The Little Things Community

JD Gordon interviewed with local radio station WLRA Radio at Lewis University on 12/10/11. We are sure it was a great interview JD!

The lovely Vy from “Vy’s Blog” sat down with our very own Melissa Buell to chat about her upcoming YA novel The Seventh Blessing. There’s plenty to talk about with a book like Melissa’s- a Joan of Arc-esque princess, fairy magic gone wrong, danger and deception- and Vy jumps right in.

Dying to find out more? Read on!

Er, the interview was not as creepy as the title of this post leads you to believe…

On the flip side, you get quite cozy with the author of The Seventh Blessing. You learn which fairy blessing Melissa wish she’d had (spoiler: it’s got something to do with Swifers), get a behind-the-curtain peek at Nolan’s and Sam’s bantering relationship, and even get a sneak peek into the next book in the series (gasp!)

Read on here!

Not only did the blogger read and review The Seventh Blessing (check out her review here), she also got to sit down and have a one-on-one with its author, Melissa Buell.  They discuss their crush for Nolan, the leading man (hard to resist a heart breaker), YA novels, and their favorite nibblets (like you don’t always have food on the mind).

Read the interview here!

Meet Geeta, a writer obsessed with straws (“No, really. I LOVE straws- some of my friends tend to gift me them every now and then”), wishes on shooting stars, 11:11 and eyelashes, and an absolute pink-aholic.  If you’re not totally smitten with her yet, read on to her interview about her upcoming book Reaching Riverdale and then get back to us.

Marlen: Your book is about a girl that leaves home and everything familiar in fear that she’ll regret not seeing what else the world has in store for her. Were there any parallels between that storyline and your life?

Geeta: I think Annebelle’s fear as well as her desire is something that most people can relate to – myself included. So in that regards, there’s certainly a parallel. But the way things ended up happened with her don’t mirror my own experiences. While I did tend to “run away” when I was younger (a story for another day), I never ran away from the familiar. In fact, until I got over some serious separation anxiety and being ridiculously shy as a child, I usually ran TOWARDS it. For the most part, my optimism has always allowed me to believe I could have my cake and eat it too – that is, enjoy the country and the city, the familiar and the unknown, and a bunch of other seemingly contradictory interests.

Marlen: Tell us a little about your heroine Annebelle.

 Geeta: Annebelle is independent, stubborn and despite coming across as confident in her views and decisions, a bit uncertain. Like many people, she’s trying to figure out who she is and what she truly wants. As eight years pass her by without any true conclusion, she realizes that’s not something you discover overnight. Throughout the story, we see that many of her choices are attempts to not only make herself happy, but the people around her as well – and sometimes that causes more trouble than good.

I can’t believe I’m about to quote Taylor Swift here, but hey, it’s what came to mind. If Annebelle could have a say right about now, I have an inkling she’d tell you “I’m just a girl, trying to find a place in this world.”

Marlen: Haha, so right after high school, how was your life like? I’m sure we all can remember the panic and excitement of coming to that first fork in the road in our lives- what did you end up doing?

Geeta: Actually, when I graduated high school, I was at a bit of a loss. I didn’t start college right away, and at first I wasn’t even sure I’d go. Those first few months leading into fall, I thought about all sorts of different routes to take. One such possibility came to me while field trial practice was being held behind my Aunt’s house. A field trial is a competitive event with hunting dogs. That meant the field was filled with men, horses and dogs – some of my favorite things. The accents that accompanied some of the men sent my heart into a flutter, and I was there almost every day. I figured I could get a job caring for their dogs and came pretty close to it as well. But alas, it wasn’t meant to be – and a good thing too. Soon after, I applied, and was accepted to the same college my mother and a few other relatives had attended. I started in the spring semester and had the time of my life. I positively loved my experience there, and while I love my life now as well, I wish I could go back. . . but that’s mostly so I wouldn’t have to worry about the loans I was left with along with my diploma

Marlen:  Was there a scene in your book that you were surprised you wrote (kind of it took a mind of its own…)

Geeta: I have a confession to make here. Back when I was in grade school, I pretended to plan. I remember when we learned about the various diagrams that were there to help us – like the spider diagram. We’d be assigned a paper, and when we handed it in we had to include our diagram along with it. Well, I made mine up. I’d do the research if there were any, and then I’d just . . . write. At the end, I’d put together a quick diagram so I wouldn’t lose points, but I never, ever used one. Not much has changed since those days. I’m still just . . . writing. As a result, there were quite a few scenes that surprised me. In fact, when and how it ended was unexpected, as were some of the events that took place and the relationships that formed. There were characters that ended up playing a bigger part then I thought they would, and others who did the opposite.

I’m sure the writers who swear by the plot-it-all-out-then-write method are shaking their heads at me, but there were times I’d write for an entire day without any plan beyond a few fleeting thoughts. It’d leave me wondering if any of it actually fit within the storyline, but I was always happy to discover that somehow, despite seeming “unexpected,” it did.

Oh, and the grades on all my papers sans an official diagram? Well, let’s just say writing was always my best bet for an A.

Marlen: We had absolutely no doubt.

 We’ve known for quite some time that JD Gordon is a pretty snazzy guy- he’s been a firefighter for 14 years, travels to islands more times than we care to admit (that’s the jealousy peeking through), and is a pro at paranormal stories.  But what we’d like to find out more about is his new upcoming book Dartboard and the creation of it.  Read more and find out with us!

Marlen: Has anyone from your life influenced any of your characters? How?

JD: If we’re speaking specifically about Dartboard, these are all characters taken from the depths of my brain. I even made a point to create a main character almost the exact opposite of me, myself and I. I have in other writing used many individuals from my life as characters in the books. I write stuff for middle grade readers, so almost every character has roots in kids I knew or interacted with during my younger years.  Actually, concerning Dartboard, there is one character taken from real life. The character of Rick, Jimmy’s best friend was actually taken from a roommate of mine. Rick is almost an exact clone between the fictional sidekick and the real guy. They’re both cheap beer-swilling, ex-air-force, current-aircraft-mechanics living in Chicago.

Marlen: Which scene was the most exciting for you to write (without giving us spoilers!)

JD: Most exciting? That’s tough. I’d rather go with my favorite scene. Which would be a nutty one on a little known island in the Caribbean where the heroes run into an eccentric old fella named Admiral Gangplank! If it has to be ‘excitement’, there’s gunplay throughout, but it really fires up in the end.

Marlen: Did you have to do any research for the book? We know its based in the Caribbean… did you book a trip in the name of research? (Must have been rough.) 

JD: I’ve done research without knowing it throughout my entire life. Yes, I’ve taken plenty of trips to the Caribbean but I have never taken a trip just for research. And, in fact, I really do very little actual research for my writing. One thing nice abut writing fiction, if something pops up which doesn’t jive, change it. A perfect example is in the beginning of Dartboard I open with a historical sequence during which I say Key West was being used during the Revolution as a stop-off for supplies headed for the colonies. I have no idea if anything like that happened. In fact, honestly, I don’t think Key West was settled by Europeans until the 1820s but I thought it would be cool use it regardless, so I did. I’m wondering when the first reader/reviewer will call me out on it. I should offer some sort of prize for the first to do so, but I guess I kind of killed that now, with this interview.

Marlen: What made you chose a treasure hunt rather than a different type of adventure?

JD: Hmmmm, honestly, I don’t know. Other stories I’d worked on up until this point had been set up with kidnappings or surprise attacks of some sort. I was looking for something different, while at the same time I pride myself on never writing anything too difficult either. I’m not really out to entertain with intricate twists and funky plot lines. Just a good solid story, with interesting characters and locations, and some humorous situations thrown in. Something easy to read while sitting on plane, next to a pool or on the beach.  And what’s more enticing than old pirate gold?

Marlen: Nothing comes to mind : )

You know Kerry Castorano, author of The Valren, is an astounding writer, but did you know she’s the descendant of Leif Ericson (that’s right, TLT doesn’t just accept anyone), carries around a tiny lucky dragon, and is a beast at fencing?  Sigh, we’re crushing on her already.  Read on to learn more!

Marlen: Tell us about your heroine, Freyja. She sounds absolutely fierce and unflinching, warrior or not. Our kind of lady.

Kerry: Ha – yes, she was fun to write. Freyja is actually the product of a bunch of my friend’s personalities, all wrapped up into one person. Needless to say, I have some pretty kick-ass friends (can I say “ass” in an interview?). And the name Freyja is actually the name of my cat. She’s also pretty fierce, so it just seemed fit. Most of my favorite books have strong female characters in them so it was appealing to write about one myself.

Marlen: Let us into the process of creating a whole made-up kingdom and land. How did the process of weaving the setting begin- what were little inspirations that helped develop these ideas?

Kerry:  I pulled most of the ideas about the landscape from my honeymoon trip to New Zealand. It is such a beautiful place. My husband and I visited the south island where they did a lot of filming for the Lord of the Rings movies. One of the pictures we took there is actually the background of my website right now. The mountains are so massive they don’t even look like real. Places like that are good for the imagination.

Marlen: How was it writing out the battle scenes- did some unexpected twists happen as you were writing them?

Kerry: Actually, the battle scenes were the only part of the book that went the way I thought they would when I first started typing them! I know some people who can write a whole outline and stick to it from start to finish, but I’m definitely not one of those individuals. I would have a story line planned out, write a chapter, then think “wouldn’t it be cool if THIS happened instead?”. Then the outline would change to reflect whatever neat thing just popped into my head – the flavor of the day. That would happen over and over. The first outline I wrote for The Valren has absolutely nothing in common to the final product, except for the personality of the main character. The process of writing this book made me realize I am not an outline kind of girl. My new motto for writing the second book is just ‘wing it’!

Marlen: What do you do when you’re not absorbed in the world of the Valren? What do you do other than writing?

Kerry: I have a great job at a museum which takes up most of my time. I do a lot of writing for work, but it is technical writing which is completely different than trying to write a fantasy novel. I’ve also been fencing since I was very young, which explains why I enjoy writing about swords and armor rather than guns. Give me sharp and shinny any day. Any other free time I have is usually spent outside. Earlier this year I ran the Tough Mudder in Vermont and I love hiking with my dog. The only issue with all the outdoors stuff is that I’m a redhead, so I burn really easily. I tend to look like a lobster during the summer months, but it is completely worth it.

For Kerry’s book, The Valren, pop into our bookstore today! http://bit.ly/r86oyp

We know Melissa is a mother of two, which means she rocks at Super Mario 3 and knows random Star Wars trivia (When asked what’s the name of Han Solo’s ship, she answers “…Millennium Falcon” in almost a bored manner.)  But what we want to know about the author of The Seventh Blessing is how her bookshelf stays ever-expanding, what motivates her to write (hint: it’s got to do with pastries), and about the magic that comes with the territory of being a fantasy writer….

TLT: What’s one book that has influenced or inspired your way of writing, and why? : One book that has influenced my writing is Beauty by Robin McKinley. It was one of the first YA fantasy books that I read when I was in high school. I remember thinking (and still think) how much I love the fact that it is a retelling of a very familiar fairy tale but it feels so new. I love books that can take an old trope and make the reader find unexpected brilliance in it.

TLT:  Why did you venture into the fantasy genre rather than, say, chick lit?
Melissa: I was more drawn to the fantasy world than the “chick lit” world because I love to read fantasy books and love having my imagination caught up in the wonderful world the author has created. I’ve always loved magical stories and knowing that I’m only held back by my own imagination.

TLT: Real talk now.  Tell us about your reading habits (and we will be judging)
Melissa:  I love to read, usually reading a book a day (TLT: here we gasped, fluttering a hand to our mouth, impressed). I read pretty much every genre: YA, middle grade, fantasy, sci-fi, adventure, mystery.  I also like to haunt thrift stores to add to my book collection.

TLT: How was it creating a whole different world for the setting of your book?  Let us in to how it felt to spin up fairies and magic.
Melissa:  It was so much fun to create the magical world of Gymandrol. I knew that I wanted to have fairies be the magical creatures. I then had to decide about their physical characteristics. Were they small like birds or large like humans? Did they have wings? What sorts of abilities did they possess? I decided they would be smaller than humans and have a “shimmer” about their foreheads with glowing eyes. I wanted them to be enchanting, not creepy. It took a while to get the wording just right for that to happen. I had fun making the colors that corresponded to the male and female fairies (again with the non-creepy aspect) and the idea for the blessings for children in the kingdom was another fun thing to make up.

TLT: Where is one of your favorite places to write? Do you fit the romantic stereotype of harried author sitting in the corner of a caffe, sipping away on cappucinos while breathing life into her characters.
Melissa: If no one else is at home, I love to write at home in our spare bedroom/office. If there are people at home, I go to Starbucks for the “white noise” around me to write by myself. I also have “writing nights” with friends at Panera or Starbucks. Basically a place with big tables and enough outlets for all of our laptops. And good tea/coffee. That’s a necessity. Good pastries are a plus.

TLT: Pastries? A girl after our own heart.

Check out The Seventh Blessing at our bookstore: http://bit.ly/o1Wo04</spa

Here at TLT we like you to get intimate with our authors.  We don’t want you just to know what book they’re working on or when their next release date is- no no, what kind of fan would you be?  You  need to know the nitty grity facts, right down to what sort of fabric softner they use (kidding..but not really.)

Our latest interview is with blog “The Punching Bag Punches Back” and Magan interviews the author of Little Red Wolf, Paul Schumacher.

Learn how his story got a mind of its own and took a different path then he intended, how he channeled his inner angsty female, and what his playlist was as he wrote (very important.) 

And don’t forget to tell us what you think, we love talking with you guys! http://bit.ly/reFCAs

There’s officially no escaping us. (Just kidding. Well not really.)

This passed Sunday both TLT Publishing authors Randi Ertz and Geeta Schrayter appeared on BlogTalkRadio and shared first-hand stories of what it really feels like to be an author.  Hint- it’s not all romantic ideas of sitting hunched over lattes in cozy neighborhood cafes.

We listened to the broadcast while lazily eating brunch, but if you missed it don’t worry.  You can catch it again here http://bit.ly/nsamtd, or listen it off of iTunes here http://bit.ly/mRNpcR (you know you want our company when you’re walking to work.)

Have a comment on something you heard?  Jump into the conversation!  Leave your comment here http://bit.ly/qUhgUH and both authors will answer back to you.  We can’t let them do all the talking.