Guest Blog: Madeline Courtney

You might remember Madeline Courtney from my last interview with her. Well, since then, she has written another book, and has asked for another interview. I'm excited to bring this fresh young writer to you again. Enjoy!

1. How was writing Firelight different from writing your last book,
The Case of Irene Adler?

Madeline: As you may know, IRENE ADLER takes place in the late eighteen hundreds while FIRELIGHT has a modern day setting. So that's fairly different. The characters are also very different. Jonelle Watson was shy, but angered easily. Alice Rosewood (FIRELIGHT heroine) is a worrier, but also annoyed easily because of her anxiety. Everything is very different and I hope fans of my SUPERNATURAL SHERLOCK HOLMES book 1 will like this.

Kylie: I love your attention to personality traits, in both novels. It makes for memorable characters!

2. Obviously Firelight features fairies, something that has been done
a lot in the fantasy genre. Are your fairies the cute and bubbly kind,
or the dark "careful she bites" kind? (My fingers are crossed for the
latter, but either way it sounds awesome)

M: My fairies or "Fae" as they call themselves in the book are pretty awesome! They do Earth Bound Magick (which is a fancy way of saying Wicca) and it's their job to protect the creatures of the Earth. The Pixies, however, are shrewd fairies, gone evil for power. They feel they should control the world instead of saving it. After all, aren't they doing all the work while humans sit on their asses destroying the planet? There's a lot of Magick and a war is rising in this novel between the Fae and the Pixies.

K: Yesss, evil fairies. Check. LOL, and I prefer the term "Fae" as well. ;)

3. What was the inspiration behind this novel?

M: I went to school with a set of beautiful (if you don't mind me saying) native American twin girls and I knew I wanted to write about twins. And I've always had an obsession with fairies. They sort of merged together one day while I was taking the two hour car ride to KC (read my blog on the subject)

K: It can certainly be surprising to see where we get our inspiration from. Sometimes a novel just wants to be written, and we just have to go with it. Which is kind of awesome.

4. How do you plan to market Firelight?

M: I wanna sell it on Ebook and Amazon (and any other site that will take it for that matter!) But I also want to put it up for free download on my site and on WATTPAD (a lovely writing society).

K: Very cool of you to want to make your book free! I hope it will help bring you more readers :)

5. What can we expect from you next?

M: I have absolutely no idea. FIRELIGHT is taking up all of my brain. Literally, everything I do links back to fairies.

K: That's dedication! I wish I could stick to one project, LOL.

6. What is your advice to fellow writers?

M: READ. WRITE. TWEET. REPEAT.

K: Good advice! I usually get stuck on the "tweet" part, as I think many writers do. Social media can be such a distraction, but it's also a great way to stay in touch with readers and let people in on your progress :) Thanks for letting me interview you again, and good luck with everything! 

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Guest Blog: Melissa Scholes

A new author named Melissa Scholes was recommended to me and sent me an email asking to do a guest blog the other day. I didn't hesitate. I'm excited to share her interview with you. I'm trying a new format starting with this one, so I hope it works and isn't too confusing! Here is her interview:

1. I read the first chapter of your novel "The Unknown" and I'm very
intrigued. What else can you tell me about the plot?

Melissa: The plot is very unique. Each character is a part of me that shows my personality, so I'm putting them in a jumbled mess of being grown ups when they should really be out having fun. Cindy really helps those four characters relax and have some fun, but eventually the fun has to stop. Isabella has this special ability to see the future with the help of Shadow People. The Shadow People are these black mist that come to her in her dreams to guide her in the right direction. Isabella has support by her two best friends Camille and Lupin with her older brother Joseph to take out the cruel scientist, Septimus. Unfortunately it will be a long unraveling journey for the four friends, for they will come to some pretty enormous walls that will possibly change their lives even more. I also like to put tension between Lupin and Isabella because I love juicy romances.

Kylie: Me too! Gotta have that tension ;)

2. What was the inspiration behind this novel?

M: My nightmares, dreams, and my bestie, Madeline Courtney, helped inspire me to write such a novel. It's based on science fiction that goes beyond our own time, but not for long. I have always had an open mind to any possibilities, and this was one of them.

K: Definitely cool that it's Science Fiction (my favorite genre of course) and I love anything that explores the unknown (such as dreams etc) so it sounds awesome!

3. I noticed "The Unknown" switches between past tense and present
tense a lot. What was it that made you decide to take this route?

M: With Isabella's dreams, she has to show through her past why she put up such strong built walls around her heart. I also have a tendency to mix up my past tense with present, but since this is the first draft right now, I'm writing down to wash it out of my head. Once done editing it will all be fixed, with the help of Madi of course.

K: Ah, okay, that makes sense now. Sorry, but I just had to ask! 

4. Any future novels currently in the works?

M: I'm not currently working on another book, but ideas pop into my head for this one particular book I want to produce. It's called Imperfections. I will be typing up real life experiences in this novel that will portray my struggles that tragically have played a big part of my life. I wasn't the best kid in the world to suck up to peoples good side. I was rather the  naïve child clawing at the edge of dangers.  Ultimately those wrong decision have made me a stronger, better person now to where I can give others advice.

K: That sounds awesome. I would love to read it. Good luck writing it!

5. Got any advice for fellow writers?

M: My advice to other writers would be to write until your hands feel numb, don't give up no matter what, make time to write, don't make excuses of why you couldn't write, and to always write down the plotline, characters personality traits, and how that specific chapter would go.

K: Definitely agree, and I for one will be taking your advice to heart. 

6. Last but not least, can you tell us more about yourself, for those who might not know you?

M: Hi, my name is Melissa Brooke Scholes. I live in Carthage Missouri, but was born in Pittsburgh Kansas. I've always enjoyed writing ever since fifth grade. I made a trilogy of superheroes, but then tossed it out because it all sounded so childish. Of course that all was written when I was 12. Naturally when I was younger I was the girl outside playing with the neighborhood kids. When the weather was horrible I was inside building forts and exploring my imagination. There was a period in my life were the dangerous troublemaker dared to challenge the consequences. I'm better now and proving to people that I'm not that person anymore. I write books, poems, and stories to prove them wrong. My best friend Madeline Courtney helped me with all that shadiness and we joined in each others raids of writing. Thanks to Ksenia Anske, Amy Good, and bestie, Madeline Courtney, who has helped me better improve my book and gain readers.

K: Thanks for sharing, Melissa! Sounds like we would have gotten along well as kids ;) And I agree, those are some great people you mentioned! I wish you luck with your novel and all your endeavors. :) 

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