Friday, June 28, 2013


Author Interview with Victoria Murata! 
 
Three young women leave Independence, MO in the spring of 1852 on a wagon train bound for Oregon. Brenna and Rebecca travel with their families. Emily is newly married. Six months and 2000 miles later they reach their destination much changed from who they were when they started. Daily life on the wagon train is challenging. Cholera is rampant, crime not unheard of, and death is an ever present visitor. Their hopes and fears are realized in unforgettable experiences of love and loss. Through it all they form a bond with each other that will last a lifetime.
 
Appropriate for 8th graders (and older) studying American history--specifically westward expansion.

I am honored to introduce the Author of Journey of Hope, Victoria Murata!  Victoria spent four years carefully researching the Oregon trail, and believes this book that would be a natural addition to the classroom study of this time period.  Thank you for being here Victoria, let's get started...

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR BOOK.
I am a retired social studies teacher living in Albuquerque, NM. My two children and four grandchildren live close by. My husband and I enjoy travelling and we’ve been to many amazing places. We are also sailors and we’ve sailed New Mexico lakes, (yes, we do have some lakes here in the desert), and we’ve sailed in the San Diego area and in Belize and the San Juan’s. We’ve also participated in some coastal Pacific Ocean races.
 
My novel, Journey of Hope, is about three families on the Oregon Trail in 1852. It has a lot of action and adventure in the forms of Indian encounters, wild animals, diseases that take a toll and the rivers and mountains that have to be crossed.
 
It primarily focuses on three young women who get to know each other during their journey. One of these women, Brenna, is an Irish immigrant travelling with her family. They endured extreme hardship in Ireland as a result of the potato famine, and after spending some years in a tenement in NYC, they are looking for a new beginning in Oregon. None of them can predict how arduous the trip will be.
 
Rebecca is the oldest child in a large family travelling from Iowa. She has many responsibilities since her mother is pregnant and will have the seventh child while on the trail. Rebecca experiences love and loss and learns how deep the heart is.
 
Emily is the main protagonist. She is a young, newly married woman from a wealthy family in Ohio. She grew up never wanting for anything. It was only after her marriage that she discovered her husband’s wanderlust, and because of the constraints of the times, she must follow where he goes, and he is going to Oregon. Her journey takes many twists and turns and she discovers a secret about herself that could ruin her. She endures unspeakable horrors and emerges triumphantly stronger and wiser in Oregon City.
 
WHEN AND HOW DID YOU BECOME A WRITER?
I’ve always considered myself a writer. Even as a child, I was always writing something. All through school and into college I received a lot of encouragement for my writing. Interestingly, I always wanted to write fiction. My diaries from my childhood are quite boring!
 
WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WRITING ACHIEVEMENT?
I think this book, Journey of Hope, is my greatest writing achievement. I spent four years carefully researching life on the Oregon Trail and life in 1852. One of the characters, a dentist who wants to start an orchard in Oregon, is a real person who travelled the trail in 1852, and what happens to him and his two wagons of fruit trees is a historical event. I had to research what dentistry was like in 1852—kind of primitive! If you had a tooth ache, there was really only one solution on the Oregon Trail!
 
I loved the research part, and I tried to incorporate all of the interesting facts into my story in some way. For example, it was fun to discover how much in the way of food and utensils and cherished items the “overlanders” could fit into the typical wagon that travelled the trail. Many of the women who over packed had to leave precious possessions along the trail when they discovered after the first day of travel that their wagon was too heavy. People in Independence would ride out and “harvest’ the trail for items that were left behind. They would find things like stoves, beds, dressers, dishes and boxes of books.
 
WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
Words. Being clear is so very important, and words are very constraining. I can have the most beautiful story in my mind, but putting it into words to say what I mean can be a challenge. I had to learn to read my writing as if I was new to it and I had never read it before.
 
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?
I am currently working on a sequel to Journey of Hope. This story follows Emily, Rebecca and Brenna in Oregon City, and there’s an interesting twist to the plot that I think readers will enjoy.
 
I’m also writing a completely different novel. It’s a mystery about an old woman who has held a secret for a lifetime, and how and why she decides to reveal it to her family. As the story unfolds, it looks at both the consequences of keeping this secret and revealing it, and the forgiveness that must occur in order for lives to move forward.
 
WHAT GENRE(S) DO YOU WRITE?
Historical fiction and mystery are the two genres I am focusing on. I also write memoir.
 
DO YOU EVER SUFFER FROM WRITER’S BLOCK?  IF SO, HOW DO YOU GET PAST IT?
Yes, I’ve had writer’s block which is why I’m working on two totally different novels right now. When I’m stuck on one, I will work on the other. Meanwhile the one I’m stuck on will “percolate” and soon I will know the direction I need to go with it.
 
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PLACE TO WRITE?
I have a large desk upstairs in my office. It faces a big window that looks at the Sandia Mountains east of Albuquerque.
 
WHAT’S THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT YOU EVER RECEIVED FROM A READER?
A reader said Journey of Hope is the best Oregon Trail book she’s ever read. I love that because it sounds like she’s read a few, and it means my research paid off.
 
WHAT WAS THE WORST COMMENT FROM A READER?
I had a reviewer say that there are too many characters in my book. There are a lot of characters that are introduced fairly quickly, but once you get into the story, they all get sorted out.
 
OTHER THAN WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LOVE?
I love my family, my church, my community. I love to travel and experience new places and people. I make jewelry and I dabble in pastels. I sail. I had a ranch and horses, and I studied natural horsemanship which does come out in the book. Brenna is a natural with horses and she becomes the go-to person for training young horses.
 
DID YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK(S) PROFESSIONALLY EDITED BEFORE PUBLICATION?
Yes, and I recommend it.
 
HOW DID YOUR BOOK COVER COME TO FRUITION? 
I had a vision in my head about how the cover should look. The team who was designing it kept trying, but they weren’t coming up with anything I liked. I finally found the images on free image sites and sent them to the team, and they put them all together into what it is today and I love it!
 
DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OF YOUR CHARACTERS?
I see parts of myself in many of the characters in the story, but there is no one character that I modeled after myself.
 
DOES THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY FRUSTRATE YOU?
I think it’s hard trying to find your niche. I have friends who have tried to get published and have received many rejections from publishers. It’s not because their writing isn’t good. They just have to find the right publisher who wants what they have to offer. Sometimes that doesn’t happen. That’s why Indie authors are so fortunate today. We really do have control over our products—our books. Thankfully I chose to self-publish before I tried to get published by any of the industry publishers.
 
DID YOU EVER THINK OF QUITTING?
No. There were times when the book was set aside for a while, but it was always writing itself in my mind.
 
HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE ‘SUCCESS’ AS A WRITER?
When I am happy with what I’ve written, I feel successful. That doesn’t mean I will never go back and change anything because I have and I will. In fact, I could still be revising Journey of Hope, but there’s a point where you have to call something finished. I believe that if you base success on what others think, you’re not writing for yourself and it will come through in your “voice.”
 
DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS?
Keep writing. Everything changes. Life changes but keep your resolve and never give up.
 
ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?
I was expecting my novel to be popular in Europe since it seems Europeans have a fascination with the Wild West period of the United States, but so far it hasn’t happened. One problem is getting my book translated into other languages—very expensive! Who knows what the future holds? Maybe it will catch on in Europe in the future.

 
And now for the speed round of questions...
Victoria's “BLONDE” BASICS:

FAVORITE FOOD?  Asian cuisine and salty snacks
FAVORITE MOVIE?   Hmmmm…..there’s so many. I love Gone with the Wind. More recently I loved Life of Pi and Moonrise Kingdom.
FAVORITE BOOK? I loved Angela’s Ashes and also The Help.
FAVORITE SUPERHERO?  Batman, hands down.
FAVORITE AUTHOR?  Recently I’m enjoying Ann Patchett, and I love Erik Larson and Louise Erdrich. Probably my favorite, though, is James Herriot. He was a vet in Yorkshire in the 30’s and beyond and his stories are wonderful.

A HUGE heartfelt thank you to Victoria for sharing some insights on herself and her truly educational book!  

Here's where you can get Journey of Hope: 


Saturday, June 22, 2013

Author Interview with Janet Hurst-Nicholson! 

Vicky is left-handed and teased for being clumsy, but a visit from her Gran changes everything.

Vicky’s Granddad has died and her Gran is coming for a visit. Vicky wants to cheer her up by embroidering a cushion as a gift, but Vicky is left-handed and she struggles to learn how to sew. She decides that winning a race in the school sports might be a better idea – but can she do it, especially when Graham threatens to spoil all her plans?

The story highlights some of the challenges faced by left-handers. 

At the end of the book is advice on how to help left-handers; how to tell if a child is left-handed; the correct way for a left-hander to hold a pencil and to slant the paper; famous left-handers; percentage of the population who are left-handed; career choices for left-handers and cultural issues for left-handers.


I am honored to introduce a very lovely Author, Janet Hurst-Nicholson!  She is the Author of The Race, an Inspiring story for Left-Handers, among many other works including the Leon Chameleon P.I. books, Jake, Baby Bupe and more!  The Race thrilled me from the start because my mom is left-handed so I love this concept!  Thank you for being here Janet, let's get started...
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR BOOK. 
The Race (an inspiring story for left-handers) is hot off the press (or whatever the e-book equivalent is) having been published on 29th May. As a left-hander I was aware of some of the difficulties encountered growing up in a right-handed world, but it was much later that I realised just how many tasks are made more difficult for lefties and I felt the need to alert lefty children and their parents and teachers of possible problems and how they can be overcome.

I was born in the UK and emigrated from Liverpool to South Africa in the 1970s.
I started writing in the 1980s and began with articles, humorous articles and short stories and these have appeared in South African and overseas magazines.

My first children’s book was ‘Leon Chameleon PI and the case of the missing canary eggs’ published by Gecko Books. It was one of Bookchat’s 1993 South African Books of the Year. This was followed by ‘Leon Chameleon PI and the case of the kidnapped mouse’ which is a 2013 KART Kids book award winner. ‘Leon Chameleon PI and the case of the bottled bat’ is awaiting publication. These are humorous, animal, detective stories set in a nature reserve.
‘Bheki and the Magic Light,’ which tells of a rural child’s fascination with a torch, was published by Penguin SA.  ‘Jake,’ was published by Cambridge University Press.

WHEN AND HOW DID YOU BECOME A WRITER? 
As a child I loved escaping into a book, and even tried writing one when I was about 10 years old, but had no idea where to go after the first chapter. I thought writers must all be university graduates and very clever. As an adult I enjoyed reading the ‘back page’ humour spots in magazines and decided to give it a try. My first attempt was published, and I was hooked on writing. That was over 25 years ago. After taking a writing course I moved on to writing short stories, children’s books, and then novels for teens and adults, but I still continued with my humorous articles. 

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WRITING ACHIEVEMENT? Seeing my first published book in print (Leon Chameleon PI and the case of the missing canary eggs) was probably my most exciting writing moment, but I am most proud of my humorous novel But Can You Drink The Water? being a semi finalist (top 50 out of 5000) in the 2010 ABNA competition and the Publishers Weekly reviewer commenting that it was, “Droll, witty and utterly British."
WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER? The hardest thing about being a writer used to be finding an agent or publisher - but thanks to e-publishing we can now self-publish. However, this means we have to do our own marketing and it’s not easy competing with the over 1 million e-books for sale on Amazon.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT? 
I have a third book in the Leon Chameleon PI series ready to be illustrated, but that can be an expensive undertaking. I had an animation company interested in making the books into an animated series and I did 20 outline stories, but it all came to nought when the company could not get funding, so the stories are waiting to be filled out into books.

WHAT GENRE(S) DO YOU WRITE? 
I have written articles, short stories in several genres, children’s animal adventure, children’s adventure, children’s picture books, a humorous novel, family saga and a teen action adventure.

DO YOU EVR SUFFER FROM WRITER’S BLOCK?  IF SO, HOW DO YOU GET PAST IT?  
I can’t call it writer’s block, but I do have a problem forcing myself to sit down and write for any length of time (I think I must be hyperactive – see A Writer’s Day on my website www.just4kix.jimdo.com). If I get stuck for a word or a sentence I lie on the bed with my head over the edge and wait for the blood to rush to my brain and get it into the right gear. Funnily enough, it usually works J

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PLACE TO WRITE? 
In the early days before computers I used to scribble notes wherever I was, but now most of my writing is done on the computer in my office (but that doesn’t mean I don’t get inspiration while washing the dishes and have to rush to write it down before it disappears)

WHAT’S THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT YOU EVER RECEIVED FROM A READER? I love to hear that I made people laugh, and I especially love the letters from children telling me how much they enjoyed my Leon Chameleon stories and which was their favourite character, and how they laughed at Constable Mole and his sunglasses.

WHAT WAS THE WORST COMMENT FROM A READER? 
Some of them aren’t printable lol. A writer has to learn to be thick-skinned and, especially with humour, realise that everyone has different tastes. To get a sense of perspective I read the reviews and comments on books by bestselling authors – and some of those reviews can be pretty scathing.

OTHER THAN WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LOVE? Reading! I can’t imagine being without a book. I also enjoy crosswords, and I belong to a public speaking club which has been valuable training for giving talks at schools and other functions and events to do with writing.

DID YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK(S) PROFESSIONALLY EDITED BEFORE PUBLICATION? 
I have a friend who is a tutor for a writing school and she goes through the manuscript after I’ve read through it umpteen times, and then another experienced writing friend gives it a final edit.

HOW DID YOUR BOOK COVER COME TO FRUITION? 
I had a basic idea of what I wanted on the cover and then I found a graphic artist who lived nearby and after a discussion she put together a draft version. We then workshopped it with several writers until we came up with the final cover.  

DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OF YOUR CHARACTERS? I used some of my own experiences in The Race, and also in But Can You Drink The Water? but I don’t really see myself in any of the characters (but maybe my friends do)

DOES THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY FRUSTRATE YOU? The traditional publishing industry can be very frustrating, but with e-publishing writers can now self-publish and have complete control, and that is very liberating (and far more profitable)

DID YOU EVER THINK OF QUITTING? 
Not really. If you’re a writer you will always want to write – even if it’s just posts on a forum.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE ‘SUCCESS’ AS A WRITER? 
That’s a difficult one. Does success mean winning the Booker Prize, or having JK Rowling-type sales?  Success used to mean finding a publisher willing to take a chance with your book, but there are plenty of self-publishers whose sales have surpassed those of traditionally published books, most of which become damp squibs anyway. There are still writers who feel the need to have a book published by one of the big six (now five) publishers before they feel they have succeeded as a writer, and I can understand that.


DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS? 
My advice to writers would be:
·         learn your craft (if you can master ‘show’ don’t ‘tell’ then you’ve made a good start)
·         be prepared to take advice
·         edit and re-edit, and be ready to ‘murder your darlings
·         don’t publish until you are quite sure the book is the best you can make it
·         persevere
·         develop a thick skin in preparation for rejections and poor reviews.

ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD? 
Just to say thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my books with your readers.

And now for the speed round of questions...
Janet's “BLONDE” BASICS:

FAVORITE FOOD?  Sunday Roast lunch
FAVORITE MOVIE?  Don’t really have one
FAVORITE BOOK? The Fancy by Monica Dickens
FAVORITE SUPERHERO?  Sean Connery’s James Bond
FAVORITE AUTHOR?  Monica Dickens

A HUGE heartfelt thank you to Janet for sharing some insights on herself and her truly wonderful books!  

Here's where you can get The Race: 

Also, stop in and say hi to Janet on her website!

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

I am extremely excited to post my very FIRST Book Review and I couldn't be more pleased with the book I chose for it! 
BOOK REVIEW FOR:  Cosmic Aviators - Nathaniel's 1st Adventure
AUTHOR:  G.E.F. Neilson (about the Author below!)
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Adventure/Science Fiction for 9 Years Up To Teens.  1st installment in the Cosmic Aviators Series.
Twelve-year old Nathaniel Ravenscroft discovers he has telekinetic skills. When neighbour Doctor Crisp dies, he bequeaths a magical wristwatch to Nathaniel. Fantastic events unfold, household objects move by themselves and a hologram of Doctor Crisp appears. Nathaniel meets a cosmic boy called Theodore Firestar. Theodore explains that the existence and progression of the Cosmos relies on the golden radiance of ten special golden pentacles.
Nathaniel's dog, Otto, falls into the fourth dimension where Nathaniel meets Ruben and Octavia, aliens from another planet. They unite as the Cosmic Aviators, each armed with a gifted watch and rocket boots for space travel.
Ruben and Octavia tell Nathaniel about an evil man called Sebastian who is aided by pilot demons called Maxidroids. Sebastian is slowly destroying Ruben and Octavia's home planet. Nathaniel is shocked when he finds out that the evil Sebastian is his Uncle Sebastian from Littlehampton, U.K. His mind reminisces about a time when he overheard his uncle talk of the "Curse of the black diamonds" giving him the "Dark edge on reality". Nathaniel realizes that his uncle has been living a double life thriving on evil and contempt.
Can Nathaniel stop his uncle from destroying planet Granberg and planet Earth?
Can Nathaniel and the other Cosmic Aviators stop The Dark Triangle of Odium,
Maximus (the Maxidroid leader) and the Maxidroids from destroying the Universe?
MY SCORE:  4 out of 5 Blonde Stars!     

MY BLONDE REVIEW: 
I’ve got one word for this book:  brilliant!  Ok, I lied, I’ve got lots of words for this book!  This book has it all!  Time travel, space, witches, magical watches, adorable elves, telepathy, castles, an amusement park, bullies, space bikes and boots, and my favorite…an Angel!
First, I have to say that the Author is from Scotland, so some of the spelling and the language is different than what I’m used to and I loved that aspect!  I could literally hear the accent coming out in the story and it was quite J.K. Rowling-esque!    
Here is what I adored:  I loved the adventure and fast-paced action that takes place in the book.  Also, the characters are delightful and charming and you just can’t help but like them!  I loved the character that was truly an Angel because I am a huge fan of all things with Angels (although I won’t spoil the surprise and say which character it is!)  I loved the pentacles, the dog Otto, and I thought the Elfinriddlers added a lot to the story!  I also loved the letter that Nathaniel received on his birthday because I felt it had a great message for kids and there were definitely some other good morals scattered throughout the story.    

I think this will be enjoyed by both boys and girls alike.  The book has great lessons built into it about teamwork and comradeship and I absolutely love books where the “bullies” get what they deserve.  There are some great magical elements, especially surrounding the watch with powers.  I also liked the mystery that the Author built up in places and there was a mysterious haunting of a person that has passed.  The idea behind the book and all of the thought that the Author put into the storyline is great and enduring!  I loved the world building but craved a little more description of the different planets, backdrops, and the timo capsules.  My favorite line in the book was from Sebastian, “I don’t have the time to time travel!”   
The only reasons I didn’t give it the full 5 Blonde Stars:  Sometimes I forgot that the characters could use telepathy to speak to each other, so I was wondering why others around them didn’t hear what they were saying.  But I think the intended readers, kids, will probably have no issue with that!
Overall, I had a ball reading this and I think kids will enjoy this adventure and probably want to dive right into more ventures these characters go on!  This Author is one to watch and I will gladly read anything she puts out in the future!                    

ABOUT THE TALENTED AUTHOR:
G.E.F. Neilson was born on St. Andrews Day in St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, U.K. She lives and works in St. Andrews. During her spare time she enjoys writing for children, going for walks along the local beaches, cycling and listening to current music.

The first title from the series "Cosmic Aviators" is "Cosmic Aviators - Nathaniel's 1st Adventure"

https://twitter.com/GEFNeilson
https://twitter.com/CosmicAviators
https://www.facebook.com/CosmicAviators

BUY THE BOOK HERE:  http://www.amazon.com/Cosmic-Aviators-Nathaniels-Adventure-ebook/dp/B00BSIPTG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371573005&sr=8-1&keywords=cosmic+aviators

A HUGE THANK YOU to G.E.F Neilson for letting me read and review her book!

Friday, June 14, 2013

Author Interview with Annaliese Matheron

Author Interview with Annaliese Matheron! 

Grandparents are boring right? Wrong! As Ben is about to find out.
Packed off to his Nan and Grandad's for the summer holidays with his older brother Kieran, Ben is on the brink of loosing his brain to boredom.

That is until he spies Mrs Gillespie Nans rotten old neighbour acting very suspiciously. It seems that the old people of Honeypot Grove are keeping a very big secret and Ben is determined to get to the bottom of it.

Ben soon finds himself uncovering government secrets, finding underground surveillance centres and confronting Lycra clad assailants. And he's dragging his big brother along for the ride.
But when the boys get in to some serious trouble at the hands of a criminal Boss, can they really count on their Nan and Grandad to save them?

Packed full of adventure and a few laughs along the way Ninja Nan and Sidekick Grandad will leave you wondering if all old folk are what they appear to be?
 
For ages 7+...

I am honored to introduce a very talented and sweet Author, Annaliese Matheron!  She is the Author of FOUR Ninja Nan books (for ages 7+) as well as her new book Wolflore (for ages 10+).  Both Ninja Nan and Sidekick Grandad AND Wolflore will be FREE as e-books on Amazon June 17-19, 2013!  Links are below!  So get yourself copies!  She also has New Wolf Rising slated to be published in Oct 2013, so keep your eye out for that!  Thank you for being here Annaliese, I'd love to pick your brain...

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR BOOK. 
I have never been what one might consider as conventional – not that I shirk convention and tradition some things just have to be done properly, like afternoon tea for example. However, on the whole I would say that I live a life less ordinary. I live in the country, with my partner Jason, who’s a landscape photographer, and our three children who we home-school and so are at home all the time. You might think that this would be of great use; having three personal slaves around all day to help with the house work and looking after all our chickens and other pets, but unfortunately it doesn’t work out like that and the kids generally make more mess than all the animals combined.
 
We live in a sleepy little village. We have a church and the mobile library comes once a month to save me, but that’s about it ... apart from all the wildlife of course. Not that I’m all that in to nature, animals and bugs. Don’t get me wrong I think it beautiful and interesting but I’m not exactly the outdoors type; I have been described as a hermit once or twice.
 
The thing is that I have enough to be getting on with from the confines of my cosy writing chair which is one hundred percent mud free.
 
But don’t think I’m not adventurous – far from it!
 
It just happens that some of my best adventures have occurred whilst sitting at my desk, that’s all.
 
So far I have had five big adventures, I mean books published; four belong to the Ninja Nan Series, in which a young boy called Ben, and his older brother, Kieran, visits his grandparents house for the summer holidays and finds out that they are keeping some very big secrets; they and all the other old people in the street are part of a government spy ring.
 
And the other is Wolflore, my new work, and is for a slightly older audience 10+ (where Ninja Nan is 7+) Adam Blake and his mother, Lucinda, have always moved around. Different towns, different schools, different kids. Adam just didn't know how different some of them might have been, not until he finds out that he is almost as far from being human as it gets. Adam is catapulted into a new world which exists just below the fabric or reality. Where sirens stalk the halls and Demons plot their secret agenda behind closed doors. Where Vampires can be hired for muscle and Voodoo priestesses are seriously scary, and kind of hot. When his best friend, Harry – a human, goes missing Adam must use all that sets him apart from his human friend in order to save him.
WHEN AND HOW DID YOU BECOME A WRITER?
I’ve always written but I didn’t realise that I was a writer until quite late. I thought I was lots of other things and entertained ideas of being an Astronaut, or an Ice Skater or an Archaeologist or a Theatre Director! But never a writer, not until I took a creative writing module as a fun portion of my degree.
 
I remember when it hit me; when I realised what I was, Bam! I actually slapped my own forehead in stupidity. “I am a writer, why didn’t I see it before, when I write I can be all the things I’ve ever wanted to be and more. Foolish, Annaliese.”
 
Since then I haven’t stopped writing, and I don’t ever want to stop writing either. I can safely say that I don’t just love writing I am in love with it and it’s one of those everlasting, Earth moving, all consuming loves that never burns out.
 
WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WRITING ACHIEVEMENT?
I guess it depends on how you measure achievement and what your standards are at the time – because standards always rise. At one point just finishing a book was an achievement, then getting it published, then having someone buy it!
 
Getting to the final of The People’s Book Prize with Ninja Nan and Sidekick Grandad was a high point, but the best nod is when a reader sends me an email to tell me they loved my books. Or comes to a signing and shares the favourite bits of a story I’ve written with me. Knowing that what I have to write about is being enjoyed is the greatest achievement.
 
WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
For me the hardest bit is letting people know that my book is out there in the big wide world and is looking for friends. Readers can’t read it if they don’t know it’s there and that’s the part that I struggle with.
 
Not being with a big name publisher means that marketing in small, and, unfortunately, I never wanted to be in marketing although there was a time when I thought being a spin doctor might be fun; maybe I should try and tap into that.
 
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?
At the moment I am finishing up a sequel to Wolflore it’s called New wolf Rising and so many things have happened to our young werewolf hero, Adam. He’s been cursed, haunted and stalked.
 
The new book introduces some fantastic characters, that I’m very excited about. The Van Oren brothers, Johan and Axle belong to an ancient and mighty family of Slayers. The brothers come from Sweden, bringing all their Norse tradition and secret ways with them as they try to track down the Demon Mirror.
 
Adam and Axle cross paths and their story has a surprising ending.
 
There are lots of other aspects to the book but that thread is one that I think my readers will find particularly interesting.
 
WHAT GENRE(S) DO YOU WRITE?
I don’t tend to write in one genre. I write whatever I find to be entertaining and thought provoking. The characters are the real driving force in my writing and they dictate the action, the themes and direction of the story. I like to think that my writing is intelligent and open and that my readers will feel as if they have experienced something once the story is over.
 
DO YOU EVR SUFFER FROM WRITER’S BLOCK?  IF SO, HOW DO YOU GET PAST IT? 
Yes, it’s the worse. A good friend once told me to JUST WRITE! So I do, when I know what’s going to happen but can’t think of how to show it I push through it by writing. It doesn’t matter if what I write doesn’t work, that’s what the delete button is for, but I find that the process of writing - doing the doing as I call it when I’m stuck, gets the creativity flowing.
 
If I have a plot issue, if my characters are being stingy and haven’t shown me what happens next then I usually go on a run. Almost all of my plot problems have been solved in my running shoes.
 
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PLACE TO WRITE?
I have a place where I write, but it isn’t my favourite place, it’s a desk and that’s about all there is to say about it. I have a fantasy writing room which hopefully one day when I’m an international bestselling author I’ll get to summon into reality, and when I do I’m sure my old desk will be in pride of place.
 
WHAT’S THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT YOU EVER RECEIVED FROM A READER?
I think the biggest compliment is when a reader comes back and buys your new book; you know you’re doing something right when that happens and when they buy it with their own pocket money – that for me is very special.
 
OTHER THAN WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LOVE?
There are so many things that I love, it would take me all day to list them. But my family and writing surpass all of those. My partner, our children, and writing - if I had or could do nothing else, I would still be happy.
 
DID YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK(S) PROFESSIONALLY EDITED BEFORE PUBLICATION?
Yes, professional editing is a must. Otherwise it’s like setting sail without a compass. Us writers are so close to our work that we can’t see the that the bad bits are rotting and that they risk infecting the rest of the work. We think it’s all great and it isn’t until an impartial critical voice offers its perception that we start to question our work, take off the rose coloured glasses and se that nasty pronoun for the maggot infested mess that it is.
 
HOW DID YOUR BOOK COVER COME TO FRUITION?   
I’m very lucky to have lots of very talented friends who read my books and wanted to be part of them. Sarah Marshman, who designed the Ninja Nan covers previously worked in Hong Kong producing animation, and I thought that her bold style was appropriate to the books and the age group.
 
And David Atkins who designed the Wolflore cover drew on his experience as a comic book illustrator to capture the characters in a dark and engaging way. David is also a fantastic writer, his stories are amazing portrayals of beautiful nightmares – not for kids or the faint hearted, but definitely for those who like vivid, creative stories painted in sumptuous language that stings and bites.
 
DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OF YOUR CHARACTERS?
I think that I can see aspects of myself in each and every one of my characters just as I can see that my son has the same chin as me and that my eldest daughter has my curly hair. But they are their own, and I the parts of my characters that I can identify with are the bits that they have taken from me the rest is all them.
 
DOES THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY FRUSTRATE YOU?
I don’t think that the publishing industry frustrates me. I’m in it and treading water. What does frustrate me is not having an agent with a speed boat to pull me through the water so that I can wakeboard!
 
DID YOU EVER THINK OF QUITTING?
Once or twice the idea has half heartedly flit across my mind, but the moment if does the muse in me gets so offended she gives me a quick slap across the face and grasps the tops of my arms, then, with a shake she says “Are you crazy? What would we do? Be miserable forever that’s what!” And. Of course, she’s right.
 
DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS?
When we start writing a story we think about all the things we should do. All the conventions attached to writing the particular story that we want to write, all the ways that those before us have done it. But they didn’t write your story. Only you know how it goes and only you can do it; so do it your way, you’re in charge, it’s your way or the highway, so write with your heart, your head and your gut and try to keep the doubt gremlins safely locked away.

 
And now for the speed round of questions...
Annaliese's “BLONDE” BASICS:
 
FAVORITE FOOD?  I’m a vegetarian so it’s a good job that I love vegetables. I’d walk over hot coals for good mushrooms, asparagus and my partner’s leek and potato soup ( not all at once; that would be gross!)

FAVORITE MOVIE?

It depends on how I feel I like lots of different movies, comedies like Dodge ball, horror like Let the right one in (the proper one in Swedish), Slushy stuff that makes me cry, like Steel Magnolias and high adventure like The Goonies!


If I was on a deserted island and I could only take one with me it would probably be Stardust, it has it all comedy, adventure, romance, mystery. And after a long hard day of dealing with the rigors of island life if would be just the thing to cheer me. Plus I love the book!

FAVORITE BOOK? Again, it depends on my mood but if I was on that island again then probably Jane Eyre. And I’d try to slip in Cymbeline under the stipulation that it’s technically a play and shouldn’t be in the one book limit.
 
FAVORITE SUPERHERO?  Aqua Man. I don’t need to explain – he’s awesome!
 
FAVORITE AUTHOR?  There are so many authors that have taken me on the most amazing adventures, but I guess my favorite and best would have to be my first author crush Roald Dahl. I remember reading Danny the Champion of the World over and over again then Matilda, The Twits, Esio Trot, Charlie and the Chocolate factory – I wasn’t so keen on The Great Glass Elevator – but all the others were and still are my friends.

A HUGE heartfelt thank you to Annaliese for sharing some insights on herself and her fabulous middle grade book!

Here's where you can get Ninja Nan: 

NINJA NAN AND SIDEKICK GRANDAD:
http://www.amazon.com/Ninja-Nan-Sidekick-Grandad-ebook/dp/B005CLDLKI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1371277688&sr=8-2&keywords=ninja+nan

NINJA NAN AND HER MERRY MEN:
 
Here's where you can get Wolflore: 
 
Also, stop in and say hi to Annaliese on her website!