Month: May 2018

All That We See or Seem with Kristina Mahr

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Thanks for stopping by Jilligan’s Island! Today, I’ve got author Kristina Mahr with me so we can talk about her amazing book All That We See or Seem. Here’s the back cover blurb:

Every night, seventeen-year-old Reeve Lennox finds herself under a noose.
By day she is a lady of Acarsaid’s royal house, daydreaming of adventure and love. But every night in sleep she wanders through a nightmarish city, an invisible witness to the screeches of monsters and the screams of their victims. Her only consolation is Bran, a battle-torn young man with a selfless heart and eyes that reflect the stars. Yet while Reeve falls deeper into her dreams, in truth she is engaged to Arden, a mercurial nobleman who has long been cured of his belief in love and breathes fire and flattery like other people breathe air.
Torn between two lives, Reeve struggles to remember what’s real. Until night and day collide, with a revelation that threatens all of Acarsaid.

People, I’ve read it, and I cannot wait until the sequel comes out! Eeep — so good! Anyway, Kristina agreed to stop by and answer some questions about herself and the book. So let’s delve right into it!

JM: Hi, Kristina! I have to say, I loved All That We See or Seem.  Where did you get the idea for this book?

KM: My sister has very vivid dreams, and I remember one day in February 2014, standing in her kitchen with her while she told me about a dream she had about a girl who falls in love with a boy she meets in her dreams. Super meta. Something about it really embedded itself in my brain, and I spent a lot of time thinking about it. Wondering who the girl was, who the boy was. Why she dreamt this place. What her real life was like. What hope there was for the two of them. Eventually, the pieces all came together to form a story. This story!

JM: That’s fantastic! My dreams are always so boring (like shopping at Walmart!) What do you feel is the theme for this book?

KM: I believe the theme for this book is hope. Reeve is so filled to the brim with it, this unrelenting feeling that things will work out. Somehow. Some way. She is determined to have the life she envisions for herself.

JM: What made you choose the theme of hope?

KM: Honestly, I chose it because it’s how I operate, too. That’s the way in which I’d say Reeve and I are most similar. I love the idea of changing my stars. Of not being trapped. Of having some say in my own future. No matter how things may be at any given moment, I think having hope is the key.

JM: Speaking of Reeve, give us some insight into her. Is she your favorite character? Why or why not?

KM: I love Reeve. Reeve’s my girl. She’s so kind-hearted and emotion-driven, and she rarely has anything but the best intentions. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t make mistakes, but she truly does mean well. She is so optimistic and hopeful, even when the circumstances should not lend her to feeling that way. Sometimes she’s a little dramatic and a little too idealistic, but it’s hard to blame her, given her age, her life, and her circumstances.

JM: Yes, she does lead a very privileged life. So, what made you choose this setting?

KM: When my sister first told me about her dream, we turned over story ideas that involved a contemporary setting, but it didn’t quite click. When I envisioned Reeve in her nightmare world, I always saw her in a nightgown. And when I thought about what it would be like for her to be abruptly visible there, the impropriety of wearing a nightgown out and about instantly popped into my mind. So those two facts told me this story needed to be set in the past a ways, in a time where this really would be pretty scandalous. I built Acarsaid as a fictional island nation because I wanted it to be isolated, small and independent, to reflect Reeve’s isolation, how small her world really is. Her nightmare world is the only other place she gets to go, so even though it’s awful there, there’s a certain freedom to it.

JM: You did a fantastic job building the nightmare world, even though I was often holding my breath while reading those scenes. 🙂 What was your favorite scene (either to write or for another reason)?

KM: Chapter 32 is my favorite chapter of the book, hands down. I don’t want to spoil anything, but… it’s a big one! I heard a song called “Kaleidoscope” by A Great Big World, and the scene just came to me, fully formed. It spilled from my fingertips in that convenient way that I wish would happen more often! I hope readers feel the magic in it, because to me, it is a purely magical scene.

JM: Kaleidoscope is perfect for that scene (and it’s a great song, too!) What about the title? Did you ever consider any other titles for this manuscript or was this your first choice?

KM: This was my working title while I wrote the book and far and away my first choice. I am so glad the publisher agreed to it! The poem “A Dream Within a Dream” by Edgar Allan Poe was a big inspiration for this story, and having that iconic line for my title is a dream come true. (Pun intended.)

JM: Let’s shift gears and find out a little bit about you. Are you a full-time author or do you balance writing with another job?

KM: I am a full-time accountant, so my day job is pretty much all numbers, all the time. Which is why it’s really nice to get to come home and focus on words, instead. I love numbers for their certainty and rigidity, and I love writing for the very opposite reason: the fluidity, the freedom. It’s nice to get to balance the two sides of my brain.

JM: Most people are either left or right-brained. It sounds like you have a healthy balance of both! You mentioned coming home to write. What does your writing space look like?

KM: I have a lovely loft in my house with great lighting, a massive bookcase, and my desk, but… I don’t write there. Well, I’ve written there once or twice. But for the most part, I write camped out on my couch, surrounded by my pets. I have a lap desk for my laptop, and I just kind of lounge on my couch and type away. In my happiest place, I have a soccer game muted on the TV while I work. Something I can glance up at that won’t pull me out of the story.

JM: That sounds relaxing? Does writing energize you or exhaust you?

KM: Honestly, both! It depends on the scene. Writing banter and lighthearted scenes is typically energizing, while writing heavier stuff really weighs on me. Still, the simple act of having written, of looking upon progress made, is so energizing. I’m obsessed with word count and hitting word count goals, and doing so fires me up.

JM: I totally agree with setting word count goals! What’s your favorite part of writing?

KM: I love words. Excessively. I love finding the precise phrasing or metaphor or lyrical tone to a sentence. I write short-form prose (I’m so reluctant to call it poetry, because I so don’t consider myself a poet!) as writing exercises to explore words and metaphors to my heart’s content. I just love how words can be arranged and rearranged in so many different ways, to pull so many different meanings and emotions. The very best moment is when I write a sentence that evokes the exact right feeling.

JM: What about your reading list? What are you reading now?

KM: I am currently beta reading my writing partner Jenna’s manuscript! I met Jenna two years ago at a writing retreat, and I’ve been dying to read this book ever since. Jenna was one of my beta readers for All That We See or Seem, so it’s an honor to get to beta read for her, as well.

JM: Before you leave, one last question. Aside from “keep writing,” what’s your best advice for aspiring writers?

KM: I cannot recommend writing workshops enough. I went to the Aspiring Writers Workshop hosted by Madcap Retreats in 2016, and it had a massive impact on me as a writer and my determination to someday be published. I learned so much from so many inspiring authors (including Maggie Stiefvater, Victoria Schwab, Dhonielle Clayton, Tessa Gratton, and so many more.) I also met so many fellow writers, who have formed a wonderful writing support system.

JM: That’s great advice! Thanks so much, Kristina!

Don’t forget to connect with Kristina on her social media links (listed below).

Biography:

Kristina Mahr devotes her days to numbers and her nights to words. She works full-time as an accountant in the suburbs of Chicago, where she lives with her two dogs and two cats, but her true passion is writing. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, and waking up at the crack of dawn every weekend to watch the Premier League.

Website: https://kristinamahr.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17847708.Kristina_Mahr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristinaMahr

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kristina_Mahr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristina.mahr/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kristinamahr07/

If you have to have ALL THAT WE SEE OR SEEM now (And why wouldn’t you?), here are the buy links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/That-Seem-Dreamworld-Duology-Book-ebook/dp/B07BJH8L7J/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all-that-we-see-or-seem-kristina-mahr/1128233212

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/all-that-we-see-or-seem-2

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1360731363

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39341536-all-that-we-see-or-seem

After with author Savannah Jezowski

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Today on Jilligan’s Island, I’m interviewing Savannah Jezowski as part of her blog tour for her new release,  After. We have a lot to cover today, so let’s find out more about Savannah and her books!

JM: Hi, Savannah! Thanks for stopping by. I love the cover of After. Where did you get the idea for the story?

SJ: The initial concept for After was inspired one evening when my husband and I were wandering the book aisle at Meijer. As we idly perused the rows of brightly colored books, it was obvious the world had become sucked into a zombie phase: every single cover seemed to scream “the dead live on.”

I looked at my husband and asked, “If zombies were real, how do you think God would see them? What would they really be like?”

Thus, the creepers were born and the story kind of took off from there.

JM: I love stories that start with “What if….?” From the cover, it’s obvious this isn’t a contemporary zombie story. What made you select this setting?

SJ: I wanted something dark and brooding yet with potential for beauty and light. I also LOVE watching period dramas from BBC and the like, and it just seemed natural to create a society reminiscent of Dickens or Victorian times.

JM: The book cover really conveys that theme. Who designed the it? How did the cover come about?

SJ: I actually designed this cover myself. I had commissioned a cover years ago, but for some discouraging reasons I won’t get into, I wasn’t able to use the original cover and had to come up with a new one. I found some stock photos of old looking cities and snapped a few photographs of my husband to play the main character in the story (yes…my husband is on the front cover of my book. LOL) and the cover kind of came together. I wanted something a little broody and old-looking but not overtly fantasy with lots of sparkles and whatnot. This story isn’t a sparkly fairy tale. It’s a gripping story of a dark world and real characters.

JM: I love your husband was your model! You mentioned the old cover you couldn’t use. What about the book itself? What did you edit out of this book?

SJ: Merciful After…What DIDN’T I edit out of this book? 😊 Truly, this story has gone through so many rewrites to get where it is today. With the help of my beta readers and amazing editors, After went from a Cinderella novella about a chimney sweep who falls in love with a feisty princess, to a Rapunzel story, to a full-length novel with hints of several fairy tales but no real retelling of its own. Most of the other books in the series are/will be more obvious fairy tale retellings, but After? Well, After became it’s own story. I kind of like it that way. The one thing that never changed from the first draft to the end draft was my main character, Conrad Ellis the Third, or “Eli” as his friends call him. He softened up a bit along the way but he remained his gruff, grumpy, but secretly sensitive self the whole way through.

JM: I’ve noticed this isn’t your first book. So have you always liked to write? When did you start writing?

SJ: I started writing stories before I even knew what a paragraph was. My first book was bound with yarn and illustrated with crayons. I still have it buried in a box where nobody will ever find it. I hope.

JM: Oh, that’s adorable!  So many well-known authors start out young. Who is your favorite author?

SJ: I hate this question because I can never pick just one author. The answer changes depending on my mood and what books I’ve read most recently. Today I am going to say Dianna Wynne Jones. Her Howl’s Moving Castle is one of my all-time favorite books. I seriously laugh myself silly through the whole book.

JM: I received that recommendation from my cousin and picked it up last year. I thought it was a really creative story! How long did you write before you became published?

SJ: I started writing when I was in elementary, and it wasn’t until I about four years ago that my first novella was published in the Five Enchanted Roses anthology. I’m thirty-three years old, so I will let you do the math. I had several short stories published before then, but nothing much ever came of them besides some change in my pocket.

JM: Speaking of change in your pocket, are you a full-time author or do you balance writing with another job?

SJ: I am a full-time author/editor/designer. I support and fund my writing career by helping other authors with their own books. I wish I had more time to devote to my own stories, but the sad truth is book royalties don’t pay the bills when you’re starting out. I’m just thankful I get to do what I love. Stay home with my little girl and spend my days thinking about BOOKS.

JM: I’m sure you value that time you can spend on your own stories. How long does it take you to write a book—from preliminary plotting to finishing revisions?

SJ: It varies from book to book. I wrote and revised When Ravens Fall over a course of six weeks. Then editing took me a little longer after that. That’s unusually fast for me. Wither took me six months, give or take, and After…ugh, we’re talking YEARS. But now I can usually crank out a 50k novella in 4-6 weeks weeks, with another month or two for revisions. I have several on my plate waiting to be edited and published.

JM: Wow, that’s impressive! I’m more of a turtle writer. It takes me a long time to finish. What does your writing space look like?

SJ: I have a beautiful office upstairs, with built-in book cases and the works, but I don’t get to use it much because the dogs make too much noise running up and down the stairs and wake the baby up. And I don’t dare write with the baby because I don’t pay attention, and I’m afraid she’ll fall down the stairs while I’m lost in my mind. So I usually write in my rocking chair with a lap table and a couple of folding tables nearby piled high with books, resources, notebooks, scraps of paper and who knows what else. It’s messy but it works.

JM: Oh my word, that sounds like my living room! LOL. Maybe someday we’ll graduate to our own “grown-up” offices, right? I’ve been wondering, do you have a playlist or favorite songs/composer you listen to while writing?

SJ: Oh, yes! I make a playlist for every book I write, and the same songs usually end up on the list (no matter how hard I try not to). I especially like Josh Groban, Christina Perri, Daughtry, Casting Crowns, and Broadway musical soundtracks.

JM: Those are such great choices. Well, Savannah, it sounds like you’re pretty busy! But do you do any other creative activities other than writing?

SJ: I do! I love design. I took design classes in college and finally get to use them for my cover design business. I love photoshopping pictures and playing around with fonts and special effects. I’m always watching tutorials to learn new tricks and techniques. I also got a drawing tablet for Christmas, but I haven’t really had a chance to learn how to use it yet.

JM: Hopefully, you’ll get some time soon to play around with it. So I have to ask — aside from “keep writing,” what’s your best advice for aspiring writers?

SJ: Get advice from other authors. I know. This can be painful. Constructive criticism is hard, but it’s SO VITAL to developing our craft and improving the quality of our writing. If you want to be a “real” author someday, talk to some of the authors you admire. Most of the ones in the Indie community are more than willing to help each other out.

JM: You’re right! There’s so much help to be found in the indie community. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing!

Savannah Jezowski lives in a drafty farmhouse in Amish country with her Knight in Shining Armor, a wee warrior princess, and two English Springer Spaniels. She is the author of When Ravens Fall and The Neverway Chronicles. Her work has been published in Ray Gun Revival, Mindflights and in the student publication of Fountains at Pensacola Christian College. She is also a featured author in Five Enchanted Roses from Rooglewood Press and Mythical Doorways, a Fellowship of Fantasy Anthology. She likes books, faeries, writing hats, and having tea with her imaginary friends.

You can follow her on the following social media sites.

Website: https://dragonpenpress.com/

Blog: https://dragonpenpress.com/category/blog/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13434787.Savannah_Jezowski

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savannahjezowskiauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savannahjezowskiauthor/

 

The Elements of a Pitch, Part 1.: Blurbs & Synopses

You’ve signed up for a conference and you’ve polished your manuscript. But you’ve heard you need a blurb and a synopsis ready. Aren’t they the same things? And when your writing buddy mentions a tag line and a one-sheet, your head starts to spin. What ‘s the difference between all of these elements?

Unfortunately, different agents or publishers ask for different things from their “pitchers.” I can’t help you with that. But I can help clear up the confusion surrounding the different elements requested.

One popular area of confusion exists around blurbs and synopses (singular is synopsis).

A blurb is like a dating profile. What can you tell the reader that will make him/her pick up the book? A fantastic cover helps, but an engaging blurb will make the reader buy it. List and name the main characters, what they want, and the obstacle in their way. Use exciting action verbs and hyperbole. Use words that create a certain feeling and will draw in the Ideal Reader of your genre– for example the sinister monk, or the ancient ruins. Oh, and DON’T tell the reader how it ends. Include the stakes. Will they find their way out of the labyrinthine rain forest? Will they be eaten by starved zombies? Will they kill the evil mastermind? What if they don’t? What? What?!?!  After this is done, hone it down. Some contests call for a blurb under 200 words, but ideally it should be 100-150 words, so that it’s nicely spaced on the back cover. Plus you’ll need room for a tag line (more on that in part 2) and possibly information about you, the author!

A synopsis is a one-to-two page document. Here’s where the publisher looks for plotting issues or weird tropes (i.e., it was all a dream!), but isn’t expecting advertising copy. Keep it minimal — usually either one page (single spaced) or two pages (double spaced). Check the editor/publisher/agent guidelines. If it doesn’t specify, don’t sweat it. Just pick one. Write it in the same tone and style the book is written in. One caveat: if your book is written in first person, don’t write your synopsis that way. Typically, write it in active voice, third person, present tense.

Briefly introduce your main character(s) and put their names IN CAPS the first time they’re introduced for ease of identification. Again, minimal is key. Keep the details few, and don’t give tons of backstory. This document is where you spill the beans regarding your story — an interesting set up, plot twists, emotions and reactions of characters, setbacks, climax and resolution.  Save your gorgeous, flowery prose for the manuscript. Yes — you have to tell how the story ends. This is one of the main differences between the synopsis and the blurb. Don’t try to pass the blurb off as a synopsis — they’re two different animals.

It’s good to know this information for writing contests, too. One contest I judged asked for a synopsis, but the entrant gave a blurb instead. She was disqualified.

I’ll be covering tag lines and one-sheets in part 2, so keep your eyes peeled.