I went to Nashville, Tennessee in July and met so many fantastic authors and creatives that work tirelessly behind the publishing scene. In a brief few days I felt a part of a much larger world than the little desk I sit at daily, by myself, to write. It occurred to me that I wanted to know these other professionals who toil with words and design and publishing.I put out the call and they signed up to let me stalk their pages and ask them questions. Let me introduce Beth Adams. 

The Big Ten

1. Your book, Soulbound, is built around an Elvin world. What inspired your world n this novel? How do you go about world building?
I've loved elves since reading The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks. [Me: if you guys haven't watched the MtV series, it's worth it.] It's funny, because most people assume it's Tolkien who inspired me. Nope. Terry Brooks. :) When it comes to Soulbound, the world just sort of evolved along with the story. For me, that's often how it happens. I let the story unfold, and the characters reveal their world to me. That....sounds totally strange. :-D

2. You recently tweeted: “Even an elf feels awkward when someone flirts with his mom.” What’s happening? Do tell!!!
Ohhh, well, this involves spoilers if you haven't read Soulbound yet. Continue at your own risk! Hehe. In Soulbound, we learn that the healer has a thing for Lyr's mom, Lynia. In Book 2, Sundered, there's a scene where Lynia is arguing with the healer because she needs to strengthen her recently healed back but he wants her to rest. And he starts to make a risque suggestion about ways he could help strengthen her back...in bed. Bwahaha. Poor Lyr shut that down before he had to hear more. It seems you can be over five hundred years old and STILL not want to think about your mom's love life.  
 
3. Tell us about Acts of Bravery and Against the Odds. What major themes run through these short stories?
These anthologies were born in the Debut Collective, a group of writers inspired by UTOPiA Con. I have a story in each of those two anthologies. My Acts of Bravery story is "The Golden Queen." It's about a queen cursed to remain in a portrait, only able to leave for one day every decade. She and her guardian, Kenrick, have to marshal all their bravery to get out of that one.

For Against All Odds, I have "The Grove Between." Contact with the Eiana, the people of the forest, is forbidden, but to save her people from a wicked plot, Mio must seek them out. She meets one of their people, Faen, but the rest of the Eiana refuse to help. With her greatest enemy closing in, Mio and Faen have to work together to beat the odds.

4. I see you recently attended UTOIPiACon2016 in Nashville. What did you do there? Did you attend any panels? What was your take away from that experience? [me: UTOPiA 2017 is already up and going]
I had my very first author table at UTOPiA Con this year. I only made it to a couple of panels because I didn't want to stray to far from my table. I'm a naturally shy person, so it's always an experience to go to such a huge event. But I did have a great time! This was only my second year, and I find that after each year, I make more friends. I'm already excited for next year!
 
5. You tweet quite a bit about the equality and peace. Tell us what sits on your heart about the world.
I hate injustice. I know that life isn't always fair, but if we leave it at that, it never will be, right? But you know, I think what really gets me are the artificial boundaries we use to separate. Nationality, race, religion, sexuality--if you really examine these things, you'll find more commonalities than differences, yet we often don't look beyond the label. We all hurt, love, care for our families. The more we see that, the more we'll live in peace. Maybe someday. :)
 
6. If you could bring one character alive from your novels, who would it be and why?
Probably Lyr. I have such a soft spot for him. He has had so much happen to him over the last few decades that I'd love to see him happy.
 
7. You’re a busy mom of a little one. How do you find time to write? Do you have any rituals to help you get started and stay on track?
Actually, I have two kids. I just try to keep their pictures off social media for privacy concerns. My oldest is 6 and my youngest 3. I find time to write whenever I can, really. I have a standing desk so I can work without my youngest crawling on my head. :-D I typically start work around 9 and get in a couple of hours before lunch. If it's a good day, kid-wise, I work again in the afternoon. Summer has thrown me off, though. The kids are old enough that when they aren't fighting, they're playing loudly.
 
8. Coffee! I see you love the brew and Ironman. So, if you could sit and share a cup of coffee with Ironman/Tony Stark, what would you talk about?
Investment advice? Hehehe. Seriously, I'd probably ask him about all of his cool inventions. I wouldn't understand half of the science, but he'd be fun enough to watch. :-D
 
9. Who is your fiction hero/heroine? And who is your real life hero/heroine? Why? Do tell.
Probably Elspeth from Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar. She begins as a brat, but beneath that, she's hurting. I love how she transitions to a confident, competent, and empathetic person by the end of the series. I guess because I was once that hurting brat, and Elspeth was one of the characters who taught me how to be better.

I love Amy Lee, Sara Bareilles, and Sarah McLachlan. Their music has gotten me through some tough times. And my mom, who has an amazing strength of will. 
 
10. At the end of all things, when light fades to black, what’s the only thing that’s real?
The Divine Spark that flows through everything. The energy that makes up the core of existence. Love. 

Main website: http://bethanyadamsbooks.com/
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/bethanyadams
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/bethanyadams
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bethjadams
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writerbethany
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/amberwillow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willowreve/

I first came across B.C. Morin's work from her FB page and the artwork she was posting. I came to find out it was her husband doing the designing. We struck up the usual virtual conversations, leading to years of mutual postings. And here we are. B.C. Morin writes in the YA paranormal world of faeries and magic in her The Kingdom Chronicles. So, let's make some noise for B.C. Morin. Her links are below so you can stalk her pages and like some cool stuff.

The Big Questions
1. What is the first thing you remember writing that made you realize you were a writer/author?
I used to write poetry all the time in high school, along with a few short stories. It was such a release for me.

2. What sparked your muse for your Mark of the Princess series? and the new novel White Witch?
My sister in law was having  her Quincenera (Sweet 15) and it was in a Renaissance/Fairy theme. As we were helping with the decorations and looking at some of the things she was putting together for it, I said; “Wouldn’t it be cool, if there was a world like this?” And my husband said; “Yeah, it would. You should create it and make a story with it.” I thought he was joking, but a couple of weeks later I was napping on the couch one day and he created this amazing drawing based on me and my love of fairies. And there was such a lure to the way he did her eyes that I thought, yeah, I need to create a story for this.The White Witch was inspired by some artwork my husband did. (He seems to be notorious for that, huh?)  He does absolutely amazing graphic design and he did the picture with the eyes and showed it to me and said: “Wouldn’t this make a cool cover?” And within minutes we were bouncing around story ideas!

3. Do you have any rituals when you’re writing and book designing?
Sometimes I will put my headphones on and listen to soundtrack music, classical, or epic music, anything that will inspire the story so long as it doesn’t have lyrics. I have a bad habit of singing along with everything so it throws off the focus of the writing.
 
4. What inspires your cover designs?
Tell us everything you want us to know about it. Honestly, my husband is the mastermind behind my covers and all my art and banners. I tell him about the story and my main characters and he runs with it! We are so in sync creatively, that he knocks out covers beyond what I am thinking.
 
5. I noticed you posted for World Autism Awareness Day. Is this something that you feel passionately about?
Are there other charity or causes that you feel strongly about? What would you like people to know? I do, my best friend Sylvia’s son is Autistic as well as my husband’s cousin. Parents of Autistic kids go through more than most of us could ever imagine, especially so with the actions and discriminations of people. So I think it’s very important for more research, education and awareness to be put toward it. I also feel very strongly about epilepsy research and support for spinal injuries. I recently underwent a spinal fusion in December of 2014 for stage 4 Spondylolisthesis.
 
6. What fascinates you about life?
The way I see God’s hand in everything.
 
7. Why do you write?
Because I have to. It flows from me. When I have an idea it will eat at me until I release it onto paper or my laptop.
 
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?
It would probably be my main character from the story I am working on right now. She’s kind of introverted and geeky and ends up getting tossed into this world where her only option is to be a bad-ass, so she takes what life hands her and kicks some ass!
 
9. If you could only read one book over and over again stranded on a desert island, which book would you choose?
Why? Oh my gosh, just one??? HHmmmmm….. Honestly, it would likely be the Bible. If I’m going to be on a deserted island with no one but my creator to talk to, I’m going to get to know him the best way I can and that’s through is word.
 
10. At the end of all days, what do you think is the only thing that’s real?
Faith in God and his son. And as my husband says, the legacy you leave behind. And I don’t mean businesses or financial things like that. What will people say when you are gone? How did you make them feel? Did you share the love you were given? 
 
Twitter : @BC_Morin
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/BCMorinAuthor?ref=bookmarks
Goodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5427981.B_C_Morin
Pinterest : https://www.pinterest.com/bcmorin/
Amazon : http://www.amazon.com/B.C.-Morin/e/B00AK4RF18/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

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 :)

When I first began toying with the idea...what if you could see the mythological stories surrounding the major figures of the Homeric tales (the Iliad and the Odyssey) in a seamless telling? The cast of characters is a celebrity Who’s Who in the world of ancient Greece: Achilles, Paris, Hektor, and Odysseus. But, you can’t begin to tell their stories without reaching beyond what Homer provides and dig into other mythological cannon to discover more about Helen, Hecuba, Cassandra, Andromache, Leda, Deidamia, Priam, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Tyndareus, Peleus, Thetis, and Chiron. Then, there’s the pantheon of gods and goddesses to contend with. The major heroes of Homer’s tales are entwined with other characters and to get a sense of how that’s even possible, I had to dig deep and make some choices.
 
I used the events of the Iliad and the Odyssey as the backbone of the chronological story. But after days of compiling data, I realized the task was much more difficult than it seemed. The original storytellers weren’t trying to make chronological sense of the various stories. The first glitch was the Paris and Helen myth. Everyone who’s familiar with the story assumes that Paris gives the judgment of the fairest to Aphrodite, who has promised him the love of the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Sparta. Soon after, Paris goes to Sparta and absconds with Helen and sails back to Troy. This widely held assumption is, well, wrong. Let’s examine why.
 
The golden apple event that occurred was at the wedding feast of Peleus and Thetis. These are Achilles parents. So, Achilles, the greatest fighter of all the Greeks has NOT been born yet. He’s the star of the Iliad. The Muse sings about his wrath, his undoing of character after Agamemnon humiliates him and his cousin and comrade, Patrokles, was killed. So, the judgment Paris gives about who the “fairest” goddess is takes place soon after the wedding feast, before Achilles is conceived or born. Bottom line, we have to wait at least 15 years for Achilles to grow up, get trained, and father a son BEFORE Odysseus can discover him on Skyros, dressed like a girl and call our hero into action. This means two things: Paris has to be at least 15-18 years old to be considered MAN enough to judge the female flesh; therefore, he’s 15-18 years older than Achilles. Most movies and books depict Paris and Achilles about the same age. But they can’t be. Paris is definitely his elder.
 
The other question in this story is: When does Paris meet and woo Helen? And how old is Helen? Paris couldn’t have taken off with her any time soon following the judgment because that would mean they’d be in Troy for years before Menelaus even tried to get her back. Even if you take the whole jaunt to Egypt bit seriously, that still leaves too many years in between the kidnapping and the attempted rescue. Remember, no matter what, Achilles has to be old enough to lead the Myrmidons (some sources say Achilles was 15 when he went to Troy. (I gave him a few more years to make it more plausible, using Alexander the Great as a close model. Alexander led his first troops into major battle, under his father’s command,  at Chaeronea at age 18). So, if Helen were already born and left with Paris shortly after the judgment, she’d be away in Troy for 15-18 years before Menelaus went for her because he’d have to wait for Achilles to be born and grow up. That makes no sense.
 
Also, there is the first kidnapping Helen endures by Theseus when she was just a young girl, probably pre-teen around 12 or 13. She’s the  hostage of the king of Athens, or rather his mother’s hostage, until she’s eventually rescued by her brothers, Pollux and Caster, and taken safely back to Troy. She is married to Menelaus shortly after this event to secure her safety and the safety of Sparta. Menelaus did not marry an old maid. Helen would have been about 15-18 years old. This is the young queen of Sparta who was seduced by a much older Paris. Their elopement/kidnapping is the precipitating event of the Trojan War. This is the dogma of the mythology surrounding Troy that we can’t alter. Therefore, Helen is most likely Achilles age. She would’ve had to been born about 15-18 years before the ships launch to rescue her. Achilles would’ve had to been born at least 15-18 years before he led the Myrmidons across the sea to Troy. Paris is in his 28-30 and Helen and Achilles are contemporaries at 15-18 years of age.
 
This means Paris has an entire life he lived as a man, long enough to be abandoned by Priam, raised by Agelaus, married to his first wife, a nymph named Oenone and to have a son with her named Corythus. He also had to be discovered by Priam and re-embraced as family. Then sent by Priam to rescue Hesione, Priam’s sister, who was kidnapped by Herakles...you get the picture. One thread wraps around another thread and so on. And yes, some times the “trying to make sense of it” turns what we think we know on its head.
 
I read a review of Song of Princes, by Nadine Paque-Wolkow, she said, in reference to the ages of Paris, Helen and Achilles, “...this may sound like a good idea so first, but I was nervous when Paris was still a child at 30% of the book. Then there was a small leap in time, Paris is now 18, but neither Achilles nor Helena are even born. I admit that I can not recite the dates of birth of all Trojan hero from the head, but in my head [it] is all messed up, just because I already (through books and films etc.) had a picture of all. Also, I glanced back to the percentage display...Half the book was almost already read! Helena was a baby and Achill[es] five at scarce 50%. Hector but already late twenties! And there are still decades until the big final battle of both the gates of Troy! For me, most people had therefore a completely wrong age and everything felt ... wrong and strange.” I think a lot of readers may also have this initial dissonance about the dates and timeline, because most films and books haven’t tried to put a logical chronology to the mythology. (I have a very detailed timeline in the front of the book.) I’ve tried to do just that. By leaving the seduction/kidnapping/eloping of Helen with Paris as the definitive catalyst of the war, it has made several other elements of the entire story sync together in a way most people haven’t thought of, or even entertained. That and there are the many fragments and other sources for these characters besides Homer that had to be integrated.
 
And if that doesn’t get your stars in a twinkle, think about this. The Iliad begins almost a decade after the ships disembarked from Aulis for Troy, making every hero and heroine ten years older when we read about them, than when they set out on the adventure. They are all full grown men and women by the time we see them in action in Homer’s tales. I welcome comments and questions. And again, I thank Nadine for her thoughtful and detailed review of book one of the Homeric Chronicles. It certainly made me get this blog about the timeline question out in a timely fashion :)
 
Here’s the link to Nadine’s original post. It’s in German, but you can easily translate it to English in Google Translate. Happy reading!!
http://meineliteratour.blogspot.de/2016/07/rezension-song-of-princes.html

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 :)

I wish I could date Achilles!! He’s strong, golden, fierce, HOT as f@ck and...a little bit ruthless. He’s the bad boy of Greek myth and the tragic hero of the Iliad (maybe this is what’s wrong with my love life!). As I began the Homeric Chronicles years ago, I realized that the story I wanted to tell was bigger than my skills at the time. I wasn’t ready. I had to get some writing under my belt, some serious reading done, and get over my fear of writing steamy sex scenes alongside gory battles scenes. I was AFRAID to write sex scenes!! Well, I’m not anymore. Needless to say, the Homeric Chronicles are for a mature reading audience.
 
I wanted this series to feel realistic, one epic story where several story lines of heroes and heroines converge at the Trojan War and beyond. This began the hair pulling task of attempting to piece together a timeline of events, because stories unfold chronologically with the occasional flashback and perhaps some subtle foreshadowing. The late George Shipway, author of Warrior in Bronze, a story about Agamemnon said in his chronological note to readers that, “...it would be a rash scribbler who ventured on definite dates.” Well, I am that “rash scribbler.” (Side note: the timeline he created is only 17 years ahead from mine, so we wrote in a similar mindset.)
 
Writing realistic mythology is tricky, especially Greek mythology because so many people are familiar with the major components of the stories. So, how does a writer approach the known with fresh content and a sense of realism? It’s bloody hard! First of all, I had no intention of twisting the major myth structure with some alternative endings, or creating a tertiary character, like a slave, to tell the main hero’s or heroine’s tale. I also didn’t want to simply regurgitate the Iliad and the Odyssey, because that’s been done before. What makes the Homeric Chronicles different from other Trojan War tales is that the series is an epic tale of Greek mythological heroes whose destinies take them to Troy and beyond, in chronological order. I used extant archeological data about Troy and Asia Minor and Greece, as well as scholarly literature to create the massive timeline. I had to use all my research training as an historian to get this off the ground. It’s an on-going effort to maintain the integrity of the chronological structure with a few surprises here and there. The Homeric Chronicles is, therefore, a combination of myth and history. I invite you to begin your journey with birth of Paris and Achilles in the Song of Princes, Book One of the Homeric Chronicles. Available in kindle and paperback @ Amazon.

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
Twitter: www.twitter.com/amanda_hocking
Facebook: www.facebook.com/amandahockingfans
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/amanda_hocking
Wattpad: wattpad.com/AmandaHocking
Instagram: instagram.com/amanda_hocking
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/aehocking/
Tumblr: amandahocking.tumblr.com/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/aehocking
Book Shop: www.hockingbooks.com/all-books

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 :)

A few years ago I met Chastity/Anna online...all my lovely writing friends are virtually my boon companions. We began chatting about writing and I read her erotic paranormal book: Reluctant Angel. I loved it. Over the years, we have found ourselves twins in our love of nerdy things like SUPERMAN and our mutual love of all things Spartacus. When she met Manu Bennett (Crixus), I thought I was going to die! Seriously, she met my man and I am still jealous she knows what he feels like and smells like up close. I have a poster of him next to my treadmill (for real) and that's all I can say about that. We also found a mutual love of working out. If she lived in my town, she'd be my gym buddy and my trouble-making girlfriend.  I can see us now, gallivanting around town with our coffee and potty mouth meme T-shirts. Chastity/Anna's sense of humor makes me laugh out loud all the time and her posts are so in your face that I like just about every one of them. Yea, I stalk her. I admit it. Oh, and she loves Sons of Anarchy like I do, too. So...the tribute at  the end is all about sexy bikers. Without further introduction, ladies and gents, Chastity Bush or Anna Snow...

1. What is the first thing you remember writing that made you realize you were a writer/author?
Ooo, let's see... 
About eight years ago I got the idea to try my hand at writing a book. I sat down with a spiral notebook and scratched out a book that still to this day doesn't have a title and has never seen the light of day. I felt so free and more like myself than ever while writing that little story. 
That's when I knew I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be. 

2. What sparked your muse for your Torque series? and can you give any juicy info on future projects you’re thinking about? Tell us about your writing....
Oh! My muse for Torque! Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE muscle cars. Not long ago I got hooked on this car show on the discovery channel starring a super hot main character. 
I asked myself, "What if I wrote a "car guy" series? How could I make it crazy hot, but still keep that level of real love visible?" It was an easy question for me to answer. The story would have a couple you know from the first page is destined to be together, a hot, older, tattooed man, fast cars, and sex on the hood of a blacked out '69 Camaro. 
I wrote Torque in less than a week and it's the hottest story I've ever written. Ride will be the second book in the series, and I expect it to be every bit as hot as Torque.
I also have a cozy mystery (One Blonde Night) coming out as part of the Killer Beach Reads Collection July 17th. It's a crazy fun short story in my Barb Jackson Series, with a full length book (Bubblegum Blonde) coming out in December. 
If you like a sassy, hot headed heroine, you'll love Barb Jackson P.I. 

3. Do you have any rituals when you’re writing? 
Honestly? No. As long as I have a cup of coffee and some background noise, I'm set. 

4. I’ve noticed you are a dirty-nerdy girl :) Tell us about your nerdy and dirty sides and don’t skip the juicy parts:) 
Hahaha! Dirty and nerdy, that pretty much sums me up! 
I like to read hot and write even hotter. 
My hubby and I attend Dallas Comic-Con every year, and of course I love anything deemed nerdy. Superheroes, Sci-Fi flicks, you name it.

5. I noticed you like Spartacus. What is it about that show you like?
EVERYTHING! Hahaha! 
No, but seriously, the story of Spartacus is an amazing one. Can you imagine what those gladiators/slaves went through? What they lost? What their lives were like? I loved how the show was completely raw and gritty. There was no sugar coating anything that happened. It was in your face, and underneath all of the blood and politics, there were real stories of love. It's amazing how such real love could be found in such situations, but it was there. 

6. What fascinates you about life?
I think the question should be, "What doesn't fascinate you about life?" :) 
I think the main thing that fascinates me about life is the fact that if you don't like it, all you have to do is change it. It sounds easier than it is, I know, but it can be done. You can make your life anything you want it to be! And of course love, is there anything more fascinating than love? 

7. Why do you write?
Because it keeps me sane. Plain and simple.

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? 
Barb Jackson. 
She's sassy, spunky, funny, and just your everyday typical woman. There's nothing fancy about her, she doesn't live in designer clothing, or hit the clubs every night. She likes jeans, t's, converse, bubblegum, and coffee. 
So, I guess in short, she's kind of like me. She's honestly more like me than I ever intended her to be. 
We'd talk about everything, especially the mysteries she solves.

9. If you could only read one book over and over again stranded on a desert island, which book would you choose? Why?
That's a good question.
I'd have to say I'd choose Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole. The book is everything I love. It's hot, paranormal, mysterious, and did I mention, hot? 

10. At the end of all days, what do you think is the only thing that’s real?
 Hope. 
Simply, hope. It's the one thing you can hang on to despite your circumstances. Hope is always there, and it's never a liar. 
****************
Update!!
Anna Snow has recently found herself on the USA Today Bestseller's List!!! A huge congrats to you girl!!
The series that got her there? The Bubblegum Blonde series featuring Barb Jackson. Check out her Amazon page for more details.

Website: http://www.annasnow.info
FB Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/authorannasnow
FB Personal Page: http://www.facebook.com/chastitybush
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/annasnow_author
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/annasnow 

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© Janell Rhiannon 2016
Any information from this blog must be properly cited :)

Janell Rhiannon Pinterest Board

It's summertime and when the weather heats up, the shoes come off. I know many of you ladies out there dig big beautiful round...eyes, or a gorgeous smile, or a great pair of abs or arms. Not that I don’t appreciate those lovely body parts...I mean who doesn’t love a penetrating look from his eyes, or the hard ripples of his abs, or a pair of strong arms wrapped around your waist. If you’re reading this, you probably write or read about all this sexy, romantic, erotic stuff. But I want to draw your attention to a sexy body part all the way down there...and I mean all the way down. For me, there is nothing more sexy and beautiful than a man’s foot. There are plenty of sites out there where you can find men adoring women’s feet, but this lovely masculine body part, in my humble opinion, is over-looked far too often. Stick with me ladies (maybe some men, I don’t know). I love, love, love the way the veins pop out across the top of a man’s foot, the way the arch curves into the toes and the heel, and the toes (OMG! the long toes, the shape of the toes, the feel of the toes) just gets me like, “Was that an earthquake, or am I just happy to see those feet?” I find myself staring at a man’s bare foot. It’s embarrassing but some men’s feet are just too sweet to ignore.

I began loving masculine feet when I started studying art history. Let me give you an example. The feet of the Michelangelo’s David...holy cow David’s feet are sexy as f*ck. Yes, David is naked and fully available for our viewing pleasure, but I want to kiss those feet. I mean, kiss them slowly and suck on them gently.
 
When a man’s feet are strong and masculine all I can think about is how sturdy he is on his feet...a strong sturdy man can pick you up, pin you against a wall, and carry you down the hall. I love the way a man’s bare foot sounds when he’s walking, the way he curls his toes around yours when you’re snuggling, and the way his toes and feet are always warmer than yours. I love the big foot print a man leaves in the sand. I could get all graphic on you about what a talented man can do with his toes, but I’ll let you imagine that for yourself. I know many of you, my author friends, like Chastity and Kendall, are far superior in the sexy AF erotic writing than myself, so I’ll leave it alone. But, ladies imagine the strong sexy foot of a guy...it’s one of the reasons I loved Spartacus so much. Yes, yes...there was all kinds of nudity, but the feet!!! The feet!!!  
 
I think men’s feet are so sexy that I have a Pinterest board dedicated to sexy men’s feet...or men with sexy feet. If you’re a guy reading this (which could happen) then consider this: if you are good about your man-scaping (spell check just asked me to change that to “scraping”...uh, no) and understand why that’s important business in the romance department, then maybe you should consider a pedicure or at least pay attention to your feet. You might just turn a woman on :)  
 
A man’s foot is his calling card ;)

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 :)

I first met Randi Cooley Wilson will looking for books on gargoyles. I love gargoyles and so does she. Over the course of the last year, we've corresponded several times via social media sharing thoughts and encouragement. I lament that she's now an east coast gal!! Randi has a unique story to tell with her characters. They are lively, sassy, smart...she can write the spicy stuff, too. Her Revelation series has acquired quite a following. I am one of them.  I man-crushed over Asher...I mean completely. Give me a glass of ice water please!!! If you haven't given her books a go round, I suggest you do. They would be great summer read. Now, it's time to meet Randi!!!!

1.      What is the first thing you remember writing that made you realize you were a writer/author?
To be honest, I’m still getting used to the idea that I am a published writer/author. My love for writing really picked up in college. I had to write a point-of-view paper freshman year in English Literature that sparked something inside of me.

 2.      What sparked your muse for your Revelation series? and can you give an juicy info on future projects you’re thinking about?
My muse for The Revelation Series stemmed from my combined love of John Milton’s Paradise Lost and my fondness for Gothic Architecture. One night after just having my daughter, I thought wouldn’t it be fun to put the two together. Each night I’d write snippets and dialogue elements. After a while, I realized I was actually writing The Revelation Series. After a few years, with encouragement, I sat down and wrote the entire series. Future projects are in the works! I have some New Adult Contemporary Romance novels I’ll be releasing, as well as, some spin off books from the Rev series. J

3.      Do you have any rituals when you’re writing?
Um…I guess I have few quirks you could deem ritual worthy. I don’t let anyone into my writing space because I am superstitious and believe it changes the energy – lol. On occasion, I’ve been known to wear these hideous jeans I’ve had since college during a ‘slump’. I drink a lot of coffee and tend to stare out the window a lot…does that count?

4.      What inspires your cover designs? Tell us everything you want us to know about it.
My covers are visual snippets of what each novel’s storyline is about. I have an amazing relationship with Bravebird Designs, who has designed every book (with the exception of Revelation). They completely understand the story and visually are able to pull key elements of each book onto the covers. In addition, we’ve used tonal elements to show the series going from dark to light, which is a main theme throughout the series.

5.      I noticed you posted you like the Foo Fighters. What is it about their music you like?
(Laughs) It’s so true. I am huge Foo fan. First and foremost, I’m a rock and roll girl to the core. I love lyrics that have poetry and deep emotion to them, which I find a lot in their songs. My favorite Foo song is I Should Have Known from their Wasting Light album. It’s actually what I listened to in order to write the ending of Redemption (book #3) and much of Revolution (book #4).

6.      What fascinates you about life?
People. I’m one of those creepy people who can hang out at Starbucks with a coffee and just people watch. I am fascinated about what makes someone tick, their psyche. Why they’ve chosen the paths and reasons for their actions. I enjoy watching and studying human interaction.

 7.      Why do you write?
It’s like breathing for me. I write because, for me, it’s a creative outlet that like reading, allows me to escape. It’s hard to say where it stems from writing is just part of me.

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?
Ack! This is like asking me to pick a ‘favorite’ child. I’m quite fascinated with Sorceress Lunette, so, perhaps her. She’s airy, flighty and at the core extremely astute. I find her fascinating. As for what we’d talk about, if you’re familiar with her character, you know that no matter what the topic of conversation, you are bound to be on twelve different topics before the discussion ends. It’s what is so charming about Lunette. You never know what will come out of her mouth.

9.      If you could only read one book over and over again stranded on a desert island, which book would you choose? Why?
If I had to chose, it would be Sylvain Reynard’s Gabriel’s Inferno. Well, if I’m stuck on a desert island, who better than a sexy professor to be with me?

 10.  At the end of all days, what do you think is the only thing that’s real?
That you’ve loved and have been loved. In whatever form that looks like, so long as you’ve experienced it once in your life.

http://randicooleywilson.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 :)

Kendall Grey. The one word that comes to mind when I think of her is: FIERCE. And I mean fierce with all the power that word carries. A couple years ago I began following Kendall on Facebook. I can't even tell you how she swam into my sonar screen (yes, that's a water analogy f*ckers). HAHA! And hell yes, I'm going to use language in this interview because Kendall evokes that kind of powerful shit. She has a healthy and vocal fan base who are just as edgy and crazy amazing as she is. And this chicka can tell a story that will make you think, "Holy shit, did I just read that?" She just recently hit the 100,000 ebooks sold and was so f*cking humble about it...I would've been running around town shaking champagne bottles and letting the bubbles fizz in people's faces. You gotta love her.  Let me introduce Kendall...

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

I’ve always considered myself a writer—even when I was a little kid—but I didn’t think of myself as an author until I published my first book, INHALE. The moment it really hit home that I was an author was the first time someone recognized me at a book signing. I thought, “One of my friends must’ve told her it was me. No way she knew who I was.” I still don’t expect anyone to know who I am.

2. What sparked your muse for your Just Breathe series? Hard Rock Harlots?

I’ve always been fascinated by rock stars. I worshiped them as a teenager and dreamed of living the rock star life. My obsession with rockers has always been—and probably will continue to be—the drive behind a lot of my books.

Every whale I’ve ever met also played a huge role in my decision to write the Just Breathe books. J

3. You always mention your family. How do you balance the demands of writing with family?

I don’t feel particularly good at balancing anything in my life, but when the Demonlings are in school, I try to use my time during the day for writing-related stuff so I can give them attention when they get home. I have three kids, so it can be challenging to keep up with who needs homework help, who needs lunch money, and who needs me to quiz them for the test tomorrow. I’m pretty scatterbrained most days!

It’s also very important to make time for my husband. Resident Geek and I have been married almost 20 years, and “us” time is critical to maintaining a happy and healthy relationship. Now that the kids are older, we’re a little more comfortable leaving them alone for a couple hours here and there.

4. How does it feel writing erotica? Have you ever turned red/giggled when writing a steamy scene? Tell us everything you want us to know about it.

I never intended to write erotica, but Letty Dillinger banged on my skull one day, and in true Letty fashion, refused to shut up. I rarely turn red while writing, but sometimes when I go back and read something, I think, “SHIT! Did I write that? Wow!” That, or I figure gremlins snuck into my files while I slept and dropped some really dirty-birdy words in there. ;-)

5. I recently read a post you made about depression. What can or are you willing to share about this aspect of your life? What would you like people to know?

My depression is a vicious cycle. I can predict exactly when it’s going to hit and how it’ll affect me. The only thing that varies is the duration of the episode.

I always fall into a deep funk after I publish a new book. ALWAYS. I equate my value as a human being to book sales. Yes, I recognize how unhealthy (and ridiculously STUPID) this type of thinking is, but my emotions don’t listen to my logical brain, and they surge in damaging ways, even when I gird my loins and expect the worst.

I’m never good enough as a writer. I compare myself to others who sell more than I do. I let bad reviews tear me down for weeks, sometimes even months. A book could have 100 glowing five-star reviews, but all I see are the three one-stars that say I’m a horrible writer. Worse, I believe them. I take everything personally. Social media makes it way worse because when I see everyone else hitting lists, killing it in sales, and selling to New York publishers, I feel even crappier about myself. Yay for them, I think, but back to the dark place for me. L

It’s a never-ending battle. I am literally my own worst enemy.

Sometimes, I wish others would make an effort to UNDERSTAND what depressed people go through. Not judge us, call us whiny bitches, or tell us to shut the fuck up and deal with it. Trust me, if I could deal with it, I would. If I could magically wish the pain and negative, self-defeating thoughts away, I would. If I could be happy all the time, I promise, I would damn sure be happy.

I don’t have any effective coping strategies, but when I get sad about book stuff, I try to remember what Letty Dillinger from the Hard Rock Harlots says: “Make art, not house payments.” I got that line tattooed on my arm so I wouldn’t forget. The money won’t mean shit when I’m gone. But the ART might.

6. What fascinates you about life?

The element of change. The ability of living things to adapt. I look back on my life and laugh at some of the things I used to think. My old beliefs were real and important IN THAT MOMENT. They’re not any more. I have new beliefs and will undoubtedly change those sometime in the future too.

We have to give ourselves (and others!) permission to CHANGE and to be okay with it.

People love to pull shit out of your past and wave it in front of your face: “In 2010, you said X. Now you’re saying the opposite. Hypocrite much?” Maybe technically I am a hypocrite. But what if I changed my mind? Experience and hindsight give us the wisdom to ADAPT and become BETTER.

We have the right to change.

And why wouldn’t you want to change? The same-old, same-old is BORING! I hope I never stop learning, assimilating, and growing. That’s what life is all about: EVOLUTION.

7. Why do you write?

I wish I knew. I think about giving it up daily, but I probably wouldn’t be happy doing something else. The characters and stories keep coming back, no matter how hard I try to silence them.

Maybe I write because I have to.

8. What message would you like to give about whales? It’s obvious they are special to you. How did that come about?

Whales are precious to me because I’ve seen them up close and been moved to my core by their beauty, greatness, and intelligence. They’ve CHANGED me as a person. They’re way smarter than we are, and they know things we don’t.

Whales are also strong indicators of the health of our oceans—oceanic barometers, if you will. When whales die off suddenly or strand themselves, they’re telling us something is wrong in the ocean. We need to listen. Our future may depend on them.

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

This sounds so arrogant, but I rarely read other people’s books, so it would probably be one of my own. I’m not sure which. I don’t think I’ve written it yet.  I love re-reading my books because they’re like journals or snapshots of where my head was at a particular moment on my own personal timeline. It’s fun to see how I’ve grown and how my attitudes and perspectives have changed. (See? CHANGE! It’s a thing! ;-)

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

Emotions and experiences are real. You can’t take anything with you when you’re gone, so I try to get the maximum enjoyment out of the important things: my family, myself, and the beautiful world around me. I want to FEEL everything, even when it’s not rainbows and moonbeams. Feelings make us who we are: smiles, tears, scars, and all. Bodies may die, but I think the non-tangibles we leave behind—knowledge, memories, love, art—contribute most to the evolution of the human race. That isn’t just real. It’s history-making.

Web site: http://www.kendallgrey.com
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Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KendallGreyAuthor
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YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9iR5OwoEWmK_C5jnOgNWWA
Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Kendall-Grey/e/B006BA1V06/

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 :)