Tag: young adult

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Meet the Author: The Third Sun – Daughter of the Phoenix by Victoria J. Price

Today we travel to the south of England to chat with Victoria J. Price about how car journeys, border collies, the West side of Highgate Cemetery, swims in the sea, The Last Unicorn, punctured tires, and Puzzlewood in the Forest come together as part of Victoria’s past and current life.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I live in the south of England, not too far from Heathrow airport and Windsor Castle. I’ve always loved writing—more specifically I’ve always loved telling stories in words and pictures and was always coming up with a story from a young age. Car journeys to visit family were often spent hastily creating a newspaper or magazine with my recent news to gift to family on arrival.

I try to make time for writing every day, amongst work and other day to day responsibilities. When I’m not writing you’ll find me walking my two border collies or making jewellery at my bench.

In which genre do you write?

I write young adult fantasy but I have lots of ideas bubbling away for other genres, including some nonfiction ideas, too.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve done or experienced to help create a scene?

Not so much strange, more spectacular—I visited the West side of Highgate Cemetery, in London, to research the opening of The Third Sun: Daughter of the Phoenix Book One (it also crosses over with the end of The Angel’s Calling: Daughter of the Phoenix Prequel.)

The cemetery is accessible by guided tour only and features some incredible Victorian architecture and above ground catacombs. Much of the cemetery is completely overgrown with ferns and ivy and bushes and it has the most wonderful atmosphere. I’m so glad I went to experience just how breathtaking it is.

What is the most amusing thing that has ever happened to you?

It definitely wasn’t amusing at the time but looking back it’s completely ridiculous: getting a puncture on the beach on Fraser Island, Australia, in a 4×4 that we couldn’t figure out how to release the spare wheel from.

They brief you on several things before you’re allowed to take a 4×4 across the island: 1. That you have to get off the beach before the tide comes in or you will be stranded. 2. If you see a wild dingo, get back in your vehicle, because they are dangerous. 3. Avoid the landing strip on the beach at all times. 4. Forget being able to use your mobile phone, because there’s no signal anywhere on the island.

So you can guess where this is going…we got a puncture, on the landing strip, amongst a pack of dingoes, in the pouring rain, with no phone signal, and hundreds of vehicles flying by at 80kmph because no one had time to stop and help! Safe to say…my husband saved the day!

If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?

Without a doubt it would be in Peter S Beagle’s The Last Unicorn (after the unicorns are freed, of course). If you’ve seen the animated film you’ll understand why—it’s beautifully painted and the unicorns are everything you’d expect from a majestic, magical creature.

Regular cartoon shows that I loved were Care Bears, the original My Little Pony and Star Bright, who I think all had cross overs at various points. They all shared a similar art style and all had a little sprinkle of magic.

If you could turn into one of your characters for a day, which one would it be and why, what would you do?

An easy question! I’d be the Lady Noor. Noor is a witch from the parallel world of Ohinyan. She can fight, she can fly a glider, she can create incredible illusions, and she’s an excellent spy. I can’t wait to give Noor her own book, she deserves it.

If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?

I have two border collies, Jessie and Blue. They’re both very affectionate, both have very unique characters and both obsessed with toys and food. I’d ask Jessie if her little brother bugs her, I’d ask Blue if he could stop responding to “woof” and actually respond to “speak” like we’ve practiced, and I’d ask them both what their perfect day would be. Although I’m pretty certain I know: all the walks, all the food, all the toys, and all the cuddles. They’re not bad writing buddies, either!

What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?

Ooh, far too many to choose from. The UK is absolutely stunning. Cardigan Bay in Wales is wonderful, as is the Minack Theatre in Cornwall, Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean, Durdle Door in Dorest…we really are spoilt for choice here.

I love to swim in the sea, and Autumn evenings at sunset can sometimes be the best time to do that on the south coast – glorious sunsets, calm waters, and a quiet beach, perfect!

What are you currently working on?

Right now I’m working on book two of the Daughter of the Phoenix series. The Eternal Dusk continues Fia’s (from Earth) and Alexander’s (an angel from Ohinyan) story, and like book one is told from three points of view. Only the third POV character is different between books one and two! It’s YA fantasy, and you can expect witches, shapeshifters, elemental magic, an epic fantasy world, and lots of witchy activities in London, too.

Tell us about your most recent book and where we can find it.

The Third Sun: Daughter of the Phoenix Book One is my first published book. It’s a YA fantasy.

Thank you for featuring me!

It was wonderful having you be a part of MTA and great to learn more about you! Wishing your all the best, Victoria! – Camilla

Blurb:

The sun is dying, the windows to Earth are closing. Time is running out.

After the death of her sister, eighteen-year-old Fia Aldridge knows one thing for certain: she doesn’t belong anywhere. But then she tumbles into the parallel world of Ohinyan—a world where angels and witches walk amongst mankind.

An ancient darkness is taking advantage of the dying sun, and Ohinyan needs Fia’s help. She soon learns that her arrival is not entirely by accident and that Alexander, leader of angels, is not the guardian she thought he was.

Torn between their feelings and their duties, together they must find a way to return Fia to London before the darkness consumes her and she is trapped in Ohinyan forever.

A richly woven tale drawing on ancient myths and legends, bursting with adventure, elemental magic, angels, witches, shapeshifters and slow burn romance. Fans of Brigid Kemmerer, Laini Taylor and Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials will devour The Third Sun: Daughter of the Phoenix Book One.

Where to buy:

The Third Sun universal Amazon link: https://mybook.To/TheThirdSun

More on the prequel:

The Angel’s Calling free download: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/kk08lsshrb

The Angel’s Calling free four part audio drama: https://www.buzzsprout.com/411730/3057214-the-angel-s-calling-part-1

Connect with Victoria: 

Website: https://victoriajprice.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/victoria_jprice

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriajprice/

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

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Meet the Author: Follow Me by Victoria Gemmell

Today we welcome Victoria Gemmell as we travel to Renfrewshire, Scotland to reveal how being a careers adviser, old school jotters, Jem and the Holograms, and Earl Grey tea each play a role in Victoria’s writing life. We’re digging deep for this one. Looks like we’ve got another mystery on our hands ….

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a writer based in Renfrewshire, Scotland. I work with teenagers on a daily basis as a careers adviser in Glasgow, supporting them to move into opportunities when they leave school. I feel my two careers complement each other, as I write for teenagers.

I have a particular passion for encouraging young people to discover the power of their imagination and explore the fun side of creativity.

In which genre do you write?

My Young Adult novels all have a mystery/thriller element to them, with a touch of romance. I enjoy placing teenagers at the centre of a mystery, with my protagonists trying to find answers that adults might have failed to discover due to not caring or digging deep enough for the truth.

How many published books do you have?

My debut Young Adult novel Follow Me was published late 2015, with the second, Promise Me, due for release in September 2019. Both are published by Strident Publishing Ltd, and are stand-alone novels. I’m currently writing my third.

I also enjoy writing contemporary short stories and flash fiction for older readers and brought out a collection, Exposure, in November 2018.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

From a young age I always loved reading and it was my love of reading that really sparked my imagination and a desire to write stories. From the age of about seven I started to fill old school jotters with stories and short novels, (complete with my own illustrations). The flame probably really ignited, (and stayed ignited!), thanks to encouragement from my Mum, (who is also a writer), and supportive teachers. Watching my Mum start to be placed in competitions and be published was really inspiring. I feel lucky that I grew up in a creative household, surrounded by books. When I was seventeen my Mum encouraged me to join a local writers group and I also started to attend the Scottish Association of Writers’ conference. Meeting a wider circle of writers in my twenties and starting to enter competitions kept me motivated and inspired to follow the path to publication.

What does your ideal writing space look like?

In my head, my ideal writing space would be sitting at a big desk, with a window overlooking a beach. (A stormy beach on days where I’m writing a dark/dramatic scene; a calm beach on days I need to take walks to clear my head).

In reality my writing space tends to be at the kitchen table, with a cup of Earl Grey tea and some chocolate on hand, music playing in the background.

Do you journal write or keep a personal diary? Has this helped with your published writings? If so, how?

For years I kept a personal journal and an observational style blog which really kept my creativity alive. I traveled to Paris twice alone when I was in my twenties and wrote about my experiences on my blog. I later used some observations from this to feed into a fictional short story which was placed in a competition. A lot of ramblings from my journal and creative challenges I set myself for the blog fed into lots of short stories and flash fiction pieces, many of which were published.

Since being published I find it harder to allow myself space to do more fun creative exercises as I feel if I sit down to write it must be to work on my latest novel, or do something related to promotion!

What do you miss about being a kid?

I miss the lack of distractions and the feeling that days were endless (during summer holidays). I could sit for hours and really immerse myself in stories without a care in the world. It takes more effort now to turn off the ‘real world’ and switch off my ‘day job’ brain in order to get truly lost in my imagination. I find music helps though, and once I’m in the ‘flow’ five hours can fly by like I’ve been sitting for five minutes.

If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?

I love this question! I’m going to choose two. Jem and the Holograms because I love the idea of having a rock chick alter-ego and I always wanted to be in Jem’s band. The second would be Scooby Doo as I love to solve a mystery.

Which of your personality traits has been most useful and why?

I’ve always been determined and hard working. You need both to get a book finished, and when you start sending it out to publishers/agents. I found the real hard work started after publication, balancing promotional activities with writing the next one, alongside a full time day job.

What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?

There’s so many places in Scotland I love to visit. Perthshire and Arran probably top my list as the scenery is beautiful, and I like being beside the water.

Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc.

It would be a day everyone else was at work, in the hope the town centre would be quiet (er). I’d have breakfast in a local café with a book for company. In the afternoon I’d watch a film at the Glasgow Film Theatre and have a snack at the CCA, then browse some local art galleries. I wouldn’t mind if it was raining as then I wouldn’t feel guilty for evading the sun in a dark cinema.

Jinkies Victoria! Scooby Doo fan here too! Thank you for being a part of MTA. It was incredibly fun and interesting to learn more about you and your writing life. –Camilla

Blurb for Follow Me:

What is the deadly allure of the Barn?

17-year-old Kat Sullivan has been devastated by the loss of her twin sister, Abby, the most recent of five teenagers to have died in the town of Eddison, all within a year. No-one seems able to explain the circumstances surrounding her death.

As Kat struggles to move on, she is introduced to an underground hangout – the Barn – by Abby’s friends. There, she meets the enigmatic Rob and his friend Michael, art students who have re-created pop artist Andy Warhol’s infamous Factory, where creative types can construct art and socialise.

Drawn into Rob’s social scene, and seduced by the attention of this attractive stranger, Kat relishes the freedom and escape offered by the Barn’s non-conformity and creativity.

But the Barn holds a strange influence over those who frequent it, and soon Kat begins to realise how little she knew about her sister’s life.

Kat needs answers.

She also needs to stay alive.

Where we can find your books:

My most recent Young Adult mystery Promise Me won’t be released until September 2019. My debut, Follow Me, is available to buy in paperback and ebook.

Links to buy Follow Me:

UK Amazon (paperback): https://amzn.to/2YOHMbX

UK (Ebook): https://amzn.to/2N4NTC8 

US Amazon: https://amzn.to/2YRb1uT

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/follow-me/victoria-gemmell/9781910829035

Blackwells: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781910829035?gC=5a105e8b&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-ZLzvYjL4gIVbRHTCh3nkwWhEAQYBCABEgJlDvD_BwE

Foyles: https://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/fiction-poetry/follow-me,victoria-gemmell-9781910829035

Connect with Victoria:

Author website: https://victoriagemmell.com/

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriagemmellauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VikkiGemmell

If it feels right and you have the time (and you enjoy the interview) please like or comment or share it. The nature of the online world … the more eyes that see it the more it will spread and benefit the author and the website! Thank you!

And if it feels the thing to do and you are inspired to do so, I would be deeply grateful if you’d like to “Buy Me a Coffee” … Camilla – Host of Meeting the Authors …

Buy Me A Coffee

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Meet the Author: A Rhyme of Dark Words by Jeremy Smith

Today we welcome Jeremy Smith as we travel to Oxfordshire, England to learn how The Forgotten World, Cthulhu, an octopus, and Warwick Davis fit into Jeremy’s writing life. Grab your flashlight. Let’s go ….

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I live in Oxfordshire, England only about 5 miles from where I was born and grew up. I did venture away to college for a few years and then to London to work but, as the saying goes, “there’s no place like home”.

In which genre do you write?

I write contemporary fantasy for teen/YA.

How many published books do you have?

I have three! A Rhyme of Dark Words is the first in the Tilly Hart series and is available on Amazon as is Rise of the White Witch (Tilly Hart book 2). The third in the series, The Witchfinder’s Betrayal, was published on 30th June 2019.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author’s flame?

I guess I realised I wanted to be a writer when I was about 7 years old and got my dad to type up my personalised version of The Forgotten World. It took him quite some time using just one finger on a clunky old typewriter!

What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?

I like to insert references to Cthulhu into the Tilly Hart books. They’re not too difficult to spot if you know what you’re looking for.

What would you choose as your mascot, spirit animal, or avatar and why?

I would have an octopus because they can change colour and fit inside a jam jar.

What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading, “The Revenant Express” a Newbury & Hobbes investigation by George Mann.

What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?

I go to pub quizzes and also play computer games. I once appeared on the ITV quiz show, “Tenable” where I had to answer a question about kedgeree! It was all worthwhile though as I got to meet the actor Warwick Davis who I’m a huge fan of.

What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through writing?

That I can write a whole book. I still can’t really believe I’ve done it – three times!!

What’s the strangest thing you’ve done or experienced to help create a scene or plot?

I walked through a graveyard at midnight. As one of my character’s observes in Rise of the White Witch, “Why does it always have to be when it’s dark? ………. We never get to be anywhere spooky when it’s light”.

Do you journal write or keep a personal diary? 

No, just in case it falls in to enemy hands.

What do you miss about being a kid?

The freedom of endless summer days and the excitement of Christmas.

If you were trapped in a cartoon world from your childhood, which one would you choose and why?

I would choose the world of Scooby-Doo so I could solve mysteries with my dog, Jack, and eat a stack of burgers without putting on a pound.

A penguin knocks on your door and is wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he there?

‘I’m sorry about the sombrero, I couldn’t find my bowler.’ He’s come round to visit the walrus.

If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?

Where are my slippers? Why did you eat my dinner? Do you want to go back to the dog home?

What’s your favorite place to visit in your country and why?

I love Oxford for the dreaming spires, coffee shops and museums.

Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc.

A trek in the woods on a golden, autumn day, with a flask of coffee and a cheese sandwich.

Thank you Jeremy for being a part of MTA. It was wonderful to learn more about you and your background! –Camilla

Blurb for A Rhyme of Dark Words:

Tilly Hart is grieving for her mother when she moves to the ancient village of Witheridge. Finding friendship and love, she also finds a place steeped in witchlore and the legend of a beast that stalks the moor. Supernatural events and a hidden diary guide her to a village lost in time, a place where magic exists and demons walk the land.

With her newfound friends and the deadline of Halloween drawing near, she sets out to prevent an ancient evil destroying all she loves.

Being both the hunter and hunted, she discovers she can control magic. But magic is an addiction that can lead to evil.

A Rhyme of Dark Words has been longlisted for the 2019 Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition.

Where to buy “A Rhyme of Dark Words”:

UK Kindle: https://amzn.to/31yjzUo
US Kindle: https://amzn.to/2H0VU7c
Paperback for the UK: https://amzn.to/2Toe8nU
Paperback for the US: https://amzn.to/2KIM4bf

Connect with Jeremy:

Website is https://jeremysmith-writer.com/

Pinterest address is www.pinterest.co.uk/Jeremy_Smith_Writer/

Twitter address is https://twitter.com/lanticcrossing

Facebook address is https://www.facebook.com/Jeremy-Smith-Writer-1282723938575171/

If it feels right and you have the time (and you enjoy the interview) please like or comment or share it. The nature of the online world … the more eyes that see it the more it will spread and benefit the author and the website! Thank you!

And if it feels the thing to do and you are inspired to do so, I would be deeply grateful if you’d like to “Buy Me a Coffee” … Camilla – Host of Meeting the Authors …

Buy Me A Coffee