What Inspired The Starlight Chronicles Series by P.S. Malcolm

It was after a short writing break that I was inspired to sit down at my wooden desk, cup of tea in hand, and write a psychological thriller. It's also worth mentioning that I had no clue how to write such a genre at the time. But I was driven around the concept of the stars actually being lanterns in the sky in need of regular re-lighting, and creating a world around that with a stealthy antagonist.

Of course, the book flopped a couple of chapters in for this reason, and the draft was left saved on my memory stick which I unthinkingly lent to a friend for her assignment.

This friend happened to be a major bookworm and found the manuscript, devoured it, and demanded I keep writing it. At the time, another story concept had floated into my brain—one consisting of stars and princesses and magical kingdoms. The two ideas sort of blended together, and suddenly I was really inspired to write a story much more within my reading tastes.

A tragedy story with gritty, dark romance and action!

I wanted my readers to cry, to scream with frustration, to feel deeply for the characters. I wanted them to be awed by the plot twists and not be able to possibly predict what was coming.

I loved reading stories like that—was constantly awed by authors who could make me feel such a way, and I vowed that I would do the same. It all fell together so easily and so quickly that I finished the story in a month. By the end of the year, I had four books drafted out and a small following of loyal readers glued to the series.

What makes this series so powerful is the conflict between the characters and how deeply entwined it is with the plot—there are so many stakes and perspectives to consider. Each character is uniquely different and contributes to the overall plot, making them necessary key players in the conflict. This was one of my big goals—I wanted to write a story where siding with just one character would be difficult, and there would be amazing character growth ARCs to witness.

After many re-writes, the first book is finally hitting shelves and I couldn't be more excited or prouder—I can't wait for readers to connect with my story and follow the exciting journey waiting for them!

You can grab your copy of Lanterns In The Sky here: https://www.amazon.com/Lanterns-Sky-Starlight-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B07NZXTMQ4/

If You Love These Books, You'll Love Lanterns In The Sky

I am a huge fan of royal revolutions, magical fantasy and powerful, badass characters—which is why I read these books as well as write them!

In this post, I want to help you figure out if Lanterns In The Sky is your next go-to read by sharing a couple of similar books with relating themes, settings or style. You might even discover another book you haven't heard of yet (did someone day two for one?)

So buckle up, and let's take a look shall we?

Red Queen, by Victoria Aveyard

I'm sure most people who read YA fantasy have heard of this book by now. Red Queen kind of blew up—and I definitely see why.

Some of the best parts of this book were the magic structure in this world, the worldbuilding, the stakes and the plot twists! (If you've read this one you know exactly what I'm referring to).

Enter Lanterns In The Sky—a story set in the present world descending into a slow downfall of society, with major stakes and a super killer plot twist to throw you off—because I love Victoria Aveyard's style! *wink*

Stardust, by Neil Gaiman

Ah… dreamy Stardust! I love this beautiful, whimsical read and the adventures the characters go on. Also, the romance is just lovely!

Though Lanterns In The Sky is more dark and gritty, it has it's powerful and lovely moments—and if you love 'star' magic and constellations, then Lanterns In The Sky is heavily based around that entire concept.

I like to think that the writing is balanced between dark moments and hopeful ones—with an interesting love story unfolding along the way.

An Ember In The Ashes, by Sabar Tahir

This book has some amazing character development, action, and shares a very similar theme to the backstory of The Starlight Chronicles. Character conflicts are something that come up a lot in Lanterns In The Sky—so these books share a parallel here.

If you love resistances and royal revolutions and enjoyed reading An Ember In The Ashes, then you'll definitely want to add Lanterns In The Sky to your reading list (especially because the following novella, Starfall, will really intrigue fans of An Ember In The Ashes.)

Daughter Of Smoke And Bone, by Laini Taylor

If you love European settings crossed with fantasy worlds, you will just adore Lanterns In The Sky.

One of the most notable things about Daughter Of Smoke And Bone was it's distinct settings in Prague and Paris and other places outside of the U.S. It also managed to magically blend fantasy worlds in the epic way that Laini Taylor does!

Although we don't get to explore the other 'fantasy' worlds of The Starlight Chronicles until book two, the setting of Lorelei is entirely unique on its own and influenced by Vienna and Salzburg. Plus, there are angels in this book and they are super cool beings!

I hope this post has inspired your next read and helped you decide if Lanterns In The Sky is for you! You can grab your copy of Lanterns In The Sky here: https://www.amazon.com/Lanterns-Sky-Starlight-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B07NZXTMQ4/

Happy reading!

Q&A with Nicolina Martin, Heat

Hello Nicolina Martin. You are releasing your second novel, Heat, in a few days, the first in a new mafia series about the Russos, we want to know all about it, but first: tell us a little bit about yourself.

Hi! Well, I’m a Swedish born gal who has never written in Swedish, even though it’s my first language. I work as a radiologist, I’m a mom of three teenage girls and three cats. I live and breathe writing, and my mind works on plots and dialogue non-stop. I make a little space every week to sing in a gospel choir, I love my tiny little garden, and to drive my car really fast.

What inspired you to start writing?

A long time ago I wrote fanfiction. I wrote for several years and learned a lot about the trade, both through the instant response you get when you post chapter by chapter, but also through some brilliant authors I met, who are still my friends. Several of them have gone on to publish books. I always wanted to write a real book, that was my own, but didn’t think I had it in me, until I suddenly had. January 2018 my first story took off, and it’s actually Heat, but it’s had many, many versions between then and now.

How would you describe your genre and your favorite trope?

Sizzling hot romance with a ton of suspense and lots of darkness. Favorite trope by far is enemies to lovers. It’s built in to some extent, a little, or a lot, in most of my stories. There’s just something extra hot with that dynamic that gets my juices flowing. I mean creative! :)

What attracts you to the darker side of romance?

I don’t even see myself as that dark, but many say I am. I work a lot with emotions, and angst. The situations I put my characters in are tense, and sometimes they balance on the edge between life and death. That creates a certain darkness. What attracts me to it is that I get to play with all the feels and bring my reader, and myself, to the edge of the seat in agony before I give us some relief, and the happy ending of course.

How dark is too dark? Where do you draw the line and tell yourself, hell no?

Are you asking how dark I can write, or how dark my books can be? I think I can write the darkest imaginable. I’ll leave that up to your own imagination. I’m even thinking of creating a separate pen name, because there are things I’d love to explore. What you won’t find in my books is the hero tying up the heroine in a dank basement, torturing her until she loves him. That’s not my kind of darkness.

Now, tell us about the Russos. Who are they? How did you come up with them?

Oh yes! The Russo Saga. We’re embarking on a journey that I don’t know when and where it will end. Several books are lined up for publishing during 2019 and even more are being plotted as we speak. We get to follow a mafia family with sister and brother Bianca Russo and Luciano Salvatore at the helm. Bianca runs a business of organized crime in Chicago, and Luciano owns the whole west coast of the USA, with his seat in San Francisco. Bianca has five children, Christian, Nathan, Matteo, Luca, and Angela. There are also trusted co-workers and friend in this inner circle. Everyone will have their own book in due time.

First out is Nathan Russo who goes on a mission to exotic Dominican Republic. He meets innocent Sydney Lewis who goes there on vacation and sparks fly from the very first gaze. Nathan has a dark side to his persona as well as his sexuality, and Sydney gets to explore both her innermost desires as well as fears.

The Russos came to be when my friend and critique partner pointed at several works in progress I had last autumn and said: girl, these can all go together, they can all be a part of the same world. I saw what she saw and the rest is history. Within five minutes I had the whole backstory and clan made up. They begged to be written.

Is this a series that needs to be read in order?

Every book is a standalone, except for a duet that I’m working on at the moment. They won’t need to be read in any particular order. No single event depends on that you know what happened in the other books. There will however be an enhanced experience from reading them in the order I publish them, because you’ll get to know the whole cast a little more with each book as they make cameos in each other’s books.

Favorite authors? Who are your one-clicks?

Ohh, too many. I’m a huge fan of Stephen King and Jodi Picoult. I love Meghan March, Jennifer Bene, Addison Cain, Zoe Blake and Renee Rose. Lots

What can we expect in the future?

More of the Russos of course. Much more. I have material in my head that will keep giving us books through 2020. I hope to get to spend many, many hours with these enticing people, and to keep my readers on their toes. of good fun and hot power exchange in those!

Last, but not least: where can we stalk you?

Well, my home address is— just kidding. I mentioned my website www.nicolinamartin.com. I always keep it updated. You can find links to everything there, for instance make sure to follow me on Amazon and Bookbub. I’m very active on Facebook and have a great reader group https://www.facebook.com/groups/martinsmisfits/ Welcome to join!

I hope you’ll enjoy my new release Heat, and the dangerously hot Russo boys as much as I do!

Behind the Scenes in Nothing is Forgotten by Peter Golden

I didn’t know how I was going to step foot in Germany, let alone tour the Dachau concentration camp. Yet summer was coming, when I traveled for research, and I was writing Nothing Is Forgotten, and both Munich and the camp, 25 kilometers outside the city, were central to my novel. Munich was where the headquarters of Radio Liberty was located, and the station, broadcasting into the Soviet Union, made the city a battleground between the CIA and KGB, and it would play a pivotal role in the life of one of my main characters. And the Dachau camp was crucial to the story, a nexus where the present and past would collide.

Most important, for me, I saw historical novels as where imagination meets reality, each igniting the other and providing a necessary spark for the writer. So I had to go to Germany, but how could I visit a country that had murdered members of my extended family? I came up with a plan to do my research in a day, driving in from Belgium then hightailing it for Switzerland. However, that didn’t give me enough time, so I was stumped—until I interviewed James Critchlow, a former employee of Radio Liberty who worked in Munich in the 1960s.

Back then, Mr. Critchlow said, the concentration camp was being transformed into a memorial, and the town officials of Dachau were unhappy about it. One of them complained to James that in the future, because of the memorial, whenever anyone heard “Dachau,” they would think of the camp and not the lovely old town in Bavaria.

I laughed, a bizarre reaction that unnerved me. Then I said, “You mean, if they put up a brewery where the crematorium used to be, everyone would think of Dachau as a beer?”

“Something like that,” Mr. Critchlow replied.

When I got off the phone, I knew that I could go to Germany. Two decades after the camps were liberated, a German official remained unaware that words like Dachau and Nazi, and the names of Hitler, Himmler et al would remain synonyms for unspeakable evil.

When I got off the phone, I knew that I had to go to Germany—not simply to see the birthplace of the Holocaust. But to contemplate the extraordinary talent humans possess for self-delusion.

If you are interested in a brief photo essay of my tour, hit Ctrl+click to follow the link: Peter Golden@Dachau

About Peter Golden

Peter Golden is an award-winning journalist, novelist, biographer, and historian. He lives outside Albany, New York, with his wife and son. He is the acclaimed author of the novels Comeback Love, Wherever There Is Light, and Nothing Is Forgotten.

Q&A with Williams L. Myers Jr, A Killer's Alilbi

Where do you get inspiration for your plots? How much of your real life is in them?

The plots come to me on their own, from where I know not. Hardly any of the murders are based on my own real life; what I draw most from my real life are the trial scenes. As a trial attorney, I know what it is like to try cases—the emotional ups and downs, the stress and sleepless nights—and I try to bring the readers into that experience; not just a front-row seat, but a seat “at the table."

Are characters based on people you know in real life?

Characteristics of the characters are often drawn from real people. For example, how a particular attorney behaves in court. How a character dresses, talks, or smokes a cigarette. The confidence, or self-doubt in people I know.

How did you choose the book’s setting?

First and foremost, I am a Philadelphian. Of course, I would base my novels here. I love my city. I also know it. Not just the names and locations of the restaurants, hotels, museums. But the feel of Philadelphia. I try to imbue my novels with the sense of what it is like to live and practice law here.

SYNOPSIS:

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For attorney Mick McFarland, the evidence is damning. And so are the family secrets in this twisty legal thriller from the Amazon Charts bestselling author of A Criminal Defense.

When crime lord Jimmy Nunzio is caught, knife in hand, over the body of his daughter’s lover and his own archenemy, he turns to Mick McFarland to take up his defense. Usually the courtroom puppeteer, McFarland quickly finds himself at the end of Nunzio’s strings. Struggling to find grounds for a not-guilty verdict on behalf of a well-known killer, Mick is hamstrung by Nunzio’s refusal to tell him what really happened.

On the other side of the law, Mick’s wife, Piper, is working to free Darlene Dowd, a young woman sentenced to life in prison for her abusive father’s violent death. But the jury that convicted Darlene heard only part of the truth, and Piper will do anything to reveal the rest and prove Darlene’s innocence.

As Mick finds himself in the middle of a mob war, Piper delves deeper into Darlene’s past. Both will discover dark secrets that link these fathers and daughters—some that protect, some that destroy, and some that can’t stay hidden forever. No matter the risk.

Q&A with K.B. Hoyle, The Six

Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?

Honestly, no! While I always play my books out like scenes in a movie in my head while I’m writing, I never think about the audiobook side of things. I’m SUPER visual, so it’s actually difficult for me to sit down and just LISTEN to anything without also looking at something at the same time (even music). When I was a kid, I loved those audio cassette bags you could check out from the library that came with the book and the audio recording because I could follow along while listening.

How did you select your narrator?

We (my agent, Ben, and I) had a lot of people audition for The Six, actually, so I had options. And Ben was really good about not giving me his opinion until I had a chance to listen to the audition recordings and sift through my own thoughts first. What it really came down to for me was choosing someone who sounded like she understood my voice as the author, my main character’s voice and emotions, someone who had good range (because The Six is the first book in a six-book fantasy series spanning many years and a wide variety of characters, not to mention character development and growth), someone who was pleasing to listen to, and someone who fit the story itself. For example, we had one narrator audition out of somewhere in the UK, and although I’m a bit of an Anglophile, and I adored her accent, the story is a distinctly American story set in Michigan, so it just makes sense to have an American narrator. And it just turns out that Dollcie (my narrator) lives IN the region the story actually takes place! I believe she’s really meant to tell these stories for me.

Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?

The Gateway Chronicles (of which The Six is book 1) is based at a real-life camp in Upper Michigan I attended from the time I was a wee baby until I graduated high school. I even went back once in college, and again early in my marriage, and would be attending still if I didn’t live so far away now. Of course, for the story, I changed all the names of everything, and I didn’t import any characters from my real life wholesale into the story, but what I did do was take the essence of my experiences growing up there and transform them into a fantastical story that at once pays homage to my childhood and teen years and at the same time builds something entirely different. I think many of us wished to escape to another world when we were young — wished to discover another world through a magical veil where people expected heroic things of us. I used a very familiar thing — summer camp — as a launching point for greater adventure, and it is both true and untrue in the way all great stories (hopefully) are.

How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?

I don’t avoid burn-out, but I never lose my enthusiasm for writing and storytelling. Physically, I hit burn-out all the time — more often than I should. I’m 35, I have four sons, I’ve written twelve-ish novels in the last ten years, and I work as a full-time writer, which means I’m always, always writing. I drink coffee more often than I sleep, and weekends are laughably absent from my existence, but the thing is: I love writing. I love it with every fiber of my being. I probably love it too much. So when it comes to finding balance in my life, I often find I have to force myself to put the writing aside for a bit to focus on other, healthier facets of existence.

What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?

I think audiobooks are so, so important. As a former teacher, I’ve obviously seen the struggle many students go through with reading disabilities, and I’m honestly not sure where they would be without audiobooks. Although I’m not personally one who listens to audiobooks very much (my mind wanders if I don’t have eyes on the page), I so appreciate how they have opened up the written word for others — especially those with disabilities. Speaking of my time as a teacher, once upon a time, the oral tradition reigned supreme! In class, I always read aloud to my students — giving them the option to follow along, or just listen, whatever worked best for them. It is in no way “cheating,” it’s actually getting back to the core of a grand human tradition.

What gets you out of a writing slump? What about a reading slump?

I have never really experienced a writing slump, but I do frequently experience reading slumps. I am exceptionally picky about what I read, so I tend to not pick up new novels if I’m afraid they are going to disappoint me (and my free time is so limited I don’t want to waste my time on something bad). I may go months at a time where I’m only writing and not reading. Often what gets me out is someone making me feel convicted about the fact that I’m a writer of fiction who is not reading any fiction, and then I need to buy myself a new book (because once I invest some money into it, I feel like I have to read it). But then I’m an obsessive reader once I start, so I won’t do anything other than read until the book is done, lol. I need to learn better balance in my life.

What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Learn your craft, learn your craft, learn your craft. Don’t just assume that because you know how to put words on the page, you can tell a story. Figure out why your favorite authors are successful — why you admire them — and study how they tell their stories. Read books about writing. Read books about storytelling. Learn how the two are different things and learn to do both well. Your first book (especially the first couple drafts of your first book) is GREAT… for practice. Keep at it and don’t stop. Be teachable. So many aspiring writers are not teachable and waste time thinking they already know what they’re doing when they could be using that time to get better. I’m ten years in to my writing career and still learning new things. Humility and teachability will take you a lot farther in this industry than arrogance and stubbornness.

What’s next for you?

Dollicie and I will next be releasing book 2 of The Gateway Chronicles (The Oracle) on audio, so I’m super excited about that! And my agent and I are working on a couple of new manuscripts. I’m also in the process of re-releasing my YA Dystopian series in paperback and Kindle, so I have PLENTY to keep me busy over the next several months.

Q&A with Sullie Mason, Not For Me

When did you know you wanted to be an audiobook narrator?

It came to me while driving my 35 minute commute to work. I always have an Audiobook or Podcast on in my car, and I was like, “I can do this, let's just try and see what happens.” People have always commented on my voice, my least favorite, “ are you sick?”, so I thought I would like to use it.   

Did you find it difficult to “break into” audiobook narration? What skill/tool helped you the most when getting started?

What helped me get started was my mantra, “ If I try and fail, then I will know. But if I don’t try then I will regret never knowing.”

A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theatre. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career?

I don’t think it is really that necessary. I have minimal theatre experience. Mostly I have fun reading and imagining what a person would sound like. I use my theatre past to get a bit of what the character wants and feels but I listen to other narrators and pick up on what they are doing and I listen to criticism.

How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for narrating?

Taking a break and knowing your limits. Some narrators are machines (not trying to hide my jealousy) and can knock out chapter after chapter all day. Not me. When I notice that I’m starting to make a lot of mistakes or reading characters like I’m reading my narration then I’m out. Also my toddler rules my day. It’s an unhealthy relationship.

Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?

I LOVE audiobooks! They can take you anywhere. Driving into work, making dinner, grocery shopping, nah says I! I’m time traveling with a hunky highlander, battling fairies that prey on humans after the wall between our worlds fell or solving a murder while trying to survive the web the killer weaved to trap me.

What are your favorite and least favorite parts of narrating an audiobook?

I love reading the book and acting out all the characters. I HATE editing. It doesn’t suit my soul.

What about this title compelled you to audition as narrator?

It is a fun upbeat book. It is set in Chicago and most of my family lives 3 hours away from the windy city. I thought it would be fun to play up a midwestern accent a bit.

Who are your “accent inspirations”?

My mother did many accents with us growing up. Me and my Brothers can do at least 4 well and we do it often when we play around with each other. Movies, tv shows, other narrators and actual people are who I mimic. Especially if you have a distinct accent, it is really hard for me NOT to mimic you. Awkward in job interviews on occasion...

How did you decide how each character should sound in this title?

My favorite could be the door man. I impersonated my grandpa. It’s who I would want to greet me when I came and went. He also would keep a tight ship.

What types of things are harmful to your voice?

Laughing so hard that no sound comes out. Every time I went home to visit my family or out with my friends I had to email Kat and tell her I might be a bit delayed until my voice came back.

If you could narrate one book from your youth what would it be and why?

It’s actually a children’s book, “How to Raise Dragons.” I got it for my little brother and latter in life I read it outloud to him again as a joke, ended up getting into it and when I was finished with it, I looked around and saw not just one brother, but my other one too and the neighbor boy leaning against the doorway. Hilarious because these are grown boys that are over 6 feet tall.