By way of introduction, here is Kendra E. Ardnek’s bio:
Kendra E. Ardnek is the self-proclaimed Arista of Fairy Tales.
She lives in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her dragon babies and massive herd of mini-giraffes, and she is still waiting for one of of her fifty nutcrackers to come to life and marry her.
When not writing, you can usually find her sitting in a random box, and she’s frequently known to act before she thinks.
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Hello, Kendra, welcome to Angel Kiss Publications. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview.
Thank you for having me.
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When did the writing bug ensnare you?
I always knew that the written word was my destiny (I share a birthday with two famous authors), and I’ve been making up stories since I understood the concept
I wasn’t serious until I was eleven or so and decided to rewrite my own movie version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Where do you find inspiration for your characters?
Anywhere and everywhere. The characters of this book are all based on those of Jane Austen’s work, but I have one in another project that literally developed out a skirt. She’s a Dragon Fairy.
Image courtesy of Kendra. E. Ardnek
What has been your most rewarding experience since publishing your work?
Getting to connect with readers who fall in love with my characters and worlds just as much as I am.
What advice would you give to authors just starting out?
Take your time. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your story. Each word you write will get better. Focus on loving your stories, not writing a masterpiece.
What are your favorite books?
Ella Enchanted, That Hideous Strength, The Ilyon Chronicles, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lunar Chronicles, Emma, Elven Alliance, The Four Kingdoms, and lots more. I like a lot of books.
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If you could create an author’s group with writers from any time period, who would you invite?
The problem with this question is that my brain immediately goes to the Inklings and its ultimate implosion. Honestly, the groups I have are amazing and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
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A movie producer wants to turn your book into a movie, and you get to make a cameo. What would you do in the movie?
Probably be a villager or a servant or some such. Though I would really want to play the Mistress.
What are your most effective marketing strategies?
I’ve been in the publishing scene for ten years now, and it’s a constantly evolving process.
But the timeless guidelines are—Keep your book visible (don’t worry about being the annoying author who always talks about her own books. (SHOW THOSE BABIES OFF.)
Have a great cover and be able to pitch your book in a single sentence (I highly recommend Finding the Core of Your Story by Jordan Smith to learn how to do this).
Create a community for your readers and promote a fandom. Word of mouth is the most powerful tool, and people love a club.
After their father’s death, and thanks to their older half-brother’s wanderlust, two sisters find themselves caught in the politics of a mysterious forest.
Elinrose finds herself in direct conflict with the wood’s Mistress, while Snowmari hides a deadly secret that could mean her death if found out.
Can their bonds of sisterhood withstand these trying times? Or will they even make it out alive?
By way of introduction, here is Katherine Monroe’s bio:
A native of Poland, Katherine Monroe, is an artistic soul who enjoys learning foreign languages and writing stories in various genres, with flavors from many cultures (especially East Asia).
Hello, Katherine, welcome to Angel Kiss Publications. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview.
Thank you for having me.
When did the writing bug ensnare you?
I think it was when I was between 10 and 12 years old. My family and I were on vacation with my uncle, when my younger sister and I made a contest with him to write the best short horror story – it was then I thought about being a writer in the future.
Is writing your full-time profession?
Unfortunately, no, I’m just beginning my journey. I can’t pay my bills with money from books yet, so I have to work in other fields as well.
How long have you been writing?
I started as a 10-year-old, so I have been writing for 20 years, of course with some hiatus along the way since my teens to late twenties.
Have you won any literary awards?
I won 2nd place in a popularity contest on Fictionate.me, the main platform I publish on, with my thriller novel Blossom Tears.
How many published books have you written?
Six novels, counting in the three parts of my series Light & Darkness. Another two are in the making 🙂
Which genres do you write?
Mostly Fantasy/Romance, but I wrote two novels from the Thriller/Crime/Suspense genres.
What do you find most challenging writing for these genres?
Thriller is the most challenging since I rarely write in this genre because it’s hard to write a good thriller suspense story. Fantasy is quite easy for me because it lets me freely use my imagination.
What are you working on now?
I will be writing Light & Darkness: Book 4 and currently I am writing a Fantasy/Romance novel called Love of the Snow-White Fox.
Where do you find inspiration for your characters?
In a lot of places: music, movies, other books, sometimes all around me, while meeting various people.
What has been your most rewarding experience since publishing your work?
Every positive comment, where people say they loved the story, is rewarding, showing me I should keep on writing because my novels can make others happy.
What advice would you give to authors just starting out?
Never give up, especially if writing is something you love to do, read a lot, learn from others to improve your writing, look for inspiration everywhere: from various cultures to everyday life, you never know where you’ll find a great book idea.
Is there anything else you’d like your readers to know about you?
I just want them to know I appreciate every opinion and hope that my novels are making them happy.
What message are you sharing in your books?
Most of my books contain a “love can change the world” idea, so I wish my readers would regain hope in the strength of love, since I believe in it with all my heart.
What are your favorite books?
I love Stephen King’s works, also Anne Rice and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Overall horror books are my favorite, mostly in vampiric themes. I also like period romances like Jane Austen’s books.
If you could create an author’s group with writers from any time period, who would you invite?
Anne Rice for sure, Bram Stoker and Jane Austen for sure 🙂
Also, Stephen King, of course. And many more I don’t remember right now.
Who has influenced your writing the most?
I think maybe Japanese anime. Many of my fantasy novels have elements of it. Korean detective dramas definitely inspired my thriller’s.
When you’re not writing, where can we find you?.
Anywhere there is good music, peace and nature.
A movie producer wants to turn your book into a movie, and you get to make a cameo. What would you do in the movie?
Hmm, that’s a hard question, but maybe as a passerby? I don’t want any big role, to be honest 🙂
An elf named 12-25 approaches you. He’s sneezing, wheezing, coughing and there’s a strange tattoo of a snoring dog on his cheek. What do you do?
I would definitely ask if he needed any help, also about his tattoo, and maybe I would also give him some hot tea with honey.
What are your most effective marketing strategies?
Just promoting on social media, I guess. Although I’m not the best at marketing 🙂
But for sure, a pretty graphic or video about your novel is always eye-catching.
Do you have a website/Facebook page, etc?
Yes, on Facebook you can find me as Katherine Monroe, which is my pen name, facebook.com/KatherineMonroePL . I also have an active Instagram as eastasiaaddict_pl
Where can we find your books?
Most of them are on Fictionate.me or Dreame platform.
I also have some on reading apps like Readict, GoodNovel, OnReading, Libri & Bravonovel.
More info can be found on my Facebook’s author page: facebook.com/KatherineMonroePL
Soo Jung is a gumiho – a Korean nine-tailed fox spirit – but also one of her kind, with a fur as white as snow.
After being saved by a human, she walks down from the mountain, turning into her human form, but soon tragic events occur and Soo Jung escapes to the mountains and falls asleep for a long time, not intending to wake up.
However, one day she is awoken by a dream about a man who resembles her long lost love. Soo Jung goes down from the mountain once again. She soon discovers the world has drastically changed and tries to fit in, while searching for the man from her dream.
“Your Grace,” they all heard Grace say, “Your wonderful sister has returned.”
Aria could almost hear the smile in her voice.
“I see that,” the young man at the front of the room said. His voice was deep and gravely. Aria found it a little scary, if she was honest.
“And why is it that my sister returns days later than expected,” he asked. Aria could hear him getting up, his chair scraping the floor.
“Unforeseen complications, Your Grace,” Grace said. Aria was sure that she was smiling now. She could hear him coming down the steps towards them.
She decided to look up.
He walked towards Grace. When he was standing in front of her, he reached down and offered her his hand. She grasped it, and he pulled her up. And to Aria’s surprise, he hugged her.
Grace wrapped her hands around his neck while he placed one hand on her back and the other on her head. He kissed her cheek before letting her go.
“Are you okay? Did everything go smoothly,” he asked in a quiet voice.
“Yeah, it was fine,” Grace said.
He nodded and finally looked past her to the group of people kneeling in the center of the room.
His eyes landed on Aria’s first. She dropped hers to the ground a second later.
She heard him take a few steps towards her. He stopped right in front of her. She decided not to look up.
He stood there for a few moments before moving on, walking around the group in a circle. When he was in front of Aria again, he spoke up.
“What the hell is this,” he asked.
Still, Aria didn’t look up. She was pretty sure no one else did, either.
“I said the exact same thing,” Grace said, joining the king at the front of the group.
“They’re a bunch of children,” he said, with a little edge to his voice. “Look at them. Not a single one of them can be over the age of twenty. These are the people that the Terra just had to get rid of? As if they’re some great threat,” he said.
“Apparently,” Grace said.
“How have they survived? They’re practically skin and bones,” he said like this was some sort of trick. Aria could feel anger replacing her fear. “And you couldn’t have soaked them in some water before bringing them here? They’re absolutely filthy,” he said.
Aria could feel herself getting tense. Her knee was starting to ache, but she didn’t dare look up. Not just yet.
“This is their leader,” Grace said.
The king took a step towards Aria. He put a hand on her chin and pushed her head up, making her finally lift her eyes from the ground.
“Aria…” he said, sounding her name out. “Aria from under the ground. Rise,” he said.
She stood up; she wasn’t sure how. Her legs felt like jelly. Being closed off in this room, with nowhere to run, made her feel like she was back in that tiny dirt room, trapped.
He studied her face for a few minutes.
She felt her cheeks flame under his scrutinizing gaze, aware of how dirty she was.
“Tell me, Aria, from under the ground, how has such a little girl managed to survive all this time? How has a child convinced brutal warriors not to kill her and her friends? How have you caused so much trouble for the Terra that they would be desperate to be rid of you?”
Something about his tone and the mockery in his eye made Aria angrier than she’d ever been.
“I don’t know…but perhaps you will find out,” she said before she could stop herself.
But the king only smirked.
“Perhaps I will,” he said.
About The Author:
Adrianna is a 28-year-old wife and stay-at-home mom to her 1-year-old baby boy. She comes from a large Mexican American family and was born with Cerebral Palsy.
She also holds an MLIS degree and greatly enjoys getting to tell people she’s a librarian.
Is the safety of a country worth the sacrifice of one girl – even if she is the daughter of blood and misfortune?
Book Description:
A Twist of Adventure #4 The day she was born, her kingdom fell, and so she was branded the daughter of blood and misfortune and locked away. Now a dragon plagues the land and her curse may be the only thing that stops it.
Kendra E. Ardnek is the self-proclaimed Arista of Fairy Tales. She lives in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her dragon babies and massive herd of mini-giraffes, and she is still waiting for one of of her fifty nutcrackers to come to life and marry her. When not writing, you can usually find her sitting in a random box, and she’s frequently known to act before she thinks. Find her online at: Website || Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || YouTube || Newsletter || Instagram || Amazon
Diamond
This time, Rapunzel’s not the one stuck in the tower, but the secrets he brings with him may cost her own life.
Book Description:
Once Upon a Twist #3 Diamond leads a quiet life with the woman she calls Mother. There isn’t much to pass the time save for excursions in the forest and one-sided conversations with her pet rabbit, Hobie. Men are cruel beings who care only for themselves and must be avoided at any cost. After all, Diamond’s own father gambled her away once. What other terrible fates might await her if people knew she existed?
Seth Stendahl is an alchemist with a middling proficiency in the Rohesian tongue. After growing up with and surviving six sisters, there shouldn’t be anything too difficult for him to master – except maybe breaking his leg and being locked in the top of a ruined watchtower.
This is Rapunzel with a twist like you’ve never seen it before.
Kirsten Fichter is a twenty-something Christian writer who loves being the wife to her favorite person ever, mommy to two precious blessings, a piano enthusiast, a dragon buff, a serious bookworm, and an INFP synesthete. Fairytales have always fascinated her, and she has made it her goal to rewrite as many as possible and become known as the “Grimm Dickens” (i.e. mixing Grimm fairytales with a Dickens style). Diamond: A Rapunzel Story is her third published fairytale retelling. You can find out more about her on her blog, A Synesthete Writer.
Patricia O’Neill never asked to be a hero. But when her best friend’s experiments transformed her into the Lizard Woman of Springfield, she answered the call alongside the other victims.
Going Through the Change was only the beginning. The menopausal superheroes wanted answers, but getting them didn’t solve their problems and now their secrets are out.
Dr. Cindy Liu never considered if she should do something–only if she could. Now that the consequences of her work have her on the run, she’s forced into an uneasy alliance with a ghost from her past, if only to save herself.
The chase is on in this between-the-novels story. When your worst enemy used to be your best friend, the battle rages inside and out.
Author Bio
Samantha Bryant is a middle school Spanish teacher by day and a mom and novelist by night. That makes her a superhero all the time. Her secret superpower is finding lost things.
When she’s not writing or teaching, Samantha enjoys time with her family, watching old movies, baking, reading, and going places. Her favorite gift is tickets (to just about anything).
Photo courtesy of: Cait Maire via functionallyfictional.com
By way of introduction, here is Cait Marie’s bio.:
Cait Marie has been obsessed with books her entire life. The love
of writing didn’t hit until 2017. Since then, she has held multiple positions
within Coffee House Writers, including C.O.O., Advertising Supervisor, Editor,
and Writer.
In 2018, she used her passion for reading to create Functionally
Fictional. In 2019, she joined the indie staff of YA Books Central as a
reviewer and then Indie Assistant Blogger.
Cait graduated with honors in 2019 from Southern New Hampshire
University with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, and she is currently enrolled
in their Master of Fine Arts program.
She lives in Indiana, where she freelance edits
and provides a variety of other author services. When she’s not writing or
reading, she can usually be found watching Disney movies or Brooklyn Nine-Nine, creating bullet journal spreads, or singing along to
various soundtracks and showtunes.
Now that you’ve been introduced to Cait Marie, let’s get to know her a little better.
Hello, Cait Maire, welcome to Angel
Kiss Publications. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview.
Thank you for having me.
When did the writing bug ensnare
you?
I never liked to write, but I always loved to read. When I moved back home in 2015, I started reading more, and a book didn’t go exactly how I wanted.
So, I said to myself, “Why don’t I just write my own book? Then I can put anything I want in it!” I basically wanted all the tropes in one story, and I was bored.
Is writing your full-time
profession?
No, it’s not. I am a freelance editor, and I offer a number of author services. I also own the book website Functionally Fictional, which I am working on building into a full company.
It’s my goal to offer self-publishing authors help throughout the entire process, from writing and editing to publishing and marketing.
How long have you been writing?
I started in 2015, but I didn’t start seriously writing with the intent of making it a career until 2018. Even then, I was still getting a psychology degree and writing wasn’t my main focus.
I thought the books would be something on the side. In 2019, I decided to apply to an MFA program instead of continuing with psychology after graduation, and I decided to start self-publishing.
How many published books have you
written?
My first book releases today, March 18, 2020.
A big CONGRATULATIONS!
Which genres do you write?
Young adult fantasy, contemporary
romance, dystopian, and some science fiction, as well as new adult fantasy and
contemporary romance. Most of the books border the YA/NA line.
What do you find most challenging
writing for these genres?
Usually, the distinction between YA
and NA is the most difficult for me. I don’t know how to categorize most of my
books because they’re written more like YA, but the characters are in their
early 20s a lot of the time. NA also has a bad rep in the book community,
unfortunately.
What are you working on now?
I am writing a YA contemporary
romance, The Last Summer, which I’m aiming to release in June.
Where do you find inspiration for
your characters?
I read a lot and watch a lot of movies. Well, not the latter so much anymore, but I used to.
I tend to pull my favorite qualities from a number of favorite characters and kind of mix them up for the specific story. For example, Adalina in The Lost Legends was greatly inspired by Elizabeth Swann from Pirates of the Caribbean.
What has been your most rewarding
experience since publishing your work?
I haven’t published yet, but I have sent out the advanced readers copies, and the reviews have started coming in. Seeing that people actually love my book has been so rewarding.
I’ve had a lot of self-confidence issues in the past, so to read these amazing reviews, especially from strangers saying they read the whole thing in one sitting because they couldn’t stop… it’s just incredible. It’s an 82,000-word book—it isn’t short. That takes some serious commitment.
What advice would you give to
authors just starting out?
Plan ahead and don’t give up. It is a lot of work. A LOT. But it is so worth it. Definitely plan things out though.
Too often I see authors doing things last minute and not putting a lot into the marketing aspect of it. The marketing side is just as important as the writing if you want your books to actually reach readers.
That’s one of the reasons I am building up my website. I know this part is hard for many authors, and I want to help.
Is there anything else you’d like
your readers to know about you?
See above answer haha. I really want to help indie authors. There are so many good books out there that people don’t know about because they don’t have the reach.
I don’t have the biggest following by any means, but I want to help. I just finished editing a book, for example, that was unbelievably good. It could easily be compared to some of the YA fantasy books from big publishers.
I do not know how big this author’s readership is, but I hope it gets the attention it deserves.
What message are you sharing in
your books?
To follow your dreams and your heart,
and to never give up. And that it is okay to believe in fairy tales.
What are your favorite books?
All of the Shadowhunter books by Cassandra Clare. The A Court of Thorns and Roses series and the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. The Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi. The Ravenspire series by C. J. Redwine. Michelle MacQueen and Ann Maree Craven’s two contemporary series, Redefining Me and Discovering Me.
If you could create an author’s group
with writers from any time period, who would you invite?
Honestly, I’m not sure. Confession time, I’ve actually never read a full book from another time period. I’ve read bits and pieces, but never a full book.
I really struggle with them… So, here are some cliché answers because I love the movies based on their books: Jane Austen, J. R. R. Tolkien, L. Frank Baum, and C. S. Lewis.
Who has influenced your writing the
most?
Probably Sarah J. Maas for many reasons. First and foremost, it was her books that caused the love of reading to fully take over my life.
They sparked the reading frenzy that led to the creation of Functionally Fictional because I needed a place to talk about books. I needed to find others who loved them as much as I do.
This then led to my involvement in the writing community and then my own books. More than that though, her books made me feel something I never had before.
The way she makes readers connect to her characters is so powerful, and that’s something I strive for now with my own.
When you’re not writing where can
we find you?
Usually reading, editing, doing
homework, working on promotional stuff for my books, or Functionally Fictional
stuff. I also use a bullet journal and love creating new spreads.
A movie producer wants to turn your
book into a movie, and you get to make a cameo. What would you do in the movie?
Probably someone in the background
in the Tugora tavern scene if they could make my wheelchair blend in somehow.
An elf named 12-25 approaches you.
He’s sneezing, wheezing, coughing and there’s a strange tattoo of a snoring dog
on his cheek. What do you do?
I have no idea. See if he’s okay, then ask about his name and tattoo…
Photo courtesy of Cait Marie via facebook
What are your most effective marketing
strategies?
Start early and PLAN! Plan when you’re going to do different types of promotion and work ahead.
For example, for my book that released today, I sent the book to the editor in November, then immediately started planning the marketing.
I decided to begin promotion January 1, with the cover reveal and pre-order opening a couple weeks later. After that, I did a different teaser graphic or book-related every Wednesday, and will continue to until the release, which is today.
However, I didn’t just plan this first book. I planned out the whole year, with a book coming out every four months. And each book will follow the same basic marketing timeline. I will gladly share the exact details of this with other authors if they’re interested.
Photo courtesy of: Cait Marie via functionallyfictional.com
Do you have a website/Facebook
page, etc?
All of the above. Here’s a list of
most of my links:
All her life, Princess Adalina heard tales of the legendary, immortal warriors known as the Nihryst. Cursed and bound to a deck of tarot cards by her ancestors, the Nihryst were stranded on a remote island nearly a century and a half earlier.
Her brother, Prince Shane, is destined to rule the kingdom of Detmarya. Though preparing for this role has encompassed his entire life, control of the kingdom may come sooner than expected due to their father’s sporadic behavior.
Discovering the king’s plan to set a war in motion with a mass assassination, Ada unwittingly joins a crew of pirates in search of the only beings powerful enough to stop him: the Nihryst. Meanwhile, Shane and a group of underground rebels make a haunting discovery of a plague infecting the streets of Detmarya.
With a looming deadline to save multiple kingdoms and thousands of innocent lives, both royal siblings join quests worthy of Ada’s beloved fairy tales.
Author Ariel Bernstein’s Latest Book Is Now Available On Amazon!
Warren and Dragon are setting out on their most unspooky, totally normal, not-scary-at-all adventure yet…their first sleepover!
Warren is a seven-year-old boy and Dragon is part stuffed animal, part fierce dragon, part best friend–depending on what part you believe most. And Michael is their new friend and next-door neighbor.
When Michael invites them over to go “camping” in his basement, the dynamic duo don’t know whether they’re more excited or nervous about it. This is their very first sleepover. EVER.
Sure, Michael promised there would be not one but two desserts to look forward to. But he also said he wants to swap–gulp–scary stories.
Warren can think of nothing more embarrassing than calling his parents to pick him up early from a sleepover, but how is he supposed to fall asleep in a dark basement full of mysterious and unfamiliar noises?
