Interviews #AtoZChallenge #AprilA2Z ‘I’

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Ileandra Young

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If I say ‘interview,’ what do you think of? Suits? Ties? A large desk behind which you sit, nervously handling your CV? I used to think that. I may again in future, but these days, I think of character interviews.

I’ve heard several writer buddies tell me that writing an interview with their characters helps them get into their heads. That in turn helps them write the story with lively, full bodied and real characters that they know incredibly well.

I’ve never tried anything like it before but I think it could work brilliantly. I’m desperate to try. easter egg from openclipartIn fact, I think it would be a great marketing tool; a fun and useful way of creating teaser content to populate a blog or website. Maybe they could form the extra ‘Easter egg’ style content in the back of books, digital or physical. I think interviews would work especially well in the back of books, as they can give a whole new dimension to the story you’ve just read, allowing you to get deeper into the character. If done well, they can allow you to prep yourself mentally for the next in a series.

Hehee. Do you see where I’m going with this?

Character interviews would work brilliantly for SORB. I couldn’t post them before release of the book since it would give too much away (all of my characters have secrets and layers that influence the whole trilogy) but as ‘bonus content’ in the back of the book? I think it would be great! Interviews, biographies and diary entries could even make fabulous content for members of my mailing list; a treat and a thank you for staying with me.

Gollum (7584125246)It’s certainly something I’m going to consider when creating the content for the book. If you take DVDs as an example, many people (myself included) look for special editions of things to ensure there is a selection of bonus content. Background and behind the scenes information can be so interesting. I know many people don’t feel quite the same, but watching the green screen footage of Andy Serkis leaping around in his body suit, in preparation for playing Gollum, was magical for me. It only added to the wonder of seeing that emaciated figure on screen with Frodo and Sam.

Have you guys ever written character interviews for your books? Would you consider using them as bonus content in future releases? I’m going to do a bit of snooping, see if I can find other examples, but I, as ever, would love to know what you think.
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Heaven Is A… #AtoZChallenge #AprilA2Z ‘H’

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Raven ShadowHawk

H button for A2Z Challengeblack and white angel

My idea of heaven varies day to day. I don’t believe in pearly gates, clouds, angels and halos, but I do believe that there is good stuff for those who do good things. Whether that be through getting access to a fun after life, or being reborn into a rock star with tonnes of cash. Who knows? But that’s not the sort of heaven I’m talking about today.

I’m talking about heaven on earth. The heaven in which I’m living right now. The heaven that anyone and everyone is capable of experiencing if they just take a look at what they want and why they want it.

(This isn’t what I originally wanted to talk about, but I got distracted and now I can’t remember my original point. Ho hum. Bear with me; it might come back.)

Heaven, for me, is an extra hour in bed. A brand new notebook with clean, crisp pages and a shiny purple pen to write with.

Heaven is the smell of old books as I walk into the local library. Or the smell of new ones as I walk into Waterstones.

Heaven is opening my Amazon seller’s account and finding a single sale of any of my books. Finding a review on one of my books.

Heaven is finding a new like on one of my blog posts or a comment from someone I’ve not spoken to before. Or even someone I have spoken to before.

Heaven is one or both of my sprogs coming out with a new word(s) (the latest set being the lyrics to the cartoon Tree Fu Tom). Or a wet, sloppy kiss that leaves drool across my cheek.

Heaven is a tall chai latte in my favourite coffee shop while those same sprogs snooze beside me in their pram.

Heaven is an unexpected phone call from my mother, or a surprise visit during which she usually buys me washing powder or fabric softener. Strange gifts, but things that I always, always need. And she always knows.

Heaven is a text message from my crazy red-head friend, telling me she’s at my front door and that I should get the hell out there to let her in.

Heaven is snuggling up at night, with My Funk Master, watching him watch something on BBC iPlayer while he absently strokes my hair.

Heaven is all sorts.
Heaven is everywhere.
Heaven is… well… heaven is life.

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Getting Old, The Big 30 #AtoZChallenge #AprilA2Z ‘G’

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Ileandra Young

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Ugh. I feel old.

I know it’s not old, not really, but one month from now, I’m going to be 30.

The Big 3-0

Why do people say it like that? As if I’m not stressed enough already. -_-

To be honest, I’m not pulling my hair out over it (just the grey ones) and I’m not panicked over suddenly being old or unable to do things. It’s only 30, right? Though I am conscious that I can’t do as much as I used to in terms of running off, getting pissed, and crawling home at 4am. But I blame my kids for that, not the fact that I’m nearly 30.

And you think that’s rough? My boys will be two before I hit 30. Two days before, in fact. Now that’s sobering; I’ve been a mother for nearly two years!gasping/shocked/surprised face OpenClipArtSaying that, I’ve done a lot with those 30 years.
Obviously other people have done a lot of that stuff too, but I can be pleased and comfortable in saying that nobody else would have done those things my way.

  • I went through school. Got A-levels. Got a degree.
  • I worked… solid, like a chump, for several years before escaping.
  • I run my own business.
  • I’ve had two kids.
  • I’ve written and published three books (yes, I’m counting Raven for now), with more on the way.
  • I’ve appeared in several magazines with and without bylines
  • I’ve loved.
  • I’ve made friends.
  • I’ve played games.
  • I’ve lost.
  • I’ve seen great people do great things, been to wonderful places and tasted wonderful foods.

Yes, I know it’s still a month off, but I’m pleased with my 30 years on this earth. Universe willing, I’ll have a hell of a lot more to fill with cool things and to share with you.

As to what I’m going to do… I’m running a competition. ^_^ Wheeeeeeeeee!
Just a small one, mind you, but I feel that it’s a nice way for you to celebrate with me.

It’s just a flash fiction competition but the prize is… get this… £10 Amazon voucher. ^_^
Or $10 if you’re in the US. I know what a bitch it is getting vouchers you can’t use (yes, this is the voice of experience), so be sure to let me know what you’ll need in the form below.

It’s a simple competition; flash fiction. 100 words.
Theme: ageing.
That’s it!
I’ll close the competition on May 8 which gives you a month to pull yourself together.

Use this form to enter.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨


You may want to pop a comment below as well, just so I know to look out for your entry. I’ve never done this before, so the extra nudge to be sure I’ve got your entry will (hopefully) smooth out potential problems.

I won’t judge the competition (that’s hardly fair) but I’ll rope in one or more of my writing buddies to give me a hand. And, if I can wrangle it, I’ll get a longlist and a shortlist out of them and announce the winner in the middle of May.

Good luck everyone and thanks!
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Fucking Bad Language (Teehee!) #AtoZChallenge #AprilA2Z ‘F’

Posted on April 7, 2014 by Raven ShadowHawk

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Yeeeeah. First of all:

And then:

Right… that should have you all warmed up. 😉

I remember a time when I didn’t swear. Back in school, well before doing my GCSEs when I was nice and fluffy (insofar as I was EVER fluffy -_-) and afraid of my own shadow. I didn’t swear. I didn’t even think swear words.

These days I listen to my boys and I tell myself they’re saying ‘fork.’
But I don’t think they are.
Not really.
And there’s no one to blame for that but me. Well… maybe Bo Burnham too, but I’m the one who plays his songs at top volume while the young’uns are awake. That’s on me.

But following Da Shared Brain’s plans to get both me and Ileandra out of this head-rut, I’ve spent a lot of time with my head in Slippers & Chains.
I realised… my characters swear a lot.
I mean… A LOT!

I’m not sure if that’s a reflection of the people in my life, or just a reflection of me, or an example of what I think people do when they speak to each other. But my characters are totally foul mouthed!

Don’t get me wrong, I love it. I won’t be making any changes because I genuinely do believe that this is how these characters would talk to each other, but then I started to wonder….
Is this the sort of thing that separates general fiction from literary fiction?

I don’t do literary fiction. I can’t. I don’t know if that’s just my own head fighting against me, but I’ve told myself I don’t do it, so I don’t. But literary fiction, despite being supposedly posher, finer and more refined (opinions my own), is still fiction. It still has elements within it that should reflect the world around us. So wouldn’t literary characters swear?

Hmm. I don’t know. But now I’m thinking about it I’ll have to do a bit of research into it.

Even YA. I mean… kids these days are nothing like I was at their age. Kids now are mean, savage and older than their years. And they swear. Fuck-yes, they do. But how often do you find that reflected in YA fiction? I’ve certainly not come across it in any I’ve read. I know I don’t read a lot of YA, but maybe part of the reason I sometimes struggle with YA characters is because they don’t sound like the kids I know.

Or maybe the kids I know are just little shits who don’t know how to respect their fucking elders. 😛

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Egypt Is So Cool! #AtoZChallenge #AprilA2Z ‘E’

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Ileandra Young

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Egypt. A land of marvellous history. So beautiful. So exciting.

landscape of egyptIt’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to go and, when I heard my sister had moved there two years ago, I was so green with jealousy I kinda looked like a head of broccoli (not my best simile). But it’s so amazing there, as a tourist, anyway. And there are so many fantastic stories set there.

Have any of you read The Mummy? I know that’s a hard question, as there are several versions, but this one is by Anne Rice. It’s actually the first book of hers I ever read (yes, even before Interview With A Vampire). I loved the rich detail of the entire piece, and the idea that a mummy could come to life and find love. What I loved more was where he came from. Egypt.

Then I watched The Mummy and realised 1) how brilliant Brendan Fraser is, 2) how sexy Oded Fehr is, but more importantly, 3) there was far more to the myths and legends than I ever realised.

I’ve never seen the 1939 version of The Mummy, but the posters look so cool, that it is on my list. Not seen the poster? Here:
The Mummy 1932 film poster
Great, right? ^_^

I’ve always been attracted to ancient religions, for instance, with more than one god. I guess the idea that you can just turn to another one, if the first doesn’t do want you want, is quite attractive to me. I’ve ended reading about Re and Isis and Osiris and Set and all the rest. Their creation story, like several others I’ve read, funnily enough, involves plenty of death, sex and jealousy.

Despite all that, I never really thought about vampires in ancient Egypt until (I think, don’t quote me) some time in 2003. I wondered why few stories (at least that I’ve read) touch on the creation story of vampires and why they seem to just spring out of the dirt. Or they’re the subject of a terrible disease or curse. What if, instead, vampirism was a deliberate god-given gift?

Silk Over Razor Blades took on a whole new life then. I created my own vampire creation myth and ran with it. The SORB vampires take their roots in Ptolemaic Egypt (not quite ‘ancient’ but old enough) and they have more than a little to do with Antony, Cleopatra and Octavian’s march into Alexandria in 30BC.

Never before did I think a story about vampires could end up taking on a historical element too. And all because I realised that mummies are kinda cool.mummy from openclipart.comWho knew?

I guess this is as good a time as any to let you know how SORB is doing. Well… I’ve still not touched it. In light of the decision The Brain made, the story has been set to one side wile Raven works on Slippers & Chains. I’m looking forward to my turn though, because I have some ideas on how to get some pretty decent editorial feedback.

Hurry up Raven! I want my turn!
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