Focustastic! November 2019 |
|
|
Carrick Island is crusted with salt and riddled with secrets in this sea-worthy novel by Ananda Braxton-Smith. Readers will be carried away on waves of lyrical writing and vivid lore throughout the pages of Merrow. This coming-of-age novel tells the story of a young girl’s struggle with processing grief and a damaged relationship with her young aunt. With all of the rumors regarding her family, it’s nearly impossible to tell truth from tale. The fascinating mythology of the island and different religious beliefs blend together in delicately woven webs of wishes and desires, bringing a feeling of hope and warmth to this journey of self-discovery. Mysteries are solved and families are brought together as truths are revealed, though some secrets will forever remain hidden. Ananda Braxton-Smith incorporates words from the dying Manx language of Isle of Man as well as words from Old Norse. The inclusion of these languages is executed in a way that adds to Merrow's authenticity and myth-like style of story-telling. While the book was peppered with a few noticeable grammar and punctuation errors, the story never failed to captivate and enthrall me. From cover to cover, Merrow's bits and pieces of history and lore being stitched together held my interest and satisfied my thirst for adventure. Kayla M. Ware |
|
|
At the end of October, A Fallen Hero was a topic of discussion in the quirky and fun podcast, Read Together, hosted by Erika and Doug Davis. Erika was one of four book bloggers selected to receive a free copy of the book during the summer in exchange for an honest review. However, being discussed on the show was not part of the original deal and the hosts decided to include the book on their own. A big thank you to the wonderful hosts of this show. You can hear the rest of this podcast here. Buy A Fallen Hero |
|
|
Podcast by Erika and Doug Davis Book by Sara A Noë Video by Kayla M. Ware |
|
|
Have a question you would like to see answered? Send us a message with the subject "Q&A" for a chance to have your question answered by an author! |
|
|
Liza Malloy “I enjoy writing characters who are nothing like me.” |
|
|
Liza began crafting stories before she even learned how to write. As a child, she would narrate entire stories aloud throughout her day. She started recording bits and pieces of stories as soon as she began learning how to write. “I finished my first full-length book when I was 13,” said Liza. “It was a terrible YA coming-of-age story about siblings which will never see the light of day, but realizing I could literally write my own book was so empowering.” Liza won a few minor awards for short stories throughout school and focused heavily on literature and writing classes as an undergraduate student. | | |
|
|
“The romance novels I enjoy are fun, easy reads. They distract me from a stressful reality and bring a lot of happiness and love into a world that is often overrun with negativity and hate.” While Liza has found a definite sweet-spot in writing romance, she does not restrict herself and explores other genres as well. “At this point, my published books are all contemporary romance, but the majority of the books I’ve written that aren’t yet published are actually in a crossover genre,” she said. | | |
|
|
While Liza has had a passion or writing and storytelling throughout her life, her primary genre is a surprise even to herself. “I never imagined I’d write romance. I was always a book snob and viewed romance as inferior to more literary fiction.” Liza said that her opinion on romance novels changed when she realized that all of her favorite classics were, in essence, romance novels. She also came to terms with the fact that she had never read a contemporary romance, and had been judging a genre that she hadn’t yet given a chance. “Once I started reading (contemporary) romance, I couldn’t stop,” she said. | | |
|
|
Liza praises her friends and family, as well as influential adults throughout her childhood, for providing her with a strong, encouraging support system. “I had several teachers who praised my writing,” she said. “My oldest daughter (now 11) is also a huge supporter. she brags about my books to all of her friends. The fact that she’s so proud is incredibly encouraging.” Liza also credits a lot of her at-home support to her husband. “He reads all of my books when they’re in their earliest draft versions and he’ll listen to my random rants about my characters. He’s really great about not laughing too hard when I need help clearing my internet search history after attempting to research some of the crazier topics that come up in my books.” | | |
|
|
“I enjoy writing characters who are nothing like me,” said Liza. “Maybe I just like the challenge, but I like to think it’s the unpredictability that really appeals to me. When I write a character who is adventurous or makes spur of the moment decisions, I have to put a lot more thought into how that person would react in any given situation than if I’m writing about someone who lives by her calendar (like me).” Liza also took the time to talk about a few projects that she is currently working on. “I have a fantasy romance trilogy coming soon, and I’m currently on book 6 of a mafia crime/romance series. Regardless of the official genre though, all of my books so far do have a central love story. For me as a reader, the love story is what interests me and makes me care about a character.” | | |
|
|
"I love reading in foreign languages. I am an avid reader, and I ended up studying French, Spanish, and Italian so that I could read certain books written in their native language. Lately, a lot of my characters have connections to other countries or cultures and I’m able to throw in a few words from these languages, which is always fun." |
|
|
Laura Mae "I had to write a story about it.— There was so much more to this world that I wanted to write." |
|
|
Writer of the Fliers series, Laura Mae is an indie author with a never-ending desire to create. While writing has always been a vibrant passion for Laura, the thought of publishing never crossed her mind until 2014. "It was never anything I did seriously. I just enjoyed creating stories and being immersed in a world I made from nothing," said Laura. She grew up writing short stories, poetry, song lyrics, and many other forms of writing and artistic self-expression as creative outlets. As the host of her own interview series, The Indie-Go Interviews, Laura is now an active member of the online writing community and an enthusiastic supporter of others within the community, helping other indie-authors share their stories and reach new fans. Laura credits the online writing community as her biggest source of inspiration and encouragement. "I don't know where I'd be without their amazing support," said Laura. "I learn so much from all of them and I hope I have done the same for all of them."
More about Laura's interview series can be found on her website. | | |
|
|
The Fliers series tells the story of a forgotten species comprised of the descendants of fairies. Though humanoid in appearance, the Fliers possess their ancestors' power of flight. When Sydona discovers that a government agency conducting experiments on fliers to give their gift of flight to humans, she sets out with her fairy, Raoul, in an attempt to put a stop to the capture of her species. “I'm drawn to independent strong female characters and feel they get overlooked a lot,” said Laura. “Sydona’s sarcastic, head-strong and untrusting; basically everything I'm not. I try my best to put myself into her boots and feel what she feels. It's honestly really fun to write her.” “The ending leaves you wanting to know more and sets the reader up for anticipation of the next chapter.” 5-star Amazon review. | | |
|
|
Laura's current work in progress is Vultures, the third and final book in the series. Vultures takes place immediately after the events of Sparrows. "I feel like almost anything I say about it will have spoilers," said Laura, "but I can say that normally the first two books are limited third person in the perspective of Sydona, but this time, we have perspectives of several other characters. — I really hope that it helps the reader put the whole big picture together while little side stories go on around her." Laura's inspiration for the series came from a dream that she had in 2011. "I have a lot of dreams about flying and one dream in particular had me flying over a sea of white tents, reminding me of a sort of concentration camp," said Laura. "I had to write a story about it. Of course, I never thought it would be a trilogy, but when I finished Fliers, I knew it wasn't the end. There was so much more to this world that I wanted to write." | | |
|
|
Laura worked on Fliers for seven years before publication. A sneak peek of Vultures is available here. You can stay up-to-date with Laura Mae by following her on twitter for information on her progress on this and other projects. |
|
|
Aubree Robison ~Little J's Crochet~ |
|
|
Aubree Robison is a crochet artist residing in the state of Michigan with her husband and daughter. She started crocheting in fifth grade and was taught by her mother, Robin. Aubree decided to practice and perfect her skill when she became a stay-at-home mother. "I felt like I was lacking doing something for myself," said Aubree. "I tried to make hair bows and it was a total flop. Then, scrolling through YouTube, I found videos of people crocheting animals and dolls. I was obsessed! The next day, we were driving around town and saw a sign for a craft garage sale." | | |
|
|
As with any craft, learning to crochet dolls takes time and patience. "My first failed attempt was a monkey. I didn't know how to sew the pieces on together the right way and it was just bad," she said. "My first successful attempt was a Coraline doll. She was the very first thing I actually finished." The most challenging part of crochet, Aubree says, is learning new patterns and designs. "Everyone has a different technique to crocheting, so each item might not come out exactly like the pattern." Aubree says that another difficult challenge she faces is having to decide on what colors to use for her dolls. |
|
|
Aubree's favorite part of crocheting is being able to hold and admire her work when a project is completed. "The most enjoyable part is completely finishing something then looking at the leftover yarn and realizing that I have made something that was just a lump of yarn before." Aubree's favorite design is anything that has to do with unicorns. "They all have a unique personality," she said. Aubree feels that there is a certain freedom that comes with making a unicorn with "all the colors and styles you can make. | | |
|
|
Not subscribed to Chronicle Focus yet? Sign-up to stay up-to-date! |
|
|
|
|