Novelist Russ Colchamiro | Exclusive Interview

10:00 AM Ally M.G. 0 Comments


 Recently I got the chance to work with Author Assistant for an exclusive interview with a quirky sci-fi author. Check him out!

About Russ Colchamiro

Russ Colchamiro is the author of the rollicking space adventure, Crossline, the hilarious sci-fi backpacking comedy series, Finders Keepers, Genius de Milo, and Astropalooza, and is editor of the new anthology, Love, Murder & Mayhem, all with Crazy 8 Press.
Russ lives in New Jersey with his wife, two children, and crazy dog, Simon, who may in fact be an alien himself. Russ has also contributed to several other anthologies, including Tales of the Crimson Keep, Pangaea, and Altered States of the Union, and TV Gods 2. He is now at work on a top-secret project, and a Finders Keepers spin-off.
As a matter of full disclosure, readers should not be surprised if Russ spontaneously teleports in a blast of white light followed by screaming fluorescent color and the feeling of being sucked through a tornado. It’s just how he gets around — windier than the bus, for sure, but much quicker.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram


Interview Time


Q: What gave you initial inspiration for your new book Love, Murder & Mayhem?

Colchamiro: While writing Genius de Milo, the second book in my Finders Keepers scifi backpacking comedy series, I briefly introduced the character of Angela Hardwicke, private eye. She only appeared in one chapter, but she’s in that classic Sam Spade tradition. I knew immediately that I wanted to spend more time with her, so I significantly increased her role for the third and final book in the series, Astropalooza. Yet before I give her a series of her own—which I’m starting soon—I wanted to write a short story with Hardwicke in the lead, to get a better sense of who she was, her rhythms, and the kinds of stories I wanted to tell.

So I started the Love, Murder & Mayhem anthology through my publishing group—Crazy 8 Press. We have 15 stories, from 15 authors (including me) with every story containing at least one act of love or romance, at least one murder, and lots of mayhem. I initially thought I’d get nothing but private stories—I did a get a few—but the anthology contains superhero and supervillain stories, off-world and space cruiser stories, as well as A.I., private eyes, sleep surrogates, time travel, an aliens/monsters mash-up and … one DuckBob!

Q: What music choices they have for the book?

Colchamiro:  Actually, my story in Love, Murder & Mayhem—“The Case of My Old New Life and the One I Never Knew”—has Hardwicke investigating a case of arson at a rock n’ roll club she visited the night before to see her favorite band. I’m a musician myself—a drummer—so it was particularly fun to set a murder mystery in that world.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your Finders Keepers trilogy. Did it change you? How did it grow from an idea to a series of published novels?

Colchamiro:  During my early 20s I backpacked through Europe at a time when that wasn’t nearly as common as it is today. We’re talking 1994, so pre-Internet. I had one of those trips that in a very real way changed the fabric of my life. Later, I took a two-week trip to New Zealand, with a buddy I met while backpacking in Europe. These trips transformed me from a never-traveled-anywhere-of-significance person to a I-now-want-to-see-the-whole-world person. Separately, I had this wild scifi comedy concept that I was dying to explore, where Jason Medley had a jar of the Universe’s DNA. I didn’t have any clue who Jason Medley was, or why he might have a jar of the Universe’s DNA, or what that even meant. But I loved it, and wanted to write something epic. The two ideas—the backpacking and the scifi—in my mind fit together so well that I turned it into a 3-book series – Finders Keepers, Genius de Milo, and Astropalooza.

Each book is written in part like a travelogue with a you-are-there feel, yet the two main characters, backpackers Jason Medley and Theo Barnes (who’s from New Zealand) find themselves being chased around the globe by a cadre of characters from this world and the cosmos, wanting to steal that jar of the Universe’s DNA for themselves. In each book, Jason and Theo save the day. And in doing so, they make matters so much worse. By the time we start the third book, they’ve inadvertently set in motion the next Big Bang, which, if comes to fruition before Astropalooza—a cosmic celebration of the Universe—existence as we know it will be eradicated. So, you know … they’ve got some issues to deal with!

Q: When creating the characters, shaping them, do you use real life people or actors or other fictional characters for inspiration

Colchamiro: Every character I write probably has at least a little bit of me in there somewhere, and sometimes, like with Jason Medley in the Finders Keepers trilogy, he’s my alter ego. I’ve also based characters on friends of mine, amalgams of people I’ve met, or just oh-so-loose inspirations. In fact, one of the characters in my Hardwicke story—Frankie the Brush, a general contractor—is based (with permission) on my actual contractor, whose name is … Frankie the Brush. They’re not exactly the same, but pretty darn close! The real Frankie got a huge kick out of it. Ultimately, though, every character has to be unique, or they fall flat.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Colchamiro: I’ve got books! Buy ‘em up! They’re fun! And if you’re in the area when I’m out on book tour, stop by. Meeting new fans is always my favorite part of doing appearances. And look for some Hardwicke books. I’m working on them now. I’m planning to do an entire series.

About the Book

Love science fiction stories that all include elements of Love, Murder & Mayhem?

Then welcome to the latest anthology from Crazy 8 Press! This amazing collection from 15 all-star authors will delight you with superheros and supervillains. AIs, off-worlders, and space cruisers. We’ve also got private eyes, sleep surrogates, time travelers, aliens and monsters—and one DuckBob!

With tales ranging from wild and wacky to dark and gritty to heartbreaking and fun, take the deadly leap with authors Meriah Crawford, Paige Daniels, Peter David, Mary Fan, Michael Jan Friedman, Robert Greenberger, Glenn Hauman Paul Kupperberg, Karissa Laurel, Kelly Meding, Aaron Rosenberg, Hildy Silverman, Lois Spangler, Patrick Thomas, and editor Russ Colchamiro.

You’ll never look at Love, Murder & Mayhem the same way again—and that’s just the way we like it.

Goodreads
Amazon

More Books by Russ Colchamiro
Finders Keepers
Crossline
Genius de Milo
Astropalooza
Tales of the Crimson Keep
Altered States Of The Union



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Zero Repeat Forever by Gabrielle Prendergast | New Release

10:30 AM Ally M.G. 0 Comments




I am so excited that ZERO REPEAT FOREVER by Gabrielle Prendergast is available now and that I get to share the news!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Gabrielle Prendergast, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a signed hardcover of the book courtesy of Gabrielle and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.


About The Book:


 ZERO REPEAT FOREVER
Author: Gabrielle Prendergast
Pub. Date: August 29, 2017
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 496
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Find it: Amazon, B&N, Audible, iBooks, TBD, Goodreads

He has no voice, or name, only a rank, Eighth. He doesn’t know the details of the mission, only the directives that hum in his mind.

Dart the humans. Leave them where they fall.

His job is to protect his Offside. Let her do the shooting.

Until a human kills her…

Sixteen year-old Raven is at summer camp when the terrifying armored Nahx invade, annihilating entire cities, taking control of the Earth. Isolated in the wilderness, Raven and her friends have only a fragment of instruction from the human resistance.

Shelter in place.

Which seems like good advice at first. Stay put. Await rescue. Raven doesn’t like feeling helpless but what choice does she have?

Then a Nahx kills her boyfriend.

Thrown together in a violent, unfamiliar world, Eighth and Raven should feel only hate and fear. But when Raven is injured, and Eighth deserts his unit, their survival comes to depend on trusting each other… 

Book Trailer:




About Gabrielle: 
Gabrielle is a writer, teacher and designer living in Vancouver, Canada.  You can read about her books here. She is represented by Barbara Poelle at the Irene Goodman Literary Agency.

In 2014 she was the Writer in Residence at Vancouver Public Library. In 2015 she was nominated for the BC Book Prizes and chosen to tour the province to promote BC Books. In 2017 Gabrielle took part in the TD Canada Children’s Book Week Tour. She has also been nominated for the White Pine Awardand the CLA Award.

 Gabrielle won the Westchester Award for Audacious. Audacious was included in CBC’s list of 100 YA Books That Make You Proud to be Canadian. A poem from Capricious was chosen for the 2014 Poetry in Transit Program. Pandas on the East Side was chosen as an Ontario Library Association Best Bet for Junior Fiction in 2016. It was also nominated/shortlisted for the Chocolate Lily Award, The Red Cedar Award, the Diamond Willow Award and the Myrca Award.





Giveaway Details:


(1) winner will receive a signed finished copy of ZERO REPEAT FOREVER, US Only & Canada.
(3) winners will receive signed postcards and bookmarks ZERO REPEAT FOREVER, US Only & Canada.
Ends on September 19th at Midnight EST!


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Hawkweed Prophecy by Irena Brignull | Book Review

10:30 AM Ally M.G. 0 Comments


This book was given to me for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Poppy Hooper and Ember Hawkweed couldn't lead more different lives. Poppy is a troubled teen: moving from school to school, causing chaos wherever she goes, never making friends or lasting connections. Ember is a young witch, struggling to find a place within her coven and prove her worth. Both are outsiders: feeling like they don't belong and seeking escape.

Poppy and Ember soon become friends, and secretly share knowledge of their two worlds. Little do they know that destiny has brought them together: an ancient prophecy, and a life-changing betrayal. Growing closer, they begin to understand why they've never belonged and the reason they are now forever connected to each other.

Switched at birth by the scheming witch Raven Hawkweed, Poppy and Ember must come to terms with their true identities and fight for their own place in the world. Enter Leo, a homeless boy with a painful past who – befriending them both – tests their love and loyalty. Can Poppy and Ember's friendship survive? And can it withstand the dark forces that are gathering?

"We might not look it but we are the same." She tapped her heart. "In here." 

When I was first approached to read this book I was intrigued because it had a whole Twitches vibe. Two girls switched at birth due to magic. I was sold.

I began this book with such an open mind and excitement, expecting it to be a story about two girls helping each other through all the trials they were gonna be thrown through. The Hawkweed Prophecy was kinda like that, but as we see Poppy and Ember become friends and face hardships it kinda gets ruined by their obsession with a boy.

The minute, Leo, the leading guy got introduced my excitement for the story slowly started deteriorating. My problem was that boy came out of no where and was claiming his love for Poppy (he just looked at her and “knew”). Then 24 hours after meeting the boy, Poppy is kissing him, inviting him to her house for pizza and thinking:

“…too handsome for her to look at..”

I want to point out that this boy is homeless and looks the part.

Soon the story stoped being about the loving sisterly bond these two girls make and they realize how similar they are, and into an obsession for Leo and constantly being jealous of one another because of the boy.

It is quite disappointing, because from the first page the story starts strong, captivating you into a world of magic, prophecy and betrayal. I was longing to learn more about the way of magic, the witch clans and the importance of the witch queen. I wanted to learn more about all these wonderful characters, but the story kept going back towards Leo.

I felt like the author was forcing the romance and the love triangle into my face and down my throat. It was just unbearable. I don’t mind romances or love triangles if they build upon and are not randomly shoved into your face.

Don’t get me wrong, Leo is an important character, you either find out at the end of the book or figure it along the way. He is key to the lore of the world, but due to him, the story stopped being about Poppy and Ember finding their identities and fighting for their place in the world.

Hawkweed Prophecy has such an amazing plot that I really enjoyed and frankly I am still intrigued about the world, although over the time Leo comes into the picture I feel like gagging and closing the book. 

Amazing plot, unnecessary romance.


My Rating: 2.5/5
Goodreads: 3.53/5
Amazon: 4/5

Check out my interview with Ms. Irena Brignull
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Novelist & Screenwriter Irena Brignull | Exclusive Interview

10:00 AM Ally M.G. 0 Comments



I had the honor of interviewing Irena Brignull! Who is well known for her novel The Hawkweed Prophecy, two young girls that were magically switched at birth. Ms. Brignull's second book recently came out. Check them out and dive into a world of destiny, magic and love.

The Hawkweed Prophecy 

Poppy Hooper and Ember Hawkweed couldn't lead more different lives. 

Poppy is a troubled teen: moving from school to school, causing chaos wherever she goes, never making friends or lasting connections. 

Ember is a young witch, struggling to find a place within her coven and prove her worth. Both are outsiders: feeling like they don't belong and seeking escape.  Poppy and Ember soon become friends, and secretly share knowledge of their two worlds. Little do they know that destiny has brought them together: an ancient prophecy, and a life-changing betrayal. Growing closer, they begin to understand why they've never belonged and the reason they are now forever connected to each other.

Switched at birth by the scheming witch Raven Hawkweed, Poppy and Ember must come to terms with their true identities and fight for their own place in the world. Enter Leo, a homeless boy with a painful past who – befriending them both – tests their love and loyalty. Can Poppy and Ember's friendship survive? And can it withstand the dark forces that are gathering?

Goodreads
Amazon

The Hawkweed Legacy

Poppy Hooper doesn't want to be the queen of the witches. 

But some problems can't be left behind.
Some love stories can't be forgotten.
Some friendships won't be broken.
And some enemies won't stay dead …
The battle for the throne isn't over yet.

Poppy has only just discovered her position and her power as queen of the covens. Tormented by the loss of her would-be lover Leo to her best friend, Ember, and a past that’s shadowed by secrets, she’s left her dangerous world of witches and flown to Africa. But Poppy never stops longing for Leo and, when she feels his magic begin to spark, she will do anything to be reunited with him. 

Now as the girls come of age and Poppy’s powers grow stronger, her mother, desperate for her daughter’s return and forgiveness, sets into motion a plan that puts Poppy and Ember, the boy they love, and the world as they know it at risk.

Goodreads
Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR



 Irena Brignull is a successful screenwriter. Since working on the screenplay of The Boxtrolls, Irena has been writing an adaptation of The Little Prince directed by Mark Osborne and starring Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams and Marion Cotillard. Previously, Irena was a Script Executive at the BBC and then Head of Development at Dogstar Films where she was the script editor on Shakespeare in Love, Captain Corelli's Mandolin and Bravo Two Zero to name a few. Irena holds a BA in English Literature from Oxford University. 



Interview Time:


What gave you initial inspiration for The Hawkweed Prophecy?

It was a holiday that I took with my kids to Italy one spring time. It was actually more of a recuperation than a holiday, as my youngest had spent that January very sick in hospital. I don’t know if it was being able to finally relax and look forward after such a crisis, but the idea for The Hawkweed Prophecy just came to me one morning. I told my daughter about these two girls switched at birth and the teenagers they grow up to become, and everything went from there.

Were there any specific songs that helped you write The Hawkweed?

I listened to Stevie Nick’s Landslide a lot. The truth is I tend to get so into what I’m writing that I block out everything around me and I fail to hear much. My poor kids will vouch for that! So I do sometimes put on music to set a mood, but when I start typing, the song just fades away.

Describe your novel in one sentence?

The magic of witches, nature, friendship and love.

Tell us a little bit about The Hawkweed Prophecy. Did it change you? How did it grow from an idea to a published novel? 

It grew very slowly. At first, I wrote it as and when I could, but then I sent the first 100 pages to an agent and she encouraged me to finish it. That helped enormously. I sped up and delivered the manuscript. She gave me some notes and I did a re-write which then got sent out to publishers. I was very lucky to get interest from a few of them and so was in a position to choose.

Did the experience change me? I think so. It definitely taught me patience and stamina. Writing a novel was something I’d always wanted to do, but I’d never felt confident enough to really embark on. I always had the excuse of another screenwriting job, so it really took my child’s illness to make me stop and take stock. Finishing the manuscript felt like such an achievement. I tried not to hope that it would get published, and I was blown away by the response it got.

When creating the characters, shaping them, are you inspired by real life people or actors or other fictional characters.

Looking back now, I think that the characters and their journeys were inspired by the real life tales of women being persecuted for being witches in the past. I’ve always been fascinated by who they might have been, and horrified by the punishments they endured. Also, I did have Macbeth’s weird sisters firmly in mind – wondering what their story, beyond the play, could be. Other fictional characters must have affected my writing too, just less consciously. Outsiders mostly - Rebecca, Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason, Carrie, Hester Prynne, Heathcliff all come to mind. Plus all those witches and wicked step-mothers from so many childhood fairytales. My own teenage experience, as well as that as a mother, was hugely influential too.

How was writing a novel compared to writing a script? Difficult? Easy? About the same?

They’re both very demanding. Both a combination of pain and pleasure! Writing a novel, for me at any rate, takes a lot more determination and sheer endurance. A lot more words are needed on the page. Plus, novel writing is more solitary, screenwriting more collaborative. I love them both, but the feeling of accomplishment on finishing a novel is second to none.
 Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I’d like to thank all my readers. There so many books out there to read, and I’m so grateful that they picked up mine and gave me their time, thoughts and feelings. It takes their imaginations to bring these stories to life.



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