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#Spotlight & #Interview - Jamie Summer

21/9/2016

Jamie Summer is a native of Germany, where she lives with her husband and son. She's currently working on her next book and wishes there were 48 hours to the day so she could do everything she sets her sights on.

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PersonalCan you tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Jamie. I’m a German girl that has a deep love for the English language. I’m a writer, blogger, avid reader, coffee and TV show addict and try to be a dancer.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I’m either reading, blogging, out for a walk, taking dance classes or generally spending time with friends and family.
Do you have a day job as well?
Yes. I’m currently on maternity leave but when I’m not taking care of my little man, I’m helping students go on an exchange year abroad.
What was your favourite book as a child?
I don’t actually remember, to be honest. The first bookish memory I have are the Harry Potter books.
When was that point in your life that you realized that being an author was no longer going to be just a dream but a career you were going to turn into reality?
It was just very recently. I’ve always written fan fiction with my best friend, but I never thought it was gonna turn into more. When I dreamt about the beginning of Dalysian Hope, even then I only thought I was gonna write the story for myself. And my best friend. She ended up being the one that encouraged me to publish the story.
What book do you wish you had written?
The Harry Potter books actually.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I wanna be happy with what I’m doing. No matter what that is. I wanna still live where I do now, with my family, and have all my friends and family with me. Writing wise, I just wanna have been able to put out the best work I could.
Writing
When did you start writing and when did you finish your first book?
I started writing Dalysian Hope beginning of 2015 and finished it by mid 2015. Not sure anymore when. It was a rather fast writing circle for me.
How did you choose the genre you write in?
The genre chose me. The dream was very clear on the age of the people, so I had little choice in the matter. Other than that, for my other books I usually simply let the story guide me. Whichever genre that might be.
Where do you get your ideas?
I get a lot of my ideas from premade covers I buy. They are amazing when it comes to inspiration. Other than that, I’ve had ideas while out for a walk and while driving. So basically anywhere.
Do you ever experience writer’s block?
I did, yes. I realized after a little while that the last part I wrote didn’t work and it was making it hard for me to continue. So I deleted that part and started writing again. Definitely worked wonders.
Are you a planner or a pantser?
Pantser all the way.
Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
Sam Destiny is my biggest influence. In all aspects of writing. She’s the one that got me into writing, she’s the one that encouraged me to make the next step and she’s still the one routing for me when not even I am.
Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
My biggest challenge was being pregnant and having a little one. That put everything on hold for a while. The book was done in fall of 2015, but there were a few issues that I needed to deal with, which is why Dalysian Hope wasn’t published until March this year. The book is where it deserves to be now, which makes me incredibly proud.
If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?
I think everything is a learning curve. No matter what problems or issues you have in releasing your first book, there will always be something that you can take away from it. So that’s why I wouldn’t necessarily say I’d do anything differently, because it made me appreciate everything now so much more.
Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?
Nope. I don’t have any skeleton stories in my closet. Everything’s out there. Well, except for my next release.
How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?
Networking is the key. Make friends in every part of the business. The shares, the comments, everything you get from them makes your visibility go up. Plus, getting to know all those amazing people is a HUGE plus. I love the people that I’ve had the privilege of meeting through this journey.
Can you tell us about your upcoming book?
I’ve recently finished the second book in my YA fantasy trilogy, so that will be coming up next.
Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
So far it’s all been my imagination. That’s not to say there aren’t any factors in the stories that are close to real life.
What was your favourite chapter (or part) to write and why?
I’ve had a favorite part in the second book of my YA fantasy that I loved writing. Simply because I think it will be a huge OMG moment. At least that’s what I’m going for LOL
How did you come up with the title?
Research and the amazing help of my bestie.
Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
There are so many ideas in my head still, so it’s hard to choose only one. I’m set with writing for the next few years, when it comes to having ideas.
Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
Network with fellow authors, bloggers, anyone. They are gonna be your biggest support, but they will also be able to give you the best advice. Listen to their recommendations when it comes to editors, cover designers, formatters etc. It’s valuable unlike anything else.
What does your protagonist think about you?
I hope they like me LOL
Would he or she want to hang out with you, the author, his creator?
I think they would. I’d like to believe that, at least.
What has been the toughest criticism you’ve been given as an author?
Thankfully, so far it hasn’t been that bad. One of my reviews said that my story dragged one and there were too many mysteries involved, but since that was what I was going for, I kinda took it as a compliment^^
What has been the best compliment?
My YA fantasy has been compared to the Hunger Games. Nothing else need to be said. That’s like… wow.
Which character speaks the loudest, to you? Do any of them clamour to be heard over the others?
I don’t have characters speak to me like they do to other authors. My voices are usually quieter, more in the background. Which doesn’t mean I’m not writing their stories.
What sort of Starbuck’s coffee would your characters order? Simple coffee or some complicated soy-non-fat-extra-espresso-half-caff-nightmare?
Oh, mine are more the low-maintenance people. So a simply coffee with cream, or a vanilla latte, that sort of thing.
What sort of writing environment do you create? I.e. music or not? Pen and paper or laptop/PC?
Music for sure and my mac. I usually type on my Mac, but there’s one story I started writing with pen and paper. I prefer typing, though.
Is there a certain type of scene that is harder to write than other? Racy? Love? Action?
I haven’t written any actual love scene, and I’m terrified of those.
Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
That I love them dearly. I know that’s such a cliche to say that, but it’s the simple truth. Having readers message me and telling me how much they loved my book, THAT’s why I’m doing it.
Is there one subject you would never write about? What is it?
I’d not try the BDSM route. Not that I have anything against that, but I couldn’t do it. No way.
Do you have any strange writing habits? Like writing in the shower?
Nope, I’m pretty normal in that case.
If you could cast your characters in a Hollywood adaptation – who would you choose for which character?
Oh boy, that’s a hard one. I never thought about that before. Maybe I should ask the readers what they think.
How important are the names in your book?
They are important for who they represent, but the names don’t have any special meanings that are related to the characters, like I know other authors do.
Did you choose them based on how they sounded or looked, or was it completely random?
Random. I love random name generator. However, I do make sure it sounds okay as well.
Do you have any name choosing resources you would recommend?
Oh, I got several name generators I use. People are free to PM me for those LOL
Do you read your reviews?
I do, yes.
Do you respond to them, good or bad?
No. I like them, but I don’t respond, even though sometimes I wanna respond to the not so good ones and be like: thank you, that was actually very helpful. I never do.
Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?
I don’t have any advice for that. Everybody deals with that their own way.
What is your best marketing tip?
Be open and make friends.
What is your least favourite part of the writing or publishing process?
Having to wait that long until the story is out from the moment I finish writing.

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#Spotlight & #Interview - Ann Snizek

14/9/2016

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Originally from Vermont, Ann now lives in Virginia with her husband. Ann spent much of her childhood moving from place to place. Now settled, she enjoys exploring nature and the freedom to pursue the dreams of her imagination through writing.

Ann's love of books from childhood continues today -- always looking to stimulate the imagination. She knows the thrill of triumphing over adversities, pulling from life's experiences, both hers and others, for inspiration... always sharing, growing, and learning.

Personal
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Sure… I’m a quirky, corny person. I’m a bit of a nerd and proud of it. I’m also very eclectic and my tastes sometimes surprise people.

What do you do when you’re not writing?
Boring things usually, like: work, sleeping, housework, shopping.

Do you have a day job as well?
For now I do. I’m hoping to expand my writing projects enough to sustain a decent income on its own.

What was your favourite book as a child?
That depends on how old of a child. I love books. Some of my favourite children’s books are: Great Day for UP by Dr. Seuss; A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L’Engle; The Giving Tree and Where the Sidewalk Ends both by Shel Silverstein. I also like the Francis series by Russell Hoban and the Berenstain Bears books by Stan & Jan Barenstain. I could name many more, but I’ll stop there for the sake of time.

When was that point in your life that you realized that being an author was no longer going to be just a dream but a career you were going to turn into reality?
That actually occurred last year. I published my first book in 2012, but it was still just a dream and hobby to me. Last year I reached the point where I decided to make it a career reality.

What book do you wish you had written?
Harry Potter. Hehehe.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In a nice, cozy, sunny spot where I relax and write another amazing story that my agent will be bugging me for because the movie company wants the manuscript…. J. J. Abrams, JK Rowling, Neil Gaiman, and Steven Spielberg are all on speed dial.

Writing
When did you start writing and when did you finish your first book?
I started writing before I started school. People who knew me in Elementary school still remember me as the girl who sat under the playground with paper and pencil in hand, writing during recess. As for the first book I published, I wrote it as a NaNoWriMo project – my first one. I finished the first draft of about 75k words in the first 3 weeks of that November.

How did you choose the genre you write in?
I write what I love to read. That’s usually something with sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal elements. If I don’t want to read it, how can I expect anyone else to want it?

Where do you get your ideas?
From everywhere and everything.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?
Of course, but I just roll with it and move on to something else usually. Sometimes I have to do non-writing activities to get my imagination kick-started again.

Are you a planner or a pantser?
Definitely a pantser. I plan very, very little. It is more like aiming than planning. The story tells me where it wants to go and how it will get there. I am usually just along for the ride.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
I love Anne McCaffrey. Everything she wrote is amazing. Madeleine L’Engle was a big influence too. As a child, my school librarian read it aloud to us and it came to life. That was the first book I felt a part of.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
I self-published. I didn’t have the patience to hunt for an agent. (Now I lack the time) Research was still important, however. I needed to find the right source and follow all the guidelines. Cover art was also a challenge. I didn’t have a budget and I didn’t have much in the way of graphics programs. I did my best with what I had. Marketing is still a struggle for me.

If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?
Part of me wants to say yes… that I’d have forced myself to look for an agent when I could.

Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?
I have. I’m waiting on illustrations for it. I have a vision. I just have to wait for the right illustrations.

How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?
I’m much better at marketing in person, one-on-one (or small groups). Online marketing is difficult for me. I have a hard time compressing my stories to one or two lined promotions. I’m getting better though and it seems that Twitter is actually starting to show some interest as well as my Facebook pages. I also have a blog and a few interconnected websites.

Can you tell us about your upcoming book?
The next book on deck is ‘For: Giva de Vine (Payton Chronicles 2).’ The story picks up basically where we left off in ‘To Eris – Human’ (Payton Chronicles 1), but it feels a lot more active than the first. In book 2, Eris heads out to find her sister, Giva. So much happens to her along the way and there are even points where her hope plunges into dispair. It’s been a long time coming, but I’m extremely excited about how it’s looking. I’ve finished the first draft and I’m working on the first rounds of edits to send it out to my small group of beta readers. I’m hoping to release it the summer of 2017!

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
This series is completely from my imagination. I may have taken hints of personalities and general experiences from life (mine or others), but it really isn’t based on anything specific in our world.

What was your favourite chapter (or part) to write and why?
I love several sections. I don’t think I could pick just one.

How did you come up with the title?
The titles for this series have been a play on words taken from a famous phrase. “To err is human; to forgive is divine.” This easily translated to the titles for books 1 & 2 as “To Eris – Human” and “For: Giva de Vine”

Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
There are a few characters that I’m considering for more depth. I don’t want to give away too much though.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
Just keep writing and have fun. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing it will reflect in your work.

What does your protagonist think about you?
Wow! What a question. She doesn’t think of me much. I’m just an adult that she can talk to without fear of judgement or repercussions. There are too many other priorities in her life for her to give me much thought.

Would he or she want to hang out with you, the author and creator?
She wouldn’t mind, but I wouldn’t necessarily be her best friend.

What has been the toughest criticism you’ve been given as an author?
I think the toughest part is when I don’t get a ‘why’ to a person’s opinion. However, the most upset I’ve been over a review was when I felt the comparison given in the review gave me the impression that the reviewer either didn’t read my story completely or had a preconceived idea of what they wanted it to be and didn’t really pay attention to what I wrote.

What has been the best compliment?
I’ve had people tell me they stayed up until 4am to read even though they had a long day ahead of them the next morning. Another person told me how much she connected with my character and actually felt the range of emotions expressed by the character while reading.

Which character speaks the loudest, to you? Do any of them clamour to be heard over the others?
For this series, Eris is definitely loud and clear. Occasionally some of the others shout out and some are growing louder as I read over book 2 and edit. These will absolutely be following us into book 3.

What sort of Starbuck’s coffee would your characters order? Simple coffee or some complicated soy-non-fat-extra-espresso-half-caff-nightmare?
None. They’d get sodas or hot cocoa. I, personally, don’t like Starbuck’s coffee and would applaud them for refusing it. lol

What sort of writing environment do you create? I.e. music or not? Pen and paper or laptop/PC?
I love writing with music if it fits the mood I’m trying to write. If I’m stuck, I’ll often make a playlist just to help me through. I usually use my laptop as it makes it easier to edit and format. However, I sometimes write notes on paper when I can’ get to my laptop. In those cases, I write on and with anything I can.

Is there a certain type of scene that is harder to write than other? Racy? Love? Action?
I have the most difficulty with fight scenes, whether this is between people or other creatures. I don’t want to describe unbelievable scenes. So, I slow down and sometimes even do more research for them.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
HI! I’d love to hear from you! Thank you so much for following me and reading my books. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.

Is there one subject you would never write about? What is it?
I don’t know. Even distasteful and disgusting topics could be touched upon if written in a way to show a character’s depravity or struggles.

Do you have any strange writing habits? Like writing in the shower?
Not that I’m aware of, but when I get on a roll or in a crunch I sometimes forget to eat.

If you could cast your characters in a Hollywood adaptation – who would you choose for which character?
I’d want unknown actors for this series, I think, at least for the main characters. Perhaps some of the supporting actors could be known, but I haven’t done any searching into specific actors.

How important are the names in your book?
The names aren’t so much of a focus in this series. I do have another series where the names are extremely important.

Did you choose them based on how they sounded or looked, or was it completely random?
With this series only Eris and Giva have names that were predetermined. The other names were chosen on how they felt and how I think they fit the characters.

Do you have any name choosing resources you would recommend?
I keep a baby name book. It’s almost as vital to me as a thesaurus and dictionary. I’ve had a couple fall apart from use.

Do you read your reviews?
Yes! Absolutely. I love hearing what people feel and think about my books.

Do you respond to them, good or bad?
It depends on the format, where it’s posted. If I can, I will.

Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?
I look at ‘bad’ reviews as a clue of how/where I can improve. Don’t take it as a personal attack (unless the reviewer is simply irrational and attacking). If they just don’t like it, that’s fine. You can’t please everyone. I try to find the good in it and get better in my next project.

What is your best marketing tip?
Do more! Get your books visible and don’t be afraid to be creative.

What is your least favourite part of the writing or publishing process?
Online Marketing. lol

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#Spotlight & #Interview - Jamie Summer

#Spotlight & #Interview - Ann Snizek

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