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I'm thrilled to welcome a wonderful author/illustrator to the blog today as they prepare for their debut picture book release in October! Here we go...  Corrina was born in Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland. Having studied Education at Strathclyde University in Glasgow she moved to Edinburgh where she worked as a Primary Teacher for several years before returning home to the Highlands with her husband to raise their three daughters. Corrina writes and illustrates children’s picture books and her debut, ‘The Girl who Stole the Stars’ is out this year, published by Little Door Books.  ‘The Girl Who Stole the Stars’ is a story about a little girl who decides she wants a star of her very own but ends up taking all the stars from the sky with disastrous consequences, not just for her but for millions of other children around the world. But what will it take for her to put them back in the sky? You’ll need to read the book to find out! The Interview... Who are you and what do you write? My name is Corrina and I write and illustrate children’s picture books. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? I think it is fair to say that most people who knew me when I was young would not have expected me to become a writer. I was a long way from being top of the class in English, I was terrible at spelling (I still am, thank goodness for spell checker!) and nothing inspired me to write…except from my diary. That’s where my ‘writing life’ began. From 1995-2001 I kept a ‘warts-and-all’ diary. You’ve got it, the ramblings of my teenage self were all jotted down. I certainly wouldn’t say this classed me as a writer, yet I clearly enjoyed to write from a young age. After all the assignments and essays of University it wasn’t until I started working as a Primary School Teacher that I started to enjoy writing again. I wanted to tackle challenging topics with my pupils and found that stories were great for doing this in a child-friendly manner. After several years of writing I decided to get one of my stories illustrated with the aim of self-publishing. However, I underestimated how much this would cost so I decided to give illustration a go myself. This may seem a strange thing to do without a background in art but I had always been creative and I was determined to see my book in print. I am happy to admit that my first attempt was terrible, yet after hours and hours of drawing the makings of a book stared to emerge. Since then I have continued to create books and stories into the small hours of the night. How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? The journey so far has been hard. It has required hours and hours of work, lots of rejections and numerous sacrifices. This is not my full-time job so I use my spare time to write and create books for fun. Fortunately, I have bags of energy, lots of enthusiasm and a large (secret, shhhh!) stash of biscuits which keeps me going until late into night. I have taught myself everything I know from the kitchen table – there is nothing fancy behind the scenes here! I have read hundreds of children’s picture books to try and understand what makes a good story, I have watched numerous YouTube videos to learn from those already working in the picture book industry, I have written pages and pages of stories and ideas, crammed into notebooks that now live in cupboards and drawers scattered around the house, I have been brave and shared story ideas with friends, family and even strangers to try and improve my work, but most importantly I have pitched stories and ideas, been rejected and kept going. What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? The hardest part for me has been making my work digital. I started off with everything on paper. A messy collection of words and drawings that did not look professional in the slightest and generally lived in hundreds of notebooks and sketchpads. I decided to invest in a scanner (£50) and start using Photoshop/InDesign in order to submit quality work to agents and publishers. After two weeks of genuine tears and frustration I finally got to grips with editing and producing files that finally looked presentable. This was also the most enjoyable moment for me. It was a huge step forward and one that I wasn’t sure that I’d manage. It was a real sense of achievement. Would you go back and change anything? Sometimes I look back and cringe at some of the work I have submitted. However, looking back also shows me how far I have come. So no, I wouldn’t change anything – even the truly terrible submissions I have made to publishers in the early days!  Where would you like to be in 5 year’s time? And 10?
Gosh, I find this question really tough as I don’t like to try and predict anything! Life has been very unpredictable for me so I intentionally try to not predict any of it and just take the opportunities that present themselves. I like to think that when a door closes another will open, rather than fixate on a specific outcome. Such a rubbish answer, I know, but I genuinely don’t know where this path will lead me. Plans for the future certainly include another book. I have loved creating ‘The Girl who Stole the Stars’ and I have hundreds of other stories and ideas that I am looking forward to working on. I just need to find the time! What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? Keep going and be brave! And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? Ketchup ketchup ketchup! Especially on fish and chips from the local shop. Night or Day? I am such a night owl, night without a doubt! It’s the only time I have to myself. I’ve always wanted to be an early bird but have never managed it. Inside or Outside? Tricky one….it rains an awful lot here in Scotland, but I do love the outdoors! Dogs or Cats? Dogs. Twitter or Facebook? This is an easy one – Twitter without a doubt! Ebook or Paperback? Paperback. I believe you need to feel the pages and if I am being really weird smell them too! Sun or Rain? Rain. Puddles are great. Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Pencil and notebook so you can always look back and see where an idea started. Comedy or Drama? Drama. Chips or Chocolate? Chocolate.
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And here's another author interview for your reading pleasure! Check it out...  Josef Matulich is an author, special effects artist and costumer. Josef’s latest novel, Squirrel Apocalypse, is a horror comedy of the intersection of the War on Drugs and GMO killer squirrels. His Arcanum Faire trilogy, a horror/comedy of sex, magick, and power tools, was published by Cincinnati’s Post Mortem Press. His flash fiction has appeared on the Wicked Library podcast and the compilation “44 Lies by 22 Liars” by Post Mortem. He won the Context Flash Fiction competition its last year. Josef’s short plays have been performed around Central Ohio and a horror/comedy screenplay of his is currently in Pre-Production Hell somewhere on the Coast. When not making up funny/scary stories, or manning the Help Desk of a Fortune 100 corporation, he assists his wife Kit in their semi-haunted vintage & costume shop.  Chris Day had a perfect life… when he was twelve years old. Twenty years later, he is divorced, unemployed, and desperate to get through to his twelve-year-old daughter, Liv. He hopes his grandmother’s dairy farm in Crickson, California will be a good place to start a new life. Chris spent his boyhood summers in mischief and squirrel-launching there with his two best friends, Olivia and Rafael. Today, the dairy farmers grow marijuana to make ends meet, and the local radio station broadcasts the movements of the DEA to help them stay one step ahead. His grandmother’s obsession with squirrels has turned to a crusade of extermination. Olivia and Rafael are still in town, but nothing like the kids he dreamed of coming back to. Liv is sneaking out of the house late at night and Grandma has a collection of squirrel torture porn and homemade explosives. Pets and livestock are disappearing at an increasing rate. You really can’t go home again, especially when it’s being eaten by GMO killer squirrels. Grab your copy here! The Interview... Who are you and what do you write?
My hope is that my final label will be “Renaissance Man” instead of “Unstable Dilettante”. I grew up on a farm with cattle, pigs, etc. and spent a large part of my youth wandering the woods. I always had a fascination for the macabre and the odd, to the point of collecting bones & fossils into a cache in a rift on the hillside. Would love to see the faces of the new owners that found that. With the move to the Big City, I took the opportunity to build monsters & masks, perform street mime, & other horrors. What I write now is primarily horror/comedy with an emphasis on physical action and little creatures. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? There was a group of us oddballs in high school that gathered together in study hall and wrote amusing essays or stories to share amongst the lot of us. My drama teacher had me write a parody of Sesame Street which was performed in front of the whole school. I had the role of the rodent equivalent of Big Bird, complete with the rubber rat nose I made. How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? It has been sporadic. My first professional sale was a humorous article disguised as a letter to the editor in Science Digest my freshman year of college. For several years, it was bits and pieces: RPG systems & supplements; short plays; two commissions for horror/comedy which have yet to see the light of day. Bouts of melancholy and entirely too exciting life events sucked up the remaining time. Things finally gelled when I sold my first novel to Post Mortem Press in 2014. Since then I have published three more novels through small presses. What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? Communication and the struggle for a proper accounting from publishers of both fiction and gaming products has been ongoing & debilitating. Many writers are going through that right now. Many publishers will also gaslight as a tactic to avoid authors’ demands. This plays Hob with the minimal amounts of positive self-image and sanity we have. My best moment of game writing came when a playtest group for a new project accidentally quoted from one of my previous projects without realizing I had been the author. To have a piece of my work becoming a part of popular culture, no matter how small, was even better than getting paid. Would you go back and change anything? I would write more and publish/produce with many more groups. There’s a natural desire to graft yourself onto a group of creatives as part of an extended non-blood family. My luck with that has proven little better than that with my flesh and blood relatives. Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? I hope to be a proper hybrid author, publishing my backstock & other items myself while working my way up the publishing food chain. There’s also the distant hope of getting some of my stories produced as films or TV programs. “Squirrel Apocalypse” is a natural successor to “Sharknado”. What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? I would say never wait for input, keep grinding away at it. I once had a big name author painfully agree to look at my chapters. I waited for several months for her to get back to me on a middle chapter while she was hoping I had just forgotten about her. And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? Ketchup, definitely. Like some people I know, it’s only at its best after being burnt and mistreated. Night or Day? Night. Easier to sneak up on people. Inside or Outside? Grew up spending loads of time outside, then I got a computer. Dogs or Cats? Thylacines Twitter or Facebook? Most of my friends are on Facebook, but I sell more books on Twitter. e-book or Paperback? It’s nice to have the heft of an actual book in your hands. You can also throw a paperback at your thylacine when it’s chewing the furniture without fear of breaking the screen. Sun or Rain? I burst into flame under direct sunlight. The rain is quite soothing. Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? My first three novels were all written by hand. I’m training myself to use the laptop on first drafts for speed. Comedy or Drama? Always Comedy. God is a comedian, playing to an audience afraid to laugh. Chips or Chocolate? Chocolate chips will do. I'm back with another awesome author interview today to talk writing, books, and chips or chocolate! Check it out...  Malayna Evans was raised in the mountains of Utah and spent her childhood climbing, reading Sci-Fi, and finding trouble. She earned her Ph.D. in ancient Egyptian history from the University of Chicago and has used her education to craft a time-travel series set in ancient Egypt: book one is Jagger Jones and the Mummy's Ankh and book two is Aria Jones and the Guardian's Wedja. Book three is coming in 2021. Malayna lives in Oak Park, IL, with her two kids, a rescue dog, and a hedgehog. She's passionate about coffee, travel, and visiting classrooms to proselytize about ancient Egypt.  Twelve-year-old Aria Jones loves nothing more than a good adventure. But when she and her big brother Jagger are summoned back to ancient Egypt from their South Side Chicago home, danger lurks around every corner. Can Aria use her newfound superpowers to track the evil general and his sidekick in order to save Princess Tatia and the gods of ancient Egypt? Or will the evil sun god banish magic from the land and destroy the royal family—and Aria’s own—in the process? The adventure continues when Aria and Jagger reunite with good friends, forge new alliances, and battle old enemies. This time, Aria must find a way to interpret a troublesome prophecy if she and Jagger are to return home, safe and sound. Grab your copies here! Jagger Jones and the Mummy's Ankh Indiebound Amazon Aria Jones and the Guardian's Wedja Indiebound Amazon The Interview... Who are you and what do you write?
I’m a single mom, and an ancient historian by training. I don’t work in the field—well, I teach a women in the ancient world class from time to time—but I spent a good decade studying ancient history, first Greece and Rome, then Egypt and Mesopotamia, finally earning a Ph.D. in ancient Egyptian history from University of Chicago. So most of what I write is set in ancient Egypt, although I have a few MG manuscripts I’m playing with that are entirely modern. But sharing my passion for the ancient world, and educating today’s young readers on the many ways ancient Egypt shaped how we live today, is a huge motivator for me. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? My first series was inspired by my son, who, at nine-years-old, told me he wanted to read a book about a kid who looked like him lost in ancient Egypt. JAGGER JONES & THE MUMMY’S ANKH came out last May. Book two, ARIA JONES & THE GUARDIAN’S WEDJA, inspired by my daughter, is coming out on August 25. When I started to write Jagger and Aria’s story, we were going through a difficult divorce and working on the storyline was a positive thing my kids and I could do together. I’d always wanted to write—I’d tried a few novels previously but nothing came together. This series was different in part because of all the chaos in my life at the time. I found that worrying about what Jagger and Aria would get up to next was a much more comfortable thing to stress over than my real life. Writing became therapeutic for me at the time, and still, years later, I still genuinely enjoy the process. (Can’t quite say the same for editing though, but I’m working on that.) How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? There have been so many unexpected pleasures: making friends with other writers, for example, has been a highlight, and not something I knew would be part of the experience. Visiting school has been another unexpected and fabulous part of the journey. I feel blessed that this lifelong dream has come true, and genuinely excited to see where it takes me next. What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? The hardest part for me is the tempo. I’m not a patient woman. I do everything quickly and everything in publishing moves slowly. Pretty sure I’ll never get used to that part. The most enjoyable part has been spending time with kids during school visits and bookclubs and even online. Talking to middle grade readers and learners about what they think ancient Egypt was like, what they would—and wouldn’t—like about being magically transported back in time, and how things like our writing systems and calendars are inherited from Egypt has been a blast. Would you go back and change anything? I would actually. When I started writing JAGGER JONES, no one on Earth knew I was working on it except my two kids. Now, I have beta readers and writer friends to share with and, importantly, get feedback from. If I could change anything I’d have shared my work sooner, with more people, and learned earlier how to take and incorporate feedback. Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? When I first started taking myself seriously as a writer, my goal was to set myself up to retire at 60 and write full time. That’s still the goal … and I’m about eight years away. Fingers crossed! What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? Share your work, learn how to use feedback wisely, and embrace editing. Oh wait … that’s three! And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? Both! The combo, which my family calls pink sauce, is perfect with fries. Night or Day? Night Inside or Outside? Outside if there’s a lake, mountain or big city nearby. If not, inside. Dogs or Cats? Dogs Twitter or Facebook? Tough one – Facebook for friends and family but Twitter for writer stuff e-book or Paperback? Paperback Sun or Rain? Rain Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Keyboard Comedy or Drama? Drama Chips or Chocolate? Chips … then chocolate. I'm thrilled to welcome a multi-published author to the blog today to talk about their journey to publication. Here we go...  Amanda James has written since she was a child, but never imagined that her words would be published. Then in 2010, after many twists and turns, the dream of becoming a writer came true. Amanda has written many short stories and has thirteen novels currently published. Her time travelling debut, A Stitch in Time, was published in April of 2013 and has met with great success. Amanda lives in Cornwall and is inspired every day by the wild and beautiful coastline near her home. She has many suspense/mystery novels set there. Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Summer in Tintagel, Behind the Lie, Another Mother, Deep Water, The Cornish Retribution, The Feud and Dark Deception. Amanda has two women's fiction books. The Calico Cat, a family drama/coming-of-age, and The Cornish Connection, cosy crime with a psychic twist. Amanda can usually be found playing on the beach with her family, or walking the cliff paths planning her next book. Some important facts about Amanda... Ketchup or Mayo? - Mayo Night or Day? - Day Inside or Outside? - Outside Dogs or Cats? - Cats Twitter or Facebook? - Facebook Ebook or Paperback? - Paperback Sun or Rain? - Sun Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? - Keyboard Comedy or Drama? - Drama Chips or Chocolate? - Chips  Where extraordinary things happen...you'll find Nancy Cornish Nancy and Charlie Cornish are happily married and live in Padstow, Cornwall. Nancy works in The Whistling Kettle Cafe and Charlie is a DS in the Truro police. Charlie's a down to earth Cornishman, while Nancy, seemingly an ordinary member of her community, has an extraordinary gift. She is able to make psychic connections with those who have passed, and objects belonging to those still living. Charlie mostly tries to ignore that aspect of his wife's personality, he can’t abide all that ‘mumbo jumbo’ as he calls it. Then, out of the blue, Nancy leaves her job and decides her mission in life is to use her gift to help others. This is not what Charlie signed up for, and he lets Nancy know about his feelings in no uncertain terms. That is, until he realises she might be a very useful detective... Helping Charlie find a missing teenager boosts Nancy’s confidence, and makes her determined to continue her work. People come to see her because they want her to find a long-lost friend or relative, an object that is dear to them, or a pet who’s gone missing. Helping people find happiness is Nancy’s main aim. Charlie, however, wants her to help him solve crimes. Will the couple find some common ground? Or will their connection be broken? The Cornish Connection - a beautifully told, thought-provoking and uplifting story. The perfect feel-good summer read! Amanda's books: Dark Deception (Bloodhound Books November 2019) The Feud (Bloodhound Books April 2019) The Cornish Retribution (Bloodhound Books October 2018) The Calico Cat (Bombshell/Bloodhound Books June 2018) Rip Current (Bloodhound Books June 2018) Another Mother (Bloodhound Books April 2018) Behind the Lie (HQ Digital HarperCollins April 2017) MY PATH TO PUBLICATION... I asked my parents for a typewriter as a Christmas present when I was eight, and wrote short stories and poems. This continued into my teens and early twenties. But I wrote just for me, I never took it seriously and I certainly never even considered writing a novel, until I many years later. Well, you don’t, do you? Novel writing was not for people like me. I was just an ordinary working-class girl from Sheffield. But a few friends and family read my stories and thought I had something. In the end I started to believe them, and went for it! What did I have to lose? My path to publication has been long, windy, bumpy, and at times has almost disappeared over a cliff edge. When I first placed my delicate and naive foot upon it in the early 2000s, I thought all you had to do was think of a great idea for a book, write it, and then it would be snapped up by an agent and sold to a publisher. Then of course the book would be in supermarkets, book shops and later possibly made into a film. Imagine my surprise when my first novel was rejected…and rejected…and yes, you’ve guessed it. These agents were quite correct in their assessment of my offering. It was a mess. The writing style was all over the place and it was clear I had a lot to learn about plotting. However, the idea was a good one and after a significant rewrite, I eventually got it published many years later. Now, even though those agents were right, they aren’t always. Nor are publishers. I learned this from listening to the success stories of others, and trying to find out more about honing my craft. Besides, I am nothing if not as stubborn as an ox. I kept on writing both novels and short stories, and eventually in 2010 I had a short story published in an anthology for Born Free. This landed me on stage, reading an extract to over a thousand people at Hay on Wye Festival, next to Virginia McKenna. I thought I’d arrived! But still the path of agent, big publishing deal and world domination evaded me. The next year, at last, I had my first novel published by a small publishing house. It wasn’t the one I’d had rejected, though this one was rejected about fifty times before it was accepted too! I now have thirteen novels published and have had two agents and quite a few publishers, as I’m impatient for my books to do well. I’m not getting any younger and I’m still on the quest for that elusive big deal and world domination. Joking apart, the main thing in the end is having people read and enjoy my books. It’s wonderful to get a great review from a stranger. This support and the love of writing is the reason write. I write too, because it’s part of who I am. For anyone thinking of trying to get published, I have some advice. Over the years I have had so many rejections I could paper the walls with them. Yes, seriously. The key is to believe in yourself, improve your craft, and have the strength to get back up after a rejection has ripped out your soul and trampled all over it. If you can do that, you’ll get there in the end. It's a new week and therefore a new author interview! Check it out...  Emily Kilgore has been surrounded by the magic of books all her life. As both a writer and elementary school teacher, she strives to create books that foster empathy, welcome imagination, and spark a natural curiosity. She has written for various education publications, and The Whatifs is her debut children's book. When she's not writing or working, she enjoys traveling, running, and spending time with those she loves. Originally from Duluth, Minnesota, Emily now lives in Minneapolis with her husband and kitty. Follow Emily here! https://www.emilykilgore.com/ Twitter - @EmilySkeie Facebook - “Author Emily Kilgore”  Cora is constantly worrying about everything. Because of this, the Whatifs love her. They sneak up to her and give her all kinds of doubts: big or small, silly or frightening, likely or impossible. As she prepares for an upcoming piano recital, the Whatifs cling on tighter and drag her down, making her anxious about messing up during the concert. Will she be able to change her worry-filled thoughts into hopeful ones? The Interview... Who are you and what do you write? I’m Emily! I grew up on the shores of Lake Superior in northern Minnesota and now live with my husband and kitty in Minneapolis. I’m an elementary teacher and lifelong learner who enjoys asking questions, exploring the world (well, pre-COVID anyways), and hearing people’s stories. I write picture books and can’t wait for you to read my debut, THE WHATIFS. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? I’ve been surrounded by books my whole life! My father is also a writer, so some of my earliest memories are of him reading his stories to my sister and me. He showed me that writing was a valuable and worthwhile pursuit, so I’ve always loved to write -- always wanted to be like him. After college, I took writing more seriously. As an elementary teacher, I read picture books to my students every day and absolutely loved teaching kids to write (it is still my favorite “subject” to teach!). Kids are so creative and inspirational, so it didn’t take long for me to realize I wanted to write specifically for them. I began writing silly stories in my classroom during our Writer’s Workshop but would also continue that work at home, on weekends and breaks from school. That’s a long-winded way of saying that I’ve been writing my whole life but have had more focus since becoming a teacher.  How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? It’s been thrilling! I partnered with my agent -- Adria Goetz of Martin Literary Management -- in 2018, after a couple years of querying. It felt too good to be true, as she signed me on my birthday! I knew from the moment we talked on the phone that she’d be a great advocate for me and my work. She immediately fell in love with THE WHATIFS, so it was clear that it would be the first work we submitted to editors. After a slew of revisions and months of submissions, THE WHATIFS landed with Little Bee. I couldn’t be more happy with my experience-- from the moment my book was signed, the team at Little Bee has been nothing but supportive. They paired the story with Zoe Persico, whose art is absolutely incredible. Her illustrations brought THE WHATIFS to life in ways I couldn’t have even imagined. There’s always a lot of waiting involved in the publishing world, but the journey of THE WHATIFS has been well worth the wait! What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? Hardest: The unknown. Being that THE WHATIFS is my debut (coupled with my own anxiety, which is absolutely full of what-if questions), everything is new and unknown to me. I often worry about what I don’t know, if I’m doing too much, not enough, etc. so having Adria by my side and an editor who’s open to questions has been invaluable. Most enjoyable: All of the “firsts”: first contract, first advance, first glimpse at the illustrations, first time I’ve held my own ARC, first reviews . . . I know these firsts are special so am savoring each one. It’s an incredible feeling!  Would you go back and change anything? Honestly, I really wouldn’t! Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future? Oh gosh, this is such a hard one to answer right now! I can’t say where I’ll be in 5 or 10 years. I do hope, though, that my loved ones and I are healthy and that I have more books out in the world to share with young readers. I would love nothing more than to keep creating stories. What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? Read, read, read and write, write, write. Absolutely inundate yourself in your genre and then try creating it, too. And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? Neither (to my husband’s chagrin) Night or Day? Day Inside or Outside? Outside Dogs or Cats? Cats! Twitter or Facebook? Twitter Ebook or Paperback? Paperback Sun or Rain? Sun Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Pencil and notebook for drafting, keyboard for revising Comedy or Drama? Comedy Chips or Chocolate? Skittles! I am super excited to be part of the blog tour for the ABSOLUTELY LOVELY Catherine Emmett today to help celebrate the release of her gorgeous picture book KING OF THE SWAMP. Let's dive straight in!!!!! Hello, Catherine!!!!! Who are you and what do you write? Hello! I’m Catherine and I write picture books. I mostly write in rhyme, as I weirdly find that easier – apparently I have a rhyming kind of brain! My first picture book, ‘King of the Swamp’, is illustrated by Ben Mantle and is out on August 20th!   King of the Swamp – written by Catherine Emmett and illustrated by Ben Mantle McDarkly lives a quiet life, growing flowers in the swamp, until his peace is shattered by a roller-skating king who wants to concrete over his home! Can McDarkly save the swamp in time? Or will he lose his home forever? A beautifully illustrated rhyming story about the importance of finding beauty in even the stinkiest of places! Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? I spent a long time working in finance, but it never really gave me a creative outlet. For a lot of years, I knew I wanted to write something, but I was never sure what. I just had random ideas floating around my head. After I had my second son, I found myself being kept awake at night by stories. Writing them down was the only way to stop the voices in my head! Now I find I write because I find it calming and I love the feeling of having a story that works. In a lot of ways, I write because now I can’t NOT write.  How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? I have been super lucky - so far! I started writing back in 2015 and spent two years learning what I didn’t know and finding my way around the writing world. Then in 2017 I bid in a charity auction for a critique of my stories by the agent, Alice Sutherland-Hawes. Alice quite liked one of my prose stories and I made some changes as she’d suggested. I sent it back and she asked what else I had. Alice specifically said she didn’t want rhyming stories, but the only other stories I had were rhymers, so I took a chance and sent them. Luckily, she liked them and offered me representation! We sent out a round of submissions at the end of 2017 and I was luckily enough to sell 4 texts on the back of that.  What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? The hardest part for me is the WAITING. So much waiting! Waiting when on submission, waiting to make it through acquisitions, waiting to find an illustrator - waiting, waiting, waiting! I went from working in finance, the fastest paced industry there is, to what feels like the slowest! For picture books there is even more waiting, as you need to wait for all the illustrations as well. It will have been almost 3 years between going on submission and ‘King of the Swamp’ being published. Having said that, the illustrations are ALWAYS worth waiting for! The best bit for me is definitely seeing your characters brought to life by a talented illustrator. Ben Mantle has done such a fab job on this book – it is so, so beautiful. As soon as I saw his first sample I was smiling! Would you go back and change anything? Not yet! I am hoping that I don’t get to this point, but I am sure it will happen. I try to see whatever happens as a journey, and something to help me learn. But when things don’t work out, I always allow myself at least a day to have a proper huff before figuring out how to move forward! Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Writing more picture books! My second book, ‘Cautionary Tales for Parents and Children – The Pet’ is out with Macmillan in Spring 2021 and a couple more will follow. I’d like to just be able to keep putting my stories out there, there’s nothing better than knowing that your stories will go out in the world! I’d love to write some young MG stories and I have a YA story that needs to be written at some point (but shhhhhh… don’t tell my agent that just yet…). We’re building a house at the moment and I have managed to wrangle myself a sparkling new writing room, so I need to write a LOT more or my husband will never let me live it down! I’m in it for the long haul now!  What’s one piece of advice you’d give to new writers just starting out? So much advice, but more than anything - think outside the box. There are a LOT of stories and writers out there. To stand out you need something really original and different. Accept that your first ideas might be great, but that you might be the first one to have thought of them. Look for new angles – look for the weird and put a twist on it! Learn what you don’t know and write, write, write until you shine! And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? Mayo please. Night or Day? Anything that doesn’t include early mornings. Inside or Outside? Outside. Unless it’s raining. Dogs or Cats? Both. Twitter or Facebook? Twitter for writing, Facebook for staying in touch. e-book or Paperback? Paperback. Sun or Rain? Sun! Sun! Sun! Everything is always better when the sun shines! Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Both are essential. Notepad for ideas, laptop for actual writing. But if I could find a way to stop my kids stealing my notepads it would be useful. Ooohh and actually my phone as well for writing ideas down on the hoof! Comedy or Drama? Drama. I once dumped a boyfriend for taking me to see the comedy ‘Dumb and Dumber’. Really. Chips or Chocolate? How can this even be a question?? Chocolate!! I'm absolutely delighted to welcome a super lovely author to the blog today to find out more about their upcoming YA debut! Check it out...  Yousra S Imran is an English-Egyptian hybrid who works and lives in West Yorkshire. She has been writing from the moment she learned how to hold a pen and works full time in marketing and events in the education sector. Yousra grew up between the UK and the Middle East and has a BA Hons in International Relations. She is passionate about women’s rights and gender justice. Her debut YA novel Hijab and Red Lipstick is set to be published in October 2020 by Hashtag Press. Follow Yousra here! Twitter: twitter.com/underyourabaya Instagram: instagram.com/writereadeatrepeat Literally PR website: www.literallypr.com Media enquiries: info@literallypr.com  “You cannot do anything in this country without my permission.” Being a teenager isn't easy. And it doesn't help when you have a mega strict Egyptian dad who tells you that everything is "haram" a.k.a. forbidden. All Sara wants to do is experiment with makeup, listen to the latest Destiny's Child single and read fashion magazines, but her dad's conservative interpretation of Islam makes it impossible. Things get even harder when her dad lands himself a job in the Arabian Gulf and moves Sara and her family to a country where the patriarchy rules supreme. In a country where you have to have your father's permission for everything, every door feels like it is being closed on Sara's future. In a desperate bid for freedom, Sara makes a judgement call that threatens to ruin their dysfunctional father-daughter relationship forever. An insight into life as a young British Muslim woman growing up between London and the Middle East, this is a tale of a woman’s difficult quest to find herself, and an exclusive insight into life in countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, where people’s personal lives are rarely spoken about. Pre-order your copy here! Learn more about Hashtag Press here! Hashtag Press website: www.hashtagpress.co.uk Twitter: twitter.com/hashtag_press Instagram: instagram.com/hashtag_press The Interview... Who are you and what do you write? My name is Yousra Samir Imran, and I am the author of Hijab and Red Lipstick, my debut YA novel, which is being published by Hashtag Press in the UK in October 2020. I am also a freelance writer and full time marketing and events coordinator. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? I began writing the moment I could hold a pen. I was always entering poetry and writing competitions at school (and won a good few). I wrote the playscript for the end of year production in Year 6. When I was in my last year of university I started to write professionally as a freelance content writer and then after graduating I was a freelance journalist, writing articles, features and interviews for a number of local and regional magazines and websites in the Middle East such as Glam, Haute Muse, The New York Times Magazine (Qatar edition) and Cairo Scene. I was also the fitness and wellbeing columnist for Grazia Arabia when I changed careers and became a personal trainer! I no longer work as a personal trainer as unfortunately my Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome deteriorated a couple of years ago, and I now work full time as a marketing and events coordinator in the education sector, but I continue to write articles from time to time for online publications. How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? I had always wanted to write a book based on my experiences growing up between London and the Middle East, but while I was in the Middle East the censorship and lack of freedom of speech meant this was impossible. When I moved back to the UK in 2018 I decided it was finally time to write my book. I initially wrote Hijab and Red Lipstick as a memoir and on the second round of submissions I got the chance to meet one of the literary agents who had rejected it. She gave me some personal feedback, saying that the content was very political and perhaps that was the reason I had been getting rejections. I decided that I could still get my story out but by turning it into a novel, and changing the storyline, character names and the timeline. I could still have my voice heard and get across an important message in the form of a piece of fiction. I had to rewrite it from scratch. While on my third round of submissions I came across Hashtag Press and their book deal competition, Hashtag Press 2020. I decided to enter, and was ecstatic when they contacted me to say they like my first chapter and wanted to read more. I couldn't believe it when I made the shortlist and then made the finalists. And then I was in denial followed by being over the moon when I found out that I was the winner! What I love about Hashtag Press is that it is run by women, and that it is an independent publishing company that publishes books by diverse authors with diverse characters. Everyone at Hashtag Press has been so supportive, and they are so down to earth and friendly.  What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? I would say the editing process can be a bit nerve-wracking. You are keen to produce the best version of your book and for it to reach its full potential. You remind yourself that the editor has more experience than you in the publishing industry and that you need to be open to their suggestions, but at the same time you do worry that they will try to remove important parts of the story, and you get nervous about how to put your foot down while remaining cooperative. The most enjoyable part for me so far was writing the first and second drafts of the story itself. It felt cathartic, as I unloaded the story onto the pages. If you have a story inside you, I say get it out. Would you go back and change anything? If I had the knowledge I had now, I would have not sent my first draft out on a round of submissions haha! But you learn by making mistakes. Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Whether it is in 5 years time or 10 years I would love to a full time author (sometimes you have to be patient and work at it for a while to achieve your dream ) - being able to earn enough from writing so that it is a full time job is the dream! What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? I would say not to put too much pressure on yourself or be too rigid when it comes to word count targets, otherwise the process loses its enjoyment. Some days you may write a couple of chapters and other days you may only manage a couple of paragraphs, but no matter how much you write, you will eventually finish writing that book. And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? - Mayo Night or Day? - Day Inside or Outside? - Outside Dogs or Cats? - Cats Twitter or Facebook? - Twitter Ebook or Paperback? - Paperback Sun or Rain? - Sun Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? - Keyboard Comedy or Drama? - Comedy Chips or Chocolate? - Chocolate I'm thrilled to welcome a fabulous author to the blog today to chat about their awesome book series for kids! Here we go...  Dashe Roberts is a Californian who loves mystery, adventure and the uncanny. She is the author of the Sticky Pines series, and lives in London with her husband and an adorable dog.  Things are about to get FREAKY in the sleepy American town of Sticky Pines! The twists, chills and laughs multiply in The Thing at Black Hole Lake, the electric second instalment in the cult sci-fi series for children. Holy. Flippin. Crudballs! Milo Fisher has found something lurking in Black Hole Lake. Something big. It's the kind of monstrous discovery that would make his ex-friend Lucy Sladan's mind explode like confetti, if he was still speaking to her, which he isn't. But Lucy won't be kept in the dark: she's on to Milo, following her own clues, and closing in on an even greater secret. Perfect for the younger siblings of Stranger Things fans, Sticky Pines offers laugh-out-loud, hair-raising sci-fi and mysteries aplenty. Are YOU ready to learn the TRUTH? Life on Earth may not be as simple as it seems...  PRAISE FOR STICKY PINES: THE BIGWOOF CONSPIRACY: "Brilliant" - Konnie Huq, Blue Peter presenter and author of Cookie and the Most Annoying Boy in the World "This middle grade series is destined for greatness" - ReadItDaddy blog "Book of Week: An hilarious, exciting sci-fi series with wide appeal" - The South Wales Evening Post "The most entertaining book I've read this year" - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books ‘A breathtaking, genuinely funny funny caper that deserves to be cult reading for 9+’ – Armadillo magazine "This is going to be a bedtime-destroyer it's the perfect book to read with a torch while pretending to turn the lights out and go to sleep" - Louie Stowell, author of The Dragon in the Library "If you love The X-Files, Eerie Indiana, Teen Wolf and Twin Peaks, then you and me have a lot in common and I predict you will love Sticky Pines" - Sophie Green, author of Potkin and Stubbs "I fell in love with this book: Dashe's voice is fresh and funny, SO funny. It's the fabulous sci-fi mystery I have been waiting for and I just can't wait to read the next one and the one after that and the one after that. I mean the ENDING!" - Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of How To Be Extraordinary Lit Film Fest/Rothley Primary/Michael Rosen Video Book Review Lit Film Fest Interview The Interview... Who are you and what do you write? I’m Dashe Roberts, and I am the author of the funny sci-fi mystery series: STICKY PINES. The first book, THE BIGWOOF CONSPIRACY, was released in Feb 2020, and the sequel, THE THING AT BLACK HOLE LAKE will be out in Sept! Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love writing. It was one of my strengths as a student and I’ve always relied on my writing skills in my personal and professional life. The first chapter book I ever wrote was when I was ten years old. I recently reread it and quite enjoyed it. It was a horror story about a kid who falls into a deep hole in the middle of a field and has to walk through a wall of fire in order to save humanity. I was really into Goosebumps at the time. How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? I couldn’t even begin to explain... What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? The hardest part of writing and publishing is probably deadlines, word counts, and all the various expectations of other people! The most enjoyable part has been getting to know my characters inside and out (and sometimes being surprised by them!), and immersing myself in a world I enjoy visiting every day, even if I sometimes have to tear it all apart...  Would you go back and change anything? If I had a time machine, the world would never be the same... Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? It’s hard to make plans for the future these days as everything seems so unpredictable! At some point, I’d love to do a Sticky Pines WORLD TOUR. Ooh, and I’d love to live in Iceland for a bit. And also France. And visit Antarctica… What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? Even if you can only write 100 words per day, you’ll have a whole book written in a couple of years or less. Which is way less time than if you never start writing in the first place! And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? Both, mixed together with a chip. Night or Day? Mid-morning. Inside or Outside? OUTSIDE! (Especially during quarantine) Dogs or Cats? Dogs, natch. Twitter or Facebook? Neither, they’re both evil in their own special ways. But for work purposes, Twitter's where it’s at! e-book or Paperback? Paperback. Sun or Rain? When I lived in California, I would’ve said rain, but now that I live in London, the answer is sun, all day, every day. Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Keyboard. I’m a true Millennial. Typing feels more natural. Comedy or Drama? Ideally both together. Chips or Chocolate? Deep dark chocolate just edges out the win. I'm opening my week by chatting with an author and poet today! Check it out...  Samantha Inman is the author of the mystery fiction Tea Time, and its soon-to-be-released sequel and is proud to present her first work of poetry, Thoughts (At Random). She is also an accomplished photographer and emerging artist. A proud degree holder in the Theatre Arts and avid traveler with her dog Lucky, she believes the written word can hold impact and potentially change viewpoints with the right thing said at the right moment. The Interview... Who are you and what do you write?
I am Samantha Inman, creative person and I am not just an author, but a theatrically trained actor who also happens to be an aspiring photographer. I do a lot of different things that are not typically seen as being connected but they are. They are all different forms of storytelling and being a part of something more than myself. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? I've always been a writer but never considered it seriously until about four or five years ago when I had the idea for Tea Time and I sort of just started to write then stopped for a few years and picked it back up and ran with it. The poetry has been a coping mechanism for me for years and shared with a friend who thought they were good. So I figured why not? As an actor I was trained to research and be prepared to have a nerve and be vulnerable on stage or in front of a camera, but nothing really prepares you for your inner most thoughts or words be out for all, so still getting used to that feeling. My publisher read Insanity, a poem in Thoughts (At Random) and texted me and just said wow 'the world is my hustler...' and to have my words quoted back at me was surreal. How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? My journey has probably been totally different than the vast majority of authors. I didn't query or send my manuscript out to hundreds of publishers, I got really lucky and connected with a publisher through a networking site. He's a private and small company but he's done a huge about of work. Its the best of both world as I have more control over my work, 100% royalties and global distribution, but I also have to do a lot of the promotion and marketing like you would with self-publication. What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? The hardest has probably been building a following/ marketing and trying to get legitimate reviews for Tea Time and critiques for my poetry. The most enjoyable is is people coming back and saying they loved it are waiting for a sequel as well as the hugely supportive audience and friends and family who are supremely supportive. Would you go back and change anything? Yes, actually I would put Tea Time through another round of edits before publishing but I don't feel mortified anymore about it because I learned from that and it's still my first and I am very proud of it. Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? I would like to continue to write and photograph but I truly miss acting. I would like to be back on stage whether that's in LA, New York, or London, I'd like to give it another go. It's something that's been on my mind since I had to walk away. It was one of the hardest choices to make and I regret it a little as acting is really my first love. That feeling on stage I haven't felt anywhere else doing anything else. So, I'd like to be doing all three but I want to get back on stage while keeping photography and writing as ways to further my understanding of this world we live in and how to be a better actor by bringing those experiences and details to the stage. What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? Do not give up. It's so easy to give in to your insecurities, I have done it. It's harder to go up against the nay-sayers and do it. Write. Get your story out. The first draft is just for you the author so it doesn't have to be perfect nor should it, but it's for your ideas to get out of your head. It's like a rehearsal for the publication ready manuscript. So does an actor know everything the character is going to say before given the script? No. So don't expect perfection your first go-around, go easy on yourself and go through the process, all the way through. If acting is your true one and only dream, do not let anyone stand in your way, and don't give up on it, there is no age limit for dreams and anyone who says so needs to go get a dream themselves. And most importantly... Ketchup or Mayo? Bar-b-que sauce Night or Day? Depends on my mood but I'm a bit of both Inside or Outside? Oooh, um, I guess I am more comfortable with air conditioning so inside I guess. Dogs or Cats? I am an animal person but I have grown up with dogs and have the best little 4 year old Jack Russell terrier mutt who stole my heart. Twitter or Facebook? Twitter definitely, I have a Facebook only for friends and family and I'm using it less and less as of late. e-book or Paperback? Paperback, I love the smell of books and the feeling of pages and your can't sniff a kindle without looking weird. Sun or Rain? Rain, but I do love a nice cool sunny day. The smell of rain, like just after a storm is one of my favourite things. Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? This depends on where I am and what I am writing. I have used both. But I am typically with a keyboard via my iPhone or Laptop for manuscripts. Comedy or Drama? This most definitely depends. Some of my favourite plays are both. So very much so depends as both are very much a part of life but they say laughter goes a long way and I would so much rather laugh or make someone laugh than cry. Chips or Chocolate? Ooh chocolate for sure. Dark preferably. Milk chocolate is just too sweet for the most part. I'm thrilled to be welcoming back to the blog today a lovely author who's celebrating the release of yet another gorgeous picture book. Find out more about their writing process right here! Check it out...  Katrina Germein is a best-selling picture book author. Published worldwide, Katrina’s book Big Rain Coming has remained continuously in print since it was first published in 1999. Her popular title My Dad Thinks He’s Funny was Highly Commended in the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. Thunderstorm Dancing is among many of Katrina’s books to have received a Notable Book Commendation from The Children’s Book Council of Australia and feature on children’s television programs such as Play School. In 2019 Katrina received the Speech Pathology Book of the Year Award for Let’s Go Strolling. Katrina is an ambassador for Raising Literacy Australia, a Books in Homes Role Model and a Premier’s Reading Challenge Ambassador. New titles in 2020 include Tell `Em, My Dad Thinks He’s Super Funny and Shoo You Crocodile.  Look out! A crocodile! Chomp Chomp Chomp What will make it go away? Let's try making LOTS of noise. Clang! Bang! Stomp! Clomp! SHOO YOU CROCODILE! is illustrated by Tom Jellett and published by Little Book Press, the publishing arm of Raising Literacy Australia. It's a fun, raucous romp for imaginative young readers and small brave adventurers. The Interview... Another new book! Wow. Tell me about it! This one is super lively. Like all good picture books, SHOO YOU CROCODILE! is for young children and adults to enjoy together. There’s lots of noise and plenty of action! It’s about a pair of escaped crocodiles who chase some children and their teacher all around a museum. Why picture books? Because they’re the best. Because they’ve made my heart sing since as long as I can remember. I love that picture books can tell and story and move readers in a single, short sitting and that they’re often a shared experience between children and people they adore. They can be enjoyed over and over and over again and they reveal meaningful truths about the world. I love their poetic read-aloud language and their gorgeous layered artwork. Picture books are meaning and imagination.  Do you think you'll ever write anything other than PBs? Maybe. Possibly not. If not a writer, what would be your dream job? I’m an early childhood teacher and I love that too. Any other dream jobs require skills and talent that I don’t have, like singing and dancing. I’d love to be in a band but I’m not naturally tuneful. What kind of books do you like to read in your spare time? I wish there was another term because it sounds pompous but I read literary fiction and popular fiction. I faithfully work through my book club’s monthly titles. Some of the books we’ve read this year include Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo, Never Let me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell and Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. I also read lots of middle grade and young adult fiction by wonderful author friends. And of course picture books. I’m always reading new picture books.  What's one thing you have done to date that has made the biggest impact on your publishing journey? Boring answer but I have to say – not giving up. I just keep plodding away. I keep writing and submitting. I keep listening to my agent and my critique group. I keep starting new stories and finishing old ones. On and on I slowly go and every now and then I look up and realise it’s working. Where do you find your book ideas? All around everywhere. I don’t feel like I look very hard but I guess as writers we’re always alert to ideas. My ideas come from news stories, people I know, childhood memories, places I visit and the crazy imaginings my brain dreams up. How do you develop your ideas once you've settled on a concept? Hmm. I guess I just start writing. I sometimes try to leave a story to brew in my mind for a while so the writing is easier later and other times I can’t wait to get started. Mainly I just write and see where it takes me. (Then I redraft fifty four million times!) How do you know when a story is ready? I’m still learning. I’ve definitely sent out work before it’s ready in the past. I try to sit on anything that feels finished for at least a week but I’m getting better it at holding it for a month. If I make changes when I look at it again then it goes back into the holding bay. What’s next and where can we get the new book? I’m looking forward to two new books next year. A LOVE SONG, illustrated by Helene Magisson and published by HarperCollins and MY DAD THINKS HE’S SUPER FUNNY, illustrated by Tom Jellett and published by Walker Books. For now, SHOO YOU CROCODILE! was officially released on August first and is available directly from the publisher’s website: https://www.littlebookpress.com.au/product/shoo-you-crocodile/ Yay! I hope people love it.  |
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October 2020
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