Book Blast: Right Text, Wrong Number by Natalie Decker

Blog Tour: Angelbound by Christina Bauer @CB_Bauer

Acca (Angelbound Origins #3)

by Christina Bauer
Genre: YA Supernatural
Audiobook Release Date: July 2017
Monster House Books

Summary:

In just one week, supernatural warrior Myla Lewis must discover enough evidence to send the evil House of Acca to prison… or she’ll end up in jail herself, along with her fiancé, Prince Lincoln. No pressure.

To gather proof, Myla and Lincoln go undercover at an all-girl’s high school on Earth. Lincoln acts as the new gym teacher; Myla becomes the school’s least popular transfer student ever. To stop them from getting the goods, Acca releases Hell on Earth. Literally. Good thing Myla and Lincoln aren’t afraid of a tough fight. This one promises to be the hardest yet. After all, who ever said high school wasn’t hell?

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Scala (Angelbound Origins #2) on Goodreads

About the Author

Christina Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women. In her best selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince. This young adult best seller has driven more than 500,000 ebook downloads and 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and retailers. It is now available as an audiobook on Audible and iTunes.

Bauer has also told the story of the Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

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Blog: http://monsterhousebooks.com/blog/category/christina

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Twitter: @CB_Bauer

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-bauer-481b12139/

Web site: http://monsterhousebooks.com/authors/cbauer

Book Blast: Hunted Fate by Jennifer Derrick @BluEyedReindeer

Hunted Fate
Jennifer Derrick
(Threads of the Moirae, #3)
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: July 24th 2017
Genres: Mythology, Romance, Young Adult

Alex and Atropos have taken refuge at an abandoned mountain resort compound. Atropos is a wanted woman in hiding, and the downtime with her soul mate is a nice change of pace. But the peace will be short-lived. The authorities are after her for her role in the attack on the city of Charlotte. Zeus has put a bounty on her head. There’s also a war to prepare for—and if she wins, the gods will be deposed once and for all. But first she needs to track down Gaia, and even that won’t be simple. Gaia resides at the bottom of the ocean, and the humans and gods are already hot on Atropos’ trail…
A heart-pounding romantic adventure where Greek mythology and modern-day life collide, Hunted Fate is the third book in the epic Threads of the Moirae series by Jennifer Derrick.

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Previous books in the series:

Grab book 1 – Broken Fate – for FREE!

The Gates of Hell and Hunted Fate's Cover

If you look at the cover for Hunted Fate, you'll notice the flaming pit behind the water drop. When it was time to design the cover, I told Marya Heidel, the cover designer for Clean Teen Publishing, that I wanted something hellish. A big part of the book takes place in the Underworld, after all, so it seemed fitting.

I showed her some sample images I'd found around the internet. She looked at one of a flaming pit and said, "That's a real place, you know."

I asked where it was. I figured it had to be a volcano in Hawaii, or maybe a lava pool in a national park somewhere.

Nope. Turns out it's in Turkmenistan and there's a whole story behind this place which the locals now call, "The Gates of Hell." Well, with a name like that, the image had to go on the cover, but I wanted to know the story. It's one of humor, colossal stupidity, and turning (however accidentally) something bad into something kind of good. (Well, unless you're a spider. Read on for why the spiders get the short end of this story.)

In 1971, Soviet petroleum geologists headed into the desert of Turkmenistan to look for oil. I'm sure there were dreams of big money floating in their heads. The scientists found a likely spot and a drilling rig was brought in. Unfortunately, they erected the rig over a huge underground pool of methane gas, not oil. If the story ended here, it wouldn't have been so bad; there's no shame in making a mistake like that, after all. What happened next, though, brings this tale into epic territory.

The Earth's crust wasn't strong enough to support the drilling operation. Oil, gas, didn't matter. No matter what they were drilling for, the whole thing was doomed. When the engineers began drilling and further weakened the surface, everything collapsed, sending the drilling rig into the pit of methane gas.

Oops.

So now not only is no one getting any oil, they've also lost the rig. Any dreams of making big money were shot to, well, hell, at this point. But worse, now there was a huge open hole leaking methane gas into the air. Methane is deadly if inhaled in large quantities, plus it's highly explosive. Not the kind of thing you want just wafting around.

So what did these geniuses do to dispose of the huge pool of highly explosive gas? They set it on fire. Absolutely brilliant idea. (Not. Do not try this at home. please.)

The thought process behind this stupidity was that the pool of gas would burn itself out rather quickly and everything would go back to normal. Well, it's been burning for over forty years and shows no signs of burning out anytime soon.

Double oops.

The locals call it, "The Gates of Hell," and in the only positive to come out of this whole sorry story, it has become a tourist attraction. People flock to see the flaming hole in the ground. The government occasionally raises the idea of capping the pit, but the Minister of Tourism shoots that down because, frankly, Turkmenistan doesn't have much else to draw in tourists. Nobody's making money from oil in this pit, so might as well make some money somehow, right?

Weirdly, the burning pit also attracts spiders. Lots and lots of spiders. They are drawn to the light and then fling themselves over the edge to be consumed by the flames. While I personally agree that spiders belong in hell (arachnophobia is a thing, people), the idea of mass spider suicide is almost funny in a twisted way.

So that's the story of the Gates of Hell. A drilling operation gone wrong becomes a tourist attraction (and the site of mass spider suicides). And now it's on a book cover.

—

EXCERPT:

“We need whoever provides security around here. Or Hades. They’re bound to be the ones who can open this. If we can find them, we can drag them down here and slap their hand on this thing to get it open,” Alex says.
“We need another way,” Sara says, shaking her head. “We haven’t seen a single person since we got here. It’s too time consuming to track them down. And we’ll never get Hades.”
“Anyone know of any other ways to crack a palm plate?” I ask.
“Short of finding a valid fingerprint and going through an awful lot of steps to create a fake finger, the only other way is to break down the software controlling it,” Alex says.
“Are any of you hackers?”
Alex raises his hand.
“You can hack this?” I ask. “I didn’t know you were a hacker.”
“I’m not. But there isn’t a lot to do when you’re stuck at home with a terminal disease or trapped in a crappy boarding school. I taught myself a few things, made a few online friends who were a little shady. Depending on how sophisticated the software is, I might be able to crack it.”
“Would it be controlled from the computer out front?”
“It might be. Or it might be controlled from a central server that’s who knows where. No way to know without looking,” he says.
“That computer is password protected. If you try to force it, you may set off alarms.”
“Then I’ll have to be careful,” he says, heading back to the lobby.
We follow and gather around the desk while he works. The keys clack under his fingers as he mutters instructions to himself.
“Okay, I’m in the system,” he says. “While I’m here, I’m going to shut down those security cameras. No need for everyone to know where we are.”
The TV feed blinks and is gone.
He keeps typing and clicking and muttering. The rest of us sit down on the floor and wait. There’s nothing we can do.
“Huh. That could be tricky,” he says.
“What?” I ask, getting up and going around the desk so I can see his screen. Not that the gibberish there means squat to me.
“The system that controls the fingerprint scanners also controls the card locks. Worse, it’s not separated by floor. I’m not good enough to bring down only one piece of the system. It’s all or nothing.”
“What’s the problem?” I ask.
“It means that the only thing standing between us and whatever is behind those cell doors is the hope that none of them try the doors. If the inmates figure out the doors are open, then security will be the least of our problems. All of them could walk right out of here.”
“Do it,” I tell him. “It’s not like we’ll be broadcasting the locks are down. No one will notice. Hopefully.”
“Okay,” he says and goes back to pounding on the keys.
After a few minutes, the computer beeps and Alex pushes away from it.
“Done,” he says.
The words are barely out of his mouth when a series of small pops echoes around the room. They sound like they’re both surrounding us and simultaneously heading away from us.
“Aw, shit,” I say. “The locks. We forgot they make noise! We are idiots. Come on,” I say, racing for the doors on the right.
We slam through the doors and pull up in front of door number four. No one is coming into the hall yet. I’m hoping the inmates think it’s a trap and are too intimidated to try their doors. Either that or they didn’t hear the locks release. Please, just let me get out of here before hell literally opens, I think.

Author Bio:
Jennifer is a freelance writer and novelist. As a freelancer, she writes everything from technical manuals to articles on personal finance and European-style board games. Her interest in storytelling began when she was six and her parents gave her a typewriter for Christmas and agreed to pay her $.01 per page for any stories she churned out. Such a loose payment system naturally led to a lot of story padding. Broken Fate, her first novel, earned her $2.80 from her parents.
Jennifer lives in North Carolina and, when not writing, can often be found reading, trawling the shelves at the library, playing board games, watching sports, camping, running marathons, and playing with her dog. You can visit her at her official website:www.JenniferDerrick.com.

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Blog Tour: Dream Me by Kathryn Berla @BerlaKathryn

Dream Me
Kathryn Berla
Published by: Amberjack Publishing
Publication date: July 11th 2017
Genres: Romance, Time-Travel, Young Adult

Zat is a dreamer from the distant future—a time when humans no longer dream and Earth is a desolate wasteland. He dreams of the beautiful Earth of the past, and a fiery-haired beauty named Babe. Against the wisdom of his peers, Zat decides to risk everything to travel back in time and live in Babe’s dreams…
Babe is the perpetual new girl in town. Her father’s job frequently moves the family around the country, and Babe just longs for a place to call home. As she settles into the sleepy town of Sugar Dunes, Florida, Babe begins to have strange dreams of a green-eyed boy named Zat. Night after night, Babe shows Zat her world. But the dreams come at the cost of nearly crippling migraines every morning. Babe’s life outside of her dreams pales in comparison to her growing love for Zat and their time spent together.
But the more time Babe and Zat spend together in her dreams, the more Babe’s pain increases, and Zat begins to question the reality of his existence. How can he live a life with Babe, when all they have is her dreams?
Can a dream become a reality?

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Today we welcome Kathryn for an interview!

1.    Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or did you want to be something else? 

Writing is the one thing I’ve consistently wanted to do throughout my life. It’s always been either in the forefront or the back of my mind.

2.   How long does it take you to write a book from start to finish?

I like to have a first draft completed in ninety days.

3.   How do you come up with themes for your stories?

Ideas for stories pop into my head literally 24/7. The idea for DREAM ME came to me in a dream which is why it’s a bit surreal in places. I might read about something or hear something in the news. Or I might just see something in my daily life or be puzzling out an idea that comes up in conversation. Last night, I was walking late at night. It was quite dark so I was carrying a flashlight. It was a gorgeous, warm summer night and I walked past an SUV parked alongside the road. The windows were open and music was playing and three people were sitting on top of the car looking out at the city lights. Another guy was leaning against the car talking to them. A story started to write itself in my head. Sometimes I just think of a great title and write the story to fit it. I keep a file of my story ideas.

4.   Do you have a schedule of when you write? 

I have a daily word count in mind so I start in the late morning and don’t stop until I reach that word count.

5.   How are you able to balance other aspects of your life with your writing?

Unfortunately, when I’m in the process of writing a novel there is no balance. I pretty much don’t do anything until my word count has been reached. And then I try not to think about the story until the following day—but that usually doesn’t happen. I always take an hour or so to exercise no matter what.

6.   What elements do you think make a great story line? 

I’m the kind of writer who favors character development and the beauty of words. I like to get inside people’s heads. But I also love to read a good action-focused novel. Anything that entertains. If the reader wants to keep turning the page, that’s a sign of success.

7.   What was the hardest thing about writing a book?

Ending it and saying to yourself “this book is now done and it’s time to move on.”

8.   How many books have you written so far? Do you have a favorite? 

I’ve written nine books. It would be hard for me to pick a favorite because they’re all like my children so I must (and do) love them equally.

9.   Do you have a favorite character?

I have about four or five favorite characters in all of my books but to name them would make my other characters sad ☹

10.                 Where do you write?  

I write in a reclining chair with my feet up and a lap desk to hold my computer. I wrote my first novel in bed.

11.When deciding on how to publish, what directed you to the route you took? 

I took the normal route that most authors take. Querying to agents. Querying to publishers. I’ve been fortunate and had wonderful publishers and editors. I’m also very impressed with my many friends who choose to self-publish so I don’t think there’s any right or wrong way—just whatever feels right to the individual author.

12.                  Have you gotten feedback from family about your book(s)? What do they think?

My family is very supportive and they generally offer very helpful advice. My husband has gotten me up and going when I’ve been in a slump on more than one occasion. He can be critical but he’s probably the person most responsible for keeping my career on track. With him around, there’s no such thing as writer’s block.

13.                  What kinds of things do you like to do outside of writing?

Movies are a huge part of my life and have been ever since I was a child. I watch tons of movies—almost everything. And TV series as well (Netflix, etc). I love to go on long walks and exercise and travel. And of course, I love to read. I’m an insatiable reader.

14.                 What kinds of advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing? 

Read, read, read. I believe that reading is the best education for a writer. But you also must write. So, pull out your laptop and start writing. Anything. You can dream about being a writer but if you don’t write something your dream will never come true. I’m a solitary writer—I have never used a critique group. But whether you work best by yourself or with input from others, just do it.

15.                  What is your favorite book? favorite author? Do you have an author that inspired/inspires you to write? 

My favorite book ever is EARTH ABIDES. My favorite author is Margaret Atwood.

16.                  Do you have any go to people when writing a book that help you with your story lines as well as editing, beta reading and such? 

No. I’m a solitary writer. But I will bounce things off my husband and kids.

17.                  Are you working on anything now? 

Yes. I’m about to start as soon as my calendar is clear. But the story is brewing in my head already. When I actually sit down to write a book most of it is already written in my head and in background notes.

18.                  Tell us 5 things that make you smile

Elephants. Dolphins. Owls. Warm summer nights. Beaches.

19.                  Tell us 5 things that make you sad

When my kids or husband are sad. Children who don’t have enough to eat. People who don’t listen to each other. Mean people/bullies. Anyone who suffers in silence without a support system.

20.                 If you could travel anywhere in the world to visit a place so you could use it as a background for a book, where would it be?

Good question. I’ve traveled a lot and there are so many amazing places I’ve seen in the US and abroad. I suppose I would say India or Vietnam.

Thanks so much for being with us today, Kathryn!

Author Bio:
Kathryn Berla graduated from the University of California at Berkeley as an English major. She has lived in many different countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. She currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Blog Tour: The Last Gambit by Om Swami

The Last Gambit

by Om Swami
Genre: YA Coming of Age
Release Date: February 2017
Harper Element (Harper Collins)

Summary:

Success by design is infinitely better than a win by chance. Vasu Bhatt is fourteen years old when a mysterious old man spots him at a chess tournament and offers to coach him, on two simple but strange conditions: he would not accompany his student to tournaments, and there was to be no digging into his past. Initially resentful, Vasu begins to gradually understand his master’s mettle.

Over eight years, master and student come to love and respect each other, but the two conditions remain unbroken – until Vasu confronts and provokes the old man. Meanwhile, their hard work and strategy pay off: Vasu qualifies for the world chess championship. But can he make it all the way without his master by his side?

Inspiring, moving and mercurial, The Last Gambit is a beautiful coming of age tale in a uniquely Indian context.

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Excerpt

‘Do you know who the finest teacher is?’ he asked. ‘You!’

Ignoring my answer, he continued, ‘Experience is the greatest teacher, Vasu. Always replay your own games to see where you went wrong and what made you play the way you did. People don’t lose because they make mistakes, they do so because they repeat their mistakes. The first time, it’s not a loss but a learning.’

‘So, how do I avoid making mistakes?’

 ‘Just don’t repeat them,’ he said after coughing and clearing his throat. ‘Be it life or chess, that’s the only difference between a grandmaster and an amateur. An amateur expects to reach a different destination by walking the same path. He hopes for miracles or serendipities. A grandmaster, on the other hand, relies on his own effort and intelligence. He does not commit the same error twice.’

 ‘But Master,’ I said, curious, ‘I do try my best to not repeat my mistakes. Why do I still lose?’ ‘Because you nourish the body and starve the soul.’ I gave him a blank look because I didn’t have a clue about what he just said. ‘Do you know the soul of chess, Vasu?’

About the Author 

Om Swami is a monk who lives in a remote place in the Himalayan foothills. He has a bachelor degree in business and an MBA from Sydney, Australia. Swami served in executive roles in large corporations around the world. He founded and led a profitable software company with offices in San Francisco, New York, Toronto, London, Sydney and India. 

Om Swami completely renounced his business interests to pursue a more spiritual life. He is the bestselling author of Kundalini: An Untold Story, A Fistful of Love and If Truth Be Told: A Monk’s Memoir. 

His blog omswami.com is read by millions all over the world.

Book Blast: The Cauldron Stirred by Judith Sterling

The Cauldron Stirred
Judith Sterling
(Guardians of Erin, #1)
Publication date: July 21st 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

Ashling Donoghue never dreamed moving to Ireland would rock her perception of reality and plunge her into a mystery that brings legend to life.
At seventeen, she’s never had a boyfriend, but she feels an immediate connection to Aengus Breasal, the son of the wealthy Irishman who’s invited her family to stay at his Killarney estate. For the first time in her life, a guy she likes seems attracted to her.
But Aengus is secretive, with good reason. He and his family are the Tuatha Dé Danann, ageless, mythical guardians adept at shifting between this reality and the magical dimension known as the Otherworld. Evil forces from that world threaten the Breasals, the Donoghues, and all of Ireland. Ashling must open her heart, face her fears, and embrace a destiny greater than she could ever have imagined.

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—

EXCERPT:

The night air was deliciously cool. Moonlight and darkness held equal sway over the backyard thanks to the shifting clouds. I dashed across the lawn and halted in the exact spot where Aengus had stood. Panting, I looked around, willing some kind of clue to materialize.
The ruins in front of me darkened as large, heavy clouds swallowed the moon whole. The wind tugged at my long, loose hair and pajamas. Tiny raindrops spattered on my nose and cheeks. I turned my palms to the sky, and cold rain pelted them.
“Great.” Intending to return to the house, I swiveled around.
I gasped. My right hand flew to my chest. “Aengus?!”
The man himself stood an arm’s length in front of me. “Why are you here?”
“You scared the crap out of me!”
“Whisht!”
“What?”
“Shush!”
Pop!
The strident sound came from the ruins. I whirled around and stared at the dark keep.
Aengus grabbed me from behind. He pulled me to him and wrapped his arms around me. I reveled in the feel of his taut body, of his warm flesh against mine.
Suddenly, everything changed. The rain stopped. The wind died. The entire landscape was bathed in the soft hue of twilight. Breasal Castle looked brand spanking new, just as it had during the bizarre dream in which I brought Aengus to the cottage. But this time, I knew I was awake.
Dumbfounded, I gawked at the medieval magnificence before me. I had no idea what had happened and no desire to pull away from his embrace.
His lips brushed my right ear, sending a shiver down my spine. “This way.”
His right arm released me, and his left slid down to my waist. Maintaining body contact the entire time, he steered me toward the stand of oaks on our right.
Once sheltered by the trees, he turned us around so we faced the castle.
“Are we hiding?” I whispered.
“We are.”
“Why? And what just happened?”
“I can’t say.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Both.”
Until that moment, I’d forgotten I wore pajamas. Now I was acutely aware of it. Satin was pleasing to the touch, but something told me my attire had nothing to do with his grip on me.
I looked up at him. “Not that I mind, but why are you holding me so close?”
His hand tightened on my waist. “It’s necessary.”
“I don’t suppose you can explain that, either.”
With his gaze locked on the castle, he shook his head. He pressed his right forefinger against his mouth in a silencing gesture. Then he pointed up at the keep.
High on the battlements, the black-haired woman from my dream—and from Branna’s painting—paced back and forth. Her hair whipped about her pale face and slender frame.
She paused beside a gap in the crenelated wall and glared down at the fairy mound. Her colorless lips curled into a sneer. Then her human form morphed into a dark shadow, which fragmented into what seemed a million black particles. They swarmed into the air and shot across the twilit sky, disappearing into the distance.
I took a deep breath. “So she’s real.”
He nodded. “She’s real, to be sure. Come.” With his arm still hooked around me, he led me out of the woods and toward the fairy mound.

Author Bio:
Judith Sterling's love of history and passion for the paranormal infuse everything she writes. Flight of the Raven and Soul of the Wolf are part of her medieval romance series, The Novels of Ravenwood. The Cauldron Stirred is the first book in her YA paranormal fantasy series, Guardians of Erin. Written under Judith Marshall, her nonfiction books--My Conversations with Angels and Past Lives, Present Stories--have been translated into multiple languages. She has an MA in linguistics and a BA in history, with a minor in British Studies. Born in that sauna called Florida, she craved cooler climes, and once the travel bug bit, she lived in England, Scotland, Sweden, Wisconsin, Virginia, and on the island of Nantucket. She currently lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband and their identical twin sons.

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Blog Tour: Amid Stars and Dark by Chani Lynn Feener @TempestChani

Amid Stars and Darkness
Chani Lynn Feener
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: July 18th 2017
Genres: Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Delaney’s entire world is thrown into chaos after she is mistaken for Lissa Olena, an alien princess hiding out on Earth in order to escape an arranged marriage.
Kidnapped by the princess’s head bodyguard, Ruckus, and imprisoned in an alien palace, Delaney is forced to impersonate the princess until Olena can be found. If she fails, it will lead to an alien war and the eventual enslavement of the entire human race.
No pressure or anything.
Factor in Trystan, the princess’s terrifying betrothed who is intent on unraveling all her secrets, and her own growing feelings for Ruckus, and Delaney is in way over her head.
Get lost Amid Stars and Darkness, in this YA sci-fi romance from debut author Chani Lynn Feener.

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Today we welcome Chani for an interview!

1. Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or did you want to be something else? 

Up until I was around nine or ten, I wanted to be an artist. I’ve always loved to draw, and as a kid my parents encouraged my growing up to do it professionally. That’s probably why they weren’t too put off by the idea I wanted to write when I told them. They already expected me to join a difficult career that could possibly lead to being broke. 

2. How long does it take you to write a book from start to finish?

It depends on the book. It can be anywhere from two weeks to two months. I wrote Amid Stars and Darkness in two weeks, for example, but book two took me about six to complete. I have another book I wrote in sixteen days, and another that I was working on for almost three months. If I’m really feeling a story, I can usually get it out pretty quickly, fortunately enough for me. 

3. How do you come up with themes for your stories?

Dreams, TV, movies, other books…lots of different ways. I was obsessed with Greek mythology as a kid, which led to the Underworld saga I wrote. Amid Stars and Darkness was sort of inspired by that show, Ancient Aliens. Themes and inspiration sort of hit me and evolve from there as I write them down. 

4. Do you have a schedule of when you write? 

Whenever I can! If I’m feeling it and in the zone, then I’ll stop whatever else I’m doing and write. Aside from that, I try and make myself sit down at the computer at least every other day, if not every day. Life gets busy, so whenever I have the time, I make sure I put it in. I don’t like to set a time, like writing only at night or during the day, because stuff happens and it’s hard to guarantee I’ll always be free to do it. 

5. How are you able to balance other aspects of your life with your writing?.

It’s difficult. Once I got out of college, it was hard hanging out with friends because I was so focused on putting those four years I paid for at school to good use. It took some time for my real friends to realize that this was a job for me, even if it didn’t outwardly look like one, and for me to find a good medium between working and not blowing them off. Now, I make sure I have at least a few days with no plans before I start a major project, and if I have edits from my publisher to do, I give everyone a heads up that I’ll be busy. I found a part time job that allows me to apply more time to my writing as well. Basically, writing comes first, especially while I try to establish myself, and then I find a way to fit everything else around it. Having supportive people in my life helps, and makes it easier. 

6. What elements do you think make a great story line? 

An engaging problem. Something that needs to be fixed or solved that really pulls the reader in and keeps their attention. 

7. What was the hardest thing about writing a book?

Not losing faith in myself is always difficult. I’ll get to a certain part of the book and then suddenly feel like everything I’ve written thus far is garbage. It’s always tempting, at one point or another, to give up on the project all together. Then I power through it anyway, and usually by the next day I’m back to being motivated. 

8. How many books have you written so far? Do you have a favorite? 

Since I started, I’ve written seventeen books, but only a few of them are available or have ever been available. I think my favorite would be one that hasn’t yet been published, if I’m being honest. I wrote it about a year ago and it’s a little darker and edgier than anything else I’ve written. It deals mostly with the Unseelie fey, so the darker tone makes sense. 

9. Do you have a favorite character?

In this book? I hate saying it, but actually Trystan would probably be my favorite. Only because he came out of nowhere and has such a complex background. I’m always discovering new things about him, which keeps him interesting to me as well. If you mean from any of my works, that would probably be Spencer from my book Unhinged. She starts out a little whiney, because her boyfriend is a ghost, but I can relate so much to her throughout the whole book. 

10. Where do you write?  

Typically at my desk. I’ve created a comfortable space for myself there with everything that I might need as I go, so I tend to stick to this spot. Sometimes I’ll write on my bed, if there are a lot of people around, so that I can put headphones in an focus, but usually I’m boring and sit at the desk like this was a regular office job. 

11. When deciding on how to publish, what directed you to the route you took? 

Well, I initially self published, but the goal was always to try and get traditionally published. Self publishing is great, because it give you a little more control, but for me, I’ve always wanted to backed by a publisher. I love having that support system, and that reach, and I’ve always known that’s what I ultimately wanted. Trying for Swoon was a no-brainer for me, because the platform called for romance stories geared towards young adults, and that was what I was most focused on at the time. I also loved all of the books that they’d chosen already, and the way the site was so interactively set up! I just knew I had to be a part of it! 

12. Have you gotten feedback from family about your book(s)? What do they think?

I’ve gotten feedback from my best friend and my mom. The first, because she’s basically my beta reader. Every time I start a new project, she’s the first person to get to see it, and she reads it as I write, which is super helpful. My mom actually read the book a couple of times because she liked it so much. That was comforting, because I knew for certain she wasn’t just saying it was good because she’s my mom and has to! 

13. What kinds of things do you like to do outside of writing?

I draw. Mostly I do portraits in colored pencil. I post photos on a separate instagram @TempestDraws. I also go to the movies a lot. I love the movies. That’s usually how I get time in with my friends, we do a movie and grab dinner at this cool diner. I know, my life is super exciting. I used to rollerblade a lot as well, but I haven’t had as much time for that recently. 

14. What kinds of advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing? 

I would definitely tell anyone who wants to to go for it! Just sit down and write, whether you have it all plotted out or not. I wrote a lot of crappy stuff before I was able to find my voice as an author, and that’s totally okay. Just like with everything else, practice makes perfect. Don’t over think it. The great thing about writing is you can do it practically anywhere, and for as long as your schedule allows. Even if it’s only five minutes a day, that’s still something!

15. What is your favorite book? favorite author? Do you have an author that inspired/inspires you to write? 

I can’t choose just one, I have five, but I guess if I absolutely had to pick right this second, I would say The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Mostly because that book made me feel so much, and it’s the only book that I actually cried while reading. I also have a couple favorite authors, but sticking with the YA genre, I guess I’ll go with Maggie Steifvater, because The Raven Cycle is my favorite series of all time. So much so, I even got a tattoo. Pretty much every author inspires me. If I read their book and don’t like it, then I know what I don’t want to do in my own writing. If I read it and love it, then I have a better understand of the type of book I hope to write. 

16. Do you have any go to people when writing a book that help you with your story lines as well as editing, beta reading and such? 

My best friend Josie, like I mentioned earlier, is definitely my go-to person. She reads everything I write, and is usually the person I go to when I have a fresh idea. I don’t like to over plot before I start something new, so she’s usually left with only a partial understanding of what I want and gets the blanks filled in as I do! I also have a beta reader for all of my paranormal romance stuff, named Kayleigh, who is a tremendous help! She’s always super honest and helps push me to finish the book even when I start feeling self conscious about it. 

17. Are you working on anything now? 

I’m working on a couple things. I’ve got the next book in the Xenith trilogy, as well as the final book of the Underworld saga, and another standalone book in my paranormal romance series! So, I’m pretty busy. I also have a couple side projects that I try to get to every so often. 

18. Tell us 5 things that make you smile

Cats. Coffee. The color yellow. Ed Sheeran. New books. 

19. Tell us 5 things that make you sad

Empty bookshelves. An empty coffeepot (I really love coffee). When there’s a bad ending to a book/series I loved. Being stuck in a snow storm (I went to school in Vermont, so this happened frequently enough to make the list). And…bee stings? I don’t really know. Honestly, not much makes me sad.  

20. If you could travel anywhere in the world to visit a place so you could use it as a background for a book, where would it be?

Cornwall! This is funny, so I’ll tell you: if you’d asked me this question three months ago, I would have said Ireland, hands down. However, recently there was that traveling commercial, with the guy in the orange jacket who always sounds so jovial when he says come to Cornwall, and…it worked. I really want to visit Cornwall now, and I would absolutely love to set a book there! 

Author Bio:
Chani Lynn Feener has wanted to be a writer since the age of ten during fifth grade story time. She majored in Creative Writing at Johnson State College in Vermont, and graduated in 2012. To pay her bills, she has worked many odd jobs, including, but not limited to, telemarketing, order picking in a warehouse, and filling ink cartridges. When she isn’t writing, she’s binging TV shows, drawing, or frequenting zoos/aquariums. Chani is the author of Amid Stars and Darkness and the teen paranormal series the Underworld Saga, originally written under the penname Tempest C. Avery. She currently resides in Connecticut, but lives on Goodreads.com.

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