Talking with Natasha House

I'm happy to have Natasha House with us today. She's here to tell us a little about herself and talk about her children's book, Superhero Princess and the Curse of the Rainbow Fairy. First, a little about the book:
Zara is your typical fairy tale princess, blonde, gorgeous and awaiting her prince charming. Except for one thing, she's been cursed with super powers. You'd think flying fast, being strong, and the ability to attract small, fuzzy creatures would be awesome right? Wrong! Join Zara as she fights zombie carrots, evil mermaids, and dragons with attitudes.

Everything changes when a new boy named Gunner enrolls in her school. He accepts her for who she is, which Zara has never encountered. Suddenly, magical eggs from various monsters around the kingdom start to go missing. It's up to Zara to discover who is stealing these monster eggs and why.


How long have you been writing, and how did you start?
I have been writing for eighteen years. I started writing when I was twelve years old. We had a school assignment for class, and I wrote my entire book in one setting. My teacher was astounded!  That book earned me a ticket to the young authors.

What do you like best about writing?
I love the thrill of where the story will go. I’m not a planner, so the story just goes its own crazy path!  I love the characters too. In Superhero Princess I love her sense of humor.

What’s your least favorite thing?
My least favorite thing is the rereading and editing. I think I read my book, Citizen one hundred times!

How did you come up with the title of your book?
Superhero Princess and the Curse of the Rainbow Fairy was easy because Zara is a superhero and she was cursed as a baby by the Rainbow Fairy.

Do you have another job outside of writing? 
Yes!  Though I wish I didn’t. I’m a department manager in a retail store. It can be really tiring and stressful, but my writing gives me hope that perhaps one day I can do something else I love.

How would you describe your book in a tweet? (140 characters or less.)
Zara is a superhero princess. When monster eggs go missing in her kingdom it's up to her to find out who is stealing them and why. 

Good job--you did it with eight to spare! How did you create the plot for this book?
My plots always develop as I write. I think I wanted to put Zara through some pretty tough situations and surprise people with how things turned out for her.

You said you’re not a planner, so you must write by the seat of your pants. Do you let your characters tell you what to write? 
I do write by the seat of my pants, which can be horrible and fun at the same time. I’ve had people tell me ideas, and I suddenly lose interest in my story and stop writing. I learned to just let it do what it wants!

Great job! What books have you read more than once or want to read again? 

I love The Oath by Frank Peretti. I think I’ve read it over a dozen times. I think it’s because he grabs my attention right in the beginning and keeps me interested the whole way through. 

What’s your favorite line from a book?"No one smells like wet grass; get a grip Alex," from The Awakening.

Oh! That's so cool--I know the author of The Awakening, Apryl Baker! Tell us a book you’re an evangelist for. 
I found a fellow Indie author, Krystal George, who sent me a free copy of her book The Willows. I boast about it all the time. It’s excellent!

Have you ever bought any books just for the cover? 
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff. I loved that book! It was so unique from any book I’ve ever read. 

What do you do to market your book?  

I’m on Facebook, Book Blogs, Twitter, a local bookstore, and word of mouth.

Do you have imaginary friends? 

I don’t actually have any, which is a horrible tragedy for me.  I do have things that I “hear” like a phrase someone says and it gives me ideas for books.  So maybe I do…

How do you get to know your characters? 

I think about what they might be like or say and write it. Zara is very sarcastic, and I guess I enjoy a good sense of humor. I would be Zara’s friend even if she broke my couch.

Do you have a favorite of your characters?

In Superhero Princess I would say either Zara or her dad. It’s hard to decide. Zara is sarcastic, and her dad is just a big goofball. He reminds me of my own dad.

When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be?
No. I just sort of add them as they come. Some of my characters are really off the wall.


Which character did you most enjoy writing?
I love Zara. She’s so much fun, and her outtake on life is pretty positive, despite how she’s been an outcast because of her super powers.

I’m constantly on the lookout for new names. How do you name your characters? 
Honestly, some of them just come to me. I thought I made Zara up. Other ones I look up in baby name websites like Gunner.

What would Zara say about you?
I think she would say I’m fun, personable, and also like my quiet time. I love being around people, but I need space to think. 

Are any of your characters inspired by real people?
I think Zara’s dad, King Ben, is a lot like my own dad. He’s got a great relationship with his daughter and loves to be silly with her. 

Are you like any of your characters?

I think I’m like Zara in some ways.
How so? 
Because I always had a hard time making many friends.  I had a few growing up, but because I’m not super outgoing it was harder for me. I also love to be goofy with people and sarcastic in the right moments. 

I like writing characters who do and say things I never would, as well as characters who do and say things I wish I could. Do you have characters who fit into one of those categories? 

In a series I wrote when I was sixteen, I based a character off myself who was bold, daring, and completely outgoing. She was what I wished I could be in every way.  

Did you have any say in your cover art? I made the cover (blush). After several attempts at drawing Cupcake, Zara’s pet unicorn, I got a decent looking one. I really like it actually! Cupcake is one of my favorite characters.

Great job! If you could be one of your characters, which one would you choose?  

Cupcake, Zara’s pet unicorn, because eating cotton candy for dinner would be epic. Plus, she farts rainbows, who wouldn’t want that?

I think I might actually pass on that! With which of your characters would you most like to be stuck on a deserted island?
Zara!  She could fly us out of there!

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.
I think my favorite scene is with Prince Ellie. He’s so extremely weird. For one with a name like Prince Ellie, who wouldn’t be weird?  Princess Zara gets set up by her mother to visit him at his house. He suddenly becomes some crazy plant dude who tries to squeeze the life out of her. 

What song would you pick to go with your book?
The hamster song.  


What are your favorite books or favorite authors?
a) as a child: I really liked Nancy Drew and Babysitter club books. I read like all the babysitter books and had most of them. 

b) as a teenager: I enjoyed the Narnia books, the Uglies series. 

c) as an adult: My favorites are the Death and Life of Superman, the replacement, and lots of other books.


Which author would you most like to invite to dinner, and what would you fix me? I mean, him. Or her.
You of course! I also would probably invite Ted Dekker. He has a crazy imagination. I would fix him and you a pesto chicken pizza. Mostly because I just learned how to make it!


What book are you currently reading and in what format (ebook/paperback/hardcover)?
I am reading two, currently.  Conduit and Tales of Aradia.  I’m reading them on my Kindle. I love that thing!


How do you handle criticism of your work?
I think I handle it okay, but I tend to take things to heart. I can be a little bit sensitive about my writing. I haven’t had too much negative input though.



Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
I write at a bookstore on my lunch break.  I seem to focus the best for that hour. Plus I love my millionaire mocha! 

Where’s home for you?
Traverse city, Michigan

Tell us one weird thing, one nice thing, and one fact about where you live.
A weird thing is an old state hospital closed down over thirty ago and they just released the crazy people into the streets. The state hospital now has shops, apartments and restaurants built in it. It’s pretty creepy and cool. 

A nice thing about where I live is the beaches.  I have always loved our lakes. 

A fact would be that we are the cherry capital of the world.


Do you ever get writer’s block?
Yes!  It’s so frustrating when that happens.

What do you do when it happens?I usually just talk with my writer friends and set the story aside for a bit. I’ve found if I force myself to write it usually turns out like crap.

Is there anything in particular that you do to help the writing flow? Music? Acting out the scene? Long showers?  

As goofy as it is, a good action movie. As a teenager I would run upstairs after watching Batman or Spiderman. I don’t know why that helped, but it did!

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
“The brave don’t live forever, but the cautious don’t live at all.”

Is that from The Princess Diaries? I think it is. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Hanging out with friends, crafting, and singing.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Here!  I love where I live.  The only thing I’d change is the snow.  I don’t care for that too much.


If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Ireland.  I’d love to see castles.


Me too! What are you working on now?
Superhero Princess and the Well of Madness. It’s almost finished! I also have a fantasy novel I’m currently working on.

I hope you'll come back and tell us about them when they're published. Thank you so much for being here, Natasha!

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Taste Excerpt

Kate is offering a free eBook to one lucky winner. Leave a comment for a chance to win.

From the back cover:

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

 

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn't realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

And now, an excerpt from Taste, by Kate Evangelista:

I sat up and followed Calixta’s gaze upward. I rubbed my eyes. I didn’t know what I was seeing at first. A statue? My brain refused to snap together coherent thoughts.  I didn’t realize I’d fallen so close to one of the garden benches until I stared up at the boy that sat on one. He was strikingly beautiful. His tumble of blonde hair curled just above his sculpted cheekbones. He wore a silk shirt and a loosened cravat, like he’d become bored while dressing and decided to leave himself in disarray. His ivory skin and frozen position was what had me mistaking him for something carved from marble by Michelangelo. Then he sighed—a lonely, breathy proof of life. If I had to imagine what Lucifer looked like before he fell from heaven, the boy on the bench would certainly fulfill that image. My brain told me I had to look away, but I couldn’t.

“Luka,” Calixta said again, her voice unsure, almost nervous. It no longer contained the steel and bite she had threatened me with, which made me wonder who the boy was.

He leaned on his hands and crossed his legs, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on the night sky. His movements spoke of elegance and control. I’d encountered many people with breeding before, but his took on the air of arrogance and self-assuredness of someone used to getting what he wanted when he wanted it.

I only realized I’d been holding my breath when my lungs protested. I exhaled. My heart sputtered and restarted with a vengeance. Luka tore his gaze away from the stars and settled it on me. I’d expected pitch-black irises, like the other Night Students, but blue ice stared back at me.

“Human,” he whispered.

He reached out, and with a finger, followed an invisible trail down my cheek. I stiffened. His touch, cooler than Demitri’s, caused warm sparks to blossom on my face. He lifted his finger to his lips and licked its tip. He might as well have licked me from the way my body shivered.

Luka’s curious gaze held mine. “Leave us,” he said, but not to me.

“But—” Calixta protested like a spoiled child.

He spoke in a language I hadn’t heard before, remaining calm yet firm. The words had a rolling cadence I couldn’t quite follow, like rumbling thunder in the distance. They contained a harsh sensuality. The consonants were hard and the vowels were long and lilting.

Footsteps retreated behind me.

Luka reached out again.

It took me a minute to realize he wanted to help me up. I hesitated. He smiled. I smiled back timidly and took his hand, completely dazzled. Even with my uniform soaked from melted snow, I didn’t feel cold—all my attention was on him and the way his callused hand felt on mine. Without moving much from his seated position, he helped me stand.

“What’s your name?” he asked. He had a voice like a familiar lullaby. It filled my heart to the brim with comfort.

I swallowed and tried to stop gawking. “Phoenix.”

“The bird that rose from the ashes.” Luka bent his head and kissed the back of my hand. “It’s a pleasure meeting you.”

My cheeks warmed. My head reeled, not knowing what to think. I couldn’t understand why I felt drawn to him. And the strange connection frightened me.

From behind, someone gripped my arms and yanked me away before I could sort out the feelings Luka inspired in me. I found myself behind a towering figure yet again. Recognizing the blue-black silk for hair tied at the nape, relief washed over me. Calixta hadn’t come back to finish me off.

Demitri’s large hand wrapped around my wrist. Unlike the night before, no calm existed in his demeanor. He trembled like a junky in need of a fix. The coiled power in his tense muscles vibrated into me.

“What are you doing here?” Demitri asked.

I didn’t know he’d spoken to me until I saw his expressionless profile. I sighed.

“Phoenix.”

I flinched. The ruthless way he said my name punched all the air out of me. “You owe me answers,” I said with as much bravado as I could muster.

“I owe you nothing.” He glared. “In fact, you owe me your life.”

“I don’t think so.”

Ignoring my indignation, he faced Luka, who’d remained seated on the bench during my exchange with Demitri. “Why is she with you, Luka?”

“I wasn’t going to taste her, if that’s what you’re implying,” Luka said. “Although, she is simply delicious. I wouldn’t mind if you left us alone.”

There it was again. Taste. The word that kept coming up between these Night Students and I was connected to it in an increasingly uncomfortable way. To taste meant to sample, but what? My flesh? They had to be joking because the alternative wasn’t funny.

“The sins of the father …” Demitri left his sentence unfinished.

Luka’s smile shifted into a snarl. “Obey my command.” His chin lifted. “Kneel.”

Demitri’s stance went rigid. His grip tightened around my wrist.

Okay, weird just got weirder. Why would Luka want Demitri to kneel before him? I thought back to Eli and the others bowing to Demitri when he questioned them, but they didn’t kneel. Seriously? Were they all living on a different planet or something?

“Kneel.” Luka’s detestable smirk made his features sinister rather than angelic. The real Lucifer: a fallen angel.

Without letting go of my wrist, Demitri knelt down on one knee and bowed his head, his free hand flat at the center of his chest. “Your command has been obeyed,” he said formally.

Luka nodded once.

Demitri stood up and pulled me toward the school without telling me where we were going. Not having the time to thank Luka for saving me from Calixta, I risked a glance back. Luka smiled at me. His smile spoke of whispers, secrets, and promises to be shared on a later date.

Meet the author:
When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. She is the author of Taste, Reaping Me Softly, Til Death, and Impulse. To learn more about Kate, please visit her website or follow her on Twitter, or scroll down to read an interview with her.

Eight with Kate

Kate Evangelista is my guest today. Kate is the author of Taste, a YA paranormal romance. Kate is giving away an ecopy of the book. If you'd like a chance to win it, leave a comment at the bottom of the interview.

About the book:

At Barinkoff Academy, there’s only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

What would your main character say about you?
That I need more hands and a second body because I’m too busy to devote all my time to typing up his or her story. Basically, to all my characters, I’m a glorified typist and their personal slave. *laughs*

I can relate. If you could be one of your characters, which one would you choose?
I think I would want to be RC, from my fourth YA novel entitled IMPULSE. She drives my dream car, a Shelby GT500KR, and she’s the most kick-ass character I’ve ever encountered so far.

With which of your characters would you most like to be stuck on a deserted island?That would be Luka from Taste. I’m half in love with him already. I believe he can take care of me and make me laugh all at the same time. A deserted island would be fun with him there.

Who are your favorite authors?When it comes to romance, my favorite author is Lisa Kleypas. Every time she has something new out, I drop everything to grab a copy, and no matter what I’m reading at that moment I stop to prioritize hers.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?
I’m currently reading Dream Lake by Lisa Kleypas on my Kindle Fire. I’ve recently switched from “real” books to ebooks, and so far I’m totally enjoying myself.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?I have this little nook on my balcony. The makeshift table made of a marble countertop and a white vase is the right height for writing. The iron chair is surprisingly comfortable to sit in. I call this place my writing cave, and I usually enter it after lunch.

Where’s home for you? I’m from the Philippines. I live up in the mountains smack dab in the middle of a mango grove where the chirping of birds serve as my alarm clock in the morning and the songs of frogs are my lullaby at night. Add to that a cobalt kingfisher that uses the pool more than I do, and I’ve just described my home.  

Sounds wonderful. Do you like houseguests? Just kidding. If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go? (Don’t worry about the money. Your publisher is paying.
I want to go to Ireland. In fact, I have this dream of renting a cottage there for a month and just write. Oh my gosh! I have the exact same dream! Wouldn’t that be so cool?

Maybe I might meet a handsome pub owner who will sweep me off my feet. If this sounds like a Nora Roberts plot to you, it is. *giggles*

One can dream…thank you for chatting with us today, Kate. 
 
About Kate:
When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn’t going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master’s courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she has four completed Young Adult novels.

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Talking with Bella Harte

Bella Harte is the guest today on A Blue Million Books. Bella is here to talk about her new YA paranormal romance novel, Scarlett Phoenix-–Book I in The Seraphoenix Series.

About the book: 
"She is the only one of her kind, he is her last hope."

Scarlett Paige is just a regular teenager until her parents suddenly decide move to back to America after living in England for the past 17 ½ years. Thrust into a new school, a new town, and a whole new way of life, things can't seem to get any worse until her 18th birthday arrives. 

Her world as she knows it is irrevocably changed by a set of life-threatening complications when she discovers her true identity, that she is The Phoenix, the only one of her kind, a hybrid human being with supernatural powers beyond mortal imagination. But she is untrained, and unable to use her mystical powers without guidance and training from The Seraphoenix Angels.

Worse still, two mysterious and powerful Angel brothers are looking for her. One to save her and one to kill her. Who will win?

Scarlett finds herself amidst a battle that’s been waged since the beginning of time, as she discovers the disturbing truth that Angels aren't always good! One brother has a terrible plan to rid the world of humanity, while the other strives to save it, and Scarlett is caught smack in the middle, as both the Angels need her Phoenix powers to accomplish their goals.

Will she become a pawn in their schemes, as she is thrown into total chaos and plunged into an entirely different future and one that is utterly unexpected?
There are fatal consequences she never saw coming. Beings she never knew existed, and homicidal demon creatures that she wished never existed at all, are conspiring to change her life forever!


Scarlett Phoenix is the jumping off point for this exciting new YA PNR series ~ The Seraphoenix Saga.


Welcome, Bella, thanks for being here. How long have you been writing?
It seems like forever right now, but seriously I’ve been writing novels for over a decade. I’ve always written in some capacity or another, whether short stories or comedic sketches, before finally taking the plunge and heading into the ‘uncharted novel territory.’

What do you like best about writing?
My favourite thing about writing is finishing the first and final drafts.

What’s your least favorite thing?
My least favourite thing is the seemingly endless rounds of editing. Obviously this is the most important aspect of writing a novel, but it can be rather a fun-killer at times, especially if something isn’t working and a whole section needs a rewrite. But really in all fairness, writing is one of the most awesome things you can do, and no job is all peaches and cream. Hard work comes with the territory.

How did you come up with the title of your book?
It just popped into my head one day while I was, of all things, painting my garden gates and that was it...I was sold on the title and leapt (more like tripped) to the computer and began to write in a total frenzy as the words just poured out.

Do you have another job outside of writing?
Yes I do! The day job is accounting and office admin, and as much as I love my job job, I would love to write full time.

Another accountant. Wow. There are a lot of your left and right brain people out there. How would you describe your book in a tweet? (140 characters or less.)
Scarlett Phoenix  - She is the only one of her kind, he is her last hope!

Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?
No major outlines, but I do have a rough idea of where I want the story to go and what the characters need/should be doing and how they act.  Usually the story unfolds as I write, so I guess you could say that ‘by the seat of my pants’ is my way.

When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be?
I usually know the main character and a few close supporting characters. But I always like to leave room for the unexpected, as you never know who you might need for some dastardly deed in a one-time only scene. So the answer is no, I never know the entire cast, only the important ones.

I’m constantly on the lookout for new names. How do you name your characters?
I love gathering names. I can be inspired from reading a newspaper to hearing something on the TV or radio. I like to research the meaning of names I’ve chosen to make sure that they are a perfect fit for the character. If not, then the hunt begins again.

What would your main character say about you?
What would Scarlett say about me? I think she would say: “Nice hair, that’s my favourite colour!”

Are any of your characters inspired by real people?
No, they are all total figments of my imagination…

Who are your favorite authors?
a) as a child:
C.S. Lewis, Roald Dahl, etc… 

b) as a teenager:
Douglas Adams, Carolyn Keene, JRR Tolkien, etc…
c) as an adult:
 Terry Pratchett, Tom Holt, John Grisham, as well as a whole host of YA Authors: Becca Fitzpatrick, Lauren Kate, Jana Oliver, Melissa Marr, Richelle Mead, Bree Despain,  Lili St. Crow just to name a few.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?
Black Rose by J.T. Schaad on my Kindle. 


Do you have a routine for writing? Do you work better at night, in the afternoon, or in the morning? 
Night is my first preference being more a night owl, but I’ll take any opportunity if it’s quiet and I know I won’t be disturbed.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
I like to write whenever and wherever I can, so most days, evenings and even at work (Sshhhhh – don’t tell the boss - LOL!!)

Your secret is safe with me! Tell us one weird thing, one nice thing, and one fact about where you live.
Weird: My house is haunted.
Nice: It’s a lovely quiet village – most of the time.
Fact: There are no shops.

Sounds wonderful, even the haunted part. What three books have you read recently and would recommend? 
Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
Gift by Andrea J. Buchanan  
Airel by Aaron Patterson

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? 
On an island far far away…I’ve always been intrigued by Bora Bora. The name is awesome, just saying it makes you smile!

If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go? (Don’t worry about the money. Your publisher is paying. ) 
Bora Bora! LOL

What are you working on now?
The Angel of Death Series–-Book I Reaper. So that’s going to keep me very busy till Christmas.

Good luck with it. Thank you, Bella for talking to us and letting us get to know you. Best of luck with Scarlett Phoenix!

About Bella:
Bella Harte has been writing for well over a decade and completed several novels before deciding to go in a whole new direction and write for the Young Adult genre. More specifically, the YA PNR-–Young Adult Paranormal Romance category.

Her first published YA Novel is Scarlett Phoenix--Book I in The Seraphoenix Saga, with Book II, Crimson Fire, being schedule for release in early 2013 and Book III, Red Ashes for later in the year.

She has also been working on two other YA PNR series:

The Angel of Death Series
Book I – Reaper     Book II – Touched     Book III – Afterlife

Nine Lives Series
Book I – The Glaring    Book II – Midnight Calling     Book III - Hunters Moon
  
Aside from writing, Bella has worked as a fashion designer, interior designer, artist, and currently she is figuring out ways to best market her novels. She attended Business College after leaving school, followed by Art College, where she studied ceramics, fashion design, pattern cutting, textiles, and art. 

She has a solid business background and has worked for a World-Wide Export Company which enabled her to travel to far off places around the globe and enjoy a wide and varied cross section of cultures.  

Bella says of the future: No one can predict what’s around the corner, but the journey will be a fascinating one to say the least, and I always expect the unexpected!

Find Bella:
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Yvonne Wang Answers Eight With Amy

My guest today is Yvonne Wang, author of Bridge Across The Land. Yvonne is a writer, financial analyst, and Kung Fu medalist. Born in China, 
she came to the United States as a teenager. In 2011 she graduated from University 
of Southern California with a degree in Business Administration. In the past few 
years she worked at The Walt Disney Company, Merrill Lynch, and Yuno Inc. 

As a foreign born writer living in Los Angeles, Yvonne dedicates much of her time 
contemplating and extracting memories from her multicultural background and 
historical Asian knowledge base to develop and constantly create rich 
storylines. Her storytelling brings out exquisite depictions of the environment 
along with vivid physical appearances and the martial actions of the characters to create visual impact through 
her eyes. Thus, her novels are known as "books that read like movies."

About Bridge Across The Land:
When Angela, a woman of humble status, is revealed to be a lost Mongolian princess, she becomes the lynchpin in a plot for a warrior, Tianyin, to take down the entire Mongolian empire.

Welcome, Yvonne. Can you start off by telling us how you started writing?
I started to write at an early age. My mother was into literature, so I randomly picked up books from her desk. I read with her, book after book, and eventually started my first novel written with a pencil. The plots went back and forth and each chapter was so short. However, my mother encouraged me to go on, and I found my passion in creating stories.

Since then, I kept reading, writing, and learning literature. As pages built up, so was my ability to create a memorable story. In the past 17 years I finished three major fictions, one screenplay, and other short stories. Bridge Across The Land was created after all those “practices,” and it also took years to complete.


How did you come up with the title of your book?
Bridge Across The Land indicates the continental connection between Europe and Asia. The story is based on the Mongolian invasion, when the cultures of the West and the Far East collide. East Asia and Europe have cultures that are so different, yet they are amazingly located on the same continent. Mongols fought on horseback, so they couldn’t have reached Europe if a gulf ever existed. Just like the King of Poland sighed in the fiction, “Why did the God connect us?”

Bridge Across The Land also implies the link between the inner self and the collective. In the book, the characters undergo an awakening by taking the journey from Europe to East Asia. The scenes they see and the struggles they endure enlighten their minds. From there, they started to question their beliefs. “Bridge across The Land” means seeing things from a new perspective (a new land) and the courage of thinking differently.

Do you have another job outside of writing?
Yes, I am a full-time financial analyst at Yuno Inc., a real estate company located in downtown Los Angeles. I do property valuation, financial projection, and oftentimes, client communication. I enjoy my position and see it as a source of inspiration. Each day we meet different clients and listen to their different stories. They have varying concerns and scenarios, all of which could contribute to my future writing.

As an analyst, I think in numbers during work, but as a writer, I think in vocabularies at home. My job gives me a balanced exercise of both sides of the brain. It makes me pursue logical and scientific answers in all of my books: does this deal work for the character? What’s the most efficient way to write this scene? Is this setting realistic? After all, I love being a financial analyst just like being an author.

Are you like any of your characters?
I think I have something in common with each of the characters. I am as stubborn as Angela, as proud as Alexander, as naive as Kyrigu, as honest as Wonbayer, and as willing to sacrifice as Tianyin. When I write a character, I go deep into their hearts and see the world through their eyes. This is how I understand them and am able to represent them. Overtime, I merge with my characters and learn from them too.

How do you handle criticism of your work?
To me there is no criticism, only reviews from different perspectives. As an author, I wish each reader would have their own interpretation of the story, and I appreciate each comment I receive, no matter if it is positive or negative.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
We have so many needs in our life, but at the end of the day, all we need is to be needed.
--unknown quote

What are you working on now?
I am working on a new contemporary fiction related to the Mafia. Well, it is not the classic Mafia type of story you always see. Or in other words, you don't have to classify it as a Mafia novel. The story is told from an innovative perspective, and it will lead you to a new world which no other Mafia movie or book has shown. Just like Bridge Across The Land, this new fiction would be a movie written in a book format, with elements of romance, martial arts, some mind-blowing, and more. It is 1/3 finished now, and I am taking my time to write it with my heart. I sincerely hope with my best efforts it would touch you one more time just like Bridge did.

Thank you for stopping in, Yvonne. Best of luck with Bridge Across The Land!



Yvonne's website
Facebook page
Blog in Chinese

Book excerpt from Wander Home

Wander Home's book blurb:
Death is what you make it...Eleanor never wanted to leave the daughter she loved so much. The overpowering urge to wander--to search without knowing what she sought--drove her away. She left little Cassidy in her family's loving care. But Cassidy and the others died in an accident before Eleanor could fine her way home. Cassidy has her grandparents and her Great-Grandma. And all of them have what may be eternity. Memories can be relived or shared. The wonders of the world they left behind are only a thought away. The one-way tyranny of aging is no more--a white-haired and stooped great-grandmother one moment can be a laughing young playmate the next. But nothing can ease Cassidy's longing for her mother, and Eleanor's parents know better than to hope that Eleanor's life has been a happy one. Now, they are all reunited, with the chance to understand and heal. But the restlessness that shaped Eleanor's life still haunts her in death. Somehow, she must solve the mystery of her life--or none of them will be at peace.



PREFACE



This book is set in an afterlife: what sort of afterlife, the reader may 
decide.





Chapter One



Cassidy stood tall and watched the wave approaching. Fifteen was a good age
for confronting the ocean. That morning she had been five years old, playing
happily in her sandbox;  from sand to beach, from beach to ocean waves,
seemed a natural progression.



The wave loomed above her, glowing turquoise and green. She dove under the
crest, through the surging water, and popped up behind the swell, bobbing in
the follower waves. The water held her and rocked her; over the hiss and
roar of the waves, she could hear the distant squawk of seagulls. All around
was the smell of seaweed and salt and sunshine.



Once, her mother had held her, carried her, rocked her, surrounded her with 
love and safety. She had no idea how long it had been, but she remembered.
 Remembering, she let herself slip younger as she floated on the swells. But 
larger waves were coming, so she grew again, six, ten, sixteen; then caught 
a wave and rode it into shore.



Her grandparents and her great-grandmother were waiting for her.
 Great-Grandma was young today, slim and blonde and straight, standing like a
 dancer just before the music starts. Grandma Sarah and Grandpa Jack had
 chosen to be older, gray-haired, with the comfortable look of a couple who
 for years have weathered each other's moods and followed each other's 
thoughts.



Cassidy ran up the beach toward them. She slipped to eight years old as she
 reached them, so Grandpa Jack could pick her up and toss her in the air. The 
sun flashed in her eyes as she flew up, and again as she fell back toward 
his hands. He set her down again and flopped onto the sand, patting the
 space next to him. She sat, folding her legs tailor fashion; Great-Grandma 
flowed gracefully down to sit on her other side. Only Grandma Sarah remained
 standing, younger now, her hair in a long red braid.



Grandpa Jack and Great-Grandma both put their arms around her. Cassidy 
looked at Grandpa Jack. He was blinking as if he had something in both his 
eyes. She swiveled around toward Great-Grandma; Great-Grandma nodded toward
 Grandma Sarah.



Cassidy threw her head back, looking up at Grandma Sarah and squinting in 
the sun. Grandma Sarah squatted down in front of her. "Cassie, love, we have
some news for you. Good, important news."



The seabirds were calling as if they wanted to be first with the message,
 whatever it was. Grandma Sarah leaned forward to kneel in the sand, reached 
out and took Cassidy's hands.


"It's your mother, sweetheart. She's coming. She'll be here soon. We'll all 
be seeing her again."



Cassidy felt herself getting smaller, small. She was two years old. She
 scrambled to her feet. "Mommy!"  Her own shrill voice frightened her, and 
she called even louder, twisting from side to side, searching the beach and
 the water. "Mommy!  MOMMY!"



Great-Grandma had slipped old, white hair shining in the sunlight, her
 cheeks pink, soft wrinkles in her face, smelling of flour. She pulled 
Cassidy close, crooning, "Hush, hush. It's all right, baby. Shhhh."  Cassidy
 burrowed against her and breathed the comforting scent. She thought she 
might feel better if she got big again, but nothing happened.



She heard Grandpa Jack speak. "Mama, Sarah, let's go somewhere cozier."
 Then the sun, the waves, the seabirds were all gone, and they were in 
Great-Grandma's living room. She was snuggled up next to Great-Grandma on 
the big shabby couch. There were shortbread cookies on the coffee table.
 Grandma Sarah sat on Grandpa Jack's lap in the big armchair, Grandpa Jack
 playing with Grandma Sarah's hair.



"Cassidy, honey, it's time to be a big girl. We have more to talk about."
 Great-Grandma stroked her cheek, then kissed it.



Cassidy squeezed her eyes tight. "I'm trying. It's hard. Why is it hard?" 



Grandpa Jack spoke. "Well, baby, you were just this age when your mama left.
 You're remembering it so hard, right now, that you're maybe a little stuck.
 Relax, honey, and know that everything's all right. It'll come."



Cassidy took a deep breath, and another, and another. Great-Grandma 
skootched away to give her room. Cassidy opened her eyes. She was thirteen
 years old. She reached for a cookie.



"There, that's better, isn't it?" Great-Grandma picked out a cookie for
herself and took a hearty bite.



"When will she be here?  When can I see her?"



Grandma Sarah brought Cassidy a glass of milk, then sat back down on Grandpa
Jack's lap. "Honey, those are two different questions. She'll be here very 
soon, and you can see her just a little while after that. It's going to be
-"



"Why can't I see her right away?" She didn't want to yell at Grandma Sarah, 
but she felt like yelling. It was always harder to be patient at thirteen. 
She slipped to twenty, but it felt wrong, too big, too grown up for a little 
girl missing her mother. She slid back to ten.



"Cassie, you were so young when you got here, only six years old. You
 weren't set in your ways yet - you expected to learn new things every day,
 to have adventures and surprises. Coming here was just another and bigger 
adventure. But it's different for older people. It's more of a shock. We 
think it'd be best if Great-Grandma welcomes her first, and explains 
things."



"How long will that take?" Cassidy swallowed tears and washed them away 
with a gulp of milk.

 Great-Grandma moved back over and hugged her. 

"Not as long as it will feel 
to you. I'll bring her to see you as soon as I can."

About the author:
Karen A. Wyle was born a Connecticut Yankee, but moved every few years
 throughout her childhood and adolescence. After college in California, law
school in Massachusetts, and a mercifully short stint in a large San 
Francisco law firm, she moved to Los Angeles, where she met her now-husband, 
who hates L.A. They eventually settled in Bloomington, Indiana, home of
 Indiana University.



Wyle's childhood ambition was to be the youngest ever published novelist. 
While writing her first novel at age ten, she was mortified to learn that 
some British upstart had beaten her to the goal at age nine. 



Wyle has been a voracious and compulsive reader as long as she can remember. 
Do not strand this woman on a plane without reading matter! Wyle was an
 English and American Literature major at Stanford University, which suited
 her, although she has in recent years developed some doubts about whether 
studying literature is, for most people, a good preparation for enjoying it. 
Her most useful preparation for writing novels, besides reading them, has 
been the practice of appellate law -- in other words, writing large
 quantities of persuasive prose, on deadline, year after year.  



Wyle's voice is the product of almost five decades of reading both literary
 and genre fiction. It is no doubt also influenced, although she hopes not
fatally tainted, by her years of law practice. Her personal history has led
 her to focus on often-intertwined themes of family, communication, the 
impossibility of controlling events, and the persistence of unfinished
 business.


Find Karen:
Karen's website
Karen's Facebook page

Talking With Author Karen Wyle

Author Karen Wyle is here to talk about her book, Wander Home, a family drama with mystery elements set in an afterlife. Before we begin, take a look at a little more about Karen's book.

About Wander Home:  
Death is what you make it. . . .  Eleanor never wanted to leave the daughter she loved so much. The overpowering urge to wander -- to search, without knowing what she sought -- drove her away. She left little Cassidy in her family's loving care. But Cassidy and the others died in an accident before Eleanor could find her way home.  Cassidy has her grandparents, and her Great-Grandma. And all of them have what may be eternity. Memories can be relived, or shared. The wonders of the world they left behind are only a thought away. The one-way tyranny of aging is no more -- a white-haired and stooped great-grandmother one moment can be a laughing young playmate the next.  But nothing can ease Cassidy's longing for her mother; and Eleanor's parents know better than to hope that Eleanor's life has been a happy one.  Now, they are all reunited, with the chance to understand and heal. But the restlessness that shaped Eleanor's life still haunts her in death. Somehow, she must solve the mystery of her life -- or none of them will be at peace.

Hi, Karen, and welcome to A Blue Million Books. Let's begin with your thoughts on writing. What do you like best about it?
I love having a story or its characters surprise me--for example, when an element I added casually or for one purpose turns out to be important for some quite different reason.

I know exactly what you mean! What’s your least favorite thing about writing?
The hardest part of writing, for me, is fighting the invisibility of self-published work by new authors. But my least favorite aspect might be the constant threat of carpal tunnel syndrome.

I’ve never had trouble with carpal tunnel, but I’m with you on the invisibility thing. How did you come up with the title of your book?

I'm basically bad at naming things, tending toward the dull and literal. My daughters' special sleep-toys were named Special Bear and Puppy. I once had a coffee plant named Coffee. My first novel, Twin-Bred, was named for the human-alien fraternal twins who bore that label in the book. So I had quite a time finding a title for my second novel.

I started with the working title "Reflections," which had some subtle connection to aspects of the book. Various people following my progress, and then some beta readers, found that title boring and thought it didn't (so to speak) reflect the book well enough. I also realized that it had been used quite often, and that one recent book with the almost-identical title Reflection had some thematic overlap with my novel. I came up with a few alternatives that sounded like romance or YA, when my novel was neither. After that, I started reading poetry, hoping that a line would jump out and declare itself a good fit for my book. For a while, I was ready to go with "The Story of Our Days," from a somewhat-appropriate poem by Sir Walter Raleigh – but it reminded me and too many others of the soap opera Days of Our Lives . . . . My next candidate, "Nor Whence Nor Whither," was adapted from a stanza in The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam – but not even the people who liked it could remember it. 
Finally, I spent some time thinking about my book and free-associating words and phrases, writing them all down and reading them over and over. My final two possibilities were "The Road Behind" and the title I finally chose, Wander Home. I liked the feel of the latter, and its slightly paradoxical and somewhat optimistic connotations suited me.

I like it too. Good choice! Did you have any say in your cover art?
As a self-published author, I had total control of my cover art, within my technical limitations – which are substantial. I needed to collaborate with designers to realize my ideas.


I wanted faces on this cover, although I know the arguments against using faces. After a couple of attempts to find an artist to draw my characters, I decided to use stock photos that came close to how I imagined them. I encountered some frustrations in this process: in one case, the version of a photo that I saw online and fell in love with was subtly but crucially different when I bought and downloaded the full-size file. The photos I ended up using don't completely match my character descriptions, but they're close enough to content me, and they're wonderfully striking photographs. (The photographer credits are in the front matter of the book.)

Tell us about the artist. 

Two designers in a row had the unenviable task of coping with my many requests for tweaks. (The first one eventually dropped out of the process; the second, Michelle Hartz, who is also an author and our local NaNoWriMo municipal liaison, picked up where the first left off and actually still talks to me.)

What do you think of it?

I'm very pleased with the final result!

Sophie’s choice: Do you have a favorite of your characters?

It'd be a close competition between Eleanor's father Jack and Jack's mother Amanda. Jack is a big strong hunk who's not afraid of strong and somewhat dominating women (including his wife Sarah). He's a thoroughly nice and affectionate fellow, and he's good with his hands. What's not to like? Amanda is (at certain points) a very talented ballet dancer, hailing from a different background than many of the inhabitants of that world. She's both shrewd and wise, with a talent for accepting people as they are. In her latter years, she looks like my maternal grandmother, of whom I have warm memories.

When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be?

Some day I may work out my whole plot and all my characters ahead of time, but so far, I start with a situation, some scenes, and a few key characters, and then let the story lead me.

Are any of your characters inspired by real people? 
Eleanor, the central character in Wander Home, has some resemblance to my late brother. He was a troubled soul who caused a fair amount of heartache to those close to him but was fundamentally a good and decent person and deeply creative. One could say the same of Eleanor – although the reasons for her problems and life choices are unrelated to my brother's lifelong mental health issues.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.
I'm not good at choosing a favorite anything -- but I'm quite fond of the very first scene, and of the very last scene. Other contenders include Eleanor's introduction to the surprising features of the afterlife, and her reunion with Cassidy (the portion that takes place in Grandma/Amanda's kitchen.)

How do you handle criticism of your work?
I remind myself that there are other readers who love my work, sometimes more than it deserves. I acknowledge any areas where I agree, at least in part, with the criticism. If the reader doing the criticizing appears to have misunderstood some aspect of the book, i.e. on what planet it takes place, (this actually happened with Twin-Bred) I examine whether there is some deficiency in the book that made that misunderstanding more likely. Finally, I look for any grammatical or logical flaws in the criticism that allow me to feel superior to the critic. (I'm only human!)


I love that! Tell us one weird thing, one nice thing, and one fact about where you live.
Weird: it isn't anywhere. That is, we're not in any municipality -- only in a county.
Nice: we're in the woods, and it's beautiful much of the year.
One fact: Indiana University basketball is coming BACK! (Yes, it's a fact! . . .)

It certainly is. They’re currently number one. And I’d like to point out that the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky are numbers two and three! Go CATS! Okay…if you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go? (Don’t worry about the money. Your publisher is paying. )
I would go to Venice during Carnavale. I visited Venice once for two days, many years ago, and felt as if I'd been there much longer. I found it not only beautiful, but soothing, at a time when I needed some emotional healing.

What are you working on now?
I'm in the middle of editing the sequel to Twin-Bred, tentatively titled Reach (or, more completely, Reach: A Twin-Bred Novel). I also plan to format Wander Home for paperback publication via CreateSpace.

And then there's NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)! I’m hoping to finish the VERY rough draft of my latest novel.

I hope you’ll come back and talk about it here when you publish it. Thanks for being here today. 

Thanks, Amy!
                                              

About the author:
Karen A. Wyle was born a Connecticut Yankee, but moved every few years 
throughout her childhood and adolescence.  After college in California, law
 school in Massachusetts, and a mercifully short stint in a large San
 Francisco law firm, she moved to Los Angeles, where she met her now-husband,
who hates L.A. They eventually settled in Bloomington, Indiana, home of
 Indiana University. 

Wyle's childhood ambition was to be the youngest ever published novelist.
 While writing her first novel at age ten, she was mortified to learn that 
some British upstart had beaten her to the goal at age nine. 

Wyle has been a voracious and compulsive reader as long as she can remember.
 Do not strand this woman on a plane without reading matter! Wyle was an
 English and American Literature major at Stanford University, which suited
 her, although she has in recent years developed some doubts about whether
 studying literature is, for most people, a good preparation for enjoying it. 
Her most useful preparation for writing novels, besides reading them, has
 been the practice of appellate law -- in other words, writing large
 quantities of persuasive prose, on deadline, year after year. 

Karen's website

Facebook page
Twitter