Hey everyone! Today we would like to welcome Ti'Ana Strife as our Spotlight Author! We have an interview here on the blog and will be sharing quotes today on our FB page from her books. Be sure to stop by and check those out today. Paranormal Reads FB Now onto the interview!!
Tell me about your book(s). How did you come up with that (story, angle, idea)?
Inner Strength: My inspiration for the story came when my boyfriend and I were walking home from the movies pretty late one night. I hate being out after a certain hour so I was feeling a little uneasy and I just started imaging what if something did happen and if a sword just magically materialized in my hand? I started going on from there, what if I received the sword from some entity like an angel – or a being that dwelled within me. It was like my inner power just took on a corporeal form and gave me the power and that's where the story was born.Cella, A Tale of Cinderella: I love fairy tales and was constantly reading them when I was growing up. I've always wanted to put my own twist on them and so I started with the story of Cinderella. My goal was to just make them more realistic in a sense and have new twists that will (hopefully) make them more exciting.
What kind of research did you do for this book(s)?
The biggest things I had to research for Inner Strength were Latin, steampunk/Victorian era, and fencing. Even though Ferrum is a made up world, I wanted some things to be still very relatable and almost like it wouldn't be so far fetched of an idea that there is a world out there like it.
What's a typical working day like for you?
Once I wake up and am alert enough to write, I'll turn on some music and just write for as long as I can. If the muse is talking I could easily spend 8+ hrs a day just typing. I also try to balance writing and editing. Usually I'll have one book I'm working on the first draft of and then another that I'm going through with edits. That way I can jump between the two whenever I get stuck on writing or am tired of doing editing.
When and where do you write?
I write whenever I have the inspiration. It could be all day or throughout the night while sitting up in bed. I don't have a specific place yet, it's just anywhere I want to take the laptop.
Do you set a daily writing goal?
No. I doubt I'd ever be able to meet it. I can't usually force myself to write so I just wait until my mind is overflowing with ideas and write then.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
When I get stuck on little things – like what to name my characters or something like that. I can't move past that point in the story until I get the tiny issues taken care of. I can spend days mulling over those types of things even though I know what I want to write next, my mind just won't move on until I have something I'm happy with.
What’s the best thing about being an author?
Being able to share the stories that my mind comes up with. I love being able to entertain people and take them to a new world that I created.
Are any of your characters based on someone you know?
I'd be lying if I said no. Actually, in Inner Strength I closely modeled almost every character off of someone I know. If you're a friend/acquaintance of mine you'll just have to read the book and try to figure out who you are ;)
What advice would you give aspiring writers?
Write about what you love and find interesting. Don't try to force yourself into a mold or just copy what's currently popular. Writing should be fun and not a chore. And definitely listen to all feedback – no matter how negative it is. If you do it'll only help form you into a better author.
What do you do when not writing?
I'm probably playing with my 5 cats. Otherwise I love to do all sorts of arts and crafts. My favorite thing though is gaming on the PS3.
Which one of your characters is most like you?
In Inner Strength there's a character, Samantha Ambers, who is modeled after myself, but at the same time she doesn't really embody who I am. I try to keep myself out of my characters; I like them being their own personalities.
What paranormal creature would you be if you could?
Definitely a dragon. I used to pretend I was one all the time when I was growing up.
Which one of your characters would you want with you on a deserted island?
Only one? Well... I'd probably say August Jackman from Inner Strength. He's not a very prominent character in the book, but he's modeled after my boyfriend in real life. The future books in the series he does end up with a larger role as well.
What is the first book you remember reading?
This is really hard since I read all the time as a kid. It was pretty much my favorite pastime. Um... I'll say The Chronicles of Narnia was probably the first full-length book I read that I absolutely loved.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
I wouldn't be able to do this without your support! Also, I'm really nice ;) and love getting to know my readers and hearing what everyone think of my stories! So don't be shy if you want to contact me or have questions about the books/me/etc.
Favorite Season: Autumn
Favorite color: red
Favorite song: This is constantly changing... Right now it's probably “I Don't Care” by Apocalyptica
Favorite Movie: Lord of the Rings
Favorite type of vehicle: Horse ;) otherwise Camaro
Author Links
Blog: http://heartlessauthor.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartless.author
Jinger Andrews is a pretty ordinary college student. She goes to class and lives in the dorms with her roommate and best friend, Eloise Gears.
After some strange occurrences, Jinger finds herself in the world of Ferrum. It's a world of strange inventions, automatons, and a mix of the past and future. Upon arriving, Jinger finds out that she is a guardian. Guardians are always human and are unknowingly bonded to a future senator of Ferrum.
Her only purpose is to protect her bonded at all costs. Even if it costs her her life.
But there are secrets on Ferrum and no one seems to ever want to answer her questions. Jinger isn't one to just sit around and finds herself falling into trouble and trying to figure out what is going on in this new world.
The only way she has a chance of surviving is the new friends that she makes and the inner beings that are there to aid her and provide her with the powers and weapons that she needs - she just needs to find them first.
This Steampunk-esque tale is the first book in the Guardians of Ferrum series. Look for Inner Peace, book 2, coming 2013!
Book Blurb
Cinderella is an ordinary girl living with her parents at their bakery and working at the palace. She thinks her dreams are coming true when she meets the prince and he asks her to marry him.
But one day she gets accused of stealing from the queen and the king has her banished to the prison island.
However, Cinderella never makes it there because her ship is looted by pirates and she is taken as their prisoner.
Meanwhile the prince is doing everything in his power to prove Cinderella innocent and have her sentence reversed.
Will Cinderella ever get a happy ending and be able to be with the one she truly loves?
Links:
Inner Strength:
Kindle: http://amzn.com/B00AL4RPSK
Paperback: http://amzn.com/1481015273
Website: http://guardiansofferrum.weebly.com/
Cella, A Tale of Cinderella:
Kindle:http://amzn.com/B008HUZX48
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cella-a-tale-of-cinderella-heartless/1111974452?ean=2940014686310
We would like to thank Ti'Ana Strife for being our Spotlight Author today!
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