Fantasy

Cover Reveal & Author Interview with V. Romas Burton

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SP: Hi Vanessa! We’re so excited to have you here on the Spinning Pen! We would love for you to tell us all a little bit about you and your writing journey. How did you get your start?

VB: Hi! Thank you so much! I’m so excited to be here! I first started writing after I graduated from grad school. I was confused as to where I wanted my life to go and used writing as a way to cope through some difficult times. It was a wonderful outlet and I never would’ve thought so many stories would emerge from that time. 

SP: Awesome! Now for some bookish conversation…First off, congratulations on revealing the beautiful cover of your upcoming book, FORTIFIED, which we can now preorder! Can you tell us more about it? 

Add official blurb:

Devora’s perfect future shatters. Instead of attending Vlacklear Academy, she is sent to the Fortress—a prison holding murderers and thieves that make up the soldiers in His Majesty’s Army.  She fears it is the end of her.

Suppressing her forbidden Seeing abilities, Devora is thrust into the role of soldier, and must learn to defend herself while avoiding Warden Hazor and his ruthless right-hand man, Captain Blake.

When Devora’s Seeing abilities are exposed, she’s thrown into a tournament to win her right to live.  She must turn to Captain Blake for help or be slaughtered like all the other Seers before her.

VB: Yes! I’m so excited about this book because it encompasses so many bookish themes I love. Fortified is inspired by the story of Deborah in the book of Judges, but mashed with inspiration of Mulan with a little sprinkling of Pride and Prejudice. It’s a wild mix of themes, but I love how they came together!

SP: Talk to us about fantasy and worldbuilding–how do you build your worlds? 

VB: When I first started writing, it was difficult not to dump a whole bunch on information in the beginning of the story. Over time, I’ve learned to drip in little pieces of information about the world until the reader has the whole image without realizing it. 

SP: As an award winning author of Heartmender, and its sequel, Heartbreaker, you already have two books under your belt. What was different about writing a new series? In which ways did you find that you grew as an author?

VB: At first I wasn’t sure if I could move on to new characters. I had grown close to Addie and the others in the Heartmaker Trilogy. But as I started writing about Devora, Captain Blake, and a slew of new characters, I began to fall more in love with them and couldn’t stop until I knew what happened in their stories. 

I definitely feel like my style of writing has matured. I’ve learned how to describe emotions and action more fluidly than before. 

SP: Can you tell us a bit more about your writing process? 

VB: Haha, it’s a bit of a mess, which is completely the opposite of who I am as a person. I am an extreme type-A who runs off of lists and sticky notes. But when I write, I only know basic plot points and let the story unfold as I type. I’m a totally pantser all the way! 

SP: What is one craft technique or marketing tip you would recommend to other writers?

VB: Reach out to other authors who write in similar genres as you. It doesn’t have to be exactly the same (i.e. you can both write YA not YA Fantasy). Create a community with others. My publisher now used to be one of my ARC readers for Heartmender! You never know where the relationships you make will lead!

SP: You recently signed with Quill and Flame publishers! Congratulations! What is one tip for writers interested in working with an indie press?

VB: Thank you so much! A tip would be to do your research on what presses you want to work. As an indie author, I work very close with my publisher and I’m so thankful we have a great relationship! When sending out proposals, be sure to only submit to places you really want to work with!

SP: Time for the lightning round! Early bird or night owl?

VB: Early bird!

SP: Most obscure hobby?

VB: I am secretly (not so secretly!) obsessed with Webtoons!

SP: Word you can never spell? This may be a trick question.

VB: Definitely. I always second guess myself on it 😛

SP: Alright, time’s up! We’re so sad to see you go! BUT…there’s way more where this came from. Where can we go to read more from you?

VB: Thank you so much for having me! This was so much fun! You can sign up for my newsletter for book updates and exciting things happening: HERE

All my books are sold where books are sold and you can get signed copies through the Quill & Flame Etsy shop!

Book Giveaway & Author’s Note!

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READERS:
WHO WOULD LIKE TO WIN A CRAZY AWESOME PETER PAN RETELLING?

You? Your daughter? Your best friend whose birthday is coming up? Your long lost cousin in Brazil? Your sister who is driving you crazy during lockdown?

 

Fantastic! You’re in the right spot! The SP is partnering with YA Author Kara Swanson to do a GIVEAWAY for her upcoming book, DUST!

*Intriguing summary below!*

The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale.

Claire Kenton believes the world is too dark for magic to be real–since her twin brother was stolen away as a child. Now Claire’s desperate search points to London… and a boy who shouldn’t exist.

Peter Pan is having a beastly time getting back to Neverland. Grounded in London and hunted by his own Lost Boys, Peter searches for the last hope of restoring his crumbling island: a lass with magic in her veins.

The girl who fears her own destiny is on a collision course with the boy who never wanted to grow up. The truth behind this fairy tale is about to unravel everything Claire thought she knew about Peter Pan–and herself.

TO WIN:

Who is your favorite Peter Pan character? Comment & share –here on this post OR on your social media, use the hashtag, #SPDustgiveaway and you will be entered twice!

We will monitor this post on Twitter, Instagram, and here.

Winners announced FRIDAY on an IG live with Kara! Good luck! Continue reading →

The Querying Show: Final Episode

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Welcome to The Querying Show’s Final Episode (until later)!

For the last 3 months we’ve witnessed every juicy (and completely stagnant) detail of our SP Staff Member’s querying life in the SLUSH PILE!

(Check out our rules and reasons in our intro post here!)

So the question is, DID CR’s/Write_Or_Left achieve AGENT success? Or DID HE result with a querying and MS reboot?

Today is the final week of CR’s journey (at least online!).

First, as always, let’s check in our with brave querying fellow and see how things have finished. (Click here for Episode 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5.) Continue reading →

Author Interview: Astrid Scholte

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Pen Friends ~ As a 2016 PitchWars mentee, I’m giddy to tell you that my fellow 2016 PW tribe member, and YA debut author, Astrid Scholte‘s incredible, fast-paced, and highly anticipated fantasy, FOUR DEAD QUEENS will be out in the world in February! Her story of perseverance and hard work is inspiring. Enjoy the interview!

 

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SP: Hi Astrid! Thanks for joining us! Before we get into book stuff, we’d LOVE for you to share with our readers a bit of your inspiring (never-giving up) writing journey. Who are you and how long have you have been writing? 

AS: Thanks so much for having me! Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be an author, writing my first “novel” at age 5. Another love of mine was drawing so I thought a picture book illustrator would be the dream job. Back then, I thought I could illustrate my own books. It wasn’t until much later that I found out most authors don’t also illustrate their work.

While my passion for writing was there from a young age, I pursued a career in 3D animation and visual effects as I also had a love for the magic of movie making. I studied 3D animation at university and have worked (and still do!) in the film, TV and animation industry for the past 10+ years. Working in film production is a taxing job, with long hours, so my writing took a back-seat for a few years. It wasn’t until 2012 that I finally finished a novel. It was a YA paranormal romance and I thought for sure it would get published!  Continue reading →

The Querying Show, Episode 3. Gently Rip Apart His Query, Please.

~ The Spinning Pen ~ 4 Comments

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Welcome to The Querying Show’s Third Episode!

For the next six months you will witness every juicy (or completely stagnant) detail of our SP Staff Member’s querying life in the SLUSH PILE!

(Check out our rules and reasons in our intro post here!)

Will CR’s/Write_Or_Left achieve AGENT success? Or will it result with a querying and MS reboot? Dying to know? Follow us to see how Write_Or_Left ‘s querying journey will end up!

***Please forgive our late post. Autumn colds took over last week! 

SO…..Today is the 3rd week of CR’s journey. Today we will do something a bit different. We will SHOW YOU CR’S QUERY and ask YOU for feedback!

But first, let’s check in our with brave querying fellow and see how things are progressing. (Click below for Episode 1 & 2.) Continue reading →

Author Interview: Brittany Fichter

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Pen Friends ~ Get ready for a long string of author interviews this month! We just love learning from other authors and hearing their stories from dreams to publication. We hope you do too!

Today’s interview is fantasy and fairytale-inspired author, Brittany Fichter! If you love fairytale spin-offs and heart throbbing arcs and characters, you have a list of books to choose from–See below for Brittany’s book pics!

Brittany Fichter

 

SP: Hi Brittany! Thanks for joining us. First, please tell us a bit of who are you and how long have you have been writing?

 

Continue reading →

Book Review: The Story Peddler by Lindsay A. Franklin

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The Story Peddler Cover resized

Title: The Story Peddler, The Weaver Trilogy Book One

Author: Lindsay A. Franklin

Review by: Jennifer Lindsay

Blurb: Tanwen doesn’t just tell stories—she weaves them into crystallized sculptures that sell for more than a few bits. But the only way to escape the control of her cruel mentor and claw her way from poverty is to set her sights on something grander: becoming Royal Storyteller to the king.

During her final story peddling tour, a tale of treason spills from her hands, threatening the king himself. Tanwen goes from peddler to prey as the king’s guard hunts her down . . . and they’re not known for their mercy. As Tanwen flees for her life, she unearths long-buried secrets and discovers she’s not the only outlaw in the empire. There’s a rebel group of weavers . . . and they’re after her too.

Continue reading →

YA Author Interview: Caitlin Sangster

~ The Spinning Pen ~ 2 Comments

Pen Friends~ It’s my honor to welcome YA Author Caitlin Sangster to the Spinning Pen. This amazing lady shares something very special with me– a love for travel and Asia! Which kind of inspired her debut, Last Star Burning– a thrilling dystopian, fantasy, fairytale, blend of awesome. Today she will share all kinds of gems with us: her writing journey, world building tips, and more!

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SP: Hi Caitlin! Thanks so much for joining us! First, can you please tell us a bit of who are you and how long have you have been writing?

CS: Hi! I’m so glad to be here! I’ve been writing on and off since I was a kid, but started seriously writing about five years ago. I’ve lived in California, China, Taiwan, Montana, and, most recently Utah. In college, I did a BA in Asian Studies with an emphasis in China (and am, consequently, a huge Chinese history and politics nerd). I love to run and wish I were a ballroom dancer. Lost but very much not least, I have four delightfully disruptive children ages seven and under. Continue reading →

Book Review: Before Beauty

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BEFORE BEAUTY

Title: Before Beauty (First Book in the Trilogy)

Author: Brittany Fichter

Blurb: Prince Everard’s father spent the boy’s youth forging the prince into a warrior. Upon the king’s death, however, Everard realizes he’s lost himself somewhere along the way, and in his pain, makes a decision that brings a dark curse upon both him and the great Fortress that has so long guarded the people of Destin. Continue reading →

Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses

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Pen Friends ~ Summer is not OVER yet. We still have more books to read and review for our Summer Reading Challenge  & Summer Writing Challenge – So send us your reviews of any books you love or find helpful for craft.

Thanks to Dawn Shipman for her review below!

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Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses series

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Blurb: When 19-year-old Feyre, the sole provider for her poverty-stricken family, ventures into the bleak, ice-cold forest to hunt, a giant wolf stands between her and her prey. She knows the stories of the Fae who are rumored to haunt the forest and can sometimes take on other forms…but her family is starving. She kills the wolf and sets in motion the plot for this three-book series. For her crime of killing the wolf, who was, indeed, a disguised Fairy, Feyre’s life is forfeit. She can allow herself to be torn to shreds by the beast who appears to enforce the law, or be dragged away from her family to the land of Prythian, to serve out her life sentence. Choosing the latter, she is soon introduced to that place of magic and wonder, a land both beautiful and terrible, where mystery, violence, and political intrigue abound. She also learns to love the ‘beast’ who brought her there—Tamlin, the High Lord of the Spring Court.

Feyre was already a hunter, a fighter, but when Tamlin and all his people are taken captive by the murderous queen Amarantha, nothing will stop her from attempting to save him—even at the risk of her own life.

The next two books add, layer upon layer, to the complexity of this world, where violence and brilliance live side by side and masks come in many forms. Book 2—A Court of Mist and Fury—follows Feyre as she attempts to recover from the emotional devastation she endured in Amarantha’s dungeon and Book 3—A Court of Wings and Ruin—unite many plot lines and lead to the final battle that will determine the future of both the Fae and humankind.

Review:

I was pulled into Feyre’s story by the happy thought of another Beauty and the Beast re-telling, but was immediately led deep into the dazzling world of the Fae—a mythology I was unfamiliar with. For me, the first book began rather slowly but once I got past the first few chapters, Feyre and Tamlin’s story had me turning pages as fast as I could. The story was anything but predictable. As soon as I thought I knew what was coming next, author Maas worked in another twist that slammed one door and threw open another.

Feyre is a strong and passionate character, replete with doubts and conflict, but also with unwavering loyalty to those she loves. Before the story even begins, she’s had to endure privation and terrible difficulty just to survive. She is not perfect and often makes decisions that made me cringe, but I still found it easy to like her, cheer her on, and fear for her life. At the end of book one (and without giving too much away) she is gifted with Fae power that she cannot always control, but bit by bit, grows in her strength until she truly becomes a Wonder Woman—though a believable one, thanks to Maas’s careful character- and world-building efforts.

The evil in this world is real—but so is the good. The appearance of the dark High Lord of the Night Court—Rhysand–half-way through the first book introduces a mystery that is not resolved until much later. Other characters, even those who appeared secondary at first, wormed their way into my heart. The love stories—and, yes, there are more than one—are magnificent, and the themes of loyalty, sacrifice, redemption, and family are woven seamlessly into the plot.

My only concern with this series is its rating as Young Adult. The love scenes are graphic beyond anything I’ve read in adult romance. “Steamy” doesn’t seem a strong enough descriptor. I’d hate for a young teen—or even a not-so-young one—to get ahold of these. FantasticFiction agrees: “Contains mature content. Not suitable for younger readers.” I’m thinking they fit better in the publishing category New Adult, but, unfortunately, the YA designation seems to be sticking.

Even though the major conflicts are resolved by the end of book three with much blood, death, and gore, the avid fan wants to know what happens to some of those so-called minor characters—Cassian and Nesta, Lucian and Elaine, Mor and Azriel. Therefore, I was quite delighted to see a 4th book in the series is due to be released in 2018.