Authors' Chat

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Pegasus-A Dragon Tale – Gina LoBiondo

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview:  Gina LoBiondo Stephanie: Hi, Gina! Congrats on winning the BRAG Medallion for your book, "Pegasus — A Dragon's Tale". Please tell me about your story.Gina: Thank you so much, Stephanie, it was a real honour! Pegasus – A Dragon's Tale is the heartwarming story of two young bear cubs that come across an unusual egg while out playing one day. They decide to take it home and it soon hatches into a baby dragon. All too soon, however, Pegasus has outgrown the cubs and their father, the King, makes a heartbreaking decision. You'll have to read the book to find out what happens.I wrote it originally as a short story with two human Princesses but when my god-son got married and became an instant father, I rewrote it using my new niece and nephew as the main characters. I had also gotten Kameela, who was 8 at the time, a Build-A-Bear and decided to turn the brother and sister characters into bears. That's basically how the whole thing came about.Stephanie: Is this your first children's book or are there others?Gina: This is actually my first published book. I've been writing since I was 13 (nearly 40 years) so…

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Authors' Chat

Feud- Derek Birks

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview: Derek Birks   Stephanie: I would like to welcome Author Derek Birks to my blog today! So delighted he has taken the time to chat with me today. Derek, congrats on winning the BRAG Medallion for your novel, "Feud." Historical Fiction is my all time favourite genre and I'm happy to say I have your book on my kindle waiting for me to read! I can't wait! Please tell me about your story? Derek: Feud is basically a story about a family, the Elders, who are caught up in a feud over land with their neighbours, the ambitious Radcliffes. Because it takes place during the Wars of the Roses, they are also embroiled in a war.The Elder family comprises: Ned, a young swordsman; Emma, his serious, but conventional sister who has run the household since her mother's early death and her sister Eleanor, a beautiful redhead who knows few social boundaries and is more than a match for most men.At the start of the book each of the three is thrown into a frightening and unfamiliar situation. The book traces their separate paths towards a resolution of the feud as the war itself reaches a point of climax…

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Authors' Chat

You can’t shatter Me- Tahlia Newland

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview: Tahlia Newland Award winning author Tahlia Newland writes contemporary fantasy and magical realism with a metaphysical twist. When not reading, writing, reviewing or mentoring authors you may find her being an extremely casual high school teacher or making decorative masks. Tahlia began writing full time in 2008 after twenty years in the performing arts and a five-year stint as a creative and performing arts teacher in a High School. In 2012, she set up the Awesome Indies List to showcase quality independent fiction. She has had extensive training in meditation and Buddhist philosophy and lives in an Australian rainforest south of Sydney. Creativity is her middle name! Stephanie: Hello, Tahlia! Congrats on winning the BRAG Medallion! That is great news! Please tell me about your book, "You Can't Shatter me." Tahlia: Hi Stephanie, thanks for having me over. You Can't Shatter Me is magical realism, so it's like a contemporary fiction but with very extended metaphors. Many readers say that the main characters have a great imagination, for others it's like a cross between contemporary fiction and urban fantasy. So, it's different in style to most YA books. It's about a couple of sixteen-year-olds, a girl, Carly, and…

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Authors' Chat

Quintspinner – Dianne Greenlay

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview:  Dianne Greenlay Read more about B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree authors at: www.layeredpages.com Stephanie: Born and raised on the Canadian prairies, Dianne Greenlay is the author of the hilarious story, THE CAMPING GUY, as well as QUINTSPINNER – A PIRATE'S QUEST and DEADLY MISFORTUNE, Books One and Two in a fast-paced award – winning adventure series, set in the 1700′s, in the pirate-infested waters of the West Indies. Greenlay is also a playwright, producer, and Creative Director of the long-running community theater group, Darkhorse Theatre. She is fluent in at least her mother tongue and she thanks her fierce English teachers for that. More of her thoughts on life can be found at http://www.diannegreenlay.com Dianne, it is a pleasure to be speaking with you today! Congrats on winning the BRAG Medallion. I've heard wonderful things about your novel, Quintspinner: A Pirate's Quest. Please tell me a little about your story? Dianne: Thank you Stephanie! I am so pleased to have Quintspinner be awarded the BRAG Medallion. It is a story of Tess Willoughby, a young woman living in the 1700′s who, upon witnessing the murder of an old Seer, comes into possession of the woman's strange Spinner ring. As though this…

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Authors' Chat

United State of Love – Sue Fortin

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview: Sue Fortin Read more about B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree authors at: www.layeredpages.com Stephanie: Sue Fortin writes women’s fiction; contemporary, suspense and time-slip, all with romance and a touch of danger. Lover of cake, France and dragonflies. Hater of calories, maths and snakes. Sue lives in West Sussex with her family and daft, old Labrador called Tess. She writes for the on-line emag, Loveahappyending Lifestyle Magazine, about crafts and hobbies. She is one ninth of The Romaniacs where she blogs regularly and, when not there, can be found at her own blog, Love Reading, Love Books, LLM Bookshelf, on Twitter and on Facebook. Sue is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association under their New Writers’ Scheme and published her award winning, debut novel ‘United State of Love‘ in 2012. This is available in both paperback and digital format through Amazon. Hello Sue! Congrats on winning the BRAG Medallion and I'm delighted to be chatting with you today. Pease tell me about your book, United State of Love. Sue: Hi Stephanie, thank you so much, I was absolutely thrilled my book received the BRAG Medallion. I'm delighted to be here, it's a real honour. Okay, my book United State of Love,…

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Authors' Chat

Leaving Lukens – Laura Wharton

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview: Laura Wharton Read more about B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree authors at: www.layeredpages.com Stephanie: Hello Laura! Thank you for chatting with me today about your book and congrats on winning the BRAG Medallion. I noticed your story (Leaving Lukens) is set in 1942 and it's a mystery. Please tell me a little about it and who designed your book cover. Laura: Leaving Lukens is the story of 17-year-old Ella who faces leaving the only home she's ever known: Lukens, a small fishing village on an isolated peninsula across the river from Oriental, North Carolina. Impacted by the economy, the threat of war, and the loss of a school teacher who was rowed across the river daily to teach the few remaining children in Lukens, the townspeople are dismantling their homes and floating them across the river on barges to larger communities of Oriental and Beaufort – moving away to find work in New Bern with its growing shipyard which is hiring to build minesweepers in support of the war or to the nearby military base of Cherry Point. Ella's convinced she can stay on by herself, but spying a Nazi patrol raft surprises her one evening. She quickly learns that the war…

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Authors' Chat

Saving Halloween – Lisa Ard

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview: Lisa Ard Read more about B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree authors at: www.layeredpages.com Stephanie: Author Lisa Ard is a children's book author AND avid reader, stay-at-home mom, part-time business consultant, school volunteer, library board president, Sunday school teacher, book club member, chauffeur, volleyball coach, wife and mom, not necessarily in that order. She lives in Portland, Oregon. Lisa, congrats on winning the BRAG Medallion. Please tell me about your book, "Saving Halloween." Lisa: "Saving Halloween" is a magical story about discovering one's true family. Anne Hudson meets a very unusual friend and through their friendship, she learns what she needs and she goes after it. Her journey is not without bumps in the road, and the path is not always clear – magic plays a part in that! I hope readers enjoy the deception within the story – in what characters say, do, even in their names. Book Blurb:When book-smart Anne Parson meets Halloween Spavento, she sees exactly what she wants to see — a friend. Halloween wave's away trouble, magically silences school bullies and offers Anne unfailing friendship. But, when the Spavento family's enchanting exploits are exposed, will Anne face her fears and save Halloween? A spellbinding tale of outcasts…

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Authors' Chat

Kiss Her, Kill Her – Lisa Dewar

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview: Lisa Dewar Read more about B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree authors at: www.layeredpages.com Stephanie: I would like to introduce Lisa Dewar, author and winner of the BRAG Medallion. Lisa has worked for over twenty years as a sales and marketing manager in the information technology sector.  She lives in Alberta, Canada with her husband, Wayne, and their two cats.  When not working or writing, Lisa seeks out animal adventures around the globe.  Lisa, congrats on winning the BRAG Medallion. Please tell me about your book, "Kiss Her, Kill Her." Lisa: The novel is about a serial killer who is trying to kill more women than Ted Bundy to impress his Bundy-obsessed mother.  But when a young woman gets in his cab and confesses that she wants to commit suicide, he wants to bring her back from the brink of death to heighten the enjoyment of killing her. Stephanie:  What inspired you to write this story? Lisa: After watching too many hours of the news, I kept wondering if serial killers could be molded from birth or if they were simply born that way.  Kiss Her, Kill Her explores that idea. Stephanie:  Were there any challenges? Lisa: My biggest challenge is finding…

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Authors' Chat

No Other Love – Isabel Morin

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview: Isabel Morin I would like to introduce Isabel Morin author of the B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree No Other LoveRead the entire interview at: www.layeredpages.com Stephanie: Isabel, congrats on winning the BRAG Medallion! Please tell me about your book, "No Other Love." Isabel: It's a historical romance set in 19th century Massachusetts (both in the country and in Boston) and revolves around a heroine (Rose) who's trying to find her father's killer. She's convinced his murder is connected with her family's refusal to allow a railroad line to be run through their farm in western Massachusetts, so she takes a job in the railroad president's home to find out more. The president happens to have a handsome son, and there are of course many reasons they can't act on their mutual attraction. I don't tend to read thrillers and wasn't inclined to write one, so the mystery aspect takes a back seat to the relationship. Stephanie: That sounds really interesting. What was the inspiration for your story? Isabel: I love reading a good historical because it's such an escape, and also you have clearer class distinctions, especially if you have a servant-master relationship. Then I saw the movie "Gosford Park," and I…

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Authors' Chat

The Triangle Murders – Lynne Kennedy

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview: Lynne Kennedy I would like to introduce Author Lynne Kennedy, winner of the BRAG Medallion for the book, "The Triangle Murders".Read the entire interview at: www.layeredpages.com Hello Lynne! Congrats on winning the BRAG Medallion. Please tell me about you book, "The Triangle Murders." Lynne: Like all of my books to date, "The Triangle Murders" is a historic mystery woven around events that actually happened. That mystery is solved today by modern technology. Quick Synopsis: When a young reporter is pushed from a ninth story window in Greenwich Village, NYPD Homicide Lieutenant Frank Mead soon connects the case to a murder that took place at the same site a hundred years earlier, during the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Stephanie: Is this your first mystery novel you have written? Lynne: I've written three. Besides "The Triangle Murders," "Time Exposure" is a mystery that revolves around Civil War photography- it's available online and in paperback. Coming within the next few months is "Deadly Provenance," which is about the Nazi confiscation of art and a missing Van Gogh painting. Stephanie: What is some of the recourse you used in your research? Lynne: I've written a lot about research in my blogs.…

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