Meet Guest Author Michelle Pickett

Welcome to my blog, Michelle. Michelle is also part of the MuseItUp team of authors I have been proud to be introducing to you. She is relatively new to the Muse, and her book Concilium, which is an urban paranormal fantasy is being released in April. This is her very first guest author appearance anywhere and I am thrilled she is making her blog debut here!! Please give her a warm welcome and write lots of comments. The poor thing informed me she fell down the stairs and injured her ankle. So she is on pain killers and must keep her foot elevated. So she will be checking in here frequently.:) To make it worth your while to comment, since Michelle doesn't have any edited copies of her book yet, I am going to give away a free story to the lucky winner of the comment drawing.

So here she is and I know you are going to want to read her book after you have learned more about her and the book.

Bio:
Michelle has been an avid reader since a young child. She began writing for personal enjoyment in college, where she earned a degree in accounting. Deciding she’d like to share her passion for reading and writing with others, she wrote her debut novel, Concilium, in 2010. The sequel Concilium: The Departure soon followed.

She hopes her writing will show her four children, as well as other children and adults, hard work can result in the realization of dreams.

Michelle was born and raised in Michigan. She now resides in a small community outside Houston, Texas with her wonderful husband, four children, a 125 pound lap dog, and a very grumpy cockatiel.

Michelle has graciously consented to an interview.

Interview:

You grew up in Michigan. Was it hard to adjust to living in Texas?

Yes! When we moved to Texas my husband and I were living in a small town about two hours northwest of Detroit. It had two red lights downtown. Our subdivision had three roads in it. I was very much a small town girl!

Houston is the fourth largest city in the US, it is very different from the small town in Michigan I was in love with.

Another thing I really miss is autumn in Michigan. I loved watching the trees change colors and smelling fires burning on the brisk fall nights.

I felt the same way when we lived in LA for ten months. You never know how much you miss the changing of the seasons until you live with only one the whole year.

When you were younger you read a lot. Who were your favorite authors as a child?

Shel Silverstein, anything by the authors of Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys, Wilson Rawls who wrote Where the Red Fern Grows. There are so many, it’s hard to list them.

Were you influenced by any person or author in your writing?

Yes, my grandmother influenced my writing. I never saw her without a book. When I’d spend the night with her, she’d always take me to the library and we’d read all weekend eating blueberry pancakes. She’s passed on now. I wish she could have been here to see Concilium get published. I like to think she’d be proud.

When did you start writing seriously? Tell us the reason you began writing.

As a child I kept a diary. As I got older I’d write in my journal nearly every day, but it wasn’t until college that the “voices” really started demanding I let them out. I’d write a chapter or two of something, but never pushed myself to stick with any of the stories until Concilium.

Do you have a set writing routine?

I try to keep one. I work on marketing in the morning; although I have trouble knowing how and where to market. I find it the hardest part of the writing process. In the afternoon I take care of everyday things. I write mostly at night when everyone is in bed and the house is quiet.

Now that all four of my children are in school all day I’m trying to write more during the day and actually sleep at night!

I ask this of all authors who visit here. Are you a “pantser” or a “plotter”?

I think I fall somewhere in between. I know where I want to start and where a story will end, but the middle is usually a blur so I’m definitely a pantser when it comes to the middle. I get an idea and run with it.

What was the reason you decided to write Concilium?

I think the characters made me write them. That’s hard for some to understand, especially those that don’t write. I also wanted to prove to myself that I could finish something.

Tell us a little about your favorite character in the book.

This is an interesting question. My first thought was Leslee or Miller, the two main characters. Although I love them, I’d have to say Brooks is my favorite. He’s a supporting character and Millers best buddy. He’s a happy-go-luck type and likes to tease the others, but he is a hard worker and fiercely loyal. He and Leslee become close in the book. Their relationship becomes even stronger in the sequel.

How has your life changed since you got your contract for Concilium?

Actually I’m still waiting for someone to pinch me and wake me up!

The major change is now people know I write. I was what I call a closet writer. My husband didn’t even know I wrote until I began writing Concilium. I finally had to tell him what I was doing so late at night. My parents didn’t know until Concilium was finished and I was nearly finished with the sequel. And friends didn’t know until I signed the contract for Concilium.


How are you promoting your book?

Right now I’m trying to build my following by blogging and visiting other’s blogs. I have a facebook page (www.facebook.com/michellepickettauthor), twitter (Michellekp), Linkedin and Good Reads accounts.

I have a website solely for Concilium (www.conciliumbooks.com) where people can watch the book trailer and read the first chapter. They can also sign up for email notifications of things like blog interviews, release dates and so forth.

I also promote the book, as well as others, on my author website: www.michelle-pickett.com

Did you use a critique group to help with your book? Do you think writers need critique groups?

I did not use a critique group or beta readers while writing Concilium or the sequel, Concilium: The Departure. I was so new to the writing community I didn’t know they existed.

Since I didn’t use them I’m not sure how much they help or hurt an author. I am doing a beta read for another author and enjoy it a lot.

Do you have an agent? Do you think authors need agents?

I do not have an agent, although I’m looking for one. I think agents probably have some pull in the publication process, but I don’t think it is essential for an author to have one, especially with the growth of indie publishing houses and e-publishing.

Concilium is an urban fantasy. Do you write in any other genres?

I do! I’ve written a middle grade adventure, Chess Club Superheroes. I’m currently trying to decide the best way to publish it.

I’m putting the final touches on a young adult sci/fi romance called PODs. I’m excited about it.

I’m also dabbling with an adult mystery/romance.


Do you have plans to release a sequel to Concilium? What are your other WIP’s?

Yes. MuseItUp Publishing, the publisher releasing Concilium, just accepted the sequel, Concilium: The Departure. It is scheduled for release in November 2012.

Congratulations!!! I don't think anyone knows this yet, so this is breaking news!!!

My current work in progress is titled Little Flowers and is an adult mystery/romance. The first chapter is posted on my author website. I’m excited about it, but it’s been challenging. Not only is it the first time I’ve written in the genre, it is the first time I’ve written in third person.

Tell us one thing no one knows about you.

Well, I’m going to cheat a little on this question. My family knows this about me, but I don’t think anyone else does. I am a firm believe that the book is always better than the movie. I make my children read a book before seeing the movie. My daughter had to read the four Twilight books before she was allowed to see the movies. My ten year-old son is reading the Harry Potter books so he can watch the movies.
That being said, I sure would like to see Concilium made into a movie!

Concilium Blurb:
The forest was her sanctuary – now it holds her nightmare.

Leslee hit a strange animal with her car. Now she’s marked for death.
It was a simple car accident – the animal didn’t even die – but it drew the attention of other dimensional creatures, the Cruor Imbibo. Driven by their insatiable need to feed, they have secretly devoured the dregs of society for centuries. Afraid Leslee will expose them, and put an end to their meal ticket, the Imbibo want her dead.

The Concilium is Leslee's only protection. Guardian of the ancient secret and the protector of humans, the Concilium fights to control the Imbibo and end their feeding frenzy. Miller works for the Concilium. Keeping Leslee alive is his next assignment.

Now Leslee is on the run, and the only thing between her flesh and the snapping jaws of the Imbibo is Miller. He and Leslee quickly form a bond, but will falling in love make Miller’s job more difficult? Because if Miller fails, Leslee will be the next human on the Imbibo menu.
Because the Cruor Imbibo are coming, and they're coming for Leslee.

There is no excerpt, since the story is still unedited, but the story looks very unusual. I'm looking forward to reading about Leslee and hope she does escape from the Cruor Imbibo!!

Thank you, Michelle, for being my guest and please leave a comment for Michelle to win a free story from me.

Until the next time, thank you to all who continue to follow me. The contest for a free book of my YA novel, If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor, is now officially over. I will be announcing the winner by tomorrow. Thank you to all who left a comment on both blogs. It's been a lot of fun!

My Blog Talk Radio Show, RRWL Tales from the Pages is on this Thursday afternoon at 3PM Central (4PM EST) with past guests reading their own holiday stories. Please tune in to hear this special show!!!

Welcome Penny Ehrenkranz

Today my guest author is Penny Ehrenkranz, who is stopping here on her blog tour for A Past and a Future, her new anthology of fantasy short stories. Penny Ehrenkranz has been a guest here before and at that time we had a wonderful chat about her various writings and her writing itself. Since she has very little time I have concentrated on her new book and I am very excited to be introducing it to you!

Are you a lover of fantasy? If you are, then A Past and a Future is for you. Chock full of small vignettes of various fantasy worlds it's like a smorgasbord of fantasy stories.:) Penny has stopped by to talk about this book and here she is:

Guest Author Interview with Penny Ehrenkranz

Welcome Penny! It's so great to have you back here to talk about your latest book.:)

Barbara: When you began writing A Past and a Future, did you have all of the stories ready?
Penny: Yes. It was more a gathering than a writing when it came to putting together A Past and A Future. The original idea came in 1999 when I published a collection of stories with Bookmice, an electronic publisher. Unfortunately, the publisher folded after a year, and very few copies of the book were sold. Not many publishers want to do collections of stories. When I found out Sam’s Dot Publishing did collections, I approached them with the idea of resurrecting, Then and Later, my original collection. Instead of having all the same stories, I dropped some, added some, and put in a couple never before published.

Barbara: What made you start to write fantasy?
Penny: I read fantasy for my own personal enjoyment. Since that’s what I read most of the time, that is the genre I’m most comfortable writing. I also enjoy science fiction, which is why some of the stories are soft sci fi. I love the whole idea of magic and magical creatures.

Barbara: In your first middle grade novel, Ghost for Rent you wrote about a family that moved to a rural area from the city. Is Ghost for Lunch about this same family?
Penny: Yes, Ghost for Lunch is about the same family. In this one, though, the MC’s best friend moves away, and a new family moves into the neighborhood. When Wendy and her brother meet the new neighbors, they get involved with the ghost in the restaurant the neighbors are planning to open.

Barbara: A Past and a Future is composed of many different stories with various main characters. How did you decide which stories to include? Or were all of these stories written especially for this book?
Penny: Many of the stories were previously published in small press magazines with limited readership. I chose the stories that I enjoyed writing. I wanted a combination of stories from the past (fantasy) and stories from the future. The theme which ties them together is a message of hope no matter who you are or where you are.

Barbara: Yes, I definitely got that after reading several of them.

Barbara: As I read each story I found the main characters of each to be very memorable. I do not usually read fantasy stories, but your first story gripped me and I continued to read several more in a row. Have you thought of developing any of these stories into a novel?
Penny: Not any of the ones in this book. I do have two short stories which ended up being expanded into a series of shorts about the same characters. One of my back burner projects is to combine those shorts into either novellas or novels.

Barbara: Please tell our readers the path to publication for this book.
Penny: I answered this above. The only thing to add would be after the book was accepted, it still had to go through an editing process, like any other book, even though most of the stories had already seen publication in one way or another.

Barbara: Besides writing, do you do anything else?
Penny: I enjoy spending time in my garden. In fact, today I will be working with my seeds and getting them into their little pots for transplanting later. In the evenings, I usually crochet, either making gifts, crafting for my 3 year old granddaughter, or for my grandson who will be born in June. In my other “spare” time, I edit for three small traditional publishers, MuseItUp Publishing, Damnation Press, LLC, and 4RV Publishing. My other activities revolve around cooking ethnic foods, spending time with friends and family, and of course, reading.

Barbara: Do you have a favorite story? Why did you pick this story?
Penny: My favorite is probably Ashley of Ashland. I like the characters. They’re not handsome or particularly talented, but they love each other, despite the odds against them. They are also loyal to each other through all the trials and obstacles they have to face.

Barbara: When writing a short story, what are the most important aspects to remember?

Penny: Like any story, you need a strong plot, characters readers can identify with, and tight writing. With a short story, the tight writing is essential. A short story writer only has a limited number of words to work with to bring the story to a satisfactory ending. Even with a couple of thousand words, the author needs a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Barbara: Are you planning a sequel to A Past and a Future?
Penny: I do have some thoughts about another collection, but nothing concrete.

Barbara: You write in many genres and for many age groups. For which genre and age group do you prefer to write?
Penny: I actually enjoy everything, except erotica. I don’t write that at all. I do some light romance, I write soft horror, I write paranormal. My favorite is probably fantasy, although right now, I seem to be concentrating more on my children’s writing.

Barbara: Please tell us if you have any other books that are going to be published soon?
Penny: I have contracts for two romances, which will be published by MuseItUp Publishing this fall…Love Delivery and Lady-in-Waiting.

Barbara: Wow, Penny, I didn't know this! Congratulations!! My book, If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor will be coming out in September. When they are released you will have to come back here and talk about them.:)

Penny: I have contracts for four children’s books, which are scheduled with 4RV Publishing. The sequel to Ghost for Rent, Ghost for Lunch will be coming in 2013. Funny Dog, a picture book, will be published in 2012, Many Colored Coats, a picture book, is contracted for 2014, and Boo’s Bad Day, also a picture book, will be published in 2015.

Barbara: 4RV Publishing is another great publisher. I do some editing for them and maybe I'll be editing your books. You never know.:)

Barbara: Do you have any WIP’s?
Penny: I am working on a YA paranormal, but I’m not sure yet what direction it will take. I’ve also started working on the sequel to Ghost for Lunch, tentatively titled Ghost for Sale.

Barbara: Where can our readers find A Past and a Future? Where can they find your other books as well?

A Past and A Future
http://www.genremall.com/anthologiesr.htm#pastfuture

Ghost for Rent
http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b8656/?si=0
http://tinyurl.com/27puzze

Dragon Sight
http://www.genremall.com/fictionr.htm#dragonsight

Love Delivery, coming August, 2011
Lady-in-Waiting, coming November, 2011
https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2

Funny Dog, coming May, 2012
Ghost for Lunch, coming September, 2013
Many Colored Coats, coming October, 2014
Boo's Bad Day, coming June, 2015
http://4RVpublishingllc.com/Childrens_Books.html

Barbara: Where can readers learn more about your work?
Penny: My website is http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.yolasite.com
My blog is: http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.blogspot.com

Until the next time, thank you to all my readers and I wanted you to know I will be a guest on Teen Word Factory on February 15th blogging about the problems a high school girl might have. Also please join me on Thursday, February 24th for my February Blog Talk Radio Show, RRWL Tales from the Pages when a couple of my favorite authors from MuseItUp Publishing, Lin Holmes and Kat Holmes stop by to talk about their ever increasing amount of published books.:)

Red River Writers Blog Tour#11 - Katie Hines

Today we have the pleasure of learning all about Katie Hines, whose first children's novel, Guardian, is being published in June, 2009. This is part of The Red River Writers Blog Tour and thank you to April Robins for helping me to arrange this.:)

Imagine you have made a secret promise that can lead you to an incredible treasure and an ancient power. But in order to fulfill that promise, you must defeat an age-old sect determined to claim the treasure and power themselves.

Thirteen year old Drew Newman becomes involved with several unusual strangers after he swears to his dying mother that he will find a lost mysterious journal, including two men of The Brotherhood of the Holy Chalice, and a stranger who invades his home and is later revealed to be the Guardian of the Holy Grail. All are looking for this same journal. To protect him his father sends Drew to his Grandpa Ian who possibly has the journal and who lives close to the probable location of the treasure.

Drew with his companions, and his cousin Zea races to recover the journal that Grandpa Ian says is the key to recovering the lost treasure of the Knights Templar and to finding the mysterious Holy Grail, pursued by the deadly Brotherhood. Grandpa Ian tells Drew the scar on Drew's hand came from touching the journal when he was younger. Which means Drew is a candidate for the guardianship of the Grail. He is kidnapped to an island where he learns more and meets a girl named Desiree who says she is a candidate for the guardian too since she has the mark on her hand as well.

Drew must decide who is right, his Grandpa or Desiree. Will Drew find the journal? Will he become the Guardian of the Holy Grail? Read Guardian to find the answers to these questions.:)

Guest Author Interview with Katie Hines

Welcome Katie and I'll start with the first thing that popped into my head after I read the synopsis.

1. Your novel, Guardian, coming out in June is described as a middle grade urban fantasy. What is an urban fantasy?

An urban fantasy is a fantasy story written in today’s time in a real world. For example, in “Guardian,” my characters live in Maine, and make a trip to Nova Scotia. The fantasy elements come in with magic swords and the like.


2. Would you please outline for our readers the steps you took to get Guardian published?

You know, Barbara, I worked on “Guardian” for several years. I did a bunch of rewriting, and testing plot elements out, trying to get the best fit. When I finally decided I could edit it forever, I decided I just needed to send it out. So, I sweated through a query letter and synopsis. I had been collecting, in the last year or so, a list of publishers that published the sort of book I had. I pulled out my file, and chose four publishers, and sent them a query letter and synopsis, depending on what their guidelines asked for. I publisher I didn’t hear from at all. The first publisher politely declined. The second said she didn’t feel qualified to edit a middle grade book, but that she liked it and would introduce me to a publisher who did. I sent the publisher the requested items and got an email back saying she found the book “interesting” and would I please make certain changes and resubmit.

Fair enough. But I was tired of working on it, and set it aside for a month or so. I opened my email and saw a note from her about something different. At the end of the email, she said, “Oh, by the way, your book is scheduled to come out in June, 2009.” To say I was flabbergasted was an understatement! I wondered what had changed. She told me that she had left the manuscript lying about her house, and her grandson, a vociferous reader, picked it up, read it, and loved it. I signed a contract the end of October, 2008.





3. What kind of publicity is your publisher giving you to publicize your book, Guardian? Do you have any book signings planned?

My publisher is going to attend a few book festivals in her area. She will not only be promoting 4RV Publishing, but also the released books at that time. One of the other authors, who I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting, is going to arrange some school visits. Those are all pluses. I shall be doing all other marketing and promotional work. Yes, I plan on doing some book signings, but don’t have any scheduled yet as I don’t know the exact date of the book’s release.


4. Do you plan on giving away anything related to the book to the people at your book signings?

You know, I’ve thought about that, and really don’t have a firm answer. At this point, I haven’t brainstormed about book signings. I know I want some promotional things, like a poster of the cover of the book (but they’re expensive to make), some postcards, bookmarks, etc. but I don’t have a firm plan of attack. I do need to think about it soon, because I’m going to need to invest some money in those sorts of things.


5. I noticed as I was reading your bio information that you stopped writing after high school. Did you write while you were in college?

The only thing I wrote in college was academic papers. I did do one research paper for honors lit that my teacher loved, and we were going to polish it a bit, and submit it to a journal that accepted underclassmen’s writings. But we never did that. I did keep a journal during my early 20s, before I was in college, to help sort out some personal turmoil I had. I ended up fashioning it into a memoir, which I had an editor at a book conference read the first 5 pages. Her comments showed me I didn’t have a clue about creative fiction, and that I needed to learn. So, I engaged in a learning spree. I read anything and everything I could get my hands on, then I began to write on “Guardian.”


6. You have written both fiction and non-fiction. Of the two which did you enjoy writing more? Why?

I enjoy fiction most, without a doubt. To be honest, I find nonfiction boring. I don’t really read nonfiction, but I read a lot of fiction, including fantasy. Fiction is about creating beyond the facts. It gives me the forum to explore my character’s feelings and angst. For me, nonfiction deals with facts, and doesn’t differ a whole lot from writing for college.


7. You mentioned that you are planning to expand your short story “My Name is Bib” into a full young adult novel. Would you please outline the steps you will take to do this?

I have written about 60 pages of “Bib,” which is several chapters. “Bib” is a hard one, because it deals with the life and emotions of a young girl whose older sister was murdered. “Bib” is one of those stories that is percolating, and I write when I’ve figured a new thing I want to deal with, and decide how to treat that particular facet of the plot.


8. When you decided to go back to writing how hard was it for you to start writing seriously? Did you take any courses to help you?

Because I wrote that memoir, I thought I would send it off and somebody would publish it. End story. Was I in for a rude awakening. Like I said, that one editor showed me I had a lot of learning and writing yet to do. I did not take any courses, other than through self-education. I did attend a couple of conferences, which were very helpful.

9. Please describe for our readers the process you use when you write.

First, I work on an idea for a book. Now, ideas are not hard to come by, they seem to be everywhere, but for me, only some of those ideas are begging to be written at a particular time. So I do a lot of thinking. Where do I start and where do I want to end up? Once I figure that out, I can begin writing. I write as far as I have ideas for that particular manuscript. When I get stuck, my husband and I do some brainstorming, and he is a springboard for a lot of the plot that gets written. I try not to do too much editing as I go along, but I sneak back in. When I finish a certain part of the novel, I usually find that I need to change something earlier to have something I’m writing about make sense. So, I go back and make those changes. But, I don’t want to necessarily lose the first work, so I create a new editing manuscript. With “Guardian,” I had nine editing manuscripts. I have had occasion to go back and pull information from an older version, so those are very important to me. By the time I finish the rough draft and done some editing along the way, the storyline is pretty much fleshed out, but I go back in and layer more conflict, more plot twists, that sort of thing. When I think I’m done, I use Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s book about the Frugal Editor, and use it to make sure I haven’t missed anything editing wise.


10. Do you have an agent? Do you think new authors need an agent?

I do not have an agent. I think whether a person needs an agent or not depends on the type of publishing houses they want to query. All of the major publishing houses will only accepted agented manuscripts. As a children’s writer, there are a lot more publishing houses that will receive unagented manuscripts, so I went that route.


11. I noticed you are writing chapter books. Are you doing this on your own or for a specific publisher?

I have a series of chapter books I’m writing about Grandma Helga. These are what I consider “fun” books to write because they’re silly and crazy. I have not approached any publisher about these books at this point.


12. Recently you had a series of blog posts about critique groups. Do you belong to one and do you think that they help with the writing process?

Yes, I belong to an online critique group. At one point I belonged to two online critique groups. Invariably they see things in the plot that are inconsistent, and I’m very thankful to have their ears and eyes. I can’t imagine that my manuscript would be ready without them.


13. When you start to write a novel what do you think of first, the characters or the plot?

Plot. But writing a novel, and thinking of the plot invariably makes me think of the characters, too. Who is going to go on the hero’s adventure? What personal problems is he going to encounter along the way? How will he change? To me, those questions are hand-in-glove with the plot and the ending climax.

14. This is the last question. You have written for a Catholic publication and yet you write fantasy. Do you incorporate parts of your religious beliefs into your fantasies?

Yes and no. I don’t believe that I need to incorporate my personal beliefs in fantasy. In “Guardian” I have, and that’s not something I had planned, but there are definitely elements of Christianity in the book. Hopefully, they don’t bash you over the head, but yes, I do have some of those elements. I have read a lot of fantasy that incorporates religion into their stories. I think it can be done tastefully and discreetly.

Katie, thank you so much for coming over here and sharing your writing process and marketing ideas with our readers. I am hoping that once your book is published you will come back and share some of your choices and your experiences in marketing both yourself and your book.

Remember, Guardian is not available until June so we don't have any free copies to give away. Katie will be available for questions and please leave either a question or a comment for her.

Please also visit The Red River Writers Blog Tour website for more information in case you are interested in participating in one of the tours.

My next guest author will be John Wayne Cargile, whose book is Cry of the Cuckoo.

Until the next time, please leave a comment or question for Katie Hines. Happy Passover. Gritting my teeth and eating matzoh for the whole week.:)