ALEX CAVANAUGH INTERVIEW AND DRAGON OF THE STARS GIVEAWAY

Happy Monday Everyone! Hope you are getting some of the beautiful spring weather. I'm loving it. And I can't believe it, but Anna Li is 18 today! Hard to believe my daughter is an adult.

I have a few winners to announce.

The winner of BLUE BIRDS is Jennifer Rumberger!

And the winner of the Fools for Books Giveaway Hop is Katie Watkins who picked the $10 Amazon Gift Card.

Congrats to the winners!

Today I’m super thrilled to have Alex Cavanaugh here to share about his new book DRAGON OF THE STARS that released on April 7th. If you don’t follow Alex’s blog, you really should. He’s part of a great community of bloggers where you can make good blogger friends. And he’s the founder of the Insecure Writers Group, a group that blogs the first Wednesday of the month and is a great group to connect with, and co-host of the A-Z Challenge, which is a month of blogging this month.


I haven’t read an adult book since I read Alex’s CASSASTORM over a year ago. So I was a bit nervous. But I really loved this story. Aden is such a great character. We see what he wants and his struggles and have to read on to see what happens. Alex really keeps the plot moving and is really mean to Aden in terms of the choices he must make. It made me like Aden even more. I really like Alex’s writing style too. He makes all his words matter.


Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

The ship of legends…

The future is set for Lt. Commander Aden Pendar, son of a Hyrathian Duke. Poised to secure his own command and marriage to the queen’s daughter, he’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

But when the Alliance denies Hyrath’s claim on the planet of Kavil and declares war on their world, Aden finds his plans in disarray. Entrenched in battle and told he won’t make captain, Aden’s world begins to collapse. How will he salvage his career and future during Hyrath’s darkest hour?


One chance remains–the Dragon. Lost many years prior, the legendary ship’s unique weapon is Hyrath’s only hope. Can Aden find the Dragon, save his people, and prove he’s capable of commanding his own ship?


Hi Alex! Thanks so much for joining us.

1. I know you were thinking of not writing anymore. But then you wrote this fantastic book, DRAGON OF THE STARS. Where did you get the idea for your story and why did you feel like you had to write it?


CassaStorm was supposed to be the last, wasn’t it?


This story came to me over ten years ago when I heard a song by Ayreon called Dragon on the Sea. The song has to do with Queen Elizabeth I sending Sir Francis Drake to face the attack by the Spanish Armada. I envisioned a spaceship with no equal defending against invaders. Using most of the lines of the song, I crafted an entire story around this Dragon ship.

2. Awesome that you got the idea from a song since you're a musician too.You’re really good at keeping your plot moving. There’s no sag anywhere. And I know you outline. Share your outlining process. And do you have any advice for those of us who don’t like the idea of outlining?


I don’t used index cards or a board or Scrivener. The ending always comes first, so I just work my way backwards, trying to figure out the path the character took to get to that point. I’ll spend months playing it in my head, like a movie. Then I start jotting down the basic plot on paper. When I start adding so much it’s as if I’m writing the story, that’s when I begin working on the manuscript.


Basically, I outline to death. And hate writing the first draft. The payoff is I enjoy the edits and they don’t take long.


3. I don't like the first draft either, but I don't outline like you do. I loved the world building. And there was a lot of it because Aden doesn’t stay in one place. How did you create this whole universe that is Aden’s world?


I did more research and world-building for this book than for any other. I spent a lot of time planning the

details of Aden’s home world, Hyrath–environment, social structure, politics, resources, etc. (Want to know about sea kelp? I can tell you!) I knew each planet required details as well. World-building is not my strong suit, so good to know I pulled it off. I do better with characters than setting.


4. You’re a musician and that pulls at you too. Do you have plans to write anything else


I do have ideas. Perhaps I’ll try some short stories. I do have an idea for an adventure for Bassan, Byron’s son, from CassaStorm. But I am really focused on my music and don’t want to let my band down.

5. I'd love to learn more about Bassan! So I want to move on to talking about blogging. Since I interviewed you in September, 2013, people have been cutting back on blogging a bit, often to once or twice a week. But those days seem to still be good days where lots of people visit each other’s blogs.

You’ve cut back too. So have I. I blog every Monday, but try to limit the Wednesday’s to twice a month. I really like this change because we’re all so busy in our non-blog lives. We still stay in touch, but it doesn’t take as much time. What are your thoughts on it?


I’m happy with once a week on Monday, with one Wednesday for Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. I still spend a lot of time during the week checking on fellow bloggers, as some post different days. And I still enjoy the connections. A lot have vanished, but new bloggers continue to appear.



6. When we last talked, you had 2000 followers. You were reading about 100 blogs a day and were spending three to six hours a day reading blogs. Are you still doing that? Why do you think it’s important to be friends with so many bloggers?

Certain days of the week, I spend a lot less time now. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays are quieter, so I take advantage of it. But otherwise I try to connect as often as possible.


I just know friendship is important. I have so many friends here and I want to be there for them. And that’s part of why we’re here–to make life better for others.


7. I've cut back on reading blogs on those days too. I'm finding I need a break from it and am glad those are quieter days. What struggles do you see bloggers facing and what’s your advice to them?

Right now I’d say it’s bloggers who post and don’t know why no one visits and bloggers who have lost heart. To get visitors, you must be a visitor. Once you make friends and build a following, then comments will come. But the ones who’ve lost heart are the saddest. They post sporadically or toss posts up without visiting anyone. If someone gets to that point, take a break and reassess. Find the spark again. Try something new.


8. So agree that visiting and commenting so we know you've stopped by is critical. There are periodic discussions on this topic: Is blogging dead? I don’t see it that way at all. Do you think blogging is still thriving or do you see it dying out? Where do you think it will be in five years?


Blogging isn’t dead, it’s just changing. People don’t have as much time anymore, so they have scaled back. That just means when we do post, it needs to be quality content. Or very short doses. I think the days of frequent, medium-sized posts are gon


Then again, I am posting daily this month for the A to Z Challenge… But the posts will be short and easy to digest!


9.  Glad you just see it as changing too. I know you’re on Twitter too. Do you feel like you interact with people there? And how do you advise the rest of us to get involved on Twitter?


I have almost four thousand followers and I still have no idea what I’m doing on Twitter!


I’d advise people to make lists. Group followers into categories. It’s easier to keep up that way. And be willing to share blog posts and re-Tweet what others send out. Again, it’s all about connecting and sharing. And you don’t know where those connections will lead. Tweeting a review of a live RiffTrax show led to them following me on Twitter which led to me interviewing two of the members. (A dream come true for me!)


Thanks for sharing all your advice, Alex. Good luck with your book release!

Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design, graphics, and technical editing. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is the Ninja Captain and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. He’s the author of Amazon Best-Sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, and CassaStorm.

You can find Alex at:

http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/

http://twitter.com/AlexJCavanaugh    

Purchase:

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Stars-Alex-J-Cavanaugh-ebook/dp/B00S0DPUYU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420814971&sr=1-1&keywords=dragon+of+the+stars

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragon-of-the-stars-alex-j-cavanaugh/1121069418?ean=2940046510720

Kobo - http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/dragon-of-the-stars

Chapters - http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/dragon-of-the-stars/9781939844057-item.html

Amazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dragon-Stars-Alex-J-Cavanaugh-ebook/dp/B00S0DPUYU

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23521766-dragon-of-the-stars

Alex's publisher, Dancing Lemur Press, generously offered an ARC of DRAGON OF THE STARS for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment through April 25th. I’ll announce the winner on April 27th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, please leave it in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is for US and Canada.

Here's  what's coming up:

Next Monday, I have a guest post by Megan Morrison and a giveaway of GROUNDED: THE ADVENTURES OF RAPUNZEL, her YA fairytale retelling. 

The Monday after that I have an interview with Sabaa Tahir and a giveaway of AN EMBER IN THE ASHES, her YA fantasy that is one of the books getting lots of buzz. 

Wednesday that week I have an interview with agent Brent Taylor and a query critique contest.  

Saturday that week I'm participating in the May I Suggest Giveaway Hop. I'll have lots of great newly released YA choices or a $10 Amazon Gift Card for you to choose from.

Hope to see you on Monday!

FONDA LEE INTERVIEW AND ZEROBOXER GIVEAWAY

Happy Monday Everyone! For those who celebrate Easter, I hope you had a fantastic holiday.

I have a winner to announce.

The winner of BLACKBIRD FLY is Mary Holm!

Congrats! E-mail me your address so I can send you your book. Please e-mail me by the end of Wednesday or I'll have to pick another winner.

Today I’m thrilled to have debut author Fonda Lee here to share about her futuristic YA science fiction novel ZEROBOXER that releases on April 8th. It’s gotten fantastic reviews and sounds like an action packed story with secrets that I’m hoping to read.

Here’s a blurb:
 

A Sci-Fi Thrill Ride Set in the Action-Packed Sports Arena of the Future

A rising star in the weightless combat sport of zeroboxing, Carr “the Raptor” Luka dreams of winning the championship title. Recognizing his talent, the Zero Gravity Fighting Association assigns Risha, an ambitious and beautiful Martian colonist, to be his brandhelm––a personal marketing strategist. It isn’t long before she’s made Carr into a popular celebrity and stolen his heart along the way.

As his fame grows, Carr becomes an inspirational hero on Earth, a once-great planet that’s fallen into the shadow of its more prosperous colonies. But when Carr discovers a far-reaching criminal scheme, he becomes the keeper of a devastating secret. Not only will his choices place everything he cares about in jeopardy, but they may also spill the violence from the sports arena into the solar system.

 Hi Fonda! Thanks for joining us.

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

When I was about eight years old I told my parents I wanted to be a writer. They told me that was nice, but I’d better get good grades and a “real job” first; I could be a writer “later in life.”

I wrote novels on the school bus, during high school biology class, and late at night during my college years and afterward. In the meantime, I majored in business and went to work in management consulting and corporate strategy for nearly a decade. A few years ago I had a epiphany that leaving my real passion for “later in life” was a terrible idea. So I made the conscious decision to finally get serious about my goal of writing novels for publication.

2. That's great how you decided to follow your dream. Where did you get the idea for your story?

Zeroboxer was inspired by a number of things: my love of science fiction, martial arts, and action movies, combined with my background working in a sports company and seeing first hand the enormous amount of marketing, money and emotion involved in the athletics industry. It all came together in my mind as a nascent idea about a futuristic prizefighter who ends up inspiring and representing Earth. Everything else fell into place.

3. That's cool that you could draw on your work too. Carr is a champion in zeroboxing. You’ve been into kung fu and karate for a long time. How did this help you, if at all, in crafting the zeroboxing scenes? And did you have to do any research into boxing?

Having a martial arts background definitely helped when it came to creating the sport of zeroboxing. I know a lot about how much fighters rely on weight, rooted stance, and footwork, so it was a lot of fun for me to imagine how combat would happen in a zero-gravity situation—what constraints would have to exist, what moves would or wouldn’t work, what new ones would develop. Since my education is in traditional Asian martial arts, I did a lot of additional research into boxing, MMA, and jiu-jitsu. I watched a lot of fights.

4. Sounds like you learned a lot. I’ve read reviews that say that your world building is “well thought out in its everyday details.” Share about your world building process and how you crafted the day to day details of Carr’s life.

One thing to remember about world building: a fictional world feels real not because of what is different,

but because of what is the same. So even though Zeroboxer takes place far in the future when people live on space stations and other planets, the day to day details of life are very familiar. Sporting matches still have rowdy fans and loud announcers, athletes still have to deal with marketing and press attention, people are still people. So my world building process involves researching and figuring out what is different (space travel, genetic engineering, nanotechnology, etc) and then letting it exist as context around the far more recognizable aspects of our society.

5. I think that is fantastic advice to keep some things that are familiar when creating a new world. Did you have any challenges writing from a guy’s POV? If so, how did you overcome them? And what tips do you have for women authors who want their main character to be a male?

Honestly, no, I don’t find it any more challenging to write from a male POV. I am a female writer with very stereotypically “masculine” tastes. I drag my husband to action movies and MMA fights; you would have to pay me to see a romantic comedy. When it comes to writing fiction, characters come into my head as male or female, but I don’t ever approach them thinking, “I’m setting out to write a male (or female) character.”

As for advice, I would say: don’t force it. Trying hard to make a character “more” male or female (or of a certain race or culture or age) risks playing into shallow caricature. Regardless of their age, gender, or race, tap into the essential part of each character that is in yourself (and all of your characters are in you, to some extent). Carr is driven, competitive, loves what he does, and doesn’t want to let people down—those things come from me, and once I identified them, it was easy to write him; no matter that he’s a young man living centuries in the future.

6. Your agent is Jim McCarthy. How did he become your agent and what was your road to publication like?

Jim became my agent off of a regular query in August of 2013. We did a round of revision and went on submission in October. We got interest pretty quickly and sold the book to Flux (the YA imprint of Llewellyn) just before Christmas.

7. It's reassuring to know that regular querying does work.  I saw on your website that besides your launch party, you’re also doing a joint book signing with Susan Adrian and Cat Winters. And you went to the ALA Midwinter in Chicago in January. How did these events happen for you and what was your experience at the ALA conference?

ALA Midwinter was a fantastic experience; I was on the Dark Fantasy & Science fiction panel, as well as the Diverse Debuts panel, and I had the opportunity to sign books, meet librarians, and spend time with fellow authors. ALA was an event I was invited to by my publisher, Flux, who also helped set up my launch party. With other events, such as the bookstore signing with Cat and Susan, it was a case of partnering and collaborating with other authors to make something happen.

8. You also having training as a corporate strategist. Has this helped you at all in your marketing strategies? And what else are you planning to do to promote your book?

I don’t know how much it helps; marketing and promoting your book is not rocket science and certainly doesn’t require an MBA. A lot of it is simply work and common sense and what you have the appetite and bandwidth to do. That said, having been trained to think strategically about marketing has helped me to focus on being consistent and effective in what I do as far as promotion goes. I have a pretty laser-sharp vision of what kind of books I want to write and what I want my brand to be, so I do try to make sure everything I do, from my website to my book trailer to my swag, reflects that.

9. What are you working on now?

I’m writing a fantasy novel for adults, and I have another YA sci-fi in the works. I won’t say much more about them right now, so as not to jinx them.
Thanks for sharing all your advice, Fonda. You can find Fonda at

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website: www.fondalee.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FondaJLee
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fonda.lee.94
Tumblr: fondalee.tumblr.com
Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7705004.Fonda_Lee
Add Zeroboxer to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20320562-zeroboxer


ZEROBOXER BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Zeroboxer-Fonda-Lee/dp/0738743380
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/zeroboxer-fonda-lee/1119693789?ean=9780738743387
Indiebound - http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780738743387
Powell’s - http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9780738743387-0

Fonda generously offered a copy of ZEROBOXER for a giveaway.  To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment through April 18th. I’ll announce the winner on April 20th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, please leave it in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is for US and Canada.

Here's  what's coming up:

Next Monday, Alex Cavanaugh will be here to share about his new adult science fiction book, DRAGON OF THE STARS, and to give advice about social media and blogging. 

The following Monday I have a guest post by Megan Morrison and a giveaway of GROUNDED: THE ADVENTURES OF RAPUNZEL, her YA fairytale retelling. 

The Monday after that I have an interview with Sabaa Tahir and a giveaway of AN EMBER IN THE ASHES, her YA fantasy that is one of the books getting lots of buzz.

Hope to see you on Monday!

PUBLICIST SAMANTHA LIEN GUEST POST AND FREE CONSULATION GIVEAWAY

Happy Wednesday and April 1st Everyone! Today I have Publicist Samantha Lien here to tell you about herself and her company, Roger Charlie. She's offering a free 15 minute consultation too. Details will be at the end of the post.

So here's Samantha!

Hi and thank you so much for having me! I wanted to take the opportunity to share what it is I do in case it is helpful to any of your followers, and also connect with even more of your readers out there, as one of my very favorite people to work with are book bloggers and reviewers!

First of all - let me fill you in a bit on who I am. My name is Sami and I run a company called
Roger Charlie that specializes in publicity and management for creative professionals - particularly authors, musicians and small businesses. I actually just recently jumped out on my own after nearly four years working exclusively in literary publicity because in addition to books. Both local/small business and music are also two of my very biggest passions, and I wanted to move more into supporting those endeavors, as well.

Just two months in, I’m having an absolute blast and working with some of the funnest, most creative minds! From drumming up press releases and media for an author’s international visit to Trinidad & Tobago, sitting down with a local pie company to talk about a new foray into cookbooks, or even helping a band on-the-rise really grow into a new level of recognition, I’m lucky to get to dive headfirst into many different things, and put my brain together with other bright minds to help foster success for everyone involved on a project! The neat thing about PR is that it really keeps the door open to be expansive on creative thinking and try new, fun ideas to drive attention to a brand.

I really love what I do. I love that thought that publicity really revolves around reaching out to people who may have not otherwise heard about a great book, band or business had I not been in touch, and I get excited when someone responds enthusiastically. It really cultivates a positive attitude and experience for everyone involved, and I’m all for supporting anything that motivates and inspires an individual to move forward ferociously in the things that they really love.

I also run with my husband called Songs for Jake, a collaborative music channel that operates around the simple mission of getting great songs to one really big music lover. Jake, my younger brother, has cerebral palsy - which I only mention to emphasize the impact music has on his life. While he can't talk or tell you in words about the music he enjoys, he definitely can show you the happiness it brings him through his laughter and excitement. The project also marries a passion for creating, finding and sharing that music with Jake, along with others who may benefit from music therapy.

I run Songs for Jake and Roger Charlie because I think it’s so important to incorporate the things you are truly dedicated to into your day-to-day work and life, because it fosters growth and encourages even more people to jump in and be part of the conversation.

I’d love to create some conversation with all of you and your readers, too! What are some of your favorite books/authors? What about bands/music? Have you ever seen a particularly awesome playlist that an author created for their story? I always love Amalie Howard’s choices (you can see one for her book Alpha Goddess here ).

Please do feel free to reach out to continue the conversation, and feel free to connect with me through any of the following platforms, as well:

Sam@RogerCharlie.com
Official Website: RogerCharlie.com
Social Media:

Goodreads

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

Google+

Spotify

YouTube

MeetUp

Thank you again, Natalie!

Samantha has generously offered a free 15 minute phone consultation for one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment through April 18th. I’ll announce the winner on April 20th. You must let me know in the comments that you want to be entered into the contest to be entered. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, please leave it in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is for US only.

Here's what's coming up:

Next Monday I'll have an interview with debut author Fonda Lee and a giveaway of ZEROBOXER, her YA science-fiction book.

And the Monday after that, Alex Cavanaugh will be here to share about his new adult science fiction book, DRAGON OF THE STARS, and to give advice about social media and blogging. 

The following Monday I have a guest post by Megan Morrison and a giveaway of GROUNDED: THE ADVENTURES OF RAPUNZEL, her YA fairytale retelling. 

Hope to see you on Monday!

FOOLS FOR BOOKS GIVEAWAY HOP

Today I’m thrilled to be part of the Fools for Books Giveaway Hop sponsored by I Am a Reader Not a Writer and BookHounds. I always love this giveaway hop. I’ve got lots of newly released YA books that I've read or want to read. Several I just reserved at the library. And if you’re reading a different book in the series listed or want a different book by one of the authors listed, I’m glad to get you that book instead as long as it doesn't cost more than the book I've chosen.

Don’t see a book you like? You can win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card instead. I hope you'll all enter to win a book or gift card for yourself or as a gift for someone.

So here are your choices. Click on the title to read a blurb from Goodreads.

 

 

 

 

 

AN EMBER IN THE ASHES (Pre-order)

A WICKED THING
ALL FALL DOWN
FAIREST
RED QUEEN
SALT & STONE
SHADOW SCALE
THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST
THE GLASS ARROW
THE ORPHAN QUEEN
THE SIN EATER'S DAUGHTER
VANISHING GIRLS

If you haven't found a book you want, you can win a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment through April 7th telling me the book you want to win or if you want to win the Gift Card instead. I’ll announce the winner on April 13th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. You must be 13 or older to enter. International entries are welcome as long as The Book Depository ships to you for free.

Here's what's coming up:

Tomorrow I'll have a guest post by publicist Samantha Lien and a 15 minute marketing consultation contest.

Next Monday I'll have an interview with debut author Fonda Lee and a giveaway of ZEROBOXER, her YA science-fiction book.

And the Monday after that, Alex Cavanaugh will be here to share about his new adult science fiction book, DRAGON OF THE STARS, and to give advice about social media and blogging. 

The following Monday I have a guest post by Megan Morrison and a giveaway of GROUNDED: THE ADVENTURES OF RAPUNZEL, her YA fairytale retelling.

Hope to see you tomorrow!

And here's all the other blogs participating in this Giveaway Hop: