Tag: book promo

Interview with Author Shannon Sullivan and Her Book- The Faerie & The Fox

Tell us about yourself and how we can connect with you.

              My name is Shannon Sullivan. I am a storyteller, meditation teacher, spiritual director, and artist.  I am known to my friends by the title Faerie Queene because of my love of nature and animals.  As a spiritual director and artist, I write guided meditations, poetry, songs, and story pieces that are inspired by nature and what she has to teach us. I connect with the faerie world that they might have a voice to help re-connect people back to nature and our home, Mother Earth.

              There are several ways readers can connect with me:

                           My website:  www.theblueheroncreates.com

                           On Twitter:  @BlueHeronCre8ts

                           On IG:  www.instagram.com/blueheroncreates

                           Linktree: www.linktr.ee/blueheroncreates

What would you like to promote?

           The Faerie & The Fox

              My current #wip is my first novel.  Traditionally, it will be categorized as a Young Adult fantasy fiction novel.  I would also argue that it can also be read by adults as well and seen as a fun exploration of the inner child.  The story is set in the Forest of Ornash where the animals who live there have made a new discovery.  They are not sure what to do.  You see, they have discovered a new fairy in their midst.  She is not from their forest, atleast not that any of them are aware.  The strange thing is that she walks instead of flying, and she also, according to the animals, is quite rude. She doesn’t talk to them when they ask her questions. To get help for this awkward situation, the animals ask Owlfred to step in and help.  Owlfred, upon connecting with the new fairy, discovers two things.  First, that this visitor to Ornash is indeed a fairy, and second, she does not know that she is a fairy!  Here begins the adventure of our heroine of the story.  We get to follow her and the animals in the Forest of Ornash as they try to help her discover the truth of her identity.

What inspires your writing?

              Nature. Mother Nature. The animals, plants, trees of Gaia and all of her rhythms and stories that run through her, these are my inspirations. Most of my writing, whether fiction, non-fiction, poetry or meditative is inspired by my connection with the life living on our home, Mother Earth.

What was your favorite childhood book?

              I have several favorite books from my childhood that I still carry in my heart and imagination even now.  First is E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web. I imagined I was Fern, the main character, helping Wilbur the pig.  Next is Roald Dahl’s book James and the Giant Peach. I loved the adventure James explored as he left the house of his mean aunties. Of course the insect characters all talked in this book, too. Then I connected deeply with the book, Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead George. Following Julie in her quest to survive by connecting with wolves sparked a light inside of me as a child. And once again the running connection between all the stories is the main characters connecting and communicating with animals.

Do you connect with any of the characters in your book?

              I connect with the heroine of my current #wip. We follow her on her journey to uncover the truth of who she is and where she comes from. The other characters in the story can see who she is and her gifts. It is hard for them to watch her stumble through the forest making mistakes, and they aren’t allowed to just tell her what her gifts are that would make her life easier. They can, however, be friends to her, walking next to her, helping her discover who she is.

How do you come up with plots or characters for your book?

              For this current #wip I would say that the characters came to me and showed me who they were and the story they wanted to tell. It is like watching a story unfold in my imagination and getting to try to write it down and capture it on paper.

What do you like to do for fun?

              For fun I love to spend time in nature hiking and taking photographs that  I later create fun jewelry from. I love spending time reading new stories to gather ideas. I am also a singer and love writing new songs that are uplifting. My album “Mantras for the Heart & Mind” can be found on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/4I0l8GxlFZ0dD5acKgsabs?si=xHPtMP6NQsuc1DdFzzE4zQ

Thank you Shannon for a lovely interview!

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Author Interview with Tenkara Smart and Her Book She Named Me Wolf

Tell us about yourself and how we can connect with you. 

I write under the name of Tenkara Smart, a first name given to me by my husband which in Japanese translates to ‘descends from heaven.’  I love to connect with other readers and writers on Goodreads and Facebook.

What inspires your writing?

I believe that we are all vibrational beings and that our souls travel through many lifetimes.  I was inspired to create fictional books based on these ideas, focusing each novel on how a human, in each incarnation, deals with the struggles that each lifetime can bring.  I was also inspired by stories from my husband’s life as well as others I have known, pulling this all together to create six books in my series, The Many Lives of Wolf. 

In book one, She Named Me Wolf, I was inspired to share this story because of the way that Wolf deals with abuse from his alcoholic father.  Wolf’s response and coping mechanisms are special and magical, and I hoped that other people who have been in an abusive situation might connect with Wolf’s story and find inspiration from his inner strength, wisdom, and how his powerful imagination helped him to overcome the odds.

What does success look like to you? 

 Every time a person says they enjoyed She Named Me Wolf and that they look forward to reading the next book in the series, that is success to me.

What was your favorite childhood book? 

I loved the Judy Blume books, especially, “Are you there God?  It’s me, Margaret.”  As a girl going into teenage years, it was impactful to me physically, mentally, and emotionally.  I also loved reading The Chronicles of Narnia and getting lost in the enchanting, magical worlds of Narnia.

How did you get started with writing? 

 With a degree from San Diego State University in English Literature as well as post-graduate work in creative writing/copywriting, I ended up working for 20+ years in customer service and operations for a major running retailer in the USA.  Eventually, my husband and I agreed that I could quit my job and devote my time to writing.  His work took us from Southern California to Qatar and now to Australia, and I write when I feel inspired, which is at least several times per week.

Have you connected with any characters from books you have read?  

Recently, I really connected with Eleanor Oliphant from the book Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.  I didn’t connect with her because I am socially isolated but because of her humorous, candid insights, many of which she had the guts to say outload.  Though I could relate to her thoughts and comments about the world around her, I would never have the guts or the honesty to say them out loud and I admired that about her.  I loved how Eleanor’s ‘mind’ created her reality and it wasn’t until she had a paradigm shift that she really began to live and enjoy life.   

How do you come up with plots or characters for your book? 

 First of all, as crazy as this sounds, I have been living with a ghost for over five years now, and she lets her physical presence be known in my house on a regular basis, so the paranormal part of my novel came easily to me.  Additionally, I have had deep, spiritual experiences with my husband that have revealed to me certain truths, and I am fictionalizing those things I believe in my books, especially about one soul reincarnating through different lifetimes.  

What advice do you have for new writers just starting out? 

 Take the time to find your mentors and experts.  Jumping into a giant ocean of writers, with so many who are excellent at their craft, make it difficult to market your book and get noticed.  Make sure you get help, especially a brilliant cover design and editor, and maybe an agent or publisher to help ensure your wonderful story and writing have the best chance to get discovered!

What projects are you working on right now? 

I am working on the second book in my series based on the life of a samurai warrior named Junsaku, planned for release next year.  Also, I am working with a ghostwriter and considering turning my book into a screenplay.  In my opinion, She Named Me Wolf would be an incredibly powerful, on-screen experience especially because of the ghosts and the animals, using live-action screen effects as seen in the new ‘Jungle Book’ or ‘Lion King’.

Any other information you would like to include to our readers? 

 If you should decide to read She Named Me Wolf, just want to say THANK YOU and I hope that you enjoy this story of friendship, survival, and the power of imagination.

Thank you Tenkara for a great interview!

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Author Spotlight-Interview with Food Blogger Julie M. Tuttle

Let us know a little about yourself and how we can connect with you via website, blog, books, and social media sites.

I’m a native to Colorado, I love hiking, anime, coffee, playing games, watching too many cooking shows and old movies.

I have written cookbooks, meal planners, journal books, and keepsake memory books all available here https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B078PNHZB7

Connect with me here-

What is the name of your blog or book and how did you get started?

I started this blog Nosh with Chef Julie after I graduated college from Johnson and Wales University with a degree in culinary arts in 2016. Going back to school fueled my passion for cooking and writing so much more. After that, I decided to create cookbooks of my own and I’ve been writing daily ever since.

What is your favorite food?

If I really had to pick one I’d go for some pho every day, after that I’d have to say dessert.

What foods do you crave all the time?

Snack wise I love chips and salsa or peanut butter toast with banana and honey. In addition, salty and sweet pairings are my weakness like yogurt pretzels! Along with those, the foods I usually crave are takeout foods for example like Mexican dishes, Asian foods, and Indian curries.

What is your favorite comfort food?

I love a big bowl of pasta or Mexican foods like enchiladas and tacos. Similarly growing up I always craved the spaghetti and the taco salads my Mom use to make.

If you could learn how to make any food what would it be?

I always wanted to learn how to make Korean food.

What is your favorite thing about being a blogger, writer, or author?

Connecting with other writers, seeing comments on my blog, and reviews for my books is always nice.

What advice do you have for new writers just starting out?

Most importantly, move beyond your fears and just write what is in your heart and don’t be afraid to put your work out there.

What do you like to do for fun?

I love to go on hikes and be outdoors. Watching sci-fi movies like Star Trek and old classics with Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe are some of my favorites. Furthermore, I adore cooking, and collecting cookbooks is a hobby of mine. In my downtime, I like to read mysteries and ya fantasy books with magic and dragons. Anything with a heroine story always gets me. In addition, I also dabble in painting on canvas and I try to go to art museums when I can.

What helps you to stay motivated and keep writing?

Getting feedback from my readers and connecting with other writers is always inspiring. In addition, I’m always trying to push myself to learn more and become a little better every day.

How do you attract new readers?

I engage with other writers on my social media sites, and blogs on a daily basis. I’m learning SEO techniques to help with optimization and traffic to reach out to more people, and I promote my books regularly.

What has influenced you the most as a writer?

As a writer, other authors inspire me to be better. Above all, my readers also keep my wanting to do my best and keep going.

What are you reading right now?

I’ve been reading Joanne Fluke lately. She writes a series of food-themed murder mysteries and I’m a sucker for all of them.

What is something about yourself most people don’t know?

I had an older brother Troy (he was 19 at the time) that I lost to suicide when I was 16 years old. In spite of going through it, I’m stronger now in my faith and more humbled. At that age and going through what I did was grueling, traumatic, and I felt helpless. One organization that helped me and my family get through it is The Compassionate Friends. They are a non-profit that helps families and people going through loss and grief. For information, to get help, or to donate go to https://www.compassionatefriends.org/

What kind of music do you like to listen to?

I love k-pop music, electronica, new age, downtempo, Celtic, musicals, folk, country, classical…to sum up, it depends on my mood at the time. When I’m writing It has to be instrumental or new age.

If you could live in any book what would it be?

Alice in Wonderland.

Who are your top three favorite authors?

Lewis Carrol, Mary Weber, and Christopher Paloini.

If you could have super powers what would they be?

Elemental powers for instance like Storm in the x-men comics. In addition I’ve always dreamed of being able to do magic.

What is a typical day of writing look like for you?

First I wake up make coffee and check my reports. Then I engage on my social media sites and work on writing my next book or blog posts. After that, I follow up with fellow writers and bloggers for tips and advice and connect with my audience on social media.

What projects are you working on right now?

I’m currently working on a new candy and cereal-themed cookbook. Easy recipes using boxed ingredients with a fun twist. To sum up, recipes with nostalgic ingredients take you back to your childhood. Fun recipes for parties, cooking with your kids, or if you’re a kid at heart, this cookbook is for you!

Any other information you would like to include to our readers?

Above all, I wanted to thank all my readers and those that support me and my books. You all inspire me on a daily basis to do my best!

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