Interview with YA Author Janine Spendlove

This month I am doing something a little different and posting an interview with Janine Spendlove, whom I have had the pleasure of knowing for quite sometime. I plan to something even more different, or is it really different since I have never done this before, is do a follow up interview with Janine next month for and with any questions you might have for her. If you do please post them in the comments by the first of May.

Davey

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Janine K. Spendlove is a KC-130 pilot in the United States Marine Corps. Her bestselling first novel, War of the Seasons, Book One: The Human, was published in June 2011 and her next novel, War of the Seasons, Book Two: The Half-blood, was released in June 2012. She’s also had several short stories published in various anthologies. A graduate from Brigham Young University in 1999 with a BA in History Teaching, she is an avid runner, enjoys knitting, playing Beatles tunes on her guitar, and spending time with her family. She resides with her husband and daughter in Washington, DC. She is currently at work on her next novel. Find out more at WarOfTheSeasons.com.

Why or what made you want to be a writer?

I'm a pilot in the United States Marine Corps and back in 2007 I was asked to contribute a few short stories of some of my flying experiences to an anthology. I did and they bought both stories that I wrote... I thought "hey, this is pretty cool..."

Then I read a novel & was very disappointed by the ending and took my first foray into writing fanfic to give the story the ending I thought it should have had.

That story led to others... and before I knew it I'd caught the writing bug and was writing original fiction. 

Do you have a day job or do you write full time?

I have two 24/7 jobs. First and foremost I'm a wife/mother; additionally, as mentioned above I'm also a U.S. Marine. Neither one of these is a "day job" by any definition I can think of. ;)

Tells us about your series

The first book in the War of the Seasons trilogy, The Human, introduces Story, a strong female lead who happens to quite literally fall into another world and land herself smack dab in the middle of a centuries long conflict between the fairies and elves. As it turns out she is the deciding factor, and her choices determine the fate of a dying racing. It's got action, adventure, romance, magic, and a story that appeals to all ages.

The Half-blood  picks up six months later. Story finds herself once again on a quest and along the way she must face the consequences of her previous choices and battle with enemies both old and new while she races against time. 

The final book in the trilogy, The Hunter is the culmination of a millennia of prophecy, where everyone in Ailionora must fight to hold the Winter King at bay, and prevent Chaos from being unleashed. The existence of all hangs in the balance.

What inspired you to write your series?

If you own a copy of War of the Seasons: The Human and you look at the dedication you’ll see it’s “For Will.”

Who was Will?

William Harrell Snell was born on March 26, 1990 and died in a car accident on Aug 4, 2008.

He was a very dear part of my life and I was having a very difficult time dealing with his death, so I turned to writing. If you'd like to learn a little more about Will I have a blog post here:

http://www.ailionora.com/2012/03/26/why-i-wrote-war-of-the-seasons-happy-birthday-will-tk8432/

What advice would you give to a new writer trying to become an author?

To kind of quote Dory from Finding Nemo "Just keep writing, just keep writing..."

Seriously. It's the only way you'll ever get better. And when people give you constructive criticism, don't get defensive - listen to what they have to say. They may have a point, and what could it hurt to give what they are suggesting a try? If it doesn't work you can always go back to the way it was. 

Do you have any hobbies besides writing?

So very many. I love to run, with 1/2 marathons being my favorite race distance, though I have raced everything from a 200 mile road relay down to a 1 mile dash. Running keeps me sane & is perfect for when I've got some writer's block. Additionally I love to knit, play my guitar, make costumes, and though I haven't done it in years I desperately want to pick up quilting again. Some day when I have the time... 

What is one question you have never been asked but wanted to be asked and answer?

Who is my favorite Beatle?

Paul. Forever Paul. 

To Blog or Not To Blog

 

When you first start out as an author or a writer who wants to be an author, you are told some things about what you need to do to reach out to readers, agents and publishers.

Number ONE on the list is to have a BLOG. When I started my blog, I felt really weird about it. What the hell do I have to say that people want to know about? I guess that's a weird thought since I'm an author, so I must think I have something people want to know about. But what do people want to know about me PERSONALLY? Beyond that, why would they care?

Will people even read my posts? And worst of all- WHAT do I write about?

So far I've gotten away with talking about writing, talking about my books and hosting other authors for cover reveals and interviews. It doesn't feel very inspired to me. Not the way my writing does and it makes me wonder if BLOGGING even makes a difference to readers and or people who just want to know more about you.

Of course, there is also some other advice about blogging. They say that if you can, you should also participate in a Group Blog, which is why you see my posts here and at YA Outside the Lines. Both of which I am honored to be a part of.

I view these Group Blogs as places where I really need to shine. Where I try at least to give valuable tidbits and thoughtful information and again I wonder: Is anyone reading this? Does anyone care? Am I helping people with what I say?

Seeing as I've been doing the blogging thing for over a year now on my personal blog and for six months on group blogs, I thought it might be fun to ask you what you think of authors or aspiring authors who blog.

Does it makes you like them more?

Do you read what they write?

Do their posts help you or inspire you and if so which type of posts?

Please share any thoughts you have on blogging with me in the comments.

Because, I'll be honest, I'm running out of ideas and motivation ;)...

The Butterfly Effect

So you've had the most blindingly, stunning idea hit you at 2am (yes, you noticed correctly, I used an adverb in the first sentence...sue me...a writer needs to put them somewhere!!!).  You spend the next few weeks battering away at the keyboard.  There is an open channel from you to the Great Muse Above and it feels like the story just writes itself.  It's as if your words can literally fly off the pages:

And then...

You read your story back two weeks later and your amazing butterfly has been stomped flat on the ground.  The story just doesn't read right.  Something doesn't click.  But what?  How can such a great plot, peopled with deep concepts and amazing characters be so...blah?

While you knew your story inside and out as you had that flash of inspiration, when you come back cold, a lot of the background information in your head is gone.  You just have the words on the page to work with.  And that is exactly what it's like for your reader.  They don't know your Muse's sparkling undertones and overtones.  They have only the words on the page.

But don't despair!  This is a GOOD sign.

For those who live always in the warm embrace of their Muse, it can be almost impossible to recognize WHEN your reader just can't feel what you feel.  So, if you are one of the lucky one's whose Muse does a runner the moment you put down the pen, just remember...this is the way of the butterfly.  It guides you to an amazing story, it leaves you cold, then gives you the chance to read your book as the reader does.

So use it to your advantage.  Don't fall into the trap of thinking "how did I think this is good, when it's really not?"  Instead, turn it around and think "I am so grateful I have the opportunity to work this story to where I can make it what I want it to be."  As they say...I was blind, and now I see...

May the butterflies be with...and away...from you.

Five Fun Facts about The Georgia Corbins and a Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Ali Philips never thought anything could be more devastating than the day Levi and Tucker Corbin, her two best friends—her only friends—moved away. Three years passed without a single phone call, text message, or email from them and she’s resolved to the fact that she will probably never see them again. Until one morning when she comes face-to-face with Levi Corbin in physics class. 

Little does she know, the Corbins have returned to Haldeen with only one thing on their minds: winning Ali’s heart. Ali soon finds herself in the middle of a love triangle she doesn’t want any part of. As she tries to reclaim the friendships she’s lost and to adjust to the unfamiliar feelings she’s having, she struggles with making the one decision that will forever change their lives: Levi or Tucker Corbin? 

She’s always had a special bond with Tucker and feels most comfortable when she’s with him. But Levi brings her to life in a way she didn’t think was possible and makes her feel things she didn’t think she would ever feel. Torn between the two, Ali is certain of only one thing–by the time it’s over, she’ll lose one of her best friends.

 

Guest post

THE GEORGIA CORBINS was my first attempt at writing a young adult romance and boy was it a lot of fun to write! I often ask myself why writing this YA was so much fun compared to writing adult contemporaries. Even though I don't have a concrete answer, I think it's because this book brought me back to my roots. There is so much of "me" in this book I'm sure when my friends and family read it they will be shaking their heads. (I'm sorry in advance!)  So, I thought it would be fun to share some fun facts with all of you.

1.      The fictional small town of Haldeen, Georgia, where the story is set, is very closely modeled on my hometown of Mexico, New York.

2.      Old Man Potter's swimming hole that is the setting for some very hot kissing scenes is based on a small river around the corner from where I grew up. I used to swim in that river a lot as a kid.

3.      Before deciding on the name Tucker I had considered Logan, Cody, and Luke. Tucker was suggested by a close friend of mine and I fell in love with it immediately.

4.      This book was rejected twelve times before it was finally accepted by Entranced Publishing. (It just goes to show how persistence can pay off.)

5.      I hand wrote this entire novel in green notebooks in a matter of three months over the summer. (It is much easier to sit outside with my kids with a notebook and pen as opposed to a laptop.)

 

 About Kara

 

 

   

Born and raised in the small town of Mexico, New York, Kara was an only child who was forced to find ways to entertain herself. Playing make believe with her Barbie dolls and stuffed animals was her first real taste of storytelling before she became old enough to develop a love affair with the written word.

In early 2010, Kara picked up her very first erotic romance novel, and she was instantly hooked. She loves to write contemporary romance, erotica, and young adult romance. Currently she has several full-length novels in the works, a series of novellas, and a handful of short stories. Kara is an active member of the CNY Creative Writers Café and the CNY Romance Writers.

Today, Kara resides in New Haven, New York with her husband, five kids, and three cats. When she's not reading or writing, she's thinking about reading and writing. And when she's not doing that, she's spending time with her family and friends.

 

Website: www.karaleighmiller.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaraLeighMille1

Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaraLeighMiller

 

Giveaway – Open Internationally

 

Add The Georgia Corbins to your Goodreads shelf for your chance to win an eCopy. The winner will be announced on Kara’s blog 06/10/13. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Going Down the Rabbit Hole...Or Tying Something New

I have always been an avid paranormal fan. I liked vampires before Mr. I Sparkle and Have Wild Hair came around. So it seemed only natural that I would write paranormal fiction. I never dreamed or even thought of writing anything else. In elementary school, they had "Publishing Wednesdays" where we could go into the library, have a parent type up our stories, and then make little books out of them. All of mine had some sort of otherworldly aspect.

Lately, though, I've been brainstorming ideas outside of my paranormal comfort box and I'm rather excited. One of the most important things to do as a writer is grow and grow and grow. Each story should challenge you and make you think in ways you've never thought before. And that's what's happening now. It's scary, though, because I don't know if I can keep a plot rolling without paranormal tension, haha. I suppose we'll see! It's a slow process so far, but that makes it even more exciting. These new characters are slowly revealing themselves and their stories, and while I wait for them to divulge everything, I'm fine tuning my style and voice and becoming a better writer. I may not be getting much done, but at least I'm growing.

So what is it that I'm working on? Well, that's a secret I'll never tell (Gossip Girl reference!). I will say, though, that I've been re-reading Delirium by Lauren Oliver and just started Tumble and Fall by Alexandra Coutts. Are you sensing a theme? ;-)

Fellow writers: How is your writing going? Have you written anything that you never thought you would write? Let me know, and remember: Be proud, write loud.

~DJ

P.S. ~ I've been asking everyone this, but has anyone used Spreecast? Do you like it?

Mundane: The Cure for Melodrama

Melodrama -noun : A dramatic form that does not observe the laws of cause and effect and that exaggerates emotion and emphasizes plot or action at the expense of characterization.

Time for a dose of reality: It's easy to write melodrama.

No matter what genre you're writing (with the possible exception of those books my grandmother used to devour), melodrama is a curse. It's the mark of an amateur.

The good news is, there are some very straightforward antidotes to melodrama. A couple years ago, when I'd just finished my first draft of my first book and submitted it my writers group, a generous published author offered to read for me. I told her I knew my prologue was melodramatic, but wasn't sure how to fix it.

Her wise words:

"...To handle melodrama, surround it with the familiar--the totally solid and completely real."

Now, years down the line, I understand what that really means: Frame the potentially melodramatic with the utterly mundane.

- When a romantic character is steeped in the emotion of a possible betrayal, use stark language to describe their state of mind and place them in the kitchen. While they analyze the heart-wrenching relationship they're in, step the reader through their process of preparing a cup of coffee.

- When the characters in your fantasy novel are preparing for war, place the General in the bedroom. Let him Gird His Loins literally as he does it figuratively. Let the reader see King Whasisname putting his pants on one leg at a time.

- When Psychopathic-Serial-Killer targets Cool-But-Damaged-Cop, let the confrontation occur at a time and place any reader could feasibly experience. (Patricia Cornwell's protagonist was once attacked by a killer posing as a delivery man for the airport. He returned the 'lost' suitcase that rated barely a mention in the earlier chapter).

I'm simplifying here, to make the point. But you see what I'm aiming at: When events, emotions or dialogue are dramatic, surround them with the mundane and boring. Anchor them in reality.

Use the mundane to your advantage and the melodramatic can become the compelling.

Your Turn: What techniques do you use to identify and minimize melodrama?