2022 is memory, 2023 is present, and I need to make changes if I am to have a healthy 2024.
My old resolutions are to be creative in my writing, help other authors be creative, and provide for my family.
My old health concern is my post concussive syndrome. I see what happens to professional athletes who have frequent concussions, and I understand first hand the long term effects they will face. My fist concussion occurred as a child, when my family was in a car accident, I said it was an old health concern. My most severe concussion happened when I was 20. I was hit so hard in the head that I flew in the air, and landed on my back a few feet away from where I was hit. All curvature in my spine was knocked straight by the impact. Every “mild” concussion since is accompanied by severe concussion symptoms, and it has taken me as long as fifteen years after a major concussion to have a full week without any symptoms. My most frequent symptoms are headaches, migraines, nausea, and brain fog.
My new approach is to limit screen time as much as possible, and limit physical activity to only those days that I do not have headaches. That means I am scaling on creative writing on a computer. I will still be creating new content, but the original drafts have been and will continue to be written on pen and paper, and the transcribing onto my word processor will take longer, and limited to only those days when I am feeling well.
Part of limiting my screen time will be only releasing a Newsletter once a quarter rather than monthly.
I will still be available to schedule blog post author interviews and blog post book spotlights, but if you have a specific date in mind for your interview, please give me at least 2 weeks notice. If you have any questions, please contact me at jqm.serv@jqmserv
I understand my new approach will slow down my productivity, and will limit my creative time, but I am hoping that as I follow the advise of my doctors, I will be back to my old self (before the 2020 concussion) sooner.
JQM PRESENTS A BLOG POST INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR Bruce Nesmith
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF:
I’ve spent most of my life and career in fantasy and science fiction. My first job out of college was at TSR, maker of Dungeons & Dragons. I’m best known for writing the Ravenloft campaign setting. At Bethesda Softworks, I served as a senior designer for The Elder Scrolls and Fallout video game series, including being the lead designer of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. These days I’m an author and gleefully enjoying world building and writing stories set in those worlds.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE?
I read voraciously as a child, and still do today, preferring fantasy and science fiction novels. Even at a young age I would dream up new stories and put myself into the books I read. Working in the gaming industry gave me a chance to tell those stories and I loved it. I’ve spent my career telling stories of one sort or another. Now I’m in a position to write my own novels and all those ideas are just begging to be put onto paper.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS? WHY?
Roger Zelazny, who challenged my imagination as a teenager. His books on gods who were men, and the classic Amber series, remain some of my favorites. Iain Banks wrote science fiction at such a high level. His Culture universe captivated me with it’s vision of the future. Adrian Tchiakovsky writes both science fiction and fantasy, and always creates quirky plots that surprise me with such a flamboyant writing style. Seanan McGuire’s amazing October Daye series defined urban fantasy for me and made me want to write in that genre. Every Heart a Doorway elevated her to more than just a writer of serial fiction with it’s unique ideas. I could go on and on.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? WHY?
Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny. He bravely took on Hindu mythology as a fantasy setting in a science fiction story. His take on humans that give themselves special powers and declare themselves to be gods inspired my books. Alastair Reynolds’ Revelation Space is one of the best examples of believable science fiction while still presenting far flung ideas. Patricia McKillip’s Riddle Master of Hed showed my teenage self how different fantasy could be from the standard sword and sorcery plots. And who can deny Patrick Rothfuss’ Name of the Wind. I couldn’t. One of the best written fantasy books of the last few dacades.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE LITERARY CHARACTERS? WHY?
Corwin from the Amber series by Roger Zelazny tops the list. His refusal to surrender and insistence on playing it smart endeared me to him. October Daye by Seanan McGuire walked that tricky tightrope of being emotional but tough, and sympathetic but practical. Michael Moorcock’s Elric is the prototypical anti-hero, and I love him for it. My underdog favorite is Strahd Von Zarovich, Tracy Hickman’s D&D vampire from Ravenloft. A flawed villain with a heart that fails to understand the true selfishness of his love.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR FELLOW AUTHORS AND/OR ASPIRING AUTHORS?
Write what you love. Precious few of us make a decent living at it, let alone get rich. If you aren’t enjoying what you are writing, what’s the point? I’m also a fan of Neil Gaiman’s line, “Remember: when people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.” If you are new to publishing, do your research. Learn about traditional publishing, independent publishing, self-publishing, audiobooks, and all the rest. Find the niche that is best for you.
IMAGINE ONE OF YOUR BOOKS IS ABOUT TO BECOME A FILM OR TV SHOW. WHO IS YOUR “DREAM CAST?” AND WHO DO YOU ASK TO CREATE THE SOUNDTRACK?
Tim Roth as Loki, a younger Clancy Brown as Thor, Anne Hathaway as Frigg, Salma Hayek as Esme. Ian McKellan would be an amazing narrator for my book.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH POTENTIAL READERS?
We do this for you. Okay, that’s half a lie. We do it for ourselves and for you. We write stories that we hope and pray will thrill and entertain our readers and validate our own desires to be heard. There is nothing more precious to an author than hearing from their readers. Let us know what you think and feel about our books, in whatever manner you feel comfortable.
WHERE CAN WE GO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR LITERARY WORKS?
It was pleasure to be featured on Between the Pages, and I hope you get a moment to check out the interview.
On a personal note, it feels good, even though I am always nervous about video interviews, to be well enough to be involved in the wider author community again.
JQM PRESENTS A BLOG POST INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR William Staub
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF:
I come from a solid military background having given the US Army 52 years of my life. I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since childhood and was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. I traveled the world during my military career. I am happily married to my wife of 50+ years; we have four children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. I am now retired and residing in St Augustine, Florida with my wife, where I have more time to write than ever before. I have written six novels, three children’s books, and have only been fortunately enough to publish in the vanity press—so far. I finally decided to write what I know best which is Mormon action/thrillers, the first of which is The Grace of God.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE?
I feel like I have stories in my head/heart which readers would enjoy. I want to tell my stories in a way that does not resort to using foul language, sex, or gratuitous violence in the process of story telling.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS? WHY?
Mark Greaney, Lee Child, David Baldacci, and Clive Cussler. At first glance, you might think these authors all write the same kinds of books or at least the same genre. However, I enjoy each of them for different reasons. Mark Greaney writes the Gray Man series and his character can always find a way to get his job done. It is a dirty job and the gray man has to go into all kinds of nasty places. But he always come out of it successful. Lee Chid created Jack Reacher as a strong and unbeatable man who is willing to help the underdogs. David Baldacci has a wonderful variety of characters and he writes several series which are very successful. And last of all, I enjoy reading Clive Cussler’s books because he does not frequently use foul language and his characters are always positive, intelligent, and strong.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? WHY?
My favorite genre is male action/adventure. I always to enjoy reading the first books of new series, and getting introduced to new characters and how they got to be so strong, intelligent, and resourceful.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE LITERARY CHARACTERS? WHY?
Years ago I was intrigued by Ton Clancy’s Jack Ryan. He had a background with which I could identify and I enjoyed how he advanced with each book. But after he became the head of the CIA, I stopped reading the books. Now, I enjoy Lee Child’s Jack Reacher and JT Baier’s Matthew Riker. Both of them take time to help the underdog and usually end up getting into something that needs to be destroyed for its wickedness, like human trafficking or counterfeiting on a major scale.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR FELLOW AUTHORS AND/OR ASPIRING AUTHORS?
If you want to write, then read the kind of books you want to write. Get familiar with the stories and characters so you can develop similar characters and tell their story from your heart. Write, write, and write some more. Then develop a thick skin and let others read your material so they can tell you how to improve. If you are afraid of criticism, you will never make it in the current commercial market.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH POTENTIAL READERS?
Choose the kinds of books you read carefully and digest them; highlight important passages, and cross reference clues you think are important so you can learn how to create that kind of story.This crazy world in which we live already has all the sleazy material it needs for people looking for that kind of book. You can be better than that. Write stories that uplift your readers and make them feel good about your characters and the activities in which they find themselves. Tell stories that will touch the hearts and make them look forward to your next book before you have even written it.
WHERE CAN WE GO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR LITERARY WORKS?
JQM PRESENTS A BLOG POST INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR N. M. Rudolph
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF:
I’m N. M. Rudolph. I’ve been writing since childhood. The earliest thing I remember creating was little letters to my parents. I liked making cards and little poems. My dad has always been a scholar, so I think I picked up my love of reading and writing from him. Since then, I’ve tried my hand at most writing outlets. One of my favorite seasons was when I regularly attended a poetry group that would meet monthly. I met one of my dearest friends at one of those meetings. Generally speaking, my story is pretty commonplace. I dream of having my books read by everyone, so I get by with freelance work and part-time jobs. My main money-maker is my own tutoring business. Funny enough, I was certified as a high school math teacher. After quitting a job that stank, I created my one-man business. That let me tutor writing as well—among so many other subjects. I love learning and am always trying to find the energy and time to learn more. In my own publishing process, I’ve learned a tremendous amount. I went with self publishing because I didn’t feel like waiting for an agent to accept my work. It seems that that path is less and less feasible. Publishing companies in general seem to take more and offer less. Marketing is always an odious beast, but I like being able to control more of the variables. Mostly, I want to make money so that I can allow myself to create more. Besides books upon books that I long to write, I have so many other creative projects waiting for the opportunity to be created. Some of the prominent categories are music and visual art. I’ve dabbled in both and want to offer myself the opportunity to do them well.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE?
It’s the deepest passion in my heart, so it’s more a matter of needing to write than being inspired to write. I enjoy it of course, but it’s a quiet itch that never stops. Sometimes, it’s not so quiet. The urge is always there, then, and it’s only waiting for time to do it. In that context, ideas are constantly sparking in my brain. It could be something somebody said, an existential question I ask myself, some movie that did a crappy job of delivering its plot such that I wanted to do better, and on and on. Since there’s no lack of digital storage (at least for text), I have piled up hundreds of different story and book ideas that are just waiting.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS? WHY?
C. S. Lewis forever. I love the worlds he created as well as how much content he packed into so few words. For example, his most famous novel The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was only just over 38,000 words. For the rest of that series even, the maximum word count stops short of 65,000. I’m not saying that a shorter novel is necessarily better, but Lewis managed to do extraordinary things with so little space. I also adore Brandon Sanderson. He uses a far higher word count (383,389 in The Way of Kings for example), but he also packs in so much vivid content. He manages to make each of his characters believable and relatable. There are so many other great authors I’ve read, but none stands out so boldly as those two.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? WHY?
I’ve thoroughly been enjoying Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive series. I love how much attention he gives to each character. No one is expendable, and the characters on whom he focuses are all captivating. The one that stands out to me, however, is Kaladin Stormblessed. It was his hardships—and how he survived them—that reminds me I can survive troubles. I even occasionally say to myself, “If Kaladin can survive bridge four, I can survive this.” The series is definitely a worthwhile read.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE LITERARY CHARACTERS? WHY?
Kaladin of course. I enjoyed Ransom from C. S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy. Dalinar Kholin—also from Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive—is another favorite. (I promise that I’ve read other books. It’s just that I’ve been in these for a while because they’re so blasted long.) I admire Dalinar’s lasting ferocity that, in his older years, is tempered with regret and a desire for purpose. He’s not perfect, but he’s constantly struggling to pursue what’s right and honorable. It’s a beautiful image.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR FELLOW AUTHORS AND/OR ASPIRING AUTHORS?
Keep at it. The sun will rise and set. Peace will ebb and flow. You may or may not get support. Inspiration is fickle. Despite all this, you will be more plagued in your spirit if you continue finding excuses not to write than if you had just written and been rejected. Also, let go of the need to be validated in your writing. If people like it, splendid. If you can get published, awesome. If you make some money off it, glorious. However, write for yourself first. Write just to relieve the mental pressure your brain keeps creating in the effort to destroy itself. Also, work harder. Poetic license is never an excuse to be sloppy or lazy. It’s horrible trying to find the balance between rigor and flow, but you can assume that either extreme is bad news. Just because you’re trying to find freedom, it doesn’t mean you should abandon grammar altogether. Also, be more vulnerable. Writing is not a safe thing. We shouldn’t write to protect our feelings. Among many reasons, we should write simply to practice being vulnerable with ourselves—and possibly with others. We humans like to hide from each other and ourselves. Writing, even fiction writing, is the practice of being seen, being exposed. Let your hurts spill into your stories. It’ll make them that much truer.
IMAGINE ONE OF YOUR BOOKS IS ABOUT TO BECOME A FILM OR TV SHOW. WHO IS YOUR “DREAM CAST?” AND WHO DO YOU ASK TO CREATE THE SOUNDTRACK?
That is a tough question! I have no idea who should make the soundtrack because I don’t really know composers. As for cast, I want Nathan Fillion in something, whatever it is. There are a few of my stories whose themes wouldn’t quite align, but Fillion’s persona, recurring though it is, is one of my favorites. Amy Adams has a beautiful voice and great acting skills, so she should have a role somewhere. The same goes for Gerard Butler. Emma Thompson has played some amazing characters, and her accent would be its own great addition. Speaking of singing, Hugh Jackman would have to be in the movie too.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH POTENTIAL READERS?
I’ve written so many things and even published a lot of them! If you look for a little while, I’m sure you’ll find something to your liking.
WHERE CAN WE GO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR LITERARY WORKS?
JQM PRESENTS A BLOG POST INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR N. M. Rudolph
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF:
I’m N. M. Rudolph. I’ve been writing since childhood. The earliest thing I remember creating was little letters to my parents. I liked making cards and little poems. My dad has always been a scholar, so I think I picked up my love of reading and writing from him. Since then, I’ve tried my hand at most writing outlets. One of my favorite seasons was when I regularly attended a poetry group that would meet monthly. I met one of my dearest friends at one of those meetings. Generally speaking, my story is pretty commonplace. I dream of having my books read by everyone, so I get by with freelance work and part-time jobs. My main money-maker is my own tutoring business. Funny enough, I was certified as a high school math teacher. After quitting a job that stank, I created my one-man business. That let me tutor writing as well—among so many other subjects. I love learning and am always trying to find the energy and time to learn more. In my own publishing process, I’ve learned a tremendous amount. I went with self publishing because I didn’t feel like waiting for an agent to accept my work. It seems that that path is less and less feasible. Publishing companies in general seem to take more and offer less. Marketing is always an odious beast, but I like being able to control more of the variables. Mostly, I want to make money so that I can allow myself to create more. Besides books upon books that I long to write, I have so many other creative projects waiting for the opportunity to be created. Some of the prominent categories are music and visual art. I’ve dabbled in both and want to offer myself the opportunity to do them well.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE?
It’s the deepest passion in my heart, so it’s more a matter of needing to write than being inspired to write. I enjoy it of course, but it’s a quiet itch that never stops. Sometimes, it’s not so quiet. The urge is always there, then, and it’s only waiting for time to do it. In that context, ideas are constantly sparking in my brain. It could be something somebody said, an existential question I ask myself, some movie that did a crappy job of delivering its plot such that I wanted to do better, and on and on. Since there’s no lack of digital storage (at least for text), I have piled up hundreds of different story and book ideas that are just waiting.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS? WHY?
C. S. Lewis forever. I love the worlds he created as well as how much content he packed into so few words. For example, his most famous novel The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was only just over 38,000 words. For the rest of that series even, the maximum word count stops short of 65,000. I’m not saying that a shorter novel is necessarily better, but Lewis managed to do extraordinary things with so little space. I also adore Brandon Sanderson. He uses a far higher word count (383,389 in The Way of Kings for example), but he also packs in so much vivid content. He manages to make each of his characters believable and relatable. There are so many other great authors I’ve read, but none stands out so boldly as those two.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? WHY?
I’ve thoroughly been enjoying Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive series. I love how much attention he gives to each character. No one is expendable, and the characters on whom he focuses are all captivating. The one that stands out to me, however, is Kaladin Stormblessed. It was his hardships—and how he survived them—that reminds me I can survive troubles. I even occasionally say to myself, “If Kaladin can survive bridge four, I can survive this.” The series is definitely a worthwhile read.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE LITERARY CHARACTERS? WHY?
Kaladin of course. I enjoyed Ransom from C. S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy. Dalinar Kholin—also from Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive—is another favorite. (I promise that I’ve read other books. It’s just that I’ve been in these for a while because they’re so blasted long.) I admire Dalinar’s lasting ferocity that, in his older years, is tempered with regret and a desire for purpose. He’s not perfect, but he’s constantly struggling to pursue what’s right and honorable. It’s a beautiful image.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR FELLOW AUTHORS AND/OR ASPIRING AUTHORS?
Keep at it. The sun will rise and set. Peace will ebb and flow. You may or may not get support. Inspiration is fickle. Despite all this, you will be more plagued in your spirit if you continue finding excuses not to write than if you had just written and been rejected. Also, let go of the need to be validated in your writing. If people like it, splendid. If you can get published, awesome. If you make some money off it, glorious. However, write for yourself first. Write just to relieve the mental pressure your brain keeps creating in the effort to destroy itself. Also, work harder. Poetic license is never an excuse to be sloppy or lazy. It’s horrible trying to find the balance between rigor and flow, but you can assume that either extreme is bad news. Just because you’re trying to find freedom, it doesn’t mean you should abandon grammar altogether. Also, be more vulnerable. Writing is not a safe thing. We shouldn’t write to protect our feelings. Among many reasons, we should write simply to practice being vulnerable with ourselves—and possibly with others. We humans like to hide from each other and ourselves. Writing, even fiction writing, is the practice of being seen, being exposed. Let your hurts spill into your stories. It’ll make them that much truer.
IMAGINE ONE OF YOUR BOOKS IS ABOUT TO BECOME A FILM OR TV SHOW. WHO IS YOUR “DREAM CAST?” AND WHO DO YOU ASK TO CREATE THE SOUNDTRACK?
That is a tough question! I have no idea who should make the soundtrack because I don’t really know composers. As for cast, I want Nathan Fillion in something, whatever it is. There are a few of my stories whose themes wouldn’t quite align, but Fillion’s persona, recurring though it is, is one of my favorites. Amy Adams has a beautiful voice and great acting skills, so she should have a role somewhere. The same goes for Gerard Butler. Emma Thompson has played some amazing characters, and her accent would be its own great addition. Speaking of singing, Hugh Jackman would have to be in the movie too.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH POTENTIAL READERS?
I’ve written so many things and even published a lot of them! If you look for a little while, I’m sure you’ll find something to your liking.
WHERE CAN WE GO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR LITERARY WORKS?
JQM PRESENTS A BLOG POST INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR Hannah-Louise Smith
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF:
I’m a self published author with a joint degree in English literature and history. I have a Siberian husky called Logan and love tea, books and fantasy
WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE?
I just have an idea and run with it
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS? WHY?
George. R.R. Martin because of the way he ties each story together into bigger plots in the a song of ice and fire, Christina Henry because I love her twisted story retelling and Stephen King because he has such a way with describing horror
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? WHY?
Ready player one is one of my favourites because it’s just so unique and ticks every box for me, Memoirs of a Geisha because you can really involve yourself in the story and the Alice trilogy by Christina Henry because they are really dark
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE LITERARY CHARACTERS? WHY?
Elizabeth Bennet because she is a very strong female character in a world where a woman must depend on a man and finding a husband. The Weasley twins, Fred and George because we all need a little mischief in our lives. There are so many to choose from, it’s a very hard question
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR FELLOW AUTHORS AND/OR ASPIRING AUTHORS?
Just go for it. The only time you will fail is if you never try at all
IMAGINE ONE OF YOUR BOOKS IS ABOUT TO BECOME A FILM OR TV SHOW. WHO IS YOUR “DREAM CAST?” AND WHO DO YOU ASK TO CREATE THE SOUNDTRACK?
So many choices, I would probably work on the soundtrack myself (hints for my work in progress). I would have Richard Armitage playing Hades, Andrew-lee Potts playing Lucas and Terry Crews playing Ares, just to name a few.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH POTENTIAL READERS?
I have big things planned and many books to be written so keep an eye out for my future works
WHERE CAN WE GO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR LITERARY WORKS?
JQM PRESENTS A BLOG POST INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR K. Rose
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF:
K. Rose has been a part of the Indie Author Community for years. Getting her start as a reader, her keen eye led to a wonderful career in Alpha/Beta and ARC (Advance Reader Copy) reading. As a joke to her fellow advanced reader colleagues, she created a spoofed blurb and cover for a story and the feedback was so positive that it sparked her to run with it. That stoked a fire that has her racing down a multi-genre freeway with no off-ramp in sight. K. doesn’t write to “market” and she is fairly certain that her humor and use of puns may cause an eye roll or two. This still wouldn’t stop her from making sure there is humor in every one of her stories. As a Multi Genre Author, there is sure to be something for everyone to love. She has traveled the USA extensively, including Alaska, and lived in thirty-eight of the fifty states. Home is now the beautiful state of Wisconsin, where she dreams up her stories in the company of her menagerie of furbabies, including five puppies, three rescue kitties, a bunch of chickens, ducks and turkeys ruled by a Rooster named Chicken Parm, a ninety-gallon tropical fish tank and a chatty nineteen-year-old Cherry Headed Conure named Oscar! Life will always be interesting for K. Rose, which will fuel her works, and keep her muses singing, come join the chorus.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE?
I have been insured to write by many things, the main one being that there are stories that I feel need be told that haven’t yet. I also hope that I can help people see that it is okay to cross genre and tropes sometimes. There are no set in stone rules for Fiction..
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS? WHY?
I don’t like to pick favorites. I do read a lot of Indie Authors right now, and when prompted the favorite is usually the world I have immersed myself in, and the book or book series I am reading at that time.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? WHY?
I tend to read a lot of reverse Harem romance books. I like Paranormal stories and Fantasy as a close finisher in the top spots. These are books that pique my interests the most, and keep my attention. Plus I have a lot of author acquaintances in these particular genre, so I know there is no shortage of books for me to read.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE LITERARY CHARACTERS? WHY?
Again with the favorites thing. I feel like choosing a favorite is diminishing the potential greatness of those that you hadn’t chosen, and for that I reason I don’t like to.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR FELLOW AUTHORS AND/OR ASPIRING AUTHORS?
FOr Aspiring authors, Take all advice and criticism with a grain of salt. Don’t take anything to heart, and even if you don’t have thick skin, for these situations you really must. Stay away from any reviews that haven’t been prescreened by a friend or VPA, and always look for those that are actually good feedback to polish your crafts going forward. For veteran authors, there is enough room in this industry for all of us! It is a multi million dollar industry, and even if you can write a full novel every month (that’s worth reading) you cannot support the voracious need of some of these readers who can (and do) read a book or two every single day. So raise each other up, be supportive, and know we are all in the same boat.
IMAGINE ONE OF YOUR BOOKS IS ABOUT TO BECOME A FILM OR TV SHOW. WHO IS YOUR “DREAM CAST?” AND WHO DO YOU ASK TO CREATE THE SOUNDTRACK?
I would love to have one of my books made into a show or Movie. The soundtrack done by Highly Suspect, Avatar, Breaking Benjamin, Asking Alexandria, and Halestorm sounds awesome! As for a dream Cast, I like Bill Skaarsgard, Jason Mamoa,Richard Madden, Jake Gyllenhall, Famke Janssen, and/or Jennifer Lawrence .. probably a pricey venture to get them all but in the end I feel like they’d be able to do the book and story justice.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH POTENTIAL READERS?
I am an author of fantastical fiction and romance. I will genre and trope hop, and I will bend the rules to the point of breaking all in the name of creating a better story. I also have bookish merchandise and wearable available for sale on my website. If there is a specific bookish design you’re looking for, you can always PM me on FB messenger, and perhaps I can design what you are looking for and have it up for sale on my site as well.
WHERE CAN WE GO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR LITERARY WORKS?
JQM LITERARY SPOTLIGHT PRESENTS Awakening (book 1 Mythics and mortals trilogy) by Hannah-Louise Smith
FIRST, LET’S GET TO KNOW YOU A BIT. TELL US SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOURSELF:
I can read multiple books at once
WHAT IS THE GENRE AND AUDIENCE FOR THIS BOOK:
The genre is urban fantasy and is suitable for 12 and upwards
WHAT WAS THE INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK:
The webtoon Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe. I love Greek mythology and her work has been truly inspirational
TELL US ABOUT YOUR BOOK:
My book focuses on my main character Christina Jones as she finds herself being a part of a whole new world that coexists with our own. She tries to find out where she belongs, answers as to why she is being hunted by a demon for someone called The Master and trying to control her growing powers.
WHERE CAN WE PURCHASE YOUR BOOK:
My book is available on Amazon and also at an independent book shop called The Book Dragon
James Quinlan Meservy - Author 