Author Interview: Rosemary Fryth

Please welcome to Feed My Need, the fabulous author, Rosemary Fryth!

Check out her website here!

When and why did you begin writing?

I’ve been writing ever since I was a young child. I think my first non-scholastic ‘literary’ effort was a book of poems in an old primary school notepad. In the years afterwards I wrote reams and reams of short stories and some pretty dreadful poetry. Eventually my poetry improved, and I was able to select a few poems for an anthology (‘Elemental’) that was printed in the late 1990s by a small Canberra-based publishing house ‘Ginninderra Press’, and that I later republished on Kindle. I don’t know why I started writing, other than feeling the need to create and be creative.

If I wasn’t writing stories, I’d be writing poems, or drawing, or painting or doing something else crafty. As a person I’m very pragmatic, practical and logical, so much so that I have a deep and abiding love of science - yet there is an innate creative side to my personality that needs release, and writing has always been a medium for that release. I was born in late January - so Aquarius but on the cusp of Capricorn, and as much as I don’t believe in astrology, for some reason the Capricorn/Aquarius profile seem to fit me to a tee.


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

My heroic, epic fantasy trilogy was written over two years, usually on weekends or after finishing work for the day. I don’t recollect the writing of ‘Riothamus’ as being particularly difficult, however there is a lot of hard slog connected with editing and proofreading - it’s necessary, but I find that even when editing, I get immediately drawn back into the story and it becomes less of a chore.

‘Dark Confluence’ is my latest book (dark fantasy genre) and compared to the big trilogy, is quite a short read. What I found difficult about writing this book was getting back into the swing of regular writing after an almost ten-year absence from the craft. At first I was pretty rusty, however practice makes perfect (or almost perfect) and my writing flows a lot easier now. I do find myself encountering ‘writer’s block’ on occasion, especially when I’m in the middle of a story, and although I know how the story ends, sometimes the middle section is unknown to me.

When that happens I tend to walk away for a day or two and let the plot ferment in my mind, so when I get back into writing the plot becomes clearer, and oftentimes my characters become most insistent about where they want the story to go. I also find that I get my best and creative ideas when I’m in the shower. I guess you just turn off in there, and your subconscious is free to roam where it will.

I find that dialogue is the easiest thing to write - when my characters speak, the words flow like music for me.


What music do you listen to while you write?

I listened to a lot of Enya, Era and Loreena McKennitt when I was writing the ‘Riothamus’ trilogy. I must have played the song ‘Dante’s Prayer’ dozens of times whilst writing - there is something in that music that really put me in the mood for writing ‘Riothamus’. Otherwise I tend to listen to non-vocal music as lyrics can become quite distracting when writing.


What inspires you?

Most often the inspiration comes from other books, sometimes it might be something that I’ve seen on television, or a word or a phrase. I was inspired to write my dark fantasy novel for several reasons - first off I wanted to write an Australian-based urban fantasy because as far as I am aware, no one else has ever done so.

Secondly, I wanted to write a dark fantasy that I as an older woman wanted to read - so an older heroine; and the paranormal creatures are the Fae of Celtic mythology, not vampires or werewolves. Thirdly I wanted to explore certain themes - about the lust for power at any cost, and of self-sacrifice. ‘Dark Confluence’ has also a hidden commentary on Australian politics and society.

I drew inspiration for the ‘Riothamus’ trilogy from my many years of medieval reenactment here in Brisbane, and also from a trip to the UK where I spent many a happy hour exploring ruinous castles and keeps. Knowing what it feels like to wield a sword, wear a mail shirt, take part in battles, cook medieval food, sew your own costumes and go to feasts and banquets etc, become invaluable tools in being able to create a believable medieval world for your characters and plot to inhabit.


Do you have any hidden talents?

I used to play bodhran (an Irish drum) at a regular folk music session; and our group recorded a CD. Currently I’m doing pottery and ceramics classes and I seem to have a burgeoning talent for sculpture. I also used to be an illustrator for the local State Government.


What are your current projects?

I’m currently working on ‘Dark Destination’ which is a follow-on book to ‘Dark Confluence’. After that I have in my ‘still-to-be-written’ queue, ‘Dark Destiny’ which is the third novel in ‘The Darkening’ trilogy. After that I need to do more work on a stand-alone book set in the ‘Riothamus’ world.

The title is called ‘Rapier’s Legacy’ and is set twenty years after the trilogy ended with ‘Warriormage’. Also this year I hope to have at least one of my books out on CreateSpace, and all of my books available on Smashwords - so yes, I am very busy and have my writing planned right through 2012, and into 2013 as well.


What book are you reading now?

Every so often I re-read the books that I enjoyed as a child/teen. My favourite authors were Enid Blyton, Alan Garner and Susan Cooper - at the moment I am re-reading ‘The Weirdstone of Brisingamen’ by Alan Garner.


Quick: Vampires or Shapeshifter? Why?

To be honest, neither, although the Shapeshifter does tend to appeal as I’ve incorporated a shapeshifting character in ‘Dark Confluence’ - his name is Fionn, and is my heroine’s love interest. My personal preference tends towards faerie creatures from Celtic, Norse and Anglo-Saxon mythology - creatures that I’ve grabbed in my ‘Darkening’ trilogy, and transplanted Downunder to Australia.


Do you have any advice for other writers?

To keep writing and most importantly, to grow a thick skin - not everyone who reads your books will like them, and those who don’t, will delight in pointing out flaws. However when a person does enjoy your writing, and tells you so, you are walking on air for days afterwards. Also remember that you are very brave for putting yourself and your words out there for the world to read, so keep in mind that you must take the bad with the good.

Oh, and one last piece of advice? Writing and publishing is not a sprint - look upon what you are doing as a marathon - some people get early success, other people achieve success after many years; no one is the same, no one will have an identical experience, just keep writing and believing in yourself and you’ll get there.


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

First off a big thank-you, firstly for taking an interest in a new and independent author, and secondly for taking a punt on my stories - I do appreciate it! All of what I’ve written and published has been to please myself (rather than to please an editor or the market or to cash in on a trend), so it thrills me to know that other people have enjoyed reading my stories as well.

Book Spotlight: Hacienda Moon by KaSonndra Leigh

Love, obsession, and betrayal, the most powerful

human emotions, are spun together in this gothic

novel. Tandie Harrison is a police medium who has just

suffered a divorce after losing both her psychic visions

and her daughter in a car accident. When she leaves

New York City to start a new life near her hometown,

she moves into the alluring plantation house, Chelby

Rose, and falls for its enigmatic caretaker, Eric

Fontalvo. Their burgeoning affair ignites a century

old curse, ensnaring them in a web of danger, deceit,

and intrigue. Soon Tandie learns that in placid Bolivia,

the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously

connected.

Hacienda Moon is a seductive tale of one woman’s

journey to confront the demons of her past and find the

courage to face her future. It is a mesmerizing novel

that explores the deepest depths of human nature, and

the characters will hold and haunt you long after you

have read the final chapter.

Cedardale Court by Nathan Lee Christensen

Cedardale Court is full of daring fools, haunting old flames, and brimming with panicked villainy; which only makes the final week of Canner Connelly’s ten year attempt to avoid death feel that much more ridiculous. After a well-intentioned move to the Oregon countryside, the safety and peace of mind he’s longed for, for him and his daughter, Chloe, finally appears within reach. But, upon waking the next morning, their promising start at Uncle Henry’s falls rather short as the sun comes up and the ever inept residents around them start their days. One domestic dispute, a little reckless driving, and a broken fire hydrant later, what normally might have been an enjoyable Sunday morning quickly turns into a slightly darker affair as a human hand -well, half of one, really- turns up in the bushes. Things only get messier and more frightfully uncertain as the ghosts from the past begin to resurface and, one by one, the secrets that have been so carefully kept, for so very long, unravel for everyone.

In the face of the monstrously absurd, this little neighborhood might be the key that opens the door to Canner and Chloe’s new life, or it might be exactly as it appears; the gateway to the undoing of them all.

My Thoughts

When I first read this book, I was swept away with the refreshing talent. The ease at which he weaves a story is amazing. 

However, as the story continued on I started noticing some bad habits that crept in the way in the way of a great story.

The thing is, there are rules in fiction writing. I don't mind when authors break these rules, especially the tell versus show rule. This rule basically says that instead of telling us about the character, you show us the character.

For example instead of the writer saying John is sad, the author is suppose to describe how John looks, feels, and acts when he is sad. There is a key difference there. 

Now, like I said before, I don't mind when an author breaks the rules. Some authors actually make their living breaking the rules. However, when an author breaks the rule on every page, at every moment they can. It just starts to annoy me. Especially when it starts to interfere with every good part of the book. 

So let's break this down further.

Dreams and Reality: A Guest Post by Suzanne Lilly

Dreams and Reality: Which is Which?

Guest post by Suzanne Lilly

Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die

life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.

- Langston Hughes

In this poem, Langston Hughes is writing about the dreams that drive our lives. People who achieve great things dream up the goal and then strive toward it. People who are stars in their fields dreamed of their achievement, then worked hard to get there.

But what about the other way around? Can seeing what we think is reality in a dream affect the choices we make each day? Philosophers and theologists have debated this for centuries. I believe it can, and that’s at the heart of my story, Shades of the Future.

Have you ever dreamed of something so vivid that when you woke, your heart was pounding, or you were frightened, or you felt uneasy?

There was a story on the news in California several years ago about a woman who had a car accident on a lonely road at night. Another woman, a complete stranger, was visiting a relative’s home. She woke in the middle of the night after having a dream, convinced she needed to get up, get on the road, and go home immediately. She and her husband packed up and left right away.

As they drove down a rural California road, they saw a woman in the dark, lying on the shoulder of Highway 50. They called the highway patrol, and when the CHP came out and searched the area, they found a car at the bottom of a ravine. A mother and her toddler son were still strapped in the car after an accident. They boy was saved, but unfortunately, the mother was already dead. In this true story, a dream saved a little boy’s life.

This was a warning dream. Have you ever had a dream where you saw yourself being successful or attaining something you’ve always wanted?

I’ve often heard it said that dreams become reality. We can act on our dreams. We can do things to reach for the things we dream about. Perhaps in this way we can make our dreams become reality. Keep in mind Oprah Winfrey’s words,

The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but significance - and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning.

If we take the little steps to make our dreams come true, eventually we’ll get there.

As William Shakespeare wrote:

We are such stuff

As dreams are made on.

What do you think? Do your dreams affect your waking life?



About Suzanne Lilly

Suzanne Lilly is a writer at night and a teacher by day, which is why she’s known online as the TeacherWriter. Her articles and stories have appeared in numerous places online and in print. She writes light romance, young adult, and middle grade novels. When not busy with words, she enjoys swimming, hiking, reading, fine arts, and cooking. She lives in California with her family and furry friends and has yet to feel an earthquake. You can follow her on Twitter as @suzannelilly, visit her TeacherWriter blog, at her Suzanne Lilly Author website, or friend her on Goodreads, and on Facebook.

Her debut novel, Shades of the Future, published by Turquoise Morning Press, is available July 2012. What would you do if you could see your future? What you think is “the gift” may actually be a curse.

Author Interview: Marita Fowler

Please welcome to Feed My Need, the author of Fat Assassins and Fat Bodyguards, Marita Fowler!

Check out her fabulous website here!

When and why did you begin writing?

Like many authors, I’ve had a love affair with books from a young age. I wrote short stories during my school years, but never concentrated my energy into a novel. I spent my early career years fine tuning my technical writing skills, while constantly thinking about books and characters. 

This is actually the third book I started before finding characters and a storyline that flowed easily from my fingertips. I wasn’t ready for those other ideas yet, so I shelved them until my brain is ready to cooperate. Once I wrote the first piece of dialogue between Shasta and Ulyssa, I was hooked. 

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

I start with the title (which is the easiest) and then figure out the ending. If I can’t come up with a satisfying ending, I shelve the title. The middle is the toughest part of the book to write because you have figure out all the twists-n-turns. It takes a balance because you want the book to be intriguing, but not too lengthy.


What music do you listen to while you write?

It depends on what kind of scene I’m writing. (I’ve even listened to some Bluegrass because I was writing a scene and needed a little extra country kick). I just started keeping YouTube playlists for each of my books. The playlists have the songs I hear or imagine during key scenes in the book. I prefer silence when editing because it requires total concentration.

       

What inspires you?

My husband is my biggest inspiration, but I find inspiration everywhere. People, songs, conversations, books, art...you name it.


Do you have any hidden talents?

I can throw a mean plasma grenade (Halo). My Warthog driving skills aren’t the best though.


What are your current projects?

I’m working on the third book in the series - Fat Spies. I’m also working on my first YA paranormal novel.


What book are you reading now?

I just finished Demon Kissed by H.M. Ward and I’m starting the second book, Cursed.


Quick: Vampires or Shapeshifter? Why?

Neither. I’m more interested in mind-reading characters (think Christine Feehan) and Angels/Demons (Susan Ee, H.M. Ward, E. VanLowe).


Do you have any advice for other writers?

Be considerate to other authors and your readers. There are so many talented authors who will take the time to help you, but you’ve got to share the love (as the folks at the Women’s Literary Cafe like to say). It’s tough to find true ‘readers’ or fans while you’re an unknown. Take care of your grassroots readers and never forget that they were with you from the beginning.


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

You’ll get bad reviews. It happens. Some people won’t like your book and they’ll let you know it with their scathing reviews. Learn to accept this early on and you’ll save yourself some heartache.

Southern style sweet-potatoes Shasta and Ulyssa have stuck together through thick and thin since their escape from third grade fat camp. But on one dark day, they both find themselves unemployed. Shasta quits after being tased for an impromptu tirade over the Wal-Mart intercom and Ulyssa is shocked speechless when the boss’s wife falsely accuses her of being the other woman and demands her termination.

A hazardous job hunt sees them turn down egg harvesting, drug dealing and phone sex before they settle for an exterminator job. 

Confusing mafia lingo leaves the girls thinking they’re being interviewed to cope with a rodent infestation. Confident that they can handle the job, they oversell their skills and demand half payment up front to seal the deal. Skeptical at first, the mob boss decides to hire this unlikely pair when he mistakes their attitude for professional stoicism. 


The girls are shocked when presented with a target profile and an envelope full of cash. They want out, but it’s too late. The mob doesn’t allow do-overs. And certainly not when they’re whacking one of their own.

Shasta and Ulyssa leave a wake of destruction as they experiment with different assassination methods. But the clock is ticking and when the body count is still zero after multiple attempts, the boss decides to bring in additional assassins to finish the job and tie up loose ends. 

And the girls just happen to be one of those loose ends.

White Cat by Holly Black

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers—people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they’re all criminals. Many become mobsters and con artists. But not Cassel. He hasn’t got magic, so he’s an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail—he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

            

Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts to crumble when he finds himself sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He’s noticing other disturbing things too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him. As Cassel begins to suspect he’s part of a huge con game, he must unravel his past and his memories. To find out the truth, Cassel will have to outcon the conmen.

My Thoughts

I have to say I love the concept but I wasn't too impressed by the book. The main character I didn't fall in love with, the plot is boring (until the end since I read the back reviews saying the ending was unpredicable), and some of it was unrealistic and not really explained well.

I know, it's a mouthful and I know I usually wait for the end to tell you all this, but I couldn't help it. The book was just such a disappointment to me. 

Once again, I fell in love with an awesome cover and awesome concept where the author failed to deliver. *sigh*

But I'll break it down even further, and maybe you guys will give it a chance.

Angel Diaries Volume One: Almost Published

You know that time in your life where everything is going so well that you question it?

I mean, sure there is a couple of blind spots in my life which would improve (which is a whole other discussion) but otherwise, I'm happy. I have a teaching job at Portsmouth Public Schools. I will soon have an apartment that I will fall in love with and move into which I may seriously think of turning the second bedroom into a library.

Hey what can I say? I'm a bibliophile and proud of it.

And, I will be publishing Angel Diaries probably this week. This book is a five year journey that suddenly makes a u-turn here. If you would have asked me five years ago if I would self-publish my book, I would laughed in your face.

Now, it's the most exciting thing ever. The book cover is ready. The blurb is fantastic (after struggling with that thing for MONTHS!). And the manuscript is publishing ready.

And boy am I nervous! I never thought I would be publishing it at this time. At first, I thought that I wouldn't be able to afford it since I don't have the money and I'm not making any money either (broke college student and all). But thanks to my editor who gave me a great price, Ricki, it was all possible!

Now that the time has come, so to speak, I just don't know what's going to happen. Don't get me wrong. I want this book to be published. I want people to read it and enjoy it, but I don't know the reaction I will get.

I guess I feel insecure about this book since it's so different, it's so odd, and it's my first stab into the darkness that is PNR. I know some authors don't delve right into horror or the dark side of paranormal, but I would like to think I did.


Writing it was something that threw me in for a loop. I wrote it, or at least came with the concept, while I was still in high school. My last year. Probably one of the harshest years in my life in high school. College was worse. College is where I felt real pain but high school is where I first encountered it.

Anyway, I knew at that time I was tired of writing about rainbows and happily ever afters. I knew I wanted to write about the struggle I was in. I knew I wanted to write about the darkness that surrounds us all.

I knew I wanted to write something completely different.

And Angel Diaries just blew me away.

I know I should be rejoicing and happy that I've finally made it to the publishing step, but somehow, I'm a bit sad. I guess this is what my parents felt when I went to college, then grew more independent as the years moved along.

I guess I'm a bit nervous and sad since this book is my baby. I've seen it at its worse and at its best. And this by far is its best. I know that when people review it, it will be based on the characters and the plot and not on grammar mistakes and misplaced words.

Angel Diaries Volume One will stand on its own.

I guess I'm just being worried for nothing. I know I got the green light from proofreaders, critiquers, and other friends and family who fell in love with it like I did.

I guess I'm nervous about fans and about their response. I know the fans love Jia. But what about Lindsey? She's not my typical teen hero. She's not quite normal nor quite on this side of weird either.

She's something I wasn't prepared for. For years I wrote about the female protagonist who has that weird factor, that particular part of them that makes them special. Unique. Jia has that charactertistic yet Lindsey doesn't.

I just don't know how this will turn out. I wish I had a crystal ball like Jia sometimes, other times I'm glad I can't see the future.

I guess after this whole journey of self discovery, delving into darkness and coming out looking the same but at the same time never ever writing the same, I guess this is the moment where if this whole thing has been worth it.

This is the time to let my book shine.

 

 

He was forbidden. Uncontrollable. Never to be seen, mentioned, or otherwise talked about. Until the nightmares began. Searing the screams, carnage and death into her skull. Forever.

Before this, Lindsey had a normal life. Somewhat. She had a boyfriend who was acting strange, an ex-boyfriend who has been too flirtatious and a best friend who turned psychic.

Once upon a time, the hardest decision Lindsey had to make was who she would take to the upcoming Winter Dance: her boyfriend, Philip, or her ex, Luke. Now,
she's not even human. She's an Angel.