Author Interview with Beth Bares!

I'm so pleased to have Beth Bares, the author of the Dreams Trilogy, join me here on Bookfever for an interview!

If you would like to check out my review of Dreams of Reality, you can do it here.

Now on to the interview... :D

Welcome to Bookfever, Beth and thanks so much for doing this interview with me!  

You are so welcome and thanks for having me. I really appreciate the opportunity. 


1. Who or what inspired you to write The Dreams Trilogy?

Actually my inspiration came in the form of a hurricane. My family and I were stuck without electricity for more than a few days and unfortunately, I didn’t have any new books to keep me company, so I decided to write my own book. Haha. I found a pen and a notebook and to my surprise, the words started flowing. When the electricity was restored, I transferred my notebook to my computer and kept writing. It has been so much fun.

2.  Is there a message in your novels that you want your readers to grasp?

Even though the individuals in my books have paranormal characteristics, their story isn’t about what they can and can’t do – magically or physically. It’s about being accepted for who you are. Everyone is looking for that special someone to love and care for. Imagine how boring life would be if we were all the same.


3. What was the hardest part of writing your books? 

The hardest part for me was the ending.  I can tell you, I rewrote the ending more than a few times.

4. Do you have any favorite characters in your books, if so, who and why? 

Wow, that’s a hard one.  I love all of my characters.  They are sincere, caring, cocky, funny and full of them selves.  But I guess my favorite is my heroine, Elizabeth.  She grows up a lot in the series.  Her life is centering around one thing, her writing.  In the series, Elizabeth is a best selling paranormal romance author.  She lives her life through her stories, has no social life and has never dated, much less have a relationship.  She is very independent and stubborn.  If you’ll pardon the cliché, she really does come full circle and blossoms into an incredibly strong and delicate young lady.

5. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

This is a really good question and also a very funny one.  Actually the most surprising thing was getting my characters to be quiet.  I know that statement should be sending the men in white coats after me, but it’s true.  I didn’t start out wanting to write a series.  Finally by the time I was three fourths of the way finished with the third and final book, my characters were barely whispering.  haha 

6. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I love to eat sunflower seeds while I write.  Of course, there has to be music.  I usually put on Rob Thomas, Bruce Springstein or some soft Motown.  

7. Which authors influence you the most?

I’ve come across so really exciting new authors in the last couple of years that have been a big influence in completing the series. I love the Dorthea Benton Frank, Colleen Hoover, Sylvain Reynard and S.C. Stephens.

8. What do you think makes a good story?

I hate reading predictability.  The characters need to have more to say or do, other then just a problem that needs to be solved in order to live happily ever after.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the sweet endings and chick lit beach reads, but I love, heartfelt, boulder on your chest, turning the page and saying outloud…WHAT?! ..kind of books.  Those are the ones that keep me awake til 3 in the morning!

9. Which author would you love to co-author a book with someday?

Colleen Hoover or S.C. Stephens.  I think these two new authors are going to long time best selling authors.  I love their style of story-telling.

10. What three books would you recommend people to read?

Colleen Hoover – Slammed and Point of Retreat



S.C. Stephens – Thoughtless and Effortless

Sylvain Reynard – Gabriels Inferno and Gabriels Rapture

Opps….that’s more than three.  haha

Thank you again for this really great interview. I enjoyed it a lot!

Anytime Stephanie.  Thanks for having me and also…thanks for all you do for us authors.  Your support is appreciated more than you know.

--

Author Interview with Steven Nedelton

Today I have an interview for you all with Steven Nedelton, author of Crossroads, Tunnel/The Lost Diary, The Raven Affair and others.

Enjoy! :D

S: Stephanie
SN: Steven Nedelton

S: Welcom to Bookfever, Steven! Thanks for doing this interview with me today!

To start off... please tell us a little bit about yourself and your books.

Who or what inspired you to become a writer?

SN: Thanks for this interview, Stephanie.

I was introduced to books by one of my aunts.  I was ten or so and my first book (a

birthday present) was Tom Sawyer.  So, I guess, Mark Twain and my aunt (not the favorite one!) were the culprits. Then, a school friend of mine started a ‘pirate book’ and so the two of us began scribbling together. We were very competitive and judgmental at it, I remember that much. That escapade did not last for too long though and soon our writing was forgotten and replaced by sports.

I got my first paranormal short story finalized and submitted to a newspaper some time in my early twenties. I recall the editor writing me a positive response.  He liked it, but I don’t think it was published. Paranormal was not all that popular, he explained in his letter to me.

I began thinking about writing again back in 2002, while on a job in Arizona. I was inspired by a lengthy article in one of the papers about paranormal applications in covert work. I did a lot of Internet searching and completed my first novel in 2008. Crossroads was published in 2009 and The Raven Affair in 2010, both by a small publishing company.  In 2011, after my publisher retired, I republished the two novels myself and went independent. Fear! was my next novel, quite liked by the Midwest Book Review. It received a five-star rating (like Crossroads) and the MBR Journal placed it on its five-year watch list. I received a special written recognition for that book.  Tunnel/The Lost Diary and Coma Sins/The Madness of Ben Bluman followed next.

S: Which characters (from any of your books) have you enjoyed writing the most?

SN: I don’t have favorite characters, it’s more the story as a whole, the idea, that I enjoy writing about.  I try to develop them all equally - the bad and the good - but occasionally the least liked one might appear to be best portrayed. For example, Sokolov in Crossroads is better described than the rest of the protagonists because he is more evil than the rest. The two priests in The Raven Affair are also well developed, although they are not the principal characters in that book.

S: Who or what was your inspiration for your latest book?

SN: My latest novel, Coma Sins/The Madness of Ben Bluman, was inspired partly by the film Shutter Island and Leonardo Di Caprio’s acting. I had never written a real ‘noir’ before and thought of that movie idea as a good starting point. I got together with another writer, Joe Parente, and we wrote a pretty good novel, according to several readers, one of them being my favorite editor and a great story teller, Valerie Byron. Of course, Coma Sins was completely different from Shutter Island.

S: What's next for you? Are you working on a new book?

SN: Not yet. My greatest obstacle right now is marketing my novels. I need to get a decent following of faithful readers before I begin writing my next book. The hardest part in the life of any writer is getting a good publisher. By that I mean someone capable of spending time seriously on book promotions. And these days, it’s next to impossible to get a big publisher. Small and medium sized companies do not promote their books—not really.

I was asked by several readers to continue with sequels for Tunnel/The Lost Diary and The Raven Affair. Both books need a continuation, so I am not sure which one will be the first ‘Part Two.’ I might end up with a completely new novel, even genre.

S: Where is your favorite place for writing?

SN: My favorite place for writing is my round table in my ‘day room’ area. But the actual ‘conception location,’ the ‘ideas area’ is my bedroom. Funny, but the best ideas come to me just before I fall asleep. I strive to remember them for the next morning's session, but I invariably fail to write them down and forget them.

S: Which author would you love to co-author a book with someday?

SN: I used to like Grisham but his stories became so ‘law’ oriented, so similar in their genre, that I am not attracted to his writing all that much anymore. I don’t really know; maybe Grisham would still be the most interesting partner, but, of course, it’d be just a dream.

S: Do you experience writer's block? If so, what do you do?

SN: I am not sure what a real ‘writer’s block’ is. It could be a temporary exhaustion from all that work or just a lack of good ideas. In my writing, my mood governs my abilities as a writer. If I am in a good mood for writing, I’ll do it—no ‘blocks.’ If I am in a bad mood, no idea will me make write. So, if in trouble with my work, I try to wait for a ‘better day.’

S: Which authors influence you the most?

SN: A variety. I like thriller writers, the good ones. But I’ve read other genres too and some of those writers influenced me, I am sure. For example, I like Fight Club author, Chuck Palahniuk, for his creativity and the style of that particular book. LeCarre, Forsyth, Hemingway were a few of my favorite authors for a while.

S: What three books would you recommend people to read?

SN: Tunnel/The Lost diary, The Raven Affair and Coma Sins/The Madness of Ben Bluman. Those are mine, of course, and they are quite good. They do compare to the best I’ve read in their genre. I would also recommend Valerie Byron's  short stories and her latest novel, No Ordinary Woman, although she writes in a completely different genre. And then, Fight Club (yes, I liked its originality very much).

Before I forget it, please note that the readers can find all my books on my website www.snedelton.com The site provides blurbs on all my novels and is connected to the all the major book sellers.

Thanks again, Stephanie. My best and I hope you’ll read me too, and soon,

Steven Nedelton 

~

Author Inteview with Inger Iversen, author of Few Are Angels

For my very first author interview I had the honor of interviewing Inger Iversen. First of all I want to thank her for this great opportunity; so thank you so much!!

Her novel "Few Are Angels" comes out in may. So be sure to go look into it! I bet it's an awesome book. :)

So here's the interview:


 -What inspired you to become a writer?

As a kid I loved to read. My aunt and I would read for hours a day and as we would read each story, I would change parts of the story to make it “better”. I was young, so obviously I thought all of my ideas were better than the author’s ideas whether they were or not.:]
 On top of that I daydream all day, creating worlds and characters that I love and want to introduce to the world.



-Do you have any other books in the works?

Yes, I do. I have two other series I am working and plan to release after The Few Are Angels trilogy is finished.  I am half way through the second book in the Few Are Angels series and that is coming along wonderfully. The first project I have is The Dream Walkers series, which is about a group of humans that possess powers given to them from fallen angels working to redeem themselves in order to return to heaven. 
The second is unnamed at the moment, but is about a girl named Luna who is an outcast from her town of Crescent City, but is actually their only hope after a chemical leak that turns some of the town members into vampire/zombie hybrids.



-Where do you prefer to do your writing?
           
            There are two places I love to write. The first place is outside on my balcony.  I have a lovely view of lush green trees and fluffy bunnies in the summer and in the winter if we are lucky enough to get snow here in Virginia Beach, I get to sit outside and create.
The second is in my car during my work breaks! This is only because I get the best ideas at work. I don’t know why, but my job and the crazy people that work there motivate me creatively.



-Tell us something about your upcoming novel.
           
            I actually put the Dream Walker series aside, even though I had completed 106,000 words in that project and started Few Are Angels. I adore the idea of love following someone throughout time and I wanted to create something like that only with a twist. I tried not to base the main character on anyone that I knew. I wanted a fresh new person that readers would get to watch grow throughout the series. Though Ella’s past is a bit similar to mine, she and I are nothing alike. Kale on the other hand isn’t your typical bad boy; at one point Kale was the boy every mother would want her daughter to bring home only now he harbors and awful secret that could cause him to lose Ella. I wanted to this book to have first love, loss, corruption and the realization that no one lives forever, not even immortals. I think the big difference in my novel vs. what is out now is my view on vampires, you have to read the book to understand what I am talking about, but I went the nontraditional route in that aspect of the book.



-How was the writing process?

The writing process was difficult with the first book. I free write and I had never written more than 20,000 words before, so writing an entire novel was pretty hard at first. Once I got to the tenth chapter it got easier and the words just started spilling out of me when I added music to the mix. The music was the key; music relaxed me when necessary and keyed me up when I needed it.



-What was your inspiration for your novel?

A dream and a photo were the inspiration for Few Are Angels.  I dreamt about Ella and Kale meeting for the first time and I knew I had to write about them. The photo was of a cemetery that was hauntingly beautiful.                          



-Tell us why we should read your novel in one or two sentences.
           
People should read this novel because they will fall in love the characters that I have created, they will mourn with them, laugh with them and cheer for them and hopefully relate to them.



-Who is your favorite character in your book and why?

I honestly love all of my characters, but I must say I can’t wait to develop Alex more. He is a hardheaded sweetheart and I can’t wait to see where my imagination takes him.



 -What music to you listen to when you're writing?

This is one of my favorite questions! I have a playlist/ soundtrack for each of my novels. A lot of the time I use music to put me in the mood to write.

    The Few Are Angels soundtrack probably has most of my favorite songs. There are so many, but here are a few:
     Flyleaf            Enemy
The Xx             Shelter
Black Lab          This Night
Blue Foundation    Sweep
Leonard Cohen      Who By Fire
The Postal Service Such Great Heights
Breathe Carolina   Blackout
Switchfoot         Dark Horses
      Florence +The Machine        Never Let Me Go



-Are there any songs that could be the theme song for your novel or any of the characters?

Imogen Heap’s song “Come Here Boy” would definitely be Kale and Ella’s song! The lyrics are beautiful and they were pure inspiration. I think I listened to the song over fifty times while writing this novel.


A good theme song for the novel it’s self: Never Let Me Go- Florence + The Machine.



-How would you describe yourself in three words?

Motivated, Awesome and Stubborn <----- I hear that last one a lot from friends and family.


-Which author would you love to co-author a book with someday?

Awesome question.  If I had to only pick one I would say Jessica Verday. I loved The Hollow Trilogy. If I could pick two more, because I can’t choose just one, they would be S.L. Naeole or Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. They have all created a strong lead female character that I love and respect.


-If you could jump in any book and live in that world. Which book would it be?

Amelia Atwater- Rhodes created this awesome world where Avian shape shifters are at war with Serpiente shape sifters, in her novel The Shapeshifters: The Kiesha’ra of the Den of Shadows. The main characters are the daughter of the Avian shifters and the son of the Serpiente shifters. Though their world is ravished by war, she created a beautiful story that I wish I could experience with her characters.


-What three books would you recommend to read?

These are the first book in each series and the series name:
“Falling From Grace” The Grace Series, by S.L Naeole
“The Pace”                  The Pace Series, by Shelena Shorts
 “HawkSong”              The Shapeshifters, by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

 -Tell us a random thing about yourself.



I am a complete PlayStation geek, I love Final Fantasy and Call of Duty :]


-Where can readers stalk you?

I have a website being created for me that should be up and running soon: www.ingeriversen.com
and I also have a Facebook author page under the same name: Inger Iversen



Author name: Inger Iversen, but I do have a short story on Amazon Kindle and B&N Nook under my first name Kristen Iversen.
Title of the novel: Few Are Angels Series title: Few Are Angels
Release date: 5/1/2012
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Age: 29 :]
Place of living: Virginia Beach, Virginia

Few Are Angels cover! Isn't it gorgeous? ^^ ♥

I hope you all enjoyed the interview. Please comment! :D