Author Interview and Giveaway: Entire Rippler Series by Cidney Swanson

Yes, it's the most wonderful time of the year: Giveaway! As part of the Unfurl Blog Tour, Cidney Swanson is giving away her ENTIRE Rippler series!

Now let's get on with the glorious interview and giveaway by the talented YA author Cidney Swanson.

Bio

Cidney Swanson grew p within spitting distance of the central California foothills and learned to drive on the crazy highways linking gold rush ghost towns. She began her first novel at age eight; it started with "Ouch," and she's enjoyed creating painful situations for her characters ever since. Cidney worked as a costume designer, clothing designer, and kitchen gadget salesperson prior to giving it all up for literature. Cidney lives in Oregon's Willamette Valley with her husband, three kids, a dog, and two cats and entirely too much rain.

                     Interview

When and why did you begin writing?

I began writing stories as soon as I could hold a pencil and form words with it. I was about seven, and I have no real idea why I wrote other than for the pure thrill of it. I certainly can’t imagine my life without writing.

What was the hardest part of writing your book? What is the easiest?

The hardest part is revision. Especially, it’s tough to cut out huge parts I loved but which didn’t ultimately move the arc of the story forward. The easiest part is writing down conversations. I often feel as though I am transcribing actual dialogue as opposed to inventing imaginary dialogue.

What music do you listen to while you write?

I’m one of those strange ducks who can’t listen to music while she writes. I think the part of my brain that invents things is too close to the part of my brain that pays attention to music. If there are lyrics being sung, I can’t not pay attention to them. This is counter-productive if I’m trying to write.

What inspires you?

Words. Words. Words. (To quote my homeboy, Hamlet.) I love the flavor and texture of them in my mouth. Reading really gorgeous prose generally inspires me. Seeing a movie that brings out the tear-fairy also inspires me. However, the connection between inspiration and writing is tenuous, at best! (See my answer to question nine, below.)

Do you have any hidden talents?

I can whistle really, really loudly without using my fingers.

Also, I can sew pretty much anything.

And I make a wicked loaf of sourdough bread.

What are your current projects?

Incompletes: I have a satire in the deep freeze, and a fantasy based heavily on history on the front burner. First drafts done: I have book one in a projected sci-fi series and a stand-alone paranormal romance completed. Currently, I’m trying to decide which of these to attack next.

What book are you reading now?

I read several at once. On my nightstand right now are: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr, Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare, and Glimpse by Stacey Wallace Benefiel.

Quick: Vampires or Shapeshifter? Why?

Shapeshifters. I mean, come on, how cool would it be to change your shape and appearance at will?

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Read, read, read. Read the classics heavily. There’s a reason they’re classics. Read widely in the genre in which you would like to write, and keep up-to-date in this area. (I.e., read what is selling well today.)

AND

Write, write, write. The muse does not make visits with sufficient frequency to keep most of us writing. Write on a schedule whether you feel inspired or not. I find that inspiration follows B-I-C (butt-in-chair) pretty predictably.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I’m so very grateful to those of you who are helping my series climb the charts. It is an incredible privilege to be doing what I love full-time, and I don’t take it for granted!

Giveaway
Win the entire series of Rippler!

Samantha Ruiz has a freak gene that makes her turn invisible, or ripple. She can’t control it, and it’s getting worse. Afraid of becoming a lab-rat, Sam keeps her ability secret, until fellow runner Will Baker sees her vanish into thin air. Will promises secrecy and help, and Sam begins to fall in love. 

Together, the two discover there are worse things than being a scientific curiosity. Someone’s been killing people who possess Sam's gene. A mysterious man from France sends letters that offer hope for safety, but also reveal a sinister connection with Nazi experiments. The more time Sam spends with Will, the less she can imagine life without him. When Sam uncovers secrets from her past, she must choose between keeping Will in her life or keeping Will safe.

Curious about what I thought about these lovely books? Check out my review here and here. 

Hint: These books are great! :)

Want the books? Then follow these instructions:

1.In order to enter this giveaway you must be a follower of my blog.

2. Leave a comment with your name and email address to enter the giveaway.

3. To double your chances, then like my Facebook page and/or follow me on Twitter on the right hand side of the blog.

3. This giveaway ends January 18, 2011 at 11:59pm.

Please make sure to thank this awesome author, Cidney Swanson!

Book Giveaway and Author Interview: Dreams and Nightmares by Ann Werner

Please welcome to A Three Way Tie author: Ann Werner!

                                                                Bio

Ann Werner was born and raised in Baltimore Maryland, moved to Southern California in 1977, lived a few years near Sedona Arizona and now resides in Northern California. Along the way she has held a variety of jobs including bartender, cemetery plot salesperson, auto salesperson, actor and wine consultant, to name a very few. For seven and a half years she portrayed Eliana, maid to the evil Dimera family on Days of Our Lives. She is the author of the novel The People Next Door. She considers life to be a smorgasbord and intends to dine at the table for as long as she can.

Facebook: Author Ann Werner / Twitter MsWerner

http://arkstories.com/home.html

Interview

When and why did you begin writing?

I have been writing for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I loved any English project that required writing. When I was a freshman in high school we were given an assignment to write our autobiographies. Just a simple paper wasn’t good enough for me. I found another student with artistic abilities and had her illustrate my pamphlet— no loose-leaf paper for me! I wrote articles for my school paper, I wrote for fun. I think the reason I love to write is because I love to read. My heroes have always been people who could take me out of my world and transport me to another using the power of the written word.

What was the hardest part of writing your book? What is the easiest?

That’s a tough question to answer. There are so many elements that go into writing a book and one never knows when the words will flow and when they’ll hit a wall. Sometimes things just won’t gel. In Dreams and Nightmares the character of Albert Crawford was a carryover from a novel I had begun and just couldn’t make it work. I kept on changing things to make it work and it wouldn’t come together but I loved that character. Then I had an epiphany, scrapped the idea altogether and started a new novel and Albert was perfect for it. In the book, I have my character Decker Jones, who is a writer, do the same thing.  I think it’s fun to put little nuggets in a novel that are real personal events, just fictionalized.

For me, by far the most difficult part is once I finish writing it, to go back and go through it again—and again—and again! By the time any of my books are deemed ready to go, I’ve had to go through them at least five times. It’s mind boggling.

What music do you listen to while you write?

I don’t listen to music when I write. I find it distracting.

What inspires you?

All sorts of things. Sometimes I’ll see something on the news. Sometimes it’s just the sight of a stranger walking down the street. One of my as yet unpublished novels was inspired by a wedding. Sometimes it’s just a random thought. I read Stephen’s King’s book On Writing several years ago and he summed it up perfectly. I think “what if…?” and go from there.

Do you have any hidden talents?

I’m a pretty good actor. I spent a little over a decade seriously pursuing an acting career. I was a recurring character on Days of Our Lives for about seven and a half years. I can sing too – but I’m best in the shower when there’s no one around.

What are your current projects?

I’m doing a rewrite on a novel I wrote about ten years ago and hope to have it ready for publication by Christmas but that hope is fading fast – too much to do! But I think I can get it done by January and reach out to all those people who got Kindles for Christmas.

I also collaborate on and edit three blogs. My daughter, Kimberley Johnson, and I are partners in ARK Stories and we’ve published two non-fiction books. The blogs we’ve got up now will eventually be made into books. We just started one on moms: Mom! The Blog! We also have the Body and Self Image Blog, which has all sorts of great stories from people talking about how they feel about the skin they’re in. And we have the Here She Comes Blog, which is a collection of stories about the female sexual response.

What book are you reading now?

I’m poised to finish Andy McDermott’s Empire of Gold, will follow that with Cross Fire by James Patterson and have the new Stephen King as well as the last Repairman Jack book from F. Paul Wilson on the way.

Quick: Vampires or Shapeshifter?

Shapeshifter. They’re scarier to me and, quite frankly, I was never into vampires in the first place.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Keep writing. Keep improving. And above all else, READ! If you’re not a reader, you‘ll never be a good writer.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I hope you enjoy my books. I do my best to keep you in suspense and spin a good yarn. If you like my stories, please tell your friends and give me a good review on Amazon. If you don’t – shhhh!

Giveaway

Blurb:

On what feels like the worst day of her life, instead of getting an expected marriage proposal, Decker Jones is dumped by her boyfriend of three years. Her heartbreak is tempered with joy when she receives the news that after ten long years of trying to get noticed, top literary agent Lillian Cardone has agreed to represent her, moving her a giant leap forward towards the dream of becoming a bestselling author.

Albert Crawford is a career bank robber who is planning to retire to live the good life in Mexico after pulling one last job. Things go horribly wrong when a bank guard is killed. Three time loser Albert is arrested and sent to spend the rest of his life in prison.

Two different people. Two different futures. Neither can image what the future holds.

Giveaway Details:

1.In order to enter this giveaway you must be a follower of my blog. 

2. Leave a comment with your name and email address to enter the giveaway.

3. This giveaway ends November 17, 2011 at 11:59pm. 

Good luck! Please give the author who sponsored this giveaway a round of applause! 

*cheers from the peanut gallery*