author interviews

Can There Be A Future for Them? Read Touch the Sky ( Free Fall, Book 1) by Christina Lee & Nyrae Dawn (excerpt and author interview)

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Touch The Sky Tour Banner

Touch the Sky

Free Fall, Book 1

Christina Lee & Nyrae Dawn

New Adult M/M Romance

Touch The Sky Cover

COVER DESIGN: Natasha Snow

PHOTOGRAPHY: Giovanni Dall’Orto

RELEASE DATE: 03.28.16

AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/1MHjbEX

AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/25oGoY7

AMAZON AU: http://bit.ly/1SbDVGP

B&N: http://bit.ly/1ZBf8S5

iBook: http://apple.co/22rX0iC

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words was lucky to have the authors in for a chat and to answer a few questions for our readers.  Welcome, Nyrae and Christina.

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  • What made you decide to collaborate? Who approached whom?

Nyrae: It just sort of came up. We’re friends and we were talking. I’ve written two collaborations before. I wanted to do another. She wanted to write one. We enjoy each other’s work so it just sort of fell together perfectly for us.

Christina: Right. We had grown closer over the past year due to a few author groups we belonged to and we also began beta reading for each other. I have always wanted to co-write a book with somebody and it just naturally went from there.

  • Did you each write a character?

Nyrae: Technically, yes. We each created the backstory for the character and what they looked like. We alternated chapters and primarily worked on one character each, but we definitely were very involved in the whole book. We wrote in each other’s POV and changed and tweaked dialogue in each other’s chapters.

Christina: We talked extensively on the phone about each of our characters and how we were going to write them. Once we got going though, we found our voices blended pretty well, so it was natural to go into each other’s chapters during edits and add voice, tone, or characteristics. 

  • How did you go about deciding the plot?

Nyrae: We knew we wanted to write NA and LGBTQ+ so we headed in that direction. We had some phone conversations. We discovered that mental health plays a strong role in both our lives for various reasons so we took it from there.

Christina: We are both pretty angsty writers especially in our New Adults books and so even though we didn’t set out to write such a weighty topic, it happened naturally, even during plotting. We came up with several scenarios and as soon as we landed on Lucas and Gabriel, we were off and running.

  • Did each chapter come organically or was it all mapped out?

Nyrae: It was a combination of both. The initial letter is a revision from a letter in a book I had on my computer from a couple years ago, that I never finished. We’d talk out a few chapters at a time and make loose plans but they sometimes changed when one of us sat down to start writing.

Christina: The good thing is that neither one of us are huge plotters. We knew the general place we were heading but then what commonly happens is your characters veers off in some random direction that ends up being perfect for the plot. When I saw that letter that Nyrae had written and kept stored in a file, I knew that was it. That was our story.

  • How was writing a collaboration different for you than writing alone?

Nyrae: You have someone else counting on you. Someone else’s thoughts and opinions to consider. Sometimes writing styles change or writing processes.

Christina: Yep. Once you get over the initial fears and pretenses, then all you have is the work in front of you. You also have somebody cheering you on. We would leave each other comments in the sidebar and I’d smile after seeing a note like SWOON, that’s so HOT, or damn I LOVE these boys. It really fueled me on which is probably why we wrote the book so quickly.

  • Was it a good experience? You called this book 1, so…?

Nyrae: Yes! I can’t speak for Christina but I loved working with her. We definitely plan to do it again. We’ll write one of the characters from Touch the Sky.

Christina: I loved it and cannot wait to start the next book.

BLURB

Lucas Barnett and Gabriel Stewart didn’t have it easy as kids. They were only trying to deal with bad situations at home when they became lifelines for each other. Their pipe dream was to someday meet in LA, where Lucas would design skyscrapers, and Gabriel would learn to fly. But then Gabriel disappeared without so much as a goodbye, and Lucas got himself in trouble with the law.

Five years later, both men are at a loss when they run into each other at a Hollywood bar. Lucas is still angry, but it’s not as if Gabriel could control how his mind and body had betrayed him. Being found on the ledge of that bridge had changed everything.

The attraction is immediate, but it’s more than their inability to keep their hands off each other. Neither man expects the fierce connection pulling them together. Unfortunately, ignoring their problems doesn’t make them disappear. Gabriel’s internal struggles are serious…dangerous. And no matter how much Lucas wants it to be true, saving Gabriel won’t make up for not being able to save his mom. If they don’t find the strength to face their own demons before the darkness takes hold, they risk more than just losing each other forever.

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29145268-touch-the-sky

lucas

touch the sky teaser 4

 

EXCERPT

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to speak for you. If you want to—”

“I don’t,” I say, finally meeting his gaze. “I only want you too.”

His eyes soften and he exhales a hard breath as if we’re finally on level ground. I feel giddy with relief and contentment as I clutch at his hand and drag him to the dance floor. At first he protests about his drink but then he places it in an empty spot on a ledge.

It’s a pulsing rap beat and my body feels like a live wire. My hips start swaying, my hands rise in the air, and the vibration of the music takes over. Lucas has no trouble keeping up with me, though not with as much enthusiasm.

“Fuck, you’re sexy,” he rumbles in my ear. I feel his hips gyrating as he grasps my waist and slides up behind me. His hard length is digging into my ass and that only spurs me on more.

After a few numbers, I follow Lucas to the back wall where we find a spot to rest between other couples swaying to the music. He pins my shoulders against the column, his breath heavy, eyes glazed over with lust, as his lips crash against mine.

My fingers reach for his waist but he grabs hold of them and raises my hands above my head as he bites my lips, licks into my mouth and then sucks on my tongue. Holy fuck, if we weren’t in a public place I’d ask him to pound me straight into oblivion.

“I didn’t know you could dance like that,” he rasps against my cheek as he releases his grip on my hands.

His fingers connect with my neck and he hauls my lips to his again. His tongue digs deep in my mouth and I groan shamelessly as I grab on to his hair and pull him flush against me. I’m so thoroughly turned on that my eyes practically roll to the back of my head.

He drags his mouth away and licks along my jawline up to my ear as he arches his hips into my groin. “You’ve got me so goddamn hard.”

“Yeah?” I ask, gasping against his neck. “Well, I know how to take care of that. Remember, you’ll need to beg.”

He laughs and kisses the side of my head. “Not here. I’d rather have you in my bed tonight.”

 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Nyrae Dawn

Nyrae Dawn pic

Nyrae Dawn can almost always be found with a book in her hand or an open document on her laptop. She couldn’t live without books—reading or writing them. Oh, and chocolate. She’s slightly addicted.

She gravitates toward character-driven stories. Whether reading or writing, she loves emotional journeys. It’s icing on the cake when she really feels something, but is able to laugh too. She’s a proud romantic, who has a soft spot for flawed characters, who make mistakes, but also have big hearts.

Whether she’s writing young adult, new adult, or adult you can always count on a healthy dose of romance from her books. She likes to tackle tough subjects, and believes everyone needs to see themselves in the stories they read.

Nyrae is living her very own happily ever after in California with her gorgeous husband (who still makes her swoon) and her two incredibly awesome kids.

Facebook

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

Website:

http://www.rileyhartwrites.com/p/home.html?zx=48696725e5833865

Blog

http://www.rileyhartwrites.com/index.html

Twitter: @NyraeDawn

 

 

Christina Lee

Christina Lee pic

Once upon a time, I lived in New York City and was a wardrobe stylist. I spent my days shopping for photo shoots, getting into cabs, eating amazing food, and drinking coffee at my favorite hangouts.

Now I live in the Midwest with my husband and son—my two favorite guys. I’ve been a clinical social worker and a special education teacher. But it wasn’t until I wrote a weekly column for the local newspaper that I realized I could turn the fairytales inside my head into the reality of writing fiction.

I write Adult, New Adult, and M/M Contemporary Romance. I’m addicted to lip gloss and salted caramel everything. I believes in true love and kissing, so writing romance novels has become a dream job.

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChristinaLee

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/Christina_Lee04

Author & Book Spotlight-Angel Martinez, Endangered Fae and No Fae Is An Island! (contest)

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Finn_432(1) coverDiego Endangered Fae coverSemper Fae coverNoFaeIsAnIsland_WD

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I have invited Angel Martinez back today to talk about her latest release, No Fae Is An Island, and the Endangered Fae series in general.  

Contest:  I’m offering up an ebook copy of No Fae Is An Island today to help celebrate the release.  To enter, leave a comment (list Angel Martinez’ favorite myth), an email address where you can be reached.  Contest ends 9/13.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

 Angel Martinez Interview – Take 3

STRW:   What happened to Diego in the last story was heartbreaking. Had you planned on that happening all along?

Angel Martinez: From the very beginning, when I wrote the first lines of Finn? No. I had no inkling that this would happen. But Diego’s character, like most people, was more complex than I had originally envisioned. There are hints in the second story of an underlying arrogance – not a huge, egomania kind of arrogance, but the sort that makes a man think his solutions are the best ones. Sometimes a good man, one who wants to do the best for everyone, forgets to do the right things for the people closest to him and ends up running roughshod over their feelings. That sort of arrogance.

So the underpinnings were there. But the question occurred to me as I wrote the second book: what if Diego wasn’t such a compassionate soul? With someone so powerful, what would happen? So not all along, no, but before the writing of the third book began. What happens becomes inevitable, but not irretrievable.

STRW:. A theme here seems to be wrapped up with identity, what a being/person is versus what they appear to be. The outer self, the inner person….what is their true nature? Or does there have to be a difference. This can apply to so many issues. Is that what you wanted to get across?

Angel Martinez: That’s an undercurrent probably in all my stories. Who are we versus who does someone see when they look at us? What is it that makes us who we are? Is there an essential part of our personalities, and are we still the same if that’s removed? We all play a number of roles in life, whether we claim to or not. We adjust our outer selves to surroundings, situations, the people we’re around. How much of that outer self is play-acting and how much of it is us? If we play a role long enough, does it become us?

You’re absolutely right that I toy with questions of identity in a lot of ways in this series. Zack needing to discover that he’s still himself after being infected with lycanthropy. Lugh coming to terms with how his projected image affects those around him. Finn’s gradual evolution from a fairly self-centered though kind-hearted being into a true hero. Diego…oh, my poor Diego…but he had things to learn as well. Diego’s role in No Fae Is An Island shows both how much he’s learned and how much he still needs to understand about himself.

STRW:  We now have a vampire coming into our close-knit company. What other beings are central to the new story?

Angel Martinez:  Oh, we have some fun people this time ’round. Of course, the vamps were in the last story too, but as secondary characters—the dark, brooding Theo and the more tentative, misplaced pastry chef, Jasper. Theo’s one of the reasons for No Fae. I had a lot of questions about him as his author that he wasn’t ready to share in Semper Fae. Seems he was ready to start talking for this one, about his past, his family, why he is the way he is, and what really happened in that Los Angeles alleyway.

Another principle character, Limpet the selkie, is brand new, as are Nusair the djinn, who plays an important role in the story, and some other minor characters including a basilisk and a ghoul.

STRW:   Why choose them?

Angel Martinez:  Limpet came into being because I wanted to explore more of the wild fae, those fae who live outside the sidhe and Fomorian court systems. While I toyed with a bane sidhe character briefly, I needed someone a little more humanly accessible for this book and someone who would be more likely to interact with the human world.

The other new beings, like Nusair, were chosen because of geography. Much of No Fae Is An Island takes place in the Arabian desert. It only made sense to have magical beings that would be native to the area.

STRW:  Will our dragons be back? Love those dragons.

Angel Martinez:  I do want to get back to the dragons. While they’re mentioned briefly in No Fae, this really wasn’t the story to explore their world further. I’d have to think long and hard about having them interact more in the human world. Just don’t think it would be something they’re willing to do. So when I do a dragon-heavy story, it will have to have a plotline largely centered in the Otherworld.

STRW:  When writing these stories do you ever waver in what you are doing to some of the characters?

Angel Martinez:  Waver? Yes. Sometimes it’s as hard for me to write terrible things happening to my characters as it is for the reader to read them. I know that’s probably hard to imagine. Readers think we’re sitting with our cup of evil bark tea across the table from Lucifer, laughing about how to torture our characters next. Once in a while. Maybe. But I love my characters – most of the time it’s hard to do the things you know the plot needs.

Yes, there’s wavering, but you have to look at the plot point and ask “Do we need this? Does this make the most sense for where we’re going?” If the answer’s yes, it’s time to pull on the big-author pants and write the terrible thing.

STRW:  Where will the next book take the series?

Angel Martinez:  Well, No Fae took us across the world into the desert. I’m not entirely sure where I want to go with the next one. There probably will be more Otherworld interaction, possibly with some folks who aren’t as human friendly as some of the ones we’ve met.

STRW:. Favorite myth as a child or grownup.

Angel Martinez:  Oof. That’s hard. I love myth desperately. So much myth involves betrayal, lost love, death- tons of depressing stuff. I think if I had to pick one myth that caught my attention most as a kid, it would be the Epic of Gilgamesh. Here’s a guy who just couldn’t lose. At anything. Heroic and partially divine, the gods throw harrowing trial after trial at him, and he wins every time. They send a wild man, rumored to rival him in strength, to kill him and they become best friends instead, most likely even lovers.

But the gods finally catch up to him and kill his beloved Enkidu. All of Gilgamesh’s strength, all of his arrogance and bravado can’t defeat death. He realizes before the end of the story that he is mortal, like everyone else, and he has to accept it. It’s one of the few myths where the hero, who was admittedly sometimes a jerk, actually learned something.

STRW:  Thank you, Angel, for such a great and thoughtful interview.  Endangered Fae has become one of my favorite fantasy series and I can’t wait for this one to release!  For more about Angel Martinez, check out her bio and contact information below.  

I have listed all the Endangered Fae stories in the order they were written and should be read to understand the events and character development. Put all on your must read list today!

No Fae Is An Island,Endangered Fae 4
NoFaeIsAnIsland_200Author: Angel Martinez
Cover Artist: Lex Valentine

Buy Links to follow: MLR Press    All Romance eBooks (ARe) Amazon

No Fae Is An Island Blurb:

Three years ago, Danu banished Diego for a time from the human world. Three years and three days doesn’t seem that long to be away from home but living among the wild fae can change a man and the human world returns the favor by changing while he’s gone. There’s a vampire on Tearmann Island’s security force. A curious selkie’s followed him home. So much to do to keep the world safe…but Diego’s no longer sure he has the right to interfere.

Theo Aguilar started his vampire life on the wrong side of the law. He’s killed and knows he’s dangerous if he doesn’t stay in control every moment. But the fae took him in and Prince Lugh has given him a position of trust. So when Diego and Finn are arrested on a diplomatic mission far from home, he knows his duty. He’s striking out on his own to rescue them, a lone vigilante once again, this time for the good guys. The only glitch? The selkie, Limpet, can’t seem to understand the alone part.

No Fae Is An Island Excerpt

“You don’t need to come with me.” Theo fought clenched teeth. The selkie was a friend of Mr. Sandoval’s and Finn’s, too—Finn who had been so kind to him after accidentally squashing him in dragon form. No need to be rude.

“Quite all right. I’ve nothing better to do.”

“You can’t come with me,” Theo said in the chilliest, sternest tone he could muster.

“Oh, of course I can. I see quite well at night.”

Theo squeezed his eyes shut against the headache. It shouldn’t have been there. He’d fed that morning and napped the rest of the day in lethargic, sated bliss. Fine. He’ll get bored and leave soon. “All right. But you have to be quiet.”

“Yes, yes, of course. In case something bad is here. A pack of nixes maybe. Oh, they’re bad. Or a kraken tries to swim close and ambush you, yes? You’re a real warrior, then? Have you seen many battles? Do you have scars? I have scars, but only because I was very young—”

“Limpet.” Theo stopped and took the selkie’s chin in his hand, holding his head still. “Whispering is not being quiet.”

“Right you are. Sorry. You have beautiful eyes.”

Theo dropped his hand and walked away, shaking his head. It was going to be long night.

 

Author Bio:

While Angel Martinez is the erotic fiction pen name of a writer of several genres, she writes both kinds of gay romance – Science Fiction and Fantasy. Currently living part time in the hectic sprawl of northern Delaware, (and full time inside the author’s head) Angel has one husband, one son, two cats, a changing variety of other furred and scaled companions, a love of all things beautiful and a terrible addiction to the consumption of both knowledge and chocolate.

Author Contact:

Website: Erotic Fiction for the Hungry Mind
Facebook 
Goodreads 
Email: ravenesperanza@yahoo.com

September is here and This Week’s Schedule at ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords

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Announcement clip artWinner Announcements:

Winner of The Wheel Mysteries Susan Laine contest is Anna Thompson
Winner of Lee Brazil’s contest is Prof VJ Duke
Winner of Midnight Rodeo Homecoming:Carrier V.
Winner of Rory Ni Coileain’s Soulshares Contest is Nikki R.

More announcements to come this month, including a new reviewer who will be starting mid September. But more on her later.

September is here. That’s amazing. I think because this summer was so unseasonably cool and delightful that I don’t have the same desperate need to have September appear this year. Already there have been plenty signs of fall. Leaves are falling, I have seen a kettle or two of Broadwings a flight mid migration, and I heard my first Eastern Screech Owl whinnying for its territory a few days ago. And my gardens, for the most part, are awash in blue.

I do love this time of year. So many changes happening outside. It’s my favorite time of the year.

Here are a few pictures from my yard…

Garden 2 Sept 1Garden Sept 1

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Now for the week ahead at ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords:

Monday, September 1:

  • A Barb Review: Bliss by Lisa Henry and Heidi Belleau
  • August Summary of Reviews and Best Covers

Tuesday, September 2:

  • Cover Reveal for Angel Martinez’ No Fae Is An Island (contest)
  • In the Author Spotlight:  Havan Fellows (contest)
  • Riptide Book Tour: Pulling Leather by L.C. Chase (contest)
  • A MelanieM Review:  Firestorm by Rory Ni Coileain

Wednesday, September 3:

  • In the Author Spotlight:  Angel Martinez on Fae, and her Series (contest)
  • Book Blast:  A Tooth for a Fang by Liv Olteano Tour and contest
  • Review:  A MelanieM Review: A Suitable Replacement by Megan Derr

Thursday, September 4:

  • KC Wells’ Learning To Love: Final Exam Book Tour and Contest
  • On Tour with Rae Brewer’s David Dilemma (contest)
  • A MelanieM Review:  Yakuza Courage by H.J. Brues

Friday, September 5:

  • Rebecca Cohen’s “Idolatry” Book Tour and contest
  • A MelanieM Review:  A Tooth for a Fang by Live Olteano

Saturday, September 6:

  • A MelanieM Review: Blown Chance by Havan Fellows
  • A MelanieM Review: Frank’s Knight (a PF2014 side story) by T.A. Webb

 

In the Author Spotlight: Chatting with Angel Martinez on Writing, Endangered Fae and Much More! (contest)

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spotlight on booksDiego Endangered Fae coverFinn_432(1) coverSemper Fae cover

ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords Sits Down with

Angel Martinez to chat about  her Endangered Fae series, writing, and 

much more!

 

 

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I fell in love with Angel Martinez and her Endangered Fae series from my first introduction to Finn, the Fae in question, and his lover Diego in Finn (Endangered Fae#1).  A first interview with the author followed, as did the second book, Diego (Endangered Fae #2).  By now I was captured up in the universe Martinez had built for her series and the characters involved.  So  when I heard the third  novel was coming out, I knew that a second interview was needed to learn more about the author and the series as it evolves.

Contest: Angel Martinez has brought along a copy of  Finn (Endangered Fae #1) to give away.  To enter to win an eBook copy of Finn, leave a comment below, along with an email address where you can be contacted.  In addition, STRW is offering up a eBook copy of Semper Fae as a prize as well.  Two Endangered Fae books, two winners! You must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Contest ends midnight EDT on July 25th.

 

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍Now on to my interview with Angel Martinez:
STRW:  Endangered Fae combines a number of mythologies. Native American, Irish…what prompted that combination and which ones to choose from?

Angel Martinez: Myth and folklore are passions of mine, from when I was very young. Part of that probably stems from the leftover bits of the old ways in my mother’s and grandmother’s kitchen wisdom, (Stir that in one direction! You’ll upset the kitchen spirits!) and partly from a fascination with fairytales that morphed into something more.

The Irish/British Isles mythology stems right from the pooka himself, who is a mostly Irish spirit. In the second book on, Finn’s associations extend to more of the creatures of that myth/folklore region since those would be the people he knew. Later on, the world expands further as we travel further, so we run into creatures of Arabian myth as well.

The Algonquian mythology was also a matter of geography. Finn and Diego travel to Nova Scotia, so what they met there needed to be local as well.

STRW:  The Fae continue to fascinate and they appear in many forms from the elegant “human” type to the alien and frightening “Good folk” in the old tradition. Which appeals to you?

Angel Martinez: I actually like both, and pookas, while they can appear as handsome humans, are more “good folk” than Tolkien elvish. For the purposes of romance, the fae I’ve chosen throughout the series as love interests are ones who are more humanoid and beautiful, but our heroes encounter many different types along the way, some lovely, but some alien and strange.

STRW:  Did or do you have a muse for this series? If so, what was it? Or who?

Angel Martinez:  I don’t often have muses, but Finn insisted on taking the job. He’s more real to me some days than the people in my neighborhood (and often more sensible.) Authors often talk about characters communicating with them or demanding things. It often seems a silly conceit, but Finn’s been beside me, whispering in my ear, for many years now.

STRW:  You write in a number of genres. Do you feel that is important for you as a writer to continue to do so? Do you have a favorite?

Angel Martinez:   I think it’s important for an author to have a recognizable milieu. You pick up Anne Rice, you’re pretty sure what you’re going to get. While I’ve done a couple of short contemporary pieces, I concentrate on Science Fiction and Fantasy because that’s what I love, as a reader and as a writer. I’ve set myself up so that readers (I hope) will see the name and make that instant connection (Oh, yes! She writers SFF.)

Mind you, I’m adamant about the fact that Science Fiction and Fantasy are *not* the same thing. There are distinct differences that shouldn’t be muddied if you want a believable story and when I write, I feel that they use different parts of my brain. SF uses that more rational side of the brain, even when I’m writing SF humor, and Fantasy uses that more fanciful, surreal side of the brain. (SF = plan, build, measure Fantasy = wheeee!)

I do write both adult SF and all ages (under my given name) as well, though I don’t really consider those different genres, just different focuses of story arc.

STRW:   How long have you been writing?

Angel Martinez:  Writers get asked this a lot. Most of us will tell you we’ve been telling stories all our lives, whether we wrote them down or not. I’ve written stories from the time I could write, but didn’t finish my first novel (that will never see the light of day) until the late 1990’s. My first published work was picked up in 2006 and my first gay romance published in 2007. So I’ve been around the block a few times 😉

STRW:. How long does it take you to research a story? Have you ever traveled for your research or folded your experiences into a story?

Angel Martinez:  It depends what I’m trying to do. If the subject matter is something I have a lot of experience with and a lot of source material lying around, research might take a couple of days. If it’s something I’m struggling with, it could take weeks to hammer out the basic points (as in a new interstellar spaceship propulsion method.)

I wish I had the money to travel just for research. That would be lovely. But I do often use places I’ve been in stories: New York, Nova Scotia, Los Angeles, Wilmington. I sometimes do rough sketches of things I see to get the details right later. All of us pick bits and pieces of our experience out of our brains and use them for our stories, whether it’s conscious or not.

STRW:   What’s next in the series?

Angel Martinez:  Semper Fae, the third Endangered Fae book, just released from MLR Press on 7/11/14. That one’s Zack’s story, for all my readers whoSemper Fae cover said the Marine needed his own story. But never fear, Diego and Finn (especially Diego) play a huge part in the plot still.

After that, I’ve just finished No Fae Is An Island, in which we have Diego and Finn traveling farther than ever and getting into just as much trouble as usual, and some new characters, one of whom we’ve met in Semper Fae, get to be the heroes.

Here’s a sneak peek blurb for No Fae Is An Island:

“Three years ago, Danu banished Diego for a time from the human world. Three years and three days doesn’t seem that long to be away from home but time among the wild fae can change a man and the human world returns the favor by changing while he’s away. Human governments haven’t all had humane reactions to magic users. There’s a vampire on Tearmann Island’s security force. A curious selkie’s followed him home. So much to do to keep the world safe…but Diego’s no longer sure he has the right to interfere.

Theo Aguilar started his vampire life on the wrong side of the law. He’s killed and knows how dangerous he can be if he doesn’t stay in control every moment of every day. But the fae took him in and Prince Lugh has given him a position of trust. He owes them more than gratitude, so when Diego and Finn are arrested on a diplomatic mission far from home, he knows his duty. He’s striking out on his own to rescue them, a lone vigilante once again, though this time for the good guys. The only glitch? The selkie, Limpet, can’t seem to understand the alone part.”

STRW: Do you write one story at a time or have several at different stages at one time?

Angel Martinez:  Ideally, I have one at a time. I’m not one of those writers who can switch back and forth from one story to another. But I do, sometimes, start a story and then have to set it aside for another deadline. At one point this year, I had three stories started and had to work on a fourth. We’re now down to one at the edit stage, one started and set aside and one that needs immediate attention.

STRW:   Finally, why do you write?

Angel Martinez:  *tortured, dramatic sob* Because I must! Seriously, though,I enjoy it. It’s what I love best. And if you find something you love, why would you do anything else?

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Thank you, Angel Martinez, for stopping by and sitting in the Author’s Spotlight chair for a moment.  I can’t wait to read the next two stories in the Endangered Fae series.

For those of you new to the series and, perhaps, the author as well, be sure to leave a comment below and be entered to win an eBook copy of Finn (Endangered Fae #1) from Angel Martinez and a second winner will be chosen to win a eBook copy of Semper Fae from ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords.  Happy Reading!

Stories in the Endangered Fae series are to date:

Finn (Endangered Fae #1)
Diego (Endangered Fae #2)
Semper Fae (Endangered Fae #3) released 7/11 (5 stars review to follow!)
No Fae Is An Island (Endangered Fae #4) to be released

Author Bio:

Angel Martinez currently lives part time in the hectic sprawl of northern Delaware and full time inside her head. She has one husband, one son, two cats, a love of all things beautiful and a terrible addiction to the consumption of both knowledge and chocolate.

Angel’s alter ego writes the all-ages science fiction – Sandra Stixrude.

You can contact//follow Angel Martinez at:

More Winner Announcements….and the Week ahead At ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords

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Places to go, things to do.  Busy, busy, busy.  so short and sweet this week.

I have some winner announcements to make.  All the winners have been notified.  Congratulations go out to:

  • The Winner of Leona Carver’s giveaway for No Oceans Too Deep is Hannah B!
  • *Winners of Shira Antony’s Into the Wind Tour are as follows:

Entry #992Lori P.
Entry #853Carolyn
Entry #44Shorty C.
Entry #493Chase P.
Entry #664Renee S.

  • The winner from my blog of an ebook copy of Stealing the Wind is Gabrielle Jones.
  • The Winner of John Inman’s Spirit is Joe.

 

The week ahead is full of book tours, audio book releases, reviews and contests.  Don’t miss out on a day of it.  The week ahead at ScatteredThoughts looks something like this:

  • Monday, June 9 – am:     On Tour with Brad Vance and his release, Apollo’s Curse
  • Monday, June 9 – pm:     Review:    Apollo’s Curse by Brad Vance
  • Tuesday, June 10 – am:     In the Author Spotlight with David Pratt of Looking After Joey (interview/contest)
  • Tuesday, June 10  – pm      Audio Book Tour:  Finding Release by Silvia Violet
  • Wed., June 11 – am            Stranger on the Shore by Josh Lanyon
  • Wed., June 11 – pm           Audio Book Tour:  Brokenhearted by Cate Ashwood
  • Thurs., June 12 – am         On Tour with E.M. Lynley and Out of the Gate
  • Thurs., June 12 – pm        Review: Out of the Gate by E.M. Lynley
  • Friday,  June 13- am        Quickstop Tour/Contest with Daisy Harris and Nothing But Smoke
  • Friday, June 13 – pm        On Tour with Angel Martinez and Finn (Endangered Fae #1) Contest
  • Sat., June 14 –                      Nothing But Smoke by Daisy Harris

 

 

Author Interviews – What Does the Reader Want To Know?

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I always read the author bios at the end of every book I read.  Why?  To get some understanding into the person who wrote the book I just read, hoping to get some information that tells me how that author was able to pull that fiction out of themselves and put it on the page.  It’s the same reason I read authors blogs and interviews.  More insight into the author and the process of writing a story.

When I read a Sarah Black story, I know that she is as familiar as her characters with the locations in her stories.  And if she is writing about Marines, it’s because she knows them intimately.  It is the same with Abigail Roux.  She travels to the places her characters will visit so that it is authentic right down to the streets and bars located on them.  Amy Lane knits and look at the knowledge that brought to her Knitting series, but just maybe that side passion instigated that series to begin with.  The authors pour themselves into their stories, we know that.  But how do they do it?  Do the characters whisper in their ears, fully born or do they form slowly as character bits swirl into place, one at a time.  How is a location chosen and why?

But RJ Scott lives in England and she has a wonderful feeling for locations she has never traveled to. And Charlie Cochrane?  Well, needless to say, I don’t think she has promenaded down a street in 1900’s Cambridge lately but you would never know it from the Cambridge Fellows Mysteries series.  In those books, England in the 1900’s seems as fresh as present day.  So how do they do it?  Research obviously but in such a way that it feels real and true instead of a visit to a library.  Do they visit museums?  Bribe their way into the inventories so they can touch and feel the clothes and artifacts of the era they are writing about? Hmmm, Charlie Cochrane, do you have a hidden list of  museum back entrances and docents able to do your bidding? Hmmmmm……

Characterizations will either make or break a story.  You can be a marvelous world builder and create a new universe or world full of inventive and wonderous minituae.  But if it is then filled with one dimensional characters who all talk and act alike, then your story will lie lifeless on the floor. Characters are the heart and passion of any story, regardless of whether they are human, alien, or something totally different. And it’s the manner in which each author creates the people in their stories that fascinates me.  An upcoming author interview with Sarah Black will talk about her process in building her characters.  I am sure each author has their own methods to make their creations so believable that  we lose ourselves in their lives and stories.  I want to know how, how do they bring these beings to life with such force that I still think about them months, perhaps years later.

So, tell me what questions you would ask these or any authors if you had the chance.  Is it about world building or characters or both?  Do you want to know what a character reads or what bars they visit?  How doe they chose what they name their characters? Does it help define the person when you know what music they listen to?  I know it does for me.

So gather your thoughts and send me your questions.  I will add them to mine in time for the next author spotlight.  I am hoping you will be there when the next author spotlight rolls out.