Monday, February 27, 2017

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Alistair Cross

An interview with Alistair Cross, author of The Angel Alejandro.

 

Hi! Welcome to Zigzag Timeline. Can you tell us about your background as an author?
I started writing stories when I was about eight years old. I got serious about writing novels in my twenties, and began submitting manuscripts in my thirties. At 34, I first got published, and when I was 35, I met my long time literary hero, Tamara Thorne, with whom I began collaborating. In 2014, we also began Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE!, a weekly radio talk show dedicated to horror where we interview authors, crime buffs, paranormal investigators, forensics experts, and anyone else with experience in the field.

What got you into writing?
An early love of books. I realized at a young age that books were more inspiring and meaningful than television to my imagination because they allowed me to not only engage but to become part of the story. It was because of this that I wanted to write my own stories.
What was the first idea you had for your book, and how did the story grow from there?
The basic idea for The Angel Alejandro was based in my own curiosity about angels, demons, amnesia, and questions I have about life and death and good and evil. The character and storyline of Gremory Jones, aka, “the Dream Reaper,” came later, and was inspired by a mysterious man I saw in passing, walking down the street near my home.  

Among your characters, who's your favorite? Could you please describe him/her?
Gremory Jones! He’s a door-to-door salesman of an unusual caliber. He wears a suit, top hat, dark sunglasses and shoes, his hair is slicked back into a low ponytail, and he continually smokes imported cigarettes from an ebony cigarette holder. Everything about him, from his hat to the black briefcase he carries, is more than it seems. About halfway through this book I became so intrigued by him that I decided he needed another book so I could learn more about him. I’m working on that book now.
What's your favorite scene from your novel? Could you please describe it?
The scene I had the most fun with was when pet store owner, Bart Aberdeen, and town matriarch, Rosemary Hess, go head to head on Rosemary’s porch. Both have recently done business with Gremory Jones and this scene shows the corrosive effects of that unholy exchange.
What's your favorite part of writing? Plotting? Describing scenes? Dialogue?
I probably enjoy dialogue more than anything else.
How long does it take you to write a book? Do you have a writing process, or do you wing it?
Four to seven months to write, three to four months to edit. I do a basic outline, which serves as a kind of roadmap that takes me to the destination but also allows me to take side roads along the way.   
What is it about the genre you chose that appeals to you?
While the Angel Alejandro fits more into the urban fantasy genre, I am a horror writer at heart, and Alejandro has strong elements of that genre. What I love about horror (I’m not talking about slasher, gore, or torture porn) is that it allows you to address questions of morality better than any other genre. You just can’t dig into theories about life and death, God and religion, and good and evil in many other genres like you can in horror.
Are there any books or writers that have had particular influence on you?
My collaborator, Tamara Thorne, whose book I discovered many years before I’d even become serious about writing. She was - and still is - as awesome as I dreamed she’d be, and meeting her (and being able to write with her!) is a dream come true.
Did you ever surprise yourself when you were writing your book? Characters who took on lives of their own? Plot elements that took unexpected turns?
Absolutely. That’s where the real magic comes from, in my opinion. I love the surprises along the way.
Thanks for stopping by!
About the Author
Alistair Cross' debut novel, The Crimson Corset, a vampiric tale of terror and seduction, was an immediate bestseller earning praise from veteran vampire-lit author, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, and New York Times bestseller, Jay Bonansinga, author of The Walking Dead series. In 2012, Alistair joined forces with international bestseller, Tamara Thorne, and as Thorne & Cross, they write - among other things - the successful Gothic series, The Ravencrest Saga. Their debut collaboration, The Cliffhouse Haunting, reached the bestseller’s list in its first week of release. They are currently at work on their next solo novels and a new collaborative project.
In 2014, Alistair and Tamara began the radio show, Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE!, which has featured such guests as Charlaine Harris of the Southern Vampire Mysteries and basis of the HBO series True Blood, Jeff Lindsay, author of the Dexter novels, Jay Bonansinga of The Walking Dead series, Laurell K. Hamilton of the Anita Blake novels, Peter Atkins, screenwriter of HELLRAISER 2, 3, and 4, worldwide bestseller V.C. Andrews, and New York Times best sellers Preston & Child, Christopher Rice, and Christopher Moore.
Visit Alistair at: http://www.alistaircross.com

The Angel Alejandro

From bestselling author Alistair Cross comes a forbidden tale of love and redemption, of good and evil, and those who dare to stand up to Hell itself.
Angel or Demon?
Naive and heart-stoppingly handsome, he calls himself Alejandro, and Madison O’Riley has no clue what to do with him. As they set out to recover his lost identity, Madison realizes the mysterious man who saved her life harbors deep, otherworldly secrets that will put her in grave danger.
The Devil is in the Details
Gremory Jones has something for everyone, and for a price, he’s willing to make a deal. Walking the streets in top hat and trench coat, he tempts the citizens with mysterious wares from his shiny black briefcase. But buyer beware: All sales are final - and fatal.
A Scorching New Terror Has Come to Town
The townspeople are changing in appalling ways and it's up to Madison - with the help of a psychic, a local priest, and the new chief of police - to help Alejandro unlock his forgotten powers before an unspeakable evil tears apart the fabric of existence ... and costs them their very souls …

Book info:
Amazon Buy Link: The Angel Alejandro
Author Info:
Author’s contact info: contact@bamliterature.com
Author’s website: http://www.alistaircross.com/
Author’s social media links:

Friday, February 24, 2017

BNG FRIDAY: The Case of the Missing Sherlock by Yours Truly


Every Friday until its publication, I'm going to blog something about Brave New Girls: Stories of Girls Who Science and Scheme, a YA sci-fi anthology featuring tech-savvy heroines. The goal is to encourage more girls to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math careers. Revenues from sales of the anthology will be donated to a scholarship fund through the Society of Women Engineers. 


Hey everyone! Now that the cover and stories have been revealed, we're hitting the ground running on the new BRAVE NEW GIRLS anthology. Every Friday until the book's released, I'm going to blog something about Brave New Girls: Stories of Girls Who Science and Scheme, spotlighting all the awesome stories we've got in this collection.

Because I'm still gathering author bios and such, I'll start off with my own :-). Last summer, I wrote a just-for-fun novella re-imagining Sherlock Holmes as a female AI (also called Sherlock) originally intended to be a science bot and John Watson as the girl engineer (named Chevonne) who found Sherlock in a scrap pile. Since I had so much fun writing about these two (both of whom fit the BNG mold!), I decided to write another adventure for the dynamic duo for the anthology.

This time, Chevonne gets to solve the mystery, since Sherlock goes poof and bad guys start targeting her for reasons she can't fathom. (Not that she was ever going to sit on the sidelines and narrate Sherlock's story, like the original Watson did so often... she's very much the protagonist of the Chevonne & Sherlock tales ;-)). I had lots of fun writing this little mystery adventure, and I hope you'll have just as much fun reading it!

TITLE
The Case of the Missing Sherlock 

AUTHOR

Mary Fan

STORY DESCRIPTION


When her AI roommate, Sherlock, vanishes while working a case, fledgling biomedical engineer Chevonne is left to play detective after the authorities refuse to help her. Her investigation takes her into the heart of a dangerous operation that seeks to use Sherlock’s scientific know-how for their own nefarious purposes…


AUTHOR BIO


Mary Fan is a hopeless dreamer, whose mind insists on spinning tales of “what if.” As a music major in college, she told those stories through compositions. Now, she tells them through books. Her works include the JANE COLT sci-fi trilogy, the FIREDRAGON YA fantasy novellas, the FATED STARS YA fantasy novellas, and STARSWEPT, an upcoming YA sci-fi romance.

THOUGHTS ON BRAVE NEW GIRLS

Popular culture is a powerful thing. That's why we need more stories about girls who use their brains to save the day, and about girls who aren't afraid of showing off their nerdier sides.


BRAVE NEW GIRLS: STORIES OF GIRLS WHO SCIENCE & SCHEME will be released in August 2017!



SIGN UP FOR THE RELEASE DAY MAILING LIST: http://eepurl.com/bgBmvD

VISIT THE BRAVE NEW GIRLS WEBSITE: http://bravenewgirls.weebly.com/

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Coming soon... STARSWEPT!

Today, I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be publishing my YA sci-fi romance, STARSWEPT, with Snowy Wings Publishing! It's been a long and tumultuous journey for this little book, full of joy and despair and laughter and lots and lots and lots and LOTS of tears. I'll spare you the gory details ;-)

Anyway, after all the madness and twists, STARSWEPT is finally nearing the end of its journey. It's coming out this August, and I can't wait to share it with you!



BOOK DESCRIPTION:

​A century ago, an advanced race of telepathic humanoids made contact with Earth. Now, fifteen-year-old violist Iris Lei considers herself lucky to live on the high-tech campus of Papilio, a prestigious performing arts school powered by their futuristic technology. Born penniless, Iris’s one shot at a better life is to attract an Adryil patron. But only the best get hired, and competition is fierce.

A sudden encounter with an Adryil boy who breaks into Papilio upends her world. Iris longs to learn about him and his faraway realm, but after the authorities capture him, the only evidence she has of his existence is the mysterious alien device he slipped to her.

When she starts hearing his voice in her head, she wonders if her world of backstabbing artists and pressure for perfection is driving her insane. As her connection to him grows stronger, she discovers that her visions of him are real—by way of telepathy—and soon finds herself lost in the kind of impossible love she depicts in her music.

But even as their bond deepens, Iris realizes that he’s hiding something from her—and it’s dangerous. Her quest for answers leads her past her sheltered world to a strange planet lightyears away, where she uncovers secrets about Earth’s alien allies and the artist trade that shatter everything she knows.

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

BRAVE NEW GIRLS Cover Reveal and Story Line-Up!!

Today, I’m revealing the cover and story line-up for BRAVE NEW GIRLS: STORIES OF GIRLS WHO SCIENCE AND SCHEME, coming August 2017! This YA sci-fi anthology (edited by sci-fi authors Paige Daniels and Mary Fan) features stories about girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)… Girls who engineer, tinker, hack, and more, using their smarts to save the day. It’s got space operas, sci-fi mysteries, steampunk, cyberpunk, all kinds of punk! Proceeds from sales of the anthology will be donated to the Society of Women Engineers scholarship fund.

And without further ado, here’s the cover!

 


Stories in the anthology (in alphabetical order by title):

The 17th Quadrennial Intergalactic Neo-Cultural Expo and Science Fair by Jeanne Kramer-Smyth
The Adventure of the Brass Lamp by Margaret Curelas
Arch Nemesis by Jamie Krakover
The Babysitting Job: A Robot Repair Girl Adventure by Josh Pritchett
The Case of the Missing Sherlock by Mary Fan
Chasing the Copper Dragon by Karissa Laurel
Circus in the Sky by Lisa Toohey
Dangerous Territory by Holly Schofield
The Experimental Bug – First Test by Jelani-Akin Parham
Hack by Evangeline Jennings
In a Whole New Light by Michelle Leonard
The Last Android by Paige Daniels
Let Androids Eat Cake by Meg Merriet
The Maker’s Handbook by George Ebey
The Non-Existence of Gravity by Steph Bennion
Nova by Stephen Landry
Our Very Respected and Always Benevolent Leader by Kay Dominguez
Scilla’s Monster by Elisha Betts
Skyris by A.A. Jankiewicz
Sweet Emotion by Bryna Butler
The Swiss Cheese Model by Eric Bakutis
The Verne Shot by Brandon Draga



SIGN UP FOR THE RELEASE DAY MAILING LIST: http://eepurl.com/bgBmvD

VISIT THE BRAVE NEW GIRLS WEBSITE: http://bravenewgirls.weebly.com/

Brave New Girls: Stories of Girls Who Science and Scheme is the second volume of the Brave New Girls anthology series. The first, Brave New Girls: Tales of Girls and Gadgets was released in June 2015 and has so far raised thousands of dollars for the Society of Women Engineers Scholarship fund. Find it on Amazon.



ABOUT THE EDITORS


Paige Daniels is the pen name of Tina Closser. By day she works as an Electrical Engineer and Mom mushing her kids from gymnastics and violin practice. After the kids go to bed, she rocks out with her headphones turned to eleven and cranks out books. She is an uber science geek. If she wasn't married to the most terrific guy in the world, she would be a groupie for Adam Baldwin. Her books include Non-Compliance: The Sector, Non-Compliance: The Transition, and Non-Compliance: Equilibrium.

Mary Fan is a hopeless dreamer, whose mind insists on spinning tales of “what if.” As a music major in college, she told those stories through compositions. Now, she tells them through books—a habit she began as soon as she could pick up a pencil. And what stories she has! Currently, she has three series in progress and likes to think that she has even more in her bag. Her books include the Jane Colt trilogy, the Firedragon novellas, and the Fated Stars novellas.



Tuesday, February 14, 2017

SPOTLIGHT: All It Takes / Clare Dugmore

I’m thrilled to announce Clare Dugmore’s dual-POV contemporary romance ALL IT TAKES is out now, exclusively on Amazon Kindle, and in paperback.




Title: All It Takes
Author: Clare Dugmore
Genre: Romance
Release Date: February 14, 2017
Description:
All It Takes is one night to change the rest of their lives.

Graduating Uni, travelling Europe and buying her own place – these are on Megan Green’s to-do list.
At just twenty-two, becoming a mother isn’t.

Fast cars, expensive clothes and bedding a different women every night – this is how Kian Murphy spends his time when not in the MMA ring. Pre-natal scans and birthing classes are not on his agenda.

After a chance meeting and passionate encounter, Megan finds herself pregnant with Kian’s child. But with a womanizing reputation, and a temper that often leads him into trouble, Kian is hardly boyfriend material, let alone father material.

Now Megan and Kian must work out if they have All It Takes to turn their one-night-stand into a relationship that will connect them for a life-time.
All It Takes is a dual-POV new-adult, contemporary-romance about responsibility, love and discovering who you are in life.

Rafflecopter Giveaway: 



Friday, February 10, 2017

The Adventure of the Silicon Beeches has a paperback!

Hey everyone! Remember that little Sherlock Holmes retelling I posted on Wattpad last summer? Well, now it's out in paperback.... with a brand new cover! Check it out on Amazon.



And I got fancy with the interior formatting...



It's also available as a free e-book download at all major e-book retailers, including Barnes & Noble, iBooks, and Kobo (and it will be free on Kindle once Amazon's algorithms match the other sites!). 

Anyway, hope you'll check it out! Here's the book description:


A year ago, teen engineering prodigy Chevonne Watson rescued Sherlock, a brilliant humanoid AI discarded for her destructive tendencies, from a scrap pile. Now, Sherlock spends her days solving mysteries, like the mythological detective after whom she was named.

When Chevonne gets an urgent call from Sherlock about a new client, she knows this is no ordinary case. Something about the young man, who is desperately seeking answers about his parents' strange behavior, seems to interest Sherlock more than usual.

Unwilling to let her troubled AI roommate run off alone, Chevonne accompanies Sherlock into the far reaches of space--to the starship Silicon Beeches--in pursuit of the truth.


Thursday, February 9, 2017

COVER REVEAL: Golden / K.M. Robinson

Golden by K.M. Robinson releases on March 28, 2017 from Snowy Wings Publishing



About Golden

When the girl with the golden hair betrays everyone, not even she has hope of surviving.

The stories say that Goldilocks was a naïve girl who wandered into a house one day. Those stories were wrong. She was never naïve. It was all a perfectly executed plan to get her into the Baers’ group to destroy them.

Trained by her cousin, Lowell, and handler, Shadoe, Auluria’s mission is to destroy the Baers by getting close to the youngest brother, Dov, his brother and sister-in-law and the leaders of the Baers’ group. When she realizes Dov isn’t as evil as her cousin led her to believe, she must figure out how to play both sides or her deception will cause everyone in her world to burn.

If her allegiances are discovered, either side could destroy her…if the Society doesn’t get her first.
 




About K.M. Robinson

K.M. Robinson is a storyteller who creates new worlds both in her writing and in her fine arts conceptual photography. She is a marketing, branding and social media strategy educator who is recognized at first sight by her very long hair. She is a creative who focuses on photography, videography, couture dress making, and writing to express the stories she needs to tell. She almost always has a camera within reach. 

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