Book Title:"In All Probability" & "Jumble Tales"
Author:Steve Morris
Published By:Pneuma Springs Publishing
Age Recommended:18 +
Reviewed By:Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating:5

Review:These are two wonderfully delightful books by a man that has clearly had his own ups and downs in life. Steve Morris weaves tales of good fortune and hardship with a master storyteller's pen. I am use to anthologies that range from romance to horror and almost any other genre you can think of, but this is the first time I have read a book about the lot life can hand you and the good or bad that often comes with it.

I'll admit I was skeptical going into these books but I was surprised to find the mixed bag of tales that both contained. These books prove that true life can often be just as wonderfully exciting, adventurous, and fantastic as tales woven from the gossamer fabric of fantasy.

I will be looking for more to come from this UK Author!

Read more:http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=prose&thread=1163#ixzz1nkfm2D98 
 
Book Title:"Protected"
Author:Cindy M. Hogan
Published By:Self-Published
Age Recommended:14 +
Reviewed By:Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating:5

Review:"Protected", was unique and so elegantly written that it did no less than amaze me with the brilliance of this author. In a world where danger is real and there are bad people just waiting to hurt you at every turn, Cindy M. Hogan still manages to weave in the hope that is found in believing in a higher power.

Christie is is a teen like no other. Though she sees herself as far less than average, she is brilliant, stunning, and a fighter. In this amazing sequel to "Watched", Christie finds herself placed in witness protection and realizes her nightmare is far from over... in fact it's truly just beginning. Still unsure if her heart lies with Alex or Rick, she is thrown into the situation of losing them both yet again. The terrorists are hot on her heels and every false move could mean the end if she cannot let go of her past and become someone new, someone completely different from who Christie could ever imagine being. She has lost everything and has no choice but to start anew.

Where will she end up, who will she become, and will she ever see her family again?

This is one of the very best YA series I have ever read and it's definitely worth picking up. I think I love this series most because of the real-life drama and situations these teens are put in. The situations are indicative of what could truly happen in today's world and that's what makes it so exciting and thrilling. Packed with a combination of heart-wrenching teen angst and heart-stopping action with the threat of some really bad people, this is one you don't want to miss!

Read more:http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=childrens&thread=1160#ixzz1nhBbJxmK
 
GUEST POST WITH FAYE KLINGER, AUTHOR OF
"A WOMAN'S POWER: THREADS THAT BIND US TO GOD"


What a wonderful service you offer to readers and authors at “Great Minds Think Aloud.” Thank you.
I’ve been a writer for a very long time. On my website (www.fayklingler.com), I wrote about what/who influenced me to be a writer. I’ve written technical books and creative works. One side of my brain enjoys the structured, technical work, while the other side of my brain gets lost in the creative. Most often the creative side wins in the category of fulfillment while the technical wins in financial satisfaction!

When I get writer’s block in my creative writing, I go for a walk/run. It seems to clear my mind, and I get inspiration on how to clarify difficult phrases or what to include in a chapter. Years ago, I would repeat phrases or thoughts over and over as I ran so I wouldn’t forget them before getting home. Then I’d race into the kitchen and rapidly write down on a pad of paper the thoughts I’d received. Later on, my husband got a small, hand-held recorder for me. That little device helped immensely to free up my mind. Instead of just making it home with a few repeated words, I could speak to the recorder and get those few words off my mind which opened the channels for more inspiration. Now I come home from my walks/runs with words, phrases, whole paragraphs, or ideas on where to find resources for research in my writing. Sometimes I even find it beneficial to take the recorder with me in the bathroom while I’m fixing my hair, especially when I’m in the thick of a writing project. Or I’ll take it in the car as I do my errands. That tool has been a great aid in my writing.

I used my recorder a lot while writing my latest book—A Woman’s Power: Threads that Bind Us to God. In the book I talk about a tree adhered to a fence. I saw that tree on my walk one day when working on the last chapter. I was glad I had my recorder with me. Here is an excerpt from my book, regarding the tree.

“To adhere means we stay attached; we are united by adhesion. On my daily walk, I pass a tree that was planted too close to the tall, wooden fence placed on the property line. Thus, in time, the trunk of the young tree grew over the fence, actually overlapping and adhering to the top edge. At this point, the tree and the fence cannot be separated. That is how we must be. We must adhere to our personal standards, calmly refusing to allow others to undermine our righteous efforts to become worthy heirs of our Father in Heaven. We must utilize the power that is within our grasp to determine what path our lives will take.”

I explain my feelings about this new book in a video posted on my website (www.fayklingler.com) and facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FayKlingler). Please note on my website the giveaway I’m offering for quantity sales for book launch week. Also, “Goodreads” is offering a free book copy athttp://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/tag/women (offer ends March 6). You can read the first chapter of the book by going to the “Books” menu on my website and clicking on the book cover.

Read more:http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=interviews&thread=1157&page=1#ixzz1ngFSAsmd 
 
GUEST POST FOR KARYN HENLEY, AUTHOR OF
"THE ANGELAEON CIRCLE SERIES"


Inspire. I love that word. It’s from Latin in + spirare meaning to breathe. Just hearing the word gives me the impulse to sit tall and take a deep breath of air. I imagine that the air I’m breathing has soared the treetops, drifted over rippling streams, whirled around crowds in city streets, brushed the faces of flowers. Breathing in, I take in the world.

Breathing is life. Relaxing or running, singing or sobbing, in rhythms as ancient as the world, we inhale, replacing the stale with the fresh. Which is why we talk about inspiration as a precursor to creativity. Our souls need to inhale ideas, experiences, and emotions the way our lungs need to inhale air. We need to replace the stale with the fresh. When I feel creatively stale or discouraged and need a fresh breath, I can always find inspiration in solitude, in books, and in the wisdom of people who have walked the path ahead of me.

I’m an introvert, so being social depletes my energy. To regain energy and renew creativity, I need solitude. Sitting and watching nature inspires me as does contemplating the mysteries of the spiritual world. I enjoy pondering a world that lies beyond ours but so near we could see, hear, and smell it if only our senses were tuned to its wave-length.

Reading excellent books, fiction or nonfiction inspires me. Some of my favorite writers are Ursula LeGuin, whose fantasy worlds and characters feel real, and Lois McMasters Bujold, whose prose is gorgeous. I’ve always loved the lyrical language of Margaret Wise Brown and the whimsical prose of Arnold Lobel. When language sings with rhythm and melody, I get inspired and say, “I want to do that.”

I also collect inspiring quotes from wise people and read them when I need inspiration. Here are a few that never fail me:

“It takes an uncommon amount of guts to put your dreams on the line, to hold them up and say, ‘How good or how bad am I?’” - Erma Bombeck

“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all Time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it.” - Martha Graham to Agnes DeMille

“You can never control whether your writing efforts will be successful, but you can control whether they will be enjoyable or satisfying.” - Jane Smiley, 13 Ways of Looking at the Novel

So find your sources of inspiration. Then inhale, sync your soul to the rhythms of life. And be inspired.

Read more:http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=interviews&thread=1149&page=1#ixzz1ncxobA2U 
 
Book Title:"The Replacement Wife"
Author:Eileen Goudge
Published By:Open Road Media
Age Recommended:18 +
Reviewed By:Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating:5

Review:I've just finished "The Replacement Wife" by Eileen Goudge, and I'm still sitting here wondering what it would be like to be told you only had a few months to live. A few months left with your children, your husband, friends, and family... what would you do? What would you do if you were a business-woman whose job was to find matches for people that had not the time nor ability to find that perfect someone in their life, then one day you find out that you had to find someone to replace you because you fear your family would be unable to go on without you? How hard would it be to seek out a woman to finish raising your children, to be your husband's companion, to give yourself a sense of accomplishment and well-being before you traveled down your final road to eternal sleep?

This book made me cry, it made me smile and above all it made me thankful for what I have in my life. Eileen Goudge writes this story beautifully, with an expertise that makes you feel, dream, and truly live it as though you were there. Camille Hart is not just a matchmaker with a terminal illness, she's a martyr, a fighter and a modern day heroine. The surprising ending is the best of all. I whole-heartedly recommend this novel. Everyone should read it, man or woman, a beautiful book and one to truly be cherished.

Read more:http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=women&thread=1097&page=1#ixzz1ncowABaI 
 
"THE MAN IN THE MOUNTAIN" BY DOUG LUCAS (REVIEW BY SUE MAHONEY)

The Man in the Mountain by Doug Lucas was more than I thought it would be; I was highly surprised delighted and immensely enjoyed this story. It is not the typical DEA story about a safe house, a witness and the agents assigned to protect her. It goes into depth using literary references relating to real and not famous authors and describes the trials each character experiences when in a sticky predicament and how they tapped into their reminisces about what this or that favorite author would have done in a tricky situation. It is full with adventure, "what if" good guys vs. bad guys and a wild chase across rocky terrain and dangerous water paths. The mysterious stranger that comes to the rescue from his mountain hideout and the strategic plotting to hunt the prey or captive the hunters keeps the reader turning the pages to see what will happen next.

This story was written to relate to the author and reader in each of us. The bonus is when each character adores or mocks the author he is thinking of expressing real life experiences or they are overzealous with their details of the truth; the agents expressed their appreciation or sarcasm with colorful language as they experienced being trek, shot at and chase and cornered like in a cat and mouse game; then they switched the game and the fun really begins. The literacy references are an added humor which this in itself is a treat of surprises and worth the time to read this story.
This story to this reader was a delicious tapestry of a plot of warm, sensual witty and clever characters who are full of common sense and knowledge to get away from their predators since the chase is on to kill the witness and agents protecting her and leave no evidence.

It is done with a flair of style that is thrilling, yet this author has a clever sense of humor and incorporates secret ingredients in the story; the jive at self and others; the details of the elegant hide-out with the beautiful scenery and the talents of each character is highlighted which creates a memorable tale. The conflict between agent and witness is a typical women cat fight that changes over time, hints of romance in the air too makes this a women's heart throb. As the adventure and masculine approach to live another day and escape their foes is a male's tonic.

As one is reading you are taking away absorbed into the plot and can imagine being one of the character; running and hiding; scoping out the landscape and thinking will this be the last breath taken. It goes behind the scenes of the conviction of the bad guys the trial and their weaknesses and how each one adjusts or is eliminated to the wind storm of their fateful destiny. It explores human nature and how individuals react when the desperate moment arrives and they face uncertainty.

It has it heroes and its villains and excitement. The human toil the good as well as the bad guys experience and the fight against the odds to achieve the possibility of living until their dying breath, desiring to enjoy just one more day is a teaser in their lives and with the literacy references this story makes this choice a stimulating read and I am becoming a fast fan of this writer.

There are other stories out there by this author and hopefully others in the works because this writing is like dipping into a refreshing mountain brook and relishing coming to the top and enjoy the sunshine of a beautiful day, mysterious and full of wonderment.

From the author' "Every time he tried to crawl closer to the tree line, Jorge and company made fear and the desire to grow older even more significant in his decision to stay right where he was. But he had decided that when he was down to ten rounds, he was going to try and shoot his way to safety. It would be an all or nothing effort, he damn well didn't intend to go gently into that good night, he intended to "Rage, rage against the dying of the light" as his favorite poem from Dylan Thomas read".

This reader also read the first book; Conversations with a Dead Man and they are like night and day; many hidden talents are rare to find but this one author seems to be able to change genre and still delight the readers. Highly recommend this author for readers looking for a rare undiscovered treasure and action packed stories that touch the soul then go be curious and Google for the Amazon page for this writer and see for yourself.

Read more:http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=thrillers&thread=1143&page=1#ixzz1nY9MGdKv 
 
Book Title:"Essence & Folly"
Author:Jorge David Awe
Published By:iUniverse, Inc.
Age Recommended:18 +
Reviewed By:Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating:4

Review:Jorge David Awe is a great writer, the only reason this book got 4 Ravens instead of 5 was because I found some of the stories a little bit hard to understand. I think this has mostly to do with my lack of education where Belize is concerned and their lifestyle, though I must say it was still a very comical and well-written short anthology. I would recommend it, even to those that may not be familiar with Belize for the content alone.

Jorge David Awe is a great storyteller and I'd love to see him try his hand at other anthologies or even a full-length novel! This book was very cute, funny, and overall a great read. If you want something you can read in between those huge volumes I would definitely pick this one up!

Read more:http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=prose&thread=1118&page=1#ixzz1mgRjJnZk
 
Book Title:"Cry of the Machi"
Author:Alan S. Blood
Published By:Book Guild Publishing
Age Recommended:18 +
Reviewed By:Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating:5

Review:Take an ancient Chilean Pagan Religion, Murder, Insanity, Americans from New York and place them all in an English backdrop and you have "Cry of the Machi". This book was one of the best mystery, paranormal, drama's I've read in quite some time. The characters were vividly written and alive, the plot was both charming and macabre (strange mix, I know) and the story was fantastic. The book is not an overly long read and gives just the right amount of detail to keep you intrigued while not prolonging the inevitable.

The suspense of who-done-it is drawn out just long enough to keep you wondering, and the ending definitely provides room for a sequel... or sequels as Mr. Blood may have planned. I'll give away nothing in this review other than to say you should definitely give this book a read.

I am a new fan of Alan S. Blood's writing and I will be looking forward to more of his wonderful work! If you are a fan of mystery with the spice of thriller mixed in you will definitely enjoy, "Cry of the Machi".


Read more:http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=thrillers&thread=1113#ixzz1mYnIxuPD
 
AUTHOR KATHRYN MEYER GRIFFITH TALKS ABOUT WHY SHE WROTE "THE HEART OF THE ROSE"

Why I Wrote The Heart of the Rose

…my very first written novel begun forty years ago and originally published in 1985

I started writing The Heart of the Rose after my only child, James, was born in late 1971. I was staying home with him, not working, and was bored out of my skin. I read a horrible historical romance one day and thought I can do better than that!
So I got out my old typewriter with the keys that stuck, my bottles of White-Out, carbon paper for copies, and started clicking away. I tentatively called the book King’s Witch because it was about a 15th century healer loved by Edward the Fourth who was falsely believed to be a witch. At the library (no computers or Internet back then) I did tedious research into that time in English history: the War of the Roses, the poverty and civil strife between the Red (Lancasters) and White Rose (Yorks); the Earl of Warwick and Edward the King. His brother Richard the Third. A real saga. Well, all that was big back then. I was way out of my league. Didn’t know what the heck I was doing. I just wrote.

Reading that original version (a paperback released from Leisure books in 1985) now I have to laugh. It was pretty bad. All that archaic language I used (all the rage back in the 80’s). Yikes! But people, mainly women, loved it.

And so my writing career began. That was 40 years ago. It took me 12 years to get that first book published as I got sidetracked with a divorce, raising a son, and having to get a real job. Life, as it always seems to do, got in the way. The manuscript was tossed into a drawer and forgotten for a while.

Then one day years later I found it in my bottom drawer and decided to rewrite it; try to sell it. I bundled up the revised pile of printed copy pages, tucked it into an empty copy paper box and took it to the Post Office. Plastered it with stamps. I sent it everywhere The Writer’s Market of that year said I could. And waited. Months and months and months. In those days it could take up to a year or more to sell a novel, in between revising and rewriting to please any editor that would make a suggestion or comment. Snail mail took forever, too, and was expensive.
In the meantime, I wrote another book. Kind of a fictionalized look back at my childhood in a large (6 brothers and sisters) poor but loving family in the 1950’s and 60’s. I started sending that one out, as well. Then one day an editor suggested that since my writing had such a spooky feel to it anyway, why didn’t I just turn the book into a horror novel. Like Steven King was doing. Ordinary people under supernatural circumstances. A book like that would really sell, she said. Hmmm. Well, it was worth a try, so I added something scary in the woods in the main character’s childhood past that she had to return to and face in her adult life, using some of my childhood as hers. I retitled it Evil Stalks the Night and started sending it out. That editor was right, it sold quickly.

But right before it was to go to editing, the publisher, Towers Publishing…went bankrupt and was bought out by another publisher! The book was lost somewhere in the stacks of unedited slush in a company undergoing massive changes as the new publisher took over. I had a contract and didn’t know how to break it. Heaven knows, I couldn’t afford a lawyer. My life with a husband and son was one step above poverty at times. Back then I was so naïve. That was 1983 and that take-over publisher was Leisure Books.

As often as has happened to me over my writing career, though, fate seemed to step in and the Tower’s editor that had bought my book, before she left, told one of Leisure’s editors about it and asked her to try to save it. She believed in it that much.

Out of the blue, in 1984, when I had completely given up on the book, Leisure Books sent me a letter offering to buy Evil Stalks the Night! Then, miracle of miracles, my new editor asked if I had any other ideas or books she could look at. I sent her The Heart of the Rose and Leisure Books promptly bought that one in 1985, as well; labeling it, and asking me to sex it up some, as an historical bodice-ripper (remember those…the sexy knockoffs of Rosemary Rogers and Kathleen Woodiwiss’s provocative novels?)! It wasn’t a lot of money for either. A thousand dollar advance and only 4% royalties on the paperbacks. But back in those days the publishers had a bigger distribution and thousands and thousands of the paperbacks were printed, warehoused and sent to bookstores. So 4% of all those books did add up.

So my career began. I sold ten more novels and various short stories over the next 25 years –as I was working full time and living my life. Some did well (my Zebra and leisure paperbacks) and some didn’t. Most of them, over the years, eventually went out of print.

And twenty-seven years later, when Kim Richards at Damnation Books contracted my 13th and 14th novels, BEFORE THE END: A Time of Demons and The Woman in Crimson, she asked if I’d like to rerelease (with new covers and rewritten, of course) my 7 out-of-print Leisure and Zebra paperbacks, including The Heart of the Rose – and I said a resounding yes!

Of course, I had to totally rewrite The Heart of the Rose for the resurrected edition because my writing when I was twenty-one was immature, unpolished and had been done on an electric typewriter, with lots of White-Out and carbon paper (I couldn’t afford copies), using snail mail; all of which didn’t lend itself to much rewriting. Then also in those days, editors told an author what to change and the writer only saw the manuscript once to final proof it. I also totally rewrote the book because, as was the style in the 1980’s, the prose was written in that old-fashioned prose using thees and ayes. The dialect of 15th century England. There were sex scenes I had to tone down. It was awful. So I modernized the language, cut all the redundant adjectives and adverbs and helped the characters to grow up a little (they were so dramatic). The Heart of the Rose-Revised Author’s Edition published by Eternal Press in November 2010 (http://www.eternalpress.biz/book.php?isbn=9781615722327 ), hopefully, then is a lot better book than it ever was in 1985. It should be…I have had thirty-nine more years of life and experiences to help make it a better book. Author Kathryn Meyer Griffith

***
You can keep up with Kathryn on her Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1019954486, or herMy Space:www.myspace.com/kathrynmeyergriffith

EXCERPT Hist THE HEART OF THE ROSE-Revised Author’s Edition Kathryn Meyer Griffith Eternal Press Buy Link:http://www.eternalpress.biz/people.php?author=422
THE HEART OF THE ROSEis really the very first book I ever wrote…begun 39 years ago when I was only 21 years old. I set it aside for years as I went through a divorce, remarriage and getting a real job in the real world and then rewrote and sold it to Leisure paperbacks 25 years ago in 1985. This is the new revised author’s edition out now from Eternal Presswww.eternalpress.biz.Whew, it took a lot of rewriting because I was so young and green when I originally wrote it and had it published. It was before I found my voice and started writing what I was supposed to be writing…horror. This version is 2000% better! THE HEART OF THE ROSE is about a 15th century peasant woman who’s a healer (and thus believed to be a witch by some) who is loved and fought over by Edward the Fourth of England and his powerful but cruel cousin, Richard, the Earl of Warwick (known as the Kingmaker). The main characters and events are historically correct but Bronwyn is a fictional woman inserted into that time period. In 1985 it was passed off as a bodice ripper (racy generic cover)…now rewritten (with a realistic beautiful new cover by Dawne Dominique) it’s more a romantic paranormal. ***

BLURB:

Bronwyn is kind and resourceful, a healer and a woman ahead of her time who cares for her aging father and two young sisters. She can entrance a man with her sweet voice, the beauty of her face. However, she’s an impoverished peasant who lives in the dark, suspicious times of fifteenth-century England where such a woman is feared. Witches are believed to be everywhere, waiting to ensnare a powerful man…like Edward the Fourth of England, who comes across her one day singing in a tavern and makes her his mistress.

Edward’s powerful adversary, The Earl of Warwick, is seeking to take over the throne of England. Bronwyn is torn between the two; one she loves, the other she loathes. One cherishes her, the other wants to possess and control her. As the battle lines form, and the country is torn apart by political upheaval and bloody carnage, the two sides wrestle for the crown. Who will she end up with? Which man, when she’s condemned to burn as a witch, will save her and which man will let her die?***

Short EXCERPT:

Bronwyn was so close to him she could have reached out and touched him, and she realized she wasn’t afraid of him any longer.

“Well?” She raised her eyebrows slightly and cocked her head. “What was I in this dream of yours?”

“My own true love, the one I’ve been seeking so long. I thought I would never find you, and now here you are,” he replied, unsmiling, in a husky whisper that no one else could hear. His eyes were so penetrating she felt herself blush.

His cohorts had resumed their game. For an instant it was though they were alone in the world as he laid his hand over hers and studied her face. “Do you know how beautiful you are? How little else I have been able to think of since the moment I first laid eyes on that face of yours, heard you sing? Who are you?”

Bronwyn dropped her gaze, not knowing what to say.
No, he wasn’t a stranger to her, either. “It’s true, we have met in a dream,” she said quietly.***

Read more:http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=interviews&thread=1112#ixzz1mYVP6avg
 
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR OF "THE FALLEN QUEEN", JANE KINDRED (ENTANGLED PUBLISHING)

Hello Jane, thank you so much for taking the time to interview with us. After reading your bio I noticed that you mention having been writing since the age of 12. Do you still have any of your work from that time?

Thanks for having me, Kitty. I’m excited to be here.I’m embarrassed to say, I still have every word I’ve ever written, and that includes things from before the age of 12 that I wrote for grade school assignments.

Being into romance as well as writing it, who would you say are some of your favorite authors in this genre and who are your biggest inspirations?

I don’t read a lot of romance anymore, except the occasional m/m romance—my favorite author of which is Marie Sexton—but when I was younger, I read everything by Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, and Phyllis A. Whitney. I was a big fan of the gothic romance. These days I read mostly fantasy with romantic elements. My biggest inspirations in this genre are Storm Constantine, Lynn Flewelling, and Jacqueline Carey.

Now you seem to be one of those proud Star Trek lovers. How much of a Trekkie are you? Have you ever dressed up to go to a comic-con or other gathering?

I am an original, dyed-in-the-wool (or velour, anyway) Trekkie. I dressed as a random science officer to see The Wrath of Khan when it came out when I was 16. (No one else in line was in costume.) I do go to fantasy cons, but I’m not much of a costume person, just because I’m both a perfectionist and lazy. If I can’t do it right, I’m not doing it, and I don’t have the time or energy to do it right.

Your family seems to consist of your son Samson, two feline overlords, and a cockatiel named Imhotep. Tell us more about these fascinating roommates. Why do the overlords fear for their lives, and why does Imhotep wish to torture you for the sins you committed in a past life? (:

Samson is in college, so he’s more of a roommate and friend these days, which is great. The “overlords” are just nuts. Both cats seem to think I’m an axe murderer, and the slightest noise makes them run and hide under the couch and stare accusingly at me. Doesn’t stop them from taking over the bed at night, though. I get a tiny little corner allotted to me. There’s really no telling why Imhotep tortures me, but he seems to find it amusing to shriek in a horrible, ear-piercing pitch until I’m on the verge on insanity. He spends a lot of time on “time outs” under his cage blanket.

Your pen name is very fitting not only for the kinship with the twin sister of Philip K. Dick, but for the type of writing you do. Tell us more about your writing process and what is the source of your biggest inspiration.

When I was a kid I used to write stories in my head at night to fall asleep, and I still do that today when I’m working on a manuscript. It’s a good way to work through plot points when I’m stuck or to just envision the next scene. When I write, I tend to see the whole story play out in my head like a movie, and movies are definitely a big source of inspiration for me. Whenever I see a really good movie, I can’t wait to get home and write.

Tell us about your most current work and who does the amazing art for your covers?

Right now I’m working on revisions to Book Two of The House of Arkhangel’sk, The Midnight Court. My editor for The Fallen Queen, Liz Pelletier, designed the cover, and the designer for my novella The Devil’s Garden was Frauke Spanuth of Croco Designs.

What are you plans for your next novel and when can we expect it out?

The Midnight Court will be out in August of this year, and the final installment of the trilogy, The Armies of Heaven, is due out in December.

Here's an off the mark question. Where is one of the furthest places you've traveled and what did you do and see there?

I traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia, as well as to the city of Velikiy Novgorod, as research for this series. I took a summer Russian language intensive course and stayed with a Russian host family in the Lesnoy flat where Anazakia first stays in the book, and also stayed in the hotel where she and the demons hide out in Novgorod. I never did make it to Arkhangel’sk, though, which I’d like to see someday.

If you ever decided to write in another genre, what would it be and why?

I’m a big fan of Stephen King, and I’ve often thought about writing horror, but I’m not sure I could pull it off.

Alas, we are at the end. Do you have any advice for other aspiring authors? Please leave us your links where we can find your works as well as find out more about you.

Get to know other writers. Even a virtual community of writers can be a huge source of support and learning.

The Fallen Queen is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository, Books On Board, Diesel, and EpicFantasyBooks.com.

You can find out more about me and my other works on my website, as well as on Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter.

Thank you so much again for allowing us this interview Jane, I hope we can do it again in the near future!

Thanks for having me. It’s been fun!

* * *THE FALLEN QUEEN

Heaven can go to hell.

Until her cousin slaughtered the supernal family, Anazakia’s father ruled the Heavens, governing noble Host and Fallen peasants alike. Now Anazakia is the last grand duchess of the House of Arkhangel’sk, and all she wants is to stay alive.

Hunted by Seraph assassins, Anazakia flees Heaven with two Fallen thieves—fire demon Vasily and air demon Belphagor, each with their own nefarious agenda—who hide her in the world of Man. The line between vice and virtue soon blurs, and when Belphagor is imprisoned, the unexpected passion of Vasily warms her through the Russian winter.

Heaven seems a distant dream, but when Anazakia learns the truth behind the celestial coup, she will have to return to fight for the throne—even if it means saving the man who murdered everyone she loved.


* * * ABOUT JANE

Jane Kindred began writing fantasy at age 12 in the wayback of a Plymouth Fury—which, as far as she recalls, never killed anyone…who didn’t have it coming. She spent her formative years ruining her eyes reading romance novels in the Tucson sun and watching Star Trek marathons in the dark.

Although she was repeatedly urged to learn a marketable skill, she received a B.A. in Creative Writing anyway from the University of Arizona.She now writes to the sound of San Francisco foghorns while two cats slowly but surely edge her off the side of the bed.


Read more:http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=interviews&thread=1108#ixzz1mUE7lRp9