Behind the Scenes: Amelia's Island by Jeanette Grant-Thomson

Today we go 'behind the scenes' as Jeanette (Jenny) O'Hagan interviews the wonderful Jeanette Grant-Thomson  about her upcoming release of her latest novel, Amelia's Island.

Jenny: Congratulations on your latest release. What inspired you to write Amelia’s Island?

Jeanette: Thanks Jenny. I was fascinated by the idea of a place that would be one’s own world, a small island at high tide – but also some unsuspecting person might walk out there and be cut off by the tide. The ideas around that are endless. If it were not for boats and helicopters … And I could have written it so Amelia’s baby was ready to come on the island at high tide and no helicopters available. (Bushfire season.)

I marvelled at the true story of the Phillips family who lived there for over a year and Mr Phillips rowed a boat to work each day. Tough pioneers.

Jenny: Amelia’s Island is definitely a unique setting one that plays a big part in the events in the book. What joys and challenges arose from having the action on a tidal island for you and for your characters?

Jeanette: It was a big challenge for me to have them on and off the island at the right times and to plan the scary episode so the tide cut someone off. Amelia enjoyed the tides and the fragments of shells and other debris washed onto the sand bar but Kathryn was often nervous about being on a tiny island by herself. Head-in-the-clouds Todd, Amelia’s muso boyfriend, found it scary and frustrating. The local people were familiar with the tides and walked or drove on the sandbar at low tide or used helicopters.

Jenny: It is fascinating how the location - the island - reveals the personality and attitudes of the different characters. Tell us more about the main character, Amelia. What distinguishes her from your previous heroines? Did you find her easy or hard to write?

Jeanette: Amelia is less like me or any of my friends than I’ve previously written. She’s vain, selfish and spoilt but beneath it all she feels she has nothing of value left after giving her life completely to Todd. So she nurtures her beauty as part of her identity. For the first part of the novel, she’s less likeable than my other heroines but she changes as God, Dr Jack with his blunt talk, and the interactions with Kathryn and Todd begin to shape her for the better. Her real turning point is when she pours out her heart to God.

I found her hard to write at first and had to remind myself she was vain, selfish and hardened with a likeable girl underneath.

Jenny: You’ve been an author for many years. What do you enjoy most about writing?

Jeanette: Nearly everything except the third proof read onwards. I love getting the ideas and translating them to characters and stories. I love using settings I know well (and have to control my enjoyment of description). I love making characters and deciding what they might do that would cause a crisis or conflict.

Jenny: You have a number of published books, both fiction and non-fiction. Do you have a favourite? How did you get started as a writer and where do your ideas come from?

Jeanette: Wow, that’s a lot of questions. My favourite is Lantern Light, set in a school where I actually taught in the PNG jungle. Jodie’s Story, my first published book, has a special place in my heart as I carried that story like a pregnancy for several years until I just had to write it. I wept through the first interview and on and off as I wrote. Fortunately it was published and sold well. (It’s in its third edition now.)

I began when I was six or seven by standing in the doorway one morning and reciting four rhyming lines of poetry I’d made up myself. My parents then encouraged me to write and send poems to the children’s page of the Brisbane Telegraph, which kindly published them and sent me five shillings each time.

I believe God gives me most of the ideas but my brain is adept at seeing a situation and thinking: What if?


Jenny: Lantern Light is my favourite book of yours and I love the rich descriptions though I know that many modern readers prefer less. And how cool to be paid for your poetry as a child. 

How has your publishing journey changed since the publication of your first book? What challenges and joys have you found in the process? Any advice aspiring authors?

Jeanette: I was lucky (or blessed) to get in at the end of the ‘olden days’ when traditional publishers did all the work once I’d written the book. I managed to get five of my books done that way. The new version of Healing Song and Amelia’s Island were, by choice, self-published with the help of Lilly Pilly and InHouse publishers. I HATE marketing.

 

Self-publishing took too long (I’m 76). I’ll try hard for a trad publisher next time.

Advice? If you plan to self-publish, get it professionally edited and then check it again. And again. If you want a trad publisher, read their requirements carefully before submitting and send a well- edited manuscript.

Jenny: Great advise and I know what you mean about marketing. Do you have any plans for other books or projects in mind? If so, will they be related to this title or any other of your titles?

Jeanette: Surprisingly, I was asked to write a sequel to Mirage but I probably won’t. I plan to write some of my memoirs. Just some of the salient points, both wonderful and horrific.

Jenny: I look forward to reading your memoirs. I've enjoyed reading some snippets of your experiences on yur blog. Thank you, Jeanette, for taking the time to share about your books and experiences.

--

Jeanette Grant-Thomson is a S.E.Queensland based author. She has been writing and having work published since she was a child and has enjoyed writing in most genres.

Her first novel Jodie’s Story, now in its third edition, is a true story which opened the door for her to write several other works.

Apart from writing, Jeanette enjoys the mountains, the beach, swimming and having coffee with friends. She is a sincere Christian and attends church regularly.

She can be contacted on Facebook, LinkedIn or Goodreads and her books can be seen and ordered on her Author Page - www.facebook.com/jeanette.grantthomson

Behind the Scenes: Licence to Die by Mazzy Adams

Today we go 'behind the scenes' as Jeanette (Jenny) O'Hagan interviews the marvellous Mazzy Adams about her debut novel, Licence to Die.

Jenny: Congratulations on the release of your debut novel, Licence to Die (GRUnGE.001). What inspired you to write Licence to Die and how long has it been in the making?

Mazzy: I first met Mac, the mover and shaker behind Licence to Die, in 2012, while studying through Tabor College, Adelaide. ‘Mac’ was a mystery, first appearing in a writing exercise prompt as an image of a youth wearing earphones and, later, as a youth holding a mask, with the question, ‘What is your character concealing?’

From then on, Mac regularly visited my dreams and daydreams, insisting I discover and tell my mysterious muse’s story. By July, 2014, Mac had me engrossed in serious background research on everything from cochlear implants and hyperthymesia to ASIO’s Information Technology Traineeship Program—at which point Ben threw his hat into the game and the pair of them convinced me I’d better get on with writing their story.

Cochlear by MazArt Catie J Sercombe

To complicate matters further, Chris rocked up, insisting I include his story too. Suddenly, I had a converging narrative on my hands, a story that would not conform to genre norms, and a steep learning curve ahead. Thankfully, I also sensed God had a plan and a purpose in mind, and Licence to Die was an integral part of that.

Jenny: Our characters often have minds of their own, but it's wonderful to see how it all fits together in then end. Tell us more about the two main characters and their circumstances. What drives them? What keeps them going despite the obstacles in their way? How does this differ from your main villain?

Mazzy: The full cover shot above with blurb gives the basic circumstances. Drivers and differences? As an only son, Ben carries an altruistic notion he should follow in his father’s ‘heroic’ footsteps—be they real or imagined. He soon discovers true heroism demands a hefty sacrifice, with family and friends the first to go. Perhaps that’s why he cannot, or will not, ignore Mac’s desperate ‘need’ to be saved, and his dogged determination to identify and find Mac before it’s too late. Ben’s altruism is both challenged and fed by his growing desire to know, and be known by, Mac.

Mac is both a mystery and a paradox; a kid whose circumstances are horrendous, but whose indomitable spirit will not surrender, at least, not without a fight, which Ben discovers to his shock, amusement, and frustration!

The one thing Ben and Mac have in common, which the story’s villains lack, is the conviction to stay true to themselves, and the things they honour and value most. By contrast, the primary antagonist will sacrifice his convictions for monetary gain and self-preservation yet justify his motivation as upholding a greater good. And Ben, Mac, and Chris (who is busy finding and fighting his sense of self-worth) will all pay a hefty price as a result.

Jenny: Strong characters and high stakes. It makes good reading. Your tagline is ‘Genre Rebel’. What does that mean for you and for your readers? Where would you place Licence to Die in the genre landscape?

Licence to Die Coast Meets Ocean ‘This drown plan is foul.’ Mac (MazArt)

Mazzy: Landscape? Hmm … Combine Aussie big city sophistication, rivalries, and (deadly) underbelly with glorious (occasionally deadly) East Coast beaches, and expansive (deadly) red centre deserts.

While the short answer stems from my propensity to write various types of literature from poetry to creative non-fiction to puppet plays, drama sketches, songs, and short fiction, the ‘rebel’ arises from the way that propensity drove my non-conformist approach when writing Licence to Die. That’s where the long answer arises: 

I began my Creative Writing Degree in my fifties and realised that one legacy of the natural, experiential, and spiritual influences of my childhood, youth, and adulthood was an aptitude for stepping outside the obvious to consider things from a different perspective. I discovered words can have multiple layers of meaning and each layer can reveal hidden treasures.

From a genre perspective, Licence to Die has layers. On the one hand, it’s pure story: covert intrigue in contemporary fiction suitable for adults and senior secondary school-aged young adults, a converging thriller/suspense narrative where the plot and character arcs of three protagonists collide with each other and their deadly antagonists, ultimately inspiring growth and resolution—with a few non-essential loose ends left to power a sequel.

Licence to Die is tempered by my personal faith-based beliefs, worldview, and ethos, resulting in a clean (if slightly edgy) read compatible with Christian Fiction Suspense expectations. It also raises philosophical and ethical dilemmas for readers to ponder, eg how would you respond if a total stranger could read your innermost thoughts? Or you could read theirs? Does the proverb which suggests we are what we think in our hearts ring true? Challenge you? Etc.  

It’s rich with allegory for those who wish to dig deeper. Even the title, which flips a familiar espionage trope upside down, is underpinned by Galatians 2:20, one of many underlying spiritual, biblical, and metaphysical parallels embedded in the meaning of the characters’ names, themes, symbols, relationships, actions, dialogue, and contemplations. As the Holy Spirit revealed this layer, I was reduced to tears of wonder at His grace, and His ministry in revealing Himself through these words. As I wrote and edited, He ministered spiritual healing and restoration to me, and imparted the conviction and courage to publish Licence to Die. It is this realm where the Holy Spirit works that is so fruitful and exciting.

I call it ‘Upmarket’ fiction because there is scope for book clubs and/or Christian study groups to explore the underlying spiritual, allegorical, philosophical, and literary elements. I’m hoping to put together a study guide for such situations. But with its quirky, good-humoured Aussie vibe, it’s more light-hearted and ‘genre friendly’ than classic literary fiction.

Jenny: I love the layers and totally agree (from my peek preview) light-hearted and ‘genre friendly’ as well as fast paced and entertaining. Which authors have inspired you and/or influenced your writing?

Mazzy: I’ve always loved mysteries and spy thrillers—from Enid Blyton to Robert Ludlum. These days I read more Australian authors, especially those who bring Australian characters and settings to life, and I have a refreshing collection of books written by Australian Christian authors. But if I had to name an author/book (other than the Author of Life and His book) who most influenced the direction I took with Licence to Die, I’d choose Madeleine L’Engle’s ‘A Wrinkle in Time’—which I read for the first time in my fifties—and her statement that “You have to write the book that wants to be written.” She also said, “A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.” Perhaps I got my genre rebel tendencies from her.

Jenny: Good company to keep :) You’ve joined the ranks of enterprising Indie authors. What challenges and joys have you found in the process of publishing your book baby? Any advice to others aspiring to do the same?

Mazzy: 

Challenges: In Licence to Die, one of my minor characters says, “Don’t strain your brain.” That’s not an option if you want to Indie publish!

Joys: You have time to re-evaluate, time to seek wisdom from God and from others with relevant experience, freedom to set your own deadlines—or break them if you need to—and the opportunity to discover God really does do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think.

Advice: Don’t cut corners; if it’s worth committing yourself, your resources, and your energies into independently publishing your book, it’s worth doing all things well both for your own sake and the sake of your readers.

Jenny: Great Advice! What do you know now about the craft and business of writing that you didn’t when you started?

Mazzy:

Craft: Don’t use the word suddenly! (As I did earlier in this interview ;)) Or expect the process of producing a quality novel will be fast or easy. Hire (and learn from) a good editor. Be willing to recognise the gemstones in positive and negative critiques.

Business: Be willing to wear the pragmatist’s hat while daring to pursue the dream.

Jenny: Now that you’ve released your first novel, do you have any plans for other books or projects in mind? Will they be connected to Licence to Die or do you plan to venture forth into a new genre or story?

Mazzy: Yes, yes, and yes. I have a roughly outlined sequel demanding attention and two other standalone thriller/suspense novels outlined, so I’d better get my pen into gear. A potential anthology and several other projects hover in the wings.  

Jenny: Fantastic. More great reads to look forward to. TThanks for giving us a peek behind the scenes, Mazzy.  All the best with the launch of Licence to Die


Mazzy: Thanks, Jenny, for the opportunity.

Images by MazArt Catie J Sercombe

Book Launch Details: Save the Date!

If you’re within cooee of Toowoomba, the Quirky Quills are plotting and planning Licence to Die’s book launch.

When? 2:00pm Saturday 24th September 2022
Where? Danish Flower Art and Café Complex, 10347 New England Hwy, Highfields QLD 4352
(Bonus: that’s the middle Saturday of the Qld school holidays, following Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers week so Toowoomba will still be abuzz with floral beauty.)
How/where can you get Licence to Die (GRUnGE.001)?

Online purchases can be made via the following links to your preferred retailer through Booklinker  or Books2Read . You can also follow the arrows to either link from my website’s landing page at https://mazzyadams.com/

Or ask your local bookstore and/or library to order Licence to Die for you; it’s readily available through IngramSpark’s Distribution network:

Title: Licence to Die
Series: GRUnGE #1
Author: Mazzy Adams
Publisher: Zest N Zenith Creative & Academic Group
Publication Date: 22-07-22
Paperback ISBN: 978-0-6489726-0-0
eBook ISBN: 978-0-6489726-1-7

Mazzy Adams, Author, Genre Rebel -- Intrigue and Inspiration with an Upmarket Down Under Vibe

Mazzy Adams wrote (and performed) songs, Aussie bush poetry, puppet plays and drama sketches for several years before graduating with a Creative Writing Degree through Tabor College, Adelaide in 2014.

With a growing portfolio of published works in multiple anthologies and formats, Mazzy happily identifies as a bona fide genre rebel. Her picturesque, tongue-in-cheek writing style injects a quirky Down Under vibe to intrigue and inspiration alike.

Mazzy also employs her think-outside-the-box neural pathways and passion for words, pictures, and the positive potential in people to guide students through the perplexities of English written expression.

Best of all, her wonderful husband, amazing children, and delightful grandchildren make Mazzy’s otherwise ordinary life most extraordinary. For that, she is eternally grateful.

Discover more and connect via:

Website: https://mazzyadams.com

Email: maz@mazzyadams.com

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

Behind the Scenes: Big Apple Atonement by Carolyn Miller

Today we go 'behind the scenes' as Jeanette (Jenny) O'Hagan interviews the fabulous and prolific author Carolyn Miller.

Jenny: Congratulations on your upcoming release of Big Apple Atonement – the fifth book in the Original Six - slightly sporty sweet romance - series. What inspired you to write this series?

Thanks so much, Jenny! The first two books I ever wrote (before any historicals) were two ice hockey books featuring Christian athletes who played for Chicago and Toronto, which just so happened to be two of the original six hockey teams in the National Hockey League of North America. I loved these books (Love on Ice and Muskoka Blue), and wanted to see them published, but because it’s a fairly niche market publishers weren’t so interested, so I decided to publish them myself as part of a series. This meant writing four other books (including a book serving as a prequel to Love on Ice, which became The Breakup Project), based in the other Original Six cities: Boston, Detroit, Montreal and New York. I’d visited four of these six cities, so I was thrilled to get the chance to showcase some of the amazing places I’d seen, such as Chicago’s Art Institute in Checked Impressions, and Montreal’s Botanic Gardens in Heart and Goals. The heroes of these books are linked by an online Bible study group, which I later discovered is a legitimate thing, where Christian hockey players encourage and support each other. I love that high profile Christian athletes (high profile in the US and Canada at least!) can have similar questions to many Christians, but with the added tension of money, fame, and other trappings of pro sports, which means each book has a slightly different focus. It’s been great to see numbers of readers have loved the books in this series too!

Jenny: Since publishing your popular Regency Brides romance series, you’ve been quite prolific with the Regency Wallflowers, the Independence Island and now the Original Six series. How do you come up with fresh ideas?

Several of these books and series stemmed from books I already had sitting in my computer, so it’s been a process of finding the right one for the right time. (I figure some of these books in my computer could be making me money!) But really, I find stories are everywhere – you just have to pay attention to the news, to your own life, to what God is challenging you about, to conversations, to people. I’ve recently started doing ballet fitness, and my instructor is a former ballet pro and shared some amazing stories about her life, so guess what? I now see a ballet book in my future.

Jenny: That should be fun 😊 What do you enjoy most about writing in the romance genre? Have other romance authors influenced your writing? In what ways?

Romance is basically the process of developing a relationship, which is what we all do in various ways every day. No, not every relationship involves romance, but the same kinds of challenges face us all: misunderstandings, learning to trust, to forgive, to not judge, etc I love that romance can reflect God’s ‘wooing’ of His children, and I do enjoy bringing faith elements into my books. Some of my fave Christian romance authors include Becky Wade, Susan May Warren, Susan Tuttle, Jaycee Weaver and Kara Isaac, all of whom create relatable characters and include faith elements in a non-preachy way, which is my hope too.

Jenny: After gaining a reputation and avid fans for your regency romances, you made the call to write in a different sub-genre – contemporary romance.  Were you nervous at the time? What challenges and opportunities did you face in making the change?

Ooh, good question! Yes, I was nervous, but because I’d originally written contemporary (and even won awards for it!) I knew I could do this, and to be honest, it’s been GREAT. Switching between genres is like a palate cleanser, so I write (or edit) a historical then go write (or edit) a contemporary, which means I’m mentally fresh. I joined the Independence Islands series (published by Celebrate Lit) as a transition step to gain some contemporary readers, as I fear some of my historical readers have pigeon-holed me in the Regency vein. It feels funny to have to reassure my readers that they’ll still find the same sorts of stories in my contemporary books (faith! relatable characters! realistic settings! humour!) that they’re used to seeing in my historicals, but hopefully time will win them over. It’s been great to meet some new readers, some of whom are now reading my Original Six series because they found me as part of the Independence Islands series. It’s also been great to connect with other authors as part of that series.

Jenny: You’ve successfully made the switch from being published by a traditional publisher to indie publishing. What motivated you to change. What pros and cons have you discovered along the way?

I write full time, and to be honest, my earnings are not nearly what I’d like them to be (ha - whose are, right?). I also found that I was feeling a little creatively constricted by just sticking to Regency. When my publishers told me in 2019 they weren’t interested in publishing my contemporaries, I knew the only way I could get my books out there was to self publish them. So, knowing that I had a Winter Olympics story, which would be perfect to release during the 2022 winter Olympics, I decided to push to create the series and write the four remaining books in 2020 and 2021.

Some of the challenges include the huge learning curve in learning what self publishing involves (hey, I’m still learning!), but I love the creative control I have, with everything from story ideas to release dates, cover design (my daughter is now designing my contemporary covers!), to editing, to links to future book series, and promotions. I’m not hedged in by other people’s expectations, so I can try things. And I’ve found that with more books out there I’m earning more money too which is awesome. (I can now pay for our mortgage!)

Jenny: Awesome! What do you know now about the craft and business of writing that you didn’t when you started?

When I first started writing it was all about the joy of creating a story. Now I know that if you want that story to be published, you need to treat this process as a business. I’ve always been pretty good at staying motivated and enjoy beating my publisher’s deadlines for edit returns and the like, and I think that’s served me well to stay productive when it’s my own self-imposed deadlines I’m working towards. So I write (or focus on writing things) most days from 9am until my kids return from school/ uni. It’s my job, not something I fluff around with when I feel like it.

Part of that means investing in things like conferences. I have learned so much from attending the Omega Writers conferences, and they have been instrumental in helping me write in series, learn craft, and develop author connections I deeply value now. If people are serious about being authors then they should invest the time and dollars into conferences like this. I’m so glad I did. (Find out more about the Omega Christian Writers conference here – it’s only in-person every 2 years, so this is the year to make it happen!)

Marketing is huge, whether you’re traditionally or independently published, so us more reticent types need to be okay with letting others know about our books, and joining with other authors to cross promote and find new readers. That’s my goal at the moment: find new readers, and that takes time.

I’m very thankful to have learned some of the business of writing through being trad pubbed first, and that’s helped me gain readers and connections that would’ve been harder otherwise. I’m so thankful I stepped out and trusted God (not just my agent or publisher) for my writing career, especially with stepping into writing the kinds of books I like – and that other readers seem to enjoy too!

Jenny: Now that you’re nearing the end of the The Original Six series, do you have any plans for another series in mind? What elements will be the same and what will be different from your previous series?

Yes! The sixth book in this series is Muskoka Blue which releases July 28. This was actually the second book I ever wrote (don’t worry: it’s been heavily edited and tweaked since then) and I had a loose kind of series that built on it. So I plan to have two more books based on a small town in the Muskoka region (a gorgeous lake-filled area I’ve visited, which is 2 hours north of Toronto, Canada), one of which will be a Christmas book. If I can get my act together, I hope to see them release this year (yes, this self-pubbing thing might be addictive!).


I also hope to link to another hockey series set in the North-western areas of North America, so it’ll be a similar Bible study group but for players based in Calgary, Vancouver, Seattle, etc (some of these are places I’ve seen too). I LOVE writing in series, and it’s been fun to see the preorders as people move through the books, checking in on various characters to see how they’re doing 😊

I’ve also got plans for a cowboy-type series that will be part of another multi-author series releasing next year. I never thought I’d write about cowboys, but I love the fact these kinds of books are based on things I care about: relationships, the environment, faith, and the small-town factor - as I live in a small town, that works well for me!

Really, in all of my books, historical or contemporary, I’m writing about similar things: relatable characters, realistic settings and scenarios, relationships & romance, non-preachy faith threads, all mixed together with some banter and humour. I’m so grateful people have taken a chance on reading the wild imaginings of a small-town Aussie girl, and so thankful to God I get to do this amazing job!

Something to look forward too :) Thank you, Carolyn, for taking the time to share about your books and experiences.

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked as a public high school English teacher.

A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer and LM Montgomery, Carolyn loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. Her contemporary romance series includes the Original Six hockey romance series, and the Independence Islands series, and her historical series include the Regency Brides and Regency Wallflowers series.


Links: website |newsletter| facebook | pinterest | twitter | instagram amazon | bookbub
Buy Big Apple Atonement at Amazon or Koorong

Behind the Scenes: Kin Seeker by N R Eccles-Smith

Today we go "behind the scenes&"; as Jeanette (Jenny) O'Hagan interviews the fabulous Naomi Eccles-Smith.

Jenny: Congratulations on the recent completion of your series and the audio version of your novel Kin Seeker. What inspired you to write the Dragon Calling series?

Naomi: Thanks, Jenny; it’s such a big personal accomplishment to have the Dragon Calling series completed. And the audiobook of Kin Seeker is a long-desired dream come true! As for inspiration, I was actually working on a completely different story at the time (it still had dragons in it though, ;) ). While world-building for that story (establishing creatures, traditions, lore and the like) a legend of a dragon began to unfurl; a dragon famous in history for … something. At the time I didn’t know why this dragon was famous, and what deeds he accomplished that made him a legend. But I was super curious, and soon my desire to find out more about this dragon outstripped all my ideas and aspirations for the original story. I wanted to follow this dragon, and write his story. And an entire five-part series grew from that.

Jenny: Wow, our stories can have minds of their own. Such fun to see where they take us :)  Tell us more about the series. Which book was the hardest to write and why?

Naomi: Dragon Calling is a five-part epic fantasy adventure, and follows the story of a young dragon named Laeka’Draeon as he embarks on an epic and perilous quest to find the others of his kind.

The series follows similar veins as Emily Rodda’s Deltora Quest, Peter Beagle’s The Last Unicorn, Tui T. Sutherland’s Wings of Fire series, and Tolkien’s works. Its intended audience is the Upper Middle Grade bracket (ages 10+). I wanted the story to be accessible to a younger audience, whilst offering a meatier literary experience than standard chapter books, but keeping the overall experience wholesome.

The hardest book to write … well Kin Seeker (Book One) certainly had its challenges as I was a fledgling writer, still flailing about trying to find my writer’s voice whilst also learning the art of writing itself—especially the technical and structural side. But The Last Calling (Book Five) was probably the hardest due to the enormity of pulling an entire series together, making sure all the plots and threads found their way to a satisfactory end, and just wrangling with the intensity of the story itself and all the characters involved in the dynamic and life-threatening events imposed upon them. Fortunately, by the time I had to write the final book I’d accumulated years of creative writing experience, so I was able to handle its daunting load.

Jenny: I remember similar challenges with my Book Five, Caverns of the Deep, pulling all the threads together to a satisfying series finale. What do you enjoy most about writing fantasy fiction?

Naomi: I love how I can write about any and all of the universal motives and themes found in other genres, but I can also have monsters, mythical beasts and magic, and such things be a perfectly reasonable addition.

Jenny:  Yes! I'm with you with fantasy. How did you go about making Kin Seeker into an audiobook? What challenges did you face?

Naomi: First, I did a lot of research into the methods and avenues available for creating audiobooks. There’s a smorgasbord of instructive information found via blogs and websites, and all of it free! Research is vital for something like this. Also, knowing exactly what you want for your audiobook project; listening to audiobooks in genres similar to your own can help with inspiration and ideal narrator accents and styles etc.

For Kin Seeker, I wanted two narrators, male & female, and I wanted them to dual narrate the story (alternate between chapters) but be assigned specific characters. I also wanted thematic music added to the start of each chapter, for atmospheric effect.

If I was going to have an audiobook done, I wanted a dynamic, professional, cinematic feel. It was the main reason why it’s taken years to get it done—it was going to be an expensive project!
I was listening to one of Merphy Napier’s (a book/ reader influencer) vlogs and discovered her top five audiobook narrators. From there, I researched them myself, before getting in contact with Kate Reading & Michael Kramer (a juggernaut duo of fantasy audiobooks). And while Kate considered that she and Michael might have voices too mature for what I wanted, she proposed I contact their son, Henry Kramer and his girlfriend, Jenna. I began correspondence with them, received voice samples, and realised I’d found the perfect duo for my story!

While I didn’t do the hardest part of the project (the voice acting), there was still a lot to be involved with. I needed to provide breakdowns of character profiles and voice ideas, as well as samples and suggestions. I also needed to compile pronunciation guides for all the fantastical terms and names.

I think the trickiest part was working out the contracts and payments. Both narrators are American, so there were conversion rates to content with, as well as Henry being part of a union, while Jenna wasn’t. The payments being large also required going through a specific international money transfer company—which required additional rigmarole. We’d also agreed to a Shared Royalty between the three of us to help lessen the initial commission costs (on my end); this required an additional contract made and signed.

Then there was the music; I eventually went with the AudioHub to acquire extended licenses for exclusive music pieces. That required dozens upon dozens of hours searching and listening, compiling, and assigning to chapters.

Finally, I chose an Australian audiobook studio to do the full audio editing (to save on having to go through more conversion rate and bank fiascos). Luckily a found a company relatively quickly; Brisbane-based, that specialised in music editing too!

It was definitely a much larger and more involved project than I originally thought (and took around 11 months from start to finish). But the final project is absolutely fantastic and worth every hour and effort poured into its creation. Now … to find the time and funds to do the rest of the series!

Jenny:  I don't generally listen to audiobooks, but now I want to hear Kin Seeker. It sounds fantastic. All the best getting the rest of the series done. You are also an accomplished artist as well as a wonderful writer. How does your art intersect with your writing? Which is the hardest to do? Which is the most fun?

Naomi: Thank you for the compliments! My art and my writing are like two sides of the same coin; both are an integral part of my creative expression. I am able to bring my characters (and scenes) to life through illustrations—in addition to descriptions—which is quite advantageous, especially since my artistic style tailors toward the same audience as my series (people who love anime and animations as much as written fantastical stories). 

As for which is the hardest? Well, I suppose more often than not writing is the harder of the two. Although I’ve done comics before, and they’re definitely the hardest since they’re essentially a combination of the two. And the most fun? Probably the art—since the projects take less time to do and so the ‘gratification buzz’ turn-over is more regular. But in saying that, writing probably gives me the most satisfaction, once completed.

Jenny: I love how the two talents work together, complimenting each other. Now that you’ve finished your series, do you have any other books or projects in mind? Will they be related to the Dragon Calling world or a different fantasy world or maybe even in a different genre?

Naomi: The way Dragon Calling ended left the possibility of a sequel story taking place. And one of the underlying arcs within the story offers the opportunity to expound upon an important historical event (in the form of a prequel). But I don’t feel the need to touch the world of Valadae and its timeline at this stage. Leaving it as a possibility is enough for me.

As for other projects, I do have an extensive illustrated Companion Guide I want to finish for the series, but it’s a slow WIP (and a big one) so I’ll be working on other things in and around it.

I do have plans to start a new story next year! It will be completely separate from my Dragon Calling series. In fact, it will slot into a completely different genre; at this stage it’s shaping up to be a supernatural thriller/ mystery. I’m really excited to see how it unfolds and am especially enamoured with the characters, even though I’m still only at the concept and pondering stage of the writing process.

Jenny: Something to look forward too :) Thank you, Naomi, for taking the time to share about your books and experiences.

Naomi confesses that the best word to describe her is: whimsical. Forget about “the girl next door” and think more along the lines of “the girl from the next galaxy over” and you’d be closer to the correct personality categorization. She is an unequivocal day-dreamer, anime enthusiast, partisan of fantastical things, and unshakable devotee to story-telling.

When not immersed in her written and illustrative projects, Naomi can be found wandering the worlds created by others, either between the pages of a book or across the sweeping digital scapes of console games. Part geek, part monster-slayer, with a heart for the pure and the wondrous, Naomi endeavours to remind us that a little bit of beautiful strangeness is a good thing to have in this crazy world.

Currently, she lives on the Gold Coast, Australia, with an assortment of cats and family members.

Behind the Scenes: In Want of a Wife by Meredith Resce

 

Today we go 'behind the scenes' as Jeanette (Jenny) O'Hagan interviews Meredith Resce

Jenny:  Congratulations on your upcoming release. What inspired you to write to ‘License to Meddle series’ and this second book In Want of a Wife in particular.

Meredith: Thanks for having me, Jenny. The whole middle-aged mum with adult children situation is one I have experienced first-hand. Coming up with great advice and hints towards this nice person, or that nice person, is generally received with not much enthusiasm. Sometimes the exact opposite. So this series is probably mostly fantasy, in that meddling and matchmaking is not often done with success. I know of three or four cases where matchmaking has worked and worked really well. But the middle-aged mum still likes to dream of young love and romance.

Jenny:  Tell us about the main character Luella Linley. Who is she and why does she feel compelled to meddle? Also, how many daughters does she have? And will there be a book 3?

Meredith: Luella Linley is a popular Regency Romance author and seems to have trouble in drawing a line between coming up with plot for her characters and plotting for her adult children. She is unrepentant about her daughter’s chagrin, not fazed by being told off for meddling. She has two daughters and one son. Yes, book three is in production at the moment, and you can see the pre-order cover live on Amazon now. All Arranged Book#3

Jenny:  I have to ask, is ‘In Want of a Wife’ a direct quote from the opening sentence in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice?  How have authors like Austen and other romance authors influenced your writing.

Meredith: You’re quite right. In Want of a Wife is a direct quote from the opening scene in Pride and Prejudice. Austen is my favourite author, and Mrs Bennett is annoying and unrepentant about her matchmaking. Luella is not as annoying, but just as incorrigible. You will find in all three Luella Linley books, excerpts from Luella’s latest work in progress, Regency romance in Austen style, each plot bearing a resemblance to the contemporary plot that is going on.

Jenny:  That sounds delightful and sure to be a hit with Austen fans. My favourite book of yours is For All Time. Would it be true to say that most of your previous books have been historical romance? What challenges and joys have you found changing from historical romance to contemporary comic romance.

Meredith: For All Time was my one and only foray into time slip novel. I loved it. So much fun mixing contemporary characters with 1500s culture and context. Most other of my work has been historical drama, and while I enjoyed it, writing light-hearted contemporary romance is more fun. I like the funny side of the Brooker family. They are all blunt, a bit sarcastic and witty.

Jenny:  You’ve now published over ten novels, plus a number of novellas and short stories. How do you come up with fresh ideas?

Meredith: Actually, In Want of a Wife is the twenty first title released (this includes two novellas, a self-help book, a fantasy novel, biographical account and a faction.

New ideas were nearly always inspired by old buildings, in the case of most of my historicals. With this series, I guess when I started, I was in the middle of parenting single adult children, and I was inspired by their lack of moving forward towards marriage. They’re all married now, without any assistance from me.

Jenny:  That's an impressive output :) How would you say publishing has changed since you published your first book in the late 1990s? How are the challenges and opportunities changed for writers over this time? Do you have any tips for new writers?

Meredith: Publishing has changed soooo much since 1997.  The market has changed, so the way the book is produced has also had to change. The main change agent was the advent of digital marketing, eBooks, and algorithms. These things have decimated the bricks and mortar bookstore market, selling the paperback from the shelf. I used to pre-sell approximately 1700 copies to bookstores on new releases, without anyone having ever seen the cover. Now, I’m lucky if I can beg them to take 60-100 copies.

Algorithms now dictate how the book buyers will see what is new and available, and learning to provoke the algorithm to show your book in the top twenty is a game we’re all playing.

Also, when I started, I was one of two Australian Christian fiction authors, the other being Mary Hawkins. Now there are heaps of us. The writing is better, the range is better, and there is a wonderful group of Australian Christian writers. But the market is the most difficult it has ever been.

I only use print on demand now, and produce to the eBook platforms as well.  Australian Christian writers supporting one another, as you are doing here, Jenny, is the only way we are going to push through and see our work find a home in the hearts of Australian and international readers. Getting on Goodreads and getting activity going about your own books and other Australian writers’ books is going to be a great positive thing to do in the reality we live in now.

Tips for new writers – welcome to the time when the most opportunity to learn to write well is available to you through many different conferences, writing chapters and online resources. Work on your craft (this was something I did not have access to when I started). You may have to go forward with the understanding that you may be writing for a small audience of family and friends, and thank God for ever little opportunity you get beyond that. It is a tough market to publish and sell into, but writing is often its own reward.

 

Thanks again, Jenny, for having me, and for supporting Australasian Christian writers from here and New Zealand.

Jenny: You're welcome. Thanks you Meredith for taking the time share about your books and experiences.