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Character Interview: Allen Bridgeway from Barb Caffrey’s contemporary transgender fantasy-romance, CHANGING FACES
We’re thrilled to have here today Allen Bridgeway from Barb Caffrey’s new transgender fantasy-romance, CHANGING FACES. Allen Bridgeway is a thirty-year-old clarinetist living in Lincoln, Nebraska.
It is a pleasure to have him with us today at Beyond the Books!
Thank you so for this interview, Allen. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?
AB: I think I was fairly portrayed, yes. Though I don’t know if anyone else has ever been in my position, mind you—here I was, a straight male living in Nebraska, engaged to Elaine Foster, who I knew to be bisexual…then I found out she was transgender, there was a car accident, and voila! Into Elaine’s body I went!
But I’m still male, I’m still human, and more importantly—I’m still in love with Elaine. (Does this make sense?) Even though she’s now in my body, as I’m in hers…
Do you feel the author did a good job colorizing your personality? If not, how would you like to have been portrayed differently?
AB: I think Barb described me quite fairly. I was always a quiet, bookish man; that hasn’t changed much despite the body-switch, but I have found out that it’s better understood now that I’m in a woman’s body. (How strange is that?)
What do you believe is your strongest trait?
AB: Empathy. Though that’s given short shrift by many men, I wish it weren’t. I have always been able to understand others better than most; it has made me a better musician, a better person, and a far better boyfriend. (I hope it’ll make me a better husband, too. Even if the rest of the world insists on seeing me as a wife, now.)
Worst trait?
AB: I haven’t always stuck up for myself. This is one reason I was drawn to Elaine; she is so strong, and demands to be taken for who she is today—not who she was yesterday, or might be tomorrow.
Elaine has taught me how to better stand up for myself and what I want, and to not care what other people think of me. She always felt odd, considering she knew from an early age she was transgender (and later figured out she was also gender-fluid to a certain degree as well); still, she came to terms with herself, and I think that coma she was in had a great deal to do with that (even if she refuses to talk about it much).
If you could choose someone in the television or movie industry to play your part if your book was made into a movie, who would that be (and you can’t say yourself!)?
AB: Hm. Most of the young actors out there are too good-looking to play me, I fear. But of the transgender or gender fluid actors/actresses, I think I’d most like someone like Ruby Rose to play me despite her extreme attractiveness. She definitely gets it. (But she might want to play Elaine, instead…what a conundrum!)
Do you have a love interest in the book?
AB: Oh, yes. My fiancée, Elaine Foster, is a writer, English teacher (graduate teaching assistant), and clarinetist. She’s a phenomenal person, witty and sarcastic by turns, and she keeps me on my toes! (And even though she is transgender—as we both are, now, due to the body-switch—she still prefers the pronoun “she.” And is a feminist. What’s wrong with that?)
At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?
AB: I didn’t know how Elaine would ever wake up in my (old) body. And I didn’t know how we’d ever get married, either…which I’d wanted for the longest time.
So…halfway in?
If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?
AB: Lexy, who is a transgender woman from Omaha—a veterinarian—is the one person I would not want to be. Lexy lost her love to a car accident, and has been bitter ever since. I can easily see myself going down that road, and want no part of it!
How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?
AB: I’m satisfied that Elaine and I are making progress dealing with our new circumstances. And I believe that now, we may finally get the happily-ever-after that we deserve, too…why not?
What words of wisdom would you give your author if s/he decided to write another book with you in it?
AB: Barb, if you write another book with me in it, I hope you’ll show Elaine and I as happy and contented people—as hard as that is to write. We have gone through more than enough drama in CHANGING FACES to last through five separate lifetimes, truly…can’t we have some peace for a change?
Thank you for this interview, Allen. Will we be seeing more of you in the future?
AB: I hope so. Because while I hope Elaine and I will be happy down the road, who knows what will happen in the future? (I certainly don’t, not after going through all this stuff I could’ve never imagined in a million years.)
About the Book:
Title: CHANGING FACES
Genre: transgender fantasy-romance (contemporary)
Author: Barb Caffrey
Website: http://elfyverse.wordpress.com
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
Purchase links: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N3CQKWJ/
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/changing-faces-barb-caffrey/1125707044
Allen and Elaine are graduate students in Nebraska, and love each other very much. Their life should be idyllic, but Elaine’s past includes rape, neglect, and abuse from those who should’ve loved her—but didn’t, because from childhood, Elaine identified as transgender.
When Elaine tells Allen right before Christmas, he doesn’t know what to do. He loves Elaine, loves her soul, has heard about transgender people before, but didn’t think Elaine was one of them—she looks and acts like anyone else. Now, she wants to become a man and is going to leave.
He prays for divine intervention, and says he’ll do anything, just please don’t separate him from Elaine…and gets it.
Now, he’s in Elaine’s body. And she’s in his. They’ll get a second chance at love.
Why? Because once you find your soulmate, the universe will do almost anything to keep you together—even change your faces.
On the Spotlight: The Moreva of Astoreth, by Roxanne Bland
Blurb
In the world-building tradition of Andre Norton, Anne McCaffrey and Ursula K. LeGuin, The Moreva of Astoreth is a blend of science fiction, romance, and adventure in a unique, richly imagined imperialistic society in which gods and science are indelibly intertwined. It is the story of the priestess, scientist, and healer Moreva Tehi, the spoiled, headstrong granddaughter of a powerful deity who is banished for a year to a volatile far corner of the planet for neglecting to perform her sacred duty, only to venture into dangerous realms of banned experimentation, spiritual rebirth, and fervent, forbidden love.
Link to Follow Tour: http://worldwindtours.com/index.php/2016/08/04/tour-sign-up-the-moreva-of-astoreth/
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29614594-the-moreva-of-astoreth
Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Moreva-Astoreth-Roxanne-Bland-ebook/dp/B017JY331W/
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-moreva-of-astoreth-roxanne-bland/1122928113?ean=9780996731607
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-moreva-of-astoreth-3
I’ve been a fugitive from reality since forever. As a child, I constantly made up stories–some would call them lies–about my family, friends, neighbors and even strangers on the street. I had friends that only I could see. Oh, the adventures we had!
Learning to read was a revelation. Words fascinated me. Whole new worlds opened up, and since my parents forbade nothing, I read everything. Some of it I didn’t quite understand, but I didn’t mind. I read it anyway. I even read the dictionary. When I was a little older, I was big on mysteries–English cozy mysteries, that is, Agatha Christie, were my favorites. Then I graduated to horror. Whenever a new book came out by Stephen King, Peter Straub or Dean Koontz, I was first in line. I was reading a little science fiction at this time–Robert Heinlein and authors like him–but I really didn’t get into it until I was in college. The same with fantasy. I really got into high fantasy–Lord of the Rings style–in college.
During this time I was still making up stories, but not writing them down. They were private. Besides, I thought my family and friends would laugh at me. In fact, the only story I recall writing was one that won a contest when I was in elementary school.
So anyway, life goes on. I went to law school. After I graduated and entered the workforce, I finally started writing down my stories. I wrote a bit here and there, short stories that never saw the light of day (which was probably a good thing). Then I fell ill. I had the flu for a month. Bored out of my skull, I started writing a piece of fan fiction, though I didn’t know that’s what it was at the time. I showed it to a friend of mine who suggested I finish the story.
Well, that piece of fan fiction fell by the wayside, but in its place came a manuscript that would eventually become my first book, The Underground. I absolutely adored writing it. I absolutely adore writing, period. Slipping into that alternate reality for hours on end, there was a time in my life when it was called daydreaming and I got into trouble for it. Now it’s legitimate. And that’s the best part of all.
Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Website: http://blackrosepress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Roxanne-Bland-Author-289392377750996/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RoxanneBland2
Character Interview: Sellemar from J.J. Sherwood’s high fantasy Kings or Pawns
We’re thrilled to have here today Sellemar from J.J. Sherwood’s new high fantasy, Kings or Pawns. Sellemar has been unfortunately vague as to his age and origin, but I suppose we shall have to carry on without such details.
It is a pleasure to have him with us today at Beyond the Books!
Thank you so for this interview, Sellemar. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?
I am portrayed exactly how I wish to be portrayed—seen exactly how and when I wish to be seen. Frankly, a male of my skill simply could not have been more present without turning the rest of the events into a throng of children whacking at one another with sticks. Take General Jikun Taemrin, for instance—respected, touted as a military genius by the council, paraded as a hero—yet by comparison to my triumphs, he is no more than a desperate child whose strings are pulled by the council and whose victories are only granted by the careful planning of the enemy. Sel’ari knows he was doomed from the start.
Do you feel the author did a good job colorizing your personality? If not, how would you like to have been portrayed differently?
Oh, she did a fine job. I simply would have refused an appearance had she not complied with my wishes. …However, I will state that J.J. did make a horrendous mistake by failing to acquire all information before one of my heroics and that this particular incident may have given the country its final push over the cliff. And now I find myself in a terribly dangerous predicament—thanks to J.J.’s complete lack of experience. This is why I typically demand to do the legwork myself. You give the inexperienced a slight benefit of the doubt and you find yourself with a blade to the throat.
What do you believe is your strongest trait?
Intelligence. Piety. Wisdom. Insight. Experience. If I am being entirely honest, I simply cannot limit it to one.
Worst trait?
Well, I suppose at times having too much talent can get me into trouble. I often end up in terribly dangerous situations because of my abilities… and it does not help things when I don’t have magic to bail me out. But it was certainly Sel’ari’s way of balancing my place in the world. …There have been some suggestions by other (jealous) individuals that my worst trait is arrogance—but if honesty is akin to arrogance than only then am I the most guilty of all.
If you could choose someone in the television or movie industry to play your part if your book was made into a movie, who would that be (and you can’t say yourself!)?
Well, this is certainly a difficult question to be asked. There is no human in your world that could possibly match my talents in any way. I suppose special effects might lend a hand, but there is only so much your world can do. So, I suppose I would have to say we can only attempt looks and past CGI assistance: Orlando Bloom. Of course, this would forever make Legolas appear subpar, but all others after me in your world would suffer the same by default.
Do you have a love interest in the book?
I don’t have the time for such nonsense. And that is all there is to say on the matter.
At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?
I am never nervous. I am experienced. And my experience started warning me the moment I stepped off into the Port of Targados and saw the human influences on the once glorious capital of Elvorium. I had heard from the True Blood King, Sairel, that Sevrigel had become riddled with the disease of corruption; and yet, it was still a shock to see the elven council’s corruption first hand. No land can endure when its foundation is lacking.
If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?
That is a difficult question as I would not wish to be the females by default, the young who suffer naivety, the old who suffer the pains of age, or any of those who have strayed from Sel’ari’s path. And that leaves me to say that I would really not want to be anyone. As I feel I am forced to answer this question, I would say the one character I would really not want to be is the enemy warlord’s captain, Vale. I met him but once—briefly—and I find his crude, arrogant, cocky, and frankly repulsive personality both offensive and revolting. There is nothing in Emal’drathar you could offer me to spend even a single second in his boots.
How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?
It is always darkest before the dawn: If you defy Sel’ari long enough, surely retribution shall find you.
What words of wisdom would you give your author if she decided to write another book with you in it?
Oh, I know I’m in the second novel. I’ve already spent the time in her drafts, flitting about the pages. And I say this with a forced politeness: I am not pleased—not pleased at all at where I now find myself… Or where I know I am headed.
Thank you for this interview, Sellemar. Will we be seeing more of you in the future?
Until my time on Aersadore has expired, I shall always come when Sel’ari calls.
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Title: Kings or Pawns (Steps of Power, The Kings: Book I)
Genre: Fantasy
Author: J.J. Sherwood
Website: www.StepsofPower.com
Publisher: Silver Helm
Purchase at Amazon
About the Book:
Kings or Pawns is the first novel in the Steps of Power series. It takes place after two very significant events in the world—the continental division between the human and elven races after the betrayal and death of Aersadore’s hero, Eraydon, and the recent Royal Schism that has left the elven nation’s politics even more corrupted than was prior. The new elven king, Hairem, is determined to overcome the council’s corruption and restore the elven lands, but he has far more to contend with than just the politics within the capital: an assassin has begun killing those loyal to him, a rebelling warlord threatens the city from without, and an unknown beast devastates the king’s forces at every turn. There are multiple points of view—the youthful and naïve king Hairem; the mute and spunky servant girl, Alvena; the mysterious and arrogant foreigner, Sellemar; and the cynical, dry-humored General Jikun.
About the Author:
JJ. Sherwood was born in Tucson, Arizona on New Year’s Eve—and has always had a flair for the dramatics. JJ began writing in kindergarten and her first work was completed by the age of 5: a riveting tale of a duck attempting to climb into an apartment during the pouring rain.
Unfortunately this book is not in print, but it served as the first spark that spurred on a lifetime of creativity. JJ continued writing throughout her school years and escaped the horrors of short-story writing in college, ready and eager to write meaty, character-driven novels. With over 250 well-rounded characters developed from her nearly 20 years of roleplaying, JJ dove straight into the rich history of Aersadore, ready to let her puppeteers pull her creative strings.
JJ lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her spouse, parrot, bearded dragon, and four cats who look far too similar.
Links:
Site: http://www.stepsofpower.com
Blog: http://www.stepsofpower.com/news.php#toolbar
FB: https://www.facebook.com/stepsofpower
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jj_sherwood
Character Interview: Des Fairweather from Jane Tesh’s fantasy novel, Butterfly Waltz
We’re thrilled to have here today Des Fairweather from Jane Tesh’s new fantasy, Butterfly Waltz. Des is a 27 year old musician living in Parkland, North Carolina.
It is a pleasure to have Des with us today at Beyond the Books!
Thank you so for this interview, Des. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?
I’m very glad you invited me! I do feel I was fairly portrayed in this book, although I wish I had been braver at the beginning and willing to take more chances. But it all worked out in the end.
Do you feel the author did a good job colorizing your personality? If not, how would you like to have been portrayed differently?
When you talk about colorizing personality my author actually works with colors. She tells me my name is a combination of gray, blue, and green, while Jake’s, my best friend in the story, is a contrasting black, red, and yellow. I thought she might be a little out there with this, but she discovered there is a condition called synesthesia, which a lot of writers have, where they see letters as colors. She likes to have a balance of colors in all her books.
What do you believe is your strongest trait?
I like to think I can help people who are in trouble.
Worse trait?
Sometimes I wish I could refuse Jake when he pesters me to join him tracking down his wild tabloid stories, but it’s hard for me to say no when a friend asks for my help.
If you could choose someone in the television or movie industry to play your part if your book was made into a movie, who would that be (and you can’t say yourself!)?
This is a very hard question! I’ve been told I have soulful eyes, so an actor who looks like a younger Robert Downy, Jr., might be the one.
Do you have a love interest in the book?
In this story, I fall in love with an amazingly beautiful young woman who inspires me to write music. But she’s a magical creature, and I have a great fear and distrust of magic.
At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?
I was okay until I walked into this perfectly innocent-looking forest that abruptly closed around me, and I was attacked by a huge snake. I didn’t know how I was going to get out of this situation. I’m still not sure exactly what happened.
If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?
Jake’s lifestyle would drive me crazy. He’s brash, loud, and believes in everything: UFOs, ghosts, zombies, you name it. He lives his life at high speed and doesn’t mind breaking the rules. I’m a rule-follower who needs peace and quiet.
How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?
I don’t recall much of the ending, except that I’m writing more music. I think you’ll see why when you read the book.
What words of wisdom would you give your author if s/he decided to write another book with you in it?
My author has told me my story is over, but if she ever decided to write another, I’d ask her to help me stop worrying. Of course, she’s a big worrier, so I know where that comes from!
Thank you for this interview, Des. Will we be seeing more of you in the future?
I appear briefly or I’m mentioned in my brothers’ books. Jerry’s having all sorts of adventures with his wife, Madeline, in the Madeline Maclin Mystery series, and the author’s at work on Tucker’s story, which will be another fantasy.
I’ve enjoyed this! Thanks for having me on Beyond the Books.
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Visit Jane’s website at www.janetesh.com and her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/GraceStreetMysterySeries. You can also find her on Goodreads, Amazon’s Author Central www.amazon.com/author/janetesh, andwww.twitter.com/janetesh.
Her blog is www.janetesh.wordpress.com
ABOUT THE BOOK
When he helps his friend Jake Brenner, a tabloid writer on the hunt for a big supernatural story, Des Fairweather is swept up in a world of mystery and intrigue. Despite his skepticism of the validity of the stories Jake is seeking, Des reluctantly accompanies Jake on his latest adventure—all with the promise that Jake can help Des secure an audition with the city symphony, a break Des desperately needs.
When Jake’s search takes the two out to the country to investigate an unusual phenomenon at the Snowden estate, Des encounters a startlingly beautiful young woman who claims to be magical. That young woman is Kalida, a mysterious creature who has escaped from the people of the Caverns and renounced their evil ways. But when Kalida is discovered, her people will stop at no end to get her to return to their world. Will Des be able to cast aside his fears in order to save Kalida….before it’s too late?
A mesmerizing tale that blends music, mystery and magic, Butterfly Waltz charms with its enchanting storyline and compelling characters. Resplendent with adventure, intrigue, and the allure of the supernatural, Butterfly Waltz is delightful.
Get your copy now on Amazon
Excerpt from RHIDAUNA, by Paul E. Horsman
The night before his Coming-of-Age, Ghyll and his two friends escape their castle on a clandestine boar hunt that will forever change their lives. The hunt proves a disaster, and with one of them badly wounded, they return just in time to see their island castle destroyed by macabre warriors from a dragon boat, and by flocks of fire-breathing birds. Ghyll’s eighteenth birthday turns into a nightmare as they flee into the night.
Now begins an epic journey to find out who is trying to kill them – and most importantly, why?
Fortunately, they can count on the help of new friends, including a sometimes overly enthusiastic fire mage, an inexperienced paladin and a young beastmistress who is also a ferocious mountain lioness. It soon becomes clear that not one but several sorcerers want to kill them. Are those blackrobes really followers of a terrible, long-forgotten organization?
PURCHASE
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The Author
Paul’s Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
Paul E. Horsman (1952) is a Dutch and International Fantasy Author. Born in the sleepy garden village of Bussum, The Netherlands, he now lives in Roosendaal, a town on the Dutch-Belgian border.
He has been a soldier, a salesman, a scoutmaster and from 1995 till his school closed in 2012 a teacher of Dutch as a Second Language and Integration to refugees from all over the globe.
Being unemployed and economically overage, yet still some years away from retirement, he is a full-time writer of epic light fantasy adventures. His books are both published in the Netherlands, and internationally.
EXCERPT FROM: RHIDAUNA – CHAPTER 2: GROMARTHEN
Hours later, they reached Gromarthen. The rain had stopped at last and in the dusk, the lights of the town looked warm and inviting.
Ghyll tried to remember what he knew of Gromarthen. It was one of the many rich trade ports along the Yanthe River. A burgraviate, held for the king by an old friend of Uncle Jadron’s. Damn, he thought. I’m too stupid to remember. He rubbed his eyes in an attempt to stay awake.
They passed the massive gate and stopped at the guardhouse. Two guards flanked the entrance, their halberds gleaming in the light of the lanterns. Ghyll’s training took over, and he straightened. He nodded to the men. ‘I am Squire Ghyll Denhalf from Tinnurad. Call the officer of the watch, please.’
One guardsman hesitated, but his mate had already disappeared into the building. Moments later, he came out with a sergeant, a gray-haired veteran, scarred by war. The man assessed the situation with a single glance, and saluted. ‘Good evening, Squire. How may I help you?’
‘We come from Tinnurad. I bear an urgent report for the lord burgrave,’ Ghyll said. ‘My friend needs immediate medical help.’
The sergeant looked at Damion and turned to his men. ‘You there, call the lieutenant. Ask him to come here. You two bring the wounded man to the infirmary. To see the castle’s healer,’ he said aside to Ghyll. ‘A White priest, not one of those sweet-talking quacks. If you’d be so kind as to step inside, Squire, my officer will be here directly.’
Ghyll and Olle followed him into the guardroom, while a soldier took charge of the horses. In the light of the torches, the sergeant gave them a once-over. Ghyll knew he didn’t look a nobleman in his scruffy hunting armor, soaking wet and covered in blood. We’re a mess, he thought. He’ll kick us out.
Instead, the old warrior beckoned to one of his men. ‘Get me two of our specials and make it fast, before the lieutenant comes.’
The soldier’s face fell. He hurried away, and returned a little later with two stone mugs.
‘This keeps the men goin’ on cold days.’ Straight-faced, the sergeant nodded at the steaming mugs.
The strong fumes made Ghyll reel as he took a sip. By the gods, mully! he thought. The hot spiced cider returned some feeling to his body as he drank it all, gasping and with tears in his eyes.
With a nervous glance at the door, the soldier snatched the empty mugs away and left.
Moments later, a young officer in the blue and silver of the Guard in Gromarthen entered the room. He paused in the door and raised his eyebrows. ‘Well, who have we here?’
Ghyll lifted his chin. ‘Lieutenant…?’
The guards officer came to attention and bowed. ‘Davall. And who are you, sir?’
‘I’m Squire Ghyll Denhalf from Tinnurad with an urgent message for the lord burgrave.’
Davall looked the young men over. Like the sergeant, their weary faces and soaking wet hunting clothes must have conveyed their urgency, for he nodded. ‘You’ve never been in Gromarthen before, Squire?’
Ghyll shook his head. ‘No.’
‘I’ll ride with you.’ Davall turned to the sergeant. ‘Have the Squire’s horses brought, please.’
The sergeant saluted. ‘You heard the lieutenant,’ he shouted to his men. ‘What’s keeping those horses?’
Once they were mounted, Davall seemed to hesitate. ‘I don’t want to pry, but to brave the Tinnurad trail in this weather is a desperate move. You bring bad news?’
Ghyll’s face worked. ‘Yes,’ he answered in a hoarse voice.
The lieutenant accepted his reticence and without another word led them into the town.
Profile: Christine Amsden, Author of ‘Madison’s Song’
“Writing has taught me the importance of self-confidence in becoming good at anything,” says Christine Amsden, who, in spite of having been diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision, has gone on to become the award-winning, bestselling author of the Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective fantasy/mystery series published by Twilight Times Books.
“My parents encouraged reading a LOT,” says this speculative fiction writer, who grew up gobbling up The Chronicles of Narnia, The Baby Sitter’s Club, andFlowers in the Attic. “I know they read to me too, but I was an advanced reader at an early age and preferred to read on my own when I could. I have memories of staring at picture books, making up stories about the pictures though I couldn’t understand the words.” At the tender age of 8, she wrote her first short story, about Cabbage Patch Dolls going to Mars. From then on, she wrote fairly consistently until 2003, which marked the beginning of her professional career when she attended a workshop with Orson Scott Card.
Amsden may be legally blind, but she hasn’t allowed that part of her life to stop her from becoming a prolific author, and nowadays she splits her time between writing, freelance editing, and coaching — with a keen focus on writing. She loves to write about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations, giving special attention to people and relationships, her way of making science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone. “I will continue to marry romance with speculative fiction because I simply love both genres,” states the author. “I love a good character story. I think character is more important than just about anything else, and a great character will have me reading any genre at all and loving it. I get a lot of people telling me that they like my books even though they ‘don’t normally read stuff like that.’ I think it’s because of the characters.”
In what she describes as her messy, cluttered desk, and with a special arm attached to her monitor to help her eyes and back, Amsden creates her stories rich in characterization and world building. Her latest book, Madison’s Song, a companion to her Cassie Scot series, is about a shy young woman who has suffered more than her fair share of betrayal in the past. A friend of Cassie (the only ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers), Madison now gets a chance to prove that she can be more than a plump, shy sidekick. When her brother’s life is in danger, she faces her greatest fear with head held high to save him. The story is equally about Scott, a werewolf who has fallen in love with a woman he doesn’t believe he deserves.
Amsden’s writing style is straightforward and conversational, which is probably why most readers and reviewers describe her work as highly entertaining and fast paced. “I’m not the sort to hide the story behind flowery prose,” she says. “I like the words to get out of the way of the story.” She’s a fast writer as well, finishing the rough draft of the book in only two months, though she then put it aside for a year before revising it, a process that took her five additional months. Her writing process, though fluid, is different with each book. “My best story ideas are the ones that come to me while I’m doing something else, although this doesn’t excuse me from putting in my hours of conscious effort. No two projects that I’ve worked on have developed in exactly the same way, either. I like to try new strategies, mix things up, so life doesn’t get boring.”
Like the Cassie Scot series, Madison’s Song will also be available in audiobook format, which is how Amsden “reads” most books these days. “It was important to me, when I became an author, to make my books available to listen to as well as read, and not just for others with disabilities. Audiobooks are a terrific way to enjoy books for busy people whose reading time can be combined with a daily commute, or with housework.”
Like most authors, Amsden loves sharing her creative ideas with the world, something which can be understandably challenging. “Nothing is universally liked,” states the author. “I try not to read negative comments or reviews, but it’s almost impossible to avoid all of it. When someone ‘gets me’ I feel an almost euphoric connectedness to the world; when someone doesn’t, (in a really big way), it almost makes me feel isolated.”
The definition of success varies from writer to writer. For Amsden, it has changed since she started writing. “At one time (not too long ago), I had an unrealistic expectation of success that involved becoming a bestseller and making an upper-class living off of my books,” she confesses. “When the Cassie Scot series came out, I sold thousands of books but still didn’t make the kind of money that would let me ‘earn a living’ off of it. It made me rethink my definition of success, because
by all measurable standards my books are doing well – I’ve got great reviews, I’ve won several awards, I’ve sold many thousands of books, and I’m making money. I feel most successful when I connect with readers who love my books. So maybe that’s what success is. I’d love to connect with more readers, sell more books, and make more money, but I’m becoming satisfied with who and what I am now. (Like Cassie.)”
At the moment, the author is waiting for her next book, Kaitlin’s Tale, to be released by Twilight Times Books. She’s also hard at work on a new series set in a completely different world and with a new cast of characters. Though it’s way too early to say much about it, readers can count on it being filled with romance and the paranormal.
A native of St. Louis, Christine Amsden now lives in Olathe, Kansas with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success, and their two beautiful children.
Bibliography:
Touch of Fate (Twilight Times Books, 2006)
The Immortality Virus(Twilight Times Books, 2011)
Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective (Twilight Times Books, 2013)
Secrets and Lies (Twilight Times Books, 2013)
Mind Games (Twilight Times Books, 2014)
Stolen Dreams (Twilight Times Books, 2014)
Madison’s Song (Twilight Times Books, 2015)
Connect with Christine Amsden on the web:
Character Interview: Arkas from K. Madill’s YA Fantasy Novel ‘The Stolen Herd’ – Win $25 Amazon Gift Card
We’re thrilled to be talking to Arkas from Green Forest, Deep Forest, The Silver City, Harshlands, Azure Caves, Elphinstone Mountains…hey, he has wings – he gets around.
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00068]](https://beyondthebooks.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/the-stolen-herd.jpg)
Thank you so much for this interview, Arkas. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?
Arkas: It was moderately accurate. She (the author) missed how utterly terrified Mandamus and Luco were when we first met. It was their own fault. They blundered into my territory, so I attacked them. It was written a little more comically than it actually was. Those two were scared out of their minds. I thought that human, Luco, was going to cry and Mandamus may look like a big, tough horse but he was shaking in his hooves.
What do you believe is your strongest trait?
Arkas: My strength, agility, wingspan, and fighting skills. Not to mention …I can breathe fire!
Worse trait?
Arkas: Well, I have been called short tempered. But I don’t see that as a bad thing at all.
If you could choose someone in the television or movie industry to play your part if your book was made into a movie, who would that be (and you can’t say yourself!)?
Arkas: Probably… Christian Bale. He was a pretty darn good Batman…and seeing as I’m an actual bat, I feel the transition would go smoothly.
At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?
Arkas: I must admit, I did get a little worried when we were attached by Aicha, that dirty slug of a water imp. I wasn’t sure I could take him by myself, he’s pretty quick. Just in the nick of time, Gideon showed up and helped me out, thank goodness.
If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?
Arkas: I definitely would not want to be Luco. Alright, granted, for a human he’s not that bad…but he has only two legs and can’t fly. He also doesn’t have the nerve to tell that naiad, Lethe, that he likes her. Even after he built her that glass room at the Gates to the Underworld! He just hangs around mooning over her until Mandamus’ hoof heals, then we leave. Pathetic, if you ask me. I might have to do a little matchmaking there.
How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?
Arkas: Hey, Luco may be complaining because he’s afraid of getting eaten, but I’m full on ready to journey to the Azure Caves to see King Farzad and the rest of the Snowbreth tribe. They’re supposedly man-eating monsters, but Gideon wouldn’t have sent us there if that was the case. I will tell you this though – if they do try anything, they’ll be sorry!
What words of wisdom would you give your author if s/he decided to write another book with you in it?
Arkas: If? I’m one of the three main characters of this story so she’d BETTER have me in it. Hmm…words of wisdom….well, I would like to get back to Luco’s village for more cherry stars and fire whiskey though that’s more of a suggestion, I guess.
Thank you for this interview, Arkas. Will we be seeing more of you in the future?
Arkas: Of course. Those two (Mandamus and Luco) couldn’t last a day without me. Why, you should see what those dunderheads got themselves into just last week. Only, you’ll have to wait for the 2nd book to find out – ha!
Purchase on AMAZON
A chronic “head in the cloudser” K. Madill lives in a rickety house on a well treed street in British Columbia, Canada. When she’s not hanging out with her best equine friend in the woods she can be found trying to stay upright on her roller skates or mediating the affairs of her various furred and feathered friends that rule the aforementioned rickety house.
K. Madill’s website: kmadill.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/K-Madill/161159890706088
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaraiMadill1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20643483-the-stolen-herd
Pump Up Your Book and K. Madill are teaming up to give away
a $25 Amazon Gift Card!
Terms and conditions:
- By entering, you confirm you are 18 years of age or older.
- Raffle runs from 12:00 AM EST on June 2 through 12:00 AM EST on June 28, 2014.
- Winner will be selected randomly by Rafflecopter.
- Winner will be notified by email and has 72 hours to claim the prize before a new winner is selected.
- Prize will be sent via email from the author’s representative.
- VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
Book Review & $100 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway : ‘Mind Games,’ by Christine Amsden
Mind Games is the much awaited third installment in the new adult mystery series, Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective. Talented author Christine Amsden keeps delivering a great story filled with interesting characters, romance, mystery, and the paranormal, lots of it.
In this episode, Cassie still doesn’t know why Evan broke her heart two months ago, and the mystery gnaws at her big time. She decides to keep busy and make herself useful at the sheriff’s department. She also meets charismatic mind mage Matthew Blair…much to Evan’s distaste. At the same time, Eagle Rock is teeming with hate from the religious community, a reaction to the recent murder of a much-esteemed pastor’s wife by what the people believe was a sorcerer. The town is about to snap, with tensions between the magical and non-magical communities.
And in the center of all this, is Matthew, whom Cassie finds irresistible. But can she trust him? According to Evan, no way. But then, Evan isn’t the most objective person when it comes to Cassie. Evan and Cassie have a history, as well as a secret connection, that keeps them bound in spite of themselves.
Will Cassie discover the real culprit or culprits behind the pastor’s wife’s murder, as well as the real face behind the anti-magical propaganda and demonstrations? Most importantly, will she wake up and see Matthew for who he really is…and find the courage to face Evan for what he did to her—when she finds out?
I love this series and thoroughly enjoyed this instalment! There’s something about Cassie’s voice that makes her really likable. She has a good heart and is witty, too. But best of all, she is just an ordinary girl next door trying to do her best in spite of everything that happens around her—which is usually pretty remarkable, as is often the case in paranormal stories.
Her relationship with Evan keeps evolving organically and there’s a major revelation in this book about their connection and the secret behind their rival families. Matthew is a great addition to this episode, adding tension with his charismatic personality and inciting sparks of jealousy from Evan. The conflict between the religious and the magical communities is also well done.
Mind Games kept me reading late into the night, wondering what would happen next. If you haven’t read any books in this series before, I urge you to pick up book one first, Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective. The books are best read in order. You won’t be disappointed.
Purchase links: Amazon / Barnes and Noble
Connect with the author on the web:
Website / Newsletter / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Google+
My review was originally published on Blogcritics.
*The giveaway begins on April 15, 2014 at midnight and ends on July 16, 2014 at midnight.
Book Review: ‘Knight Blindness’ by Chris Karlsen
Knight Blindness is the third installment in Karlsen’s The Knights in Time series. I have read the first two books and, as always, the author doesn’t disappoint.
The story begins at the Battle of Poitiers, France, in 1356. English knight Stephen Palmer charges into battle when he is suddenly struck by the enemy. In that instant, he plummets through time and when he wakes up, wounded and confused, he finds himself in a hospital in 2013. Not only that, but blind due to his wound. His manner of speaking, questions and claims force people to believe that he’s mad.
In a twist of fate, old friends of his who have also secretly traveled through time before, from earlier books, come to help. They assign him a tutor to help him adjust to the modern world: beautiful and warm-hearted Esme Crippen who, unfortunately, thinks Stephen adorable but also mad.
But unbeknown to Stephen, the man who struck him, French knight Roger Marchant, was also sucked into the vortex and ripped through time…and he has his own agenda and will stop at nothing to hunt his enemy down and bring him back to 1356.
This was a thoroughly entertaining and compelling read. Romance, adventure, intrigue, mystery and a touch of humor await you in Knight Blindness. With her close attention to historical detail, Karlsen brings the story to life. Stephen is a riveting hero, brave, loyal and stubborn, yet with a vulnerable, sensitive side; Esme is as sympathetic as heroines go, and I had fun watching their romance evolve. Roger is a character not many will like, but Karlsen gave him some redeeming qualities as well, making him a more complex and realistic villain. I should mention that although this is third in a series, it is also a standalone book, and the author does a good job in providing some light backstory that doesn’t get overwhelming. If you’re a fan of time-travel and historical romance, you’ll want to add this one to your shelf.
Purchase from Amazon.
Visit the author’s website.
My review was originally published in Blogcritics.
Character Interview: Fr. Anselm Farnese from Florence Byham Weinberg’s metaphysical fantasy, Anselm, a Metamorphosis
We’re thrilled to have here today Fr. Anselm Farnese from Florence Byham Weinberg’s new metaphysical fantasy. Anselm is a fifty-three-year-old Benedictine monk living in Holy Cross Monastery near Platte Hill in Upstate New York.
It is a pleasure to have Fr. Anselm with us today at Beyond the Books!
Thank you so for this interview, Father Anselm. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers? The author does use my voice—she narrates the whole book in first person, as if I were writing it myself. I find that to be an example of chutzpah. You know the term, I’m sure. For example, when I first meet the man who had just usurped my body—the real Anselm Farnese—(I really am Eric Behrens, you see), she overdoes my bumbling and confusion. But I’m probably just confusing you, am I not? Mine is a case of a body-swap, my mind is still Eric’s, but you’re not seeing a young professor, you’re seeing a middle-aged monk!
Do you feel the author did a good job colorizing your personality? If not, how would you like to have been portrayed differently? Well… yes, I guess she did. I turn out to be quite a hero. Never thought I’d have it in me. She also makes me out to be a complete human being, with fears, sex drive (that’s hard to cope with in a monastery, let me tell you!), and all sorts of other feelings. Oh yes, I’m a complete human being, all right; she did a good job.
What do you believe is your strongest trait? Perseverance, I suppose. I set a goal and never let go until I achieve it… or almost. Worse trait? Impulsiveness, which leads to making stupid mistakes.
If you could choose someone in the television or movie industry to play your part if your book was made into a movie, who would that be (and you can’t say yourself!)? Perhaps Leonardo DiCaprio as Eric Behrens (although he may be just a bit too slight, physically, for the role. As Eric, I was 5’10”. Now, since the metamorphosis, I’m 6’3”. In any case, the first actor needs to be blond, cute, attractive to women, and able to appear to be 27-years old. An actor who might play me in my new body as Father Anselm would be James Nesbitt (who starred in The Hobbit). He has the right coloring, and is about the right age—I just don’t know how tall he is. In the beginning, he has to be made up to look fat—70 pounds overweight. I lost all that weight and became quite a body builder, really ripped. So I momentarily thought of Conan Stevens… but he’s way too tall. Another problem with Conan: can he act?
Do you have a love interest in the book? Two. Diana Gregg and Jennifer Schwartz. Diana… well, she was an undergrad at Woodward State when I was Eric Behrens, an assistant professor there. We were attracted to each other at a swimming party at her dad’s place. At first I didn’t know he was Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The affair lasted all summer, and I was getting tired of it… wanted to ditch her. About that time her father found out and had me fired. I cursed the world and said I’d rather be someone, anyone else. That’s when the transformation happened. I woke up as… me. As Anselm. Jennifer Schwartz, Dr. Jennifer Schwartz was a young intern in Rockhurst General Hospital while I was there. It’s a long story. We liked each other. I mean, she liked me, as Anselm. It got serious….
At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out? When I started getting ready to go after the Usurper to get my real body back. That’s when I got scared. I had no idea how that was going to turn out!
If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why? The Usurper, the original Anselm, who stole my body, of course. Thank God I have my own mind, not his! Why? Because in order to work the medieval ritual, the spell that enabled him to change bodies with Eric, with me, he had to commit himself to the Powers of Evil. He really became a creepy character.
How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away? Actually, I’m very satisfied with it. You might say that all the loose ends were neatly tied up. My author did a good job there.
What words of wisdom would you give your author if s/he decided to write another book with you in it? She’d have to find new adventures, new conflicts that would be serious enough to interest a reader. Readers feed on conflict and difficulty in a novel, of course. That way they can say to themselves, “Gee, we’re so much better off!” At the same time, they’re caught up in the suspense of the thing. It has to have suspense, even if it’s an artsy novel, otherwise people just lay it aside.
Thank you for this interview, Father Anselm. Will we be seeing more of you in the future? Maybe, if she finds enough interest in the quiet life I’m now leading. You never know what trouble I might get into, though. Thanks for spending your time with me; I really enjoyed the interview!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
Born in the high desert country, in Alamogordo, New Mexico, Florence loved exploring the wilderness on foot and horseback. Those grandiose landscapes formed her sensibility. Hidden pockets of unexpected greenery tucked away near springs in folds of barren mountainsides spoke to her of gentleness and beauty in an otherwise harsh world. She published her first poem in a children’s magazine shortly after she learned to read at age four; wrote her first ‘novel’ at age six, entitled Ywain, King of All Cats. She illustrated the ‘book’ herself. She traveled extensively with her military family during World War II. With her husband the brilliant scholar and teacher, Kurt Weinberg, she worked and traveled in Canada, Germany, France, and Spain. After earning her PhD, she taught for twenty-two years at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY, and for ten at Trinity University in San Antonio. She published four scholarly books, many articles and book reviews, doing research in the U.S. and abroad. When, after retiring in 1999, she was freed from academia to devote herself to writing fiction, she produced ten novels, ranging from fantasy to historical romance and mystery. An avid researcher, she grounds most of her publications in historical fact. She spends hours combing through web sites, books and periodicals, and historical archives to enhance her writings with authenticity. Eight of her ten books are now in print: an historical romance about the French Renaissance, published in France in French translation by Editions Lyonnaises d’Art et d’Histoire, and two straight historical novels,Apache Lance, Franciscan Cross and Seven Cities of Mud. In addition, four historical mysteries starring the 18th-century Jesuit missionary, Father Ignaz (Ygnacio) Pfefferkorn. Two of these are set in the Sonora Desert, the third in an ancient monastery in Spain, and the fourth, Unrest in Eden, follows Pfefferkorn’s fate after his release from Spanish prison. Five of the historical novels have received a total of ten awards.Unrest in Eden is now published in German translation by Dr. Renate Scharffenberg under title Unruhe im Paradies. The most recent book, Anselm, a Metamorphosis: metaphysical suspense, weaves an aura of black magic and nightmare that should fascinate all levels and ages of readers. Florence also serves as Lector at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas, as well as appearing as a guest lecturer to various groups throughout the country and abroad. Her favorite animals are horses-an intense love affair over many years-and cats, her constant companions. She enjoys music, traveling, hiking, biking, gardening, and swimming.
Beyond the Books 