ideas take life in WordsA blog following the works (and shenanigans) of J.E. Klimov
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NEED SOMETHING TO READ? RUN OUT OF THINGS TO DO WHILE WEATHERING COVID-19? Check out my 1st ever video post to see how you can win a novel to keep your mind pre-occupied during these trying times. -Peace and Love Jules PS: Some folks told me the video can be a bit slow- so I also added screenshots for how to enter below the video (entries can be done from various social media outlets)... Possible prizes:
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Imagine a blend of amazing content in one book: pages filled with recipes combined with historical tid-bits from 1400 to 2000, all tied together with home entertaining! I interview an author of this up and coming creative non-fiction book, "Agony", signed with Adelaide Books, due to be out around this time next year. Meet the amazing Tim Starnes! He describes his amazing career as a business owner (of a ghost tour company!) while making time for his creative projects- and he also provides some advice to our writers out there! Peace- J.E. JE: Hi, Tim! So, first thing's first! What's it like owning a Ghost tour company? TS: Stressful. Many people working 9am-5pm jobs such as I was when I launched Ethereal Crack imagine themselves getting rich and living on vacation. [However] I, like most entrepreneurs, aren’t rich. We are, as I’ve heard John Waters say about his income from midnight movies, a “hundredaire.” Once the hundreds come, you then quickly realize that anyone you’d go on vacation with is working! There goes that idea. I have all of the typical stresses of any business, despite it being in the “economy of fun.” This includes staffing issues, ticket sales, advertising, policing reviews, customer complaints, and copycats. Owning a business is only for those with extreme fortitude and dedication to their craft. That means late hours and plenty of stress. I now have a significant gray patch in my bright red beard that mysteriously appeared right after the tour company opened. JE: How do you balance time between owning a company and writing? TS: The ghost tour company was set up as a funding base for projects, so it was built with this space from day one. It all comes down to planning and planning for that planning. To suit a schedule that leaves time for writing, the ghost tours available only on weekends, which I have always maintained as writing breaks. I do little, if any, writing on weekends. This is purely to preserve my mental energy and keep from draining the tank. Creative energy, for me at least, is a lot like driving a car. Each new week starts a new tank. Daily, with writing and creative endeavors, this tank drains – by the time Friday night arrives, it is near empty. That means it is time to coast until a refill comes on Monday. Many writers, I feel, exhaust themselves, beating themselves over the head with a rock for results and ideas. [Julian's comment: I'm afraid I have to agree!] These ideas don’t come under stress, for me. Essentially, I pamper myself for my mind to ferment ideas and spit them out at completely random times. JE: The layout for "Agony" is unique in itself, just like the topic. What inspired you to write this? TS: The idea for Agony came to me during a Christmas party that took place in January of 2019 (the host was traveling the entire length of December, making an actual Christmas party impossible.) As we sat at the dining room table, the plates from dinner being cleared away, we played out the English tradition of Christmas crackers, after how to pull one open was briefly explained to me. We proceeded, oo-ing and ah-ing and the various cheap plastic trinkets and paper crowns we had exploded out onto our laps. My crown, an ugly frog-green color, instantly ripped at the circumference of my large head. I held it together, just barely, by tucking a portion of the ripped end behind the crest of my right ear. Lisa, my editor, noticed it hanging limply on that side of my head. “Let me fix that.” “No, no, it’s ok.” “No, let me fix it.” Her interior mother was coming out. “Let me fix it.” “No, it’s ok.” I was trying to be nice in front of the company, but that tactic was rapidly failing. I took a sip from my third glass of red wine, which, by this point, I was feeling. English portions have never set well for my American-sized stomach, meaning I was still hungry, and there was plenty of room to be a drunkard. Felicity, the host, fetched a roll of tape and handed it to Lisa. “Now, come here, lean over.” I hesitated, but did as instructed, knowing it would turn into an embarrassing blowup if I didn’t. It was then that I nearly fell out of my chair, grabbing the edge of the table to avoid it. “Now that would be terrible, if I fell and cracked my head open in front of everyone.” I thought to myself. The book was born. JE: That's single-handedly one of the best inspiration stories I've heard yet! Now, your book spans an incredible amount of history- how were you able to condense and categorize without feeling overwhelmed? TS: For a book with this form of scope, like any other, preparation was key before I started writing. Any scope can be manageable, if you know where you are going. I always outline each piece, no matter what form of media it is. With an outline, even if I hit a brick wall, I can work on another piece – work never stops, and having the work finished further helps to loop back around and fill in those gaps. I did feel overwhelmed a number of times looking at what portions still needed to be done. It is easy to look at 50 blank page templates, ready to be filled out, and panic. “This is hours of work. I still have to copy in the recipes, re-write and edit them, then add in the facts, what is the story line going to be for the fictional part? How do I tie it in?” JE: Did you have a favorite era/section in "Agony" that you wrote about? TS: The travel section, 1900’s, was the most difficult chapter for the sake of editing, as there are over 60 pages worth of recipes alone. It is also my favorite, as I feel that it is a century that in many ways reflects our own, however, people look back on it with rose-tinted fondness, despite the fact that they wouldn’t come to exist for 100 more years. JE: Name at least one favorite recipe of your own in this book and why. TS: One of my true favorites is “Peaches in Chartreuse Jelly” – it is easy to make, and tastes excellent. It was served to first class passengers on the Titanic, in the main dining room. In fact, it was served on the last night. To make it as a modern day variant, it simply takes some chartreuse liquor, gelatin, and canned peaches, among a few other select minuscule ingredients. Part of the reason I enjoy it so much is that it is a make-ahead recipe, the gelatin needing to set overnight... JE: Oh, wow. Not only does that sound amazing, but I like the history/story behind it! I can imagine serving it to my guests and starting a great conversation over it! Okay, moving along... How long did it take for you write this? TS: The writing process from inspiration to finishing the manuscript took around six months. Research took around two weeks, give or take. Writing and editing, has taken around six months so far, the entire manuscript (to turn-in stage) will be seven months. The outline came in two steps:
TS: The writing and editing experience has been largely ok! I learned long ago to never, and I mean never, edit my own work. [Julian's comment: ALSO, HUGELY AGREE!!! I learned that the hard way!!!] Editing is passed to a first group of plain readers, no editing, who read and rate portions of the book. From there, the book is added or taken away from, then passed to my independent editor, not part of the publisher who will also edit it (for free!) who I pay an hourly rate to seriously grammatically and structurally edit the manuscript. This process, while a bit pricey, ensures a few things:
JE: You mention that Satan pops in between sections of your book- evolving and speaking from "an ethereal voice to/from an internet cord in the 2000s" era. This is an interesting concept. What prompted this idea? Or more specifically, what "spice" do you hope this adds to bind this entire book together? TS: The book itself is conceded “creative nonfiction” – cookbooks themselves are inherently nonfiction, however, I quickly realized that the edge-pushing quality of a disaster cookbook could be considered offensive territory by some. (Some of the “fan mail” even on this pre-launch publicity tour around various outlets have proven this so.) There would need to be some form of remedy to help sway the book back into safe territory. This solution came in the form of involving a cast of fictional Ray Bradbury-esque Victorian time travelers. They begin the book, ready to go on their historical expedition for the University of Bologna (Cambridge turned down funding their experiment) and return to collect the royalty checks for the concurring book. Unfortunately, as is usually the case, their “book smarts” don’t equate to “street smarts” and the reader finds them more sick and mangled with each page. These time travelers add the creative part to the nonfiction – offering a small sampling of comedy and story line to tie the book together. With characters a reader can cling to, the book can also evoke an emotional response, while a cookbook, generally, for an emotionally-stable person, doesn’t. Keen readers will also realize that the Victorian time travelers are real people, myself included. The others are employees for my current ghost tour company, Ethereal Crack. This will likely take some back, as arms are broken, teeth fall out, legs bleed and eyes hemorrhage. I did this on purpose, for two reasons:
I don’t know. About the author:
Bonus content:JE: What is the next project on the docket for you?
TS: Well, I have a few projects on the burner. Books:
It's a new school year, and the brisk morning air reminds us that summer is winding down. Beach reads turn into snuggling-in-your-blanket reads, so it's time to refresh your to-be-read list! Thankfully, I ran into an amazing indie author with a tasteful romantic fantasy that's sure to satisfy. Check out her story below and how she came to writing "Love is a Wistful Song". If you find you like Ava's style, I provided her social media links so that you may follow her. Please welcome the very talented and wicked cool, Ava S. Quill!!!
AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH AVA QUILL: JE: "Love is a Wistful Song" is considered a fantasy romance. How would you describe this to your readers? AQ: [The story] is a clean romance with elements of fantasy. If you enjoy "proper" romances, stories about royalty or similarly influential families, characters fighting for their love against all odds, friendships lasting from childhood and throughout lives, music, and alternate realities/worlds and societies, then this story is for you! JE: Who is your primary audience? AQ: When I started working on this book, my main goal was to write a fun, lighthearted romantic adventure that any teen [13-year-old and up] could read without their parents worrying about what she (or he) could encounter in the book when it came to intimacy, gore, or language. JE: I think that's great! So, what inspired music to play a huge role in this story? AQ: Uh-oh. This is where you’ve stepped into dangerous territory. * sinister laugh * Music has been a part of my life for more than 20 years now. I love listening to it. I love singing. I love “noodling” with the instruments. I’m not a pro because I don’t practice enough. But I still love it. As a kid I attended a music school and tried to learn piano, and now I’m learning bass guitar. My protagonist’s obsession with music is definitely the case of “write what you know about.” JE: What inspired the title “Love is a Wistful Song?” Do titles comes to you naturally or does it take some time (be honest!) AQ: This is a quite a story, actually. Titles think I am their nemesis. I struggle insanely with them, going back and forth between what I think is cool (and catchy and captures the essence of my story) and feeling like everything I come up with is mediocre. My brain really hurts sometimes. I had many working titles for "Love Is a Wistful Song". Then, I wrote the story that follows another member of the Redwynn family, Aryen’s sister. I came up with a title for that book while I was concocting a query, started working on the third story, and realized that I could serialize them. Honestly, the moment felt like, “Oh, thank goodness! My job has become so much easier.” If I break up my title into smaller bits, then “Love is a” hardly needs any explanation. It’s almost like hailing back to the times when that chewing gum with pictures of a cute little couple was popular. Love Is, remember that? It’s a tiny bit like that. “Wistful Song” was a little trickier. I had pages in a notebook where I wrote down different emotions and actions from the story and tried to combine them into something “cool” or tasteful. Since the book is about a musician, then “Song” part felt very fitting. And with “Wistful” I was hoping to encompass the overall feel of what my protagonist often feels. JE: I struggle with titles myself. What a great story in itself! Anyway, is “Love is a Wistful Song” a standalone novel or part of a series? AQ: "Love Is a Wistful Song" is the 1st book in a planned series. It wasn’t supposed to be a series when I started working on it, but it just evolved into one when I started to get to know my characters better. JE: How do you go about creating your characters? Do you feel particularly close to one? AQ: Each character sort of comes to life on its own. As I’ve gone through the drafts, my characters have changed, for sure. But I always knew that Aryen Redwynn had to be a gifted musician and a daughter of a wealthy politician, which introduced a set of particular challenges into her life. And Ryan, Mark, and Collin were always her neighbors and childhood friends. When I get an idea for a story, I pretty much always know who my characters are as they stand in the world. What I love to learn about them as I write is who they are to themselves, what they like, what they hope for, what they are afraid of. This is my favorite part of writing—the people and me getting to know them. As for the writing craft, there are many ways to figure out who your characters are and make them interesting. Mine is only one way to approach it, and I draw inspiration from everything I listen to, read, watch, and everyone I meet. JE: How long did it take you to write this novel? AQ: * sits whistling and spinning in the swivel chair * JE: Ahaha! Okay, I got the hint! ;) What were your major challenges? AQ: Ok, ok. It took me some years to go through a pile of drafts, ideas, plots, and finishing touches. I’ve lost some brave souls along the way. They did not survive the “budget cuts.” The biggest challenge, I think, was being patient and learning that if your story doesn’t work right now, it doesn’t mean it will never work. I see this a lot in “new” writers. It’s so challenging to admit “defeat” when you wrote your first draft and it isn’t perfect. How dare it! And this is where I’ve learned to enjoy the process. Write no matter what comes out on the page. You can always change it. You never ruin anything. You never go down the path where you can’t do a u-turn and come back to your original idea. So what if you’ll have to rewrite 80 thousand words? I laugh now when I say this. It wasn’t so funny a couple of years ago. JE: That's great advice. I struggled similarly- so thanks for sharing your experience! What do you hope for your readers to experience in “Love is a Wistful Song?” AQ: I really hope that when my readers finish this book , they’ll “This was fun!” I hope they have a good, relaxing time reading my story. That they will have a break from the mundane and enjoy themselves. I hope, that maybe, they’ll remember that song they loved so much, the one that made everything better, and go listen to it again. Maybe some part of Aryen’s story will inspire them to reach out to their friends or pursue their dream. I won’t mind that. But, first things first, I want them to have fun JE: Time for a fun, random, writer-related question: are you a "pantser" or planner (aka. someone who just writes as they go OR someone who outlines the entire plot before writing)? AQ: I’m that “fortunate” soul who is a mix of both. I usually have an idea of who, where, and how it ends, but the middle is a mystery. So I start with my protagonists, throw them into their initial trouble, then labyrinth-write them into even more trouble and mischief. I end up writing a lot before I realize what really happens, but like I’ve said before, not a problem with me. While I prance around, so to speak, I figure out who my characters are, what they would or would not do. It’s great, I’m telling you. I will admit. I am jealous of people who can outline their entire novel and just fill in the rest. My brain refuses to work this way. It rebels at the plan and goes off the rails, a-ha-ha! JE: With a couple of novels under your belt, what’s next on the horizon? AQ: For a couple months, I was worried I have gone dry as a writer. I had no new ideas, was afraid to try a new genre. Then I took a nap while listening to an old song. And it just happened. The ideas come to you at the most amusing moments and places. I love it! Currently working on a two-part (hopefully only two-part) sci-fi/fantasy hybrid with magic, advanced tech, and a subtle Romeo & Juliette theme. And, of course, there is the third book about the Redwynn sisters that’s still in the works. I definitely have my hands full. Happily so. A BIG thank you to Ava and her time to swing by for this interview and talking about her new novel, "Love is a Wistful Song"! I certainly can't wait to read it. Follow her on the social medial links below! Peace -- J.E. Klimov
"Fractured Ever After", an anthology of fractured fairy tales, has been released April 27th! It is the 7th anthology released by the Just-Us-League. NORMALLY, I'd be right on the ball, but I admit I have been feeling ill lately. So, I'm regrouping here for those that still have yet to discover this epic release! Check out the blurb, blog tour links, and purchasing links below! Fractured Ever After BLURB:Old classics are fractured into exciting new tales in this international collection of magic, mystery, and adventure. Some heroes go searching for their happily ever after: a dragon cocoon hunter explores the dangerous woods for his sleeping beauty; a prince forces a perfect romance on an unsuspecting maiden; and when a girl leaves town, she must quickly decide to trust—or be wary of—a new stranger. Destiny is thrust upon others: a disconnected emperor struggles to retain his title; a frog prince leaves his pond in search of answers; and after Rapunzel is rescued, a new quest is awarded to her savior. Whether it is destiny or choice, all actions have consequences: sibling rivalry pushes one little piggy to extremes and a princess must choose to follow her heart or step up as future queen. Prepare for an adventure as these eight fantastic fairy tales transport you to places beyond your imagination.
Here are the tour dates and links (to most) of the author interviews. To compliment this info here, please click on the Just Us League blog button! So, if you missed one or any, here's your chance for catch up bed-time reading : ) April 6th - Jebraun Clifford interviews Kristy Perkins April 10th - Julian Elliot (ME!!!) interviews Matthew Dewar April 13th - Alyson Bowen interviews Alexander Thomas April 17th - M.T. Wilson interviews LB Garrison April 20th - Laurie Lucking interviews Heather Hayden April 24th - A4A interviews Allie May April 27th - Heather Hayden Shannon Yukumi Happy Spring! For those that have been following me, you would also be familiar with the Just-Us-League. WHO'S THAT? For those that don't know- I collaborate with amazing authors around the world. We've been releasing anthologies for a few years now, and JLA is about the release it's SEVENTH EDITION: Fractured Ever After. JLA has released fairy tale re-tellings in the past; however, this volume shatters the norm! Today, I'm lucky to guest interview Matt Dewar, one such author in Fractured Ever After: (And don't stop scrolling- we have a GIVEAWAY at the end!!!) JE: We've worked together in Scrib for a while- and you've published multiple works over the years. Is there a particular project you're working on now? Matt: It’s an absolute pleasure working with you, and I just want to take a moment to tell you how obsessed I am with your book, The Aeonians! Okay, back to the interview now. I’m currently working on a few things. I’m working on a sequel to my Nightmare Stories which I published a few years ago. There’s also another anthology coming out at the end of the year. I can’t say anything about the theme yet, but I’m quite excited about this magical one. I’m also finishing up a Novella that I’ll hopefully publish at the end of the yea, and my young adult fantasy novel is ready to be published, I’m just waiting to find the right agent. So, it looks like a busy year for me! JE: [Blushing profusely] Aw, thanks! You've always been an incredible supporter when I was writing that novel!!! And that sounds like a busy year for sure- I will keep an eye for all four of those! And since you mentioned another JLA anthology, can you tell us how many anthologies you have participated in , and which one was your favorite to work on? Matt: This is my sixth anthology with the Just-Us League. My favourite? That’s a tough question. My first, "The Female Warrior", will always hold a special place in my heart. Plus given it was our first there was so much excitement about the whole process. Don’t get me wrong, the process is still exciting, and we’ve ironed out a few kinks, but you always remember your first. JE: That's very true. Writing is a dedicated art- fun yet torturous at times. When you get frustrated or overwhelmed in the middle of writing or editing, what do you like to do? Matt: Most of the time I find getting out into nature is a welcome distraction. Taking the dogs for a walk along the beach, or losing myself on a forest trail usually gives me enough distance from my writing. Other times I’ll just have a nice hot bath and try and switch my brain off for a little while – easier said than done! JE: I, too, love getting some fresh air. New England is finally thawing, so I look forward to my walks! Now, here's an important question: Tea or coffee or other writing beverage of choice? Matt: I have to have a coffee first thing in the morning, and then I switch to tea in the afternoon. My favourite writing beverages are those sickly sweet, over-the-top, indulgent frappes that are not coffee and basically diabetes in a cup, but I rarely have them. I write a lot after the caffeine and sugar kicks in though! JE: I hear you there! Now let's get to your story in Fractured Ever After, "True Reflections": Fractured fairy tales usually tell the original tale from another character's point-of-view--(e.g. a villain, side kick) OR modified the story in such a way as to make us laugh at an unexpected characterization, plot development or contrary point of view. You managed to do both in "True Reflections" What inspired your approach in a fractured tale of Snow White? Matt: Snow White, and a lot of the female fairy tale characters, are quite underdeveloped and helpless in the classics. I wanted to have strong good and evil characters. I also wanted "True Reflections" to be a reflection on modern day society and how toxic social media can be. JE: When brainstorming "True Reflections", which came first: your characters and their personalities OR the plotline? Matt: TV is saturated with reality shows at the moment, and I thought what if Snow White was competing in a kind of contest? From there, the personalities started to come out. What if the evil queen wasn’t actually evil, and her side of the story was twisted? What if Snow White’s character buckled under the pressure, and she became the evil one? What if a princess’s identity didn’t match with society’s opinion of what it should be? The plot kind of evolved from there. JE: "True Reflections" has strong themes that are truly inspiring (I felt like I was given a pep talk and now I'm ready to stand up to being me!)- and I think there needs to be more stories like that- what do you hope readers will walk away with after reading it? Matt: I hope that readers will be able to reflect on their social media use after reading this story. I hate seeing people so caught up in getting likes by people they don’t care about that they end up hurting themselves, and I hate how much stock people put into the opinions of complete strangers. The real life people around you, your family and friends, those are the people who matter. Whether you have 1 like on your post or 10,000, you are equally as valid and as important. Some readers will see a bit of themselves in Eva. They might recognize that they are being turned into a jealous person, so I hope they recognize that before it’s too late. And other readers might see themselves in Isabella. Maybe not the asexuality part, but I hope that they can see that there’s no point in hurting yourself or being ashamed of a part of you that you cannot change. You can follow Matt and his writing journey with these links below!
DATES: April 6th - April 30th
Grand Prize (US only): Two Paperbacks (Fractured Ever After and Encircled), book cozy + shoe ornament, 3D-printed bookmark (pick one design), set of four signed illustration prints First Prize (US only): Two Paperbacks (Fractured Ever After and Encircled), charm bracelet, 3D-printed bookmark (pick one design), set of four signed illustration prints Second Prize (International): Two Ebooks (Fractured Ever After and Encircled), 3D-printed bookmark (pick one design), set of four signed illustration prints Third Prize (International): Two Ebooks (Fractured Ever After and Encircled), choice of 3D-printed bookmark (pick one design) OR set of four signed illustration prints
Fast Facts:
Title: "The Arrangement" Author: Sarah Dunn Genre: Chick Lit/ Contemporary/ Romance (with a touch of humor!) Rating: 4 stars The novel primarily follows a married couple, Lucy and Owen, who hear of an unconventional idea from their city friends: an open marriage for six months, no questions asked. Okay, so it's not the newest idea; however what makes "The Arrangement" a huge leap beyond a disposable beach read are the multi-dimensional views that shine light not only on this couple, but an entire community. Lucy is a likable female protagonist- very pragmatic with a biting wit. Owen is just as lovable. Dunn 's segments featuring Owen were fresh and realistic. I continued to turn those pages as I explored their lives, which included raising chickens and tending to their autistic son (the strength and love of the parent-child relationship is iron-clad. Love it!) . While struggling with daily adult/parent-life, Dunn keeps things light with humor. I mean, how else can you get through a day with poop covered walls? The story straddles other themes- a teacher bravely transitions to her true self, a billionaire struggles fitting in Beekman with his younger wife, and various other couples fight to make it "work" beneath strained smiles. When I started the novel, I thought it was just going to follow one couple, but Dunn branched out. Secrets slowly become unearthed. True desires are questioned. Most importantly, the end wasn't terribly unpredictable. I mean, I was pretty floored as I turned page after page, daring myself to wonder if this whole open marriage thing would work. (Come on, it never works! ... Right?) One other thing. Each chapter begins with a quote from a Constance Weaverly. I believe she is a fictional relationship/sex therapist. This is an interesting approach versus using real life quotes. The end was satisfying enough, but it didn't have the same umph as the tension leading up to the climax (which I won't ruin). I also felt that some characters fizzled out in the latter half- there were so many perspectives introduced, and I was a tad bit disappointed that some voices faded out. The bottom line? Well, considering I finished the book in one day, it's certainly a worthy blind date. After years writing, reading, and breathing fantasy, this was a great bridge into contemporary romance. There was a quality to it that made it beyond a "juicy" read. I just wish the ending did each and every character justice. Everything swam before me in a fog... All I craved was a nice, quiet space and a steak and cheese sub. Maybe some Tylenol. I couldn't focus. It was as if my brain melted into pool of gray and white matter, and it was all because of last night.
A late night. A night to end all nights. In one hell of a bender, I completed my fantasy manuscript! No. No drinking was involved, and yet, along with the sense of achievement, nothing prepared me for my body's complete shut down mode when the sun rose. Okay, so it wasn't a real hangover, but it sure felt like one. In addition to the physical exhaustion, there was that *teeny* bit of depression that slammed into me like a freight train. Have you ever been on vacation, and you get that sense of dread Sunday night before you're back to school or work? Yeah, it's a little like that. Hence, writer's hangover. It's real. Now, this isn't my first time at the rodeo. This is my third novel; however, I never experience'd writer's hangover this badly before. I attributed it to the fact that I had been working on a trilogy, and trying to end a saga with characters that I fell in love with was like a long, drawn-out, painful good-bye to a loved one. I wasn't ready to let it go, and yet at the same time, I was dying to check off that milestone and work on a shiny new project. (So much for my beloved characters...) This manuscript took me the longest to complete. I toiled over writing it for almost a year, and the six months of sporadic editing was pure torture. I've changed the ending at least three times. I felt like Sisyphus- pushing that 80k word boulder up the never-ending hill of expectation. I'm sure any writer who has finished their manuscript has felt that skull throbbing headache after closing their laptop. Or the the sandpaper sensation against their corneas with each blink of an eye. What's a writer to do? Hair of the dog? I guess the author equivalent would be writing some more... Maybe some could manage, but I went with the TLC route. I got some extra sleep, lounged around Barnes and Noble, sipped some coffee, and played Kingdom Hearts 3 (is it me, or the bosses significantly harder than 1 and 2???). I'm a bit nervous of falling into a hammock of laziness, but I have a few weeks until Camp NaNo. Sometimes it's okay to ease up (At least I tell myself)- so for those experiencing writer's hangover with me: it'll get better. For those that are still writing, don't forget to take care of yourself. Time for a brownie and a bath. Peace J.E. Klimov Lynden Wade is a talented author that I had the pleasure to meet (virtually) through the Just-Us-League. She had done a complete overhaul to her blog, and it's amazing. So, it is an honor to be interviewed by her.
After checking out my interview, you should view her other posts. You may find something magical! As for me, I've got some good content lined up for spring 2019, so stay tuned. Peace- J.E.Klimov
About "Broken Glass":
About J.M Sullivan:Teacher by day, award-winning author by night, J.M. Sullivan is a fairy tale fanatic who loves taking classic stories and turning them on their head. When she’s not buried in her laptop, you can find her watching scary movies with her husband, playing with her kids, or lost inside a good book. Although known to dabble in adulting, J.M. is a big kid at heart who still believes in true love, magic, and most of all, the power of coffee. If you would like to connect with J.M., you can find her on social media at @jmsullivanbooks-- she’d love to hear from you. Author Links:Need a shortcut to buy her novels?Exclusive Except As Promised!She killed another Joker today.
Excuse me. I mean, ‘Guardsman.’ Ha. That’s the real joke. The Red Queen cares about the Marked as much as a cat does a dirty litter box. She’ll use them if she must, but otherwise they’re disposable. Except for me. She watches me. I don’t think she knows what to do with me. Not that I blame her. I don’t know what to do with myself. Sometimes I feel like everything is normal, and other times, well—then, at least, the voices tell me that everything is fine. I don’t quite believe them. It would be easier if the memories stopped. Of life before. It’s muddled, but there are fragments of purpose and joy, all tied to a quiet, blonde girl. She is strong, stronger than she knows—I know this because I know her better than myself. And yet, I don’t remember her. I am empty. The memories are not mine—they belong to someone else. I am a traitor in this body, an unwelcome host. And yet, the longer I stay grey, the more this body calls to me. Like the other Marked. We understand each other. They tell me things. Secrets the Queen will never know. I can read them in their eyes. I can feel them in my bones. Words unspoken, but always heard. Whispers, desperate songs, pleading for salvation. And all the while, they watch me. Waiting. Haunted stares as she kills our brothers and sisters. Their pain is palpable, heavy in the air and on my shoulders while they call to me on an undiscovered frequency. I hear them laughing. I hear them crying. I hear them . . . I hear . . . Them. The timing couldn't be more perfect. A good author-friend of mine has released another breath-taking masterpiece. Cassandra Fear has been cranking out novel after novel - and I've enjoyed them all! I'm very grateful to know this talented writer! This time, Fear has released a book about the Fae! Also, I'm privy to share a BLACK FRIDAY DEAL! What to expect here: 1) Blurb 2) Info on promotion 3) EXCLUSIVE excerpt Follow Cassandra Fear for all the latest news at: www.facebook.com/cassandrafearauthor www.twitter.com/CassieFear www.instagram.com/cfear_27 www.cassandrafear.com "Fae Princess" Blurb:A war fueled by hatred. A girl pushed in the middle. Humans and Fae are at war—a war Brinna Rogers wants nothing to do with. She is content living with her parents, going to school, and pretending the streets aren’t filled with fighting. Until she has no choice but to face it. On her way home one damp night, danger strikes, thrusting Brinna down a rabbit hole of change. A binding spell snaps, and she finds out she has been lied to her whole life. She isn’t a human like she thought. Instead, she is Fae, and not just any. Her name is Brinna Blackshadow and she is a Fae Princess. Within moments, she is shoved over the edge of reality, plummeting straight down until she crashes head first into the war. In order to break free, she must strike a deal with the leader of the human army—one that makes guilt rise to the forefront. Because when you strike a deal with the devil, you might pay with more than your soul. Fae Princess is the first installment of The Blackshadow Chronicles. It will appeal to fans of Sarah J Maas’s ACOTAR series and Julie Kagawa’s The Iron Fey Series. "Fae Princess" deal!Fae Princess is out now, and just a click away. You can get this new book on Amazon for only 99 cents through Black Friday weekend, but hurry, the price goes up to $2.99 after that. It’s also available in paperback for only $13.99. Keep scrolling for an EXCLUSIVE excerpt!!!"I opened the bag, andinside there were at least a dozen clear plastic vials with covered needles at the bottom. Pulling one out, I held it up in the car between us. “What exactly is this?” My heart raced with fear. Why did Logan have what looked like immunization shots I used to get at the doctor's? And why did he look like he might be sick the moment he laid eyes on the shot?
“It’s a drug. I’m not sure what it’s called, I never asked. It isn’t my job to ask. It’s my job to execute the attacks.” I quirked my eyebrows toward him. What was Logan talking about? I wanted to ask, but fear held my tongue, made me swallow it so I couldn’t get any more words out. But, he read my quirked eyebrows as a signal. “Wondering why I have a bag full of hypodermic needles filled with a fluid to make sure people black out and don’t wake up for a while? I’m a soldier, Brinna. One of the Fae soldiers, so when I leave the compound, it’s because I have a mission, a job if you will. Usually I’m going after human soldiers, andusually,they don’t put up much of a fight.” I’m sure the edges of panic showed through my widened eyes, slightly parted mouth, and heavier than normal breathing. Logan was a soldier. He’d been a soldier since I’d met him. My head spun. I didn’t know what to think. I could hardly breathe. But yet, when I looked at Logan, he looked as panicked as I did. Maybe he’d thought I’d run from him. Maybe he just needed someone to understand who he reallywas. “So, you’re a soldier. Okay. I think I can handle that,” I replied, wanting him to know he had me on his side. I wouldn’t turn my back on him. Not now, not ever." |