Ask the Author...

Tell me about yourself. What’s a day in your life like? I get up super early when my cat decides to eat breakfast. She's on a diet, so I can't feed her until 7am.  We both stay awake from 4am onward glaring at each other.  I go to work as a preschool teacher during the day.  After I get home, I spend the evening with my son having quality time.  Sometimes that involves a dance party or building a fort out of pillows.  My husband works from home until dinner, so we have to stay super quiet.  Once my son falls asleep, I squeeze in an hour or two of writing before I pass out from exhaustion.

How do you pick character names? I have a baby name book in my desk drawer. I'll usually read a couple names out loud to my son, and he picks the one that stands out to him the most.

We’re in a bar and I’m buying you a drink. What’ll it be?  A glass of red wine.  I'm not picky, so you can surprise with the brand.  Make?  I'm not a big alcohol conoussour, so I'm not too up to date on the language.

It’s 10:00 on a Friday night. Where are you? In bed!  I try to go to sleep early on Fridays.  I give myself a break from writing.  Typically on Friday nights, I watch cooking shows on Create.

Would you like to say anything to your readers / fans?  Thank you for buying my books and asking for more!

Sell me a glass of water.  Drink this.  You must stay hydrated to live.  Live!

When you were a child, what was your dream occupation?  To be a teacher and a writer.  While it was difficult to become a teacher (college, certification exams, student teaching, getting hired), finally becoming published felt like a dream come true.  When I got my agent, I sobbed and ran around the house screaming.  My mom thought I was injured.

How would you describe your writing job to a child? The people living in my head tell me about their lives.  Actually, that sounds a little scary.  

What’s your writing kryptonite? Distractions.  I have to stay focused in my bedroom.  If anyone comes in to sit on the bed or talk to me, I lose my train of thought, and sometimes don't get it back until the next night.  When that happens, I plunge into marketing instead of writing.

Who would you rather be? A ninja or a pirate?  Pirate.  I love the ocean, and I'm not very coordinated.  I don't think I'd ever be good at fighting with coordinated body movements.

How to Stalk the Author...
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Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/JordanElizabethAuthor
Twitter- https://twitter.com/JayliaDarkness
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/authorjordanelizabeth/

Interrogating the Author...
1. Would you rather fight - 100 chicken-sized donkeys or one donkey-sized chicken?
This one is easy. I'd take the 100 chicken-sized donkeys over the donkey-sized chicken any day. Can you imagine what the beaks and claws could do to you if a chicken was that big? Nope. I think I'll take my chances with the miniature donkeys.

2. When you were a child, what was your dream occupation?
Well, I know this is where I'm meant to say I always wanted to be an author, but that's not entirely accurate. I did always love to write, but never thought it was a possibility. I did, however, want to be an actress on Broadway. I wanted to sing and dance and perform on stage for the world to see. It was either that or be a back up dancer for Madonna.

3. Do you prefer to be original or write what your readers want?
I'm original. I don't know how other authors can do research and write whatever is selling at the time. That doesn't inspire me. I write whatever story pops into my head. It could be inspired by a song, or a place I've visited, a conversation with a friend. Hell, sometimes a random scene will just play out in my head, and boom! There's another WIP. 
Basically, I write what I want to.

4. What book made you cry?
Okay, I have many that have made me cry, but there are two that made me full on ugly cry. I'm talking blotchy face sobbing. Both these books stayed with me after I finished them, and I continued crying for a while after. They wrecked me, and I loved it. Those books are "Blue" by Sarah Jayne Carr (and no, that's not just me kissing up to you), and "A Thousand Boy Kisses" by Tillie Cole.

5. We're in a bar and I'm buying you a drink. What'll it be?
Jamison whiskey with ginger ale and lime. That's my jam.

6. Plotting or pantsing?
Pantser all the way. I tried to plot with my very first book, but the characters hijacked the situation and took it somewhere else. It was still pretty much the story I set out to write, but executed differently. I go in with a vague idea of what might happen, or even just a first line of the book, or maybe a character. That's it. I fly blind and let the characters dictate what happens. Most of the time, I have no idea how it will end until maybe halfway through, and even then it can change. I'm pretty much the puppet and my characters pull the strings.

7. What's the funniest typo you've ever written?
Okay, so this wasn't in one of my books, but it was a text to a friend when I locked myself out of my house one day.
"Son of a bitch. Just licked myself out."
I pressed send and then realised what I'd said after. So. Embarrassing.

8.What's your favourite scene in your latest novel?
Deep Heat is my latest novel. It's a contemporary romantic comedy. My favourite scene is one between the main character, Marianne, and her best friend, Susan. They're discussing the current dry spell one is enduring and the blind date the other had the night before. Susan is one of those friends who is outspoken and opinionated, and she's constantly trying to get Marianne to live a little. In this particular scene, she's getting particularly sassy, and she starts calling herself Susancé (as in Beyonce). She wants to know all about the night before, and is horrified to find out it didn't go as she was hoping.

9. Who are your favourite authors?
Karin Slaughter is my all time favourite author. She writes crime/thriller/suspense and she always keeps me on the edge of my seat. I never know what's going to happen, and I love that. I'm jealous of her mind.
I'm also a huge fan of Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty, Lily Archer, Celia Aaron, Nicole S. Goodin, and RC Boldt. Ooh, and I've recently become a fan of Stephen King too.

10. If you could spend a day with any author, who would it be and what would you do?
It pretty much all comes down to who I want to learn from. I'd love to be able to write suspense that constantly keeps people guessing like Karin Slaughter and Celia Aaron, so it would be one of them. I'd want to find out their process and where they get their ideas. I'd want to know how much research they do, and if they have clear ideas from the start or if they're more like me and go with the flow.

Thanks so much for interviewing me! This has been a blast!

Ask the Author...
1.What’s your perfect writing environment?
Okay, close your eyes. It's raining outside. The sun is nowhere to be seen and the day is brisk but not cold. I am cuddled with blankets sitting in my office and the kids are gone. Probably at school. I have my trusty headphones and some fantastic music blaring in my ears. No distraction. Just me and my laptop. I'm sipping on hot chocolate and snacking on carrots. Wait, that's a weird combo. Sipping on hot chocolate and graham crackers. That's better. 
2.How would you describe your writing job to a child?
I get to play make-believe all day. I write about fake people, in a fake world and get paid money. They talk to me in my head. Sometimes they get mean if I don't tell their story. 
Don't worry it's not scary. Not unless I make them mad. 
 Doesn't that sound fun? Do you want to be a writer? 
 3.What’s your writing kryptonite?
The year of 2020. And so far the year of 2021. 
 4. Tell me about your first job.
My dad owned his own shoe repair shop in California. Arlotti's Shoe Repair. Yes, they used to repair shoes back in the day instead of just buying a new pair. 
I worked the counter at age twelve. We had an old cash register, a real antique. You actually had to count money back to customers. It would totally ruin teens of today. They'd be so confused. In all seriousness, I loved working with my dad and my grandparents every day. It's some of the fondest memories I have.  
 5. What do you think of garden gnomes?
I think they're sassy. They can be sort of mean at times. I do not own any at the present moment. 
6.  What’s your biggest fear?
Besides death, I'd say wasps. It's a real condition. I get paralyzed with fear and then I go into a murderous sort of rage where I kill them. More like annihilate them. They don't really stand a chance. I have been stung once and it was the worst pain ever. 
 7. Where did the idea for your novel come from?
I wanted a bookworm who traveled through time using his favorite item; books. I was in the shower when Adam's story originated. Wait, that sounds dirty. To be clear, it wasn't dirty. It was clean. And so was I. 
8. What does your main character think about you? Would he want to hang around you as their author?
He loves me. I gave him life. He would like me, and he would think I'm funny. But he's a New Yorker, so he would probably think I'm a hick from New Jersey. After he really got to know me we'd probably go out for coffee and talk books. We're both obsessed with them. 
 9.Have you ever stolen a pen from work?
I have in fact stolen a pen. It was nice and smooth. One of those pens that glides across the paper. I'd do it again if given the chance. Shoot I'd steal the whole box. 
10. As a writer, it can be difficult to find enough time in the day to get everything done. Would you like to share your favorite ‘quick and easy’ recipe?
So I'm on WW (Formerly Weight Watchers) and my absolute favorite recipe to make sure I'm fed properly during the day (Very important) is this one: 
Yogurt Parfait
Ingredients
Plain fat free yogurt 32 oz 
Jam ⅓ cup(s), strawberry variety
Orange(s) 4 medium, navel variety
Banana(s)
Instructions

1. Stir together yogurt and jam in a medium bowl until blended.
2. With a small knife, cut away peel and pith from oranges. Working over another medium bowl, cut between membranes to release segments, allowing them to fall into bowl. Gently stir in bananas.
3. Spoon about 1/3 cup of fruit mixture into each of 6 parfait glasses; top each with about 1/3 cup of yogurt mixture. Repeat layering once. Sprinkle each parfait with a scant 1 tbsp cereal.
4. Serving size: 1 parfait

About/How to Stalk the Author...
Christy Sloat has embraced the love of reading and writing since her youth and was inspired by her grandmother's loving support. She loves adventurous journeys with her friends and can be known to get lost inside a bookstore. She is an award-winning and best selling author of The Librarian, The Visitor's Series and Slumber Duology. She resides in New Jersey with her husband and two daughters.


https://allauthor.com/profile/christysloatauthor/
https://www.facebook.com/christysloatauthor
https://www.christysloat.blogspot.com​
http://instagram.com/christysloat_writes

About the Author...
I absolutely LOVE to read and I've been writing in my down time since 2006. Anything to do with fantasy, magic and mayhem are my favorite things to write.

I work as a Financial Analyst and writing helps me unwind, escape reality and jump into old or new worlds. I'm currently working on another Cloverfield book and Abby's book 4. I alternate between the two, depending on whose voice is loudest on that day, lol.

How to Stalk the Author...
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLCMiller/
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/L-C-Miller/e/B017QR5H84/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/l.c.miller/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/LCMiller04

Blurb...​
After retiring from the stage, ex-male stripper Matt lands an amazing opportunity to host the new show America's Next Top Stripper. Judging alongside a super model, an internationally famed stripper, and a drag queen, the panel more than has its work cut out for them when ten gorgeous, diverse, and sexy men show up at the show's mansion.
 
Through lust, greed, and camaraderie, these ten men deliver sultry and sexy performances and one is eliminated each week. Finally arriving at the Top 5, things take a dark turn and secrets long buried surface. In the world of America's Next Top Stripper, who will win and who will survive? 

Author Interview...

1. Who would play the starring role(s) if your book became a movie? Matt Bomer. 
2. If you had to choose one…which song would sum up your story? Applause by Lady Gaga. 
3. Is the glass half empty or half full? Definitely half full, I have always been an optimist.
4. Do you have advice for aspiring writers? Write. Even if it's just one sentence. Getting started is the hardest part. And believe the stories of Stephen King and others being turned down countless times before being published. Every no is one step closer to that yes.
5. Does this story have a playlist or a soundtrack? If yes, can you tell us a few songs that inspired you? Master and Servant by Depeche Mode, Let's Dance, Sexxx Dreams, and Applause by Lady Gaga, Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen, and Careful With that Axe, Eugene by Pink Floyd.
6. What’s your favorite scene in your latest novel? The basement! Yes it is a story about strippers competing on a reality show, but like all my stories, it takes a dark turn. They all stay together in a huge mansion, but it has a basement. 
7. When you were a child, what was your dream occupation? Being a writer! I wrote a short story when I was eight about a young boy who dreams about a graveyard, and at the end he sees his name on the tombstone. My teacher asked if I copied it from TV or a movie. I took that as a great compliment! 
8. How many books have you written AND which is your favorite? I have written eight but choosing one as my favorite is so tough. I love the darkness of Leather Head & Where Evil Begins, a two novella series. I also adore my nods to Alfred Hitchcock: Window Watcher (Rear Window) and I'm the Last Face You'll Ever See (Psycho.) Those two are close to my heart because my Mom is my biggest fan and she got me into horror at a young age. We would watch scary movies together on Friday nights. But I also love my four novella series about a stripper because some of it is loosely based on my own experiences as a stripper, which was my occupation before becoming an author.
9. Do you prefer to be original or deliver what your readers want? While what my readers want and expect does cross my mind, I have to be original. There are some subgenres that have become extremely popular, but I could never write one just for that reason, I have to write what I feel and am passionate about.
10. Does writing energize or exhaust you? It definitely energizes me. I always feel better on the days that I write. I love it and am so grateful to love what I do.

How to Stalk the Author...
Amazon profile: https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Converse/e/B00TKCCVWY/
twitter: https://twitter.com/MattConverse1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matt.converse.39  
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13495845.Matt_Converse

Blurb...
In an alternate reality, set in the 22ndCentury, the most significant historical events have culminated in a post-apocalyptic world wherein worldwide political wars have divergent outcomes.  Psychic powers reside side by side with “norms”, and the gifted are known as “Bloods”, and a battle rages between madmen and monsters with the Bloods fighting to keep them under control.
From the Chaos forms the FAC (Free America Civil Militia) and a heroine emerges…becoming one of the FAC elite Blood fighters.  Kai and her brave companions help stand against political dissidents, while also hunting down dangerous mutant monsters all while refining their Blood abilities.  During all this, Kai also heads the FAC Survival Training School, using skills adjusted from her mixed heritages of Native American and Celtic backgrounds to form a finely tuned platoon of Hunters ready to answer the call for help without hesitation. When not on hunts, or teaching, she operates as a bounty hunter on the side…continuing her late father’s work using his far-flung network of contacts and secret entrances/exits out of enemy territory.
Three books in Kai’s saga area already in print on Amazon.  Blood Hunt: Rolling Thunder is the first, followed by Blood Hunt: Alpha and Omega, then Blood Hunt: Howlers Dilemma.   I am working on the 4th book in the series right now.
Book link:
 https://www.amazon.com/VENDLA-BRAMBLE/e/B07ZQSHBBX/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

Character Interview...

Tell me about you. What’s a day in your life like?  I am 1st Lieutenant Kele-de Ann McMahon of the FAC (Free America Civil Militia), which is a mouthful so most of the time people address me as Kai. (pronounced Kay).  I am half Osage and half Irish and am of the Tzi Shu Osage clan, living in South Missouri on our rather expansive reservation.   A typical day for me starts at dawn….as is the case for all the clan, at that time we do the Dawn Prayers.  Then I eat a little breakfast, generally while going over the paperwork with my assistant at the survival school.  Orders are given, timetables are looked over, there is also the scheduling or updates on the next classes to be given.  I then check in with the FAC Headquarters to make sure there are no orders or calls for help, and I check in with the Hunters Guild…plus log in to my private account for bounty jobs which might be waiting for me.  There are times, however, when visions knock me to my butt and off I go on Blood Hunts.  Trust me those particular hunts are not for the faint hearted, but my platoon is always at the ready.
 
Which song sums up your life and why? I recently heard something from my great great grandmother’s musical collection in her library….it is called Thunderstruck.  It appealed to me and seems an adequate summation of my life so far. Why?  I am a Millennium Blood, who is considered a Wild Blood because my abilities are not fully known or predictable…I’m also a Hunter in the Hunters Guild and am a bounty hunter on the side, plus I am an FAC soldier who heads the FAC Survival School.  Considering I hunt mutant monsters and go on assignments to retrieve defectors and fulfill duties on assignments in enemy territory (which are highly classified) …. the song seems rather appropriate.  Don’t you think?
 
Do you like yourself?  Why would I not like myself?  That would be counterproductive to my well-being.  I am, however, not vain and do know I have several faults.  But in general, I am quite satisfied with myself.
 
What motivates you? Protecting the innocent, and at one time my main motivator was hunting down the one responsible for my father’s death…revenge and evening the score plus honor had huge factors in that one.  Now my motivation is, as I said, protecting the innocent and helping keep the peace.
 
What is your most treasure possession? My great-great grandmother’s Scottish dirk, which I carry in my right moccasin at all times. It has saved my life on many occasions.
 
Tell me about your first kiss. I do not think that would be an honorable thing to do, if the kisser were not also here to tell their side of the story as well.   I did not know how to kiss before that particular person came into my life, and he had to teach me the various kisses and what they meant. My first kiss was…satisfactory.
 
What items are in your pockets / purse? I do not carry a purse, but would a backpack count?   My pockets are equipped with survival items…paracord, Firestarter (even though I can do that one all by myself) …extra knife, homemade jerky, fishing supplies, small first aid kit, multi tool, pocket handgun etc.  And some secret items, which would probably send my commanding officer into a fit if he knew about them.
 
Do you like your author? Yes, I do.  After all she is my great great grandmother, and while she has a most irritating habit of not listening to me all the time, she is an intelligent person with a lot on her plate.  So, I cut her some slack whenever possible.
 
How do you measure success? When the job is thoroughly dealt with, and the balance is restored.
 
Is the glass half-full or half-empty? Also, what’s it filled with? It is full. I am an avid coffee drinker, so woe to the fool who sips from my cup.
 
For the Author...
 
Would you like to say anything to your readers / fans?
     Without all of you to read, and follow, Kai’s adventures the telling of her life would not be as complete, and rewarding, as it is.  I never know what direction Kai is going to go off on, so y’all are as surprised as I am.  I promise there are many MANY more adventures to come.  I actually have a special file in my computer filled with story ideas, some of which she tells me about ahead of time. But those plot twists she suddenly throws in can, at times, make me pause and stare at the paper in surprise.  (Yes…I write it all out on my trusty yellow writing pad first….and second yes…there is always an outline plotted but Kai tends to toss surprises at me.)
 
Where can your readers stalk you? They can find me on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/VENDLA-BRAMBLE/e/B07ZQSHBBX/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1
Someday I will, hopefully, be wide read enough that they can stalk me in bookstores and a personalized website (as soon as I can figure out how to do that).  I am also on Facebook under Vendla Bramble.
 
As a writer, it can be difficult to find enough time in the day to get everything done. Would you like to share your favorite ‘quick and easy’ recipe?
I tend to get most of my writing done in the afternoon, once homeschooling is finished for the day for my 8-year-old cousin. I’ll grab a cup of coffee, sit with my feet up for half an hour and review what is on my personal agenda. Since I have returned to college to work on my 2ndMasters degree the studying for that is also plotted out.   I live with one of my cousins, who is grandmother to the 8-year-old (trust me the family lineage is complicated), and she used to tease me about all the lists I made.  But she finally caught on and was sweet enough to buy me a Rocketbook, so I could plot my tasks out.  Trust me if you don’t have one…GET ONE!  They are a lifesaver!

Anything else?
Read my books!  Please!  LOL. Spread the word!   I like to think my mother, who used to encourage me to always write, and taught me how to plot the ideas using an outline, would be thrilled beyond measure that I am publishing.  She told me to believe in myself…and after all these years…I am!
          
As for Kai….I like to think there’s a little of her in me.  I know I can be mighty feisty and stubborn about things….and really…I think she’s in every woman who just wants to break out and show the world how tough she can be.  Maybe my great great granddaughter will be an inspiration for some woman who needs that bit of help in making herself heard or breaking free to be whomever she wants to be.