Down Under Author Showcase Feature Author Anne Barwell – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Meet L.J. LaBarthe

L. J. LaBarthe is the author of many series and novels (listed below).

To get to know L.J. LaBarthe a little better, she agreed to an interview. Look for her guest post below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt question and clue found somewhere within.

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Author Bio:

L.J. LaBarthe is a French-Australian woman, who was born during the Witching Hour, just after midnight. From this auspicious beginning, she went on to write a prize-winning short story about Humpty Dumpty wearing an Aussie hat complete with corks dangling from it when she was six years old. From there, she wrote for her high school yearbook, her university newspaper, and, from her early teens to her twenties, produced a fanzine about the local punk rock music scene. She enjoys music, languages, TV, film, travel, cooking, eating out, abandoned places, urbex, history, and researching.

L.J. loves to read complicated plots and hopes to do complex plot lines justice in her own writing. She writes paranormal, historical, urban fantasy, and contemporary Australian stories, usually m/m romance and featuring m/m erotica.
L.J. lives in the city of Adelaide, and is owned by her cat.

:

Website: http://www.ljlabarthe.com/
Blog: http://misslj_author.livejournal.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lj.labarthe.9
Twitter: @brbsiberia
Tumblr: http://dreadpiratestarkiller.tumblr.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/dreadpiratestar/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/lj.labarthe.9
Google +: https://plus.google.com/117252756118475570457

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

Author’s Books, Series, and Stories:
The Archangel Chronicles with Dreamspinner Press.
• No Quarter
• No Surrender, No Retreat
• No Shadows Fall
• The Wind-up Forest
• The Crystal Lake
• The Bone Cup
• A Shot in the Dark
• A Fire in the Heart
• A Candle in the Sun

City of Jade with Dreamspinner Press
Mythica with Bottom Drawer Publications
Waiting for the Moon and You with Dreamspinner Press
Brick by Brick with Dreamspinner Press (Co-written with Cate Ashwood)
Swimming with Elephants with Dreamspinner Press (forthcoming release available as a novella and part of the Piece Us Back Together anthology)
Ice with Less Than Three Press
The Body on the Beach with Dreamspinner Press (available as a novella and part of the Under the Southern Cross anthology) – one of the Down Under Author Scavenger Hunt Prizes!
Capsicum Head in the Rockin’ Hard Vol. 2 anthology with Less Than Three Press
Sunburnt Country in the Something Happened on the Way to Heaven anthology with Less Than Three Press

Genre(s):

With the exception of Brick by Brick, Swimming with Elephants, Capsicum Head, The Body on the Beach, City of Jade and Waiting for the Moon and You, all my books are paranormals.

Contemporaries: Brick by Brick, Swimming with Elephants, Capsicum Head, Waiting for the Moon and You.

Historicals: City of Jade, The Body on the Beach.

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

1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you,L.J. LaBarthe) is an eBook copy of any of the first 6 Archangel books, City of Jade or Mythica. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

2. Down Under Scavenger Hunt – find Question or “Word“. Collect all the words/clues from each author and submit the list in writing no later than midnight on February 1st. Make sure you include an email address where you can be reached. Prizes will be given to 5 people selected, from 1st place to 5th! Happy Hunting.

**************Now on to our Interview with L. J. LaBarthe….

Q• When did you start writing?

I don’t remember not writing, to be honest! I used to draw a lot and write little stories to go with my drawings.

Q• Were you a reader as a child?

Voracious. I was a shy kid, and spent a lot of time with books.

Q • Where do you draw inspiration from?

Everywhere. From the weather, the garden, places I’ve visited or documentaries I’ve seen, to history, research (I love research!), news articles to movies, music, TV shows. Just about anything and everything!

Q• Favorite genres to write in and why?

Paranormal, historical, fantasy and science fiction, because those are the genres I prefer to read.

Q• Title or characters or plot? Which comes first?

Usually, it’s a scene and then everything springs from that. There are exceptions to that of course, the book I’m working on at the moment, “Song of Song,” the title came first and everything else fell into place in my head with a loud clunk!

Q• Do you have a favorite character that you have written?

Archangels Gabriel, Raziel and Uriel and Archdemon Adramelek from my Archangel series.

Q• Favorite quote (doesn’t matter the source)?

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

– Said by Inigo Montoya, from “The Princess Bride.”

Q• Favorite book/story you have read as an adult?

Only one? I can’t do just one! I love the “Night Watch” series by Uzbek writer Sergey Lukyanenko, those are fantastic books. Then there’s the Danilov series by Jasper Kent, which is brilliantly done. “The Prince and the Program” by Aldous Mercer, “Child 44” by Tom Rob Smith, “31 Things” by Cate Ashwood, “The Cuckoo’s Calling” by J. K. Rowling… so many more.

Q• What’s the hardest part of writing your books?

Titles! I am really terrible at coming up with titles. “No Quarter,” for example, went through thirteen title changes until it became that, and that was thanks to my good friend Meredith Shayne suggesting it to me.

Q• What book are you reading now?

“New Watch” by Sergey Lukyanenko, which is his latest release; “The Silkworm” by J. K. Rowling.

Q• How do you think books written from authors in Australia or New Zealand differ in style, language, and culture?

I think we use a lot more slang. Our slang is rhyming slang and is often quite colourful. We also spell with British English, so the ‘u’ is still present in words like colour.

Q• My first impression of AUS/NZ was from stories and novels like Colleen McCullough’s The Thorn Birds or Nevil Shute’s A Town Like Alice as well as from movies like The Man from Snowy River, The Dish, Rabbit Proof Fence, Strictly Ballroom, and yes, Crocodile Dundee! There are so many out there. What is your favorite AUS/NZ stories and favorite Australian/New Zealand movies?

I’m going to be a bit different here and choose a TV show. The Australian show, “Offspring” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offspring_(TV_series)) is my choice, because not only is it brilliantly written, it’s a pretty accurate representation of middle class, inner suburban life. The show also doesn’t shy away from topics like death, addiction, child birth, and has not just heterosexual couples but gay and lesbian couples as well. The last three episodes of season four, for instance, had me bawling, completely ugly crying. And Twitter was on fire because of this particular plot line, so much so, that the band, The Offspring, took to Twitter to say that nothing had happened to them, and the police department local to where the show is set, had to issue a statement saying there would be no investigation into what happened. (I’m avoiding spoilers, in case readers want to watch the show!)

And there were more tears in season five, and I hate crying at TV/movies/books, but I love, love, love this show, even though it turns me into the ugly crying author!

Q• If you were a tour guide, what would you like a visitor to see and what impression would you want them to take away with them when they leave?

The Flinders Ranges in outback South Australia. Not just because this is my own favourite part of the country and I live in SA, but because it really is stunningly beautiful, no matter what time of year you visit.

Q• What are your current projects?

I have six (!!!) titles coming out in 2015, so I foresee a LOT of editing in my near future. The last three Archangel books are coming out, as is “Brick by Brick,” “Swimming with Elephants” and “Waiting for the Moon and You.”

I’m also on the home stretch of the first draft of my sci-fi space opera m/m romance, called “Song of Song,” and I’m really enjoying writing it, so much so that it feels as if the book has written itself.

• What’s next up for you?

A bit of rest, I think. Then I’ll get back into it. I’ve got a few works in progress that I’d like to finish and a few plot bunnies I’d like to start. Either way, there will be more tales told, and more books.

Q What are the questions you would like to see answered for the Scavenger Hunt? one answer will do.

1. Aussie slang – what am I doing if I’m using the telling bone? or.

2: Aussie slang – what bird is on the South Australian coat of arms? send your answers to me along with the other words/clues at the end of the month.

Meet Anne Barwell

Anne Barwell is the author of four series and 2 stand alone novels (listed below).

To get to know Anne Barwell a little better, she agreed to an interview. Look for her guest post below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word found somewhere within.

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Anne Barwell lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She shares her home with two cats who are convinced that the house is run to suit them; this is an ongoing “discussion,” and to date it appears as though the cats may be winning.

In 2008 she completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching. She has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and now works in a library. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction Club and plays violin for Hutt Valley Orchestra.

She is an avid reader across a wide range of genres and a watcher of far too many TV series and movies, although it can be argued that there is no such thing as “too many.” These, of course, are best enjoyed with a decent cup of tea and further the continuing argument that the concept of “spare time” is really just a myth.

Website: http://annebarwell.wordpress.com/
Blog: http://anne-barwell.livejournal.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/anne.barwell.1
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4862410.Anne_Barwell
Dreamspinner Author Page: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_426

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

All published by Dreamspinner Press:

Hidden Places series:
• Cat’s Quill
• Magic’s Muse
Echoes series:
• Shadowboxing
• Winter Duet
Dragons of Astria series:
• A Knight to Remember
The Sleepless City series:
• Shades of Sepia
Standalones:
• Slow Dreaming
• On Wings of Song

Genre(s):
Hidden Places is contemporary fantasy
Echoes is historical (WWII)
Dragons of Astria is high fantasy
The Sleepless City is urban fantasy
Slow Dreaming is SF
On Wings of Song is historical (WWI)

Contests and Giveaways:

1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you, Anne Barwell) is an eBook copy chosen from Anne Barwell’s backlist. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2. Down Under Scavenger Hunt – find Anne Barwell’s Hunt “Word“. Collect all the words from each author and submit the list in writing no later than midnight on February 1st. Make sure you include an email address where you can be reached. Prizes will be given to 5 people selected, from 1st place to 5th! Happy Hunting.

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

Anne Barwell on The Kiwi Connection!

The Kiwi Connection

Thanks for hosting me today J

As a Kiwi writer, my books often have New Zealand references or characters although sometimes this isn’t possible, as it needs to work with the story I’m telling. So far, I only have one story set in New Zealand, but I’m planning to do something about that.

Slow Dreaming is set very close to home to me as it takes place in Petone where I grew up. Sean’s a songwriter who works in a café in Jackson Street, and one of his favourite places to go and think is the Petone foreshore. I’ve spent many hours on that same beach, and the café is based on one I visit regularly. It was fun writing something set locally, and I had a few comments from local readers who recognised the places I was writing about. It made the research so much easier too and I was able to use some Kiwi idioms.

In Winter Duet, book two of my WWII Echoes series, Kristopher, Michel and the team meet a downed RAF pilot, Leo. During WWII many NZ pilots flew with the RAF. Leo is from Wellington and his uncle has a farm in the Wairarapa, which is several km from here. I remember my dad talking about a big earthquake that took place during the war, which was centred in the Wairarapa. Leo references it in the book, and also mentions the sheep on his uncle’s farm. After all, a New Zealand reference needs sheep in there somewhere, right?

Shades of Sepia, the first book in The Sleepless City series I’m writing with Elizabeth Noble, introduces Ben Leyton. Ben’s a Kiwi on his OE (overseas experience) in Flint, Ohio, a city in the States. It’s the little things that take Ben by surprise as he adjusts to life in the U.S. Here, a flat white refers to coffee with milk; there he’s asked why he’s talking about house paint. He doesn’t like creamer, being used to milk in his tea and coffee. Creamer here is powdered stuff used in coffee machines. We’re an agricultural country, so dairy products are a biggie. Milk is available as full cream, homogenised, trim (low fat) and calci trim (added calcium), and it comes in various flavours such as chocolate, strawberry, lime etc. On a side note, I had a friend visit the U.S after I wrote Shades of Sepia. He was waiting at a dentist and was offered tea with creamer. His reaction was the same as Ben’s.

With the Sleepless City being a series, and contemporary, I’ve been able to explore a lot more of the differences between here and the U.S than in other stories, through Ben’s reactions and speech. Although we all speak English we have different names for different things eg garbage/rubbish, sidewalk/footpath. Ben’s use of slang often leads to questions too, especially when he refers to something as ‘sweet as’. There isn’t a word missing—the point of it is that there is no comparison. We also refer to something as ‘cold as’, ‘hot as’ etc.

In book three of the series, Family and Reflection, Ben’s friend, Ange, comes to visit. I had several betas (non-Kiwis) who asked me if her saying she was going to find a ‘park’ was a typo and whether it should be a parking spot. Neither of my Kiwi betas commented at all, as that’s what we say here, and how Ange, a Kiwi, would say it. It’s the little things that show our origins.

I’m looking forward to setting my new series Outliers in Wellington—once I’ve finished my current series. Ben and his vampire partner, Simon, will also be visiting Wellington, and interacting with some of those characters, in book three of the spin off series Opus: Tales of

the Sleepless City. After all, Ben’s had fun trying to adjust to a culture that isn’t his own so it’s only fair that his partner gets to do the same in reverse.

Tag: Down Under Author Showcase Feature Author Anne Barwell

Down Under Author Showcase – L.J. LaBarthe

Meet L.J. LaBarthe

L. J. LaBarthe is the author of many series and novels (listed below).

To get to know L.J. LaBarthe a little better, she agreed to an interview. Look for her guest post below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt question and clue found somewhere within.

:

Down Under Showcase Author – Anne Barwell

Meet Anne Barwell

Anne Barwell is the author of four series and 2 stand alone novels (listed below).

To get to know Anne Barwell a little better, she agreed to an interview. Look for her guest post below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word found somewhere within.

Contests and Giveaways:

Anne Barwell on The Kiwi Connection!

Meet L.J. LaBarthe

L. J. LaBarthe is the author of many series and novels (listed below).

To get to know L.J. LaBarthe a little better, she agreed to an interview. Look for her guest post below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt question and clue found somewhere within.

:

Share this:

Meet Anne Barwell

Anne Barwell is the author of four series and 2 stand alone novels (listed below).

To get to know Anne Barwell a little better, she agreed to an interview. Look for her guest post below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word found somewhere within.

Contests and Giveaways:

Anne Barwell on The Kiwi Connection!

Share this: