3xA MA: Lee Kelly

 

I've always felt so grateful to the authors that take the time to connect with me through social media. In my mind, I'd always thought they were on an unattainable level. In this event, I want to get to know the authors; to see them for the people they are and not just as creators of your favorite book.

Note: For each post, links are left to the author's social media. If you know an author whose book has affected you [in my event or just in general,] please use one of those links and leave a nice message to them! Something as simple as "I'm such a huge fan of your work" can go a long way - you'd be surprised.
For a full definition, the author schedule [and a fabulous opening giveaway,] click here.


Haven't you heard of City of Savages? It's very high up on my list of reads!
And with a totally FUN post, here's the author, Lee Kelly, on a few Reading/Writing Confessions!

When Nova offered me the chance to do a more “personal” blog post on her site, I jumped at it. My past few months have been wholly centered around the release of my debut, CITY OF SAVAGES, and I realized that I hadn’t gotten the chance to blog or chat online about general reading and writing in a long time. Sure, there are certain questions about writing habits or favorite books that come up in a book-related interview, but nothing as open-ended as “tell us a little about yourself.”

So since this is the first time I’ve had a chance like this, I thought it might be fun to admit to some reading and writing confessions I’ve never posted before (and some I’ve never admitted out loud before).

So deep breath, and here goes… five of my reading and writing “confessions” that I’m sharing with all of you:

I think reading is the most important part of writing, but I don’t do it enough.

The number one piece of advice that I give about writing is “Reading is just as important to writing as writing is.” In fact, I’ve shared this tidbit on twitter, my website, on Goodreads…. But I don’t often admit that I, myself, don’t do it enough. I LOVE to read – being enveloped in a world that lasts for hours or days or weeks is an incredible, breathtaking feeling – and I absolutely believe that the more you read, the more you know what you love and the more you’ll understand what you should write.

That said, during the past two years, I’ve had a child, have edited a book, written and edited another book, written (and am currently revising) another book, moved to another state and went through a major work transition, spend most days chasing around a toddler (and I have a husband too, and we like to spend some time together J). I tell myself every night that I’m going to settle into bed and read 100 pages, but most nights I fall asleep after reading about 15-20.

I wish I read more. I try to read more. My daily goal is to read more…. And yet, confession: I don’t read as much as I want, or as much as I should.

Sometimes I enjoy TV just as much as reading.

So this ties right into confession #1: my husband loves TV, and because we like to spend our nights together, reading time gets forfeited to TV time. I really do believe that there are some shows so complex and textured that they “watch” like books (Homeland, True Detective, Game of Thrones -- naturally, to name a few), and some nights it’s just easier to settle back and watch a show with my husband than to read, even though I consider myself primarily a book person.

I wish I read more adult novels, but my heart belongs to YA.

There are so many amazing adult books out there – books I’ll read about in the paper or will get as recommendations from friends. And yet… when I go to my overstocked bookshelf of books that I’ve splurged and bought but haven’t read yet, I nearly always reach for a YA novel. There’s something about the combination of plotting, tight pacing, and the rich character development in a typical YA novel that keeps me coming back to YA every time.

I’ll get what I call “story envy” at least once a week.

Fellow writers may know what I’m talking about – you read about a deal in Publisher’s Marketplace, or read a synopsis of a shiny new book you’ve never heard of before on Goodreads, and by the time you’re through with the description, you’re thinking, Damn. Maybe I should be writing space odesseys, or twisty thrillers about animals. Or maybe the next “big thing” is heartfelt contemporary and I’m completely missing the boat. And all of a sudden, the story idea that you were so excited about for the past few weeks or months can feel like a dull penny in comparison.

From personal experience, story envy is annoying at best, completely crippling at worst, and is absolutely a writer’s block in its own right.


But at the end of the day, no matter how many bouts of story envy I might get, I always come back to the truth: I have to write for myself.

No matter what the trend is, no matter what amazing new bestselling novel I’ve just read, I always end up coming back to the idea of needing to write for myself. Because even if a concept is cool or unique or blockbuster, if it isn’t what I’m interested in exploring as a writer – if an idea doesn’t compel me back to my computer to spend time with imaginary people in made-up places – then I know I won’t put in the time, energy and dedication needed to make that idea a completed manuscript (and then a revised manuscript, a shoppable manuscript, an edited manuscript, a novel… you get the idea.)

The story envy thing is SO TRUE. I'm obviously not a published author but sometimes when I read a book, I go "dang! I wish I thought of this." It's scary and Lee describes it perfectly! Thanks so much for this awesome post! I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did!

Enter the giveaway below! 
Thanks for checking out my blog and remember:  Be kind to one another. - Ellen 
Want more fun? Check out the other authors featured here.

Lee's Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Website

Lee Kelly has wanted to write since she was old enough to hold a pencil, but it wasn’t until she began studying for the California Bar Exam that she conveniently started putting pen to paper.

An entertainment lawyer by trade, Lee has practiced law in Los Angeles and New York.

She lives with her husband and son in Millburn, New Jersey, though after a decade in Manhattan, she can’t help but still call herself a New Yorker.

Thanks so much to Lee for donating a signed hardcover of City of Savages!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Read More

3xA MA: Paula Stokes

I feel like authors deserve so much from the readers. I believe that authors are people who really connect with us. It was actually an author who I "sorta" owe my life to. Authors and their words make us feel and they can help us.
In this event, I want to get to know the authors. I’d like to get interviews or blog posts about THEM in connection to their book. Who is the mind behind each author?

For each post, I leave links to connect with the author. Please take the time to use one of those links and leave a message for each author, if you can. It can be towards the book or it can be something as easy as “I love the post you wrote on Out of Time! <33”

Read More

3xA MA: Lynne Matson

I feel like authors deserve so much from the readers. I believe that authors are people who really connect with us. It was actually an author who I "sorta" owe my life to. Authors and their words make us feel and they can help us.
In this event, I want to get to know the authors. I’d like to get interviews or blog posts about THEM in connection to their book. Who is the mind behind each author?

For each post, I leave links to connect with the author. Please take the time to use one of those links and leave a message for each author, if you can. It can be towards the book or it can be something as easy as “I love the post you wrote on Out of Time! <33”

Read More

3xA MA: Kelsey Macke

I feel like authors deserve so much from the readers. I believe that authors are people who really connect with us. It was actually an author who I "sorta" owe my life to. Authors and their words make us feel and they can help us.
In this event, I want to get to know the authors. I’d like to get interviews or blog posts about THEM in connection to their book. Who is the mind behind each author?

For each post, I leave links to connect with the author. Please take the time to use one of those links and leave a message for each author, if you can. It can be towards the book or it can be something as easy as “I love the post you wrote on Out of Time! <33”

I am so excited to have Kelsey Macke! Again, as you guys might've noticed from my banner, I'm really into music as something like reading. So cool! So when I heard Kelsey Macke was going to be doing a guest post for me and read it, I had a Nova Squeal. A Nova Squeal is like a regular squeal, but with enough squeal power to poison a small mammal; not that I would want to do that or anything.

Kelsey Macke in Show Choir

Most of my time in high school was dedicated to a sequin-encrusted vest. 

That's right. I was a proud member of our school's show choir. Here are five fun facts about my life as a jazz-hands-waving member of my school's performance pop choir.

5. Matching up dance partners was always stressful. You worried that the boy wouldn't be taller than you, or that he would be dating your friend, or that he would be unable to support your weight when you'd inevitably have to sit on his knee during one of the love songs.

4. Singing harmonies takes practice, and dividing up parts requires planning. That's one of the things that's most inaccurate about Glee. If we decided to just pop out a song without any pre-planning, we'd definitely end up with ten kids trying to sing lead and there's be a brawl over who's screwing up the bass line.

3. Getting a solo in show choir song means that you've got to walk the fine line between ego and humility. Everyone expects that you can sing the snot out of it if you beat the other singers for the privilege, but if you dare wave your hand in the air like Christina, just know that everyone is going to be rolling their eyes at you from the wings. 

2. Being in show choir is like being in the greatest club ever with your very best friends. You become family. You share dreams. Making music with other people is one of the most incredible human experiences. Creating sound together joins you in ways that you could never expect. 

1. Even when you have to wear sparkly vests and do overly simple dance moves and sing medleys of songs that your parents like more than you do, you'll never regret a minute of being a part of something so special. 

Are any of you part of a show choir at school? Or were you? What's one of your favorite truths about glee club?

Glee Club! I'm in middle school so we only have a choir but I hope where I go, I get to be in a glee club. Hopefully it won't have as much drama as the show, lol.

Thanks for checking out my blog and remember:  Be kind to one another. - Ellen

Kelsey's Goodreads | Goodreads for her Book | Twitter | Website |

Kelsey Macke has been creative for as long as she can remember. From an early age she was on stage singing, penning poetry, and writing notebooks full of songs. When the idea for her debut novel, DAMSEL DISTRESSED, popped into her head, she was undeterred by the fact that she had no idea how to actually write a novel. Her bff, the internet, was her guide, and after much trial, error, and candy, she finished it, and set out to get it published… a process far more difficult than, the internet (now her mortal enemy), had lead her to believe.

Her whirlwind adventure was made even more unbelievable when she signed with fabulous agent, Jessica Sinsheimer of the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency and, shortly after, Danielle Ellison of Spencer Hill Contemporary bought her debut.

This innovative, mixed-media art project has given Kelsey an incredibly unique opportunity to join two of her passions: writing and making music with her husband as half of the folky, indie-pop band Wedding Day Rain.

DAMSEL DISTRESSED, and the companion album of original songs, Imogen Unlocked, are scheduled for release in October 2014

Read More

3xA MA: Jessica Spotswood

I feel like authors deserve so much from the readers. I believe that authors are people who really connect with us. It was actually an author who I "sorta" owe my life to. Authors and their words make us feel and they can help us.
In this event, I want to get to know the authors. I’d like to get interviews or blog posts about THEM in connection to their book. Who is the mind behind each author?

For each post, I leave links to connect with the author. Please take the time to use one of those links and leave a message for each author, if you can. It can be towards the book or it can be something as easy as “I love the post you wrote on Out of Time! <33”

Jessica Spotswood is on my blog and I'm like

Cooking - With Jessica Spotswood

When I got my book deal for the Cahill Witch Chronicles back in 2011, I was able to quit my day job - I'd been working for nine years at the Catholic University of America Press - and write full-time. It's been amazing in lots of ways. But it's also a challenge sometimes. When the thing that has always been your hobby becomes your job - what do you do for fun? I realized last fall that my life totally revolved around writing, reading, promo, and the publishing business in a way that was not super healthy. I needed to make time for more hobbies!

I used to cook a lot, but last year - with schedules that revolved around writing deadlines and my husband The Playwright's rehearsals - we relied too much on takeout and microwave foods. Which are expensive, not super healthy, and not super fun! I didn't want to make a vague 2014 resolution to "cook more" or "eat healthier," because those are too hard to quantify. So I set a more specific goal - make a new soup recipe for every week of the year.

To that end, Santa (ok, my mom) gave me this book for Christmas.


So far, I've made 7 soups (5 in January and 2 in February) for my Soup Project. The rules I set for myself are: I have to choose a soup from that month's list of recipes, I Instagram a picture, and my husband and I both rate the soup Some have been delicious, some have been failures, some have fallen somewhere in-between - but it's been super fun so far!

Last summer I became kind of obsessed with gazpacho. Maybe unsurprisingly, this has been my favorite recipe so far: Old-Fashioned Tomato & Rice soup. It was a 4.5/5 for me and a 4/5 for The Playwright. I like that it's a little hearty and not too creamy. I will absolutely make it again!

Our other favorite was this Pasta & White Bean soup, which is a sort of Italian pasta e fagioli. It's pretty easy - it contains onions, garlic, diced tomatoes, white beans, macaroni, veggie broth, and oregano. I made it again on my writing retreat last week and it was a hit. The Playwright and I both gave it a 4.5/5.

The biggest challenge has been modifying some recipes to make them vegetarian, because the Playwright and I are pescetarians (i.e. we eat fish but no meat). Sometimes it's impossible because meat is clearly a huge, key ingredient. I don't even try those soups. Sometimes it works without any problem (subbing veggie broth for chicken or beef broth), yay! And sometimes I think it will work but the flavor turns out to be dependent on the meat. That's what happened, I think, with this White Bean & Kale soup. It was supposed to include sausage, but I subbed in veggie sausage, and the soup turned out crazy bland. It didn't help that the base was water instead of broth - yuck! I tried adding tons of hot sauce, but it was basically inedible. Boo!


Overall, though, it's been really fun. Out of the 7 recipes, that's the only one I would NOT try to at least fiddle with again. Some of the soups I'm looking forward to trying in March are: Chickpea & Roasted Tomato soup with Fried Rosemary, Lemony Asparagus & Rice Soup with Parmesan, Five-Spice Broth with Salmon & Onion Dumplings, and Creamy Pea Soup with Citrus Oil & Chives! If you want to see how they turn out, you can follow me on Instagram! I also post lots of pictures of books, my adorable cat Monkey, and board games.

FOOD. I love watching the Food Network because I know that I'll never eat some of the stuff on there. But it is fun to look at! Especially Ice Cold Cash where I yell at the TV!

Enter the giveaway below! Thanks for checking out my blog and remember:  
Be kind to one another. - Ellen

Jessica's Facebook | Goodreads | Goodreads for her Book | Twitter | Website |

I grew up in a tiny one-stoplight town in Pennsylvania, where I could be found swimming, playing clarinet, memorizing lines for the school play, or—most often—with my nose in a book. I've been writing since I was little but studied theatre in college and grad school. Now I live in Washington, DC with my brilliant playwright husband and a cuddly cat named Monkey.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

Read More

3xA MA: Emery Lord

I feel like authors deserve so much from the readers. I believe that authors are people who really connect with us. It was actually an author who I "sorta" owe my life to. Authors and their words make us feel and they can help us.
In this event, I want to get to know the authors. I’d like to get interviews or blog posts about THEM in connection to their book. Who is the mind behind each author?

For each post, I leave links to connect with the author. Please take the time to use one of those links and leave a message for each author, if you can. It can be towards the book or it can be something as easy as “I love the post you wrote on Out of Time! <33”

I'm really sad I couldn't get a copy of this, but I'm so excited for it anyway! Please welcome Emery Lord who is so cool for being here today.

Questionaire - With Emery Lord

Name: Emery Lord
Location: Midwest
Job: Writer

10 Favorites!
Favorite color: Blue!
Favorite movie: Tie between Saved! and Stranger ThanFiction
Favorite Disney movie: Beautyand the Beast and Mulan. And Frozen.
Favorite TV show: I’m currently rewatching Veronica Mars, and I’m in love all over again. The crime! The sass! Counting down the days till the midnight showing of the movie.
Favorite singer/band: This one’s hard because I have sooo many. At the moment, I’m listening to a lot of Frightened Rabbit, The National and Gregory Alan Isakov. Very wintery music.
Favorite place to shop: Nordstrom (Rack) and Kate Spade (Outlet) ;)
Favorite article of clothing: Blazers :) and boots or wedge heels.
Favorite dessert: All. Special mentions for Jeni’s Ice Cream, cheesecake, my mom’s chocolate chip cookies, and my Nana’s pies.
Favorite place to travel: At the moment, NYC because it’s a combination of old friends and new adventures.
Favorite social media site: Maybe Instagram? Or Twitter? Or Tumblr?

10 Book Questions!
Favorite book of all time: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.
Favorite author: Melina Marchetta
Favorite bookstore: So many! But sentimental faves are The Book Loft in Columbus- 20+ rooms of books! Joseph Beth in Cincinnati- amazing YA section, wonderful events, and a cafe that I eat at WAY too often.

Favorite place to read: My front porch swing when the weather's nice or an oversized, overstuffed armchair that we refer to as The Big Chair.
What book are you reading right now? The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily Danforth!
What’s the best book you’ve read this year? Fair and Tender Ladies by Lee Smith. It’s not like anything I’ve ever read before and the main character, Ivy, felt like a dear friend by the end.
What’s next on your TBR? Far From You by Tess Sharpe, which I’m so excited for, and then Lorrie Moore’s Bark, which is out soon!
What books are you most excited about this year? Ruin & Rising by Leigh Bardugo and Jandy Nelson’s sophomore effort I’ll GiveYou the Sun.
What’s the last book you bought? When Audrey Met Alice by Rebecca Behrens. It's SO good, and the New York Times agrees with me!
What kind of covers do you like? Depends on the book! One I had heart-eyes over recently was Jandy Nelson’s!

Is this what I get to do in high school? SUPER COOL! I want to do one of these. And yes, Emery, I am SO EXCITED for Ruin and Rising like it isn't even funny.

Enter the giveaway below! Thanks for checking out my blog and remember:  
Be kind to one another. - Ellen

Emery's Goodreads | Goodreads for her Book | Twitter | Website |

Emery Lord is a 20-something Midwestern girl who writes stories about high school and best friends and weird families and the crushes that make you feel combustibly alive and also more awkward than you thought was possible. If you're not sure how to pronounce Emery, try slurring the name "Emily," and that will get you really close.

She lives in Cincinnati in a 100 year-old pink row house with her BFF/husband, a closet full of dresses, and lots of books. If karaoke-ing in grocery store aisles or guzzling coffee while impulse shopping were illegal, Emery would be writing her overemotional YA books from jail. Also, she makes up words sometimes. Like combustibly.

OPEN ROAD SUMMER, her first YA novel, is out April 15th, 2014. A second YA novel TBD will be released Spring 2015. You can contact her at emerylord@gmail.com.

Read More

3xA MA: Kasie West

I feel like authors deserve so much from the readers. I believe that authors are people who really connect with us. It was actually an author who I "sorta" owe my life to. Authors and their words make us feel and they can help us.
In this event, I want to get to know the authors. I’d like to get interviews or blog posts about THEM in connection to their book. Who is the mind behind each author?

For each post, I leave links to connect with the author. Please take the time to use one of those links and leave a message for each author, if you can. It can be towards the book or it can be something as easy as “I love the post you wrote on Out of Time! <33”

I adore all of Kasie West's book. She got all the (deserving) hype for Split Second which just came out. I just really like how contemporary her books are, but still have something deeper than fluff! I have no idea how I got her here, but I'll take it! :D

Writing Influences - With Kasie West

I didn’t know I wanted to be a writer until fairly recently but my love of books dates back as far as I can remember. I am one of five children and when we were young, my brothers and sisters and I would pile onto my parents’ queen size bed and listen to my dad read aloud to us. I’m sure there was a lot of kicking and hair pulling, but I don’t remember those things. I specifically remember vivid scenes from The Hobbit and The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. They come to me in my father’s voice—deep and clear. When he wasn’t reading to us, I’d often find him reading alone. A pile of books always rested on his nightstand.

All the kids had their own library cards and we visited the library often. He and my mom instilled in me a love of books that I will always cherish. These memories mean the world to me, especially after losing my dad at a very young age, quite suddenly. I wasn’t prepared to lose him. I thought I had years left with him. He died before he even knew my dream to become a writer. I often think of him when I write now and hope that he’d be proud that I decided to share my stories with others. And I know that it is because of this deep seated love of books and reading that I became a writer at all.

I didn’t start off writing this as a tribute to my father. I was just going to share a story about my childhood and reading. But that’s what took over. Probably because I know that I am who I am today because of him. Probably because I can’t think about books without thinking about him. Probably because I still miss him fiercely and I am grateful every day that I got to be his daughter.
This is so sweet. It's short and sweet and just perfect. My parents got me a library card very young and I think they kind of regret it because I go crazy with it, but it's definitely a moment. I don't really have someone to encourage me, but usually, I'm the one encouraging :D

Enter the giveaway below! Thanks for checking out my blog and remember:  
Be kind to one another. - Ellen

 

Kasie's Facebook | Goodreads | Goodreads for her Book | Twitter | Website |

I write YA. I eat Junior Mints. Sometimes I go crazy and do both at the same time. My debut novel, PIVOT POINT (HarperTeen) came out February 12, 2013, and will be followed by its sequel in 2014. I also have a contemporary, The Distance Between Us, coming out July 2, 2013 with HarperTeen. My agent is the talented and funny Michelle Wolfson.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More

3xA MA: Jaye Robin Brown

I feel like authors deserve so much from the readers. I believe that authors are people who really connect with us. It was actually an author who I "sorta" owe my life to. Authors and their words make us feel and they can help us.
In this event, I want to get to know the authors. I’d like to get interviews or blog posts about THEM in connection to their book. Who is the mind behind each author?

For each post, I leave links to connect with the author. Please take the time to use one of those links and leave a message for each author, if you can. It can be towards the book or it can be something as easy as “I love the post you wrote on Out of Time! <33”

Jaye Robin Brown and I started talking on twitter. Durh. My of my convos and relationships start on twitter because that's how I roll! She's super sweet and I'm so excited to have her here today.

Top Ten Musical Facts - With Jaye Robin Brown

Since No Place To Fall is a lot about music, I thought I’d give you my top ten musical facts.

1. I have a VERY limited range. It’s why I wanted to write a character who can sing. Because nobody wants to hear me do it.

2. I love musicals. Sound of Music, West Side Story, heck Glee is all kinds of awesome, give me singing and dancing and I’m glued to the screen.

3. I CAN’T listen to music when I write. It’s horrible. I try and try and try but I end up listening to music—instead of writing.

4. I’ve been to countless music festivals from Jazz Fest in New Orleans to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival to little bitty street fairs around my home.

5. My first concert was at age 14. I saw Styx. The next day was field day at my school and I didn’t care the concert shirt smelled like an ashtray. I was wearing it!

6. I once dated a blues guitarist.

7. I was dumped by a blues guitarist. It’s okay, I only really liked the turquoise Stratocaster.

8. If reincarnation or the TARDIS is a thing, I’d like to come back as Dolly Parton, Queen Latifah, and Janis Joplin. Maybe not all at once.

9. I once hiked past James Taylor on a trail. I didn’t realize who he was till we got off trail and someone said “Hey, did you see James Taylor on the trail?” Then the light bulb went off. He’s super tall.

10. I’m really excited I wrote a book with such a strong current of song and rhythm, because it’s forced me to learn how to spell rhythm. Which is hard. No vowels. Two h’s. One y. Pshew, did I get it?

Thanks Nova!

Music is my life. Well... aside from books. I find music to be like the most inspiring thing ever. It's just something that makes me feel all kinds of fuzzy things. So I really do hope I enjoy No Place to Fall. And I'm so jealous because you (yes you) can win a copy.

Enter the giveaway below! Thanks for checking out my blog and remember:  
Be kind to one another. - Ellen

Jaye's Goodreads | Goodreads for her Book | Twitter | Website |

Jaye Robin Brown is an early morning writer, a day-long high school art teacher, a night-time farmer, and an all-the-time free spirited animal lover. She lives with her family on a farm in western North Carolina, not too terribly far from the uber cool town of Asheville. She's way older than a teenager but has managed to hang onto youthful curiosity. She's prone to fits of giggles, bad puns, and sarcastic banter. She loves coffee, good books, her dogs' sweet bellies, and time spent with friends. Most folks call her JRo. You can, too.

Her Young Adult novel, NO PLACE TO FALL, sold to Harper Collns in a two-book deal and is scheduled to be released sometime in 2014

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More

3xA MA: CJ Redwine

I feel like authors deserve so much from the readers. I believe that authors are people who really connect with us. It was actually an author who I "sorta" owe my life to. Authors and their words make us feel and they can help us.
In this event, I want to get to know the authors. I’d like to get interviews or blog posts about THEM in connection to their book. Who is the mind behind each author?

For each post, I leave links to connect with the author. Please take the time to use one of those links and leave a message for each author, if you can. It can be towards the book or it can be something as easy as “I love the post you wrote on Out of Time! <33”

CJ Redwine is the author of Defiance and Deception! I first talked to her when she was recommending me sites that were for emotional help. I was in a ...mood and I really still do remember her tweeting me a couple links. They helped so much. <33

1. Any pets? Descriptions please!
I have two cats and a dog. The dog is a huge black Chow with a purple tongue. He looks scary, but he's nothing but a teddy bear. (Unless you're the UPS man. Then you're dead.) One of my cats, Jack (named after Captain Jack Sparrow) is a bobtailed tuxedo who weighs 18 lbs. With no long tail to help balance out his appearance, he basically looks like a watermelon with legs. He's cuddly and has a really loud purr, but he's terrified of strangers so no one outside our family ever sees him. And our last cat is Sam, otherwise known as She Who Will Rule The World. She's a gorgeous calico who runs the dog, the other cat, and absolutely anyone who walks in our door.

2. I'm on a Marina and the Diamonds kick right now. What's your favorite band?
I don't have a favorite! I have really diverse musical taste--everything from Shinedown to In This Moment to Bebo Norman to One Direction to instrumental soundtracks. I have huge playlists built on Spotify. I have one for every project I've written and one for each of the projects currently taking shape inside my head. I have a dance playlist. An inspirational one. Instrumental. Rock ... you get the picture. I have songs for every mood.

3. Are you messy or organized?
I'm generally pretty organized, but my house is often messy because I have four kids and deadlines.

4. Favorite subject when you were in school?
English (back in the day, that's what Language Arts was called) and History.

5. Were you involved with any clubs/teams/activities after school as a kid/teen?
I was a cheerleader for two years, participated in an award-winning marching band, did musical theater and touring choir, and entered local and state writing and music contests.

6. Can you cook? 
I can! I love to cook. It's fun to make up new recipes and find new family favorites.

7. If you wrote Nonfiction, what would you write about?
I can't even ... I tried to come up with an answer but everything that came into my head (llamas! medieval times! space exploration!) all turned into fictionalized stories (THE DAY LLAMAS TOOK OVER THE UNIVERSE. MY JOURNEY BACK TO MEDIEVAL TIMES AND HOW I SHOWED THEM CORRECT PERSONAL HYGIENE. LOST IN SPACE WITH BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH AND DEAN WINCHESTER.) and so I think it's best to say if I wrote non-fiction it would be a writing manual on how to take non-fiction and turn it into fiction because really.

8. Pet unicorn or pet dinosaur?
OMG UNICORN.

9. Coloring inside or outside of the lines? And what color you'd use!
I always color inside the lines because I suck at art and desperately need the guidelines. And I can't pick just one color because it's kind of like music for me. I have TONS of pretty colored pens, crayons, markers, and pencils in my office because you never know when your To Do list will need to alternate between Aqua and Purple with pink stars next to the things that will blow up in your face if you don't do them NOW.

10. One word/writing concept that you'll never understand? I'll never understand irony. 
I don't know if there's a writing concept that I won't understand. I've taught writing for years and so most of it is embedded somewhere in my brain, but understanding isn't the same as executing, and I'm always striving to improve everything from word choice to world building.

11. If it's not too personal, why do you go by CJ Redwine and not by your first name (whatever that may be)?
CJ is my nickname, and because I have a public job and so does my husband, the more barriers I can put between my legal identity and the rest of the world, the safer I feel for both myself and my kids.

12. Pet peeve?
People chewing with their mouths open or licking their hands while they eat. PLEASE. STOP.

13. Tell us about your most recent (weird) dream!
I can't remember! I dream every night and sometimes it sticks with me for a little bit, but usually it disappears because my waking mind is so full of plot (usually I have 6-8 stories in there at once) that there's no room for other things.

OMG Unicorn too. I had so much fun writing up these questions. And I didn't even think I could love her anymore, but I do! Eep!

Enter the giveaway below! Thanks for checking out my blog and remember:  
Be kind to one another. - Ellen

CJ's Facebook | Goodreads | Goodreads for her Book | Twitter | Website |

C.J. Redwine loves fairy tales, lemon bars, and any movie starring Johnny Depp. She is the author of the Defiance trilogy, a post-apocalyptic fantasy from Balzer + Bray/Harper Collins. C.J. lives in Nashville with her husband, four kids, two cats, and one long-suffering dog. To learn more about C.J., visit her website at http://cjredwine.blogspot.com/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More

3xA MA: Sara B. Larson

I feel like authors deserve so much from the readers. I believe that authors are people who really connect with us. It was actually an author who I "sorta" owe my life to. Authors and their words make us feel and they can help us.
In this event, I want to get to know the authors. I’d like to get interviews or blog posts about THEM in connection to their book. Who is the mind behind each author?

For each post, I leave links to connect with the author. Please take the time to use one of those links and leave a message for each author, if you can. It can be towards the book or it can be something as easy as “I love the post you wrote on Out of Time! <33”

Nikki Wang (Fiction Freak, y'all) and I hosted the Defy Twitter Party! Sara's book is like a High Fantasy Mulan which is so cool! Sara and I discuss how awesome her characters are (especially Damien)! I first met her when I suggested a challenge idea for a giveaway! (Mock-cover contest).

Four Truths and a Lie - With Sara B. Larson

I’m excited to be here on the Out of Time blog today! To help get to know me a little bit better (outside of being an author) I thought it would be fun to play four truths and a lie. So here we go—can you guess which one is the lie?

1. I ran my first half marathon 4 months and 1 day after giving birth to my third baby.

2. I swam with sharks, stingrays, and dolphins (not at the same time) in Mexico on my honeymoon.

3. I used to own a Thoroughbred gelding, and I competed in Jumpers for years with him.

4. I took piano lessons for ten years because my parents wouldn’t let me quit until I turned 18.

5. I’ve been on five cruises in my life, including an 18-day European cruise when I was 16.

Can you guess the lie?

(It's in white below)
 
It’s #5! I’ve actually never been on a cruise. (Although I did got to Sweden and London when I was 16 with my family to visit my dad’s family and his birthplace.) All the rest of those are true! I can no longer run long distances (unless I want knee replacement surgery before 40) because I’m already getting arthritis, but I did run a few half marathons before the pain got too bad. I was hoping to begin training for my first marathon when I found out about the arthritis and was told to take up swimming or biking instead. Oh well! I miss my horse SO much—Jumpers was such a thrill! (That is the competition you see in the Olympics, where you are timed and the fences are really high, so you’re trying to jump them as fast as you can without knocking any bars down.) Though I was mad at my parents for not letting me quit piano as a teenager, now I am SO glad they didn’t. I love being able to play the piano as well as I can, and it’s because of their foresight to force me to keep going.

And hopefully someday soon, I will get the chance to go on a cruise for the first time!

Thanks for having me today, this was fun!

Whoo! I love these kinds of posts. They're TONS of fun! Woot woot!

Thanks for checking out my blog and remember:  
Be kind to one another. - Ellen 

Sara's Facebook | Goodreads | Goodreads for her Book | Twitter | Website |

I love writing, reading, and dessert--but the order varies by the day. I write books that have magic and romance and kick-butt girls and a whole lot more. My husband and I live in Utah with our three children. I write during naptime and the hours when most people are sleeping. My husband claims I should have a degree in "the art of multitasking." On occasion you will find me hiding in a bubble bath with a book and some Swedish Fish. I am represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary and my YA debut DEFY is coming Spring 14 from Scholastic!

Read More

3xA MA: Liz Czukas

I feel like authors deserve so much from the readers. I believe that authors are people who really connect with us. It was actually an author who I "sorta" owe my life to. Authors and their words make us feel and they can help us.
In this event, I want to get to know the authors. I’d like to get interviews or blog posts about THEM in connection to their book. Who is the mind behind each author?

For each post, I leave links to connect with the author. Please take the time to use one of those links and leave a message for each author, if you can. It can be towards the book or it can be something as easy as “I love the post you wrote on Out of Time! <33”

I was on the blog tour for Ask Again Later! I remember the story pretty well because it was really cool how it was 2 alternate realities! Those kinds of books are pretty newish and I was blown away by how pro (debut author), Liz Czukas is!

The Author Journey

I wrote my first story when I was nine. I thought that was something everyone did. Like everyone had spiral notebooks piled next to their beds full of handwritten stories. Even as a freshman in high school, I used to write little stories for my friends. One of my favorites was a spaghetti western where all the characters were people my best friend and I knew in real life. It was intentionally over the top and we still laugh about it to this day. It honestly wasn't until later in high school that I realized that no one else was really doing this sort of thing. And being high school, I figured that meant I was weird. So I stopped talking about writing. But I kept doing it in secret. There were still piles of spiral notebooks, but now they were hidden behind the headboard, or locked in my bottom desk drawer.

How secretive was I about it? Let me put it this way. I started dating my husband when I was a sophomore in high school, and he never knew I wrote stories until I was in graduate school. Yeah. You'd think I was actually hiding a tendency to murder people now and again instead of writing a few stories.

So what brought me from closeted hobby writer to professional? Ah, the Internet. I found a website where I could put up some of my early writing under an pen name and get feedback on it. It doesn't exist anymore, and no, I won't tell you my handle. There are some things that are best left in the past. But at the site, I was lucky enough to get thoughtful, intelligent, helpful feedback from some people who went on to become good friends. Friends who encouraged me to go the distance. To actually dip my toes into the terrifying world of querying literary agents. Friends who are still in my life, supporting me with unshakable enthusiasm.

To be honest, I still stumble all over myself when I have to talk about my writing with people in person. I can hardly believe anyone would be interested, much less impressed. It's only recently that I'm relaxing into a bit and I don't turn the color of a tomato when someone says, "So what do you do?"

I'm a writer. And I might even be ready to own it!

So I tried to be an author. I did it twice. And then I realized that I hated it. It's really not my thing. I like writing, but I don't like writing fiction. And even though I've realized that, I've come to appreciate authors like thirty billion times more because it's not an easy job. It's easy to write, but it isn't easy to write well.

Enter the giveaway below! Thanks for checking out my blog and remember:  
Be kind to one another. - Ellen

Liz's Facebook | Goodreads | Goodreads for her Book | Twitter | Website |

Liz Czukas is a freelance writer who lives outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ask Again Later is her first novel. She collects college degrees she doesn't use, types too loud, and always has a song stuck in her head. In high school, Liz did go to two proms but not at the same time.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Read More