felt this way about my writing for a long time. I didn’t think anyone would care or think I was kidding myself. I often thought people were just being nice when they said they liked my writing. Maybe in way Heart helped me come out of my shell like he did with Ellie.

  

           Out of the three stories, which was the most fun to write? The most difficult?

            

CG: The most fun was Legal U Turn because I couldn’t wait to write a story about a road trip. The most difficult was Heart Set on You because I was challenged on how to write for a character who wasn’t really there, and leaving out a detailed explanation of why Heart was around after the transplant. I didn’t want to risk boring readers and taking the story outside of Ellie and Heart’s friendship. I wanted to focus on their relationship and their goal. 

  

      Music seems to be an element in all three of the stories, especially Audio Frequency. What kind of music do you listen to? Do you have any favorite bands/songs at the moment?

             

CG: You just brought out a can of worms! I listen to indie, singer/songwriter, alternative and pop mostly. My favorite bands are The Drums, Blondie, Glasvegas, Blondfire, Best Coast, The Dum Dum Girls and much more. The songs I’ve been listening to a lot are “Chandelier” by Sia, “Overdose” by Little Daylight and “Wings” by Birdy. 

      I don’t know if I can speak for anyone else, but I absolutely love quotes. I get the quote of the day from Goodreads, and I have words all over my walls. There are plenty of great quotes from Heart Tales. If you had to pick one, which is one of your favorites?

            

CG: You’re killing me smalls! I think my favorite quote from Heart Tales is from Legal U Turn when Gwen and Dean are at the beach and she tells him, “Because…you’re my only place.” I mean I even made myself a necklace with that quote because it’s my favorite.

  

     Are you currently working on any other writing projects?

            

CG: I actually have a book I finished that’s set in a pizza arcade place called When Leo Meets Tes, which also involves music. But not sure whether I am going to self publish that one. I am in the process of writing another book of short stories but with more content than Heart Tales. 

     What is your favorite movie? TV Show?

            

CG: Favorite movie would be The Goonies but I also love all of John Hughes’ films. My favorite TV show right now would be The Mindy Project and Arrow.

  

     If you were stranded on an island somewhere and, for some reason, could only take one book with you, what would it be?

            

CG: I would take Amy & Rogers Epic Detour. Love, love, love that book! I love anything Morgan Matson writes. I encourage your readers to pick up any book of hers today.

Lastly, what advice do you have for writers still looking to get their works published?

CG: I am in a constant environment of books and see books come and go. I don’t write to become some massive success. I write because I like to share my stories and that’s what the goal of a writer should be. I chose to self publish my book to see what would happen. It’s tough work getting your book out on your own with limited resources but I’m very satisfied with the outcome. I have learned so many things by publishing my book myself and am grateful for this experience. If you want to get your work published then do research. Look into writing magazines, and books that offer advice on queries and synopsis letters. Find a group of friends who you can bounce ideas off of because they will be a great support system for you. Just keep writing, always. Whether it’s in a notebook, napkin or laptop, keep exploring your storytelling. Make mistakes, and take chances. Don’t try and write what you think people will love. Write what you want to say.

About the author

Celine Garcia resides in Central Valley California with her husband and three adorable children. When she isn’t writing she is usually found crafting, reading or updating her blog. Music is a great influence in Celine’s writing. She comes up with most of her stories during her drive to work on the freeway while listening to her latest playlist. You can find more of her writing on I Blog, You Read plus reviews of her favorite young adult and new adult books.