Interview with Fantasy Author Anna Del C. Dye

Anna was born in Valparaiso, Chile and came to the USA at age 21 to marry her sweetheart. She has lived in Utah all her married life and loves to travel. Anna is the parent of three princes and a princess, and the author of eight novels. Anna loves anything that is medieval or fantasy.

Hello, Anna! It's always a pleasure having you on my blog.

Thank you so much for having me back, Linda. It’s always fun to visit you.

Your Elf series is written for young adults, but my husband absolutely loves them. So I would recommend this series for all ages.

I have found out that many of my fans are older than 20. I have been told that my deep characters, the battles, romance and clean entertainment attract many older readers. I am beyond pleased with this development.

This novel is considered “High Fantasy.” How does it differ from other fantasies?

High Fantasy is referred to as epic fantasy. It is defined either by its setting in an imaginary world or by the epic stature of its characters, themes and plots. (My books fit both.)

Examples of High fantasy: Lord of the Rings, A Song of Ice and Fire, The Wheel of Time, Book of the Fallen, Chronicles of Narnia may be classified as high fantasy. There are contemporary fantasy, Sci-Fi fantasy, Urban fantasy, Low fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Fables, heroic fantasy, legends and many others.

High fantasy is mythical stories with highly developed characters and story lines. Heroic fantasy will include most of the Walt Disney stories, where the characters are not highly developed but are the means to tell a story. 

Wow! That's a lot of fantasy. Please tell us about your book.

The Roilden Stone of Elf Mountain is the Prequel to my elf series. I just never felt that this book should be first…so now it will become the golden broach to my elf series. It is the story of three Brown Elfs who want to reunite their kinsmen with their families of the Gold Elfs. Once they were one race, but changes in their government affairs separated them, and the Brown Elfs live in exile in the northern part of Andoriah.

When they arrive at the Gold Elfs kingdom, they find it in disarray because the queen and her only daughter have disappeared. The Gold Elfs fear kidnapping but know nothing about the affair nor do they do anything about it.

Meanwhile the land is drying for lack of rain and a permanent heat wave. This can only mean that The Roilden Stones of Elf Mountain have been removed from their bed. The land will die and all the races within, if they are not found and brought back. The three elfs think that if they can save Andoriah, then the Gold Elfs will grant them their return to their lands and families. The story in this book is their quest to restore balance to the land and also to their race.

Where did you get your inspiration for this series of elf books?

Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and my insatiable quest for information into the background of his characters. (Especially the Elves) I wanted to know more and I have to invent my own answers and that is how my books came to life.

You love to write fantasy. What intrigues you most about writing these stories?

The possibilities within… I like to have the freedom of fantasy with the roots of the medieval era. When you do that, the possibilities are endless. When you write Medieval or any other era by itself you are enclosed by a set of rules that you can’t break. When you add fantasy, you create the rules and you have much more space to move in. It is freedom at its best.

That is so true. My daughter, Serena Clarke, writes fantasy and she has said the same thing. Thank you so much for this wonderful interview.

You can find all my books at:

Website: www.annadelc.com

Amazon: http://j.mp/1dvqXP6

Interview with Cozy Mystery Author Liz Stauffer

After some thirty years writing everything from political encyclopedias to software manuals, Liz Stauffer retired from corporate life to write mysteries, travel, and play on the beach. Since that time, she has traveled extensively throughout the United States and the world. Liz lives in Hollywood, Florida, with her two dogs where she owns and manages a vacation rental business. Her second Thursday Morning Breakfast Club mystery is with her publisher and the third is in the works.

Hello, Liz. This novel is a cozy mystery. Please tell us about Thursday Morning Breakfast Club.

Clare Ballard sports a new bruise on her right cheek the day after a contentious town meeting, and the ladies of the Thursday morning breakfast club suspect her husband Roger of abusing her. But Clare wants to hear none of their suspicions and warns her friends to be silent on the subject. That same day Hester Franklin, another Thursday morning breakfast club lady, is called to rescue her grandson Patrick after he’s arrested for transporting drugs. Proclaiming his innocence, Patrick threatens that those who set him up will pay. Roger Ballard is high on his list. But it’s when Lillie Mae Harris, the club’s leader, discovers the body of the local drug dealer on the nearby hiking trail, that the community is upended. Roger Ballard, the primary suspect, goes missing, and when his body turns up in his own back yard, Clare Ballard confesses to his murder and is arrested. No one believes she did it, but Clare insists she’s guilty and refuses to talk to her lawyer, the police, or her family and friends. The Thursday Morning breakfast club ladies vow to find out who she’s protecting and why.  

This is Charlie Warren’s, the town’s homegrown policeman, first murder case, and he uses unconventional means to solve it. Collaborating with the Thursday morning breakfast club ladies to draw out the real criminal, he’s unaware of the potential danger that lurks when he invites them to help with the investigation. Alice Portman, the matriarch of the breakfast club, is struck down in her own yard and is sent to the hospital. Then others in the small community start to disappear –one after the other. As the ladies get closer to the truth, they get closer to the evil. In a rush against time, they form a bizarre and perilous plan to capture the true culprits before someone else is murdered.

Do you get your ideas from real life experiences?

I have a vacation house in Pen Mar, Maryland, a mountain village not unlike Mount Penn. And, there is a group of ladies who have been having breakfast together on Thursday mornings for many years. That’s the extent of anything real in the book. I did want to introduce a place like Mount Penn (Pen Mar) to the world, since it really is special.

I love close-knit communities, and I believe we’re moving away from them in our very busy modern lives. Relationships in cyberspace have replaced relationships down the street. I’m guilty of my own complaint. I, too, love having friends all over the world, and Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter have given me far more pleasure than I ever dreamed they would. But I miss the small town community I grew up in, and the city based community where I raised my two sons. I wanted to revisit those times, so I created a community where friends and family are of first importance, and technology, although available, is still used infrequently and inexpertly. I could do this partly because the area is rural, and in the mountains, and the infrastructure for the technology is still formative.

Mount Penn is the best of all communities. People still accept and enjoy and love each other, despite their differences.  In fact it’s often their differences that make them so lovable. The Thursday morning ladies automatically assume they have most things in common with each other, and they do.  I’d like my readers to feel a part of this community when they read my book and maybe, yearn to visit it again, when they finish the last page.

What kind of research did you have to do for this novel?

Other than walking the trails, exploring the mountains, and woods, and parks, and looking out my window, not much for this book. However, I’m working on a historical novel about the area when it was a grand resort, and I’m doing extensive research for this book.

Who is one of your favorite characters in this story and what do you love about him or her?

Lillie Mae, a younger, feistier, Miss Marple sort of character who is just like the small mountain hamlet of Mount Penn that she lives in, is a favorite of mine. That said, I really love all my characters. They’re so pure in many ways, and kind, and innocent, and in my mind, adorable. But Lillie Mae, when she thinks her small mountain village is threatened by murder and mayhem, becomes even more protective. She believes her mission is to keep her tight knit community and its residents safe and intact as the ever-encroaching world, out to disrupt their peaceful status quo, closes in on them.

Maybe I like Lillie Mae so much is because we share some interests in common, although we're more different than alike. Lillie Mae is a country lady through and through, and I belong in a city. We both love to talk; we care about our friends and family; and, we enjoy meeting new people. We are both outdoorsy, and like hiking and walking. Lillie Mae would ride her bicycle as much as I do, if the country roads were easier to navigate. I like the beach, but Lillie Mae finds it hot and tedious and she has no interest in water. I am a vegetarian; Lillie Mae eats meat. We both love to cook, just do it in very different ways.

That is so interesting. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

Let me think. While I can’t think of anything that is unforgettable, I do have some quirks. For example, I’d rather drink beer than wine. When I’m out at a formal event, I’ll ask for it in a fancy glass so I’ll look more elegant. One thing I’m proud of is that I lift weights and can leg press 100 lbs. Not bad for someone my age.

Wow! You have some powerful legs. I wonder if Lillie Mae is that strong, too. Haha. Thank you for this wonderful interview. I invite everyone to visit Liz Stauffer’s website, Facebook page, and Twitter.

Website: www.lizstauffer.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizstaufferusa

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LizStauffer

Thursday Morning Breakfast (and Murder) Club is available on most e-book sites including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Apple.

Sweet Romances Book Giveaway

Six Sweet Romances:  a fantasy/romance, mystery/romance, or historical/ romance. These books are family friendly and have received raving reviews.

Every week I introduce a new "family friendly" author and talk about his or her novel. Stop by often and have fun reading about these new books.

FANTASY / ROMANCE

E-book: The Treasure of Isain

Synopsis: Prince Garin is a brave, proud, adventure-seeking prince. Elani is his most trusted servant and she would do anything for him, even die for him. Their quest to find the mystical Treasure of Isian is immediately interrupted and they find themselves confronted by angry giants, soul-stealing elves, bewitched dragons, a vengeful water-witch, battling foes, and a mysterious kingdom. Elani must face her greatest fears to save her prince and her kingdom. Garin must decide what the most important things are in his life. Will they be able to make a great sacrifice to save the kingdom? And will Elani find true love?

Sample Chapter: http://serenaclarke.wordpress.com/sample-chapters

E-book: The Alliance of Isain

Synopsis: War is coming and all the kingdoms must choose a side. Isian decides to make an alliance with their long time enemies in order to defeat a common enemy. So Isian sends a proposal, offering their daughter to the prince, in order to ensure an alliance. Princess Gabrielle and her new husband, Prince Alec must learn to work together and trust each other in order to triumph in the approaching war. With a mysterious beast attacking the kingdom, their lives in danger, and overcoming their vast cultural differences, will love grow despite their trails or tear them apart? Enjoy the fantasy, danger, mystery, and romance!

Sample Chapter: http://serenaclarke.wordpress.com/sample-chapters

HISTORICAL / ROMANCE

E-book: Sarah’s Special Gift

Synopsis: Sarah is a beautiful and successful dance teacher. She is deaf, but this does not stop her from living life to its fullest. While visiting the Roberts family, David finds himself entranced with this very special lady and ends up defending her honor several times. He finds that Sarah has gone through many trials as she teaches him the importance of not dwelling on the past and how to love life. Meanwhile, David learns about the legend of the Bear Lake Monster and wonders why the community believes in such a thing. He is determined to prove there is no Bear Lake Monster.

Sample Chapter: http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com/sarah.html

E-book: Elena, Woman of Courage

Synopsis: The “Roaring Twenties” was a time of great change, when women raised their hemlines and bobbed their hair. The language of the era was also new and different. Watch a young love blossom in this sweet romance. When Elena Yeates settles into a small western town as the newest doctor, a few problems arise. The town is not ready for a female doctor, let alone one so strong and independent. She must struggle against the prejudice to establish her new practice. As she fights to prove herself, the town’s most eligible bachelor finds it a challenge to see if he can win her heart.

Sample Chapter: http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com/elena.html

E-book: The Rebels of Cordovia

Synopsis: In the small country of Cordovia, small groups of rebels begin springing up, but its Robin’s Rebels who get the attention of the king. In this battle for freedom, a tender love story begins to blossom. Daniel, a rogue and a leader of the Freemen, doesn’t realize that the sweet feminine woman he has met and is falling for happens to be the leader of Robin’s Rebels. Realizing the importance of uniting all the rebel groups, Daniel tries to recruit Robin’s Rebels but they refuse. Now he has to find a way to convince them. When he finds out the leader is actually a woman, what will his reaction be?

Sample Chapter: http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com/rebels.html

MYSTERY / ROMANCE

E-book: Desert Intrigue: The Adventures of John and Julia Evans Series

Synopsis: When Julia’s brother announces that his dude ranch is haunted, she believes that someone is trying to sabotage his place and force him to sell. The mysterious happenings have to do with Superstition Mountain, the lost Dutchman’s goldmine, and the great Thunder God. Is it possible that the legend of the Thunder God is actually true? After a terrible thunderstorm, everyone begins to wonder. John and Julia quickly head to Mesa, Arizona and discover a few mysterious events. Will they find out who is behind these disasters before Uncle Kelly’s dude ranch is ruined?

Sample Chapter: http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com/desert.html

I have an author interview and book giveaway every week on my blog. Please stop by and visit often and get to know new authors. 

Interview with Fantasy Author Janalyn Voigt

Janalyn’s unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and fantasy creates worlds of fiction for readers. NY Times bestselling author Eric Wilson described Janalyn Voigt as a fresh voice in the realm of fantasy. Tales of Faeraven, her epic fantasy series beginning with DawnSinger and continuing with Wayfarer, carries the reader into a land only imagined in dreams. When she's not writing, Janalyn loves to discover worlds of adventure in the great outdoors. Author Site: http://JanalynVoigt.com

Welcome back to my blog, Janalyn. These books are part of a trilogy. Please tell us about them.

Thanks for hosting me, Linda. Tales of Faeraven is the story of a land divided by suspicion and intolerance, of an unlikely princess called upon to step up to the throne, and of a mysterious wayfarer who if given the chance could bring salvation and healing. 

This book sounds intriguing. Where did you get your inspiration for this trilogy?

It began as a story to entertain my bored young daughter while on a car trip. Long after she’d forgotten the tale, it remained lodged in my mind. I made many attempts to write the story, but it was years before I wrote Tales of Faeraven. I actually turned away from writing, but the story wouldn’t leave me alone.

Haha. That’s what happens to many authors and they just have to give in and write their story. What age group are these books for?

My stories attract both men and women. The main focus group is adults but my audience ranges from about 16 on up. Precocious readers in the middle-grades have also read and enjoyed my books.

You love to write fantasy. What intrigues you most about writing these stories?

I blame it on Peter Pan, who taught me to fly with nothing more than my courage and a pinch of pixie dust. Who wouldn’t want to soar through the air into adventure in Neverland? I find it interesting that one of the most beloved rides at Disneyland is still Peter Pan’s Flight. I’ve always had an overactive imagination, and early in life when I got in trouble for fibbing, I learned its disadvantages. However, when I turn my creativity toward writing, it becomes an asset. With fantasy, I can invent entire worlds. While that might make some writers blanch, for speculative fiction writers, it’s a welcome task. 

I totally agree. Thanks for this wonderful interview, Janalyn. I hope my followers check out your fantasy books.

Thanks for stopping by. Visit my blog often and get to know new authors. I have an author interview and book giveaway every week on my blog.