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Author Spotlight: Hayley Barrett

hayley barrett - young adult authorAn Interview with Hayley Barrett

By: Michelle Lynn

Hi Hayley, welcome to YAAR. First things first, can you tell me about your books.

My first novel is called Into Darkness and it’s a dystopia set in New Zealand about a privileged girl who is convicted of a crime she didn’t commit by her father. I’ve also written a novella which includes some of the same characters but happens before Into Darkness, and that book is called In the Cool Light of Dawn. In September, the sequel will be released and it’s called A Silhouette in the Night.

So, at first glance your book seems to be just a dystopian, but there’s a bit of the paranormal thrown in. Can you tells us about that?

It is primarily dystopian, but there are also a race of people whose ancestors were experimented on many years ago and genetically modified. The result is that these people, Drifters, are faster and stronger than humans and they require human blood to survive. However, a few drops of Drifter blood can fix any human illness or disease meaning that humans and Drifters are constantly at war with each other.

How did you come up with the world you’ve created?

I’m not really sure. I had a basic idea of the story I wanted to write and the world just sort of formed around the story.

You’ve created so many great characters that move the story forward. Who’s your favorite?

Emily Jane. She doesn’t appear much in Into Darkness, but she is the main character in Cool Light and is a supporting character in Silhouette. Her back story keeps revealing itself each time I write about her, and I really enjoy finding out what she’s gone through in the past.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

There is a part near the end of Into Darkness where readers often tell me they hate me (I can’t say more without giving the plot away). I loved writing that because it upset me to write it. It comes unexpectedly and with any luck, it makes readers feel something that they weren’t expecting to feel.

Were there alternate endings that you considered?

Nope, not for Into Darkness. Cool Light originally finished where Emily Jane first meets Alex and Will in Into Darkness but I’d glossed over what are now the last chapters of the novella. A beta reader suggested I try a different ending and I like it so much better than what I’d originally written.

Are there any other authors that have inspired you to write?

When I read Sara Donati’s Into the Wilderness, I’d never read a book that I was so invested in and I decided that I wanted to write a book like that. It took about twelve more years before I actually sat down and started to write, but it really was that book that did it.

What age were you when you started writing?

My school reports right back to when I was about eight years old all say I had a flair for writing. In high school, I won the school writing competition twice without (I hate to say it) really trying. But once I left high school, I didn’t write anything for about eighteen years.

Writer’s block – an author’s worst nightmare. Ever experience it?

Yes, although I don’t often find I can’t write anything. For me, it’s more that I find myself writing the wrong thing. When that happens, my writing doesn’t flow and I need to scrap it and start again. Usually it means I have to do something entirely different with the scene to make it work.

Do you work with an outline, or just write?

I’m not an outliner. I often wish I was, but plot twists often come to me as I’m writing and if I’d written an outline, it would have to go out the window at that point.

Do you ever get sad when you realize that the characters that you’ve created aren’t real?

Hehe. Not so far!

Here’s a couple just for fun – If you were a super hero, what would your name be? What costume would you wear?

I don’t know! Maybe Super Mom. I’m not sure what my costume would be, but I’d definitely need a decent vehicle so I could run my kids to all their afterschool activities (hmmmm, that sounds suspiciously like real life!)

 If you could have any accent from anywhere in the world, what would you choose?

I was going to say Irish because I just love the way it sounds. But I also have a thing for Diana Gabaldon’s character Jamie Fraser, so I’m going to go with Scottish!

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

I actually didn’t have too many challenges. Double Dragon Publishing was recommended to me by another author and they were one of the first publishers I submitted to.

If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?

I don’t think I’d change anything!

Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

I’m currently working on something completely different.  It is another young adult novel but this one is historical with a hint of paranormal.  It’s been a lot more challenging to write, but I’m pretty happy with how it’s turning out.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

I find it really hard to read critical reviews where some of the things the reviewer has a problem with are actually answered in the novel – if only they’d bothered to read it properly!  The best compliment was hearing about an eleven-year-old who likes my books who had a “To Do” list beside her bed. One of the points on her list was “read more of Hayley Barrett’s books.”

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Keep writing. Everyone says it, but it’s true. It’s easy to come up with a reason to stop writing such as, “I can’t work out why this character does this and I can’t go on until I figure it out.” Something like that is just an excuse. Even if you can’t make it work, move on. Write the book. Then go back and fix the difficult part in editing. Oh, and that’s another thing for aspiring authors. Make sure you edit your work!

Do you have any strange writing habits?

Not really. I can’t write on an empty stomach though, so I’m least productive right before a meal.

Thanks for joining us Hayley and to all of YAAR’s readers out there – I hope you’ve found another fantastic Young Adult author to follow!

Praise for Hayley Barrett:

“I was hooked at the beginning. I thought it was such an original and unique way to introduce us to the characters, which have amazing personalities, portraying the real complex of human nature.”

“The story is fast paced, there is lots of action, intrigue, romance and adventure, and I was constantly surprised by all the plot twists, especially the shocking turn of events near the end of the book.”

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Author Spotlight: Sarah Wathen

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Written by L J Higgins

 

It’s time again to meet one of YAAR’s talented authors! Today we interviewed Sarah Wathen, author of the Catchpenny Series.

 

 

  1. Tell us about your Catchpenny Series.

Catchpenny is an offbeat romance—one novel released in 4 serial parts. The original title was Wicked Lover, and that’s exactly what Meg Shannon is…in all of the ways you might interpret such a phrase. She’s in her senior year of high school, so imagine the consequences of playing that role. Meg has plenty of enemies and slut shame is a big theme. She does find love, yet finding her true worth as a human being is the ultimate quest. In that way, it’s also a coming of age story.

 

  1. Why did you release it as a serial?

I had intended it to be a pretty short read in the beginning. My first book, The Tramp, is part of a long epic story, with tons of characters, history, and interweaving plot lines. With Catchpenny, I wanted to take a breather and write a simple love story. Of course nothing about love is simple, and writing about it isn’t short or simple either. I finished Wicked Lover (part one) and while I was working through it with my editor, part two just couldn’t help itself from happening.

 

  1. Your main character in Wicked lover is a teenage girl who is obsessed with poker. Do you play?

I would say Meg’s a gambler in almost every sense. Love interest Tristan would say she gambles with her body, but not her heart. I do play a little poker, but my game is Blackjack and I learned from the best. My Aunt Maxine taught me everything I could know about cards and she was a true romantic, a guiding force in writing this book. She passed away right before Thanksgiving last year and Catchpenny is dedicated to her.

 

  1. The world is captivated by young love, which seems to be a main theme in Wicked Lover. What do you think we find so enchanting about it?

Young love is pure. We can all remember when we felt so powerfully about another person, before all the worries of adult life got in the way: finances, marriage, family, career. Back when we were invincible and our worlds were filled with boundless hope and endless possibility. Of course, I remember young love being pretty painful, too, when I really stop to think about it. Reading a book about it is much more fun!

 

  1. Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

I’m always influenced by whatever good book I am currently reading. Right now it’s The Lives of Girls and Women by Alice Munro, a collection of short stories. Makes me feel like writing a short story, which I’ve never done.

 

  1. If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?

There’s plenty I would change about the money I wasted! I made so many mistakes it’s ridiculous. But I guess I learned from them all, too, and in a way, the knowledge I gained is priceless.

 

  1. Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

Catchpenny is the collection of four serial parts: Wicked Lover, Battle Ax, Cactus Heart, and Gold Mine. It was fun to release the books as a serial at first, and since I’m a brand new author, it was a great way for readers to get a taste of my writing before diving into a full novel. Yet after finishing the serial, I really wanted to give people a chance to read the story as a whole.

 

  1. How did you come up with the title for your books?

“Catchpenny” means something cheap, bought for pennies. In the beginning, that how Meg thinks about herself (though she doesn’t realize that). Her journey from a Wicked Lover, through to the Gold Mine in the end of the series, is about her discovering her worth. The two books in between are titled for key concepts in each, but I can’t give that away!

 

  1. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

I’ve been told that my first book, The Tramp, moves too slowly by some. It’s hard for me not to take that to heart and just stay the course of my plan for the series. I hate that I feel like changing the story because of what some people think, because I think it’s a great book and I do have a plan for it as a series. It was written with a lot of purpose and not every book needs to move quickly, like Catchpenny does. Mostly, I think I made some marketing and genre mistakes. Because the best compliments have also come from The Tramp! Maybe it moves slowly, but apparently that’s because I’m a darn good “wordsmith” and I’m great at painting a rich, visual landscape. That doesn’t happen when you rush through a book! You need to settle in. I guess my favorite books that I’ve read are of the settle in variety.

 

  1. If you had a superpower what would it be?

Mind control, so I would never have to worry about marketing ever again!

 

  1. What else are you working on at the moment?

I’m marrying writing and making art together in a graphic novel. It’s a really exciting project and a huge challenge for me. The story comes from a series of Flash Fiction that I wrote back in April last year called Gaslight. The short, 300-word segments are perfect for graphic novel chapters!

 

  1. Tell us about your cover design.

Each of the four drawings on the Catchpenny cover were covers for the four serial parts. The first one, the cover for Wicked Lover, was a charcoal drawing with a long history for me in grad school. This weird little figure began as a chalk smudge on velvet paper, then came alive as I discerned a tiny being and filled in details with a pen. I wrote it’s birthdate down and “pregnant, dancing, armored bodice.” Next, it became a series of silk screens, each print different. Finally, she was fully realized in the detailed drawing I used for Wicked Lover. When I found the drawing in a flat file, she was just perfect for this strange creature that Meg Shannon is in the beginning of Catchpenny. The figure becomes more human and more beautiful in each part, then finally takes flight. It’s such a great metaphor for discovering yourself.

 

  1. Your website shows that as well as writing you have a passion for art. Which do you prefer and why?

They are apples and oranges, though both ways to create. Writing and making art couldn’t feel more different to me, and I need them both. Here’s a good way to think of it: when I paint I listen to rock, when I draw I listen to jazz, and when I write I listen to white noise on noise-canceling headphones. I was classically trained in painting and up until a few years ago, that’s how I would’ve defined myself. Now I realize that, as an artist, I just choose the hat for the moment. Last year I was “a writer,” this year I’m “an illustrator,” and before that I was “a painter.” It’s all art.

 

  1. Are you a coffee or a tea drinker?

I’m drinking coffee right now, but I prefer wine.

 

  1. Is there anything else you would like your readers to know about you?

Yes! I work closely with my musician husband when I write, and the title Wicked Lover is from a song that his band, Her Last Boyfriend, wrote. It’s the song in the book trailer I produced and you can check it out here: http://bit.ly/WickedLoverTrailer

Also, HLB has decided to produce an EP album of four songs, one tune for each serial part of Catchpenny. It’s not finished yet, but they are doing some really cool stuff that goes so well with the story in the book. I love it! The second song is a remake of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” The fourth is an alternative rock version of the famous wedding song, Pachelbel’s “Canon in D.” Follow my blog, and I’ll keep you informed: www.sarahwathen.com

 

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Author Spotlight: T.D Shields

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Written by
Michelle Lynn

What are the titles of your work and can you tell us a bit about them?
My first two books are Into Shadow and Into Light. You should probably read them in that order. I just heard from one of my beta readers for Into Light and she accidentally read it first and then started on Into Shadow… she was very confused!

Both books are set in the not-so-distant future… there has been an enormous war that involved the entire world and the country is only now beginning to recover from it. The country is led by a dashing, handsome war hero who you would like very much if I didn’t kill him off within a few minutes of opening the book.

After his death, his daughter Poppy has to learn to fend for herself and figure out what to do next. She ends up hiding in one of the many cities that were left decimated and deserted after the world war, only to learn that the city of Denver is not nearly as empty as she’d been led to believe.

Into Shadow is really about Poppy finding her way and figuring out how to be her own person after spending so many years as an extension of her father. Into Light is where she returns to confront the man who destroyed her life and killed her father. It all sounds kind of dramatic and dark, but I try to let my snarky sense of humor peek out enough to lighten the mood.

Who’s your favorite character from your books?
Poppy is my favorite, of course! She’s the center of the story and she’s really everything I would like to be myself. She’s smart and loving but tough and able to literally kick butt when the situation calls for it. And she’s a redhead – as I am myself. I have a hard time NOT making the heroine of one of my stories a redhead; I just think it’s the best possible hair you can have.

Your series consists of two books at a time when trilogies are very popular. Can you tell us a little about what goes into a decision like that?
I guess I have a little trouble with premature encapsulation… I wound up the whole story too early so it was only two books instead of three!

But really, so many stories ARE trilogies these days and often that’s just perfect. But sometimes it feels like the story is being stretched out unnecessarily just to make it fit into the three-book mold. Poppy’s story was done at the end of two books.

Besides, how many times have you loved the first two books of a trilogy and then the third was kind of a let-down? I avoided that by stopping with two. I won’t rule out revisiting the world at some point – maybe to give Rivers and Sharra their own story.

How important is reading to your writing? Any particular genres that get your mojo flowing?
If you want the really honest truth… reading is actually a barrier to writing for me. I LOVE to read. I will forgo sleep and slack off on my paying job occasionally when I get caught up in a great book. (Unless my boss reads this and then I definitely NEVER slack off on my day job to read a book! And if I ever did, I totally made up for it later, I promise!)

And when I’m all caught up in a great story from another author, I’m so into it that it crowds out my own stories. I do my best writing when I force myself to put down my reading and listen to the stories in my own head.

I like to read almost any genre, but my favorites are dystopian (big surprise!) and anything with a paranormal twist; ghosts, urban fantasy, and other things that go bump in the night are always fun for me.

What authors have inspired you to write?
It’s so hard to pick just one… but I will go with Kiera Cass, who wrote The Selection series. That is the series that I read just before I finally sat down at the computer with the intention of writing out one of my stories. The world that she created just felt so real to me that I wanted to stay in it a while longer. In the end, the world my books live in is not the same as Cass’s world – which is as it should be, because I want to be inspired, not a copycat. But it was definitely that view of the future that led to my version of it.

What’s your favorite book and what is it that draws you to it?
Another tough one! I love so many… The Dresden Files, the Mercy Thompson series, The Selection series, The Hunger Games, pretty much anything by Mercedes Lackey.

But if I really have to pick one, I would have to go with The Belgariad by David Eddings. This is a series of five books and it’s high fantasy – full of wizardry and drama and peril. It’s the first series that I really remember being completely immersed in. I have read it a dozen times at least and it never loses its magic (no pun intended) for me.

What age were you when you started writing?
As I recall, I wrote my first book at about age seven. It was around a dozen pages long, hand-written and self-illustrated on lined paper that I tore from a notebook and stapled together. I couldn’t tell you any of the storyline anymore, but I do remember that my heroine was named Philadelphia and liked to be called Philly. I also remember an illustration of Philly sitting in a nest. I don’t know if this is because the story ACTUALLY involved Philly sitting in a nest or if that’s just my lack of drawing ability coming to the fore – maybe the picture was supposed to be something else entirely.

To my parents’ great credit, they almost managed not to laugh out loud as they read my first attempt at a book. Since the story of Philadelphia was quite a serious drama, I was pretty offended by the laughter. That may be why it took another thirty years or so before I made another serious attempt at writing a book.

Do you ever experience writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
It’s not a huge thing for me, but I do run into it from time to time. My preferred method of dealing with it is to play lots of rounds of Monster Busters (a match-three game) on my tablet. It occupies just enough of my mind to let me bypass the block and work out some plot points in the background of my thoughts.

Do you work with an outline, or just write?
I have a very loose outline. I know where I’m starting out and I know where I want to end up, and I lay out a few major milestones along the way. Then I just write and find out where the story takes me.

It has been said that authors sometimes think of their characters as an extension of themselves. Do yours ever feel real to you?
Oh my gosh, yes! I sometimes have to remind myself that these are not real people. I think of my characters as my friends and it’s actually kind of sad to me when I have to stop and realize that they are actually just figments of my own imagination.

If you were a super hero, what would your power be?
I’m greedy. I would want a bunch of them, kind of like superman. I want the super-strength, the super-speed, the x-ray vision, and definitely the ability to fly. I would also like the power to be invisible, especially when the kids are looking for me to tell me more tales of Minecraft. I could just lie right there in the bed taking a nap and they’d never know where to find me!

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
The technical aspects were a little challenging at first. Just figuring out where to go, what to do, and how it all works can be intimidating. I kind of fumbled my way through it, but it worked eventually.

If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?
I would learn more about the whole marketing side of things first. I really had no idea how much work it would be to handle the marketing for the already published stuff while still trying to write something new. For me it kind of turned into an either/or thing. I could either focus on marketing Into Shadow or I could focus on writing Into Light. Now that I’m making final tweaks on Into Light, I can move back into marketing mode again, I guess.

Can you tell us about your next book?
The next book is the start of a new series. Hey, maybe this one will be a trilogy! It’s more lighthearted than Into Shadow and Into Light. It will be called Catbird Seat and it’s urban fantasy, featuring a main character who is a crime-solving cat. It sounds kind of strange, I guess, but I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
The toughest critiques are the ones that are correct! When I read a comment about something that could have been better and realize that they have a very valid point, it stings a little, but ultimately helps me do things better the next time around.

I really dislike it when someone gives me a low rating of one or two stars, but doesn’t say WHY they feel that way. I’m totally on board with your right to not like my book, but I would like to know what it was that turned you off so I can try not to do that again. Then again, maybe if the one-star reviewers left comments I would hate it even more than when they don’t comment, so I should probably leave well enough alone!

The best compliment is when someone tells me they loved the book and can’t wait to see what happens next. The idea that someone else is enjoying my story and wants more is exhilarating. And my mom didn’t laugh at my book this time around (except in appropriate spots). That was a big relief.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
Just jump in and give it a try. Until you give it your best shot you don’t know what you can do.

Do you have any strange writing habits?
I can’t write in the daytime. Or when anyone in the house is still awake, really. I will procrastinate all day long and get nothing accomplished, but suddenly at midnight it’s like an alarm goes off in my brain and it’s time to be productive!

Dogs or Cats?
Cats, for sure. Dogs are cute, but I can’t stand it when they slobber on me. And with Roomie as a major character in my first books and my next series starring a cat as the main character, I guess it’s pretty obvious that I lean that direction.

Chocolate or Vanilla?
I’ll never turn down chocolate, but given a choice between the two, I’ll take vanilla.

What is your biggest fear?
It’s an oddly specific, but real fear… I worry that my car will catch fire while I’m filling it with gas. I try to never re-fuel the car while my kids are with me because I don’t want them strapped in their car seats while the car is on fire. I will postpone fueling up for as long as possible in hopes that my husband will just give in and go to the gas station before I have to.

I realize that it’s ridiculous, but in my defense, my brother’s car really did catch fire while he was filling it with gas. It burned down to a charred frame and nothing more, right there in the parking lot of the gas station! Ever since then I have obsessed over it a little.

Also, vampires. When I was a kid (around 4th grade) I slept with a jar of garlic salt and a fork under my pillow. Apparently my mom felt a stake was inappropriate? I’m still not entirely convinced that vampires (of the scary, non-sparkly variety) are not lurking in the dark when I have to go out alone at night.

So, pretty bleak view of the future. Are you insane? And should we be worried?
Yes. And yes.

Just kidding, I hope. I like to look at Into Shadow as the bleak future, but Into Light takes us past that into bright new possibilities (at least by the end of it all). But even amid the desolation of bombed-out, rubble-strewn cities, people still find friends and family and build good lives. Technology keeps progressing and finding new and better ways to do things. And most people want to do the right thing. So even though there’s plenty to worry about these days, I try to focus on the light, even when it’s almost hidden by the scarier stuff.

And as far as my own sanity goes… I wouldn’t lay any bets in favor of my clean mental-health evaluation. 😉

What People Are Saying About Tara and Into Shadow:

“With the verbal brush-strokes of a Renaissance artist, T.D. Shields crafts a vivid picture of a world two centuries in the future. Thousands of books are given such a setting, but it takes a skilled author to immerse us in that world without weighing the story down in descriptions.”

“The faultless writing style sweeps you into a survival story and leaves no reason to ponder how certain events occurred in this incredible adventure. Tackling bullying and inequality between the sexes, pointing out corruption in government officials, and veering between kindness and cruelty, this novel covers all the human conditions.”

Find out more about T. D Shields HERE

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Author Spotlight: Kayla Howarth

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Written by
Bethany Wicker

Time for another Author Spotlight and a chance to get to know Kayla Howarth, author of the Institute Series.

What are the titles of your works and can you tell us a bit about them?

The Institute, Resistance, and Defective (Books 1, 2 and 3 of The Institute Series) follow my heroine Allira Daniels and her struggle to live a normal life. Her brother is Defective, a term used for people who possess supernatural abilities. They are seen as dangerous and are segregated from the general population by law and forced to live at the Institute.

Everything Allira does is to protect her brother, Shilah, from having to be sent to the Institute. (Even if she completely screws that up sometimes … okay a lot.)

 

You have many great ones to choose from, but who is your favorite character from your books?

Are you really asking me to pick one of my favourite children? Because that’s what it feels like!

I feel closest to Allira, obviously being inside her head for three years while writing the trilogy.

But my favourite character might actually be Drew, the enigmatic boy who learned early on in life that to survive, he had to screw people over. He had the biggest struggle and growth as a character and earned a place in my heart. (And a lot of readers’ evidently.)  

 

Out of all the action, what was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

There are so many scenes that I read and reread over and over again because I loved them so much, and looking back now, it wasn’t so much the action scenes, but the ones where friendships and relationships developed.

Any scene with Allira and Tate was always fun to write.

The awkwardness between Allira and Chad gave me butterflies of nerves.

Allira and Shilah’s sister/brother relationship.

Any of the interactions between Allira, Drew, Jayce and Jenna in book #3.

 

Your endings have the perfect closure, but were there alternate endings that you considered?

The Institute had a whole extra chapter at the end that was cut and reserved for Resistance. The scene answered a lot of unanswered questions readers have when they reach the cliffhanger ending of book one. I, myself, as a reader hate cliffhanger endings, and I hated that I did it to my readers, but the scene that was cut just wasn’t strong enough of an ending to the story. It lacked the punch that was needed and would have had readers questioning, “Well, okay … but what now?”

Both Resistance and Defective ended how I’d planned from the beginning.

 

What authors have inspired you to write?

Suzanne Collins. Anyone who knows me knows I’m a major Hunger Games fan. Before that series, I hadn’t really read much at all since high school. THG inspired me to start reading again, and that inspired me to write my own stories.

 

What age were you when you started writing?

I’d taken an elective writing class in high school, but didn’t do any writing after that until I was about twenty-eight. That’s when I started shaping The Institute.

 

Writer’s Block. A common enemy to all authors. Do you ever experience writer’s block? If so, what helps overcome it?

I hate it. I HATE it so much! I used to just force myself to push through it, telling myself I could just go back and fix the drivel later. That doesn’t work so much for me anymore.

I will try reading, but usually if I’m in a writing slump, I’m in a reading slump too. I will try different projects, which is probably why I have four … crap, FIVE unfinished works in progresses right now. *face palm*

But when all else fails… coffee.

 

Do you ever get sad when you realize that the characters that you’ve created aren’t real? Like Allira and her badass-ness?

They’re not real? What? I don’t understand the question. Why would you say such a mean thing?

 

If given the choice, would you be normal or defective?

Defective!

 

If you were Defective, what ability would you have and would you have a cool nickname?

I would really love the ability of power of suggestion. I write this as I beg my child to go put pants on for the thirtieth time today, only to get a resounding ‘no’ in response.

As for a name, right now I’d settle for anything other than, “Mummy… Mummy… Mum. MUM! MUMMY!”

 

Allira must have been fun to write. Where did you get the idea for her? Is she similar to you?

Allira started off very much like me until I realized no one wants to read about a socially awkward, insecure, second-guessing yourself kind of person for 350 pages. She ended up developing into the kind of person I want to be. She’s someone who will stand up for what she believes is right, and even though she does have flaws and insecurities, she doesn’t let them own her like perhaps I do.

 

Australians have awesome accents, but if you could have any accent from anywhere in the world, what would you choose? Would you keep the Aussie one?

I’d like to refine my Australian accent to sound more like Nicole Kidman and less like Rebel Wilson. I love the Aussie accent but not the bogan (trashy) version of it. Sorry Rebel.

 

Publishing books can be challenging and stressful. Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

I put it out there before it was ready and had to fix it up after it was published. I didn’t realize how big the indie publishing world was or the amount of help available pre-publication. So I regret not doing more research beforehand.

 

We are all eager to see what comes next. Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

There will be very short novella written from Chad’s perspective. “Through His Eyes (The Institute #3.5)” fills in the eighteen month gap in between Resistance and Defective.

Then shortly after, “Losing Nuka” will be released. Nuka from The Institute Series is all grown up and gets her own book where she searches for her birth mother, only to find herself involved in an underground illegal fight ring called “Litmus” where Defectives are pitted against other Defectives. The Litmus Series will have three books, each from a different person’s perspective. It’s very different to The Institute Series even though it’s technically set in the same world.

 

As an accomplished author, do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

When I first published, there were so many times where I thought to myself “I’m wasting my time!” My husband kept having to remind me that it’s not an overnight success type of thing.

It’s easy to get disheartened when your sales are in a slump, or you get a bad review. You spend countless hours/days/months/years slaving over a story that you just hope others will love as much as you do, and when they don’t you feel like you’ve failed. For some stupid reason, our brains are wired to focus on the bad reviews and not the positive ones. It’s a lot easier to remember when someone says something negative than when they pay a compliment.

The key is to take it all in stride, improve where you can, and just continually learn to grow and master your craft. I guess I’m trying to say, ‘Don’t give up’.

This cliché (but true) piece of advice brought to you today by lack of caffeine.

 

Do you have any strange writing habits?

I have to edit out a lot of ellipses from a first draft. Generally, when I’m thinking about what a character should do or say, I reflexively type … like they’re actually thinking about it too. My first drafts usually read like all of my characters have stutters or can’t think straight.

 

Now, time for some random, fun questions. What toppings do you like on your pizza?

Meatlovers. Any kind of meat. NO PINEAPPLE EVER. Pineapple is a fruit. Fruit does not belong on a pizza. All of you smarty-pants out there saying “Tomato is a fruit and it’s nice on a pizza,” you just shhh now. It’s not the same and you know it! Pineapple is a fruity fruit.

 

Dogs or Cats?

I love both. Right now we have one dog at home, but I’d love to have a cat again one day.

 

What is your biggest fear?

Oblivion. No wait … That was Augustus Water’s answer in The Fault in Our Stars.

Mine? Anything to do with my son, really. I’m the overprotective mother who freaks out any time my child goes near water, falls over, gets sick … I try not to be, but it seems my mother instincts are stronger than my common sense.

 

So there you have it: a look into the mind of Kayla Howarth. If you’re interesting in checking out her books then the links have been placed below.

The Institute
Resistance
Defective

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Author Spotlight: Paul Briggs

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Written by
Linda Higgins and Michelle Lynn. 

Here we go again! This is the second author spotlight from the Young Adult Author Rendezvous and we have a good one for you. Paul Briggs is the author of Locksmith’s Closet and we’re excited for you to get to know him!

 Tell us about your book.

A boy discovers a portal to the future, finds nobody living there and sets out to discover what happened.

Who is your favorite character that you’ve written? What makes them special?

Her name is Rikki. She’s the least predictable. Depending on the situation, she can be businesslike, rebellious, heroic or just plain fun. If she weren’t such an exhausting character to write, I’d give her her own spinoff.

What is your favorite type of scene to write and why?

Any scene where a character is exploring a new place. I love trying to capture the look and feel of a setting.

What authors have inspired you to write?

Many. If I were to single out a couple, they’d be Isaac Asimov and Harlan Ellison.

What age were you when you started writing?

I think I must have been six or seven. I taught myself to read at age two, so I had a head start. Learning to write things that other people would want to read took me a lot longer.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

Often. Usually it’s because there’s a specific place where I just don’t know how to tell the story. I deal with it by starting work on something else.

Do you work with an outline, or just write?

Generally I start by just writing, then realize this mess I’m making needs some organization and start creating an outline.

Does anything you write ever trigger emotions? For example, do you get sad when a character dies or excited while writing fight scenes?

Planning and writing a scene does trigger some of the same emotions as reading it. I did have fun writing the fights and escapes, although I tried to make the violence in the last fight scene a little uncomfortable to read. The scenes where Lock and Gary are angry, sad or despairing were definitely the hardest for me to write.

Your series has a lot to do with time travel. What drew you to this topic?

Originally, it wasn’t so much the time travel itself as what it revealed — the empty and abandoned world. It was only as I was writing that I realized the portal had to be more than just a plot device.

In your book, Locksmith’s Closet, your characters travel forward in time. If you had that ability, would you rather get to see the future or experience the past? Why?

I’d rather see the future, just out of curiosity. I can read about the past, after all, and there isn’t any bygone era I’ve read about that I’d like better than the present day. (Although I think I would have appreciated the nineties a little more if I’d known what was coming next.)

If you were a super hero, what would your power be?

Telekinesis. It would have so many practical applications.

Traditional publishing, Indie publishing, or self-publishing? Why did you choose to go the way that you did?

I wish I could claim that I’m a heroic pioneer in the self-publishing revolution. Truth is, I just couldn’t find an agent.

Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

My next book is Altered Seasons. I’m hoping to have it published traditionally. It’s about a group of politicians and ordinary people coping with a relatively sudden change in the climate after the sea ice in the Arctic Ocean melts one year. I’m also going to use NaNoWriMo to try to finish Locksmith’s Journeys, or at least get it close to finished.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

The toughest criticism I’ve ever gotten was after I’d written a series of short stories about a woman with gigantism. One person felt that I’d made light of what would be a really tragic situation.

The best compliment was when my teenage nephew told me he’d read Locksmith’s Closet in one sitting. (That draft of it was several thousand words longer than the final product.)

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Be a good listener. There are a lot of people out there with a lot of stories that will give you lots of ideas. Also, this will improve your ear for dialogue.

What People are saying about Paul Briggs and Locksmith’s Closet:

“What a story! It’s one of those that you’re sure is headed in one direction and then takes a detour that makes it an even better story.  You won’t be able to stop reading.” 

“Rather than be a plot-driven story, it becomes a character-driven story, and with it we become closer to the characters as they deal with the harsh realities and tragedies that life in their own world has to offer. It becomes very introspective and philosophical, and I must say, I did not see that coming. I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys Young Adult or time-travel stories. I can only hope that Part 2 of this trilogy comes out soon. Well done, Mr. Briggs.” 

“The writing and plotting of this book is absolutely the equal of anything published by the big publishing houses. Briggs is a formidable new talent. I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for the next installment!” 

Check out Paul Briggs’ author page on YAAR to learn more!

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Author Spotlight: Patrick Hodges

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Written by
Bethany Wicker

Welcome all and thanks for checking out YAAR (those pirate fans say it with me in the appropriate accent Yaar…). Sorry couldn’t resist.

I’m sure you’ve learned that we are a group of authors who are avid fans and writers of young adult and children books. Twice a month, we will be posting an Author Spotlight so we can introduce you to each of our wonderful authors. It would only be appropriate to have the Founder of YAAR as the first person up. He is also the author of Joshua’s Island and Ethan’s Secret and the reason most of us are here.

So, here’s the man of the hour: Patrick Hodges.

I understand that your books address bullying. Can you tell us the titles of your works and a bit about them?

My first book, “Joshua’s Island,” is a book that features kids of middle-school age, but it leans toward YA because of its subject matter. It’s about a bullied boy named Joshua whose life has become hellish – beaten and tormented by bullies, and ostracized by his peers, he finds the courage to go on when he is partnered with a popular girl named Eve in science class. Even though she doesn’t like him at first, the two form a bond of friendship that helps him find the courage within himself that he never knew he had.

My second book, “Ethan’s Secret,” is a sort-of sequel to “Joshua’s Island.” I say “sort of” because although it takes place at the same school (and three years later) and involves some of the same characters, it’s a totally separate story. The main character is Kelsey, an eighth-grade girl who loves mystery stories, who faces a mystery of her own when a new boy named Ethan appears in her algebra class. As she seeks to learn more about him, she eventually discovers that there are serious things going on in his life, and that by getting to know him, she might be putting herself in danger.

You have many characters that people can relate to and fall in love with, but who’s your favorite character from your books?

Definitely Kelsey. In “Joshua’s Island,” she was a spunky, fearless fifth-grader with a strong sense of justice and fiercely loyal to her friends. I knew when I finished J.I. that my second book would be about her, and it was a joy to give her her own story. She’s the type of friend that everyone should have, and she’s a great role model for girls.

You have many riveting scenes in your books so we want to know what was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

In both books, it was the scene where the main characters finally get over their teenage awkwardness and uncertainty, and not only realize that they have strong feelings for each other but find a way to express it. To me, there’s nothing as innocent, sweet and beautiful as falling in love for the first time, especially when it comes from a place of friendship and genuineness.

Were there any alternate endings that you considered to either of the novels?

Not really. I tend to think about exactly how I want the story to end long before I get there. It may have evolved into something else by the time I get there, but so far, I haven’t wavered from it. I’ve been told that my endings are very good, so I must be doing something right!

What authors have inspired you to write?

I can’t specifically claim that any authors inspired me to write, but there are many authors that I have admired in my lifetime, whose style heavily influenced my own. Authors like Douglas Adams, Richard Adams, Timothy Zahn and Terrance Dicks are ones that immediately spring to mind.

What age were you when you started writing?

Um … 45. And, in case you were wondering, I’m 46 now. Honestly, prior to penning “Joshua’s Island,” I hadn’t written anything more elaborate than a movie review or a TV recap since high school. Until last year, I honestly didn’t think I had it in me to create an original story.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

Not really. In my current project, there was a section I was having trouble writing, but I was able to overcome it with the feedback of a few people that I trust implicitly. That, plus taking a break from it and then picking it up with fresh eyes when I was ready to start again, was all it took.

Your books come together perfectly. Do you work with an outline, or just write?

Oh, yes, I definitely outline. Without it, I would just feel lost. Planning it out beforehand makes writing the story infinitely easier for me.

Do you ever get sad when you realize that the characters that you’ve created aren’t real?

Definitely. I don’t have kids, but I would be proud to call any of my main characters my children. If there is an afterlife, I would love to spend a few millennia hanging out with my creations. Perhaps even becoming them.

Now for a couple of random questions… If you were a super hero, what would your name be? What costume would you wear?

I’m not sure I’d want that job. I’m not a risk-taker. Plus, I hate costumes.

If you could have any accent from anywhere in the world, what would you choose?

Probably Irish or Scottish. I just think it sounds cool.

We love how your characters overcome the challenges they face. Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

Well, my biggest challenge was ignorance. I knew NOTHING about publishing when I wrote “Joshua’s Island.” I had a lot to learn about the world I was stepping into, and I made a few mistakes (I’d rather not get into them), I will admit. There really is SO much to learn. But I think I’ve got a much better handle on it now.

If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?

Okay, you’re gonna make me say it, huh? Well, the first company I chose to self-publish “Joshua’s Island” ripped me off. They charged way too much and did almost nothing for me in return. I have since found a much more economical self-publishing company called Alpha Academic Press, and if I had to do it again, I’d have gone with them from the start.

We’re eager to see what you have in store for us next, so can you tell us about your upcoming book?

I’ve only just started, but it’s the third book in my series. Again, I am advancing the timelines three years from the end of “Ethan’s Secret.” This time, the main character is Sophie, who appeared in both books. Now she is thirteen and in eighth grade, and having to deal with many of the same issues that her big sister Eve did. I’m tentatively calling the book “Sophie’s Different.”

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

My biggest criticism has been that I often make my characters act and talk far more maturely than kids their age typically are. And that may be true, but I’ve met 13-year-olds that act like 30-year-olds, and 30-year-olds that act like 13-year-olds. But my characters are dealing with very adult situations, and so I feel a certain level of maturity is needed for them to effectively deal with them. As for compliments, well, there have been so many, and I’m quite overwhelmed by them. I suppose the biggest compliment is that my stories evoke raw emotions in my readers, which is really the best compliment that an author can have. I’ve also been told that my stories are easy to read, hard to put down and very entertaining, which is also terrific.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Never give up, and never stop learning.

What toppings do you like on your pizza?

Pepperoni and sausage. And I’ve become a fan of feta cheese on pizza too.

Everyone has some type of fear. Those who’ve read your books know that your characters are fearful but manage to overcome it. What is your biggest fear?

Before I became an author, it was that I would live my entire life without finding my purpose. And without that, can one ever really be happy? But now, a few years shy of fifty years old, I think I’ve found happiness. So my biggest fear now? Heights.

So there you have it: a look into the mind of Patrick Hodges. If you’re interesting in checking out his books (and I hope you are) then the links have been placed below. Be on the lookout for our next author spotlight on October 23rd.

Check out Patrick Hodges author page to learn more!

JI thumb Joshua’s Island       ES thumb  Ethan’s Secret

 

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