Seventeen-year-old Teagan McNeel falls for captivating Garreth Adams, her guardian angel come to earth. But where there is light, dark follows, and now she is torn between one angel’s sacrifice and another angel’s vicious ambition that threatens not only her life, but the lives of everyone she knows.    SOURCE

A little about Jennifer: Jennifer Murgia has been writing since she was nine years old. After receiving recognition for her poetry, she went on to use her talents to bring characters to life in fiction novels that are authentic, intriguing, and personal. She currently resides in Pennsylvania with her husband and two children. SOURCE

OBS: Who are your literary influences?
Jennifer: At an early age I was introduced to such wonderful books. Books by Judy Blume allowed me to identify with pre-adolescent issues, while works of Madeleine L’Engle introduced me to fantastic realms. I then devoured books with deeper meaning and issues by Anne Rice, Milan Kundera and Erica Jong.

OBS: Do you have any advice for those out there wanting to become writers?
Jennifer: Write from your heart and write as if you are the only audience. That should be the most important thing to consider.

OBS: What other media do you use to help inspire you while writing (Music, Art, Movies, etc.)? Anything specific?
Jennifer: I like to listen to music before I sit down and write. Anything moving and stirring like Evanescence or Breaking Benjamin for example, but then I need to sit in utter silence to write.

OBS: Where did the idea for ‘Angel Star’ come from?
Jennifer: In June 2007 I was up late one night while my husband was away for work. The kids were asleep and I kept toying with the idea of unconditional love. Who would be one to feel that? What if that person was a constant presence and untouchable at the same time? An angel came to mind and I began writing.

OBS: The biggest themes in your book are angels and symbols, what kind of research did you do for the book?
Jennifer: I wanted something to extend from some amount of truth – something that already existed that I could perhaps bend a bit to fit the story. My mother has a book on symbols and the Octagram seemed a perfect fit as far as its meaning. It is derived from the Wiccan Wheel of the Year symbolizing rebirth and regeneration. What else could have been more perfect than that? It seemed to fit what I wanted to create for the existence of a guardian angel and how a human charge could connect. The number 8 also has personal significance to me, so it only seemed right. The rest I filled in with countless hours on the internet. Teagan’s mark is the Circle of Unity, meaning the ability to connect with the universe and all that is in it. She is the link between the human and angel worlds.

OBS: Describe ‘Angel Star’ in 140 characters or less.
Jennifer: Seventeen-year-old Teagan McNeel falls for captivating Garreth Adams, her guardian angel come to earth. But where there is light, dark follows, and now she is torn between one angel’s sacrifice and another angel’s vicious ambition that threatens not only her life, but the lives of everyone she knows.

OBS: How did you develop the characters? Do you use elements of people from your own life?
Jennifer: My characters developed from a simple issue presented to them. I started with Garreth, Teagan’s guardian and did some research into his name, which happens to mean “light” in Latin. I explored all the possibilities of what would encompass an angel so good and pure. Hadrian means “the dark one”, and creating him was actually very exciting. He had to be formidable and alluring. Teagan, on the other hand, is the one character closest to my own personality.

OBS: Do you have a specific writing process or does it depend on the project? What was your process like with ‘Angel Star’?

Jennifer: As soon as the idea presented itself to me, I began writing like crazy! It consumed me. The characters were so real and the issues at hand were so very deep. Tearing away from the world I was creating was extremely difficult, so I would limit myself to some serious writing in the morning after my kids got off to school. I would write for a few hours and then take a break, edit, write, make dinner… and try to wean myself from the story while my family was home. Then it would begin again the next morning!

OBS: If you were given the power that Teagan has, what would you do with it?
Jennifer: Goodness, the power she possesses is quite remarkable, and one a lot of people lack or at least forget they have. I suppose it’s a matter of what that power would do to me, not what I would do with it. I would hope and expect that it would give me the ability to read people better, perhaps to learn more patience and understanding.

OBS: What are your future plans for this series? Or other books?
Jennifer: Angel Star’s sequel will be Lemniscate. No word on a release date as of yet. I’m toying with a few projects right now, so yes, expect something.

OBS: What is one thing you would like your fans to know about you and your book?
Jennifer: How much I truly appreciate the enthusiasm and encouragement! The pre-release response to Angel Star has been wonderfully overwhelming! If Teagan and Garreth could jump off the page to thank you, they would!

Thanks Jennifer for the interview and telling us more about your book. I loved the book because of its originality and great themes. I can’t wait for the next installment! Want to chat with Jennifer? Check out the links below!

Check out Jennifer’s website here

‘Angel Star’ Facebook page here

You can also Twitter with Jennifer about ‘Angel Star’ here

And become a fan of hers on Goodreads here

Sixteen-year old Cassie Renfield has seen the mark since forever: a glow around certain people as if a candle were held behind their back.

The one time she pointed it out taught her not to do it again, so Cassie has kept quiet, considering its rare appearances odd, but insignificant. Until the day she watches a man die. Mining her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person’s imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.

Cassie searches her past, her philosophy lessons, even her new boyfriend for answers, always careful to hide her secret. How does the mark work? Why her?

Most importantly, if you know today is someone’s last, should you tell?

Source: Jen Nadol’s website

A little bit about Jen: I grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania, hometown of Taylor Swift, John Updike and A.S. King.

THE MARK is my first novel.

OBS: How did you come up with the story for The Mark?
Jen: I had written another book which, in hindsight, was terrible. I was ready to shelve it and try again, but didn’t have anything specific in mind to write about. I was mentally sifting through possibilities, looking for something interesting, and the idea just came: what if you knew it was someone’s day to die? Right away, I could see some of the conflicts and scenes that would play out. It sounded like something I’d read so I decided to give it a go.

OBS: Do you have any advice for those who want to become writers?
Jen: Write a lot. Even when you don’t really feel like it. Even if you think what you’re writing is lousy. I think good writers have a little talent, but a lot more practice, patience and discipline. This is an art that can definitely be learned and something that I think you get exponentially better at the more you do it.

OBS: Who are your literary influences?
Jen: Definitely Stephen King. I loved his books growing up and still re-read my favorites regularly. Most of his books are very much “real world”, but with a paranormal element thrown in, just the kind of stories I write. There are probably a thousand other writers who’ve taught me something in their books, but he’s one I can really single out.

OBS: How did you develop your characters? Did you base your characters attributes on people you know?
Jen: I don’t. People ask this a lot, but my characters truly are fictional. I wouldn’t even say they’re composites of people I know or have known. When I’m thinking about the role a particular character will play in the story, I start to get a mental picture of them and a feel for the way they act. It’s kind of an ephemeral process, I guess. They form from who I need them to be for the story to go where I want it to go.

OBS: Who was the toughest character to write? Who was the most fun?
Jen: Lucas was probably the toughest because he went through a number of changes as the story got edited. I loved writing Cassie since we really get inside her head, but Petra was probably the most fun and the easiest.

OBS: What inspired you to leave the “corporate world” and become a full-time writer?
Jen: I actually left to stay home with my first son when he was born. I’d had a job of some sort since I was fourteen, so having that “working” part of my identity just disappear was kind of a shock. I decided to really try to write, something I’d always “meant” to do. It ended up the perfect outlet and, even if I’d never gotten published, I know I would have been glad that I gave it a shot.

OBS: Do you have a specific process for writing? Outlines, free writing, etc.?
Jen: There are usually a few key scenes that come to me early on when I’m starting a book so I write those first. It’s almost always the beginning and the end, then two or three important things in the middle. When I write them initially, they might not even be a complete scene, just some key dialogue – internal or with another character – or description. What’s important is starting to get the voice and feel of the story on paper. It’s kind of a random process. As more things come to me – a line of dialogue, an important story element or scene – I’ll write them or, if I’m pressed for time, jot a quick sentence or two describing what has to happen. When I’ve collected enough that I understand the story arc and main characters and subplots, then I start working on it chronologically, from page one, until I’ve got a first draft. All of this takes about a year. Then, the edits begin…

OBS: Do you have plans to writing a sequel to The Mark?
Jen: Yes, there’s a completed sequel that Bloomsbury’s just acquired. We’re starting edits now and I think it will probably come out in 2011.

OBS: What kind of research went into The Mark?
Jen: I read a lot of philosophy. Way more than made it into the book. For the medical stuff, I consulted with my mom who’s a nurse and a friend who’s a psychologist. And I did some reading about some other things that it’d be a spoiler to elaborate on.

OBS:Did you have any musical or literary influences while writing The Mark?
Jen: Nothing musical, but I did have an a-ha moment reading Lisa McMann’s: WAKE (her ears have GOT to be ringing, I’ve told this to so many people). It was in the middle of my final round of edits and my editor had asked me to try to “tighten up” the writing a bit more. I thought I understood what she meant…and then I read WAKE. It was a huge eye-opener. Lisa McMann’s writing is so clean and tight – I finally understood exactly what my editor was getting at.

OBS: What would you do with Cassie’s power?
Jen: Probably exactly what she does.

OBS: What would you do if today was your last day?
Jen: I’d write a letter to each of the people who are important to me. Then, I’d spend every last second of it with my kids.

OBS: What is one thing you would like your fans to know about you and your book?
Jen: I’ve always been a huge book-lover, but having a book out there has put me in touch with so many amazing people – bloggers, writers, librarians, publishing folk, book sellers. I’m thankful to be part of a community of people so enthusiastic about books and reading and thrilled to have a book to pitch into the pot for enjoyment (hopefully!), discussion, debate…whatever!

Thanks Jen for the awesome interview and telling us more about your book. I absolutely love the concept and the tag line on your book cover made me want to read it immediately. Want to chat with Jen? Check out the links below.

Check out Jen’s website here:
jennadolbooks.com

And even more on her Facebook here:
www.facebook.com/jennadol

You can also Twitter with Jen about The Mark here:
twitter.com/jennadol

Also don’t forget her blog here:
www.jennadolbooks.com/blog/

Mieradome, revolves around a young girl named Amavia, who believes she is a human girl, but slowly comes to find she is a faery in the world of Mieradome. Amavia’s mother, Anastasica, had taken her out of the faery realm and hidden her away here in our human realm, so that she may be protected from her parents’ past mistakes. But that was not enough, the forces that be found Amavia, and brought her back into the cosmos of the Grandmother Tree. There she meets other faeries, goblins, Telkar dragons, and Utopisols. Slowly who Amavia really was began to unravel to show the truth. The truth, that she just may be the evil they need to destroy. This is where our story begins.

A little bit about Kate: I have a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Goddard College in March ’09 and am a Library Helper at my local city library in their Children’s department programs. I live in the Central Valley of Modesto and recently discovered my maternal 3rd Great Aunt Dora DuFran was a famous brothel madam in Deadwood, South Dakota. My senior BA thesis was a history of this madam. I have been working on my fantasy novel, Mieradome, for 7 years. I began working on writing the story on Oct. 31, 2002 , Halloween, (when I accidentally forgot to buy candy that year and needed something to occupy my time so I didn’t go crazy with people continuing to bang on my door). I had a dream a few days before I started writing, about a young girl looking out on a second story balcony towards a tall oak tree in her backyard, as she watched a bright lighted spec disappear into the leaves and branches of the tree. Just as this young girl was curious where that lighted spec went in the tree, I was too. I wrote this story to figure it out. I am 27 years old and live in the Central Valley of California which has helped inspire me to write about locations I’ve traveled to, and also internationally.

OBS: When you started writing did you intend to write a YA book or did it just develop as you went?
Kate: I honestly just started writing Mieradome for myself. It was Oct. 31, 2002. I wrote to keep myself occupied while kids banged on my door for Halloween (I had forgotten to buy candy that year!) But after that, the writing just continued to flow and I saw that the main characters were very much in the YA realm. I had never really written in that realm before, so I thought I’d give it a try.

OBS: How did you come up with the unique names, places and title of the book?
Kate: A lot of the names of characters are actually taken from surnames. Specifically, Feig, Amavia, and Inocian. I’ve always liked the sound of words, and surnames often have a particular ring to them. Other names I just made up, like Caiden, Jeiks, Naidrau, and Boyt (which if you rearrange the letters can spell Toby.)

OBS: In Mieradome there are several races and royal families, how were you able to keep it all straight continuity wise?
Kate: I actually jotted notes down to organize all the family lines, cause there is no way I could keep all that stuff just in my head! I have a big notebook with just notes that I’ve jotted down, things I’ve written parts of the story on (sometimes napkins, if that’s all that’s around), drawings and sketches. The family lines are very important within my story, like branches of a tree. If one breaks, they all have a possibility to break as well.

OBS: This is your first book, correct? Was it difficult to get published?
Kate: Yes, Mieradome is my first novel. I originally took the normal publishing route and submitted my novel to agents or publishers. Most of the feedback I got was that my story was good, but it just didn’t “fit” with their current list. I finally realized it may never ‘fit’ in anyone’s list and therefore decided to start my own publishing company, Hegarty & Co.

OBS: Which one of your characters do you identify with or is most like you?
Kate: I think Prince Boyt (or the Royal House of Senrulan) is very much like me. He’s got a good heart, is a true friend, but he’s a real big klutz. For as much as I’d like to think I’m cool and sophisticated, there’s nothing like tripping and falling over something to bring me back to reality. We’re all human. It happens!

OBS: If Mieradome was adapted to the big screen, who would you cast as Amavia?
Kate: Hmm…this a tough one. I would have to say if they made a film of Mieradome, I’d love for Emily Browning, (A Series of Unfortunate Events), to play Amavia.

OBS: Why did it take 7 years to write and what went into that writing process?
Kate: It took awhile to write this story because I wrote the first novel, Mieradome, and its sequel at the same time. During that time I was sending queries to agents and also working on my Bachelor’s degree and thesis. It’s just taken a long time to get to this point, but I’m very excited to be here.

OBS: How involved are you with fans? How important, do you feel, is that to your success?
Kate: I think fans are the #1 reason a book does well. I’m involved a lot with my fans. I converse with many currently on Twitter. When my website for the novel goes live, I hope to encourage book clubs where I can phone in via Skype and get to know my fans more personally. On my Facebook Fan Page for Mieradome a good portion of my fans are from the Philippines, Argentina, and Mexico!

OBS: What are you currently working on? Do you have any future projects you’d like to tell us about?
Kate: I’m currently finishing the ending of the sequel to Mieradome, which will hopefully be out Summer 2011.

OBS: What was the process for choosing cover art for Mieradome?
Kate: Well, basically I asked my sister Shannon, (a professional graphic designer who graduated from SCAD ’09), to create it. She creates things more visually in pictures than I can. I am quite impressed with what she’s come up with.

OBS: What would you like to say that we did not ask?
Kate: Be sure to buy Mieradome on June 1st! or pre-order with major retailers very soon!

Thanks Kate for the awesome interview and telling us more about the fascinating world you created. Want to chat with Kate? Check out the links below.

You can check out more about Mieradome here:
mieradome.blogspot.com/

And even more on her Facebook here:
www.facebook.com/Mieradome-by-Kate-OHegarty/180095833998?ref=ts

You can also Twitter with Kate about Mieradome here:
twitter.com/mieradome

Fuming with rage and bitterness six friends band together to avenge the destruction of a small human settlement. Through sheer determination and stoic resolve they succeed, though at what cost? Because of their actions, one of them will fall to the enemy and Velthanjantle, the demonic avatar of Kargonis is resurrected. Though weak, the demon breaks free to reign havoc once again upon the world.

A.J. O’Connell was born and raised in Clearwater, Florida then moved to Anchorage, Alaska for his senior year of high school. From there, A.J. joined the Air Force to see the world. Athletic at a young age he played football and baseball, joined the wrestling team and even studied martial arts. Despite his extracurricular activities he enjoyed many weekends indulging in marathon role-playing adventures with friends. At age 14, A.J. began designing a role-playing game and world of his own which quickly replaced the classics he and his friends occupied their time with. Gradually the world fleshed out, the races evolved, the high intensity adventure and martial combat became the mainstay of their action packed adventures and the rules of magic within Reality solidified. Finally, at age 33 his wife convinced him to write a book, and during his third deployment to Iraq in 2007/8, A.J. did just that.

To read more about this book and A.J. check out his website HERE.

OBS: How did you get into writing and is Awakenings your first book?
Andrew: Yes, Awakenings is my first published book. About ten years ago I sat down and wrote a small (64,000) word book, but it felt all wrong, something was missing; the characters didn’t develop as I had planned and it was just ugly. Many of those characters have grown a bit since then and have made it into Awakenings… albeit much more alive. I’ve always enjoyed writing for as long as I can remember. I had a few teachers in middle and high school who would let me sit in their room when the day was over and write my little stories while they graded papers. When I was finished, they would help me make them a little better by asking questions pertinent to motivation, plot and characters. I’ve been playing with ideas like that ever since.

OBS: Many writers, especially first time writers, find that it easier to write from first person perspective, but you write in third person narrative. Why did you choose to write from an overall narrative perspective, rather than follow one individual?
Andrew: Writing in the third person allows me a lot of freedom to explore perspectives and concepts. My goal is to give the readers clear visuals of an entire scene which means that I have to switch perspectives at times. I love being able to pan out, like a movie, and see what’s going on everywhere. By writing in the third person I can (and often do), slip into the thoughts of multiple characters to help describe a person, effect or event… hopefully without making it feel like it’s another description. I think it really helps when descriptions get a bit drawn out. I want the reader to be able to capture the entire adventure, without feeling bogged down with endless details.

OBS: Do you feel that your experience in the military and with martial arts helped shape the world in which your characters inhabit?
Andrew: Absolutely to both! I started martial arts and sports when I was young; around the same time I began to lean in the direction of fantasy. Some of the close-quarters fighting scenes in Awakenings are derived from my martial arts experiences, while sports and the military have helped me see things from a team perspective. Traveling all over the world with the military has given me ample opportunity to meet people of a wide variety of beliefs and backgrounds. Something I like to think filters into the different characters in the Racial War Saga.

OBS: Your book easily fits into the same genre as Lord of the Rings, but a more recent phenomenon that could be associated with your book is the games World of Warcraft or Dungeons and Dragons. Are you personally interested in either of these, or does your inspiration come from that Tolkien world rather than any current fantasy medium?
Andrew: You’re determined to drag out my ‘closet geek’ aren’t you? I played D&D when I was younger and fell in love with it. I tried many tabletop RPGs back then, G.U.R.P.S., Shadowrun, etc. but I always went back to fantasy. Magic enthralled me. The idea of being able to perform extraordinary feats with an intangible energy made my pulse quicken every time I had the chance during a game. After a few years, I decided that there just wasn’t enough magic in one game to satisfy me, so I began creating my own world where magic was everywhere, and in many different forms. That game world became something of a hobby for me, and as I grew older, the races and magic of the world all evolved with me. I don’t play tabletop RPG’s anymore, mostly because of the time needed to get into a campaign. However, when time permits, World of Warcraft has made it easy for a ‘casual gamer’ like me to scratch that itch.

OBS: Your book is laced with typical and non-typical fantasy creatures. How did you re-imagine the classic races and come up with your own original feel for them?
Andrew: Time really, lots and lots of time. As I grew older and continued to read I would discover things in books and fantasy worlds that I thought were wrong in my opinion, or not detailed enough, and I would jot down some notes on how I could fix those discrepancies. As the Realm of Reality evolved, the magic and races naturally evolved with it. When I finally settled on a point system, it was easy to plug in numbers, but it was the special abilities associated with each race that were the most difficult thing to balance. Hmmm… I think I went off on a tangent there… Let me try again: when the original fantasy races were created, they were unheard of, surprising, and so different that people could not help but fall in love with them and the ingenuity behind them. Tolkien took the Tinkerbell-esque elves of his era and evolved them into what we presently envision when the word elf is spoken. I think it is time for another evolution of those fantastic races. I think it is time for ‘cat-people’ to have a name (fialt for example), and ‘fish-people’ (merloch) to really be seen in a story as… people, and not just comic relief or an unimportant or out-of-place addition. I know who humans are, and mostly what they’re capable of, it’s those other races I’ve always wanted to know more about.

[On a side note, I’ve used the name Merloch as my ‘fishy’ race since long before I started playing WoW… ]

OBS: What other media do you use to help inspire you while writing (Music, Art, Movies, etc.)? Anything specific?
Andrew: I listen to a lot of different types of music. Depending on the mood I want to convey I will switch from hip-hop/R&B to Enya/Enigma. I like Prince; his lyrics can get pretty deep and the astute reader will pick up on some references from some of his songs. It gets worse though… I found this acapella group, Cantus, of whom I am fond when I’m trying to paint the scenery and old-school Irish drinking music when the words are just flowing. I must admit though, during the development of Chapter 9, and into the second book, I listen(ed) to Disturbed a LOT, particularly “Down with a Sickness”.

OBS: Which of your characters do you identify with the most and the least? Is this your favorite character as well, if not, then who is?
Andrew: Thanks for asking the easy questions… ug. I think there is a little of me in each of them, even the bad guys. Bear with me for a moment as I refer back to D&D. One of the things I found wrong with the game were alignments. An alignment was a specific way you had to act and there was absolutely no room for that in my world. One day I may want to guard that caravan, the next I may want to rob it. It all depends on where my mind is at that particular moment, and the events which brought me to that caravan in the first place. I think you’re following me now, so to give you the quick answer to both of your questions; I can identify with all of them. I think everyone has good and evil in them, but some lean further one way than the other, more frequently.

OBS: For anyone who hasn’t read a Tolkien book, played WoW or D&D (and therefore have no idea what I am talking about), what would you say to them in order to get them to read your book?
Andrew: There is no delay in getting to the story; you don’t have to read halfway through the book before you’re neck-deep in trouble. Right at the start I’ll drop you into the fire and continue to turn up the heat as the book progresses. It is a dangerous world and the action is intense. The character interaction is as crucial as the combat sequences and guides the twisting plot through its course. There is sarcastic humor, some underlying romance, a drop of suspense and the thrill of seeing the impossible. If magic interests you there are shape changing shamans, divine theologians and their gods, alchemists, rune bearing Heralds, and spell-hurling Spellweavers riddled throughout Awakenings. It is not all witches and warlocks though. Hardened assassins, pious priests, determined soldiers, greedy dragons and demonic plots are all in between these pages. Whether you like to curl up in bed and drift off to a magical world or you prefer to sit on the couch and kick your feet back to enjoy an epic adventure, you have found it in Awakenings.

OBS: What future projects are you working on? Can you tell us anything about them?
Andrew: Book 2 of the Racial War Saga is tentatively titled Plague. Incomplete at present, it is already larger than Awakenings and introduces more of the assassins in the Thorns of Chaos. The mysterious Tyvonis is revealed. Zariah gets out of her ‘damsel in distress’ lull and the Temple of Orinis’Thas is revisited and explained. The Ivory Empire has arrived on the continent of Talonus and in the very first chapter you get to see a bit of what they’re made of. The Ivory Empire adds a science fiction element to the Racial War Saga. They were brought up in a world (Citadel) without access to gods or magic of any sort; therefore, they were forced to advance differently. Since the War of the Gods merged Citadel and Bastion (Citadel’s twin world) together, everyone born in Reality has the ability to use magic. Those humans of Citadel, the Ivory Empire, are a bit pissed about being left out of the god-loop.

OBS: What is the one thing you’d like to tell people that we did not ask?
Andrew: The website (www.racialwar.net) is a project of mine where I have spent some time building an information database about the Realm of Reality and the characters that dwell there. Descriptions of the different types of magic, the races and their evolutions, and several excerpts from the Archon are posted. There are also character profiles, some more information about me, and during promotion cycles, I’ll post upcoming events with as much notice as I can. As we draw closer to the release of Book 2, I will be adding more and more profiles of characters that readers of Book 1 have yet to meet as well as more of the different races in the Realm of Reality.

Thanks A.J. for the awesome interview and nerding out with me over fantasy games, table top and computers alike. If you enjoy any of the stuff we’ve been talking about or just want to read a detailed world of magic, check out A.J’s book.

You can check out more about The Racial War Saga here:
www.racialwar.net/

What if every fairy tale we knew was true, but someone had written it down wrong? After all the Brother’s Grimm simply went around writing folklore and fairy tales they heard through word of mouth. Frank Beddor knows what would happen, for he tells the true tale of Alyss and her Wonderland; a world where Imagination rules and no one is safe under Redd’s rule.

Frank Beddor had scaled the heights of professional skiing and filmmaking before deciding to become an author. This transformation was born of “an odd, empty feeling” and a serendipitous whisper of inspiration.

After the global success of “There’s Something About Mary,” he formed Automatic Pictures, over which he still presides, to develop creative properties. “After ‘Mary’ I put a bunch of projects into development,” he says. “At the same time, though, I was coming to realize that, as a producer, you’re a facilitator for the creative team, but what I really wanted to be was a creator. Once that seed had been planted in my mind, it was impossible to shake it loose. Of course it’s great to have a hit; it’s great to make money, but the work I was doing was not satisfying me.”

Read the rest of Frank’s bio here.

OBS: A quick question from one of our followers, Hannah: What gave you the inspiration to reimagine a timeless classic like Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass? Could you quickly recap the story for anyone who hasn’t heard it already?
Frank: Dear Hannah…
A number of years ago I was in London for the European premiere of THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. I went to the British Museum and saw an exhibit of ancient cards. For instance, Napoleon hired artists to hand paint depictions of his many victories in battle. But what caught my attention, at the very end of the exhibit, was an incomplete deck of cards illuminated by an unusual glow, almost as though they were alive. I was intrigued by the exhibit and captivated by the images on the cards. This was a very, very different version of Wonderland.

For the remainder of my trip I was preoccupied with the images and told several friends, one of whom suggested I meet with an antiquities dealer he knew who specialized in collecting all sorts of ancient playing cards.

The next morning, on the way to the airport, I stopped at the dealer’s shop. When I told him about the unusual exhibit, he revealed that he in fact owned the cards missing from the deck. I was stunned. He brought out this old, worn leather box filled with cards and told me the story as he flipped one card over at a time, revealing the saga of THE LOOKING GLASS WARS. It was a darker Alyss from a darker world and I knew I was meant to tell the story. Once I discovered the truth behind the deck of playing cards it soon became clear that Lewis Carroll had changed everything.

I began putting all the pieces together and weaving the revelations of just how different the real Wonderland and its inhabitants were compared to the children’s lit version the world had known and accepted for nearly 150 years. Carroll’s choices in how he changed Alyss’ story were so fascinating (he even changed her name!) – the monsters and heroes of her lost world became these cheery reinventions. It was such a betrayal on Carroll’s part and was in fact, the reason for the rift that eventually occurred between the writer and his muse. For instance – the characters we know as the White Rabbit, the Red Queen, the Cheshire Cat and of course, the Mad Hatter all appear in The Looking Glass Wars as they were intended to by Alyss when she told Carroll her harrowing tale.

The White Rabbit was in fact Bibwit Harte, the six foot tall albino royal tutor for all Wonderland Queens (Carroll had anagrammed his name to create the White Rabbit), while the Red Queen was in truth Alyss’ Aunt Redd, the revenge maddened usurper to the throne ably assisted by her top assassin, The Cat, a man size feline who morphs from adorable kitten to giant mutant feline when called upon to kill.

So you see, there was a lot of truth to be uncovered and you might say, I felt the CALLING!

OBS: The art of LGW is extremely stylized and unique to this tale. What can you tell us about the artist, concepts and your influence on the final overall style of the LGW?
Frank: There have been a number of great artists working on the various elements of the LGW and Hatter series. As I often mention, art has been a big part of the process of writing the Looking Glass Wars trilogy. From the very beginning I have engaged artists to visualize what I am writing. This has resulted in the project generating a continuous stream of amazing art that is used in everything from book covers to a scrapbook containing the lost art of Princess Alyss. My influence begins when I call an artist and ask if they would like to work on a particular piece. I try to explain the concept I have in mind and inspire the artist as much as I can – and then I let go – fully expecting to love what they do. My choice of artist, the inspiration and art direction I pass on and the expectation of the ‘marvelous’ occurring has worked quite a few wonders over the years.

OBS: As someone who has a background in film, you understand the visual side of media. Did this influence the way you wrote the LGW? For example, did you think of them in terms of storyboards before you started writing or did you just see it as you wrote them?
Frank: Oh absolutely. I have mentioned in a lot of interviews that my visual language is based in film and that’s my starting point for creating. Over the years this ‘language’ has been enriched and broadened by working with my editors and publishers for the prose and of course, in creating the comic books and graphic novels.

OBS: There have been a lot of Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland adaptations recently (SyFy’s Alice and Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland) and they seem to be met with positive reviews, but yours is not an adaptation, it’s a whole other world and personal tale of struggle and imagination. Do you think this is why you have received some negative reaction from Carrol fan’s?
Frank: Maybe to a small degree. But, at the same time, many of my most supportive and ardent fans are also fans of Lewis Carroll’s books. With the exception of a small lunatic fringe of the Lewis Carroll Society, I have been encouraged by most to go further and deeper in revealing Alyss’s Wonderland. If readers are a true fan of Wonderland and my books have any resonance for them, I think they are happy to finally have more to explore and enjoy than Lewis Carroll initially provided.

OBS: Despite those negative comments from Carrol fans, you have also pulled in a lot of fans of the classic tale. Did you read Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland in your childhood and did you like it? Did you read it again when you were writing the LGW or did you want to stay away from the classic as much as possible?
Frank: My grandmother (whose name is actually Alice) insisted on reading it to me when I was about 10. It was a hot summer day and all the other kids were at the pool. Needless to probably say, it wasn’t a treasured memory. Since then, I have read the book as an adult to attempt to further explore and decode the mystery of what Alyss told Carroll and how he chose to interpret it for his vision of Wonderland. This is a fascinating manner of reading the book since it is sort of a reading between the lines, searching for clues and literary slips that further validate the Looking Glass Wars thesis that Lewis Carroll didn’t tell Alyss the story of Wonderland…she told him!

OBS: Since you’re currently working on making LGW into a movie, who do you see starting in the major roles? Would you prefer to cast newcomers, seasoned actors or have you not thought about it at all?
Frank: Well I’m going to turn this over to some of LGW’s ardent fans who have been writing in with their opinions…

Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie or Tilda Swinton as Her Imperial Viciousness Queen Redd.

Emily Mortimer, Cate Blanchett as Queen Genevieve

Andy Serkis (aka Golum!) as The Cat

Joe Anderson as Dodge

Clive Owen, Robert Downey Jr. as Hatter Madigan

Mila Kunis as Homburg Molly

And then there is Alyss…though I have had suggestions for actresses I am holding this one back and not putting out any preconceptions because my plan is to do a search for an unknown to star as Alyss.

OBS: Visual effects and the use of 3D is so common in films today, do you think you will utilize CGI and/or 3D?
Frank: I’m certain CGI, 3D and no doubt amazing technical marvels not even invented will all be used to bring Alyss’ Wonderland to vivid life.

OBS: What question are you tired of having people ask when it comes to LGW?
Frank: “When is the movie coming out?” While I really appreciate their enthusiasm I dislike disappointing people because I cannot say “Next Summer!” I don’t think anyone wants to see the film more than me but a film of this scope is a complex assemblage of people and business and it takes time. Rest assured, I work everyday to push it closer to reality.

OBS: What’s the one question you wish people would ask about LGW and what is your answer to it?
Frank: Thank you for pushing me to think about this. I didn’t have an easy answer but knew there was something at the edge of my consciousness that I wanted to put out there for others to share. Basically, after all these years, I wish someone would ask me why Wonderland is so Anglo-Centric. Because if we think about this… Wonderland should be beyond one culture here on earth. Why did Alyss exit the Pool of Tears in England? Why not in Japan? Perhaps another Alyss did. What if I had found the deck of cards in Japan? Would that have revealed an entirely different version of Wonderland? We all read a lot of Sci-Fi and fantasy about parallel worlds… but what about parallel psyches and parallel cultures? I think that maybe there are Wonderlands stacked upon Wonderlands each serving and reflecting the parallel psyche/culture they send Imagination to. Because after all, at the same time we all share so much we are all so different. I wish everyone would ponder this question and come to your own conclusions because I think the answer is… many answers.

OBS: What is the one thing you want to say to your fans?
Frank: If you don’t know this yet please commit it to memory now. You and your enthusiasm, energy and Imagination are as vital to the Looking Glass Wars as any word ever written or book ever published. Without you, Alyss and her story would have remained hidden in the dust of history. Thank you!

Thanks Frank for the awesome interview. I have read through the first book and I’m addicted. Now I have to buy all the graphic novels for Hatter Mattigan and find a new copy of the Princess Alyss in Wonderland book. If you like Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland you will love this action-packed tale of the true Alyss and her adventures of pain and hardship as she tries to regain her Queendom.

You can check out more about LGW’s here:
www.lookingglasswars.com/

By the way we will being doing Alice in Wonderland as our April Young Adult Book Club, so come back and compare the classic with Frank’s truthful tale.

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Young Adult novels from a multitude of publishers. She has appeared in Cosmo and Seventeen magazines, on MTV, and has also been featured on many regional and national news programs.

Gena credits much of her success to her wonderful fans, amazing family, and the three slobbery English bulldogs who sleep under her desk. She has been reading since a very young age, and that is what inspired her to become a writer.

OBS: Your list of published books is so impressive. Since you write both young adult and adult books, it would be interesting to know if you prefer to write one over the other. Do you go through a different process when writing young adult books?
Gena: First, thank you so much! I go through the same process for both adult and young adult books. I write a chapter a day until the rough draft is done. Sometimes that takes two hours. Sometimes fourteen hours. The young adult books are tougher to write, though. All those hormones, the uncertainty, sometimes it’s difficult to capture.

OBS: I see on your website that the sequel to INTERTWINED is coming out September 2010. How many books do you have planned in the series? When you started planning INTERTWINED did you envision the entire series then or did it come to you as you wrote?
Gena: There will be four books in the Intertwined series. I knew in the beginning that there would be four books – I wanted a book for each of the souls trapped inside Aden’s head – but I had no idea where the different installments would take me (and that was never more apparent than when I sat down to write Unraveled and I realized the direction the characters were dragging me). I’m not a plotter on any level.

OBS: What does your writing process look like? How long does it take to write the rough draft? How do you go about editing? Do you work with a critique group? Do you write alone or get together with other writers to work? Do you listen to music when you write or do you need silence?
Gena: I can usually write a rough draft in two months and finish the book entirely in three. I don’t allow myself to edit as I go, because editing during the draft causes me to obsess about every word choice. I save the obsessing for the finished bare bones.

When I’m not riding the edge of a deadline, I love to send my drafts to fellow author Jill Monroe for her feedback. I’m always amazed at the difference her suggestions can make. Intertwined originally had about twenty pages of introspection to kick off. Just Aden talking with the souls. But Monroe helped me brainstorm a much better beginning.

I absolutely listen to music as I write. I hate quiet. Makes my ears ring.

OBS: What do you like to read? How often do you find the time to sit and relax with a book?
Gena: I don’t get to read as often as I’d like, maybe once or twice a month, but I always grab a romance. Adult or young adult doesn’t matter, as long as there’s a love story!

OBS: Which of your books is your favorite? If you can’t pick a favorite book, do you have a favorite character? If so, what about the book/character makes it your favorite?
Gena: Of all my published books, I have two favorites. Intertwined, because it was so difficult to write, and Seduce the Darkness, because I’m so hopelessly in love with the hero. Devyn. My favorite character, though, is a man who hasn’t yet gotten a book of his own. William from the Lords of the Underworld. I adore him. There’s something so delightful about watching a rogue being brought to his knees by the one woman he can never resist . . .

Thank you very much Gana for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer our questions. I’m really looking forward to reading this book and finishing our book club on it next month.

You can check out Gena’s YA website here:
www.genashowalter.com/young-adult/

For her more adult material please check here:
www.genashowalter.com/

For Gena’s Lords of the Underworld, please check the website here:
www.genashowalter.com/lotu/

Remember next month the YA book club will be finishing Gena’s INTERTWINED and if you’d like to read it along with us, answer dicussion question, or just want to chat with other BC fans, check out our book club HERE. We will be starting again in February with in depth summaries, and lots of discussions.