Interview with Samantha Towle, winner of the Anniversary Poll at Night Publishing

I am re-posting this interview as Samantha has just been featured on the Speak Without Interruption site.

I am delighted to welcome Samantha Towle to my blog. It is a special occasion because Sam has just won the Anniversary Poll at Night Publishing with her new novel, 'A Single Bite', while her previous novel, 'The Bringer' is due out in a few weeks.

Welcome Sam, I'm very glad to see you here.

Can you tell us more about The Bringer?

Bringers are ethereal beings devoid of any emotion, visible only to the dead. Their ‘job’ is to guide human souls to Heaven, but Heaven isn’t a place they are permitted to enter themselves. Lucyna, the protagonist, is a Bringer.

Whilst retrieving the human soul, Maxwell Harrison, Lucyna encounters his son James. The moment Lucyna sees James she is struck by a veil of shimmering light, the likes of nothing she has ever seen before. Unsure what it is, she finds herself intrigued by James and goes to visit him at his home. Not long after her arrival the veil strikes her again, but this time it doesn’t leave, instead settling itself within her. Lucyna is instantly drawn to the conclusion that the veil is actually feeling’s. Feeling’s which are seemingly linked to James.

Then when the unthinkable happens and James is in a car accident, Lucyna finds herself as the one summoned to take him to Heaven. With only minutes left before James is meant to die, Lucyna unwittingly takes on human form and pulls him from the burning car, saving his life.

Lucyna and James soon after become romantically involved, but it’s not without its problems. The main one being that someone is determined to keep them apart at all cost.

You have described a very complicated and well imagined universe. What inspired you?

I have always loved Fantasy novels, and pretty much devour any I can get my hands on. But it was actually the song ‘Don’t Cry’ by Guns N’ Roses that prompted the initial idea.

It was November 2009, I was four months pregnant with my daughter, my son was napping so I was having a bit of me time, and was reading one of the True Blood novels. I came to a part in the book which reminded me of a book I had read at school, and around that time all that was playing on the radio was ‘Don’t Cry’. I then had the urge to want to listen to it, but I didn’t have a copy, so I Google’d it and ended up watching the video.

Whilst watching my mind started drifting, as it often does, and I started thinking about love and the overwhelming feelings it can create, both good and bad in us. Then I thought ‘what it would be like if people didn’t feel love at all?’ which then somehow morphed into, ‘what would be like to have no feelings, period’ and bam! Lucyna popped into my head. An ethereal being with no feelings, who without warning, suddenly develops them. And so the story began!

The Bringer has a dream like quality, did this story just flow out or did you make a detailed plan?

After the initial idea, I parked it for a few months because I was working full time, was pregnant, and had an eighteen month old son to take care of. You could say I had my hands full! But I did continue jotting down notes of how I wanted the story to go, as and when the ideas came to me.

When I finally did sit down to start writing, the first chapter just flowed out of me. When I look back now, I actually have no idea how I came up with the beginning of the story.

There was one very significant turning point in the book, which happened when I was about halfway through writing The Bringer. I’d gone up to get ready for bed and was waiting for my husband to get out of the bathroom, so I could get in to brush my teeth (is that too much info!?) Anyway whilst I was sat waiting, I was thinking about the chapter I was writing and out of nowhere one of the supporting, but also very important characters decided to do a 360 on me.

That one thought alone changed the whole direction of the story. For the better in my opinion, so thanks hubby for taking so long in the bathroom!

How long did it take you from the first idea to the published book?

I came up with the idea of The Bringer in November 2009, but I didn’t start writing it properly until after my daughter was a few months old. So, it was June 2010 that I officially started, then I had a break of a month whilst we moved house, and it was finished by Dec 2010.

What genre would you describe it as?

I think The Bringer falls into a few genres – Fantasy, Romance, Chick-lit. But if I had to pick just one, then I would say Fantasy.

Do you think the idea of books fitting into strict genres is going out of fashion?

I suppose in way, yes. As I said before, The Bringer has a few genres in its mix, so I have though on many occasions what label will it sit under once published. I do understand the need for those labels, but there are many books written that do cross over into different genres, so for me in that respect, it makes the idea of labels pretty pointless.

How do you feel about publicising yourself? It can be daunting, how have you handled it?

I’m really not the type of person who would normally say, ‘Buy my book! Read it! It’s fabulous!’ But I know to some degree, I have to if I want The Bringer to be taken notice of by readers.

I have spent some time observing how all my lovely Night Reading friends go about promoting their books, and I have picked up some great tips from them. So, thanks guys!

I’ve climbed up onto the publicity wagon and at times it feels really uncomfortable, but I believe Lucyna and James have a great story to tell, and it’s my job to make sure that people hear about it.

Can you tell us about your other novels, in progress or completed?

I’m currently writing ‘A Single Bite’. It’s another fantasy novel, which incidentally just won the ‘February 2011 Chapter of The Month Poll’ on Night Reading. It will be published by Night Publishing in the latter part of this year.

I have a YA fantasy novel, sitting in my documents called ‘Fallacy’. It’s the first complete novel I ever wrote. It needs a really good edit and it’s my intention to revisit it when I get a chance, and give it a good cleanse.

And I also have a handful of other ideas sat waiting for me to get around to. Some are actually chick-lit, which is a different genre from the one I’m used to writing. But it is my intention to one day step away from fantasy and write about the real world for a change!

Where and when can we buy The Bringer?

‘The Bringer’ is due out late March/early April 2011, published by Night Publishing. It will be available to purchase in eBook and paperback, from Amazon and Smashwords.

Freelance and Feature Writing Course

I am pleased to announce (fanfare please!)that I finished this course, and got a Distinction! Never had one of those before! I did work really hard on the last few assignments cos I needed to get them out of the way to do other work. But I'm pretty pleased with myself :-)))

I'm under no illusions whatsoever that I'll now become a successful and rich journalist, it was not a full time course, just a distance learning one. But now I have a reference guide to turn to when I need help and advice.

Interview with KJ Kron, author of 'St Peter Killed God.'

I am very pleased to welcome K J Kron, author of the newly published 'St Peter Killed God', to my blog today.

Glad to see you here today, KJ.

Tell us more about your new book, St Peter Killed God.

One thing I’d stress, this is a book about religion, but it’s not a religious book. I feel there are few books that fall into that category. Poisonwood Bible, The Name of the Rose, and Black Robe are three that come to mind. As I worked on it, I kept cutting pieces out thinking that it would bore the reader. At one time it was 125,000 words and I’ve trimmed it down to 75,000.

There are two main mysteries in my book. First, is Father Peter just flat out crazy or is he really a saint? The second is what in the world is he going to do now? He’s 50 years old, he devoted his life to the church, and now he finds it immoral. Can he go back to being a priest? Can he start up a new religion? And as he looks around the psych hospital where he is, he sees all sorts of people that are insane but he can’t help wondering if they are any worse off than he is.

What inspired you to write this?

Hmmm, there are so many ways to answer that question. I was actually working on three different stories at once and decided to fuse them altogether. I had written about 50 poems about my four years working in a psychiatric hospital from the POV of a fictitious character. Then I thought, why not get Peter into the hospital with this William character? I started turning many of the poems into prose and kept some of the poems in the book. The poetry is fair. Nothing more than stripped down prose.

But I guess your question is really about why did I decide to write a book about religion, no? Well my family is very Catholic and they go to church every Sunday. And I mean every Sunday. When my parents came to visit me in Spain, they had to go to Church no matter how inconvenient. It didn’t matter that they didn’t understand a word of it. I think my step-father had a streak of not missing a single Sunday mass for over 40 years. I’m sure my two brothers will reach that mark as well. I’m the only one of my brothers and sister that doesn’t go to church. My mom told me she has failed as a mother, as far as my religion goes. I tried to explain why I don’t go, but she refused to listen. That more than anything inspired me to write this book.

Your book won the Slushpile Reader poll. Can you tell us more about SPR?

Slush Pile Reader is a place where authors can post their manuscripts. People read it, vote if it should be published, and they publish the book that the readers rate the highest. I felt pretty good about being rated number one after one year especially when my book was read over 3,000 times. I’m not sure how many unique readers there were since all “guests” are considered one unique reader.

I believe SPR a great idea and hope it is able to attract more people. Right now they are offering a sweepstakes where you can will $1,000 so check it out if you haven’t.

Have you had any backlash from religious groups about this story?

What a compliment! I’m hoping my book will be popular enough to draw the attention of some religious groups. I am a little nervous as I start this school year. Many of my students know that I wrote a book and some started to follow me on twitter. A couple “like” the Saint Peter Killed God Facebook page. And many of my students are religious and I’m not sure what will happen. Hopefully nothing. Same goes for my family.

Do you plan to write stories based on non-religious subjects, for example, your work as a teacher?

(Smiles) Most of the short stories and novels that I’ve written or tried to write aren’t about religion at all. I’ve thought about writing about a teacher getting into hot water. And also I’m kicking around the idea of an American having a culture clash with a Spaniard. Both ideas are more or less, what-if-I-did-this type of scenarios since I’m a teacher and I’m married to a Spaniard.

I realise St Peter has only just been published, but do you have any other projects on the way?

I’m trying to blog and occasionally I’ll write bad poetry. I want sit down and write a novel. I feel that it took me years to figure out how to write well and now I don’t have the time. Life gets in the way. I’ve got a young son (15 months) and who knows, we might have another. I’ve got to work full-time right now but who knows, maybe a miracle will happen.

Where can we buy your book and do you have any other links?

Since I’m trying to get reviews, I’m going to offer Saint Peter Killed God to the readers of your blog for just 99 cents for a limited time (August 25, 2012 –BTW, that’s my birthday). I’m hoping those who read it will review it either at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or GoodReads. Just type in the coupon code JX64J at Smashwords:

St Peter Killed God at Smashwords

Of course you can buy it at Amazon for just $2.99 USD at:

St Peter Killed God at Amazon


And for those with Nooks, you can buy it at Barnes and Noble:

St Peter Killed God at Barnes and Noble


That was very interesting and thought provoking, KJ. I'm looking forward to seeing how St Peter does, and your forthcoming works.

Winner of the Night Reading July/August poll

And the winner is...Aurora Anne, with 'Acacia Rose'. Congratulations to you! We will see this book published in due course by Night Publishing.

Synopsis:
Banished from a life she was never meant for, denied the life she craves. Can Acacia betray everyone to live the life she deserves?
Ordered to help others but to never help herself, Acacia lives a lonely life which is only getting worse. Then she meets Josh, with no aura he is a mortal like none she has ever seen and he ignites a desire in her body she never knew existed. Tormented between following the warnings to keep away from him, the inviting looks he keeps giving her and the mutual damnation if she gives in to him, Acacia has never felt so confused! But when Josh saves her life, her choice is clear and they both succumb to what their souls and bodies are craving for them to do.
The Gods of Olympus never miss anything and Eros soon finds out about her betrayal, he banishes her to the Underworld and orders for Josh to be killed. When the Underworld guards come to act out their orders, Josh and Acacia do their best to escape but it is too late and they are both sentenced to their fate.
Distraught, Acacia begs for her life to be over but she is given a choice by Hades, a choice where her decision will start a war which will decide the fate of all Gods. Acacia is imprisoned in a tower in the Palace of Death under the watch of the head guard of Hades army, Luca. Acacia is terrified and mesmerised all at the same time by Luca but with her pain for Josh still raw how can these new feelings for Luca be coming to life? Acacia has a lot of questions to answer but with Josh on his way to the Underworld to save her, the first one she needs to make is, does she want to be rescued?