Interview With Andrew Hess
- What was the hardest part of writing your book, and how did you overcome it?
- Hardest parts of writing this book have been the choice to write it despite the somewhat controversial title. The other was the decision to use the real dorm names for the campus I based the book from or to make it more fictious.
- When and why did you begin writing?
- I made the decision to become a writer/author in 2005 when I decided to write a fictional government conspiracy book to depict how we can never fully trust what the government tells us.
- How did you come up with the title?
- It was the first thing that came to my mind. I tried several times to come up with something different, but nothing ever seemed more fitting for it.
- Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family member?
- That would definitely have to be my incredible fiancé
- If you could travel anywhere in the world for thirty days and just kick back and relax, where would you go, would you take anyone with you and why would you chose this vacation spot to go?
- I would choose to go to Italy with my fiancé. We both have wanted to go there all of our lives. I would want to visit the coliseum and we both want to visit the Vatican.
- What is your favorite late night snack?
- Cookies and milk
Interview With Desni Dantone
- What is The Ignited Series about?
- It’s a 4 part series with a mild Greek Mythology theme. Our heroine, Kris, discovers some truths from her past that lead her on an adventurous ride to find answers as she tries to avoid the unwanted future she discovers she was meant for. She is aided by several fun and likable characters, most notably, Nathan and Alec, the two men who each hold a piece of her heart. There’s a lot of mystery, action, and romance along Kris’s bumpy journey of self-discovery.
- What made you want to start writing this series?
- A few years ago, I got into reading young adult books, and loved the genre. Vampires, angels, demons, werewolves… they were everywhere! Up until then, I had only dabbled in romance, and I wanted to try writing something in young adult, because they were so fun to read. Back then, no one had done anything with Greek Mythology in it yet, and I kind of wanted to read a book about demigods…so I wrote one!
- Tell us about the main characters in The Ignited Series.
- Kris is the main character. She starts off as a seventeen year old girl that, despite her troubled past, thinks she is normal teenager. When a group of frightening ‘non-humans’ attempt to kill her, she learns that she is anything but normal. Though she hits some bumps along the way, she maintains her wit and shows some serious growth throughout the series. By the end, she is a much stronger person.
Nathan is a hero by all accounts. He’s a skilled fighter in their world, and very good at what he does. He has rescued Kris from danger her entire life, and is the one that protects her from this enemy that is after her now. He attempts to keep his distance from her…unsuccessfully, and eventually realizes the extent of his feelings for her.
Alec is the sharp-tongued bad boy with a heart. He has a past as well, which is linked to Kris in ways that neither of them could have imagined. Unlike Nathan, Alec isn’t afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve, and the level of his devotion to Kris has been known to pull at readers’ heart strings.
- I’m not usually a fan of love triangles, but yours was written in a way that I enjoyed, and I have come to like both leading males. What made you decide to write a love triangle?
- I love to read them! As the saying goes, “write what you love,” so I naturally penned a love triangle. Honestly though, it doesn’t end up being so much a love triangle as a deeply rooted love that the character has for both men. But one has a romantic base, while the other develops into a super strong friendship. From the beginning, Nathan is the “it guy,” but I wanted readers to form an attachment to Alec as Kris does…and they have! Maybe a little too much, because I certainly have my “Team Alec” members!
- How much time do you spend researching the Greek Mythology used in your books?
- In the first two books, the Greek Mythology element doesn’t contribute that much to the plot. It’s more of a background setting. Aside from learning more about the gods and goddesses, and what traits they were known for, I didn’t spend too much time on research. Books 3 and 4, however, dive much deeper into the inner workings of Greek Mythology. Though I’m far from an expert, I have learned a lot about it. The books straddle the line between keeping with some of the more widely known facts about Greek Mythology and my own imagination, creating an additional word on top of what the research suggests. If you’re looking for a factual Greek Mythology series, this isn’t it. There’s a lot of other made up stuff that I’ve created in the name of fiction.
- Are you a full-time writer, or is writing something you do for fun on the side?
- Writing, for me, started off as a hobby...which I have enjoyed for 20 years! After the release of Sacrificed last year, I was able to quit my “day job” and I am a full-time writer (and stay at home mom) now.
- How do you balance having three small children with writing?
- A lot of late nights, caffeine, and patience. Now, I mostly find time to write when my babies (10 month old twin boys) are napping, and after I put them to bed for the night. They’ve recently started sleeping through the night (for the most part), and my oldest has just started kindergarten, so I’m finding much more time to write now. I didn’t get anything done for a long time, hence the huge gap between the release of Sacrificed and Salvaged Soul.
- Books 1 and 2 of The Ignited Series are written from Kris’s POV. I would love the opportunity to get into Nathan’s head. Do you have any plans to write any books, or scenes, from his POV?
- Salvaged Soul (Book 3) is written in alternating POVs, between Kris and Nathan. So you will have the opportunity to see what makes that man tick. Though I only have rough ideas at this time, I would like to create some bonus material after the series is over, and go back to rewrite a few of the more popular Kris/Nathan scenes from his POV.
- Do you ever imagine or fantasize about living the life of your characters?
- All the time! The entire storyline for The Ignited Series started off as a fantasy in my head. That was where I imagined up the character’s relationships to each other. Early in the development of the books, scenes or ideas would suddenly come to me in the oddest of locations, like the shower, and I would quickly run to jot down whatever scene had played out in my head before I forgot it.
- Your characters have some extraordinary powers. If you could choose one, which power would you like to have?
- I think the ability to communicate with the dead would be awesome, only because in this world it’s not weird and creepy. It would be cool to see missed loved ones. Or receive pertinent information from the dead (hint!)
InTERVIEW WITH ANGELA FATTIG
1. What made you want to start writing? My love of escape. When I was a child things weren't so good. I used books as an escape. Before I knew it I was writing!
2. You write for many different genres. What I would like to know is do you have a preference when it comes to writing? (Like a favorite.) Yes, I love any kind of Romance.
3. Is there any specific place your ideas come from? Depends on the book. Most comes from "what if", theories, dreams, or my past.
4. What do you find to be the easiest thing about writing? What about the worst? The easiest is starting. The hardest is finishing the book.
5. What inspires your covers? Other than the story itself is there something specific? I try to have the covers help tell the story. A lot of times it is the cover that inspires the story.
6. Is there anything you would like your readers to know when they read your books? With my Science Fiction don't read too much into it. Most of them are based on"what if's" nothing more. With my Romance, just feel. Don't think, just open your heart, mind, and soul.
7. I have noticed a lot of authors turn to music as away to help them write and they tend to include music in their books. Do you do the same? If so, what music (song(s), genre(s), ect..) would you say is for each of your books?Yes I do. Music speaks to my soul. For my Romance, like Just...Breathe, I have several songs connected to it. The main song for it is Holy Water by Big & Rich
8. I know you write quite a bit, but when you have the time do you read? If so, what is your favorite genre and book? Who is your favorite author? Oh yes I read! In order to be a great writer you must first be a great reader. My first choice is Erotic Romance. It is a toss up between TK Leigh and EL James
9. If you could choose one of your characters or another author's characters to spend the day with who would you choose and why? Either Christian Grey (No brainier there why. But not only the sex. He is a deep man and I feel a connection to him) or Chase Daniels (Just...Breathe) I also feel a deep connection with him. They both have their problems and a past. I can relate to that.
10. Do you have a favorite quote? What is it and what makes that quote your favorite? "The slap heard around the world." and "I will follow her into her darkness in order to show her the light." Both from Just...Breathe. The "slap" represents the connection between Jaden and Chase as well as their inability to trust. The "darkness" represents Chase's commitment to Jaden.
2. You write for many different genres. What I would like to know is do you have a preference when it comes to writing? (Like a favorite.) Yes, I love any kind of Romance.
3. Is there any specific place your ideas come from? Depends on the book. Most comes from "what if", theories, dreams, or my past.
4. What do you find to be the easiest thing about writing? What about the worst? The easiest is starting. The hardest is finishing the book.
5. What inspires your covers? Other than the story itself is there something specific? I try to have the covers help tell the story. A lot of times it is the cover that inspires the story.
6. Is there anything you would like your readers to know when they read your books? With my Science Fiction don't read too much into it. Most of them are based on"what if's" nothing more. With my Romance, just feel. Don't think, just open your heart, mind, and soul.
7. I have noticed a lot of authors turn to music as away to help them write and they tend to include music in their books. Do you do the same? If so, what music (song(s), genre(s), ect..) would you say is for each of your books?Yes I do. Music speaks to my soul. For my Romance, like Just...Breathe, I have several songs connected to it. The main song for it is Holy Water by Big & Rich
8. I know you write quite a bit, but when you have the time do you read? If so, what is your favorite genre and book? Who is your favorite author? Oh yes I read! In order to be a great writer you must first be a great reader. My first choice is Erotic Romance. It is a toss up between TK Leigh and EL James
9. If you could choose one of your characters or another author's characters to spend the day with who would you choose and why? Either Christian Grey (No brainier there why. But not only the sex. He is a deep man and I feel a connection to him) or Chase Daniels (Just...Breathe) I also feel a deep connection with him. They both have their problems and a past. I can relate to that.
10. Do you have a favorite quote? What is it and what makes that quote your favorite? "The slap heard around the world." and "I will follow her into her darkness in order to show her the light." Both from Just...Breathe. The "slap" represents the connection between Jaden and Chase as well as their inability to trust. The "darkness" represents Chase's commitment to Jaden.