YA Writing Team Lee Bice-Matheson is Back!

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes back the mother-son writing team of Lee Bice-Matheson with their latest book in the Page Maddison series.

First, a bit about both of our authors:

Lee Bice-Matheson is the author of Wake Me Up Inside, Book One, in the Paige Maddison Series. It was the recipient of the Literacy Award from the Readers' Advisory Panel, Orillia Public Library, and the series continues to be included in the Battle of the Books, Simcoe County. Lee is proud to say she coauthored Destiny's Gate, Book Two, and Shine Your Light, Book Three, with her son, J.R. Matheson. Lee has degrees in Honours History and a Master of Library & Information Science, both from Western University.

J.R. Matheson has been writing fantasy and horror since he was old enough to hold a pen. Collaborating on the Paige Maddison series has reignited his passion for creative writing. When he’s not weaving tales with his mom and coauthor, Lee Bice-Matheson, he can be found drowning in scientific publications and talking incessantly about his research at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, Ontario, where he is a clinical pharmacology PhD student. Some may claim that science and the creative arts are at odds, but J.R. feels they are one and the same.

It’s been a while since you were on my blog. What has the writing team of Lee Bice-Matheson & J. R. Matheson been up to?

J.R. and I released book 3 in the Paige Maddison series called Shine Your Light on November 15, 2016. We are happy to say it is a bestselling novel and was listed for 5 weeks in Teen and Young Adult Ghost Stories and #2 Hot New Release on Amazon.com for our paperback edition. As you know, writing a novel takes time. It took us two years from our last release of Destiny’s Gate. Since the release of Shine Your Light, we’ve had 6 interviews, 2 newspaper write-ups, and I was on ‘live’ TV representing our writing team on Daytime Simcoe discussing our series. It’s been a whirlwind and we are grateful.

How did you come up with the idea of the Paige Maddison Series?

I started out as a storyteller creating bedtime stories for J.R. He loved them so much, one day, he suggested I should write them down and share them with the world. My husband also encouraged me to write them down. Our family often hiked along nature trails, and I didn’t want us to be eaten by bears, so I would create animal stories and say them aloud to scare off any nearby wildlife. When our son was in Grade 10 and living in France on an exchange, I realized that I must have something to do in my off-hours from working in my husband’s office. In fact, he said to me, “You’ve done so much for J.R. and me, why don’t you finally write some of those stories and publish them.”  I enrolled in a post-graduate writing course. At the end of the course, we were asked to write an outline of a novel, or to write a short story. I chose the novel … and my mentor, Cheryl Zach, said ‘you can go into writing novels.’ I was thrilled. During this course, I lost my parents (nine months apart), my father-in-law, my maternal grandmother, and many more loved family members, and my best friend. They say write what you know most about. I chose to write about family relationships, unconditional love, loyalty, death, and afterlife. I began to write about ghosts and spirituality, naturally.

Give us a summary of books one and two.

Wake Me Up Inside, Book One, is a ghost story centered around Paige Maddison, a strong teenage heroine. Paige is disturbed by nightmares of places she has never seen, and visions of a girl haunting her dreams. She is angry because she must move with her parents to an estate called O'Brien Manor to help her estranged grandparents, one of whom is in ill health. With the help of her friend, Bradley Adam Parkman, they begin to piece together a stone tablet that holds the key to supernatural events occurring on the O’Brien Estate. Paige bears the burden of solving a family secret. Will Paige uncover the mystery of O'Brien Manor before it's too late? It's a page-turner and will leave you feeling haunted.

Destiny’s Gate, Book Two: ‘Live from a place of love. It conquers all that is evil.’
Shaken by the haunting on the O’Brien Estate, Paige hopes to put it behind her. When Paige’s premonitions, nightmares, and ghostly visions return, however, she realizes there is no way of getting back to the normal she once knew. Try as she might to adjust to her new life at the O’Brien Manor, dark forces begin to brew on the grounds of the haunted O’Brien estate. But where there is darkness, there is also light. Paige soon learns that she is not only being watched over by guardians of both the spirit and mortal realms, but also being called upon by a greater power beyond her wildest comprehension. As her world is turned upside down, Paige faces a life-changing dilemma: Should she embrace her special gift and fulfill the destiny that is unfolding before her? Or will she succumb to the evil that surrounds her and deny her true identity? Destiny’s Gate follows the young heroine on her personal journey of discovering inner strength, undying loyalty, and the profound power of unwavering love.

Tell us about book three, Shine Your Light.

Our third novel is written as a standalone. Paige understands who her arch-nemesis is and that her family is its target. She fights against the ultimate evil with her friends and risks it all to fight for the good of humanity. It is a supernatural, spiritual, and ghost mystery series. After the release of SYL, we’ve been referred to as: ‘the Nancy Drew of the realm of high spirits and dreams and visions,’ by John Robert Colombo, Canada’s Master Gatherer, and author & anthologist of over 200 books.

Paige Maddison is only 17 years old, but many know her spirit is ageless. She holds the gift of seeing beyond the layers of our reality, the courage to battle the evils that threaten to tear those layers apart, and the key to an ancient mystery that will decide the fate of the spirit realm, and our own, for another century.

In Shine Your Light, Paige finds herself precariously balanced between the mortal and spiritual realms, even while being haunted by events of the past. Surrounded by powerful allies, old and new, she discovers the true power of friendship―and the impact of its betrayal―as she faces her greatest challenge: the Prince of Darkness himself. The Ultimate Evil.

When a black moon looms over All Hallows' Eve, and the battle for control of an ancient Grimoire threatens to destroy the world as we know it, Paige will be put to the test. Will love and goodness win the day? Will the strength and magic of her Celtic ancestry, the First Nations People, her Spirit Wolf family, or even divine intervention be enough to help her prevail?

Paige’s visions tell her that she is the Chosen One―chosen by fate, God, or perhaps the universe itself ... but is she worthy? The ultimate battle between fallen angels, humanity, and the upperworld is about to be fought on Earth’s battlefield.

What if they've made the wrong choice?

Here's a peek at Shine Your Light:

“Okay, black-eyed-Susan and lavender thoughts it is.” I smiled at Peggy and noticed a frown on her face. “Don't worry, Peggy. I’m taking this very seriously. I have spent time with the Testament of Solomon and have guarded the Seal, too. There is only one outcome, our victory, tonight.”

Peggy hugged me for dear life and sent me on my way. As I ran down the gravel road to the O'Brien estate, I heard her say, "'Shine your light, Paige. Shine your light. People have been trying to shut it down since the day you were born."

"I will, indeed, Peggy. Thanks to you,"  I replied in kind. Then I was off to cleanse myself. How could I battle evil if I did not ensure evil was not attached to me or to my soul?


What’s next for the Paige Maddison Series? Are you working on book four?

I have recently announced that my co-author and son, J.R. Matheson, is retiring from the Paige Maddison series. He is in his PhD working on research: how cannabis effects driving behaviour. We support J.R. 100% in his endeavours and we’re very proud of him.

I am rebranding the Paige Maddison series and have begun working on book four. It’s bittersweet as I miss J.R.’s input, but it’s also an exciting time.

Do you always write as a duo? Have either you or J.R. Matheson written books on your own? Do you find writing together easier or harder than writing solo?

I wrote Wake Me Up Inside on my own. J.R. wrote a book when he was 10 years old. The TV series Lost came out, and it was similar to J.R.’s book; he tossed it in a drawer where it sits to this day. I am hoping one day he’ll revise it and then release it. I loved it! That’s why I asked him to be my writing partner. He is very talented. We wrote books two and three together via emails, skype calls, on family holidays, using dropbox, and texting one another through the day to ask questions here and there about the storyline. We managed to write the books together, scene by scene. We respect each other and think along the same lines too. We challenged each other in a good way. We never had a disagreement, and we’re closer now than before.  I will miss writing with J.R. I loved it more than writing solo. But he has encouraged me to carry on, as my husband has, and so many readers have, too.

What else would you like readers to know?

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to our supporters and book buying readers of the Paige Maddison series. We wouldn’t be continuing this journey if it wasn’t for you. Also to our new readers, we hope you enjoy Paige’s spiritual awakening.

Please leave honest and constructive reviews for any of your favourite authors on Goodreads, Amazon, Google Play, Barnes & Noble, or any online bookstore. It is one of the main ways to give feedback to help authors understand how their work is being received or how it could be tweaked to make it better. We appreciate all feedback for the Paige Maddison Series.

Here is our latest review: 5 STARS - I recently had the pleasure of reading Shine Your Light. It was refreshing to read a well-written novel void of sex, drugs, and smoking. Avid readers of all ages will enjoy Paige Maddison's adventures with her loyal friends. If this book was available in our schools, I feel the students would find it to be a great read and learn important life lessons from it. My great-granddaughter is turning 13 this year and I think she will find Paige's spirit wolves, out of body experiences, and Archangel Guardians fascinating! What a great book! L.W.

Where can readers find you and your books?

Website
Facebook
Twitter: @BiceMatheson @justinrmatheson

Shine Your Light: Amazon, Indigo, B&N, Friesen Press

Meet YA Paranormal Author Jessica Therrien

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes Jessica Therrien, a YA author from California.

First, a bit about Jessica:

Jessica Therrien is the author of the young adult paranormal fiction series Children of the Gods. Book 1 in the series Oppression became a Barnes & Noble best-seller shortly after its release. Aside from her wildly popular trilogy, Jessica’s work can also be found in a published collection of flash fiction stories called Campaigner Challenges 2011. Out of over 350 submissions, her story The Soulless won first place for people’s choice and fourth place in the judging round. After growing up in the tiny town of Chilcoot, CA, population 108, Jessica currently lives in Irvine, CA, with her husband and two young sons.

Why did you pick to write books for Young Adults?

YA books are fast-paced, engaging, and let us relive a time in our lives when we were young and in love.

What types of books do you like to read?

I love to read YA when I’m writing YA, but, in general, I like books that aren’t too depressing. I love to be transported to a different world.

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

I’m a mom, so mostly I play with my kids. If I had more free time, I would love to play my guitar, scrapbook, garden, sew, and make jewelry.

Tell us about the Children of the Gods series and how the story came to be.

After the YA genre exploded onto the scene, I read through pretty much everything I could get my hands on. I searched for that next “it” book but couldn’t find anything that grabbed me so I decided I’d write it myself.

Here's a peek at Redemption, Book 3 of Children of the Gods:

Lead Council member, Christoph, is dead by Elyse’s hand, and Descendants have begun to emerge, exposing their secret to the world. Some see this as the prophecy come to fruition, but the prophecy carries a heavy consequence. It was never meant to be as peaceful as most had hoped.



Humans and Descendants struggle to live together in a world that isn’t ready for such a change. America is divided. Those who glorify the supernatural race believe Descendants truly are the gods they claim relation to. Others see them as a threat.



When Elyse gives birth to the next generation oracle, she sees one final vision—war. The destruction of the country’s major cities, and the end of America as we know it.



After her daughter is born, Elyse finds herself without the ability she needs to predict the future. Desperate to save the world from such conflict, she puts her faith in the hope that Descendants are the key to survival. After all, they have the power to supply a broken society with the means to survive.



Only from the ashes can a new world be born.

Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.

Of course, Books 1 & 2, Oppression and Uprising, in the Children of the Gods. I’m working on a children’s book and an adult novel as well.

What advice do you have for other authors?

Don’t write to make a living. Write because you love it.

Anything else you want readers to know?

Oppression was the #3 Teen best-selling novel on Barnes & Noble when it came out, right behind The Hunger Games. I hope you give it a shot!

Thanks for the interview!!

Where can readers find you and your books?

Jessica Therrien

My books:

GOODREADS | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE 

Meet MG/YA Author Lorraine Carey

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes MG/YA author Lorraine Carey and her latest book Jonathan's Locket.

First, a bit about Lorraine:

Lorraine Carey is a  veteran Children’s Reading Specialist, Teacher, and Author. She has lived and taught in Ohio, Arizona, New Mexico, California, and Grand Cayman. She had a short memoir published in 2010 called Losing Ground. She has also written three novels for tweens to young adults which feature a male hero. All of them are fantasy and revolve around true historical events. She currently resides on Grand Cayman Island with her husband and dog, Matty. Her passion is reading, writing book reviews and writing Fantasy novels for tweens to young adults.

Why did you pick to write books for MG/YA?


I chose to write Middle Grade/Young adult due to the many years in working with children from all ages as a reading specialist. I read so many novels and some were of great interest to them while others would turn them off after the first chapter. They would always be asking me if we could change our pic for that week. They loved ghost stories and books about children or teens in trouble. I always said when I retire I would write books that would hopefully inspire them, especially boys.

What types of books do you like to read?

I actually love to read YA Paranormal, Fantasy and love Paranormal Romance.

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

When I am not writing you can find me reading, beaching or boating with my hubby around this beautiful island on our boat, The Angelica.

Tell us about Jonathan's Locket and how the story came to be.


Jonathan’s Locket is a Paranormal Tale which stems from a real historical event that happened here on the island back in the 1700s. It was The Wreck of the Ten Sails off the east end of Grand Cayman. When I went to visit the monument here on the island that is in the area where the wreck occurred, I walked away thinking that there was surely a story there. I also felt a sadness in my heart.

Here's a peek at Jonathan's Locket:

Orphan Jonathan Palmer is a fifteen year old stowaway aboard the doomed ship The Convert which was part of the fleet that crashed into the reef on Grand Cayman in 1794. This famous shipwreck was known as the Wreck of the Ten Sails. Jonathan was not lucky enough to survive the wreck along with eight other seamen. Problem was, no one ever knew he was even on board.

Two centuries later strange sightings have been reported of ghost ships, screams, and eerie lights off the east end of Grand Cayman. Brandon Wallace, a troubled teen, seems to acquire a strange affliction and begins to have bizarre encounters from the sea where he befriends a mystical sea turtle who holds the secrets to the mysterious sightings as he plunges into the world of the paranormal. Here he is compelled to embark on a dangerous journey, risking his life to uncover the dark secret of Jonathan’s death. This task proves to be even more dangerous when one of Brandon’s closest friends has other plans for him.

Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.

My first novel was a short memoir in 2010 called Losing Ground which chronicled some of the odd experiences I had encountered leading up to a family tragedy and how I coped with it. I also have Mysteries of the Red Coyote Inn and it’s sequel, Out of the Ashes, which is a Paranormal Western set out in the mysterious Superstition Mountains of Arizona. This also is a spin on the real Lost Dutchman Gold Mine and an Apache Massacre during the 1800s.

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

I have completed a new novel called The Last Vestal Virgin, which features a young Italian American teen who learns a dark secret about herself on a visit to Rome. She must deal with an ancient Roman Goddess, an obsessed lover, and a mysterious chaperone who will lead her into a realm she never knew existed.

What advice do you have for other authors?

I still regard myself as a Newbie Author, but if I had to give advice to others it would be to form a great support group with other authors who are genuine and can guide you along the way. I have been extremely lucky in that sense.

Where can readers find you and your books?
 
Readers can visit my website for additional information on me.

All of my books are available on Amazon in Kindle and print.

Meet YA Author Annika James

Today we welcome former middle school teacher and coach Annika James and her book Wanted, a YA paranormal story.

First, a bit about Annika:

Annika James lives in small-town Wisconsin with her husband and two beautiful kiddos. She spends her days working to pay the bills and her nights dreaming of more fun ways to do so. Her passions include writing, reading, music, and traveling with her family. She dreams of a world where vampires and powerful witches really exist because life would be so much more interesting.

Why did you pick to write books for YA?

I taught middle school and coached high schoolers for over 10 years. I felt like I was immersed in teenage culture. I love reading YA books. When I started writing Wanted, high school just felt natural.

What types of books do you like to read?

I love paranormal - anything. I read a lot of YA, but I also read adult paranormal. Every now and then, I love a good Elizabethan history, but mostly the last few years, everything has been either paranormal or YA.

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

I try to read as much as I can. Play with my kids, watch baseball or whatever sport is on. Travel if we can, go to rock concerts and baseball games, and hang out with my best friend.

Tell us about Wanted, and how the story came to be.

Wanted is the story of Ashlinn, a witch, who has all vamp friends. Her crush Conor discovers she’s pretty powerful. The Vampire Council decides she must be claimed as someone’s familiar. Conor volunteers, but Ash isn’t sure she can trust him. Her best friend Matt also volunteers, but she’s not sure she returns the more-than-friend feelings he’s having. She’s deathly afraid of being bitten and really doesn’t want to be owned by anyone. She has one week to decide her future.

One day I sat down to write and decided to write about a witch and some vampires. :) It sat unfinished for a long time until I finally got motivated to get it done.

Here's a peak at Wanted:

Attacked as a young witch and left for dead, Ashlinn is deathly afraid of being bitten again. Having survived until she’s almost eighteen without donating blood to any of her vamp friends, Ashlinn figures she’ll continue to live bite-free. After her crush reveals how powerful she is, however, the Vampire Council declares she be claimed as a familiar, which requires biting. Ashlinn doesn’t want to be owned, even by hot vamp Conor. Luckily, her best friend Matt volunteers for the job. She is given one week to choose her protector, and the list of willing biters keeps growing. Will she go with best friend Matt, hot vamp Conor, or someone else to protect her? Will she be able to get her power under control by then? Will she overcome her phobia of being bitten? And who says she needs to be protected, anyhow?



 Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.

I have a lot started, nothing finished and published.

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

I am working on a sequel to Wanted. I’m told I left everyone hanging. :) Hopefully, when I finish that one, it will get published also.

What advice do you have for other authors?

Write. write, write, write. And never, ever give up on a dream. If you want it badly enough - you can make it happen.

Anything else you want readers to know?

If you loved Wanted, or didn’t, I’d love to hear from you! Leave me a review, visit my blog, or Facebook, and let me know what you thought.

Where readers find Annika and her book:


Annika's Annex

Goodreads

Facebook

Twitter

Amazon

AmazonUK

MuseItUp Publishing

Meet Author Katie Carroll

Today I welcome Children's/MG/YA author Katie Carroll and her book Elixir Bound, a YA Paranormal Fantasy.

Katie, tell us a bit about yourself.

I started seriously writing when I was 19 and my 16-year-old sister, Kylene, unexpectedly passed away. She loved the Harry Potter books and insisted that everyone read them. She made a lot of reluctant readers into eager ones. I wrote my first book to give her a fantasy adventure of her own. I learned a lot about writing and about myself in the process and that book eventually became Elixir Bound. Now my husband and I are raising our son in the small city that has been my home for more years than I like to count.

Why did you pick to write books for children and teens?

I didn’t! I just started writing a book. When I finally got around to thinking about who might want to read what I was writing, it just sort of fell into place that teens would. So I kind of ran with that idea and I’ve never turned back. From young adult to middle grade to picture books, I love writing them all.

Here is a teaser from Elixir Bound:

Katora Kase is next in line to take over as guardian to a secret and powerful healing Elixir. Now she must journey into the wilds of Faway Forest to find the ingredient that gives the Elixir its potency. Even though she has her sister and brother, an old family friend, and the handsome son of a mapmaker as companions, she feels alone.

It is her decision alone whether or not to bind herself to the Elixir to serve and protect it until it chooses a new guardian. The forest hosts many dangers, including wicked beings that will stop at nothing to gain power, but the biggest danger Katora may face is whether or not to open up her heart to love.

What types of books do you like to read?

Young adult, young adult, and more young adult. Sure, I throw in the occasional adult book or classic, and I do enjoy middle grade, but young adult is my go-to reading. Whether it be fantasy, contemporary, or dystopian, I love young adult fiction.

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

I have a one-year-old son who keeps me pretty busy. I also like playing soccer, traveling when I have the time and money to do it, and collecting signed books. I’m also an editor, formerly of puzzle magazines and now I work on books.

What book did you wish you had written?

I’d have to say The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, which is about a 17-year-old girl whose 19-year-old sister has just died. It’s the only book I felt compelled to write in (because I never, ever write in books). I think the author somehow managed to get in my head just after my own sister died and so eloquently put into words how I was feeling.

Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.

I’ve written lots of other books, but I’ll just talk about my newest book that is set to release next month. It’s a picture book app called The Bedtime Knight, which was illustrated by Erika Baird and is forthcoming from MeeGenius! It’s about a young child who, with a little help from Daddy Knight, learns how to turn the scary shadows of the night into fun imaginings.

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

I’m working on a follow-up to Elixir Bound, which is mostly still in my head. Right now it’s called Elixir Saved. Kylene, the sister of Katora—the main character of Elixir Bound—is the main character. I’ve also got a middle grade adventure called Pirate Island, which I’m hoping to find a home for soon.

What advice do you have for other authors?

Read, read, and read some more. Then write, write, and write some more. Then revise, revise, and revise some more. Then submit, submit, and submit some more. Really, that’s all it takes to be a published writer!

Anything else you want readers to know?

I love hearing from readers, and I’m available for school visits. Please check out my school visit page (http://www.katielcarroll.com/school-visits/) for more information.  

Where can readers find you and your books?

My website and blog are at www.katielcarroll.com. 

Elixir Bound can be found on the MuseItUp website (http://tinyurl.com/95qgrg6), and on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Elixir-Bound-ebook/dp/B0093CL4OM). 

The Bedtime Knight will be available on the MeeGenius! website (http://www.meegenius.com/store/featured) in early November.