Interview by Angie Taylor

Welcome, Molly Phipps, aka M. A. Phipps, to the ON THE BOD BLOG author spotlight interview! I’m so excited to have you, to get to know you a little, and to share your awesome writing with all of the BOD members.

Hi Angie, thanks for having me! I’m so excited to chat with you and give readers the chance to get to know me a bit.

​First, before you tell us about Ultraxenopia, will you tell us how you got into writing? Was it something you always knew you’d do? How did it all come to be?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. When I was in grade school, I used to make these little picture books for my mom—stories about random things with some pretty terrible illustrations. To be honest, I can’t ever remember NOT writing. It’s always been something I just had to do. For one, because I loved it and also, I think, for my own sanity a little bit. It’s a good release for me. My dad has always been a big reader as well, so I think that just rubbed off on me. Who knows, maybe I’m genetically predisposed to love books!

In your bio you mention that you’ve always loved the written word. So, what was the first book that sucked you in and made you know you wanted to write?

When I was about six or seven, my dad gave me a copy of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. I always loved books, but there was something about this one that had an extremely profound effect on me, and it was the first time I remember actually thinking, “I want to be an author.” I also read The Lord of the Rings when I was very young, and anyone who knows me knows how obsessed I am with that series. My dad introduced me to all these great books, so I guess I should probably thank him for sparking that dream.

If you could meet your favorite author, who would it be, and what would you ask them?

I have a few authors I really admire, but I think if I had to choose one, it would be Philip Pullman. His Dark Materials are among my favorite books, and I know he dealt with a lot of criticism over the years for it being considered atheist in plot. Even the Vatican made a movement against them being turned into films! (As a side note, the first one was turned into a film and it was rubbish). I would love to ask him how he dealt with that.

Now tell us a little bit about Ultraxenopia. It’s the first in your W. A. R. series. But where did the idea come from? Were you inspired or influenced by any other dystopian stories while you were creating Ultraxenopia’s world? What would you liked us to know?

The world in Ultraxenopia was heavily influenced by the Big Brother society in George Orwell’s 1984. I read it in high school, and I found it incredibly haunting. In regards to the medical aspect, I’ve always been fascinated by science, and my brother and sister-in-law are scientists themselves, so I wanted to really incorporate it into the story in some way. I also took inspiration for the DSD (the experimental facility) and Wynter’s experiences there from Unit-731, which was where the Japanese conducted human experimentation during World War II to help them create biological weapons. Much of the State is based on Nazi Germany as well (although that becomes more apparent in the sequels).

I love Wynter, the protagonist in Ultraxenopia. She’s strong and yet she has weaknesses that make her vulnerable and able to relate to. What do you see as her greatest weakness? What do you most admire about her?

I think Wynter’s greatest weakness is her ignorance. She’s essentially been brainwashed to believe certain things and live one way her entire life. And in a very short space of time, she learns how much of what she always believed is actually a lie. A lot of that ties into her family and her past, and it will be a struggle for her to come to terms with throughout the events of the trilogy. On the other hand, I really admire her tenacity and willingness to make sacrifices for the sake of the people she loves. She wants to do right by them with little regard for herself, which I think is an admirable trait.

Without giving away the story, what can you tell us about Wynter’s powers?

They are what make her unique in a world where individuality isn’t allowed. They give her a sort of strength and drive she might not have known otherwise. But they also put her in a position where she can be used for malicious purposes. Her powers are, in many ways, like two sides of a coin.

If you had Wynter’s abilities but had the power to control them, how would you use them?

I know a lot of people wouldn’t want to know what the future holds for them, but I think more than anything, I’d be curious to see how I die. It sounds grim, but in the words of Edward Bloom in the film Big Fish, “But it could kind of help you, couldn’t it? Because you’d know that everything else you can survive.”

I love a great love story and I especially love a great male lead, hence my love for Ezra. So, what can you tell us about Ezra? How does he help or hinder Wynter in her role in Ultraxenopia?

Ah, Ezra. I do love a pretty boy. He’s this natural born leader, very charismatic, and well-liked by the people around him. But at the same time, he has a lot of his own personal issues and doubts that he doesn’t really show on the surface, which can make you feel like you’re not seeing every side of him. He’s a strong guy, but Wynter exposes a weakness to him that he doesn’t want to admit is there. Whereas with Wynter, her relationship with him sort of brings out her strength. The trouble is, when you’re wanted by very powerful people, like Wynter is, those people are willing to use the ones you love against you, and that is where Ezra poses a risk to her in the long run. In a world like the one in Ultraxenopia, caring for other people can be your downfall.

Some of my favorite stories have the best villains. And Dr. Richter fits right in with the best worst bad guys. What can you tell us about what makes him such a good villain?

I think Dr. Richter makes such a good villain because he has this intense creepy vibe to him right from the start. He plays nice at first, but you can sense something off about him by the way he looks at Wynter or by the things he says. Then, when you get into the story a little deeper, you see how truly psychotic he is. It’s hard to imagine anyone being that inhumane and…well…cruel. Trust me when I say though, the best (or worst) is yet to come.

What can you tell us about the second book in the W. A. R. series? What other projects are you working on that you’d like to tell us about?

Oh man, I am SO excited about it. It’s my favorite one in the trilogy. Granted, I haven’t planned or written book three yet, so that may change. But book two is going to be a wild ride, even more so than Ultraxenopia. In terms of other projects, I’ve been dabbling with short stories and I am working on a novel outside the Project W. A. R. world, but I’m keeping it under wraps for the time being until it’s finished.

When you’re not writing, what do you do? Or, what are some hobbies you do in your spare time?

I recently started offering freelance graphic design (putting my degree to good use, finally). So when I’m not writing or entertaining my two-year-old daughter, I’m usually making art. I’d like to say I spend my free time reading but free time doesn’t exist for me right now. Although, I’m determined to get some time back to get through my TBR pile in the near future.

Well, thank you so much for spending time with all of us at BOD and for letting us get to know you!

ABOUT M.A. PHIPPS

M. A. PHIPPS is an American author who currently resides in the picturesque English West Country with her husband, daughter, and their Jack Russell, Milo. A lover of the written word, it has always been her dream to become a published author, and it is her hope to expand into multiple genres of fiction. When she isn’t writing, you can find her counting down the days until the new season of Game of Thrones.

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Interview by Angie Taylor

Welcome, Rissa Blakeley, to the BOD author spotlight. It’s my pleasure to share a little bit about you with all of our BOD members. Thanks for joining us.

Thanks for spotlighting me and my work!

To start off, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? What did you want to be when you grew up? How did you become a writer and what kind of stories do you like to write?
​
I don’t really have some romanticized story of how I fell in love with the written word at a young age. I was the typical kid, thinking about becoming a teacher, doctor, lawyer, or veterinarian. I have always been creative in one way or another. One day I just had an idea run through my head and I decided to write it down. It was as if I opened the flood gates and it really started flowing. Four years later, I published my first book, Broken Dreams.

That’s cool. I love hearing about how authors became writers. Each author’s story is so unique. So, is there a specific author or genre that has significant meaning to you and your writing?
​
I love the paranormal genre. My Shattered Lives series has a paranormal element. The genre is so much fun, because it is so broad. You can do so much with it. I’m not sure if I could ever write a non-paranormal book. I say that now, and a year from now, a non-paranormal idea will pop in my head.

What was your favorite book to read as child? What’s your favorite book to read or escape in as an adult?
​
As a child, I used to love Beverly Clearly and Judy Blume books. Ramona was probably one of my favorite characters. I was excited to find a few for my daughter, but sadly, they didn’t strike as much interest with her as they did me. As an adult, I am a straight up JR Ward junky. As a matter of fact, I am reading her most current release, The Beast, right now!

Can you tell us how you came up with the world building for Broken Dreams, the first book in your Shattered Lives series?

This is always a tough question for me. When I first started to really push the idea of publishing Broken Dreams, I spoke to several Indie Authors about my work. I had one inform me that I didn’t world build because I don’t write fantasy. That set me back a little and I had to think about it for a while, asking myself ‘Am I world building?’ My answer was yes, I am world building.

My strategy for world building is to lay out the big landmarks. For example, different parts of Shattered Lives takes place in the East End of London, a village just outside of New York City, Atlanta, and The Port in North Carolina. By using familiar places and familiar landmarks (JFK or Heathrow, for example), readers can imagine themselves in those places for climate, accents, etc. I use what we know and develop around those, adding fictional towns and such. It’s a pretty basic concept, but it works for my style of writing. Most readers tell me they can picture everything so clearly that they feel like they are watching a movie while they read the series.

That’s interesting. I’ve never thought of world building as being genre specific. I think it’s a concept that applies to any setting. So I’m glad you claimed world building in your writing.

What can you tell us about Henry’s past? Is his character based off anyone in real life? Do you have any personal experience with military life that helped you develop Henry’s character development?

Henry’s past is quite sordid and I haven’t based him on anyone in real life, nor do I have any personal experience with the military. Both my father and mother were in the Army, but were out by the time I came into the picture.

Henry believed his mother was murdered when he was five. He moved in and out of the foster care system, only to be chosen to participate in a secret government program. So many things happened to him during his stay at the program’s facility. Some of which he doesn’t come clean about to his long time love, Elaina, until the fourth book in the series, Blind Faith. I don’t want to say too much because it would give one of the major plotlines away, but I will say, he is sick on many different levels. His circumstances are tragic, and just when he thinks he has kicked most of his issues to the curb, they come back even stronger.

A lot of readers are fond on him, but are not fond of his emotional outbursts. While I would never rewrite Broken Dreams in his point of view, I think they would find what is going on in his head quite interesting.

Cool. I love learning about the psychological workings of certain characters. What about your other characters? Who are you most like/who are you least like?

Each character has a small piece of me. Whether it’s something I am or something I wish to be. Or even how they communicate with words and body language, but I will never tell which traits are mine.

That’s probably a wise choice. Keep your readers guessing? Would you like to tell us about any of your current writing projects? What’s next?

I wrote a paranormal erotic story called The King’s Fate (Corvidae Guard). Originally, it was going to be published in an anthology. For a variety of reasons, I decided to leave the project. This made a lot of my readers happy because they will get the story about six months before the original publishing date. The King’s Fate will be released on June 7, 2016. I am so excited for this book, and I can’t wait to get it into the reader’s hands.

I am also working on a major rewrite of Full Circle (Shattered Lives, Book Five). The draft never sat well with me. I printed it to try to run edits that way, but it kept rubbing me the wrong way. I decided to scrap the draft and do a total rewrite using the parts of printed draft as notes. So far, it’s coming along and I am liking it much better than the original. It’s dark, scary, and very complex, but I know with patience and a clear mind, I can make it work. It’s just going to take longer than I originally planned.

Also, I have a plan to give my readers a prequel to Broken Dreams. It has been widely requested. The readers want to know about the program and the years prior to ‘Z-Day’. There is already a short story out called A Little Taste of Naughty. It gives the reader a glimpse into Henry and Elaina’s relationship before the apocalypse. I love it. It’s fun, naughty, and a good way to fall back in love with Henry after his behavior in Blind Faith. Along with the prequel, I will be writing Henry’s Journal. Anyone who has read, knows about Henry and his journals, which are more like letters to his mother. I think it would be great to release them as one small novella.

Awesome. Sounds like readers have a lot to look forward to. Okay, so it’s your wedding day and the zombie apocalypse happens in the middle of your ceremony. What do you do?

I would like to think I would be a brave woman, gathering others, saving lives, etc. But to be honest, I probably would be cowering in the corner, hoping someone who is not a zombie finds me. Although, I do think after the initial shock, I would be ready to kick some zombie butt.

If you were trained in any military branch, which area of expertise would it be and why? How would that training help you in a zombie apocalypse?

I think that during an apocalypse, it’s pretty much every man for himself, until you find like-minded people. Weapons training would be helpful. Especially knives and hand-to-hand combat, because at some point, you would run out of bullets. I’m not sure what I would even do well. Maybe I would be the campfire storyteller.

Now for some random facts about yourself. What do you do when you’re not writing about the end of the world?

Read or watch television with my family. I enjoy cooking when I can. I’m not an amazing cook, but I can hold my own. I live a pretty simple life.

Spending time with family is the best. But you’ve got me on the cooking. I have yet to find pleasure in cooking. Maybe someday. If you won the lottery tomorrow, what would you spend it on and why?

I’m not even sure. We would probably buy a smaller house with some acreage, further out in the country, and stash money for our daughter’s college fund. I would finally be able to hire the two narrators I want for my series. Also, it would be nice for my husband to be able to stop working. I don’t really want a lot of things, but time to enjoy being with my family. We could travel, which would be nice.

Sounds like a perfect way to use a big sum of money. If you knew you only had one more year to live, how would you spend your time and who would you spend it with?

I would try to spend every minute possible with my family. I would do my best to teach my daughter everything I could.

Perfect. Well, thank you so much, Rissa, for spending time with us and for sharing your talents and letting us get to know you a little.

Thank you for having me! This was a lot of fun!

ABOUT RISSA

Rissa Blakeley is the author of the paranormal series, Corvidae Guard, and the post-apocalypse saga, Shattered lives, which features a paranormal twist. Her short story, A Little Taste of Naughty, was part of the best-selling anthology, Just Desserts. As a native New Yorker, Rissa is now a Georgia transplant, who is completely addicted to black coffee, La Croix and obsessively listens to songs on repeat. Her days are full of characters screaming for more scenes, cats living up to their Harry Potter namesakes, lazy dogs, a teenage daughter bringing Emo back, and a Viking husband, who finds her puns less than funny. When Rissa isn’t writing, she can be found procrastinating on social media.

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Interview by Angie Taylor

Welcome, Sarah Noffke, to BOD’s author spotlight interview. I’m so excited to feature you on the BOD blog and to share a little bit about you with our members.

Thanks so much for the interview. I’m constantly praising the BOD group. There isn’t a group of readers and authors who are more fun or supportive of each other. I’m super grateful to have found BOD.

To start off, why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a NA and YA author of ten books spanning four different series. I write dystopian, fantasy, and sci-fi. During the day I’m a college professor, teaching online business and writing courses. Most of my students don’t know that I spend my nights creating stories about imaginary characters with serious problems.

That is so fun. You sound like my kind of teacher. So, how did you become a writer?

I guess I was born a writer. I can’t imagine a reality where I didn’t write. For most of my childhood I sat in a tree and crafted poetry and stories. In college I wrote more really awful poetry. Only after I finished my masters did I turn my attention to writing novels. I used to have a professional job where I sat in meetings. It was a great job, with a ton of upward mobility. However, I felt stuck. I would go to the library every single day feeling like I was looking for something. I remember closing my eyes and running my fingers over the spines of the books and then stopping randomly. You see, I thought the universe would put the right book under my fingertips. It was only later that I realized that I wouldn’t find the book I was looking for in that library. I wouldn’t find it anywhere because it hadn’t been written yet. Once I wrote my first novel, Awoken, that searching feeling went away. I’ve never felt lost since then.

Awesome. And now you’ve written ten books in less than two years. What’s your secret to such an amazing creative streak?

Thank you! I feel super blessed to have so many stories in me. I think it’s partially that I crafted a book universe that really lends to some fantastic potential. All of my books are about a race of people known as Dream Travelers. They can go anywhere using their dreams. There’s many laws and time travel is a real possibility, although dangerous. And every Dream Traveler has a psychic power like telekinesis, telepathy, clairvoyance, etc. Anyway, having different series inside the same universe has given me lots of possibilities. And the books share characters.

Also, I’m dedicated to this occupation. I make myself write every single day no matter what. I go to the gym religiously and I always write on the treadmill. Finding a strategy like this has really helped my production. I only get one opportunity to make this author thing work. I don’t want to fail, so I’ve pushed myself to produce.

I love and admire your dedication. Now tell us a little bit about Suspended, the first in The Vagabond Circus series. What can you tell us about this paranormal dystopian world?

Suspended is about a circus unlike any other. There’s no clowns or animals at Vagabond Circus, only freaks. The troupe is run by the extremely lovable Dr. Dave Raydon who recruits only lost and lonely Dream Travelers to perform in his circus. The thing that makes this circus so special is that there isn’t any smoke and mirrors. Everything the audience witnesses is absolutely real because the performers all have a unique super power. The jugglers are telekinetic, the acrobats can levitate or have super strength, and the magician produces real illusions. However, even though this circus is loved by its patrons, it’s still financially falling to pieces. To try and save his circus, the ringmaster recruits a mysterious new acrobat. And that’s when events start happening that threaten the very safety of the performer’s lives.

One major theme I see in Suspended is the taking advantage of the vulnerable, giving them a false sense of security, and then using them for one’s own personal gain. Can you tell us more how this theme is central to Suspended?

The strong prey on the weak. It happens in politics, families, communities, and throughout history. I used this theme to really add the dystopian feel to the novel and the series overall. I think that it’s a timeless theme that can really be revisited on multiple levels. For me, the most loved protagonists are the ones who have to claw their way up from low places, and they starts with taking off the blinders. In Suspended we meet characters who first have to realize they are being suppressed before they can bolster the strength to fight against their oppressors. And even then they find themselves at a serious disadvantage because conditioning is a powerful tool.

Cool. I’ve really enjoyed Suspended. It’s fun to learn more about it. Now, I’d love to learn more about you. Can you share what your favorite book was as a child and what your favorite book is as an adult?

I was a really hardcore gymnast as a kid. Not only that but I also didn’t read a ton of fiction. I was the atypical kid who read self-help, poetry, and autobiographies. Yep, that’s right. Is it any wonder that I now write YA? It’s like I’ve reversed things. Anyway, I read Bela Karolyi’s autobiography as a kid, Feel No Fear, and it has always stayed with me. He’s the Romanian coach who took Nadia Komanich, Mary Lou Retton and Kim Zmeskal to stardom at the Olympics. His message is in the title and how I try to lead my career. Feel no fear. Put yourself out there. Throw yourself into a backflip. Find out how you land and get up and do it over and over again until you’ve reached your goals.

Favorite book as an adult is undoubtedly The Great Gatsby. It’s the book that started my love affair with literature…and Fitzgerald.

What a solid great reading background! It’s apparent from your book output that you are influenced daily by your experiences. Now on to something less serious. You magically find a $100.00 bill in your box of cereal. First off, what kind of cereal are you eating, and in what frivolous way would you spend the money? (Key word: Frivolous!)

It’s a boring granola something or another. Low in sugar, high in vitamins. This is why I skip breakfast. What’s the point? But if there was a potential to find money, different story.

So I’m not really high maintenance. Shopping makes me want to punch myself. Really I’m a gal who if I had the extra money for frivolous things I’d throw it away on experiences. I’d love to go parasailing, hot air ballooning or even take a flying trapeze class.

That’s perfect. You’re experiences are probably why you have so many stories in you.
So, let’s say you’ve been locked in a bank vault Twilight Zone style, so you finally have time to read! Your glasses are fine (whew!) so what’s the first book you crack open?

Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven King, the final installment in The Raven Cycle. That author makes me avoid responsibility like crazy when I’m reading her books.
I love books that do that!

So, if you followed the career path you chose for yourself in high school, what would you be doing for a living now?

I would be a psychologist. Gosh, that would have made for a whole different lifestyle. You can’t drink on the job when you’re a therapist. At least I think that it’s frowned upon. But writers, we can do whatever we want…and usually do.

But, hey! Look at all the psychology going on in your books. I bet that’s not a coincidence. Next. For one day, time travel is a reality—which fits right along with your books—and you can visit any famous deceased author you want. Who do you pick?

No question. F. Scott Fitzgerald. Zelda can’t be there. My plan won’t work if she is.
Haha! Too funny.
​
What’s your favorite motivational quote and why is it your favorite?

Hard to pick just one.

“Whatever we think about and thank about, we bring about.”
John Demartini

Ooh, I’ve never heard that one. I love it. Okay, one last question. If you could sum up your best marketing advice for new writers in only four words, what would it be?

Believe in your books!

That’s perfect advice. It even made me teary eyed as I think about my own writing. Thank you so much, Sarah, for spending time with all of us at BOD and for sharing your talents. I’m excited for everyone at BOD to get to know you better.

Thank you so much for having me. Love my BOD family. Can’t do what I do without you all.

Sarah Noffke writes YA and NA sci-fi fantasy and is the author of the Lucidites, Reverians, Ren and Vagabond Circus series. She holds a Masters of Management and teaches college business courses. Most of her students have no idea that she toils away her hours crafting fictional characters. Noffke’s books are top rated and best-sellers on Kindle. Currently, she has eight novels published and a new series scheduled for release early Spring 2016. Her books are available in paperback, audio and in Spanish and Italian.

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Interview by Carrie Avery Moriarty

Welcome, Allyssa Painter, to BOD’s author spotlight. I am pleased to be interviewing you about your two book series, The Timekeeper Duo.

Thank you, Carrie. I am excited to be here and to see what questions you have.

I see in your bio that you are currently in college, studying to be an elementary school and special education teacher. I have to say this hits close to my heart, as my sister is a teacher. Have you always wanted to be a teacher?

No, I haven’t. I always knew I wanted to work with kids, but I went through several ideas before I landed on teaching. For many of my elementary and middle school years, I wanted to be various types of pediatric doctors. I also briefly considered social work, and still think I would do well with it if I didn’t teach. When I hit high school, I knew I didn’t want to be any type of doctor, and that I wanted to work with special needs kids. For a year or two, I wanted to be an Applied Behavior Analysis therapist for children with special needs, especially those with autism. Then I finally realized I wanted to teach somewhere around the end of my sophomore year or the beginning of my junior year. Now I am glad I chose it. Teaching is my passion and always has been. I just hadn’t really noticed it.

​Your book focuses on a time after the near destruction of Earth at the hands of humans. Did you have to do a lot of research to get facts to use in how this might come about?

Yes and no. I knew it was a possibility the way I wrote it because of the environmental issues we have had in the last few decades. I grew up hearing a lot about it in school so the idea wasn’t that far-fetched in my head. Where the research came in was when I actually got into details, like exactly what Pittsburgh would look like fiftyish years after the rain stopped (seen in the second book). As twisted as this sounds, I had to research what the acid would do to bodies left over and what would be left by the time Sage and Iris arrived there, as well as what the city would look like. It wasn’t as easy as it sounds either, because when you research the effects of acid on the body, you get acid drugs like LSD. So it took some digging and consulting with family members who know more than me about earth science and medicine and such to figure it all out.

The concept of a Timekeeper, angels (both those who have fallen and those who have not), demons, pacifists, and extremists is a very complex collection. How did you decide what types of characteristics were needed to tell your story?

This is kind of a hard question to answer because I don’t write like most other authors. I do not write an outline and say, “Okay, this happens, then this, then we meet her, etc.” I am one of those authors who just sits down and writes whatever comes to my head. I write a lot of it in my head before I start, and every now and then I’ll go against the natural flow of the story and say, “I think I need to have this,” but for the most part, the story just writes itself and I transcribe it. So I didn’t decide that I needed all these diverse groups. They just appeared in the story. The only thing I really planned at all was the Timekeeper and the Shunned, which came from a discussion with my high school sociology class. One day while we were waiting on the bell to ring, we had a short discussion about what it would be like to know exactly when you will die and how each of your decisions affected that, and whether it would be a good thing. It got me thinking, and it led to this series. To pull this off, I knew I needed an evil group that led to everyone knowing everything (the Shunned), and someone who wanted to change it (Iris) as well as the person who controlled time before the Shunned (the Timekeeper). So I did kind of decide on those. But even after I did, they took on a life of their own.

The main character, Iris, is a Timekeeper with special powers, which she uses in her quest to end the tyranny of the Shunned. While she has a very specific and rare parentage that she inherited her powers from, do you feel that average humans have the potential to possess something within them that could give them an edge in certain situations?

Yes and no. In the book, the average human could also have powers. It was simply rarer. Plus, there was a short time a year when everyone got to have powers. In real life, though, I think we know there’s probably not going to be people who can heal others, bend time, control the earth or water, or see the future. I do, however, believe that everyone has specific talents or characteristics that make them thrive in different situations. For example, my husband is great with people. He handles them so well. I, on the other hand, hate social interaction and tend to hide behind him. This makes him well equipped to handle a situation where a lot of people get out of control or something, maybe even a hostage situation. I could never do that. But I have other talents he does not. I think we all have something that can give us an edge in specific situations, and I think it is different for each of us. I just don’t think any of us can fly or do something else superhuman.

Iris and her team are often found in battle with those who want to keep them from their desired result. You did a great job of describing the fight scenes. Do you have any training in any sort of combat (martial arts, self-defense, etc.)?

Thank you. Not really, no, but I do read a lot of fantasy books with fight scenes, and I have several military family members who occasionally describe fight scenes to me. Mainly, though, I just pictured it all in my head and thought about what it would look like. If I had questions, I’d ask my husband, who is in the Navy and has several brothers who are very good in martial arts and self-defense. I also occasionally had help from a good friend of mine and fellow author, Jennifer Anne Davis. She is also a YA author who writes a lot of fantasy with fight scenes, and her kids are in martial arts, so through reading her books, discussing her kids’ competitions and her fight scenes, and occasionally asking about a specific technique, I was able to gain more information to make them seem more realistic.

​Do you find you identify with the main character, Iris, or do you feel you connect more with another character in your story?

I feel that every writer pours a little bit of themselves into each character. I don’t identify with any one character more than another, because I am like each of them in different ways. I definitely identify with Iris’s stubbornness, though. Ask anyone to describe me and I guarantee you’ll hear that word. Sara is very loyal, especially to Iris, because Iris is her family, and I would like to think that is something that is very similar to me. Sage is steadfast. He has his morals and his own thoughts, and he follows them no matter what, even if others don’t agree with them. In some ways, I am like that, though I do often wish I were more like him in that department. Zander is protective over his family, and Cassian is a good friend. Guinevere is judgmental and not all that friendly when it comes to people she feels are a threat, and unfortunately, I believe I am like that too. All of my character’s either have a piece of me, or a piece of a person I admire and wish I could be more like. I wish I could be more easygoing, like Silas, or open and childlike, like Delilah. So no, I don’t think I identify the most with Iris, but I do identify with her, as I do all the other characters.

Now that you’ve put out this series, what is your next project?

Realistically? To graduate. Haha. But as far as writing is concerned, I am working on a new series (I think it’s going to be a trilogy). It is a YA fantasy series (not quite dystopian, though there are dystopian themes, sorry guys.) I can’t tell you much about it yet, because I have no idea when it will be finished or if I will self-publish it or try to publish it traditionally. I am set to graduate in December, so this year is very hard and very big for me in my real-life, so I am focusing more on it than I am on writing. Don’t worry, though. I am writing and hope to have more news for you about this series sometime later this year. So keep checking for that. For now, I can tell you that I am about 2/3 through the first book of the series, and that the series is tentatively titled, The Valtina Chronicles. I can’t wait until I can share more with you.

I am so pleased to have gotten the chance to interview you, and can’t wait for the BOD family to dive into your world within the pages of The Timekeeper Duo.

Aww, thank you so much! It was a pleasure to speak with you today and I look forward to doing it again soon!

ABOUT ALLYSSA

Allyssa Painter is the author of the Timekeeper Duo. She graduated from Sissonville High School and attends Concord University for elementary and special education. She dreams of becoming an elementary teacher and continuing to touch the world around her through the novels she writes. In her free time, she enjoys reading fantastical adventures, spending time with her family, and capturing the world around her in photography and writing.

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Interview by Carrie Avery Moriarty

Welcome, Bridget Nash, to BOD’s author spotlight. I have to say I am thrilled to be interviewing you for your debut book, Players.

Thank you! This is so exciting for me. I found BOD while I was writing Players and it’s just really cool to be here as an author now.

In reading your bio on Amazon I see you’ve always loved writing, and that you worked in journalism. Do you prefer writing fiction or non-fiction more?

I definitely prefer writing fiction. I like making up the things that happen and taking things in the direction I choose. Even when it seems to me that my characters take over and write the story for me, I made those characters. They are mine. I might have a complex…ha ha! But, that’s not to say journalism isn’t interesting. Writing about events as they happen, being the person that tells thousands of people what went down, that can be pretty cool too. In journalism, though, I have to quote people verbatim, and in fiction I can tweak what’s in quotation marks until I feel that what the character said precisely conveys what needed to be said. I like that.

I was intrigued by the concept of your story. Can you tell me where the idea came from?

Players came from several different places in my head. I think the first ideas came from my love of the stage. Stage acting is such a specific talent. Screen actors can’t always do stage acting, but stage actors can almost always do screen acting. Even more than stage acting, I love the world of traveling players and that’s something that is basically extinct. Sure there are theatre groups, like Missoula Children’s Theatre from Montana, that travel and put on plays. But it’s not the same things as traveling players from Shakespeare’s era. Those Elizabethan traveling players lived their craft, and the idea of them traveling down dusty roads in wagons filled with props, rehearsing wherever they stopped, that creates this air of mystery around them that I love. So, Players started from a little idea of wanting to write a story about traveling players.

You’ve created an interesting utopian society within your book. Why did you choose to put your story right in the middle of this perfect world?

Like I said, I wanted to write a story about traveling players. Every time I tried to put my dark little group of actors in a setting, I wasn’t happy with it. The most obvious route would have been to write a period piece, but I scratched that idea right away because I wanted to bring the magic of traveling performers out of the dust-covered past. I played around the idea of having them in a huge, modern city, like New York City but I couldn’t seem to make that work out in my mind. So, I created a future society that mimics what we know today, where traveling players are no longer a thing of the past. I created a society where entertainers are outcasts but entertainment itself is an important distraction. And I use the theme of the stage to parallel the careful stage that is a utopian society. Things aren’t always what they seem. All the world’s a stage.

Your story follows a group of actors and writers who travel through the country putting on plays for small communities. Do you have any training in theatre? I only ask because you nailed several superstitions and ideas only those within the theatre world would understand.

I’m chuckling a little because my theatre training is limited to my involvement in Speech and Drama in high school. That is where I realized how peculiar a talent stage acting is. For those who were never involved in competitive speech, I’ll tell you that it’s not about standing up and giving speeches, although you do learn about that in Speech class. Competitive speech is acting. It’s very dramatic. You perform monologues or duets and I was really good at it. Well, except for the times I decided on my pieces on the way to the speech meet. Those times I was laughable. But when I applied myself, I was good at competitive speech and I loved it. I won awards. However, when it came to the drama part of Speech and Drama, it seemed like a completely different planet. Put me on a stage to do a monologue and I nail it. Ask me to act in an entire play? Choke. My motions were awkward, my dialogue unbelievable. I couldn’t do it. Because stage acting is a magic I don’t possess, but I love it nonetheless. So, to actually answer your question, my knowledge of the theatre comes from limited experience, appreciation, and research.

When the story ended, I was left wanting more. Do you have an expected release date for any follow up book?

When the story ended, I was left wanting more, too! I fully expected to write a standalone novel with a slightly ambiguous ending. I had planned to end with closure but one slight question. That question is, “Are all players liars?” However, when I got near the end, the story had already kept going beyond that in my mind. By the time I wrote the end, I already knew what was going to happen next. I have started the sequel. I’d love to finish it this year. I think if more people express that they want to know what happens next, the more I’ll be motivated to get it finished. But it is in progress.

Do you identify with a particular character in your story? If so, who and why.

The protagonist, Ryan, and I share one particular quality and that is second guessing decisions. It’s not an admirable quality in the least. But I tend to mull things over until I’ve driven myself half mad and still have no answer. Actually, I’m way worse than Ryan. But he lacks confidence in his own decisions and so do I.

There is a major puzzle within the story that Ryan, the main protagonist, has to figure out. Do you enjoy puzzles?

In theory, yes. In reality, I give up too easily. I always think I find hidden messages and meanings in things but when it comes to actually figuring out if I’m right…I’ll do it later.

Your other book, The Cabin, appears to be quite a different type of story, a mystery/thriller. Which type of story was more difficult to write?

Players was definitely more difficult to write. Players was also a lot more brainstorming than writing. The world of Players is much bigger in my mind than it is in the book. I know a ridiculous amount more about the society of UniState than is portrayed in the book. That’s a definite positive about getting to write a sequel. I’ll get to introduce more of what’s going on backstage in that society. For The Cabin, all I had to do was create a unique way to put someone in a survival situation. I didn’t have to build an entire world.

Thank you so much for allowing me to interview you. I can’t wait for all of our BOD family to read your fantastic book, Players.

ABOUT BRIDGET

Bridget Nash lives in northwest Oklahoma where she was a newspaper journalist who received several Associated Press/Oklahoma Press Association awards for both writing and photography. She has a small portrait photography business and now stays home with her daughter, contributing to the news world on a freelance basis.
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Players is Bridget’s first completed novel since she was in eighth grade, but she swears if she ever finds that eighth-grade manuscript, she’ll burn it. Ever since she could hold a pencil, she has enjoyed writing as a recreational activity. As a child and a teen she could often be found outdoors with a notebook and pen, listening to the birds and the wind while making up her own worlds on paper.

When she isn’t writing or taking photographs, Bridget enjoys reading and watching sitcoms simultaneously. Her favorite sitcoms are Frasier, Friends and I Love Lucy. Her favorite books are Frankenstein, Jane Eyre and A Ring of Endless Light. She hates putting away laundry and doesn’t know much about cooking, but she likes to make her own kombucha and experiment with growing edible things like tomatoes, strawberries, and pumpkins.  She much prefers cold weather over warm and loves rain and snow, even though she prefers going barefoot over wearing shoes.
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Bridget lives in a very small Oklahoma town with a population of about 400, along with her husband; a daughter; two dogs, Trevor and Penny; a border collie who doesn’t think dog rules apply to him, Taban; a cat named Taylor Swift; and a fancy rat named Sheldon. There are also black widows by the water meter but she doesn’t name them and prefers not to think about them.

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Interview by Angie Taylor

Welcome, Tamara Jones, I’m so excited to feature you on the BOD blog and share with all our Bod members a little bit about yourself and your awesome writing.

I’m excited to be here. Thanks for having me!

For starters, will you please tell us a little bit about yourself? ​

The short answer is I’m a wife, mom, writer, and quilter from small town Iowa. The more complicated answer is I’m a delightfully married insomniac night owl who’s compelled to create, either by throwing bright fabric at a quilt project or slaughtering people on paper.

When did you join BOD, and what do you most like about it?

About a year ago, I think. I like that everyone’s crazy helpful and friendly, and we all like different types of stories. Whether it’s zombies, plagues, murderers, government collapses, or anything else, BOD’s there to help you get your book or movie fix!

From what I understand, you have a diverse artistic background. You studied art, so how did you become a writer? Have you always written or was it something that kind of just happened?

I’ve been writing fiction since I was about seven years old and wrote my first full-length novel when I was fourteen. So, yeah, it’s been a constant in my life, other than the ebbs and flows that seem to come with it. I’ll write like crazy for a while, then won’t write at all for a while, then write like crazy… I wish I was more consistently productive, but my brain works how it works.

As for Art, I’ve also been ‘artistic’ and ‘crafty’ for my whole life as well. People are often surprised that I actually can draw. I don’t draw much these days, I tend to dump my visual art expression into quilting, but I still sketch out characters, maps, and locations from time to time. When I went back to college after our daughter was born, I took some drawing classes for fun. Drawing class led to me getting a BA in graphic design with an emphasis in illustration. I worked as a graphic designer for about a decade before my first novel, Ghosts in the Snow, sold to Bantam.

How has your artistic background translated into your many writings?

I’m a very visual person, and I think that quality, more than the art, translates into being able to not only create visual things—like drawings, paintings, and quilts—but being able to set setting and character efficiently. I can identify the ‘telling details’ without spending a great deal of word count and can, hopefully, leave enough room for the reader to fill in the rest with their minds.

I have so enjoyed reading Spore. What a fun, freaky concept. Can you give us an overview of what Spore is about?

Spore’s about people who used to be dead, and the comic artist who tries to save them.
It’s also a story told from three distinct perspectives. First, we have Sean, the tortured comic artist who tries to help the spores despite his own crippling nightmares and family issues. Next, we have Mindy, one of the spores who just wants her life back, but her ex isn’t willing to let her have it without a fight. Last, we have Todd, a deputy trying to get to the truth of what happened to Mindy as well as why Sean’s nightmares are matching a murderer who’s snatching and killing children. All the while, the three stories interconnect and twirl together while the fungus spreads, causing more and more panic, fear, death… and more spores.

ABOUT SPORE: The dead are coming back. Ten naked people walk from a cemetery into artist Sean Casey’s backyard: ten Spore People who used to be dead. One, Mindy, stays with Sean while trying to reclaim her life, but her ex would rather she return to her grave. Sean struggles to protect Mindy and other Spores while battling his recurring-and worsening-nightmares. Meanwhile, the media feeds a panicked frenzy that leads both the hopeful and hateful to Sean’s front door. As the Spore fungus spreads, so does the fear. When mutilated children match Sean’s nightmares, he realizes his own worst terror may be closer than he thinks.

I have read a lot of zombie type books, and most of the time the zombie characters are so unbelievable. But that wasn’t the case at all in Spore. In fact you’ve created zombie characters with whom I sympathized and felt sorry for. Can you tell us a little about what inspired you to create your specific reanimated zombie-like characters in Spore?

I’m a bit of a science geek and I read a LOT. Several years ago, I read about a fungus that can spread for miles underground like a mesh. It sat in my head, stewing like those things tend to do, and one day I got an image in my head of a bunch of naked people walking into some guy’s back yard. I knew his name was Sean and he was an artist, but I didn’t know who the people were, only they were lost and he wanted to help them. As I twirled the idea around in my head a while, the fungal-mesh factoid in the recesses of my brain bubbled up and I decided the people used to be dead but weren’t anymore because the fungus replicated them. After that, I just followed along while Sean’s life went to hell and Mindy tried to get hers back.

Sean is such a fantastic focal character. I loved how he didn’t hesitate at all to help the naked people that just showed up on his lawn. He’s the kind of character that a reader wants to cheer along. Was Sean based off of a real person? And can you tell us about Sean’s role in Spore?

Thank you! No, Sean isn’t based on anyone, he’s just who he is. He’s complicated and troubled in some ways, a bright shining light of principle and justice in others, but mostly he’s his own flawed self. A good, if kind of screwed up, guy. He’s the main protagonist in the story, and I tried to have him face the things anyone would when a miracle (or plague) like the spores walk into their life. He was a great mirror (and window) to show both the good and bad in people, the hope and the fear, the desperation, the elation… I literally dumped it all on his doorstep.

I love strong female characters, so Mare and Mindy are two of my favorite characters in Spore. Do you feel a strong female character can influence readers, and if so how? 

I think any strong character, regardless of gender, can influence readers, but it’s especially fun to write strong women who are vastly different, yet still rounded and relatable. There’s a definite movement to give female characters agency in stories instead of making them little more than window dressing or arm candy for the men. While it’s very important for storytellers to do, in all honesty I didn’t really think about it until readers started pointing it out. Both Mare (Sean’s live-in girlfriend) and Mindy (one of the Spores) stepped onto the page as themselves – fully actualized people. While SPORE’s definitely Sean’s story at its core, he couldn’t have told it without the support (and no-bullshit-tolerance) of Mare. He, alone, isn’t strong enough.

Mindy, however, has the most growth, I think, as she moves from victim to independence. She, too, couldn’t have done it without Mare, so maybe Mare’s the glue that holds each of the two main protagonists together?

Spore is just one of many books you have written, which makes me excited to discover your other works. But from what I was able to research you have a special love for writing horror. Can you tell us about your other books and what draws you to writing horror stories? Do you have a favorite author that has influenced your love for horror?

I read a lot of mass-market-paperback horror as a teenager, from VC Andrews’ Flowers in the Attic to The Amityville Horror, to pretty much everything by Stephen King. I read it all, the good stuff and utter crap, but I suppose King is my favorite, especially The Stand. Carrie was the first horror novel I’d read, back in 1975 or so, so maybe that’s why I’m such a fan of Stephen King.

As for my other books, I have three forensic fantasy novels (serial killer in a castle stories, sort of, but they’re actually post-apocalyptic dystopian) titled Ghosts in the Snow, Threads of Malice, and Valley of the Soul. In each, the main character, Castellan Dubric Byerly, is faced with a string of murders and is plagued by the ghosts of the victims until he avenges their deaths. They’re all violent and gory, especially Threads of Malice. I also have three short stories available as ebooks – Fire, Endorphins, and Sid – all violent as well.

I’m not precisely sure why I enjoy ‘slaughtering people on paper’, but it is fascinating to research why people do such awful things to each other, and what turns a regular person into a psychopath, as well as what turns a regular person into a hero. With horror and similar fiction, I get to explore both extremes and it can be really fun.

Your bio says that you like to quilt. I’m a sewer myself and have made several quilts. How long have you been quilting/sewing, and what do you like most about making quilts/creating a work of art?

I started sewing when our daughter – now 26 – was about 6 months old. We were flat out broke and it was much cheaper to buy fabric at the dime store and make her clothes than it was to purchase them already made, so I taught myself how to sew. I made a lot of her clothes until she was about ten or so because I grew to love sewing, but it didn’t take long, maybe three or four months, before the leftover scraps started to become a problem. She was less than a year old when I made my first quilt from those scraps, a small Bargello wall hanging which she still has. The quilts rapidly became larger and more complicated, and I don’t sew clothes anymore, only quilts.

As for what I like best about it, I think it’s a combination of the high I get from creative expression as well as my favorite part of the process: the planning and cutting. It’s embarrassing how many quilts I have cut up and ready to go but haven’t sewn yet. I enjoy piecing quite a lot, but don’t really enjoy quilting the layers together. I can do it – and do it – but I generally send out larger quilts. I will quilt smaller ones myself, though. Also, I sew almost 100% by machine. I’ll do some embellishments by hand, and I hand finish binding, but that’s it. If my sewing machine won’t do it, I won’t do it.

Are there any last crazy or fun facts you’d like all of us at BOD to know about?

I was a role playing finalist in the 90’s at the RPGA invitational at GenCon, but I don’t game any more. My husband does, though, and we regularly have gamers in the basement playing Pathfinder or AD&D.

Oh, how fun. I’ve never really been in to gaming, but I know people who love it. 
Well, thank you, Tamara, for spending time with us at BOD and for sharing your time and talents with us.

Thank you, Angie, for having me! {{hugs}}

ABOUT TAMARA

Tamara started her academic career as a science geek, earned a degree in art, and, when she’s not making quilts or herding cats, writes tense thrillers as Tamara Jones and the award-winning Dubric Byerly Mysteries series (Bantam Spectra), as Tamara Siler Jones. Despite the violent nature of her work, Tam’s easygoing and friendly. Not sick or twisted at all. Honest.
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Tamara is represented by Laura Bradford at Bradford Literary Agency.

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Welcome, Caroline Gill. I’m so excited to interview you and feature you on the BOD blog so that all of us can get to know you better. Thank you for joining us.

Really, I am so lucky to be a part of a group as loyal and strong as BOD. I want to thank you, Angie, for going out of your way to reschedule this interview three times as my editors realized I would have to cut the first 40 pages of the novel. There was a great deal of crying and rewrites as I tried to figure out how to follow their counsel. And my editing team was absolutely right. The book is better for the missing pages.

I always love hearing about authors’ writing journeys. Can you tell us how becoming an author came about for you?

When I was in high school, I read everything, as much as I could. I was raised on National Geographic, seeing the wonders of the wide world. Mostly, I wrote for school or I wrote in my journal. It wasn’t until my ten year HS reunion that it really hit me. My high school English teacher was there, asked me what I was doing, how many books I had published. When I said none, he got terribly upset. To see someone feel so passionately about something made me take a step back and wonder what I had misplaced. After all those years, he still had faith in my writing. So at first, I got out my keyboard and wrote for him.

I have so enjoyed reading Flying Away. Never have I read such a magical, fantastical dystopian story. Where did the idea come from?

I think writing a book is the same as drawing a picture, it begins with one stroke across a blank page. I had a dream of a little girl, staring out of a high window, perched almost like a sparrow up in a tree. Her big eyes staring intently down to the street corner, waiting for her father to come home. She was ferocious in her determination to be there when he came back home. And I could see, that within hours of her taking up that look out, the flies would ignore her intrusion as they danced on the windowsill.

I love Lani’s physical/spiritual connection with flies, other winged insects, and nature in general. I’d really love to know, why choose flies to be Lani’s helpers?

In fiction, I feel like magic is seen as this rare force, found in only the most special of objects, or to the most powerful characters, by birth or talent. Iolani waits. She listens and watches for her father with the stubbornness only a child can muster. And because of that, she sees the ordinary outside her window and there, on the windowsill. And because of her confidence and stillness, the flies see her. Magic for me is found in the ordinary. Anything can become magical if it is loved.

The cover art on and in Flying Away is so beautiful. Please share with us all about how you became an artist and what it means for you to be able to draw such beautiful images.

You are so kind. I have always drawn, with just as much skill as every other kid in my grade I think. I really pursued drawing in college, trying to show the beauty in every detail of a wrinkled face, or the feathers of an eagle’s wing. I did not myself know what Lani looked like, until she bloomed into being under my hand. I started the drawing, but she formed herself. It means so much to me to be able to share the images in my imagination. I am constantly surprised by what emerges.

As a new indie author, what has your journey been like getting Flying Away ready for publication? Who helped you along the journey?

I wrote Flying Away as a Nanowrimo novel in November of 2014. After my chapter was accepted for Prep for Doom, I began working with Your Elemental Solutions to make the book shine. They, along with Cheer, helped over and over to refine my odd story. I had initially had time jumps and chaos, they managed to smooth that out. Myra Lang, Casey Bond, and Amy Bartelloni were incredibly helpful as well, reading and cheering me on, even when the list of things to do overwhelmed me.

From what I understand you are a woman who wears many different hats. Can you tell us all of the awesome responsibilities you’re a part of? What’s your day job when you’re not writing or drawing?

I am at home right now, trying to make a dream come true of writing novels. I have also taught figure drawing and art classes at college. Most of my days are spent at the beck and call of my five children, who are all writing novels themselves. Their illustrations mark my walls. lol.

What has your experience been like being a part of BOD?

BOD is family. And the wonderful thing is, it keeps growing. We all rise to the occasion, supporting one another, cheering each other on. I think Rick Grimes would be proud.

What can you tell us about participating in creating Prep for Doom?

From the very beginning, the brainstorming was so exciting. And then the work on the disease details. It was so much fun seeing other people’s minds spinning new ideas. We had a post where we claimed certain viewpoints. They all went pretty fast. I was slow to write and so many viewpoints had been taken, I realized I would have to tell a story outside the main world view. One of the stories shared with authors was the CDC interview with the reporter, outlining the symptoms and stages of the virus. The scientist stated adamantly that there had been no sign of this virus in Ghana. So of course, I had to have it start on the very edge of Ghana, because life is snarky like that. ER Arroyo was such a gracious and organized collaborator throughout the submission and revision process. I feel like ER’s team spent so much time on that collection of stories. It is their work that makes the book flow.

Besides writing and drawing, do you have any other areas of artistic expertise you’re involved in?
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Honestly, there are so many fields I wish I knew. I cannot sing, not really, nor dance and I love music. Can’t play any instruments at all. I can whistle, does that count? I really appreciate other’s skills in fields related to mine: design, interior design, formatting, book covers, gardening, pottery, wood working. The list goes on as long as there are individuals trying to express their imaginations. I am only one small voice in a much bigger chorus.

What about your education? I’ve been told you have quite a few degrees. Can you tell us how that came to be?

I was always told a university education was the key to opening doors, the key to the good life. And in some ways, I am sure that is true. It’s harder to see in the creative fields because so many people give up and take a job just to make a living. I paid my way through my last two years at UCLA and discovered employers weren’t impressed with the fine arts bachelor degree. I attended NIU and received an MFA in printmaking and metalsmithing only to realize art is all opinion. So many people I went to school with were great artists but many were not great teachers. So I thought I would get a sister degree, a Masters in Art History which has allowed me to teach in several community colleges in California. At the end of it all, I realized art is individual. It really is. And the ability to teach is a gift. I am pleased to teach others some of the things I have learned.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?

I am very excited and grateful for the response so far to Flying Away. I try to tell the story that has not yet been spoken, the journey not yet taken. And yes, I believe in Happily Every Afters, I really do. I have the battle scars to prove it. I hope you will trust me enough to come Fly Away…

ABOUT CAROLINE

Caroline A. Gill went to school at UCLA and NIU. She married the love of her life. Facing the world with children made her aware of how vulnerable they are. Weaving tales of courage, she tries to find hope. Living near the great California Redwoods, she finds a sense of the finite and infinite touching. The creative world is like that, especially when authors feel inspired. ​

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Interview by Angie Taylor

​Welcome, Casey Hays, to BOD’s author spotlight. It’s so fun to get to interview and feature you again on BOD in light of the release of your last book in the Arrow’s Flight series, Master. Thank you for joining us.

Hi Angie. Thank you so much for having me. I am honored to be here!

So, let’s get right to it. How does it feel to have reached the end of the Arrow’s Flight series?

Well, I have mixed feelings, actually. Part of me is kind of relieved that I survived the telling of this whole story! Part of me is already missing my characters. I’ve lived with Kate and Ian’s story in my head and my heart for so long that it’s going to be hard to move on from this. It’s the end of an era. But at the same time, I’m excited to begin working with some new characters.

When did you know you wanted to write a Christian Dystopian book/series?

Funny thing, when I first started writing Breeder, this was NOT a Christian series and it was also not Dystopian. I was just planning to write a good Sci-Fi story. But over time, pieces started falling into place to turn it in to what it became. Honestly, after Breeder was published, I still didn’t know that what I had written was called Dystopian…LOL. I had never heard of that genre. As far as the Christian elements, it didn’t take me long to realize that God was pushing me in that direction, and I had to decide if I was going to ignore his prodding to share the Gospel in this series or be obedient. I have to say I struggled with that for a while. And then, I just let it happen naturally. I am very satisfied with the outcome.

When you started the series, did you know where Kate and Ian’s stories would end up in Master, or did their stories evolve with each book?

They definitely evolved with each book. In fact, I know you’ve read the ending to The Archer. That ending was not in my mind until two weeks before I wrote it into the story. Also, I never in my wildest dreams envisioned Ian taking over as narrator in The Archer OR in a majority of Master. I’m telling you, Kate and Ian didn’t always keep me in the know!

I recently read an article about the importance of authors creating strong female characters. In what ways do you think Kate fits the mold of a strong female character?

In Breeder, Kate’s strength shines both physically and mentally. She endures a lot in that village of hers, and her rebellion and resilience play a key role in shaping her into the girl who has the courage to defy everything she knows and even leave the Village altogether. She’s a fighter, and in the later books, this is evident in several ways that I can’t share here without giving spoilers, so I’ll keep quiet. But with Kate, my goal was to create a healthy balance of independence and submissiveness to bring a well-rounded depth to her character. I wanted her to be strong when she needed to be, but to know when her weakness was attractive or necessary. Master contains loads of descriptions about weakness often being your only strength. Kate and Ian learn that lesson together, and it’s beautiful.

There is a paradox within religious based fiction between the message to love one another and help others to learn about God and the reality of characters being forced into violent actions. So I was wondering what your thoughts were on this subject in respect to the Kate’s role and the Eden Boys’ roles through the series.

Mmmhhh… this is a very hard question to answer because my characters don’t know God when the series begins. They don’t have anything to gauge their actions by except for their own innate desires and gut feelings. My story begins in a very pagan world where Kate has no knowledge of God. The series is not overly religious for a majority of the time, and it’s not until the final book that readers meet characters who are believers. Still, war has come to Eden’s doorstep, and the citizens have to gear up to defend themselves if they want to survive.

When it’s all said and done, you can love and help one another until you’re exhausted, and violence will still be a reality no matter what kind of book you write. Failing to depict this fact in a faith-based novel would be very unrealistic, especially for my main characters, who are just now finding faith. Knowing God doesn’t mean we always obey, but when we do, it’s rewarding. I think Claudia is the perfect example of this struggle in Master.

Also, keep in mind that God is not adverse to violence when necessary. He sent Joshua and Gideon and David into battle many times, and they taught about God by the sword, not by loving and helping others. God expects us to protect those who have been entrusted to our care when we can. And he expects us to defend ourselves, our integrity, our purity. He expects us to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, and to forgive. He just expects us to do it in the right way at the right time and not in our own flesh. My characters struggle to do just that. Sometimes they succeed, and sometimes they don’t. And that’s being human.

One of my favorite subplots to the entire series is the Eden Boys’ powers. So, if you could have any superhuman power, which would you choose and why?

I really like the healing ability. That would be totally cool. But I’d also love to be able to fly.

What was the inspiration behind the cover for Master?

Plain and simple, there is no greater message than the Cross, and I knew from the moment I saw where this series was headed that I wanted that Old Rugged Cross to be smack in the middle of my final cover. If you look closely, you’ll see the broken arrow dangling from the center of cross? This holds a very special meaning that I hope readers pick up on as they finish the series. Especially pay attention to the last sentence of Chapter 27…. Hint, hint.

What was it like having your son do the cover art for each book? Did you tell him what you wanted, or did you give him an idea and let him go with it?

It was a love/hate relationship… lol! My son is a great pencil sketch artist, but he doesn’t really like to draw. So it could be very challenging at times, and I often went into panic mode that he wouldn’t finish the sketches on time. But he delivered… every time. I always gave him a guideline of what I wanted and let him go with it. Usually, I was pleased with what I got. My favorite of the three is still the cover for Breeder.

Out of Breeder, Archer, and Master, which book would you like to see in real life/live in the most, or the least if you could, and why?

Well, The Archer was far too nomadic for my taste. I like a roof over my head and knowing where my next meal is coming from. Breeder has its pros and cons, but I’d probably end up in the Pit. So I’m going to go with Master. At least, as the author, I know how that one ends. 🙂

If you could have any actors play the parts of Kate and Ian, who would they be and why?

Based on appearance only, I’d go with Victoria Justice for Kate and Luke Benward for Ian. Victoria is dark-haired with chocolate eyes, and Luke is a blue-eyed blond. They have the right look. Although, Victoria would definitely have to get a tan. 🙂

So, what comes next? Do you have any book ideas you want to tell us about?

Actually, I will be starting a series of novellas to round off the Arrow’s Flight series. The first one is titled “A Scent of Lilac” and will hopefully be out in June, right before I head off for UtopiaCon. This novella will be told from Mia’s point of view and be set in the Village following Kate’s departure. It’s going to be fun! I also plan to release a Supernatural Romance in 2017 based on the legend of the Phoenix. That’s about it for now!

Thanks so much, Casey, for sharing your talents with all of us at BOD. Congratulations on the release of Master! 

Thank you very much for having me! It’s always fun to talk about my favorite pastime!

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Interview by Angie Taylor
​
Welcome, A.S. Winchester—known as Addison Sharon Winchester to everyone at BOD—to this week’s ON THE BOD BLOG author spotlight interview! It’s a pleasure to get to know you.

Thank you! I’m really looking forward to the opportunity of sharing myself and my work with others.

For starters, can you tell us why you chose to be a writer and how long you’ve been writing?

I don’t think I ever chose to be a writer. The profession chose me when I was old enough to have an active imagination. I was the kid always telling stories and dragging people into typing up my work for me. I wrote my first full story when I was four years old, with the help of my mother and her typewriter. It was over ten pages long about a kitten getting stuck in a tree after being chased up there by wolves.

The idea to publish was something I always wanted to do, but was never sure I was good enough for. It wasn’t until I started sharing an early version of Terra: Genesis that I learned I had a story people wanted to read. The sheer number of people telling me to take it as far as I could pushed me onto the track I needed to self-publish my first book.

Is there one author who has inspired you the most, or is there one author with whom you’d love to go to lunch and ask a million questions about writing and life in general?

I would love to sit down with James Patterson and talk writing for hours. His series Maximum Ride had a big impact on Terra and my thought process. More than that, Patterson’s ability to cross genres and age groups intrigues me. It’s something I really wish I could sit down and discuss with him. He writes all the way from children’s books to adult books. I really never considered that to be something possible, and I would just love to pick his brain.

On that same note, your dystopian book, Terra: Genesis, reminded me of so many awesome dystopian books I’ve read, while at the same time being a unique story all its own. Can you tell us where you came up with the idea or how it morphed into existence?

Oh goodness… Terra: Genesis actually started as a first person, short story, romance. I have always been good at creating flawed and in depth characters as well as creating chemistry between characters. I always believed I should stick to something like chick lits and romance, but the sheer lack of “action” bored me. As a result, I started Terra (as it was once called) as a romance between Cala and Liam. However, the more I worked with Cala and the Program, the more the romance became a subplot. I became intrigued by the science fiction/dystopian world and desperately needed something more from it. After playing with the plot, it went from a first person, short story, romance to a third person, dystopian, six book series. I haven’t looked back since.

I especially loved the scientific/medical world in Terra: Genesis, and I’d love to know more about the process of developing a character who’s a cyborg. Can you expand on how Cala/Aleka came to be?

Honestly, I wanted initial shock value. When I created the first draft, I only sent out right up until Cala is blown up and that was it. The response was explosive (no pun intended) and exactly what I wanted. However, in choosing to blow her up, I had to figure out how to bring her back. I didn’t want it to just be that she survived magically. I wanted to traumatize her, change her, and make her something that would allow me to play with the universal question of ‘what makes us human’ and thus she became a cyborg. I strongly hold to the theory that I should push my characters to their breaking point and then see what they do. Will they break or will they persevere?

Aleka… Aleka was an experiment in and of herself for me. I absolutely love psychology and am extremely fascinated by how horribly it’s depicted in the media. I wanted to do something with psychology and Cala, because after everything she has been through, she was bound to have psychiatric problems.

Dissociative Identity Disorder is typically not portrayed correctly and I wanted to take the chance to portray it how I understand it. I was hoping to show how it can manifest and be in someone who has experienced severe trauma. However, I also understood I was taking a huge risk with her. Cala as a cyborg was a risk because she is so different, but Aleka… she’s unorthodox, violent, and unhinged. I fully expected people to not like what I did with her. But surprisingly she’s been the most demanded and quoted character.

One of my favorite parts of your book is when Aleka is first introduced. She’s terrifying, powerful, and has the ability to completely suck readers into the story. Was it hard/scary/fun creating such a character?

Aleka is absolutely terrifying to write. I spend my life focusing on the beauty and the positive in the world, but to get inside her head requires something very dark and scary. It’s always exhausting writing her. She makes me question everything about myself, my morals, and half the time I’m left feeling nauseous. I love it because I know her saying things like, “The best way to a man’s heart is through his ribcage” as she tears out a man’s heart, is a complete shock, but it leaves me feeling off.

I found it particularly interesting how you slipped in the issue of mental illness into Terra: Genesis is such a non-invasive/discussable way. What attracted you to want to address this issue?

Mental illness is a huge part of my life. I actually have PTSD, which has led to me having severe social anxiety, insomnia, night terrors, and adjustment anxiety disorder (severe anxiety brought on by little changes). I’ve struggled with severe depression, self-injury, and have attempted suicide.

Up until the last few years, I felt it was something I needed to hide and be ashamed of because that’s how the world around me has made me feel. But that’s just the thing… it’s not something I need to shy from.

I have PTSD from circumstances outside of my control as a child and it’s not something I should be afraid to talk about.

It severely bothers me how much stigma is attached to mental illness these days, yet so many people struggle with it. I wanted to put my own foot in the door and make it a thing in the Terraverse as a way to open people up. It worked. Through social media, especially Instagram, I’ve connected with a lot of young writers who struggle with mental illness, and I’ve given them someone to talk to who understands. As I said, I love helping people. And knowing I can help someone stay away from the ledge, brings me a sense of peace.

What attracts you to writing/reading dystopian works? In what ways do dystopian stories speak to readers, or what do you see is their relevance for today’s society and readers as a whole?

I believe dystopian stories reflect the fears of current society. I love the fact that dystopian stories look at our current society and accelerate some aspect of it into a possible end line. Terraverse wasn’t something I just magically made up. I spent a long time looking at population trends in relation to death trends, resource usage, planetary responses to people, current technology, and the fear of how little we actually take care of our planet.

That’s where it started… we aren’t taking care of the Earth. And then dystopian stories are the big “what if”? What if we don’t reverse what we’re doing? What happens to the planet? What happens to us as a species? They allow us to look down a path of a possible future and truly reflect on what is happening now, what footprint we’re leaving, and even what can we do to prevent it.

Now, can you tell us a little more about you? What other responsibilities/hobbies do you have, or how do you spend your time when you’re not writing?

I have cats… three of them. All of them are just about a year old and I’m owned by my cats. I wish I was joking. They’re like dogs in cat bodies and just want to be loved on as much as possible. Even as we speak, my big guy Falke is pawing his way up my back and meowing for attention. Anyway, I’m only recently starting to work through my social anxiety so I’m a massive homebody. I love to sit at home watching Netflix, reading, and there is almost always a cat on me or next to me. I also work full time as a nanny and occasionally take on work doing photography. I do enjoy the occasional adventure to the zoo, museums, arboretums, or just getting out in nature to take photos.

What’s your favorite book series of all time? Do you read books more than once or are you a one-time-read kind of girl?

This is a loaded question… I’d have to go with Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympian’s series. I absolutely love the story by how the series started and I’m a sucker for Greek Mythology. I sway between being a one-time reader and a read many times girl. It really just depends on what the book is. I have a huge collection of books so I can always go back to one if I want or have them around for my future children to delve in if they want.

Do you have any funny or unique quirks/routines that help in your writing process? For example: listening to music vs. absolute silence, or eating/chewing gum vs. your favorite drink?

I always have to have music playing. I can’t have silence or else I overthink everything and anything possible. Music helps to direct me, but I’m so very awkward when I write. I’m a visualizer so as I go I’m picturing things that my characters are seeing and experiencing. I tend to look around, wave my arms, move, and so on as I would think my characters would react. I sometimes forget where I am. It’s why I very rarely write in public. I turn into the odd girl, waving madly with headphones in, sitting in the corner of Starbucks, that everyone stares at for small periods of times. I get very into my writing.

If you could go and do anything for one day, where would you go, with whom, and why?

This may sound ridiculous, but I think you caught me at a time where I’m homesick for my family in Tennessee. I’d love to go down to Newport where my family is, laugh with my brother and sister, spend hours talking to my mom, and just relax in the mountains. It’d be nice to sit and watch the sunset on the porch swing with my baby sister and her dog, Holly. It’s been forever since I have been able to go home.

And last but not least, how did you hear about BOD, when did you join, and what do you think makes BOD so fabulous?

Oy vey… I know I was in the group earlier last year and I want to say someone added me, but I’ve spent so much time around that I honestly feel like it’s been years. It’s like meeting someone and you feel like you’ve known them for a lifetime. I love BOD for its quirky people. Everyone has something they love within the dystopian world and that brings everyone together to support each other. The posts always intrigue me and the communication between people is impressive. We’re a family and I’m honored to be a part of it.

Well, thank you. It’s been such a pleasure to get to know you. And thank you for sharing your talent with us.

ABOUT A.S. WINCHESTER

Hello! My name is A.S. Winchester, but you can call me Addison or Addie if you would like. Winchester works too–people seem to get a kick out of call me by my last name. I’m a self-published author with my first book, “Terra: Genesis”, having been released July 28, 2015. I love all things writing and reading related with a special love for dystopian worlds and the science fiction genre. I’m an artsy and creative ambivert with a love for helping people. I work full time as a nanny and freelance in the writing field as I continue to build on the world of Terra and dabble in a number of other works I intend to one day publish.

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Interview by Angie Taylor

I’m so happy and excited to feature you, ER Arroyo, on BOD’s author spotlight interview. Especially in light of your recent release of Sovereign as an audiobook. I listen to audiobooks all the time. They are one of my favorite ways to become immersed in a story, so I can’t wait to learn about the process from book to audiobook. And I’m also excited to introduce narrator, Corinne Bupp. Thank you both for joining us, and for sharing your talents with us.

ER: Thanks Angie! Great to be here again. 🙂

Corinne: Glad to be here!

First off, ER, can you tell us a little bit about Sovereign?

ER: Of course. Sovereign was my debut novel. It’s a young adult dystopian/post-apocalyptic book that features a teenage girl named Cori. She’s trapped in a rigidly controlled colony of survivors and wants out, but she isn’t sure what could be out there. She’s been taught that the world was obliterated by warfare and the only people on the outside are savages.

When did you decide that Sovereign should become an audio story? 

ER: Honestly, just from seeing some BOD authors discussing audiobooks. It piqued my interest so I did a little digging. I didn’t know it was as accessible as it turned out to be. I’m so glad I went for it!

What was the process of making this happen, and what were some of the challenges to accomplishing this goal?

ER: It started with creating an account and opening up the book for auditions. I received, I think, around 30 auditions and nothing was really working for me. Then I came across Corinne and asked her to audition. I loved her audition and something about her voice just felt right, so we signed contracts within a couple of days.

I would say the biggest challenge we faced was the timeline of completing the project. We had a 60-day deadline and got a little behind right at the start. There’s surprisingly a lot of back and forth between author and narrator before it is finished. In short, it’s a lot of work! Especially for Corinne.

How did you go about choosing a narrator?  What was the process for even deciding who to audition?

ER: Basically, I listed my project on a site called ACX and then opened up for auditions. My project page included a brief script and an explanation of what I was looking for from the character. Narrators came to me, for the most part. I did search the site myself as well and I wrote a few people asking them to audition based on samples they had up from other auditions.

Ultimately, what made you choose Corinne to represent the voice of Cori?

ER: Lots of things, but basically it came down to her tone. I could tell from her audition that she would be able to voice Cori just right—not high-pitched, not too feminine, not too proper.

Are there any plans for making The Offering into an audiobook? Can you tell us about any other writing projects you’re working on?

ER: Corinne and I will be discussing The Offering in more detail here really soon. 🙂

Yes! I will be in an anthology called The Doomsday Chronicles coming out on February 19th. Aside from that, finishing up a couple short stories that are prequels to Sovereign will be my priority. After that, I think it’s time for a new novel.

Thank you, ER.  I can’t wait to experience Sovereign again in audio.

Now, Corinne Bupp, how fun to be a narrator! I have always wanted to narrate books, but my voice is way too whiny when recorded. So, I’m going to live vicariously through you. Can you tell us about your background and how you got started in narrating?

Corinne: Yeah! My background and degree is in musical theatre but it has been a dream of mine to work on an audiobook since 2009. While I was in college, I started working privately with a voice and speech professor with the sole goal of doing an audiobook. Since then I have been primarily performing onstage and not actively pursuing voice over. It wasn’t until this year, when I auditioned for E.R., that I really started to make that dream a reality.

Is it hard getting into character? How do you do it?

Corinne:  I love it. Most of it is intuition, analysis of the story, and the author’s tone. E.R. and I actually worked together a lot on the characters. We met and talked about other characters and actors that the characters of Sovereign were similar to or even sounded like.

What was it like working with ER?

Corinne: Great! She is so thoughtful and brought such insight to each character. She provided specific ideas for their relationships, backstories, and even their voices. We worked very closely throughout the whole process. 🙂

How did you feel when you discovered that the main character of Sovereign shared your name?

Corinne: I may have freaked out a little bit. I already get really excited when I meet another Corinne – especially spelled the same! Honestly, it made me want to be a part of the project even more. It just felt meant to be!

What was it that made you connect most with Cori? 

Corinne: Most of the way she handles her relationships felt very familiar. I think we can all relate to protecting ourselves by putting up walls, just not with such severity. That being said, her closeness to her father was probably my strongest connection to Cori.

What was your favorite part of working on this project?

Corinne: My favorite part of this project was definitely the character study. I just thoroughly enjoyed “being” Cori.

Can you tell us about any other narrating plans you might be involved in?

Corinne: E.R. and I are in talks for The Offering in the coming year! I’m very excited!

Oh, that’s exciting.  Both of you will have to keep all of us at BOD updated.

Thanks again, ER and Corinne, for spending time with us. Congratulations to you both!

SOVEREIGN AUDIOBOOK TRAILER

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