Meet YA Author R. M ArceJaeger

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes R. M. ArceJaeger, author of YA fantasy stories.

First, a bit about R. M.:

R.M. ArceJaeger is a #1 Amazon Bestselling Author and a second prize winner in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award. In 2005, she was named a California Arts Scholar for excellence in Creative Writing, and she possesses a bachelor degree in Computer Science and a master degree in Education. Though she has written for many different genres over the years, she particularly enjoys penning books that reimagine classic tales.

Why did you pick to write books for Young Adults?

I love to write for Young Adults because I love to read books written for Young Adults. There is a freedom in YA that is lacking in both Children’s and Adult literature. A children’s book is limited in the themes and detail it is allowed to express, whereas an adult book is almost always expected to portray the stark realities of life (even in a fantasy genre). Young Adult fiction, on the other hand, has no real boundaries. One can write about practically any topic, and it is accepted---even at times encouraged---to present the world the way one wants it to be, rather than the way it actually is. I love the escapism Young Adult fiction provides.

What types of books do you like to read?

I adore reading books that create a world I want to be a part of. How I wish I could be a student at Hogwarts, or sit astride the back of a dragon of Pern! The fantastic and impossible draw me to them like a moth to flame. I love adventures that transcend our knowledge of the world and what we deem possible in it.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

When I’m not writing, I work as a computer programmer developing apps for Android. Between those two careers, I don’t have a lot of spare time, but the little I do, I love to spend going dancing (ballroom and Latin are my favorite), reading, and watching superhero TV shows.

Tell us about The Enchanted Rose and how the story came to be.

The Enchanted Rose merges the tales of Beauty and the Beast & Sleeping Beauty into a single story. I got the idea for the book during the summer of my sophomore year in college. To my family’s surprise, I chose to decline a Microsoft internship in favor of traveling to Costa Rica to work as an unpaid teacher. While I was there, I happened to attend a street faire and came across a booth that was selling hard-covered notebooks for only $2 each. There were just two books left, and I bought them both on the spot. Their covers were dark blue and extremely durable, and the white pages inside were just begging to be written on. I have never felt so inspired by a book in my life, and I spent the next few days trying to come up with an idea worthy of penning within those pages. It so chanced that shortly thereafter, I was watching an old version of Beauty and the Beast on YouTube, and I began to muse about how the rose was so central to the story, and yet no reason was ever given for its importance. My thoughts turned to other fairy tales where a rose was featured, such as Sleeping Beauty (Briar Rose), and then inspiration struck. What if—what if!—those two tales were really the same story. What if Briar Rose and the girl from Beauty and the Beast were really the same person? Thus, The Enchanted Rose was born.

Here's a peek at The Enchanted Rose:

Two Kingdoms. One Curse.

The birth of the kingdom's heir should have been a cause for celebration, but greed and revenge bring about a powerful curse, one that leaves Nathar's royal family grieving over the death of their daughter and another family struggling to cope with their son's transformation into a horrible beast. Yet there is more to this curse than anyone suspects . . .

From the #1 Bestselling author of Robin: Lady of Legend comes an incredible new novel that weaves the tales of Beauty and the Beast & Sleeping Beauty into a single, seamless story. Witty and romantic, The Enchanted Rose still incorporates the darker elements found in the original tales---abandonment, captivity, and true evil. Full of well-developed characters and delightful world-building, this fresh take is a delightful treat for both adults and youngsters alike. For anyone who has ever loved fairy tales, The Enchanted Rose is a novel not to be missed!

What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?

I have had a lot of requests to write a sequel to Robin: Lady of Legend, so I hope to start penning one soon. I also have a novel about Peter Pan in the works, and one day I want to continue Liliath’s story (from The Enchanted Rose).

What advice do you have for other authors?

Find something that makes you want to write. For me, it was a beautiful, blue hardcover notebook that made me want to write The Enchanted Rose. For Robin: Lady of Legend, it was watching yet another Robin Hood movie that didn’t seem to add anything new to the existing mythology. Find something that gets your blood up, that makes you want to write and write, and then hold it close to your heart until your story is done.

Anything else you want readers to know?

I love to get feedback from my readers, and I read every review that is posted on Amazon. In addition, readers can contact me via my website.

Where can readers find you and your books?

My website.

Amazon Author Page

The Enchanted Rose Amazon

Robin: Lady of Legend  Amazon

Meet MG Author S. J. Henderson

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes S. J. Henderson, author of the Middle Grade series Daniel, The Draw-er.

First, a bit about S. J.:

Hey there! I’m S. J. Henderson, middle grade and young adult author. Thanks for stopping by to read more about me and my books.

I’m a wife, and the mother of four boys (ages 6 to 17. Oh myyyy). We live on a farm in Michigan, along with our three horses, two dogs, cat, and eleven chickens. I never know what to say about myself. Is it possible to mess up your own bio?

Why did you pick to write books for middle grade readers and young adults?

My first love is young adult fiction. It’s what I pick up when I want something to read just for fun. Maybe I’m just immature. I mean, I have kids old enough to be characters in one of my books. But if reading YA is wrong, I don’t want to be right. I adore the possibilities and the risks YA novels are willing to take. You don’t often see that in genres geared towards adult readers, and it’s kind of a shame.

While I do have four YA manuscripts in various stages piling up in my inventory, the only books I’ve managed to publish have been for middle grade readers—specifically kids ages 8-12. Writing for kids was never my plan, since I enjoy YA so much. During an online writing course (Joe Bunting’s Story Cartel course), we were asked to write a story for who we thought our ideal readers were. At the time, my ideal reader was . . . well, me. I didn’t want to write another story for me, so I decided it would be sweet to write a story I could read to my boys, like Tolkien with The Hobbit. My eight-year-old son sat next to me as I wrote the first few paragraphs, laughing at all of the funniest parts. I knew I was onto something. When I submitted the assignment, the other class participants asked me to continue the story. Now I’m two stories deep into this middle grade series that was never supposed to exist. It’s been quite a ride.

What types of books do you like to read?

Like I said before, I’m a sucker for a solid young adult book. And I always, always, always want an element of romance because I’m a lover, not a fighter. If the writing is witty and even a tinge sarcastic, I’m generally hooked.

Oh, and anything with Hogwarts.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

I’m pretty much always writing or talking about writing, but when I’m not, I love to ride horses. When I’m not riding my own, I teach riding lessons and work at a local therapeutic riding stable. 

I also love to annoy my kids by singing constantly; and going to the movies is my thing.

Tell us about Daniel The Camp-er and how the story came to be.

Daniel The Camp-er is the second book in my Daneil The Draw-er series. The series focuses on a young boy, Daniel, who discovers a magic pencil that brings all of his drawings to life. Nothing Daniel draws really ends up the way he expects, and there are some pretty hilarious results.

In Daniel The Camp-er, the second book, Daniel goes to summer camp. Daniel’s the kind of kid who would rather stay in a routine than try something new, so he’s not thrilled to be leaving home. He’s especially not thrilled when he loses his magic pencil and ends up the crush of a girl he nicknames “Glitter Pony.”

Daniel The Camp-er was loosely based on my own fifth-grade camp experience—obviously with some exaggerations. I won’t tell you what parts I made up.

Here's a peek at Daniel, The Camp-er:

There are a few simple rules Daniel follows.

Rule One: never let an adult see your weakness. Daniel made that mistake and look where he ended up—summer camp.

Rule Two: never make fun of the person who feeds you, unless you like Miss Gunderson’s peppery pancakes and green hamburgers.

Rule Three: stay away from girls who love Glitter Ponies. They have cooties, after all.

And Rule Four: never, ever lose your magic pencil.

But Daniel has broken all of his own rules. Now he’s stuck and starving at Camp Bigfoot with the school bully as his bunkmate and an ooey-gooey girl who won’t leave him alone. If all of that wasn’t bad enough, his prized possession, a pencil that brings his drawings to life, has gone missing and wacky creatures are popping up all over camp.

Can Daniel survive Camp Bigfoot and find his magic pencil before it’s too late?

Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.
Besides the Daniel The Draw-er series, I’ve written a YA contemporary romance trilogy about a girl whose family owns a riding stable. She falls for a boy who falls for… well, I don’t want to give away all of the secrets. I’m a little superstitious about giving away too much info.

I also have a YA paranormal novel about a girl who loses her family in a car accident and ends up staying with her aunt in a mysterious small town. This one will probably be the next published.

What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?

Besides revising and publishing the YA paranormal I mentioned above, I’m also working on a short story (novella, even) for an anthology I’m part of. I’m pretty excited about that one, a contemporary spin on a medieval times story. We don’t have a publishing timeline for that project yet, but it will likely be sometime in 2016.

What advice do you have for other authors?

Keep writing, even if you are discouraged. Even if it feels like no one cares about your words, and even if they did, they suck like a herd of anteaters at an anthill buffet. (By the way—did you know a herd of anteaters is actually called an armory? Well, now you do. You’re welcome!)

No one grows as a writer if they quit trying. And, yes, I’ve had to take my own advice. Often.

Anything else you want readers to know?

Authors love to hear from their readers. If you enjoy our books, let us know. Send an e-mail, leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads, or post something on your blog—we’re not picky. It’s just so thrilling when we find out someone enjoyed something we put our heart and soul into.

Where can readers find you and your books?

S. J. Henderson:

Website
Kid Authors program
Blog
Twitter
Pinterest
Goodreads
Facebook

Sales Links:

Daniel The Draw-er (Book 1)  Amazon
Daniel The Camp-er (Book 2)  Amazon

Author Branding & the 75th Kid Lit Blog Hop

Author Branding is a term that I've heard tossed around Indie Author conversations for several years now. And while it's been eight years last month since I published Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend, I've not given branding any thought.

I've worked hard at marketing my Arthurian and Ancient World stories for Reluctant Readers, and I've been fortunate to have some success along the way. A couple of years ago, I had an instructor at a private college back East pick up Guinevere for her Honors English class. Just last year, I had a public school teacher buy a classroom set of Sons of the Sphinx and another buy Sons for one of the class reading groups.

I've had success with all of my books at local fairs, craft shows, and fund-raisers. I've been invited into classrooms—too many to count—over the last eight years to share my love of writing and Arthurian Legend with students eager to try their hand at writing a medieval story. For three years, I enjoyed working with the Colorado Girl Scouts—Brownies, Juniors, & Cadets—as they spent half days immersing themselves in Medieval Times. And, I've been fortunate to have a supportive family who've worked beside me.

Now I'm heading down the author branding path. My books have been picked up by a distributor, and Author Branding is first on their list. So far, in addition to this blog, Beyond Today Educator website, and The Quest Books website—which I share with Fiona Ingram and Wendy Leighton-Porter—I have a new author website Author Cheryl Carpinello. It is up, but awaiting my branding to match colors and fonts. This year, all of my current books and the second book in my Guinevere trilogy will have new covers reflecting my author branding. I hope you'll visit my new site and follow me on this next adventure.

And Now, 

Welcome to the 75th Kid Lit Blog Hop. This exciting Hop, now monthly, is where we develop an engaged group of people who love everything that has to do with children's literature.
 

On this Hop, Carpinello's Writing Pages interviews

MG author
S. J.  Henderson

and

YA Fantasy author
R. M. ArceJaeger

Remember, you are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors!

Simply make a post and add it to the linky. (Please make sure to add your direct post only) 
Once you are done, then hop around to visit others. Please visit at least the two people above your link. Please leave a comment when you do visit, we all like those.

Also, it would be appreciated if you grab the Kid Lit Blog Hop Badge and display it on your blog and/or your post.

Our next Hop will be June 15, 2016.

Happy Hopping!

Co-Hosts:

Reading Authors, Hostess

Julie Grasso, Author

Cheryl Carpinello, Author

BeachBoundBooks

Pragmatic Mom

The Logonauts

A Book Long Enough

Hits and Misses

 Spark and Pook

 

 

New Cover Reveal for King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court

King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court

by Mark Twain as channeled by 

Kim Iverson Headlee 

About the Book Cover:

Cover designer: 
Natasha Brown 


Illustrators: Jennifer Doneske & Tom Doneske,  Lucky Bat Books  
Paperback/Hardcover Dust Jacket design: Jennifer Doneske
Print Interior design: Judith Harlan of Lucky Bat Books










About the Book:

Title: King Arthur's Sister in Washington's Court
Author: Kim Iverson Headlee
Genre: 
Science Fiction – Fantasy crossover
Content warning: 
PG (mild language, Victorian style sexual innuendo, and some combat violence)

Synopsis
:

Morgan le Fay, sixth-century Queen of Gore and the only major character not killed off by Mark Twain in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, vows revenge upon the Yankee Hank Morgan. She casts a spell to take her to 1879 Connecticut so she may waylay Sir Boss before he can travel back in time to destroy her world. But the spell misses by 300 miles and 200 years, landing her in the Washington, D.C., of 2079, replete with flying limousines, hovering office buildings, virtual-reality television, and sundry other technological marvels.



Whatever is a time-displaced queen of magic and minions to do? Why, rebuild her kingdom, of course—two kingdoms, in fact: as Campaign Boss for the reelection of American President Malory Beckham Hinton, and as owner of the London Knights world-champion baseball franchise.



Written as though by the old master himself, King Arthur’s Sister in Washington’s Court by Mark Twain as channeled by Kim Iverson Headlee offers laughs, love, and a candid look at American society, popular culture, politics, baseball... and the human heart.

Where to find the book:

AMAZON KINDLE WORLDWIDE 

AMAZON PAPERBACK WORLDWIDE 
AMAZON HARDCOVER WORLDWIDE 
AMAZON AUDIOBOOK WORLDWIDE 
BARNES & NOBLE 

iTUNES 

KOBO


About the Author:

Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet. She has been an award-winning novelist since 1999 (Dawnflight first edition, Sonnet Books, Simon & Schuster) and has been studying the Arthurian Legends for nigh on half a century.

Where to find Kim:

Facebook
Twitter 
Goodreads 
Amazon author page worldwide link 
Blog