Reviews - Guest Blog with author Rayne Hall

I have the pleasure of following author and editor Rayne Hall on Twitter, and I always find her conversations very informative and engaging. Rayne has written many books, most of which are designed to help authors strengthen their writing, which, as a writer myself, I appreciate. She has offered two previously published pieces for this blog, both about reviews. I have split this blog up into 2 parts. The first part is for readers, and the second part is for writers. Enjoy!

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READERS: 

The question Rayne tackles in this post is "Are Indie Books Worth Reviewing?" When I hear this question, my mind automatically screams, "YES!" If any book needs reviewing, it is an indie book, and I don't think indie books are any less worthy of reviews than other books. Here's what Rayne Hall had to say about it:

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ARE INDIE BOOKS WORTH REVIEWING?

by Rayne Hall

Certain book blogs state categorically that they won't review self-published books.  I understand their motivation: They get inundated with submissions and are trying to keep the numbers down.

However, No Indies is as arbitrary as No Jews or No Women.

The reviewers aim to filter out low-quality works - but is the publishing method a valid quality filter?

It used to be. In the late 20th century, the established path to publication was author-agent-publisher-bookseller-reader. Each book had to pass three gates on its journey from author to reader, and each gate represented a quality test. Self-published books were inevitably those that had failed at the first two gates.

Times have changed. E-publishing makes it possible to reach the readers directly, and many authors choose the direct route instead of queuing at the gates.

Without gatekeepers barring entry, many poorly-written and under-revised books get published. A lot of indie (i.e. self-published) books are not as good as their authors think. Frankly, there's a mass of indie dross - but there are also many indie gems.

The boundary between “good book” and “bad book” doesn't happen to coincide with the frontier between indie-published and traditional-published books.

Consider the authors who use both publishing models: Amanda Hocking, John Locke and Michael Stackpole submit some of their works to traditional publishers and self-publish others. Are these authors' traditional-published books better than their self-published ones?

Or how about the authors were successful with traditional-published books, but then decided to go indie? Consider Joe Konrath, Barry Eisler, and Dean Wesley Smith. Have they lost their ability to write good books?

Then there are the authors who took their previously traditional-published out-of-print books and self-published them as ebooks -  Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Piers Anthony, for instance. The books are the same, so how can they suddenly be less worthy?

Over three decades, I had twenty books published by several traditional publishers before choosing the indie route. Does this mean my old books are worth reviewing, and my new books are not - even though I have grown as a writer?

Not long ago, a book blogger approached me. She had enjoyed the stories in Six Scary Tales Vol. 1 and asked for review copies of Vol. 2 and 3, so she could review the series. Shortly after I sent the books, I received an email “Your books are self-published and therefore not worth reading or reviewing.”

Excuse me? When she assumed that the books were traditional-published, she liked the stories and wanted more. On discovery that they were indie-published, the same stories were suddenly not worth reading. What does this say about the reviewer's judgement?

Most stories in the Six Scary Tales series were originally published the traditional way in magazines and anthologies. Did inclusion in the self-published collection damage their quality?

I appreciate that book bloggers decline to read certain books, e.g. No Erotica, No Horror or No Romance, because if a book isn't to their taste, it would be tedious to read and difficult to review.

But to decline all indie-published books because they can't possibly be good is like refusing to read books penned by women or by Jews because no woman or Jew could possibly write something worth reading.

So how can a book reviewer assess which books are worth reading? I think the answer is obvious: by looking at the book itself. Reading the first few pages will show the reviewer whether it's their kind of book. Often, a quick glance at the first paragraph is enough to weed out the obvious dross. If reviewers can't form their own opinion of what they're reading, they shouldn't be reviewing books.

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 WRITERS: 

If you've ever published a book, you probably know what it's like to receive a negative review. I haven't published yet, so I haven't had the "pleasure" of negative reviews yet, but I know I'll get them. Who doesn't? Not everyone will love your book. That doesn't always mean it's bad, it just means it's not for everyone. What I plan to do, and what I suggest other writers do, is to #1: See negative reviews as a learning experience (at least the ones that are negative for a good reason), and #2: Learn to laugh at negative reviews (especially the ones that are negative for silly reasons). Here are some hilarious negative reviews from Rayne Hall:

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FUNNY NEGATIVE BOOK REVIEWS

I love it when readers who enjoyed my books post positive reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and elsewhere – but negative reviews can be even more fun.

Here's a selection of my favourites I've received over the years:

Storm Dancer (dark epic fantasy novel)

“This book is too long. I had to spend many hours reading it. I'm busy and have other things to do.”

“The character of Queen Matilda is not believable” There's no Queen Matilda in the book.

“Animal lovers: Do not buy this book! They don't just sacrifice humans, but horses as well.”

“The women in this story are not as obedient as the Bible says women were in those days.”

“The book didn't end how I thought it would.”

Bites: Ten Tales of Vampires (short story anthology)

“The vampires in this book aren't like Edward Cullen. Most of them totally creep me out.”

“I could have written a vampire story as good as any in this book if the editor had asked me.”

Daughters of the Dragon (non-fiction)

“How dare this author write about women in China? I checked her credentials: she does not have a degree in sinology.”

Living&Working in Britain (non-fiction)

“I've spent three weeks in that country. Trust me, it's not at all like this.”  The author lives in that country.

“If I had time, I'd dash off a book like this myself.”

Living&Working in Germany (non-fiction)

“This is not how I imagine Germany to be.”

“Clearly, the author has never met a real German”  The author is a real German.

How To Be A Freelance Journalist (non-fiction)

“I don't want to do all this work. I just want to be a journalist.”

Writing Fight Scenes (non-fiction)

“I skipped the first twenty chapters because there was nothing of interest in them. I wanted to know how to structure a fight scene and the book doesn't show that.” Chapter 3 is titled “Structure”.

Writing Scary Scenes (non-fiction)

“I don't need a book to teach me how to write.”

“I haven't read this book because I don't need to read it to know it's bad.”

Haunted: Ten Tales of Ghosts (short story anthology)

“I had made reservation and on the date I was to go I had a very bad cold and fever and I called them to change my reservation and they refused.”

“I haven't read it yet, but Amazon pressed me for a review.”

Six Scary Tales Vol. 1

“What a rip-off! This book contains only six stories!”

“These tales are not scary. There's not one single chainsaw massacre, not even a disemboweling.”

“I didnt even get through the first story cause when i was reading it to my mom therebwere some inapropreate words.”

Six Historical Tales Vol 1

“I hate it when writers use British English. They should learn to write proper English before publishing a book.”

“These stories are not 'historical.' Nobody gets married.”

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Since some of these reviews were written many years ago and I no longer have access to them, I've quoted them from memory. The precise wording may have been different.

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Negative reviews from someone who clearly doesn't get it can be annoying – but they can also be a source of hilarity.

I've browsed some review sites and found these disdainful comments on famous classics and bestsellers:

Pride and Prejudice (by Jane Austen)

“I found the story incredibly dated.” It was published in 1813.

“This is stupid. Why don't those girls simply get a job?”

“Jane Austen left out all the good bits!! Even where Mr Darcy comes out of the water with his shirt wet! It's absolutely the best part and it's not in the book at all!!!”

Rebecca (by Daphne du Maurier)

“This story needs editing.”

“I wish the house would burn down and kill all the characters inside.”

Wuthering Heights (by Emily Bronte)

“There is also animal cruelty, and most of the characters die off at an early age.”

“The book is not as good as the movie.”

Dracula (by Bram Stoker)

“The character of the count is a stereotyped kind of vampire you've already seen in two dozen movies.”  Stoker's Count Dracula is the original from which the stereotype evolved.

Carrie (by Stephen King)

“A bland tasteless book with no debth. The only part I enjoyed was the crazy mother.”

“Where's the Scarey? Boring!”

Grapes of Wrath (by John Steinbeck)

“What should I care about those people's problems? I have enough problems of my own.”

Bleak House (by Charles Dickens)

“I'm on page 300 and there is no end in sight.”

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See? Hilarious! Some of those had me rolling. SMH. 

So in conclusion, readers, please review the books you read, especially indie books. And writers, try to take negative reviews with a grain of salt, and a little humor ;) 

I hope you've enjoyed this review-mashup! Thanks to Rayne Hall for contributing. You can check her books out HERE. And don't forget to review them too ;)

Be the lightning, 

Kylie Kerosene.

 }i{

My First Book Review - Evolution: Angel

"I'm probably the only writer on the planet that doesn't like to read books. 

It's not that I don't want to, I just don't have the patience."

I can't even count the number of times I've said something to that effect. I always have something to work on (whether it's my own novels, artwork, music or videos) and I'm either too busy to read, or if I do try to read, I get bored & restless after a few minutes & stop. It's not that I don't love the books I try to read, it's just books in general. I still have books from friends that I have started & fully intend to finish one day, but I just haven't yet. 

The statement at the beginning of this blog used to be true, but I can no longer use it. Because when Starla Huchton held a contest on Twitter for someone to win her book Evolution: Angel, & I won said contest, I finally found a book I could stick with. Was it because it was easy to read? Was it because of the strong characters & believable relationships? Was it the super hero theme? Or was it just good timing? Maybe it was all of the above, but either way, I suddenly found myself reading numerous chapters at a time, unable to stop for the fear I might miss something. I found myself reading every chance I got, sneaking off whenever I had a free moment to delve back into the world Starla had created. I even found myself thinking about the book while doing other things, & wondering what would happen next, impatient until I could finally read again.

What happened to me? I had suddenly gone from being someone who hates to read, to being someone practically obsessed with a book. Honestly I think Starla is just that good. Her use of witty dialogue & realistic character flaws, combined with her "just enough" descriptions that are long enough to get a mental image but not so descriptive that I want to stop reading (which has happened before) combined with the clever mixture of romance, action, & cliffhangers - all of these things kept me hooked until the very last page. That's right. I finally finished a book. That makes Evolution: Angel my first.

They say you never forget your first, & I certainly won't be forgetting this book. I'm excited to read the next book in the series, & I hope you will want to read it too. I would also love to see the series made into movies, as every scene and character action played out in my mind just like a movie, and the powers that the characters display make for some really cool visuals that would look epic on screen. I'm just saying. ;)

If I have to pick one thing I didn't love about this book, it would be that there was too much sex. But that's just a personal preference. I tend to avoid sex in my own novels unless it's necessary, because I feel like it doesn't advance the plot. BUT that's just me, & in Starla's novel, often times the sex DOES actually advance the plot (at least the romance aspect) & there is definitely enough action and mystery and other stuff to balance out the sex. So if you like both romance and action, this book is definitely for you. Be warned though, the book does have some sex as well as some graphic language. Now no one can say I didn't warn them ;)

Overall, I was very impressed by this book, and very attached to the characters and the plot. If it can hold MY attention, it must be good. Right? So take my advice and see for yourself. You won't regret it!

I leave you with some of my favorite quotes from the novel:

Evolution: Angel by Starla Huchton

Evolution: Angel by Starla Huchton

Evolution: Angel by Starla Huchton

There you have it! Buy the book here to read more. Hopefully this is the first of many books I'll read. Thank you, Starla, for starting me on the path of a writer that also happens to read books, and for writing a wonderful book that I will never forget. :)

Be the lightning,
Kylie Kerosene.

}i{

Star-Crossed: Review and Video.

UPDATE 1: 

Sadly, the CW chose to cancel Star-Crossed, with only one episode left in the breathtaking first season. I thought it was doing well & was absolutely shocked when the news hit (as were many others). Overall, 23 shows were axed. Some other great shows were cancelled, but Star-Crossed was probably the most shocking, & the most heartbreaking. There is so much left for this wonderful show, & I hate seeing the fans so crushed, as well as all the work put into this show going to waste. 

When a show has been cancelled, it's pretty unlikely it will get picked back up. Nonetheless, many Statgazers (fans of the show) have started campaigning for the CW to reconsider, or for another network to pick it up. Don't get your hopes up, but if you want to join us in the Twitter campaign, we are using hashtags like #SaveStarCrossed in addition to the usual hashtag, #StarCrossed. Some are also trying to get Netflix to pick it up. I personally think Syfy would be a good channel for it, but, we'll see. It's worth trying, but again, don't get your hopes up too high. Closure is important.

^ That was my first reaction. Just in shock. There are plenty more that feel the same, which is definitely apparent when you search for #SaveStarCrossed or any of the related tags on Twitter. It's even more shocking when compared to some of the shows that were renewed, and some of the new crap coming out to replace the cancelled. It makes no sense whatsoever. The brilliant minds behind Star-Crossed deserve a second chance to tell their amazing story, and even if it does no good, Stargazers will not go down without a fight.

Here are some petitions you can sign that MIGHT help:

Petition 1: Change.Org

Petition 2: Twitter 

Petition 3: DVD Release

Petition 4: Netflix

(If you know of more please let me know & I will add them here)




UPDATE 2:

 The season (and most likely series) finale of Star-Crossed aired this week (5-12-2014) and it was even better than the rest of the series, with plenty of eye candy, all sorts of feels, some plot twists, and tons of action. I joined in on Twitter during commercials, and it seems the finale had the best online ratings yet, with it not only being a crazy amazing episode, but with the fans desire to see another season, and the hopes that tweeting like crazy about it would help. Only time will tell if it did. All I know is, after the finale, I now love Star-Crossed even more than before.

~ Clearly, I was impressed. And the show used the perfectly dark cover of "Stand By Me" by one of my favorite musicians Ki: Theory for the disturbingly epic end of the episode, which only made it better. Like I said on Twitter, the editing was done so well during the song that it was almost like a music video (which is great since Ki: Theory unfortunately had to remove the original "Stand By Me" video from Youtube because of 'violence' - which was crazy, BTW). And the way the show ended was absolutely without a doubt a cliffhanger, obviously written when they expected a second season. So now the fans are even more distraught, because while Star-Crossed did most definitely end on a high note and go out with a bang, not to mention an exciting science fiction shot that made scifi nerds like me squeal, it's obvious that this wonderfully intricate show wasn't given the proper ending it deserved. Good shows have ended before, such as The CW's other show Nikita, and the wonderful Being Human on Syfy, but both shows were given a proper ending. So, while I miss both shows to this day, the emptiness we felt when they ended doesn't compare to the void that this cancellation has left. Star-Crossed deserves to go on.

Like Amee said on Twitter (pictured) the main reason that the cancellation of Star-Crossed is so heartbreaking is that it never had a chance to tell its story, and it didn't get the proper ending it deserved. Season one left us with a huge cliffhanger, making us want to know what happens next season. Like I said, other shows (such as Nikita) at least had a good ending, so it was easier to say goodbye with everything tied up nicely. But Star-Crossed is left wide open, and while the finale was amazing, it just didn't wrap up the story as much as a series finale should. Some are even speculating that the CW is just messing with us and will soon laugh and say it was all a joke, but if it is a joke, it's not funny.

Even Ki: Theory (the musician who's music played at the end of the finale, pictured) enjoyed the final episode of Star-Crossed. Others such as the great William Shatner joined in on live tweeting in an attempt to "save scifi" - because in the end, I think that is what we're all fighting for. Good science fiction. And Star-Crossed was just that. It also had the rare ability to make you think, to make you question your own morals, and to open people's eyes about so many things. That is the main reason I will miss this show. Sure, I'll miss the Science Fiction aspect, and the graphics, and all the hard work that went into creating the Atrian history and culture, but the message of the show is what will stick with me more than anything. There just isn't enough "decent" programming on television these days, and this cancellation proves that networks would love to keep it that way.


If there is a silver lining to this cancellation, it might be that it brought people from around the world together for a cause. People bound by their love for this wonderful show, and by their similar feelings about it being wrongfully cancelled. Stargazers are pretty awesome, and I hope this fandom is around for a long time. Whether it's a tattoo of Atrian markings or the beautiful Sondiv language from the show, or whether it's music videos commemorating Star-Crossed, or whatever it is, I have a feeling Stargazers will keep shining for years to come.


So keep shining, Stargazers. And never forget the impact that Star-Crossed had on you. Hopefully the rest of the world will realize how unique, beautiful and innovative this show was, and if not, well, that's their loss. ;)

Phew! That was long. 
Now for my original post:

The CW has created some amazing TV shows, including Reign, The 100, The Tomorrow People, and much more. All of them have intriguing plot lines, epic quotes, stunning visual effects and cinematography, and perfect music that ties it all together for a great experience. But my favorite show of theirs so far is Star-Crossed, which is loosely based on Shakespeare's timeless tale of Romeo and Juliet, but with an alien twist.

In the show, Roman (who's name is an obvious play on Romeo) is among the aliens (called Atrians on the show) who come to Earth for sanctuary, and are in stead met with prejudice. Emery is the human girl (the equivalent of Juliet) who, unlike most humans, stands with the Atrians. After she befriends Roman as a child, they are separated for years, until a special program puts him and a group of his fellow Atrians at her high school, and the friendship (as well as romance) rekindles. Most of the humans continue to discriminate against the Atrians for being different, which is escalated by a few violent mishaps, and Emery continues to defend the Atrians, showing that not all humans are bad. Which is as true in the real world as it is in this show. Not all humans are bad. :)

Obviously, the romance between Roman and Emery is the main plot of the show, but it's done tastefully - the Atrians aren't "little green men" but look very similar to humans, aside from the markings on their skin, which are unique to each Atrian and glow blue in water "to light the way" - which hints at an amazingly intricate alien culture we want to know more about, and is intensified even more by their unique language, created by the wonderful David J. Peterson (who also created languages for HBO's Game of Thrones and Syfy's Defiance). There's a lot more to this show than just romance, and it holds a beautiful message about acceptance, tolerance, and the power of love. Which brings me to my music video. ;) 

After the long awaited and shockingly passionate first kiss between Roman and Emery in "To Seek A Foe" (yes, the episode titles are all quotes from Romeo and Juliet, which is awesome), I decided I had to make a music video. So, I went to work getting as much footage as possible from that episode and the ones before it. I didn't get as much as I would have liked (I especially wanted to include footage from "An Old Accustom'd Feast" which was the next episode, but our internet connection coupled with the replacement of Star-Crossed reruns on Fridays by Hart of Dixie made it impossible). So, I did what I could with what I had to work with. I also added a few photos from the show, and animated lens flares over them to make them more interesting. I hope it worked.

I apologize for the poor quality. Since we don't have DVR or anything like that, I have to get most of my footage by recording the TV screen with a video camera. So that's why. That's also why you can barely hear the audio clips from the show, but I added text so you can at least know what they are saying. I just loved the quotes and had to use them, one way or another. I know it's not my best video, especially because of all this, but please try to ignore it and enjoy. The second half is hopefully better than the first, so try to stick with it!

When it came to choosing a song, I was stumped. So I posted about it on Twitter and got a couple song suggestions from fellow Stargazers (that's what fans of the show call themselves). @ThiaBaybee suggested "The Power Of Love" (the cover version performed by Gabrielle Aplin) and @MarsAmee suggested "Aquarius" (also a cover, performed by Digital Daggers - who I love BTW). Both great suggestions! 

I had heard Gabrielle Aplin's cover of "The Power Of Love" on CW's other wonderful show Reign (it played during the "Frary" wedding scene), and I thought the lyrics were perfect for the storyline of Star-Crossed, but the music, although beautiful, didn't have quite enough "oomph" to edit to. But I decided to soldier on and add my own drum beats to the song to make it more powerful and easier to showcase my editing "skills" with. LOL.

I also added some subtle clips of the other request (the Digital Daggers cover of "Aquarius") over the song, essentially blending the 2 songs together. I have done this before, but never while adding my own beats, so the music alone is a pretty exciting reveal for me. You might need to blast it on headphones, but hopefully you can hear the changes. I will definitely be editing more music like this in the future, so keep those eyes peeled! 

Oh, and "Aquarius" was used at the end of the very first episode of Star-Crossed, so I finished off the video with a clip of that song (also with drums added). I suggest listening to the whole song though - it really is amazing. 

I hope both Stargazers who suggested songs will approve of the music and the video! I tried to give it the best of both worlds ;) And I added clips of the drums I used during the video credits (without music), in case you're curious.

Caution: This video is pretty romantic. Not only is the main song called "The Power Of Love" and the clips chosen accordingly, but it was made right after the first "Romery" kiss, so just keep that in mind. More than anything, I guess this is a "Romery" video, mainly for fangirls, LOL. So, watch with care. And possibly tissues? IDK.

Side note: This is my first official TV show music video and review! I plan to do more in the future (such as Syfy's recently deceased Being Human & hopefully some more CW shows) so again, keep your eyes peeled. And be nice. Keep in mind this is my first. No better show than Star-Crossed to break the ice with. :) 

You can see Star-Crossed every Monday on the CW, 

and you can see my video RIGHT HERE:

*Squeals* I hope you liked it! Please comment here or on the video itself and let me know! And please "like" and share and subscribe and all that jazz. Thanks for reading, and thanks for watching! 

Be the lightning, 

Kylie Kerosene. 

}i{

Blog Hop: The Writing Process.

If you happen to have any questions about the extremely secretive Science Fiction series I've been working on, some of those questions are about to be answered... Sort of. ;)

This is my very first Blog Hop! I was tagged by a fellow writer from Google+ named Emma Lindhagen in this blog. Thanks Emma! I love answering questions, especially about my passions, so I'll never turn down something like this. :)

Blog Hop Rules:  

Answer the four questions below, link back to the person who invited you, and link to the people who will be posting the following Monday.

1. What am I working on? 

I recently finished draft 8 of my very first novel, the first in a Science Fiction series of graphic novels (sort of). So right now I'm working on draft 9, and on getting draft 8 ready for my beta readers. Finishing this book is taking a lot longer than I thought it would, but it's getting there! And I'm already working on some illustrations for the next novel in the series, so that I can have those out of the way and save lots of time. Always something in the works for me, and not just writing related, but that's what I'm working on writing-wise right now. 

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Well, first of all, the fact that my novels have illustrations is pretty different. It's not a comic book, and I'm not sure it can even be classified as a graphic novel. It's a novel, with illustrations included every now and then. Also, it's more than just Science Fiction (which will be more apparent once the second book comes out). It could also be classified as Romance (Although there isn't much of that ewey gewey sex stuff in it, it is romantic. It's been referred to as "Twilight for robots" if that tells you anything, LOL); Young Adult (which I guess is more of a target audience than a genre, although it's not just for young people - I like to think there's something in it for everyone); and maybe even Horror (lots of gore in both the novels and the illustrations - not so much that it's hard to read, I hope, but just enough to turn the stomach a bit). But I suppose lots of books do that... I think... Which reminds me, I'm probably the only writer on the planet that doesn't like to read books. It's not that I don't want to, I just don't have the patience. Too much going on in my head. So, that probably makes my novels different from writers who do read (hopefully in a good way, but we'll see). 

3. Why do I write what I write?

Because the writing gods demand it, and would probably drive me completely insane if I didn't write what I write. Also, this isn't just a hobby for me - it is my purpose. It feels good to finally be able to say that with confidence.  If I do nothing else before I die, I want my books to be read. Not because I want money or fame, but because I know they will change people. That is the real purpose of my novels. Each of them has a message for specific people. People with a purpose, like me. I want to ignite a generation of dreamers and thinkers, of warriors and peace-keepers. I want to change the world in some small way... But doesn't everyone? (I hope that's the case anyway) 

4. How does your writing process work?

3 words: Music, music, MUSIC. It is what inspires the stories in my novels, it is what keeps me writing when I feel like quitting, and it is what reminds me that this is my purpose. Even as I write this blog, "Like A Ray" by Ki: Theory is blasting in my ears. It's the song that inspired a huge event in my novel (which was also forged in the fires of music from LIVE, Ours, Coldplay, M83, and especially 30 Seconds To Mars, who's music has inspired over half of this trilogy). The very first thing I do when a novel idea comes to me is make a playlist of the music that inspired it, and listen to it while I write (and illustrate). More on my writing process can be found in this guest blog I wrote for a friend a while back, in which I also give writing advice (to the best of my current noob-ability, LOL). 

Well, there you have it. My first Blog Hop. :)

I now direct you to some awesome writer friends from Twitter. 

R. James Stevens (author of Clarity), and

Andrew Baker (author of H.C. To Light State), 
who also has a cool fanboy profile here.

Both these guys are great writers, as well as great friends who have been so supportive. They really are awesome, and I can't wait to read their answers to these questions next week! I hope you'll check out their blogs and read them too ;) 

}i{

Update.

Fair Warning: This blog is more personal than most. It's sort of how I worked through these emotions and found my way back to writer sanity... Sort of... Anyway, UPDATE.

So I know I haven't blogged in a while, but I've been so busy lately.

Finishing my novel.

That's right! ...Sort of. 

I'll probably have to do some more editing after my beta readers hit me with their best shot, but for now, it feels pretty final. 

Here are a couple posts from Twitter in case you missed them:

I've been listening to music (such as "Like A Ray" by Ki: Theory and "Recover" by Chvrches), and just soaking it in. This feeling of finality. This joy and pride and excitement and euphoria running through me like a surge of electricity... Could be partly from the music, but it's definitely related to the novel. I know that. It might sound crazy, but I rarely work on this novel without crying tears of joy, for some reason. So, that's a good sign... Right? 

(Also, it seems my music taste has changed and/or expanded through writing this novel, but that's another story for another blog)...

 Even though it isn't over, and I'm still not published (probably won't be for a while yet),  it feels like I'm on the edge of a cliff, about to jump. I feel like once I jump, I just might fly, but not knowing what's next makes it feel like I could fall too.

I'm sure seasoned authors would agree that finishing that first novel is scary. But then they would probably tell me that it's also worth it. They would probably tell me that even though I can't see through the fog of uncertainty in front of me, I just need to jump, and hope for the best. because, like I said in this guest blog, "Finish that book, get it out there, and spread your wings. It's the only way to know if you can fly."

So, with both excitement and fear gripping my racing heart, I'm taking my own advice and the advice of my fellow writers, and jumping blindly off of this cliff that is the threshold between the present and the future. If you don't hear from me, I didn't make it...

LOL, JK, you'll hear from me.

Hopefully soon. ;)

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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