My Interview with Alicia Scarborough

Tell us about yourself:

I currently live in Atlanta, GA and work a full-time job as a specialist, designer & developer for a large ad agency. Each day I spend about 2-3hr in traffic in total every day (10-15 hours per week) which gives me plenty of time to think up new story ideas for my series.

I’m married to my best friend and soul-mate, Ginger who I met online through a werewolf and vampire forum. This was before Facebook even existed. We have a dog, one cat and two Green-Cheek Conures (those are tiny parrots; slightly bigger than a parakeet; these guys can drive us nuts at times, but we still love them because they’re little goobers)

When I’m not writing I’m either lounging on the couch watching Netflix, drawing or outside roller-skating (if the weather is good).

Tell us about your book:

Potion of the Hound is a fast-paced, fun, humorous and slightly dark youth urban paranormal fantasy story.

The story/series world:

Imagine our world, now imagine that magic was out in the open and it wasn’t secret. Mortals and the magically gifted both know about magic for it is not hidden from mortals. Instead, there are restrictions such as mortals cannot purchase magical items, nor can they sample magical food.

The story itself:

It is about Helga who is the youngest of three orphaned sisters who happen to be witches. She’s a sassy 15-year-old who has a problem with authority especially anyone from the Order of Magic. She and her sisters own a café, called Baubles & Brews, that sells baked goods and drinks to magical and non-customers alike. Think of it as a Starbucks + Waffle House. They also sell potions on the side to customers who are part of the magic community.

Their business is currently booming however a few years ago the shop wasn’t selling as much due to the harsh competition. One day Helga was visited by a service work who threatened to take her away when another person showed up (a member of the TRUE Society-TRUE stands for True Real Users of Enchantments) and saved her then gave Helga an opportunity that she couldn’t pass up for she wanted to keep her sisters together. They were her only family. However, one of the conditions was that Helga could not tell her sisters which planted the seed for Helga to start having second thoughts about her agreement.

In addition, a batch of potions got mixed up and some of the customers started to complain that they’ve received the wrong potion. With the mixed-up potions Helga starts to worry that her agreement with the TRUE Society might be found out so she does her best to fix it. As she’s trying to resolve the problem or cover her tracks an Order of Magic Official (these are supposedly the good guys) shows up and causes more grief for Helga and her sisters.

So, Helga has her hands full trying to clean up the mess and keeping the Order of Magic Official in the dark all while she still tries to wiggle out of the agreement that she has with the TRUE Society.

What influenced you to write fantasy?

I used to play D&D with a couple of my friends back when I was a teenager. I got into the storylines and how each of our characters grew as we went on one campaign after another. It was fun, and I would write stories based on our adventures.

Another game that we also played was Amber which was a dice less roleplaying game. Almost LARPing but not really. As one of the incentive to get more powers for my character I promised the game master that I would record and add my flair of writing to the episodes that we had for each game… almost like making a novel.

In addition, I have been a fan of fantasy fiction and wanted to try my hand at it. Recent authors like Patricia Briggs, Jim Butcher and even Stephanie Meyers spurred me into writing.

Who are your favorite authors?

Patricia Briggs, Jim Butcher, Stephanie Meyers, Brian Jacque, Gregory Maguire and Hajime Kanzaka (author of the Slayers novels over in Japan)

What are your favorite books?

Slayers – I can’t stop reading them; they’re my go to book when I want to read something quick and go on adventure with some magic

Patricia Brigg’s Mercy Thompson Series – Yes, I’ve read all of them and plan to read them again for the fourth time.

Jim Butcher – The Dresden Files – Who hasn’t read these awesome books. I love the snarkiness that Harry Dresden has against his foes. Even when the chips are down he has some wise-ass remark to say to his opponents. You never know what will happen next with Harry.

Brian Jacque – RedWall – I loved this book and I would read it on trips down to Florida for our family vacation. His writing style involves the reader into the world and you become unaware of your surroundings as you follow the characters through the story while holding your breath at suspenseful moments.

Gregory Maguire – What the Dickens – This was a delightful tale of a toothfairy, how they come to be, what happens to our teeth and the unique connection to birthday candles & wishes.

Stephanie Meyers – Twilight Series – Of course I’m a fan of the sparkly vampires. Her take on the vampires turned the whole concept of vampires on its head. There were no longer daywalkers or nightwalkers instead there’s just sparkly vampires; I will admit that I was rooting for Jacob instead of Edward because I like werewolves more.

Who are your favorite literary characters?

Lina Inverse hands down. Her strong character was one that I idolized when I was a teenager and I even find myself today asking “What would Lina do?”

Mercy Thompson – I love her “I can take care of myself” attitude and she doesn’t take flak from anyone. However, the poor girl can’t get a break; no matter what she does the trouble keeps on finding her however she prevails in the end even if she almost dies almost every time.

Is there anything you want to share with potential readers?

I like face-paced book and find myself getting bored with stories that take a while to get to the “good” parts.

When I read books that talk about food, such as Game of Thrones (which has a lot of wine and cheese), I find myself wanting to partake as well. I can’t read a book without a beverage of some sort or even a tiny snack for me to eat along the way during the journey.

With my books you will find that I like to keep them fast paced too and packed with action. I do give readers a chance to breathe so don’t worry about getting exhausted if you were to pick up my book and read it.

I am getting ready to release a new series called CLICK which will be for New Adults since the contents is meant for readers ages 18 and up. CLICK is about a photographer who goes around capturing demons with her camera. The first part of book one will be released March 27, 2018.

Where can we go to learn more about you and your literary works?

They can visit my blog/website https://www.charmed-embers-publications.com

It’s a little bare right now as I’m getting started at filling out the content on the website. Any new books that I’m about to release or even working on will be listed there on the front page.

Review of The United by Hamid Baig

At the very start, the Author gave a detailed Description of characters and terms, which almost made me not read it, as it gave it an inkling that this might be a very complex read. But I am glad I decided to overlook that and read it. And this is what I have to say.

Amazing!!. The Author is very resourceful and has a technique of writing that is easy to follow. The book pulls you in right away. I was glued to the book until the end, and now I can’t wait for the next edition.

I don’t want to give away too much from the book, but let me tell you this. I hope this book finds its way to one of the TV studios and they make a series out of it. If you are a fan of Fantasy/Sci-Fi, you should read this book right away.

Of course, no book is without blemishes. In a few places, I felt the story slowing down a bit while I wanted to jump right into the action. But that must be my reading preference.

At the very start, the Author gave a detailed Description of characters and terms, which almost made me not read it, as it gave it a feeling that this might be a very complicated read. But I am glad I decided to ignore that and read it.

My Interview with Tessonja Odette

In light of an upcoming Facebook Book Fair Event on March 17th, (https://www.facebook.com/events/170327406944082) I thought it would be fun to interview fellow featured author, Tessonja Odette.

Tell us about yourself:

Hello there! I’m Tessonja Odette. I’m a fantasy author, a coach, a reiki practitioner, and a mom to one human child, and one fur child—a Korean Jindo Dog, to be exact. I live in Seattle with my daughter, my dog, and my handsome partner. I’m a bit of a goofball and a wild creative to the core. I’ve always been obsessed with the arts and have more hobbies than I can count. Aside from reading and writing, I love to paint, design greeting cards, sing, and play music. I play ukulele, guitar, and a mean tambourine. Seriously, I’m the tambo master.

Tell us about your book:

Shadows of Lela is a YA fantasy that I began writing when I was eighteen. It’s taken on quite a new life in its many incarnations over the past sixteen years, but the premise is the same; an exiled princess is living a new life, far from the pains of her royal past. She finds the peace of her new life shattered when she discovers a group a hunters seeking rare prey—unicorns. In an attempt to rescue the captured unicorns, she finds herself entangled with the very man she’s been hiding from—the sorcerer who killed her parents. She has to face her past and open her heart to new friends and new love to save her kingdom from annihilation. It’s a love story, an epic fantasy, and a magical adventure. Oh, and the best part…unicorns!

What influenced you to write fantasy?

I’ve always loved mysteries, magic, and imaginative new worlds. The first books I fell in love with were the Narnia books and Wrinkle in Time. I loved the feeling of daydreaming and wondering what liesbeyond what the eye can see. As I got older, I continued to read fantasy, and learned its many different forms. Even though I’m now in my 30s, I still love the pacing and style of young adult fantasy, so I decided to create my first trilogy as such.

Who are your favorite authors?

My favorite author of all time is Patricia A. McKillip. I found her via my obsession over the cover of The Book of Atrix Wolfe when I was a young teen and went on to read nearly every book she’s ever written. She has a fantastic way about writing fantasy, as if her words weave magic themselves. Her stories are unlike any other. Aside from her, I love J.K Rowling and the Harry Potter series. Rowling’s story as a writer is so inspiring, and the Harry Potter world is just so much fun. I laugh to think I didn’t give HP a chance until the Half Blood Prince came out. Before that, I thought the books were for kids. But when that book came out, I saw children, teens, adults, parents, people of all ages with their noses plastered to the pages. I remember seeing this and thinking, “That’s the kind of reach I want as a writer someday.” So I read the Half Blood Prince, just as an experiment to know what’s so great about these books, and of course got sucked in and had to read the whole series. Best. Choice. Ever.

What are your favorite books?

Aside from literally every book by Patricia A. McKillip and the Harry Potter series, I also loved the Mists of Avalon, Twilight, Hunger Games, The Gemma Doyle series, The Name of the Wind, the Game of Thrones series, and every book by Jane Austen.

Who are your favorite literary characters?

My favorite characters have to be those from Jane Austen novels, especially Elizabeth Bennet and Emma. I just love how sassy these women were during a time when they were expected to be demure.

 

 

Is there anything you want to share with potential readers?

My mission in life, outside of following my joy as a writer, is to inspire others. I want others to know it’s possible to pursue a dream, whether that’s in a creative field, an academic one, or as a breeder of labradoodles. If I can share one thing, it’s encouragement and hope. It took me fifteen years to finish my novel, and there were many years I thought it would never amount to anything. I was stuck in so much self doubt, I never thought I’d finish. And while fear never goes away completely, you do learn how to be stronger than it. You learn how to live the dream anyways. If you have a dream, a goal, or a passion, go for it.

Where can we go to learn more about you and your literary works?

My website at www.tessonjaodette.com has a lot of information about me and my books. You can download the first three chapters of Shadows of Lela for free at http://tessonjaodette.com/book/shadows-of-lela/

Shadows of Lela Book One is available on ebook and paperback on Amazon. Book Two is about halfway through its first draft (woohoo!) and will be published mid 2018.

 

Detailed Character Descriptions from The United: Lord Yrimwaque

Jacob Hunter is a Creature of Rai, meaning that he belongs to the Realm of Rai. As a Creature of Rai, has a calling. He belongs to the Wolf Clan, which means he can shift between human and wolf form at will. Jacob Hunter serves the Threat of Rai as Lord Yrimwaque, literally translated to ‘Leader-Against-Light’ meaning that he is the military leader of the Forces of the Threat of Rai.
As Lord Yrimwaque, the Threat tasked Jacob to go to the mortal Realm of the Light and prepare the realm to be conquered. Jacob’s task was an easy one, find all the mortal followers of the Light, and kill them until only followers of the Threat of Rai remain. The task has proven more difficult to accomplish than originally anticipated, and the Threat is growing impatient.

 

Detailed Character Descriptions from The United: Amanda Adams

Amanda Adams is seriously my favorite fictional character from my own book. I know all characters are like my children, and I should not pick favorites, but Amanda is my favorite. She is a petite redhead with blue eyes. She is an only child of affluent parents. Growing up she learned that everyone wants to be her friend because she has money, and she grew accustomed to getting whatever she wanted, regardless of the cost. She thought she had life figured out, until she met Blaze. Blaze treated her differently than any other boy, Blaze cared about Amanda, and he was interested in listening to her ideas. Amanda’s life changed because Blaze, TJ, and LyAnn became a part of her life. She had the courage to accept herself for who she was on the inside rather than continuing to allow her wealth to define her.

 

Detailed Character Descriptions from The United: Blaze Morrison

Blaze Morrison is average height, average build, brown hair, and brown eyes. He loves to spend time with his older brother, Byron, and his best friends, TJ and LyAnn. Blaze is simple person, with simple interests and simple tastes. He prefers spending time outdoors, eating home cooked meals, and working with his hands. He greatly admires his older brother, Byron, who became a father figure to him after is dad walked out on his family when he was a child. Blaze’s favorite way to spend an evening is to visit Old Man Jones, an elderly neighbor, and listen to Jones tells stories. Jones tells stories about his past, about his late wife, about his family, about the war, about recent fishing trips, about anything anyone listening would like to hear. But Blaze’s favorite story is the Hobbidun legend of the Manidone.

 

Detailed Character Descriptions from The United: Kimberly Ann Wright

Kimberly Ann Wright is called LyAnn by her friends. She is taller than average, at least a head taller than any of her girlfriends. LyAnn is an only child, and has strong connection to her mother and her father, who are together, and both try to play an active role in their daughter’s life. Her father tries to take LyAnn on Daddy-daughter dates at least once a month, her mother makes herself available to talk or go shopping or just hang out.
Despite being an only child, LyAnn never feels lonely. She is very close to her boyfriend, TJ’s, family. TJ’s parents are like her second parents, she thinks of Susan and Tiffany as her own big sisters. Her and TJ’s best friends, Byron and Blaze Morrison, are more like brothers than friends. Family is very important to LyAnn, and she thanks God every night for her family.
LyAnn considered herself lucky, for she had met the love of her life. She and TJ had been best friends ever since they were children, and slowly yet surely, she fell in love with TJ. She could not pinpoint when they went from a friends to being a couple because it happened so gradually, but it was not possible for her imagine a future without TJ by her side.
LyAnn loved spending time with her family. She did not care if she was watching basketball with her dad, or hiking with TJ, Blaze, and Byron, or shopping with Susan and Tiffany, or cooking dinner with her mom. As long as she was with her family, she was content.

 

Detailed Character Descriptions from The United: Tyler James Parkinson

Tyler James Parkinson, TJ to his friends, is in a lot of ways based on myself. I am hydrophobic, he is hydrophobic. I have a problem with jumbling word order and stuttering when talking, so does he. I have light sensitive eyes, he has light sensitive eyes. I have brown eyes and brown hair; he has brown eyes and brown hair. I am from the Intermountain West, as is he. But we have our differences as well. He is average height, I am taller than average. He is average build; in high school I had the build of runner. He has a girlfriend in high school; I focused on academics in high school. Don’t get me wrong, I had a few really good female friends in those days, but I think I went on a grand total of six dates in all four years of high school, three of which happened the last two months of my senior year.
TJ comes from a family of five. His mom and dad are together and as much in love now as ever. He has an older sister, Susan, who he greatly admires despite never daring to tell her that, and a little sister, Tiffany, whom he absolutely adores.
He has known LyAnn for as long as he can remember. She has always been his best friend. And if you ask him, he could not tell you when he started dating LyAnn, or if they had always been a couple. What he does know is that he cannot imagine his future without her by his side, even though the thought of marriage terrifies him.
He knows he wants to go to college, and intends to do so, but has no idea what he wants to study when he gets there.

 

What Makes The Realm of the Light Series unique

I have been pondering what sets The Realm of the Light series apart from other fantasy series. Like other fantasy series, mine focuses on the fight between light and darkness. Like other fantasy series, mine features fantastical creatures such as dragons, centaurs, griffins, etc.
When I take the time to really think about what sets The United apart from other fantasy series, and why it is a series worth your time to read, I think it is the interplay between two realms of existence. The Realm of the Light series takes place on the mortal Realm of the Light, but I also introduce the Realm of Rai. In the Rai universe, after a mortal dies, they become a Creature of Rai, and reside within the Realm of Rai, where they receive a calling. Each calling in Rai has a different manifestation, and purpose. The Wolf Clan is the military and civil leaders. The Griffin Clan provides guidance and counsel to those in need. The Centaur Clan commune with the heavens and have been known to receive glimpses of future events.
There are certain factions in the Realm of Rai that believe mortals should be left to their own devices to make their own choices, and the Creatures of Rai should only influence and inspire mortals upon being asked; whereas other factions believe mortals require a more hands on approach. These factions find ways to return to the mortal realm to ensure that events transpire in their favor and mortals follow and obey.
So I believe that The Realm of the Light Series is unique in the manner that it shows the interplay between Creatures of Rai and mortals.
What sets The United a part as something special within the series as a whole is that in The United we experience what it is like to be an ignorant mortal encountering a Creature of Rai, and how such an encounter can change ones world view.

 

The Dedication of The United

I dedicated “The United” to Suzanna, Andrew, Tyler, and Ben. I consider them, with the exception of my wife, as my best friends.

Suzanna and I became friends after we met on the track team at Clearfield High School.

Andrew and I met the first day of our Freshman Year of High School at South Cache.  We have been best friends ever since.

I first met Tyler we were 12.  My very first thought I had when we met was, ‘That guy should have a sword, where is his sword?’

Ben and I have been friends ever since we were knee-high to a grasshopper.

They were there for me during the time of my greatest personal trial, and without their friendship and support during some of my greatest personal trials the ‘Dark Fang’ stories would have never developed into a novel.