What Goes into a Killer First Line? And How to Craft Your Own!

Posted on March 27, 2021 by Nina Soden

What Goes into a Killer First Line? And How to Craft Your Own!

Guest Post by Desiree Villena

You’ve meticulously outlined a plot, researched the concept, even started thinking about how you might go about publishing your book — now you have to actually put pen to paper and write the first sentence. This should be as simple as putting one foot in front of the other, right?

Alas, it’s rarely such. But if this is the moment you’ve found yourself lost for words, you’re definitely not alone!

Great first lines come in many shapes and sizes, depending on variables like genre, aim, and the events of your opening scene. Rather than giving a one-size-fits-all approach, I’d like to analyze the art of the opener with a few examples, so that you can decide upon the most slick and stylish opening line for your story.

Option #1: Establish a simple fact or event

Sometimes, less is more. Rather than conjuring up something dramatic and unforgettable, sometimes your best option is getting something — anything — down on paper! Opening a scene in the clearest way possible establishes narrative directness, rather than appearing convoluted and overwrought. For an example of an opener that’s both attention-grabbing and fact-based, let’s look at Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend:

“This morning Rino telephoned. I thought he wanted money again and I was ready to say no.”

Here, Ferrante states an event that has occurred and explains it in simple terms. In the first part of this opener, we learn of the event: a conversation, which we soon find out is between an elderly lady and a young man, about a woman who has suddenly gone missing. In the second part, we get a sense of the interesting dynamic between the two, via the protagonist’s assumption over what the call is about. Simple, yet highly effective.

Option #2: Jump into the action

Forget what you were taught at school — starting with exposition is not a hard-and-fast rule when it comes to kicking off your story. In fact, many story structures advocate for cutting straight to the action to establish pace, intrigue, and excitement early on. It also allows for more sophisticated incorporation of character development and backstory as the plot develops.

Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You is a great example of establishing the crunch point of a story in the opener:

“Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet.”

This line is short, sparse, and shocking. The reader immediately understands the crisis upon which the story will likely hinge. It doesn’t waste any time in grabbing the reader’s attention and setting the stage for the mystery that is about to unfold.

Option #3: Set the mood with something literary

That said, a little bit of exposition can be a more appropriate way to begin your story — particularly if it’s a slowburn or a more lighthearted form of fiction, like a romance or a slice-of-life drama. This can be done through the use of a literary device, like a simile or metaphor, or a detailed description of a place or a character.

For example, John Kennedy Tooles’ A Confederacy of Dunces starts with a physical description of Ignatius J. Reilly, Toole’s unpleasant, flatulent, work-shy protagonist:

“A green hunting cap squeezed the top of the fleshy balloon of a head.”

This opening instantly establishes the humorous tone of this cult classic, and shows Reilly to be a character with silly and somewhat foolish dimensions. It also figures as a more subtle illustration of the general tone of the story — comical yet description-heavy.

To use a metaphor of my own, this approach might be considered a dimming of the stage lights, rather than setting up the props! Illustrative, expressive writing with a touch of symbolism effectively establishes the ambience of a scene and allows for a gentle build up to the action.

Option #4: Impart some thoughtful philosophy

Some of the most memorable lines in fiction take a more worldly approach. This will require more expansive thinking than the other three tactics — but, when done well, can imbue your writing with an air of authority and significance that goes beyond the relaying of a series of events. L.P. Hartley’s The Go-Between is a classic, oft-cited example of this type of opener:

“The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.”

In this case, Hartley alludes to the regret-tinged tale of his elderly protagonist, Leo, concerning a fateful visit to the country estate of his childhood friend Marcus. Rather than expressing a point of action, this kind of opening steps back from the plot and expresses a sentiment that resonates with the narrative arc of the story. If done well, this can be a stylish and thoughtful way to foreshadow the morale of your story, affirm a particular tone, and impart some wisdom onto your readers. Creative and classy.

If you’re still stumped, fear not! You can start writing your book or story at whichever point you feel is most clarified in your mind — beginning, middle, or end. As long as you keep plugging away, you’re bound to come up with something sooner or later!

The author of this guest post, Desiree Villena, is a writer with Reedsy, a marketplace that connects self-publishing authors with the world’s best editors, designers, and marketers. In her spare time, Desiree enjoys reading contemporary fiction and writing short stories.

Author Interview – Jillian Boehme

Posted on March 26, 2021 by Nina Soden

An interview with Jillian Boehme, YA Fantasy Author of The Stolen Kingdom!

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What can we expect from you in the future?

More YA fantasy books! And possibly, at some point, some YA SF.

Where did you come up with the names in the story?

I love this question! Names are so important to me. My daughter Maggie, when she was around 10, came up with the name “Maralyth” for one of the main characters in my first novel. (This is one of my favorite things to tell people, because Maggie grew up to be an amazing writer—and that first, horrible novel is what inspired her to write!) “Alac” is just a variant of “Alec”; I like the way it looks with the second “a”. The rest of the names in The Stolen Kingdom are either completely made up or are slight tweaks of names that already exist—“Ellian” is a sort of cross between “Lillian” and “Ellen”; “Nelgareth” is made up, but his first name, Ogden, is real; Zeth is sort of “Seth” with a “Z”, which feels stronger; “Nestar” is a variant of “Nester”; “Doreck” is made up; and “Graylearn” is also my own creation.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

Because this book is based on the very first (horrible) novel I ever wrote, I dearly enjoyed delving into the world I’d created so many years ago, giving it more depth and richness—and developing beloved characters into new, stronger versions of themselves.

Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.

If you love a good lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers story, this is for you. Also, if you’re mad about secret magic, spare heirs, and girls who aren’t afraid of trying to steal someone’s throne, you’ll enjoy The Stolen Kingdom!

Have you written any other books that are not published?
Almost a dozen. Writing is not for the faint-hearted!

If your book had a candle, what scent would it be?

Sage, which is Maralyth’s favorite herb, mixed with a woodsy scent.

What did you edit out of this book?

Oh, my goodness. I edited out both a son and a daughter of Lord Nelgareth, as neither one ultimately had an important enough role to play in the story. So many deleted words!

Fun Facts/Behind the Scenes/Did You Know?’-type tidbits about the author, the book or the writing process of the book.

The Stolen Kingdom is based on the first very novel I ever wrote, entitled The Seeds of Perin Faye. It’s a completely different story now!
When I was struggling to get the plot right, I pulled out several wooden “Little People” (from my childhood), assigned them each a character name, and moved them around the room, trying to figure out who was supposed to do what.
One of my favorite things to do is to have a Barbie and Ken version of my main characters. Maralyth and Alac are currently standing on my desk (you may have seen them on Instagram!).
My daughter Maggie is a fabulous writer, and we have the same literary agent! She always reads for me, and her input is invaluable. Sometimes I feel like I can’t write without her!
One of the characters in The Seeds of Perin Faye was a tall, Gandalf-y character named Soldan. My husband still does impersonations of Soldan’s ridiculously deep bow. (There is no Soldan in The Stolen Kingdom!)
Playlists are extremely important to me. When I first started working on The Stolen Kingdom, I listened to the same music I’d used for The Seeds of Perin Faye. Call me nostalgic! Ultimately, though, it just didn’t work for me. I finally created a new, better playlist that threw me right into the world whenever I sat down to write.
Chapter endings take longer than almost any other part of drafting. They have to be JUST RIGHT.

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The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme #giveaway

Posted on March 25, 2021 by Nina Soden

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.

The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme ~ Genre: YA Fantasy

“A bold girl, a kingdom under attack, magic everywhere—I devoured it in one sitting! This book is one wild ride!” —Tamora Pierce on Stormrise

Nothing is quite as it seems in this thrilling YA fantasy adventure by Jillian Boehme, The Stolen Kingdom!

For a hundred years, the once-prosperous kingdom of Perin Faye has suffered under the rule of the greedy and power-hungry Thungrave kings. Maralyth Graylaern, a vintner’s daughter, has no idea her hidden magical power is proof of a secret bloodline and claim to the throne. Alac Thungrave, the king’s second son, has always been uncomfortable with his position as the spare heir—and the dark, stolen magic that comes with ruling.

When Maralyth becomes embroiled in a plot to murder the royal family and seize the throne, a cat-and-mouse chase ensues in an adventure of dark magic, court intrigue, and forbidden love.

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Jillian is known to the online writing community as Authoress, hostess of Miss Snark’s First Victim, a blog for aspiring authors. In real life, she holds a degree in Music Education, sings with the Nashville Symphony Chorus, and homeschools her remaining youngster-at-home. She’s still crazy in love with her husband of more than thirty years and is happy to be surrounded by family and friends amid the rolling knolls of Middle Tennessee.

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Would you like a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card? Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

I am happy to be one of many tour hosts sharing information about The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme.

Author Interview ~ Carlyle Labuschagne

Posted on March 24, 2021 by Nina Soden

Interview with Carlyle Labuschagne, author of A Beast So Beautiful!

What inspired you to write this book?

My publisher wanted a certain type of book from me to fit into the trend , but after three years it was always something I needed to spend a lot of time on , contemplation, musing and trying to write for the wrong reasons didn’t work for me. My stories have to come from a hidden, scary, and philosophical , mind-bending, and most importantly a profound place inside of me.

We releases a boxset themed forbidden love , and I transformed that book into the idea I wanted it to be, at first it was a short story but once I got my rights back I fell into a big dark place where creativeness went to die. As a newborn Christian I surrendered this book to God and just like that I was in love and the concept, characters and theme came out that Ive been hiding for a long time. But it was the right time – I can only hope.

What can we expect from you in the future?

OH gosh I have so many series I have not finished , but first I will do the follow up of A Beast so Beautiful. Now that book will be super exciting to write.

Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?

The broken diaries is a small spin off from The broken novel and a short story about another characters point of view.

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in A Beast so Beautiful

King Ivor is an ass, drunk woman and child beater. He is bitter and revengeful on his prince Leif blaming him for the death of Rurith Kingdoms Queen.

Prince Leif has been locked up in a tower for six years after discovering his mothers corpse.

He was created by magic as the king could not produce a male heir.

But magic came at a cost and Prince Leif is half human half something else.

Avelyn is the redheaded beauty taken in by the kingdom to marry the prince. For six years she secretly visits the prince in his tower. She is spirited, direct and a problem solver.

How did you come up with the concept and characters for the book?

They live in my head!!

Where did you come up with the names in the story?

They live in my head!

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

Creating characters and worlds and conflict and drama and doomed fates along with tortured lovers.

Tell us about your main characters- what makes them tick?

Ivor – to avenge his wife’s death. Expose his son for the beast he is and steal away his bride as payback.

Prince Leif wants to rule the kingdom with trust loyalty with Avelyn at his side.

Avelyn is driven by seeing Prince Leif take the crown, and because she was tricked into marrying the cruel king seeks out a secret affair with the love of her life. Pushing him towards overthrowing his father.

Who designed your book covers? CHBB publishing – Rebecca Poole

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

Put more humor in it.

Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

Yes to look out for details and got to learn more about the English tenses and sentence structures as I am not English myself I learn more with each book.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

Charlie hunnam

Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Without them I would be far from my dreams and leaving my healing words to the masses.

How did you come up with name of this book?

Book titles come easily to me. They just pop in my head. And as the beast has morals and a big heart he is beautiful inside and out.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

Most of the male leads I pull the ethics and ways and inspiration from my husband – who we have been together since high school and everyday he surprises me with his dedication , his sacrifices and his selflessness.

Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?

Oh no we have a lot of fights, but Ive learned to lose control (probably the only time in my life this happens) and let them come and flow and be.

Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.

It’s a faced pace story, a reverse Beauty and the beast that meets Game of thrones – fight for the crown.

Forbidden love

Royal feuds.

An ancient magic that will bring the kingdom to its knees.

I know in my heart that my passion, dedication and prayers for this book , took a lot of putting myself out there will show in my writing. Because readers can feel the energy and truth in the author’s writing.

Have you written any other books that are not published?

I have written Into the Night my prequel to Dead of night my dystopian romance . It is about 70 percent done.

If your book had a candle, what scent would it be?

Vanilla

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A Beast So Beautiful by Carlyle Labuschagne #giveaway

Posted on March 23, 2021 by Nina Soden

A Beast So Beautiful by Carlyle LaBuschagne ~ Genre: Dark Fantasy

A darkness falls over the land when the Queen of Rurith dies.

Consumed with grief, King Ivar blames their son, Prince Leif, for her demise, and locks him away in the castle.

The Prince is left in total despair, until a girl, with hair the color of a red sunset and green eyes shows him mercy.

For six years she visits him in secret, giving him hope where none existed before.

But Ruith hides many treacherous things that threaten to bring the Kingdom to its knees.

Until the Prince and his beastly curse are released.

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Carlyle is a USA Today Bestselling, international bestselling and international award winning South African author – with a flair and passion for mixing genres, adding loads of drama to every story she creates. Carlyle has traveled the world with her books in hopes of connecting with all kinds of book loving people, to learn as much as she can from other book cultures with the hopes of bringing the knowledge back to her home country.

Her goal as an author is to touch people’s lives, and help others love their differences and one another by delivering strong messages of faith, love and hope within every outrageous world she writes about.
Carlyle uses writing as a healing tool, and that is why she has started her very own writers support event – SAIR Book Festival.

Founder of SAIR Book Festival
Co-Founder of Fire Quill Publishing.
Founder of Help build a library in South Africa.

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Would you like a chance to win a Queen Crown Pendant or Metal Feather Bookmark? Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

I am happy to be one of many tour hosts sharing information about A Beast So Beautiful by Carlyle Labuschagne.

The Avean Chronicles by G.R. Thomas #giveaway

Posted on March 22, 2021 by Nina Soden

I grew up in Melbourne, Australia in the 1970’s when entertainment came in the form of sport or a good book. I chose both. An avid love affair with my pinto horse ensued as well as a healthy diet of any book I could get my hands on. English and history were always my favourite subjects so logically I studied to become a Critical Care Nurse! Books, particularly historical fantasy, have remained my number one go to for a healthy retreat from the craziness of the real world. After having a beautiful family and bringing a wonderful nursing career to a close, I finally took the time to write down one of the many stories that have been swirling around in my dreams for years. My dreamscape is rich with fantasy that both inspires and frightens me at the same time. I am pulling out those threads and spinning them into the type of stories I love to read. I’m finally letting out all my angels and demons.

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Awaken (The A’vean Chronicles Book 1) by G.R. Thomas
Genre: Urban Fantasy

SOME PEOPLE AREN’T DESTINED TO BE ORDINARY.
With a special gift held close to her heart, it was always going to be hard for Sophia Woodville to live an ordinary life.
As a 20 year old nursing grad, she thought she had her future all sorted.
However, destiny was about to intervene.
Her secret was not so secret. The gift she possessed was just a hint of something far beyond her wildest imagination.
Sophia will be pulled, kicking and screaming, into an unseen, ancient world that challenges all that she thought to be true of herself, her family and the origins of humanity.
Original sin, forbidden love and her life in constant danger.
Will Sophia survive this dark twist of fate?
Will the devil be her saviour?
Will an Angel be her downfall?

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Surrender (The A’vean Chronicles Book 2)

Sophia Woodville’s life is anything but ordinary. You can’t be ordinary when you’ve discovered you’re an Earth-born Angel. Alone and suddenly powerless in the stinking heat of the Daimon realm, Sophia has been betrayed by the one person she trusted most. She must find a way to escape and continue her quest to unravel the clues left for her eyes only, fighting the Zombie-like Rogues to preserve the prophecies of Enoch. Only then can the Fallen Angels return to their homeland and humanity be released from the grip of Yeqon and his evil horde.

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Allegiance (The A’vean Chronicles Book 3)

Paranormal urban fantasy that gets darker with every turn of the page.

“The safer you feel, the more danger you’re in…”
Sophia Woodville has survived Yeqon’s clutches to return to the safety of Kaymakli. Despite loss and the kidnapping of her best friend, she gains strength, knowledge and a healthy appetite for revenge in a world overrun by Daimon. Whilst focused on Enoch’s clues for the portal, she doesn’t notice that there is another danger rising, a new enemy with a different agender. At a time when she’s pulled between loyalty and obligation, between those she loves and the strange prisoner called Ben, Sophia has to find a way to bring everyone together, to know friend from foe, and to end the bloodshed, to save humanity from destruction.

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Redemption (The A’vean Chronicles Book 4)

A’maggedon is coming.

“Vengeance…a comforting echo…a warm hug that tantalised the darkest of thoughts.”
Despair has left Sophia prey to the same evil she is trying to overcome. It’s only those she’s brought together that help her face the evil sisters, Anjou’elle and Neph’reus who have elevated themselves as the new darkness… or are they? Unusual and brazen vampire attacks across the world are terrifying humanity to the brink of war and sending the fallen angels of A’vean to ground for their own survival. The weight of Sophia’s destiny is heavier than ever. With more than one enemy, with a world in chaos, will a devil be her saviour, will an angel be her downfall?

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Would you like a chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card, an eBook set of the entire A’vean Chronicles series, or a signed copy of Awaken? Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

I am happy to be one of many tour hosts sharing information about the A’vean Chronicles by G.R. Thomas.

Renee S. DeCamillis ~ Author Interview

Posted on March 19, 2021 by Nina Soden

Renee S. DeCamillis is the author of the psychological thriller/supernatural horror novella The Bone Cutters, published through Eraserhead Press as part of their 2019 New Bizarro Authors Series.

Check out our interview on YouTube:

Check out renee’s books below!

(Click on the cover images to order your copy)

(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.)

The Bone Cutters – Horror Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Supernatural Horror, Bizarro Fiction, Addiction Horror, a novella from the 2019 New Bizarro Author Series from Eraserhead Press.

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Black Winter by Beauregard M. Neville and Cole Neville #giveaway

Posted on March 18, 2021 by Nina Soden

Black Winter by Beauregard M. NeVille & Cole NeVille ~ Genre: SciFi Fantasy

In the near future the planet is covered in snow. Nobody knows why. A group of people are living inside a military facility that was designed to be self sustaining and can last forever. So long as the food doesn’t run out. Captain Alec Winter is among the people trying to survive and they will all be tested with the arrival of two strangers and something lurking in the shadows of the storm. Alec will have the fight for his life and everyone that he cares about. He just has to avoid becoming the very thing that threatens everyone’s survival.

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Beauregard M NeVille

I was born in Rocksprings Wyoming, but grew up in various parts of Utah, from Provo to Brigham City. By the time I was in 4th grade was when I moved to Brigham and stayed there until after high school and I left to pursue my own life. I’ve always had a love for writing and knew it was what I wanted to do. I also love sports, played most of them throughout school and still try and play basketball when I can. I love the outdoors, going hiking and camping and would spend every day on a lake if I could. I love my family. My wife Amanda is a wonderful, hardworking mother that still manages to be in school, work as a teacher and still provides time for our children. I have three amazing boys, Kaden, Ryder and Maverick. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing them grow and getting to have fun with them. I love dogs and my Dog Mya was my inspiration for the dog in Black Winter. I owe everything I have to my parents for teaching me hard work and the value of a family. I’m forever grateful for the blessings in my life and I look forward to what the future will bring to me and my family.

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Cole NeVille

I was born in Brigham City, Utah. I have lived in several states but Utah is my home. Reading and writing has always been a big part of my life. I used reading to escape from a lot of things when I was growing up. I also have played sports my whole life. I grew up playing football and basketball, and still play basketball whenever I can. I love everything outdoors whether it is hiking, camping, golfing, or fishing. Being able to get out into the wildlife and smell the fresh air is something my wife Sarah and I love to share together. We both love dogs and love our dog Kumba.

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Would you like a chance to win a signed copy of Black Winter or a $15 Amazon gift card? Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Q&A with Beauregard.

Where were you born/grew up? I was born in Rocksprings Wyoming. Was moved to Utah within days so I never lived in my birth town. Grew up in various parts of Utah from Provo to Brigham City. I consider Brigham City my home since I lived there the longest and that’s where I was living when I graduated from High School and my parents live there still.

What are you passionate about these days? Besides my writing and finishing the Black Winter series, I’m passionate about my family. I have 3 boys, ages 9, 7, and 4 with a fourth child on the way. Nothing brings me more joy than spending time with them and seeing them grow. Being a father is the greatest blessing and experience a man can have.

How do you find time to write as a parent? It’s challenging. I rarely do the things I enjoy when I can be home with my wife and kids and spend time with them. I get most of my writing done when they are at school and work or even late at night when they are sleeping.

When did you first consider yourself a writer? When I was in the 8^th grade. This is when I really started to write stories down in my notebook at school. By the time I was a senior in high school I knew that writing novels was something I wanted to do.

What inspired you to write this book? Truthfully it was a number of things. My family loves all sorts of story formats, whether it be a movie, book or even a video game. When I first started writing the book for the first time in January of 2009, I had a very basic idea. A soldier and his Siberian Husky in a mountain, snowy setting. The more I wrote the more I would take inspiration from many stories I had previously seen or read, and even a couple video games that I had recently played. For starters, the idea of a government facility deep in a mountain I got from Gears of War. The dog with the soldier I got from the cover of Fallout 3. I really didn’t what the story was then. Just small details from other things that I really liked. It took a couple years from that point before Cole and I knew how the first book would really end. Once we had the complete story for Black Winter, the rest of the story was easy.

How did you come up with the title for Black Winter? The title didn’t come until several years after we first started working on it. Not until after the story was complete. Originally, Alec Winter was actually Alec Ryker. But as the story was ending, I really like the idea of having the title of the book have a double meaning. So that’s when we decided to change Alec’s last name to Winter. You have this never-ending winter along with a soldier who’s name is Winter and they sort of battle each other throughout the series. The true meaning of the name of the book though you will have to discover as you read the series.

If your book was made into a movie, who would you like to play the lead? Originally that was an easy answer. Henry Cavill. I actually had to do a screenplay as an assignment in college that was a lot of fun. Part of the assignment was casting real actors for the roles in the movie. I picked Cavill as Alec Winter because of Cavill’s size and hair color. The only issue was his eye color which was an easy fix with contacts or even CGI. Now that many of the actors that I cast for the characters are all older it would be a little more difficult to pick new ones. I’m looking forward to fans of the book to come up with their own ideas though.

Are any of your characters based off of real people or did they come entirely from your imagination? A little bit of both. There are a few characters in the book that are completely based off of real people in terms of their names, and others in terms of how I perceived them as people. Two of my friends have their full names in the book, because of how unique their names are. The character in the book are criminals though so they are very different than the people they are based on. There are other characters in the book that are a complete likeness, only their names are different. For some of those characters they are people that I despised, so I made them into characters that the readers would despise as well. Alec Winter is completely from imagination, but the way he interacts with his dog and his overall voice and how he talks is based off of me. He talks like me and loves his dog as much as I do.

What are your top 10 favorite books or Authors? My favorite books are the Eragon books by Christopher Paolini. I’ve read the entire series about ten times and it never gets old for me. In fact, some of my inspiration for the relationship between two characters in Black Winter comes from that series. You’ll have to discover what I’m talking about by reading the book. I don’t want to give any spoilers. I also really loved the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It’s a very long series, but the writing is incredible. I don’t know that I’ll read it again, because of its length, but I’m glad I read it and I would definitely recommend it along with Eragon.

What is your favorite genre to read? Oddly enough, Black Winter is a Science Fiction novel, but I don’t actually read much of that genre. I prefer fantasy as you can see with my two favorite authors and book series.

Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Both. I like it to be quiet, but most of the time I like to listen to music when I write. Different songs help me to feel the mood of a scene I’m trying to write. If it’s really distracting noise though I can’t concentrate. Like if my kids are yelling and fighting, I won’t be able to focus. I could easily sit in front of the tv and write though.

The final thing I’d like to say answers several questions. Writing is very time consuming and requires a lot of dedication. Black Winter took 12 years from start to publication. Mostly the reason why it took so long was due to life getting in the way, writers block or just simply procrastination. The sequels will definitely come out much faster than the first, but mostly they will because we know what the story is. We know exactly where the characters will be at the end of the story and how they will get there. So getting there will be less of a challenge. Plus, now that Black Winter is officially out there for the world to see, the desire to complete the series for everyone that reads it gives me the motivation I need to sit down and put in the time to write the rest of the books.

Q& A with Cole

How did you become an author? My path to becoming an author is a little unique. Growing up I loved reading but I hated writing. As I got older I realised not only was I good at writing, I actually started enjoying it. I started working with Beau on his book by helping him with different ideas throughout Black Winter. Finally after years it had turned into as much mine as it was his and I couldn’t be more grateful to share that with Beau.

Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at once? Both. We wrote Black Winter before writing any of the sequels. But as we got deeper into the story we slowly wrote the beginning and end for all of the books. We found that by figuring out different directions we wanted to go with the sequels helped add things into Black Winter.

What do you do to unwind and relax? I am a big gamer so once everyone has gone to bed I enjoy starting up my PC and gaming. I have always enjoyed video games but right now I love playing Warzone. I also enjoy sitting down on the couch with my wife and watching a tv show.

What are your top 10 favorite books? Top 10 books are a little hard so I will go with my top book series. My favorite book series would have to be Eragon/The Inheritance Cycle. Eragon was the first book that really got me into reading, I also love everything that involves dragons so that helped as well. My second favorite book series is Harry Potter. Harry Potter was a book series that really helped me escape from reality at times when I was a kid and even sometimes still to this day. My third favorite book series is The Ranger’s Apprentice.

I am happy to be one of many tour hosts sharing information about Black Winter by Beauregard M. Neville and Cole Neville.

Everdal Update #5…

Posted on March 17, 2021 by Nina Soden

Update #5 March 17, 2021

WORKING TITLE: Everdal
GENRE: YA/NA Fantasy
Status: Writing First Draft
Days in current Status: 51
Days of actual writing: 13
Current Word Count: 30,891
Current Chapter Count Complete: 15
NEXT STEPS: Complete first draft - Estimated completion date: 3/31/2021

I’M BEHIND!!!

Ever feel like time is running out? Yeah, me too!

The good thing is, I created my own deadline for this project. Sure, I still want to reach the goal of having my first draft written by March 31st, but if I don’t reach it… I can always push the deadline date.

A glimpse into the life of Celeste Amora Stevenson Dupont

When your life has been turned upside down, but prom is just around the corner, you sneak away to find the perfect dress… one fit for a princess!

Victorian Town by Nancy Thorne #giveaway

Posted on March 16, 2021 by Nina Soden

Victorian Town by Nancy Thorne ~ Genre: YA Paranormal Time Travel Romance

Abby Parker planned out her whole life: complete her final year of high school, go to college, get a job, move away from her insane family, stay best friends with Jessica.

But, that was before she broke into the nearby tourist attraction and unwittingly answered a call from a centuries-old spirit who dragged her into the 19th century.

Now she must solve a Victorian mystery without getting herself killed, or worse, spend a lifetime trapped in the past, leaving behind everyone she loves and altering their lives forever.

When she meets gorgeous Benjamin, the future looks a lot like wreckage.

Goodreads * Amazon

Nancy Thorne is an award-winning author inspired by the romance and courage of youth. Her debut novel VICTORIAN TOWN won First Place for the 2019 Dante Rossetti Award.

Nancy’s short stories have recently appeared in literary journals and magazines, including The First Line Literary Journal, The Blake-Jones Review, Edify Fiction, and Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Born and raised in Toronto, Nancy fostered a passion for creating stories in grade school but hid it much too well. Eight years ago she decided to pursue her lifelong dream of telling them.

Nancy is a member of Romance Writers of America and Toronto Romance Writers. She lives with her family just outside of Toronto along with an energetic labrador and entertaining corgi.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Would you like a chance to be one of three winners to receive a $10 Amazon gift card? Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Option #1: Establish a simple fact or event

Option #2: Jump into the action

Option #3: Set the mood with something literary

Option #4: Impart some thoughtful philosophy

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