J.M. NORTHUP's BLOG

Friday, January 30, 2015

EILEEN THORNTON's Sadie!

MEET MY CHARACTER

Sadie is also one of the characters from Eileen's WIP

1.       What is your name?
There are four main characters to my novel. However, for this interview I will talk about Sadie.
o   Are you a fictional or historical character?
·   Sadie is fictional
o   What should we know about you?
·   She is rather a scatty lady. She always speaks her mind. Though there are times when it would be best if she remained silent!
2.       Tell us about your story:
o   When and where is your tale set?
·   The story is set in London in the present day. The four friends have set up another agency. This time they have entered the world of Private Investigators (Sadie’s idea)
o   What is your personal goal?  I mean, what do you ultimately want?
·   Sadie is very happy with her life since she married Michael. However, as she and her friends miss having their own business, they decided to set up another.
o   What is standing in your way?  What conflict(s) do you face?
·   At the start of the story, the new Detective Agency is one month old and so far, they don’t have any clients – but things are about to change.
3.       How do I get a copy of your book?
o   What is the title or working title for this piece?
·   I Haven’t a Clue!    This is the name of their new agency (Again, Sadie’s idea)
o   Is it available now or when can we except to see it released?
·   I am afraid the story has only just gotten underway, so it will be sometime before it reaches the publication stage.

ROBIN MURPHY's New Release is AVAILABLE NOW!

FEDERAL CITY'S SECRET


Creativia's bestselling author,
ROBIN MURPHY
has released book 3 in her Marie Bartek and the SIPS Team series!
Learn more about Marie Bartek in her character interview!
Click here to read about Book 4 in the series,
SECRET OF COFFIN ISLAND!

Thursday, January 29, 2015

CAROLE GILL's Fred Dodger

MEET MY CHARACTER


Creativia's bestselling horror author
has a new release that's sure to thrill you!
Meet her Character FRED DODGER
from her new novel,

Click on the links to be redirected to the correct locations

J.M. Northup's adorable BORIS!

MEET MY CHARACTER




1.       Who are you?
o   What is your name?
·   My name is Boris Gregori, but most people call me Boris or Bori.  My family likes to call me “Baby Boy” too.  
o   Are you a fictional or historical character?
·   I am a fictional character based on a real cat – a real awesome cat! =^..^=
·  Olga and Charlie are real too.  Pearl is a real cat, too, but I didn't actually know her.  She belongs to my mom's best friend and her real name is Katrina.
o   What should we know about you?
·   I think everyone exists to play with me and I love corn.  Oh!  And I know my mom hates snakes, so I like to hide my toy snake in her bed whenever I can.  She is so funny when she finds it!
·   I told my story so that parents can read it to their little kids or younger readers can enjoy it.  It is like a chapter book, but it is set up so you can read a chapter a night.  Oh, and there's real pictures!
·   I hope my book will help start conversations and excite children to learn… or even adopt a cat because every animal wants and needs a forever home!  Plus, I wanted everyone to know that I like treats!
2.       Tell us about your story:
o   When and where is your tale set?
·   My story is in modern times and it takes place on a dairy farm.  Olga and I didn’t actually live on a dairy farm, but boy, after reading this story, I totally know I would!  I mean, I totally need to have a squirrel in my life!
o   What is your personal goal?  I mean, what do you ultimately want?
·   After being a stray on the city streets, I am trying to figure out how to fit into my new life on the farm.  I just want to be happy and have a good time.
o   What is standing in your way?  What conflict(s) do you face?
·   Well, to begin with, I lose my family and get fleas!  Then, I am adopted and well… being a curious cat, I’m sure you can imagine what sorts of trouble I find!
3.       How do I get a copy of your book?
o   What is the title or working title for this piece?
·   FELINE FASCINATIONS: The Adventures of Boris and Olga
o   Is it available now or when can we except to see it released?


OLGA                    CHARLIE                 BORIS

Simone Beaudelaire's WIP - HIGH PLAINS HEARTBREAK

AUTHOR WIPs and NEW RELEASES

High Plains Heartbreak
Love on the High Plains Book 3

1)      Tell us about your work-in-progress, or WIP, as it’s known as in the industry or New Release…
Ø  What is the story about?
High Plains Heartbreak is the story of a young man who fled his town after his sweetheart’s death. He lives the life of a bounty hunter, happy to ride through the mountains of Western Colorado, never forming any lasting attachments. That is, until a promise made to a dying friend brings him in contact with a most unusual young woman, one he can’t help desiring.
Ø  Who is the main character?
The main characters in this story are Jesse West, the bounty hunter and Adeline McCoy, a half Kiowa girl with nerves of steel
2)      What inspired this tale?
Ø  How did the story come to you?
This is one of the many stories I dreamed up when I was a teenager to help me escape into my mind when the bullies got to be too much for me.
Ø  Did you have to research for this novel and if so, why?
Historical novels always require research. For this one I scoured maps of Colorado and Kansas, looked up the origins of words and phrases to be sure they weren’t too modern, and even had to find out how horses were transported by train car.
Ø  If you did research, what do you think surprised you most to learn and why?
How different some really thriving modern communities were in 1888. Some were already significant. Others were mere clusters of houses.
3)      Do you relate to your character?
Ø  Is your protagonist anything like you personally?
While my characters are always a bit like me, I think Addie is less like me than some.
Ø  If yes, then how?
We have similar values. I think it’s really difficult to write characters who are different from you in that way. I’ve never tried. Also, she tends to trust and give her heart a bit too easily.
Ø  If no, how do you differ from one another?
She’s much braver than I am. She can think fast in a crisis and isn’t afraid of armed men twice her size.
Ø  What made you write these characters; what made them important to you or made you want to tell their story?
I’m not sure how to put it into words. With these older storylines, I feel like… they helped me get through a hard time in my life. Now I want to bring them to life. Oddly, once I start the process, they seem to take over and become something new I didn’t realize when I sat down.
4)      Is there anything you specific want readers to know about this piece of work?
It’s kind of a different take on a western historical romance. While there are shootouts and horses, it’s not a sexy cowboy story. Like all my romances, regardless of the setting, it’s truly a journey into the tangled world of the human psyche.
5)      When will the novel be available for purchase?
Ø  Has the book already been published?
Not yet. High Plains Heartbreak is in its final formatting stage
Ø  If not, when is the approximate release date?

The book should be released on or around February 10, right in time for Valentine’s Day.

Click on the photo to be redirected to the Amazon page for details and purchasing options
 

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Robin Murphy - Meet Marie Bartek

MEET MY CHARACTER


1.       Who are you?
o   What is your name?
·   Marie Bartek
o   Are you a fictional or historical character?
·   fictional
o   What should we know about you?
·   I live and work on Sullivan’s Island, SC as the veterinarian. I also rediscovered my psychic abilities after squelching them since I was a young girl. With the help of my best friend, Gale Winters, we co-founded the Sullivan’s Island Paranormal Society, SIPS. We’ve done quite a few ghost investigations, but one of the most amazing things we’ve accomplished is helping solve a few crimes here on the island.
2.       Tell us about your story:
o   When and where is your tale set?
·   Basically, here on Sullivan’s Island and the surrounding islands. We’ve also traveled to New Orleans and Washington, DC.
o   What is your personal goal?  I mean, what do you ultimately want?
·   I want to better understand my psychic abilities and help others who have these abilities who aren’t quite sure how to handle them. I want to continue to help people who have paranormal activity taking place either in their homes or businesses, to understand that it’s not necessarily a bad thing, or to even debunk something supernatural. Sometimes it really is a pipe rattling.
o   What is standing in your way?  What conflict(s) do you face?
·   At times myself and my confidence in my abilities. Other times I have to deal with a demon trying to take me over, or worse yet, someone close to me.
3.       How do I get a copy of your book?
o   What is the title or working title for this piece?
·   Federal City’s Secret
o   Is it available now or when can we expect to see it released?
·   The cover has just been redesigned, so it should be released very soon.



ROBIN MURPHY's WIP - Secret of Coffin Island

AUTHOR WIPs and NEW RELEASES

SECRET OF COFFIN ISLAND 
The 4th book in Robin Murphy's bestselling series,
Federal City's Secret!

1)   Tell us about your work-in-progress, or WIP, as it’s known as in the industry or New Release…
    What is the story about?
·       My current work-in-progress is the fourth book in my paranormal mystery series titled, Secret of Coffin Island. I won’t share the intro to the story; it would spoil the ending to the third book in the series, Federal City’s Secret. However, it has Marie Bartek, a psychic medium, and the Sullivan’s Island Paranormal Society, SIPS, getting involved in a case that has beheaded victims being found on the beaches of Folly and Sullivan’s Island. Marie enlists the help of a local teenager, Isabella Swanson, who has recently discovered she is psychic. Are the murders about pirates, buried treasure, or a legend that took place in the nineteenth century?
    Who is the main character? 
·       Marie Bartek
2)   What inspired this tale?
·         Two things inspired this story.
·       First, I learned that in 1987 there were fourteen bodies found on the beach of Folly Island with their shoulders pointing west. Twelve of the bodies had no skulls. There were also Civil War artifacts found with the bodies. Some of the theories as to why there were no skulls were that bounty hunters were given rewards for retrieval of bodies. Another was that the skulls were being used in voodoo rituals.
·       The second was the story of Edgar Allan Poe and his written mystery, The Gold Bug. Edgar Allan Poe spent time on Sullivan’s Island and The Gold Bug is about buried treasure on the island.
    How did the story come to you?
·       As with any writer, my mind continues to wander when I read about the history of places.  There are stories all over the place, after having spent a few visits on Sullivan’s Island and learning the history of the areas surrounding the island, I was able to pull these elements together into my story.
    Did you have to research for this novel and if so, why?
·       Absolutely yes, and even though I write fiction, the story needs to be believable. I continue to learn more and more about psychic mediums, children with psychic abilities, and dissect how a murder case is solved through books, real accounts, and yes, television and movies. Everything becomes research for me.
    If you did research, what do you think surprised you most to learn and why?
·       About this story, I would have to say the bodies that were found on Folly Island. I mean come on, what a classic reason to write a fiction story which ties in with my protagonist who is psychic.
3)   Do you relate to your character?
·         Yes
    Is your protagonist anything like you personally?
·       Yes, absolutely.
    If yes, then how?
·       Interesting question, I’ll share a story. When I did an interview for the local newspaper for the first book, Sullivan’s Secret, the journalist asked upon meeting me for the first time, “So, tell me, are you Marie Bartek or Gale Winters?” Gale is Marie’s best friend, and both of these characters are different sides of me.
    What made you write this character; what made them important to you or made you want to tell their story?
·       I don’t have any definitive answer for this, other than I’ve had an interest in psychics, and that interest, along with ghost investigating, helped me to create Marie and the SIPS team.
4)   Is there anything specific you want readers to know about this piece of work?
·         This is the fourth book in the series, which has Marie continuing to learn more about her psychic abilities. It shares her growth as an individual, as well as the growth of the characters of the SIPS team. I’ve enjoyed meshing the “other side of the veil” with the real world. People do have the ability to see and speak with spirits and this series shares how Marie accepts her ability now as a gift.
5)   When will the novel be available for purchase?
    Has the book already been published?
·       Not yet.
    If not, when is the approximate release date?
·       Hopefully the spring of 2015.

If you are interested in purchasing Robin Murphy's Books,
Please click on the photo to be redirected to her Amazon Author Page

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Carole Gill's New Release

AUTHOR WIPS and NEW RELEASES


1)      Tell us about your work-in-progress, or WIP, as it’s known as in the industry or New Release…
My new release is CIRCUS OF HORRORS

Ø    What is the story about?
Ø    Who is the main character?
It’s about a lunatic circus troupe during the Depression. They have really been side show performers. There are two murderous midgets, three clowns and Baby Alice who is the fat lady. The clowns and Baby Alice have a penchant for human flesh—but no one’s perfect, right? Seriously, these are all emotionally damaged people.
Their Manager takes care of them. Old Pa, his father, is senile and will not be separated from his much-loved box of souvenirs. Old Pa has one hell of a secret by the way.
After being down on their luck, they happen to meet an old carny who leads them to a big circus he has worked for. It all looks good but nothing is as it seems.
The main character is Fred Dodger, the owner/manager of the special people.

Ø    What inspired this tale?
This novel was thoroughly inspired by a short story I wrote which appears in Carole Gill’s House of Horrors 

The story that inspired Circus of Horrors can be read for free online:
http://carolegillauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/halloween-treat-complete-story-from.html

Ø    How did the story come to you?
I always liked writing about demonic clowns and special people, like Al and Hank, the murderous midgets; they first appeared in some stories on my blog.

Ø    Did you have to research for this novel and if so, why?
I did, I looked up travelling circuses, sideshows and anything relevant in order to write a believable novel.

Ø    If you did research, what do you think surprised you most to learn and why?
I suppose the fact that many of the people that make up side shows are very well-adjusted people that have a tremendous outlook on life.
I read up a great deal on those actors that appeared in Todd Browning’s film, Freaks who were remarkable individuals and much to be admired.

2)      Do you relate to your character?
Yes, very much so. I can relate a bit to each one, but particularly to Fred Dodger, who cares for his senile father Old Pa (Charlie).
Caring for an aged parent isn’t easy at best. In Fred’s case, he has protected a mind-boggling secret of his father’s all his life. It is at the core of the novel. I felt what Fred felt. I hope readers will, too.

Ø  Is your protagonist anything like you personally?
Not really because Fred, although a great son and a loyal and fair employer, has secrets of his own!

Ø  What made you write this character; what made them important to you or made you want to tell their story?
`           I enjoy writing about flawed characters whether they are good or bad. People are complex. Real people are multi-faceted and everyone’s got secrets. If every subterfuge was peeled away, what would we find?! That’s what I like to think and write about!

3)      Is there anything specific you want readers to know about in this piece of work?
Although it’s a pretty dark piece, there is dark humor in it. When they recover from the scares and shocks, I want readers to know they’ve read about good and evil and understand that even monstrous types of people very often have reasons for being what they are.

4)      When will the novel be available for purchase?
AVAILABLE NOW! Only 99 cents!

You can LEARN MORE about CAROLE GILL at her BLOG

My friend and colleague, Sahara Foley is linking her blog to mine.
Click the photo above to be redirected to her blog page!

NORNS TRIAD PUBLICATIONS' BLOG