Saturday, May 25, 2013

A Book Review of Captives by Jill Williamson

Buy it on Amazon!
One choice could destroy them all. When eighteen-year-old Levi returned from Denver City with his latest scavenged finds, he never imagined he'd find his village of Glenrock decimated, loved ones killed by enforcers, and many---including his fiancee, Jem--taken captive. Now alone, Levi is determined to rescue what remains of his people, even if it means entering the Safe Land, a walled city that seems anything but safe. Omar knows he betrayed his brother by sending him away to Denver City, but helping the enforcers was necessary. Living off the land like nomads and clinging to an outdated religion holds his village back. The Safe Land has protected people since the plague decimated the world generations ago ... and its rulers have promised power and wealth beyond Omar's dreams. Meanwhile, Jem is locked in a cell, awaiting the Safe Landers' plan to protect their future by seizing her own. Can Levi uncover the truth hidden behind the Safe Land's facade before it's too late?

Series: The Safe Lands
Genre: Dystopian
Publisher: Zondervan
Page Count: 416

What I liked: I really enjoyed this book and not because I happen to know the talented author, but because I liked the whole story world and the characters. I like how she developed this alien culture of the safe lands. She came up with a lot of cool slang like "glossy" instead of "cool" and "femme" instead of "girl" that I find myself saying in my daily dialogue. I like the cool yet creepy sometimes technology and the stark contrast between Safe Lands and Glenrock ways of life.

I love the variety of the point of views and as a girl I felt very into Shaylinn's point of view especially. I could relate to a lot of her struggles and fears. The climax was suspenseful. I found myself yelling at the book and gasping at the twists. There are a lot of good themes that parallel with our own culture about pleasure and youth, so the book is also food for thought. I recommend this book to dystopian and sci-fi lovers. I will definitely being looking out for the sequel.

What I didn't like: Well, I can't say there's really much of anything I completely didn't like, but there's in more of a cautionary statement. The book does touch on some mature topics, though I believe Williamson did them very tastefully. If this book was a movie, it'd probably be PG-13. It's hard to find anything I don't like in this book.


About the Author:
Jill Williamson is a chocolate loving, daydreaming, creator of kingdoms and the award-winning author of several young adult books including the Blood of Kings trilogy, Replication, the Mission League series, and the Safe Lands trilogy. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two children and a whole lot of deer. Visit her online at her blog, where adventure comes to life.
You can find her on her website, FacebookTwitterPinterest and Goodreads

Extras:
Check out the Captives book trailer!



Other books by Jill I've reviewed:

I hope you all found this review helpful! I will posting more in the future of John W. Otte's Failstate and Steven James' Placebo and more! Thanks for reading! :)

If you liked this post, come back every Saturday for more writing advice, character interviews, book reviews and more! On Sundays I have Soundtrack Sundays where I post a new score piece, Tuesdays are Tea Tuesdays with tea reviews, Wednesdays I have Wonderful Word Wednesdays where I post a new vocabulary word, and Fridays are Fan Fridays where I post tags and other goodies. To help support my dream to be an author follow this blog, like me on Facebook, watch me on deviantART, and follow me on Pinterest and Twitter. If you want to know more about my books check out them out here. Thank you! :)


Monday, May 20, 2013

Interview with Matt (Subsapien)

Matt (Subsapien)
Hey, everyone! I haven't done a character interview in a while so I decided to one with the main character of the second book of my science fiction series, Subsapien Grafting. Our interviewee today is Bryce's younger brother, Matt. I've asked one of my good friends Cassidy to interview him. Enjoy!

Cassidy:
*sits in chair in Tori's room, admiring the sword collection on the wall*

Matt: 
*walks in, sits down in chair*

Cassidy:
Hi, Matt! *waves*

Matt:
*raises a hand* Hey.

Cassidy:
So, Tori wanted me to interview you this time, if you don't mind.

Matt:
*gives you a thumbs up* Hit me with it.

Cassidy:
Okay. So, I just have a few questions for right now. First up: what is your favorite memory from when you were younger?

Matt:
Uh ... I guess playing Pounce with my older brother, Bryce.

Cassidy:
Sounds cool. How did you play?

Matt:
Well, we pounced on each other when the other one wasn't expecting it. If we caught the other one by surprise that would be a point. A game could last a week sometimes.

Cassidy:
Sweet. That's awesome. Next question: What is something you want to do/experience?

Matt:
*smiles, looks up* Hmm ...

Cassidy:
*crosses legs Indian-style in chair*

Matt:
I know this has to be lame, but go to a museum, I guess. *huffs a laugh*

Cassidy:
Lame? Nah, museums are epic. Might I ask what makes you want to go there, though?

Matt:
*tilts head downwards* I like art and junk like that.

Cassidy:
Sweet. I wish I knew more guys who were into that stuff.

Matt:
*smiles*

Cassidy:
Do you like to create art? If, so, what type?

Matt:
I like drawing and guitar if that's art.

Cassidy:
I think it is. So you like music as well? Do you have a preferred type to listen to or play?

Matt:
*nods* I like music. I like rock stuff, I guess. I'm still getting the hang of genres.

Cassidy:
Have any favorite bands?

Matt:
I like this one called ... Knight's Lock.

Cassidy:
Neat. So, a slightly more somber topic ...

Matt: 
*rests ankle on his knee, places a hand on his elevated knee*

Cassidy:
What did your day typically consist of in the labs?

Matt: 
*curls cheetah tail around himself, smile fades* A lot of tests.

Cassidy:

What about your relationship with the others? Anyone you're particularly close to?

Matt: 
I guess, I'm pretty close to Ingrid. We've been friends for a long time.

Cassidy:
Just friends? *conspiratory look*

Matt: 
*cheeks redden* Just friends.

Cassidy:
*raises an eyebrow* Mm-hm. Okay. *grins* Now you've also mentioned a few other before, I think.

Matt: 
Other friends?

Cassidy:
Yeah.

Matt: 
Well, the only other ones I'm really around are Brian, Ashlyn and Emil, but I don't really consider them all my friends.

Cassidy:
Oh? Why not?

Matt: 
It's complicated.

Cassidy:
Ah....care to elaborate?

Matt: 
*narrows eyes* Not really.

Cassidy:
*raises hands, palms out, in mock surrender* Okay. Sorry. I'm not trying to pry. *lowers hands* So, um...*rubs back of neck awkwardly* changing the subject again...

Matt: 
*shifts in his chair* It's okay. Uh ...

Emil: 
*peeks in through doorway* Are you guys done yet?

Cassidy:
*looks over at Emil* Hi! Not quite, but what did you need?

Emil: 
I'm hungry. We're supposed to eat after Matt is done with the interview thingie.

Ashlyn: 
*is around seven and standing on Emil's massive foot and gripping his jeans*

Cassidy:
Oh. Okay. *notices Ashlyn, waves* Hi, Ashlyn! *smiles*

Ashlyn:
*waves at Cassidy*

Matt: 
We'll be done soon. Go wait in the other room.

Emil: 
*sighs big* Fine. Bye, Cass.

Cassidy:
See you guys later. *turns back to Matt*

Ashlyn:
*waves at Cassidy*

Emil: 
*walks away*

Cassidy:
So, you don't like the labs. And this is the last question, I promise. How did you get there? Do you remember?

Matt:
 *crosses arms* Nope.

Cassidy:
Okay. Well, that's all I've got. Thanks for letting me bother you with the questions. *smiles*

Matt:
*smiles back* No problem.

Cassidy:
*uncrosses legs and stands, walking to the door and peeking out into the hallway, calls out* Tori! We're done with the interview!

Me: 
*steps in* Yeah?

Cassidy:
Just thought I'd let you know. Matt and the others were going to eat, so I thought I'd see if you wanted my help with anything.

Me: 
Nah, I'm good. *looks at laptop* Well, I hope you all enjoyed that interview. Thank you, Cassidy, for being our special interviewer this time.

Cassidy:
Sure! *grins* Hi, readers! *to Tori* Thanks for letting me. It was fun!

Me:
I hope you all enjoyed this interview with Matt. If you have any questions for him, Emil or Ashlyn, comment and they'll be answered in the next interview. *smiles* You can check out more about Matt's book in current projects, his book's Pinterest board, pictures I've drawn for the book on deviantART and fan art on my Facebook page.

Matt: 
*waves*

Me: 
Keep an eye out for a review of Jill Williamson's newest release, Captives. And as always, thanks for reading!

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If you liked this post, come back every Saturday for more writing advice, character interviews, book reviews and more! On Sundays I have Soundtrack Sundays where I post a new score piece, Tuesdays are Tea Tuesdays with tea reviews, Wednesdays I have Wonderful Word Wednesdays where I post a new vocabulary word, and Fridays are Fan Fridays where I post tags and other goodies. To help support my dream to be an author follow this blog, like me on Facebook, watch me on deviantART, and follow me on Pinterest and Twitter. If you want to know more about my books check out them out here. Thank you! :)


Saturday, May 11, 2013

An Interview with Author Bryan Davis



I’m proud to be able to talk to one of my favorite authors today. His name is Mr. Bryan Davis. He is the bestselling author of several young adult fantasy series: Dragons in Our Midst, Oracles of Fire, Echoes from the Edge, and Dragons of Starlight


He currently lives in Tennessee with his wife, Susie, and their kids. His books have been a big inspiration to me, both in my perspective about dragons and writing. He urged me to go to my first writer’s conference where he taught the teen track. My writing hasn’t been the same since.

So Mr. Davis, what inspired you to write YA Christian fantasy? How did that dream to be an author form?

It started with a dream about a boy who could breathe fire. I wasn’t a fantasy fan at the time, and I’m still pretty picky about which fantasy stories I like, so it didn’t occur to me that this was a story idea until I told my oldest son about the dream. He suggested that I make it into a fantasy novel.

I believe that storytelling is the most powerful way to communicate truth in a memorable way. We are wired to connect with stories and the conflicts the characters go through. Because of the emotions involved, we can empathize with portrayals that reflect some of our own experiences or else issues we have considered even if we haven’t experienced them ourselves.

Since my books are faith-based, the mainstream publishers didn’t show any interest. I often heard, “Too spiritual” or “Too Christian.” The Christian publishers at that time weren’t producing fantasy at all, and certainly not a series about dragons. I couldn’t find a significant fantasy series for young people that had been published by a Christian company in the last thirty years. It didn’t matter that the Chronicles of Narnia had been one of the greatest sellers in history. In fact, when I mentioned that to one editor, hoping the Narnia success would open a door, he said, “You’re not C. S. Lewis.”

Between agents and publishers I collected about two hundred rejection notices, which I might use to wallpaper my office someday. I rewrote Raising Dragons about twenty-four times, changing it drastically in some of the rewrites. I think I made it even more radical as time went on, perhaps thinking that it might just end up as a story for myself and my family.

I finally met Dan Penwell of AMG Publishers. He had already contracted with me for a non-fiction book called The Image of a Father, and although AMG had never produced fiction, he took interest in my weird dragons story. AMG liked it so much, they started a fiction line with the series, and it has become their best-selling line of books.


That’s a really cool story. I’ve had several novel ideas of mine inspired by dreams. Taking from a
lot of your books, you enjoy dragons. Dragons are indeed epic, but why do you like to write about them in particular?

At the beginning of my author’s journey, the topic of dragons wasn’t on my radar screen at all. I neither liked
them nor disliked them. The dream about a boy who could breathe fire changed that. When my son and I brainstormed the story idea, we decided that the boy had parents who were once dragons. That was my first notion to write about dragons.

To this day I’m still not enthused about dragons, at least with regard to how other people write about them. I can take them or leave them. My stories are really about the humans. The dragons are a device to make the story world cool and exciting. How can it not be interesting when you have huge, scaly, fire-breathing animals that can fly and destroy almost anything? And when you allow them to interact with humans, whether on a friendly or adversarial basis, the entire scenario gets even more interesting.

I have enjoyed writing about dragons. They are, indeed, exciting. Yet, the journeys of the human are still the more interesting and inspiring to me.

Interesting. Out of all of your characters, who is your favorite?

That’s almost like asking which of my children is my favorite. Almost. I have been thrilled by several of my characters, but reader feedback allows me to choose one over all the others.

Bonnie Silver has inspired thousands of readers, male and female alike, in profound ways. I have heard from seven teenagers who have told me that Bonnie has kept them from committing suicide. Hundreds more have told me that Bonnie has drawn them closer to God and helped them during challenging trials in their lives. It is amazing that this humble servant of God, a “person” who is a character in a fantasy world, has done so much to inspire so many.

Bonnie is indeed one of my favorites too. She is an amazing character. On your Facebook, you post often about how you love Mondays. Why is that your favorite day?

Since I rest from writing on Sunday, I am always excited to wake up on Monday and get back to writing. I love what I do, and each beginning of a week is like a fresh start on a new and exciting journey. Since I don’t outline my stories, I am thrilled to sit down and find out what’s going to happen in my story, because I truly don’t know.

It saddens me when I hear people bemoan Mondays. I wish they could go with me on an exciting adventure. Mine is truly a dream occupation.

Very cool. A lot of young writers like to read my blog. What advice do you have for a young person pursuing publication?

I know many aspiring young writers, and most of them want to write fantasy or some other speculative fiction. I would tell those authors to break free from the Tolkien and Lewis mold. Don’t try to create another Middle-earth with elves and orcs. Don’t send kids to a new world through a wardrobe-like portal where a Christ-figure dwells.

I’d like to see another contemporary/fantasy blend like mine. I think young people of today relate to a world they recognize, and they enjoy seeing weird happenings within it. Still, there are many ways to explore new other-world fantasy ideas as well. Think out-of-the-box and write your passions. Don’t chase after what the market appears to want.

Check out books from the library on how to write better. Get people who know writing to read your writing and give you pointers. Study writing that you enjoy and figure out what makes it so good. Also, have patience with your writing. Don't try to hurry it. Take your time to build scenes and characters.


Attend writers’ conferences where you can get professional feedback on your work. They are expensive, but nearly every career requires a financial investment in learning the craft.


Aspiring writers, I commend you for wanting to communicate your ideas and passions. That motivation will carry you far. You will hit roadblocks, and the temptation to become discouraged might be overwhelming. 

Don’t give up. If God has put within you the passion to write, then you can’t give up. Don’t lose sight of the message that God has given you to convey. If God has really called you to pursue this dream, then you have no choice but to continue.


That is some really good advice. I hope it's inspired the readers as much as it's inspired me over the years. So you’re having a kickstarter for a graphic novel of Dragons in Our Midst, can you tell me more about that?

James Art Ville is an illustrator who is working on a graphic novel version of Raising Dragons, the first book in Dragons in our Midst. He decided to take a step of faith and quit his job to pursue becoming a fulltime illustrator. Because of that decision, he will need upfront money to make ends meet while he works on this huge project.

That’s why he created a Kickstarter “crowd funding” project. People can make monetary pledges to the fund, and they receive cool prizes in return, like an appearance of their own likeness in the graphic novel. If, however, the project doesn’t get fully funded by May 23, the pledges will be canceled, and he will get nothing. So I hope everyone will consider pledging.

Here is the link the funding site - http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jamesartville/raising-dragons-graphic-novel  As you can see from the samples on the page, this is going to be an amazing work of art.




Thank you so much for joining me for this interview, Mr. Davis. It was a pleasure.

You can find Bryan Davis on Facebook, Twitter, his blog and his website. And be sure to donate to James Art Ville’s kickstarter for the graphic novel of Dragons in Our Midst to get some awesome prizes! I've donated myself and I can't wait to see this graphic novel happen! Thanks for reading! :)



If you liked this post, come back every Saturday for more writing advice, character interviews, book reviews and more! On Sundays I have Soundtrack Sundays where I post a new score piece, Tuesdays are Tea Tuesdays with tea reviews, Wednesdays I have Wonderful Word Wednesdays where I post a new vocabulary word, and Fridays are Fan Fridays where I post tags and other goodies. To help support my dream to be an author follow this blog, like me on Facebook, watch me on deviantART, and follow me on Pinterest and Twitter. If you want to know more about my books check out them out here. Thank you! :)

Friday, May 10, 2013

Characters in Costume Challenge - Hayli



This month I'm participating in Of Battles, Swords and Dragons of Adamant's Characters in Costume Challenge!

Hayli is from my futuristic science-fiction series, Subsapien. She is the passed lover of one of my main characters named Bryce. Though she is gone, she is in Bryce's mind all the time and in a couple flashbacks in the series. She is also the only character I have that actually looks like me. Don't worry. The scratches are just paint. ;)



Hayli grew up in a laboratory with Bryce where her DNA was grafted with a cheetah's giving her a tail, cheetah spots and many abilities (just imagine them ;) ). She had no parents so Bryce and Hayli protected each other and Bryce's younger brother, Matt. She always dreamed of going outside of the laboratory and being able to touch long grass and flowers.



Since she was in a bad situation, she had to hold her own against other graftings when Bryce wasn't around hence the scratches. The cruel conditions don't allow her to shower and her only clothes are standard issue hospital pants and a L.G.R. t-shirt. 


Bryce's memories of her keep him going. She always believe and encouraged him to fulfill his dreams. They planned to one day leave their prison and marry, but a sad turn of events stopped their plans. 

Thank you Gillian for letting me participate in this challenge! :)

If you liked this post, come back every Saturday for more writing advice, character interviews, book reviews and more! On Sundays I have Soundtrack Sundays where I post a new score piece, Tuesdays are Tea Tuesdays with tea reviews, Wednesdays I have Wonderful Word Wednesdays where I post a new vocabulary word, and Fridays are Fan Fridays where I post tags and other goodies. To help support my dream to be an author follow this blog, like me on Facebook, watch me on deviantART, and follow me on Pinterest and Twitter. If you want to know more about my books check out them out here. Thank you! :)


Saturday, May 4, 2013

A Book Review of Go Teen Writers: How to Turn Your First Draft Into A Published Novel


The question we hear most from new writers is, 
"How do I get published?" 
And the answer is: 
Respect your dream 
Every writer's journey is different, yet as we've reflected on our experiences and those of the writers around us, we've seen time and time again that those who are successful are the ones who had the patience and endurance to stick with this writing thing. They didn't look for shortcuts (at least, not for long), nor did they quit after five, ten, or one hundred rejections. We can't make the process easy for you, but it's our hope that this book will be a tool you can turn to time and time again when you're thinking, "Okay ... what's next?" 
Includes tips for: 
Getting published -Finding the right agent -Book surgery -Thicker plots -Deeper characters -Richer settings -Weaving in theme -Dealing with people who don't get your writing

What I liked: First of all, I love this book. It clearly tells about how to write a good novel and gives insight about the industry. From technique to development of your characters, it has tons of tips about the craft and encouragement in the experience aspect of writing.

This book has it all. In the back are tons of helpful lists to assist with character building, world building, and more. I've been writing seriously for four years, and I wish this book was released sooner! I've bookmarked many of the pages, and I'm definitely keeping this book by my laptop for reference for years to come.

This book has a friendly, clean and encouraging tone. It's directed towards young people, and it isn't condescending in any way. This is a great basic guide for an aspiring writer. I recommend this to any young writer that wants to seriously write a book. Five out of five stars!


About the Author:
Jill Williamson is a chocolate loving, daydreaming, creator of kingdoms and the award-winning author of several young adult books including the Blood of Kings trilogy, Replication, the Mission League series, and the Safe Lands trilogy. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two children and a whole lot of deer. Visit her online at her blog, where adventure comes to life.
You can find her on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Goodreads

Stephanie Morrill is a twenty-something living in Kansas with her husband and two kids. Her only talents are reading, writing, and drinking coffee, so career options were somewhat limited. Fortunately, she discovered a passion for young adult novels and has been writing them ever since. Stephanie is the author of The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series and is currently working on other young adult projects. She enjoys encouraging and teaching teen writers on her blog.
You can find her on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Goodreads

Both of them host a great young writers blog called Go Teen Writers!

If you liked this post, come back every Saturday for more writing advice, character interviews, book reviews and more! On Sundays I have Soundtrack Sundays where I post a new score piece, Tuesdays are Tea Tuesdays with tea reviews, Wednesdays I have Wonderful Word Wednesdays where I post a new vocabulary word, and Fridays are Fan Fridays where I post tags and other goodies. To help support my dream to be an author follow this blog, like me on Facebook, watch me on deviantART, and follow me on Pinterest and Twitter. If you want to know more about my books check out them out here. Thank you! :)