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Author Interview: BRAD MCLELLAND & LOUIS SYLVESTER

11/3/2020

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I have ANOTHER amazing interview for you today, but not with just one author, BUT TWO! TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!
​How lucky are you? 

Check it out... 

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Born and raised in Arkansas, Brad McLelland spent several years working as a crime journalist in the South before earning his MFA in creative writing from Oklahoma State University. A part-time drummer and singer, Brad lives in Oklahoma with his wife, stepdaughter, a mini-Aussie who gives hugs, a chubby cat who begs for ham, and a blind kitty with ambitions of being an Instagram celebrity.

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Louis Sylvester is a professor at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. He earned his PhD from Oklahoma State University. He enjoys playing tabletop games from his collection of over 1,000 card and board games, watching western films, reading fantasy novels, and spending time with his wife and two dogs.

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Dark magic meets the Old West in Brad McLelland & Louis Sylvester's The Key of Skeleton Peak: Legends of the Lost Causes, the epic conclusion to the action-adventure series!

Keech Blackwood and his fellow Lost Causes have won their share of battles, but the war against the forces of darkness still rages on.

In their final standoff against the ruthless outlaw and sorcerer, Reverend Rose, the Lost Causes face their most perilous trial yet: stopping Rose and his henchmen from retrieving the ancient, powerful objects that would return him to his full, frightening strength. As the vigilante orphans race to the dangerous depths of Skeleton Peak, the site of the Key that would free the Reverend from his wicked prison, they’ll have to outmaneuver Rose’s most faithful—and menacing—ally: a creature spawned by darkness and shadow. But ever in pursuit of justice and vengeance for their fallen families, the Lost Causes won’t give up without a fight.

Packed with rip-roaring action, adventure, and powerful friendships, this series is perfect for fans of John Flanagan's The Brotherband Chronicles and Peter Lerangis's The Seven Wonders.



Follow Brad and Louis and get the latest right here...

LEGENDS OF THE LOST CAUSES 
THE FANG OF BONFIRE CROSSING 
THE KEY OF SKELETON PEAK
Series Website
Brad's Twitter
Brad's website
Publisher

AND NOW
THE INTERVIEW...

Who are you and what do you write?
 
Brad: By day, I’m proud to say I work as a technical editor and writer at Fire Protection Publications in Oklahoma, a company that publishes fire and emergency services manuals for an international market. So that means I get to hang out with firefighters and take interesting classes (such as Firefighter academy). On the fiction side, I write action-packed middle-grade adventures with my pard, Louis. I’m also a stepdad, husband, musician, and jigsaw puzzle fanatic.
 
Louis: I am an associate professor at Lewis-Clark State College. In addition to writing thrilling fiction with my partner Brad, I like to dabble in screenwriting and game design.
​
 
Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?
 
Brad: I remember writing my first short story when I was 10 (it was about a haunted rocking chair, and it was spooky), so I’ve been dealing in words for most of my life. I didn’t get serious about writing until around my sophomore year in college, and I didn’t get SUPER serious until a few years after that, when I became a journalist at my hometown newspaper. Once I began to understand people, and once I realized I could tell an effective story complete with emotions and three dimensions, the writing bug sank its teeth in and hasn’t let go.
 
Louis: I’ve always loved to read and would simply devour fantasy books when I was young (I still do!) The more fantastic stories I read, the more I was inspired to create stories of my own. I started writing before I was a teenager and spent years developing my skills before writing the Legends of the Lost Causes series with Brad.

​
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How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?
 
Brad: Like many other writers out there, my journey started slowly and progressed gradually, as I learned more and more about the craft of fiction and the publishing industry (both being long lessons which don’t come overnight). I spent the bulk of my 20s deep in these lessons, drafting and revising short stories, sending them out to webzines, being rejected, reading “how-to” books on publishing, pulling my hair out over query letter drafts. Then in 2010, while I was finishing my MFA in creative writing at Oklahoma State University, my grad school friend and colleague (you guessed it: Louis!) and I began our Legends of the Lost Causes collaboration. We poured our hearts and souls into it, and in 2013, we struck a mine vein of good fortune. We landed our literary agent, a wonderful gentleman named Brooks Sherman. Fast forward a few more years—through lots of life and several manuscript revisions with Brooks as our guide—and Team Lost Causes arrived at our ultimate destination and dream-come-true. We signed a 4-book deal with Henry Holt for Young Readers. In terms of the actual collaboration, Louis says it best . . .
 
Louis: One of the best things about writing is getting to discover the adventure your characters have before anyone else. I love discovering what Keech and the gang are up to when I’m writing. Then I love seeing the book in print and realizing other people will get to share in the journey.
​
 
What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?
 
Brad: For me, the hardest part has been the colossal learning curve I faced when entering the publishing industry. When you start as a professional author, whether self- or traditionally published, chances are good you’ve been thrown into the “deep end” with very little knowledge to guide you. I know I can speak for Louis when I say we had to learn everything from the ground up: how to understand contracts, how to decipher royalty statements, how (and when) to negotiate with our editor for manuscript or art changes, how to work with teachers and librarians to build successful school visits, you name it. I think even long-established authors will tell you there’s always something new to learn, and keeping up with that tidal wave of information can feel impossible at times. But therein lies the most enjoyable part too: the learning of a massive, exciting industry. It can feel quite overwhelming, but when I allow myself to enjoy the journey, I discover that the daily interactions and choices are such a delight to experience. 
 
Louis: The best part of my job has been working with Brad. He’s been an incredible partner, full of exciting ideas. Whenever I felt stuck, he helped me and vice versa. The Legends of the Lost Causes series is so fun because of our partnership. The most difficult part of writing is when you have to cut pages out of your early drafts because they are not serving the story. It stinks to have to delete dozens of pages, but Brad and I are determined to publish only the best work we can produce.
 
Brad again: Forget I said all the other stuff. Working with Louis is the best part!  

 
Would you go back and change anything?
 
Louis: There are always little word choices I want to change, but a writer can never be 100% satisfied. At some point the words have to be released into the world. I would not change the overall story, though, because I love Keech and Duck and the others and I think their adventures are cool.
 
Brad: Now that I’ve had a couple years to practice, I would probably go back to 2016 (the year Louis and I signed our contract) and do a better job building my social media platform. I feel like I missed several good opportunities to earn more readers and colleagues, so I would hop in my time machine (a DeLorean, naturally) and head to Twitter to apply the skills I’ve learned since releasing our first book. (I guess I could fight a little 2016 crime while I’m there.)

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Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future?
 
Louis: I’d like to still be writing books, of course. Our plan is to step away from the Lost Causes for now, but maybe in the years to come Brad and I will have an opportunity to write more stories about the continuing adventures of Keech and company. I think it would be interesting to see what they get up to as adults.
 
Brad: Well, Louis and I owe one more book (a standalone) to Henry Holt, so we'll most likely be publishing our fourth book in 2022. At the same time, I’m hoping the next five years will see the publication of my first solo project, a novel I’ve had on my heart for a long time. Over the next 10 years, I would love to write another series (or two) with Louis, if good fortune allows, and more solo books of my own. But for now, we just hope for a fantastic release of our third and final book in the Lost Causes trilogy.
​
 
What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?
 
Brad: Don’t be afraid to mess up. As I mentioned before, the publishing industry can be a fickle, challenging beast, a landscape full of just as many pitfalls as celebrations, so don’t be afraid to trip on your laces from time to time. Tripping, even falling, is part of the natural process and never the end, and luckily, the publishing world is chock-full of wonderful people willing to help you get back up. Embrace your writing community and try not to let new contacts grow cold. Keep in touch; let people hear your voice. But also know that when you need to step away, the industry and your colleagues and community will always be there, eager for your work, ready to welcome you back into the fold.
 
Louis: Writing is revision. Professional writers work on every sentence ten or twenty times to make sure every word is exactly perfect. Don’t get discouraged if your first draft isn’t flawless. No one ever writes a perfect first draft. Just write and then spend time making every sentence great. And don’t be afraid to cut sentences that don’t help the story.
 
 
And most importantly...
 
Ketchup or Mayo?
Brad: Ketchup on hot dogs (I know, I know, gross, right?), mayo on cheeseburgers and sandwiches.
Louis: Ketchup on fries (never hot dogs!), mayo on burgers.
 
Night or Day?
Brad: I’m a night owl. I do my best writing in the dead of night (I also love to watch spooky movies at night, when it’s quiet).
Louis: When I was younger, I loved the night. Now I like to be awake all the time, both day and night.

Inside or Outside?
Brad: Outside, for sure. Whether that means walking around my neighborhood, playing in the yard with my stepdaughter, or sitting on my back porch, I have to be outside or I get fidgety.
Louis: Inside. That’s where I keep my stuff!
 
Dogs or Cats?
Brad: My family and I are cat fanatics, all the way (though we still love our pup). We have two stubborn, beautiful kitties and a very fluffy mini-Aussie. One of the cats is a blind kitty named Ophelia, who gets more attention than I do.   
Louis: Dogs. I have two dogs. They are named Cake and Muse.
 
Twitter or Facebook?
Brad: I’ve gone back and forth with my social media habits over the years, but in the end I choose Twitter. I still use Facebook, but I’m scared of its political leanings and feel turned off to the point where I wish I could quit (and someday I just might). Though Twitter can also get too political and petty, I think I’m able to wield it better, and feel more comfortable using it for what I want: promoting my love for books.
Louis: I think Twitter has gotten too mean. I only use Facebook now to talk about movies I like.
 
Ebook or Paperback?
Brad: Paperback all the way. Sadly, I’ve never been able to get into ebooks, as I’ve always been a bibliophile and love collecting physical copies of novels.
Louis: Paperback. I love to be able to hold a book in my hands. I like to watch my bookmark move through the book as I make progress.
 
Walk or Drive?
Brad: I’m a serious walker. I LOVE to walk, especially around my neighborhood.
Louis: Drive. It’s too cold outside to walk.
 
Sun or Rain?
Brad: Though I live in Oklahoma and storms tend to get a bit scary (the whole tornado thing), I’d still have to pick rain. One of my favorite things to do is sit on my back porch in the springtime and listen to the rain cascade through the trees while I read a good book in my porch swing. 
Louis: I like both, but I don’t like when it’s too hot, so I guess I’ll pick rain!
 
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook?
Brad: I tend to start a project using a pencil and notebook, taking down copious notes as part of my planning/structuring process. I typically abandon the pencil and notepad when I start drafting on my laptop.
Louis: I do my writing on a keyboard. My fingers can really fly. I like to draw in my notebook with a pencil.
 
Comedy or Drama?
Brad: I love great comedies, especially darker comedies like Cohen Bros. or Monty Python flicks. Two of my favorite recent dark comedies are Jojo Rabbit and Parasite, which do a fantastic job of making their audiences laugh while giving them something hugely important to ponder.
Louis: I love to laugh, but good comedy is hard. I watch a lot of stand-up comics and funny TV shows. My favorite movies tend to be dramas though.
 
Chips or Chocolate?
Brad: Hand me a chocolate bar any day over a bag of chips. I’m a chocolate magician; I can make that stuff disappear. However, put a bag of Gardetto’s in my hand, chocolate’s got some trouble.
Louis: I’m a candy fiend. It’s not good. I have to brush five times a day to keep all the sugar off my teeth.
Brad: Gardetto’s, man. I’m telling ya.

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Author Interview: AMY BLYTHE

9/3/2020

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I have a flurry of author interviews and posts coming throughout March and I'm delighted to kick things off with the fab Amy Blythe! 

Here we go... 
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Amy Blythe lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, with her husband, two kids, and one enormous fluffy cat. She’s a High School English teacher by day (and sometimes night), and writes whenever she gets the chance.
​
www.amyblythe.com
Twitter

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Author: Amy Blythe
Series: Have Heart Will Travel, Book 1
Genre: Romantic Comedy
ASIN: B083JB8RTQ
ISBN: 9781656417800
List Price: 12.99
eBook Price: 4.99
​

Meet Jean: a nanny with a plan… that just went out the window of a taxi cab headed for Heathrow. So long, London! Bonjour, Paris! …is the sum total of Jean’s French, but her maths is fine and this apartment does not have enough bedrooms. Jean has a brilliant nannying gig in London, but when the kids’ uptight father suddenly ups and takes them all to Paris, everything starts to go wrong.


BUY NOW!

Amazon
Everywhere else!


THE INTERVIEW...

Who are you and what do you write?

I'm a teacher, writer and mum, living in New Zealand, which is home. One of my children was born in Paris, while we were living there, and I've certainly drawn on my experiences of Paris, though all my nannying jobs were in NZ and decidedly (and thankfully!) dull compared to what Jean gets up to in my book. I write romantic comedy, a bit of poetry, sometimes short stories, even flash fiction, and the occasional blog. I've been super involved in local writing communities, in Paris and at home, but since returning to full-time teaching I've been flying under the radar a bit.

Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

I wrote from a very early age and toyed with the idea of becoming a writer, on and off, throughout my teens. I love teaching, so trained for that, but kept writing on the side. I'd written (drafted really) two novels when my first child was born, and started taking my writing more seriously during his infancy. Naptime was writing time. This continued when we moved overseas and a writers' group in Paris inspired me to try my hand at a wider range of writing styles. I found my voice through all that experimenting, drafting and redrafting, reading and critiquing.

How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?

I was pretty one-eyed about wanting to go trad. And I got pretty close with an earlier version of What's French for Oops? I had a NY literary agent and we did several edits, back and forth, but as I addressed the pacing and voice and tension and point of view issues the book changed. It had been more women's fictiony, and it became a romance. Which my agent didn't represent. So we parted ways, amicably, but still I was gutted.

The Romance Writers of New Zealand were fast becoming my favourite writing community at that point, and the next year I placed third in their unpublished novel competition - with a regency romance. A couple of months after that, a dear friend and award winning NZ author read What's French for Oops? Her review is quoted on the cover. It gave me the confidence I needed to stop waiting for an agent or publisher to put their stamp of approval on my book. So I started learning more intentionally about self-pub, playing with software and covers and connecting with editors and reviewers. I got a bit of a practice run when our local Romance Writers chapter put together a summer romance anthology. Rising Heat came out just three months before my book - a perfect lead!
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What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?

Letting go is hard. Hitting publish when I've been through so many edits and changes, and there were so many times in the past I thought it was DONE. And it never was before, so it's hard to really believe it might be now.

The most enjoyable is probably Tania's review. And the DMs complaining she'd stayed up half the night and woke up early to finish it. Closely followed by my boss, the Head of English, rushing up to give me a hug at work, and saying well done. And then complaining she'd done nothing else all weekend but read my book.

Would you go back and change anything?

I wish I hadn't held onto traditional publishing quite so tightly. That said, if I'd self-published sooner, I probably wouldn't have done it very well.

Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future?

Over the next 18 months I'd like to put out the rest of the 'Have Heart, Will Travel' series. Book 2, What's Dutch for Damn? will be out later this year, followed by What's Gaelic for Gonner? and What's Italian for It's on? in 2021.

After that, I have a regency series waiting in the wings. An Heir out of Place is next-to ready, but the sequels are currently very rough drafts full of notes-to-self.

And somewhere in there, I'd like to publish my modern f/f retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion.

An exact timeline is hard to pin down, what with parenthood, a full time job, and a tendency to jump on exciting opportunities (like flitting off to Paris when the job was offered, despite the fact we had a one-year-old, spoke no French, and I was pregnant... c'est la vie!)

What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?

Find your tribe. A writing community makes all the difference. Sure, they'll beta read and tell you which online courses are scams, and help you design covers and write reviews for you, but they'll also commiserate and feed you, encourage and celebrate with you. And you'll get the privilege of being a part of their journeys as well.
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Ketchup or Mayo? Can I say aioli?
Night or Day? Night.
Inside or Outside? Outside.
Dogs or Cats? Cats, even though I'm allergic to them. They're just lower maintenance.
Twitter or Facebook? Twitter, a thousand times.
Ebook or Paperback? Paperback, but I always have both on the go.
Sun or Rain? Sun.
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Keyboard, but I switch between, sometimes because it's just more convenient, other times, I find it helps me get unstuck.
Comedy or Drama? Comedy. Although I love a good Dramedy. They were a thing in the 90s. I swear, it's not just me. They really were a thing. And since the 90s is back... a girl can dream right?
Chips or Chocolate? Chips.
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Interview With Millennial Blogger and Podcast Host, Renata Leo

4/3/2020

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I'm back with a different kind of interview today. I'm chatting with blogger and podcast host Renata Leo to find out what led her to take this path in her career. 

Check it out... 


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​Renata
 is just your typical open-minded, overly-sensitive, optimistically cynical feminist millennial whose passions are people and words. She enjoys sharing her unique thoughts and bits of self-discovery with anyone who will listen (and read) over at her personal blog.


​Find out more and follow Renata here! 

BLOG
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
​PODCAST



​THE INTERVIEW... 

Who are you and what do you do?

I'm Renata Leo, a millennial blogger and podcast host with a passion for making others laugh and feel less alone. I started my blog about a year and a half ago. I don't have a niche, and I just blog about whatever is on my mind. Topics span from mental health, to Disney, to curly fries, and everything in-between!

Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

I always retreated to writing when I was feeling down as a young person. I wrote poetry and fiction mainly when I was young, and branched into memoir and personal essay as I got older. I didn't even realize until recently that writing has always been my solace, but now I'm trying to write as much as possible to make up for lost writing time!

How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?

When I started to journey into first-person narrative, I was discouraged at first and told that no one would want to read what I had to say. After that, I largely gave up writing until college. When I was in college and BuzzFeed started getting big, I began writing funny listicles and opinion pieces. While I have yet to get a job in writing, a couple of years ago, my ex/bestie/editor/podcast co-host suggested that I start my personal blog to create a digital portfolio. Since then, it has become my nearest and dearest personal project. My blog has helped me rekindle my love for writing, and I'm grateful for that.

What's been the hardest part of your writing/blogging experience so far? And the most enjoyable?

The hardest part has always been coming up with topics. There will be weeks in a row that I can't think of anything to write about! Recently, I have been able to come up with topics rather easily, but the fear that I will somehow completely run out of topics forever is always looming!

The most enjoyable part of my blogging experience is having a reason to write. I am dedicated to posting on my blog consistently, so I need to keep up with my writing. I love writing, but without having this accountability, I'll let my writing go to the wayside. I'm just happy to be writing and sharing myself through blogging.

Would you go back and change anything?

I would start my blog sooner, for sure! I love writing, and my blog has given me the drive to do it regularly. I'm sure that there are so many experiences that I've had that would've made great blog posts, but I never wrote about them because I hadn't started my blog yet.

Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future?

I do have a book in the works, but as of late, I haven't been so sure that it will be published. I do hope to write more and more, possibly branching out into different genres and getting a job that involves writing every day. I'm not sure what the future will hold, but I'm hopeful to continue writing and inspiring!

What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers and bloggers just starting out?

Do what you love. Seriously, write for yourself. There are plenty of experts out there in any and every niche, but there's only one you. Let your personality and passion shine through and you will get readers.

And what everyone is dying to know... 

Ketchup or Mayo? - Buffalo sauce. Buffalo sauce everywhere.
Night or Day? - Day
Inside or Outside? - Indoors, indoors, innndoooooooorrrrssss! Take it away, Penny! (Sorry, I couldn't help myself)
Dogs or Cats? - Both!
Twitter or Facebook? - Twitter for networking, Facebook for connecting with friends.
Ebook or Paperback? - Paperback
Sun or Rain? - Rain
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? - PEN and notebook. Because I am addicted to pretty journals...and I was a science major who was forced to write in pen.
Comedy or Drama? - Comedy. Always. Life is serious enough as it is.
Chips or Chocolate?   - Depends on my mood.
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