Let’s ring in the new year of 2017 with a BIG TEN addition: Audrey Grey. Like so many authors I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know, our connection was made at UtopiaConn 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. I did my thing and got all up in Audrey’s media presence. Here’s what I dug up. She’s funny, creative and ready to take the writer world by the proverbial horns.
The Q and A:
 1. I found your Goodreads profile, which I appropriately stalked...okay I stalked all your media for posterity, so it’s okay!! You mention that you’ve several manuscripts that will never see the light of day. How has your writing changed since you started writing? What do you attribute those changes to?

Wow! Straight to the hard question. Well, the first full manuscript I completed was actually incomplete, at 145,000 words. For those that don’t know, that’s over the full length of a normal adult novel! It was a bit of everything. I had the words, I had the characters, but I had zero plot. I was writing to write, without a plan or much research, which definitely aligns with my unorganized, nebulous, spontaneous personality. Unfortunately, those traits don’t benefit the kind of epic, larger-than-life stories I like to tell.

So, I’d definitely say my writing has become more structured, simply out of necessity, and more forethought goes into. Who am I writing for? What story am I telling? What are the conflicts, etc. I map it out, make an outline, do all the necessary, not-so-fun stuff. Basically, I make a plan. [I get you completely!]

2. So, you’re a paintaholic. I have painter-interuptus (meaning a bunch of unfinished paint jobs). What have been your most favorite transformations of rooms or things? [Holy cow! Not only can she write, but she’s creative with a brush.]
Oh, man. I love transforming ALL THE THINGS. Seriously, at one time, before my life was overrun with writing deadlines and editors cracking the whip, I obsessed over changing every room in my house. I also sometimes experiment with oil paints on canvas. My heart just begs to create, and the transformation process is addictive!

3. What is your most hilarious “mom moment”? Your most touching “mom moment”?
Being a mommy is the most amazing/crazy/frustrating thing I’ve ever done. Luckily, my husband and I have a pretty strong sense of humor, and we use laughter to get through the tough times. This one time, my one-year-old son woke up from his nap and my husband went to get him. A few minutes later I heard my husband screaming my name. My son had found his poopy diaper and smeared the poop EVERYWHERE. Toys. Crib. Wall. Himself. It was one of those horrifying moments that if you didn’t laugh, you might just leave the house and never come back. It took hours to sanitize his room and person, but by the end of it, my husband and I were laughing hysterically, comparing our carefree college years to our poop-filled existence now. It was either laugh or cry.

As a mom, I experience a lot of touching moments, but I think watching my seven-year-old daughter take care of my four-year-old son has to be the best feeling ever. The way they love and care for each other is amazing, and it touches me deeply.

4. I see you’re a dog lover. I get you completely. Tell us about your pooches. And what is your take on all these abused dog FB feeds? How do you handle these?
All four—yes, four—of my wonderful (naughty, demanding, silly) dogs are rescues. My husband likes little dogs, I prefer big ones. So, instead of compromising, we have two of each! Having two busy kids and four dogs is a recipe for chaos, but we love our fur kids and wouldn’t have it any other way.

We have four males (Ed, Marley, Forge, and Beeker) and while the two elderly dogs get annoyed with the younger pups at times, for the most part they get along great.

As for the sad, heartbreaking posts my masochistic friends like to put on Facebook, well, I usually scroll past them, unless I know for sure the story has a happy ending. I just can’t handle knowing that kind of abuse and hatred exists in the world.

5. A hat fanatic? Cool! How did you come to love hats?
I’ve always loved hats, but I didn’t really make a thing of it until I became a mommy and started forgoing washing my hair for bedtime rituals and changing diapers. While unwashed hair may be the norm in my household, out in public, I wanted to hide that fact, so I started to throw on hats. I love them all. Ball caps. Fedoras. Pink cowgirl hats with bling. My day gets started early, and I usually throw on a pair of yoga pants and t-shirt, so my hats are a way to accessorize and show off my style without actually having to work at it.

6. Almost fell out of my chair when you mentioned TOM HARDY! Talk to us about this hunky hottie. What, why, when, how...and did you see him in Wuthering Heights?
TOM HARDY. Commence drooling. I think he embodies everything I like in a man. Strong. Mysterious. Independent. Artistic. British accent. Loves dogs. And he’s confident enough to play diverse roles that some actors might shy away from. I’ve loved him in all his roles, but I just recently watched him play Alfred “Alfie” Solomons, a Jewish gang leader in Peaky Blinders, and I was reminded all over again why he’s my main Hollywood obsession.

7. What’s the deal with Kombucha? Why is this an obsession?
Kombucha is one of those polarizing things, like Crossfit and Elf-on-the-Shelf. People either love it or hate it. In my experience, most people are too terrified of the very visible cultures at the bottom to even try it, but I fell in love the first sip I took. It’s fermented, so it’s sour and carbonated, with a refreshing zing in the back of your throat after you’re done. If you get over the smell and the bacterial cultures, it’s wonderful—and it’s supposed to be good for you. Other than coffee, Kombucha is my go-to drink, and at five dollars a pop, the current reason I’m poor. [haha! right?!]

8. How did you come up with your story and characters for your debut novel Shadow Fall?
Shadow Fall actually came about from the word SHADOWFALL (the novel was originally one word). I remember falling in love with it, and wondering how I could plan a novel around the word. Seriously. There was something ominous and dramatic about it. Like, what would be large enough to cast a shadow, and how would the populace respond? So I really had the concept of the novel from the very beginning—a trial held during the dark hours of Shadow Fall, when the impending asteroid casts a shadow. But the characters took a while to flesh out. I knew I wanted a strong female heroine who didn’t know how strong she was. And I wanted lots of uncertainty and intrigue. The other characters didn’t start showing themselves until I started writing, as they tend to do in my world. But once they showed up, they were very demanding!

9. OMG! You’re a GOT [Game of Thrones] fan!! I’ve tons of questions....
As a writer, what is your take on R.R. Martin’s planning of the whole Hodor thing?
Who’s your favorite character?
What’s your favorite scene?
Which character do you hate the most?
What’s your opinion of Little Finger?
These are all the questions I pretty much drill other people with when I learn they love GOTs! Warning, this section might be LONG and contain spoilers. [If you’re a binger and haven’t finished the final season, cover your eyes.]

First, to answer the Hodor question. George is a genius. When I saw that episode, I had all sorts of thoughts running through my mind, but unlike my husband, who was horrified for poor Hodor, the main emotion was awe and respect for George’s talents. [YES!!] I even texted my good friend and GOT fan and asked, “Did George plan that?” Because my mind couldn’t comprehend planning that far in advance. And then I read an article that confirmed he did, indeed, plan it from the very beginning, and I cried a little. Because I know as an author I will never achieve that level of greatness. Hats off to you, George. [He is the master planner. I realize this is why it takes years for one novel!!]

Favorite character? Tyrion, hands down. I read all the books before the series came out, and he was my favorite to read and watch. Despite all the hardships thrown at him, he relies on his wits and humor to survive. And he’s good, as good as you can be in the GOT universe without dying. He’s the only character that, if killed, would make me stop reading/watching the series.

Favorite scene? Hmm, I don’t know. If we’re judging off of scenes that made me happy, there aren’t that many (damn you, George). Maybe when the Stark children found the Dire Wolves? Or when Sansa and Jon were reunited. But the most indelible scene, the one I can’t get out of my head, is the Red Wedding. I read that chapter, and I saw it coming (the foreshadowing in the book is impeccable), and I was screaming and reading and pacing all at the same time. My husband thought I went mad.

Most hated character? Easy—Joffrey. [Screw you, Joffrey!! I hated him so much! Well-done, George.] He trumps Cersei and even Ramsay Bolton, only because in the book I hadn’t gotten to Ramsay’s reign of terror just yet, unless you count Theon, which, c’mon, he kind of deserved it (poor Reek). Cersei had issues, but she’s also trying to survive in a man’s world. Ramsay was a bastard and his father demented, no wonder he turned out the way he did. But Joffrey was just a spoiled brat with no excuse for the way he acted or the horrible, terrible things he did. Good riddance!

Little Finger. That guy! I have mixed feelings about him. I mean, he is responsible for killing Joffrey (yay) but then he let Tyrion take the fall. He’s obviously cunning and ruthless, and he’s wreaked a lot of havoc, but there’s just something about the underdog survivor. He wasn’t good enough for Catelyn Stark, and part of his lofty ambitions stem from that unrequited love. So, while I don’t trust Little Finger, I’m very interested to see where his story goes. Does he rise to the top? Does he eventually turn Sansa against Jon? [I’m so worried about this! She hasn’t truly given up the idea of being a queen.] He’s a very entertaining character, and I hope to witness more of his antics stir up the axis of power in the Seven Kingdoms.

10. At the end of all things, when light fades to darkness, what's the only thing that's real?
People. We’re all connected. We have our own unique stories and dreams, but at the end of the day, I think we simply want to be recognized, acknowledged, and loved.

I can't remember when I started following and chatting with Cameo on Facebook...it's been a while. She has always been a positive voice in the writing world. She's approachable, funny, and #damndaniel is she a prolific writer! She recently went to PennedCon and won YA Author of the Year 2016! A huge congrats to you Cameo. So without further delay, here is Cameo:

1. You moved from Maui, Hawaii to Alaska. That is quite a move. What is it like in Alaska? Is it really like the movies...wildlife running around? How do you sleep when it's light? Or wake up when it's dark?
I did, and a lot of people ask me...WHY? I actually LOVE Alaska. The scenery is gorgeous and I feel like I can breathe here. Don't get me wrong, Maui is gorgeous as well, but I was getting rock fever. I mean, you can only travel around the island so much before it gets boring, and I spent most of my life there. Plus, it was hot all the time and there are no seasonal changes. That's one thing I love about Alaska. I love watching landscapes change with the seasons. We do get to see moose, squirrels, and the occasional porcupine squished on the road, but I still haven't seen a bear. That's a good thing, but one of these days I'd like to see one from a safe distance, and get a photo for proof! haha!! As far as sleeping, I have no problem. We have black-out curtains for the summer, and during the winter...well it's really hard to wake up.

2. I see you like the 1980s. What's the draw? What's your favorite movie and song from the 80s?
I was in middle and high school in the 80's. I did the whole break-dancing thing...or at least tried. I had the crazy hair and crazy clothes with accessories. I really don't like to look back at those pictures because I know I look completely ridiculous. As far as songs...gosh, there were so many good ones. I listened to a lot of Def Leppard. Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi...etc.

3. You've got 2 really cool series: The Hidden Wings and After Light Saga. What inspired your vision of each world you created? 
Well, thanks! I love both of those worlds. The Hidden Wings world was inspired after I wrote In My Dreams. I loved the idea of having guardian angels, and knew there were some that had a story to tell. I was surprised at how easy the world building was, and how loud the characters were. It seemed to flow for me. I really miss the characters now that the series is over, but I might go back and revisit them with a few spin-offs in the future.

As for the After Light Saga...my husband and I love to watch those survival and prepping shows, so I wanted to challenge myself and see if I could create a post-apocalyptic world with survivors. I wasn't expecting it to really go anywhere, but it's turned into something larger than I expected. It's been a lot of fun to write Abi's story, but the world building is a lot harder! Because there are scenarios, which could actually happen, I had to do a lot more research. I wanted suspense, but didn't want zombies, so I created the Arvy's - genetically mutated humans that survived the radiation, but are still smart. They also have a burning hatred for the survivors, who left them on the topside to suffer all those years. So now, those returning to the topside not only have to survive the planet, they have to survive the mutants who are dead set on killing them. [...like smart zombies!!! Holy crap!]

4. What are your writing rituals? You're a mom, too. How do you write and balance your family life? 
Balancing writing and family is hard, but I always make sure that my family comes first...unless I'm on a deadline. Then everyone has to fend for themselves. haha!! I usually write at night, when everyone is quiet and asleep. I NEED my headphones on with music, and coffee and peppermints are a must! I don't know what it is, but they help. [She's a woman after my own heart! The coffee...]

5. OOH!!! You have a short film coming out based on ARV-3. I'm excited about this!! Tell us all about this project? 
YES! Well, I was lucky to have a cousin who is married to an independent film-maker. (Timid Monster) After she read ARV-3 she told her husband that he should do something with it. It started with talks of creating a book trailer, but as it started progressing, it turned into something bigger. I was lucky to have been able to be a part of it. They're still working on perfecting the short-film, but I'm so excited to share it once it's finished!!! It's AWESOME!!!

6. What is it you like about the dystopian genre? Is there a message about humanity  in there you'd like to share?
The dystopian genre is pretty oppressive, but also exciting. Because of the world we live in, survival shows have become a "thing". It's exciting to watch someone being thrown into a situation, with no food or water (and sometimes naked), and watch them survive. I try to instill hope and love into all of my stories. If we all stick together, helping each other, working through the differences while surviving, there is hope for a better future.

7. So, you've just begun writing your first contemporary romance. How's that going? How is writing this different from your usual genre work? Tell us all about it. Who are you collaborating with for the anthology?
Oh boy. I was scared at first because there is really nothing to hold up the story besides the romance and whatever revolves around that romance. Writing paranormal or sci-fi, you can do whatever you want with the world and it's okay. Like throwing in mutants, or angels, or demons, or scary made-up creatures. But as I started writing this contemporary romance, I began falling in love with the two main characters and their story. It's going to be part of the Love in the 80's Anthology.

Here is the info:
Love in the 80s: A New Adult Mix is a collection of ten contemporary romance, new adult, stand-alone novellas set in the 1980s. Written by award-winning and bestselling authors, one digital novella will be released on the last Friday of each month January - October in 2016. 

The title of each love story will be a hit song from the year that the novella represents. The totally awesome authors include: Casey L. Bond, Lindy Zart, Cambria Hebert, Amber Lynn Natusch, Misty Provencher, Rebecca Yarros, Rachel Higginson, RK Ryals, Cameo Renae and Chelsea Fine. 

Love in the 80s: A New Adult Mix was created by UTOPiAcon founder, Janet Wallace, and is co-produced with award-winning book cover designer, Regina Wamba (together they are WaWa Productions).

8. Who has influenced you as a writer? And if you could only have one book on a deserted island for a year, which book would it be? 
I would have to say C.S. Lewis was my first huge influence. The Chronicles of Narnia swept me away into an imaginary world that I was lost in. I was with the children on all their adventures and never wanted it to end. 

And...yikes! If I could have one book on a deserted island for a year, it would have to be something long that I haven't read yet. I have Stephen King's Under the Dome sitting on my shelf. It's huge, so I would probably take that. 

9. Recently, you celebrated your 25 wedding anniversary. CONGRATS!! Can you tell us your "how we met" story? And what's the secret to love?
THANK YOU! Yeah, 25 years is a long time!!! We actually grew up in the same church together, but he was 11 years older than me. It's actually funny, because while I was in children's choir, he was the president of the sanctuary choir. It wasn't until I was a senior in high school that we connected. His sister took a few of us over to his house, and I remember thinking...HOLY CRAP, he's so handsome! Months later, he and another guy started a youth ministry at my Grandma's house. It was fate. It was pretty obvious I had a crush on him, and was later shocked that the feeling was mutual.Whenever I saw him, those crazy butterflies would go wild in my stomach,  We would talk on the phone (a real phone) for hours. I remember falling asleep and waking up with him still on the other line. He'd say "good morning" before he left for work, and I couldn't wait until the end of each day to talk to him again. 
We ended up eloping, which didn't go well with my family, but we made it work and now they LOVE him. I think the secret to staying love is making sure it's unconditional. Never take the other person for granted and never take things too seriously, because that's when things start to fall apart. Be silly. Laugh a lot. Make time for each other. Remind each other how much you love them, even if it's in the littlest ways. When I'm in the writing cave, on a deadline and tired, he'll sometimes bring me coffee or my favorite snack. My husband is my best friend and my biggest fan. We stay up late and watch movies together, talk about our future, and try and get through this crazy adventure called life. But through the trials and fires, and ups and downs, we both know that when all else fails...we still have each other. 

10. At the end of all things, when light fades to darkness, what's the only thing that's real?
Love. It transforms and transcends. And knowing that you loved deeply, and were loved as deeply...makes it all worth it.

If you enjoyed this post, give it a LIKE or a TWEET :) And by all means, SHARE :) If you'd like a heads up on future Big Ten Interviews or giveaways, join my email list. The only spam I like is with my eggs.
© Janell Rhiannon 2016
Any information from this blog must be properly cited :)

Years ago when I first started writing, I came across Amanda's story and her work as an indie author. I thought, "WOW!" what a cool chick she is. She was working hard on her dream of publishing her stories. I really love it when people follow their dreams and encourage others at the same time. Amanda has a fantastic grasp on storytelling and an imagination that truly engages her readers :) When she agreed to do the Big Ten, I was stoked to say the least. She's an animal lover and advocate for all things Batman. Ladies and gents...it's Amanda Hocking :)

1. What is the first thing you remember about writing that made you realize you were a writer?

I have a cassette tape of me at about two or three telling this long elaborate story to my grandma about the Muppets and werewolves and giant monster bugs, and I think almost as soon as I could talk, I  knew I wanted to be a storyteller. About the time I started kindergarten, it became apparent that writing would be the most efficient way for me to tell stories, and I knew I wanted to be a writer.

2. What sparked your muse for your Kanin Chronicles? I love this world you’ve created. And the covers are so beautiful. Do you have sticky notes all over your desk or on the wall? Who is your favorite character? Who speaks loudest in year ear?

The base of the Kanin Chronicles is based on the Trylle series which it’s spun off of, but the specific set up of this book came from two places – a trip I took to Alaska, and the movie Haywire. I actually didn’t care for the movie that much, but I absolutely fell in love with Gina Carano, and I thought, “I want to write about someone as tough and strong as her.” So that’s where Bryn came from, and the rest of the story fell in around it.

I actually do have sticky notes all over my desk! I’m crazy about Post-Its and I’m meticulous about note taking and outlining.

My favorite character from the Kanin Chronicles is probably Bryn, but I also have soft spots for Ember and Tilda and Konstantin and Ridley. I’m also really quite fond of Linnea. She grew on me.

I don’t know who speaks the loudest in my ear. Maybe Bryn, because she’s so demanding.

3. I notice you like Game of Thrones...This show makes me crazy and I could talk about it for hours, so...Who is your favorite character? What are your predictions for next season? What has been your favorite scene so far?

Margaery Tyrell and her grandmother Olenna Tyrell are my absolute favorites. I love everything about them. I love Varys and Tyrion, especially when they’re together, and I like Sansa a lot. I especially liked her turn as dark Sansa toward the end of season four, and I hope to see more of that in the future. And Ser Pounce. We need more Ser Pounce.

I’m putting SPOILER ALERT, just in case people aren’t all caught up on Game of Thrones, because I’m talking about it now.

I didn’t like Jon Snow for about three-and-a-half seasons, because he was boring. But now I’m quite fond of him, and I also do no for a second believe that he is dead and gone for good. Will he come back as the Jon Snow we knew and loved, or more like a Mountainstein creation? Probably somewhere in between, but he’ll definitely be back.

I doubt they’ll do it, but I would also like if Khal Drogo came back somehow. Or maybe it turned out he had a twin brother so Jason Momoa has to come back. I don’t know. The writers can work on the logic. I’d just like to see Jason Momoa again.

And I would like lots more Dark Sansa. Even Darker Sansa would be better.

4. You recently got married and congratulations! Can you tell us your “How you met story?” And how has married life been integrated with your writing? What’s been your biggest adjustment? What has been your greatest joy so far?

We met a mutual friend’s birthday party, and one of my now-husband’s friends told me that he was a total cad and lady chaser before I really talked to him, so my first impressions weren’t good. He tried to ask me out a few months later, but I still wasn’t interested. Finally, after knowing him for over two years, he asked me out again, and I said yes, and it was wonderful, and six months later were engaged.

The biggest change in my writing routine is when I write. I used to start writing late at night, like six or seven, and I’d writing until the early morning hours. My husband is a morning person, and he has a seven-year-old son. So me staying up all night and sleeping all day wasn’t very conducive to being part of a family, so I’ve started writing during the day, usually from about ten in the morning to five or six at night.

I don’t know what my greatest joy has been so far. My husband makes me laugh a lot, and when I get stuck in a video game, he can always get me past the part I’m stuck at. He really is always surprising me. My greatest joy is just getting to hang out with him.

5. I noticed you posted a lot about Batman. When and how did you come to dig this man in black? Any thoughts about the new Batman movie? Who’s your favorite Batman? Favorite Batman scene?

When I was seven, my dad took me to see “Batman Returns,” and I think I was smitten at that moment. I love Batman because he’s just a guy. Yes, a super rich genius with lots of toys, but he’s not endowed with special abilities from another planet or spider bite. He just made a decision to be the most badass man on the planet, and then he followed through.  

I think Ben Affleck will do a fine job as Batman. My problem with it is that I don’t feel like we need another Batman movie right now. I would’ve loved to see a Nightwing movie (perhaps Joseph Gordon Levitt carrying on the torch from the Christopher Nolan movies), or other characters brought to life from the DC cannon.

With that said, I am SUPER psyched for Jason Momoa as Aquaman.

My favorite Batman is Christian Bale, but he’s only very slightly above Michael Keaton, Adam West, and Kevin Conroy. They’re all excellent Batmans.

6. What fascinates you about life?

Everything. The great thing is that there’s the internet, so when I decide I need to know something, like what’s the largest butterfly in the world or how come rivers aren’t salty, I can look it up.

I would say that I am most fascinated by human nature. We’re fascinating creatures, because we’re just animals with basic animal instincts, but because of language skills and our ability to be self-aware, it changes everything.

7. Why do you write?

I definitely write as an escape, but I also think I write to solve something for myself. I don’t always know what it is when I start writing, but something is nagging me, and I need to create a fictional scenario to work my way through it.

With the Kanin Chronicles, for example, I think the biggest themes involve love, guilt, redemption, and death. I think those are emotions that I struggle with, and my ways of handling them and working through them were changing, and the Kanin Chronicles helped me redefine those terms for myself.

8. If you could bring ONE character to life from any of your novels, who would it be? What would you talk about? Why that character?

That is so, so tough. Marcy from Watersong is the character I’d like to most hang out with, but if I’m going through all the trouble of bringing a character to life, I feel like it should be more substantial than “I just like her.”

So I guess I would pick Ezra from My Blood Approves, because he’s so old and he’s seen so much. I think he would have a really interesting perspective on life, and it would be fun to pick his brain.

9. If you could only read one book over and over again stranded on a desert island, which book would you choose? Why?

Something by Kurt Vonnegut. Probably Cat’s Cradle, but maybe Slaughterhouse-Five. Or Mother Night. I really love Vonnegut, and I’ve re-read his books so many times already. I’m also a big WWII buff, so two of the three books are about WWII.

10. At the end of all days, what do you think is the only thing that’s real?

This moment and only this moment. I know that what’s happened can’t ever unhappen – a tree falls in the woods no matter if anyone hears it or not. But your perception is often distorted, your memories fade, your mind can fail you, and eventually your body gives out. So the only thing you ever really have, that you can ever really be sure of, is the moment that you’re in. Everything else is entirely intangible and could disappear in an instant. 

Website: www.hockingbooks.com
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If you enjoyed this post, give it a LIKE or a TWEET :) And by all means, SHARE :) If you'd like a heads up on future Big Ten Interviews or giveaways, join my email list. The only spam I like is with my eggs.
© Janell Rhiannon 2016
Any information from this blog must be properly cited :)