Wednesday Author Interview: Evelyne Holingue

Chronicles from Chateau Moines

BI: Today, I’m very happy to welcome Children’s and Young Adult writer, Evelyne Holingue. Evelyne, so nice to have you here. Let’s get the ball rolling by you telling us a bit about how you became a writer. When did you decide that’s what you wanted to be, and what steps did you take to prepare for a writing career? 

EH: When I was a child I was very shy and was afraid to talk to people. Books gave me the friends I longed to have without having to ask for anything. I learned almost everything from a book. I think that most people who love to read write also. I wrote when I was a kid. Poems mostly but also a short novel for my sister, completely inspired by the Famous Five, my favorite books when I was really young. I lived in a small town and had no idea how books were made and this was fascinating to me. By the time I moved to Paris as a student, I had decided to work in the publishing business. As soon as I started to work full time I wrote less. I wonder if I would have been writing had I stayed in France. 

Wednesday Author Interview: Meet Yvonne Ventresca

LOVE this Cover!
Can’t Wait to Read The Book

Today, Bookin’ It would like to welcome Children’s/Young Adult Writer, Yvonne Ventresca. Yvonne, it’s great to have you here with us today. Could you tell us a bit about how you became a writer? When did you decide that’s what you wanted to be, and what steps did you take to prepare for a writing career? 

Wednesday Author Interview: Meet Marcia Strykowski

 

Call Me Amy by Marcia Strykowski

Bookin’ It is happy to have Childrens/Tween author Marcia Strykowski with us today. Hi, Marcia! Nice name! *grin* Could you tell us a bit about how you became a writer? When did you decide that’s what you wanted to be, and what steps did you take to prepare for a writing career? 

Wednesday’s Author Interview: Elise Abram

Today, our guest author is Elise Abram who writes what might be called “light science fiction,” and also has a newly released YA adult book available. Elise, welcome to Bookin’ It. So nice of you to join us today.
 
BI:. Tell us a bit about how you became a writer. When did you decide that’s what you wanted to be, and what steps did you take to prepare for a writing career?
 
EA: Being a writer was never a choice for me; I’ve always felt compelled to write. Growing up, I told myself stories to keep myself occupied. Sometimes I wrote them down, but I never really liked how they sounded. I kept telling myself one day I’d write all my stories down and get them published, but I never did. The Internet changed all that, because I suddenly had access to content I couldn’t get before and I was able to teach myself how to write well. With practice, I got to the point where I actually liked what I was writing. Now I look back at my first stories and cringe, but I can also see my progress, which is really gratifying.

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Ever since reading my first Brandon Sanderson book last year, The Alloy of Law, I have been planning to read more. I loved Alloy. It was funny, witty, and very imaginative, and I decided I would delve into Sanderson’s fantasy a bit more, and read the Mistborn Trilogy. (The Alloy of Law is a sort of addendum to the Mistborn Trilogy, taking place about 300 years after that series). Somehow, I kept getting sidetracked, but when I saw Steelheart, a YA Sanderson novel, I couldn’t resist giving it a try, and I have to say I’m glad I did.

Sanderson’s imagination is wonderful, and his characters are well thought out. The book isn’t perfect, but I don’t care. I enjoyed every minute of it. Yes, I figured out several plot points before they were revealed, but it was still fun, seeing how our young hero would figure things out for himself. And speaking of the hero, David Charleston, he is a boy bent on revenge for the murder of his father, but beset by so many obstacles as to make the task seem pretty daunting. The world of Newcago is a dark, frightening place, and dealing with the evil superpowers in charge of the planet, known as Epics, is not something your typical teenage boy should be able to handle. But David joins a group of rebels, the Reckoners, with much the same goals as his, and a plan is put into action that will change his life, and the world forever.

Superheroes with superpowers aren’t normally my thing, with or without capes, but Steelheart pulls it off with flair, and I’m looking forward to seeing what David and the Reckoners get up to in their next book. If you are a Sanderson fan, you will want to read this one, for sure. If you enjoy YA sci-fi fantasy, you’ll probably want to check it out, too. And if you are just looking for a light, fun read, set in an imaginative future world, it works for that, also. But be warned. Once you have read one or two of Sanderson’s books, you’ll find yourself looking for more. I have finally downloaded a boxed set of the Mistborn Trilogy, and I’m halfway through Book 1 already. Absolutely loving it. Talk about a great escape!

Steelheart

Bloodling Wolf by Aimee Easterling

My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

Finished this short story a few weeks ago,  and I’m still thinking about all the great potential for a full length book. Aimee Easterling’s  world building was very interesting, with a “bloodling” being a type of werewolf I’ve not run across before. Bloodlings are rare shifters who are born in animal form and can’t shift into human form until they become teenagers. The central character here, Wolfie, doesn’t really want to become two-footed even then, if he can avoid it. This causes a lot of trouble for him within his pack, as you might imagine. Seeing life from his wolf’s perspective is a nice twist.

I thought the author did an excellent job of building strong characters in a short span of time, and I really enjoyed Wolfie’s struggles. It’s always interesting to see the world through the eyes of someone not exactly part of it in the same way we are, be it aliens, children, or bloodlings.  My only complaint was that it was over too soon, as is the nature of short stories, and I wanted more. 

Can’t wait to see where the tale goes from here. We are all set up for every kind of adventure ahead, and I’m pretty sure a full-length book is in the making. Kudos to Aimee Easterling for a job well done.

Bloodling Wolf

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Serissa by Megan Cundy FREE October 25 Thru October 27

Just a heads up that Megan Cundy’s Young Adult book, Serissa, will be free Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I know Megan from her blog, and though I haven’t finished reading her book yet, I’m sure I have followers it will appeal to. She has a different take on angels and a story that involves pop music, along with the romance factor. Check it out. Did I mention it’s free?

Serissa

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Where have you been all my life, Terry Pratchett?  How could you have written so many books, and I am just now discovering you?  The bad news is, I have missed out on so much good reading, here.  The good news is,

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Zombies.  Eeew.  Why are they so popular?  They aren’t all dark, mysterious and sexy, like vampires, aiming to seduce their way into your bedroom, while promising eternal life.  They don’t possess that, ahem, “animal magnetism” that werewolves do, complete with moonlight races through the wild places, hunting excitement with the same fervor they use to hunt deer.  Heck, they don’t even sparkle, for Pete’s sake.  I don’t really get the attraction, most of the time.  However…you knew there was a “however,” didn’t you?…

Leopard Moon, Jackal Moon, & Hyena Moon by Jeanette Battista

   

My Rating for Each Book:  3 of 5 Stars

Thought these three books could easily be combined into one review, so here it is.  This is another Young Adult urban fantasy series, but the first three books are better than many, so they are worth a look if you like this sort of thing.  I do, so I enjoyed all three books more than I expected to.  I couldn’t find a good image of Jackal Moon, but we’ll go with what we’ve got.  Let’s take them one at a time. 

Wither & Fever by Lauren DeStefano

MY RATING:  4 of 5 Stars

This was really a pleasant surprise to me. An unusual premise, interesting & mostly believable characters, and a forbidding mood that lingered for quite awhile after I finished the book.   Quite nice for a Young Adult book, and worth the time to check out.  Definitely glad I had the second book in the series ready to go.