Wednesday 29 October 2014

Blog tour.

Hey all second post today. This time I have a blog tour for Zhokov's Dogs.


Well this book is very uniqe from the name to the cover and storyline..but instead of ruining it for you I'll give you the blurp.

Zhukov’s Dogs, by Amanda Cyr

Genre: new-adult, science-fiction, action-adventure

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

Date of Publication: October 27, 2014

Cover Artist: Alexandria Thompson of Gothic Fate

Goodreads

Description:

Lieutenant Colonel Nik Zhukov is just like any other desensitized seventeen-year-old living in

the year 2076. At least he likes to think he is when he isn’t busy eliminating threats to national

security, breaking up terrorist organizations, and trying not to get blown up. It’s all in a normal

day’s work for one of the military’s top dogs, and he’s never disappointed. Never failed. Never

lost sight of his dream of making it to the elite force, even as each new job forces him to see just

how morally corrupt his leaders are.

On the verge of promotion, Nik is dispatched to the underground city beneath the icy Seattle

tundra, his final mission handed down directly from The Council. It should have been a simple

in-and-out, but the underground is full of dark secrets and he soon finds himself swept into

battles, lying to his best friend back east, and growing a bit too close to the rebels he was sent to

spy on.

Nik realizes too late that he’s broken the number one rule within his ranks; he’s allowed himself

to feel normal for the first time in his life. He might be able to turn the job around, become

the soldier he was once was, except for his growing attachment to the rebel leader. A guy.

Yet another first for Nik. It’s a mistake he pays for dearly when he learns The Council’s true

intentions for the city.

It’s never ‘just harmless fun’ when you’re a government dog, not when The Council holds the

leash. Nik knows there are some lines you can never come back from crossing, and he’s forced

to choose whose rules to play by. He races toward the invisible divide, aware he’ll be called

traitor by both his nation and by his friends. Aware that even the right choice can be deadly to

make.

--

About Amanda Cyr:

Amanda Cyr is a tea-loving freelance journalist, viral content curator, and debut novelist. She

studied creative writing at Seattle University, where she developed all sorts of opinions before

becoming a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association. She is currently represented

by Kimberley Cameron of the Kimberley Cameron & Associates Literary Agency.

Growing up, Amanda moved around a lot. She began writing to make the transitions easier and

make up for her lack of friends in middle school. An awesome professor in Medford, Oregon

tried to convince her to pursue writing professionally, but Amanda was deadest on a law career.

It wasn’t until an unpleasant professor in Seattle, Washington told her she was a terrible writer

that Amanda really committed to the idea of getting published, mostly just to spite her professor.

When Amanda’s not hunched over a laptop she enjoys sleeping, video games, Netflix binges,

and wrestling with her two polar bear dogs. She currently lives in Los Angeles, where she

spends her days hissing at the sun and missing Seattle. Her least favorite things include the

mispronunciation of her name, screaming children, and California.

Find Amanda Cyr Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads


So thats it for this tour..Trisha signing off.

Breathless by Jessica Warman

Hey All Well what I have for you today is a review for Breathless by Jessica Warman.

I honestly don't have much good to say about this book so I'll start with it. My mom always said if you can't say something good don't say it at all and so I did a lot of searching and this is all that's good...The cover, it was awesome and so I feel in a way that they were trying to mask the flaws in the writing by how well the cover looked. The story line was very flawed and characters had no real purpose other than her brother who has some serious physiological issues. This girl is sent from home to a privet school to get away from the "Bad Elements" which are her brother and friends {they live in a very poor area but are very rich.} I have a few choice comments about the parents.

1. You want the best for your child but yet you ignore them?
2.Live in a bad area and flaunt how much money you have and expect them to not be selfish.?
3.You pretty much called your son a freak of nature and sent your daughter away so she wasn't around him?
 I wonder why they didn't win the best parents awards. As for the main character who was reluctant at first to leave, she soon came to enjoy her life which is understandable if you have the cutest guy in school crushing on you and you can lie about your past and say your brothers dead...By the way its called "Breathless" Because shes a swimmer...very little swimming happened in this book.

Well thats it for this rant..Trisha signing off.

Thursday 9 October 2014

Interview with Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

Hey All I got to do an interview with Jenna Elizabeth Johnson about characters and how they resemble you and I got some awesome answers so check them out. :)






How do you feel that your views on the world affect how your character views it?

I feel that my characters, on the whole, reflect many of my opinions. Authors, no matter how

hard we might try to embrace and reflect characters who are different than ourselves, will always

find a piece of our soul or personality residing in those we write about. I like to think that my

characters act as role models for those who will be reading about them, and I hope to portray

real people with flaws and great attributes, but also with great tolerance for those who are

different. This is something I strongly try to live by and something I hope is brought to life in

my characters as well.

Do your characters ever resemble you in your beliefs?

Absolutely. As I said above, I try to write characters who are different and who have learned, or

are learning, to embrace diversity and teach others to do so as well.

Do you have a character that’s the most like you?

So far, the character who is most like me is Jahrra from my Legend of Oescienne series. She’s

a bit of a tomboy and she is stubborn. She’s also much braver than I ever was, or will probably

ever be, but in many ways she is very much like me.

Do your interests ever slide over into your characters?

Yes. My characters enjoy reading and artwork. Some of them like sword fighting and archery

(two hobbies I also enjoy), as well as camping and hiking. Those are activities that I know well,

so my characters are familiar with them also.

Does your personality ever show through in your characters?

I would think it does, whether I mean for it to or not. I’ve also had my friends tell me that

certain characters remind them of my other friends and more often than not, I didn’t even pick

up on it until they pointed it out.

How do you write a character that’s your complete opposite?

I am not going to try to claim that I am any good at writing the perfect character who happens to

be nothing like me at all, because just like anything else, writing improves over time. However,

I can let you know that more often than not, I don’t sit down and decide which traits to give

to a character and which ones to leave out. True, I need to set up the basics: will they be an

antagonist or protagonist; will they help or hinder my hero/heroine? After that, these people

begin to reveal themselves to me as if they had been hiding away in my mind and have just

awakened. Developing characters is like meeting new people and sometimes they have things in

common with me, and sometimes they don’t.

And do you ever have issues doing that?

Sometimes it’s tough trying to relate to someone who, say, enjoys shopping and perhaps going

to parties (I really don’t enjoy those two things :P). One character who really challenged this

comfort zone, however, was Robyn in my Otherworld Trilogy. She sort of just jumped in front

of me and waved her arms as if to say, “Hello! I’m awesome, and spunky. You really should

include me in your story.” Although I could absolutely see myself having a friend like Robyn,

she is so fearless and has no qualms if she makes a scene in public. I’m not like her in those

aspects at all and it has been great fun getting to know her. It was also a great challenge making

sure I stayed as true to her character as I could when I wrote Lorehnin. I had my beta readers

and editor inform me that, on more than one occasion, Robyn wasn’t really being herself. I had

to remember to slow down and really let her speak for me in those instances.

How do you find the traits you want in your characters?

Like I was saying above, most of the time my characters show me a little bit of themselves over

time, just as new friends do. I could be writing a new scene or story with a new set of characters,

and halfway through the book I can discover something new about them. It’s both thrilling and

a little nerve-wracking at the same time, especially when they insist on doing something I know

is going to get them into trouble later.

Do you ever feel a connection with your character because of the similarity betwee

n you and them?

Absolutely. I’m a firm believer in the idea that characters can often exist as different facets of

the writer. I also feel that many of my characters are, in a way, their own people and that as

an author, I am simply the vessel through which they speak. It makes me wonder if the reason

these entities chose me to write their stories is because we share common interests, OR perhaps

I am forcing them to adopt some of my own interests so that I am able to connect with them. It

is a quandary sometimes :).

How often do you write characters with views like yours?

Probably far more often than I should. I think all of my characters have at least one thing in

common with me, or a trait that is similar to one of mine. A few of my characters are like me,

and a few of them only have a few similarities with me. I can be very passionate about my views,

so you most likely won’t find me writing often about characters who have an opposing viewpoint

to my own (unless, of course, they are the antagonist and not the protagonist). Someday I might

want to challenge myself in this aspect, but I wouldn’t say I’m quite up to it yet.

What's a downside to writing a character that's similar to you?

I would think the downside is that I might end up sugarcoating my own flaws, or doing the

opposite and making them appear worse than they are. There are many advantages to writing

characters similar to myself, but it can be terrifying and far too revealing as well. As of right

now, most of my characters (who share some similarities with me) aren’t a complete mirror

image.

Have you found a difference between how your readers react to the characters sim

ilar to you and the ones that differ greatly and if so what was the difference?

In both cases, I’ve noticed readers who might absolutely love, or hate, a character that is similar

to me, and the same goes for characters who are different than me. I suppose this is a great

compliment in that they see my characters as real people. In the real world, there are people we

really enjoy being around, or hate to be near, certain people for one reason or another.

How do you prepare yourself to write for your characters?

For example (writing notes, acting out scenes as the characters etc)

If I think of the world first, I start building the setting and then decide which characters will

inhabit this world. Sometimes, characters come blazing forth into my mind and there isn’t

much I can do to develop them. I will, from time to time, map them out to some degree: make

note of their height, skin tone, hair and eye color, their likes and dislikes, hobbies etc. I try to

flesh them out as real people, but even then, sometimes they behave in ways I never expect.

What do you think is the most important aspect of writing a character?

I think the most important aspect of writing a character is letting them tell their story. I have

sometimes tried to force my characters into behaving a certain way or portraying their book in

a specific point of view, but it doesn’t work. I end up fighting them and in the end, they win.

For example, I started out writing Faelorehn in first person perspective, but someone suggested

I should stick to third person. For a month or so, I struggled against the first person point of

view style, but my main character, Meghan, would have none of it. It just wasn’t meant to be

delivered in third person, and once I accepted that fact, it became much easier to work on the

novel.

Interview with Rex Badger

Hey All I just did an interview with one of the writers I know, Rex Badger. He and I talked about characters and tips on how to create them.



How do you feel that your views on the world affect how your character views it? I feel as if, if I can get my views out to the world and to the people through a character or through a piece of writing, then I will be spreading a message that needs to spread around so people will know about it and take appropriate action.


Do your characters ever resemble you in your beliefs? Every once in a while, I sneak in a view of mine and a reader may not catch it or they might. It depends on the reader. If they catch it, then great, and if not, oh well. One of my earlier characters, Donna Raven, from my first novel, shows almost all of my beliefs in the world but people don’t know it unless they get to know more about me which, sadly, no one wishes to do.


Do you have a character thats the most like you? In fact, I don’t. A little part of me somehow escapes into everyone of my characters. I don’t set myself into one specific character. I feel as if they are the most important one while I am neglecting the others.


Do your interests ever slide over into your characters? I try to let them not to, but I’m human and we’re not perfect. So, yes, they kind of do which sometimes takes my readers by total surprise but they’re fine with that because it makes the reader feel more connected with me and my character that I am portraying.


Does your personality ever show through in your characters? I usually try to let it because I want the readers to know exactly what I want them to think what I am thinking. I also want them to get to know me in an indirect way so they feel as if I’m a real person and not some random person writing something down on a piece of paper and calling it a book.


How do you write a character thats your complete opposite? I usually think of someone who isn’t me and how they would react to things which is easier said than done but it’s possible. Hard albeit, but possible.


And do you ever have issues doing that? I have a small issue with it because I’m not always the same every single day. I could be happy and sunshine one day, and be a dark brooding monster the next. So, depending on how I feel, depends on how are my characters act.


How do you find the traits you want in your characters? I find them by watching other people and exploring new characteristics and traits in the world by either looking them up or by acting them out myself.


Do you ever feel a connection with your character because of the similarity between you and them? I feel a connection to all of my characters; even the villains. This way, I can control the characters on how I feel they should act.


How often do you write characters with views like yours? Almost all of my characters have a part of my views though, not all. This way, I know I get out into the world without having to venture very far into the world without leaving my comfort zone.


What's a downside to writing a character similar that's similar to you? A downside to it would be on how I would describe myself because sometimes, I don’t know anything about myself. My mood and my thoughts change as swiftly as the four winds which is almost constantly.


Have you found a difference between how your readers react to the characters similar to you and the ones that differ greatly and if so what was the difference? I have seen a difference and sometimes, I don’t. It all depends on the reader and what they are reading. I get different responses from different people so it’s greatly diverse.


How do you prepare yourself to write for your characters? For example (writing notes, acting out scenes as the characters etc) I prepare myself by making lists and charts or writing down notes as others would call them. This way, I can get all my ducks in a row for a certain character or characters. Writing down notes could either be detrimental to writing or very helpful. If you don’t write down notes about a character, you may forget how they act and what they look like. I’ve learned this by experience and by making several mistakes but I learned from my mistakes and I make sure to be prepared.


What do you think is the most important aspect of writing a character? The most important aspect would be how they would act in a situation and around other people. Emotions and how they portray themselves as a person is crucial in writing a character.


What do you feel is an important step to creating your characters? An important is step first getting a general idea of where you want your story to go by making out a plot chart or notes before starting. Then make a list of names you wish to use as characters or anything else you would want.


What are some steps you take with creating your characters? And do you have any tips you can give to writers? Some steps would be make a chart first of all the characters and their traits and characteristics along a with a plot chart. Take notes of how you want your characters to act. Then, set up a time when you get your creative writing funk on and get down to the nitty gritty and work. This may seem a little complicated at first, but as time goes on, it becomes easier and less difficult to make charts and take notes. An important thing to remember is have someone you trust completely, read over what you write and have them give you the absolute honest opinions about it and take them into consideration but you don’t always have to do what they say. Just take what they say and make a note about it off to the side for later when you do revisions on your story. Another step is to eliminate all distractions from your area so you can concentrate better. I’ve found it easier to concentrate while listening to music that appeals to the story you are writing or making characters. Being focused while doing this process can be a huge turning point in your writing because if you’re not totally concentrated on it, it could not be as good as you would want it. So, take the precautions and stay in a place without distractions. An important thing to do while writing is to relax and let the story flow from your imagination, through your fingers and onto the paper or onto the screen whichever you are using.


BEST TIP: STAY RELAXED AND DON’T GET OVERWHELMED. YOU CAN DO IT.


How do you get over writers block? Granted, writer’s block is a very big obstacle to overcome but I usually overcome it by taking a break from the story and going out and doing something proactive with my body to give my mind a break. Sometimes, I just completely forget the story and work on another piece of writing that I am working on to have a change of venue and aspect.


Have you ever had a character you just didn't like? I had some but I have very creative ways of...disposing them. I sometimes either kill them in a tragic event or just have them go away on some sort of exploration where I don’t have to deal with them.

How often do your characters stray from your vision? I try to not let it happen but it does but I make something happen in the story where they do get back on track of what I want to happen.

Monday 6 October 2014

Wicked Path Release Blitz

Hey All well I have been lucky enough to be in the release blitz for Wicked Path. Just follow below to learn more about this book.



This book has a strong story line and characters that tie together flawlessly in a web of fantasy and a bit of mystery. Here is some info about Wicked Path and at the end is a link to the raffle that Eliza is doing.
 


<a href="https://curiosityquills.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Wicked-Path-
Cover.jpg"><img class="wp-image-30767 alignleft" src="https://curiosityquills.com/wp-
content/uploads/2014/10/Wicked-Path-Cover.jpg" alt="Wicked Path Cover" width="420"

height="600" /></a>Curiosity Quills is excited to announce the release of <strong>young-
adult, epic-fantasy</strong> <em><strong>Wicked Path</strong></em>, by <strong>Eliza

Tilton</strong>, which is book two in the <strong>Daath Chronicles</strong>. The amazing

cover was designed by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Sky-Design/

1401031006827361?sk=timeline">Michelle Johnson at Blue Sky Design</a>.

In Wicked Path: Book Two of the Daath Chronicles brother and sister are forced to 

opposite sides of Tarrtainya on a fast-paced adventure where the wildlife isn’t the only thing 

trying to kill them.

Three months have passed since Avikar defeated the Reptilian Prince, and he still can’t 

remember his battle with Lucino. On the hunt for answers, he returns to the scene of the fight 

and discovers a strange connection between his family’s dagger and the mysterious kingdom 

of Daath, and it seems only his distant father can reveal the truth behind it all.

Before Avikar can travel back home, Lucy assaults him in the market and forces him to 

flee to Nod Mountains—a place few dare to enter, and even less return from. With Raven and 

her childhood friend by his side, they must survive the treacherous journey through the pass 

with a vengeful Lucy hunting them. If they don’t, they’ll never see home again.

Jeslyn’s new life in Luna Harbor is the perfect remedy for her confused and broken 

heart. But when a group of mercenaries kidnap her beloved Grandfather, interrupting her 

daily routine as his jewelry apprentice, she's forced to join forces with the one person from 

her past she tried to forget.

And his assistance comes with a price.

<strong>Find Wicked Path Online:</strong>

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22452354-wicked-path?

from_search=true">Goodreads</a> | Amazon US | amazon UK | Barnes &amp; Noble | Kobo

--

<strong><a href="https://curiosityquills.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/

Eliza-Tilton.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-20239 alignleft" src="https://

curiosityquills.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Eliza-Tilton-200x200.jpg" alt="Eliza Tilton - 

Author Pic" width="200" height="200" /></a>About The Author:</strong>

Eliza graduated from Dowling College with a BS in Visual Communications. When she’s 

not arguing with excel at her day job, or playing Dragon Age 2, again, she’s writing.

Her YA stories hold a bit of the fantastical and there’s always a hot romance. She 

resides on Long Island with her husband, two kids and one very snuggly pit bull.

<strong>Find Eliza Tilton Online:</strong>

<a href="http://elizatilton.com/">Website</a> | <a href="https://

www.facebook.com/pages/Eliza-Tilton-YA-Author/245765852217133">Facebook</a> | <a 

href="https://twitter.com/ElizaTilton">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/

author/show/7047768.Eliza_Tilton">Goodreads</a>
<a id="rc-6afc18b131" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6afc18b131/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script>


For now Trisha Signing out.

Saturday 4 October 2014

Interview with Tony Bertauski

Hey all well I recently got the chance to do an interview with author Tony Bertauski. We talked about characters as well as character development and also how our personal views affect our characters and how the story is shaped.


How do you feel that your views on the world affect how your character views it?

That seems hard to avoid, but it’s true. My views are typically reflected from years of practicing 

Zen, but they tend to be real and imperfect. Human.
Do your characters ever resemble you in your beliefs?

Some do. But there are others that are just fun to go the other way, especially antagonists. I do 

find it interesting, even courageous, when authors can write very demented, sick and twisted 

antagonists. It’s very revealing to show the world what’s bouncing around in your head.

Do you have a character thats the most like you? 

Socket Greeny was probably the closet. That was the first book I wrote. He struggled with 

growing up, then found out he had all these “powers”, but life really didn’t get any easier. Not 

that I have powers.

Do your interests ever slide over into your characters? 

Most definitely. Especially those of spiritual nature, the big questions of “Who am I?” and 

“What’s this all about?” and “What is the nature of reality?” I use my writing to explore these 

fundamental questions.

Does your personality ever show through in your characters?

Sometimes, especially the humor. It’s hard not to. It’s a challenge to not let that become a habit 

because it’s too easy and, after a while, boring.

How do you write a character thats your complete opposite?

Sometimes that’s fun to do, especially when the complete opposite entails characteristics I wish 

I had, such as walking straight into trouble without fear. I find that the easiest way to approach a 

character unlike me, and the most gratifying.

And do you ever have issues doing that?

The only time I cringe is when the character exhibits qualities that are too unlikable. I don’t want to read a book with someone that’s flat-out unlikable, and not even fun to hate. I like characters that have some redeeming quality, even the most despicable ones.

How do you find the traits you want in your characters? 

A lot of times the characters evolve with the story. I have backed up and rewrote characters 

when, halfway through, I realized they should be more like this, or have more pain here, or be 

more compassionate there. They always start out someone flat and two dimensional, but by the end they are much more complex. 

Do you ever feel a connection with your character because of the similarity between you and them?

That was the case with Socket Greeny. After three books, I was very invested in that character. 

Maybe because it was written in first person or the fact that he was called to an altruistic duty 

and sacrificed much. I don’t think the sacrifice was necessarily a similarity, in that sense, but 

there were elements that put me in touch with him. Like many authors, I’ve found myself crying 

as I wrote final chapters.

How often do you write characters with views like yours?

Probably every book, to some degree. It’s expressive. It’s also revealing in a therapeutic sense, 

puts me in touch with feelings and views that I didn’t know I had. As long as it’s not preachy, it 

works.

What's a downside to writing a character that's similar to you? 

Predictable. Boring. If every book I write is similar, it ceases to surprise the reader.

Have you found a difference between how your readers react to the characters similar to you and the ones that differ greatly and if so what was the difference?

Not that I’ve noticed. However, I do think the greatest challenge of the writer is to bring this 

character that’s fully fleshed out in his or her head onto the written page so that the reader 

can experience that, too. As a writer, I don’t have the reader’s perspective. Bridging those 

experiences—mine and theirs—is quite a challenge.

How do you prepare yourself to write for your characters? For example (writing notes, acting out scenes as the characters etc) 

Sometimes I’ll write character cards with physical attributes and characteristics. (I wish I did 

more of this so I could quickly access them when I write about them later.) Mostly, I have a story 

arc and plug characters into it and they develop themselves. It’s cool to feel it evolve this way.

What do you think is the most important aspect of writing a character?

Letting him or her grow in my head. It’s when I’m driving to work, taking a shower, or lying in bed that they come to life. It’s also one of the most gratifying elements of writing.


If you would like to read any of Tony's books then go to this link
http://bertauski.com/

You can listen to one of his audio books for free here.

http://www.audible.com/pd/Teens/The-Discovery-of-Socket-Greeny-Audiobook/B00CMABE2O?sr=1-3&amp;qid=1368011367&amp;ref_=sr_1_3