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Interview with A.R. Silverberry for the Fantasy Sci-Fi Network #FSFNAuthor

5/31/2014

 
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Today's guest on the FSFN couch is A. R. Silverberry.

·       
Author bio:

A. R. Silverberry writes fiction for adults and children. His novel, WYNDANO’S CLOAK, won multiple awards, including the Benjamin Franklin Award gold medal for Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction. He lives in California, where the majestic coastline, trees, and mountains inspire his writing. THE STREAM is his second novel.

·        Book title:  The Stream

·       
Genre: Fantasy > Metaphysical and Visionary

·        Synopsis:


What if your world was six miles wide and endlessly long?

After a devastating storm kills his parents, five-year-old Wend awakens to the strange world of the Stream. He discovers he can only travel downstream, and dangers lurk at every turn: deadly rapids, ruthless pirates, a mysterious pavilion that lures him into intoxicating fantasies, and rumor of a giant waterfall at the edge of the world. Defenseless, alone, with only courage and his will to survive, Wend begins his quest to become a man. Will tragic loss trap him in a shadow world, or will he enter the Stream, with all its passion and peril?

Part coming-of-age tale, part adventure, part spiritual journey, The Stream is a fable about life, impermanence, and the gifts found in each moment.

·        Publish date: 4/26/14

·        Publisher:  Tree Tunnel Press


Author Interview: 

Welcome A.R.  It's great to have you in the Fantasy Sci-Fi Network.  As well as hearing about your books, we're keen to find out a little about the mysterious author hiding behind the pen name.

What’s your favourite pet?
Picture something white, grey, spoiled, and furry. That’s what I’ve got purring on my lap right now. He on insists supervising my writing. When he stops purring I know something needs to be revised. If I want to go into denial, though, I type with one hand and keep massaging behind his ears. He’s happy to play along, but then there’s the occasional hairball to let me know the truth!

Now that is an interesting sub editor.

Do you have another job outside of writing?
I’m a psychologist, working with children, teens, and adolescents. People often ask if that background influences my writing. I don’t think it did in my first two books, but I made a conscious effort in the novel I’m currently working on to tap into my knowledge of personality theory and the workings of the unconscious. Writers are encourage to “write what you know,” so I figured it was time to put that PhD to good use!


I bet that PhD comes in handy when it comes to character development and your characters' motivations.

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Here's your new release: The Stream It sounds very unique and interesting. How did you develop the concept?
The concept sprang more or less full-blown from a conversation I was having in which I was using the metaphor of a stream. I kept thinking about that metaphor the rest of the day, and pretty soon the image a five-year-old boy popped into my mind. The next day, I wrote out the basic idea for the story, including the theme, and started outlining it. I was working on another novel at the time, but dropped it. The Stream had me hooked!

It sounds quite an original concept.

What made you choose this genre?
Half the day, I’m daydreaming anyway, so writing fantasy fiction is pretty natural for me. I gravitated toward the genre as a child, consuming vast quantities of fairy tales, myths, Oz books, all things Tolkien, and the spooky tales of Robert E Howard. I like to be astonished and intrigued, so creating worlds where anything can happen, and usually does is just the ticket for me!

I swear, I grew up in Fantasy Central. California painted in swatches of the state flower was Baum’s field of poppies, sans poison. The redwoods were home to pixies. And San Anselmo’s Red Hill was Hobbiton.

 Sounds idyllic.

How do you develop your characters?
There are two kinds of characters, the ones I slave over and the ones that step onto stage, fully alive. Let’s talk about slaving over a hot computer first. I fill out a number of character prompt sheets I’ve developed over the years. I want to know what the character’s motives, strengths, weaknesses, and past are like. I’ll often interview the character, and let them speak. Unless I can hear the character in my head, I keep working on them.

The characters that step onto stage and announce themselves are usually the most successful. In Wyndano’s Cloak, my first novel, it was the snarky countess, Petunia Pompahro. In The Stream, it was the boat builder, Dory. I had a whole other idea about him, but when I tried to write it that way, another voice kept coming out. It was pretty clear that I needed to get out of the way and let him do his thing. What I didn’t expect was that he came along with a truculent rooster. That kind of surprise is what keeps me writing!   

It sure takes you by surprise when characters write themselves.

Have you used any real people in your characters?
Every character is probably an amalgam of several people. No one would be recognizable though. I listen carefully to speech patterns. My notebook is often out as I capture the phrase of a store clerk or a waitress. One time, I ordered dry toast. The waitress read back my order, and said, “Toast, hold the grease.” You can’t make this stuff up!

Have you used any real events or places as inspiration for your writing?
For a story about a stream, I needed to be on location. Fortunately, I lived within walking distance of a beautiful one through out the writing. I walked there at all times of day, and in all kinds of weather conditions. I studied the current, the flora and fauna, and closed my eyes and listened to it. I watched sunlight on the ripples. I inhaled.
But I still had a huge learning curve ahead of me! I knew almost nothing about boats and sailing. My knowledge of surviving in nature was just as scant. Here’s a short list of some of the things I needed to learn and integrate into the novel: the flora and fauna of the riparian wilderness; the technology available to the primitive people occupying the stream; knife making, basketry; boatbuilding; the myths, legends, rituals, and beliefs of the culture; and the mainstays of their diet and how it was prepared.
That sounds like quite a research list.  I admire your dedication.

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What’s your writing routine?
I see my clients in the afternoon and evening, which is perfect because I prefer to write in the morning. My mind is clear, and I’m more in my right brain. I’m a put-in-the-time kind of writer, as opposed to a word-count writer. That worked out well when I wrote Wyndano’s Cloak because I was commuting on a train. That gave me three hours a day, round trip on the laptop, and forty minutes of walking between work and the train station, when I was jotting down snippets of dialogue or description. The worst day of my writing life was when we moved away from that train! Just hearing one clanging along puts me into writing mode.

What do you do when you have writers’ block?
Can I put on my psychologist’s hat for a sec?! I don’t believe in the concept of writer’s block. It’s too poorly defined, making it hard to identify the appropriate solution. When I’m stuck, it’s usually because I don’t know what direction I want to go in, or because I need to know the characters and their motives better. Let’s say it’s the latter. I’ll interview that character and let them tell me what’s on their mind. If I’m struggling to find the right word, I’ll brain storm words. If things aren’t flowing, I speed up how fast I’m writing, bypassing my internal editor. If anyone’s curious, I wrote a post called Unblock Writer’s Block, which lists how to identify what the problem is and specific strategies for resolving them.

You sound very committed to your writing.

Which book character are you most like and why?
Jenren, the heroine of Wyndano’s Cloak. She’s dogged, persistent, loyal, and has a huge heart.

Are there any writing styles or genres you dislike?
This is going to get me into big trouble with YA Paranormal crowd, but I loathe first person present. It calls so much attention to itself that it knocks me out of the story, if I ever get pulled in at all. A part of me is screaming, “Wait, if you’re running from that gunman, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, and scurrying down that fire escape, when did you have time to write those words.” See? It’s an improbable leap from the get go. For this reason, it used to be rare. A writer really needed to be a master to pull it off. I’ve read very few modern examples that worked. Dean Koontz did a fabulous job in By the Light of the Moon. He did it so seamlessly, I had to step back to realize he was using it.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?
You can’t take me too far from the ocean! I start to wither. I love to take long beach walks and hikes in the forest. I’m still looking for those pixies!

You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?
This will date me (that photo is at least 15 years old!), but I’ve always liked Superman, and had my nose glued to those comics as a kid. We’ve all had those dreams when we were flying, with that feeling of freedom, with that perspective of the world. I’m not sure I’d go after crooks, though. I might pay a visit to some shortsighted, world leaders.

Well, that's the great thing about fantasy, if you want your characters to have super powers, you just have to make it real in your world.



Can you give us a short excerpt from The Stream?
Here’s an excerpt of some prose that describes the world of the Stream. It never found its way into the novel, but I really like it, and it gives you a flavour of what the main character, Wend, is dealing with:

If Wend had stopped to think about it, he would have realized that his family, searching for fruit, nuts, and roots, never ventured far from either shore, that travelers never sailed upstream to tell tales of what lay ahead. Except for tacking and voyages of a few miles, his family never ventured upstream either. When he’d asked his father why, he was told, “It’s a law.” Wend must have looked blank because his father told him to jump as high as he could. Wend jumped, and after his feet landed on the ground, his father said, “Now jump as high as the top of the mast.” Wend had laughed, but declared that no one could do that.

“Why not?” his father asked.

“We come down first,” Wend replied.

“It’s a law,” said his father. “And it’s a law that we go that way.”

His father pointed downstream.

If Wend had thought of these things, he would have understood that everyone was tethered to the stream and could only go in one direction. People stopped from time to time, working at abandoned foundries to smelt metal for anchors, chains, and knives, cutting trees to build or repair boats, living in villages, taking over deserted houses like creatures that move into another animal’s shell. They never stayed long, always returning to their boats, always going with the current, always traveling downstream.



Thanks so much for stopping by to chat A.R.  I'm looking forward to checking out your fascinating novels.

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Follow A. R. Silverberry:

Website: http://www.arsilverberry.com

Blog: http://www.arsilverberry.com/blog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-R-Silverberry/122991764395051?ref=search

Twitter: @arsilverberry

Book trailer for Wyndano’s Cloak: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWaLY61MSyo

Purchase Links for The Stream:

Amazon Kindle

Amazon Softback Edition

Nook Edition

iTunes: Coming Soon!

Purchase Links for Wyndano’s Cloak

Ebook:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

Limited first edition Hardback:

Collectible Gift! Signed and unsigned copies available only from the author!












    Fantasy Sci-Fi Network: 

    The Fantasy & Sci-Fi Network is a collection of authors, bloggers, and reviewers who are passionate about finding and creating quality fantasy/sci-fi books which are also teen safe (G, PG, or PG-13 rated). The FSF Network believes it is possible to create fantastic works of fantasy and science fiction without resorting to graphic violence, explicitly harsh language, or sex.

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FSFNet

    FSFN website: http://fsfnet.com/


    Twitter hashtag: #FSFNAuthor

Hooray!  The new art competition for Dragon's Revenge starts tomorrow.  $550 in great new prizes.

5/30/2014

 
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The Hunters of Reloria are launching a new fantasy art competition to celebrate the release of the Dragon's Revenge novel.  
There are 10 prizes to be won for chapter artwork to go into the new novel, plus a prize for the most popular entry.
The pictures are to be in a vertical format, such as the picture here.
Total prize value $550.

Choose one of the chapter descriptions for your artwork.

See the art competition page for details.

Click here for art competition

Interview with A.J. Martinez, #Fantasy author of 'Scarlet Quest'

5/30/2014

 
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Author bio:  Hello there my name is A.J. Martinez and I am a fantasy author living in the state of Connecticut USA. I walk with my head as high as the clouds and my feet on the ground. I murder people for a living (fictional people that is).

My desire is to write fantasy stories that will make one soar with the wings of Icarus. To write heart pounding stories to make one wish that the pages will never end. To write stories in a world beyond Hogwarts and Middle Earth and on to the world of Odealeous. To write stories that  make one think of the stars of the night during daylight. Stories that make one see rare colors and hear sweet songs only the sirens sing by a glowing river. To tell stories where the arts of the mystic and dragons seem as though they had gone extinct. I write what I dream about and dream so that I can write.

I am quite a geek and I am a big time Anime fan.  I enjoy going to conventions with my friends and rave parties.

My favorite movie is “the matrix” I never get tire of watching it.


·         Book title:   Scarlet Quest

·         Genre:  epic fantasy


Synopsis: Auron Fox is the leader of the band of the fox. For so many years he has been living in a hidden village on the outskirts of his country. When his old friends frame him, the king of Burnahdujf invades Auron's village for murdering the prince. Instead killing Auron, the king decides to punish him by sending him on an unpleasant journey to find a jewel that could bring chaos.

Auron desperately hopes to return alive as he fights dangerous foes with his elemental magic and summoning spirits. The king threatens to destroy Auron's village and his people if he fails to bring the magic jewel. However, will the king keep his oath? As hope fades, Auron races to save the people he loves and get his revenge.

·         Publish date: September, 27, 2013

·         Publisher:  Booktango
 

Author Interview:

Hey AJ.  It's great to have you here at the Hunters of Reloria interview couch.  Always a pleasure to meet another fantasy author.
When did you start writing and why? 
AJ: Well I was writing and drawing. I was character driven and story drive. It was way back in the 5th grade.

What other writing have you done? I have 3 short stories. All in the fantasy genre.

What made you choose the fantasy genre? 
I am attracted to things that don’t exist. Ever since I was a kid I was always just the one who was into weird stuff. Not just that but also, watching a lot of Japanese anime, playing RPG games and final fantasy tend to get you lost in other worlds. The thing about fantasy is that it is so limitless and I am the type that dislikes limitations. That is why I chose fantasy. Creation is endless.


    To win a FREE copy of A.J.'s exciting new Scarlet Quest novel to review, please leave your details here:
    Hurry this offer ends soon.

Submit
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What’s the story behind your book title? 
It is about a mercenary man called Auron Fox and his band. Auron was born with natural flaming red hair. He is a foreigner. Auron is frame for murdering the son of the king. The king threatens to destroy the village that he created if he fail to find the a magical jewel that could bring chaos. That is a short summary of it, I don’t want to spoil it. But I will say that there is a whole lot of magic and sword fighting.

Sounds great, we love magic and sword play here at the Hunters.  

What’s the basic plot? 
Auron is faced with many challenges. He has to face his past as well as deal with traitors who were once his friends. Auron has to find this magical jewel for the king otherwise his village will be burned and his people massacre. He desperate races against time and hopes to make it home alive.

Which scene from your book do you like best and why? 

The war when the band of the fox fight against the southern country. That is all that I will say.

Which is your favourite character and why? 

I like Oseth because he is cocky and has a smart mouth. He is the comic relieve.

How do you develop your characters? 

The characters face their past. I think when someone faces their past and stops denying themselves, that is when they grow and learn more about themselves. I that human beings are creatures of denial. We deny so much. Once we learn to face the true, a change happens.

That's quite deep.  I bet that gives you great insight into their motivation.

Have you used any real people in your characters? 
Not really. I am not out to mentally use anyone. However I have thought about using historical people and giving them a place in my fantasy world.

Which one of your characters would you like to be? 

That is a difficult question because all my characters have a piece of me in them.

Have you used any real events or places as inspiration for your writing? 

No not really. Perhaps historical biblical patterns in my fantasy world but that is about it.

Do you have another job outside of writing? 

Yes I do have a regular job until one day I become a bestseller. I am little shy about saying what it is.

What song would you choose as the theme song of your book? 

Anything from the metal band Nightwish.

What are you working on now? My first fantasy series.

What’s your writing routine? The characters are created first. Then their history. Third the events in which they meet and finally I write down summaries of each chapter.


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What do you do when you have writers’ block? 
I don’t usually have writers block because I have so many stories in my head. However if that does happen I simply watch movies in my genre or watch documentaries and the discovery channel helps. Studying medieval helps a bunch too.

Yeah, I reckon we're all medieval nuts, us fantasy writers :-)

Describe your road to publishing your book? My wish is to be one of the top fantasy writers in the world. To be up there with George RR Martin, JK Rowling and boy this is going to be difficult but Tolkien as well.

How did you go about developing your cover artwork? 

I don’t make my own covers. My book cover designer lives in Rome. I always want the main character to be in the front cover. I always want a person to be in the cover instead of an object or a place. People are more likely to pick up a book if they see a person on the cover. Especially if the character on the cover is wearing something they like. Something that readers in fantasy can relate to.

What type of books do you like to read? Usually in my own genre or scifi. I don’t get out of my genre too much. I am really picky about what I read.  I also read a lot of self help books and spiritual books.

List some great books you have recently read: 

Dragon war by Daniel Arenson and 
Eckhart Tolle’s the power of now.

Who are your favourite authors? 

Daniel Arenson right now.  

What is your favourite quote? 

“If you can dream you can do it.” By Walt Disney

Do you have a blog? 

Yes of course. Honestly my blog post are kinda dorky but hey I try. Its a good way for readers to get to know me.

That made me laugh!  What do you write about in your blog? 

Archetypes, things about magic, mythical creatures, spells, other fantasy books and authors.

What blogs do you enjoy reading? 

George RR Martin’s blog is pretty cool. I like his sense of humor.

Which book character are you most like and why? 

Tyrion Lannister. His wits are his weapons. His life story is a lot like my personal life story.

Tyrion's a legend!

Who inspires you? 
JK Rowling, Tetsuya Nomura and Disney (back in its early Steamboat wily days).

What book would you take if your house was on fire and you could only carry one? 

Well to me that is like letting a whole library down. If I had to choose it would probably be “the power of now” by Eckhart Tolle. I learned something from that book that really changed my life.

Who would you like to be stuck on a deserted island with and which book would you like to have? 

Tetsuya Nomura and I would take the Harry Potter series with me since I never finished them.

Who would you choose to read your audiobook? 

Liam Neeson. His voice is like that of a god.

What’s your dream job and do you think you’ll do it one day? 

Probably directing the movie for one of my books. Once I become a bestseller I will.

Now that would be way cool!  I hope it comes true for you.  I'm still waiting for Peter Jackson to knock on my door ;-)

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing? 
Watching anime or playing Kingdom Hearts.

Where do you like to travel to? 

I really want to go to Japan and England.

The homes of Aime, Samurai and knights hey?

What’s your favourite pet? I don’t have a pet right now but the thought of having an owl as a pet is awesome.

Do you prefer ebook or hardcopy? 

Honestly I read nothing but ebook now a days and hardcopy has become more of a collector’s item to me. I still buy paperbacks but not as much as I use to.

You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?  

Cloud Striffe from Final Fantasy

If there’s anything else you’d like to talk about?   

I would like to ask JK Rowling how come she didn’t write a book about the houses of Hogwarts?


Good call.  Maybe after her Mythical Creatures hey?
Thanks so much for sharing your thought and writing with us A.J.  
Folks, please check out these links and help out a fellow author by entering his giveaway and doing a review!

A.J.'s Links 


Website: http://ajmartinezauthor.com

Blog:  http://ajmartinezauthor.com/blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fantasyauthorajmartinez

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/AJ-Martinez

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ajmartinezautho

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E7HN5BS

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/391944



Book review:  Bloodline by Katie Thornton-K 'Wonderful storytelling with surprising twists and action aplenty' #FSFNAuthor

5/28/2014

 
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This is an exciting read by debut novelist Katie Thornton-K.  You can read my review here:  Bloodline review.


I did an interview with the author back in January and you can read it here:
Interview with Katie Thornton-K.

Getting a new 5 star review of Elven Jewel feels like Christmas.  Thanks Author Untamed. *  *  *  *  * #epic #fantasy

5/27/2014

 
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"This book truly brought the fantasy to life for me and I was completely engulfed.

I have to start by saying that fantasy novels are not my first choice of reads. I love fantasy movies so I thought why not give a novel a try. I'm glad I did. The story truly pulled me in and I can't wait to read the complete series. This book truly brought the fantasy to life for me and I was completely engulfed. As a fellow author, I truly appreciate the fact that story was well written and formatted properly. Excellent job! Truly a 5 star read."


Online review posted by Author Kreceda Untamed

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/366148

Author Interview with Kia Carrington-Russell for the Fantasy Sci-Fi Network #FSFNAuthor @Kia_crystal

5/24/2014

 
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Fantasy Sci-Fi Network member, Kia Carrington-Russell, is a young author working on her first series: “The Three Immortal Blades”. 

Kia was born in a small town in Australia, moving around a lot at a young age until finding a stable town where she finished her schooling. Kia found herself enjoying and expressing herself through poetry, short stories and writing, photography, painting and drawing. All these mediums help Kia express the different world that she is so fond of.



Kia began writing at the age of fifteen in high school- finding that all her warped and strange dreams were giving her a fantastic new world- and since then she has never looked back.

In ‘Senior Art’ she focused on feminism and female empowerment; exposing through her work issues and concerns that many people would rather just “sweep under the rug”.  
In one art installation, Kia made a bed out of Pokémon cards- the concept being that when she slept a new world would come to life and it was the only one she saw and constantly lived in. 

She now focuses on her photography, writing and self-help blogs on her website: ‘Precious Living’.

Kia is now keenly working on “The Three Immortal Blades” series knowing that this book has to be shared with the world and that is what she aims to do now.
Writing in her Australian home, Kia tries to focus at times on simply what is running through her head, as her cats either terrorize her legs as scratching posts or her puppy barks in her ear for play-time. And as she continues her series, they grow with her book.

Kia is strongly supported by her friends and family and thanks them dearly for being with her along the bumpy road and nothing would please her more than having your support as well.

Book title: 
Possession Of My Soul - The Three Immortal Blades

·         Genre:  Urban Fantasy



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Synopsis: 


Karla Grey is an ordinary young woman that is taken from her mundane life into a world of blood lust as she begins to struggle with a unique ability. Karla is a Shielder; an exceptional fighter born with the rare ability to project a Shield for protection. However, Shielders are not the only kind that possesses such a talent. The Shielders battle a war that has been raging for centuries against the Starkorfs, who harvest humans and Shielders alike to obtain a near immortality.

Alongside the charming Lucas and selfless Paul, Karla must unravel the purpose of her curse and battle an unknown presence manipulating her thoughts; a mysterious woman who may be dormant for now, but has every intention of possessing Karla-mind, body, and soul.

Within this new reality that Karla faces the search for the Three Immortal Blades begins.

·         Publish date: 15th May, 2014

·         Publisher:  Crystal Publishing



Extract from 'The Possession of my Soul': 



“Karla? Karla?” Dad’s voice was as frantic as mum’s. “Karla, get home now. We have things to discuss.” He sounded jumpy and tearful. I took one step back, and my leg buckled again. I tried dragging the other leg under my body but they could no longer move. My body is shutting down on me.

My eyesight was blurring into blotches of black and then, blotches of green. The pain was like venom triggering every nerve of my body to shut down. I can’t handle it anymore. “I love you,” I gasped into the phone, while tears replaced the stream of rain drenching my face.

“What? Are they there? Don‘t become what they want you to, sweetie. Please!” my dad shouted. I heard mum scream in the background and I felt her pain layer on top of mine. I can’t breathe. Don’t become what they want me to? What is Dad talking about?

“What who wants me to be?” I whispered, wincing as I felt myself dipping in and out of consciousness. A loud ring echoed through my head blocking out the noise of my father and the rain; then silence. All noise was lost. My knees collapsed at the same time as the world around me. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. I thudded to the ground again, barely able to see my hands in front of my face. My lungs wouldn’t accept any air now.

My body had completely stopped. My mouth filled up with blood, and I could feel it dribble onto the road underneath my face. Relief and fear was all that functioned in my mind. Relief to know that the pain will go away; fear to know that I’m dying.

I felt ice-cold hands lifting me off the ground from the waist while another hand cradled my head. My eyesight could only determine the outline of his shadowy face. The sadness it contained reflected my own. Rain washed over his face and dripped off onto mine. His lips moved as if he were shouting, but I heard none of his rage or furry. Only bliss. My face was cradled in Lucas’s chest; he was embracing me in his arms. My eyesight slowly was taken away from me, leaving me in the dark. I can’t breathe.



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Author Interview: 


Welcome to the Fantasy Sci-Fi Network, Kia.  It's great to meet such an enthusiastic young author.  

When did you start writing and why? 

I started writing at fifteen, in high school. I often got complemented for my imagination in short stories and my art concepts. And then I began having vivid dreams where I thought ‘I must write this all down,’ and has eventuated since. So the original manuscript I once had for Possession Of My Soul is very different to the published version now.

Sounds like it was meant to be and I guess it helps answer my next question too.  What made you choose this genre? 

There is no limit for fantasy; imagination is the key for opening up such fantastic worlds. I am not limited by logic or facts. And plus, its fun. Everyone loves having a little bit of magic in their life, and if they can’t have it they can most certainly read about and consume it.

Which scene from your book do you like best and why? 

Thus far my favourite scene is in Phantom Wolf. However I won’t spoil anything until you’ve read it. So my second favourite is one of Karla Grey in Possession Of My Soul. Where after a certain event, she feels like an empty shell and alone. She is sinking in water believing that she is safe, but in truth she is actually drowning. I like this scene and concept because I think a lot of people can relate to that feeling. Where something so shocking happens in your life that you feel you’re drowning within your own emotion or the surface of the water/ situation seems so far out of reach that you can only extend your hand out towards it.

Great visualisation.

Do you have another job outside of writing? 
Yes. I have a fulltime, 40 hour job during weekdays as a weighbridge operator, where I direct trucks to certain locations with the company’s products and invoices. And a part time job on weekends and some nights at a takeaway Fish and Chip shop. I am also a consultant for PartyLite (candles and Accessories) and Nutrimetics (Make-up and skin care products).

My goodness!  You are a busy young lady!

What are you working on now? 
Currently I am finishing Phantom Wolf, the first of its trilogy. I am currently finalising edits and starting to create a campaign for my book but also on behalf of the RSPCA (which is an Australian welfare group that looks after and rescues animals) as an animal lover this is very close to me and I appreciate all that they do. For the first week of Phantom Wolf’s release I will donate all profits to them. So right now I am very busy organising that so I can create as much hype and interest to help such a great cause. I have also started writing Possession Of My Heart, the second book to The Three Immortal Blades, trilogy.

I am loving that Phantom Wolf's cover.  I think it will have great appeal to the Young Adult readers and beyond.

Who are your favourite authors? 
I am a huge fan of Kristen Cashore. I love empowering women and feminism myself and reading her books are just so, well perfect. Her books are visually stunning and she just knows how to make the women in her book entitled to such raw power, where although they fall in love, they are not dependant on the man. I love it. Another author I admire is Isobelle Carmody, much for the same reason, whom I was lucky enough to meet at a book signing at SupaNova on the Gold Coast.

I was there at SuperNova too.  Hey, maybe next year we can have a FSFN stall together :-)

Do you have a blog? 
I have two. I have my blog on The Three Immortal Blades website, keeping fans updated with the progress of my books competitions etc. But I also like to post every Monday informative blogs that might help other writers, freelancers and artists. Articles of my own experiences, things I’ve learnt along the way of being a self-published author and interviews with other freelancers such as my editor, Ashley Patterson or two illustrators Philip Battisti and Ynne Black.

My other blog is on my Precious Living website, although I haven’t been able to update it as often as I would like lately because of my focus and busy schedule for my books. Often I blog self-help/affirmations every Monday and I like to post heart-warming articles of tragedies that have happened to real people and have taken it in as a lesson and moved on, inspiring me, and I hope it does the same for others. The articles I have written are also informative and educate readers on something’s such as diseases they have never heard of before. When I travel more often I will also have a travel blog on there.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing or working? 

When I have the time I like to sketch, paint, read, cook and watch anime.

What’s your favourite pet? 

I love all my pets; I have Sia who is a Cavoodle (dog) and my partner in crime. My partner, Scott often jokes that we are too alike and she is too human. But I love her all the more for it. I also have two cats, Forest and Isa, both female as well who are from the same litter but look like two completely different cats. One is white and one is black so I often refer to them as my Ying and Yang kitties.

Do you prefer ebook or hardcopy? 

Call me old fashioned but I prefer reading hard copy. There is no better feeling than having your bookshelf full as you follow and collect your favourite author’s books. I don’t know, having them in my home seems more personal and a hobby to me then reading it on my iPad.

Kia, thanks so much for dropping by to sit on the FSFN interview couch.  It's great to have another Australian member for our truly global Fantasy Sci-Fi Network.



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Here are Kia's links to connect with her and check out her fantasy books.

Websites: http://www.thethreeimmortalblades.com/ 
                http://www.preciousliving.com.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheThreeImmortalBlades

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7949493.Kia_Carrington_Russell

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/kia_crystal   

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Possession-Of-My-Soul-Immortal/dp/0992502802/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1400196103&sr=8-3&keywords=possession+of+my+soul















Fantasy Sci-Fi Network  

    The Fantasy & Sci-Fi Network is a collection of authors, bloggers, and reviewers who are passionate about finding and creating quality fantasy/sci-fi books which are also teen safe (G, PG, or PG-13 rated). The FSF Network believes it is possible to create fantastic works of fantasy and science fiction without resorting to graphic violence, explicitly harsh language, or sex.

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FSFNet

    FSFN website: http://fsfnet.com/


    Twitter hashtag: #FSFNAuthor

I just bought a heaps of great new #Fantasy #Scifi books at the Fantasy Sci-Fi Network's 99c sale.  Get in quick! http://fsfnet.com/2014/05/23/99-cent-may-2014-sale/

5/23/2014

 
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Loads of best-selling authors, and little old me, who is just starting out, but getting heaps of 5 star reviews.  There are now ten hours left, so hurry in before it ends. 


All are rated PG 13 and under.  Perfectly Good for all ages! 
Elven Jewel and Hunters' Quest have been selling like hot cakes :-)


http://fsfnet.com/2014/05/23/99-cent-may-2014-sale/

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The Fantasy Sci-fi Network sale begins in 10 hours - that's Midnight US West Coast time

5/22/2014

 
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Which Fantasy and Sci-fi authors have been chosen for this exclusive event?  Here's a hint: One has a 5 star rated book titled: Elven Jewel :-)  As to the identity of the best-selling authors, stay tuned for the big reveal.

All details will be on the FSFN website and Facebook page.



www.facebook.com/FSFNet


                                          www.FSFNet.com

I'm in the Fantasy Sci-Fi Network 99c Sale on Friday.  Heaps of great titles available #FSFNAuthor   http://fsfnet.com/2014/05/23/99-cent-may-2014-sale/

5/21/2014

 
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What could be better than a bestselling fantasy or science-fiction book going on sale for 99¢?

How about more than fifteen fantasy and science-fiction bestsellers going on sale!  Woot!






















We Fantasy and Sci-Fi Network authors have banded together to create a unique one day 99-cent blow out sale. But, wait there’s more! Some of us who don’t normally sell our books for 99-cents are joining in the event.

Click here to check out all the books available for 99-cents Friday May 23, 2014.  (Friday evening and Saturday monring Australian time).  Link will be available when the sale begins.

Who are the Fantasy and Sci-Fi Network (FSF Net)?

FSF Net is a growing group of over fifty authors that have gathered together to create a unique news channel dedicated to fans of fantasy and science-fiction books. The members include a dozen of today’s top bestselling fantasy and sci-fi authors like J.D. Howell, Brian Anderson, Lindsay Buroker, and Leeland Artra. Since its creation in December of 2013 the network has helped launch many more bestselling authors; and its membership continues to grow weekly. The FSF Net has a couple of defining points that put it far above other fantasy and sci-fi groups:

All fantasy and sci-fi works by its member authors are guaranteed to not exceed the PG13 standard as described in the group’s website. Meaning that, although most of the books are written for adult fans of sci-fi and fantasy the books are safe for all readers 13+ with limited violence, limited swearing, and no erotica scenes.
All of their news posts, articles, and book reviews are detailed, clear, and written for all fans of fantasy and sci-fi books.
If you are looking for some of the best fantasy and sci-fi writers today check out the FSF Network!

On Facebook at: https://facebook.com/FSFNet

On Twitter at: https://twitter.com/FSFNet

On the web at: 
http://fsfnet.com/

Here's some info from my high school talk on Character Development

5/16/2014

 
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English teachers tell me that one thing their students often struggle with is fleshing out their characters.  I was invited to give a talk about the Hunters of Reloria to year 9 students, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to encourage these youngsters to write.
You don't need to be an artist to sketch out a couple of ideas for how your character should look.  In fantasy books you get to choose what race they are and my favourite part, which weapons they will carry.  There are so many options like the colour of skin, hair, clothes, height etc.
Secondly you think about their personality.  What motivates them to act a certain way.  Has something notable happened in their past?  What was their upbringing like?  What are they trying to acheive in your story?
The example I used in my talk was on Huntress Sienna, a halfling who lives alone in the Wild Woods of Reloria and has learned to do everything for herself.  Because she has had no maternal guidance, she dresses like a boy and is dirty with tangled hair.  When she meets other halflings, her who world changes.
I showed the students a great book, entitled 'Child Writes' by Emma Mactaggart which takes children step-by-step through the process of writing a book.
Happy writing kids and best of luck with your characters, cheers, Kasper.

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    About Kasper

    Kasper Beaumont was born and raised in Australia and lives a quiet life with the family in a seaside town.  Kasper has combined a love of fantasy and a penchant for travel in the Hunters of Reloria series.

    Starting to write on the urging of friends and family, Kasper enjoys watching readers become immersed in the world of Reloria.

    We hope you enjoy 
    Elven Jewel, Hunters' Quest, Dragon's Revenge and the others books to follow.



    Kasper enjoys sharing this blog with other authors in the fantasy / sci-fi and paranormal genres.  You'll also discover interesting facts about Kasper writing, as well as Relorian art, book and movie reviews.  We hope you like it and feel free to leave a message.

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'Elven Jewel'

'Hunters' Quest'

'Dragon's Revenge'
 
'Fandri's Adventures'
​
'Captive of the Darkness'
​
​are now available  at:
amazon.com
Smashwords.com